by him are all the counsells of the Duke of Yorke discovered which so much discouraged him that he with his young Son the Earle of Rutland fled first into Wales and then into Ireland The Earles of March Salisbury and Warwicke got into Devonshire where by the means of Iohn Dynhâ—m Esquire the same man that afterward by king Henry the Seventh was made Lord Treasurer of England they were shipt from Exmouth to Gernsey and so to Callis All the common souldiers the king Pardons onely makes exemplary punishment of some few Captains sends the Dutchesse of Yorke and her two younger children to the Dutchesse of Buckingham her Sister to be â—afely kept and then having spoiled the Town and Castle of Ludlow he dismist his Armie And now a Parliament is called at Coventry wherein the Duke of Yorke Edward Earle of March his Son Richard Earle of Richardâ—arle â—arle of Warwickeâ— Iohn Lord Clifford and many other the confederates of the Duke of York are convict of Treason and all their lands and goods seized on to the kings use Henry D. of Somerset by the Queens means is made Captain of Callis whither comming to take possession he was by reason of Ordnance shot at him from Rice-banke forced to Retire which the Queen hearing was so incensed that in great passion she gave order to make ready all the kings Ships lying at Sandwich to give assistance to the Duke of Somerset but the forementioned Iohn Dynham out of love to the Earle of March boorded those ships in the harbour and tooke the Lord Rivers designed Admirall for that service and carried both him and the Ships to Callice from whence the Earle sayled to Ireland to the Duke of Yorke who having conferred and concluded what course to take he returned to Callice the new Admirall the Duke of Exeter not daring to stop his course Sir Simon Montford was appointed â—o guard the Cinque Ports having divers ships under his command to barre the Earle of Warwickâ—s entrance but the Earle by his espyalls having perfect intelligence of all passages fell sodainly upon Sir Simon before his ships were ready tooke him prisoner ransackt the Town of Sandwich carried his prisoner and the ships to Callice By the way he understood how much the kentishmen desired his return and longed for his comming whereupon he came the second time to Sandwich to whom presently resorted the Lord Cobham and very many Gentlemen of the Country so as now his army was five and twenty thousand strong with which he marched towards London against whom the Lord Scales was appointed to goe and with some convenient troopes to assure London but the Major directly refused to admit him whereupon he resorted to the Tower from whence afterwards he did the Londoners no small displeasure The Earle of Warwick having notice that his father the Earle of Salisbury was upon march to meet him passeth over his men and without impeachment joyned with him and his friends neer Exeter The King with the Dukes of Somerset and Buckingham with a great Army marcheth towards them and neer to the Town of Northampton both Armies meet The Earle of March with the advice of the Earle of Warwick prepares for the fight The Queen the King more intentive to devotion then fighting did the like the fight continued about two houres wherein were slaine of both sides above â—en thousand men but upon the fall of Humfry Duke of Buckingham the Kings side was discomfited and Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury Thomas L. Egremont Iohn L. Beaumont and some other of account were slaine The Queen with the Duke of Somersâ—t taking with them the young Prince fled to the Bishoprick of Durham The King himselfe was taken and as a prisoner conveyed to London where the Tower is yeelded to the Earle of Warwick The Lord Scales in disguised apparell endeavouring to escape is taken by the water-men and by them beheaded and his Corpes carelesly left upon the sands Thomas Thorpe one of the Barons of the Exchequer in the habit of a Monke his Crown shorne purposing to flie to the Queen is taken and committed prisoner to the Tower and after by the Commons beheaded at Highgate The Duke of Yorke being advertised of this good successe leaveth Ireland and posts to London where in the kings name he summoneth a Parliament which being assembled he in the presence of the Lords in the upper House placeth himselfe in the Imperiall Seate and with great boldnesse layes open his rightfull claime to the Crowne of England as being the Sonne and heire of Anne daughter and heire of Roger Mortimer Earle of March Sonne and heire of Philip the sole daughter and heire of Lyonel Duke of Clarence the third sonne of Edward the third and elder brother of Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Father of the usurper Henry the Fourth Grandfather to Henry the Fifth who was Father to him that at this time untruly stileth himselfe king Henry the sixth And after relating the many miseries that had befallen the Realme since the time of this Usurpation he concluded that he would not expect nor desire possession of the Crown except his discent were undisputable and his title without exception This being a businesse of importance required deliberation but in conclusion the Duke having before hand prepared the Lords Spirituall and few of the Nobility being present that were not of his part the Burgesses were easily perswaded and it was generally resolved and enacted accordingly that king Henry during his life should reteine the name and honour of a king that the Duke of Yorke should be Proclaimed heire apparent to the Crown and Protectour of the kings Person his lands and dominions and that if at any time any of king Henries friends allies or favourites in his behalfe should attempt the disaâ—â—lling of this Act that then the Duke should have present possession of the Crown It is not unworthy the noting that while the Earle of March was declaring his title in the upper house it happened in the nether house that a Crowne which hung in the middle of the house to garnish a branch to set lights upon without touch or winde fell suddenly down as likewise at the same time fell down the Crown which stood on the top of Dover Castle a signe as some thought that the Crowne of the Realme should be changed Assoone as the Parliament was dissolved the Duke dispatcheth letters into Scotland requiring in the kings name the Queen the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter and all other of the Nobility that remained in that kingdome with all speed to repaire to his presence in London but they had other worke in hand for having goten together of English and Scots to the number of eighteen thousand they came maâ—ching into Englandâ— against whom went the Duke of Yorke with his younger sonne the Earle of Rutland and the Earle of Salisbury leaving the king in the custody of the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Warwick and
Frontiers forraged the Bishoprick of Durham and at last besieged the castle of Norham whereof Richard Fox then Bishop of Durham was owner who thereupon sent presently to the Earle of Surrey acquainting him with this Invasion Whereupon the Earle taking with him Ralph Earle of Westmerland Thomas Lord Barnes Ralph Lord Nevill George Lord Strange and many other Lords and knights and an Army of little lesse then twenty thousand men besides a Navy whereof the Lord Brooke was Admirall set forward against the Scots and not only forced the Scots to raise their siege of Norham Castle but followed them also into Scotland where he overthrew and defaced the Castle at Cawdestraynes the Tower of Heâ—eâ—hall the Tower of Edington the Tower of Fulden and at last by composition tooke the strong Castle of Hayton and rased it to the ground At the Earles being at Hayton the King of Scots sent to him Marchemont and another Herald requiring him at his election either to fight with him with their whole Armies or else they two to fight in single combat upon condition that if the victory fell to the Scotish king the Earle should deliver for his Ransome the Towne of Barwick Whereunto the Earle made answer that the Town of Barwick was the King his Masters and therefore not for him to dispose of but for his offer of single combat he willingly accepted it and thought himselfe highly honored by such a match But King Iames of Scotland had no meaning to performe either one or other but privily in the night fled back into Scotland and then the Earle returned to Barwick In the meane time one Peter Hyalâ—s a man of great learning and policie was sent Ambassadour to the King of Scots from the King of Spaine to mediate a Peace between the two kings of of England and Scotland who finding the King of Scots conformable to his motion found after the King of England who was never averse from Peace upon honourable Conditions no lesse enclining to it and so a Truce was concluded for certaine yeeres upon conditition that Perkin Warbeck should be sent out of the Scotish Dominions About this time the Lord of Camphyre and others sent from Philip Archduke of Austria and Duke of Burgundy came to king Henry for a conclusion of Amity and to procure the English merchanâ—s resort againe to his Country for king Henry some time before upon displeasure with the Flemings but specially with the Lady Margaret for abetting Perkin Warbeck not onely had banished all Flemish wares and merchandizes out of his Dominions but had also restrained all English merchants from having any traffick in any of their Territories causing the Mart for all English commodities to be kept at Callice but now upon this invitation and having found it had been a great hinderance to his owne Merchant-adventurers and thereupon some insurrections had risen he willingly condiscended to their Request and so the English resorted againe into the Archdukes Dominions and were received into Antwerp with generall Procession so glad was that Towne of the Engglish-mens returne In this eleventh yeere of the Kings Reigne dyed Cicely Dutchesse of Yorke mother to king Edward the fourth at her Castle of Berkhamstead being of extreme age who had lived to see three Princes of her body Crowned and foure Murthered she was buried at Fâ—driâ—gâ—am by her Husband Shortly after the Truce concluded between England and Scotland Perkin Warbeck was commanded to depart out of the Scotish Dominions who thereupon with his wife and familie sayled into Ireland where understanding that the Cornish-men were ready to renue the warre againe he thought best not to let pâ—sse so faire an occasion and thereupon having with him foure small ships and not above six-score men he sailed into Cornwall and there landed in the moneth of September and came to a Town called Bodmyn where with faire words and large promises he so prevailed with the people that he had gotten to him above three thousand persons to take his part and then made Proclamations in the name of King Richard the Fourth as sonne to King Edward the Fourth and by the advice of his three Counsellors Iohn Heron a bankrupt Mercer Richard Skelton a Tailour and Iohn Astley a Scrivener determined to attempt first the winning of Exceter which with great violence he assaulted and the Townsmen with as great valiantnes defended whereof when the King heard he sent the Lord Dawbeny to their rescue but before he came the Lord Edward Courtney Earle of Devonshire and the valiant Lord William his sonne accompanied with Sir Edmund Carew Sir Thomas Trenchard Sir Courtneyâ— Sir Thomas Fulford Sir Iohn Halâ—well Sir Iohn Croker Walter Courtâ—ey Peter Edgecombe William St. Maure with others came to their ayde upon whose comming Perkin left the siege and retired to Taunton where he mustered his men as though he meant to prepare for battell but finding his number to be much diminished foâ— of six thousand which he had at Exceter many were fled from him when they saw no Great ones to take his part he began to distrust his case and heâ—â—ing withall that the king with a great Power was at hand about midnight with threescore horse-men in his company he departed in post from Taunton and tooke Sanctuary in a Town called Beauly neere to Southampton When king Henry heâ—rd that Perkin was fled he sent after him to the Sea-side to stop his passage and apprehend him But the messengers that were sent when they came to St. Michaels 〈◊〉 though they found not Perkin yet there they found his wife the Lady Katherine Gourdon whom they presently brought to the king a beautifull young Lady to whom in honour of her birth and commiseration of her beauty the king allowed a competent maintenance which she enjoyed during the kings life and mâ—ny yeeres after king Henry being come to Exceter stayed there a few dayes about examination of the Rebellion and execution of the chiefe Offendours of whom there being a great multitude and all of them craving pardon the king caused them all to be assembled in the Church-yard of St. Peter where they all appeared barâ—-headed in their shirts and halters about their necks whom the king viewing out of a window made for the purpose after he had paused a while made a speech unto them exhorting them to obedience and then in hope they would afterward be dutifull Subjects he pardoned them all whereat they made a great shout crying 〈◊〉 God save king Henry though some of them afterward like ungratefull wretches fell into new Rebellions All this whiâ—e Perkin was in Sanctuary and the King thinking himselfe in danger as long as he was in safety set a Guard about the place to keepe him for escaping whereby Perkin was so restrained that at last hee submitted himselfe to the kings mercy and was thereupon sent to the Tower to bâ— there in sâ—fe custodie This doâ—e king Henry appointed Thomas Lord Dâ—rcy Sir Amyâ—s Pawleâ— and Robert Sherbâ—â—â—â—
unfitly be here related First for the celebration of divine Service it was ordained that all Ceremonies tending to the encrease of reverence devotion should bee used as need required Secondly that upon the Sabbath day all publike Faires Markets Synods Huntings and all secular actions should be forborne unlesse some urgent necessity should require it Thirdly that every Christian should thrice in the yeare receive the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fourthly that if a Minister of the Altar killed a man or committed any notorious crime he should bee deprived both of his Order and Dignity Fifthly thâ—t a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and eares cut off Sixthly That a widow marrying within a twelvemonth after her husbands decease should lose her Joynture These and many other good lawes were made whereby the kingdome remained during all his time in a most peaceable state and government In the third yeare of his Raign he heard how the Vandales taking advantage of his absence had entred Denmarke and annoyed his subjects whereupon with a great Army of English hee passed over the Seas and gave them battaile but with ill successe the first day when preparing for the next dayes battaile the Earle Goodwyn who was Generall of the English secretly in the dead of the night set upon the Vandals Campe with a great slaughter of their souldiers made their two Princes Ulfus and Anlave to flie the field In the morning it was told Canutus that the English were fled for that their station was left and not a man of them to be found which did not a little trouble his patience but he going in person to see the truth found the great overthrow the English had given for which service ever after hee held the English and especially the Earle Goodwyn in great estimation After this returning home hee made a prosperous Expedition against Malcolme King of Scots and at last in the fifteenth yeare of his Raigne wearied with the honourable troubles of the world and out of devotion he tooke a Journey to Rome to visit the Sepulchre of St. Peter and Paul from whence he writ to the Bishops and Nobility of England that they should carefully administer Justice and never seeke to advance his profit by any undue wayes or with the detriment of any man At his returne froÌ„ Rome he built in Essex the Church of Ashdone where he got the victory against King Edmund in Norfolke the Abbey of St. Benets which Saint he greatly reverenced and in Suffolke the Monastery of St. Edmund which Saint he deadly feared To the Church of Winchester hee gave many rich Jewels whereof one was a Crosse valued to be worth as much as the whole Revenue of England amounted to in one yeare To Coventry he gave the arme of the great St. Austin which he bought at Pavia in his returne from Rome for which he payd an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold One strange Act is recorded which he did for convincing his fawning flatterers who used to tell him that his power were more then humane For being one time at Southampton he commanded that his chaire of State should be set on the shoare when the Sea began to flow and then sitting downe there in the presence of his many attendants he spake thus to that Element I charge thee that thou presume not to enter my Land nor wet these Robes of thy Lord that are about me But the Sea giving no heede to his command but keeping on his usuall course of Tyde first wet his skirts and after his thighes whereupon suddenly rising he thus spake in the hearing of them all Let all the worlds Inhabitants know that vaine and weake is the power of their Kings and that none is worthy of the name of King but he that keepes both heaven and earth and sea in obedience After which time he would never â—uffer the Crowne to be set upon his head but presently Crowned therewith the Picture of Christ on the Crosse at Winchester from which example arose perhaps the custome to hang up the Armour of Worthy men in Churches as Offerings consecrated to him who is the Lord of battaile When he had Raigned nineteene yeares he deceased at Shafteâ—bery in the County of Dorset the twelfth of November in the yeare 1035. and was buried in the Church of the old Monastery at Winchester which being after new built his bones with many other English Saxon Kings were taken up and are preserved in gilt Coffâ—rs fixed upon the wals of the Quire in that Cathedrall Church He had by his two wives three sonnes Sweyne and Harold by his first wife Alfgive and Hardicnute by his second wife Queene Emma and two daughters of whom the eldest called Guinhilda was married to the Romane Emperour Henry the third who being accused of adultery and none found to defend her cause at last an English Page adventured to maintaine her Innocency against a mighty Gyantlike-Combatant who in fight at one blow cutting the sinewes of his adversaries legge with another he felled him to the ground and then with his sword taking his head from his shoulders redeemed both the Empresses life and honour But the Empresse after this hard usage forsooke her husbands bed and tooke upon her the Veyle of a Nun in the Towne of Burges in Flanders where she devoutly spent the râ—st of her life Of the second Danish King in England KIng Canutus dying left his Kingdome of Norway to his eldest Son Sweynâ— and his Kingdome of England to his youngest Sonne Hardiknâ—te whom he had by his wife Emma but he being at the time of his Fathers death in Denmarke Harold his elder Brother by a former wife taking advantage of his absence layes claime to the Crowne For determining of which Right the Lords assembled at Oxford where Queene Emma pleaded for her sonne Hardiknute urging the Covenant of Canâ—tus at their marriage and his last Will at his death as also Earle Goodwyn of Kent did the like being left Guardian of her Children and keeper of his last Will. But Harolds presence together with the favour of the Londoners Danes and Northumbrians so wrought with the Lords that the absent Hardiknute was neglected and Harold was Proclaimed and Crowned King at Oxford by â—lnothus Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the yeare 1036. Harold having now attained the Crowne was not so jealous of his Brother Hardiknute as of his mother in Law Queene Emma and her Sonnes by King Ethelreâ— who were beyond Sea and therefore how to secure himselfe against these was his first care For effecting whereof he framed a Letter as written by Queene Emma to her two Sonnes Edward and Alfred instigating them to attempt the Crown usurped by Harold against their Right to which letter comming first to the hands of Alfred he suspecting no fraud returned Answer that he would shortly come over and follow her Counsaile And thereupon with a small Fleet and some few souldiers lent
one concerning his Mother the other touching his Wife That concerning his Mother Queen Emma was this that because after King Ethelreds death she marryed the Danish King Canutus and seemed to favour her issue by him more then her issue by King Ethelred therefore he dispossest her of all her Goods and committed her to custody in the Abbey of Worwell and more then this so farre hearkned to an aspersion cast upon her of unchaste familiarity with Alwyne Bishop of Winchester that for her Purgation she was faine to passe the tryall of Fire Ordeall which was in this manner nine Plow-shares red hot weâ—e laid in unequall distance which she must passe bare-foote and blindfold and if she passed them unhurt then she was judged Innocent if otherwise Guilty And this tryall she passed and came off fairely to the great astonishment of all beholders The other touching his Wife was this He had marryed Editha the beautifull and indeed vertuous daughter of the Earle Godwyn and because he had taken displeasure against the Father he would shew no kindnesse to the daughter he had made her his wife but conversed not with her as his wife onely at board buâ— not at Bed or if at bed no otherwise then David with Abishagh and yet was content to heare her accused of Incontinency whereof if she were guilty he could not be innocent So as what the vertues were for which after his death he should be reputed a Saint doth not easily appeare It seemes he was chaste but not without injury to his wife Pious but not without ungratefulnesse to his Mother Just in his present Government but not without neglect of Posterity for through his want of providence in that point he left the Crowne to so doubtfull succession that soone after his decease it was translated out of English into French and the Kingdome made servile to a fourth forraine Nation One Ability he had which raised him above the pitch of ordinary Kings and yet at this day is ordinary with Kings that by his onely touching and laying his hand upon it he cured a Disease which from his Curing is called The Kings Evill His Mother Queene Emma in memory of the nine Plow-shares she had passed in her Tryall gave nine Manors to the Minster of Winchester and himselfe remembring the wrong he had done her bestowed on the same place the Island of Portland in Dorsetshire being about seven miles in compasse He made also of a little Monastery in the West of Londonâ— by the River of Thames a most beautifull Church called of the place Westminster where he provided for his owne Sepulchre and another Dedicated to Saint Margaret standing without the Abbey This of Westminster he endowed with many rich revenues and confirmed his Charters under his broad Seale being the first of the Kings of England who used that large and stately Impression in their Charters and Patents He Founded also the Colledge of Saint Mary Otterey in Devonshire and gave unto it the Village of Otereg and removed the Bishops See from Cridington to Exceter as to a place of farre more Dignity and when he had Raigned the space of three and twenty yeares and six moneths he ended his life the fourth of Ianuary in that roome of his Palace at Westminster which is now called the Paynted Chamber in the yeare 1066. and was buryed in the Church at Westminster which he had builded Of Harold the second English King after the Danes KIng Edward the Confessour being himselfe without issue had in his life time sent into Hungary for his Nephew Edward called the Outlaw the sonne of Edmund Ironside with a purpose to designe him his Successour in the Crowne but he dying soone after his comming into England King Edward then gave his Sonne Edgar the name of Atheling as to say Prince Edgar meaning to designe him for his Successour but being prevented by death before the successour was fully established and Edgar Atheling though he had right yet being young and not of power to make good his Right Harold the sonne of Earle Goodwyn steps into the Throne and never standing upon ceremonies set himselfe the Crowne upon his owne head wherein though as a violater of holy Rites he offended the Clergy yet not any either of Clergy or Layity durst oppose him as being at that time the most martiall man in the Kingdome and such a one as the state of the Realme stood at that time in need of and besides his owne worthinesse had the assistance of Edwyn and Marchar the two great Earles of Yorkeshire and Chester whose sister Algyth he had marryed It is true withall that King Edward had appointed the Crowne after his owne decease sometimes to William Duke of Normandy sometimes to Edgar Atheling and sometimes to this Harold so as he was Crowned by Aldred Arch-bishop of Yorke as not comming in by intrusion or wrong but by the appointment of King Edward though that appointment of King Edwaâ—d was rather to make him Regent during the minority of Edgar then to make him absolute King but howsoever being once in the Throne he was then able to make his owne Title and to make Prince Edgar some amends he created him Earle of Oxford which was indeed to use him like a Childe take away a Jewell and please him with an Apple Yet Harold having once gotten into the Throne he câ—rryed himselfe with great Valour and Justice for the time he sate in it which was but very short as being indeed but tottering from the very beginning and that chiefly by meanes of his owne Brother Toâ—stayne who by diverting his Forces to suppresse a Rebellion made him of lesse force to resist an invasion But now that we have shewed how Harold entred the Throne we must forbeare to shew how he was cast out till we come to him that cast him out who because he was not onely of another Family but of another Nation we must necessarily take the beginning from a deeper roote and indeed seeing in him we shall joyne our Island to the Continent which is a larger world Our Kings hereafter will afford a larger Extent for matter of Discourse then heretofore they have done THE LIFE OF KING WILLIAM THE FIRST CALLED THE CONQVEROUR His Parentage and Descent THere were six Dukes of Normandie in France in a direct line succeeding from father to sonne The first was Rollo who of a private man in Denmarke comming forth with the exuberancy of his Nation wrested by force of Armes from Charles the Simple King of France to bee made Duke of Normandy The second was William his sonne called Long Espee or Long Sword The third was Richard his sonne called the Hardie who had Richard and a daughter called Emma married to Ethelred King of England father of Edward the Confessor The fourth was Richard the second his sonne called the Good The fifth was Richard the third his sonne who by a first wife had three sonnes Richard Robert and
