them that they would help their Lord not to get the Kingdom but his ancient Inheritance and so taking a solemn Oath that he would attempt nothing against King Henry toward getting the Crown he was admitted to enter within their Wals. But shortly after it appeared more clearly what his intention was for great ones use to pretend Religion to serve their turns which they make light of that with the greatest perjury they may compass what they desire He presently put a Garrison to secure the Town for himself and then hearing that the enemy made no great haste he marches to Nottingham to whom many Noble men came when they saw him fortified with a strong Army The very Duke of Clarence distrusting Henries side under a pretence of a Parley with his Brother came willingly to joyn with him Warwick also was solicited to fall off but he stuck fast to King Henry Then Edward in full confidence of his Army came up to London The Citizens were all frighted hearing that the Duke of Clarence was revolted and the people presently ran to meet Edward and with a great applause saluted him for their King Sommerset and the rest that followed Henry shift for themselves by flight leaving Henry in a Bishops Palace who was presently taken by Edward and committed to his former custody Then giving a generall pardon he won all the peoples hearts Warwick in the mean while mustering a gallant Army leads them to London and finding that Henry was cast into prison he stopt at St Albons Edward presently goes against him with a mighty power of men which augmented daily by the coming of more forces when both Armies came in sight at the break of day the Trumpets sound to Battell They fight stoutly on both sides Edward with more men Henry with more vertue yet Valour is vanquished by Force Warwick when he despaired of the Victory rid into the midst of the enemy and died gallantly with his Brother the Marquess ten thousand are slain Sommerset with Oxford flies into Wales The Earl of Exceter takes asylum at Westminster Edward like a Conquerour with King Henry for he brought him along with him enters London In the mean while the fame was that Queen Margaret was landed in England with a great Army and was corroborated for Warre by the Earl of Sommerset Devonshire Pembroke and others that joyned with her Wherefore Edward being sure to meet the enemy every where removes to Oxford with his Army At length he pursues Margaret whilst she thought to march into Wales and she by the unexpected coming of Pembroke which was very material taking counsel with Sommerset what to do gave him Battell the fight was fought at Teucksbury and the dispute was long and doubtfull at last Edward prevailed and all Margarets men almost were killed The Earl of Devonshire and Sommerset's Brother and many Nobles were slain Margaret Prince Edward the Duke of Sommerset and others about twenty Knights were taken and all of them except the Queen and Prince Edward were beheaded in two daies But Edward when he was brought to confer with the King and he answered more boldly than was convenient he was most cruelly slain by the standers by George Duke of Clarence Richard Duke of Glecester Thomas Gray Marquess of Dorset and William Hastings The Queen afterwards was set free for a Ransom and sailed into France and lived alwaies a sorrowfull and languishing life Edward having thus got the Victory comes in Triumph to London In the interim Faulconbridge Sonne to the Earl of Kent who was made Admiral of the Sea by Warwick when he had long plaid the Pirate coming into Kent raised a great force of Kentish men and entred into Londou But the Maior of the City raising an Army fell suddenly upon him and took all his booty from him chasing him away and killing many of his men Faulconbridge was taken afterwards and his head cut off Pembroke when he saw all was lost shifting away from the snares that were laid for his life and being more at ease by the death of Wagham who lay in wait for him with Henry his Nephew by his Brother Earl of Richmond and some few of his new friends arrived in France Edward that all things for the future might be more calm tamed the audacionsness of the Kentish men who had last taken up Arms against him partly by punishment partly by threats Also King Henry that he might give no occasion to new risings was killed in the Tower by the Duke of Glocester his Body was buried with no pomp but the Parricides and the Authors of his death as it shall be rehearsed were afterwards punished for murdering him He had reigned thirty eight years and six moneths he had an honest minde a comely personage and was more like a Saint than a King Edward to blot out all the footsteps of Rebellion cast George Archbishop of York into prison who was afterwards set at liberty yet died of grief of minde Also he cast the Earl of Oxford into prison where he kept him twelve years Others in other places were either captivated or put to death Then that the Rebels might not fly away to neighbour Nations he made Truce with James King of Scotland for twenty years The Earls of Pembroke and Richmond escaped into France where they were courteously entertained by the Duke of Brittain But afterwards when as Edward required that they should be delivered up to him and could not prevail they were kept more carefully by the Duke Then a Parliament being called Henries Decrees were nulled and Edwards confirmed and those that were banished their Country for his sake as enemies are called home again and the Kings Exchequer being extreamly wasted Subsidies are requested In the interim Warre burning between Lewis the King of France and the Duke of Burgundy to whom many Princes of France joyned themselves abhorring the manners of Lewis that were grievous to them Edward himself that he might not be wanting to assist his friend that he was bound unto for so many courtesies provided an Army and a Fleet and sailed to Callis Charles was presently with him and congratulates his Victory over the Rebels and invites him that was willing to enter upon a new Warre But Lewis being mightily afraid of two such potent enemies sent Embassadours to Edward The two Kings held a large Conference who met at Pictuigny where a League was made for many yeares 70000 Duccats being paid to Edward for his charges and 50000 to be paid yearly and Elizabeth Daughter to Edward was married to Charles Sonne to Lewis And so Peace being agreed upon Charles and Luxenburg that joyned with him in the Warre being not a little vexed at it Edward came first to Callis and from thence to England Luxenburg was afterwards taken in fight and lost his Head at Paris Edward though he had settled Peace at home and abroad yet thinking nothing safe enough for him whilst Henry Earl of Richmond was alive whose
of the Battell brought fresh Forces and joyned with Henry whereby he was not a little animated for otherwise he was farre inferiour to Richard in men and so takes heart again The King himself at last entred the fight who after he had given wonderfull tokens of his Valour had killed Henries Standard-bearer put Henry himself in danger he was surrounded by multitudes of souldiers and fighting valiantly was slain Henry got the Victory by Richards death for the Earl of Northumberland who brought up the tear of Richards Army as he came against his will so he refused to fight any longer Not above 1000 were slain of the Kings side and of Henries side hardly 100. The Nobility that yielded were pardoned and Henry had forthwith the Crown set on his Head which they had taken from Richards Head and he is saluted â—ing by all with a generall acclamation Richards body was found amongst the dead and was buried with no Honour at Leicester HENRY the seventh King of England and France Anno 1486. HENRY came to the Kingdom both by Right and Valour and was Crowned at Westminster Anno 1486 the day before the Calends of November Then calling a Parliament he is discharged of the Treason Richard laid to him and he gave Rewards and Honours to some that were grieved He married Elizabeth the Daughter to Edward the fourth and by that Marriage the old quarrell between the White Rose and the Red was ended At his first entrance he kept a strong Guard about him either for his power or Majesty which custom is continued to our daies The English Sweat was rife about this time a disease never known before it destroyed abundance of men but the sharper the disease was the shorter time it lasted Then new troubles arose in the North of England which were easily vanquished by Lovels flight and Staffords death But a new tumult that grew from meer opinion and perswasion gave cause for new cares for one Simon a Priest reports falsly that a Scholar of his who was very like which made the Priest the bolder to give it out was the Sonne to Edward Duke of Clarence which was cast into prison a little before by Henry and he said with him into Ireland and prevailed so much amongst the Peers there that the youth was saluted King at Dublin Then obtaining help from Margaret wife to Burgundy he comes inâ—o England to whom those Lords that favoured the cause of Plantagenet joyned themselves though they knew the fraud yet they hoped to bring on the design But Henry went against them in time and after a most eager fight he slew the Earl of Lincoln and other of the chief men that followed him But he spared Lambert this counterfeit Earl by reason of his youth and innocency and he was made the Kings servant Simondus escaped because he was a Priest Then sending Embassadours into Scotland he treated for peace but when he could not procure it in regard of the malice of the subjects a Truce was made for seven years But a difference rifing between Charles King of France and Francis Duke of Brittany Henry that he might displease neither side being engaged to both made himself Umpire to end the quarrel between them but when he could do nothing by his Embassadours they fell to Arms. Edward Lord Vdevill the Queens Uncle without the knowledge of the King assisted the Duke of Brittany with 400 choice men but the French afterwards getting the Victory the Duke and they were all slain The Duke being dead the contest ended In the mean time in Yorkshire troubles arose because of Tribute required one John Chambers was the Authour of them Henry Earl of Northumberland Governour of that Country was basely slain by one of the factions multitude then they came on by Troops John Egrimont Knight being their Leader But the King fell on them presently and easily dissipated the tumultuous rabble punishing severely the Authors of it But Egrimont fled to Margaret into Burgundy which was the common place of refuge for the Rebels yet there was nothing abated of the Tribute to be paid A great Tumult about that time fell in Scotland the subects rising against James King of Scotland and they forced his Sonne James to take part with them Henry King of England Charles King of France and the Pope could not reconcile this quarrel and when the subjects gave a harsh answer the Battell began at Strevelin where the subjects got the Victory and the King himself though his Sonne was against it was cruelly slain in a Mill. Then a jarring arose between Frederick the Emperour and some Cities in Flanders the French came to assist the Emperour But Henry not enduring the French so near to Callis sent the Lord Morley with a supply of a thousand men who with two thousand of his souldiers vanquished eight thousand of the enemies but he himself was slain The French to revenge this loss had almost won Newport but being frighted at the coming of the English they lost the Victory Maximilian the Emperour when he endeavoured to marry Anne Daughter to Francis Duke of Brittany which he had betrothed by Embassadours he is hindred by the French King to whom he had espoused his Daughter Margaret for he divorcing Margaret gaping after the Dukedom of Brittany by force got Anne into his power and solemnly made her his Wife Henry was wonderfully offended at this fraud and asked Subsidies from his Parliament taking counsell to make a Warre upon the French King At length he landed at Callis with a small Army and besieged Bononia but finding Maximilian unprepared for whose sake he had undertaken this Warre he easily yielded to make Peace obtaining from the French a great summe of money and a yearly revenue and so returned for England Margaret Wife to the Duke of Burgundy alwaies studied mischief against the English for she bred up for some moneths in her Court a tertain young man who was called Peterkin or Perkin Warbech and obtruded him upon the English Nation for Richard the Sonne of Edward the fourth who was said to have been stifled Many of the Nobility of England either deceived by the appearance or because they desired innovation joyn with that supposed Richard amongst whom was William Stanley who helped Peter with money Stanley was taken convicted and lost his Head though he were the principall cause whereby Henry came to the Crown Peter in the mean time having got a tumultuous number of men landed in Kent where there were taken of his men 160 amongst whom were five Captains who first landed they were hanged at London and other places Peter when he little prevailed there sails into Ireland where he was magnificently entertained by the Inhabitants who much honoured the name of the Plantagenets But when he could expect little help thence from a poor weak people he makes haste into Scotland The Scot had him in high esteem and being deceived by his presence or courtly Carriage which Margaret
stood for a Divorce of Queen Katharine The Pope in the mean time gave his Judgement for Katharine But Henry who had now Divorced Katharine by the Authority of many Divines and of those at Paris who were as it is supposed corrupted by money married Anne of Boloyne privately and being thereupon angry with the Pope he abolished all his Power over the English Church making it high Treason for any man to preferre the Popes Authority before the Kings or should pay Tribute to him which he had no right unto and caused them to be denied unto him for the future and made it a penalty for their life if any man should maintain the Pope to be the supream Head Then he made all the Churches of England and Ireland take an Oath to him that they should acknowledge him to be Head of the Church next under Christ The Discipline was thus changed but nothing in the Doctrine which he confirmed by a Synod called at London For he put to death many of those that followed Luther and Swinglius So Henry behaved himself in the rest of his life that had the Popes not been unjust against him he would willingly have submitted himself under their power The Pope being offended that he had lost his Authority sending out his Writings or Bull as they called it he Excommunicated Henry King of England but when it was known that it was procured by Queen Katharine it was the less regarded and she shortly after being deprived of friends lost her life for her contumacy In the mean time Sir Thomas More once Chancellour of England and John Fisher Bishop of Rochester who both refused to take the Oath of the Kings Supremacy lost their Heads Henry now using his own Authority invaded the goods of the Church and expelled the Monks out of their Monasteries Nor was he content with that but he cut off the Heads of his second Wife Anne of Boloyne Daughter to Thomas Bolen Earl of Wilshire accusing her for Incest and Adultery together with the Lord Rochsfort her Brother and others that were of the Kings Bed-Chamber Then he married Jane Semare who died afterwards in Childe-birth of Edward the sixth of that name who succeeded King Then he Divorced from him Anne of Cleve newly married and for her sake he beheaded Thomas Cromwell who made the match who was risen from a mean estate to a vast power by the success of Fortune Also Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk had his Head chopt off being charged of Treason because he had privily married Margaret Daughter to the King of Scots and Henries Neece Margaret was first detained then she was set free after that she was married to Matthew Earl of Leven King James his Grandfather In the mean time seditions arose in the North parts of England here and there by reason of the change made of Church Ceremonies some were punished for it some were sent home and some were subdued by force of Arms the troubles were happily asswaged yet not without some danger for it was a matter of great concernment to keep all quiet under new customs Henry now married his fifth Wife Katharine Howard but her he beheaded shortly after with the Lord of Rochsfort condemning her for Lasciviousness At that time Henry had the Title of King of Ireland when as before he was called only Lord of it In the interim Arthur Plantagenet bastard to Edward the fourth is accused of Treason but when he was proved not guilty he was received into the Kings favour but Arthur took so much joy at it that he died the next night of meer rejoycing The Scotch now entring the Frontiers of England and spoiling them compell Henry to take Arms who sent the Duke of Norfolk with an Army into Scotland who ruined many Villages and Houses and not seeing any enemy he returned to Barwick The Scot would not suffer this violence to be unrevenged but musters an Army suddenly and fals into England but his men being scattered and killed the Scot fell into such grief of minde and then into a Feaver that he quickly died of it leaving Mary Stewart his Daughter but eight daies old Heir of the Kingdom Henry to put an end to so great dissentions by the union of these two Nations dealt with the captive Lords to Espouse this Inheritrix of Scotland to his Son Edward who were set at liberty to press the business But by the mediation of the Cardinal of St Andrews this Treaty was made void the Daughter being married to the Dolphin Henry was enraged at this and sent a valiant Army into Scotland and burnt Leeth which pacified his wrath Then he made peace with Charles the fifth the Emperour and he married his sixth Wife Katharine Latimers Widow who was brought in danger of her life upon suspition of the change of her Religion but by her prudence and humility she escaped Now Henry by his Covenant with the Emperour proclaims Warre against the French King and sent an Army unto Callis under the command of John Wallop which joyning with the Forces of Charles besieged the City Landreice But the French making shew of a Battell called the Emperour off from the siege and when he had brought provision into the City he retreated having deluded Charles Then Henry mustering a mighty force sails himself into France and besieging Bononia won the place In the mean time the English Ships which they had taken from the French are filled with provision at London but the English had bad success in their fight in Scotland and Henries men were vanquished by which Victory and new forces they had recruited themselves with from France the Scots grew insolent and invade England But the English by the good success of the Earl of Hereford destroyed an innumerable company of Villages in Scotland and returned home Conquerours though otherwise they sustained a mighty loss by the Scots The Admirall of England with a Fleet did mischief on the coasts of Normandy and destroyed a multitude of the enemy but shortly after there was a Treaty made between the French and the English and the conditions of agreement were that the French should redeem Bononia with eight hundred thousand Crowns In the mean time Thomas Duke of Norfolk and Henry Earl of Surrey his Son are accused of Treason because they had engraven something in their Coats of Arms that seemed to be peculiar to the King and though they did defend their Titles very abundantly yet the Earl lost his Head But the Duke was kept in prison till the Reign of Queen Mary Henry died about this time in the year 1547 when he had reigned 38 years and was 56 years old He was a Prince adorned with all gifts of Nature and in whom had he not too much loved his pleasure there was no defect He was a great favourer of Learning EDWARD the sixth King of England France and Ireland Anno 1547. HENRY dying left his Sonne Edward born of Seymer by his Will to succeed him
