that tenth putting them to cruel deaths as winding their guts out of their bellies with other torturing deaths then he caused the elder brothers eys to be pluckt out and sent to a religious house in Ely where hee dyed shortly after but the younger he preserv'd as an husband for his daughter and sent him to his mother Emma all which fulfils the former prophesie which saith And he an Hidra with seaven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian blood shall pray By Neustria is understood Normandy And tithe them by the pole c. Emma not trusting the tyranny of Goodwin by whom she had left one son the better to secure the other shee sent him into Normandy but Edward after sirnamed the Coâ—…fessor made King Hardy Canutus beeing dead he was sent for over to receive his iust and lawfull inheritance so that this Edward the sonne of Egelredus and his last wife Emma began his Raigne over England in the yeare of Grace 1043. and was soon after maried to Goditha whom Guido calleth Editha the sole daughter of Earle Goodwin who as all Authors affirme lived with her without any carnall society whether it were in hatred of her kinred as by the greatnesse of her father compel'd to that match or for that he altogether devoted himselfe to chastity it is left uncertaine In the beginning of his Raigne his mother The Kings mother accused of adultery with Alwin Bishop of Winchester Emma was accused to have too much familiarity with the B. of Winchester therefore the King by the counsell of Earl Goodwin seised vpon many of her iewels and confined her to a strict keeping in the Abby of Worwell the Bishop Alwin was also under the Custody of the Clergy but shee more sorrowing for his defame then her owne wrote unto divers Bishops to doe their Iustice affirming she was ready to undergoe any triall whatsoever to give the World satisfaction of her innocence who laboured to the King that their cause might have a just and legall hearing but Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Archbishop of Canterbury against the mother Queen not pleased with the motion said unto them My Brethren Bishops how dare ye plead for her who is a beast and no woman as by defaming the King and her sonne and yielding her selfe a prostitute to the incontinent Alwin proceeding further but if it be so that the woman would purge the Priest who shall then purge the woman who is accused to have been consenting to the death of her sonne Alfred and hath prepared infectious Drugs for the poysoning of her sonne Edward but be she guilty or no if shee will agree to goe bare foot upon nine plough-shares burning and fiery hot for her selfe foure shares and for the Bishop five he may be then cleered and she also To which shee granted and the day of her This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chronicles of same for truth purgation assigned at which day the King in person with many of his Lords were present she was hoodwinkt and led to the place where the Irons lay glowing hot and having passed over the nine shares unhurt shee said Good God when shall I come to the place of my purgation When they opened her eyes and shee saw that she had past the torment without any sence of paine she kneeled downe and gave thanks to the protectour of chastity and innocence Then the King repented him of his credulitie restoring unto her what hee had before taken from her asking of her forgivenes and blessing But the Archbishop Robert who was once a Monke in Normandy and was sent for over by the King and first made Bishop of London and Emma acquit from the suspition of Incontinency after raised to be Metropolitan fled into his Countrey and was no more seene in England after After many insolencies committed against the King by Earle Goodwin and his sonnes too long to reherse they were forced to abandon Earle Goodwin and his sons flie the Land the Land and flie into Flanders to Earle Baldwin whose daughter Iudith Swanus his eldest sonne had married and then by a Parlament they were made Out-lawes and Rebels and their goods and Lands seized where they continued as exiles for the space of two yeeres during which time William the bastard Duke of Normandy came with a Noble Traine to visit the King his Cousin and were royally entertained returning with great gifts and presents into his Country after which Goodwin by intercession of his friends here in England was called home with his sonnes who were received into grace and restored to their former dignities and possessions giving for pledges of his fidelity his sonne Wilnotus and Hacun the sonne of Goodwin and his sons restored Swanus whom the King sent to William Duke of Normandy to be kept in safe custodie Not long after in the twelfth yeere of the Reigne of this Edward the Confessor upon an Easter Monday Goodwin sitting with other Lords at the Kings Table in the Castle of Winsor it hapned that the Kings Cupbearer stumbled but recovered himselfe of a fall at which the Earle laughed heartily and said there one brother helped the other meaning one leg had supported the other which the King observing said yea and so my brother Alphred might have lived to have helped and sustained me had it not bin for Earl Goodwin by which words the Earl apprehending that he upbraided him with his brothers death thinking to excuse himself of the Act said so may I safely swallow this morsell of bread that is in my hand as I am innocent of that deed in swallowing of which hee was choaked which the King seeing commanded him to be dragged from the board his bodie being Goodwins remarkable death conveighed to Winchester and there interred Macrinus saith that he was suddenly struck with a palsie of which hee died â—…hree days after howsoever hee underwent a most remarkable judgement His eldest sonne living who was Harold for Swanus died in his pilgrimage to Ierusalem had all his Fathers Dignities and Honours conferd upon him But in processe of time all those his Lands in Kent of which hee was Earle were eaten up and devoured by the Sea upon whâ—…se dangerous shelves and quick-sands many thousands have beene wrackt and drowned and they are called Goodwins Sands unto this day which verifieth that part of the prophesie of the Hydra where he saith Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Harold having done many noble services for the King and the countrey in all which hee came off with great honour and victorie about the 20. yeere of King Edward hee sayled towards Normandy to visite his brother Wilnotus and his Nephew Hucun who lay there as pledges for the peace betwixt the King and Harold sayleth into Normandie Earle Goodwin buteither by the mistake of the unskilfull Pilot
But none without their faults since Adams fal He shall have many vertues but not all Who never spares for who can fraeilty trust Man in his rage or woman in his lust CHAP. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife Hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-Field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queene the Kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made Knight of the Garter Peace with France Both Kings defie the Emperour The death of Cardinall Wolsey Henry divorced from his first wife Marrieth the Lady Anne Bulloigne Her death He marrieth the Lady Iane Seimour He revolteth from Rome The Earle of Hartfords victories in Scotland Bulloigne besieged and wonne HEnry the Seventh who was loth to part with the Dower of the Spanish princesse wrought so by a Dispensation from the pope that his sonne prince Henry was married to the late Widdow of his own brother prince Arthur deceased who comming to the Crown some say by the counsell of his Father on his death-bed put to death Empson and Dudley who had gathered a great masse of money into the Kings treasury by exacting and extorting from the Commons of whom they were extreamly hated for which piece of justice he wonne the hearts of the people and soone after was borne at Richmond upon New yeares The birth and death of prince Henry day prince Henry the Kings sonne who died upon S. Matthews day the yeere following and soon after was the Lord Dacres sent into Spaine to aide the King against the Moores and Sir Edward Poynings into Gelderland to aide the prince of Castile And in his fourth yeere the King in person invaded France and tooke Turwin and Turney having discomfited the French King Henry aydeth Spaine invadeth France Floden Field in which the K. of Scots was slain Hoast at a place called Blewmy during which time the Scotch King raised against England an hundred thousand men whom the Earle of Surry the Kings Lievtenant encountred at a place called Flodden in which battaile the King himselfe was slaine with eight Bishops and eleven Earles besides of the common souldiers innumerable for which service by him done King Henry created him Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Earle of Surrey In his sixt yeere a peace was concluded betwixt England and France and in the seventh Peace betwixt England and France yeere the French King espoused the Lady Mary the Kings sister in the moneth of Iune and died upon New yeares day next ensuing wherefore The birth of the Lady Mary Charles Brandon married to the French Queen Mary the kings sister the King sent for her againe by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke In February was borne the Lady Mary the Kings Daughter at Greenwich and in Aprill the French Queene came over into England and was married to the foresaid Duke of Suffolke in which yeere also Margaret Queene of Scots the Kings sister fled into England and lay at a place called Hare-bottle where she was delivered of a daughter called Margaret and came to London in May and tarried here a whole yeer and upon the eighth of May following returned again into her Country In October the tenth yeer of the King the Admirall An enteâ—… view betwixt the Kings of England and France of France came into England and Tournay was delivered againe to the French King whom after Henry met between Arde and Guiens where were great Triumphs after there was a solemne meeting betwixt the Emperour and Charles the fift and the King of England who went with him to Graveling and after hee went to Calice with the King where hee was royally entertained and feasted who in the thirteenth of the King the sixt of Iune was honourably received Charles the fift Emperor made Knight of the Garter into the City of London by the Lord Major the Aldermen and the Communalty who from London went to meet the King at Windsore where he was made Knight of the Garter which was done with great solemnity and then from Southampton hee sailed into Spain soone after Christian King of Denmarke came into England and had Royall entertainment from the King During these passages the Earle of Surrey Lord Admirall who before had appeased the tumults and manifold combustions stirred up in Britain Picardy France invaded by the English Ireland burnt divers Townes in Britaine and Picardy and the Duke of Suffolke invaded France with 10000 men and passing the River of Some spoyled many Towns and Villages and returned without opposition and the Duke of Albany in Scotland who before had made a vain e attempr against England besieged the Castle of Wark but hearing of the Earle of Surreys marching towards him he fled into his Countrey In the eighteenth yeere of the King Cardinall Cardinall Wolsey Embassadour into France Wolsey went over into France pompously attended where he concluded a league betwixt the King of England and the French King who both defied the Emperour and sent an Army into Italy to make war against him and upon the nineteenth of October the great Master of England and France defied the Emperour France came over to England to ratifie the League made betwixt the two Kings all which verifie that part of the prediction Rouze him shall this fierce Lion in his den Be favoured of the gods and fear'd of men Gallia shall quake Albania stand in awe And Caesars stoop when he but shews his paw To league with him Hesperia shall take pride Those whom the Africke Moores halfe blacke have dyde By Albania is meant Seotland so called from Albanactus the second sonne of Brute the first King thereof and by Hesperia Spaine who after the African Moores had long possessed the greatest part of the Land by enterchangable merceage betwixt them and the Natives the Spaniards are black and tawny even to this day In the one and twentieth yeare the King having cast his eye upon a new Mistris pretending A divorce sought by the King betwixt him and Queen Katherine a matter of conscience hee began to consider with himselfe that hee had long incestucusly lived with his brothers wife for which cause the Legats of Rome met with the King at Black Fryers about the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of that marriage Amongst the rest Cardinall Wolsey standing stiffe against a Divorce in October following was discharged of his Chancellourship and presently after was a peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and the King and in the yeere after the great Cardinall who had been arrested of high Treason and by that meanes forfeited his infinite estate to the The death of Card. Wolsey King died on Saint Andrews in a poore Fryery not without suspition of poyson After by a legall course and due processe of Law the king was divorced from the Lady Katherine his brothers wife and soone after married to the Lady Anne Bulloigne who upon The King married
