Selected quad for the lemma: england_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A40878
|
A trve relation of that memorable Parliament which wrought wonders begun at Westminster, in the tenth yeare of the reigne of K. Richard the second : whereunto is added an abstract of those memorable matters, before and since the said kings reigne, done by Parliament : together with a character of the said amiable, but unhappy King, and a briefe story of his life and lamentable death.; Historia sive narracio de modo et forma mirabilis Parliamenti apud Westmonasterium anno Domini millesimo CCCLXXXVI. English
|
Fannant, Thomas.
|
1641
(1641)
|
Wing F416; ESTC R592
|
22,223
|
53
|
RICHARDUS II ANGLIAE ET FRANCIAE REX DOMINUS HIBERNIAE ETC. The true pourtraieture of Richard the 2. King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Prince of Chester he raigned 22 yeres was deposed and murther'd at Pomfraict Cast at the age of 33 yeares Buried first at Langley and 14 yeares after by K Henry the â—th 〈◊〉 to Westminster and their was honourably interred A TRVE RELATION OF THAT MEMORABLE PARLIAMENT which wrought Wonders Begun at Westminster in the tenth yeare of the Reigne of K. RICHARD the second Whereunto is added an Abstract of those Memorable matters before and since the said Kings Reigne done by Parliaments TOGETHER With a Character of the said amiable but unhappy King and a briefe Story of his Life and lamentable Death Printed in the Yeare 1641. AN HISTOIRCAL NARRATION of that Memorable Parliament begun at Westminster 1386 in the tenth year of the Reigne of King RICHARD the Second THis present occasion so opportunely be fitting me I am resolved to treat of that which hath beene omitted and slipped out of memory long since concerning divers and sundry changes and alterations in England in former times Nor will it be any way burthensome to write of that whereby every good and carefull Reader may learne to avoid diversities of miseries and the danger and feare of cruell death I will therefore speake of that which hath laine hid in the darksome shade of forgetfulnesse concerning men who have been led away by the deceitfull path of Covetousnesse and have come to a most shamefull and ignominious death a famous example to deter all men from practising those or the like courses ABout the yeere of Christ 1386 at such time as Richard the second of that name then in prime of his youth swayed the Imperiall Scepter of our Realme there flourished famous in his Court certain Peeres though some of them not of any honourable descent yet favoured by fortune by name Alexander Nevill Archbishop of Yorke Robert Vere D. of Ireland Michael de la Pool Earle of Suffolk then Lord Chancelor Robert Tresilian Lord Chiefe Justice of England and Nicholas Brambre sometimes Major of London These men being raised from meane estates by the speciall favour of the King and advanced to the degree of Privie Counsellors were the men who had the onely rule of the Common-wealth which they under the King governed for some small space with careful diligence meriting thereby deserved commendations But not long did they thus steere the Ship of the Kingdome for many of them being of inferiour ranke by birth not having their veines dignified with the streams of noble blood they were the sooner enticed with the libidinous baits of voluptuousnesse and infected with insatiable itch of avarice insomuch that despising the authority of the King and neglecting the commoditie of the Realme but onely desiring to keepe up the Revenues of the Kingdome so wrought that by their policie the King is impoverished the Treasure exhausted the Commons murmure at the multiplicity of Tenths Levies and Subsidies the Peeres repine to see themselves disgraced and their inferiors honoured and in a word the whole Kingdome endures an universall miserie The nobility seeing the miserable estate wherein the Kingdome lay bleeding as it were to death urged their King to summon a Parliament which was done shortly after In which amongst many other acts the afore-named Michaell de la Poole is dismist of his Chancelourship and being accused of divers and many points of injustice as briberie Extortion and the like he was sone after cast into the Castle of Windsor and all his Lands which were of no small Revenue were confiscated to the King Neither did the Parliament here give over but provided further for the whole state by the mutuall consent of the King and Prelates Barons and Commons with an unanimous conjunction they constitute and give plenarie and absolute power to certain Commissioners as well of the Spiritualty as of the Temporalty for the ordering and disposing of the publique affaires according as shall seeme best and most necessary for the desperate estate of the Commonwealth to depresse civill dissentions and to