Flesh the Deuill Thomas Binwin Gent. vpon his worthy yong Master the ninth Worthy I Fall the Worthies should on earth appeare The ancient Worthies nine in Ranke and place Three from Iudaea three from other where And Christians three our Britaine 's hopefull Grace Our sweet yong Prince thereby could take smal staine Though they from graues were raised vp againe Now for those Kings which HENRY had to name May they compare with HENRY Britaines Prince These Worthies though of farre renoumed fame Haue sought and fought long time agoe and since In vaine for to conioyne their neighbour land To this their owne continuing warre and strife Vntill it pleas'd Iehouas mighty hand From hence to giue King IAMES the fourth a wife HENRY seuenths sister Lady Margaret faire Of whom descends our Liege and gracious King And braue Prince HENRY his thrice worthy heire Magnifie God and Nature for this thing Which sole succession hath brought such accord That he of both may once rest Soueraigne Lord. This then may make our Worthy principall Of later nine His future power and strength Yea more herein exceeding Worthies all They being dead are now entumbd at length This Worthy liues God graunt him long to liue Graunt long good Lord the King his father reigne And to his princely sonne thy graces giue Great God that both may Britains wealth maintaine The Authors excuse of an Escape in the Title following NExt Title some small error may containe Which doth auerre HENRIES nine English Kings Yet to my Booke why should it seeme a staine Sith to Great Britaine it great comfort brings The hopefull Prince and Heire apparant He With the eight Kings well may consorted be Twice scap't by Pen and Presse I fear'd to raze His future Stile at whom euen Kings may gaze The nine English Worthies or famous and worthie Kings of England being all of one name beginning with King HENRY the first and concluding with HENRY now Prince of Great Britaine King Henry the First KIng Henry the first was the sonne of William the Brother to William Rufus that was immediately before King of England which worthy King for his wisdom learning iudgement and honourable policy was surnamed Henry Beuclarke or the faire Writer and good Scholler He began his raigne the fift day of August Anno Domini 1100. He was crowned at Westminster raigned 35. yeares and 4. moneths lacking 4. dayes he was strong of body comely of stature blacke haired large and faire eyes a Princely and a pleasant countenance excelling in thrée vertues most commendable and comfortable to the subiects of his time viz Wisedome Eloquence and Ualour His Epitaphe HENRY the first a King a Princes sonne Excellent wise well learn'd of valiant minde His gouernement recorded this hath wonne For euerlasting praise to him assign'd First worthy Then take place O mighty Prince That with these vertues didst thy foes conuince King Henry the Second of that name HE was a Frenchman borne the second sonne of Ieffrey Plantaginet Earle of Aniow begotten of Mawde the Empresse daughter to King Henry the first he began his raigne ouer this noble Kealme of England the 25 day of October in the yeare after the incarnation of our Sauiour Christ 1154. and departed this life in An. 1189. in the 61. yeare of his age after he had raigned 34. yeares 9. moneths and two dayes And heere may be thought sayth the Historiographer that the raigne of the Frenchmen and the names tooke an end after they had borne sway 122. yeares after the comming in of King William the Conqueror For those Kings which raigned after this Henry the second may rightly be called Englishmen because they were borne in England and vsed the English tongue custome and manners according to the nature and quality of the Country His body was buried at Fountverand which is an Abby situate not far from the Eagle within the Dutchy of Almucon His Description HE was a man of good stature and very wel formed of comely conntenance partly red hayred grey eyes of wit quicke and perfect good memory so that he could remember long al things of any moment which he had eyther heard or séene of body somewhat fleshy and strong and could abide very patiently the displeasures both of colde and heate he had a large head a broad breast and very spare of dyet the rather because he would not be too fat therefore when he was at leasure and free from warres his exercise was hunting and progresse trauels He was a Prince of stout stomacke and inuincible courage more resolute and constant in time of aduersitie then in prosperitie liberall to all men but chiefely vnto souldiers Pittifull to the poore an excellent vertue and nature in a Prince For proofe whereof in a time of dearth which happened in Aniow and Mayne hee did at his owne cost and Princely pitty feede ten thousand poore people euery day with good victuals from the first of Aprill till the last of Iuly An. Dom. 1176. And aboue his Princely and most magnificent house-keeping he stored garners cellars and store-howses religious persons and their howses Tributes and Taxes he tooke verie seldome and those not great Hee was very expect in