but who can thinke himselfe too old for a Kingdome when Galba for attaining the Romane Empire was contented to buckle on Armour being fourescore yeares old The Dâ—ke in his time of peace came over into England to visite his cousin King Edward who besides his Princely entertainment made him at that time as some thinke a promise to leave him his Successour in the Kingdome Harold after this going over to the Dukâ— in Normandy for procuring some friends of his to be released the better to effect it tooke his solemne Oath to assist him for obtaining the Kingdome So as having the word of Edward and the oath of Harold he had now sufficient obligations to expect it But hearing of the death of King Edward and that Harold was Crowned King he thought himselfe not more forgotten by Edward then wronged by Harold and therefore sent messengers to him to put him in mind of K. Edwards Pâ—omise and his owne Oath but Harold puffed up with the conceit of being a King as though that very name were enough to expiate all breach of Oathes and that nothing could binde him who had now the fetters in his owne hand returned onely sleight answers that his Oath was forced and voyd in it selfe as being made without consent of the Kingdome Whereupon the Duke thus sleighted by Harold endevours to make him an honest man by force assuring himselfe he should find him the weaker Enemy for finding him a perjured Friend The Reasons that facilitated his Conquest of England DUke William incensed with Harolds answers acquaints his Nobility with his purpose who with some adoe consented to ayd him as likewise many other great Lords of France but specially Baldwyn Earle of Flanders whose daughter he had marryed and who being at that time Guardian of the young King of France procured ayde from him also and to make the Enterprise the more successefull Pope Alexander the second sent him a Banner with an Agnus of Gold and one oâ— the haires of Saint Peter So as the preparation of the Duke both by Sea and Land was very great having three hundred saile of ships and as some write 890â— and as one Norman above a thousand and as Cemeticensis three thousand and though Harold had likewise provided a warlike Fleet to encounter him yet it was at thaâ— time unfortunately diverted another way for Taustayâ—e his Brother being then in rebellion in the North and Harold Harfager King of Norway at the same time invading those parts and perhaps upon a bruite that the Dukesâ— Fleet was not yet ready to come forth removed both his Fleet and Army thither where though he got the Victory at Stamford with the death both of his Brother Toustayne and of the King of Noâ—way yet it made way for the Duke to land quietly and he entred the Kingdome as one may enter a house when the doores are all left open By this meanes King Harâ—lds shipping the best wall of defence to an Island was utterly frustrate and as for his Land Forces they were by his Battaile at Stamford exceedingly both weakned and impaired yet hearing that Duke William was landed at Pemsey not farre from Hastings in Sussex he repaired thither with all speed and gathering together his broken Forces and encreasing them by all the meanes he could made himselfe ready to give the Duke Battaile Duke William in the meane time as soone as he had landed his men sent his ships presently away that there might be no thinking of any thing but either Death or Victory And then going himselfe on land it is said his foot slipped and he fell downe which some that stood by taking for an ill signe No saith he I have by this taken possession of this Land And indeed Presages are but as Animus ejus qui praesagit as in this Dukes fall it afterwards fell out Many wayes of composition betweene Duke William and King Harold were propounded yet Harold would hearken to none as nothing doubting of successe and perhaps thinking it a disgrace to capitulate for that which was now his owne and when one of his Brothers called Gyrth being lesse interessed and therefore clearer sighted intreated him to consider what a fearefull thing it was to breake an Oath which he so solemnely had sworne Harold seemed to conceive that nothing which he did being a private man could be of force to binde him now being a Prince and so on the fourteenth day of October being Saturday in the yeare 1066. which day he liked the better because it was his Birth-day hoping that the day of his Birth would not so much degenerate to prove the day of his death though even this also bred no good blood to the Action for the Souldiers of Harold thinking thereby to honour their Kings Birth-day spent the night before in revelling and drinking where the Souldiers of the Duke out of consideration of their next dayes worke spent the night in quietnesse and devotion they joyned battaile the Kentish-men being placed in the Fore-front as by an ancient custome is their due and King Harold with his Londoners leading the maine Battaile where though their Armies were not much unequall in number for they were each of them neare about threescore thouâ—and men yet there was great oddes in the expertnesse of their Souldiers and more in the advantage of their weapons for the Duke had with him all the flowre of France and Flanders where King Harold had lost his best men in his late Battaile and for advantage of weapons the Normans had long Bowes and Arrowes which of the English at that time were not at all in use what mervaile then that the Normans got the Victory though King Harold losing his life yet lost no Reputation and though the English Souldiers shewed no lesse valour in being Conquered then the Normans did in Conquering One circumstance may not be omitted that King â—arold as an expert Generall had ordered his men in so firme a Body that no force of the Normans could disorder their Rankes till Duke Williamâ— used a Stratagem commanding his men to retire and to counterfeit flight by which he drew the English on upon a hollow ground covered with earth whereinto many of them fell and perished and besides into an ambush of his Horsemen which unexpectedly fell upon them and cut them in pieces Withall there seemes one great errour to have beene committed at least if it were an errour and not rather a neceâ—sity that there was not a supplementall Army provided as his Brother Gyrth would have had it which might have come on if the first had failed and would have beene of great advantage against a wearyed Army But when Sic visum est superis all humane force is weake and cannot withstand all humane Providence is unprovided and cannot prevent The body of Harold at his Mother Thyrace suite was recovered and lyes buryed in Waltham Abbey which he had begunne to build at least to repaire But here Gyraldus
Church was founded before the Conquest by Ingelricus and Emardus his Brother Cousins to King Edward the Confessour These were this Kings workes of Piety in England but in Normandy he Founded also an Abbey at Caen where his Wife Maude built likewise a Monastery of Nunnes He gave also to the Church of Saint Stephens in Caen two Manors in Dorsetshire one Mannor in Devonshire another in Essex much Land in Barkeshire some in Norfolke a Mansion house in Woodstreete London with many Advowsons of Churches and even he gave his Crowne and Regall Ornaments to the said Church being of his owne Foundation for the redemption whereof his Sonne Henry gave the Manour of Brydeton in Dorsetshire In this Kings time Robert sonne to Hyldebert Laâ—ie Founded the Priory of Ponâ—fraite Henry Earle Ferrers Founded a Priory within his Castle at Tutbury Alwyn Chylde a Citizen of London Founded the Monastery of Saint Saviours at Bermondsey in Southwarke and gave to the Monkes there divers Rents in London Also in this Kings time Mauricâ— Bishop of London after the firing of the former Church of Saint Paul in London began the Foundation of the new Church a worke so admirable that many thought it would never have beene finished Towards the building of the East end whereof the King gave the choyce stones of his Castle at the West end of the City upon the banke of the River Thames which Castle having beene at that time fired in place thereof Edward Kilwarby Arch-bishop of Canterbury did afterwards Found a Monastery of Blacke-fryers The King also gave the Manor of Storford to the same Maurice and to his Successours in that See after whose decease Richard his next Successour bestowed all the Rents of his Bishopricke to advance the building of this Church maintaining himselfe by his private Patrimony and yet all he could doe made no great shew but the finishing of the worke was left to many other succeeding Bishops In the fifteenth yeare of this Kings Raigne William Bishop of Durham Founded University Colledge in Oxford Also one Gylbert a Norman Lord Founded the Abbey of Merton in Surrey seven miles from London and Thomas Arch-bishop of Yorke first builded the Minster of Yorke In this Kings sixteenth yeare his Brother Duke Robert being sent against the Scots builded a Fort where at this day standeth New Castle upon Tyne but the Towne and Walls wâ—re builded afterward by King Iohn Also in this Kings time Ledes Castle in Kent was builded by Creveken and the Castle of Oxford by Robert d' Oylie two Noble men that came into England with him Osmond Bishop of Salisbury built the new Church there Also Waring Earle of Shrewesbury built two Abbeyes one in the Suburbs of Shrewesbury and another at Wenlocke Casualties happening in his time IN the twentyeth yeare of his Raigne so great a fire happened in London that from the West-gate to the East-gate it consumed Houses and Churches all the way and amongst the rest the Church of Saint Paul the most grievous fire that ever happened in that City Also this yeare by reason of distemperature of weather there insued a Famine and afterwards a miserable mortality of Men and Cattell Also this yeare in the Province of Wales upon the Sea shoare was found the body of Gawen sisters sonne to Arthur the great King of the Britaines reported to be foureteene foot in length Also in this Kings time a great Lord â—itting at a Feast was set upon by Mice and though he were removed from Land to Sea and from Sea againe to Land yet the Mice still followed him and at last devoured him Of his Wife and Children HE had to Wiâ—e and her onely Mathilde or Maude Daughter to Baldwyn Earle of Flanders She was Crowned Queene of England the second yeare of his Raigne the seventeenth yeare of his Raigne she dyed a Woman onely memorable for this that nothing memorable is Recorded of her but that she built a Nunnery at Caen in Normandy where she lies Buryed By her he had foure sonnes and fivâ— daughters His Sonnes were Robert Richard William and Henry of whom Robert the eldest called Court-cayse of his short thighes or Court-hose of his short Breeches or Courtois of his courteous behaviour for so many are the Comments upon his name succeeded his Father in the Dutchy of Normandy Richard his second Sonne was kild by mis-fortune hunting in the New-Forest William his third Sonne called Rufus succeeded his Father in the Kingdome of England Henry his youngest Sonne called Beauclerke for his Learning had by his Fathers Will five thousand pounds in money and the inheritance also of his Mother His Daughters were Cicelie Câ—nstance Adela Margaret and Elenor of whom Cicelie was Abbesse of Caen in Normandy Constance was marryed to Alan Earle of Britaine Adela to Stephen Earle of Blois Margaret affianced to Harold King of England but never marryed and dyed young Elenor betroathed to Alphonsus King of Gallitia but desiring to dye a Virgin she had her wish spending her time so much in Prayer that with continuall kneeling her knees were brawned Of his Personage and Conditions HE was but meane of stature yet bigge of body and therewithall so strong that few were able to draw his Bow growing in yeares he was bald before his beard alwayes shaven after the manner of the Normans and where in his younger time he was much given to that infirmity of Youth which grows out of strength of Youth Incontinency after he was once marryed whether out of satiety or out of Grace he was never knowne to offend in that kind Of so perfit health that he was never sicke till that sicknesse whereof he dyed Of a sterne countenance yet of an affable nature In warre as expert as valiant In Peace as provident as prudent and in all his Enterprises as Fortunate as Bold and Hardy Much given to Hunting and Feasting wherein he was no lesse pleasant then magnificent He made no great proficience in Learning as having had his education in the licentiousnesse of the French Court yet he favoured learned men and drew out of Italy Lanfranke Anselme Durand Traherne and divers others famous at that time for Learning and Piety Very devout he was and alwayes held the Clergy in exceeding great Reverence And this is one speciall honour attributed unto him that from him we beginne the Computation of our Kings of England His Places of Residence HIs Christmas he commonly kept at Glocester his Easter at Wiâ—chester and his Whiâ—sontide at Westminster and once in the yeare at one of these places would be new Crowned as though by often putting on his Crowne he thought to make it sit the easier upon his head And for the houses which the Kings of England had in those dayes in London I finde that at Westminster was a Palace the ancient habitation of the Kings of England from the time of Edward the Confessour which in the Raigne of King Henry the Eight was by casuall fire burnt downe
the Second called Rufus second Son to William the Conquerour appointed Successor by his Fathers Will was upon the fifth of October in the yeare 1087. by Lanfranke Archbishop of Canterbury Crowned at Westminster King of England Wherein his Father seemes to have followed the Example of Iacob who gave to his younger sonne Ioseph the Land which he had taken with his Sword and his Bow for with his sword and his Bow had King William gotten the Land of England and therefore might justly bestow it on which of his Sonnes he pleased And besides there was cause enough why he should shew this Sonne of his some extraordinary favour seeing in the Rebellion of his brother Robert yet he stood firmely for his Father and in his quarrell incurred no small hazard of his life as wherein he received divers wounds and perhaps also his Father thought the rough disposition of this sonne fitter to bridle the insurrections of the English then the softly disposition of his sonne Robert But though he have thus quietly gotten the Crowne he must not looke to hold it so and indeed at his very beginning is assaulted with two troubles in one for both his Brother Robert prepares to recover it from him and the Lords of the Kingdome combine with Robert to assist him in it The first mover of this trouble was Odo Bishop of Bayeux his Unckle who finding himselfe not to beare the sway he expected and specially for an old grudge he bore to Lanfranke Arch-bishop of Canterbury as by whose means in the former Kings time he had bin imprisoned the Arch-bishop telling him that though he might not imprison a Bishop yet he might imprison an Earle of Kent as this Odo was made not long before he drawes many other Bishops and Temporall Lords to joyne with himâ— in behalfe of Duke Robert against the King but though the storme were violent for a while yet it soon passed over that indeed of his Lords with more difficulty but that of his brother Robert with more cost For it was at last agreed that Rufus should pay him three thousand markes a yeare during his life and leave him the Kingdome after his owne decease But there was difficulty in repressing his Rebell Lords by reason of their spreading themselves abroad in many quarters For Odo fortifyed himselfe in Kent Roger Montgomery Earle of Shrewsbury in Norfolke Suffolke and Cambridgeshire Hugh de Grandmenill in Leycestershire and Northamptonshire Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland possest himselfe of Bristow William Bishop of Durham of the North parts of the Realme and divers other of the Clergy and Nobility fortify themselves in Herefordshire Shropshire Worcestershire and all the Countries adjoyning to Wales thinking by this meanes to distract the King that he should not know where to beginne nor whither to turne him But this course as it made it hard to represse them suddenly so it made it easie to represse them at leisure for being thus divided they were but as single stickes that are easily broken where if they had united themselves as into a Faggot they might have made a strength of farre greater resistance But the King having Lanfranke Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Woolstan Bishop of Worcester firme of his side partly by their Authority and love amongst the people but chiefely by his owne promises to restore their ancient Lawes and to allow them liberty of hunting in his Forests he so firmely wonne the hearts of all unto him that some of the Rebell Lords he reconciled with faire words as Robert Montgomery a principall sinew of the Faction some againe he mastered by strong hand and Odo the chiefe Engineere of all the worke he besieged in the Castle of Rochester tooke him Prisoner and forced him to abjure the Realme And thus this great Rebellion was suppressed In which it is observable that though so many hot bloods were up yet there was but little blood spilt A happy rebellion for the English for the Rebell Lords and Bishops being all Normans the King had none to trust to but the English whom for their faithfulnesse to him in this service he ever after respected more then he had done befoâ—e After this storme was over in the South there ariseth another in the North For now Malcolme King of Scots thinking it a fit time to doe some feates when King William was troubled at home invades Northumberland and having burnt and spoyled the Country returnes home laden with booties Which King William hearing he takes his brother Robert along with him and with a mighty Army enters Scotland brings Malcolme to acknowledge his ancient homage and upon Faith given returnes to London After this Duke Robert finding his brother King William not to keep his promise in paying his Pension complaines to the King of France and with his ayde assaults and takes some Townes which he before had delivered in pawne for money to his brother King William who hearing of it hastens into Normandy with an Army and by the mediation of money takes off the King of France and makes his brother being left destitute of assistance to aske him pardon a wise and mercifull course in King William for to buy his peace with the King of France did cost him but money where to have purchased it by Warre must besides money have cost the lives of many After this Malcolme King of Scots came in kindnesse to visit King William at Glocester but the King not vouchsafing so much as to see him put him into so great an indignation that returning home he makes ready an Army invades Northumberland making great spoyle and getting great spoyles but by Robert Mowbray the Kings Lieutenant there was taken in ambush and together with his eldest sonne Edward defeated and slaine This King Malcolme was a most valiant Prince as may appeare by an Act of his of an extraordinary straine for hearing of a conspiracy plotted to murther him whereof one was Authour whose name is not recorded he dissembled the knowing it till being abroad one day a hunting he tooke the fellow apart from the company and being alone said unto him Here now is a fit time and place to doe that manfully which you have intended to doe treacherously draw your weapon and if you kill me none being present you can incurre no danger with which speech of the King the fellow was so daunted that presently he fell downe at his feet confessed his fault humbly asked forgivenesse and being granted him was ever after serviceable and faithfull to him The death of King Malcolme and his Sonne was so grievous and so grievously taken of Margaret his Queene the sister of Edgar Atheling that she made it her Prayer and had it granted not to over-live them and so within three dayes after dyed a woman as full of vertues all her life as at this time of sorrowes whom yet I should not breake order to mention but for one pious Act of hers in causing a most barbarous custome of Scotland to
Christian Faith Though some there be that â—ay All theâ—e were but false Criminations charged upon him by Monkes that did not love him But though we believe not these things of him yet to suffer his kingdome to stand Interdicted so many yeares together upon so small occasion as he did was certainely no good signe of Religion in him Yet one Act he did wherein he shewed a respect to Religion by the honour he did to a Religious man For Hugh Bishop of Lincolne lying very sicke he not onely went to visit him but being dead was one of the three Kings the other two were William King of Scotlandâ— and the King of Southwales that carryed his Herse upon their shoulders till they delivered it to the Peeres and the Peeres afterward to the Arch-bishops and Bishops to carry it inâ—o the Quire Workes of piety done by him or by others in his time YEt did this King leave more Workes of Piety behinde him then all his Subjects that were in his time For he Founded the Abbey of Bowley in the New Forest in Hampshire also an Abbey of blacke Monkes in the City of Winchester and the Monastery of Farendâ—n and the Monastery of Hales Owen in Shropshire he reedified â—odstoâ— and Wrâ—xell and enlarged the Chappell of Knarisborough Now for his Subjects onely Richard Prior of Berâ—monâ—sey builded an House against the wall of the said house of Berâ—onâ—sey called the Almary or Hospitall of Converts and Children in honour of Saint Thomas In this Kings time Saint Mary Overeyes in Southwâ—â—ke was begun to be builded and the Stone Bridge over the Thames was by the Merchants of London finished Also Hubert Arch-bishop of Canterbury Founded a Monastery at West Derham in Norfolke which upon the dissolution came to the family of the Derhams who hold it to this day Of his Lawes and Ordinances IN this Kings time five and thirty of the most substantiall Citizens of London were chosen out and called the Counsell of the City and the King gave the City liberty to alter their Major and Sheriffes every yeare which before continued during life He caused the Lawes of England to be executed in Ireland and money to be Coyned there according to the weight of English money Of his Wives and Children KING Iohn lived to have three Wives His first was Alice Daughter of Hubert Earle of Morton who left him a Widower without issue His second was Isabell Daughter and Heire of Robert Earle of Glâ—câ—ster by whom no issue neither divorced from her by reason of Consanguiniâ—y in the third degree His third Wife was Isabel Daughter and Heire of Aymer Earle of Angoulesâ—e Affianced before to Hugh le Brun Earle of March By this Wife he had two Sonnes Henry and Richard and three Daughters Ioane Eleanor and Isabell Henry succeeded him in the kingdome Richard was Earle of Cornwall and Crowned King of the Romans and had issue Henry and Iohn that dyed without issue also Edward Earle of Cornwall and others Ioane his eldest Daughter marryed to Alexander the second King of Scots dyed without issue Eleanor the second Daughter marryed to Simon Earle of Leycester had issue Henry Simon Almaricke Guy Richard and Eleanor Henry slaine without issue Simon Earle of Bigorre and ancestour to a Family of the Mountfords in France Almaricke first a Priest after a knight Guy Earle of Angleria in Italy and Progenitour of the Mountfords in Thuscany and of the Earles of the Campo Bacchi in the kingdome of Richardâ— remaining privily in England and changing his name from Mountford to Wellesborne was ancestour of the Wellesburnes in England Eleanor borne in England brought up in France marryed into Wales to Prince Lewin aâ— Griffith Isabel his youngest Daughter marryed to the Emperour Fredericke the second had issue Henry appointed to be King of Sicilie and Margaret Wife of Albret Lantgrave of Thurine She dyed in Childbed after she had beene Empresse sixe yeares He had also two naturall Sonnes Geoffrey Fits Roy and Richard that marryed the Daughter and Heire of Fulbert de Dover who built Childham Castle had issue by her of whom some Families of good account are descended Also one base Daughter named Ioane marryed to Lewin Prince of Wales Of his Personage and Conditions HE was of Stature indifferent tall and something fat of a sowre and angry countenance and concerning his conditions it may be said that his Nature and his Fortune did not well agree For naturally hâ— loved his eâ—se yet his Fortune was to be ever in Action He won more of his Enemies by surprises then by Battels which shewes he had more of Lightning in him then of Thunder He was never so true of his word as when he threatned because he meant alwayes as cruelly as he spake not alwayes as gratiously and he that would have knowne what it was he never meant to performe must have looked upon his promises He was neither fit for Prosperity nor Adversity For Prosperity made him insolent and Adversity dejected a meane Fortune would have suited best with him He was all that he was by Fits Sometimes doing nothing without deliberationâ— and sometimes doing all upon a sudden Sometimes very Religious and sometimes scarce a Christian. His insatiablenesse of money was not so much as that no man knew what he did with it gotten with much noyse but spent in silence He was but intemperate in his best temper but when distempered with sicknesse most of all as appeared at his last when being in a Feaver he would needs be eating of raw Peaches and drinking of sweete Ale If we looke upon his workes we must needes thinke him a worthy Prince but if upon his Actions nothing lesse For his Workes of Piety were very many as hath beene shewed before but as for his Actions he neither came to the Crowne by Justice nor held it with Honour nor left it in Peace Yet having had many good parts in him and especially having his Royall posterity continued to this day we can doe no lesse then honour his memory Casualties that happened in his time ONe Casualty we might count dysastrous if it had not had relation to our selves for Hugh de Bones comming to aide King Iohn with threescore thousand out of Britany and Flanders by misfortune at Sea were all Drowned to whom the King had granted Norfolk and Suffolk for the people he brought with him to Inhabit In this Kings time were great thunders and lightnings and showers with hailstones as big as Goose-Egges Fishes of strange shape were taken in England armed with helmets and shields and were like unto armed knights saving that they were farre greater in proportion About Maidestone in Kent a certaine Monster was found strucken with the Lightning which Monster had a head like an Asse a belly like a man and all other parts farre differing from any other Creature Of his death and buriall VVHen Prince Lewis of France was come into England and was received by the Lords and by
