Earl of Shaftsbury and others were Imprisoned in the Tower one Stephen Colledge a Joyner was Tryed at Oxford found guilty of High Treason and Executed And in the year 1683. Captain Walcot William Hone and John Rouse were executed at Tyburn and the Lord Russell and Algernoon Sidney lost their heads And not long after Sir Thomas Armestrong being brought from Holland and James Holloway from Nevis were sentenced at the King's Bench Bar upon their Outlawries and executed at Tyburn And two Informations for Perjury were preferred against Titus Oates the principal Evidence in the Plot But before he came to Tryal the King dyed for falling ill on Monday the 2d of February 1684. With a violent fit of the Appoplexy which at that time bereaved him of his Senses he continued in a languishing Condition till Friday the 6th of February and then dyed in the 55th year of his Age when he had Reigned 36 years and seven days And was buried in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel being the 46th Sole Monarch of England Thus Charles the Great his Glory laid aside A Prince that Fortune in all Shapes had try'd In War and Councils equally approv'd Feard of his foes but of his friends belov'd Remarkable Transactions from the Time of King JAMES the II. coming to the Crown till his Leaving the Kingdom c. KING Charles leaving no Issue by Queen Katharine his onely Brother succeded him and was Proclaimed by the style of James the Second King of England c. at the Pallace Gate and in London with the usual Solemnity and Ceremony Causing the Lords and others present that were before to be Sworn of His Majesty's Privy Council signifying by Proclamation it was his Pleasure that all who at the decease of King Charles were in Office of Government should so continue till his pleasure was further signified And upon his first sitting in Council he made a Speech in which amongst other Expressions are these viz. I shall make it my endeavour to preserve this Government both in Church and State as it is now by Law Established I know the Principles of the Church of England are for Monarchy and the Members of it have shewed themselves good and loyal Subjects Therefore I shall always take care to Defend and Support it I know too that the Laws of England are sufficient to make the King as a great a Monarch as I can wish and as I shall never depart from the Just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so I shall never Invade any Man's Property I have often heretofore ventured my Life in Defence of this Nation and I shall still go as far as any man in preservation of it in all its Just Rights and Liberties Nor was it long before a Proclamation was Issued forth to give notice the King intended to call a Parliament inculcating therein the settlement of the Revenue for the support of the Crown and Government that there was a necessity for the maintenance of the Navy for the Kingdoms defence and the advantage of Trade in order to which he desired that the settlement of the Customs due in the Reign of King Charles the Second might continue declaring it was his will and pleasure that the Duties should be Collected accordingly and that he did not doubt of the ready complyance of his Subjects therein This being given forth the Merchants did not dispute the payment And the next thing taken in hand was the preparation for the funeral of the deceased King all persons belonging to or having business at the Court being commanded by an Order of the Earl Marshal to put themselves into decent Mourning and indeed the loss of a Prince that ruled so much in the hearts of his Subjects found a ready complyance for not onely the Courtiers were in Mourning but all the responsible persons of the Kingdom and his Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark on the tenth of February took his place at the Council Board as a Privy Councellour of this Kingdom All things being prepared for the Funeral Solemnities of King Charles the Second with decency and order as the occasion required the Royal Corpse was on the 14th day of February Interred in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel at Westminster The Prince of Denmark whose Train was born up by the Lord Cornbury being chief Mourner and aâ— curious Figure of Wax representing the King was set up amongst the rest of the Kings of England his Predecessours and an Order was published for altering the Prayer in the Liturgy or Common Prayer relating to the Royal Family by way of exchanging Names in the repetition viz. JAMES for CHARLES and further viz. our Gracious Queen MARY CATHERINE the Queen Dowager Their Royal Highnesses MARY Princess of Orange the Princess ANNE of Denmark and all the Royal Family And Money being wanting in the Exchequer it was taken up upon the Excise by way of Farming and the Earl of Rochester was constituted Lord High Treasurer of England and the Marquess of Halifax Lord President of the Privy Council the Earl of Clarendon Lord Privy Seal and the Duke of Beaufort Lord President of Wales These Great Officers thus put in Trust gave us prospect of the tranquility of Affairs and the King was Proclaimed in all the Citys and Burrough Towns of the Kingdom and in the like order in Scotland and Ireland and the Earl Marshal issued out the orders of Summons in order to the preparation of the Coronation which was appointed to be on the 23d of April being Saint George's day requiring all persons who in regard of their Tenures Customs and Usage are bound to do and performe Services on that day to appear before the Commissioners and make out their Claims and give their attendance at the Solemnity and a Proclamation was sent into Scotland in order to the calling of a Parliament in that Kingdom with a Proclamation of Indemnity to divers of the Scottish Nation Then he proceeded to put out a Proclamation to Summons a Parliament to sit at Westminster on the 19th day of May 1685. And accordingly the Citys Burroughs and Shires proceeded to Election and sundry Embassadours residing in England or such as came by Expresses made their Complement of Condolence and Congratulation and the 23d of April being come great preparations were made for the Coronation the Nobles and others met in their Robes and Formalities the Ceremony was performed with much Magnificence and the Parliament according to appointment met when the King in his Robes went to the House and being seated on the Throne made a Speech in which amongst other things He informed them that the Earl of Argyle was Landed in Scotland with the men he brought with him from Holland c and soon We had notice that that Earl had levyed considerable Forces in Argyleshire and other places which obliged the Militia to rise in Arms and several Troops were sent from England and more had gone had not the Duke of Monmouth landed at Lyme in
although the Barons were excommunicated yet they slighted it and incouraged the City of London which was Interdicted for adhearing to their Interests and sent to Lewis Dauphin of France their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with their Seals intreating King Philip his Father to send him in order to take possession of the English Diadem but the Pope advertised of what was in hand sent his Apostolick commands to Philip charging him not to suffer his Son to molest St. Peter's Patrimony with a Curse upon such as should assist him but it prevailed not for the hot-headed Prince sent over with a Fleet of 600 Ships and 80 Boats landing in Kent where he joyned the Barons whereupon the King retired towards Winchester and the Dauphin came to London where he was received in triumph the Citizens doing him homage as did the Barons at Westminster he swearing to them That he would restore all men their Rights and recover to the Crown whatever King John had lost so that most important places submitted During these Transactions the King ruined the Houses and Castles of the Barons in Arms and set forward from Lyn in Norfolk to give them battle but passing the Washes the Floods destroyed most of his Baggage with many of his Soldiers which obliged him to desist But the Barons not having their rents paid began to look back and perceiving their services slighted by the Dauphin and the places of trust bestowed on his French-men they thought it high time to reconcile themselves to their King which was hastened by the discovery the Viscount d' Melun made upon his Death-bed viz. That Lewis had sworn when established on the Throne to condemn the Barons to perpetual banishment as Traytors to their King and utterly root out their Kindred so that forty of them immediately addressed their Letters of humble submission to the King but it so unfortunately fell out that he was dead before they arrived The death of this King is variously reported some will have it to be of a Flux others of a Surfeit but Writers of best credit say that coming to Swinstead Abby after his great loss in the Washes and seeing the liberal profuseness of the Monks whilst his Army was in a manner half starved he said in a pet holding a Loaf in his hand That if he lived but half a year he would make it 12 times as dear which being overheard by a Monk he mixed poison in a Cup of Wine and served it to the King as he was at dinner by the force whereof he died some again will have it to be done by intoxicated Fruit. This John was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain sixth Son of King Henry the Second by Q. Eleanor and 27 sole Monarch of England he began his Reign on the 6th of April Anno 1199 reigned 17 years 6 months and 13 days dying of poison the 19. of October 1216. Thus from a troubled Throne King John descends And in his Grave all toil and trouble ends There factious Subjects Popes nor Galick Arms Disturb his rest with their too rude alarms Death can alone from cares of state give rest The slumbring Grave is with no fears opprest The Reign and Actions of Henry the III. King of England c. KIng John being dead the Barons almost with one voice and consent notwithstanding Lewis was yet in the Land with his Army chose Henry eldest Son to the deceased King about Ten years of Age Crowning him nine days after his Fathers Death and the Earl of Pembroke was constituted his Guardian who raised an Army and marched against the French giving them a great overthrow near Lincoln taking several of the Barons that stood out with about 400 Knights and Esquires Prisoners besides a great Booty the French had scraped together in plundering the Country and many of the French that scattered from the Battel were killed by the Peasants nor was the Fleet appointed to bring Supplies out of France better treated for being met by the English most of the French Ships were burnt sunk or taken so that the Dauphin was obliged with such Forces as he could Rally to shut himself up in London whither he was followed by the Earl and besieged by Water and Land which made the Monsieur begin to think of a timely Capitulation The substance was That Lewis and the Barons in Arms should submit to the Censure of the Church and that then he and as many as would goe with him should be permitted to depart the Land with a Promise never to return again in a design of harming it and that he should use his Interest with his Father that such things as belonged to the English Crown and were wrongfully detained should be restored and that when himself should be King of France he should peaceably part with them and that he should immediately render to Henry all Castles and Places taken in England during the War To this Lewis swore and for the better security of the Barons that had been in Rebellion Wallo the Legate the Earl of Pembroke and the young King swore they should be restored as well the Barons as others to all their Rights and Inheritances with their Liberties before demanded of King John that none of the Laity should suffer damage or reproach for the Side or Party they had taken and that the Prisoners taken in War or by Surprize should be released Upon this Lewis the Dauphin and as many of his Followers as were left passed into France yet the Kingdom was molested by sundry turbulent Persons whom no Concessions nor Favours could oblige and amongst these were William Earl of Aumarle Robert de Veipont c. which encouraged the Welsh to raise new Broils on the Frontiers And soon after one Arnulph a Citizen of London with divers others Conspiring to call in Lewis a second time Arnulph and two others were hanged and several had for the like Attempt their Hands or Feet cut off and the Barons finding their Liberties but slowly confirmed began to murmur Lewis extreamly vexed for the disgrace he had suffered in England upon the Death of his Father though contrary to his Oath seized upon Rochel and the County of Poictu both appertaining to the English and the true Cause he excused by pretending King Henry as Homager of Aquitain should have attended at his Coronation but that he neither did it in Person nor shewed any Reason for his being absent by his Ambassadors These Proceedings made King Henry nâ— at Age Call a Parliament which granted him Supply in order to raise an Army for the recovery of his Right but that not proving sufficient though he that Summer vanquished the French in a set Battel he pressed about 5000 Marks from the Londoners above their Fifteenths and the Clergy were not exempted but under pain of the papal Censure obliged to pay the Tax of Fifteenths but the greatest Summe he raised was by revoking the Charters and Liberties excusing it by
a great Scarcity of Provision happening he was constrained without performing any memorable Action to make his Retreat nor was the Scots so contented but falling on his Rear not only cut off a great many of his Men but obliged him to leave his Baggage with much Treasure as a Prey to them But now the Pope in favour of England having interdicted Scotland a Truce was concluded between the two Kingdoms for thirteen Years and so ended this tedious War and the King had leisure to make his Progress through the several Counties of York Lancaster and the Marches of Wales punishing such as had been in the former Rebellion and amongst others Andrew de Herkerley was drawn hanged and quartered for taking part with the Scots But now a greater Storm began to gather for young Mortimer making his Escape out at a Window and swimming the River of Thames fled beyond the Seas and joined himself to other Fugitives and banished English and not long after the Spencers oppressing the Kingdom and setting the King against the Queen she under a pretence of Visiting her Father's Court at Paris found means with her Son Edward to get beyond the Seas and refused upon the King 's sending for her to return till she joining with Mortimer her dear Fovourite and other Lords raising a considerable Power and holding Correspondence with the Lords that yet were disaffected in England landed in a hostil manner and marched against the King who was preparing to oppose her seizing upon many considerable Towns The King by this Proceeding finding himself in distress and that the Londoners and many of the Lords had declared against him setting the Prisoners every where at Liberty and recalling those that were banished thought it good to avoid coming to Battel whereupon the Queen with her Forces sate down before Bristol took it and therein Spencer the Elder whom she caused to be cut up alive after being dragged through the Streets for the Satisfaction of the People who mortally hated him And now the King finding himself in a manner forsaken fled into Wales and there for a time lay secret in the Abby of Neath but in the end being discovered and with him the younger Spencer Robert Baldok Chancellour and Simon de Reading the King hereupon was conveyed to Kenelworth Castle and the Lords to Hereford where the Queen lay and there Spencer and Reading being condemned by Sir William Trussel Lord Chief Justice on that occasion they were hanged The Confederates with the Queen having in this manner imprisoned the King and not conceiving it safe to set him at Liberty resolved amongst themselves to make Edward his Son a Prince of about thirteen years of Age King and thereupon sent Sir William Trussel to the Castle where the King was Prisoner to acquaint him with what was intended which put him into a mortal Agony from whence being recovered he greatly lamented and bewailed his hard Fate however Trussel being instructed what to doe proceeded to unking him in these words I William Trussel in the Name of all Men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator do resign to thee Edward the Homage that was made to thee some time and from this time forward I deprive thee and defie thee of all Power Royal and I shall never be tendent to thee after this time Anno Dom. 1327. And here following the Rule of other Historians we put an End to his Reign though he lived in Captivity as we shall have occasion to mention in the Reign of his Son This Edward the Second was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitain and fourth Son of Edward the First by Eleanor his Queen he began his Reign the 7th of June Anno 1307. and reigned 19 Years 6 Months and 18 days and was the 30th sole Monarch of England he was murthered Anno 1327. in the 20th Year of his coming to the Crown and the 41st of his Age and afterward buried at Gloucester His Wife was Isabel Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France and by her he had Issue Edward of Windsor John of Eltham Joan married to David Bruce and Eleanor married to Reynold Duke of Guelder In his time there happened a very great Famine throughout England with many strange Sights betokening the Woes and Miseries that after followed c. Thus by misguided Zeal a Monarch fell Vndone by Parasites he lov'd too well Hard Fate of Princes that in time wont see Their Friends from Foes untill they ruin'd be The Reign and Actions of Edward the Third King of England c. EDward the Third though scarcely of sufficient years of Discretion to know what belonged to the Titles or Rights of Crowns and Kingdoms had however more compassion on his afflicted Father than the Queen his Mohter had on her Husband for young as he was when he heard what had happened he greatly bewailed his Misfortune vowing never to take upon him the Government unless the King freely consented to resign without compulsion nor could they constrain him to it but with threats that they would utterly reject the whole Line and chuse a King out of the Nobility though of another Family Upon these Considerations the young King eight days after his Father's Resignation was crowned with the usual Ceremonies but the old King being yet alive and the People compassionating his Captivity his Deposers thought themselves no ways secure especially Mortimer who was suspected to be over familiar with the Queen and from that time they fell to plotting his death in order to which Mortimer procured an express from the young King to remove him under pretences of Friendship and Advantage but indeed that he might put him into such hands as he was sure would dispatch him and thereupon he was conveyed to Berkley Castle when by the way for fear he should be rescued by the People who had yet some remains of Love for him they set him on a Mole-hill in order to shave him for the better disquise and in an insulting manner told him That the Water of the next Ditch should accommodate him for that purpose to which the sorrowfull King replied That there should be warm Water whether they would or not and thereupon sent forth a floud of Tears and being arrived at Berkley Castle in the Custody of Thomas Gurney and John Matravers he was murthered by them or such as they appointed in this barbarous manner viz. being bound to a bed with his face downwards they thrust a hollow Horn into his Fundament and through that to prevent any burning or searing in the outward parts they thrust an Iron Instrument red hot twisting it amidst his Bowels till with horrible pain and torment amidst crys and groans he expired And this Wickedness Historians record to be acted upon Mortimer's sending an ambiguous Sentence prepared by Adam Torleton Eishop of Hereford to such as kept the Castle viz. Edvardum occedere nolite tâ—mere bonum est To kill King Edward refuse to
