how much value the Courage and Conduct of a Prince is yet before he died by the contrivance of the Queen Mother Roger Mortimer and their Adherents such a dishonourable Peace is made with the Scots as exceedingly displeased the whole Kingdom and in the end proved fatal to the principal actor Mortimer For at this Treaty the King then in his Minority Sealed Charters to the Scots at Northampton contrived by the Queen her Favourite and Sir James Dowglas without the knowledge or consent of the Peers of England whereby that famous Charter called Ragmans Roll was surrendred to them with several Jewels and among them one of an extraordinary value called the Black Cross of Scotland all which were taken from the Scots by the Victorious King Edward I. The Scots Kings were likewise freed and discharged for ever from doing homage and fealty to the Kings of England or from acknowledging them to have any Right or Superiority over that Kingdom And that all Englishmen should forfeit their Lands in Scotland unless they went and resided there and swore Allegiance to that King Moreover under pretence of making reparation for damages King Robert was obliged to pay the King of England Thirty Thousand Marks Sterling which Money was given to Mortimer as a reward for his procuring this destructive and mischievous Treaty And to conclude all David Bruce Prince of Scotland a Child of Seven or Eight Years Old and Heir to K. Robert Married Jane Sister to K. Edward at Berwick whom the Scots in derision both of the Peace and Marriage scornfully nicknamed Jane Make Peace Lastly The Queen and Mortimer being sensible that some of the Principal Nobility disliked their proceedings and hindred their absolute Government they resolved to contrive some means for removing them out of the way and among others Edward Earl of Kent the King's Unckle To effect this it is said Mortimer caused a report to be spread abroad that K. Edward II. was still alive at Corf-Castle but not to be seen in the day time and to countenance the deceit for many Nights together there were Lights set up in all the Windows of the Castle and an appearance made of Masquing Dancing and other Royal Solemnities as if for the King's diversion This being observed by the Countrey People they confirmed the rumour of the late King 's being there which was soon dispersed throughout England The Earl of Kent hearing the news sent a Preaching Frier to the Castle to find out the truth of it who by giving Money to the Porter was admitted into the Castle lying very privately in his Lodg all day at night the Porter causing him to put off his own Priestly Robes and put on his the Frier was brought into the Hall where he saw as he imagined King Edward II. sitting in Royal Majesty at supper The Frier returning to the Earl assured him of the reality of what he had seen whereupon the Earl being discontented swore that he would endeavour by all ways possible to deliver his Brother out of Prison and restore him to his Throne To which purpose he ingaged several other Noblemen in the design with the Provincial of the White and Carmelite Friers the Bishop of London and others This Conspiracy being discovered though it were only a Lye and fancy the Frier being imposed upon only by a King made of Clouts Yet the Earl of Kent by his words and some Letters that were found about him was condemned as a Traytor for conspiring to set a dead Man at liberty But so generally was this Noble Lord beloved and honoured that he stood upon a Scaffold at the Castle-Gates at Winchester from Noon till five a Clock at Night for want of an Executioner none being to be found that would behead him till at length Mortimer sent for a poor wretched Fellow out of the Jayl who with much ado and many blows hack'd his Head from his Body The Malice and Ambition of Mortimer and his Associates in making so little conscience of shedding Royal Blood with the many other Male-administrations aforementioned raised inveterate discontents throughout the Kingdom against the Insolent Authors of them But in the mean time they who resolved to support their Grandeur in despight of Peers and People summoned a Parliament at Nottingham where Roger Mortimer appeared in the utmost splendor and glory being Created Earl of March and having greater attendance and stronger Guards than the King himself whom he would suffer to rise up to him and with whom he walked as his Companion yea went before him with his Officers He likewise very scornfully and insolently rebuked Henry Earl of Lancaster the King's Cousin that without his leave he had taken up Lodgings in the Town so near the Queen and obliged him with the Earl of Hereford and Effex to remove their Lodgings a Mile from Nottingham This notorious affront caused great murmuring among the Noblemen who said publickly That Roger Mortimer the Queens Gallant and the Kings's Master sought by all means possible to destroy all the Royal Blood thereby to Usurp the Crown and Government which some of the King's Friends being mightily concerned at endeavoured to make him sensible of his danger swearing that if he would espouse their Cause they would faithfully assist him and secure his Person The Young King began already to put on serious thoughts and acted the Man much beyond his years so that the Lords soon prevailed upon him to join with them in asserting his own Authority which he himself saw so much lessened by Mortimer's 〈◊〉 grown Power He was likewise informed that 〈◊〉 was commonly reported the Queen was with Child by Mortimer to the great dishonour both of his Mother and himself and to the grief of all his Loyal Subjects Hereupon he resolutely ingaged with the Peers to bring this Miscreant and his Abettors to punishment In order to which Robert Holland who had been long Governour of Nottingham-Castle and knew all the secret passages and conveyances therein was taken into the design Now there was in the Castle a private Passage cut through the Rock upon which it is built which was divided into two ways one opening toward the River of Trent which runs under it and the other went a great deal farther under the adjoining Meadows and was after called Mortimer's Hole The King lying one Night without the Castle was conducted by Torch-light through this Passage himself and his Valiant Attendants being all well Armed and their Swords drawn till he came to the door of the Queens Bed-Chamber which the secure and careless Lords had left wide open Some of the foremost entred the Room desiring the King to retire a little that the Queen might not see him and slew Sir Hugh Turpington who opposed them from whom they went towards the Queen Mother with whom they found Mortimer both just ready to go into Bed and seizing him they led him out into the Hall whom the Queen followed crying out Bel silz bel filz ayes pitie