aggravate his breach of promise and to acquaint him with all the disorders of the kingdome with whose remonstrance the King is so moved that after he had tried the Londoners and found them also to partake with the Lords he cals a Parliament aâ— London whither the Lords come armed for their own safety where after long debating the King taking his Oath to referre the matter to certaine grave men of the kingdome Articleâ— are drawne sealed and publikely set up to the view of all with the seales of the Legat and divers great men but before it came to be effected the Earle of Cornwall by the working of Simon Montford hath his edge rebated and is brought to be unwilling to meddle in the matter any more which the other Lords seeing they also grow cold and so for that time it rested and no more was done in it And now is the Kings turne to play his part in using his authority which he failes not to doe to the uttermost for upon a small-occasion he causeth the gates of Gilbert now Earle of Pembroke the third sonne of VVilliam the great Marshall to be shut against him at VVinchester whereupon the Earle retires into the North. Also Simon Norman Master of the Kings Seale and his greatest Favorite is thrown out with disgrace and his brother Geoffrey a knight Templar is put out of the Counsell both of them for not yeelding to passe a Grant from the King made unto Thomas Earle of Flanders the Queenes Unkle of foure pence upon every sack of Wooll And now that load enough is laid upon those of the Laity comes a new load to be laid upon the Clergy for the Pope nothing dainty to make use of the power he had in the King sends over three hundred Romans requiâ—ing to have the first Benefices that should be vacant bestowed upon them which seemed so unreasonable a request and to the Clergy of England so dammageable that it made Edmund Arch-bishop of Canterbury to give over all and betake himselfe to a voluntary Exile in the Abbey of Pontiniac in France yet to shew his respect to the Pope gave him eâ—ght hundred Markes before his departure And to lay more weight upon the Clergy great summes are also required of them for maintenance of the Popes warre against the Emperour which though the Clergy opposed and shewed many good reasons of their opposition both to the King and the Legat yet by promises or threatnings they were won or forced to yeeld unto it And now comes the Earle of March and once againe solicits the King to make another journey into France which being yeelded to by the King and assented to in Parliament an aide presently was demanded towards it but this demand was not onely opposed but all the Kings Taxations and aides before granted were now repeated and thereupon an absolute deniall to grant any more Upon this the King comes to the Parliament himselfe in person earnestly and indeed humbly craving their aide for this once but all prevailed not they had made a vow to the contrary and the King is driven to get what he could of particular men of whom partly by gift and partly by â—oane he gets so much that he carries over with him thirty Barrels of Sterling money This expedition had no better successe then the former for after a whole yeares stay the King was driven to make a dishonourable Truce with the King of France and returne home At his returne he puts the Iewes to another redemption and the Londoners to another exaction and to helpe on his charge his wives mother the Countesse of Provence comes now to visit him who bringing her daughter Zanchia with her a marriage is solemnised betweene her and Richard Earle of Cornwall whose wife was lately dead and he returned from the Holy warres The old Countesse at her returne is presented with many rich gifts having besides received an Annuall Pension of foure thousand Markes out of England for five yeares past in consideration of a pact made that King Henry after her decease should have the Earledome of Provence but shortly after her returne she disappoints him of that and bestowes it upon her youngest daughâ—er Beatrix married to Charles the French Kings brother who was after King of Naples and Sicilieâ— so as this Countesse lived to see all her foure daughters Queenes Richard Earle of Cornwall comming after to be elected King of the Romans Upon thâ—se profusions a consultation is had for new supplies and no way thought so fit as by Parliament hereupon a Parliament is againe assembled at Westminster whithâ—r the King comes againe himselfe in person urging his necessities yet nothing wouâ—d be granted without the assurance of reformation and due execution of the Lawes And here they desire to have it ordained that foure of the most grave and discreet Peeres should be chosen as conservatours of the kingdome and sworne of the Kings Councell both to see Justice administred and the treasure issued and these or two of them at least should ever attend about the King Also that the Lord Chiefe Justiciar and the Lord Chancellour should be chosen by the generall voyces of the States assembled or else be one of the number of those foure Besides they propound that there might be two Justices of the Benches two Barons of the Exchequer and oâ—e Justice for the Iewes and those likewise to be chosen by Parliament But while these things were in debating comes one Martin a new Legat from the Pope with a larger Commission then ever any before to exact upon the State but at the same time Letters comming from the Emperour Fredericke to intreat that the Pope might have no more supplies out of England the Popes Mandate is rejected and his Agent Martin disgracefully sent home This businesse took up so much time that nothing else was done in this Parliament but onely an aide granted to the King for the marriage of his daughter to Alexander King of Scots twenty shillings of every knights Fee and that with much adoe and repetition of his former aides The Winter following he assembles another Parliament wherein he moves for an ayde upon a designe he had upon Wales and to pay his debts which were urged to be so great that he could not appâ—are out of his Chamber for the infinite clamour of such to whom he owed for his Wine Waxe and other necessaries of house but they all to his face refused to grant him any thing whereupon other violent courses are taken an ancient quarrell is found out against the City of London for which they are commanded to pay fifteene thousand Markes and Passeleve the Clerk is imployed with others in a most peremptory commission to inquire of all such Lands as had beene inforested and either to fine the occupyers thereof at their pleasure or else to take it from them and sell the same to others wherein such rigour was used that multitudes of people were undone But now to shew
the King the estate of his kingdome and the oppressions of Popes inquiry was made of the Revenues which the Romans and Italians had in England which were found to be annually sixty thousand Markes being more then the yearely Revenues of the Crowne which so moved the King that he caused the same to be notifyed with all other Exactions to the Generall Councell now Assembled at Lyons and this with the ill usage of his Agent Martin so vexed the Pope that he is said to have uttered these words It is time to make an end with the Emperour that we may crush these petty Kings for the Dragon once appeased or destroyed these lesser Snakes will soone be trodden downe But upon the Popes rejecting the consideration of these grievances of England and despiâ—ing the Kings message who he said began to Frederize it was absolutely here ordained under great penalty that no contribution of money should be given to the Pope by any Subject of England and the King for a time assents unto it but being of an irresolute and wavering nature and afraid of threats he soone gave over what he undertooke so as the Pope continued his former rapine and though he had promised never to send any more Legats into England yeâ— sent he other Ministers under the title of Clerkes that had as great power as Legats and effected as much And now for the other part of the State new occasions also of complaint were offered Peter of Savoy Earle of Richmond comes into England bringing with him certain Maides to be marryed to young Noble men of this Countrey the Kings Wards of whom Edmund Earle of Lincolne hath one and Richard de Burgh another and the same yeare three of the Kings Brothers by the Mother Guy de Lusignan William de Valence and Athelmar Clerke are sent over to be provided of Estates in England also Thomas of Savoy sometimes Earle of Flanders by Right of his Wife comes with his sister Beatrix Countesse of Provence the Queenes Mother who are againe Feasted and Gifted for which the King is taxed the next Parliament in Candlemas Terme and besides sharply reprehended for his breach of Promise having Vowed and Declared by his Charter never more to injure the State in that kinde also for his violent taking up of provision of Waxe Silke Roabes and specially of Wine contrary to the will of the sellers and many other grievances they complaine of all which the King patiently heares in hope to obtaine his desire but yet nothing is effected and the Parliament being Prorogued till Midsummer following and the King growing more obdurate then before it afterward brake up in discontent But the Parliament not supplying him he is advised to furnish his wants with sale of his Plate and Jewels of the Crowne being told that though they were sold yet they would revert againe unto him and having with great losse received money for them he askes who had bought them Answer is made the City of London That City said he is an inexhaustible Gulph If Octavius Treasure were to be sold they surely would buy it And now to vexe them he appoints a Faire to be kept at Westminster forbidding under great penalty all exercise of Merchandise within London for fifteene dayes and all other Fayres in England and namely that of Ely but this Novelty came to nothing the Inconvenience of the place as it was then and the foulenesse of the weather brought more affliction then benefit to the Traders That Christmas also he requires Newyeares gifts of the Londoners and shortly after writes unto them his Letters imperiously deprecatory to ayde him with money and thereby gets of them twenty thousand pounds for which the next yeare after he craves pardon of them And notwithstanding his continuall taking up all Provisions for his House yet he lessens his House-keeping in no honourable manner And then seeing he could get nothing of the States together he calls unto him or writes to every Nobleman apart declaring his poverty and how he was bound by Charter in a debt of thirty thousand pound to those of Burdeaux and his Gascoynes who otherwise would not have suffered him to depart home at his last being in France but faâ—ling herein of Temporall Lords he addresseth his Letters to the Prelates of whom he findes as little reliefe by much importunity and his owne presence he got of the Abbot of Ramsey a hundred pound but the Abbot of Borough had the face to deny him though the King told him it was more Almes to give money to him then to a Begger that went from doore to doore The Abbot of Saint Albons yet was more kind and gave him threescore Markes To such lownesse did the necessity of this indigent King through his profusion bring him The Iewes ever exposed to his will feele the weight of these his wants One Abraham found a Delinquent redeemes himselfe for seven hundred Markes and Aaron another Iew protests the King had since his last being in France taken from him at times thirty thousand Markes of Silver besides 200. Markes of Gold given to the Queene But now the Lords assemble againe at London and presse him with his promise made unto them that the Chiefe Justiciar Chancellour and Treasurer should be appointed by the Generall Councell of the kingdome but by the absence of Richard Earle of Cornwall which was thought to be done of purpose they returne frustrate of their desire And now the Bishopricke of Winchester falling void the King sends presently to the Monkes of the Cathedrall Church to Elect his Brother Athelmar and because he would not be denyed he goes thither himselfe in person and there enters the Chapter house as a Bishop or Prior gets up into the Presidents Chaire beginnes a Sermon and takes his Text Iustice and Peace have kissed each other and thereupon useth these words To me and other Kings who are to governe the people belongs the rigour of Judgement and Justice to you who are men of quiet and Religion Peace and Tranquillity and this day I heare you have for your owne good beene favourable to my request with many such like words whereby the Monkes finding the earnestnesse of his desire held it in vaine to deny him and Athelmar is Elected but with this reservation if the Pope allow it Shortly after followes the memorable Case of Sir Henry de Bathe a Justiciar of the kingdome and a speciall Counsellour to the Kingâ— who by corruption had attained to a mighty Estate and is said in one Circuit to have gotten two hundred pound land per annum He is accused by Sir Philip Dâ—rcy of falsehood in the Kings Court and the King is so incensed against him that in the Parliament at this time holden in London Proclamation is made that whosoever had any Action or Complaint against Henry de Bathe should come and be heard One of his fellow Justiciars accused him of acquiting a malefactor for a bribe The King seeing Henry
Office should pay him againe So Earle Richard having given infinitely to compasse this Advancement looked to helpe himselfe againe by the Place and this and the desire he had to revenge himselfe upon those thaâ— had opposed his Electionâ— made him take such violent courses that he came soone to be dispossessed forsaken and forced to returne into England a poorer King then he went out an Earle Acts done in the câ—ntention betweene the King and his Barons NOw King Henry very proud to have his younger sonne a King as well as his brother cals a Parliament wherein he brings forth his sonne Edmund clad in Sicilian habit and â—els the Parliâ—ment that for advancing this sonne of his to the kingdome of Sicilie he had bound himselfe under covenant of losing his kingdome in the summe of an hundred and forty thousand Markes and hoped they would not thinke much to aide him with money for so great an advancement but the Parliament stood firme to their usuall condition of Margna Charta so as that might be confirmed they were content to give two and fifty thousand Marks but this gave the King no satisfaction The yeare after another Parliament is holden at London wherein upon the Kings pressing them againe for meanes to pay his debts to the Pope the Lords tell him plainely they will not yeeld to give him any thing for any such purpose and give their reasons and withall repeate their owne grievances his breach of promise the insolencie of his brothers and specially William de Valence who had given the lie to the Earle of Leycester and no right done him in it and many such things which the King hearing and not able to deny humbles himselfe and tels them how he had often by ill counsell beene seduced but promiseth by his Oath which he tooke on the Tombe of Saint Edward to reforme all those errours But the Lords not well knowing how to deale in this businesse as being divided betweene a desire to satisfie the King and a desire to be satisfied themselves and knowing withall the variablenesse of the Kings nature they get the Parliament to be adjourned to Saint Barnabies day and then to assemble at Oxford In which meane time the Earles Glocester Leycester Hereford the Earle Marshall Bigod Spenser and other great men confederate and provide by Armes to effect their desire and here is the foundation laid of those bloudy wars that ensued betweene King Henry and his Barons And now the King being put to his shifts for money gets the Abbot of Westminster to put his Seale and that of his Covent to a Deed Obligatory as a surety for two hundred Markes making account that by his example others would be drawne to doe the like but his trusty servant Simon Passeleve being imployed to other Monasteries and telling them amongst other reasons to perswade them that the King was Lord of all they had they onely answered they acknowledged indeed the King to be Lord of all they had but yet so as to defend not to destroy the same and this was all he could get of them The Prince also in no lesse want then his Father is driven to morgage his Towne of Stamford Brahan and many other things to William de Valence a Poictouin wherby appeared the disorder of the time when the Prince was in want and strangers had such plenty And now is the Parliament assembled at Oxford whither the Lords come attended with large traines and here they beginne with the expostulation of the former Liberties requiring that the Chiefe Justiciar the Chancellour and Treasurer may be ordained by publike choyce and that the twenty foure Conservaâ—ours of the kingdome may be confirmed twelve by the election of the Lords and twelve by the King with whatsoever else made for their imagined security The King seeing their strength and in what manner they required these things sweares solemnly againe to the confirmation of them and causeth the Prince to take the same Oath But the Lords left not here the Kings brethren the Poictouins and other strangers must presently be removed and this also though with some little opposition was at last concluded and thereupon the Kings brethren and their followers are despoyled of all their fortunes and â—xiled by proscription under the Kings owne hand directed to the Earles of Hereford and Surrey But now sicknesse and mortality happening to many great ones it is imputed to poysons supposed to have beene prepared by those strangers proscribed the Earle of Glocester in a sicknesse suddenly lost his haire his teeth his nailes and his brother hardly escaped death which made many to suspect their nearest servants and their Cookes Walter Scoynie the Earle Steward is strictly examined committed to prison and afterward without confession is upon presumptions onely executed at Winchester Elias a converted Iew is said to have confessed that in his house the poyson was confected but it was when he was a Iew and not a Christian. Every man that had received any wrong by those strangers now put up their complaints and are heard Guydo de â—â—chfort a Poictouin to whom the King had given the Castle of Rochester is banished and all his goods confiscate William Bussey Steward to William de Valence is committed to the Tower of London and most reproachfully used Richard Gray whom the Lords had made Captaine of Dover Castle is set to intercept whatsoever the Poictouins convaied that way out of England and much treasure of theirs and of the elect of Winchester is by him taken besides great summes committed to the new Temple are found out and seised for the King And now the new Chiefe Justiciar Hugh Bigod brother to the Earle Marshall chosen this last Parliament by publike voyce procures that foure knights in every Shire should inquire of the oppressions of the poore done by great men and certifie the same that redresse might be made Also order was taken against corrupting of justice when yet notwithstanding this pretended care of the publike it is noted by the Writers and Records of that time how the Lords were themselves but as â—otidem tyranni enforcing the services of the Kings tenants that dwelt neare them But to make their cause the more popular it was rumored that the King stood upon it that his necessity must be supplied out of the estates of his people whether they would or no which the King hearing sends forth Proclamation declaring how certaine malitious persons had falsely and seditiously reported that he meant unlawfully to charge his subjects and subvert the Lawes and Liberties of the kingdome and by these false suggestions averted the hearts of his people from him and therefore desires them not to give credit to such perâ—urbers for that he was ready to defend all Rights and Customes due unto them and that they might rest of this secured he caused his Letters to be made Patents But now Montford Glocester and Spenser inforce the King to call a Parliament at London where
of Aâ—mesbury in Wiltshire at the instance of Queene Eleanor her Grandmother who lived there Elizabeth their seventh daughter was first married to Iohn Earle of Holland Zeland and Lord of Freezeland he dying within two yeares she was afterward married to Humphrey Bohun Earle of Hereford and Essex Lord of Breknok and High Constable of England by whom she had issue sonnes and daughters Beatrice and Blanch their eighth and ninth daughters died young and unmarried King Edwards second Wife was Margaret eldest daughter of Philip King of France called the Hardy and sister to Philip called the Faire at eighteene yeares old she was married to King Edward being above threescore yet at the unequall yeares she had issue by him two sonnes and a daughter their eldest sonne was borne at a little Village in Yorkshire called Brotherton and was thereof called Thomas of Brotherton he was created Earle of Norfolke and Earle Marshall of England after Roger Bigod who died without issue Their second sonne Edmund was borne at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire and of the place was so called he was created Earle of Kent and married Margaret daughter of Iohn and sister of sole Heire of Thomas Lord Wakes of Lydell in the County of Northampton by whom he had issue two sonnes and one daughter his sonnes Edmund and Iohn died without issue his daughter Ioane for her beauty called the Faire maid of Kent was married first to William Montacute Earle of Salisbury and from him divorced was re-married to Sir Thomas Holland in her Right Earle of Kent and by her Father of Thomas and Iohn Holland Duke of Surrey and Earle of Huntington and lastly she was the Wife of Edward of Woodstocke the blacke Prince of Wales and by him Mother of King Richard the second This Earle Edmund was beheaded at Winchester in the fourth yeare of King Edward his Nephew Eleanor the daughter of King Edward by his second Wife Margaret died in her childhood Of his personage and conditions HE was tall of stature higher then ordinary men by head and shoulders and thereof called Longshanke of a swarthy complection strong of body but leane of a comely favour his eyes in his anger sparkling like fire the haire of his head black and curled Concerning his conditions as he was in warre peacefull so in Peace he was warlike delighting specially in that kinde of hunting which is to kill Stagges or other wilde beasts with Speares In continencie of life he was equall to his Father in acts of valour farre beyond him He had in him the two wisdomes not often found in any single both together seldome or never An ability of judgement in himselfe and a readinesse to heare the judgement of others He seemed to be a great observer of opportunity a great point of wisdome in any in Princes greatest and that he could beare an injury long without seeking to revenge it as appeared by his carriage towards the Earle Roger Bigod whom when he saw his time he called to account for an affront he had offered him diâ—ers yeares before He was not easily provoked into passion but once in passion not easily appeased as was seene by his dealing with the Scots towards whom he shewed at first patience and at last severity If he be censured for his many Taxations he may be justified by his well bestowing them for never Prince laid out his money to more honour of himselfe or good of his kingdome His greatest unfortunatenesse was in his greatest blessing for of foure sonnes which he had by his Wife Queen Eleanor three of them died in his owne life time who were worthy to have out-lived him and the fourth out-lived him who was worthy never to have beene borne Of his death and buriall IN his last expedition into Scotland being at Carlile he fell sicke and lying in his death-bed he sent for his sonne Edward to whom besides many admonitions to Piety he commanded three things specially that he should carry his bones about with him through Scotland till he had subdued it that he should send his heart into the Holy Land with sevenscore knights to that warre and the two and thirty thousand pounds he had provided for that purpose and that he should never recall Gaveston from banishment and soon after of a dysentery or Bloudy-Flix he died at Borough upon the Sands the seventh of Iuly in the yeare 1307. when he had Raigned foure and thirty yeares and seven moneths lived threescore and eight yeares Being dead his Corps was brought to Waltham Abbey and there kept the space of sixteene weekes and after on Simon and Iudes day buried at Westminster Men of Note in his time OF Martiall men there were many these specially Iohn Earle of Warren who opposed the Kings Inquisition by Quo Warranto and Roger Bigod who gave the King an affront to his face Of learned men also many specially these Iohn Breton bishop of Hereford who compiled a book of the Lawes of England called lâ— Breton Thomas Spot a Chronographer Iohn Eversden a writer of Annals and of this Kings Raigne Gregory Cairugent a Monke of Glocester and a writer also of Annals Iohn Peckham a Franciscan Frier made Arch-bishop of Canterbury who writ many excellent workes Iohn Read an Historiographer Thomas Bungey a Frier Minor an excellent Mathematician Roger Bacon a Franciscan Frier an excellent Philosopher and Mathematician Robert Kilwarby Arch-bishop of Canterbury and after made a Cardinall also Ralph Baldock Bishop of London who writ a Chronicle of England in the Latine tongue but above them all though of another Countrey Thomas Aquinas borne of a Noble Family whose workes are too famous to be spoken of who going to the Councell holden at Lyons by Pope Gregory the tenth died by the way THE LIFE and RAIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE SECOND Of his Acts before and at his Coronation EDward of Carnarvan eldest Sonne of King Edward the first succeeded him in the kingdome and never did Prince come to a Crowne with more applause of Nobility and People and there was good cause for it For he had beene trained up in all good courses for Piety and Learning he had seene the Government of his Father from whose Example he could not but have learned many good Lessons he had been initiated in the wayes of State having beene left Governour of the Realme and presiding in Parliament in his Fathers absence and he was now three and twenty yeares old a fit age for bearing the weight of a Scepter and yet for all these advantages there wanted not feares of him in the mindes of many who could not but remember what prankes he had played not long before how he had broken the Bishop of Chesters Parke and in most disorderly manner had killed his Deere for which both himselfe had beene committed to Prison and his Friend Pierce Gaveston banished the Realme and if he did such things being but Prince what might not be feared of him comming to be King For seldome doth
