of sishes take The King to maintaine his former Warres which proved so terrible to the French and others was forced to exact money from all manner of people not sparing the Clergie nor the Laitie and therefore Merlin cals him A cunning Alcumist who hath the skill Gold both from flowers and Nettles to distill By the Flowers meaning the Spiritualty by the Nettles the Temporalty in the twenty seventh yeere of this Kings Reign died Henry the fourth Emperour of that name who had before married Mawd the daughter to Henry King of England after whose death she came to her Father in Normandy who because hee had no heires male left of his body hee caused all the Bishops and Barons to sweare in his presence that they The Lords sworne to the succession of Mawd the Empresse should keep the Crowne of England to the use of this Mawde the Empresse if hee died without issue male and she surviving In the eight and twentieth yeere of his Sovereignty Ieffery Plantaginet Earle of Anjoy was espoused unto Mawde the Empresse from whom Her second mariage descended Henry the second sirnamed Short-Mantle who after Stephen was King of England King William being in Normandy as some write fell either with his Horse or from his Horse which after was the cause of his death But Rainolph saith that he tooke a surfet by eating of a Lamprey and died of that when he had reigned thirty five yeers and odde moneths The death of Henry the first of that name whose body when it was embowelled before it could be embalmed cast such a stench that none could abide the place where hee was dissected and though it was wrapped in a Buls skin yet it little abated the smell in so much that divers were infected therewith and the Chyrurgion who clensed the head died of the unwholsome scent which proceeded from the braine which some conjectured to bee a just judgement laid upon him for his mercilesse cruelty shewed upon his brother Robert whose eyes as some have reported hee caused to bee torne out of his head during his imprisonment his body was brought into England and was afterwards buried in the Abbey of Reading which he before had founded after whose death Fame spoke of him as of all other Princes both in the better and worse part Divers said that he surpassed many of his Predecessour Kings in three How the King was spoken of after his death things in wit in eloquence and good successe in battaile and others spared not to say that he was pestilently infected with three notorious vices Covetousnesse Cruelty and Lechery CHAP. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reigne of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawde the Empresse of Henry Short-Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History In every circumstance making good Merlins Prophesie STephen Earle of Bolloigne and sonne Stephen Earle of Bulloigne crowned King to the Earle of Bloys and Mawd sister to the wife of Henry late deceased began his Reigne over the Realme of England in the yeere of grace one thousand one hundred thirty six who was valiant and hardy but as some affirme contrary to the oathe made to King Henry concerning Mawd the Empresse he usurped the Crown and was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at West minster upon the day of Saint Stephen in Christmasse weeke which Archbishop who had taken the same Oath died shortly Perjury punished by the hand of God after with diverse other Lords guilty of the same perjury which as some write was animated and incouraged by one Hugh Bigot who was Steward to King Henry and presently after his death came over into England and before the said Archbishop came other Lords tooke an Oath and sware that he was present a little before the Kings death when hee heard him to disinherit his Daughter Mawd for some distaste that hee had taken against her and had adopted as his lawfull Heire Stephen his Nephew to which the Archbishop with the rest gave too hasty battaile neither did this Hugh for his wilfull perjury escape unpunished who soone after with great trouble of conscience most miserably expired but before I proceed Hugh Bigot dyeth miserably further in the story I will deliver unto you Merlins Prophesie of those times which followeth Drop must a Sagittary from the Skies The prophesie But against him an Eglet will arise That in the Morian Mountains built her nest And against that Celestiall signe contest Shee fayling will a Lions whelpe appeare Whose rore shall make the Centaure quake with feare But when the two shap't Monster shall be tam'd By gentle means the whelpe will be reclaim'd And when the Iron brood in the Land shal fail The bloud of the white Dragon must prevail By the Sagittary which is one of the twelve Celestiall Signes and is the same which hee calleth Part of it exâ—…laned the two shap't Centaure is figured King Stephen who gave not the Lions as his former predecessours had done but emblazed the before-named Sagittary in his Scutcheon and therefore he is by the Prophet so stiled by the Eglet is also intended Maud the Empresse and by the Morian Mountaines a place in Italy so called siguratively including all Italy by a part thereof now let vs see how this with the rest is mâ—…de good by the event In the beginning of his reigne King Stephen King Stephen extorteth both from the Clergie and the Laity used great rigour against the Clergy as fining some Bishops and imprisoning others Besides he seised on all the strong holds and Castles within the Realm as still fearing the comming in of Maud the Empresse in which time Robert Earle of Glocester the base sonne of King Henry took displeasure against the King for seising the strong holds of Glocester Hereford Webly Bristol Dudly and others part of which belonged to his Inheritance and therefore he sent letters to his sister Maud promising to assist her in the iust claime of her Inheritance In the moneth of Iuly and sixth yeare of King Mawd the Empresse landeth in England Stephen â—…aud the Empresse landed at Portsmouth and made towards Bristol at what time Stephen layd siege to the Castle of Walling-ford who hearing of her arivall gathered all the forces hee could make and drew towards the Enemie in which time Robert Earle of Glocester Ranulph Earle of Chester were ioyned to the Empresse and when both their hoasts were in the field ready to give the alarme Ranulph Earle of Chester thus spoke to his souldiers and sayd I require you friends and Countrimen that I The Barons Oration to their souldiers who am the cause to bring you here to hazard lives may be the first man to put mine owne in danger whom Earle Robert interrupted and said It is not unworthy to thee who demandest the first stroake and hazard of this battaile who both for thy noblenesse of bloud and thy
Merlin came to be known to King Vortiger of the combat betwixt the red and the white Dragon and his prophesie thereof c. p. 18 Chap. 4. Merlins former prophesie explained sundry prestigious acts done by him to delight the King His prophesie of the Kings death c. p. 25 Chap. 5. Uterpendragon succeedeth his brother Aurelius He is enamoured of Igerna wife to the Duke of Cornwall whom by the art of Merlin he enjoyes of whom he begot King Arthur pag. 32 Chap. 6. Merlins former prophesie made plain concerning king Arthur with sundry other occurrences pertinent to the English History pag. 41. Chap. 7. Of the conception and birth of these 7 pious and religious brothers And being sent to death how preserved educated and doctrinated Merlins prophesies and their explanation p. 49 Chap. 8. He prophesieth of the civill wars that shall be in Britain in the time of Cadwallo And of the great dearth and desolation in the Reigne of Cadwallader c. p. 58 Chap. 9. Of divers bloudy battails fought betwixt Canutus and Edmund Their great opposition ended in a single Duell They make peace and equally divide the kingdome betwixt them p. 68 Chap. 10. Merlins prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his tithing of the Norman Gentlemen c. p. 76. Chap. 11. The landing of Duke William with the Normans The battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slain being the last King of the Saxon bloud Wil. conquereth c. p. 87 Chap. 12. The prediction of the two Dragons made good by the subsequent History in Robert and William the two sons of the Conquerour who the Lion of Iustice was and what was meant by his Alchymy c. p. 96. Chap. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reign of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawd the Empresse of Henry Short Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History c. p. 106 Chap. 14. Divers remarkable passages during the Reigne of Henry the second his numerous Issue and how they were affected towards him his vic◅ and vertues his good and bad fortune all which were by this our Prophet predicted p. 116 Chap. 15. The Inauguration of Richard the first sirnamed Cordelion a prediction of his Reigne His wars in the Holy Land his imprisonment by the Duke of Austria his brother Iohns usurpation his second Coronation with his unfortunate death c. p. 127 Chap. 16. The rest of the prophesie made good in the subsequence the troublesome Reign of K. Iohn his losse of Normandy his Land interdicted by the Pope to whom hee is compeld to resigne his Crown his death c. p. 137 Chap. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the third succeedeth his Father a prediction of his Reign his brother Richard made king of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament p. 147 Chap. 18. The death of Henry the third and Richard Earle of Cornwall king of the Romans Prince Edwards victories in the Holy Land His Coronation the prophesie of his reign c. p. 157 Chap. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crown of Scotland for which they did them homage K. Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The prophesie fulfilled His death And coronation of his son c. p. 167 Chap. 20. The Kings unfortunate wars in Scotland The battail of Banno◅urn c. Barwick betrayed to the Scots The pride and insolencie of the Spencers Their misleading the K c. p. 178 Chap. 21. The deposing of Edward 2d his repentance his death his son Edward made K◅g A prophesie of his reign His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwick His famous victory at Sea over the French c. p. 189 Chap. 22. The famous battaile of Poytyers fought by Edward the Black Prince in which hee took Iohn the French King prisoner His conquest in Spaine The memorable act of William VVal worth Lord Major c. p. 201 Chap. 23. The Duke of Glocester by a Parlament reformeth the Common-wealth Iohn of Gaunt claims his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons c. p. 213 Chap. 24. The coronation of Henry the 4 with his great Feast held in VVestminster Hall A great conspiracy intended against him but prevented the lamentable murder of King Richard the second in Pomfret Castle by Sir Pierce of Exto◅ His valour at his death His Epitaph The great riches found in his treasury c. p. 224 Chap. 25. The Coronation of Henry the fift A prophesie of his reign His victorious battail over the French at Agencourt His second Voyage into France His victories by Sea and Land He is made heir by the marriage of his wife to the Crowne of France His third Voyage into France The birth of Pr. Henry The death of Henry the fift p. 236. Chap. 27. The Duke of Glocester made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasil a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Pa◅is A prophesie of his reign the death of the D. of Gloster The death of the Marquis of Suffolk The insurrection of the Commons under Iacke Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh arms his person seised against the Kings promise and for feareset at liberty p. 248. Chap. 28. The ambition of Queen Margaret The battail at Saint Albons Yorke made Protector The Queens practice against the Lords The battail at Northampton York proclaimed heire to the Crowne York slain in the battail at Wakefield Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made king A prophesie of his Reigne The battaile at Exham King Henry taken and sent to the Tower The marriage of Edward Hee flies the Land Henry again made king p. 259. Chap. 29. Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crown and Glocester traytor his landing at Ravēsport the battail at Barnet the battail at Teuxbury king Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence The death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young king c. p. 272. Chap. 30. Dissention betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham Richard insidiateth the life of Richmond Buckingham takes armes against the King and is beheaded Banister perfidious to his Lord Queene Annes policy and tyranny His Lawes Richmond landeth at Milford Haven The battaile at Bosworth The death of Richard Richmond made King A prophesie of his Reigne c. p. 283 Chap. 31. The Earle of Northumberland slain by the Commons The Matchevilian plots of the Dutchesse of Burgundy to disturbe the peace of king Henry Perkin Warbeck her Creature hee is nobly marryed in Scotland and taken for the Duke of Yorke the death of the Lord Standley and others Divers insurrections about Perkin his
or by the extremity of tempests hee was driven upon the province of Pountithe and there surprised and sent as prisoner to William Duke of Normandy who some say forced him to take an oath to marry his daughter and keep the Kingdome of England to his behoofe but that which carrieth more shew of trueth is that Harold to insinuate into the Dukes favour in whose power hee now was told him that his King in the presence of his Baronry had selected him his Heire and covenanted with him that if hee survived his sovereigne hee would keepe the Crowne to his use for which Meaning the Duke the Duke gave him his daughter in contract with promise of a large dowry but she was yet in her minority not ripe for marriage in confirmation of which Duke William gave him also his brothers sonne Hucon one of the Hostages and kept the other and after sent him over with rich gifts all which at his returne to England he acquainted the King with who expired the fourth day of Ianuary when hee had reigned twenty three yeeres seven months and The death of Edward the Confessor odde dayes and lyes buried in the Monasterie of Westminster which he before had much beautified and repaired After whom succeeded in the Throne Harold the second son of Earle Goodwin and last King Harold crowned King of England of the Saxons who began his Reigne over England in the yeere one thousand forty six the ambition to gain a Crowne making him forget his oath and promise made to Duke William In the beginning of his Reigne his Land was invaded by his brother Tostius who was beat out of the Kingdome by Edwin and Malcharus Earles of Mercia and Northumberland then Harold Hafagar King of Denmarke and Norway whom Guido the Historiographer calleth the sonne of Canutus hearing of the death of Edward with an Army of three hundred England invaded by the Danes ships entred the mouth of the River Tyne pretending to conquer England as his right and lawfull inheritance which Harold hearing sent the two aforesaid Earles of Mercia and Northumberland till he himselfe had gathered sufficient forces who gave the Danes a strong battaile but being overset with multitudes they were forced to give backe so that the enemy entred further into the Land which the King hearing Harold made haste with his powers And met them at a place called Stratford bridge In which Interim Tostius came out of Scotland and tooke part against his brother Betwixt these two Hoasts was fought a bloudy A bloudy battail in which Harold was victor and cruell battaile In which many brave Knights breathed their last and amongst them Tostius the two Harolds of England and of Denmarke met and fought hand to hand in which combat Harold of Denmarke fell under the hand of Harold of England who was likewise Master of the field in which Olanus brother to Harfagar and Paulus Duke of the Orcades were taken prisoners of whom Harold took sure pledges for their fidelity and homage CHAP. 11. The Landing of Duke William with the Normans the battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slaine being the last King of the Saxon bloud William remayneth Conquâ—…rour and is crowned King of England His death and the successe of the Prophesie HArold ambitiously puft up with this great victory divided not the spoyle Some think it was a great cause of his losse of the battail against William from the enemy taken equally but avaritiously kept the greatest part to his owne use and the remainder hee distributed not to those who had best fought but to those whom hee most favoured by reason whereof hee lost the Harolds answer to Duke William hearts of many of his Knights in this Interim died the Daughter of Duke William before contracted to Harold by which hee thought himselfe fully discharged of his former duty and promise But Duke William was of a contrary minde and by divers messengers mixing faire termes with menaces put him in remembrance of the breach of both to which Harold gave a slight answer that rash and unadvised covenants might bee as well violated as kept that it was not in his power to dispose of the Crowne and Kingdome without the assent of the Peeres and Barons of the Realme besides oaths and promises made either by feare or force were of no validity and therefore left him to take what course hee pleased according to his best direction for that was his peremptory answer At which Duke William being much incensed gathered a selected Army which hee caused to be shipt with all things necessary for so great Duke William â—…ndeth in England an Enterprize and launching from the port of Saint Valery In shorttime landed neer Hastings in Sussex at a place called Penusy making three Three pretenses for his Invasion pretences for his invasion The first and chiefe was to challenge his right to the Crowne as next Heire and moreover bequeathed unto him by his Nephew Edward the Confessor upon his death-bed The second was to vindicate the bloudy murder of his Cousin Alfred and brother of the late King committed by E. Goodwin upon Guildowne which was done as hee pretended by the especiall instigation of Harold The third was to revenge the banishment of Archbishop Robert before remembred in the accusation of Queene Emma with which also hee chargeth Harold as the sole animatour of his exile and hitherto Merlins Prophesies admit no contradiction when he faith Iron men in wooden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with the Eglets drive By the Iron-men meaning the Normans in The prophesie explained Iron Casks and Corslets by wooden Tents their Navigable Vessels who in Harold extinguisht the bloud of the white Dragon the Saxons and expelled the Eglets who were the Danes the brood of Swanus in that Princely bird so emblematized the story followeth Duke William landing one of his feet slipt and the other stuck fast in the sand which one of his Knights observing A good Omen cried aloud A good Omen now William England is thine owne and thou shalt change the title of Duke into King at which he smiled and piercing further into the Land hee made proclamation that no man should take any prey or make any spoyle or doe any violence to the Natives saying it were no reason that hee should offer outrage to that which should be his owne Harrold was at that time in the North who hearing the Normans were landed gathered his forces by the way as he came to supply his army which was much weakned by reason of the last battaile fought against the Danes and Norways and sending spies into the Dukes host to Harold sends spyes into the Dukes Hoast discover their strength word was brought him that his souldiers were all preists and lawyers as having their upper lips chins and cheeks shaven which was their custom then and the English used to weare
