of England and Iohn 2. of Denmark and Norway 1490. England is put before France as for example Sancitum est quod Mercatores Homines Ligii Piscatores quicunque alii Reg. Angliae Franciae subditi liberè possint temporibus futuris in perpetuum ad Insulam Tyle i. e. Islandiam c. Augustus de Cavallis who is no obscure Author infers the Queen of England from her Ancestors both in respect of Inheritance Conquest and Gift to be Queen of France de Iure In the Treaty twixt Hen. the 7. and Philip of Castile 1506. the English Commissioners subsign'd first As also in the Treaty of Marriage with Queen Mary Anno 1533. the first Signature is given to the English Ambassadors When Queen Elizabeth employed the Earl of Derby the Lord Cobham Sir Iames Crofts Doctor Dale and Doctor Rogers in quality of Ambassadors with their Assistants to Ostend anno 1588. Dignitatis Praerogativa incedendo sedendo The Prerogative of going and sitting was given her Ambassadors In the Treaty at Bullen twixt England and Spain for renewing the Burgundian League Queen Elizabeth sent Sir Hen. Nevil Sir Iohn Herbert Robert Beale and Tho. Edmunds who in their Instructions had command in no case to give Precedence to the Spanish Ambassadors but being met ther was a Contest happend The English produc'd a Certificat procur'd privatly from Rome out of the Book of Ceremonies there which according to the Canon giveth the Rule in such cases That the King of England is to have place before the King of Castile That the English quietly held this Right in the Councils of Basil Constance and others They alledg'd also that the Kingdom of Castile which is the Spaniards first Title is but an upstart-in regard of England for it had no Kings but Earls till the year 1017. Moreover Pope Iulius 3. gave sentence for Hen. 7. of England against Ferdinand of Spain in this particular c. Furthermore for Eminency of Title Great Britain is oftentimes calld an Empire by Forren Authors nay Pope Urban terms it a World of it self at the Council of Clermont almost a thousand years since wherin the Archbishop of Canterbury is call'd Alteterius Orbis Papa The Pope of another World What wold he say now that Ireland and Scotland are added Some of the Saxon Kings stil'd themselfs Emperours as Ego Ethelredus Ego Edgarus Anglorum Induperator c. William the Conqueror writ Ego Willielmus Rex Anglorum ab incarnatione Domini 1089. 2 Anno mei Imperii This is found upon record in his Charter to the Monastery of Shaftsbury In Hen. 8. Raign the eighth year thereof England was declar'd an Empire in Parlement where he had also these Epithets Metuendissimus Praepotentissimus and London was call'd the Imperial Chamber But most memorable is that of King Edgar in the Charter that he gave the Church of Worcester Which Charter is yet extant and runs thus Altitonantis Dei largifluâ clementiâ qui est Rex Regum Ego Edgarus Anglorum Basileus omniumque Regum Insularum Oceanique Britanniam circumjacentis cunctarúmque Nationum quae infra Eam includuntur Imperator Dominus Gratias ago ipsi Deo omnipotenti Regi meo qui meum Imperium sic ampliavit exaltavit super Regnum Patrum meorum Qui licet Monarchiam totius Angliae adepti sunt à tempore Athelstani qui primus Regnum Anglorum omnes Nationes quae Britanniam incolunt sibi Armis subegit nullus tamen Illorum ultra ejus fines Imperium suum dilatare aggressus est Mihi autem concessit propitia Divinitas cum Anglorum Imperio omnia Regna Insularum Oceani cum suis ferocissimis Regibus usque Norwegiam Maximamque Partem Hiberniae cum sua nobilissima Civitate Dublinia Anglorum Regno subjugare Quos etiam omnes meis Imperiis colla subdere Dei favente gratia Coegi Quapropter ut Ego Christi Gloriam laudem in Regno meo exaltare ejus servitutem amplificare devotus disposui per meos Fideles Fautores Dunstanum Archiepiscopum Ayeliolanum ac Oswaldum Archiepiscopos quos mihi Patres Spirituales Consiliarios elegi magna ex parte disposui c. Facta haec sunt anno Dom. 964. Indictione 8 Regni Ego Alfrye Regina consensi signo Crucis confirmavi ✚ This being so ancient a Record and of so high a Tenure I thought good to render it into English for the satisfaction of the Common Reader By the clemency of the high-thundring God who is King of Kings I Edgar King of the English and of all Kings of Ilands and of the Ocean circumjacent to Britain and of all Nations which are included within her Emperour and Lord I give thanks only to Almighty God my King that he hath amplified and exalted my Empire above the Kingdome of my Fathers who although they had obtain'd the Monarchy of all England from the time of Athelstan who was the first that subdued the Kingdom of the English and all Nations who inhabit Britain yet none of them attempted to dilate his Empire beyond its bounds But propitious Divinity hath granted unto me to subjugat together with the Empire of the English all the Kingdomes in the Iles of the Ocean with their most ferocious Kings as far as Norway and most part of Ireland with her most Noble City of Dublin All whom I compell'd to bow their Necks to my Commands the Grace of God so favouring me c. This King Edgar though very little of stature was so magnanimous and successful that he was Row'd upon the River of Dee by four subjugated Kings whereof Kennad King of Scots was one Ther is also a very remarkable and authentic story of King Canutus afterwards who being upon Southampton-Strand at the flowing of the Sea he sate in a Chair of State which was brought him upon the sands and the Billows tossing and tumbling towards him he gave the Sea this command Thou art my Subject and the Earth wheron I sit is mine and ther was none yet that ever resisted my Command who went unpunish'd Therefore I command Thee that Thou come not up upon my Earth nor presume to wet the Garment or the Body of thy Lord. But the Sea continuing his cours dash'd and wetted his feet and thighs illfavouredly without any reverence or fear whereupon the King stepping back declar'd That none is worthy of the Name of a King but only He whose Nod both Sea and Earth observd And as the story hath it he never wore the Crown of Gold again but being fix'd to a Cross did consecrat it to the Image of our Saviour Ther have been also Titles of Dignity given to our Kings in the Abstract which hath more of State and Substance in it then the Concret as Celsitudo Tua Magnitudo Tua given by the Pope in his Letters to Ed. 2. And Edward the 4. was us'd to write Nostra Regia Majestas though indeed that word
two of the fairest flowers in the English Crown in lieu wherof it may be sayd ther is set in an ear of barly with a Chimney Wallflower ther is froth and fume given in exchange which doth so much sully the luster of it for as I intimated before the state and plenty of the Court was accounted the greatest glory of the Crown of England as Forren Authors of most Nations do acknowledg in their public Writings Now wheras some do affirm that the yeerly benefit of the Excise doth make a full compensation for the Court of Wards and tenures in Capite out of which ther was also computed fifty thousand pounds yeerly towards the Diet at Court It is too well known that the said Excise doth not make the King any Equivalent satisfaction for his Tenures alone if well managd much less for his Pourvoyances Preemptions and Carriages For ther was an exact account made by his Majesties special command of the last yeers expence that ther were Seventy three thousand six hundred and seven pounds fourteen shillings and seven pence spent more in the Court-diet and provision of the Stables then were in the time of Pourvoyance besides the extraordinary charge of Carriages for his Removes and Navy Royal. Now in expending those provisions that were servd into the Court by way of Pourvoyance and Composition ther was the greatest care and Oeconomical good husbandry usd that possibly could be for when ther were more Beefs and Muttons with other provisions servd in then the Court wanted The faithful Officers of the Green-cloth caused them to be Sould and with the moneys arising thence they were commonly usd to buy Napery and other Houshold-things for the service of the Kings House as also in paying the arrears of som of his Servants wages with the surplusages But now that we dance after the French Fiddle so fast as we always did so for the back and now begin to follow him also in things relating to the Belly by Board-wages c. I wish the time may not come that we do not follow him too farr As that one cannot put a grain of Salt in his pot unless he buy it of the King wherby in making Salt his own Commodity the French King raiseth by the meer Gabel which ariseth thence above 20 millions of Livres evry yeer which is two millions Sterling which sum is twice more then the King of Great Britain hath from all Incoms whatsoever as Crown-lands Customes and Imposts Excise and Chimney-money with other perquisits and casualities And as the French thus cannot put a grain of Salt in his pot so the Spaniard cannot put a corn of Peper into his Olla unless he hath it from the King Nor can he buy a pair of Cards or Dice to pass away the time withal unless he hath them of the King Nay he cannot buy half a sheet of Paper to write either Bond or Bill Acquittance or Receit or other legal Instrument but he must buy all of the King Which adds millions to his yeerly Revenues yet the peeple of Spain are cryed up for a free peeple But touching the Imposition of Excise which is given the King for his Royal Tenures and House-keeping I well remember the time that Excise was held such an abominable word that my Lord Carleton but only for naming it once in the Parlement-House yet to no ill meaning at all was violently cryed to the Bar and though a person of that eminence as being then a Privie Counsellor and principal Secretary of State he hardly escapd being committed to the Tower The Excise was then calld the Dutch Devil because it came first from Holland with other fine words as plunder storming c. which were all made free Denizons of England by that so longd-for Long Parlement And observable it is that the first imposing and use of Excise in England was to enable Rebels to make War against their King and Country Having thus briefly run over the Sumptuary part of the English Court we will now proceed to the Servants and Officers to the Attendance and State thereof which comes not behind any other Court whatsoever And this might be the ground of that ancient Proverb in England and nowhere els There is no Fishing to the Sea nor Service to the Kings The Court is the randevous of Vertu of Cadets and persons well qualified It is the Scale by which they rise the King being the fountain of Honour as well as of Bounty But before we come to speak of the Officers at Court and of their Diet and Bouche which by a pitiful corruption is vulgarly calld budg wheras it is bouche a mouth therfore it is a French phrase Il a bouche à la Cour He hath a mouth at Court viz. he hath a Diet I say before we come to speak of the Dishes and Diet at Court let the Reader take this small Advertisement in the way that evry Dish at Court was computed to cost the King viis modis at the years end 100 l. a dish But now since the Preemption and Pourvoyance is taken away evry dish doth stand in four times as much at least The Kings Court or Houshold The Lord Great Chamberlain and Earl Marshal are rather Officers of State and as it were extraneous in relation to the Houshold so in a manner are the four Officers of the Crown who use to have Houses abroad viz. The Lord Chancellor or Keeper of the Great Seal of England The Lord high Tresurer The Lord Privie Seal The Lord high Admiral But the properst Domestick Officers are as follow viz. The Lord Steward of the Houshold who hath allowed him evry day besides his Fee 32 dishes The Tresurer of the Houshold 32 dishes and besides his table he hath a Fee of 123 l. 14 s. 4 d. The Controuler besides thirty two dishes a day hath a Fee of 167 l. 17 s. 4 d. The Cofferer besides his Table hath 100 l. The principal Secretary of State hath besides his Table 100 l. The Secretary for the Latin Toung Fee 40 l. The Secretary for the French Toung Fee 66 l. 13 s. 4 d. The Clerks of the Signet Fee every one 40 l. Four Clerks of the Privie Council Fee evry one 50 l. Clerk of the Council in the Star-chamber Fee 26 l. 13 s. 4 d. Two Clerks of the Parlement Fee The first 40 l. Two Clerks of the Parlement Fee The second 10 l. Clerk of the Market Fee 20 l. Post-master Fee 20 l. Thirty standing Posts appointed by the Post-master evry one Fee 18 l. 5 s. Two Carriers To one 24 l. 3 s. 4 d. Two Carriers To the other 12 l. Officers above Stayrs Lord Chamberlain of the Houshold besides his Table of thirty two dishes a day hath a Fee 100 l. The Groom of the Stole who is always a Gentleman of the Bed-chamber hath evry day 32 dishes Vice-chamberlain Fee 100 Marks Knight-Marshal Fee 100 Marks The Gentlemen of the Privie Chamber whose
