and other places the better to secure his new acquired greatness and was the first that admitted the Jews to Inhabit England and finding some stirs in Normandy he re-passed the Seas and fought his Son Robert who dismounted him but knowing his voice remounted him and begged his pardon and by that means they were made Friends and the War ceased However finding Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent secretly Conspiring against him he Confiscated his Estate and Banished him his Dominions and being about to War against the French who during the Contest with his Son had offered some Indignities to his Dominions in Normandy he fell sick of a great pain and disorder in his Bowels whereat the French King in a scofing manner said Our Cousin William is now in Childbed therefore it behoves us to consider what number of Candles we must offer when he is Churched for no doubt they must be very many This being told to King William he in a rage swore by the Resurrection and brightness of God That his Cousin of France should be at no such cost or trouble but that at his Churching himself would light a thousand Candles in France and he failed not in his promise for entering that Kingdom with Fire and Sword he burnt the City of Mentz or Metz and many other places yet being too eager in pursuit of the French and of a Corpulent Body his Horse with a surious bound broke the Inner Rim or Film of his Belly of which when he had quieted the Disturbances abroad and at home and an extream Surfeit he got by overheating himself in action he died after a considerable sickness at Roan in Normandy Anno 1087. and there forsaken of his Sons and Courtiers who hasted to secure their respective Interests his Body was left unburied till one Harulims a poor Country Knight at his proper charge conveyed it to Cane where upon the attempting to bury him in St. Stephen's Chappel it was denied by one Ascelinus Fitz Arthur who in the Name of God forbad it saying It was the very place of his Father's House Floar which the Duke in his Life-time had wrongfully taken from him and upon his Inheritance founded the Church Therefore continued he I challenge the Ground and on God's behalf forbid that the Body of any Oppressor or Dispoiler be buried in my Earth neither shall it be Interred in the Precincts of my right But in conclusion Henry the Conqueror's younger Son hearing of the refusal compounded for 100 pound weight of silver and the Body was accordingly Interred with little or no Pomp for during the Contest his Belly burst in sunder and the Contageon thereby occasioned was so great that few could indure it he died on the 9th day of September 1087. in the 56th year of his Dukedom of Normandy and the 21st of his Reign over England in the 64th year of his Age his Wife was Maud Daughter to Baldwin the first Earl of Flanders his Issue was Robert sirnamed Curthois or Short-boots William sirnamed Miser who died Anno 1028. Richard who after his Father had gained the English Diadem came to a violent Death being gored in the New Forrest by a Stag or as others have it died by the stroke of a Bough William Rufus who succeeded him in the Kingdom of England though he nominated no Successor but left it to God's disposal much bewailing on his Death-Bed the Rigour and Oppressions he had used towards the English Henry born at Selby in York-shire Anno 1070. Cicely a veiled Nun Constance Married to Allain Earl of Britain in France Alice Married to Stephen Earl of Bloys by whom she had Stephen Earl of Mortain and Boleine afterward King of England Gundred Married to William d' Warren a Noble Norman and first Earl of Surry Ela who in her Child-hood was contracted to Duke Harrold afterward King of England Margaret who in her Childhood was given to Alphons King of Gallicia in Spain and William Preverel his Natural Son who was Created Earl of Nottingham His last Will and Testament was That all his Goods should be distributed to Churches Ministers and Poor limiting their respective Portions and to the Church and Monks of St. Stevens in Normandy where he above all â—oveted to be Buried he gave several Mannors as likewise his Crown which was afterward Redeemed by his Son Henry To Robert he left the Dutchey of Normandy but left as we said England free only wishing that his Son William might succeed him in it and presageing that Henry should in Conclusion possess all his Dominions he gave him 5000 Pounds the remainder of his Treasure He Deposed and Imprisoned Stigand Arch-bishop of Canterbury who died in Prison However he built many fair Churches and Abbies endowing them with Revenues and large Priviledges specially Battle-Abby where he slew King Harrold so that any Theâ—f or Murtherer flying thither had safe Protection and if the Abbot came by where any Execution was in hand he might if he pleased save the Malefactor he allowed a certain Pention to the Monks to â—ray for the Soul of King Harrold and those that were â—lain in the Battle In this King's time who was the 20th sole Monarch of England happened a dreadful Earthquake strange Burning Feavors proving very Mortal Murrains causing great Dearth of Cattle extraordinary Rains and Inundations which softned the Hills to that degree that some of them sunk to a flatness and overwhelmed the Neighbouring Villages most of the chief Cities suffered by Fire and London had her Houses and Churches burnt as the fire carried it from the West Gate to the East Gate Thus Lived and sell the Potent Conqueror Death's sorce subdued what ne'er was foil'd in War The Reign of William II. Sirnamed Rufus King of England c. VVIlliam Rufus so named from the redness of his Face although his Elder Brother Robert was alive immediately passing to London he by the assistance of Lanfrank Arch-bishop of Canterbury and VVolstane so far wrought upon the Council that he procured himself to be Crowned Anno 1087. at VVestminster but Odo his Uncle returning from his Banishment stirred up Robert his Brother against him instigating the Nobles to take part with him but Robert wanting Money was obliged for the better carrying on the Expedition to Pawn the Province of Constantine to his Brother Henry but whilst these preparations were in hand VVilliam to ingratiate himself with the English made large Promises to take off the hard Taxes and restore the Laws his Father had abolished upon which the people siding with him he wrested many of the strong Holds out of the hands of thosâ— that had seized them for his Brother Robert proceeding to besiege his Uncle Odo in Richester putting forth his Proclamation by which he ordered all people to repair thither in Arms and whoever refused he should be accounted a Niding which word at that time was so distastful and hated by the English as signifying a Coward or mean-spirited Fellow
so far prevailed with the easie King that a Reconciliation was made and the Kuke of Somerset who mainly opposed the Yorkists Interest was confined a Prisoner to his house which done the Duke of York dissolved his Army and came to London making great complaints to the King against Somerset of which that Duke had no sooner notice but he came before the King and accused his Accuser Face to Face charging him with High-Treason as having conspired to depose the King and take the Sovereignty on himself whereupon the Duke of York was confined till such time as he swore in St. Paul's Church before a great Concourse of Nobility to continue a true faithfull and obedient Subject to King Henry And about this time by the success of John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury the Affairs of France began to appear in a better posture for by the prevailing Arms of this valiant man Burdeaux the chief City in Normandy was taken with many other Places of Note but upon his attempting to relieve Castilion charging the Enemy upon unequal Terms he was slain in the Field together with his Son the Viscount Lisle and with him dyed all the English hope of ever recovering what was lost in France for the Duke of York not regarding his Oath An. 1445. took up Arms and broke into the King's Palace and the King to oppose him drew out considerable Forces so that a great Battel was fought at St. Albans where the King was wounded with an Arrow and taken Prisoner and the Duke of Somerset the Earls of Northumberland and Stafford together with the Lord Clifford and divers other Knights and Gentlemen of the Royal Party slain Henry being brought to London a Parliament was called in which the Memories and Honours of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester were restored and those that had taken up Arms under the Duke of York indempnified of the Treason and that Duke created Protectour of England The Earl of Salisbury made Chancellour and the Earl of Warwick his Son Captain of Calais And thus having gotten the Power into their hands they worked out the Counsellours and Favourites of the King placing such in their stead as would stickle for their Interest The Divisions gave the French the boldness to make discents into several places In Kent and Devonshire they burnt some Towns and committed many Outrages which yet abated not the heat and heart-burning of the English one to another for although 〈◊〉 Lords met and concluded a seeming Agreementâ— yet it lasted not long before both side â—â—â—â—med and a mortal Battel was fought on 〈…〉 where the King's Party was worsted And soon after another Battel was fought at Ludlow where the Duke and his Adherents received a great overthrow and the Town of Ludlow laid in Ruines for adhering to the Yorkists and hereupon a Parliament was called wherein the Duke of York the Earls of March Salisbury and Rutland and others were attainted of High Treason and had their Estates confiscated But on the 9th of July 1460. the Scale turned for in a fatal Battel at Northampton the King was overthrown by means of the revolt of the Lord Grey of Ruthen and in this Battel on the King's part there were slain the Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Beaumont the Lord Egrinham Sir William Lucy and others and the King himself was made Prisoner and carried to London where in a Parliament begun the 8th of October the Duke of York laid Claim to the Crown and set forth his Pedigree and urged it so far that the Parliament came to a conclusion That Henry should enjoy the Crown during his natural Life but then it should fall to the Duke of York and his heirs and the heirs of Henry to be utterly excluded and accordingly the Duke was proclaimed Heir apparent to the Crown But Queen Margaret who was in the North raising Forces resolved not to stand to what her Husband had been forced to consent to but to maintain the right of her Son Prince Edward but having gathered a considerable Army she marched towards London against her the Duke drew out and near Wakefield a bloudy and doubtfull Battel was faught in which the Duke of York was slain his Forces overthrown his Son the Earl of Rutland killed begging his Life on his Knees and the Earl of Salisbury taken Prisoner and beheaded the Duke's head was cut off and a Paper Crown set upon it by way of derision and thus had ended the fatal Quarrel between the Houses of York and Lancaster had not Edward Earl of March eldest Son to the Duke of York advanced with a great Army gathered in the Marches of Wales and near Mortimer's Cross in Ludlow fought with the Queens Army when at the joining of the Battel three Suns appeared in the Firmament which immediately united into one In this Battel the Queens Forces were overthrown with great Slaughter and Owen Tudor Father in law to King Henry VII being taken Prisoner was together with Sir John Scudemore and his two Sons beheaded but An. 1460. the Queen overthrew the Earl of March in a great Battel at St. Albans rescuing King Henry out of his hands who was brought thither to countenance the Soldiers but the Londoners sided with him and upon the Queens drawing off to the North proclaimed him King of England c. And here Historians put an end to King Henry's Reign though he lived much longer as will appear in the succeeding Reign his Wife was Margaret Daughter to Reynate King of Jerusalem c. by her he had Issue Edward This Henry was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland the onely Child of Henry the Fifth by Katharine his Queen he began his Reign on the 30th of August 1422. and reigned thirty eight Years 6 Months and 3 Days being the thirty fifth sole Monarch of England and was stabbed to the heart in the Tower by Richard Duke of Gloucester Brother to Edward the Fourth on the 20th of May 1471. in the 46th Year of his Age buried first in the Abbey of Chartsey in Surry afterwards removed to Windsor by Henry the Seventh then removed again none knows where In his time many strange Accidents happened portending the Woes and Miscries that befell the Kingdom Thus the good pious King bereft of Crowns Bore patiently the Wreck of Fortune's frowns Yet murtherous minds were not with this content But in a stream of Bloud to Heaven he 's sent The Reign and Actions of Edward the Fourth King of England c. EDward the eldest Son to Richard Duke of York in the beginning of his Reign found great opposition from the Lancastrians who pitying the Misfortune of pious King Henry raised Forces in many parts he was crowned at Westminster but the Citizens who had been the greatest Sticklers for him not finding him answer their expectations in performing the Promises he had made them began to decline his Interest however he marched against the Forces raised in the North giving the Lord
into the Countrey he was invited to hunt in the Park of one Thomas Burdet Esq where after having caught much Game he by the persuasion oâ— some that were about him killed a white Buck which for its Tameness and comely Form was greatly beloved by the Owner and upon notice it was slain he wished the Horns of it in the Belly of those that advised the King to doe it which being over-heard by some Court Parasites they to curry favour with the King made their Report of it to him with aggravation insomuch that Burdet was tried and cast for High Treason in wishing the King's Death and accordingly beheaded at Tyburn Another Person he caused to be hanged before his own door in Cheapside for saying to a little Youth his Son that if he would mind his Book and be a good Boy he would make him heir to the Crown meaning in all probability his house that bore that Sign c. But now the King worn out with Wars and Women much grieved for the untimely death of his Brother fell sick and sending for the Nobles that were at Court he earnestly desired them to live peaceably together and have regard to his Children in their tender Years forgetting Injuries and Animosities as they tendered the Love of God and their King appointing his Son Edward a Youth of about 12 years of Age to succeed him making the Duke of Gloucester Protectour of his Person during his Minority and then gave up the Ghost on the 9th of Apr. 1483. He had Issue by Elizabeth his Wife Daughter to Richard Woodvile Earl Rivers Prince Edward Richard Duke of Bedford who dyed a Child Richard Duke of York Elizabeth married to Henry VII Ciciâ— married to the Lord Viscount Wells Anne married to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk Bridget a veiled Nun Mary who dyed 1482. Margaret who dyed an Infant Katharine married to William Courtney Earl of Devonshire his base Issue was Arthur and Elizabeth This Edward was King of England France and Lord of Ireland Son to Richard Plantagenet Duke of York he began his Reign on the 4th of March 1460. and reigned 22 Years 1 Month and 5 Days and was the 36th sole Monarch of England he dyed in the 40th year of his Age and the 23d of his Reign his Body was buried in the new Chapel at Windsor whose Foundation himself had laid Thus after bloudy Toils with restless Fate The Warlike Prince does to the Grave retreat The mighty dead now undistinguished lies Death makes the Monarch and the Slave his prize The Reign and Actions of Edward the V. King of England c. EDward V upon the death of his Father was committed to the Care and Tutulage of Sir Anthony Woodvile with whom were joined sundry of the Queens Relations before her Marriage but Richard Duke of Glocester the deceased King's Brother thirsting after Sovereignty laboured to remove them from the Person of the young King and to that â—nd hearing they were bringing him out of the Countrey whither he had retired to be crowned â—t London with a great Power and Train he so â—ealt with the Queen that she sent express word they should save the charge and trouble of so great 〈◊〉 Concourse and urged as Gloucester had insinuated that it would give the Nobility at London apprehensions of danger and occasion of disturbance or discontent and having made the Duke of Buckâ—ngham the Lord Hastings and others his Confidents he marched to Stonystratford and there took â—ho young King by force from the small Train that attended him arresting the Lord Richard Grey Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawtre in the King's presence nor could his entreaty prevail for their delivery he made Sir Anthony Woodvile now Lord Rivers Prisoner and soon after sent him and the Lord Grey with a strong Guard to a Castle in the North pretending for his Justification of these proceedings that they had a design upon his Life and the Lives of the ancient Nobility that they might have the power of the King and Kingdom in their own hands and to render the report more plausible caused old Armour and rusty weapons to be shewed to the people in his way to London pretending those were the Instruments intended to doe the business The Queen upon the surprising news began to have mortal Apprehensions of the danger the King and her self were in finding how she had been imposed on by the Protectour in forbidding the strength intended for the Guard of her Son's Person and the better to secure her self she removed with her son Richard Duke of York and her Daughters into the sanctuary at Westminster and people werâ— filled with fear and confusion especially when they found the Thames full of Boats with the servants oâ— Buckingham and Gloucester in them to prevent thâ— escape of any persons that way and to prevenâ— their coming to sanctuary however the Archbishop of York comforted the Queen the best he could delivering up the Broad Seal and telling her if anâ— misfortune came to the King he would crown hiâ— Brother and the Duke of Gloucester caused thâ— Lord Hasting Lord Chamberlain to send a Messagâ— to the Archbishop to assure him all would be well but the Queen declared against that Lord as onâ— that sought the Ruine of her Family however oâ— the fourth of May the King came to Town and waâ— in much Pomp conveyed to the Bishop of London Palace where the Dukes of Gloucester Buckingham and other Noblemen swore Fealty to him and by a second Approbation the first was confirmed Protector of the King's Person and Kingdoms Gloucester having made a prosperous beginning fell to strengthening his Party and held divers Councils to contrive what was farther to be done but he found he had as yet but half his Prey in his hands and thereupon he laboured to get the Duke of York into his possession and to that end Consultations were held in the Stra-chamber where it was resolved that for sundry Reasons he should be with his Brother but the Abbat and Archbishop declaring it was no ways reasonable but alltogether dangerous to make a breach upon the sanctuary the latter was appointed to wait upon the Queen to prevail with her for his peaceable delivery and although she used many pregnant Reasons to the contrary yet understanding the Protectour was resolved to have him by force if fair means failed she with much regret and a floud of sorrow delivered him to the charge of the Archbishop and other Lords that attended saying I deliver him and his Brother into your hands of whom I shall require them before God and the World after which she tenderly kissed and embraced the Infant blessing him and weeping over him as a fatal presage of his Misfortune whilst the Child wept as fast the Protectour having gotten him he took him in his Arms and gave him a treacherous Kiss saying Now wellcome my Lord even with all my heart The Prize thus gotten the Councils were removed
head them against the King's Forces in England promising their Aid to help him to the Kingdom so that landing at Whitsand Bay in Cornwal many thousands resorted to him and being strong enough he besieged Exeter but it made a stout Resistence and was in conclusion relieved by the Earl of Devonshire whereupon Perkin's Men perceiving the little success they were like to have against the far greater Forces preparing to encounter them dropped away by degrees which he perceiving fled privately to the Abby of Beaulien in New Forest for Sanctuary but upon Promise of Life and a Pardon for his Crimes he came forth and submitted making his publick Confession and Recantation how he was but the Son of a converted Jew born at Tournay in Flanders and had been wrought upon to take this Enterprise upon him by the Duchess of Burgundy and others upon which he was committed close Prisoner to the Tower Yet some Practices being still on foot King Henry not thinking himself secure caused him to be tried at Westminster for High Treason in attempting to escape and carry with him the Earl of Warwick to raise new Commotions in the Kingdom and being sentenced was drawn to Tyburn and there hanged In this the innocent Earl of Warwick was involved without any other apparent reason than to cut him off that the Succession might be the more firm to Henry's posterity and this poor Prince who had been kept a Prisoner from his Infancy and little knâ—w what belonged to Law or Matters of State being by some who insinuated to be his Friends persuaded to confess upon his Tryall what he never intended or thought of by having a Promise of Pardon upon such a Confession the King very unkindly took him at his word and being condemned for High Treason he was beheaded on Tower-hill and in him failed the Name of Plantagenet as being the last of the Male Line of that illustrious House This cruel execution little inferiour to what Richard the III. had acted by his Newphews is held to be done upon the account of the Match between Prince Arthur the King's Son and the Princess Katharine of Spain the Spaniard appearing averse to conclude it till by the removal of the Earl of Warwick the Succession was better secured Anno 1506. Edmund de la Pool Earl of Suffolk was tried by the King 's express Command at the King's-Bench-Bar Westminster for killing a man and tho he had his Pardon yet being of the Royal Bloud it so disgusted him that he privately retired beyond the Seas and laboured to disturb Henry's Reign by secretly holding Correspondence in England which obliged the King to send his Spies abroad especially Sir Robert Courson who insinuating into the Earl's Favour got out of him who were his Conferates in England whereupon Sir James Tirrel the wicked Instrument in the Murther of the two young Princes Edward and Richard in the Tower and Sir John Windham with three others lost their Heads on Tower-hill Nor did the King spare any Cost or Labour to get the Earl into his hands but when his Pollicy failed Fortune befriended him for Philip King of Spain and Archduke of Austria in whose Countries the Earl remained being at Sea was driven into the West of England by Stress of Weather of which Henry had no sooner notice but he hasted to receive and entertain him which he did in a most splendid manner and with some difficulty procured his Promise to send him over the Earl a Prisoner protesting his Life should be secured to him and accordingly he was sent over and secured in the Tower King Henry supposing himself now secure made it his business to heap up Riches and for that purpose he had his Instruments Empson and Dudly who by grievous unlawfull and indirect ways oppressed the People for which they were justly punished as a Terrour to corrupt Judges which in the next Reign appears but in the midst of this Unrertaking the King dyed viz. anno 1509. on the 22d of April He had Issue by Elizabeth his Queen eldest Daughter to Edward the Fourth Arthur who was married to Katharine of Spain and dyed before his Father anno 1502. Henry Edmund who dyed 1499. Margaret married to James the Fourth King of Scotland Elizabeth who dyed young Mary first married to Lewis the Twelfth King of France and afterward to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Katharine who dyed young This Henry was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland Son to Edmund Tudor Earl of Richmond by Margaret Daughter and Heir to John Beaufort Duke of Somerset Grandchild to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster He began his Reign in the Year 1485 and reigned twenty three Years eight months and was the 39th sole Monarch of England he dyed in the 52d Year of his Age and was buried in the Chapel of his own Building at Westminster Thus after Toils of State and War are o'er Monarchs lie down to be disturb'd no more The Grave yields quiet and Repose from ill When Fate wound off the Wheels of Life stand still The Reign and Actions of Henry VIII King of England c. KIng Henry the Eighth was in his Father's Life time betrothed to Katharine of Spain his Brother Arthur's Widow and the old King left him to set up with 1800000 l that he had scraped together in his latter days the greatest Treasure any King of England ever left before This Henry was crowned at Westminster on the 25th of June 1509. together with Queen Katharine by William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury chusing many grave persons out of the Clergy and Lâ—iâ—y And now the people being enraged against Empson and Dudly for their illegal Oppressions the King to prevent Tumults that might have happened in the beginning of a young Prince's Reign if Redress had been refused caused them to be arrested and imprisoned and soon after being brought to Tryall and many heinous things proved against them together with the Cries and Clamours of the people for Justice they were sentenced to lose their Heads and were accordingly executed The King being of a martial Spirit and impatient of Ease sent his Heralds at Arms to the French King there in his Name and as in right belonging to the English Crown to demand the Dutchies of Normandy Guine Main and Anjou but they being refused he failed into France with a considerable Army besieged Terwin and thither came Maximilian the Emperour as a voluntary aider to the King and served under the English Standard as a Knight of the Order of the Garter and the French advancing with a considerable power to the relief of this place were routed allmost without fighting so from their cowardly running away being most Horse it was called in derision The Battel of Spurs yet six of their Standards and many Prisoners of note were taken and thereupon the Town yielded and the King marched to the Siege of Tournay which he won and obliged the Citizens for their Redemption to pay him