Florus Anglicus OR AN EXACT HISTORY OF England FROM THE RAIGN OF William the Conquerour to the Death of the Late KING By Lambert Wood Gent. LONDON Printed for Simon Miller at the Starre in St Pauls Church-yard 1657.6 The History of England TO THE READER FRIENDLY READER THou hast here a short Compendium of the Affaires of England yet written with so much Care and Diligence that there is nothing almost that is wanting in it but circumstances or things not usefull By this means I suppose I have spared the Reader both labour and time For what will it profit a man to spend his Age in searching out of that which he may have represented to him at an instant You may with one glance of your Eye runne over all the Writings and Pains taken by many Authours And that nothing might be wanting I have drawn forth the History from the very Infancy of it even unto the Death of CHARLES the First not following my own Advice but directed by the Testimony of them who setting aside all Envy were Reall and Eye-Witnesses of this Tragedy I have offered no Violence to the Truth by siding with any part If I loved the one I did not hate the other And if perhaps any Man which in Novelties is much desired by his future Experience shall bring forth the hidden Causes of things to the clearer Light I will not refuse to give Credit to it so farre is it from me from believing my own Report before the Relation of other Men. That which pleased me I think shall not be distastefull unto thee And I hope to reap the fruit of my Labours in it your kinde Acceptance which if I may obtain I aim at nothing else Judge moderately of the Style and censure it courteously It will not cause your Admiration shining forth in a Scholastick Brightnesse it will not retard curious Eyes with the Elegancie of words and glorying in the wittie choise of Sentences What can I say more It must be excused The desire of Praise could not carry me aloft who want Wings for it Moderate things please me when I can reach no higher Only I abhorre the envy of Detractors and the quarrelling of carping Momus Having premised thus much I shall remain A true Friend to my Countrey Lambert Wood. Courteous Reader These Books following are printed and sold by Simon Miller at the Starre in St Pauls Church-yard near the West end Folio The Civil Warres of Spain in the Raign of Charles the fifth Emperour of Germany and King of that Nation wherein our late unhappy Differences are parallel'd in many particulars The History of this Iron-Age with the Original and Causes of all Warres and Commotions that have happened throughout Europe from the Year 1500 to this present Quarto Abrahams Faith or the good old Religion proving the Doctrine of the Church of England to be the only true Faith of Gods Elect by J. Nicholson Minister of the Gospel Mr Boltons Directions The Anatomy of Mortality by George Strode Mr Ainsworth on the Canticles Mr Paul Baynes Diocesans Trial. The Supream Power of Christian States Vindicated from the Insolent Pretences of Gulielmus Apollonii by E. Gralle Politique and Military Observations of Civil and Military Governments The Birth Increase Decay of Monarchies the Carriage of Princes Magistrates Commanders and Favourites by D.P. Esq Mr Pinchin his meritorious Price of Christs Redemption Astrology Theologized shewing what Nature and Influence the Starres and Planets have over men and how the same may be diverted and avoided Octavo The Reconciler of the Bible A View of the Jewish Religion with their Rites Customs and Ceremonies Edward Waterhouse Esquire his Discourse of Piety and Charity A short View and Defence of the Reformation of the Church of England by King Edward and Queen Elizabeth wherein her Doctrine Liturgy and Discipline are considered and preferred before all others Mr Peter du Moulin His Antidote against Popery published on purpose to prevent the delusions of the Priests and Jesuites being seasonable for these times Herberts Devotions or a Companion for a Christian containing Meditations and Prayers usefull upon all occasions Mr Knowls His Rudiments of the Hebrew Tongue A Book of Schemes or Figures of Heaven ready set for every four Minutes of time The Poor mans Physician and Chyrurgeon Florus Anglicus or an exact History of England from the beginning to the death of the Late King Duodecimo Dr Smiths Practice of Physick Grammar Warre Posselius Apothegms Fuciculus Florum Crashaws Visions Robinsons Essayes The Christian Souldier his Combate with the three Arch-enemies of Man-kind the World the Flesh and the Devil together with his Conquest and Crown Vicessimo quarto The New-Testament The third Part of the Bible Playes The Ball. The Conspiracy The Tragedy of Chamlet Example Gamester Dukes Mistresse THE CONTENTS COncerning the first Kings of the Britans 1 Of the first Norman King 9 William the Second 16 Henry the First 20 Stephen King of England 25 Henry the Second 33 Richard the First 38 John the First 45 Henry the Third 53 Edward the First 64 Edward the Second 71 Edward the Third 85 Richard the Second 100 Henry the Fourth 115 Henry the Fifth 122 Henry the Sixth 131 Edward the Fourth 149 Edward the Fifth and Richard the Third 161 Henry the Seventh 172 Henry the Eighth 182 Edward the Sixth 200 Queen Mary 206 Queen Elizabeth 214 King James 223 King Charles the First 230 AN Exact History OF ENGLAND Concerning the first Kings of the Britans BRitany of old was subject not to one but to divers Kings The Names of four of them are called by Caesar Cingelarix Carvilius Taximagalus and Segonax whereupon the Conquest of the Romans over them was more sure though it were longer in doing for whilst they fought all severally they are generally overcome Yet the Britans did ever now and then make some resistance hardly submitting their necks to anothers Government Amongst whom for her Noble enterprise Vaodicia the Queen was most remarkable who with her two daughters Virgins having formerly been forced by the Roman Souldiery in revenge for her chastity abused raised a mighty Army and over-threw the Enemy with a great slaughter yet the fortune of the Warre changing afterwards she escaped bondage provided for her by drinking poyson This Island was subject to the Roman Government five hundred years but discord creeping in at home they left this place of their own accord which they had won with so much labour yet they took such Britans along with them which they thought most fit for Warre part whereof were slain in the Warre part were consumed with hunger and want and part of them transported themselves into that place in France for their safety which from them is called Britany The Picts and Scots they strive to enter upon the Countrey thus forsaken whom to resist they chose Vortigernus Earl of Cornwall for their King and implored the help of the Saxons or Anglo Saxons a Warlick Nation in
look into the faults of the Clergy and reserved to himself the punishing of them neglecting the Bishop of Rome Last of all being much given to hunting he was unhappily slain by an arrow that rebounded from the back of a Stag. The foreshewing signs of his unhappy end being foreseen but not regarded HENRY the first King of England Anno 1101. HEnry the first succeeded his Brother born of William in England not a Duke but a King Who in the absence of his elder Brother Robert either invaded the Kingdom or procured it with money or obtained it by the favour of the people for he was more Learned than all his Brothers and was so much the more dear to the people He made good the Kingdom he had got with fraud by good deeds gentleness and just punishments He every where preferred Learned men for places in the Church he removed such as were unlearned and unworthy from their places He mitigated the more severe Laws and abolished hard Customs He granted the Nobility free leave to Hunt and with his bounty he so won the hearts of all And because he knew that the Scotch were his ill-willers he made peace with them and to binde the League the faster he took Maud the sister of King Edgar to be his Wife That which hapned to his Father and to his Brothers hapned to him to have the first success of Warre from his own kindred Namely the Bishop of Durrham being the first mover of it whom he had cast into prison for exacting too great Tributes who had escaped his Keepers by reason of their neglect his Brother Robert Duke of Normandy is stirred up to wage Warre with Henry and to recover his right Robert was now ready in England with an Army and the day for the Battel was appointed when as the Heralds were sent up and down at last peace is agreed upon 20000 Franks being granted yearly to Robert and hopes of succession should he out live his Brother Henry This danger scarce dispelled another fals upon the neck of it For Robert Bellamy Earl of Shrewsbury for no other cause but envy inviting the Welsh to his aid makes Warre against the King But this stopped him not for raising an Army suddenly he put the Welsh to flight he intercepted Robert and confiscating all his Goods sent him into banishment For to punish Traitors with death was not yet the fashion The third tempest arose from William Earl of Mortane and of Cornwall the Kings Uncle he being angry with his Cosen for denying him the County of Kent endeavours by treachery to draw the Shire unto himself but his Treason being discovered for one County that he thought to win he lost two Henry that was hitherto on the defensive part now takes up Arms willingly against his Brother Robert being offended at some scoff of his and levying an Army he entred Normandy and became Master of it all scarce leaving so much as Roan to his Brother and so he retreated for England Robert had made triall of his severity and was resolved to make proof of his levity whereupon he follows after his Brother into England and very submissive desires pardon for his sawciness But Henry either offended with the now fresh injury of his Brother or else affecting the Dukedom of Normandy neglected the praiers of his Brother Robert being impatient of this scorn returns for Normandy and once more raising an Army attempts a Warre against his Brother but he coming successfully upon Robert with a sufficient force providently suppressed the mischief in the birth but not without blood and he carried his Brother Captive into England and putting out his eyes he held him prisoner to the day of his death By this success he grew Magnificent whence arose envy against him For Fulck Duke of Aniou Baldwin Earl of Flanders and Lewis sirnamed the Gross King of France entring a League with joynt forces they endeavour to restore to William the Sonne of Robert the Land of his Grandfather Henry presently transports his Forces into Normandy and encountring the Battel put the French to flight and after that he had diversly made triall of fortune in fine Peace is confirmed between the Duke of Aniou and Henry which is confirmed by Marriage between William the Kings Son and the said Dukes Daughter After this Peace followed between both these Kings the Dukedom of Normandy being granted to William the Son of Henry doing Homage for it And thus by continuance of time all the first-born Sonnes of the Kings of England are styled Dukes of Normandy But Charles Earl of Flanders being wickedly slain at Brussels leaving no other Heir William the Sonne of Robert who was the next right Heir to it for that he was from the blood of Maud Daughter to Baldwin and Wife to William the Conquerour was elevated to this Dignity who growing insolent with this prosperity endeavours to recover Normandy his Patrimony by his Grandfather which he brought to pass with no great difficulty by assistance of the French King but receiving a wound in one of his hands which was very smal and afterwards rankling he lost both his life and Patrimony by it Peace being confirmed abroad yet Henry was tossed at home with civil commotions Wales being entred into a Conspiracy whereupon he pursuing the Rebels erring in his passage he fell into a straight place and redeemed yet not without danger a thousand sheep and oxen from them And these were the Warres he had both at home and abroad He seldom or never Taxed the Land He made none but good Laws He was the first that ordained the convening of the several Orders which is now called a Parliament He punished Theeves and false Coiners with severe justice He diminished the power of the Pope in his Dominions and such suits as were decided in England he forbad to be called back to Rome without his cognizance thereof the Pope not speaking any thing against it But a greater Controversie arose concerning Ecclesiastical Promotions both of them standing stoutly for his own Interest But the King not regarding the Pope held in his own hands the power of disposing and confirming Offices If he were over luxunious yet he was noble in his choice not loving every one in extreams He had no lawfully begotten Sons but he had many bastards whereupon he endeavoured by all means to establish the Government in Maude and her Daughters but all in vain Stephen succeeding who was born from Adela Daughter to William the Conquerour excluding Maude his Wife and Daughter which first married Henry the fourth the Roman Emperour and he being dead she was married to Jeffrey Plantagenet the Sonne of Fulc the Duke of Aniou At last by reason of some quarrel with the Duke of Aniou he fell into grief of mind whence followed a great weakness of his body by over-eating of Eels and thence he fell into a burning Feaver and so died after he had reigned 35 years being the last of the
came flocking to him every way and being fortified with new helps he laies siege to Malmesbury but the King coming upon him with more forces overcame the sewer forces of the Enemy Here is a thing to be rightly wonder'd at amongst drawn swords Peace began to shew her self Stephen procured rest by granting which he could not obtain by Victories and Henry obtained that Kingdom peaceably which he sought for by Warre For whilst here and there with equal endeavours they wage Warre Eustachius suddenly died and Stephen being deprived of an Heir to succeed him being overcome with mourning he willingly entred conditions of Peace with Henry and Mathilde whereby he assigned his Enemy to be his Successour and adopted him for his Sonne being he had none nearer of blood unto him so little faith or constancy is there in humane affairs they that but now fought with all their might do now embrace one the other and Stephen recovers his lost Sonne by adopting his Enemy So Henry seeking so great a Kingdom by Warre found both the Kingdom and a Father in Peace The affairs of England were too troublesom for Stephen to exact Tribute from his subjects yet he abundantly recompensed this loss by storing the Exchequer with the goods of the Rebels He made no Laws when as by reason of a continuall Warre he seemed more ready to receive than to give Yet he had no greater Victory than over the Clergy whose obstinacy and pride he regulated and made them good subjects He that had lived in Warre and contention ought not to die without trouble and neglect for he had scarce made Peace with Henry but he was afresh seized on by his old disease of the Emrods and the Cholick having not been free from Warre one year he died at Dover HENRY the second King of England Anno 1155. STephen being now dead Henry Duke of Aniou succeeded him in the Throne as he and King Stephen had agreed He behaved himself wisely when he began to Reign choosing the wisest men for his Counsellours expelling strangers that came in hopes of rapine especially those of Flanders demolishing the Casties that the Nobility had built at the connivance of King Stephen which they had often abused to sedition The Laws also that were faulty during the time of Warre he reduced to their former integrity and he banished some of the Nobility for perjury The Demeans which were bestowed upon those that were unworthy of them by Licence from King Stephen he took to himself and so he spared his subjects from Tributes thinking it safer to offend a few than many He had yet no Competitors and so was safer from Incursions and Rebellions The Welsh made some rude commotion who were no sooner up but he subdued them He made offensive Warre against Malcom King of Scots and drove him out by force from Northumberland the City of Carlile and New-castle which King Stephen had granted him He left him Huntington to do him homage for it for David King of Scots sake who was dead He took by force from his Brother Jeffrey after his Fathers death the Dukedom of Anion which his Father had granted him upon intreaty having the Popes indulgence to break his Oath Then he attempts to take to himself from Raymundus Earl of a place consecrated to Saint Aegidius the Dukedom of Tholouse which of right belonged unto him and when Lewis the King of France would help Raymund he wages Warre with them both Now the Armies were ready for battel but at the mediation of friends peace is at last concluded and the County of Tholouse is granted to Raymund for a time a Marriage being made between Henry King of Englands Son and Margaret Daughter to King Lewis If he managed all things wisely hitherto now he doth order his matters as foolishly taking his Son Henry into the Government with him For Lewis scorning the pusillanimity of his Son in Law that he would permit his Father to be equal with him in the Kingdom and would himself be a titular King only he easily inflamed his youthfull minde that was ready to take fire with unlawfull desires This envy had now broke forth into open hate and the Son began to cavil at all the Father either did or said Nor was the Sonnes ingratitude unknown to the Father wherefore messengers being sent to Lewis he endeavoured to oppress and extinguish those beginnings of discord But Lewis laught at the words of the Embassadours asking scornfully why they call'd him their Master who had freely delivered up his right to his Sonne and so dismissed them without any other answer To this there was joined the malice of Queen Eleoner that she bare him by reason that he loved whores whereby she instigated her other two Sons Richard and Jeffrey that they should assist the Son against the Father They fled to Henry into Normandy and conspire jointly against their Father Also William King of Scotland Hugh Earl of Chester Roger Mowbray Hugh Bigot and others fell from him Henry with this augmentation grew more bold and now provides open Warre against his Father Fortune was changeable in divers Battels both courage and fraud being employed in the Warres But Richard who had fallen off from his Father repenting of his errour came to him and craved pardon which he easily obtain'd at last some of the Rebels being taken and the Scotch vanquished Peace is confirmed between the Father and the Sonne at the Mediation of Richard Adela the Daughter of Lewis being married to Richard And so Henry returned into England with his Sons where Henry his eldest Sonne died and his Relict is sent home again into France to her Father and afterwards she was married to the King of Hungary But Richard taking it ill that his Marriage was so long deferred for the Father by his unlawfull lust was supposed to keep Adela for himself continually putting off the Matrimony fell again into the same Rebellion which he had renounced by Oath And being confederate with his Brother John and with Philip then King of France he makes Warre with his Father and at Ments he besieged the old King who slipt away in the night and thought though in vain to raise the siege at last the Town is delivered into the enemies hands to his greater loss because King Henry was born in that Town Wherefore either by reason of his power broken or by the loss of his native City his Majesty being eclipsed he that had hitherto given Laws was now forced to take Laws from the enemy And these are the Wars that he waged This King subdued Ireland without spilling blood Pope Hadrian an English man commanding it and he built a magnificent Palace at Dublin for the use of his Posterity He augmented his Treasure more by Confiscations and Parsimony than by Tributes and Imposts Because he was too sparing toward his children it is supposed that gave them occasion to revolt but he left an infinite Treasure when he died and recompensed
