dignities rents and possessions during their natural lives That after the death of Charles the present King of France the Crown and Realm of France should with all rights and appurtenances remain unto the King of England and his Heirs for ever That because of King Charles his infirmness and incapacity to dispose the affairs of the Realm of France therefore during his life the government thereof should be and abide to King Henry so that thenceforth he should govern the Realm and admit to his Councel and Assistance with the Councel of France such of the English Nobility as he should think fit c. The Number of Articles were thirty three which were sworn unto at Troyes May 30 1420 the same being proclaimed in London the 20 of June following These Articles were concluded betwixt the two Kings in the presence of divers of the chief Nobility both of England and France homage being sworn unto King Henry and he proclaimed Regent of France And on the third of June the marriage of Henry and Katharine was with all pompous solemnity celebrated at Troyes the Bishop of that See performing the ceremonies From Troyes the King of England and his Queen rode to Paris where great entertainment was gâ—ven and the more to weaken the Daulphins interest a Parliament of the three Estates was assembled in Paris where the disinherison of the Daulphin was confirmed In this Parliament was also the final accord betwixt the two Kings acknowledged by the French King as made by his free consent and liking and with advice of the Councel of France whereupon it was likewise there ratified by the General States of that Realm and sworn unto particularly upon the Holy Evangelists by the French Nobles and Rulers spiritual and secular who also set their Seals to the Instruments thereof Which Instruments were sent into England to be kept in the Kings Exchequer at Westminster Things now setled in France as well as that unsetled time would permit King Henry leaves the Duke of Clarence to be his Lieutenant there and hasts for England with his Queen whom he caused to be Crowned at Westminster in little time after their arrival in England Then called a Parliament in order to the raising of moneys for the continuing of the Conquest in France but some men minding more their private interest than the publique instead of being free thereto to contribute they petitioned the King to commiserate the poverty of the Commons which as they pleaded were beggered by the Wars wherefore without further pressing for any aid the King again pawned his Crown to his rich Uncle Cardinal Beauford for twenty thousand pounds and then returned into France with four thousand Horse and 24 thousand Foot And time it was for the Daulphins party was grown considerably strong by Aids sent from Scotland under the conduct of the Earl of Bucquhanan and Archibald Douglas who had given a defeat to a party of the English therein killing the valiant Duke of Clarence and taking prisoners the Earls of Huntingdon and Somerset and Thomas Beaufort After which the Daulphinois had laid siege to Alenzon and straitned the City of Paris by withholding provisions from it but when victorious Henry appeared the enemy betook them to their strong-holds many of which he gained in short time A. D. 1421 and Decemb. the sixth whilst King Henry lay before Meaux news was brought him that his Queen at the Castle of Windsor was delivered of a Son at which he exceedingly rejoyced yet said he liked not the place of her delivery having before commanded that she should not be delivered there and withal predicted that what Henry of Monmouth should gain Henry of Windsor should lose A. D. 1422 Queen Katharine passed beyond the Seas to the King into France and there in the Loure King Henry and his Queen Katharine at the Festival of Pentecost sate in their Royal Robes with their Imperial Crowns on their heads and kept there Court with great confluence of people But shortly after this renowned Prince fell sick of a burning Fever and Flux whereof he dyed August 31. 1422. His bowels were buried at St. Mauro de Fosses his body at Westminster next beneath the Tomb of Edward the Confessor Upon his Tomb Queen Katharine caused a Royal Picture to be laid covered all over with Silver-Plate gilt the head whereof was wholly of massy Silver All which at the Abbies suppression was sacrilegiously broken off and taken away His Issue was only Henry of Windsor T is said of him That he was a Prince godly in heart sober in speech sparing of words resolute in deeds provident in Councel prudent in judgment modest in countenance magnanimous in action constant in undertaking a great Alms-giver devout to Godward a renowned Souldier fortunate in field from whence he never returned without Victory He erected the Monasteries of Bethlem and Briget near unto Richmond gave Princely gifts to the Church of Westminster and Brother-hood of St. Giles without Cripple-gate-London He first instituted Garter principal King at Arms besides other augmentations to the Order of St George A. D. 1414 Sigismond the Emperour came into England desiring to make peace betwixt the two Nations of France and England but when that could not be effected he entred into a League with the English himself Sir Roger Acton Beverly Murley and some others were strangled and burned for an unlawful meeting in St. Giles-fields A. D. 1417. Sir John Oldcastle Lord Cobâ—am was adjudged as a Traytor to the King and Realm to be drawn through the streets to St. Giles-fields by London and there to be hang'd and burnt Three Popes were now at once mounted into St. Peters Chair namely Benedict Gregory and John therefore for preventions of mischief to the Church by this Schisme a Councel was held at Constance in Germany whither King Henry sent nine English Prelates one of which to wit Richard Clifford Bishop of London was the first nominated by the Councel to be Pope and he first nominated him that succeeded which was Otho Collonna by the name of Martin the fifth In the third year of this Kings reign and on Candlemas day seven Dolphins came up the River Thames four of which were taken An Act made in Parliament holden at Leicester That such who maintained Wickliffes doctrine were Hereticks and Traytors and to be hanged and burned By which Law Sir Roger Acton with divers others as also the Lord Cobham were put to death The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir VVilliam Cromar was Mayor John Sutton John Michael Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Falconer was Mayor John Michael Thomas Allen Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Nicholas Wotton was Mayor VVilliam Cambridge Alan Everard Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Henry Barton was Mayor Richard Whittington John Coventry Sheriffs In his fifth Year Richard Marlow was Mayor Henry Read John Gedney Sheriffs In his sixth Year VVilliam Sevenoke was Mayor John Brian
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
Matilda came to Winchester where sending for the Bishop being then the Popes Legate though he doubted some danger yet not daring to send a flat denyal returned this equivocal answer Ego parabo me I will make ready as though he had meant to follow the Messenger whereas he addressed himself to work her downfall For sending for his Brothers Queen Prince Eustace the Londoners and William Ypre he made strong his party for the King Himself and friends abiding in the City and the Empress keeping in the Castle not daring to adventure forth for about the space of Seven weeks When the Bishop to deceive Matilda commanded peace to be proclaimed and the City Gates to be set open But the Empress and her Friends now leaving the Castle to go to some other place were pursued by the Bishops forces in which pursuit many of her party were wounded and slain Earl Robert taken and others flying into the Nunnery of Warwell were burned together with the place And Winchester City the Bishop caused to be fired for the Citizens affections to the Empress The Empress who had escaped to the Castle of the Devizes and there in hazard to be surprized caused her self to be put into a Coffin as though dead bound fast with Cords and so as if it had been her dead Corps she was carried in a Horse-litter to Glocester King Stephen and Earl Robert being exchanged one for another the King now pursues Matilda and in Oxford besieged her wan the Suburbs thereof and brought her to that streight that for her escape in a great Frost and Snow she was forced in order to the deceiving of the Centinels eyes to cloath her self in white Linen Garments and so on foot to run through Ice and Snow Ditches and Vallies till she came to Abingdon where taking Horse she got the same night to Wallingford Castle After which many bickerings hapned betwixt the two parties with variable successes to and fro Sometimes in one part of the Nation Matilda's side prevailed in another part Stephens to the great ruine of the whole Realm However Stephen to assure the succession to his Son Eustace called a Councel at London commanding Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury to consecrate his Son King Which he refusing to do and that by the Popes special Mandate was forced to fly into Normandy the King seizing upon all his possessions But Eustace shortly after dying King Stephen inclined to peace and was content to adopt Henry Fitz-Empress for his Son and Successour To whom the Nobles at Oxford did homage as to the undoubted Heir and the Prince yielded Stephen the honour of a Father But King Stephen being afflicted with the Iliack passion together with his old Disease the Hemerhoids gave up the Ghost at Dover A. D. 1154 and was buried at Feversham in Kent Though his body afterward for the Lead-sake wherein it was wrapped was cast into the River He had Issue Balwine Eustace William Maud Mary and two natural Sons His Son Eustace in a rage set fire on the Corn-fields belonging to the Abby of Bury Theobald A.B. Cant. because the Monks denyed to help him to a sum of Money but afterwards sitting down to Dinner at the first morsel of Bread he put into his mouth he fell into a fit of madness and in that fit dyed King Stephen erected the Abbies of Cogshall in Essex of Farness in Lancashire the Nunneries at Carew and Higham an Hospital at York and Monastry at Feversham About the beginning of his Reign a Fire beginning at London-stone consumed Eastward to Aldgate and Westward to St. Pauls HENRY II. A.D. 1154. HENRY PLANTAGINET the Son of Maud the Empress and Earl Geofry of Anjou was Crowned at Westminster by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury And Henry to settle the Realm in quiet demolished certain Castles and fortified others Some Earls unduly created he reduced into a private condition purged the Realm of Foreign Soldiers chiefly of the Flemings Chose himself a Councel out of the most eminent persons spiritual and temporal and restrained the insolencies of some great personages which made some of them discontented especially that arrogant Lord Hugh de Mortimer who raised a Rebellion Against whom the King went in person where in the Siege of Bridge-North he had been shot with an arrow had not Hubert de St. Clare interposed and took the arrow into his own bosome The King having quieted the Rebels he hasted into France and there did homage to King Lewis for his French Provinces setled an accord between himself and Brother Geofry and at his return into England entred into amity with Malcolm King of Scots restoring to him the Earldom of Huntingdon Then he advanced against the Welsh with whom fighting his person was in great danger his Standard-royal cowardly abandoned for the which Henry de Essex Standard-bearer was afterward accused by Robert de Montford who in single combat within lists vanquished him at Reading where the said Essex was shorn a Monk But the King at length overcame the Welsh and returned with triumph into England after which himself and his Queen Eleanor were crowned at Worcester where they both at the Offertory laid their Crowns upon the high Altar vowing never to wear them after This now was the third time in which at three several places Westminster Lincoln and Worcester he had been crowned Then the King crost the seas into his Dukedom of Normandy where he made seizure of some Cities into his hands after his Brother Geofry's death and setled some affairs then returned After which and about the year 1163 began the famous Controversie betwixt the King and his Favourite Beâ—ket whom in the beginning of his reign he had advanced to be Lord Chancellor and upon the death of Theobald to be Archbishop of Canterbury Tho. Becket A.B. Cant. Which Archbishoprick Becket at the Council of Tours secretly delivered up to the Pope and received it again from his hands But the cause of the dissention betwixt the King and this Bishop was the remisness and neglect of Becket's curbing the disorders of the Church-men which then were grown to a dangerous height complaint having been made to the King of above a hundred Murders committed by the Clergy in his reign Which enormities besides many others of other kinds not being punished by Church-censure the King exceedingly displeased brought them under the Civil Power ordering that Justice should be administred to all alike without partiality as well Clergy as Laity appointing Ministers of Justice through all parts of the Land to that purpose against which Becket opposed himself peremptorily defending the pretended Rights of the Clergy and his See of Canterbury yea so far as that he challenged from the Crown the custody of Rochester Castle and other Forts which the King for securing his state had resumed into his own hands Hereupon the King assembling his Bishops at Westminster it was there agreed That none should appeal to the See of Rome in any case
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
he conquered a mighty Argosey called a Dromond wherein were a-Board a Thousand five hundred Saracens disguised under French-Flags furnished besides all other provisions with Fire-works Barrels or Cages of venomous Serpents for the use of the Sarazens at Ptolemais since called Acon Of the Sarazens he killed and drowned 1300 and then sailed safely to Acon Before which lay these Christian Nations the Genoways and Florentines Flemings Almains Danes Dutch Pisans Friezlanders Lombards and the English under Hubert Bishop of Sarum Besides the Knights Templers collected out of all Nations and also the aids of the Asians The King of France also came to the Siege Where whilst the Christians lay Sultan Saladin cut off the heads of 1500 Christian Captives in revenge whereof King Richard in sight of Saladines Host cut off above 2500 of the heads of Turkish Slaves The Siege before Acon was so well plyed notwithstanding sundry dissensions betwixt King Richard and Philip King of France the two competitors of glory in this Siege that the City of Acon was surrendred upon Articles Which done the French King envying the English Kings noble exploits though contrary to the French mens will returned into France having first given Oath to the King of England that he would well and faithfully keep the Lands and Subjects of King Richard and neither do damage to them himself nor suffer others to do it till Richards return Howbeit whilst Richard was busied in the Holy War the King of France after his return home devised how to trouble and endamage his Dominions but was hindred by his own Nobles In England the Peers and people were much discontented at the incredible insolencies and intolerable tyrannies of the Chancellor which though K. Richard heard of yet kept he himself imployed in the War wherein he performed many Heroic acts Within sight of Jerusalem he encountred Saladine slew a great number of his Soldiers took 3000 Camels 4000 Horses and Mules took his Carriage richly laden from Babylon rescued Joppa repulsing Saladine from thence He also assayed to regain Jerusalem but being in that Enterprize abandoned by the Duke of Burgundy he was perswaded to accept Saladines offers for a three years Truce Which having concluded and setled his affairs in the East he set sail homeward where in his passage his ships were scattered by tempest and driven hither and thither but he happily gaining the shore hoped in disguise as a Merchant to have free journeying through Germany But he being by the way over-free in his expences became suspected for another kind of man than a Merchant and near to Vienna was discovered and imprisoned by the Arch-Duke of Austria under pretence that he was guilty of the death of the Marquess Conrade at Tyre Then the person of this famous King being thought too great a booty for the Duke was gained into the Emperors hands whose usage towards him was very cruel and the ransome required for him most unreasonable being an Hundred thousand Marks sterling to himself and Fifty thousand more to himself and the Duke besides other conditions All which being yeilded unto and ingagement given for the performance Hubert A.B. Cant. after fifteen Months imprisonment he was set at liberty to the great joy of many Princes in those parts and to the unspeakable joy of his own Subjects in general though not of his brother John who with the King of France 't is said were some instruments for the procuring of his unhandsome usage But Ceur de Lyon escaping the way-layings of the Emperor who sent to re-take him after his release safely Landed at Sandwich whither Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury that had been with him in the Holy-Land came with a joyful heart to meet him whom when the K. saw he dismounted bowed his knee then fell upon the earth In like sort the Bishop lay upon the ground over against him till at last both of them rising up ran into each others arms comforting themselves with mutual embraces and weeping for joy His Brother John who had been false to him upon his submission he freely forgave calmly saying unto him Would that thy fault may so be forgotten of me as that thy self may keep in memory what thou hast done And after this the King restored his forfeited possessions to his brother John who from that time became faithful to him and did him very noble services especially against the French with whom Richard then warred In which wars this John Earl of Morton and Markadey Captain of the Routs had made an incursion up to Beauvois where the Bishop being also a Peer of the Royal Blood valiantly fighting was taken in the skirmish armed at all points on whose behalf the Pope wrote somewhat earnestly to K. Richard to set his very dear Son for so he called the Bishop at liberty The K. in a kind of pleasant earnestness caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop to be presented the Pope with this question See whether this be thy Sons Coat or not Whereupon the Pope replied That he was neither his Son nor the Son of the Church and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings pleasure because he was rather to be judged a Servitor of Mars than a Soldier of Christ In this War with the French the King amongst other victories obtained one of fame Taking an hundred Knights and Servitors on Horseback and Footmen without number Thirty men of Arms also 200 great Horse whereof an 140 had Barbs and Caparisons armed with Iron The King in his own person did most nobly for with one Spear he threw to the earth Matthew de Mummerancy Alan de Rusci and Fulk de Giservall and took them So have we vanquished the King of France at Gysors howbeit we have not done it but God and our right by us said the King in his Letter to the Bishop of Durham But the fatal accident is at hand which put an end to this renowned Warrior for the Viscount of Limoges having found a great hoard of Silver and Gold sent a great part thereof to King Richard as chief Lord with which the King being not contented came with some forces to the Castle of Châ—luz belonging to the Viscount where he supposed the riches were The Garrison of which place offered to yield the same to him and all therein if only their lives and limbs might be saved but the King would accept of no conditions bidding them to defend themselves as they could for he would enter by the Sword and hang them all Whereupon an Arbalaster standing upon the Wall and seeing his time charged his Steel-bow with a Square-Arrow making first his Prayer to God that he would direct that shot and deliver the innocency of the besieged from oppression then discharging it as the King was taking a view of the Castle mortally wounded him in the left shoulder the anguish and peril whereof was extreamly increased by the unskilfulness of the Chyrurgeon The Castle by continual assaults was taken and by