another it was carried to VVinchester â—…nd buried in the Cathedral Church but since the â—…ones have been removed to and laid with those of â—…anute the Danish King This was the King who built VVestminster Hall â—…inety yards in length and twenty four yards two â—…eet in breadth yet when he came to see it he complained it was too little by half and therefoâ—… he would reserve it for a lodging Room He wâ—… slain as you have heard in the thirteenth year his Reign and the sorty sourth of his Age being tâ—… one and twentieth sole Monarch of England Thus Second William by misfortune's hand Drop'd in the Grave and left the wealthy Land Two Sons of the Great Conqueror met their fate VVhere he had laid the Country desolate The Reign â—and Actions of Henry the First King England c. HEnry the First English Monarch of that Namâ— who for his great Abilities in Learning wâ— called Beau-clark or good Scholar upon the uneâ— pected death of his Brother VVilliam and his Brothâ— Robert's being in the Holy Land waring again the Infidels upon many fair promises to the Noblâ— and Commons procured himself to be accepted King and was Crowned at VVestminster Anno 11â— Anselm being Archbishop of Canterbury and at fiâ— made it hisstudy to please all sorts striving to maâ— his House and Court a pattern of Virtue and goâ— Living to the rest of his Subjects permiting the Peâ— ple to have Fire and Candle in their Houses at the own discretion which under severe penalties had beâ— prohibited by his Father freeing the Churches froâ— reservations upon vacancies allowing the Heirs Noblemen to possess their Fathers Lands without Redemption ingaging the Nobles to do the like by the Tenants allowing so it were not to his Enemies tâ— Gentry to marry their Daughters and Kinswomen whom they pleased and that the Widow enjoyiâ— Joynter should be at liberty to maâ—â—y whom 〈◊〉 â—…ased That the Mother and nearest Relations â—…ould be Guardians to Fatherless Children during â—…ir Minority That such as coyned false Money â—…ould loose their Right Hand And if Men be deâ—…ved of their Genitals he ordained a certain Meaâ—…e to be a Standard Measure of Commerce accordâ—…g to the length of his Arm which is our Yard Forâ—…ing all Debts due to the Crown before be came to â—… Renewing the Laws of Edward the Confessor And â—…e better to strengthen his Title he married Maud â—…ughter to the King of Scots by Margaret Sister to â—…gard Atheling joyning in Succession to the Saxon â—…ngs But by this time News came that Robert his â—…der Brother after refusing the Scepter of Jerusalem which for his Valour and Conduct upon taking â—…t City from the Insidels was offered him by all the Western Princes that commanded the numerous Army of Christians in that glorious Expedition was â—…ndâ—d with an Army at Portsmouth and that many â—… the English sided with him which put the King to no small consternation however having got by â—…s lenity and fair pretences the hearts of the greater â—…rt of the People he resolved not to forgo what â—… had gotten and thereupon tried so far the good â—…mper of his Brother that by Presents and large â—…omises he worked upon him to remit his Claim â—…ein of which he was to have three thousand Marks â—…id him yearly and gave him six Months Royal Enâ—…tainment The Sunshine of Peace lasted not long before Beâ—…isine Earl of Shrewsbury and Roger Montgomery â—…ith divers other râ—…d but being vanquished â—…ey sled to Normandy however he was perplexed â—…the Arch-Bishop who influenced by the See of â—…ome contended to regulate the Clergy and dispose â—… Ecclesiastical promotions as he pleased refusing Consecrate such Bishops as the King was desirous to advance yet the King fearless of what mighâ— happen in England upon notice his Brother at thâ— instigation of some English Fugitives was preparinâ— for a second Invasion He resolved to prevent it by carrying the War into Normandy which he effected with such precepitation that he overthrew Robert took him Prisoner and sent him to Cardrâ— Castle where at first he was only Prisoner at large having the priviledge of the Medows and Parks under a slender Guard but as some will have it at tempting his escape but others the People too much pittying his condition and the apprehensions iâ— wrought made the King confine him a close Prisoner and the better to secure himself against any attempts this poor Prince might make cause thâ— Twinkles of his Eyes to be put out or clouded iâ— darkness by burning Glasses and not long after hâ— lost his Life some say by a voluntary starving himself out of a disdain he took that the King his Brother sent him a Suit of his old cast Clothes with aâ— addition That they were good enough for a Prisoner however this unnatural act greatly eclipsed the glory oâ— this King and too plainly shewed that Crowns knowâ— no Kindred when they stand in competion The Duke being dead King Henry seized upon his Dutchy of Normandy so that England may now be said to conquer Normandy though indeed it was unhappy for the English whom he began to restrain with a harder hand seeing he had removed the danger that threatned him banishing the Flemings who were desirous to instruct us in the Wollen Trade retracting many Grants he had passed and to strenghen his Alliance abroad he married Maud his Eldest Daughter to Henry the Fourth Emperor of Germany or the Romans and the Welsh promoting some disorders he forced them to obedience Aâ— likewise these in Normandy where new troubleâ— arose and that which gave him hopes of the settlement of Affairs was the death of the Arch-Bishop who to raise the Popes Power had opposed â—im in his important proceedings and was a great Enemy to the Married Priests who were tolerated â—n this Kings Reign The High Court of Parliament some Authors will have to be constituted in his Reign Anno 1116. William Eldest Son to Robert the deceased Duke of Normandy being alive Lewis King of France togeâ—her with the Earls of Flanders and Anjou laboured â—o fix him in the Dukedom but were frustrated â—nd a great Battle Anno 1119 was fought between â—he two Kings wherein Baldwin Earl of Flanders with divers other Nobles and some thousands of Common Soldiers were slain and the Victory falling â—o the English occasioned great loss and dishonour â—o the French and the Earl of Anjou upon King Henry's return to Roan with Palms of Triumph gave his Daughter and Heiress in Reversion of that Province to William the Kings Eldest Son whose Nuptials were solemnized with great joy and hope of future happiness But all things are unstable in this World for the King setting sail for England and the Prince with his Bride his Brothers Sisters and other great Personages staying six hours sail behind â—o take leave of their Friends resolved notwithstanding to come up with the King before he landed 〈◊〉 that the Marriners running a desperate course
as â—eing elevated with Wine and good Chear fell soul â—n a Rock which broke the Ship to pieces yet the â—rince with his Bride and some others got into the â—ng Boat and might have gone off but the Counâ—ss of Pearch crying to him from the Fore-castle â—or help he caused the Boat to turn and take her in â—ut before he could effect it so many leaped into it â—nd clung to its sides esteeming in that extremity their Lives as dear as their Princes that it sunk with the overlaiding and they were all drowned This doleful news coming to the Kings Earl by some of the Seamen that had escaped upon pieces of the Ship he greatly lamented the loss of his Children and though he was well in years yet in some measure to repair it he Married a second Wife viz. Adilicia Daughter to Jeffery Duke of Lorain but having no Issue by her he sent for Maud his Daughter who had been married to the Emperor her Husband being at that time dead and calling a Parliament caused Stephen his Sisters Son with his Nobles to swear her as to his lawful and now only Heir when sailing into Normandy after the toil of hunting eating a great meal of Lampries he presently fell sick and after seven days sickness dyed in the Town of St. Denis Anno 1135 his body was brought to Reading and buried in the Abby himself had founded and his Bowels and Brain at Roan nor did he dye without suspition of being poisoned for the very sent that came from his Brain was the death of the Physician that took it out The Wives of this King were two viz. Maud Daughter to Malcolm King of Scotland and Adilicia Daughter to Godfry Duke of Lorain his lawful Issue by the first was William and Maud by the last he had none yet is held to have fourteen Illegitimate Children He built many Abbies and Monasteries and was very charitable to the Poor In his time many Prodigies appeared and the Ground rent by an Earthquake sent forth such flames as destroyed some and indangered the lives of more He was King of England and Duke of Normandy fourth Son to William the Conqueror beginning his Reign Anno 1100 and Reigning 35 years being the 23 Monarch of England dying in the 65 year of his Age. Thus falls another Monarch soon or late All Crowns and Scepters in the dust must set All breath of Life the lowly and the high Must leave this narrow stage for vast Eternity The Reign of King Stephen with his Memorable Actions c. STephen Earl of Bloys Son to Adilicia Daughter to William the Conqueror and Stephen Earl of Bloys notwithstanding he had sworn Fealty to the Empress Maud laid claim to the Kingdom and by the interest and policy of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester and Roger Bishop of Sarum as also one Hugh Bigot who swore that King Henry upon his Death-bed taking a distaste at his Daughters proceedings had disenherited her and appointed this Stephen to succeed him in his Kingdom of England and Dukedom of Normandy so that upon these and other interests that were made he was Crowned at Westminster on St. Stephen's day Anno 1135 by William Curboil Archbishop of Canterbury the Prelates swearing to hold him King so long as he should preserve their Churches Rights and the Lay-Barrons in like manner swore Allegiance to him so long as he should keep his Covenants with them in preserving their Rights and Priviledges so that he accepted of the Crown and owned his Right as by Election The Charter containing his peoples Franchises Liberties and Immunities which he obliged himself to maintain he Signed and Sealed it at Oxford which was That all Liberties Customs Possessions granted to the Church should be firm and in force That Persons and Causes Ecclesiastical should appertain only to Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction That Church vacancies and the Goods of Church-men should be at the sole dispose of the Clergy That all ill usage touching Forests Exactions c. should be abolished and the Antient Laws restored to their Purity And for his security against the expected storm he caused or suffered many Castles to be erected which afterwards proved to his detriment This King took quiet possession of the Throne and had an interrupted Series of Tranquility for a time but by degrees the distractions came on that turned the Land into a seat of War for many years Baldwin de Redners was the first that openly began to declare himself in favour of the Empress Maud and hereupon the Welshmen took up Arms and falling upon the English not altogether provided gave them a considerable overthrow Nor did David King of the Scots forbear to invade this Kingdom and the Wesh incouraged by their former success continued to spoil the Frontiers and under the favour of another Scotish Invasion wherein under the leading of their King the Scots committed almost unparallel outrages The Nobles conspired against King Stephen betaking them to their respective Castles and strong Holds declaring that they were slighted and rejected in favour of the Flemmings and especially one Willinm de Ypre his chief counsellor and privado to follow whose directions he had neglected that of his Peers But the Scots instead of assisting these Lords making many other Invasions made great spoil and havock of their Houses Castles and Estates seeming rather to aim at a conquest than any thing less So that those in the North marched against them and being animated by Thurstan Archbishop of York by whose Authority Ralph Bishop of Durham being made General undertook but by what Warrant I know not to forgive the sins of all that should fall in Battle and secure them from punishments and pains in another Life the English fell on with such fury that they drove the Scots out of the Field with great slaughter nor could the presence of their King and the Prince his Son restrain them from open flight into Scotland and King Stephen following this advantage obliged them to sue for Peace however he found himself but slenderly assured in the Hearts of his People especially of the Nobles which made him prepare for the worst and hearing the Empress Maud was landed with a small train not exceeding 140 men at Arundel he hasted to oppose her but she being a Woman of great Policy coloured over her Intentions protested she came in peace only to spend the remainder of her days in a Country wherewith she was so much delighted and although the King had some little mistrust he nevertheless dissembled it and gave her Royal Entertainment causing her to be conveyed to the City of Bristol appointing it for her reception scarce had the Empress continued at Bristol two Months before she privately withdrew to Wallingford expecting the Forces her Brother Earl Robert was raising on her behalf But the King having notice of many underhand contrivances besieged that place whilst his Brother the Bishop of Winchester under a pretence of friendship and important
business inviting many of the Nobles that he thought disaffected to the King he made them Prisoners in his Palace and by that means constrained them to render their Castles as Ransoms for their Persons which much weakened the Interest of the Empress yet Earl Robert burnt Worcester for holding out against her and the like did Ralph Painel one of her Captains to Nottingham The Empress finding her Measures broken by the crafty Bishop of Winchester hasted to Lincoln but the King followed close and besiged that City and took it yet she made her escape so that new Measures being taken her Forces daily increased insomuch that becoming strong in the Field Robert Earl of Glocester and Ralph Earl of Chester gave the King battle near Lincoln which was maintained with great obstinacy and effusion of blood Victory seeming to incline to neither party till such time as the Kings Horse gave way thought to have been done by treachery however the Foot stood manfully to it but being overcharged and trampled down for want of their Horse to cover them they fled likewise leaving the King who chose rather to die than give back to fight the Battle when with a very weighty Battle-Ax like an inraged Lyon he drove whole squadrons before him killing a great number for wherever he struck the blow proved mortal but in the fury of the Fight having broken his Battle-Ax and after that his Sword he was beaten down with a Massiestone thrown at him and by that means brought under and taken Prisoner King Stephen thus made a Prisoner was carried to Glocester where the Empress expected him and from thence sent Prisoner to Bristol whereupon all but the County of Kent acknowledged her as their Soveraign so that going to Winchester in state she there received the Regal Crown and passing to London she was met with Procession and the Acclamations of the people but the Earl of Glocester Brother to the Empress being taken by some of the Nobles that sided with King Stephen and Imprisoned at Glocester searing if any violent Death befel the King he should run the same Risque he so far solicited the matter that an exchange was made and both the one and the other had Liberty after which the Earl went for Normandy which had revolted from Stephen to raise Forces to secure what was gained but whilst this was doing the Londoners being displeased as not receiving the satisfaction they expected and the Nobles thinking themselves slighted by her the restless Bishop of Winchester set the Nation again into a Blaze of dissention making a strong Party for King Stephen besieging the Empress in the Castle of Winchēster seven weeks and then the better to work his advantage feigning a Peace and causing it to be proclaimed set open the City Gates but she and her followers almost starved out with Famine were scarce departed when he caused them to be pursued in which pursuit many were slain and taken Prisoners and amongst them Earl Robert who by this time was returned with a slender Train and others taking Sanctuary in the Nunnery of Worwell were burnt together with the House nor did the Bishop spare Winchester but fired it for taking part with the Empress The Empress escaping this Storm betook her self to the Castle of the Devizes in Wiltshire but being closely pressed by the prevailing party and out of all hopes of relief she contrived a Stratagem to prevent her falling into their hands viz. Inclosing her self in a Coffin and making it known to a few of her Trusty Friends under pretence it was the dead Body of a Person whom the Besiegers knew to be dead in that place procuring a pass for the burial of it with its Ancestors She was in a Horse-litter carried to Glocester and there joyfully received by those of their Party But finding it not safe to continue there she hasted to Oxford where being straightly Besieged by the King in the depth of Winter and the Suburbs gain'd she found her self in no capacity longer to defend the place but taking the advantage of a Snow that had fallen she put on white Garments and by that means in the dusk of the Evening passed alone undiscovered to Abington on Foot and from thence to Wallingford on Horseback the same Night so sweet is a Crown that no Difficulties or Dangers are thought too much to attain it It was indeed strugled for with various success causing a great deal of blood shed as the Partys prevailed with Burnings and Devastations However that he might assure the Succession of his Son Eustuce he called a Council at London commanded Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury to Anoint him King but having received the Pope's Mandate to the contrary he refused it for which he was obliged to leave the Land and flie to Normandy yet the King for this refusal seized upon his Possessions But shortly after Prince Eustace dying the King became more inclinable to an agreement with the Empress The death of this Prince is by some Historians thus reported viz. Having set fire to the Corn Fields belonging to the Abby of Bury because the Monks refused to supply him with a sum of Money for his present occasion after that at his first sitting down to Dinner upon the first bit of Bread he touched he fell distracted and died in that fit but this seems a Fable of the Monks to terrifie people from medling with their Diana or the abundance of Treasure they in those days of Ignorance scraped to themselves even from those that had far greater need However the Kings hope dying in this Prince he was content to adopt Henry by some called Fitz Empress though indeed Plantaginet for his Son and Successor to whom at Oxford in the great Assembly held there for that purpose the Peers did Homage as to the undoubted Heir and the Prince acknowledged the King as his Father and after whom he was to Reign nor did Stephen live long when this was done for being afflicted with the Illiack pasio and the Haemorhoids worn out with Labour and continual toil left the Crown which he had worn with so much trouble and variety of Fortune to young Henry dying at Dover Anno 1134 and was Buried at Feversham in Kent though afterward his Body only for the value of the Lead that inclosed it was cast into the River by the covetous Sexton This Stephen was King of England and Duke of Normandy third Son to Stephen Earl of Blois by his Wife Adilicia or Alice Daughter to William the Conqueror he began his Reign the second of December Anno 1135 and Reigned Eighteen Years Ten Months and 20 Days and had Issue by Maud or Matilda his Wife Daughter of Eustace Earl of Bulloigne Brother of Godfry and Baldwin Kings of Jerusalem Baldwin Eustace William Maud and Mary he had likewise two Natural Sons Gervas the younger he made Abbot of Westminster Thus in a Tempest liv'd the Warlike King Small rest he found till death the calm did
bring Which shows the frailness of each earthly thing The Reign of Henry the Second King of England c. HEnry Plantaginet commonly called Fitz Empress was three times Crowned first by Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury at Westminster then at Lincoln and lastly at Worcester and being setled in the Realm he demolished sundry Castles that had given too much incouragement to the falling off of such as at any time grew discontented some that had Honours unduly conferr'd on them he divested and reduced to a private State purged the Land of Forreign Soldiers and chiefly of the Flemings that had come over with King Stephen choosing his Council out of the most Worthy and Learned Men restraining the Incroachments and Oppressions of the greatest Persons without respect of their greatness which made the Lord Hugh Mortimer fall off and take up Arms against whom King Henry went in person and had been slain at the Siege of Bridgnorth had not Hubert d' St. Clare one of his Courtiers stepped between as the Arrow was coming and lost his own Life to save his Masters but this Lord soon reduced and the face of calmness appearing at home he passed into France to do Homage to King Lewis for his Provinces of Normandy Acquitain Anjou Main and Lorain which he claimed as his right 〈◊〉 in himself and partly in Eleanor his Queen and there he adjusted differences between himself and his Brother Geofry and after being highly Caressed and Entertained he returned to England where as much as in him lay intending to live peaceably he contracted an Alliance with Malcolme King of Scots restoring him the 〈◊〉 of Huntingdon The Welsh about this time making Inroads and greatly indamaging the English the King marched against them and joyned Battle but in the heat of the Fight his Standard was cowardly abandoned and his person in danger to be slain or taken Prisoner for which Henry d' Essex Standard bearer being accused by Robert d' Montford as the main cause of the dissertion the Combat as usual upon such Accusations was allowed them at Reading and Essex being overcome the King was notwithstanding contented to spare his life upon condition he became a Monk which accordingly he did and was immediately shorn but in conclusion the Welsh were subdued and the King returning in Triumph was Crowned together with Eleanor his Queen at Worcester where they both at the Offertory laid their Crowns on the high Altar vowing never to wear them after and this was the last of the three Crownings and his Brother Geofry now dead he seized upon sundry Citys and strong places in Normandy and setling his Affairs in that Province he returned to England where Becket Arch-bishop of Canterbury influenced by the Pope began to trouble the Kingdom not only at the Council Tours privately surrendring those Honours the King had heaped upon him to the Pope and from him receiving them again thereby to cast off the acknowledgements he had to the King or his Prerogative but countenanced all manner of violence in the Clergy even to murther so that the complaints of above a hundred Murthers done by the Clergy coming to the King's car and he not finding them punished by Church Censure brought some of them under the Civil Power commanding Justice to be administred without partiality as well to the Clergy as Laity to that end appointing Ministers of Justice in all parts of the Land whose charge it was to enquire into crimes of that or the like nature But this was opposed by Becket with a high hand challenging the King with invading the Rights of the Church demanding at the same time the Castle of Rochester and sundry other places as belonging to the See of Canterbury This made the King assemble all the Bishops in Convocation at Westminster Becket excepted where it was agreed That no Appeals should be made to Rome without the Kings Licence That no Arch-bishop or Bishops upon the Popes Summons should go out of the Land without the like leave That no Bishop should excommunicate any person holding of the King in chief or put any of his Officers under interdiction without the like Licence That Clerks criminals should if the King thought fit be tried before Secular Judges But although the King urged Becket to agree to them yet he absolutely refused it sending thereupon complaints to the Pope who for his profit and interest not desirous to break with England commanded Becket to yield to the King without any Salvo's or exception which not without much stomaching the matter he at last consented to on the word of a Priest and swore that he would observe the Laws which the King called Avitae as being made in the Reign of his Grandfather yet he refused afterwards to set his Seal saying What he had done was rather in some measure to pleasure the King than out of conscience For which and his continuing obstinate he was condemned to the confiscation of his Goods and the Bishop of Chichester in the name of the other Bishops disclaimed and for the afronting the King in his Palace with his Cross he was adjudged as a Traytor and perjured person and that he should as such be taken and imprisond which made him flee into Flanders where Pope Alexander and Lewis the French King openly declared for him which so far incensed King Henry that he banished his Kindred commanding his Sheriffs and other Officers to seize such as appealed to Rome as likewise the Kindred of those Clergy that were with Becket excluding him from being prayed for as Arch-bishop Becket being by this time in France excommunicated the Bishop of London and proceeded in the like nature with others so that there were scarce any found in the Kings Chappel to perform the Service This made him send to the Pope for Legates to absolve his Subjects and settle a peace in the Kingdom and although accordingly they were sent yet Becket standing off with much obstinacy nothing was effected wherefore as some Historians will have it to spite the Arch-bishop the more and the more firmly to establish the Kingdom he caused Roger Arch-bishop of York to Crown his Eldest Son Henry and at the Coronation Feast the King carried up and served at the Table the first Dish of Meat whereat the Arch-bishop whispering the young King said Rejoyce my fair Son for there is no Prince in the World that hath such a Servitor attending at his Table as you have this day To which the early raised Stripling replied Why wonder you at that my Lord seeing my Father knows he doth nothing that is unbeseeming him for as much as he is Royally born on one side but as for our self we are Royally born on both as having a King to our Father and a Queen to our Mother Upon which proud speech the old King told the Arch-bishop That he repented the too early advancement of the Boy And now by the mediation of Friends the old King and Becket were reconciled and all