abundantly the want they had sustained In the beginning of his Reign he cut off something from the severity of the Laws and he erected new Tribunals for the use of his subjects and he first commanded the Lions to be kept alive in the Tower of London which custom is continued to this day He brought the Clergy under the Magistrate though Thomas Becket stood stifly against it who for that was banished and received into favour again by the Intercession of the Pope and the King of France but when he would not yield to the Kings pleasure he was miserably butcherd by four Souldiers of horse but after his death he was consecrated for a Saint Henry also being wrapt up with the love of luxury and of whores had his Wife alwaies his enemy which he at last imprisoned because she had suborned her Sons to Rebel The French King sent him a Catalogue of all those Rebels that conspired his death and when first of all he saw the Name of his younger sonne John he sunk down half dead with grief and the affliction increasing he died of it being above threescore years old and had ruled the Kingdom of England thirty five years RICHARD the first King of England Anno 1189. THis King was Crown'd at Westminster the 3d of Septemb. Ano 1189. namely on that day which was notable for an accidentall slaughter of the Jews whose insolence he abundantly restrained by giving licence to weed out that odious kinde of men He was famous for benefits toward his Mother and Brother receiving her as it were into society of the Government with him and augmenting the other with six Counties at once He sent Adela that was long before betrothed to him yet as his Fathers Concubine back again into her Country but not without a reward of her Virginity and in her place that he might not with an incestuous Wedlock defile his Fathers Bed he took to Wife Berengaria the Daughter of Garsias King of Navar. Now at last he resolved to perform his expedition long intended for the holy Land Collecting every way great Treasures and selling Priviledges Demeans Immunities and Cities London it self being scarce left out of the sale For the time of his absence he trusted the Kingdom of England to Hugh Baldulph Bishop of Durrham and to William Prunellus and William Longe Scampius Chancellor of the Kingdom dividing to each his part He set Robert Earl of Leicester a man of Integrity over Normandy and Aquitan Yet to prevent the Ambition of his Brother John he was minded to send him away for Normandy but his Mother interceding for him and becoming surety for his fidelity he was left in England Lastly appointing Arthur his Brother Jeffreys Sonne to be his successour in case he should die in this Expedition he entred upon his Voyage Richard thus armed with five thousand Horse and thirty thousand Foot goes forward on his Journey He went by Land through France to Marseilles with some choice Souldiers to wait in that City for his Fleet and to Embarque himself there but the winde being long troublesom it came too late wherefore being impatient of delaies he hired Ships and takes his Passage for Messana whither Philip King of France was gone with his Navy before At last also arrived the English Fleet They are received by Tancred King of Sicily with a great shew of courtesie but he by reason of some old quarrel was not friends with Richard and laid snares for Richard and for all the English and by a confederacy of the Citizens shut him and all the English Souldiers out of the Town Richard offended with this affront drew up his Souldiers against the City and easily became Master of it and had made a great slaughter on the King and the Citizens had he not pacified Richard by paying the Dowry which he had unjustly detained from Joan Richard his Sister who was married to William King of Sicily deceased and had also espoused his Daughter to Arthur Nephew to Richard Philip King of France first set sail and came to Prole mais which City the Christians had a long time besieged with those he adjoyned himself and his Forces Richard after that wayed Anchor with a 190 Ships and 50 Gallies But by a contrary winde he is driven into Cyprus which Island when he was kept from landing by the Inhabitants he invaded by force of Arms and became Master of it and leaving Richard Canvil and Robert Turnham in it with a sufficient Garrison he also sailed toward Ptolemais which City after it had been besieged two years was delivered up to the Christians by Saladin Other Cities also he became Master of all which he neglected only Joppa he made a Garrison of In the mean while Guido Lusinianus invades Tyre and with it he takes upon him the Title of King of Jerusalem which he afterwards changed for the Kingdom of Cyprus And hence it was that the Kings of England for a long time were called Kings of Jerusalem But Philip envying this Glory of Richard and emulating him because he could not equal his vertue forsaking the Warre sail'd back for France leaving the business to Odo Duke of Burgundy to wage Warre with Saladine in his absence Yet Richard would not let him depart till he had taken his Oath to attempt nothing against the Dominions of Richard in his absence But he was no sooner got home but against right and equity he invaded Normandy with which injury Richard being offended and much weakned by the departure of Odo with his Forces Richard resolves homewards making Peace with Saladine upon unjust Tearms His Navy sailing homewards he went by Land through Dalmatia and Germany at last he came to Vienna where being unknown he desired to be concealed at last being discovered by Leopoldus Archduke of Austria who was angry with the English for the injury was done him in the taking of Ptolemais he was cast into Prison and was sent to the Emperour who demanded him and after a hard Captivity he was forced to Redeem his Liberty with a mighty Ransom which injury afterwards cost the Emperour his Life and Leopoldus first the breaking and lastly the losing his Leg. But he after four years returned to his Kingdom He found his Kingdom full of troubles and contentions for William Longoscampius Bishop of Ely who in the Kings absence managed as it were the whole Government being unaccustomed with so great an Office though he had otherwise enough to do of his own business grew insolent and over-proud Hence arose a Controversie between him and Duke John the Kings Brother the King took his Brothers part whereupon he was put out of his Authority the Archbishop of Roan being put in his place When therefore he could no louger make resistance in the Kingdom he bethought himself to make an escape beyond Sea disguised in womans apparel but being discovered the Women did punish him sufficiently by deriding him for counterfeiting his Sex and so being much
John and sets him a day of hearing to appear before him as one that ought him Homage But John refusing he entred his Territories by Arms and in short time he subdued all Normandy as it were in the face of John who staied sluggishly at Roan and afterwards doing nothing he returned into England the Nobility gnashing their teeth at it in vain To this may be added the second and third loss for Eleconer the Kings Mother died who did the Kingdom as much good by her vertues as the King did mischief by his vices Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury followed her who was another Ornament of the Kingdom And now John seemed to be in possibility to recover his loss so his subjects would bring Subsidies to help him to wage Warre which they strove who should do it most So he marcheth toward Portsmouth and suddenly set sail not waiting for the Noblemen that came after him but he had no sooner left the shore but he presently returned and upbraiding the Nobility because they followed him not with sluggishness and disobedience he fined them with a vast summe of money and so being the richer by his double Usury neglecting the War he returned home Philip in the mean while that he might expell all the English out of his Kingdom takes Chinon by force and he had quickly put an end to the Warre unless Guido the Husband of Constance falling off from Philip had joyned with John by whose help he levied a new Army whereby he took Mountalbans a Town otherwise impregnable with wonderfull celerity in fifteen daies and after that storming Aniou he gave the Plunder to his Souldiers rasing the Wals of the Town but he repented it afterwards and perchance because he was born in that City he built it again more firm and beautifull than it was And now Philip and John were in Arms now on this side now on that the Army expected the word to fall on and nothing but blood and slaughter was to be expected but at the Intercession of friends a Cessation was granted for two years John therefore returns for England but upon his return he enters the borders of the Scotch and kils multitudes of them and brought King Alexander to his obedience and those Irish that he found to have revolted he sailed with his Fleet thither and easily brought them under So he made the Rebel Welsh upon his return become Subjects taking eight and twenty Noble-mens children for pledges which when the Welsh rose again he commanded to kill them all So much prevails unadvised desire of wrong though sometimes it may oppose good examples to unsatisfied cruelty and so John was more cruel and valiant against none than toward his own Subjects He returned afterward into France that as we said he might repair the wals of Aniou when those of Poictou revolted to him But Lewis the sonne of Philip mustering an Army presently not only mastered and punished the Rebels but also put all Johns Army to flight and destroyed them taking the chief Nobility by which losse he was brought to desperation yet making peace he returned for England to vex his Subjects and to pour forth all his malice on the innocent In the mean time the Nobility of England because they could obtain from the King no release of their burdens conspiring together wage warre against him The King when he was too weak for them attempted to proceed by subtilty and calling the Nobility together granted them their requests But afterwards being discharged by the Pope from his promises he takes up armes against them and spoiling almost all England he threw down the Castles and Forts of all the Conspirators every where There was a Bull sent from the Pope against all the Nobility that disobeyed his Commands The Nobility being too weak for the King in Arms they commit an unjust and hainous wickednesse calling in the sonne of the French King to their assistance and promising obedience to him as to their King He stayed not but sailed for England with a Navy of six hundred ships The conspired Nobility joyn'd with him and so joyning their forces they came for London where Lewis with a fair speech wone the Citizens to his side Also the Scotch entred England with a mighty Army destroying all things in the way whereby Lewis as also by the other Forces being strengthned overruns all England with ease John in the mean time least he should seem to do nothing gathering together a great many vagabonds spoils miserably the Lands of his Subjects at last in the passing of some Rivers not a few of his followers being drown'd and being overweakned for want of help falling thereby into grief of minde and so into a Feaver he died within a few dayes Great controversies arose between the King and the Pope during his Raign in Church-matters about the choice of some Bishops The Pope got the upper-hand and made the King do him homage after that the businesse of the Church had stood still six years and three moneths He was immoderate in blasphemies and execrations Also he is thought to have sought aid from Mirammula King of Africa whilest he was in his troubles promising to him the Kingdom of England if he conquer'd and to renounce the Christian Faith He was sad and dark of countenance he was tall and fat sluggish and idle of Nature he seldome conquered the enemy but by force being inconstant in adverse fortune he was easily dejected He was false in his promises burdensom to his Subjects troublesom to his neighbours and hated of all HENRY the third King of England Anno 1517. AFter Johns decease his first born sonne Henry not yet passed nine years old obtain'd the Kingdom not without some controversie of the Nobles Some of the Nobility falling off to him who a little before had made a defection and swear to King Lewis yet Lewis with those that followed him from London with an Army of twenty thousand men wone many Towns till at last he came to the Castle at Lincoln which a certain noble woman did manly defend and caused him to stop and an Army of the English coming on in the mean time he was repulsed and conquered Many of the English Nobility being taken that stood with him besides the Count of Perch who preferred an honourable death before a dishonourable life yet he did not despair but sent for new forces out of France which were all almost destroyed in a fight at Sea By these misfortunes he was forced to take Conditions whereby there were granted to King Lewis in respect of his charge he had been at a hundred and five thousand franks he renouncing all Right to the Kingdom of England and promising faithfully to prevail with his Father to restore all the Provinces in France that belonged to the English But the King restored to the Rebel Nobility all the Lands that belonged unto them and so Lewis leaving England set sail at Dover for France having waged war unhappily in
small Summe of money from the Londoners by threats and violence And then turning to the Nobility he asked a Subsidy of them in vain and he found his Church-men as backward with whom he could do little or nothing Then enterprizing an Expedition to the holy Land to free the King of France he called an Assembly of his Bishops and Peers from whom when he could not obtain one mite of money being like a mad man he drove them all out of the Chamber The Bishop of Ely for that injury was excepted against by him At last some help was afforded him whereupon he was forced to confirm solemnly Magna Charta but that money which he had appointed for the holy Warre was quickly wasted partly by gifts partly by banquetting and other frauds invented for his own destruction Also he had upon a vain hope redeemed the Kingdomes of Sicily for his son Edmund paying a great summe of money to the Pope In the interim the Welsh vexed with great injuries fall away from the Prince and to suppresse these and reduce them to obedience he stood in need of a new supply of money which at last by neat devices and inventions he wrung from them In the mean while Richard Earl of Cornwall the Kings brother at the suit of the Princes of Germany is chosen King of the Romans but shortly when he grew insolent with importunate oppressions and revenges he was put out of the place and returned for England a poor Emperour who went out a rich Earl But Henry that he might make up that money which the Pope had wiped him of by a vain boast of the Kingdom of Sicily he asks once more a Subsidy from his Nobles who refusing stifly and the King pressing for it they fall to odds afterwards calling a new Parliament which the Lords had procured for the safety of the Kingdom he was compelled by Oath and his Son also to confirm it At which time it was Enacted that the Kings Brother with the men of Poictiers that remained in England should presently depart the Kingdom But a contagious pestilence arising either naturally or by some venom these strangers scattered when they departed Many of the Nobility died whereupon many were put to death out of bare suspicion some are cast into prison and some are banished Nor did less evils for this afflict the English for they that had the charge of correcting the errors of others did with all cruelty weed up the miserable English that now so many Lords as there were so many Tyrants there were and the servants were grown like their Masters And that they might stirre up the envy of the subjects against the King they cast all the fault upon him which he endeavoured to free himself from by his publick Writ but all in vain when he was compelled in a solemn Parliament to give that power he had given to twenty four chosen men before to the Earls Montfort and of Glocester and to Spencer taking an Oath to confirm it unto them In the mean while Richard King of the Romans being landed in England Henry growing bolder by the return of his Brother though he were poor first demands a discharge of his Oath from the Pope then he opposed himself against the insolency of the Nobility He flies to help from the French King who is chosen Umpire between Henry and his Nobles to end the controversie but when he did nothing they break forth on all sides into open Warre The Count of Leicester drives forth the Earl of Glocester and storms his Castle and laid a great fine upon the Citizens Then he took the Fort at Worcester and afterwards the Isle of Ely and the Castle of Windsor But the King fearing least he should come so farre as London thought it concerned him to make peace with him They agreed at last on these conditions That all the Castles should be delivered up to the Lords and all strangers at a day appointed should forthwith depart the Kingdom only those excepted who had a Licence given them to stay But the King calling a new Parliament he drew some of the Nobility especially his own sonnes to his party to whom John Comminus Bayly Robert Bruse and others from Scotland joyn'd themselves with these being not a little confirmed he denounceth Warre against the Earls of Leicester and Glocester who did not at all excuse themselves who seeing the King daily increase in Forces levying a sudden but farre less Army oppose the King and here fraud supplied the parts of vertue for setting their Banners behinde without Souldiers they made a shew of a greater Army than they had And fortune helped a good cause for the Kings Forces being dispersed the greatest part of them was oppressed and slain the rest saved themselves by flight But the King the Prince and Earl of Cornwall and his Sonne Henry and all the Scotch Nobility fell into the enemies hands There had been an end of the King and his fortune least a contention arising between the Earls of Leicester and Glocester had given cause to a hot contest and afterwards to a sharp Warre where Leicester being too weak yet fell valiantly with wonderfull glory By the same fortune Simon and Guide Montforts the Sonnes of the Earl of Leicester were banished one into Italy the other into France where afterwards they gave their name to most illustrious families Also their Mother a gallant woman being gone a little before into France ended her life in a Nunnery A new contention being risen amongst the Nobles they sound the Trumpet to Battell again also the Welsh who had helped Earl Monifort are remanded to be slain But peace being confirmed on all sides this trouble abated without blood Rest now obtained at home Edward Prince of Wales at the request of the French King goes forth toward the Warre in Palestina but Richard once King of the Romans died in the mean time whom Henry himself followed shortly after whilst he studied to repair the losses he sustained by Warre EDWARD the first King of England Anno 1272. WHen Henry died Edward staied in Palestina being intent about the holy Warre where he underwent a grievous danger having received three wounds from his adversary with a poisoned weapon But he was cured by the wonderfull piety of his wife who with her mouth in time sucked out the venom from the wounds In his way being made more certain of his Fathers death he came at last over-land into his Country and was inaugurated King At the beginning of his Reign he used the Nobility well but he to abate the insolence of the Clergy commanded their wealth to be brought into his Exchequer and he afflicted them by other means and so drew upon him their envy The Welsh whose custom it was on all occasions to make new Commotions now afresh under their Leader Lionel rise up against Edward and rage with wonderfull pride but this tempest soon vanished for Eleoner the Daughter of Simon Monifort
