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A29737 A chronicle of the Kings of England, from the time of the Romans goverment [sic] unto the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King Charles containing all passages of state or church, with all other observations proper for a chronicle / faithfully collected out of authours ancient and moderne, & digested into a new method ; by Sr. R. Baker, Knight. Baker, Richard, Sir, 1568-1645. 1643 (1643) Wing B501; ESTC R4846 871,115 630

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accusing sometimes one of his Lords sometimes another as 〈◊〉 it w●re their fault that he had lost these Townes in France● and upon 〈…〉 made many of them pay great summes of money which brought 〈…〉 into hatred at home but into contempt abroad for the King of 〈◊〉 ●n●●●standing his unworthy courses proceeds more violently in his Invasi●ns 〈…〉 getting Falai● Damfr●nt and all the good Townes of Normandy but onely Roan and at last though R●an was a Towne strongly fortifyed with Walls and more strongly with the faithfull hearts of the Inhabi●ants yet finding no hope of succour from King Iohn it was forced for want of Victuals to submit it selfe to the King of France whose example all the other Cities followed and so all Normandy returned to the subjection of the French after three hundred and sixteene yeares that Roll● the Dane had first possest it It was now the yeare 1205. and the fourth of King Iohns Raigne about which time the two props of his Estate or rather indeed the two Bridles of his intemperancy dyed his Mother Queene Eleanor whose vertues had oftentimes qualifyed the vices of her Sonne and Hubert Arch-bishop of Canterbury who repented him at his death of nothing more then that he had beene an Instrument of bringing him to the Crowne And now King Iohn being a Substantive of himselfe hath a devise in his head to make his subjects as willing to give him money as he was to have it for knowing the great discontentment they all had for his losses in France he gives it out that he would presently rais● an Army for recovery of those losses if he might have money to goe about it whereupon never was money given with more alacrity and as soone as he had it he instantly went to Portesmouth and there took Shipping before it was possible for his Lords and others to be in readinesse to accompany him and sayling forward some certaine Leagues into the Sea upon a sudden he returnes backe againe and then laies the fault upon his Lords that had not followed him and for this backwardnesse of theirs imposed afterwards great Fines upon them by which meanes he got money no lesse by pretence of his not going then he had done before by pretence of his going About this time died Geoffrey Fits-Peter Justitiar of England who while he lived kept the King in some awe in so much as hearing he was dead he swore by the feete of God that now at length he was King of England and with great rejoycing said to some Lords about him Now when this man comes into Hell let him salute the Arch-Bishop Hubert whom certainely he shall finde there But Philip King of France intending to leave the English nothing on that side the Sea invadeth Chinon and takes it and in it the valiant Captaine Roger Lacie which had given a period to King Philips victories had not Guido the husband of Constantia Prince Arthurs Mother revolted to King Iohn who with his assistance once againe leavies an Army besiegeth Mount Auban a Castle thought impregnable and within fifteene dayes takes it which Charles the Great could not get with his seven yeares siege where so great a number of French Lords were taken prisoners that King Iohn sent a Catalogue of their names into England for a memoriall of so great a victory After this he taketh the strong Towne of Angiers and utterly defaceth it for which afterward he was sorry as being the Towne where he was borne But now when the two Kings were ready to meete and to give battell intercession was made by friends of both sides and thereupon a Peace concluded for two yeares and King Iohn returned into England King Iohn being returned performes no lesse worthy acts at home then he had done in France for first he invades the Borders of Scotland and brings Alexander King of Scots to doe him homage and then understanding many of the Irish to be revolted he passeth over to Dublin and reduceth them to his obedience and then placing Iohn Bishop of Norwich Governour there he returnes into England where passing through Wales he subdueth certaine Rebels there and takes eight and twenty children of the best Families for pledges of their future loyalty but not long after hearing they grew mutinous and rebelled againe he was so incensed that he would not goe to dinner till he had seene those twenty eight children to be all hanged before his face so inconsiderate a thing is the desire of revenge that it makes no difference betweene innocency and guiltinesse though indeed a thing oftentimes must be done for example which considered in it selfe would be forborne And it was the yeare 1214. and the fourteenth of K. Iohns Raign when he going to Angiers strongly repaires it and the Province of Poictou revolted to him which Lewis King Philips sonne understanding comes upon them with a mighty Army and using much severity upon the Authors of the revolt takes prisoners Reynold Earle of Boleigne and William Earle of Salisbury with many others of King Iohns Captaines and defeateth his whole Army whereof when King Iohn was certified he grew in a manner desperate and as a man dejected makes a new Truce upon any conditions with the King of France and returnes into England where he findes a worse businesse ready to entertaine him for the Lords of the Realme having often required their ancient Rights and Liberties and finding nothing but delusions endure no longer to be abused but meeting at Saint Edmundsbery they there conferre how they may finde a remedy to redresse this evill and at la●t concluded to goe to the King themselves in person and make their Demands whereof a Charter was produced that had beene formerly granted in King Henry the firsts time whereupon comming to the King after Christmas lying then in the New Temple and acquainting him with their Demands he gives them this faire Answer that within a few dayes he would give them satisfaction and causeth the Bishops of Canterbury and Ely with William Marshall Earle of Glocester to passe their words for him that it should be performed But the King meaning nothing lesse then to doe as he said fals presently a leavying of Souldiers which the Lords understanding they also doe the like and going to the Bishop of Canterbury deliver him a Copy of their Demands and require the Kings Answer But the Bishop shewing it to the King and humbly intreating him to give the Lords a satisfactory Answer he swore a great Oath they might as well demand the Kingdome and that he would die before he would yeeld to any such demands Whereupon the Lords knowing now what they were to trust to fall to besiege Northampton and after that Redford which is yeelded to them and withall they are sent to by the Londoners to signifie their readinesse to joyne with them At this time the King was at Windsor providing an Army but hearing the Londoners were joyned with the Lords he thought it no
to deliver Mortimer but the King was deafe of that eare he could rather have wished both him and his two Sisters in heaven for then he should be free from conceal'd competitours These affronts were at this time suffered in the Welch because the King was now employed in a more dangerous service with the Scots for they taking advantage of the distraction in the kingdome as it was alwayes their custome to do had made an In-rode into the County of Northumberland and sudden●y one night set upon the Castle of Werke tooke and spoiled it and then returned In revenge wherof the English invaded and spoiled certain Islands of the Orkn●ys Then the Scots set forth a Fleet under the conduct of Sir Robert Logon but before he came to any action he was encountred and the greatest part of his Fleet taken But these were but such affronts as often happen between troublesome neighbours for all this while the Peace was still in being between the Nations but at last it brake out into an open warre upon this occasion Robert King of Scots had offered to match his Son David with a D●ughter of Geo●ge Earle of Dunbarre and had received money of him in part of her portion and afterward would neither suffer the March to proceed nor yet pay back the money but married his Son to a Daughter of Archibold Earle of D●●glasse Upon which indignity George of Dunbarre flyes into England to king Henry and with his ayd makes divers incursions into Sco●land Whereupon Rober● king of Scots sent to king Henry that if he would have the Truce between them to continue he should deliver to him George of Dunbarre King Henry answered that he had given him a safe conduct and could not now recall it with his Honor but as for continuing the Truce king Robert might do in that what he thought best● Upon this answer the king of Scots presently proclaimed warre against him But king Henry as ready in that matter as he stayed not for king Roberts invading of England but himselfe with a puissant Army invaded Scotland burning Castles and Cities and not sparing Churches and Religious Houses About the end of September he besieged the Castle of Maydens in Edenbourgh where Prince David and the Earle Dowglasse were At which time Robert Duke of Albanye who in the king of Scots sicknesse managed the businesse sent an Herald to king Henry protesting upon his honor that if he would stay but six dayes he would give him battell K. Henry rewarded the Herald and stayed but six times six dayes passed but neither Duke of Albany nor any other for him appeared And now winter came on Victualls grew scant and which was worst a mortality began in the Engl●sh Campe For which causes king Henry removed his Siege and retu●ned i●t● England As soone as he was gone sir Patrick Hebborne a Scottishman having a good opinion of his valour thought to do great matters and with a competent Army of the men of L●●gh-deane he invaded Northumberland making great spoile and loading his Soul●diers with prey and prisoners but in the Retreit marching loosely and licentiously was set upon by the Earle of Northumberland Vice-warden at a Towne called Neshye where Hebborne himselfe and all the floure of L●ugh-deane were flaine sir Iohn and William Cockburne sir William Busse Iohn and Thomas Hablington Esq●ires and a multitude of common Souldiers taken prisoners On the Engl●sh part few sl●in● and none of any ranke or quality In revenge whereof Archibold Dowglasse with an Army of twenty thousand entred Northumberland but at a place called Hom●ldon were encountred by the English under the leading of Henry Lord Percye sirnamed Ho●spu●●e and George Earle of March who put them to ●light and after the slau●hter of ten thousand of them tooke five hundred prisoners whereof the chieft were Mordack Earle of Fife sonne of the Generall who in the fight lost one of his eyes Thomas Earle of Murrey Robert Earle of A●gus the Earls of Atholl and Menli●●● and amongst the slaine were Sir Iohn Swinton Sir Adam Gourdon Sir Iohn Leviston Sir Alexander Ramsey and three and twenty other knights In this meane time Glendour of Wales had solicited the king of France for ayde who sent him twelve hundred men of quality but the windes were so contrary that they lost twelve of their ships and the rest returned home The English deriding this ill successe of the French so exasperated the French-king that presently after he sent twelve thousand who landed safely and joyned with the Welch but as soone as they heard of the English armies approach whether mistrusting their own strength or suspecting the Welch-mens faithfullnesse they ran to their ships and disgracefully went home King Henry's Ambassadors lately sent into Britaine to fetch the Lady Iane de Navarre Dutchesse of Britiane the relict of Iohn de Montford sirnamed the Conquerour● with whom the king by Procurators had contracted Matrimony in the beginning of February returned with her in safety The king met her at Winchester where the seventh of February the marriage was solemnized About this time some affronts were offered by the French Valerian Earle of S. Paul with seventeene hundred men landed in the Isle of Wight where hee burnt two Villages and some few Cottages but hearing the people of the Island to have assembled hee made haste to his ships and returned home Also Iohn Earle of Clermont the heire of Bourbon won from the English the Castles of S. Peter S. Mary and the New-Castle The Lord de la Brett won the Castle of Cal●●in places of great consequence to the English And now to make k. Henry sensible that a Crown can hardly ever sit easie upon the head if it be not set on right at first a new Conspiracy is hatching against him The Percies Earls of Northumberland and Worcester with Henry Hotspur began about thi● time to fall off from king Henry their reason was First because the king at their request refused to redeeme their kinsman Mortimer from Glendours slavery and then because he denied them the benefit of such prisoners as they had taken of the Scots at Homildon or N●shye whereupon they went of themselves and procured Mortimer's delivery and then entred into a League offensive and defensive with Glendour and by their Proxies in the house of the Arch-deacon of Bangor they agreed upon a Tripartite Indenture under their hands and seales to divide the kingdome into three parts whereby all England from Sever● and Trent South and Eastward was assigned for the portion of the Earle of March All Wales and the Lands beyond Sever● VVestward were assigned to Owen Glendour And all the remainder of land from Trent Northward to bee the portion of the Lord Percy In this as Glendour perswaded them they thought they should accomplish a Prophesie as though king Henry were the Mouldwarp cursed of Gods own mouth they three were the Lyon the Dragon and the Wolfe which should divide the Land
triumph during their abode in Tourney amongst other compliments of entertainment there was had a Justs where the King and the Lord Lisle answered all comers after the Justs was a sumptuous Banquet after the Banquet the Ladies danced and then came in the King and eleven other in a Maske all richly apparelled with Bonnets of gold and when the● had passed the time at their pleasures the garments of the Maskers were cast off amongst the Ladies take them that could This was King Henries disposition that he could not forbear Revelling in the midst of his Armes and Ladies must be entertained as well as souldiers After this finding the French not willing to come to a Battaile and the winter drawing on he left Sir Edward Poynings Governour of Tourney and then returned to Callice and from thence passed into England and rode in post to Richmond to the Queene Whilst King Herry was thus busied in his warre with France the King of Scots though his Brother in law yet instigated by the French King and taking advantage of King Henries absence assembled his people to Invade England but before his whole power could come together the Lord Humes his Chamberlin with seven or eight thousand men entred the borders but as he was returning with a great booty of Cattle in a field overgrowne with Broome called Milfield he was encountred by Sir Edward Bulmer having with him not above a thousand men who lying in that field in ambush broke out upon him and put him to flight with the slaughter of five or six hundred of his company and foure hundred taken prisoners the Lord Humes himselfe escaped by ●light but his Banner was taken and this by the Scots was called the ill Rode In the meane time the whole power of Scotland was assembled no fewer then one hundred thousand men though Buchanan in favour of his Countrey ●aith not the fifth part of that number and with these King Iames approaching the borders and coming to Norham Castle laid siedge unto it which for want of Powder was soone delivered up unto him But by this time the Earle of Surrey Lievtenant of the North parts had assembled an Army of six and twenty thousand men to whom also soone after his Sonne the Lord Admirall with one thousand expert souldiers came and joyned● and now having many great Lords and Knights in his Army he appointed to every one their station and then was informed that King Iames being removed six miles from Norha● lay embattelling upon a great Mountain called Floddon where it was impossible to come neere him but with great disadvantage for at the foot of the hill o● the left hand was a great ma●ish ground full of reeds and water on the right hand was a river called Till so swift any deepe that it was not possible on the back-side were such craggie rocks and thick woods that there was no assayling him on that part the forepart of his Campe he had fenced with his great Ordnance Being in such a hold the Earle of Surry found there was no possibility of a Battaile unlesse he could draw him from the hil wherupon he called a coun●ell by which it was determined to s●nd Roug-Cross● Pu●suivant at Armes with a trumpet to the K. of Scots to let him know that he was ready on Friday following to give him Battaile if he would abide it wherunto the King of Scots by his Pursuivant Ilay made answer that at the day prefixed he should finde him ready for Battail as he desired that he would willingly have come to such a ma●ch if he had bin at Edenburgh but though he made this answer yet he would not leave the strong Hold he was in but kept himselfe still upon the Hill at last Thomas Lord Howard sonne and hei●e to the Earle of Surrey having viewed the Countrey round about declared to his Father that if he would but fetch a smal compasse and come with his Army on the back of his Enemies he should enforce the Scottish King to come down out of his strength or else stop him from receiving of victuals o● any other thing out of Scotland This councell of the Lord Howard his Father followed and King Iames perceiving what their meaning was thought it stood not with his honour to be forestalled out of his owne Realme and thereupon immediately raised his Camp and got to another Hill but not so steepe as the other which the Earle of Surrey perceiving he determined to mou●t it and to fight with the Scots before they should have leisure to fortifie their Campe and herewith making a short Speech for encouragement of his Souldiers he divided his Army into Battailes the Van●guard was led by the Lord Howard to whom was joyned as a Wing Sir Edward Howard the middle-ward was led by the Earl himself and the Rear-ward by Sir Edward Stanley the Lord Dacres with a number of horsmen was set apart by himselfe to succor where need should be the Ordnance was placed in the Front and in other places as was thought most convenient and in this order they March forward towerds the Scots On the other side King Iames reckoning upon the benefit of the Hill thought the English half mad to venture a Battaile upon such disadvantage and thereupon making a Speech to encourage his Souldiers who were of themselves so forward that they needed no encouraging Hee divided his Battailes in this manner the maine Battaile he led himself to which he appointed two Wings the right led by the Earls of Huntley Cr●wford and Mountrosse the left by the Earls of Lenox and Argyle together with the Lord H●mes Lord Camberlain and so confident they were of victory that the King first and after all the Lords and meane● me● put away their Horses as thinking they should not need them which confidence was afterward their undoing for when the Battaile being joyned Sir Edward Howard in getting up the Hill was so assaulted by the Earles of Lenox and Argyle that he was left almost alone and in manifest perill to be slaine in comes the Lord Dacres with his Horsmen and trode under foot the Scottish Battaile of speeres on foot which he could not have done if they had kept their Horses And this part of the Scottish A●my being led by the Earles of Crawford and Mountrosse they were both of them slaine and the whole Battaile but to flight In another part also Sir Edward Stanley did the like upon the Battaile led by the Earles of Lenox and Argyle putting it to flight with the slaughter also of these two Earles King Iames notwithstanding maintained the fight still with great resolution till Sir Adam Forman his Standard-bearer was beaten downe and then not fainting though despairing of successe he rushed into the thickest of his Enemies amongst whom he was beaten downe and slaine and to make his death the more honourable there dyed with him three Bishops whereof one was Alexander Archbishop of Saint Andrewes the Kings base
but ●ow he means to be in earnest and therefore sends over the Duke of Suffolk with an Army the foure and twentieth of August attended with the Lord Montacute and his b●other Sir Arthur Poole the Lord Herbert sonne to the Earle of Worces●er the Lord Ferrers the Lord Marney the Lord Sands the Lord Barkley the Lord ●owis and the Baron Curson Sir Richard Wink●●eld Chauncellour of the Duchy of Lancaster Sir Iohn Vere Sir Edward Nevile Sir William Kings●on Sir Richard Weston Sir Andrew Winsore Sir Robert Winkfield Sir Anthony Winkfield Sir Edward Guildford Sir Edw Grevile Sir Edw Chamberlaine Sir Thomas Lucy Sir Everard Digby Sir Adrian Foskew Sir Richard Cornwall Sir William Courtney Sir William Sidney Sir Henry Owin sand many other Knights and Gentlemen In the whole Army were six hundred Demylaunces two hundred Archers on Horsback three thousand Archers on foo● and five thousand Bilmen Also seventeen hundred taken out of the Garrisons of Hammes Guysnes and Callice in all ten thousand and five hnndred besides two thousand six hundred labourers and Pioners With this Army the Duke of Suffolk took the field his vauntguard was led by the Lord Sands Cap●aine of the right wing was Sir William Kingston of the left Sir Everard Digby Captain of all the Horsmen was Sir Edward Guildford Marshall of Callice the Duke himselfe led the Battaile and Sir Richard Winkfield the Reareward The Dukes first enterprise was the winning of Bell Castle which the Lord Sands and the Lord Ferres assaulted and had it yeelded to them and then Sir VVilliam Skevington was placed Captaine in it At this time the Duke of Bourbon high Constable of France began to have his mind aliena●ed from the King of France and ●o draw him the more on the Duke of Suffolk sent Sir Iohn Russel afterward created Duke of Bedford to him who passing in disguised apparell so prevailed with him that he professed to take part with the Emperour and the King of England who having ten thousand Almans in his pay it was thought fit for encourag●ment of the English to proclaime in the Army the accesse of so powerfull an assistant and therupon the Duke of Suffolk removed to Ard and so forward into Picardie At Cordes between Terwyn and Saint Omers there came to him the Lord of Isilst●yn and with him of Spaniards Almans and others three thousand Foot-men and five hundred Horse With these forces the Duke marching on took first the rich Town of Anchor then the Castle of Bounguard and then by assault the Towne of Bray though two thousand good men of war were in it After this the Towres of Cappe and Roy Lihome and Davenker and then came before ●he Towne of Mount-Dedyer in which were a thousand foot and five hundred horse yet upon Sir William Skevingtons Batteries was yeelded to him From hence he removed to Roy where he rested a while with hi● whole Army and there on Alholland-day in the chiefe Church of Roy made Knights the Lord Herbert the Lord Powis Oliver Manners Arthur Poole Richard Sands Robert Ierningham Robert Salisbury Edward Beningfield Richard Corbet Thomas Wentworth William Storton Walter Mantel George Warram and Edward Seymour that was after Duke of Somerset The day after the Army removed to a place called Neele from thence to Veane and then ●o Beauford where the Duke made Iohn Dudley and Robert Vtreight Knights and from thence on the eighth of November to a place called Mount Saint Martin here the Welshmen began to murmure that they might not returne home the winter being so far spent but there was to the number of a thousand persons under the leading of Sir Iohn VValloppe who having no wages but what they could got by booties and were therefore called Adventurers and by some Kreekers and these had more desire to stay then the VVelshmen had to be gon for the great gaines they made by the spoyles of so many Townes that were taken The thirteenth of November the Duke removed to a place within two miles of Boghan Castle defended by great Marishes that lay before it but the frost being at that time so great that many lost their fingers and toes with cold and some died Sir Edward Guildford acquainted the Duke that he thought the marishes were hard enough frozen to beare great Ordnance whereupon the Duke bid him venture it then and goe on which he resolutely did and had the Castle presently delivered up to him In this meane time the King hearing in what state the Army stood had prepared six thousand men to be sent to the Duke for a reliefe under the leading of the Lord Montjoy but before they could be put in order to passe the Sea the Duke partly by extremity of the weather and partly by the murmuring of the Souldiers was constrained to breake up his Army and returne to C●llice In this meane time the Scots knowing that the strength of England was gone into France tooke boldnesse to invade the Marishes but then the Earle of Surrey Treasurer and high Admirall of England with six thousand men being sent against them tooke divers of their Castles and Holds and at Yedworth skirmishing with a great Garrison of Scots overthrew them and tooke and burned both the Towne and Castle And now the French King finding that the Scots did not worke any great trouble to the English whereby to keepe them from molesting of France and thinking it to be for want of the Duke of Albanies presence whom they accounted their Governour he therefore prepared a Navie of Ships to transpo●t him into Scotland but when the Duke of Albany heard that Sir William Fitz-williams was sent with a great Fleet to stop his passage he brought his Ships into the Haven of Brest and gave it out that he would not goe into Scotland that yeere which being told to the King of England he commanded that his Ships also should be laid up in Havens till the next spring And now see the cunning of the Scot for when he saw the Kings Ships discharged he then boldly tooke shipping himselfe and sailed into Sc●tland whither being come he presently levied a great Army and approached the English Borders but when he heard the Earle of Surrey was coming against him with a mighty power he then sent a Her●uld to him● promising of his honour to give him Battaile and if he tooke him prisoner to give him good quarter To whom the Earle answered that he would not faile to abide his Battaile but if he tooke him prisoner the quarter he would give him should be to cut off hi● head and send it for a Present to his Master the King of England At this time to the Earle of Surrey being at Alnewicke came the Earles of Northumberland and VVestmerland the Lords Clifford Dacres Lumley Ogle and Darcye with many Knights Gentlemen and other Souldiers to the number of forty ●housand and from the Court came the Master of the Horse Sir Ni●holas Carew Sir Francis Bryan
Sir Edward Baynton and others The last of October the Duke of Albonye sent two or three thousand men over the water to bes●edge the Castle of VVarke who by battery of their Ordnance won the ou●ermost Ward called the Barnekins and continuing their battery won the second Ward but then Sir William Lisle that was Captaine of the Castle issuing forth with those few he had left drove the Fr●nch-m●n from the place and slew of them to the number of three hundred a memorable service and for which the Earle of Surrey afterwards gave him great thankes The Earle would gladly have followed his enemies in●o their owne Borders but that his Commission was onely to defend England and not to invade Scotland Shortly after the Quee●e of Scots Mother to the King sent to her Brother the King of England for an abstinence from Warre till a further communication might be had which being gra●●ed the English Army brake up and the Earle of Surrey returned to the Court. And now for a while we must be co●●ent to heare of pet●y Occurrances because greater did not happen which if it make us like the Story the worse it may make us like the times the better seeing they are ever the best times that afford lest matter to be talked of but this time will las● but a while for shortly we shall come to hear Occurrances that have been matter of talk to this day whereof the like have never scarce been seen and will hardly be beleeved when they are heard a Marriage dissolved after twenty yeeres co●summation houses built in Piety under pretence of Piety demolished a King made a captive● a Pope held a prisoner● Queenes taken out of love put to death out of loathing and the Church it selfe so shaken that it hath stood in distraction ever since At this time the Emperou● Charles sent to the King of England two M●ses trapped in crimson Velvet richly embridered also eleven goodly Je●its trapped with russe● Velvet richly wrought foure Speares and two Javelins of strange timber and worke richly garnished and five brace of Greyho●nd● To the Queene he sent two Mules richly trapped and high Chai●es after the Spanish fashion which Presents were thankfully received both of the King and Queene At this time in the moneth of October the Cardinall sent out Commissions that every man being worth forty pounds should pay the whole Subsedie before granted out of hand which he called an Anticipation which fine new word he thought would make them pay their money the more willingly but they loved their money better then any words he could devise In this yeere the King sent the Lord Morley Sir VVilliam Hussey knight and Doctor Lee his Almoner to F●rdinand Archduke of Austria with the Order of the Garter which he received in the towne of Norimberg to his great contentment In this yeere through Bookes of Prognosticat●ons foreshewing much hurt to come by waters and ●●oods many persons withdrew themselves to high grounds for feare of drowning specially one Bolton Prior of Sain● Barthol●mewes in Smithfield builded him an House upon Harrow on the Hill and thither wen● and made provision for two moneths These great waters should have fallen in February but no such thi●● happeni●g the Astronomers excused themselves by saying that in the computa●ion they had miscounted in their number an hundred yeeres In this meane time many enterpri●es were attempted betweene the Englishmen of Callice and Guy●●es and the Frenchmen of Bulloigne and the Fro●●tiers of Picard●● and still Sir VVilliam Fitz Williams Captaine of Guysnes Sir Robert I●rningham Captaine of Newnham Bridge Sir Iohn Walloppe and Sir Iohn Gage were the men that did the French most hurt This yeere the first of September was Docter Thomas Hannibell Master of the Rolles receaved into London by Earles Bishops and diverse Lords and Gentlemen as Embassadours from Pope Clement who brought with him a Rose of gold for a present to the King● on the day of the Nativity of our Lad● after a solemne Masse sung by the Cardinall of Yorke the said present was delivered to the King which was a Tree forged of fine Gold and with branches leaves and flowers resembling Roses About the beginning of Winter the advent●rers called Kr●ekers being not above two hundred and of them five and twenty horsmen made an attempt to fetch some booty from a Village not farre from Mattrell wherof the Earle of D●mmartine having notice he set upon them with a far greater number and slew most of them and this was the end of the Kreekers as brave men as ever served any Prince In December this yeere there came to London diverse Embassadours out of Scotland about a peace to be had● and a mariage to be concluded between the King of Scots and the Lady Mary daughter to the King of England At this time the Lord Leonard Gray and the Lord Iohn Gr●y brothers to the Lord Marquesse Dorset Sir George Cobham sonne to the Lord Cobham VVillia● Carye Sir Iohn Dudley Thomas VVyat Francis Poynts Francis Sid●●y Sir Anthony Browne Sir Edward Seymor Oliver Manners Percivall Hart Sebasti●● Nudigat● and Thomas Calen Esquires of the Kings Household made a challenge of Arms against the Feast of Christmas which was proclaimed by Windsor the Herauld and performed at the time appointed very Nobly at Tilts T●rneys Barriars and the assault of a Castle erected for that purpose i● the Tilt-yard at Greenwich where the King held his Christmas that yeer with great State and magnificence About this time Iohn Iokyn Steward of the Household to the French Kings Mothe● came into England and was received in secret man●er into the House of one Doctor Larke a Prebrendary of Saint Stephens who oftentimes talked with the Cardinall about a Peace to be concluded between the two Kings of ●ngland and France of whose often meetings Monsieur de Brate the Emperours Embassadour grew very jealous The four and twentieth of Ianuary Monsie●r Brynion President of Roan came to London as Embassadour from the French King and was lodged with the said Iohn Iokyn which small things should not be related but that they were preparatives to great matters afterward On Sunday the fifth of March were received into London Monsieur de Beuer Lo●d of Campher Admirall of Flanders Monsieur Iohn de la Coose President of 〈◊〉 Master Iohn de la Gache as Embassadours from the Lady Margaret in the name of the Emperour who required three things First they demanded the Lady Mary the Kings only daughter to be presently delivered and she to be n●●ed Empresse and as Governesse take possession of all the Low-Countryes Secondly that all such summes of money as the King should give with her in ma●riage should be paid incontinently Thirdly that the King of England should passe the sea in person and make Warre in France the next Summer The ●●rst two demands were not agreed too for certaine causes and as to the third the King said he would take time