the Profits and Arrears of the See of Canterbury restored But this restles Prelate taking his time to disturb the Kingdom whilst the old King was in Normandy published the Popes Letters by which Roger Arch-bishop of York and Hugh Bishop of Durham were suspended from their Ecclesiastical Functions for that they had crowned the young King in prejudice to the See of Canterbury and the Bishops of Exeter Sarum and London were cut off from the Church by censure for being Assistants at that Coronation nor would he at the young Kings earnest intreaties but under divers restrictions and hard conditions Absolve them Becket's new insolencies coming to the ear of the old King in Normandy he fell into a great rage and let such words fall that some of his Courtiers interpreting them to intimate the Kings desire to be rid of that proud Prelate contrary to his knowledge Richard Fitzurse William Tracie Hugh Brito and Hugh Norvil passed secretly into England and getting admittance into the Cathedral Church at Canterbury took their opportunity with concealed Weapons to fall upon him as he stood in the Evening Service time before the high Altar and there slew him with a Monk or two that made resistance and thereupon made their escapes This news flying to Rome and the Murther charged upon the King as done by hiâ— order the Pope began terribly to mennace him when he to take off the imputation of guilt not only protested his innocence but offered to purge himself by submitting to the Judgment of such Cardinâ— Legates as the Pope should send upon inquiry intâ— the Fact and the better to quiet the people that began to murmur against him he passed into Irelanâ— with a great Army and finding the several pettâ— Kings divided amongst themselves he made a Conquest of that Kingdom and made himself Lord Ireland Upon the Kings return from the Conquest Ireland he found two Cardinal Legates arrived Normandy by whom he was absolved after giving Oath that he was no ways consenting to the death Becket and declaring his sorrow for having let fâ— words in his anger that might administer any ocâ—sion of committing that crime whereupon the coâ—ditions of his Penance were enjoyned viz. That his own charge for the space of a year he should maâ—tain two huâ—dred Soldiers for defence of the Holy Laâ— That he should revoke all Customs introduced to the 〈◊〉 judice of the Churches Liberties and restore and make up the Possessions of the Church of Canterbury That he should cull home and freely receive all that were in Banishment for Becketg 's cause There were other secret Penances enjoyned which upon his coming over he performed The King notwithstanding the satisfaction he gave the Pope was not at ease for the young King Henry his Son instigated by his Mother the Kings of Scotland and France his two Brothers Richard and Geofry with divers Nobles as well English as Normans raised a Rebellion and seized upon many Towns in Britain and other places But the old Kings Fortune prevailed against them and by Humphry Bohun his High Constable in England he overcame Robert Earl of Leicester which made Lewis of France seek a Truce with him of six Months which was accorded and coming to Canterbury three Miles bare footed as his private Penance he entred the Chapter House of the Monks and humbly prostrating himself on the floor begged pardon and suffered himself voluntarily to be whipped on the back with Rods by all the Brethren of the House so that his stripes amounted to fourscore This confirmed the people of his innocency or at least satisfied their anger so that the Scots invading England were so unanimously opposed that they were defeated and William their King taken prisoner Young King Henry attempting to land was driven back to France by contrary Winds but making some other attempts he died in the expedition Anno 1183 And the next year Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem came into England to implore the Kings Aid â—gainst the Infidels that grievously oppressed the Eastern Christians and that he would go thither in person but the Nobles being consulted and not approving it only a supply of Money was granted The King the better to quiet his Son John who was of a turbulent spirit constituted him Lord of Ireland assigning him rents in England and Normandy however he conspired with his Brothers Richard and Geofry against him but before any thing came to perfection Geofry was troden to death under the Horses feet at a Turnament in Paris notwithstanding Richard by the assistance of Philip the French King drove his Father out of Mentz the place of his birth and for which reason he loved it above all other whereupon with tears he declared that seeing his Son had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the World he would requite him for from that day he would deprive him of that thing which in him should best please a Child viz. his heart and having a Scrowl of the Conspirators he no sooner found his Son John in the head of them and first in that Scrowl but he curst the hour of his Birth laying God's curse and his own upon all his Sons which he could not be prevailed upon to recal but fretting himself for the unnatural proceedings of his Children and worn out with age and toil he fell sick at Charon and finding the approach of death he caused himself to be carried to the Church and laid before the high Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sins he gave up the ghost Anno 1189 and waâ— intered at Font Everard This King Henry the Second was King of England Duke of Normandy Guen and Aquitain eldest Son to Jeffery Plantagenet Earl of Anjou Son to Foulk King of Jerusalem by Maud his Wife eldest Daughter tâ— Henry the First He began his Reign on the 25th oâ— October 1154 and reigned 34 years eight months anâ— eleven days and was the twenty fifth sole Monarcâ— of England he had Issue by his Wife Eleaner Will am who died 1156 Richard Geofry and Philip whâ— died very young John Maud who was married 〈◊〉 Henry sirnamed the Lyon Duke of Saxony Eleanâ— married to William King of Castile Joan married 〈◊〉 VVilliam King of Sicily and afterwards to Ramuâ— the fourth Earl of Tholouze By the lovely Rosamond his beautiful Concubinâ— he had natural Issue viz. VVilliam sirnamed Longspur and Jeffry Arch-bishop of York This Rosamond was Daughter to the Lord Clifford and whilst the King prosecuted his Wars in Normandy and France he caused her to be kept in a Labrinth built at VVoodstock to secure her from his jealous Queen but she finding her by a clew of Thred or Silk which the Fair one had accidentially let fall compelled her to drink Poison of which she died to the unspeakable grief of the King who not only detested his Queen for so much cruelty but raised a stately Monument at Godstow with this Scription Hic jacet in
to be the greatest Malediction that could befal them so that the Priests to strengthen their Masters Power and make him more dreadful to the World lay idle for the space of six years and fourteen Weeks in which time there was neither publick preaching nor praying no Administration of the Sacrament Burial or Christning by which we may plainly see whatever the Papists pretend as to the Sanctity of their infalible Father how much he prefered his private revenge before the Service of God and this he denyed not to Hereticks but to Papists so that the people being greatly discouraged many parts of the Kingdom lay untilled and became as it were desolate when the King on the other hand prescribed the disloyal Clergy confiscated their Temporalities as also their Bishopricks Abbies and Priories puting them into the hands of Lay-men suffering the Clergy to be oppressed without taking notice of it or righting them by civil Justice declaring they had by obliging the Pope put themselves out of hiâ— protection yet some of the more prudent as the Bishop of Durham and his Successor the Bishops of Winchester and Norwich incouraged the King not to regard the Papal Curse as being weak and insignificant like wise the Abbots of Cistercian Order took no notice oâ— it but went on as before till such time as the Popâ— suspended them for that contempt and the more tâ— shew his spleen Anathamatized the King by name whereupon some as well Nobles as Plebeans diserte his service for which in a stout resolution he bâ—nished and fined them but wearied out with thâ— practices of the Clergy against him and the Rebellioâ— of his Nobles he concluded it was better to give waâ— to the humour of a petish Pope than to live in diâ—quiet and daily hazard his Kingdom whereupon Langton was offered to be confirmed the other Bishops and Clergy restored and that the Churches should have its Franchises as in the time of Edward the Confessor but not being willing as indeed he was not at that time in a condition to restore the Monies received for Ecclesiastical confiscations the Legate sent by the Pope would not come to a conclusion This being the state of Affairs and the Pope desirous to humble the King discharged his Subjects from their fealty and Allegiance to him which some taking as a good warrant utterly disowned him for their King and the Welsh thereupon took up Arms which so inraged the King that he caused the 28 Hostages which they had given for the security of their good behaviour to be hanged up at Notingham but by this time the Barons had invited Lewis Dauphin of France to invade the Kingdom promising to set the Crown upon his Head when in the mean time while Stephen Langton and other Bishops implored the Popes assistance to settle the Church which must otherways fall into ruine whereupon he decreed that King John must be deposed ere it could be settled sending to Philip the French King to take upon him the Crown and Kingdom offering him a pardon for all his sins in case he effected it King John upon notice of the spightful proceedings prepared to oppose the French or any other Invader by Sea or Land but in the mean time Pandulph the Pope's Legate came into England and so wrought with the King that he suffered himself to prevent the storm conditionally to be deposed and at the Knight Templers house at Dover he surrendred his Crown into the hands of the Legate some say whilst he kneeled the proud Priest kicked it off with his foot for the use of the Pope and to be disposed as he thought fit laying his Scepter Sword and Ring at the Legates feet and subscribed a Charter whereby he resigned his Kingdom to the Pope professing but how sincerely I suffer the Reader to judge he did it not through fear or force but of his own voluntary accord as having no other way to make satisfaction to God and the Church for his offence and from that time forward he would hold his Crown and Kingdom in fee of the See of Rome at the Aâ—â—al pension of 1000 Marks for England and Ireland a very hard case but necessity it seems has no Law so that the Legate having gained his ends more favourable than he could reasonably expect passed over for France to put a stop to King Philip's preparations but he declared that seeing the Pope had been the main Instrument in seting him on and that the charge was already very great he would not desist though the Pope should Excommunicate him and calling a Council of Peers all but Ferdinand Earl of Flanders approved his intentions and the Barons denied to aid him till he was Assailed of the Excommunication and that all their Laws and Liberties granted by Henry the First were restored which obliged the King to send divers rich Presents to Rome thereby to allure the Pope who upon the Receipt sent the Bishop of Tusculum who would have perswaded him to have made over the Kingdom of England but not only the Arch-bishop but all the Peers of the Kingdom opposed it so that in Parliament it was Enacted That since the King could not without the consent of Parliament bring his Kingdom and People to such a Thraldom therefore if the Pope should in the future attempt any such thing they with their Lives and Fortunes were ready to oppose it So that the Pope finding there was no good to be done this way sent his Authentick Letters for the repealing the Edict yet not without the restitution of 1300 Marks to the Clergy most of which came to his Coffers so that the King passed into his Transmarine Territories but before he could quiet the disturbances news came that the English Barons had bound themselves at the high Altar of St. Edmundsbury by Oath to pursue the King with Arms till he had granted them their Charter of Liberties granted in the Reign of Henry the First whereupon he found himself necessitated to return and finding they had not only seized London but were otherways very formidable a Council to reconcile differences was held in Runing Marsh between Stains and Windsor since called Council Mead and there he granted them Magna Charta and Charta Forestae and consented that 25 select Peers should command the rest who were bound by Oath to be obedient but the King long dijested not this abating of his Power but withdrawing himself he sent to complain of it to the Pope as likewise to his Friends abroad for Aid and was in both successful for at Rome by a definitive Sentence the Barons Charters were made void and both they and the King accursed if either of them observed the conclusion of the Treaty in Council Mead he likewise had considerable Forces sent him from Gascoin Brabant and Flanders so that he again took the Field dividing his Army in two parts when himself marching Northward and the Earl of Salisbury Southward they brought all into subjection and
although the Barons were excommunicated yet they slighted it and incouraged the City of London which was Interdicted for adhearing to their Interests and sent to Lewis Dauphin of France their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with their Seals intreating King Philip his Father to send him in order to take possession of the English Diadem but the Pope advertised of what was in hand sent his Apostolick commands to Philip charging him not to suffer his Son to molest St. Peter's Patrimony with a Curse upon such as should assist him but it prevailed not for the hot-headed Prince sent over with a Fleet of 600 Ships and 80 Boats landing in Kent where he joyned the Barons whereupon the King retired towards Winchester and the Dauphin came to London where he was received in triumph the Citizens doing him homage as did the Barons at Westminster he swearing to them That he would restore all men their Rights and recover to the Crown whatever King John had lost so that most important places submitted During these Transactions the King ruined the Houses and Castles of the Barons in Arms and set forward from Lyn in Norfolk to give them battle but passing the Washes the Floods destroyed most of his Baggage with many of his Soldiers which obliged him to desist But the Barons not having their rents paid began to look back and perceiving their services slighted by the Dauphin and the places of trust bestowed on his French-men they thought it high time to reconcile themselves to their King which was hastened by the discovery the Viscount d' Melun made upon his Death-bed viz. That Lewis had sworn when established on the Throne to condemn the Barons to perpetual banishment as Traytors to their King and utterly root out their Kindred so that forty of them immediately addressed their Letters of humble submission to the King but it so unfortunately fell out that he was dead before they arrived The death of this King is variously reported some will have it to be of a Flux others of a Surfeit but Writers of best credit say that coming to Swinstead Abby after his great loss in the Washes and seeing the liberal profuseness of the Monks whilst his Army was in a manner half starved he said in a pet holding a Loaf in his hand That if he lived but half a year he would make it 12 times as dear which being overheard by a Monk he mixed poison in a Cup of Wine and served it to the King as he was at dinner by the force whereof he died some again will have it to be done by intoxicated Fruit. This John was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain sixth Son of King Henry the Second by Q. Eleanor and 27 sole Monarch of England he began his Reign on the 6th of April Anno 1199 reigned 17 years 6 months and 13 days dying of poison the 19. of October 1216. Thus from a troubled Throne King John descends And in his Grave all toil and trouble ends There factious Subjects Popes nor Galick Arms Disturb his rest with their too rude alarms Death can alone from cares of state give rest The slumbring Grave is with no fears opprest The Reign and Actions of Henry the III. King of England c. KIng John being dead the Barons almost with one voice and consent notwithstanding Lewis was yet in the Land with his Army chose Henry eldest Son to the deceased King about Ten years of Age Crowning him nine days after his Fathers Death and the Earl of Pembroke was constituted his Guardian who raised an Army and marched against the French giving them a great overthrow near Lincoln taking several of the Barons that stood out with about 400 Knights and Esquires Prisoners besides a great Booty the French had scraped together in plundering the Country and many of the French that scattered from the Battel were killed by the Peasants nor was the Fleet appointed to bring Supplies out of France better treated for being met by the English most of the French Ships were burnt sunk or taken so that the Dauphin was obliged with such Forces as he could Rally to shut himself up in London whither he was followed by the Earl and besieged by Water and Land which made the Monsieur begin to think of a timely Capitulation The substance was That Lewis and the Barons in Arms should submit to the Censure of the Church and that then he and as many as would goe with him should be permitted to depart the Land with a Promise never to return again in a design of harming it and that he should use his Interest with his Father that such things as belonged to the English Crown and were wrongfully detained should be restored and that when himself should be King of France he should peaceably part with them and that he should immediately render to Henry all Castles and Places taken in England during the War To this Lewis swore and for the better security of the Barons that had been in Rebellion Wallo the Legate the Earl of Pembroke and the young King swore they should be restored as well the Barons as others to all their Rights and Inheritances with their Liberties before demanded of King John that none of the Laity should suffer damage or reproach for the Side or Party they had taken and that the Prisoners taken in War or by Surprize should be released Upon this Lewis the Dauphin and as many of his Followers as were left passed into France yet the Kingdom was molested by sundry turbulent Persons whom no Concessions nor Favours could oblige and amongst these were William Earl of Aumarle Robert de Veipont c. which encouraged the Welsh to raise new Broils on the Frontiers And soon after one Arnulph a Citizen of London with divers others Conspiring to call in Lewis a second time Arnulph and two others were hanged and several had for the like Attempt their Hands or Feet cut off and the Barons finding their Liberties but slowly confirmed began to murmur Lewis extreamly vexed for the disgrace he had suffered in England upon the Death of his Father though contrary to his Oath seized upon Rochel and the County of Poictu both appertaining to the English and the true Cause he excused by pretending King Henry as Homager of Aquitain should have attended at his Coronation but that he neither did it in Person nor shewed any Reason for his being absent by his Ambassadors These Proceedings made King Henry nâ— at Age Call a Parliament which granted him Supply in order to raise an Army for the recovery of his Right but that not proving sufficient though he that Summer vanquished the French in a set Battel he pressed about 5000 Marks from the Londoners above their Fifteenths and the Clergy were not exempted but under pain of the papal Censure obliged to pay the Tax of Fifteenths but the greatest Summe he raised was by revoking the Charters and Liberties excusing it by
the next day a Truce was concluded yet Simon de Monfort Earl of Leicester who headed the Baron's Army carrying the King about with him as his Prisoner got into his hands all the strong Holds These Proceedings in England putting a stop to the Pope's Revenue he sent Cardinal Ottobon his Legate to Excommunicate the Barons but they for a while despised it yet soon after falling out amongst themselves many of them came over to Prince Edw. who had taken the Field with an Army so that he enclosed the Earl of Leicester's Camp at Evesham and obliged him to battel where the Earl lost the day with his Life and had his Head Hands and Feet chopped off as a mark of Infamy By this Overthrow the King was rescued and set at liberty when to heal the long Divisions a Parliament was called at Winchester by whose Approbation the King seized the Charters of London and other Cities and Towns that had proved disloyal and the Legate proceeded to excommunicate the Bishops of Winchester London Worcester and Chichester for taking part with the King's Enemies And now Prince Edward with a great Train took a Journey to the Holy Land and the King more firmly to settle the Nation called a Parliament at Marlborough where the Statutes called by the name of the place were enacted but having been at Norwich to quiet a tumult and punish such as had burnt the Priory Church upon his return he fell sick at the Abby of St. Edmund in Suffolk and after a short Languishment dyed Anno 1272. from whence he was conveyed to Westminster and there buried in the Abbey This Henry King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Guyenne and Aquitain was eldest Son to King John his Wife was Eleanor Daughter of Raymond Earl of Provence by whom he had Issue Edward Edmund Richard who dyed young also John William and Henry Margaret married to Alexander the Third King of Scotland Beatrix married to John the First Duke of Bretaigne and Katharine who dyed young He began his Reign the 19th of October 1216. and reigned 56 Years and 28 Days being the 65th Year of his Age he was the 27th sole Monarch of England He was very charitably given and founded many Churches and Religious Houses In his time four Suns appeared from the Rising to the Setting after which followed a great Famine and eighteen Jews were hanged for crucifying a Child and others severely punished for circumcising another that had been christened Thus dyed Third Henry when on England's Stage H 'ad sway'd the Sceptre near a long liv'd Age The longest Reign the Nation e'er beheld Yet Life wound off by time the Cedar's fell'd The Reign and Actions of Edward the First King of England c. KIng Edward at the death of his Father Henry was warring in the Holy Land where he did Wonders in his own Person insomuch that the Sarazens dreading his Prowess the Governour of Damascus under a feigned Friendship sent a Villain to assassinate him who seeming as if he was about to deliver him a Letter stabbed him in three places in the Arm with a poisoned Dagger and had repeated the Wounds but that the Prince struck him down with his Foot whereupon his Guards came in and cut the Wretch in pieces as he lay on the floor yet these wounds by the Chirurgions were accounted mortal unless some one would hazard his own Life by sucking out the Poison but when every one shrunk back Eleanor his Wife who would by no means be persuaded from accompanying him in that tedious Journey chearfully undertook it and effected the Cure without any Injury done to her self for which generous Undertaking he raised Crosses and Monuments to her Memory in England The News of his Father's death no sooner reached him but setling the Affairs of the War he returned to England where together with his Queen he was crowned by Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury at whose Coronation 500 Horses were let loose in a large Forest to be possessed by those that first caught them and upon notice the Welsh were in Arms he marched against them overthrew and slew Lewelin their Prince in a great Battel whose Head crowned with Ivy was set upon the Tower and utterly subduing those Mountainiers he made his Son Edward born amongst them at Caernarvon Prince of the Country And going for France he sate as a Peer of that Kingdom in consideration of the Lands and Territories he held there and upon his return banished the Jews to the number of 15000 for bringing in base Money and exacting Extortion Alexander the Third King of Scotland who had married King Edward's Sister being dead and the Lords Bruce and Baliol for want of other Heirs standing in competition for the Kingdom Edward by his Authority became Umpire and adjudged it to the latter promising to support his Right by Arms for which he was to become his Homager but that Prince being in the Throne to please his People who feared the English Greatness might be prejudicial to them hearkened to Proposals with France and suffered his People to enter the North parts of of England with Fire and Sword Edward drove them back with great slaughter entering Scotland and making such terrible Destruction that the Cities and Towns for the most part surrendred the Scotch Nobles sued for Peace and in the Parliament held at Berwick they acknowledged him their King swearing to be true Subjects to him for ever after sealing a solemn Instrument to that purpose whereupon King Edward leaving John de Warren Earl of Surry and Sussex as his Viceroy in that Kingdom sent John Baliol the late King Prisoner to the Tower of London and brought away with him the Crown Sceptre and Cloth of State burning their Records abrogating their Laws altering the Form of their Divine Service and transplanting their learned Men to Oxford He brought likewise the Marble Chair wherein the Kings of Scotland were wont to be crowned from the Abbey of Schone and sent it to Westminster upon which is written this prophetical Distich Ni fallat Fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient Lapidem regnare tenetur ibidem Where'er this Stone the Scot shall placed find There shall he reign for there his Rule 's assign'd This was verified in King James the first upon the uniting the Kingdoms but more of that in his Reign King Edward going into France to recover such places as the French had taken in the latter end of his Father's Reign and refused to restore especially in Gascoign the Scots rebelled and under the leading of one William Wallis fell upon the English at an advantage near Striveling Bridge and put them to the rout killing amongst others Hugh de Cressingham the Treasurer and having flead him divided his Skin in parcels amongst them as a Trophie of their Revenge and committed many other outrages which hastened the King's Return at which time he summoned a Parliament at York giving the Scots a day to appear but they