pacifie and appease the grudgings of the people Of the Spiritualty were chosen the Arch Bishop of Canterbury the afore-named Bishop of Yorke the Bishop of Ely lately made Chancelor of England the Bishop of Winchester Bishop of Hereford Lord Treasurer Bishop of Exeter Abbot of Waleham and the Lord John of Waltham Of the Layty were elected the Duke of Yorke the Earle of Arundel the Lord Coltham the Lord scroope and John Devoureux Knight these as men eminent in vertue were chosen by the generall Suffrage and sworne to carry themselves as dutifull and obedient subjects in all their actions And it was further enacted That if any should refuse or disobey the Ordinances so made for publique good the punishment of his first offence should be the confiscation of his goods and for the second the losse of life Thus disposing all things for the best the Parliament being dissolved every man returned to his own house Soone after the afore-named Chancelor with others of their Confederates being moved with implacable fury against the Statute of the late Parliament they buzzed into the Kings eares That the Statutes lately enacted were very prejudiciall to the honour of his Crowne and much derogatory to his Princely Prerogative insomuch that he should not have power without the consent of the new appointed Commissioners to doe any thing befitting a King no not so much as to bestow a Largesse a principal means to gain the peoples love upon any though never so well deserving By these and other the like impious instigations with which the Devil as never unmindfull of the end of those who by their lives doe prove themselves did continually supply them they practised to annihilate and disanull these Acts of the Parliament which seemed any wayes to abbreviate or curbe their usurped authority And first by their serpentine tongues ambitious projects flattery painted out with glosing discourses and covered over with the shadow of vigilancie for the good of the Kingdome they so bewitched the Noble inclination of the youthfull King whom they induced to beleeve that all the ill they did was a generall good that hee began to distaste and at last to abhorre the last passed Acts as treacherous Plots and most wicked Devices Next they studied how to ingrosse all or the most part of the Wealth and Riches of the Kingdome into their owne Coffers and to the same end dealt so cunningly yet pleasingly with the King that hee gave to the D. of Ireland John of Bloys the Heire of the Duchie of Britaine and his Ransome to others Townes to others Cities to others Lands to others Mony amounting to the summe of 100000 Marks to the great impoverishment both of King and Kingdome Neither did these King-eaters and Realme-devourers any thing regard it but setting unskilfull and insufficient Captaines and
that for the appeasing of all private discontents if any were the King and the rest of the Appellants with the rest of the commissioners should dine together in the great Hall which they did and there was great joy at this reconciliation through all the Kingdome When these things were concluded they then began againe this araignment of the Traytors whereupon John Blake and Thomas Vske were indicted on the 4. day of March who although they were men of inferiour quality yet were they found to bee parties in the said Treason Vske was a Sergeant at Armes and was indicted amongst the Conspirators so that bâ—â—â—â— late made Sheriffe of Middlesex hee had indicted the five Appellants and the Commissioners as Traytors and Blake was an Intelligencer of Tressilians one that used to goe and come betweeue the Conspirators and relate the state and successe of the treason from one to another And when they could say nothing to prove themselves cleare sentence was pronounced upon them as their Masters were before them they were carried to the Tower and from thence were dragged at the Horse taile to Tyborne and there hanged But Vske obtained this favour that his head was cut off after hee was hanged and set aloft upon Newgate for Fowles of the aire to take repast On the sixth day of March there were called to answer Robert Belknap John Holt Roger Falthorp William Burleigh Iohn Locton and Iohn Carey Baron of the Exchequer for their conspiracy against the Commissioners at Nottingham but because it is not needfull to rehearse every part of their indictment they were all condemned like as the rest Whilst the Peeres were trying them the Clergie were retired into the Kings Chambers but when word was brought to them of the condemnation of the Judges the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Winchester the Chancellor the Treasurer Lord Keeper of the Privie Seale arose hastily and went into the Parliament house powring forth their complaints before the King and the Peeres humbly upon their knees