Reign This Richard the Second was King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain second Son to Edward the Black Prince by Joan his Wife Daughter to Edmund Earl of Kent His Reign began the 21st day of June 1377. and he reigned 22 Years three Months and eight days and was the 22d sole Monarch of England c. and was murthered in Pontefract Castle as will appear in the next Reign He had two Wives but no Issue or at least none that survived him his last Wife Isabel Daughter to Charles the Fifth King of France being so young that she was incapable of consummating the Joys of a Marriage Bed c. In his time made Portents and Prodigies happened the Bay and Lawrel Trees withered throughout England and suddenly after became green and flourishing and the deep River near Bedford divided into two Streams leaving the Chanel dry for three miles He caused his Palace of Shene now Richmond in Surry to be demolished occasioned by the excessive grief he conceived for the loss of his first Wife Queen Ann who dyed there he likewise upon the City's refusing to lend him 1000 l took away their Charter and obliged them to ransome it at a far greater Summe Thus we behold how Fortune plays with Kings There 's nothing stable found in earthly things The Greatness that on Power and Honour grows Like the wild Ocean has its Ebbs and Flows The Reign and Actions of Henry the IV. King of England c. HEnry of Bullinbrook so called from the place of his Birth Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster upon the Resignation of King Richard was crowned by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury making it his business to ingratiate himself with the People thereby the better to secure what he had gained he sent his Ambassadours likewise abroad to keep up the Correspondency with foreign Princes as also to justifie his Proceedings but France and Normandy approved not of them but rather condemned what had pasted in dishonour of King Richard nor were there divers in England wanting who laboured to restore him and amongst these were John Holland Earl of Huntington Thomas Hollnnd Earl or Kent John Mâ—â—acute Earl of Salisbuy Thomas Spencer Earl oâ— â—â—â—ucester with the Dukes of Surry Exeter and 〈…〉 but these Lords were altogether unsuccessfull 〈◊〉 Undertaking although they raised a considerable number of Persons in Arms giving out King Richard was at liberty and there present the better to confirm which they had gotten his Chaplain to personate him for the Townsmen of Cyrencester assailed them took divers of them and because some of the Lords Servants had fired the Town to contribute to their Masters Escape whilst the People were busie in extinguishing the Flames they in Revenge cut off the Heads of such Noblemen as they had taken without Law or Process and the Commons of Essex did the like to the Earl of Huntingdon in revenge of the Duke of Gloucester's Death mentioned in the foregoing Reign to be made away at Cailais The Lord Spencer falling into the hands of the Rabble at Bristol met the same Fate Others were put to Death at Oxford and some at London John Maudlin the Counterfeit Richard and one Thurby were drawn hanged and quartered The Bishop of Carlisle was condemned but afterwards pardoned and thus the Attempt was totally frustrated yet it proved fatal to Richard for Henry finding he could not assure himself in the Throne whilst the deposed King lived and he purposely letting fall some words before his Favourites as Who shall rid me of the cause of my troubles c. Sir Pierce of Exton to curry-favour with him went to the Castle where King Richard was lodged and gaining admittance under pretence of an Order from the King he and seven of his Accomplices fell upon and murthered that poor Prince with Battel-Axes yet before he fell wresting a Weapon he killed four of them others will have him to dye through Famine and Discontent which may appear something likely when we consider he was exposed at St. Paul's London for the space of three days thereby to assure the People of his Death and prevent any Counterfeit that might be set up and afterwards buried at Kings-Langly in Hartfordshire yeâ— in the fifth year of Henry the V. his Remains were brought to Westminster and interred with his Ancestours where some will have that beautifull Pâ—â—ture of a King Crowned in a Chair of State to be placed at the upper end of the Choir in memory â— him However this freed not Henry from dangâ—â—â—â— for the Scots entered England and the Welsh took 〈◊〉 Arms under the Leading of Owen Glendour but were both defeated yet these publick Practices were seconded with a private one which had proveâ— more dangerous had it taken effect viz. a Calthrop being an Engine with four sharp Spears standing upward was placed in his Bed and had peradventure put an end to his days had he not espyed it before he lay down but it could not be known who placed it there The Welsh who rather retired than over-come took Arms in greater number and overthrowing the Lord Edward Mortimer who was sent to surpress them took him Prisoner and obliged him to marry Glendour's Daughter nor did People spare to spread abroad sundry inveterate Libels for which some were executed and amongst them several Gray Fryars and the King going against the Welsh was repulsed by a mighty Storm yet succeeded his Lieutenant the Early of Northumberland and his Son Piercy Hoâ—spur better against the Scots in the North for by them the Scots were overthrown in two Battels and some Persons of note taken Prisoners The King being at this time a Widower took to Wife the Lady Jane of Navarre Widow to John de Mountfort Duke of Britain which Marriage was followed by dreadfull Prodigies and soon after the Lord Piercy Hotspur when he had done Wonders against the Scots and thinking his Services slighted grew discontented and turned his Arms against King Henry and with him joyned Mortimer Earl of March Henry Piercy his Father and Owen Glendour pretending a Care to reform Disorders in the Government though it was afterwards discovered they intended nothing more than their own Interest for Mortimer was to have the South part of â—â—gland Piercy the North Glendour all beyond the 〈◊〉 and Archibald Earl of Douglas who had beâ—â—â—â— been takan Prisoner to have his Liberty and the Town of Berwick with the Territories belonging to it but before they could gather into any great Body the King was advancing with a powerfull Army towards Shrewsbury which they had fortified when Hotspur no sooner discovered the Royal Standard but resolving to loose his Life or win the Day drew out Fourteen thousand Men and desperately engaged the King and Prince Henry his Son yet being inferiour in number though he fought with a Courage beyond expression Fortune that never before failed him turned her back so that he was slain and the Earls
of Worcester and Douglas Sir Richard Vernon Barron of Kinlaton taken and beheaded 200 Esquires and Gentlemen of Cheshire and a great number of common Soldiers lost their Lives not without considerable Loss to the King and the ending his Life for Hotspur broke furiously through the Squadron where the Standard was and there had killed or taken him Prisoner had he been seconded as he expected yet this so incensed the King that he caused his Body whom his own Party had carried off and buried to be taken out of the Grave the Head cut off and the Quarters to be dispersed in divers Places As for the Earl of Northumberland he was taken after this Defeat as he was raising Forces in the North yet had his Life pardoned but was abridged in his Estate and the better to quiet the like Disturbances the King called a Parliament but could get no considerable Supply neither in that nor the other two Parliaments that succeeded it About this time William de Willford being abroad with a Squadron of Men of War brought in 40 Prizes laden with Iron Oyl and Rochel Wine which was sold to supply the King's Coffers and a Troup of Western Men brought 3 foreign Lords and 20 Knights of note Prisoners from Dartmouth having slain the Lord Castile and a great many of his Followers who cruzing on the Coast attempted to burn and plunder that place as before they had served Plimouth for which Service the King bestowed liberal Rewards amongst them and in Parliament caused the Earl of Northumberland to be restored to his entire Possession yet these things quieted not the minds of the Nobility for soon after Thomas Mowbray Earl-Marshal of England drew Richard Scroop Arch-Bishop of York into a Conspiracy who tampering with the Earl of Westmoreland and he promising them fair instead of siding with them delivered them up to the King and they were thereupon beheaded but the Pope being highly incensed at the Arch-bishop's Death excommunicated all those that had a hand in it This was seconded by another of the Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolf but their Forces being weak they were encountred by the Sheriff of Yorkshire where the Earl in a sharp conflict was slain in the Field and the Lord mortally wounded and as a mark of Ignominy the Earl's Head was carried on a Pole through London and fixed on the Bridge-gate and because the Scots had encouraged this Undertaking and to surpress the Rumour that went abroad of King Richard's being alive the King marched an Army of 37000 Men to their Borders battered Berwick with a piece of Cannon the first that was used in England and took it as likewise siezed on all the Castles belonging to the Earl of Northumberland then marched into Wales but was â—isappointed in that Expedition by the sudden Inâ—undations and Torrents of Water that flowed â—rom the Hills whereby fifty of his Waggons with Treasure and Provisions were destroyed and a great part of his Food which obliged him to reâ—ire The King to repair his Loss called another Parâ—iament which through his Importunity was constrained to grant him a Subsidy and in the year 1407 a Plague raged throughout England and destroyed in London 30000 Persons A great Frost followed it that lasted 15 Weeks yet the Duke of Burgundy craving the King's Aid against the Duke of Orleance had his Request granted And amongst other memorable Actions of the English Sir John Blunt raised a Siege beat Four thousand French-men with Three hundred English taking about Twelve Noblemen and One hundred and Twenty Gentlemen Prisoners And now Wickliff's Doctrine beginning to spread the Arch-Bishop Arundel so incensed the King that William Sawtree William Swinderby and William Thorp all eminent Divines were put to Death for their profession of a good Faith but the King did not long survive that Cruelty for Anno 1413. falling sick and into an Appoplexy whilst his Crown was placed on his Pillow Prince Henry his Son came and took it thence which the King perceiving upon his reviving sent for him and demaâ—ded the reason of his hastiness who boldly replyed That he seeming dead in all Men's esteem he took it as his Right Whereupon the King with some trouble of mind looking on him said Ah Son with what Right it was got God only knoweth who forgive me the Sin To which the Prince fiercely replyed However it was got I mean to keep it when it shall be mine and defend it with my Sword as you by your Sword have obtained it and soon after the King dyed and was buried at Canterbury This Henry the IV was King of England and France Lord of Ireland c. eldest Son to John Duke of Lancaster by Blanch his Wife He began his Reign the 29th of Sptember Anno 1399 and Reigned 13 Years 3 Months and 16 Days and was the 33d sole Monarch of England by his first Wife Mary he had Issue Prince Henry Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Blanch and Philippa by his second-Wife no Issue that survived him Thus ill-got Crowns create a troubl'd Reign Howe'er so easie got hard to maintain Such Crowns have Thorns that still the Wearer pain The Life Reign and Actions of Henry the V. King of England c. HEnry of Monmouth so called from the place of his Birth in his youthfull years lead away by wild and debauched Courtiers committed many extravagancies not being exempted from Robbing on the High-ways putting his Father in fear of some Design he had upon his Person and attempting to rescue a Prisoner from the Face of Justice in the Court of King's-Bench but when he came to the Crown he was wonderfully changed commanding his former leud Companions to alter their manners or not dare to approach his Court nor within Ten miles of his Person chusing grave and worthy Counsellours and much honouring the Clergy and the more to ingratiate with the People every day after Dinner he was wont for the space of an hour to receive Petitions in order to redress Grievances which he would doe with wonderfull Equity much lamenting the untimely Death of King Richard and so near it touched him that he sent to Rome to be absolved from a Fact he had no hand in Whilst things went on prosperously a Parliament was called wherein it was moved that the superfluous Lands and Temporalties belonging to Religious Houses were sufficient of the Maintainance of 15 Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Alms-Houses and over and above 20007 l per Annum to the King's Coffers and this to curb the Pride of the Clergy was pressed very home and had gone on had not the Arch-Bishop of Canteâ—bury to turn his Thoughts from it perswaded him to seek his Right in France of which Kingdom he told him he was the true Heir enforcing it with strong Reasons insomuch that the young King being naturally of a fierce and warlike Spirit soon hearkned to what he had suggested and sent
made Prisoner by a Burgundian Knight and by him sold to to the English who sent her to Roan and being charged with Witch-craft Bloud-shead and the unnatural use of Man's Apparel contrary to her Sex she was burnt which was too barbarous a usage and had not been executed but to put the French out of the great hopes they conceived in the Promise she had made to drive the French out of the Kingdom and in some kind it had its effects but another expedient was resolved on which was to send over for young King Henry and he accordingly was crowned in Paris with great Pomp by the Cardinal of VVinchester on the 7th of December 1431. The French Nobility doing him homage and the King's Pattents and Grants touching the French Affairs passed under the Seal and Stile of Henry King of the Frenchmen and of England and the Lords Talbot and Arundel were successfully victorious in the Provinces of Main Anjou and other places but John Duke of Bedford Regent of that Kingdom dying at Paris Anno. 1435. with his death the English Affairs sunk for although Richard Duke of York was sent over Regent yet before his arrival Paris was lost by the treachery and revolt of the Citizens and the Duke of Burgundy falling off besieged or blocked up Callais upon notice of which the Duke of Gloucester passed with a great Army but the Burgundians were retired before his arrival which made him proceed to waste the Burgundian Territories and then returned to England whilst the Duke of Somerset the Lords Talbot and VVilloughby made good the English Interest against the French and now it was thought expedient that King Henry should Marry and by the contrivance of de la Pool Duke of Suffolk he took to Wife Margaret Daughter to Renate Duke of Anjou and Lorain Titular King of Sicily and Jerusalem c. with whom he had little or no Dowry and Suffolk's too much favour and interest with the Queen made the Nobles begin to murmur and indeed this Match proved in the end disadvantageous to the English for the Queen being a Woman of a high Spirit and finding her power over a good natured and easie King she delayed not to use it placing and displacing at her pleasure the greatest Counsellers and Ministers of State so the Interest in France daily lessoned and the Dauphinâ— recovered the greatest part of the Kingdom which moved Duke Humphry to reproach the Queen and her Council with bold truth whereby they became so exasperated that from that time they layed Snares to intrap him but finding no plausible opportunity they resolved to take a violent occasion and at a Parliament holden at St. Edmunds-bury Anno 1447. he was arrested by John Lord Beaumont Lord High Constable of England and others charged with High-Treason and put under a Guard of the King's Houshold but had not been long in his Confinement before he was found dead not without strong presumption of violence used towards him yet to shadow it with the people who entirely loved him as a vertuous wise and learned Patriot of his Country his body was exposed and it was given out that he died of an Imposthume and Palsie This Duke who had been the Prop of the English Affairs removed his Servants the better to colour the Matter were brought to Tryall and five of them convicted of High-Treason upon which Sentence they were drawn to Tyburn and being hanged about two Minutes were cut down alive stripped naked and marked out with a Knife to be quartered and then their Charters of Pardon were produced by the Marquess of Suffolk and now the whole frame of Government seemed to repose it self in the Queens Authority and such Favourites as by her insinuation with the King she raised to the highest Dignities This gave scope to the Duke of York's Ambition who concluding there was an open passage to the Crown delayed not the opportunity but consulted his Friends declaring his Title as descended from Lionel and Elder Brother to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster great Grand-father to King Henry the sixth aggravating the miscarriages in Government and keeping up popular divisions and indeed the King's mildness a Council out of Favour with the people â—osses and dishonours abroad a disorder and confusion of things at home mainly contributed to his design and about this time a Rebellion happening in Ireland the Duke of York was looked upon as the fittest Man to go over for the appeasing it and had the fortune to bring it to a happy issue when in the mean while the Duke of Suffolk the Queens great favourite was charged in a Parliament at Westminster with evil Demeanour Misprision and Treason and committed Prisoner to the Tower but the Queen soon after procured his release and now the Yorkists Faction considerably strengthened appeared bare-fac'd and being vigorously withstood by Adam Molins Bishop of Chichester Keeper of the Privy Seal to remove him out of the way a rable of Seamen were stired up to fall upon him at Portsmouth by whose rude hands the good Bishop was slain and in a Parliament holden at Leicester they procured the Banishment of the Duke of Suffolk for five years and as he was attempting to pass the Seas he was taken in Dover Road by such as the Duke of York had laid in wait for him and for want of a Block had his Head cut off on the side of a Cock-boat which was looked upon as a Judgment for his being a contriver of the death of Humphry Duke of Gloucester the King's Uncle Suffolk thus removed out of the way the Duke of York concluded he wanted but one step into the Throne and although he was yet in Ireland he so effectually wrought by his Friends in England that the Kentish Men took up Arms under the leading of Jack Cade and were joyned by those of Essex demanding that the Duke might be called home and that he with some others that Cade named might bechief in Council That those guilty of the death of Duke Humphry might receive due punishment That the Grievances of the people might be redressed and because these requests were not speedily answered they committed many violent out-rages in and about London as plundering the houses of the Citizens beheading the Lord Say Treasurer of England and Mr. Comer High Sheriff of Kent for attempting to perswade them to return to their Obedience However their fury being spent and the King's Proclamation for a Pardon coming out to indemnifie them they returned to their respective Habitations but Cade finding his Power and Credit with the Multitude upon some new disgust attempting again to raise the Rable he was encountered by the Gentry of Kent and slain by one Edan Upon the stirs and uproars in England the Duke of York without any Order hasted from Ireland and took up Arms pretendedly for the Reformation of the State which made King Henry fortifie himself and prepare to oppose their force â— but the Duke of York
into the Countrey he was invited to hunt in the Park of one Thomas Burdet Esq where after having caught much Game he by the persuasion oâ— some that were about him killed a white Buck which for its Tameness and comely Form was greatly beloved by the Owner and upon notice it was slain he wished the Horns of it in the Belly of those that advised the King to doe it which being over-heard by some Court Parasites they to curry favour with the King made their Report of it to him with aggravation insomuch that Burdet was tried and cast for High Treason in wishing the King's Death and accordingly beheaded at Tyburn Another Person he caused to be hanged before his own door in Cheapside for saying to a little Youth his Son that if he would mind his Book and be a good Boy he would make him heir to the Crown meaning in all probability his house that bore that Sign c. But now the King worn out with Wars and Women much grieved for the untimely death of his Brother fell sick and sending for the Nobles that were at Court he earnestly desired them to live peaceably together and have regard to his Children in their tender Years forgetting Injuries and Animosities as they tendered the Love of God and their King appointing his Son Edward a Youth of about 12 years of Age to succeed him making the Duke of Gloucester Protectour of his Person during his Minority and then gave up the Ghost on the 9th of Apr. 1483. He had Issue by Elizabeth his Wife Daughter to Richard Woodvile Earl Rivers Prince Edward Richard Duke of Bedford who dyed a Child Richard Duke of York Elizabeth married to Henry VII Ciciâ— married to the Lord Viscount Wells Anne married to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk Bridget a veiled Nun Mary who dyed 1482. Margaret who dyed an Infant Katharine married to William Courtney Earl of Devonshire his base Issue was Arthur and Elizabeth This Edward was King of England France and Lord of Ireland Son to Richard Plantagenet Duke of York he began his Reign on the 4th of March 1460. and reigned 22 Years 1 Month and 5 Days and was the 36th sole Monarch of England he dyed in the 40th year of his Age and the 23d of his Reign his Body was buried in the new Chapel at Windsor whose Foundation himself had laid Thus after bloudy Toils with restless Fate The Warlike Prince does to the Grave retreat The mighty dead now undistinguished lies Death makes the Monarch and the Slave his prize The Reign and Actions of Edward the V. King of England c. EDward V upon the death of his Father was committed to the Care and Tutulage of Sir Anthony Woodvile with whom were joined sundry of the Queens Relations before her Marriage but Richard Duke of Glocester the deceased King's Brother thirsting after Sovereignty laboured to remove them from the Person of the young King and to that â—nd hearing they were bringing him out of the Countrey whither he had retired to be crowned â—t London with a great Power and Train he so â—ealt with the Queen that she sent express word they should save the charge and trouble of so great 〈◊〉 Concourse and urged as Gloucester had insinuated that it would give the Nobility at London apprehensions of danger and occasion of disturbance or discontent and having made the Duke of Buckâ—ngham the Lord Hastings and others his Confidents he marched to Stonystratford and there took â—ho young King by force from the small Train that attended him arresting the Lord Richard