feates of warre and no lesse fortunate therin He would praise his Captaines and men of warre after their deaths to encourage those that liued hee was well learned as those Princes aforesayde and excéeding wise His care to haue Iustice duly administred in his Realme was excéeding great in so much that finding that the Sheriffs in his time were rather inclined to seek their owne gaine then to deale vprightly with his subiects hee appointed Sapranisors ouer them to ouer sée their doings as if they had béen Controllers so as an awfull regard made them circumspect and wary in their doings He ordained also punishment for Hunters in Forrestes and groundes of warren either by fines or byimprisonment He ordained that murtherers should be hanged other offences he punished with losse of limmes and otherwise as the qualitie of the offence required Most carefull hee was to haue iustice administred without corruption He tryed men of sundry sorts to execute iustice with iustice but in fine hee referred it to the Bishops and Clergy men hoping in that profession to finde the most integritie and yet he little regarded the Bishop of Rome or feared his censures as is manifest by the history of Thomas Becket in this Kings time and sundry others I find two Latine Epitaphes translated into rude English by the Writer of this whole Historie the effect wherof somewhat reformed is as followeth KIng Henry was of late my famous name A Conqueror of many a Princely land Small Epitaph shall need to aduance my fame What done by me was done by powerfull hand And in my dayes I passed not a pin For Pope of Rome he nought of me could win Warre Lawe and Iustice as a princes word I held them alwaies of the great'st regard Where peace would not preuaile
did plainely appeare it would séeme incredible to be tolde and no lesse admirable how hee did abstaine from lasciuious liuing and auaritious desires in such time and estate of riches and prouoking youth In the time of losse he was no more sad then in the times of victory which cōstancy fewe Princes haue euer vsed To speake of his bounty and liberality no man could be more free gentle and liberall in bestowing rewardes vpon all persons according to their deserts sauing that hee did not regarde money to kéepe but to giue away and to spend What may besayd he was the Myrror of al Christendome and the glory of his Country the flower of Kings passed and the glasse of all succéeding Maiestie No Prince had lesse of his subiects no king conquered more whose fame by his death liuely florished as his acts in his life were séene and remembred The losse of such a Prince could not bée sufficiently lamented of his subiectes blaming fortune for taking away so precious a iewel so noble an ornament so sure a defence for no doubt so much hope as was taken away from the Englishmen the assured conquest of all France by his sodaine death so much trust was increased in the French nations stomackes to recouer their late losses againe as not many yeares after they did indéed Peeter Basset Esquier and one of his chamber affirmed that he dyed of a Pleurisy there were others that did astirme otherwise but the most likely was a Pleurisy indeed the nature of that disease being then vnknowen to Phisicians or to the world in those dayes especially This King raigned nine yeares fiue moneths and three and twenty dayes and liued not full thirty eight yeares he was of stature higher then the common sort of body leane singularly proportioned and strongly made of face bewtifull something long necked blacke haired stoute of stomacke eloquent of tongue in Martiall affaires a perfect maister and of chiualry the very peragon His body inbalmed and lapped in lead was layd in a chariot royall richly apparelled in cloth of golde vpon his corps was layde a representation of his person adorned with robes diademe scepter and ball like a king the which chariot was drawen with sixe horses richly trapped with seuerall armes the first with the armes of S. George the second with the armes of Normandy the third with the armes of king Arthur the fourth with the armes of S. Edward the fift with the armes of France the sixt with the armes of England and France On this Chariot gaue attendance Iames King of Scotland principall Mourner his Unkle Thomas duke of Exceter Richard Earle of Warwicke Edmond Earle of March Humfrey Earle of Stafford Edmond Earle of Mortaine The Lord Fitz Hugh Hugh L. Beufort Walt. L. Hungerford Sir Lewis Robsert Lord Bourchier Sir Iohn Cornwall Lord Fanhope and the Lord Cromwell were the mourners The Lord Louell the Lord Audley the Lord Zouch bare the banners of Saints the Baron of Dublin bare the standard The Earle of Longvile bare the banner The Hatchments were borne onely by Captaines to the number of twelue and round about the Chariot rode fiue hundred men at Armes all in black armour and their horses barbd with black carrying the but end of their spears vpwards The conuoy of this dolorous funerall was committed to Sir William Philips Treasurer of his househould to Sir William Porter his chiefe caruer and other mourners