beseeching them that for the love of God the Virgin Mary and of all the Saints even as they hoped to have mercy at the day of Judgement they should shew favour and not put to death the said Judges then present and bitterly bewayling their iniquities in whose hearts the very life soule and spirit of our English Lawes lived flourished and appeared and there appeared great sorrow both on the one part of the Complainants and also of the Defendants The Duke of Gloucester likewise with the Earles of Arundel Warwick Nottingham and Derby whose hearts began to be mollified and joyned with them in their lamentable Petition At length by intercession of the Clergy the execution upon the persons was ceased and their lives were granted them but were sent to the Tower to be kept close prisoners On the 12. of March being thursday it hapned that the afore-said Knights Simon de Burleigh Iohn de Beauchamp Iames Baroverse and Iohn Salisbury were brought into the Parliament house where their accusations were read proved they found guilty and not any way able to cleare themselves From this day almost till the Ascension of our Lord the Parliament house was only taken up with the tryall of Sir Symon Burleugh for three Appellants viz. The Duke of Glocester the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke with the whole house of Commons vrged that execution might be performed according to the Law And on the other side the King and Queene the Earles of Darby and Nottingham and the Prior of Saint John his Vncle with the major part of the uper House did labour to have him saved But because the Commons were tyred with so long delayes and excuses in the Parliament and fearing as it was most like that all their paines would be to little or no purpose they humbly craved leave of the King to goe to their habitations There was also some muttering amongst the Common people and it was reported to the Parliament that the Commons did rise in diverse parts of the Realme but especially about Kent in favour of the said Sir Simon Burleigh which when they heard those that before spake and stood for him now flew cleane from him and by joynt consent on the fifth day of May sentence was pronounced only against the said Sir Symon that hee should be drawne from the Tower to Tyborne and then to be hanged till hee were dead and then to have his head strooke from his body But because he was a knight of the Garter a gallant Courtier powerfull and once a Favourite of the Kings and much respected of all the Court the King of his speciall Grace was pleased to mittigate his doome that he should only be led to Tower-hill and ther be beheaded On the twelfe of May the Thursday before Whitsontyde in like manner were condemned John Beauchamp Steward of the houshold to the King Iames Bereverous and Iohn Salsbury knights Gentlemen of the privie Chamber whereof the two first viz. Iohn Beauchamp and Iames Bereverous were beheaded on Tower-hill but Iohn Salsbury was drawn from Tower-hill to Tyborne and there was hanged On the same day also was condemned the Bishop of Chichester the Kings Confessor but because of his great dignitie he was pardoned Now they began to loath the shedding of so much Christian blood they tooke into consideration other more weighty affaires for the good of the Realme concerning the Wars with the Scots and French concerning Loanes and Subsidues and of the customes of Wine and Wooll And also concerning the translation of some Bishops because Pope Vrban the sixth after it came to his eares that the Archbishop of Yorke was condemned to avoyd all hope of Irregularity he created him Archbishop of Saint Andrewes in Scotland which Archbishop was under the power of Scots enemies to the Crown and in the gift of the Arch-Pope and because the Pope did chalenge halfe the title of all England to maintaine his Wars but although he craved it yet he was denyed therefore hee dealt warily and craftily hoping to make up his mouth by the translation of Bishops the Bishop of Ely then Lord Chancellor was made Arch-Bishop of Yorke the Bishop of Dublyn succeeded in his place the Bishop of Bathan-Wells in his place the Bishop of Sarum in his place and the Lord Iohn of Waltham Lord-keeper of the privie Seale in his place And this by his translation of Bishops he gained himselfe much money according to the Lawes of the Canon and when this came to the eares of the Parliament that such a summe of money should be transported out of the Land they strove what they could to hinder it but could not because the Clergie gave their consent On the last day of May the King appointed both houses to meet at Keemington whereas they made a conclusion of all the tryalls of the said treason granting license to Thomas Trenet William Ellingham and Nicholas Nagworth Knights Richard Metford Iohn Slake Iohn Lincolne Clerkes