without the King's leave That no Archbishop or Bishop upon the Popes summons should go out of the Realm without the Kings license That no Bishop should excommunicate any holding of the King in chief or put any of his Officers under interdict without the Kings license That Clerks criminous should be tryed before Secular Judges Unto which Articles the King peremptorily urged Becket to yeild without any reservation of saving in all things his order and right of the Church But Becket utterly refused sending complaints thereupon to the Pope who very desirous to keep the Kings favour required the Bishop to yeild unto the King without any salvo's or exceptions So Becket though with much reluctancy at length did swear in verbo Sacerdotali de plano that he would observe the Laws which the King intituled Avitae of his Grandfather the like to which did all the other Bishops and Nobility But notwithstanding Becket refused to set his seal to the Instrument wherein these Customs were comprehended alledging that he did promise it only to do the King some honour in word only but not with intent to confirm the said Articles Whereupon the King sent to Pope Alexander the third thinking by his means to have subjected the Prelate But he passing it by the King undertook the case himself and by his Peers and Bishops had all Beckets movable Goods condemned to his mercy they also adjudging him guilty of perjury The Bishops did by the mouth of the Bishop of Chichester disclaim thenceforward all obedience to him as their Arch-bishop And the next day whilst they were consulting further concerning him the Bishop caused to be sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speak against me and the ungodly persecute me c. and forthwith taking his silver Crosier in his hands he entred therewith into the Kings presence But the King enraged at his boldness commanded his Peers to sit in judgment on him and they adjudged him as a Traytor and perjured person to be apprehended and cast into prison To prevent which Becket fled into Flanders the Pope now openly siding with him and also Lewis the French King But Henry to let the Servant of servants know that he was supreme in his own Kingdom and that he liked not his taking part with a subject against his Sovereign Lord commanded the Sheriffs to attack such as did appeal to the Court of Rome with the Relations of all such of the English Clergy as were with Becket and to put them under Sureties Also to seize their Revenues Goods and Chattels The King likewise seized all the Archbishops Goods and Profits banished his Kindred prohibited his being publickly prayed for as Archbishop Commanded his Justices to apprehend and secure all such as should bring any Interdict into England till the Kings pleasure was further known On the other hand Becket in France by special authority from the Pope excommunicated the Bishop of London and proceeded so far with others that there was scarce found in the Kings Chappel such as might perform the wonted Service Hereupon the King sends again to the Pope to send him Legates which might absolve his excommunicate subjects and settle a Peace But the Popes Legates whom he sent did not effect a reconciliation by reason of Becket's perversness Some conjecture that in contempt of Becket whose Office it was as Archbishop of Canterbury to Crown the King King Henry caused his eldest son Henry to be crowned King of England by Roger Archbishop of York At whose Coronation-feast the Father-King himself carrying up the first dish of Meat the Archbishop pleasantly said to the young King Rejoyce my fair Son for there is no Prince in the world that hath such a Servitor attending at his Table as you have To whom the proud young King thus answered Why wonder you at that My Father knows that he doth nothing unbeseeming him forasmuch as he is royal born but on-one side but Our self are royal born both by Father and Mother Not long after this by mediation of some friends a reconciliation between the King and Becket was effected and Becket was permitted to have the full use of his Metropolitan See and all the profits thereof with the Arrearages Which he had not long re-possessed ere he published the Popes Letters by which Roger Archbishop of York and Hugh Bishop of Durham were suspended from their Episcopal Function for crowning the yong King in prejudice of the See of Canterbury And the Bishops of London Sarum and Excester cut off from the Church by Censure for assisting therein whom Becket would not absolve at the young Kings request but under conditions Which the old King then in Normandy hearing of let fall some words intimating his high displeasure against the Archbishop and desire to be rid of him Whereupon Hugh Morvill William Tracie Hugh Brito and Richard Fits-Vrse Knights and Courtiers hasted into England and murder'd the Archbishop in the Cathedral Church of Canterbury Richard a Monk A.B. Cant. as he stood in the Evening-service-time before the Altar Which done the Parricides fled and Thomas was reputed for a most Glorious Saint and Martyr and strange Miracles beyond my Creed are reported to have been done by this dead Roman-Saint and his blood Amongst other Epitaphs made on his death this was one Quis moritur praesul Cur pro grege Qualiter ense Quando Natali Quis locus Ara Dei. But the news of this vile act coming to the ears of the old King he was exceedingly troubled and to take off the imputation of Guilt from himself he protested that he would submit himself to the judgment of such Cardinal Legates as the Pope should send to enquire of the fact And to calm his own perturbations and avert mens thoughts from the consideration of that Tragedy he undertook the conquest of Ireland which he effected being helped forward therein by the Civil dissentions then amongst the Irish petty Kings Where having caused a reformation of the Irish Church and setled affairs therein to his conveniency he returned into England and from thence posted into Normandy where attended for his arrival two Cardinal-Legats sent at his own request for his purgation concerning Thomas a Becket's death by whom he was absolved Having first given oath that he was no way consenting to the fact and declared his sorrow for having in his anger given occasion by rash words for others to do the deed and ingaged to perform injoyned penances The conditions of his absolution were That at his own charge he should maintain 200 Soldiers a whole year for the defence of the Holy Land and that he should revoke the Laws which he had made against the priviledges of the See of Rome and Beckets friends And now this Cloud thus blown over another succeeds in its place For his unnatural Son young King Henry by the instigation of his Mother Queen Eleanor conspired against him having for his confederates the Kings of France and Scotland
Bertualdus A. B of Cant. reigned in peace the term of four years but affecting a private retired life he appointed Chelred his Cousin to rule in his stead and accompanied with Offa King of East-Saxons KENRED and Edwin Bishop of Winchester he went unto Rome where himself and Offa became Monks and there dyed CHeldred the 9th King of the Mercians CHELRED A.D. 709. was all along during his seven years reign engaged in Wars against Inas King of the West-Saxons Which Inas being in pilgrimage at Rome in A.D. 720 gave a tribute to Rome called Peter-pence being a peny for every house At first it was called the Kings Alms it was also called Romescot Inas built a Colledg at Wells and a stately Abby at Glastenbury where formerly the old Cell of Joseph of Arimathea had been He also built a Castle at Taunton King Chelred dyed in A. D. 716 and vvas buried in the Cathedral Church at Lichfield EThelbald the 10th King of the Mercians ETHELBALD spent the most part of his reign in peace and too much thereof in Luxury for the vvhich he vvas reproved by Boniface an English man Bishop of Mentz Whose Epistle Redargutory had this influence upon the King that in sign of repentance he priviledged the Church from all Tributes to himself and founded the Abby of Crowland About which time it was appointed by Arch-Bishop Cuthbert and his Clergy in a convocation held in his Province that the Sacred Scriptures should be read in their Monasteries the Lords Prayer and Creed taught in the English tongue A. D. 733. In January the Sun suffered so great an Eclipse that the Earth seemed to be overshadowed as with Sack-cloth And A. D. 756 and in December the Moon being in her full appeared both dark and bloody for a Star though there be none lower than the Moon seemed to follow her and to deprive her of light till it had got before her But great Ethelbald fighting against Cuthred the West Saxon was trayterously slain by the procurement of one of his own Captains near Tanworth and was buried at Repton in Derbyshire OFFA A.D. 758. OFFA the 11th King of the Mercians as is said was born both lame deaf and blind continuing so unto his mans estate He was of such stout and daring spirit that he thought nothing impossible for him to attain unto The first that felt his fury were the Kentish men whose King Alrike he slew in fight with his own hands From south to north he then marched and beyond Humber made havock of all that opposed him Whence returning in triumph he vanquished Kenwolph and his West-Saxons with whom Marmadius King of the Britains sided He caused a great ditch to be made between his and the Britains borders that is from Basingwark in Flintshire and North-Wales not far from the mouth of Dee running along the Mountains into the South ending near Bristol at the fall of Wye The tract whereof in many places is yet seen being called Clawdh Offa Tarninus and Nothelmus A.B. Cant. or Offa's Ditch The Danes that had invaded England he forced back to their ships with the loss of all their booty and many of their lives Then making his son Egfryd Partner with him in the Kingdom he went to Rome where he made his Kingdom subject to a tribute called Peter-pence and gave rich gifts to Pope Hadrian for canonizing Alban a Saint in honour of whom at his return he built a Magnifick Monastry over against Verolanium Also in testimony of his repentance for the blood he had shed in his Wars he gave the tenth part of his goods unto the Church-men and poor At Bath he built a Monastry and in Warwick-shire a Church where the adjoining town from it and him beareth the name Off-Church He dyed at Offley in A D. 794 and was buried without the town of Bedford in a Chappel standing upon the bank of Owse which long since was swallowed up by the same River In A D. 755 was Sigebert King of West-Saxons slain by a Swineherd and in A.D. 760 Kenwolph King of West-Saxons made Wells an Episcopal See EGfryd the son of Offa restored to the Church her ancient priviledges which his Father had deprived her of EGFKID A.D. 794. He dyed in the first year of his reign and was buried in the Abby-Church of St. Albans KEnwolph the 13th King of the Mercians KENWOLPH A.D. 795. was at home a president of peace religion and justice and abroad of temperance humility and courtesie In War stout and victorious in Peace studious of enriching his subjects He vanquished the Kentish men and carried away their King prisoner detaining him captive and giving his Kingdom to Cuthred He built a fair Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire where upon the dedication thereof he led Pren his captive King of Kent up to the high altar and there without either his entreaty or any ransom set him at full liberty He dyed A. D. 819 and was buried at Winchcomb where was buried also Kenelm his son murder'd by his sister Quendred SAXON MONARCHS EGBERT A.D. 819. EGbert the 18th King of West-Saxons first warred against the Cornish and Welsh a remnant of the old Britains which for fourteen years held side against this King which so enraged him that he made it present death for any Britain to pass over Offa's pitch into England Their great Caer-legion now Westchester he took from them and at London cast down the Image of their Prince Cadwalle He subdued Kent East-Saxons and East-Angles also the Mercians and indeed all upon the North and South of Humber yeilded him obedience He was crowned at Winchester absolute Monarch of the whole Island in A. D. 819 and caused the South of this Island to be called England Three several times the Danes landed in England in his reign whom he expelled He dyed in A. D. 836 and was buryed at Winchester Cuthbert and Brogmius A.B. Cant. But his bones were since taken up and with others bestowed in Chests set upon the Wall on each side the Quire of the Cathedral with these verses inscribed Hic Rex Egbertus pausat cum Rege Kenulpho nobis egregia munera uterque tulit His issue were Ethelwolph and Ethelstan and one Daughter named Egdith commonly called St. Edith who was Governess of a Monastry of Ladies at Pollesworth in Warwickshire EThelwolph was in his youth committed unto the care of Helmestan Bishop of Winchester ETHELWOLPH 836. and by him unto learned Swithun the Monk He took such a liking unto the quiet and solitary life enjoyed only by religious men all other estates being molested to withstand the intruding Danes that he took upon him the Monkish Vow and profession and was made Deacon and shortly after upon the death of Helmestan he was elected if not consecrated also Bishop of Winchester But the death of his Father immediately following by the intreaty of the Nobles and constraint of the Clergy he was made