Grey Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawtre in the King's presence nor could his entreaty prevail for their delivery he made Sir Anthony Woodvile now Lord Rivers Prisoner and soon after sent him and the Lord Grey with a strong Guard to a Castle in the North pretending for his Justification of these proceedings that they had a design upon his Life and the Lives of the ancient Nobility that they might have the power of the King and Kingdom in their own hands and to render the report more plausible caused old Armour and rusty weapons to be shewed to the people in his way to London pretending those were the Instruments intended to doe the business The Queen upon the surprising news began to have mortal Apprehensions of the danger the King and her self were in finding how she had been imposed on by the Protectour in forbidding the strength intended for the Guard of her Son's Person and the better to secure her self she removed with her son Richard Duke of York and her Daughters into the sanctuary at Westminster and people werâ— filled with fear and confusion especially when they found the Thames full of Boats with the servants oâ— Buckingham and Gloucester in them to prevent thâ— escape of any persons that way and to prevenâ— their coming to sanctuary however the Archbishop of York comforted the Queen the best he could delivering up the Broad Seal and telling her if anâ— misfortune came to the King he would crown hiâ— Brother and the Duke of Gloucester caused thâ— Lord Hasting Lord Chamberlain to send a Messagâ— to the Archbishop to assure him all would be well but the Queen declared against that Lord as onâ— that sought the Ruine of her Family however oâ— the fourth of May the King came to Town and waâ— in much Pomp conveyed to the Bishop of London Palace where the Dukes of Gloucester Buckingham and other Noblemen swore Fealty to him and by a second Approbation the first was confirmed Protector of the King's Person and Kingdoms Gloucester having made a prosperous beginning fell to strengthening his Party and held divers Councils to contrive what was farther to be done but he found he had as yet but half his Prey in his hands and thereupon he laboured to get the Duke of York into his possession and to that end Consultations were held in the Stra-chamber where it was resolved that for sundry Reasons he should be with his Brother but the Abbat and Archbishop declaring it was no ways reasonable but alltogether dangerous to make a breach upon the sanctuary the latter was appointed to wait upon the Queen to prevail with her for his peaceable delivery and although she used many pregnant Reasons to the contrary yet understanding the Protectour was resolved to have him by force if fair means failed she with much regret and a floud of sorrow delivered him to the charge of the Archbishop and other Lords that attended saying I deliver him and his Brother into your hands of whom I shall require them before God and the World after which she tenderly kissed and embraced the Infant blessing him and weeping over him as a fatal presage of his Misfortune whilst the Child wept as fast the Protectour having gotten him he took him in his Arms and gave him a treacherous Kiss saying Now wellcome my Lord even with all my heart The Prize thus gotten the Councils were removed
head them against the King's Forces in England promising their Aid to help him to the Kingdom so that landing at Whitsand Bay in Cornwal many thousands resorted to him and being strong enough he besieged Exeter but it made a stout Resistence and was in conclusion relieved by the Earl of Devonshire whereupon Perkin's Men perceiving the little success they were like to have against the far greater Forces preparing to encounter them dropped away by degrees which he perceiving fled privately to the Abby of Beaulien in New Forest for Sanctuary but upon Promise of Life and a Pardon for his Crimes he came forth and submitted making his publick Confession and Recantation how he was but the Son of a converted Jew born at Tournay in Flanders and had been wrought upon to take this Enterprise upon him by the Duchess of Burgundy and others upon which he was committed close Prisoner to the Tower Yet some Practices being still on foot King Henry not thinking himself secure caused him to be tried at Westminster for High Treason in attempting to escape and carry with him the Earl of Warwick to raise new Commotions in the Kingdom and being sentenced was drawn to Tyburn and there hanged In this the innocent Earl of Warwick was involved without any other apparent reason than to cut him off that the Succession might be the more firm to Henry's posterity and this poor Prince who had been kept a Prisoner from his Infancy and little knâ—w what belonged to Law or Matters of State being by some who insinuated to be his Friends persuaded to confess upon his Tryall what he never intended or thought of by having a Promise of Pardon upon such a Confession the King very unkindly took him at his word and being condemned for High Treason he was beheaded on Tower-hill and in him failed the Name of Plantagenet as being the last of the Male Line of that illustrious House This cruel execution little inferiour to what Richard the III. had acted by his Newphews is held to be done upon the account of the Match between Prince Arthur the King's Son and the Princess Katharine of Spain the Spaniard appearing averse to conclude it till by the removal of the Earl of Warwick the Succession was better secured Anno 1506. Edmund de la Pool Earl of Suffolk was tried by the King 's express Command at the King's-Bench-Bar Westminster for killing a man and tho he had his Pardon yet being of the Royal Bloud it so disgusted him that he privately retired beyond the Seas and laboured to disturb Henry's Reign by secretly holding Correspondence in England which obliged the King to send his Spies abroad especially Sir Robert Courson who insinuating into the Earl's Favour got out of him who were his Conferates in England whereupon Sir James Tirrel the wicked Instrument in the Murther of the two young Princes Edward and Richard in the Tower and Sir John Windham with three others lost their Heads on Tower-hill Nor did the King spare any Cost or Labour to get the Earl into his hands but when his Pollicy failed Fortune befriended him for Philip King of Spain and Archduke of Austria in whose Countries the Earl remained being at Sea was driven into the West of England by Stress of Weather of which Henry had no sooner notice but he hasted to receive and entertain him which he did in a most splendid manner and with some difficulty procured his Promise to send him over the Earl a Prisoner protesting his Life should be secured to him and accordingly he was sent over and secured in the Tower King Henry supposing himself now secure made it his business to heap up Riches and for that purpose he had his Instruments Empson and Dudly who by grievous unlawfull and indirect ways oppressed the People for which they were justly punished as a Terrour to corrupt Judges which in the next Reign appears but in the midst of this Unrertaking the King dyed viz. anno 1509. on the 22d of April He had Issue by Elizabeth his Queen eldest Daughter to Edward the Fourth Arthur who was married to Katharine of Spain and dyed before his Father anno 1502. Henry Edmund who dyed 1499. Margaret married to James the Fourth King of Scotland Elizabeth who dyed young Mary first married to Lewis the Twelfth King of France and afterward to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Katharine who dyed young This Henry was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland Son to Edmund Tudor Earl of Richmond by Margaret Daughter and Heir to John Beaufort Duke of Somerset Grandchild to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster He began his Reign in the Year 1485 and reigned twenty three Years eight months and was the 39th sole Monarch of England he dyed in the 52d Year of his Age and was buried in the Chapel of his own Building at Westminster Thus after Toils of State and War are o'er Monarchs lie down to be disturb'd no more The Grave yields quiet and Repose from ill When Fate wound off the Wheels of Life stand still The Reign and Actions of Henry VIII King of England c. KIng Henry the Eighth was in his Father's Life time betrothed to Katharine of Spain his Brother Arthur's Widow and the old King left him to set up with 1800000 l that he had scraped together in his latter days the greatest Treasure any King of England ever left before This Henry was crowned at Westminster on the 25th of June 1509. together with Queen Katharine by William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury chusing many grave persons out of the Clergy and Lâ—iâ—y And now the people being enraged against Empson and Dudly for their illegal Oppressions the King to prevent Tumults that might have happened in the beginning of a young Prince's Reign if Redress had been refused caused them to be arrested and imprisoned and soon after being brought to Tryall and many heinous things proved against them together with the Cries and Clamours of the people for Justice they were sentenced to lose their Heads and were accordingly executed The King being of a martial Spirit and impatient of Ease sent his Heralds at Arms to the French King there in his Name and as in right belonging to the English Crown to demand the Dutchies of Normandy Guine Main and Anjou but they being refused he failed into France with a considerable Army besieged Terwin and thither came Maximilian the Emperour as a voluntary aider to the King and served under the English Standard as a Knight of the Order of the Garter and the French advancing with a considerable power to the relief of this place were routed allmost without fighting so from their cowardly running away being most Horse it was called in derision The Battel of Spurs yet six of their Standards and many Prisoners of note were taken and thereupon the Town yielded and the King marched to the Siege of Tournay which he won and obliged the Citizens for their Redemption to pay him
the Sea-Port Towns the King sent to grant them their reasonable Demands yet though several Messages passed nothing came to a conclusion and many of the King's Friends left the upper and lower House as dreading the fatal Consequence so that at last there not being above 80 Members in the lower House and 16 in the upper The Queen left England with her illustrious Daughter the Princess of Orange and the King with divers Nobles went to York whither he Summoned the Knights of the Garter and those that held of the Crown to repair And now People fearing things would come to extremity the County of Kent petitioned for an Accommodation but their Petition was rejected and the bringer and receiver imprisoned by the Parliament yet upon the King's Summons about 60000 Men of Yorkshire appeared on Howard Moor near York and after a view were ordered to repair to their respective Habitations but at this time the Parliament borowed a great Summe of Money of the Londoners on the publick Faith and raised an Army of 10000 Foot and 2000 Horse making the Earl of Essex their General and proclaimed War The King being denied entrance into Hull and having vainly assaulted it fortified Newark and Barwick and advancing to Nottingham set up his Standard so that Hostilities began and a piteous War ensued wherein many brave Men lost their Lives Victory declaring sometimes for one Party and sometimes for another insomuch that the Fields â—n about fifty Battles and Skirmishes were fatted with Bloud and made in many places white with the Bones of the slain no Wounds as it is observed by Lucan piercing so deep as those of Civil War but the King being extremely weakened by a fatal Overthrow at the Battel of Nasâ—by fought on June the 14th 1645 where most of his Officers Soldiers and voluntire Gentlemen were â—lain or taken Prisoners his Baggage Cannon Ammunition or what not seized he after the Defeat for want of Money was never in a Condition to make any considerable Head though some Towns and Parties stood out for him but going to Oxford and finding the Storm gather from all Parts distrusting the strength of the Place he privately withdrew and by the Advice of some about him cast himself for protection on the Scotch Army then in England whose Commanders promised him all manner of safety but being in Arrear they for the Summe of 200000 l delivered up this good Prince into the hands of his merciless Enemies who carried him for a while from place to place flattering him with Treaties and Commissioners were sent to him demanding Consessions and Agreements to Articles but when all good people were in hopes of an Accommodation and right understanding that the Land after so much bloudshed might have rest the Scale suddenly turned and a High Court of Justice was erected of which Serjeant Bradshaw was President and although the King denied their Jurisdiction yet they proceeded to try him viz. for that he had caused the cruel bloudshed in England and Ireland and born Arms against the Parliament That he had given Commissions to his Son and others to wage War c. and although he answered not to the Charge yet on the 27th of January 1648. they pronounced Sentence against him that he should loose his Head and accordingly on the 30th of January he was beheaded on a Scaffold before White-Hall-gate where he made a Speech professing his Innocency and desiring God to bless these Kingdoms and forgive his Enemies Thus fell this unfortunate Prince when he had Reigned 23 years 10 Months and 3 Days in the 49 Year of his Age and his Body was Buried at Windsor He was second Son to King James by Anne his Queen and had Issue by Henrietta Maria his Queen Charles James Henrietta Mary Elizabeth Catharine and Henrietta Thus did the much lamented Monarch fall And left behind the slighted earthly Ball Too scanty was Earth's Glory and Renown For him that had in view a heavenly Crown The Reign of Charles the II. King of Great Britain c. AT the Time of the cruel Execution Charles the Second was in Holland whither he had withdrawn himself to prevent the Designs of his Enemies and there with inexpressible Sorrow received the heavy News of his Father's Death and although from the 30th of January 1648 his Reign is dated as being rightfull King of these Realms yet that part of a Parliament then sitting upon penalty of Treason forbid all Persons to proclaim him or be aiding in his Restauration and then the Commons House the better to assure it Voted the Lords useless and dangerous however the Marquess of Ormond since Duke of Ormond Proclaimed the King in Ireland and the Scots did the like in Scotland however in England the King's Arms were pulled down and the Harp and Cross called the Arms of the Common-wealth set up The Processes in Law were altered and Money Coined with the States Arms And now the Lord Fairfax disliking these proceedings and having laid down his Commission of General of the Army Oliver Cromwell took it up and so laboured to please his Masters that with armed Force he brought Scotland and Ireland to a Compliance whilst the King was soliciting the Princes abroad for Aides to recover his Right when the more to disturb that King's Party in England not onely the Crown Lands were set to sail but even the Palaces and those of Bishops Deans and Chapters run the same risk and many worthy persons were expelled places of Benifice or Trust in Church or State and the Parliament for their greater security caused many Castles to be demolished The Marquess of Montross declared for the King's interest in Scotland performing wonders even with 〈◊〉 handfull of men against the Arms of the Countrie but in conclusion after he had done all that â—ould be expected from heroick Valour and Conâ—uct his men being scattered and he obliged to â—hift was taken and at Edenburg hanged and quarâ—ered During the Treaty the Scots had on Foot with the King to bring him into that Kingdom â—owever the urgency of the King's Affairs made â—im dissemble his resentments and upon the Treaty concluded landed at Spey and was conducted 〈◊〉 Edenburg and afterward solemnly Crowned 〈◊〉 Schon viz. January 1. 1650. setting up his Stanard at Abberdeen and causing the Forces reduced â—nder his Command to march against the English â—orces that had entred that Kingdom but without â—mming to any considerable Encounter the King 〈◊〉 July 1651. passed the Tweed and entred England â—ot onely to draw the Enemy out of Scotland but 〈◊〉 join his friends that had promised him Succours and without much difficulty marching through the Country to Worcester many Gentlemen and others came in to him but being followed in a manner at the heels by Cromwell and the Militia of the Counties every where raised and the Earl of Derby whom he had sent to raise Forces in Leicestershire defeated by Lilburn he resolved to fortifie that City and abide the
interposing as some Authors have it â—…tween two Deuelists he was unfortunately run â—…rough after he had reigned six years Edred succeeding Edmund Anno 946. the Danes beâ—…n to gather courage not without being privately aâ—…mated by some treacherous English and amongst â—…em Weelstan Arch-Bishop of York so that â—… the â—… caused himself to be Crowned King of Northumâ—…rland against whom Edred marched with a great Army but had the Rear of it surprised by the underhand dealing of Woelstan however he made his party good put the Danes to the rout and returned with victory He made St. Germans in Cornwal a Bishops See which was by Canute the Dane translated to Credington and at last setled at Exeter by Edmund the Confessor where â—it at present remains This Edred was Tenth sole Monarch of England and reigned Nine years Edwy succeeded Edred Anno 955 and was crowned at Kingston upon Thames where it is repoted he committed Adultery with a great Lady his near Kinswoman in the sight of his Nobles and afterwards caused her Husband to be slain that he might more freely enjoy her He thrust out the Monks and put married Priests in the places of those that affected a single Life Banished Dunstan who is now stiled a Saint and the same that is reported to have taken a shee Devil by the Nose with a pair of Tongues for disturbing him at his Forge These things turned the Peoples Affections against the King to a degree of laying him aside and swearing Fealty to Edgar which made him pine to death after he had Rul'd Four years and was buried in the New Abby Church at Winchester Edgar began his Reign Anno 159 he recalled Dunstan and outed the married Priests making a Penalty against Drunkenness and the Land at that time being pestered with Wolves he laid a yearly Tribute of three hundred Wolves Heads upon the Prince of Wales and upon the Noble-men and Free-holders according to the largeness of their Possessions so that in a few years they were all destroyed He made it his business once a year to ride the Circuit of his Kingdom to inquire of Abuses done by his Judges in Illegal Actings or those that were done by private Persons one to another inflicting severe punishments on such as he found tardy yet he have himself up to prodigeous Lust insomuch that casting his Eyes upon any Women he liked he would have his satisfaction by fair means or force and killed Ethelwald an Earl and one of his principal Courtiers with a Spear as he was hunting in the Forest because he had married a beauteous Lady Daughter to Duke Orgarus when he had sent him to fetch her for his own use and then took her to Wife He deflowred a Nun called Wolfe-child and got on her a hopeful Brat which was afterwards Sainted by the name of Edith and afterwards another Nun called Ethelflede on whom he begot his Son Edward who succeeded him he had peace except a little bickering with the Welsh all his Reign feared a broad and at home having the greatest Navy of any King before him some Authors reporting it consisted of Three thousand Ships He was crown'd at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Archbishop of Canterbury and reigned sixteen years Edward the Thirteenth sole Monarch of England began his Reign Anno 975 and was usher'd in by a Famine and a Blazing Star with great contentions between the Monks and Married Priests Dunstan taking taking part with the former and Duke Alfarus with the latter and meeting to Dispute in an upper Room the press being great the Flour fell down and many were wounded only Dunstan's Chair stood fixed upon a Post which gave such credit to the Monks who without doubt had contrived the sinking of the Four as appeared by the Chair being fixed that they gained the point and the Married Priests were turned out suffering great necessity no Man daring to entertain or relieve them Soon after this the King going a Hunting and being near the Castle of Queen Elfreda his Mother-in-Law he separated from his Company and went to pay her and her Son a visit But the treacherous Queen to advance her own caused one of her Servants to stab him in the Back whilst he was drinking on Horseback at her Gate whereupon turning his Horse he fled the farther Treachery but not finding his retinue he through lossâ— of blood fainted and falling in the next Wood expired when he had reigned four Years Ethelred the Son of Edgar and Elfreda succeeded Edward who for his slowness in Affairs was Nick-named The Unready he was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames the ordinary Seat of the Saxon Monarchs and upon his Coronation day a Cloud was seen throughout England half resembling Blood and half Fire and in the third year of his Reign the Danes Landed in divers parts of this Kingdom committing great Outrages and much about the same time a great part of London was laid in Ashes The King not being able to oppose the Torrent of the Danish power compounded a Peace for 10000 Pounds a Year but finding their Advantage they soon raised it to 40000 l which 〈◊〉 heavy upon the Nation and was called Danes Guilt oâ— Danes Money nor did this suffice them but they pillaged and ravag'd the Country so extreamly that the King to free his Sublects from the Oppressions they groaned under gave them private notice on St. Brices day to fall upon the Danes in all the Cities and Towns where they quartered which was done with so much secresie that most of them were cut off this being done on the 13 of November Anno 1002. the News flew into Denmark whereupon new swarms came over under the Leading of Swanus who destroyed all before them with Fire and Sword in such a terrible manner that the People fled to the Woods and Mountains and although the King bought his Peace at the price of 30000 Pounds yet not long after they flew 900 Monks and such as were of Religious Orders in Canterbury and having gotten a great sum of Money from the Archbishop Aphegus for his Ransom they notwithstanding stonâ—d him at Greenwich so that the King perceiving their treachery and cruel dealing and that he was no ways capable of opposing their fury he sent Emma his wise with her two Sons to her Brother Richard Duke of â—â—â—mandy and soon after left the Kingdom to follow them but Swanus being stabbed by his own Meâ— and Canutus his Son set up in his stead Ethelred returned but finding many Treasonable Designs carried on against him by Edricus one of his Dukes and a powerful Enemy in the Land which he was no ways able to oppose he died for grief when he had Reigned thirty seven years and was the fourteenth sole Monarch of England Edmund the Eldest Son of Ethelred Sirnamed Ironside succeeded him Anno 1016. and was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames by Livingus Arch-bishop of Canterbury though Canute then Reigned as King at Southampton This Edmund