in the I le of Britain Just according to the ancient Greek Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Many Lords are not good let there be but One. Now from that time to this the King of Britain had and hath as Souveraign and incontroulable a sway as any 'T is true that he admits others sometimes to share with him in Counsel but not in Power by a kind of Influence he gives Light and Command to others but he himself receives none from any In the Neighbouring Monarchies it cannot be said so and particularly in France and Spain where it may be said ther is Regnum in regno ther is another Power à Legatus de latere that in a Court of Plea sways ore the Ecclesiastiques who make a considerable part of the Peeple Touching the latter the King of Spain is Feodary either to the Pope the Emperour or to France for all the Countries he hath The Kingdomes of Navarre and Granada were made Feodary to the Pope under Iulius the second Aragon to Innocent the third as also Sardinia in formula fiduciae Sicilia is relevant from the Church as also both the Indies and the Canary Ilands For the Kingdome of Naples and Calabria he sends a Mule with a Purse-full of Gold as a Heriot to Rome evry year for fear of an Excommunication the next day at the receit whereof the Pope says Sufficiat pro hac vice He holds the Dukedome of Milan from the Empire and most of the Provinces in the Netherlands from France whereof he is a double Peer as he is Duke of Burgundy and Earl of Flanders Now 't is questionable among the Civilians whether a Feodary or Homager may be call'd an Absolut Prince specially when Appeals may be made from him to another Court as the Spanish Clergy may from the King to Rome in divers cases The Kings of ENGLAND are free from Subordinations of that kind as the Fundamental Laws of the Land and all the ancient Learned Judges do evidence 'T is a Principle in the English Laws which is confirm'd by Baldus and other great Forren Jurists That Rex neminem habet in Dominiis suis nec Superiorem nec Parem The King in his own Dominions hath neither Superior nor Equal He may be said to be both Caesar and Pompey There is another Omnes sub Illo Ille sub nullo All under Him He under none Another yet Satis habet Rex ad poenam quod Deum expectet Ultorem 'T is enough for the King that God is to be his Judge which is expressed in this Distic Subditus in Regem peccat Legemque Fidemque At Rex in Solum Rex quia nempe Deum Ther are divers others that are conducing hereunto As The King must not be put to do any thing per aspertè but of his free plesure The King never dies but the Heir apparent is King Inchoative as soon as the former dies and the Coronation is but a meer Ceremony not Essential for divers Kings as Hen. 5. and others had Alleageance sworn unto them before they were Crowned There are more Maximes yet That the King can do no wrong but his Ministers may through whose mouths he pronounceth sentence Moreover Nullum tempus occurrit Regi Ther 's no Immemorial or Prescription against the King It is High Treson not only to contrive but to imagine ill against the King By the Kings Prerogative Life it self may be leased c. But that Traverse twixt King Iohn and the Legat Pandolpho when they say he transferred the Crown to the Pope is much insisted upon wherunto t is thus answered That ther are four great things whereof the Records cannot be found The first is that wherin the Emperour Constantine gave Rome to the Pope The second is that wherin Venice hath the Dominion of the Adriatic or Illyrian Gulph The third is the Salique Law The fourth is that Instrument wherby King Iohn pass'd over his Crown and made the Pope Lord Paramount of England Sir Thomas More who was so far devoted to Rome that he is canoniz'd for one of her Martyrs denieth absolutly that King Iohn either did or could make England Feudetary to the Pope because without the consent of his Barons an Act so much prejudicial to his Royal Successors was not valid and that the Peter-pence which they hold to be a Tribut relating to the foresaid Act was but a meer Alms which was given by King Ina 500 years before Moreover put case ther had been such an Act yet it stands upon good record that Innocentius the third did give a Release in these words Per Praeceptum Domini Papae 7 Iulii Homagium relaxatur omninò The Rome-scot also was but Regis larga benignitas the Kings bountiful kindness Adde hereunto that when the Pontificial Power was here at the highest pitch no Legat de latere was allowed but the Archbishop of Canterbury his Subject who by his Dignity is perpetual Legat de latere He is Legatus natus as he of Toledo is in Spain and the Primat of Armagh in Ireland and in point of Precedence at the Council of Clermont anno 1096. a Prerogative was given him for ever to sit at all general Councils at the Popes right foot Pope Urban at that time declaring in these terms Includamus hunâ—… in Orbe nostro tanquam alterius Orbis Pontificem Maximum Let us include him in our world as Pope of another world 'T is true ther have been other Legats de latere upon extraordinary occasions admitted but it was with the Kings leave and with this Proviso That he hath no Authority to hold Plea in the Realm prejudicial to the Laws thereof or derogatory to the King Thus it appears that no Extern power hath any thing to do in Great Britain and as the Pope so the Peeple neither whether consider'd Diffusively Collectively Representatively or Vertually partake any thing of the Souverain Power ther is no power either Co-ordinat Co-equal Corrival or Collateral with it The Kings of England have had always by the known Laws of the Land a pure underived Power not depending upon Pope or Peeple or any other Prince whatsoever They are Kings by the Grace of God which implies no earthly Dependency It stands upon good record how King Ina in the Preamble to his Laws for he was a great Legislator begins I Ina by the Grace of God King c. and this was above a thousand years ago about two hundred years before Charlemain in whose time that stile of Dei Gratia came first in use in the Empire And as on Land the King of Great Britain hath such a Latitude and Independence of Supreme Power so by Sea he hath the like which is such that without disparagement much less any injustice to any I may avouch no other Prince hath the like The greatest claim of Sea-Dominion that France makes is to the Coasts of Armorica or little Britany and a few Leagues in the Mediterranean The Spanish Laws are for the
up to the English Battail where the young Prince was The fight grew hot and doubtful insomuch that the Commanders sent to the King to come up with more power The King asking the Messengers Whether his Son was hurt or slain and being answerd No he replies Then tell them who sent you that so long as my Son is alive they send no more to me for my Will is that he have the honor of the day So the Fight on both sides growing very furious the French King having his Horse kill'd under him withdrew which being known by the English it added so to their courage that they soon after won the Field This was the first considerable Battail the English had of the French which was so sanguinary that ther were none made Prisoners but all put to the Sword and the number of the slain French surmounted the whole Army of the English for the number of the slain were about 30000. the chief whereof was Alenson the Kings Brother the Dukes of Bourbon and Lorain the Earl of Flanders the Dauphin de Viennois Son to Imbert who after gave Dauphine to the King of France provided his First Son shold still be calld the Dauphin which hath continued ever since This signal Victory was seconded the same yeer about six weeks after with another the Queen of England got against the Scots then confederat with the French where David the Scots King was taken Prisoner but this is reserv'd for another place because for a more methodical order we will hasten to the second great Victory in France the Battail of Poitiers The Battail of Poitiers The Black Prince being taperd up now to a good growth was sent by advice of Parlement to Gascony whence the Truce being expird he oreran and ravagd all the Country as far as Tourayne Iohn the French King raiseth a potent Army more numerous then that at Cressy and going to find out the Prince of Wales found him about Poitiers having not much above 10000 effect if men in his Army wheras the French had six times as many whereupon being advisd to make for Bourdeaux he was prevented by the French Army on all sides so a Battail being intended two Cardinals came from the Pope to mediat a Peace but the French King wold hearken to none unless that he wold as a Vanquish'd Man send him four Hostages and give up himself and his Army to discretion The Prince answerd That he was willing to restore what places he had taken of His in good War but without prejudice to his Honor wherof he was accountable to the King his Father c. Iohn not hearkning to this but being resolvd to fight the Prince also resolvd to part with his Life upon as high a rate as he could being reducd to this streight therfore he providently makes use of the Position of ground and finding that the main Army of the French consisted in Horse he entrenchd among the Vineyards where when the French Cavalry entred being wrapd and encomberd among the Vines the English Archers did so ply and gall them that being therby disorderd and put to rout the whole Army was soon totally defeated But it seems this Battail was not so fierce as that of Cressy where no quarter was given for in this Prisoners were made among whom was King Iohn himself whom the Prince brought to England and as the French Historians themselfs confess he was so civil to him all the while that he knew not whether he was a Free King or a Captif Besides Lords ther were slain 2000 of the French Nobless as Froissard hath it in this Battail and as at Cressy more