Pennance was I. That he should at his own proper Charges maintain 200 Soldiers one year for Defence of the Holy Land II. That he should freely suffer Appeals to Rome III. That he should revoke all Customs against the Churches Liberties IV. That he should restore the Possessions of Canterbury And V. Receive all the banished Friends of Becket into England again About this time Silvester Girald a learned Man wrote a Book against the Wickedness of the Monks whereby he stirred up those Hornets against him And now the young King by the Instigation of his Mother sought to depose his Father But after several Battels fought between them and much Blood spilt for the space of Three years at length they were reconciled And after this the King called a Parliment at Northampton and divided England into six Câ—rcuits And appointed three Justices itinerants for every Circuit To this Parliament came the King of Scotland and his Peers Shortly after the calling of this Paâ—iament the young King Henry died And Hâ—raclius the Patriarch of Jâ—râ—salem came to the King to desire his Aid in the Holy Land but was denyed In the 20 of the King's Reign the City of Leicester was burnt by the King's Command the Walls and Castle rased and the Inhabitants dispersed into other Cities for their Disobedience to the King And this year Christ's Church in Canterbury was burnt and about six years after the City of York was burned and in the year 1185. The King bestowed Irelaâ—d upon his Son John And this year the Abby of Glastenbury was consumed with fire and the next year after was a great Earthquake that threw down many Buildings and rent in Pieces the Cathedral Church of Lincoln Chichester also was burnt After this Richard the King's Son by the help of Philip King of France rebelled against his Father and drove him out of the City Mentz in Main which he dearly loved being his Birth-place In the 33 of the King near Oxfâ—rd in Saffolk was taken a Fish having the shape of a Man which Fish was kept by the Governour of Orford-castle six months and above for a Wonder but was never heard to speak a word he would eat all manner of meat gladly but was most gready after raw Flesh or Fish at length he stole away from his Keeper and ran to the Sea again The King had a fair Concubine called Rosamond whom Elianor the Queen poisoned for which Cause and for stirring up his Son against him the King imprisoned her and caused Rosamond to be burien at Godstow near Oxford with this Epitaph over her Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa Mundi non Rosa munda Non Redolet sed Olet quae Redolere solot Within this Tomb lies the World 's chiefest Rose She who was sweet will now offend your Nose Anno 1188. The Town of Beverly with the Church of St. Johns there was burnt This Henry the Second was King of England and Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain He was the eldest Son to Jâ—ffery Plantaginet Earl of Anjou son to Fulk King of Jerusalem by Maud his Wife eldest Daughter to Henry the first He began his Reign on Munday the 25 of October Anno 1154. and reigned 34 years 8 months and 11 dayes and was the 25 sole Monarch of England He died at Chinon on Thursday the 6 of July Anno 1189. and was buried at Font-Everad in Normandy the 25 of the King's Reign Anno 1179. was the third Lateran Council Alexander the III was Pope this was the Eleventh General Council CHAP. XV. Of King Richard the first commonly called Richard Courdelion KING Richard at his Coronation by Balwine Arch-Bishop of Canterbury swore to keep several Articles Administred to him by the Peers which were for the benefit of the Realm in his time were those famous Robbers and Out-Laws called Robin-Hood and Little-John The King 's first attempts were for the Holy War for performance of which Voyage he sold and mortgaged several parcells of his Revenue scarce sparing his City of London from Sale and scruzed eleven hundred pounds Sterling out of Stephen de Turnham his late Fathers Treasurer but before his Expedition William King of Scots came into England and made a League with the King and sâ—nt his Brother David and ten thousand Scots with him for the holy War The King before he took his Journey gave his Brother John six Earldoms Cornwal Dorset Somerset Nottingham Derby and Lancaster he also made William Longchamp Bishop of Ely Governour of the Realm till his return joining with him Hugh Bishop of Durham for his Assistance in the North parts And now having settled his affairs he with several of his Nobles took Shipping for France where he and Philip King of France became sworn Brothers and both set forwards for the holy War King Richard coming to Sicilia assalted the King thereof who had usurped the Kingdom after the Death of William who was Husband to Lady Jane King Richard's Sister making an Agreement with him and gave him twenty thousand ounces of Gold for his Sisters Dowry and twenty thousand ounces more for the Love he bore to the English Nation yet for all this shew of Love he and Philip of France took Council against King Richard Joachin the Abbot expounding the Apocalypse to King Richard at Calabria near Sicily told him that Antichrist was born and then in the City of Rome viz. the Pope The King in his Passage Conquered the Isle of Cyprus and left in it Richard de Camvile and Robert de Tarnham Vice-Royes And the English and French besieged the City Ptolomais and won it shortly after this the French King returned not without great shame to his own Kingdom Whilst King Richard was imployed in the Holy War his Brother John and some others of the Peers deprived William Longchamp of his Command for several Outrages by him committed especially upon Jeffery Arch-Bishop of York the King's Brother The King at his approach to Jerusalem took three thousand Camels and four thousand Horses and Mules of the Salladines coming from Babylon and all the Carriages with their Rich Spoil And now the Duke of Burgandy and his Regiment forsaking King Richard he made a Peace with Saladine for three years and so returned very Pensive that he had neither conquered Jerusalem nor Saladine And intending to have gone through Germany he was taken in Disguise in Vienna and the Duke seized him for his Prisoner The News of the King's Imprisonment coming to England his Mother with other of his fast Friends Swore the Realm to be true to the King and made all the Strong Holds sure for him But the Subjects of Normandy in his Captivity were set upon by the French After this the King regained his Liberty paying to the Emperor 100000 Marks sterling and half so much to the Duke for his Ransom the Emperor afterwards to gratifie the King made him King of Province Philip of France having notice of the King's Releasement sent word to
Lugdunence Gregory the X being Pope which is accounted the fourteenth general Council In the III of the King's Reign upon St. Nicholas day were very Terrible Thunders Earth-Quakes and Lightning and a great Draggon and blazing Star which put many People in great fear and in the year 1288 the Summer was so hot that many Persons died with the extremity thereof and yet Wheat that year was sold for two shillings eight pence the Quarter and all other Corn at very low-prices but the year following Wheat was raised to Twenty shillings the quarter by reason of the great Rains that fell that year which dearth of Corn continued about 40 years to the end of King Edward the Second's Reign saith my Author so that in process of time a Bushell of Wheat was at Ten shillings The King the 19 of his Reign banished all the Jews out of England making all their Goods Confiscate the number of them that were Banished is reckoned to be 15000 and 9 persons The King also inflicted great Fines upon his Judges and other Officers for their Corruption the sum imposed upon Eleven of them was 236000 Marks About this time Dr. Scotus called Dr. Subtilis by some preached against the abuse of the Keys and that Transubstantiation could neither be proved by Scripture nor sound Reason Not long after this Alexander King of Scotland dying without Issue great Contentions arose between the Lords Bruse and Baliol about the Crown but King Edward being Umpire between them gave Judgment for Lord Balioll who was Crowned King and did Homage to Edward for his whole Kingdom After this the Scotch King seeking to shake off his Homage again he and his Kingdom were all Conquered by King Edward and all the Scotch Nobles swore to be true to Edward ever after acknowledging him for the King Baliol late King was sent Prisoner to London to the Tower and John de Warren Earl of Surry and Sussex was left Vice Roy in Scotland and at this time the King brought the Chair out of Scotland which is now in Westminster Abby in which our Kings are Crowned and with it was also brought the Crown Scepter and Cloth of Estate The Scots not long after falling into a fresh Rebellion were again subdued by the King with the slaughter of 60000 of their men Shortly after this the King took to Wife the King of France his Sister by which means there was a firm Peace concluded between England and France And now Edward the King 's eldest Son was by his Father made Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester and now the Scots desirous still of Liberty revolted again under the Command of the Lord Bruse but they were quickly reduced to their former Obedence after this getting Heart again they stood for the regaining of their Kingdom and King Edward marching to give them Battel died in his march and commanded in his last Will that his Son should carry his Bones with him till he had marched through all Scotland in his life-time he utterly renounced Pope Beniface's Supream Authority and on his Death-bed charged his Son to continue the Banishment of Pearce of Gaveston and to convey his Heart to be buried in the Holy-Land The year 1299 the King's Palace at Westminster with the Buildings of the Monastery adjoining to it were all burnt This Edward the First was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitain c. He was eldest Son to Henry the III by Ellianor his Queen Second Daughter to Raymond Earl of Province He began his Reign on Wednesday the 16 of November Anno 1272 and reigned 34 years 7 moneths and 21 days and was the 29 sole Monarch of England He died of a Dissenterie at Burgh upon Sands in his March to Scotland on a Fryday the 7 of July Anno 1307. in the 35 year of his Reign and 69 of his Age he was buried at Westminster CHAP. XIX Of King Edward the Second commonly called Edward of Carnarvan AT his first entrance he recalled Pearce of Gaveston Earl of Cornwal out of Banishment although he were forbidden it by his Father's last Will. Shortly after he married Isabel Daughter to the King of France after this calling a Parliament they sadly complayned of Gavestons Insolence and so far prevailed with the King that he yielded to his Banishment whereupon they granted to the King a Subsidy of the 20 part of their goods but Gaveston not long after was recalled again by the King and was married to the Earl of Gloucesters Sister and received into greater favour than ever the King not at all regarding his Father's Command nor his own Oath to his Nobles This Gaveston now grew so high and was so lavishing of the Kings Treasure alienating him also from the Queens Bed that she complained hereof to her Father the King of France Hereupon the Nobles again complain of Gaveston to the King and prevailed for his Banishment with a Proviso that if he returned again to suffer Death About this time Anno 1311. the Order of the Templers was expelled Christendom and this year Clement the V. being Pope was the Council at Vienna being the 15 general Council The next year after Gaveston being returned for England he was taken by the Earl of Warwick at the Castle of Scarborough and with the consent of the Earls of Lancaster and Hereford was carried to Warwick Castle and there Beheaded hereupon the King was greatly inraged but upon Condition that all things belonging to Gaveston should be rendred to him He Pardoned the Lords Anno 1314 the King caused his Writs to be published for Victualls That no Ox stalled or corn-fed should be sold for more than 24 shillings no Grass-fed Ox for more than 16 shillings a fat stalled Cow at 12 shillings another Cow at ten shillings a fat Mutton Corn-fed at 20 pence another fat Mutton at 14 pence a Fat Hog of two years old at ten groats a Fat Goose at two pence half-penny and in the City three pence a Fat Capon at two pence in the City two pence half-penny a Fat Hen a penny in the City three half-pence 4 Pigeons for a Penny 24 Eggs a penny in the City twenty Eggs a penny After this a Tanners Son of Exceter called himself the Son of Edward the first and would needs prove the King a Changling but his claim was quickly strangled with a halter at Northampton And now the Queen was delivered of Prince Edward and the Parliament shortly after granted the King a Fifteenth and the King going against Scotland the Earls Lancaster Surry Warwick and Arundel refused to attend him at this time he received a great overthrow from the Scots he and Lord Spencer being both forced to fly and several Lords with seven hundred Knights and Esquires were slain Anno 1318 The Famine in England was so Raging that Horses Dogs and Children were stoln for Food and the Thieves that were in Prison did pluck in pieces those that were newly brought in amongst them and
conduct but they refused to go which caused the King with the Prince and other Nobles to march towards them as soon as Piercy Hot-spur discovered the Royal Standard he drew out his Army consisting of about 14000 to try the Fortune of War which at that time proved very averse to him for he and the Earls of Worcester Douglas Sir Richard Vernon Barron of Kinlaton and several others with 200 Esquires and Gentlemen of Cheshire that day or the next loss their Lives with an Incredible number of common Soldiers and on the King's party were slain the Earl of Stafford and ten new Knights all made that morning and many Esquires and Gentlemen and about 500 common Soldiers the Battel ended the King marched to York whither he commanded the Earl of Northumberland to come who obeyed his Command and had pardon of Life but was abridged in Estate Whiles things were thus setling in the North news came that Wales was still in Rebellion so the Clergy at the motion of their Metropolitan granted the King a Subsidy for Maintenance of his Army and William de Wilford also being in the King's Service on the narrow Seas brought some assistance to his Indigencies by taking 40 Prizes laden with Iron Oyl Sope and Rochel Wines to the number of one thousand Tuns And not long after a Parliament being called another Subsidy was granted and the Earl of Northumberland was again restored to his Possessions presently after this came a Troop of Western men who brought to the King three forein Lords and 20 Knights of note Prisoners from Dartmouth where they also slew the Lord of Castile and several of his men which Lord formerly had burnt Plimouth and thinking to have done so here was by these Plebeans put by his purpose for which good Service the King gave them store of Gold And now the King calling Three Parliaments one after another for Money could get none the chief Opposer was Thomas Mowbray Earl Marshal who drew Richard Scroop Archbishop of York into a Conspiracy against the King and the Earl of Westmerland pretending to side with them ensnared them both in his Gin and presented them to the King who caused both their Heads to be struck off although Westmerland had promised them their Lives And now the King began again to pursue the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardolf who were supposed privy to Earl Marshals Conspiracy with an Army of 37000 Men whereupon they fled into Scotland the King seeing this took Barwick by battering down a Tower in the Wall with a great Gun the first that was used in England and took Alnwick and all other Castles belonging to the Earl of Northumberland And from hence marching to Wales he expected the like good Fortune there but such a sudded Rage of Waters in Wales came so fast down upon his Army that he was forced to return 50 Waynes laden with Treasure and other Carriages being destroyed by the Rage thereof After this another Parliament being called they granted a Subsidy being rather wearied with the King's Importunity than out of any good Will to him Anno 1407. being the next year after there was so great a Plague in England that in short space it destroyed 30000 in London and multitudes elsewhere in the Realm and the year after was a great Frost that held 15 Weeks All this while Glendour continuing his Rebellion in Wales The Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardolf leaving Wales into which they had escaped and coming to raise Forces in the North were met and encountred by Sir Thomas Rookby the Sheriff of York-shire who flew the Earl and gave the Lord Bardolf a wound of which he died After this the Duke of Burgundy sending to the King for Aid against the Duke of Orleance had his Request answered and presently after Orleance sending for Aid against Burgandy and promising greater matters than the other it was granted to him also to the great wonder of many and now the Lord Hail Marshal of France laying a Siege to a certain strong place in Gascoign with other Lords and about 4000 Men of Arms were driven from thence by Sir John Blunt with 300 Soldiers and 12 of the Principallest and about 120 Gentlemen were then taken Prisoners but the King lived not to see the Fortune and Carriage of these Wars In this King's Reign through Arch-Bishop Arundells Procurement William Sawtree William Swinderby and William Thorp suffered Martyrdom for their Faith being all worthy Divines This Henry the Fourth was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland he was the eldest Son of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Blaunch his Wife Daughter and Heir to Henry Plantaginet Duke of Lancaster Son to Edmund Sir-named Crouch-back he began his Reign on Munday the 29 day of September Anno 1399 and reigned 13 years 5 months and 19 days and was the 33 sole Monarch of England He died at London of an Apoplexy on Sunday the 20 day of March Anno 1412. and was buried at Canterbury CHAP. XXIII Of King Henry the Fifth commonly called Henry of Monmouth HE was Crowned at Westminster by Thomas Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and at his first entrance dismissed all his youthful Companions and made choice of grave men for his Councellors He was wont every day after dinner for the space of an hour to receive Petitions of the oppressed who with great equity he relieved he was so zealous towards the Clergy hating Lollards or Wickliffians that he caused Sir John Old-Castle Lord Cobham who was the cheif that held that opinion then to be Imprisoned but he afterwards escaping for Wales 37 of his Faction as it was then thought to be being taken were all condemned and seven of them viz. Lawrence Redman David Sawtree William James Thomas Brightwell William Haulam Ralph Greenburst and John Schut were burnt and strangled in St. Gyles's Fields after this the King restored the Son of Lord Piercy Hot-Spur to his Blood and Grandfather's Honour of Earl of Northumberland and presently after sent Embassadors to France to demand the Dutchies of Normandy Aquitain Guyen and Anjou but in derision to his Demands the Dauphin of France sent him a Tun of Tennice Balls as Bullets most fit for his tender hands The King disgusted hereat preparing for Warrs the French made the Scots their Friends to invade Englands marches which accordingly they did in such a violent manner that the King scarce knew which Kingdom to begin with first but at length it was concluded for France the Clergy giving a Tenth and the Temporal Lords their Aid of 346 Men at arms and 552 Archers and about some 10 Ships and to keep back the Scots Sir RobertVmsreivil was sent against them who in a Skirmish took 360 of them Prisoners and great spoil The news of the proceedings here in England flying into France Charles the French King sent his Embassadours to England with offer of money and some Territories of France but none of the best and the
Nobles constrained him to swear To ease the People of their Taxes and many other Oppressions which he afterwards performed And he restored to the English the use of Lights again which his Father forbad by ringing of a Bell and had continued about the space of 33 years He also ordained several good Laws and annexed his Great Seal to them and his Name with the subscription of several Lords Spiritual and Temporal and caused Copies of them to be sent into every County to be safely kept the heads of them take as followeth in these Seven Branches I. That the Church should be free from Oppressions and Reservation of their Possessions upon vacancy II. That the Heirs of the Nobilty should possess the Lands of their Fathers without Redemption from the King which Favour also should be granted by the Nobles to their Tenants III. That the Gentry might give in Marriage their Daughters and Kinswomen without the King's Licence so it were not to the King's Enemies IV. That the Widow should have her Jointure and not be compelled to marry against her own Will V. That the Mother or next of kindred should be Guardian of the Lands of their Children VI. That Coiners of False Money should be punished and a Measure to the length of the KING'S Arm to be a Standard for Commerce among the People And VII That all Debts to the Crown before his own Time should be forgiven and all Murthers before the Day of his Coronation to be pardoned With other such like Indulgencies And he also at this time confirmed King Edward's Laws And now he made Suit to Edgar King of Scotland to have Maud his Sister to Wise This Year 1100 his Brother Robert Duke of Normandy was elected King of Jerusalem but he hearing of his Brother Rufus's Death refused it in hopes of getting England's Crown And at his return from Jerusalem invaded England landed at Portsmouth Henry to be quit of him and to keep the Crown granted him 3000 Marks yearly and gave him royal Entertainment for six Moneths at Court After this Belasm Earl of Shrewsbury and Roger Mountgomery rebelled but they were overthrown by the King and forced to abjure the Realm for ever And now the Pope's Imp Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury begins to stir and calling a Council at London Excommunicated all Married Priests and deprived many learned Prelates because they were invested by the King and not by the Pope And now Duke Robert returned for England again to congratulate his Brother's Fortune and was so royally entertained that at the Request of his Sister Queen Maud he remitted the Annual payment of 3000 marks But afterwards Henry picking a Quarrel with him he sailed into Normandy and made himself Master thereof Afterwards Robert seeking to regain his own the King took another Voyage for Normandy where a bloody Battel was fought between them and Duke Robert and William Earl of Mortmain were taken Prisoners and the rest flying Henry return'd Conqueror having made Normandy subject to England just that day 40 years that England became subdued to Normandy And the Duke seeking to escape his Imprisonment had both his Eyes put out by the King's Order And now the King begins to shew himself in his Colors making no Bones of breaking his Oath made to his Peers he banished the Flemmings out of England And about this time to wit Anno 1109. the Emperor Henry the IV. took to Wife Maud King Henry's Daughter And now the Affairs of Normandy being disturbed the King hasted thither and after the Suppression of the Rebells he created his Eldest Son Duke thereof by which a Custom grew that thenceforth the Kings eldest Sons were Dukes of Normandy after this Anselm Bishop of Canterbury died Anno Domini 1114. The High Court of Parliament as some Authors affirm was first ordained in this King's Reign Anno 1116. in which year was exceeding great Lightning in March and Thunder and Hail in December and the Moon at both times seemed to be turned into Blood And in October the same year the River of Thames was so dried up that one might have gone between London-Bridge and the Tower on foot This year also King Lewis of France and the Earls of Flanders and Anjou sought to restore William Duke Robert's eldest Son to the Dukedom of Normandy but were frustrated of their hopes by Henry about this time Maud King Henry's Queen died After this Anno 1119. King Lewis enters Normandy again and between him and the King was a bloody Battel fought and Baldwin Earl of Flanders and many thousands besides were slain and the honour of the day fell to King Henry who returned Victoriously into Roan And shortly after the Earl of Anjou to curry the King's Favour gave his Daughter to William the King 's eldest Son in Marriage of which Marriage the King conceived no little Comfort but the budding Hopes of the conceived future Happiness were quickly cropped by the hand of Fate for at the King 's Return for England this new marri'd couple with Richard and Mary other two of the King's Children and Richard Earl of Chester his Lady and other Lords and Ladies were all cast away at Sea The King after this Anno 1121. took to his Second Wife Adilicia Daughter of Jeffery first Duke of Lovain And now Pope Calixtus the II. met the King in Normandy to see if his Threats would work the King's Submission to him that he might have the Packing and Dealing of the Cards for the Game of Spiritual Promotions in England but neither Flatterings nor Threats would work upon him At this Meeting two Youths Sons to the Earl of Mellent and Servants to the King disputing with two of the Popes Cardinals with Logical Syllogisms put the two Rabbies to the Non-plus In this Pope's time Anno 1122. was the first Lateran Council held being the ninth General Council About 3 years after this Anno 1125. Pope Honorius the second sent Cardinal Cremensis to certifie the Abuses of the Married Clergy and to that purpose he made a Set Oration in Praise of CHA-STITY and Dispraise of VNLAW-FVLL LVST for so he termed the Priests Marriage and yet himself was taken that Night with a WHORE and so he returned to his Master the Pope without Success Anno 1126. The King's Son in Law the Emperor died and his Wife returned into England whereupon the King called a Parliament and caused them to swear Fealty to the Empress his only Heir This same year one Arnold an English Preacher of Oxford was cruelly Butchered for preaching against the Pride of Prelates and Priest's wicked Lives The next year after the King married his Daughter the Empress again to Jeffery Plant aginet Son to Foulk Earl of Anjou And about six years after in the 33 year of this King happened so great an Eclipse of the Sun that at Noon-day one might have seen the Stars in the Firmament and about two dayes after this there was a terrible Earthquake And the same year
happened such a Raging Fire in London that it consumed a great part of the City from West-Cheap to Algate The next year after being the 34 of the King Duke Robert the King's Brother after 26 years Imprisonment and the putting out of his Eyes died in Prison And this year Worcester and Rochester were burnt This Henry the First was King of England and Duke of Normandy he was the 4th Son of William the Conqueror by Maud his Wife Daughter to Baldwine the Fifth Earl of Flanders He began his Reign on Wednesday the first day of August Anno 1100. and reigned 35 years 4 moneths and 1 day and was 23 Sole Monarch of England He died of a Surfeit with eating Lampreys at the Town of St. Dennis in Normandy on Munday the Second day of December Anno 1135. being the 36 of his Reign 21 of his Dukedom and 65 of his Age. His Body was buried at Redding in Bark-shire in an Abby of his own Founding CHAP. XIII Of King Stephen sometimes called Stephen of Bloyce THis Stephen at his first coming for England landed at Whitsand-Bay with whom came a wonderful Tempest of Thunder His endeavours for the Crown were aided by Henry his younger Brotherthen Bishop of Winchester William Arch Bishop of Canterbury Roger Bishop of Salisbury and Hugh Biggot late Steward to King Henry all which swore him Fealty although they had sworn it before to the Empress King Henry's Daughter who is now by them rejected And crown'd Stephen King at Westminster on the 26 day of December Anno 1135 by William Corbell Arch-Bishop of Canterbury After which he granted his Subjects a Charter of some Immuities Dated under his hand at Oxford Anno Domini 1136 whose Tenour was as followeth That all Liberties Customes and Possessions granted to the Church should stand firm That all Persons and causes Ecclesiastical should appertain only to Ecclesiastical Judges That none but Clergy men should meddle with the vacancies of Churches or any Church mens goods That all bad usages in the Land touching Forrests Exactions c. should be utterly extirpated And lastly That the antient Laws should be restored This year a Fire began at London Stone in the City of London and consumed all before it from thence East-ward to Aldgate and West-ward to St. Pauls Church Not long after this the King caused several Castles to be built in England but by the advice of Henry Fitz Empress shortly after 1115 of them were demolished again And now Baldwine de Redvers Rebelling again the King was taken and banished and a great Battel was shortly after fought against the Welsh but the English lost the day and many of them were led away Captives by the Welsh Women and such a number of them drowned by the fall of a Bridge over Temd that a passage was made over the Water with their dead Carcasses in the year eleven hundred thirty seven Rochester was destroyed with Fire After this David King of Scots invaded England and took Carlisle and New-Castle and the King marching to oppose his further Progress a Peace was concluded between them Afterwards the King in the Third year of his Reign Created Eustance his eldest Son Duke of Normandy This year the Arch-Bishop's Seat in York St. Martyns Church without the Walls and the Hospital with thirty nine Houses and much Riches were burnt The King now paied his elder Brother Theobald two thousand marks yearly for his Right of Normandy and England and to Jeffery Plantaginet Husband to Maud the Empress he paid five thousand Marks yearly for his Right to the Crown Whilest he was in Normandy setling his affairs the Scots again invaded England committing most barbarous Cruelties as ripping up Women with Child and tossing their Infants on their Spear points several of the Peers likewise Revolted and did Fortifie most of the strong Castles in the Realm against the King intending to bring Maud the Empress to the Crown But the King being no sluggard did so hotly pursue his Barrons that he won most of the Castles from them and put them to a stand And with like success did Ralph Bishop of Durham appointed General by Thurstan Arch-Bishop of York the King's Lieutenant of the North go against the Scots who were come as far as Northumberland and manfully forced them to fly the Country And shortly after the King in Person marched into Scotland and a Peace was again concluded between the two Kings And Stephen brought with him into England Henry David's eldest Son and made him Earl of Huntington And now the King began to quarrel with several of his Prelates as Salisbury Lincoln and Ely and demanding the keys of their Castles exacting likewise great summs of money from them About this time Maud the Empress landed in England and was carried into Arrundel-castle by William de Albeny who married the Queen Dowager King Henry's Widdow the King having intelligence thereof hasted to Arundel at whose coming a Woman's Wit being best at a pinch she perswaded him That none to her knowledge or with her consent were come with her but those who did and would owe him Allegiance Hereupon he honourably conveyed her to Bristol from which place she got to Wallingford-Castle and in the mean while Earl Robert her Brother divulged the News of her Arrivage whereupon he got such a number of People together for her cause that they were hard to be numbred The King hereupon forthwith besieges Wallingford-Castle but not able to accomplish his desires he removed his Siege to Malmesbury and in the mean time the Empress got to Lincoln and stored the City with Provision and other Necessaries Hereupon the King withdrew to Lincoln and so straitly begirt the City with his Siege that if the Empress had not made a shift to escape she had been here taken The King possessing himself of Lincoln Earl Robert and Ranulph Earl of Chester went against him with a mighty Army and making over the River pitched their Tents in the King's sight the King ordering his Army Trumpets sounded to Battel and the Armies joined in Fight but the Kings party being overpowred they began to faint and run away leaving the King almost alone who behaved himself so Champion-like that he drove down whole Troops before him until his Battel-Ax broke and his Sword flew into pieces in his hand and then being Weaponless he was struck down with a Stone which was thrown at him and so was seized on but preserved from Violence by Earl Robert's Command and from thence he was carried Prisoner to the Empress to Gloucester from which place he was sent bound to Bristoll And now the Empress Triumphed as sole Sovereign of England all the People save those of Kent doing her Allegiance to Winchester she marched in State and there received the Regal Crown from thence she went to London where she was received with Royal procession And now the reports of Stephen's Imprisonment being got into Normandy his Subjects there began to incline to Jeffery
