unpaved A Blazing-Star appeared and other Stars seemed to shoot Darts one against another The Sea broke over its Banks drowning an abundance of people and in Kent overwhelmed the Lands that sometime were Earl Goodwins which now are called Goodwins Sands very dangerous for Navigators A Well of Blood for Fifteen days rose out of the ground at Finchampstead near Abingdon Pestilence and Scarcity Robert of Glocester hath a pretty passage of King William in these Lines As his Chamberlain him brought as he rose on a day A morrow for to wear a pair of Hose of Say He asked what they costned three Shillings be seid Fie a dibles quoth the King who sey so vile a deed King to wear so vile a Cloth but it costned more Buy a pair for a Mark or thou shalt ha cory fore A worse pair enough the other swith him brought And seyd they costned a Mark and unneath he them bought Aye bel-amy quoth the King these were well bought In this manner serve me or ne serve me not A. D. 1096 and in the Reign of William Rufus by reason of the Pestilence then raging and the oppressions under which the English groaned the tillage of the earth was neglected whereby ensued great scarcity the year following throughout all England HENRY BEAVCLERK HENRY for his Learning stiled Beauclerk A.D. 1100 whilst his brother Robert was busied in the Holy War promising many good things was with the general liking of the people crowned at Westminster in A. D. 1100 Whose first business was the reforming of his own Court and Houshold for a pattern to his subjects Next he restored to the English the use of fire and lights at their own liberty freed the Church from reservation of its possessions upon vacancies made the heirs of the Nobility free to possess their Fathers Lands without redemption from him engaging the Nobles to do the like by their Tenants Allowed the Gentry to marry their daughters and kinswomen without his licence so it were not to his enemy Ordained that the Widow should enjoy her Joynture and be at liberty to marry according to her own liking That the Mother and next kindred should be Guardians to fatherless children That Coiners of false money should be punished with the loss of hand and genitals He also appointed a Measure to the length of his arm to be a standard of commerce amongst his people He forgave all debts to the Crown before his time And that which did the most content his subjects was Anselme A.B. Cant. that he revived the Laws of Edward the Confessor After which he recall'd Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury who had been forced out of the Realm by Rufus because he opposed him for keeping Church-Livings in his hands And Henry to settle himself the more deeply in the affections of the English he married Maud daughter to the King of Scots by Margret Sister to Edgar Atheling But Duke Robert being returned with greatest honour from the Holy Land claimed the Kingdom of England as his rightful inheritance landed an Army at Portsmouth many of the English flocking to him At length the difference between these two brethren was reconciled on these terms That Henry should enjoy the Crown during his life paying to Robert in way of fealty three thousand Marks by the year But this sun-shine of Peace was shortly after withdrawn by the Rebellion of Robert Beliasme Earl of Shrewsbury who in short time being vanquished fled into Normandy for shelter Archbishop Anselme is also said to have disturbed the peace by standing too stifly for the pretended Rights of the Church of Rome against the Kings real Rights and Prerogative peremptorily depriving what Prelates he pleased of their promotions and refusing to consecrate certain Bishops that the King had advanced Moreover the King and his Brother Robert continued not long in amity ere Henry invading Normandy takes his brother in fight whom he sent prisoner to Cardiff Castle in Wales where he had the liberty to walk in the Kings Meadows Forests and Parks but endeavouring to make his escape Radulphus A.B. Cant. he was committed to a stricter durance and also deprived the sight of both his eyes and in few years after dyed and was buried at Glocester his Brother Henry not long surviving him Some troubles arose from the Welsh but that people the King restrained chiefly by placing those Flemings among them whose Lands the Seas had devoured some years before and to whom King Rufus had granted that they should seat themselves in Cumberland The poor Married Priests Anselme sadly perplexed And the King imposed heavy Taxes on the people and reserved vacant Church-promotions to his own use under pretence of keeping them for the most deserving But how unworthily he disposed some of them may be guessed by that pretty reproof which Guymund his Chaplain gave him Who on Rogation-Sunday celebrating Service in the Kings Chappel being to read that Lesson out of St. James 5.17 it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months he purposely read It rained not one one one years and five one months Which causing laughter or admiration in all that heard him the King rebuked him for it demanding the reason why he read so Marry quoth he I see you bestow your preferments only on such as can read so Wherewith the King touched preferred him and in the future was more cautious whom he raised to preferments in the Church The estates both spiritual and temporal he caused to assemble at Salisbury then reforming many abuses and laying here the first foundation of our High Court of Parliament About this time Lewis King of France invaded Normandy whither King Henry passed and vanquished him But as his Son Prince William was returning after him out of Normandy he was cast away and with him an 160 persons of prime note and esteem none of their bodies being found The Mariners had had too much Wine bestowed on them at their putting forth to Sea Maud or Matilda the Empress after the death of the Emperor her Husband King Henry her Father sent for over into England where calling a Parliament he caused Stephen his Sisters Son with his Nobles to swear Fealty to her as to his lawful and now only Heir But the King sailing again into Normandy he there after his pleasure of Hunting made a great repast of Lampreys upon the eating of which he fell exceeding sick and after Seven days sickness dyed A. D. 1135. at the Town of St. Denis His Bowels and Brains and Eyes were buried at Roan The Physitian that took out the Brains was poysoned with the stench His body sliced powdred with Salt and wrapped in a Bulls Hide was conveyed to Reading and there buried in the Abby which himself had founded Besides his lawful Issue William and Maud he is said to have had Fourteen illegitimate some say more He built a magnificent Palace at Woodstock in Oxfordshire In a great dearth in his Countries
his two Brothers Richard and Geofry with many of the English Nobles Against whom the Father with a bleeding heart for his Sons ungraciousness prepared himself and was very successful in Little Britain where himself was in person also in England by his faithful Subjects For Humphrey de Bohun High Constable of the Realm with other Nobles vanquished Robert Earl of of Leicester and took him Prisoner which moved Lewis of France to seek a Truce of him for six Months whereunto King Henry yielded then Ship'd for England landing at the Port of Hampton From whence he took his journey towards Canterbury and being come within about three miles thereof he went barefooted the hard stones so cutting his tender feet that the ground was stained with his blood And after he came to Canterbury and was entred into the Chapter-house of the Monks Baldwin A.B. Cant. he most humbly prostrated himself on the ground begged pardon and by the instancy of his own Petition was by all the brethren corrected with Rods. The number of lashes which he received on his bare flesh amounted to Fourscore About this time William King of Scots that had lately entred England was taken Prisoner and young King Henry was with storms driven back into France and his Fleet scattered shortly after which Peace was concluded betwixt his Father and him But yet again he sought his Fathers ruine though before he could effect it he was prevented by the King of Terrors Death A. D. 1183. The following year Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem arrived in England soliciting the King to undertake the holy War in his own person which by the advice of his Lords he refused yet yielded to aid the Cause with Money and gave them leave to go that were disposed thereto His Son John whom he exceedingly loved and commonly in jest called Sans terre without Land he made Lord of Ireland assuring unto him also Lands and Rents in England and Normandy Richard and Geoffery his Sons rebelled again against him The younger of which in a Turnament at Paris was trod to death under the Horse feet but the elder lived to the further grief of his Father For joyning himself with Philip of France forced his Father out of the City of Mentz the City where he was born and loved above all others which made King Henry to utter these words against him That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the world he would requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that thing which in him should best please a Child namely his heart And afterwards finding his Son John first in the Catalogue of the Conspirators against him in that action he bitterly cursed the hour of his birth laying Gods curse and his upon his Sons which he would never recall by any perswasions But coming to Chinon he there fell desperately sick and feeling death approach caused himself to be born into the Church before the Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sins he yielded up his Soul A. D. 1189 and was buried at Font-Everard His Issue were William Henry Richard Jeffry Philip John Maud and Eleanor His base Issue William sirnamed Longsper and Jeffry Archbishop of York These two by fair Rosamund and Morgan by another Woman Rosamund his beloved Concubine was the Daughter of the Lord Clifford whom to keep safe from the envy of Queen Eleanor he placed in a Labyrinth which he built for her at Woodstock with such windings and turnings that none could come at her retiring Room save the King or whom he instructed Howbeit the jealous eye of Queen Eleanor found her out by a clew of silk which Rosamund let fall as she sate to take the Air. For she suddenly fleeing to escape being seen the end of the silk fastned to her foot and the clew still unwinding which the Queen followed till she had found the lovely Rosamund whom she so dealt with giving her Poyson that she ended her days whose body was buried at Godstow with this Epitaph upon her Tomb Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet King Henry divided England into Circuits appointing that two of his judges should twice in the year in each Circuit administer Justice In the year 1164 he called an assembly of the States at Clarendon in Wilts where amongst other matters it was decreed That all the Clergy should bona fide swear allegiance to the King and should appeal but unto the Archbishop or from him finally to the King without particular licence In the beginning of his reign one Nicholas Breakspear an English man was elected Pope by the name of Adrian the 4th who in the 5th year of his Popedom was choaked with a Fly He sent the Lords Prayer in this manner from Rome to be taught the English people Vre Fadyr in Heaven rich Thy name be halyed everlich Thou bring us thy michel bliss Al 's hit in Heaven y-doe Evar in yearth been it also That holy bread that lasteth ay Thou send it ous this ilke day Forgive ous all that we have don As we forgive uch other mon. Ne let ous fall into no founding Ac shield ous fro the foul thing Amen In the Isle of Wight it rained blood the shower continuing for the space of two hours together A great Earthquake in Ely Norfolk and Suffolk which made the Bells to ring in the Steeples At St. Osyths in Essex was seen a Dragon of marvelous bigness which by moving burned Houses Another great Earthquake which overthrew many buildings and amongst the rest rent in pieces Lincoln Cathedral At Oreford in Suffolk a certain hairy creature perfectly resembling man in all parts and proportions was taken out of the Sea by Fishers in a Net who after he had been kept a while secretly slipt away into the Sea again RICHARD I. A.D. 1189 RICHARD from his exceeding valour sirnamed Ceur de Lion was Crowned at Westminster by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury At which time a great number of the Jews were in a tumultuous sort slaughtered by the common people for which many of them suffered death The Coronation rights performed Richard with all speed prepares for his voyage into the Holy-Land appointing William Longchamp Bishop of Ely his chief Justiciar and Lord Chancellor joyning with him Hugh Bishop of Durham for the parts beyond Humber associating to those Bishops divers temporal Lords for the defence and preservation of Justice And with the King of Scots he concluded firm friendship Which done with a royal Navy he put out to Sea and by the way to the Holy-Land he seized on the Island Cyprus where he solemnly took to Wife his beloved Lady Berengaria The Island he committed to the keeping of his own Deputies permitting the Islanders to injoy all such Laws and Liberties as they held in the time of Immanuel the Emperor Furder in his way
the Kings command none left alive save this too skilful Archer who neither denied nor excused the fact but alledged the necessity of his case and the justice of God in it for that the King he said had slain his Father and two Brothers with his own hands Yet did the magnanimous King forgive this Bertram de Guidon the fact gave him an Hundred Shillings and set him at liberty but Captain Markadey after the King was dead took him flea'd him alive and then hang'd him When Ceur de Lyon perceived the certain approach of death with contrition confession and participation of the Sacrament he prepared himself for another life and dyed of his wound April 6 A D. 1199. And according to his command his Bowels were buried at Charron amongst the rebellious Poictovins as those who had only deserved his worst parts his heart at Roan as the City which for her constant loyalty had merited the same and his Corps were inhumed at Font-Everard at the feet of his Father to whom he had sometime been disobedient In the first year of his Reign he appointed Henry Fitz Alwin to be Major of London that honourable City having been formerly governed by Portgraves or Portreves He caused Money to be coyned held in great request for its purity by the Easterlings a people of Germany afterwards current Money and called Sterling from the Easterlings When this King was in France one Fulk a Priest told him that he kept three Daughters which if he did not dismiss they would procure him Gods wrath Why Hypocrite said the King all the World knows that I never had Child Yea said Fulk you have Three and their names are Pride Covetousness and Lechery Is it so said the King You shall see me presently dispose them The Knights Templers shall have Pride the White Monks Covetousness and the Clergy Lechery and there have you my three Daughters bestowed amongst you Now lived Robin Hood an outlawed Noble and Little John who with an Hundred stout fellows more molested all passengers by the way yet only robbed and made prey of the rich selling good pennyworths when they had done JOHN JOHN though that Arthur his Brother Jeffries Son was living A. D. 1119. yet by the assistance of his Mother Eleanor and other Noble Friends was by the great Councel of the Realm admitted King To whom they then sware only a conditional Fealty viz. To keep faith and peace to him if he would render to every of them their rights He was crowned at Westminster by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury His Reign throughout was attended with great troubles For first the King of France took upon him to establish young Arthur in the Kingdom though after a while for his own advantage he delivered the Prince into his Uncles hands Then the King of Scots procured some disturbances but an accord was shortly made the two Kings of England and Scotland swearing faithful love to each other upon the Crosier of Archbishop Hubert Presently after which these two Kings with the King of South-Wales expressed their great humility by helping to carry the Corps of Hugh Bishop of Lincoln on their shoulders to the place of interment Then the Clergy disturbed the peace oppugning the Kings Royal Title to a Benefice locking the Church-doors against his Praesentee scorning his Princely Letters fencing the Church with armed men against his Officers assailing his Sheriff moving the Pope to excommunicate all their opposers yea caused the King himself to be accused to the Pope for a Tyrant The whole Cistercian Order denied the payment of a subsidy granted the King The Canons of Lincoln refused to accept of him for their Bishop whom the King had appointed in the place of him deceased Hubert Archbishop called a General Councel in his Province without the Kings permission and then disdained the Kings prohibition thereof The Lay-Peers they came in also to act a part and at a time when the King stood in need of their help against the Poictovins and French refused to attend the King in his Wars against them Howbeit King John put forth to Sea arrived in Normandy and in battel overthrew his Nephew Arthur and by valour recovered all the Provinces which had revolted Prince Arthur and all the Peers of Poictou above 200 French Knights and others of command he took prisoners Not long after which young Arthur dyed not without suspition of violence Which gave fresh occasion to some of the disaffected Peers to bâ—â—dy against the King whom the King of France now cited as his Homager for the Dukedom of Normandy to appear at a set-day to be tryed by his Peers upon point of Murder and Treason And King John not appearing at the appointed time was by the King and Peers of France Disinherited and condemned and according to the sentence they proceeded against him and what by the Kings remisness the treachery of his people and power of his enemies he lost a great part of his strongest Towns and Castles in the French Territories But the Delinquent Peers and Barons King John put to their Fines and for the carrying on of the Wars against France had a Subsidy granted him which moved the people to think hardly of him The King of France who had been too succesful of late against the English sent a braving Champion over into England to justifie by Duel his proceeds in K. John's French Dominions with whom John Curcy Earl of Vâ—ster undertook to combate This Curcy was a man of gyant-like limbs and strength and of some conditions â—oâ— despicable had they not been savaged with too much rudeness Which appeared not only in his wild speeches touching the Kings 〈◊〉 of his Nephew Arthur but even thâ—n 〈◊〉 the King demanded of him whether he would combat in his quarrel answered No not in thy quarrel nor for thy sake yet for the Kingdoms right I will fight to the death But this the French Champion never put him to for hearing of the Earls excessive feeding and strength answerable thereto the Monsieur sneak't away into Spain as asham'd to shew his face again in France Of Earl Curcy 't is further said That when the two Kings of France and England met together upon a Truce in France K. Philip having heard of Curcy and that he was in the English Camp requested of K. John that he might see some experiment of his so much feared and famed strength Whereupon an Helmet of excellent proof full-farced with Mayl was set upon a Wooden block when the Earl first lowring round about him with a dreadful aspect lift up his trusty skeyn and cleft so deep quite through the steely resistance into the knotty wood that none there present save himself could draw it out again which he did with ease Then being by the Kings asked Why he frowned so angrily before he struck answered That he purposed if he had fail'd of his blow to have kill'd them all both Kings and the other spectators But for all
Welsh they made some stirs And one Fitz-Arnulph a Citizen of London attempted to set up Lewis again for the which himself and two others were hanged and many more had their hands or feet cut off The Barons they were high for a confirmation of their Liberties And Lewis of France upon the death of his Father seized Rochel and the whole Country of Poictou which belonged to the King of England into his hands under pretence that K. Henry an Homager for Aquitain was not present at his Coronation nor yet excused his absence by Ambassadors Whereupon Henry summons a Parliament for Aids to recover his losses which being granted he sent over his forces which discomfited the French But the King necessitated for more Monies for the carrying on of his design in Gascoign wrung from the Londoners Five thousand Marks above their Fifteenths alledging that they had to his prejudice given Lewis the like sum The Clergy also were compelled under pain of Papal censure to pay the Fifteenth not only for their temporal but also Ecclesiastical Goods And by advice of Hubert de Burgo Chief Justice the King revoked the Charters of Liberties which for about two years had been practised through the Realm pretending his Non-age when granted Which caused in all a great heart-burning against Hubert Howbeit the King was well furnish'd with money and men which he caused to be transported into Britain and on the same day in which he set sail from England himself in person did visit the poor and feeble dealing large Alms to them and not refusing to kiss the sick and leprous But before that the King had opportunity to effect any thing in those parts considerable the Irish rebelled constraining him to return to reduce then inâ—o order Which when he had done he advanced against the Welsh whom he also repressed though not without considerable loss About this time Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others for the committing of many great crimes and he doubting that he should not have a fair Tryal retired himself into Essex whither he was prosecuted by Armed men and in a Chappel at Burntwood was apprehended out of which the rude Soldiers hailed him and sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him which when the Smith understood that they were for him fetching a deep sigh he said Do with me what you please and God have mercy on my soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron-Shackles for him but will rather dye the worst death that is For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who so often hath preserved England from being destroyed by strangers and restored England to England Let God be judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be Notwithstanding all this Sir Godfrey de Crancomb who commanded the party bound the Earl and conveyed him to the Tower of London where he had not long been ere the Bishop of London procured his liberty though shortly after he was again imprisoned In his place the King elected for his Councellor and Confident Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester who displaced the English Officers and in their Rooms placed Poictovins and Britons stuffing the Kings Castles with them intrusting as it were the treasures strength and Realm it self in their hands to the great discontent of the English Peers Who now confederated against the strangers and refused upon the Kings summons to appear in Parliament sending this impudent Message to their Soveraign That if out of hand he removed not the Bishop of Winchester and strangers out of his Court they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdom would drive him and his wicked Counsellors out of it and would consult about creating of a new King Whereupon the King animated by Winchester commanded the Earl-Marshal with all others whom he suspected to appear at Glocester where the King was with an Army Which they refusing to do the King burnt their Mannors and gave away their Inheritances to the Poictovins The Earl-Marshal he contracts strict amity with Leweylyn Prince of Wales and made great spoil on the possessions of the Kings reputed Seducers Shrewsbury he sackt and burnt Gilbert Lord Basset the Earls great Confederate set fire on Alkmundbury not far from Huntingdon But the Earl-Marshal having crossed the seas into Ireland there to recover his Lands taken from him by the fraud of the Bishop of Winchester was there wounded to death for whose loss the King to the wonder of all that saw it broke forth into tears affirming That he had left no Peer about him in the Kingdom And now the Bishop of Winchester hated of the people was commanded by the King not to meddle any farther in State-matters And against Peter Rivallis Lord Treasurer the King was so in raged that he sware he would pluck out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders And by the workings of the Bishops an accord was effected betwixt the King and his Peers and the Poictovins were commanded to depart the Realm Howbeit the Land was not yet eased of its Oppressors and Oppressions for the Pope sent over into England three hundred Romans requiring to have the first Benefice that should become vacant to be bestowed on them requiring also great sums of money of the Clergy for maintenance of the Pope's Wars against the Emperor Which though the Clergy at first opposed yet were forced to yeild unto it at the last The Pope himself had a mind to have come hither in his own person but the King's Councel liked not thereof alledging that the Romans Rapines and Simonies had enough stained England's purity though the Pope himself came not personally to spoil and prey upon the Wealth of the Church About the year 1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother with the Earls of Pembroke Chester Lincoln Salisbury and many other honourable persons departed for the Holy Land and in A. D. 1242 the King passed the Seas to recover Poictou but effected not any thing remarkable though he expended great store of Treasure Upon his return into England he was therefore compelled to be burthensome to his subjects for recruiting of his exhausted Treasure as well by the levy of Escuage as of Loan and otherwise The Jews in especial manner were made sensible of his wants Too much of their money thus rais'd 't is said he expended in Entertainments and Shows though afterward the King reflecting on his former profuseness in gifts and entertainments he shortned the allowances of his houshold and entertainments without any regard to Majesty And to spare his own charge the more he invited himself now to this mans house now to that but no-where contenting himself with his welcome unless himself and his Queen Son Edward yea and chief Favourites were presented with costly Gifts 'T is said that he was sometime
them But King Edward being returned into England he summoned a Parliament to York giving the Scots a day to appear at it which they not doing nor acknowledging that they ought so to do he entred Scotland with a mighty Army where when he was near the enemy as he was putting his foot into the stirrup his horse being affrighted with the sudden shout of the Scotch Army threw him down and striking with his heels broke two of the Kings ribs who nevertheless proceeded to battle Captain Wallis encouraged his men with this short speech I have brought you to the King hop gif ye kun In this battle fought at a place called Fawkirk and English slew of the Scots 70. thousand After which victory King Edward took sundry places in Scotland then returned into England where in Parliament holden at London and Stamford he confirmed Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta and yielded that there should be no Subsidy or Taxation levied upon the people without consent of the Prelates Peers and people And for the more ample satisfaction of some then discontented he left out this Clause in the end of his Grants Salvo jure Coronae nostrae Saving the right of our Crown upon the Popes request he set John late King of Scotland at liberty who departed into France And then the King made it his whole affair to finish the annexation of Scotland to the Crown of England to which end Rob. Winchelsey A. B. Cant. he passed with a dreadful Army into Scotland where the Scots not being able to withstand him by force of Arms they procured inhibitory Letters from the Pope but these the King set light by swearing per sanguinem Dei that he would not desist And when the Scots threatned that if he would not desist his hostility the Pope would take the matter upon him the King with a disdainful smile answered Have ye done homage to me as to the chief Lord of the Kingdom of Scotland and do ye now suppose that I can be terrified with threatning lies as if like one that had no power to compel I would let the right which I have to go out of my hand Let me hear no more of this for if I do I swear by the Lord I will consume all Scotland from Sea to Sea To which the Scots replyed that in defence of Justice and their Countrys rights they would shed their blood Howbeit that the King might not seem altogether to neglect the Court of Rome he sent the Earl of Lincoln thither in justification of his proceedings and at the instance of the Pope he granted Truce to the Scots from All-Saints to Whitsuntide But the Pope not long satisfied with this directly opposed the King in his martial proceeds against that Nation wherefore the King in a Parliament holden at Lincoln by the consent of the whole Representative body of the Realm returned a copious defence of his whole proceedings with protestations first That he did not exhibite any thing as in form of judgment or tryal of his Cause Gualter Renold A. B. Cant. but for satisfaction of his holy Fatherhoods conscience and not otherwise And because the Pope required that the King should stand to his decision for matter of Claim the Earls and Peers to whom the King wholly referred it with one mind directly signified That their King was not to answer in judgment for any rights of the Crown of England before any Tribunal under Heaven and that by sending Deputies and Atturneys to such an end he should not make the said truth doubtful because it manifestly tended to the disinherison of the said Crown which with the help of God they would resolutely and with all their power maintain against all men To the which they all being an 100. Peers subscribed their Names Dated at Lincoln 1301. The Names of those Worthy Patriots who withstood Papal Usurpation JOhn Earl Warren Thomas Earl of Lancaster Ralph de Monthermer Earl of Glocester and Hereford Humphrey de Bohun Earl of Hartford and Essex Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk Guy Earl of Warwick Richard Earl of Arundel Adomer de Valence Lord of Monterney Henry de Lancaster Lord of Monmouth John de Hastings Lord of Bergevenny Henry de Percy Lord of Topclife Edmond de Mortymer Lord of Wigmore Robert Fitz-Walter Lord of Wodham John de St. John Lord of Hannake Hugh de Vere Lord of Swanestampe William de Breuse Lord of Gower Robert de Monthault Lord of Hawarden Robert de Tateshall Lord of Wokeham Reinold de Grey Lord of Ruthin Henry de Grey Lord of Codnore Hugh Bardolph Lord of Wormgay Robert de Clifford Chatellaine of Appleby Peter de Malowe Lord of Mulgreen Philip Lord of Kime Robert Fitz-Roger Lord of Claverings John de Moham Lord of Dunestar Almerick de St. Amound Lord of Widehay William de Ferrers Lord of Groby Alane de Zouch Lord of Ashby Theobald de Verdon Lord of Webberley Thomas de Furnivall Lord of Schefield Thomas de Multon Lord of Egremont William Latimer Lord of Torby Thomas Lord Berkly Fowlk Fitz-Warren Lord of Mitingham John Lord Segrave Edmund de Eincourt Lord of Thurgerton Peter Corbet Lord Caus William de Cantelow Lord of Ravensthorpe John de Beauchamp Lord of Hacke Roger de Mortimer Lord of Pentethlin John Fitz-Reinold Lord of Blenleveny Ralph de Nevil Lord of Raby Brian Fitz-Allane Lord of Bedale William Marshal Lord of Hengham Walter Lord Huntercombe William Martin Lord of Cameis Henry de Thies Lord of Chilton Roger le Ware Lord of Isefield John de Rivers Lord of Angre John de Lancaster Lord of Grisedale Robert Fitz-Pain Lord of Lainnier Henry Tregoze Lord of Garinges Robert Hipard Lord of Lumford Walter Lord Faucombridge John Strange Lord of Cnokin Robert Strange Lord of Ellesmere Thomas de Chances Lord of Norton Walter de Beauchamp Lord of Alecester Richard Talbot Lord of Eccleswell John Butetourt Lord of Mendesham John Engain Lord of Colum Hugh de Poinz Lord of Comualet Adam Lord of Wells Simon Lord Montacute John Lord Sulle John de Melles Lord of Candebury Edmund Baron Stafford John Lovell Lord of Hackings Edmond de Hastings Lord of Elchunhonokes Ralph Fitz-William Lord of Grinthorpe Robert de Scales Lord of Neusells William Tuchet Lord of Lewenhales John Abadan Lord of Deverstone John de Haverings Lord of Grafton Robert la Ward Lord of White-Hall Nicholas de Segrave Lord of Stowe Walter de Tey Lord of Stonegrave John de Lisle Lord of Wodton Eustace Lord Hacche Gilbert Peche Lord of Corby William Painell Lord of Trachington Roger de Albo Monasberio Foulk le Strange Lord of Corsham Henry de Pinkeny Lord of Wedon John de Hodeleston Lord of Aners John de Huntingfield Lord of Bradenham Hugh Fitz-Henry Lord of Ravenswath John Daleton Lord of Sporle Nicholas de Carr. Lord of Mulesford Thomas Lord de la Roche Walter de Muncie Lord of Thornton John Lord of Kingstone Robert Hasting the Father Lord of Chelessey Ralph Lord