on each side the chariot were 300. men bearing long torches and Lords bearing banners baueroles and penons With this funerall pompe he was conuaied from Bois De Vincens to Paris and so to Roan to Abuill to Calis to Douer and so through London to Westminster where he was buried with such solemnities as to such a Prince appertained especially such lamenting of the Lords and such mourning of the Commons asn euer before those daies were seene in the Realme of England There is as I doe thinke an Epitaph fixed vpon his Tumbe at Westminster but I held it my dutie to continue my course in writing a simple one of my owne in honour of him c. His Epitaphe OHad I Homers pen and Virgills wit With Tullies Eloquence to prayse this Prince And would the Muses come and by me sit Yet pen and paper would my Muse conuince For who can write of this most famous King And shall not erre in many a worthy thing His life immaculate what doth that meane But that he conquered sinne the world the flesh Vnspotted sure O heart and body cleane Almost two hundred yeares agoe yet fresh The memorie of thee O King remaines Thy Tumbe like Crystall shines deuoyd of staines Prose be thy prayse which Holinshed hathpend And praysed be thy name O King for euer Thy owne pure prayse no mortall man can mend Thy name cannot forgotten be no neuer England and France ring forth thy famous praise Though thou raigne with the Ancient of all dayes Yet as a mirror or a looking glasse Thou mai'st remaine ô King amongst vs still Succeeding princes will not let thee passe To Heauen without administring thy Will Such testaments grant all thy heires to proue Then Englands glory neuer shall remoue Rest then ô Rex and rise vp with renowne VVestmonastery doth thy tombe possesse Succeeding Soueraigne doth enioy thy Crowne And Kingdomes all one more for whome we blesse Thy name great God who long prolong his dayes To Englands comfort and ay-lasting praise King Henry the sixt AFter that death had bereft the World of that noble Prince King Henry the fift his only sonne Prince Henry béeing of the age of nine moneths or thereabout with the sownde of Trumpets was openly proclaimed King of England and of France the thirtéenth day of August Anno. 1422. by the name of King Henry the sixt The custody of this young Prince was committed to the Duke of Exceter and to Henry Beuford Bishop of Winchester In the eight yeare of his raigne the same of his age he was with all solemnity crowned king at Westminster not long after which time he tooke the sea at Douer landed at Calis from thence to Roan and so to Paris whither attended on him his Uncle the Cardinall of VVinchester the Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke the Dukes of Bedford Yorke and Norfolke the Earles of Warwicke Salisbury Oxford Huntington Ormond Mortaine and Suffolk of Gaskoines there were the Earles of Longvoile and March besides many Noble men of England Gwyen and Normandy and the chiefe of the French Nation were the Dukes of Burgundy Lewis of Luxenburgh Cardinall and Chauncelor of France for King Henry the Bishops of Bauiors and Noyom both Péeres of France the Bishop of Paris and diuers other Bishops the Earle of Vandemont with a great number of other Noble-men superfluous to be named And hee had a Guarde about his person of thrée hundred choyse Archers some on horsebacke and parte on foote With what tryumphes pageants riche and sumptuous shewes hee was
France his mariage with Katherin the French Kings daughter his triumphant stay there in Paris his Princely or rather Emperiall howsekéeping there his returne againe into England his last returne into France his settling of the estate there his Coronation at Paris the most Propheticall censure of Prince Henry his Sonne borne at VVindsor and afterward King of England crowned also in Paris King of France his vntimely or most lamentable death his returne into England in mournefull funeralls are extant in his histories and the best worthy of reading in regard of his owne Princely Person valour vertues and most excellent actes of all the other Chronicles of the English Nation And yet to obserue the order and decorum of my poore endeuour in abstracting the beginnings and endings of eight most worthy Kings and all Henries I will conclude this most worthy king with the manner of his death and description vsing the Hystoriegraphers owne words phrase and manner as not to be amended by any The King fell sicke and so was brought to Boyes de Vincens and thither came to visit his Maiestie with heauy hearts the Dukes of Bedford Glocester the Earles of Salisoury and VVarwicke whom the King right louingly welcomed and shewed himselfe to be no lesse glad of their presence but when he did see them pensiue for his sicknes and danger wherein he lay with many graue pithy and courteous words recomforted them the best hes could and there with he exhorted them to be trusty and faithfull vnto his sonne to sée that he might be vertuously educated and brought vp concerning the rule and gonernance of his Realmes during the minority and yong yeares of his sayde sonne he