conquering divers Cities and Castles he was forward to retreat To this it fell out that the Yorkshire men raising a great power of the common people and setting upon the Scots were unhappily beaten and killed by them The King removing his siege from Barwick following the Scots that were laden with the prey and the spoil but he was frustrated of his end they having marched another way The next year entring Scotland because the Enemy had wasted all before his coming by reason of hunger and want was compelled to return back again But the Scotch following him and coming suddenly upon him he suffered a great losse and hardly escaped himself and so finding himself too weak for the Enemy he begged a Truce for two years But he was vexed with farre greater troubles than these at home For Gaveston being dead the younger Spencer succeeded in the Kings Grace and Favour who after he had obtained the Government of the Commonwealth in as high a manner as Gaveston had he could not choose but fall under the same malice of the Nobility But the cover of this envy was too unjust that it could be hid by a publick contest some other occasion must be sought for They all with one consent ask of the King that he would keep entire the Conditions formerly granted threatning him with a revolt and so they raise great Forces for War but the Prelates interposing they made Peace on both parts But shortly after a Parliament being called the King complains openly of the wrong they had done him and of Gavestons death But the Nobility say they had committed no sinne in so doing but growing remorse by the admonitions of the Queen and the Earl of Glocester they ask pardon of the King upon their knees They easily obtain'd it which was granted to them under the Kings Broad-Seal Now all the dissention seemed to be laid asleep but as fire raked up in ashes is kindled by any little winde sometimes into a great flame so there needed but a small blast to produce the former troubles The first occasion of defection was given because the wife of the Earl of Leicester with which he had a long time lived quietly was taken from him with the Counties of Lincoln and Salisbury by Richard Sanmartin a very deformed man who said he had conjugal custom with her before which thing she openly confessed when she was demanded concerning it Another occasion was given when at Whitsontide a certain woman riding ridiculously on horsback in fools habit did go into the Court and upbraid the King with his ingratitude toward his faithfull Ministers A third when a certain Knight that had a packet of the Kings was intercepted wherein was written a desire to the King of Scots to cut off the Earl of Lancaster whereupon not a few fell from the King to that Earl A fourth when a certain mad man John Poudras counterfeiting himself to be King Edward and feared not to say that Edward they mistook for their King was falsly supposed to be so which madnesse he paid dearly for by the torture he was put to But the greatest of all was that a certain Baron William Brevisius who had spent the greatest part of his Estate in riot and whoring would needs sell the rest by Port-sale which Humphrey Bobun gaping after asking leave of the King did transact with William for them Also both the Roger Mortimers being ignorant of other Competitours cheapned the Bargain and Spencer had obtained immediate leave from the King to buy them and was preferred before any other It is a wonder what hatred he drew upon himself by this matter Now all the Nobility came together and entred a conspiracy crying out that the Spencers both Father and Sonne were Traitors Corrupters of the King and Plagues to the Commonwealth and at last they fell to their Arms. They come in haste to London with their Army and with leave granted they enter the City and make their complaints to the King which he yeelded to by the Intercession of many Lastly The Spencers were banished but shortly after when the Archbishop of Canterbury contended in a Common-Councel of a London Senate that that banishment was unjust the Spencers are called home again the King being no wayes unwilling to it This drove the Nobility on but another mischief moved the King For the Queen taking her Progresse toward Canterbury whenas she would have diverted towards the Lord of Baldesmire she was dishonourably shut out and was forced to turn away to some other place Of which matter she complained to the King and it made him extream angry who now doth think of nothing but revenge for that injury collecting suddenly a Band of Souldiers he assaulted that Castle which when he had overcome the Governour of it Thomas Culpeper was hanged and Baldesmire with his wife and children was cast into Prison and all his goods Confiscate And the Kings Blood being now hot he proceeded farther and resolved to make Warre upon the Nobles but they finding that his Army increased part returned to their Obedience and part fell to their Arms But their Army being either slipt away or vanquished some were killed in the fight the rest were taken amongst whom was the Earl of Lancaster who was beheaded before his own Castle the rest were either hanged or beheaded that England was never more sorrowfully wet with Noble Blood Now the last and worst mischief of all hanged over his head for the King of France for the Possessions that Edward had in France required Homage from him for them but Edward refusing he enter'd his Provinces with an Army At length Queen Isabella Edwards wife was sent to intreat him not to waste his Countrey she went willingly partly to performe the Kings Commands partly to complain to her Brother For Edward by the Instigation of Spencer was no little estranged from her and had offended her with great contempt Roger Mortimer went with her with whom the Queen held unlawfull Familiarity which when the King understood he sent to the French King some that should desire him to send home the Queen with the Prince her Sonne But she not returning is banished out of all the Kings Dominions and Garisons made to drive her off if she came against the Kings Will. But she flying to the Earl of Hannonia Matrimony being contracted between Prince Edward and the Earls Sonne she procured a good Army from him John the Earls Brother being Generall Setting sail they land about Harwich to whom immediately Henry Earl of Lancaster and other Nobles joyned themselves The King receiving news of it was wonderfully frighted he left London without stay the City being addicted to the Queen and purposing to flie into Lundy Island by a Tempest he was driven into Wales In the mean while the Londoners that they might shew their loves to the Queen cut off the Heads of Gualter Stapleton Treasurer of England most cruelly because he was addicted to the King and some
French King a Maid of eight years old being betrothed to King Richard For Anna his former Wife was deceased The Duke of Glocester by an importune word blaming the Kings negligence fell into his displeasure and fearing some ill issue of it with his Brothers forsook the Court and entring into a Conspiracy with some friends he attempted to change the state of the Kingdom But the King under-feeling it with his Brother the Earl of Huntington took a progress to the Castle of the Duke of Glocester his Fathers Brother when he came there at night he found the Duke rising out of his Bed and presently going to meet him he was taken by the Earl Marshall and carried Prisoner to Callis and there was hanged miserably Also the Earl of Arundel the chief Conspiratour and some principall Noblemen are east into Prison And he afterwards in a Parliament being questioned for his life had his head cut off the rest being condemned either to be banished or to perpetual Imprisonment And thus Richard by the bloud of the Nobility thought to make good his Kingdom The Dukes of Norfolk and Hereford without any other witness appeaching one the other of Treason are admitted to fight a Duell but when they were both ready to fight they were commanded to forbear and so to spare blood they were both sent away to divers places into Banishment Norfolk went first for Germany then to Venice where he died of meer sorrow and grief But Hereford who had sail'd into France and there being instigated by the Counsel of the Archbishop of Canterbury who was banished for the same Conspiracy returned privately home under a pretence of his Patrimony to be redeemed which the King had brought into the Exchequer after his Fathers death against all Right and Equity but indeed that joyning with the Nobility he might order the Kings Insolence He was scarce landed but the Nobility came from all parts to him and he waxed very strong And having now a sufficient Army he took some Cities and beheaded the Kings chiefest Counsellours Richard in the interim was in Ireland and did his best to subdue the Irish When a Messenger came to him of the Commotions in England he was troubled at it yet made no haste according as the danger required At length the Earl of Salisbury was sent into England before him that he might levy what Forces he could the King promising in six dayes to be with him As soon as the Earl set foot in England he raised with ease a mighty Army of Welsh but the King not appearing a rumour was given that he was dead so part of his Forces went one way some another but a few stood to their Colours The King at last so soon as contrary windes would let him came to them But when he found so much of the Countrey to be fallen to Hereford and the Duke of Lancaster also by the death of his Father he quite fainted in his minde and bad all those men that came to help him to go whither they pleased yet they continuing their fidelity he with the Earl of Exeter and some others fled to the Castle of Conve where he found the Earl of Salisbury Here the Duke of Worcester who was Governour of the Kings House breaking his white Staff a sign of his Office and so renouncing his fidelity fell off from the King to the Lords Conspiratours Then the Earl of Northumberland is sent to the King who from that Castle conveyed him to another place saying also that he came to treat with the King for Conditions of Peace which the King did not refuse But in the way the Earl of Rutland coming upon him he is forced to go to Flint-Castle whether shortly after Henry the Duke of Lancaster came who was guilty and friendly received by the King and then he related the cause of his coming which was that he might receive his Rights and Goods The King granted and ratified all so they went to drink together and afterwards mounting on Horsback they ride towards London in a continued voyage in so great haste that the King had no leisure given him to change his cloaths Then was the King put into the Tower the Castle for the Nobility and was diligently watched there And a Parliament was called by the Command of Lancaster though it were falsly given out in the Kings Name wherein Richard was accused of divers crimes Namely That he had wasted the goods of the Kingdom That he had borrowed a vast summe of Money and not yet repay'd it That he had made all the Laws Arbitrary as he pleased That he had changed the Members of Parliament when he would That he had Tyrannically taken Power to himself over the Subjects Estates That he had corrupted the Judges That he had caused his Vncle Earl of Glocester to be barbarously murdered at Callis That he had imprisoned the Members of Parliament That beyond Right and Equity he had put the Earl of Arundel to extream Terture That be had depopulated his own Kingdome That be had pawned the Ornaments of the Kingdome and Kings out of the Kingdom and so forward For which faults they thought fit to deprive him of all his Honours and Title of King But he that he might seem to desire what he would have avoided willingly resigned all his Right to the Kingdom and freely gave it to Henry of Lancaster whom he nominated to succeed him which was ratified and confirmed by the Great Seal Then Richard being brought to Pomfret-Castle was discharged of his Crown Henry having thus got the Kingdome and not enduring any Competitour one day lamenting was heard to cry out Is there any man will free me from that hatefull man And presently one Peter Exton a Knight that he might winne the Kings favour with such a wickednesse went with eight more unto Richard whom he set upon to kill him being at Dinner but Richard rising hastily wresting the Ax out of the hands of one of his Executioners killed four of them and at last by this Peter Exton he was knocked down dead himself by an unhappy blow on the Head which the Parricides lamented when it was too late Thus the unhappiest and most well-favoured of the Kings of England ended his life and Kingdom HENRY the fourth King of England and France Anno 1399. HENRY of Lancaster who was nominated to succeed was crowned King but that he might not be thought to usurp that Kingdom which he had by Election he endeavoured to be established in his own Right vaunting that he was the next Heir being directly descended from Henry the third but that was false and counterfeit for Roger Mortimer Earl of Marsh deriving his Pedigree from the eldest Sonne of Henry the third had a better Title To this he added his Right of Force whereby he made good the Succession he could not have done by Inheritance Be it what it will be he maintain'd it by his Sword He gave good example when his
Right held but weakly for he made it up by good turns granting a General Pardon of all the wrongs had been done unto him but those that were guilty of the death of the Duke of Glocester he brought to a shamefull end abhorring so great wickednesse But after that the Fame of Richard being deposed was divulged in France King Charls was purposed to revenge his Sonne in Laws wrongs and to re-establish him in the Throne But when it was certainly understood that he was dead all that business came to nothing Also those of Aquitan and other places rising about the rumour of the death of their Duke were pacified by Messengers sent to them in time When he had got the Kingdom by troubles it could not be but that he must hold it with troubles also For John Earl of Exceter with John Montacnte Thomas Earl of Kent his Nephew Hugh Spencer and others conspired to invite Henry to Oxford under pretence of Running a Tilt thinking to kill him treacherously at this exercise But the matter was discovered and became void Thee what by fraud they could not do they attempt to do by open Warre carrying about with them a certain counterfeit Richard for he was not yet slain and they labour to restore him as one that was miserably wronged but their Forces running from them either by fear or distrust the Authours of it were taken and cruelly put to death The Welsh also about that time as their custome was make new Commations but the King came opportunely with his Army and easily dispersed them punishing the chief of them Whilst these things were in motion George Dumbar fled into England to the Earl of Northumberland craving assistance against David the Sonne of the King of Scotland for he had Divorced the Daughter of this George that was betrothed to him and had married another Wife not restoring the Dowry of the former Wherefore both of them making a Sally into Scotland fought first on equal terms with the Adversaries but at last they routed them and came back loaded with great spoil In the mean while Thomas Earl of Worcester knowing that the King was taken up with the Commotions in Wales joyning to himself Henry Earl of Stafford his Cousin by his Brothers side with an Army and the Scotch to boot who naturally hated the English beyond measure makes Warre against the King But the King least by delayes the mischief might encrease leaving Wales came in time to oppose them When both Armies were now ready they fell to it fiercely and fought long on equal terms untill such time as the perfidious Welsh came to assist Thomas and began the Battel afresh Yet Henry Father and Sonne gave wonderfull testimony of their invincible Courages running Thomas of Worcester through with a Lance and killing him whereupon they vanquished the Enemy that was now in such fair hopes and glorying of the Victory Henry Piercy the King took Prisoner and causeth his Head to be cut off Anno 1401. Also the Earl of Northumberland who was one of the partakers to save his Life fled to George of Dumbar Earl of Marsh who was now restored to his Estate in Scotland After this Conquest Prince Henry makes an inrode against the perfidious Welsh and easily put an end to a mutinous Warre subduing the Rebels banishing Owen the Ring-leader a very valiant man but seditious who was so brought to great want and ended his life miserably In the mean while the French came to help the Rebel Welsh with thirty Ships their Leader was James