they would renounce their Allegiance and prosecute him as a perjured Prince But the obstinate King would not condescend to their desires resolving to lose all rather than part with his dear Gaveston and therefore he instantly sent for several Foreign Souldiers and having hired three hundred Horsemen commanded by the Earl of Hannow and the Viscount Foix in their passage through France for England they were seized by that King who kill'd most of the Souldiers and hanged up the Officers He then solicited aid from Robert Bruce King of Scotland from 〈…〉 Thomas a Great man in Ireland and likewise from the Welsh but they all denied to give him any assistance against his Barons Whereat being inraged he fortified Windsor Castle and built Forts in several other parts of the Kingdom The Lords likewise raised Forces and resolved to march toward York from whence the King was gone to Sea for his recreation leaving Gaveston behind him who lodged in the Castle and caused that and the City also to be strengthned with new Fortifications The Barons rendezvoused at Bedford where they made Gilbert Earl of Glocester Lord Keeper of England and ordered strict Guards to be set upon the Sea-Coasts for preventing any Foreign Forces from landing to assist the Ring From hence they proceeded to York at whose approach Gaveston fled from thence to Scarborough the Lords pursued him thither and Besieging the Town they quickly took it and made him a Prisoner committing him to the Custody of Aymer de Valence Earl of Pembroke who carried him to a Village called Dathington between Oxford and Warwick designing to have conveyed him the next day to Wallingford Castle and going that night to lodge with his Countess who was hard by the next morning Guy Earl of Warwick with a strong Party took him away from thence and brought him to Warwick Castle And the Lords having called a Council of War it was unanimously resolved by the Earls of Lancaster Warwick and Hereford that he should be instantly put to death as a subverter of the Government and a notorious Traytor to the Kingdom And thereupon he was carried to a place called Blacklow and afterward Gaveshead where he was beheaded in the presence of the Lords aforementioned in 1312. His Body was by the Friers Predicant conveyed to Oxford and there kept above two years till the King caused it to be removed to Kings Langley in Hartfordshire where he in person to demonstrate his endeared affection to him dead as well as living attended with the Archbishop of Canterbury four Bishops with many Abbots and principal Clergy Men caused him to be interred in the Friers Church which he had built with all manner of Funeral Pomp and Solemnity Few or none of the Temporal Lords being present whose great Hearts could not comply to honour him being dead whom they so mortally hated when alive This was the fatal end of this angracious Favourite who if he had used moderation and discretion might have long enjoyed the grandeur to which he had arrived but the publick wrongs he was guilty of together with the private and personal abuses offered to the principal Nobility made him odious and abhorred no injuries being harder to be forgiven or forgotten than Scoffs and Jeers at mens Personal defects which have occasioned the destruction of many in all Ages and made this unfortunate man dye unpitied and unlamented being reckoned to fall a just Sacrifice both to publick and private vengeance Remarks on the Lives Actions and Fatal Fall of Hugh Spencer the Father Earl of Winchester and Hugh Spencer the Son Earl of Glocester Both Favourites to King Edward the Second INnumerable are the mischiefs that a Kingdom is subject to which is governed by a perverse and wilful Prince which commonly occasions great calamities both to himself and his People and of which we have scarce a more pregnant instance than in the Reign of that unhappy King Edward the second who though he had suffered so many troubles for his inordinate and unreasonable favours to Peirce Gaveston and by whose removal the Nobility seemed so well contented that he might now have settled himself and the Realm in Peace yet his violent nature was such that instead thereof he made it his Study how â—o destroy those Lords who had deprived him of his beloved Gaveston whose death so afflicted him that he seemed as if he had lost half of himself and whose Blood he designed to revenge upon them to the utmost as the only means to revive his languishing Spirit and remove the mourning and sorrow that had lain upon his mind ever since his fatal Fall The Barons were very sensible of his rage and displeasure against them and therefore resolved not to 〈◊〉 down their arms till they had sufficiently provided for their future security and settled the Government upon its antient and legal foundation This unnatural division between the King and his Peers was much heightned by the ill Offices of the Queens Kindred and Countrymen the French who coming over in great numbers to attend the solemnity of the Baptizing the King's Son afterward the Victorious King Edward III. who was about this time born at Windsor they so aggravated these proceedings of the Lords against him that he who was too much inflamed before seemed now irreconcileable to them So that nothing but the miseries of an Intestine War were expected To prevent which the young Queen the Bishops and some other Noblemen procured an enterview between them where the King sharply charged the Barons for their rebellious and presumptuous taking up Arms against him and for seizing and wickedly murdering his dear and faithful Friend Peirce Gaveston The Lords resolutely answered That they were not guilty of Rebellion nor had done any thing but what deserved his Royal thanks and favour since they had not raised any Forces against his Sacred Person but only in their own defence and to bring to Justice that impious Traytor Peirce Gaveston the publick Enemy and Fire-brand of the Realm But though both were very fierce in words yet the Queen and Bishops used all manner of means to prevent their coming to action and by their incessant endeavours wrought so effectually that the King seemed willing to be pacified if they would acknowledge their Fault And the Lords for preventing the dangers which now threatned them from Robert Bruce King of Scotland were contented to make their humble submissions to the King in open Court at Westminster and desired him to forgive all their offences against him which the King graciously granted them offering his Pardon to all that would Petition him for the same Upon which happy agreement the Parliament then sitting being sensible of the King 's great want of money freely granted him a fifteenth of their Estates for his support But Guy Earl of Warwick did not long survive this happy union being secretly Poisoned as the Lords reported by some of the King's Friends The Office of Lord Chamberlain being vacant by