willed them to ioyne together in all friendly loue and concord kéeping continuall peace and amity with the Duke of Burgundy and neuer to make treaty with Charles who calleth himself Dolphin of Vyenne by the which any part of the crown of France or of the Dutchy of Normandy and Gwyene might be lessened and diminished And further that the Duke of Orleance and the other Princes should remaine prisoners till his sonne came to lawfull age least by returning they might kindle more fire in one day then could well be quenched againe in thrée He further aduertized them that if they thought it necessary then it should be good to haue his brother the Duke of Glocester to be Protector of England during the minority of his sonne And his brother the Duke of Bedford with the help of the Duke of Burgundy to be Regent of France Commanding him with fire and sword to persecute the Dolphin vntil hee had either brought him to reason and obeisance or else to driue and expell him out of the Realme of France And herewith he protested vnto them that neither ambitious desire to inlarge his Dominions neither to purchase vaine renowue and worldly fame nor any such consideration had mooued him to take that war in hand but onely that in prosecuting his iust Title hee might in the ende attaine to perfect peace and come to enioy those peeces of his inheritāces which to him of right belonged and that before the beginning of the same wars he was fully perswaded by men both wise and holy of life he might and ought vpon such inteut both begin the same warres and follow them til he had brought them to an end iustly and rightly and that without all danger of the Almighties displeasure or perill of sowle The Noble men present promised to obserue his precepts and performe his desires but their hearts were so pensiue and replenished with sorrow that one could not for wéeping behoulde an other Then hee receaued the Sacrament and fell to deuout prayer and in saying of certaine Psalmes méet for the present time hee ended the dayes of this life the last day of August Anno 1422. His Description THis Henry was a king whose life was immaculate and his liuing without spot this king was a prince whom all men loued and was of none enuied this prince was a Captaine against whom fortune neuer frowned nor mischance once spurned this Captaine was a Shepheard whom his flocke both loued and obeyed This Shepheard was such a Iustitiary that he left no offence vnpunished nor good desert vnrecompenced fully rewarded This Iustitiary was so feared that all rebellion was banished and Sedition suppressed His vertues were no more notable then his other qualities were worthy of prayse In strength and nimblenesse of body from his youth fewe or none were to him comparable In wrestling leaping and running no man almost durst with him presume In casting of great iron bars heauie stones he excelled commonly al men cold weather neuer made him siothful nor hot caused him to shrink whē he most labored his head was vncouered he was no more weary of his armor then of a light cloak Hunger and thirst to him were neuer noysome he was neuer afraide of a wounde nor would shrink for the paine in dressing he neither turned his nose from ill sauoures nor from smoake and dust would close his eyes no man could be found more temperate in eating and drinking whose dyet was not too delicate but rather more méete for men of warre then for dainty and delicate persons euery honest person was permitted to come to him euen sitting at meales and either secretly or openly to declare their minds and intent high and waighty causes as wel betwéen men of warre as other he would gladly heare and either determine them himselfe or commit them to other to giue sentence He slept very little and that was mooued either by bodily labour or vnquietnesse of minde but béeing in sléepe no small noise could awake him insomuch as when his souldiers did sing or minstrels play in the campe that it sounded withall then hee slept most soundly His courage was inuincible and his heart so immutable that fear was banished from him If an Alarum chanced to be raised by his enemies he was the first in armor and the first that would set forward in the time of warres he would not only get knowledge what his enemies did but what they sayd and intended to do so that all things to him were knowne aforehand And of his deuises fewe persons before the execution of his purposed intent should be made priuie he had knowledge in the ordering and guiding of an army and such a rare gifte to encourage his men to fight that the Frenchmen sayde it was impossible for him to be vanquished in battaile he had such wit such prudence and such policy that he neuer enterprised any thing before he had fully debated it and foreséen al the maine chances that might happen and when the end was once concluded he with all diligence and courage set his purpose forward What policy hée had in finding sodaine remedies from present and dangerous mischiefes and what practise he vsed in sauing himselfe and his people in sodain distresses except by his acts they