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
this famous Champion K. Philip by degrees gain'd all in Normandy even Roan it self Main Turain and Poictou revolted from King John and Angiers was betrayed All these losses happening through the default of some of the English Peers and Prelates For when the King was in readiness to take shipping for Normandy Hubert the Archbishop forbad him proceeding in the voyage the Peers also again refused to attend him Wherefore the King put many of his Earls Barons and Knights yea and Clergy-men also to a grievous pecuniary redemption and Huberts Wealth and Possessions who dyed the same year the King seized on This Hubert was suspected of too familiar practising with the King of France Upon the death of this Archbishop Hubert the Monks of Canterbury made choice of Reginald their Sub-Prior in his stead and the King after them of John Gray Bishop of Norwich a man of great wisdom But the Pope neglecting both these recommended Stephen de Langton to the Monks of Canterbury and Bishops of that Province to be presently chosen for their Primate Which the Monks unwilling and deferring to do Stephen Langton A.B. Cant. alledging that no Canonical Election could be made at Rome where was no consent neither of King nor Covent The Pope with choler replied That he had plenitude of Power over the Church of Canterbury and moreover that no consent of Princes used to be expected in Elections where the Pope was He therefore commanded them under pain of his high curse to accept him for their Primate Which all accordingly did though not without murmurations save one Elias de Brantford And to work the King into a compliance hereto the Pope sent him four Gold Rings with four precious stones an Emerald Saphire Ruby and Topaz signifying in his Letter sent with them that the Rings roundness must remember him of Eternity the quadrate number must mind him of Constancy and the four Cardinal Virtues Prudence Justice Temperance and Fortitude The Golds price of Wisdom the Emeralds greeness of Faith the Saphires brightness of Hope the Rubies redness of Charity and the Topaz's clearness of sanctity of life But King John for all these fond toys and fine words when he observed the Popes arbitrariness the dishonour arising to himself in being frustrated of his choice the prejudice to his Crown in having a Bishop thrust upon him without Sovereign consent the hazard to the State in having a French Favourite over the English with also the Monks disloyalty in yeilding to the Pope's Election He first of all proscribed the Monks as Traytors and after that writ Letters to the Pope wherein he alledged the wrongs done to himself and made his exceptions against Langton vowing immutably to stand for his own elect and to dye in defence of the liberties of his Crown likewise minding the Pope of his great profits he received from England menacing withall that if he were crossed in this he would then stop all from crossing the Seas to Rome To which Letters of the King the Pope answered very comminatory and shortly after viz. in A. D. 1208. because the King would be King in his own Dominions this Servus Servorum interdicted the whole Kingdom under which it lay for the term of six years and fourteen weeks without Gods service or Sacraments or Christian burial The Lay-people were tumbled like Dogs into every Ditch Howbeit the King to be even with the Pope proscribed the disloyal Clergy their revenues he confiscated their Bishopricks Abbies and Priories he put into Laymens hands and every-where they suffered wrong without ordinary protection of justice But some of the eminent Clergy detested the Popes savage proceedings as Philip Bishop of Durham and his Successor The Bishops of Winchester and Norwich they animated the King to contemn the Papal Curse and the Cistercian Abbots neglecting the Interdict continued their Divine Service till the Pope suspended them for their contempt Moreover the Pope to revenge himself on the King Anathematized him by name which caused many to desert his service for which he punished them by Fine Yet at length the better to secure himself and State the King was very desirous to come to an atonement and assured under his Seal that Archbishop Langton with the Bishops and Monks and others should be restored both to his favour and their possessions that Holy Church should have all its Franchises as in Edward the Confessors time But because he would not make full satisfaction to the Clergy for all confiscations and other emoluments received of them the Popes Nuncio's refused a peace with him And the Pope was so mad that he absolved all Kings and people poor and rich having dependence on him from all fealty and subjection to him whereupon Male-contents set themselves to work mischief The Welsh fall off from the King wherefore at Nottingham he hangs up their hostages 28 in number His Nobles many of them held themselves discharged of their Allegiance so rebel inviting the French King to their assistance and promising to settle the English Crown on his head Stephen Langton and other Bishops implore the Popes help to support the Church of England being at the point of ruine His officious Holiness thereupon decrees That K. John must be deposed and that he would â—ppoint one more worthy in his stead To effectuate which the Pope sent his Letters to Philip King of France requiring him to undertake the affair of dethroning the King of England and for his reward he should have pardon of all his sins besides the enjoying of the English Crown to him and his heirs for ever Also transmitting his Letters general to all Potentates Soldiers Men of War of all Nations to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and to follow Philip in this design assuring all that their assistance herein whether in person or purse should be no less meritorious than if they visited our Saviours Sepulcher The King of France accepts the offer and makes great preparation for the invading of England and King John raises a Land-Army and prepares a Royal Navy to withstand him But ere the French make their attempts Pandulph the Popes Messenger arrives in England and so wrought upon the King what by representing the danger he was in and what by flattering promises that King John not insensible of his desperate estate sware in all things to submit to the judgment of the Church And shortly after at the Knight-Templers House in Dover he surrendred his Crown into the hands of Pandulph for the use of the Pope laying at his feet his Scepter Robe Sword and Ring and subscribed to a Charter whereby he resigned his Kingdom to the Pope Professing he did it neither through fear or force but of his own free will as having no other way to make satisfaction to God and the Church for his offence And that from that time forward he would hold his Crown of the Pope paying a pension annual of a Thousand Marks for the Kingdoms of
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
reduced to that penury that he was forced to live upon the Alms of the Church This King designed at least pretended to go for the Holy Land when the Parliament granted him large Aids upon this condition That at this time once for all he should submit himself to govern by Law to confirm the Charters of Liberties or Magna Charta Against the breakers whereof a most solemn curse was pronounced The King swearing to keep all Liberties upon pain of that execratory sentence As he was a man a Christian a Knight and a King anointed and crowned Yet notwithstanding the Oath and the Curse the King two or three years after caused the Tenth of all England and Ireland to be collected for his own use and the Popes the Pope having given the Kingdom of Sicily to his Son Edmond but the English subjects were first to win it for him Which the Nobles peremptorily denied the attempting there being occasion enough for money and men at home the Welsh having risen in rebellion Against whom Prince Edward was sent who though he wanted not for Courage St. Edmund of Abingâ—â—n A. B. Caâ—t yet in one field lost 2000 English men and was beaten out of the field In A.D. 1257 was Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother elected King of Romans and was crowned at Aquisgrane having paid a large sum of money for the honour At this time the Earl was reputed to possess so much ready Coin as would every day for ten years afford him an hundred Marks upon the main stock besides his Rents and Revenues in Germany and the English Dominions And now the King relapsed into his profuseness and favouring of the Poictovins and other forreigners The Nobles hereupon came exquisitely armed to the Parliament holden at Oxford with a resolution to inforce the King and his Aliens to their proposals Which were That the King should unfeignedly keep the Charter of Liberties That such an one should be in place of Justitiar who would judg all impartially That the Forreigners should be expelled the Realm And that twenty-four persons should there be chosen to have the sole administration of King and State and yearly appointing of all great Officers Reserving to the King the Ceremonies of Honour Binding themselves by Oath to see these things performed and the King and Prince swearing to observe the ordination of these disloyal Barons who had by an Edict given out high menacings against all that should resist The Poictovins were so terrified by these violent proceedings that they fled into France The giddy people they joined with the Barons as the Assertors of their Liberties Boniface A. B. Cant the Londoners bound themselves under their publick Seal to assist them in the common Cause Richard King of Romans the Barons would not suffer to come into England but in a private manner with a very small train and being landed they exacted an Oath of him and upon pain of forfeiting all his Lands in England bound him to join with them in reforming the State which they factiously had assumed to do having appointed Four Knights Commissioners in every shire to enquire of all Oppressions and to certifie the same to them And the better to strengthen their Cause Simon Montford Earl of Leicester Head of the Factionists with others passed into France there to transact with the King thereof as to an indissoluble League About which time King Henry for want of Money or good Counsel or both was induced upon no very good terms for ever to renounce to the King of France all his right to Normandy Anjou Tourain Main and Poictou But the fire which had been long in blowing did now break out into a flame the King and his Barons taking arms against each other Simon de Montford executes his greatest revenge on the Queens friends who were aliens not sparing the King's who were free-born English-men Yet at length mutual weariness inclines Henry and his Barons to a peace and the King is willing that the Statutes of Oxford should be in force but the Queen was unwilling Which being known to the Londoners it put the baser sort into so leud a rage that she being to shoot the Bridg from the Tower towards Windsor where Prince Edward was ingarison'd they with dirt and stones and villanous words forced her back to the Tower Howbeit at London in a Parliament there held matters were pieced up though shortly after all was rent again both sides making fresh preparations for War King Henry drew towards Oxford where the rendezvous of his friends and forces was appointed from which University he dismissed all the Students being above fifteen thousand of those only whose names were entred into the Matriculation-book Whereupon many of them went to the Barons to Northamptor whither Henry came and breaking in at the Town-Walls encountred his Enemies amongst whom these Students of Oxford had a Banner by themselves advanced right against the King and did more annoy him in the fight than the rest of the Barons Forces Which the King who at length prevailed vowed sharply to revenge but was disswaded by his Councellors who told him that those Students were the sons and kindred of the great men of the Land whom if he punished even the Nobles that now stood for him would take arms against him The King encouraged by this success advanceth his Royal Standard toward Nottingham burning and wasting the Barons Lands wheresoever he came The Barons they sent Letters to him protesting their loyal observance to his person but all hostility to their enemies who were about him Rob. Kilwarby A B. Cant To which the King returned them a full defiance as to Traytors professing that he took the wrong of his friends as his own and their enemies as his At length the two Armies met and ingaged in fight wherein Prince Edward bravely behaved himself putting the Londoners to flight pursuing them for four miles but in the mean while his Father having his horse slain under him yielded himself prisoner the King of Romans and other great Peers were taken and the whole hope of the day lost on the Kings side On the next day peace was concluded for the present on condition That Prince Edward and Henry the King of Romans Son should also render themselves into the Barons hands And now by this advantage the factious Lords gained all the chief Castles of the Kingdom into their power Montford carrying his Soveraign as his prisoner about the Country yet with all outward respect and honour the rather to procure a more quiet surrender of Garrisons So fortunate may Treason and Rebellion for a time be though in the end it commonly speeds as it deserves To tame these Rebels the Pope sends his Cardinal Legate to Excommunicate them but they trusting to the temporal sword made light of the spiritual Howbeit to the Kings great advantage there hapned so irreconcileable a difference betwixt the two great Earls of Leicester and Glocester that the
Geoffry VVinchester Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Roger Fitz-Roger was Mayor Richard Hardel John Tolason Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year John Gisors was Mayor Humfrey Bat VVilliam Fitz-Richard Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Adam Basing was Mayor Lawrence Frowick Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his thirty seventh Year John Tolason was Mayor VVilliam Durham Thomas VVimbourn Sheriffs In his thirty eighth Year Richard Hardel was Mayor John Northampton Richard Pichard Sheriffs In his thirty ninth Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Ralph Ashwy Robert of Limon Sheriffs In his fortieth Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Stephen Doe Henry VValmond Sheriffs In his forty first Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Michael Bokerel John the Minor Sheriffs In his forty second Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Richard Otwel VVilliam Ashwy Sheriffs In his forty third Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Robert Cornhil John Adrian Sheriffs In his forty fourth Year John Gisors was Mayor John Adrian Robert Cornhil Sheriffs In his forty fifth Year VVilliam Fitz-Richard was Mayor Adam Browning Henry Coventry Sheriffs In his forty sixth Year VVilliam Fitz-Richard continued Mayor John Northampton Richard Pichard Sheriffs In his forty seventh Year Thomas Fitz-Richard was Mayor John Taylor Richard VValbroke Sheriffs In his forty eighth Year Thomas Fitz-Richard continued Mayor Robert de Mountpeter Osbert de Suffolk Sheriffs Yet Fabian saith that from this 48. Year to the end of his Reign there were no Mayors of London but only Guardians of the City In his forty ninth Year Thomas Fitz-Thomas Fitz-Richard was Mayor George Rokesley Thomas de Detford Sheriffs In his fiftieth Year Thomas Fitz-Thomas Fitz-Richard continued Mayor Edward Blunt Peter Anger Sheriffs In his fifty first Year VVilliam Richards was Mayor John Hind John VValraven Sheriffs In his fifty second Year Alen de la Souch was Mayor John Adrian Lucas de Batencourt Sheriffs In his fifty third Year T VVimbourn Custos Sir Stephen Edward VValter Harvey VVilliam Duresme Sheriffs In his fifty fourth Year Hugh Fitz-Ottonis Custos of London and Constable of the Tower Thomas Basing Robert Cornhil Sheriffs To this time the Mayor and Sheriffs had been chosen but now the King grants the choice of them to the City it self In the fifty fifth Year John Adrian was Mayor VValter Potter Philip Taylor Sheriffs In his fifty sixth Year John Adrian continued Mayor Gregory Rochesly Henry VValleis Sheriffs In his fifty seventh Year Sir VValter Harvey was Mayor Richard Harris John de VVodeley Sheriffs EDWARD I. EDWARD sirnamed Long-shanks at his Father Henrys death A.D. 1272 was imployed in the holy Wars wherein he so excellently behaved himself that he gained the repute of a most valiant Souldier At Acon an assasinate wounded him with a poysoned knife which wounds his Queen Eleanor daily licked with her Tongue till therewith the poyson was extracted and the wounds healed her self receiving no harm thereby When the news of his Fathers death came to his ears he grieved much more than for the death of his Son who died a little before saying to the King of Sicily who wondred thereat that the loss of Sons is but light because they are multiplied every day but the death of Parents is irremediable because they can never be had again At his arrival in England he was most joyfully welcomed and with his dearest Eleanor was Crowned at Westminster by Robert Kilwarby Arch-Bishop of Canterbury When for the more royal celebration of the Coronation-feast of so Martial a Prince there were five hundred great horses let loose every one to take them for his own who could The first matter of remark done by King Edward after his Coronation was the subduing of Wales whose Prince Lewelin the last Prince of Britains blood had refused to do him homage but being slain his head crowned with Ivie was set upon the Tower of London In his stead the King created his own son Edward born at Caernarvon Prince of Wales And now Wales being setled in quiet the King repaired into France where he sate in person with the French King in his Parliament at Paris as a Peer of that Realm in respect of such lands as he held in those parts and being returned into England he addressed himself to purge his state from the Oppressions under which it groaned Fifteen thousand of the extorting Jews he banished out of the Land confiscating their goods His corrupt Justiciars he displaced and fined and constrained all his Justices to swear that from that time they would take no Fee Pension or Gift of any man except only a breakfast or like present He also appointed that Justices Itinerants should go their several circuits at such certain times of the year And now the Crown of Scotland by the death of Alexander the third being destitute of any apparent Heir by the umpirage of King Edward it was setled on the head of John Baliol who did homage to Edward against the minds of the Scots for the whole Kingdom of Scotland But shortly after Baliol to regain the affections of his people combined with the French against the English wherefore the King advanced against the Scots with a puissant Army drove the Scots out of the North-parts of England where they had done much mischief took Berwick Town and Castle had Dunbar yielded to him and after a cruel fight obtained a victory of great importance took the Castle of Roxbrow John Peckham A.B. Cant. had Edenbrough rendred to him so brought Baliol to sue for mercy which was granted on condition that the Scots should submit to him as their Soveraign And accordingly the Nobles of Scotland at a Parliament holden at Berwick did swear to be true Subjects to Edward for ever after and hereof a solemn Instrument was there sealed by them John the late King was sent to the Tower of London and the custody of Scotland was committed to John de Warren Earl of Surrey and Sussex Out of Edenbrough Edward took the Crown Scepter and Cloth of State Burnt their Records abrogated their Laws altered the forms of their Divine service transplanted their learnedst men unto Oxford The Marble-chair in the Abby of Schone wherein the Kings of Scotland were wont to be Crowned he sent unto Westminster This is the Chair upon which was ingraven the Famous prophetical Distich Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem That the Scots should reign wheresoever that chair should be verified in King James But King Edward drawn beyond the Seas by occasion of wars in Gascoign and for aid of friends in Flanders one William Walleys Captain of the discontented Scots put Earl Warren to flight in Scotland and all the English forces that were with him taking them at an advantage as they were passing over a narrow-bridge near Striveling where the slaughter of the English was not small Hugh de Cressingham Treasurer of Scotland for King Edward was there slain whose dead body the Scots did fley dividing his skin amongst