execution upon a statute of the S●aple and for so much as the said Cook during all the Parliament served the Spe●ker in t●at office he was taken out of execution by priviledge of Parliament the Prerogative of which Court as our learned Counsaile informeth us is so great that all Acts and processes comming ou● of any other Court must for the time ce●se and give place to it and touching the party himselfe though for his presumption he was worthy to have lost his debt yet I commend your Equity that have restored him to hi● debt against him that was the principall when the King had said this Sir Edward Mountacute Lord chiefe Justice rose up and confirmed by many reasons all that the King had said as likwise did all the other Lord● none speaking any thing to the contrary It was now the foure and thirtieth yeere of King Henries Reigne when in May he took a loane of money of all such as were valued at fifty pounds and upward● in the Subsidy book the Lord Privy-seale the Bishop of VVinchester Sir Iohn Baker and Sir Thomas Wriothsley were commissioners that the loane in London who so handled the matter that of some chief Citizens they obtained a thousand ma●kes in prest to the Kings use for which Privie Seales were delivered to repay it againe within two yeeres At this time were many complaints made by the ●●gli●h against the Scots partly for receiving and maintaining diverse English Reb●ls 〈◊〉 into Scotland and partly for invading ●he Engli●h Borders but still w●en the King of Englan● was preparing to oppose them the Scottish King would send Embassadours to tre●t of reconcilement till at last ●fter m●n● delusory prankes of the Scots the King of England no longer ●nduri●g such abuses sent the Duke of Norfolke his Leivtena●● Generall accompanied with the Earls of Shrewsbury Darby Cumberland Surrey Hart●o●d A●●us Rutland the Lords of the North parts Sir Anthony Browne Master of the Kings horse and Sir Iohn Gage Controller of the King● House with others to the number of twenty thousand men who on the one and twentieth of Oc●ober entred Scotland where staying but eig●t daye● onely he burnt above eighteen Towne● Abbeys and Castles and then without ●aving bat●aile offered for want of victuals returned to Barwick ●● soon as ●e was returned comes abro●d the King of Scots raiseth a power of fifteen thous●nd men and using great threatnings what he would doe invaded the west Borders but the edge of his threatning was soon taken off for the bastard Da●●es with Iack of Musgrave setting upon them with onely an hundred Light●horse and Sir Thomas Wharton with three hundred put them to flight upon a concei● th●● the Duke of Norfolke with all his Army had beene come i●to those part● where were taken prisoner● of the Scots the Earl of Cassill and Glenc●●ne the Lord Maxwell Admir●ll of Scotland the Lord Flemming the Lord So●erwell the Lord Oli●ha●t the Lord Gray Sir Oliver Sinclee●e the Kings Minion Iohn Rosse Lord of Gragy Robert Erskin sonne to the Lord Erskin Car Lord of Gredon the Lord Maxwells two Brothers Iohn Lesloy bastard sonne to the Earl of Rothus George Hame Lord of Hemetton with divers other men of account to the number of above two hundred and more then eight hundred of meaner calling so as some one English m●n and some women also had three or foure prisoner● in their hands at which over●hrow the King of Scots took such grief that he fell into a burning Ague and thereof died leaving behind him one onely daughter and heere King Henry began to apprehend a greater matter then the victory for he and his Couns●ile conceived that ●hi● daughter would be a fit match for his sonne Prince Edward thereby to make ● perpetuall union of the two Kingdomes and to ●his purpose they confer●ed with the Lord whom they had taken prisoners who exceeding glad of the proposition and promising to further it by all the possible meane they could were ●hereupon s●t at liberty and suffered ●o return home Comming into Scotland 〈◊〉 acquainting the Earl of Arraine wi●h the motion who was chosen Gover●our of the young Queen and of the Realme t●e matter with great liking was entertained and in Parliament of the three est●tes in Scotland the marriage was confirme● and ● peace between the two Re●lms for ten yeer● wa● proclaimed and Embass●dours sent into England for sealing the conditions But Beton Archbishop of S●int Andrews being Cardinall and at the Popes devotion and therefore an utter enemy to King Henry so crossed the businesse that it came to nothing but ended in a war between the two Kingdomes so as in March the yeere following the Lord Seymour Earle of Hartford with an Army by Land and Sir Iohn Dudley Lord Lisle with a Flee●e by Sea me● at New-castle and there joyned together for invading of Scotland with the Earl of Hartford were the Earl of Shrewsbury the Lords Cobham Clinton Conyers Stinton the Lord William Howard with Knights and others to the number of ten thousand with Sir Iohn Dudley the Admirall were two hu●dred s●ile of ships on the fourth of May the whole Army was landed two miles from the Towne of Lieth at a place called Granther Crag and there the Lord Lievtennant puting his men in order ma●ched toward the Towne of Lieth the Lord Admirall led the foreward the Lievtennant the Battell and the Earl of Shrewsbury the Rearward Before they came to the Towne of Lieth the Cardinal with six hundred ●orse besides foot lay in the way to impeach their passage but they were so assailed by the Harqu●butars that they were glad to flye and the first man that fled was the Cardinal himself and then the Earls of Huntley Murrey Bothwel hereupon the English made forward to Lieth and entred it without any great resistance the sixth of May they marched towards Edenbrough and as they approached the Towne the provost with some of the Burgers came and offered the keyes of the Towen to the Lord Lievtennant upon condition they might depart with bag and baggage and the Towne to be preserved from fire but the Lord Livetennant told them their falshood had been such as deserved ●o fa●our and therefore unlesse they would deliver the Towne absolutely without any condition he would pro●eed in his enterprise and burne the Towne Here wee may see what it is to make men desperate for to this the Provest answered they were better then to stand upon defence and so indeed they did and made the English glad to retire for the Castle shot so fiercely upon them that having burnt onely a part of the Towne they returned to Lieth but whilst they lay there they so wasted the Country that within seaven mile● every way of Edenbrough there was not a Towne nor Village nor house t●at was left unburnt at Lieth the eleveth day of May the Lord Generall made Knights the Lord Clinton the Lord Conyers Sir William Wroughton Sir Thomas
Ambassadours proof out of History That the Kings of Scots born in Scotland did anciently without question hold the Earldome of H●ntington by Right of Inheritance Yet she commanded a Sequestration to be made of the Revenues of those Lands by B●rleigh Master of the Wards and willeth the King That out of the goods of the Earl of Lenox in Scotland satisfaction might be made to his Grand-mothers Creditors here For she too● it in ill part that the King had recalled the In●●o●●ment of the Earldom of Lenox made to his Unkle Charl● and his Heirs after the death of Charles to the prejudice as was suggested to her of Arbella although indeed it be a Priviledge of the Kings of Scotland That they may recall Donations made in their minor●ty The Earl of Morton in the mean while not enduring the disgrace to be outed of his Regency regarded not the prescript Form of Government lately set down but drew the Administration of all matters to himself and kept the King in his own power at the Castle of Sterling admitting none to his presence but whom he pleased At this presumption the Lords growing angry made the Earl of Atholl their Captain and in the Kings Name levyed a great Army and were ready to encounter Morton but by the intercession of Robert Bowes the English Ambassadour they were stayed from fighting and Morton presently betook himself home and the Earl of Atholl soon after died not without suspition of being poysoned At this time the King of Spain and Pope Gregory the thirteenth held secret Consultation to invade at once both England and Ireland and to work the absolute ruine of Queen Elizabeth The Pope to gain the Kingdom of Ireland for his son Iames Buen of Compagno whom he had made Marquesse of Vincola The King of Spain secretly to relieve the Irish Rebells as Queen Elizabeth did the Dutch while friendship in words was upheld on both sides and being known That the greatest strength of England consisted in the Navy Royall and Merchants Ships it was advised that the Italian and Dutch●Merchants should hire these Ships for long Voyages to the end that while they were absent the Queens Navy might be surprized with a greater Fleet and at that time Thomas Stukeley an English fugitive should joyn himself to the Irish Rebells with new Forces For he making great boast and promising the Kingdom of Ireland to the Popes bastard son had so insmuated himself into grace with the ambitious old man that he adorned him with the Titles of Marquesse of Leinster Earl of Wexford and Caterlogh Viscount M●rogh and Baron of Rosse the principall dignities of Ireland and made him Commander over eight hundred Italian Souldiers to be employed in the Irish War With which Forces Stuckeley setting Sayl from 〈◊〉 Vecchia arrived at length in Portingall where he and his Forces● were by the divine providence diverted another way For S●●a●●ia● King of Porti●gall to whom the chief Command in this Expedition against England was assigned being first to dispatch a War in Africa in Ayd of Mahomet Abdall son to the King of Fesse perswaded Stukeley to go along with him into Maure●ania together with his Italian Souldiers and then afterward they would go together against Ireland To this motion Stukeley soon agreed and therein agreed with his destiny for in that memorable Battell where three Kings were slain both he and Sebastian lost their lives At this time Sir Henry Sidney who had been Deputy of Ireland at severall times eleven yeers delivered up his Deputy-ship to Sir William Drury President of Munster Such a Deputy for good Government that if any have equalled him none have exceed him It was now the yeer 1579 and the two and twentieth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign when Iohn Casimire son of Frederick the third Count Pala●ine of the Rhyne came into England where after he had been entertained with Tiltings and Justs made Knight of the Garter the Queen tying the Garter about his leg and rewarded with a yeerly Pension he returned And now was Alexander ●●rnise Prince of Parma made Governour of the Netherlands by the King of Spain and Queen Elizabeth supplied the States with a great Sum of money for which William Davyson brought into E●gland the ancient precious Habilliments of the Family of Burgundy and their costly Vessells laid to pawn by Matthew of Austria and the States Si●ier in the mean time herein England cea●eth not by all amorous devices to perswade the Queen to marry Alanson wherein he drew her so far that the Earl of Leicester gave ou● He crept into the Queens affection by love Potions and unlawfull Arts and Simier on the other side endeavoured by all means to cast down Leicester discovering his mariage with the Earl of Essex widdow whereat the Queen grew so angry that she consined him to the Castle at Greenwich and had meant to have him Committed to the Tower but that the Earl of Sussex though his greatest Adversarie disswaded her telling her that none ought to be molested for contracting lawfull Matrimonie But Leicester notwithstanding was so provoked for his confining that he was bent to revenge it and if it be true as some said● he had suborned on Teud●r a Yeoman of the Guard to murder Simier sure it is the Queen by Proclamation commanded that no person should offer injury to the Embassadour or any of his servants At which time it fell out that as the Queen together with Simier the Earle of Lincolne and Hatton Vice-Chamberlaine were rowed in a barge to Greenwich a young man shooting off a Harquebus out of a boate shot one of the rowers in the Queenes Barge thorough the arme with a bullet who was presently taken and ledde to the Gallowes but upon solemne Protestation that he did it unwillingly and out of no malicious Intent he was let go and Pardoned Some would have perswaded the Queen that was purposely suborned to shoote either her or the French Embassadour but she was so far from suspecting her Subjects that she would often say She would not believe any thing against them which a mother would not believe against her children After a few dayes Alanson himself came privately into England with only on or two attendants and came to the Queen at Greenwich at a time when she thought not of it they had secret conference together all parties being sent away after which being seen of very few he returned home but within a moneth or two after the Queen enjoyned the Lord Burleigh treasurer the Earle of Sussex Leicester Hatton and Walsingham seriously to weigh both the dangers and the Commodities likely to arise from the marriage with him and to consult with Simier concerning the marriage Covenants As in England there was some feare of this Frenchman So in Scotland at this time of another Frenchman called Esme Steward Lord of Aubigny who came now into Scotland to visit the King his cosen He was the sonne of Iohn Steward brother to Matthew
the Bishops of Rosse and Glasco her Agents in France to have no further to do with the English Fugitives These things Q●een Elizabeth heard gladly and thereupon sent Beale to the Queen of Scots who joyntly with the Earl of Shrewsbery should signifie unto her That if she continued still in the same minde as she had delivered to Waad Sir Walter Mildmay should come out of hand ●o her and Treat concerning her liberty but withall she commanded Mildmay and Beale to dive into her as well as they could to know what practises the Duke of Guyse had on foot To that which she had spoken to sir William Waad the Queen of Scots made a wary answer but to that concerning the Duke of Guyse she plainly confesseth That being sickly he● selfe and weak of body she had committed her selfe and her Son to the Protection of the Duke of Guyse her dear Cosen of whose intendments she knoweth nothing nor if she did would she disclose them unlesse she might be sure of her own liberty Lastly she requesteth That being a free and an absolute Prince she may not be worse handled than Queen Elizabeth her selfe was when she was a subject and kept in prison by her Sister These things had a hearing but no feeling and the rather by a strange accident for Creighton a Scottish Jesuit sayling from the L●w-Countries and taken by Dutch Pirats had certain papers which he tore and thre● away which thrown over-boord and by the winde blown back into the ship miraculously as Creighton himselfe sayd they were brought to sir William Waad who patching them together with much labour and cunning discovered by them some new intendments of the Pope the King of Spain● and the Guyse about the Invading of England Whereupon and upo● divers other rumors the better to provide for the safety of the Queen a number of her Subjects the Earl of Leicester being the foremost men of all ranks and conditions bound themselves mutually to each other by their oaths and subscriptions to persecute all those to the very death that should attempt any thing against the Queen which league of theirs they called the Association The Queen of Sco●s who presently apprehended that this Association was entred into for her destruction maketh this proposition by Nave her Secretary to the Queen and the Councell● That if she might have her liberty granted and be assured of the Q●een●●ove she would enter a strict league and ●mity with her and passing by all matters of offence esteem and honor ●er above all the Princes of the Christian World yea and saving the ancient League betwixt Fra●ce and Sc●●la●d she would her selfe be comprehended in t●e Association and a League defensiv● against all that should go about to injure the Queen Herewith Queen Eli●abeth was wonderfully pleased and at that time cer●●●nly had an inclination to grant her freedom B●t see what malice can do for many in England● but specially the Sco●s of 〈◊〉 ●dverse party endeavoured by all means to hinder it exclaiming That 〈◊〉 Queen could be no longer in safety if the Queen of Scots were set at liberty That both Kingdoms were utterly undone if she were admitted into 〈◊〉 ●oynt Government of the Kingdom of Scotland and that the reformed ●●●●gion lay a bleeding if Papists were admitted within the Court walls 〈◊〉 was this all but the Scottish Ministers in their Pulpits loaded the 〈◊〉 of Scots with all manner of contumelies slandred the King himselfe and 〈◊〉 Councell in most bitter manner and being cited to appear before him 〈◊〉 saying That the Pulpits were exempted from all Regall Authority and that Ecclesiasticall persons were not to be censured by the Prince but 〈◊〉 their own Consistory directly against the Laws made the year before in Pa●liament whereby the Kings Authority over all persons whether Eccle●●●s●icall or Secular was confirmed and namely That the King and his Councell were Supream Judges in all Causes and that whosoever refused 〈◊〉 b● tryed by them should be holden guilty of High-treason all Presby●●●●●s and Lay-conventicles forbidden Parity of the Clergy taken away 〈◊〉 the authority of Bishops restored whose Calling the Presbyteries had condemned as wicked and Antichristian And lastly all scurrilous Libels ●●●inst the King and his mother prohibited namely the Scottish History of George Buchanan and his Dialogue De Iure Regni apud Scotos At this time upon her adversaries suggestion the Queen of Scots is taken from the Earl of Shrewsbery and committed to the custody of sir Pawlet●nd ●nd sir Drue Drury and that on set purpose as some were perswaded to drive her into abrupt and desperate attempts and indeed upon this she grew more importunate with the Pope and King of Spain to hasten their in●●ndment whatsoever became of her as ill indeed was like to become of her if it be true as some sayd that Leicester sent out assasinats to make her ●way but that Drury detested the villany and would grant them no ●●cesse And how to alienate Queen Elizabeth utterly from her it is suggested to 〈◊〉 That Allen for the Catholicks of the Clergy Inglefield for the Layity ●nd the Bishop of R●sse for the Queen of Scots with consent of the Pope and the King of Spain had joyntly combined to depose her and to bar the King of Scotland from his hereditary Right to the Crown of England and to marry the Queen of Scots to an English Noble-man of the Romish Religion and him the English Catholikes should chuse King of England and the Pope confirm the Election and all this upon the credit of Hart the Priest but who this English Noble-man should be that should marry the Queen of Scots could not be found though Walsingham were very busie to seacrh i● out the fame went upon Henry Howard the Duke of Norfolks brother ●ho was a single man a great Papist and of high estimation amongst the Catholikes This yeer died in Exile and misery Charles N●vill who was in the Rebellion of the North the last Earl of Westmerland of this Family a House from whence descended many Noble Personages six Earls of Westmerland ●wo Earls of Sali●●●●y and War●i●k an Earl of Kent a Ma●quesse Mount●cut● 〈◊〉 Duke of Bedford Baron Ferrers of 〈◊〉 the Lord Latymer the Lord of 〈◊〉 one Queen and five Dutchesses to let passe Counte●●es and Baronne●ses an Arch-bishop of York and a numerous company of other Lords In E●gl●nd died none of ●eckoning this yeer but onely Pl●●den the famous Lawyer but in France ●he Duke of Angi●● died of grief● a●d in Holland William Prince of Orange shot into the body with ●hree Bullets by one B●lth●s●r Gerard a Burgundian It was now the yeer 1585 and the eight and twentieth of Queen Eliza●●●●● Raign when to ti● the French King more neerly to her whom the 〈◊〉 ●●fore she had received into the number of the Knights of the ●arter she sent the Earl of Derby into France to invest him with the Robes and Ornaments according to
touching a League offensive and defensive though the King at first required some additions and though the French Ambassador infinitely opposed it yet at last he consented to it and in Iuly following there met at Barwick Edward Earle of Rutland William Lord Euer and Thomas Randoll for the Queen of England Francis Earl of Bothwell Robert Lord Boyde and Humes for the King of Scots and there the League which was called the League of strict Amity for that the word offensive liked not the Scots was upon certain points concluded First for the maintenance of the reformed Religion and then other such Articles as commonly in Leagues are usuall The very same moneth that this League was agreed on a most dangerous conspiracy against the Queen was discovered For first one Iohn Savage was by the perswasions of Gifford Doctor in Divinity induced to believe that it was a meritorious work to take away the lives of Princes Excommunicate who thereupon vowed to kill Queen Elizabeth but to make the Queen and her Councell secure at the very same time they wrote a book● exhorting the Papists in England to attempt nothing against their Prince and to use only the Christian weapons of Tears Prayers Watching and Fasting About Whitsuntide one Ballard a Seminary Priest of Rheims acquainted with the vow of Savage having dealt in France with Mendoza and Charles Paget about invading of England arrived here in a souldiers habit and by a counterfeit name called Captain Fos●● with these matters he acpuaints one Anthony Babington a gentleman of Darbyshire who by the Bishop of Glasco the Queen of Scots Ambassador in France had been commended to her as one worthy of her love so as between them there passed often letters in unknown characters In short time Babington had drawn into the Plot other gentlemen as zealous of the Romish Religion as himselfe namely Edward Windsor brother to the Lord Windsor Thomas Salisbery of a good Family in Devonshire Charles Tilney one of the Queens Pensioners Chydiock Tichburne of Hamshire Edward Abington whose father was Coferer to the Queen Robert Gage of Surrey Iohn Travers● and Iohn Charnock of Lancashire Iohn Iones● Savage formerly spoken of Barnwell of a noble Family in Ireland and Henry Dunne a Clerk in the Office of First-fruits and Tenths one Pollie also serued himselfe into their company a fellow throughly acquainted with the affairs of the Queen of Scots who was thought to have revealed all their consultations to Walsingham day by day To these Gentlemen Babington communicateth his affairs but not every particular to every one but to Ballard Tichburne and Dunn● he sheweth the Letters which passed between him and the Queen of Scots with Tilney and the rest he dealeth to be the Assassinates of whom some at first loth at last consented and in a foolish vaingloriousnesse a picture of the Assassinates was made to the life and Babington in the midst with these words Quorsum haec alio properentibus This Picture they say was gotten and privately shewed to the Queen who knew none of them by face but only Bernwell who had oftentimes come to her in the causes of the Earl of Kildare whose servant he was Certain it is that the Queen one day walking abroad spyed this Bernwell and turning to Hatton sayd Am not I well Guarded that have not so much as one man in the company with a sword by his side Thus much Bernwell himselfe told the rest of his confederacy and how easie a matter it had bin to have dispatched her at that time if the rest had been present The chief discoverer of the Plot was the aforesayd Gifford This man was a gentleman of a good Hou●e at Chellington in Staffordshire not far from Chartley where the Queen of Scots was kept prisoner and was now sent by the English fugitives in France under the counterfeit name of Luson to put Savage in minde of the vow he had made and to convey letters between them and the Queen of Scots But he whether pricked in conscience or dismayed in minde came to Walsingham privately revealing who he was and for what end and by whom sent into England Walsingham courteously entertained him and sent him down into Staffordshire to do the work he had undertaken Here Gifford bribing the Brewer of the House where the Queen of Scots lay contrived the matter in such sort with him that by a hole in the wall in which a loose stone was put he should give in and receive forth Letters the which by messengers purposely layd by the way came evermore to Walsinghams hands who broke them open copied them out and by the rare cunning of one Thomas Philips found out the meaning of the private Characters and by the singular Art of Arthur Gregory sealed them again so curiously that no man would imagine them to have been opened and ever sent them to the parties to whom the superscription directed them In like manner were the former letters from the Queen of Scots to Babington intercepted as also other letters written at the same time to Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador Charles Paget the Lord Paget the Archbishop of Glasco and Francis Englefield The Queen as soon as she understood by these letters of the storm hanging over her head both at home and abroad commanded Ballard to be apprehended who on a sodain is taken in Babingtons house Babington hereupon goeth to Walsingham with whom he had long been a suiter for licence to go into France promising to do great matters in discovering the practises of the Fugitives Walsingham with fair promises drives him off from day to day and now perswades him that for a small space till he could get his license sealed he would lodge at his house in London where they might have secret conference without suspition This Web Walsingham himselfe had spun hitherto and no other of the Queens Councell were made acquainted and longer yet he would have drawn the thread out but that the Queen was unwilling least as she sayd by not avoyding danger when she might she should seem rather to tempt God than to trust in him Whereupon Walsingham sent a Note to his man Scudamore from the Court to looke carefully to Babington This Note was delivered in such manner that Babington sitting by at Table when Scudamore read it overlooked him and read it likewise Hereupon suspecting that all was discovered the next night he and Scudamore and one or two more of Walsinghams servants supping at a Tavern and being very merry he made an excuse that he must needs step aside and rose up leaving his Cloak and his sword and so made haste through the dark to Westminster where Gage and he changed apparel and then together withdrew themselves 〈◊〉 S. Iohns wood neer the City whether Barnwell also and Dun betook them●●●ves In the mean space they were proclaimed Traytors all England over● Hereupon they lay lurking in Woods and by-places they shave Babingtons 〈◊〉 disfigure the beauty of
who lived about the yeare 685. 6 Segebert King of the East Angles writ an Institution of Lawes in his later dayes became a Monke and was slaine by Penda King of the Mercians in the yeare 652. 7 Cymbertus Bishop of Lindsey in the kingdome of Mercia writ the Annals of that Country lived about the yeare 730 8 Daniel Wentanus a Bishop writ the History of his Province and the Acts of the South Saxons and dyed in the yeare 746. 9 Asserius Menevensis borne in Pembrokeshire Bishop of Salisbury writ the Story of Britaine and the Acts of King Alphred and lived about the yeare 890. 10 Alphredus the great King of the Angles ●ourth sonne of King Ethelwolph writ besides many other workes a Collection of Chronicles and dyed at Winchester in the yeare 901. 11 Osbernus a Benedictine Monke writ the life of the Arch-bishop Dunstan and other workes and lived about the yeare 1020. 12 Colman●us Anglicus writ a Chronicle and a Catalogue of the English Kings and lived about the yeare 1040. in the time of King Harold the first 13 Gulielmus Gemeticensis a Norman and a Monke writ the lives of the Dukes of Normandy to William the Conqueror to whom he Dedicated his Worke and after enlarged it to the death of King Henry the first in the yeare 1135. at which time he lived 14 Marianus Scotus a Monke writ Annals from the beginning of the world to his own time and dyed in the yeare 1086. 15 Alphredus a Priest of Beverly writ a History from the first Originall of the Britaine 's to his owne time and lived about the yeare 1087. in the time of William the Conquerour 16 Veremundus a Spaniard and a Priest but who lived much in Scotland writ the Antiquities of the Scottish Nation and lived about the yeare 1090. 17 Lucianus a Monke and an English writer and lived in the first times of the Normans 18 Ingulphus Abbot of Croyland writ from the yeare 664. to the yeare 1066. and lived in the time of William the Conquerour whose Secretary he had beene 19 Turgotus an Englishman first Deane of Durham and afterward Bishop of Saint Andrewes in Scotland writ a History of the Kings of Scotland also Chronicles of Durham Annals of his own time and the life of King Malcolm and lived in the yeare 1098. in the time of King William Rufus 20 G●lielmus Pictaviensis writ a Treatise of the Life of William the Conquerour 21 Gualterus Mappaeus writ a Booke De Nugis Curialium and lived about the Conquerours time 22 William of Malmesbury a Benedictine Monke writ a History of the English Nation from the first comming of the Saxons into Britaine to his owne time which Worke he Dedicated to Robert Duke of Glocester base Sonne of King Henry the First and lived to the first yeares of King Henry the Second 23 Florentius Bravonius a Monke of Worcester compiled a Chronicle from the Creation to the yeare 1118. in which yeare he dyed his Worke was continued by another Monke to the yeare 1163. 24 Eadmerus a Monke of Canterbury writ the lives of William the Conquerour William Rufus and King Henry the First in whose time he lived 25 Raradocus borne in Wales writ the Acts of the Britaine Kings from Cadwallader to his owne time and lived in the time of King Stephen 26 Gervasius Dorobernensis a Benedictine Monke writ a History of the English Nation lived about the yeare 1120 27 Johannes Fiberius commonly called De Bever writ short Annals of the English Nation and lived about the yeare 1110. in the time of King Henry the first 28 Henry Arch-deacon of Huntington writ a History of the Kings of England to the Reigne of King Stephen in whose time he lived 29 Geoffrey of Monmouth a Benedictine Monke and afterward Bishop of Asaph writ a History of the Britaines and was the first that makes mention of Brute and of Merlins Prophecies for which he is much taxed by divers Authours of his owne time and after he lived about the yeare 1150. in the time of King Stephen 30 William of Newborough borne at the beginning of King Stephens Reigne writ a History of the English Nation and bitterly inveighes against Geoffrey of Monmouth as a Deviser of Fables 31 Sylvester Gyraldus borne in Wales and thereof called Cambrensis after long travaile abroad was called home and made Secretary to King Henry the Second and after was sent Tutour to his Sonne John into Ireland he writ the History of that Nation very exquisitely also an Itinerarium of Wales and Britaine the Life of Henry the Second the Acts of King John and a Chronicle of the English Nation and lived about the yeare 1190. in the times of King Richard the First and King John 32 John of Hagulstad a Towne in the North a Benedictine Monke in Durham writ the most memorable things from the ninth yeare of King Henry the Second to the first yeare of King Richard the first in whose time he lived about the yeare 1190. 33 Roger Hoveden a Priest of Oxford writ the Annals of the Kings of England and the memorable passages under the Romans Picts Saxons Danes and Normans he lived in the time of King Richard the first and dyed in the time of King John 34 Johannes Tilberiensis a secular Priest writ a History of the English Nation and lived in the time of King Richard the first 35 Richardus Canonicus travelled with King Richard the first into Palestine and writ of his Iourney and Acts there 36 Aluredus Rivallensis or de Rivallis a Cistersian Monke in the Diocesse of Yorke writ the Life of Edward King of England and David King of Scots and dyed in the yeare 1166. 37 Simon Dunelmensis a Benedictine Monke writ a History of the English Nation from the death of Venerable Bede to the yeare 1164. and lived in the time of King Henry the second 38 John de Oxenford first Deane of Salisbury and after Bishop of Norwich writ the British History and continued it to his own time wherin he agreeth much with Geoffry of Monmouth and lived about the yeare 1174. in the tim● of King Henry the second 39 Johannes Sarisberiensis writ an excellent Book De Nugis Curialium and lived about the yeare 1182. in the time of King Henry the second 40 Gulielmus Parvus a Canon Regular in the Province of Yorke writ a History of the Norman Kings and li●ed about the year● 1216. in the time of King John 41 Johannes Campobellus a Scotch man writte the History of the Scots from the first Originall of the Nation to his owne time and lived in the yeare 1260. 42 John Breton an Englishman Bishop of Hereford writ a Booke De Juribus Anglicanis and lived in the yeare 1270. in the time of King Henry the third 43 Thomas Wyke an Englishman a Canon Regular of Osney neere Oxford writ a short History from the comm●ng in of William the Conquerour to his owne time and lived in