French slain then the whole English Army was in number We will now to Agencourt Agencourt Battail Henry the Fifth that Man of men and mirror of Princes being come to the Crown he did cast his Eyes presently towards France for claiming of his Title In order wherunto he alterd in his Arms the bearing of Semy de Luces and quarters the three full Flower de Luces as the King of France himself did bear them He sends the Duke of Exceter with the Archbishop of Dublin and sundry other Noblemen in a magnificent Ambassy attended by 500 Horse to Paris to demand the Crown but receiving no satisfactory answer but rather a kind of jeer the Dauphin sending him a Sack full of Racket-court-Balls to pass away his time He replyed That for evry one of those Balls he had so many fiery Bullets to shoot at the proudest Turrets in France as he shold shortly find And he was as good as his word for he presently got over and encountring the French Army at Agencourt he gave it an utter overthrow and took more prisoners then his own Army had Soldiers which was upon a Sunday-morning about Ten of the Clock whereof having sent notice to England before and that extraordinary Masses shold be sung then in all Churches he stood upon the defensive part till that hour but then making a Speech of encouragement to his Army and among other strains telling how all England was praying for them at that time he carried away a compleat Victory he himself leading the main Battail with the Duke of Glocester his Brother c. But besides the foresaid Piety ther was Policy also usd for the King to prevent the fury of the French Cavalry appointed divers Stakes studded with Iron at both ends of six foot long to be pitch'd behind the Archers and ordred that Pioners shold attend to remove them as they shold be directed which invention conduc'd much to the success of the Action The King himself charg'd the Duke of Alenson and beat him off his Horse who therupon was slain so ther was a compleat and glorious Victory obtain'd We come now to the Battail of Spurs so calld because the French-men trusted more to their Spurs in fleeing away then to their Swords and Lances It was before Terwin in Hen. 8. Raign when Maximilian the Emperour servd under his Banner and receavd pay Ther came 8000 French Horse to relieve the place and a hot Dispute happend but they were all routed and put shamefully to flight so the Town was taken by the English Ther were a world of other Warlike Encounters and Skirmiges twixt the English and French whereof the stories are full and t is observd that the English at most were but half in number to the French in all Engagements insomuch that by pure prowess and point of the Sword they possessd two parts in three of that great Kingdome We read that when the English were at the height of their power in France the Pope came then to keep his Court at Avignon and ther was a common saying among the Peeple which since is grown to be a kind of Proverb Ores le Pape est devenu Francois Iesus Christ est devenu Anglois The Pope is turnd French-man and Jesus Christ is become an English-man which was spoken in regard we had such prodigious
meum apponerem consuetum Testes qui fuerunt praesentes ad ista unà mecum sunt Dom. frater Martinus Lupi Magister Militiae Domus de Alcantara Ordinis Cistern Rogerus Dom. de la Wara Gomeicus dicti Dom. Regis Magister Paulus Gabrielis Civis Ispalensis Iohannes Guttern Decanus Ecclesiae Segobien Magister Robertus Fregand Notarius Cancellarius Domini Principis Aquitaniae Walliae supradicti Then the Great Seal of Castile and Leon was affixd By vertue of this Charter legally made to King Edward and the Prince his Son and to their Heirs and Successors Kings and Princes of England for ever it is therby granted that whensoever it shold please them to be in person in the Wars with any King of Castile against the King of Granada or any other Enemy of the Christian Faith They shold have the First place in the Vangard above all other Princes of Christendom and although neither of them were present yet ther shold be always provided by the Kings of Castile and their Successors a Standard of the Arms of England to be born in the same place This Instrument was made after that the Black Prince had done the Work and restord Don Pedro to his Kingdom therfore he passd it as a Monument of eternal Gratitude unto him But before the Prince uudertook the business ther was also a Bond from the King to pay so much money for defraying the Princes Army and in consideration also of this undertaking it was legally agreed that the Prince shold have the Castle of Vermeo de la Quet Bilbo Biscay and the Castle of Ordials A tenir perpetuellement à li ses Heirs Successeurs pour doner là où luy plerrà to be held perpetually by Him and his Heirs and Successors and to give to whom he pleasd All which was ratified under the Great Seal of Castile and confirmd by Oath upon the holy Sacrament in the great Church of Burgos The Original of which Instrument remains yet in Thes. Regio apud Westm. We will pass over the Exploits done in Armorica or Little Britany and cross over to a tougher Peeple the Scot who though Conterranean and our neer Neighbours yet they did always confederat with the French against England and England still boar up single and victoriously against both of them For when Scotland was at the highest pitch of power when she had active and boysterous Kings to her Generals and the French for her Coadjutors and Auxiliaries as also the Danes in Ages past yet the English carried away many fair Victories with divers of their Kings Prisoners As will appear by a short Survay we shall take of such Battails and Warlike Encounters which intervend from time to time twixt the two Nations We will begin with that famous Battail twixt King Athelstan and them when they had a great Army of Danes joynd with them and being twice in number more then the English yet King Athelstan obtaind a signal Victory both by Prowess and Policy for the two Armies being ready to joyn the English made semblance to flee away leaving their Bagage behind which as the Scot and Dane were a sharing the English did suddenly wheele about by the advantage of a Woody Hill and finding them in disarray and laden with Booty they rushd upon them with such a Resolution that above 40 thousand of them and as Buchanan their chief Chronologer hath it the flower of their Nobility perishd there at that time The first Fire-ball of War which was thrown twixt both the Nations since the Norman Invasion was in William Rufus his Raign when the Scot having made divers Incursions into the English Borders Moubray Earl of Northumberland was sent against them who incountring their King Malcolm with his eldest Son in the Field they were both slain and the whole Army overthrown In King Stephens days Thurston then Archbishop of York was sent with an Army against the Scot who meeting the King himself in the head of his Forces utterly routed him with the death of above 10000 of his Men. Henry the second employd only the Knights of Yorkshire as Humphry-vile Scuttvil and Vescy to make head against the Scot which they did with such Valour and Success that they took the King in the Field and as a Trophy of their good Service and Victory they presented him Prisoner to the King at Northampton whence he carried him along to attend him in his French VVars William the Scots King attended Richard the Lion-hearted at his second Coronation when he returned from the Holy Land and carried the Sword before him bare-headed Edward the first calld in story and as his Tomb in Westminster tells us Scotorum Malleus the Hammer of the Scots summond King Baliol to Newcastle to swear Fealty unto him but fleeing afterwards to the French King at his return King Edward summons him again to Berwick where he re-submitted himself with all his Nobles in open Parlement which King Edward held there and for Caution brought Baliol along with him leaving the Earl of Surrey Warden of Scotland Then started up a notable Blade one Wallis who notwithstanding that King Baliol was Prisoner in England gatherd such a strength that causd King Edward to go again in person and at Fonkirk Battail killd outright 200 of their Nobles and Gentry with about forty thousand Common soldiers Then he summons a Parlement at Edinburgh where all the Scots Nobles swore Fealty to him and then he carried away thence their Great Charter calld the Ragman-Roll the Black-Cross and the Stone wherein they believe the Fate of Scotland is fixd Then ther was a third Provocation offer'd for le Bruce was crownd King of Scotland wherupon the Earl of Pembrook was sent against him who utterly defeated him at Iohnston yet all was not quiet but King Edward was forcd to make a fourth expedition thither in person when he constraind le Bruce to flee away to Norway where he blew on his Nayls while King Edward liv'd But Bruce being come back and Usurping during Edward the seconds time who we read was so infirm and infortunat a King his Father Edward the third restord Baliol by force of Arms and made him swear Fealty to England again But some yeers after King Edward being deeply engagd in the French Wars David the next Scots King rush'd into England with about sixty thousand men being confederat with the French King to divert the War there But Queen Philippa with the Archbishop of York and the Lords and Knights of the North encounterd this huge Army and utterly defeated it one Copland taking the Scots King Prisoner whom he he reservd for a present to give King Edward when he came from France and to keep company with Iohn the French King who also was taken Prisoner by the Black Prince And there were but six weeks difference of time twixt both Victories In Richard the seconds Raign the French King sent his High Admiral with a thousand