above all the Peers of his Kingdom A while after performing this his promise by causing Edrick's head to be cut off and placed on the highest Gate of London But some say that King Edmond dyed a natural death at London when he had reigned seven Months whose body was buried at Glastenbury His Issue were Edward sirnamed the Out-law because he lived out of England during the reign of the Danes and Edmond DANES CANUTE A.D. 1017 CANVTE the Dane after the death of Edmond seized upon the other half part of the Kingdom the English Nobles owning him for their rightful King and swearing allegiance to him He was crowned at London by Living us Elstane Arch-bishop of Canterbury A. D. 1017. And to establish the Crown more sure to himself he banished Edwin the son of King Ethelred who for his melancholy and regardless behaviour was called The King of Churles He also sent away Edward and Edmond the sons of Edmond Ironside Next he espoused Emma the Widow of King Ethelred and sister to the Duke of Normandy on this condition That the issue of her body by him should inherit the English Crown Then calling a Parliament of his Peers to Oxford he there established these Laws following viz. That all decent ceremonies tending to the encrease of reverence and devotion in the service of God should be used as need required That the Lords Day should be kept holy That a Clergy killing a Lay-man or for any other notorious crime should be deprived both of his Order and Dignity That a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and ears cut off And a Widow marrying within the space of twelve months after her Husbands dectase should lose her Joynture With many others He went on pilgrimage to Rome where he complained against the excessive exactions and vast sums of money extorted by the Pope from the English Archbishops at such times as they received their Palls from thence Which the Pope engaged to redress for the future The greatness and glory of this King was such that some Court-Parasites sought to perswade him that he possessed a more than humane power but he to demonstrate the contrary being then at Southampton caused a Chair to be set on the shore when the Sea began to flow then sate himself in it and in the presence of his many attendants thus spake to the swelling-waves Thou Sea art part of my dominion don't therefore on pain of punishment presume so much as to wet the robes of thy Lord. But the unruly Sea swelling on further and further first wet his skirts then thighs so that the King suddenly started up and retiring said Let the inhabitants of the world know that the power of Kings is but weak and vain and that none is worthy the name of King save He that keepeth Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience to his own will After which time he would never wear his Crown but therewith crowned the picture of Christ on the Cross at Winchester which became a prize to the Church-men He dyed in A.D. 1035 and was buried at Winchester His Issue were Swein Harold Hardicanute and two Dâ—ughters In Essex he built the Church of Ashdon where he had the victory of King Edmond In Norfolk he founded the Abbey of St. Benets and in Suffolk the Monastry of St. Edmond Egelnoth A.B. Cant. which Saint he much dreaded To the Church of Winchester besides other rich Jewels he gave a Cross worth as much as the Revenue of England amounted to in one year And unto Coventry they say he gave the Arm of St. Augustine which at Papia cost him an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold HARALD A.D. 1035 HARALD for his exceeding swiftness sirnamed Harefoot the base son of King Canute in the absence of Hardicanute his Fathers son by Queen Emma was admitted King by the Nobility and crowned at Oxford by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury Which done for the better securing of the Crown to himself he sought means to gain Edward and Alfred the two surviving sons of King Ethelred into his hands In order whereunto he sent to them into Normandy a Letter feigned in their Mother Emma's name inviting them over into England for the recovery of their right But when Prince Alfred was accordingly arrived Earl Goodwin who pretended great kindness unto him betrayed him and his small party brought over with him into Haralds hands who at Guilford committed them to the slaughter only reserving every tenth man either for service or sale Alfred he sent prisoner into the Isle of Ely where his eyes being put out he in short time after dyed through grief and pain Queen Emma's Goods Harald confiscated banished her out of the Realm and oppressed the English people with great payments He dyed at Oxford Elnothus A B. Cant. A.D. 1040 and was buried at Westminster HArdicanute upon the death of Harold was by the States of the Land HARDICANUTE A.D. 1030 as well English as Danes invited over from Denmark to take upon him the government of the Kingdom which he accordingly did and was crowned at London by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury The dead body of his half brother King Harold he caused to be taken up and to be thrown into the River Thames which being found by a Fisherman he buried it in the Churchyard of St. Clements Danes so called because the great burial-place of the Danes Hardicanute for the maintaining of his Fleet imposed heavy tributes on the English insomuch that two of the Collectors thereof named Thurstane and Feader were slain by the Citizens of Worcester for which fact their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expulsed the See till that with money he had purchased his peace Earl Goodwin presented to this King a Ship whose Stern was of Gold with Eighty soldiers in her all uniformly and richly suited On their heads they all wore gilt Bargenets and on their bodies a triple gilt Habergion swords with gilt hilts girded to their wasts a battel-ax after the manner of the Danes on their left shoulders a target with gilt bosses born in their left hands a dart in the right hand and their arms bound about with two bracelets of gold of six ounces weight But as Hardicanute was revelling and carousing at Lambeth in a solemn Assembly and Banquet He suddenly fell down dead The day of whose death instead of laments was annually celebrated amongst the common people with open pastimes in the streets Which time being the eighth of June is called Hoctide or Hucxtide signifying a time of scorn and contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death He was buried at Winchester A. D. 1042. About four years before the Danes first coming into England which was near the year of our Lord 789 showers of blood fell from Heaven and bloody Crosses were therewith marked upon mens garments 'T is said also that after the Danes had seated themselves in England whilst the English were drinking
ancient Laws If these things be denyed they are here presently to abide the verdict of Battel being fully resolved rather to dye than to part with their Laws or to live servile in bondage The Conqueror in this streight more wisely than willingly granted their demands Some of the English this Norman King banished and most part of every mans estate he seized into his own hands bestowing the Lands of the Natives amongst his followers He deprived Monastries Bishopricks Lanfrank A B. Cant. Cities and Corporations of their ancient liberties and priviledges putting them to redeem them at his own rate And for default of lacking the weight of a Groat in the payment of 700 Marks by the Monks of Ely for the restoring to their Abby the ancient possessions they were constrained to pay a 1000 Marks more The Clergy he charged with maintenance for his Wars bereaved the Religious Houses of their Treasures Chalices and rich Shrines abrogated for the most part the ancient Laws of the Land ordaining new in their stead not so equal or easie to be kept also causing them to be writ in the Norman Tongue He ordained the four Law-Terms whereas before the causes of the Kingdom were determined in every Shire or by the late Law of King Edward in their Gemote or Conventicle held monthly in every Hundred He commanded every English Housholder to put out both Fire and Candle at eight of the Clock at Night At which hour in all Cities Towns and Villages he caused a Bell to be rung by the Normans then called Covre-feu that is Coverfire to prevent nightly meetings He laid great Subsidies upon the Land And that the same might amount to his greater benefit he caused an exact survey to be taken of the whole Kingdom and of every particular part and Commodity thereof causing all the people of England to be numbred their names taken and what every one might dispend by the year their substance Money and Bondmen recorded How many yokes of Oxen and Plow-lands were in the Realm and what services they owed him Which done he exacted Six Shillings to be paid him for every Hide of Land The Book thus made of every several survey by the English was called Doomes-day Book He permitted no English man to bear any office of trust and credit He dispeopled 36 Parish Towns laying the Churches and Towns flat with the earth making thereof a Forest for pleasure now called New-Forest To strengthen himself against revolts and rebellions he fortified such places as he thought most convenient for his purpose and built the Tower of London the Castles of York Lincoln Nottingham and Hasting He was the first that brought the Jews to inhabit England His Son Robert rebelled against him in Normandy and in sight dismounted him but then knowing his voice desired his pardon and remounted him Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent his Brother by the Mother for secretly siding with the King of France he committed to Prison not as Bishop but as he was Earl and seized his Estate Some of whose Gold ground into powder was found hidden in the bottom of Rivers The Conqueror going to War against the King of France in Normandy fell sick when keeping his Bed beyond his wont and the French King hearing that the Disease was in his Belly scoffingly said of him Our Cousin William is laid now in Child-bed Oh what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church surely I think an Hundred thousand will not suffice Which King William hearing of said Well I trust our Cousin of France shall be at no such cost but after this my Child-birth at my going to Church swearing by the resurrection and brightness of God I will find him a Thousand Candles and light them my self And accordingly not long after he entred France with a great Army spoiling all where he came and setting the City Mauntz on fire But he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he gat a sickness which increased with a leap of his Horse that burst the inward rim of his belly cost him his life He dyed at Roan in Normandy A. D. 1087. And forsaken of all his Courtiers his body was left unburied till that one Harluims a poor Countrey Knight at his own charge conveyed it to Caen. Where when it should have been buried a certain man in Gods name forbad the interment in that place which said he was his and his Ancestors right taken from them violently by the said Duke Whereupon they were forced to compound with him ere they interr'd the Corps His Issue were Robert Richard William Henry and six Daughters His base Son named William Peverel was Earl of Nottingham By his last Will and Testament he commanded all his Treasure to be distributed to Churches Gods Ministers and the poor limiting to each their several portion To the Church and Monks of St. Stephens at Caen in Normandy he gave divers Mannors in England and great store of Land yea and his Crown and Regal Ornaments which his Son Henry redeemed To his Son Robert he had before given the Dukedom of Normandy England he left undisposed only wish'd his Son William might succeed him in it And to Henry he gave Five thousand pound presaging that all his Dominions should become Henries in the end He did oft-times exhort his Children to the study of Learning with this saying That an unlearned Prince is but a Crowned Ass He built a Religious House called Battel-Abby in the same place where King Harold was slain dedicating it to the holy Trinity and St. Martin That there the Monks might pray for the Souls of Harold and the rest that were slain in that place endowing it with many great priviledges and amongst the rest these Two That if any Murderer or other Felon for fear of death fled thither he should be freed from all punishment And that it should be lawful for the Abbot of that place to deliver any Thief or Robber from the Gallows if he should chance to pass where any such execution was in hand At Selby in Yorkshire he founded the Abby of St. Germans at Excester the Priory of St. Nicholas and at Caen in Normandy the Monastry of St. Stephens In his time it was decreed at Rome That the See of York should be stiled primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae The setting Seals to Bonds and Writings was now first used in England there being before only Witnesses to them Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed by the Conqueror and dyed in Prison The Abbot of St. Albans told this King that the reason why he gained England in one Battel which the Danes could not do in many was because the maintenance of Martial men with a part of the Lands Revenues was converted to maintain religious men and to religious uses In the time of this Kings Reign befell a most fearful Earth-quake strange burning Feavers very mortal Murrains
his two Brothers Richard and Geofry with many of the English Nobles Against whom the Father with a bleeding heart for his Sons ungraciousness prepared himself and was very successful in Little Britain where himself was in person also in England by his faithful Subjects For Humphrey de Bohun High Constable of the Realm with other Nobles vanquished Robert Earl of of Leicester and took him Prisoner which moved Lewis of France to seek a Truce of him for six Months whereunto King Henry yielded then Ship'd for England landing at the Port of Hampton From whence he took his journey towards Canterbury and being come within about three miles thereof he went barefooted the hard stones so cutting his tender feet that the ground was stained with his blood And after he came to Canterbury and was entred into the Chapter-house of the Monks Baldwin A.B. Cant. he most humbly prostrated himself on the ground begged pardon and by the instancy of his own Petition was by all the brethren corrected with Rods. The number of lashes which he received on his bare flesh amounted to Fourscore About this time William King of Scots that had lately entred England was taken Prisoner and young King Henry was with storms driven back into France and his Fleet scattered shortly after which Peace was concluded betwixt his Father and him But yet again he sought his Fathers ruine though before he could effect it he was prevented by the King of Terrors Death A. D. 1183. The following year Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem arrived in England soliciting the King to undertake the holy War in his own person which by the advice of his Lords he refused yet yielded to aid the Cause with Money and gave them leave to go that were disposed thereto His Son John whom he exceedingly loved and commonly in jest called Sans terre without Land he made Lord of Ireland assuring unto him also Lands and Rents in England and Normandy Richard and Geoffery his Sons rebelled again against him The younger of which in a Turnament at Paris was trod to death under the Horse feet but the elder lived to the further grief of his Father For joyning himself with Philip of France forced his Father out of the City of Mentz the City where he was born and loved above all others which made King Henry to utter these words against him