and other places the better to secure his new acquired greatness and was the first that admitted the Jews to Inhabit England and finding some stirs in Normandy he re-passed the Seas and fought his Son Robert who dismounted him but knowing his voice remounted him and begged his pardon and by that means they were made Friends and the War ceased However finding Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent secretly Conspiring against him he Confiscated his Estate and Banished him his Dominions and being about to War against the French who during the Contest with his Son had offered some Indignities to his Dominions in Normandy he fell sick of a great pain and disorder in his Bowels whereat the French King in a scofing manner said Our Cousin William is now in Childbed therefore it behoves us to consider what number of Candles we must offer when he is Churched for no doubt they must be very many This being told to King William he in a rage swore by the Resurrection and brightness of God That his Cousin of France should be at no such cost or trouble but that at his Churching himself would light a thousand Candles in France and he failed not in his promise for entering that Kingdom with Fire and Sword he burnt the City of Mentz or Metz and many other places yet being too eager in pursuit of the French and of a Corpulent Body his Horse with a surious bound broke the Inner Rim or Film of his Belly of which when he had quieted the Disturbances abroad and at home and an extream Surfeit he got by overheating himself in action he died after a considerable sickness at Roan in Normandy Anno 1087. and there forsaken of his Sons and Courtiers who hasted to secure their respective Interests his Body was left unburied till one Harulims a poor Country Knight at his proper charge conveyed it to Cane where upon the attempting to bury him in St. Stephen's Chappel it was denied by one Ascelinus Fitz Arthur who in the Name of God forbad it saying It was the very place of his Father's House Floar which the Duke in his Life-time had wrongfully taken from him and upon his Inheritance founded the Church Therefore continued he I challenge the Ground and on God's behalf forbid that the Body of any Oppressor or Dispoiler be buried in my Earth neither shall it be Interred in the Precincts of my right But in conclusion Henry the Conqueror's younger Son hearing of the refusal compounded for 100 pound weight of silver and the Body was accordingly Interred with little or no Pomp for during the Contest his Belly burst in sunder and the Contageon thereby occasioned was so great that few could indure it he died on the 9th day of September 1087. in the 56th year of his Dukedom of Normandy and the 21st of his Reign over England in the 64th year of his Age his Wife was Maud Daughter to Baldwin the first Earl of Flanders his Issue was Robert sirnamed Curthois or Short-boots William sirnamed Miser who died Anno 1028. Richard who after his Father had gained the English Diadem came to a violent Death being gored in the New Forrest by a Stag or as others have it died by the stroke of a Bough William Rufus who succeeded him in the Kingdom of England though he nominated no Successor but left it to God's disposal much bewailing on his Death-Bed the Rigour and Oppressions he had used towards the English Henry born at Selby in York-shire Anno 1070. Cicely a veiled Nun Constance Married to Allain Earl of Britain in France Alice Married to Stephen Earl of Bloys by whom she had Stephen Earl of Mortain and Boleine afterward King of England Gundred Married to William d' Warren a Noble Norman and first Earl of Surry Ela who in her Child-hood was contracted to Duke Harrold afterward King of England Margaret who in her Childhood was given to Alphons King of Gallicia in Spain and William Preverel his Natural Son who was Created Earl of Nottingham His last Will and Testament was That all his Goods should be distributed to Churches Ministers and Poor limiting their respective Portions and to the Church and Monks of St. Stevens in Normandy where he above all â—oveted to be Buried he gave several Mannors as likewise his Crown which was afterward Redeemed by his Son Henry To Robert he left the Dutchey of Normandy but left as we said England free only wishing that his Son William might succeed him in it and presageing that Henry should in Conclusion possess all his Dominions he gave him 5000 Pounds the remainder of his Treasure He Deposed and Imprisoned Stigand Arch-bishop of Canterbury who died in Prison However he built many fair Churches and Abbies endowing them with Revenues and large Priviledges specially Battle-Abby where he slew King Harrold so that any Theâ—f or Murtherer flying thither had safe Protection and if the Abbot came by where any Execution was in hand he might if he pleased save the Malefactor he allowed a certain Pention to the Monks to â—ray for the Soul of King Harrold and those that were â—lain in the Battle In this King's time who was the 20th sole Monarch of England happened a dreadful Earthquake strange Burning Feavors proving very Mortal Murrains causing great Dearth of Cattle extraordinary Rains and Inundations which softned the Hills to that degree that some of them sunk to a flatness and overwhelmed the Neighbouring Villages most of the chief Cities suffered by Fire and London had her Houses and Churches burnt as the fire carried it from the West Gate to the East Gate Thus Lived and sell the Potent Conqueror Death's sorce subdued what ne'er was foil'd in War The Reign of William II. Sirnamed Rufus King of England c. VVIlliam Rufus so named from the redness of his Face although his Elder Brother Robert was alive immediately passing to London he by the assistance of Lanfrank Arch-bishop of Canterbury and VVolstane so far wrought upon the Council that he procured himself to be Crowned Anno 1087. at VVestminster but Odo his Uncle returning from his Banishment stirred up Robert his Brother against him instigating the Nobles to take part with him but Robert wanting Money was obliged for the better carrying on the Expedition to Pawn the Province of Constantine to his Brother Henry but whilst these preparations were in hand VVilliam to ingratiate himself with the English made large Promises to take off the hard Taxes and restore the Laws his Father had abolished upon which the people siding with him he wrested many of the strong Holds out of the hands of thosâ— that had seized them for his Brother Robert proceeding to besiege his Uncle Odo in Richester putting forth his Proclamation by which he ordered all people to repair thither in Arms and whoever refused he should be accounted a Niding which word at that time was so distastful and hated by the English as signifying a Coward or mean-spirited Fellow
another it was carried to VVinchester â—…nd buried in the Cathedral Church but since the â—…ones have been removed to and laid with those of â—…anute the Danish King This was the King who built VVestminster Hall â—…inety yards in length and twenty four yards two â—…eet in breadth yet when he came to see it he complained it was too little by half and therefoâ—… he would reserve it for a lodging Room He wâ—… slain as you have heard in the thirteenth year his Reign and the sorty sourth of his Age being tâ—… one and twentieth sole Monarch of England Thus Second William by misfortune's hand Drop'd in the Grave and left the wealthy Land Two Sons of the Great Conqueror met their fate VVhere he had laid the Country desolate The Reign â—and Actions of Henry the First King England c. HEnry the First English Monarch of that Namâ— who for his great Abilities in Learning wâ— called Beau-clark or good Scholar upon the uneâ— pected death of his Brother VVilliam and his Brothâ— Robert's being in the Holy Land waring again the Infidels upon many fair promises to the Noblâ— and Commons procured himself to be accepted King and was Crowned at VVestminster Anno 11â— Anselm being Archbishop of Canterbury and at fiâ— made it hisstudy to please all sorts striving to maâ— his House and Court a pattern of Virtue and goâ— Living to the rest of his Subjects permiting the Peâ— ple to have Fire and Candle in their Houses at the own discretion which under severe penalties had beâ— prohibited by his Father freeing the Churches froâ— reservations upon vacancies allowing the Heirs Noblemen to possess their Fathers Lands without Redemption ingaging the Nobles to do the like by the Tenants allowing so it were not to his Enemies tâ— Gentry to marry their Daughters and Kinswomen whom they pleased and that the Widow enjoyiâ— Joynter should be at liberty to maâ—â—y whom 〈◊〉 â—…ased That the Mother and nearest Relations â—…ould be Guardians to Fatherless Children during â—…ir Minority That such as coyned false Money â—…ould loose their Right Hand And if Men be deâ—…ved of their Genitals he ordained a certain Meaâ—…e to be a Standard Measure of Commerce accordâ—…g to the length of his Arm which is our Yard Forâ—…ing all Debts due to the Crown before be came to â—… Renewing the Laws of Edward the Confessor And â—…e better to strengthen his Title he married Maud â—…ughter to the King of Scots by Margaret Sister to â—…gard Atheling joyning in Succession to the Saxon â—…ngs But by this time News came that Robert his â—…der Brother after refusing the Scepter of Jerusalem which for his Valour and Conduct upon taking â—…t City from the Insidels was offered him by all the Western Princes that commanded the numerous Army of Christians in that glorious Expedition was â—…ndâ—d with an Army at Portsmouth and that many â—… the English sided with him which put the King to no small consternation however having got by â—…s lenity and fair pretences the hearts of the greater â—…rt of the People he resolved not to forgo what â—… had gotten and thereupon tried so far the good â—…mper of his Brother that by Presents and large â—…omises he worked upon him to remit his Claim â—…ein of which he was to have three thousand Marks â—…id him yearly and gave him six Months Royal Enâ—…tainment The Sunshine of Peace lasted not long before Beâ—…isine Earl of Shrewsbury and Roger Montgomery â—…ith divers other râ—…d but being vanquished â—…ey sled to Normandy however he was perplexed â—…the Arch-Bishop who influenced by the See of â—…ome contended to regulate the Clergy and dispose â—… Ecclesiastical promotions as he pleased refusing Consecrate such Bishops as the King was desirous to advance yet the King fearless of what mighâ— happen in England upon notice his Brother at thâ— instigation of some English Fugitives was preparinâ— for a second Invasion He resolved to prevent it by carrying the War into Normandy which he effected with such precepitation that he overthrew Robert took him Prisoner and sent him to Cardrâ— Castle where at first he was only Prisoner at large having the priviledge of the Medows and Parks under a slender Guard but as some will have it at tempting his escape but others the People too much pittying his condition and the apprehensions iâ— wrought made the King confine him a close Prisoner and the better to secure himself against any attempts this poor Prince might make cause thâ— Twinkles of his Eyes to be put out or clouded iâ— darkness by burning Glasses and not long after hâ— lost his Life some say by a voluntary starving himself out of a disdain he took that the King his Brother sent him a Suit of his old cast Clothes with aâ— addition That they were good enough for a Prisoner however this unnatural act greatly eclipsed the glory oâ— this King and too plainly shewed that Crowns knowâ— no Kindred when they stand in competion The Duke being dead King Henry seized upon his Dutchy of Normandy so that England may now be said to conquer Normandy though indeed it was unhappy for the English whom he began to restrain with a harder hand seeing he had removed the danger that threatned him banishing the Flemings who were desirous to instruct us in the Wollen Trade retracting many Grants he had passed and to strenghen his Alliance abroad he married Maud his Eldest Daughter to Henry the Fourth Emperor of Germany or the Romans and the Welsh promoting some disorders he forced them to obedience Aâ— likewise these in Normandy where new troubleâ— arose and that which gave him hopes of the settlement of Affairs was the death of the Arch-Bishop who to raise the Popes Power had opposed â—im in his important proceedings and was a great Enemy to the Married Priests who were tolerated â—n this Kings Reign The High Court of Parliament some Authors will have to be constituted in his Reign Anno 1116. William Eldest Son to Robert the deceased Duke of Normandy being alive Lewis King of France togeâ—her with the Earls of Flanders and Anjou laboured â—o fix him in the Dukedom but were frustrated â—nd a great Battle Anno 1119 was fought between â—he two Kings wherein Baldwin Earl of Flanders with divers other Nobles and some thousands of Common Soldiers were slain and the Victory falling â—o the English occasioned great loss and dishonour â—o the French and the Earl of Anjou upon King Henry's return to Roan with Palms of Triumph gave his Daughter and Heiress in Reversion of that Province to William the Kings Eldest Son whose Nuptials were solemnized with great joy and hope of future happiness But all things are unstable in this World for the King setting sail for England and the Prince with his Bride his Brothers Sisters and other great Personages staying six hours sail behind â—o take leave of their Friends resolved notwithstanding to come up with the King before he landed 〈◊〉 that the Marriners running a desperate course
as â—eing elevated with Wine and good Chear fell soul â—n a Rock which broke the Ship to pieces yet the â—rince with his Bride and some others got into the â—ng Boat and might have gone off but the Counâ—ss of Pearch crying to him from the Fore-castle â—or help he caused the Boat to turn and take her in â—ut before he could effect it so many leaped into it â—nd clung to its sides esteeming in that extremity their Lives as dear as their Princes that it sunk with the overlaiding and they were all drowned This doleful news coming to the Kings Earl by some of the Seamen that had escaped upon pieces of the Ship he greatly lamented the loss of his Children and though he was well in years yet in some measure to repair it he Married a second Wife viz. Adilicia Daughter to Jeffery Duke of Lorain but having no Issue by her he sent for Maud his Daughter who had been married to the Emperor her Husband being at that time dead and calling a Parliament caused Stephen his Sisters Son with his Nobles to swear her as to his lawful and now only Heir when sailing into Normandy after the toil of hunting eating a great meal of Lampries he presently fell sick and after seven days sickness dyed in the Town of St. Denis Anno 1135 his body was brought to Reading and buried in the Abby himself had founded and his Bowels and Brain at Roan nor did he dye without suspition of being poisoned for the very sent that came from his Brain was the death of the Physician that took it out The Wives of this King were two viz. Maud Daughter to Malcolm King of Scotland and Adilicia Daughter to Godfry Duke of Lorain his lawful Issue by the first was William and Maud by the last he had none yet is held to have fourteen Illegitimate Children He built many Abbies and Monasteries and was very charitable to the Poor In his time many Prodigies appeared and the Ground rent by an Earthquake sent forth such flames as destroyed some and indangered the lives of more He was King of England and Duke of Normandy fourth Son to William the Conqueror beginning his Reign Anno 1100 and Reigning 35 years being the 23 Monarch of England dying in the 65 year of his Age. Thus falls another Monarch soon or late All Crowns and Scepters in the dust must set All breath of Life the lowly and the high Must leave this narrow stage for vast Eternity The Reign of King Stephen with his Memorable Actions c. STephen Earl of Bloys Son to Adilicia Daughter to William the Conqueror and Stephen Earl of Bloys notwithstanding he had sworn Fealty to the Empress Maud laid claim to the Kingdom and by the interest and policy of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester and Roger Bishop of Sarum as also one Hugh Bigot who swore that King Henry upon his Death-bed taking a distaste at his Daughters proceedings had disenherited her and appointed this Stephen to succeed him in his Kingdom of England and Dukedom of Normandy so that upon these and other interests that were made he was Crowned at Westminster on St. Stephen's day Anno 1135 by William Curboil Archbishop of Canterbury the Prelates swearing to hold him King so long as he should preserve their Churches Rights and the Lay-Barrons in like manner swore Allegiance to him so long as he should keep his Covenants with them in preserving their Rights and Priviledges so that he accepted of the Crown and owned his Right as by Election The Charter containing his peoples Franchises Liberties and Immunities which he obliged himself to maintain he Signed and Sealed it at Oxford which was That all Liberties Customs Possessions granted to the Church should be firm and in force That Persons and Causes Ecclesiastical should appertain only to Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction That Church vacancies and the Goods of Church-men should be at the sole dispose of the Clergy That all ill usage touching Forests Exactions c. should be abolished and the Antient Laws restored to their Purity And for his security against the expected storm he caused or suffered many Castles to be erected which afterwards proved to his detriment This King took quiet possession of the Throne and had an interrupted Series of Tranquility for a time but by degrees the distractions came on that turned the Land into a seat of War for many years Baldwin de Redners was the first that openly began to declare himself in favour of the Empress Maud and hereupon the Welshmen took up Arms and falling upon the English not altogether provided gave them a considerable overthrow Nor did David King of the Scots forbear to invade this Kingdom and the Wesh incouraged by their former success continued to spoil the Frontiers and under the favour of another Scotish Invasion wherein under the leading of their King the Scots committed almost unparallel outrages The Nobles conspired against King Stephen betaking them to their respective Castles and strong Holds declaring that they were slighted and rejected in favour of the Flemmings and especially one Willinm de Ypre his chief counsellor and privado to follow whose directions he had neglected that of his Peers But the Scots instead of assisting these Lords making many other Invasions made great spoil and havock of their Houses Castles and Estates seeming rather to aim at a conquest than any thing less So that those in the North marched against them and being animated by Thurstan Archbishop of York by whose Authority Ralph Bishop of Durham being made General undertook but by what Warrant I know not to forgive the sins of all that should fall in Battle and secure them from punishments and pains in another Life the English fell on with such fury that they drove the Scots out of the Field with great slaughter nor could the presence of their King and the Prince his Son restrain them from open flight into Scotland and King Stephen following this advantage obliged them to sue for Peace however he found himself but slenderly assured in the Hearts of his People especially of the Nobles which made him prepare for the worst and hearing the Empress Maud was landed with a small train not exceeding 140 men at Arundel he hasted to oppose her but she being a Woman of great Policy coloured over her Intentions protested she came in peace only to spend the remainder of her days in a Country wherewith she was so much delighted and although the King had some little mistrust he nevertheless dissembled it and gave her Royal Entertainment causing her to be conveyed to the City of Bristol appointing it for her reception scarce had the Empress continued at Bristol two Months before she privately withdrew to Wallingford expecting the Forces her Brother Earl Robert was raising on her behalf But the King having notice of many underhand contrivances besieged that place whilst his Brother the Bishop of Winchester under a pretence of friendship and important