choice men at Arms in a Fleet of 60 Sayl of Ships with Arms for 12000 men more into Scotland Therupon an English Army being raisd it struck into Scotland like a Whirlwind and piercing the very heart of the Country advancd as far as Dundee and returnd Victorious Henry the Fifth took Iames the first Prisoner and carried him over to attend him in his French VVars In Hen. 8. time the Scots King although his Brother-in-Law taking his advantage when he was in France battring the Walls of Bullen with the flower of the English Nobility raisd the greatest Army that Scotland could make for invading England therupon King Harry sent a Commission to the Earl of Surrey to raise Forces accordingly The two Armies met at Flodden-field where the Scots King and the Archbishop of Saint Andrews his Brother were slain with twelve Earls 14 Barons and 12000 more Not long after Solmosse Battail was fought where eight Scots Earls were taken Prisoners with 200 Gentlemen and others insomuch that as the story saith ther was never an English soldier but had his couple of Scots Prisoners Four and thirty yeers after the same day both of the month and the week as the Historians observe Musselborough-Battail was fought which because it was the last and one of the most signal and sanguinary great Battails from the Conquest that was fought twixt the English and the Scots I will here particularize but with as much brevity as may be The Duke of Somerset was General of the English the Earl of Warwik his Lieutenant the Lord-Admiral Clinton had 60 ships of War which were to hold cours with the Land-forces the whole Army consisted but of about 13000 Foot 1200 men at Arms 2500 Light-horse 16 Peeces of Ordinance evry Peece having a Gard of Pioners who came to about 1400. From Berwick they entred Scotland and marchd as far as Musselburgh far within the Country they seizd upon three small Castles as they passd and with infinit pains overcame the Natural and Artificial Difficulties of the Ways They understood that the Scots Army far exceeded them in number and ther came Recreuts dayly unto it For the Fire-cross was carried about by the Heralds through all parts which is two Firebrands upon the point of a Spear that all above sixteen and under sixty yeers shold repair to the General Rendevous insomuch that the Scots Historians themselfs do mention that ther were above thirty thousand in the whole Army which was twice the number of the English The Battail was fought with much resolution and cagerness on both sides yet notwithstanding that the Scot was at his own home and that the English were tir'd by a long difficult march they obtaind an absolute Conquest ther were slain of the Scots about 14000 out-right upon the place wherof ther were 3000 Kirk-men as Fryars and Monks Huntley with other great Lords were taken Prisoners 30 Peeces of Ordinance were taken and shippd for England with 30000 Iacks as the Record says and the English plunderd the Country five days march further and did what they wold We will conclude with the late Battail at Dunbar still fresh in memory where ther were not much more then 8000 English and the Scot had them at a great advantage yet the English making a Vertu of Necessity utterly overcame an Army of about 24000 Scots an Army that had been long a moulding and consisted of many of their Nobility and Gentry they lost both Bag and Bagage Artillery and Arms ther were above 3000 slain 10000 taken Prisoners whereof ther were 260 Officers 15000 Arms and 30 Peeces of Ordinance and neer upon 200 of their Colours were brought to hang in Westminster-Hall for Trophies Out of what hath been said this Inference may be made That in all those Traverses and Encounters of War that England had with Scotland which were neer upon an hundred since the Conquest take small and great together the English did always foyl the Scot except in Ed. 2. time as shall be said hereafter In some Battails we may find how they carried away more Captives then they were common soldiers themselfs driving them as it were like sheep before them And observable it is that the greatest Battails were fought in Scotland it self after that the English had been tir'd and dispirited by long marches over uncouth and strange places being ignorant both of the Advenues and Advantages of them Tru it is that in Ed. 2. Raign they won two or three Victories wherof that at Bannocks-Battail was the greatest where Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester and about 40 Barons with 700 Knights and English Gentlemen were killd In Hen. 8. Raign they got also a small Victory when Sir Ralph Evers was slain In the time of the Long Fatal Parlement they did likewise many Insolencies and rush'd far into England but those Invasions may be rather termd Invitations by some spurious and unworthy-degenerated English-men who had contrivd their coming in long before whose memories will stink in the Nostrils of all Posterity But the English have taken four of their Kings Captives killd two other in the field carried away their Crown with the chiefest Ensignes of Royalty c. Nor were such high Exploits performed by the Kings of England on Land only but by Sea they have been as glorious Historians say how King Edgar had a Navy of three thousand six hundred ships and bottoms of all sorts which he divided to three Fleets that usd to coast about and scowre the Seas as far as Norway evry year and he in person would go often Admiral himself and be all the Summer abroad Philip the French King not long before the Battail of Cressy to hinder Edward the thirds return into France got a mighty Navy in Equippage of 200 sayl of ships besides Gallies in the Haven of Sluce wherof King Edward being advertised prepared such another Fleet and encounters the French with such resolution and success having the Wind and the Sun for him that he utterly defeated the whole Navy slew about thirty thousand men and so returned with mighty triumphs and the admiration of all Europe Philip the second of Spain having as he conceavd endured divers Affronâ—…s and Injuries from Queen Elizabeth conceald his Discontents a long time until he had provided the Invincible Armada as it was calld wherewith he hoped to have swallowed all England It was three years preparing it consisted of above 150 sayl wherof most of them were Galeons they were mannd by 8000 Mariners they carried 20000 Listed soldiers besides Volunteers they had 1600 Brass Cannons 1000 of Iron and 120000 Granado's with other Fireworks of all sorts This Prodigious Fleet stood the King of Spain in 10 Millions first and last from the time that she set sayl out of Lisbonne as t is found in their Annals she lookd like a Forest at Sea as she steerd along Q Elizabeth had first news hereof from Hen. 4. of France But then how did that Masculine Queen
prolifical when they are past fifty years And for the Men it wold be Registred for a Miracle in Spain or France to finde ten men of a thousand years one with another as were found in Hereford about 60 years since within two miles compass of the town who were so vigorous strong and spriteful that they danced the Morice-dance in the Market-place for many hours with a Maid-Mariam of a hundred and three and a Tabourer of a hundred and five years old From the Fertility and Generousness of the Earth may proceed also the extraordinary Courage and Hardiness of the Peeple which hath been so well known and felt in other Countries beyond the Seas as the Examples in the former Paragraph do prove at so many signal and difficult famous Battails where the English Army was never half so numerous in any they got no not somtimes the third or fourth part in number to the Enemy and such an esteem they had in France that as their own stories relate when the Duke of Britany or Armorica was to encounter the French Army in a Battail he thought it a Policy to clothe a whole Brigade of his Soldiers after the English mode to make them appeer the more formidable to the French Nor doth that Primitive innate Courage languish a whit or decline in them as some think the World doth as we find it hath done in other Nations as the Iew and Greek with others but it continueth still at the same height as it appeerd in the year Eighty eight by Sea as was said before and in several Exploits in the Low-Country Wars as Newport the Retreat before Gaunt c. by Land Likewise by fresher Examples in the late Civil Wars twixt King and Parlement and since wherin the Power Strength and Wealth of England was never more discovered For the late usurper having such a Command over the Peeples purse and never wanting money made Spain and France strive who shold be his Confederat as also the Hollander the Swed and others I say in those times the ancient stoutness of the English appeerd in many Traverses of War as at Dunbar in Scotland and by Sea against the Hollander who were beaten and batterd into a Peace What a hazardous peece of service was performed when we invaded Barbary at Tunis but especially that desperat Exploit Blague did at the Canaries The French King confest that the Brigade of English before Dunkirk commanded by a little bold Britain though not the fifth part of the Army did contribut most to the late taking of that strong Praedatory Town And the King of Portugal acknowledgd that in this years great Defeat 1663. he gave Don Iohn of Austria neer Ebora that Brigade of English who servd there though not much considerable in number did perform the toughest part of the service and first shewd them the way of using the Rests of the Musquet to knock down the Enemy which made the French-men cry out Faisons comme les Anglois Let 's do as the English The Sixth Paragraph Touching the Ancient and Long-lind Extraction Decendency and Bloud-Royal of the Kings of Great Britain c. THe Races of Kings may be said to be like great Rivers that stream out into divers large Channels and Arms which become great Rivers of themselfs afterward Or like huge Trees which use to stretch their Branches beyond the Ocean where being inoculated and graffd they make divers other Royal Trees to sprout out of them in Forren Soyls Ther were divers Royal Ingraftings of this kind that Great Britain had with the chiefest Potentats and some of them Imperial The first was before the English took footing here between the Emperour Constantius and Helene a Britain born and Mother to Constantine the Great the first Christian Emperour for this Iland was held in such high esteem by the Roman Emperours when they had almost all the world besides that divers of them kept their Courts here among whom Severus and Constantius died at York which City may deservedly vaunt of two things viz. that two Roman Emperours were buried and a third born in her viz. Constantin the Great After the Saxons came this Iland also continued in such a repute that Ethelwolph Son to King Egbert Anno 830. married the Lady Iudith calld the Fair for her extraordinary Bewty and Daughter to the Emperour Charles le Chauue Granchilde to Charlemain The Emperour Otho the Great married the Sister of King Athelstan whose friendship was so much sought by all his Neighbouring Kings that they wooed for it by rich Presents which made the King of France send him the sword of Constantin the Great in the Hilt wherof ther was one of the Nails that fastned Christ to the Cross He sent him also the Spear of Charlemain The King of Norway sent him a curious Ship with a Gilt Stem Purple Sayls and the Deck garnishd all with Gold The Emperour Otho his Brother-in-law sent him a Vessel of precious stones artificially made wherein were Landskips with Vines Corn and Reapers so much to the Life that they seemd to move and act c. Ther have been eight Nuptial Conjunctions twixt Great Britain and France besides the Scots alliance with that Country The first was about the yeer 900. twixt Charles the first of France and the Lady Ogine Daughter to Edward Son to King Alfred that admired Saxon King who is so famous in story for divers signal things for He cleerd the whole Kingdome of the Danes who had so much infested and harassd it He Founded the University of Oxford Anno 895. He was the first who divided England into Shires Hundreds and Weapontakes He divided the Natural Day also into three parts eight hours for Recreation and matters concerning his Health as sleep c. eight hours for Meditation and exercise of Piety and eight hours in Council and the publick Affairs of his Kingdome He Founded also Shaftsbury-Abby Winchester-Church and Eldinsey-Monastery The second Marriage with France was twixt Hen. 3. of England and the Lady Margaret Daughter to Lewis the seventh of France The third was between Edward the first that great Hero of his time and the Lady Margaret Daughter to Philip the Hardy of France The fourth twixt Edward the second and the Lady Isabel eldest Daughter to Philip le Bell King of France Mother to Edward the third of England who by right of her claimd and carried afterwards the Crown of France The fifth was twixt King Richard the second and the Lady Elizabeth Daughter to Charles the sixth of France but she was but his second Wife for his first was the Lady Anne Daughter to the Emperour Charles the Fourth The sixth was between Henry the fifth of England and the Lady Katharine another Daughter to Charles the sixth of France The seventh was twixt Lewis the twelfth of France and the Lady Mary second Daughter to King Henry the seventh of England The eighth and last Inoculation twixt the Rose and the Flower