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
Wingrave was Mayor William Caston Ralph Balancer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Prior William Furneaux Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Pointel John Dalling Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Simon de Abingdon John Preston Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Renauld at the Conduit Will. Prodham Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Richard Constantine Richard de Hackney Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor John Grantham Richard de Ely Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Adam of Salisbury John of Oxford Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Benet of Fulham John Cawston Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor Gilbert Mordon John Cawston Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Richard Britain was Mayor Richard Rothing Roger Chauntelere Sheriffs EDWARD III. EDWARD the third was Crowned King upon Candlemas-day A. D. 1327. being the eighth day after that his Father had made a resignation of the Crown to him And now because sundry great persons with the whole order of Friars Preachers took pity on the old Kings captivity Mortimer therefore hastned to dispatch him out of the way in order to which he procured an Express from the young King then about 16. Years of age to remove him from Kenelworth Castle delivering him into the hands of those ignominious Knights Thomas de Gourney Seniour and John Mattrevers who conveying him from Kenelworth to Barkly-Castle there murdred him by running a burning spit up into his body as he was about to disburden nature September 22. 1327. His body was buryed at Glocester To animate the bloody Regicides to the commitment of the horrid fact 't is said this ambiguous phrase was invented by Adam de Torleton Bishop of Hereford and sent to them by Mortimer Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est Gourney or Corney and his villanous companions when they would needs shave the King on his way to Barkley lest he should be known and rescued inforced him to sit down on a molehil and the rascal Barber insulting told him That cold water out of the next ditch should serve for his trimming at that time To whom the sorrowful King answered Whether you will or no there shall be warm water and therewith shed tears plentifully But young King Edward at his Fathers death was upon the borders of Scotland where having invironed the Scots in the woods of Wividale and Stanhope by the Treason of Mortimer they escaped and he returned inglorious after an huge wast of Treasure and great peril of his own person For had not his loyal Chaplain stept in and received the mortal weapon in his own body the Kings life had been lost Shortly after this peace was concluded with the Scots upon dishonourable terms to the English by the procurement of the Mother-Queen and her Minion Mortimer Joan the Kings Sister was marryed to David Bruce the Scots in derision calling her Joan Make-peace King Edward at the Treaty of Peace sealed Charters to the Scotish Nation the contents whereof were contrived by his Mother Roger Mortimer and Sir James Douglas without the privity of the English Peers He also delivered to them that famous evidence called the Ragman-Roll and likewise quitted them of all his claim to the government of Scotland withal rendring back certain Jewels taken by the English from the Scots amongst which was one of special Note called the Black-Cross of Scotland In the same year being the year of our Lord 1327. dyed Charles the fair King of France by whose death the Crown of that Kingdom devolved to Edward King of England in right of his Mother Queen Isabel Tho. Bradwardin A. B. Cant. who was daughter to Philip the Fair and Sister to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all Kings of France successively and all three dying without Issue the whole right now seeming to be Isabel the only Child of the said Philip that had any Issue But the French pretending a fundamental Law or Entail called the Salique Law by which no woman was inheritable to France sought to debar King Edward his right receiving to the Crown Philip of Valois whose Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair advancing the Brothers son before the Daughters son not following the propinquity or descent of blood but meliority of the Sex Against the stream of the Queen and her Lord Mortimers absolute sway some great persons now stood amongst whom was the Kings Uncle Edmund Earl of Kent whose death the Queen and Mortimer shortly procured Nor was Mortimers fall now far off for the King beginning to perceive his own peril in the others potency upon good advice therefore surprized Mortimer with the Queen-Mother in Nottingham-Castle and by a Parliament held at Nottingham Queen Isabel's Dowry was taken from her and only a pension of a thousand Pound per Annum allowed her Mortimer was condemned in open Parliament at VVestminster for causing the young King to make a dishonourable peace with the Scots from whom he received bribes For procuring the death of Sr. Edward of Caernarvon the late King For over-familiarity with Isabel the Queen-Mother For polling and robbing the King and Commons of their Treasure He was ignominiously drawn to Tyburn then called the Elmes where he was executed on the common Gallows there hanging two days and nights 1330. With him there dyed for expiation of the late Kings death Sr. Simon de Bedford and John Deverell Esquire About this time befel great disturbances and divisions in Scotland occasioned by young Bruce and Baliol who both pretended right to that Crown which opportunity King Edward took hold on conceiving himself not obliged to stand to that contract made in his minority by the predominancy of his mother and Mortimer the Scots also detaining his Town and Castle of Berwick from him Wherefore he raises an Army and with Edward Baliol marcheth to Berwick which having besieged David Bruce sent a puissant host to the relief thereof and at Halydon-Hill the English and Scoth Armies joyned battle where the Scots were vanquished with a lamentable slaughter of them There dyed Archibald Dougles Earl of Angus and Governour of Scotland the Earls of Southerland Carrick and Foss the three Sons of the Lord Walter Steward and at least fourteen thousand others with the loss only of one Knight and ten other English-men Hereupon Berwick was surrendred to King Edward and Baliol was accepted to be King of Scotland and had faith and allegiance sworn unto him by the Scotch Nobles Simon Islip A.B. Cant. Which done Baliol repaired to King Edward then at Newcastle upon Tine where he submitted to Edward the third as his Father John Baliol had done to Edward the first After which the King of England assisted this Edward Baliol as his homager going himself in person divers times for suppressing the Brucean party which
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
Sheriffs In his thirty second Year John Loufkin was Mayor John Barnes John Buris Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Simon Doulseby was Mayor Simon of Benington John of Chichester Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year John Wroth was Mayor John Dennis Walter Berney Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year John Peche was Mayor William Holbech James Tame Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Stephen Candish was Mayor John of St. Albans James Andrew Sheriffs In his thirty seventh Year John Not was Mayor Richard of Croydon John Hiltoft Sheriffs In his thirty eighth Year Adam of Bury was Mayor John de Metford Simon de Mordan Sheriffs In his thirty ninth Year John Loufkin was Mayor John Bukilsworth John Ireland Sheriffs In his fortieth Year John Loufkin continued Mayor John Ward Thomas of Lee Sheriffs In his forty first Year James Andrew was Mayor John Tarngold VVilliam Dickman Sheriffs In his forty second Year Simon Mordan was Mayor Robert Girdeler Adam Wimondham Sheriffs In his forty third Year John Chichester was Mayor John Piel Hugh Holdich Sheriffs In his forty fourth Year John Barnes was Mayor William Walworth Robert Gayton Sheriffs In his forty fifth Year John Barnes continued Mayor Adam Staple Robert Hatfield Sheriffs In his forty sixth Year John Piel was Mayor John Philpot Nicholas Brembar Sheriffs In his forty seventh Year Adam of Bury was Mayor John Abery John Fished Sheriffs In his forty eighth Year VVilliam VValworth was Mayor Richard Lions William Woodhouse Sheriffs In his forty ninth Year John Ward was Mayor John Hadley William Newport Sheriffs In his fiftieth Year Adam Staple was Mayor John Northampton Robert Laund Sheriffs RICHARD II. RICHARD the Son of Edward the Black Prince was crowned King in the eleventh year of his age but ere the Crown was setled on his head the French braved it on the English coasts and the Scots set fire on the Tower of Roxbrough and through want of care in such who had the charge of State-matters in the young Kings behalf things were declined to a shameful change and the glorious atchievements of the two late Edwards fell under an eclipse The North parts of England were grievously afflicted with the stroke of Pestilence and their misery augmented by the inroads and outrages of the Scots who had now by surprize gained Berwick which upon the ninth day after the Earl of Northumberland regained by force A. D. 1379 a Parliament was held at London wherein for supply of the Kings wants it was agreed That the Commons or poorer sort should be spared and the burden be wholly laid upon the abler sort And in the next year following a Parliament was held at Northampton wherein every one of each sex above such an age was charged to pay 12 d. per poll which with the hatred born to John Duke of Lancaster was the cause of a great insurrection of the Commons and Bond-men chiefly of Kent Essex Surrey Suffolk Norfolk and Cambridg-shire The principal heads of the said giddy multitude were VVat Tyler and Jack Straw The Rebels of Kent embattel'd themselves upon Black-Heath by Greenwich from whence they marched to London where the common sort generally siding with them they became Masters of Misâ—ule The Priory of St. Johns without Smithfield they kept burning for about seven days Savoy-Palace belonging to the Duke with all the riches therein they consumed by fire in a kind of holy outrage for they threw one of their fellows into the flames because he had thrust a piece of stolen Plate into his bosome They burnt all the Archbishops Goods at Lambeth and defaced all the Writings Rolls Records and Monuments of the Chancery as having a special hatred to the Lawyers Simon Tibald Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England a worthy Prelate Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of St. Johns and Treasurer of England they haled out of the Tower where the King was in person and beheaded them on Tower-hill with great shoutings and rejoycings The number of these rebellious Reformers under the leading of Jack Straw and the Idol of Clowns VVat Tyler were about an Hundred thousand and at a Sermon made to them by John Ball there was near twice as many Their proud Petitions the King granted them necessity compelling him thereto after which a great multitude of them repaired to their several homes The remaining Rout the King by his Proclamation invited to meet him in Smithfield where he would satisfie their desires in all respects to the full William Courtney A. B. Cant But when they were met in the place appointed Wat Tyler there in the presence of the King offering to kill Sir John Newton for not giving him some undue respect William Walworth Lord Mayor thereupon set upon the arch-Traytor with a drawn Weapon and slew him Which when the Rebels perceived they prepared to take extream revenge but the King instantly spurring forth his Horse bade them follow him and he would be their Captain And whilst they thronged after him into the fields brave VValworth the while hasted into the City raised a thousand Citizens in armour and brought them with VVat Tylers head born before him upon a spear to the King Which the rude multitude seeing some of them fled and others on their knees begged mercy of the King Worthy Walworth the King knighted and bestowed on him an hundred pound lands by the year in fee-simple and as some write the Dagger was now added to the City-arms in remembrance of the great good service done by the Lord Mayor Jack Straw at the time of his execution confessed that these Rebels had designed to murder the King and chief of the Realm and to have set up petty kings of their own chusing in every shire The number of rebels executed in all places was about Fifteen hundred These were called the Hurling-times And now the Nation being setled in quiet King Richard married the Lady Ann Daughter unto the Emperor Charles the Fourth John Duke of Lancaster was sent into France where he concluded a Truce with that Nation for six months But these sun-shine days lasted not long For besides the annoyances done to England by the Scots at several times and the French threatning an Invasion the worst mischief befel at home through the means of discontented and ambitious spirits who kindled a Civil War The Laity took offence against the Clergy because the Archbishop had in Parliament refused to yeild to an unjust proportion of the Tax granted the King to be laid upon the Clergy And so far were the Commons and some Lay-Peers offended therewith that they petitioned the King to take away the Temporalties from Ecclesiastical persons which he denied saying That he would maintain the English Church in the quality of the same state or better in which himself had known it to be when he came to the Crown The displacing of Sir Richard Scrope Chancellor was displeasing to most men The reason of his displacing was because he refused to pass such large gifts
and was so successful that within a short space he took fifteen Ships of the Spaniards fraught with Rich Merchandize By a Tempest were cast away at Sea four Knights and above a thousand Englishmen in their passage to Little-Britain In the year 1392 the Londoners were so unkind to the King that they refused to supply him with the loan but of a thousand pound and because a certain Lombard offered to lend the same they abused and almost killed him for which the King took away their Charter The year of Christ 1394 was famous or notable for the deaths of many great Ladies and amongst the rest of Queen Anne the Kings first wife whom it is said he loved to a kind of madness In the same year that the King was deposed the Bay or Lawrel Trees withered all over England and afterwards reflourished and on the first of January near Bedford-Town the River where it was deepest did on the sudden stand still and so divided it self that the bottom remained dry for about three miles Now flourished Sir John Hawkwood whose Chivalry had made him renowned through the Christian World Sir Geoffry Chaucer Poet Lawreat now also lived Queen Anne wife to King Richard the second first taught English women to ride on side-saddles when as before that time they rid astride She also brought in high head attire piked with Horns and long trained Gowns for Women The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir Nicholas Brember was Mayor Nicholas Twiford Andrew Pikeman Sheriffs In his second Year John Philpot was Mayor John Boseham Thomas Cornwallis Sheriffs In his third Year John Hadly was Mayor John Helisdon VVilliam Barra Sheriffs In his fourth Year VVilliam VValworth was Mayor Walter Doget William Knighthode Sheriffs In his fifth Year John Northampton was Mayor John Rotu John Hinde Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Northampton continued Mayor Adam Bramme John Sely Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Nicholas Brember was Mayor Simon Winchcome John Moor Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir Nicholas Brember continued Mayor Nicholas Exton John French Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Nicholas Brember continued Mayor John Organ John Churchman Sheriffs In his tenth Year Nicholas Exton was Mayor William Stondon William More Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Nicholas Exton continued Mayor William Venor Hugh Falstalfâ— Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Nicholas Twiford was Mayor Thomas Austen Adam Carlehul Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year William Venor was Mayor John Walcot John Love Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Adam Bamme was Mayor John Francis Thomas Vibent Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year John Hinde was Mayor John Shadworth Henry Vamere Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year William Stondon was Mayor Gilbert Mafield Thomas Newington Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year John Hardley was Mayor Drew Barintin Richard Whitington Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir John Froyshe was Mayor William Bramston Thomas Knolls Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir VVilliam More was Mayor Roger Ellis VVilliam Sevenoke Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Adam Brown was Mayor Thomas VVilford VVilliam Parker Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Sir Richard VVhitington was Mayor John VVodcock VVilliam Ascham Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Sir Drew Barintin was Mayor John VVade John VVarner Sheriffs HENRY IV. A D. 1389 HENRY of Bullingbroke the son of John Duke of Lancaster the fourth son of King Edward the third was Crowned at VVestminster by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury His Cousin the late King Richard seem'd so little concern'd for the loss of his Crown that when it was told him of Bullingbrokes being accepted by Parliament for King in his stead he only used these words I look not after such things but my hope is that after all this my Cousin will be my good Lord and friend But now Henry seated in Richards Throne used all the best means to retain the hearts of the people that sided with him and to weaken the opposite party and withal sent Ambassadors to forreign Princes to justify his unjust proceedings But the King of France and people of Aquitain would not allow of his pretences and the Citizens of Burdeaux openly said That since the world began there was never a more cruel unreasonable nor wicked fact done That the good Prince was betrayed by faithless men and that all Law was violated In England were many that inclined and contrived to set King Richard again upon his rightful Throne though to seek a captive Kings deliverance doth commonly hasten his death The principal Conspirators were John Holland Earl of Huntingdon Thomas Holland Earl of Kent the Dukes of Surrey Excester and Aumarl John Monticute Earl of Salisbury Thomas Spencer Earl of Glocester and the Bishop of Carlile Their plot was to kill Henry Bullingbroke and his son Henry but before the time of intended execution was come the whole conjuration was discovered Many attempts the conspirators made to effect the re-establing of Richard and amongst the rest they procured one Maudlen King Richards Chaplain to personate his Lord but this with all the rest of their projects failed The Towns-men of Cyrencester assayled and took some of the discontented Lords and then cut off their heads because some of their followers set fire on Cyrencester thinking that whilst the Towns-men were busied in quenching the fire they might set their Lords at liberty The Commons in Essex took the Earl of Huntingdon and cut off his head in revenge of the Duke of Glocesters death which he had had a hand in The Lord Spencer the Commons beheaded at Bristol Some others of them were put to death at Oxford some at London where also John Maudlen the counterfeit Richard a goodly personage and one VVillian Ferby were hang'd and quartred The Bishop of Carlile was by the Kings Clemency saved after his condemnation King Richard did not long survive his friends but at Pontfract Castle was put out of the way by hunger cold and great torments though the Scots have untruly writ that he escaped out of prison and led a solitary and vertuous life in Scotland and there dyed and was buryed at the black-Fryars in Sterling After Richards murder at Pontfract King Henry caused his dead body to be brought up to London where in St. Pauls with his face uncovered he lay for a time exposed to the view of all men then was his body transported to Langley in Hartfordshire where it lay buried till Henry the fifth in the first year of his Reign caused the Royal remains of his body to be Translated to VVestminster That beautiful Picture of a King sitting Crowned in a chair of State at the upper end of the Quire in VVestminster-Abby is said to be of him And now King Henry to divert the thoughts of the people from his Predecessors Tragedy prepared a puissant Army and marched with it into Scotland where he only did some hurt by wasting the Countrey and then returned Shortly after which he advanced against Owen Glendour that had