he kept under till such time that he was ingaged against the French for the obtaining of that Kingdom and the recovery of sundry Towns and places in Goscoigne injuriously with-held from him by the French King To remedy which wrongs the King of England had addressed his Ambassadors but in vain therefore that the World might take notice of his just proceedings he in a large Letter directed to the Colledge of Cardinals justifies his design upon France to be equal and honest First because himself of any Male living was the nearest in blood to the late King Charles his Uncle Secondly because the French had refused to put the Cause to civil tryal Thirdly for that the process of the twelve Peers in giving the Crown from him when he was under age was by all Laws void and frustrate Fourthly for that Philip of Valois had invaded Aquitain which belonged to the Crown of England and detained such places as he had wrongfully gained therein Fifthly for that the said Philip had aided the Scots in their rising against him Edward having done this he next makes a confederation with the High and Low-Dutch and other Foreigners then prepared a brave Army his English Subjects contributing liberally for the carrying on of the War And to make his Coffers the fuller he made bold with the Lombards and the moveable goods of such Priories in England as were Cells to Monasteries in France Thus provided of men and monies King Edward sailed with his Forces to Antwerp and by the importunity of the Flemings he first assumed the Title and Armories of the Realm of France quartering the Flower de Lis with the Lyons And entring France he burnt and spoyled the North-parts thereof up as far as Turwin then returning to Antwerp he there kept his Christmas with his Queen Philip from whence about Candlemas he set sail for England where in a Parliament holden at Westminster he obtained liberal aids for supportation of his designed Conquest In lieu of which he granted a general large pardon of trespasses and other to him and confirmed Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta with some others Then upon June 23. He shipped from Harwich to Sluce in Flanders near which place the French lay in wait with a Navy of 400 Ships with intent to intercept him but Edward having the advantage of Wind and Sun furiously set upon the French Ships putting the Monsieurs so hard to it that a great number of them chose to cast themselves into the Sea rather than to become Prisoners Thirty thousand of them are confessed to have been slain and drowned and more than half of their Ships were either sunk or taken The loss was so very great on the French side that least the news thereof might too much afflict the King of France his Jester disclosed it to him by often-times repeating this saying in his hearing Cowardly English-men Dastardly English-men Faint-hearted English-men Why said the King at length Because said the Jester They durst not leap out of their Ships into the Seas as our brave French men did From which saying the King took a hint of the overthrow After which Famous Sea-victory obtained by the English puissant King Edward with his Host consisting of near an hundred thousand men sate down before Tourney from whence he sent to the French King whom he saluted only by the name of Philip of Valoys challenging him to fight with him hand to hand in single Combat or if that pleased not then each to bring an hundred men into the Field and try the event with so small an hazard or otherwise within ten days to joyn full battel with all their forces near Tourney To which Philip made no direct answer alledging that the Letters were not sent to him the King of France but barely to Philip of Valoys Nevertheless he brought his Army within sight of the English Host but by the mediation of Queen Philips Mother and two Cardinals a Truce was concluded between the two Kings till the Midsumer next following The main reason inducing King Edward to yield hereunto was the want of supplies of money through the fault of his Officers in England whom he severely punished at his return And now to weaken great Edwards strengths the Pope put Flanders under Interdict Simon Langham A B. Cant. as having disloyally left their own Earl and chief Lord Philip King of France And Lewis the Emperor breaking league with the King of England took part with France which when King Edward understood he angrily said I will fight with them both And not long after he was upon the Sea with a very great Fleet none knowing whither he would steer his Course but in Normandy he landed where he took the Populous and Rich City of Caen and with his dreadful Host burning and spoiling round about marched up almost as far as the walls of Paris Where with his Army in an enemies Countrey between two Rivers Sein and Some the bridges being broke down by the French Edward designed at a low water to have passed over a Ford between Albeville and the Sea whom to intercept the French King had sent thither before him Godner du Foy with a thousand Horse and six thousand Foot Howbeit undaunted Edward entred himself into the Ford crying He that loves me let him follow me as one resolved to pass over or there to die the first of which he did for his Souldiers following him won the passage putting du Foy to flight And now King Edward being come near to Cressie in Poâ—thieu lying between the Rivers of Some and Anthy he there most vigilantly provided for his defence against King Philip who was advancing towards him with an Hundred thousand men and upward When the two Armies were within sight each of other the King of England after he had called upon God disposed his Host into three Battels Simon Langham A B Cant. To his Son Edward the Black-Prince he gave the ordering of the Van the second Battel the Earls of Northampton and Arundel commanded the third himself And as if he meant to barricado his Army from flying he caused his Carriages to be placed in the rear thereof and Trees to be plashed and felled to stop up the way behind his Host commanding withal that all should forsake their horses and leave them amongst the Carriages On the Enemies part the King of Bohemia and Earl of Alanson had charge of the Vantguard King Philip was in the main battel and the Earl of Savoy commanded the Rear The sign of battel being given by King Philip a bloody fight ensued wherein the Black Prince was very hard beset therefore his Father was sent for to his rescue who upon the hillock of a Windmill stood to behold the fight being in readiness to enter thereinto when just occasion should invite him But at that time he refused to go returning the Messengers with this answer Let them send no more to me for any adventure that
may befall while my Son is alive but let him either vanquish or dye because the honour of this brave day shall be his if God suffer him to survive Which he did and beat the French out of the field Thereupon King Edward with his untouched Battel advanced towards his victorious Son and most affectionately embracing and kissing him said Fair son God send you perseverance to such prosperous beginnings you have nobly acquit your self and are well worthy to have the governance of a Kingdom intrusted unto you for your valour In the field was found the dead bodies of eleven great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above fifteen hundred There was slain the King of Bohemia King of Majorca Earl of Alanson Duke of Lorrain Duke of Bourbon Earl of Flanders Earl of Savoy the Dolphin of Viennois Earl of Sancerre and Harecourt Earls of Aumarl Nevers c. six Earls of Almain besides others of great account with the Grand Prior of France and Archbishop of Roan Of the Commons there fell about thirty thousand Of the English side not one man of note or honour was slain A. D. 1346. From the Forrest of Crescie King Edward marched to Callis and besieged it In the time of which siege the Governour thereof for the sparing of food thrust forth of the Town above fifteen hundred of the poor and impotent people whom this Christian King Edward turned not back but suffered them freely to pass through his Camp relieving them gratis with fresh victuals and giving two pence a piece sterling to each of them But whilst the King was busied abroad in France the Scots in favour of the French invaded England advancing as far as Durham where the English encountring them overcame them took David their King prisoner at Nevils Cross by Durham There lay dead in the field the Earls of Murray and Strathern the Constable Marshal Chamberlain and Chancellor of Scotland with many other Nobles Prisoners taken besides the King were the Earls of Douglas Fife Southerland Wigton and Mentieth In this battel on the English side were many spiritual persons who for the defence of their Country made use of carnal Weapons And as King Edwards friends were successful in England so were they also in forreign parts for in Britain Sir Thomas Dagworth overthrew the Lord Charles of Blois though he had much the odds of him as to number of men In Gascoign and those parts Henry Earl of Derby and Lancaster worsted the Duke of Normandy took sundry places of great importance amongst the rest that considerable Town of Brigerac where he permitted every soldier to seize any House and convert all therein to his own profit Whereupon it hapned that a certain Soldier called Reth having broke into a House where the Monyers had for safety stowed the Money of that Countrey in great long sacks he acquainted the Earl therewith supposing that the Earl intended not so great a treasure for a private share but the Earl told him That accordingly as he had at first proclaimed let the treasure be worth what it would yet was it all his own And now after almost a years siege Callis was delivered to King Edwards mercy In Little-Britain the Kings Warden thereof Sir VValter de Bendly vanquished the Marshal of France in fight slew 13 Lords 140 Knights 100 Esquires and took prisoners 9 Lords besides many Knights and Esquires At length after much spoil made upon the French a peace was concluded on betwixt the two Kings though it continued not long ere the French broke the agreement In revenge whereof Edward presently entred France with an Army Will. Witlesy A. B. Cant. and spoiled it where he came and after his return into England again when he heard that John the new King of France had given to Charles the Daulphin the Dutchy of Aquitain King Edward bestowed the same upon the Black-Prince commanding him to defend that right with the sword The Prince thereupon furnished with a gallant Army set sail towards France where he took many Towns and prisoners advanced into the bosome of France up to the very gates of Burges in Berry from whence wheeling about to return to his chief City Burdeaux John King of France encountered him with a great Army having the odds of six to one notwithstanding which the victorious Prince of Wales discomfited the French took prisoners King John and Philip his youngest son the Archbishop of Sens and many great Lords and about two thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing Armories And slew in fight about fifty two Lords and seventeen hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen with Sir Reginald Camian who that day bore the Or flamb or French Ensign and of the common Soldiers about six thousand To James Lord Audley who in this fight received many wounds the Prince gave 500 Marks Land in fee-simple which said Land the Lord Audley bestowed on his four Esquires that had continued with him in all the brunt and fury of danger King Edward the Father whilst his Son was thus prosperously busied in France proceeded in hostile sort against the Scots and brought King Baliol at Roxbrough to make a surrender of his Crown to him Prince Edward after his late victory marched with joy and triumph to Burdeaux where having refreshed his wearied soldiers he took his leave of France though not of the King thereof for him he brought with him a Captive to London whither the Prince was welcomed with exquisite honour by Henry Picard then Lord Mayor Which said Picard afterwards at one time feasted at his own charge the King of England France Scotland and Cyprus King Edward ordered that eight days should be spent in giving God the glory for the victory and not long after with a Fleet of One thousand one hundred sail he passed over from â—andwich to a fresh invasion and being come before the walls of Paris he honoured Four hundred Esquires and Gentlemen with Knighthood Ample conditions were offered by the French unto the Kâ—ng of England to which he would not at present listen yet at length was perswaded to an accord on these conditions That Himself and Son Edward should for ever release unto King John and his Heirs the right and claim which they had unto the Crown of France Dutchy of Normandy c. That King John and his Son should for them and their Heirs release unto King Edward and his Heirs the whole Country of Aquitain Santoin c. so the County of Ponthicu c. the proper Inheritance of Queen Isabel K Edward's Mother That King John should pay for his ransom the sum of Thirty hundred thousand Schutes of Gold every two of which should be six shillings eight pence sterling with some other conditions All which were ratified with hands Seals and Oaths at Callis though by the falshood of the French King this amity continued not many years for King John by underhand-dealing sought to alienate the hearts of King Edwards forreign subjects
rescue between whom and Alanzon was a hard contest Alanzon giving the King a slighty wound and the King at length striking him down to the ground whom the Soldiers in the heat of fight then slew contrary to the Kings command The French Reer-Guard seeing the disaster of their Van and Main Battel to save themselves ran away leaving the English no more work to do The number of prisoners taken by the English here was very great But King Henry perceiving fresh troops of the King of Sicils to appear fresh in the field and the same strong enough without any new rallied forces to encounter with his wearyed Souldiers to the end therefore that he might not have at once prisoners to guard and an enemy to fight contrary to his generous nature he commanded that every man should kill his prisoner which was immediately done certain principal men excepted Then by his Heralds he commanded those Troops either forthwith to come and fight with him else to depart the field either of which if they delayed he would revenge upon them without mercy Whereupon they quit the field When the fight was over and the field won King Henry fell down upon his knees and commanded his whole Army to do the same saying that verse in the Psalm Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory And demanding what was the name of the place when it was answered him Agincourt then to all posterities following saith he shall this battel be called the battel of Agincourt The spoil here taken in Armour Jewels and Apparel was very great Of the English were slain the Duke of York the Earl of Suffolk two Knights David Gam Esquire and twenty eight private Souldiers Of the French were slain four thousand Princes Nobles Knights and Esquires and ten thousand common Souldiers Prisoners of Account taken in the field were Charles Duke of Orleans John Duke of Bourbon the Earl of Richmond Louis de Bourbon Count de Vendosme the Earl of Eu Edward de Rouen with divers others Just before this battel of Agincourt when it was reported that the French forces were very numerous Captain Gam resolutely said That if there were so many there were enough to be killed enough to be taken prisoners and enough to run away The next day after this battel Great Henry marched towards Callis and in the next month following spread sails for England and on November 23 in Triumph-wise he entred London where he received the gratulations of his people The City presented him a thousand pound in Gold and two golden Basons After some time of refreshing the King called a Parliament to London which granted him a Subsidy and a Tenth for the carrying on of his Wars in France which he graciously accepted though it was too short for the defraying so vast a charge Therefore to make it up the King pawned his Crown to his Uncle Cardinal Beauford for a great Sum of Money and certain Jewels to the Lord Mayor of London for ten thousand Marks Then with an Army of 25527 Souldiers every fourth being an Horseman besides a thousand Carpenters and Labourers Upon July 28 1417 he took to the Seas and August the first arrived in Normandy to their great terror many of the Inhabitants for fear flying into Britain And as soon as on shore to encourage his followers he dubbed 48 Knights then laid siege against Conquest the strongest Castle in Normandy which he took August the sixteenth He took likewise the Castles of Aumbelliers and Lovers the first of which he gave to his brother Clarence the second to the Earl of Salisbury and third to the Earl Marshal Caen in Normandy the King took by force giving the pillage thereof amongst his Souldiers Now whilst King Henry was busied in France the Scots wrought what mischief they could against him at home entred England in an Hostile manner bringing with them one whom they pretended to be King Richard the second laid strait siege against Roxbrough and Berwick but upon the report of an Army of English coming against them they broke up their sieges and well was he that could first set foot in his own Country In January the strong Town and Castle of Fallors was delivered to the King after which he divided his Army into several parts under the Conducts of the Dukes of Clarence and Glocester and Earl of Warwick who took sundry garisons The King the while besieged Roan which after about a Twelve-months siege was delivered to him upon Terms i. e. That the Burgesses should pay unto him three hundred fifty six thousand Crowns of Gold Should swear faith and loyalty to him and his successors c. A. D. 1418. Immediately after the surrender of this sundry other places of Note yielded themselves wherein King Henry placed Garisons And now France trembling at the English successes and their own losses sought a peace from King Henry who yielded to a personal conference to be held at Melun vvhither Charles the French King his Queen Isabel the Princess Katharine Duke of Burgundy Count of St. Paul with a thousand Horse came first then King Henry his brothers of Clarence and Glocester attended likewise with a thousand Horse met them When much conference passed but nothing was concluded which did not well please the King of England wherefore ready to depart he thus spoke to Burgundy Cousin I may not well digest this refusal but be ye assured that either I will have your Kings daughter and all my demands or else I will banish both you and them out of France You may speak your pleasure answered the Duke but before you shall thrust us out of France you shall be weary of the enterprize The Treaty thus broke Burgundy reconciled himself with the Daulphin and Henry displeased herewith prosecuted the War more sharply set upon Ponthois the last of July and in few hours gained the Town wherein great spoils fell to the Souldiers shares The news of this made King Charles to remove his Court from Paris to Troys in Champagne whilst Henry went forward with his intended enterprizes he and his Generals winning many strong-holds And to make the more way for the English successes the Daulphin and his Mother the Queen fell at great variance when the Queen by the procurement of Burgundy the King being very infirm was made Regent of France whose female authority and the hatred to her own Son the Daulphin did not a little prejudice the Crown of France And to the greater advantage of the English the Daulphin killed the Duke of Burgundy whereupon the Queen and young Duke of Burgundy perswaded King Charles to disinherit the Daulphin his Son and to give the Lady Katharine in marriage unto the King of England which accordingly was done and a peace was concluded betwixt the two Kings of England and France The prime Articles of the peace were these That Charles and Isabel should retain the name of King and Queen and should hold all their
John Barton John Parvess Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Richard Whittington was Mayor Robert Whittington John Butler Sheriffs In his eighth Year William Cambridge was Mayor John Butler John Wells Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Robert Chichely was Mayor Richard Gosseline William VVeston Sheriffs HENRY VI. A. D. 1422. HENRY of Windsor was crowned about the Eighth Month of his age The guard and custody of this Royal Infant was committed to Thomas Duke of Excester the Nurture and Education to his Mother the Queen-Dowager the Government of England to Humphrey Duke of Glocester and the Regency of France to John Duke of Bedford The first disadvantage that befel the English Cause after the late King's decease was the death of Charles the French King who survived Henry but 53 days for the imbecilities of this Prince were a strength to the English on the other side the Infancy of young Henry was an advantage to young Charles by them of his party now called King of France though by the English he was called only King of Berry because little else was left unto him Howbeit now he seeks to enlarge his Dominions having received Aids from Italy and Scotland And not far from the Town of Vernoil his and the Regents Forces joined battel when the English inured to the French Wars having born the first heat of their enemies encounter by perseverance utterly broke them and put them to flight The Regent himself fought most fiercely winning unto himself a lasting Honour On the enemies part was slain the Constable and Lieutenant of France the Earls of Wigton and Vantadour with about five thousand others Prisoners taken was the Duke of Alanzon himself with about two hundred others of special account After this Victory the Regent besieged Mants in Main and with Ordnance beat down part of the Walls whereupon it was yeilded this being one of the Articles at the surrender which perhaps might be upon every like occasion That if any person was found within the City which had been consenting to the murder of John Duke of Burgundy Father to Philip Duke of Burgoigne that they should simply be at the Regents mercy Some time after this and not much Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury with a dreadful puissance besieged the City of Orleans and so enforced it that the inhabitants were willing to articulate and to yeild themselves to the Duke of Burgundy then being in his company but the Earl highly disdaining thereat said in the English Proverb I will not beat the bush and another shall have the bird Which Proverbial speech 't is said so offended the Duke that it wholly alienated his mind from the English to their great loss in all the French Wars following And now appeared that famous French Shepherdess Joan of Lorrain about 18 years of age daughter to James of Arcke This Maid to comfort Charles of France presented her self to him at Chinon bidding him to be of good courage and constantly affirming that God had sent her to deliver the Realm of France from the English yoak and to restore him to the fulness of his Fortunes Then she armed her self like a man and required to have that Sword which at that time did hang in Saint Katharines Church of Fierebois in Tourain and being warlikely arrayed she gets into Orleans which did greatly animate the fainting French From Orleans this Maid of God for so the French called her sent a Letter to de la Pole Earl of Suffolk in words to this effect King of England do reason to the King of heaven for his blood-royal yeild up to the Virgin the keys of all the good Cities which you have forced c. I am the chief of this War wheresoever I encounter your men in France I will chase them will they nill they c. The Virgin comes from heaven to drive you out of France be not obstinate for you shall not hold France of the King of heaven the Son of St. Mary but Charles shall enjoy it the King and lawful heir to whom God hath given it He shall enter Paris with a goodly train c. Vnderstand these news of God and the Virgin spare innocent blood leave Orleans at liberty This Letter was entertained of the English with laughter and Joan reputed of them no better than a Bedlam or Inchantress But be she what she would yet by her encouragements and conduct the English had Orleans pluckt out of their hopes and with much loss were driven to raise the siege In all Adventures Joan was one and the foremost At one Sally she being shot through the arm said to her followers Come this is a favour let vs go on they cannot escape the hand of God The English lost at this siege the Earl of Salisbury the Lord Moline the Lord Poynings Sir Thomas Gargrave and of all sorts if you believe the enemy were slain in such Sallies as the Martial Maid made 8000 our own Writers say but 600. After the raising of this siege some Towns were took by the English but at a Village called Potay the French coming upon them before the Archers could fortifie their battels with an empalement of stakes the English after three hours bloody resistance were put to the worst The Lords Talbot Scales Hungerford and Sir Thommas Rampstone were taken prisoners Which loss was followed vvith the sudden revolt of sundry Tovvns Nor vvas it long ere Charles recovered Aunerre and Rhiemes in the last of vvhich according to the Maids direction he vvas solemnly crovvned King of France Hitherto the Virgin had been very lucky but coming to the rescue of Champagne distressed by the English and Bâ—rgundians she vvas taken by a Burgundian Knight vvho sold her to the English and they sent her to Roan vvhere she vvas burnt for Sorcery Bloodshed and unnatural use of man-like Apparel and Habiliments contrary to her Sex The rumor of vvhose death and ignominious cause thereof vvas something incommodious to Charles's affairs for a time and it vvas thought that the coming of young King Henry into France vvould be much more vvho Decemb. 7.1431 vvas crovvned King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester At vvhich time such of the French Nobility as vvere present did their homage to him The Kings Patents and Grants touching French matters passed under the seal and stile of Henry King of the French-men and of England And about this time the English Affairs succeeded pretty fortunately in France The Earl of Arundel and Lord Talbot carry about victorious arms and terrifie Main Anjou and other places vvith their successes A D. 1435 that famous Patriot and General John Duke of Bedford dyed at Paris Upon vvhich many Tovvns voluntarily yeilded and multitudes of the French forsook the English to joyn vvith Charles And though the English Forces then in France vvere not altogether slothful yet through a fatal security or negligence or both at home there vvas not speedy sufficiencies of resistance ministred Richard Duke