in very good Order but this unexpected and dismal Discomfiture of his Horse in those mischievous Ditches utterly confounded all his measures so that he was compelled after some disordered Resistance to leave to the Scots the greatest Victory that ever they obtained against the English in any Age either before or since King Edward could hardly be persuaded to make his Escape it being the first time that ever he discovered any symptoms of the Courage of a Valiant English King but at length being over-persuaded by his Friends himself and his cowardly Favourite Spencer whom K. Edward's own Historian calls A Faint-hearted Kite fled with all speed to a place of safety All things proved unfortunate in this Battle for when the Foot perceived the Horse in that wretched condition they shot their Arrows at the Scots who came to kill them but they being Armed in their fore-parts received little or no damage so that they slew a great number of their Friends whose backs were towards them unarmed The loss fell much upon the Nobility for there was slain in this Battel Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester a Man of singular Valour and Wisdom the Lord Clifford with several other Peers besides seven hundred Knights Esquires and Officers of Note The slaughter of the rest could not be great since the Scots fought on foot Hector Boetius saith There were 50000 English kill'd though no other Author will allow of above 10000. The Riches and Plunder taken doubtless was very valuable Among the Prisoners the chief was Humphrey Bohun Earl of Hereford who was after exchanged for King Robert's Queen who had been long time Prisoner in England This Battel was fought at a place called Bannocks Boum near Sterling in Scotland on Midsummer day June 24 1314. and King Robert having been formerly Resident in England Treated the Prisoners with all kind of Civility and sent the Bodies of the Earl of Glocester and Lord Clifford to England to be honourably buried with their Ancestors From this Overthrow King Edward and his Minion Spencer made their Escape to Berwick and came from thence to York where he publickly declared That he was resolved instantly to raise new Forces and to regain the Honour he had lost or else to lose his Life in the Attempt But all his Designs of that kind proved utterly fruitless For soon after the strong and almost impregnable Castle of Berwick was treacherously betrayed into the hands of King Robert by one Peter Spalding whom the King of England had made Governour thereof but he instead of the promised Reward was hanged by the King of Scots for his Treachery After this the King raised another Army against the Scots but received a second great and unhappy Overthrow returning home with much Ignominy and Shame leaving his Subjects in the North distrest and unrelieved from the continual Ravages of their Implacable Enemies the Scots in as lamentable a manner as ever any People were abandoned by an unworthy and careless Prince Of these Disgraces Losses and Troubles we may make this useful Observation That as the Heroick Virtues of excellent Princes are usually crowned with Blessings from Heaven so for the Iniquities and heinous Transgressions of wicked and ungodly Kings both themselves and their Subjects likewise are severely punished by the Almighty before whom Princes must fall as well as common Men except their true and hearty Repentance with amendment of their Lives do procure his Mercy and Favour before it be too late And indeed the Hand of God seem'd now stretcht out against this Kingdom for about this time so great a Pestilence and Mortality happened that the Living were hardly sufficient to bury the Dead This was attended with a dreadful Famine occasioned by immoderate Rains in Harvest which destroyed all the Corn almost throughout England and at length the Dearth grew so terrible that Horse-flesh was counted dainty Victuals The Poor stole fat Dogs to eat them yea some compelled with hunger are their own Children and others stole their Neighbours Children to eat them Thieves in Prison kill'd and tore in pieces those that came newly in and greedily devoured them half alive As for Cows Sheep Goats c. they were generally rotten and corrupted by eating the Grass which was infected as it grew so that those who eat of them were poisoned But neither these woful Visitations nor the innumerable dishonours afflictions and discontents under which the Nation lay had any influence upon the King or his Ministers which gave encouragement to one John Poydras a Tanner's Son at Exeter to attempt a very daring Enterprize he boldly affirming himself to be the truly begotten Son of the last King Edward the first and said That he was changed in his Cradle by his Nurse for a Carter's Child offering divers colourable Allegations to prove the same and among the rest he strongly insisted upon the unprincely and unworthy qualities and actions of the King such as none could be guilty of that was not of a mean sordid and obscure Birth and Descent His confident Claim and daring Assertions quickly affected the Minds of the common People so that many gathered to him and acknowledged him for their King But at length he was apprehended and having confest his Treason he was Condemned and Executed for his folly near Northampton declaring that he did it by the motion of a Familiar Spirit whom he had serv'd three years in the likeness of a Cat. About the same time divers notorious Thieves and Robbers near two hundred in number being all clothed like Grey Friers robbed and murdered and destroyed the Inhabitants of the North-Countrey without regard to Quality Age or Sex but some Forces being sent against them took the greatest part who were deservedly Executed for the same The Nobility and Gentry perceiving that the Distempers and Mischiefs in the Realm did daily increase and grow more dangerous they like good Physicians determined to search narrowly into the Causes of all these Maladies and to provide some Remedy for their Redress before it were too late and the miserable Oppressions and Violencies daily committed in their view made them take courage to inform the King That the two Spencers by their Mismanagement and ill Conduct in the Affairs of State of whom alone the King took Advice and Counsel were the immediate and only occasion of all those Calamities and Misfortunes which now miserably afflicted and disturbed the whole Kingdom and plainly told him That they had so great an Interest in the King's Person and Government that they judged themselves bound in Honour and Conscience to inform his Highness of all such Misdemeanours aâ— were committed by any of his Subjects which tended â—o the subversion of the State and to the disturbing of the Publick Peace thereof They concluded 〈◊〉 â—umbly imploring his Majesty That he would be pleased to dismiss the two Spencers from his Preâ—ence Court and Council for ever 〈◊〉 corrupted â—im with monstrous Vices and render'd him altogeher careless