That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the world he would requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that thing which in him should best please a Child namely his heart And afterwards finding his Son John first in the Catalogue of the Conspirators against him in that action he bitterly cursed the hour of his birth laying Gods curse and his upon his Sons which he would never recall by any perswasions But coming to Chinon he there fell desperately sick and feeling death approach caused himself to be born into the Church before the Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sins he yielded up his Soul A. D. 1189 and was buried at Font-Everard His Issue were William Henry Richard Jeffry Philip John Maud and Eleanor His base Issue William sirnamed Longsper and Jeffry Archbishop of York These two by fair Rosamund and Morgan by another Woman Rosamund his beloved Concubine was the Daughter of the Lord Clifford whom to keep safe from the envy of Queen Eleanor he placed in a Labyrinth which he built for her at Woodstock with such windings and turnings that none could come at her retiring Room save the King or whom he instructed Howbeit the jealous eye of Queen Eleanor found her out by a clew of silk which Rosamund let fall as she sate to take the Air. For she suddenly fleeing to escape being seen the end of the silk fastned to her foot and the clew still unwinding which the Queen followed till she had found the lovely Rosamund whom she so dealt with giving her Poyson that she ended her days whose body was buried at Godstow with this Epitaph upon her Tomb Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet King Henry divided England into Circuits appointing that two of his judges should twice in the year in each Circuit administer Justice In the year 1164 he called an assembly of the States at Clarendon in Wilts where amongst other matters it was decreed That all the Clergy should bona fide swear allegiance to the King and should appeal but unto the Archbishop or from him finally to the King without particular licence In the beginning of his reign one Nicholas Breakspear an English man was elected Pope by the name of Adrian the 4th who in the 5th year of his Popedom was choaked with a Fly He sent the Lords Prayer in this manner from Rome to be taught the English people Vre Fadyr in Heaven rich Thy name be halyed everlich Thou bring us thy michel bliss Al 's hit in Heaven y-doe Evar in yearth been it also That holy bread that lasteth ay Thou send it ous this ilke day Forgive ous all that we have don As we forgive uch other mon. Ne let ous fall into no founding Ac shield ous fro the foul thing Amen In the Isle of Wight it rained blood the shower continuing for the space of two hours together A great Earthquake in Ely Norfolk and Suffolk which made the Bells to ring in the Steeples At St. Osyths in Essex was seen a Dragon of marvelous bigness which by moving burned Houses Another great Earthquake which overthrew many buildings and amongst the rest rent in pieces Lincoln Cathedral At Oreford in Suffolk a certain hairy creature perfectly resembling man in all parts and proportions was taken out of the Sea by Fishers in a Net who after he had been kept a while secretly slipt away into the Sea again RICHARD I. A.D. 1189 RICHARD from his exceeding valour sirnamed Ceur de Lion was Crowned at Westminster by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury At which time a great number of the Jews were in a tumultuous sort slaughtered by the common people for which many of them suffered death The Coronation rights performed Richard with all speed prepares for his voyage into the Holy-Land appointing William Longchamp Bishop of Ely his chief Justiciar and Lord Chancellor joyning with him Hugh Bishop of Durham for the parts beyond Humber associating to those Bishops divers temporal Lords for the defence and preservation of Justice And with the King of Scots he concluded firm friendship Which done with a royal Navy he put out to Sea and by the way to the Holy-Land he seized on the Island Cyprus where he solemnly took to Wife his beloved Lady Berengaria The Island he committed to the keeping of his own Deputies permitting the Islanders to injoy all such Laws and Liberties as they held in the time of Immanuel the Emperor Furder in his way
Welsh they made some stirs And one Fitz-Arnulph a Citizen of London attempted to set up Lewis again for the which himself and two others were hanged and many more had their hands or feet cut off The Barons they were high for a confirmation of their Liberties And Lewis of France upon the death of his Father seized Rochel and the whole Country of Poictou which belonged to the King of England into his hands under pretence that K. Henry an Homager for Aquitain was not present at his Coronation nor yet excused his absence by Ambassadors Whereupon Henry summons a Parliament for Aids to recover his losses which being granted he sent over his forces which discomfited the French But the King necessitated for more Monies for the carrying on of his design in Gascoign wrung from the Londoners Five thousand Marks above their Fifteenths alledging that they had to his prejudice given Lewis the like sum The Clergy also were compelled under pain of Papal censure to pay the Fifteenth not only for their temporal but also Ecclesiastical Goods And by advice of Hubert de Burgo Chief Justice the King revoked the Charters of Liberties which for about two years had been practised through the Realm pretending his Non-age when granted Which caused in all a great heart-burning against Hubert Howbeit the King was well furnish'd with money and men which he caused to be transported into Britain and on the same day in which he set sail from England himself in person did visit the poor and feeble dealing large Alms to them and not refusing to kiss the sick and leprous But before that the King had opportunity to effect any thing in those parts considerable the Irish rebelled constraining him to return to reduce then inâ—o order Which when he had done he advanced against the Welsh whom he also repressed though not without considerable loss About this time Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others for the committing of many great crimes and he doubting that he should not have a fair Tryal retired himself into Essex whither he was prosecuted by Armed men and in a Chappel at Burntwood was apprehended out of which the rude Soldiers hailed him and sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him which when the Smith understood that they were for him fetching a deep sigh he said Do with me what you please and God have mercy on my soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron-Shackles for him but will rather dye the worst death that is For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who so often hath preserved England from being destroyed by strangers and restored England to England Let God be judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be Notwithstanding all this Sir Godfrey de Crancomb who commanded the party bound the Earl and conveyed him to the Tower of London where he had not long been ere the Bishop of London procured his liberty though shortly after he was again imprisoned In his place the King elected for his Councellor and Confident Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester who displaced the English Officers and in their Rooms placed Poictovins and Britons stuffing the Kings Castles with them intrusting as it were the treasures strength and Realm it self in their hands to the great discontent of the English Peers Who now confederated against the strangers and refused upon the Kings summons to appear in Parliament sending this impudent Message to their Soveraign That if out of hand he removed not the Bishop of Winchester and strangers out of his Court they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdom would drive him and his wicked Counsellors out of it and would consult about creating of a new King Whereupon the King animated by Winchester commanded the Earl-Marshal with all others whom he suspected to appear at Glocester where the King was with an Army Which they refusing to do the King burnt their Mannors and gave away their Inheritances to the Poictovins The Earl-Marshal he contracts strict amity with Leweylyn Prince of Wales and made great spoil on the possessions of the Kings reputed Seducers Shrewsbury he sackt and burnt Gilbert Lord Basset the Earls great Confederate set fire on Alkmundbury not far from Huntingdon But the Earl-Marshal having crossed the seas into Ireland there to recover his Lands taken from him by the fraud of the Bishop of Winchester was there wounded to death for whose loss the King to the wonder of all that saw it broke forth into tears affirming That he had left no Peer about him in the Kingdom And now the Bishop of Winchester hated of the people was commanded by the King not to meddle any farther in State-matters And against Peter Rivallis Lord Treasurer the King was so in raged that he sware he would pluck out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders And by the workings of the Bishops an accord was effected betwixt the King and his Peers and the Poictovins were commanded to depart the Realm Howbeit the Land was not yet eased of its Oppressors and Oppressions for the Pope sent over into England three hundred Romans requiring to have the first Benefice that should become vacant to be bestowed on them requiring also great sums of money of the Clergy for maintenance of the Pope's Wars against the Emperor Which though the Clergy at first opposed yet were forced to yeild unto it at the last The Pope himself had a mind to have come hither in his own person but the King's Councel liked not thereof alledging that the Romans Rapines and Simonies had enough stained England's purity though the Pope himself came not personally to spoil and prey upon the Wealth of the Church About the year 1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother with the Earls of Pembroke Chester Lincoln Salisbury and many other honourable persons departed for the Holy Land and in A. D. 1242 the King passed the Seas to recover Poictou but effected not any thing remarkable though he expended great store of Treasure Upon his return into England he was therefore compelled to be burthensome to his subjects for recruiting of his exhausted Treasure as well by the levy of Escuage as of Loan and otherwise The Jews in especial manner were made sensible of his wants Too much of their money thus rais'd 't is said he expended in Entertainments and Shows though afterward the King reflecting on his former profuseness in gifts and entertainments he shortned the allowances of his houshold and entertainments without any regard to Majesty And to spare his own charge the more he invited himself now to this mans house now to that but no-where contenting himself with his welcome unless himself and his Queen Son Edward yea and chief Favourites were presented with costly Gifts 'T is said that he was sometime
reduced to that penury that he was forced to live upon the Alms of the Church This King designed at least pretended to go for the Holy Land when the Parliament granted him large Aids upon this condition That at this time once for all he should submit himself to govern by Law to confirm the Charters of Liberties or Magna Charta Against the breakers whereof a most solemn curse was pronounced The King swearing to keep all Liberties upon pain of that execratory sentence As he was a man a Christian a Knight and a King anointed and crowned Yet notwithstanding the Oath and the Curse the King two or three years after caused the Tenth of all England and Ireland to be collected for his own use and the Popes the Pope having given the Kingdom of Sicily to his Son Edmond but the English subjects were first to win it for him Which the Nobles peremptorily denied the attempting there being occasion enough for money and men at home the Welsh having risen in rebellion Against whom Prince Edward was sent who though he wanted not for Courage St. Edmund of Abingâ—â—n A. B. Caâ—t yet in one field lost 2000 English men and was beaten out of the field In A.D. 1257 was Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother elected King of Romans and was crowned at Aquisgrane having paid a large sum of money for the honour At this time the Earl was reputed to possess so much ready Coin as would every day for ten years afford him an hundred Marks upon the main stock besides his Rents and Revenues in Germany and the English Dominions And now the King relapsed into his profuseness and favouring of the Poictovins and other forreigners The Nobles hereupon came exquisitely armed to the Parliament holden at Oxford with a resolution to inforce the King and his Aliens to their proposals Which were That the King should unfeignedly keep the Charter of Liberties That such an one should be in place of Justitiar who would judg all impartially That the Forreigners should be expelled the Realm And that twenty-four persons should there be chosen to have the sole administration of King and State and yearly appointing of all great Officers Reserving to the King the Ceremonies of Honour Binding themselves by Oath to see these things performed and the King and Prince swearing to observe the ordination of these disloyal Barons who had by an Edict given out high menacings against all that should resist The Poictovins were so terrified by these violent proceedings that they fled into France The giddy people they joined with the Barons as the Assertors of their Liberties Boniface A. B. Cant the Londoners bound themselves under their publick Seal to assist them in the common Cause Richard King of Romans the Barons would not suffer to come into England but in a private manner with a very small train and being landed they exacted an Oath of him and upon pain of forfeiting all his Lands in England bound him to join with them in reforming the State which they factiously had assumed to do having appointed Four Knights Commissioners in every shire to enquire of all Oppressions and to certifie the same to them And the better to strengthen their Cause Simon Montford Earl of Leicester Head of the Factionists with others passed into France there to transact with the King thereof as to an indissoluble League About which time King Henry for want of Money or good Counsel or both was induced upon no very good terms for ever to renounce to the King of France all his right to Normandy Anjou Tourain Main and Poictou But the fire which had been long in