the Husband of the Empress shortly after this Earl Robert the Empress Brother was taken Prisoner by some of the King's party who had escaped from Lincoln who carrying him to Gloucester there imprisoned him and growing at length weary of his Irons and hard Lodging he and the King were released one in Liew of the other The Earl after his Releasment went for Normandy to raise more aid but in the mean while King Stephen besieged the Empress in Oxford where she was brought to such a straight that she was forced to fly by Night with some of her Company Disguised getting over the Thames on the Ice it being then Winter from which place they ran on Foot through Snow and Ditches to Abbington being about five miles and here they took Horse and got to Wallingford-Castle And by this time Earl Robert and Prince Henry the Empress Son were landed at Warran-haven from whence they got to the Empress but she at length being wearied with the various success of War and never out of Troubles left England and returned to her Husband into Normandy having sent her Son Henry thither before her At Lincoln the King after the Empress Departure caused all the Barrons to swear Allegiance to Prince Eustace Stephen's Son And Theobald Arch-Bishop of Canterbury refusing to consecrate Eustace King was forced to fly into Normandy for his safety and the King seized all his Possessions no King before Stephen's time durst enter Lincoln being frighted with the Foolish Prophesies of some Wizards After this Henry the Empress's Son entered England again and was met by the King whose Armies had joined in Battel but that the Winter Storms prevented them and so a Truce was concluded which thing was very displeasing to Prince Eustace who not long after died of a Frenzy After his Death a Peace was concluded and the King adopted Prince Henry the Empress's Son for his Heir and Successor In the last year of the King's Reign a little before his Death was seen the Sign of the Cross in the Moon This Stephen was King of England and Duke of Normandy he was the Third Son of Stephen Earl of Bloyce by his Wife Adilicia or Alice third Daughter to William the Conquerour His Reign began on Munday the second day of December Anno Domini eleven hundred thirty five and he reign'd eighteen years ten moneths and twenty dayes and was the twenty fourth sole Monarch of England He died of the Illiack-Passion mixed with his old Disease the Emmeroyds in the Monastery of the Monks at Dover on Munday the twenty fifth day of October Anno Domini eleven hundred fifty four his Body was buried at Feaversham in Kent in an Abby of his own founding In the fourth year of this King's Reign was the second Lateran Council Innocent the II. Pope CHAP. XIV Of King Henry the Second sometimes called Henry Fitz-Empress THis Henry was three times crowned first by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster then at Lincoln and lastly at Worcester His Privy Council he chose of the gravest Peers and Thomas Becket his Chancellor About the 5 of his Reign 30 Waldenses or thereabouts being come into England were persecuted by a Council of Bishops held at Oxford and by the King's Command all persons were prohibited to give them any Food whereby they miserably perished And now the King and Malcolm King of Scots entered Amity upon the same Conditions as were agreed upon in Henry the first 's time And in Token of his Subjection the King of Scots offered his Hat and Saddle upon St. Peters Altar in York and there left them About this time the Jews crucified a Child at Gloucester And now Theobald dying Becket the Chancellor was made Archbishop of Canterbury and he denied to take the Oath for observation of the Articles administred to the Clergy which the rest of the Bishops had taken and were clearly against the Pope's Authority Hereupon the Contention between the King and Becket grew so hot that the Pope sent Philip his Almoner to perswade the Bishop to swear who at his Request took the Oath Anno 1163. London-Bridge was made a new of Timber by one Peter the Priest of Cole-church And now Becket standing several times in Opposition against the King at length was condemned of Perjury and being called to hear his Sentence as a Traytor he made shift to escape in Disguise into Flanders by the Name of Deerman Now the King sends his Embassadors to the Pope requesting him to send two of his Cardinals to judge the Case the Pope returned Answer That he would Judg him himself when he saw Cause upon the Receit of this Answer the King made an Order that all the Clergy that were with the Pope or did Appeal to Rome should have their Livings sequestred and banished all the Kinred of Becket Man Woman Child and Suckling And now the King stoutly withstood all the Popes Threats Edicts and Bulls denying also the payment of Peter-pence And Roger Archbishop of York at the King's Command in Contempt of Becket crowned Henry the King's Son But Becket after 7 years Banishment was again reconciled to the King and restored to his former Dignity During these Stirs there was one Gilbert Foliott Doctor of Divinity in Oxford who perswaded the King to curb the Pride of the Clergy and this Doctor often reprooved proud Becket to his Face for which he was much hated and persecuted Now Becket at his second Entrance on his Bishoprick excommunicated several Prelates And King Henry being in Normandy and hearing hereof chanced to speak some words against the Bishop which moved four of his Courtiers to sale for England where in the Church of Canterbury they murthered Bishop Becket Anno 1170. He was afterwards canonized by the Pope and is reputed amongst those of the Romish perswasion for a great Saintâ— He was by Birth a Londoner his Mother a Sarazen and by Profession he was a Civilian After the King returned for England Robert Fitz-Stephen a valliant man without the King's Knowledg sailed for Ireland where he became Conqueror of several Strong-holds But the King himself who had it in his Thoughts long before to make a Conquest thereof sailed thither and imprisoned Fitz-Stephen who had made way for the King's Conquest After some Skirmishes the King conquered Ireland and established Religion there and built also a Magnificent Castle at Dublin and so returned for England About this time it was ordained That Men should make their Testaments in presence of their Neighbours And if the Man that died had Wife and Children he was to cast up what he owed to other men and to Servants for their Wages And then the rest of his Goods were to be divided into Three Parts one part to his Children another part to his Wife and the third part for his Burial and to Pious Vses After this the King sailed to Normandy whither the Pope had sent two Cardinals to take the King's Purgation for Becket's Death His
great number of Houses at Winchelsey The King wanting more Money called a Parliament to supply him but was denied whereupon he sold his Jewels Plate and other precious Stuff shortning the allowance also of his House and inviting himself sometimes to one Nobleman's Table and sometimes to another And Alexander King of Scotland coming to York there Married Margaret the Kings Daughter to whose Marriage-Feast the Arch-Bishop of York gave 600 fat Oxen which were all spent at the first Service Not long after this Prince Edward the Kings eldest Son went into Spain and married the Kings Sister whereupon the Spanish King quitted all his claim to Gascoign to King Henry who gave his Son Edward upon his Marriage Gascoin Wales Bristow Stanford and Grantham the year after the Prince with his Wife and Royal Retinue landed at Dover And now also Edmund the King's Son was honoured by the Pope with the empty Title of King of Sicily Anno 1225 Seabald Arch Bishop of York was prosecuted by the Pope for Preaching and writing against his Holiness's Pride And this year 142 Jews were brought to Westminster who were accused and 18 of them hanged for Crucifying a Child at Lincoln and the rest kept Prisoners And now the King again perceiving his Coffers to be empty caused sharp Orders to be made against Sheriffs for the passing their Accompts in the Exchequer And about this time came the Germain Ambassadors with an Embassy to Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother wherein they declared That their Masters the Princes Electors of the Roman Empire had made choice of him for King which he after much Consultation accepted on And now the Barrons fall into Rebellion again and a Parliament being called at Oxford thither they repaired and behaved themselves very Insolently towards their Sovereign hereupon the King sailed into France and there compounded with the French King that he should hold the Dukedom of Normandy and Earldom of Anjou Mayne Touraign and Poictue for 300000 pounds of Touraigne and on promise to receive other Lands of the value of 20000 l. per annum Anno 43 of the King a Jew at Teukesbury fell into a Privy upon Saturday and refused to be helped out because it was their Sabboth whereupon the Earl of Gloucester kept him in all Sunday too and on Monday he was dead About this time Dr. Strenham wrote that Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures were only necessary to Salvation Now the King of France being Umpire between Henry and his Barrons he gave Judgment for the King and the Barrons denying to stand to his Sentence the King gave them Battel near Nottingham where they received a great Overthrow and Simon Mountforth Son to the Earl of Leicester the chief Rebell and many other Barrons Knights and Esquires were taken After this Overthrow the Barrons sent Letters twice to the King desiring to be reconciled but could not be heard which provoked them to fight the King's Army again at which time the Fortune of the day fell to the Barrons for they took the King and his Brother Richard King of the Romans and some other great Peers and the next day their two eldest Sons yielded themselves Prisoners And now Earl Mountforth Joyful of the Victory proceeded to the Imprisonment of the King of the Romans his Son and the Prince in Dover but this budding happiness of the Earl's was quickly cropped for the Earl of Gloucester and he differing about parting of the Prey the Earl of Gloucester thereupon opposed the current of Leicester's Fortune with whom joined the Prince escaped out of Prison and several other Nobles and at Everssham in Worcestershire they overthrew Leicesters Army and he being there slain had his Head cut off and sent to Worcester and his Hands and Feet were chopt off and all those on his party disinherited and London is threatned to be burnt by the King for taking the Barrons part Shortly after this John de Warren Earl of Surrey killed Allan de Zouch in Westminster-Hall upon some distaste taken Anno 1264 there were 700 Jews slain in London because one of them would have forced a Christian Man to have paied more than two pence for the Usury of 20 shillings the week and the year 1269 the Thames was so hard frozen that Men and Cattel passed over from Lambeth to Westminster upon the Ice About this time it was that Prince Edward took his Voyage for the Holy-War and Roger-Bacon a famous Divine of Oxford was Imprisoned by the Pope for Preaching against the Absurdities in the Church of Rome Anno 1271 the Steeple of Bow-Church in Cheap-side fell down and flew many People Men and Women and the year after was a great Riot in Norwich through which the Monastery of the Trinity was burned whereupon the King rode down thither and after enquiry made of the chief Actors caused 50 of them to be Hanged Drawn and Quartered and their Quarters to be burnt And now the King perceiving his Death to approach swore the Earl of Gloucester to keep the Realm for Prince Edward his Son This Henry III. was King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Guyain and Aquitain He was eldest Son to King John by Isabel his Queen Daughter and Heir of Aimery Earl of Angolisme his Reign began on wednesday the 19 of Octob. Anno 1216 and he reigned 56 years and 28 days and was the 28 sole Monarch of England he died at the Abby of St. Edmunds in Suffolk on Wednesday the 16 day of November Anno 1272 being in the 57 year of his Reign and 65 of his Age his body was buried at Westminster CHAP. XVIII Of King Edward the First commonly called Long-Shanks KING Edward was gone for the Holy-Land when the Crown fell to him Elianor his Queen being with him who at Acon in their Voyage was delivered of a Daughter and at that place her Husband was Wounded by a Trayterous Villain in three places of his Arm with a Poysoned knife all which Wounds after the Chyrurgions were wearied the Queen cured by licking out the Venom with her Tongue yet she thereby receiving no prejudice The news of his Father's Death coming to his Ear he forthwith returned and after his Arrival himself and Queen were Crowned by Robert Kilwarby Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and after this the King called a Parliament at Westminster which as some affirm were the first Statutes there made and Luellin Prince of Wales refusing to come to the Parliament King Edward thereupon went into Wales and built the Castle of Flint and Luellin made his Submission and gave the King 50000 pounds for Agreement and 10000 marks per Annum for the Island of Man But afterwards he had several Bickerings with the Welsh but at length reduced them to perfect Subjection and beheaded Luellin their Prince and his Brother David and set up their Heads upon the Tower at London He appointed Sheriffs for Wales and established the English Lawes amongst them Anno 1274 was the Second Council of
Goods in the absence of his Banished Son which was but pro tempore intending to banish him in perpetuum which proceedings shortly after proved his Ruin for the King now sailing for Ireland did little good there but himself great harm here For by this means he gave Henry the Banished Son of the Duke of Lancaster opportunity to land in England for the gaining of his Right At whose Arrival several Lords flocked to him Their first attempt was against the Castle of Bristol where they took Bussy the Treasurer and Green who the next day were made shorter by the heads The King hearing of these Stirs returned and thought to have nipt them in the Bud but at his coming he found them fully Blown whereupon he betook himself to Conworth Castle in Wales and afterwards delivered himself into the hands of the Earl of Northumberland conditionally that if he and eight more whom he would name might have honourable Allowance with the assurance of a quiet private Life that then he would resign his Crown from hence he was carried to the Tower of London and a Parliament was called at Westminster in his name who all agreed to the resignation and Messengers were sent to the Tower to him with the said Instrument the manner and form whereof is shewed before in Edward the Seconds time to this Instrument the King set his hand and Seal desiring that his Cosen Henry Duke of Lancaster might succeed him and thereupon put his Signet Ring on the Dukes hand After this the Definitive Sentence being given in open Parliament Duke Henry rising from his Seat made his challenge to the Crown as followeth In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster Claim the Realm of England and the Crown withall the Appurtinances as coming by the Blood Royal from King Henry the III and that Justice which God of his Grace hath send to me by the help of my Freinds for the Recovery of the said Realm which was in point of Perdition through default of Government and breach of Laws These words said he was by all the States acknowledged for King and placed in the Royal Throne This Richard the Second was King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain c. he was the Second Son to Edward the Black-Prince by Joan his Wife Daughter to Edmund Earl of Kent his Reign began on Sunday the one and twenty day of June Anno 1377 and he reigned twenty two years three months and eight days and was the the thirty two sole Monarch of England He was assassinated in Pontefrack Castle by Sir Pierce of Exton and other seven Assassinates he having first valiantly defended himself and slain four of the Assassinates Some affirm that he was starved to Death Anno 1400 His body was brought to London and carried through the City to St. Paul's Church and there left bare-faced by the space of three dayes for People to gaze at and was afterwards buried at Westminster some say at Langley CHAP. XXII Of King Henry the Fourth commonly called Henry of Bullingbrook THis King Henry was crowned at Westminster by Thomas Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and shortly after his Coronation he created his Eldest Son Henry Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain and Cornwall and Earl of Chester and caused the Crown to be entailed upon the Heirs of his Body And then took from the Lords Awmarl Surry and Exeter the late King's Friends the Titles of Dukes And not long after he sent Embassadors to Rome France Spain and Germany to give them the Reasons of his assuming the Crown But the People of Aquitain hearing of those Carriages in England 〈◊〉 favoring King Richard's Cause begâ—◠〈◊〉 Revolt but Henry sending the Earl of Worcâ—â—ter thither with some Forces thâ—y quickly fell to their Obedience again And now the Scots upon some Distates entred the North-parts of England doing much harm And shortly after several Lords as John Holland late Duke of Exceter Thomas Holland late Duke of Surry Edward Plantaginet late Duke of Aumarl John Montacute Earl of Salisbury Lord Spencer Sir Ralf Lumly Sir Thomas Blunt and Sir Benedict Celye with others conspired against Henry either out of Pitty to Richard's cause or Emulation to Henry's greatness but the Plot being discovered before it came to any Perfection by some of their own party The two late Dukes of Exceter and Surry having notice thereof hasted to Cicester pretending as they passed along that King Richard was at liberty and that Henry was fled which was all false for at this time he had got 6000 men in Readiness to oppose them and Exceter seeking to escape by Sea was taken and at the Countess of Hereford's instigation was beheaded by the common People at Pleshie the Lord Spencer receiving the like doom at Bristol and others in other places in all nineteen whereof two had been Dukes in King Richard's time to wit John Holland and Thomas Holland Presently after this the King entered Scotland and spoiled the Country but before his Return Wales was in Rebellion under the Command of Owen Glendour of which the King having Intelligence he turned his March thither and burnt killed and took such Revenge as that time would permit and so returned with such spoil as he had got Glendour being gotten into the inexpugnable Snowden hills But the King's Danger was not less at home than abroad for in his Bed there was hidden a Calthrope or Engine with three very sharp Teeth or Spikes all of them set upward for his Destruction but he discovered it before he lay down but the Traytor was never found out Now Glendour still proceeding in his Outrages Edmund Lord Mortimer went against him but with the loss of about a thousand of his men in the Attempt and his own Liberty to boot being taken Prisoner and afterwards either for love or fear did marry Glendour's Daughter and was privy and consenting to Piercy's Rebellion which followed afterwards About this time were several Libels dispersed up and down in Defamation of the King but the Authors being taken suffer'd death amongst whom were several Grey-Fryers after the Execution of these offenders the King again entered Wales but the cruel Storms there at that time forced his return And the Earl of Northumberland the King's Lieutenant of the North and Piercy Hot-Spur the Earls Son had better success against the Scots who had entered England but returned by weeping Cross being overthrown in two Battels by the Earl and his Son and several taken Prisoners After this the King took to Wife Lady Jane of Navar Widdow of John de Mountforth Duke of Britain and shortly after several Prodigies appeared Prognosticating the Piercys Rebellion which followed not long after the first of them discovering himself in open Arms was Lord Piercy Hot-Spurr who made head about Chester to whom repaired the Earl of Worcester their intentions being to enter the Town of Shrewsbury The King sent for them promising under his hand their safe
the English were slain amongst whom the King's Brother the Duke of Clarence was one and the Earls of Somerset and Suffolk with other Lords were taken Prisoners the King having notice hereof embarqued again for France and landed at Callis and chased the Dauphin from place to place he not daring to Fight during these proceedings the Queen was brought to Bed at Windsor of a young Prince Henry which news coming to the King's Ears he in a Prophetical way thus spake Good God saith he I Henry of Monmouth shall have but a short Reign and win much but Henry of Windsor shall Reign long and loose all but the Will of God be done Which words of his afterwards proved true And now the King after several brave exploits by him perform'd in this his last expedition into France died appointing by his last Will his younger Brother Humfry Duke of Gloucester Protector of England his Brother John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exceter Guardian of his Son's Body This Henry the V. was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland he was the eldest Son of King Henry the Fourth by Mary his Queen Daughter to Humfry de Bohun Earl of Hereford Essex and Northampton He began his Reign on Sunday the 20 day of March Anno Do. 1412 and reigned nine years five moneths and 10 days and was the thirty fourth sole Monarch of England He died of a Burning Feavor and Flux at Boice de Vincennois in France on Monday the the one and thirty day of August Anno Domini 1422 and was buried at Westminster CHAP. XXIV Of King Henry the Sixth commonly called Henry of Windsor THis King was Crowned at Westminster being but about 8 months old and a Parliament being called and a Subsidy granted that the regal Chair in the House might not stand empty thither the Queen did carry the young Prince and sate with him in her Lap he speaking to the House in anothers Tongue And now the affairs in France were various Fortune sometimes smiling on the French and other sometimes on the English whereupon the Duke of Bedford Regent of France desired to enter Battel with the French which accordingly was performed near the Vernoil where the French were beaten and about 5000 of them slain besides many taken Prisoners During these proceedings in France James the young King of Scots who had casually been taken Prisoner at Sea in Henry the Fifths time was set at Liberty in England thereby to draw the Scots off from Aiding the French not long after Duke Humphry the Protector was married to Jaqueline of Bavaria her Husband being then living which caused the Duke of Burgundy to forsake the Regent in France and now Factions breeding in the Court of England the Regent left France to appease the dangers at home which he happily performed and then with the Lord Talbot and fresh Forces returned again to France From the beginning of April 1428 unto All-Hallon-Tide after fell such abundance of Rain that not only Hay but Corn also was distroyed About this time at the Regent's Return into France Siege was laid unto Orleance where the Earl of Salisbury was slain yet notwithstanding the Siege continued And Charles the young French King being very pensive not knowing how to remedy this Mischief likely to ensue At Chinon a young Maid called Joane of Loraine a sheeperdess appeared to him bidding him be of good Courage for God had sent her to deliver the Realm and so going to Blâ—yce with the Marshal of France and there getting Forces by her Valour the Siege was raised at Orleance the English loosing 600 men at that Brunt and for some short space after this the loosing and taking of Towns was interchangeable but Joan and the Duke of Alanzon still proceeding in their good fortunes near Jergeaux they fought the Lord Talbot taking him and several Nobles Prisoners and killing about 1000 of the English they not loosing above 600. Hereupon several Towns Revolted from the English and Charles himself who before had kept in now Issued out in Armes thinking to have recovered Paris but he was disapointed of his hopes by the Regent and now the English lying Siege to Champaign Joan the Martial Maid coming to it's Rescue was taken and sent to Roan and there Burnt for a Witch which did not a little dismay the French but success proving still various it was thought that King Henry's presence in France would be a great discouragement to the Carrolines hereupon the King with the Company of the two English Cardinals York and Winchester and other Nobles sailed into France Anno. 1432 and at Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester he was Crowned King of France yet Charles esteemed himself not the less a King for all this the King having thus taken possession of France not long after took his farewel of it his Return was by Roan and so over Land to Callis and thence to England again and now the Soldiers beginning to be weary of their Imployment and discontented with their Wages fell to Mutiny at Paris for which the Regent cashiered 110 and chopt of the heads of four of the Principallest of them Anno 1435 the Theames was so frozen that the Merchants which came to the Thames Mouth were forced to be carryed to London by Land And now after several Changeable Successes in France at length the Regent dyed the news of whose death coming to England Richard Duke of York was sent Regent but Paris was lost before his Arrival in France and after several Skirmishes with the English the French proceeded to besiege Callis to which place the new Regent drew his Army but King Henry hearing hereof and fearing the worst sent the Protector with a great Fleet against the French at whose approach they all ran away and so the Protector Settling the State of Callis returned with great honour But this new Regent performing little or nothing in France he Returned for England and Richard Earl of Warwick went in his place but he after a short space dying the Duke of York went again and at his Return into France prossered several times to fight the French King who never durst undertake to joyn Battel with him Not long after this the Duke of Orleance was set at Liberty who had been Prisoner ever since the Battel at Azin Court which was above 26 yeares before his Ransom was 300000 Crowns the Protector was much against his Releasment Anno 1438. All the Lions in the Tower of London dyed and this same year was held the Council at Florence being the 16 General Council Eugenius the fourth being Pope Julythe 18. Anno 1440. The Postern of London by East Smith-field against the Tower of London sunk by Night and about 2 years after a Contest fell between the Duke of Gloucester and the Cardinal his Uncle and the Duke's Lady was accus'd by the Cardinal Henry Chicely Arch-Bishop of Canterbury for Witch-craft as if by Art Magick she
to him such persons as he would name to which the King returned Answer that he and his adherents were all Traytors so the Yorkists assailed the Town and flew 48 Nobles Knights and Esquires amongst whom were the Earls of Somerset Northumberland and Stafford and 5000 Common Soldiers and wounded the King in the neck with an Arrow so he was taken Prisoner The next day the Duke of York and Earls of Salisbury and Warwick marched to London with the King and in his name summoned a Parliament by whose Authority the Duke of York was established Protector of England Salisbury Lord Chancelor and Warwick Captain of Callis but it was not long before they were again displaced The French by reason of these intestine Broils took their Advantage making several inroads on the Coasts of England killing the Mayor Bayliffs and several other Officers of Sandwich and burnt Foway and several other Towns in Devonshire Anno 1458 there was a Fray in Fleetstreet between the men of the Court and the inhabitants of the said Street in which Fray the Queens Attorny was slain for which Fact the King committed the Governours of Cliffords Furnivals and Barnards-Inn to Prison and William Taylor Alderman of the Ward and several others were sent to Windsor Castle The year after being 1459 the Science of PRINTING was found out in Germany at Magunce by a Soldier and was brought into England about 12 years after by one William Caxton a Mercer who practized it at St. Peter's Abby in Westminster for a pretty while And now a seeming reconcilement was concluded on between the King with his Lancastrians and the Yorkists but it had not long continuance for the Yorkists under the pretence of some Afronts offered to the Earl of Warwick by some of the King's Servants drew to an head again but their Intentions being discovered by one Andrew Trollop they all thereupon disperced themselves And shortly after a Parliament being called in it were the Duke of York Earl of March Earl of Warwick Earl of Rutland and Earl of Salisbury with certain others all attainted of High-Treason and their whole Estates consiscared but they neither fearing nor regarding their attainder drew out again from the several places whither they were fled and uniting their forces together consisting of about 25000 men they fought the King at Northampton slaying about ten thousand men with several Nobles as Humfry Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Shrewsbury Lord Egremont and others and taking the King himself Prisoner whereupon the Tower was surrendred and the Lord Scales Lieutenant thereof seeking to escape was murthered by Whirry men on the Thames Now a Parliament again being called the Duke of York coming out of Ireland made his Claim to the Crown deriving his pedigree from Lyonell the 3 Son of Edward the III elder Brother of John of Gaunt Father of King Henry the IV and after great debate in the Parliament at length it was concluded that King Henry should possess it during his life and after his Death then the Crown to remain to Richard Duke of York and his Heirs in general tail During these proceedings the Queen with her Son were in the North raising of Forces whither the Duke of York marched to encounter them reposing himself at Sandal Castle expecting more force to come to his aid but the Queen in the mean time coming before the Castle with a small force laying Ambushes on either side of the Hill before the Castle which the Duke not suspecting rushed out upon the Queen's men whom he had no sooner encountred but the Ambushes presently coming out surrounded him by which means the Duke with several of his Complices and Friends as the Earl of Salisbury and the Earl of Rutland a Child of 12 years old who though begging his life on his knees with tears were slain and about 3000 Soldiers Edward Plantaginet Earl of March Son and Heir to the Duke of York hearing of his Father's Death with an Army of 23000 men intended to Fight the Queen's Army but he found imployment by the way for at Mortimer's Cross near Ludlow he was encountred by the Earl of Pembrook and Earl of Ormond to whom he gave a great Overthrow slaying 3800 of them and taking several Prisoners amongst whom was Owen Tuder who had married Catherine Mother to Henry the VI. whose Head was chopped off in the mean time the Queen was gotten as far as St. Albans where the Londoners fearing their Plunder by her Army together with the King and several Nobles gave her Army Battel she giving them the overthrow and slaying two thousand of their men but Edward Earl of March drawing nigh the King and Queen retired into Scotland leaving the Kingdom to Edward whereupon he entered London giving a Period to Henry's Reign which accounted is but till this time although he lived eleven years after This Henry the Sixth was King of England France and Lord of Ireland he was the only Child of King Henry the Fifth by his Queen Catherine Daughter to Charles the VI. King of France His Reign began on Munday the 31 day of August Anno 1422. he reigned 38 years 6 months and 3 days and was the 35 sole Monarch of England he was stabbed to the Heart in the Tower by Crook-back Richard Duke of York afterwards King of England on Monday the twenty day of May Anno Domini 1471 being the 49 of his Age his body was first buried in the Abby of Chartsy in Surry and afterwards removed to Winsor by King Henry the Seventh and after that again removed none knows to what place CHAP. XXV Of King Edward the Fourth KING Edward was Crowned at Westminster but his Carriages towards the Citizens at his first entrance made them repent their forwardness in his behalf against King Henry and hearing of Henry's preparations in the North he marched toward Pontefrack in York-shire giving the Lord Fitzwalter charge of the passage at Ferry Bridg nigh Pontefract where the said Lord and several of his men were slain shortly after the Armies drew into a plain between the Towns of Towton and Saxton the King's Army consisting of 48660 and Henry's of 60000 men the Fight was bloody and continued 10 hours but at last the Lancastrians not able to gain-stand Edward's Forces they betook themselves to their Heels leaving the glory of the day to King Edward there was slain that day being Palm-Sunday the 29 of March several Nobles as Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland John Lord Clifford John Lord Nevil and Leonard Lord Wells and several other persons of Quality to the Number of 357 and in all there was slain about 35091. This doleful News coming to Henry he with his Queen and Son fled into Scotland where they were honourably received by King James to whose Sister not long after the Prince was married and now after these passages in Scotland the Queen sailed into France to seek Aide where she got more men then her Coffers would discharge Edward in the