down and the better to encourage his Men to beat off the French that guarded the farther Shoar he entered the Water at a Ford in the head of the Army crying He that loves me let him follow so marching towards Cressie in the Province of Ponthieu he understood the French King was advancing with 100000 Horse and Foot nor was it long before the two Armies came in sight of each other which made King Edward divid his Forces into three Battalions giving the Van in charge to his Son Edward commonly called The Black Prince through the Warlike Actions that attended his Life c. the middle Battalion he reduced under the Command of the Earls Arundel and Northhampton and the last he retained himself placing his Carriages in the Rear commanding every man to leave his Horse and fight on Foot as resolving either to win the Victory or dye As for the French Army the King of Bohemia and the Earl of Alanson had the charge of the Van-guard King Philip of the Main Battel and the Earl of Savoy of the Rear and no sooner the Charge was sounded but a bloudy Conflict ensued whilst King Edward stood upon a hill with his Battalion to behold the Event and at the beginning the French Horse charging with great Fury made the Prince give way and had allmost enclosed his Battalion which made the Nobles that had the care of his Person send to the King to advertize him of the danger his Son was in when demanding only whether the Prince was alive and certified that he was so instead of sending the succours demanded he replied Let them send no more to me for any Adventure that may befall whilst my Son is alive but let them either vanquish or dye because the Honour of this glorious day shall be solely his if God suffer him to survive This resolute return not only made the English obstinate in fighting but repent they had sent to require aid wherefore redoubling their fury the French were overthrown on heaps especially by the Showres of Arrows that continually poured upon them from whence such a rout and disorder ensued that their Horse trampled down their Foot so that all was in confusion and nothing remained for the English but the Slaughter of the flying French men and the Field being entirely won the King advanced and embraced his Son encouraging him to future Glory by so prosperous a beginning In this Battel were slain Eleven Princes and about 1500 Barons Knights and Men of Arms Here fell the Kings of Bohemia and Majorâ—u Earl of Alanson Duke of Lorain Duke of Burbon Earl of Flanders Earl of Savoy the Dauphin of Vienois the Earl of Sancerrer and Harecourt the Earls of Aumarl and Nevers with six Counts of the Empire the grand Prior of France and Archbishop of Roan and of the meaner sort about 30000. The English lost not above Five thousand and amongst them none of considerable Note The King by this means grown terrible to the French marched to Calais and straitly besieged it yet permitted about 1508 Starvelings whom the Governour had turned out to spare Provision free passage relieving them with Victuals and Money And now the French finding their own weakness dealt underhand stirring up the Scots that so they might divert the King's Forces nearer home but they being encountred near Durham were overthrown and their King David taken Prisoner and in the Encounter the Earls of Murray and Strathern the Constable Marshal Chamberlain and Chancellour with many other Nobles were slain The Noble Prisoners beside the King were the Earls of Douglas Fife Weigton Southerland and Mentieth and King Edward being still in France sent Parties abroad under several Generals who gained great advantages over the French insomuch that the Kingdom was quite disheartened not only to see their Field Forces worsted but their Towns drop away very fast and amongst the rest that considerable one of Brigerac where the Earl of Darby and Lancaster commanding the Forces promised the better to encourage his Soldiers that when the Town was taken every Man should have the Plunder of the first house he enterd when so it happened that a common Soldier broke into the Mint-Master's Stores and there found great store of coined and uncoined Gold and Silver insomuch that not knowing how to dispose of it he acquainted the Earl with his Fortune desiring him to take it into his possession but he generously refused saying that his word was past and he would not recall it and the King having lain eleven months before Calais had it surrendred upon discretion which was seconded by the News that Sir Walter de Bendley had vanquished the Marshal of France slain 13 Lords 140 Knights 100 Esquires and made 9 Lords Prisoners with many Knights and Gentlemen of Note so that the French suing for Peace and offering extraordinary Advantages to the English it was accorded upon sundry Articles and Limitations but the French not long observing them the War broke out again more dreadfull than before for King Edward who had withdrawn the greatest part of his Forces entred again that Kingdom with a puissant Army laying a great part of it waste but in the mean while King Philip dying and John coming to the Crown and upon his giving the Dutchy of Aquitain to Charles the Dauphin King Edward to counter-balance him gave it to Prince Edward his Son commanding him to defend it who passing thither with an Army took most of the Towns with little resistence when heightened with the Success he pierced as far as the Gates of Burges in Berry but in his return to Bourdeaux John the French King opposed him with a very numerous Army but notwithstanding he had six to one in the Field he was overthrown by the Prince and taken Prisoner together with Philip his youngest Son the Archbishop of Sens with many great Lords and about two thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing Armories and in the Fight were slain Fifty two Lords one thousand seven hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen together with the King's Standard-Bearer and about six thousand Common Soldiers it being ever the Fate of France to have the loss fall heavy on the Nobility and after many other advantages gained the Prince settling his Affairs returned to England with his Prisoners and was received with great Triumph and Henry Picard being then Lord Mayor of London at his own charge feasted four Kings viz. of England France Scotland and Cyprus and eight days were taken up in giving Glory to God for the Victory and the King not thinking the English Interest in France sufficiently secured sent over a Fleet of 1100 Sail and coming with his Army before the Walls of Paris he knighted for their better Encouragement in military Atchievments 400 Esquires and Gentlemen but at length through many Mediations and Intercessions it was concluded that King Edward and his Son should ever release unto King John and his Heirs the Right and Claim they had to the
about sundry Articles of Treason in the compass of which the Lords that stood out might fall he got them subscribed at Nottingham by Robert Trisilian Chief Justiciar Robert Belknap Chief Justice of the Common Pleas John Holt Roger Fulthrop and William Burgh Justiciars as likewise by John Lecton Serjeant at Law whereupon he proclaimed them Traitors and both sides armed but the King finding the Lords too powerfull for him and that they had discovered the Snares he had laid to entrap them thought it no time to oppose his small number against forty thousand men but shut himself up with such Forces as he had in the Tower of London where he had laid up Stores for his Subsistence if things came to farther Extremity The King withdrawn the Lords came to Westminster and there assembling to consult what was to be done they resolved to dispatch a Messenger to let the King know that if he left not the Tower and came quickly to them that things might be better settled and ordered they would proceed to chuse a King that should and would hearken to and the Judgment and Counsel of his Peers This though much against his will constrained him to meet them at Westminster and after some debate consented to remove from his Person Alexander Nevil Archbishop of York the Bishops of Durham and Chichester the Lords Zouch and Beaumont and many others with certain chargeable Court-Ladies who were maintained as Spies upon the Actions of the Nobility and the better to make up the breach a Parliament was summoned in which the Judges were called to an Account for the subscribing of the Articles and other matters and most of them being arrested as they sate in Judgment were sent Prisoners to the Tower but Trisilian took an opportunity to escape yet being apprehended he was in the morning sentenced in Parliament and in the Afternoon pursuant to that Sentence as one that had wheedled in the rest to a compliance he was conveyed to Tyburn and there had his Throat cut by Hand of the common Executioner and many others were put to death as evil Counselours and Betrayers of the People The Estates of the King 's chief Favourites were likewise confiscated but the Scots at the same time invading the Northern Parts the Proceedings were not carried on to the highth as was otherways intended and not long after the Scale turned for another Parliament being called at London the Sanctuary of former Laws and all partscular Charters of Pardon were disannulled and taken away from Thomas Duke Gloucester the Earl of Arundel and others for their Treasonable Practices and Enterprizes and all the Justiciars who stood for the King were cleared from the Danger and Scandal they lay under and the Articles they had signed were ratified and such as had offended against them proclaimed Traitors and Richard Earl of Arundâ—l was beheaded on Tower-Hill as guilty of the breach of them The Earl of Warwick upon the like cause was banished and the Duke of Gloucester arrested and carried to Calais where he was privately made away and the King created himself Earl of Chester and to his Escutcheon Royal added the Armories of Edward the Confessour creating his Cosin Henry Duke of Hereford who was not long after accused by Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk for speaking dangerous words of the King and Mowbray constantly affirming what Hereford denied the Combat was granted them and all things in order to it prepared but when they were entred the Lists and at the point of defying each other to death the King threw down his Warder by that means staying the Combat changed the manner of the Order and banished them the Kingdom the Duke of Norfolk for ever and the Duke of Hereford first for ten Years then for six only constraining them upon pain of death immediately to depart and soon after the Duke of Lancaster Father to the latter and Uncle to the King dying he seized on all his Wealth which was extremely considerable he being looked upon one of the richest uncrowned Heads in Europe Long had not these Things passed before the Irish fell into Rebellion when to quiet them King Richard raised a great Army to supply which he grievously oppressed his Subjects by a heavy Tax which begot no small Hatred amongst the People so that some of the Nobles who favoured Hereford now become Duke of Lancaster sent to him to advertize him of the Discontents letting him know that this was his time to make his Fortune and he not delaying the opportunity with an Army of about 2000 English and Foreigners landed whilst King Richard was busie in Ireland and was immediately joined by the Earl of Northumberland and his Son and declaring as a specious pretence he came for no more than his Dutchy of Lancaster the People in compassion of his wrong flocked about him from all parts so that the Duke of York whom King Richard had left Governour of the Kingdom till his Return from his Irish Expedition not being able to oppose the Torrent was obliged to acquiess and suffer him to take Bristol where Bushy and Green two of the King 's Privy Counselours being made Prisoners they lost their Heads to please the multitude This allarmed King Richard in Ireland and obliged him to hasten for England gathering some Troups in Wales which he joined to those he brought over but few of the Nobles coming to his Assistence and finding himself too weak to oppose the Torrent he suffered them to disband and betook himself with a few of his Followers to Conwoth Castle and from thence sent to demand Honourable Conditions and amongst the rest That if himself and eight more whom he should name might have Allowance becoming their Qualities and an assurance of a quiet Private Life he would be content to resign the Crown to his Cosin the Duke of Lancaster and being promised what what was demanded he put himself into the hands of the Earl of Northumberland and was conveyed to the Tower of London whereupon a Parliament was called in his Name to sit at Westminster who concluding upon his Resignation sent an Instrument to him in order to his subscribing which being accordingly done as likewise seal'd he put his Signet Ring upon the Duke's Finger and after this a definitive Sentence passed in Parliament at which time the Duke of Lancaster rising from his Seat made his Claim and Challenge to the Crown in the following words viz. In the Name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Apurtenances as coming of the Bloud Royal from King Henry the Third and that Justice which God of his Grace doth send me by the help of my Friends for the Recovery of the said Realm which was in point of Perdition through default of Government and breach of Laws After this Claim Henry was acknowledged by all the Estates for King and seated in the Royal Throne which is accounted the end of Richard's
Reign This Richard the Second was King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain second Son to Edward the Black Prince by Joan his Wife Daughter to Edmund Earl of Kent His Reign began the 21st day of June 1377. and he reigned 22 Years three Months and eight days and was the 22d sole Monarch of England c. and was murthered in Pontefract Castle as will appear in the next Reign He had two Wives but no Issue or at least none that survived him his last Wife Isabel Daughter to Charles the Fifth King of France being so young that she was incapable of consummating the Joys of a Marriage Bed c. In his time made Portents and Prodigies happened the Bay and Lawrel Trees withered throughout England and suddenly after became green and flourishing and the deep River near Bedford divided into two Streams leaving the Chanel dry for three miles He caused his Palace of Shene now Richmond in Surry to be demolished occasioned by the excessive grief he conceived for the loss of his first Wife Queen Ann who dyed there he likewise upon the City's refusing to lend him 1000 l took away their Charter and obliged them to ransome it at a far greater Summe Thus we behold how Fortune plays with Kings There 's nothing stable found in earthly things The Greatness that on Power and Honour grows Like the wild Ocean has its Ebbs and Flows The Reign and Actions of Henry the IV. King of England c. HEnry of Bullinbrook so called from the place of his Birth Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster upon the Resignation of King Richard was crowned by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury making it his business to ingratiate himself with the People thereby the better to secure what he had gained he sent his Ambassadours likewise abroad to keep up the Correspondency with foreign Princes as also to justifie his Proceedings but France and Normandy approved not of them but rather condemned what had pasted in dishonour of King Richard nor were there divers in England wanting who laboured to restore him and amongst these were John Holland Earl of Huntington Thomas Hollnnd Earl or Kent John Mâ—â—acute Earl of Salisbuy Thomas Spencer Earl oâ— â—â—â—ucester with the Dukes of Surry Exeter and 〈…〉 but these Lords were altogether unsuccessfull 〈◊〉 Undertaking although they raised a considerable number of Persons in Arms giving out King Richard was at liberty and there present the better to confirm which they had gotten his Chaplain to personate him for the Townsmen of Cyrencester assailed them took divers of them and because some of the Lords Servants had fired the Town to contribute to their Masters Escape whilst the People were busie in extinguishing the Flames they in Revenge cut off the Heads of such Noblemen as they had taken without Law or Process and the Commons of Essex did the like to the Earl of Huntingdon in revenge of the Duke of Gloucester's Death mentioned in the foregoing Reign to be made away at Cailais The Lord Spencer falling into the hands of the Rabble at Bristol met the same Fate Others were put to Death at Oxford and some at London John Maudlin the Counterfeit Richard and one Thurby were drawn hanged and quartered The Bishop of Carlisle was condemned but afterwards pardoned and thus the Attempt was totally frustrated yet it proved fatal to Richard for Henry finding he could not assure himself in the Throne whilst the deposed King lived and he purposely letting fall some words before his Favourites as Who shall rid me of the cause of my troubles c. Sir Pierce of Exton to curry-favour with him went to the Castle where King Richard was lodged and gaining admittance under pretence of an Order from the King he and seven of his Accomplices fell upon and murthered that poor Prince with Battel-Axes yet before he fell wresting a Weapon he killed four of them others will have him to dye through Famine and Discontent which may appear something likely when we consider he was exposed at St. Paul's London for the space of three days thereby to assure the People of his Death and prevent any Counterfeit that might be set up and afterwards buried at Kings-Langly in Hartfordshire yeâ— in the fifth year of Henry the V. his Remains were brought to Westminster and interred with his Ancestours where some will have that beautifull Pâ—â—ture of a King Crowned in a Chair of State to be placed at the upper end of the Choir in memory â— him However this freed not Henry from dangâ—â—â—â— for the Scots entered England and the Welsh took 〈◊〉 Arms under the Leading of Owen Glendour but were both defeated yet these publick Practices were seconded with a private one which had proveâ— more dangerous had it taken effect viz. a Calthrop being an Engine with four sharp Spears standing upward was placed in his Bed and had peradventure put an end to his days had he not espyed it before he lay down but it could not be known who placed it there The Welsh who rather retired than over-come took Arms in greater number and overthrowing the Lord Edward Mortimer who was sent to surpress them took him Prisoner and obliged him to marry Glendour's Daughter nor did People spare to spread abroad sundry inveterate Libels for which some were executed and amongst them several Gray Fryars and the King going against the Welsh was repulsed by a mighty Storm yet succeeded his Lieutenant the Early of Northumberland and his Son Piercy Hoâ—spur better against the Scots in the North for by them the Scots were overthrown in two Battels and some Persons of note taken Prisoners The King being at this time a Widower took to Wife the Lady Jane of Navarre Widow to John de Mountfort Duke of Britain which Marriage was followed by dreadfull Prodigies and soon after the Lord Piercy Hotspur when he had done Wonders against the Scots and thinking his Services slighted grew discontented and turned his Arms against King Henry and with him joyned Mortimer Earl of March Henry Piercy his Father and Owen Glendour pretending a Care to reform Disorders in the Government though it was afterwards discovered they intended nothing more than their own Interest for Mortimer was to have the South part of â—â—gland Piercy the North Glendour all beyond the 〈◊〉 and Archibald Earl of Douglas who had beâ—â—â—â— been takan Prisoner to have his Liberty and the Town of Berwick with the Territories belonging to it but before they could gather into any great Body the King was advancing with a powerfull Army towards Shrewsbury which they had fortified when Hotspur no sooner discovered the Royal Standard but resolving to loose his Life or win the Day drew out Fourteen thousand Men and desperately engaged the King and Prince Henry his Son yet being inferiour in number though he fought with a Courage beyond expression Fortune that never before failed him turned her back so that he was slain and the Earls