the next day a Truce was concluded yet Simon de Monfort Earl of Leicester who headed the Baron's Army carrying the King about with him as his Prisoner got into his hands all the strong Holds These Proceedings in England putting a stop to the Pope's Revenue he sent Cardinal Ottobon his Legate to Excommunicate the Barons but they for a while despised it yet soon after falling out amongst themselves many of them came over to Prince Edw. who had taken the Field with an Army so that he enclosed the Earl of Leicester's Camp at Evesham and obliged him to battel where the Earl lost the day with his Life and had his Head Hands and Feet chopped off as a mark of Infamy By this Overthrow the King was rescued and set at liberty when to heal the long Divisions a Parliament was called at Winchester by whose Approbation the King seized the Charters of London and other Cities and Towns that had proved disloyal and the Legate proceeded to excommunicate the Bishops of Winchester London Worcester and Chichester for taking part with the King's Enemies And now Prince Edward with a great Train took a Journey to the Holy Land and the King more firmly to settle the Nation called a Parliament at Marlborough where the Statutes called by the name of the place were enacted but having been at Norwich to quiet a tumult and punish such as had burnt the Priory Church upon his return he fell sick at the Abby of St. Edmund in Suffolk and after a short Languishment dyed Anno 1272. from whence he was conveyed to Westminster and there buried in the Abbey This Henry King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Guyenne and Aquitain was eldest Son to King John his Wife was Eleanor Daughter of Raymond Earl of Provence by whom he had Issue Edward Edmund Richard who dyed young also John William and Henry Margaret married to Alexander the Third King of Scotland Beatrix married to John the First Duke of Bretaigne and Katharine who dyed young He began his Reign the 19th of October 1216. and reigned 56 Years and 28 Days being the 65th Year of his Age he was the 27th sole Monarch of England He was very charitably given and founded many Churches and Religious Houses In his time four Suns appeared from the Rising to the Setting after which followed a great Famine and eighteen Jews were hanged for crucifying a Child and others severely punished for circumcising another that had been christened Thus dyed Third Henry when on England's Stage H 'ad sway'd the Sceptre near a long liv'd Age The longest Reign the Nation e'er beheld Yet Life wound off by time the Cedar's fell'd The Reign and Actions of Edward the First King of England c. KIng Edward at the death of his Father Henry was warring in the Holy Land where he did Wonders in his own Person insomuch that the Sarazens dreading his Prowess the Governour of Damascus under a feigned Friendship sent a Villain to assassinate him who seeming as if he was about to deliver him a Letter stabbed him in three places in the Arm with a poisoned Dagger and had repeated the Wounds but that the Prince struck him down with his Foot whereupon his Guards came in and cut the Wretch in pieces as he lay on the floor yet these wounds by the Chirurgions were accounted mortal unless some one would hazard his own Life by sucking out the Poison but when every one shrunk back Eleanor his Wife who would by no means be persuaded from accompanying him in that tedious Journey chearfully undertook it and effected the Cure without any Injury done to her self for which generous Undertaking he raised Crosses and Monuments to her Memory in England The News of his Father's death no sooner reached him but setling the Affairs of the War he returned to England where together with his Queen he was crowned by Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury at whose Coronation 500 Horses were let loose in a large Forest to be possessed by those that first caught them and upon notice the Welsh were in Arms he marched against them overthrew and slew Lewelin their Prince in a great Battel whose Head crowned with Ivy was set upon the Tower and utterly subduing those Mountainiers he made his Son Edward born amongst them at Caernarvon Prince of the Country And going for France he sate as a Peer of that Kingdom in consideration of the Lands and Territories he held there and upon his return banished the Jews to the number of 15000 for bringing in base Money and exacting Extortion Alexander the Third King of Scotland who had married King Edward's Sister being dead and the Lords Bruce and Baliol for want of other Heirs standing in competition for the Kingdom Edward by his Authority became Umpire and adjudged it to the latter promising to support his Right by Arms for which he was to become his Homager but that Prince being in the Throne to please his People who feared the English Greatness might be prejudicial to them hearkened to Proposals with France and suffered his People to enter the North parts of of England with Fire and Sword Edward drove them back with great slaughter entering Scotland and making such terrible Destruction that the Cities and Towns for the most part surrendred the Scotch Nobles sued for Peace and in the Parliament held at Berwick they acknowledged him their King swearing to be true Subjects to him for ever after sealing a solemn Instrument to that purpose whereupon King Edward leaving John de Warren Earl of Surry and Sussex as his Viceroy in that Kingdom sent John Baliol the late King Prisoner to the Tower of London and brought away with him the Crown Sceptre and Cloth of State burning their Records abrogating their Laws altering the Form of their Divine Service and transplanting their learned Men to Oxford He brought likewise the Marble Chair wherein the Kings of Scotland were wont to be crowned from the Abbey of Schone and sent it to Westminster upon which is written this prophetical Distich Ni fallat Fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient Lapidem regnare tenetur ibidem Where'er this Stone the Scot shall placed find There shall he reign for there his Rule 's assign'd This was verified in King James the first upon the uniting the Kingdoms but more of that in his Reign King Edward going into France to recover such places as the French had taken in the latter end of his Father's Reign and refused to restore especially in Gascoign the Scots rebelled and under the leading of one William Wallis fell upon the English at an advantage near Striveling Bridge and put them to the rout killing amongst others Hugh de Cressingham the Treasurer and having flead him divided his Skin in parcels amongst them as a Trophie of their Revenge and committed many other outrages which hastened the King's Return at which time he summoned a Parliament at York giving the Scots a day to appear but they
Crown of France and Dutchy of Normandy c and in lieu thereof King John and his Son should for them and their Heirs release unto King Edward and his Heirs the entire Countrey of Aquitain Santogne and their Dependences c. That King John should pay 300000 Schuts of Gold each valued at six Shillings eight pence Sterling which Agreement was ratified at Calais but not all performed for now the Black Prince dying Anno 1377. in the 46th year of his Age and the King growing in years and sickly matters abroad were neglected and the French renewed their Encroachments nor did the King long survive the death of that dear Son for having appointed the Son of that Prince to succeed him in the Throne he dyed on the 21st of June Anno 377. in the 51st year of his Reign and was the 31st sole Monarch of England c. This Edward was King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain eldest Son to Edward the Second by Isabel his Queen Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France he dyed at Shene in Surry and was buried at Westminster his Wife was Philip Daughter to the Earl of Hanault and Holland by whom he had Issue Edward the Black Prince William of Hatfield Lionel Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edward Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York William of Windsor and Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester Isabel married to Ingelram of Guisnes Earl of Soysons and Arch Duke of Austria Joan espoused by proxy to Alphons the Eleventh King of Castile and Leon but dyed before the consummation of the Nuptials Blanch who dyed young Mary married to John Montfort Duke of Bretaigne and Margaret married to John de Hasting Earl of Pembroke He built many stately Fabricks settled the Wool Staple at Calais instituted the Order of the Garter restrained the Pope from conferring Benefices upon Strangers constituted Prince Edward his Son first Duke of Cornwall since inherent to the Eldest Son of the Kings of England in his time florished the famous John Wickliff who first openly and successfully opposed the Pope and exposed the manifest Errours of the Church of Rome Blazing Stars likewise appeared with continued Rains and a great Mortality through all Europe so vehemently that the Dead were more than the Living Thus the great Warrier after all his Toil From whom whilst living none could take the spoil Dropt in old Age and made the Grave his Bed Whom late the Nations did both love and dread The Reign and Actions of Richard the II. King of England c. THis Richard was Son to Edward the Black Prince he was crowned on the 21st of June 1377 in the eleventh Year of his Age but the Government growing out of Frame by reason of the King's Nonage and the Differences amongst the Nobility the French took the opportunity to invade some Sea coast Towns and the Scots were emboldened to enter England burning Roxborough and to augment the miseries of the English the Pestilence raged fearfully in the Northern parts so that the glorious Face of things seemed utterly to be changed but a better Accord ensuing the Earl of Northumberland regained Berwick and in the Year 1379. a Parliament being held at London where it was agreed that the more wealthy sort should be taxed for the King 's present occasions and the poorer exempted but this held not long for the next year another Parliament being called at Northampâ—on a Poll Tax was agreed on that every Person of either Sex above the Age of Sixteen should pay 12 pence a head which was looked upon as so great a Grievance that many refused not only to pay it but took up Arms especially in Kent Surry Essex Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridge-shire under the Leading of those notorious Persons Jack Straw and Wat. Tyler who making no less than one hundred thousand came to London where the multitude sided with them and committed many outrages as burning the Priory of Saint John's the Duke of Lancaster's Palace at the Savoy us likewise the Archbishop of Canterbury's Goods at Lambeth defacing all Rolls Records and Writings wherever they found them as professing themselves great Enemies to the Law nor did this suffice but dragging the Archbishop then Chancellour of England and Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of St. John's out of the Tower though the King was present they in a rude and barbarous manner heheaded them on logs of Timber with loud Shouts and Rejoicings and proceeded to exhibite many unreasonable Petitions yet necessity constrained the King either to dissemble their Insolence or grant them their Demands whereupon many dispersed went to their respective Habitations and the rest the King by his Proclamation ordered to meet him in Smithfield with promises of Satisfaction where in great numbers they came armed with a Messeline of Weapons headed by Wat. Tyler who in presence of the King using insolent Speeches and attempting to kill Sir John Newton for contradicting him William Walworth Lord Mayor of London being by and no longer able to endure such Arrogance after some Expressions of his Resentment stabbed Tyler with a Dagger which his companions perceiving prepared to take a bloudy Revenge but the King taking courage spurred forward commanding them to follow him declaring that he would be their Captain and in the mean while Walworth armed the Citizens and came with a thousand well appointed men bearing Tyler's Head on a Spear before them by which he so daunted the rout that they threw down their Weapons and besaught the King's Mercy with a Promise of future Obedience and Walworth for this Act was knighted with a Donative of one hundred pounds a year free Land and from this Action many will have it that the Dagger was added to the City Arms and soon after this Jack Straw and about 1500 others were executed upon the account of this Rebellion Straw at his death confessing that their Design was to murther the King and Nobles and set up petty Kings of their own chusing in every Shire The Nation being better at quiet the King bethought himself of Marrying and in order to it having treated with the Emperour Charles the Fourth for the Lady Anne his Daughter she was sent into England and the Nuptials were celebrated upon which a Peace with France ensued yet the Scots continued to invade the Northern parts though with various Success but this was not all for the King advancing divers persons of mean worth to the highest Dignities or at least the greatest Favours and places of Trust the Nobles began to murmur and fall off so that although a Parliament was called they would not grant the King any Aids unless his Favourites were removed or degraded which he could not well digest and therefore resolved to find out some other way to supply his Coffers in order to which he seized upon the Estates and Effects of sundry that had withdrawn themselves and consulting his Lawyers for his better justification
about sundry Articles of Treason in the compass of which the Lords that stood out might fall he got them subscribed at Nottingham by Robert Trisilian Chief Justiciar Robert Belknap Chief Justice of the Common Pleas John Holt Roger Fulthrop and William Burgh Justiciars as likewise by John Lecton Serjeant at Law whereupon he proclaimed them Traitors and both sides armed but the King finding the Lords too powerfull for him and that they had discovered the Snares he had laid to entrap them thought it no time to oppose his small number against forty thousand men but shut himself up with such Forces as he had in the Tower of London where he had laid up Stores for his Subsistence if things came to farther Extremity The King withdrawn the Lords came to Westminster and there assembling to consult what was to be done they resolved to dispatch a Messenger to let the King know that if he left not the Tower and came quickly to them that things might be better settled and ordered they would proceed to chuse a King that should and would hearken to and the Judgment and Counsel of his Peers This though much against his will constrained him to meet them at Westminster and after some debate consented to remove from his Person Alexander Nevil Archbishop of York the Bishops of Durham and Chichester the Lords Zouch and Beaumont and many others with certain chargeable Court-Ladies who were maintained as Spies upon the Actions of the Nobility and the better to make up the breach a Parliament was summoned in which the Judges were called to an Account for the subscribing of the Articles and other matters and most of them being arrested as they sate in Judgment were sent Prisoners to the Tower but Trisilian took an opportunity to escape yet being apprehended he was in the morning sentenced in Parliament and in the Afternoon pursuant to that Sentence as one that had wheedled in the rest to a compliance he was conveyed to Tyburn and there had his Throat cut by Hand of the common Executioner and many others were put to death as evil Counselours and Betrayers of the People The Estates of the King 's chief Favourites were likewise confiscated but the Scots at the same time invading the Northern Parts the Proceedings were not carried on to the highth as was otherways intended and not long after the Scale turned for another Parliament being called at London the Sanctuary of former Laws and all partscular Charters of Pardon were disannulled and taken away from Thomas Duke Gloucester the Earl of Arundel and others for their Treasonable Practices and Enterprizes and all the Justiciars who stood for the King were cleared from the Danger and Scandal they lay under and the Articles they had signed were ratified and such as had offended against them proclaimed Traitors and Richard Earl of Arundâ—l was beheaded on Tower-Hill as guilty of the breach of them The Earl of Warwick upon the like cause was banished and the Duke of Gloucester arrested and carried to Calais where he was privately made away and the King created himself Earl of Chester and to his Escutcheon Royal added the Armories of Edward the Confessour creating his Cosin Henry Duke of Hereford who was not long after accused by Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk for speaking dangerous words of the King and Mowbray constantly affirming what Hereford denied the Combat was granted them and all things in order to it prepared but when they were entred the Lists and at the point of defying each other to death the King threw down his Warder by that means staying the Combat changed the manner of the Order and banished them the Kingdom the Duke of Norfolk for ever and the Duke of Hereford first for ten Years then for six only constraining them upon pain of death immediately to depart and soon after the Duke of Lancaster Father to the latter and Uncle to the King dying he seized on all his Wealth which was extremely considerable he being looked upon one of the richest uncrowned Heads in Europe Long had not these Things passed before the Irish fell into Rebellion when to quiet them King Richard raised a great Army to supply which he grievously oppressed his Subjects by a heavy Tax which begot no small Hatred amongst the People so that some of the Nobles who favoured Hereford now become Duke of Lancaster sent to him to advertize him of the Discontents letting him know that this was his time to make his Fortune and he not delaying the opportunity with an Army of about 2000 English and Foreigners landed whilst King Richard was busie in Ireland and was immediately joined by the Earl of Northumberland and his Son and declaring as a specious pretence he came for no more than his Dutchy of Lancaster the People in compassion of his wrong flocked about him from all parts so that the Duke of York whom King Richard had left Governour of the Kingdom till his Return from his Irish Expedition not being able to oppose the Torrent was obliged to acquiess and suffer him to take Bristol where Bushy and Green two of the King 's Privy Counselours being made Prisoners they lost their Heads to please the multitude This allarmed King Richard in Ireland and obliged him to hasten for England gathering some Troups in Wales which he joined to those he brought over but few of the Nobles coming to his Assistence and finding himself too weak to oppose the Torrent he suffered them to disband and betook himself with a few of his Followers to Conwoth Castle and from thence sent to demand Honourable Conditions and amongst the rest That if himself and eight more whom he should name might have Allowance becoming their Qualities and an assurance of a quiet Private Life he would be content to resign the Crown to his Cosin the Duke of Lancaster and being promised what what was demanded he put himself into the hands of the Earl of Northumberland and was conveyed to the Tower of London whereupon a Parliament was called in his Name to sit at Westminster who concluding upon his Resignation sent an Instrument to him in order to his subscribing which being accordingly done as likewise seal'd he put his Signet Ring upon the Duke's Finger and after this a definitive Sentence passed in Parliament at which time the Duke of Lancaster rising from his Seat made his Claim and Challenge to the Crown in the following words viz. In the Name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Apurtenances as coming of the Bloud Royal from King Henry the Third and that Justice which God of his Grace doth send me by the help of my Friends for the Recovery of the said Realm which was in point of Perdition through default of Government and breach of Laws After this Claim Henry was acknowledged by all the Estates for King and seated in the Royal Throne which is accounted the end of Richard's