blowing did now break out into a flame the King and his Barons taking arms against each other Simon de Montford executes his greatest revenge on the Queens friends who were aliens not sparing the King's who were free-born English-men Yet at length mutual weariness inclines Henry and his Barons to a peace and the King is willing that the Statutes of Oxford should be in force but the Queen was unwilling Which being known to the Londoners it put the baser sort into so leud a rage that she being to shoot the Bridg from the Tower towards Windsor where Prince Edward was ingarison'd they with dirt and stones and villanous words forced her back to the Tower Howbeit at London in a Parliament there held matters were pieced up though shortly after all was rent again both sides making fresh preparations for War King Henry drew towards Oxford where the rendezvous of his friends and forces was appointed from which University he dismissed all the Students being above fifteen thousand of those only whose names were entred into the Matriculation-book Whereupon many of them went to the Barons to Northamptor whither Henry came and breaking in at the Town-Walls encountred his Enemies amongst whom these Students of Oxford had a Banner by themselves advanced right against the King and did more annoy him in the fight than the rest of the Barons Forces Which the King who at length prevailed vowed sharply to revenge but was disswaded by his Councellors who told him that those Students were the sons and kindred of the great men of the Land whom if he punished even the Nobles that now stood for him would take arms against him The King encouraged by this success advanceth his Royal Standard toward Nottingham burning and wasting the Barons Lands wheresoever he came The Barons they sent Letters to him protesting their loyal observance to his person but all hostility to their enemies who were about him Rob. Kilwarby A B. Cant To which the King returned them a full defiance as to Traytors professing that he took the wrong of his friends as his own and their enemies as his At length the two Armies met and ingaged in fight wherein Prince Edward bravely behaved himself putting the Londoners to flight pursuing them for four miles but in the mean while his Father having his horse slain under him yielded himself prisoner the King of Romans and other great Peers were taken and the whole hope of the day lost on the Kings side On the next day peace was concluded for the present on condition That Prince Edward and Henry the King of Romans Son should also render themselves into the Barons hands And now by this advantage the factious Lords gained all the chief Castles of the Kingdom into their power Montford carrying his Soveraign as his prisoner about the Country yet with all outward respect and honour the rather to procure a more quiet surrender of Garrisons So fortunate may Treason and Rebellion for a time be though in the end it commonly speeds as it deserves To tame these Rebels the Pope sends his Cardinal Legate to Excommunicate them but they trusting to the temporal sword made light of the spiritual Howbeit to the Kings great advantage there hapned so irreconcileable a difference betwixt the two great Earls of Leicester and Glocester that the
dignities rents and possessions during their natural lives That after the death of Charles the present King of France the Crown and Realm of France should with all rights and appurtenances remain unto the King of England and his Heirs for ever That because of King Charles his infirmness and incapacity to dispose the affairs of the Realm of France therefore during his life the government thereof should be and abide to King Henry so that thenceforth he should govern the Realm and admit to his Councel and Assistance with the Councel of France such of the English Nobility as he should think fit c. The Number of Articles were thirty three which were sworn unto at Troyes May 30 1420 the same being proclaimed in London the 20 of June following These Articles were concluded betwixt the two Kings in the presence of divers of the chief Nobility both of England and France homage being sworn unto King Henry and he proclaimed Regent of France And on the third of June the marriage of Henry and Katharine was with all pompous solemnity celebrated at Troyes the Bishop of that See performing the ceremonies From Troyes the King of England and his Queen rode to Paris where great entertainment was gâ—ven and the more to weaken the Daulphins interest a Parliament of the three Estates was assembled in Paris where the disinherison of the Daulphin was confirmed In this Parliament was also the final accord betwixt the two Kings acknowledged by the French King as made by his free consent and liking and with advice of the Councel of France whereupon it was likewise there ratified by the General States of that Realm and sworn unto particularly upon the Holy Evangelists by the French Nobles and Rulers spiritual and secular who also set their Seals to the Instruments thereof Which Instruments were sent into England to be kept in the Kings Exchequer at Westminster Things now setled in France as well as that unsetled time would permit King Henry leaves the Duke of Clarence to be his Lieutenant there and hasts for England with his Queen whom he caused to be Crowned at Westminster in little time after their arrival in England Then called a Parliament in order to the raising of moneys for the continuing of the Conquest in France but some men minding more their private interest than the publique instead of being free thereto to contribute they petitioned the King to commiserate the poverty of the Commons which as they pleaded were beggered by the Wars wherefore without further pressing for any aid the King again pawned his Crown to his rich Uncle Cardinal Beauford for twenty thousand pounds and then returned into France with four thousand Horse and 24 thousand Foot And time it was for the Daulphins party was grown considerably strong by Aids sent from Scotland under the conduct of the Earl of Bucquhanan and Archibald Douglas who had given a defeat to a party of the English therein killing the valiant Duke of Clarence and taking prisoners the Earls of Huntingdon and Somerset and Thomas Beaufort After which the Daulphinois had laid siege to Alenzon and straitned the City of Paris by withholding provisions from it but when victorious Henry appeared the enemy betook them to their strong-holds many of which he gained in short time A. D. 1421 and Decemb. the sixth whilst King Henry lay before Meaux news was brought him that his Queen at the Castle of Windsor was delivered of a Son at which he exceedingly rejoyced yet said he liked not the place of her delivery having before commanded that she should not be delivered there and withal predicted that what Henry of Monmouth should gain Henry of Windsor should lose A. D. 1422 Queen Katharine passed beyond the Seas to the King into France and there in the Loure King Henry and his Queen Katharine at the Festival of Pentecost sate in their Royal Robes with their Imperial Crowns on their heads and kept there Court with great confluence of people But shortly after this renowned Prince fell sick of a burning Fever and Flux whereof he dyed August 31. 1422. His bowels were buried at St. Mauro de Fosses his body at Westminster next beneath the Tomb of Edward the Confessor Upon his Tomb Queen Katharine caused a Royal Picture to be laid covered all over with Silver-Plate gilt the head whereof was wholly of massy Silver All which at the Abbies suppression was sacrilegiously broken off and taken away His Issue was only Henry of Windsor T is said of him That he was a Prince godly in heart sober in speech sparing of words resolute in deeds provident in Councel prudent in judgment modest in countenance magnanimous in action constant in undertaking a great Alms-giver devout to Godward a renowned Souldier fortunate in field from whence he never returned without Victory He erected the Monasteries of Bethlem and Briget near unto Richmond gave Princely gifts to the Church of Westminster and Brother-hood of St. Giles without Cripple-gate-London He first instituted Garter principal King at Arms besides other augmentations to the Order of St George A. D. 1414 Sigismond the Emperour came into England desiring to make peace betwixt the two Nations of France and England but when that could not be effected he entred into a League with the English himself Sir Roger Acton Beverly Murley and some others were strangled and burned for an unlawful meeting in St. Giles-fields A. D. 1417. Sir John Oldcastle Lord Cobâ—am was adjudged as a Traytor to the King and Realm to be drawn through the streets to St. Giles-fields by London and there to be hang'd and burnt Three Popes were now at once mounted into St. Peters Chair namely Benedict Gregory and John therefore for preventions of mischief to the Church by this Schisme a Councel was held at Constance in Germany whither King Henry sent nine English Prelates one of which to wit Richard Clifford Bishop of London was the first nominated by the Councel to be Pope and he first nominated him that succeeded which was Otho Collonna by the name of Martin the fifth In the third year of this Kings reign and on Candlemas day seven Dolphins came up the River Thames four of which were taken An Act made in Parliament holden at Leicester That such who maintained Wickliffes doctrine were Hereticks and Traytors and to be hanged and burned By which Law Sir Roger Acton with divers others as also the Lord Cobham were put to death The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir VVilliam Cromar was Mayor John Sutton John Michael Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Falconer was Mayor John Michael Thomas Allen Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Nicholas Wotton was Mayor VVilliam Cambridge Alan Everard Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Henry Barton was Mayor Richard Whittington John Coventry Sheriffs In his fifth Year Richard Marlow was Mayor Henry Read John Gedney Sheriffs In his sixth Year VVilliam Sevenoke was Mayor John Brian
the Crown which for like cause stood upon the highest Tower of Dover-Castle both fell suddenly down which were vulgarly construed to be of ill-portent to King Henry The conclusion of the Parliament concerning the Crown was That Henry should enjoy it during life and then it should remain to Richard Duke of York and his Heirs and King Henries Heirs to be for ever excluded Whereupon the Duke was proclaimed Heir Apparent But this while the Queen was gathering forces in the North resolving if possible to maintain the possession of a Crown and to secure it for her son The Duke of York therefore with an Army marcheth against her and neer unto Wakefield both Hosts join battel where the Queen at length gained the Victory The Duke himself with divers men of account were slain in the fight and the Earl of Salisbury was taken prisoner and beheaded And now Edward Earl of March the son of Richard Duke of York takes upon him to maintain the quarrel and at Mortimers Cross neer Ludlow he set upon the Queens Army At which time there appeared three Suns which suddenly joyned into one The Battels maintained themselves with great fury but in the end March obtained the Victory There were taken Sir Owen Teder or Tudor Father to Jasper Earl of Pembroke whom Earl Edward caused to be beheaded Taken also were Sir John Scudamor with his two sons and other persons of Rank A. D. 1461. Both Armies met and ingaged in fight at St. Albans where the Queens side won the day and recovered the King whom the Yorkists had brought along with them from London Howbeit the Londoners stood wholly for the Earl of March whose presence and carriage made him amiable amongst the people especially women and at his return to London from the fight proclaimed him King of England King Henries Issue was only Edward He was a Prince free from pride given much to Prayer well-read in the Scriptures Charitable so chast and modest that when certain young women presented themselves before him in a Mask with their hair loose and bare breasts laid out he immediately rose up and departed with these words Fie fie for shame forsooth ye are to blame He took all injuries whereof he received plenty so patiently that he not only did not seek to revenge them but gave God thanks that he did send them to punish his sins in this life that he might escape punishment in the life to come To a Russian that struck him on the face whilst he was prisoner he only said Forsooth you are to blame to strike me your anointed King Not long before his death being demanded why he had so long held the Crown of England unjustly he replied my Father was King of England quietly enjoying the Crown all his Reign and his Father my Grandsire was also King of England and I even a Child in the Cradle was proclamed and Crowned King without any interruption and so held it forty years well-neer all the States doing homage unto me as to my Ancestors Therefore I say with King David My lot is fallen in a fair ground I have a goodly Heritage my help is from the Lord which saveth the upright in heart He founded those Famous Colledges of Eatoâ— and Kings Colledge in Cambridge In or neer the year of our Lord 1442. was Eleanor Cobham the good Duke Humphries wife arraigned of Sorcery and Treason for setting on Buâ—lingbrooke and Southwell to take away the Kings life by Necromancy Something of the fact she either confessed or was proved against her for the which she was put to solemn and publick penance in London three several days then was committed to perpetual imprisonment The Art of Printing was first found out in Germany by a Knight called John Guttenberghen and brought into England by William Caxton a Mercer of London who first practised the same in the Abby at Westminster Anno Dom. 1471. The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir William Waldren was Mayor William Eastfield Robert Tatarfel Sheriffs In his second Year VVilliam Cromar was Mayor Nicholas James Thomas Watford Sheriffs In his third Year John Michal was Mayor Simon Seamen John Bywater Sheriffs In his fourth Year John Coventry was Mayor William Mildred John Brokle Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Rainwel was Mayor John Arnal John Higham Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor Henry Frowick Robert Otely Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Henry Barton vvas Mayor Thomas Duffhouse John Abbot Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor William Russe Ralph Holland Sheriffs In his ninth