Sir Iames Dowglasse the King surrenders by his Charter all his title of Soveraignty to the Kingdome of Scotland restores divers Deeds and Instruments of their former Homages and Fealties with the famous Evidence called Ragmans Roll and many ancient Jewels and Monuments amongst which was the blacke Crosse of Scotland and besides any English man is prohibited to hold lands in Scotland unlesse he were a dweller there In consideration whereof King Bruce was to pay thirty thousand Markes and to renounce his claime to the Counties of Cumberland and Northumberland and any other place possessed by him in England This was no good beginning and yet worse followed after For another Parliament being holden at Winchester Edmund Earle of Kent the Kings Unkle is there accused and condemned upon his confession for intending to restore his brother the late King Edward an intention onely without any fact yet condemned he was and brought to the Scaffold but generally so beloved of the people that he stood on the Scaffold from one a clocke till five before any executioner could be found that would doe the office till at last a silly wretch of the Marshalsey was gotten to cut off his head But the Authors of his death escaped not long themselves for in the third yeare of the Kings Raigne another Parliament is holden at Nottingham wherein the Queen hath all her great Joynture taken from her and is put to her Pension of a thousand pounds a yeare and her selfe confined to a Castle where she remained the rest of her dayes no fewer then thirty yeares a time long enough to finde that her being the daughter of a King the sister of a King the wife of a King and the mother of a King were glorious titles but all not worth the liberty of a meane estate and as for Mortimer lying then in the Castle of Nottingham and lately created Earle of the Marches of Wales he was seised on in this manner the King taking with him William Montacute Robert Holland and others goe secretly one night by Torch-light through a privie way under ground till they came to the Queenes Chamber where leaving the King without they entred and found the Queene with Mortimer ready to goe to bed then laying hands on him they led him forth after whom the Queene followed crying Bel fits â—el fits ayes pitie du gentil Mortimer good son good sonne take pity upon the gentle Mortimer suspecting that her sonne had beene amongst them this course was taken to apprehend him for avoyding of tumult he having no fewer then ninescore knights and Gentlemen besides other meaner servants continually about him But thus seised on he is committed presently to the Tower accused of divers great crimes whereof these were chiefe that he had procured the late Kings death that he had beene the author of the Scots safe escaping at Stanhope Parke corrupted with the gift of thirty thousand pounds that he had procured the late marriage and Peace with Scotland so dishonourable to the King and kingdome that he had beene too familiar with the Queene as by whom she was thought to be with child of which Articles he is found guilty and condemned and thereupon is drawne and hanged on the common Gallowes at the Elmes now called Tiburne where his body remained two dayes as an opprobrious spectacle for all beholders After these businesses in England there comes a new businesse upon him from the King in France for about this time Philippe le Bel King of France the Queens brother dying without issue the right of succession to the Crowne is devolved upon the Heire to Charles a former King wherein are competitours Philip Duke de Valois and Edward King of England Edward is the nearer in bloud buâ— drawes his Pedegree by a Female Philippe the further off but descending by all Males and because the Law Salique excluding Females was conceived as well to exclude all descendants by Females therefore is Philips title preferred before King Edwards and Philip is received and crowned King of France to which preferment of his Robert d' Arthois a Peere of great power gave no small furtherance And now as soone as Philip was Invested in the Crowne he summons King Edward to come and doe his Homage for the Dutchy of Guyenne and his other lands in France held of that Crowne according to the custome which though it were some prejudice to King Edwards claime afterward yet in regard his kingdome of England was scarce well setled and himselfe but young he was contented to doe and thereupon the sixth of Iune in the yeare 1329. King Edward in a Crimson Velvet gowne imbroidered with Leopards with his Crowne on his head his Sword by his side and golden Spurres on his heeles presents himselfe in the body of the Cathedrall Church of Amyens before King Philip sitting in his Chaire of Estate in a Velveâ— Gowne of a Violet colour imbroydered with Flowers de lys of Gold his Crowne on his head and his Scepter in his hand with all his Princes and Peeres about him The Viscount Melun Chamberlaine of France first commands King Edward to puâ— off his Crowne his Sword and his Spurres and to kneele downe which he did on a Crimson Velvet Cushion before King Philip and then the Viscount putting both his hands together betweene the hands of the King of France pronounced the words of the Homage which were these You become Liegeman to my Master here present as Duke of Aquitaine and Peere of France and you promise to beare faith and loyalty unto him Say yea and King Edward said yea and kissed the King of France in the mouth as Lord of the Fee The like Homage also he did for the Earldome of Ponthieu But this act of submission left a rancour in King Edwards heart which afterwards brake so out that it had beene good for France 〈◊〉 had never beene exacted This done King Edward returnes home and there finds a new busines with Scotland upon this occasion Edward Baylioll sonne to Iohn Baylioll sometimes King of Scotland two and thirty yeares after his fathers deposition beganne now to shew himselfe attempting the recovery of that Crowne and comming out of Fraâ—ce where he had all that while remained and getting aide under-hand in Englaâ—d with them he suddenly assailes those who had the government of Scotland during the Nonage of the young King David being at that time with the King of Fraâ—ce and in a battell overcame them with the slaugher of many Noble men and thousands of the common people and thereupon was immediatly Crowned King of Scotland at Scone But notwithstanding this great defeat King Baylioll was forced to retire him into England to get more aide of King Edward who now shewes himselfe in the action joynes with Baylioll against his brother in Law King David goes in person with a strong Army to recover Berwicke which after three moneths siege being valiantly defended by the Lord Seton was taken in and the Army
Oxford who wrote divers excellent Treatises in Naturall and Morall Philosophy which remaine in estimation to this day and who for the great fame of his learning had the honour to be one of the Instructours of Edward the blacke Prince Roger of Chester a Monke of that City and an Historiographer Iohn Burgh a Monke who wrote a History and also divers Homilies Richard Aungervill Bishop of Durham and Lord Chancellour of England borne in Suffolke Walter Heminford an Historiographer Richard Chichester a Monke of Westminster who wrote an excellent Chronicle from the yeare 449. to the yeare 1348. Richard Rolle alias Hampole who writ many excellent Treatises in Divinity Robert Holcot a blacke Frier borne in Northampton a learned Schooleman and wrote many bookes in Arguments of Divinity Thomas Bradwardin borne neare Chichester in Sussex Arch-bishop of Canterbury and who wrote against the Pelagians and for his depth of learning had the Title of Doctor Profunduâ— Richard Fits Ralph Arch-bishop of Armagh in Ireland a learned writer William Grysant named Anglicus a notable Physitian whose son came to be Pope and was called Urbane the fifth Iohn Killingworth an excellent Philosopher Astronomer and Physitian Ranulph Higden a Monke of Chester an Historiographer Bartholomew Glanvile descended of those Glanviles that were sometimes Earles of Suffolke Simon Islip Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Founder of Canterbury Colledge in Oxford who wrote many Treatises Matthew Westmonasteriensis who wrote the booke called Flores Historiarum William Fleete an Hermit who wrote sundry Treatises exhorting England to repentance Henry Knighton who wrote a History Intituled De gestis Anglorum and lastly two other worthy perhaps to have beene placed first Iohn Mandevill the great Travellour a Doctor of Physicke and a knight who died at Liege in the yeare 1372. and Sir Geoffrey Chawcer the Homer of our Nation and who found as sweete a Muse in the Groves of Woodstocke as the Antients did upon the banks of Helicon THE REIGNE OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND RICHARD called of Burdeaux because born there the onely Sonne of Edward the black Prince was by his Grandfather in his life-time declared to be his Heire and lawfull Successour and accordingly after his death was crowned King of England at Westminster the sixteenth day of Iuly in the yerre 1377. by Simon Suâ—bury Archbishop of Canterbury And for the more solemnity of his Coronation he then mâ—de nine Knights and created foure Earles Thomas of Woodstock King Edward the Thirds youngest Sonne was created Earle of Buckingham and Northampton Thomas Mowbray younger brother of Iohn L. Mowbray Earle of Nottingham Gifford Angoulesme a Gascoigne was made Earle of Huntington and Henry Percy sonne of Henry L. Percy was created Earle of Northumberland At the time of the Coronation the Duke of Lâ—ncaster by the name of Iohn King of Castile and Leon and Duke of Lancaster put in his claim as Earle of Leicester to have the place of Earle Marshall of England as Duke of Lancaster to carry the sword called Curtana as Earle of Lincolne to be Carver that day all which to be executed by himselfe or by his sufficient Deputy which with the fees thereunto belonging were confirmed unto him As likewise divers others made their claimes Robert de Veere Eâ—rle of Oxford to have the office of Chamberlaine and to powre out water for the King to wâ—sh Iohn Wiltshire Citizen of London by reason of a Moyitie of the Manour of Heydon holden in Sergeantie claimed to hold a Towell for the King to wipe with when he went to meat Thomas Beauchampe Earle of Warwick to beare the third Sword before the King and also to exercise the office of Pantler Sir Iohn Argentine by reason of his Manour of Wimondtey in the County of Hartford to serve the King at his Cup William L. Furnivall for his Manour of Fernham to support the Kings right arme when he held the Royall Scepter Anne late wife of Iohn de Hastings Earle of Pemâ—rooke â—or hiâ— Manour of Ashele in Norfolke to have the Office of Naperer which she was admitted to doe by her Deputy Sr. Thomas Blunt Richard Earle of Arundell for his Manour of B. in Kent was admitted to be chiefe Butler The L. Major of London to attend in his owne person as chiefe Cup-waiter Sir Iohn Dimmock for his Manour of Scrivelbie and Sir Baldwin Frevile for his Castle of Tamworth in the County of Warwick contended for the Office of being the Kings Champion but adjudged to Dimmock William de Latimer and Iohn the sonne and heire of Iohn Mowbray of Axholm joyntly petitioned to have the Office of Almoner but adjudged to Latimer Richard Lion as Tenant of the Manour of L. held by the service of making wafers for the King at his Coronation was thereunto admitted The Barons of the Cinque-Ports were admitted to beare the Kings Canopy upon foure staves of silver over the Kings head and also to sit at meat in the Hall at the highest Table on the Kings right hand Iohn Fitz-Iohn by reason of his Manour of S. in Norfolk was admitted to be chiefe Lardeâ—er Richard Herring for the Manour of C. in the County of Surry claimed to be Usher of the Kings Chamber but because that claim did no way concern the Coronation he was left to pursue his Right some other time The Coronation it selfe was performed with great solemnity After a Sermon the King tooke his Oath and then the Archbishop blessed the King which done he tore â—ff his garments and strippped him into his shirt then he annoynted his handâ— head breast shoulders and the joynts of his armes with the sâ—cred Oyle and after certaine Prayers he then clâ—ddâ— him first with the Coat of S. â—dward and after with his Mantle after which the Archbishop delivered him the Sword saying Accipe Gladium with which two Earles gyrded him Then he gave him Bracelets sayingâ— Accipe Armillas After this he put upon him an upper vesture called a Pall sayingâ— Accipe Pallium In the meane time while the Archbishop blessed the Crowne he to whose Office it pertained put spurres on his heeles after the Crown was blessed the Archbishop set it on his Head saying Coronet te Deuâ— then he delivered him a Ring saying Accipe Anâ—â—lum Immediately herewith came the L. Furâ—ivall by virtue of his Office offering him a red Glove which the Arch B. blessed and putting it on his hand gave him the Scepter saying Accipe Scepâ—rum and after that in his other hand delivered him a Rod on the top whereof stood a Dove saying Accipe Virgam Virtutiâ— and then blessed the King saying Benedicat te Deâ—â— which done the King kissed the Bishops and Abbots by whom he was afterward led to his seat and so ended the solemnity The tender yeares of the King being but eleven yeeres of age required a Protector but being perhaps thought dangerous to commit that Authority to onely one who might rather seeke to get it for himselfe then to keep it for
Langley which Richard had issue by the said Anne a sonne called Richard that was after Duke of York and father to king Edward the Fourth also a daughter named Isabel maried to the Lord Bourchier Also this yeere Henry of Bullingbrooke Earle of Darby maried the daughter and heire of Humfry Bohun Earle of Hereford in whose Right he was after made Duke of Hereford This yeere also K. Richard holding his Christmas at Eltham Leo king of Armenia came thither to him who in feare to have his kingdome conquered by the Turkes was come into Christendome to seeke for ayde but his chiefe Errand into England was to have procured a Peace between the two kings of England and Franâ—e but their spleenes were so great against one another that it was not in the physick of hiâ— Power to cure them At this time the Duke of Lancaster taking with him his wife the Lady Constâ—nce and a daughter he had by her named Katherine and two other daughters which he had by his former wife failed into Spaine he was attended in his journy with the Lord Lucie the Lord Talbot the Lord Basset Willoughby Fitzwater Poyâ—ings Brâ—â—ston and many other Lords and knights to the number of fifteen hundred men of Armes whereof a thousand at the least were knights and Esquires The king at his taking leave gave him a Crowne of Gold and commanded he should be called king of Spaine and the Queen likewise gave another Crown of Gold to the Dutcheâ—â—e He landed first at Brest and freed that Castle from the French from thence he sailed and arrived at the Groyne in Spaine where he remained a moneth and then went to Compostella where he stayed a while In which time his Constable Sir Iohn Hollâ—â—d wonne divers Townes At Monson the king of Portingale and the Duke of Lâ—â—caster met where a mariage was concluded between the said king of Portingale and the Lady Philip daughter to the Dukeâ— which mariage shortly after was consummated and the Lady sent into Portingale honorably accompanied The Duke continued at Coâ—postella all the winter At March the king of Portingale and he enâ—â—ed the Confines of Castile where they tooke many Townes and passing over the River of Dure entred into the Country De Campo But the Spaniards not willing to come to a Battell but meaning to weary them out with delayes the English not used â—o such hot aire fell daily into many diseases which the Duke seeing accorded â—o a Truce There dyed in this action the Lord Fiâ—zwater Sir Burleyâ—â—night â—â—night of the Garter the Lord Poynings and Sir Henry Percy Cosin-german to the Eâ—â—le of Northumberland also the Lord Talbot and in all twelve great Lords fourscore â—nights two hundred Esquires and of the meaner sort above five hundred When the Army was broken up the Duke of Lancaster and the Dutcheâ—se his wife went into Portingale and after some stay there they sailed to Bayon in the Marches of Gascoigne where he rested a long time after In which meane while there were offers made for a Mariage to be had betweene the Duke of Berry Unkle to the Frâ—â—ch king and the Lady Kaâ—herine daughter to the Duke of Lancaster which the king of Spaine understanding he began to doubt least if that mariage went forward it might turne to his disadvantage and thereupon by earnest suit at length concâ—uded a peace with the Duke of Lancaster on this wise That his eldest sonne Heâ—ry should marry the the Lady Katherine the Duke of Lancasters daughter and be intituled Prince of Austurgâ—s and in consideration of this mariage and that all claimes should cease which the Duke in right of his wife might challenge or pretendâ— It was agreed that the said Duke should receive yeerely the summe of Ten thousâ—nd marks during the lives of him and his Dutchesse and to have in hand the summe of two hundred thousand Nobles At this time the French had a purpose to invade England with no lesse a hope then to make a Conquest and to that end they prepared a mighty Navy so as in the moneth of September there were numbred about Sluis Dam and Blaâ—kerkâ— 1â—87 ships besides those which were rigged in Britaine by the Constable who had caused an inclosure of a Field to be made of Timber that when they were landed in Eâ—gland they might therewith inclose their field and so lodge at more surety but it so fortuned that the Lord William Beauchampe Captaine of Callis tooke two of their ships whereof one was laden with a piece of the said Inclosure and after that â—nother ship laden with Guns Gunpowder and other Instruments of warre and after that againe two ships more laden with parcels of the said Inclosure which K. â—ichard caused to be reared and set up about Winchelsey Towne at last the foresaid Army came into Flanders and arrived at Sluis where after some stay they were so distressed for victuals that in the end of November they were glad to be gone and returne into France At this time in a Parliament Robert Veere Earle of Oxford and Marques of Dublin was created Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Poole a Merchants son had lately before been created E. of Suffolk and made Chancellor of England And now begins K. Richard to enter I may say upon the confines of his Destiny His gracing of undeserving men and disgracing of men deserving if they were not the causes they were at least the occasions of his owne disgracing and destruction in the end He was now come to be of full age to doe all himselfe which was indeed to be of full age to undoe himselfe for the faults of his younger yeeres might have the excuse to be but Errors but the faults of the age he was now at were perempâ—ory against him and admitted no defence And to hasten the pace of his destiny the faster the ill Counsell which before was but whispered in his eare was now scarce forborne to be given him aloud It is told him that he is under tuition no longer and therefore not to be controll'd as in former times he had been That to be crost of his will by his subjects was to be their subject It is no Soveraignty if it be not absolute At the instigation of which Counsell the king in a Parliament now assembled fell to expostulate with his Lords asking them what yeeres they thought him to be 〈◊〉 who answering that he was somewhat more then one and twenty Well then saâ—â— he I am out of Wardship and therefore looke to injoy my kingdome as freely 〈◊〉 your selves at the like yeeres enjoy your Patrimonies But his flattering Favoriâ—â— should have remembred that though the king may not be controlled where he caâ— command yet he may be opposed where he can but demand as now indeed he waâ— for when he came to demand a Subsidy towards his warres he was answered That he needed no subsidie from his Subjects if he would but call in the debts which thâ—
Blake a Lawyer Shortly after the Parliament began called afterward The Parliament that wrought wonders On the first day whereof were arrested as they sate in their places all the Justices but onely Sir William Skipwith as Sir Roger Fulthorpe Sir Robert Belknappe Sir Iohn Cary Sir Iohn Holt Sir William Brooke and Iohn Alacâ—on the kings Serjeant at Law and were all sent to the Tower for doing contrary to an Agreement made the last Parliament Also in the beginning of this Parliament Robert Veere Duke of Irelâ—nd Alexander Nevill Archbishop of York Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke and Sir Robert Tresilian Lord Chiefe Justice of England were openly called to answer Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester Richard Earle of Arundell Henry Earle of Darby and Thomas Earle of Nottingham upon certaine Articles of high Treason and because none of them appeared It was ordained by whole consent of Parliament they should be banished for ever and all their landâ— and goods â—eized into the Kings hands their intailed lands onely excepted Shortly after the Lord Chief Justice Robert Tresilian was found in an Apothecaries house in Westminster where being taken he was brought to the Duke of Glocester who caused him the same day to be had to the Tower and from thence drawne to Tyburne and there hanged On the morrow after Sir Nicolas Brember was brought to his Answer who being found guilty was beheaded with an Axe which himselfe had caused to be made for beheading of others After this Sir Iohn Salisbery and Sir Iames Berneys lusty young men were drawne and hanged as also Iohn Beâ—â—champ L. Steward of the Kings house Iohn Blake Esquire and lastly Sir Symon Burley sonne to the great Sir Iohn Burley Knight of the Garter was beheaded on Tower-hill whose death the King tooke more heavily and more heynously then all the rest Also all the Justices were condemned to dye but by the Queenes intercession they were onely banished the Realme and all their lands and goods confiscate onely a small portion of money was assigned them for their sustentation Finally in this Parliament an Oath was required and obteined of the King that he should stand unto and abide such Rule and Order as the Lords should take and this Oath was required also of all the Inhabitants of the Realme In the later end of the Kings eleventh yeere the Earle of Arundell was sent to Sea with a great Navy of ships and men of warre with whom went the Earles of Nottingham and Devonshire Sir Thhmas Percy the Lord Clifford the Lord Camoiâ— Sir William Elmham and divers other Knights to ayde the Duke of Britaine against the king of France but before they came the Duke of Britaine was reconciled to the king of France and so needing not their ayde all this great Fleet returned with doing nothing And it was indeed a yeere of doing nothing unlesse we reckon some petty Inroades of the Scots and that Sir Thomas Tryvet dyed with a fall off his horse and that Sir Iohn Holland the Kings brother by the mother was made Earle of Huntington and that there was Contention in Oxford between the Northerne and the Southerne Scholars which was pacified by the Duke of Glocester In his twelveth yeere Commissioners were appointed to meet at Balingham betwixt Calliâ— and Bulloigne to treat of a Peace betweene the Realmes of England France and Scotland and after long debating a Truce was at last concluded to begin at Midsomer next and to last three yeeres But now the king to shew his plenary authority of being at full age removed the Archbishop of York from being Lord Chancellor and put in his place William Wickham Bishop of Winchester also he removed the Bishop of Hereford from being Treasurer and put another in his place The Earle of Arundell likewise unto whom the Government of the Parliament was committed and the Admiralty of the Sea was removed and the Earle of Huntington put in his roome About this time the Lord Iohn Hastings Earle of Pembrooke as he was practising to learne to Just was stricken about the Privy parts by a knight called Sir Iohn St. Iohn of which hurt he soone after dyed In whose Family it is memorable that for many Generations together no sonne ever saw his father the father being alwaies dead before the sonne was borne The Originall of this Family was from Hastings the Dane who in the Reigne of K. Alured long before the Conquest about the yeere 890. came with Rollo jâ—to England But howsoever in this Iohn Hastings ended the then Honorable Titles of the Hastings for this man dying without issue his Inheritances were dispersed to divers persons The Honour of Pembrooke came to Francis at Court by the kings Gift the Baronies of Hastings and Welford came to Reynold Gray of Ruthin the Barony of Aburgâ—veny was granted to William Beaâ—â—hamp of Bedford About this time Iohn Duke of Lancaster was created Duke of Aquitaine receiving at the Kings hands the Rod and the Cap as Investitures of that Dutchy Also the Duke of York's sonne and heire was created Earle of Richmond In his thirteenth yeere a Royall Justs was Proclaimed to be holden within Smithfield in London to begin on Sunday next after the Feast of S. Michael which being published not onely in England but in Scotland in Almaigne in Flanders in Brabant and in France many strangers came hither amongst others Valeran Earle of S. Poll that had maried king Richards Sister and William the young Earle of Ostervant sonne to Albert de Bavâ—ere Earl of Hollond and Heynoult At the day â—ppointed there issued forth of the Tower about three a clock in the afternoone sixty Coursers apparrelled for the Justs and upon every one an Esquire of Honour riding a soft pace After them came forth foure and thirty Ladies of Honour Froyssard saith threescore mounted on Palfries and every Lady led a knight with a chaine of Gold These knights being on the Kings part had their armour and apparell garnished with white Hearts and Crownes of Gold aboâ—â— their necks and so they came riding through the streets of London unto Smithfield The Justs lasted divers dayes all which time the King and Queen lay at the Bishops Palace by Pauls Church and kept open house for all Commers In his Fifteenth yeere the Duke of Lancaster went into France having in his traine a thousand horse and met the king of France at Aâ—iens to treat of a Peace between the two kingdomes but after long debate a Truce onely was concluded for a yeere About this time also the King required the Londoners to lend him a Thousâ—nd pounds which they refused â—o doe and not onely so but they abused an Italian Merchant for offering to lend it This moved the King to some indignation to which was added the complaint of a Ryot committed by the Citizens against the servants of the Bishops of Saliâ—bury L. Treasurer for that where one of the Bishops servants named Walter Roman had taken a
divers of the French Nobility who attended him to the Pallace where the Queen with her Daughters the Dutchesse of Burgoigne and the Lady Katherine gave him Princely entertainment and after some intercourse of complement between the Princes and the Ladies K. Henry tendred to the Lady Katherine a Ring of great value which she not without some blushing received and afterward upon the twentieth day of May she was affianced to him in St. Peters Church and on the third of Iune following the marriage was solemnized and therewithall king Henry was published to be the only Regent of the Realme and Heire apparent to the Crown of France the Articles whereof with all convenient expedition were Proclaimed both in England and in France and the two kings and all their Nobles and other Subjects of account were sworne to observe them and in particular the Duke of Burgoigne And thus was the Salique Law violated and the heire Male put by his Sucession in the Crowne which the Genius of France will not long endure a while it must and therefore the maine endeavour of both kings now is to keep him down whom they had put downe and thereupon on the fourth day of Iune king Henry with the French king Iames king of Scots who was newly arrived the Duke of Burgoigâ—eâ— the Prince of Orenge one and twenty Earles five and forty Barons with many Knights and Gentlemen and an Army consisting of French English Scotish Irish and Dutch to the number of six hundred thousand marched towards the Dolphin and upon the seventh day laid siege to the Towne of Seâ—â—s which sided with the Dolphin which after foure dayes siege was yielded up From thence they removed having the Duke of Bedford in their company who was newly come out of Eâ—glaâ—d with large supplies of men and money to Monstâ—â—â—â— which was taken by Escalado onely the Castle held out still during the siege whereof king Henry creâ—â—ed an Officer of Armes to be king of Heralds over the Englishmen and intitled him Garter whom he sent with offers of mercy to the Castle but was by the Captaine thereof reproachfully upbraided for punishment of which his presumption â— Gibbet was erected and in view of Mounsieur Guitry the said Captaine twelve of his friends were executed whereupon those of the Castle treated for peace but the king in eight dayes together would not grant so much as a parleyâ— so that after six weekes siege they were enforced their lives saved simply to yield From thence the king marched to Melun upon Sein and besieged it the thirtieth of Iuly the Captaine whereof was Barbason a Gascoigne no lesse politick than valiant who countermined some and stopt other Mines made by the English and foâ—ght hand to hand in the Barriers with king Henry yet at last through Famine and Pestilence was forced to yeild but being suspected to have had a hand in the murther of the Duke of Burgoigne he was sent prisoner to Paris and presently thereupon both the kings with their Queens the Duke of Burgoigne and his Dutchesse with a Royall Traine came thither where the French king was lodged in the House of S. Paul and the king of England in the Castle of Loâ—vre And here the three States of France anew under their hands and Seals in most aâ—thenticke manner Ratified the former Articles of king Henries Succession in the Crowne of France the Instruments whereof were delivered to the king of England who sent them to be kept in his Treasury at Westminster And now King Henry began to exercise his Regency and as a badge of his Authority he caused a new Coyne which was called a Salute to be made whereon the Armes of France and England were quarterly stamped he placed and displaced divers Officers and appointed the Duke of Exeter with five hundred men to the Guard of Paris He awarded out Processe against the Dolphin to appeare at the Marble-Table at Paris which he not obeying Sentence was denounced against him as guilty of the murther of the Duke of Burgoigne and by the sentence of the Parliament he was banished the Realme After this the King making Thomas Duke of Clarence his Lievetenant Generall of Fraâ—ce and Normandy on the 6th of Ianuary with his beloved Queen Katherine he left Pariâ— and went to Amyens and from thence to Calliâ— and thence landing at Dover came to Canterbury and afterward through Loâ—doâ— to Westminster where the Queene upon St. Matthews day the fourth of Februâ—ry was Crowned the King of Scots sitting at dinner in his State but on the left hand of the Queen the Archbishop of Caâ—terbury and the Kings Uncle the Bishop of Winchester being on the right hand All were served with covered messes of silver but all the Feast was Fish in observation of the Lent season After this the king tooke his Progresse through the Land hearing the complaints of his poore Subjects and taking order for the administring of Justice to high and low and then met the Queen at Leicester where they kept their Easter In the meane time the Duke of Clarence making a Road into Aâ—joâ— came to the Citie of Ampers where he knighted Sir William Rosse Sir Henry Gâ—dâ—ard Sir Rowlaâ—d Vyder Sir Thomas Beauford his naturall Son and returning home laden with prey was advertised that the Duke of Alanson intended to intercept his passage whereupon he sent the Scout-master Fogosaâ— Lombard to discover the face of the Enemy who being corrupted brought report that their number was but small and those but ill ordered that if he presently charged there could be no resistance The Dukes credulity caused him to draw all his horses together and leaving his bowes and billâ— behinde which were his chiefâ—st strength with his 〈◊〉 only he makes towards the Enemy but the Traitor leading to a straight where by his appointment an ambush was layd thaâ— the Duke could neither retreat nor flee he soone perceived the Treaâ—chery but finding no remedy he manfully set spâ—â— to his horse and charged upon the Enemy but over-layd with multitude and wearied with fight was himselfe with the Earle of Taâ—kervile the Lord Rosse the Eaâ—le of Angus Sir Iohn 〈◊〉 and Sir Iohn Vereâ—d and above two thousand English slaine The Earls of Sâ—â—erset Suffolke and Pearch Sir Iohn Berklâ—y Sir Ralph Nevill Sir Williâ—â— Bâ—wes and 60 Gentlemen were taken prisoners The body of the Duke of Clâ—rence was by Sir Iohn Beauford his base Son the D. dying without other issue convey'd to England and buried at Canterbury besides his Father and this disaster happened upon â—aster-Eve The King was at Beverley when he heard of his brothers death and presently thereupon dispatched away Edmund Earle of Mâ—rtâ—â—gne into Norâ—â—â—dy making hiâ— Lievtenant thereof and then calls his high Court of Parliament to Westminster requiring ayd by money to revenge his brâ—thers death which was readily granted and the king thus provided sent his brother the Duke of Bedford with an Army to Câ—lliâ— consisting of foure