Geoffrey of Monmouth Bishop of Saint Asaph in Wales Also Hugo Carthusianus a Burgundian but made Bishop of Lincolne here in England THE LIFE and RAIGNE OF KING HENRY THE SECOND KING Stephen being dead Henry Duke of Anjou by his Father Geoffry Plantagenet succeeded him in the Kingdome of England by agreement whom he preceded by right as being Sonne and Heire of Mawde sole daughter and Heire of King Henry the first and was crowned at Westminster by The●bald Arch-Bishop of Canterbury on the seventeenth of December in the yeare 1155. and was now a greater Prince then any of his Ancestours had beene before and indeed the Kingdome of England the Dukedome of Normandy and the Dukedome of Anjou in his owne right and in the right of his wife Queen Eleanor the Duchy of ●uyen and the Earldome of Poictou b●ing all united in his person made him a Dominion of a larger extent then any King Christian had at that time He was borne at Ments in Normandy in the yeare 1132. a great joy to his Father Geoffry Duke of Anjou a greater to his Mother Mawde the Empresse but so great to his Grandfather King Henry the first that it seemed to make amends for his sonne William whom unfortunately he had lost before by Shipwrack The yeares of his childhood were spent at home under the care of his Parents at nine yeares old or there abouts he was brought by his Unkle Robert Earle of Glocester into England and placed at Bristow where under the tuition of one Matthew his Schoolemaster to instruct him in learning he remained foure yeares after which time he was sent into Scotland to his great Unkle David King of Scots with whom he remained about two yeares initiated by him in the Principles of State but chiefely of his owne estate and being now about fifteene yeares of age was by him Knighted and though scarce yet ripe for Armes yet as a fruit gathered before its time was mellowed under the discipline of his Unkle Robert one of the best Souldiers of that time And now the Duke his Father not able any longer to endure his absence sent with great instance to have him sent over to him for satisfying of whose longing Earle Robert provided him of passage and conducted him himselfe to the Sea side where he tooke his last farewell of him Being come into Anjou his Father perhaps over-joyed with his presence not long after died leaving him in present possession of that Dukedome being now about nineteene yeares of age when shortly after he married Eleanor late the wife of Lewis King of France but now divorced A yeare or two after he came againe into England where after some velitations with King Stephen they were at last reconciled and his succession to the Crowne of England ratified by Act of Parliament Not long after he went againe into France and presently fell to besiege a Castle which was detained from him by the French King in the time of which siege newes was brought him of King Stephens death which one would have thought should have made him hasten his journey into England yet he resolved not to stirre till he had wonne the Caste which resolution of his being knowne to the Defendants they surrendred the Castle but yet no sooner but that it was sixe weekes after before he came into England when he was now about the age of three and twenty yeares His first Acts after he came to the Crowne He beganne his Raigne as Solomon would have begunne it if he had beene in his place for first he made choyce of wise and discreet men to be his Consellours then he banished out of the Realme all strangers and especially Flemmings with whom the Kingdome swarmed as of whom King Stephen had made use in his warres amongst whom was William of Ypres lately before made Earle of Kent Castles which by King Stephens allowance had beene built he caused to be demolished of which there were said to be eleven hundred and fifteene as being rather Nurseries of rebellion to the subject then of any safety to the Prince He appointed the most able men of that profession to reforme abuses of the Lawes which disorder of the wars had brought in He banished many Lords who against their Oath had assisted King Stephen against him as thinking that men onc● perjured would never be faithfull and to the end he might be the lesse pressing upon the people with Taxations he resumed all such Lands belonging to the Crown which had any way beene aliened or usurped as thinking it better to displease a few then many and many other things he did which in a disjoynted State were no lesse profitable and expedient then requisite and necessary His Troubles during his Raigne HE had no Competitors nor Pretenders with him for the Crowne and therfore his troubles at first were not in Capite strooke not at the roote as K. Stephens did but were onely some certaine niblings at inferiour parts till at last he brought them himselfe into his own bowels For what was the trouble in his first yeare with the Welsh but as an exercise rather to keep him in motion then that it needed to disquiet his rest for though they were mutinous for a time while they looked upon their owne Bucklers their Woods and Mountainous passages yet as soone as K. Henry did but shew his sword amongst them they were soone reduced to obedience for the present and to a greater awfulnesse for the future It is true Henry Earle of Essex that bore the Kings Standard was so assaulted by the Welsh that he let the Standard fall to the ground which encouraged the Welsh and put the English in some feare as supposing the King had beene slaine but this was soone frustrated to the Welsh and punished afterward in the Ea●le by condemning him to be shorne a Monke and put into the Abbey of Reading and had his lands seised into the Kings hands And what was his trouble with Malcolme King of Scots but a worke of his owne beginning for if he would have suffered him to enjoy that which was justly his owne Cumberland and Huntingtonshire by the grant of King Stephen and Northumberland by the gift of his Mother Maude the Empresse he might have staied quietly at home and needed not at all to have stir●ed his foote but he could not endure there should be such parings off from the body of his Kingdome and therefore went with an Army into the North where he wonne not but tooke Northumberland from him with the City of Carl●ill and the Castles of Newcastle and Bamberg and meerely out of gratefulnesse in remembrance of the many co●rtesies done him before by David King of Scots he left him the County of Hunting●on but yet with condition to owe feal●y and to doe homage to him for it And what was his trouble with his brother Geoffrey but a Bird of his owne hatching For his Father Geoffrey Duke of Anjou had three sonnes Henry
throwing downe his Colours at Ptolemais was the death of Conrade Duke of Tyre whom they pretended King Richard had murthered wherein though King Richard made his innocency appeare by the testimony of Limbeldus who confessed himselfe to have beene the author of the Marquesses death yet the pretence served to detaine him in prison and in prison indeed they kept him till his Ransome was agreed upon and paid which being a hundred thousand pounds fourescore thousand was paid in hand whereof two parts to the Emperour a third part to Duke Leopold and for the rest hostages given to the number of fifty of whom the Bishop of Roan was one though the hostages afterward were delivered without paying the rest for Henry the Emperour dying shortly after his Successour had the conscience not to take it as knowing it had beene unjustly exacted and indeed the accidents that befell both the Emperour and the Duke Leop●ld were evident demonstrations of the injustice they had done for the Emperour shortly after died and the Duke Leopold in a Tilting for solemnity of his Birth-day fell off his horse and so broke his leg that to save his life he was faine to have his leg cut off And now after fifteen months imprisonment King Richard is released and returnes into England foure yeares elder then he went out and thus ended his journey to the Holy Land Yet one memorable accident happening to him in the Holy Land may not be omitted that going one day a Hawking about Ioppa finding himselfe weary he laid him downe upon the ground to sleepe when suddenly certaine Turkes came upon him to take him but he awakened with their noyse ri●eth up gets a horsebacke and drawing out his sword assaults the Turkes who faigning to flie drew the King into an Ambush where many Turkes lay who had certain●ly taken him if they had knowne his person but one of the Kings servan● called William de Patrellis crying out in the Saracene tongue that he was the King they presently lay hold upon him and let the King escape Troubles in his Dominions in his absence KING Richard at his going out of England had so well setled the Government of the Kingdome that might well have kept it in good order during all the time of his absence but disorders are weeds which no foresight can hinder from growing having so many hands to water them where occasions of distast are no sooner offered then taken and o●tentimes taken before they be offered as was here to be seene For King Richard had left in chiefe place of authority William Longshampe Bishop of Ely a man who so carried himselfe that although the things he did were justifiable yet the pride with which he did them was unsuffer●ble seldome riding abroad without five hundred some say a thousand in his traine not for safety but for state and though there were other left in authority besides himselfe yet his power was so predominant that he made of them but Ciphers and ruled all as he list himselfe This insolency of governing was soone distasted by many and specially by Iohn the Kings brother who counting the greatnesse of his Birth an equall match at least with any substitute greatnes affronted the Bishop in the managing of affaires in such sort that while some adhered to the one and some to the other the Kingdome in the meane time was in danger to be rent asunder till at last the Bishop finding himselfe too weake or at least fearing that he was so but rather indeed deposed from his authority by the Kings Letters and the Arch-bishop of Roan put in his place thought it best for him to flie the Real●e wherupon for his greater safety disguising himselfe in womans apparell and carrying a Webbe of Cloath under his arme hee sought in this manner to take Shipping and passe the Sea But being discovered and knowne the women in revenge of the abuse done to their cloathes in making them his instruments of fraude fell upon him and so beat him that it might have beaten humility into him for ever after This disgrace made him glad to get him into Normandy his native Countrey where to little purpose he wooed King Richard and Queene Eleanor for reparation But this was but a sport in comparison of the mischiefes done in Normandy by Philip King of France for first he invades Normandy where he takes many Towns and amongst others Gysorts and drawes the Kings brother Iohn to combine with him promising to assist him in winning the Kingdome of England and to have his sister Adela whom King Richard had repudiated to be his wife with which promise Duke Iohn had beene ensnared if his Mother Queene Eleanor had not disswaded him But in England Duke Iohn tooke upon him as King perswading the people that his brother King Richard was not living and indeed it was easie to remove the knowing him to be a prisoner to the affirming him to be dead but such was the faithfulnesse of the Arch-bishop of Roan and other the Princes of the Realme to King Richard that they opposed Duke Iohn and frustrated all his practises and the Bishop of Ely had told him plainely that though King Richard were dead yet the succession in the kingdome belonged not to him but to Arthur Duke of Britaine sonne of Geoffrey his elder brother And in these termes King Richard found his State when he returned from the Holy Land His Acts and Troubles after his returning from the Holy Land AT his comming home from the Holy Land the first thing he did was to give his Lords and people thankes for their faithfulnesse to him in his absence and then for their readinesse in supplying him for his Ransome But as for his brother Iohn in whom ungratefulnesse seemed to strive with ambition which should be the greater in him he depriveth him of all those great possessions he had given him some adoe he had to make sound certaine peeces which he had corrupted as the Castles of Marleborough Lancaster and a Fortresse at Saint Michaels Mount in Cornwall but chiefely the Castles of Nottingham and Tichill which stood so firmly for Duke Iohn that they were not reduced to obedience without some bloud and much expense But h●s greatest trouble was with Philip King of France in whom was so ingraffed a spleene against King Richard that he seemed to be never well but when he was working him some ill Now therefore King Richard to make it appeare he had not left the Holy War for nothing having first obtained in Parliament a Subsidy towards his charges caused himselfe to be new Crowned at Winchester lest the people through his long absence might have forgotten they had a King he departs with a hundred Ships into Normandy but it was withall upon this occasion sitting one day at dinner in his lit●le Hal as it was called news was brought him that King Philip had besieged Vernoull with which he was somoved that he swore a great oath he would
aggravate his breach of promise and to acquaint him with all the disorders of the kingdome with whose remonstrance the King is so moved that after he had tried the Londoners and found them also to partake with the Lords he cals a Parliament a● London whither the Lords come armed for their own safety where after long debating the King taking his Oath to referre the matter to certaine grave men of the kingdome Article● are drawne sealed and publikely set up to the view of all with the seales of the Legat and divers great men but before it came to be effected the Earle of Cornwall by the working of Simon Montford hath his edge rebated and is brought to be unwilling to meddle in the matter any more which the other Lords seeing they also grow cold and so for that time it rested and no more was done in it And now is the Kings turne to play his part in using his authority which he failes not to doe to the uttermost for upon a small-occasion he causeth the gates of Gilbert now Earle of Pembroke the third sonne of VVilliam the great Marshall to be shut against him at VVinchester whereupon the Earle retires into the North. Also Simon Norman Master of the Kings Seale and his greatest Favorite is thrown out with disgrace and his brother Geoffrey a knight Templar is put out of the Counsell both of them for not yeelding to passe a Grant from the King made unto Thomas Earle of Flanders the Queenes Unkle of foure pence upon every sack of Wooll And now that load enough is laid upon those of the Laity comes a new load to be laid upon the Clergy for the Pope nothing dainty to make use of the power he had in the King sends over three hundred Romans requi●ing to have the first Benefices that should be vacant bestowed upon them which seemed so unreasonable a request and to the Clergy of England so dammageable that it made Edmund Arch-bishop of Canterbury to give over all and betake himselfe to a voluntary Exile in the Abbey of Pontiniac in France yet to shew his respect to the Pope gave him e●ght hundred Markes before his departure And to lay more weight upon the Clergy great summes are also required of them for maintenance of the Popes warre against the Emperour which though the Clergy opposed and shewed many good reasons of their opposition both to the King and the Legat yet by promises or threatnings they were won or forced to yeeld unto it And now comes the Earle of March and once againe solicits the King to make another journey into France which being yeelded to by the King and assented to in Parliament an aide presently was demanded towards it but this demand was not onely opposed but all the Kings Taxations and aides before granted were now repeated and thereupon an absolute deniall to grant any more Upon this the King comes to the Parliament himselfe in person earnestly and indeed humbly craving their aide for this once but all prevailed not they had made a vow to the contrary and the King is driven to get what he could of particular men of whom partly by gift and partly by ●oane he gets so much that he carries over with him thirty Barrels of Sterling money This expedition had no better successe then the former for after a whole yeares stay the King was driven to make a dishonourable Truce with the King of France and returne home At his returne he puts the Iewes to another redemption and the Londoners to another exaction and to helpe on his charge his wives mother the Countesse of Provence comes now to visit him who bringing her daughter Zanchia with her a marriage is solemnised betweene her and Richard Earle of Cornwall whose wife was lately dead and he returned from the Holy warres The old Countesse at her returne is presented with many rich gifts having besides received an Annuall Pension of foure thousand Markes out of England for five yeares past in consideration of a pact made that King Henry after her decease should have the Earledome of Provence but shortly after her returne she disappoints him of that and bestowes it upon her youngest daugh●er Beatrix married to Charles the French Kings brother who was after King of Naples and Sicilie● so as this Countesse lived to see all her foure daughters Queenes Richard Earle of Cornwall comming after to be elected King of the Romans Upon th●se profusions a consultation is had for new supplies and no way thought so fit as by Parliament hereupon a Parliament is againe assembled at Westminster whith●r the King comes againe himselfe in person urging his necessities yet nothing wou●d be granted without the assurance of reformation and due execution of the Lawes And here they desire to have it ordained that foure of the most grave and discreet Peeres should be chosen as conservatours of the kingdome and sworne of the Kings Councell both to see Justice administred and the treasure issued and these or two of them at least should ever attend about the King Also that the Lord Chiefe Justiciar and the Lord Chancellour should be chosen by the generall voyces of the States assembled or else be one of the number of those foure Besides they propound that there might be two Justices of the Benches two Barons of the Exchequer and o●e Justice for the Iewes and those likewise to be chosen by Parliament But while these things were in debating comes one Martin a new Legat from the Pope with a larger Commission then ever any before to exact upon the State but at the same time Letters comming from the Emperour Fredericke to intreat that the Pope might have no more supplies out of England the Popes Mandate is rejected and his Agent Martin disgracefully sent home This businesse took up so much time that nothing else was done in this Parliament but onely an aide granted to the King for the marriage of his daughter to Alexander King of Scots twenty shillings of every knights Fee and that with much adoe and repetition of his former aides The Winter following he assembles another Parliament wherein he moves for an ayde upon a designe he had upon Wales and to pay his debts which were urged to be so great that he could not app●are out of his Chamber for the infinite clamour of such to whom he owed for his Wine Waxe and other necessaries of house but they all to his face refused to grant him any thing whereupon other violent courses are taken an ancient quarrell is found out against the City of London for which they are commanded to pay fifteene thousand Markes and Passeleve the Clerk is imployed with others in a most peremptory commission to inquire of all such Lands as had beene inforested and either to fine the occupyers thereof at their pleasure or else to take it from them and sell the same to others wherein such rigour was used that multitudes of people were undone But now to shew
brought to King Edward and for the love of her Prince Leolyn was content to submit himselfe to any conditions which besides subjection of his State was to pay fifty thousand pounds Sterling and a thousand pounds per annum during his life and upon these conditions the marriage with his beloved Lady was granted him and was solemnized here in England whereat the King and Queene were themselves present Three yeares Leolyn continued loyall and within bounds of obedience in which time David one of his Brothers staying here in England and found by the King to be of a stirring Spirit was much honoured by him Knighted and matched to a rich Widow Daughter of the Earle of Darby and had given him by the King besides the Castle of Denbigh with a thousand pounds per annum though as it was afterwards found he lived here but in the nature of a spy For when Prince Leolyns Lady was afterward dead and that he contrary to his Conditions formerly made brake out into rebellion then goes his Brother David to him notwithstanding all these Favours of the King and they together enter the English Borders Surprise the Castles of Flynt and Rutland with the person of the Lord Clifford sent Justiciar into those parts and in a great Battaile overthrew the Earles of Northumberland and Surrey with the slaughter of Sir William Lyndsey Sir Richard Tanny and many others King Edward advertised of this Revolt and overthrow being then at the Vyzes in Wiltshire prepares an Army to represse it but before his setting forth goes privately to his Mother Queene Eleanor lying at the Nunnery of Aimesbury with whom whilest he conferred there was one brought into the Chamber who faigned himselfe being blinde to have received his sight at the Tombe of King Henry the third A●soone as the King saw the man he remembred he had seene him before and knew him to be a most notorious lying Villaine and wished his Mother in no case to beleeve him but his mother who much rejoyced to heare of this Miracle for the glory of her husband finding her sonne unwilling that his Father should be a Saint grew suddenly into such a rage against him that she commanded him to avoid her Chamber which the King obeyes and going forth meetes with a Clergy man to whom he tels the story of this Impostour and merrily said He knew the justice of his Father to be such that he would rather pull out the eyes being whole of such a wicked wretch then restore them to their sight In this meane time the Arch-bishop of Canterbury had gone of himselfe to Prince Leolin and had laboured to bring him and his brother David to a re-submission but could effect nothing for besides other reasons that swayed Prince Leolin the conceit of a Prophesie of Merlin that he should shortly be Crowned with the Diadem of Brute so overweighed him that he had no care for peace and shortly after no head for after the Earle of Pembroke had taken Bere Castle which was the seat of Prince Leolin he was himself slain in battell and his head cut off by a common Souldier was sent to King Edw. who caused the same to be Crowned with Ivie and to be set upon the Tower of London And this was the end of Leolin the last of the Welsh Princes betraied as some write by the men of Buelth Not long after his brother David also is taken in Wales and judged in England to an ignominious death First drawn at a horse taile about the City of Shrewsbury then beheaded the trunke of his body divided his heart and bowels burnt his head sent to accompany his brothers on the Tower of London his foure quarters to foure Cities Bristow North●●pton York and Winchester A manifold execution and the first shewed in that kind to this kingdome in the person of the son of a Prince or any other Noble man that we reade of in our History It is perhaps something which some here observe that at the sealing of this conquest King Edward lost his eldest son Alphonsus of the age of twelve years a Prince of great hope and had onely left to succeed him his sonne Edward lately borne at Carnarvan and the first of the English intituled Prince of Wales but no Prince worthy of either Wales or England And thus came Wales to be united to the Crowne of England in the eleventh yeare of this King Edwards Raigne who thereupon established the government thereof according to the Lawes of England as may be seene by the Statute of Rutland in the twelfth yeare of his Raigne The worke of Wales being setled King Edward passeth over into France upon notice of the death of Philip the Hardy to renew and confirme such conditions as his state in those parts required with the new King Philip the fourth intituled the Faire to whom he doth homage for Aquitaine having before quitted his claime to Normandy for ever After three yeares and a halfe being away in France he returns into England and now in the next place comes the businesse with Scotland and will hold him wo●ke at times as long as he lives and his sonne after him Alexander the third King of Scots as he was running his horse fell horse and man to the ground and brake his necke and died immediately● by reason whereof he leaving no issue but onely a daughter of his daughter Margaret who died also soone after there fell out presently great contention about succession Ten Competitors pretend title namely Erick King of Norway Florence Earle of Holland Robert Bruce Earle of Anandale Iohn de Baylioll Lord of Galloway Iohn de Hastings Lord of Abergeveny Iohn Cummin Lord of Badenaw Patrick de Dunbarre Earle of March Iohn de Vescie Nicholas de Sul●s William de Rosse all or most of them de●cending from David Earle of Huntington younger brother to William King of Scots and great Unkle to the late King Alexander This title King Edward takes upon him to decide pretending a Right of Superiority from his Ancestours over that kingdome and proving it by authority of old Chronicles as Marianus Scotus William of Malmsbury Roger de Hoveden Henry of Huntington Ralph de Luceto and others which though the Scottish Lords who swaied the Interregnum opposed yet are they constrained for avoyding of further inconveniences to make him Arbiter thereof and the tenne Competitours bound to stand to his award Two are especially found betweene whom the ●ight lay Iohn de Baylioll Lord of Galloway and Robert Br●ce the one descending from an elder daughter the other from a sonne of a younger daughter of Alan who had married the eldest daughter of this David brother to King William The controversie held long twelve of either kingdome learned in the Lawes are elected to debate the same at Berwick all the best Civilians in the Universities of France are solicited to give their opinions all which brought forth rather doubts then resolutions whereupon King Edward the better to
men of that kingdome except onely Walleys once againe sweare Fealty to the King of England It seemes swearing of Fealty was with the Scots but a Ceremony without substance as good as nothing for this is now the third time they swore Fealty to King Edward yet all did not serve to make them loyall for not long after comes the newes of a new King made and Crowned in Scotland Robert Bruce Earle of Carrick sonne to that Bruce who was competitour with Baylioll escaping out of England becomes Head to the confused Body of that kingdome and perceiving Iohn Cummyn who had a title himselfe to goe about to bewray his intentions to King Edward he finding him at Dunfrayes sets upon him and murthers him in the Church Whereof as soone as King Edward heard he sends Aymer de Valence Earle of Pembroke and the Lords Clifford and Percie with a strong power to revenge the death of Cummyn and to relieve his Wardens of Scotland who upon Bruces revolt were all retired to Berwicke whilst himselfe prepares an Army to follow wherein to be the more nobly attended he caused Proclamation to be made that whosoever ought by their Paternall succession or otherwise had meanes of their owne for service should repaire to Westminster at the Feast of Pentecost to receive the Order of knighthood and a Military Ornament out of the Kings Wardrobe Hereupon three hundred young Gentlemen all the sonnes of Earles Barons and knights assemble at the day appointed and receive Purples silkes Sindons Scarffes wrought with Gold or Silver according to every mans Estate For which traine because the Kings House was too little by reason a part of it had beene lately burnt roome is made and the Apple-trees cut downe at the new Temple for their Tents where they attire themselves and keepe their Vigile The Prince whom the King then likewise knighted and gave him the Dutchy of Aquitaine kept his Vigile with his Traine at Westminster and the next day girds these three hundred knights with the Military Belt in such manner as he himselfe had received it Which done the King before them all makes a Vow that alive or dead he would revenge the death of Cummyn upon Bruce and the perjured Scots Adjuring his Sonne and all the Nobles about him upon their Fealty that if he dyed in this Journey they should carry his Corps with them about Scotland and not suffer it to be interred till they had vanquished the Usurper and absolutely brought the Country to Subjection The Prince and all the Nobles promise upon their Faith to imploy their uttermost power to performe his Vow and herewithall he sets forth with a potent Army presently after Whitsontide and makes his last Expedition into Scotland in the foure and thirtieth yeare of his Raigne The Earle of Pembroke with that power sent before and aid of the Scottish party had before the King arrived in Scotland defeated in a battaile neare Saint Iohns Towne the whole Army of the new King and narrowly missed the taking of his Person but he escaping in disguise and sheltring himselfe in obscure places was reserved for greater Battailes his Brothers Nigell Bruce and shortly after Thomas and Alexander a Priest were taken and Executed after the manner of Traytors at Berwicke And now King Edward had done for Fighting all was now for Executions and indeed his desire of Revenge made him inexorable and vow to spare none of what degree soever The Earle of Atholl though of Royall blood and allyed unto him was sent to London where all his preferment was to have a higher paire of Gallowes then the rest The Wife of Robert Bruce taken by the Lord Rosse is sent Prisoner to London and his Daughter to a Monastery in Lindsey The Countesse of Boughan who had beene ayding at Bruces Coronation is put into a woodden Cage and hung out upon the walls of Berwicke for people to gaze on But though Bruces party was thus dejected and himselfe at this time appeared not but shifted privily from place to place in a distressed manner attended onely with two Noble Gentlemen who neeer forsooke him in his misfortunes the Earle of Lenox and Gilbert Hay yet gives he not over but gathers new Forces with which he suddenly assailes the Earle of Pembroke at unawares gives him a great defeate and within three dayes after chaseth the Earle of Glocester into the Castle of Aire where he besieged him till by the Kings Forces he was driven againe to his former retire Whereupon King Edward who had spent his Winter at Carlile in Iuly following with a fresh Army enters Scotland himselfe but falling into a Dysentery or Bloody-flix at Borough upon the Sands he ended his life and thus ended King Edwards troubles with Scotland but not Englands troubles which are more to come then yet are past But though this businesse of Scotland never left King Edward till his dying day yet it had been upon him but as an Ague sometimes putting him into violent heats and sometimes leaving him in a quiet temper with such a vicissitude that when he had quietnesse with Scotland he had troubles with France whereof the time is now to speake It is well knowne that Philip King of France Father of the present King and Edward King of England were neare Cousins the Sonnes of two Sisters and it hath beene shewed before at King Edwards returning from the Holy Land and passing through France what extraordinary kindnesse and mutuall courtesie passed betweene them that one would have thought neither they no● theirs should ever have falne out and perhaps never should if they had beene private men and not Princes For private men may easily continue Friends as having none to consider but themselves but Princes hardly as having besides themselves their Subjects to consider And though they be the Subjects oftentimes that make the Quarrell yet they are the Princes that must maintaine it And besides betweene Princes there can never be but jealousies and where jealousies are every trifle makes a quarrell And this was the case of these two Kings certaine of the King of Englands Subjects had upon the Coast of Normandy done spoyle to some Subjects of the King of France and this difference of the Subjects made a difference betweene the Kings while each of them standing in defence of his owne fall out themselves and for a beginning the King of France summons King Edward as owing homage to that Crowne to appeare and answer it in his Court. And King Edward though voluntarily before he had done it in a way of Courtesie yet being now impetiously commanded he refuseth it upon which refusall all his Territories in France are condemned to be forfaited and an Army is presently sent to seise upon the same led by Charles de Valois and Arnold de Neele Constable of France Burdeaux with divers other Peec●s of importance are taken from him And now King Edward well knowing what danger it was to have so powerfull an