of Worcester and Douglas Sir Richard Vernon Barron of Kinlaton taken and beheaded 200 Esquires and Gentlemen of Cheshire and a great number of common Soldiers lost their Lives not without considerable Loss to the King and the ending his Life for Hotspur broke furiously through the Squadron where the Standard was and there had killed or taken him Prisoner had he been seconded as he expected yet this so incensed the King that he caused his Body whom his own Party had carried off and buried to be taken out of the Grave the Head cut off and the Quarters to be dispersed in divers Places As for the Earl of Northumberland he was taken after this Defeat as he was raising Forces in the North yet had his Life pardoned but was abridged in his Estate and the better to quiet the like Disturbances the King called a Parliament but could get no considerable Supply neither in that nor the other two Parliaments that succeeded it About this time William de Willford being abroad with a Squadron of Men of War brought in 40 Prizes laden with Iron Oyl and Rochel Wine which was sold to supply the King's Coffers and a Troup of Western Men brought 3 foreign Lords and 20 Knights of note Prisoners from Dartmouth having slain the Lord Castile and a great many of his Followers who cruzing on the Coast attempted to burn and plunder that place as before they had served Plimouth for which Service the King bestowed liberal Rewards amongst them and in Parliament caused the Earl of Northumberland to be restored to his entire Possession yet these things quieted not the minds of the Nobility for soon after Thomas Mowbray Earl-Marshal of England drew Richard Scroop Arch-Bishop of York into a Conspiracy who tampering with the Earl of Westmoreland and he promising them fair instead of siding with them delivered them up to the King and they were thereupon beheaded but the Pope being highly incensed at the Arch-bishop's Death excommunicated all those that had a hand in it This was seconded by another of the Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolf but their Forces being weak they were encountred by the Sheriff of Yorkshire where the Earl in a sharp conflict was slain in the Field and the Lord mortally wounded and as a mark of Ignominy the Earl's Head was carried on a Pole through London and fixed on the Bridge-gate and because the Scots had encouraged this Undertaking and to surpress the Rumour that went abroad of King Richard's being alive the King marched an Army of 37000 Men to their Borders battered Berwick with a piece of Cannon the first that was used in England and took it as likewise siezed on all the Castles belonging to the Earl of Northumberland then marched into Wales but was â—isappointed in that Expedition by the sudden Inâ—undations and Torrents of Water that flowed â—rom the Hills whereby fifty of his Waggons with Treasure and Provisions were destroyed and a great part of his Food which obliged him to reâ—ire The King to repair his Loss called another Parâ—iament which through his Importunity was constrained to grant him a Subsidy and in the year 1407 a Plague raged throughout England and destroyed in London 30000 Persons A great Frost followed it that lasted 15 Weeks yet the Duke of Burgundy craving the King's Aid against the Duke of Orleance had his Request granted And amongst other memorable Actions of the English Sir John Blunt raised a Siege beat Four thousand French-men with Three hundred English taking about Twelve Noblemen and One hundred and Twenty Gentlemen Prisoners And now Wickliff's Doctrine beginning to spread the Arch-Bishop Arundel so incensed the King that William Sawtree William Swinderby and William Thorp all eminent Divines were put to Death for their profession of a good Faith but the King did not long survive that Cruelty for Anno 1413. falling sick and into an Appoplexy whilst his Crown was placed on his Pillow Prince Henry his Son came and took it thence which the King perceiving upon his reviving sent for him and demaâ—ded the reason of his hastiness who boldly replyed That he seeming dead in all Men's esteem he took it as his Right Whereupon the King with some trouble of mind looking on him said Ah Son with what Right it was got God only knoweth who forgive me the Sin To which the Prince fiercely replyed However it was got I mean to keep it when it shall be mine and defend it with my Sword as you by your Sword have obtained it and soon after the King dyed and was buried at Canterbury This Henry the IV was King of England and France Lord of Ireland c. eldest Son to John Duke of Lancaster by Blanch his Wife He began his Reign the 29th of Sptember Anno 1399 and Reigned 13 Years 3 Months and 16 Days and was the 33d sole Monarch of England by his first Wife Mary he had Issue Prince Henry Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Blanch and Philippa by his second-Wife no Issue that survived him Thus ill-got Crowns create a troubl'd Reign Howe'er so easie got hard to maintain Such Crowns have Thorns that still the Wearer pain The Life Reign and Actions of Henry the V. King of England c. HEnry of Monmouth so called from the place of his Birth in his youthfull years lead away by wild and debauched Courtiers committed many extravagancies not being exempted from Robbing on the High-ways putting his Father in fear of some Design he had upon his Person and attempting to rescue a Prisoner from the Face of Justice in the Court of King's-Bench but when he came to the Crown he was wonderfully changed commanding his former leud Companions to alter their manners or not dare to approach his Court nor within Ten miles of his Person chusing grave and worthy Counsellours and much honouring the Clergy and the more to ingratiate with the People every day after Dinner he was wont for the space of an hour to receive Petitions in order to redress Grievances which he would doe with wonderfull Equity much lamenting the untimely Death of King Richard and so near it touched him that he sent to Rome to be absolved from a Fact he had no hand in Whilst things went on prosperously a Parliament was called wherein it was moved that the superfluous Lands and Temporalties belonging to Religious Houses were sufficient of the Maintainance of 15 Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Alms-Houses and over and above 20007 l per Annum to the King's Coffers and this to curb the Pride of the Clergy was pressed very home and had gone on had not the Arch-Bishop of Canteâ—bury to turn his Thoughts from it perswaded him to seek his Right in France of which Kingdom he told him he was the true Heir enforcing it with strong Reasons insomuch that the young King being naturally of a fierce and warlike Spirit soon hearkned to what he had suggested and sent
of using their Arms which the Duke of Brabant perceiving advanced furiously to break the Order of the English and encourage his side but met his Fate in that Attempt however the Duke of Alanzon broke in upon the King's Standard and there had slain the Duke of Gloucester had not the King prevented it by timely interposing and between them began a sharp dispute wherein the Duke of Alanzon all most beat the King's Crown flat to his Helmet but being struck from his Horse by Henry and crying out he was Alanzon notwithstanding his begging quarter and the King's endeavour to save him the enraged Soldiers for the Danger he had put their Sovereign into dispatched him on the spot so that the Rear-guard of the French Army being worsted and unable to sustain the Fury of the English fled without fighting leaving the Victory with infinite spoil and a great number of Prisoners to a handfull of Men in a manner naked and allmost half starved which may convince the World that Victory depends not upon the Arm of Flesh but scarcely was the Field cleared of the French before another Army bigger than that of the English which was coming to their Aid and knowing nothing of the Defeat appeared upon the Hills and the King fearing the great number of Prisoners might turn against him during the heat of the Fight caused them all as a Maxim of self-â—â—eservation except those of the greatest Quality to be killed and then sent a Herauld to summon them to fight or depart immediately for if they stayed whilst he charged them they must expect no Quarter whereupon the King of Sicily who commanded in chief not thinking it convenient with those Forces to dispute what so great an Army had lost drew off so that King Henry finding himself an entire Conquerour fell on his Knees and commanding all both Officers and Soldiers to doe the like with up lifted hands and said Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be given the Glory And having learned the name of the place he said Let this be called the Battel of Agincourt all posterity In this Battel were slain of the French one thousand Princes Noblemen Knights and Esquires and ten thousand common Soldiers The Prisoners of note were Charles Duke of Orleance John Duke of Burbon the Earl of Richmond Lowis de Burbon the Count de Vendosme the Earl of Eu Edward de Roven and divers others The English loft of Note were the Duke of York and Earl of Suffolk with two Knights and David Gam Esquire the common Soldiers that fell were very inconsiderable some not allowing above one hundred twenty eight but that seems somewhat partial The next day after this Battel Henry marched with the spoil and his Prisoners off the Field towards Callais his Soldiers now having Cloaths and plenty of all Necessaries and having fortified the Towns he had taken and given necessary Orders he came for England and was received in London with Triumph and there presented with one thousand pounds and two Gold Basons and calling a Parliament he had a Subsidy of a Tenth granted for the carrying on his Wars in France which not sufficing he pawned his Crown to Cardinal Beaufort his Unckle and his Jewels to the Lord Mayor of London for ten thousand Marks then he passed the Sea with an Army of 25527. every fourth being an Horseman besides a thousand Carpenters and Labourers and the first of August 1417. arrived in Normandy bringing such a terrour upon the Countrey that most of the Inhabitants fled into Bretaigne and having dubbed thirty eight Knights he laid Siege to Conquest and took it the 16th of August with the Castles of Aubeliers and Lovers he likewise stormed the City of Caen and gave the Pillage to his Soldiers During K. Henry's Success in France the Scots invaded England bringing with them a Person representing Richard the Second but hearing as they lay at the Siege of Roxborough and Berwick that the English Army was marching toward them they raised the Sieges and fled This did not hinder the King 's proceeding in France for there he took many Cities and had the strong Castle of Fallors delivered him then divided his Army under the Commands of the Dukes of Clarence Gloucester and Earl of Warwick so that taking divers places at once he set down before Roan and took it after a year's Siege obliging the Burgesses for their Ransome and being permitted quietly to live there pay him 356000 Crowns and swear Fealty to him and his Successors And now the French finding themselves unable to make head against the English and Accommodation was sought and to bring it the easier to pass an Interview was had between King Henry and King Charles at the Town of Melun where the Queen and the Princess Katharine of France was present and there King Henry first fixed his Eyes and Affection on that beauteous Maid and finding the French Noblemen averse to his Demands he told the Duke of Burgundy that he would either have the Princess and what he had farther required or he would drive him and the rest of the Nobles out of France To which the Duke replied That he might say his pleasure but before he should drive them out of France he should be weary of the Enterprize This Treaty proving ineffectual the King took the Town of Ponthois and gave large spoil to his Soldiers which obliged the French King to remove his Court from Paris to Troyis in Champaigne and now to facilitate the English Conquests the Dauphin having put a sensible Affront upon the Queen his Mother she conceived a mortal hatred and laboured to ruine him confederating with the Duke of Burgundy and procuring her self by reason of the King's Imbecility to be made Regent of France and soon after the Dauphin causing John Duke of Burgundy to be slain in his presence as he came to doe him Homage for contriving as he said the death of Lewis Duke of Orleance that he might the better sway the Kingdom under an infirm King Philip the young Duke of Burgundy to revenge his Father's death closed with King Henry and proceeded to persuade Charles the French King to disinherit the Dauphin and give the Lady Katharine in Marriage to the King oâ— England and the Queen seconding this Project it was effected and a Peace concluded between the two Crowns upon divers Articles the chief being That Charles and Isabel should retain the name of King and Queen and hold all their Dignities Rents and Possessions during their natural Lives That after their deaths the Crown and Realm of France should with all its Rights and Appurtenances remain unto the King of England and his Heirs for ever and that by reason of the Infirmity of King Charles therefore during his Life the Affairs of the Realm of France together with the Government thereof should remain in the King Henry so that thenceforth he should govern the Realm and admit to his Council and
Assistence with the Council of France such of the English Nobility as he should see convenient with other Articles to the number of thirty very advantageous to the English were all sworn to at Troyis May the 30th 1420. and proclaimed in London the June following and Homage sworn to King Henry who was proclaimed Regent of France and on the 3d of June the Marriage was celebrated in the presence of divers of the chief Nobility of England and France at Troyis with great Pomp and Splendour and they rode in Triumph to take Possession of the Palace in Paris and a Parliament of the three Estates were assembled in that City who confirmed what had been done by the Kings and it was there likewise ratified by the General Estates of the Realm and Sworn to particularly on the Holy Evangelist by the French Noblemen and Rulers Spiritual and Temporal who moreover sealed the Instruments which were sent over to be kept in the King's Exchequer at Westminster which done the King left the Duke of Clarence his Lieutenant in France and came for England with his Queen where he was received with Joy and Triumph causing her to be crowned at Westminster and then proceeded to call a Parliament for farther Supplies to maintain his War against the Dauphin who still stood out to recover the Kingdom but the Commons exhiting a Petition of Poverty he again pawned his Crown to Cardinal Beaufort for 20000 pounds and passed into France with 4000 Horse and 24000 Foot and his presence there was necessary for the Dauphin strengthened by Forces for Scotland under the Leading of the Earl of Buchanan and Archibald Douglas defeated and killed the Duke of Clarence took the Earls of Huntindon Somerset and others Prisoners and heightened with that Success he laid Siege to Alenzon and cut off the Provisions of Paris but the King 's Approach made him to retire to Bury King Henry soon recovered what the Dauphin had taken and drove him to great distress but when this great King had triumphed over that mighty Kingdom with unconquerable Fortune and Success and annexed it fully to the Crown of England death laid his Arrest upon him for falling sick of a burning Fever and Flux he dyed on the 30th of August 1422. at Bloice de Vincennois and his Body brought over was buried with pomp at Westminster hard by the Tomb of Edward the Confessour appointing by his last Will and Testament his younger Brother Humphry Duke of Gloucester Protectour of England his Brother John Duke of Bedford Regent of France and Thomas Beaufort Guardian of his Son Henry born a little before at Windsor contrary to the King 's express command who when he heard the Queen had lain in at that place prophetically spake viz. Good God! I Henry of Monmouth shall have but a short Reign and win much but Henry of Windsor shall reign long and lose all yet God's Will be done This Henry was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland eldest Son of Henry the Fourth by Mary his Queen He began his Reign on the 20th of March 1412. and reigned 9 Years 5 Months and 10 days and was the 34th sole Monarch of England Thus Beauty Power and Honour yield to death Great Conquerours like Slaves resign their breath Their Lawrels in the Dust with them must lie But Fame's immortal and can never dye The Life Reign and Actions of HENRY the Sixth King of England France c. HEnry of Windsor so called from the place of his Birth upon the death of his Father was crowned when he exceeded not eight Months of age the Queen holding him in her lap whilst the Solemnity was performed to whom his Nurtriture and Education was committed but his Minority much disadvantaged the English Interest in France for old King Charles dying Charles his Son greatly strengthned his party and although he was called by the English in derision only King of Burry as having little more left him yet now he encroached upon the English wresting from them sundry places by the help of Aids from Scotland and Italy which made the English Regent think it time to give him Battel and accordingly the Armies joyned near Vernoli where the French were overthrown the Regent doing wonders in his own person and there were slain the Constable and Lieutenant of France the Earls of Wigton and Vantadour with about five thousand others and the Duke of Alanzon taken Prisoner upon which Victory the English besieged Monts in Main and having with his Cannon made a great breach in the Wall it was surrendered and a little while after the Earl of Salisbury besieged Orleance and brought it to such distress that the Garison was willing to surrender to the Duke of Burgundy but the Earl refused it which so offended the Duke that he declined the English Interest which proved very prejudicial The French being in a drooping Condition and using strong Cordials to support their Spirits one Joan a Shepherdess of Lorrain came to the Dauphin and offered him her Service saying She was sent by God to deliver France out of the hands of the English and not exceeding eighteen years of age her offer at first was looked upon as rediculous but she persisting in what she had declared the Dauphin caused her to be armed at all points and desiring the Sword that hung in St. Catharines Church she got into Orleance then besieged by the English and from thence sent a Letter commanding them to raise the Siege and deliver up the Towns they possessed for she was resolved to drive them out of France but they looked upon it only as proceeding from Folly or a raving fit yet in the several Sallies she made it proved otherwise for by the violent Sallies she made the Siege was raised with loss to the English she commonly fighting in the head of the French and animating them to go on couragiously for being in one of the Sallies shot through the Arm with an Arrow and perswaded to retire she cryed out This is a favour let us go on they cannot escape the hands of God and there of note were slain the Earl of Salisbury the Lords Moline and Poynings Sir Thomas Gagrave and the French say about eight thousand common Soldiers yet our Historians allow but six hundred and the French following their success wrested several Towns and surprising a party of English overthrew them taking Prisoners the Lords Talbot Scales Hungerford and Sir Thomas Rampston whereupon several Towns revolted and the Dauphin took Auxier and Rhiemes in the latter of which according to the direction of Joan called by the French the Maid of God Charles the Dauphin caused himself to be Crowned King of France Joan of Arks having been hitherto very sucsessfull and done the Dauphin singular service coming to the relief of Campaign which was greatly distressed by the English and Burgundians in a desperate charge advancing too far and being separated from those that should have succoured her she was
made Prisoner by a Burgundian Knight and by him sold to to the English who sent her to Roan and being charged with Witch-craft Bloud-shead and the unnatural use of Man's Apparel contrary to her Sex she was burnt which was too barbarous a usage and had not been executed but to put the French out of the great hopes they conceived in the Promise she had made to drive the French out of the Kingdom and in some kind it had its effects but another expedient was resolved on which was to send over for young King Henry and he accordingly was crowned in Paris with great Pomp by the Cardinal of VVinchester on the 7th of December 1431. The French Nobility doing him homage and the King's Pattents and Grants touching the French Affairs passed under the Seal and Stile of Henry King of the Frenchmen and of England and the Lords Talbot and Arundel were successfully victorious in the Provinces of Main Anjou and other places but John Duke of Bedford Regent of that Kingdom dying at Paris Anno. 1435. with his death the English Affairs sunk for although Richard Duke of York was sent over Regent yet before his arrival Paris was lost by the treachery and revolt of the Citizens and the Duke of Burgundy falling off besieged or blocked up Callais upon notice of which the Duke of Gloucester passed with a great Army but the Burgundians were retired before his arrival which made him proceed to waste the Burgundian Territories and then returned to England whilst the Duke of Somerset the Lords Talbot and VVilloughby made good the English Interest against the French and now it was thought expedient that King Henry should Marry and by the contrivance of de la Pool Duke of Suffolk he took to Wife Margaret Daughter to Renate Duke of Anjou and Lorain Titular King of Sicily and Jerusalem c. with whom he had little or no Dowry and Suffolk's too much favour and interest with the Queen made the Nobles begin to murmur and indeed this Match proved in the end disadvantageous to the English for the Queen being a Woman of a high Spirit and finding her power over a good natured and easie King she delayed not to use it placing and displacing at her pleasure the greatest Counsellers and Ministers of State so the Interest in France daily lessoned and the Dauphinâ— recovered the greatest part of the Kingdom which moved Duke Humphry to reproach the Queen and her Council with bold truth whereby they became so exasperated that from that time they layed Snares to intrap him but finding no plausible opportunity they resolved to take a violent occasion and at a Parliament holden at St. Edmunds-bury Anno 1447. he was arrested by John Lord Beaumont Lord High Constable of England and others charged with High-Treason and put under a Guard of the King's Houshold but had not been long in his Confinement before he was found dead not without strong presumption of violence used towards him yet to shadow it with the people who entirely loved him as a vertuous wise and learned Patriot of his Country his body was exposed and it was given out that he died of an Imposthume and Palsie This Duke who had been the Prop of the English Affairs removed his Servants the better to colour the Matter were brought to Tryall and five of them convicted of High-Treason upon which Sentence they were drawn to Tyburn and being hanged about two Minutes were cut down alive stripped naked and marked out with a Knife to be quartered and then their Charters of Pardon were produced by the Marquess of Suffolk and now the whole frame of Government seemed to repose it self in the Queens Authority and such Favourites as by her insinuation with the King she raised to the highest Dignities This gave scope to the Duke of York's Ambition who concluding there was an open passage to the Crown delayed not the opportunity but consulted his Friends declaring his Title as descended from Lionel and Elder Brother to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster great Grand-father to King Henry the sixth aggravating the miscarriages in Government and keeping up popular divisions and indeed the King's mildness a Council out of Favour with the people â—osses and dishonours abroad a disorder and confusion of things at home mainly contributed to his design and about this time a Rebellion happening in Ireland the Duke of York was looked upon as the fittest Man to go over for the appeasing it and had the fortune to bring it to a happy issue when in the mean while the Duke of Suffolk the Queens great favourite was charged in a Parliament at Westminster with evil Demeanour Misprision and Treason and committed Prisoner to the Tower but the Queen soon after procured his release and now the Yorkists Faction considerably strengthened appeared bare-fac'd and being vigorously withstood by Adam Molins Bishop of Chichester Keeper of the Privy Seal to remove him out of the way a rable of Seamen were stired up to fall upon him at Portsmouth by whose rude hands the good Bishop was slain and in a Parliament holden at Leicester they procured the Banishment of the Duke of Suffolk for five years and as he was attempting to pass the Seas he was taken in Dover Road by such as the Duke of York had laid in wait for him and for want of a Block had his Head cut off on the side of a Cock-boat which was looked upon as a Judgment for his being a contriver of the death of Humphry Duke of Gloucester the King's Uncle Suffolk thus removed out of the way the Duke of York concluded he wanted but one step into the Throne and although he was yet in Ireland he so effectually wrought by his Friends in England that the Kentish Men took up Arms under the leading of Jack Cade and were joyned by those of Essex demanding that the Duke might be called home and that he with some others that Cade named might bechief in Council That those guilty of the death of Duke Humphry might receive due punishment That the Grievances of the people might be redressed and because these requests were not speedily answered they committed many violent out-rages in and about London as plundering the houses of the Citizens beheading the Lord Say Treasurer of England and Mr. Comer High Sheriff of Kent for attempting to perswade them to return to their Obedience However their fury being spent and the King's Proclamation for a Pardon coming out to indemnifie them they returned to their respective Habitations but Cade finding his Power and Credit with the Multitude upon some new disgust attempting again to raise the Rable he was encountered by the Gentry of Kent and slain by one Edan Upon the stirs and uproars in England the Duke of York without any Order hasted from Ireland and took up Arms pretendedly for the Reformation of the State which made King Henry fortifie himself and prepare to oppose their force â— but the Duke of York