mean time road Victoriously to London and was again Proclaimed King and a Parliament shortly after being called They disinherited Henry his Queen and Son and about 43 Nobles and others and now the Queen returning into Scotland with her French Fleet and afterwards making for England her Fleet was Scattered by a Tempest so that her Husband and She were left solely to the Aide of the Scots who marching into England as far as the Bishoprick of Durham King Edward prepared to meet them but making an halt at York he sent the Lord Montacute with forces to oppose them who was encountered on Hedgley Moore by the Lords Hungerford Roâ—'s and Sir Ralph Peircy to whom the Lord Montacute gave the foyl taking Sir Ralph Percy and several others being slain and growing proud of this Victory he assail'd King Henry's Camp at Hexham where after great slaughter he took the Duke of Somerset and other three Lords and one Knight which were all beheaded whereupon Henry fled into Scotland and afterwards coming into England in disguise he was taken and having his feet tyed to the stirrups and his guilt spurs taken off his heels he was then committed Prisoner to the Tower of London Shortly after King Edward called a Parliament and Enacted several good Laws especially against pride in Apparrel and now he begins to think of a wife whereupon the Earl of Warwick was sent to sollicite a Marriage between the King and Lady Bona Daughter to Lewes Duke of Savoy and all things being well approved of by the Lady and her Friends the Earl Returned before whose Return the King had set his Affections on the Lady Elizabeth Gray here in England whose Mother was Jaquelline Daughter to Peter Earl of St. Pauls to whom shortly after he was Married The Earl of Warwick took great distast thereat thinking himself hereby abused and endeavoured afterwards to uphold King Henry's Cause drawing to his Assistance some Nobles and Forein Princes and upon these discontents some of the Commons rose under the Command of one Robert Hildern intending to gave seized on York from which place they were beaten back by the Lord Montacute president thereof and their Leader beheaded Yet the Commons not dismai'd hereat chose Henry Lord Fitzhughs Son and Sir Henery Nevil Son to the Lord Latimer but they being but young made choice of Sir John Coniers a valliant Knight and intended their march for London of which the King having notice he made William Lord Herbert Earl of Pembrook General and Sir Richard Herbert his Brother assistant to him And now the Northern forces drawing near Northampton the Lord Stafford and Sir Richard Herbert with 2000 Horse fell in the Rear of them but were repulsed and lost most of their Men afterwards the Armies meeting near Banbury some distast being then taken by the Lord Stafford at the Earl of Pembrook the Kings General he thereupon withdrew his Archers upon which occasion Pembrook lost the field and had 5000 men slain and the Earl with his Brother and other ten Gentlemen were taken and carryed to Banbury and there beheaded After this Victory some Commons under the Leading of Robin of Ridsdale hasten to Grafton the King's Mannour house and there surprized Earl Rivers the Queens Father and his Son John and at Northamton beheaded then and now the King set forth with an Army himself and pitched at Wolny four Miles from Warwick whose Guards were not so vigilant as they should have been the King being at that time animated with some hopes of peace of which the Earl of Warwick taking advantage he entered the King's Camp Treacherously by night and took him prisoner when he never dreamt upon it from whence they conveyd him with easie journys by night to the Castle of Midleham in Yorkshire and there left him to the keeping of George Nevil Arch-Bishop of York Warwicks Brother from whom the King not long after escaped and came to York where the Citizens received him lovingly and so raising an army he past from thence to London not long after this Sir Robert Wells Son to the Lord Wells raised 30000 plebeans in Lincolnshire and pitched near Stanford whereupon the King caused the Lord Wells Sir Roberts Father and Sir Thomas Dimmoâ—k his Kinsman to be beheaded which was against the King's Oath and promise to them and then marched to fight Sir Robert who with Sir Thomas Deland were taken Prisoners and Lincolnshire men cast of their Coats and run away whereupon that Battel was called Loss-Coat field there were slain that day about 10000. this Newes made the Duke of Clarence and Earl of Warwick flye to sea and casting Anchor before the Town of Callis they were there denyed Entrance by the Lord Vanclere who was the Earl of Warwicks Deputy there for which good service he was by King Edward made Captain of Callis and Warwick discharged as a Traytor yet nevertheless he was welcome to the French where the Queen of King Henry at that time was with whom Warwick joyned whose Daughter at that time was betrothed to Prince Edward King Henrys Son and they all sollicited for Forces which was granted and the Earl landing in England with a great Army proclaimed King Henry to whose Aide great store of People flocked the Lord Fawconberge in the West and the Earl of Pembrook in the North doing the like And the Earl of Warwick now taking his March towards London King Edward Commanded his Lords to attend him in the War but several of them disowned his Mandates which he perceiving with some few Nobles in his Company hasted towards Nottingham there to determine what was best to be done but his Foes greatly increasing Bon-fires burning Bells ringing and all the people crying up King Henry for very fear King Edward with his Brother the Duke of Gloucester took shipping at Lyn and sailed into Flanders to Charles Duke of Burgundy and his Queen took Asylum at Westminster where she was delivered of Prince Edward afterwards King of England and at this time several of the Kings Friends took Sanctuary Edward being fled Warwick took King Henry out of the Tower where he was prisoner and Riding in Tryumph through the Streets of London great were the Acclamations of the People crying God save King Henry And now a Parliament being called Edward was declared Traytor and his with all his Adherent's Goods confiscated and the Crown Intayled to the Heirs Males of Henry's body and for default thereof to the Heirs Males of George Duke of Clarence and finally all the Statutes made by King Edward were Abrogated But King Edward having gotten some small Forces of about 12000 men of his Brother in Law the Duke of Burgundy he returned for England as a Subject and proclaimed King Henry deluding the People and so got to York which he making them believe that he came but to look for his own Inheritance surprized and assumed to himself leaving a Garison in it and from hence he marched to Nothingham and so to
Leicester and from thence to Coventry where Warwick lay but durst not Fight him and so to Warwick whither the Duke of Clarence being come he and Edward became Friends and they marching to London where the Geates were set open every one crying King Edward Here Henry was again taken and sent Prisoner to the Tower the Earl of Warwick perceiving how things went found it was no time to be idle and therefore resolved to win or loose all by Battel and so marched towards London as far as Barnet King Edward pitching his Tents at Gladmore near Barnet to oppose him having at this time King Henry with him on Easter day they joyned Battel and Fortune sided with King Edward the Earl of Warwick and Lord Montacute his Brother were slayn and three Lords on King Edward's side and in all on both sides about 10000 besides several Nobles as the Duke of Somerset the Earls of Oxford and Exceter c. fled and took Sanctuary and afterwards proved Broachers of new Plots And now King Edward rid Triumphantly to London having King Henry still with him and about this very time landed Queen Margaret Henry's Wife and her Son Edward in England but hearing of the loss at Barnet field they took Asylum at the Abby of Ceerne to which place the Lords that fled from Barnet repaired who comforted the Queens heart with future hopes here forces repairing to them they flye from place to place and at length fought King Edward at Teuxsbury where three or four of the Chief of them as the Earl of Devonshire and Somersets Brother were slain and 3000 men besides and Prince Edward heir to Henry was taken and several Lords taking Sanctuary at Tewxsbury were nevertheless haled thence and beheaded and it is reported Prince Edward was basely murthered by the Duke of Gloucester and some of King Edwards Servants for speaking somewhat to boldly in the Kings Presence After this Queen Margaret was taken from Sanctuary and carryed Prisoner to Worcester and shortly after from thence to London after this the Lord Fawconberge Son to the Earl of Kent raised a confused Army of 17000 men for the Aide of King Henry but he was quickly curbed and fled to Sea And shortly after King Henry was stabbed to the heart by Crookt-back Richard Duke of Gloucester who as is shewed before was a main Instrument in Prince Edward's Murther it is recorded of King Henry that he had an honest mind a comely personage and was more like a Saint than a King now Queen Margaret being ransomed by her Father went beyond Seas to him and there languished away her dayes And after this all Henrys Friends being either banished or put to Death Edward was then at quiet and calling a Parliament all King Henry's Laws were Abrogated And about this time the Duke of Burgandy sent to desire King Edward's Assistance against King Lewis of France so the King went in Person with as great an Army as ever went out of England but he did Burgundy little good for he concluded a Peace with France on condition that Lewes should pay King Edward 70000 Ducats for his Charges and 50000 to be paid him yearly and that the Dauphin should marry Elizabeth his eldest Daughter and so returned for England About this time one John Huss suffered the flames on Tower hill for the profession of a good Faith and now all things being setled King Edward followed his pleasure and being on his Progress in Warwickshire he chanced to hunt in the Park of one Thomas Burdet Esq and killing store of Deer among the rest a white Buck was killed which Mr. Burdet hearing of he wished the horns in his belly that Councelled the King to kill him for which words he was beheaded at Tiburn And in those catching times a Jest of a Mercer in Cheapside telling his Son if he would ply his Book he should be Heir to the Crown meaning his own house that had that sign cost him his Life After this the Duke of Clarence being falsely Attainted and Condemned by Parliament he was shortly after drowned in a Butt of Malmsy in the Tower And James King of Scots about this time sent into England to dare King Edward to Fight who sent an Army under the Command of his Brother the Duke of Gloucester whereupon the Scots fainted and concluded Peace upon certain conditions and yielded up Barwick into the hands of the English out of whose possession it had been about 21 yeares After this the French breaking the Articles of Peace by the Dauphin's Marriage to Lady Margaret of Austrich Grand Child to the Emperour Frederick the King hereupon intended War against them but was prevented by Death Of those four Concubines King Edward delighted in Jane Shoare was not the least beloved by him This Edward the Fourth was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland he was Son to Richard Plantaginet Duke of York by his Wife Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Salisbury He began his Reign on Monday the fourth day of March Anno 1460. and Reigned 22 years 1 Moneth and 5 dayes and was the 36 Sole Monarch of England He dyed of a Surfeit at Westminster on Friday the 9 day of April Anno 1483 being the 40. year of his Age and 23 of his Reign His body buried at Winsor in the new Chappel whose was foundation himself laid CHAP. XXVI Of King Edward the Fifth THis King was never Crowned for at the very first his Uncle the Duke of Glocester began to think of deposing him drawing to his side the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Hastings they resolve forthwith to remove all the Queen's Friends from the King and to compass their Design they perswade the Queen that her son the King might come to London to his Coronation accompanied only with some few of his friends which she little suspecting what they aimed at easily condiscended unto and now they proceed to the taking of their Prey imprisoning the Lord Rivers the Queens Brother at Northampton they then hasted after the King to Story-Stratford whither he was gone on his way for London and here they made bold in the King's presence to arrest the Lord Richard Woodvile Sir Richard Grey and Sir Thomas Wagham and carried the King and all his company back to Northampton there displacing such of his Servants as they thought fit and putting others whom they pleased in their places Having thus far proceeded in their Design the perfidious Duke of Gloucester took upon himself the Order and Governance of the young King and sent Lord Richard Woodvile and the other two Knights to Pontefract Castle in York-shire where in Conclusion they were beheaded The Queen having notice of these proceedings betook her self with her Children to Sanctuary in Westminster where shortly after the Arch-Bishop of York then Lord Chancelour delivered her the Great Seal but afterwards considering of the Danger he might incur hereby sent for it again And now the Dukes of Gloucester and Buckingham coming to
he thereby confirmed King and the Crown intailed upon him and his Heirs and Prince Edward his Son made Heir apparent but against his Coronation guilty Consciences accusing themselves he being still in Fear he sent for five thousand Soldiers out of the North under the Command of Robert of Ridsdale to come up to London and before his Coronation which was very glorious he set at Liberty the Arch-Bishop of York and the Lord Stanly but continued Bishop Morton's Imprisonment whereupon the University of Oxford sending a Letter to the King in Bishop Mortons behalf he was thereupon delivered to the Duke of Buckingham who sent him to his Castle of Brecknock in Wales and after the Coronation was over the King took his Progress to Gloucester and from thence sent a Letter by one John Green to Sir Robert Brackenbury Lieutenant of the Tower to destroy the two young Princes who detesting so foul a Murther Sir James Tirrel a Man of small estate for what will not Wealth and Honour prompt a man to being promised great things by the King undertook the Murther and for execution thereof he imployed two Bloody Varlets who about Midnight smothered the two Innocent Princes with pillows and the feather-bed But God's Judgments attended these murderers and the King's mind ever after was fill'd with Horror and Fear having his hand constantly on his Dagger And now the Duke of Buckingham began to dislike the King for he had denied the Duke the Earldom of Hartford which was promised by Richard before he got the Crown whereupon the Duke of whose Intentions Bishop Morton was privy never came to the Court but seeking how to depose him whose main Instrument he was in exalting to bring this business to effect a Marriage was propounded by him and sollicited afterwards by others to the Queen and the Countess of Richmond between Henry Earl of Richmond Heir to the House of Lancaster and Elizabeth the Queens eldest Daughter Heir to the House of York which match was well resented by all parties for hereby the Houses of Lancaster and York being United the Quarrel in which so much Blood had been spilt would be ended Upon this Account Bishop Morton went over into Flanders and did the Earl of Richmond then in Banishment very good Service now the Earl having intelligence of these Proceedings forthwith disclosed it to the Duke of Britain who promised him his Assistance whereupon he sent into England to the Duke of Buckingham to make him acquainted with his preparation for England but in the mean time the King heard some whisperings of this Plot and therefore sent for Buckingham to repair to the Court who refused to go immediately preparing for War against the King at which news the Marquess of Dorset left his Sanctuary and raised an Army in York-shire Sir Edward Courtny another in Devonshire and Cornwal and Sir Richard Guilford one in Kent The King roused up at this news took his march towards Shrewsbury from London intending to encounter the Duke of Buckingham the head first who hearing hereof made out to meet the King accompanied with a great number of Wild Welshmen and intending to pass Severn to join with the Courtnies he was prevented by the River it being then without the Bancks so not being able to get to them nor they to him his Welsh-men hereupon forsook him whereupon the Duke fled to the House of one Humphry Banister formerly his Servant and there in disguise thought to have stayed till he could either have raised new Forces or gotten into Britain to the Earl of Richmond As soon as the other Nobles heard of the misfortune of the Duke they all left their Armies and most of them fled beyond Sea to Henry and the rest took Sanctuary and a Proclamation being made with promise of a thousand pounds to those that could take Buckingham this Judas Banister who had gotten his Estate under the Duke was taken with the Golden Bait and preferring with Judas the money before his Master's Life went and discovered him to the Sheriff of Shrewsbury who took the Duke disguised like a poor Country-man digging in a Grove near Banister's House and carried him to Salisbury where the King then was at which place without Arraignment or Judgment he was beheaded and several Nobles of the Duke's Faction received the like Doom at London and elsewhere But this greedy Banister missing the promised Reward of the King was rewarded with the Judgments of God for not long after his Children came to unfortunate Ends and he himself had got his deserts in a Halter but that he escaped by his Clergy And now the King hearing of Earl Henry's preparation for England he thereupon called a Parliament in which the Earl and all those that had fled to him were Attainted and their Goods Confiscated and the King also to make himself more secure at home made Peace with the Scots and sent great Store of Gold to the Duke of Britain to betray Henry into his hands but the Duke at the Arrival of the Embassadors being so sick that he could not be spoke withal his Treasurer allured with the Gold thought though unknown to his Master to have done the Feat but Earl Henry having notice hereof by Bishop Morton then in Flanders he escaped into France to whom repaired the Earl of Oxford out of the Castle of Hammes with Captain Blunt his Keeper and Sir John Fortescue Captain of Callis being all resolved to take their Fortune with Earl Henry And now the King seeing the Duke of Britain would not be taken with his Bait he begins to solicit the Queen for the delivery of her Daughters to his Custody thinking thereby to prevent the Match of the Earl Henry with the Lady Elizabeth the eldest Daughter and after many sugared and fair flattering Speeches to the Queen she at length resigned them up to him and Queen Ann his Wife being purposely made away as was supposed he now begins to Court his Neese Elizabeth his own Brothers Daughter intending to marry her and to lessen his expences he discharged his Navy commanding the Welsh to keep the shoar where he supposed Earl Henry intended to land yet notwithstanding shortly after he landed at Milford-Haven in Wales with 2000 Britains and marching into England as far as Litchfield several worthy men joyned Forces with him on his March and the King then at Nottingham receiving Intelligence hereof commanded all his Nobles to wait upon him with their Forces and so took his March to Leicester and the next morning pitched his Tents in a plain called Reddmoor neare Bosworth in Leicestershire where he was encountered by the Earl of Richmond where after much Courage and Manhood shown he was slain with some of his Nobles and about 4000 Soldiers and after he was slain he was taken and hung over an horse all naked and besmeared with blood and dirt and so was carryed to Leicester and there lay two days without Burial for a spectacle to the people
and was afterwards interred with great solemnity in the Grey-Fryers in Leicester and at the dissolution thereof the stone-trough wherein his Corps were laid was taken up and is now a drinking trough for Horses at a Common Inn in Leicester After the Fight was over the Lord Stanly found the Crown among the spoiles of the field and set it upon the Earl of Richmond's head in the field at which instant began the Reign of this new King and so an End was put to the bloody Contentions between the Yorkists and Lancastrians there were fought here in England eleven Set-Battels five in Henry the Sixt days as St. Albans Blackheath Northampton Wakefield and Towton and five in Edward the Fourths time as Hexham Banbury Lose-Coat-Field Barnet field and Tewxsbury and lastly Bosworth field which put a period to the to the Reign of the Plantaginets and opened away for the Tewdors to succeed them in these Civil Wars between the Houses of Lancaster and York were slain above one Hundred and Sixteen Thousand Men. This Richard the Third was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland he was a younger Brother to King Edward the Fourth and Son to Richard Duke of York who was Son to Richard Earl of Cambridge who was Son to Edmund Duke of York who was Fifth Son to King Edward the Third his Reign began on Friday the 22 day of June Anno 1483. He reigned two years and two moneths and was the 38 Sole Monarch of England he was slain in the Battel at Bosworth field as is before shewed on Monday 22 day of August Anno 1885. and his Body was buried in the Grey-Fryers at Leicester CHAP. XXVIII Of King Henry the Seventh AFter the Battel at Bosworth field was over the King hasted to London where with great Joy he was received and shortly after Crowned and Edward Plantaginet Earl of Warwick imprisoned in the Tower And now a Parliament being called King Richard was attainted and the Crown intayled on Henry and his heirs for ever About this time was the Sweating-Sickness of which Disease a world of people dyed a new Disease never known in England before And now the King dissolving the Parliament in January after he married the Lady Elizabeth eldest Daughter to King Edward the Fourth who in September after was brought to Bed of Prince Arthur and not long before the King's Marriage was Wheat sold for three shillings per Bushel and Bay-Salt the same price and the Cross in Cheapside was new builded And now the King taking his Progress to York to gain the Love of his Northern Subjects the Lord Lovel with some others that had taken Sanctuary after Bosworth Field raised forces thinking to surprize the King but he with 3000 men under the Conduct of the Duke of Bedford sent either to pardon or Fight them and the Duke proffering pardon the Lord Lovel fled by night and the multitude yeilded without stroak and shortly after Sir Humphry Stafford another Rebel suffered at Tyburn And not long after a new Tumult began upon the Report of one Richard Symon a Priest who broached abroad that one Lambert Symnell Scholar of his was heir to Edward Duke of Clarence who was cast into Prison a little before by Henry and so sailing with him into Ireland he there prevailed so much among the Peers especialy with Thomas Fitz-Girald Lord Chancelor that at Dublin he was Proclaimed and Crowned King and there obtaining some help he returned for England to whom those Lords that favoured the Cause of the Plant aginets joyned themselves although they knew the Fraud among whom the Earl of Lincoln was chief who with the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Collonel Swart and Mawrice Fitz Thomas near a little Village about three Miles for Newark called Stoak were all slain by the Kings Army and 4000 Common Soldiers besides and the Counterfeit Symnel with the lewd Contriver of this wicked Stratagem Simon the Priest were both taken and Symnel confessing the business to be forced on him was made one of the King's Falkoners and the Priest Simon was commited to a dungeon and perpetual shackles And shortly after this Battel the King sent Richard Fox Bishop of Exceter and Sir Richard Edgecomb Embassadors to the King of Scots where they to the King 's great Satisfaction concluded a seven years Truce About this time the Duke of Britain sent to the King for his Assistance against France but he unwilling to disoblige either party having been formerly beholden to both sought a reconciliation making himself Umpire between them to which the French seemed to listen but in the mean time prepared for War and at St. Albans gave the Britains a great Overthrow and slew the Lord Woodvile and all or most of his men who was gone to the Duke's aid without King Henry's knowledge hereupon the King prepared to lend his Assisting hand to the Britains but their Duke in the mean time died which put an end to the business And now began some stirs in York-shire where the Earl of Northumberland was slain by the Commons at a place called Cock-Leg near Thirske at the inticement of one John Chambers for demanding the Subsidy granted by Parliament to the King and the Plebeans afterwards made head under the Command of Sir John Egrimont but the King sending an Army against them under the Command of Thomas Lord Howard Earl of Surry they were quickly dissipated and the Ringleadears shortly after received death the due Reward for such Rebels but Sr. John Egrimont escaped to Margaret Dutchess of Britain the common Encorager and Receiver of all King Henry's Enemies About this time the Scots rose in Rebellion against James the Third their King and fought the Army at Bannocks-Burn where in a Mill in the same field he was murthered After this King Henry began to prepare for War against France at the Request of Maximilian the Emperor whom they had basely abused in not only divorsing his Daughter Margaret from the French King but also in making Ann the Heir of the Dukedom of Britain his Wife who had been betrothed to the said Emperor by his Embassadors and the King taking his Voyage for France landed at Callis and marched on as far as Bulloigne and finding the Emperour unprepared upon whose Accounts he had undertaken that War he thereupon made Peace with France and had the sum of 186250 li. granted yearly which was duly pay d during his time and his Son 's until the debt vvas run out After this Voyage Margaret the Dutchess of Burgumdy the King 's grand Enemy obtruded upon the English one Peterkin or Parkin Walbeck by the name of Richard Plant aginet Second Son of Edward the Fourth and many of the Nobility out of Innovation rather than Love knowing it to be a Deceit of the Dutchess sided with him and the Lord Stanly amongst the rest did supply him with Money for which Cause shortly after he lost his Head although formerly he had been a main Instrument
in advancing the King to the Crown About this time Wheat was sold for six pence per Bushel and Bay-Salt at three pence half peny Nantwich salt six pence per Bushel white Herring six shilling per Barrel red Herring three shilling per Cade Sprats six pence per Cade and Gascoign wine six pound per Tun. And now this Psendo Richard was discovered to the King to be but Perkin Warbeck by one Sir Robert Clifford a great actor for Perkin beyound Sea but afterwards won to the King with Gold for Perkin's sake all the Flemmings were banished the Realm and several of his Complices here discovered by the said Sir Robert Clifford were put to death And now Perkin coming on Shoar in Kent expecting a great Relief receiving in lieu therof great distress for being encountred by the Mayor of Sandwich and the Kentish men five of his Cheif Captains and 164 of others were taken and shortly after executed whereupon he fled back into Flanders and from thence fled into Ireland but expecting little help from so poor a Nation at last he betook himself into Scotland and the King of Scots being taken with Courtly cariage believed his Reports and Married him to Catharine Gourden the Earl of Huntly's Daughter and then the King in Person with a great number of Scots came with him against the Marches of England doing great harm and Proclaiming much favor and immunity to such as would joyn with Perkin and â— 1000 pounds to such as could take King Henry but all this working no Impression upon the Peoples minds the Scotish King thereupon returned into Scotland esteeming the less of his new Cozen because none would rise in his behalf Upon this Account a Subsidy of 120 thousand pound was granted to the King for maintenance of the War against Scotland and the Lord Dawbnye sent General but on his March was called back to suppress some Cornish Rebells who withstood the Collectors of the Subsidy under the Command of one Thomas Flemmock a Lawyer and Michael Joseph a Black-Smith these marching for Kent expecting more Aid at Well the Lord Awdly joyned with them who together with the other two Leaders were taken at Black-Heath in Kent and their Forces Routed three hundred being slain and 1500 taken Prisoners and afterwards the Lord Awdly was beheaded at the other two hanged and quartered at Tyburn for their Rebellion During these Stirs the King sent the Lord Howard Earl of Surry to defend the parts in the North aganst the Scots who were then doing great Damage in the Borders but before he got thither the Scots withdrew yet notwithstanding he marched into Scotland and after some Booty taken he returned again for a time And now Hialus the Spanish Embassador coming into Scotland he concluded a Peace between the two Kings And about this time Anno 1497 fell Hail-Stones at St. Needs in Bedfordshire of eighteen Inches about now upon the Conclusion of the Peace aforesaid Perkin's main Hope being gone his last Refuge were the Cornish men of whom he had a great Army but the King marching against him and he not daring to trust to his Cornish followers he thereupon fled by night and took Asylum at Bewdly which when his Followers perceived they all yielded themselves to the King's Mercy And not long after Perkin their Leader did the like and was carried to London and conveved through the Streets on horse-back for People to gaze at and afterwards attempting to escape from his Guard he was pursued and retaken and set in the Stocks upon a Scaflold a whole day before Westminster-Hall and another day in Cheap-side in London and after sent Prisoner to the Tower About this time one Ralph Wilford a Shoo-makers Son of London was hanged for assuming unto himself the name of Edward Earl of Warwick who was then close Prisoner in the Tower and not long after Perkin was hanged at Tyburn and Edward Plantaginet the Earl of Warwick beheaded for seeking to make their escape out of the Tower this Earl was Son to George Duke of Clarence who was Brother to King Edward the Fourth and was the last Heir of the Plantaginets Shortly after this there happened such a devouring Plague that the King and Queen left London and fled to Callis in France and after the Plague abated they returned again about which time the Lady Catherine of Spain arrived in England and was presently after married to Prince Arthur who injoyed her Bed not long for about five months after being then in Wales he was cut off by Death an and the next year after James the IV King of Scotland married the Lady Margaret the King 's eldest Daughter and not long after the Queen died and Henry the King 's second Son was made Prince of Wales and by the Pope's Indulgence took to Wife the Lady Catherine of Spain his Brother Arthur's Widow And now the Earl of Suffolk being fled and intending a Rebellion certain of his Adherents being discovered were thereupon taken and suffered Death as Courtney Earl of Devonshire the King's Brother in Law William de la Pool Brother to the Earl of Suffolk Sir James Tirrel King Richard's Wicked Instrument in the Murther of Edward the V. and his Brother and Sir John Windham and others all these with the Earl and the rest of his Faction were by Authority of the Pope's Bull Proclaimed at Paul's Cross to be accursed After this the Earl fled to Philip Duke of Austria who afterwards by the Right of his Wife coming to be King of Spain as he was on his Voyage thither was by Tempest driven into England where he was Royally entertain'd by King Henry and at their parting it was agreed between them that the Earl of Suffolk should be delivered up to King Henry upon Condition that no Violence should be offered to his Person and so he was only imprisoned but in Henry the Eighth's time lost his Head Now the King having dissipated all his Enemies he began to extort Money from his Subjects two Lawyers Empson and Dudly being the cheif Instrument herein by calling People in question for the breach of old moth-eaten Penal Statutes but the King's Death shortly after ensuing These beginning Oppressions were thereby also brought to a Period before they attained to that maturity which was feared by some but wished for by others especially by Empson and Dudly During this King's Reign there were about some nine Persons Men and Women that suffered the Flames for the Profession of a good Faith besides several others that did Pennance with a Faggot on their Backs and some were burnt in the Cheek with a hot Iron This Henry the Seventh was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland he was son to Edmund Tewdor Earl of Richmond by Margaret his Wife Daughter and Heir to John Beaufort Duke of Sommerset Grand Child to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster he began his Reign on Monday the 22 day of August Anno 1485 and reigned 23 years