Borbon Earl of Marsh they set Sail but by a Tempest were brought upon some other Coast of England and they got into Cornwall upon which occasion they posfessed themselves of Plymouth Haven and coming on Land they ruine all places they meet with fire and Sword But storms suddenly arising twelve of their Ships were drown'd so they began to think how to return back and hastily giving warning to the rest laden with their prey they came again to France But Thomas the Sonne of King Henry with his Navy brought together depopulated the Frontiers of France and taking many Merchants-men sufficiently requited this Injury But the Kings of France and England being full of troubles at home and so thinking lesse of revenge made a Truce for some Moneths The King untill that time being a Batchelour took to Wife Joan that was formerly married to Duke Montfort and espoused her Daughter Blanch to the Sonne of the Duke of Bavaria At that time William Plunton a valiant warlike Knight conspired against the King with the Friends of Mowbray who as we said lived banished at Venice To these the men of Northumberland and lastly the Scotch united themselves The King being certain of this matter comes presently with an Army and easily defeated them Plunton and some of his Followers with Richard Scroop Archbishop of York who was said to have had a finger in this Rebellion was taken prisoner Plunton by the generall vote lost his Head for his insolence and afterwards the rest were put to death being convicted of this wickedness The King to extinguish Rebellion quite sent his Sonne Henry Prince of Wales against the Scots who were coming on to assist Plunton but they when they had heard that the Conspiracy was detected and the Authours of it executed were not come from their places But Henry that he might not lose his labour enters Scotland and wastes it miserably with fire and Sword and struck a wonderfull terrour upon the Scots so loading himself with the spoil and booty he returns back to his Father to London who was vexed to the purpose with new Commotions daily rising one out of another upon every occasion And now again some body had rais'd a Rumour amongst the People that Richard was yet alive whereupon the common people that alwayes gape after novelties being moved had made dangerous troubles if their faction had not been wisely and timely suppressed Also the Earl of Northumberland making a Covenant with George Earl of Marsh and raising some thousands of Scotch and English he enter'd the Borders of England and prey 's in an hostile manner on the Territories of Yorkshire The King went against them and overthrew all their Forces routing them in a tumultuary battel Some of the principal who fell into the Kings power were brought to York and executed there In the mean while Edmund Earl of Kent to suppress the French Pirats was set to Sea with a gallant Navy but not lighting upon the Pirats being hot with desire to fight he sought for them in the very Haven at the Temple of Brioâ— and when he could not fight at Sea he entred the City by Land but the Earl himself was killed by an unhappy blow with a stone yet his souldiers took the Town rifled it and burnt it and killing most of the inhabitants they returned again for England Also the English at the same time the Earl of Arundel being in chief did do their
business prosperously for the Duke of Burgundy and being highly rewarded they went back for their Country the Warre being as then not ended between the Burgundian and the Duke of Orleans But he knowing that the hearts of the English were therefore set against him requesting their assistance obtained it from King Henry but when there was a scattered report that they were both agreed the auxilliary English staying by the Loyre expected their wages which when they could not obtain they being incensed plundered a Town that was hard by called Bellilocum and the Monastery and after that being called away by the Duke of Clarence they march toward Gasconye for the Duke of Orleans and plunden all as they go along and when the Duke of Orleans had paid them their wages they were pacified and returned for England But Henry now for a good while having ended his Civil Warre and intending an expedition for Palestina preparing a Fleet for that purpose died very suddenly at Westminster when he had reigned about 14 years About the time of his death James Stuart the eldest Sonne of Robert for David was dead whilst he was taking a voyage into France was taken by the English and was brought to London being exceedingly entertained by the King but his Father supposing his Sonne was now lost died for meer grief and sorrow shortly after whom his Brother Robert succeeded in the Throne HENRY the fifth King of England and France Anno 1413. THis King was inaugurated with a wonderfull applause and desire of the Lords and Commons and he not willing to disappoint his subjects of the hope they conceived of him gave presently a sign of his excellent Government sending away from him those ministers of lascivious youth amongst whom he had been formerly bred and least by sluggishness his valiant heart should languish he sets his whole care how to recover his right in France having narrowly looked into it First he sent Heraulds and demanded his Kingdom from King Charles promising to Marry his Daughter and threatning also that if Charles would not do it he would come with an Army and take his Patrimony by force Charles laughed at his Embassadours whereby he so enraged the minde of Henry that he presently mustering a mighty Army with about 1200 Ships he sails into France first he besieged Harflet and in a few daies compelled it to yield Then passing to Somma at the Temple of Maxentius the enemy met him wherefore he pitched his Tents But when he saw the enemy not very greedy to fight he skirmished lightly and so passed on to Callis The French man in the mean time when it came into his minde sent Heraulds to Henry to challenge him to fight who was not unwilling to accept it he dismissed them with rewards and passing over a River presently news came that the enemy was at hand wherefore he hastily makes himself ready for the Battell though he were farre inferiour in forces they presently fall on but Henry joyning industry to his vertue giving such a violent charge that after a terrible fight on both sides he put the French at last to their heels He himself being in the midst of the enemies forces dismounted the Duke of Alenson who was presently slain by the English souldiers they had so many prisoners that they farre exceeded the Conquerours wherefore he commanded to kill them all least they should rise against them that had subdued them There was a wonderfull multitude of Dukes Earls and Lords that were destroyed and not above 600 of the English wanting amongst which one was the Duke of York This Battell was fought at Dagincourt which gave a good omen to great Victories afterwards Henry by this Victory cast such a terrour on the French that Lewis the Dolphin taking grief of minde died shortly after Such was the constancy of Henries heart that he forbad his souldiers on pain of death to sing any scurrilous songs in derogation of the French but rather to sing Psalmes and Hymns to the glory of God In that time Sigismund the Emperour came to England to treat of Peace between the French and the English nor was Henry slow in the business but when the French in the interim besieged Harflet he was so angry that no man afterwards durst mention peace and presently sending the Duke of Bedford to raife the siege with the Earl of Marsh Oxford and other Earls and 200 Ships he fought a bloody Battell at Sea at Harflet Haven with Borbon the French Admiral wherein the English wan the day sinking 500 Ships of the French and so freed the Town But Caesar finding the perfidiousness of the French did not only forbear ever after to make mention of any peace but made a firm League with the English against all opposers and so returned back into Germany The French in the mean time not to be idle hired some great Ships of Genoa and besieging the Haven of Harflet endeavoured to hinder all relief from the Town But the Earl of Huntington coming suddenly upon them after a fierce fight dispersed them and vanquished the rest He took the Duke of Borbon a Bastard and so returned Conquerour for England Then the King with his chief Nobility sailed into Normandy and Conquered the Fort Tucha whilst the Earl of Salisbury wan Albervill which place the King gave freely to him and his heirs After that he wan Caen which City when the Towns men defended with great obstinacy he made mines secretly through which the most forward of the souldiery entred the City the Duke of Clarence leading them on and setting on the Guard put them all to flight and so the whole Army found entrance some of the principall for their perversness were put to death and the plunder of the City was given to the Souldiers The Governour had not yet yielded the Fort but when the King sware he would spare none if they continued resolute at last he gave it up The French in the mean while being in Civil broils all things went with the English as they pleased He sent the Duke of Clarence to besiege the Town of Bayon which he quickly wan whilst he staid at Caen he restored to the people of Lyons a mighty mass of Treasure that was found in the Castle which the frighted people had brought thither upon condition that they should be constant in their obedience for the future This was a pattern of his wonderfull piety Then he removed to Corfen and in three daies won the Town Then he subdued Argentanians after that Alencon then Falesia and so returned Victor to Caen. He had almost the like success at Sea vanquishing many Ships of the enemy but his own Fleet was tossed long in a tempest whilst he strove to sail to South-hampton yet he lost but two Ships In the mean while the Earl of Warwick and Talbot conquer the Castle of Dumfrise and Clarentius mastered Curton and many other Towns Then the King laies siege to Roan and at last
by famine he forced the obstinate Citizens to submit which Town being the chief was an example for the rest to follow so that shortly he wan all Normandy which was lost by the carelesness of his Predecessors The Duke of Burgundy finding all the English desired to succeed thought it concerned him to procure peace between both Kings and at last he obtained a meeting between Henry and the French Queen for the King was fallen into his usuall doting yet there was nothing enacted The Queen had brought her most beautifull Daughter Katharine that she might ensnare the Kings minde with her allurements nor was it in vain for Henry when he saw her was wonderfully taken with her and when they departed doing nothing the King laid a charge on the Duke of Burgundy that unless all he asked together with the Kings Daughter were granted him he would by force take from the Duke his Dukedom and from the King his Kingdom They were so frighted with these threats that they fell to a new Parly But the Dolphin by reason of this newly conceived hatred and burning with former envy commanded the Duke of Burgundy to be killed basely not long after though he begged his life from him on his knees and so the slaughter of the Duke of Orleance committed before by Burgundy was expiated Nor is peace yet concluded untill the French were forced to it by a further loss A meeting was appointed at Trecas and there was Katherine betrothed to Henry and the right of succession was confirmed to him after the death of Charles whereupon all the Nobility of France swear to be Loyall to him and so the Salique Law in France was broken The Dolphin who had not consented to these conditions is made Warre against by the Kings of France and England and divers Towns that took part with him are conquered and when as he came not upon his citation to appear at Paris before the Marble Table as they call it upon the day appointed he was banished Henry also using his Authority commanded Money to be coyned with the Arms of France and England which he called the Soveraign Then leaving the Duke of Clarence Governour of France and Normandy he returned for England But Clarence making an expedition against Aniou and spoyling them as he came back laden with the prey he was betraied in his passage by one Andrew Fogosus and though he fought valiantly yet was he slain by the Duke of Alenson with the chief Nobility and 2000 English men The Earls of Sommerset and of Suffolk and other Lords were taken prisoners The King to revenge his Brothers death lands in France with a mighty Army and freed Chartres from a siege of the Dolphin for when he heard of the Kings approach he retreated to Towrs whilst the Scotch King with the Duke of Glocester conquer Drocas Henry pursues the Dolphin from place to place yet could not overtake him though he took all Towns in his way so that he joyned in a short time all the Island of France to the rest In the interim the Queen was delivered of a Sonne at Windsor who was Christned Henry of whom King Henry spake as a Prophet Good God saith he I Henry of Monmouth shall have but a short Reign and shall prevail much but Henry of Windsor shall Reign long and shall lose all but the will of God be done About that time the Dolphin had besieged those of Narbon Henry marches quickly thither to free them and making too much haste he took a Feaver by over-heating himself wherefore he was forced to stay but the Duke of Bedford was dispatcht who not only freed them of Narbon but also drove the Dolphin towards Aquitan who from thence in mockery was called King of Aquitan But a flux of the belly coming upon Henries disease which increased every day he was carried to Boy de Vincennois where within a few daies he died Christianly Anno 1421. first giving to his Brother the Duke of Bedford the Title of Regent of Normandy and France and his other Brother the Duke of Glocester he made Governour of England He was not yet over 36 years old and so he died in the top and flower of his age and honour having reigned nine years and five moneths The most famous Conquerour of all the Kings and best beloved of his subjects that he was so lamented of them which is not usuall that they could not forbear to weep for him The Doctrine of Wytcliff was eminent in this Kings reign for which John Huss and Hierom of Prague were at Casars command afterwards burnt alive HENRY the sixth King of England and of France Anno 1422. HEnry of Windsor the sole Heir of Henry the fifth obtained the Kingdom after his Fathers death being nine moneths old who when he came to years was not like to his Father either for Vertue or Fortune He was proclaimed King at Paris by the Authority of the Duke of Bedford all the Lords of the Kingdom swearing fidelity to him But King Charles the sixth dying a little after Henry his Sonne Charlis the seventh hoped to regain by Valour and Industry what the French had lost by cowardise First he wan the Pont Malanus which City by Montacute his vertue was again won from him Then they fought with a doubtfull success at Crepan where about 2000 French were slain amongst whom were many Nobles and the Town was taken But Charles overcame many of the English driving a great Herd of Cattell toward Normandy and took the prey from them and freed the Temple of St Michel from a siege Then the chance of Warre being altered he is again put to the worst at Vernols But the fidelity of the men of Orleans was notable who levelling their Suburbs with the ground held play with the Earl of Salisbury a most valiant Commander who had beleaguerd them and when they were almost famished and were ready to yield themselves to the Duke of Burgundy Salisbury disdaining the honour should be taken from him refused the conditions but he whilst he was not wary enough in viewing the sciâ—uation of the City was slain with a bullet from the Walls In the interim the Duke of Glocester did not a little stain his Honour marrying Jacoba the Countess of Holland which had formerly married to John Duke of Brabant but she being surprized by craft was brought back to her Husband but again disguising her self in mans apparell she escaped into Holland and there she waged Warre against her Husband and when she was too weak for him and the Pope would not grant her a Divorce the Duke of Glocester rejected her and she afterwards married to Francus Borsely a Dutch Knight but he being cast into prison by the Duke of Burgundy she afterwards led a miserable life In the mean time the English were often fortunate in Battell against the French and recovered divers Towns but those of Orleans having help as it were from God brought to them did not