Monkes severally and either of them outbid the other the King casting his eye upon the third who came as their servant thinking his businesse had been to the same purpose demanded of him if hee would give more then his brethren had proffered who answered him againe that he would neither offer nor give to the value of one penny neither would he take any such charge upon him which came unlawfully by symony whose words when the King had duly considered he said that he of the three was best worthy to take so holy a charge upon him and gave it him freely Duke Robert being at this time in the holy Henry usurpeth the crown Wars the yongest brother Henry third son to the Conquerour and first of that name began his Reigne the fift day of August in the yeere of our Lord eleven hundred and one and this was he whom Merlin cals Leo Iustitiae the Lion â—…f Iustice who banisht from his Court all flattering and effeminate Sycophants he was also abstinent and abhorring gormondizing and the excesse of Feasts hee was further well studied in the seven Liberall Arts and used to fight more with counsaile then the sword and yet upon just occasion hee would shew himselfe as valiant as he proved fortunate In the second yeere of whose Reigne Robert his brother being there imployed in the Wars of Palaestine against the Miscreants and Infidels receiving newes that his brother William was dead and that his brother Henry had usurped Duke Robeâ—…t offered to bee made King of Ierusalem the Crown of England notwithstanding that the Christian Princes offered to make him King of Ierusalem yet he refused that honour but with great speed returned into Normandie and there raised forces to claime his right unto the Crown of England and landed at Portsmouth but a mediation of peace was made betwixt them and that hee should have the same yeerly revenue of three thousand Marks which he had in the days of King William with which he returned fully satisfied at which his Lords and Peeres were much discontented as also for other things which in his easie nature hee had yielded to both against his honour and profit Duke Robert neglected by his Peeres for which he was by them lesse regarded and in the end quite neglected This Robert in his Fathers days was in all his enterprizes victorious and after did many brave exployts at the siege of Acan against the Turks and as is before said was by the great suffrage of the Christian Hoast chosen King of Ierusalem but whether hee thought it to be an honour with too much trouble or for the covetousnesse of the Crowne of England hee made refusall thereof for which it hath beene thought that hee sped the worse in all his endevours after For a dissention fell betwixt him and his Nobles so that they sent to King Henry his brother that if hee would come over into Normandy they would deliver up the whole Country into his hands and acknowledge him their sole Lord and Governour of which profer it is said Henry accepted but before any hostility was threatned Robert came into England to visit his brother and new sister for the King was lately married to Mawd the Duke Roberts easie and liberall disposition daughter of Malcolme King of Scotland at whose request he released to his brother the tribute of three thousand Marks by the yeere and so departed Notwithstanding which by the instigation of bad and wicked Counsellours this seeming brotherly love was quite abrogated and dissolved so that the King with a strong Army invaded Normandy and by reason that Roberts Peeres and Nobles fell from him hee chased him from place to place and won from him his Cities Cane Roan and Faloys with all other places defensible so that Robert was forced to defire aide of Philip the French King and after of the Earle of Flanders but they both failed him so that with those few forces which hee could make hee gave battaile to his brother in the which hee was surprized and taken prisoner and sent over into England and put Duke Robert taken prâ—…soner by his bâ—…other into the Castle of Cardiffe in Wales where hee remayned his whole life time and being dead was buried at Glocester and thus hee who might have been King of Ierusalem and twice King of England had he taken the opportunity offered The Duchy of Duke Robert him died with no greater title then the bare Duke of Normandy Warres then grew betwixt the King of England and the French King in which they sped diversly but in the end Henry beat him in his own Country and had of him a glorious victory to the great terrour and astonishment of all the French Nation and those lesser Princes of his Confederacie making good that of the Prophet The Lion next of Iustice shall appeare Who 'gainst the Celticke Towers shall ladders reare And cause the Lily like the Aspen shake Whose rore shall all the Island Serpents quake By the Lily is meant the Flowre de Lyce which The Prophesâ—…e explained the French King beares in his Scutcheon which was said to quake like an Aspen whose leafe of all others is soonest moved with the winde by reason of the great affright and terrour hee put the French into at the noyse of his Drummes the thundring of his Horses hoofs and the lowdnesse of his warlike instruments About the twentieth yeere of this Kings Reigne when he had been three yeeres together in Normandy the King took shipping at Harflute a part of that Duchie the foure and twentieth day of November and arrived safe in England not many houres after And soon upon that his two sonnes William who was Duke of Normandy with Richard his brother with Notha the Countesse of Parsie Richard Earle of Chester with his wife the Kings Niece The Archdeacon of Hereford with Knights Gentlemen and others to the number of an hundred and forty persons These took shipping at the same Port to follow the King but in their passage the ship sunke under them and they were all drowned to one man saving a Butcher who reported that this disastrous misfortune fell The Kings two sonnes with many others drowned by the negligence of the Master and Saylers who in the night being at dissention amongst themselves ran the Vessell upon a Rocke and split her from which danger the young Duke William was escaped by getting into a boat neer the shâ—…are but when hee heard the lamentable out-cry of the Countesse Notha hee commanded the Rowers to row back and if it were possible to save her life who having recovered her into the boat they were by a tempestuous gust so over-charged that it was violently overturned and they all swallowed in the Sea of which strange accident Merlin also prophesied in these words The Lions whelps their nature shall forsake Catuli Leonis in aequoreo pisces transformabuntur And upon them the shape
knowne magnanimity and courage farre surpassest other men but the Kings false oath hath levied men to this unjust warre in which wee must either strive bravely to winne the mastery or else be basely overcome and we now are run into that hazard that none of us is safe which shall not acquit himselfe by his resolution and Knightly boldnesse therefore shew your valour and be assured of victorie Then Earle Baldwin standing in the front of Earle Baldwins incouragement to to the Kings Army the Kings battaile began to incourage his souldiers in this manner To men that shall fight three things are by them to be observed The first the Iustice of the cause lest they indanger their soules which is cleere on our part who sight for our King Country the second is the number of men and the accommodation of Armes for few are not to oppose a multitude nor naked men against armed and we parallel if not exceed them both in amunition and number the third is boldnesse and courage not for defence only but offence which me thinks I espy in your faces and therefore of all these three our Army is sufficiently furnished Now what bee our enemies A weake and distressed woman assisted by two weak supporters Robert Earle of Glocester a man daring without deed and accustomed to word with words not weapons and Ranulph Earle of Chester haughty but withall fool-hardy constant in nothing and conscious only of Conspiracies who proposeth great enterprizes but never brings any to good effect and for many Legions conducted by such Leaders the more they be in company the sooner they be overcome At which word he was cut off by the violent The battell betwixt the King and the Empresse comming on of the enemy and now beganne a cruell battaile resolutely and bravely fought on both sides the violence whereof lasted long uncertain who should be victors but in the end the Kings Hoast was utterly routed but hee of a more heroicke spirit as scorning to flie mayntained the fight with some few of his Knights The King takâ—…n prisoner and was taken prisoner and being brought before the Empresse shee commanded him to bee conveyed under safe custody to the Castle of Bristoll where he remayned indurance from Candlemasse to holy Rood day next ensuing after which victory she was so exalted in thought and puft up with pride that shee thought now shee had the whole Kingdome in her owne possession and came triumphantly to Winchester after to Wilton to Oxford to Reading to Saint Albans and lastly to London in all which places she was royally received and during her abode there the Queene made assiduate labour for the delivery of the King her husband promising he The Queenes pâ—…tition to the Empresse should surrender the whole Land into her possession and either be take himselfe to some Religious Order or to become a banisht Pilgrime to the end of his life but all was in vaine shee could receive no comfort from the Empresse upon any conditions The Citizens of London likewise petitioned unto her that they might use the Laws of Edward the Confessor as they were confirmed by the Conquerour and that she would be pleased to disanull the strict innovations imposed on the land by her Father Henry to which she nor her Counsell would in the least wise condiscend but the tyde soone turned for Kent tooke part The Londoners and Kentishmen take part with the King with the King and the Londoners being discontented at the deniall of their suite and being assured that the Kentish men would in all their Enterprizes assist them they purposed to have surprized her person of which she having secret intelligence left a great part of her Iewels and houshold-stuffe and fled to Oxford in which slight many of her adherents were disheartned and a great part of her forces dispersed and scattered Then the Queene before so much despised The Queene puâ—…sueth the Empresse by the ayde of her friends the Kentish men Londoners and others gathered a strong host under the conduct of one William De-Pre to pursue the Empresse who understanding the Queens forces daily to increase and hers assiduatly to diminish shee left Oxford and secretly escaped to Glocester whither the Queenes host followed her in defence of which City Robert brother Earle Bobert of Glocester taken prisoner of the Empresse making an excursion from the towne was surprised and taken Briefly a Communication was held between the two opposite parties in which after much debating the businesse on both sides it was concluded that there should be one exchange made of the two prisoners so that the King vpon Holy rood day in harvest King Stephen released in exchange of Earle Robert was released and delivered up to the Queen and her Army and Robert of Glocester was surrendred to his sister Maud the Empresse The Land in this time was much distressed by these two Armies who were in continuall agitation sometimes the King having the better and sometimes the Empresse to relate which at large would aske too long circumstance but in the end the King had the better in the seventeenth Yeare of whose Raigne dyed Ranulph Earle of Chester and Ieffry Plantaginet husband to Maud the Empresse after whose death their The death of Iâ—…ffery Plantaginet sonne Henry sirnamed short mantle because hee used to goe in a short Cloak was created Duke of Anjou and Normandy whose sonne few yeares after maried Elenor daughter to the Earl of Poyctow who had before bin maried to Lewis The marriage of Henry Duke of Normandy the French King but for the too neernesse of blood divorced after hee had received two daughters from her Mary and Alice so that this Henry was the Earle of Anjou by his father Duke of Normandy by his mother and Earle of Poyctow by his wife This King Stephen had a sonne named Eustace Eustace the sonne of King Stephen who by ayde of the French King warred upon the forenamed Henry in which the Duke so Knightly demeaned himselfe that it proved to their great disadvantage some say that King Stephen would have crowned his sonne in his life time but the Clergie would not agree thereto having a command from the Bishop of Rome to the contrary and therefore his purpose tooke no effect Then the King said siege to the Castles of Newbery Wallingford Warbycke and Warwell which had beene kept by the friends of the Empresse to her use in hope of the comming over of her sonne Duke of Duke Henry landeth in England Normandy c. who the same yeere with a great Hoast entered England and first wanne the Castle of Malmsbury and after came to London and possessed himselfe both of the City and the Tower which more by his policie and promise then his potencie and power performed Then King Stephen with his Hoast drew neer to Duke Henry but by the mediation of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury and
others of the Clergie and Nobility who met at a place called the water of Vrme they were kept from A peace mediated betwixt the King and the Duke present hostility some endevouring peace others labouring warre as their humours and affections guided them After which the King took his way towards Ipswich in Suffolke the Duke towards Shrewsbury in which interim died and was drowned Eustace the sonne of King Stephen and was buried at Feversham in Kent in the Abbey which his Father before The death of Prince Eustâ—…ce had founded After which Theobald with others ceased not to bring these two Princes to an attonement which was so earnestly laboured that a peace was concluded upon the conditions following namely that the King having now no heire should continue in the sole Sovereignty during his life and immediately after the conclusion and establishing of that Edict Henrie should be proclaimed Heire apparant in all the chiefe Cities and Borâ—…ughs of England and that the King should take him for his sonne by adoption as immediate Heire to the Crowne and Kingdome wherein that part of the prophesie is fulfilled which saith She failing will a Lions whelpe appeare Whose rore should make the Centaure quake with feare But when the two shap't Monster shall be tam'd By gentle means the whelpe shall be reclaim'd By the Centaure and two shap't Monster or the Sagittary which are all one meaning the King and by the Lions whelpe Henry Duke of Normandy The death of King Stephen c. and after King of England In the end of this yeere died King Stephen when hee had reignâ—…d eighteen yeeres and odde moneths and was buried by his sonne Eustace at Feversham This King spent his whole Reigne in great vexation and trouble which as some conjecture hapned because hee usurped the Crowne contrary to his Oath made to Henry the first that hee should maintaine the inheritance of his daughter Mawd the Empresse this Stephen Vpon what grounds Stephen pretended his title to the Crown was the sonne of Eustace Earle of Bulloigne and of Mary sister to Mawd who was married to his predecessor Henry these two are the daughters of Margaret the wife of Malcolm King of Scots which Margaret was the sister to Edgar Etheling and daughter of Edward the outlaw who was sonne to Edmund Ironside Mawd the Empresse daughter to Henry Beauclarke had by her second husband Ieffery Plantaginet this Henry the second of that name by whom the bloud of the Saxons againe returned to the Crowne partly by King Stephen but more fully by him so that consequently the bloud of the Normans continued but threescore The Norman bloud in sixty yeeres extinguished and ten yeeres accounting from the first yeere of William the Conquerour to the last of the reigne of Henry first compleating those words the prophesie And when the iron brood in the land shall fail The bloud of the red Dragon must prevail CHAP. 14. Divers remarkable passages during the Reigne of Henry the second his numerous issue and how they were affected towards him his vices and vertues his good and bad fortune all which were by this our Prophet predicted HEnry the second sonne of Ieffery Plantaginet The Coronation of King Henry the second and Mawd the Empresse began his Reigne over England in the moneth of October and the yeere of our Lord God one thousand one hundred fifty five of whom before it was thus prophesied The Eglet of the Flawde league shall behold The prophesie of his Reâ—…gne The Fathers of her prime bird shine in gold And in her third nest shall rejoyce but hee Who from the height of the great Rocke may see The Countries round both neer and far away Shall search amongst them where hee best can pray Some of whose numerous ayrie shall retaine The nature of the Desert Pelican The all commanding keys shall strive to wrest And force the locke that opens to his nest But break their own wards of all flowers that grow The Rose shall most delight his smell and so That least it any strangers eyes should daze Hee 'l plant it close in a Dedalian Maze Fortune at first will on his glories smile But fail him in the end alack the while The first words of this Prophesie seeme to reflect Part of the prophesie explained upon the Empresse his Mother by rejoycing her third nest may be intended that having three sonnes Henry Ieffery and William the two later failing as dying in their youth shee might rejoyce in him whose Father being King she saw to shine in gold or else being first espoused to Henry the Emperour and next to Ieffery Plantaginet shee might in her death rejoyce in her third espousall with her Saviour but againe where hee stiles her the Eglet of the Flawde or Borbon League It may bee conferd upon the Queen who being first married to the King of France and through neernesse of bloud divorced from him and sent to her Father and after married to this King being then Duke of Normandy she may be said first to have built her nest in France secondly in Normandy and thirdly and last in England This Prince as the Chronicle describes him The Kings Character to us was somewhat high-coloured but of a good aspect and pleasant countenance fat full chested and low of stature and because hee grew somewhat corpulent hee used a sparing and abstinent diet and much exercised Hunting He was well spoken and indifferently learned Noble in Knighthood and wise in counsaile bountifull to strangers but to his familiars and servants gripple-handed and where hee loved once or hated constant and hardly to be removed he had by his wife Eleanor six sonnes and three daughters The names of five of them His Issue were William Henry Richard Godfery and Iohn of which two came to succeed him in the Throne Richard and Iohn of the sixt there is small or no mention the eldest of his daughters hight Mawd and was married to the Duke of Saxony the second Eleanor to the King of Spaine the third named Iane to William King of Sicily This King was prosperous in the beginning of his Raigne but unfortunate in the end as the sequell will make apparant he was of such magnanimity and courage that hee was often heard to say that to a valiant heart not a whole World sufficeth and according to his words hee greatly augmented his Heritage and much added The Kings Dominions to his Dominions For hee wonne Ireland by strength and in the seventh yeere of his Reigne for divers affronts offered him by William King of Scotland he made such cruell warre upon him that in the end hee tooke him He taketh the Scots King prisoner prisoner and compeld him to surrender into his hands the City of Carlile the Castle of Bamburch the new Castle upon Tyne with divers other holds and a great part of Northumberland which William before had wonne from the
torne What many Lions in their pride have worne Hither the French flower would it self transpose Where must spring after many a glorious rose Hee that did all he might the Kirk despise Against his life shall a base Kirk-man rise The former part of this prediction is apparant Iohn cold here the Fox and after the Leo pard in the premisses where Iohn sought like a Fox subtlely and craftily to insinuate into the peoples hearts and rob him of his Kingdom thinking his brother all that time as dead when hee was utterly despairing of his liberty but finding him waking as being enfranchised and set at large he then was frighted by the least frown of his brows being glad to mediate his peace by his Mother the rest shall follow in order hee was King Iohns châ—…acter of a disposition course and retrograde self-will'd and proud in all or most of his undertakings very infortunate In the first yeere of his reigne he divorced himselfe from his first wife daughter to the Earle of Glocester pretending too neere propinquitie in bloud and soone after married Isabel daughter to the Earle Angolesme King Iohns second mariage and issue in France by whom hee had issue two sonnes Henry and Richard and three daughters Isabel Eleanor and Iane He was before his coronation girt with the sword of the Dukedome of Britany and suffered it to be taken from him by his yong Nephew Arthur son to Ieffery Plantaginet to his great derogation and dishonour he after left all Normandy which the French King wonne Iohn looseth Normandy from him even to one Towne and Village approving that of the Prophet After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Rollo and Gilla Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got The Prophet for his stained and contaminated life and government would not vouchsafe him the name of a Lion but a Leopard alluding as well to his spotted fame as his skin by whose cowardly and unkingly proceedings Philip the French King seized all Normandy and tooke it into his absolute possession annexing it to his Crowne which no French Monarch ever had since the time of Charles the Simple who gave that Duchie to Rollo as a dowry with Guilla his daughter which had successively continued under the Sovereignty of the Dukes of Normandie and the Kings of England three hundred yeers and upwards In the first yeere of his Reigne Stephen Langton being chosen Archbishop of Canterbury by the Monks the election was opposed by the The ground of a great quarrel betwixt the King and the Archbishop King for which hee complained him to the Pope who sent unto him loving and kinde Letters to admit of the said Stephen to which his Lords advised him but the more he was importuned the more implacable hee grew returning the Popes messengers backe with peremptory deniall The next yeere came a strict commandement from Rome that unlesse the King would peaceably suffer the Archbishop to enjoy his See that the whole Land should be interdicted charging these four Bishops William of London King Iohns obstinacy Eustace of Elie Walter of Winchester and Giles of Hereford to denounce the King and his Land accursed unlesse his command were punctually obey'd but though these Prelates with the rest of his Peeres were urgent with him to eschew the rigorous Censure of the Church all was to no purpose for which upon the six and twentieth day of March they began in London and first shut up the doores of all Temples Churches and Chappels with all the other places where Divine Service was used and as in London so they did through the whole Land The whole land by the Popâ— accursed for which the King was so inraged that he seized all their temporalties into his hands putting them into such feare that they were forced to flie to the banisht Archbishop some write that this interdiction was of such power and validity that during the time therof which was six yeers three moneths and odde dayes no Service was said no Sacraments administred no Childe Christned none Married and not any suffered An uncharitable Bull. to come to Confesse In this interim the King from anger grew to The Kings Proclamation rage proclayming that all persons Spirituall or Temporall that held any Lands or other livelihood here shall by the next Michaelmasse returne into the Land or failing therein forfeit their whole estates besides that diligent search should be made what Letters should be brought from Rome which should bee delivered to the He extorteth from the Clergie King then hee extorted from all the Monasteries not sparing any Religious House that had dependance on the Clergie For which a new Commission was sent from Rome by vertue whereof the Curse of interdiction was againe denounced to which by the authority of the Pope was added that this his Bull acquitted and absolved all the Lords of England as well spirituall as Temporall from all duty and allegiance before sworne to the King and that they might lawfully rise in armes against him to depose and deprive him of all Regall honour and dignity but all these tooke no more impression The Lords and others acquit of their allegiance by the Pope in him then if they had beene clamoured in the eares of a deafe man or proclaymed to a Statue of Marble But by the way which I cannot let passe this King Iohn in the tenth yeere of his Reigne and of grace one thousand two hundred and ten The first Major and Sheâ—…iffs of London made by K. Iohn granted to the City of London by his Letters Patents that in stead of two Bayliffs by which their Magistracy was held they should yeerly choose themselves a Major and two Sheriffs which Major was Henry Fitz-allwin and Peter Duke and Thomas Neale Sheriffs The same yeere London bridge which before was of timber London bridge Saint Mary Overies was begun to be builded of stone and Saint Mary Overies Church to be erected in Southwark CHAP. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the Third succedeth his Father a prediction of his Reigne his brother Richard made King of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament The Barons Wars c. I Proceed where I left in the same yeere the Pope sent over his Legate More thunderings from the Pope Pandolphus with another a Latere to accompany him to solicit the same businesse who were sent back with a like frivolous answer yet hee sent againe the yeere following the same Pandolphus threatning wonders if hee did not receive Stephen Langton into his Archbishoprick and make restitution of all such moneys and other moveables of which he had robbed the Monasteries c. Then at last the King considering into what dangers hee had intricated himselfe hy his peremptory denials how he had lost Normandy abroad and then in what desperate case his Kingdom stood King Iohns submission at home
the great Impoverishment of Italy and the lands of the empire in the fortieth yeare of the King landed in England upon Innocents day in Christmas Richard Earle of Cornwall crowned Emperour weeke divers Princes of the Empyre and did their homage to Richard Earle of Cornwale as King of the Romans and Emperour who upon Ascention day after was crowned in Aquisgrane verifying Abroad the second whelp for prey will rore Beyond the Alps and to * Meaning the Eagle Ioves bird restore Her decai'd plumes In the 41 yeare about Saint Barabas day in the moneth of Iune the king called his high The mad Parliament Court of Parliament at Oxford which was called the mad parliament because in it divers Acts were concluded against the Kings pleasure for the reformation of the state for which after great dissention grew betwixt the King and his Nobles called the Barons Wars which proved the perishing of many of the Peeres and almost the ruine of the whole Realme for in that Session were chosen twelve Peeres whom they called the Douz Peeres who had full Commission to correct and reforme whatsoever was done amisse in the Kings Court the Courts of Iustice and Exchequer throughout Twelve of the Nobilitie chosen and called the Douz Peeres the Land to whose power the King and Prince Edward his sonne signed and assented unto though somewhat against their wills of all which passages such as would be fully satisfied I referre them to our English Chronicles or to Michael Draytons Poem of the Barâ—…ns Warres wherein they are amply discoursed and my narrow limits will not give mee leave to relate them at large yet I borrow permission to insist a little further on one particular All things being in combustion betwixt the The Baroâ—…s Letter to the King King and his Peeres and their Armies assembled on both sides the Barons framed a Letter to the King to this purpose To the most excellent Lord King Henry by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Guian c. The Barons and other your faithfull servants their fidelity and oath to God and you coveting to keep sending due saluting with all reverence and honour under due obeysance c. Liketh it your Highnesse to understand that many being about you have before time shewed unto your Lordship of us many evill and untrue reports and have found suggestions not onely of us but also of your selfe to bring your Realme to subversion Know your excellency that we intend nothing but health and security to your person to the uttermost of our powers And not onely to our enemies but also yours and all this your Realme wee intend utter grievance and correction beseeching your grace hereafter to give to them little credence for you shall find us your true and faithfull subjects to the uttermost of our powers And wee Simon Mountfort Earle of Leceister and High Steward of England and Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester at the request of others and for our selves have put to our Seals the 10. of May. To which Letter the King framed this Answer The Kings answer to the Barons Letter Henry by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Guian to Simon de Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and their Complices Whereas by Warre and generall disturbance in this our Realme by you begunne and continued with also burnings and other enormities it evidently appeares that your fidelity to us due you have not kept nor the security of our person litle regarded for so much as our Lords and other our trusty friends which daily abide with us yee vexe and grieve and them pursue to the utmost of your powers and yet daily intend as you by the report of your Letters have us ascertained we the griefe of them admit and take for our owne especially when they for their fidelity which they to us daily impend stand and abide by us to suppresse your infidelity and untroth Wherefore of your favour and assurance we set little store but you as our enemies we utterly defie Witnesse our selfe at our Towne of Lewis the twelfth of May. Moreover Richard his Brother King of the Romans who was come over into England with his wife and son with Prince Edward and other Lords about the King sent them another Letter Richard the Emperour and Prince Edwards Letter to the Barons the tenour whereof was this Richard by the grace of Gâ—…d King of the Romans semper Augustus and Edward the Noble first begotten sonne of the King of England and all other Barons firmly standing and abiding with our Soveraigne Lord the King To Simonde Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and all other their false fellowes c. By the Letters which yee sent to our Soveraigne Lord wee understand that wee are defied of you neverthelesse this word of defiance appeared to us sufficiently before by the deprivation and burning of our Mannors and carrying away of our goods wherefore we will that yee understand that we defie you as our mortall and publicke enemies and whensoever we may come to the revengement of the injuries that you to us have done wee shall requite it to the utmost of our power and where yee put upon us that neither true nor good counsell to our Soveraigne Lord we give you therein say falsely and untruely and if that saying yee Sir Simon de Mountfort and Sir Gilbert de Clare will testifie in the Court of our Soveraign Lord we are ready to purchase to your surety and safe comming that there wee may prove our true and faithfull innocency and your false and trayterous lying Witnessed with the Seales of Richard King of the Romans and Sir Edward Prince before named Given at Lewes the twelfth of May. The successe of the Battaile followeth in the next Chapter CHAP. 18. The deaths of Henry the third and Richard Earle of Cornwale King of the Romans Prince Edwards victories in the Holy Land his Coronation the prophesie of his Raigne his first reducing of Wales under his dominion for ever the beginning of his warres in Scotland c. WHen the Barons had received these letters they were resolved to try it out by the sword on wednesday being the 24 day of May early in the morning both hoasts met where the Londoners who took part with the Barons gave the first assault but were beaten back some-what to the The battaile betwixt the King and the Barons dismay of the Barons Army but they cheared their fresh and lusty Souldiers in such wise that they valiantly came on by whose brave resolution those before discomfited resumed their former strength and vertue fighting without fear in so much that the Kings vaward gave back left their places in this battaile the father spared not the sonne nor the sonne the father such was the misery of those home bred wars in so much that the field was every where strowed with dead bâ—…dyes for
the fight continued the greatest part of the day at last the victory fell to the Barons so that were taken the King the King of the Romans and prince Edward The King taken prisoner with the King of the Romans and P. Edward with five and twenty Barons and Bannerets and the people slaine on both sides amounted to above twentythousand These royall prisoners being put in safe keeping a peace was after debated and at length concluded and they released but it proved to small purpose for many battailes were after fought betwixt them in which sometimes the King sometimes the Barons had the better the circumstances are too long to relate in which Prince Edward bore himselfe bravely in processe the five fiftieth yeer of this Kings Reign the King of the Romans made attonement betwixt the King his brother and Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester who had continued the wars of the Barons upon condition that hee should take a Voyage into the Holy Land for the King for which hee should have towards his charge eight thousand Marks in hand and when hee was on shipboard foure thousand more and to bee ready the first day of May next following but this failing in him Prince Edward undertooke it in his stead and the yeere after abâ—…ut the end of March dyed Richard Emperour of The death of Richard K. of the Romans Almaine King of the Romans and Earle of Cornwall being the Kings brother after hee had governed the Empire betwixt fifteen and sixteene yeeres and was buried at Hales an Abbey of white Monks which hee had before time founded and the yeere following upon the sixteenth day of November died Henry the Third King of England after he had governed the Realme fifty The death of Henry the third six yeeres and twenty seven days leaving for his Heire Prince Edward who was then in the Holy Land and another sonne called Edmund Crowch-backe His body was buried in the Abbey of Westminster and over him inscribed Tertius Henricus jacet hic pietatis amicus His Epitaph Ecclesiam stravit istam quam post renovavit Reddat ei munus qui regnat trinus unus Thus Englished Third Henry here doth rest Of Piety possest Down first this Church he threw And after did renew O grant him thy immunity Thou Trinity in Vnitie The premisses confirme the prophesie of his Reigne towards the latter end of his time which was turbulent and troublesome to the exhausting of the Kings treasure the deaths of many of his Noble Barons and almost to the destruction and desolation of the whole Realm therefore it was truly said of him The King of beasts whose rage His youth conceal'd shall rouze him in his age Against the Boare the Talbot and the Beare The Mountaine Cat and Goat with whom cohere c. By the Lion the King is personated and by the rest of the beasts and birds named the severall Crests and Emblazons in the Barons Armes and Scutchions by which they were distinguisht Prince Edward his sonne was at the time of his death in the Land of Palaestine Of whom also it was thus predicted An Occident all Dragon bright as noone The Prophesie Shal breathing flames dark the Oriental Moon The Cambrian Wolves he through their Woods shall chace Nor cease till hee have quite extirpt their race Then from the North shall fiery Meteors threat Ambitious after bloud to quench their heat The Dragons bloud at which his Crest wil rise And his scales flame and where he treads as flyes Fright all shal him oppose the Northern Dyke Passe shall hee then and set his foot in Wyke After which showers of bloud will fall upon And barren the faire fields of Caledon Then having ended what he took in hand Die in the Marches of another Land Hee in the yeere one thousand two hundred Prince Edwards expeditioâ—… to the Holy Land threescore and eleven and in the yeere of his fathers Reigne fifty five upon the twentieth of August tooke shipping at Dover and sailed thence to Burdeaux but because the French Army bâ—…und upon the same adventure was removed thence he sped after and met with them at Tunis and from theâ—…ce he took shipping for the Holy Land and arrived with some French forces joyned with his owne At Acris or Acon what time the Christians possessed that City only and the City of Tyre holding some few Castles to preserve them from the rage of the Soldan There he was honorably received and with great joy after whose being there the Soldan or Saladine who had wonne all the Countrey there about came thither with an Hoast of an hundred threescore thousand Sarazens and besieged the City and made many bold and bloudy assaults But the Prince so Prince Edwards valour in defending Acris valiantly demeaned himselfe that hee defended the City the Castles belonging to it and all the Territories about that notwithstanding the multitude of the Soldans Army hee was compeld to forsake the siege to his great shame and dishonour Even the French Chronicles whose custome The French Chronicles testifie of P. Edwards valour is to write boastingly of themselves and sparingly of others bestow on him a character of invincible courage and that in all his stratagems and martiall exploits hee so honourably behaved himselfe that his very name was a terrour to the Turks for many yeers after who seeing his great boldnesse and that they were not able to stand him in battaile they plotted how to take away his life by Treason and to that purpose when he was resident in Acon they sent to P. Edward traitcrously wounded him a Sarazen in the name of a Secretary who in delivering unto him a counterfeit message wounded him in the arme with an empoysoned Knife which he wresting from the Infidels hand slue with the same weapon so that he died incontinently Then hee cald for a Surgeon and with incomparable sufferance commanded him to cut out all the putrified and corrupted flesh even to the scaling of the bone without the least shrinking or alteration of countenance of which base treachery hee was after revenged upon them to their great detriment and damage and thus The Occidentall Dragon bright as noon Did breathing flames dazle the orienial moon Hee is called Occidentall as being bred in this our Westerne Island and the Soldan is figured in the Orientall Moone being a Prince in the Easterne part of the World and bearing the semicircled Moone in his Banner Prince Edward during his aboad there had by the Princesse his wife a daughter called Ioane who tooke a His wife was Isabell of Spain Ioan of Acris name from the place and was called Ioane of Acris because there born and was after married to the Earle of Glocester After his being there some two yeeres and upward his father dying hee was called home to take possession of the Crowne of England Edward the first of that name and sonne of
place called Bellalaund or Brighland hee had like to have beene taken as he sat at dinner which could not have beene had he not had some traitours about him and now confer the premisses The King almost surprized at dinner with the Prophesie Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They fore't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin The two Owls are the two Spencers who from the ashes of the Cornish Eagle Gaveston grew into the especiall favour of the King who were sayd to case the Goat in the skinne of the Lyon by animating the effeminate King to the warres against the Barons by whose deaths they got many rich spoyls and then forced to take their wings to fly where they were banisht the Realme at the parliament of white Bands c. The state of the kingdome thus standing and the two Spencers commanding all the Land had Warres with France about the Dutchy of Guian to attone which difference betwixt the two Kings the two Spencers being in all things The hate of the Spencers towards the Queene which was after the cause of their ruine opposite to the Queen whom they had brought to the bare allowance and pension of twenty shillings a day they further plotted how to rid her out of the Land and perswaded the King to send her into France to make peace betwixt the two Kingdomes having before seized on all her lands and those belonging to the Prince The Queen sent into France Briefely the Queene arrived in France and was royally received by her brother who hearing of her base usage and by whom he was much incensed against the K. and his wicked Counsellors and sent to him under his seale to come in person into France to doe him homage or he She is royally received by the King her brother should forfeit the Dutchy of Guian Of which K. Edward took little regard in hope his Queen would salve all things that were amisse betwixt the brother and husband After the Queenes three months abode in France the Prince desired of his Father that he might have leave to visite his mother and unckle which his Father granted and said to him at parting Goe my faire sonne in Gods blessing and mine and returne to mee againe as speedily as you may who passing the Sea and comming to the Kings Court hee joyfully received him and said Faire sonne you bee welcome and since your Father came not to doe homage for the Dutchy of Guian as his antecessors have done I give you the Lordship to hold of me in heritage and so the Prince was created and thence forward called the Duke P. Edward made Duke of Guien of Guien Which being knowne to King Edward hee was highly incensed especially because the Prince was instated into that honour without his consent and pleasure and finding that notwithstanding his often sending they made no haste to returne hee made Proclamation that if within such a day prefixed they made not their repaire into the Land they should be held as enemies to the Crowne and state but the Queene much fearing the malice of the Spencers whom she knew to bee her mortall enemies she removed not thence then the King made forfeiture of all their goods and Lands before seized and took the profits of them to his owne use and sent sharpe and threatning Letters to the French King if he suffered them The French King refuseth to aid his sister to sojourne longer in his Realme upon which he commanded them thence without any further comfort or succour At that time Sir Iohn Henaud brother to the Earle of Henaud a man of great courage and valour being in the French Court much commiserating the Queene and the Prince desired her to goe with him to his brother the Earle of which she was glad and taking his noble offer was there honourably received Then was a marriage concluded betwixt Prince Edward The Prince contracted to Philip daughter to the Earl of Henaud and Phillip the Earles Daughter upon certaine conditions one of which was that the Earle should send over into England the Queene and her sonne with 400 men at Armes under the conduct of his Brother In which interim the two Spencers sent three Barrells of Coyne with Letters to some of the French Peeres that if it were possible they should make away the Queene or her sonne or at least send them away disgraced out of the Realme which mony and Letters were taken by a ship of the Henauders and brought to the Queene during her abode The Spencers beat at their own weapons there which the Earles brother seeing said unto her bee of comfort Madam this is a good Omen the Spencers your enemies have sent you money to pay your souldiers Of which the King of England having intelligence he sent to all the Ports and Havens to interdict their landing notwithstanding which the Queene and Prince with these foure hundred Hollanders and a small company of English gentlemen who had fled to her in the time of her exile landed at a port called Orwel besides The Queene landeth in Suffolk Harwich in Suffolke the fifteenth of September Sir Iohn Henaud the Earles brother being their Captain and Leader without any opposition or resistance to whom after their landing the people resorted in great companies and sped towards London where the King and the Spencers were then resident who hearing of the multitudes that then drew unto her left Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter Custos of the Citie The King and Spencers flie to Wales and with a small company fled towards Wales she came then to London where the people were willing to receive her which the Bishop with many sharpe and bitter words opposing the Commons of the City tooke him violently and beheaded him with two of his Esquires at the Standard in West-cheap whose bodies were borne to the Thames side where the Bishop had begun a new edifice contrary to their liking and there unreverently buried The Queene with an easie march followed The Queene pursueth the King the king who came to Bristoll with the Earle of Arundell the two Spencers and his infamous Chancellour Baldock where after counsell taken it was agreed that Hugh Spencer the father should stay there and take charge of the towne and castle whilest the King and the rest tooke shipping thence for Wales to raise the Welshmen in his aid of which the Queene having notice sent thither the Earle of Kent Sir Iohn Henaud with others who with small difficultie The Town and Castle of Bristoll taken tooke the towne and castle with Hugh Spencer the father alive and delivered them to the Queene who remained there till the greatest part of her army pursued the King and his other Minions