and 8 moneths He was the 39 Sole Monarch of England he dyed on Sunday the 22 day of April Anno 1508 being in the 24 year of his Reign and about the 52 of his Age and was buried at Weminster in that famous Chappel of his own founding CHAP. XXIX Of King Henry the Eight THis King Henry was Crowned at Westminster by William Warham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and shortly after Empson and Dudly were attainted by Parliament for their Oppressions in Henry the Seventh's time and were beheaded on Tower hill and now the King at the Instigation of Pope Julius the Second sent into France to demand the Dutches Normandy Guyen Anjou and Mayne and being denied them he hereupon joyned Amity with Maximilian the Emperour Ferdinand King of Spain and some other Princes and then sailed for France where he took Terwin ane Tournay by Siege and then Winter approaching he returned for England first making Thomas Wolsey Bishop of Tournay and afterward of Lincoln York Winchester Bath Worcester Hereford Now during the Siege at Terwin the Scots under the Command of their King James the Fourth Henry's Brother in Law entered the Borders of England pretending Truce broken by the killing of Andrew Barton the Scotch Pirate against whom the Lord Howard Earl of Sury Lord Lieutenant of the North went with an Army to whom joyned his Son the Lord Admiral and these at Flodden Field fought the Scots and gave them a great Overthrow killing the King three Bishops two Abbots twelve Earls and seventeen Lords and Knights besides a great number of Gentlemen and about 8000 Soldiers and almost as many taken prisoners About this time a peace was concluded on between the English and French and Lewis the King of France was to marry Lady Mary King Henry's Sister which shortly after he did and within a quarter of a year after dyed and she was married afterwards at Callis to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk upon her return for England her Dowry in France was 30000 Crownes yearly for her Life and 120000 Crowns yearly for five years to the King her Brother About this time Wolsey had a Cardinals Cap sent from Pope Leo and was preferred by the King to the place of Lord Chancelor Anno 1517. The Thames was so hard frozen that Men with Horses and Carts might pass betwixt Lambeth and Westminster and this same year was the fifth Lattern Council held being the seventeenth General Council Julius the second and Leo the ten being Popes And now Strangers growing insolent in London a great Tumult thereupon under the Conduct of one John Lincoln did rise on May Eve for which Uproar he was hanged and 400 Boyes and 11 Women were led through the City to Westminster with halters about their Necks in their Shirts but were pardoned by the King And the new King of France paying to King Henry 600000 Crowns in twelve years and under some other certain Conditions had Tournay redelivered to him and Peace was Concluded although Charles the Emperor came in person into England to diswade the King from it but this peace continued not long for the French breaking Truce as was pretended the King thereupon procured several Princes to take the Emperour's part against France and prepared himself for the War causing a general Muster to be made of all able men from 16 years and upwards in every Hamlet Villiage Burrough City and Shire in England and in the mean time the Emperour coming into England again he then agreed to stay for and to take Lady Mary King Henry's Daughter to Wife and then he returned having for his Conduct the Earl of Surry Lord Admiral who at that time wan Morlois and shortly after Returning to France again won and burnt several Towns and then returned to England with great Booty and during these proceedings the Earl of Shrewsbury went against the Duke of Albany who was then made Governor of Scotland and a Truce was concluded on but the Lord Admiral after his Return from France being made Lord Lieutenant of the North notwithstanding the said Truce entered Scotland doing great harm and returned with great Booty Upon the Account of these Wars a Parliament being called by Wolsey's procurement the half of all Spiritual Livings were granted to the King for five years and the Tenth part of temporal Substance and about this time Christian King of Denmark landed in England with his Queen and after 22 dayes Royal Entertainment he Returned to Flanders where he remained as a banished man And now the King sent an Army under the Command of Charles Brandon Duke Suffolk into France who after severral places won and Winter approaching returned honourably for England but the Duke of Albany and the Lord Lieutenant of the North being still at variance at the Mediation of Margaret Queen of Scotland King Henrys Sister together with Wolseys working with the King at length Peace was concluded for a time both with Scotland and France after this several Commotions rose amongst the Commons about the payment of the Subside which when the King heard he pardoned the Offenders and remitted the payment of the Subsidy and now Wolsey began to alienate the King's heart from the Emperour and caused him to with-hold Pay from the Duke of Burbon which was the cause of the French King's Captivity of Burbon's March to Rome where he entered the City in one day and caused Pope Clement and 23 Cardinalls to take the Castle of Angelo for their Refuge where they were maugre all the pushes of the Pope's Leaden Bulls and Curses with Bell Book and Candle-light besieged six Moneths for which offence the Duke of Burbon in the Parliament of France was condemned of Treason And during these Broyles at Rome there arose great Troubles in Ireland but they were quickly laid again by Thomas Lord Howard Earl of Surry Lord Lieutennant of that Kingdom who being recalled into England upon some other Service the Earl of Ossâ—ry was made Deputy and shortly after being displaced Kilder succeeded him against whom Wolsey was a strong Enemy he thereby gained the King's displeasure for his malepartness therein The year 1527 fell such abundance of Rain in November December and January that the Corn fields Pastures and Cattel were thereby destroyed then was it dry till the 12 of April and then Rain again every day and night till the 3 of June following which caused such a Famine in London and all England over that many dyed for want of Succour And now the King begins to charge the Emperour with a promise of Marriage to Lady Mary afterwards our Queen Mary but her Legitimation was by him much questioned as being begotten on his Brother Arthur's Wife hereupon the King grew into dislike of his Marriage and disclaimed his Contract it being the Opinion of some six Forein Universities to be an unlawful Marriage and for this cause Cardinal Campius came into England with whom was joined Cardinal Wolsey in Commission with power to erect a Court to
England and Wales with the Countys in which each of them are scituated and how many Burgesses they send to the Parliament Burroughs Countys N. B. Abingdon Berks 01 Admonsham Bucks 02 St. Albons Hartford 02 Alborough Suffolk 02 Alborough York 02 Alesbury Bucks 02 Andover Hants 02 Appleby Westmer 02 Arrundel Sussex 02 Ashberton Devon 02 Banbury Oxford 01 Barnestable Devon 02 Barwick Tweed Northum 02 Bathe City Somers 02 Bedford Bedford 02 Berealston Devon 02 Bewdlye Worc. 01 Beverlye Yorksh 02 Bewmoris Anglesey 01 Bishopps Castle Salops 02 Blechinley Surry 02 Bodmin Cornwall 02 Bodwin Wilts 02 Bossiney Cornwall 02 Boston Lincoln 02 Brackley Northamp 02 Branber Sussex 02 Brecknock Brecon 02 Brideport Dorcets 02 Bridgenorth Salops 02 Bridgewater Somers 02 Bristol City Somers 02 Buckingham Bucks 02 Burrough bridg Yorks 02 Calne Wills 02 Cambridge Cambr. 04 Canterbury C. Kent 02 Cardigan Cardig 01 Cardiff Glamor 01 Caermarthen Gaermer 01 Caernervon Caerner 01 Carlisle City Cumbl 02 Castlerising Norfolk 02 Chichester City Sussex 02 Chipenham Wilts 02 Chipenwicomb Bucks 02 Chester City Cheshire 02 Christs Church Hants 02 Cirencester Glouc. 02 Clifton Devon 02 Clitherow Lancast 02 Cockermouth Cumbl 02 Colchester City Essex 02 Comelford Cornwall 02 Corfe Castle Dorcet 02 Coventry City Warwick 02 Cricklade Wilts 02 Denbigh Denbigh 01 Derby Derbysh 02 Devizes Wilts 02 Dorchester Dorcet 02 Dowton Wilts 02 Droitwich Worc. 02 Dunhivid Cornwall 02 Dunwich Suffolk 02 Durham City Durham 02 East Grinstead Sussex 02 East Lowe Cornwall 02 East Retford Nonting 02 St. Edmundsbury Suffolk 02 Evesham Wore 02 Exeter City Devon 02 Flint Flints 01 Fowey Cornwall 02 Gatton Surry 02 Gloucester C. Glouc. 02 Grantham Lincol. 02 Grawpound Cornwall 02 Grimsby Lincoln 02 Guilford Surry 02 Haslemore Surry 02 Harwich Essex 02 Haverford West Pembrooke 01 Heitsbury Wilts 02 Helston Cornwall 02 Hereford City Herefordsh 02 Hertford Hertfordsh 02 Hiddon Yorksh 02 Higham Ferries Northamp 01 Hindon Wilts 02 Honyton Devon 02 Horesham Sussex 02 Hull Yorksh 02 Huntington Hunt 02 St. Jermins Cornwall 02 St. Ives Cornwall 02 Ilchester Somers 02 Ipswich Suffolk 02 Kellington Cornwall 02 Kings Lynn Norfolk 02 Knarseborough Yorksh 02 Lancaster Lanc. 02 Leicester Leic. 02 Lempster Hereford 02 Leskard Cornwall 02 Lewes Sussex 02 Lincoln City Lincoln 02 Litchfield City Stafford 02 Liverpoole Lanc. 02 London City Mids 04 Loswithall Cornwall 02 Ludlowe Sallop 02 Lugarsall Wiltsh 02 Lymington Hants 02 Lym Regis Dorcet 02 Maidston Kent 02 Maldon Essex 02 Malmsbury Wiltsh 02 Malton Yorksh 02 Marborough Wilâ—s 02 Marlow Bucks 02 Mawes Cornwall 02 Melcome Regis Dorcet 02 Midhurst Sussex 02 Michaell Cornwall 02 Milborne Port Somers 02 Minehead Somers 02 Montgomery Montgom 01 Morpeth Northumb. 02 Munmouth Munmouth 01 Newcastle Tine Northumb. 02 Newcast un Lin. Stafford 02 Newport Cornwal 02 Newport Hants 02 New sarum Wilts 02 Newark Nott. 02 New shoreham Sussex 02 Newton Lanc. 02 New Town Hants 02 New Windsor Berks. 02 New Woodstock Oxford 02 North Allerton Yorks 02 Norwich City Norfolk 02 North-hampton Northam 02 Nortingham Nâ—ttingh 02 Okehampton Devon 02 Old Sarum Wilts 02 Oxford Suffolk 02 Oxford C. U. Oxâ—ord 04 Pembroke Pembro 01 Pemyn Cornwall 02 Peterborough Northam 01 Peterfield Hants 02 Plymouth Devon 02 Plympton Devon 02 Pomfreit Yorksh 02 Poole Dorcet 02 Port Pigham Cornwall 02 Portsmouth Hant. 02 Preston Lanc. 02 Queenborough Kent 02 Radnor Radnor 01 Reading Berks. 02 Richmond Yorksh 01 Rippon Yorksh 02 Rochester City Kent 02 Rygate Surry 02 Salop Salopps 02 Saltash Cornwall 02 Scarborough Yorksh 02 Shaston Dorcet 02 Southampton Hants 02 Southwark Surry 02 Stafford Staffordsh 02 Stockbridge Hants 02 Stamford Lincol. 02 Sudbury Suffolk 02 Steyning Sussex 02 Tamworth Stafford 02 Taunton Somers 02 Tarestock Devon 02 Tewkesbury Glouster 02 Thetford Norfolk 02 Thirske Yorksh 02 Tiverton Devon 02 Totnes Devon 02 Tregonye Cornwall 02 Truro Cornwall 02 Wallingford Berks. 02 Wareham Dorcet 02 Warwick Warwicksh 02 Wells City Somers 02 Wendover Bucks 02 Wenlock Salop. 02 Weoblye Hereford 02 Westbury Wilts 02 Westminster C. Midds 02 Weymouth Dorcet 02 Whit-Church Hants 02 Wigam Lanc. 02 Wilton Wilts 02 Whinchester C. Hants 02 Wootonbasset Wilts 02 Yarmouth Hants 02 Yarmouth Norfolk 02 Worcester C. Worc. 02 York City Yorksh 02 These eight Burroughs following are called Cinque ports Dover Kent 02 Hasting Sussex 02 Heythe  02 Rumnye Kent 02 Rye Sussex 02 Sandwich Kent 02 Seaford Sussex 02 Winchelsey Sussex 02 Note that the Citizens and Burgesses for the Citys and Burroughs before mentioned in the whole amount unto 417. over and above which number there are also for the 39 shires in England 78 Knights of the shires and 14 for the 13 shires in Wales which added to the former number do amount unto 509 being the compleate and full Number of the House of Commons in Parliament A Catalogue of the Peers A Catalogue of the Peers of England according to their Precedence Dukes JAmes Duke of York and Albany Earl of Vlster Lord High-Admiral of England the Kings only Brother Rupert Duke of Cumberland and Earl of Holderness The Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal the Lord Treasurer and the Lord Privy-Seal take place before all the other Dukes Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk Francis Seymour Duke of Somerset George Villiers Duke of Buckingham Christopher Monk Duke of Albemarle James Scot Duke of Monmouth William Cavendish Duke of Newcastle Marquesses Charles Pawlet Marquess of Winchester Henry Somerset Marquess of Worcester Henry Pierre-point Marquess of Dorchester Earls These three take place in respect of their Offices The Lord High Chamberlain of England The Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold The Lord Chamberlain of the Kings Houshold Aubry de Vere Earl of Oxford Charles Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Anthony Grey Earl of Kent William Stanly Earl of Derby John Manours Earl of Rutland Theopilus Hastings Earl of Huntingdon William Russel Earl of Bedford Philip Herbert Earl of Pembrook Edward Clinton Earl of Lincoln Charles Howard Earl of Nottingham James Howard Earl of Suffolk Richard Sackville Earl of Dorset James Cecil Earl of Salisbury John Cecil Earl of Exceter John Egerton Earl of Bridgwater Robert Sidney Earl of Leicester James Compton Earl of Northampton Robert Rich Earl of Warwick and Holland William Cavendish Earl of Devonshire Basil Fielding Earl of Denbigh George Digby Earl of Bristol Charles Sackvill Earl of Middlesex Robert Rich Earl of Holland and Warwick Gilbert Holles Earl of Clare Oliver St. John Earl of Bullingbrook Charles Fane Earl of Westmerland Robert Montague Earl of Manchester Charles Howard Earl of Bark-shire John Sheffield Earl of Mulgrave William Ley Earl of Marlborough Thomas Savage Earl of Rivers Robert Berty Earl of Lindsey John Cary Earl of Dover Charles Knollys Earl of Banbury Henry Mordant Earl of Peterborough Henry Grey Earl of Stamford Heneage Finch Earl of Winchelsey Charles Dormer Earl of Carnarven Mountjoy Blount Earl of Newport Philip Stanhop Earl of Chesterfield Nicholas Tufton
Anglorum Gesta Or A Brief HISTORY OF England BEING An Exact Account of the most remarkable Revolutions and most memorable Occurrences and Transactions in PEACE and WAR as Battles Sieges Sea-fights Invasions Leagues Interviews Treaties Solemnities c. that have hapned in the several Kings Reigns since the first Attempt by Julius Caesar upon this Island to the Coronation day of his present Majesty King Charles the Second WITH Several useful Catalogues of the Bishopricks Cities Shires Colledges and Halls in both Universities and Tables of the Kings Reigns and of the Dimensions of England Scotland and Ireland By GEORGE MERITON Gent. LONDON Printed by T. Dawks for Tho Basset at the George near Cliffords Inn in Fleetstreet 1675. CAROL SECVN D â— MAG BRI. FRAET HIB REX PRAESTANTISSIMO ET HONORATISSIMO DOMINO NON SOLUM NOBILITATE GENERIS VERUM ETIAM AMPLITUDINE DIGNITATIS DOMINO CONYERS DARCY BARONI DARCY MEYVILL ET CONYERS HOC COMPENDIUM DE MEMORIALIBUS ANGLIAE EX GRATITUDINE PRAEFATO PRENOBILI DOMINO E SINGULARIBUS CAUSIS HUMILIME DEDICAT GEORGIUS MERITONUS TO THE Reader Courteous Reader I Am not so conceited of my self or my own endeavours as not to think that this Breif History of England will fall under very many hard and sharp censures especially from those who sit in Cathedra Derisionis and lavish so much time away in carping at other Mens Endeavours that they cannot allow themselves so much Liberty as to gratify the World with any thing of their own I am afraid also the Virtuofi of our days will object and say What need was there to obtrude this useless Pamphlet into the World when so many persons such as Beda Giraldus Geoffry of Monmouth Higden Ranulph of Chester Malmsbury Simon Dunelm Caxton Matthew Westminster Gyldas Henry Huntington Hollinshed Matthew Paris Daniel Martin Sir Thomas Moor Pollidore Virgil Speed Hist Brit. Sir Fran. Bacon Sir Richard Baker and several others have so learnedly and volluminously bestowed their pains herein already so that this small Taper among so many bright Torches were as good out as seeming to give no light at all I confess to such as make this Objection this small Treatise at first sight may seem useless yet if they consider that none of the persons before named have begun so high in point of time and continued the some so low as our own time even till the Coronation day of our most Gracious Soveraign Lord King Charles the Second Anno 1661 and Perhaps they may then partly be of another mind However with the generality of People for whom this Collection is principally intended I hope it will receive a more Candid Acceptance considering that several of the Authors before mentioned have written in Latin and so every man not capacitated to read them or understand them being read and besides some of them have only collected the affairs of an hundred or two hundred years and some more and some less oâ—hâ—rs of them have only writ the Lâ—fe perhaps of one particular King c. so that none of them can give the Reader such a general account of Englands Memorable Accidents for such a long continued course of time with so little expence of time to the Reader in the perusal as this small Treatise will and in case any of them could yet as rare and curious stamps upon Coins for their variety and strangeness are daily enquired after and bought though the Silver be all one with ours even so it fares with Books which as Meddals bear the Pictures and Devices of our various Invention though the matter be the same yet for variety sake they are often read and it is often found that the same Dishes of Meat drest after a new fashion do beget a fresh Appetite and gratifie the tasts of many better nay there is no Book so bad even Sir Bevise himself Fryer Bacon or Tom Thumb but some Advantage may be gotten by it for as in the same Field the Ox findeth Fodder the Hound a Hare the Stork a Lizard the Hawk a Partridg the fair maid Flowers so we cannot except we list our selves saith Seneca but depart the better from any Book whatsoever So I hope Reader Thou maist find something here to Content at least nothing to Distaste thee and them I shall think my time well bestowed if neither but out of a Malignant humour thou disdainest what I have done I care not I have pleased my self and learned long since that Envy with her Sister Ignorance do harbour only in the basest and most degenerate Breast Vale George Meriton A Brief HISTORY OF England CHAP. I. Of the Scituation of Britain with its Lymits together with some of the old Customs practised amongst the Britains the several names of the Island and when first Inhabited c. THIS Island of Britain is bounded on the East with Germany and Denmark on the West with Ireland and the Atlantick Occan on the North with the Deucalidon Seas and on the South with Normandy and France It contains in length from the Strathy-head in Scotland to the Lisard-point in Cornwal 624 miles and in breadth from the Lands end in Cornwal to the Island Tennet in the East of Kent 340 miles and is in the eight Clymate for Latitude and for Longitude placed between the paralells 14 and 16. The Limits of it in times past was from the Orcades to the Pyrean Mountains And in former times this noble Island of Britain sustained Eleven Kings all commanding great powers several other Islands belong to it amongst which the Isle of Man is not of the least account for to it belongs a King with a Leaden Crown whose King is now the Noble Earl of Darby whose Ancestors have been Lords of Man about two hundred and seventy years The Division of this Island is into three Kingdomes 1. Scotland whose Partition Southward was from Carlile to Newcastle 2. Cambria or Wales whose Partition was from Basiagwark to Wye and 3. England which was coasted with the French and Germain Seas on the one side and with the other two Kingdoms on the other side It is verily supposed that this Island was Peopled before the Flood Jeffery of Monmouth affirmeth that this Island was Peopled by Brute with his Trojans in the 2887 year of the World's Creation and after the universal Deluge 1231 years And in the year of Elie's Priesthood But several antient Historians writing before his time make no mention of King Brute and some have affirmed that there was never any such Man The Inhabitants were called Britains from the word Brith which signifieth painting or staining of the Skin which they had formerly in use amongst them Some Authors have affirmed that the English did proceed from Cimbria Chersonesus which came from Italy but others assure us that they came from the antient Gauls in France But certain it is that the first Inhabitants of this Island being merely barbarous they never troubled themselves to transmit their Original to Posterity And if
besieged Somerton and won it and invading the Northumbers brought away great spoil which gave occasion to Cuthred the West-Saxon to fight him giving him the foyl at Burford and afterwards encountring Cuthred a second time he was treacherously slain by his own Subjects near Tanworth in Warwick-shire at the procurement of one Bernred one of their Leaders who thought thereby to gain the Crown to himself This King founded the Monastery of Crowland as some Authors affirm This Ethelbald was the tenth King of Mercia and eleventh petty Monarch he began to Reign Anno 716 and reigned 42 years 12. Offa His first War was with Alrick King of Kent whom he slew at Otteford and afterwards marching from South to North he made Havock of all before him to Humber and at his return overthrew Kenwolf and his West-Saxons near Merton whither he was going to visit his Paramour he caused a great Ditch to be cast between England and Wales which is still called Offa's ditch and the Welsh presuming to throw down some part thereof he thereupon entred their Territories with an Army and slew Marmodius their King and all his Associates His last Wars were against the Danes who had invaded England and were by him with their no small loss forced back to their Ships to this King was sent a Book of the Decrees of the Second Council of Nice for a present from Charles King of France And now growing weary of his Government he made his Son Egfride King and gave the Pope Peter-pence out of his Dominions after the example of Inas And so going to Rome he gave Pope Hadrian the first ample and Rich Gifts for canonizing Albane the Protomartyr of England for a Saint At his return he built the Monastery of St. Abane and in Testimony of Repentance for the Blood he had spilt he gave the tenth part of his goods to Church-men and the poor This Offa was the eleventh Mercian King and twelfth petty Monarch his Reign began Anno 758. and he ruled 39 years 13. Egfride He restored the Church to all her antient Priviledges which his Father had deprived her of This Egfride was twelfth King of Mercia and 13 petty Monarch his Reign was short about four Months only he began his Reign Anno Domini 797. 14. Kenwolfe He warred against Kent and took Ethelbert the third King of Kent of that name Prisoner giving the Kingdom to Cuthred but afterwards building a goodly Church at Winchcomb in Glucestershire upon the day of the Dedication he led Pren to the high Altar and there in the presence of 13 Bishops and ten Dukes and many other Nobles he released him and set him at liberty And now each of these petty Monarchs having striven which of them could extend and inlarge his Limits furthest at length this succeeding Egbert brought the seven headed Fountain of their Heptarchy to run in one Channel of an intire Monarchy This Kenwolf was the thirteenth King of Mercia and last of the petty Monarchs He began his Reign Anno Domini seven hundred ninety seven and reigned twenty two years CHAP. VII Of those 15 Saxon Princes who were accounted sole Monarchs of this Kingdom of ENGLAND 1. EGbert He gained Rule over all the seven Kingdoms of the Saxons and so became sole Monarch of England which none of them before him ever was he had fourteen years War with the Cornish and Welsh and took West-Chester their chief Hold from them making a strict Law against all those should dare to enter over Offa's Ditch or set one Foot within his English Dominions He slew Bernulf King of Mercia in Battel and drove the King of Kent out of his Kingdom the Eastangles and East-Saxons also submitted to him with the South-Saxons also whereupon he caused himself to be Crowned absolute Monarch at Winchester And this Monarchy continued in the Saxons till the Danes first got and then lost it again and the Saxon's issue upon the next entrance thereof failing it then fell to the Normans This Egbert first gave the name of ENGLAND to this Country and named the Inhabitants English In the fourteenth year of his Monarchy the Danes with 33 Ships landed in England to whom he gave Battel but had the worst of the day loosing two of his chief Captains and two Bishops hardly escaping himself And the second year after they landed in Wales with whom joined the Welsh but at this time fortune not always frowning he overcame both parties and in the last of his Reign the Danes sacked the Island of Shippy near Kent and with much ado were expelled This Egbert was the 17 King of the West-Saxons and first sole Monarch of England He began his Reign as Monarch Anno 819 and reigned 17 years 2. Ethelwolf This King was made Bishop of Winchester before his Father Egbert's Death and was in a manner constrained by his Clergy to take upon him the Government And so he bestowed his Bishoprick on Swithin his Tutor after several Bickerings with the Danes at length he gave them a great overthrow at Ocley he freed Church Lands from all Tribute and regal Services And going to Rome he there confirmed Peter-Pence and at his return he gave yearly to Rome 300 Marks for a requital of his kind reception there This Ethelwolf was eldest Son to Egbert and the 2 sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno 837 and reigned about 20 years 3. Ethelbald He was eldest Son to Ethelwolf by his first Wife Osburga his Butler's Daughter he was with his Father in several of the Battels against the Danes but all his good and valiant Actions were blasted by his taking of Judith his Stepmother the King of France his Daughter and his Fathers second Wife to his Imbraces for he was suddenly snatch away by the hand of Providence for this incestuous Marriage after whose Death Lady Judith returning to her Father was intercepted by the way and forced by Baldwine Forrester of Ardema who at length appeasing her Father was by him made Earl of Flanders from whom and this Judith descended Maud the Wife of our William the Conqueror This Ethelbald was the third sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno Domini 857 and reigned two years 4. Ethelbert He was never out of Wars but constantly pestered with those devouring Locusts the Danes And landing one time they destroyed Winchester but a great part of them were slain before they could recover their Ships again This Ethelbert was second Son of Ethelwolf and fourth sole Monarch of England he began to Rule Anno 860 and Ruled 5 years 5. Ethelred The Danes in his time began to over-run the whole Country and being Pagans spoiled all before them pulling down Monasteries and Abbyes and defiling the Virgins to evade which Disgrace the Virgins of Coldingham cut off their own Noses and upper lips to make themselves appear distastful to these leacherous Pagans These cruel Fellows under the Command of Hungar and Hubba their two Dukes in their