like did Malcolme and his two sonnes to VVilliam sirnamed the Red sonne to the Conquerour David King of Scots did homage also to Stephen King of England VVilliam King of Scots did the like to Henry the third at the time of his Coronation and when this Henry was dead This Henry cald the third was sonne to Henry the se cond and was crowned but dyed befoâ—…e his Father hee came after to his father Henry the second into Normandy and did the like to him also Alexander King of Scots in the thirty first yeer of Henry the second sonne of King Iohn married at Yorke the Daughter of the said Henry and did him homage for the Realme of Scotland c. Further was shewed unto them the Popes Bulls sent into Scotland by vertue whereof those of their Kings were accursed that would not bee obedient to their Lords the Kings of England Briefely they acknowledging all these Authoriy from Rome to be true Bonds were made on both sides in which thing Edward was tyed in an hundred thousand pounds to nominate their King and the Scots againe bound to obey him nominated as their Soveraigne After which writings sealed they delivered the possession of the Kingdome of Scotland into King Edwards hands to preserve it to his use of whom hee would make election who made choise of Sir Iohn Balioll as true and immediate heire by marrying Sir Iohn Balioll made king of Scots the eldest sister for which he did him homage and sware him fealty which done the Scots with their new King departed joyfully into Scotland But soone after Baliol repented him of his Oath and as some say by the Counsell of the Abbot of Menrosse others by the instigation of the King of France but whether by one or both certaine it is that hee perfidiously revolted and made warre upon England which Edward hearing sped him with a great hoast into The Scots revolt Scotland and laid siege to Barwicke but they bravely defended the Towne and burnt some of our English with which they were so inflamed with pride that they made this scornfull Rime upon the English What ween is King Edward with his long shanks To have won Barwicke all our unthankes Gaas pikes him And when he had it Gaas dikes him At which King Edward being mightily moved so incouraged his souldiers that they first wonne the Ditches and after with great difficulty the Bulwarkes and then came to the gates which they inforced and entring the Towne slew twenty five thousand and seven hundred Scots and lost no man of note save Richard King Edward winneth Barwicke Earle of Cornwall and of meaner people twenty seven and no more which hitherto upholds the former prediction Then from the North shall fiery Meteors threat Ambitious after blood to quench their heate The Dragons blood at which his Crest wil rise And his skales flame where he treads or flies Fright all shall him oppose the Northerne Dyke Passe shall he then and set his foot in wyke By the Northerne Dyke is implyed the River Tweede and by Wyke the Towne of Barwicke but I pursue the History The King having possest the Towne and Castle hee sent Sir Hugh Spencer with Sir Hugh Parcy and other Noble men to besiege Dunbar whither came a mighty Host to remove them thence with whom the English had a fierce and cruel battail A glorious victory at the taking of Dunbar in which were slaine of the Scots twenty two thousand and of the English a very small number wherefore the English to reproach the Scots in regard of their former Rime made this These scattered Scots Hold we for sots Of wrenches unware Earely in a morning in an evill timing Came yee to Dunbar After the taking of the Towne and Castle of Dunbarre the King besieged the City of Edenborough and wonne both it and the Castle Edenborough taken with the Castle Crown c. in which were found the Regalities of state which King Edward tooke thence and offered them at the shrine of Saint Edward upon the eighteenth day of Iune the year following Then Sir Iohn Baliol with diverse of his Clergy and Nobility submitted themselves to the kings grace and having setled the affaires of Scotland hee brought them up to London and then asked them what amends they would make him for all the trouble and damage they had put him to who answered they wholly submitted themselves to his mercy Hee then replyed your Lands nor your goods doe I desire but I will that you take the Sacrament to be my true Feodaries and never more to beare Armes against me to which they willingly assented of w ch were sir Iohn Commin the Earle of Stratherne the Earle of Carick and foure The Scotch sworne on the Sacrament Bishops took Oath in the behalfe of themselves and the whole Clergy which done the king gave them safe conduct into their Country But not long after they hearing the king was busied in his warres of Gascoyne against the French king they made a new insurrection having They breake their oath one VVill. Wallis a desperate Ruffin and of low condition to be their chiefe Leader which the King hearing having ordred his affaires in â—…rance hee sped towards Scotland and entring the Kingdome he burnt and wasted wheresoere he came sparing only all Churches Religious Houses and the poore people who besought him of mercy At length hee met with the Scottish Army upon Saint Mary Mawdlins day at a place called Fonkirke where hee gave them The bâ—…ve battaile at Fonkâ—…ke battaile and slue of them thirty three thousand with the losse only of twenty eight men and no more and finding no other enemies able to resist him hee returned into England and after married Margaret the French Kings sister by which King Edward marrieth the French Kings sister a peace betwixt England and France was concluded Then went king Edward a third time into Scotland and almost famished the Land and tooke the strong Castle of Estrevelin and soon after was taken William VVallis at the Town of The end of William Wallis Saint Dominick who was sent to London where he received his judgement and upon Saint Bartholomews Eve was drawne and quartred his head stooke off and set on London bridge and his foure quarters sent to bee hanged up in the foure chiefe Cities of Scotland after this Robert le Bruce claymed the Crowne of Scotland without acquainting king Edward therewith and drove all the Englishmen out of the Land of which he vowed revenge and to hang up all the Traytors in that kingdome who before hee set forward on that expedition made foure hundred and foure knights at VVestminster upon a Whitson Sunday with whom and the rest of King Edward maketh 400 and foure Knights his Army he once more pierced Scotland and upon Friday before the Assumption of our Lady hee met with Robert le Bruce and his Hoast
place called Bellalaund or Brighland hee had like to have beene taken as he sat at dinner which could not have beene had he not had some traitours about him and now confer the premisses The King almost surprized at dinner with the Prophesie Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They fore't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin The two Owls are the two Spencers who from the ashes of the Cornish Eagle Gaveston grew into the especiall favour of the King who were sayd to case the Goat in the skinne of the Lyon by animating the effeminate King to the warres against the Barons by whose deaths they got many rich spoyls and then forced to take their wings to fly where they were banisht the Realme at the parliament of white Bands c. The state of the kingdome thus standing and the two Spencers commanding all the Land had Warres with France about the Dutchy of Guian to attone which difference betwixt the two Kings the two Spencers being in all things The hate of the Spencers towards the Queene which was after the cause of their ruine opposite to the Queen whom they had brought to the bare allowance and pension of twenty shillings a day they further plotted how to rid her out of the Land and perswaded the King to send her into France to make peace betwixt the two Kingdomes having before seized on all her lands and those belonging to the Prince The Queen sent into France Briefely the Queene arrived in France and was royally received by her brother who hearing of her base usage and by whom he was much incensed against the K. and his wicked Counsellors and sent to him under his seale to come in person into France to doe him homage or he She is royally received by the King her brother should forfeit the Dutchy of Guian Of which K. Edward took little regard in hope his Queen would salve all things that were amisse betwixt the brother and husband After the Queenes three months abode in France the Prince desired of his Father that he might have leave to visite his mother and unckle which his Father granted and said to him at parting Goe my faire sonne in Gods blessing and mine and returne to mee againe as speedily as you may who passing the Sea and comming to the Kings Court hee joyfully received him and said Faire sonne you bee welcome and since your Father came not to doe homage for the Dutchy of Guian as his antecessors have done I give you the Lordship to hold of me in heritage and so the Prince was created and thence forward called the Duke P. Edward made Duke of Guien of Guien Which being knowne to King Edward hee was highly incensed especially because the Prince was instated into that honour without his consent and pleasure and finding that notwithstanding his often sending they made no haste to returne hee made Proclamation that if within such a day prefixed they made not their repaire into the Land they should be held as enemies to the Crowne and state but the Queene much fearing the malice of the Spencers whom she knew to bee her mortall enemies she removed not thence then the King made forfeiture of all their goods and Lands before seized and took the profits of them to his owne use and sent sharpe and threatning Letters to the French King if he suffered them The French King refuseth to aid his sister to sojourne longer in his Realme upon which he commanded them thence without any further comfort or succour At that time Sir Iohn Henaud brother to the Earle of Henaud a man of great courage and valour being in the French Court much commiserating the Queene and the Prince desired her to goe with him to his brother the Earle of which she was glad and taking his noble offer was there honourably received Then was a marriage concluded betwixt Prince Edward The Prince contracted to Philip daughter to the Earl of Henaud and Phillip the Earles Daughter upon certaine conditions one of which was that the Earle should send over into England the Queene and her sonne with 400 men at Armes under the conduct of his Brother In which interim the two Spencers sent three Barrells of Coyne with Letters to some of the French Peeres that if it were possible they should make away the Queene or her sonne or at least send them away disgraced out of the Realme which mony and Letters were taken by a ship of the Henauders and brought to the Queene during her abode The Spencers beat at their own weapons there which the Earles brother seeing said unto her bee of comfort Madam this is a good Omen the Spencers your enemies have sent you money to pay your souldiers Of which the King of England having intelligence he sent to all the Ports and Havens to interdict their landing notwithstanding which the Queene and Prince with these foure hundred Hollanders and a small company of English gentlemen who had fled to her in the time of her exile landed at a port called Orwel besides The Queene landeth in Suffolk Harwich in Suffolke the fifteenth of September Sir Iohn Henaud the Earles brother being their Captain and Leader without any opposition or resistance to whom after their landing the people resorted in great companies and sped towards London where the King and the Spencers were then resident who hearing of the multitudes that then drew unto her left Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter Custos of the Citie The King and Spencers flie to Wales and with a small company fled towards Wales she came then to London where the people were willing to receive her which the Bishop with many sharpe and bitter words opposing the Commons of the City tooke him violently and beheaded him with two of his Esquires at the Standard in West-cheap whose bodies were borne to the Thames side where the Bishop had begun a new edifice contrary to their liking and there unreverently buried The Queene with an easie march followed The Queene pursueth the King the king who came to Bristoll with the Earle of Arundell the two Spencers and his infamous Chancellour Baldock where after counsell taken it was agreed that Hugh Spencer the father should stay there and take charge of the towne and castle whilest the King and the rest tooke shipping thence for Wales to raise the Welshmen in his aid of which the Queene having notice sent thither the Earle of Kent Sir Iohn Henaud with others who with small difficultie The Town and Castle of Bristoll taken tooke the towne and castle with Hugh Spencer the father alive and delivered them to the Queene who remained there till the greatest part of her army pursued the King and his other Minions