de Luce was that of Charles the first of England with the Lady Henrietta Maria of Bourbon youngest Daughter to Henry the great of France In which Matches England hath had six Daughters of France and France two of England By the fourth Match twixt Ed. 2. and Isabel eldest Daughter to Philip le Bell Edward the third of England being her eldest son was Heir to the Crown of France and demanding his Right therunto he was answered La Couronne de France n'est pas lièe à la quenouille That the Crown of France was not tied to a Distaff wherunto he replyed That he would then tie it to his Sword and he was as good as his word But Henry the fifth some fourscore years after tied it faster for he reducd Charles the sixth to such terms that after his death he shold immediately possess the Crown and Kingdome of France and that in the interim the Dauphin his son afterwards Charles the seventh shold be disinherited That in the interim King Henry shold be Regent of France in regard the present King was sometimes crazd in his Intellectuals That he shold take to Wife the Lady Isabel Daughter to the said Charles All which Capitulations not onely the King but the chiefest Peers and Nobility of France did consent unto and ratifie by solemn Oath obliging themselfs further to uphold and assist Henry of England with his lawful Heirs and Successors against Charles the Dauphin whom his Father had legally disinherited Hereupon Henry the fifth dying in France a Death much too soon and immature for so brave a man his son Hen. 6. was proclaimd King of England and France in Paris In which publick Proclamation t is very observable how England had the precedence and therupon the chiefest of the Officers of the Crown and Nobles swore Fealty and Alleageance unto him divers of which Nobles grew afterwards Apostats and joynd with the Dauphin Against Edward the thirds Right the Salique Law was alledgd which they wold force and pin upon a Text of Scripture Lilia neque nent c. The Lilies neither spin c. But though King Edward had cut the Labels of that Law with a victorious sword yet it was not quite cancelld Nor indeed could it be possibly done for it was but a kind of Chymera a meer imaginary Law and one of the Authentiqust French Historians Du Haillan hath no better opinion of it They who are the greatest Champions of that Law acknowledg that it was at first a particular Topical Law made at Salem a place upon the Rhine but they have stretchd it since to all France As if the Law of Gavelkind which is peculiar to Kent and other distinct places shold be made to extend it self and be in force all England over But some ther are that will not allow any Essence at all to the Salique Law no not to be a Local restraining Law to the foresaid place neer the Rhine Therfore the same answer may be fit to be given un to the Assertors of It as was given by the Venetians to the Pope when ther happening a clash between them touching the Sea about Ancona which they alledgd belongd to the Venetian Gulf wherof they had the Dominion And the Pope demanding what warrant they had for it t was answered by a kinde of Sarcasine If your Holines please to produce the Instrument wherby the Emperour Constantine the Great passd over the City of Rome to your predecessors upon the back of that Grant your Holines will find Saint Marks Charter to the Souverainty of the Adriatique Gulph whence an Intimation was made that neither of the Charters had ever any being which may be justly applied to the Salique Law And besides that du Haillan though a French-man in the first Volume of his History confutes that Law It is confirmd also that ther never was any such Law in France by the testimony of the Duke of Burgundy who when Philippe le long was created King he openly cryed out against his Creation alledging that the Kingdom of France belonged then to Iane daughter unto Hutin King of France formerly but to stop his mouth Philip was forcd to make a Gift unto him of the Dukedom of Burgundy in dower with his eldest daughter But touching the Title of Henry the Fifth which was confirmed by Solemne Agreement and Sacramental Oaths the French found out another Evasion For it was avouchd That the Kingdom of France goeth not by Descent or Inheritance but by Succession which is grounded not upon a Law but upon Custom by vertu wherof the next of the Bloud Royal be He of the furthest degree that may be to the kindred succeedeth not as lawful Heir but as a Successor by Custom not newly invented but of long continuance even from the time of Pharamond But this new-devised Objection is refuted also by the foresaid Du Haillan one of the prime French Historiographers and a French-man born who reckons up a long Catalog of French Kings which did not succeed one another but were chosen one after another Another Objection was also suggested that Charles the sixth who made the foresaid Contract with Henry of England was no better then a Lunatique though he had somtimes Lucida Intervalla Wherunto it is answerd that at the time when that Agreement passd He had a lucid interval and was in his right wits and memory Besides the chiefest Nobility of the Realm were parties in ir and did not only consent but obligd themselfs by Oath to the performance of it Ther was a third Objection which kept a higher noise viz. That the King of France cannot alienate the Demeanes Rights Titles and Interests of the Crown without the consent and suffrage of the Assembly of Three Estates which was not had then because a great part of the Peers Nobles and others were then absent Whereunto t is answerd That in claims which go by plurality of voices it is not always necessary that all shold be present if the greater and better part of them be there specially if after Citation the rest absent themselfs For although the point that concerneth All shold be approvd by All yet as Civilians hold when some or all may approve or disallow the things which concern Them and They will not be present to shew their consent or dislike their Absence shall not prejudice the stipulation of the Contract And in this great business twixt two Kings those who were away were Traytors to Charles the sixth for they were in arms against him by taking part with the Dauphin who was in Rebellion against his Father at that time Therfore their absence could not in any respect prejudice the validity of so solemn a Contract wherupon depended Peace or War The fourth Objection carried more of pusillanimity with it then strength of proof viz. That when the foresaid Contract was made the English had almost over-run all France and that the King was coopd up in a corner of the country Therfore
among Christians but of any other Nation upon earth As also the first King who gave Royal Arms His Coat being Azure nine Crowns Or marshalld 3. 3. 2. and 1. Afterwards the Saxon Kings gave Arms And Edward the Confessors Coat was Azure a Cross patence between four Martelets Or. And as King Arthurs Round Table which is yet to be seen at Winchester had seats for twenty six Knights so it seems King Edward proportiond his number Now the occasion of it was That he having resolvd upon a War with France for attaining that Crown which was due unto him by his Mothers side He conceavd it advantageous to invite and engage to his party such as were of a Martial spirit And to that end erected a round Table at Windsore in imitation of King Arthur where they were entertaind with Tilts and Tournements magnificent Feasts and other Princely ways to unite and encourage them Philip de Valois who was in possession of the Crown of France went about to countermine him by erecting also the like Table in his Court and so drew many gallant and adventurous spirits that way and some out of England so that King Edward not finding this designe answerable to his mind he fell on another such as might prove more adherent and binding unto Him to which end he establishd this high Order of Chivalry consisting of twenty six persons of eminent note wherof He Himself and his Successors Kings of England were to be perpetual Souverains All of them were to be men of Heroick parts and such as shold be obligd by Oath and Honour to adhere unto Him upon all occasions which might be the probablest cause that he made the Garter for a Badg therof to be fastned about the left leg with a Buckle of Gold to be continually worn therfore are They stild Equites Periscelidis as was touchd before which hath its Etymologie from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Crura ambiens girding about the knee which alâ—…udes that those Knights shold be bound in one League and Confederation of love and affection severally one unto another and all of them in joynt service to the Souverain Some ther are who are of opinion that the Garter was given because that in a Battle where King Edward provd Victorious he had given the word Garter for a Signal Others in a derogatory way wold ground it upon the Countess of Salisburies Garter falling off from her in a dance and so taken up by the King But the Black Book in Winsore which deserves most faith in this point gives the first Reason for it Among other Laws that were enacted in the Chapter when this Order was first raysd one was That evry Knight by solemn Oath upon the Evangelists was sworn to defend the Honor and Quarrels the Rights and Lordship of the Souvrain c. Such a Sacramental Oath the Knights of the Bath also take which is To love their Sovrain above all earthly cretures and for his right and dignity to live and die c. Therfore I have often stood astonishd at the largeness of the consciences of some Knights of both these Orders who besides other astringing Oaths as those of Allegeance Supremacy c. could dispense with them All in the late Rebellion so far as not only not to adhere to their Sovrain Liege-Lord and King when his life was sought for by small and great Shots with other instruments of open hostility and slaughter but to appeer for to serve and stick unto the contrary party all the while Truly under favor I wold be-loth to exchange souls with them We will put a period to this Discours of the ancient Noble Order of St. George with a signal observation of Bodin's Decretum fuit in Collegio Equitum Periscelidis in Anglia ponere stemmata Regis Francorum ante caetera omnia post Principem Ordinis It was decreed in the College of the Knights of the Garter in England to put the Stems of the King of the French before all other except the Prince of the Order And the reason I conceive was that Philip the second whiles King of England was formerly put before But Bodin was herin deceavd for the Emperours Arms wherof ther have bin eight of the Order go before and have the precedence Out of the premises may be deducd this cleer Conclusion as a Meridian Truth that the Common Law of England in all things ayms at the Honour and glory the power and authority the Safeness and incolumity of the Sovrain Prince more then the Laws of any Country And wheras we had some touches