John Amend-all Their demands were That the Duke of York now in Ireland might be called home and that he with some others whom Cade named might be principally used in Council That those guilty of good Duke Humphrey's death might receive due punishment That the Grievances of the people might be redressed These Kentish Rebels with whom others from Essex joined after they had committed some outrages in and about London as in beheading the Lord Say Treasurer of England Mr. Cromer High Sheriff plundering many of the Citizens c. upon the King's Proclamation and assurance of Pardon returned to their own homes But Cade afterward attempting to raise new troubles was slain by Mr. Edan a Kentish Gentleman The Duke of York finding the humours of the popular body fitted for his purpose came suddenly out of Ireland and confederated with divers Noble-men to take the Crown from Henry's head and to set it on his own Howbeit their pretence in taking arms was only for the reformation of the State professing that they meant all honour and obedience to the King Which King Henry and his Friends chiefly the Duke of Somerset could not believe Therefore an Army was prepared and also advanced against the Yorkists But before the Armies came to engage in fight by such that secretly favoured the Duke of York the King was perswaded to a reconciliation and that Somerset should be commanded prisoner to his own house Tho. Bourchier A. B. Cant. Which done and York having dissolved his Army he came to the King making great complaints against Somerset who hearing thereof presented himself to the King against his accuser answering York face to face and in plain terms accused him of highest Treason as having conspired to depose the King and to take the Soveraignty upon himself Whereupon York was for a time put under restraint till in St. Pauls Church in London before the chief of the Nobility he took a solemn oath to be a true faithful and obedient subject unto King Henry A. D. 1452 John Lord Talbot first Earl of Shrewsbury of that Family with an Army was sent to regain Gasgoin Burdeaux her self yeilded to this great Soldier Whence he went to relieve Chastilion but charging the Enemy upon much unequal terms was there slain in the field together with his Son the Viscount Lisle After which battel when the flames of intestine War began to flash out in England betwixt the two Families of York and Lancaster the Martial men of England were called home out of France to maintain the Factions here At which time a French Captain scoffingly asked an English man When they would return again into France To whom the English man feelingly and upon a true ground answered When your sins shall be greater and more grievous in the sight of God than ours are now A. D. 1453 the Queen was delivered of a Son who was named Edward A. D. 1454 the Duke of York in despight of his sacred Oath so publickly taken raised arms against the King marching with his forces towards London Against whose coming King Henry prepared an Army with which he advanced to St. Albans where a sharp battel was fought and the Royal party worsted On the Kings side were slain the Duke of Somerset Earls of Northumberland and Stafford Lord Clifford with sundry worthy Knights and Esquires The King himself was shot into the neck with an arrow taken prisoner and conveyed back to London where in July immediately following a Parliament was holden the precursor whereof was a Blazing-star which appeared in June extending its beams to the South The first popular Act of this Assembly was to restore the memory of Duke Humphrey to honour declaring him to have been a true subject to the King and Realm The next was to free the Yorkists from treason as to their taking up of arms In this Parliament the Duke of York created himself Protector of England the Earl of Salisbury his great Confident was made Lord Chancellor and the Earl of Warwick Salisbury's Son Captain of Callis They spared as yet to touch King Henry's life because the people did wonderfully esteem and reverence him for his holiness But that they the Yorkists might with the more facility uncrown and at last kill him they by degrees workt out his ancient Councellors and placed of their own creatures in their rooms And now the French encouraged by our inward divisions landed at Sandwich Fifteen thousand men where they did some spoil then departed Another part of them burned Foway and some other towns in Devonshire A. D. 1458 the Lords met at London to compose all quarrels bringing with them great troops of armed attendants which through the great vigilancy and providence of the then Mayor of London Godfrey Bullein Queen Ann Bulleins Ancestor dutifully kept the King's peace This Meeting of the Lords ended in a Composure though it continued but a very short time before both sides made preparations for War and at Blore-Heath they came to battel which was long and bloody but at length the worst of the day fell to the Kings side Howbeit not long after the King put the Yorkists to flight at Ludlow which town was spoiled to the bare Walls In a Parliament holden at Coventry the Duke of York Earls of March Salisbury Warwick Rutland and others were attainted of High treason and had their whole Estates confiscated But on July 9 1460 at Northampton was the fatal battel where Henry's Forces vvere utterly broken and vanquished through the treachery of the Lord Grey of Ruthen vvho quit his place and fled to the Yorkists The Duke of Buckingham Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Beaumont Lord Egrimond Valiant Sir VVilliam Lucy vvith many others of the Kings Friends vvere slain and the King himself fell a prey into his enemies hands vvho carried him to London vvhere a Parliament begun Octob. 8. At which Parliament Richard 〈…〉 his claim to the Crown publ◠〈…〉 â—gree to them on this sort nam◠〈…〉 third son of King â—dward the third had Issue Philip his daughter who was married to Edmond Mortimer Earl of March who had Issue Roger Earl of March who had Issue Edmond Earl of March Roger Anne and Eleanor which said Edmond Roger and Eleanor died without Issue and Anne the Heir of that House was married to Richard Earl of Cambridge the son of Edmond Duke of York fifth son to King Edward the third which said Earl of Cambridge had Richard now Duke of York He also alledged that the descendents of John of Gaunt fourth son and younger brother to Lionel had hitherto holden the Crown of England unjustly for that himself the said Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was the lawful Heir being the son of Richard Earl of Cambridge and Anne aforesaid Whilss this weighty controversy to whom the Crown of right belonged was under debate a Crown which hung for an Ornament in the middle of the roof of the Room where the Knights and Burgesses met to consult and also
the Crown which for like cause stood upon the highest Tower of Dover-Castle both fell suddenly down which were vulgarly construed to be of ill-portent to King Henry The conclusion of the Parliament concerning the Crown was That Henry should enjoy it during life and then it should remain to Richard Duke of York and his Heirs and King Henries Heirs to be for ever excluded Whereupon the Duke was proclaimed Heir Apparent But this while the Queen was gathering forces in the North resolving if possible to maintain the possession of a Crown and to secure it for her son The Duke of York therefore with an Army marcheth against her and neer unto Wakefield both Hosts join battel where the Queen at length gained the Victory The Duke himself with divers men of account were slain in the fight and the Earl of Salisbury was taken prisoner and beheaded And now Edward Earl of March the son of Richard Duke of York takes upon him to maintain the quarrel and at Mortimers Cross neer Ludlow he set upon the Queens Army At which time there appeared three Suns which suddenly joyned into one The Battels maintained themselves with great fury but in the end March obtained the Victory There were taken Sir Owen Teder or Tudor Father to Jasper Earl of Pembroke whom Earl Edward caused to be beheaded Taken also were Sir John Scudamor with his two sons and other persons of Rank A. D. 1461. Both Armies met and ingaged in fight at St. Albans where the Queens side won the day and recovered the King whom the Yorkists had brought along with them from London Howbeit the Londoners stood wholly for the Earl of March whose presence and carriage made him amiable amongst the people especially women and at his return to London from the fight proclaimed him King of England King Henries Issue was only Edward He was a Prince free from pride given much to Prayer well-read in the Scriptures Charitable so chast and modest that when certain young women presented themselves before him in a Mask with their hair loose and bare breasts laid out he immediately rose up and departed with these words Fie fie for shame forsooth ye are to blame He took all injuries whereof he received plenty so patiently that he not only did not seek to revenge them but gave God thanks that he did send them to punish his sins in this life that he might escape punishment in the life to come To a Russian that struck him on the face whilst he was prisoner he only said Forsooth you are to blame to strike me your anointed King Not long before his death being demanded why he had so long held the Crown of England unjustly he replied my Father was King of England quietly enjoying the Crown all his Reign and his Father my Grandsire was also King of England and I even a Child in the Cradle was proclamed and Crowned King without any interruption and so held it forty years well-neer all the States doing homage unto me as to my Ancestors Therefore I say with King David My lot is fallen in a fair ground I have a goodly Heritage my help is from the Lord which saveth the upright in heart He founded those Famous Colledges of Eatoâ— and Kings Colledge in Cambridge In or neer the year of our Lord 1442. was Eleanor Cobham the good Duke Humphries wife arraigned of Sorcery and Treason for setting on Buâ—lingbrooke and Southwell to take away the Kings life by Necromancy Something of the fact she either confessed or was proved against her for the which she was put to solemn and publick penance in London three several days then was committed to perpetual imprisonment The Art of Printing was first found out in Germany by a Knight called John Guttenberghen and brought into England by William Caxton a Mercer of London who first practised the same in the Abby at Westminster Anno Dom. 1471. The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir William Waldren was Mayor William Eastfield Robert Tatarfel Sheriffs In his second Year VVilliam Cromar was Mayor Nicholas James Thomas Watford Sheriffs In his third Year John Michal was Mayor Simon Seamen John Bywater Sheriffs In his fourth Year John Coventry was Mayor William Mildred John Brokle Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Rainwel was Mayor John Arnal John Higham Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor Henry Frowick Robert Otely Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Henry Barton vvas Mayor Thomas Duffhouse John Abbot Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor William Russe Ralph Holland Sheriffs In his ninth Year Nicholas Wotton vvas Mayor Walter Chertsey Robert Large Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John de Wells was Mayor John Aderly Stephen Brown Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir John Parveis was Mayor John Olney John Paddesley Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Sir John Brokle was Mayor Thomas Chalton John King Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Sir Roger Oteley was Mayor Thomas Barnewel Simon Eyre Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Thomas Catworth Robert Clopton Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Sir John Michael was Mayor Thomas Morsted William Gregory Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor VVilliam Hales William Chapman Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Sir Stephen Brown was Mayor Hugh Dyker Nicholas Yowe Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Robert Large was Mayor Philip Malpas Robert Marshal Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Sir John Paddesley was Mayor John Sutton William Welinhale Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Robert Clopton was Mayor William Combis Richard Rich Sheriffs In his twenty first Year John Aderley was Mayor Thomas Beaumont Richard Nordon Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Thomas Catworth was Mayor Nicholas Wyford John Norman Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Stephen Foster Hugh Wâ—tch Sheriffs In his twenty fourth Year Sir Simon Eyre was Mayor John Darby Godfrey Fielding Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year John Olney was Mayor Robert Horne Godfrey Bullen Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor William Abraham Thomas Scot Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Sir Stephen Brown vvas Mayor William Cotlow William Marrow Sheriffs In his twenty eight Year Sir Thomas Chalton was Mayor VVilliam Hulin Thomas Canning Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Nicholas Wilford was Mayor John Middleton VVilliam Deare Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Sir VVilliam Gregory was Mayor Matthew Philip Christopher Wharton Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir Geoffry Fielding vvas Mayor Richard Lee Richard Alley Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Sir John Norman was Mayor John Walden Thomas Cook Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Sir Stephen Foster vvas Mayor John Field VVilliam Taylor Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Sir VVilliam Marrow vvas Mayor John Young Thomas Oldgrave Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year Sir Thomas Canning was Mayor John Styward Ralph Verney Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Sir Godfrey Bullen
head Howbeit the Traytor Banister did not only lose his promised reward but also received just punishments from Heaven for his eldest son fell mad and so died in a Hogstie his second son became deformed and lame in his limbs his third son was drowned in a small puddle of water his eldest daughter was struck with a foul Leprosie and himself being of extream age was found guilty of murder but saved by his Clergy Divers of the Earl of Richmond's party were put to death and so jealous was the King now of his ill-gotten greatness that he stored the Sea-coasts with armies of men furnished the Ports with store of munition and made all things ready to prevent Earl Henry's arrival caused a Parliament to be assembled at Westminster wherein the said Earl and all such as had fled the Land in his behalf were attainted and were made enemies to their native Country their Goods confiscate their Lands and possessions condemned to the Kings use Moreover the Usurper sent his Agents laden with Gold and many gay promises to the Duke of Britain offering what not if he would either send Earl Henry into England or commit him there into Prison but the Duke himself lying extream sick his Treasurer Peter Landose corrupted with Gold had betrayed the Earl into Richard's hands had not the Earl had timely notice of it and prevented it by a speedy escape unto the French-Court where he received great favours Dr. Richard Fox then a Student in Paris was eminently serviceable to the Earl in that Nation And the Duke of Britain when he understood the treachery of Landose was highly displeased and continued a favourer of the Earl and his Cause But all these things with many more were against K. Richard which he very well foresaw though he knew not well how to remedy yet that he might make his Title and interest as good as he could he devised to marry with his Neece the Princess Elizabeth but his Queen Anne stood in his way to this for the present though not long for she fell into the remorseless hands of death but whether a natural or violent is not well known After which Richard courts the Lady Elizabeth his own Brothers daughter though in vain for she detested him Howbeit when Henry heard of Richards attempts herein and not knowing what time through flattery and perswasions from some persons might do upon the young Princess her good nature he hastned for England setting sail from Harfleet with about 200 men August 15 and arrived at Milford-Haven the seventh day following from vvhence he advanced tovvards Shrewsbury On his way to which place there met him Sir Rice ap Thomas a man of great command in VVales with a great body of men to side in his quarrel which Earl Henry afterwards requited by making this his first Alder Governour of VVales From Shrewsbury the Earl marched to Newport where Sir Gilbert Talbot met him with two thousand men from the Earl of Shrewsbury Thence he passed to Litchfield where he was honourably received But when the Usurper understood that the Earl daily increased in strengths and that he was advanced so far without any opposition from his Court at Nottingham he set forth his Host to meet the Earl which he did near unto Market-Bosworth in Leicestershire His Vant-guard he disposed of a marvellous length to strike the more terror into the hearts of his foes the leading whereof was committed to John Duke of Norfolk His own Battalion was furnished with the best approved men of War When he had ordered his army for fight he animated his followers to behave themselves valiantly alledging to them that it was against a company of Runnagates Thieves Outlaws Traytors beggarly Britains and faint-hearted French-men that they were to fight who would oppress and spoil them of their Lands Wives and Children that these their enemies were such Cowards that they would fly faster from them than the silly Hart before the Hound that the Earl of Richmond Captain of the rebellion was but a Welsh Milk-sop For their love to him their Prince their zeal to their native Country he wished them that day to shew their English valour assuring them that for his part he would either triumph in a glorious victory or die in the quarrel with immortal fame Now S. George for us and us for victory saith he Haste therefore forward and remember this that I am he that with high advancement will prefer the valiant and hardy and with severe torture will punish the dastard and cowardly run-away The Earl of Richmond's forefront was commanded by the Earl of Oxford the right wing by Sir Gilbert Talbot the left by Sir John Savage the main Battel by the Earl himself and his Uncle Jasper When the Earl had ordered his small Host consisting of about 5000 men he rode from rank to rank and wing to wing encouraging his followers to fight alledging the justness of their quarrel which God would bless assuring them that for so good a cause as to free the Land of a Monster a Tyrant a Murderer he would that day rather become a dead carrion upon the ground than a Carpet-prisoner kept alive for reproach Advance therefore forward saith he like true-hearted English-men display your Banner in defence of your Country get the day and be Conquerors lose the day and be villains God and St. George give us a happy success Then immediately a fierce Battel commenced and was manfully continued on either part At length the King having intelligence that Earl Henry was but slenderly accompanied with men of Arms he therefore with his Spear in the Rest ran violently towards the Earl in which rage at the first brunt he bare down and overthrew the Earls Standard slew Sir William Brandon the bearer thereof next encountred Sir John Cheiny whom he threw to the ground thereby making an open passage to the Earl himself In which very instant when the Earl was like to be distressed the Lord Stanley sent in aids of fresh Soldiers under the leading of Sir William Stanley which were raised as he pretended for Richard but intended them when he should see his time for Richmond's service These entred the fight with such courage that they put the Usurpers forces to flight when the Usurper closing his Helmet said to such that brought him a swift horse for his escape This day shall finish all Battels or else I will finish my life So thrusting into the throng of his enemies he manfully fighting died in the place A. D. 1485 Aug. 22. There died with him that day the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Ferrers of Chartley Sir Richard Ratcliff Sir Robert Brakenbury The number of both parts slain in the field were 4000 Sir William Catesby with two other persons of quality were taken and two days after were beheaded at Leicester Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey the Duke of Norfolks son and heir being then also taken prisoner the Earl of Richmond demanded of him how he
Citizens exceedingly Himself did not only become one amongst them causing himself to be entred a Brother of the Merchant-Taylors Company but also wore the habit at a publick Feast and sate as Master of the Company A. D. 1492 Octob. the sixth King Henry with his Host landed at Callis from whence with his whole forces he marched towards Boloigne which when he had besieged Articles of peace were concluded betwixt him and the King of France For King Henry before his going out of England had been dealt with on the French Kings behalf to accept of conditions but would not enter into any Treaty with him till he was in the field and that with such a puissance as vvas likely enough to force his ovvn conditions When Henry had to his advantage setled his transmarine affairs he returned for England vvhere he vvas not to remain long in quiet For the Dutchess of Burgundy had provided another counterfeit King a youth of a Princely personage called Peter VVarbeck the son of a converted Jew This her creature Peter or as some called him Perkin and Peterkin under the name and Title of Richard Plantaginet second son of King Edward the fourth had great honour given him by the King of France And divers persons of eminency in England were so deluded that they believed him to be the true Richard and thereupon sought to advance him to the Crown which cost some of them the price of their heads as the Lord Fitz-VValter Sir Simon Montford Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain that gained the Victory for King Henry at Bosworth-field These with more were put to death for favouring of Perkin The King also for the further prevention of dangers caused the coasts of England to be strongly guarded sent a new Lord Chancellor into Ireland Henry Denny a Monk of Langton-Abby and Sir Edward Poynings with some forces whose greatest care and diligence was to punish such as before time had given any assistance to the mock-Mock-king and to restrain such as were likely to do so in time to come The Earl of Kildare falling under suspition Poynings sent prisoner into England where the King did graciously hear and admit his defences and returned him with Honour and continuation of authority The Irish had formerly exhibited many Articles against this Earl the last of which was Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King shall this Earl rule all Ireland constituting him Lord-Deputy thereof But Perkin having gained private assistance from the French King and Maximilian to strengthen yet his enterprize he repairs into Scotland unto James the fourth having special recommendations from the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy who gave him most courteous entertainment The rare impudency of the youth and that connexion which his darings had with other Princes drew this King into an errour concerning him When he was first brought to the presence of the King of Scots with a right Princely gracefulness he declared to the said King That Edward the fourth leaving two sons Edward and Richard both very young their unnatural Uncle Richard to obtain the Crown purposed the murder of them both but the instruments of his cruelty having murdred his elder brother the young King were moved with pity to spare his life and that thus saved by the mercy of God he was privately conveyed beyond the Seas the world supposing that himself also had been murdred And that Henry Teuder Earl of Richmond after he had by subtle and foul means obtained the Crown he then wrought all means and ways to procure the final destruction of him the rightful Heir to the English Diadem That his said mortal enemy Henry hath not only falsely surmised him to be a feigned person giving him Nick-names so abusing the World but that also to deprive him of his right he had offered large Sums of Mony to corrupt the Princes with whom he had been retained and had imploy'd his servants to murder him That every man of reason might well understand that the said Henry needed not to have taken these courses against him had he been a feigned person That the truth of his manifest cause had moved the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy his most Dear Ant to yield him their assistence That now because the Kings of Scotland were wont to support them who were spoiled and bereft of the said Kingdom of England and for that he the said King James had given clear signs that he was of the like Noble quality and temper with his Ancestors he so distressed a Prince came to put himself into his hands desiring his aid to recover his Realms promising faithfully that when his Kingdoms were regained he would gratefully do him all the pleasure that should lie in his utmost power The King of Scots was so influenced with this Impostors words amiable person Princely deportment recommendations of Princes his aids from the Irish and assured hope of aid in England that he honourably received him as if he had been the very Richard Duke of York and gave his consent that this pretended Duke should marry the Lady Katharine Gourdon daughter to the Earl of Huntly which accordingly he did and also prepared to invade England in his quarrel although there wanted not them who with many arguments advised this King to repute him for no other than a Cheat. King Henry that he might be prepared for the Scots called a Parliament which granted a Tax to be gathered of six score thousand pounds the Levy of which mony kindled a dangerous fire in England For when the Kings Collectors came amongst the Cornish-men to receive their proportion of the Tax they tumultuously assembled under the leading of one Thomas Flammock a Lawyer and Michael Joseph a Black-Smith of Bodnam Which Captains led their rout towards Kent and at Wells James Tuchet Lord Audley joyned with them From Wells they proceeded to Black-Heath where the Kings forces defeated them without much labour fifteen hundred of the Rebels were taken and the takers had their prisoners goods granted them James Lord Audley was led from New-gate to Tower-hill in a Coat of his own Armories painted on a Paper reverst and torn where he was executed Flammock and the Smith were quartred Memorably strange was the comfort that the Smith cheered himself withall as he was drawing to his execution to wit That yet he hoped that by this means his Name and Memory should be everlasting The Kings care was now to order the War against Scotland whither he sent the Earl of Surrey with an Army to invade the Scotch borders as they had lately done the English The Earl pursued the revenge with great vehemency but in short time by the King of Spains mediation a Truce was concluded betwixt the two Nations One Article of which Truce was That Perkin should be no longer fostered in Scotland Whereupon he withdraws into â—reland whither the Cornish-men sent to him inviting him amongst them promising that at his arrival
they would venture their lives and fortunes for him as hoping that under his government they should be eased of their Taxes Perkin accepting their invitation landed at Whitsand-Bay in Cornwall after whose arrival some thousands of people resorted to him When King Henry heard of his landing and making head against him he smiled saying Loe we are again provoked by this Prince of Rake-hells but lest my people should through ignorance be drawn into destruction let us seek to take this Perkin by the easiest way we can He therefore assembled his forces and sent out his Spies to observe the track and hopes of Prince Peterkin who had now besieged the loyal City of Excester which would neither yield to his fine promises nor his threats and violence but valiantly withstood him till they were relieved by Edward Courtney Earl of Devonshire and other good subjects that forced the Rebels away from before the City Which Rebels now understanding what great preparations were made against them began many of them to drop away from their new King and Perkin himself secretly fled and took Sanctuary at Beaulieu in New-forest out of which Sanctuary upon the Kings offer of life to him and oblivion of his crimes he gladly came forth and put himself into the Kings hands by whose order he was conveyed to London where the King by curious and often examination of him came to the full knowledg of that his heart desired The châ—ef matter of which confession the King caused to be published in Print But the imaginary King Perkin indeavouring to make an escape from such that had the charge of him after the undergoing of some publique shame for that attempt was committed to the Tower where he by his insinuations and promises had corrupted his keepers to set himself and the Earl of Warwick at large to which design of escaping the poor Earl is said to have consented Perkin for this conspiracy had his Tryal at Westminster and was condemned and being drawn to Tyburn had the sentence of death executed upon him At the Gallows Perkin did read his own confession therein owning himself to have been born in the Town of Tourney in Flanders of such parents whom he named and that being come into Ireland to see the Country he was there wrought upon to personate Richard Duke of York c. Thus died If I be not deceived a deceiver A. D. 1499. The Earl of VVarwick was publickly arraigned for minding to have escaped out of the Tower and consequently to deprive King Henry of his Crown and Dignity and to usurp the Title and Soveraign Office all which streined charge the Earl by false friends 't is said was perswaded to confess So lost his head upon Tower-hill and was buried at Bisham by his Ancestors Thus died the last Heir Male of the blood and Sirname of Plantaginet It is said That in the eyes of the Castilâ—aâ—s who had secretly agreed with King Henry to match their Princess Katharine with Prince Arthur there could be no sure ground of succession whilst the Earl of VVarwick lived Tho. Langton A. B. Cant. And the said Lady Katharine when the Divorce was afterward prosecute against her by her Husband King Henry the eight is reported to have said That it was the hand of God for that to clear the way to the Marriage that innocent Earl of VVarwick was put to unworthy death A. D. 1506 Edmund de la Pole Earl of Suffolk wilfully slew a common person in his fury for the which King Henry caused him to be arraigned the fact he was perswaded to confess and had pardon But the Earl as a Prince of the blood his mother being sister to Edward the fourth held himself disgraced by having been seen at the Kings-Bench-Bar a Prisoner therefore in discontent fled to his Aunt the Dutchess of Burgundy but within a while after he returned into England and the year following his spirit not yet being laid fled again after he had first complotted to disturb the Kings peace Whereupon King Henry applied himself to his wonted Art for learning the secrets of his enemies imployed Sir Robert Curson to feign himself a friend to Pole thereby to get himself into his bosome for the finding out of his secret designs and correspondents Mâ—ny great persons for Poles câ—use were committed to prison some were put to deaâ—h as Sir James Terrel and Sir John VVâ—dâ—am who lost their heads on Tower-hill and three other persons who were executed in other places And the more to disanimate de la Poles complices and favourers King Henry had procured from Pope Alexander the sixth an Excommunication and curse against Pole Sir Robert Curson and five other persons by special name and generally all others that should aid the Earl against the King Sir Robert Curson was named on purpose to make de la Pole secure of him Neither did the King leave here for he so prevailed with the Pope as he decreed by Bull That no person should afterward have priviledge of Sanctuary who had once taken the same and came forth again and that if any Sanctuary-man should afterward commit any murder robbery sacriledge treason c. He should by lay force be drawn thence to suffer due punishment And now Suffolk perceiving himself stript of all future hope of endamaging the King he put himself into the grace and protection of Philip King of Spain with whom he remained in banishment till King Philip was driven by tempest into England at which time King Henry prevailed with him to deliver Pole into his hards upon promise that he would spare his life And accordingly at Philips return home Pole was sent in England and then committed to the Tower King Henry thus secured of this hazard bestowed his ages care on gathering of mony though by some such ways as seemed none of the justest Empson and Dudley two Lawyers were his instruments for the bringing in of mony to fill his Exchequer These called the richer sort of Subjects into question for the breach of old penal Laws Henry Dean and William Warham A. Bps. Cant. long before discontinued and forgotten The courses they took in the execution of their imployment was for one of them to outlaw persons privately and then to seize their estates forcing them to chargeable compositions with the King and heavy bribes to themselves Another detestable practise of theirs was to have false Jurors and Ring-leaders of false Jurors who would never give in any verdict against their Patrons Empson and Dudley insomuch that if any stood out in Law these sons of Belial squared the destiny of their causes By these means many honest and worthy Subjects were rigorously fined imprisoned or otherwise afflicted But the King falling sick of a consuming disease by the means of good Counsel he inclined to grant to all men general Pardons certain only excepted and ordained that all such monys should be restored as had been unjustly levyed by his Officers He died A.