Year Nicholas Wotton vvas Mayor Walter Chertsey Robert Large Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John de Wells was Mayor John Aderly Stephen Brown Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir John Parveis was Mayor John Olney John Paddesley Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Sir John Brokle was Mayor Thomas Chalton John King Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Sir Roger Oteley was Mayor Thomas Barnewel Simon Eyre Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Thomas Catworth Robert Clopton Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Sir John Michael was Mayor Thomas Morsted William Gregory Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor VVilliam Hales William Chapman Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Sir Stephen Brown was Mayor Hugh Dyker Nicholas Yowe Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Robert Large was Mayor Philip Malpas Robert Marshal Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Sir John Paddesley was Mayor John Sutton William Welinhale Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Robert Clopton was Mayor William Combis Richard Rich Sheriffs In his twenty first Year John Aderley was Mayor Thomas Beaumont Richard Nordon Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Thomas Catworth was Mayor Nicholas Wyford John Norman Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Stephen Foster Hugh Wâ—tch Sheriffs In his twenty fourth Year Sir Simon Eyre was Mayor John Darby Godfrey Fielding Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year John Olney was Mayor Robert Horne Godfrey Bullen Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor William Abraham Thomas Scot Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Sir Stephen Brown vvas Mayor William Cotlow William Marrow Sheriffs In his twenty eight Year Sir Thomas Chalton was Mayor VVilliam Hulin Thomas Canning Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Nicholas Wilford was Mayor John Middleton VVilliam Deare Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Sir VVilliam Gregory was Mayor Matthew Philip Christopher Wharton Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir Geoffry Fielding vvas Mayor Richard Lee Richard Alley Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Sir John Norman was Mayor John Walden Thomas Cook Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Sir Stephen Foster vvas Mayor John Field VVilliam Taylor Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Sir VVilliam Marrow vvas Mayor John Young Thomas Oldgrave Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year Sir Thomas Canning was Mayor John Styward Ralph Verney Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Sir Godfrey Bullen
Citizens exceedingly Himself did not only become one amongst them causing himself to be entred a Brother of the Merchant-Taylors Company but also wore the habit at a publick Feast and sate as Master of the Company A. D. 1492 Octob. the sixth King Henry with his Host landed at Callis from whence with his whole forces he marched towards Boloigne which when he had besieged Articles of peace were concluded betwixt him and the King of France For King Henry before his going out of England had been dealt with on the French Kings behalf to accept of conditions but would not enter into any Treaty with him till he was in the field and that with such a puissance as vvas likely enough to force his ovvn conditions When Henry had to his advantage setled his transmarine affairs he returned for England vvhere he vvas not to remain long in quiet For the Dutchess of Burgundy had provided another counterfeit King a youth of a Princely personage called Peter VVarbeck the son of a converted Jew This her creature Peter or as some called him Perkin and Peterkin under the name and Title of Richard Plantaginet second son of King Edward the fourth had great honour given him by the King of France And divers persons of eminency in England were so deluded that they believed him to be the true Richard and thereupon sought to advance him to the Crown which cost some of them the price of their heads as the Lord Fitz-VValter Sir Simon Montford Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain that gained the Victory for King Henry at Bosworth-field These with more were put to death for favouring of Perkin The King also for the further prevention of dangers caused the coasts of England to be strongly guarded sent a new Lord Chancellor into Ireland Henry Denny a Monk of Langton-Abby and Sir Edward Poynings with some forces whose greatest care and diligence was to punish such as before time had given any assistance to the Mock-king and to restrain such as were likely to do so in time to come The Earl of Kildare falling under suspition Poynings sent prisoner into England where the King did graciously hear and admit his defences and returned him with Honour and continuation of authority The Irish had formerly exhibited many Articles against this Earl the last of which was Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King shall this Earl rule all Ireland constituting him Lord-Deputy thereof But Perkin having gained private assistance from the French King and Maximilian to strengthen yet his enterprize he repairs into Scotland unto James the fourth having special recommendations from the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy who gave him most courteous entertainment The rare impudency of the youth and that connexion which his darings had with other Princes drew this King into an errour concerning him When he was first brought to the presence of the King of Scots with a right Princely gracefulness he declared to the said King That Edward the fourth leaving two sons Edward and Richard both very young their unnatural Uncle Richard to obtain the Crown purposed the murder of them both but the instruments of his cruelty having murdred his elder brother the young King were moved with pity to spare his life and that thus saved by the mercy of God he was privately conveyed beyond the Seas the world supposing that himself also had been murdred And that Henry Teuder Earl of Richmond after he had by subtle and foul means obtained the Crown he then wrought all means and ways to procure the final destruction of him the rightful Heir to the English Diadem That his said mortal enemy Henry hath not only falsely surmised him to be a feigned person giving him Nick-names so abusing the World but that also to deprive him of his right he had offered large Sums of Mony to corrupt the Princes with whom he had been retained and had imploy'd his servants to murder him That every man of reason might well understand that the said Henry needed not to have taken these courses against him had he been a feigned person That the truth of his manifest cause had moved the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy his most Dear Ant to yield him their assistence That now because the Kings of Scotland were wont to support them who were spoiled and bereft of the said Kingdom of England and for that he the said King James had given clear signs that he was of the like Noble quality and temper with his Ancestors he so distressed a Prince came to put himself into his hands desiring his aid to recover his Realms promising faithfully that when his Kingdoms were regained he would gratefully do him all the pleasure that should lie in his utmost power The King of Scots was so influenced with this Impostors words amiable person Princely deportment recommendations of Princes his aids from the Irish and assured hope of aid in England that he honourably received him as if he had been the very Richard Duke of York and gave his consent that this pretended Duke should marry the Lady Katharine Gourdon daughter to the Earl of Huntly which accordingly he did and also prepared to invade England in his quarrel although there wanted not them who with many arguments advised this King to repute him for no other than a Cheat. King Henry that he might be prepared for the Scots called a Parliament which granted a Tax to be gathered of six score thousand pounds the Levy of which mony kindled a dangerous fire in England For when the Kings Collectors came amongst the Cornish-men to receive their proportion of the Tax they tumultuously assembled under the leading of one Thomas Flammock a Lawyer and Michael Joseph a Black-Smith of Bodnam Which Captains led their rout towards Kent and at Wells James Tuchet Lord Audley joyned with them From Wells they proceeded to Black-Heath where the Kings forces defeated them without much labour fifteen hundred of the Rebels were taken and the takers had their prisoners goods granted them James Lord Audley was led from New-gate to Tower-hill in a Coat of his own Armories painted on a Paper reverst and torn where he was executed Flammock and the Smith were quartred Memorably strange was the comfort that the Smith cheered himself withall as he was drawing to his execution to wit That yet he hoped that by this means his Name and Memory should be everlasting The Kings care was now to order the War against Scotland whither he sent the Earl of Surrey with an Army to invade the Scotch borders as they had lately done the English The Earl pursued the revenge with great vehemency but in short time by the King of Spains mediation a Truce was concluded betwixt the two Nations One Article of which Truce was That Perkin should be no longer fostered in Scotland Whereupon he withdraws into â—reland whither the Cornish-men sent to him inviting him amongst them promising that at his arrival
D. 1509 April 22. His Issue Arthur dead before himself Henry Edmond Margaret Elizabeth Mary His daughter Margaret was married to James the fourth King of Scotland and after his death unto Archibald Dougles Earl of Angues to whom she bare Margaret who married Matthew Steward Earl of Lenox and had by him Henry Lord Dernly who married Mary Queen of Scots by whom he had King James the sixth King Henry left at his death 1800000 l. in ready mony He founded the Hospital of the Savoy founded six religious houses for Franciscan-Friers built the Palace of Richmond where he died and that Chappel at Westminster called by his name where he was buried He exceedingly Honoured that devout King Henry the sixth whom he laboured to have had canonized for a Saint but Pope Julio held that Honour at too dear a Rate His Mother-in-Law Queen to Edward the fourth he deprived of her Estate and confined to the Monastery of Bermondsey in Southwark one cause pretended for it was for that she had yielded up her daughter into the hand of the Usurper Richard contrary to her faith given to them who were in the plot for bringing in of Henry A. D. 1498 A Cordwainers son was hanged at St. Thomas Waterings for assuming the name and Title of the Earl of Warwick thereby to raise disturbances The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings time In his first Year Sir Hugh Brice was Mayor John Tate John Swan Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Henry Collet vvas Mayor John Percival Hugh Clopton Sheriffs In his third Year William Horn was Mayor John Eenkel William Remington Sheriffs In his fourth Year Robert Tate was Mayor William Isaac Ralph Tinley Sheriffs In his fifth Year VVilliam White was Mayor William Capel John Brook Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Matthew was Mayor Henry Cote or Coot Robert Revel and he dying Hugh Pembarton Sheriffs In his seventh Year Hugh Clopton was Mayor Thomas Wood VVilliam Brown Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Martin was Mayor William Purchase William Walbeck Sheriffs In his ninth Year Ralph Austry vvas Mayor Robert Fabian John Winget Sheriffs In his tenth Year Richard Chawrie was Mayor Nicholas Alwin John Warner Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir Henry Collet was Mayor Thomas Kneesworth Henry Sommer Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year John Tate was Mayor John Shaa Richard Hedon Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year William Purchase was Mayor Bartholomew Rede Thomas Windew or Windouâ— Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Sir John Percivel was Mayor Thomas Bradbury Stephen Gennings Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Nicholas Aldmine was Mayor James Wilford Thomas or Richard Brond Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year William Rennington was Mayor John Hawes William Steed Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir John Shaa was Mayor Lawrence Aylmer Henry Hede Sheriffs HENRY VIII A. D. 1509. HENRY the Eighth was born at Greenwich June 22. 1491. His youth was so trained up in literature that he was accounted the most learned Prince of Christendom In A. D. 1509 and June 25 he was Crowned at Westminster together with his Queen Katharine the Relict of his brother Arthur by William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury His Counsellors he chose of the gravest Divines and wisest Nobility with whom he not only often sate to the great increase of his politick experience but would also yield his authority to their wisedomes Empson and Dudley he caused to be imprisoned then to be brought to their Tryal and at last to lose their heads To regain the ancient Rights of England he first sent his Herald Clarencieux into France roughly demanding the Dutchies of Normandy Guyen Main and Anjou and with them the Crown of France Then sent certain Nobles before him thither and afterward followed himself pitching down his Tents before Terwin Where he raised his Royal Standard of the Red-Dragon and begirt the City with a strait Siege To which place Maxmiliâ—n the Emperour repaired and to the great Honour of Henry entred into his pay wearing the Cross of Saint George with a Rose the Kings-Badge as his faithful Souldier The French attempting to relieve the Town with Victuals and men were so encountred by King Henry that many of their chiefest Captains were taken prisoners and six of their standards won and the rest of the Monsieurs for safeguard of life so posted away that this conflict was called the battel of Spurs shortly after which the Town yielded unto the King Then was the siege removed to Tournay which in short time was also surrendred to the King with ten thousand pounds sterling for the Citizens redemption Who to the number of 80000 then took their Oaths to become his true Subjects 1513. The safe keeping of this City the King committed to Sir Edward Poynings Knight of the Garter and Ordained Thomas Wolsey Bishop of Tournay Whilst King Henry was busy in France his Lieutenant Thomas Earl of Surrey marched against the Scots who were entred into Northumberland and at Flodden the Armies engaged in fight and the English won the day In this battel King James of Scotland was slain one Archbishop two Bishops two Abbots twelve Earls seventeen Lords Knights and Gentlemen a great number in all about eight thousand were slain and almost as many taken Prisoners in A. D. 1513. Sep. 9. A. D. 1514 by the procurement of Pope Leo a peace was concluded betwixt the Kings of France and England immediatly after which Mary the sister of King Henry was Honourably conducted into France where aâ—â— Albeville October the ninth she was married unto old King Lewis who died eighty two days after the Marriage A. D. 1517 by reason of the great concourse of strangers at London to the hindrance of trade and their insolency towards the English the youth and vulgar sort of Citizens upon May-day assaulted these strangers doing much harm to their houses substance and some of their persons for which riotous offence John Lincolne the instigator thereof was hanged and four hundred men and youths with eleven women were led in ropes along the City in their Shirts with halters about their necks to Westminster where the King pardoned their offence to the great rejoycing of the Londoners A. D. 1519 was the City of Tourney delivered back to the French on these conditions That they should pay to King Henry six hundred thousand Crowns in twelve years That the Daulphin should marry the Lady Mary King Henries young daughter which marriage if it hapned not to take effect at the years of consent then Tourney should be re-delivered to the English That Cardinal Wolsey should have a thousand Marks paid him yearly for the revenues of the said Bishoprick A. D. 1521 Edward Bohun or Stafford Duke of Buckingham was beheaded on Tower-hill for imagining to destroy the King and to enjoy the Crown himself Wolsey was the Dukes grand adversary because that the Duke had sometime spoken certain words to his disgrace About this time the Pope sent his Legats about to incite the Christian