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
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
of York vvas created Regent of France but before he arrived there Paris vvas lost by the treachery of the Citizens Feb. 27. 1436. And Philip Duke of Burgundy novv in person gives proof of his disaffections to the English bringing his Forces before the Tovvn of Callis for the relief of vvhich place the Protector Humphrey Duke of Glocester passed vvith a great Army but Burgundy had vvithdravvn his Forces before the Duke arrived Hovvbeit the Duke took some revenge on him by vvasting part of his Dominions Which done he vvith honour returned to his Charge in England In France the Earl of Warwick vvas very active driving the Duke of Burgundy's Forces from Crotoy freeing Albeville from the danger of a Bastile for tvventy days spoiling the Country of Picardy about Amiens and Artois The Duke of Somreset Lords Talbot and VVilloughby were also busied in other places for the security of what the English had gained John Stratford A. B. Cant. But the common enemy the Turk increasing in strengths Ambassadors were sent from all parts to determine these bloody differences betwixt the Nations of France and England whereupon a Truce was taken by the two Kings for eighteen months A. D. 1444 was King Henry married with Margaret the daughter of Renate Duke of Anjou and Lorrain In which marriage say some begun the mournful Tragedies of our Country For after this day the fortune of the World began to decline the King so that he lost his friends in England and revenues in France for shortly all was ruled by the Queen and her Councel to the great disprofit of the King and his Realm and to the mauger and obloquie of the Queen her self who had many a wrong and false report made of her A. D. 1447 Good Duke Humphreys death was effected He was much hated by the Queen and her party as the only man who by his prudence as also by the Honour and Authority of his birth and place seemed to impeach that Soveraign Command which they pretended to settle in the King but meant indeed as the manner is under soft Princes to reign themselves in anothers name Many great Lords were drawn on at the time of a Parliament then holden at St. Edmondsbury to concur for his destruction not perceiving that thereby they pluckt up the flood-gate at which the Duke of York should enter This great Duke being come to attend in this Parliament was Arrested of High Treason by John Lord Beaumont High Constable of England the Dukes of Buckingham Sommerset and others and to guard him certain of the Kings household were appointed but it was not long before he was found dead whose body was shewed to the Lords and Commons as if he had died of a Palsey or Imposthume His servants Sir Roger Chamberlain Richard Middleton Thomas Herbert Arthur Tursey Esquires and Richard Nedham Gent. were condemned of High Treason and had this unexampled punishment They were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn there hang'd let down quick stript naked mark'd with a knife to be quartred and then a Charter of Pardon for their lives was shewed by the Marquess of Suffolk Thomas Wild the Dukes servant also being condemned and pardoned had for a preamble in his Letters Patents words importing That he had been one among many other Traytors against the King with Duke Humphrey who went about and practised to deliver Eleanor late wife to the Duke out of Prison for which purpose he had gathered a great power and number of men to come to the Parliament at Bury there to have contrived the Kings destruction Such was the end of this great Prince who by the people of England was thought to be doubly murdered by detraction and deadly practise He was not only a true Lover of learned men but himself was also learned and a Father of his Country And now the whole frame of government seemed to repose it self on the Queen and such Favourites as the King by her commendations liked The affairs of France were neglected And the Duke of York perceiving the King to be ruled and not to Rule began secretly to allure his friends of the Nobility and privily declared to them his Title to the Crown as likewise he did to certain Governours of Cities and Towns Which attempt was so politickly and closely carried that his provision was ready before his purpose was publick The very state of things invited this fatal conspiracy there being now a milder King than England was worthy of a Councel out of favour with the people manifold losses and dishonours abroad a turbulent and jealous condition of things at home Of all which the Duke of York made his best use cherishing the popular discontents and instead of seeking to redress any evils in the State he represented them to be worse than they were thereby to ripen that breach of Loyalty in the hearts of men which his ambition wrought upon In France matters went on very unhappily on the English side For the Duke of Sommerset during the Truce suffered a Town of Britain to be surprised denying restitution thereof cherished his Souldiers in their riot and disorders The French therefore making this their example surprized Town after Town till they had gained all Normandy and within few years extorted the Dutchy of Gascoign out of the English possession In the mean time the Duke of York raised his esteem in England by his appeasing of a tumult which had hapned in Ireland And at a Parliament holden at Westminster many Articles were exhibited by the Lower-House against the Duke of Suffolk wherein he was charged with evil demeanor Misprision and Treason and committed Prisoner to the Tower from whence he was discharged within a few weeks after About this time Adam Molins Bishop of Chichester and keeper of the Privy-Seal a wise and stout man stood in the Duke of Yorks way to the Crown therefore he procured him to be slain at Portsmouth by certain Ship-men And in a Parliament holden at Leicester the Duke of Suffolk a principal pillar of King Henries safety was set at again by the Yorkists They charge that for a crime on him namely the delivery of Anjou and Main which themselves had universally in a former Parliament assented unto and ratified This they prosecuted so effectually though unjustly against him that he was condemned to be banished for five years but in his way to banishment he was by some imployed on purpose taken at Dover-road where they struck off his head at the side of a Cock-boat nor was his death much lamented of the people because he was thought to have been a private actor in the death of the Noble Duke of Glocester Now the Yorkists having thus rid Suffolk out of the way think it no unfit time to begin to put their designs in practise so induce the Commons of Kent to make an Insurrection John Kemp. A. B. Cant. The Captain of the Rebels was a Villain named Jack Cade whom some by contraries called
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
murdred body was on the Ascension-Eve laid in an open Coffin and conveyed to St. Pauls in London where it rested uncovered one day and began to bleed afresh thence it was carried to the black Friars Church where it did bleed as before then was buried at Chertsey in Surrey but King Henry the seventh translated it to his Chappel of Windsor A. D. 1474 Was an Interview at Piquigny in France of the two Kings of England and France where falling into complemental conference Lewis told King Edward that he would one day invite him to Paris there to court his fair French Ladies with whom if he committed any sin Lewis merrily told him that Cardinal Bourbon should be his Confessor and to be sure his penance should be the easier for that Bourbon used to kiss fair Ladies himself This was no sooner spoken howsoever meant but Edward was as forward of thanks and acceptance which King Lewis observing rounded Philip Coâ—â—nes his bosome-servant in the ear telling him flatly That he liked not Edwards forwardness to Paris there had been too many English Princes at that City already After King Edwards return into England as he was hunting in Arrow-Park belonging to Thomas Burdet Esquire with the death of much game he slew a white Buck which the Esquire much fancied whereupon he wished the Horns in that persons belly that moved the King to kill that Buck. For which words he was accused and condemned of Treason his words being wrested that he wish'd the Horns in the Kings belly and was beheaded at Tyburne A. D. 1478. George Duke of Clarence by the procurement of his brother Richard Duke of Glocester was accused of Treason and committed to the Tower His accusation was That he had caused divers of his servants to inform the people that Mr. Burdet was wrongfully put to death That upon purpose to exalt himself and Heirs to the regal dignity he had most falsely published that the King his brother was a bastard and therefore not capable to wear the Crown for which and the like crimes charged upon him he was in Parliament Attainted of Treason and found guilty and on the eleventh of March 1478 after he had offered his Mass-peny in the Tower was drowned in a But of Malmsey whose body was buried at Tukesbury But the King was afterwards much grieved that he had consented to his death and would say when any made suit for the life of a condemned person O unfortunate brother for whose life no man would make suit A. D. 1483 King Edward fell into a dangerous and deadly sickness when calling for his Lords into his sick presence and raising his faint body on the pillowes he exhorted and required them all For the love that they had ever born unto him for the love that he had ever born unto them for the love that our Lord beareth unto us all that from that time forward all griefs forgotten each of them would love other Which saith he I verily trust you will If you any thing regard either God or your King affinity or kindred your own Country or your own safety Shortly after which words he departed this life April the ninth and was buried at VVindsor in the New Chappel whose foundation himself had laid 'T is said of him that he was just and merciful in peace sharp and fierce in War and that never any King was more familiar with his Subjects than he In the beginning of his raign he used to sit in person certain days together in his Court of Kings-Bench to see justice and equity done His Issue were Edward Richard George who died an infant Elizabeth Cicely Anne Briget Mary Margret and Catharine His Concubines were Elizabeth Lucy and three others which were of three several humours as himself would say One the merryest which was Shores Wife another the wiliest and the third the holiest for she had wholly devoted her self to his Bed and her Beads His base Issue were Arthur sirnamed Plantaginet and Elizabeth He ordained penal Statutes against excessive pride in apparel especially against long-piked shoes then worn which had grown to such an extream that the Pikes in the toes were turned upwards and with Silver-chains or Silk-laces tied to the knee He gave some Cotswold-sheep to Henry of Castile and John of Arragon 1465 which hath been accounted one of the greatest prejudices that ever hapned to England One VValker a substantial Citizen of London was beheaded in Smithfield for only saying to his Child That he would make him Heir of the Crown meaning his house which had that sign In the fallen estate of King Henry many of the Nobles that had took part with Henry were put to fly for their lives into Forraign Countries and amongst the rest Henry Holland Duke of Excester and Earl of Huntingdon son to the Lady Elizabeth second daughter of John of Gaunt and Husband to the sister of King Edward the fourth was constrained to live in exile in miserable want and penury For saith Philip Comines I once saw the Duke of Excester run on foot bare-leg'd after the Duke of Burgundies Coach and Train begging an Alms for Gods-sake But being known what he was Burgundy gave him a small pension for his maintenance The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings time In his first Year Sit Hugh Witch was Mayor George Ireland John Lock Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Cook was Mayor VVilliam Hampton Bartholomew James Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Matthew Philip was Mayor Robert Basset Thomas Muschampt Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Ralph Joceline was Mayor John Tate John Stones Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir Ralph Varney was Mayor Henry Weaver VVilliam Constantine Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Young was Mayor John Brown Henry Brice John Darby Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Thomas Oldgrave was Mayor Thomas Stalbrook Humphrey Heyford Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir VVilliam Taylor was Mayor Simon Smith William Herriot Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Richard a Lee was Mayor Richard Gardner Robert Drope Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John Stackton was Mayor John Crosby John VVard Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir William Edwards was Mayor John Allen John Shelley Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir William Hampton was Mayor John Brown Thomas Bledlow Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Tate was Mayor Sir VVilliam Stocker Robert Belisdon Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Sir Robert Drope was Mayor Edmond Shaa Thomas Hill Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Sir Robert Basset vvas Mayor Hugh Brice Robert Colwich Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year Sir Ralph Joceline was Mayor Richard Rawson William Horn Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir Humfrey Heyford vvas Mayor Henry Collet John Stocker Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir Richard Gardner vvas Mayor Robert Harding Robert Bifield Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir Bartholomew James was Mayor Thomas Ilam John Ward Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Sir John Brown was Mayor Thomas Daniel William Bacon Sheriffs In his
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-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
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
defence of the Reformed Religion because of the bloody Inquisition that without respect had persecuted her subjects Because the King of Spain had sent forces into Ireland and lastly to prevent her enemy the Spaniard from being so nigh a neighbour to her A. D. 1587 and Febr. 7 was Mary Queen of Scotland King James's Mother beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle to the great discontent 't is said of Queen Elizabeth who committed Secretary Davison to the Tower thereupon and never admitted him more to his place because of his forwardness in promoting the death of that Roman-Catholick Queen But what is above us is nothing to us The matters for which she was condemned in the Star-chamber Court at Westminster were her pretending title to the Crown of England her being privy to certain Treasons of Anthony Babington and others tending to the hurt and death of the Royal person of Queen Elizabeth This she absolutely denied affirming that she never attempted any thing against the Queens person though for her own delivery out of prison she confessed she did make some attempts Babington with thirteen other Traytors were executed A. D. 1588 Henry third King of France who ever honoured Queen Elizabeth and not the least because of her Religion sent speedy and secret notice unto her of the Spaniards intentions to invade her Realm of England Against whose coming the Queen caused her Trained-bands to be in readiness Tilbury in Essex was the place for her Camp whereunto were appointed to march 15000 Horse and 22000 Foot And for her special Guard out of the several Counties of the West East and South parts of England were selected 2352 Horsemen and 34050 Footmen The Queen her self was Generalissimo and Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester Lieutenant-General A. D. 1588 and May 19 the Armado or invincible Navy of the Spaniards as they termed it loosed Anchor from Lisbon and on July 20 it passed by Plimouth towards Callis hoping about those coasts to have met with the Prince of Parma but in their way the English Fleet changed some bullets with them July 21 the two Fleets fought within Musket-shot when the English Admiral Lord Charles Howard fell most hotly on the Spaniards Vice-Admiral In this fight they well perceived how that their great unweildy Ships were unfit for service in those narrow Seas the English smaller Ships being too nimble for them as well in respect of saving themselves as in annoying the Spanish July 22 Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admiral took one of their great Gallions wherein was Don Pedro de Valdez with divers other Noblemen The Soldiers had the spoil of this Ship in which was 55000 Duckets of Gold July 23 the Spaniards came right against Portland when the sorest fight was performed and the English gained a great Venetian Ship with other lesser ones July 24 the fight was only betwixt the four great Galleasses and some of the English Ships July 25 the Spaniards came aaginst the Isle of Wight where was a terrible Encounter till at length the English so battered the Spanish tall Ships that they were forced to secure themselves in an Half-moon posture July 28 as the Spanish Fleet lay at Anchor within sight of Callis the English sent in amongst them eight Fire-ships filled with Gun-powder pitch brimstone and other combustible matter their Ordnance charged with bullets stones chains and the like These being drove with wind and tide unto the Spanish Fleet and then taking fire such a sudden roaring clap was given that the Spaniards affrighted in the dead of the night were struck into an horrible fear lest all their Ships should be fierd by these wherefore in great haste they cut their cables hoised their sails and drove at random into the Seas July 29. ranging themselves in order they approached overagainst Greveling where the English again getting the wind of them discharged upon them from morning till night to the confusion of divers of the Spanish Ships The Hollanders with thirty-five of their Ships watched the coasts about Dunkirk to prevent the Duke of Parma from having any intercourse there July 30 the Spanish Dons having gotten more Sea-room for their huge-bodied bulks spread their sails and made away as fast as wind and water would permit them fearing the small fleet and forces of the English whereas had they known but the want of Powder that was on the English side they would sure have stood longer to their tacklings The English Admiral followed now the Vincible Armado towards Norway and the Spaniards for the saving of their fresh-water cast all their Mules and Horses over board The Duke of Medina their Admiral when he at last arrived in Spain was deprived of all his Authority and other ways disgraced Many of the Spanish Ships in their flight perished through tempest upon the Irish Seas others were driven into the Chanel of England where part of them were taken by the English others by the Rochellers and some arrived at Newhaven Of 134 Ships which had set sail from Lisbon only 53 returned into Spain Of the four Galleasses of Naples but one and of the ninety-one Gallions and great Hulks from divers Provinces only thirty-three returned Of the four Gallies of Portugal but one In brief there was missing of their whole Fleet eighty one Vessels and of the 30000 Soldiers 13500 and odd Of Prisoners taken in England Ireland and Low-countries were 2000 and upwards So that it appears there was small virtue in the Popes Crusado wherein he published a safe Pass-port for his Spaniards to enter England The English Fleet was betwixt fourscore and a hundred sail Captains therein were the Lords Howard and Sheffield Sir Francis Drake Sir John Hawkins Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Martin Frobisher c. For this Deliverance the 19 of November was appointed a day of Thanksgiving Blessed be the Lord who gave us not a prey into their teeth c. Psal 124. Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus Clade Papistarum faustus ubique piis Dr. Fulk The Thunder-clap of this Armado being thus over and the Invincible become Vincible the Queen determined to assist Don Antonio the expulsed King of Portugal for the regaining of his Kingdom to which end a Fleet was sent out under the conduct of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris for the land-service was General These landing in a Bay of Galicia near to the Groin took the Base-town by surprize which they found well-victualled and stored with Wine to the damage of the English who taking too immoderately of it so inflamed and infected their blood that it caused great sickness and mortality in the whole Army After some conflicts with the High-town they fired the Base-town or suburbs and put again to Sea and when some struglings with the Winds were over they recovered the Burlings In which passage Robert Earl of Essex with his Brother Mr. Walter Deureux accompanied with other gallant men came Voluntiers to the Fleet which landing in Portugal won the Town and Castle of Peniche
Mayor Stephen Slaney Henry Billingsley Sheriffs In her seven and twentieth Year Sir Wolstone Dixie vvas Mayor Anthony Ratcliffe Henry Pranel Sheriffs In her eight and twentieth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor George House William Elkin Sheriffs In her nine and twentieth Year Sir George Bond was Mayor Thomas Skinner John Catcher Sheriffs In her thirtieth Year Sir Martin Calthorp served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Hugh Offley Richard Saltonstall Sheriffs In her one and thirtieth Year Sir John Hart was Mayor Richard Gurney Stephen Some Sheriffs In her two and thirtieth Year Sir John Allot served one part Sir Rowland Heyward the other Nicholas Mosley Robert Brook Sheriffs In her three and thirtieth Year Sir William Webbe was Mayor VVilliam Rider Benet or Benedict Barnham Sheriffs In her four and thirtieth Year Sir William Roe was Mayor John Garret or Gerrard Robert Taylor Sheriffs In her five and thirtieth Year Sir Cuthbert Buckle served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Paul Banning Peter Haughton Sheriffs In her six and thirtieth Year Sir John Spencer was Mayor Robert Lee Thomas Bennet Sheriffs In her seven and thirteth Year Sir Stephen Slaney was Mayor Thomas Lowe Leonard Halliday Sheriffs In her eight and thirtieth Year Sir Thomas Skinner served one part Sir Henry Billingsley the other John Wats Richard Godard Sheriffs In her nine and thirtieth Year Sir Richard Saltonstall was Mayor Henry Roe John More Sheriffs In her fortieth Year Sir Stephen Some was Mayor Edward Holmedon Robert Hampson Sheriffs In her one and fortieth Year Sir Nicholas Mosley was Mayor Humphrey Walde Roger Clerk Sheriffs In her two and fortieth Year Sir William Rider was Mayor Thomas Smith Thomas Cambel VVilliam Craven Sheriffs In her three and fortieth Year Sir John Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Henry Anderson William Glover Sheriffs In her four and fortieth Year Sir Robert Lee was Mayor James Pemberton John Swinerton Sheriffs JAMES A. D. 1602 KING James his Title to the Crown of England sprung from Henry the seventh whose Issue 〈◊〉 the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret his eldest daughter was the next Heir which Lady Margaret being married unto James the fourth King of Scotland by him had Issue James the fifth whose only daughter and Child Queen Mary was the Mother of King James the sixth of that name that had swayed the Scepter in Scotland Which learned Prince when he heard of the death of Queen Elizabeth set forward out of Scotland and was with great joy received of all his English Subjects in his way to London and at his approach unto that honourable City the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with five hundred choice Citizens all in Chains of Gold and well-mounted met his Majesty and with all solemn observance attended him unto the Charter-house Then preparations were made for his Coronation but before the day appointed thereunto a Proclamation came forth that no Citizen should presume to approch the Court the City having buried in one week above one thousand of the plague And yet a greater plague than this was intended against England about the Kings coming in had not God in his mercy prevented it For Pope Clement the eighth having sent unto Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuites in England two Bulls therein prohibiting any to be admitted to the Crown unless he would first tolerate the Romish Religion and by all his best endeavours advance that Catholique cause Hereupon the Popes creatures to do their unholy Father the best service they could combined with some whom private discontents had discomposed to surprise the Kings person and Prince Henry intending to retain them prisoners in the Tower or if they could not gain the Tower then to carry them to Dover-Castle and there to keep them till they had brought the King to their own terms and compleated their designs The persons accused for this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brook and Bartholomew Brooksby Esquires Anthony Copley Gentleman Watson and Clark Priests A. D. 1603 and July 21 King James and Queen Anne were Crowned at Westminster by John Whitguift Archbishop of Canterbury and when the Coronation was over the Conspirators were conveyed to Winchester where the Term was then kept because of the plague at London and there had their Tryal and were all condemned by their Jury save Sir Edward Parham Howbeit only three of them were executed namely Watson Clark and George Brook This business thus Transacted for the safety of King and Kingdom his Majesty to gratify the Puritan or Presbyterian party that had petitioned for a reformation in the English Church commanded an Assembly of selected Divines to appear in his Royal presence at Hampton-Court whither the summoned accordingly repaired Persons summoned to maintain the cause of the Church of England were the Archbishop of Canterbury Bishops of London Durham Winchester c. Persons for the reformation of the Church were Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Sparks of Oxford Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chaderton of Cambridge At this conference his Majesty notably vindicated the Church of England see the conference at Hampton-Court Printed 1604. After an indeavour of setling Church-peace the King commanded a new Translation of the holy Scriptures which was accordingly done A. D. 1604 and August the nineteenth was peace proclaimed betwixt the two Nations of Spain and England And the King to joyn the Nations of England and Scotland into an happy unity caused himself by Proclamation to be stiled King of Great Britain A Proclamation also came forth commanding all Jesuites and Seminary Priests out of the Land but these under-miners of Church and State mean not to leave England so but design to stay and triumph in its ruins purposing by one fatal-blow to destroy the King the Prince the Peers both temporal and Spiritual the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament And the Traytors intent when that damnable villany should be effected was to surprize the Queen and remainder of the Kings Issue Richard Bancroft A. B. Cant. to bring in forreign powers and to alter Religion Sir Edward Baynham an Attainted person was sent to the Pope to acquaint him with the designed Gun-powder-Treason and Thomas Winter brought with him out of Flanders Guy Fawks as a fit Executioner of their hellish project The Conspirators resolved among themselves that it was lawful for case of Conscience to destroy the innocent with the nocent and this by the Authority and judgment of Garnet himself Then they took Oath of secresy swearing by the blessed Trinity and the Sacrament they then were about to receive never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstance this their Plot in hand nor any of them to desist from the Execution thereof until the rest of the Conspirators should give leave This done Mr. Thomas Piercy hired an house next adjoyning to the Parliament-House pretending it to be for his Lodgings and
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
blow severed his Royal Head from his Body Whose blood was taken up by several persons for different ends by some as Trophies of their Villany by others as â—â—licks of a Martyr His Corps embalmed and wrapped in Lead was conveyed to Windsor by some of his Servants And February the 9th 1648. was there Interred in the Chappel-Royal by the Duke of Richmond Marquess of Hartford Earls of Southampton and Lindsey and the Bishop of London A Prince he was very temperate chaste humble affectionate to his People eloquent notwithstanding some small hesitation in his utterance exceeding in fortitude and patience most devout in and constant to his Religion His Issue were first Charles-James who died almost as soon as born Charles the Second whom God preserve James Duke of York Henry Duke of Gloucester born July 8th 1640 Mary born the 4th of November 1631 Elizabeth born the 28 of December 1635 Anne born March the 7th 1636 Katharine Henrietta Maria born June the 16th 1644 In his troubles he composed an excellent Book intituled Eikon Basilicon he had begun the repairing of St. Paul's at London he built that famous Ship called the Royal Soveraign whose burden was 1636 Tuns her length 127 foot her breadth within the Planks 46 foot her depth from the breadth 19 foot carrying 100 piece of Ordinances wanting four her Lanthorn so large that ten men might stand in it her building cost Eighty thousand pounds An. Dom. 1625 was a great Plague at London whereof died within the Bills of Mortality 41313. A. D. 1632 and February the 11th happened a great Fire on London-Bridg 1635 Thomas Parre died being aged 152 years and was buried in the Abby-Church at Westminster The Names of the Regicides who sate when Judgment was for murdring the King were Serjeant John Bradshaw President of the Court Oliver Cromwell Henry Ireton Thomas Lord Grey of Groby John Danvers Hardress Waller Thomas Maleverer John Bourchier William Counstable Michael Livesey Gregory Norton Knights John Lisle William Say William Hechingham John Blakestone Gilbert Millington Cornelius Holland John Carew Miles Corbet Francis Allen Peregrin Pelham Humphrey Edwards Gregory Clement Thomas Wogan Thomas Scot William Cawley Anthony Stapely Nicholas Love Augustine Garland John Dixwell Simon Mayne Daniel Blagrave Esquires Valentine Walton Thomas Harrison Edward Whaley Thomas Pride Isaac Ewer Henry Marten William Purefoy John Berkstead Edmund Ludlow John Hutchinson Robert Tichburn Owen Roe Robert Lilburn Adrian Scrope Richard Dean John Okey John Hewson William Goffe John Jones John Moor John Alured Henry Smith Edmund Harvey John Venne John Downes Thomas Horton Thomas Hammond George Fleetwood James Temple Thomas Wait Colonels Isaac Pennington and Thomas Andrews Aldermen of London Vincent Potter and Peter Temple Officers belonging to the High Court of Injustice were Dr. Dorislaus Ask William Steel who excused himself by sickness John Cook Solicitor Dendy Mace-bearer Broughton and Phelps Clerks Isaac King Crier Woolfred Pain Radley Powell Hull Messengers and Door-keepers forty of these men of blood The Warrant for the Kings Execution was directed to Colonel Francis Hacker Colonel Huncks and Lieutenant Colonel Phayre to see it done But who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Sam. 26.9 My Son saith the wise man Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change for their calamity shall rise suddenly Mayors and Sheriffs of London in his Reign In his first year 1625. Sir Allen Cotton was Mayor Thomas Westraw Ellis Crisp died Jo. Pool and Christopher Cletherow after Sheriffs In his second year 1626. Sir Cuthbert Hacket was Mayor Edward Bromfeild Richard Fenn Sheriffs In his third Year 1627. Sir Hugh Hamersley was Mayor Maurice Abbot Henry Garraway Sheriffs In his fourth Year 1628. Sir Richard Dean was Mayor Rowland Backhouse William Acton Knight and Baronet Sheriffs In his fifth Year 1629. Sir James Cambell was Mayor Humphrey Smith Edmund Wright Sheriffs In his sixth Year 1630. Sir Robert Ducie Barr. vvas Mayor Arthur Abdy Robert Cambell Sheriffs In his seventh Year 1631. Sir George Whitmore vvas Mayor Samuel Cranmore Henry Prat Sheriffs In his eighth Year 1632. Sir Nicholas Raynton vvas Mayor Hugh Perry Henry Andrews Sheriffs In his ninth Year 1633. Sir Ralph Freeman and Sir Tho. Moulston Mayor Gilbert Harrison Richard Gurney Sheriffs In his tenth Year 1634. Sir Robert Parkhurst was Mayor John Heylord John Cordell Sheriffs In his eleventh Year 1635. Sir Christopher Cletherow vvas Mayor Thomas Soame John Gayer Sheriffs In his twelfth Year 1636. Sir Edward Bromfeild was Mayor VVilliam Abell John Garrat Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year 1637. Sir Richard Fenn was Mayor Thomas Atkin Edward Rudge Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year 1638. Sir Maurice Abot was Mayor Isaac Pennington John VVollaston Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year 1639. Sir Henry Garraway was Mayor Thomas Adams John VVarner Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year 1640 Sir Edmund VVright vvas Mayor John Towse Abraham Reynardson Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year 1641. Sir Richard Gurney was Mayor George Garret George Clarke Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year 1642. Isaac Pennington vvas Mayor John Langham Thomas Andrews Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year 1643. Sir John VVollaston was Mayor John Fowke James Bunce Sheriffs In his twentieth Year 1644. Thamas Atkin was Mayor VVilliam Gibbs Richard Chambers Sheriffs In his one and twentieth Year 1645. Thomas Adams was Mayor John Kendrick Thomas Foot Sheriffs In his two and twentieth Year Sir John Gayer was Mayor Thomas Cullam Simon Edmonds Sheriffs In his three and twentieth Year 1647. Sir John VVarner was Mayor Samuel Avery John Bide Sheriffs In his four and twentieth Year 1648. Sir Abraham Reynardson was Mayor Thomas Vyner Richard Brown Sheriffs Thomas Andrews Mayor in room of Reynardson sent to the Tower CHARLES the Second A. D. 1648 JAnuary the 30th Charles the Second was then in Holland when his Father King Charles the First was murdered and that tayl of a Parliament sitting at Westminster were resolved instead of admitting him the lawful Heir unto the Government of England to assume it unto themselves To which end they first set forth a Proclamation That no person whatsoever should presume to proclaim or any way to promote Charles Stuart Son of Charles Stuart late King of England or any other person to be King or chief Magistrate of these Kingdoms but he that should attempt any such thing should be adjudged a Traytor After this they voted the House of Lords to be useless and dangerous and Kingly Government to be unnecessary and burthensome and therefore they abolished both Howbeit the Marquess of Ormond caused his Majesty to be publickly proclaimed King in Ireland and the Scotch Parliament did the like in Scotland But the Members at Westminster having a Victorious Army on their side proceeded to establish their Projects caused all publick Writings to be issued out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England by Authority of Parliament ordering a new great Seal to be