D. 1509 April 22. His Issue Arthur dead before himself Henry Edmond Margaret Elizabeth Mary His daughter Margaret was married to James the fourth King of Scotland and after his death unto Archibald Dougles Earl of Angues to whom she bare Margaret who married Matthew Steward Earl of Lenox and had by him Henry Lord Dernly who married Mary Queen of Scots by whom he had King James the sixth King Henry left at his death 1800000 l. in ready mony He founded the Hospital of the Savoy founded six religious houses for Franciscan-Friers built the Palace of Richmond where he died and that Chappel at Westminster called by his name where he was buried He exceedingly Honoured that devout King Henry the sixth whom he laboured to have had canonized for a Saint but Pope Julio held that Honour at too dear a Rate His Mother-in-Law Queen to Edward the fourth he deprived of her Estate and confined to the Monastery of Bermondsey in Southwark one cause pretended for it was for that she had yielded up her daughter into the hand of the Usurper Richard contrary to her faith given to them who were in the plot for bringing in of Henry A. D. 1498 A Cordwainers son was hanged at St. Thomas Waterings for assuming the name and Title of the Earl of Warwick thereby to raise disturbances The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings time In his first Year Sir Hugh Brice was Mayor John Tate John Swan Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Henry Collet vvas Mayor John Percival Hugh Clopton Sheriffs In his third Year William Horn was Mayor John Eenkel William Remington Sheriffs In his fourth Year Robert Tate was Mayor William Isaac Ralph Tinley Sheriffs In his fifth Year VVilliam White was Mayor William Capel John Brook Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Matthew was Mayor Henry Cote or Coot Robert Revel and he dying Hugh Pembarton Sheriffs In his seventh Year Hugh Clopton was Mayor Thomas Wood VVilliam Brown Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Martin was Mayor William Purchase William Walbeck Sheriffs In his ninth Year Ralph Austry vvas Mayor Robert Fabian John Winget Sheriffs In his tenth Year Richard Chawrie was Mayor Nicholas Alwin John Warner Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir Henry Collet was Mayor Thomas Kneesworth Henry Sommer Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year John Tate was Mayor John Shaa Richard Hedon Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year William Purchase was Mayor Bartholomew Rede Thomas Windew or Windouâ— Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Sir John Percivel was Mayor Thomas Bradbury Stephen Gennings Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Nicholas Aldmine was Mayor James Wilford Thomas or Richard Brond Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year William Rennington was Mayor John Hawes William Steed Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir John Shaa was Mayor Lawrence Aylmer Henry Hede Sheriffs HENRY VIII A. D. 1509. HENRY the Eighth was born at Greenwich June 22. 1491. His youth was so trained up in literature that he was accounted the most learned Prince of Christendom In A. D. 1509 and June 25 he was Crowned at Westminster together with his Queen Katharine the Relict of his brother Arthur by William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury His Counsellors he chose of the gravest Divines and wisest Nobility with whom he not only often sate to the great increase of his politick experience but would also yield his authority to their wisedomes Empson and Dudley he caused to be imprisoned then to be brought to their Tryal and at last to lose their heads To regain the ancient Rights of England he first sent his Herald Clarencieux into France roughly demanding the Dutchies of Normandy Guyen Main and Anjou and with them the Crown of France Then sent certain Nobles before him thither and afterward followed himself pitching down his Tents before Terwin Where he raised his Royal Standard of the Red-Dragon and begirt the City with a strait Siege To which place Maxmiliâ—n the Emperour repaired and to the great Honour of Henry entred into his pay wearing the Cross of Saint George with a Rose the Kings-Badge as his faithful Souldier The French attempting to relieve the Town with Victuals and men were so encountred by King Henry that many of their chiefest Captains were taken prisoners and six of their standards won and the rest of the Monsieurs for safeguard of life so posted away that this conflict was called the battel of Spurs shortly after which the Town yielded unto the King Then was the siege removed to Tournay which in short time was also surrendred to the King with ten thousand pounds sterling for the Citizens redemption Who to the number of 80000 then took their Oaths to become his true Subjects 1513. The safe keeping of this City the King committed to Sir Edward Poynings Knight of the Garter and Ordained Thomas Wolsey Bishop of Tournay Whilst King Henry was busy in France his Lieutenant Thomas Earl of Surrey marched against the Scots who were entred into Northumberland and at Flodden the Armies engaged in fight and the English won the day In this battel King James of Scotland was slain one Archbishop two Bishops two Abbots twelve Earls seventeen Lords Knights and Gentlemen a great number in all about eight thousand were slain and almost as many taken Prisoners in A. D. 1513. Sep. 9. A. D. 1514 by the procurement of Pope Leo a peace was concluded betwixt the Kings of France and England immediatly after which Mary the sister of King Henry was Honourably conducted into France where aâ—â— Albeville October the ninth she was married unto old King Lewis who died eighty two days after the Marriage A. D. 1517 by reason of the great concourse of strangers at London to the hindrance of trade and their insolency towards the English the youth and vulgar sort of Citizens upon May-day assaulted these strangers doing much harm to their houses substance and some of their persons for which riotous offence John Lincolne the instigator thereof was hanged and four hundred men and youths with eleven women were led in ropes along the City in their Shirts with halters about their necks to Westminster where the King pardoned their offence to the great rejoycing of the Londoners A. D. 1519 was the City of Tourney delivered back to the French on these conditions That they should pay to King Henry six hundred thousand Crowns in twelve years That the Daulphin should marry the Lady Mary King Henries young daughter which marriage if it hapned not to take effect at the years of consent then Tourney should be re-delivered to the English That Cardinal Wolsey should have a thousand Marks paid him yearly for the revenues of the said Bishoprick A. D. 1521 Edward Bohun or Stafford Duke of Buckingham was beheaded on Tower-hill for imagining to destroy the King and to enjoy the Crown himself Wolsey was the Dukes grand adversary because that the Duke had sometime spoken certain words to his disgrace About this time the Pope sent his Legats about to incite the Christian
Princes to attempt the recovery of the holy-Land sending Cardinal Campeius on this errand into England Which Cardinal and his company being come to London as they passed through Cheap-side the sumpture Mules cast their Carriages and Coffers on the ground out of which the lids flying open fell old breeches boots and broken shoes torn stockings tattered rags old iron and horse shoes broken meat marrow bones roasted eggs and crusts of bread with such-like treasure About A. D. 1521 the Emperour Charles passing toward Spain landed at Dover where the King met him and conducted him in great state to London lodging him in his new Palace in the Black-Friars then feasted him at Windsor and in such bands of amity the Emperor and King Henry seemed to be link'd that in London this sentence was set up in the Guild-hall over the dore of the Councel-Chamber Carolus Henricus vivant Defensor uterque Henricus fidei Carolus Ecclesiae The reason of which Titles Defender of the Faith and Church was For that Charles the Emperour had directed forth a solemn Writ of Out-lawry against Dr. Martin Luther who had then given a great blow to the Triple Crown and King Henry had wrote a Book against the said Luther for the which the Pope gave the Title of Defender of the Church to the Emperour and Defender of the Faith to the King and for the same cause he sent King Henry a consecrated Rose A new variance hapning again betwixt the Kingdoms of France and England the King assembled a Parliament at the Black-Friers in London which granted him half of the yearly revenues of all Spiritual livings to be paid for five years continuance and the tenth part of all temporal substance to carry on the Wars against France and Scotland When the King being furnished with mony sent a great Army into France under the conduct of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who had married Mary the Kings Sister Queen Dowager of France This valiant Commander first besieged and won Bell-Castle then took the Castle of Bonguard Braie Roie Lihome Mondedier and Boghan which done he returned King Henry was so inraged against the Scots that he took from all those inhabiting England all their goods sending them into their Country on foot with white Crosses sowed upon their uppermost garments But Margaret Queen of Scots solliciting her brother Henry for a peace the difference betwixt the two Nations was for a while reconciled About A. D. 1525 arose great troubles in Ireland the wild Irish casting off all obedience and killing many of the Kings English Subjects Girald Fitz-Girald Earl of Kildare was sent prisoner into England for that the Earl of Ossery had accused him of many misdemeanors as That he connived at the Earl of Desmonds escape whom he should have attached by order from the King That he grew over-familiar with the Irish and that he put to death the Kings best subjects When the Earl was brought to London he was committed to the Tower by the Cardinals means who did not love him In the Tower he expected death daily but with such couragious resolution that being at slide-groat with the Lieutenant when the Mandate was brought for his Execution on the morrow morning and seeing the Lieutenant struck into a sudden sadness he said unto him By St Bride Lieutenant there is some mad game in that Scroll but fall how it will this throw is for a huddle And when the worst was told him he said I pray thee Lieutenant do no more but assuredly learn from the Kings own mouth whether his Highness be witting of this or not Whereupon the Lieutenant loving the Earl well went to the King and shewed him the Warrant which the King seeing controlled the sawciness of the Priest for so he then called the Cardinal and gave the Lieutenant his Signet for a nullity of the Warrant so the Earl was delivered from the death threatned and not long after from his imprisonment About or in A. D. 1528 King Henry began to call into Question the lawfulness of his marriage with his Queen Katharine who was daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain and had been married to Prince Arthur eldest son of Henry the seventh when he was about fifteen years of age but he dying ere he had been married twelve months King Henry his brother by the advice of his Councel took this Princess Katharine to Wife in few days after his Fathers death and enjoyed her nuptial society near twenty years in which time she had born him two sons both dying in their infancy and one daughter named Mary afterward Queen But now he said his Conscience was much dissatisfied doubting it might not be lawful for him to have his brothers Wife notwithstanding he had had a dispensation from the Pope for it therefore first he refused his Queens bed and having moved the doubt to his own Divines he next sent for the opinion of most of the Universities of Europe which concluded against it and signified so much under most of their common Seals He also sent Agents unto Rome with an humble request to the Pope that an indifferent Judge might be sent to determine this weighty affair Whereupon Cardinal Campeius was sent over into England with whom Cardinal Wolsey was joyned in Commission These Cardinals had a place ordained them in the Black-Friers in London for the keeping of their Court of Judicature To which Court the King and Queen were summoned to appear personally which accordingly they did having several seats prepared for them When the Court was sate the Cryer called King Henry to appear who forthwith answered Here Then was the Queen called who made no answer at all but presently rose up and going to the King fell on her knees at his feet and in the audience of the people said unto him Sir I desire you to take some pity upon me and do me Justice and right I am a poor woman a stranger born out of your Dominions having here no indifferent Councel and less assurance of friendship Alas Wherein have I offended or what cause of displeasure have I given you that you thus intend to put me away I take God to my Judge I have been to you a true and humble Wife ever conformable to your will and pleasure never gain-saying any thing wherein you took delight Without all grudge or discontented countenance I have loved all them that loved you howsoever their affections have been towards me I have born you Children and been your Wife now this twenty years Of my Virginity and Marriage-bed I make God and your own Conscience the Judge and if it otherwise be proved I am content to be put from you with shame The King your Father in his time for wisdom was known to be a second Solomon and Ferdinand of Spain my Father accounted the wisest amongst their Kings could they in this Match be so far over-seen or are there now wiser and more learned men than at that time were Surely it seems
not be burdened so in the future Fourthly That the late Commissions for proceeding by Martial-Law might be revoked and annulled and that hereafter no Commission of like nature might be issued forth To all which the King at last yielded his consent sending this answer to the Parliament Soit droit fait comme il est desirèe And to the peoples further satisfaction his Majesty received into his favour the Archbishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Lincoln the Earls of Essex Lincoln Warwick Bristol and the Lord Say The Parliament next resume their accusation of the Duke of Buckingham against whom they drew up another Remonstrance the like they did against Bishop Neal and Bishop Laud and at last were about to take away the Kings right to Tonnage and Poundage whereupon the King adjourned them till October 20th and afterwaâ—d by Proclamation till the 20th of January following About this time Dr. Lamb a favourite of the Dukes and supposed Necromancer was killed in London by the rout of the people who hated him both for his own sake and the Dukes A. D. 1628 During the last Session a Fleet of fifty sail was sent to the relief of Rochel but was repelled with much loss Then another expedition was agreed on and a more formidable Fleet was prepared but as the Duke of Buckingham was at Portsmouth hastning his preparations for Sea he was suddenly stab'd by Lieutenant Felton who after his apprehension being demanded what invited him to the bloody fact boldly answered That he killed him for the Cause of God and his Country The murderer was hang'd at Tyburn his body sent to Portsmouth where without the Town it was hanged up in Chains In the Dukes place the Earl of Lindsey an excellent Souldier was sent for the aid of Rochel who after some valiant yet fruitless attempts returned into England and the Rochellers to the obedience of the French King And within a short time after peace was concluded betwixt France and England January 20th the Parliament assembled again when they prepared a Bill against Tonnage and Poundage and the Commons made a Protestation amongst themselves That whosoever should seek to introduce Popery or Arminianisme or other opinions disagreeing from the true and Orthodox Church should be reputed a Capital enemy to the Commonwealth That whosoever should counsel or advise the taking or levying the Subsidies of Tonnage or Poundage not being granted in Parliament or should be an Actor or Instrument therein should likewise be reputed an enemy to the Commonwealth or whosoever should voluntarily pay the same not being granted by Parliament should be reputed a betrayer of the Liberties and an enemy of the Common-wealth Hereupon his Majesty presently dissolved the Parliament After which he called to question certain refractory Members at the Council Table Namely Sir John Elliot Sir Miles Hobard Mr. Denzill Hollis Sir Peter Hayman Sir John Barrington Mr. Selden Mr. Stroud Mr. Coriton Mr. Long Mr. Valentine and Mr. Kirton who were all commited to Prison But by the dissolving of the Parliament 1629 the Popular odium was in a high measure stirred up against the great Ministers of State as was manifested by certain invective Libels published against Bishop Laud and the Lord Treasurer Weston This Year a peace was concluded with Spain A. D. 1630 and May 29 was Prince Charles born and about noon of the same day was a Star seen in the Firmament In this Year was the old Prerogative-Statute for Knighthood put in execution whereby those who had estates of 40 l. per. Annum were summoned to appear to receive Knighthood and upon default to be fined by which means one hundred thousand pounds was brought into the Exchequer Sir Thomas Wentworth was now made Viscount Wentworth and Lord President of the North. A. D. 1632 his Majesty recalled the Lords Justices out of Ireland who then had the Government thereof and in their stead sent thither the Lord Wentworth as Lord Deputy The King recommended to the Nobility and Gentry the raising amongst themselves a large contribution towards the reparation of St. Pauls Church in London which motion was so far entertained that a considerable sum was gathered and the work had a fair progress A. D. 1633 and May 13 the King took a Journey into Scotland there to be Crowned and it was but time for him so to do for not long before this he had received a Letter from a Scotch Lord wherein was this expression That shou'd he longer defer his coming to be Crowned the people might perhaps be inclined to make choice of a new King As soon as the Coronation-Rites were accomplished the King summoned a Parliament and past an Act for the ratification of all those Laws that King James had made in that Nation for the better regulation of that Church both as to the Government and Worship of it Which Act too many sinister persons opposed because it savoured of establishing Episcopacy October the 13 was James Duke of York born the Book for tolerating sports on the Lords day first published by King James was now ratified which greatly distasted the Puritanical party and many Episcoparians also A. D. 1634 the English Coasts being infested with Pickeroons Turks and Dunkirk-Pirates and the Fishing usurped by the Hollanders on the Kings Dominions in the narrow Seas and the Kings Exchequer not being able to furnish out a Fleet sufficient for the repressing these Incroachers his Majesty hereupon consults his Attorney-General Noy what might be done herein Wil. Laud A. B. Cant. Noy acquaints him with ancient Presidents of raising a Tax upon the Nation for setting forth a Fleet in case of danger and assures him of the Legality of the way in proceeding by Writs to that effect which Counsel being imbraced there were Writs directed to the several Counties for such a contribution as might in the whole build furnish and maintain 47. Ships for the safety of the Kingdom but this Tax was by many disrellished and censured as a breach of the civil liberties and to be against Law because not laid by Parliament and Mr. John Hambden and others refused to pay this Ship-money standing it to a Tryal of Law against whom several of the Judges to whom the King had referred the Cause gave Judgment Hutton and Crook excepted The Pirates were curb'd by the Kings Fleet and the Hollanders reduced to a precarious use of the English Seas A. D. 1637. Mr. Prynne Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton a Lawyer Physitian and Divine for writing against Episcopacy and Bishops were sentenced to pay 5000 l. to the King to lose their ears in the Pillory which they did and then were sent into banishment or remote confinement Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincolne was fined and suspended from his Offices and Benefits and imprisoned for underhandly fomenting Popular disaffections and venting some dishonourable speeches concerning the King July 13 while the Dean in his Sacerdotal habiliments was reading a new composed Liturgy in St. Giles Church at
in their service for the Publick Cause should be secured from the injury of their Masters and their time to go on toward their freedom by which means multitudes of Youth forsook their Masters to fight for the Parliament They also invited their Brethren the Scots as they call'd them to come into England to their aid And to animate the people to take up Arms for the Parliament some busie Clergy-men made great not good use of that sacred Text in their Pulpits Curse ye Meroz c. Judges the 5.23 But blessed are the Peace makers saith the Prince of peace About the beginning of March Commissioners were appointed to treat at Oxford in order to a rcconcilation but the Parliaments proposals were so out of reason that the treaty proved fruitless A. D. 1643 in the beginning of the Spring the Queen returned into England bringing with her considerable supplies of Men Money and Ammunition out of France and that year his Majesty became Master of the North and West some few Garisons excepted July the 5th Sir Ralph Hopton with his Cavaliers routed Sir William Waller at Lansdown near Bath and July the 15th he again defeated him at Roundway-hill by the Devizes killing many hundreds in the place and taking many more Prisoners Bristol and Exeter were yielded unto those two Martial Princes Rupert and Maurice Sons of Fredrick Prince Palatine of the Rhine and Elizabeth his Wife Sister to King Charles the first Gloucester the King besieged with a brave Army and the besieged under the command of Colonel Edward Massey defended themselves with great bravery till the Earl of Essex came with an Army and raised the Siege From this Siege the two Armies marched within few miles each of the other without any engagement save a little skirmish by Alborne-Chace till they came to Newbury where a sore Battel was fought On the Kings part were slain the Earls of Carnarvon and Sunderland and the Learned Lord Faulkland Essex lost many of his Officers January the 22 those loyal Members of Parliament who dissented from them at Westminster met at Oxford by the Kings Summons of these besides the Prince and Duke of York the Lord Keeper Littleton Treasurer Cottington Duke of Richmond and Marquess of Hartford there were nineteen Earls and as many Lords and one hundred and seventeen Knights and Gentlemen Other Loyal Lords Knights and Gentlemen Members of Parliament were at this time imployed in the Kings service in divers places of the Nation In this month and year the Scotch Army under the Conduct of the Earl of Leven entred England for the Parliament being about 18000 foot and 2000 horse About this time was Loyal Newark besieged by Sir John Meldram but by Prince Ruperts coming it was relieved and the Parlimentarians forced to march away after great losses on such conditions as the Prince would grant them This year upon a cessation of Arms in Ireland some forces came over to the Kings assistance This year also that Rebellious thing called a Parliament at Westminster and their Adherents and some to save themselves from punishment took the Scottish Solemn League and Covenant with hands lifted up to the most high God swearing to endeavour the preservation of the reformed Religion the extirpation of Popery and Prelacy to preserve the Rights and priviledges of Parliament and liberties of the Kingdom and to defend and preserve the Kings Majesties person and Authority c. All the Parliaments pretence in raising Arms was reformation for the defence of the Kings person to rescue him from his evil Council and to make him a glorious King which at length they did when they deprived him of his natural life A. D. 1644 Sir William Waller defeated Sir Ralph Hopton about Brandon Heath The Lord Fairfax and his Son Sir Thomas took divers of the Kings Garisons in the North. Prince Rupert raised the Siege of Latham-house June the 29 the Kings forces gave a great defeat to Wallers Army at Cropredy-bridge And presently after this the King drove the Earl of Essex up into Cornwall but the Earl deserted his Army passing by water to Plymouth and his horse taking the advantage of a dark night escaped leaving the Foot to shift how they could who capitulated for their lives leaving their Arms Cannon Amunition and Baggage to the Kings disposal Then Ilferdcomb Barnstable and Saltash yielded to the King who now victoriously marched towards London July the third was a great fight at Maston-Moor where the Parliament obtained a very considerable Victory And October the 27th Essex Waller and the Earl of Manchester met the King as he came out of the West at Newbury where a sharp Battle was fought and the Kings part forced out of the field In November Mac-Mahon an Irish Rebel was hang'd and quartered at Tyburn And December 23d Sir Alexander Carew was beheaded on Tower-hill for attempting to give up the Island of Plymouth to the Kings forces January the first Hotham the Son and January the second Hotham the Father were beheaded on Tower-hill for designing to betray Hull to the Royalists and for other treacheries January the 10th William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury was brought to the Scaffold on Tower-hill where he preached his last Sermon taking for his Text Heb. 12. Vers 2 So yielded his neck to the stroak of the Executioner The charge against him was endeavouring to subvert the Laws Religion and Priviledges of Parliament January the 30th by his Majesties procurement a Treaty was held at Vxbridge where the Parliaments demands were That Episcopacy might be extirpated that Presbytery might be establisht and that the King should yield up the Militia solely into the Parliaments dispose which were such unreasonable demands that the King could not yield to them February the 20th the Lord Mac-Guire another of the grand Irish Rebels was executed at Tyburn About this time was the Parliaments Army new-moduled The Earl of Essex and the other Commanders who were Parliament-men Oliver Cromwel was excepted were by the self-denying ordinance lately made to attend in Parliament in whose steads other and more active persons were appointed Sir Thomas Fairfax was constituted Captain-General Oliver Cromwel then the Sectaries Darling was made Lieutenant-General Henry Ireton Commissary-General c. After which model the Kings affairs of the Nation began fatally to decline A. D. 1645 His Majesty drew his Army out of Oxford in order to relieve his Nothern Counties and Garisons but after he had stormed and taken Leicester in his way he was called back to secure Oxford which the Parliament Army threatned with a Siege This while Sir Thomas Fairfax had intercepted a Letter of the Lord Gorings to the King wherein that Loyal Subject had desired of his Majesty to forbear engaging with the Enemy till he could be joyned with him Hereupon Fairfax left his Siege afore Oxford and made directly towards the King with a purpose to fight him before that addition of strength should come in And at a place near
Deputy thereof Ireton was very successful against the Marquess of Ormond the Lord Inchequin Marquess Clancard Earl of Castlehaven and other the Kings friends taking many Garisons from them the like did Oliver in Scotland from the Kings friends there Howbeit His Majesty hoping that now at length England might be favourable to his just Cause he advances into England by the way of Carlile with about 16000 men bending his course by a swift march for the West of England though it was hoped by his friends he would have directed his course for London But August the 23 the King with his Army entred the City of Worcester and Cromwel with all hast marched after him by the way joyning with Fleetwood Desbrough the Lord Grey of Groby Lambert Harrison and the Militia-forces of several Counties so that his Army when he was come to Worcester could not amount to fewer then 80000 men In Lancashire the Earl of Derby had raised for the King near 1500 Horse and Foot against whom Colonel Lilbourn marched and routed them taking many persons of quality the Earl of Derby himself with much ado escaped to the King at Worcester where on that twice fatal but once Lucky day September the 3d his Majesty being surrounded by his Enemies resolved to sally upon them with his whole force which accordingly he did and at the first made the disloyal party retire somewhat disorderly the King himself performing the part of a Valiant Souldier at the head of his Horse But at length his Army being overpowered by the numerous fresh supplies of his enemies His Majesties side was put to the worst his Horse flying amain towards the North and his Foot into Worcester whither they were followed at the heels by their Victors who entred the City with them which they plundred killing and taking most of the Scots Prisoners those Horse that fled were pursued and great part of them taken and the poor stragling Scots were either made Prisoners or killed by the Country People The number of the Kings party slain were judged to be about 3000 and of Prisoners taken in the whole near 10000 amongst whom were Duke Hamilton the Earls of Shrewsbury Derby Cleveland Lauderdaile Rotho Carnwath and Kelly the Lord Synclare Sir John Packington Sir Charles Cunningham Sir Ralph Clare Major General Piscotty Major General Mountgomery Colonel Graves Mr. Fanshaw the Kings Secretary the Adjutant General Marshal General General of the Ordnance together with five Colonels of Horse 13 of Foot 17 Lieutenant Colonels 19 Majors 109 Captains there was also taken 158 Colours the Kings standard Coach and Horses Coller of SS and Star-Cloak with other things of great value His Majesty through the good providence of God escaped the hands of his enemies wandring about England in disguise for six weeks at length being transported from a Creek near Shoram in Sussex to Freccam near Haure de Grace in France although his foes made the strictest search for him possible withall menacing those that should conceal him and promising high rewards to those that should discover him A little before this fight at Worcester divers persons many of them Presbyterian Ministers were seized on for holding correspondence with Charles Stuart none might as they loved their lives and estates call him King and on August the 22 were two of them namely Mr. Christopher Love Minister and Mr. Gibbons beheaded on Tower-hill The common Prisoners Scots and English taken at Worcester were sent up to London and that they might no further trouble the States of England they were transported into Foreign Plantations October the 15th the Earl of Derby was beheaded and Sir Timothy Fetherstonhaugh dyed the same death also for the same crime viz. for honouring the King In short time after the fight of Worcester the Mock-Parliament had the welcome news of reducing the Isle of Man the Barbadoes the Isle of Jersey and Cornet Castle in Guernsey but a little to allay their transport they had the unwelcome news of the death of their Admiral Popham and Ireton their Deputy of Ireland this last dyed of the plague under the Walls of Limirick but was buryed in great State in Westminster-Abby All was now in a calm at home and Scotland and Ireland both almost subjected to the English States they therefore in this leisure-time judg it seasonable to vindicate themselves on the Vnited Netherlands for the affronts done to their Ambassadors Oliver St. John and Walter Strickland in Holland and their incroaching on the English merchants trade and slighting the English States who proffered strict amity and alliance Hereupon they prohibited the importing any Foreign Comodities except upon English bottoms or such as were of the Country whence the goods came beginning withal to stand high upon the claim of dues and reparations for the prejudice done the English in their Trading and when no satisfaction would be given but the Dutch grew rather more Lordly calling into question the English Soveraignty in the narrow Seas and refusing to give the English the honour of the FLAG the States of England resolved to beat them into better manners And in the Year of our Lord 1652 on May the 19th was the first Sea-fight between the States of England and the Netherlands the fight continued about four hours till the night parted them without much cause of boasting on either part that which was the English had a right to But shortly after this Admiral Blake took twelve Dutch men of War August the 16th Sir George Ayscough with a squadron of seven Ships charged through and through the Dutch Fleet consisting of sixty men of War in which Encounter Captain Pack was slain September the fifth as the French Fleet who took part with the Dutch were going to the relief of Dunkirk most of them were taken by General Blake and about the conclusion of the same month the Dutch were bang'd to purpose by Blake at a place called the Kentish-Knock and were pursued by the English into their very Harbor But in the beginning of Winter Blake was worsted by the Dutch in the Downs losing the Garland Bonadventure and two Merchantmen Upon the 18 19 and 20th days of February the two Fleets fought again when the Dutch were forced to fly the English taking fifty-two of their Merchant-men they had in Convoy and nine men of War A. D. 1653 and April the 20th Oliver Cromwell took upon him to put a period to the fitting of those long winded-Members at Westminster objecting to them when he came to displace them That they delayed if not utterly neglected the redressing of publick Grievances that they designed their own interest and perpetuating themselves therefore they were to sit there no longer Instead of these Members turned out of doors Oliver and his Officers constituted a Council of State to rule the Common-wealth though they resolved to rule the Council of State June the 2d the English and Dutch Fleets engaged again in Fight when at the very first shot made by