Iohn of Gaunt claymes his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings Daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons against the present government The pride of the Dukes Court The Dukes of Hereford and Norfolke banished King Richard deposed and Henry Duke of Hereford and Lancaster made King WHen the King saw the great manhood and courage of the Lord Major The Lord Major and divers Aldermen Knighted by the King and his Brethren the Aldermen his assistants hee in his own person Knighted the said William Walworth with Nicholas Bremble Iohn Philpot Nicholas Twiford Robert Laundor and Robert Gayton Alderman and moreover in the memory of that Noble Act added to the Armes of the City the bloudy Dagger as it remayneth to this day In the eleventh yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Uncle to the King the Earle of Arundell with the Earles of Warwicke Darby and Nottingham taking into their consideration how much the land was misgoverned and his Majesty mislead by some Sycophants neere about him they met in counsell at a place A Parliament to rectifie the Commonweale called Radecockbridg and having assembled a strong power came to London and there caused the King to call a Parliament whereof hearing Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke Lionel Vere Marquesse of Divelin Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke and Chancellour of England fearing the censure of that high Court â—…ed the Land and dyed in forreigne Countries Then the King by counsell of the fore-said Lords caused to be apprehended Sir Robert Tresilian chief Iustice of England Sir Nicholas Brembre late Major of the City Sir Iohn Salisbury of the Persons judged to death Kings Houshold Sir Iohn Beauchampe Steward of the House Sir Simon Burleigh Sir Thomas Bernes Sir Robert Belknap with one Iohn Vske Serjeant at Arms all which by the foresaid Parliament were convict of Treason and put to death some at Tyburne some at Towerhill and all such as fled with those that forsook the land by the authority of that high Court banished for ever In the thirteenth yeare Iohn a Gaunt Duke Iohn a Gaunt clayms his title in Spain of Lancaster with a strong army sailed into Spaine to claime the Kingdome in right of Lady Constance his wife the daughter of Don Peter with whom joyned the King of Portugall with his forces so that of necessity the King of Spain was forced to treat with the Duke of peace and amity the conditions were that the King of Spaine should marry the Dukes eldest daughter named Constance and moreover should give unto the said Duke to recompence the charges of his warre so many wedges of gold as should load eight Chariots and moreover during the lives of the said Duke and his wife hee should at his proper cost and charges deliver unto the Honourable conditions of peace Dukes Assignes yearely ten thousand Markes of gold within the towne of Bayon which conditions being ratified and assurance given for the performance thereof the Duke departed with the King of Portugall to whom shortly after hee married his second daughter the Lady Anne so that the elder and the younger were made the two Queenes of Spaine and Portugall King Richards first wife being dead after hee K. Richards second marriage maried Isabel the daughter of Charles the sixt K. of France who was but 8. years of age at whose espousalls in the French kings Court many rich interchangable gifts passed betwixt them as first the king of England gave the French king a Bason of gold and Ewer who returned him three standing Cups of gold with covers and a Enterchangeable gifts betwixt the two Kings ship of Gold garnished with pearle and stones at a second meeting Richard gave him a curious Oâ—…ch set with rich stones valued at five hundred Markes then the French King gave him two Flagons of gold and a Tablet of gold set with Diamonds and in it the picture of St. Michael a Tablet of gold with a Crucifixe another with the image of the Trinity and a fourth with the image of Saint George all of them set with stones of great splendor Richard then presented him with a Belt or Bauldricke set with great Diamonds Rubies and Emeraulds which for the riches thereof the King wore upon him so often as they met together many other presents past betwixt them and a full peace was concluded betweene them for thirty yeares Peace concluded betwixt England and France and amongst other things King Richard delivered up Brest which had beene long held by the English The yeare after in the Moneth of February the King held a magnificent Feast at Westminster Hall whither pressed divers Souldiers lately discharged from Brest whose mindes when the Duke of Gloster rhe Kings Vncle understood he went to his Majesty and said Sir doe you take notice of you Souldiers who asked him again what they were The Duke replyed these be your subjects souldiers cashiered from Brest who have done you good service and have now no meanes to live upon who have been ill paid and now are worse rewarded To whom the King answered it was my will they should have been well paid but if ought have failed therein let them petition to our Treasurer at length the Duke said but it savoureth of small discretion to deliver up a strong Fort with ease which was got with great difficulty by your Progenitors The Duke of Glosters bold replye to the King at which the King changed countenance and said Vncle how spake you these words which the Duke with great vehemency uttered againe whereat the King being more moved replyed Thinke you I bee a Merchant or foole to sell my Land by St. Iohn Baptist nay c. For these words thus uttered on both sides great ranâ—…or was kindled betwixt the King and Duke which was never extinguished till by the consent of the K. his uncle was basely murdered For the Duke purposing to remove some who were potent about the king called to him A second purpose for reformation the Earles of VVarwicke of Arundel and of Nottingham who was Marshall of England and of the Clergy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the two Abbots of St. Albans and VVestminster and these were solemnly sworne to supplant from their authority the Duke of Lancaster the Duke of Yorke with others prejudiciall to the good of the kingdome But Nottingham contrary to his oath revealed all to the king A persidious act in the Earle of Notingham who presently whilst the other thought themselves secure called another Councell in which it was decreed that the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke shâ—…uld bee censured and brought to the King who in person arrested his Vncle Sir Thomas of VVoodstock some say at Plashy in Essex others at Greenwitch in the night time and taking him in his bed first sent him to the Tower and
thence had him secretly conveyghed to Callis where he was pireously murthered After The murder of the Duke of Gloster the 2 Earles of Arundel Warwick were judged and executed After was called a parliament in which divers of the Nobility had more honourable titles conferred upon them And other upstarts neither of birth nor quality were advanced to office and honour in which parliament also many true heires were dis-inherited c. For which the people greatly murmured against the King and his Councell pretending that the revenues of the Crowne were wasted The rumour of the Commons and the causes thereof upon unworthy persons for which divers exactions were put upon the Commons that the chiefe rulers about the King were of low birth and little reputation and men of honour kept out of office and favour that the Duke of Gloster was secretly murdered without processe of Law and the Earles of Arnndel and Warwicke put to death contrary to the Kings owne proclamation with divers others to the number of eight and thirty severall Articles all which at his deposing were publickly protested against him Harding the Chronologer reports that King Richard was prodigall ambitious and luxurious The estate of the Kings Court. to whose Court resorted at their pleasures ten thousand persons pretending businesse there that in his kitchin were three hundred Serviters and in every office to the like number of Ladies Chamberers and Landresses three hundred who exceeded in costly and sumpâ—…uous apparell and farre above their degrees The very groomes and yeomen were cloathed in silke sattin and damaske scarlet imbroydery The great pride of the court gold chaines and Gold smiths worke were then common such was the pride then in the Court It was also commonly voyc'd that hee had let to farme the revenues of the Crowne to Bushy Baggot and Green which caused the Nobility also with the Commons to grudge against the King and his government And this yeare being the one and twentieth of his reign died Iohn a Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster at The death of Iohn a Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the Bishop of Elyes Palace in Holborne and was buried on the North side of the Quire in Paules where his Tombe remaineth to this day This yeare also fell a great difference betwixt Differences betwixt the two Dukes of Hereford and Norffolke the two Dukes of Hereford who was sonne to Iohn a Gaunt and the Duke of Norfolke the cause was after some Writers that the two Dukes riding from the Parliament the Duke Norfolke said unto the other Sir you see how unstedfast the King is in his word and how shamefully hee putteth his Kinsmen to death exiling some and imprisoning others and no doubt what hath hapned to them may in time fall upon us c. of which words the Duke of Hereford accused him unto the King which the one affirming the other denying a day of battaile was appointed them at Coventry upon the eleventh of September where the King and the greatest part of the Nobility were present where both appearing in the Lists and ready for the Combat the King threw down his warder and staid the fight and forthwith banished The two Dukes banished the Realme the Duke of Hereford for ten yeeres and the Duke of Norfolke for ever upon which sentence Hereford sayled into Britaine and Norfolke after passing divers Countries lastly came to Venice and there ended his life In his two and twentieth yeere the common fame ran that he had farmed the Realm of England to Sir VVilliam Scroop Earle of VViltshire and Treasurer and to Sir Iohn Bushy Sir Iohn Bagot and Sir Henry Green and in the moneth of Aprill the King with a potent Host sayled into Ireland leaving for his Pro-rex in England The Kings iourney into Ireland his Uncle Edmund Langley Duke of Yorke In which Voyage he prospered well and quieted the realme to his pleasure and whether it were for some noble act done or out of his grace and bounty I cannot say hee there Knighted Henry sonne to the Duke of Hereford then in exile which Henry after his Fathers death was crowned King of England by the name of Henry the first Whilst King Richard was thus busied in Ireland the Duke of Hereford late banisht with the Archbishop of Canterbury who had before left the Realme and Thomas sonne to the Earle of Arondell late beheaded these with others being a small company in number landed at Ravenspurre in the North and under pretence of The Duke of Hereford lanâ—…s at Ravenspurre laying claime to the Dukedome of Lancaster due to him by Iohn of Gaunt his Father deceased he raised the people as hee went to whom multitudes assembled being weary with the misgovernment of King Richard who hearing how the estate in England then stood made speedy returne from Ireland and in the beginning of September landed in Milford Haven and sped him thence to Flint-castle in VVales intending thither to gather more strength to oppose The King lands in Wales the Dukes proceedings Who in the interim proclayming himselfe Duke of Lancaster in the right of his Father Iohn a Gaunt came to Bristow where without resistance hee seised upon Sir William Scroope Earle of Wiltshire and Treasurer of England Sir Iohn Bushy and Sir Henry Green with Sir The Earle of Wiltshire with others executed Iohn Bagot who escaped and fled into Ireland but the other he there judged and put to execution which the King being then in Flint Castle hearing he much doubted his safety and so did all these who were then about him therefore Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester and Steward of the Kings Houshold contrary to his Allegiance broke his white Staffe openly in the Haâ—…l willing every onâ—… to shift for himselfe by reason of which the King was forsaken of all his people and soone after surprized and presented The King taken and presented to the Duke to the Duke who put him under safe keeping and himselfe hasted towards London Who comming neere to the City sent the The hate of the Commons to the King King secretly to the Tower of which some ill disposed persons ambusht him in the way and would have slain him because of his former misgovernment but the Citizens enformed of their malicious purpose rescued him from their fury then the Duke comming to London by consent of the King a Parliament was begun the thirteenth of September In which many accusations and Articles concerning his misruling the Realme to the number of eight and thirty the King was charged with and for which the King subscribing willing as it was then given out to his owne deposement hee was deprived from all Kingly Majesty the manner of the proceedings therein were too long to relate which sentence being publisht and openly read in Parliament Henry Duke of Hereford and now of King Richard deposed Lancaster rising from the place where hee before sate and
all things were in readinesse for the performance thereof But that day in the Morning A conspiracy of the Lords against King Henry came secretly unto the King the Duke of Aumerle and discovered unto him that he with the foresaid Lords gentlemen had made a solemne conjuration to kill him in the said Mask therefore advised him to provide for his safety upon which notice given the King departed privately from Windsor and came that night to London upon which the Lords finding their plot to be discovered they fled westward but the King caused speedy pursuit after them so that the Duke of Surry and the Earle of Salisbury were taken at Ciceter Sir Thomas Blunt Sir Benet Saly and Thomas Wintercell at Oxford Sir Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter at Pitwell in Essex and divers others in severall places the Noble men were beheaded the rest drawne and quartered but all of their Heads set upon the Bridge gate at London approving the premises Meane time shall study many a forrest beast By a new way to kill the Foxe in jest But crafty Rainold shall the plot prevent And turne it all to their owne detriment The King having well considered of this great conspiracy and that they intended by his death to restore the imprisoned King to his diadem The Foxes policy he bethought himselfe that he could live in no safety whilst the other was breathing and therefore he determined of his death and to that purpose called unto him one Sir Pierce of Exton to see his will executed who presently poasted to Pomphret and with eight more well armed entred the Castle and violently assaulted him with their Polaxes and Halberds in his Chamber who apprehending their purpose and seeing his owne present danger most valiantly wrested one of their weapons from him with which he manfully acquitted himselfe and slew foure of the eight before he himselfe fell but at the last he was basely wounded to death by the hand of Sir Pierce of Exton whose body was after laid in the Minster at Pomphret to the publicke view that all men might be satisfied of his The Death of K. Râ—…chard death and was after brought up to London and exposed to all eyes in Pauls least any man should after pretend to lay any plots for his liberty And now King Henry being in peaceable and quiet possession of the Kingdomes thought it time to rifle his predecessors Coffers in whose Treasury he found in ready Coyne three hundred thousand pound sterling besides Plate What King Richards treasure amounted to at his death Iewels and rich Vessels as much if not more in value Besides in his Treasurers hands hee found so many gold Noble and other summes that all of them put together amounted to seven hundred thousand pounds sterling yet could not all this summe afford him a better funerall than in the poore Friery of Langley which after by Henry the Kings sonne in the first yeare of his reigne was removed thence and with great solemnity interred amongst the Kings in the Chappell of Westminster All this processe verifying the former prediction The Foxe being earth't according to his mind In the Kids den a Magazin shall find Yet all that treasure can his life not save But rather bring him to a timelesse grave Over his Tombe in the Chappell the King caused these Verses following to be inscribed Prudens mundus Ricardus jure secundus K. Richards Epitaph Perfatum victus jacet hic sub marmore pictus Verus sermone suit plenus ratione Corpore procerus animo prudens ut Homerus Ecclesiam favit elatos suppeditavit Quemvis prostravit regalia qui violavit Thus Englished Wise and cleane Richard second of that name Conquered by fate lyes in this Marble frame True in his speech whose reason did surpasse Of feature tall and wise as Homer was The Church he favoured he the proudsubdude Quelling all such as Majesty pursude Concerning which Epitaph one of our English Chronologers seeing how it savoured more of flattery then truth thus exprest himself But yet alas though this meeter or rime Thus death embelisht this Noble Princes fame And that some Clerk which favoured him sometime List by his comming thus to enhance his name Yet by his story appeareth in him much blame Wherefore to Princes is surest memory Their lives to expresse in vertuous constancie In the second yeere of King Henries Reigne The rebellion of Owen Glendour Owen Glendour rebelled in Wales against whom the King entred the Countrey with a strong army but at the Kings comming hee fled up to the Mountaines whom the King for the endangering his Hoast durst not follow but returned without deeming any thing worthy note In the yeere following Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester and Sir Henry Piercy sonne and heire to the Earle of Northumberland gathered The battaile at Shrewsbury a great power and upon the one and twentieth day of Iuly met with the King and his army neere unto Shrewsbury betwixt whom was fought a cruell and bloudy battail but at length the King was victor in which fight Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester was taken and his Nephew Sir Henry with many a brave Northerne man was slaine And upon the Kings part the Prince was wounded in the head and the Earle of Stafford with many others slaine It was observed that in this battail father fought against sonne sonne the father brother the brother and uncle the nephew the twenty fift of Iuly following was Sir Thomas Percy beheaded at Shrewsbury and in August after the Duchesse of Britain landeth at Flamoth in Cornwall K. Henries second mariage with the Duchesse of Britain and from thence conveyed to Winchester where shee was solemnely espoused to King Henry Soone after Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke with the Lord Mowbray Marshall of England with others to them allyed made a new insurrection against the King with purpose A nâ—… insurrection to supplant them to whom the King gave battaile on this side Yorke where after some losse on both sides the King had the better of the day the Archbishop and the Martiall being both taken in the field and soone after beheaded in that Kings Reigne was the Conduit builded in Cornwall as it now standeth The Market of the Stocks at the lower end of Cheapside and the Guild hall of London new edified and of a Sumptuous buildings during this kings Reigne small cottage and ruinous and decayed house made such a goodly structure as it appeares to this day Moreover the famous and stately Bridge of Rochester with the Chappell at the foot of the said Bridge was fully perfited and finished at the sole charge and cost of Sir Robert Knolls who in the time of Edward the third Sir Robert Knolls had atchieved many brave and memorable victories in France and Britain who also re-edified the body of the White Friers Church in Fleetstreet to which place hee left many good Legacies and