before how the Common Law which is peculiar only to England hath the rationability of the Civil Law though not so digested to Method in regard it consists most of Custom Cases and presidents we will conclude this Paragraph with some principles wherin they both agree As Actori incumbit onus probandi The proof lies on the Accuser Nemo oportet esse sapientior legibus No man ought to think himself wiser then the Laws Ubi lex non distinguit ibi non est distinguendum We must not distinguish where the Law doth not Accessorium non ducit sed sequitur suum principale The Accessory doth not lead but follow the principal Volenti non fit injuria No wrong can be done to him who is willing Agentes Consentientes pari poena plectuntur Actor and consenter are to be punished alike Apices Iuris non sunt Iura The punctilios of the Law is no Law Nemo potest esse Iudex in propria causa No man can be Judge in his own cause Caveat Emptor Let the Buyer beware Contraria allegans non est audiendus Who alledgeth contraries is not to be heard Cujus est dare ejus est disponere The Giver may dispose of his gift as he pleaseth Quilibet in Arte sua est credendus Evry one is to be believed in his own Art Potestas derivativa non potest esse major primitiva A Commissioner cannot have greater power then He who gave him the Commission Dies Dominicus non est Iuridicus The Lords day is no day of Law Dormit aliquando Lex moritur nunquam The Law may sleep a while but never die Dilationes in Lege sunt odiosae Delays in Law are odious Facinus quot inquinat aequat All are principals in a crime Generale nihil certi implicat No certitude can be had out of generals Ignorantia non excusat Legem Ignorance of the Law doth not excuse the breach of it Lex non cogit ad impossibilia The Law doth not tie us to impossibilities Lex est summa Ratio The Law is the highest Reason Lex citius tolerat privatum damnum quà m publicum malum The Law tolerats a privat damage rather then a publick Mala Grammatica non vitiat Chartam False Latin doth not destroy a Deed Linea Recta semper praefertur transversali A right Descent is always preferrd before a Collateral in
we think that Right to appertain still to the Crown of England notwithstanding that the Territories and Dominions of the Kingdome of Spain be propagated and amplified which in the right estimation of things prevails not or ought to prevail twixt Christian Princes touching this question For then other Kings and Princes would assume a right of Precedence above others to whom now they grant it ever and anon if their Dominions increase Moreover touching this present controversie about Precedence ther is another thing which doth not unworthily offer it self to be examined by your Judgements which is That one of Us which the most serene Queen our Mistress hath chosen her Ambassador to conclude this Treaty of Peace is one who daily resides in that quality in the Court of the most Christian King which Dignity with all Prerogatives he retains as long as he sojourns in France But the first of you although he be Ambassador to the Catholick King with the most serene Archduke and being out of the Dominions therof he puts off that quality and dignity We think also that our Ambassador in whom this Dignity is multiplyed and shines more ought by right to be preferred before any that is appointed by a single and bare title onely for this great Treaty Therfore if you please let this Question be pretermitted with deep silence and let this Prerogative remain and dwell in the most serene Queen our Mistress to whom it justly belongs and appertains so we shall more cheerfully apyly our selfs to the business for which we are come All this we desire may be candidly and frendly accepted according to the prudence and moderation of your illustrious and magnificent Lordships as proceeding from the Observances and Religion of our Office not with any dessein to consume time or raise contentions Bullen 26 Maii 1600. Henry Nevil Iohn Harbert c. The Spanish Ambassadors made an answer herunto which we reserve for the third Section wherin the Arguments of Spain for Precedence are set down wherof one of the strongest he urgeth is the Multiplication and encrease of Dominions which according to Besoldus and Cassaneus with other great Civilian Jurists is no Argument at all in regard it doth not hold among ordinary Nobility As for example He of Arundel is first Earl in England He of Angus in Scotland And He of Kildare in Ireland by the Laws of Heraldry and Hereditary Right Put case that some other of their fellow Earls in either Kingdome shold grow richer and have more Mannors Possessions and Lordships yet they will not offer to take place or precedence so the Argument may hold A minori ad majus For if it be so among Noble-men much more shold this Rule have validity among Souvrain Princes I will go on with a passage that happend in Paris a little above twenty years since Hugo Grotius residing at Paris in quality of Ambassador for the Crown of Sweden attempted to make his Coaches go before those of the Earl of Leicester pretending a right of Precedence because the King of Sweden whom he represented was King of the ancient Goths and Vandals c. which was under favor but a feeble Argument For ther were Kings of Great Britain thousands of years before the Goths or Vandals were scarce known to the Christian world nor do any stories make mention of them until a little after the declinings of the Roman Empire about the year 350 from the Incarnation nor came they to be Christians till a long time after And it is the Position of Grotius himself in his Book de Iure Belli Inter Reges quâ—… primo Christianismum professi sunt praecedunt Who first professd Christianity ought to precede Moreover the King of Denmark entitles himself King of the Goths and Vandals as well But my Lord of Leicester carried himself so like himself that our Swedish Ambassador was put behind with a Disgrace somewhat answerable to his Presumption and to the explosion of the Spectators Now Let the prudent and unpassionat Reader weigh with leasure the foregoing Particulars and reserve his Judgement till he hath run through the Reasons and Arguments of the other two Kings in order to a Precedency T is time now to cross over to France and produce the Arguments of that King faithfully extracted out of the most receavd and celebrated Authors who assert his Right to sit next the Emperour upon all occasions As Cassanaeus Ferhaut Besoldus Carolus de Grasseliis Hierome Bignon Pierre Matthieu c. And let this be a close to the First Section The second Section Consisting of the Reasons wherby the French King pretends and claims Priority of Place and Proximity of Session next the Emperour at all Solemn Meetings and in all publik Transactions of State c. Which Reasons In regard they lie confusd and scatterd in other Authors we will reduce to Ten Heads or Arguments wherof the first shall be drawn 1. A Nobilitate Regni from the Nobleness of the Kingdome 2. The second A Nobilitate Regionis from the Nobleness of the Country 3. The third A Noblitate Regiminis from the Nobleness of the Government 4. The fourth A Religione Nobilitate Ecclesiae from Religion and the Nobleness of the Church 5. The fifth A Nobilitate Gentis multitudine Subditorum from the Nobleness of the Nation and multitude of Subjects 6. The sixth A plenitudine Regiae Potestatis from the absolutness of Regal Authority 7. The seventh A Potentia ipsius Regni from the Power of the Kingdome it self 8. The eighth Ab opulentia ipsius Regni from the Riches thereof 9. The ninth A Fortitudine Rebus in Bello gestis from Valour and Exploits done in the War 10. The tenth and last Argument shall be drawn ab Exemplo Antiquitate from Examples and Antiquities Of the first Argument A Nobilitate Regni from the Nobleness of the Kingdome THer is a speech drawing neer to the nature of a Proverb Great Britain for an Iland France for a Kingdome Milan for a Duchy and Flanders for a County or Earldome are preferrable before all other They are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their kind this shews the supereminence of the Kingdome of France Ther is also a signal saying of the Emperour Maximilian the first who being in some Critical Discourses with his Lords about the Dominions of Europe broke out into this high Encomium of France That if it could stand with the Order of Nature and the Plesure of the Almighty that any mortal Man were capable to be a God of the Elementary world and that I were He I would so make my last Will and Testament in the disposing of my Estate That my eldest Son shold be God after me but my second shold be King of France This saying or excess of speech must be interpreted with a sane sense for the Emperour meant nothing els hereby but to intimate his opinion touching that potent and noble Kingdom which Kingdom hath continued an Heredetary
appeer in a fitting equippage all which consumes time as also what high ceremonies are to be usd in so solemn an action Philip Comines who always dismisseth his Readers wiser then they came gives special Cautions for this Affirming that the congress of Souverain Princes in regard of the various circumstances that attend it is a meer folly it is exposd to emulation jelousies and envy as also to delays and retarding of things by needless solemnities He makes an instance in the personal Encounter which the Kings of England and France had where it is observable that he puts England before France adding further that Lewis the eleventh though a politik wise King was much afraid before-hand that some word might slip from him which might give offence or some advantage to the King of England or his Ministers Herunto he adds an infortunat Journey that the King of Portugal made to the said King Lewis for assistance against the Castilians which perhaps he might have procurd by a discreet Ambassador which makes him give a caution touching this point Bien tard â—…n Prince se doit mettre soubs la main d'un autre ni aller cercher son secours en personne A Prince shold hardly put himself under the hands of another or go seek aid of him in person Paulus Emilius also describing the personal meeting that was between King Richard of England and Philip Augustus of France who also in the relation puts him of England before France saith that their often Conversation and Colloquies did much retard and disadvantage the great business of an Expedition to the Holy Land We will adde herunto the memorable example twixt Matthias King of Hungary and Uladislaus King of Bohemia who after a long War were to meet for concluding a peace in Olmutts in Moravia where Matthias meerly out of state made Uladislaus stay for him 15 days Moreover Matthias came with a green Garland about his temples in policy that he might not uncover his head Uladislaus therupon causd his Cap to be so girded and knotted about that it could not be taken off Sic Ars dâ—…luditur arte But ther is a Modern Example far more pregnant then any of these of Charles the first King of England whose Journey to the Court of Spain though the designe was Princely and Noble in it self for it was to endear himself the more to the Lady Infanta yet it provd very disadvantagious for it distracted and retarded the whole business both of Match and restitution of the Palatinat when by the negotiation of Ambassadors it had bin brought to such a passe of perfection that it had taken effect had not