made with the Cross and Harp on one side and this Inscription The great Seal of England on the other side the picture of the House of Commons with this Inscription In the first year of freedom by Gods blessing restored 1648. And afterward they appointed that all moneys to be coyned should be stamped with the Cross and Harp on one side and the Cross on the other with this Motto The Commonwealth of England God with us And instead of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance they imposed an Engagement upon the people To be true and faithful to the Commonwealth as it was then established without King or House of Lords A Council of State they constituted by the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England consisting of forty persons who were to have the executive part of the Government Thus was Englands ancient Government soon changed by about 50 persons who stiled themselves a Parliament and the Representative body of England The maxim upon which they grounded these their alterations and all other their illegal proceeds was this That all power and authority is originally in the people and that they were the peoples Representative When this Junto had made such a module of Government they erected another High Court of Injustice for the trial of Duke Hamilton as Earl of Cambridge of the Earls of Holland and Norwich the Lord Capel and Sir John Owen all which were condemned to die for engaging in their Soveraign's cause but the Earl of Norwich and Sir John Owen were reprieved the other three were beheaded in the Palace-yard at Westminster March the 9th The ever loyal Lord Capel in his speech on the Scaffold declared that he died against the Justice of the known Laws of the Land and for no other cause than his asserting the Fifth Commandment prayed heartily for the King for his restoration long life and prosperity shutting up his Speech with a profession of his cheerfulness in forgiving his Enemies Other good Subjects they put to death in other places of the Nation Lieutenant Colonel Morris Mr. Beaumont a Minister Major Monday and Cornet Blackburn And many were the loyal persons that were now proscribed and had their Estates confiscated as the Marquess of Newcastle Earl of Bristol the Lords Cottington Widdrington Culpepper Byron Sir Edward Hide Sir Philip Musgrave Sir Marmaduke Langdale Sir Richard Greenvill with others And all that had been in actual Arms for the King or other service were forced to compound for their Estates if they had any to the great impoverishing of the Royal party A. D. 1649 and April the 7th The Members at Westminster for the better supply of their Army and taking away of free-quarter passed an Act for the levying of 90000 l. a Month upon England for six months Then took into consideration the sale of Dean and Chapters Lands May the 15th divers Troops of the Army for mutinying were surprised by Fairfax at Burford where some few of the Ringleaders were shot to death and the rest disbanded There were of that party a people called Levellers who in those times of distraction would have all things in the Common-wealth ordered according to their wild humours and yet all their cry was for the Liberties of free-born English men About this time Dr. Dorislaus whom the disloyal Members had sent over as their Agent into Holland was there slain by Colonel Whitford a Scotch man and not long after one Ascham another of their Agents sent into Spain was there slain by one Sparks May the 30th in the City of London England was proclaimed a Free-State And June the 13th the House ordered that no ceremony should be used to the Kings Children the Duke of Glocester and Lady Elizabeth then in the Junto's custody In Ireland the Kings Lieutenant the Marquess of Ormond in order to promote the Kings cause there concluded a peace with the Irish and June the 22d he besieged the City of Dublin but August the 2d Colonel Michael Jones with his whole strength being betwixt 8 and 9000 sallied out upon the besiegers who were 19000 Horse and Foot and routed them totally slew of them about 3000 took Prisoners 2517 took all the Marquess's train of Artillery and Amunition and a very rich booty in the Camp August the 16th Oliver Cromwell landed with his forces at Dublin and after a short stay there marched with great expedition against Tredagh or Drogedah where Sir Arthur Ashton was Governor the defendants of that Town did bravely behave themselves howbeit Oliver gained it by storm giving strict order to his Soldiers that they should afford quarter neither to Man Woman or Child but should kill all He vowed to one of his Commanders That he would sacrifice their bodies to the souls of the English men they had formerly murdered Next Oliver besieged Wexford which through the treachery of one Strafford was yielded And shortly after this many engarisoned places were reduced by Olivers forces The Plantation of Virginia that had refused subjection to the new Republick of England was forced to a conformity by Sir George Ayscoughs Fleet. October 23 Mr. John Lilbourn the Leader of the Levelling party one that had wit enough but of a thwarting turbulent spirit was tryed at Guildhall in London for writing against the Members at Westminster and their Council of State but he so well pleaded his case and had so lucky a Jury that he was quit in despight of his Judges About this time Prince Rupert the King's Admiral was distrest and put to his shifts by the Junto's Fleet losing most of his Ships with his Brother Prince Maurice who was then cast away A. D. 1650. In the beginning of this year the truly Loyal and Magnanimous Marquess of Momross was defeated in Scotland by Major General Straughorn the Marquess himself by quitting his Horse and shifting himself into an ordinary Highlanders habit made a shift to escape for the present his standard was taken in which was pourtrayed the Head of King Charles the first lying a bleeding and severed from the body with this Motto Judg and revenge my cause O Lord. The Marquess after some days wandring about in by-places came to the Laird of Astons House a person whom the Marquess had done several kindnesses for but this false Scot whether for fear or lucre betrayed this distressed Peer into the hands of his Enemy David Lesley who sent him to the City of Edenbrough where the common Hangman met him at the Towns end and first pulled off his Hat then forced him into a Cart which had a high Chair placed in it in which the Marquess was seated that thereby he might be the more obnoxious to the scorns of the vulgar But his noble soul was not at all dismayed for God he said did all the while most comfortably manifest his presence to him and furnished him with courage to overlook the reproaches of men and to behold him for whose cause he suffered After the sentence of Parliament was
Olivarians At Salisbury March the 11th a party of about 200 Cavaliers were in Arms but were dispersed and some of their chief Leaders taken as Mr. Grove Lieutenant Colonel Penruddock Major Dean Jones c. Others there were in Arms about Shrewsbury Sherwood-Forest in Northumberland and another party in York-shire where Sir Henry Slingsby was taken Lieutenant Colonel Penruddock and Mr. Grove were beheaded at Salisbury and some others of them were hang'd A. D. 1655. about the beginning of this year Admiral Blake with his Fleet performed a daring piece of service at Tunis where demanding from the Dye or Governour of Tunis reparation for the losses the English sustained from Turkish Pirates and having a scornful answer returned he boldly press'd upon their Ships lying under the Castle of Goletta and there burnt nine Ships with but the loss of 25 men in the mean time plying continued Broadsides upon the Castle within Musket-shot of it In England the Protector constituted a new kind of Officers called Major-Generals who were each of them being eleven in number in their several limits assigned them to supervise the actions of the poor Royalists and to decimate their Estates and indeed to do what they listed but these after they had tyranized a while were laid aside February the 16th did the Spaniard at Dunkirk declare open War against England and immediately thereupon was a Peace concluded betwixt France and England one of the Articles of which was That the King of France should exclude Charles Stuart King of England and all his Relations and Adherents out of his Dominions and accordingly the Duke of York was Complemented to depart France by such a time nor was his Retinue to stay after him had his Majesty himself been there he must have expected the same dealing February the 21. died that Learned Prelate Dr. Vsher A. B. of Armagh and was buried in Westminster Abby A. D. 1656 To begin this year well for fortunate Oliver some of his Fleet under the Admirals Blake and Mountague not far from Cades or Cales set upon a Fleet of eight Spaniards one of which they sunk two burnt one run ashore and two the English took one whereof had a great quantity of Plate and Cochenel in her the other laden chiefly with Hides September the 17th another of Oliver's Parliaments assembled at Westminster where before they were admitted to enter the House they must severally engage not to act any thing prejudicial to the present Government whereupon some of them returned home the rest entring the House chose Sir Thomas Widdrington their Speaker and set themselves to act suitably to Oliver's wishes passing an Act for renouncing and disannulling the title of Charles Stuart unto the Government of the Nations of England Scotland and Ireland c. and making it to be treason against the Protector as it formerly had been against the Kings person then ordained moneys to be raised in the three Nations for paying the Armies And ordered a years rent to be paid the Protector for every House built upon a new foundation within ten miles of the City of London Yet notwithstanding the provision made to secure the Protector 's person there were divers attempts made to kill him and a printed paper was published intituled Killing no Murther One Miles Sindercomb formerly a Soldier in the Army had determined to shoot or by one means or other to rid the world of him but his design being betrayed he was condemned to be hang'd and quartered to prevent which he procured his own death 't is said by snuffing up a poysonous powder into his head wherefore as a self-murderer he was drag'd at a Horses-tail from the Tower to Towerhill where being turned naked into a hole a stake spiked with iron was driven through him A. D. 1657. This year commenced with a Conspiracy of Fifth-Monarchists to have pull'd down Oliver but the Plot was discovered and the Projectors apprehended the chief of whom was Major General Harrison Vice-Admiral Lawson Col. Rich Major Danvers and Captain Venner their Standard which they had in readiness had pourtraied in it a Lion couchant Gules in a field Argent with this Motto Who shall rouze him April the 20th Admiral Blake performed another notable exploit for at Sancta Cruz in Teneriffa the chief Island of the Canaries and belonging to the Spaniards he fired and sunk 16 great Ships among which was the Admiral Vice-Admiral and Rear-Admiral and two or three Gallions the Spaniards besides the loss of their whole Fleet had many hundreds of men slain on the shore yet in this notable Action the English had but 48 men slain and 120 wounded the Protector to gratifie the Admiral for this his brave service sent him a Diamond Ring worth 500 l and Captain Richard Strainer who led the first squadron was at his coming into England for this and his other good service at Cadiz honoured with Knighthood And now the Parliament who had been long debating concerning the setling of his Highness at last present him with a certain thing called The humble Petition and Advice desiring him to take the government of the three Nations upon him with the stile of King which stile he refused as foreseeing this would disgust the Sectarists generally therefore contented himself with the Power Royal and his old stile of Lord Protector which the Parliament confirmed And June the 26th his Highness was with great State and Magnificence installed in his Office of Protector in Westminster-hall where the Speaker in the name of the Parliament presented him with a Robe of Purple-Velvet lined with Ermine a Sword a large Bible richly gilt and bossed and a Scepter of Gold And when the Speaker Earl of Warwick and Sir Bulstrode Whitlock had vested Oliver then the Speaker administred the Oath to him in these following words I do in the presence and by the name of Almighty God promise and swear that to the utmost of my power I will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments and encourage the profession and professors thereof and that to the utmost of my power I will endeavor as chief Magistrate of these three Nations the maintenance and preservation of the peace and safety and just Rights and Priviledges of the People thereof and shall in all things according to my best knowledge and power govern the People according to Law This Oath being taken by him he was immediately proclaimed Lord Protector of the Common-wealth of England c. And that done some Souldiers and others cryed God save the Lord Protector Oliver thus established in his mightiness by Parliment he falls to fashion his family after the manner of a Kings Court hath his Yeomen of the Guard in their livery of gray Cloath welted with black Velvet over whom commanded Walter Strickland His Lord Keeper was Nathaniel Fines and Lord Chamberlain Sir Gilbert Pickering c. And
the better to strengthen himself at home and to raise his Family into esteem he gave his eldest Son a Command in the Army his younger Son he made Lord Deputy of Ireland his two younger Daughters that were not yet disposed of in marriage he matched the elder of them with Mr. Robert Rich the Earl of Warwicks Grandson and the youngest with a person of great Honour And that he might be as King-like as possible and withal check the Commons in Parliment he constituted an Upper House of Parliament instead of the House of Lords 62 in number most of them his own creatures amongst whom were Colonel Hewson one by trade next kin to a Cobler and Colonel Pride formerly a Brewers servant who before this had been made two of his knights errants And to honour his Mushrooms he elected to set in his Upper House some few Noble men as the Earl of Warwick c. February the 20th the Parliment that had been adjourned now reassembled but because they admitted those Members to sit with them who at first refused to subscribe to Olivers Instruments and because they questioned the Protectors power in erecting his Upper House which in contempt they called the other House Oliver hereupon sent for them to his Upper House Bar where he made a large speech to them and in conclusion told them That it did concern as well the peace and tranquility of the Nation as his own interest to terminate that Parliament and therefore he did at this time put an end to their sitting February the fourth A. D. 1658. This Year began with a discovery of a most horrible Plot as Oliver called it and indeed he had an excellent Art for the discovery of Plots having his mercenary trepans and instruments of falshood who counterfeiting themselves forward Royallists thereby insinuated themselves into the Counsel of the Kings friends and then betrayed them And the King himself was troubled with one of these false Creatures about his own person for Captain Manning one of his Secretaries Clerks was taken in the very act of receiving Letters from Thurloe Olivers Secretary for the which he was instantly Shot to death But the Loyal Confederates in the late discovered Plot were divers of them apprehended as Dr. Hewit Colonel Edward Ashton Mr. Mordant the Earl of Peterboroughs Brother and others who were indicted of High Treason for endeavouring to levy War against his Highness and the Government and to promote Charles Stuart to the Government of these Nations and for holding correspondency with the said Charles Stuart Mr. Mordant was acquitted but Dr. Hewit and Sir Henry Slingsby were beheaded on Tower-hill June the eighth though many endeavours were used by divers persons of quality and Ministers for the saving of their lives especially the Doctors Colonel Ashton and others were hang'd and quartered in London Near about this time there came up the Thames as far as Greenwich a Whale of a very great length and bigness June the 25th the Town of Dunkirk was surrendred by the Spaniards to the French who immediately resigned it to the English forces which had been the main instrument in gaining it this resignation was made according to former Articles agreed upon between the King of France and Lord Protector of England But whilst the English were rejoicing abroad Oliver had occasion of sorrow at home for his most dearly beloved Daughter Mrs. Elizabeth Claypole on August the eighth departed this Life whose body was interred in the Royal Chappel at Westminster T is said of this Gentlewoman that she was much troubled at the harsh usage of the Royal party and that upon her knees she beg'd of her Father to save Dr. Hewits life but his hard heart would not yield thereto though he loved this Daughter so passionately that he never injoyed himself after her death but growing pensive and melancholy in short time was seized with a Tertian ague which ended his life at VVhite-hall on September the third He was born in the Town of Huntingdon and descended from a worshipful family of the Cromwels alias VVilliams his Mother was the Daughter of Sir Richard Steward and his wife Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir James Bourchier He was of a very martial Spirit and of excellent conduct and attended with very good success in his attempts Nor was he a Souldier only but also a very good Orator and deep Politician and so great a Dissembler that he could shed Crocodillian tears at pleasure when those would at any time advantage him among the Religious an high pretender he was to Religion though as his actions manifested it was only thereby to obtain his ambitious ends so impiously resolute for the effecting his designments that he valued not the violation of the most solemn promises or sacred Oaths nor the shedding of any though the blood of the Lords anointed Yet was this Man courted or feared by most of the Princes in Europe and the Kings of France and Sweden were entred into so strict a League with him as had he lived might have troubled good part of the world In Olivers stead Richard Cromwell his eldest Son whom he had appointed his Successor was proclaimed Protector Shortly after which several Addresses protesting both love and obedience to Richards Highness were presented from the Armies of the three Nations from the London-Ministers from divers Counties Cities and chief Towns of England And the Foreign Ambassadors then in England pretended to lament with Mr. Richard for the death of his Father desired the continuance of that League and Amity which was granted and maintained by his late Highness Oliver Lord Protector November the 23 were the Funerals of Oliver Solemnized after his Herse had lain in the greatest State some weeks in Somerset-House at a vast charge and in greater Pomp than had formerly been used for the greatest English Kings his Corps had been privately interr'd many days before in the Chappel-Royal of Henry the Seventh at Westminster But the vast expences of those Funerals were never discharged but those Tradesmen who had hopes of gaining the most by it sat down the greatest losers at last As soon at the Funeral-rites of this old Fox Oliver were accomplished his Son Richard proceeded to the carrying on of matters of publick concernment The first of which was the sending a Naval-supply to the King of Sweden for the aiding him against the King of Denmark The next of any moment was the calling of a Parliament to convene January the 27th at Westminster where when they were met they chose for their Speaker Mr Challoner Chute and the Members severally took the Oath not to alter the form of Government Which done they went to purge out those Members who had born Arms for the King then after many debates it was at length resolved that the House of Commons would transact with the persons of the other House as a House of Parliament during the present Parliament but with this proviso That it was not intended
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