savage Rage fired the City of York and martyr'd St. Edmund King of the East-angles but Ethelred at length gave them a great overthrow slaying one of their Kings nine Earls and an infinite number of common Soldiers but about fourteen days after the Danes put the King to Flight at Basing and giving him Battel again at Merton about 2 Months after they obtained the Victory wounding the King also of which afterwards he died In the third year of this Kings Rule was the fourth general Council of Constantinople under Pope Hadrian the Second This was the eighth general Council of Christendom This Ethelred was the Third Son of Ethelwolf and fifth Sole Monarch of England and began his Reign Anno 866. and reigned 6 years 6. Elfride He fought 7 Battels with the Danes in one year and his Predecessor 9 These Danes so sore oppressed the King that he was forced to fle into the Woods and Desart Places where righting of his Bow and Arrows in a poor Cottage he was sharply blamed by the House-wife for letting a Cake burn on the Hearth for want of turning But after this putting himself into the habit of a Musitian he went playing up and down in the Danes Tents and taking notice of their sluggish Security he returned and gathered together his scattered forces and entring the Danes Tents before they were aware he made a great slaughter of them and took Rafan their Danish Banner which had a Raven of Needle-Work in it that had good Fortune ever attendant And now Halden a Danish Commander landing in Wales was by the Devonshire Men slain at a place near Exeter bearing his name and 818 of his followers after this the Danes sued to the King for Peace which was granted but not long continued This King caused all thieves to be banished and divided his Kingdom into Shires Hundreds and Tythings It is said That Gold-Bracelets were fastned to the Posts in Cross-wayes and that none were so bold as to take them away He is reported to have divided the Natural Day into three parts Eight hours whereof he spent in Prayers and Contemplation Eight hours in the Affairs of the Kingdom and Eight hours in Provision for himself He founded the first Common School in Oxford as Authors affirm which is now called Vniversity Colledge This Elfride was fourth Son of Ethelwolf and the Sixth Sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno 872. and reigned 29 years 7. Edward A Rebellion was raised against this King by his Nephew Ethelwald in this King's time one John Patrick Erigena a Britain writ a Book about the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper which was afterwards condemned by the Pope and he received Martyrdom for his Reward This King built the Castle of Hartford and at St. Edmund's Ditch he fought the Danes and was overcome but they lost two of their Kings Ethelwald and Crochricus and encountring again at Wodnesfield there the fortune of the day fell to the King and he slew the two Pagan Kings Cowilfus and Healadinâ—â— and the two Earls Vter and Scurfa and many thousands of the Danes besides Edrick King of the East-Angles was also slain by his own Subjects after this King had vanquished his Army This Edward was the eldest Son of Elfride and the Seventh Sole Monarch of England He began to rule Anno 901. and ruled 24 years 8. Ethelstane He is said to be the first annointed King 〈◊〉 this Island Elfred a Norman rebelling 〈…〉 and sent to Rome to 〈…〉 Edwin the King's Brother was slain the King through some Jealousies consenting thereunto but afterwards Repenting the Fact caused the Procurer thereof to suffer Death And now Anlafe the Dane disguising himself like an Harper entred the King's Tent and returning thought to have surprized the King but getting Intellihence hereof he removed his Tent and a Bishop new come to the Camp pitched there so Anlafe coming at night to surprize the Tent the Bishop hearing started up and so manfully laid about him that he slew five Petty Kings twelve Dukes and a great number of Soldiers but at last pity it was so was slain himself And the King afterwards passing into Scotland he Offers his Knife for good Luck's sake to John of Beverlye Subdues the whole Kingdom of Scotland makes a miraculous Dint in a Stone at Dun-bar with one stroak of his Sword of an Ell deep to testifie his Right to that Kingdom Near Winchester as the Story goes The King was challenged by the insulting Danes to provide a Champion to encounter one COLBRON a Danish Gyant whom they held invincible and none of the King's men daring to fight him he got a Pilgrim from among the Beggars as he was directed in his Sleep that entred the Lists and slew the Gyant and this proved to be Guy of Warwick of whose Vallor and the Faithfulness of his Wife Felice Tradition hath been very prodigal At Long-run the King became Victor of his Enemies and several Kings sent him Presents Hugh King of France sent him the Sword of Constantine the Great which had in the Hilt thereof one of the Nails that fastned CHRIST to the Cross he sent also Constantine's Spear being the same that Longinus pierced CHRIST's side with when he hung on the Cross and with it a piece of the Thorny Crown also And Otho the Emperor sent the King a Lanskip richly set with precious Stones The King of Norway sent him a great Ship richly gilt with purple Sails This King caused the BIBLE to be turned into English This Ethelstane was the eldest Son to Edward and the Eighth sole Monarch of England He began his Reign anno 925. and reign'd 15 years 9. Edmund He was much imployed in warring against the Danes and fought several Battels with them He caused the Eyes of the two Sons of Dunmail to be put out for their Rebellion He was Author of several of those Laws translated by Master Lambert he was Crown'd at Kingstone near London and made King thereof and so were Edwye Edred and Ethelred his Successors But on a time unhappily interposing his Body between two Duellists he was run thorow He bestowed Northumberland on Malcom King of Scotland This Edmund was fifth Son to King Edward and ninth Sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno 940 and reigned 6 years 10. Edred In his time Anlafe began to invade England again being animated under hand by Wolstan Arch-Bishop of York and was made King of Northumberland by the Subjects there but after several Skirmishes between Edred and him at length he grew distasteful to the People and so they dis-robed him of his borrow'd Honour and left him in statu quo prius The King in his March to Northumberland against Anlafe spoiled all with Fire and Sword and burnt the Abby of Rippon But at his Return he was basely set upon in the Rear of his Army and several of his Men slain before the rest could face-about which Plot was devised against him by Wolstan
began his Reign Anno 979 and reigned 37 years 15. Edmund He was Sirnamed Ironside He gave the Danes several Battel overthrew them and raised the Siege at London he worsted Canutus 4 times at least in the plain Field and had in all likelihood rid England of him if the Traitor Edrick and others of the Perfidious Clergy and Nobility had not secretly assisted him Edmund fought a single Duel with Canutus the Dane and dangerously wounded him whereupon Canutus desisted and cried out to King Edmund saying What need is there for us thus to indanger our Lives if thou consent to divide the Kingdom between us we shall then be at peace and like two Brothers which thing Edmund consented unto and did accept of Canute for his Co-partner in the Kingdom But not long after Edmund being easing of himself he was by Duke Edrick that Grand Traytor thrust into the Fundament with a sharp Spear and his head cut off and presented to Canute as an acceptable Sacrifice as was hoped but he detesting such Traiterous Villany caused Edricks head to be chopt off and to be advanced upon a Pole above the rest of his Fellows as it was promised him an advancement fit for the betrayers of their King and Country And now the Saxons Monarchy by the Death of Edmund being drawn to a Period and the Standard of their Government overthrown The Danes began to Advance the Banner of their Conquest and after King Edmund's Death displayed it in open Field none being able to withstand them so they made themselves sole Masters of the Island after it had been in Possession of the Saxons about 566 years it was a long time after the Danes first entrance before they became sole Monarchs thereof This Edmund was third Son of Ethelfrid and the fifteenth sole Monarch of England his Reign began Anno 1016 and he reigned about 1 year CHAP. VIII Of the Danes and their Conquest of Britain with the memorable Accidents happening during the time of those three Danish Monarchs who ruled here THE Original of these Danes is thought by some to be from the Scythians but others rather think to come from Scandia an Island scituate Northward not far from the Continent of Denmark As to their Religion it was much alike to that of the Saxons Their first Invasion was about the year 787 and about 230 years after they became sole Masters of England which Sovereignty continued but about twenty four years which they had struggled for above two hundred years Their Succession of Monarchs were these three following 1. Canutus He was Son to Swanus and was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch-Bishop of Canterbury he sent Edward and Edmund the two Sons of Edmund Ironside the last Saxon Monarch to his Brother the King of Sweeden to be made away but he abhorring the Fact transferred them to the King of Hungary And now he marries Emma King Ethelreds Widdow by whose Counsel he wrested 82000 Pounds out of his Subjects to give those lazy Danes that were sent packing to Denmark there being then no more need for them here He called a Parliament at Oxford and enacted several good Lawes which are to be seen in several old Chronicles and too large here to be incerted He is said to be an Enemy to Dissemblers Traytors and Flatterers for on a time he caused himself to be placed in a Chair where the Sea ebbs and flows at Southampton and commanded the Sea that it should not swell so as to wet his Feet but the disobedient Sea the Tide then coming out presently dashed up to his Thighs whereupon he started up and said to the Flatterers who had extoll'd his greatness to be unmatchable You see all the might and power of Kings is but vanity for none is worthy to have the name of King but he that hath allâ— things subject to his Laws And so after that time as some Authors affirm he would never suffer the Crown to come on his head but set it on the Crucifix head at Winchester In the third year of his Reign he went into Denmark and chased from thence the Vandalls who had invaded that Kingdom And at length he went on Pilgrimage to Rome and is Recorded for a very good Man setting aside his intention to have murthered King Edmunds two Sons This Canutus was the 16 sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno 1017. and reigned eighteen years he was buried in the old Monastery at Winchester 2. Harrold He was so swift that he was called Harefoot Earl Goodwine was against his coming to the Crown but the Londoners and Lords on the North side of Thames were for him and prevailed he by Treachery of Goodwine afterwards got the two Sons of Emma Edward and Alfride the last of which had his eyes put out and his Belly opened and one end of his Bowels drawn out and fastned to a Stake and then he was pricked with sharp poiniards and forced round about the Stake till all his Intralls were wound out He caused also Queen Emma to be banished and her goods to be confiscate but the Earl of Flandâ—rs received her honourably This Harrold was the Second Son of Canutus and the seventeen sole Monarch of England he began his Reign Anno 1036 he reigned four years and was buried at Westminster as Mr. Stow affirms 3. Hardicanute He was Crowned at London by Elnothus Arch-Bishop of Canterbury He caused the body of his half Brother Harrold to be digged out of his Grave and thrown into the Thames after he had first cut off his Head but some Fishers finding the body buried it decently in St. Clements without Temple Bar this Hardicanute was a great Epicure and had his Tables spread four time dayly and furnished with Dainties for the satisfying of his greedy Appetite through the Perswasions of Earl Goodwine he raised the Sum of 32147 pounds in England for the payment of his Fleet which greatly distasted his Subjects the thing desired by Earl Goodwine two of the Collectors of this Money were slain at Worcester for which offence their City was set on Fire The King Drinking freely at a Wedding in Lambeth got a Surfeit and died some say he was choaked at Dinner there but certain it is he died and with him dyed the Danes Monarchy over England and it fell again to the Saxons for Edward the Seventh Son of Ethelred by Emma his Queen was sent for out of Normandy by the English and was made King which thing was brought about by Earl Goodwines means and Leofrick Earl of Chester This Hardicanute was third Son of Canutus and eighteenth sole Monarch of England He began to Reign Anno 1040 And reigned about two years he was buried at Winchester CHAP. IX Of the Saxons Re-entry again to the Monarchy of England after the Danes Conquest THis new Possession of the Saxons was but of short Continuance till William the Norman Duke came and made a Forceable Entry upon them and though his Entry were
unlawful yet all the force and Law they then had could never obtain a Writ of Restitution the continuance of this new Saxon Monarchy was but during the times of these two Kings following 1. Edward the Confessour He was Crowned at Winchester by Edsine Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in the beginning of his Reign the Danes Irish and Welsh entered England and destroyed all in their passage with Fire and Sword but they were withstood in their proceeding by Alfred the Warlike Bishop of Worcester In the fifth year of the King's Reign there fell so great a Snow in January that covered the Ground till the middle of March and much Cattel and Fowl died and in January after happened such an Earthquake that it seemed to rend the ground in sunder and withal such fearful Lightnings were then that the Corn in the Fâ—elds was burnt up which caused a great Dearth And now Goodwine Earl of Kent who was the main Instrument in setting up King Edward for his Favour to the Burgesses of Canterbury falls into dislike with the King and after several thwartings he and his five were banished but about two years after was received again into favour and being one day at the King's Table at Dinner the Cup-bearer coming in got a slip and had like to have spilt the Wine but as one Foot slipped the other recovered it whereupon the Earl said I see one Brother hath helped the other Yes said the King and so would my Brother Alured have helpen me if Goodwine had not been The Earl perceiving the King's Anger he took a piece of Bread and wished it might choak him if he were guilty of betraying the King's Brother so putting the Bread into his Mouth he was choaked therewith and fell down dead After this the King caused his Mother Emma to be tried whether she were guilty of Adultery or no by causing her to go blindfold over the place where nine Plow-shares lay glowing hot and she being clear of the Accusation laid to her charge went over the place where they lay and mist them every one stepping betwixt still all the way as she went when she was past them she not knowing so much cryed out saying Oh Lord When shall I come to the place of my Purgation And having her eyes opened and seeing herself past the Danger she fell on her knees and gave Thanks to her Deliverer this kind of Tryal was called Ordalium It is reported also that his Dealings with his own Beautiful Queen Edith a Daughter to Earl Goodwine were little better she being likewise accused of Adultery and kept in Prison during her Father's Banishment In this King's time was a blasing Star seen for sev'n dayes space all the World over The Abby of St. Peters at Westminster was enlarged by this King and he built the Church of St. Margarets at Westminster and removed the Bishop's Sea from Cridington in Devon-shire to Exeter and made Leofrick first Bishop thereof and he was the first of our Kings that cured the Disease called Struma now the King 's Evil and that first used to Seal his Patents with the Stately Seal now called The KING' 's Great Seal and he remitted the Tax of Dane-Guilt so grievous to his Subjects and Collected all the Laws of his Predecessors into one Body which some say is the Ground or Foundation of our Common Law This King Edward was seventh Son to King Ethelred and first by his Second wife Queen Emma he was born at I slip in Oxford-shire and was the 19 Sole Monarch of England he began his Reign Anno. Dom. 1042. and reigned 20 years 6 months and 27 daies He died the 4 of January and was buried at Westminster 2. Harrold This King at his Entrance freed his Subjects from those grievous Tributes his Predecessors had afflicted them withall he was crowned by Aldredus Archbishop of York Now there were three several Reports of Edward's disposing of the Crown some said to the Norman Duke who made that the Anchor-hold of his Claims others to young Edgar to whom he was great Vncle and lastly to this Harrold who in King Edwards days being at Sea in a Fisher-boat upon Pleasure was driven into Normandy where Duke William caused him to swear that if Edward died without Issue the Crown of England should be reserved for the Normans And hereupon after Edward's Death and Harrold's assuming of the Crown Duke William sent his Embassadours to him to put him in minde of his Oath but he returned Answer That it was extorted from him in his Imprisonment and so not obliging At this Answer the Duke was much inraged and prepared for an Invasion and at Harrold's Preparation to Encounter the Duke a fearful Comet appeared which was look'd upon as after it proved a bad Omen And now Harrold's Misery approaching Tosto Brother to Harrold and Harrold Harfagar King of Denmark invaded England and landed at Richal upon Owse in York-shire and spoiling the Country round about marched straitway to York News being brought to the King he with his Army marched Northwards to suppress these Danish Forces and at Stamford Bridg built over the River Derwent he was stopt by a single Dane who slew 40 of his men but at length the valiant Dane was slain by a Soldier who got a Boat and rowed under the Bridge and thrust his Spear up through a hole in the Bridge and so slew the famous valiant Dane Some say He was slain with a Dart thrown at him And the King now getting the Bridge he fell upon the Norwegians and made great slaughter of them and among the rest he slew Harfagar the King of Denmark and Tosto his own Brother and Olave the Son of Harfagar and Paul Earl of Orkny were taken Prisoners who begging their Lives of the King were suffered to depart with the rest of the Prisoners having 20 small Vessels of their great Fleet of three hundred Ships wherewith they invaded the Realm allowed them to carry away their slain and hurt with the heavy news to Denmark of the loss of their King and overthrow of their whole Army These Troubles were no sooner over but William Duke of Normandy landed at Pevensey in Sussex upon the eighth day of September Anno Domini 1066 who after his landing set his own Fleet on Fire that his Soldiers might have no hopes of flying back thither for succour When he first came on shoar his Foot stuck fast in the Sand and the Knight that was next to him said Now Sir Earl England sticks fast to thee Doubt not but presently to be King thereof after some small stirs he sent a Messenger to the King at London to demand the Kingdom but the Messenger was dismissed with Threats and Harrold now seeing no way but one either to fight or yield the Kingdom which was too sweet a Morsel to part with without Blows He therefore advances with his Army into Sussex and pitched his Tents in a fair plain within seven miles of the Enemy and
sending forth his spies they were taken and presented to the Duke who caused them to be sent from Tent to Tent and Feasted and then released them And now the Duke entring the plain where the King was sent a Monk to him to demand the Kingdom or otherwise for the avoiding the effusion of much blood to try it by single Combate or else to hold the Kingdom under him Harrold's Answer was It should be tried by more Swords than one So the next day being the 14 of October 1066 on a Saturday They marshalled their Armies and Trumpets sounding to Battel at the first encounter the Normans had the worst of it and the English thinking they had run dis-ranked themselves for persuit which as soon as the Duke perceived he rallied his men and sell in desperately again and then slew the dis-ranked English on heaps among which King Harrold paid his last Breath to the fury of the Conqueror having an Arrow shot into his Brains and with him died Girth and Leofine his two Brothers and most of the English Nobles and 97974 Soldiers the Duke had three Horses slain under him yet received no harm himself In this same place the Conqueror afterwards built an Abby and called it Battel-Abby And now Aldrede Archbishop of York counselled the People to chuse young Edgar Atheling King being the true lawful Heir to the Crown but it came to nothing for with the determination of Harrold's Reign ceased the Royal blood of the Saxons whose Kings made England an Heptarchy and afterwards had reduced it to a glorious Monarchy and had been Kings and Monarchs thereof from Hengists first Possession of the Kingdom of Kent till Harrold's Deaths about 587 years but Authors agree not in the Computation some accounting more and some less This King Harrold was the Son of Goodwine Earl of Kent by his Wife Sitha Sister to Swain the younger King of Denmark he was the 20 sole Monarch of England And began his Reign Anno 1065 and Reigned about 9 Months and nine days he was slain the 14 of October 1066 at Battel-Field in Sussex and was buried at Waltham in Essex CHAP. X. Of England's Conquest by the Normans and first of William the Conqueror THese Normans who by the Sword gained the Diadem of England and were the last Conquerors thereof in whose Line the Monarchy of England is still continu'd were antiently a mixt Nation with the Warlike Norwegians Swedens and Danes and took their Name from that Northern Climate antiently called Cimbrica Chersonesus and Norway but the Country being thought to be too little for these People Rollo a Famous Noble Norman with many others in his Company betook themselves to Sea to seek Fortunes Court and having practised some Piracies upon the Coasts of Belgia Frizia England and Ireland at length they became so fearful to the French that Charles the Simple King of France gave to Rollo his Daughter Gilla in Marriage with the Dutchy of Normandy And this Duke Rollo was Proavus or Great Grandfather to Richard the Fifth Duke of Normandy which Richard was Elder Brother to Robert Father to this WILLIAM the Famous Conqueror of England whose Famous Actions and Memorable Things we shall now proceed to Treat of After the Fight at Battle-Field Duke William hasted towards London wasting as he went the Counties of Kent Sussex Surry Hampshire and Bark-shire he crost Thames at Wallingford and so marched thorow the Counties of Oxford Buckingham and Hartford And at Barkhampstead he made a Stop to which place repaired Aldred Archbishop of York Wolstan Bishop of Winchester Walter Bishop of Hereford the Earls Edwin and Morcar and Edgar Atheling the Heir to the Crown and here did their Allegiance to the Duke And so marching for London he was stopt at St. Albans by Fredrick Abbot thereof On Christmas-day following he was Crowned at Westminster by Aldred Arch-bishop of York And now considering how to secure the Realm from Invasions he thought it expedient first to fortifie the Cinque Ports and so taking his March towards Dover at the Instigation of Stigand Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Eglesine Abbot of Saint Austines he was surprized by the Kentish men who carrying Boughs and Branches of Trees in their hands they seemed like a Walking Wood which sight so afrighted the Conqueror that he granted their Requests to have all their Ancient Customs whereupon they yielded up to him their Earldom of Kent and Castle of Dover The Conqueror was kind also to the Londoners suffering them to injoy their Priviledges they had in Edward the Confessor's time Shortly after this the Conqueror sailed to Normandy to settle his Affairs there taking with him several English Nobles whose greatness he feared in his Absence for Pledges and making his half Brother Otho Bishop of Bayeux Earl of Kent and William Fitz-Osburne Earl of Hereford to whose Trust he left the Government of the Kingdom till his Return In whose Absence the Welsh rebelled and wasted all to the Mouth of Wye these Stirs called the Conqueror back again who at his Return gave the Lands of the English to his Normans And the English thus turned out of their Estates fell so to Rob and Pillage that the High-wayes between one Town and another lay unfrequented The Earls Edwin and Morcar and Edgar Atheling with his Mother and Sister and several other English Nobles fled into Scotland to King Malcolm to whom the Conqueror sent desiring him to send back for England Edgar Atheling but Malcolm having married his Sister denied him and kept him notwithstanding all King William's Threats And now the Conqueror still going on in his Oppressions of the English he caused every House-houlder to put out both Fire and Candle at eight a Clock at Night to which purpose there was a Bell rung in every City Town or Village by the French called Cover few that is Cover Fire In the Second year of his Reign Goodwine and Edmund two of King Harrold's Sons invaded the Realm out of Ireland and took away great Bootys And the year after the English in the North slew 700 Normans but some of the Authors of the Rebellion being taken had some of them their Heads cut off and other their hands And now Swain King of Denmark assisted the English with 300 Sail of Ships fraught with Soldiers who under Command of Osburne Swaine's Brother and his own two Sons Harrold and Canute arriv'd in Humber and marched for York at whose Approach the Yorkists were so dismay'd that they set their own City on fire and the Minster of St. Peters being then consum'd Aldred their Archbishop died with greif At his time were 3000 Normans slain but the King hearing of these Stirs took his March into the North and after he had overthrown the Enemy he was so inraged at the Northern Disturbers that he spoil'd their Country lying all level with the ground for Threescore miles between York and Durham which lying untilled for nine years space caused such a Famine
Robert the Sixth Duke of Normandy begotten on a Beautiful Damosel called Arlet the Daughter to a Tanner as some report He began his Reign on Saturday the 14 day of October Anno 1066 he reigned twenty years ten Months and twenty six dayes and was the twenty one sole Monarch of England he got his Sickness by an over-heat and died on Thursday the 9 day of September in the 56 year of his Dutchy 21 of his Kingdom and sixty fourth year of his Age Anno Domini 1087. CHAP. XI Of King William the second commonly called Rufus WILLIAM Posting to London after the Death of his Father he carried with him Earl Morcar and Wilnoth Son to Harrold being both released from their Imprisonment in Normanay but most of the States stood for Robert his elder Brother and had tried their Titles by the Sword had not Lanfranck and Wolstan two Learned Prelates stayed their hands On Sunday the twenty six of September Anno 1087 William was Crowned at Westminster by Lanfranck Arch-Bishop of Canterbury And now Odo the King's Vncle having been roughly dealt withal by William the Father for Revenge thereof begins to draw the Nobles into sedition against William the Son and further to accomplish his desires he sent Letters to Robert Curtoise the King 's elder Brother and Duke of Normandy to invade England to which Request Robert sent answer according to Odoe's expectation so Odo and the Nobles expecting daily Robert's assistance fell into open Rebellion and made a great spoil in several parts of the Kingdom but Robert not so hasty as was expected in the mean time Bishop Odo is taken and banished not long after Duke Robert enters England with his Normans whereupon the King agreed with him to depart again paying him three thousand marks yearly about this time Langfranck Archbishop of Canterbury dying the King kept the Bishoprick in his hands four years And the year after the King invaded Normandy and forced his Brother Robert to composition with him after the Peace concluded between these two Brothers they both took part against their younger Brother Henry but at length were all reconciled And now Malcolm King of Scots entered England doing much harm and the King marching to oppose him at their meeting a Peace was concluded and he gave Malcolm twelve Villages which he had formerly held under William the querour for twelve marks yearly in Gold At that time the King built Carlisle in Cumberland having been demolished two hundred years before by the Danes And now he makes Anselm a Norman Abbot Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Anno 1093. About this time King Malcolm came to Gloucester to treat with the King again about the Peace of the Nations and taking some distaste at his Reception he returned in a Rage and raising an Army he spoyled all before him as far as Alnewick presently after this Robert Mowbray and William of Ancho with some others conspired to take the King's Life and Crown and to set up Stephen de Albemarle but they were prevented This same year viz. 1093 the King Conquered Wales since which time the English Monarchs have been accounted the chief Governours thereof The next year the King and his Brother Robert fell at odds again but were quickly reconciled And Robert intending for the Holy War did Mortgage his Dukedom to William for 6666 pound of Silver to furnish him with necessaries for the War And now to raise this Sum of Money the King laied heavy Taxes on his Subjects and neither Churches nor Monasteries were Priviledged from this payment This Voyage for the Holy War was taken in the year of our Lord 1099. And the same year the King built new Walls about the Tower and likewise built Westminsterhall being ninety yards long twenty four yards and two Foot broad and yet when he first see it he said It was too little by half and so he would reserve it for a Chamber About this time began the Cestersian Order in Burgandy as some old Authors affirm and it was brought into England about the year 1135 and an Abby built for the Monks of that Order at Rivaulx Now the King going for Normandy to relieve his Subjects there the Winds proving very cross the Pilate desired the King to stay a while for a better Gale but the King no whit daunted commanded to hoise up Sailes with these words Hast thou ever heard that any King was drowned He denied that the Pope had any Authority over any Bishop within his Realm and also denied the Popes power of binding and loosing but paied him Peter-pence granted by his Father he also held it bootless to invocate Saints curbed Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Taxed the swelling Clergy for their Pride Luxury Idleness and Avarice In the Second year of his Reign a great Earthquake happened and in the fourth year a great Lightning which burnt the Steeple of the Abby of Winchester and rent the Beams of the Roof casting down the Image of our Lady and Crucifix breaking one of the Legs thereof And not long after so great a Wind happened at London that it blew down 60 some say 606 houses and took off the Roof of Bow-Church bearing it a great height into the Air and six of the Beams being twenty seven foot long with the fall ran twenty three foot into the Ground the Streets being then unpaved in the sixth year of the King's Reign was so great a Famine and Mortality that the Quick were scarce able to bury the Dead and in the ninth year of his Reign two blasing Stars with two Bushes appeared and other Stars seemed to shoot Darts one at the other And the last year of his Reign the Sea overflowed its Banks and drowned a great number of People in Kent and overwhelm'd a great deal of Lands which had been Earl Goodwins whose Name they retain to this day being called Goodwin's Sands There was also a Well of Blood which rose up out of the ground for the space of 15 dayes at Finchamstead near Abbington in Bark-shire This William Rufus was King of England but not Duke of Normandy he was Third Son of William the Conquerour by Maud his Wife Daughter to Baldwine the fifth Earl of Flanders He began his Reign on Thursday the ninth of September Anno Dom. one thousand eighty seven and reigned twelve years ten months and twenty three dayes he was the twenty second sole Monarch of England He was shot by Accident in New Forrest by Sir Walter Tyrrel on Wednesday the first day of August Anno Domini 1100. being the thirteenth year of his Reign and the Forty fourth year of his Age he was buried in the Quire of Saint Swythine being the Cathedral Church of Winchester CHAP. XII Of King Henry the first commonly called Beauclark for his Learning KING Henry was Crowned at Westminster by Maurice Bishop of London in the absence of Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury on Sunday the fifth day of August Anno 1100 But before his Coronation the