Fitz-walter battel at Ferrybridg near Pontefract but not being able to maintain it he was there with most of his men cut in pieces by Henry's Forces when both Armies facing on the Plain between Towton and Saxton on the 28th of March they joined Battel that of Edwards consisting of 48660 men and Henry's of 60000 but by the Lancastrians mistaking Stars for Suns being the Cognizance of each Party and doubting some Treason in the case many of them fled so that those who remained lost the field and in this Battel were slain the Earl of Northumberland the Lords Clifford Neuel Wells Scales Beaumont Dacres Grey Willoughby Fitzhug and other Persons of Quality about 357 and in all 35091 being the most bloudy and obstinate Battel that had been fought upon this Overthrow Henry with his Queen and Son fled into Scotland and were honourably received by King James whose Sister Prince Edward not long after married From Scotland the Queen sailed to France to seek aids in that Court and in mean while King Edward returning to London was a second time proclaimed and calling a Parliament Henry together with his Queen and Prince Edward his Son were disinherited and about fourty three Nobles disinherited and attainted The Queen a Woman of a Martial Spirit by her Interest in France had by this time gotten a considerable number of Men but sailing for Scotland and afterwards making for England her Fleet was scattered by a Tempest so that she and her Husband were left solely to the Aid of the Scots and with what Forces they could gather marched as far as the Bishoprick of Durham but the Forces of the Scots were defeated at Hegely Moor where Sir Ralph Percie dying said in allusion of his Oath to King Henry I have saved the Bird in my Breast And another defeat happening at Hexam Feries Fortune seemed utterly averse and that poor Prince coming out of Scotland into England in disguise was betrayed and apprehended as he sat at Dinner in Wadington-Hall and in an ignominious manner brought to London with his Legs bound under the Horses Belly and secured as a Prisoner in the Tower King Edward by the Imprisonment of Henry conceiving himself more secure sent the Earl of Warwick to woo for him in the Court of Savoy but whilst he earnestly sollicited and had brought the matter to perfection by obtaining the good Will of the Estates News came that King Edward had married the Lady Elizabeth Grey Widow to Sir John Grey slain in the Battel at St. Albans fighting on the part of King Henry with whom he had fallen in Love upon her becoming an humble Suitor to him for her Jointure and because he could not compass his ends without Marriage that vertuous Lady disdaining to be the Harlot even of a puissant King he resolved against the Minds of his Friends to obtain his desires by making her his Wife This so sensibly touched the Earl of Warwick in reflecting upon his Honour in serving a Master of so little Constancy that although he had been mainly Instrumental in helping him to the Kingdom he changed his love into mortal hatred and working upon George Duke of Clarence to favour his design and by secret Practices they stirred up a Commotion in the North where one Robert Huldren headed 15000 of the Commons but he being executed Sir John Conyers undertook to head them Proclaiming as they passed that King Edward was an unjust Prince and unprofitable to the Kingdom when to surpress these disorders he sent an Army under the leading of the Earl of Pembroke who joyned Battel near Banbury and had been victorious had not one John Clapham Esq and Servant to the Earl of Warwick come in the heat of the Fight and displayed his Master's Colours whose Cognisance was the White Bear and by crying a Warwick so dismayed the Welshmen of whom most of the Army was composed that thereby thinking the Earl was come in with his party they threw down their Arms and betook them to flight leaving their General who valiantly fighting was taken Prisoner together with his Brother Sir Robert Herbert and ten other Gentlemen of Note who lost their Heads at Banbury by the Judgment of Conyers and Clapham Anno 1469. The Success of the Northern men occasioned them to rise in great Number and a Party under the Leading of Robert of Ridisdale surprising the King's Manner of Grafton siezed the Lord Rivers the Queens Father together with John his Son whom they beheaded at Northampton which obliged the King to hasten with a great Army but whilst the people were expecting the issue of a bloudy Fight a Truce was concluded which rendering the King more secure than cautious the Earl of Warwick entered his Tent in the dead of Night and with little resistance made him Prisoner and carried him to Warwick Castle and from thence in the Night time conveyed him to Middleham Castle in Yorkshire and there committed him to George Nevil Arch-Bishop of York Brother to the Earl but having Liberty allowed to hunt in the Park and Forrests he was rescued by a Troup of his own Men however Sir Robert Wells with thirty thousand of the Commons disturbed the Country Proclaiming King Henry but encountering King Edwards Forces and himself in a bloudy Battel made Prisoner the Lincolnshire Men of which the Army was mostly composed threw of their Coats with the Earls badge on them in great Confusion left the Field so that from that it was called the battel of Losi-Coaâ—field upon which defeat and the putting Sir Robert with many others to death The Duke of Clarence Earl of Warwick and divers Nobles found themselves obliged to pass the Seas but were refused enterance at Calais of which place VVarwick was Captain by one Vawclear whom he a little before had Substituted his Deputy and for which refusal King Edward made him Captain in VVarwick's stead however they went to the Court at France and were there entertained with much respect where gathering Aids and holding Correspondence with their Friends in England soon after they Landed at Dartmouth and Marched towards London Proclaiming King Henry and commanded all from Sixteen to Sixty years of Age to take up Arms on his behalf against Edward Duke of York whom they termed a Usurper so that all the Land in a manner was in Arms and King Edward perceiving his Fortune utterly averse and that the few forces he had raised were ready to Revolt he thought it no fit time to dispute but rather to reserve himself to a more favourable Fortune whereupon with a few of his Friends he passed the Seas and was received by Charles Duke of Burgundy who had married the Lady Margaret his Sister whilst his Queen took Sanctuary in Westminster where she was delivered of a Son afterwards Christened by the name of Edward and other Sanctuarys were filled with the King's Friends and such as had adhered to him This disorder gave the Kentish men an opportunity to rise in Arms
and do great mischief especially in and about the City of London and had been greater but the Earl entered with his Army and put an end to those disorders and set King Henry at liberty who had been a Prisoner in the Tower for almost the space of Nine years conveying him to the King's Palace in great Triumph where on the 13th of October he was crowned again and went with the Crown on his head to St. Paul's Church the Earl of Warwick bearing up his Train and the Earl of Oxford carrying the Sword before him whilst the people cryed God save King Henry and a Parliament being called to sit at Westminster the 26th of November King Edward was declared a Traitor to his Country and a Usurper of the Crown his Goods and Lands were confiscated and his Adherents were attained The Earl of Worcester for his Cause lost his Head and all the Statutes made by Edward Revoked The Crowns of England and France were entailed to King Henry and his Heirs Male and for default of such Issue to George Duke of Clarence The Earl of Warwick to be Governour of the Land till it could be better settled Thus went the various change of Affairs in England 〈◊〉 the bloudy contest between the houses of York and Lancaster yet continued not the advancement of King Henry for King Edward holding Correspondency in England and gathering some Forces beyond the Seas landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire where the better to insinuate with the People He at first pretended to come for his right as a private person but finding himself strong enough he siezed upon York and increasing in Power marched till â—he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother the Duke of Clarence being reconciled to him by the means of a Maid-servant that had lived with the Old Dutches of York desiring the Earl to forsake King Henry's Cause and close with his Brother but that great Man more regarding his Engagement than Life or Interest sent him word that he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that e'er his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his Life at his enemies Feet which he doubt not should be bought very dear whereupon King Edward hasted to London and was received by the Citizen no ways able to resist him when drawing out his Forces he marched against the Earl and his Accomplicies and on Easter day in the Morning Battel was joyned on Glad-more Heath near Barnet in which bloudy Conflict fortune at first seemed to favour VVarwick but by an unlucky mistake he lost the day for a great Mist falling the embroidered Stars upon the Coats of such as were commanded by the Earl of Oxford being taken for Suns which was King Edward's Cognizance VVarwick's Battallion charged by that Errour upon their Friends and they suspecting it done on purpose crying out Treason quitted the Field which the Earl perceiving and resolving not to out-live the loss of the day charged desperately into the King's Battel killing many with his own Hands but being cut off from the assistance of his own men he there was slain as likewise was his Brother the Lord Montacute in attempting to Rescue him on King Edward's Party dyed the Lords Cromwell Bourchier and Barns with Siâ— John Lisle and on both sides about 10000 of all sorts But thus ended not the Contests for the Crown for Queen Margaret in the right of her Husband and Son raised a strong Power Anno Domini 1471. and gave the King Battel at Tewxbury but Fortune now turned fatally averse to the Queen and her Family for losing the day with the death of John Lord Somerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delues Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whitingham Sir John Leukner and several others and a great many of lesser note The Queen in this rout fled and betook her self to a religious house for sanctuary but was takan thence and made close Prisoner young Prince Edward her Son was taken in his flight by Sir Richard Crofts who presented him to King Edward who having a while beheld him with a stern countenance demanded how he durst presume with Banners displayed to disturb his Kingdom to which the Prince replied that what he did was to recover his Father's Kingdoms and his most rightfull Inheritance But how dare you continued the Prince being but a Subject display your Colours against your Liege Lord Upon this resolute replie King Edward unworthily struck him on the Mouth with his Gantlet when Richard Duke of Gloucester basely taking the hint stabbed him and the Wound being seconded by some of the Servants the poor Prince fell dead at the King's feet Things being carried at an extraordinary highth Edmund Duke of Somerset the Prior of St. John's with divers Knights and Esquiers who had taken sanctuary were contrary to the Custome of those times taken thence by force and executed at Tewxbury and soon after Richard Duke of Gloucester the King's Brother stabbed the pious King Henry to the heart in the Tower of London and his body was exposed in a Coffin at St. Paul's to convince the People he was dead As for the Queen she continued several years a Prisoner but at length her Father mortgaged most of his Principalities to pay her Ransome and she thereupon was sent over Sea where in much sorrow and perplexity she languished â—ut the rest of her days and by this means the Lancastrians being utterly disabled to make head King Edward more assured in his Throne betook himself to his Pleasure and hearing of the Fame of Jane Shoar Wife to a Goldsmith in Gracechurch-street he sent for her and took her to his Bed upon which her Husband renounced her and for Grief and the Disgrace betook himself to travel beyond the Seas never returning into England He had likewise two other Concubines high in his esteem and being in the Year 1474. in France at an Interview with the French King Lewis told him that he would one day invite him to court the fair Ladies of Paris to which Offer Edward readily consented insomuch that the French King not being pleased with his forwardness whispering to Philip Comines his Bosome Friend told him that he repented of his Offer considering that there had been too many English Princes already at Paris so that the King returned without having any opportunity to prosecute such Amours Anno 1478. by the contrivance of Richard Duke of Gloucester George Duke of Clarence was accused of sundry Crimes and committed to the Tower where soon after he was smothered in a Butt of Malmsey Wine and 't is reported the King consented to so great a Wickedness upon a Prophecy That a G. should succeed an E. which however proved true though he mistook the Man for Richard Duke of Gloucester usurped the Throne and murthered his two Sons as will appear hereafter Two Acts yet more of this King's Cruelty are memorable viz. Going
ready to receive him and joyn their Forces with his These Matters were not carried so privately but the King got notice of them and sent a very kind Message to the Duke of Buckingham to invite him to Court but he excusing it by reason of pretended Indisposition an Express was sent to command him to come or he would fetch him dead or alive by this he knew it was time to stand upon his own defence and returned answer that he would not come to his Mortal Enemy and thereupon sending for Thomas Marquess of Dorset out of a Sanctuary and gathering such power as he could in the North whilst Sir Edward Courtney and his Brother the Bishop of Exeter raised another in Devonshire and Cornwall as likewise did Sir Richard Guilford and other Gentlemen in Kent they resolved to joyn their Forces but before it could be effected the King marched directly against the Duke with a great power whereupon his little Army mostly consisting of Welshmen disbanded and left him to shift for himself so that he was forced to hide him in a poor disguise putting himself into the hands of one Humphrey Bannister that had been his Servant and raised by him to what Estate he had and with him he lived for some time as his Gardener but the treacherous man upon the Kings putting out a Proclamation promising a reward of 1000 pounds to those that could decover him deliver'd him up for the lucre of the Money to the Sheriff of Shrewsbury who siezed this Duke diging in a poor habit and being carried to the King at Salisbury he there without Tryall or Process was beheaded upon which all the Accomplices dispersed and fled many of them beyond the Seas and to this Treachery many attributed the Judgments that soon over-took Bannister and his Family for most of his Children dyed distressed or unnatural deaths his Substance decreased and he dyed in extreme Poverty The measures of the Confederacy thus broken many were imprisoned and put to death and the King fearing an Invasion caused the Sea Coasts to be guarded and fortified and then assembled a Parliament at Westminster wherein the Earl of Richmond and all his Adherents that had fled the Land were attainted and proclaimed Enemies of the Country their Goods and Possessions were confiscated nor did Richard delay to use the same Practices his Brother had done sending his Agents to the Duke of Bretaigne in whose Court the Earl resided with store of Gold and many Presents to persuade that Duke either to send Richmond Prisoner into England or if he refused that to keep him a Prisoner there and missed but a little of succeeding for the Duke lying sick and Peter Landois his Treasurer overcome with the Presents had delivered him into the hands of such as were appointed to receive him had not the Earl had notice of the design and made his Escape but the Duke highly blamed this Action of his Treasurer and discharged him his Office King Richard knowing whilst his Brother's Daughters were alive that his Title was but ill grounded and therefore to strengthen it he proposed though Queen Ann his Wife was living to marry Elizabeth his Niece by that means to cross Richmond's Pretensions and to try in this case how the people stood affected it was given out that his Queen was dead and soon after it proved so that virtuous Lady dying as many conjectured an untimely death The Earl of Richmond having notice of what was intended by the Money he received from England and other Assistence gathered what Forces he could and landed at Milford-Haven with 2000 Men on the 15th of August 1586. and from thence marched to Shrewsbury being joined by the way with a considerable Force under the Leading of Sir Rice Ap Thomas and so marched to Newport where Sir Gilbert Talbot met him sent by the Earl of Shrewsbury with 2000 men and passing from thence he came to Lichfield where he was joyfully received but whilst Richmond's Army gathered King Richard was not idle for raising such Forces as could be got in such a pressing Condition he marched to oppose his Invader and near Market-Bosworth in Leicestershire both Armies met and being encouraged by their Generals with moving Speeches the forward Soldiers rushed on to the Battel and for some time it continued both bloudy and doubtfull nor did Fortune in the first Shock fail to favour King Richard but the Lord Standley who had been intrusted by Richard with a Squadron of Horse revolting in the heat of the Fight and charging upon the allmost tired Soldiers bore down all before him and turned the scale of Victory which King Richard perceiving and resolving not to out-â—ive the loss charged furiously into Richmond's Battallion and with a Courage hightened by despair beat down all before him till over-powered by number and weary with fighting he fell amongst 〈◊〉 thousand Swords and with him fell the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Ferrers Sir Richard Radcliff Sir Robert Berkenburg and about 4000 others of lesser â—ote and Sir William Cateshy with two others of his â—rivado's being taken were two days after beheaded for evil Counsel and other Practices against the Good and Wellfare of the Kingdom and Thomas Howard Earl of Surry and Son to the Duke of Norfolk being made Prisoner and demanded by Henry how he durst bear Arms on the behalf of a Tyrant and Uusurper courageously answered He was my Crowned King and if the Parliamentary Authority of England set the Crown upon a stock I will fight for that stock and as I fought then for him I will fight for you when you are established by the like Authority After this fatal Battel wherein the number of the slain on either side did not greatly differ the Crown that King Richard brought into the Field was found by the Lord Stanley or those that attended him in an Haw-thorn-Bush and by that Lord set upon the Head of the Earl of Richmond in the Field at the sight of which the Soldiers cryed Long live King Henry The Body of Richard being found amongst the heaps of the slain was stripped and spoiled by the Pillagers and laid naked on a Horse behind St. Leiger Pursuvant at Arms and in that contemptible manner carried to Leicester where it was buried in the Grey-Friars Church in a stone Coffin which was afterward made a Trough for Horses to drink in in a common Inn and thus fell the greatness of the Usurper setting in bloud who had so often unjustly shed the bloud of others His Wife was Ann Daughter to Richard Nevil Earl of Warwick and Salisbury called the Make King of those times by her he had Issue Edward Earl oâ— Salisbury created Prince of Wales 1463. and the Crown entailed upon him by Parliament but he dyed by an unfortunate Fall before his Father This Richard stands accounted among the Kings of England c. he was third Son to Richard Duke of York and began his Reign the twenty second day of June
1483. reigning two years and two months and waâ— the 38th sole Monarch of England Many good Laws were made in his time and he built and endowed several places to charitable uses he caused William Collingbourn to be executed as a Traitor on Tower-hill for writing this distich The Cat the Rat and Lovel our Dog Rules all England under a Hog Descanting thereby on the Names of Catesby Ratcliff and Lovell three of his chief Favourites and as to the Hog upon Richard himself as having the White Boar for his Cognizance Thus the Vsurper who through Seas of Bloud Had swum to Empire and there tottering stood Till Fates just hand removed him at a blow He fell unpittied who 'd no pitty show The Life Reign and Actions of Henry VII King of England c. HEnry Earl of Richmond upon the Success of Bosworth Field hasted to London and a Parliament being called at Westminster on the 30th of October anno 1485. he was crowned and owned King of England and to prevent future Stirs or Insurrections he imprisoned Edward Plantagenet Earl of Warwick Son to the Duke of Clarence in the Tower and King Richard was attainted in Parliament as an Usurper and Traitor against the Government and the Crown entailed upon King Henry and his Heirs for ever and for the better security of his Person he appointed a band of Archers under a Captain in the nature of Yeomen of the Guard and a free Pardon was given to all that should submit themselves within a set time unless such of Richard's Friends as were excluded by name and all former Acts contrary to Henry and his Friends were repealed Anno 1496. on the 19th of January the King married the Princess Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward the Fourth and true Heiress to the Crown as had been before agreed on by which means the Houses of York and Lancaster after having overflowed the Land with bloud were united to the ceasing of future Jars on that occasion however some that found themselves out of Favour began to disturb the Tranquillity of Henry for the Lord Lovell and Sir Humphrey Stafford his Brother took up arms and drew after them a considerable force but upon the approach of the King's Army they dispersed and Sir Humphrey being taken out of Sanctuary whither he had fled for shelter was carried to Tyburn and there executed Yet this was but light to what followed for Margaret Duchess Dowager of Burgundy Sister to Edward the Fourth mortally hating the Line of Lancaster by her contrivance with some discontented English one Lambert Simnell was set up for the Earl of Warwick who was then in the Tower and passing to Ireland with one Simon a Priest who had been his Tutour and Manager he was crowned King at Dublin and assisted by the Dowager of Burgundy with 2000 men under the Leading of Collonel Swart and getting an Army of Irish English Scots he returned and proclaimed himself to be the true Son of the Duke of Clarence still encreasing his number but at Stoke a little Village near Newark the King's Army opposed them and a bloudy Fight ensued wherein after three hours hot dispute the Impostor's Forces were routed and put to flight and the Earl of Lincoln the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Collonel Swart and Maurice Fitz-Thomas were slain with about 4000 Soldiers and Simnel and his Tutour being taken the former upon his Ingenious Confession how the whole Cotrivance had been imposed on him was made the King's Falconer after he had drudged a while in the Kitchin but the latter condemned to perpetual Imprisonment Yet Henry gained not this Battel but with considerable loss on his side for the Strangers knowing their Lives were at stake if they lost the day fought like men indespair and sold their Lives very dear King Henry finding those that opposed him took generally refuge in Scotland sent his Ambassadours to James the Third to conclude a Peace with him by which means he was the better at leisure to prosecute his Wars with France in Favour of his Allies but to this end raising a large Subsidie the Commons in Yorkshire refused to pay it and took up Arms but upon the approach of the Earl of Surry and his taking John Chamber their Ring-leader the rest dispersed and Chambers and the rest of the Ring-leaders were executed at York and the King sailed over into France being furnished with Money from the Citizens of London but assoon as he set down before Bulloign the French King offering him 186250 pounds to retire and the Emperour his Confederate not being prepared to take the Field the offer was accepted and the Money paid in the time limited and he no sooner returned but he found employment at home for the Duchess Dowager of Burgundy with other discontented English had set up a second Impostor viz. one Perkin or Peterkin Walbeck who passed with many for Richard Duke of York younger Son to Edward the Fourth and although the King sent his Agents abroad to discover how the Designs were carried on as well as make the Impostor known to those to whom he applied himself for aid he received great countenance in the Court of France and with considerable Forces passed into Ireland and from thence to Scotland where he was very kindly received by King James the Fourth and setting off the deceit with a very plausible Speech in a princely Port that King not only believed him to be the Duke of York but gave him the Lady Katharine Gourdon his Niece in marriage nor failed he to aid him But whilst these preparations were making the Lord Fitz-walter Sir Simon Montfort and the Lord Standly who at his coming in at Bosworth Field had given King Henry the Victory and with it the Crown were beheaded on pretence of holding Correspondence with Walbeck and the King proceeded to strengthen the Sea-Ports and all places of Advantage raising Forces and using much diligence that he might be able to weather the Storm he foresaw breaking in upon him when calling a Parliament he had a Tax of 80000 l granted him which caused the Cornish Men to rise under the leading of one Flammock a Lawyer and Joseph a Black-Smith and were joined at Wells by the Lord Audley and so marched to Black Heath in Kent where they were fought with and routed by the King's Forces the Lord Audley taken and beheaded on Tower-hill and the other two Ring-leaders hanged and quartered the Smith comforted himself by the way that his Name by this Action should be immortal And now the King in requital of the Invasions the Scots had made during these Revolutions sent the Earl of Surry to fall upon their Frontiers with Fire and Sword who prosecuted it so rigorously that they were obliged to sue for Peace which upon the Mediation of the King of Spain was concluded and Perkin by one clause of it excluded Scotland whereupon he went for Ireland and from thence was invited by the Cornish Men to