married to the youthfull French King shee I say observing his provident and cautelous proceeding in all things for the security of his State and Kingdome with a false stampe coyned a new Duke of Yorke a stripling called Perkin Warbeck who being Christned by Edward the Perkin Warbeck a new impostor 4 th it might be suspected that being as hee was warlike so also much addicted to the love of women by too much familiarity with the mother the child might have some of the Yorkists blood in him Edward being both Father and Godfather But so or no most sure it was Edward the fourth Godfather to Perkin that the Dutchesse exposed him to the world for the young Duke of Yorke who was spared from death which his brother suffered in the Tower for so it was given out But after shee had fully tutor'd and instructed him to take upon him the Majesty and deportment of a Prince least he should be found to be her creature shee cunningly sent him from her The subtilty of the Dutchesse of Burgundy Court over into Ireland where hee was received for no lesse then he nam'd himselfe Thence King Charles sent for him into France where he had Princely entertainment and service suiting with his stile but a peace being concluded betwixt England and France finding no safety there hee came as a distressed stranger to shelter himselfe under the wings of the Dutchesse of Burgundy whom she cunningly at first lookt upon as strangely till she had questioned him about all things in which shee had before instructed him and then as a Prince whose injuries were much to bee pittied shee received him to her protection The newes of a surviving Duke of Yorke was greedily swallowed by the discontented Commons of England The chiefe of note A new conspiracy against the King who were drawne to this beliefe were the Lord Fitzwater Mountfort and Thwaytes with the Lord Standley who was Father in law to the King and then Lord Chamberlaine Ratcliffe and others But Henry then understanding the danger likely to ensue first made it manifest to the world how both the Princes were together murdered with the manner of their deaths by which he did infallibly evince that hee could not be Yorke then the politicke King thought there was no surer way to disable the Impostors claime then by taking away his abettours and whilst these things were thus in agitation Sir Robert Clifford who had undermined all the Dutchesse proceedings came over to the King Sir Robert Clifford chalengeth the L. Standly of treason and disclosed them unto him who challenged the Lord Standley of Treason as to bee a prime incourager of Perkins Faction for which the King notwithstanding the neere affinity as the name of Father and Sonne interchanged betwixt them and forgetting also that hee was the prime man who set the Crowne upon his head hee caused him the fifteenth of February following to bee beheaded on a Scaffold upon the Tower-hill not without a great aspersion The L. Standly beheaded of ingratitude which severity of Iustice was also executed upon Mountford and Stafford Then Perkin who had wintered with the Dutchesse in the spring made an attempt for England his forces subsisting meerely of male-contents banquerupts and fugitives and hearing the King was in the North landed to the number of sixescore and odde in Kent thinking Perkin landeth in Kent they would have adhered to his Faction but he himself kept a ship boord But the Kentish apprehending the danger of a Rebellion seeing no more would come a shore set upon them whom they found slew some and took the rest prisoners all which were put to death and not one amongst them spared Thence he sailed to Flanders to fetch more ayd and from thence to Ireland where he found small comfort after to Scotland whose arrivall there being by commendatory Letters prepared by Charles the The French K. an abetter of Perkin French King he was royally entertained and to the Scotch King and his Nobility hee delivered so smooth and passionate a Tale before dictated by the Dutchesse that they tooke not onely great commiseration of his former disasters but promised withall not onely to raise him but to establish him in the height at which hee aimed causing him to bee espoused to a beautifull Virgin the Lady Gordon and after with a potent Army entred Northumberland Perkin married to the Lady Gordon making Proclamation in the name of Richard Duke of Yorke with sugered promises of severall enfranchisements and immunities to the Commons if they would acknowledge him their King and Soveraigne all which nothing prevailed with the people so that King Iames hearing of Henries marching towards him with a puissant Hoast he retreated his Army into his owne Countrey After which there was a marriagâ—… concluded A match concluded betwixt Iames of Scotland and the Lady Margaret betwixt King Iames and the Lady Margaret the eldest daughter to King Henry from whom our King Iames of blessed memory descended as immediate and undoubted Heire to the Crown of England which match was consummate in the seventh yeare of King Henry and in the same year landed at Plimmouth Katherine daughter to the King of Spaine who upon St. Erkenwalds day was espoused to Prince Arthur eldest sonne to the King who in Aprill following Prince Arthur married to Katherine of Spaine The death of Prince Arthur expired in the Towne of Ludlow The yeare after began the famous and most glorious worke of the Kings Chappell ' at Westminster and upon the eleventh of February dyed Queen Elizabeth wife to King Henry in the Tower The death of Queen Elizab. lying then in Child bed c. There was also a commotion in Devonshire and Cornwall about the collection of sixescore A commotion in Devonshire and Cornwall thousand pound which the King had demanded in parliament the first raisers thereof were a Lawyer and a Blacke-smith who comming as farre as Wells the Lord Audley tooke upon him to be their Generall who passing through Kent came as farre as Black-Heath in the sight of London but were then encountred by the Kings forces the Lord Audley was taken and The chiefe of the Rebells executed beheaded the Lawyer Smith drawn hanged and quartered the rest by the King ' pardoned But after that fortunate match betwixt the Scotch King and the Lady Margaret there was no longer residence there for Perkin who exposed him to his further fortune yet would not his faire Bride Katherine Gordon leave him though he were forced to forsake the Land but associated him into Ireland from whence hee was presently sent for by a new company of Cornish and Devonshire Rebells who began first to assemble themselves at a Towne called Bodwin in Cornwall To whom Perkin was no sooner come but they made him their Captain and Prince who called him selfe no more Richard Duke of Yorke but Richard King of England
death with the yong Earle of Warwicke the death of the king A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth p. 293 Chap. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queen the kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made knight of the Garter c. p. 304. Chap. 33. The death of Henry the eighth Edward the sixt crowned a calculation of his reigne Musse Iborow field won by the Lord Protector c. p. 315. Chap. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Q. Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary He is arrested of high treason The Coronation of Q. Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope c. p. 326 Chap. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made K. of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queens Marriage at Winchester Their titles their riding through London The Queen rumoured to be with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings hee favoureth the Lady Elisabet He leaveth the Land Queen Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis p. 336 Chap. 37. A brief nomination of her troubles wrought by the Popish Clergie Her passage through London to her coronation with the speeches spoke in the pageants A short remembrance of the prime passages in her reign The former prediction fulfild her death other predictions fathered upon Merlin explained c. p. 347 Chap. 38. The title of King Iames to the Crown His comming into England A prophesie of his Reigne The first treason attempted against him The Gunpowder treason and what the conspirators were The king of Denmarke twice commeth into England King Charles proclaimed King his Fathers Funerals c. p. 361 A Chronographical History of the Kings of Britaine from the first plantation of this Island by Brute and his Cousin Corinaeus to the Reigne of King Vortiger In whose time Ambrosius Merlinus began to utter his Predictions CHAP. 1. Brutes first plantation in this Island How hee divided it amongst his three sonnes of several famous Cities builded here by sundry Kings and how divers Rivers took their first name of all the remarkable passages that hapened in their reignes A Catologue of the Kings continued from Brute to the end of his Line and off-spring FOr the better illustration of this present worke intended it shall not be amisse to shew you a briefe progresse of all the memorable passages of the time before wee come to the Prophesie with a Catalogue of the Kings of this Island and what Remarkable things happened in their reigne To begin with the first Brute who was of the ancient and noble bloud of the Trojans discended from Aeneas and Creusa the How Brute was discended daughter of King Priam These had a sâ—…nne called Ascanius after his Father King of Italy Brute was the sonne of Sylvius Aenaeas the son of Ascanius This Brute at fifteene yeares of age being hunting by the unfortunate glanceing of an Arrow slue his father and had beene also in his birth the death of his mother but for the last disasterous act hee willingly exiled himselfe and taking with him a choice company of adventurers thought to discover some new plantation To omit his many troubles both by Land and Sea in which hee was still most victoriously prosperous at length hee incountred with a small navy of ships of which a Trojane and his neare kinseman was Captain whose name was Corinaeus who joyning their Corinaeus cousin to Brute forces together and after divers and sundry perills landed in this Island of the white and chalky Cliffes called Albion where finding none but Giants of mighty stature he destroyed the most part of them of whom the greatest both in bulke and command was called Gogmagog with whom Corinaeus wrastling to prove their triall of strength Gogmagog in his gripe broke a rib in the side of Corinaeus at which he being inraged gathering all his spirits about him cast him downe the high Rocke of Dover the place where they proved the mastery which is called the fall of Gogmagog unto this day for which and other his valiant acts before The fall of Gogmagog atchieved hee gave him that intire Province which from his name beareth the title of Cornwall Brute then taking full view of the Island The building of Troynovant since called London searching up the River of Thames built upon it a City which in remembrance of the late subverted Troy he called Troynovant or new Troy now London this done he put his Souldiers to tilling of the Earth and governed the Realme peaceably for the space of twenty foure yeares He had by his wife Ignogen the daughter of Pandrusus three sonnes betwixt whom in his life time he divided his Kingdome to How hee divided the Kingdome Locrine the eldest hee gave all that is called England but then Logria after his name To the second Cambrius or Cambre hee left the Countrey of Wales at first from him called Cambria To the third Albanact hee gave the North part of the Land then titled from him Albania now Scotland That done hee expired The death of Brute and was buryed at Troynovant and this happened in the yeare of the world foure thousand fourescore and seven Locrine being King of Britaine hearing that a King of Scythia had invaded his brother Albanacts Dominions and having slaine him in battaile governed in his stead Hee with his brother Cambre assembled a mighty Hoast to avenge his death and in a sharpe conflict discomfited his whole Army and so hotly pursued him in his flight that this Scythian which was called Humber was drowned in that River Plow the River Humber came to be so cald which runneâ—…h up from Ravenspurn up to Hulâ—… which hath since borne his name even to this day After which victory Locrin who had espoused Guendolina daughter to Corinaeus Duke of Cornwall grew inamoured of Estrild a beauteous Lady and Daughter to the aforesaid Humber by whom He had a Daughter named Sabrina of which his Queene having intelligence the accited her Father and friends to make Warre upon her Husband and flew him in fight when hee had governed the Realme for the space of twenty yeares then the Masculine spirited Lady tooke his Concubine Estrild with her beautifull young daughter Sabrina and caused them to bee both drowned in that River which parteth England and Wales and from Sabrina is called Severne to all posterity The River Severne whence called Then Guendolina took upon her the government of the Land till her young Son Madan came to mature age and then resigned it up intirely into his owne hands after shee had
impression both in the Princes themselves and both their Armies that a Truce being made they agreed to end the warre betwixt them in a single Duell for which was assigned an Isle called Olkney neere Gloster incompast with the water of Severne which makes good the prophesie Two Lions shall a dreadfull combat make And have their Lists incompast by a Lake In which place at the day prefixed the two worthy and warlike Champions compleatly armed singly met the two Hoastsstanding without the Isle where first they encountred with sharpe The combat betwixt Edmund and Canutâ—…s Lances on Horsback breaking them even to the very Truncheons then they alighted and fought long on foote with their keene swords till their armours were broken in divers places and they both were dangerously wounded when retyring for breath by the first motion of Canutus they made an accord betwixt themselves Canutus made the first motion of peace embracing one another as brothers to the great rejoycing of both Armies After which they made an equall partition of the Land and Canutus married Emma the mother of Edmund but the Snake Edricus whom his Lord had not only pardoned for his former Treason but promoted unto further dignity by creating him Earle of Kent notwithstanding which he corrupted his sonne then attending the King who awaited his opportunity and as he was doing the necessiites of nature strooke him with a Speare into the fundament of which mortall wound hee dyed soone after at Oxford Edmund slaine by the traytour Edricus Then Edricus posted in haste to Canutus and saluted him by the Title of sole Sovereigne of the Kingdome insinuating that for his love and honour hee had removed his Competitour and told him the manner how which Canutus having truly understood and that the Treason was uttered from his owne mouth and in his personall hearing like a just and wise Prince he replyed unto him Forasmuch ô Edricus as for my love thou hast slaine thy naturall Lord whom I entirely affected I shall exalt thy head above all the Lords of England and presently commanded his head to be struck off and pitcht A traytours just reward upon a pole and set upon the highest gate of London and his body to bee throwne into the River of Thames yet Marianus and others write otherwise concerning the manner of his death which makes good what is formerly spoken that a speckled Snake Ayming at high things shall his Lord betray Poysoning the Royall Nest in which he lay Meaning the Kings Treason in which the Traitor was closeted as one whom hee most favoured and honoured Canutus being now sole Monarch the white Canutus sole Monarch of England Dragon was