of the Scots which came to the rescue thereof at Hallidowne-hill utterly defeated where were slaine seven Earles ninety knights and Bannerets foure hundred Esquires and about two and thirty thousand common Souldiers as our Writers report as theirs but foureteene thousand and with this effusion of bloud is Baylioll returned to his miserable kingdome and to hold good correspondence with the King of England hereafter doth him Homage for his Realme of Scotland and the Ilands adjacent But though he had a kingdome yet he had not quietnesse for many of the Scots aided by the French made warre upon him divers yeares after during all which time King David with his wife remained in France If any man marvell why King Edward would aide Bailioll against King David who had married his sister he may consider that Alliances how neare soever weigh but light in the Scales of State About this time the I le of Man is conquered by William Montacute Earle of S●lisbury for which service King Edward gave him the Title of King of Man Of his Acts after he came of age ANd now Robert of Arthois banished out of France comes into England whom King Edward makes Earle of Richmond and of his Counsell This Robert perswades King Edward to make warre upon France to which Crowne he said he had more right then he that held it with whose perswasions King Edward is at last resolved to undertake the enterprise and to furnish himselfe of Noble Chiefetaines he at one time in a Parliament at Westminster the eighth yeare of his Raign creates sixe Earles Henry of Lancaster he made Earle D●rby William Montacute he made Earle of Salisbury Hugh Audeley Earle of Glocester William Clinton Earle of Huntington and Robert Clifford or Ufford Earle of Suffolke also twenty knights of whom Thomas de la Moore who writ the life of the Kings Father was one withall he enters League of amity with many Princes abroad with the Dukes and E●rles of Gelders Iulyers Cleves Heynault and Brabant and with the Arch-bishop of Colen and Valeran his brother as on the other side the King of France got to take his part the Bishop of Liege Iohn King of Bohemia Earle of Luxemburg Henry Count Palatine Aubert Bishop of Mets Otho Duke of Austria Ame Earle of Geneva with many other Princes and Captaines out of Germany Spaine and other Countries King Edward thus resolved in himselfe and furnished with friends abroad goes over into Flanders with his Queene and children makes his residence at Antwerp where by perswasion of the Flemings he takes upon him the Stile Title and Armes of the King of France for by this they accounted themselves disobliged of the Bond of twenty hundred thousand crownes which they had entred into never to beare Armes against the King of France and hereupon the League was established betweene them and King Edward And now King Edward for a beginning to put his claime in execution sets upon Cambray and enters France by the way of Vermandois and Thierach on the other side King Philip seiseth on the Dutchy of Guienne and sends thither the Conte d' Eu Constable of France with the Earles of Foix and Armigniack At last both Armies came so neare together that a fight was appointed the Friday after but upon better consideration the English thought it no discretion to give battell to an Army so much greater then their owne if they could avoid it and the French thought it as little discretion for them to hazard the person of their Prince within his owne kingdome and perhaps were not a little moved with the warning given them by Robert King of Sicilie a great Astronomer that he fore-saw by the Starres some great misfortune to threaten the French if they should that day fight with the Engli●h King Edward being present and thus both Armies having their severall reasons to decline the battell they parted without doing any thing onely an accident happened scarce worth remembring yet must be remembred A Hare starting out before the head of the French Army caused a great shout to be made whereupon they who saw not the Hare but onely heard the shout supposing it to be the onset to the battell disposed themselves to fight and foureteene Gentlemen for encouragements sake as the custome is were knighted called afterward in merriment knights of the Hare But now King Edward must a little looke home and therefore leaving the Queen in Brabant he passeth himselfe into England about Candlemas having beene in Brabant about a yeare and landing at the Tower about midnight and finding ●t unguarded was so much displeased that he presently sends for the Major of ●ondon commanding him to bring before him the Chancellour and Treasurer with Sir Iohn Saint Paul Michael Watch Philp Thorpe Henry Stratford Clergy men who it seemes were Officers for his Receipts and Iohn Sconer Justice of the Bench all which except the Chancellour were apprehended and committed to prison as were afterward in like manner divers Officers of Justice and Accomptants upon inquiry made of their unjust proceeding During the Kings abode in England William Montacute Earle of Salisbury and Robert Ufford Earle of Suffolke le●t in Flanders to oppose the French having performed divers great e●ploits were a● last in an encounter about Lis●e so overlaid by multitude as they were both taken and sent prisoners to Paris Besides about this time two accidents happened that were thought would be great rubs in King Edwards proceeding one that his Wives Father William Earle of Hayn●ult dying and leaving his sonne to succeed this son left his brother King Edward and fell to take part with the King of France the other that the Duke of Normandy thinking himselfe as strong as ever William Du●● of Normandy was that conquered England he saw no reason but he might conquer it as well as that William and thereupon makes preparation by Sea and Land to attempt the enterprise but these were but vapours that never came to be winds at least brought no stormes for Iohn Earle of Haynault had quickly enough of the King of France and was soone after reconciled to his brother King Edward and the Duke of Normandy went no further then preparations for indeed King Edw●●d prosecuted his courses against France with such heate that all the neighbouring Princes seeing a fire kindled so neare their owne borders were glad to looke ●o themselves at home But now to impeach the King of Englands returne into Fra●ce● King Philip had provided a mighty Navie in the Haven of Sluce consisting of tw● hundred saile of Ships besides many Gallies and two thousand armed men in th● Port ready to encounter him upon his landing whereof King Edward being adve●tised prepares the like number of Ships and sets out to Sea upon Midsommer Eve is m● the morrow after with a Navy likewise from the North parts conducted by Sir ●●bert Morley and encounters his enemy who lay to intercept him with such force and courage and such
advantage of Wind and Sun that he utterly defeated their whole Navy took and sunke all their Ships slew thirty thousand men and landed with as great glory as such a victory the greatest that ever before was gotten by the E●glish at Sea could yeeld though King Edward himselfe was there wounded with an Arrow in the thigh Most of the French rather then to endure the Arrowes of the English or be taken desperately leapt into the Sea whereupon the French Kings Jester set on to give him notice of this overthrow which being so ill newes no●● else would willingly impart unto him said and oftentimes repeated it in the Kings hearing Cowardly English men Dastardly English men faint-hearted Englis● men● the King at length asked him why● for that said he they durst not leap out of their Ships into the Sea as our brave French men did By which speech the King apprehend a notion of this overthrow which the French attribute to Nichol●●●●chet one of their chiefe Commanders who had armed his Ships with men of base condition content with small pay and refused Gentlemen and sufficient Souldiers in regard they required greater wages And indeed it often happens that the avarice of Commanders is the occasion of great defeats By this victory King Edward gained a free entrance into Flanders and presently went and besieged Tournay with an Army of five and fifty thousand but was so valiantly encountred by the Duke of Burgundy and the Earle of Armigniack that they routed his Army and slew foure thousand upon the place which so enraged King Edward that two dayes after he sent a Challenge to King Philip to meete him in ● single combate or with an hundred against as many before the wals of Tourn●● King Philip answers that his Challenge being made to Philip de Valois withou● mention of King he tooke it not to be to him who was truly King of France● but he wished him to remember the Homage he had done him at Amiens and the wrong he did to the Christian world● by his troublesome courses to hinder him from his voyage intended to the Holy Land Besides this answer in writing he sends to him by word of mouth that by his Challenge he hazarded nothing of his owne but exposed onely the Dominion of another which was against all reason but if he would set his kingdome of England though much meaner agai●●● his of France he would then accept the Challenge and meete him in the field 〈◊〉 single combate But this King Edward would not hearken to for as he was valiant to make the Challenge so he was circumspect to looke to the conditions But here upon he continues his siege of T●●rnay to the reliefe whereof King Philip sends all the forces he could possibly make by himselfe o● his friends and after the siege had continued three moneths partly by mediation of Robert King of Sicilie but chiefely by the Lady Iane of Valois sister to King Philip and mother of King Edwards wife who had vowed her selfe a Nunne but to doe this good office travelled from one to another a Truce was concluded for a yeare and both their Armies are dissolved After this K. Edward returning into England was advertised how the Scots after many other places gained had besieged the Castle of Striveling for reliefe whereof the King makes all the haste he can and yet before he could come it was by force of battery compelled to render it selfe upon conditions Then King Edward being at Berwicke passeth to New-Castle upon Tyne where he staies a moneth waiting for his provision that was to come by Sea but that being driven into other parts by tempest he makes a Truce with the Scots for three or foure moneths and then returnes home In the time of this Truce the Scots send to King David to come and governe the kingdome in his owne person who thereupon taking his leave of the King of France with whom he had remained seven yeares he with his wife Ioane King Edwards sister returnes into Scotland where after he had beene most honourably received by the Prince of Or●nay and the other Lords and Barons of the Kingdome as soone as the Truce was ended with a strong Army enters Northumberland passing on to New-Castle upon Tyne where he plants his Campe. Of this Castle Iohn Nevile was left governour by King Edward who sending out certaine companies tooke the Earle Murray prisoner and with the slaughter of divers of his men and rich booties returned backe to his Castle which so incensed King David that he assaulted the Castle as a man enraged but finding it too strong for his taking he then passed into the Province of Durham where he used all kinds of cruelty first upon the Countrey and then upon the City killing men women and children Clergy and others burning and destroying houses and Churches and utterly defacing it From thence he passeth on to the Castle of Salisbury which Castle belonged to William Mountacute Earle of Salisbury in right of his wife but himselfe being then prisoner in France onely his Countesse and one William Mountacute a Cousin of his was in the Castle This William perceiving the Scottish horse to be so over-charged with pillage that they were scarce able to goe issues out of the Castle with forty horse sets upon them kils two hundred and takes sixe score whom he brings with their rich pillage into the Castle King David soone after with his whole Army arrived but hearing of King Edwards comming who certified of these things made all the haste he could he retires himselfe from thence and King Edward finding him gone before he came yet would needs goe in and visit the Countesse of whom as soone as he saw her he was so enamoured that he laid more battery to her chastity then King David had done to her Castle but finding it inexpugnable after a day and a night he left it and followed after the Scots with whom for three dayes together he had many skirmishes till at last a Truce was concluded for two yeares and amongst other conditions William Earle of Salisbury prisoner with the King of France was set at liberty in exchange for the Earle Murray prisoner with the King of England About this time another difference fell out betweene the Kings of France and England Iohn Earle of Montford laid claime to the Dutchy of Britaine but in the quarrell was taken prisoner by the King of France his Lady sends to King Edward for succour which King Edward grants upon condition that a marriage be made betweene his daughter Mary and the Earle of Montfords sonne which being agreed on he sends over to her aide first Walter de Manny a valiant knight and afterward Robert d' Arthois but whilest his Army was preparing King Edward was informed by Edward Baylioll the pretended King of Scotland and Governour of Berwicke that the Scots had not kept the conditions of the Truce whereupon King Edward drawes a great Army
himselfe● and first marching through 〈◊〉 where he takes in many Townes he plants his si●ge afterward before 〈◊〉 but having spent there sixe or seven weekes without effecting any thing he ●asseth thence and takes in the Cities of Sens Nevers the Dutchy of B●rgoyne redeemes it self from spoil with paying two hundred thousand Flo●ens of gold then he marcheth up to ●aris and plants his Camp within two small Leagues of the Tow●● where ●e honoured 400. Esquires and Gentlemen with the Order of knighthood but when Sir Walter de Manny had made a Bravado before the Gates of the City and the King saw that the Daulphin would by no provocations be drawne out to battell he raiseth his siege and returnes into Bri●aine to refresh his Army from thence he marcheth towards Char●res with a purpose to besiege that City and though great offers were made him by the French and Commissioners from the Pope solicited him with all earnestnesse to accept them yet neither they nor the Duke of Lancasters perswasions could prevaile with him till a terrible ●torme of haile with thunder and lightning fell upon his Army which so terrified him being a warning as it were from Heauen that he presently vowed to make Peace with the French King upon any reasonable conditions as shortly after he did at a Treaty of Britigny neare to Chartres upon these Articles that the Fiefs of Thouars and Belleville the Dutchy of Guyenne comprising Gascoyne Poictou San●ogne Limo●sin Perigort Quercie Rhodes Angoulesme and Rochell together with the Counties of Guysnes and Callice and some other places with the Homages of the Lords within those Territories should be to the King of England who besides was to have three Millions of crownes of gold● whereof sixe hundred thousand in hand foure hundred thousand the yea●e following and the rest in two yeares after and for this the King of England and his sonne the Prince of Wales for them and their successours for ever should renounce all their right pretended to the C●owne of France the Dutchy of Normandy the Countries of Touraine Anjou Mayne the Homage and Soveraignty of Britaine and the Earledome of Flanders and within three weekes King Iohn to be rendred at Callice at the charge of the King of England except the expenses of his house For assurance of which accord should be given into his hand five and twenty of the greatest Dukes and Lords of France for Hostages The Scots not to be aided by the French King nor the Flemmings by the English This accord and finall Peace signed by both Kings was ratified by their two eldest sonnes Edward and Charles and sworne unto by the Nobility of both kingdomes The Hostages are delivered to King Edward who brought them into England and thereupon King Iohn is honourably conducted to Callice after he had remained prisoner in England neare about five yeares but being come to Callice he was detained there above three moneths till the money which he was to pay in hand could be provided and for providing the rest he was put to hard shifts being faine to give the Iewes leave to dwell in France for twenty yeares paying twelve Florins a man at the entry and sixe every yeare after At this time the Prince by dispensation marries the Countesse of Kent daughter to Edmund brother to Edward the second and his Father investing him with the Dutchy of Aquitaine he was now Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitaine Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester and Kent and not long after with the Princesse his wife he passeth over into France and keepes his Court at Burdeaux This was now the yeare 1362. and the fiftieth yeare of King Edwards age wherein for a Iubilee he shewes himselfe extraordinarily gracious to his peopl● freely pardoning many offences relesing prisoners revoking exiles with many other expressions of his love and bounty The yeare following was famous for three Kings comming into England Iohn King of France Peter King of Cyprus and D●vid King of Scots The King of Cyprus came to solicite King Edward to joyne with other Princes in the Holy Warre but receives onely royall entertainment and excuses The King of Scots came for businesse and visitation but why the King of France came is not so certaine whether it were about taking order for his Hostages or to satisfie King Edward for breach of some Articles or else for love to the Countesse of Salisbury or perhaps out of a desire to let England see his Majesty being at liberty which had beene darkened before by the cloud of captivity but whatsoever the cause of his comming was the cause of his staying at least of longer staying then he meant was a mortall sicknesse whereof having lien all the Winter at the Savoy in March or Aprill following he died and his body convaied over into France was buried at Saint Donis with his Ancestours The Prince of Wales was now growne famous all the Christian world over and the man to whom all wronged Princes seemed to appeale and to flie for succour for which end there came at this time to his Court Iames King of Majorque and happened to come at a time when the Princesse lay in and thereupon he and Richard King of Navarre were taken to be Godfathers to his sonne Richard For the like assistance also there came at the same time to him Peter King of Castile driven out of his kingdome by the French in favour to Peter King of Aragon and Prince Edward partly out of charity to succour a distressed Prince and partly out of policy to keepe his Souldiers in exercise undertakes the enterprise and was so prosperous in it that with one battell having but thirty thousand against a hundred thousand hee put King Peter in possession of his kingdome though he was ill rewarded for his labour for the ungratefull King would not so much as pay his Souldiers An unfortunate journey for the Prince for though he came back with victory yet he brought backe with him such an indisposition of body that he was never throughly well after not perhaps by poyson nor given him by his brother the Duke of Lancaster though both were suspected but there were causes of distempering him enough besides the Countrey the season the action it selfe and it may be more marvelled that his Souldiers came home so well then that he came so ill but howsoever being now returned there was presently to his indisposition of body added discontentment of minde for not having meanes to pay his Souldiers which forced him to winke at that which he could not chuse but see and seeing grieve at how they preyed upon the Countrey and thereupon how the Countrey murmured against him and now to stop this murmuring his Chancellour the Bishop of Rhodes devised a new Imposition of leavying a Frank for every Chimney and this to continue for five yeares to pay the Princes debts but this Imposition made the murmuring the more for though some part of his Dominions
his Sons only King He●ry the Fifth to be his eldest And now that in him the heroicall nature was come to the height it degenerated againe in King Henry the Sixth which must needs be attributed to the mothers side who though in her selfe she were a Princesse of a noble spirit yet being the issue of a crazie father what marvell if she proved the mother of a crazie issue and yet even this issue of hers a Prince no doubt of excellent parts in their kinde though not of parts kindly for a Princ● in a private man praise-worthy enough but the sword of a King required a harder mettall than the soft temper of King Henry the sixth was made of and in him we may see the fulfilling of the Text Vae genti cujus Rex est puer Woe to that Nation whose King is a Childe for he was not above eight moneths old when he succeeded his father in the Kingdome although that Text perhaps is not meant so much of a child in years for which there may be helps by good Protectors as of a childe in abilities of ruling whereof though possibly there may yet probably there can be no sufficient supply of which in this King we have a pregnant example for as long as he continued a childe in yeares so long his Kingdomes were kept flourishing by the Providence of his carefull Uncles but assoone as he left being a Childe in years and yet continued a childe in ability of Ruling then presently began all things I● pejus ruere retro sublapsa referri all things went to wracke both in France and England And thus much was necessary to be sayd by way of a Preface to that great fall as it were of Nilus in King Henry the Sixth Henry called of Windsor because borne there the only childe of King Henry the Fifth as yet scarce nine moneths old succeeded his Father and was Proclaimed King of England on the last of August in the yeare 1422 by reason of whose infancie King Henry his Father had before by his Will appointed and now the Lords by their consent confirmed the Regency of France to Iohn Duke of Bedford the Government of England to Humphry Duke of Glocester the Guard of his Person to Thomas Duke of Exeter and H●nry Beauford Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancellor wherein it was wisely provided that one man should not rule all lest it should prove a spurre to aspiring and withall stay them from envying one another when many were alike placed in the highest forme of authori●y and indeed they all carried themselves so uprightly and carefully in their places that it well appeared the trust reposed in them by the dying King had made a strong impression of love and loyalty towards his Son The Duke of Bedford Regent of France was to keepe that by the sword which King Henry the Fifth by his sword had gotten wherein he had many and great assistants specially the two terrours of France Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury and Iohn Lord Talbot and amongst the French themselves the Duke of Burgoigne a friend no lesse powerfull than firme unto him The Dolphin also now crowned king at Poytiers and called Charles the seventh of France his father being newly dead within little more than a moneth after king Henry had likewise great assistants the Duke of Alanson and many other Peers of France and of the Sco●s many and some perhaps of the English that tooke part with him by meanes whereof the game of Fortune was a long time played betweene them with great variety The first act of the Duke of Bedfords Regency was an Oration which he made to the French in Paris which wrought this good effect that king Henry is Proclaimed king of England and of France and such French Lords as were present did their Homages and tooke their oathes to be true unto him The first act of hostility was performed by the new king of France who sends the Lord Granvile to Pont Meulan who surprized it putting all the English Souldiers to the sword but the Regent sending thither Thomas Montacute Earle of Salisbury so strongly beleaguered it that the Lord Granvile not only surrendred it but swore allegiance though he kept it not to the king of England From thence the Earle marched to Seyne which hee tooke by assault and put all the Souldiers except the Captain Sir William Maryn to the sword At this time the Regent the Duke of Burgoigne Iohn Duke of Brittaine and his brother in law the Earle of R●chmond who revolted afterward to the new king of France and was by him made Constable of France met at Amyens and there not only renewed the old League but further enlarged it to be offensive and defensive respectively and to make the friendship the more firme the Regent married Anne the Sister of the Duke of Burgoigne at Troys In this meane time the Parisians taking advantage of the Regents absence conspired to have let in the new king into Paris but the day before the night appointed for his admission the Regent with his power entred apprehended the Conspirators and put them to publicke execution That done he furnished all the Forts and places of strength with Englishmen and sent Sir Iohn Falstaffe who tooke in Pacye and Coursay two strong Castles whil'st himselfe with his forces tooke in Tray●els and Br●y upon Seyne The Constable of France the meane while with the new kings forces layd siege to Cravant in Burgoigne but the Regent sent thither the Earle of Salisbury who set upon the French and after a long fight putting them to flight slew about 1800 knights and gentlemen of note● and three thousand common Souldiers Scots and French tooke prisoners the Constable himselfe the Earle of Ventadour Sir Alex●●der Alerdyn Sir Lewis Ferignye and two and twenty hundred Gentlemen Of the English part were slaine Sir Iohn Gray Sir William Hall Sir Gilbert Halsall Richard ●p Maddocke and one and twenty hundred Souldiers From thence the E●rle led his forces to Montaguillon and sate downe before it which after five moneths Siege he took whil'st the Duke of Suffolke took in the two strong Castles of Cowcye and le Roche Whil'st these things are done in France in England the Protectour Ransomed and inlarged the young king of Scots Iames the first who by the space of eighteene yeares had been kept a Prisoner which he did out of opinion th●t he might withdraw the Scots out of France taking Hom●ge and fealty of him for the Crown of Scotland in these words I●ames ●ames S●eward King of Scot● shall be true and faithfull to you Lord Henry King of England and France the Superiour Lord of Scotland● and to you I make my fidelitie for the sayd Kingdome which I hold and claime of you and shall do you service for the same so God me helpe and these holy Evangelists and therewithall with consent of all the Nobility the Protector gave him to Wife Iane Daughter to the
be had between king Edward and the Lady Bon● daughter to Lewis Duke of Savoy and Sister to the Lady Carlote then Queen of Fra●ce a Lady no lesse for beauty and virtuous qualities then for Nobility of blood worthy to be a Queen The Proposition is in Fra●ce readily embraced and willingly assented unto on all parts But in the mean time king Edward being hunting in Witchwood Forrest besides Stonystratford he chanced to come to the Manour of Grafton where the Dutchesse of Bedford then lay and where her daughter by Sir Richard Woodvile the Lady Elizabeth Gr●y widdow of Sir Iohn Gr●y of Gr●vy slaine at the last battell of St. Albans became a suitour to him for some lands which her ●usband had given her in Joynture with whose beauty and gr●cefull behaviour king Edward was so taken that hee presently became a Suitor to her and when he could not obtaine his suit by termes of wanton love he was forced to s●eke it by terms of Marriage And here we may well thinke there was no small c●fl●ct in King Edwards minde between the two great commanders Love and Honor which of them should bee most potent Honor put him in minde that it was against his Law to take to wife a meaner person than himselfe but Love would take no notice of any difference of degrees but tooke it for his Prerogative to make all persons equall Honour pe●swaded him that it stood him much upon to make good the Ambassage in which he had sent the Earle of Warwicke to a great Prince but Love perswad●d him that it stood him more upon to make good the Ambassage sent to himself from a greater Prince In conclusion it appeared to be true which one observes Improbe ●mor quid non mortalia pectora cogis what is it that love will not make a man to do Whether it be that love brings upon the minde a forgetfulnesse of all circumstances but such as tend to its own satisfaction or whether it be that love is amongst passions as oyle amongst liquors which will alwayes be supreme and at the top Honour may be honoured but love will be obeyed And therefore king Edward though he knew no Superior upon Earth yet he obeys the summons of Love and upon the first day of May marries the sayd Lady Gray at Grafton the first of our kings since the Conquest that married his Subject At which marriage none was present but the Dutchesse of Bedford the Priest two Gentlewoman a yong man to helpe the Priest at Masse the yeare after with great solemnity she was Crowned Queen at Westminster It is not unworthy the relating the Speech which king Edward had with his Mother who sought to crosse this ma●ch Where you say saith he that she is a widdow and hath already children by Gods blessed Lady I am a Batchelour and have some too and so each of us hath a proofe that nether of us is like to be barren And as for your objection of Bigamy for his mother had charged him with being contracted to the Lady Elizabeth Lucie Let the Bishop saith he lay it to my charge when I come to take Orders for I understand it is forbidden a Priest but I never wist it was forbidden a Prince Upon this marriage the Queens Father was created Earle Rivers and made High-Constable of England her brother the Lord Anthony was married to the sole Heire of the Lord Scales and by her had that Barony her Son sir Thomas Gray was created Marquesse Dorset and married Cicelie heire to the Lord Bonvile It may be thought a h●ppy fortune for this Lady to be thus marched but let all things be considered and the miseries accruing to her by it will be found equivalent if not over-weighing all the benefits For first by this match she drew upon her selfe the envy of many and was cause that her Husband fled the Realm and her selfe in his absence glad to take Sanctuary and in that place to be delivered of a Prince in a most unprincely m●nner After which surviving her husband she lived to see her two Sonnes most cruelly murthered and for a conclusion of all she lived to see her selfe confined to the Monastery of Berdmondsey in Southwarke and all her goods confiscate by her own Son in Law And n●w the Earle of Warwicke at his return found that knot tyed in England which he had laboured to tye in France His Ambassage frustrated the Lady Bona deluded the king of France abused and himselfe made a stale and the disgracefull instrument of all this which although he resented in a high degree yet he had not been a Courtier so long but in that time he had sufficiently learned the Art of dissembling he passed it over lightly for the present but yet carried it in his minde till a fit opportunity and thereupon procures leave to retire himselfe to his Castle of Warwicke King Edward in the meane time having just cause to suspect hee had made the French his enemies seeks to make other Princes his friends He enters into a League with Iohn king of Aragon to whom he sent for a Present a score of Cotsall Ews and ●ive Rams a small Present in shew but great in the event for it proved of more benefit to Spain and of more detriment to England than could at first sight have been imagined And to secure himselfe at home he tooke truce with the king of Scots for fifteen years And where he had married before his two Sisters Anne the eldest to Henry Holland Earle of Exeter and Elizabeth to Iohn de la Poole Duke of Suffolke he now matched Margaret his third Sister to Charles Duke of Burgoigne which proved a greater assistance to him than that which he had lost in France By this time the Earle of Warwickes spleen began so to swell within him that hee could no longer containe it and having with much adoe drawne to his party his two brothers the Archbishop of Yorke and the Marquesse Montacute he seek● also to draw in the kings two brothers the Duke of Clarence and the Duke of Glocester but he found Glocester so reserved that he durst not close with him the Duke of Clarence he found more open and to him he addresseth himselfe complaining of the disgrace he had sustained by the king in his employment into France and other wrongs to whom the Duke presently made answer in as great complaint of his brothers unkindnesse to himself saying he had married his Wives brother Anthony to the heire of the Lord Scales and her Son Thomas to the heire of the Lord Bo●vile but could finde no match of preferment for him being his own brother And upon this agreement in complaints they agree to joyne against king Edward and to make the knot the firmer the Duke of Clarence takes to wife Isabel the Earle o● Warwicks Daughter and with her hath assured unto him halfe of the Lands the E●●l held in right of his Wife the Lady Anne