York when his Adversary was dead commands his Followers to abstain from fighting and goes with the King to London Then a Parliament was called and he is freed from all fault and made Protector of the King and Kingdome The Earl of Sarisbury was made Chancellour and Warwick Governour of Callis For procuring which places every one was very watchfull But the Queen not enduring the Authority of York she never left urging Buckingham with the Death of his Son and young Sommerset with the Death of his Father and when she had sufficiently incensed them she goes to Greenwich and there she holds a Councel commanding York and his Confederates to renounce their Places But they refused to do it Then with subtilty mingled with flattery she intercepts them and did all the mischief she could but all in vain yet they least they might give cause of greater troubles retire themselves some to one place some to another But sending Messengers one to another they came all to London with their Forces provided and by the Mediation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and others there was an Act of Oblivion granted for all that had been done and Peace was concluded on both sides and all is confirmed with a solemn Shew of Religion Yet they held not long for occasion being taken from a quarrel that happened between one of the Kings and of the Earl of Warwicks Servants they endeavoured to lay hold on Warwick but he fore-seeing the danger with Post-horse makes haste to York to the Duke and to his Father Earl of Sarisbury whom he acquainted with the business but he going on board the Navy that was ready by the shoar for he was Admiral of the Sea made haste to Callis In the mean time Sarisbbury goes to the King with 5000 souldiers that he might acquaint him with the injury done to his Sonne and of the inveterate hatred of the Queen which was now apparent But Audley who at the command of the Queen and of the Duke of Buckingham had raised an Army of 10000 men went against him and was beaten 2400 were slain the rest fled to save themselves York supposing it was in vain to dally any longer raising an Army with the Earls of Sarisbury and of Warwick he provides for Warre but a Treaty being had between both sides and a pardon granted by the King for all faults many forsook the Dukes and all the Counsels of the Conspirators were detected with which York was brought to desparation and fled with his younger Sonne Earl of Rutland first into Wales then into Ireland When the private souldiers had procured pardon the Earls of Marsh Sarisbury and Warwick took their voyage for Callis but some of the principall were put to death and a Parliament being called they were all convinced and condemned for Treason Also Sommerset at the Queens intercession was made Governour of Callis but when he thought to enter upon his Government he was shot at from the Town and was forced to betake himself to some other place The Queen hearing this began to rage and commanded all the Ships that were in Sandwich-Haven to be fitted for Callis But John Dynham for the Earl of Marsh his sake took them all and with Riverius their Admiral brought them to Callis The Earl of Warwick also sail'd into Ireland to York and consulting with him returned safe for Callis Simon Montfort was Warden of the Cinque-ports and guarded all the Inrodes that Warwick might not come into England but he being admonished of it by the Spies he had fastning upon his Navy not yet ready he plundered Sandwich and brought Simon with a great booty to Callis And when he understood that the Kentish men desired his presence he came the second time to Sandwich where the Lord Cobham with a great multitude of the Nobility joyned with him Wherefore being appointed with an Army of 25000 Men be marched presently to London and possessed himself of the Tower whereby he afterwards did the Londoners a great deal of mischief But hearing that his Father the Earl of Sarisbury was coming on he passed over the Thames and joyned with him The King with the Dukes of Buckingham and Sommerset and a well appointed Army marches against them at Northampton he came in sight of the Enemy The Battel began on both sides and they fought vehemently Humphrey Duke of Buckingham with John Talbot the Earl of Shrewsbury Thomas Lord Egremont John Bellomont and others were slain and on one and the other side ten thousand men This was in the year 1460. The Queen escaped with the Duke of Sommerset and his Sonne but the King more mindfull of his prayers than of the Battel was taken and brought prisoner to London Warwick presently got possession of the Tower and Scales the Lieutenant whilest he thought to get away crossing the Thames in a disguise was discovered taken and beheaded The Duke of York receiving Message of this Success leaving Ireland came Post for London where at a solemn meeting he layes open his Right to the Crown of England deriving his Pedigree from Lyonel the third Son of Edward the third the elder brother of John of Gaunt the Father of Henry the fourth the Usurper But he desired not the Kingdom unless his Right were made clear to all men Wherefore a Councel being held the Title of a King is granted to King Henry so long as he lived and York is named to succeed him The Queen all this while mustering an Army in Scotland invades England daily York with his younger Sonne of Rutland and with the Earl of Sarisbury went against her leaving for a Guard to King Henry the Earls of Warwick and Norfolk but he being circumvented by treachery was slain and 3000 of his Souldiers with him nor did she spare the Earl of Rutland a childe of twelve years old though he begged for his life with tears Sarisbury who was taken alive and as many as were taken with him were by the fury of a Woman all beheaded This was the end of Richard Plantaganet Duke of York The Earl of Marsh hearing of his Fathers death managed his business with more vehemency now than before raising an Army of 23000 Men he overcame the Earls of Pembroke and Ormont alive he took Owen Tewdor alive who had married Katharine Mother to Henry the sixth and chopped off his Head But the Queen insulting at the death of the Duke of York marched toward London with her Forces and was met by the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Warwick who durst have given her Battel but by the treachery of their followers that forsook them they were forced to flie for to save themselves King Henry by that Victory came again into the Queens Power But in the mean time Edward Earl of Marsh by the general Vote of all Orders was crowned King according as it was enacted in Parliament and gathering a great Army at Tanton he met the King and the Queen and joyning Battel with them he
overcame their Forces the most valiant fell in the fight the rest fled to save their lives The King and Queen escaped into Scotland leaving the Kingdom to Edward the fourth of that Name EDWARD the fourth King of England and France Anno 1461. EDWARD having got the Crown at last could not peaceably enjoy it For Henry that had fled into Scotland by the assistance of the Scots makes a new Warre upon him Edward meets him with equal Forces and fought him at Exham putting Henry and his Souldiers to their heels thirty thousand men were slain on both sides Edward giving the Command to spare none The Duke of Sommerset who formerly had fallen from Henry to Edward despairing of the success presently changed his minde at the report of so great an Army and revolted to Henry was taken and beheaded Henry again retires for Scotland waiting for another opportunity for his busines But afterwards returning for England in a disguise he was taken by the English and delivered up to Edward and by him that the state of the Kingdom might be the more quiet he was cast into prison In the mean time Edward took care of his houshold affairs and he married his Sister Margaret to Philip Duke of Burgundies Sonne Charles the Earl of Warwick being not a little mad at it who hated Burgundy worse than the plague whence and from other causes a grievous quarrel rose between them For Warwick hating the King drew to his faction his Brothers the Archbishop of York and the Marquess Montacute by a set speech and after that George Duke of Clarence the Kings Brother marrying his Sister to him and with the Duke he takes his voyage toward Callis for he was yet Governour of the City giving order to his Brothers in his absence to raise Tumults in Yorkshire They carefully observed what they had in charge and quickly causing a Tumult the common people as it usually happens in a blinde rage though they be raised against the innocent march to London armed that there they might seek for remedy of mischiefs they knew not what Edward hearing of this sedition sends William Herbert Earl of Pembroke hoping to subdue the people who was no sooner come but they put him to flight In the mean while Warwick upon this rumour with the Duke of Clarence arrived in England from Callis and so with joynt Forces they provide for another Battel Edward no way dismayed with the first loss sends Pembroke again with a new Army to fight them But when they fought his Army was beaten and he was taken prisoner and he was beheaded at Warwick with the other Nobility that fell into their hands Then there was a Treaty of Peace and Messengers being sent on both parts the King being animated with hopes of Agreement dealt the more securely which Warwick was not ignorant of and therefore falling upon the Kings Tents at night killing the Guard he takes the King prisoner who never dreamt of it and sends him first to Warwick then into Yorkshire to Middleham Castle to be secured But the King flattering the Keepers and bribing them with money by their connivance shortly came to York where the Citizens received him lovingly and so raising an Army by the assistance of Hastings he came safe to London Then there began a Treaty at London for Peace whither Warwick and the Duke of Clarence were come but this had no effect For they being stomackfull and very furious the matter could not come so farre as Peace wherefore all being left undone they depart and Warwick musters new Forces of which he makes Robert Wells sonne to Richard Commander in Chief But the King when he found he must engage again in Battel besides his expectation sent for Roberts Father Richard and his Kinsman Thomas Dimoke Knight to come to him who came upon the Kings promise of free Conduct The King commanded them to call off Robert from taking Arms and mustering Forces suddenly he goes against them with Thomas and Richard and when they were come to the Enemy and found that Robert would not hearken to his Fathers admonitions but held up his Arms still he contrary to his promise a most wicked example causeth both the Father and Kinsman to lose their Heads They fell to fighting and Roberts Forces were discomfited he himself was taken alive and immediately was beheaded Warwick at the news hereof with the Duke not knowing what course to steerâ— presently sailed into France to King Lewis who entertained him magnificently Queen Margaret Wife to Henry came also presently with Prince Edward who took counsel together and made a Covenant between the King the Earl and the Queen Edward in vain dehorting from it and Warwicks Daughter was betrothed to Edward and promise made on both sides that they would never cease untill the Kingdom should be restored either to Henry or to Edward his Sonne A mighty Army is raised and a vast Fleet rode at Anchor in the mouth of the Sienna Warwick invited by Letters from his friends with part of his Army and a Navy prepared with the Earls of Oxford and Pembroke came safe to Dartmouth The Queen who was not yet ready was to follow when she heard good news though the Duke of Burgundy observed his motion So soon as he was landed and it was published that he was arrived 't is wonderfull what multitudes of people ran to him with which being fortified he presently moves toward London But Edward not expecting an Enemy and leaving the care of raising Forces till another time with his Brother Richard Duke of Glocester took shipping at Lyn a Sea Town and sailed into Flanders to Charles of Burgundy to his own great disadvantage Queen Elizaboth being near to her travell fled to Westminster and made that her Asylum where she was deliverd of her Sonne Edward Warwick in the interim without any opposition came to London and marching to the Tower set King Henry at liberty and clothing him in his Kingly Ornaments attending him through the midst of London to St Pauls Church after thanks given to God he sets him in his Throne Then a Parliament was called and all King Henry had Enacted was ratified and the Acts of King Edward were maid void Edward with his followers was banished as an enemy of the Kingdom Edward in the mean time nothing dismay'd at this change raising an Army by the help of Charles of 12000 Men and with 18 Ships landed in Yorkshire His Army was so small that he durst attempt nothing only sent to perswade the people there but all in vain for they either by fear or for respect to Warwick would not falsifie their promise but when he gave out that he was come not for the Kingdom but to recover his Patrimony the Dukedom of York many running to him he grew somewhat stronger and so goes to York But the Towns men being warned by Letters from Warwick would not let Edward come in He spake fairly to the Citizens and desired
had bred him to sufficiently in her Palace he gives him in Marriage Katharine the Daughter of the Earl of Huntley and sent him toward the Borders of England with a great Army to do what he could in hopes to attain some of the Subjects to him either by fear or affection but all proved in vain Henry being wonderfully offended by reason of the Scots invasion musters an Army and marches against the Scots under the Command of Danby but he was called back again to suppress a Rebellion that rose in Cornwall by reason of Tribute to be paid The Cornish the Lord Lieutenant Audley being their Leader march for London but when they came thither they were vanquished and scattered by the Royalists two thousand of them being slain and many taken the greatest part of them were pardon'd except the Ring-leaders for Audley was ignominiously drawn to Execution and lost his head and others that put the people forward as Thomas Flammok Michael Sonne to Joseph a Blacksmith were hanged up The Scot takes occasion hereby during these Tumults to go forward on his enterprise and spoils the Frontiers of England again and then besieged the Castle of Durrham but the Earl of Surrey collecting an Army of 20000 Men and with a great Navy not only raised the siege but pursued the Enemies into Scotland ruin'd many of their Forts and Castles and when they would not stand to fight with him he returned to Barwick By the Mediation of the King of Spain truce was made between England and Scotland for some years but on this condition that Perkin Warbech must leave Scotland He when he was gone from thence hearing that new Tumults were up in Cornwall came thither with a few Souldiers out of Ireland whether he had transported himself and his Family and what by fair words what by pretences he drew some of the Inhabitants to his side and so mustering about three thousand Souldiers he beleaguer'd Exceter but when he heard of the Kings March he forsook his Army and fled to the Altar The King in the mean time being now certain of his flight caused diligent search to be made for him his Wife Katharine a very beautifull woman and of a most noble Family was taken and delivered up to the King who by reason of her Beauty and Descent assigned to her a yearly Revenue Then Henry punished the Rebels but he laid only a small Penance on them and so set them at liberty Peter when he had long staid in Sanctuary and found no place of safety at last yeelded up himself voluntarily and was sent Prisoner to the Tower In the interim Sebastian Gabat a Citizen of Genoa but born at Bristow procuring from Henry one or two Ships sailed to new Countreys in the West and after two years returned again into England Peter who we said was cast into Prison made his escape shortly after and went to Richmond he was taken again and made a publick shame and once more imprisoned in the Tower but when he began a new Conspiracy with the Earl of Warwick whose name Lambert had taken and with some other familiar Friends of the Lieutenant of the Tower he was drawn to Execution and was hanged together with two of the Lieutenants Servants Also Warwick that he might give no more cause for new troubles was beheaded after a short time This was the eldest Sonne of the Duke of Clarence and the last male off-spring of the Family of the Plautaganets who was put in prison from his very childehood a thing beyond the knowledge and memory of man Hence arose a new sedition and of the same kinde For Patrick an Augustin Frier counterfeiting a new Earl of Warwick of one of his Scholars stirred up the people to Rebellion in his Pulpit but he and his Scholar were taken The young man was hanged Patrick was cast into perpetual imprisonment such was the reverence they gave at that time to holy Orders that they would never put to death any of them though they were guilty of high Treason Marriages were made about this time between Katharin the King of Spains Daughter and Arthur Prince of Wales and between Henries Daughter and James King of Scotland From this last Marriage proceeded at length Mary Stuart Mother to King James who was Father to Charles and the Kingdoms were united Arthur five moneths after his Marriage died in Wales But Henry that he might not be defrauded of the Dowry and Friendship of the King of Spain married Katharin by the Popes Indulgence to Henry his second Sonne who was unwilling to it Edmund Pool Earl of Suffolk Sonne to Elizabeth Sister to Edward the fourth being offended with the King at that time for some private injury conspired against him in Flanders The matter being discovered and the Conspiratours taken he only escaped to Philip Arch duke of Austria But Philip by the death of Ferdinand King of Spain having got the Kingdom in the name of his Wife Joan who was the Kings Daughter Sister to Katharine which as was said was married to Arthur Prince of Wales took his journey thither and by a contrary Tempest was brought into England King Henry went to meet him with all honour and obtained from him the Earl of Suffolk upon the Condition that no violence should be offered to his Life Henry cast him into Prison and spared his Life but after he lost his Head in the Raign of Henry the eighth Henry being now in the height of his glory had procured his Subjects fidelity and respect from his Neighbours He was very happy had he not about the end of his Raign and Life been so greedy after the goods and wealth of his Subjects He was long sick of the Gout and afterwards he fell into an Asthma also in the 52 year of his Life and the 23 year of his Raign he died in the year 1508. HENRY the eighth King of England France and Ireland Anno 1508. HENRY the Eighth having got the Kingdom at the beginning he behaved himself with great Obedience Prudence and Justice Marrying Katharine his Brothers Wife which his Father had betrothed He chose the wisest Counsellours and he executed the cursed Ministers of his Fathers exaction He spent then the first year of his Raign in Tilting and other Recreations But at the request of the King of Spain the Queens Father an expedition was undertaken into Spain against the Moors but before the English came there was a Peace made with the Moors and so it was but lost labour and nothing being done only the Captain receiving honours from the King returned again for England Edward Poining a Knight was sent with 1500 Bowmen to Charls Prince of Spain to assist him against the Duke of Gelderland he succeeded prosperously and loaded with rewards he came back again In the mean time a Scotch pirate one Barton who was wonderfull bold and valiant did great mischief about the Coasts of England the Admiral of the Sea was sent out after him after