de gentil Mortimer Good Son Good Son take pity upon the gentle Mortimer For she suspected the King was there though she did not see him Then were the Keys sent for and all the Castle with the Amunition and Provisions were delivered up to the King so secretly that none without the Castle had any knowledge of it but only the King's Friends This was counted a very daring enterprize in regard that Mortimer had usually 180 Knights besides Esquires and Gentlemen as a constant Guard for the security of his Person The next Morning early Roger Mortimer and his Accomplices were carried with mighty shoutings and rejoycings of the Common People the poor Earl of Lancaster though blind making up the cry toward London and was committed to the Tower And soon after in open Parliament at Westminster was Condemned by his Peers without being brought to Tryal by a Law of Mortimer's own contriving whereby the Earls of Lancaster Winchester Glocester and Kent were formerly out to Death The following Articles of High Treason were laid to his charge 1. That he was consenting to the Murther of the King's Father 2. That he Treacherously occasioned much loss and dishonour to the King at Stanhope Park by procuring the escape of the Scots for which he had received a great Sum of Money 3. That he caused several Ancient Deeds and Charters to be burnt wherein the King of Scots was obliged to do homage to the King of England and had made a dishonourable Contract between the King's Sister and David Bruce King Robert's Son 4. That he had prodigally and lewdly wasted the King's Treasures as well as those of the two Spencers 5. That he had been an Evil Councellor to the King and had been too familiarly conversant with the Queen Mother All which Articles are sum'd up in the following ragged Rymes which might very well have been in Prose but for their Antiqutty and brevity I will here insert them Five heinous crimes against him soon were had 1. That he caused the King to yield the Scot To make a Peace Towns that were from him got And therewithal the Charter called Ragman 2. He by the Scots was brib'd for private gain 3. That by his means King Edward of Carnarvan In Berkley Castle Treacherously was slain 4. That with his Prince's Mother he had lain 5. And finally with polling at his pleasure Had rob'd the K. and Commons of their Treasure For these Treasons he was sentenced to be hanged and afterward ignominiously drawn in a Sledg to Tyburn the common place of Execution then called the Elms and there upon the common gallows was as ignominiously Executed hanging by the King's command two Days and two Nights a publick and pleasing spectacle to the wronged People There died with him Sir Simon Bedford and John Deverel Esq as well for the expiation of the late King Edward's detestable Murther as in complement as it were to so great a Man's fall who seldom or never perish without company they suffered in 1330. The King by the advice of Parliament deprived the Queen of her excessive Dowry allowing her only a Thousand Pound a Year and confining her to a Monastery during Life but giving her the honour of a visit once or twice a Year though otherwise judging her scarce worthy to live in regard of her Debaucheries with Mortimer and her many other heinous practices From the sudden ruin of this great Favourite Mortimer we may Remark what Inchantments Honour Riches and Power are to the minds of Men how suddenly how strangely do they blow them up with contempt of others and forgetfulness of themselves And surely the frailty and uncertainty of Worldly felicity is very visible in this Great Person who when he was drunk as it were with all humane happiness so that he seemed to fear neither God nor Man was suddenly overtaken by Divine Justice and brought to utter confusion when he least dreamt of it But it was very equitable that he who would not take example by the wretched Fate of his Favourite Predecessors should himself be made an Example by the like shameful and Ignominious Death Remarks on the Life of Henry Stafford Duke of Buckingham Favourite to King Richard the Third TWO Or three considerable Remarks do naturally result from the following History 1. That Tyrants being but single Persons could never perpetrate the many mischiefs which they are usually guilty of did they not meet with proper Instruments to imploy therein 2. That the pravity of Mankind is so deplorable that the temptations of Honour and Riches too often prevail upon Men and ingage them in the most vile and destructive designs 3. That those who are imployed by Tyrants must never boggle not strain at the greatest Villanies since if they be not as thoroughly wicked as their Master he will account them his implacable Enemies and they are subject to be justly ruined by his unjust and revengeful hand All these Maxims seem to be verified in the Life Actions and Fall of this Great Man Henry Stafford Duke of Buckinham He was Son to Humfry Stafford of Brecknock-shire in Wales who was created Duke of Buckingham and Lord High Constable of England by King Henry VI. Being descended from a Daughter of Thomas of Woodstock youngest Son to King Edward III. His Son succeeded him in his Titles and Honour and was a great Favourite to King Richard III. and very Instrumental in advising him to his Usurped Throne as by the following Relation appears When King Edward IV. died he left behind him two Sons Edward his Successor of thirteen and Richard Duke of York of eleven years of Age. The Young King and his Brother were by their Father's Will committed to the care of the Earl of Rivers the Queens Brother whom he made Protector of the King during his Minority The Court was at this time kept at Ludlow in Wales to retain the Welsh in obedience who began to be unruly and in the mean time the Earl of Rivers disposed of all Offices and Places of Preferment which very much dislatisfied the Duke of Glocester Brother to King Edward IV. and Uncle to the Present King who upon his Brother's Death possed from the North where he then was to London and finding the Queen and her Kindred had the whole Government of affairs about the King he was very much displeased as judging it a main obstacle to his Usurpation and and Advancement to the Throne which it seems he had long before designed for it was reported that the very night wherein King Edward IV. died one Misselbrook came early in the morning to one Potter living in Redcross street near Cripplegate and told him that the King was dead By my Troth man says Potter then will my Master the Duke of Glocester be King For surely if he had not been acquainted with his Master's Intentions he would not have thus spoke But the Duke knowing that a business of such consequence was not to be managed alone he