the Prince come thither which gave occasion for the two great Favorits Buckingham and Olivares to clash one with another which broke the neck of so great a Business that had bin a moulding above ten yeers which had it bin left to the sole management of Ambassadors had in all probability bin consummated Thus we see how absolutly requisit and necessary how advantagious and essential Ambassadors are to a Kingdom or Common-wealth which made the Roman Orator say Sentio Legatorum munus tum Hominum Praesidio munitum esse tum etiam Divino Iure circumvallatum I â—…old the function of Ambassadors to be fencd by mens power and fortified by Divine right We will conclude with a Cannon of the Civilians Legatorum munus perquam utile est ac perquam necessarium The Office of Ambassadors is most 〈◊〉 and most necessary which makes the Spaniards call it Santo Officio y Ministerio de los Angeles The holy Office and Ministry oâ—… Angells The third Paragraph Of the Antiquity the first Rise and Pedigree of Ambassadors as also of their Dignity high Honor and Pre-eminence and who are capable to qualifie and employ Ambassadors FRom the Necessity of Ambassadors we will proceed to their Antiquity and surely they must needs be very ancient if they are so necessary Some draw their antiquity from Belus the Father of Ninus but Iosephus makes them more ancient and refers their Original to God Himself who was pleasd to create the Angels for this Ministry Therfore Embassy in Greek is calld 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being derivd by imitation from the Hierarchy of Angels who are made the Ambassadors of the great King of Heven upon extraordinary occasions either for revelation of the successe of Kingdoms as the Archangel Gabriel was to Daniel Or for the declaring of some rare and signal thing as He was sent also to the Blessed Virgin of the Conception of our Saviour c. Now ther is no Order or Government in this lower World as well Ecclesiastical as Secular but it is had from the Pattern of the higher in regard that God Almighty created the Elementary World and appointed the Government therof to conform with the Architype and chief Pattern or Ideal Form of the same conceavd at first in the Divine mind and prescribd to the Hevenly Kingdome Herunto alludes the Fiction of the ancient Pagans For Aristides tels us that in the first Age of the World wheras Mankind was infected by Brute Animals wherof some were far stronger others swifter others were Venemous which made Mankind become often a prey to Birds to Beasts and Serpents Prometheus being sollicitous and studious for the safety of the humane Creture became Ambassador or Orator to Iupiter for declaring the misery of Mankinde Herupon Iupiter resolvd to send his son Mercury to teach Man Rhetorik that is to speak well and movingly but with this restriction that he shold not communicat this Art to all but to the excellentst the wisest and valiantst sort of men By means herof they came down from the mountains and forth out of Caves and places of fastness and by means of that Art of Rhetorik or Eloquence they united themselfs to civil Societies and coalitions Hence it may be inferrd that Mercury the God of Eloquence was the first Ambassador and he is painted with wings on his heels to denote expedition Besides he carrieth a white Wand calld Caduceus in his hand encircled with two Dragons greeting one another which signifieth that his Office is to make Peace Alliances and Legues as also to de nounce VVar which is intimated by the immanity of the Dragon Having thus displayed the Antiquity we come now to the Honor of Ambassadors and questionless they must needs be very honorable being so ancient Royalty may be said without prophaness to be a Ray of Divinity and Honor is a Ray of Royalty The first is derivd immediatly from Heven the other from Earthly Kings who are calld the Fountains of Honor. Now the reflections of this second Ray falls no where so directly as upon Ambassadors who represent and personat Souverain Princes which makes their Houses Sanctuaries and their Persons so sacred inviolable and excellent and they have this high honor given them not only for their own sakes and their Masters but as they are Instruments of
after they desird new audience which was suspended to be given them and in the interim the King sent Sir Edward Conway his principal Secretary of State and Sir Francis Cottington Secretary to the Prince both Lords afterwards to signifie unto the said Ambassadors that he desird nothing more then a continuance of frendship twixt the two Crowns therfore if they had any thing to say they shold communicat it to the said Secretaries as persons of trust which he employd expresly for that purpose and if they made any difficulty of this also then they might choose among his Council of State those whom they likd best and he wold command that they shold presently repair unto them and if this also shold seem inconvenient they might send him what they had to say in a Letter by whom they thought fittest and he wold receave it with his own hands But they gave no answer to all this therupon the said Secretaries told them according to their Instructions which they had receavd from his Majesty That they being the Authors of an Information so dangerous and seditious had made themselfs incapable to treat further with the King their Master and were it not for the respect he bore to the Catholik King his dear and beloved Brother their Master and that they were in quality of Ambassadors to such a Majesty he wold and could by the Law of Nations and the right of his own Royal Justice proceed against them with such severity as their offence deservd but for the reasons before said he wold leave the reparation to the Justice of their own King of whom he wold demand and require it Herupon Sir Walter Ashton Ambassador then in Spain for the Crown of England had audience of that King wherin he said That the King of Great Britain his Master had commanded him to demand refaction and satisfaction of his Majesty against the Marquiss of Inojosa and Don Carlos Coloma for scandalizing the Duke of Buckingham with other of his best subjects and through his sides aiming at the Prince himself for it is unlikely the Duke wold have cast himself upon such a designe without the communication of it to him and to know his plesure so he remonstrated the whole circumstance of the business c. And in conclusion he said That he humbly beseechd his Majesty to observe and weigh well the care and tenderness wherwith the King his Master had proceeded towards his Majesties Ambassadors not obliging them to any precipitat resolutions but giving them time and opening a way how they might have cleerd themselfs c. It was expected that the said Ambassadors at their return to Spain wold have bin punishd or at least checkd but matters growing daily worse and worse twixt England and Spain the said Ambassadors were rather rewarded then reprehended at their return Inojosa being made afterwards Governor of Milan and Coloma receavd addition of command and honors in Flanders But the high civilities of England at that time towards the said Ambassadors was much cryed up abroad that notwithstanding so pernicious a machination to demolish Buckingham and to discompose the whole English Court yet they were permitted to depart peaceably and Sir Lewis Leukner was commanded to conduct them to the Sea-side for prevention of any outrage upon their persons We have dwelt the longer upon this business in regard ther are extraordinary traverses of State in it being a Plot of an unusual reach of policy which will be found more amply related in the addition the Author made to Finets Ambassador but in regard it is so pertinent to this Paragraph he thought it fit to insert the substance of it here We will now resume things touching the Office of an Ambassador It is very necessary he shold have his Credential Letters exact and plain His Commission plenary and fortified with as much authority as he can The Spanish Ministers when the Prince of Wales was there objected against the Duke of Buchingham that his Commission for he came also in quality of Ambassador was not so compleat and authentik as that of the Earl of Bristols for he had his Commission under the Broad Seal of England wheras the Duke had his by the King only The Civilians make a question Si à Legato Mandata poscantur is adigi possit ad ea exhibenda Their opinion is That besides his Credential or Fiduciary Letters and his General Commission he is not bound to shew any more Touching his privat Instructions Paschalius saith Mala eum agitat res qui in Legati Secreta irreligiose irrumpit It is questiond further Whether it may stand with the Office and Honor of an Ambassador to receave Gifts and Presents from the Prince he is sent unto which the Civilians call Lautia a word peculiar only to Ambassadors some are for the Negative which the Hollanders do follow for their Ambassadors use to receave none not so much as a Bottle of Wine But most are for the Affirmatif But the Venetians who are reputed to have the best Rules touching Ambassadors though they allow it yet their Ambassadors are bound to exhibit their Presents to the Senat and t is thought much of St. Marks tresure consists of it They are also bound in a large Oration to give an account besides that of their Embassy what they observd most remarkable in the Government State and Quality of the Country of which Oration they bring also a Manuscript which is put up in their Archives Iohn Earl of Bristol at his departure from Madrid notwithstanding that the weather had grown foul twixt us and Spain receavd a Cupboard of huge massie Plate valued at 20000 Crowns of this King of Spain who also gave him a Diamond Ring off his Finger rated at 1500 l. sterling and the reason was because he had found him so wise faithful and industrious a servant to his King The Civilians make likewise a doubt whether it may not interrupt the Office of an Ambassador to have his Wife and Children along with him but they who hold the contrary are rather exploded then approved For to leave his Wife is for one to leave half himself behind him besides Conjugal society is counted the prime of comforts moreover it saves trouble of Writing and charges for Letters and Packets which come to no small sum at the yeers end c. We will conclude this Paragraph with two special things which the Civilians require further for the performance of the Office of an Ambassador viz. That he be reservd and secret in an intense degree he must not be Plenus Rimarum full of chinks and herin the Italian and Spaniard are eminently imitable for all the Drugs in Egypt cannot draw away a secret from them wheras a small Purge or Vomit will make others cast it up Furthermore that an Ambassador may facilitat the discharge of his Office the better it is requisit that he have a previous knowledg of the Court and Country wherunto he is