is no other substance consisting in the bread and wine besides the substance of Christ God and man Secondly That the Communion in both kinds was not necessary to Salvation the flesh only in form of bread being sufficient to the Laity Thirdly That Priests might not marry by the Law of God Fourthly That the vows of chastity ought by Gods law to be observed Fifthly That private Masses were necessary for the people and agreeable to the Law of God Sixthly That auricular Confession was expedient to be retained in the Church of God For offending against the former Law of abjuring the Popes Supremacy c. was John Fisher Bishop of Rochester put to death and Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor so merry conceited a person that he could not forbear his jests though bloody death stared him in the face For when on the Scaffold the Executioner desired his forgiveness he replied I forgive thee but I promise thee thou wilt get no honour by â—utting off my head my neck is so short And when he was to lay his neck on the block he stroâ—kt out his white beard and said to the Heads-man I pray let me lay it over the block lest you should cut it off For though you have a Warrant to cut off my head you have none to cut off my Beard Besides these two there were put to death for the same cause many Abbots Priors and Friars For oppugning the six Articles and asserting Gospel-truths did many Christians of the reformed Religion suffer death in the flames Amongst the rest Dr. Robert Barns was one and Mrs. Anne Askue a person of rare wit and elegant beauty who when she had been twice tormented upon the Rack to the disjoynting of her bones then gave her body to the flames for Christs sake And the life of Queen Katharine Parre was hard laid for by Stephen Gardner but through her wisdom and prudent carriage towards the King it was preserved About A. D. 1545 was a match concluded to be made betwixt Prince Edward King Henrie's son and the young Princess of Scotland the Scotch Nobility approving thereof and in a Parliament of the three estates the match was confirmed in England the like also in Scotland but Cardinal Beton Archbishop of St. Andrews fearing lest hereby Scotland should also change the Church-Orders and the French likewise not liking the union means was therefore wrought to break the said intended marriage of the two young Heirs whence wars insued and the English invaded Scotland spoiled Leith burnt Edenbrough and wasted the Country for seven miles about set fire upon Haddington and Dunbar then returned And because the French refused the performance of certain Covenants King Henry made war also upon that Nation and in short time won the strong Town of Bulloigne Then the French King with intent to balance the loss of Bolloign invaded the Isle of Wight and Sea-coasts of Sussex though it proved to the loss of many of his Captains and thousands of his Souldiers A. D. 1546 the Reingrave came with a great force to victual a Fort built near to Bulloigne which the Earl of Surrey sought to prevent him from but was discomfited with the loss of many brave mens lives Shortly after which by the mediation of the Empâ—ror and other Christian Potentates peace was concluded betwixt France and England A. D. 1547 and January the twenty eighth King Henry yielded to deaths impartial stroke whose body with great solemnity was buried at Windsor In his Will he ordained howsoever Titles had been made invalid in Parliaments That his three Children should succeed each other for want of other Issue One thousand Marks he commanded should be given to the poor and to twelve poor Knights at Windsor each of them twelve-pence a day for ever every year a long Gown of white cloth the Garter to be embroidred upon the breast and therein the Cross of St. George and a Mantle of red cloth to be worn thereupon His Wives were Katharine his brothers Relict Anne Bullen Jane Seymore Anne of Cleve Katharine Howard Neece to the Duke of Norfolk and Katharine Parre the daughter of Sir Thomas Parre of Kendal His Issue Henry which lived not full two months another son not named and Mary these by Katharine of Spain Elizabeth and a son still-born by Anne Bullen Edward by Jane Seymour His natural Issue Henry Fitz-Roy After the dissolution of the religious Houses he erected the Bishopricks of Westminster Chester Oxford Peterborough Bristol and Glocester and also erected the Cathedral Churches of Canterbury Winchester Worcester Chester Peterborough Ely Glocester Bristol Carlile Durham Rochester and Norwich In all which he founded a Dean with a certain number of Prebendaries The Colledge of Christ-Church in Oxford begun by Cardinal Wolsey he ordained to be the Cathedral of this Bishops See Many died of the sweating sickness in England especially about London In the twenty third year of his raign Richard Rice a Cook was boiled to death in Smith-field for poysoning divers persons In the thirty seventh of his raign the Stews on the Bank-side in Southwark were put down by the Kings appointment A. D. 1546 William Foxly continued sleeping fourteen days and fifteen nights and could not by any means be awakened during that time yet when he did awake he was in very good temper as though he had slept but one night and lived forty years after King Henry by Act of Parliament assumed the Stile and Title of King of Ireland former Kings of England bearing only the stile of Lords thereof 'T is said that now Turkey Carp Hops Pickarel and Beer came into England all in a Year Mayors and Sheriffs of Londen in this Kings Time In his first Year Thomas Bradbury was Mayor for the part of the year Sir VVilliam Capel for the rest George Monox John Doget Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Henry Kebble was Mayor John Milborne John Rest Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Roger Acheley was Mayor Nicholas Shelton Thomas Mersine Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir William Copinger was Mayor for part of the year Sir Richard Haddon for the rest Robert Holdernes or Alderns Robert Fenrother Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir William Brown was Mayor John Dawes John Bruges Roger Bosford Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir George Monox vvas Mayor James Yarford John Munday Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir William Butler vvas Mayor Henry Warley Richard Gray William Baily Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir John Rest was Mayor Thomas Seymour John or Richard Thurston Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Thomas Exmewe was Mayor Thomas Baldrie Ralph or Richard Simons Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir Thomas Mersine was Mayor John Allen James Spencer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir James Yarford was Mayor John Wilkinson Nicholas Patrick Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir John Burg vvas Mayor John Skevington John Kyme alias Keble Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Milborn was Mayor John Breton or Britain Thomas Pargitor Sheriffs In his
following he was condemned of Felony as seeking the death of some of the Kings Counsellors and on Febr. 22 of the same year he was brought to the Scaffold on Tower-hill where he thus spake to the people Dearly beloved Friends I am brought hither to suffer death albeit I never offended against the King either in word or deed and have always been as true and faithful to this Realm as any man hath been But forasmuch as I am by Law condemned to die I do acknowledg my self as well as others to be subject thereunto Wherefore to testifie my obedience which I owe unto the Laws I am come hither to suffer death whereunto I willingly offer my self with most hearty thanks unto God that hath given me this time of repentance who might through sudden death have taken away my life that I neither should have acknowledged him nor my self When having uttered these words with others exhortatory That the people would continue constant in the Gospel suddenly there was heard a great noise whereby the assembly was struck into great fear which noise was made by some of the Trainband-Hamlets coming hurrying on the Tower-hill This stir being ceased another presently insued for the people seeing Sir Anthony Brown ride towards the Scaffold they violently ran and crowded together thitherward supposing he had brought a pardon from the King and with a sudden shout cried a pardon a pardon God save the King But these interruptions over the Duke proceeded in his speech requesting the people to join in prayer with him for the King exhorting them unto obedience to him and his Council Which done asking every man forgiveness and declaring that he freely forgave every man he meekly submitted his head to the Axe Whose death the people were much grieved for speaking very bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland and the good King sorely mourned because of it which likely did much increase his Consumptive distemper that brought him to his end Whilst he lay in his weakness he was over-wrought to disinherit his two sisters Mary and Elizabeth and to ordain by Will for his Successor to Englands Diadem Guilford Dudley's Wife Jane the elder Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whose Mother the Lady Frances was the Daughter of Mary Queen of France and Charles Branden Duke of Suffolk Unto this Will of King Edward all his Council the Bishops and all the Judges saving Sir John Hallis subscribed When the King drew towards his last breath he prayed as followeth Lord God deliver me out of this miserable life and take me among thy chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosen sake if it be thy will send me life and health that I may truly serve thee O my Lord bless thy people and save thine inheritance O Lord God save thy chosen people of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion that I and my people may praise thy holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christs sake So turning his face and seeing some by him he said I thought you had not been so nigh Yes said Dr. Owen we heard you speak to your self Then said the King I was praying to God O I am faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Spirit And in so saying he yielded up the Ghost July 6 1553. And was interred in the Chappel of St. Peters at Westminster He was a Prince very well learned in the Latin and Greek Tongues also in the French Spanish and Italian adorned with the skill of Logick Natural Philosophy Musick and Astronomy Of such observation and memory that he could tell and recite all the Ports Havens and Creeks belonging to England Scotland and France what coming in there was how the Tide served in every of them what burden of Ship and what wind best served the coming into them Of all his Nobles chief Gentry and Magistrates he took special notice of their hospitality and religious conventions He was very sparing of his Subjects blood though rebells or hereticks When Joan Butcher was to be burnt for heresie all his Council could not move him to sign the Warrant for her execution till Dr. Cranmer A. B. laboured with him therein to whom the King said What my Lord will you have me send her quick to hell And taking the Pen he used this speeeh I will lay all the charge hereof upon Cranmer before God So zealous he was for the reformed Religion and against Popery that he thrust out all the Roman fopperies out of the Churches and superstitions out of the English Church nor would he permit his sister Mary to have Mass said in her house though the Emperour Charles made suit for it in her behalf So charitable that he conferred on the City of London Christs-Hospital and St. Thomas-Hospital for the relief of the Impotent fatherless Children and wounded Soldiers and Bridewell for vagabond and idle persons and so circumspect as to himself and publick that he kept a Journal-Book written with his own hand how all things proceeded with him and the state even from the first day of his raign unto his death The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir John Gresham was Mayor Thomas White Robert Chertsey Sheriffs In his second Year Henry Amcoats was Mayor William Lock Sir John Ayleph Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Rowland Hill was Mayor John Yorke Richard Turk Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Andrew Jud was Mayor Augustine Hinde John Lion Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir Richard Dobbes was Mayor John Lambert John Cowper Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor William Garret or Gerard John Mainard Sheriffs Queen MARY A.D. 1553 PIOVS King Edward having exchanged this wretched life for an happy the Councel in the first place perswaded the Lord Mayor and certain of the Aldermen of London to take their Oathes to be faithful to the Lady Jane Grey then caused the said Lady Jane to be proclaimed in London Queen of England But when Queen Mary heard the news of her brothers death and the Councels proceeds by her Letters she required the Councel as they tendred her displeasure and their own safeties to proclaim her Queen and Governour of the Land Unto which Letters the Lords forthwith answered That by good Warrant of Ancient Laws of the Realm besides the last Will of King Edward the right was in the Lady Jane to govern England unto whom therefore and none other they must yield subjection They also remembred the Queen of the unlawful marriage and divorce of her Mother of her own illegitimation desiring her to forbear any furder claim and to submit her self to the Queen Jane now her Soveraign Which Letters sent to Queen Mary were subscribed by Thomas Canterbury Archbishop Thomas Ely Chancellor Henry Suffolk Duke The Duke of