demanded so that governing all things according to his own mind he seemed to Rule more than the King himself In the first Year of King Henry's Reign a difference happened between him and the French King Lewis XII who upon some private quarrel with Pope Julius II. Marched with a great Army into Italy and possest himself of the Rich City of Bolonia King Henry having a great respect for the Pope because he had dispensed with his late Marriage with Queen Katherine of Spain his Brother Arthur's Widow and likewise finding the Pope was unable to defend himself offered to be a Mediatour of Peace between them But the French King flushed with Success refused or neglected his Proposal which so inflamed the vigorous mind of the Young King that he declared to the World As he scorned to be neglected so he abhorred to be idle in this affair and therefore resolved by Invading the Dominions of France to withdraw that King out of the Pope's Territories In pursuance of this couragious resolution he instantly sends Ambassadors to King Lewis requiring him to deliver up to him the peaceable possession of his two Dutchies of Guien and Normandy together with his Ancient Inheritance of Anjon and Mayn which had for many Years been wrongfully detained from his Predecessors and himself The little acquaintance that the French King had with Henry and the contempt of his Youth caused him to return a slighting denial of this his demand whereupon King Henry proclaimed War against him and resolved to Invade his Countrey in Person with a gallant Army and believing no Man more proper to make provision for this great Expedition than his Almoner Woolsey The King committed the sole management thereof to his Wisdom and Policy and he scrupling no command of the King 's undertook this difficult charge and proceeded therein so dexterously that all things were in a very short time provided necessary for this noble Voyage Upon which the King Marched with his Army to Dover and Transporting them to Callice he proceeded in order of Battle to the strong Town of Tymyn which he vigorously assaulted and took In which Siege the Emperor Maximillan with Thirty Noblemen repaired to his Camp and were all inrolled in the King's Pay The King Marched from thence to Tournay which he likewise attack'd with such briskness that it was soon surrendred to him which Bishoprick the King bestowed upon his Almoner Woolsey in recompence for his care and diligence in this Expedition And then the King returned into England where he was welcomed with the News of a great Victory obtained by the Earl of Surrey against James King of Scotland he himself being Slain with divers of his Nobility and 18000 Scots and French who came to his assistance After the King's return the Bishoprick of Lincoln becoming void he bestowed the same upon his Lord Almoner and then the Archbishoprick of York which was likewise vacant Lastly he obtained of the Pope to be made a Cardinal and his Master Henry for his great Zeal to the Holy Chair had the new Title of Defender of the Faith confer'd upon him Being suddenly mounted to such a mighty height and the King's affection daily increasing it made him so extream proud and insolent that he thought none to be his equal and erected Ecclesiastical Courts and had the boldness to summon the Archbishop of Canterbury and all other Bishops and Clergymen to appear before him And as his Authority was superiour to all so he exceeded them all in Covetousness and Ambition so that for many Years the Kingdom groaned under his monstrous Oppressions and violent Depredations Yet his Ambition was so excessive that he still hunted after greater Dominion intermedling with affairs wherein he was not concerned especially in the Chancellorship which then pertained to the Archbishop of Canterbury who being Old and perceiving how great a Favourite Woolsey was with the King he chose rather to deliver up the Seals than have them taken from him Upon this surrender the King delivered them to Woolsey which Favours and Dignities might have satisfied any but the insatiable mind of this Mighty Prelate who was now Cardinal Archbishop Lord Chancellor and Councellor of State But he still aimed to be Higher and to gratifie his humour this occasion offered In 1517. Pope Leo sent Cardinal Campeius as his Legate to King Henry to Solicite him as he had done the Kings of France and Spain and the Princes of Germany to join in a League against the Turks who made horrible ravages into Christendom The subtil Cardinal being sensible that when Campeius arrived he must have the precedency of hiâ— upon all occasions on the account of his Legateship he privately sent two Bishops to Callice as if to attend on him who cunningly insinuated into Campeius that his Journey would be ineffectual unless Woolsey were joined in equal Authority with him in this matter Whereupon Campeius dispatched an account thereof to Rome and in Forty Days received a new Commission whereby Woolsey was made the Pope's Legate and joint Commissioner with him But Woolsey having notice of the ragged condition of his Brother's Retinue he instantly sent a great quantity of Red Cloath to Callice wherewith to Cloath his Servants answerable to the Dignity of so great a Personage When all things were ready Campeius passed the Seas and landed at Dover and in his passage to London by Woolseys Order he was received with Procession by the Clergy and Magistrates through every Town he came to and attended by all the Lords and Gentlemen of Kent Being arrived at Black-heath near Greenwich he was there met by the Duke of Norfolk a great number of Prelates and Clergy and many Persons of Quality The Cardinal was brought into a Tent covered with Cloth of Gold where he shifted himself into his Cardinals Robes Furred with Rich Ermin and then mounting his Mule rid toward London having Eight Mules more laden with his Equipage attending him but these not being sufficiently Magnificent in proud Woolsey's Eyes he therefore sent him twelve more to make the Pageantry more gay through the Streets of London The next day these Twenty Mules were led through the City as if loaden with treasures and other necessaries to the great admiration of the People that the Legate should be possest of such vast Riches but their wonder quickly ceased by an unlucky accident which turned all this vain Pomp into ridicule For in going through Cheapside one of the skittish Jades affrighted with the multitude of Spectators broke the Collar he was led with and running upon the other Mules put them all into such disorder that they threw their Sumpters to the ground which flying open discovered the Cardinal's gallant Wealth some of them being filled with old Cloaths Rags old Boots and Shoes Horshoes and old Iron Others with Marybones Scraps of Meat Roasted Eggs Mouldy Crusts and a great deal of other Trumpery which gave sufficient diversion to the People who shouted and clap'd