forced to stoop to the Eagle that is the Saxons were compeld to bee under the subjection of the Danes by whom they were so miserably opprest that scarce the tenth part of them were left in the Land and these that remayned were forced to tithe their goods and pay it as a tribute to the Danes therefore saith the Prophet Of the white Dragon so the Fates agree A Decimation in the end shall bee It followeth in the History in a great assembly made of the King and his Barons a question was propounded whether in the composition made betwixt Edmund and Canutus there was any mention made of Edmunds children to have the inheritance of their Father after his death that was in halfe part of the Kingdome to which a great part of them thinking thereby to insinuate unto the Kings favour answered Nay but it hapned unto them contrary to their expectation for knowing them to be naturall Englishmen and before sworn to King Edmund and his heires hee hated them for their perjury never trusting them after but some hee exiled The Kings conscionable justice and some were slaine and others being strooke with the hand of God died suddenly It was likewise ordered by the foresaid Counsell that the two sonnes of Ironside Edmund and Edward should be sent to Swanus the elder brother of Canutus King of Denmarke the purpose is diversly reported some say to be slaine What became of the sons of Edmund Ironside and that Swanus abhorring the Act sent them to Salomon then King of Hungary where Edmund died of a naturall death but his brother Edward in the processe of time married Agatha the daughter of Henry the fourth of that name Emperour and by her besides daughters had a sonne sirnamed Ethelinge This Edward of our English Chronologers is named the Out-law because he never returned into England his native Country In this interim died Swanus King of Denmarke and the Crowne fell to Canutus so that he was sole Sovereigne of both Nations the English and the Danes Canutus landed in Denmarke with a strong Army to possesse himselfe of his lawfull Inheritance and to oppose the Vandals who had pierced that Land and when the King was otherwise negotiated Earle Goodwin with a band of Englishmen set upon the Invaders by night and rowted their whole Army for which noble act the King had him in great favour and the English Nation ever after This King was greatly beloved of his subjects for many of his vertues as being very charitable and devout a great repayrer and decorer of Churches especially of divers Cathedrals which hee caused to be richly beautified with gilding their Altars and Roofs more gloriously then in former ages thereby confirming that part of the prophesie What time the red shall to his joy behold The rooffs of all the Temple shine with gold Meaning the red Dragon Some attribute the cause of his devotion to a noble care he had to repaire what his tyrannicall Father had before ruined that the memory of his Atheisticall cruelty might bee quite forgot others that it was at the Altar of Emma his Queen the Widow Dowager of Egelredus and mother of Ironside who was a Lady of great religious sanctity Hee made also a Voyage to Rome where hee was pontifically received by Bennet the eight of that name and demeaned himselfe with great magnificence and honour It is further reported of him that after his great entertainment there and return from rhence he was so tumoured with pride that standing by the Thames side at a flowing tyde hee charged the water that it should presume no further nor dare to touch his feet which was so farre from obeying his command that he stil keeping his ground from his ankles it came up to his knees at which suddenly stepping backe out of Vaine pride soone repented of the River he blushing said By this all earthly Kings may know that their powers are vaine and transitory and that none is worthy of that name but he who created the Elements and to whom they only obey This Canutus married his eldest daughter by his Wife Elgina the daughter to the Earle of Hampton to Henry sonne of the Emperour Conradus The death of Canutus the second of that name
or by the extremity of tempests hee was driven upon the province of Pountithe and there surprised and sent as prisoner to William Duke of Normandy who some say forced him to take an oath to marry his daughter and keep the Kingdome of England to his behoofe but that which carrieth more shew of trueth is that Harold to insinuate into the Dukes favour in whose power hee now was told him that his King in the presence of his Baronry had selected him his Heire and covenanted with him that if hee survived his sovereigne hee would keepe the Crowne to his use for which Meaning the Duke the Duke gave him his daughter in contract with promise of a large dowry but she was yet in her minority not ripe for marriage in confirmation of which Duke William gave him also his brothers sonne Hucon one of the Hostages and kept the other and after sent him over with rich gifts all which at his returne to England he acquainted the King with who expired the fourth day of Ianuary when hee had reigned twenty three yeeres seven months and The death of Edward the Confessor odde dayes and lyes buried in the Monasterie of Westminster which he before had much beautified and repaired After whom succeeded in the Throne Harold the second son of Earle Goodwin and last King Harold crowned King of England of the Saxons who began his Reigne over England in the yeere one thousand forty six the ambition to gain a Crowne making him forget his oath and promise made to Duke William In the beginning of his Reigne his Land was invaded by his brother Tostius who was beat out of the Kingdome by Edwin and Malcharus Earles of Mercia and Northumberland then Harold Hafagar King of Denmarke and Norway whom Guido the Historiographer calleth the sonne of Canutus hearing of the death of Edward with an Army of three hundred England invaded by the Danes ships entred the mouth of the River Tyne pretending to conquer England as his right and lawfull inheritance which Harold hearing sent the two aforesaid Earles of Mercia and Northumberland till he himselfe had gathered sufficient forces who gave the Danes a strong battaile but being overset with multitudes they were forced to give backe so that the enemy entred further into the Land which the King hearing Harold made haste with his powers And met them at a place called Stratford bridge In which Interim Tostius came out of Scotland and tooke part against his brother Betwixt these two Hoasts was fought a bloudy A bloudy battail in which Harold was victor and cruell battaile In which many brave Knights breathed their last and amongst them Tostius the two Harolds of England and of Denmarke met and fought hand to hand in which combat Harold of Denmarke fell under the hand of Harold of England who was likewise Master of the field in which Olanus brother to Harfagar and Paulus Duke of the Orcades were taken prisoners of whom Harold took sure pledges for their fidelity and homage CHAP. 11. The Landing of Duke William with the Normans the battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slaine being the last King of the Saxon bloud William remayneth Conquâ—…rour and is crowned King of England His death and the successe of the Prophesie HArold ambitiously puft up with this great victory divided not the spoyle Some think it was a great cause of his losse of the battail against William from the enemy taken equally but avaritiously kept the greatest part to his owne use and the remainder hee distributed not to those who had best fought but to those whom hee most favoured by reason whereof hee lost the Harolds answer to Duke William hearts of many of his Knights in this Interim died the Daughter of Duke William before contracted to Harold by which hee thought himselfe fully discharged of his former duty and promise But Duke William was of a contrary minde and by divers messengers mixing faire termes with menaces put him in remembrance of the breach of both to which Harold gave a slight answer that rash and unadvised covenants might bee as well violated as kept that it was not in his power to dispose of the Crowne and Kingdome without the assent of the Peeres and Barons of the Realme besides oaths and promises made either by feare or force were of no validity and therefore left him to take what course hee pleased according to his best direction for that was his peremptory answer At which Duke William being much incensed gathered a selected Army which hee caused to be shipt with all things necessary for so great Duke William â—…ndeth in England an Enterprize and launching from the port of Saint Valery In shorttime landed neer Hastings in Sussex at a place called Penusy making three Three pretenses for his Invasion pretences for his invasion The first and chiefe was to challenge his right to the Crowne as next Heire and moreover bequeathed unto him by his Nephew Edward the Confessor upon his death-bed The second was to vindicate the bloudy murder of his Cousin Alfred and brother of the late King committed by E. Goodwin upon Guildowne which was done as hee pretended by the especiall instigation of Harold The third was to revenge the banishment of Archbishop Robert before remembred in the accusation of Queene Emma with which also hee chargeth Harold as the sole animatour of his exile and hitherto Merlins Prophesies admit no contradiction when he faith Iron men in wooden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with the Eglets drive By the Iron-men meaning the Normans in The prophesie explained Iron Casks and Corslets by wooden Tents their Navigable Vessels who in Harold extinguisht the bloud of the white Dragon the Saxons and expelled the Eglets who were the Danes the brood of Swanus in that Princely bird so emblematized the story followeth Duke William landing one of his feet slipt and the other stuck fast in the sand which one of his Knights observing A good Omen cried aloud A good Omen now William England is thine owne and thou shalt change the title of Duke into King at which he smiled and piercing further into the Land hee made proclamation that no man should take any prey or make any spoyle or doe any violence to the Natives saying it were no reason that hee should offer outrage to that which should be his owne Harrold was at that time in the North who hearing the Normans were landed gathered his forces by the way as he came to supply his army which was much weakned by reason of the last battaile fought against the Danes and Norways and sending spies into the Dukes host to Harold sends spyes into the Dukes Hoast discover their strength word was brought him that his souldiers were all preists and lawyers as having their upper lips chins and cheeks shaven which was their custom then and the English used to weare
Monkes severally and either of them outbid the other the King casting his eye upon the third who came as their servant thinking his businesse had been to the same purpose demanded of him if hee would give more then his brethren had proffered who answered him againe that he would neither offer nor give to the value of one penny neither would he take any such charge upon him which came unlawfully by symony whose words when the King had duly considered he said that he of the three was best worthy to take so holy a charge upon him and gave it him freely Duke Robert being at this time in the holy Henry usurpeth the crown Wars the yongest brother Henry third son to the Conquerour and first of that name began his Reigne the fift day of August in the yeere of our Lord eleven hundred and one and this was he whom Merlin cals Leo Iustitiae the Lion â—…f Iustice who banisht from his Court all flattering and effeminate Sycophants he was also abstinent and abhorring gormondizing and the excesse of Feasts hee was further well studied in the seven Liberall Arts and used to fight more with counsaile then the sword and yet upon just occasion hee would shew himselfe as valiant as he proved fortunate In the second yeere of whose Reigne Robert his brother being there imployed in the Wars of Palaestine against the Miscreants and Infidels receiving newes that his brother William was dead and that his brother Henry had usurped Duke Robeâ—…t offered to bee made King of Ierusalem the Crown of England notwithstanding that the Christian Princes offered to make him King of Ierusalem yet he refused that honour but with great speed returned into Normandie and there raised forces to claime his right unto the Crown of England and landed at Portsmouth but a mediation of peace was made betwixt them and that hee should have the same yeerly revenue of three thousand Marks which he had in the days of King William with which he returned fully satisfied at which his Lords and Peeres were much discontented as also for other things which in his easie nature hee had yielded to both against his honour and profit Duke Robert neglected by his Peeres for which he was by them lesse regarded and in the end quite neglected This Robert in his Fathers days was in all his enterprizes victorious and after did many brave exployts at the siege of Acan against the Turks and as is before said was by the great suffrage of the Christian Hoast chosen King of Ierusalem but whether hee thought it to be an honour with too much trouble or for the covetousnesse of the Crowne of England hee made refusall thereof for which it hath beene thought that hee sped the worse in all his endevours after For a dissention fell betwixt him and his Nobles so that they sent to King Henry his brother that if hee would come over into Normandy they would deliver up the whole Country into his hands and acknowledge him their sole Lord and Governour of which profer it is said Henry accepted but before any hostility was threatned Robert came into England to visit his brother and new sister for the King was lately married to Mawd the Duke Roberts easie and liberall disposition daughter of Malcolme King of Scotland at whose request he released to his brother the tribute of three thousand Marks by the yeere and so departed Notwithstanding which by the instigation of bad and wicked