defence of the Reformed Religion because of the bloody Inquisition that without respect had persecuted her subjects Because the King of Spain had sent forces into Ireland and lastly to prevent her enemy the Spaniard from being so nigh a neighbour to her A. D. 1587 and Febr. 7 was Mary Queen of Scotland King James's Mother beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle to the great discontent 't is said of Queen Elizabeth who committed Secretary Davison to the Tower thereupon and never admitted him more to his place because of his forwardness in promoting the death of that Roman-Catholick Queen But what is above us is nothing to us The matters for which she was condemned in the Star-chamber Court at Westminster were her pretending title to the Crown of England her being privy to certain Treasons of Anthony Babington and others tending to the hurt and death of the Royal person of Queen Elizabeth This she absolutely denied affirming that she never attempted any thing against the Queens person though for her own delivery out of prison she confessed she did make some attempts Babington with thirteen other Traytors were executed A. D. 1588 Henry third King of France who ever honoured Queen Elizabeth and not the least because of her Religion sent speedy and secret notice unto her of the Spaniards intentions to invade her Realm of England Against whose coming the Queen caused her Trained-bands to be in readiness Tilbury in Essex was the place for her Camp whereunto were appointed to march 15000 Horse and 22000 Foot And for her special Guard out of the several Counties of the West East and South parts of England were selected 2352 Horsemen and 34050 Footmen The Queen her self was Generalissimo and Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester Lieutenant-General A. D. 1588 and May 19 the Armado or invincible Navy of the Spaniards as they termed it loosed Anchor from Lisbon and on July 20 it passed by Plimouth towards Callis hoping about those coasts to have met with the Prince of Parma but in their way the English Fleet changed some bullets with them July 21 the two Fleets fought within Musket-shot when the English Admiral Lord Charles Howard fell most hotly on the Spaniards Vice-Admiral In this fight they well perceived how that their great unweildy Ships were unfit for service in those narrow Seas the English smaller Ships being too nimble for them as well in respect of saving themselves as in annoying the Spanish July 22 Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admiral took one of their great Gallions wherein was Don Pedro de Valdez with divers other Noblemen The Soldiers had the spoil of this Ship in which was 55000 Duckets of Gold July 23 the Spaniards came right against Portland when the sorest fight was performed and the English gained a great Venetian Ship with other lesser ones July 24 the fight was only betwixt the four great Galleasses and some of the English Ships July 25 the Spaniards came aaginst the Isle of Wight where was a terrible Encounter till at length the English so battered the Spanish tall Ships that they were forced to secure themselves in an Half-moon posture July 28 as the Spanish Fleet lay at Anchor within sight of Callis the English sent in amongst them eight Fire-ships filled with Gun-powder pitch brimstone and other combustible matter their Ordnance charged with bullets stones chains and the like These being drove with wind and tide unto the Spanish Fleet and then taking fire such a sudden roaring clap was given that the Spaniards affrighted in the dead of the night were struck into an horrible fear lest all their Ships should be fierd by these wherefore in great haste they cut their cables hoised their sails and drove at random into the Seas July 29. ranging themselves in order they approached overagainst Greveling where the English again getting the wind of them discharged upon them from morning till night to the confusion of divers of the Spanish Ships The Hollanders with thirty-five of their Ships watched the coasts about Dunkirk to prevent the Duke of Parma from having any intercourse there July 30 the Spanish Dons having gotten more Sea-room for their huge-bodied bulks spread their sails and made away as fast as wind and water would permit them fearing the small fleet and forces of the English whereas had they known but the want of Powder that was on the English side they would sure have stood longer to their tacklings The English Admiral followed now the Vincible Armado towards Norway and the Spaniards for the saving of their fresh-water cast all their Mules and Horses over board The Duke of Medina their Admiral when he at last arrived in Spain was deprived of all his Authority and other ways disgraced Many of the Spanish Ships in their flight perished through tempest upon the Irish Seas others were driven into the Chanel of England where part of them were taken by the English others by the Rochellers and some arrived at Newhaven Of 134 Ships which had set sail from Lisbon only 53 returned into Spain Of the four Galleasses of Naples but one and of the ninety-one Gallions and great Hulks from divers Provinces only thirty-three returned Of the four Gallies of Portugal but one In brief there was missing of their whole Fleet eighty one Vessels and of the 30000 Soldiers 13500 and odd Of Prisoners taken in England Ireland and Low-countries were 2000 and upwards So that it appears there was small virtue in the Popes Crusado wherein he published a safe Pass-port for his Spaniards to enter England The English Fleet was betwixt fourscore and a hundred sail Captains therein were the Lords Howard and Sheffield Sir Francis Drake Sir John Hawkins Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Martin Frobisher c. For this Deliverance the 19 of November was appointed a day of Thanksgiving Blessed be the Lord who gave us not a prey into their teeth c. Psal 124. Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus Clade Papistarum faustus ubique piis Dr. Fulk The Thunder-clap of this Armado being thus over and the Invincible become Vincible the Queen determined to assist Don Antonio the expulsed King of Portugal for the regaining of his Kingdom to which end a Fleet was sent out under the conduct of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris for the land-service was General These landing in a Bay of Galicia near to the Groin took the Base-town by surprize which they found well-victualled and stored with Wine to the damage of the English who taking too immoderately of it so inflamed and infected their blood that it caused great sickness and mortality in the whole Army After some conflicts with the High-town they fired the Base-town or suburbs and put again to Sea and when some struglings with the Winds were over they recovered the Burlings In which passage Robert Earl of Essex with his Brother Mr. Walter Deureux accompanied with other gallant men came Voluntiers to the Fleet which landing in Portugal won the Town and Castle of Peniche
Mayor Stephen Slaney Henry Billingsley Sheriffs In her seven and twentieth Year Sir Wolstone Dixie vvas Mayor Anthony Ratcliffe Henry Pranel Sheriffs In her eight and twentieth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor George House William Elkin Sheriffs In her nine and twentieth Year Sir George Bond was Mayor Thomas Skinner John Catcher Sheriffs In her thirtieth Year Sir Martin Calthorp served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Hugh Offley Richard Saltonstall Sheriffs In her one and thirtieth Year Sir John Hart was Mayor Richard Gurney Stephen Some Sheriffs In her two and thirtieth Year Sir John Allot served one part Sir Rowland Heyward the other Nicholas Mosley Robert Brook Sheriffs In her three and thirtieth Year Sir William Webbe was Mayor VVilliam Rider Benet or Benedict Barnham Sheriffs In her four and thirtieth Year Sir William Roe was Mayor John Garret or Gerrard Robert Taylor Sheriffs In her five and thirtieth Year Sir Cuthbert Buckle served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Paul Banning Peter Haughton Sheriffs In her six and thirtieth Year Sir John Spencer was Mayor Robert Lee Thomas Bennet Sheriffs In her seven and thirteth Year Sir Stephen Slaney was Mayor Thomas Lowe Leonard Halliday Sheriffs In her eight and thirtieth Year Sir Thomas Skinner served one part Sir Henry Billingsley the other John Wats Richard Godard Sheriffs In her nine and thirtieth Year Sir Richard Saltonstall was Mayor Henry Roe John More Sheriffs In her fortieth Year Sir Stephen Some was Mayor Edward Holmedon Robert Hampson Sheriffs In her one and fortieth Year Sir Nicholas Mosley was Mayor Humphrey Walde Roger Clerk Sheriffs In her two and fortieth Year Sir William Rider was Mayor Thomas Smith Thomas Cambel VVilliam Craven Sheriffs In her three and fortieth Year Sir John Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Henry Anderson William Glover Sheriffs In her four and fortieth Year Sir Robert Lee was Mayor James Pemberton John Swinerton Sheriffs JAMES A. D. 1602 KING James his Title to the Crown of England sprung from Henry the seventh whose Issue 〈◊〉 the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret his eldest daughter was the next Heir which Lady Margaret being married unto James the fourth King of Scotland by him had Issue James the fifth whose only daughter and Child Queen Mary was the Mother of King James the sixth of that name that had swayed the Scepter in Scotland Which learned Prince when he heard of the death of Queen Elizabeth set forward out of Scotland and was with great joy received of all his English Subjects in his way to London and at his approach unto that honourable City the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with five hundred choice Citizens all in Chains of Gold and well-mounted met his Majesty and with all solemn observance attended him unto the Charter-house Then preparations were made for his Coronation but before the day appointed thereunto a Proclamation came forth that no Citizen should presume to approch the Court the City having buried in one week above one thousand of the plague And yet a greater plague than this was intended against England about the Kings coming in had not God in his mercy prevented it For Pope Clement the eighth having sent unto Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuites in England two Bulls therein prohibiting any to be admitted to the Crown unless he would first tolerate the Romish Religion and by all his best endeavours advance that Catholique cause Hereupon the Popes creatures to do their unholy Father the best service they could combined with some whom private discontents had discomposed to surprise the Kings person and Prince Henry intending to retain them prisoners in the Tower or if they could not gain the Tower then to carry them to Dover-Castle and there to keep them till they had brought the King to their own terms and compleated their designs The persons accused for this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brook and Bartholomew Brooksby Esquires Anthony Copley Gentleman Watson and Clark Priests A. D. 1603 and July 21 King James and Queen Anne were Crowned at Westminster by John Whitguift Archbishop of Canterbury and when the Coronation was over the Conspirators were conveyed to Winchester where the Term was then kept because of the plague at London and there had their Tryal and were all condemned by their Jury save Sir Edward Parham Howbeit only three of them were executed namely Watson Clark and George Brook This business thus Transacted for the safety of King and Kingdom his Majesty to gratify the Puritan or Presbyterian party that had petitioned for a reformation in the English Church commanded an Assembly of selected Divines to appear in his Royal presence at Hampton-Court whither the summoned accordingly repaired Persons summoned to maintain the cause of the Church of England were the Archbishop of Canterbury Bishops of London Durham Winchester c. Persons for the reformation of the Church were Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Sparks of Oxford Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chaderton of Cambridge At this conference his Majesty notably vindicated the Church of England see the conference at Hampton-Court Printed 1604. After an indeavour of setling Church-peace the King commanded a new Translation of the holy Scriptures which was accordingly done A. D. 1604 and August the nineteenth was peace proclaimed betwixt the two Nations of Spain and England And the King to joyn the Nations of England and Scotland into an happy unity caused himself by Proclamation to be stiled King of Great Britain A Proclamation also came forth commanding all Jesuites and Seminary Priests out of the Land but these under-miners of Church and State mean not to leave England so but design to stay and triumph in its ruins purposing by one fatal-blow to destroy the King the Prince the Peers both temporal and Spiritual the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament And the Traytors intent when that damnable villany should be effected was to surprize the Queen and remainder of the Kings Issue Richard Bancroft A. B. Cant. to bring in forreign powers and to alter Religion Sir Edward Baynham an Attainted person was sent to the Pope to acquaint him with the designed Gun-powder-Treason and Thomas Winter brought with him out of Flanders Guy Fawks as a fit Executioner of their hellish project The Conspirators resolved among themselves that it was lawful for case of Conscience to destroy the innocent with the nocent and this by the Authority and judgment of Garnet himself Then they took Oath of secresy swearing by the blessed Trinity and the Sacrament they then were about to receive never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstance this their Plot in hand nor any of them to desist from the Execution thereof until the rest of the Conspirators should give leave This done Mr. Thomas Piercy hired an house next adjoyning to the Parliament-House pretending it to be for his Lodgings and