thousand men at Arms and foure and twenty thousand Archers whom about the middle of May he followeth himselfe and safâ—ly aâ—riving at Câ—lliâ— hasted to relieve Charters which the Dolphin with seven thousand men had besieged but hearing of the kings comming was retired to Tours The king of Scots with the Duke of Glocester about the eighth of Iuly besieged Dreux which agreed if it were not relieved by the twentieth of that moneth then to surrender it no reliefe comming it was surrendred The king pursuâ—d the Dolphin from place to place but could not overtake him but in the way surprized the Towne of Bâ—wgâ—â—cy where all that craved it he â—ooke to mercy as likewise he did at Roâ—gemoâ—t from thence he went to Orleance and from thence to Vigneâ— St. Toâ— and from thence to Paris where having fitted himselfe with supplies he went and sate downe before Menixe in Brye which after some opposition he also tooke and thereby had possession of all the Fortresses in the Isle of France in 〈◊〉 in â—rye and in Champaigne Upon St. Nicholas day in the yeare 1422 Queen Katherine was brought to bed of a Son at Windsor who was by the Duke of Bedford and Henry Bishop of Winchester and the Countesse of Holland Christned by the name of Henry whereof when the king had notice out of a Propheticke rapture he sayd Good Lord I Henry of Monmouth shall small time Reigne and much get and Henry borne at Windsor shall long time Reigne and lose all but Gods will be done About this time the Dolphin layd siege to Cosney which the king was intentive to relieve as being a Town of the Duke of Burgoignes and therefore tendredit more than if it had beene hiâ— owne and making over-hasty journeys he over-heat himselfe with travell and comming to Sâ—â—lys found himselfe so ill at ease that he was forced to remaine there and to send his brother the Duke of Bedford to prosecute his designe which the Duke performed and the Dolphin upon his approach retired into Berry whereof in mockage he was after called the king of Berry But the kings Feaver and flâ—â— increasing he was removed to Boys de Vincens where growing worse and worse within a few dayes he dyed But somewhat before his departure he had made his Brother the Duke of Bedford Lievetenant Generall of Norâ—â—â—dy and Regent of the kingdome of France and his Brother the Duke of Glocester he had made Protector of England and of his Sons Person Exhorting all to be true and faithfull to the Duke of â—urgoâ—gâ—e to be at unitie amongst themselves to be loyall to their young Prince to be serviceable to his dearly beloved Queene to hold aâ—d preserve what he by his valour and Gods assistance had wonne and never to conclude contract of amitie with the Dolphin or Duke of Alanson untill they had submitted themselves to the kings Gracâ— And so giving God thanks for all his favors and blessings bestowed upon him in the midst of saying a Psalme of David he departed this life who might justly have prayed God with David Take me â—ot away in the midst of my dayes for he dyed about the age of five or six and thirty years which in Davids account is the midst of the number of the dayes of mans life but though he dyed in the midst of his dayes yet he dyed in the fulnesse of his Glory and of whom it may he said Iamque arce potitus Ridet anhelâ—â—tes durâ— ad fastigâ—â— montis When he had Reigned nine yeares and five moneths Of his Taxations IN his first yeere an incredible sum of money was given him by the Clergy to diâ—ert him from a motion propounded to take away their Temporalties And in the same yeere a Subsidie was granted him both by the Clergy and the Laity In his fourth yeere was granted him towards his warres in France two whole Tenths of the Clergy and a fifteenth of the Laity which being farre too short to defray his great charge he was forced to pawne his Crowne to the Bishop of Beauford his Uncle for a great sum of money as also certain Jewels to the Lord Major of London for ten thousand markes In his ninth yeere in a Parliament at Weâ—â—minster for revenge of the Duke of Clarence death two tenths of the Clergy and one fifteenth by the Laity which because the haste of the businesse could not stay the usuall course of collection the Bishop of Winchester brought in presently twenty thousand pounds to receive it againe when the Subsidie should be gathered The same yeere also the Duke of Bedford in the kings absence called a Parliament wherein was granted towards his warres one fifteenth to be paid in such money as was at that time current These are all the Subsidies that were given him notwithstanding his many and great atchievements by which it appeares what great matters a moderate Prince may doe and yet not grieve his subjects with Taxations Of Lawes and Ordinances made by him or in his â—ime HE ordained the king of Heralds over the English which is called Gâ—rter In his ninth yeare in a Parliament holden at Westminster It was ordained that no man should offer Gold in payment unlesse it were weight and thereupon were appointed ballances and weights An act made in the thirteenth yeare of king Richard the Second which disabled the Alien Religious to enjoy any Bâ—nefices within England was in the beginning of this kings Reigne put in execution and further this king excluded also the French from all preferments Ecclesiasticall and those Priors Aliens Conventuall who had institution and induction were bound to put in security not to disclose or cause to be disclosed the Counsell and secreâ—s of the Realme Affaires of the Church in his tiâ—e IN the beginning of his Reigne the Wickliffs increased greatly of whom Sir Iohn Oldcastle was a Chiefe who by mariage of a kinswoman of the Lord Cobhamâ— of Câ—â—ling in Kent obtained that Title This knight being very valorous and in great favour with the king was in a Synod at London accused for maintaining of Wickliffâ— doctrine whereof the king being informed sent for him and instantly dealt with him to submit himselfe to the censure of the Church But Sir Iohn Oldcastle told the King that he owed his subjection onely to his Majestie and as for others he would stand for the truth against them to the uttermost of his life Upon this he was served by Processe to appeare in the Archbishops Court and not appeaâ—ing was condemned of Contumacy and afterwards in a Synod at Rochester was by the Archbishop pronounced to be an Heretick who then enacted that Decree That the Holy Scriptures ought not to be translated into the English tongue But marke the judgement that fell upon his owne tongue whoâ—e rootes and blade shortly after as is recorded grew so bigge in his mouth and throat that he could neither speake nor swallow downe meat but in horrour lay languishing till at last
his Sons only King Heâ—ry the Fifth to be his eldest And now that in him the heroicall nature was come to the height it degenerated againe in King Henry the Sixth which must needs be attributed to the mothers side who though in her selfe she were a Princesse of a noble spirit yet being the issue of a crazie father what marvell if she proved the mother of a crazie issue and yet even this issue of hers a Prince no doubt of excellent parts in their kinde though not of parts kindly for a Princâ— in a private man praise-worthy enough but the sword of a King required a harder mettall than the soft temper of King Henry the sixth was made of and in him we may see the fulfilling of the Text Vae genti cujus Rex est puer Woe to that Nation whose King is a Childe for he was not above eight moneths old when he succeeded his father in the Kingdome although that Text perhaps is not meant so much of a child in years for which there may be helps by good Protectors as of a childe in abilities of ruling whereof though possibly there may yet probably there can be no sufficient supply of which in this King we have a pregnant example for as long as he continued a childe in yeares so long his Kingdomes were kept flourishing by the Providence of his carefull Uncles but assoone as he left being a Childe in years and yet continued a childe in ability of Ruling then presently began all things Iâ— pejus ruere retro sublapsa referri all things went to wracke both in France and England And thus much was necessary to be sayd by way of a Preface to that great fall as it were of Nilus in King Henry the Sixth Henry called of Windsor because borne there the only childe of King Henry the Fifth as yet scarce nine moneths old succeeded his Father and was Proclaimed King of England on the last of August in the yeare 1422 by reason of whose infancie King Henry his Father had before by his Will appointed and now the Lords by their consent confirmed the Regency of France to Iohn Duke of Bedford the Government of England to Humphry Duke of Glocester the Guard of his Person to Thomas Duke of Exeter and Hâ—nry Beauford Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor wherein it was wisely provided that one man should not rule all lest it should prove a spurre to aspiring and withall stay them from envying one another when many were alike placed in the highest forme of authoriâ—y and indeed they all carried themselves so uprightly and carefully in their places that it well appeared the trust reposed in them by the dying King had made a strong impression of love and loyalty towards his Son The Duke of Bedford Regent of France was to keepe that by the sword which King Henry the Fifth by his sword had gotten wherein he had many and great assistants specially the two terrours of France Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury and Iohn Lord Talbot and amongst the French themselves the Duke of Burgoigne a friend no lesse powerfull than firme unto him The Dolphin also now crowned king at Poytiers and called Charles the seventh of France his father being newly dead within little more than a moneth after king Henry had likewise great assistants the Duke of Alanson and many other Peers of France and of the Scoâ—s many and some perhaps of the English that tooke part with him by meanes whereof the game of Fortune was a long time played betweene them with great variety The first act of the Duke of Bedfords Regency was an Oration which he made to the French in Paris which wrought this good effect that king Henry is Proclaimed king of England and of France and such French Lords as were present did their Homages and tooke their oathes to be true unto him The first act of hostility was performed by the new king of France who sends the Lord Granvile to Pont Meulan who surprized it putting all the English Souldiers to the sword but the Regent sending thither Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury so strongly beleaguered it that the Lord Granvile not only surrendred it but swore allegiance though he kept it not to the king of England From thence the Earle marched to Seyne which hee tooke by assault and put all the Souldiers except the Captain Sir William Maryn to the sword At this time the Regent the Duke of Burgoigne Iohn Duke of Brittaine and his brother in law the Earle of Râ—chmond who revolted afterward to the new king of France and was by him made Constable of France met at Amyens and there not only renewed the old League but further enlarged it to be offensive and defensive respectively and to make the friendship the more firme the Regent married Anne the Sister of the Duke of Burgoigne at Troys In this meane time the Parisians taking advantage of the Regents absence conspired to have let in the new king into Paris but the day before the night appointed for his admission the Regent with his power entred apprehended the Conspirators and put them to publicke execution That done he furnished all the Forts and places of strength with Englishmen and sent Sir Iohn Falstaffe who tooke in Pacye and Coursay two strong Castles whil'st himselfe with his forces tooke in Trayâ—els and Brâ—y upon Seyne The Constable of France the meane while with the new kings forces layd siege to Cravant in Burgoigne but the Regent sent thither the Earle of Salisbury who set upon the French and after a long fight putting them to flight slew about 1800 knights and gentlemen of noteâ— and three thousand common Souldiers Scots and French tooke prisoners the Constable himselfe the Earle of Ventadour Sir Alexâ—â—der Alerdyn Sir Lewis Ferignye and two and twenty hundred Gentlemen Of the English part were slaine Sir Iohn Gray Sir William Hall Sir Gilbert Halsall Richard â—p Maddocke and one and twenty hundred Souldiers From thence the Eâ—rle led his forces to Montaguillon and sate downe before it which after five moneths Siege he took whil'st the Duke of Suffolke took in the two strong Castles of Cowcye and le Roche Whil'st these things are done in France in England the Protectour Ransomed and inlarged the young king of Scots Iames the first who by the space of eighteene yeares had been kept a Prisoner which he did out of opinion thâ—t he might withdraw the Scots out of France taking Homâ—ge and fealty of him for the Crown of Scotland in these words Iâ—ames â—ames Sâ—eward King of Scotâ— shall be true and faithfull to you Lord Henry King of England and France the Superiour Lord of Scotlandâ— and to you I make my fidelitie for the sayd Kingdome which I hold and claime of you and shall do you service for the same so God me helpe and these holy Evangelists and therewithall with consent of all the Nobility the Protector gave him to Wife Iane Daughter to the
King and by him to his Councell who being most of the Clergie durst not meddle in them for offending â—he Cardinall On the other side the Cardinall finding nothing whereof directly to accuse the Duke of Glocester himselfe accuseth his or her selfe the Lady Cothamâ—he â—he Dukes wife of Treason for attempting by sorcery and witchcraft the death of the King and advancement of her husband to the Crown for which though acquiâ—ed of the Treason she is adjudged to open Penance namely to goe with a wax taper in her hand hoodlesse save a kerchiffe through London divers dayes together and after to remaine in perpetuall imprisonment in the Isle of Man The crime objected against her was procuring Thomas Southwell Iohn Hunne Priests Roger Bollingbrockâ— a supposed Necromancer and Margery Iourdan called the Witch of Eye in Suffolkeâ— to devise a picture of waxe in proportion of the king in such sort by sorcery that as the picture consumed so the kings body should consume for which they were all condemned the witch was burnt in Smithfield Bollingbrooke was hanged constantly affirming upon his death that neither the Dutchesse nor any other from her did ever require more of him than onely to know by his art how long the king should live Iohn Hunne had his pardon and Southwell dyed the night before he shouâ—d have been executed About this time the Countesse of Cominges being dead the king of France and the Earle of Arminiack are Competitors for the Inheritance The Earle takes possession but fearing the King of France his greatnesse makes offer of his daughter in mariage to the King of England with a large portion in money and besides to deliver full possession of all such Townes and Castles as were by him or his Ancestors detained in Aquitaine and had been formerly by the Progenitors of the King of England conquered The Ambassadors for this businesse were by King Henry graciously heard and honorably returned after whom were sent Sir Edward Hall Sir Robert Rose and others to conclude all things and the young Lady is by Proxy affianced to king Henry But the king of France not liking the proceeding of the match sendeâ—h the Dolphin with a puissant Army who tooke the Earle with his youngest sonne and both his daughters aud gained the Counties of Arminiack Louverne Rouergue Moulessenois with the Cities of Severâ—e and Cadeack chasing the Bastard of Arminiack out of â—he Country by meanes whereof the mariage was then deferred and left in suspense In this distraction of Christendome many Princes the kings of Spaine Denmark and Hungary became Mediators for a Peace between the two kings of France and England Ambassadors of both sides are sent many meetings were had many motions made but in conclusion onely a Truce for eighteen moneths is agreed upon In the meane time the Earle of Suffolk one of the Commissioners for the Peace takes upon him beyond his Commssion and without acquainting his fellowes to treat of a mariage between the king of England and a kinswoman of the king of France Neece to the French Queene daughter to Raynâ—r Duke of Anjou stiling himâ—elfe king of Sicilie and Naples In which businesse he was so intentive that it brought an aspersion upon him of being bribed but howsoever an Enterview betwixt the two kings is appointed without any warrant of king Henries part to be between Charterâ— and Roan The Commissioners returne the Earle of Suffolk sets forth the beauty of the proposed Bride and the great benefits that would redound to the kingdome by this match The king was easily induced to credit the relation but divers of the kings Councell especially the Duke of Glocester opposed it partly for the meannesse of the match her father being onely a Titular Prince and withall but poore unable to give any portion at all and partly for the wrong which should hereby be offered to the Duke of Arminiacks daughter to whom the king had been in solemne manner publickly affianced But Reasons could not prevaile against favour the Earle of Suffolks affirmation must not be undervalued And hereupon a new creation of Lords first made Iohn Beaufort Earle of Somerset made Duke of Somerset Iohn Lord Talbot made Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Holland Earle of Huntington made Duke of Exeter Humfry Earle of Stafford made Duke of Buckingham Henry 〈◊〉 Earle of Warwick made Duke of Warwick Edmund Beaufoâ—t Earle of Dorset made Marquesse Dorset and William de la Poole Earle of Suffolke made Marquesse of Suffolke this new Marquesse honorably accompanied is sent into Fraâ—ce to fetch the Lady Margaret the proposed Bride who shortly after is maried at Southwick in Hampshire and crowned Queen of England at Westminster on the 30 day of May 1444 in the three and twentieth yeare of king Henries Reigne And now in stead of benefits by this mariage there presently followed great inconveniences for first in exchange of her person the Dutchy of Anjou the City of 〈◊〉 with the whole County of Mayne the best props of the Dutchy of Normandy are agreed to be surrendred into the hands of the French and then the Duke of Arminiack to revenge the injury offred to his daughter is a meanes to expell the English â—ut of all Aquitaine At this time the Duke of Somersets spleen against the Duke of Yorke not onely is revived but is growne stronger for the Duke of Yorke who was now after the death of the Earle of Warwick made the second time Regent of France is so undermined by him through assistance of the new Marquesse of Suffolke who bore now all the sway with the King and Queen that not onely he supplanted him in his place but planted himselfe in it to the great heart-burning of the Duke of York and his friends but he wisely dissembled his anger and for the present passed it oveâ— And now is no man in grace but the new Marquesse of Suffolk all favours from the King and Queene must passe by him and the extent of his power over-râ—acheth all the Councell He gets of the King the wardship of the body and lands of the Countesse of Warwick and of the Lady Margaret sole daughter and heire of Iohn Duke of Somerset afterward mother to king Henry the seventh And now the kings weaknesse in judgement growes every day more apparent then other whil'st governed by no counsell but of his Queen and she by no counsell but her owne will and the new Marquesse of Suffolke King Henry is himself the least part of the king and serves but to countenance the devices of others whereof he little understands the drifts and which proving ill the blame must be his if well the benefit and honour others For by instigation of the Queene he suffers the Duke of Glocester for his care of the Common-wealth called the good Duke to be excluded not onely from Command but from the Counsell-Table and permits Informers sâ—t on by the Marquesse of Suffolke the Duke of Buckingham the Cardinall Bishop of
approaching neer the Queâ—ns Aâ—my he was certified by his scâ—uts that the Enemie farre exceeded his power both in number and in all warlike preparation he not having in his Army above five thousand men and thereupon the Earle of Salisbury advised him to retyâ—e and to attend the comming of the Earle of March who was gone into Wales to raise the March men but the pride of his former victory made him deale to all Counsell of declining the battell and so hastened on by his destiny from Sâ—ndâ—ll Castle he marched on to Wakefield greene where the Lord Clifford on the one side and the Earle of Wiltshire on the other were placed in ambuscado The Duke of Yorke supposing that the Duke of Somerset who led the battell had no more forces then what were with him undauntedly marcheth towards him but being entred within their danger the ambushes on both sides brake out upon him and slew him with three thousand of his men the rest fled the Earle of Salisbury is taken prisoner and harmlesse Rutland not above twelve yeers old who came thither but to see fashions is made a sacrifice for his Fathers transgression who kneeling upon his knees with tears begging life is unmercifully stabbed to the heart by the Lord Clifford in part of revenge as he swore of his Fathers death and the Queen most unwomanly in cold blood caused the Earle of Salisbury and as many as were taken prisoners to be beheaded at Pâ—mfret Castle and to have their heads placed on poles about the walls of Yorke Thus dyed Richard Plantagenet Duke of Yorke who had taken to wife Cicely daughter of Ralph Nevyll the first Earle of Westmerland by whom he had issue eight sonnes and foure daughters his eldest sonne Henry dyed young his second son Edward was afterward king of England his third Edmund Earle of Rutland was slaine with his fatherâ— Iohn Thomas and William died young his seventh sonne George was after Duke of Clarence his youngest sonne Richard sirnamed Crouchbâ—ck wâ—s after king of England Anne his eldest daughter was married to Henry Holland Duke of Exeter his second daughter Elizabeth was married to Iohn de la Pâ—ole Earle of Suffolk his third Margaret to Charles Duke of Burgoigne his fourth Vrsula dyed young This Duke being dead had his head crowned with a paper Crown together with many circumstances of disgracing him but this act of spight was fully afterwards recompensed upon their heads that did it The Earle of March hearing of his fathers death laboured now so much the more earnestly in that he laboured for himselfe and parting from Shrewsbury whose Inhabitants were most firme unto him he increased his army to the number of three and twenty thousand and presently took the field and having advertisment that Iasper Earle of Pembrooke with the Earle of Ormond and Wiltshire followed after him with a great power of Welsh and Irish he suddenly marcheth back againe and in a plaine neer Mortimers Crosse on Candlemas day in the morning gave them battell wherewith the slaughter of three thousand and eight hundred he put the Earles to flight Owen Tewther who had married Queen Catherine Mother to king Henry the sixth and divers Welsh Gentlemen were taken and at Hereford beheaded Before the battell it is said the Sunne appeared to the Earle of March like three sunnes and suddenly it joyned all together in one for which cause some imagine that he gave the sunne in its full brightnes for his badge or Cognisance The Queen in the mean time encouraged by the death of the Duke of Yorke with a power of Northern men marcheth towards London but when her souldiers were once South of Trent as if that river were the utmost limit of their good behaviour they fell to forrage the Country in most babarous manner Approaching S. Albans they were advertised that the Duke of Norfolke and the Earle of Warwick were ready to give them battell whereupon the Queens Vaward hasteth to passe through St. Albâ—â—s but being not suffered to passe they encountred with their Enemies in the field called Barnard heath who perceiving the maine battaile to stand still and not to move which was done by the treachery of Lovelace who with the kentish men had the leading of it they soone made the Southerne men to turne their backs and fâ—y upon whose flight the rest in doubt of each others well meaning shifted away and the Lords about the King perceiving the danger withdrew themselves Only the Lord Bâ—nvile comâ—ing in a complementall manner to the King and saying it grieved him to leave his Majesty but that necessity for safeguard of his life enforced itâ— was importuned and Sir Thoâ—as Kyriell a knight of Kent likewise by the king to stay he passing his Royall word that their stay should bee no danger to them upon which promise they stayed but to their cost for the Queen hearing that the Commoâ—s had beheaded Baron Thoâ—pe at High-gate â—he in revenge thereof caused both their heads to be stricken off at S. Albâ—â—s so as there were slaughtered at this battaile the full number of three and twenty hundred but no man of name but onely Sir Iohn Grey who the same day was made knight with twelve other at the village of Colney And now the King was advised to send one Thomâ—s Hoe thaâ— had been a Barrister to the Victors to tell them that he would gladly come to them if with conveyance it might be done whereupon the Earle of Northumberland appointed divers Lords to attend him to the L. Clâ—ffords Tent where the Queen and the young Prince met to their great joy but it was now observed as it were in the destiny of King Heâ—ry that although he were a most Piousman yet no enterprise of warre did ever prosper where he was present that we may know the prosperity of the world to be no inseparable companion to men of Piety At the Queens request the king honored with knighthood thirty gentlemen who the day before had fought against the part where he was the Prince likewise was by him dubbed knight and then they went to the Abby where they were received with Anthems and withall an humble petition to be protected from the outrage of the loose souldiersâ— which was promised and Proclamation made to that purpose but to small purpose for the Northern men said It was their bargaine to have all the spoyle in every place after they had passed Trent and so they robbed and spoiled whatsoever they could come at The Londâ—ners hearing of this disorder were resolved seeing there was no more assurance in the Kings promise to keep the Northern men out of their gates insomuch that when they were sent to to send over to the Campe certaine Cart-loads of Lenton provision which the Major accordingly provided the Commons rose about Cripplegate and by strong hand kept the Carts from going out of the City Hereupon the Major sends the Recorder to the Kings Counsellâ— and withall intreats