of using their Arms which the Duke of Brabant perceiving advanced furiously to break the Order of the English and encourage his side but met his Fate in that Attempt however the Duke of Alanzon broke in upon the King's Standard and there had slain the Duke of Gloucester had not the King prevented it by timely interposing and between them began a sharp dispute wherein the Duke of Alanzon all most beat the King's Crown flat to his Helmet but being struck from his Horse by Henry and crying out he was Alanzon notwithstanding his begging quarter and the King's endeavour to save him the enraged Soldiers for the Danger he had put their Sovereign into dispatched him on the spot so that the Rear-guard of the French Army being worsted and unable to sustain the Fury of the English fled without fighting leaving the Victory with infinite spoil and a great number of Prisoners to a handfull of Men in a manner naked and allmost half starved which may convince the World that Victory depends not upon the Arm of Flesh but scarcely was the Field cleared of the French before another Army bigger than that of the English which was coming to their Aid and knowing nothing of the Defeat appeared upon the Hills and the King fearing the great number of Prisoners might turn against him during the heat of the Fight caused them all as a Maxim of self-â—â—eservation except those of the greatest Quality to be killed and then sent a Herauld to summon them to fight or depart immediately for if they stayed whilst he charged them they must expect no Quarter whereupon the King of Sicily who commanded in chief not thinking it convenient with those Forces to dispute what so great an Army had lost drew off so that King Henry finding himself an entire Conquerour fell on his Knees and commanding all both Officers and Soldiers to doe the like with up lifted hands and said Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be given the Glory And having learned the name of the place he said Let this be called the Battel of Agincourt all posterity In this Battel were slain of the French one thousand Princes Noblemen Knights and Esquires and ten thousand common Soldiers The Prisoners of note were Charles Duke of Orleance John Duke of Burbon the Earl of Richmond Lowis de Burbon the Count de Vendosme the Earl of Eu Edward de Roven and divers others The English loft of Note were the Duke of York and Earl of Suffolk with two Knights and David Gam Esquire the common Soldiers that fell were very inconsiderable some not allowing above one hundred twenty eight but that seems somewhat partial The next day after this Battel Henry marched with the spoil and his Prisoners off the Field towards Callais his Soldiers now having Cloaths and plenty of all Necessaries and having fortified the Towns he had taken and given necessary Orders he came for England and was received in London with Triumph and there presented with one thousand pounds and two Gold Basons and calling a Parliament he had a Subsidy of a Tenth granted for the carrying on his Wars in France which not sufficing he pawned his Crown to Cardinal Beaufort his Unckle and his Jewels to the Lord Mayor of London for ten thousand Marks then he passed the Sea with an Army of 25527. every fourth being an Horseman besides a thousand Carpenters and Labourers and the first of August 1417. arrived in Normandy bringing such a terrour upon the Countrey that most of the Inhabitants fled into Bretaigne and having dubbed thirty eight Knights he laid Siege to Conquest and took it the 16th of August with the Castles of Aubeliers and Lovers he likewise stormed the City of Caen and gave the Pillage to his Soldiers During K. Henry's Success in France the Scots invaded England bringing with them a Person representing Richard the Second but hearing as they lay at the Siege of Roxborough and Berwick that the English Army was marching toward them they raised the Sieges and fled This did not hinder the King 's proceeding in France for there he took many Cities and had the strong Castle of Fallors delivered him then divided his Army under the Commands of the Dukes of Clarence Gloucester and Earl of Warwick so that taking divers places at once he set down before Roan and took it after a year's Siege obliging the Burgesses for their Ransome and being permitted quietly to live there pay him 356000 Crowns and swear Fealty to him and his Successors And now the French finding themselves unable to make head against the English and Accommodation was sought and to bring it the easier to pass an Interview was had between King Henry and King Charles at the Town of Melun where the Queen and the Princess Katharine of France was present and there King Henry first fixed his Eyes and Affection on that beauteous Maid and finding the French Noblemen averse to his Demands he told the Duke of Burgundy that he would either have the Princess and what he had farther required or he would drive him and the rest of the Nobles out of France To which the Duke replied That he might say his pleasure but before he should drive them out of France he should be weary of the Enterprize This Treaty proving ineffectual the King took the Town of Ponthois and gave large spoil to his Soldiers which obliged the French King to remove his Court from Paris to Troyis in Champaigne and now to facilitate the English Conquests the Dauphin having put a sensible Affront upon the Queen his Mother she conceived a mortal hatred and laboured to ruine him confederating with the Duke of Burgundy and procuring her self by reason of the King's Imbecility to be made Regent of France and soon after the Dauphin causing John Duke of Burgundy to be slain in his presence as he came to doe him Homage for contriving as he said the death of Lewis Duke of Orleance that he might the better sway the Kingdom under an infirm King Philip the young Duke of Burgundy to revenge his Father's death closed with King Henry and proceeded to persuade Charles the French King to disinherit the Dauphin and give the Lady Katharine in Marriage to the King oâ— England and the Queen seconding this Project it was effected and a Peace concluded between the two Crowns upon divers Articles the chief being That Charles and Isabel should retain the name of King and Queen and hold all their Dignities Rents and Possessions during their natural Lives That after their deaths the Crown and Realm of France should with all its Rights and Appurtenances remain unto the King of England and his Heirs for ever and that by reason of the Infirmity of King Charles therefore during his Life the Affairs of the Realm of France together with the Government thereof should remain in the King Henry so that thenceforth he should govern the Realm and admit to his Council and
Assistence with the Council of France such of the English Nobility as he should see convenient with other Articles to the number of thirty very advantageous to the English were all sworn to at Troyis May the 30th 1420. and proclaimed in London the June following and Homage sworn to King Henry who was proclaimed Regent of France and on the 3d of June the Marriage was celebrated in the presence of divers of the chief Nobility of England and France at Troyis with great Pomp and Splendour and they rode in Triumph to take Possession of the Palace in Paris and a Parliament of the three Estates were assembled in that City who confirmed what had been done by the Kings and it was there likewise ratified by the General Estates of the Realm and Sworn to particularly on the Holy Evangelist by the French Noblemen and Rulers Spiritual and Temporal who moreover sealed the Instruments which were sent over to be kept in the King's Exchequer at Westminster which done the King left the Duke of Clarence his Lieutenant in France and came for England with his Queen where he was received with Joy and Triumph causing her to be crowned at Westminster and then proceeded to call a Parliament for farther Supplies to maintain his War against the Dauphin who still stood out to recover the Kingdom but the Commons exhiting a Petition of Poverty he again pawned his Crown to Cardinal Beaufort for 20000 pounds and passed into France with 4000 Horse and 24000 Foot and his presence there was necessary for the Dauphin strengthened by Forces for Scotland under the Leading of the Earl of Buchanan and Archibald Douglas defeated and killed the Duke of Clarence took the Earls of Huntindon Somerset and others Prisoners and heightened with that Success he laid Siege to Alenzon and cut off the Provisions of Paris but the King 's Approach made him to retire to Bury King Henry soon recovered what the Dauphin had taken and drove him to great distress but when this great King had triumphed over that mighty Kingdom with unconquerable Fortune and Success and annexed it fully to the Crown of England death laid his Arrest upon him for falling sick of a burning Fever and Flux he dyed on the 30th of August 1422. at Bloice de Vincennois and his Body brought over was buried with pomp at Westminster hard by the Tomb of Edward the Confessour appointing by his last Will and Testament his younger Brother Humphry Duke of Gloucester Protectour of England his Brother John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and Thomas Beaufort Guardian of his Son Henry born a little before at Windsor contrary to the King 's express command who when he heard the Queen had lain in at that place prophetically spake viz. Good God! I Henry of Monmouth shall have but a short Reign and win much but Henry of Windsor shall reign long and lose all yet God's Will be done This Henry was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland eldest Son of Henry the Fourth by Mary his Queen He began his Reign on the 20th of March 1412. and reigned 9 Years 5 Months and 10 days and was the 34th sole Monarch of England Thus Beauty Power and Honour yield to death Great Conquerours like Slaves resign their breath Their Lawrels in the Dust with them must lie But Fame's immortal and can never dye The Life Reign and Actions of HENRY the Sixth King of England France c. HEnry of Windsor so called from the place of his Birth upon the death of his Father was crowned when he exceeded not eight Months of age the Queen holding him in her lap whilst the Solemnity was performed to whom his Nurtriture and Education was committed but his Minority much disadvantaged the English Interest in France for old King Charles dying Charles his Son greatly strengthned his party and although he was called by the English in derision only King of Burry as having little more left him yet now he encroached upon the English wresting from them sundry places by the help of Aids from Scotland and Italy which made the English Regent think it time to give him Battel and accordingly the Armies joyned near Vernoli where the French were overthrown the Regent doing wonders in his own person and there were slain the Constable and Lieutenant of France the Earls of Wigton and Vantadour with about five thousand others and the Duke of Alanzon taken Prisoner upon which Victory the English besieged Monts in Main and having with his Cannon made a great breach in the Wall it was surrendered and a little while after the Earl of Salisbury besieged Orleance and brought it to such distress that the Garison was willing to surrender to the Duke of Burgundy but the Earl refused it which so offended the Duke that he declined the English Interest which proved very prejudicial The French being in a drooping Condition and using strong Cordials to support their Spirits one Joan a Shepherdess of Lorrain came to the Dauphin and offered him her Service saying She was sent by God to deliver France out of the hands of the English and not exceeding eighteen years of age her offer at first was looked upon as rediculous but she persisting in what she had declared the Dauphin caused her to be armed at all points and desiring the Sword that hung in St. Catharines Church she got into Orleance then besieged by the English and from thence sent a Letter commanding them to raise the Siege and deliver up the Towns they possessed for she was resolved to drive them out of France but they looked upon it only as proceeding from Folly or a raving fit yet in the several Sallies she made it proved otherwise for by the violent Sallies she made the Siege was raised with loss to the English she commonly fighting in the head of the French and animating them to go on couragiously for being in one of the Sallies shot through the Arm with an Arrow and perswaded to retire she cryed out This is a favour let us go on they cannot escape the hands of God and there of note were slain the Earl of Salisbury the Lords Moline and Poynings Sir Thomas Gagrave and the French say about eight thousand common Soldiers yet our Historians allow but six hundred and the French following their success wrested several Towns and surprising a party of English overthrew them taking Prisoners the Lords Talbot Scales Hungerford and Sir Thomas Rampston whereupon several Towns revolted and the Dauphin took Auxier and Rhiemes in the latter of which according to the direction of Joan called by the French the Maid of God Charles the Dauphin caused himself to be Crowned King of France Joan of Arks having been hitherto very sucsessfull and done the Dauphin singular service coming to the relief of Campaign which was greatly distressed by the English and Burgundians in a desperate charge advancing too far and being separated from those that should have succoured her she was
so far prevailed with the easie King that a Reconciliation was made and the Kuke of Somerset who mainly opposed the Yorkists Interest was confined a Prisoner to his house which done the Duke of York dissolved his Army and came to London making great complaints to the King against Somerset of which that Duke had no sooner notice but he came before the King and accused his Accuser Face to Face charging him with High-Treason as having conspired to depose the King and take the Sovereignty on himself whereupon the Duke of York was confined till such time as he swore in St. Paul's Church before a great Concourse of Nobility to continue a true faithfull and obedient Subject to King Henry And about this time by the success of John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury the Affairs of France began to appear in a better posture for by the prevailing Arms of this valiant man Burdeaux the chief City in Normandy was taken with many other Places of Note but upon his attempting to relieve Castilion charging the Enemy upon unequal Terms he was slain in the Field together with his Son the Viscount Lisle and with him dyed all the English hope of ever recovering what was lost in France for the Duke of York not regarding his Oath An. 1445. took up Arms and broke into the King's Palace and the King to oppose him drew out considerable Forces so that a great Battel was fought at St. Albans where the King was wounded with an Arrow and taken Prisoner and the Duke of Somerset the Earls of Northumberland and Stafford together with the Lord Clifford and divers other Knights and Gentlemen of the Royal Party slain Henry being brought to London a Parliament was called in which the Memories and Honours of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester were restored and those that had taken up Arms under the Duke of York indempnified of the Treason and that Duke created Protectour of England The Earl of Salisbury made Chancellour and the Earl of Warwick his Son Captain of Calais And thus having gotten the Power into their hands they worked out the Counsellours and Favourites of the King placing such in their stead as would stickle for their Interest The Divisions gave the French the boldness to make discents into several places In Kent and Devonshire they burnt some Towns and committed many Outrages which yet abated not the heat and heart-burning of the English one to another for although 〈◊〉 Lords met and concluded a seeming Agreementâ— yet it lasted not long before both side â—â—â—â—med and a mortal Battel was fought on 〈…〉 where the King's Party was worsted And soon after another Battel was fought at Ludlow where the Duke and his Adherents received a great overthrow and the Town of Ludlow laid in Ruines for adhering to the Yorkists and hereupon a Parliament was called wherein the Duke of York the Earls of March Salisbury and Rutland and others were attainted of High Treason and had their Estates confiscated But on the 9th of July 1460. the Scale turned for in a fatal Battel at Northampton the King was overthrown by means of the revolt of the Lord Grey of Ruthen and in this Battel on the King's part there were slain the Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Beaumont the Lord Egrinham Sir William Lucy and others and the King himself was made Prisoner and carried to London where in a Parliament begun the 8th of October the Duke of York laid Claim to the Crown and set forth his Pedigree and urged it so far that the Parliament came to a conclusion That Henry should enjoy the Crown during his natural Life but then it should fall to the Duke of York and his heirs and the heirs of Henry to be utterly excluded and accordingly the Duke was proclaimed Heir apparent to the Crown But Queen Margaret who was in the North raising Forces resolved not to stand to what her Husband had been forced to consent to but to maintain the right of her Son Prince Edward but having gathered a considerable Army she marched towards London against her the Duke drew out and near Wakefield a bloudy and doubtfull Battel was faught in which the Duke of York was slain his Forces overthrown his Son the Earl of Rutland killed begging his Life on his Knees and the Earl of Salisbury taken Prisoner and beheaded the Duke's head was cut off and a Paper Crown set upon it by way of derision and thus had ended the fatal Quarrel between the Houses of York and Lancaster had not Edward Earl of March eldest Son to the Duke of York advanced with a great Army gathered in the Marches of Wales and near Mortimer's Cross in Ludlow fought with the Queens Army when at the joining of the Battel three Suns appeared in the Firmament which immediately united into one In this Battel the Queens Forces were overthrown with great Slaughter and Owen Tudor Father in law to King Henry VII being taken Prisoner was together with Sir John Scudemore and his two Sons beheaded but An. 1460. the Queen overthrew the Earl of March in a great Battel at St. Albans rescuing King Henry out of his hands who was brought thither to countenance the Soldiers but the Londoners sided with him and upon the Queens drawing off to the North proclaimed him King of England c. And here Historians put an end to King Henry's Reign though he lived much longer as will appear in the succeeding Reign his Wife was Margaret Daughter to Reynate King of Jerusalem c. by her he had Issue Edward This Henry was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland the onely Child of Henry the Fifth by Katharine his Queen he began his Reign on the 30th of August 1422. and reigned thirty eight Years 6 Months and 3 Days being the thirty fifth sole Monarch of England and was stabbed to the heart in the Tower by Richard Duke of Gloucester Brother to Edward the Fourth on the 20th of May 1471. in the 46th Year of his Age buried first in the Abbey of Chartsey in Surry afterwards removed to Windsor by Henry the Seventh then removed again none knows where In his time many strange Accidents happened portending the Woes and Miscries that befell the Kingdom Thus the good pious King bereft of Crowns Bore patiently the Wreck of Fortune's frowns Yet murtherous minds were not with this content But in a stream of Bloud to Heaven he 's sent The Reign and Actions of Edward the Fourth King of England c. EDward the eldest Son to Richard Duke of York in the beginning of his Reign found great opposition from the Lancastrians who pitying the Misfortune of pious King Henry raised Forces in many parts he was crowned at Westminster but the Citizens who had been the greatest Sticklers for him not finding him answer their expectations in performing the Promises he had made them began to decline his Interest however he marched against the Forces raised in the North giving the Lord