Earl John the King's Brother who had endeavoured to gain the Crown in his Brothers Captivity that the Devil was let loose again After his Releasement he came for England and was joyfully received by Hubert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and shortly after Earl John was adjudged by his Peers to loose all his Estate And now the King caused himself to be Crowned again at Winchester and had a new Great Seal made by which Device he got great Summs of money out of his Subjects causing them to have all their Evidences new Sealed after this being at Dinner at Westminster and hearing of the Siege of Nerville he swore he would not turn his Face till he had got thither with his Army and so caused the Wall to be cut down where he was that he might pass through which Breach was to be perceived two hundred years after And now he forgave his Brother Earl John and getting a great Victory over the French at Gysors He thus spoke Not we saith he but DIEVET MONDROIT that is God and our Right hath obtained this Victory after this the Kings of England made it their Motto Afterwards by the interceeding of Pope Innocent the Third a Peace was concluded between England and France And not long after this the King lying a Garrison against the Castle of Chalne was there shot in the left Arm by an Arballaster standing on the Wall with a sqare Arrow out of a Steel Bow of which Wound he shortly after died He banished all the Jews of Norwich St. Edmund Bury Lyncoln Stanford Lyn and York at which last place above five hundred of them besides Women and Children entred a Tower of the Castle and when the Christians came to Besiege them the Jews cut the Throats of their Wives and Children and cast them on the Besiegers heads and then burnt both the House and themselves so desperatly Wicked were they This Richard the first was King of England and Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain He was the third Son of King Henry the Second by Elianor his Queen eldest Daughter and Heir to William Duke of Aquitain His Reign began on Thursday the sixth of July 1189 he reigned nine years and nine Months and was the twenty sixth sole Monarch of England He died of the before named Wound in his Arm on Tuesday the sixth of April Anno Domini 1199 being in the tenth year of his Reign and 42 of his Age His body was buried at Font-Everad CHAP. XVI Of King John commonly termed by his Father John Lackland HE was Crowned at Westminster by Hubâ—â— Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and had much ado before he got the Crown and more ado before the People would swear him Fealty which when they did it was with a Reservation Arthur King John's Nephew by his Elder Brother Jeffery with whom sided Philip King of France did mightily oppose King John's proceedings but he was backt by Otho the Emperour And Hubert the Arch-Bishop in a great Assembly made an Oration wherein he Declared that the Crown of England was meerly Arbitrary and Elective Now the King after several Out-fals between Philip King of France and him at length a Peace was concluded wherein it was agreed that Lewis Heir of France should marry King John's Neece After the Peace concluded the King returned for England and ordered a collection of 3s on every Carucata of Land for the Marriage of his Neece and his Martial uses But Jeffery Arch-Bishop of York Son to King John's Father by Rosamond his Father's Concubine denyed the Payment hereof within his Precincts and likewise refused to accompany the King his Brother into France to solemnize the Marriage and conclude the Peace for which Contemps the King caused all his Temporalties to be Seized on After this the King and William King of Scotland meeting at Lincoln they there swore Amity and Faithful Love upon the Crosier-staff of Arch-Bishop Hubert But now the French King breaking the Peace concluded on several Battels were fought between him and King John and Prince Arthur was taken Prisoner and died The Pope sought a Reconciliation between the two Kings but it took no effect After this the King returned and called a Parliament at Oxford at which time they granted him 33 s. 4 d. for every Knights Fee In the year 1204 Normandy fell from England to the French after it had been disbranched from France about 319 years the next year after the Arch-Bishop died whose Wealth and Possessions were Seized on by the King in Regard of his haughty carriage in his life time and John Gray Bishop of Norwich was translated to Canterbury And now the King bethinks himself again on Revenge upon the French and with a great Army landed at Rochel and presently won the Castle Mount Auban which was reputed invincible after this the City Angiers was also subjected by him And at length the two Kings met but by the interceeding of Forein Prelates a two years Peace was concluded About this time the King sent one Alexander a Divine of Oxford to the Pope to defend his Authority against that of Rome which he very well performed and made out both by Scripture and Reason and writing against the Pope's Authority he was afterwards persecuted and banished by Langton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and died in Exile shortly after this the Emperour Otho arived in England and was Royally received by the King who after some days of Banquetting returned again And now the Pope begins to play his Prancks depriving Arch-Bishop Gray and setting up Stephen Langton in his place writing to the King in his behalf and now began the King's miseries to approach for upon this Account the King wrote to Pope Innocentius the Third threatning him for intruding upon his Prerogative the Pope returned him a thundring Answer and presently after sent his Apostolical command to the Prelates London Ely and Worcester to interdict the Kingdom if the King continued in his Obstinacy This Commission was put in Execution and the Church Doors shut up for several years some Authors say 6 years so that the People lived more like Infidels than Christians for which affront several of the Clergy were banished by the King and sent to the Pope their Master And now the Irish being in Rebellion the King hasted thither at whose arrival more then twenty petty Kings came to him to Dublin doing their Allegiance About this time Gualter Maxes Arch-Deacon of Oxford preached vehemently against the Pride of the Pope and wrote a Book called the Revelation of the Romish Goliah for which he was much persecuted and hated Shortly after this Philip King of France by commission from the Pope took Ship for England to depose King John the Pope promising him the Crown of England but the King prepared against his coming yet fearing the French Power he unwillingly swore to Pandulphus the Pope's Nuncio to submit in all things to the judgment of the Church hereupon Pandulphus swore him touching all things in his
Excommunication that he should stand to the Popes Judgment and that he should restore to their former Dignities the Arch-Bishop Bishops and Monks he was also forced to surrender his Crown Scepter Sword Robes and King into Pandulphus's the Popes Attorneys hands laying them at his feet And lastly to hold his Crown in Fee-Farm of the Pope at the yearly Rent of 1000 Marks And now the Pope got the Prey which he so long hunted after But the King was continually after pestered with the Pope between whom and the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury he was banded like a Tennice-Ball The Barrons also proved several times disloyal to him and at last betrayed the Crown of England to Lewis of France sending him their Letter of Allegiance hereupon Lewis against the Popes Command set forwards for England with 600 Ships and 80 Boats and landed in the Island of Thaâ—net in Kent to whom all the Treacherous Barrons Fâ—ed from thence he marched to London and at St. Paul's Church he took the Oath of the Citizens and the Oath of the Barons at Westminster The King seeing these proceedings spoiled the Castles of the Barrons which caused them to Repent of their Disloyalty forthwith returning to the King again who then lay sick at Newark and shortly after died In this King's Reign London-Bridge was built of Stone being but of Wood at first and several Prodigies were seen in his Reign and also terrible Storms of Thunder and Lightning with Hail Stones as big as Goose-Egs which destroyed Men and Women besides Cattel and Corn Fields In the 15 of the King a Fire hapning in London near the Bridge People thronging to make some help the Fire by the Violence of the Wind took hold on both ends of the Bridge so that the People could not pass either backwards or forwards and and so Barges Boats c. coming to their Assistance the People thronged so indiscreetly into them that the Boats sunk and above three thousand Persons were drowned in the Thames It is said that this King John was immoderate in blasphemies and execrations and that he was so Luxurious that he destroyed Matilda a Beautiful Maid causing her to drink Poyson because she would not yield to his intreaty to be corrupted by him he is also thought to have sought aid from Mirammula King of Affrica whilest he was in his Troubles promising him the Kingdom of England if he Conquered and to renounce his Christian Faith Anno 1215. being the 16 of the King was held the IV Lateran Council Innocentius the Third being Pope this was the 12 general Council in which Auricular Confession was established and the Cup taken from the Laity in the Communion This John was King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain he was sixth Son of King Henry the Second by his Queen Elianor eldest Daughter and Heir to William Duke of Aquitain his Reign began on Tuesday the 6 day of April Anno 1199 and continued 17 years 6 months and 13 days He was the 27 sole Monarch of England and was Poysoned by one Simon a Monk of Swinested Abby in Lincolnshire which was upon this occasion as it is said viz. That the King being there at Dinner and having an half penny loaf in his hand he swore if he lived it should be at twelve pence before that time twelve Months and the Monk over-hearing these words poysoned him He died on Wednesday the nineteenth day of October Anno 1216. in the eighteenth year of his Reign and 50 year of his Age his body was buried at Worcester CHAP. XVII Of King Henry the Third commonly called Henry of Winchester THis Henry about the Age of 9 years was Crowned at Gloucester in the presence of the Popes Legate Wallo and other Nobles and the Earl of Pembrook by consent of the Peers was made Guardian of his Person and Kingdom Shortly after a Truce was concluded between Lewis of France and the King Lewis then returning for France but staied not long ' ere he came for England again with fresh supplyes taking his march to Lincoln In the mean while the Earl of Pembrook by the Advice of Wallo and the Bishop of Winchester raised an Army and gave the French Battel at Lincoln where they received a great Overthrow so that Lewis hasted to France for more Aid after Lewis returned from France he was besieged in London and forced at length to make Peace and depart the Realm And now the Nobles falling into Rebellion they were fought by the Earl of Pembrook who shortly after died after whose Death Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester and some others were made Guardians to the King and upon this change the King was Crowned again at Westminster by Stephen Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the King having the Saturday before laid the first Stone of the new work of the Abby Church at Westminster After this the King made Hubert de Burgo cheif Justice of England And now the Barrons and Welsh being in Rebellion again and hearing of the King's march towards them durst not stay his coming Anno 1222 Alexander King of Scotland was married to the King's Sister at York And this year was granted to the King the Ward-ship of Heirs and their Lands about this time an Imposture at the Provincial Synod at Oxford suffered himself to be wounded in the Hands Feet and Side calling himself Christ who together with a Woman that took upon her to be the Mother of God were immured between two Walls where they ended their Lives miserably And shortly after one Constantine Fitz-Arnulf raising a Tumult in London was taken and hanged by Hubert de Burgoe's Order and the common sort had their Hands and Feet cut off Now the Barrons being earnest for Confirmation of Liberties and denied by William Briwere one of the King's Council the King to please all parties Answered All of us have sworn to those Liberties and must keep them And hereupon Writs were issued out to inquire upon Oath what Liberties were currant in or from the time of Henry his Grand-Father Not long after this the King sent Embassadors to the King of France to demand Normandy and other his Transmaritain places but they were denied him and now the King upon some Distast taken against one Falcasius Commanded all Strangers to depart the Realm after this a Parliament being called the King confirmed MAGNA CHARTA under his Seal before they would yield to grant him a Subsidy And now the King having gotten Money sent his Brother Robert and other Nobles into France for the Regaining his Dominions there who in spite of Fate got and held Aquitain after this more aid being sent they endeavoured the gaining of Normandy also The King having now gotten a Fifteenth of all Degrees in his Realm and wrested 5000 marks out of London besides At the next Parliament at Oxford by the advice Hubert de Burgo he revoked the great Charter by Plea of Infra Etatem hereupon the Barrons Rebelled threatning
greedily devoured them half alive by reason of this Famine the Mortality was so great amongst the People that the quick could hardly bury the dead And not long after a great Murrain of kine happened so that the Dogs and Ravens eating thereof were Poysoned and did swell to Death so that no man durst eat any Beef And the next year after this the King calling a Council at Clarendon the Lords refused to appear but they were made Friends again by the Mediation of certain Cardinalls and now the Scots not satisfied with the Honour of their last Victory their King saled into Ireland and there caused himself to be Crowned King but the English there under the Conduct of the Arh-Bishop of Armagh and the Lord Binningham encountr'd the new King who there lost his new Honour with his life to boot and not long after a Truce for two years was concluded between England and Scotland About this time Hugh Spencer upon the Commendation of the Lords was made Lord-Chamberlain and his Father Earl of Winchester and now Dr. Barrenthorp of Oxford taught against the Pope and inveighed against the Deceits and impostures of Anti-Christ after a while the two new Lords Spencers Father and Son grew so insolent that they far exceeded Gaveston alienating the Hearts of the Barrons from the King which caused them to take up Arms against him but not long after the Earl of Lancaster and other 90 Nobles at Borrowbrigs were taken Prisoners and at Pontefract the Earl of Lancaster was Beheaded and other five Barrons hanged and the next day at York the Lords Clifford Mowbray and Deywill were hanged in iron Chains and now the King went against Scotland with an Army but was forced there to escape by night leaving his Treasure and rich Furniture for Pillage and the young Lord Mortimer escaping out of the Tower fled into France and not long after the Queen again sent her complaint to her Father of her ill usage There being now some Troubles in Gascoin the King not going himself sent his Queen into France to Negotiate his Affairs who drew all to agreement upon Condition that her Husband should give Prince Edward his and her Son the Dutchy of Aquitain and Earldom of Pontine for which places the young Prince did Homage to his Uncle the King of France after this the King sending for his Son and Queen home and they refusing to come they were thereupon proclaimed Enemies to the Crown the Queen hereupon without consent either of King or Peers Married the Prince to Philippa the Earl of Hanalt's Daughter and being now fitted for her purpose she raised an Army in Henalt and Germany consisting of 2700 Soldiers and many Forein and English Nobles and sailing for England landed at Orwel in Suffolk the King having notice hereof fled into the West to raise Forces promising a thousand pounds to those who would bring him Lord Mortimers head but the Queen not sleeping in her design pursued her Husband from place to place and at length she got Hugh Spencer the Father whom she caused to be cut-up alive and quartered and the King lying now hid in the Abby of Neath in Wales was there surprized by his Cosen the Earl of Lancaster and Imprisoned in the Castle of Kenelworth young Lord Spencer and the Lords Baldock and Reading being also taken at that time and carried to Hereford where Spencer was hanged 50 foot high and then beheaded and quartered and the Queen gave the bringer of his head to her 1000 pound And now a Parliament being called several Peers to wit 3 Bishops three Earls 2 Barrons 2 Abbots and 2 Justices were sent in the name of the Parliament to the King at Kenelworth to Command his resignation of the Crown to his Son Prince Edward at which message the King fell into a swown amongst the Peers at Kenelworth and afterwards coming to himself seeing no other way resign'd his Diadem Whereupon Sir William Trussel one of the messengers in the name of the whole Realm renounced Homage to the King in these words I William Trussel in the name of all men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator do Ressign to Thee Edward the Homage that was made to Thee sometimes and from this time forward now following I defie Thee and deprive Thee of all Royal Power and I shall never be tendant to Thee as for King after this time Not long after this the King was taken from Kenelworth and delivered by Indenture to the custody of Thomas Gourny and Sir John Mattravers who shortly after Murthered him by thrusting an hot spit up his Fundament into his Bowels at Barclay Castle for which fact they were forced to fly the Country This Edward the Second was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitain c. He was the 4 Son of Edward the I. by Ellianor his Queen Sister to Alfonsus King of Castile His Reign began on Friday the seventh of July Anno Domini 1307 he reigned 19 years 6 Moneths and 18 days and was the 30 sole Monarch of England he was murthered as is before declared Anno 1327 being the 20 year of his Reign and 41 of his Age his body was buried at Gloucester CHAP. XX. Of King Edward the Third commonly called Edward of Windsor ABout the beginning of this King's Reign one Nycholas Lyrian a Divine of Oxford wrote a Book de Visione Dei against the Pope now by Advice of the Lord Mortimer the King acquitted the Scots of all his claim and Superiority to their Kingdom and shortly after this the King of France died without Issue and King Edward laid claim to the Crown and now the Queen-Mother being reported to be with Child by the Lord Mortimer who was too familiar with her he was thereupon taken at Nottingham and sent Prisoner to London where he was hanged at Tyburn remaining on the Gallows the space of two days for an Ignomenious Spectacle and presently after the King abridged his Mother of her too large Dowry bringing her to one thousand pounds per Annum Anno 1339. a Sudden Inundation of Water at New-castle upon Tine did bear down part of the Town-Wall where 120 Men and Women were drowned And the year after near Chippingnorton in Oxford-shire was found a Serpent having two Heads and two Faces like Women one Face attired after the New Fashion of Women's Attire and the other Face like the old Attire and Wings like a Batt And Fiends and Devils and strange Apparitions were seen by Men and spake unto them as they travelled About this time Dr. Ockham of Oxford wrote against the Popes John and Clement affirming them to have no Power over Civil Magistrates And now the King assisted Baliol against David Bruse King of Scotland who was forced to fly into France and Baliol procured the Crown and was made King and did Homage to King Edward as his Father had done to King Edward the First The King went four times into
Scotland to the Relief of King Baliol for which he was very liberally gratified and at length had the Interest of the whole Kingdom of Scotland granted to him by King Baliol he reserving only a yearly Pension to himself About the year 1340. the Isle of Man was conquered by William Montacute Earl of Salisbury who thereupon was honoured with the Title of King of Man Not long after this the King created his eldest Son Edward surnamed the Black Prince Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwall and being now wholly intent upon his French War the Scots daily revolted from King Baliol and David the banished King and his Queen returned again into Scotland And now the King having taken his Voyage for France took upon him the Title of King of France causing the Flower de Luces of France to be quartered with the Lions of England and at this time burnt and spoiled the North parts of France as far as Turwin and so returned for England and confirmed MAGNA CHARTA having received liberal Aides from his Subjects for the maintenance of the French War Now the French hearing of the King 's Second Preparation had a Fleet of 400 Ships ready in the Sluse in Flanders to intercept which the King having notice of set sail thither and fought their Fleet killing about 30000 of their Men and sinking about 200 of their Vessels And after this good Fortune at Sea the King entred France and at the Siege of Turney sent to the French King a Challenge who refused to fight About this time Dr. Bradwardine of Oxford wrote 3 Books in Defence of God's Grace against Free-Will Now after the Siege of Turnye the Armies of England and France intending to fight it but by the Mediation of Lady Jane Mother in Law to King Edward and Sister to the King of France a Truce was concluded for a short time and being afterwards drawn out for Fight again a new Truce by the Intercession of two Cardinals was concluded for the space of three years And the King returning into England shortly after made it High Treason for any Strangers to enter upon any place spiritual in England by the Pope's Authority This King it was that ordained the most Noble Order of the Knights of the GARTER upon the occasion of the Countess of Salisbury loosing her Garter before the King as she was Dancing saith Mr. Camden which the King taking up and seeing some of the Nobles smile he looked on them and said HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE The number of this Order is to be XXVI whereof the King is to be one After this the King returning again for France he mustered there twenty five hundred Horse and thirty thousand Foot his Son Edward the Black-Prince being with him who in the French Wars merrited Immortal Glory near Cressy the King pitched for Battel marshalling his Army into 3 Battalions and barracading them up behind to prevent their flying causing them all to put away their Horses so that they thereby all became Foot Soldiers Philip the French King came to the Field bravely appointed with a gallant Army and joining Battel after a sore Fight the French were Vanquished and the Honour of the day fell to the English the French King and his Soldiers flying the Field the gallantry of this day was solely attributed to the Prince King Edward never coming in with his Forces there being no necessity for it in this Battel the French lost 2 Kings 2 Dukes 7 Earls and 1500 Barrons Knights and men of Arms and about 30000 Soldiers and the next day were several Prisoners taken From hence the King went to lay Siege against Callice and after a strait Siege for a time the Town at last yielded and the King placed there Collonics of English in the Town Now during these Stirs in France David King of Scotland by the French King's procurement entered England supposing all the Nobles to be in France and that none but Priests and Sheppards were left in England but to his no small Damage he found the contrary the greatest part of his Army being slain near Durham and himself also taken Prisoner by one Copland to whom the King gave 500 pounds per annum at Vlverston in Lancashire and David the Scotch King was carried Prisoner to the Tower in London At the King's return from France there happened so cruel a Plague that in one year there was buried in one Church-yard in London 50000 about this time Dr. Orum of Oxford Preached before Pope Vrban at Rome condemning the Papacy and writ the Epistle from Lucifer to the Clergy thanking them for sending so many Souls to Hell After this Henry Earl of Lancaster was Created the First Duke thereof by King Edward and now the Prince of Wales took Ship for France there to defend his Right to the Dutchy of Aquitain and taking great Store of Towns and Prisoners he returned with the spoil to Burdeaux But John the French King promising himself letter fortune than his Father made bold to encounter Prince Edward who though the French were 3 to one by his great valour obtained a great Victory killing 52 Lords and 1700 Knights and Esquires besides 6000 common Soldiers and taking the King of France and Philip his Son one Arch-Bishop 10 Earls and about 200 Knights Esquires and Gentlemen Prisoners after this the Prince having well refreshed himself and Soldiers he hoised Sail for England where he was Joyfully received and the Prisoners courteously used the French King and his Son being kept in the Savoy under a safe Guard and others secured in other places And now David the Scotch King after eleven years Imprisonment at the incessant Suit of Joan David's Queen and King Edwards Sister was set at Liberty paying 100000 marks stirling and after him John King of France after four years imprisonment through the interceeding of Simon Langres the Pope's Legate was also set at liberty paying for the same 3000000 of sutes of Gold which amounteth to 500000 pounds Sterling About this time Dr. Killington of Oxford wrote several Books against the Monks and Fryers and some 5 years before Richard Fitz-Ralph Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Chancelour of Oxford wrote against begging Fryers and about the year 1362 Anno 37 of the King it was ordained that Lawyers should plead in their Mother Tongue Now after the Releasing of the King of France as is before shewed the King created Prince Edward Duke of Aquitain where he and his Wife went and remained at Burdeaux And now Anno 1366 Peter-pence was ordained to be paid no more MAGNA CHARTA was 12 times confirmed during this King's Reign who calling a Parliament in the 50 year of his Reign they laied several complaints and Accusations to the charge of Alice Peers the King's Concubine and against Lord Latimer the King's Chamberlain and during the sitting of this Parliament the Mirrour of Princes Edward the Black-Prince of Wales died whereupon the King made Richard Prince Edward's Son
Earl of Chester and Prince of Wales and caused the Nobles to swear him Fealty about this time the famous Dr. John Wickliff of Oxford maintained sundry learned points against the Church of Rome This Edward the Third was King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain c. he was eldest Son of King Edward the second by Isabel his Queen Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France he began his Reign on Saturday the 25 day of January Anno 1329 and reigned 50 years 4 months and 26 days and was the 31 sole Monarch of England He died on Sunday the 21 day of June Anno 1377 being the 51 year of his Reign and about the 65 of his Age his Body was buried at Westminster CHAP. XXI Of King Richard the Second commonly called Richard of Bourdeaux IN the beginning of this King's Reign the French invaded England and burnt the Town of Rye the Scots the Town of Rocksbrough And after this the French took the Isle of Wight and forced the Inhabitants to pay them a hundred marks not long after they burnt the Town of Hastings All these Advantages being taken by reason of the King 's tender years upon the Occasion of these daily Rapines one Sir John Philpot of London seeing the remissness of the Lords at his own proper costs and charges manned out a Fleet to scour the Seas which Fleet shortly after took 15 Rich Spanish Ships which well recompenced Sir John for his charges About this time Barwick was surprized by the Scots who killed Sir Robert Boynton the Governour and about nine days after it was regained by the Earl of Northumberland the Scots being all put to the Sword And now a Parliament being called at London for Manning of those Services a Subsidy was granted to the King by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal the Commons at that time being exempted from it Shortly after this Sir John Arundel and several other valiant Knights and Esquires being sent to the Duke of Britain for his aid against the French were all drowned But the King sending more Forces after these as the Duke of Lancaster Buckingham Warwick and Stafford with others of the cheif of the Nobility they landed safely at Callis and went through France to Britain spoiling Countries burning Towns and killing People the French not daring to oppose them About this time Vtred Bolton John Ashwerby Walter Brute John Ashton and Peter Pateshall were persecuted some by perpetual Imprisonment and some by Banishment for Preaching and maintaining Dr. Wickliffs Doctrine After this the King calling another Parliament at Northampton they granted him Poll-money of Twelve pence per head of every one above such an Age. The next year after this the Commons of Kent Essex Surry Suffolk Norfolk and Cambridge rebelled and under the Conduct of Wat Tyler and Jack Straw marched suriously to London burning the Priory of St. John's without East Smithfield and turning also the Savoy and the Bishop of Canterbury's House in Lambeth into Ashes Beheading Simon Tybald the Archbishop Sir John Hales Lord Prior with others And now they sent a malicious arrogant Petition to the King whose Tenor the King durst not deny his Person being then in manifest Danger of them But Wat Tyler cavelled at the conditions of Peace Suggesting strange Hopes of high matters to himself hereupon he was desired to ride to the King which accordingly he did and there behaved himself so insolently that he offered to kill Sir John Newton one of the King 's Attendants for the omission of some Punctilio of respect to him But the insolent Traytor for this affront received his Death's Wound from the hand of Sir William Walworth Lord Mayor of London And the Lord Mayor presently raising a thousand Citizens surprised the headless Monster and caused them to beg their Lives of the King John Lister the Dyar who headed the Rabble in Suffolk was also taken by Henry Spencer Bishop of Norwich and there was executed of this rebellious Rabble in London and elsewhere about 1500. Now these Plebean Furies being over the King took to Wife Anne Daughter to the Emperour Charles the IV and shortly after John Duke of Lancaster was accused of Treason touching the King's Person but the Accusers Reward was Death which he hoped and intended for the Duke's Lot After this the Duke sailing into France concluded a Truce for about two years space and then a Parliament being called at London the Laity sought to depose the Clergy of their Estates but the King answered their Request in these words I will saith he maintain the English Church in the quality of the same Estate or better than I found it when I came to the Crown At this Parliament was Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford Created the first Marquess of Dublin This year also the Duke of Lancaster set Sail for Spain to regain the Kingdom of Castile to which by Right of his Wife he laid claim to Within a while after several Lords rebeled against the King and were all pardon'd before they came to their Tryals yet notwithstanding the King's Clemency they still kept together and raising great Forces they did not stick to charge the King with several misdemeanours and now the Duke of Lancaster returning for England again Peace was concluded between him and Spain and the King thereof gave him 200000 Nobles towards the defraying of this charges he had been at at whose return the King made him Duke of Aquitain After this the King desiring of the Londoners the Loan of a thousand pounds it was denied him whereupon he seized on their Liberties and dissolved their proper Magistracy turning out their Mayor John Hind and John Shadworth and Henry Wanner their Sheriffs and appointed Sir Edward Dallingredge Warden of the City And about two years after the King having a desire to go for Ireland had a Subsidy granted him four years Truce being then concluded with France but after this he with the Company of the Duke of Lancaster and Earl of Gloucester sailed into France where he espous'd the Lady Isabel Daughter to Charles King of France this Journey besides Losses at Sea cost him 4000 marks At his return from France certain Peers revolted from him making Forces removing such Officers from the King as they thought fit whereupon the Earl of Arundel one of the Rebells had his Head lopt off and the Earl of Gloucester was smothered with Pillows and Feather Beds at Callis and shortly afterwards the King made himself Earl of Chester and created several Dukes and Earls at that time And not long after this the River between Swelston and Harleswood near Bedford stood still and divided it self so that the Bottom remained dry about three miles space And now the King extorting Money and taking up Carriages and other Necessaries intending for Ireland to suppress the Rebells there who had slain Lord Mortimer Lord Lieutenant there And the Duke of Lancaster dying about this time the King seized his