London Bridge In May the King passed some Bills in the House of Lords whereof one was for raising an Imposition on Wines and other Liquors and the Parliament was adjourned till the 11th of August following In June News was brought to London of the burning of the Bridge Town in Barbadoes where besides the loss of most of the Houses the Magazine to the great prejudice of the publick as well as of private Persons was blown up The Duke of York in September near to Dover took the usual Oath of Warden of the Cinque Ports The Parliament that was to have met in August was by Proclamation Prorogued till the Tenth of November ensuing and the Duke of Monmouth upon the resignation of the Lord Gerrard was made Captain of his Majesties Life-Guards of Horse Sir Thomas Allen made Peace this year with the Algerines and the Parliament which met at the appointed time and adjourned till March were in December by Proclamation prorogued till the Tenth of October following About the middle of January 1668 9 the Dutchess of York was brought to Bed of a Daughter christened by the Name of Henrietta by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Duke of Ormond assisting as God-father the Marchioness of Dorchester and Countess of Devonshire having the Honour of being God-mothers In March 1668 9 the Prince of Tuscany in pursuance of his Travels came to visit England where being honourably received and magnificently treated by His Majesty and several Persons of Quality of the Kingdom he departed for Holland in his way homeward Anno 1669. The beginning of this year the Earl of Carlisle was sent Embassadour Extraordinary to Sweden As he was at Copenhagen on his way he received a Letter from the King of England in answer to an obliging Letter of the King of Denmark to be delivered to that King This Letter was so acceptable to the Dane that upon the Embassadours instance he dispatched Orders to all his Ports and Mercantile Towns especially in Norway for restoring the English to their former Freedoms and Priviledges in Trading Being arrived in Sweden he presented the King with the George worn by the Knights of the Garter and was afterward as His Majesties Proxie solemnly installed in the Order at Windsor This year was the stately new Theatre of Oxford the noble Gift of Dr. Sheldon Archbishop of Canterbury according to the intent of the Donor put into the Possession of that University And upon his Graces declining the Chancellourship the Duke of Ormond was installed Chancellour of the University of Oxford Whilst the King was taking his Divertisement with the Duke of York in the New Forrest in Hampshire they both received an Express of the death of their Mother the Queen Dowager of England who died at Columbee the last of August and was buried in St. Denis in November following About this time arrived at Dublin the Lord Roberts as Lord Deputy of Ireland The Exchange of London ever since the Fire had been kept at Gresham Colledge in Bishopsgate-street till now to the great satisfaction of the City the Merchants returned to the Royal Exchange in Corn-hill a Fabrick as far exceeding the old one in Beauty and Structure as the City rebuilt does that which was destroyed At the day of October prefixed the Parliament met to whom the King amongst other things in his Speech proposed the uniting of England and Scotland into one Kingdom this Project in the Sequel had no better issue than another set on foot by King James for the same purpose The Parliament having sate above a month and done but very little were prorogued till the 24th of February following The Parliament of Scotland sate at Edenbourgh at the same time that the Parliament of England did at Westminster in the which the Earl of Lauderdale represented His Majesty as His Commissioner In this Session of Parliament amongst many other Acts that of asserting his Majesties Supremacy in all Causes and over all Persons Civil and Ecclesiastical passed A necessary Act for securing the Rights of Monarchy against popular and unwarrantable Innovations and a duty which had it not been forgotten or trampled upon in these later times might with Gods Blessing have preserved both Nations from scandalous and fatal consequences A splendid and magnificent Embassie was this year sent to Taffelette Emperour of Morocco in the Person of Mr. Henry Howard since Duke of Norfolk which by reason of the troubles of that Countrey and the inability of the Emperor to secure a safe conduct to a Person of that quality proved of small consequences and the Embassadour returned without seeing the Emperour or performing his Embassie The later end of this year died the Duke of Albemarle his Dutchess not many days surviving him The King as a mark of gratitude to the deceased Duke sent his Son the present Duke his Fathers Garter continued to him many of his Honours and Preferments and sent him word that he himself would take care of his Fathers Funeral The Parliament met again at the appointed time and the King among other things re-minded them of the project of Union between the two Kingdoms This year in the beginning of April Anno 1670 the King having passed some Bills the Parliament was adjourned to the 24th of October Amongst others was an Act for authorizing such Commissioners as His Majesty should be pleased to nominate for treating with the Scottish Commissioners about the projected Union who being nominated and having afterwards met with those sent from Scotland many Conferences were held but insuperable difficulties appearing in the matter it was wholly laid aside At this time the Lord John Berkley arrived in Dublin and was invested Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Princess of Orleans made now her last visit to her two Brothers the King of England and Duke of York at Dover and upon her return which was shortly after took her journey out of this World for to the great grief and surprize of the Court of England she died suddenly Captain Beach being in the Straits with four English Frigots met a squadron of seven Algier Men of War full of Men gave them Battel and after a short dispute forced them all ashore where two of them were burnt by themselves and the rest by the English most of their Men were lost and 250 Christian Captives set at liberty In October The Parliament met again according to their Adjournment and then was the Peace between England and Spain beyond the Line concluded and ratified The Prince of Orange came this year into England and having visited both Universities after a short stay he returned During this Session of Parliament the Lords and Commons having humbly represented to His Majesty their fears and jealousies of the growth of Popery the King by Proclamation commanded all Jesuits and English Irish and Scottish Priests and all others that had taken Orders from the See of Rome except such as were to wait upon the Queen and Foreign Embassadors to
spurs to his horse rode away but fainting through the loss of much blood he fell from his horse and with one foot in the stirrup was drag'd up and down the woods and grounds till in the end his body was left dead at Corfe's Gate and was first buried at Warham afterwards removed to the Minster of Shaftsbury Alfrida his Mother-in-law sore repenting the fact to expiate her guilt and pacify his crying blood as she thought founded the Monastries of Almsbury and Worwell in the last whereof she dyed and was buried ETHELRED A.D. 978. EThelred for his slowness sirnamed The unready was crowned at Kingstone Upon his Coronation a Cloud was seen through England one half like blood the other half like fire Ethelgar Alfrick A.B. Cant And in the third year of his reign the Danes arrived in sundry places of the Land and did much spoil And about the same time a great part of London was consumed by fire He payed tribute 40000 l. yearly called Dane-gilt to the Danes His reign was much molested with Danish Invasions in divers parts of the Land And so low were the English at that time by the intruding Danes that they were forced to till and sow the ground while the Danes sate idle in their houses and eat that which they toiled for Also abusing their Daughters and Wives and having all at their command the English for very fear calling them Lord Danes Hence we call a lazy Lubber a Lurdane In this the English distressed estate the King at last sent forth a secret Commission into every City within his Dominions That upon the Thirteenth day of November they should massacre all the Danes which were amongst them This Command of the Kings the people put in execution with extreme rigor in A.D. 1002. But to revenge this great destruction of the Danes Swein King of Denmark prepared a very great Navy and arrived in the West of England and shortly after Canutus brought 200 sail of ships well furnished to his assistance And in A. D. 1016 King Ethelred dyed and was buried at St. Pauls His Issue were Ethelston Egbert Edmond Edred Edwy Edgar Edward Elfred and four Daughters In the year of our Lord 991 was Ipswich in Suffolk sacked by the Danes And in A. D. 1004 Thetford in Norfolk anciently called Sitomagus was sack'd by the Danes Siricus Elphegus Livingus A.B. Cant. for the recovery whereof Bishop Arfast removed his Episcopal See from Elmham thither Norwich was fired by the Danes its Castle was afterward re-edified by Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk EDMOND IRONSID A.D. 1016 EDmond sirnamed Ironside the eldest son that Ethelred had living at his death was crowned at Kingstone by Livingus Archbishop of Canterbury A. D. 1016. At which time the Danes were so powerful in England that Canute was accepted King at South-hampton by many of the Clergy and Laity who sware fealty to him But the City of London stood most firm for Edmond and bravely withstood Canute besieging it till such time that King Edmond came and relieved them At Penham near Gillingham King Edmond engaged with the Danes where he put many of them to the sword and the rest to flight And not long after his and the Danish Host met nigh to Shereston in Worcestershire where the battel was for the first day fought with equal success but on the next day when the English were in forwardness and probability of the victory the Traytor Edrick on purpose disanimated them by cutting off the head of a dead soldier putting it on his sword point then crying to the English Host Fly ye wretches fly and get you away for your King is slain behold here is his head seek therefore now to save your own lives By which means the fight ended on even hands And the next night following Canute stole away toward London whom Ironside followed first raising the siege that Canutus had laid against London and then marching after him to Brentwood where he gave the Danes a great overthrow Then near unto Oteford in Kent the two Armies met again and fought in furious manner till at last the day fell to the English who slew Four thousand five hundred men with the loss but of Six hundred and put the rest to flight whom the King had pursued to their utter confusion had not his brother-in-law Edrick play'd the Traytor again disswading him from the chase of them under the pretence of danger of ambushments and the English soldiers over-weariedness Whereupon Canute had the opportunity of passing over into Essex where his scattered Forces rallied and fresh supplies came in to them After whom Edmond advanced and at Ashdon by Saffron-Waldon the Armies joined battel when a bloody slaughter ensued with the hopes of victory on the English side which the ever-traytorous Edrick perceiving he withdrew his strength to the Danes the enemy thereby regaining the day Of King Edmond's Nobles were slain Duke Alfred Duke Goodwin Duke Athelward Duke Ethelwin Earl Vrchel with Cadnoth Bishop of Lincoln and Wolsey Abbot of Ramsey and other of the Clergy that were come thither to pray for good success to the English The Memorial of this Battel is still retained by certain small hills there remaining where the dead were buried From hence King Edmond marched to Glocester with a very small Army which he there encreased After him Canute followed and at Dearhurst near Severn both Hosts met and were ready to join battel When by the motion of a certain Captain Edmond and Canute undertook by single Combat to end the difference So entring into a small Island called Alney adjoining to Glocester there they valiantly fought till Canute having received a dangerous wound and finding Edmond to over-match him in strength he thus spake to the English King What necessity should move us most valiant Prince that for the obtaining of a Title vve should thus endanger our lives Better it were to lay Malice and Weapons aside and to condescend to a loving Agreement Let us novv therefore become svvorn Brothers and divide the Kingdom betvvixt us and in such league of amity that each of us may use the others as his ovvn So shall this Land be peaceably governed and We jointly assist each others necessity Which vvords ended they both cast dovvn their Svvords embrace as friends vvith the great joy and shouting of both Armies And according to Canute's proposal the Kingdom was divided betwixt them Edmond having that part that lay coasting upon France Canute the rest But the Traytor Duke Edrick with design to work himself further into Canute's favour procured Edmond to be thrust into the body as he was easing nature Then cutting off his head he presented Canute therewith saying All hail thou now sole Monarch of England for behold here the head of thy Co-partner which for thy sake I have adventured to cut off To whom Canute like a worthy King replyed That in regard of that service the bringers own head should be advanced
they would stab them or cut their throats to prevent which when the English man drank he requested the next sitters by to be his surety or pledg Hence our custom of pledging one another 't is said SAXONS Edsine A.B. Cant. EDward the Confessor EDWARD CONF. A.D. 1041 the Son of King Ethelred and Queen Emma was born at Islip and after his Fathers death was for his safety sent unto the Duke of Normandy his Mothers Brother but upon the death of Hardicanute the English Nobility disdaining all Danish subjection invited Edward to return into England and to execute the Kingly Office He was crowned at Winchester by Edsine Archbishop of Canterbury A.D. 1042. He remitted that heavy Tribute of Forty thousand pound yearly gathered by the name of Dane-gilt which had been pay'd for forty years continuance out of the Lands of all the Clergy excepted Because say our ancient Laws the King reposed more confidence in the prayers of the holy Church than in the power of Armies Then from the divers Laws of the Mercians West-Saxons Danes and Northambrians he selected the best and made them one body certain and written in Latine His Reign was more spent in peace and works of piety than in wars and blood Only some slight troubles hapned from the Danes Irish and Welsh and also from Earl Goodwin and his sons who being very powerful and proud caused some molestations in the State But the sins of the people which were then great procured other Judgments instead of War For in the month of January there fell a great snow Robert A.B. Cant. which covered the ground to the midst of March whereby Cattel and Fowls in abundance perished And on the next year following a strange and terrible Earthquake hapned and withal such Lightnings as burnt up the Corn growing in the fields whereby an excessive Dearth ensued This King by the instigation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Goodwin Earl of Kent dealt too rigorously with his own Mother depriving her of all her Jewels and other substance and committing her to safe custody in the Abbey of Werwell And moreover put her to undergo that over-hard Law Ordalium which was to pass over nine Plowshare-irons red glowing hot bare foot and blindfold By which tryal she is said to have acquit her self insomuch that having passed them over before she knew it cryed and said O good Lord when shall I come to the place of my purgation The King her Son hereupon received her into his favour again And she in memory of her deliverance from this fiery tryal gave nine Mannors according to the number of the Plow-shares to the Minster of Winchester wherein she had that tryal and adorned the same with many rich ornaments And the King repenting the wrong he had done her bestowed on the same place the Isle of Portland The eauses objected against Queen Emma and for which she suffered the loss of her goods were her marriage with Canute the Capital enemy of England and her neglecting to succour Edward and his Brother in their exile The matter objected against her for which she underwent the Ordalium was incontinency of body with Alwin Bishop of Winchester Of this King it is storied that as he lay in his bed in an afternoon with the curtains drawn about him a certain pilfering Courtier came into his Chamber where finding the Kings Casket open which Hugoline his Chamberlain had forgot to shut he took out as much Coin as he could conveniently carry and went away Did the like a second time Came again the third time when the King spake to him and bad him speedily be packing whilst he was well adding that if Hugoline should come and take him there he should not only lose all he had gotten but also stretch an halter And when Hugoline came and missing the money vvas greatly troubled the King vvish'd him not to be grieved for saith he the man that had it hath more need of it than we have When this devout King lying on his death-bed perceived those about him to weep and lament he said unto them If ye loved me ye would not weep but rejoice because I go to my Father with whom I shall receive the joys promised to the faithful not through my Merits but by the free Mercy of my Saviour which sheweth mercy on whom he pleaseth He dyed A. D. 1066 and vvith great laments vvas buried at Westminster He is said to be the first King that cured that Disease commonly called the Kings Evil. This King of a little Monastry dedicated to St. Peter at Westminster made a most beautiful Church and large and founded St. Margrets Church standing by and this he did for the discharge of his vowed Pilgrimage to Jerusalem He founded also the Colledg of St. Mary Otery in Devon and removed the Bishops See from Cridington to Excester He married Godith the Daughter of Earl Godwin which Earl took bread and eat it in witness that he was not guilty of the death of Prince Alfred but as soon as he had received the bread he vvas choaked at the Table before the King at Windsor HAROLD A. D. 1066 HArold the Son of Earl Goodwin notwithstanding that Edgar Atheling the Grandson of Ironside vvas the next rightful Heir yet gained the English Crovvn to himself Which he set upon his own head vvithout all ceremony and solemn celebration none either greatly approving or disapproving his presumption save only for the omission of the manner and form of Coronation But novv Harold to gain and retain the love of all lightned the burthens of Custom and Tribute that his Predecessors had laid upon the people was liberal to the Church-men repaired their Monasteries nevv-built that at Waltham in Essex He created young Edgar Earl of Oxford and held him in special favour And to all men vvas affable and kind vvhence he much fastned the hearts of his subjects unto himself But this tranquil estate vvas quickly disturb'd by the Norman Duke vvho first sent his Ambassage claiming right to the Kingdom of England by the promise of King Edward and his ratifying the same vvith the consent of the State and by Harolds ovvn oath given to the Duke for keeping the Kingdom on his behalf and then upon Harold's slighting the Ambassie he made prepapation for gaining of England by force But ere Duke William vvith his Normans are arrived on the English shore Harfager King of Denmark invaded the Land vvith vvhom Tosto the cruel Earl of Northumberland Harold's Brother joined against vvhom Harold marched and at a Bridg called Stamford vvhere he vvas to pass over one Dane made good for a time the Bridg against his vvhole Host and vvith his Ax slew forty of his men himself at last being slain vvith a dart When the English had gain'd the Bridg and were reduced into their ranks Harold most boldly set upon the Danes in their Camp vanquished them and slew Harfager and Tosto with many other persons of
ancient Laws If these things be denyed they are here presently to abide the verdict of Battel being fully resolved rather to dye than to part with their Laws or to live servile in bondage The Conqueror in this streight more wisely than willingly granted their demands Some of the English this Norman King banished and most part of every mans estate he seized into his own hands bestowing the Lands of the Natives amongst his followers He deprived Monastries Bishopricks Lanfrank A B. Cant. Cities and Corporations of their ancient liberties and priviledges putting them to redeem them at his own rate And for default of lacking the weight of a Groat in the payment of 700 Marks by the Monks of Ely for the restoring to their Abby the ancient possessions they were constrained to pay a 1000 Marks more The Clergy he charged with maintenance for his Wars bereaved the Religious Houses of their Treasures Chalices and rich Shrines abrogated for the most part the ancient Laws of the Land ordaining new in their stead not so equal or easie to be kept also causing them to be writ in the Norman Tongue He ordained the four Law-Terms whereas before the causes of the Kingdom were determined in every Shire or by the late Law of King Edward in their Gemote or Conventicle held monthly in every Hundred He commanded every English Housholder to put out both Fire and Candle at eight of the Clock at Night At which hour in all Cities Towns and Villages he caused a Bell to be rung by the Normans then called Covre-feu that is Coverfire to prevent nightly meetings He laid great Subsidies upon the Land And that the same might amount to his greater benefit he caused an exact survey to be taken of the whole Kingdom and of every particular part and Commodity thereof causing all the people of England to be numbred their names taken and what every one might dispend by the year their substance Money and Bondmen recorded How many yokes of Oxen and Plow-lands were in the Realm and what services they owed him Which done he exacted Six Shillings to be paid him for every Hide of Land The Book thus made of every several survey by the English was called Doomes-day Book He permitted no English man to bear any office of trust and credit He dispeopled 36 Parish Towns laying the Churches and Towns flat with the earth making thereof a Forest for pleasure now called New-Forest To strengthen himself against revolts and rebellions he fortified such places as he thought most convenient for his purpose and built the Tower of London the Castles of York Lincoln Nottingham and Hasting He was the first that brought the Jews to inhabit England His Son Robert rebelled against him in Normandy and in sight dismounted him but then knowing his voice desired his pardon and remounted him Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent his Brother by the Mother for secretly siding with the King of France he committed to Prison not as Bishop but as he was Earl and seized his Estate Some of whose Gold ground into powder was found hidden in the bottom of Rivers The Conqueror going to War against the King of France in Normandy fell sick when keeping his Bed beyond his wont and the French King hearing that the Disease was in his Belly scoffingly said of him Our Cousin William is laid now in Child-bed Oh what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church surely I think an Hundred thousand will not suffice Which King William hearing of said Well I trust our Cousin of France shall be at no such cost but after this my Child-birth at my going to Church swearing by the resurrection and brightness of God I will find him a Thousand Candles and light them my self And accordingly not long after he entred France with a great Army spoiling all where he came and setting the City Mauntz on fire But he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he gat a sickness which increased with a leap of his Horse that burst the inward rim of his belly cost him his life He dyed at Roan in Normandy A. D. 1087. And forsaken of all his Courtiers his body was left unburied till that one Harluims a poor Countrey Knight at his own charge conveyed it to Caen. Where when it should have been buried a certain man in Gods name forbad the interment in that place which said he was his and his Ancestors right taken from them violently by the said Duke Whereupon they were forced to compound with him ere they interr'd the Corps His Issue were Robert Richard William Henry and six Daughters His base Son named William Peverel was Earl of Nottingham By his last Will and Testament he commanded all his Treasure to be distributed to Churches Gods Ministers and the poor limiting to each their several portion To the Church and Monks of St. Stephens at Caen in Normandy he gave divers Mannors in England and great store of Land yea and his Crown and Regal Ornaments which his Son Henry redeemed To his Son Robert he had before given the Dukedom of Normandy England he left undisposed only wish'd his Son William might succeed him in it And to Henry he gave Five thousand pound presaging that all his Dominions should become Henries in the end He did oft-times exhort his Children to the study of Learning with this saying That an unlearned Prince is but a Crowned Ass He built a Religious House called Battel-Abby in the same place where King Harold was slain dedicating it to the holy Trinity and St. Martin That there the Monks might pray for the Souls of Harold and the rest that were slain in that place endowing it with many great priviledges and amongst the rest these Two That if any Murderer or other Felon for fear of death fled thither he should be freed from all punishment And that it should be lawful for the Abbot of that place to deliver any Thief or Robber from the Gallows if he should chance to pass where any such execution was in hand At Selby in Yorkshire he founded the Abby of St. Germans at Excester the Priory of St. Nicholas and at Caen in Normandy the Monastry of St. Stephens In his time it was decreed at Rome That the See of York should be stiled primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae The setting Seals to Bonds and Writings was now first used in England there being before only Witnesses to them Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed by the Conqueror and dyed in Prison The Abbot of St. Albans told this King that the reason why he gained England in one Battel which the Danes could not do in many was because the maintenance of Martial men with a part of the Lands Revenues was converted to maintain religious men and to religious uses In the time of this Kings Reign befell a most fearful Earth-quake strange burning Feavers very mortal Murrains
latter forsook the Barons cause and joyned himself with Roger de Mortimer and his associates to whom not long after Earl Warren and William de Valence Earl of Pembroke with other Peers united themselves and Prince Edward escaping came in safety to them the Counties of Hereford Worcester Salop and Chester coming in to their assistance When the Prince having a considerable strength marched against Montford who hearing of the Princes advance encamped at Evesham where Prince Edward inclosed him compelling him either to fight or yield The first of which he elected both Armies joyning battle before the Town of Evesham where the Earls host was with much slaughter especially of the Welsh utterly in the end distressed and discomfited Symon de Montford being slain in fight had his head hands and feet chopt off The King who had been brought a prisoner into the field by his friends valour and good hap was restored to his Liberty And he presently after this cruel battel called a Parliament at Winchester by whose approbation he seized into his hands the Charters of London and other disloyal Towns disinherited such as were on the Earls side distributing their estates amongst his well-deserving Subjects The Legate Cardinal Ottabon excommunicated the Bishops of London Winchester Worcester and Chichester for their adhering unto the Earl And now all things being calm in England Prince Edward with many of the Nobles took the Cross upon them for the Holy-Land And the King to secure the Nations peace held a Parliament at Marleborough where the statutes of Marleborough were enacted But King Henry having been at Norwich to punish the Citizens outrage in burning the Priory Church he in his return fell grievously sick at the Abby of St. Edmond in Suffolk and there died in A. D. 1272. Whose issue was Edward Edmond Sirnamed Crouchback Richard John William Henry Margaret Beatrice and Katherine This King laid the first stone of the new work of the Abby-Church at Westminster He founded the house of Converts where such as forsook the Jewish Religion had provisions for maintenance He also erected and endowed a famous Hospital at Oxford both for the entertainment of Forreigners and Pilgrims and for relief of such as were diseased He was so disposed to performing acts of charity made Leoline Prince of Wales Montfords confederate when he was threatned hardly if he would not live at peace to answer thus I more fear the Alms deeds of the King than all the men of war which he hath and his Clergy to boot King Henry because Thomas de la Linde killed a white Hart in Blackmore Forest which he much fancied set a perpetual fine upon the land which at this day is called White-Hâ—â—â—-Silver In the 17. year of his reign four mock Suns were seen from morning till evening after which followed so great a Dearth that people were forced to eat horse-flesh and barks of Trees and in London twenty thousand were famished A D. 1241. Certain Jews of Norwich were hanged for circumcising a Christian Child and their house called the Thor was destroyed A Scholler of Oxford who attempted to kill the King in his chamber at Woodstock was pulled in pieces by wild Horses Now arose in England a most monstrous impostor who pretended himself to be Christ procuring himself to be wounded in the hands feet and side thinking thereby the more easily to delude the people his punishment was immuring between two walls together with an old hag pretending her self to be the Virgin Mary there to pine to death In this Kings reign flourished in England the Irrefragable Doctor Alexander de Hales who was School-Master to the Angelic Dr. Thomas Aquinas Now also lived Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln called Romanorum Malleus who writ boldly against the Pope reproving his arrogant to call them no worse practises At Sorbiodunum or Salisbury Richard Poor then Bishop of Sarum built that stately Church which hath in it as many windows as are days in the year as many marble-pillars as hours as many doors as months Magna Charta containing the Sum of all the written Laws of England was ordained in the ninth year of Henry the third The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year William Hardel was Mayor John Travers Andrew Newland Sheriffs In his second Year Robert Serl was Mayor Thomas Bokerell Ralph Holyland Sheriffs In his third Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Benet Senturer William Blundivers Sheriffs In his fourth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor John Wail or Veil Josue le Spicer Sheriffs In his fifth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Wimbledon John Wail or Veil Sheriffs In his sixth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Renger John Veil Sheriffs In his seventh Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Joyner Thomas Lambert Sheriffs In his eight Year Richard Renger was Mayor William Joyner Thomas Lambert Sheriffs In his ninth Year Richard Renger continued Mayor John Trevers Andrew Bokerill Sheriffs In his Tenth Year Richard Renger continued Mayor John Trevers Andrew Bokerill Sheriffs In his Eleventh Year Richard Renger continued Mayor Roger Duke Martin Fitz-Williams Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Roger Duke was Mayor Stephen Bokerell Henry Cocham Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Roger Duke continued Mayor Stephen Bokerell Henry Cocham Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Roger Duke continued Mayor William Winchester Robert Fitz-John Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Roger Duke continued Mayor Richard Walter John de Woborn Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Andrew Bokerel was Mayor Michael of St. Helen Walter de Enfield Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Henry de Edmonton Gerard Bat Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Simon Fitz-Mary Roger Blunt Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Ralph Ashwy John Norman Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Gerard Bat Richard or Robert Hardel Sheriffs In his Twenty first Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Henry Cobham Jordan Coventry Sheriffs In his Twenty second Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor John Tolason Gervais the Cordwainer Sheriffs In his Twenty third Year Richard Renger was Mayor John Codras John Whilhall Sheriffs In his Twenty fourth Year William Joyner was Mayor Raymond Bongy Ralph Ashwy Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year Gerard Bat was Mayor John Gisors Michael Tony Sheriffs In his Twenty sixth Year Reymond Bongy was Mayor Thomas Duresm John Voyl Sheriffs In his Twenty seventh Year Reymond Bongy continued Mayor John Fitz-John Ralph Ashwy Sheriffs In his Twenty eighth Year Ralph Ashwy was Mayor Hugh Blunt Adam Basing Sheriffs In his Twenty ninth Year Michael Tony was Mayor Ralph Foster Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his Thirtieth Year John Gisors was Mayor Robert Cornhill Adam of Bewley Sheriffs In his Thirty first Year John Gisors continued Mayor Simon Fitz-Mary Lawrence Frowick Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Peter Fitz-Alwin was Mayor John Voil Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Michael Tony was Mayor Nicholas Fitz-Josue