Ireland from Dublin where the Duke was born is in his Masters absence by the procurement underhand of the Duke of Glocester indicted ●rraigned condemned and executed at Tyburne for a Conjurer and all within the space of two dayes and the Duke of Glocester to make shew that he had no hand in this fellows death set on the Duke of Clarence to complaine of it to King Edward and in the mean time finds matter at least colour of matter to make him be committed to the Tower ●nd then againe to make shew he had no hand in his imprisonment bids him be of good cheere for it should not be long ere he would see him released and he kept his word for not long after by his procurement he was drowned in a But of Malmesey and this was his releasement and then laid in his bed to make the people believe that he died of discontent whose death King Edward though perhaps consenting to it so much resented that afterwards when he was sued unto for any mans Pardon he would ●ighing break out into such words Oh unfortunate brother● for whose life not one man would open his mouth Being dead he was buried at Tewkesbury in Glocestershire by the body of his Dutchesse who great with childe dyed of Poyson a little before It was now the two and twentieth yeere of King Edwards Reigne when Iames King of Scotland sent Ambassadors to treate of a Mariage between his eldest sonne Iames Duke of Rothsay and Cicely king Edwards second daughter This overture for a March was by the king and his Councell readily imbraced and a great part of the Portion was delivered to the Scots with this Proviso That if the mariage di● not proceed the Provost and Merchants of Edenbourgh should be bound to rep●y it againe But the Scotish king who had other fantasies in his head and would take counsell of none but his owne will and diverted also perhaps by the king of France not onely dallyed the proceeding in the ma●ch but affronted those of the Nobility th●t perswaded him to it in so much that his Brother the Duke of Albany was enforced to abandon the Country and to flie for refuge into England by whom king Edward being informed of king Iames his fickle disposition was so much incensed that under the conduct of the Duke of Glocester accompanied with the Duke of Albany he sent an Army of twenty thousand against Scotland who in their way took in Barwick and besieged the Castle which being resolutely defended by the Earle Bothwell the Duke left the Lord Stanley to continue the siege whil'st he wi●h the rest of the Army marched towards Edenbourgh where within the Castle of Maydens king Iames had immur'd himselfe But the Nobility of Scotland seeing the danger they were in endeavoured by humble submission to procure a peace at least a cessation from war which with much importunity they obtained upon these Conditions That full satisfaction should be presently given for all dammages sustained by the late incursions That the Duke of Albany should be fully restored to grace and place with an abolition of all discontents between his brother king Iames and him That the Castle of Barwicke which had been now out of the Possession of the English one and twenty yeers should immediately be surrendred into the Generals hands and from thence no reduction of that or the Town attempted That all such summes of money as upon the proposition of the marriage had been delivered should be repaid All which except the first Article were accordingly p●●formed When this busines with Scotland was indifferently accomodated King Edward receiv●s intelligence from his Ambassadour-Leidger in France that the French King not only denied the payment of the annuall Tribute of fifty thousand crowns agreed upon and sworn to upon the ratification of the late concluded Peace but had also married the Dolphin of France to the Lady Margaret daughter of Maximill●n Sonne of the Emperour which so much incensed K. Edward that he resolves to revenge it and by the advise of his Counsell open warre was presently Proclamed against France but whil'st King Edward is making preparation and intentive to the busines he is attached by the hand of death and upon the ninth of April in the yeer 1483 at Westminster ended this mortall life Of his Taxations IN his second yeer he sent his Privy Seale through England to move men to give him a certaine summe of money towards resisting the Scots wh●ch was granted and given liberal●y In his seventh yeer in a Parliament at Westminster were ●●sumed all manner of gifts which the King had given from the first day he tooke possession of the Realm to that time In his eighth yeer at a Parliament were grant●d two Fifteens and a Demy In his thirteenth yeer a Parliament was holden wherein a Sub●idie was granted and the yeer following towards warre to be undertaken in France a new way of raysing money is devised called a Benevolence by which great summes of money were gotten of the Subject and it is not unworthy the relating what an old rich Widdow at this time did whom King Edward amonstothers having called before him merrily asked what she would willingly give him towards his great charges By my troth quoth shee for thy lovely countenance thou shalt have even twenty pounds The King looking scarce for half that summe thanked her and lovingly kist her which so wrought with the old widdow that she presently swore he should have twenty pound more and payd it willingly No● long before his death he was by ill Counsellours put upon a distastefull course for raysing of mony which was by fining men for delinquencies against Penall Statures by which course some money was gathered but before it came to full execution he dying that also dyed with him Of his Lawes and Ordinances IN his fourth yeer he newly devised the Coyne both of Gold and Silver as a● this day it is the Gold he named Royals and Nobles the Silver Groats and 〈◊〉 Groats the new Groate weighing scantly three pence and the Noble of six shillings eight pence appointed to goe for eight shillings foure pence In his fifth yeer it was Proclamed in England that the Beakes or Pykes of Shooes and Bootes should not passe two Inches upon paine of Cursing by the Clergie and forfeiting twenty shillings to be paid one noble to the King another to the Cordwayners of London and the third to the Chamber of London and for other Countries and Towns the like order was taken Before this time and since the yeer 1382. the Pykes of Shooes and Bootes were of such length that they were faine to be tyed up to the Knees with chaines of Silver and gilt or at least with silken laces Affaires of the Church in his time IN this Kings time the Jubile which was before but every fiftieth yeer was by Pope Six●●● the fourth brought to be every five and twenty yeer Also where before this time
Earle returning into Britt●i●e received there the news of the Duke of Buckinghams death and the disp●r●ing of the Confederates forces with which though he was at first much troubled yet was he as much comforted afterward when he saw the Marquesse Dorset and those other Lords and Captaines come unto him soon after whose comming upon Christ●●sse day before the high Altar in the great Church of Rheims the Earle of Richmo●d gave Oath to marry the Lady El●zabeth as soone as he should be quietly ●e●led in the Government of England and thereupon all the Lords and Knights there present did him homage and in the same place each to other Religiously Vowed taking the Sacrament upon it never to cease prosecuting warre against king Richard till either his Deposition or Destruction King Richard being informed of these things makes diligent enquiry after all such as might be suspected to be favourers of Richmonds association of whom Sir George Brown and Sir Roger Clifford with foure other Gentlemen are apprehended and ex●cuted at London Sir Thomas Sentl●ge● whom m●rried Anne the Duke of Excet●rs widdow this kings own sister and Thomas Rame Esquire were executed at Exceter Thomas Marquesse Dorset and all such as were with the Earle of Rich●●●d were at a Parliament then holden att●inted of Treason and all their Good● a●d Lands seized on to the kings use Besides these a poore Gentleman called C●lli●gbor●● for making a small ryme of th●ee of his wicked Co●nsellours the Lord L●●●ll Sir Robert Ratcliffe and Sir William Catesby which ryme was thus framed 〈◊〉 Cat the Rat and ●●vell the Dog rule all Engla●● under a ●●og was put to deat● ●nd his body divided into foure quarter● At this time a Truce is concl●ded betwixt England and Sc●●land for three years● and for a se●ling a firmer Amity between the two kingdomes a marriage it treated● of between the Duke of Rothsay eldest Sonne to the king of Scots and the Lady Anne de la Poole daughter to Iohn Duke of Suffolk by Anne sister to king Ri●hard which sister he so much favoured that after the death of his own sonne who dyed some time before ●e caused Iohn Earle of Lincolne her sonne and his Nephew to be proclaimed Heire apparent to the Crown of England And now King Richard to take away the Root of his feare once againe sent Amb●●●adors to the Duke of Britaine with orde● besides the great gifts they caried with them to make offer that king Richard should yeerly pay and answer the Duke of all the Revenues and Profits of all lands and possessions● as well belonging to the Earle of Richmond as of any other Nobleman or Gentleman that were in his company if he after that time would keep them in continuall prison and restraine the● from liberty But the Duke of Brit●ine being at that time fallen into such infirmity that the Ambassadors could have no audience they addressed themselves to ●eter Landois the Dukes chief Treasurer and he taken with this golden hook faithfully promised to satisfie their Request and had done so indeed but that B. Morto● sojourning then in Fl●●ders had by his friends Intelligence of his purpose and presently informed the E. thereof The E. was then at Va●●e●● who upon the Bps. information taking with him only five servants as though he went but to visit some friend when he was five miles forward on his way suddenly turned into a Wood adjoyning and there changing apparell with one of his servants followed after as their attendant and never rested till by wayes unknown he came to his company abiding at Angi●r● yet was not his departure so secret nor so sudden but that Peter Landois had notice of it who sending Posts after him was so neer overtaking him that he was scarce entred one houre into Franc● when the Posts arrived at the Con●ines and then durst goe no further In the mean time Sir Edward Woodvile and Captaine P●ynings who with their companies were left behinde in Vannes had been in danger of Peter L●ndis his malice but that the Duke being informed by the Chancellour of their case not only protected them but furnished them with all necessaries for their journey to the Earle and was so incensed against L●●dois for this action of his that for this and some other over-bold pre●umptions he was afterward hanged The Earle having passed this danger in Britaine and being arrived in France addresseth himselfe to the French king imploring his ayde and hath it promised and performed and in this time Iohn Vere Earle of Oxford who had long time been kept prisoner in the Castle of Hammes so farre prevailed with Iames Blunt Captaine of the Fortresse and Sir Iohn Fortescue Porter of the Town of Callice that not onely they suffered him to be at liberty but accompanied him also to the Earle of Richm●●● to whom Captain Blunt gave assurance that the Fortresse remained wholly at his devotion At this time also there resorted to the Earle divers young Gentlemen that were Students in the University of Paris profering him their service amongst whom was Richard Fox at that time famous for his learning with whom afterward the Earle advised in all his affaires made him one of his most Privy Counsell and at last Bishop of Winchester But now king Richard having been disappointed of his designe in Britaine hath another way in his head to disapoint the Earle of Richmond of his marriage with the Daughter of Queen Elizabeth and to this end he sent to the Queen● being still in Sanctuary divers messengers who should first excuse and purge him of all things formerly attempted and done against her and then should largely promise promotions innumerable not onely to her selfe but also to her sonne Lord Thomas Marquesse D●r●et● by ●or●e of which promises the messengers so prevailed with her ●hat no● onely she began ●o relent but 〈…〉 was content to submit her selfe wholly to th● king● pleasure And thereupon putting in oblivion the murther of her inno●●●● Children the butchering of her own Brother and Sonne the infamy of her ●oy●ll Hu●●and the aspersion of Adulte●y cast upon her selfe the imputation of Bastardy laid to her Da●●hter●● forgetting also her Oa●h made to the Earle of Richmonds Moth●r seduced by fla●tering words she first delivered into king Richards hands her ●ive Daughters and after sent letters to the Marquesse her Sonne being then at Pari● wit● the Earle of Richmond willing him by any means to leave the Earle and with all speed to repaire into England● where for him were provided great Honours and Promotions Assuring him further that all offences on both parts were forgot●en ●nd forgiven and both he and she incorporated in the kings favour If we wonder at this credulity in the Queen we may conceive she was moved with the 〈…〉 motives of Feare and hope she feared no doubt that if she denyed the king● request he would presently take some sharpe course both against her and her D●●●ht●rs and she hoped that
Frontiers forraged the Bishoprick of Durham and at last besieged the castle of Norham whereof Richard Fox then Bishop of Durham was owner who thereupon sent presently to the Earle of Surrey acquainting him with this Invasion Whereupon the Earle taking with him Ralph Earle of Westmerland Thomas Lord Barnes Ralph Lord Nevill George Lord Strange and many other Lords and knights and an Army of little lesse then twenty thousand men besides a Navy whereof the Lord Brooke was Admirall set forward against the Scots and not only forced the Scots to raise their siege of Norham Castle but followed them also into Scotland where he overthrew and defaced the Castle at Cawdestraynes the Tower of He●e●hall the Tower of Edington the Tower of Fulden and at last by composition tooke the strong Castle of Hayton and rased it to the ground At the Earles being at Hayton the King of Scots sent to him Marchemont and another Herald requiring him at his election either to fight with him with their whole Armies or else they two to fight in single combat upon condition that if the victory fell to the Scotish king the Earle should deliver for his Ransome the Towne of Barwick Whereunto the Earle made answer that the Town of Barwick was the King his Masters and therefore not for him to dispose of but for his offer of single combat he willingly accepted it and thought himselfe highly honored by such a match But King Iames of Scotland had no meaning to performe either one or other but privily in the night fled back into Scotland and then the Earle returned to Barwick In the meane time one Peter Hyal●s a man of great learning and policie was sent Ambassadour to the King of Scots from the King of Spaine to mediate a Peace between the two kings of of England and Scotland who finding the King of Scots conformable to his motion found after the King of England who was never averse from Peace upon honourable Conditions no lesse enclining to it and so a Truce was concluded for certaine yeeres upon conditition that Perkin Warbeck should be sent out of the Scotish Dominions About this time the Lord of Camphyre and others sent from Philip Archduke of Austria and Duke of Burgundy came to king Henry for a conclusion of Amity and to procure the English merchan●s resort againe to his Country for king Henry some time before upon displeasure with the Flemings but specially with the Lady Margaret for abetting Perkin Warbeck not onely had banished all Flemish wares and merchandizes out of his Dominions but had also restrained all English merchants from having any traffick in any of their Territories causing the Mart for all English commodities to be kept at Callice but now upon this invitation and having found it had been a great hinderance to his owne Merchant-adventurers and thereupon some insurrections had risen he willingly condiscended to their Request and so the English resorted againe into the Archdukes Dominions and were received into Antwerp with generall Procession so glad was that Towne of the Engglish-mens returne In this eleventh yeere of the Kings Reigne dyed Cicely Dutchesse of Yorke mother to king Edward the fourth at her Castle of Berkhamstead being of extreme age who had lived to see three Princes of her body Crowned and foure Murthered she was buried at F●dri●g●am by her Husband Shortly after the Truce concluded between England and Scotland Perkin Warbeck was commanded to depart out of the Scotish Dominions who thereupon with his wife and familie sayled into Ireland where understanding that the Cornish-men were ready to renue the warre againe he thought best not to let p●sse so faire an occasion and thereupon having with him foure small ships and not above six-score men he sailed into Cornwall and there landed in the moneth of September and came to a Town called Bodmyn where with faire words and large promises he so prevailed with the people that he had gotten to him above three thousand persons to take his part and then made Proclamations in the name of King Richard the Fourth as sonne to King Edward the Fourth and by the advice of his three Counsellors Iohn Heron a bankrupt Mercer Richard Skelton a Tailour and Iohn Astley a Scrivener determined to attempt first the winning of Exceter which with great violence he assaulted and the Townsmen with as great valiantnes defended whereof when the King heard he sent the Lord Dawbeny to their rescue but before he came the Lord Edward Courtney Earle of Devonshire and the valiant Lord William his sonne accompanied with Sir Edmund Carew Sir Thomas Trenchard Sir Courtney● Sir Thomas Fulford Sir Iohn Hal●well Sir Iohn Croker Walter Court●ey Peter Edgecombe William St. Maure with others came to their ayde upon whose comming Perkin left the siege and retired to Taunton where he mustered his men as though he meant to prepare for battell but finding his number to be much diminished fo● of six thousand which he had at Exceter many were fled from him when they saw no Great ones to take his part he began to distrust his case and he●●ing withall that the king with a great Power was at hand about midnight with threescore horse-men in his company he departed in post from Taunton and tooke Sanctuary in a Town called Beauly neere to Southampton When king Henry he●rd that Perkin was fled he sent after him to the Sea-side to stop his passage and apprehend him But the messengers that were sent when they came to St. Michaels 〈◊〉 though they found not Perkin yet there they found his wife the Lady Katherine Gourdon whom they presently brought to the king a beautifull young Lady to whom in honour of her birth and commiseration of her beauty the king allowed a competent maintenance which she enjoyed during the kings life and m●ny yeeres after king Henry being come to Exceter stayed there a few dayes about examination of the Rebellion and execution of the chiefe Offendours of whom there being a great multitude and all of them craving pardon the king caused them all to be assembled in the Church-yard of St. Peter where they all appeared bar●-headed in their shirts and halters about their necks whom the king viewing out of a window made for the purpose after he had paused a while made a speech unto them exhorting them to obedience and then in hope they would afterward be dutifull Subjects he pardoned them all whereat they made a great shout crying 〈◊〉 God save king Henry though some of them afterward like ungratefull wretches fell into new Rebellions All this whi●e Perkin was in Sanctuary and the King thinking himselfe in danger as long as he was in safety set a Guard about the place to keepe him for escaping whereby Perkin was so restrained that at last hee submitted himselfe to the kings mercy and was thereupon sent to the Tower to b● there in s●fe custodie This do●e king Henry appointed Thomas Lord D●rcy Sir Amy●s Pawle● and Robert Sherb●●●●
for the suppressing of so many Monasteries the King instituted certaine new Bishoprickes as at VVestminster Oxford Peterborough Bristow Chester and Gloster and assigned certaine Canons and Prebends to each of them The third of November Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exceter and Earle of Devonshire Henry Poole Lord Montacute Sir Nicholas Carew of Bedington Knight of the Garter and Master of the Kings Horse and Sir Edward Nevill brother to the Lord of Aburgeiney were sent to the Tower being accused by Sir Geoffry Poole the Lord Montacutes brother of high treason the● were indi●ed for devising to promote and advance one Reinold Poole to the Crowne and put downe King Henry This Poole was a neere kinsman of the Kings being the sonne of the Lady Margaret Countesse of Salisbury daughter and heire to George Duke of Clarence he had been brought up by the King in learning and made Deane of Excetur but being sent after to learne experience by travaile he grew so great a friend of the Popes that he became an enemy to King Henry and for his enmity to the King was by Pope Iulius the third made Cardinall for this mans cause the Lords aforesaid being condemned were all executed the Lord Marquis the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Ne●ill beheaded on the Tower-hill the ninth of Ianuary Sir Nicholas Carew the third of March two Priests condemned with them were hanged at Tyburn Sir Ieoffry Poole though condemned also yet had his pardon About thi● time one Nicholson alias Lambert being accused for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament appealed to the King and the King was co●tent to heare him whereupon a Thron● was set up in the Hall of the Kings Pallace at Westminster for the King to si● and when t●e Bishops had urged their arguments and could not prevaile then the King tooke him in hand hoping perhaps to have the honour of con●erting an Hereticke when the Bishops could not doe it and withall promised him pardon if he would recant but all would not doe Nicholso● remained obstin●te the King mist his honor the delinquent mist his pardon and shortly after was drawne to Smithfield and there burnt About this time King Henry being informed that the Pope by instigation of Cardinall Poole had earnestly moved divers great Princes to invade England He as a provident Prince endea●oured a●●arn●stly to provide ●or defence a●d to that end rode himselfe to the S●a-coast● 〈◊〉 them fortifi●● and in needfull places Bulwarkes to be erected Hee c●used hi● Na●●e●● be rigged and to be in readinesse at any short warning he c●●sed Musters ●● be raken in all shee●es and lists of all able men in e●ery Count● in L●●●don specially where Sir William Forman the ●hen M●jor ●●●●ified the number of fifteene thousand not that they were 〈…〉 but that so many were ready prepared and these on the eight of May the King himselfe saw Mustered in Iames Parke where the Citize●s ●●●ove in such sort to exceed each other in bravary of armes and forwardnesse of service a● if the City had bin a Campe and they not men of the gown● but all profest Souldiers which they performed to their great cost but greater comend●●ion It was now the one and thirtieth yeere of King Henri●s reigne and the nine and fortieth of his age when having continued a widdower two yeere he began to thinke of marrying againe and bee needed not be a sui●our for a wife for he was sued unto take one The Emperour sollicited him to marry the Dutchesse of Milan but to marry her he must first obtaine a Licence from the Pope and King Henry was resolved rather to have no wife then to have any more to doe with the Pope Then the Duke of Cleve made suit unto him to marry the Lady Anne hi● Sister and hee was a Protestant Prince and so though differing in points of Doctrine yet in the maine Point of excluding ●he Pope both of one min●e Many about the King were forward for thi● Ma●ch but the Lord Cro●well specially and indeed it concerned him more then any other that the King should take a Protestant wife seeing 〈◊〉 actions h●d beene such as none but ● Protestant Queene would ever like and if the Queene should not like them the King though done by his leave would ●ot like them long Hereupon such meanes was used that Emb●ssa●ours came from the Duke of Cleve to conclude the March and the● the elev●nth of December the Lady her selfe in gr●at state was brought first to Callice and then over to Dover and being come to Rochester the King secretly came to see her afterward she was conducted to London me● by the way in severall places by all the great Lords and Ladies of the Kingdome The third of Ianuary she was received into London by Sir William Hollice then Lord Major with Oration● Pageants an● all complements of Sta●e the greatest that ever had beene seene On Twelfth day the Marriage was ●olemnized the Archbishop of Canterbury did the office the Earle of Oversteine a German Lord ga●e her In Aprill following the Lord Cromwell as though he had won the Kings heart for ever by making this march was made Earle of Essex for in March before Henry Rourchie● Earle of Essex● and the ancientest Earle of England had broken his necke by seeking to breake a yong Horse leaving onely one Daughter and the dying without issue the Earldome came to the Family of Devereux which yet enjoyed not the honour till afterward in Queene Elizabeths time and then made but not restored The ninth of March the King created Sir William Paulet Treasurour of his House Lord Saint Iohn Sir Iohn Russell Controlour Lord Russell and shortly after Sir William Par was created Lord Par. The eight and twentieth of April began a Parliament at Westminster in the which Margaret Countesse of Salisbury Gertrude wife to the Marquesse of Exceter Reynold Poole Cardinall bro●her to the Lord Montacute Sir Adrian Foskew Thomas Dingley Knight of Saint Iohns and divers others were attain●ed of high treason of whom Foskew and Dingley the tenth of Iuly were beheaded the Countesse of Salisbury two yeeres after and in this Parliament the Act of the six Articles was established and Sir Nicholas Hare was restored to his place of Speaker in the Parliament It was now five moneths after the Kings marriage with the Lady Anne of Cleve and though the King at the first sight of the Lady did not like her person yet whether as respecting the honour of Ladies he would not disgrace her at the first meeting or whether he ment to try how time might worke him to a better liking or indeed that he would not give distaste to the German Princes at that time for sole ends he had a working he dissembled the matter and all things went on in a shew of contentment on all hands But for all these shewes the crafty Bishop of London Stephen Gardiner finding how the world went with the Kings affection towards his
Mary the Kings eldest sister To his offer of aide answer was made that the Kings warres were ended and touching the marriage with the Lady Mary ●hat the King was in speech for her marriage with the Infanta of Portugall which if it succeeded not he should then be favourably heard Upon this the Emperours Embassadour demanded of the King that the Lady Mary might have free exercise of the Masse which the King not onely constantly denied but thereupon Sermons were exercised at Court and order taken that no man should have any Benefice from the King but first he should Preach before him and shortly after under pretence of preparing for Sea-matters five thou●and pounds were sent to relieve Protestants beyond the Seas At this time also an Embassadour came from Gustanu● King of Sweden to enter league with the King for entercourse of Merchants and charge was then also given that the Lawes of England should be administred in Ireland About this time the Queene Dowager of Scotland going from France to her Countrey passed thorow England having first obtained a safe Conduct she arrived at Portesmouth and was there met by divers of the English Nobility conducted to London she was lodged in the Bishops-Pallace after four dayes staying having beene feasted by the King at Whitehall she departed being waited on by the Sheriffes of Counries to the borders of Scotland And now was one Steward a Scot apprehended in England and imprisoned in the Tower for intending to poyson the yong Queene of Scots whom the King delivered to the French King upon the frontiers of Callice to be by him justiced at his pleasure At ●his time certaine Ships were appointed by the Emperour to transport the Lady Mary either by violence or by stelth out of England to Antwerpe whereupon Sir Iohn Gates was sent with Forces into Essex where the Lady lay and besides the Duke of Somerset was sent with two hundred men the Lord Privie Seale with other two hundred and Master Sentleger with foure hundred more to severall coasts upon the Sea and the Lord Chancellour and Secretary Peter were sent to the Lady Mary who after some conference brought her to the Lord Chancellours house at Lyee in Essex and from thence to the King at Westminster Here the Councell declared unto her how long the King had permitted her the use of the Masse and considering her obstinacy was resolved now no longer to permit it unlesse she would put him in hope of some conformity in short time To which she answered that her soule was Gods and touching her faith as she could not change so she would not dissemble it Reply was made that the King intended not to constraine her faith but to restrain the outward profession of it in regard of the danger the example might draw After some like enterchange of speeches the Lady was appointed to remain with the King when there arived an Embassadour from the Emperor with a threatning message of warre in case his cousin the Lady Mary should be denied the free exercise of the Masse hereupon the King presently advised with the Archbishop of Canterbury and with the Bishop of London and Rochester who gave their opinion that to give licence to sin was sin but to connive at sinne might be ●llowed so it were not too long nor without hope of reformation then answere was given to the Embassadour that the King would send to the Emperour within a month or two and give him such satisfaction as should be fit And now the King being uncertaine of the faith both of his Subjects and of his Confederates intended by alliance to strengthen himselfe and thereupon sent one Bartwicke to the King of Denmarke with private instructions to treat of a mariage betweene the Lady Elizabeth the Kings youngest sister and the King of Denmarks eldest son but when it came to the point this Lady could not be induced to entertaine mariage with any After this the Marquesse of Northampton was sent Embassadour to the French King as well to present him with the Order of the Garter as to treat with him of other secret affaires with him were joyned in Commission the Bishop of Elye Sir Philip Hobbie Sir William Pickering Sir Iohn Mason and Master Smith Secritary of State also the Earle of Worcester Rutland and Ormond were appointed to accompany them as likewise the Lords Lisle Fitzwater Bray Aburgavenie and Evers with other Knights and Gentlemen of note to the number of six and twenty and for avoiding of immoderate traine order was given that every Earle should have but foure attendants every Baron but three every Knight and Gentlem●n but two onely the Commissioners were not limited to any number Being come to the Court of France they were forthwith brought to the King being then in his Bedchamber to whom the Marquesse presented the Order of the Garter wherewith he was presently invested then the Bishop of Elye in a short Speech declared how the King of England out of his love and desire of amitye had sent this Order to his Majestie desiring with all that some persons might be authorized to treat with them about some other m●tters of importance whereupon a Commission went forth to the Cardinall of Lorraigne Chastillion the Constable the Duke of Guysae and others At the first the English demanded that the yong Queene of Scots might be s●nt into England for perfecting of marriage betweene King Edward and her But to this the French answered That conclusion had beene made long before for her marriage with the Dolphin of France Then the English proposed a marriage betweene King Edward and the Lady Eliza●eth the French Kings eldest daughter to this the French did cheerfully incline but when they came to talke of Portion the English demanded at first fifteen hundred thousand crownes then fell to foureteene and a● last to eight hundred thousand the French offered at first one hundred thousand crownes then rose to two hundred thousand and higher they would not be drawne saying it was more then ever had bin given with a daugh●er of France Shortly after Monsieur the Marshall and other Commissioners were sent by the French King to deliver to the King of England the Order of Saint Michael and then was further treaty about the marriage and because the French could be s●rued no higher then two hundred thousand crownes it was at last accepted and the agreement was reduced into writing and delivered under Seale on both sides And now King Edward supposing his state to be most safe when indeed it was most unsure in testimo●y both of his joy and love advanced many to new titles of honou● the Lord Marquesse Dorset who had maried the eldest daughter of Charles Brandon was created Duke of Suffolke the Earle of Warwicke Duke of Northumberland the Earle of Wiltshire was created Marquesse of Winchester Sir William Herbert Lord of Cardisse and Master of the Horse was created Earle of Pembrooke also William Cecill the Kings
whose father King Henry the eighth made Earl of Tyrone to prevent the punishment of a private Out-rage upon a Brother broke into open Rebellion against the Prince and though his attempts were maturely made frustrate by timely opposition yet this was he that in the beginning of the Queens Raign sowed the seeds of that trouble in Ireland which afterward took so deep root that till the ending of her Raign it could never thorowly be rooted out though this man a yeer or two after came into England and casting himself at the Queens feet acknowledged his fault and obtained pardon The Treaty of Edinburgh should by promise have been confirmed by Francis the French King while he lived he not having done it Queen Elizabeth requires his Dowager the Queen of Scots to confirm it but she solicited often to it by Throgmorton the Queens Ligier in France made alwayes answer She could not do it without the counsell of her Nobility in Scotland whereupon Queen Elizabeth suspecting that this answer was but to hold her in amuzement while some mischief was practising against her sent Sir Thomas Randoll into Scotland to perswade the Lords there to enter into a League of mutuall amity with her and other Protestant Princes● and further by no means to permit their Queen now a widow to marry again to any forraign Prince for which she alleadged many great reasons In the mean while the Queen of Scots purposing to return into Scotland sent before-hand D'Oysette a French Lord to intreat Queen Elizabeth that with her leave she her self might passe by Sea into Sco●land and D'Oysette might passe by Land But Queen Elizabeth openly denyed both the one and the other unlesse she would confirm the Treaty of Edinburgh saying It was no reason she should do the Queen of Scots courtesie if the Queen of Scots would not do her right The Queen of Scots much troubled with this answer expostulates the matter with her Ligier Throgmorton and much complains of the unkindenesse but in the mean time providing Shipping she loosed from Calice and under covert of a mist notwithstanding that Ships were laid to intercept her she arrived safe in Scotland where she intreated her subjects in so loving a manner that she gave great contentment to the whole Kingdom as well to the Protestant Party as the other and then sent Letters to Queen Elizabeth proferring all observance and readinesse to enter League with her so she might by Authority of Parliament be declared her Successor which was but her Right To this Queen Elizabeth answered That though she would no way derogate from her Right yet she should be loth to endanger her own security and as it were to cover her own eyes with a Grave-cloth while she was alive but fell again to her old Admonition requiring her to confirm the Treaty of Edinburgh And now to shew the respect she bore her when her Unkles the Dukes D'A●male D' Albeufe and other Lords of France that had brought her home returned thorow England she gave them most bountifull and loving entertainment These two Queens indeed were both of great Spirits and both very wise but these grew such Jealousies of State between them the Queen of Scots doubting lest Queen Elizabeth meant to frustrate her Succession Queen Elizabeth doubting lest the Queen of Scots meant to prevent her succession that it kept them more asunder in love then they were neer in blood and was cause of many unkinde passages between them in all which though the Queen of Scots were a very neer Match to the Queen of England in the abilities of her minde yet in the favours of Fortune she was much her inferiour But now for all the courtesie which Q. Elizabeth shewed to the Queen of Scots Unkles at their returning thorow England yet new practises were again set on foot against her at Rome the Duke of Guise especially labouring to have her be Excommunicate but Pope Pius still averse from such roughnesse meant now to try the Queen another way and thereupon sent the Abbot Martinengi● and when he might not be admitted to enter England then caused the Bishop of Viterbo his Nuntio in France to deal earnestly with the Queens Ligier Throgmorton that she as other Princes had done would send her Orators to the Councell of Trent which he before had called But the Queen nothing tender in this point made peremptory answer That a Popish Assembly she did not acknowledge to be a Generall Councell nor did think the Pope to have any more Right or Power to call it then any other Bishop This Answer not only exasperated the Pope but so alienated also the King of Spain's minde from her that he was never after so kinde a friend to her as he had been and none of her Embassadours ever after had any great liking to be employed to him And now at this time as the Abbot Martinengi was the last Nuntio that ever was sent from the Pope into England so Sir Edward Carne now dying at Rome was the last Ligie● that was ever sent to the Pope from the Kings of England And now Queen Elizabeth knowing well that she had drawn many ill willers against her State she endeavoured to strengthen it by all the means she could devise She caused many great Ordnance of Brasse and Iron to be cast She repaired Fortifications in the Borders of Scotland She encreased the number of her Ships so as England never had such a Navy before She provided great store of Armour and Weapons out of Germany she caused Musters to be held and youth to be trayned in exercises of Artillery and to please the people whose love is the greatest strength of all she gave leave to have Corn and Grayn transported and called in all base Coyns and Brasse Money It was now the Fifth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raine when diverse great persons were called in question Margaret Countesse of Lenox Neece to to King Henry the eight by his eldest sister and her husband the Earle of Lenox for having had secret conference by letters with the Queen of Scots were delivered prisoners to Sir Richard Sackvile Master of the Rolles and with him kept a while in custody Also Arthur Poole and his brother whose great grand-father was George Duke of Clarnce brother to King Edward the fourth Antony Fortescue who had married their sister and other were arraigned for conspiring to withdraw themselves to the Duke of Guise in France and from thence to return with an Army into Wales to Declare the Queen of Scots Queen of England and Arthur Poole Duke of Clearnce which particulars they confessed at the Barre and were thereupon condemned to die but had their lives spared in regard they were of the Blood Royall Also the Ladie Katherine Grey daughter to Henry Grey Duke of Suffolke by the eldest daughter of Brandon● having formerly been married to the Earle Pembrookes eldest sonne and from him soone after lawfull divorced was some yeers after found to