a doubtfull and a notable fight he was conquered and slain but his followers were pardoned A great Example of the Kings Mercy In the mean time Warre grew between the French King and the Pope Henry admonished the French man to desist and when he could not prevail with him he proclaimed Warre against him and made a Confederacy with Maximilian the Emperour and with Ferdinand King of Spain The Spaniard had intreated Henry to send an Army into Biscay and joyning his Forces with his that he should make the French work from that part Whereupon presently Thomas Gray Marquess of Dorset is sent thither with other Nobility and 10000 Souldiers he when he came thither did not long wait for the Spaniards assistance For the Duke of Alba took in the mean time by Force the Kingdom of Navarre from the French endeavouring the profit of his own King But the English that they might not seem to do nothing in Guyan subduing some Towns that were not considerable fell into that necessity of provision the Spaniard affording them none that many of them died miserably for hunger contracting also diseases by such unusual diet and the rest break forth into open Rebellion The Lord Howard who had the disposing of all affairs whilst the Marquess was sick hardly escaped from being slain Wherefore he was forced to provide Ships and to bring these sactious people home again Edward Howard Admiral at Sea did wonderfully depopulate Britanny by fire and sword and vanquished the Forces of the Britans in Battel though they farre exceeded those he had and so with his Ships laden with the spoil he sailed towards the Isle of Wight whilst Henry at London recreated himself with Tiltings and other courtly delights In the mean time in France in the Brittish Sea there was almost an equal fight for loss between the English and the French Ships and the Victory was doubtfull After this the English set upon the French Ships very indiscreetly in the very Haven with a great losse to themselves and their Admiral whereby they were forced to sound a retreat and be gone Whereupon the French began to wax more insolent to do mischief on the Coasts of England and to burn some Cities untill by the vigilancy of Howard who was put into the others place they were kept in Henry was resolved to make a Warre indeed with France and sent George Talbot before with the principal Nobility and 8000 Souldiers only to Callis then he sent Charles Sommerset and other Lords with 6000 Souldiers he himself being to come after them When the Admirals met they fell upon Tarvenne with joynt Forces Henry shortly after came to them with 9000 Souldiers and with a great number of Pioneers Also Maximilian the Emperour which was a rare example took Pay under King Henry Yet though he served under the English he was received as an Emperour should be and for the honour of his Majesty Then the French Horse purposing to relieve the City with provision were repulsed by the English the Duke of Longovil being taken and 240 more whereupon a wonderfull fear and despair fell upon the Townsmen so the English pressing them sore they were forced to surrender The Souldiers had leave to depart with their Arms the Wals were laid level with the ground the City excepting the chief Church and the Palace were consumed with fire Then he marched to Tourney and beleaguer'd the City they refusing to yeeld he quickly became Master of it causing the Citizens to take an Oath of fidelity And when he provoked the French to fight and could not make them accept of it because the Winter was now hard by he made Poyning Governour of it and returned himself for England In the mean while the Scotch at the instigation of the French fell upon the English Frontiers Their General was the Lord Humes who with seven or eight thousand men wasted the Borders But Edward Bulmer suddenly came upon him and took all the booty from him he himself hardly escaped six hundred of his men being slain and four hundred taken But James with an Army of sixty thousand men entred the skirts of England who was met by the Earl of Surrey Henry his Deputy in those parts at Bramston with six and twenty thousand men and joyning Battle the English wan the day by their great valour and the Scots lost it by their great confidence James himself with two Earls three Bishops and eight thousand Souldiers was slain no fewer was taken nor was this Victory wan by the English without losse of bloud it was fought in the year 1513. Henry coming out of France made the Earl of Surrey because he had so well managed his business Duke of Norfolk and other Lords who had done good service received Honours as they deserved He gave also to Thomas Wolsey the Bishoprick of Lincoln This man to be often named by us came from a poor parentage to great Honour and at last was made a Cardinal and governed the Commonwealth of England very wisely Pope Julius the second at this time gave to Hâ—â—ry great Honour sending unto him a Cap of Maintenance a Sword and the Title Of the most Christian King which Grace Henry received with Tiltings and other pompous Shews wherein he himself did alwayes bear the principal part In the interim Mary the Kings Sister was espoused to the Prince of Spain but because the Embassadours of Spain made delayes she was betrothed to the French desiring it and having had their fill of Warre But before the matter was published John the Admiral of the French first ruined one Village in England and John Wallop in revenge of this injury burnt one and twenty in France But at last a League was made and they ceased from Warre The French man lived not above three moneths after his Marriage and the lascivious old man being dead Mary by Henries consent was married to the Duke of Suffolk Wolsey about this time was honoured with a Cardinals-Cap and is created by the King Chancellour of England And Cardinal Campeius was sent to Henry to desire assistance to make Warre against the Turk but he lost his labour for that cheat of raising money was grown stale But Matthias the Cardinal being sent by the Emperour Maximilian for the same purpose prevailed at the request of Wolsey At that time Henry was in great danger of his life For as he went a Hawking the Pole broke that he leaped over the Ditches withall and he was almost smoothered in mire and dirt but his Lâ—ckey drew him out in time and saved his life In the mean while a Sedition grew at London between the Citizens and strangers not without blood-shed which was qualified by the death of the Ring-leaders and pardon to the rest Tourney at this time upon Conditions and under colour of Matrimony between the Dolphin and Mary King Henries Daughter is delivered up to the French and Hostages being given a League is confirmed between them Maximilian being dead
the Empire descended to Charles King of Castile the fifth of that Name Henry in the mean while was idle for lack of Warre spending his time in Tiltings Dancings Pleasures and other Courtly Delights Then that Peace might not be without its Glory a solemn Meeting was appointed between the two Kings of England and France For that purpose a magnificent Palace of Wood was built in France At last they met in wonderfull start they applied themselves to Turnâ—ments running at the Ring and other such Recreations and an Agreement was renewed between the Emperour and the Kings of England and France Wolsey in the interim did what he pleased he found no hinderance in his attempts whatsoever He charged the Duke of Buckingham of high Treason whether it were to or out of envy is uncertain but the Duke lost his Head for it A new cause is given for a Warre between the Emperour and the King of France wherefore Wolsey is sent Umpire between both who did not behave himself so prudently as loftily whereby he incurred the French Kings displeasure Hugh of Moncada besieged Tourney and though the French did his best to relieve it yet he became Master of it Henry in the mean while because he had written a Book against Luther had the Title given him to be Defender of the Faith which hath passed to all his Successours At that time cause was given of a Warre between the French and the Scotch King by occasion of the Duke of Albany and by reason the French had not paid the Money which he promised to Mary Henries Sister so the Covenant being broken they fell to Warre William the sonne of William a Knight the Admiral-Lieutenant with eight and twenty Ships spoiled the Coasts of Scotland burnt their shipping and so returned home Charles the Emperour in the mean time came to London where he was received in great State and Honour and with a solemn Ceremony was graced with the Order of the Garter Then under pretence of conducting the Emperour into Spain by shipping the Earl of Surrey the Kings Admiral sets upon Brittany and conquers Morleys who also was again sent into France with a great Army and he ruined many Towns and Castles and consumed them by fire but he attempted the Fort Heding in vain having left his great Guâ—s at home and so could make no Battery but having behaved himself honourably he retreated to Callis Also the Marquess of Dorset destroyed by fire and Sword an innumerable company of Villages and Forts in Scotland but could not come to joyn Battle with them Sands sallied out of Callis and skirmishing with the Enemy after he had ruined many of their Castles he came back to the City When therefore King Henry understood that the Duke of Albany who commanded all in Scotland had a choice Army in France he sent William Sonne to William with a Navy that he should set upon him in his coming back again but when he had scouted up and down at Sea in vain he at last set his men on Land and with a handfull of his he overthrew a great Army of the French and obtained thereby both the Victory and the Prey and burning the Suburbs of Triport he returned for England Henry now thinks seriously again of a Warre with France and sends Suffolk and many principal Nobility with a great Army into France who at first assault overcame Bell-Castle and made William Scevington the Governour of the Garison In the mean time the Duke of Burbon Constable of France revolted to the English King with ten thousand French who being strengthned by these new Forces enter upon Picardy and conquers many Towns and Castles but Winter coming on and scarcity of provision and the Souldiers murmuring not waiting for the supply that Henry sent he was necessitated to retreat to Callis yet he had done a great mischief to the Enemy The Scotch in the mean while supposing the English to be over-busied with the French Warres lift up their Heads again and assaulting the Borders of England they win divers Towns But the Earl of Surrey entring into Scotland with six thousand Souldiers wan divers Forts and joyning a light Battel with the Scotch he returned Conquerour not without great loss to the Enemy besides the Castle of Judworth and the Town that he burnt up So with uncertain Fortune the business being acted in those parts there was a conclusion for a Cessation of Arms that so they might have time to treat of Peace Francis the first King of France at that time was conquered by the Emperour Charles the fifth at Papion and was taken Prisoner which was no small happiness for the English affairs but a sad loss for the French Then Peace was ratified between the Emperour and the French and the English agreed with them also But the Emperour and the French shortly fell to a new Warre Peace being confirmed abroad England began to be in an uproar with greater Troubles in Civil Dissentions For Henry who had lived twenty years peaceably with his Wife Katharine had a scruple of Conscience put upon him whether he could without Incest live with his Brothers Wife for as we said she was first married to his Brother Arthur Judges were chosen to end this Question But Cardinal Wolsey who had not prudently dealt for Henry had all his Authority taken from him and his Estate was Confiscate But at last other new Dignities being granted to him his great loss was somewhat repaired Then a Parliament was called and he was charged with many faults and amongst the rest that he was wont to write in his Letters I and my King and had caused the Cardinals Hat to be stamped on the Kings Coyn. He was convicted of all these things and deprived of all his Estate which shews a wonderfull example of the inconstancy of all humane affairs for he that but lately ruled all and the King too as he pleased made Laws and swaied Courts of Justice rooted out the Nobles at his pleasure burdned the subjects with great Taxes deprived both Clergy and Laity of their goods he is now cast down from his high Pinnacle of Honour hated by all and made no way like himself Afterwards when he was sent for to the Court to answer his charge he died of grief by the way In the mean time the business for a Divorce was transmitted to Clement the Pope of Rome at the suit of Queen Katharine But the Pope fearing to displease King Henry who had lately the Title of Defender of the Faith given him by Leo the tenth nor did he think it safe to provoke the Emperour who ruled in Italy spun out the business with delays by his Legate Campeius who at length with a great disgust to the English after many hastings and procrastinations departed from England leaving the business uneffected The King in the interim burning with new flames of love and so admitting no delay Warham being dead created Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who
from Heaven For hiring a Cellar under the Parliament-House be laid in a vast deal of Gun-pouder which he purposed to set fire to and so to blow up at once all the Parliament-House together with the King the Prince and all the Nobility but the matter was discovered by the importunate care of the Conspirators who gave warning of the danger to the Lord Mounteagle Sonne to the Lord Morlay a Member of the Parliament and one that they loved very well In this Vault there were found terrible Instruments of this damned wickedness that a man would wonder at which were presently taken away Then the Conspirators were executed Catesbey with his companions John and Christopher Wright and Thomas Pierce flying to his Arms was killed with a shot others were taken and executed Amongst whom was Everard Digbey who was unwillingly drawn into this Conspiracy for otherwise he was a man of excellent parts And thus that hainous wickedness that had troubled the devils themselves was purged away In Northampton and Warwickshire new tumults arose first by Fines then by John Reignold that led them but this faction was soon allayed and the Authors were punished In the mean time Frederick Count Elector Palatine came to London to marry Elizabeth King James his Daughter The Marriage was solemnized with wonderfull pomp but all these joyes were over-shadowed with clouds of sorrow for on the sixth day of November 1612 Prince Henry departed this life Various reports were spread abroad by the vulgar as if indirect means had been used but his Physicians gave it under their hands that he died of a violent malignant Feaver Charles the Kings second Son succeeds him in the Principality of Wales About this time that Gallant and Noble Spirit Sr Walter Rawlrigh after fourteen yeares imprisonment made addresses to the King to get leave to visit the New-found-World in America to which he gave him liberty and a Commission under the great Seal to set forth Ships and Men for that Service his Reputation and Merit caused many Gentlemen of quality to venture their Estates and Persons on the Design Many considerable adventures were performed though with great difficulty but more especially that of the taking and burning St Thomes Information being sent to Gendimer who was Embassadour here in England never rested assaulting the King with importunity for reparation Rawleigh no sooner comes a shore at Plimouth but he had secret information and did endeavour to get from thence in a Bark for Rotchell but being apprehended by Sr Lewis Stukly he is brought to London and committed to the Tower Gondimer that looked upon him as a man that had not only high abilities but animosity to do his Master mischief being one of those scourges that Queen Elizabeth had made use of to afflict the Spaniards Having now gotten him in the Trap he laid his Bâ—its about the King In October he was brought to the Kings Bench-barre at Westminster before the Lord Chief-Justice where the Records of his arraignment at Winchester were opened and he demanded why the judgement should not be put in execution Ralwrigh replied that Judgement was void by the Kingâ— Commission for his late expedition The Lord Chief-Justice replied the opinion of the Court was to the contrary He required time to prepare for death but it was answered the appointed time was the next morning Accordingly on the morrow he lost his Head on a Scafford in the Palace-yard The Earl of Buckingham as great in Title as favour was now grown a Marquess and lying in the Kings bosom every man paid tribute to his smile Worcester and Nottingham are taken off for him to be Master of the Horse and Admirall of England Queen Anne about that time fell sick and died She was a Queen to be had in everlasting memory for her Noble Vertues The King also fell sick but by Gods affistance he recovered The Palsegrave in the mean time who had married Elizabeth by the prompting forward of some of the German Princes was chosen King of Bohemia The Emperour was wonderfully enraged at this Election and proclaimed Warre against him driving him first out of Bohemia and afterwards out of all Germany who in Holland the common refuge for all wretched people found a bountifull and safe entertainment But James that he might help his Sonne in Law made a motion for a Marriage of his Son Charles and the Spaniards Daughter Charles is sent into Spain through France by Land where he saw upon his journey Mary Daughter to Henry the fourth He was received in Spain in outward appearance magnificently but a dissention arising between the Duke of Buckingham and Count Olivares the principall Don of the Spanish Court the Treaty for the Marriage was drawn out at langth but Charles being impatient of delays was called home again by his Father and arrived safe in England and afterwards he married Mary whom he had affectionately beheld in France What remains to be spoken of King James is either scarce worth recording or not so consonant to the truth He died at last of a disease of the Spleen though there were false reports spread abroad that he was poysoned when he had reigned twenty two years and was fifty nine years of age in the year 1625. He was a true Platonick Prince a Husband worthy of his Wife an honest Father to his Children a good King to his Subjects because he was a Prince he was the Most Learned and he was the Best Prince by reason of his Learning When this King reigned the English Plantations were setled in the Indies as in Virginy which Country Sr Walter Rawleigh first discovered and in the Barmudoes whither an infinite multitude of inhabitants presently resorted building publick and private houses and made a Commonwealth The same was done by others in New-England to the great comfort of such as were distressed and fled thither CHARLES the first King of Great-Brittany France and Ireland Anno 1625. CHARLES the first succeeded his Father being twenty five yeares of age The first design he had was to marry Henrietta Mary Daughter to Henry the fourth King of France as he purposed before who landed in England the 22 day of April and was received magnificently Then a Navy was prepared against the Spaniard for all friendship was grown stale between these two Kings by reason of the breach of the Marriage and the business of the Palatinate he joyned with the Ships of Holland and sent away toward Spain and first assaulting Cades and not prevailing they set up sail to Sea and spoyling all the Spanish Vessels they met they return for England Now a Covenant was made between the English and the United Provinces and they resolved with joynt Forces to tire out the Spaxiard but Charles whose Exchequer was empted by reason of his great Expence of his Spanish Voyage and setting forth of his Navy was forced to call a Parliament but Buckingham the Kings chief Minister of State and most dear unto him had