and do great mischief especially in and about the City of London and had been greater but the Earl entered with his Army and put an end to those disorders and set King Henry at liberty who had been a Prisoner in the Tower for almost the space of Nine years conveying him to the King's Palace in great Triumph where on the 13th of October he was crowned again and went with the Crown on his head to St. Paul's Church the Earl of Warwick bearing up his Train and the Earl of Oxford carrying the Sword before him whilst the people cryed God save King Henry and a Parliament being called to sit at Westminster the 26th of November King Edward was declared a Traitor to his Country and a Usurper of the Crown his Goods and Lands were confiscated and his Adherents were attained The Earl of Worcester for his Cause lost his Head and all the Statutes made by Edward Revoked The Crowns of England and France were entailed to King Henry and his Heirs Male and for default of such Issue to George Duke of Clarence The Earl of Warwick to be Governour of the Land till it could be better settled Thus went the various change of Affairs in England 〈◊〉 the bloudy contest between the houses of York and Lancaster yet continued not the advancement of King Henry for King Edward holding Correspondency in England and gathering some Forces beyond the Seas landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire where the better to insinuate with the People He at first pretended to come for his right as a private person but finding himself strong enough he siezed upon York and increasing in Power marched till â—he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother the Duke of Clarence being reconciled to him by the means of a Maid-servant that had lived with the Old Dutches of York desiring the Earl to forsake King Henry's Cause and close with his Brother but that great Man more regarding his Engagement than Life or Interest sent him word that he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that e'er his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his Life at his enemies Feet which he doubt not should be bought very dear whereupon King Edward hasted to London and was received by the Citizen no ways able to resist him when drawing out his Forces he marched against the Earl and his Accomplicies and on Easter day in the Morning Battel was joyned on Glad-more Heath near Barnet in which bloudy Conflict fortune at first seemed to favour VVarwick but by an unlucky mistake he lost the day for a great Mist falling the embroidered Stars upon the Coats of such as were commanded by the Earl of Oxford being taken for Suns which was King Edward's Cognizance VVarwick's Battallion charged by that Errour upon their Friends and they suspecting it done on purpose crying out Treason quitted the Field which the Earl perceiving and resolving not to out-live the loss of the day charged desperately into the King's Battel killing many with his own Hands but being cut off from the assistance of his own men he there was slain as likewise was his Brother the Lord Montacute in attempting to Rescue him on King Edward's Party dyed the Lords Cromwell Bourchier and Barns with Siâ— John Lisle and on both sides about 10000 of all sorts But thus ended not the Contests for the Crown for Queen Margaret in the right of her Husband and Son raised a strong Power Anno Domini 1471. and gave the King Battel at Tewxbury but Fortune now turned fatally averse to the Queen and her Family for losing the day with the death of John Lord Somerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delues Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whitingham Sir John Leukner and several others and a great many of lesser note The Queen in this rout fled and betook her self to a religious house for sanctuary but was takan thence and made close Prisoner young Prince Edward her Son was taken in his flight by Sir Richard Crofts who presented him to King Edward who having a while beheld him with a stern countenance demanded how he durst presume with Banners displayed to disturb his Kingdom to which the Prince replied that what he did was to recover his Father's Kingdoms and his most rightfull Inheritance But how dare you continued the Prince being but a Subject display your Colours against your Liege Lord Upon this resolute replie King Edward unworthily struck him on the Mouth with his Gantlet when Richard Duke of Gloucester basely taking the hint stabbed him and the Wound being seconded by some of the Servants the poor Prince fell dead at the King's feet Things being carried at an extraordinary highth Edmund Duke of Somerset the Prior of St. John's with divers Knights and Esquiers who had taken sanctuary were contrary to the Custome of those times taken thence by force and executed at Tewxbury and soon after Richard Duke of Gloucester the King's Brother stabbed the pious King Henry to the heart in the Tower of London and his body was exposed in a Coffin at St. Paul's to convince the People he was dead As for the Queen she continued several years a Prisoner but at length her Father mortgaged most of his Principalities to pay her Ransome and she thereupon was sent over Sea where in much sorrow and perplexity she languished â—ut the rest of her days and by this means the Lancastrians being utterly disabled to make head King Edward more assured in his Throne betook himself to his Pleasure and hearing of the Fame of Jane Shoar Wife to a Goldsmith in Gracechurch-street he sent for her and took her to his Bed upon which her Husband renounced her and for Grief and the Disgrace betook himself to travel beyond the Seas never returning into England He had likewise two other Concubines high in his esteem and being in the Year 1474. in France at an Interview with the French King Lewis told him that he would one day invite him to court the fair Ladies of Paris to which Offer Edward readily consented insomuch that the French King not being pleased with his forwardness whispering to Philip Comines his Bosome Friend told him that he repented of his Offer considering that there had been too many English Princes already at Paris so that the King returned without having any opportunity to prosecute such Amours Anno 1478. by the contrivance of Richard Duke of Gloucester George Duke of Clarence was accused of sundry Crimes and committed to the Tower where soon after he was smothered in a Butt of Malmsey Wine and 't is reported the King consented to so great a Wickedness upon a Prophecy That a G. should succeed an E. which however proved true though he mistook the Man for Richard Duke of Gloucester usurped the Throne and murthered his two Sons as will appear hereafter Two Acts yet more of this King's Cruelty are memorable viz. Going
ready to receive him and joyn their Forces with his These Matters were not carried so privately but the King got notice of them and sent a very kind Message to the Duke of Buckingham to invite him to Court but he excusing it by reason of pretended Indisposition an Express was sent to command him to come or he would fetch him dead or alive by this he knew it was time to stand upon his own defence and returned answer that he would not come to his Mortal Enemy and thereupon sending for Thomas Marquess of Dorset out of a Sanctuary and gathering such power as he could in the North whilst Sir Edward Courtney and his Brother the Bishop of Exeter raised another in Devonshire and Cornwall as likewise did Sir Richard Guilford and other Gentlemen in Kent they resolved to joyn their Forces but before it could be effected the King marched directly against the Duke with a great power whereupon his little Army mostly consisting of Welshmen disbanded and left him to shift for himself so that he was forced to hide him in a poor disguise putting himself into the hands of one Humphrey Bannister that had been his Servant and raised by him to what Estate he had and with him he lived for some time as his Gardener but the treacherous man upon the Kings putting out a Proclamation promising a reward of 1000 pounds to those that could decover him deliver'd him up for the lucre of the Money to the Sheriff of Shrewsbury who siezed this Duke diging in a poor habit and being carried to the King at Salisbury he there without Tryall or Process was beheaded upon which all the Accomplices dispersed and fled many of them beyond the Seas and to this Treachery many attributed the Judgments that soon over-took Bannister and his Family for most of his Children dyed distressed or unnatural deaths his Substance decreased and he dyed in extreme Poverty The measures of the Confederacy thus broken many were imprisoned and put to death and the King fearing an Invasion caused the Sea Coasts to be guarded and fortified and then assembled a Parliament at Westminster wherein the Earl of Richmond and all his Adherents that had fled the Land were attainted and proclaimed Enemies of the Country their Goods and Possessions were confiscated nor did Richard delay to use the same Practices his Brother had done sending his Agents to the Duke of Bretaigne in whose Court the Earl resided with store of Gold and many Presents to persuade that Duke either to send Richmond Prisoner into England or if he refused that to keep him a Prisoner there and missed but a little of succeeding for the Duke lying sick and Peter Landois his Treasurer overcome with the Presents had delivered him into the hands of such as were appointed to receive him had not the Earl had notice of the design and made his Escape but the Duke highly blamed this Action of his Treasurer and discharged him his Office King Richard knowing whilst his Brother's Daughters were alive that his Title was but ill grounded and therefore to strengthen it he proposed though Queen Ann his Wife was living to marry Elizabeth his Niece by that means to cross Richmond's Pretensions and to try in this case how the people stood affected it was given out that his Queen was dead and soon after it proved so that virtuous Lady dying as many conjectured an untimely death The Earl of Richmond having notice of what was intended by the Money he received from England and other Assistence gathered what Forces he could and landed at Milford-Haven with 2000 Men on the 15th of August 1586. and from thence marched to Shrewsbury being joined by the way with a considerable Force under the Leading of Sir Rice Ap Thomas and so marched to Newport where Sir Gilbert Talbot met him sent by the Earl of Shrewsbury with 2000 men and passing from thence he came to Lichfield where he was joyfully received but whilst Richmond's Army gathered King Richard was not idle for raising such Forces as could be got in such a pressing Condition he marched to oppose his Invader and near Market-Bosworth in Leicestershire both Armies met and being encouraged by their Generals with moving Speeches the forward Soldiers rushed on to the Battel and for some time it continued both bloudy and doubtfull nor did Fortune in the first Shock fail to favour King Richard but the Lord Standley who had been intrusted by Richard with a Squadron of Horse revolting in the heat of the Fight and charging upon the allmost tired Soldiers bore down all before him and turned the scale of Victory which King Richard perceiving and resolving not to out-â—ive the loss charged furiously into Richmond's Battallion and with a Courage hightened by despair beat down all before him till over-powered by number and weary with fighting he fell amongst 〈◊〉 thousand Swords and with him fell the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Ferrers Sir Richard Radcliff Sir Robert Berkenburg and about 4000 others of lesser â—ote and Sir William Cateshy with two others of his â—rivado's being taken were two days after beheaded for evil Counsel and other Practices against the Good and Wellfare of the Kingdom and Thomas Howard Earl of Surry and Son to the Duke of Norfolk being made Prisoner and demanded by Henry how he durst bear Arms on the behalf of a Tyrant and Uusurper courageously answered He was my Crowned King and if the Parliamentary Authority of England set the Crown upon a stock I will fight for that stock and as I fought then for him I will fight for you when you are established by the like Authority After this fatal Battel wherein the number of the slain on either side did not greatly differ the Crown that King Richard brought into the Field was found by the Lord Stanley or those that attended him in an Haw-thorn-Bush and by that Lord set upon the Head of the Earl of Richmond in the Field at the sight of which the Soldiers cryed Long live King Henry The Body of Richard being found amongst the heaps of the slain was stripped and spoiled by the Pillagers and laid naked on a Horse behind St. Leiger Pursuvant at Arms and in that contemptible manner carried to Leicester where it was buried in the Grey-Friars Church in a stone Coffin which was afterward made a Trough for Horses to drink in in a common Inn and thus fell the greatness of the Usurper setting in bloud who had so often unjustly shed the bloud of others His Wife was Ann Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick and Salisbury called the Make King of those times by her he had Issue Edward Earl oâ— Salisbury created Prince of Wales 1463. and the Crown entailed upon him by Parliament but he dyed by an unfortunate Fall before his Father This Richard stands accounted among the Kings of England c. he was third Son to Richard Duke of York and began his Reign the twenty second day of June
10000 l and about 80000 of them took their Oaths to become his Liege Subjects making Sir Edward Poinings Governour and Thomas Wolsey his great Favourite Bishop of that City nor did this Success remain to the English in France alone but at the same time in England for the Scots invading England with a powerfull Army and having pierced as far as Northumberland the Earl of Surry gave them battel with a great overthrow in Folden Field where James their King one Archbishop 2 Bishops 2 Abbats 12 Earls 17 Lords a great number of Knights and Gentlemen and about 8000 common Soldiers slain and allmost all the rest taken prisoners This memorable Battel was fought on Septemb. 9. 1513. King Hen. victorious in France the French sought all Ways for an Accommodation and at last Pope Leo becoming Moderatour a Peace was concluded and soon after Lewis XII married Mary the King 's younger Sister at Albeville with great splendour yet he lived but 82 days after for being aged and infirm and over striving himself to pleasure a beautious lively young Lady it no doubt contributed to the hastening his End and upon his Death the Queen returning for England was privately married at Callais to Charles Bradon Duke of Suffolk her first Lover and from whom she had unwillingly parted to fall into the Arms of Majesty And now by the too free Access of Foreigners Trade greatly decreasing one John Lincoln and other aggrieved persons put up a Bill of Complaint and it was read by the Minister at the Spital Sermon This so animated the Rabble that getting together on May day 1517. they fell upon plundered and destroyed the Houses of the Strangers committing many Outrages on their Persons Nor was the Magistracy able to quell them for being all in an uproar the Lieutenant of the Tower who had no Good-Will for the City played the Great Guns upon it but the Rage of the Multitude spent they retired to their respective Habitations yet several were taken and tried of which number Lincoln and 13 more most of them youths were hanged in divers places of the City and about 200 Men and Boys and 9 Girls and Women went in their Shifts only being bare headed footed and legged and Ropes about their Necks to Westminster where at the upper end of the Hall the King sate and after he had sharply reproved them and they on their knees had begged Mercy Wolsey by the King's command pronounced their Pardon whereat with a joyfull Cry they threw up their Halters in token of deliverance from death and this day ever since is called Evil May day and soon after Tournay was restored to the French in consideration they paid the King 600000 Crowns in twelve years and the Dauphin to marry the Lady Mary King Henry's Daughter when she should be of sufficient years of Consent but if the Marriage took no effect then the City to be restored and Wolsey who by this time had bought him a Cardinal's Cap to have 1000 Marks a year for the profits of the Bishoprick and Wolsey having power with the King to doe all remembring a former Affront put upon by Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham he used his interest to the destruction of that great Peer who was beheaded on Tower-hill upon pretence of aspiring to the Crown In the Year 1521. the Emperour Charles V. in his way to Spain landed at Dover for Refreshment and at the King 's earnest Request came to London and was royally entertained with all the Magnificence and Splendour the Court abounded with at that time and King Henry having written a Book against Martin Luther and sent it to the Pope he in recompence to his Zeal for the Roman Church sent him the Stile of Defender of the Faith which has ever since remained to the Kings and Queens of England sending him likewise a Consecrated Rose The Peace between England and France by reason of misunderstandings growing to a Conclusion a Parliament was assembled at the King's Palace in Black-Fryers granting him half the yearly Revenues of all Spirituall Livings to be paid for five years and the tenth part of all Temporal Substance to carry on his Wars so that not staying to expect War he sent to meet it commanding the Duke of Suffolk to pass over with an Army who taking many Towns and Castles and every where worsting the French returned Victorious and the King banished the Scots out of England confiscating their Goods but upon the Mediation of his Sister a peace was concluded for a time yet there was Martial business abroad for the Irish rebelled and siezing upon the Earl of Kildare who bore the Kings Authority in that Kingdom they sent him bound to England with many Accusations against him for which he was committed to the Tower and Wolsey who hated him signed a Warrant for his Execution without the knowledge of the King whereupon the Lieutenant went to Court and the Trick being made known to the King Wolsey was severely checked and the Earl had the King's Sgnet sent him for his security About this time overtures being made by the Emperor's Ministers in consideration of Marriage with the Lady Mary the French having rejected the Match and some scruples arising about the Legality of her Birth as being born on a Queen that had been his Brother's Wife the King began to fall into a dislike of his Marriage and sent to Rome to sue out a Divorce but finding delays in that Cour◠he desired a Cardinal might be sent to hear the Cause and accordingly Cardinal Campius was sent whose Mules casting their Sumpters in Cheap-side the Cardinal's Treasure was discovered to consist o◠old Shooes broken Meat tatter'd Breaches and Rags which raised no small Laughter in the people This Cardinal sate with Wolsey and other Clergy men but when the King expected the issue of the Matter instead of giving the definitive Sentence he dissolved that Court and referred the Cause to the Pope which so incensed the King that he Commanded him to depart the Kingdom and sent Dr. Cranmer to Rome to justifie the proceedings to the Pope who with other learned Men bringing the Opinions of almost all the Universities of Europe under their Seals that it was not Lawfull to Marry 〈◊〉 Brother's Wife the Divorce was made yet the Queen lived in England till she dyed and King Henry proceeded to take to Wife Ann of Bullen a very beautifull Lady who to that end he had before made a Dutches and honoured with many favours but better she had been without them as by the sequel wi◠appear Cardinal Wolsey whose power was such tha◠he seemed to sway both King and Kingdom bega◠about this time to be lessened in esteem and shortly after for not only disliking but striving to cros◠the King's Proceedings in the Divorce and new Marriage had first the great Seal of England taken from him then several of his Bishopricks which he had ingrossed which begining of disgrace made him more liable to
two Ruffians sent at another time to kill her who were prevented by Beddingfield her Keepers being out of Town she at last escaped the ruine intended her In the year 1554. on the 16th of April a great Dispute was held between the Popish Doctors and Thomas Cranmer Arch Bishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridly Bishop of London Hugh Lattimer Bishop of Durham and others of the Reformed Religion at Oxford about Transubstantiation and other Points wherein when the Papists found themselves baffled they told the Bishops though they had the word yet they had the Sword and indeed they used it with extream cruelty for these good Prelates were then Imprisoned and about a Year and six Months after were burnt for the sake of a good Conscience in Oxford Town-Ditch and now on the 25th of July Philip King of Spain arrived with a great Train of Nobility and the Marriage was solemnized and they proclaimed by the Titles of Philip and Mary King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem and Ireland Princes of Spain and Sicily Arch Dukes c. of Austria Dukes c. of Millain Burgundy and Brahant Counts c. of Haspurg Flanders and Tyrol and in November following the Queen was said to be with Child and upon the spreading this report she took her Chamber whereupon Midwives Rockers and Nurses were provided and the Priests in their Pulpits prayed for her safe Delivery assuring the people before hand it was a Prince and some where so vain to discribe it features the Parliament likewise resolved if the Queen Dyed King Philip should be Protector of the Realm and the Infant during the Minority and at last a false Rumour was given out that the Queen was actually delivered of a Prince whereupon the English Merchants at Antwerp and other Ports discharged their Guns and drunk Healths to their young Master but in conclusion it appeared the Queen was not nor never had been with Child yet it was conjectured by many that the Papists if King Philip had not protested against it had shamed a Child upon the Nation and soon after out of some dislike he left England and returned no more yet he taking part with the Emperour his Father against the French the Queen sent a Gallant Army under the Leading of the Earl of Pembroke to his Aid as he lay at the Siege of St. Qeintines by whose help the place was taken from the French whereupon the Duke of Guis with the greatest part of the French Army coming about by swift Marches unexpectedly laid Siege to Calais the only English Town in France and there being no Succours sent from England by reason of contrary Winds as if Heaven apparently declared it self against the breach of League the besieged few in number after they had done all that men were capable of doing in Defence of the place surrendered it upon advantageous Articles The loss of this place and the unkindness of King Philip cast the Queen into a deep Melancholly insomuch that she declared if she was opened when Dead they might find Calais written on her Heart and the Sweating Sickness coming on she fell desperately ill and dyed the 17th of November 1558 in her Reign were consumed in the Flames for the sake of a good Conscience five Bishops twelve Ministers 18 Gentlemen forty eight Artificers one hundred Husband-men Servants and Labourers twenty six Wives twenty Widows nine Virgins and two Infants the one Whipped to Death by Bonner's Chaplain for calling him Ball 's Priest and the other springing out of his Mothers Womb whilst she was in the Flames was notwithstanding cast into the Fire sixty more were Imprisoned and grievously persecuted seven of them Whipped and sixteen perished in Prison who being as Hereticks denyed Christian Burial were buried in Dunghills The Dutches of Suffolk and divers others were forced to flie beyond the Seas where they suffered extreme Misery and hardship nay so violent were the Priests who altogether swayed the Queens Inclinations that they intended to take up the Body of King Henry her Father and bury it in a Dunghill in revenge of the injurys he had done Mother Church in rooting out the Monks and Fryars but the Council opposed it and in process of of time almost all the Persecutors came to miserable Ends. This Mary was Queen of England France and Ireland Eldest Duaghter to Henry the Eighth by Catharine his Queen Daughter to Ferdinand the Seventh King of Spain She began her Reign on the 6th of July and Reigned five Years four Months and Eleven Days dying in the fortieth Year of her Age without Issue and was buried in Westminster being the 42. sole Monarch of England c. Thus Dy'd Romes Darling who a wonder stood In Cruelty and Feasting Flames with Bloud Made England groan beneath a Popish Yoak Yet Death at last the fatal Fetters broke The Reign and Actions of Elizabeth Queen of England c. QUeen Mary giving place by Death her Illustrious Sister Elizabeth after escaping many Eminent Dangers succeeded her in the Throne the Nobles owning her their rightfull Queen and doing her Homage so that on the 15th of January she was crowned by Dr. Oglethorp Bishop of Carlisle and soon after a Parliament was called in which the Title of Supreamacy was taken from the Pope and restored to the Crown with the tenths and first Fruits of Ecclesiastical Livings as also the Common Prayers as used in the Churches in the Reign of Edward the Sixth and such Acts as in Queen Marys time were made in favour of the Romanists were were repealed so that the Face of Religion was again restored and many pious men that had fled the Land returned and about this time a Petition was made to the Queen to Marry that her Royal Issue might succeed her but she absolutely refused to hearken to it saying That she held it sufficient that a Marble Stone should tell to Posterity that she a Quen had Reigned lived and dyed a Virgin The Pope by this time having Notice that England was rescued out of his Clutches set all his Engines on work to trouble the Reign of this great Queen which obliged her to enter into Confederacy with divers Protestant Princes of Germany and upon demanding Calais the French promised to deliver it to the English at the Expiration of eight years or to pay 500000 Crowns but it was never performed though sworn to and for the better Regulation of the Clergy in England Oaths were tendered whereupon divers refusing to own the Queens Supreamacy were turned out and learned Men who had been outed in Marys Reign put into their places she likewise called into her Mint Pase and Adulterated Coin and allowing so much as the true value she refined it and Coined that Mony that now goes Currant in her Stamp laying up Magazines and Stores of Warlik Provision and sent Aids into Franne to support the Protestants in Arms against the Papist but to divert her nearer home Shan O-Neal Rebelled in Ireland