10000 l and about 80000 of them took their Oaths to become his Liege Subjects making Sir Edward Poinings Governour and Thomas Wolsey his great Favourite Bishop of that City nor did this Success remain to the English in France alone but at the same time in England for the Scots invading England with a powerfull Army and having pierced as far as Northumberland the Earl of Surry gave them battel with a great overthrow in Folden Field where James their King one Archbishop 2 Bishops 2 Abbats 12 Earls 17 Lords a great number of Knights and Gentlemen and about 8000 common Soldiers slain and allmost all the rest taken prisoners This memorable Battel was fought on Septemb. 9. 1513. King Hen. victorious in France the French sought all Ways for an Accommodation and at last Pope Leo becoming Moderatour a Peace was concluded and soon after Lewis XII married Mary the King 's younger Sister at Albeville with great splendour yet he lived but 82 days after for being aged and infirm and over striving himself to pleasure a beautious lively young Lady it no doubt contributed to the hastening his End and upon his Death the Queen returning for England was privately married at Callais to Charles Bradon Duke of Suffolk her first Lover and from whom she had unwillingly parted to fall into the Arms of Majesty And now by the too free Access of Foreigners Trade greatly decreasing one John Lincoln and other aggrieved persons put up a Bill of Complaint and it was read by the Minister at the Spital Sermon This so animated the Rabble that getting together on May day 1517. they fell upon plundered and destroyed the Houses of the Strangers committing many Outrages on their Persons Nor was the Magistracy able to quell them for being all in an uproar the Lieutenant of the Tower who had no Good-Will for the City played the Great Guns upon it but the Rage of the Multitude spent they retired to their respective Habitations yet several were taken and tried of which number Lincoln and 13 more most of them youths were hanged in divers places of the City and about 200 Men and Boys and 9 Girls and Women went in their Shifts only being bare headed footed and legged and Ropes about their Necks to Westminster where at the upper end of the Hall the King sate and after he had sharply reproved them and they on their knees had begged Mercy Wolsey by the King's command pronounced their Pardon whereat with a joyfull Cry they threw up their Halters in token of deliverance from death and this day ever since is called Evil May day and soon after Tournay was restored to the French in consideration they paid the King 600000 Crowns in twelve years and the Dauphin to marry the Lady Mary King Henry's Daughter when she should be of sufficient years of Consent but if the Marriage took no effect then the City to be restored and Wolsey who by this time had bought him a Cardinal's Cap to have 1000 Marks a year for the profits of the Bishoprick and Wolsey having power with the King to doe all remembring a former Affront put upon by Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham he used his interest to the destruction of that great Peer who was beheaded on Tower-hill upon pretence of aspiring to the Crown In the Year 1521. the Emperour Charles V. in his way to Spain landed at Dover for Refreshment and at the King 's earnest Request came to London and was royally entertained with all the Magnificence and Splendour the Court abounded with at that time and King Henry having written a Book against Martin Luther and sent it to the Pope he in recompence to his Zeal for the Roman Church sent him the Stile of Defender of the Faith which has ever since remained to the Kings and Queens of England sending him likewise a Consecrated Rose The Peace between England and France by reason of misunderstandings growing to a Conclusion a Parliament was assembled at the King's Palace in Black-Fryers granting him half the yearly Revenues of all Spirituall Livings to be paid for five years and the tenth part of all Temporal Substance to carry on his Wars so that not staying to expect War he sent to meet it commanding the Duke of Suffolk to pass over with an Army who taking many Towns and Castles and every where worsting the French returned Victorious and the King banished the Scots out of England confiscating their Goods but upon the Mediation of his Sister a peace was concluded for a time yet there was Martial business abroad for the Irish rebelled and siezing upon the Earl of Kildare who bore the Kings Authority in that Kingdom they sent him bound to England with many Accusations against him for which he was committed to the Tower and Wolsey who hated him signed a Warrant for his Execution without the knowledge of the King whereupon the Lieutenant went to Court and the Trick being made known to the King Wolsey was severely checked and the Earl had the King's Sgnet sent him for his security About this time overtures being made by the Emperor's Ministers in consideration of Marriage with the Lady Mary the French having rejected the Match and some scruples arising about the Legality of her Birth as being born on a Queen that had been his Brother's Wife the King began to fall into a dislike of his Marriage and sent to Rome to sue out a Divorce but finding delays in that Cour◠he desired a Cardinal might be sent to hear the Cause and accordingly Cardinal Campius was sent whose Mules casting their Sumpters in Cheap-side the Cardinal's Treasure was discovered to consist o◠old Shooes broken Meat tatter'd Breaches and Rags which raised no small Laughter in the people This Cardinal sate with Wolsey and other Clergy men but when the King expected the issue of the Matter instead of giving the definitive Sentence he dissolved that Court and referred the Cause to the Pope which so incensed the King that he Commanded him to depart the Kingdom and sent Dr. Cranmer to Rome to justifie the proceedings to the Pope who with other learned Men bringing the Opinions of almost all the Universities of Europe under their Seals that it was not Lawfull to Marry 〈◊〉 Brother's Wife the Divorce was made yet the Queen lived in England till she dyed and King Henry proceeded to take to Wife Ann of Bullen a very beautifull Lady who to that end he had before made a Dutches and honoured with many favours but better she had been without them as by the sequel wi◠appear Cardinal Wolsey whose power was such tha◠he seemed to sway both King and Kingdom bega◠about this time to be lessened in esteem and shortly after for not only disliking but striving to cros◠the King's Proceedings in the Divorce and new Marriage had first the great Seal of England taken from him then several of his Bishopricks which he had ingrossed which begining of disgrace made him more liable to
of England were beheaded and yet by the contrivance of the Papists the bloudy six Articles were brought in a sa Snare to those of the Reformed Religion upon which account many suffered the Flames and amongst others Dr. Barns and Mrs. Ann Askew who refusing after Tortures to comply were committed to the devouring Fire and the King Married the Lady Catharine Parr who favoured the Lutherans and was of the Reformed Church whose Life the Papists often put in danger but she escaped the Snare and out-lived the King who having invaded both Scotland and France upon the disappointment in the Match proposed and agreed on between Prince Edward and the Lady Mary of Scotland Heir and Heiress to the two Crowns and won Bulloin in France wasting Scotland wsth Fire and Sword and taking upon him the Title of King of Ireland he fell sick in January 1547. and made his Will that in default of Issue his Son and two Daughters should successively possess the Trone and giving great Sums to charitable Uses dyed the 28th of the same Month. This Henry was King of England France and Ireland second Son to Henry the Seventh he Reigned 37 Years 9 Months and six Days and was the forty sole Monarch of England the Issue he left behind him were Edward Mary and Elizabeth who succeeded him in the Sovereignty he dyed in the 56th year of his Age and was buried in the Chapell at Windsor Thus the Eighth Henry ends his bloudy Reign Beauty it self with him can't Pitty gain Yet met by Death amongst the Dead he lies And with his Life he ends his Cruelties The Life Reign and Actions of Edward the Sixth King of England c. PIous Edward the Sixth far from his Fathers temper was born on the 12th of Ostober 1537. occasioning by his Birth the Death of his Mother Queen Jane for in her hard labour King Henry having notice it was a Son for which he had passionately longed and that either the Child or the Mother must perish he intimated he could have more Wives but knew not whether he should have another Son whereupon the Chirurgeons having dozed the Queen with strong Spirits to make her senseless of the pain by making a large Incision took forth the Birth but by that usage the Queen soon after dyed This Prince was Crowned at Westminster on the 20th of February 1547. having the three Swords delivered to him as King of England France and Ireland and upon this he told them there was yet another Sword to be delivered to him viz. The Holy Bible which is the Sword of the Spirit and without which no King can Govern well Edward Seymour Duke of Somerset and his Mothers Brother was made Protector over his Minority and hereupon it was concluded the Scots should be compelled to make good the Marriage which otherwise they refused to do wherefore a great Army was raised and led by the Lord Protector into Scotland and vanquished the Scots in Muschelborough Field after an obstinate and bloudy Fight with great slaughter of their men chasing them about five miles so that there dyed the Lord Fleming with sundry others of quality and ten thousand of lesser note and one thousand were taken Prisoners amongst whom of note were the Earl of Huntly the Lords Yester Hobby and Hamilton the Earl of Cassis and the Lord Weems so that the English without any farther opposition sacked and burnt Lieth the Island of St. Colmes Brougherag Roxborough Humes Castle and other places which obliged many of the Scotch Nobility and Gentry to come and cast themselves at the Proctor's Feet beseeching him to spare their Country entering into terms with him on condition of Peace whereupon he returned to England and a Parliament was called and the bloudy six Articles repealed those Colledges Chapells and Religious Houses that King Henry had spared were given to the King Edward and Commissioners appointed to purge the Churches of Images which accordingly was done but in the West Mr. Body one of the Commissioners was stabbed to the heart by a Priest and to justifie the murther 10000 of the Cornish and Devonshire Rusticks took Arms Headed by Humphry Aurundell six other Gentlemen and eight Priests who straightly besieged Exceter but were beaten off after they had done considerable mischief yet they continued in Arms â—nd sent the King sundry Articles to be aggreed to viz. That they might have Mass Celebrated as in times â—ast that they might have Holy Bread and Holy Water in â—membrance of Christ's Body and Bloud that the six Articles might be again in force with some others to which the young King pittying their ignorance returned them an answer with a general Pardon if they submitted but that not prevailing and the multitude still encreasing an Army was sent against them which put them to flight at Honiton and beat â—hem before Exceter and on Cliff-Heath utterly disâ—omfitted them with considerable slaughter and all the Popish Trumpery which the Priests had brought â—nto the Field to encourage them were trampled under Feet and Aurundel Holms Winsland and Bury â—our of their Ring-leaders were taken and Executed â—nd a Miller's man near Bodmin taking upon him by â—is Masters directions to personate him Sir Anthony Kingstone Marshal of the Field commanded him to â—e hanged the Fellow confidently affirming himself to be the Rebellious Miller till he came to the Gallows yet there declared he was but his man yet this late Confession stood him in no stead for Sir Anthony caused him to be hanged telling him he could never do his Master better Service but the troubles ended not thus for the Priests being unhived and deprived of their Roast-meat stir'd up the people in other parts of the Kingdom and especially those in Norfolk were Headed by one Robert Kett a Tanner who Stiled himself the King's Deputy to redress Grievances issuing out Writs and Warrants in the King's name and chusing an Old Oake to sit in Council called the Oake of Reformation to which Tribunal all Complaints and Grievances of the Rusticks were brought to be redressed and Orders were sent for the plundering Gentlemens Houses taking Arms and Amunition out of Ships c. making themselves Master of the City of Norwich over-throwing the Marques of Northampton but the Lord Dudly Earl of Warwick being sent against them forced the City and caused Sixty of such as he there had taken iâ— Arms to be immediately hanged however thâ— Rebels intrenched and fortified their Camp at the foot of a Hill called Duffin-dale encouraging themselves upon a vain Prophecy that Hob Dic and Hic meaning the Rusticks should with their Clubâ— fill up the Valley of Duffin-dale with the Bodys of the slain On the 27th of August the Earl prepared to give them Battel when the better to retard him the Rebels set in the head of their Battel all the Gentlemen and others that they had taken Prisoners coupled in Irons however Captain Drury with hiâ— Band of Almains broke in furiously and
gave those persons leave for the most part to escape and the Earls light Horse-men coming on the Rebels gave back and at length betook them to open flight and were pursued three miles with the slaughter oâ— 3500 of them yet such as had Barrocaded themselves with Carts and Waggons amongst the Ordinance as men in despair resolved to sell their liveâ— at a dear rate but upon offer of Pardon they threw down their Arms crying God save King Edward and the next day Kett being siezed in a Barn was hanged in Chains upon the Castle of Norwich and his Brother William Kett was hanged on Womanhaâ— Steple and Nine others on the Oake of Reformation The pretence of this Rebellion was about throwing open Inclosures which the King by his Proclamation had commanded to be done but it was neglected These Commotions were no sooner over but another Rebellion broke out in the North Headed by Thomas Dale a Parish Clark one Stephenson a â—ost-master and William Ombler a Yeoman pretending to restore Church rights and redress Grievances declaring the power of the Pope above that of the Kings and that the Church had power of â—oth Swords but this feeble Rebellion not exceeding â—000 vanquished upon the Kings sending his Forâ—es and offer of Pardon yet Ombler Dale and four others were on the 12th of September 1549. Execuâ—ed at York as Seducers and Ring-leaders These and the like disturbances qeieted considerable ones began at Court for Thomas Seymour Baron of Sudley High Admiral of England having married Queen Catharine Parr Widow to Henry the Eighth and some words and contest happening between her and the Dutches of Somerset Wife to the Protector for precedences the two Brothers so unadvizedly espoused their Wives Quarel which was fomented by secret Enemies that the Admiral by the Protector 's procurement being accused in Parliament for attempting to get the King's person and Government into his hands c. Upon slender proofs was Sentenced and lost his Head on Tower-Hill on the 20th of March to the great grief of the young King who aboured to prevent it but by Somerset's removing this Brother he stood open to the malice and revenge of his implacable Enemies for soon after by the contrivance of Northumberland and others divers Articles were exibited against him for abusing his Trust Animating the Rebels sowing Sedition amongst the Nobles keeping a Court of Requests in his own house whereupon he was deprived of his Authority and sent to the Tower but the King soon released him yet was he not restored to his Trusts Whilst these heats lasted at Court the Affairs abroad were neglected insomuch that the Scots recovered most of the Town the English had taken and the French attempted to surprize Bullenberg with seven thousand men but were beaten off witâ— the loss of one hundred and fifty and had no better sucsess in their attempts upon Guernsey and Jersey Islands however things not going well at home Bullenberg and Bulloin were surrendred to the Frencâ— upon Conditions and the payment of a large Sumâ— of Mony and now to add to the Calamity thâ— Mortal Disease called the Sweating Sickness raged in England carrying off many thousands pursuing the English into Forreign Countrys where none but they were afflicted with it And now the Duke of Northumberland being grown great at Court laboured to remove the Duke of Somerset and by aâ— Stratagem found an opportunity for the Duke by some of his flatters being perswaded there was aâ— design against his life went privately Armed to the Council but his Gown opening as he sate at the Board it was laid hold of as a design in him to kill some of the King 's Privy Counsellors and that with some light matters being urged with agravation they procured his imprisonment and soon after being tryed and found guilty of Felony though he might have come off by his Clergy yet his Council nor himself not foreseeing to claim it he was on the 22d of February Anno 1550 brought to Tower-Hill and there after having declared his Innocence and made a most Christian Speech he was beheaded which some looked upon as a Judgment for so rigorously persecuting his Brother Upon the Death of this Uncle though Plays and other Devices were made to divert the King he grew Melancholly and the people were greatly Incensed against Northumberland however he taking the occasion from the King's Sickness and Disorder procured him to disinherit his two Sisters Mary and Elizabeth and settle the Crown on Jane Eldest Daughter to the Duke of Suffolk by the Lady Frances Daughter to Charles Brandon and Mary Queen of France younger Sister to King Henry the eighth who was married to Guilford Dudly Fourth Son to Northumberland and to this Will of the Kings the Council Bishops and all the Judges except Sir John Hollis Subscribed and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London afterward promised their Assistance and Protection but this was supposed to hasten the King's Death For Northumberland having gotten what he expected viz. The Crown in his own Family removed his Physicians â—nd trusty Friends putting him into the hands of a â—he Doctress who wittingly or unskilfuly brought him to his End on the 6th of July 1553. This good Prince is accounted a second Josia exceeding in Charity and Piety all that went before him having Learning and Understanding far above his years â—nd had he lived a longer Date he had proved more perspicuously the Mirror of Kings This Edward was King of England France and Ireland the only Son of King Henry the Eighth by Jane his third Wife he Reigned six Years five Months and eight Days and was the one and Forâ—ieth sole Monarch of England dying in the 16th of his Age and was buried at Westminster Thus England's Phoenix early left the Stage His Death was much Lamented of the Age Yet he contented dy'd from 's Throne to rise In Angels Arms to everlasting joys The Life and Bloudy Reign of Queen Mary UPon the Death of King Edward according to his Will the Lady Jane was proclaimed in London and elsewhere and confirmed by the Council but Mary Eldest Daughter to King Henry the Eighth being then at Fremingham Castle sent to complain against their Proceedings in giving away her right commanding them to acknowledge heâ— their lawfull Queen but they returned her a very slight answer commanding her to be obedient to Queen Jane her Sovereign whereupon with such Friends as she had about her she prepar'd for London and to her a great many of the Suffolk men repaired offering her their Service in case their Religion might be asured insomuch that by that means and the siezure of several Ships in the Ports out of which she caused the Cannon and Ammuition to be taken she became formidable whereupon an Army of 13000 men under the Command of the Duke of Northumberland marched out against her but by that time the Duke was got as far as Cambridge he had notice that
two Ruffians sent at another time to kill her who were prevented by Beddingfield her Keepers being out of Town she at last escaped the ruine intended her In the year 1554. on the 16th of April a great Dispute was held between the Popish Doctors and Thomas Cranmer Arch Bishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridly Bishop of London Hugh Lattimer Bishop of Durham and others of the Reformed Religion at Oxford about Transubstantiation and other Points wherein when the Papists found themselves baffled they told the Bishops though they had the word yet they had the Sword and indeed they used it with extream cruelty for these good Prelates were then Imprisoned and about a Year and six Months after were burnt for the sake of a good Conscience in Oxford Town-Ditch and now on the 25th of July Philip King of Spain arrived with a great Train of Nobility and the Marriage was solemnized and they proclaimed by the Titles of Philip and Mary King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem and Ireland Princes of Spain and Sicily Arch Dukes c. of Austria Dukes c. of Millain Burgundy and Brahant Counts c. of Haspurg Flanders and Tyrol and in November following the Queen was said to be with Child and upon the spreading this report she took her Chamber whereupon Midwives Rockers and Nurses were provided and the Priests in their Pulpits prayed for her safe Delivery assuring the people before hand it was a Prince and some where so vain to discribe it features the Parliament likewise resolved if the Queen Dyed King Philip should be Protector of the Realm and the Infant during the Minority and at last a false Rumour was given out that the Queen was actually delivered of a Prince whereupon the English Merchants at Antwerp and other Ports discharged their Guns and drunk Healths to their young Master but in conclusion it appeared the Queen was not nor never had been with Child yet it was conjectured by many that the Papists if King Philip had not protested against it had shamed a Child upon the Nation and soon after out of some dislike he left England and returned no more yet he taking part with the Emperour his Father against the French the Queen sent a Gallant Army under the Leading of the Earl of Pembroke to his Aid as he lay at the Siege of St. Qeintines by whose help the place was taken from the French whereupon the Duke of Guis with the greatest part of the French Army coming about by swift Marches unexpectedly laid Siege to Calais the only English Town in France and there being no Succours sent from England by reason of contrary Winds as if Heaven apparently declared it self against the breach of League the besieged few in number after they had done all that men were capable of doing in Defence of the place surrendered it upon advantageous Articles The loss of this place and the unkindness of King Philip cast the Queen into a deep Melancholly insomuch that she declared if she was opened when Dead they might find Calais written on her Heart and the Sweating Sickness coming on she fell desperately ill and dyed the 17th of November 1558 in her Reign were consumed in the Flames for the sake of a good Conscience five Bishops twelve Ministers 18 Gentlemen forty eight Artificers one hundred Husband-men Servants and Labourers twenty six Wives twenty Widows nine Virgins and two Infants the one Whipped to Death by Bonner's Chaplain for calling him Ball 's Priest and the other springing out of his Mothers Womb whilst she was in the Flames was notwithstanding cast into the Fire sixty more were Imprisoned and grievously persecuted seven of them Whipped and sixteen perished in Prison who being as Hereticks denyed Christian Burial were buried in Dunghills The Dutches of Suffolk and divers others were forced to flie beyond the Seas where they suffered extreme Misery and hardship nay so violent were the Priests who altogether swayed the Queens Inclinations that they intended to take up the Body of King Henry her Father and bury it in a Dunghill in revenge of the injurys he had done Mother Church in rooting out the Monks and Fryars but the Council opposed it and in process of of time almost all the Persecutors came to miserable Ends. This Mary was Queen of England France and Ireland Eldest Duaghter to Henry the Eighth by Catharine his Queen Daughter to Ferdinand the Seventh King of Spain She began her Reign on the 6th of July and Reigned five Years four Months and Eleven Days dying in the fortieth Year of her Age without Issue and was buried in Westminster being the 42. sole Monarch of England c. Thus Dy'd Romes Darling who a wonder stood In Cruelty and Feasting Flames with Bloud Made England groan beneath a Popish Yoak Yet Death at last the fatal Fetters broke The Reign and Actions of Elizabeth Queen of England c. QUeen Mary giving place by Death her Illustrious Sister Elizabeth after escaping many Eminent Dangers succeeded her in the Throne the Nobles owning her their rightfull Queen and doing her Homage so that on the 15th of January she was crowned by Dr. Oglethorp Bishop of Carlisle and soon after a Parliament was called in which the Title of Supreamacy was taken from the Pope and restored to the Crown with the tenths and first Fruits of Ecclesiastical Livings as also the Common Prayers as used in the Churches in the Reign of Edward the Sixth and such Acts as in Queen Marys time were made in favour of the Romanists were were repealed so that the Face of Religion was again restored and many pious men that had fled the Land returned and about this time a Petition was made to the Queen to Marry that her Royal Issue might succeed her but she absolutely refused to hearken to it saying That she held it sufficient that a Marble Stone should tell to Posterity that she a Quen had Reigned lived and dyed a Virgin The Pope by this time having Notice that England was rescued out of his Clutches set all his Engines on work to trouble the Reign of this great Queen which obliged her to enter into Confederacy with divers Protestant Princes of Germany and upon demanding Calais the French promised to deliver it to the English at the Expiration of eight years or to pay 500000 Crowns but it was never performed though sworn to and for the better Regulation of the Clergy in England Oaths were tendered whereupon divers refusing to own the Queens Supreamacy were turned out and learned Men who had been outed in Marys Reign put into their places she likewise called into her Mint Pase and Adulterated Coin and allowing so much as the true value she refined it and Coined that Mony that now goes Currant in her Stamp laying up Magazines and Stores of Warlik Provision and sent Aids into Franne to support the Protestants in Arms against the Papist but to divert her nearer home Shan O-Neal Rebelled in Ireland