fit to give or no. Are we come to an end of our Countries Liberties Are we secured for time future We are accountable to a Publick Trust and since there hath been a Publick Violation of the Laws by the King's Ministers nothing will satisfie but a Publick Amends and our desire to vindicate the Subject's Right is no more than what is laid down in former Laws Let us be sure that the Subject's Liberties go hand in hand with the supply and not to pass the one till we have good Ground and a Bill for the other Upon the Petition of Right which the House of Lords would have had this addition to ' We present this our Humble Petition to your Majesty with the care not only of preserving our own Liberties but with due regard to leave intire that Sovereign Power wherewith your Majesty is trusted for the Protection Safety and Happiness of the People Sir Tho. Wentworth spake thus ' If we admit of this Addition we shall leave the Subjects worse than we found them and we shall have little thanks for our labour when we come home Let us leave all Power to his Majesty to punish Malefactors but these Laws are not acquainted with Soveraign Power VVe desire no new thing nor do we offer to intrench on his Majesties Prerogative but we may not recede from this Petition either in part or in whole The King hearing of his ability and understanding used all means to gain him to himself by bestowing of Titles of Honour and Places of Trust upon him Creating him Viscount VVentworth Earl of Strafford and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whereby he made him wholly his own In Ireland he was very active in augmenting the King's Revenues and advancing the Royal Authority by all ways within his Power And upon his return into England he advised the King to go into Scotland and settle the Peace of that Kingdom by his Coronation there he having intelligence that if it were defer'd any longer the Scots might perhaps incline to Elect another King Upon the troubles that rose soon after there on the account of imposing the Common Prayer upon them and the King resolving to raise an Army to reduce them but doubting the Parliament would not supply him the Lords told the King that they would ingage their own Credits to forward the business and the Earl of Strafford for the incouragement subscribed 20000 l. other Noblemen following his example conformable to their Estates and some of the Judges contributed largely April 13. 1639 a Parliament being assembled the Earl of Strafford was led into the House of Peers by two Noblemen to give an account of his proceedings in Ireland having there obrained the Grant of four Subsides for maintaing 10000 Foot and 1500 Horse Implicitely hinting thereby that they should propostion their Supplies accordingly But the Parliament doubting that the Irish Forces might indanger Religion and seeming to allow the justness of the Scots Cause and of the good that might be obtained by favouring them in this Conjuncture the King doubting they might vote against the War with the Scots whom he resolved to Treat severely for not complying with his Will and Pleasure he thereupon suddenly Dissolves them to the great discontent of the People who for eleven years past durst scarce mention the name of a Parliament Being hereby disappointed of a supply the King sends to the Citizens of London to lend Money and to all Knights and Gentlemen who held Lands of the Crown to provide Men Horses and Arms for his Assistance The Citizens generally refused pleading poverty and want of Trade but by the assistance of the Gentry an Army was raised with great celerity of which the Earl of Strafford was made Lieutenant General and the King commanded in Chief The Scots having notice of these preparations speedily raised an Army with which they marched into England to make this the Seat of War The Lord Conway doubting they would take in Newcastle drew off 3000 Foot and about 1200 Horse to secure the Pass at Newburn Lesly the Scots General marching forward sent a Trumpeter to the Lord Conway to desire leave to pass to the King with their Petition which being denied they fell upon the English and kill'd 300 of them Which being accounted an unhappy Omen several of the Lords Petitioned the King for a Parliament which was seconded by another from the Scots and a third from the City of London At length the King consented to it having first by advice of the Peers consented to a Treaty with the Scots at Rippon they refusing to send their Commissioners to York alledging That the Lieutenant of Ireland resided there who proclaimed them Rebels in Ireland before the King had done it in England and against whom as a chief Incendiary they intended to complain in the next Parliament For the Parliament meeting Nov. 3. 1640. the Scotch Commissioners coming to London had many private Conferences with some of the House of Commons and it was concluded that the Earl of Strafford should be immediately Impeached at his first coming into the House of Lords which was done accordingly and thereupon he was instantly taken into Custody and in March following he was brought to his Trial in Westminster Hall The King Queen and Prince were present in a private Closet where they could here all but were seen of none And then Mr. Pym Impeached the Earl of twenty eight Articles of High Treason in the name of the Commons of England sharging him That he had Trayterously endeavoured to subvert the fundamental Laws and Government of England and Ireland and to introduce an Arbitrary Tyrannical Government by Trayterously assuming to himself Regal Power over the Laws Liberties Persons Lands and Goods of his Majesties Subjects Had countenanced and encouraged Papists Had maliciously endeavoured to stir up enmity and hostility between the Subjects of England and Scotland Had wilfully betrayed the King's Subjects to death by a dishonourable retreat at Newburn that by the effusion of blood and the dishonour and loss of New-Castle the People of England might be ingaged in a National and Irreconcileable quarrel with the Scots And that to secure himself from being questioned for these and other Trayterous Courses he had laboured to subvert the Rights of Parliament and to incense his Majesty against them by false and malicious slanders and that upon the Dissolution of the last Parliament he did treacherously and wickedly counsel and advise His Majesty to this effect That having tryed the affections of his People he was loose and absolved from all rules of Government and was to do every thing that power would admit Since having tried all ways he was refused so that he would now be acquitted both by God and Man And that he had an Army in Ireland meaning the Army of Papists who were his Dependants which the King might imploy to reduce this Kingdom to his obedience That he falsly maliciously and treacherously declared before some of the