person with his Mother and most of the chief Peers came to meet Him as far as Amyens above two days distant from Paris He carried with him 140000l sterling a prodigious sum in those days though Silver was but 20d an Ounce He transported that vast sum with him to assist the French King and other Confederats in a War against Charles 5. Emperour Ther is no History can parallel this Embassy it was performd with such a glorious Equippage Besides the Ambassador had such a Plenipotentiary and transcendent Cummission that he gave the Law both to France and the Popedome and he comported himself with such dexterity and high wisdome that all the Princes of Christendome who had their eyes fixt upon him admired him This second example shall be of another strain of Gallantry by Sir Ierome Bowes who was employd Ambassador to the Emperor of Russia who was cryed up for a Tyrant Sir Ierome at his first audience having some affronts offerd to be put upon him that he shold put off his Hat els it shold be naild to his head he was not a whit daunted but kept it on still saying he had no such commission from the Queen his Mistress Therupon the Emperour slighting the Queen in comparison of the Emperour of Germany who was the only Prince Paramount Sir Ierome replyed That his great Mistresses Father had the Emperour his Majesty speaks of to serve him in the Wars and receavd pay of him Wherupon with a kind of astonishment at his courage he parted peaceably But afterwards being advancd in his Journey as far as Archangel and being embarkd ther came some of the Emperours Officers with Presents of rich Furs for the Queen and some for himself and being come to the side of the ship with them He wold not suffer them to board but drawing out his Sword said My Mistress the Queen of England hath no need of your Catskins nor I neither therfore you may carry them back Ambassadors being sent to Bourbourgh to treat of a Truce betwixt the King of Spain and the Hollanders Doctor Dale was sent for an assistant and coming to kiss the Queens hands she told him That understanding he was a Learned Man and a good Civilian she made choice of him for that employment and she wold allow him 20s a day He humbly thankd her Majesty and said he wold spend nineteen of them evry day for her Majesties honor therupon the Queen asking him what he wold do with the other odd shilling he replyed I will keep that for my Wife Kate so the Queen encreasd his allowance Being assembled to treat ther was a Debate in what Language they shold treat the Spanish Ambassador thinking to put a jeer upon our Ambassadors said Let us treat in French for your Queen is Queen of France No said Doctor Dale then let us treat in Hebrew for your Master the King of Spain calls himself King of Ierusalem Sir Edward Herbert late Earl of Cherberry being Ambassador in France it happend that he had a clash with the great Favorit and Constable Luynes which was thus Sir Edward had receavd privat Instructions from England to mediat a Peace for Them of the Religion and in case of refusal to use certain Menaces Hereupon He coming to the Army which was then before St. Iean d'Angely where the King was in person and he finding that the approches to the Town were almost finishd He hastned his address to the King for an audience The King referrd him to Luynes desiring that what he had to say might be imparted unto Him Wherupon he went accordingly to Luynes Lodgings and deliverd his Message but so that he reservd the latter part which was Menaces until he heard how the business was relishd Luynes had hid behind the Hangings a Gentleman of the Religion who was upon point of turning Roman that being an Ear-witness of what had passd between the English Ambassador and Luynes he might relate unto Them of the Religion what little hopes they were to expect from the intercession of the King of England The Ambassador and Luynes having mingled some Speeches the language of Luynes was very haughty saying What hath your Master to do with our Affairs why doth he meddle with our Actions Sir Edward replyed It is not you to whom the King my Master doth owe an account of his Actions and for Me t is enough that I obey Him In the mean time I must maintain that the King my Master hath more reason to do what he pleaseth to do then you have to ask why he doth it Nevertheless if you desire me in a gentle fashion I shall acquaint you further Wherupon Luynes bowing a little said Very well The Ambassador answerd That it was not on this occasion only that the King of Great Britain had desired the peace and prosperity of France but upon all other occasions whensoever any troubles were raisd in that Country And this he said was his first reason The second was That when a Peace was setled there his Majesty of France might be better disposd to assist the Palatin in the affairs of Germany Luynes said We will none of your advices The Ambassador replyed That He took that for an answer and was sorry only that the affection and good will of the King his Master was not sufficiently understood and that since t was rejected in that manner He could do no less then say that the King his Master knew well enough what He had to do Luynes answerd We are not afraid of you The Ambassador smiling a little replyed If you had said you had not loved us I shold have beleevd you and made you another answer in the mean time all that I will tell you more is this That we know very well what we have to do Luynes herupon rising a little from his Chair with a fashion and countenance much discomposd said By God if you were not Monsieur the Ambassador I know very well how I wold use you The Ambassador râ—…sing also from his Chair said That as he was his Majestie of Great Britain's Ambassador so he was also a Gentleman and that his Sword wheron he laid his hand shold do him reason if he had taken any offence After which Luynes replying nothing the Ambassador went on his way towards the door and Luynes seeming to accompany him the Ambassador told him That after such Language ther was no occasion to use such ceremony and so departed expecting to hear further from him But no message being brought him from Luynes he did in poursuance of his Instructions demand audience of the King at Coignac St. Iean d'Angely being now renderd up who granting it he did in the same terms and upon the same motives mediat a Peace for Them of the Religion and receavd a far more gentle answer from the King The Marshal of St. Geran coming to Sir Edward Herbart told him in a frendly manner You have offended the Constable and you are not in
a place of surety here Wherunto he answerd That he held himself to be in a place of surety whersoever he had his sword by him Luynes little resenting the affront he had receavd from Sir Edward Herbert got Cadenet his Brother Duke of Chaune with a ruffling Train of Field-Officers neer upon a hundred wherof ther was not one as Cadenet told King Iames but had killd his man I say this Man came Ambassador Extraordinary to England a little after who mis-reporting the Traverses twixt Herbert and Luynes prevailed so far that Sir Edward Herbert was presently revokd to answer the Charge that shold be laid against him In the mean time the Earl of Carlile was employd Ambassador Extraordinary to France for accommodating Le Mal Entendu which might arise betwixt the two Crowns Carlile was commanded to inform himself of the truth of the business aforementiond and he could meet with no relation but what Luynes had made himself wherin more affronting and haughty expressions were laid to Sir Edward Herberts charge then had truly passed For though the first provocation came from Luynes yet the Ambassador kept himself within the bounds both of his Instructions and Honor. But as my Lord of Carlile was ready to send this mis-information to England the Gentleman formerly spoken of who stood behind the Hangings came to the Earl of Carlile and said That he owd so much duty to Truth and Honor that he could do no less then vindicat Cavalier Herbert from all indiscretion and unworthiness and therupon related the true circumstance of the business which was as it was before told The Earl of Carlile being thus rectified in knowledg of the truth gave account to King Iames accordingly who cleerd Sir Edward Herbert and resolvd to renvoy him Ambassador to France wherof he having notice He kneeld to the King before the Duke of Buckingham and desird that since the business was publik in both Kingdoms he might in a publik way demand reparation of Monsieur Luynes for which purpose he beseechd his Majesty that a Trumpeter if not a Herald might be sent on his part to Monsieur Luynes to tell him That he had made a false relation of the passages before mentiond and that Sir Edward Herbert wold demand reason of him with sword in hand on that point The King answerd that he wold take it into consideration but Luynes a little after died and Sir Edward Herbert was sent Ambassador to France again Iohn the late Earl of Bristol being Ambassador in Spain had many clashes with the Alguazils and the Alcalde himself together with divers Officers to preserve the Privileges of his House in point of Sanctuary which was done with much courage and discretion But ther was one signal passage among divers other One Scoppius had publishd an infamous base Book against King Iames and being in Flanders where Sir Iohn Benet was sent for among other things to demand Justice of the Archduke upon him he had fled to Madrid and the Earl being in despair to get him punishd there where the Iesuits are so powerful he employd a good resolut Gentleman Mr. George Digby his Kinsman to give the said Scoppius a Balaâ—…re or slash ore the face which he did to some purpose for t is athwart ore his face and his mouth that had offended which he carried as a mark of Revenge to his Grave The said Earl being also employd Ambassador to the Emperour in the heighth of the Wars for the Palatinat and returning neer Heydelberg or therabouts where Count Mansfelts Army was upon which the greatest strength of the Palsgrave depended which Army being ready to disband for want of Pay the Earl of Bristol pawnd his whole Cupboard of Plate to find mony for the said Army els all had bin lost at that time Such an extraordinary Noble Act and beyond Commission the Earl of Leicester did propose also to do when he was Ambassador to the King of Denmark For wheras that King made a delay to pay the Portion which was due unto the Lady Elizabeth out of the Estate of Queen Sophia her Granmother which amounted to about 150000 l. and which the said Earl had power to receave and the reason of the King of Denmarks delay being because ther were some accounts to be liquidated twixt his Nephew the King of Great Britain and Him The said Earl provided he might receave the said Portion due to the Lady Elizabeth to comfort her now in her great extremities offerd to engage besides his Honor all the Estate he had in England which his Majesty must partly know that this shold no way prejudice the accounts that were twixt Him and the King of Great Britain This motion of the Ambassadors was highly extolld by the King and all the Danish Court for the Nobleness of it The said Earl being afterwards Ambassador for many yeers in France he wold never give Precedence to Cardinal Richelieu and touching Hugo Grotius who as he was Ambassador for Sweden wold have made his Coaches drive before his he was put back avec un pied de nez with a Nose a footlong as is mentiond more at large in the last Paragraph of Great Britain which went before Liberorum Cerebri Sextus Post Quadraginta FINIS The Bookseller to the Reader THe Reason why ther is no Table or Index added herunto is That evry Page in this Work is so full of signal Remarks that were they couchd in an Index it wold make a Volume as big as the Book and so make the Postern Gate to bear no proportion with the Building CHR. ECCLESTON