Richard was no ways dismayed but drawing out his Forces offered the Saladine battle which vvas refused vvhereupon he caused the Army to march towards Jerusalem but by the vvay he vvas diserted by the Duke of Burgundy vvho the French King left as his General vvith part of the Forces and upon no other account as Burgundy himself declared But that it should never be said the English should have the glory of wining Jerusalem vvhich greatly grieved the King that so famous an enterprize should miscarry through malice and emulation and vvhilst he vvas in his melancholly upon this occasion a Knight mounting a high sandy Hill said Come hither Sir and I will show you Jerusalem but the King at these vvords covered his face and fetching a deep sigh said Ah my Lord God I beseech thee that I may not see thy holy City Jerusalem because I am not able to deliver it out of the hands of thine enemies Hovvever he made an honourable peace vvith the Saladine which including that the Christians should quietly enjoy what they possessed and so selling the Isle of Cypruss to the Knight Templers for 30000 Marks he returned with his Army having obtained the nominal Title of King of Jerusalem from Guy of Lusigâ—am the last of the race of the Christian Kings of Jerusalem which Title the King of Spain claims at this day but without power or effect One thing is not lightly to be forgotten viz. that the King above all others that had been in the Holy Land though many great Potentates had been there before him brought terror and dread upon the Sarazens for when at any time their Children cryed they to quiet them would say King Richard is coming and will have you nay when their Horses stumbled they would cry Ha Jade you think King Richard is in the way King Richard as is said returning home with his fair Queen Berengaria was separated upon the Coast of Histria by a storm from the rest of the Fleet and the Ship being broken and in no condition to put to Sea he in disguise of a Merchant or as some say a Knight Templer resolved to pass over Land but being too lavish in his expenses that raised a suspition of his being of great Quality so that near Vienna he was made a prisoner by the order of Leopold the Arch-Duke whose Standard he had thrown down from the Walls of Ptolomais and by him sold to the Emperor Henry the Sixth for 60000 Marks and was ransom'd after sixteen Months imprisonment and very bad usage at 160000 pounds to pay which a great Tax was levyed throughout England yet joyfully disbursed by the people who suffering under such Ministers as were set over them greatly desired the return of their King so that Philip of France having notice he was at large sent to tell John King Richard's Brother who had usurped the Rule during his captivity That the Devil was let loose and although several waits were laid to intrap and retake him after security was given for the Money he landed safe at Sandwich and was joyfully received by Hubert Arch-bishop of Canterbury who had been in the Holy Land with him as likewise by his Subjects but more especially by Queen Eleanor his Mother who by her prudent Conduct and Authority had secured the Kingdom during his absence from the total usurpation of his Brother John who now hasted to meet him and submitting himself was freely forgiven in these words viz. I would that thy faults may be so forgotten of me as thou thy self may keep in memory wherein thou hast offended and thereupon taking him into his favour he restored his forfeited Possessions who from that time became firm to the Kings interest and did him faithful service especially against the French whose King contrary to his Oath he gave King Richard upon his departure from the Holy Land had warred upon his Countries of Normandy Anjou c. stirring up in his absence many discensions and disorders in England when in one of the Skirmishes taking the Bishop of Bevois prisoner compleatly Armed the Pope interceeded by Letter for the delivery of his dear Son as he termed the Bishop when the King in a merry humour sent his Habergeon Curiass and the rest of his Armour he was taken in and order'd the Bearers in the words of Josephs Brethren to say This we found see if it be thy Sons Coat or not To which the Pope earnestly replyed They belonged not to his Son nor to a Son of the Church but to some Imp of Mars and therefore he should free himself as he could for as for his part he would have no further hand in the matter So that the Bishop was obliged to ransom himself with a large sum and soon after the King at Gysors gave the French a great overthrow taking 100 Knights and Servetors on Horseback thirty Men at Arms 200 great Horses whereof 140 had Barbs and Caparisons armed with Plates of Iron killing a great number many of the first Rank and here the King in Person did wonders bearing to the ground with his Lance Matthew d' Monmerancy Alan d' Rusci Foulk d' Giserval and made them Prisoners and after this Victory it was that the King expressed himself in these Words that have since become the Motto of the Arms of England viz. Diu Mondroit Not we say he have gained this Victory but God and our Right But now the fatal time approached that was to eclipse the Glories of this Prince in the shades of Death for hearing the Count of Limogen had found in one of his Lordships a great Treasure of Silver he sent to him for it as properly belonging to the Sovereign but the Count would not yeild to send him above one half which incensing the King he besieged him in his Castle of Chauluz at which Seige he was shot by a square Arrow out of a Steel Bow into the Shoulder yet he took the Castle and the Arcubalaster being brought before him boldly owned the shot alledging That the King with his own hand had killed his Father and two Brethren which incited him to revenge their deaths in an honourable way Whereupon the King perceiving the undaunted confidence of this Bertram d' Guidon not only forgave him the fact but ordered him 100 shillings yet through the unskilfulness of the Chirurgeons the Wound proved Mortal when the King perceiving his end to approach he greatly bewailed his sins and then receiving the Sacrament expired Anno 1199 having before given order that his Bowels should be buried amongst his rebellious Subjects of Poctiou as those that deserved his worst part his heart at Roan which City had always been constant and loyal to him and his Body at Font Everard there to be laid at the Feet of his Father to whom he had been some time disobedient and for which he greatly reproved himself This Richard the First was King of England Duke of Normandy Guin and Aquitain he began his Reign
the sixth of July 1189 and reigned nine Years nine Months dying in the 42 year of his Age being the 26 sole Monarch of England he was conttacted to Alice Daughter to Lewis the seventh King of France But falling passionately in love with Berengaria Daughter to Sanches the six King of Navar he married her in the way to the Holy Land whether she was accompanying her Father but had no Issue by her yet he left behind him Philip and Isabel his natural Children Thus the stout Lyons Heart to Death did yeild Whose dreadful Arms had strew'd the bloody field Of fruitful Palestine no Infidel Nor French nor Rebels could resist his Steel Victorious every where he did remain Cyprus he won yet by an Arrow slain The Reign and Actions of John King of England c. JOhn called by King Henry the Second his Father Lackland as being out of hopes of the Crown by reason so many Brothers were before him was notwithstanding Arthur his Eldest Brother Geofry's Son being alive crowned upon the Death of King Richard by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury at Wesâ—minster through the instance of Queen Eleanor and most of the Nobles yet the French King promoted great troubles in England under pretence of Inthroaning the young Prince yet for great sum he connived at his being delivered into his Uncles hands so that upon new disturbances occasioned as well by the Clergy as Laity he was closely imprisoned The Poctovians rebelling the King prepared to quiet them but as well the Clergy as the Lay-peers denied him assistance of Men and Money or to wait on him in person yet with such a Power as he could raise with present Treasure he passed the Seas overthrew the Rebels took the young Prince who had escaped prisoner with divers Peers and two hundred French Knights reducing all the revolted Towns to their obedience so that Prince Arthur now kept under stricter restraint than ever died in prison as some will have it not without suspition of violence which caused much murmuring amongst the people and the French King laying hold of that opportunity cited King John as an Homager for the Dukedom of Normandy c. to appear at a set time to be tried by his Peers upon Articles of Murther and Treason but the King disdaining to obey the Summons he was pretendedly by the French King and his Peers disinherited and condemned in his absence so that by reason of the Intestine Troubles not being able to pass over with a sufficient Army to repel the insulting French men they seized upon many of his Towns and Castles some by force and others by treachery yet quieting matters somewhat better at home and getting a considerable sum of Money from the delinquent Barons and such as had been in Rebellion against him and having moreover a Subsidy granted him he prepared to pass the Seas when in the mean while the French King out of a bravado sent a Knight as his Champion to challenge to single Combate any of the Kings Subjects and in a mortal battle to justifie the proceedings of his Sender To match this Braggadocia John Curcy Earl of Ulster in Ireland who had some time before been brought prisoner into England upon a revolt of the Irish so that the King knowing him to be of a savage and untractable nature went in person to propose this honourable undertaking when looking on the King with a stern countenance enough to strike terror in the beholders he said In thy Quarrel I will neither draw Sword or fight a stroke but for the honour of the Realm of England I will shed my last drop of blood Hereupon the day was appointed and all things ordered to be in a readiness but in the mean while the Monsieur geting knowledge of the Earls Gigantick Stature and proportion of Limbs as likewise the great quantities of Provisions he daily devoured he thought it no boot to stay and thinking it was not safe to return into France he sneaked away and went for Spain so that Philip of France ashamed of the disgrace sent to excuse it yet new troubles as indeed this Kings Reign was a perpetual storm arising hâ— could not so soon get over Sea as he expected how ever upon his coming the French were terrified tâ— a degree of suing for peace and it was upon the relinquishing sundry places they had taken accordingly so that the two Kings appointing an interview anâ— the Irish Earl happening to be there the French Kinâ— was very desirous to see a tryal of his strength wheâ— placing a Steel Helmet upon a knotty trunk of Oaâ—â— the Irish man with a strong Sword that no body bâ— himself could weld after a dreadful sneer or two let fly with so full a charge that he cut not only the Helmet in two but entred his Sword so far into the wood that none but himself could pluck it out when being asked by King John 〈◊〉 he looked so furiously before he gave the blow his â—â—ply was That had he missed it he would have killed not only the two Kings but all the spectators The Truce that the French made with the English at this time served but to gain the greater advantage by rendring King John more supine in his Affairs for by degrees they encroached upon all Normandy geting even the City of Roan it self upon which Main Tourain Poctou revolted nor could King John hinder it having his hands full at home and when he was about to go for Normandy Habert Arch-bishop of Canterbury suspected to be a Pentioner of King Philip peremtorily forbid him to proceed in that voyage and the Earls and Barons a second time denyed their Aid insomuch that the King in a rage seized upon some of their Estates and grievously fined others nor was it a little gainful to him that Hubert the Arch-bishop dyed the same year whose large Treasure the King â—ook for the use of the Wars but now an obstacle â—rose The Monks of Canterbury chose one Reginald for their Arch-bishop who was Subprior of their Convent yet the King opposed it and presented John Grey Bishop of Norwich so that the Pope upon noâ—ice of what had happened rejected both and went â—bout to impose on them one Stephen d' Langton whom the Monks for fear of the Pope's high Curse wherewith they were threatned received as their Arch-bishop but the King knowing him to be one â—f the French Faction and that he would consequentâ— be prejudicial to his Affairs could not be brought 〈◊〉 hearken to it though the Pope sent him a present â—f Rings with some flattering Comments on them â—eclaring That the Right and Power over all Chiâ—â—â—â— as in the See of Rome But the King threatning if he desisted not from such pretentions in England he would stop all Monies that passed from hence to Rome and thereupon a hot contest by Letters happening between them the old blade in a pet Interdicted the Kingdom which the Bigottry of the times made the people think
1483. reigning two years and two months and waâ— the 38th sole Monarch of England Many good Laws were made in his time and he built and endowed several places to charitable uses he caused William Collingbourn to be executed as a Traitor on Tower-hill for writing this distich The Cat the Rat and Lovel our Dog Rules all England under a Hog Descanting thereby on the Names of Catesby Ratcliff and Lovell three of his chief Favourites and as to the Hog upon Richard himself as having the White Boar for his Cognizance Thus the Vsurper who through Seas of Bloud Had swum to Empire and there tottering stood Till Fates just hand removed him at a blow He fell unpittied who 'd no pitty show The Life Reign and Actions of Henry VII King of England c. HEnry Earl of Richmond upon the Success of Bosworth Field hasted to London and a Parliament being called at Westminster on the 30th of October anno 1485. he was crowned and owned King of England and to prevent future Stirs or Insurrections he imprisoned Edward Plantagenet Earl of Warwick Son to the Duke of Clarence in the Tower and King Richard was attainted in Parliament as an Usurper and Traitor against the Government and the Crown entailed upon King Henry and his Heirs for ever and for the better security of his Person he appointed a band of Archers under a Captain in the nature of Yeomen of the Guard and a free Pardon was given to all that should submit themselves within a set time unless such of Richard's Friends as were excluded by name and all former Acts contrary to Henry and his Friends were repealed Anno 1496. on the 19th of January the King married the Princess Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward the Fourth and true Heiress to the Crown as had been before agreed on by which means the Houses of York and Lancaster after having overflowed the Land with bloud were united to the ceasing of future Jars on that occasion however some that found themselves out of Favour began to disturb the Tranquillity of Henry for the Lord Lovell and Sir Humphrey Stafford his Brother took up arms and drew after them a considerable force but upon the approach of the King's Army they dispersed and Sir Humphrey being taken out of Sanctuary whither he had fled for shelter was carried to Tyburn and there executed Yet this was but light to what followed for Margaret Duchess Dowager of Burgundy Sister to Edward the Fourth mortally hating the Line of Lancaster by her contrivance with some discontented English one Lambert Simnell was set up for the Earl of Warwick who was then in the Tower and passing to Ireland with one Simon a Priest who had been his Tutour and Manager he was crowned King at Dublin and assisted by the Dowager of Burgundy with 2000 men under the Leading of Collonel Swart and getting an Army of Irish English Scots he returned and proclaimed himself to be the true Son of the Duke of Clarence still encreasing his number but at Stoke a little Village near Newark the King's Army opposed them and a bloudy Fight ensued wherein after three hours hot dispute the Impostor's Forces were routed and put to flight and the Earl of Lincoln the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Collonel Swart and Maurice Fitz-Thomas were slain with about 4000 Soldiers and Simnel and his Tutour being taken the former upon his Ingenious Confession how the whole Cotrivance had been imposed on him was made the King's Falconer after he had drudged a while in the Kitchin but the latter condemned to perpetual Imprisonment Yet Henry gained not this Battel but with considerable loss on his side for the Strangers knowing their Lives were at stake if they lost the day fought like men indespair and sold their Lives very dear King Henry finding those that opposed him took generally refuge in Scotland sent his Ambassadours to James the Third to conclude a Peace with him by which means he was the better at leisure to prosecute his Wars with France in Favour of his Allies but to this end raising a large Subsidie the Commons in Yorkshire refused to pay it and took up Arms but upon the approach of the Earl of Surry and his taking John Chamber their Ring-leader the rest dispersed and Chambers and the rest of the Ring-leaders were executed at York and the King sailed over into France being furnished with Money from the Citizens of London but assoon as he set down before Bulloign the French King offering him 186250 pounds to retire and the Emperour his Confederate not being prepared to take the Field the offer was accepted and the Money paid in the time limited and he no sooner returned but he found employment at home for the Duchess Dowager of Burgundy with other discontented English had set up a second Impostor viz. one Perkin or Peterkin Walbeck who passed with many for Richard Duke of York younger Son to Edward the Fourth and although the King sent his Agents abroad to discover how the Designs were carried on as well as make the Impostor known to those to whom he applied himself for aid he received great countenance in the Court of France and with considerable Forces passed into Ireland and from thence to Scotland where he was very kindly received by King James the Fourth and setting off the deceit with a very plausible Speech in a princely Port that King not only believed him to be the Duke of York but gave him the Lady Katharine Gourdon his Niece in marriage nor failed he to aid him But whilst these preparations were making the Lord Fitz-walter Sir Simon Montfort and the Lord Standly who at his coming in at Bosworth Field had given King Henry the Victory and with it the Crown were beheaded on pretence of holding Correspondence with Walbeck and the King proceeded to strengthen the Sea-Ports and all places of Advantage raising Forces and using much diligence that he might be able to weather the Storm he foresaw breaking in upon him when calling a Parliament he had a Tax of 80000 l granted him which caused the Cornish Men to rise under the leading of one Flammock a Lawyer and Joseph a Black-Smith and were joined at Wells by the Lord Audley and so marched to Black Heath in Kent where they were fought with and routed by the King's Forces the Lord Audley taken and beheaded on Tower-hill and the other two Ring-leaders hanged and quartered the Smith comforted himself by the way that his Name by this Action should be immortal And now the King in requital of the Invasions the Scots had made during these Revolutions sent the Earl of Surry to fall upon their Frontiers with Fire and Sword who prosecuted it so rigorously that they were obliged to sue for Peace which upon the Mediation of the King of Spain was concluded and Perkin by one clause of it excluded Scotland whereupon he went for Ireland and from thence was invited by the Cornish Men to