our Lady after whose death notwithstanding the incomparable valour of the Lord Talbot whose name was so The death of the D. of Bedford regent terrible in France that with it women frighted their children to still and quiet them the Earle of Arundell and others yet fortune for the most part was averse to the English c. and though there were many Treaties of peace to bee made betwixt the two Kingdoms yet they came to no effect and thus for divers yeeres it continued During which passages divers murmurs and grudgings beganne to breake out betwixt the Duke of Glocester Lord Portectour and Uncle to the King and divers persons neere about the Court amongst which was chiefe the Earle of Suffolke which in the end was the confusion Suffolk seeketh to supplaâ—…t the Duke of Glocester of them both For in the one and twentieth yeere the said Earle of Suffolke who had broke off a Mariage concluded by the English Embassadors betwixt King Henry and the daughter to Earle Arminacke went over into France and made a match betwixt him and the Kings daughter of Hierusalem and Cicily who had the bare titles thereof and was indeed a king Suffolks proceedings without a Country to compasse which mariage he delivered to the said king the Duchie of Anjou and Earldome of Maine which were called the keyes of Normandy to the great prejudice and dishonour of the English Nation For which service done he was created Marquesse of Suffolke and soone after with his wife and others pompously accommodated brought her into England where shee was espoused to the King at a place called Southwick in Hampshire The King marrieth the Lady Margaret whence after she was convayed to London and thence to Westminster and thereupon the 30 of May being Trinity Sunday solemnly crowned With which match it seemes God was not well pleased for after that day fortune began to forsake the King who lost his Friends in England and his revenues in France for soone after Q. Margaret causeth many miseries the whole State was swayed by the Queene and her Counsell to the dishonour of the king the Realmes detriment and her owne disgrace for thereby fell the losse of Normandy the division of the Lords the rebellion of the Commons The king deposed her sonne slaine 〈◊〉 and she banisht the Land for ever all which â—…iseries fell as some have conjectured for the breach of that lawfull contract first made betwixt the king and the daughter to the Earle of Arminacke In his five and twentieth yeere was a Parliament called at Saint Edmondsbury in Suffolke which was no sooner begun and the Lords assembled but Humphrey Duke of Glocester was The Protectour arresteâ—… aâ—…d after murdered in his bed arrested by Viscount Beaumond then high Constable of England the Duke of Buckingham and others and the sixt day after found dead some say murdered in his bed of whose death the Marquesse of Suffolke was most suspected whose body after it was publikely showne was conveighed to Saint Albons and therehonourably interred and soon after five of the principall of his Houshold hang'd and drawne but by the kings mercy not quartered In his eight and twentieth yeere was called The Marquesse of Suffolke arrested another Parliament in which the Marquesse of Suffolke was arrested and sent to the Tower where hee lived a moneth at his pleasure and was after set at large to the discontent of some Lords but all the Commons For he was charged with the delivery of Amiens and Maine and the murder of Duke Humphrey called the good Duke of Glocester upon which ensued a rebellion of the commons of which one Blew-beard Blew-beard cald himselfe Captain but they were soon supprest and the chief of them put to death the Parliament was then adjourn'd to Leicester whither caâ—…e the King and with him the Queens great Favourite the Duke of Suffolke Then the Commons made petition to the king that all such as had hand in the delivery of Anjou and Maine and the death of the Protector might be severely punished of which they accused as guilty the Marquesse of Suffolke the Lord Say The Marquesse of Suffolk banisht for five yeeres the Bishop of Salisbury one Damiall a Gentleman and one Trivillian with others to appease whom Suffolke was exiled for five yeeres and the Lord Say Treasurer of England with the rest were put a part for a while and promist that they should bee imprisoned and Suffolke taking shipping in Norfolke to have sailed into France was met by a ship of Warre called the Nicholas of the Tower and being knowne by the Captain he tooke him into his owne Vessell and brought him backe to the port of Dover where on the side of the Boat he caused his head to be struck off and cast it with the body on the The death of Suffolk sands and so went again to sea In this yeere also being the Iubilee the commons of Kent assembled themselves in great multitudes under a Captaine called Iacke Cade The insuâ—…rection of â—…ck Cade who named himselfe Mortimer and Cousin to the Duke of Yorke against him the King raised a strong Hoast and sent Sir Humphrey Stafford and William his brother with certain forces to subdue them but the Rebels prevailed against them and left the two Noble brothers dead in the field after which victory the Captaine put on him Knights apparell with Briganders set with gilt nayls and Helmet with gilt Spurs To The Captains pride whom was sent the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Buckingham who had conference with him and found him very discreet in his answers but not to bee wonne to lay by his armes and to blinde the eyes of the people the more hee used great justice in his Campe at length he came to Southwarke at which time the commons of Essex lay with an army at Mile-end and when hee approched the draw-bridge he hewed the ropes and chains asunder with his Iack Cade enters London sword and so entred London where hee made proclamâ—…tions in the Kings name that no man on pain of death should rob spoyle or take from any man but to pay for whatsoever hee cald for which drew unto him the hearts of many of the Citizens and when he came to London stone His cunning to delude the people he strook upon it with his sword and said Now is Mortimer Lord of this City after hee caused the Lord Say to bee fetcht from the Tower and without any just processe at the Standard in Cheape commanded his head to be His Iustice. cut off and another called Cromer who had bin high Sheriffe of Kent he also commanded to be beheaded then pitcht their heads upon two poles and as they passed the streets in divers places caused the poles to joyn so that the dead mouthes kissed each other Thus hee had free recourse into the Citie by day and at night returned
was slaine at Towton in the great Battaile fought against Henry which espousalls were solemnized early in the morning at Grasten neare Stony Stratford where were present none but the Spouse the Spousesse the Dutchesse of Bedford Her Elizabeth Crowned Queene Mother the Priest two Gentlewomen and a young man who helped the Priest at Masse which marriage was for a time kept secret but after shee was with great solemnity Crowned Queene at VVestminster which the earle of VVarwicke taking as a great affront as being fooled in his Embassie and Queene Margaret being then with her sonne Edward in the Warwicke voweth to remove King Edward Court of France hee with the earle of Oxford who had stood alwayes against the Yorkists secretly made promise to the Queene to waite their time to remove king Edward and place the Diadem upon the Head of King Henry which makes good The Forest Beare who by his power alone Had planted the young Lion in his Throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phere who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some doe terme a Gray c. By the Beare is figured Warwick who gave the Beare and the ragged staffe who supported the cause of Edward Earle of March till hee had Crowned him King who being sent into France to negotiate a Match betwixt him and the Lady Bona whom hee calls the Lionesse In the interim hee married with a Badger or Gray by which is intimated Elizabeth the Lady Gray c. And now about the eighth yeare broke out the long dissembled hate betwixt the King and the Earle of VVarwicke who confedered unto him the Duke of Clarence who had before married his Daughter In which season by their instigations were divers Rebellions in Lincolnshire likewise in the North by a Captaine who called himselfe Robin of Ridisdale in Lincolnshire by the Lord VVels c. Robin of Ridisdale Meane time the Duke of Clarence with the Earle of VVarwick and other solicited Lewis the eleventh king of France to assist them in the restoring of king Henry to his rightfull inheritance who gladly granted their request which Lords after their departure from England were proclaimed Rebells and Traytors who in September the tenth yeare of the king landed at Dertmouth making their proclamations in the name of Henry the sixt to whom multitudes from all parts resorted so that the Edward flies the land king being in the North with great danger passed the Washes in Lincolneshire and fled into Flanders and Warwicke brought the king Henry again made King from the Tower and conducted him in all state through London to Westminster and once more set the Crowne upon his head CHAP. 29. King Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crowne and Gloster Traytor his landing at Ravensport the Battaile at Barnet the battaile at Teuxbury King Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence the death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young King his tyranny being Protector hee is proclaimed King the murder of the two Princes in the Tower A prophesie of them before their deaths KIng Henry being thus re-instated there was dayly waiting on the Sea-coast for the landing of Queen Margaret and her sonne Prince Edward and provision made against the re-entring of the kingdome by King Edward and his company then was called a Parliament in which King Edward was proclaymed usurper of King Edward proclaimed Vsurper and his brother Glost. traitor the Crowne and his brother Duke of Gloster Traytor and both attainted by vertue of the said parliament then the Earle of Warwicke road into Kent thinking to have met the Queene at Dover but the winds were so averse to her that she lay from November to Aprill and all that while could not put to sea by reason of which the Earle of Warwicks journey was disappoynted In the beginning of Aprill Edward landed King Edward landeth at Ravensport at Ravenspurne with a small company of Flemmings who in all could not make up the number of a thousand and so drew towards Yorke making proclamation in the name of King Henry that his comming was to no other intent than to claime the inheritance of the Dukedome of Yorke where the Citizens kept him out till he had taken a solemne oath that King Henries oath to York he purposed no more then he spake where having refresht him and his followers he departed thence and held his way toward London and having paked by favour and fairwords the lord Marquesse Montacute who lay with an army to stop his way and finding his strength hourely to The cōnivence of the Marquesse after his ruine increase hee then made proclamation in his owne name as king of England and so held on his journey till he came to London where hee was gladly received into the City and so made to Pauls and offered at the Altar and thence to the Bishops palace where hee found the King almost alone for all his servants and others had left him and having put him under safe custody King Henry againe made prisoner he there rested him till Easter Eve When hearing of his brother Clarence with the other Lords comming with a strong host to Saint Albons he hasted thitherward and lay that night in Barnet in which season the Duke of Clarence contrary to his oath made to the French Clarence revolteth from the Lords King renounced the title of King Henry and came that night with his whole strength to his brother at whose revolt the Lords were somewhat abashed but by the Earle of Oxford they were againe comforted by whose perswasion they marched forward to Barnet whither hee came leading the Vaward and on a plaine neere unto the Town pitched his field upon the morrow being Easter day both Hoasts met upon the one party were two Kings present Edward and Henry upon the other the Duke of Exeter Edward brought Henry to the field the Lord Marquesse Montacute the Earles of Warwicke and of Oxford with other men of name In their first encounter the Earle of Oxford so manfully demeaned himself that hee bore The valour of the Earle of Oxford over that part of the field which he set upon in so much that news came to London that Edwards Hoast was discomfited and it might have hapned if his men had kept their army and not presently disordered themselves by falling to rifle and pillage but after long and cruel fight King Edward obtained the victory in which battaile of the Lords party were slain Marquesse King Edward obtains the victory Mountacute his brother the Earl of Warwick on the Kings party the Lord Barons and of the Commons on both sides one thousand five hundred The death of the Earle of Warwicke and Marquesse Montacute the same day in the afternoon came King Edward to London and first offered at Pauls and road thence to his
But none without their faults since Adams fal He shall have many vertues but not all Who never spares for who can fraeilty trust Man in his rage or woman in his lust CHAP. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife Hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-Field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queene the Kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made Knight of the Garter Peace with France Both Kings defie the Emperour The death of Cardinall Wolsey Henry divorced from his first wife Marrieth the Lady Anne Bulloigne Her death He marrieth the Lady Iane Seimour He revolteth from Rome The Earle of Hartfords victories in Scotland Bulloigne besieged and wonne HEnry the Seventh who was loth to part with the Dower of the Spanish princesse wrought so by a Dispensation from the pope that his sonne prince Henry was married to the late Widdow of his own brother prince Arthur deceased who comming to the Crown some say by the counsell of his Father on his death-bed put to death Empson and Dudley who had gathered a great masse of money into the Kings treasury by exacting and extorting from the Commons of whom they were extreamly hated for which piece of justice he wonne the hearts of the people and soone after was borne at Richmond upon New yeares The birth and death of prince Henry day prince Henry the Kings sonne who died upon S. Matthews day the yeere following and soon after was the Lord Dacres sent into Spaine to aide the King against the Moores and Sir Edward Poynings into Gelderland to aide the prince of Castile And in his fourth yeere the King in person invaded France and tooke Turwin and Turney having discomfited the French King Henry aydeth Spaine invadeth France Floden Field in which the K. of Scots was slain Hoast at a place called Blewmy during which time the Scotch King raised against England an hundred thousand men whom the Earle of Surry the Kings Lievtenant encountred at a place called Flodden in which battaile the King himselfe was slaine with eight Bishops and eleven Earles besides of the common souldiers innumerable for which service by him done King Henry created him Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Earle of Surrey In his sixt yeere a peace was concluded betwixt England and France and in the seventh Peace betwixt England and France yeere the French King espoused the Lady Mary the Kings sister in the moneth of Iune and died upon New yeares day next ensuing wherefore The birth of the Lady Mary Charles Brandon married to the French Queen Mary the kings sister the King sent for her againe by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke In February was borne the Lady Mary the Kings Daughter at Greenwich and in Aprill the French Queene came over into England and was married to the foresaid Duke of Suffolke in which yeere also Margaret Queene of Scots the Kings sister fled into England and lay at a place called Hare-bottle where she was delivered of a daughter called Margaret and came to London in May and tarried here a whole yeer and upon the eighth of May following returned again into her Country In October the tenth yeer of the King the Admirall An enteâ—… view betwixt the Kings of England and France of France came into England and Tournay was delivered againe to the French King whom after Henry met between Arde and Guiens where were great Triumphs after there was a solemne meeting betwixt the Emperour and Charles the fift and the King of England who went with him to Graveling and after hee went to Calice with the King where hee was royally entertained and feasted who in the thirteenth of the King the sixt of Iune was honourably received Charles the fift Emperor made Knight of the Garter into the City of London by the Lord Major the Aldermen and the Communalty who from London went to meet the King at Windsore where he was made Knight of the Garter which was done with great solemnity and then from Southampton hee sailed into Spain soone after Christian King of Denmarke came into England and had Royall entertainment from the King During these passages the Earle of Surrey Lord Admirall who before had appeased the tumults and manifold combustions stirred up in Britain Picardy France invaded by the English Ireland burnt divers Townes in Britaine and Picardy and the Duke of Suffolke invaded France with 10000 men and passing the River of Some spoyled many Towns and Villages and returned without opposition and the Duke of Albany in Scotland who before had made a vain e attempr against England besieged the Castle of Wark but hearing of the Earle of Surreys marching towards him he fled into his Countrey In the eighteenth yeere of the King Cardinall Cardinall Wolsey Embassadour into France Wolsey went over into France pompously attended where he concluded a league betwixt the King of England and the French King who both defied the Emperour and sent an Army into Italy to make war against him and upon the nineteenth of October the great Master of England and France defied the Emperour France came over to England to ratifie the League made betwixt the two Kings all which verifie that part of the prediction Rouze him shall this fierce Lion in his den Be favoured of the gods and fear'd of men Gallia shall quake Albania stand in awe And Caesars stoop when he but shews his paw To league with him Hesperia shall take pride Those whom the Africke Moores halfe blacke have dyde By Albania is meant Seotland so called from Albanactus the second sonne of Brute the first King thereof and by Hesperia Spaine who after the African Moores had long possessed the greatest part of the Land by enterchangable merceage betwixt them and the Natives the Spaniards are black and tawny even to this day In the one and twentieth yeare the King having cast his eye upon a new Mistris pretending A divorce sought by the King betwixt him and Queen Katherine a matter of conscience hee began to consider with himselfe that hee had long incestucusly lived with his brothers wife for which cause the Legats of Rome met with the King at Black Fryers about the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of that marriage Amongst the rest Cardinall Wolsey standing stiffe against a Divorce in October following was discharged of his Chancellourship and presently after was a peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and the King and in the yeere after the great Cardinall who had been arrested of high Treason and by that meanes forfeited his infinite estate to the The death of Card. Wolsey King died on Saint Andrews in a poore Fryery not without suspition of poyson After by a legall course and due processe of Law the king was divorced from the Lady Katherine his brothers wife and soone after married to the Lady Anne Bulloigne who upon The King married