The Unfortunate Court-Favourites OF ENGLAND Exemplified In some Remarks upon the Lives Actions and Fatal Fall of divers Great Men who have been Favourites to several English Kings and Queens Namely I. Peirce Gaveston Earl of Cornwall II. Hugh Spencer Earl of Winchester â—II Hugh Spencer the Son E. of Glorester â—V Roger Mortimer Earl of March V. Henry Stafford Duke of Buckingham VI. Thomas Woolsey Cardinal of York VII Thomas Cromwell Earl of Essex VIII Robert Devereux Earl of Essex IX George Villiers Duke of Buckingham X. Thomas Wentworth Earl of Stafford By R. B. LONDON Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey 〈◊〉 Cheapside 1695. The Kings and Queens of England to whom the following Unfortunate Great Men were Favourites I. PEirce Gaveston Earl of Cornwal Favourite to King Edward II. II III. Hugh Spencer the Father and Hugh Spencer the Son both Favourites to King Edward II. IV. Roger Mortimer Earl of March Favourite to Queen Isabel Widow to King Edward II. and Mother to King Edward III. V. Henry Stafford Duke of Buckingham Favourite to King Richard III. VI. Thomas Woolsey Cardinal of York Favourite to King Henry VIII VII Thomas Cromwel Earl of Essex Favourite to King Henry VIII VIII Robert Devereux Earl of Essex Favourite to Queen Elizabeth IX George Villiers Duke of Buckingham Favourite to King Charles I. and King James I X. Thomas Wentworth Earl of Stafford Favourite to King Charles I. To the Reader NOthing is more obvious than that Ambition Envy and Emulation are the usual Attendants on the Courts of Princes and that the effects of them have been often very fatal to many Great Men who had the fortune to have a larger share in their Masters affections than others It is likewise as notorious That there are certain Crises of Government wherein Princes have been obliged to Sacrifice their darling Ministers either to their own safety or to the importunity of their People Lastly it is as evident That some Court-Favourites have justly merited the unhappy Fate they met with for their many Rapines Insolencies and Enormities as that others have been ruined meerly from the Caprichio or inconstant Temper of the Prince whom they served Of all these in my opinion the ensuing Favourites are pregnant Instances But I shall leave the Reader to particularise them according to his own Judgment and will only add That they are not all to be condemned as Criminal meerly because they all happened to be unfortunate R. B. Remarks on the Life Actions and Fatal Fall of Peirce Gavestone Earl of Cornwall and Favourite to King Edward the Second THAT Unhappy Prince Edward the 2d was certainly the most Unfortunate in his Favourites of any King of England either before or fince his Reign The first and Fatal Favourite he had was in his Youth before he came to the Crown whose name was Peirce Gaveston born in Gascoigne a Province of France and for the good Service performed by his Father in the Wars in that Kingdom his Son was taken into such Favour at Court that by K. Edward the First 's own appointment he was Educated and made a Companion to the young Prince And indeed his outward Accomplishments seemed to render him worthy of such great Honour being a Person of a sharp Wir an excellent Shape and of a valiant Temper of which he gave notable proof in a Battel against the Scots and for which they afterward bore him a mortal Hatred But all these worthy Qualities were utterly defac'd and clouded by his vicious Incliâ—ations so that as to his Christian and Moral Vertues which are only really commendable in Men Authors are very silent in mentioning them though all give large accounts of his Faults and Immoraâ—ities And King Edward was so sensible that his Son the Prince had been debauched by the corrupt Conversation of Gavestone that some time before his Death he was banished the Kingdom And upon his Death-bed commanding the Prince his Son to repair to him with all speed to Carlisle in Cumberland where he was with a great Army ready to invade Scotland He gave him many worthy Admonitions and much good Advice particularly That he should be merciful just and kind faithful in word and deed an incourager of those that were good and ready to relieve those that were in distress That he should be loving to his two Brothers Thomas and Edmund but especially to honour and respect his Mother Queen Margaret That upon pain of his Malediction and Curse he should not presume without common consent to recall Peirce Gavestone from Exile who for abusing his tender Years with wicked practices by common Decree of the Nobility was banished He also added a strange Injunction for a dying man namely That after his Death the Prince should not presume to take the Crown of England till he had honourably revenged the Injuries his Father had received from the Scots and finisht the present Expedition against them and that he should carry his Father's Bones about with him in a Coffin till he had marched through all Scotland and subdued all his Enemies assuring him that while they were with him he should be always victorious Lastly Whereas by the continual Attempts of Bruce King of Scotland he was prevented from performing his Vow of going in Person for the recovery of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from the Infidels that he should send his Heart thither accompanied with 140 Knights and their Retinue for whose support he had provided Thirty two thousand pounds of Silver That after his Heart was conveyed thither he hoped in God all things would prosper with them Adjuring the Prince upon pain of Eternal Damnation that he should not expend the Money upon any other use After these Admonitions and having taken an Oath of this vain Young Prince to perform his Will he gave up the Ghost After his Father's Death the Son soon made it appear how little regard he had to perform his dying Requests and to shew what his future Behaviour was like to be he in the first place revenged himself upon Walter Langton Bishop of Chester Lord Treasurer of England and Principal Executor of his Father's Last Will whom he imprisoned in Wallingford Castle seizing upon all his Estate no man daring to intercede on his behalf because of the extream hatred which the King shewed against him the Bishop's Crime being only in using a modest freedom in K. Edward's days in gravely reproving 〈…〉 for his 〈◊〉 meanours and not suffering him to have what 〈…〉 he required to waste prodigally upon his 〈…〉 Gavestone against whom he likewise made such great and just Complaints as occasioned the imprisonment of the Prince the banishment of his leud Favourite Soon after the young King married Isabel Daughter to Philip the Fair of France the March being concluded before his Father's death and was now performed with extraordinary Magnificence at Bullen At which Solemnity there were five Kings namely Philip the French King the