without the King's leave That no Archbishop or Bishop upon the Popes summons should go out of the Realm without the Kings license That no Bishop should excommunicate any holding of the King in chief or put any of his Officers under interdict without the Kings license That Clerks criminous should be tryed before Secular Judges Unto which Articles the King peremptorily urged Becket to yeild without any reservation of saving in all things his order and right of the Church But Becket utterly refused sending complaints thereupon to the Pope who very desirous to keep the Kings favour required the Bishop to yeild unto the King without any salvo's or exceptions So Becket though with much reluctancy at length did swear in verbo Sacerdotali de plano that he would observe the Laws which the King intituled Avitae of his Grandfather the like to which did all the other Bishops and Nobility But notwithstanding Becket refused to set his seal to the Instrument wherein these Customs were comprehended alledging that he did promise it only to do the King some honour in word only but not with intent to confirm the said Articles Whereupon the King sent to Pope Alexander the third thinking by his means to have subjected the Prelate But he passing it by the King undertook the case himself and by his Peers and Bishops had all Beckets movable Goods condemned to his mercy they also adjudging him guilty of perjury The Bishops did by the mouth of the Bishop of Chichester disclaim thenceforward all obedience to him as their Arch-bishop And the next day whilst they were consulting further concerning him the Bishop caused to be sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speak against me and the ungodly persecute me c. and forthwith taking his silver Crosier in his hands he entred therewith into the Kings presence But the King enraged at his boldness commanded his Peers to sit in judgment on him and they adjudged him as a Traytor and perjured person to be apprehended and cast into prison To prevent which Becket fled into Flanders the Pope now openly siding with him and also Lewis the French King But Henry to let the Servant of servants know that he was supreme in his own Kingdom and that he liked not his taking part with a subject against his Sovereign Lord commanded the Sheriffs to attack such as did appeal to the Court of Rome with the Relations of all such of the English Clergy as were with Becket and to put them under Sureties Also to seize their Revenues Goods and Chattels The King likewise seized all the Archbishops Goods and Profits banished his Kindred prohibited his being publickly prayed for as Archbishop Commanded his Justices to apprehend and secure all such as should bring any Interdict into England till the Kings pleasure was further known On the other hand Becket in France by special authority from the Pope excommunicated the Bishop of London and proceeded so far with others that there was scarce found in the Kings Chappel such as might perform the wonted Service Hereupon the King sends again to the Pope to send him Legates which might absolve his excommunicate subjects and settle a Peace But the Popes Legates whom he sent did not effect a reconciliation by reason of Becket's perversness Some conjecture that in contempt of Becket whose Office it was as Archbishop of Canterbury to Crown the King King Henry caused his eldest son Henry to be crowned King of England by Roger Archbishop of York At whose Coronation-feast the Father-King himself carrying up the first dish of Meat the Archbishop pleasantly said to the young King Rejoyce my fair Son for there is no Prince in the world that hath such a Servitor attending at his Table as you have To whom the proud young King thus answered Why wonder you at that My Father knows that he doth nothing unbeseeming him forasmuch as he is royal born but on-one side but Our self are royal born both by Father and Mother Not long after this by mediation of some friends a reconciliation between the King and Becket was effected and Becket was permitted to have the full use of his Metropolitan See and all the profits thereof with the Arrearages Which he had not long re-possessed ere he published the Popes Letters by which Roger Archbishop of York and Hugh Bishop of Durham were suspended from their Episcopal Function for crowning the yong King in prejudice of the See of Canterbury And the Bishops of London Sarum and Excester cut off from the Church by Censure for assisting therein whom Becket would not absolve at the young Kings request but under conditions Which the old King then in Normandy hearing of let fall some words intimating his high displeasure against the Archbishop and desire to be rid of him Whereupon Hugh Morvill William Tracie Hugh Brito and Richard Fits-Vrse Knights and Courtiers hasted into England and murder'd the Archbishop in the Cathedral Church of Canterbury Richard a Monk A.B. Cant. as he stood in the Evening-service-time before the Altar Which done the Parricides fled and Thomas was reputed for a most Glorious Saint and Martyr and strange Miracles beyond my Creed are reported to have been done by this dead Roman-Saint and his blood Amongst other Epitaphs made on his death this was one Quis moritur praesul Cur pro grege Qualiter ense Quando Natali Quis locus Ara Dei. But the news of this vile act coming to the ears of the old King he was exceedingly troubled and to take off the imputation of Guilt from himself he protested that he would submit himself to the judgment of such Cardinal Legates as the Pope should send to enquire of the fact And to calm his own perturbations and avert mens thoughts from the consideration of that Tragedy he undertook the conquest of Ireland which he effected being helped forward therein by the Civil dissentions then amongst the Irish petty Kings Where having caused a reformation of the Irish Church and setled affairs therein to his conveniency he returned into England and from thence posted into Normandy where attended for his arrival two Cardinal-Legats sent at his own request for his purgation concerning Thomas a Becket's death by whom he was absolved Having first given oath that he was no way consenting to the fact and declared his sorrow for having in his anger given occasion by rash words for others to do the deed and ingaged to perform injoyned penances The conditions of his absolution were That at his own charge he should maintain 200 Soldiers a whole year for the defence of the Holy Land and that he should revoke the Laws which he had made against the priviledges of the See of Rome and Beckets friends And now this Cloud thus blown over another succeeds in its place For his unnatural Son young King Henry by the instigation of his Mother Queen Eleanor conspired against him having for his confederates the Kings of France and Scotland
England and Ireland Pandulph now having got what he came for hastens into France there to disswade Philip from proceeding against King John as being become an obedient and reconciled Son to the Church But Philip who was of his holy Fathers mind not caring for K. John's repentance but his Crown in great choler professed That since the Pope himself had so far thrust him on his Legats suggestions no nor his threats of excommunication should not withdraw him from his intentions In which resolution calling his Peers into a consultation they all approved his design save Ferdinand Earl of Flanders who alledged that it was an unreasonable thing to think of invading another mans right inforcing this his judgment with so good arguments that thereby many of the Peers were induced to change their opinion Which so incensed K. Philip that he drew his Forces against Flanders commanding his mighty prepared Fleet to set forward thitherward Of the which K. John having speedy intelligence set forth his Navy and happily surprized the French Fleet at the Port of Damme whilst most of the Soldiers were on Land spoiling the Earls Country taking 300 Vessels laden with Provisions Arms and other costly fraught and burning and sinking above an 100. And now the King thinking to take the advantage of this Victory made ready a great Army for the recovery of his hereditary Provinces lost to the French but when all else was ready then the Barons denied him their attendance till he was assoyled of his Excommunication and that their pristine liberties granted them by Henry the first were restored Stephen Langton animating them herein and promising his faithful assistance to them Hereupon the King makes his appeal to Rome presenting the Pope with rich presents in answer to which the Pope sent his Legate the Bishop of Tusculum who wrought with the King to corroborate the conveyance of his Kingdoms to the Pope unto which the King yielded But the Archbishop of Canterbury opposed himself against it with whom the Peers of the Land joyned avowing it to be an execrable thing to the whole World And in a full Parliament it was Enacted That since the King could not without consent of Parliament bring his Realm and people to such thraldom therefore if the Pope should in the future attempt any such thing again with life and livelihood he should be withstood The Pope hearing of this not only conceived exceeding hatred against the Archbishop but sent also his authentick Letters for repealing the Interdict upon restitution of 1300 Marks more to the Prelates and that but by equal portions of five years payment And now the King passed into Poictou which he reduced thence into Britain where his Poictovins according to their old custome proved false to him to his great detriment The while his Barons they play Rex at home renewing their confederation and binding themselves with an Oath at the High Altar at St. Edmonds bury That they would pursue the King with Arms till he should consent to the Charter of Liberties granted by Henry 1st So that the King was inforced to return into England where when come they challenged this Charter as a part of his Oath made at his Absolution and shortly after they met together at Stamford with a very numerous Army Their General was Robert Fitz-Walter whom they stiled The Marshal of Gods Army and Holy Church London invited them to enter the City by night where when entred by their threatful Letters they not only drew most of the Nobles from the King but had also almost lockt him out of his Royal Seat insomuch that he was necessitated by gentle messages to procure of his factious Barons a place and day of meeting which was Running-Mead betwixt Windsor and Stains since called Councel-Mead whither they came with Armed multitudes out of all the Kingdom numberless Where the King perceiving their so great strength and his own small party he granted them the utmost of their desires not only for liberties specified in Magna Charta and Charta Forestae but also for a kind of rule in the government by 25 selected Peers to whose command all the other Barons were also bound by Oath to be obedient But the King could not long relish this therefore privately sends to his trustiest friends to fortify and victual their Castles and himself secretly retires into the Isle of Wight From whence he dispatched Messengers both to the Pope and his foreign friends to crave the censure of the one and succours of the other against such outragious Rebels In both which his Agents were so sedulous and friends compassionate that at Rome by definitive sentence the Barons Charters were made voyd the King and Barons accursed if either of them observed the composition made at Councel-Mead And from Flanders Goscoin Brabrant and other parts such competent aids came in as incouraged the King after Three Months secrecy to shew himself in the face of his Enemies His Host he divided into two parts with the one conducted by himself Northward he every-where subdued his Rebels as likewise did the Earl of Salisbury Southward Stephen Langton the Pope suspended for abetting the Barons and his Brother Simon Langton Archbishop elect of York had his election made voyd the Pope constituting in his place Walter Gray whose Pall cost him no less than 1000 pounds The Archiepiscopal Pall is a Pontifical Vestment made of Lambs wooll as it comes from the Sheeps back without any other artificial colour and spun by a peculiar order of Nuns cast into St. Peters Tomb and adorned with little black Crosses having two Labells hanging down before and behind which the Archbishops when going to the Altar put about their Necks above their other pontifical Ornaments The disloyal Barons were all excommunicated by name and all their Lands together with the City of London Interdicted But the lofty Barons held those censures in so high contempt that they decreed neither themselves nor Citizens of London should observe them nor the Prelates denounce them And to revive their dying Cause they resolve on a project for betraying the Crown of England unto Lewis the Dauphin of France sending their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with all the Barons Seals to implore K. Philips favour for sending his Son and his Son for the acceptance of the English Crown To prevent a correspondency herein the Pope sends his Apostolical Commands to Philip of France that he should stay his Son from entring upon St. Peters patrimony with a Curse also on all such as should assist the excommunicate Barons To which Philip replied That England was no patrimony of St. Peters no King saith he having power of himself to alienate his Kingdom K. John especially who being never lawful King had no power to dispose thereof and that it was an error and pernicious example in the Pope and an itching lust after a new kind of Domination His Peers swore That they would spend their blood rather than suffer that a King
had homage done him by many of the Scotish Lords at Dumfres he next took unjust revenge on Walter Langton Bishop of Chester by Imprisoning him and seizing all his temporal goods and credits because that in his Father K. Edward's life-time the Bishop had gravely reproved him for his misdemeanors and had complained on Pierce Gavestone whereon ensued young Edward's Imprisonment and Gaveston's banishment Then he sailed into France where at Bolein with wonderful magnificence he was married to young Isabel Daughter of Philip the Fair and at his return for England brought back with him his beloved Minion Pierce Gaveston who was a Gentleman stranger brought up with him Which Gaveston the King suffered now to Lord it over the chief Nobles to fill the Court with Buffoons and Parasites and the like pernicious instruments to wast the wealth of the Kingdom in revellings and riotous courses to transport riches into foreign parts bestowing upon him his own Jewels and Ancestors treasures and even the Crown it self of his victorious Father Not sticking to profess That if it lay in his power he should succeed him in the Kingdom being wholly ruled by him Therefore to repress Gaveston's exorbitances the Lords in Parliament procured though with no good-will of the Kings that Gaveston Earl of Cornwall should be perpetually banished they gratifying the King with a subsidy of the 20th part of the Subjects goods Howbeit shortly after the King contrary to his Oath made unto the Parliament called Earl Gaveston home out the Ireland himself meeting him at Flint-Castle and then bestowing on him to Wife Joan of Acres Countess of Glocester resolving for this leud mans sake to put Crown Life and all in hazard And now the insolent Earl strives to outgo himself in his former courses consuming the Kings treasures and means so that there was not sufficient left for the necessities of the Court and drawing the King into such debaucheries that the Queen conceived her self injured thereby as well as the Nobles Whereupon Gaveston is a third time forced out of the Realm into which he again returned the following Christmas when the King welcomed him as an Angel from Heaven and forthwith advanced him to be principal Secretary But the Lords as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal resolved by force of Arms utterly to extirpate him chusing for their Leader in this design Thomas Earl of Lancaster And at Datkington this infamous Earl Gaveston was surprized by Guy Earl of Warwick who conveyed him to Warwick-Castle and in a place called Blacklow afterward Gaveshead caused his head to be cut off as a subverter of the Laws and an open Traytor to the Kingdom Which act caused a lasting hatred in the King to his Nobles John Offord A.B. Cant. though for the present the Kings displeasure was allayed by the mediation of the Prelates and especially of Gilbert Earl of Glocester who stood neutral But whilst the English King minded only his pleasure undaunted Bruce now the received King of Scotland industriously prosecuted his design for setting his Country at liberty from the English driving them out of most places of his Realm and making great spoil in Northumberland Which awakning K. Edward he marched with a very great Army against him though many of the Nobles refused to attend him in this service because he delayed to ratifie their desired Liberties and provisions for better Government so often consented unto by himself At Bannocksbourn the English and Scotch Armies came in sight each of other when the enemy left nothing undone that might be for their advantage digging before their Battalions certain trenches wherein they stuâ—k sharp Stakes covering them with Hurdles which miserably afflicted the English Cavalry falling into them at unawares thereby procuring to the Scots the greatest victory that ever they had over the English In this fight K. Edward did gallantly behave himself nor would he fly till by the importunity of friends he was thereunto forced for his preservation Now was slain the Earl of Glocester the Lord Clifford with other Lords and about 700 Knights Esquires and mâ—n of Armories Humphry de Bohun was taken Prisoner and a great booty the Scots gained for the English in this expedition had adorned themselves as for a triumph with all sorts of riches gold silver and the like in a kind of wanton manner corresponding to the Prince they followed In those times the Scots made such-like scoffing Rhimes as this on the English Long Beards heartless painted Hoods witless Gay Coats graceless makes England thriftless This Conquest incouraged the Scots to make inroads into the English Northern Counties where they made great spoil some of the disloyal Englishmen joyning with them The King nevertheless could not forget his Gaveston whose body with great pomp he caused to be transferred from Oxford to Kings-Langley in Hartfordshire himself in person honouring the Exequies Then in Pierce Gavestons place the King advanced into his favour the two Spencers Father and Son whose intolerable insolencies and oppressions seemed to exceed those of Gavestons against whom the Barons did swell with such impatience that not content with the wast of their Lands by threats of civil War they procured their Banishment The Queen who hitherto had been a Mediatrix betwixt the King and his Lords having received the denyal of one nights lodging at the Castle of â—eeds in Kent which belonged to one of the Barons whom she perceived to take too much upon them now turned her Spleen against them incensing the King her Husband against them so highly that King Edward resolved to dye in the quarrel or to bring the factious Lords into a more becoming carriage towards him The judgment given against the Spencers he procured to be reversed Some of the Delinquent Lords render'd themselves to the King others of them were apprehended amongst whom were the two Roger Mortimers Father and Son who were committed to the Tower Howbeit the Earl of Lancaster in the North resolved with what forces he could procure to fight for his security against whom the King marched and at Burrowbridg encountred him where Humphrey de Bohun was slain with a spear from under the bridg and the Earl of Lancaster with other principal men Barons and Knights to the number of above ninety were taken by Andrew de Herckly Captain of Carlisle afterward created Earl of that place The Earl of Lancaster a few days after was beheaded at Pontfract the Barons and Knights were drawn hang'd and quarter'd The Lord Badlesmere who refused to let the Queen lodg at Leeds was executed at Canterbury Never did English earth at one time drink so much blood of her Nobles as at this time in so vile a manner shed One Earl and Fourteen Lords suffering death most of them by the halter But that this Tragedy of the Lords was exploited by others and not by the Kings free inclinations appears for that when some of the Courtiers and Favourites pleaded for the life of one of a mean Family
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