parish Church throughout England that no Coarse should be buryed before sixe a Clocke in the morning nor after sixe at night and that when any dyed the Bell should ring three quarter of an houre at least In this Interim the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke Dudly and Gray privately murmuring and openly maligning that The two Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk the Kings two Uncles should beare such great authority in the Kingdome by which their glories seemed not onely eclipsed but quite darkned the elder brother commanding the Land the younger the Sea the one Lord Protector the other Lord High Admirall so that the whole Dominion and Soveraignty of the kingdome the kings name excepted was divided betwixt them And further considering that it was in vaine for them to attaine to their owne ambitious ends but by sundring this fraternall tye and unloosing this Gordian knot Their plots gainst the Protector and Admirall of Consanguinity which had beene so long inseparably continued betwixt them they therefore projected betwixt themselves how this almost impossible thing might be brought to passe and doubting the event if they should attempt to worke by their servants as to corrupt them with Bribes or the like they therefore tooke a nearer and more safe course to practise it by their Wives and to draw their balas from out of their owne bosomes and The Wives made themcans to betray the Husbands most successively to their purpose thus it happened Sir Thomas Seimer Lord High Admirall having married the Queene Dowager whose good Fortune it was of all the rest of the kings wives to survive her Husband contested with her sister in law for precedence and priority of place to which the Protectors wife standing upon her prerogative could by no meanes bee wonne to give way This emulation betwixt the two sisters fitly sorting to the Dukes purposes for the one challenged the right hand as once being Queene and the other claimed it as wise to the present Protector To this new kindled fire the two Dukes bring fuell Dudly incourageth the one secretly Gray the other privately so that the Wives set the Husbands at oddes by taking their parts so that by the instigation of those emulous and incensed Ladies a mortall hatred grew betwixt the two brothers insomuch that in the third year of the King the Admirall was questioned for the ill managing his Office and sundry Articles preferred in Court against him so that he was condemn'd in Parliament and his head The death of the Lord high Admirall strooke off the Protector his brother signing the Warrant for his death The one being thus removed there was the lesse difficulty to supplant the other for in the same Month of February in which the Admirall lost his head was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsaile of which the two Dukes were chief and many Articles of Treason and ill government of the state commenced against him but about a yeare after his confinement by his submission to the Lords and intercession made for him by the K. upon the sixt of February hee was released injoy'd his former offices honors but all this was but a lightning before death for his two great potent adversaries stil prosecute their malice against him insomuch that not long after calling him to a second account when he had nobly acquit himself at the Barre of all treason objected against him he was in the Guild Hall of London not by a Iury of his peeres by The Lord Protector put to death for felony twelve men convicted and condemned of Felony for which on a Scaffold on Tower-Hill hee suffered death verifying what was before spoken of the young King Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt th' other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray It is so manifest it needs no Comment This Edward Seimour was the sonne of Sir A Character of the L. Protector Edward Seimour knighted by Henry the eight who had married the Lady Iane his naturall sister He after created him Viscount Beauchamp in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty sixe and the yeare following Earle of Hereford after that he was installed Knight of the Garter His honours and offices made Lord great Chamberlain of England one of the honourable privy Counsail much favoured of the eighth Henry who in his last Testament instituted him one of the chiefe of his sixteene Executors after this King Edward created him Baron de sancto Mauro then Duke of Somerset He was next by a generall voyce of parliament made Protector over the Kings person and of all his Kingdomes and Dominions Governour and Lord Generall of all the Kings forces by Land and Sea He was moreover Lord high Treasurer and Earle Martiall of England Captaine of the two Islands of Gernsie and Iersie and Chancellour of the University of Cambridge In all which Offices and Dignities he demeaned himselfe The Duke of Somerset catalogu'd amongst the English Martyrs with such Honourable bounty and singular piety that some have not doubted to Catalogue him amongst our English Martyrs But to returne to the History by this protectors meanes who was a constant Protestant Images were puld downe through all Churches of England Marriage of priests made lawfull The suppressing of the Romish Religion by parliament and Doctor Bonner with other Romish Prelates deposed from their Bishopricks and other of the Reformed Church supplyed their places making good what was before calculated of the young King By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes This needs some explication Hee is called young Caesar as being produced into the world The prophesie explained by the cutting or ripping up of his mothers wombe from which the great Roman Iulius borne after the same manner had added to him the name of Caesar which Title hee left as Hereditary to all the succeeding Emperours after him who as hee reduced the Aristocracie which was the government of the Senate and Optimates into one entire monarchall Diadem placing the Empire in Rome so of the contrary this young King from the great Pontifex of Rome who in time wearing a Triple Diademe and thereby challenging power in Heaven potently upon earth regency and predominance over Hell and moreover making earthly Kings and Emperours to acknowledge unto him a preheminence and supremacie making them to kisse his feet with other servil officeâ—… â—…e by opposing this Soveraignty and shrinking his head out of so extreame a servitude may bee truly said to have done more against Rome in
and soone after died at Shaftbury and was buried at Winchester when he had reigned nineteen yeeres leaving two sonnes Harold sirnamed for his swiftnesse in running Harefoot and Hardy Canutus whom Harold sonne of Canutus King of England in his life time hee caused to bee crowned King of Denmarke Harold succeeded his Father in the Crowne of England in the beginning of whose Reigne there was great doubt made of the Legitimacie of his birth or whether hee were the Kings sonne or no but more especially by Earle Goodwin who was a man of a turbulent spirit who to the utmost of his power would have disinherited him and conferred the Kingdome to his brother But Leofricus whom the King much loved and trusted by the assistance of the Danes opposed mightily Goodwin and his sonne so that they were utterly disappointed of their purpose Harold was no sooner setled in the Kingdome but hee robbed his stepmother Emma that good and devout Lady of her Iewels and Emma wife to Canutus banished Treasure and then banished her the Land wherefore she sailed to Baldwin Earle of Flanders where she was nobly entertained and continued all the Reigne of this Harold in which hee did nothing worth register or deserving memory who after three yeeres and some few moneths died at London or as some say at Oxford and having no issue left his brother Hardy Canutus heire to the Crowne with the death of whose elder brother I conclude this Chapter CHAP. 10. Merlins Prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his Tithing of the Norman Gentlemen the death of Prince Alured sonne to Canutus and Emma the strange death of Earle Goodwin After the death of Edward the Confessor Harold Earle Goodwins sonne usurpeth YOu see how hitherto Merlin hath predicted nothing which the successe and event have not made good wee will yet examine him further and prove if hee have beene as faithfull in the future as the former who thus proceedeth And Helluo then with open jaws shall yawne Devouring even till midnight from the dawn And he an Hydra with seven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian bloud shall prey And tithe them by the pole now well away Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Iron men in woodden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with her Eglets drive c. It followeth in the History Hardy Canutus the Hardy Canutus the Dane crowned King of England sonne of Canutus and Emma began his Reigne over England in the yeere of Grace one thousand forty one who was oâ—… such cruelty as that he was no sooner setled in the State but he presently sent Alphricus Archbishop of Yorke and Earle Goodwin to Westminster to take up the A barbarous cruelty in a brother body of his deere brother and having parted the head from the shoulders to cast them into the River Thames which was by them accordingly performed the cause thereunto moving was for rifling and after exiling his mother Emma whom hee caused with great honour to be brought againe into the Land Hee revived also the almost forgotten Tribute His riot and eâ—…cesse called Dane gelt which hee spent in drinking Deep and Feeding high for these were his delights For besides his immoderate quaffing he had the Tables through his Court spred four times a day with all the riot and excesse that might be devised who himselfe minding only gormondizing and voracitie committed the whole rule of the Land to Emma and Goodwin who had married the Daughter of Canutus by his first wife Elgina by whom many things were much misordered to the great discontent of the Commons This Earle had many sonnes as witnesseth Polychronicon lib. 6. cap. 15. by his Earle Goodwins sons and daughter first wife who was sister to Canutus hee had but one who by the striking of an Horse was throwne into the Thames and there drowned whose mother after died by Lightning and was of such incontinent life that shee prostituted Virgins and young women to make base and mercenary use of their bodies she dead he married a second of whom hee begot sixe sonnes Swanus Harold Tostius Wilnotus Syrthe or Surthe and Leofricus with a daughter named Goditha who after was married to Edward the Confessor Hardy Canutus wholly devoted to all voluptuousnesse being at a Feast at Lambeth in the midst of his mirth and jollity drinking a carowse out of a bowle elbow-deep fell downe Hardy Canutus dieth drinking suddenly and rested speechlesse for the space of eight dayes at the end whereof he expired in the eight day of Iune when hee had raigned two compleat yeeres leaving no issue lawful of his body and was buried by his Father at Winchester in whom ended the Line and Progeny of Swanus so that after this King the bloud of the Danes was quite extinct and made uncapable of any Regall Dignity within this Land The end of the Danish persecution and how long it continued Their bloudy persecution ceasing which had continued counting from their first landing in the time of Brightricus King of the West Saxons by the space of two hundred fifty five yeeres or thereabout by this Hardy Canutus Merlin intended his Helluo as being a gluttonou Prince whose bibacity and voracity would continue from morning till midnight in the first yeere of whose Reigne The two sonnes of Egelredus and Emma namely Alphred and Edward who before were sent into Normandy came into England to see their Mother and were Princely attended by a great number of brave Norman Knights and Gentlemen of which Earle Goodwin that By the seven heads are meant he and his six sonnes who aâ—…sisted him in all his bloudy projects subtle seven-headed Hydra before spoken of having notice ' hee began to plot and devise how to match his only daughter Goditha to one of the two Princes but finding Alured the eldest to be of an high and haughty spirit and would disdaine so mean a marriage he thought by supplanting him to conferre her upon the younger who was of a more flexible disposition Earle Goodwins pâ—…te to compasse which hee pretended to the King and Councell that it might prove dangerous to the state to suffer so many strangers to enter the Land without license By which he got authority and power to manage that businesse according to his owne discretion as being most potent with the King and a great incourager of his profusenesse and riot therefore being strongly accompanied he met with the two Princes and their traine and set upon them as Enemies killing the greater part of them at the first encounter and having surpris'd the rest upon a place called Guil-downe hee slue nine and saved the tenths and then thinking the number of the survivors too Earle Goodwins great cruelty great he tithed againe
belonging to the Duke he was beset by one Mainart de Goresen but with losse of some of his traine he by his manhood escaped After at a towne named Frisach one Frederick de Saint Soon made a second attempt upon him and tooke six of his Knights but he by his noble valour made his way through the ambush of the enemy without surprizall and strooke up towards Germany but spies being set to know what course he King Richard taken took he was at length betrayed into the hands of the Duke of Lemple cousin to the Emperor who sent him to the Duke of Austria he presently rifled him of all the treasure and iewels hee had about him and committed him for a moneth to strait and close prison During which time as some write the Duke Hence he had the appeâ—…ation of Cur de Lyon put him to cope singly with a great and mighty Lion weaponlesse and unarmed who having conquered the beast ript up his heart and flang it in the Dukes face and after that with a blow under the eare he slew the Dukes sonne and further that his daughter being enamoured both of his person and great valour he left her vitiated and deflowred but howsoever in this all witnesses agree that when the moneth was expired he sent him to the Emperour who was Henry the first of that name and sonne to Frederick the first who put him into a darke and obscure dungeon covenanting with the Duke that he should have the third part of his ransome there he remained for the space of a yeere and three moneths at length upon a palm-sunday he caused him to be brought before his Princes and Lords to answer what could be obiected against him where hee appeared with such a manly and maiestick aspect and withal answered so directly and discreetly to whatsoever was laid to his charge that they generally comiserated his iniust durance then King Richard ransomed at an hundred thousand pound and set at liberty his ransome was set at an hundred thousand pound sterling and hostages given for the payment by such a time which done he was set at liberty which verefies Coopt up and cag'd then shall the Lion be But after sufferance ransomd and set free The King in the eight yeere of his Reigne The Kings arrivall into England about the latter end of March landed at Sandwich and came straight to London where he was ioyfully received and then calling a Counsaile of his Lords he first took order to pay his ransome and because his brother Iohn in his absence had usurped the Diadem was at that time in France he deprived him of all Honour and title and tooke from him all those Earledomes and revenewes that hee before had conferd upon him and caused him selfe at Winchester to be the second time crowned and then began the ancient grudge to revive betweene the two Kings of England and France which was the more aggravated because the French King supported Iohn against the King his Brother But Prince Iohn seeing how much his fame was magnified in the mouths of all men and that all the parts both of Christendome and Paganisme resounded with his praise he made means to his mother Queene Eleanor by whose mediation a Iohn reconciled to the K. his brother peace was made betwixt her two sonnes whilest the wars in Normandy and France went stil forwards Many wery the battailes fought betwixt the two Kings and much effusion of bloud on both sides where sometimes the one sometimes the other had the better but for the most part Richard the best during which combustion before the last 20000 pound for his ransome was payd his two hostages the Bishops of Bath in England and Roan in Normandy came unto him and told him that they were set at liberty by the Emperour and further shewed that his great enemy the Duke of Austria was accused of Innocent the third then Pope for the iniuries before offered him and that upon Saint Stephens day hee prickt his foot with a thorne which gangrend and should have beene cut off and being told hee must die he sent to his Bishops to be absolved which they had denied to doe till hee had showne himselfe repentant for the foresaid wrongs and released his hostages which being The death of the Duke of Austria accordingly done the Duke died and they were delivered In the processe of the wars before spoken of King Richard in the tenth yeere of his Reigne after Christmasse besieged a Castle in France neere Lymoges called Gaylyard the cause was that a rich treasure being found within the Seigniory of the King of England by one Widomer Vicount of Lemruke hee had denyed to render it up and fled thither for his refuge and defended it manfully till the fift day of April upon which day the King walking unadvisedly to The King too unadvised take view of the Fort and where it might be best entred one named Bertrand Genedow whom some Writers call Pater Basale marked the King and wounded him in the head but some say in the arme with a poysoned arrow after which hurt received hee caused a violent and desperate assault to be made in which hee wonne the Castle then hee made inquiry who hee was that had wounded him who being found and brought before him the King demanded of him why he should rather ayme at his person than any of those who were then about him who boldly made answer because thou slewest my Father and my brethren for which I vowed thy death whatsoever became of me the King after some pawsing leisure for that answer gave him his pardon and liberty but the rest of the souldiers he put to the sword and caused the Castle to bee razed to the earth The death of King Richard the firâ—… and dyed the third day after whose body was buried at Fount E-a-Bleu at the feet of his Father which no way erres from the prophesie For potent Kings whose prides Transcend 'twixt whom a sea-arm onely glides Ambitious truth shall many conflicts try Last by a poysonous shaft the King shall die Iohn the youngest sonne to Henry the second Iohn made King of England and brother to the late deceased Richard was proclaimed King the tenth day of April in the yeere of Grace one thousand one hundred fourescore and nineteene and was crowned at Westminster upon holy Thursday next ensuing of whom it was thus predicted The subtle Fox into the Throne shall creep Thinking the Lion dead who did but sleepe But frighted with his walking rore finds cause To flie the terrour of his teeth and paws After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got Then shall those keyes whose power would awe the fates For a long time lock up his Temple gates Vnburthen him of all the charge he beares And wrest from him the Lawrell that he wears Woes me that from one Leopard should be
that his Lords were acquitted of their allegiance and in what danger his souls and his peoples were hee and his whole Nation standing accursed he at length condiscended to submit himselfe to whatsoever the Court of Rome should determine The Articles proposed by the Pope and by him to be performed were these following Peaceably to suffer Stephen Langton to enter The Articles that hee should yield to into the Land and to enjoy the primacy and profits of his Archbishoprick that these whom hee had banisht should be repeald and their goods whom hee had rifled should be to them restored and that he should yield up his absolute right and title to the Crowne of England and he his heirs thence-forward to hold it of the Pope and his successors to which having granted and he and his Lords being sworne to observe Iohn delivers up his Crowne to the Popes use the same Hee kneeling tooke the Legâ—…te to him the Crowne from his head and delivered it to the Popes use saying these words I here resigne up the Crowne of the Realmes of England and Ireland into the hands of pope Innocent the third and put my selfe wholly into his power and mercy then Pandolph as Deputy for the Pope tooke the Crowne and kept it five dayes in his possession and then the King received it from him againe First having sealed and delivered up an Instrument or writing the effect was that he could challenge no power but by permission of the Pope and further to pay unto the Apostolicke See yeerly a thousand Marks of silver seven hundred for the Crowne of England and three hundred for the Kingdome of Ireland for the payment of which Tribute yeeâ—…ly paid by King Iohn to Rome tribute but the Peter-pence were after gathered and this confirmes the premisses exprest in the prophesie Then shall those keyes whose power would awe the fates For along time lock up his Temple gates Vnburthen him of all the charge he beares And wrest from him the Lawrell that he wears Woes me that from one Leopard should be torne What many Lions in their pride have worne It is made so plaine that it needs no further Interpretor In those days lived one called Peter Peter of Pomfret of Pomfret a Bard and such then were held as Southsayers and prophets who predicted divers of the Kings disasters which fell out accordingly amongst which one was that hee should reigne but fourteene yeeres but when the King had entred the fifteenth hee called him into question for a false prophet to which hee answered that whatsoever hee had foretold was justifiable and true For in the fourteenth yeer hee gave up his Crowne unto the pope and hee paying unto him an annuall tribute the pope raigned and not hee notwithstanding which apology he caused him as a Traytour to be hanged and quartered After which he bore himselfe so aversly towards his Barons that the greatest part of them Lewis sonne to the French King called in to England by thâ—… Barons fell from his Allegiance and called in Lewis son to the French king into the Land covenanting to make him king who was received with his whole Army and possessed of London the Tower and many other strong holds in the kingdome betwixt whom and the king were sundry conflicts and skirmishes in which they diversly sped during which dissention in the seventeenth yeere of his Reigne he expired as the Authour of Polychron saith at Newarke of The death of King Iohn a bloudy flix But by the relation of our English Chronicle to which we give more credit as also by the authority of Master Fox in his Martyrologie he was poysoned by a Monke having been a great Rifler of their Monasteries and dyed at Swinsted Abbey in Lincolnshire this Monke being of the same House and his body was after buried in the Cathedrall Church at Winchester which fatall accident hapned unto him the day after Saint Luke being the eighteenth of October after hee had reigned sixteen yeeres six moneths and odde days leaving behind him two sonnes Henry and Richard In his death verifying He that did all he might the Kirke despise Against his life shall a base Kirkman rise Not forgetting the former which was predicted of Lewis comming into the Land Hither the French flower would it self transpose Where must spring after many a glorious Rose Henry the third of that name and eldest son Henry the third crowned King to King Iohn at the age of nine yeeres beganne his Reigne over the Realme of England the twentieth of October in the yeere of Grace one thousand two hundred and sixteene Philip the second being then king of France this king reigned the longest and did the least of remarkable memory of any of his predecessours Of whom it was thus predicted Dreame shall the Leopards issue in the throne The Prophesie Crudled in rest carefull to keep his owne Nor forcing ought from others changing then His Leopards spots a Lion turn agen Abroad the second whelpe for prey will rore Beyond the Alps to Ioves bird restore rage Her decayde plumes the King of beasts whose His youth conceal'd shall rowse him in his age Against the Boare the Talbot and the Beare The Mountain Cat Goat with whom cohere Of fowls the Falcon Hearn the Peacock Swan With Fishes too prest from the Ocean With whose mixt blouds the Forest shal be dyde Till love unite what discord did divide Presently upon the young Kings Coronation the greatest part of the English peeres revolted The English Lords revolt from Lewis to Henry from the French party and acknowledged him their sole King and Soveraigne so that within a short season they quit both him and all the Aliens and Strangers out of the Land in the eight yeare of his Raigne was held a Parlament The first granting of Wards in which was granted to the King and his successor Kings the Wardship and Mariage of all the Heires which act was called by wise men of that age Initium Malorum In the thirtieth yeare of his Raigne dyed Frederick the Emperour who had before maried Isabell the Kings sister who for his contempt of the church of Rome was accursed of The death of the Emperour Frederick whom was made this Epitaph Fre sremit in Mundo De deprimitalta profundo Ri res rimatur cus cuspide cuncta minatur Which though it cannot sound so well in our English tongue yet is thus paraphrased Free frets the world De Height which depth confounds Ri searcheth all things Cus with the weapen wounds After whose death the Electors could not agree in the choise of a successor some nominated the Duke of Thoring others the Earle of Holland and some againe stood for Richard Earle of Cornwale the Kings brother but in the end Rodulphus Duke of Habspurg was inaugurated by Pope Gregory the ninth so that great variance and strife continued for the space of 27 yeares to