at Louvayn But though the Queen were thus entangled with Rebellions at home yet she was not carelesse of the afflicted Protestants in France for she stirred up the Protestant Princes to defend the common Cause supplyed them with money taking in pawn the Queen of Navar 's Jewells and gave leave to Henry Champernoon to lead into France a Troop of a hundred Horse Gentlemen all and Voluntaries amongst whom were Philip Butshed Francis Barkley and Walter Raleigh a very young man who now began to look into the world But as the Queen of England assisted the French so in revenge thereof the King of France meant to assist the Scots but that he was taken away by death being slain by a shot at the Siege of S. Iohn D'Angelo There was at this time a Rebellion in Ireland also raised by Edmund and Peter brothers to Boteler Earl of Ormond but after many out-rages by them committed the Earl of Ormond first by perswasions obtained of them to submit themselves and when notwithstanding they were committed to prison he then obtained of the Queen they should not be called to the Barre being exceedingly grieved that any of his Blood should be attaynted of Rebellion The rest of the Rebells were pursued by Sir Humphrey Gilbert and soon dispersed And now the Earl of Murray Regent of Scotland when he had wrought all things to his hearts desire and thought himself secure at Lithquo riding along the streets was shot into the belly with a Bullet beneath the Navill and there fell down dead The actor was a Hamilton who did it upon a private revenge for that Murray had forced him to part with a piece of Land which he had by his wife who thereupon falling Lunatick he in a great rage committed this slaughter After Murrayes death the Countrey being without a Regent was cause of many disorders Tho. Carre and Walter Scot two principall men amongst the Scottish Borders and devoted to the Queen of Scots made In●odes into England wasting all places with fire and sword till by Forces sent out of England under the command of the Earle of Sussex and the Lord H●nsdon they were defeated In whose pu●suit three hundred villages were ●ired and above fifty Holds were over-turned For which service the Earl made many Knights as Sir William Drury Sir Thomas Manners Sir George Carie Sir Robert Constable and others and then returned And now to prevent further disorders the Lords of Scotland being ready to assemble about the election of a new Regent they asked counsell of Queen Elizabeth in the matter but she making answer she would not meddle in it because she would not be thought to work any thing prejudiciall to the Queen of Scots whose cause was not yet tried● they created Matthew Earl of Lenox Regent which Queen Elizabeth did the better like as conceiving he could not chuse out of naturall affection but have a speciall care of the young King being his Grand-childe But while Queen Elizabeth favoured the Kings Party in Scotland the Earl of Hun●ley the Duke of Castle-H●rald and the Earle of Argyl● the Queen of Scots Li●u●enants imploy the Lord Seton to the Duke D'Alva Requiting him for many great reasons to vindicate the Queen of Scots liberty alleadging how acceptable a work it would be to all Christian Princes and to the whole Catholike Church whereunto the Duke made answer They should finde him ready to the uttermost of his power to satisfie their Request At which time also the French King dealt earnestly with Queen Elizabeth to the same purpose and the Spanish Embassadour in his masters name urged it no lesse extremely but Queen Elizabeth assaulted with all these Importunities made answer That as she would omit nothing that might serve for the Reconciling of the Queen of Scots and her subjects so sh● must have leave to provide for her own and her subjects safety a thing which Nature Reason and her own Honor requires at her hands And now when these Princes prevailed not with Queen Elizabeth to set the Queen of Scots at liberty ou● comes Pope Pius Quintus with his Bull Declaratory which he caused to be fastened in the night time upon the gate of the Bishop of Londons Palace wherein all her subjects are absolved from their Oa●h of Allegiance or any other dutie and all that obey her accursed with Anathem● He that fastned up the Bull was one Iohn F●lton who never fled for the matter but as affecting Martyrdome suffered himself to be apprehended confessed and justified the Fact and thereupon arraigned was condemned and hanged neer the place where he had fastened the writing The same day that Felton was Arraigned the Duke of Norfolk seeming now extremely pontitent for his fault and utterly to abhorre the marriage was delivered out of the Tower and suffered to goe to his owne house but yet to be in the custodie of Sir Henry Neuill still Indeed Cecill being a good friend of the Dukes had told the Queen That the Law of 25 of Edward the third could not take hold upon him And now being in a kinde of liberty Cecill deales earnestly with him to marry speedily some other thereby to take away all suspition in that behalf yet some again thought that this liberty of the Dukes was granted him of purpose to bring him into greate● danger At this time died William Herbert Earl of P●mb●ook the grand-child of an Earl of P●mbrook yet the son but of an Esquire and grand-father to Phillip Earl of Pembrook and Mountgomery now living who lieth buried in Pauls under a faire Monument of Marble with an Inscription ●estifying his great deservings while he lived Many conspiracies were at this time to set the Queen of Scots at liberty amongst others there conspired Thomas and Edward Stanley younger sonnes of the Earl of Derby with others but the matter discovered they were soon suppressed and some of them executed And now the Lords of the Queen of Scots Party continuing to protect the English Rebells the Earl of Sussex once again accompanied with the Lord Scroop entereth Scotland burneth the Villages all along the Valley of Anandale and compasseth the Duke of Castle-Herald and the Earls of Huntley and Argyle under a Writing signed with their own Hands and Seals to forsake the English Rebells Whereupon the Earl of Sussex returned home he made these Knights Edward Hastings Francis Russell Valentine Browne William Hilton Robert Stapleton Henry Carwen and Simon Musgrave Queen Elizabeths minde being now in great suspension by reason of that Bull from Rome and the late conspiracy in Norfolk sent Sir William Cecill and Sir Walter Mildmay to the Q●een of Scots who was then at Chattesworth in Derby-shire to consult with her by what means the breach in Scotland might best be made up She re-invested in her former Dignity and her son and Queen Elizabeth might be secured● The Queen of Scots did little deplore her own afflicted condition putting her self wholly upon the Queens clemency when
the Commissioners made unto her certain Propositions of Agreement First That the Treaty of Edinborough should be confirmed then That she should renounce her Right and Title to England during Queen Elizabeths life or any children of her body lawfully begotten then That she should send her sonne for a Hostage into England with other six Hostages such as the Queen should nominate then That the Castles of Humes and Fast-castle should be held by the English for three yeers with some other To which Propositions the Queen of Scots for the present gave a provident answer but referred the fuller Answer to the Biship of Rosse her Ambassadour in ENGLAND and some other Delegates who afterwards allowing some of the Propositions and not allowing others the Treaty came to nothing but the matter rested in the state it was before A● this time Philip King of Spain had contracted Marriage with Anne of Austria Daughter to the Emperour Maximilian his own Neece by his Sister who was now setting Sayl from Zealand towards Spain when Queen Elizabeth to testifie her love and respect to the House of Austria sent Sir Charls Howard with the Navy Royall to conduct her thorow the Bri●ish Sea And now was the twelfth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign finished which certain Wizards had made Papists believe should be her last but contrary as if it were but her first a new Custome began of celebrating the seventeenth day of November the Anniversary day of her Raign with ringing of Bells Tiltings and Bon-fires which Custome as it now began so it was never given over as long as she lived and is not yet forborn so long after her death At this time in Ireland Connagher ô Brien Earl of Towmond no● brooking the severe Government of Edward Fitton President of Connaght entred into Consultation with some few to raise a new Rebellion which being at the point ready to break forth was strangely discovered for the day before they meant to ●ake up Arms Fitton knowing not at all of the matter sent ●h● Earl word in friendly manner That the next day he and a few friends with him would be his Guests The Earl convinced by his own conscience imagined that his Intendments were revealed that Fitton would come as an enemy rather then a Guest Out of which feare● he presently set Sayle into FRANCE where repenting himselfe seriously of his fault he confessed the whole businesse to Norris the Queenes Embassadour in France and by his intercession was afterward pardoned and restored In Ianuary the thirteenth yeer of her Raigne Queen Elizabeth in royall pompe entring the City of London went to see the Burse which Sir Thomas Gresham had lately built for the use of the Marchants and with sound of trumpets and the voice of a Herald solemnly named it the Royall Exchange A few dayes after for his many great services she made Sir William Cecill Baron Burgley There were now about the Scottish affaires in the name of the King of of Scots the Earle Morton Peruare Abbot of Dumformelin and Iames Mac-Gray whom when Queen Elizabeth required to shew more clearely for what causes they had deposed the Queen they exhibited a long and tedious Commentary wherein with a certain insolent liberty they endeavoured to prove by the ancient Right of the Kingdom of Scotland that the people of Scotland were above the King and urged Calvins Authority also That Popular Magistrates are constituted for the moderation of the Licentiousnes of Princes and that it is lawfull for them both to imprison Kings and upon just causes to depose them This writing the Queen could not reade without indignation but to the Delegates she gave this Answer She saw no just cause yet why they should handle the Queen in such manner and therefore willed them to think upon some course out of hand how to allay the dissentions in Scotland Hereupon in Sir Nich. Bacons house Keeper of the Great Seal a Proposition was made to the Bishop of Rosse the Bishop of Galloway and Baron Levingston delegates for the Queen of Scots that for the security of the Kingdom and the Qu. of England it were requisite that before the Queen of Scots should be let at libertie The Duke of Castle-Herald the Earle of Huntley and Argyle the Lord Humes Heris and another of the Barons should be delivered for Hostages and the castle of Dumbriton and H●●e● yeelded up into the hands of the English for three yeers But they made Answer that to yeeld up great personages and such fortifications as were demanded were nothing else but to leave the miserable Queen utterly destitute of faithfull friends and naked of all places fit for guard and defence yet they offered to give two Earls and two Barons for Hostages till two yeers were expired which not being accepted they straightway gathered and spoke it openly That now they plainly perceived the English meant to keepe the Queen of Scots perpetually prisoner and likewise to break off the Trea●y seeing they rigorously demanded such securitie as Scotland was not able to make good And now Queen Elizabeth seeing that nothing could be done for her owne the King and Queen of Scots safety unlesse Both Factions in Scotland consented she held it fit that the Lords of Scotland should themselves appoint some chosen persons to compound the matter While matters in England proceeded in this sort the Queenes partie in Scotland was hardly used Fryth● the strongest castle in Scotland was taken and I. Hamilton Archbishop of Saint Andrewes the Duke of Castle-Heralds brother as an accessary to the murder of D●●lye was hanged without being arraigned according to Law In England the Queen of Scots had all her servants taken from her except Tenne only and a Priest to say masse with which indignities the Queen of Scots provoked causeth a large Commentary of her Counsels with certain love-letters to the Duke of Norfolk to be carried to the Pope and the King of Spain by Ridolphu● which being brought first to the Duke Higford one that waited on the Duke in his bed chamber had copyed out but being commanded to burne them he hid them under a Matt in the Duke Bed-chamber and that it should seeme purposely Ridolphus to daw on the Duke to be Head of the discontented Partie in England aggravated to him the wrongs he had suffered● how against all law he had been kept a long time in prison and now to his great disgrace was not Summoned to the Parliament he exhibited to him a Catalogue of such of the Nobilitie who had vowed to Assist him he shewed how the Pope so the Catholick Religion might be promoted would himself undergo all the charge of the Warre and had already layd down an hundred thousand Crownes whereof himself had distributed twelve thousand amongst the English that were fled he promised that the King of Spain would send four thousand horse and six thousand foot to his Assistance to these reasons the Bishop of Rosse added That it was an
all which the Duke made colourable answers but most of them being proved by sufficient testimony he asked upon occasion Whether the subjects of another Prince who is confederate and in league with the Queen are to be accounted the Queens enemies● to which Catiline answered They were and that the Q. of England might wage War with any Duke of France yet hold firm Peace with the French King When it grew towards night the L. high Steward demanded of the Duke if he had any more to say for himself who answered I rely upon the equity of the Laws After this the Lords withdrawing a while and then returning the Lord Steward beginning at the lowermost asked them My Lord de la Ware Is Thomas Duke of Norfolk guilty of these crimes of High Treason for which he is called in question He rising up and laying his hand upon his breast answered guilty in like manner they answered all After this the Lord Steward with teares in his eyes pronounced sentence in forme as is used A few dayes after were Barnes and Mather executed who conspired with one Herle to make away certaine of the Councellors and to free the Duke but Herle revealed the businesse presently to whom Barnes when hee saw his Accuser brought forth smilingly said Herle thou wert but one houre before mee else I had beene in thy place for the accuser and thou in my roome to be hanged at the same time with them was hanged also Henry Rolfe for counterfeiting the Queens hand But though the Duke were now condemned yet the Queen was so tender of his case that it was foure Moneths after before he was executed at last on the second of June at eight of the clock in the morning he was brought to the Scaffold upon the Tower-Hill and there beheaded At this time and upon this occasion a Parliament was Assembled wherein amongst other Lawes it were Enacted that if any man shall go about to free any person imprisoned by the Queens expresse Commandement● for Treason or suspition of Treason and not yet Arraigned he shall lose all his goods for his life time and be imprisoned during the Queens pleasure if the said person have beene Arraigned the Rescuer shall forfeit his life if condemned he shall be guilty of Rebellion In the time of this Parliament the Queen created Walter Devereux Earl of Essex being before but Viscount Hereford because he was descended by his Great-grand-mothers from the Bourchiers and made the Lord Clinton who had large Revenues in Lincolnshire Earl of Lincoln Also she called forth Iohn Paulet of Basing the Marquesse of Winchester's son Henry Compton Henry Cheyney and Henry Morris for Barons by Summons Within ten dayes after the Dukes death William Lord De-la-ware Sir Ralph Sadler Thomas Wilson Doctor of the Laws and Thomas Brumley the Queens Solicitour were sent to the Queen of Scots to expostulate with her That shee had usurped the Title and Arms of the Kingdom of England and had not renounced the same according to the agreement of the Treaty at Edinburgh That shee had endeavoured the marriage of the Duke of Norfolke without acquainting the Queene and had used all forcible meanes to free him out of prison had raised the Rebellion in the North had relieved the Rebels both in Scotland and in the Low-Countries had implored Aids from the Pope the King of Spaine and others had conspired with certaine of the English to free her out of Prison and Declare her Queen of England Lastly that she had procured the Popes Bull against the Queen and suffered herself to be publikely named the Queen of England in Forreigne Countries All which accusations she either absolutely denyed or else fairly extenuated and though as she said she were a free Queen and not subject to any creature yet she was content and requested that she might make her personall answer at the next Parliament About this time the King of Spain by his Embassadour here complained to the Queen that the Rebels of the Netherlands were harboured and entertained in England contrary to the Articles of the League whereupon the Queen set forth a severe Proclamation That all the Dutch who could any wayes be suspected of Rebellion should presently depart the Realm which yet turned little to D'Alva's or the King of Spains benefit For hereupon Count Vander-Mark and other Dutch going out of England surprized the Brill first then Flushing and afterwards drew other Towns to Revolt and in a short time excluded the Duke D'Alva in a manner from the Sea And this errour to suffer the Protestant party to get possession of the Sea-towns hath been the cause they have been able to hold out even all this long time against the King of Spain And now many military men having little to do at home got them into the Netherlands some to Duke D'Alva but the far greater number to the Prince of Orenge The first of whom was Thomas Morgan who carryed three hundred English to Flushing then followed by his procurement nine Companies more under the conduct of Humphry Gilbert and afterward it became the Nursery of all our English Souldiers At this time Charls the French King setting his mind wholly at least seeming so upon the Low-Country War concluded a peace and entred into a league with Queen Elizabeth which was to remain firm not only during their two lives but between their successors also if the s●ccessor signifie to the surviver within a yeer that he accepteth it otherwise to be at liberty It was likewise agreed what aid by Sea or Land they should each of them afford to other upon occasion and for ratification of this League Edward Clinton Earl of Lincoln and Admirall of England was sent into France with whom went the Lord Dacres Rich Talbot Sands and others The French King likewise sent the Duke of Memorancy and Paul Foix i●to England with a great train that the Queen in the presence of them and the Embassador in Ordinary might sweare to the league which she did at Westminster the seaventeenth of May in the yeer 1572. The day after she made Memorancye Knight of the Garter Memorancye whilst he tarryed in England made intercession in his Kings name that what favour could be without danger might be shewed to the Queen of Scots and then made much a do again about the marriage with the Duke of Angiou but being hopelesse to make conclusion thereof by reason of the diversity of Religion he returned into France for now was great provision making ready for the mariage between Henry King of Navarre and the Lady Margeret the French Kings Sister to which solemnity with notable dissimulation the Queen of Navarre and the chief of all the Protestants were allured being born in hand that there should be a renovation of love and a perpetuall peace established The Earl of Leicester likewise and the Lord Burleigh were invited out of England and out of Germany the sons of the Prince Elector Palatine under
thereupon for not coming into England as he had determined The Count found the Queen at Canterbury where she gave him Royall intertainment and Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury Royall intertainment to them both All this while since the death of the Earl of Marre there had been no Regent in Scotland but now by the procurement of Queen Elizabeth chiefly Iames Dowglas Earl of Morton is made Regent who when his Authority in a Parliamentary Assembly was established Enacted many profitable Laws for the defence of Religion against Papists and Hereticks in the name of the King But the pro●ection and keeping of the Kings Person hee confirmed to Alexander Areskin Earl of Marre to whom the custody of the Kings in their tender yeers by speciall priviledge belongeth though hee were himself in his Minority Upon these conditions That no Papists nor factious persons should be admitted to his presence An Earl should come with onely two servants attending him A Baron with onely one All other single and every one unarmed The French King in the mean time sent his Embassadour Mounsier Vyriar to corrupt the Earls of Atholl and H●ntley with large promises to oppose the Regent Queen ELISABETH as much laboured to defend him but though by the ministery of Killigrew shee had drawn Iames Hamilton Duke of Castle-Herald and George Gourdon Earl of Huntley and the most eminent of that Faction upon indifferent conditions to acknowledge the Regent yet VVilliam K●r●●ld Lord Gra●nge whom Murray when hee was Rege●t had made Gove●nour of Edingborough Castle The Lord Hum●s Lydington the Bishop of Dunkeld and others would by no meanes admit of the Regents Government but held that Castle and fortified it in the Queen of Scots name having Lydington for their Counsellor herein and trusting to the naturall strength of the place and to the Duke D' Alva's and the F●e●ch Kings promises to send them supplies both of men and money Now when these persons could by no meanes drawne to accept of conditions of peace and to deliver up the Castle to the Regent Queen Elizabeth who could in no case endure the French in Scotland suffered her self at length to be intreated by the Regent to send Forces Gunnes and Ammunition for assaulting of the Castle upon certain conditions whereof one was that ten Hostages should be sent into England to be security fo● returning the men and Munition unlesse by the common hazard of War they should chance to miscarry The conditions being argued on William Drury Marshall of the Garrison at Barwick with some ●reat Ordnance and Fifteen hundred Souldiers amongst whom were some noble Voluntiers George Carie Henry Carie Thomas Cecill He●ry Lee William Knolles Sutton Cotton Kelway VVilliam Killigrew and others entred into Scotland and besieged the Castle which after three and thirty dayes siege was delivered up to the Regent for the Kings use with all the persons that were in it amongst whom Kircald Lord Grange and Iames his brother Musman and Cook gold-smiths who had counterfeited Coyne in the Castle were hanged although to redeem Granges life a hundred of the Family of the Kircalds offered themselves to be in perpetuall servitude to the Regent besides an annuall Pension of three thousand Marks and twenty thousand pounds of Scottish money in present and to put in caution that from thence forth he should continue in duty homage to the King but it would not bee accepted Humes and the rest were spared through Queen Elizabeths mercifull intercession Lydington was sent to Leith where hee dyed and was suspected to bee poysoned A man of the greatest understanding in the Scottish Nation and of an excellent wit but very variable for which George Buchanan called him the Camelion And now from this time Scotland began to take breath after long Civill Warres and as well the Captaines of both parties as the Souldiers betook themselves into Swedeland France and the Low-Countries where they valorously behaved themselves and wonne great commendation As for Iohn Lesle Bishop of Rosse he was now set at liberty but commanded to depart presently out of England and being beyond the Sea he continued still to sollicite his Mistresse the Queen of Scots cause with the Emperour the Pope the French King and the German Princes of the Popish Religion who all led him on with faire promises but performed nothing For indeed he in whom he had greatest confidence which was the Duke D' Alva was at that time called away partly out of Jealousie of State as being thought to grow too great and partly out of opinion that by his cruelty he made the people to revolt and therefore in his place was sent Ludovicus Zuinga a man of great Nobility in Spain ●ut of a more Peaceable disposition then D' Alva ●ow this man did all good Offices to win Queen Elizabeth to him and minding his owne Affairs only would not intermeddle with the Scottish or English matters About this a frentick Opinion was held by one Peter Bourche● a Gent●eman of the Middle-Temple that it was lawfull to kill them that opposed the truth of the Gospell and so far was he possest with this opinion that he assaulted the famous Seaman Captain Hawkins and wounded him with a dagger taking him for Hutton who at that time was in great favour with the Queen and of her privy Counsell whom he had been informed to be a great Adversary to Innovations The Queen grew so angry hereat that she commanded Marshiall Law should be executed upon him presently till her Counsell advised her that Marshiall Law was not to be used but in the Field and in turbulent times but at home and in time of Peace there must be Legall proceedings Hereupon Bourchet was sent to the Tower where taking a brand out of the fire he strook it into the brains of one of his keepers named Hugh Longwroth and killed him for which fact he was condemned of murther had his right hand cutt off and nayled to the Gallows and then himselfe hanged After the violent death of this Varlet we may speake of the naturall death of two great persons First William Lord Howard of Effingham Son of that warlike Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk by his second wife Agnes Tilney This William was made a Baron by Queen Mary and Lord High Admirall of England and by Queen Elizabeth Lord Chamberlain till such time that being taken with age he yeelded up that place to the Earl of Sussex and was then made Keeper of the Privy Seal which is the fourth degree of honour in England His Son Charles succeeded him in the Dignity of his Barony who was after made Lord Chamberlain to the Queen and then Lord High Admirall of England A while after him dyed Reginold Grey Earl of Kent whom the Queen a yeer before of a private man had made Earl of Kent when as that Title from the death of Richard Grey Earl of Kent who had wasted his Patrimony and was elder brother to this mans
out of zeal to the Romane Religion a little before he had taken up Arms with the Rebells and exhorting the Earl of Ormond his neighbour to do the like who drew his Linage from St. Thomas of Canterbury he used these w●rds to perswade him That if Saint Thomas of Canterbury had not dyed for the Church of ROME thou hadst never been Earl of Ormond for King HENRY the second to expiate the murther of THOMAS B●CKET gave large Lands in Ormond to his Predecessors The beginning of the next Spring certain Scots together with Gowry plotted again to surprize the King pretending onely a care of Religion and to remove ill Councellors from him but the King having intelligence of their practise used means by Colonell Steward to have G●●ry taken and cast into prison whereupon Marre Glames Angus and other of the confederates flie into England and beseech the Queen to commiserate their estate who had incurred the Kings displeasure to do her and the Kingdom of England service The King on the other side accuseth them to the Queen of haynous crimes and requires to have them delivered up into his hands But Secretary Walsingham who bore great good will to these men sent Letters with a Command That they should be safely admitted into Linds Ferme otherwise called The holy Island where Hu●sdon being Governou● there and great addicted to the King of Scots resisted Walsinghams Command alleadging he could not satisfie the Secretary in this point unlesse the Queen gave expresse Command Hereupon grew a Dispute Whether a Secretary of State might not transact a businesse of State without speciall Commission from the Prince How this Case was determined is uncertain but sure it is the Scots came not thither though some favour they had shewed them here in England In the mean time Gowry was tryed by his Peers at S●eclyn where being accused of many Treasons though he gave colourable answers to them all yet was found guilty condemed and beheaded whose head his servants sewing to his body committed to the Grave About this time were practises plotted against Queen Elizabeth in behalf 〈◊〉 the Queen of Scots chiefly by Francis Throgmorton eldest son of Iohn ●●●●gmorton Justice of Chester who came to be suspected by reason of ●etters sent to the Queen of Scots which were intercepted Upon his ap●●●hension Thomas Lord Paget and Charles Arundel privately stole away 〈◊〉 France grievously complaining against Leicester and Walsingham for ●●ienating the Queen from them and using such wiles that scarce any m●n was able to live in safety Henry Earl of Northumberland and Philip Earl of Arundel were confined to their houses his wife committed to the ●●stody of Sir Thomas Shirley William Howard the Earls brother and He●●y Howard their Unkle brother to the Duke of Norfolk were examined about Letters from the Queen of Scots and many Statagems were set on foot dangerous to some particular persons but necessary as should 〈◊〉 for the Queens security Certain it is That now the malice of the Papists against the Queen brake forth more violently than ever before for in printed Books they stirred up the Queens own servants to ●ttempt the like upon her that Iudith did on Olephernes The Author of these Books could not be found but the suspition lay upon one G●egory Martin sometime of Oxford and Carter a Statio●er who printed the Books suffered for it And whereas the Papists every where ●●aduced the Queen for cruelty she desirous alwayes to leave a blessed ●●membrance behinde her grew extremely offended with the Commissioners for Popish causes taxing them of too much cruelty insomuch that they were fain in a printed Declaration to cleer themselves protesting That they questioned no man for his Religion but onely for dangerous attempts against the Queen and State● and that C●●pian himself was never so Racked but that he could presently walk up and down But all this gave not the Queen satisfaction but she commanded the Commissioners to forbear tortures and the Judges other ●u●ishments and not long after when seventy Priests were taken and some of them condemned and the rest in danger of the Law she caused them all to be Shipped away and sent out of England The chief of whom were Gaspar Heywood the great Epigrammatist's son the first ●esuite that ever set foot in England Iames B●sgrave Iohn Hart and Ed●●●d Rishton At this time Mendoza the Spanish Ambassadour was thrust out of England for joyning with Throgmorton in his Treason against the Queen whereupon Sir William Waad was sent to the King of Spain to satisfie him how ill Mendoza had discharged the Office of an Ambassadour here in England who when the King admitted him not to his Presence but in a slighting manner putting him off to his Councellors Waad taking it in great disdain boldly said That it was a declared Custome among Princes though in heat of War to give Ambassadours audience and thereupon stou●ly refused to ●●clare his Ambassage and so returned into England unheard The greatest matters laid to Mendoza's charge were gott●n out of Throgmorton's Confession for when he was in danger to be apprehended he sent to Mendoza a box of Writings and when his Ch●sts were searched there were found two Scrowls one with the names of the Ports of England and in the other the names of the Nobility and Gentry in England that favoured the Romish Religion These when Th●ogmorton saw brought forth he said they were counterfeited and ●tood to it upon the very Rack but being brought to the Rack the second time● he then confessed all That Morgan by Letters out of France had given him information that the Catholike Princes had decreed to invade England and with the help of the Duke of Guise to free the Q. of Scots and that nothing was now wanting but mony ayd in England and that for procuring of this Charls Pa●e● under the counterfeit name of Mope was sent into Sussex where the Duke of Guise intended to land and that he had imported all this matter to Mendoza and intimated the names of the Ports and of the Noble-men that should assist But being arraigned at the Guild-hall he denyed all this again saying He had spoken so because he would not be Racked again Yet being condemned to die he flying to the Queens mercy confessed in a manner all he had before related● and then at the Gallows went about to deny it again So false to it self is the minde of man when it is divided between hope and fear and lies under the burden of a guilty conscience Sir William Wade being returned from Spain was employed to the Queen of Scots about a Treaty begun two years before To whom the distressed Queen sincerely professed That she devoted her service and her selfe to the Queen of England and made solemne promise That if the former Treaty might go on she would mediate with the King her Son to receive into favour the Earl of Angus and the other Scottish Lords and would charge