went about to take away the King's Life and she was forced to satisfy publickly for that wickedness she had not attempted though others that were guilty in their very Sufferings excused the Dutchess of it Yet notwithstanding she did Pennance going the first day from Temple-Bar down Fleetstret with a wax Taper in her hand to Pauls where she offered her Taper to the Altar the next day but one she went through Bridgestreet and Grace Church Street to Leaden-Hall and so to Christ-Church by Allgate and two days after she went through Cheapside to St. Michaels in Cornhil in form aforesaid Now the Affairs still various in France at length a Truce was concluded for 18 Moneths and hopes of perpetual Amity grounded upon a Match Contracted by William de la Pole Earl of Suffolk for the King with Margaret Daughter to Renate Duke of Angiers and Titular King of Sicily Naples and Jerusalem but this Match proved inauspicious to the King for by it he lost his Friends in England and Revenues in France and not long after all was Ruled by the Queen and Suffolk and their Complices and a Parliament being called the Duke of Yorks Commission was revoked and Henery Beaufort Duke of Somerset was sent Regent into France And now began the King's Miserys to approach for in the Parliament at St. Edmundsbury the Protector through the Queen's means unknown to the King was Arrested of high Treason and before he came to any Tryal he was Murthered in his Bed with Pillowes as it was thought and the Cardinal of Winchester the other Prop of the Kingdom lived not long after him after whose death the Affaires both of England and France were carryed on very unfortunately And now Suffolk the Queens chief Favourite is made Duke which passages displeasing the people Richard Plantaginet begun to think how these distempers might work well on his side for the obtaining the Crown whereupon hetook shipping for Ireland to still the Irish Commotions there which he quickly effected and there layd the foundation of his first plots In mean time Somerset Regent in France lost all which unhappy News coming to England it caused several to look sleightly at the Queen but especially at Suffolk against whom several Articles were exhibited by the Lower-house of Parliament whereupon he was Imprisoned in the Tower but shortly after was again restored to his Liberty The 23 of the King on Candlemas Eve in diverse places of England were heard Terrible Thunder with Lightning whereby the Church of Baldock in Hartfordshire and the Church of Walden in Essex and divers others were sore shaken and the Steeple of St. Pauls Church in London about three of the Clock in the afternoon was set on fire but was happily quenched again And now the Duke of York shortly after procured Adam Mollins the Bishop of Chichester Keeper of the Privy Seal another Pillar of the Kingdom to be Murthered by the Seamen at Portsmouth Not long after one Thane alias Blewbeard a Fuller of Canterbury attempting to raise some forces in the Duke of York's behalf miscarried in his Enterprize and was taken hanged and quartered And another Parliament being called and the Commons wishing well to the Duke of York they again accuse the Duke of Suffolk and now obtained of the King Sentence of his Banishment for five years who being upon the Seas intending his banished Voyage was taken and in Dover Road had his Head Chopped off on the side of a Cock Boat After this the Bishop of Salisbury was Murthered by his own Tenants and Lord Say Treasure of England and his Son in Law with some other were slain by the Common People such footing had the Duke of York's cause gotten amongst them and now in his behalf though he was still in Ireland rose the Commons of Kent under Jack Cade's Command and pitched on Black-heath neare Greenwich in Kent the King perceiving it no time to be idle raised an Army in the mean time Cade retired to Sevenock in Kent And the King supposing he had fled sent Sir Humphry Stafford and other Gentlemen with some forces to pursue him to whom Cade gave Battel and slew Sir Humphry with some others of which the King having notice he left the Tower to the Custody of the Lord Scales and fled to Kenelworth Castle and so Cade marched to London causing the head of Master Crâ—mer high Sheriff of Kent to be lopt of and falling to the plundering of some of the Wealthiest Citizens the Lord Mayor then considering the danger they were in sent forthwith to the Lord Scales for Aid who sent the Renowned Esquire Matthew Gough to their Relief and now the Cittizens took heart and began to bar up London-Bridge the Kentish Plebeans quartering in Southwork and hearing hereof ran furiously to their Armes and with their Leader Cade sought to open the passage by force but was not able the Contention was very hot and continued all Night Gough and several others being slain to appease these Furies by Pollicy which could not be conquered by Force the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury sent a Pardon under the King 's great Seal whereupon the Plebeans threw down their Arms and gave their leader Cade leave to shift for himself who afterwards attempting new Troubles a 1000 marks was promised to them that could take or kill him whereupon one Mr. Eden a Gentleman of Kent slew him and 26 more of his crew suffered Death at Canterbury and elsewhere These Stirs were no sooner over but the Duke of York arrived in England leaving Ireland who at his first approach imprisoned several Nobles in Ludlow Castle but many of the Peers sided with him now the King as it was time began to rouse up his Spirits marching towards the Duke then in Wales who hearing of the King's march fled into Kent and at Brent-Heath encamped of which the King having intelligence he steared his Course that way and sending Messengers to the Duke to demand the Reasons of these Tumults he perceiving the King too powerful for him did thereupon submit and was received again into favour And now some hopes arising of the recovering of Gascoin again the Lord Talbot and some others were thereupon sent into France who at first were very successful in their Designs but the Lord Talbot being slain the French regained all again and the English lost all Aquitain after they had possessed it about three hundred years And about this time the Queen was delivered of her First born Edward by this time the Duke of York had arrested the Earl of Somerset of high Treason who being sent Prisoner to the Tower of London was from thence Released by the King and made Captain of Callis whereupon York and his Adherents fell into open force levying an Army about the Marches of Wales from whence they intended their march to London but were stopt at St. Albans by the King and his Forces the Duke at his coming hither sent to the King desiring him to deliver up
London with the King his Majesty was received with great Joy and lodged in the Bishop's Pallace where all the Lords were sworn to him and there the subtile Duke of Gloucester behaved himself so reverently towards the King that the next Council he was chosen Protector At this Council the Arch-Bishop of York was reproved for his forwardness in giving up the great Seal to the Queen and was deprived of the Chancellorship and Dr. Russel Bishop of Lincoln put in his place All things thus proceeding according to the Protector 's mind he proceeds further in his wicked Plot making such a cunning Apology to the Council for getting the young Duke of York the King's Brother out of Sanctuary that they all suspecting no harm consented to him and agreed that the Arch-Bishop of York should repair to the Queen to desire her delivery of the young Prince and if denied then to bring him away by force and after a long conference between the Queen and Bishop at length with tears she delivered the Child into their hands from whence he was carried into the Star-Chamber to Gloucester who took him in his Arms with much seeming Joy and gave him a Judas kiss So having got what he desired he and Buckingham made Covenants between themselves that Gloucester should be King and that Buckingham should have the Earldom of Hartford and great part of the King's Treasure and to blind the People of their intentions several Lords from several parts of the Realm were called to devise things for Edward's Coronation at whose appearance the Protector and Buckingham withdrew into Bishops-gate Street to contrive the contrary Soon after several Lords repaired to the Tower to consider further of the Coronation and the time drew so near that all things were in readiness for it but not the Protector comes in amongst them seeming to be very merry excusing himself that he had been so long from them and desired to withdraw a little and about 2 hours after he came in with a sower and frowning Countenance and took his place and after a while he thus spake What are they worthy of saith he that compass and imagine my Destruction to whom Lord Hastings made Answer That they were worthy to be punished as Traytors That is quoth the Duke yonder Sorceress my Brother's Wife meaning the Queen and that other Witch of her Council Shoar's Wife At these words the Lords of the Council were much dismayed and hereupon the Lord Hastings said Surely they would not do so but the Protector answered and said I tell thee they have done so and that I will make good on thy Body Traytor and so giving a clap on the Table with his hand in came as many men in Harness as the Room would hold and all the Lords were conveyed some to one Room and some to another and the Lord Hastings within three hours after was beheaded on a Log before the Chappel Door in the Tower And now sending for several able Citizens into the Tower after Dinner he pretended to them that the Lord Hastings would have destroyed him and the Duke of Buckingham and so dismissed the Citizens and caused Proclamation to be made of the Lord Hastings Treason And not long after the Sheriffs of London were sent to seize of Jane Shoars goods which amounted to 300 marks and she afterward was forced to do Pennance to her great shame and now the Protector fought to strike whilest the Iron was hot and so sent for the Lord Mayor Edmund Shaw and made him acquainted with the Design who in hopes of Honour promised to draw the Citizens that way and means how to accomplish this Design was to get some able Ministers to Preach that King Edward the IV was a Bastard and that all his Children were Bastards and so to set up the praises of the wicked Protector thereby to seduce the People who are naturally apt to listen to Novelties and for this purpose Dr. Shaw the Mayors Brother and Dr. Pincker were the Men pitched upon who performed the Task very dexterously and it is wonderful to think what waverings and doubtings this caused amongst the People but the two Doctors felt God's Judgments for this Offence afterwards These things being thus bruited abroad the Duke of Buckingham shortly after repaired to Guild-Hall in London to which place the Mayor Aldermen and Commons of the City were come where he made a Learned Apology to them for the Election of Richard Protector to be King the People here at were all mute and answered not one word but being asked thrice of their Opinions herein and in a manner threatned to it at length they drew down into the Hall and began to whisper among themselves at which instant a great Company of Apprentices and the Dukes Servants prepared for the purpose rushed in at their Backs Crying King Richard and hereupon it was concluded to be the Cry of the whispering Citizens and so the Assembly being dismissed for this time they were all required to meet Buckingham the next day at Baynards Castle in Thames-Street at which place the Protector then Lodged and after the Assembly was come the Duke of Buckingham made the Protector with their as he said Election of him to be King at which words Richard as though he had been ignorant looked very strangely on them and denied to accept of that he so much coveted the Crown but Buckingham making himself the Mouth of the Assembly told him If he would not accept of it they would make choice of some other Noble man whereupon the Protector seeming as it were to have that forced upon him he most desired accepted of it promising more to the People then in a quarter of an hour than he performed in all his Life And so at this time Edward was deposed and he and his Brother about two months after were murthered in the Tower This Edward the V. though never Crowned was accounted King of England and France and Lord of Ireland he was the eldest Son of King Edward the IV by Elizabeth his Queen Daughter to Sir Richard Woodvile Earl of Rivers by Jaquilana his Wife Dutchess of Bedford He began his Reign on Friday the 9 day of April Anno 1483 and reigned two months and thirteen days and was the 37 sole Monarch of England He with his younger Brother the Duke of York were smothered to Death in their Beds in the Tower with Pillows about the lattter end of July Anno 1483 being the first and last year of his Reign and the 12 of his Age Their Murtherers were Miles Forrest and John Deighton Servants to Sir James Tirrel who was imployed for this purpose by the Duke of Gloucester their Uncle then King of England their Bodies were buried deep in the Ground under a Stare-case in the Tower and being afterwards taken up again none knows where they were laid CHAP. XXVII Of King Richard the Third PResently after his Election as is shewed before a Parliament was called and
hear the King's Cause pleaded which accordingly was done and when Sentence of Divorcement should have been according to the King's expectation pronounced Campius then caused Proclamation to be made and adjourned the Court and referred the Sentence to the Pope The King highly displeased hereat sent Dr. Cranmer and some others to the Pope to dispute the unlawfulness of the Marriage who gave Cornelius Agrippa the grand Rabbi in those days such Satisfaction in this point so that none of the Pope's Disputants durst encounter the Doctor about it whereupon a Parliament being called by the King all persons were forbidden to appeal or make payment to Rome and further the King's Marriage with the Lady Catherine of Spain by the said Parliament was Dissolved Upon these proceedings in England the Pope caused his Curse to be set up at Dunkirk in Flanders against the King and pronounced the Marriage Lawful but the King regarded it not for hereby the Pope lost his Supremancy in England and Bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas Moore their Heads for standing for it And now the King married the Lady Ann Bullin Daughter to Viscount Rochford which Lady was accounted a Lutheran and Cardinal Wolsey for his dislike of this Marriage and Adjourning of the Court as is before shewed fell into the Kings Displeasure and several Articles being exhibited against him in Parliament as that he used to write in his Letters I and my King and had caused the Cardinals Cap to be stamped on the Kings Coyn and several other grand Offences hereupon he lost all his Dignities and his House and Furniture were seized and the Earl of Northumberland was sent to bring him up to answer his Charge who took him at Cawood Castle about seven miles from York and as he was on his Journy to London at Leicester Abby he ended his dayes by taking an over much quantity of an Italian Confection for breaking Wind from his Stomach as Report went He is said to have suppressed 40 Monasterys for the raising his two Colledges in Oxford and Ipswich and to have laid by 12 Barrels full of Gold and Silver to serve the Pope in his Wars About this time Elizabeth Barton called the holy Maid of Kent was reported by those who feared the Downfall of Babel to have Revelations from Heaven among which one was That if the King proceeded in his Second Marriage he should not Reign a Moneth to an end but the Mouth of this Oracle was quickly stopt for herself with seven of her Disciples were all execued at Tyburn for Treason And now the Pope seeing his Revenue here in England likely to go to wrack began to write and stir up James the Fifth King of Scots against King Henry his Uncle promising the Crown of England to those that could win it About this time Queen Ann was deliver'd of the Princess Elizabeth afterwards Queen of England and the next year after of a Dead Child and not long after she was sent to the Tower and falsely accused of Adultery and Incest for which she with her Brother the Lord Rochford and Norris Weston and Brierton gentlemen of the Privy Chamber together with one Marks all lost their Heads and the next day after Queen Ann's Death the King married the Lady Jane Seymer And now began the Lord Cromwells rising who by birth was a Black Smyth's Son and had been Cardinal Wolsey's Soliciter he was first made Master of the King's Jewel-house Baron of Oakham in Rutlandshire then Knight of the Garter after that Earl of Essex and then Lord high Chamberlain and lastly the King's Vicar general he was the Sole cause of the demolishing of Monasteryes and the pulling down of Images Idols and Shrines in the Churches of England but this Pillar of the Church was undermined by Stephen Gardener that Murtherer of Protestants in Queen Mary's dayes and so by his means being brought into Dislike with the King at length he was beheaded Now several Commotions arose in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire occasioned by the demolishing of Abbys the Commons being incited thereto by the Monks who had lost their Roast-meat and took ill with Courser Fair but after several propositions made by the Commons to the King and Answers thereunto having Pardon granted they threw down their Arms but several of the Monks rising again with several persons of Quality as the Lord Darcy Lord Hussye Sir Robert Constable Sir Thomas Percy Sir Francis Biggot Sir Stephen Hambleton Sir John Bulmer the Abbot of Fountains Abbot of Gervaulx Abbot of Rivax and Prior of Burlington were afterwards taken and suffered Death and now the King having been two years a Widower since the death of Queen Jane who dyed in Child-Bed of Edward the Sixt afterwards King he was married to the Lady Ann of Cleve but about half a year after through Gardiner's false Suguestions was by Parliament divorsed from her and not long after he Married Catherine Howard Daughter to Edward Brother to Thomas Duke of Norfolk but about 6 Moneths after her Marriage she was condemned of Adultery and lost her Head at Tower Hill and with her the Lady Jane Rochford and several others that year as Margaret the Countess of Salisbury Lord Grey Lord Dacres Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpeper and now the King married the Lady Katherin Parr Wife to the Lord Lattimer And about this time it was enacted by Parliament to be high Treason either to deny the Oath of the King's Supremacy or to acknowledg the Pope and though by this the Discipline of the Church was altered yet little of Doctrine was changed for it was made heresie and death to deny any of the Six Articles following as 1. That after the speaking of the words of Consecration by the Priest the Real and Natural Body and Blood of Christ as he was Conceived and Crucified was in the Sacrament and no other substance 2. That the Communion in both kinds is not necessary to Salvation 3. That Priests may not marry 4. That Vows of Chastity ought to be observed by the Laws of God 5. That private Masses ought to be continued and 6. That Auricular Confession is necessary and expedient to be retained in the Church of God Upon the denial of these six Articles several People suffered the Flames Anno 1541. The King took upon him the Title of King of Ireland and the same year sent an Army against the Scots under the Command of the Duke of Norfolk who when he came to Fight the Scots they willingly lost the day and suffered themselves to be taken Prisoners out of disdain to their Leader Oliver St. Clere for grief whereof their King James the fifth dyed there was at this time 21 men of Account taken Prisoners and committed to the Tower of London but shortly after these Prisoners were released again and a Peace for 10 years concluded upon the promise of a Marriage with the Lady Mary King James his only Child and Prince Edward Henry's Son and Heir afterwards King by the name
Calves and Lambs were Monstrous some with Collors of Skins about their Necks like to the double Cuffs of Shirts then used About this time Francis King of France dying Charles his Brother succeeded him and great Dissentions arising Queen Elizabeth sought a Reconciliation but it could not be obtained whereupon for supportation of Religion she sent an Army into France under the Command of Lord Ambrose Dudly Earl of Warwick who landed at Newhaven in Normandy and after eleven moneths possession thereof were then constrained to render it to the French through Famine and Plague which they brought into England Anno 1563 whereof there dyed in 8 moneths space 23660. The year after the Thames was so hard frozen that Markets were kept on the Ice and all manner of Exercise performed thereon without Danger which Frost going away with a five dayes thaw caused great Floods and drowned many people especially in Yorkshire and this year also was such a Terrible Tempest of Hail Lighting and Thunder in June that at Chelmesford in Essex 500 Acres of Corn was destroyed with it and the Windows on the East side of the Town all the Tyles of their houses were beaten down with it besides divers Barns Chimneys and the Battlements of the Church and the like harm was done in divers other places as at Leeds Crainbrook and Dover And now Shan O Neale Rebelling in Ireland and after several Submissions and Pardons still bursting out again into Armes at length he was slain by his Brother in a Tent. And about this time Anno 1566. The Royal Exchange in London was first built at the Charges of Sir Thomas Gresham the Marchants in former times using to meet in Lumbard-Street And two years after to wit Anno 1568 The Scots murthered their King and Mary Queen of Scotland fled into England where she was honourably received but at length lost her Head Now after these Commotions in Scotland the Earls in the North Westmerland and Cumberland Dacres Nevil Norton Tempest Danby and others in the year 1569 rebelled against the Queen but they were quickly dismaid at the Approach of the Earl of Sussex who was sent against them and surprized them and at Durham caused an Alderman a Priest called Plumtree and 66 Constables to be hanged and Sir George Bowes Knight Marshal did see them Executed in every Town betwixt Newcastle and Weatherby whereupon the Earls fled Westmerland into Flanders and Northumberland into Scotland from whence he was sent into England and lost his head Anno 1570 And the year after at Kingston in the County of Hereford on the 17 of February was the ground seen to open and certain Rocks with a piece of ground removed and went forwards four days together carryed with it great Trees and Sheep-Coats some with 60 sheep in them and overthrew Rimnalstone Chappel the depth of the hole where it first broke out is 30 Foot and the breadth of the Breach was 160 yards also two high ways were removed neare 100 yards with trees and hedg-rowes c. And now Peace being concluded with France and the Queen of Navar a Protestant coming to Paris in France to solemnize her Sons Marriage with the Kings Sister was there secretly poysoned and after her the Admiral of France cruelly murthered and such a Massacre made as neither Sex nor Age escaped the Fury of these Romanists this was about the year 1572. and the time being now elapsed for the delivery of Callis to Queen Elizabeth according to conditions when the Peace was concluded she therefore sent to demand it and after much Dispute and Debate it was at length absolutely denyed And not long after this the Queen was deprived of all Princely Authority at the fained suit of one Morton at Rome and the Pope sent his Bull into England to that purpose which Bull being hung up at the Bishop of London's gate the bringer therof John Felton was for his paines hanged and quartered in St. Paul's Church-yard After this Anno. 1576. In March near Richmond in York-shire a strange Tempest happened which overthrew Cottages Trees Barnes and Hay-stacks and great part of the Church called Patrick Brunton and most strange sights were seen in the Air both terrible and fearful And about this time the Regent of Scotland was murthered and after him the Earl of Lenox the new Regent so powerful were the Popes perswasions with these Idolizers of his holiness the Duke of Norfolk also lost his head on Tower-hill for being as was supposed too favourable towards these Scotch Proceedings and now another new Regent being chosen in Scotland he desired the help of Queen Elizabeth for the defence of the young King which was granted and 1500 Men were sent under the Command of Sir William Drury who presently caused the Surrender of Edenbrough Castle Anno 1580. that renowned English Navigator Sir Francis Drake finished his Voyage of compassing the Earth and now our Merchants began to Trade with the Muscovites and Turks This year there happned a great Earthquake and a Blasing Starr was seen Nightly in October and November a strange and Terrible Tempest also of Lightining and Thunder hapned which seized on the Churches of Blybrough in Suffolk and Bongey nine miles from Norwich and rent the Churches and steeples killing four Persons and several others thrown down groveling on the ground and the same year also in the Parish of Blandsdon in York-shire a women of 80 years of Age named Alice Perim was deliver'd of an hideous Monster whose head was like unto a sallet the fore part of him like a Man with eight Legs of several shapes and a Tail of half a yard long An. 1583 Tobacco came first into England The Pop's Envy now burning still against the Queen he procured the King of Spain to send 600 men for Irelands Rebellion who were all slain by the Lord Grey Deputy of Ireland Anno 1585 Virginia was made an English Colony and about this time all the Assizes kept at the City of Exceter in Devonshire before Sir Henry Anderson Lord Justice of the Common Pleas there dyed Serjeant Floriday Sir John Chichester Sir Arthur Blasset and Sir Barnard Drake Knights Thomas Cary Richard Cary John Fortiscue William Waldrum and Thomas Risden Esquires and Justices of the Peace and of the Common People dyed very many Constables Reeves Tythingmen and Jurors especially of one Jury died eleven of the twelve this Sickness began amongst the Prisoners and fastned on the rest by degrees and about ten years before at the Assizes at Oxford before Sir Robert Bell Lord Chief Barron there dyed abundance of Persons also suddenly by the rising of a damp among them Now as is said before the Pope still seeking all occasions against the Reformed Religion it made several flye and some sued to Queen Elizabeth for Aide amongst whom the States of the Netherlands became her Petitioners for their Defender which Request She thrice denied but at length condescended which kindness hath been badly retaliated and sent 5000
Foot and 1000 Horse under the Command of Sir John Norrice and shortly after went the Earl of Leicester as Deputy but no great matters being performed he was again recalled and Commanded to resign up his Government to the Netherlands again and the King of Spain now under the false proffers of Peace prepared his Invincible Navy as it was called against England of which the Queen had notice by the French King so that she caused the generall Forces of her Realm to be mustred and fifteen hundred horsemen and two and twenty thousand Foot were Commanded to repair to Tilbury in Essex whither She also went attended with her own Guard consisting of two thousand three hundred fifty two horsemen and thirty four thousand and fifty foot her Admiral at Sea was Lord Charles Howard and Vice Admiral Sir Francis Drake This Armado consisted as some of our Chronologers reckon of Seventy two Gallisers and Gallions forty seven Ships and Hulks eleven Pinaces and Carvals two thousand eight hundred forty and three great Ordinance eight thousand ninety and four Saylers eighteen thousand six hundred fifty and eight Soldiers two thousand eighty and eight Gally-Slaves two hundred and twenty thousand great Shot four hundred and seventy thousand and four hundred pounds of Powder one hundred and twelve thousand pounds of Lead for Bullets one hundred thirty four thousand and four hundred pounds of Match seven thousand Muskets and Callivers ten thousand Partizans and Halberts with Biskets Flesh Cheese Rice and other Necessarys for six months but this Terrour of the World was terrified and vanquished by the gallantry of the renouned Lord Howard and Sir Francis Drake who destroyed fourscore and one of the Spaniards Vessels and seventeen thousand of their Men besides many Noble persons taken Prisoners nay there was scarce a worthy Family in all Spain that in this expedition lost not either a Son Brother or Kins-man the Pope's Contribution towards this Expedition was a Million of Gold it was in the year 1588. And now the Queens Enimies being Dissipated She caused publick Thanks to be given to God through the Realm and there were Executed for Treason against her Majesty here in England at several times before and after this Invasion about one hundred Persons whereof threescore and seven were Jesuires And now to requite the Spaniars the Queen the year after assisted Don Antonio King of Portugal with eleven thousand Soldiers and five and twenty hundred Marriners under the Command of Sir John Norris and Sir Francis Drake these English Soldiers won the Groyne and it being intended to be rescued they so valliantly behaved themselves that they took the Spanish King's standard and made great slaughter of their Enemies and burning both the said Town and the Country for three miles round about they then betook themselves to Sea again and shortly after the Earl of Essex joyned with them and then they Sailed for Portugal and took Penish from whence they went to Attempt Lisbone the Metropolis of Portugal but not being able to overcome it they returned and had the Castle of Cassais rendered to them and they took 60 Spanish Hulks Laden with Corn Masts Cables Copper and Wax and so retuned for England with great Honor. After this Supplys were sent by the Queen to Henry King of Navarr a Protestant for the gaining the French Crown but he finding many Rubs in his way changed his Religion and then easily obtained it About this time Anno 1591 one William Harket was executed in Cheapside for Blasphemy and Treason and about three years after Doctor Lopez suffered And now the Spanish Practices still in the Queens thoughts at length she set out a Brave Navy against the Spaniards Anno 1596. their first Assault was on Cadez which Place they won and forced the Cittizens to pay them twenty thousand Duccats for their Ransom and the Ships of the Spaniards which the English ran ashoar there proffered five and twenty hundred thousand Duccats for their ransom which being denyed Acceptance at the Command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia they were all set on fire they being estimated to be worth twelve Millions of Duccats After this another Fleet went again and the Spaniards every where being worsted the Fleet again returned for England with three Prizes worth four hundred thousand Duccats and Sigismond King of Pollonia and the King of Denmark about this time sought to the Queen to conclude a Peace with France but prevailed not And now Tirr Owen in Ireland breaking into Rebellion after some Expeditions thither at length the Earl of Essex was sent Deputy who concluded a Peace with Tirr Owen from six weeks to six weeks for which he was much condemned by the Lords and recalled into England again by the Queen and afterwards lost his head the Queen being neither privy nor consenting to it for whose Death she sore lamented dureing her Life which lasted not long after and bid the Plague of God light upon them for their act which Curse shortly after took effect for in one year there dyed of the Plague in London and the Suburbs thirty thousand five hundred seventy eight besides all those that dyed of other Diseases After Essex the Lord Mountjoy went Deputy for Ireland by whose vigilancy and Courage Tirr Owen at length with all his Adherents from the Pope and the King of Spain were Totally routed and he forced to fly into Spain and now the Spaniards all hopes of prevailing against England being gon began to sue for Peace which upon certain Conditions was granted them and the Queen afterthis perceiving the time of her dissolution to draw nigh named King James of Scotland for her Successor and not long after dyed she was a Queen endowed with all the benefits of Nature a comely person for her Body but more comly in her Soul and an excellent Schollar as may appear by these following Verses made in praise of her None like Elizabeth was found in Learning so divine She had the perfect skilful art of all the Muses nine In Latine Greek and Hebrew She most excellent was known To Foreign Kings Embassadors the same was daily shown The Italian French and Spanish Tongue she well could speak and read The Turkish and Arabian Speech grew perfect at her need This Elizabeth was Queen of England France and Ireland she was the only Daughter of King Henry the Eight by his Second Queen Ann of Bulloin she began her Reign on Thursday the 17 day of November Anno 1558. and reigned 44 years 4 months and 7 days and was the 43 Sole Monarch of England She dyed on Wednesday the 24 day of March Anno 1602 being in the 45 year of her Reign and 69 of her Age. She was buried at Westminster with this Queen expired the Sovereignty of the Tewdors yielding place to the Stuarts to Succeed in which Name it still doth and long and prosperously may it so continue CHAP. XXXIII Of King James HE was Crowned at Westminster by Dr.