two Spencers c. BY the Cornish Eagle in the former Chapter is meant Pierce Gavestone Earle of Cornwall by his plumes of gold his pride and riches borrowed and extorted from others by the Goat the King who was given to all intemperate effeminacie by the Beare Thomas Earle of Lancaster c. This King was of a beautifull aspect King Edwards Character and excellent feature of a strong constitution of body but unstedfast in promise and ignoble in condition as refusing the company of men of honour to associate himselfe with lewd and vile persons he was much addicted to bibacity and apt to discover matters of great counsell and of stupration and adultery perswaded thereto by his familiars the French men for whose death the King vowed an irreconciliable revenge against the Barons which he after performed indeed so unking-like was his misgovernment that a base Villaine called Iohn Tanner named himself the son of Edward the Iohn Tanner an Impostor first and that by the means of a false nurse hee was stoln out of his cradle and this Edward being a Carters son was laid in his place which the people for the former reasons were easily induced to believe but the Impostor was discovered and by his own confession judged to be hanged and quartered In the seventh yeere of his Reigne Robert le Robert le Bruce wars against England Bruce King of Scots whom his Father made flye into Norway hearing of the misguiding of the Kingdome and the dissention betwixt him and his Barons warre strongly against him and his friends in Scotland and wonne from them Castles and Holds howsoever well munified to the great damage of the English who were interessed The Kings power against Scotland in the Land For which affront the King assembled a great power and invaded Scotland by Sea burning and destroying all such Townes and Villages as were in his way which Robert le Bruce hearing he hasted with a strong Army and upon S. Iohn Baptists day both Hoasts met at a place called Estrivelin neere unto a fresh River called Bannoksburne where betwixt them was fought a cruell battaile in which the English were compeld to forsake the field For which in derision of the English the Scots made this Ryme Doggerill Maidens of England sore may you mourn The Scots derision of the English For the Lemans you have lost at Bannocksborn With a heave and hoe What weened the King of England so soone to have wonne Scotland With a Rumby low In his ninth yeere Barwick was betrayed to the Scots by one Peter Spalding whom the King had Barwick betrayed to the Scots made Governour of the Town and Castle and in the eleventh yeâ—…re the Scots entred the borders of Northumberland most cruelly robbing and burning the Country even the houses of women who lay in Childbed not sparing age The cruelty of the Scots nor sex religious nor other therefore the King raised a new Army and laid siege to Barwick in which interim the Scots past the River of Swale and leaving the Coast where the Kings people lay came into the Borders of Yorkeshire to whom the Archbishop with Priests and ploughmen unexercised in armes gave battail but were discomfited in which so many Priors Clerks Canons and other Clergymen were slaine that they called it the white battaile when The white battaile the King heard of this overthrow hee broke up his siege and retyred to Yorke and soone after to London After this nothing was done without the advice of the two Hugh Spencers the father and the sonne and in a Counsell held at Yorke Hugh Spencer the sonne maugre the Lords was made high Chamberlain of England who bore him as haughtily as ever did Gavestone but let The pride of Hugh Spencer the sonne me take the prophesie along A Goat shall then appeare out of a Carr VVith silver hornes not Iron unfit for warre And above other shall delight to feed Vpon the flower that life and death doth breed By the Goat is figured lascivious Edward therefore said to appeare out of a Car as born in Carnarvan his hornes of silver and not of Iron denotes his effeminacie being unserviceable for warre as may appeare in his successe against the Scots by the Flower of life and death is intended his Queene Isabel the Flower of France at first deare to him as life but in the end as most Writers have suspected with Mortimer accessary to his death but to proceed with the History The Barons to a great number seeing how The assembly of the Barons the Spencers misled the King and misgoverned the affaires in the Land assembled themselves and tooke a solemne and unanimous vow to remove them out of the Kingdome and as their first attempt certain of them appointed to that purpose entred upon the Mannors and Castles of the Spencers in the Marches of Wales spoyling and ruining them to the earth of which riot they complained to the King who summoned them to appeare before his Counsell which The petition of the Barons to the King they refused to doe but gathered unto them a stronger Hoast and sent to his Majesty humbly beseeching him to remove from his person the two Spencers which daily did to him great dishonour and to the Common-weale which damage with humble request the King hearing and doubting his owne safety called a Parliament to be held at London to which the Barons came with a great Hoast all suited in demy-parted Iackets of yellow and greene with a list of white cast overthwart for which the common The Parlament of white-bands people called it the Parliament of white-bands in which the two Spencers were banished the Kingdome for ever But the yeere following the King revoked the Acts made in the former Parliament and called them into England contrary to the will of the Barons and set them in greater authority then before to the great disturbance and almost utter subversion of the Realme for now the whole Land was in combustion and the King animated by the Spencers tooke on him the shape of a Lion and ceased not till hee had cut off the chiefe and prime Nobility of the Land For besides those that were slaine none was brought to the Barre but was thence led to the blocke who having got the better of his Barons he called a Parliament at Yorke in which Hugh Spencer the Father was made Earle of Hugh Spencer the father made Earle of Winchester Winchester and soone after was one Robert Baldock a follow of debaucht life and condition made Chancellour of England Then forfeits Robert Baldock made Chancellour and sines were gathered without sparing of priviledged places or other till a mighty summe of money was gathered towards another expedition into Scotland and then his Army consisted according to Caxton and others of an hundred thousand men but hee sped in that as in the former for on Saint Lukes day at a
a Mars shall breed Who in his armes accommodate and fit Shall compasse more by warre then he by wit The Caduceus to a sword shall change And grim Orion shal though it seeme strange Sit in Astraea's orbe and from her teare The three leav'd flower she in her hand did bear And turn it to a lawrell to adorn The Lions brows whom late the Toad did scorn And after many a furious victory At length invested shall the Lion bce In a new Throne to which his clayme is faire As being matcht unto the Kingdomes heire Living this royall beast shall lose no time But be at last from earth snatcht in his prime Presently after his Coronation hee caused the corps of King Richard to be removed from the Fryers at Langley and solemnly interred upon the South side of Saint Edwards Shrine in Westminster by the body of Queene Anne his wife In the second yeere of his Reigne hee held his Parliament at Leicester where amongst other A parliament held at Leicester things the Commons put up their former Bill against the Clergy who kept so much of the Temporalties in their hands In feare whereof lest the King should give unto it any comfortable audience certaine Bishops and others of the Clergie put the King in minde to clayme his right in France for which they offered him great and notable summes by reason whereof that Bill was againe put by and the Prince listning to the motion of the Prelats aymed onely to set forward his expedition against France The King prepareth for France and sent his Letters to the French King to that purpose who returned him answer full of derision and scorne wherefore hee made speedy provision for war And in his third yeare road honorably accompanied through London and thence to Southampton where he had appoynted his army to meete him There Richard Earle of Cambridge Lords arrested of treason Sir Richard Scroope then Treasurer of England and Sir Thomas Gray were arrested of Treason arraigned and the nine and twentieth day of Iuly following beheaded The morrow after the King tooke the sea and the sixteenth of August landed in Normandy and laid siege to Hareflew and won it then leaving Sir Thomas Bewford his Noble Captaine there he sped him The King lands in Normandy from Calice with the Dolphin who had then the ruling government of France by reason of the Kings great sicknesse having broke the bridges to hinder the Kings passage over the river Sanne therefore hee was constrained to take the way toward Picardy and passe the River Pericon whereof the French being aware assembled their forces and lodged neere to Agencourt Roland court and Blangie When King Henry saw that hee was thus invironed K. Henry environed with the French with his enemies he pitcht his battaile betwixt Agincourt and Blangie having no more then seven thousand able men But in those dayes the yeomen had their limbes at liberty Their breeches fastned with one point and their jacks or coats of male long and easie to shoote in drawing bowes of great strength and shooting arrows of a yard long besides the head King Henry then considering the number of the enemy and that the French stood much upon their horse charged every Archer to take a sharpe stake and pitch it aslope before him that when the Cavalry with their speares assaulted them they should give back and so the horse should A rare policy of K. Henry foyle themselves upon the stakes and then to powre their shot upon them and when the king had thus providently ordered for the battaile over night the morrow after being the twenty fift of October and the day of Crispin and Crispianus hee attended the approch of the enemy who were in number forty thousand able fighting men The number of the French army Who about nine a clock in the morning with great pride and scorne set upon the English thinking to have overrid them with their horse and trod them underfoot but the Archers as they were before appointed retyred themselves within their stakes upon which the French horses were galled which the English Archers perceiving and that their horses being gored with K. Henries victorious battaile at Agencourt the stakes tumbled one upon another so that they which were foremost were the confusion of them which followed the Archers after their arrows were spent fell upon them with swords and axes so that the day fell with little losse to the English of whom were slaine that day the Slain of the English Duke of Yorke who had the leading of the Van and the Duke of Suffolke and not above six and twenty persons more But of the French were kild that day morethen Slain of the French 10000 common souldiers of the'nobility the three Dukes of Bar of Alonson and of Braban eight Earles and of Barons above fourescore with gentlemen in Coat Armours to the number of three thousand besides in that fight were taken prisoners the Duke of Orleance the Duke of Burbon the Earles of Vendosme of Ewe Prisoners takē of the French of Richmont and Bursigant then Marshall of France with knights and Esquires besides common men surmounting the number of two thousand and foure hundred when king Henry had by Gods helpe obtained this glorious victory and recalled his people from pursuit of the enemy newes was brought of a new Hoast comming towards him wherefore hee commanded his souldiers to bee imbattailed and then made proclamation through his Army A suddain policy of King Henry that every man should kill his prisoner which made the Duke of Orleance and the rest of the French Nobility in such feare that they by authority of the King sent to the Hoast to withdraw so that the King with his prisoners the morrow following took their way towards Calais where for a time he rested himselfe and his Army Thus it was truely prophesied of him Note a strange mixture in the planets seed For now a Mercury a Mars shall breed Who in his armes accommodate and fit Shall compasse more by warre than he by wit The Exposition is plaine by Mercury is meant the father who was politicke and ingenious and by Mars the sonne who by his Military Prowesse attchieved more then the other apprehended But it followeth the three and twentieth of November he was met upon Black Heath by the Lord Major and his brethren who conducted him through the City where were presented many pageants and Showes to The Kings comming into England gratulate his famous victory to Westminster whither the same houre came Sigismond the Emperour who lodged him in his owne palace and after was Saint Georges feast kept at Windsor in the time of which solemnity during the time of divine Service the King kept the estate but in the sitting at the Feast he gave it to the Emperour where he the Duke of Holland and The Emperour Sigismund made Knight of the Garter
Edward with the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter were in the North and would not come up at the kings sending it was agreed by the Lords that the Duke of Yorke and Earle of Salisbury should raise an Army and fetch them up by force and to that purpose sped them Northward of which the Queene with her people having notice with a great power of Northern men met with them upon the thirtieth of December at a Towne called Wake-field betwixt whom was fought a bloody Battaile in The battaile of Wakefield which was slaine the Duke of York with his son the earle of Rutland Thomas Nevill sonne to The Duke of Yorke slaine the earle of Salisbury and the earle himself took prisoner whom shee caused to be with others soone after beheaded at Pomphret then shee made haste towards London and the earle of Warwicke with the Duke of Norfolke who were appoynted by Yorke to attend the king gathered an Army and upon a Shrove-tuesday in the The Queen againe victorious morning gave her battaile at Saint Albons in which Warwicke and Norfolke were chaced and the king againe taken and presented to the Queen then He the same afternoone made his sonne Edward knight who was eight yeares of age with thirty persons more The Queene having thus gotten the upper hand of her Enemies thought all things safe expressing more pride than she before had done in the height of which newes was brought her that Edward earle of March eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke with the earle of Warwicke and others with a great strength of March men were met at Cottiswald in their way to London wherefore the King and Queen returned with their Hoast Northward but before her departing from Saint Albons shee caused the Lord Bonsfield and others to bee beheaded who had beene taken in the former field Then came the Earles of March and Warwicke to London to whom resorted all the Gentlemen of the East and South parts of England Then was a Counsaile called of the Lords spirituall and temporall by whom after much debating of the matter it was concluded that forasmuch as King Henry contrary to his honour and oath at the last parliament had done and also that he was reputed unable and insufficient to governe the Realme hee was by their assents discharged of all kingly honour and Royalty and Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made King by the authority of the said Counsell and agreement of the Commons Edward eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke was elected King who presently with his Army followed Henry and met with his Hoast at a place called Towton or Shyrbourne and upon Palm-sunday gave them The battaile at Shyrbourne battaile which was so cruelly fought that there were slaine thirty thousand besides those of note and quality as the Earle of Northumberland the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Clifford Sir Andrew Trollop and others In the Henry and Qu. Margaret flie into Scotland same Field was taken the Earle of Devonshiere and sent to Yorke and there beheaded But Henry the Queene prince Edward the Duke of Somerset the Lord Rosse and others fled into Scotland and King Edward entered Yorke and there kept his Easter Thus Henry lost the Crowne after hee had reigned full thirty eight yeares sixe Moneths and odde dayes and the factious and ambitious Queen forfeited all her right in the kingdome verifying what was predicted But a young Lion hee at length shall tame And send her empty back from whence she came Much trouble shall be made about the Crowne And Kings soone raised and as soon put downe This Edward the fourth of that name and sonne to Richard Duke of Yorke beganne His The Coronation of Edward the fourth Reigne over the Realme of England the fourth of March in the yeare of grace to reckon after the English computation one thousand foure hundred and forty and upon Sunday being the feast day of Saint Peters day was solemnly crowned at Westminster before which time He made sixe and thirty Knights of the Bathe and soone after hee created his brother George Duke of Clarence and his brother Richard Duke of Gloster Of this Kings reigne thus runs the Prophesie The fiercest Beare who by his power alone A prophesie of his reigne Had planted the young Lion in his throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phear who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some terme a Gray And that shall cause much blood on Easter day The Beare who th'exil'd Tygresse meetes in France Vowes the suppressed Lambe againe t' advance And from the Coop where he hath long bin pent To raise him to his former government The Lion the Land flying with a small And slender traine the ragged staffe swayes all But the Beares fiercenesse shall be soone allaid As one that is halfe conquered halfe betraid Then shall the Lambe whom he did late restore Againe coopt up be slaughtered by the Boare After the King had visited the greatest part of the best Townes and Cities in the Kingdom Queen Margaret invadeth England in the second yeare of his reigne Margaret late Queene of England with an army of French and Scotch invaded the North part of England which King Edward hearing sped him thither at whose approach the Queene with the rest affrighted she disbanded her troopes and in a Carick would have sailed into France but such a Tempest fell that she was forced to take a Fisher-boat and landed at Barwicke and roade thence to the Scotch King where newes was brought her that the Carveil in which the greatest of her treasure was was swallowed up in the Sea And in his third yeare the Lord Iohn of Montacute brother to the Earle of Warwicke having chiefe command in the North was warned of King Henries comming with a great power out of Scotland against whom hee assembled the Northern men and met with him about Exham who routed the Scotch Army The battaile at Exham and chaced Henry so neare that hee tooke certaine of his Traine apparrelled in blue velvet garnished with two Crownes and fret with pearle and rich stones He took also the Duke of Somerset the Lord Hungerford the Lord Rosse and others which Duke with the rest were soon after beheaded some at Exham others at New Castle And the same yeare was King King Henry taken and sent to the Tower Henry taken in a Wood in the North Countrey by one Cantlow and presented unto King Edward who forthwith sent him to the Tower where hee remained for a long time after Now Richard of Warwicke who for his many Victoryes and potency in the Realme was called VVarwicke the great was imployed by the king into France to treat a marriage The King married to the Lady Elizabeth Gray betwixt him and the Lady Bona which whilst hee was earnestly soliciting the first of May the king espoused Elizabeth late wife to Sir Iohn Gray who