following he was condemned of Felony as seeking the death of some of the Kings Counsellors and on Febr. 22 of the same year he was brought to the Scaffold on Tower-hill where he thus spake to the people Dearly beloved Friends I am brought hither to suffer death albeit I never offended against the King either in word or deed and have always been as true and faithful to this Realm as any man hath been But forasmuch as I am by Law condemned to die I do acknowledg my self as well as others to be subject thereunto Wherefore to testifie my obedience which I owe unto the Laws I am come hither to suffer death whereunto I willingly offer my self with most hearty thanks unto God that hath given me this time of repentance who might through sudden death have taken away my life that I neither should have acknowledged him nor my self When having uttered these words with others exhortatory That the people would continue constant in the Gospel suddenly there was heard a great noise whereby the assembly was struck into great fear which noise was made by some of the Trainband-Hamlets coming hurrying on the Tower-hill This stir being ceased another presently insued for the people seeing Sir Anthony Brown ride towards the Scaffold they violently ran and crowded together thitherward supposing he had brought a pardon from the King and with a sudden shout cried a pardon a pardon God save the King But these interruptions over the Duke proceeded in his speech requesting the people to join in prayer with him for the King exhorting them unto obedience to him and his Council Which done asking every man forgiveness and declaring that he freely forgave every man he meekly submitted his head to the Axe Whose death the people were much grieved for speaking very bitterly against the Duke of Northumberland and the good King sorely mourned because of it which likely did much increase his Consumptive distemper that brought him to his end Whilst he lay in his weakness he was over-wrought to disinherit his two sisters Mary and Elizabeth and to ordain by Will for his Successor to Englands Diadem Guilford Dudley's Wife Jane the elder Daughter of the Duke of Suffolk whose Mother the Lady Frances was the Daughter of Mary Queen of France and Charles Branden Duke of Suffolk Unto this Will of King Edward all his Council the Bishops and all the Judges saving Sir John Hallis subscribed When the King drew towards his last breath he prayed as followeth Lord God deliver me out of this miserable life and take me among thy chosen howbeit not my will but thy will be done Lord I commit my spirit to thee O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy Chosen sake if it be thy will send me life and health that I may truly serve thee O my Lord bless thy people and save thine inheritance O Lord God save thy chosen people of England O my Lord God defend this Realm from Papistry and maintain thy true Religion that I and my people may praise thy holy Name for thy Son Jesus Christs sake So turning his face and seeing some by him he said I thought you had not been so nigh Yes said Dr. Owen we heard you speak to your self Then said the King I was praying to God O I am faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my Spirit And in so saying he yielded up the Ghost July 6 1553. And was interred in the Chappel of St. Peters at Westminster He was a Prince very well learned in the Latin and Greek Tongues also in the French Spanish and Italian adorned with the skill of Logick Natural Philosophy Musick and Astronomy Of such observation and memory that he could tell and recite all the Ports Havens and Creeks belonging to England Scotland and France what coming in there was how the Tide served in every of them what burden of Ship and what wind best served the coming into them Of all his Nobles chief Gentry and Magistrates he took special notice of their hospitality and religious conventions He was very sparing of his Subjects blood though rebells or hereticks When Joan Butcher was to be burnt for heresie all his Council could not move him to sign the Warrant for her execution till Dr. Cranmer A. B. laboured with him therein to whom the King said What my Lord will you have me send her quick to hell And taking the Pen he used this speeeh I will lay all the charge hereof upon Cranmer before God So zealous he was for the reformed Religion and against Popery that he thrust out all the Roman fopperies out of the Churches and superstitions out of the English Church nor would he permit his sister Mary to have Mass said in her house though the Emperour Charles made suit for it in her behalf So charitable that he conferred on the City of London Christs-Hospital and St. Thomas-Hospital for the relief of the Impotent fatherless Children and wounded Soldiers and Bridewell for vagabond and idle persons and so circumspect as to himself and publick that he kept a Journal-Book written with his own hand how all things proceeded with him and the state even from the first day of his raign unto his death The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir John Gresham was Mayor Thomas White Robert Chertsey Sheriffs In his second Year Henry Amcoats was Mayor William Lock Sir John Ayleph Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Rowland Hill was Mayor John Yorke Richard Turk Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Andrew Jud was Mayor Augustine Hinde John Lion Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir Richard Dobbes was Mayor John Lambert John Cowper Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor William Garret or Gerard John Mainard Sheriffs Queen MARY A.D. 1553 PIOVS King Edward having exchanged this wretched life for an happy the Councel in the first place perswaded the Lord Mayor and certain of the Aldermen of London to take their Oathes to be faithful to the Lady Jane Grey then caused the said Lady Jane to be proclaimed in London Queen of England But when Queen Mary heard the news of her brothers death and the Councels proceeds by her Letters she required the Councel as they tendred her displeasure and their own safeties to proclaim her Queen and Governour of the Land Unto which Letters the Lords forthwith answered That by good Warrant of Ancient Laws of the Realm besides the last Will of King Edward the right was in the Lady Jane to govern England unto whom therefore and none other they must yield subjection They also remembred the Queen of the unlawful marriage and divorce of her Mother of her own illegitimation desiring her to forbear any furder claim and to submit her self to the Queen Jane now her Soveraign Which Letters sent to Queen Mary were subscribed by Thomas Canterbury Archbishop Thomas Ely Chancellor Henry Suffolk Duke The Duke of
into England bringing thence many sick Soldiers which dangerously infected the Nation with a long continuing Plague About the year 1564 the Irish sought to shroud themselves from their obedience unto Queen Elizabeth under the shelter of Shan O-Neal a man cruel by nature and claiming an Hereditary right to the Province of Vlster as the O-Neals formerly had done to all Ireland Against this rebel so great preparations were made that he terrified therewith came over into England and on his knees begged the Queens pardon which she granted him Howbeit not long after he rebelled but at length was slain by some of his own Countrymen A. D. 1567 so great civil dissensions were in Scotland that outrages were not only committed upon the best Subjects but even upon the King and Queen themselves him they barbarously murdred and forced her to leave Scotland Which unhappy Queen having embarqued her self for France Edward Grindal A. B. Cant. hoping there to find many friends was by cross winds drove upon the English Coasts from whence she might not return but was detained Prisoner in England A. D. 1568 by the working Instruments of the old Doctor at Rome there were discontents bred and nourished in some great persons of England as the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland Leonard Dacres Nevill c. who had in readiness certain English Priests Morton and others with Bulls and Instruments of Absolution Reconciliation and Oaths to be taken to the Pope These Romish rebels raised forces and with Banner displayed entred Burrowbridge old Morton being their Ensign-bearer in whose Colours was painted the Cross and five wounds of Christ But at the approach of her Majesties Forces the Captains of the rebells fled into Scotland and their followers were taken without any resistance Of these Traytors were put to death at Durham by Martial Law an Alderman a Priest sixty-six Constables besides others of them in other places about A. D. 1570 Leonard Dacres of Harlsey renewed the rebellion and had amongst his followers many Women-soldiers but upon a Moor nigh unto Naworth the Lord Hunsdon dispersed them in fight August 22d of this year was the Earl of Northumberland beheaded at York where in his last speech he avowed the Popes Supremacy denied that subjection was due to the Queen affirmed the Realm to be in a Schism and that obedient subjects were no better than Hereticks For you must know that Pope Pius the fifth had by his Bull dated 1569 deprived the Queen of her Kingdoms absolved her subjects of all subjection to her and pronounced all that yielded her obedience accursed Which Bull was privately hung upon the Bishop of London's Palace-gate at the West-end of St. Pauls And such influence it had upon the spirits of many persons disaffected to the Reformed Religion that they sought by divers means to work the Queens destruction Many were the projects and devices to ruin the Church and Queen but by the good providence of Almighty God the projectors were defeated in their purposes and suffered deserved punishment In Norfolk John Throgmorton Brook Redman and others sought to raise a commotion for the which they suffered death Dr. Story executed for his treason 1571. John Sommervil instigated by one Hall a Seminary Priest to murther the Queen was executed John Payn imployed to murther her as she took her recreation abroad was executed so was Edmond Champion a Seminary Priest also executed Francis Throgmorton for endeavouring to procure an Invasion was executed William Parry who purposed to have murdred the Queen was executed Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland being privy to the Plots of Throgmorton for the bringing in of foreign powers was committed to the Tower where to save the Hangman a labour he shot himself to the heart Thomas Howard being too busie in some Popish designs was also put to death John Whitgift A B. Cant. Other Popish Traytors were likewise deservedly executed whose names facts and places and times of execution for brevities sake are omitted A. D. 1572 Novemb. 18 appeared a strange Star or Comet Northward in the Constellation of Cassiopeia not much less than the Planet Venus never changing place fixed far above the Moons Orb the like to which never did appear since the beginning of the world that we read of saving that at the Birth of Christ A. D. 1573 was built at London the Royal-Exchange so named by her Majesty whose founder was Sir Thomas Gresham A. D. 1576 Sir Martin Frobusher sailed into the Northeast Seas far further than any man before him had done giving to those parts the name of Queen Elizabeths Foreland A. D. 1577 and Novemb. 15 Capt. Drake set sail from Plimouth and in three years wanting twelve days he encompassed the Earth landing again in England on Novemb. 3 1580. In America in the Country which he named Nova Albion the King thereof presented unto him his Network Crown of many coloured feathers and therewith resigned his Scepter of Government unto his dispose The people there so admired the English men that they sacrificed to them as to their gods At his departure from thence he reared a Monument to witness her Majesties right to that Province as being freely given to her Deputy both by King and people The little Ship called the Pelican wherein this admirable Voyage was performed was at her Majesties command laid up in the Dock by Deepford as a Monument of Englands fame and Captain Drake was honoured with Knighthood A. D. 1581 was the motion renewed for a Marriage betwixt Francis Valois Duke of Anjou and Queen Elizabeth and so effectually was the suit moved and acceptably heard of her Highness that the Monsieur came over in person though to the little liking of many of the English Nobles and to the great discontent of the Commons as was made known by a Book written against it which cost William Stubs the Inditer thereof the loss of his right hand About A. D. 1583 the Pope and King of Spain sent supplies to the Irish rebells under the command of Thomas Stukely an English fugitive whom the Pope had stiled Marquess of Ireland These landing in Ireland raised their consecrated Banner built their Fort Del Ore but the Lord Grey of Wilton Lord Deputy quickly put most of them to the sword A. D. 1585 after several suits made unto the Queen by the distressed States of the Netherlands and their Grievances recommended to her by the King of France with promise of his own assistance her Majesty was graciously pleased to undertake their protection sending to their assistance Sir John Norrice with 5000 Foot and a thousand Horse all retained at her Highness pay during those Wars against Spain which monthly amounted to 12526 l. Sterling For which moneys so disbursed the Towns of Flushing and Brill with two Sconces and the Castle of Ramekins in Holland were delivered to the Queens use in pledg until the money was repaid The considerations moving her Majesty to assist â—he United Provinces were The
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
this success made the English too secure insomuch that through neglect of seasonable and fitting supplies the Town of Callis was forced to yield to the French upon but indifferent Terms on the English part Thus the Town of Callis won by the victorious King Edward the third and that by no less than eleven months siege was now in the compass of eight days besieged and regained and that in the depth of Winter it being surrendred on January 17th 1557. And in the same month and year were also the strong Forts of Guises and Hames taken by the French whereby all the English footing was lost in France This loss with the absence of King Philip who did not passionately love his consort the Queen is thought to have hastned the death of Queen Mary She was heard to say That the loss of Callis was written in her heart and might therein be read when her body should be opened She died of a burning Fever Novemb. 17th 1558 and was buried at Westminster The Church-possessions which this Queen had in her hands she freely resigned with this saying That she set more by the Salvation of her own Soul than she did by ten Kingdoms Though she was of no bad natural temper yet through a blind zeal she dealt so rigidly and cruelly against those called Sacramentarians the Protestants that in less than four years space she caused to be put to death of them 277. In Smithfield and other parts of the Land were consumed of them in the flames for Christs-sake 5 Bishops 21 Ministers 8 Gentlemen 48 Artificers 100 Husbandmen Servants and Labourers 26 Wives 20 Widows 9 Virgins 2 Boys and 2 Infants one of them whipt to death by bloody Bonner and the other springing out of its mothers womb as she burned at the stake was thrown again into the fire Sixty four more were persecuted for their profession of the true Christian Doctrin whereof 7 were whipped 16 perished in prisons and were buried in dunghills and many lay in captivity condemned till the coming in of Queen Elizabeth and many fled the Realm in those Scorching times amongst whom was Katharine Dutchess of Suffolk the last Wife of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Pray God of his great mercy defend England from the Religion and cruelties of Antichristian Rome On the self-same day that Queen Mary died died also Cardinal Pole Archbishop of Canterbury and was buried at Canterbury In the raign of this Queen extream dearths raged also Quartain Agues of which many old people died especially Clergy-men At a little Town about a mile and Eastward from Nottingham a Tempest of thunder did great harm beat down many Houses forced the Bells out of the Steeple carrying them to the outside of the Church-yard and some Webs of Lead four hundred foot into the field A Child by the violence of it was taken out of a mans arms and carried a hundred foot Five or six men besides the Child were slain by it Some Hail-stones fell that were fifteen Inches about Mayors and Sheriffs of London in her Raign In her first Year Sir Thomas White was Mayor Thomas Offley William Hewet Sheriffs In her second Year Sir John Lyon was Mayor David Woodroffe William Chester Sheriffs In her third Year Sir William Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Thomas Lee or Leigh John Machel Sheriffs In her fourth Year Sir Thomas Offley was Mayor William Harper John VVhite Sheriffs In her fifth Year Sir Thomas Curteis was Mayor Richard Mallory James Altham Sheriffs In her sixth Year Sir Thomas Lee or Leigh was Mayor John Halsey Richard Champion Sheriffs ELIZABETH A. D. 1558. QUeen Elizabeth the Restorer and Defender of tne publick profession of the Apostolical Religion in England begun her Reign A. D. 1558 Novemb. 17. Upon the death of her sister Queen Mary she removed to the Charter-house of London and from thence was royally attended through the City unto the Tower In which Triumphal state as she passed through the streets of London when the Book of God was presented to her at the little Conduit in Cheapside she received it with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breast saying That the same had been her chiefest delight and should be the Rule by which she meant to frame her Government January 15 was the Crown-Imperial set on her head by Dr. Oglethorp Bishop of Carlile Shortly after which a Parliament sate wherein the Title of the Supremacy was restored to the Crown with the Tenths and First fruits of all Ecclesiastical Livings and the Book of Common-Prayer set forth in Edward the sixths time was ratified as also those Acts repealed which were Enacted in Queen Maries time in favour of the Romish and against the Reformed Religion During this Parliament a Petition was made unto her Majesty to move her unto Marriage in hope of royal Issue from her To which she replied That she best liked a Virgins life but that if it hapned that her affection should change her choice should be only of such an one as should be as careful as any of themselves for the publick good As for her Issue she said if she should have any it might grow out of kind and prove ungracious and therefore to leave behind her a more lasting and grateful remembrance she held it sufficient that a Marble-stone should declare to posterities that she a Queen had reigned lived and died a Virgin This Maiden-Queen the better to secure her self against the Bishop of Rome who sought to disable her Title by the calumny of Illegitimation entred into a league with some Princes of Germany This done she claimed the restitution of Callis as her right having been lawfully granted and assured by the French themselves unto the Crown of England But the English Queen was not more desirous to have Callis than the French was unwilling to part with it howbeit at length it was thus concluded That Callis should remain French the term of eight years and then to return to the English else the French to pay 500000 Crowns which they never performed though the agreement was sealed and sworn unto Next her Highness proceeds to purge the Clergy of England ordering the Oath of Supremacy and other Articles to be tendred them which many refusing were forthwith deprived of their Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions Then went forth Commissioners to suppress those Monasteries restored by Queen Mary Matthew Parker A. B. Cant. and to cast out all Images set up in Churches and after the reducing of Church-matters into order this happy Queen brought her Coyns into fine and pure Sterling debasing of Copper-coins causing likewise great store of Munition Armour and Powder to be brought into the Land and laid up in readiness against a time of need A. D. 1562 Her Majesty sent Ayds into France to support the Reformed Religion there These with great joy were received into the Towns of Newhaven Roan and Deep but within the space of twelve moneths they were forced back