quitted by the King with Foy and Mount Edgecombe March Lord Ashly defeated near Stow and Denning surrendred to the Parliament 1646. Aprill Ruthen Castle Exceter St. Michael's Mount Dunster Castle and Woodsteck yielded Corfe Castle taken by Stratagem and the King quits Oxford in Disguise May. Oxfords second siege the King repairs to the Scots at Southwel and thence to Newcastle Banbury and Radnor surrendered June Carnarvan Town and Castle Ludlow Borstal Oxford and Farringdon all yielded to the Parliament July Litchfield Worcester Wallinford Castle Gothridge and Pendennis the like and Conway taken by Storm Aug. Ragland house surrendered by the Marquess of Worcester Sept. Scilly Island and Castle also yielded Octo. Denbigh Castle also yeilded Novem. General Fairfax marched Tryumphantly to London Febr. The Scotch Army having first sold the King for two hundred thousand pounds marched into Scotland and the King sent Prisoner to Holmby by the Parliament And now the King's Enemies having gotten him in their Power remove him from place to place and at length into the Isle of Wight there to be guarded by Collonell Hammon and the Merciless Waves of the Sea and here he writ that excellent Book called Icon Basilicon and afterwards coming to a Treaty of Peace the King so far condescended as that it was then Voted Satisfactory after which the Army and those of the Parliament who had all this time aimed at self Interests began to display themselves in their Colours turning out all such Members of the House of Parliament as they suspected and conveyed the King to Hurst Castle and afterwards to Windsor during which proceedings several Bickerings and Ingagements had happened between the Royallists and Parliamentarians the Royal party every where to going wrack especially at Maidstone Pontefract Bow Stratford Kingston and Preston where the Scotch Army received a great Overthrow loosing a world of men And lastly at Colchester where those two gallant Gentlemen Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle were shot to Death after Quarter given contrary to the Law of Arms. And now the Army and those Members then left in the House after the others were Secluded devised and erected a new unheard of Tribunal called a High-Court of Justice to take Cognizance of the King's Cause one Bradshaw a Serjeant at Law being made President thereof and the King being called before this new Erected Authority was there accused of several Crimes as That he gave Cause of the Cruel Blood-shed in England and Ireland That he had born Arms against the Parliament That he had given Commission to his Son and others to Wage War and Therefore he was pronounced a Traytor a Tyrant and an Enemy to the Common-wealth of England The King refused to answer to the Charge or to acknowledg the Court being several times brought before them and urged thereunto at length upon the 27 day of January Anno 1648. They pronounced Sentence against him That he the said Charles Stewart was faln from all Dignity was guilty of High-Treason and was to be put to Death by severing his Head from his Body for being a Tyrant a Murtherer and an Enemy to the Common-wealth the Sentence being read the Court stood up in Confirmation of it as the Act and Resolution of the whole Court and the King offering to speak something the President would not permit him but Commanded him to be carried away and conveyed to Whitehall And now this Wicked Sentence thus Pronounced they shortly after proceeded to Execution although the Holland Embassadors Adrian Paw and Albertus Joachimus with the Scots also sought to diswade them from it but all would take no place with them they thirsting after the Blood of this Pious Prince and so on Tuesday the 30 day of January Anno 1648 was the Scaffold erected just before White-hall the King's Banquetting-house from which Scaffold the King made his last Speech professing his Innoceney and after by a disguised Executioner had his Head chopt off at one Blow and even his Enemies wept in private for that they had done in publick It being an Insolence without President and a Murther in the highest degree detestable in regard both of the quality and of the Person being acted by Rebellious Subjects upon the Person of their lawful Prince and moreover a Prince in himself of a most exemplary Tenderness and Virtue His Body was put in a Coffin of Black Velvet and carried to his House at St. James's and there put in Lead and about the seventh day of February after it was delivered to two of his Servants to Bury where at Windsor in St. George's Chappel it was Interred in the presence of the Duke of Richmond the Marquess of Hartford and the Earls Lindsy and Southampton and Dr. Juxon with several others on the Breast of the Corps was sawdered a small piece of Lead about two foot long and two inches broad in which was inscribed KING CHARLES 1648. This Charles the First was King of England Scotland France and Ireland he was the Second Son of King James by Ann his Queen who was Daughter to Frederick the Second King of Denmark and Norwigia He began his Reign on Saturday the 27 day of March Anno 16â—2 reigned 23 years 10 months and 3 days and was the 45 sole Monarch of England He was beheaded on Tuesday the 30 day of January as is shewed before Anno 1648 being in the 24 year of his Reign and 49 year of his Age. His Body was buried at Windsor CHAP. XXXV Of King Charles the Second KING Charles the First being Barbarously Murthered the Parliament now began to lop of several Nobles heads and other of the late King's Favourites as Duke Hamelton Lord Capell and the Earl of Holland and now they thought to have intailed their Sitting from Generation to Generation never intending to rife again by a Dissolution and to this intent they put out an Act whereby they took all as they thought either Right or Hope of Succession from Charles the Second and likewise disinabled all the rest of his Brothers and Sisters from Inheriting any thing in England and they caused the King's Arms to be pulled down every where and in their places were set up the Cross and Harp which they called the States Arms the King's Picture also in the old Exchange they caused to be defaced and the following Inscription set behind the head of it in Gold Letters Exit Tyrannus Regum ultimus Anno Libertatis Angliae Restitutae Primo Anno 1648. January 30. They likewise caused the Titles of all Process at Law to be altered and in stead of Carolus Dei Gratia c. they put in Custodes Libertatis Angliae c. and caused the Court of King's Bench to be called by the name of the Vpper-Bench They made also a new Stamp for Money with the Cross on one side thereof and the Cross and Harp on the other side and the Circumscription on the one side was The Common-wealth of England and on the other side
God with us And there was also a new great Seal made And now the Lord Fairfax having laid down his Commission the Parliament made Oliver Cromwell their General who was so Fortunate in all his Enterprizes that in a few years time he brought England Scotland and Ireland into Subjection truth is if his Cause had been Honourable and Just he would have been as much Honoured by Posterity for his Vallour as he is hated by all good Subjects for his Disloyalty and Inhumanity to his Sovereign Lord and Master the King And now his Majesty being in France he hoped to get Aid there but found none yet his Friends here in England Proclaimed him King the Earl of Ormond and Lord Inchequin caused him also to be Proclaimed King in Ireland And now the Parliament proceeded to make Sale of the King and Queen's Lands not sparing their Houses whose Purchasers gained no small Summs by them making Money of the Leads Glass Iron Timber and Stones of the same Houses the Bishops with the Deans and Chapters Lands also received the same Doom and most of the Castles in England were by the Parliament's Order demolished and thrown down and all Persons were expelled from places of Trust either in Church or State which would not Subscribe to the present Government then Established by them And now his Majesty was Proclaimed in Scotland and after great Debate had among them there at length they agree on some Propositions to be sent to the King who was then at the Isle of Jersie and Mr. Windram Laird of Libberton was appointed Messenger The Heads of which Propositions were 1. That his Majesty should sign the Solemn League and Covenant 2. That he should pass divers Acts of Parliament which were concluded on in their two last Sessions of Parliament in Scotland 3. That he should be pleased to recall the late Commissions given to Mounttross 4. That he should put away all Papists from him 5. That he would appoint some place about Holland to Treat with their Comissioners And 6. That he would be graciously pleased to give a speedy Answer to their Desires These Propositions coming to the King they were very stifly debated Pro and Con and after much Consultation at last Sir William Flemming was sent Agent to the Committee of the Estates in Scotland till such as the Laird Libberton could be dispatched who shortly after followed with a Letter and Instructions by word of Mouth to the Committee of Estates and Breda in Holland was appointed for the place of a solemn Treaty and after great debates by the Committee of Estates and Kirk in Scotland at long run it was concluded that the Earl of Castles the Lord Lothian Burly and Libberton Sir John Smith and Mr. Jeoffries should go Commissioners for the Estates and Mr. Broady Lauson and Wood for the Kirk and these having received their Commissions met the King at Breda where after their Speeches made to his Majesty they then delivered their Propositions much to the same effect of those already mentioned Now during this Treaty the Marquess of Montross was seized in Scotland where he was with a most barbarous inhumanity exposed to all the severness imaginable a Gibbet set up for him of a height extraordinary where he was hanged and then quartered with all the circumstances of a solemn and a deliberate cruelty and malice to the eternal infamy of that Faction which would in the very instance of an overture and Treaty of accord proceed to so unheard of an outrage upon the Person of so loyal a Subject to his and their Sovereign This was the fatal and Tragical Event of his Majesties Affairs in Scotland Upon the Report of this News at Breda the King was much Troubled and all the Treaty had like to have broken off upon it but yet the King at length through the necessity of his Affairs concluded the Treaty by condescending to most of the Propositions and this Conclusion being carryed to Edenborough after much Debate it was Resolved another Message should be sent to invite the King over but the Parliament here in England having notice of all those proceedings in Scotland prepared an Army thereupon to Invade Scotland under the Command of their General Oliver Cromwel and they had also about this time put out an Act for the bringing all Proceedings at Law into the English Tongue and Secretary hand which continued so for about some ten years And about this time also their Admiral General Blake took sunck and burnt most of Prince Ruperts Fleet which was a great hurt to the Kings Affairs And now the King being arived at Spey in the North of Scotland some Lords were sent down to accompany him to Edenborough as he came along he was entertained with the general Joy of all the People and at Abberden he was presented with 1500 pounds which thing was ill taken by the Commitee of Estates and Kirk and therefore they sent their Injunction to prohibit other places from doing the like and the King being now come to Edenborough he was again proclaimed King on the 15 of July Anno 1650 but his Coronation was deferred by reason of the then Troubles for the English Army was upon their Borders so the Scots now began to think how they might defend themselves and therefore they marched under the Command of Montgomery and set upon the English at Musclebrough but were worsted and at Dunbarr the English wholly routed them and gained the Pass there this newes was brought to the King at St. Johnstons much about the same time when the death of his Sister the Princess Elizabeth was brought to him so shortly after this he left the States of Scotland and repaired into the North of that Kingdom being no longer able to endure the Affronts put upon him And now besides the danger of the English Army then in the Bowels of Scotland they themselves were yet devided into three Partys so that nothing but ruin could be expected among them but the King returning with Montgomery to St. Johnstons again they were then all reconciled among themselves and the King on the first day of January Anno 1650 was Crowned at Scoon And now the King set up his Standard at Abberdeen and resolved himself to be Generalissimo of the Scoth Army and about this time was Sir Henry Hyde beheaded at London for his Loyalty and not long after Captain Brown Bushel received the like Doom for performing some signal Services for the King And the King now began to Fortifie Sterling to which place he afterwards removed his Court and the English drew nigher and nigher every day and had surprized the Earl of Eglington and one of his Sons but whilest things were thus in Agitation in Scotland a Plot was discovered in England against the Parliament most of which Plotters were Presbyterians and two of them being Ministers viz. Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Love were beheaded for their Treason as the Parliament called it now Cromwell perceiving that he
Earl of Thanet Thomas Weston Earl of Portland William Wentworth Earl of Strafford Robert Spencer Earl of Sunderland Nicholas Leak Earl of Scarsdale John Wilmot Earl of Rochester Henry Jermin Earl of St. Albans Edward Montague Earl of Sandwich James Butler Earl of Brecknock Henry Hyde Earl of Clarendon Arthur Capell Earl of Essex Robert Brudenel Earl of Cardigan Arthur Annesly Earl of Anglesey John Greenvil Earl of Bath Charles Howard Earl of Carlisle William Craven Earl of Craven Robert Bruce Earl of Alesbury Richard Boyle Earl of Burlington Henry Bennet Earl of Arlington Anthony Ashly-Cooper Earl of Shaftsbury Charles Fitz-roy Earl of Southampton Henry Fitz-roy Earl of Euston George Fitz-roy Earl of Northumberland Henry Howard Earl of Norwich William Herbert Earl of Powys Henry Francis Lee Earl of Lichfield Charles Fitz Charles Earl of Plymouth Thomas Leonard Earl of Sussex Thomas Osborn Earl of Danby John Maitland Earl of Guilford Viscounts Leicester Devereux Viscount Hereford Francis Brown Viscount Montague James Fiennes Viscount Say and Seal Edward Conway Viscount Conway Baptist Noel Viscount Campden William Howard Viscount Stafford Thomas Bellafis Viscount Faulconbridg John Mordant Viscount Mordant George Savil Viscount Hallifax Robert Paston Viscount Yarmouth Francis Newport Viscount Newport of Bradley Barrons George Nevil Lord Abergavenny James Touchet Lord Audly Charles West Lord de la Ware George Berkley Lord Berkley Thomas Parker Lord Morley and Montegle Cogniers Darcy Lord Darcy and Meynell William Stourton Lord Stourton Henry Lord Sandys de la Vine Benjamin Mildmay Lord Fitzwater Thomas Windsor Lord Winsor Winâ—fiâ—ld Cromwel Lord Cromwel Ralph Eure Lord Eure. Philip Wharton Lord Warton William Willoughby Lord Willoughby of Parham William Pagett Lord Pagett Dudley North Lord North. William Bruges Lord Shandois James Berty Lord Norris William Petre Lord Petre Digby Gerrard Lord Gerrard of Gerrard Bromley Charles Stanhop Lord Stanhop Henry Arundel Lord Arundel of Wardour Christopher Roper Lord Tenham Robert Grevill Lord Brook Edward Montague Lord Montague of Boughton William Grey Lord Grey of Wark John Roberts Lord Roberts John Lovelace Lord Lovelace John Pawlett Lord Pawlett William Maynard Lord Maynard George Coventry Lord Coventry James Lord Howard of Esrick Charles Mohun Lord Mohun William Boteler Lord Boteler Edward Herbert Lord Herbert of Cherbury Francis Seymour Lord Seymour Thomas Leigh Lord Leigh of Stonely Christopher Hatton Lord Hatton Richard Byron Lord Byron Richard Vaughan Lord Vaughan Charles Smith Lord Carington William Widdrington Lord Widdrington Humble Ward Lord Ward Thomas Culpeper Lord Culpeper Isaac Astley Lord Astley John Lucas Lord Lucas John Bellasis Lord Bellasis Edward Watson Lord Rokingham Charles Gerard Lord Gerard of Brandon Gilbert Sutton Lord Lexinton Charles Kirkhoven Lord Wotton Marmaduke Langdale Lord Langdale William Croft Lord Croft John Berkly Lord Berkly of Stratton Denzil Holles Lord Holles Charles Cornwalis Lord Cornwalis George Booth Lord de la Mere Horatio Townsend Lord Townsend John Crew Lord Crew John Freschevile Lord Freschevile Richard Arundel Lord Arundel of Trerice Thomas Butler Lord Butler of More Park Thomas Clifford Lord Clifford of Chudleigh Lewis de Duras Baron Duras of Holdenly Richard Butler Baron of Weston Charles North Baron Grey of Rollston Heneage Finch Baron of Daventry A Catalogue of the Lords Spiritual ARch-Bis of Canterb. Gilbert Sheldon Arch-Bishop of York Richard Stern St. Asaph Isaac Barrow Bangor Humphry Lloyd Bath and Wells Peter Mew Bristol Guy Carleton Carlile Edward Rainbow Chester John Pearson Chichester Dr. Bredyoke Coventry and Litchfi Thomas Wood. St. Davids William Lucy Durham Nathaniel Crew Ely Peter Gunning Exeter Anthony Sparrow Glocester John Prichard Hereford Herbert Croft Llandaff William Lloyd Lincoln Thomas Barlow London Hump. Hinchman Norwhich Edward Reynolds Oxford Henry Compton Peterburrogh Joseph Henshaw Rochester John Dolben Salisbury Seth Ward Winchester George Morley Worcester Walter Blandford The Contents of the several Chapters CHAP. I. Of the Scituation of Britain with its Lymits together with some of the old Customs practised amongst the Britains and the several names of the Island when first Inhabited c. pag. 1 CHAP. II. Of the antient Inhabitants of Britain and the Cities of their possessions as they were called by Ptolomy and often since mentioned in the Roman Writers together with the names of such Brittish Princes as opposed the Romans Conquest 9 CHAP. III. Of the Roman Emperors and their Deputies who ruled over and continued the Britains under their Subjection 16 CHAP. IV. Of the Conquest of Britain by the Saxons as also of the Commencement and Continuance of their several Kingdoms therein during the Heptarchy with the Names of the Kings Ruling in each Kingdom 35 CHAP. V. Of the British Princes who withstood the Saxons Conquest being accounted 13 61 CHAP. VI. Of the Saxon Princes who incroached upon one anothers Territories and so became petty Monarchs of some certain Countries only in Britain They being accounted 14 in number 70 CHAP. VII Of those 15 Saxon Princes who were accounted sole Monarchs of this Kingdom of ENGLAND 80 CHAP. VIII Of the Danes and their Conquest of England with the memorable Accidents happening during the times of those three Danish Monarchs who ruled here 97 CHAP. IX Of the Saxons Re-entry again to the Monarchy of England after the Danes Conquest 102 CHAP. X. Of England's Conquest by the Normans and first of William the Conqueror 110 CHAP. XI Of King William the Second commonly called Rufus 121 CHAP XII Of King Henry the first commonly called Beauclark for his Learning 126 CHAP. XIII Of King Stephen sometimes called Stephen of Bloyce 134 CHAP. XIV Of King Henry the Second sometimes called Henry Fitz-Empress 142 CHAP. XV. Of King Richard the first commonly called Richard Courdelion 149 CHAP. XVI Of King John commonly termed by his Father John Lackland 155 CHAP. XVII Of King Henry the Third commonly called Henry of Winchester 162 CHAP. XVIII Of King Edward the First commonly called Long-Shanks 176 CHAP. XIX Of King Edward the Second commonly called Edward of Carnarvan 181 CHAP. XX. Of King Edward the Third common called Edward of Windsor 188 Of King Richard the Second commonly called Richard of Bourdeaux 197 CHAP. XXII Of King Henry the Fourth commonly called Henry of Bullingbrook 206 CHAP. XXIII Of King Henry the Fifth commonly called Henry of Monmouth 214 CHAP. XXIV Of King Henry the Sixth commonly called Henry of Windsor 200 CHAP. XXV Of King Edward the Fourth 216 CHAP. XXVI Of Edward the Fifth 252 CHAP. XXVII Of King Richard the Third 258 CHAP. XXVIII Of King Henry the Seventh 267 CHAP. XXIX Of King Henry the Eight 278 CHAP. XXX Of King Edward the Sixth 298 CHAP. XXXI Of Queen Mary 303 CHAP. XXXII Of Queen Elizabeth 311 CHAP. XXXIII Of King James 324 CHAP. XXXIV Of King Charles the First 330 CHAP. XXXV Of King Charles the Second 356 FINIS A Catalogue of some Books lately Printed and to be sold by Thomas Basset at the George near Cliffords-Inn in Fleet street 1. A Treatise of Money or a Discourse of Coin and Coinage the first Invention Use Matter Forms Proportions and Differences Antient and Modern with the Advantages and Disadvantages of the Rise or Fall thereof in our own or neighboring Nations and the Reasons with a short account of our Common Law therein also Tables of the value of all sorts of Pearls Diamonds Gold Silver and other Mettals by R. Vaughan Esq price bound 18 pence Printed 1675. 2. A help to English History containing a succession of all the Kings of England the English Saxons and Britains the Kings and Princes of Wales the Kings and Lords of Man the Isle of Wight as also of all the Dukes Marquesses Earls and Bishops thereof with the Description of the places from whence they had their Titles together with the names and ranks of the Viscounts Barons and Baronets of England By Peter Heylin D. D. and since his Death continued to this present year 1675 with the Coats of Arms of the Nobility Blazon'd in twelves price bound 4 s. Printed 1675. 3. The Egyptian History treating of the Pyramids the Inundation of the Nile and other Prodigies of Egypt according to the opinions and traditions of the Arabians written originally in the ARABIAN Tongue by Murtadi the Son of Gaphiphus Rendered into French by Mounsier Vattier Arabick Professor to the King of France and thence Faithfully done into English by J. D. of Kidwellâ— in octavo price bound 2 s. 6 d. 4. A Rational Method for proving the truth of the Christian Religion as it is professed in the Church of England by Gelbert Burnet price bound 1 s. Printed 1675. 5. The practical Christian consisting of Meditations and Psalms illustrated with Notes or Paraphrased relating to the House of Prayer the ordinary actions of day and night and several dispositions of men by R. Sherlock price 2 s. Printed 1675. 6. The Modern Pleas for Comprehension Tolleration and the taking away the Obligation to the renouncing of the Covenant considered and discussed By Dr. Tomkins in octavo Price 2 s. Printed 1675. 7. The Russian Impostor or the History of Muscovy under the Usurpation of of Boris And the Imposture of Demetrius in octavo Price 2 s. 8. A Discourse concerning the Idolatry of the Church of Rome wherein that charge is justified and the Pretended Refutation of Dr. Stillingfleet's Discourse is answer'd by Daniel Whitby D. D. in octavo price 3 s. 6d 9. Liber Placitandi a Book of special Pleading's by W. Thomson Esquire in Folio 10. The Reports of Sir William Jones in folio Price 16 s. printed 1675. 11. The Reports of Henry Rolle Serjant at Law in folio Price 12 s. printed 1675. 12. Formulae bene Placitandi A book of Entries containing variety of choice Presidents of Counts Declarations Informations c. in two parts in folio the second Edition corrected by W. B. Price 22 s. reprinted 1575.