he surrendred himself and was committed to the Tower and soon after he with the Earl of Southampton were convicted of High-Treason in endeavouring to Leavy War against the Queen c. and the Earl of Essex on the 20th of February 1600 lost his Head on the Green within the Tower not only lamented of the people whose Darling he was but of the Queen her self who at the perswasion of his Enemies had in the heat of her passion signed the Warrant for his Death divers others were Executed on this occasion as it were to bare so great a Man company nor did the Queen enjoy her self after the fall of this Favourite but hastened her own Death by grief dying on the 24th of March 1602 and was buried in Henry the Seventh's Chapell at Westminster when she had Reigned 44 Years 4 Months and 7 Days and in the 69th Year of her Age. This Elizabeth was Queen of England France and Ireland Daughter to Henry the Eighth by his Wife Ann Bulloin in her Reign happened Earthquakes Blazing Stars and a Mortal Plague of which 40000 dyed in and about London She was the 43th sole Monarch of England c. Thus set the Glory of her Sex in Dust Whose endless Memory Fame keeps in trust When Eating Time shall Marble Tombs deface Her Name shall live belov'd in every place The Life Reign and Actions of James the First King of Great Britain c. THe name of the Tudors expiring in Queen Elizabeth gave way to that of the Stuarts James the Sixth of Scotland great Grand-child to James the Fourth and Margaret his Wife Eldest Daughter to Henry the Seventh succeeding to the Crown by reason of the failure of Issue by the Male Line who upon notice of the Death of Queen Elizabeth being invited by the Nobles set forward from his Kingdom of Scotland and entering England was received on the Frontires with great joy and conducted to London being met some distance by the Mayor and Aldermen and five hundred Horse who conducted him to the Charter-House prepared for his Reception but because the Plague raged the Coronation was deferred and the Popish Party who had earnestly expected the death of the Queen in hopes a Papist might succeed finding themselves disappointed laboured to prevent his establishment in the Throne and several were detected who had received Orders from the Pope to seize his Person and bring him to their own terms however on the 21st of July 1603. The King together with the Queen his Royal Consort were crowned at Westminster by Dr. Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Conspirators being tryed at Winchester many were found guilty yet only Watson and Clark two Priests together with George Brook suffered death the King pardoning the rest mostly at the place of Execution and then in a dispute between the Bishops of the Church of England and the Puritan Ministers who pretended to a farther Reformation this wise Prince gave it for the first and by learned reasons so confuted the latter that they were utterly non-plussed and after that he caused the Holy Scripture to be new Translated from the Original and Anno 1604 he made peace with Spain and proceeded to a Uniting the Kingdoms of England and Scotland and took upon him the Stile of King of Great Britain banishing the Jesuites and Seminary Priests who began a fresh to disturb the Government which made them as their last Shift or rather cruel revenge contrived that hellish Plot called the Gunpowder-Plot wherein they bound themselves by Oaths and Sacraments for the more secretly carrying it on but nothing escapes the Eyes of the Almighty who when they were in the highest expectation of success turned their Wisedom into Foolishness for by a Letter directed to the Lord Monteagle whom one of the Conspirators was desirous to spare the Nest they had so long been making was found and in it thirty six Barrels of Powder intended to blow up the King Lords and Commons in Parliament this was discover'd under great heaps of Billets but the very Morning they were to assemble in Parliament and Guy Faux at the Vault Door under the Parliament-House Cloaked Booted and Spurr'd with a Dark-Lanthorn and Matches ready to lay the Train upon which the Conspirators were pursued and in the dispute John and Christopher Wright Thomas Piercy and Robert Catesby were slain and Anno 1605 on the 27th of January Sir Edward Digby Thomas Winter Robert Winter Ambrose Rookwood Thomas Bates Robert Keys and Guido Faux were found guilty and Executed as Traitors at the West-end of St. Pauls and in the Palace-Yard In memory of this signal Deliverance the fifth of November the Day on which it was discovered by Authority of Parliament was enacted a perpetual day of Thanksgiving Henry Garnet and divers others concerned in this Plot were Executed at sundry Times and Places Garnet confessing it though a Jesuite and warning the Roman Catholicks not to practice any Treason against their Prince for God would certainly discover and defeat it And soon after there happened Insurrections in the Shires of Liecester Warwick and Northampton about throwing open Inclosures Headed at last by John Reynolds but were dispersed and quieted without much Trouble and the King to honour the City entered himself a Brother of the Cloath-workers Company and by his Example many Nobles were made free of that and divers others the New Exchange was finished Anno 1609 and furnished with Wares being called by the King Britain's Burse The Priests and Jesuites were commanded to depart the Kingdom The Body of Mary Queen of Scots Mother to King James was Anno 1612 removed from Peterborough to the Royal Chappel at Westminster and there splendidly Interred and the Kingdom remained in great Tranquility But to abate the Joy Prince Henry the King 's eldest Son dyed November the 6th of a Feaver though not without some suspicion of Poyson to the great Grief of the Kingdom whose Darling he was And Frederick the Electour Palatine of the Rhine coming into England was married to the Lady Elizabeth the King 's eldest Daughter in the Royal Chappel at White-Hall on the 14th of February following but soon after at the Instance of the Bohemians taking upon him the Rule of that Kingdom he was routed by the Emperour's Forces who seized likewise the Palatinate and the King gave the Citizens of London the Province of Vlster in Ireland and instituted the Order of Baronets limiting them within the number of 200 and to cease with the failure of Issue and Anno 1614 the New River was brought to London to the great refreshment of the City which was much stinted for want of Water being only supplied by a few Conduits in the neighbouring Fields and this year a Divorce being sued out between Robert Devereux and his Countess on her Pretence of his Insufficiency she married Robert Carre Earl of Somerset and the King 's great Favourite for inveighing against which Marriage they procured Sir Thomas Overbury first
to be sent Prisoner to the Tower and there to be poisoned for which Contrivance Sir Gervase Elwes and Mrs. Turner suffered Death the Earls and Countess were likewise sentenced but had by the King's Mercy Leases of their Lives granted them for 99 years and for ever banished the King's Presence The Fall of this Favourite made way for Mr. George Villiers a Gentleman of a good House who was soon after created Duke of Buckingham Anno 1618. Sir Walter Rawleigh was delivered from a long Imprisonment in the Tower and sent to discover a golden Mine in the West-Indies promising it should be no ways prejudicial to the Spaniards but failing in that Discovery and Sacking the Spanish Town of St. Thoms upon his Return to England at the continued Importunity of Gondamore the Spanish Ambassadour he was Beheaded upon a former Sentence and on the 2d of March 1618 Queen Anne died and was buried at Westminster her Death was preceeded by an extraordinary Blazing-Star And now the King being desirous to see Prince Charles Married sent him into Spain to render his Courtship to the Infanta but after a six Months stay being trifled with that Court insisting to have him change his Religion c. the King recalled him and prepared for War in order to recover the Palatinate and set on Foot a Treaty of Marriage with France but lived not to see it concluded for on the 7th of March Anno 1625 he died of an Ague at Theobalds in Scotland and was Buried at Westminster with great Solemnity much lamented of his Subjects being a Prince of extraordinary Learning Conduct and Prudence his Wife was Ann Daughter of Frederick the Second King of Denmark by whom he had Issue Henry Charles Elizabeth and two other Daughters Mary and Sophia who dyed young This King James was great Grand-Child by Father and Mother's side to Margaret Daughter to Henry the 7th of England He began his Reign over this Kingdom Anno 1602 Reigned 22 years 3 days and was the 44 sole Monarch of England and first of Great Britain whose antient Name he restored by uniting the Kingdoms He died in the 59 year of his Age. Thus to Death's Fury the wise Prince gave way And left this Twilight for eternal Day That Phenix-like he out of moulder'd Dust May Glorious rise to mingle with the Just The Life Reign and Actions of Charles the First King of Great Britain c. KIng James giving way by Death Prince Charles his only surviving Son was immediately Proclaimed and Crowned at Westminster soon after which he was solemnly Married to Henrietta Maria Daughter to Henry the Fourth French King whom he had seen in his Journey through Paris to the Court of Spain The Marriage being over the King began to shew his Resentments of the Affronts he had received in the Court of Spain and Anno 1625 a Parliament was called and Assembled at Westminster on the 8th of June wherein after some strong Debates about Petitions of Right and Religion the King had two Subsidies granted him and a Fleet was sent to Sea which spoiled and greatly indamaged the Spanish Coast but although the War was just and honourable yet upon the Meeting again of the Parliament in the August following they denyed a farther Supply whereupon he endeavoured with the Advice of his Lawyers to raise Money by way of Tonage but the Parliament forbid the Payment of it and many of the Merchants refused to obey the King's Mandates however the King making an Alliance with the united Provinces set out another Fleet and greatly distressed the Spaniards but amongst others some French Ships being sunk burnt or taken they seized the English Effects in their Ports by way of Reprisal whereupon the French were commanded to leave England but Monsieur Basompire coming Ambassadour prevailed to have many of them recalled yet all Commerce ceased between the two Kingdoms and the French greatly oppressed the Rochellers which made them humbly supplicate King Charles's Assistance who sent a good power under the leading of the Duke of Buckingham but the French being strongly Encamped and Fortified in Rhee the English returned without effecting any thing considerable and the Parliament again complained of several Grievances whereupon they were Dissolved and new Forces raised for the Relief of Rochell but as the Duke of Buckingham was about to Embark he was stabbed to the Heart by one John Felton an English Adventurer at Portsmouth for which the Murtherer was Executed seeming to approve off and glory in the Fact to the last and thus unhappily fell this Duke that had been the Darling Favourite of two Kings Anno 1630 the Queen on the 29th of May was brought to Bed of a Son afterward Christened by the Name of Charles and since our Soveraign Monarch as will appear in the next Reign at his Birth a bright Star appeared in the day-time and on the 14th of October 1633 the Queen was delivered of the Duke of York but the Joy of these Births were a little Eclipsed by the misunderstandings in Scotland and the oppositions made in payment of Ship-Money though Ten Judges had given their Vote for the legality of it the Occasion of great Commotions in Scotland arising about the Service-Book of Common-Prayer being sent thither to be read in Churches as usual in England for when the Dean came to read it in St. Giles's Church at Edenborough he narrowly escaped his Brains being beaten out by the People's throwing Stools Chairs and Cudgels at him nor did the Bishop who got up into the Pulpit to appease them fare any better and so great in a short time grew the Tumult that the Magistrates were not able to quell it which obliged the King to raise an Army but upon his Approach the Scots in Arms met him on the Lorders and submitted and a Peace thereupon was concluded but soon after fell to Covenanting and raised new Commotions the which and the Misunderstandings between the King and his Parliament gave the native Irish an opportunity to Rebel and commit a most horrible Massacre on the English throughout that Kingdom murthering about 200000 of all Ages and Sex before any Succours were sent to their Relief This happened in the year 1641 the same year the Earl of Strafford was beheaded upon an Attaindure of Parliament and about two years after William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was Executed in the same manner and the King having passed a Bill for the Parliament to sit during their Pleasure such Heats ensued and such Tumults withall that the King after he had endeavoured to give them all the satisfaction that could consist with his Honour and Conscience was obliged to retire to Windsor to avoid the Insolencies of the Multitude who threatened him in his Palace and committed many outrages pulling down the Organs and spoiling the Vestments and Ornaments of Worship in Westminster-Abby and during the King's Absence the Parliament having put the Country in Arms and took into their hands most of
Earl of Shaftsbury and others were Imprisoned in the Tower one Stephen Colledge a Joyner was Tryed at Oxford found guilty of High Treason and Executed And in the year 1683. Captain Walcot William Hone and John Rouse were executed at Tyburn and the Lord Russell and Algernoon Sidney lost their heads And not long after Sir Thomas Armestrong being brought from Holland and James Holloway from Nevis were sentenced at the King's Bench Bar upon their Outlawries and executed at Tyburn And two Informations for Perjury were preferred against Titus Oates the principal Evidence in the Plot But before he came to Tryal the King dyed for falling ill on Monday the 2d of February 1684. With a violent fit of the Appoplexy which at that time bereaved him of his Senses he continued in a languishing Condition till Friday the 6th of February and then dyed in the 55th year of his Age when he had Reigned 36 years and seven days And was buried in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel being the 46th Sole Monarch of England Thus Charles the Great his Glory laid aside A Prince that Fortune in all Shapes had try'd In War and Councils equally approv'd Feard of his foes but of his friends belov'd Remarkable Transactions from the Time of King JAMES the II. coming to the Crown till his Leaving the Kingdom c. KING Charles leaving no Issue by Queen Katharine his onely Brother succeded him and was Proclaimed by the style of James the Second King of England c. at the Pallace Gate and in London with the usual Solemnity and Ceremony Causing the Lords and others present that were before to be Sworn of His Majesty's Privy Council signifying by Proclamation it was his Pleasure that all who at the decease of King Charles were in Office of Government should so continue till his pleasure was further signified And upon his first sitting in Council he made a Speech in which amongst other Expressions are these viz. I shall make it my endeavour to preserve this Government both in Church and State as it is now by Law Established I know the Principles of the Church of England are for Monarchy and the Members of it have shewed themselves good and loyal Subjects Therefore I shall always take care to Defend and Support it I know too that the Laws of England are sufficient to make the King as a great a Monarch as I can wish and as I shall never depart from the Just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so I shall never Invade any Man's Property I have often heretofore ventured my Life in Defence of this Nation and I shall still go as far as any man in preservation of it in all its Just Rights and Liberties Nor was it long before a Proclamation was Issued forth to give notice the King intended to call a Parliament inculcating therein the settlement of the Revenue for the support of the Crown and Government that there was a necessity for the maintenance of the Navy for the Kingdoms defence and the advantage of Trade in order to which he desired that the settlement of the Customs due in the Reign of King Charles the Second might continue declaring it was his will and pleasure that the Duties should be Collected accordingly and that he did not doubt of the ready complyance of his Subjects therein This being given forth the Merchants did not dispute the payment And the next thing taken in hand was the preparation for the funeral of the deceased King all persons belonging to or having business at the Court being commanded by an Order of the Earl Marshal to put themselves into decent Mourning and indeed the loss of a Prince that ruled so much in the hearts of his Subjects found a ready complyance for not onely the Courtiers were in Mourning but all the responsible persons of the Kingdom and his Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark on the tenth of February took his place at the Council Board as a Privy Councellour of this Kingdom All things being prepared for the Funeral Solemnities of King Charles the Second with decency and order as the occasion required the Royal Corpse was on the 14th day of February Interred in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel at Westminster The Prince of Denmark whose Train was born up by the Lord Cornbury being chief Mourner and aâ— curious Figure of Wax representing the King was set up amongst the rest of the Kings of England his Predecessours and an Order was published for altering the Prayer in the Liturgy or Common Prayer relating to the Royal Family by way of exchanging Names in the repetition viz. JAMES for CHARLES and further viz. our Gracious Queen MARY CATHERINE the Queen Dowager Their Royal Highnesses MARY Princess of Orange the Princess ANNE of Denmark and all the Royal Family And Money being wanting in the Exchequer it was taken up upon the Excise by way of Farming and the Earl of Rochester was constituted Lord High Treasurer of England and the Marquess of Halifax Lord President of the Privy Council the Earl of Clarendon Lord Privy Seal and the Duke of Beaufort Lord President of Wales These Great Officers thus put in Trust gave us prospect of the tranquility of Affairs and the King was Proclaimed in all the Citys and Burrough Towns of the Kingdom and in the like order in Scotland and Ireland and the Earl Marshal issued out the orders of Summons in order to the preparation of the Coronation which was appointed to be on the 23d of April being Saint George's day requiring all persons who in regard of their Tenures Customs and Usage are bound to do and performe Services on that day to appear before the Commissioners and make out their Claims and give their attendance at the Solemnity and a Proclamation was sent into Scotland in order to the calling of a Parliament in that Kingdom with a Proclamation of Indemnity to divers of the Scottish Nation Then he proceeded to put out a Proclamation to Summons a Parliament to sit at Westminster on the 19th day of May 1685. And accordingly the Citys Burroughs and Shires proceeded to Election and sundry Embassadours residing in England or such as came by Expresses made their Complement of Condolence and Congratulation and the 23d of April being come great preparations were made for the Coronation the Nobles and others met in their Robes and Formalities the Ceremony was performed with much Magnificence and the Parliament according to appointment met when the King in his Robes went to the House and being seated on the Throne made a Speech in which amongst other things He informed them that the Earl of Argyle was Landed in Scotland with the men he brought with him from Holland c and soon We had notice that that Earl had levyed considerable Forces in Argyleshire and other places which obliged the Militia to rise in Arms and several Troops were sent from England and more had gone had not the Duke of Monmouth landed at Lyme in
Richard was no ways dismayed but drawing out his Forces offered the Saladine battle which vvas refused vvhereupon he caused the Army to march towards Jerusalem but by the vvay he vvas diserted by the Duke of Burgundy vvho the French King left as his General vvith part of the Forces and upon no other account as Burgundy himself declared But that it should never be said the English should have the glory of wining Jerusalem vvhich greatly grieved the King that so famous an enterprize should miscarry through malice and emulation and vvhilst he vvas in his melancholly upon this occasion a Knight mounting a high sandy Hill said Come hither Sir and I will show you Jerusalem but the King at these vvords covered his face and fetching a deep sigh said Ah my Lord God I beseech thee that I may not see thy holy City Jerusalem because I am not able to deliver it out of the hands of thine enemies Hovvever he made an honourable peace vvith the Saladine which including that the Christians should quietly enjoy what they possessed and so selling the Isle of Cypruss to the Knight Templers for 30000 Marks he returned with his Army having obtained the nominal Title of King of Jerusalem from Guy of Lusigâ—am the last of the race of the Christian Kings of Jerusalem which Title the King of Spain claims at this day but without power or effect One thing is not lightly to be forgotten viz. that the King above all others that had been in the Holy Land though many great Potentates had been there before him brought terror and dread upon the Sarazens for when at any time their Children cryed they to quiet them would say King Richard is coming and will have you nay when their Horses stumbled they would cry Ha Jade you think King Richard is in the way King Richard as is said returning home with his fair Queen Berengaria was separated upon the Coast of Histria by a storm from the rest of the Fleet and the Ship being broken and in no condition to put to Sea he in disguise of a Merchant or as some say a Knight Templer resolved to pass over Land but being too lavish in his expenses that raised a suspition of his being of great Quality so that near Vienna he was made a prisoner by the order of Leopold the Arch-Duke whose Standard he had thrown down from the Walls of Ptolomais and by him sold to the Emperor Henry the Sixth for 60000 Marks and was ransom'd after sixteen Months imprisonment and very bad usage at 160000 pounds to pay which a great Tax was levyed throughout England yet joyfully disbursed by the people who suffering under such Ministers as were set over them greatly desired the return of their King so that Philip of France having notice he was at large sent to tell John King Richard's Brother who had usurped the Rule during his captivity That the Devil was let loose and although several waits were laid to intrap and retake him after security was given for the Money he landed safe at Sandwich and was joyfully received by Hubert Arch-bishop of Canterbury who had been in the Holy Land with him as likewise by his Subjects but more especially by Queen Eleanor his Mother who by her prudent Conduct and Authority had secured the Kingdom during his absence from the total usurpation of his Brother John who now hasted to meet him and submitting himself was freely forgiven in these words viz. I would that thy faults may be so forgotten of me as thou thy self may keep in memory wherein thou hast offended and thereupon taking him into his favour he restored his forfeited Possessions who from that time became firm to the Kings interest and did him faithful service especially against the French whose King contrary to his Oath he gave King Richard upon his departure from the Holy Land had warred upon his Countries of Normandy Anjou c. stirring up in his absence many discensions and disorders in England when in one of the Skirmishes taking the Bishop of Bevois prisoner compleatly Armed the Pope interceeded by Letter for the delivery of his dear Son as he termed the Bishop when the King in a merry humour sent his Habergeon Curiass and the rest of his Armour he was taken in and order'd the Bearers in the words of Josephs Brethren to say This we found see if it be thy Sons Coat or not To which the Pope earnestly replyed They belonged not to his Son nor to a Son of the Church but to some Imp of Mars and therefore he should free himself as he could for as for his part he would have no further hand in the matter So that the Bishop was obliged to ransom himself with a large sum and soon after the King at Gysors gave the French a great overthrow taking 100 Knights and Servetors on Horseback thirty Men at Arms 200 great Horses whereof 140 had Barbs and Caparisons armed with Plates of Iron killing a great number many of the first Rank and here the King in Person did wonders bearing to the ground with his Lance Matthew d' Monmerancy Alan d' Rusci Foulk d' Giserval and made them Prisoners and after this Victory it was that the King expressed himself in these Words that have since become the Motto of the Arms of England viz. Diu Mondroit Not we say he have gained this Victory but God and our Right But now the fatal time approached that was to eclipse the Glories of this Prince in the shades of Death for hearing the Count of Limogen had found in one of his Lordships a great Treasure of Silver he sent to him for it as properly belonging to the Sovereign but the Count would not yeild to send him above one half which incensing the King he besieged him in his Castle of Chauluz at which Seige he was shot by a square Arrow out of a Steel Bow into the Shoulder yet he took the Castle and the Arcubalaster being brought before him boldly owned the shot alledging That the King with his own hand had killed his Father and two Brethren which incited him to revenge their deaths in an honourable way Whereupon the King perceiving the undaunted confidence of this Bertram d' Guidon not only forgave him the fact but ordered him 100 shillings yet through the unskilfulness of the Chirurgeons the Wound proved Mortal when the King perceiving his end to approach he greatly bewailed his sins and then receiving the Sacrament expired Anno 1199 having before given order that his Bowels should be buried amongst his rebellious Subjects of Poctiou as those that deserved his worst part his heart at Roan which City had always been constant and loyal to him and his Body at Font Everard there to be laid at the Feet of his Father to whom he had been some time disobedient and for which he greatly reproved himself This Richard the First was King of England Duke of Normandy Guin and Aquitain he began his Reign