Counsellours this seeming brotherly love was quite abrogated and dissolved so that the King with a strong Army invaded Normandy and by reason that Roberts Peeres and Nobles fell from him hee chased him from place to place and won from him his Cities Cane Roan and Faloys with all other places defensible so that Robert was forced to defire aide of Philip the French King and after of the Earle of Flanders but they both failed him so that with those few forces which hee could make hee gave battaile to his brother in the which hee was surprized and taken prisoner and sent over into England and put Duke Robert taken prâ—…soner by his bâ—…other into the Castle of Cardiffe in Wales where hee remayned his whole life time and being dead was buried at Glocester and thus hee who might have been King of Ierusalem and twice King of England had he taken the opportunity offered The Duchy of Duke Robert him died with no greater title then the bare Duke of Normandy Warres then grew betwixt the King of England and the French King in which they sped diversly but in the end Henry beat him in his own Country and had of him a glorious victory to the great terrour and astonishment of all the French Nation and those lesser Princes of his Confederacie making good that of the Prophet The Lion next of Iustice shall appeare Who 'gainst the Celticke Towers shall ladders reare And cause the Lily like the Aspen shake Whose rore shall all the Island Serpents quake By the Lily is meant the Flowre de Lyce which The Prophesâ—…e explained the French King beares in his Scutcheon which was said to quake like an Aspen whose leafe of all others is soonest moved with the winde by reason of the great affright and terrour hee put the French into at the noyse of his Drummes the thundring of his Horses hoofs and the lowdnesse of his warlike instruments About the twentieth yeere of this Kings Reigne when he had been three yeeres together in Normandy the King took shipping at Harflute a part of that Duchie the foure and twentieth day of November and arrived safe in England not many houres after And soon upon that his two sonnes William who was Duke of Normandy with Richard his brother with Notha the Countesse of Parsie Richard Earle of Chester with his wife the Kings Niece The Archdeacon of Hereford with Knights Gentlemen and others to the number of an hundred and forty persons These took shipping at the same Port to follow the King but in their passage the ship sunke under them and they were all drowned to one man saving a Butcher who reported that this disastrous misfortune fell The Kings two sonnes with many others drowned by the negligence of the Master and Saylers who in the night being at dissention amongst themselves ran the Vessell upon a Rocke and split her from which danger the young Duke William was escaped by getting into a boat neer the shâ—…are but when hee heard the lamentable out-cry of the Countesse Notha hee commanded the Rowers to row back and if it were possible to save her life who having recovered her into the boat they were by a tempestuous gust so over-charged that it was violently overturned and they all swallowed in the Sea of which strange accident Merlin also prophesied in these words The Lions whelps their nature shall forsake Catuli Leonis in aequoreo pisces transformabuntur And upon them the shape
of sishes take The King to maintaine his former Warres which proved so terrible to the French and others was forced to exact money from all manner of people not sparing the Clergie nor the Laitie and therefore Merlin cals him A cunning Alcumist who hath the skill Gold both from flowers and Nettles to distill By the Flowers meaning the Spiritualty by the Nettles the Temporalty in the twenty seventh yeere of this Kings Reign died Henry the fourth Emperour of that name who had before married Mawd the daughter to Henry King of England after whose death she came to her Father in Normandy who because hee had no heires male left of his body hee caused all the Bishops and Barons to sweare in his presence that they The Lords sworne to the succession of Mawd the Empresse should keep the Crowne of England to the use of this Mawde the Empresse if hee died without issue male and she surviving In the eight and twentieth yeere of his Sovereignty Ieffery Plantaginet Earle of Anjoy was espoused unto Mawde the Empresse from whom Her second mariage descended Henry the second sirnamed Short-Mantle who after Stephen was King of England King William being in Normandy as some write fell either with his Horse or from his Horse which after was the cause of his death But Rainolph saith that he tooke a surfet by eating of a Lamprey and died of that when he had reigned thirty five yeers and odde moneths The death of Henry the first of that name whose body when it was embowelled before it could be embalmed cast such a stench that none could abide the place where hee was dissected and though it was wrapped in a Buls skin yet it little abated the smell in so much that divers were infected therewith and the Chyrurgion who clensed the head died of the unwholsome scent which proceeded from the braine which some conjectured to bee a just judgement laid upon him for his mercilesse cruelty shewed upon his brother Robert whose eyes as some have reported hee caused to bee torne out of his head during his imprisonment his body was brought into England and was afterwards buried in the Abbey of Reading which he before had founded after whose death Fame spoke of him as of all other Princes both in the better and worse part Divers said that he surpassed many of his Predecessour Kings in three How the King was spoken of after his death things in wit in eloquence and good successe in battaile and others spared not to say that he was pestilently infected with three notorious vices Covetousnesse Cruelty and Lechery CHAP. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reigne of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawde the Empresse of Henry Short-Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History In every circumstance making good Merlins Prophesie STephen Earle of Bolloigne and sonne Stephen Earle of Bulloigne crowned King to the Earle of Bloys and Mawd sister to the wife of Henry late deceased began his Reigne over the Realme of England in the yeere of grace one thousand one hundred thirty six who was valiant and hardy but as some affirme contrary to the oathe made to King Henry concerning Mawd the Empresse he usurped the Crown and was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at West minster upon the day of Saint Stephen in Christmasse weeke which Archbishop who had taken the same Oath died shortly Perjury punished by the hand of God after with diverse other Lords guilty of the same perjury which as some write was animated and incouraged by one Hugh Bigot who was Steward to King Henry and presently after his death came over into England and before the said Archbishop came other Lords tooke an Oath and sware that he was present a little before the Kings death when hee heard him to disinherit his Daughter Mawd for some distaste that hee had taken against her and had adopted as his lawfull Heire Stephen his Nephew to which the Archbishop with the rest gave too hasty battaile neither did this Hugh for his wilfull perjury escape unpunished who soone after with great trouble of conscience most miserably expired but before I proceed Hugh Bigot dyeth miserably further in the story I will deliver unto you Merlins Prophesie of those times which followeth Drop must a Sagittary from the Skies The prophesie But against him an Eglet will arise That in the Morian Mountains built her nest And against that Celestiall signe contest Shee fayling will a Lions whelpe appeare Whose rore shall make the Centaure quake with feare But when the two shap't Monster shall be tam'd By gentle means the whelpe will be reclaim'd And when the Iron brood in the Land shal fail The bloud of the white Dragon must prevail By the Sagittary which is one of the twelve Celestiall Signes and is the same which hee calleth Part of it exâ—…laned the two shap't Centaure is figured King Stephen who gave not the Lions as his former predecessours had done but emblazed the before-named Sagittary in his Scutcheon and therefore he is by the Prophet so stiled by the Eglet is also intended Maud the Empresse and by the Morian Mountaines a place in Italy so called siguratively including all Italy by a part thereof now let vs see how this with the rest is mâ—…de good by the event In the beginning of his reigne King Stephen King Stephen extorteth both from the Clergie and the Laity used great rigour against the Clergy as fining some Bishops and imprisoning others Besides he seised on all the strong holds and Castles within the Realm as still fearing the comming in of Maud the Empresse in which time Robert Earle of Glocester the base sonne of King Henry took displeasure against the King for seising the strong holds of Glocester Hereford Webly Bristol Dudly and others part of which belonged to his Inheritance and therefore he sent letters to his sister Maud promising to assist her in the iust claime of her Inheritance In the moneth of Iuly and sixth yeare of King Mawd the Empresse landeth in England Stephen â—…aud the Empresse landed at Portsmouth and made towards Bristol at what time Stephen layd siege to the Castle of Walling-ford who hearing of her arivall gathered all the forces hee could make and drew towards the Enemie in which time Robert Earle of Glocester Ranulph Earle of Chester were ioyned to the Empresse and when both their hoasts were in the field ready to give the alarme Ranulph Earle of Chester thus spoke to his souldiers and sayd I require you friends and Countrimen that I The Barons Oration to their souldiers who am the cause to bring you here to hazard lives may be the first man to put mine owne in danger whom Earle Robert interrupted and said It is not unworthy to thee who demandest the first stroake and hazard of this battaile who both for thy noblenesse of bloud and thy
torne What many Lions in their pride have worne Hither the French flower would it self transpose Where must spring after many a glorious rose Hee that did all he might the Kirk despise Against his life shall a base Kirk-man rise The former part of this prediction is apparant Iohn cold here the Fox and after the Leo pard in the premisses where Iohn sought like a Fox subtlely and craftily to insinuate into the peoples hearts and rob him of his Kingdom thinking his brother all that time as dead when hee was utterly despairing of his liberty but finding him waking as being enfranchised and set at large he then was frighted by the least frown of his brows being glad to mediate his peace by his Mother the rest shall follow in order hee was King Iohns châ—…acter of a disposition course and retrograde self-will'd and proud in all or most of his undertakings very infortunate In the first yeere of his reigne he divorced himselfe from his first wife daughter to the Earle of Glocester pretending too neere propinquitie in bloud and soone after married Isabel daughter to the Earle Angolesme King Iohns second mariage and issue in France by whom hee had issue two sonnes Henry and Richard and three daughters Isabel Eleanor and Iane He was before his coronation girt with the sword of the Dukedome of Britany and suffered it to be taken from him by his yong Nephew Arthur son to Ieffery Plantaginet to his great derogation and dishonour he after left all Normandy which the French King wonne Iohn looseth Normandy from him even to one Towne and Village approving that of the Prophet After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Rollo and Gilla Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got The Prophet for his stained and contaminated life and government would not vouchsafe him the name of a Lion but a Leopard alluding as well to his spotted fame as his skin by whose cowardly and unkingly proceedings Philip the French King seized all Normandy and tooke it into his absolute possession annexing it to his Crowne which no French Monarch ever had since the time of Charles the Simple who gave that Duchie to Rollo as a dowry with Guilla his daughter which had successively continued under the Sovereignty of the Dukes of Normandie and the Kings of England three hundred yeers and upwards In the first yeere of his Reigne Stephen Langton being chosen Archbishop of Canterbury by the Monks the election was opposed by the The ground of a great quarrel betwixt the King and the Archbishop King for which hee complained him to the Pope who sent unto him loving and kinde Letters to admit of the said Stephen to which his Lords advised him but the more he was importuned the more implacable hee grew returning the Popes messengers backe with peremptory deniall The next yeere came a strict commandement from Rome that unlesse the King would peaceably suffer the Archbishop to enjoy his See that the whole Land should be interdicted charging these four Bishops William of London King Iohns obstinacy Eustace of Elie Walter of Winchester and Giles of Hereford to denounce the King and his Land accursed unlesse his command were punctually obey'd but though these Prelates with the rest of his Peeres were urgent with him to eschew the rigorous Censure of the Church all was to no purpose for which upon the six and twentieth day of March they began in London and first shut up the doores of all Temples Churches and Chappels with all the other places where Divine Service was used and as in London so they did through the whole Land The whole land by the Popâ— accursed for which the King was so inraged that he seized all their temporalties into his hands putting them into such feare that they were forced to flie to the banisht Archbishop some write that this interdiction was of such power and validity that during the time therof which was six yeers three moneths and odde dayes no Service was said no Sacraments administred no Childe Christned none Married and not any suffered An uncharitable Bull. to come to Confesse In this interim the King from anger grew to The Kings Proclamation rage proclayming that all persons Spirituall or Temporall that held any Lands or other livelihood here shall by the next Michaelmasse returne into the Land or failing therein forfeit their whole estates besides that diligent search should be made what Letters should be brought from Rome which should bee delivered to the He extorteth from the Clergie King then hee extorted from all the Monasteries not sparing any Religious House that had dependance on the Clergie For which a new Commission was sent from Rome by vertue whereof the Curse of interdiction was againe denounced to which by the authority of the Pope was added that this his Bull acquitted and absolved all the Lords of England as well spirituall as Temporall from all duty and allegiance before sworne to the King and that they might lawfully rise in armes against him to depose and deprive him of all Regall honour and dignity but all these tooke no more impression The Lords and others acquit of their allegiance by the Pope in him then if they had beene clamoured in the eares of a deafe man or proclaymed to a Statue of Marble But by the way which I cannot let passe this King Iohn in the tenth yeere of his Reigne and of grace one thousand two hundred and ten The first Major and Sheâ—…iffs of London made by K. Iohn granted to the City of London by his Letters Patents that in stead of two Bayliffs by which their Magistracy was held they should yeerly choose themselves a Major and two Sheriffs which Major was Henry Fitz-allwin and Peter Duke and Thomas Neale Sheriffs The same yeere London bridge which before was of timber London bridge Saint Mary Overies was begun to be builded of stone and Saint Mary Overies Church to be erected in Southwark CHAP. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the Third succedeth his Father a prediction of his Reigne his brother Richard made King of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament The Barons Wars c. I Proceed where I left in the same yeere the Pope sent over his Legate More thunderings from the Pope Pandolphus with another a Latere to accompany him to solicit the same businesse who were sent back with a like frivolous answer yet hee sent againe the yeere following the same Pandolphus threatning wonders if hee did not receive Stephen Langton into his Archbishoprick and make restitution of all such moneys and other moveables of which he had robbed the Monasteries c. Then at last the King considering into what dangers hee had intricated himselfe hy his peremptory denials how he had lost Normandy abroad and then in what desperate case his Kingdom stood King Iohns submission at home
Henry the Third by reason of his tall stature sirnamed Long-shanks began his Reign Novem. 17. the yeere of Grace one thousand two hundred threescore and twelve who came to London the second day of August and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth of December following The Cororati of P. Edward sirnamed Loâ—…gshanks being the second yeere of his Reigne at whose Coronation was present Alexander King of Scots who the morrow following did homage to him for the Kingdome of Scotland but Lewellin prince of Wales refused to come to that solemnitie for which King Edward gathered a strong power and subdued him in his Lewellin P. of Wales rebeileth owne borders and in the yeere after hee called his high Court of Parlament to which also Lewellin presumptuously denied to come therefore after Easter he assembled new forces and entring Wales hee constrained him to submit himselfe to his mercy which with great difficulty Lewellin took to mercy hee obtained then the King built the Castle of Flint and strengthened the Castle of Rutland to keepe the Welsh in due obedience He gave also uuto David brother of Lewellin David brother to Lewellin the Castle of Froddesham who remayned in his Court and with his seeming service much delighted the King but David did it only as a spie to give his brother secret intelligence of whatsoever the King or his Counsell said of him or against him who tooke his opportunity and privatly left the Court stirring up his broâ—…her to a new Rebellion of which the King being informed hee could hardly thinke that hee could prove so ingratefull but being better ascertained of the truth he made fierce warre upon them at length Lewellin was strictly besieged in Swandon Castle from which when hee thought early in a morning to escape with ten Knights only hee was met by Sir Roger Mortimer upon whose Lands hee had before done great out-rage who surprized him and cut off his head and sent it to the King being then at The death of Lewellin P. of Wales Rutland who commanded it to bee pitcht on a pole and set upon the Tower of London and further that all his heires should be disherited and their claime to the Soveraignty of Wales to be deprived the right thereof solely remayning in the Kings of England and their Successours So one after was his brother David taken and after doomed to be drawn hanged and quartered The death of David his brother and his head sent to the Tower and placed by his brother Lewellins in which the prophesie is verified The Cambrian Wolves he through their woods shall chace Nor cease till he have quite extirpt their Race Of this Lewellin a Welsh Metrician writ this Epitaph Hic jacet Anglorum tortor tutor Venedorum Princeps Wallorum Lewelinus regula morum A Welsh poet upon the death of Lewellin Gemma Coaevorum flos regum praeteritorum Forma futurorum Dux Laus Lex Lux populorum Thus anciently Englisht Of Englishmen the scourge of Welsh the protector Lewellin the Prince rule of all vertue Gemme of Livers and of all others the flower Who unto death hath paid his debt due Of Kings a mirrour that after him ensue Duke and Priest and of the Law the right Here in this grave of people lyeth the light To which an English Poet of those times made this answer Hic jacet errorum princeps ac praedo virorum An English poets answer to the former Proditor Anglorum fax livida sectareorum Numen Wallorum Trux Dux Homicida piorum Fex Trojanorum stirps mendax causa malorum Here lyeth of Errour the Prince if yee will ken Thiefe and Robber and traytor to Englishmen A dimme brood a Sect of doers evill God of Welshmen cruell without skill In slaying the good and Leader of the bad Lastly rewarded as he deserved had Of Trojans bloud the dregs and not the seed A root of falshood and cause of many evill deed In the twentieth yeere of the King upon Saint Andrews Eve being the twentie ninth of November died Queene Eleanor sister to the The death of Q. Eleanor King of Spaine by whom the King had foure sonnes Iohn Henry Alphons and Edward the three first died and Edward the youngest succeeded his Father and five Daughters Eleanor who was married to William of Bar Ioan of The Kings Râ—…yall Issue Acris to the Earle of Glocester Gilbert de Clare Margaret to the Dukes sonne of Brabant Mary who was made a Nun at Ambrisbury and Elisabeth espoused to the Earle of Holland and after his death to Humphrey Bokun Earle of Hereford This yeere also died old Queene Eleanor wife The death of K. Edwards mother to Henry the third and mother to King Edward I come now to the twenty fourth yeare of his Reigne in which Alexander King of Scotland being dead hee left three Daughters the first was married to Sir Iohn Baliol the second to Sir Robert le Bruise the third to one Hastings Amongst which there fell dissention about the Title to the Crown as shall appeare in the next Chapter CHAP. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crowne of Scotland for which they did them homage King Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The Prophesie fulfilled His death And Coronation of his sonne c. The death of Gaveston with a Prophesie of King Edward the Second THese three before-named Baliol Bruse and Hastings came to King Edward as chiefe Lord and Sovereigne Authority by which England claimed homage from the Scotch Kings of that Land to dispose of the right of their Titles to his pleasure and they to abide his censure who to the intent that they might know hee was the sole competent Iudge in that case caused old Evidences and Chronicles to be searcht amongst which was Marianus the Scot William of Malmsbury Roger of Hungtington and others in which were found and read before them that in the yeere of Grace nine hundred and twenty King Edward the elder made subject unto him the two Kings of Cambria and Scotland In the yeere nine hundred twenty one the said Kings of Wales and Scotland chose the same Edward to bee their Lord and Patron In the yeere nine hundred twenty six Ethelstane King of England subdued Constantine King of Scots who did him fealty and homage And Edredus brother and successor to Ethelstane subdued the Scots againe with the Northumbers who reigned under him It was also found in the said Chronicles that King Edgar overcame Alpinus the sonne of Kinudus King of Scots and received of him homage as hee had done of his father before time And that Canutus in the sixteenth yeere of his Reign overcame Malcolm K. of Scots and received of him oath and homage that William the Conquerour in the sixt yeere of his Reigne was victorious over Malcolme who before received the Kingdome of the gift of Edward the Confessor who did him fealty the
beside Saint Iohns Towne and slue of them seven thousand at the first encounter and the rest fled In this battaile was taken Sir Simon Frizell and sent to London where hee was drawne hanged and quartered there suffered also Iohn Earle of Athelus and Iohn brother to VVilliam King Edwards last victory over the Scots VVallis but Robert le Bruce fled from Scotland into Norway to the King who had married his sister When King Edward had thus abated the pride of his enemies he returned again Southward and a great sicknesse took him at Bozroes upon Sands in the Marches of Scotland beyond Carlile and when he knew hee should die hee called unto him Aymer de Valence Earle of Pembroke Sir Henry Piercy Earle of Northumberland Sir Henry Lacie Earle of Lincolne and Sir Robert Clifford Baron and swore them to crowne his sonne Edward of Carnarvan after his death then hee called his sonne charging him with many things upon his blessing but The Barons sworne to the successour especially that hee shall never receive Pierce Gavestone his old companion before banisht into the Kingdome and so dyed upon the seventh of Iuly when hee had reigned foure and thirty yeeres seven moneths and odde dayes and The death of K. Edward the first thence his body was conveighed to Westminster and there buried approving the prophesie After which showres of bloud will fall upon And barren the faire fields of Caledon Then having ended what he took in hand Die in the Marches of another Land Upon whose Tombe this Distich was inscribed Dum vixit Rex valuit sua magna potestas His Epitaph Fraus latuit pax magna fuit regnavit honestas Thus in those dayes Englisht VVhile lived this King by his power all things VVas in good plight For guile was hid great peace was kid And honesty had might Of his sonne Prince Edward the Prophesie runs thus A prophesie of the Reigne of Edward the second A Goat shall then appeare out of a Carr VVith silver hornes not Iron unfit for warre And above other shall delight to feed Vpon the flower that life and death doth breed A Cornish Eagle clad in plumes of gold Borrowed from others shall on high behold What best can please him to maintain his pride Whose painted feathers shall the Goat misguide Who at length ayming to surprise the Beare Him shall the rowzed beast in pieces teare Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They forc't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin But after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death And the crown'd Goat thinking himself secure Shall after all a wretched end endure To confirme which Edward the second of that name and sonne of Edward the first borne at Carnarvan a Town of VVales began his Reigne over England the eighth of Iuly in the yeere of Grace one thousand three hundred and seven and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth day of December whose Fathers Obsequies were scarcely ended but forgetting the great His Coronation charge and command layed upon him in his death hee sent in haste for his old friend and familiar Pierce Gauestone out of France whom hee received with great joy then sayling into Pierce Gavestone revoked from banishment France the fifteenth of Ianuary following at Bolloigne in Picardy espoused Isabell the His marriage daughter of Philip the Faire and returned with her into England where soone after hee made Gaveston Earle of Cornwall and gave him the Gaveston made Eâ—…le of Cornwall Lordship of VVallingford to the great displeasure of the Barons who were sworne to his father not to suffer him to come into the Realm In the second of his Raign remembring the complaint that Steph. Langton Bishop of Chester had made of him and Gaveston for sundry ryots committed in his fathers dayes for which he was banished he sent him prisoner to the Tower where he was strictly kept and ill attended The Bishop of Chester sent to the Tower for which end seeing how by this Pierce the kings treasury was howrely exhausted the Barons assembled themselves and contrary to the Kings pleasure banished him into Ireland for a Gaveston bani shed into Ireland yeere where the King gave him the Dominion over the whole Land but so mourned and lamented his absence that by the consent of Lords he was shortly call'd back again where he demeaned himselfe with greater pride and insolence then at first despising the Lords and chiefe peeres of the Land calling Sir Robert of Clare Earle of Gloster whoreson the Earle of Gavest abuseth the peeres Lincolne sir Henry Lacy Burstenbelly sir Guy Earle of Warwick black dog of Arderne and the noble Earle Thomas of Lancaster churle and moreover having the keeping and command of all the kings treasure he tooke out of the Iewell-house a table of Gold and tressels of the same which once belonged to King Arthur with many other invaluable Iewels and delivered He robs the Kings treasury them to a merchant called Amery of Friskband to beare them over into Gascoigne which was a great losse to the kingdome and further by his loose and effeminate conditions he drew the King to many horrible vices as adultery as some think sodomitry with others therefore the Lords againe assembled and maugre the king banisht him into Flanders In the first yeere upon the day of saint Brice He is banisht into Flanders being the 13 day of November was born at Winsor the first and eldest sonne of King Edward that after his father was king of England named The birth of Edward the third Edward the third and the same yeere Gaveston was called out of Flanders by the king and restored to all his former honours and then he demeaned himselfe more contemptuously toward the Barons then before who besieged him in the Castle of Scarborough and won it and tooke him and brought him to Gaversed The death of Pierce Gavest besides Warwick and there smote off his head which was done at the instigation of Thomas Earle of Lancaster whom Merlin calls the bear and this approveth the premisses A Cornish Eagle cladin plumes of gold Borrowed from others shall on high behold what best can please him to maintain his pride whose painted feathers shall the Goat misguid who at length aiming to surprise the Beare Him shall the rowzed beast in pieces teare CHAP. 20. The Kings unfortunate wars in Scotland The battle of Bannocsbourn c. Barwick betrayed to the Scots The pride and insolency of the Spencers Their misleading the King Their hate to the Queen she is sent over into France Her victorious return with the Prince The King and his Minions taken the death of the