raised a Rebellion in VVales but Glendour against the Kings coming had withdrawn himself with his surest friends into the Fastnesses of Snowden wherefore the King only made some spoil in the Country and returned Many vvere the plots that vvere still made against the King but the contrivers were discovered and put to death among whom were many Monks And now Glendour having taken the Lord Mortimer prisoner with no small slaughter of his Herefordshire-men the King marched again into Wales where while he stayed he was in great danger to have perished by sudden storms and rains the like whereof his people had never seen or felt The common fame went that Glendour was a Conjurer and had raised those hideous Thâ—â—â—pâ—â—â— by â—lish Arts. In the No◠〈…〉 forces were more fortunate against the Scotts for at Halidon-hill Henry Hot-spur obtained a great victory taking prisoners the Earls of Douglas Fife Angus Murray and Orkney the Lords Montgomery Erskin and Grave with about eighty Knights besides Esquires and Gentlemen And besides what Scots were slain in battel there were about five hundred of those which fled from the fight drowned in the River Tweed But that Henry might have little joy of his ill-gotten greatness the Piercies they raised a dangerous Rebellion wherein indeed they pretended a care for the Common-wealths reformation though they really intended the advancement of their own private interests for it was agreed amongst the conspirators that the Kingdom should be shared betwixt Mortimer Earl of March Piercy and Owen Glendour South England to Mortimer North England to Piercy and Wales beyond Severn to Glendour and Archenbald Earl of Douglas vvas allowed as a sharer to be freed from ransom and to have Berwick for his ovvn Thus agreed they fortify Shrewsbury vvhither the King advanceth vvith his Army vvhere a terrible battel vvas fought and therein Hot-spur slain and his Host vanquished The Earls of Dunglas Worcester Sir Richard Vernon and Baron Kindleton vvith divers others vvere taken though not vvithout great danger of the Kings life and the death of many persons of quality on his side Henry Hot-spurs body was drawn out of the Grave Beheaded and Quartred and the parts sent to be set up in divers places of the Kingdom The Earl of Worcester Vernon and Kindleton were Beheaded The Earl of Northumberland who was taken by the way as he was bringing Forces out of the North to joyn with those at Shrewsbury had his life pardoned The year following a Parliament was holden at Coventry called the Lack-learning-Parliament either for the unlearnedness of the persons or for their malice to learned men For in order to supply the Kings wants a Bill was exhibited against the temporalties of the Clergy but by the courage of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Kings care of the Church their motion was fruitless A. D. 1405 another conspiracy was made against King Henry the chief in which conspiracy were Thomas Mowbray Earl Marshal and Richard le Scrope Archbishop of York who being taken were both Beheaded But the Pope excommunicated all such that had a hand in putting the Archbishop to death Another fresh report of King Richards being alive was again spread abroad when the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardolph sought to raise an Army in the North but were encountred by the Sheriff of York-shire who after a sharp conflict slew the Earl in the field and mortally vvounded the Lord Bardolph The Earls head vvas cut off and after it had been ignominiously carryed through London vvas fixed on the Bridge A. D. 1413 the King fell sick and as some report in this his last sickness he caused his Crown to be set on a pillow at his beds-head when suddenly the pangs of his Apoplexy seized on him so violently that all supposed him to be dead At which instant Prince Henry coming in took away the Crown but his Father recovering out of his fit quickly missed it and understanding who had taken it away caused his son to be called unto him of whom he demanded what he meant to bereave him of that whereunto he had yet no right The Prince boldly replyed Long may you live Sovereign Father to wear it your self but all men deeming that you was gone to Inherit another Crown this being my right I took it as my own but now do acknowledge it for none of mine And therewith set the Crown where he found it O Son quoth the Father with what right I got it God only knovveth vvho forgive me the sin But hovvsoever it vvas got said the Son I mean to keep it and defend it vvhen it shall be mine vvith my Svvord as you by the Svvord have obtained it The King dyed at London and vvas buried at Canterbury His Issue vvere Henry Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford Humphrey Duke of Glocester Blanch and Philippa A great Plague befel throughout England chiefly in London vvhere vvithin a short space it destroyed thirty thousand In the ninth year of his reign a Snovv continued December January February and March The Winter vvas so very sharp and long that almost all small Birds perished through hunger A little before the Rebellion of the Piercies vvas a strange Apparition betvveen Bedford and Bickleswade vvhere sundry Monsters of divers colours in the shapes of armed men vvere often seen to issue out of the Woods in the morning vvhich to such as stood far off seemed to encounter one another in most terrible manner but vvhen they drevv near nothing vvas to be found Because the number of Lolards so called increased an Act vvas made for the punishing of them by burning The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir Thomas Knolls was Mayor William Waldren William Hende Sheriffs In his second Year Sir John Francis was Mayor John Wakel William Ebot Sheriffs In his third Year Sir John Shadworth was Mayor William Venor John Fremingham Sheriffs In his fourth Year John Walcot was Mayor Richard Marlow Robert Câ—icâ—y Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir William Ascham was Mayor Thomas Falconer Thomas Pool Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Hinde was Mayor William Louth Stephen Spilman Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir John Woodcock was Mayor Henry Barton William Cromer Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir Richard Whittingham vvas Mayor Nicholas Watton Geoffry Brooke Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir William Stondon vvas Mayor Henry Ponfract Henry Halton Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir Drew Barentine was Mayor Thomas Buck VVilliam Norton Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Richard Marlow vvas Mayor John Law VVilliam Chichely Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir Thomas Knolls was Mayor John Penne Thomas Pike Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir Robert Chichely was Mayor John Rainwel VVilliam Cotton Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year VVilliam VValden vvas Mayor Ralph Lovenham VVilliam Sevenoke Sheriffs HENRY V. A. D. 1413 HENRY of Monmouth whilst he was Prince did many things very incongruous to the greatness of his birth For he
King Henry into his hands or else to murder him but their Treason being discovered they received the just reward of Traytors On the seventh of August 1414 the King of England with 1500 sail took to the seas attended with Thirty thousand Soldiers besides Gunners Enginiers Artificers and Labourers a great number And the 15 day of the same Month he cast anchor in the mouth of Seyn about three miles from Harflew where landing his men he fell devoutly on his knees desiring Gods assistance to the gaining of his Right Then made Proclamation That on pain of death Churches Church-men Women and Children should be spared from all violence And after due encouragement to his followers he made Harflew the first essay of his Fortunes in France it being a Port conveniently seated upon the mouth of the River Seyn and a safe entrance into his intended Conquest as well for the landing of men as to hinder the passage unto Roan and Paris both which received Traffique by the same River This town of Harflew was surrendred to King Henry Septemb 22. Into which when he first entred he passed along the streets bare-footed until he came to the Church of St. Martin where with great devotion he gave most humble thanks unto Almighty God for that his first atchieved Enterprize When the King had continued at Harflew about fourteen days he marched with 2000 Horse and 13000 Foot through Caux and Eu towards Callis in which march the French used all their endeavours to endamage him for besides many skirmishes they broke down the Bridges where he was to pass plashed the woods entrenched the ways stuck stakes in the Fords and in places of advantage laid store of soldiers to impeach his passage conveyed all victuals out of the Countreys through which he should go and at Blanchetague where he purposed to have passed over the River Some there the French had fortified against him for which cause he marched by Worms with intent to have passed the River at Port le Remy but finding that also guarded he kept along the River to Hargest the French Army marching on the other side Therefore he still marched on by the River side till he came to Bathen-Court where he got over his feeble and wearied Army proceeding on his march till he came to Azin or Agin-Court which was upon Octob. 24 where the French in a field of advantage purposely chosen had pitched their Banner-Royal with an infinite Host exceeding the English six times in number some say ten times King Henry now seeing himself so far engaged and many of his men sick of the flux 't is said he offered the surrender of Harflew and what else he had won and to make satisfaction for the harms done in France so as he might have liberty safely to depart for Callis to which the Constable and Marshal of France were willing but the young Princes and Nobles refused all conditions of Peace And assuring themselves of victory they before-hand disposed of the English Prisoners prepared a Chariot for the captive King divided the prey commanded the Bells to be rung in the adjacent Cities and Towns and thanks to be given to God that had delivered the Enemy into such a place of advantage sent to King Henry to know what ransome he would give sent for King Charles and the Daulphin to come in their persons to the battel that so they might have the honour of the Victory And so bold were the French upon their numbers and great strength that they spent the night before the battel in Feasts triumphs and sports but the English more wisely in preparing themselves for the fight When morning was come the French took the field pressing who should be foremost to this easie as they thought Conquest Against whom their greatest strength consisting in Horse King Henry commanded Two hundred strong Bow-men to lodg in a low Meadow where a deep ditch full of water might help to secure them from the Horse and the bushes cover them from sight having stakes also prepared and shod with iron at both ends which they were appointed to stick slopewise in the ground and to remove them upon occasion to guard them from the Horse This done King Henry ranged his Host disposing it into three Battels placing his Bow-men on both sides the Main where the King rode himself richly accoutred before whom the Royal Standard was born and many other Banners in Warlike order Both sides being in readiness they a while stood facing one another But the King of England resolving to break his way through his Enemies to Callis or else to dye with a cheerful countenance and words full of courage he animated his followers to put forth their utmost powers that after-ages might know what the Lance the Axe the Sword and the Bow could do in the hands of the Valiant and that whosoever desired Riches Honours and Rewards here they were to be had Which words ended his Army fell prostrate on the ground and committed themselves to God every man taking into his mouth a piece of earth in remembrance of his own mortality or in lieu of the Sacrament And then rising up the King with cheerful countenance commanded his Standard to advance forward saying Because our injurious enemies do attempt to shut up our way let us upon them in the name of the most Glorious Trinity and in the best hour of the whole year Sir Thomas Erpingham an old experienced Soldier with a Warder in his hand led the way who when he saw time threw his Warder up into the air whereat the whole Army gave a great shout The French kept still their own ground which the undaunted English perceiving they advanced towards them giving another shout when immediately the Archers laid in the Meadows darkned the Air with a showr of Arrows and the English Army fell on with admirable courage the most of them also for nimbleness being but half cloathed without hat and bare-leg'd so behaving themselves that the French Vantguard was instantly distressed and disordered into such a confused press that they were not able to use their Weapons at any advantage Their Wings which assayed to charge upon the English were broken and forced back for safety to their Main Battel where they bred both fear and confusion And those French Troops which pursued the Archers who gave back as if forced to flye came on with their Horses on the spur upon the jaws of destruction for falling by multitudes on those goring-stakes left by the Archers on purpose they were miserably overthrown and panched to death the English still on all hands hotly pursuing their advantages Against whom the Duke of Brabant advanced hoping by his example to encourage others furiously breaking into the English Army wherein manfully fighting he was slain With the like resolution Duke Alanzon pressed into the English Battalion where King Henry fought and there had slain Humphrey Duke of Glocester had not the King come in to his
VVarwick fled into France thinking to take sanctuary at Callis but there the Lord Vawclear whom VVarwick had substituted his Deputy denied them admittance bidding them defiance with his great Guns for which good service King Edward mad Vawâ—leaâ— himself Governour of Callis But though these Lords were rejected here yet were they with great respect received at the â—rench Court K. Lewis furnishing them with aids which effected they set sail and landed at Dartmouth from whence Warwick marched towards London proclaiming Henry King and commanding all from sixteen to sixty upon a great penalty to take arms against the Usurper Edward Duke of York And incredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who a little before applauded and approved none but King Edward The Bastard Fawconbridg in the West and the Earl of Pembroke in Wales every-where proclaimed King Henry also And the Lord Montacute who having mustered 6000 men in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham drew them back again alledging King Edward's ungratefulness to his friends Every one cryed now A King Henry a King Henry a Warwick a Warwick and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot that King Edward was forced to flye beyond the seas His Queen Elizabeth stole out of the Tower and took sanctuary in Westminster where on the 4th of November she was delivered of a son which without all pomp was there also baptized by the name of Edward Other Sanctuaries were also full of Edwards Friends And now the Kentish men took the opportunity to rob spoil and do much harm about London and some in London it self and more would have done had not the Earl of Warwick come in to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before On October 6 the said Earl entred the Tower wherein King Henry had been detained prisoner almost the space of 9 years whom he released and restored to him the title of King and forthwith conveyed him through London to the Bishops palace where a pompous Court was kept till the 13 of the same month on which day Henry went Crowned to St. Pauls the Earl of Warwick bearing his Train and Earl of Oxford the Sword the people crying God save King Henry November 26 following a certain Parliament was begun at Westminster wherein K. Edward was declared a Traytor to his Country an Usurper of the Crown and had all his goods confiscate the like judgment passed against his adherents John Tiptoft Earl of Worcester was beheaded All the Statutes made by K. Edward were revoked The Crowns of England and France entailed to K. Henry and his Heirs Male and for want of such unto George Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick was made Governour of the Land in those turbulent times But K. Edward having received some aids from the Duke of Burgundy and the promises of more in England landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire At his first arrival he seemed to lay aside his claim to the Crown pretending only to his rights as a private person howbeit when he had possest himself of York and got his friends about him he then marched in an hostile manner till he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother Clarence brought in to his assistance 4000 men And Clarence reconciled to K. Edward sought to draw in Warwick to which end he sent messengers to him to the Town of Warwick where he then lay but Warwick bade the Messengers go tell the Duke from him That he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that ere his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his life at his enemies foot which he doubted not should be bought very dear This stout resolution made Edward more wary therefore he hastens forward to obtain London whither when he was come the Citizens set open their Gates to him And now peaceable Henry becomes Prisoner again to K. Edward who hearing of Warwicks advance towards London draws forth his forces to meet him taking Henry along with him and upon Gladmore neer Barnet on Easterday in the morning the Kings and Earls hosts joyned Battel the best of the day for a while being Warwicks but at length through the fogginess and darkness of the Air the Stars embroidered on the Earl of Oxfords mens Coats who were in the left wing of the Battel were mistaken for the Sun which K. Edwards men wore in which error VVarwicks Battalion le ts fly at their own fellows that were in great forwardness of gaining the victory and they not knowing the cause of the errour judged themselves betrayed whereupon the Earl of Oxford with 800 men quit the Field Which great VVarwick perceiving he couragiously animated his men and furiously rushed into the midst of his enemies battel so far that he could not be rescued where valiantly fighting he was slain Marquis Montacute making forward to relieve him was also slain whereby ended that bloody days task On King Edward's part died the Lord Cromwel Lord Bourchier Lord Barnes and Sir John Lisle On the other part the Earl of Warwick and his brother John Nevil Marquis Montacute On both sides ten thousand most of which were buried upon the same plain where afterwards a Chappel was built In this same year 1471 and within few weeks after this was a battel fought at Tewksbury betwixt King Edward and the Martial Queen Margaret the defeat hapning to the Queen On whose side were slain John Lord Sommerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delves Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whittingham and Sir John Lewkner with three hundred others Amongst them that fled Prince Edward King Henries son was one him Sir Richard Crofts apprehended and presented him to the King whom the King a while beheld with austere countenance at last demanded of him How he durst with Banner display'd so presumptuously disturb his Realm To which the Prince answered That what he did was to recover his Fathers Kingdomes and his most rightful inheritance How darest thou then added the Prince which art his subject display thy Colours against him thy Liege-Lord Which answer so moved King Edward that he dashed the Prince on the mouth with his Gantlet and Richard Duke of Glocester with some of the Kings servants most shamefully murdred him at the Kings feet His body was buried in the Monastery of the black Friars at Tewksbury Edmond Duke of Sommerset the Pryor of St. Johns with many Knights and Esquires were taken forth of Sanctuary and executed at Tewksbury Queen Margaret in this fatal day of battel took into a religious house from whence she was taken and committed to sure and strait keeping in which condition she remained till such time that she was ransomed by her Father Duke Renate May 20 King Edward entred London and in few days after the Crookback'd Duke of Glocester stabbed harmless King Henry to the heart Whose
durst bear Arms in behalf of that Tyrant Richard to which he answered He was my Crowned King and if the Parliamentary authority of England set the Crown upon a stock I vvill fight for that stock And as I fought then for him I will fight for you when you are established by the said Authority King Richard's Crown which was taken amongst the spoils of the field the Lord Stanley Earl of Derby set upon Earl Henries head The slain body of the Usurper all tugg'd and torn stark naked was trussed behind Blanch St. Lieger a Pursevant at Arms like a Hog or Calf the head and arms hanging on one side of the Horse and his legs on the other after which manner it was brought to Leicester where it was buried in the Grey-Friers Church The stone-Chest wherein his Corps lay was at length made a drinking trough for horses at a common Inn. His body if you will credit tradition herein was born out of the City and contemptuously bestowed under Bowbridge His Issue was Edward dead before himself He founded a Colledg at Middleham beyond York and a Collegiate Chantry in London called our Lady of Barking He endowed Queens-Colledg in Cambridg with 500 Marks of yearly revenue He disforested the great field of Whichwood that King Edward his brother had inclosed for his Game and made some good Laws and when divers Shires of England offered him benevolence he refused saying I had rather have your hearts than your money This scoffing Rhime was divulged in contempt of the Usurper Richard and his three principal Creatures The Cat the Rat and Lovell the Dog Rule all England under the Hog The Cat and Rat meant of Catesby and Ratcliff the Dog of Lovell that creature belonging to the Lord Lovell's Arms and the Hog of K. Rich. whose cognisance it was But William Collingbourn Esquire who had been Sheriff of Wiltshire and Devonshire was upon Tower-hill executed with all extremity as Author thereof Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Time In his first year VVilliam Billesdon was Mayor Thomas Newland VViliam Martin Sheriffs In his second year Thomas Hill was Mayor Richard Chester and he dying Ralph Astry Thomas Britain Sheriffs HENRY VII A D. 1485 Aug. 22. HENRY Earl of Richmond was Son to Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby daughter to John Duke of Sommerset son to John Earl of Sommerset son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster fourth son of Edward the third October 30th A. D. 1485 was Henry Crowned at Westminster Then the better to secure his estate he shut up the Earl of Warwick the only son and Heir of George Duke of Clarence in the Tower of London Then instituted a guard for his person consisting of a number of choice Archers with allotment of Fees and Maintenance under a peculiar Captain by the name of Yeomen of the Guard for him and his Successors November the seventh was a Parliament assembled at VVestminster at the sitting whereof Richard the late Usurper was attainted and with him many of the Nobility and Gentry Free pardon was also given to all such saving the persons excepted by name as should presently submit themselves to the Kings mercy Reversed also were all former Acts hurtful either to the King or his Friends and the Crown was established upon the King and his Heirs for ever Next the King assumed into his Councel those two renowned Agents in advancing his fortunes John Morton and Richard Fox A. D. 1486 John Morton A.B. Cant. and January the eighteenth he married the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth to the utter abolisment of all Hostilities between the two Houses or York and Lancaster But there wanted not some male-contents who assayed to disturb these serene days for the Lord Lovell one of the late Usurpers Creatures with Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother assembled forces against the King which upon but the news of an Army coming against them dispersed themselves Sir Humphrey was taken out of Sanctuary and executed at Tyburn When this storm was over the White Rose or York faction raised another procuring one Lambert Symnel to personate one of King Edwards sons Which puppet Lambert was conveyed into Ireland where the Irish adhered to him and in Christ-Church in Dublin Crowned him King of England And into Ireland the Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy sister to Edward the fourth sent this Impostor two thousand Souldiers under the conduct of Collonel Swart These with Irish and some English joyned to them landed in Lancashire at the Pile of Fowdray thence they took their march through York-shire so towards Newark every-where as they came proclaiming their new King Not far from Newark and near to a little village called Stoke the King with his Army encountred them where the fight continued doubtful for about three hours but at last the victory fell to King Henry On Lamberts part were slain the Earl of Lincoln the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Colonel Swart and Maurice Fitz-Thomas with four thousand Souldiers On the Kings side fell not any man of Honour but almost half his vant-guard was slain so that the Garland was dipt in blood Amongst the prisoners that were taken was the counterfeit King who had been a Scholler in Oxford and his Tutor Richard Simon a Priest Lambert confessed his parents to be mean persons and of a mean Calling Him the King condemned to his kitchin or scullery at length promoted him to be one of his Falconers in which estate he continued till his death Sim. Subtle or Richard Simon was condemned to a dungeon and perpetual shackles Stoken-field battle was fought A D. 1487 June 16 being Saturday A day of the week observed to have been lucky to this Prince Henry who sent his Royal standard to our Ladies Church of VValsingham in Norfolk there to remain as a Monument of this his Victory and gratitude for it And now the King dispatcheth his Agents into Scotland there to settle amity with James the third and to prevent the retreat and protection that his enemies had found therein Shortly after which some discontented persons in York-shire rose in Arms under pretence that they were oppressed in their Tax or Subsidy but some of these Rebels were routed by the Earl of Surrey who took their Leader John a Chamber prisoner and upon the hearing of the Kings approach the rest of them under the leading of Sir John Egremond dispersed themselves John a Chamber with some others of the chief of the Rebels were executed at York The Kings affairs being setled in a present peaceable estate at home he was next ingaged in a War with France For the carrying on of which his Subjects did largely contribute chiefly the City of London out of which he received for his furniture in that voyage almost ten thousand pounds from the Commoners and two hundred pounds besides from every Alderman And this wise King knowing how great a strength that rich City was to him humoured the
is no other substance consisting in the bread and wine besides the substance of Christ God and man Secondly That the Communion in both kinds was not necessary to Salvation the flesh only in form of bread being sufficient to the Laity Thirdly That Priests might not marry by the Law of God Fourthly That the vows of chastity ought by Gods law to be observed Fifthly That private Masses were necessary for the people and agreeable to the Law of God Sixthly That auricular Confession was expedient to be retained in the Church of God For offending against the former Law of abjuring the Popes Supremacy c. was John Fisher Bishop of Rochester put to death and Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor so merry conceited a person that he could not forbear his jests though bloody death stared him in the face For when on the Scaffold the Executioner desired his forgiveness he replied I forgive thee but I promise thee thou wilt get no honour by â—utting off my head my neck is so short And when he was to lay his neck on the block he stroâ—kt out his white beard and said to the Heads-man I pray let me lay it over the block lest you should cut it off For though you have a Warrant to cut off my head you have none to cut off my Beard Besides these two there were put to death for the same cause many Abbots Priors and Friars For oppugning the six Articles and asserting Gospel-truths did many Christians of the reformed Religion suffer death in the flames Amongst the rest Dr. Robert Barns was one and Mrs. Anne Askue a person of rare wit and elegant beauty who when she had been twice tormented upon the Rack to the disjoynting of her bones then gave her body to the flames for Christs sake And the life of Queen Katharine Parre was hard laid for by Stephen Gardner but through her wisdom and prudent carriage towards the King it was preserved About A. D. 1545 was a match concluded to be made betwixt Prince Edward King Henrie's son and the young Princess of Scotland the Scotch Nobility approving thereof and in a Parliament of the three estates the match was confirmed in England the like also in Scotland but Cardinal Beton Archbishop of St. Andrews fearing lest hereby Scotland should also change the Church-Orders and the French likewise not liking the union means was therefore wrought to break the said intended marriage of the two young Heirs whence wars insued and the English invaded Scotland spoiled Leith burnt Edenbrough and wasted the Country for seven miles about set fire upon Haddington and Dunbar then returned And because the French refused the performance of certain Covenants King Henry made war also upon that Nation and in short time won the strong Town of Bulloigne Then the French King with intent to balance the loss of Bolloign invaded the Isle of Wight and Sea-coasts of Sussex though it proved to the loss of many of his Captains and thousands of his Souldiers A. D. 1546 the Reingrave came with a great force to victual a Fort built near to Bulloigne which the Earl of Surrey sought to prevent him from but was discomfited with the loss of many brave mens lives Shortly after which by the mediation of the Empâ—ror and other Christian Potentates peace was concluded betwixt France and England A. D. 1547 and January the twenty eighth King Henry yielded to deaths impartial stroke whose body with great solemnity was buried at Windsor In his Will he ordained howsoever Titles had been made invalid in Parliaments That his three Children should succeed each other for want of other Issue One thousand Marks he commanded should be given to the poor and to twelve poor Knights at Windsor each of them twelve-pence a day for ever every year a long Gown of white cloth the Garter to be embroidred upon the breast and therein the Cross of St. George and a Mantle of red cloth to be worn thereupon His Wives were Katharine his brothers Relict Anne Bullen Jane Seymore Anne of Cleve Katharine Howard Neece to the Duke of Norfolk and Katharine Parre the daughter of Sir Thomas Parre of Kendal His Issue Henry which lived not full two months another son not named and Mary these by Katharine of Spain Elizabeth and a son still-born by Anne Bullen Edward by Jane Seymour His natural Issue Henry Fitz-Roy After the dissolution of the religious Houses he erected the Bishopricks of Westminster Chester Oxford Peterborough Bristol and Glocester and also erected the Cathedral Churches of Canterbury Winchester Worcester Chester Peterborough Ely Glocester Bristol Carlile Durham Rochester and Norwich In all which he founded a Dean with a certain number of Prebendaries The Colledge of Christ-Church in Oxford begun by Cardinal Wolsey he ordained to be the Cathedral of this Bishops See Many died of the sweating sickness in England especially about London In the twenty third year of his raign Richard Rice a Cook was boiled to death in Smith-field for poysoning divers persons In the thirty seventh of his raign the Stews on the Bank-side in Southwark were put down by the Kings appointment A. D. 1546 William Foxly continued sleeping fourteen days and fifteen nights and could not by any means be awakened during that time yet when he did awake he was in very good temper as though he had slept but one night and lived forty years after King Henry by Act of Parliament assumed the Stile and Title of King of Ireland former Kings of England bearing only the stile of Lords thereof 'T is said that now Turkey Carp Hops Pickarel and Beer came into England all in a Year Mayors and Sheriffs of Londen in this Kings Time In his first Year Thomas Bradbury was Mayor for the part of the year Sir VVilliam Capel for the rest George Monox John Doget Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Henry Kebble was Mayor John Milborne John Rest Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Roger Acheley was Mayor Nicholas Shelton Thomas Mersine Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir William Copinger was Mayor for part of the year Sir Richard Haddon for the rest Robert Holdernes or Alderns Robert Fenrother Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir William Brown was Mayor John Dawes John Bruges Roger Bosford Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir George Monox vvas Mayor James Yarford John Munday Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir William Butler vvas Mayor Henry Warley Richard Gray William Baily Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir John Rest was Mayor Thomas Seymour John or Richard Thurston Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Thomas Exmewe was Mayor Thomas Baldrie Ralph or Richard Simons Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir Thomas Mersine was Mayor John Allen James Spencer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir James Yarford was Mayor John Wilkinson Nicholas Patrick Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir John Burg vvas Mayor John Skevington John Kyme alias Keble Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Milborn was Mayor John Breton or Britain Thomas Pargitor Sheriffs In his