of the Duke of Clarence but that device had two maine imperfections One that the true Sonne of the Duke was forâ—h-comming and to be shewed openly for convincing the false the other that though the counterfeit had been the true yet he could have laid no claim to the Crown as long as any Daughters of King Edward the fourth were living Now therefore a device is found by which those imperfections were both of them amended for now a Counterfeit was set on foot who pretended to be Richard the younger Sonne of king Edward the fourth so that neither any other could be produced to convince him of being false nor any Daughters of King Edward could hinder his Right for claiming the Crown This device was first forged by Margaret Dutchesse of Burgundie a woman that could never be quiet in her minde as long as king Henry was quiet in his kingdome and by this device she hoped if not to put him cleane out of his seat yet foulely at least to disturbe him in it and this was the purpose of the Plâ—t but by what instrument it was acted by what abeâ—tours fomented and what issue the device had are worâ—hy all to be related The Dutchesse having formerly given out that Richard the younger Sonne of king Edward was not murthred but in compassion spared and sent secretly a way to seek his fortune and having after long search gotten at last a fit Boy to personate a Prince keeps him seretly a good time with her in which time she so throughly instructed him in all Circumstances and he afterward put them so gracefully in practice that even those who had seen and known the young Prince while he lived could hardly perceive but that this was he It is true though he were not King Edwards Sonne yet he was his Godsonne and might perhaps have in him some base blood of the house of Yorke This Perkin Warbeck for so was the youths name called Perkin as a diminutive of Peter when he so perfectly had learned his lesson that he was fit to come upon the Stage she sent him into Portingall that comming from a strange Country it might be thought he had been driven to wander from one Country to another for safeguard of his life at least that she of all other might not be suspected From Portingal she caused him to passe into Ireland where the house of Yorke was specially respected in regard of the great love which Richard Duke of Yorke Father of King Edward the fourth had wonne amongst them by reason whereof this Perkin as esteemed his Grand-childe was well entertained by them and held in great estimation He had not been long in Ireland when the French king sent for him for being at that time at variance with King Henry hee thought he might make good use of Perkin as a pretender against King Henry for the Crown Perkin being come to Paris was entertained in a Princely fashion and for his more honour had a guard assigned him over which the Lord Congreshall was Captaine He had not been long at Paris when there resorted to him Sir George Nevill bastard Sir Iohn Taylour Richard Robinson and about a hundred other English Amongst the rest one Stephen Fryon that had been King Henries Secretary for the French Tongue but discontented fled and became a chiefe Instrument in all Perkins proceedings But this float of Perkins lasted not long for as soon as Peace was concluded between the two Kings the King of France dismissed Perkin and would keep him no longer Then passed he secretly to his first foundresse the Lady Margaret who at his first comming made a shew of suspecting him to be a Counterfeit But causing him in great assemblies to be brought before her as though she had never seen him before and finding him to answer directly to all questions she put unto him she openly professed that she was now satisfied and thought him verily to be her true Nephew and thereupon assigned a guâ—rd of thirâ—y persons cloathed in Murrey and Blew and callâ—d him the White Rose of England Upon report hereof many in England were inclined to take his part and Sir Robert Clifford and Robert Bareley were sent into Flanders to acquaint the Dutchesse with the peoples respect to Perkin and indeed Sir Robert Clifford upon sight and conference with him wrote letters into England wherein he affirmed that he knew him to be true Sonne of king Edward by his face and other Lineaments of his body King Henry hearing of these things sent certaine espials into Flanders that should feigne themselves to have fled to Perkin and by that means the better search out who were of the Conspiracy with him Whose name being returned to the King he caused them â—o be apprehended and brought to his Presence the chiefe of whom were Iohn Râ—tcliffe Lord Fitzwater Sir Simon Montford and Sir Thomas Thâ—â—yâ—â— knights William Dawbeney Robert Ratcliffe Thomas Cressenor and Thomas Astwoâ—d also certaine Priests as William Richford D. of Divinity Thomas Boyns D. William Sutton William Worseley Dean of Pauls Robert Layborne and Richard Lesley of whom some hearing of it fled to Sanctuary oâ—hers were taken and condemed as Sir Simon Montford Robert Ratcliffe and William Dawbeney who were all three beheâ—ded The Lord Fitzwater pardoned of life was conveyed to Calice and there laid in hold where seeking to make escape by corrupting his Keeper hee lost his head Shortly after Sir Robert Clifford returning out oâ— Flanders not as some think sent a spye from the beginning but rather now at last either discerning the fraude or woâ— by rewards and submitted himselfe to the kings mercy discovering unto him as farre as he knew all that were either open or secret abettours of the Conspiracy amongst whom he accused Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlaine his accusation was this that in Conference between them Sir William had said that if he certainly knew that the young man named Perkin were the Sonne of king Edward the fourth he would never fight nor beare Armes against him These words being considered of by the Judges seemed to expresse a tickle hold of Loyalty for who could tell how soon he might be perswaded that he knew it and upon the matter was to be Loyall to king Henry but for want of better and withall it strook upon a string which had alwaies sounded harsh in king Henries ears as preferring the Title of Yorke before that of Lancaster Sir William being hereupon arraigned whether trusting to the greatnesse of his favours or the smalnes of his fault denied little of that wherewith he was charged and upon confession was adjudged to dye and accordingly on the sixteenth day of February was brought to the Tower-hill and there beheaded after whose death Giles Lord Dawbeny was made L. â—hamberlaine This was that Sir William Stanley who came in to rescue the Earle of Richmond when he was in danger of his life who set the Crowne upon his head and was the cause of
refusing to pay it was committed to prison where hee stayed till Empson himselfe was committed in his place By these courses hee accumulated so great store of Treasure that he left at his death most of it in secret places under his own key and keeping at Richmond as is reported the summe of neer eighteen hundred thousand pounds sterling But though by this course he got great store of Treasure yet by it he lost the best treasure the peoples hearts but that he something qualified it by his last Testament commanding that Restitution should be made of all such moneys as had unjustly been levied by his Officers It seemes king Henry after the death of his Queene the Lady Elizabeth had an inclination to marry againe and hearing of the great beauty virtue of the young Queene of Naples the widow of Ferdinando the younger he sent three confident persons Francis Marsyn Iames Braybrooke and Iohn Stile to make two inquiries one of her person and conditions the other of her Estate Who returning him answer that they found her Beauty and Virtues to be great but her Estate to be onely a certaine Pension or Exhibition and not the kingdome of Naples as he expected he then gave over any further medling in that matter After this another Treaty of Mariage was propounded to the king betweene him and the Lady Margaret Dutchesse Dowager of Savoy onely daughter to Maximilian and Sister to the king of Castile a Lady wise and of great good fame In which businesse was imployed for his first piece the kings then Chaplain and after the great Prelate Thomas Woolsey It was in the end concluded with ample conditions for the king but with promise de Futuro onely Which mariage was protracted from time to time in respect of the Infirmity of the king which held him by â—its till he dyed He left Executours Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester Richard Fitz Iames Bishop of London Thomas Bishop of Durham Iohn Bishop of Rochester Thomas Duke of Norfolk Treasurer of England Edward Earl of Worcester and Lord Chamberlaine Iohn F. knight chiefe Justice of the Kings Bench and Robert R. knight chiefe Justice of the Common Pleas. A little before his death he had concluded a marriage in which negociation Foxe Bishop of Winchester was imployed between his younger Daughter the Lady Mary of the age of ten years and Charles king of Castile not much elder but though concluded yet not solemnized and she was afterward married to Lewis the French king Of his Taxations IN his third yeer there was by Parliament granted toward the maintaining an Army in Britaine that every man should pay the tenth penny of his Goods which Tax though at first withstood in Yorkeshire and Durham yet was afterwad levied to the uttermost In his seventh yeer towards his warres in France a Benevolence was by Parliament granted by which great summes of money were collected of the richer sort only In his eleventh yeer a Subsidie of sixscore thousand pounds was granted him by Parliament towards his waâ—s with Scotland which caused afterward the insurrection in Cornwall In his nineteenth yeer a Subsidie was granted him by Parliament In his one and twentieth yeer â—e raised great summes of money from offenders against Penall Statutes the greatest but the unjustest way for raising of money that every any king of England used and not content with this he required and had at the same time a Benevolence both from the Clergie and Laity To the Clergie was imployed Richard Fox then Bishop of Winchester who assembling the Clergie before him exhorted them to be liberall in their contribution but the Clergie being of two sorts rich and poore made each of them their severall excuses The rich and such as had great livings said they were at great charges in keeping hospitality and maintaining their families and therefore desired to be spaâ—ed The poorer sort alledged that their means were small and scarce able to finde them necessaries and therefore desired to be forborne But the Bishop answered them both with a pretty Dilemma saying to the rich It is true you live at great charges in hospitality in apparell and other demonstrations of your wealth and seeing you have store to spend in such order there is no reason but for your Princes service you should do it much more and therefore you must pay To the poorer sort he said though your livings be small yet your frugality is great and you spend not in house-keeping and apparell as other doe therefore be content for you shall pay Of his Lawes and Ordinances THIS King was the first that ordained a company of tall strong men naming them Yeomen of the Guard to be attending about the person of the king to whom he appointed a Livery by which to be known and a Câ—ptaine by whom to be chosen In his time the authority of the Star-chamber which subsisted before by the Common Lawes of the Realme was confirmed in certaine cases by Act of Parliament In his time were made these excellent generall Laws One that from thenceforth sines should be finall and conclude all strangers rights Another for admission of poore suitours In forma paâ—peris without paying Fee to Counsellour Atturney or Clerke Another that no person that did assist by Armes or otherwise the King for the time being should after be Impeached therefore or Attainted either by course of the Law or by Act of Parliament and that if any such Act of Attainder did happen to be made it should be void and of none effect Another for the Benevolence to make the summes which any had agreed to pay and were not brought in to be leviable by course of Law Another that Murtherers should be burnt on the Brawn of the left hand with the letter M. and Theeves with the letter T. so that if they offended the second time they should have no mercy but â—e put to death and this to â—each also to Clearkes Convict In his fifth yeer It was ordained by Parliament that the Major of London should have Conservation of the river of Thames from the bridge of Stanes to the waters of Yendalâ— and Mâ—d-way In his seventeenth Iohn Shaw Major of London caused his brethren the Aldermen to ride from the Guild-hall to the waters-side when he went to Westminster to be presented in the Exchequer â—e also caused the kitchins and other houses of office â—o be builded at the Guild-hall where since that time the Majors feast haâ—h been kept which before had been in the Grocers or Taylours-hall In his eighteenth yeer king Henry being himselfe a brother of the Taylours Company as divers kings before had been namely Richard the third Edward the fourth Henry the sixth Henry the fifth Henry the fourth and Richard the second also of Dukes 11. Earles 28. Lords 48. he now gave to them the Name and Title of Merchant Taylours as a name of worship to endure for ever Affaires of the Church in his time IN
wrote certaine Rules of Grammar and other things printed by Richard Pinson Robert Fabian a Sheriffe of London and an Historiographer Edmund Dudley the same man whom king Henry used to take the forfeitures of Penall Statuâ—es who wrote a Booke intituled Arbor Reâ—-publicae Iohn Bockingham an excellent Schoole-man and William Blackeney a Carmelite Frier a Doctor of Divinity and a Necromancer THE REIGNE OF KING HENRY THE EIGHT KING Henry the seventh being deceased his only sonne Prince Henry Heire by his Father of the house of Lancaster and by his Mother of the house of Yorke by unquestionable right succeeded in the Crowne at the Age of eighteene yeers on the two and twentieth of Aprill in the yeere 1509. who having been trained up in the study of good letters all his Fathers timeâ— he Governed at first as a man newly come from Contemplation to Action as it were by the Bookeâ— in so regular and fair a manâ—er that as of Neroes Goverment there was said to be Quinquennium Neronis so of this Kings there might as justly be said Decennium Henrici and perhaps double so long a time comparable with so much time of any Kings Reigne that had been before him How he came to alter and to alter to such a degree of change as he did we shall then have a fit place to shew when we come to the time of his alteration King Henry having learned by Bookes that the weight of a Kingdome is too heavy to lie upon one mans shoulders if it be not supported by able Councellours made it his first care to make choice of an able Councell to which he called VVilliam VVarham Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellour of England Richard Fox Bishop of VVinchester Thomas Howard Earle of Surry and Treasurer of England George Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury and Lord Steward of his Houshold Charles Summerset Lord Chamberlaine Sir Lovellâ— Sir Henry VVyat Doctor Thomas Ruthall and Sir Edward Poynings by advise of these Councellours his first Act after the care of his Fathers Funerall was the care to performe his Fathers Will in marrying the Lady Katherine of Spaine the Relict of his Brother Prince Arthur to which perhaps but in respect of filiall pierie he had not the greatest devotion and for relinquishing whereof he might no doubt more easily have obtained a Despensation from the Pope then his Father had done for getting it to be allowed but obsequiousnesse to his Fathers desire and respect to his Councels advice so far prevailed with him that he would not be Crowned till that were performed that one Coronation might serve them both and so on the third day of Iune following he married the said Lady at the Bishop of Salisburies house in Fleetstreet where of many great solemnities I will remember but this one that though the Bride were a Widdow yet to shew she was a Virgin Widdow she was attired all in white and had the haire of her head hanging-downe behinde at the full length and then having made in the Tower four and twenty Knights of the Bath two dayes after being Midsomer day he was Crowned at Westminster together with his Queene by the hands of VVilliam VVarham Archbishop of Canterbury with all Circumstances of State in such cases usuall and then all the Nobility Spirituall and Temporall did him Homage and the people being asked whether they would receive him for their King they all with one voice cryed yea yea This done his next Act was another part of performing his fathers Will which was to proclaime Pardons for all offences Treason Murder and Felonie only excepted and to have restitution made of all goods unjustly taken from any and because the Instruments of such injustice are alwayes most odious and nothing gives the people so much contentment as to see their Persecutours punished he therefore caused Empson and Dudley the two chiefe Actours of the late unjust proceedings to be committed to the Tower and divers of their inferiour Agents called Promoters as Canby Page Smith Derby Wright Simpson and Stockton to be set on the Pillory in Cornhill with papers on their heads and then to ride through the City with their faces to the horse tailes with the shame whereof within seven dayes after they all died in Newgate Shortly after a Parliament was called whereof Sir Thomas Ingleby was chosen Speaker and therein Empson and Dudley were attainted of High Treason and after arraigned Edmund Dudley in the Guildhall on the seventeenth of Iuly and Sir Richard Empson at Northampton in October following and on the seventeenth of August the yeere following they were both of them beheaded on the Tower Hill and their Bodies and Heads buried the one at the White Fryers the other at the Black On Midsomer Eave at night King Henry came privily into VVestchester cloathed in one of the Coats of his Guard to behold the same and this first yeer King Henry spent in Justs and Maskes which were almost perpetuall performed with great Magnificence alwayes and sometimes with great Acts of Valour on the Kings part specially In February the same yeer Embassadours came from the Kings Father in law the King of Aragon requiring Ayde against the Moores in which service the Lord Thomas Darcy a Knight of the Garter making suite to be imployd he was sent thither and with him the Lord Anthony Gray brother to the Marquesse Dorset Henry Guilford Wolstan Browne and William Sidney Esquires of the Kings House Sir Constableâ— Sir Roger Hastings Sir Ralph Elderton and others who on the Mundâ—y in the Rogation Weeke departed out of Plimotâ— Haven with four ships Royall and on the first of Iune arrived at the Port of Cadis in south Spaine of whose comming the King of Aragon hearingâ— sent to bid them welcome but advertising them withall that he had now by reason of new troubles with France taken truce with the Moores and therefore they might returne againe into their owne Country to whom yet he allowed wages for all his souldiers Wâ—ereupon the Lord Darcy and all his men went aboord their ships but Henry Guilford Wolâ—tan Brâ—wne and William Sidney desirous to see the Court of Spaine went thither and were honourably entertained Henry Guilford and Wolstan Browne were made Knights by the King who gave to Sir Henry Guilâ—ord a Canton of Granado and to Sir Wolstan Browne an Eagle of Sicily on a Chiefe to the augmentation of their Armes William Sidney so excused himselfe that he was not made Knight After this they returned to their ships and their ships into England During the time that the Lord Darcy was in Spain the Lady Margaret Dutchesse of Saâ—oy Daughter unto Maximilian the Emperour and Governesse of Flandeâ—s and other the Low-countryes pertaining to Charles the young Prince of Caâ—tile sent to King Henry for fifteen hundred Archers to aid her against the Duke of Gelders which the King granted and thereupon Sir Edward Poynings Knight of the Garter and Comptroller of the Kings House appointed to goe
to come on land was to have disswaded the King from any Enterview with the French King but when he saw him â—o forward in that jourâ—ey he then onely endeavoured to perswadâ— him that he should put no trust in the French Kings words and with great guiâ—ts and promises prevailed with the Cardinall to joyne with him in this perswasion The last of May the Emperour tooke his leave and the same day the King made saile from Dover and landed at Callice together with the Queen and many Lords and Ladies The fourth of Iune the King and Queen removed from Callice to his Princely lodging beside the Towne of Guysnes the most Royall Building that was eâ—er seene likewise Francis the French King had his lodging prepared close to the Towne of Ard in a strange but most magnificent fashion Both Kings had given authority and power to the Cardinall to affirme and confirme â—o bind or unbind whatsoever should be in difference betweene them no lesse an honour to the Cardinall then a confidence in the Kings On Thursday the seavenâ—h of Iune the Kings met in the vale of Andren so magnificently attired both themselves and all their followers that from thence it was called â—he campe of cloath of Gold Heere they spent that day in loving complements and at night departed the one to Guysnes the other to Ard. On Satureday the ninth of Iune were set up in a place within the English pale two Trees of honour with stately roomes and stages for the Queens and thither the two Kings came most Royally accompanâ—ed wherein most magnificent manner they performed Acts of valour both on fooâ—e and horseback and after them all the great Lords both of France and England did the like this solemnity of Justs and Maskes was continued to the foure and twentieth day of Iune at which time the Kings and Queenes tooke leave of each other the French King and Qâ—eene removed to Ard the King and Queene of England to Callice where he remained till the tenth of Iuly and then ridings â—oward Graveling was by the way met by the Emperour and by him conducted thithet and there in most royall manner enteâ—tained whereof when the French King heard he began from that day forward to have King Henry in a kinde of jelousie as though to love him and the Emperour both were inconsistent and could not stand together On Wednesday the eleventh of Iuly the Emperor and his Aunt the Lady Margaret Dutchesse of Savoy came with the King of England to the town of Callice and there continued with Feasting Dancing and Masking till the fourteenth of Iuly In which time all the Articles of the league tripartito betweene the Emperour and the Kings of England and France were reviewed to which the King of France had so fully condiscended that he had sent Monsieur de Roche to the Emperor with Letâ—ers of credence that in the word of a Prince he would inviolably observe and keepe them all all which notwithstanding he dispenced with his conscience afterward in breaking them all On Saturday Iuly 14. the Emperor tooke his leave and went to Graveling the King with his Queene returned into England It was now the twelfth yeer of King Henries reigne when being returned from Callice he kept his Christmas at Greenwich with great magnificence on twelfth day he and the Earl of Devonshire maintained a solemn Justs against al commers The Cardinal had long born a grudg against the Duke of Buckingham for speaking certain words in his disgrace and now hath made his way for reveng for the Earl of Surrey Lord Admirall who had maried the Dukes daughter the Cardinall had caused to be sent Deputy into Ireland and the Earle of Northumberland the Dukes speciall friend he had caused upon certain suggested crimes to be Imprisoned so as the Duke having his friends sequestred from him he lay now open to accusations and accusations shall not long be wanting for the Duke having some time before put from him in displeasure one Charles Knevet that had been his Surveyar and inward with him him the Cardinall gets to him to see what he could get out of him against the Duke And whether it was out of desire of revenge or out of hope of reward or that the matter was so indeed this Knevet confessed to the Cardinall that the Duke had once fully determined to make away the King being brought into a hope to be King himselfe by a vaine Prophesie which one Nicholas Hopkins a Monke of an house of the Chartnar Order besides Bristow called Henton somtimes his Confessor had opened to him and as for the Cardinall that he had often heard the Duke sweare he would punish him soundly for his manifold misdoings And now had the Cardinall matter enough for Accusation which he so aggravated to the King that the King bid him do with him according to Law Hereupon the Duke is apprehended and brought to the Tower by Sir Henry Marney Captain of the Guard the fifteenth of April and shortly after in Guild-hal before Sir Iohn Brugge then Lord Major was indited of divers points of High-treason the substance whereof was that in the second yeer of the Kings reign and at divers times before and after he had imagined and compassed the Kings death at London and at Thornbery in Glocestershiâ—e and that in the sixth yeer of the Kings reign he went in person to the Priory of Henton and there had conference with the foresaid Nicholas Hopkins who told him he should be King and that he had often said to the Lord Aburgayne who had maried his daughter that if King Henry died without issue he would look to have the Crown himself Vpon these points hee was arraigned in Westminster-hall before the Duke of Norfolk sitting then as high Steward of Englaâ—d the Duke of Suffolk the Marquesse Dorset the Earls of VVorcester Devonshire Essex Shrewsbury Kent Oxford and Darby the Lords of Saint Iohns de la ware Fitz-water Willoughby Brook Cobhaâ— Herbert Morley The Duke pleaded for himself til he swet again but al booted â—ot for by these Peeres he was found guilty and condemned and so on Friday the seventeenth of May was led by Iohn Keyme and Iohn Skevington Sheriffes of London to the scaffold on Tower-hill and there beheaded The Augustine Friers took his body and head and buried them This Edward Bohun Duke of Buckingham was the last high Constable of England the greatest place next the high Steward in the kingdome whose Power extended to restrain some actions of the King He was also Earl of Hereford Stafford and Northampton he maried Elianor the daughter of Henry Earle of Northumberland and had issue Henry Lord Stafford Father to Henry Lord Stafford laâ—e living and three daughters Elizabeth maried to Thomas Hâ—ward Earl of Surrey Katherine maried to Ralph Nevil Earl of Wesâ—merland and Mary maried to George Nevill Lord of Abuâ—gaâ—enie In this meane while a new Warre was begun between the Emperour and