Norman Kings STEPHEN King of England Anno 1136. HEnry being dead Stephen upon a doubtfull Title and his elder Brothers delaying first possessing succeeded He won the English partly by promises partly by benevolence to which was added his Title of Inheritance Having laid hold on the Kingdom by promises he endeavours to make it good by courtesie He took off the heaviest Taxes and granted his own right to the Clergy which the former Kings kept to themselves Also he would that Church-men should be free from yielding obedience to the temporal Magistrate Thus he won the people and the Church-men and the Nobility by granting them free leave to Hunt and liberty to build Castles His Brother Theobald who by his Birthright was next to the Crown he pacified by a yearly Pension Moreover to win the good will of strangers he obtained for his Sonne Eustachius Constance the Daughter of Lewis King of France yet he did not more by that Marriage than by Treasures strengthen himself in the Kingdom of King Henry which he spent not luxuriously but to leavy Souldiers and to wage Warre with He was scarce Crowned before he was forced to fall to his Arms for David King of Scotland striving to assert the Interest of Maud the Empress proclaimed Warre against Stephen and possessed himself of the Towns of Carlile and New-castle Stephen marched against him with a great Army and granting Cumberland to David and the County of Huntington to his Sonne he put by a Tempest that was coming on without any blood-shed at all Not long after he was shaken with Civil Commotions greater than before for when he was sickly he was reported by some to be dead whereupon the Nobles abusing their Castles to the Kings ruine conspired together and endeavour to get the Kingdom into their own power Stephen least by delay the danger should get strength partly by his Captains partly with his own hand he subdued the boldness of the Rebels He marched against Baldwin the ring-leader of the Conspirators and driving him out of Oxford he pursues him as farre as the Isle of Wight and forcing him from thence he enjoyned him perpetuall banishment He was scarce quiet at home but a Warre from abroad puts him to further trouble For Jeffrey Plantagenet relying on the Title of Maud his Wife invades Normandy with offensive Arms and strives to possess himself of his Grandfathers Territories Stephen quickly levying an Army hastens thither they having fought in divers small skirmishes come to an agreement namely that Jeffrey should abstain from all Title and Right Stephen paying to him an annuity of 35000 Franks When he returned he found the Kingdom full of Warre and Tumults for the Nobility enter upon a Conspiracy because the King kept not his promises and every one of them makes Warre in his own Dominions Also David King of Scotland forgetfull of his Covenant enters upon Northumberland and miserably made havock of all by fire and sword he neither spared women nor innocent children he kils the Priests before the Altars the sacred Virgins are ravished in the Churches The King to oppose himself against the greatest danger first bends his forces against the Scots But the Warre during long giving command to Thurstin Archbishop of York to wage Warre with the Scots he returned home that he might tame the rest of the Rebels which by force of Arms by Promises and by his Benevolence he at last reclaimed Thurstin in the mean time joyning Battell subdued the Scots and slew them with a great slaughter for eleven thousand Scots were slain in the fight besides those that ran away and were killed in the pursuit The King being made more bold by this success enters now with Arms upon Scotland and afflicted David with a sore loss and compelled him to beg for peace which at last he yielded to Stephen taking Henry the Son to David for Hostage Stephen returning laid siege to Ludlow the receptacle for the Conspirators and with his own hand he freed Henry whom he had taken for a pledge The most cruel tempest followed this fortune for Maude requiring her Right arrived in England Stephen hearing this laies siege to Arundel Castle where by chance she harboured her self but in this desperate siege water being all spent Maude delivers up the Castle having leave given her to retire towards Bristol In the mean while he quickly removes to Lincoln taken by Randulph Sonne to Robert Earl of Glocester and environs it with a siege The Earls of Chester and Glocester endeavouring to free the City fight with Stephen hand to hand in which fight Stephen is taken prisoner after that he had given wonderfull arguments of his prowess and he is brought before Maud who sent him toward Bristol to be imprisoned and she in the mean while possesseth the Kingdom entring London as Conquerour in Triumph But Maude or Mathilde the wife of Stephen hearing of the Kings misfortune humbly intreated Maud that she being of a long time weary of the Government might have liberty to live with her Husband a private life Also the Londoners they require their antient Laws which they enjoyed under Edward the Confessor but Maud would grant neither Maud not enduring the high stomack of Mathilde and detesting ignoble servitude cals for Eustachius her Sonne with a select company of Souldiers out of Kent to London who joyning with the Londoners that were wonderfully offended that their suits were denied them also fortifying himself with the help of the Bishop of Winchester they fall upon the Army of Mathilde which fled privately to Oxford and asked not help in vain of David King of Scotland by whose assistance her Army being increased she besieged Winchester But the Queen with her Sonne Eustachius falling on her fortress overcame Mathilde in a pitched Battell and took Robert Sonne to Mathilde but Mathilde her self escaped luckily A Treaty for Peace followed this fortune whereby Robert on the one hand Stephen on the other are set at liberty but there was no other condition agreed upon wherefore the Trumpet sounds again to Warre and Stephen being now free besieges Mathilde at Oxford but she despising danger passed through his Army in the night Yet she was so frighted with the present danger that she ever after forbare to make Warre with him leaving the charge of the whole business to her Son Henry In the mean while the City of Lincoln was valiantly defended against the King But at last the Earl willingly yielded to the King desiring reconciliation yet Stephen entertained him not so courteously but spoil'd the miserable Earl of all his Estate by which perjury he did not a little alienate the mindes of his subjects Henry by the death of his Father Jeffrey having got the Dukedom of Aniou and of Aquitan and with his Wife Eleonar the County of Poicteirs by a fresh attempt but with a few Souldiers sails for England hoping at last to regain his Grandfathers Kingdom He was no sooner landed but his friends
anothers Land The union and rest of the Kingdome being thus established for a time suddenly there arose a new faction of the Conspirators It was known to all what the intention was but what hopes they had was unknown to none because it was fortified but with small forces and was unprosperously suppressed those being punished that refused to submit At last all care is converted to the recovering of those Provinces in France that belonged to the English large Tributes and Imposts being granted to the King For though the French had promised restitution of them yet he would not yeeld them up but by force of arms yet it was deferred untill the King being of riper years should stand upon his own Right and should governe the whole matter himself In the mean while those fields that were fenced in for Parks by his Ancestors he laid them open and restored them for husbandry and to the common good But when he was grown up he recalled again those grants and what he gratified the people with in his minority he revoked turning those fields for his pleasure into Parks again And not content with this injury he alienated the hearts of his Subjects from him by many more unlawfull acts He abolished the old Seal and made a new one and so extorted a great summe of money from his Subjects Also he greatly drained them under a pretence of a warre with France and managing the matter slothfully he returned without a victory bringing with him out of France many of Poictou that what reward they had not desired in France he might pay them in England whereby the best men were discharged of their Offices and these vagabonds and strangers were possessed of them The King being now of ripe years took to wife Eleonor the daughter of Raymound Earl of Province whereby there grew no profit to his affairs but rather by reason of a thredbare and beggarly Family and her Kindred coming from all parts as Crows to the prey he suffered great detriment which yet were highly esteemed by him the people much murmuring at it But whilst the King thus goes about to overthrow his Subjects Rights which they labour to preserve all the Nobility being offended at the promotion of strangers they enter into a conspiracy The Ringleader whereof was Richard Marshall who durst freely tell the King of his injustice and required satisfaction But the King to punish their arrogancy muster'd a great Army of strangers and withall cals a Parliament which is an Assembly of several Orders The Nobility refuse to be present unlesse he would command the Bishop of Winchester Peter de Rupibus of Poictou and all his gang to forsake the Court threatning withall that unlesse satisfaction were made unto them they would depose the King and all strangers that were his Adherents and would choose another King the King therefore commands all that were upon Knights service and the Nobility to be present to fight for him which they all refuse to do whereupon he confiscated all their goods and distributed them amongst those of Poictou and their persons to be banished wheresoever they could be found By which threats they being frighted or corrupted by rewards the chief of them fall off whereby the rest were weakned and flie into Wales to the Prince of that Countrey Lionel drawn to hold part with them to whom Hugh Burgies came escaping out of a Castle where he was unjustly imprisoned The King follows those fugitives into Wales but came back with disgrace doing nothing But Richard Marshall when he would not return into the Kings favour being drawn cunningly into Ireland to look to his Estate and there being accused of Treason was killed though the King strove to remove the envy of that deed from himself A Parliament being called some men that had care of the Commonwealth were those that perswaded the King to leave off war and to make Peace with his Nobility the King hearkned to their councel and recalling the Nobles out of Wales he treats with them whereby they are restored to their former dignities and strangers that possessed their places were removed from all places and a great penalty laid upon them yet some of them as Fortune is inconstant were re-admitted into the Kings favour The King then feigning that all favour was for his own Subjects extorted a great Summe of money from them which yet he distributed amongst the poor kindred of the Queen and her Father a poor Prince And having promised before to exclude all strangers from favour and alwayes to take counsell of his Subjects he began now to esteem them more with which indignity the Nobility offended enter upon a new conspiracy to which as the Leader and Chief Richard the Kings brother had given his Name who being so bold as to tell the King of his faults to his teeth doth forcibly dehort him from such fallacies The King was much incensed with this and seeing the inclination of the Londoners toward the Conspiratours calling a Parliament and publishing the Conditions he treats with them for Peace But before it was come so far the Earl of Cornwall the Kings brother was drawn off to the contrary part whereby the Nobility urged their matters more faintly and so the Treaty could come to no conclusion The King now free from all impediments tyrannizeth more over the Nobles the chief of the Conspiratours were banished or turned out of their places Nor did he lesse oppresse the Clergy putting strangers into Church-Offices at the Popes request dispossessing the Nations and laying heavy Taxes upon them so that all hated him Henry purposing to make a new expedition for France asks Subsidies from his Parliament which being denied he was forced to borrow otherwhere Nor yet did he spend it successefully after a years delay and having done nothing well concluding a disgracefull peace with the French But returning for England he tyrannized over the Jews and wrested a great Summe of money from them which he yet consumed with unseasonable gifts very indiscreetly And so his Exchequer being consumed and Subsidies denied him from the Parliament gave him occasion of new oppressions and so drawing the means of the Church to himself was a cause of great differences between him and the Pope But the King being inconstant laid down the Bucklers and yeelded to the Pope who recovering his goods in England did againe pole the poor people of the Kingdome with continual sucking To this may be added that there was a daily conflux out of France and other parts into England of this new Family having some relation to the King this or that way whose wants must be magnificently supplied to the great detriment of the Commonwealth The King grew still poorer by it and so applied himself to rapines and extortions and sold such furniture as belonged to the Crowne wresting all the moneys he could to pay those he stood indebted to Then when he could no longer do it by such inconvenient wayes he obtained a
alive he writ Letters to the Lieutenant of the Tower Robert Brakenbury that so soon as he could by any means he should destroy the young King Edward and his Brother in the Tower when he refused and delayed he gave that charge to James Tyrel who coming to London in great poverty he stifled the young children cafting pillars upon them The childrens death was divulged Richard not being against it it is wonderfull how great amazement seized on the minds of all men every one lamented the unhappiness of the children and pitied them and they began to speak what hopes they had of him who spared not his own near kindred but shed their blood to say nothing of the Mother and her Daughters Certainly immortall God who will not suffer great sins to go unpunished revenged on the innocent Children the perjury of their Father committed at York and the death of the Duke of Clarence whom he wickedly murdered But the Duke of Buckingham who had taken such pains for Richard began now to detest his horrid wickedness and sell away from him took counsell with the Bishop of Ely who was committed to his custody how to restore Henry Earl of Richmond to whom the Kingdom of right belonged next unto for that he descended from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster his great Grandfather and to root out Richard a monster of men These therefore disclosed their business to others they presently send away Hugh Conway and Thomas Ranmey into Brittany who should acquaint the Earl of the combination and he should impart it to the Duke of Brittany The Duke though he were much importuned by Richards Letters to keep Henry in prison promised assistance Richard in the mean time who had notice of the consultations of Buckingham sent for him again and again to come unto him but when he refused to come they fall to their Arms on both sides The Duke mustering presently some Welsh forces and others came to Glocester over the River to meet Richard that had a mighty Army with him But the souldiers which he had procured voluntarily rather than for their pay were not very firm but ran from him before he came in sight of the enemy The Duke was now almost left all alone only his Lacky remained with him who was forced to fly to shift for himself and went to Humphrey Baunisters he unmindfull of all former favours delivered him afterwards to Richard who cut off his Head When this was commonly reported all the Conspiratours ran one one way and another another way some to places of refuge some to the Duke of Brittany to the Earl Richard had heard in the mean time that the Duke did not only not hurt the Earl but had resolved to assist him wherefore he presently provides a Fleet that if perhaps the Earl should come he might repulse him every where from the English coasts Henry in the mean time with 40 Ships and 5000 Brittains sailed for England but a tempest arose and scattered his Ships and he almost was quit of all his Forces and was driven to Cornwall where coming on Land when he saw a great Army he retreated to his Shipping again weighed Anchor and saild to Sea And being very pensive when he heard of Buckinghams death void of all counsell he returned again to Brittany in France But by the coming of the Nobility he took heart once more and promised before the Altar to marry Elizabeth Edwards Daughter if the business should succeed to his minde and so afresh an Oath of fidelity was taken by them all Richard in the mean time did rage fiercely against all those that followed the Earl wheresoever he could lay hold on them Thomas Earl of Dorset who had fled to him was banished both by Sea and Land Also he made a Covenant with the Scotch King and confirmed it giving his Sister Anne to the Scotch Kings Sonne Richard in the interim laies new traps for Earl Henry by corrupting the Dukes Treasurer with money But he escaped them the matter being detected by Bishop Morton When the fraud was known to the Duke himself he was so enraged against the Treasurer that he caused this wicked man for that and other wicked deeds to be hanged The Earl Henry was now come into France where the Earl of Oxford escaped from his imprisonment came and joyned with him and promised his faithfull endeavour in all affairs To whom some Noble men that studied at Paris came to assist willingly offering their aid amongst whom was Richard Fox the famousest Scholar in those daies whom the Earl took to be of his Privy-Counsell and when he had gaind the Kingdom afterwards he made him Bâ—shop of Winchester But Richard to hinder Earl Henry's Marriage with Elizabeth partly by flattery partly by fear partly by promises he prevailed so farre with Queen Elizabeth that she should entrust her Daughters with him and should write her Letters to her Sonne the Marquess of Dorset who was near to Earl Henry whereby she should command him to return home without delay leaving the Earls society That all things were now pacified and that her family was received into the Kings favour Richard all this while having gotten the Queens Daughters that he might totally destroy the intention of Henry he thought himself to marry Elizabeth his Brothers Daughter his former Wife also was yet alive But she also when other projects would not suit was taken privately away by poyson In the mean while he tries all means to win Elizabeth to affect him and if he could not obtain her he was resolved to joyn violence to his prayers But he was so much urged with care and forraign fear that he had no time for lust to shew it self In the interim Stanley had a command to Muster an Army but he must not go forth before he had given unto Richard for a pawn and pledge of his fidelity his eldest Sonne the Lord Strange A fame was also spread on purpose that Henry had implored help from the French in vain and that there was no fear of his coming Richard dealt something carelesly and unwisely discharging the Navy he had sent to scour the English Coasts Henry was advertised how things stood and arrived in England with but 2000 souldiers in pay Presently Rice Thomas and John Savage two the most Potent men in Wales having collected some Forces came to joyn with Henry Pembroke with some others did the like Stanley though he wished well yet fearing least his Sonne should be miserably tortured by the King delayed his intention untill some other opportunity Richard all this time was wonderfull sluggish and careless but when he heard of the revolt of his subjects he raised what men he could scrape up and went against Henry He pitched his Tent at Bosworth field when he saw the enemy intended to fight he also made ready his men At last they fall on and fought a sharp Battell on both sides But Stanlâ—y who came later in the heat