that he could have no access into the City that way he in the night marched round about by Kingstone thinking that way to have surprized the City on the sudden but staying to remount a great Gun that was dismounted by the way by that means he could not reach the City so soon as he had expected nor till his coming was discovered and preparations on that side the City made against him Cardinal Reginald Pole A.B. Cant. The Earl of Pembroke possessed himself of St. James's which Wiat at his coming perceiving marched a little aside towards Charing-Cross At Charing-Cross the Lord Chamberlain and Sir John Gage stood to resist Wiat but the Kentish-men rushing violently into the Streets forced their opposites into the gates of White-Hall where was a great distraction within and no other voice heard than Treason Treason Mean while Wiat with such small company as he had with him hasted to Ludgate where he knocked to have entrance but was debar'd In the interim those his followers that had turned to White-Hall were dispersed about twenty of which dirty bemired Rebels were slain in the conflict and no other cry heard on the contrary part but Down with the daggle-Tails Wiat returning from Ludgate sate down upon a stall against Bell-Savage-Inne where he mused a while then retired towards the Court and was not opposed till he came to Temple-Bar where began some Bickering but Clarencieux King at Arms coming to him perswaded him to submit to the Queens mercy To whom Sir Thomas Wiat said If I must yield I will yield to a Gentleman and yielded himself to Clarencieux Then was he mounted behind Sir Maurice Berkley and so carried to the Court and in the after-noon to the Tower About fifty of his fellow Rebels were hanged in London and four hundred more were led through the City with Halters about their necks to Westminster where they were all pardoned by the Queen A. D. 1554 and April 11th Sir Thomas Wiat was beheaded on Tower-hill where at his death he warned the people to beware how they took any thing in hand against the higher Powers and excused the Lady Elizabeth and the Lord Courtney of having any hand in his Rebellion Alexander Bret and twenty two Kentish persons more were executed in divers parts of that County These Commotions were the occasions of great troubles to the Lady Elizabeth for the great difference in judgment that was betwixt her sister the Queen and her caused the Queen to suspect that she was a principal mover in them Wherefore the good Princess was in all haste sent for from her Mannor of Ashbridge where she then lay sick and was committed prisoner to the Tower of London at her first coming being kept a close prisoner under locks and bolts but at length the Lord Shandois obtained liberty for her to walk in the Queens Chamber and in the garden About May 19th she was removed to Woodstock where her liberty was not much inlarged In this her confinement as she sate looking out of the window she hap'd to see a maid milking in the Park and merrily singing over her pail which struck this pensive prisoner into a deep muse preferring the Maids fortunes above her own and heartily wishing that her self was a Milk-maid Perhaps this might be the place where Stephen Gardner with intent to insnare her life caused her to be examined what she thought of those words of Christ Hoc est corpus meum This is my body To which after some pause the Princess thus warily and as wittily answered Christ was the word that spake it He took the bread and brake it And what the word did make it That I believe and take it A. D. 1554 and April 16th a disputation began concerning Transubstantiation betwixt certain learned men of the Popish perswasion and Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridley late Bishop of London and old Father Latimer sometime Bishop of Worcester of the Reformed Religion which dispute ended on the 20th of the same month and a year and six months after the aforenamed Bishops gave Testimony to the truth in the flames in the Town-ditch of Oxford A. D. 1554 and July 25th was the marriage betwixt Philip of Spain and Mary Queen of England with great State solemnized and their Titles by Garter King at Arms solemnly proclaimed with these following stiles Philip and Mary by the grace of God King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem and Ireland Defenders of the Faith Princes of Spain and Sicily Arch-Dukes of Austrich Dukes of Milain Burgundy and Brabrant Counts of Haspurg Flanders and Tyrol In the November next following this marriage the Queen was reported to be with Child for joy whereof Te Deum was commanded solemnly to be sung and processions and prayers were made for her safe delivery The Queen took her Chamber the Court was full of Midwives all due provisions made against the good hour And so certain it was taken to be that some were punished but for questioning the contrary and the Parliament Enacted That if God should take away Queen Mary this their young Master coming into the world should succeed and that King Philip should be Protector during the Princes minority Howbeit though they had this confidence to trust Philip with the government of England if such a case should happen yet had Philip little confidence in the English first because they would have hindred the marriage betwixt him and the Queen and then because a Nobleman had given his counsel to cut off the Lady Elizabeths head whence he assured himself that those so bad-minded to their natural Princess could not be well-minded to him a stranger A great friend 't is said King Philip was to the said Princess Elizabeth nor would he cease solliciting his Queen till he had gained her some freedom from her close restraint But now the expected time of Queen Maries deliverance being come a rumour was spread that a Prince was born for joy whereof the Bells were rung Bon-fires flamed processions were made and some in their Sermons fondly described the beauty of this young Prince Notwithstanding at last it proved no such matter Some said this rumour was spread in policy and that the Queen to have put the Lady Elizabeth besides the Crown would have mothered another bodies Child but King Philip scorn'd to Father it Others said that the Queen miscarried others that she had a Tympany A. D. 1557 the Queen to take part with the Spaniard and Pope proclaimed Wars against France and King Philip crossed the Seas into Flanders After whom his Queen sent a thousand Horsemen four thousand Foot and two thousand Pioneers under the conduct of the Earl of Pembroke who came with his forces before the Town of St Quintins at that time besieged by the Dukes of Savoy and Brunswick and in short time by their manly courage forced the Town to yield for joy whereof great Triumphs were made in England which lasted not long For
Then the English Army marched over-land to Lisbon where a strong sally was made upon the English but the Earl of Essex chased them back to their very gates And the mean while Admiral Drake with his Fleet were come to Cascais and possessed the Town without any resistance and during the stay there the English took threescore Hulks from the Spaniards laden with Corn Masts Cables Copper and Wax About A. D. 1591 Queen Elizabeth sent Ayds into France in the behalf of Henry IV whom the Popish party would not admit to the Crown of France though his absolute right because he leaned to the Reformed Religion nor was he admitted till he had taken Oath to defend the Roman faith against all oppugners A. D. 1596 and June the first did Charles Lord Howard and the Earl of Essex with a gallant Fleet begin their Voyage for Cadiz which in a short time after their coming to it was surrendred to them The spoil thereof was given to the English soldiers the wearing clothes of the inhabitants only excepted and the Citizens upon the payment of an 120000 Duckets for their ransome had their liberty The Spanish Fleet which lay in the Harbour valued at twelve Millions of Duckets was fired by the Admirals command to the end it might not become a prize to the English The Town the English burnt and spoiled the Island then set sail towards Favo a Town in Algarva where the English landed forraged the Country for about three leagues burnt the Town Lotha and then returned for England But the wrongs which had been offered by the Spaniards seeming far greater to the English than was yet the justice upon them and the wise Queen holding it best to keep the Spanish King employed at home the Earl of Essex was therefore Commissioned with a well-furnished Fleet to sail for the Azores Islands Which Fleet upon Septemb. 15. 1597 fell with the Isles of Flores Evernes Fyall and Pike all which submitted to the Earl Then he sailed for St. Michaels where Sir Walter Rawleigh kept the Seas with the Ships whilst Essex landed and sacked the rich Town Villa Franca but the Winters storms approaching the Earl returned home bringing with him a Brazil-ship of War with three other prizes valued at 400000 Duckets The Pope and Spaniard though they had hitherto been frustrated in all their mischievous designments against the Queen and Church of England yet still they hoped that by one treacherous means or other they might at length effect the ruin of both though praised be God the ruin proved to their own vile instruments Patrick Cullen hired to murther the Queen was executed at Tyburn Philip Earl of Arundel and Sir John Perat were both condemned for high Treason but died by course of nature Roderick Lopez a Spaniard one of the Queens Physitians undertaking to poyson her was with his two complices executed at Tyburn Edmund York and Richard VVilliams hired by one Holt an English-Jesuite were executed for their Treasons Edward Squire was executed for impoysoning the pommel of the Queens saddle and pommels of the Earl of Essex his Chair though by Gods providence the poyson effected not what was intended by it One VVallpoll a Jesuite animated him to the fact by alledging that he might do it without much danger of his life but though he should lose his life for it yet he should be assured that in exchange of this transitory one he should enjoy the estate of a glorious Saint in Heaven So meritorious it seems it is to murder Catholique Princes so they be not Roman-Catholick ones But besides all these Romish-Agents there was the Irish Tir-Oen who used his greatest endeavours to divert subjection from the English Crown against whom that Martial Knight Sir John Norris was sent General who after he had brought Tir-Oen to a submission though as it after proved but a feigned one ended his days The Irish Rebelling again the Earl of Essex was sent thither where in the Province of Munster he became terrible to those wild Irish-Rebels chasing them before him into the woods though with more expence of time and loss of men than was well liked by some statists in England Then the Earl advanced into Leinster-Province against the O Coners and O Moils Then made towards Vlster where he entred into Parley with Tyrone But her Majesty being informed likely by some that envyed the Earls being so highly in her favour that the Spring Summer and Autumn were spent without service upon the Arch-Traytor Tyr-Oen that her men were diminished and large sums of mony consumed without the Earls doing that he was sent for That without her Highness order he entred into Parley with the Rebels Hereupon her Majesty sent sharp Letters unto the Earl upon the receipt whereof in discontent he hasted into England well hoping to pacify the Queens displeasure but after a short verbal welcom from the Queen he was commanded to his chamber and soon after committed to the custody of the Lord Keeper 1599. In the Earls stead Charles Blount Lord Montjoy was sent into Ireland who held Tyr-Oen very hard and forced him to withdraw into his old lurking places But to strengthen the Irish part the King of Spain sent into Ireland two thousand old trained Spanish Souldiers with certain fugitive Irish under the command of Don d'Aquila who strait after his arrival published a writing wherein he stiled himself Master-General and Captain of the Catholique King in the Wars of God for preserving the faith in Ireland Unto these two thousand Spaniards more were shortly sent under the conduct of Alohons O Campo but Alphonso had not long nested in Ireland ere himself and three of his Captains were taken and twelve hundred of his Spaniards were slain And at the siege of Kingsale the Spaniards made suit to the Lord General for a peace which was yielded unto whereupon the Spaniards departed and the Irish submitted themselves to the merciful Queen The Earl of Essex who had been committed to the keeping of the Lord Keeper was by her Majesties clemency quit of that durance and only commanded to his own house but the Earl of a daring spirit and exasperated by his Martial followers likewise presuming upon the Queens high respect towards him resolved by force and violence to have personal conference with the Queen and to remove from about her such as he deemed his enemies To effect which many of his favourers assembled at his house as well Noble-men and Knights as Captains and other Officers but this being understood by the Statists they made it known to her Majesty who thereupon sent four of her Honourable Counsellors to the Earl to offer him Justice and to command the Assembly to depart These Counsellors accordingly went to the Earl to Essex-house where they did their message to the Earl and commanded his followers whom they saw about him to lay down their weapons and depart but the Earl leaving these Councellors under custody in his own house with
guilty of Treason either in particulars or in the whole The Parliament therefore resolved for right or wrong this wise man must fall to proceed against him by Bill of Attainder and upon April the 19 by making a Law after the fact vote him guilty of High-Treason yet withal add a caution for the security of themselves that it should not be drawn into a president Which vote of theirs passed not without a long debate and contention and 59 of the Members honestly dissented from the vote whose names were afterwards posted and marked for the fury of the Rabble In the bill of Attainder the Earl was charged for endeavouring to subvert the ancient Fundamental Laws and Government of the Realms and for exercising a tyranous and exorbitant power over the liberties and estates of his Majesties Subjects and for having by his own authority commanded the laying and assessing of Soldiers upon his Majesties Subjects in Ireland And also for that upon the dissolution of the last Parliament he did slander the House of Commons to his Majesty and did advise his Majesty that he was loosed and absolved from rules of Government and that he had an Army in Ireland which he might imploy to reduce the Kingdom And that the said Earl had been an Incendiary of the Wars betwixt England and Scotland c. May the first his Majesty called both Houses together and told them that he had been present at the hearing of the great Cause and that in his Conscience positively he could not condemn the Earl of Treason and yet could not clear him of misdemeanours but hoped a way might be found out to satisfie Justice and their fears without oppressing his Conscience May the second the Prince of Orange was Married to the Princess Mary at Whitehall May the third there came a seditious Rabble of about 5 or 6000 of the dregs of the People armed with staves cudgels and other instruments of outrage to the Parliament-dores clamouring Justice Justice and posted upon the gate of Westminster a Catalogue of names of those that would have acquitted the Earl whom they stiled Straffordians Then at the dores of the House of Peers they affronted some of the Lords especially the Bishops at their passing in and out after this they forced open the dores of the Abby-Church where they broke down the Organs spoiled the Vestments and Ornaments of Worship From thence they hurried to the Court and there most Impudently and Traiterously cried out That they would have Straffords head or a better upbraiding the King himself who perswaded them as they passed by to a modest care of their own private affairs with an unfitness to Reign and when some Justices of the Peace according to their Office endeavoured to suppress those tumults by imprisoning some of the Leaders of them they themselves were imprisoned by the command of the Commons upon pretext of an injury offered to the Liberties of the Subject one of which was as they then dictated that every one might safely Petition the Parliament howbeit afterwards they acted quite contrary to such whose Petitions were too honest to please them But notwithstanding these tumultuous inforcements his Majesty would not sign the Bill of Attainder till he had consulted both with the Judges as to matter of Law and the Bishops as to matter of Conscience When the Judges told his Majesty that in point of Law according to the Oath made by Sir Henry Vane of the Earls advice to raise horse to awe this Nation the Earl was guilty of Treason 't is said an eminent Bishop did answer the King that he had a Conscience as a private man and as a publick and though by his private Conscience he could not yield to the Earls death yet by his publick considering the present state of things he might May the 10. With much reluctancy the King signed a Commission to some Lords to pass that Bill of Attainder and another of ill consequence also which was for continuation of the Parliament during the pleasure of the two Houses May the 12 1641 was the Earl of Strafford strongly guarded to the Tower-Hill and there with courage beseeming a Christian he suffered the severing of his Head from his body The death of which great and able Minister of State did so terrifie the other Ministers of State that many of them made a voluntary resignation of their Offices At the request of the house of Commons the King for peace-fake relinquished his claim to Tonnage and Poundage and yielded to sign the Bills for taking away of the High-Commission and Star-Chamber Courts A. D. 1641 and October the 12 the Natives or wild Irish began a most bloody Rebellion throughout the whole Kingdom of Ireland on a suddein invading the unprovided English that were scattered amongst them despoiling them of their goods and massacring 200000 of them without any respect of sex age kindred or friendship making them as so many sacrifices to their bloody superstition the Popish Religion The chief heads of this Rebellion and Massacre besides the Priests were Sir Phelim O-Neal Turbough O-Neal his Brother Rowry Mac-Guire Philip O-Rely Moelmurry O-Rely Sir Conno Mac-Gennis Mac-Brian and Mac-Mahon His Majesty then in Scotland having intelligence of the dismal fate of the English in Ireland sent post to the Parliament of England to have them send reliefs thither but differences still heightning betwixt the King and his Parliament succours were not seasonably sent by which the Rebels much strengthened themselves At the Kings return from Scotland the Parliament presented him with a Petition for taking away the votes of Bishops in the House of Lords and the Ceremonies of the Church and for the removing of evil Councellors from about him Their grand Remonstrance they also presented him wherein were reckoned up the offences of the Courtiers the unpleasing resolves of some Judges the neglects or rigours of some Ministers of State the undigested Sermons of some Preachers the Positions of some Divines in the Schools unpleasing accidents they therein represented as designs of Tyranny and those things which had been reformed were yet mentioned as burthens To this Remonstrance his Majesty answered That he thought he had given satisfaction to his Peoples fears and jealousies concerning Religion Liberty and Civil Interests by the Bills he had past this Parliament desiring that misunderstandings might be removed on either side and that the bleeding condition of Ireland might perswade them to unity for the relief of that unhappy Kingdom But this modest answer of his Majesties did not at all satisfie the factious The Apprentices and Rabble in great numbers and much confusion resorted again to Westminster some crying out against Bishops and Liturgy of the Church others boldly menacing that the Militia should be taken out of the Kings hands Affronting the Bishops at their passing in and out of the Lords House and before Whitehall behaving themselves very insolently His Majesty hereupon took a Guard of such Gentlemen as offered their
to the end that propositions of peace might be speedily presented him Hereupon the Army drew up Articles against Eleven of the Members of the Commons House namely Mr. Denzill Hollis Sir Philip Stapleton Sir William Lewis Sir John Clotworthy Sir William Waller Sir John Maynard Collonel Massey Collonel Long Collonel Harley Mr. Glyn and Mr. Anthony Nichols Nor would the Army be satisfied till the House was purged of these Members Which being done the Army-party became something prevalent who voted that the London-Militia should be taken out of the hands of the City and transferred to others better affected to the Army and that it should be Treason to seek for Subscriptions to Petitions Hereupon great multitudes of Apprentices and others in a tumultuous sort resorted to the Parliament House and there kept the Speaker in his Chair till this vote was past That the King should come to London to treat and that the City should have the ordering of their own Militia Fairfax understanding this hasts with his Army to London and at Hounslow was met by the Speaker and such of the Members as sided with the Army who complained of the violence that was offered them In the mean while the Citizens and Presbyterian part of the Parliament made some preparations to oppose the Army but upon the Generals approach to the City the Gates were thrown open and the Army marched in Triumph through the City seized upon the Tower dismantled the Fortifications imprisoned the Mayor and divers of the chief Citizens and committed some Noblemen to the black Rod. In September the Members at Westminster sent propositions to His Majesty then at Hampton-Court which were the same in substance with those formerly offered as for the abolishing Episcopacy the Parliament to have the disposal of all great Offices of Trust About this time the Parliament voted That 6000 Foot and 2400 Horse and Dragoons should be sent into Ireland and 18000 Foot and 7200 Horse and 1000 Dragoons should be kept up as a standing Army for England the rest of the Soldiers to be disbanded The Army also for the better carrying on of their designs about the same time elected out of every Regiment a certain number of Soldiers to meet and consult by the name of Adjutators November the 6th the Scotch Commissioners sent a Letter to the Speaker of the Lower House that the King might be admitted to a Personal-Treaty at least that the Army might not remove him him from Hampton-Court but some of the Army-Officers having informed His Majesty on design to have him the surer at their dispose that his person was in some hazard from the Adjutators and Levellers he therefore with Three of His most trusty Attendants Sir John Berkley Mr. Ashburnham and Collonel Legg in the dark and tempestuous night of November the 11th escaped from Hampton-Court and after some wandring committed himself to Colonel Hammond Governor of the Isle of Wight who conveyed him to Carisbrook-Castle the very pit 't is said that His enemies had designed for him for it was rumour'd above a fortnight before in the Army that the King should be in the Isle of Wight And the very night he departed from Hampton-Court the Centinels were withdrawn from their usual standings on purpose to facilitate his escape thence From Carisbrook-Castle His Majesty wrote a Letter to the Parliament wherein he professed he could not either as a King or Christian consent to the abolishing of Episcopacy because he esteemed it to be Apostolical and at his Coronation was sworn to maintain it yet he was willing Presbitery should be setled for three years and that a free debate should be had by such a number of Divines about the settlement of Church-Government for the future And was willing also that the Parliament should dispose of the Militia and should have the choice of his Privy Council by grant of Pattent from him during his reign withall earnestly solliciting them to pity the languishing condition of the Kingdom and to come to a Personal treaty with him After three days debate the Parliament sent four Bills unto His Majesty to be signed by him but so derogating they were from his Royalty that the Scotch Commissioners declared against them and the King refused the signing of them The Parliament thereupon voted That no more Addresses should be made to the King In the mean while Colonel Hammond had dismissed the Kings Servants and used him more severely than formerly which occasioned Capt. Burleigh to beat up the Drum for the Kings service and freedom in the Isle of Wight but he was soon apprehended and afterward executed A. D. 1648 The Parliament voted that all they who would not submit to the Power meaning their usurped authority should be expelled the University and that all the Colledg-Rents should be paid to the Visitors by them appointed April the 9th and 10th The London-Boys made an Insurrection seized the Magazine at Leaden-Hall crying out for God and King Charles but were quietted by Fairfax Poyer Langhorne Powel and Sir John Owen took up Arms for the King in Wales but Colonel Langhorne and Powel were defeated by Colonel Horton and Sir John Owen by Major General Mirton and Pembroke-Castle kept by Colonel Poyer was yielded to that Arch-Traytor Cromwell July 13. Powel Poyer and Langhorn afterwards cast Lots for their lives and the lot falling upon Poyer he was shot to death April the 20th The Duke of York disguised in womans apparrel escaped from St. James's and and past into Holland Many were the Petitions that now were presented the Parliament for a Personal-treaty and for disbanding the Army But the Surry-Petitioners by the command of the Army-Officers and Parliament-men were assaulted at the Parliament-doors and some of them were kill'd some wounded and most of them plundred by the Soldiers And now the Kentish men to the number of 10000 took up Arms for the King and embodyed themselves at Maidstone where they made a gallant resistance against General Fairfax for the space of six hours but his Veteran Soldiers at last prevailed taking many of them and eight pieces of ordnance June the 2d The old Lord Goring Earl of Norwich with 500 men cross'd into Essex and got into Colchester whither the Countrey people flockt unto him also a party from London and the Lords Capel and Loughbrough out of Hartfordshire The Earl of Holland also headed a Royal party at Kingstone upon Thames but after a short yet smart fight his party was dispersed the Lord Francis Villers was slain and many Prisoners of Note were taken July the 7th and shortly after the Earl of Holland himself was apprehended The Parliament of Scotland sent into England an Army under Duke Hamilton in order to recover the Kings liberty and to re-establish him on his Throne but August the 17th at Preston in Lancashire this Scotch-Army of near a 21000 was totally routed by Oliver Cromwell 'T is said in this days fight and the pursuit the English took more Prisoners
in the open Fields under the Canopy of Heaven His Majesty therefore not only issued out Proclamations to Justices of the Peace for causing Provisions to be sent into the Markets and ordered His Sea-stores to be opened for a present supply of Bread in Ship-bisket but likewise past a Declaration for preventing such lamentable Accidents for the future That none should offer to re-build until necessary measures were appointed for rendring the New Structures more secure and lasting The Parliament met on the 18th of September and having given the King Supplies for carrying on of the War passed an Act for establishing a Judicature to take Cognisance of and determine all differences that might arise among Parties concerning burnt or demollished Houses A new Model of Building was appointed and the Parliament was prorogued till the 10th of October following The Court seldom escapes free when Combustions rage in the City nor did it at this time for by carelesness in using of a Candle a Fire taking in the Horse-guard at White-hall a great part of that Building was burnt down but by the special care of His Majesty and His Guards its progress was quickly stopt His Majesty at this time meeting with bad usage from many hands in order to a redress published several Proclamations one for prohibiting the Importation of Canary Wines and all Commerce with those Parts another to the same effect with France and all the French Kings Dominions a third upon the humble Address of the Lords and Commons in Parliament for banishing the Kingdom all Priests and Jesuits and a fourth for open War with Denmark The City now ashamed to lie longer smuthered under ashes was by Sir Jonas Moore upon his Conformity to the Scantling and Model of Building appointed by the Committee first rowsed in Fleet-street from which beginning it grew so hastily towards a perfection that in a few years it out did all its ancient Splendour and Glory and appeared again far more beautiful than by its fall it had been desolate and abject no less a wonder than the suddenness of its overthrow Scotland at this time shared likewise in Combustions though occasioned by a Fire of another nature for a seditious Zeal having inspired some male-contents with revenge against Sir James Turner for executing too vigorously as they pretended the Laws against them they committed an insolent Riot upon his Person and hardly forbore the cutting of him in pieces This Tumult was at first raised by a small inconsiderable Rabble but in a short time they encreased to a body of 1600 men who marching streight towards Edenbourgh were encountred and defeated by His Majesties Forces commanded by Lieuteant General Dalyell and Major General Drammond Many of the Rebels were slain more taken whereof the Ring-leaders were executed and the rest either proscribed or otherways punished by Law The Convention of Estates of Scotland meeting in January after 1666 7 for composing of the affairs of that Kingdom and for preventing both intestine and foreign dangers that might threaten it resolved to put the Countrey into a posture of defence and for maintaining of such Forces as were necessary for his Majesties Service assessed the Kingdom in an Imposition of 6000 l. per moneth About the later end of this year the Lord Willoughby set out from Barbadoes with a considerabe well-man'd Fleet with design to annoy the French and Dutch Plantations in the West Indies but by a violent Hurricane his Fleet was dispersed and himself with many more cast away The Swedes having the year before offered a Mediation for a Peace between the King of England and the States of the Vnited Provinces Anno 1667. prevailed this year with the King to condescend thereunto and to accept of Breda for the place of Treaty The Dutch in the mean time are busie in making preparations for continuing the War upon a fair and approved Maxime of State That with an Enemy it is surest treating with sword in hand The King of England not ignorant of their doings resolved to make them spend the Summer in needless expences of War and onely keep himself upon his Guard The English therefore having but a small Fleet abroad the Dutch put to Sea betimes and about the later end of April made an attempt on Burnt-Island in Scotland but were beaten off with loss Their next attempt was upon the Fort of Sheerness which being a place of small Force was after a short but stout resistance abandoned by Sir Edward Sprague and so the mouth of that narrow River was left open After this they assaulted and were beaten off from Languard Fort engaged a squadron of the English with a squadron of theirs and were worsted shewed themselves before Portsmouth and made some slight attempts in Devonshire and Cornwall and after De Ruyter their Admiral had been civilly complemented by the Earl of Bath in the West and had received Advice of the Conclusion of the Peace they sailed back for Holland This Peace was concluded at Breda the Twenty first of June the Ratifications interchanged the Fourteenth of August and proclaimed afterward in London thee Twenty fourth of the same moneth This year died the Earl of Southamppton Lord high Treasurer of England which place the King thought fit to supply by Commissioners viz. the Duke of Albemarle the Lord Ashley Cooper since Earl of Shaftsbury Sir Thomas Clifford Sir William Coventry and Sir John Duncomb The Parliament was to have met in July but was prorogued till the Tenth of October in which Session several Acts were passed amongst others one for banishing and disabling the Earl of Clarendon the Parliament then adjourned till February In America Sir John Harman with a squadron of English Ships attacqued a squadron of French in their Ports with so good success that he burnt their Admiral and six or seaven of their best Ships all the rest but two being sunk either by the Enemy or the English Shot and that with very small loss of men or damage to his Ships The King to encourage the re-building of the City this year was pleased auspiciously to lay the first Stone himself in the Foundation of the Royal-Exchange as shortly after his Royal Highness laid a Foundation Stone for a second Pillar thereof About the beginning of February the Parliament according to their Adjournment met and upon their humble Petition to His Majesty procured a Proclamation to be emitted for enforcing the Laws against Conventicles and for preserving the Peace of the Nation against unlawful Assemblies This moneth was proclaimed the Peace with Spain which had been much to the advantage of Commerce concluded in May last About the end of March in Easter week some licencious idle Persons pretending former custom took the liberty to pull down some Houses of bad repute about the Suburbs of London Though the Prentices bore the blame of this Riot yet others were found guilty whereof four being apprehended were convicted and executed and two of their Heads set upon