indeed more guilty of the fact than Davyson were none of the number Before these Delegates Popham the Queens Atturney layeth to Davysons charge Contempt of the Queen Majesty violating of his trust and neglect of his duty laying open all particulars of his fact which after Egerton the Queens Solicitor Gawdy and Puckering her Serjeants at Law urged also against him with great aggra●ation To which Davyson mildely answered That he would not contest with the Queen only protests That if he had done any thing otherwise than he ought it was out of ignorance and mistaking and not out of any purpose to disobey her Majesty It seems the Queen had carried her selfe as one that would have it done and yet was loth to do it scarce knowing her one minde and yet would have another know it meaning to make it the work of mistaking rather than of purpose that so at least she might leave some place of satisfaction to her selfe that it was not absolutely of her doing The Pleadings ended the Commissioners went to censure Manwood began and gave his opinion That Davyson for the inconsideratnesse of his fact● should be fined ten thousand pounds and Imprisonment during the Queens pleasure the rest went on in that Sentence only the Lord Grey excused Davyson so far That he tho●ght him worthy of reward rather than of punishment The conclusion was the first Sentence for his Fine and Imprisonment was by Wray keeper of the Privy Seal confirmed and Davyson never after recovered the Queens favour though she relieved him sometimes in his necessity A man ingenious indeed but not throughly acquainted with the wayes of the Court and thought to have been raised to this place of purpose to Act this part and for nothing else By this time Sir Robert Cary Son to the Lord Hunsdon who was sent to excuse the Queen was come to the Borders but being come thither was not suffered to set foot in Scotland The King would scarce hear him by another and with much adoe received his Letters He called home his Ambassador out of England and thought of nothing but revenge But the Queen still laying the fault upon Davyson and the unadvised credulity of her Councellros by little and little allayeth his passion and expecting till time had somewhat asswaged his griefe that it would endure to be touched at length by her Agents in Scotland And soon after by the Lord Hunsdon Governor of Berwicke She admonished him How dangerous it would be for him to break out into War against England and what little help he could justly expect from either Spain or France but if he persisted in the amity with England he might be sure the Queen of England would most lovingly account him for her Son And to the end that he should assure himself that the Queen his Mother was put to death without her privity she sent him the Sentence against Davyson under the Seals of all the Delegates and attested under the Great Seal of England and another Instrument likewise signed with the hands of the Judges of England in which they averre That the Sentence against the Queen of Scots could in no wise be prejudice to his right in the Succession Having now by these and the like courses somewhat asswaged the King of Scots indignation to prevent the War which they foresaw was imminent from the King of Spain they send forth Drake with four of the Queens ships and others unto the Coast of Spain to set upon their ships in the Have●s and to intercept their Munition Drake entring into the Port of Cales sunck took and fired about an hundred ships wherein was great store of Munition and Victualls Then returning to the Cape of St. Vincent he set up three Forts and compelled them to yeild Thence setting sayl towards the Western Islands called Azores under the great Meridian by great good fortune he happened upon an huge and wealthy Carack called St. Philip returning from the East-Indies and easily vanquished it Wherupon the Mariners on both sides from the name of Philp portended no good luck to Philip King of Spain At the same time Thomas Cavendish of Suffolke in the other part of the World who two years before had set sayl from England with three ships passing thorough the Straights of Magellan in the Coast of Chily Peru and Nu●va Hispania fired a great number of Spanish Towns took and pillaged ninteen great ships and amongst them a wealthy ship of the Kings nigh unto Caliphornia in North America and so by the Philippine Isles the Mol●cce the Cape de Bone Esperance and the Island of St. Helene returned home the next year being the third after Magellan that sayled about the World As Drake and Cavendish at this time gained great fame and renown● so two other men in the Netherlands Stanley and Yorke purchased as great infamy and disgr●ce This Yorke was a Londoner a bold fellow and of loose behaviour famous for bringing first into England the manner of turning the point upon the Adversary in single Combats whereas the English till this time were wont to be armed with Bucklers and swords and to strike with edge and it was held no manhood to turn the point or strike below the girdle He suffering some affront from the Earl of Leicester fled away and for a time served under the Spaniards in the Netherlands till at length being reconciled to Leicester he was sent over the Fort near Zutphen but being bribed he not only yeilded up the place to the Enemy but drew to the like villany one Stanley who with great valour had served in an Irish expedition to yeild up Daventry to the Spaniards a wealthy and well Fortified Town But what got they by their treachery The Spaniards set Yorke and Stanley at variance they poison Yorke and seize upon his goods his carkasse was three years after digged up by the States commandment and hanged upon a Gibbet till it rotted away● Stanley went into Spain where there was no credit given to him for the Spaniards have a saying It is lawfull to give honor to a Traytor sometimes but never to trust him These late treacheries wrought the Earl of Leicester much envy with the Confederate Netherlands because the Traytors were very intimate with him whereupon the States in large letters to the Queen accuse Le●cester for his ill managing of the Weal-Publick in the matter of money Merchandize and Military affairs and to his credulity They impute the harm which accrewed by Yorke and Stanley The Queen for the narrow sifting of the matter and composing it sent thither Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckehurst lately taken i●to her Privie Councell in Leicesters absence Norris and Bartholmew Clerke B●t when as the officious diligence of Buckhurst seemed to trench upon Leicesters re●utation his grace with the Queen proved so forcible that Buckhurst at his return was for certain moneths confined to his house Afterward Sluce being beleaguered by the Prince of Parma Leicester was by the
longer served her it was evident by the lifting up of her hands and eyes that her thoughts were fixed upon him And so on the four and twentieth day of March being the last day of the yeer 160● she yeelded up her soul to God when she had lived threescore and nine yeers six months and seventeen dayes Raigned four and forty yeers four months and seven dayes Her Body was embalmed wrapped in Lead and brought to White-hall from whence on the eight and twentieth of April following in great solemnity it was carried into the Collegiate Church of S. Peters at Westminster and there interred in the Vault of her Grand-father K. Henry the seventh in his magnificent Chappell where our renowned Soveraign K. Iames hath built her a Princely Monument inscribed with Epitaphs to her eternall glory At her Funerall were said to be Mourners in black to the number of on● thousand and six hundred persons MEN of NOTE in her time THe Ocean is not more boundlesse then the number of men of note in her time but though all of them cannot be reckoned yet some of them must not be omitted And to begin with Sates-men An exquisite States-man for his own ends was Robert Earl of Lèicester and for his Countries good Sir William Cecill Lord B●rleigh as also Sir Francis Walsingham that great underminer of Conspirators Famous Sea-men were the Earl of Cumberland the Lord Thomas Howard afterward Earl of Suffolk and of meaner Rank Sir Iohn Hawkins Sir Martin Forbys●er Sir Walter Raleigh Cavendish Preston Ryman and to name the worthiest last Sir Francis Drake who though he were but a short square bodied man yet his great Acts have made the Spaniards believe that he was some goodly Personage Great Commanders by Land were Robert Earl of Essex the Lord Willoughby the Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Francis Vere Sir Roger Williams Baskervile Savage and the Honour of his Family and our English Nation Sir Iohn Norris Learned Gentlemen and Writers were Sir Thomas Chaloner employed by Queen Elizabeth as her Ligier in Spain who wrote five books of the restoring of the English Common-wealth in elegant Verses while as he said he lived in a Stove in Winter and in a Barn in Summer Roger Askam born in York-shire notably skilfull in the Greek and Latin Tongues who had sometime been School-master to Queen Elizabeth and her Secretary for the Latin Tongue but taking too great delight in Gaming and Cock-fighting he both lived and died in mean estate yet left behinde him sundry Monuments of Wit and Industry Sir Thomas Smith born at Saffron Walden in Essex sometime Secretary to K. Edward the 6 who wrote an imperfect Work of the English Common-wealth a singular Book of the Orthography of the English Tongue and another of the Pronunciation of the Greek the first man that set on foot the Law for serving the Colledges with Provision Sir Henry Savill Provost of Eaton and Reader to Queen Elizabeth who set forth all S. Chrysostomes works in Greek and by translating of Cornelius Tacitus deserved as much of the English Tongue as he of the Latin But above all the admirable sir Philip Sidney who by writing in a light Argument shewed how excellently and beyond all comparison he could have done in a grave Learned Divines were Iohn Iewell born in Devon-shire a Student in Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford in Queen Maries time an Exile by Queen Elizabeth made Bishop of Salisbury who wrote an Apologie for the Protestant Doctrine and died at scarce fifty yeers of age in the fourteenth yeer of Queen Elizabeth Iohn Whitaker Master of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge who learnedly answered all the books of Bellarmine Bilson Bishop of Winchester sometimes Fellow of New Colledge in Oxford who amongst his other learned Works hath written notably of Christs descent into hell Richard Hooker Preacher at the Temple who with too much meeknesse smoothered his great Learning yet hath something discovered it in his five Books of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and died in the yeer 1599. Alexander Nowel Dean of Pauls who forbearing deeper Works set forth a Catechism according to the Doctrine of the English Church and died in the yeer 1602. After such men it might be thought ridiculous to speak so Stage Players but seeing excellency in the meanest things deserves remembring and Boscius the Comedian is recorded in History with such commendation it may be allowed us to do the like with some of our Nation Richard Bourbidge and Edward Allen two such Actors as no age must ever look to see the like and to make their Comedies compleat Richard Tarleton who for the Part called the Clowns Part never had his match never will have For Writers of Playes and such as had been Players themselves William Shakespeare and Benjamin Iohnson have specially left their Names recommended to posterity THE RAIGNE OF King Iames. IAMES the fourth King of Scotland marryed Margaret eldest daughter of Henry the 7 K. of England by whom he had Iames the 5 who had one only child Mary Q. of Scots who had one only son Iames the 6 who from Iames the fourth had undoubted right to the Kingdome of Scotland● and from Margaret King Henry the 7 eldest daughter the male line being cleane extinct unquestionable title to the Crown of England whereupon Q. Eliz. being dead about 10 a clock in the morning K. Iames the 6 K. of Scotland was the very same day M. Secretary Cecill himself reading his Title and Q. Eliz. Will proclaimed K. of Eng. Scot. and Ireland by sound of Trumpet first at White-Hall and then in Cheapside in presence of all the Lords and the Counsell and other of the Nobility with a generall acclamation of all sorts of people that we may truly say sorrow was never more deceived than at this time for where upon the death of Q. Eliz. It was expected there would be nothing for a long time but sorrowing and lamenting Now that very sorrow was swallowed up of joy her death bringing with it no other alteration but only of sex in all other points in a manner the same the like wisdome the like learning the like Iustice the like religiousnesse in them both only bettered in this that we changed a Q. of 70 years old whom we could not look to keepe long for a K. of 36 whom we might well hope to enjoy many years Q. Eliz. was not sooner dead● but Sir Robert Cary a younger son of the Late L. Hunsdon posted away unsent to K. Ia●es in Scotland informing him of the accident● for bringing which news the K. afterwards rewarded him with making him a Ba●on of the Realm and L. of Leppington But though it were sufficient for the K. information that he heard the news by Sir Robert Carye yet it was not sufficient for the Lords of the Counsell in discharge of their duty if he heard it not from them and therefore within a very few dayes as soon as they could provide fit men they sent
Cingetorix Carvilius Taximagulus and Segonax which division as it made the Britaines the more easie to be conquered so it made the Romans the longer in conquering For if they had beene one united body one or two battailes might have made a conquest of the whole where being thus divided there was need to be as many battailes as there were divisions So as it was many yeares before the Romanes could conquer the whole Island even from the time of Iulius Caesar to the time of the Emperour Domitian not much lesse then two hundred yeares It is true after Caesars first comming the Island grew sensible of this defect of their division and thereupon by consent of a great part made choyce of Cassibelan King of the Trinovants who had his seate at Verulam to be Generall of their warres which made indeed some little stoppe to the Romanes proceedings but after the losse of a battaile or two they fell againe into a relapse of their former defect and thought it better to secure every one his owne by his owne meanes then by a generall power to hazard all at once whereby it came afterward to be true Dum singuli pugnant universi vincuntur Yet before the Cou●try could bee wholly Conquered at first by reason of the Nations valour seeking to keepe themselves free and afterward by reason of the insolency of the garrison souldiers that sought to make them slaves many great oppositions were made amongst which the most memorable was that of Voadicia a certaine Queene of the Country who having beene by the Romane souldiers herselfe abused and her daughters ravished used meanes to levy an Army of six score thousand men whom she led herselfe into the field and set upon the Romanes in their chiefe townes which were London Verulam and Camalodunum now Malden in Essex of whom she flew above seventy thousand but then in a second battaile had fourescore thousand of her owne Army slaine after which defeate for avoyding of slavery she poysoned herselfe This Island for a long time was so much esteemed of the Romanes that their Emperors sometimes came hither in person as first the Emperor Adrian in the yeare 124. who made a great wall of earth betweene England and Scotland and having set the Country in order returned After him sometime Severus the Emperor in the yeare 212. came over into Brit●ine to represse the Incur●ions of the Picts and Scots by whom in a battaile neere Yorke he was wounded and thereof dyed or as others say he dyed of age and sicknesse Afterward in the yeare 305. Constantius the Emperor came into Britaine and ended his life at Yorke making that City famous for the death and buriall of two great Emperors and yet more famous for the honor done to Constantine the Great sonne of Constantius who in that City was first saluted Emperor But notwithstanding the great estimation the Romanes a long time made of this Island yet at last after five hundred yeares they had kept it in subjection they voluntarily left it the charge of keeping it being greater then the benefit for to keepe it in subjection they maintained no fewer than fourescore thousand souldiers in pay and when warres grew amongst themselves at home they could no longer spare so many abroad but recalled them home but then though they left Britaine yet they left not the Britaines but carried them at least a great part of them away with them of whom the most were slaine in their service and the rest planted in that part of France which of them was afterward and is to this day called Britaine And now one would thinke the Island should be in good case being freed from them that kept them in subjection but it proved to bee in worse case being at liberty then it was before in servitude for being deprived of their ablest men and at the same time their King Lucius happening to dye without issue they were left as a few loose sticks without the bond of a Governour which the Picts and Scots observing thought now was the time to make the Country their owne and thereupon made invasions upon it with all their Forces Whereupon the Britaines having none left of their Native Kings to succeed and knowing they could ill manage the Body of an Army without a Head they make choyce of Vortigerne Earle of Cornwall one extracted from the British Line and he whether so advised by his Cabinet Counsellor the Propheticall Merlin or as finding his owne strength too weake to make resistance implores first ayde of the Romanes and they making answer they had businesse enough to do of their owne and leaving them to themselves he then fled to the Saxons for ayde a warlike people of Germany and who had greater swarmes then their hives would well hold And here we may plainly see how dangerous a thing it is for a Nation to call in strangers to their ayd and especially in any great number for though they come at first but mercenaries yet once admitted and finding their owne strength they soone grow Masters as here it proved with the Saxons But before we speake further of the comming in of the Saxons who were at that time Infidels and brought with them their two Idols Woden and Frya whereof two of our weeke dayes Wednesday and Friday take their names it will be fit to say something of the state of the Christian Church in this Island First then it is recorded that in the yeare 63. what time Arviragus raigned here Ioseph of Arim●thea who buried the body of Christ came into this Island and laid the foundation of the Christian Faith in the Westerne parts at a place called then Hvalon now Glastenbury and that there came with him Mary Magdalen Lazarus and Martha and more then this that Simon Zelotes one of the Apostles suffered martyrdome here in Britaine and more then this that both St. Peter and St. Paul came into this Island and Preached the Gospell all which and more to this purpose is Recorded by Authors of good Account though it be hard believing That persons and specially women of so great age as these must needes be at this time should take so long a journey But howsoever it was certaine it is that the doctrine of Christianity was about this time planted in this Island though it made afterwards but small progresse and that with some persecution as in which time St. Alban suffered martyrdome at Verulam and at Liechfield shortly after no fewer then a thousand After this in the yeare 180 what time Lucius was King of this Island Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome sent Faganus and Damianus to him upon whose preaching the Temples of the Heathenish Flamins and Arch-flamins one and thirty in number were converted to so many Bishops Sees whereof London Yorke and Caerleyn now St. Davids were made the Metropolitans of the Province And there is a Table remaining at this day in the Parish Church of St. Peter on Cornhill London which
William and by a second two other sonnes William Earle of Argues and Ma●ger Archbishop of Roan So as Richard his eldest sonne by his first wife succeeded him by the name of Richard the fourth and dying without issue the Dukedome descended to Robert his second sonne by his first wife which Robert was father to our William the Conquerour of whom it is thus recorded that riding one time abroad he happened to passe by a company of Country Maides that were a dancing where staying a while to looke upon them he was so taken with the handsomnesse and gracefull carriage of one of them whose name was Arlotte a Skinners daughter from whence as some thinke our word Harlot comes that affection commanding him and authority her he caused her that night to be brought to his bed where being together what was done or said betweene them is no matter for History to record though some Historians have recorded both making her not so modest as was fit for a Maide onely tenne monthes after it appeared that at this time our Duke William was begotten who proving a man of extraordinary spirit we may attribute it to the heate of affection in which he was begotten His succeeding in the Dukedome notwithstanding his Bastardie IT appeares by many examples that Bastardie in those dayes was no barre to succession till a law was afterward made to make it a barre It brought some disgrace where the mother was meane but no impediment where the father was Noble and even his Bastardie seemed to have some allay if it be true as some write that his father tooke the said Arlotte afterward to be his wife and yet perhaps he had not the Dukedome so much by succession as by gift For when hee was about nine yeares old his father calling his Nobility together caused them to swear Allegeance to this base sonne of his and to take him for their Liege Lord after his decease Neither was this in those dayes infrequent for Princes to conferre their Principalities after their owne deceases upon whom they pleased counting it as lawfull to appoint successours after them as substitutes under them even in our time and Kingdome the Duke of Northumberland prevailed with King Edward the sixth to exclude his two sisters Mary and Elizabeth and to appoint the Lady Iane Grey daughter of the Duke of Suffolke to succeed him His Education and Tuition in his minoritie HIs father having declared and appointed him to be his Successour went soone after whether out of devotion or to do Penance for procuring his brothers death whereof he was suspected into the Holy Land in which Journey he died having left the tuition of his young sonne to his two brothers and the Guardianship to the King of France in whose Court for a time he was brought up A strange confidence to commit the tuition of a sonne that was base to Pretenders that were legi●i●ate and to a King of France who aimed at nothing more then to reannexe this Dukedome to his Crowne But it seemes his confidence was grounded upon the proximitie of blood in his brothers and upon the merits of his owne service formerly done to the King of France which though it proved well enough with him yet is not to betaken into example to follow His Troubles in his minoritie FIrst Roger de Tresny who derived his Pedegree directly from Rollo and had won much honour by his valour in the warres notwithstanding the Oath of Allegeance he had formerly taken takes exception to his Bastardy and invites Complices to assist him in recovering the Dukedome to ● legitimate Race a fal●e pretext if the Fate of Duke William had not beene against it who though hee were himselfe but young and could not do much in his owne person yet the Divine Providence raised him up friends that supplied him with Assistance and particularly Roger de Beamont by whose valour this Roger de Tresny with his two brothers was defeated and slaine After Roger de Tres●y William de Arques his Unckle layes claime to the Dutchy and assisted by the King of France comes to a battaile but by the valour of Count Gyfford the Dukes Generall was likewise defeated and these were troubl●s before he arrived to seventeene yeares of age After this one Guy Earle of Burgoigne Grandchild to Richard the second Duke of Normandy grew sensible also of his Right to the Dukedome and joyning with Viscount Neele and the Earle of Bes●in two powerfull Normans conspired Duke Williams death and had effected it if a certaine Foole about him had not stolne away in the night to the place where the Duke was and never left knocking and crying at the gate till he was admitted to his presence willing him to flye for his life instantly or he would be murthered The Duke considering that being related by a Foole it was like to be the more palpable and that there might be danger in staying none in going rode instantly away all alone toward Falaise his principall Castle but missing his way he happ●ned to passe where a Gentleman was standing at his doore of whom he asked the way and was by him as knowing him directed which he had no sooner done but the conspiratours came presently inquiring if such a one had not passed that way which the Gentleman affirmed and undertooke to be their guide to overtake him but leading them of purpose a contrary way the Duke by this meanes came safely to F●l●ise and from thence journeyes to the King of France complaining of his inj●ries and imploring his ayd as one that wa●●is homager and committed to his care● by his ●ervant his Father The King of France moved with his distre●se and remembrance of his Fathers meri●s though he wish●d he was lesse then he was yet he ●o ayded him that he made him greater then he was for himselfe in person suffering much in the Battaile procured him the Victory By which we may see that folly and fortune and even Enemies themselves are all assistants to the Destinies or to say better indeed to the divine Providence Many other affronts were offered him some by meaner Princes some afterward by the King of France himselfe who was now growne jealous of his Greatnesse all which he encountred with such dexterity that made his Bastardy as it were become Legitimate and Vertue her selfe to grow proud of his person His Carriage afterwards in Peace BY this time he was come to the age of two and twenty yeares and where all this while he had shewed himselfe a valiant Generall in Warre he now began to shew himselfe a provident Governor in Peace composing and ordering his state wherein he so carryed himselfe that as his Subjects did both feare and love him so his Neighbouring Princes did both feare and hate him or if not hate him at least emulate him His Incitements for Invading of England HE was now growne about fifty yeares old an Age that might well have arrested all ambitious thoughts in him
well he performed the third charge of his Fathers Will for subduing of Scotland It was now the sixth yeare after the death of his Father King Edward and Robert Bruce now gotten to be King of Scotland had stayed all this while to see how this new King Edward would prove and when he found by the courses he held that he was like to prove a good easie Enemy he thereupon tooke heart and began to stirre and in a very short time had brought almost all Scotland under his obedience and finding no opposition he entred the English Borders tooke and burnt Townes that now King Edward unlesse he would sit still and suffer Bruce to come and pull his Crown from his head he could not chuse but doe something to stop his proceeding Hereupon he prepares an Army but like himselfe fitter for a Court then for a Campe Many men and great Bravery but readie● to take spoiles then to make spoile and accordingly they sped For going to raise the siege at Str●veling defended for King Edward by the valiant knight Philip Mowbray the Kings Army consisting of a hundred thousand was defeated and overthrowne by the Scots Army consisting of scarce thirty thousand So true is that saying of an ancient Souldier There is more hope of an Army where the General is a Lion though the Souldiers be but Sheepe then of an Army where the Generall is a Sheepe though the Souldiers be Lions But indeed the Scots besides Valour used Policy For having in their owne Army none but Foot no Horse at all they had made Trenches in the Ground three foot deepe covering them with Twigges and Hurdles where the English Horsemen were to passe who Floundring in those Trenches were killed no lesse by their owne Fellowes then by the Enemy In this Battell called of Bannocks borough were slaine the Lord Mawle the Lord Clifford the Lord Tiptoft the Lord William Marshall Sir Giles Doctor Argenton and seven hundred Knights and Squires specially Gylbert Earle of Glocester who had shewed much Valour that day and whom the Scots would willingly have kept for ransome if they had knowne him but he had forgotten to put on his Coate of Armes whereby to be knowne The slaughter of common Souldiers was certainely great though perhaps not so great as Hector Boetius speakes of who saith they were fifty thousand There were taken Prisoners Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford Iohn Seagrave Iohn Claveringham William Latimer and Sir Roger Northbrooke bearer of the Kings shield the King himselfe with the Bishops the Earles of Hartford and Pembroke and Hugh Spenser saved themselves by flight Humfrey de Bohun Earle of Hereford was afterward released in exchange for Bruces Wife who had beene long kept a Prisoner in England After this many English fell away to the Scots and all the North parts from Carlile to Yorke came under their Subjection and the English grew so faint-hearted and into such contempt that three Scots durst venture upon a hundred English when a hundred English durst scarce encounter with three Scots And what can be thought the cause of this great dysaster to this King but the want of his Fathers blessing for not performing the charge he gave him dying which is commonly accompanyed with the want of a higher blessing without which a Vacat is set upon the labours of men that makes them all frustrate But Bruce not satisfied with his Acquests in England sends his Brother Edward into Ireland also who so farre prevailed that many Irish came in unto him and in the end Crowned him King of a great part of that Island and so continued the space of three yeares till the Primat of Armagh and the Lord Brinningham Justiciar of Ireland gathering Forces together opposed him and in a Battaile taking him Prisoner at Dundalke cut off his head with the slaughter of many thousands of the Scots besides With which the Scots are so incensed that they invade againe the English Borders forraging as farre as Yorke whereupon a Parliament is assembled at London wherein an ayde is granted of Armed men to goe against them London sets forth two hundred Canterbury forty Saint Albons ten and so proportionably for all Cities and Boroughs whereby a great Army was levyed which comming to Yorke through mutiny emulation and other impediments was soone dissolved and returned backe without effecting any thing Not long after the Towne of Berwicke was betrayed to the Scots through the treason of Peter Spalding the Governour and other Englishmen whom the King of Scots to make them an Example caused to be hanged for being Traitors to their Country King Edward hearing of the surrendring of Berwicke raiseth an Army and beleaguers it but the Scots to divert his Forces enter upon England by other wayes and were like to have surprised the person of the Queene lying then neare ●orke The siege of B●rwicke is notwithstanding eagerly continued and the King in great possibility to have regained the Towne had not the Earle of Lancaster with his foll●wers withdrawne himselfe upon discontent hearing the King say he would give the keeping thereof to Hugh Spen●●r the younger who was now grown a speciall favourite of the Kings and theref●r● not to be en●ured by the Earle In the mean 〈◊〉 the Scots wonne the Castles of 〈…〉 and Mid●ord so as they possessed the greater part of all North●mberland burning all before them 〈◊〉 they came to ●●●pon which Towne they spoyled● and carrying there three dayes they received ● thousand Markes to save the Towne from burning as they had done the Townes of Nor●hallerton Bor●ugh-bridg● and others In their returning backe they 〈◊〉 Knaresborough and Shipton in C●●ven and all other afore them carrying into ●●land a marvellous number of Cattell besides prisoners men and women● The● ●●●●shire men thus grievously endammaged gather together to the number of ten thousand and at the Towne of Mitton tenne miles from Yorke encounter the Sco●● where they lost three thousand of their men and were defeated● which b●ttell because of the many Spirituall men that were in it was called the white battell Whereof when the King heard● he left the siege of Be●wicke to follow the Scots but they returned another way The yeare following King Edward once againe with a great Army entred Scotland but the Scots having destroyed all afore the King oppressed with famine was forced to re●urne● whom the Scots followed and in a place of the Forest of Blackmore se● upon him that he hardly escaped where were taken Iohn Earle of Britaine and the Lord of Sil●ac● the French Kings Embassadour and many others After this King Edward finding the Scots either too strong or too wily for him made a Truce with them for two yeares some say for thirteene And this was the successe of this unfortunate King in his warres with Scotland Of his tr●●bles at home BUt his troubles abroad were not so grievous as those at home or rather they were those at home that made his