aside in an obscure grave The manner of King Richards buriall and there buried when he had reigned or rather usurped the Kingdome by the space of two yeares two months and two daies It is said of this Prince that he came into the world with his feet forward which being taunted with being a youth by a yong Noble man and one of his Peeres hee made answer 't is true and was it not time for mee to make haste into the world there being such a bustling and trouble in the Land which hee seemed to allude unto those times when his Father laid claime to the Crowne Hee was borne also with teeth in his Head which was somewhat prodigious too and crooke backt he was but whether so borne or that it came to him by any sinister accident I am altogether ignorant King Richards character onely of this I am sure that all these with the processe of his bloudy practises punctually comply with the prophesie which saith A bunch-back'd monster who with teeth is born The mockery of art and natures scorn Who from the wombe preposterously is hurld And with feet forward thrust into the world Shall from the lower earth on which he stood Wade every step he mounts knee deep in blood He shall to th' height of all his hopes aspire And cloth'd in state his ugly shape admire But when he thinks himself most safe to stand From forreigne parts a native Whelp shal land c. After the Battaile thus wonne prince Henry was received as King and there instantly so proclaimed Prince Henry victor who thence hasted to London so that upon the twenty eighth day of August he was by the Major and Citizens met in good array at Harnsie park and thence conveighed through the City and lodged in the Bishop of Londons palace for a time and then he removed to Westminster This Henry the seventh of that name sonne to the Earle of Richmond began his dominion Prince Henries Coronation over the Realme of England the two and twentieth of August in the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred fourescore and five and the thirtieth day of October following at Westminster was crowned and in the second yeare of his reigne he espoused Elizabeth the eldest daughter to King Edward the fourth who the yeare after upon St. Katherines day was crowned The Coronation of the Queene at Westminster And this Henry is that native Lions whelpe before spoken of Who shall the long divided blood unite By joyning of the Red Rose with the white For by this marriage the long divided houses of Yorke who gave the white and Lancaster who gave the red Rose were happily combin'd and from that even to this present day never disparted or sundred of him it was also thus predicted The spirit that was meerely Saturnine The prophesie of his reigne Being supprest upon the landshall shine Planets of a more glad aspect and make Peace from their Orbs sixt in the Zodiacke Yet from the cold Septentrion Mars shall threat And war me their frigid pulses with his heat And Mercury shall though it may seem rare Consult with Cassiopeia in her Chaire To fashion strange impostures but warres god By sword nor Hermes with his charming rod Shall ought prevaile where power with Princes meete And when Religion shall Devotion greet Where all these foure at once predominant are Vaine are the attempts of stratagem or warre But he who of the former is possest Shall be abroad renown'd and at home blest Fame afarre off his glorious name shall tell And Plutus neare hand make his Coffers swell By the Saturnine Spirit is intended the bloody and malitious condition of Richard the third which was now supprest by death for as Saturne was said to devoure his owne Children so he hungred and thirsted after the bloud of his owne brother and Nephewes and therefore not altogether unproperly alluded the rest you shall find made apparent in the sequell This religious and wise King being thus The Dutchesse of Burgundy an enemy to the King peaceably instated in the Throne his old inveterate enemy the Dutchesse of Burgundy raised a new Impostor whom she called Richard Duke of Yorke the younger brother to Edward the fift but hearing the King intended to make away young Warwicke who was sonne to the Duke of Clarence and then prisoner in the Tower they changed his name from Yorke to Warwicke who was no other than the sonne of a Baker this youth shee put to the tutoring of A new Conspiracy a Priest who so well improved him that hee could now to the life personate a Prince and for no lesse he was received first into Ireland to whom the Earle of Lincoln came who also made a pretended right to the Crowne To whose aide the Dutchesse sent two thousand Almaines under the command of one Martin Swart an old Souldier and of approved Discipline these with the Lord Lovel and Kildare landed in Lancashire and made towards York with whom the King met at a place called Stoak in which fight the army of the Rebels Stoak field was routed Swart and Lincoln slaine and the Lord Lovell thinking to swim the Trent was drowned and Simnel the mocke King taken whom the King would not put to death but made him a Turn-broach in his Kitchen where hee continued long after CAP. 31. The Earle of Northumberland slaine by the Commons The Matchevilian plots of the Dutchesse of Burgundy to disturbe the peace of King Henry Perkin Warbeck her Creature He is nobly married in Scotland and taken for the Duke of Yorke the death of the Lord Standley and others Divers insurrections about Perkin his death with the young Earle of Warwicke The death of the King A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth IN the fourth yeare of this Kings Reigne the Earle of Northumberland sent to gather some Taxes which were to bee levied in the North was slain by the commons The Earle of Northumberland slaine by the Commons who still favoured the party of the Yorkists And further to countenance the act they made an insurrection and chused for the Captaines one Chambers and another Egremond to suppresse whom was sent the Noble and valiant Earle of Surrey who having discomfited their Army and tooke Chambers with divers others of the chiefe Rebells who were led to Yorke The Rebells slaine and taken and there executed as Traytors But Egremond fled the field and escaped to the Dutchesse of Burgundy whose Court was a Sanctuary for all Male-contents and Fugitives threat Thus from the cold Septentrion Mars did And warme their frigid pulses with his heat This subtile Mercurialist knowing how wisely and politickly the King had borne him betwixt the Emperour and the King of France who had beene at mortall enmity about the marriage of the young Dutchesse of Britaine she being first contracted by a Proxie to the old Emperor but from him divorced before enjoy'd and
to the Lady Anne Bolloigne Whitsunday was crowned Queene and on Midsommer day following dyed the French Queene Mary the kings sister and wife to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke And on the Eve of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin following was born the Lady Elizabeth at Greenwich in which The birth of the Lady Elizabe◅h yeere as an happy presage of her future love unto the Gospell it was enacted that no man should sue any appeale to Rome In Ianuary the seven and twentieth of the King died the Lady Katherine princesse Dowager The death of Q. Katherine late wife to the King and in the 28 of his Reigne Queene Anne Bolloigne with her brother the Lord Rochford Noris Weston Breerton and Marks were attainted of high Treason and The King married to the Lady Iane Seymour beheaded and soone after the King married the Lady Iane Seymour in the yeere one thousand five hundred thirty seven on Saint Edwards eve in Iune Prince Edward was borne at Hampton The birth of Pr. Edward Court and the three and twentieth of October following died Queene Iane and lyeth buried at Windsore then was the Bishop of Rome with all his usurped power quite abolished out of the Realme and the King assumed to himselfe the supremacy over the Church in England and Ireland to whom were granted the first-fruits before The death of Sir Thomas Moore c. paid to the pope with the Tenths of all spirituall possessions For denying of whose Supremacy that famous and learned Gentleman Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancellour of England with the Bishop of Rochester were beheaded and presently after three Monks of the Charterhouse for the some offence Then followed the dissolution of all the Abbeys Fryeries and Nunneries through the whole Realme when the Masse and all Romish Superstitions were forbidden and divers Images that had Engines to make their eyes open and shut and their other limbes to move and stirre were broken to pieces and defaced and all Fryers Monks Canons and Nuns were forced to change their Habits and forsake their Cloysters A proclamation also was made which hath beene since establisht as a Law that the English Bible should bee read in every Church The English Bible commanded to bee read in Churches throughout the Realme and that no Holydayes should be solemnized and observed except our Ladydayes the Apostles the Evangelists Saint George and Saint Mary Magdalen and that Saint Marks Eve and Saint Lawrence Eve should not be kept as fasting days And that children should not goe decked and garnished as they doe on Feasting dayes upon Saint Nicholas Saint Katherine Saint Clements and the holy Innocents and the like all which comply with the prophesie He from the sceptarchy of Hils That Europe aws and triple-crown that fils The Christiā world with terror takes the power And brings it home unto his British bower Blunting the horns of all the Bashan Buls And rooting from the Land the razord skuls By the Sceptarchy of Hils meaning the seven Hils on which the City Rome standeth and further The prophefie explained taking on himselfe to be the supreme Head of the Church within his own Dominions he takes away that power from the Popes Triple-crowne to which all the Christian Kingdomes else were in vassallage By blunting the hornes of the Bashan Buls meaning the Popes Writs of Excommunications Interdictions Anathemaes or Cursings which are called his Buls the terrour whereof hee now vilifies and sets at nought by rooting the rozard sculs from the Land is meant the suppression of Fryers Divers who suffered for denying the Kings Supremacie and Monks who had the upper part of their heads alwayes shaven c. Many were those who suffered for denying the Supremacie as Fryer Forrest who was hanged and burnt in Smith-field with the Image of Darvell Gathren in Wales and for the same offence suffered the Abbots of Reading of Colchester and the great rich Abbot of Glastenbury whose name was Whiting whom the King commanded to be hanged upon the top of the Tower an eminent place and visibly afarre for which way soever a man travels towards that Towne it may be seene twenty miles distant now it seem'd a thing impossible that the Sea with his greatest inundation should swell so high that any Fish should float over or upon it yet so saith the prophesie and all such are mystically delivered parabolically or in allegoricall figures O're Glastenbury for the eye that 's dim May at that day behold a Whiting swim The place being so conspicuous and apparant that one with halfe an eye might see his body waving betwixt the two Elements of Earth and Aire After diverse rebellions in Ireland for which Rebellions in Ireland the Earle of Kildare was committed and died a naturall death during his imprisonment in the Tower and that his sonne made a new insurrection and slew the Bishop of Develin and that for another Rebellion Thomas Fitzgarret with five of his Vncles were drawne hanged and quartered and that the Lord Leonard Gray was beheaded on the Tower-hill for divers Treasons done in Ireland during the time hee was there Deputy for the King yet the King so wisely and discreetly demeaned himselfe towards that Nation that in the thirtieth third yeare of his reigne the Earle of Desmond and the great Oneile submitted themselves to his mercy and grace after which the great Oneile The great Oneile made Earle of Tyron was created Earle of Tyron and his son Baron of Doncannon Thus you see He by his Art could fashion Musicall grounds From th' untun'd harp that discords only sounds By the Harpe which is the Armes of the kingdome meaning Ireland it selfe c. For Treason also were beheaded at the Tower-Hill Thomas Cromwell Earle of Essex and Vicar generall The death of Cromwel Earle of Essex of England who had beene once a faithfull servant to Cardinall Woolsey and after entertained and raised by the King who as it is commonly voyc't put it first into the kings head to pull downe the Abbyes and make a dissolution of the Monasteries and with him dyed the Lord Hungerford In the thirty fift yeare of the king the Earle of Hartford being made Livetenant Generall for his warres in Scotland in regard of divers affronts given him the fourth of May he landed at Leith burning and destroying the Countrey sparing neither Castle Towne Pile nor The Earle of Hartfords voy age into Scotland village for hee ransacked and laid waste the Borrough and towne of Edenborrow with the Abbey called Holy rood house and the Kings Palace neare adjoyning the Towne of Leith also with the Haven and Pire the Castle and Village of Cragmiller the Abbey of New Bottell with part of Muskelborrough Towne the Chappell of the Lady of Lauret Preston Town the Castle of Harinton Towne with the Friers and Nunnery a Castle of Oliver Sanckers the Towne of Dundbarre Laureston with the Grange Vrilaw
impression both in the Princes themselves and both their Armies that a Truce being made they agreed to end the warre betwixt them in a single Duell for which was assigned an Isle called Olkney neere Gloster incompast with the water of Severne which makes good the prophesie Two Lions shall a dreadfull combat make And have their Lists incompast by a Lake In which place at the day prefixed the two worthy and warlike Champions compleatly armed singly met the two Hoastsstanding without the Isle where first they encountred with sharpe The combat betwixt Edmund and Canutâ—…s Lances on Horsback breaking them even to the very Truncheons then they alighted and fought long on foote with their keene swords till their armours were broken in divers places and they both were dangerously wounded when retyring for breath by the first motion of Canutus they made an accord betwixt themselves Canutus made the first motion of peace embracing one another as brothers to the great rejoycing of both Armies After which they made an equall partition of the Land and Canutus married Emma the mother of Edmund but the Snake Edricus whom his Lord had not only pardoned for his former Treason but promoted unto further dignity by creating him Earle of Kent notwithstanding which he corrupted his sonne then attending the King who awaited his opportunity and as he was doing the necessiites of nature strooke him with a Speare into the fundament of which mortall wound hee dyed soone after at Oxford Edmund slaine by the traytour Edricus Then Edricus posted in haste to Canutus and saluted him by the Title of sole Sovereigne of the Kingdome insinuating that for his love and honour hee had removed his Competitour and told him the manner how which Canutus having truly understood and that the Treason was uttered from his owne mouth and in his personall hearing like a just and wise Prince he replyed unto him Forasmuch ô Edricus as for my love thou hast slaine thy naturall Lord whom I entirely affected I shall exalt thy head above all the Lords of England and presently commanded his head to be struck off and pitcht A traytours just reward upon a pole and set upon the highest gate of London and his body to bee throwne into the River of Thames yet Marianus and others write otherwise concerning the manner of his death which makes good what is formerly spoken that a speckled Snake Ayming at high things shall his Lord betray Poysoning the Royall Nest in which he lay Meaning the Kings Treason in which the Traitor was closeted as one whom hee most favoured and honoured Canutus being now sole Monarch the white Canutus sole Monarch of England Dragon was forced to stoop to the Eagle that is the Saxons were compeld to bee under the subjection of the Danes by whom they were so miserably opprest that scarce the tenth part of them were left in the Land and these that remayned were forced to tithe their goods and pay it as a tribute to the Danes therefore saith the Prophet Of the white Dragon so the Fates agree A Decimation in the end shall bee It followeth in the History in a great assembly made of the King and his Barons a question was propounded whether in the composition made betwixt Edmund and Canutus there was any mention made of Edmunds children to have the inheritance of their Father after his death that was in halfe part of the Kingdome to which a great part of them thinking thereby to insinuate unto the Kings favour answered Nay but it hapned unto them contrary to their expectation for knowing them to be naturall Englishmen and before sworn to King Edmund and his heires hee hated them for their perjury never trusting them after but some hee exiled The Kings conscionable justice and some were slaine and others being strooke with the hand of God died suddenly It was likewise ordered by the foresaid Counsell that the two sonnes of Ironside Edmund and Edward should be sent to Swanus the elder brother of Canutus King of Denmarke the purpose is diversly reported some say to be slaine What became of the sons of Edmund Ironside and that Swanus abhorring the Act sent them to Salomon then King of Hungary where Edmund died of a naturall death but his brother Edward in the processe of time married Agatha the daughter of Henry the fourth of that name Emperour and by her besides daughters had a sonne sirnamed Ethelinge This Edward of our English Chronologers is named the Out-law because he never returned into England his native Country In this interim died Swanus King of Denmarke and the Crowne fell to Canutus so that he was sole Sovereigne of both Nations the English and the Danes Canutus landed in Denmarke with a strong Army to possesse himselfe of his lawfull Inheritance and to oppose the Vandals who had pierced that Land and when the King was otherwise negotiated Earle Goodwin with a band of Englishmen set upon the Invaders by night and rowted their whole Army for which noble act the King had him in great favour and the English Nation ever after This King was greatly beloved of his subjects for many of his vertues as being very charitable and devout a great repayrer and decorer of Churches especially of divers Cathedrals which hee caused to be richly beautified with gilding their Altars and Roofs more gloriously then in former ages thereby confirming that part of the prophesie What time the red shall to his joy behold The rooffs of all the Temple shine with gold Meaning the red Dragon Some attribute the cause of his devotion to a noble care he had to repaire what his tyrannicall Father had before ruined that the memory of his Atheisticall cruelty might bee quite forgot others that it was at the Altar of Emma his Queen the Widow Dowager of Egelredus and mother of Ironside who was a Lady of great religious sanctity Hee made also a Voyage to Rome where hee was pontifically received by Bennet the eight of that name and demeaned himselfe with great magnificence and honour It is further reported of him that after his great entertainment there and return from rhence he was so tumoured with pride that standing by the Thames side at a flowing tyde hee charged the water that it should presume no further nor dare to touch his feet which was so farre from obeying his command that he stil keeping his ground from his ankles it came up to his knees at which suddenly stepping backe out of Vaine pride soone repented of the River he blushing said By this all earthly Kings may know that their powers are vaine and transitory and that none is worthy of that name but he who created the Elements and to whom they only obey This Canutus married his eldest daughter by his Wife Elgina the daughter to the Earle of Hampton to Henry sonne of the Emperour Conradus The death of Canutus the second of that name