depart the Kingdom upon pain of having the Laws and Statutes of the Realm put in execution against them Anno 1671. In the beginning of this year died at St. James's her Royal Highness Anne Dutchess of York Daughter to the Earl of Clarendon and was shortly after privately buried at Westminster The Parliament still sate and amongst others having past an Act for an addition to the Kings Revenue by an Imposition on proceedings at Law by an humble Address they Petitioned His Majesty that he would be pleased by his Royal Example to encourage the wearing of the Manufactures of his own Kingdome and to discountenance the use of Foreign to which the King having graciously condescended they were Prorogued till the 16th of April next ensuing In June Sir Edward Sprague Admiral for the King in the Mediterranean Sea burnt and took under the very Guns of the Castle of Bugia nine of the best men of War of Algier This News so incensed that people that in a tumultuary manner they cut off the Head of their King the Aga having done the like to their General and forced their New created King to make a Peace much to the advantage of England The Parliament was again Prorogued from the 16th of April following to the 30th of October 1672. This Year his Majesty was pleased to Honour the City of London with his Presence at the Lord Mayors Feast being the first that since the Fire was kept in their Guild-hall after it was advantageously repaired The King having long concealed his Just displeasure against the Dutch and his resentments of their unworthy dealings towards him intends now an open War with the Vnited Provinces In order thereunto in January 1671 2 his Majesty declared that seing his Neighbours were making great preparations both by Sea and Land he looked upon himself as obliged to put himself into such a Posture as might best secure his Government and People And that seeing Money which was absolutely necessary for that end was wanting he was unavoidably forced which otherwise he would not have done to put a Stop to the Payment of all Moneys brought in or to be brought in to his Exchequer for the space of one whole Year In the mean time Sir George Downing his Majesties Embassadour in Holland Presses the States hard with the Business of the Flag but finding his Demands shifted of with Delays and his Negotiation like to prove successess he returned back in a short time to England where he was committed to the Tower for not having punctually obeyed his Instructions In March 1671 2 there was War declared by the King of Great Britain the Dutch by this allarmed and by the proceedings and preparations of the French King which they knew tended to a rupture with them fortified themselves with all diligence as well by Forces at home as Allies abroad and made the Prince of Orange their Captain General at Land and Admiral at Sea for the ensuing Years actions This Year the beautiful Escurial in Spain one of the most Magnificent buildings in Europe and reckoned one of the Wonders of the World was consumed by fire Besides the many Varieties that here were lost the Famous Library perished a loss hardly ever again to be repaired The French King being now joyned with the English in War against the Dutch Anno 1672. in the beginning of this year marches at the head of his Main Army towards the Frontiers of the Netherlands and sends his Fleet to joyn the English In May both Fleets were joyned at Sea under the Command of His Royal Highness the Duke of York making all together about 160 Sail. They had had often sight of the Dutch but no Engagement till the 28th of this Month and then in Southwold Bay a sharp Fight began about five of the Clock in the Morning and was obstinately maintained on both sides till Night the Dutch then bore away and the Duke stood after them keeping within sight of their Lights all Night In this Engagement died the Earl of Sandwich Captain Digby in the Henry Sir John Cox hard by the Duke in the Prince Sir Frescheville Hollis and Monsieur de la Rabiner the French Rear Admiral Several other Officers were slain and wounded about Seven hundred common Seamen lost and as many wounded the Royal James burnt and the Katherine taken but by her own men rescued again On the Dutch side were killed Admiral Van Ghent and Captain Brakhel Their great Ships were sadly shattered two sunk one taken and one burnt many others were missing whereof no account could be given and a great many of their common Seamen killed and wounded The French at the same time to increase their loss took several of their Towns and Forts by Land Next day after this Engagement in the Afternoon The Duke of York put twice out his bloody Flag upon sight of the Dutch but was as often prevented from Engaging them by thick Fogs and Mists which gave the Duch opportunity to retreat and so no more considerable Action at Sea was performed this year The States being thus pressed in all probality above the strength of so small a Republick having the French on the one side the Bishop of Munster on the other by Land and the English by Sea to deal with were not able to repress the Tumults and Insolencies of the exasperated People The Burghers of Dort in a tumultuary manner got the Prince of Orange created Statholder which was afterward confirmed by the States And at the Hague not long after a masterless Rabble hall'd out of Prison the Ruart van Putten and his Brother De Witt who had been condemned to lose their Dignities and be banished for some Designs against the Prince and barbarously murthered them dragging their Bodies through the Streets hanging them on the Gallows by the Heels and afterward inhumanely tearing and cutting them to picces The Parliament of England which was to have met in October was prorogued till the Fourth of February following This year was the Earl of Essex sent into Ireland to succeed to the Lord John Berkley as Lieutenant of that Kingdom The Lord Keeper of England Bridgeman now aged and infirm having resigned his place the Earl of Shaftsbury was made Chancellour of England and Thomas Lord Clifford Lord High Treasurer Toward the beginning of December the Duke of Richmond who had been this year sent Embassadour Extraordinary into Sweden died in his Calesche as he was upon his return to Elsenore from being aboard of the Yarmouth Frigat No other reason could be given for the suddenness of his death but the extream coldness of that piercing Air to which his Body was not accustomed The time of Prorogation being expired the Parliament met again and upon the removal of Sir Edward Turnor their Speaker to be Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir Job Charleton was made Speaker but he shortly after falling Sick Edward Seymour Esq succeeded This Session of Parliament voted the King a
supply of 18 months Assessement not exceeding 70000 l. a Month but began to be dissatisfied with the Kings indulgence and toleration to Phanaticks though his Majesty by a gracious Answer to an Address of theirs endeavoured to remove that scruple Anno 1673. About the later end of March an Act for a general and free pardon past in Parliament and then both Houses adjourned till the 20th of October following One James Piercy upon the death of the Earl of Northumberland in whom the male race of that ancient Family expired came into England laid claim to the Title and Estate and thereupon petitioned the Parliament but his Petition was rejected and himself looked upon as an Imposter The Island of Tobago was this year taken by the English from the Dutch in exchange whereof the Dutch took St. Helena from the English which might have proved of very bad consequence to the English East-India Trade had it not been re-taken by Captain Monday with three Dutch East-India Merchant Men besides which fully paid the charges of its reprisal For this good service Captain Monday was Knighted The Dutch this year were first at Sea and attempted a vain project of stopping up those narrow Channels that give entry to the River of Thames Prince Rupert who commanded the English Fleet put out to encounter them but they retreating to their own Shoar the Prince stood to the West-ward that he might joyn the French and part of the English Fleets This being shortly after done the whole Fleet made toward the coast of Holland and the Prince finding them before Schonvelt secured by their Banks and the shallowness of the Water on the 28th of May detached a Squadron of Thirty five small Frigots to provoke them to an Engagement The Dutch contrary to expectation came forth in good order and engaged The French and English emulous for honour fought with extraordinary eagerness and somewhat entangled each other but at length after a sharp dispute the magnanimous Prince forced the Enemy to run and followed them as far as the Sands and Water did permit till Night put an end to the conflict and the Dutch regained their former station The English lost but a few common Seamen and not one Ship Captains were slain Fowles Finch Tempest and Woorden On the Dutch side were killed Vice Admiral Schram Rear Admiral Vlugh and six Captains more They lost considerably in Men but onely one Ship called the Deventer On the fourth of June happened another Engagement wherein no great Execution was done on either side it being managed at great distance and most part in the night time And that the Series of this years Warlike Actions may be continued without interruption on the Tenth of August both Fleets met again at Sea and gave the last stroke to this War The Dutch being about the Goree got the Wind of the English and bore briskly down upon them the Fight was obstinate and bloody on both sides especially between Sir Edward Sprague and van Tromp but the French making as if they stood off for the Wind did it in reallity that they might have the conveniency of being Spectators Prince Rupert and de Ruyter who had been engaged together all day finding themselves at distance from their respective Squadrons stood back again to their assistance and de Ruyter designing to have cut off the blew Squadron from the rest of the Fleet was so smartly charged by the Prince that he was fain to give way so that had the French made use of their Wind they had the Dutch had certainly sustained far greater loss then they did and not so easily drawn off by favour of the Night In this Engagement Sir Edward Sprague as he was shifting from one Ship to another had his long Boat by a Random Shot shivered to pieces under him and so to the grief and regret of all that knew him was drowned his Ship strangely disabled was by his valiant Second the Earl of Ossory brought off Captain Neve was slain Reeves and Heywood died of their Wounds and Martel only of the French was killed The loss of common Seamen was not very great on the English side The Dutch lost two Flag Officers several Captains and about a 1000 common Seamen About the middle of June the Lord Clifford resigned his Treasurers Staff and Sir Thomas Osborn created Viscount Osborn of Dumblain in Scotland and afterwards Earl of Danby in England was made Lord High Treasurer The Parliament according to their last Adjournment meeting in October were prorogued till the 27th of the same month then meeting again they were prorogued till the 7th of January following Soon after the King issued out His Proclamation requiring all Judges and Justices of the Peace effectually to prosecute the Laws against all Papists and Popish Recusants About the later end of November his Royal Highness the Duke of York was married to the Princess of Modena Though the Preparations for War went on vigorously both on the English and Dutch sides yet overtures of Peace were still set on foot and His Majesty condescended to a Treaty at Cologne which took no effect The Dutch in the mean time thought it not fit to desist but by another way of Negotiation that is to say by intercourse of Letters they at length prevailed so far as to receive a condescending Letter from the King of England in February 1673 4 which was shortly after followed by a conclusion of the Peace by them so much desired Peace being now concluded Anno 1674. this year affords no great Transactions of importance the Consultations of Government being chiefly directed to the preservation of quietness and unity at home in order to which His Majesty emitted several Proclamations against Papists and Jesuits The Duke of Monmouth upon resignation of the Duke of Buckingham was chosen Chancellour of the University of Cambridge The Earl of St. Albans giving up the Staff of Lord Chamberlain of His Majesties Houshold his place was given to the Earl of Arlington to whom Sir Joseph Williamson succeeded as Principal Secretary of State Upon the 22th of September His Majesty by Proclamation prorogued the Parliament which was to have met the 10th of November till the 13th of April ensuing His Majesty having been pleased to accept of the Freedom of the City of London was in December by Sir Robert Vynor Lord Mayor in Name of the City presented with the Copy of his Freedom in a large square Box of Massie Gold the Seal appended being in a Box of Gold set all over with large Diamonds About the beginning of January 1674 5 her Royal Highness was brought to Bed of a Daughter Christened at St. James's by the Bishop of Durham by the Name of Katharina Laura the Duke of Monmouth being Godfather and the Lady Mary and Lady Anne Godmothers Anno 1675. The Parliament according to their last Prorogation met on the 13th of April but having sate till a week in June and a difference
arising between the two Houses concerning an Appeal made by one Sherley to the Lords His Majesty upon the 9th of June prorogued them till the 13th of October following There happened this year a dangerous Plot carried on with great secrecy by the Blacks of Barbadoes against the English which upon the very nick of being put in execution was detected and the Conspirators punished The Natives of New-England under the command of King Philip Hegamore rose likewise against the English and did them considerable damage but were in a short time curbed from their insolencies and driven to their skulking holes In September most part of the Town of Northampton was by a dreadful Fire burnt down nothing left standing except a few Houses in the out-skirts of the Town The Parliament met again at the prefixed time but the former difference between the Houses being revived they were upon the 22th of November prorogued again till the 15th of February 1676. In the French Army this year the Champion of France the renowned Marshal Turenne as he was viewing a Pass maintained by the Germans fell by a Cannon Shot fired by a Battery raised by Montecucully the Imperial General to the great grief of his Master the French King On the Fifth of March 1675 6 Sir John Narborough concluded an honourable Peace and of great advantage to the Trade of this Nation with the Government of Tripoly The French last Campagne lost their famous Mareschal Turenne Anno 1676. and the Dutch Marine Expeditions are this year ushered in with a fate as unlucky to the States for their Darling Admiral De Ruyter on the twenty ninth of April died of his Wounds which he had received some days before in an Engagement with the French in the Bay of Augusta on the Coast of Sicily But to return home The first thing we meet with this year of note is a dreadful Fire which happened the 26th of May in the Burrough of Southwark It began about four in the Morning and continued all day and part of the night and notwithstanding the indefatigable pains and diligence of his Grace the Duke of Monmouth of the Earl of Craven and Lord Mayor yet about 600 Houses were burnt and blown up by this sad accident His Majesty for securing Trading to and from his Ports which was much disturbed by the insolency of Dutch Spanish and French Privateers amongst whom the War still continued on the second of June caused a Proclamation to be published declaring all Ships of what party soever that should put into any of his Ports to be under his protect on during their stay there commanding His publick Officers and all other His Majesties Subjects to use their best endeavours to hinder the roving of any private Men of War so near his Coasts as might give apprehensions to Merchant Men That if a Man of War of one party and one or more Merchant Men of another should come into His Majesties Ports the Merchant Men should have the priviledge to sail out two Tides before the Man of War That none of his Seamen should presume to enter and list themselves on board of any Foreign Man of War or any Ship designed for Traffick or the Fishing Trade without His Majesties leave first obtained with several other Rules relating to the securing of Trade and His Majesties Sovereignty in these Seas in pursuance of which Proclamation several Privateers were stopt and detained in many of the Ports of this Kingdom August 20th her Royal Highness was brought to Bed of a Daughter Christened by the Name of Isabella the Lord High Treasurer being Godfather and the Dutchess of Monmouth and Countess of Peterborough Godmothers October 26th His Majesty passed an Order in Council That none of His Subjects except the Queens Domestick Servants should repair to her Majesties Chappel or to the Houses or Chappels of any Foreign Embassadors or Agents there to hear Mass or English Sermons upon pain of having the Laws severely executed against them and His Majesty appointed Messengers of the Chamber and other Officers to wait without at the Houses of Foreign Embassadors and Agents and to take notice of such of His Subjects as should come out of the said Chappels from Religious Worship and bring them or their Names to the Council Board The Principal Secretaries of State were by His Majesty likewise required to repair to the said Embassadors and Agents and in His Majesties Name acquaint them with His Royal Pleasure in executing His Laws that they might have no Cause to complain of disrespect offered to their Character or of any purpose of infringing their Priviledges February 15th 1676 7 the Parliament pursuant to their last Prorogation met at Westminster Anno 1677. April 16th His Majesty in His Royal Robes with the usual Solemnities came into the House of Lords whither the House of Commons being called several Bills were passed amongst others an Act for raising the sum of Five hundred eighty four thousand nine hundred seventy eight pounds two shillings and two pence half peny for the speedy building of thirty Ships of War another for an additional Excise upon Beer Ale and other Liquors for three years and a third for erecting a Judicature to determine differences touching Houses burnt and demollished by the late dreadful Fire in Southwark and then both Houses adjourned till the 21th of May following This Month the Duke of Newcastle and Earl of Danby Lord high Treasurer of England were installed Knights of the Garter at Windsor May 21th Both Houses according to their last Adjournment met again at Westminster His Majesty having before by Proclamation required all the Members to be present in order to the debating of Matters of great importance In this Session the House of Commons made an Address to His Majesty that he would be pleased for the security of the Nation and repressing the growing greatness of France to enter into some Leagues proposed by them in their Address to which on the 28th of the same month he gave them His Answer at the Banquetting House which Answer being made publick in Print we shall refer you to the Answer it self His Majesty farther told them that it was His pleasure the House should be Adjourned to the 16th of July following and that if he intended they should sit again before Winter he would give them notice by His Proclamation Accordingly both Houses were adjourned till the 16th of July ensuing July 16th both Houses met again pursuant to their last Adjournment and forthwith Adjourned again according to His Majesties Direction till the third of December following August the fourth His Grace the Duke of Ormond Lord Lieutenant of Ireland began his Journey for that Kingdom And now His Majesty thinking it fit to put a stop to the French Victorious Proceedings in Flanders bethought himself of entering into Alliances with some Princes and States abroad and began to raise Forces for that purpose of whom the year following will afford more matter of
Kt. Borough of New-Castle under Line Sir Thomas Bellot Bar. William Leveston Gower Esq Borough of Tamworth Thomas Thynne Esq John Swynfen Esq Suffolk Sir Jervase Elwes Bar. Sir Samuel Barnardiston Bar. Borough of Ipswich Gilbert Linfield Esq John Wright Esq Borough of Dunwich Sir Philip Skippon Kt. Thomas Allen Esq Borough of Orford Lionel Lord Huntingtower Sir John Duke Bar. Borough of Alborough Sir Richard Haddock Kt. Henry Johnson Esq Borough of Sudbury Sir Robert Cordell Bar. Jervase Elwes Esq Borough of Eye Sir Charles Gaudey Kt. and Bar. Sir Robert Reves Bar. Borough of Saint Edmundsbury Sir Thomas Harvey Kt. Thomas Jermin Esq Surrey Arthur Onslow Esq George Evelyn of Wotton Esq Borough of Southwark Sir Richard How Kt. Peter Rich Esq Borough of Blechingly George Evelyn of Nutfield Esq Edward Harvey Esq Borough of Ryegate Roger James Esq Dean Goodwyn Esq Borough of Guilford Richard Onslow Esq Thomas Dalmahoy Esq Borough of Gatton Sir Nicholas Carew Kt. Thomas Turgis Esq Borough of Haslemere Sir William More Bar. James Gresham Esq Sussex Sir John Pelham Bar. John Lewkener Esq City of Chichester Richard May Esq John Braman Esq Borough of Horsham Anthony Eversfield Esq John Mitchell Esq Borough of Midhurst Sir William Morley Kt. of the Bath John Alford Esq Borough of Lewes William Morley Esq Edward Bridger Esq Borough of New Shoreham Robert Fag Esq John Cheale Esq Borough of Bramber Henry Goring Esq Nicholas Eversfield Esq Borough of Steyning Sir John Fagg Bar. Sir Henry Goring Bar. Borough of East-Grimstead Thomas Pelham Esq Sir Thomas Littleton Kt. Borough of Arundel William Garraway Esq James Butler Esq Warwickshire Sir Edward Boughton Bar. Robert Burdet Esq City of Coventry Richard Hopkins Esq Robert Beak Esq Borough of Warwick Sir Henry Puckering Bar. Sir John Clopton Kt. Westmerland Sir John Lowther of Lowther Kt. Allen Bellingham Esq Borough of Apulby Richard Tufton Esq Anthony Lowther Esq Wiltshire Sir Richard Grubbam How Knight and Baronet Thomas Thinn of Long Leat Esq City of New Sarum Sir Thomas Mompesson Kt. Alexander Thiftlethwait Esq Borough of Wilton Thomas Herbert Esq Thomas Penruddock Esq Borough of Downton Maurice Bockland Esq Sir Joseph Ash Bar. Borough of Hindon Richard How Esq Thomas Lambert Esq Borough of Westbury Richard Lewis Esq William Trenchard Esq Borough of Hetsbury William Ash Esq Edward Ash Esq Borough of Calne Sir George Hungerford Kt. Walter Norborn Esq Borough of the Devizes Sir Walter Ernley Bar. Sir Edward Baynton Kt. of the Bath Borough of Chippenham Sir Edward Hungerford Kt. of the Bath Sir John Talbot Kt. Borough of Malmesbury Sir William Estcourt Bar. Sir James Long Bar. Borough of Cricklade Hungerford Dunce Esq Edmund Web Esq Borough of Great Bedwyn Francis Stonehouse Esq John Dean Esq Borough of Lugdersal Thomas Neal Esq John Smith Jun. Esq Borough of Old Sarum Eliab Harvey Esq John Young Esq Borough of Wooton Basset Lawrence Hyde Esq John Pleydall Esq Borough of Marlborough Thomas Bennet Esq Edward Goddard Esq Worcestershire Samuel Sandys Esq Thomas Foley Esq City of Worcester Thomas Street one of his Majesties Serjeants at Law Sir Francis Winnington Kt. Borough of Droitwich Henry Coventry Esq Principal Secretary of State Samuel Sandys Jun. Esq Borough of Evesham Sir James Rushout Bar. Henry Parker Esq Borough of Bewdey Philip Foley Esq Yorkshire Charles Lord Clifford Henry Lord Fairfax City of York Sir John Hewley Kt. Sir Henry Thompson Kt. Town of Kingston upon Hull Lemuell Kingdone Esq William Ramsden Esq Borough of Knaresborough Sir Thomas Slingby Bar. William Stockdale Esq Borough of Scaresborough William Thompson Esq Francis Thompson Esq Borough of Rippon Sir Edmund Jennings Kt. Richard Stern Esq Borough of Richmond Thomas Craddock Esq Humphrey Warton Esq Borough of Heyden Sir Hugh Bethell Kt. Henry Guy Esq Borough of Burrowbrigg Sir Thomas Malleverer Bar. Sir Henry Gooderick Kt. and Bar. Borough of Malton William Palmes Esq Sir Watkinson Payler Bar. Borough of Thirske Sir William Frankland Bar. Nich. Sanderson Esq Borough of Alborough Sir John Reresby Bar. Henry Arthington Esq Borough of Beverly Sir John Hotham Bar. Michael Warton Esq Borough of North-Allerton Sir Gilbert Gerrard Bar. Sir Henry Calverly Kt. Borough of Pontefract Sir John Dawney Kt. Sir Patience Ward Kt. BARONS Of the CINQUE-PORTS Port of Hastings Sir Robert Parker Bar. John Ashburnham Esq Town of Winchelsey Creswell Draper Esq Thomas Austin Esq Town of Rye Sir John Robinson Kt. and Bar. Thomas Frewen Esq Port of new Rumney Sir Charles Sedley Bar. Paul Barret Esq Port of Hyeth Sir Edward Dering Bar. Julius Deeds Esq Port of Dover William Stokes Esq Thomas Papillon Esq John Strode Esq Port of Sandwich John Thurburn Esq Sir Ja. Oxenden Kt. and Bar. Port of Seaford Sir William Thomas Bar. Herbert Stapley Esq WALES Anglesey Henry Bulkeley Esq Town of Bewmarris Richard Bulkeley Esq Brecon Richard Williams Esq Town of Brecon Thomas Mansel Esq John Jefferies Esq Cardigan Edward Vaughan of Trouscoed Esq Town of Cardigan Hector Philips Esq Carmarthen John Lord Vaughan Kt. of the Bath Town of Carmarthen Altham Vaughan Esq Carnervon Thomas Bulkeley of Dinas Esq Town of Carnervon Thomas Mostin of Glotheth Esq Denbigh Sir Thomas Middleton Bar. Town of Denbigh Sir John Salisbury Bar. Flint Mutton Davies Esq Town of Flint Roger Whitley Esq Glamorgan Bussy Mansel Esq Town of Cardiffe Sir Robert Thomas Bar. Merieneth Sir John Wynne Kt. and Bar. Pembroke Sir Hugh Owen Bar. Town of Pembroke Arthur Owen Esq Town of Haverfordwest William Wogan Esq Montgomery Edward Vaughan Esq Town of Montgomery Matthew Price Esq Edward Loyd Esq Radnor Rowland Gwyn Esq Town of Radnor Deerham Esq HIS MAJESTY'S Most Honourable PRIVY COUNCIL HIS Highness Prince Rupert William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Heneage Lord Finch Lord Chancellor of England Anthony Earl of Shaftsbury Lord President of the Council Arthur Earl of Anglesey Lord Privy Seal James Duke of Monmouth Master of the Horse John Duke of Lauderdale Secretary of State for Scotland James Duke of Ormond Lord Steward of the Houshold Charles Lord Marquess of Winchester Henry Lord Marquess of Worcester Henry Earl of Arlington Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold James Earl of Salisbury John Earl of Bridgwater Robert Earl of Sunderland one of His Majesties Principal Secretaries of State Arthur Earl of Essex first Lord Commissioner of the Treasury John Earl of Bath Groom of the Stole Thomas Lord Viscount Falconberg George Lord Viscount Hallifax Henry Lord Bishop of London John Lord Roberts Denzill Lord Hollis William Lord Russel William Lord Cavendish Henry Coventry Esq one of His Majesties Principal Secretaries of State Sir Francis North Knight Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas. Sir Henry Capel Knight of the Bath first Commissioner of the Admiralty Sir John Ernly Knight Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Thomas Chicheley Knight Master of the Ordnance Sir William Temple Baronet Edward Seymour Esq Henry Powle Esq Commissioners for the Treasury ARthur Earl of Essex Lawrence Hide Esq Sir Edward Deering Sidney Godolphin Sir John Ernly Chancellor of the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury Henry Guy Esquire Commissioners for the Execution of the Office of Lord High Admiral of England SIr Henry Capell Knight of the Bath Daniel Finch Esquire Baronets Sir Thomas Lee Sir Humphrey Winch Sir Thomas Meers Esquires Edward Vaughan Edward Hales FINIS BOOKS sold by Abell Swalle at the Sign of the Vnicorn at the West-end of St. Pauls Folio's PLutarch's Lives in English Sir Rich. Baker's Chronicle 1679. Mr. Joseph Mead's Works Mr. Abr. Cowley's Poems Hugonis Grotii Opera omnia Theologica 4. Vol. 1679. Episcopii Op. Vol. 1. Suarez de Legibus Quarto's Cluverii Geographia in figuris Zelidaura Queen of Tartaria A Dramatick Romance written in spanish by the command of the King of Spain made English 1679 Octavo A Conference between Dr. Stilling-fleet and Dr. Burnet with Coleman 1679. Sermons on several Occasions By John Tillotson D. D. Dean of Canterbury Scriptural Catechism or the Duty of Man laid down in express words of Scripture A Discourse concerning the Blessedness of the Righteous by Mr. How M. A. Tou's Le's Devoires de T'homme ' on La Practique devertus Chre'tiames Dict. Dutch Grammer Festan 's French Grammer A Discourse concerning the Period of Humane Life Twelves French Bible French Testament Psalms French Common-Prayer
and his wild companions would way-lay and rob his Fathers and his own Receivers And when one of his servants was arraigned at the Kings Bench bar for felony this Prince hearing thereof posted thither commanding his Fetters to be struck off and he set at liberty and when the Judge opposed him therein commanding him upon his Allegiance to cease from such riot and keep the Kings peace he in a rage ascended the Bench and gave the Judge a blow on the face who sate still undaunted and boldly thus spake unto the Prince Sir I pray remember your self This seat which I here possess is not mine but your Fathers to whom and to his Laws you owe double obedience If his Highness and his Laws be thus violated by you who should shew your self obedient to both who will obey you when you are a Soveraign or minister execution to the Laws that you shall make Wherefore for this default in your Fathers name I commit you prisoner to the Kings Bench until his Majesties pleasure be further known With which words the Prince abashed stood mute laid by his weapons and with obeysance done went to the Prison Whilst the King his Father was crazie and kept his Chamber he through the Princes wild extravagances and set on by some Court-whisperers began both to withdraw his affections and to fear some violence against his own person from the Prince which when young Henry understood in a strange disguise he repaired to his Fathers Court accompanied with many persons of Honour His garment was a Gown of blew Satten wrought full of eye-let-holes and at every eye-let the needle left hanging with the silk it was worked with About his Arm he wore a Dogs Collar set full of S's of Gold the Tirets thereof being most fine Gold Being come to the Court he charged his followers to advance no further than the fire in the Hall whilst himself passed on to his Fathers presence before whose feet he fell confessing his youthful faults and justifying his loyalty to his person declaring himself to be so far from any disloyal attempt that if he knew any person of whom his Father stood in any danger or fear his hand according to duty should be the first to free the King of suspition yea saith he I will most gladly suffer death to ease your perplexed heart and to that end I have this day prepared my self both by confession and receiving the blessed Sacrament Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace to free your suspition from all fears conceived against me with this dagger the stab whereof I will willingly receive at your hands and will clearly forgive my death At which the King melting into tears cast down the naked dagger which the Prince had put into his hand and raising his prostrate Son Henry Chicheley A. B. Cant. embraced and kissed him confessing that his ears had been over-credulous against him which he promised they should never be in the future But notwithstanding this Prince's youthful exploits yet when he had attained the Crown to begin a good Government he began at home banishing from his Court those unruly youths that had been his consorts commanding them either to change their manners or never to approach within ten miles of his person And chose worthy men for his Council of Estate advancing his Clergy with Power and dignity So highly careful was he for the execution of Justice that himself would every day after dinner for the space of an hour receive Petitions of the oppressed and with great equity would redress their wrongs And so nearly did the death of King Richard touch his heart that he sent to Rome to be Absolved from that guilt of his Fathers Act. In the first year of his Reign at a Parliament holden at Leicester was a Bill exhibited wherein complaint was made That the temporal lands given to the Religious houses and spiritual persons for devotion sake were either superfluous or disorderly spent Whose revenues if better imployed would serve for the defence of the Land and Honour of the King For the maintenance of fifteen Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Almes-houses for the relief of diseased and impotent people and unto the Kings Coffers Twenty thousand pounds per Annum By the Authority of this Parliament an 110 Priories alien were suppressed and their possessions given to the King and his successors for ever But to divert those in Authority from such like proceedings projects were put into the Kings head for recovery of France his rightful possession Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury suggested that King Henry as the true Heir unto his Great-grand-Father Edward the third was the true Heir to the Crown of France As for the Salique-Law alledged against the English claim he affirmed that that Text touched only those parts of Germany which lay betwixt the Rivers Elbe and Sala conquered by Charles the Great who placing the French there to inhabit because of the dishonest lives of those German-women made this Law In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant which the gloss did falsely expound for the whole Kingdom of France whose practise notwithstanding he shewed to be contrary by many experiences both in King Pepin descended of Blithud daughter to Clothair the first and by Hugh Capet as Heir to the Lady Lingard daughter to Charlemain so King Lewis called the Saint and besides that this exclusion is contrary to the word of God which alloweth women to succeed in their Fathers inheritance Numbâ— 27. King Henry now sends a summons and demand in the first place of his Dutchies of Normandy Aquitain Guyon and Anjou to which the Daulphin of France in derision sent him for a present a Tun of Paris Tennis-Balls but the King returned for answer That he would shortly send him London-Balls which should shake Paris-walls Whilst the English were making provision against the French Sir Robert Humfreville gave the Scots a considerable defeat which the French understanding with also the great preparations that Henry of England was making against them they sent over Ambassadors who at Winchester made offer of money and some Territories also the Princess Katharine to be given in marriage to King Henry so that he would conclude a peace but it was answered That without the delivery of the other Dominions belonging to the Kings Progenitors no pacification was to be made And when the Ambassadors had had their answer given them the King sent Antilop his Pursevant at Arms unto Charles King of France with Letters of defiance next made Queen Joan his Mother-in-Law Regent of the Realm then drew his Forces to Southampton commanding his followers there to attend him on such a day The King of France on the other part makes all the preparation he could to defend himself and to offend the King of England To Grey a Privy-Councellor Scroop Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Cambridge Son of Edmond Duke of York he sent 't is said a Million of Gold to betray