into Wales who took the King the Earle of Arundell Hugh Spencer the son and the Chancellour and brought them all prisoners to Hereford in which interim the Citizens The tower of London taken by the Citizens of London won the tower of London and kept it to the Queenes use Upon the morrow after the feast of Simon and Iude the same day that the L. Major takes Hugh Spenâ—… the father put to death his oath was Hugh Spencer the father put to death and after buried at Winchester and upon Saint Hughs day following being the eighteenth Hugh the son drawn hanged and quâ—…rtered day of November was Sir Hugh the son drawne hanged and quartered at Hereford and his head sent to London and set upon the Bridge making good They after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death The common fame went that after this Hugh was taken hee would take no manner of sustenance and that was the cause he was the sooner put to death of whom was made this Distich following Funis cum lignis à te miser ensis ignis Hugo securus equus abstulit omne decus Rope gallows sword and fire with a just knife Took from thee Hugh thy honour with thy life Foure dayes after was the Earle of Arondell put to death and Robert Baldock the Chancellour being committed to Newgate dyed miserably Baldock the Chancellour dyes in Newgate in prison then the Queene with the Prince her son with the rest of the Lords were with great joy the fourteenth day of December received at London and thence conveighed to Westminster where a Parliament was called the effect whereof expect in the following Chapter CHAP. 21. The deposing of Edward the second his repentance his death His sonne Edward made King A Prophesie of his Reigne His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwicke His famous victory at Sea over the French Hee layes claime to the Crowne of France instituteth the Order of the Garter His victory at Cressie His taking of Calice c. FRom this Parliament were Messengers sent to the King then prisoner in Kenelworth Castle three Bishops three Earles two Abbots two Barons two Iudges with Sir William Trussell Procurator of the Parliament to depose him of all Kingly dignity who the five and twentieth of Ianuary in the presence of the aforesaid Lords from the body of the whole House delivered unto him these words following I William Trussell in the name of all men of King Edward deposed from all Kingly power this Land of England procurator of this Parliament resigne to thee Edward the homage that was sometimes made to thee and from this time forth deprive thee of all Kingly power and I shall never be attendant on thee as King after this time And thus was Edward the second deposed and his sonne Edward made King when hee had raigned full eighteene yeeres sixe moneths and odde dayes who during his imprisonment first at Kenelworth and after at Barckley Castle grew greatly repentant of his former course of life finding at length what it Edward greatly repentant was to be misled by upstarts and people of mean condition many of whose penitentiall fancies are still extant And amongst the rest this following Most blessed Iesu Root of all vertue Grant I may thee sue In all humilitie Sen thou for our good List to shed thy blood And stretch thee on the Rood For our iniquitie I thee beseech Most wholsome leech That thou wilt seech For mee such grace That when my body vile My soule shall exile Thou bring in short while It in rest and peace Edward the third of that name sonne of Edward the second and Philip sole daughter of Philip Edward the third made King the Faire at fifteene yeeres of age began his Reigne his father yet living the six and twentieth of Ianuary in the end of the yeer of Grace one thousand three hundred and twenty six and was crowned at Westminster upon the day of the Purification of our Lady next ensuing at what time the earth yielded plenty the Ayre temper the Sea quietnesse and the Church peace hee confirmed the Liberties and Franchises of London and gave Southwarke to bee under the Lord Majors rule and government Of whose Reigne it was thus predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so intire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and Grandsire wonne before Neptune his Navall triumphs shall advance His Coat he quarters with th' Flower of France And after mauger the Canicular Tyke Tweed shal he passe and win again the Wyke A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Dye must this brave Whelp of a Calenture And then behind him shall he leave a Kid To undo all both sire and grandsire did The effect of all these will succeed in their order in the first yeere of this Kings Reigne the late King Edward was miserably slaine and put to a most cruell death by the meanes of Sir Roger The death of K. Edward Mortimer who notwithstanding in the Parliament after was made Earle of March the same yeere the foure and twentieth of Ianuary the young King married the Lady Philip daughter to the Earle of Henault in the City of Yorke A Parliament held at Northampton and soone after cald a Parliament at Northampton to which by the meanes of Sir Roger Mortimer and the old Queene an unprofitable and dishonorable peace was made with the Scots who caused the King to release them of all fealty and homage and delivered up to them all the old Writings sealed by their Kings and chiefe Lords of their Land with all Charters and Patents and many rich Iewels which had before beene wonne from them by the Kings of England amongst which the blacke Crosse of Scotland is especially named and the yeere following David the son of Robert le Bruce King of Scots married Iane sister to the King of England whom they after to the derision of the English called Iane make peace and amongst other The Scots taunt the English taunting Songs made of our Nation this was one Long beards heartlesse Painted bodies witlesse Gay coats gracelesse Maketh England thriftlesse But these merry and jigging tunes were turned to their most lamentable Aymee's within few moneths after During the Kings minority all the affaires of the Realme were managed by Sir Roger Mortimer The pride of Sir Roger Mortimer and the Mother Queene And the great persons appointed to that purpose were vilified and not set by which Sir Roger in imitation of K. Arthur was said to keep a round Table to which many noble Knights belonged to his infinite cost and expence But howsoever in the Articles objected by the Parliament against Mortimer third yeere of the King the said Sir Roger
Iohn of Gaunt claymes his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings Daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons against the present government The pride of the Dukes Court The Dukes of Hereford and Norfolke banished King Richard deposed and Henry Duke of Hereford and Lancaster made King WHen the King saw the great manhood and courage of the Lord Major The Lord Major and divers Aldermen Knighted by the King and his Brethren the Aldermen his assistants hee in his own person Knighted the said William Walworth with Nicholas Bremble Iohn Philpot Nicholas Twiford Robert Laundor and Robert Gayton Alderman and moreover in the memory of that Noble Act added to the Armes of the City the bloudy Dagger as it remayneth to this day In the eleventh yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Uncle to the King the Earle of Arundell with the Earles of Warwicke Darby and Nottingham taking into their consideration how much the land was misgoverned and his Majesty mislead by some Sycophants neere about him they met in counsell at a place A Parliament to rectifie the Commonweale called Radecockbridg and having assembled a strong power came to London and there caused the King to call a Parliament whereof hearing Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke Lionel Vere Marquesse of Divelin Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke and Chancellour of England fearing the censure of that high Court â—…ed the Land and dyed in forreigne Countries Then the King by counsell of the fore-said Lords caused to be apprehended Sir Robert Tresilian chief Iustice of England Sir Nicholas Brembre late Major of the City Sir Iohn Salisbury of the Persons judged to death Kings Houshold Sir Iohn Beauchampe Steward of the House Sir Simon Burleigh Sir Thomas Bernes Sir Robert Belknap with one Iohn Vske Serjeant at Arms all which by the foresaid Parliament were convict of Treason and put to death some at Tyburne some at Towerhill and all such as fled with those that forsook the land by the authority of that high Court banished for ever In the thirteenth yeare Iohn a Gaunt Duke Iohn a Gaunt clayms his title in Spain of Lancaster with a strong army sailed into Spaine to claime the Kingdome in right of Lady Constance his wife the daughter of Don Peter with whom joyned the King of Portugall with his forces so that of necessity the King of Spain was forced to treat with the Duke of peace and amity the conditions were that the King of Spaine should marry the Dukes eldest daughter named Constance and moreover should give unto the said Duke to recompence the charges of his warre so many wedges of gold as should load eight Chariots and moreover during the lives of the said Duke and his wife hee should at his proper cost and charges deliver unto the Honourable conditions of peace Dukes Assignes yearely ten thousand Markes of gold within the towne of Bayon which conditions being ratified and assurance given for the performance thereof the Duke departed with the King of Portugall to whom shortly after hee married his second daughter the Lady Anne so that the elder and the younger were made the two Queenes of Spaine and Portugall King Richards first wife being dead after hee K. Richards second marriage maried Isabel the daughter of Charles the sixt K. of France who was but 8. years of age at whose espousalls in the French kings Court many rich interchangable gifts passed betwixt them as first the king of England gave the French king a Bason of gold and Ewer who returned him three standing Cups of gold with covers and a Enterchangeable gifts betwixt the two Kings ship of Gold garnished with pearle and stones at a second meeting Richard gave him a curious Oâ—…ch set with rich stones valued at five hundred Markes then the French King gave him two Flagons of gold and a Tablet of gold set with Diamonds and in it the picture of St. Michael a Tablet of gold with a Crucifixe another with the image of the Trinity and a fourth with the image of Saint George all of them set with stones of great splendor Richard then presented him with a Belt or Bauldricke set with great Diamonds Rubies and Emeraulds which for the riches thereof the King wore upon him so often as they met together many other presents past betwixt them and a full peace was concluded betweene them for thirty yeares Peace concluded betwixt England and France and amongst other things King Richard delivered up Brest which had beene long held by the English The yeare after in the Moneth of February the King held a magnificent Feast at Westminster Hall whither pressed divers Souldiers lately discharged from Brest whose mindes when the Duke of Gloster rhe Kings Vncle understood he went to his Majesty and said Sir doe you take notice of you Souldiers who asked him again what they were The Duke replyed these be your subjects souldiers cashiered from Brest who have done you good service and have now no meanes to live upon who have been ill paid and now are worse rewarded To whom the King answered it was my will they should have been well paid but if ought have failed therein let them petition to our Treasurer at length the Duke said but it savoureth of small discretion to deliver up a strong Fort with ease which was got with great difficulty by your Progenitors The Duke of Glosters bold replye to the King at which the King changed countenance and said Vncle how spake you these words which the Duke with great vehemency uttered againe whereat the King being more moved replyed Thinke you I bee a Merchant or foole to sell my Land by St. Iohn Baptist nay c. For these words thus uttered on both sides great ranâ—…or was kindled betwixt the King and Duke which was never extinguished till by the consent of the K. his uncle was basely murdered For the Duke purposing to remove some who were potent about the king called to him A second purpose for reformation the Earles of VVarwicke of Arundel and of Nottingham who was Marshall of England and of the Clergy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the two Abbots of St. Albans and VVestminster and these were solemnly sworne to supplant from their authority the Duke of Lancaster the Duke of Yorke with others prejudiciall to the good of the kingdome But Nottingham contrary to his oath revealed all to the king A persidious act in the Earle of Notingham who presently whilst the other thought themselves secure called another Councell in which it was decreed that the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke shâ—…uld bee censured and brought to the King who in person arrested his Vncle Sir Thomas of VVoodstock some say at Plashy in Essex others at Greenwitch in the night time and taking him in his bed first sent him to the Tower and