of the Judges and the Judgment of the Parliament thereupon ought much to sway with him considering the terrible consequences of an inraged multitude and that no other expedient could be found out to appease the People But the main satisfaction of the King's Conscience it is said proceeded from a Letter sent to him by the Earl to this purpose ' Sir to set your Majesties Conscience at Liberty I do most humbly beseech you for preventing of such mischiefâ— as may happen by your refusal to pass the Bill by this means to remove I cannot say this accursed but I confess this unfortunate thing out of the way toward that blessed agreement which I trust God shall forever establish betwixt you and your Subjects Sir my consent herein shall more acquit you to God than all the World can do besides c. The next day the King Signed a Commission to several Lords to pass the Bill which was done accordingly But being unwilling to part with his indeared Favourite he sent a Letter by the Prince of Wales to the House of Lords that mercy might be extended to him as to Life but that he might fulfil the natural course of his Days in close Imprisonment But the Lords sent twelve of their number to the King to satisfie him that it could noâ— be done with safety neither to himself nor his Queen If it cannot says he then Fiat Justitia Let Justice be done May 12. 1641. The Earl was conveyed from the Tower to the Scaffold erected on the Hill with a sufficient Guard and Archbishop Usher to assist him where it is said he designed to have made a Speech already prepared to this effect ' People of my Native Country I wish my own or your Charity had made me fit to call you Friends It should appear by your concourse and gazing Aspects that I am now the only prodigious Meteor toward which you direct your wandring Eyes I would to God my Blood would cure your sad hearts of all your Grievances Though every drop thereof were a Soul on which a Life depended I could tender it with as much alacrity as some nay most of you are come to triumph in my final expiration In regard I have been by you my Native Country whose wisdom and justice in respect of the generality of it is no way questionable voted to this untimely end I have not one syllable to say in justification of my self or those actions for which I suffer Only in excuse of both give me leave to say my too much zeal to do my Master service made me abuse his Royal authority and howsoever I have been most unfortunate yet at all times a Favourite in the prosecution of my Places and Offices as I shall answer at the dreadful Tribunal whereunto your just anger hath before nature doomed me my intents were fairer than my actions but God knows the overgreatness of my Spirits severity in my Government the Witchcraft of Authority and Flattery of many to sharpen it are but ill Interpreters of my intentions which I have no argument to induce you to believe but that it proceeds from a dying man It would too much hinder your longing expectation of my shameful death to give an account of my Arraignment and Attainder for I have been and whilst I breath am the Pestilence which rages through your Minds your Estates and Trades and you will read the Bills of your losses though the disease that brought the destruct on be removed c. He then declared That he forgave all the World and acquitted them of his death And beseeched the God of Heaven heartily to forgive them That he was never against Parliaments as judging them the most happy constitution and the best means to make the King and People happy That it was a great comfort to him that the King did not think he merited so heavy a punishment as this So wishing all prosperity to the Kingdom he addrest himself to his Prayers and then laying down his Head on the Block it was cut off at one blow Instead of a Character of him I shall conclude with his Epitaph written by Mr. John Cleaveland Here lies Wise and Valiant Dast Hudled up 'twixt Fit and Just Strafford who was hurried hence 'Twixt Treason and Convenience He spent his Life here in a Mist A Papist yet a Calvinist His Princes nearest joy and grief He had yet wanted all relief The prop and ruin of the State The Peoples violent love and hate One in extreams lov'd and abhorr'd Riddles lies here And in a word Here lies blood and let it lye Speechless still and never cry FINIS A Catalogue of Books Printed for Nath. Crouch at the Bell in the Poultrey near Cheapside History 1. ENgland's Monarchs Or A Compendious Relation of the most remarkable Transactions from Julius Caesar to this present adorned with Poems and the Picture of every Monarch from K. Will. the Conqueror to the sixth year of K. Will. and Q. Mary With a List of the Nobility and the number of the Lords and Commons in both Houses of Parliament and many other useful particulars Price one shilling 2. THE History of the House of Orange Or a Brief Relation of the Glorious and Magnanimous Atchievements of his Majestie 's Renowned Predecessors and likewise of His own Heroick Actions till the Late Wonderful Revolution Together with the History of K. William and Q. Mary c. Being an Impartial Account of the most Remarkable Passages from their Majesties Happy Accession to the Throne to this time By R. B. Price one shilling 3. THE History of the two late Kings Charles the II. and James the II. being an Impartial account of the most remarkable Transactions during their Reigns and the secret French and Popish Intrigues in those Times With a Relation of the happy Revolution Pr. 1s 4. THE History of Oliver Cromwel being an Impartial Account of all the Battles Sieges and other Military Atchievements wherein he was ingaged in England Scotland and Ireland and likewise of his Civil Administrations while he had the Supreaâ— Government till his Death Relating only mothers of Fact without Reflection or Observation By R.B. pr. 1 s. 5. THE Wars in England Scotland and Ireland containing an Account of all the Bettels Sieges and other remarkable Transactions which happened from the beginning of the Reign of K. Charles I. His Tryal at large with his last Speech Pr. 1s 6. HIstorical Remarks and Observations of the Antient and Present State of London and Westminster shewing the Foundations Walls Gates Towers Bridges Churches Rivers Wards Halls Companies Government Courts Hospitals Schools Inns of Courts Charters Franchises and Privileges thereof with the most remarkable Accidents as to Wars Fires Plagues and other occurrences for above 903 years past Pr. 1 s. 7. ADmirable Curiosities Rarities and Wonders in England Scotland and Ireland or an account of many remarkable persons and places and likewise of the Battles Sieges prodigious Earthquakes Tempests Inundations Thunders