and hanged at Wapping A. D. 1609 was the New-Exchange built the King naming it Britains-Burse In the same year the King by Proclamation prohibited all foreign Nations from fishing on any of the coasts of England Scotland Ireland or the Isles adjacent without special License from his Commissioners In this year also the King according to an ancient custom had aid of his Subjects through England for making his eldest son Prince Henry Knight A. D. 1610 June 4th all Roman Priests Jesuits and Seminaries as being the Incendiaries of disturbances were commanded to depart the Realm Then the Oath of Allegiance was ministred to all sorts of people His Majesty caused to be built the goodliest Ship of War that had ever been built in England being of the burthen of 1400 Tun and carrying 64 pieces of Ordinance Prince Henry named it the Prince A. D. 1612 The Corps of Mary late Queen of Scotland the Kings Mother was translated from Peterborough to the Chappel-Royal at Westminster On November the sixth following Prince Henry died of a malignant Fever which reigned that year in most parts of the Land Some said that he died by poisoned grapes which he eat others by Gloves of a poisoned perfume given him for a present but be his death by what means it would certain it is that he was infinitely beloved of the people as one that had given great hopes of proving a wise and Martial Prince February 14th the marriage of the Prince Palatine of the Rhyne with the Princess Elizabeth was solemnized in the Chappel at White-Hall She was attired all in white having a rich Crown of Gold upon her head her hair hanging down at length curiously beset with Pearls and precious Stones her train supported by 12 young Ladies all in white In this same year the City of London having before had the Province of Vlster granted them by the King for a plantation sent thither about three hundred persons of all sorts of Handy-crafts-men chiefly to inhabit the Cities of London-derry and Coleraign And for the advancing of this or the like plantation in Ireland the King about this time began a new Order of Knights called Baronets which Order he stinted within the number only of two hundred and as the Issue should fail the Order to cease About this time also an exemplar punishment was imposed upon Sir Peckshall Brockas which was to stand at Pauls-Cross in a white sheet holding a wand in his hand he having been formerly convicted before the High-Commissioners for many notorious adulteries with divers Women About A. D. 1614 Mr. Hugh Middleton Citizen and Goldsmith of London with infinite cost and labour brought the New-river to the City of London from the two great springs of Chadwel and Amwel in Hartfordshire And about the same time was the Moor-Fields by London converted from deep stinking ditches and noisom Common-shores to pleasant sweet Walks A. D. 1615 Smithfield which was before a rude dirty place was paved all over and the middle part thereof railed in September 27th the Lady Arbella the Kings Cousin-German died She had sometime before without the Kings privity secretly married the Earl of Hartfords younger Son for which they were both committed to the Tower Sir Edward Cook the famous Lawyer upon some displeasure was discharged from being Lord Chief Justice In this year was a divorce made betwixt Robert Devereux Earl of Essex and his Countess for his Insufficiency and she left free to marry any other After which divorce Robert Carre Earl of Sommerset took her to Wife But Sir Thomas Overbury the Earls special friend having disswaded the match and perhaps laid some imputation on the Ladies fame according to desert did by this means so incense these Lovers against him that they first made means to have the said ingenious Gentleman committed to the Tower and then by their instruments to have him poisoned some say by a Tansey sent him to eat some by a Clister ministred to him For which fact Sir Gervas Elwes then Lieutenant of the Tower and Mrs. Turner with others were put to death The Earl and his Countess were also arraigned and condemned but had a lease of their lives granted them for ninety-nine years yet so as after never to see the Kings face more This made way for the advancement of Mr. George Villers for this great favourite the Lord Carre being upon this occasion laid aside the said Mr. Villers was accepted in his stead Whom the King first of all Knighted and made Gentleman of his Bedchamber soon after Viscount and Master of his Horse a while after Earl of Buckingham then Marquess of Buckingham and Lord High Admiral and lastly Duke of Buckingham A person 't is said he was of delicate composure of body and of excellent natural parts and one that was very mindful of his Relations and Kindred most of whom he procured to be advanced A. D. 1618 Sir Walter Rawleigh who had lived a condemned man many years in the Tower of London now to procure some liberty propounded to the King a project for the fetching of Gold from a Mine in Guyana and that without any wrong to the King of Spain This the King condescended unto and Sir Walter set forward in his Voyage but when after a real or only a shew of search no treasure could be found he fell upon St. Thome belonging to the King of Spain George Abbot A B. Cant which he plundred and burnt then returned though to his ruin For though Sir Walter sought to excuse his spoiling of St. Thome by alledging that the Spaniards had first assaulted him and moreover that he could not come at the Mine without first winning of that Town yet did the Spanish Lieger Gundamoâ—e so aggravate this his fact and prevailed so with the King who preferred the publick peace before the life of a man already condemned that he gave way to have the sentence of his former condemnation executed upon him And accordingly this man famous for Letters and Arms was beheaded in the Parliament-yard at Westminster In this Year 1618 and March the second Queen Anne died at Hampton-Court and was buried at Westminster The November preceding her death a famous Comet or Blazing-Star appeared A. D. 1620 July the seventeenth Bernard Calvert of Andover rode from St. Georges Church in Southwark to Dover from thence passed by Barge to Callis in France and from thenee returned back to St. Georges Church the same day This his journey he performed betwixt the hours of three in the morning and eight in the afternoon A.D. 1621 Sir Francis Michel a Justice of the Peace of Middlesex was sentenced by Parliament to Ride with his face to the Horse-tail through the City of London for practising sundry abuses in setting up new Ale-houses and exacting monies contrary to the Law This sentence was executed upon him Sir Francis Bacon Viscount St. Albans Lord Chancellor of England was for bribery but it was his servants that were bribed put out
blow severed his Royal Head from his Body Whose blood was taken up by several persons for different ends by some as Trophies of their Villany by others as â—â—licks of a Martyr His Corps embalmed and wrapped in Lead was conveyed to Windsor by some of his Servants And February the 9th 1648. was there Interred in the Chappel-Royal by the Duke of Richmond Marquess of Hartford Earls of Southampton and Lindsey and the Bishop of London A Prince he was very temperate chaste humble affectionate to his People eloquent notwithstanding some small hesitation in his utterance exceeding in fortitude and patience most devout in and constant to his Religion His Issue were first Charles-James who died almost as soon as born Charles the Second whom God preserve James Duke of York Henry Duke of Gloucester born July 8th 1640 Mary born the 4th of November 1631 Elizabeth born the 28 of December 1635 Anne born March the 7th 1636 Katharine Henrietta Maria born June the 16th 1644 In his troubles he composed an excellent Book intituled Eikon Basilicon he had begun the repairing of St. Paul's at London he built that famous Ship called the Royal Soveraign whose burden was 1636 Tuns her length 127 foot her breadth within the Planks 46 foot her depth from the breadth 19 foot carrying 100 piece of Ordinances wanting four her Lanthorn so large that ten men might stand in it her building cost Eighty thousand pounds An. Dom. 1625 was a great Plague at London whereof died within the Bills of Mortality 41313. A. D. 1632 and February the 11th happened a great Fire on London-Bridg 1635 Thomas Parre died being aged 152 years and was buried in the Abby-Church at Westminster The Names of the Regicides who sate when Judgment was for murdring the King were Serjeant John Bradshaw President of the Court Oliver Cromwell Henry Ireton Thomas Lord Grey of Groby John Danvers Hardress Waller Thomas Maleverer John Bourchier William Counstable Michael Livesey Gregory Norton Knights John Lisle William Say William Hechingham John Blakestone Gilbert Millington Cornelius Holland John Carew Miles Corbet Francis Allen Peregrin Pelham Humphrey Edwards Gregory Clement Thomas Wogan Thomas Scot William Cawley Anthony Stapely Nicholas Love Augustine Garland John Dixwell Simon Mayne Daniel Blagrave Esquires Valentine Walton Thomas Harrison Edward Whaley Thomas Pride Isaac Ewer Henry Marten William Purefoy John Berkstead Edmund Ludlow John Hutchinson Robert Tichburn Owen Roe Robert Lilburn Adrian Scrope Richard Dean John Okey John Hewson William Goffe John Jones John Moor John Alured Henry Smith Edmund Harvey John Venne John Downes Thomas Horton Thomas Hammond George Fleetwood James Temple Thomas Wait Colonels Isaac Pennington and Thomas Andrews Aldermen of London Vincent Potter and Peter Temple Officers belonging to the High Court of Injustice were Dr. Dorislaus Ask William Steel who excused himself by sickness John Cook Solicitor Dendy Mace-bearer Broughton and Phelps Clerks Isaac King Crier Woolfred Pain Radley Powell Hull Messengers and Door-keepers forty of these men of blood The Warrant for the Kings Execution was directed to Colonel Francis Hacker Colonel Huncks and Lieutenant Colonel Phayre to see it done But who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Sam. 26.9 My Son saith the wise man Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change for their calamity shall rise suddenly Mayors and Sheriffs of London in his Reign In his first year 1625. Sir Allen Cotton was Mayor Thomas Westraw Ellis Crisp died Jo. Pool and Christopher Cletherow after Sheriffs In his second year 1626. Sir Cuthbert Hacket was Mayor Edward Bromfeild Richard Fenn Sheriffs In his third Year 1627. Sir Hugh Hamersley was Mayor Maurice Abbot Henry Garraway Sheriffs In his fourth Year 1628. Sir Richard Dean was Mayor Rowland Backhouse William Acton Knight and Baronet Sheriffs In his fifth Year 1629. Sir James Cambell was Mayor Humphrey Smith Edmund Wright Sheriffs In his sixth Year 1630. Sir Robert Ducie Barr. vvas Mayor Arthur Abdy Robert Cambell Sheriffs In his seventh Year 1631. Sir George Whitmore vvas Mayor Samuel Cranmore Henry Prat Sheriffs In his eighth Year 1632. Sir Nicholas Raynton vvas Mayor Hugh Perry Henry Andrews Sheriffs In his ninth Year 1633. Sir Ralph Freeman and Sir Tho. Moulston Mayor Gilbert Harrison Richard Gurney Sheriffs In his tenth Year 1634. Sir Robert Parkhurst was Mayor John Heylord John Cordell Sheriffs In his eleventh Year 1635. Sir Christopher Cletherow vvas Mayor Thomas Soame John Gayer Sheriffs In his twelfth Year 1636. Sir Edward Bromfeild was Mayor VVilliam Abell John Garrat Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year 1637. Sir Richard Fenn was Mayor Thomas Atkin Edward Rudge Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year 1638. Sir Maurice Abot was Mayor Isaac Pennington John VVollaston Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year 1639. Sir Henry Garraway was Mayor Thomas Adams John VVarner Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year 1640 Sir Edmund VVright vvas Mayor John Towse Abraham Reynardson Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year 1641. Sir Richard Gurney was Mayor George Garret George Clarke Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year 1642. Isaac Pennington vvas Mayor John Langham Thomas Andrews Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year 1643. Sir John VVollaston was Mayor John Fowke James Bunce Sheriffs In his twentieth Year 1644. Thamas Atkin was Mayor VVilliam Gibbs Richard Chambers Sheriffs In his one and twentieth Year 1645. Thomas Adams was Mayor John Kendrick Thomas Foot Sheriffs In his two and twentieth Year Sir John Gayer was Mayor Thomas Cullam Simon Edmonds Sheriffs In his three and twentieth Year 1647. Sir John VVarner was Mayor Samuel Avery John Bide Sheriffs In his four and twentieth Year 1648. Sir Abraham Reynardson was Mayor Thomas Vyner Richard Brown Sheriffs Thomas Andrews Mayor in room of Reynardson sent to the Tower CHARLES the Second A. D. 1648 JAnuary the 30th Charles the Second was then in Holland when his Father King Charles the First was murdered and that tayl of a Parliament sitting at Westminster were resolved instead of admitting him the lawful Heir unto the Government of England to assume it unto themselves To which end they first set forth a Proclamation That no person whatsoever should presume to proclaim or any way to promote Charles Stuart Son of Charles Stuart late King of England or any other person to be King or chief Magistrate of these Kingdoms but he that should attempt any such thing should be adjudged a Traytor After this they voted the House of Lords to be useless and dangerous and Kingly Government to be unnecessary and burthensome and therefore they abolished both Howbeit the Marquess of Ormond caused his Majesty to be publickly proclaimed King in Ireland and the Scotch Parliament did the like in Scotland But the Members at Westminster having a Victorious Army on their side proceeded to establish their Projects caused all publick Writings to be issued out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England by Authority of Parliament ordering a new great Seal to be