our Lady after whose death notwithstanding the incomparable valour of the Lord Talbot whose name was so The death of the D. of Bedford regent terrible in France that with it women frighted their children to still and quiet them the Earle of Arundell and others yet fortune for the most part was averse to the English c. and though there were many Treaties of peace to bee made betwixt the two Kingdoms yet they came to no effect and thus for divers yeeres it continued During which passages divers murmurs and grudgings beganne to breake out betwixt the Duke of Glocester Lord Portectour and Uncle to the King and divers persons neere about the Court amongst which was chiefe the Earle of Suffolke which in the end was the confusion Suffolk seeketh to supplaâ—…t the Duke of Glocester of them both For in the one and twentieth yeere the said Earle of Suffolke who had broke off a Mariage concluded by the English Embassadors betwixt King Henry and the daughter to Earle Arminacke went over into France and made a match betwixt him and the Kings daughter of Hierusalem and Cicily who had the bare titles thereof and was indeed a king Suffolks proceedings without a Country to compasse which mariage he delivered to the said king the Duchie of Anjou and Earldome of Maine which were called the keyes of Normandy to the great prejudice and dishonour of the English Nation For which service done he was created Marquesse of Suffolke and soone after with his wife and others pompously accommodated brought her into England where shee was espoused to the King at a place called Southwick in Hampshire The King marrieth the Lady Margaret whence after she was convayed to London and thence to Westminster and thereupon the 30 of May being Trinity Sunday solemnly crowned With which match it seemes God was not well pleased for after that day fortune began to forsake the King who lost his Friends in England and his revenues in France for soone after Q. Margaret causeth many miseries the whole State was swayed by the Queene and her Counsell to the dishonour of the king the Realmes detriment and her owne disgrace for thereby fell the losse of Normandy the division of the Lords the rebellion of the Commons The king deposed her sonne slaine 〈◊〉 and she banisht the Land for ever all which â—…iseries fell as some have conjectured for the breach of that lawfull contract first made betwixt the king and the daughter to the Earle of Arminacke In his five and twentieth yeere was a Parliament called at Saint Edmondsbury in Suffolke which was no sooner begun and the Lords assembled but Humphrey Duke of Glocester was The Protectour arresteâ—… aâ—…d after murdered in his bed arrested by Viscount Beaumond then high Constable of England the Duke of Buckingham and others and the sixt day after found dead some say murdered in his bed of whose death the Marquesse of Suffolke was most suspected whose body after it was publikely showne was conveighed to Saint Albons and therehonourably interred and soon after five of the principall of his Houshold hang'd and drawne but by the kings mercy not quartered In his eight and twentieth yeere was called The Marquesse of Suffolke arrested another Parliament in which the Marquesse of Suffolke was arrested and sent to the Tower where hee lived a moneth at his pleasure and was after set at large to the discontent of some Lords but all the Commons For he was charged with the delivery of Amiens and Maine and the murder of Duke Humphrey called the good Duke of Glocester upon which ensued a rebellion of the commons of which one Blew-beard Blew-beard cald himselfe Captain but they were soon supprest and the chief of them put to death the Parliament was then adjourn'd to Leicester whither caâ—…e the King and with him the Queens great Favourite the Duke of Suffolke Then the Commons made petition to the king that all such as had hand in the delivery of Anjou and Maine and the death of the Protector might be severely punished of which they accused as guilty the Marquesse of Suffolke the Lord Say The Marquesse of Suffolk banisht for five yeeres the Bishop of Salisbury one Damiall a Gentleman and one Trivillian with others to appease whom Suffolke was exiled for five yeeres and the Lord Say Treasurer of England with the rest were put a part for a while and promist that they should bee imprisoned and Suffolke taking shipping in Norfolke to have sailed into France was met by a ship of Warre called the Nicholas of the Tower and being knowne by the Captain he tooke him into his owne Vessell and brought him backe to the port of Dover where on the side of the Boat he caused his head to be struck off and cast it with the body on the The death of Suffolk sands and so went again to sea In this yeere also being the Iubilee the commons of Kent assembled themselves in great multitudes under a Captaine called Iacke Cade The insuâ—…rection of â—…ck Cade who named himselfe Mortimer and Cousin to the Duke of Yorke against him the King raised a strong Hoast and sent Sir Humphrey Stafford and William his brother with certain forces to subdue them but the Rebels prevailed against them and left the two Noble brothers dead in the field after which victory the Captaine put on him Knights apparell with Briganders set with gilt nayls and Helmet with gilt Spurs To The Captains pride whom was sent the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Buckingham who had conference with him and found him very discreet in his answers but not to bee wonne to lay by his armes and to blinde the eyes of the people the more hee used great justice in his Campe at length he came to Southwarke at which time the commons of Essex lay with an army at Mile-end and when hee approched the draw-bridge he hewed the ropes and chains asunder with his Iack Cade enters London sword and so entred London where hee made proclamâ—…tions in the Kings name that no man on pain of death should rob spoyle or take from any man but to pay for whatsoever hee cald for which drew unto him the hearts of many of the Citizens and when he came to London stone His cunning to delude the people he strook upon it with his sword and said Now is Mortimer Lord of this City after hee caused the Lord Say to bee fetcht from the Tower and without any just processe at the Standard in Cheape commanded his head to be His Iustice. cut off and another called Cromer who had bin high Sheriffe of Kent he also commanded to be beheaded then pitcht their heads upon two poles and as they passed the streets in divers places caused the poles to joyn so that the dead mouthes kissed each other Thus hee had free recourse into the Citie by day and at night returned
and stratagems abroad French machins and the Italianated god The Spanish Engins Porteguized Iew. The Iesuitick mines and politick crew Of home-bred Traytors let their menaces come By private pistoll or by hostile Drum c. Yet notwithstanding over these and many others strengthened and protected by the hand of the Almighty shee was miraculously victorious whose fame can never faile or Her memory perish and therefore I draw my present conclusion from the premisses Though all these Dogs chace her with open cry Live shall she fear'd and lov'd then Sainted die Many other prophesies have beene disperst abroad under the name of Merlin of which I will give you the tast of one onely and that 's this When Hemp is ripe and ready to pull A prophesie conferd on Merlin Then Englishman beware thy scull In this word Hemp be five Letters H. E. M. P. E. now by reckoning the successive Princes from Henry the Eighth this Prophesie is easilie explaned H. signifieth Henry before named E. Edward his sonne the sixth of that name M. Mary who succeeded him P Philip of Spain who by marrying Queene Mary during the time of her life participated with her in the English Diadem lastly by E. Qu. Elizabeth after whose death there was great feare that some troubles might have rose about the Crowne or that King Iames her successour of like blessed memory might have come in after an hostile manner and so to have made that good Then Englishman beware thy scull Yet proved this augury true though not according to the former expectation or imagination for after his happy and peaceable proclamation and Inauguration there was great mortality not in London only but through the whole Kingdome from which the Nation was not quite clean in seven yeeres after CHAP. 38. The title of K. Iames to the Crown His comming into England A prophesie of his Reigne The first treason attempted against him The gun-powder treason and what the conspirators were The K. of Denmark twice commeth into England An Epitaph upon Prince Henry One of the Duke of Richmond and Lenox Another of Q. Anne An Epitaph upon K. Iames K. Charles proclamed King his Fathers Funeralls c. UPon Thursday being the twenty fourth of March about two of the clock in the morning deceased Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory at her palace of Richmond being aged three score and ten yeares and having reigned forty foure yeares five moneths and King Iames his lineall title to the Crown of England c. odde dayes and the same day about eleven of clock in the forenoone was proclaimed Iames the sixth King of Scotland King of England Scotland France and Ireland at the high Crosse in Cheapside with the Title of Defonder of the Faith being lineally descended from Margaret eldest daughter to King Henry the seventh by Elizabeth his wife who was the eldest daughter to King Henry the fourth the same Margaret was married to King Iames the fourth of that name King of Scotland in the yeare of Grace one thousand five hundred and three who had issue Iames the fifth who was Father to Mary Queene of Scotland Mother to Iames the sixth Monarch of great Britain and King of France and Ireland of whom ere I further proceed to speake any more let me acquaint you with one thing most remarkable A thing worthy to be observed namely how ominous the Thursday hath beene to King Henry the Eighth and to all his posterity for hee himselfe died upon Thursday the eight and twentieth of Ianuary his sonne King Edward the sixth on Thursday the sixth of Iuly Queen Mary on Thursday the seventeenth of November and Queene Elizabeth on Thursday the twenty fourth of March but I returne to King Iames and the prediction made of him and his prosperous Reigne On Boreas wings then hither shall be borne Through Week o're Tweed a Princely Vnicorn The prophesie of K. Iames. Who brought into the world his own fair crest A rampant Lion figured on his brest And to his Armes six Lions more shall quarter With six French Flowers inviron'd with the Ioyning by fates unchangable dispose Garter The Northern Thistle to the Southerne Rose He shall the true Apostolike Faith mayntain With pious zeale During the blessed Reigne Of this faire sprig deriv'd from Richmonds stock No Noble head shall stoop unto the block Yet shall from th' old Lupanar Wolves be sent To undermine both Crown and Government Striving in Hell to register their names By blowing up the State in powder flames Ah wo the while Rebellion and prestigion Should masque themselves in visors of religion All which the holy book meerly gain-says But man's corrupt God Iust in all his wayes Witnesse their wretched ends but happy they Who keep for that an annuall holiday That King shall be a second Salomon Whom all Kings else with wonder gaze upon Who as to an Oracle to him shall come And when he speaks be silent all and dumbe Peace shall he keep within him and without him Whilst all lands else combustions are about him Him shall a second issue male succeed Gracious in word victorious in his deed Though divers adulterate copies something alluding to this purpose have been frequent in the mouths of many yet this best agreeing with the Authors meaning ought to be first received which though it need no explanation at all yet thus much briefly for the satisfaction of the vulgar By Boreas is meant the North-wind upon whose wings the Vnicorne is borne is implide King Iames who gives the Unicorne in The Vnicorne part of the Scottish Arms. Heraldry Through Week over Tweed that is he came through Barwick over the River Tweed which parteth England and Scotland Hee King Iames born with a Lion on his brest was also borne with the exact portraiture of a Lion upon his brest presaging that the white Lion of Scotland should have a proximity and alliance with the three red Lions of England quartered with the three Flower delyces of France the noble remembrance of Edward sirnamed the Black Prince sonne to Edward the Third who by taking the King prisoner in battaile added them to the Arms of England which are incompast by the Garter an Order first made by the aforesaid Edward the Third Theâ—…e came into the peaceable possession of King Iames who also brought the Thistle part of the Arms of Scotland to joyne The Thistlâ—… joyned with the Rose with the two united Roses the White and Red figuring of the two divided Houses York and Lancaster to make one perfect Damaske I omit the manner of his Majesties comming out of Scotland and his Royall entertainment into this Kingdome with joyfull acclamations of the people and the unanimous suffrage of the whole Nation with his Inauguration Coronation and solemne and pompous passing from the Tower through the City of London to Westminster with the severall pageants and showes his Creating of Barons Viscounts and Earles and making of Knights