Margaret Dutchesse of Savoy aunt to the Emperour and the Lady Loyis Dutchesse of Angoulesme Mother to the French King met at Cambray to treat of a Peace between the Emperor the Pope and the Kings of England and France where were present Doctor Tunstall Bishop of London and Sir Thomas Moore then Chancelour of the Dutchie of Lancaster Commissioners for the King of England after long debating through the diligence of the said Ladies a Peace was concluded and was thereof called The Womans Peace and was indeed as fickle as women for it was soone broken and neither of the Princes trusted the other ere the more for it King Henry before this time had beene wholly ruled by the Cardinall and by the Clergie but now growing sensible of that errour he called his high Courâ— of Parliament in which the Commons complained sharply of their grievances against the Clergie specially in six things The first for that they exacted unreasonable summes of money as due fees for the probate of mens last Wils and Testaments in so much that Sir Henry Guildford Knight of the Garter and Comptroller of the Kings House declared openly that he and others being Executers to Sir William Compton payed for the proâ—ate of his Will to the Cardinall and the Archbishop of Canterbury a thousand markes The second the extreame exaction which spirituall men used in taking of corps or mortuaries The third that spirituall men became Farmours of great Granges and Farmes to the prejudice of Husbandmen and Graziers The fourth because many Abbots Pryors and other spirituall men kept Tan-houses and bought and sold wooll cloath and other wares as temporall Merchants The fifth because such Clergy men as had the best livings would take the uttermost of their right and yet live in the Court or in Noble mens or Bishops houses where they spent nothing The sixth because diverse ignorant men amongst them held ten or twelve Benifices to themselves severally and yet lived not upon any one of them but kept great schollers at small pension These things before this time might not be touched because the Bishops were Chancelours and had all the rule about the King but now the King looking better into â—he matter gave way to these complaints whereupon the Burgesses drew up three Bils one of the probate of Testaments another for Mortuaries and the third for Non-residence pluralities and taking of farmes by spirituall men The bill of Mortuaries passed first the House of Commons and was sent up to the Lords within two dayes after was sent up the Bill of probate of Testaments at which the Archbishop of Canterbury and aâ—l the Bishops much frowned but specially Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester who rose up and said my Lords you see what Bills come dayly from the Common House and all is to the destruction of the Church for Gods sake consider what a realme Bohemia was and when the Church went downe then fell the glory of that Kingdome Now with our Commons is nothing but downe with the Church and all this mee seemeth is for lacke of faith onely When these words were reported to the House of Commons they tooke the matter very hainously and thereupon sent their spâ—aker Thomas Audeley with thirty of the House to the King complayning what a dishonour to the King and to the whole Realme it was to say that they which were elected for the wisest men of all Shires should be charged to lack faith which was all one as to say they were Infidels and no Chrystians so as what Acts or Laws soever they made should be taken as Laws made by Paynims and Heathen and not worthy to be kept by Christian men And therfore humbly besought his Majesty to call the said Bishop of Rochester before him to give accompt of the words he had spoken Wherupon within few daies after the King sent for the Bishop and acquainted him with the Commons complaint against him who excused himselfe by saying he meant the doings of the Bohemians was for lack of faith and not the doings of the House of Commons of which excuse the King sent word to the House by Sir William Fitz-Williams Treasurer of his houshold but it pleased the Commons nothing at all After divers meetings between the Lords and the Commons about the Bils of probate of Testaments and Mortuaries the temporalty laid to the spiritualty their owne lawes and constitutions and the spiritualty defended them by prescription and usage to whom a Gentleman of Grays-Inne made this answer the usage hath ever been of theeves to robbe on shooters hill is it therefore lawfull whilst these Bils were in debate an Act was passed which released to the King all such summes of money as he had borrowed at the Loane in the fifteenth yeere of his Reigne which Bill at first was much opposed but the most part of the House being the Kings servants it was at last assented to which once knowne in the Country abroad made much murmering and the Parliament to be ill spoken of for every man counted it as a sure debt so as some made their Wils of the money and some turned it over in satisfaction to their creditours To qualifie which grievance the King granted a generall pardon for all offences certaine excepted and was a meanes also to have the three Bils passed one for probate of Testaments another for Mortuaries and the third against plurality of Benefices Non-residence buying and taking of farmes by spiritual persons though this last with some qualifying During this Parliament the King created Viscount Rochford Earl of VViltshire the Vicount Fitz-VVater Earle of Sussex and the Lord Hastings Earl of Huntington By this time the Lords of the upper House had drawne certaine Articles against the Cardinall and sent them downe to the House of Commons the chiefe wherof were these First that without the Kings assent he hath procured himselfe to be made a Legat by reason whereof he tooke away the right of all Bishops and spirituall persons Secondly that in all his writings which he wrote to Rome or to any foraign Prince he wrote Ego et Rex meus I and my King so preferring himselfe before the King Thirdly that without the Kings assent hee carried the great Seale of England with him into Flanders Fourthly that having the French-pox he presumed to come and breath upon the King Fifthly that he caused the Cardinals-hat to be put upon the Kings Coyne Sixthly that he would not suffer the Kings Clerke of the Market to sit at Saint Albanes Seventhly that he had sent infinite store of treasure to Rome for purchasing of his dignity These Articles were read in the House and if not otherwise proved yet confessed afterward under the Cardinals owne hand which added to the former Praemunire all his Lands and goods were seized on to the Kings use This Parliament being ended the King removed to Greenwich and there kept his Christmas with his Queene Katherine in great state for though this
but neither yet was there an end of Commotions for in the latter end of this eight and twentieth yeer the Lord Darcy the Lord Hussey Sir Robert Constable Sir Iohn Bulmer and his wife Sir Thomas Percy brother to the Earl of Northumberland Sir Stephen Hamilton Nicholas Tempest Esquire and others began to conspire although each of them before had been pardoned by the King but this as being but the fagge end of Commotion was soon suppressed the Lord Darcy was beheaded on the Tower-hill the Lord Hussey at Lincolâ—e Sir Robert Câ—nstable was hanged in cheins at Hull Sir Iohn Balmers Paramout was burnt in Smithfield and most of the other were executed at Tyburne Tantae molis erat so great a matter it wasâ— to make the Realme be quiet in so great innovations of Religion This yeer on Saint Georges-feast the Lord Cromwell was made Knight of the Garter and on the twelfth of October which is Saint Edwards-eveâ— at Haâ—ton-Court the Queen was delivered of a sonne but with so hard a labour that she was faine to be ript the child was named Edward whose Godfathers at the Christning were the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Norfolke his Godmother was his sister the Lady Mary at his Bishoping his Godfather was the Duke of Suffolk on the eighteenth of October he was made Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester but the birth of his sonne brought not so much joy to the King as the death of his Queene brought him sorrow for within two dayes after she died and was buried at Winsor and â—o much was the Kings grief for her death that he continued a widdawer two yeeres after It is not unworthy the relating what a miserable dissolation befell the family of the Geraldynes or Fitz-Garrets Earle of Kildare in Ireland about this time for Gerald Fitz-Garret who had been ten yeers Deputy in Ireland upon complaint of some fault was sent for over into England where not making a satisfying answer he was committed to the Tower but before his commiâ—g over had with the Kings leave left Deputy there his own sonne a Young-man of not above twenty yeers of age but yet ripe of understanding and fit for the plaâ—e this young Lord hearing that his father was committed prisoner to the Tower and soon after as the rumour encreased that he was put to death in rage to be revenged rose up in Armes and having five Unckles in the Couâ—try men of great estimatioâ— drew them though some of them unwillingly to take his part amongst other outrages he committed the Archbishop of Dublin was slaine in his presenceâ— the Father in the Tower hearing hereof with very griefe died the Sonne and his Uncles upon the Kings sending aâ— Army were all either taken or submitted and being sent for over into England those of his Unckles that against their wils had been drawn into the Action had good hope of their lives till entring the ship of passage which was called the Cow they then presently dispaired because of a Prophesie that five sonnes of a certaine Earl should be carried into England in the belly of a Cowe and never after return and indeed it fell out true for through the malice of their adversaries exasperating the King against them and saying there would never be quietnes in Ireland as long as any of the Geraldines were left alive they were all put to death one onely sonne of the family remained a youth of thirteene yeers of age who though at that time sick of the smal-pox yet made shift to save himselfe by flight fled first into France and frighted from thence afterwards into Flanders and driven from thence at last into Italy where prâ—oected by Reginâ—ld Poole ar that time made Cardinall by Pope Iulie the third he was afterward by this meaneâ— restored to his dignity and his patrimony This yeere Edward Seymour Viscount Beauchamp the Queens brother was created Earl of Hartford and Sir VVilliam Fitz-VVilliams Lord Admirall was created Earl of Southamton Master Paulet was made Vice Treasurer Sir Iohn Russell was made Controller of the Kings House and diverse Gentlemen were made Knights In February diverse Roodes were taken downe by the Kings commandement as the Roode of Boxeley called the Rood of grace which was made with vices to move the eyes and lips also the Rood called Saint Saviour at Bermondsey Abbey in Southwarke aâ—d diverse others in May a Frier Observant called Frier Forrest who had taken the oath of Supremacy himselfe yet privately perswaded others that the King was not supreme head of the Church was thereupon examined and for his defence said that he took the oath with his outward man but his inward man never consented to it but this answer served not his turn from being condemned and on a paire of Gallowes prepared for him in Smithâ—â—eld he was hanged by the middle and arme-holes all quick and under the Gallowes was made a fire wherewith he was consumed a little before his executioâ— a huge great Image was brought to the Gallowes fetched out of Wales which the Welch-men had in great reverence called Darvell Gatheren of which there went a Prophesie that thiâ— Image should set a whole Forrest on fire which was thought to take effect in â—erring this Frier Forrest on fire and consuming him to nothing In September by the speciall motion of the Lord Cromwell all the notable Images unto which were made any speciall Pilgrimages and offerings were taken downe and burnt as the Images of Walsingham Ipswicâ— VVorcester the Lady of VVilsdon with many other and forthwith by meanes of the said Cromwell all the orders of Friers and Nunnes with theirs Cloysters and Houses were suppressed and put downe also the shrines of counterfeit Saints amongst others the shrine of Thomas Becket in the Priory of Christ-church was taken to the Kings use and his bones scull and all which was there found with a peece â—roken out by the wound of his death were all burnt in the same Church by command of the Lord Cromwell and the one and twentieth of October the Church of Thomas Becket in London called the Hospitall of Saint Thomas of Acres was suppressed the sixteenth of November the Black-friers in London was suppressed the next day the VVhite-friers the Gray-friers and the Monkes of the Charter-house and so all the other immediately after 〈◊〉 three Abbots resisted the Abbot of Colechester the Abboâ— of Reding and the Abbot of Glastenbury who therefore were all taken and executed The foure and twentieth of November the Bishop of Rochester Preached at Pauls-crosse and there shewed the blood of Hales affirming it to be no blood but honey clarified and coloured with saâ—â—ron as it had been evidently proved before the King and Councell The number of Monasteries suppressed were six hundred forty five besides fourescore and ten Colledges one hundred and ten Hospitals and of Chantries and free Chappels two thousand three hundred seventy foure But now to make amends
for the suppressing of so many Monasteries the King instituted certaine new Bishoprickes as at VVestminster Oxford Peterborough Bristow Chester and Gloster and assigned certaine Canons and Prebends to each of them The third of November Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exceter and Earle of Devonshire Henry Poole Lord Montacute Sir Nicholas Carew of Bedington Knight of the Garter and Master of the Kings Horse and Sir Edward Nevill brother to the Lord of Aburgeiney were sent to the Tower being accused by Sir Geoffry Poole the Lord Montacutes brother of high treason theâ— were indiâ—ed for devising to promote and advance one Reinold Poole to the Crowne and put downe King Henry This Poole was a neere kinsman of the Kings being the sonne of the Lady Margaret Countesse of Salisbury daughter and heire to George Duke of Clarence he had been brought up by the King in learning and made Deane of Excetur but being sent after to learne experience by travaile he grew so great a friend of the Popes that he became an enemy to King Henry and for his enmity to the King was by Pope Iulius the third made Cardinall for this mans cause the Lords aforesaid being condemned were all executed the Lord Marquis the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neâ—ill beheaded on the Tower-hill the ninth of Ianuary Sir Nicholas Carew the third of March two Priests condemned with them were hanged at Tyburn Sir Ieoffry Poole though condemned also yet had his pardon About thiâ— time one Nicholson alias Lambert being accused for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament appealed to the King and the King was coâ—tent to heare him whereupon a Thronâ— was set up in the Hall of the Kings Pallace at Westminster for the King to siâ— and when tâ—e Bishops had urged their arguments and could not prevaile then the King tooke him in hand hoping perhaps to have the honour of conâ—erting an Hereticke when the Bishops could not doe it and withall promised him pardon if he would recant but all would not doe Nicholsoâ— remained obstinâ—te the King mist his honor the delinquent mist his pardon and shortly after was drawne to Smithfield and there burnt About this time King Henry being informed that the Pope by instigation of Cardinall Poole had earnestly moved divers great Princes to invade England He as a provident Prince endeaâ—oured aâ—â—arnâ—stly to provide â—or defence aâ—d to that end rode himselfe to the Sâ—a-coast◠〈◊〉 them fortifiâ—â— and in needfull places Bulwarkes to be erected Hee câ—used hiâ— Naâ—â—eâ—â— be rigged and to be in readinesse at any short warning he câ—â—sed Musters â—â— be raken in all sheeâ—es and lists of all able men in eâ—ery Countâ— in Lâ—â—â—don specially where Sir William Forman the â—hen Mâ—jor â—â—â—â—ified the number of fifteene thousand not that they were 〈…〉 but that so many were ready prepared and these on the eight of May the King himselfe saw Mustered in Iames Parke where the Citizeâ—s â—â—â—ove in such sort to exceed each other in bravary of armes and forwardnesse of service aâ— if the City had bin a Campe and they not men of the gownâ— but all profest Souldiers which they performed to their great cost but greater comendâ—â—ion It was now the one and thirtieth yeere of King Henriâ—s reigne and the nine and fortieth of his age when having continued a widdower two yeere he began to thinke of marrying againe and bee needed not be a suiâ—our for a wife for he was sued unto take one The Emperour sollicited him to marry the Dutchesse of Milan but to marry her he must first obtaine a Licence from the Pope and King Henry was resolved rather to have no wife then to have any more to doe with the Pope Then the Duke of Cleve made suit unto him to marry the Lady Anne hiâ— Sister and hee was a Protestant Prince and so though differing in points of Doctrine yet in the maine Point of excluding â—he Pope both of one minâ—e Many about the King were forward for thiâ— Maâ—ch but the Lord Croâ—well specially and indeed it concerned him more then any other that the King should take a Protestant wife seeing 〈◊〉 actions hâ—d beene such as none but â— Protestant Queene would ever like and if the Queene should not like them the King though done by his leave would â—ot like them long Hereupon such meanes was used that Embâ—ssaâ—ours came from the Duke of Cleve to conclude the March and theâ— the elevâ—nth of December the Lady her selfe in grâ—at state was brought first to Callice and then over to Dover and being come to Rochester the King secretly came to see her afterward she was conducted to London meâ— by the way in severall places by all the great Lords and Ladies of the Kingdome The third of Ianuary she was received into London by Sir William Hollice then Lord Major with Orationâ— Pageants anâ— all complements of Staâ—e the greatest that ever had beene seene On Twelfth day the Marriage was â—olemnized the Archbishop of Canterbury did the office the Earle of Oversteine a German Lord gaâ—e her In Aprill following the Lord Cromwell as though he had won the Kings heart for ever by making this march was made Earle of Essex for in March before Henry Rourchieâ— Earle of Essexâ— and the ancientest Earle of England had broken his necke by seeking to breake a yong Horse leaving onely one Daughter and the dying without issue the Earldome came to the Family of Devereux which yet enjoyed not the honour till afterward in Queene Elizabeths time and then made but not restored The ninth of March the King created Sir William Paulet Treasurour of his House Lord Saint Iohn Sir Iohn Russell Controlour Lord Russell and shortly after Sir William Par was created Lord Par. The eight and twentieth of April began a Parliament at Westminster in the which Margaret Countesse of Salisbury Gertrude wife to the Marquesse of Exceter Reynold Poole Cardinall broâ—her to the Lord Montacute Sir Adrian Foskew Thomas Dingley Knight of Saint Iohns and divers others were attainâ—ed of high treason of whom Foskew and Dingley the tenth of Iuly were beheaded the Countesse of Salisbury two yeeres after and in this Parliament the Act of the six Articles was established and Sir Nicholas Hare was restored to his place of Speaker in the Parliament It was now five moneths after the Kings marriage with the Lady Anne of Cleve and though the King at the first sight of the Lady did not like her person yet whether as respecting the honour of Ladies he would not disgrace her at the first meeting or whether he ment to try how time might worke him to a better liking or indeed that he would not give distaste to the German Princes at that time for sole ends he had a working he dissembled the matter and all things went on in a shew of contentment on all hands But for all these shewes the crafty Bishop of London Stephen Gardiner finding how the world went with the Kings affection towards his
Mary the Kings eldest sister To his offer of aide answer was made that the Kings warres were ended and touching the marriage with the Lady Mary â—hat the King was in speech for her marriage with the Infanta of Portugall which if it succeeded not he should then be favourably heard Upon this the Emperours Embassadour demanded of the King that the Lady Mary might have free exercise of the Masse which the King not onely constantly denied but thereupon Sermons were exercised at Court and order taken that no man should have any Benefice from the King but first he should Preach before him and shortly after under pretence of preparing for Sea-matters five thouâ—and pounds were sent to relieve Protestants beyond the Seas At this time also an Embassadour came from Gustanuâ— King of Sweden to enter league with the King for entercourse of Merchants and charge was then also given that the Lawes of England should be administred in Ireland About this time the Queene Dowager of Scotland going from France to her Countrey passed thorow England having first obtained a safe Conduct she arrived at Portesmouth and was there met by divers of the English Nobility conducted to London she was lodged in the Bishops-Pallace after four dayes staying having beene feasted by the King at Whitehall she departed being waited on by the Sheriffes of Counries to the borders of Scotland And now was one Steward a Scot apprehended in England and imprisoned in the Tower for intending to poyson the yong Queene of Scots whom the King delivered to the French King upon the frontiers of Callice to be by him justiced at his pleasure At â—his time certaine Ships were appointed by the Emperour to transport the Lady Mary either by violence or by stelth out of England to Antwerpe whereupon Sir Iohn Gates was sent with Forces into Essex where the Lady lay and besides the Duke of Somerset was sent with two hundred men the Lord Privie Seale with other two hundred and Master Sentleger with foure hundred more to severall coasts upon the Sea and the Lord Chancellour and Secretary Peter were sent to the Lady Mary who after some conference brought her to the Lord Chancellours house at Lyee in Essex and from thence to the King at Westminster Here the Councell declared unto her how long the King had permitted her the use of the Masse and considering her obstinacy was resolved now no longer to permit it unlesse she would put him in hope of some conformity in short time To which she answered that her soule was Gods and touching her faith as she could not change so she would not dissemble it Reply was made that the King intended not to constraine her faith but to restrain the outward profession of it in regard of the danger the example might draw After some like enterchange of speeches the Lady was appointed to remain with the King when there arived an Embassadour from the Emperor with a threatning message of warre in case his cousin the Lady Mary should be denied the free exercise of the Masse hereupon the King presently advised with the Archbishop of Canterbury and with the Bishop of London and Rochester who gave their opinion that to give licence to sin was sin but to connive at sinne might be â—llowed so it were not too long nor without hope of reformation then answere was given to the Embassadour that the King would send to the Emperour within a month or two and give him such satisfaction as should be fit And now the King being uncertaine of the faith both of his Subjects and of his Confederates intended by alliance to strengthen himselfe and thereupon sent one Bartwicke to the King of Denmarke with private instructions to treat of a mariage betweene the Lady Elizabeth the Kings youngest sister and the King of Denmarks eldest son but when it came to the point this Lady could not be induced to entertaine mariage with any After this the Marquesse of Northampton was sent Embassadour to the French King as well to present him with the Order of the Garter as to treat with him of other secret affaires with him were joyned in Commission the Bishop of Elye Sir Philip Hobbie Sir William Pickering Sir Iohn Mason and Master Smith Secritary of State also the Earle of Worcester Rutland and Ormond were appointed to accompany them as likewise the Lords Lisle Fitzwater Bray Aburgavenie and Evers with other Knights and Gentlemen of note to the number of six and twenty and for avoiding of immoderate traine order was given that every Earle should have but foure attendants every Baron but three every Knight and Gentlemâ—n but two onely the Commissioners were not limited to any number Being come to the Court of France they were forthwith brought to the King being then in his Bedchamber to whom the Marquesse presented the Order of the Garter wherewith he was presently invested then the Bishop of Elye in a short Speech declared how the King of England out of his love and desire of amitye had sent this Order to his Majestie desiring with all that some persons might be authorized to treat with them about some other mâ—tters of importance whereupon a Commission went forth to the Cardinall of Lorraigne Chastillion the Constable the Duke of Guysae and others At the first the English demanded that the yong Queene of Scots might be sâ—nt into England for perfecting of marriage betweene King Edward and her But to this the French answered That conclusion had beene made long before for her marriage with the Dolphin of France Then the English proposed a marriage betweene King Edward and the Lady Elizaâ—eth the French Kings eldest daughter to this the French did cheerfully incline but when they came to talke of Portion the English demanded at first fifteen hundred thousand crownes then fell to foureteene and aâ— last to eight hundred thousand the French offered at first one hundred thousand crownes then rose to two hundred thousand and higher they would not be drawne saying it was more then ever had bin given with a daughâ—er of France Shortly after Monsieur the Marshall and other Commissioners were sent by the French King to deliver to the King of England the Order of Saint Michael and then was further treaty about the marriage and because the French could be sâ—rued no higher then two hundred thousand crownes it was at last accepted and the agreement was reduced into writing and delivered under Seale on both sides And now King Edward supposing his state to be most safe when indeed it was most unsure in testimoâ—y both of his joy and love advanced many to new titles of honouâ— the Lord Marquesse Dorset who had maried the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon was created Duke of Suffolke the Earle of Warwicke Duke of Northumberland the Earle of Wiltshire was created Marquesse of Winchester Sir William Herbert Lord of Cardisse and Master of the Horse was created Earle of Pembrooke also William Cecill the Kings
of Scotland sent for aid to the Queen of England But this was matter for consultation It seemed a bad Example for a Prince to give aid to the rebellious Subjects of another Prince On the other side it seemed no lesse then impiety not to give Ayd to the Protestants of the same Religion but most of all it seemed plain madnesse to suffer adversaries to be so neer neighbours and to let the French nestle in Scotland who pretend Title to England upon such like considerations it was resolved to send them Ayd and thereupon an Army of six thousand Foot and twelve hundred Horse was sent under the Command of the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Grey of Wilton his Lievtenant Generall Sir Iames a Crofts Assistant to him the Lord Scroop L. Marshall Sir George Howard Generall of the men at Arms Sir Henry Percy Generall of the Light-horse Thomas Huggens Provost Marshall Thomas Gower Master of the Ordnance Master William Pelham Captain of the Pyoners and Master Edward Randoll Serjeant Major and divers others These coming into Scotland joyned with the Scotish Lords and set down before Leith where passed many small skirmishes many Batteries and sometimes Assaults to whom after some time a new supply came of above two thousand Foot whereof were Captains Sir Andrew Corbet Sir Rowland Stanley Sir Thomas Hesbith Sir Arthur Manwaring Sir Lawrence Smith and others yet with this new supply there was little more done then before many light skirmishes many Batteries and sometimes Assaults so long till at last the young French King finding these broyls of Scotland to be too furious for him to appease he sent to the Queen of England desiring that Commissioners might be sent to reconcile these differences whereupon were dispatched into Scotland Sir William Cecill her principall Secretary with Doctor Wotton Dean of Canterbury who concluded a Peace between England and France upon these Conditions That neither the King of France nor the Queen of Scotland should thenceforth use the Arms or Titles of England or Ireland And that both the English and the French should depart out of Scotland And a generall pardon should be enacted by Parliament for all such as had been actors in those stirs This Peace was scarce concluded when Francis the young King of France died leaving the Crown to his younger brother Charles who was guided altogether by the Queen-Mother and molested with the Civill dissentions between the Princes of Guise and Conde for whose reconcilement the Queen sent Sir Henry Sidney Lord President of VVales and shortly after an Army under the leading of the Lord Ambrose Dudley Earl of VVarwick who arriving at Newhaven was received into the Town which having kept eleven months he was then constrayned by reason of a Pestilence to surrender again upon Composition and so returned About this time when the Parliament was upon dissolving it was agreed upon by the House of Commons to move the Queen to marry that she might have Issue to succeed her to which purpose Thomas Gargrave Speaker of the House with some few other chosen men had accesse to the Queen who humbly made the motion to her as a thing which the Kingdom infinitely desired seeing they could never hope to have a better Prince then out of her loyns Whereunto the Queen answered in effect thus That she was already marryed namely To the Kingdom of England and behold saith she the Pledge of the Covenant with my husband and therewith she held out her finger and shewed the Ring wherewith at the time of her Coronation she gave her self in Wedlock to the Kingdom and if saith she I keep my self to this husband and take no other yet I doubt not but God will send you as good Kings as if they were born of me forasmuch as we see by dayly experience That the Issue of the best Princes do often degenerate And for my self it shall be sufficient that a Marble stone declare That a Queen having Raigned such a time lived and dyed a Virgin Indeed before this time many Matches had been offered her First King Philip and when he was out of hope of matching with her himself he then dealt with the Emperor Ferdinand his Unkle to commend his younger Son Charles Duke of Austria to her for a husband And when this succeeded not then Iohn Duke of Finland second Son to Gustavus King of Sweden was sent by his father to solicite for his eldest Brother Erricusâ— who was honourably received but the Match rejected Then Adolphus Duke of Holst Unkle to Frederick King of Denmark came into England upon a great hope of speeding but the Queen bestowed upon him the Honour of the Garter and a yeerly Pension but not her self Then Iames Earl of Arran was commended to her by the Protestants of Scotland but neither the man nor the motion was accepted Of meaner Fortunes there were some at home that pleased themselves with hope of her Marriage First Sir William Pickering a Gentleman of a good House and a good Estate but that which most commended him was his studiousnesse of good letters and sweet demeanour Then Henry Earl of Arundel exceeding rich but now in his declining age Then Robert Dudley youngest son of the Duke of Northumberland of an excellent feature of face and now in the flower of his age but these might please themselves with their own conceit but were not considerable in her apprehension they might receive from her good Testimonies of her Princely favour but never Pledges of Nuptiall love About this time the Earl of Feria who had married the daughter of Sir William Dormer being denyed leave of the Queen for some of his wives friends to live out of England grew so incensed that he made means to Pius the fourth then Pope to have her excommunicate as an Heretick and Usurper but the Pope inclining rather to save then to destroy and knowing that gentle courses prevail more with generous mindes then roughnesse and violence in most loving manner wrote unto her exhorting her to return to the Unity of the Catholike Church and as it is said made her great offers if she would hearken to his counsell Particularly That he would recall the Sentence pronounced against her mothers Marriage confirm the Book of Common Prayer in English and permit to her people the use of the Sacrament in both Kindes But Queen Elizabeth neither terrified with the Earl of Feria's practises nor allured with the Popes great offers according to her Motto Semper Eadem persisted constant in her resolution To maintain that Religion which in her conscience she was perswaded to be most agreeable to the Word of God and most consonant to the Primitive Church Whilst these grounds of Troubles are sowing in England France and Scotland it is not likely that Ireland will lie fallow though indeed it be a Countrey that will bring forth Troubles of it self without sowing but howsoever to make the more plentifull Harvest of troubles at this time Iohn Oneal
colour of honour but indeed that they might be intrapped and they and together with them the Protestant Religion at one blow if not clean cutt off yet receiveâ— deadly wound For the marriage being celebrated there presently followed that cruell Massacre at Paris and the terrible slaughter of the Protestants throughout all the Cities of France but to set a shew of equity upon the fact Edicts and Proclamations were presently set forth that the Protestants had plotted a wicked conspiracy against the King the Queen Mother the Brethren the King of Navarre and the Princes of the blood Royall and to keep the thing in memory Coyne was presently stamped upon the one side whereof was the Kings picture with this Inscription Virtus in Rebelles on the other side Pietas excitavit justitiam But the King of France notwithstanding all the shew hee made of Piety escaped not the Divine revenge for before the yeer came about hee fell sick of a bloody Flixe and afterwards with long and grievous torments ended his life A little before this Mota Fenell Embassador to the King of France being in England by vertue of an order from the Queen Mother of France propoundeth to Queen Elizabeth at Kenelworth two dayes before the Massacre in that Kingdome the marriage of her youngest sonne Francis Duke of Alenson for the Queen Mother had been told by some cunning men that all her sons should be Kings and she knew no way for it but this Bâ—t Queen Elizabeth by reaâ—on of the disparity of age modestly excused her self For he was scarce â—eventeen yeers old and she was now past eight and thirty yet she promised to consider of it and Alenson did not leave to prosecute the â—â—it At tâ—is time Thomas Percy Earl of Northâ—mberland who first Rebelled and afterwards fled into Scotland was for a sum of money delivered by the Earl of Morton to the Lord Hunsdon Governour of Barwick and a while afâ—er was beheaded â—t York And now as these two great Personages the Duke of Norfolkâ— and the Earl of Northumberland were taken away by a violent death so three other great Personages were at this time tâ—ken away by a naturall death First Wâ—llâ—am Paulet who from a private man came by degree to be Marquesse of Winchester lived to the age of within three yeers of a hundred and could reckon a hundred and three of his children and his childrens issue after he had held the pâ—ace of Lord Treasurer of England above twenty yeers in whose roome succeeded Sir Wâ—lliam Cecill Lord Burleigh then dyed Edmund Earle of Darby famous as well for his hospitality and good house-keeping as for his skill in Surgery and Bone-setting then dyed Sir William Peter who being descended from an honest stock at Exceter in Devonshire was Privy Counsellor and Secretary to King Henry the Eight Kiâ—g Edward the Sixth Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth who plantâ—d himself in Essex where he purchased greaâ— possessions whose son Iohn was by King Iames made Baron of Writle in that Country And now Qâ—een Elizabeth having formerly borrowed money oâ— her Subjects she thankfully repayd it which wonne her no lesse love then if she had given it and more love she gained also at this time by two Proclamations by one of which she commanded Noble men to observe the Law of keeping Retâ—iners by the other she restrained Informers who under colour of spying out Crown Land concealed by private persoâ—s sacralegioâ—sly seized upon the Lands of Parish-Churches and Alms-Houses piously endowed by the Queens Ancestors And more Love and Honour also she gained at this time by two acts of Justice the one that she satisfied the English Merchants out of the goods which were detâ—ined belonging to the Dutch and restored the rest to the Duke D' Alva and make a full transaction with the Merchants of Geneva for the monâ—y intercepted the other that she freed England at this time of the debts which her Father and her Brother had run into in forraign partâ— and were increased by yeerly interest and caused the obligations of the City of London which had so often been renued to be given in to the great rejoycing of the Citizens The Spanish affairs growing now very turbulent in the Netherlands Flushing lost the towns of Holland revolted and the Spanish Navy vanquished by the Zelanders Duke D'Alva against his will began to shew more kindnesse towards the English so as in the month of Ianuary the trade which in Anno 1568. had been forbidden was now allowed again between the Dutch and the English for two yeerâ— but those two yeers expired the English removed their trading to the confederates Stateâ— The last yeer in the month of November a daughter was born to the French King to whom he requested Queen Elizabeth to be God-mother who theâ—eupon sent William Somerset Earl of Worcester into France with a Font of massy Gold to stand as her Deputy at the Christning Hereupon and for that the Queen promised to observe the League strictly the French King and the Queen mother began to affect her more and more and the Duke D'Alenson wrote sundry love-letters to her the French King and His Mother interceding for the mariage with all earnestnesse It is true the Queen conceived divers reasons why it was fit for her to marry but the Courtiers for their own ends disswaded her as much from it at last the Queen Mother of France was wonderfull importunate that her sonne Alenson might have leave to come and see herâ— whereunto being wearyed with continuall Letters and Messages she gave her consent but upon condition that hee should not take it for any disgrace to him if hee returned without obtaining his suit But as soon as Queen Elizabeth had notice that his brother Henry was elected King of Poland and that the King of France was very sick shee gave intimation to Alenson by Edward Horsey Governour of the Isle of Wight that hee should not make too much haste into England but should first procure a peace by some meanes or other in France and declare by some notable Argument his good will towards the Protestants thereby to be the more welcome Ghest into England Hereupon a peace was concluded in France and in certain places the Protestants were allowed to exercise their Religion and then again the French King and the Queen Mother used all their endeavour to have the marriage go forward for they were very desirous thâ—t Alenson who was of a crooked and perverse disposition and prone to raise tumults might bee removed out of France and withall they requested of Queen Elizabeth that if the Duke of Angiou took his voyage into Poland by Sea hee might have publike caution to sail through the British Ocean To this last request she not only consented with all alacrity but also made offer of a Fleet to conduct him thither In the mean while Alenson fell sick of the Meazles which his mother signified to Queen Elizabeth by Count Rhets excusing him
Grand-father had lyen asleep for fifty yeers together At this time many particular Rebellions were in Ireland The O Câ—nors and O Moors took Arms and committed many outrages In Munster Iames Fitzmorris and Fitz Edmund did the like but by the industry of Sir Iohn Perrot President of Munster were suppressed In Ulster Bryan Mac Phelym burnt Knockfergus and many other joyned in Rebellion with him Against these Walter Devereux whom the Queen had lately created Earl of Essex desired leave to go which Sir William Fitz-Williams Deputy of Ireland opposed as fearing that the glory of so great an Earl vvould ecclipse his light But for this the Queen findes a remedy by appointing Essex to take a Parent of the Deputy whereby to be made Governour of Ulster But this remedy for Fitz-Williams might have made a sore in the minde oâ— Eâ—sex to receive his Authority from his inferiour but that the noblenesse of his minde made him more to regard the vertue then the glory And so in the end of August hee landed at Knockfergus having with him the Lords Darcy and Rich and Sir Henry Knowles and his four Brothers Michael and Iohn Carves Henry William and Iohn Norreses At his landing Bryan Mac Pheliâ— welcomed him tendring unto him all manner of dutifulnesse and service but presently aâ—ter falls from him and joyns with Turlogh Leynigh After this revolt the Eaâ—l of Essex finding many difficulties in the businesse and himself not well provided of skilfull Souldiers makes suit to the Queen for leave to come home which the Earl of Leicester who liked his room better then his company opposed till after expence of a yeerâ— time and much treasure hee at last obtained leave and returned home The next yeer being 1574. and the seventeenth yeer of Queen Elisabeths Raign the Duke of Alenson grew more importunate in his suit then at any time before so as hee obtained of the Queen to come into England any time before the twentieth of May and this she the rather did because shee perceived him now to bee really bent against the Guyses her sworn Enemies But before this Answer was brought him Valentine Dale Doctor of the Civil Law the Queens Embassâ—dour in France gave intimation to the Qâ—een That Alenson and Navarre were in restraint and committed to Keepers For the Guyses had suggested that Alenson held intimate friendship with Admirall Colin the chief Leader of the Protestants in France and indeed Alenson being examined freely confessed that hee had now for a good while desired the marriage of the Queen of Englandâ— and conceiving that good correspondence with Colin might be usefull to him to that end hee had thereupon had conference with him thereabout and concerning the Low-Country Warre In the mean time Thomas Wâ—lks Dales Secretary got cunningly to Alenson and in the Queens name made promise both to him and to Navarre that she would omit no opportunity of procuring their inlargement For which the subtle Queen-Mother so complained of him to Queen Elisabeth that hee was fain to go into France and there to crave pardon for his fault But Navarre not unmindfull of this kindnesse in Wilks when about five and twenty yeers after being King of France hee saw him in Normandy hee Knighted him Hereupon the Queen sent Thomas Randoll into France to the Queen-Mother that if it were possible hee might gain Reconciliation for Alenson her sonne and for the King of Navarre But before hee was landed in France Charles the then French King dyed whose Funerall Rites were solemnly performed in Saint Pauls Church in London Assoon as Henry the third King of France was come from Poland Roger Lord North was sent into France to congratulate his return and his happy Inauguration into the Kingdom who thereupon together with the Queen-Mother did forthwith send their joynt Letters into England strongly soliciting the businesse of marriage between Alenson and the Queen In the mean time notwithstanding they used all possible devices and left no means unsought to get the yong King of Scotland to bee sent into France and to deprive Morton who was the Regent of his Authority whereof the Queen of Scots also was very desirous shee being perswaded that if her sonne were once gotten safely into France shee and the Catholicks in England should bee more mildly used At which time an aspersion was cast upon the Queen of Scots as if she had made the match between Charles Unckle to the Queen of Scots who had lately the Earldom of Lenox confirmed to him by Parliament and Elizabeth Cavendish the Countesse of Shrewsburie's daughter by a former husband upon which ground both their mothers and some others also were kept in Prison for a time and being doubted whereunto this marriage should tend Henry Earle of Huntington President of the Councell in the North is authorized with secret Instructions to examine it It will be fit here to say something of this place of Government in the North which from small beginnings is now become so eminent as it is at this day whereof this was the Originall When as in the Raigne of Henry the Eight after that the Rebellion in the Northerne parts about the subversion of Abbyes was quieted the Duke of Norfolke tarryed in those quarters and many complaints of injuries done were tendered unto him whereof some he composed himself and others hee commended under his Seale to men of wisdome to determine Hereof when King Henry heard he sent down a peculiar Seal to be used in these cases and calling home the Duke committed the same to Tunstall Bishop of Durham and Constituted Assistants with Authority to heare and determine the complaints of the poor and he was the first that was called President and from that time the authority of his successours grew in credit It was now the yeer One thousand five hundred seventy five and the Eighteenth yeer of Queen Elisabeths Raign vvhen Henry the third King of France being returned from Poland and Crowned at Rheims was carefull to have the League of Blois confirmed which in the Yeer 1572. had been concluded betweene his Brother Charles and that most Illustrious Queen ELIZABETH Now therefore hee confirmed it with His owne Subscription and delivered it to Dale the Queen 's Legier as the Queen like wise ratified it at Saint-James neere Westminster But a little after he demanded by Letters whether the mutuall defence against all persons mentioned in the League was intended to comprehend the case of Religion also Whereunto she answering that it did comprehend it hee thereupon hearing this from the Queen began presently to prepare Warre against the Protestants and Alenson being drawne to the Adverse party there was no speech of the marriage for a long time In the Netherlands at this time Lodovicke Zuinga who was successor unto Duke D'Alva was wholly bent to recover the Command of the Seas which D'Alva had neglected but not being sufficiently provided of a Navy he sent Boischott into England that with
States sent for out of England to succour it the Town was furiously aâ—saulted with seventeen thousand great shot and a mighty breach was made into it which neverthelesse Roger Williams Franis Vere Nicholas Baskervile with the Garrison of the English and Wallons were valiantly defended for a while but at last were enforced to yeild it upâ— Leicester that came to relieve it finding himself too weak for the Besiegers being gone away And indeed the States would not commit any great Army to his Command who they knew had a determination to seâ—ze Lâ—yden and some other Towns into his own hands and had a purpose to surprize the absolute Government Whereupon the States used means that Leicester was called home gave up the Government to the States and in his roome succeeded Maurice of Nassaw Son to the Prince of Orange bâ—ing now but twenty years of age Peregrine Lord Willonghby was by the Queen made Geneâ—all of the English Forces in the Low-Countries to whom she gave command to reduce the English Factions into the States obedience the which with the help of Prince Maurice he easily effected Leicester being now come home and perceiving that an accusation was preparing against him by Buckhurst and others for his unfaithfull managing of affairs in Holland privately with tears he cast himself down at the Queens feet entreating her that she would not receive him with disgrace at his return whom she had sent forth with honor and so far prevailed with her that the next day being called to examination before the Lords he took his place amongst them not kneeling down at the end of the Table as the manner of Delinquents is and when the Secretary began to read the heads of his Accusation he interrupted him saying That the publick instructions which he had received were limited with private restriction and making his appeal to the Queen eluded the whole crimination with the secret indignation of his Adversaries This year was famous for the death of many great Personages In the moneth of February dyed Henry Nevill Lord of Aburgaveny great Grand-childe to Edward Nevill who in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth got this Title in the right of his Wife only Daughter and Heir to Richard Beauchamp Earl of Worcester and Lord of Aburgaveny In which right when as the only Daughter of this Henry Wife to Sir Thomas Fane challenged the Title of Baronesse of Aburgaveny a memorable contention arose concerning the Title between her and the next Heir Male to whom by Will and the same confirmed by Authority of Parliament the Castle of Aburgaveny was bequeathed This question being a long time debated at last in a Parliament holden in the second year of King Iames the matter was tryed by voyces and the Heir Male carried the Lordship of Aburgaveny and the Barony Le Dispencer was ratified to the Female This year also in the moneth of Aprill dyed Anne Stanhope Dutchesse of Somerset ninety years old who being the Wife of Edward Seymer Duke of Somerset and Protector of England contended for precedency with Katherine Parre Queen Dowager to King Henry the Eight There dyed also Sir Ralph Sadler Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster the last Baneret of England with which dignity he was adorned at the Battell of Musselborough in Scotland After him dyed Thomas Bromley Lord Chancellor of England and six dayes after He whom the Queen meant should have succeeded him Edward Earl of Rutland but he now fayling Sir Christopher Hatton was made Lord Chancellor who though he were a Courtier yet the Queen knowing him to be an honest man thought him not unfit for that place where conscience hath or should have more place than Law although some were of opinion That it was not so much the Queens own choice as that she was perswaded to it by some that wisht him not well both thereby to be a cause of absenting him from the Court and thinking that such a sedentary place to a corpulent man that had been used to exercise would be a means to shorten his life and indeed he lived not full out three years after This yeer Sir Iohn Perot was called home out of Ireland and left all in 〈◊〉 quiet to Fits Williams his Successor For hitherto the English 〈◊〉 it no hard matter to vanquish the Irish by reason of their unskilâ—ulnesse in Arms eight hundred Foot and three hundred Horse was â—â—ld an invincible Army but after that by Perots command they were â—â—â—â—cised in Feats of Arms and taught to discharge Muskets at a Mark 〈◊〉 had in the Low-Countries learned the Art of Fortification they held the English better to it and were not so easily overcome And now we are come to the one and twentieth yeer of Queen Elizaâ—â—â—â—s Raign being the yeer 1588 long before spoken of by Astrologers 〈◊〉 be a wonderfull yeer and even the Climactericall yeer of the World And yet the greatest Wonder that happened this yeer was but the wonderfull Fleet that Spain provided for invading of ENGLAND if the defeat of that wonderfull Fleet were not a greater Wonder It is true there was at this time a Treaty of Peace between England and Spaiâ— and the Earl of Derby the Lord Cobham Sir Iames Crofts Dale and Rogers Doctors of Law Commissioners for the Queen for the Prince of Parma the Count Aurenberg Champignie Richardot Maâ—s and Garvyer Doctors had many meetings about it neer to Ostend but it seemed on the pâ—rt of Spain rather to make the English secure that they should not make provision for War than that they had any purpose of reall proceeding seeing they accepted not of any reasonable Conditions that were offered but trifled out the time till the Spanish Navy was come upon the Coast and the Ordnance heard from Sea and then dismissed the English Delegates The Spanish Navy consisted of one hundred and thirty Ships whereof Galeasses and Galleons seventy two goodly Ships like to floating Towers in which were Souldiers 19290 Marriners 8350 Gally-slaves 2080 Great Ordnance 2630 For the greater holinesse of their Action twelve of their Ships were caâ—led The twelve Apostles Chief Commander of the Fleet was Don Alphonso Duke of Medina and next to him Iohn Martin Recalde a great Sea-man The twentieth of May they weighed Anchor from the River Tagus but were by Tempest so miserably disperst that it was long ere they mâ—t again but then they sent before to the Prince of Parma That he with his Forces consisting of fifty thousand old Souldiers should be ready to joyn with them and with his Shipping conduct them into England and to land his Army at the Thames Mouth The Queens Preparation in the mean time was this The Lord Charles Howard Lord Admirall with all her Navy and Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admirall to be ready at Plimouth and the Lord Henry Seymor second son to the Duke of Somerset with forty English and Dutch Ships to keep the Coasts of the Netherlands to hinder the Prince of Parma's