another It was thought fit to commit it to many and thereupon Iohn Duke of Lancaster Edm●●d Earle of Cambridge the Kings Unkles with some other Lords and Bishops were joyned in Commission to manage the State and Guishard de Angoulesme appointed to be his Schoole-master And now the Kings Minority made forreigne Princes conceive that this would be a time of advantage for any that had quarrell to England which the French and Scots tooke presently hold of For the French came now and burnt the Town of Rye and soone after entring the Isle of Wight burnt divers Townes there and though they were repelled from the Castle by the valiant Sir Hugh Tyrrell Captaine thereof yet they constrained the men of the Isle to give them a thousand Markes to spare the residue of their houses and goods and departing thence they set on land where they saw advantage burning sundry Towns neere to the shoare as Portsmouth Dertmo●th and Plimmouth and then sayling towards Dover they burnt Hastings assaulted Winchelsey but being valiantly defended by the Abbot of Battell were forced to retire After this they landed not far from the Abby of Lewis at a place called Rottington where the Prior of Lewis with Sir Thomas Cheyny and Sir Iohn F●llesly encountring them were overthrowne and taken Prisoners And no lesse then the French were the Scots also now busie for comming one morning by stealth they wonne the Castle of Barwick but shortly after upon knowledge thereof had they were driven out againe by the Earles of Northumberland and Nottingham and all the Scot● they found in it except Alexander Ramsey their Captaine put to the sword About Michaelmas a Parliament was held at Westminster wherein Alice Pierc● the late Kings Concubine was banished the Realms and all her goods confiscate and two Tenths of the Clergie and two Fifteenths of the Temporalty were granted but so as that two Citizens of London William Walworth and Iohn Philpot should receive and keepe it to see it bestowed for defence of the Realme In this time Sir Hugh Calverley Deputy of Callis burnt six and twenty French ships in the Haven of Bulloigne and at the same time a great Navy is set out under the guiding of the Earle of Bucki●gham the Duke of Britaine the Lord L●timer Sir Robert Knolls and others with a purpose to intercept the Spanish Fleet but through Tempest were twice driven back when in the mean time one Mercer a Scottish Pyrate came to Sc●rborough tooke there divers ships and committed many outrages and no order being taken to repell him a Citizen of L●●do● n●med Iohn Philpot at his own charges set forth a Fleet and in his own person encountring them tooke the said Mercer and all his ships and returning home in stead of being rewarded for his service he was called in question for presuming to raise a Navy without advice of the Kings Councell but he gave ●uch reasons for that he had done that not onely he came off then wi●h credit but lives in reputation for it to this day Indeed Reasons of State though they may secretly be censured yet they must not openly be controlled for this were to bring Authority into contempt and in stead of Errors to bring in Confusion but yet when wrongs be offered that are publick every particular person seemes to have an interest in taking revenge and though it may be no manners not to stay the States leisure yet it can be no offence to doe their worke for them Many actions passed at this time with the French and Scots some prosperous and some adverse The Scots burne Roxborough this was adverse but the Earle of Northumberland entring Scotland with ten thousand men spoyleth the Lands of the Earle of March the chief Incendiary this was prosperous but when the Northern men would needs make a Road into Scotland and were encountred by the Scots and put to flight this was adverse Anon after Midsomer the Duke of Lancaster with the Earles of Buckingham Warwick Stafford and others of the Nobility with a strong Power to●ke the Sea and landing in Britaine besieged the Towne of S● Malo but finding strong opposition is forced to raise his Siege and returne home this was adverse And now againe the Scots by night entred secretly into the Castle of Berwick and slew Sir Robert Baynton that was Constable there this also was adverse But when the Earle of Northumberland being advertised ther●of came with a Power assau●ted the Castle and after two daye● defence recovered it againe this was prosperous William Montacute E●rle of Salisbury the Kings Lieutenant in Callis forrageth the Country round about and furnisheth Callis with Booties of French cattell Sir Hugh Calverley and Sir Thomas Percy made Admiralls● put to Sea● and take divers ships laden with merchandise and one sh●p of warre Sir Iohn H●●leston Captaine of Chierbourg in France issuing forth assaults a Fortresse of the French which was the storehouse of their Provision and with much valour takes it these were prosperous But when Sir Iohn Clerke lying in Ga●rison in a Castle in Britaine where la● many Eng●●sh ships in the Haven ●ad ●he●e ships let upon by the French where though he shewed incredible valo●r in the action yet the ships were taken and himselfe slaine this was adverse Also in the third yeere of this Kings Reigne Sir Iohn Arundell Sir Hugh Calverley Sir Thomas Percie Sir William Elmham Sir Thomas Banister and many other Knights went to Sea with a purpose to passe over into Britaine but were so beaten back w●th Tempest that divers of their ships were ●ast away and Sir Iohn Arundell Sir Thomas Banister Sir Nicolas Trumping●on Sir Thomas Dale and above a thousand others were all drowned onely Sir Thomas Percie Sir Hugh Calverley Sir William Elmham and certaine others escaped It may not be imper●inent to note here the sumptuousnesse of those times for this Sir Iohn Arundell was then said in his Furniture to have two and fifty new sutes of apparell of cloath of Gold and Tissue all lost at Sea This yeere also there being found inconvenience in having many Governors of the King and Kingdome it was by Parliament decreed Th●t the Lord Thomas Beauchampe Earle of Warwick● should himself alone hold the place of Protector About this time Sir Iohn Annesley Knight accused Thomas Katrington Esquire for betraying the Fortresse of St. Saviour to the French which Katrington denying● at the suit of Annesly a solemne combat is permitted to be between them at which combat the King and all the great Lords were present the Esquire Katrington was a man of a mighty statu●e the Knight Annesley a little man● yet through the justnesse of his cause after a long fight the Knight prevailed and Katrington the day after the combat dyed In the beginning of the fourth yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Buckingham the Kings Unkle with divers Earles and Lords and an Army of seven or eight thousand was sent into France
the very day and houre in which he should have done the businesse as he went up the staires towards the upper House he suddenly fell down and dyed having been merry and well before to all mens judgements About this time the Lord Scroope was deposed from the Chancellourship for refusing to seale some Grants which the King had made and the King receiving the great Seale at his hands kept it a certaine time and sealed with it such Grants and Writings as he pleased till at length it was delivered to Robert Braybrooke Bishop of London who was made Lord Chancellour Henry Spenser Bishop of Norwich had lately with the Kings leave raised an Army and was gone into France in behalfe of Pope Vrban against the Anti-pope Clement and entring first into Fla●ders he tooke and sacked many Townes at last besieged Ypres till by an Army of French greater then was thought could have been raised in France he was forced to raise his siege and then passing divers places he came to Gr●●eling from whence he writ to King Richard that if ever he meant to try battell with the French now was the time The King was at that time at Dayntrie in North●mptonshire and being at supper when the word was brought him he instantly rose from the Table got to horse-back and rode in Post with such speed that he came to St. Albans about midnight where making no stay but while he borrowed the Abbots Gelding he hasted forth till he came to Westminster as though he had meant never to rest till he had given battell to the French-men but after he had taken councell of his pillow his minde was altered and h● thought it better to imploy some other then to goe himselfe so the Duke of Lancaster is thought the fittest man but he protracted the time so long in making preparation th●t before he could be gone the Bishop was come away And this indeed is the condition of many to spend so much time in preparing that they utterly lose all opportunity of acting like to men that are putting on their cloathes so long till it be time to put them off againe Shortly after a Truce was concluded between Fra●ce and England to endure till the Feast of St. Michael which should be in the yeere 1384. Of Acts done after He came of Age. THe Scots in this meane time had made Roades into England and taken and burnt divers Townes upon the Borders whereupon the Duke of Lancaster with his Brother the Earle of Buckingham is sent with a mighty Army to represse them but having entred Scotland and not able to draw the Scots to a Battell they onely burnt certaine Townes and then returned About this time an Irish Frier of the Order of the Carmelites charged the Duke of Lancaster with heynous crimes● as that he intended to destroy the King and us●rpe the Crowne shewing the time the place and other circumstances of the whole plot But the Duke called to his Answer so cleered himselfe a● least gave such colours of cleering that the Accuser was committed to the custody of Iohn Holland the kings halfe-brother till a day appointed for further tryall The ni●ht before which day the said Lord Holland and Sir Henry Greene are said to have come to this Frier and putting a cord about his neck tyed the other end about his privy members and after hanging him up from the ground laid a stone upon his belly with the weight whereof his very back-bone burst asunder thereby putting him to a most tormenting death An act not more inhumane then unadvised for though it took away the Accuser yet it made the Accusation more suspitious At this time though a Truce had been made with the Scots yet they would not be quiet but entred and wonne the Castle of Barwick whereof the Earle of Northumberland was Captaine but had committed the keeping of it to another for which being blamed he went against them with an Army but took an easier course for with the summe of two thousand markes he bought them out and had the Castle surrend●ed into his hands againe The king upon some new displeasure being now incensed against the Duke of Lancaster had a purpose to have him arrested and arraigned of certaine points of Treason before Sir Robert Tresilian Chiefe Justice though he ought to be tryed by his Peeres but the Duke having intimation hereof● got him to his Castle of Pomfret and stood upon his guard till the Kings mother notwithstanding her indisposition of body by reason of her corpulency riding to and fro betwixt them pacified the King and made them friends In the ninth yeere of K. Richards Reigne the French-king sent the Admirall of France into Scotland with a Thousand men of Armes besides Crosse-bowes and others to ayde the Scots against the English with which ayde the Scots encouraged enter the English Borders whereof K. Richard advertised himselfe with a mighty Army enters Scotland and comming to Edingborough and finding all the people fled● he set fire on the houses burnt the Church of S. Giles onely Holy-Rood-house was spared at the Duke of Lancasters suit in remembrance of friendship he had formerly received in that house The Scots by no meanes could be drawn to any Battell bu● to divert the Kings Army they entred Cumberland and besieged Carlile whereby the valour of Sir Lewis Clifford and Sir Thomas Musgrave they were repelled and hearing of the Kings Army comming towards them and fearing to be inclosed they drew back into Scotland and the King returned into England But in this meane while the English of Callis tooke many prizes of French ships at Sea and many Booties also by land at one time foure thousand sheep and three hundred head of great Cattell This yeere the King called a Parliament at Westminster where he created two Dukes one Marquesse and five Earles Edmund of Langly Earle of Cambridge the Kings Unkle was created Duke of Yorke Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Buckingham his other Unkle Duke of Glocester Robert Veere Earle of Oxford was made Marquesse of Dublin Henry of Bullingbrooke sonne of Iohn of Gaunt was created Earle of Darby Edward Plantagenet sonne to the Duke of Yorke was made Earle of Rutland Michael de la Poole Chancellour of England was created Earle of Suffolke and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham was made Earle Marshall Also by a●thority of this Parliament Roger Mortimer Earle of March sonne and heire of Edmund Mortimer and of the Lady Philip eldest daughter and heire to Lionell Duke of Clarence third sonne to king Edward the Third was established heire apparent to the Crowne of the Realme and shortly after so Proclaimed but going into Ireland to his Lordship of Vlster was there by the wilde Irish slaine This Roger Earle of March had issue Edmund Roger Anne Alice and Eleanor which Eleanor was made a Nun The two sonnes dyed without issue Anne his eldest daughter was maried to Richard Earle of Cambridge sonne to Edmund of
Langley which Richard had issue by the said Anne a sonne called Richard that was after Duke of York and father to king Edward the Fourth also a daughter named Isabel maried to the Lord Bourchier Also this yeere Henry of Bullingbrooke Earle of Darby maried the daughter and heire of Humfry Bohun Earle of Hereford in whose Right he was after made Duke of Hereford This yeere also K. Richard holding his Christmas at Eltham Leo king of Armenia came thither to him who in feare to have his kingdome conquered by the Turkes was come into Christendome to seeke for ayde but his chiefe Errand into England was to have procured a Peace between the two kings of England and Fran●e but their spleenes were so great against one another that it was not in the physick of hi● Power to cure them At this time the Duke of Lancaster taking with him his wife the Lady Const●nce and a daughter he had by her named Katherine and two other daughters which he had by his former wife failed into Spaine he was attended in his journy with the Lord Lucie the Lord Talbot the Lord Basset Willoughby Fitzwater Poy●ings Br●●ston and many other Lords and knights to the number of fifteen hundred men of Armes whereof a thousand at the least were knights and Esquires The king at his taking leave gave him a Crowne of Gold and commanded he should be called king of Spaine and the Queen likewise gave another Crown of Gold to the Dutche●●e He landed first at Brest and freed that Castle from the French from thence he sailed and arrived at the Groyne in Spaine where he remained a moneth and then went to Compostella where he stayed a while In which time his Constable Sir Iohn Holl●●d wonne divers Townes At Monson the king of Portingale and the Duke of L●●caster met where a mariage was concluded between the said king of Portingale and the Lady Philip daughter to the Duke● which mariage shortly after was consummated and the Lady sent into Portingale honorably accompanied The Duke continued at Co●postella all the winter At March the king of Portingale and he en●●ed the Confines of Castile where they tooke many Townes and passing over the River of Dure entred into the Country De Campo But the Spaniards not willing to come to a Battell but meaning to weary them out with delayes the English not used ●o such hot aire fell daily into many diseases which the Duke seeing accorded ●o a Truce There dyed in this action the Lord Fi●zwater Sir Burley●●night ●●night of the Garter the Lord Poynings and Sir Henry Percy Cosin-german to the E●●le of Northumberland also the Lord Talbot and in all twelve great Lords fourscore ●nights two hundred Esquires and of the meaner sort above five hundred When the Army was broken up the Duke of Lancaster and the Dutche●se his wife went into Portingale and after some stay there they sailed to Bayon in the Marches of Gascoigne where he rested a long time after In which meane while there were offers made for a Mariage to be had betweene the Duke of Berry Unkle to the Fr●●ch king and the Lady Ka●herine daughter to the Duke of Lancaster which the king of Spaine understanding he began to doubt least if that mariage went forward it might turne to his disadvantage and thereupon by earnest suit at length conc●uded a peace with the Duke of Lancaster on this wise That his eldest sonne He●ry should marry the the Lady Katherine the Duke of Lancasters daughter and be intituled Prince of Austurg●s and in consideration of this mariage and that all claimes should cease which the Duke in right of his wife might challenge or pretend● It was agreed that the said Duke should receive yeerely the summe of Ten thous●nd marks during the lives of him and his Dutchesse and to have in hand the summe of two hundred thousand Nobles At this time the French had a purpose to invade England with no lesse a hope then to make a Conquest and to that end they prepared a mighty Navy so as in the moneth of September there were numbred about Sluis Dam and Bla●kerk● 1●87 ships besides those which were rigged in Britaine by the Constable who had caused an inclosure of a Field to be made of Timber that when they were landed in E●gland they might therewith inclose their field and so lodge at more surety but it so fortuned that the Lord William Beauchampe Captaine of Callis tooke two of their ships whereof one was laden with a piece of the said Inclosure and after that ●nother ship laden with Guns Gunpowder and other Instruments of warre and after that againe two ships more laden with parcels of the said Inclosure which K. ●ichard caused to be reared and set up about Winchelsey Towne at last the foresaid Army came into Flanders and arrived at Sluis where after some stay they were so distressed for victuals that in the end of November they were glad to be gone and returne into France At this time in a Parliament Robert Veere Earle of Oxford and Marques of Dublin was created Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Poole a Merchants son had lately before been created E. of Suffolk and made Chancellor of England And now begins K. Richard to enter I may say upon the confines of his Destiny His gracing of undeserving men and disgracing of men deserving if they were not the causes they were at least the occasions of his owne disgracing and destruction in the end He was now come to be of full age to doe all himselfe which was indeed to be of full age to undoe himselfe for the faults of his younger yeeres might have the excuse to be but Errors but the faults of the age he was now at were peremp●ory against him and admitted no defence And to hasten the pace of his destiny the faster the ill Counsell which before was but whispered in his eare was now scarce forborne to be given him aloud It is told him that he is under tuition no longer and therefore not to be controll'd as in former times he had been That to be crost of his will by his subjects was to be their subject It is no Soveraignty if it be not absolute At the instigation of which Counsell the king in a Parliament now assembled fell to expostulate with his Lords asking them what yeeres they thought him to be 〈◊〉 who answering that he was somewhat more then one and twenty Well then sa●● he I am out of Wardship and therefore looke to injoy my kingdome as freely 〈◊〉 your selves at the like yeeres enjoy your Patrimonies But his flattering Favori●● should have remembred that though the king may not be controlled where he ca● command yet he may be opposed where he can but demand as now indeed he wa● for when he came to demand a Subsidy towards his warres he was answered That he needed no subsidie from his Subjects if he would but call in the debts which th●
his being saluted King And could it enter into his breast to put him to death that had saved his life and done him so many great services besides But it may be said It was not the Earle of Richmond that did it but the King of England for certainly in many cases a King is not at liberty to shew mercy so much as a private man may Though there be that affirme the cause of his death was not words onely but reall acts as giving ayde to Perkin under-hand by money And yet it seemes there was some conflict in the minde of King Henry what he should doe in this case for he stayed six weekes after his Accusation before before he brought him to his Arraignment How-ever it was the Summer following the King went in Progresse to Latham to the Earle of Darby who had ma●ied his mother and was brother to Sir William Stanley perhaps to congratulate his own safety perhaps to condole with him his brothers death but certainly to keepe the Earle from conceiving any sinister opinion of him For to thinke that Sir William's suing to be Earle of Chester an Honour appointed to the kings sonne or his great wealth for he left in his Castle at Holt in ready money forty thousand markes beside● Plate and Jewells were causes that procured or set forward his death are considerations very unworthy of so just a Prince against a Servant of so great deserving But in this meane while Perkin having gotten a Power of idle loose fellows took to Sea intending to l●nd in Kent where though he were repelled yet some of his Souldiers would needs venture to goe on Land of whom a hundred and sixty persons were taken Prisoners whereof five were Captaines Mortford Corbet Whitebolt Qu●●tyn and Gemyne These hundred and sixty persons were brought to London rayled in ropes like horses drawing in a Cart who upon their Araignement confessing their offence were executed some at London and some in Towns adjoyning to the sea-coast Perkin finding no entertainment in Kent sayled into Ireland and having stayed there a while and finding them also being a naked people to bee no competent assistants for him from thence he sayled into Scotland where he so moved the King of Scots with his fayre words and colourable pretexts made no doubt before by the Dutcesse of Burgoigne that hee received him in great state and caused him to bee called the Duke of Yorke and to perswade the World that hee thought him so indeede hee gave to him in marriage the Lady Katherine Gourdon da●ghter to Alexander Earle Huntley his own neer kinswoman and soone after in Perkins quarrell entred with a puissant Army into England making Proclamation that whosoever would come in and ayde the true Duke of Yorke should bee spared but none comming in he then used all kinde of cruelty and the whole County of Northu●berland was in a manner wasted whereat Perkin at his returne expressed much griefe saying It grieved him to the heart to see such havock made of his people To whom the King answered Alas Alas you take care for them who for any thing that appeares are none of yours for not one of the Countrey came in to his succour King Henry incensed with this bold attempt of the king of Scots called his High Court of Parliament acquainting them with the necessity hee had of a present warre to revenge this indignity offered him by the Scots and thereupon requiring their ayde by money had a subsidie of sixscore thousand pounds readily granted him and then in all haste a puissant Army is provided and under the conduct of the Lord Dawbeney sent into Scotland but before hee arrived there hee was suddenly called back by reason of a commotion begun at Cornwall for payment of the Subsidie lately granted which though it were not great yet they grudged to pay it The Ring-leaders of this commotion were Thomas Flammock a gentleman le●●ned in the Lawes and Michael Ioseph a Smith who laying the blame of this exaction upon Iohn Morton Archbishop of Canterbury and Sir Reynold Bray as being chiefe of the Kings Councell exhorted the people to take armes and having a●sembled an Army they went to Taunton where they slew the Provost Pery● one of the Commissioners for the Subsidie and from thence came to Wells intending to goe to London where the King then lay who having revoked the Lord Dawbeney appointed Thomas Howard Earle of Surrey after the death of the Lord Dinham made Lord Treasurer of England to have an eye to the Scots and if they made invasion to resist them In the meane time Iames Twychet Lord Audley confederated himselfe with the Rebells of Cornwall and tooke upon him to bee their Leader who from W●lls went to Salisbury and from thence to Winchester and so to Kent hoping there ●o have had great ayde but found none for the Earle of Kent the Lord of Aburg●●● Iohn Brook Lord Cobham Sir Edmond Poynings Syr Richard Guildford Sir Th●●as Bourchier Iohn Peachy and William Scott were ready in Armes to resist them whereupon the Rebels brought their Army to Black-heath foure miles distant from L●nd●n and there in a plaine on the top of a hill encamped themselves whereof when the King had knowledge hee presently sent Iohn Earle of Oxford Henry Bou●●●ier Earle of Essex Edmond de la Poole Earle of Suffolke Sir Riceap Thomas and Sir H●●fry Stanley to inviron the hill on all sides that so all hope of flight might hee tak●n from them and then set forward himselfe and encamped in St. George● fields where for encouragement he made divers Bannarets The next day he sent the Lord Dawbeney to set upon the Rebels early in the morning who first got the bridge at Deb●ford Strand though strongly defended by the Rebels Archers whose arrowes were ●eported to bee a full cloath-yard in length but notwithstanding the Lord 〈◊〉 comming in with his Company and the Earles assayling them on every side they were soone overcome In which conflict were slaine of the Rebels above 〈◊〉 thousand taken prisoners a very great number many of whom the King p●●doned but of the chiefe Authors none for the Lord Audley was drawne from Newgate to Tower-hill in a coate of his owne Armes paynted upon paper reversed and all torne and there on the foure and twentieth day of Iune was beheaded Thomas Flammock and Michael Ioseph were hanged drawn quartered and their heads and quarters pitched upon stakes set up in London and other places Of the Kings Army were slaine not above three hundred It is memor●ble with what comfort Ioseph the black-smith cheered up himselfe at his going to execution saying that yet he hoped by this that his name and memory should be everlasting so deere even to vulgar spirits is perpetuety of Name though joyned with infamy what is it then to Noble spirits when it is joyned with Glory In the meane time the king of Scots taking advantage of these troubles in England invaded the
Sonne two Abbots twelve Earles and seventeene Lords of Knights and Gentlemen very many in all about eight thousand and almost as many taken prisoners as Paulu● Iovius saith amongst whom was Sir William Scot Chancellour to the said King and Sir George Forman his Sergiant Porter the Lord Hume and the Earle Huntley got horses and escaped Neither was the Battaile without blood to the English for there was slaine at lest a thousand and that which in a Defeat was strange many also taken prisoners for many in pursuing the Scots went rashly so farre● that they knew not which way ●o returne and by Bands of Scots that had not fought that day were set upon and ●aken When the field was done the Lord Generall called to him certaine Lords and Gentlemen and made them Knights as Sir Edward Howard his Son the Lord Scroope Sir William Percy Sir Edward Gorge and others This Battaile was fought on Friday the ninth of September in the yeere 1513. called by some Bramston by some ●lodden Field King Iames heere slaine was the same that had maried the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter of King Henry the seaventh and sister to the present King Henry and might have enjoyed many happy dayes if he had kept himselfe firme to his alliance but being carried away with the inveterate spleen betweene the two Nations and propension to France he ended his life though honorably yet miserably under many wounds It is a very memorable but s●arce credable thing which from the mouth of a very credible person who saw it George Buchanan relates concerning this King that intending to make a warre with England a certaine old man of venerable aspect and clad in a long blew garment came unto him and leaning familiarly upon the chaire where the King sat said I am sent unto thee O King to give thee warning that thou proceed not in the warre thou art about for if thou doe it will be thy ruine and having so said he pressed thorow the company and vanished out of sight for by no inquiry it could be knowne what became of him But the King was too resolute to be frighted with Phantosmes and no warning could divert his Destinie which had not been Destiny if it could have been diverted The day after the Battaile his Body though disfigured with wounds was knowne by the Lord Dacres and others to be his and thereupon bowelled embalmed and wrapped in lead was brought to the Monastery of Sheene in Surrey and there interred but at the dissolution of that House was taken up and thrown into a waste roome amongst timber and stone which Iohn Stow saith he so saw and further relateth that the servants of Launcelot Young Glasier to Queene Elizabeth being at Sheene in new Glazing the windowes either upon a foolish pleasure or desire of the lead cut the head from the rest but smelling the sweet perfums of the Balms gave it to their Master who opening the lead found therin the head of a man retaining favour though the moisture were cleane dried up whose haire both of head and beard was red which afterward he caused to be buried at Saint Michaels Church in Woodstreet where he dwelled But notwithstanding this relation of Stow Iohn Lesly Bishop of Rosse affirmeth that it was held for certaine the Body thus found was the Body of the Lord Bouchard slaine in that B●ttaile Buchanan saith of Alexander Elfinston who in countenance and statu●e was like the King and that King Iames was seene alive the same night at Kelso whence he passed to Hierusalem and there spent the rest of his dayes in holy contemplation but howsoever it was he was never seen any more in Scotland King Henry being now returned from Tourney into England and finding the great services done in his absence against the Scots on the day of the Purification of our Lady at Lambeth he created the Earle of Surrey Duke of Norfolke with an augmentation of the Armes of Scotland Sir Charles Brandon Viscount Lisle he created Duke of Suffolke the Lord Howard high Admirall hee made Earle of Surry Sir Charles Somerset Lord Herbert his chiefe Chamberlaine Earl of Worcester and shortly after Sir Edward Stanly he made Lord Monteagle and in March following Master Thomas Woolsey his Almoner was made Bishop of Lincolne Here before we goe further it will be fit ●o ●ay something of this man that he be not a rub afterward in the way of the Story He was borne at Ipswich in Suffolke the sonne of a Butcher sent to Oxford by reason of his pregnancy of wit so soone that taking there the first degree of Art he was called the Boy Batchelour proceeding in learning he was made Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford and afterward Schoolemaster of the Schoole there at which time the Marquesse Dorset committed three of his Sonnes to be Instructed by him and having a Benefice fallen in his gift sent for him one Christmas and bestowed it upon him whereof Woolsey going to take possession at his being there for what misdemeanour is not delivered he was by Sir Amyas Pawlet set by the heeles which afterward he remembred to Sir Iam●s his no small trouble for he made him attend his pleasure five or six yeeres all which time lying in the Middle-Temple where he re-edified the Gate-house next the street very sumptuously setting the Cardinals Armes upon it to appease him After this disgrace he went over-sea where he fell in acquaintance with Sir Iohn Naphant treasurer of Callice and by him was preferred to be King Henry the sevenths Chaplaine and now being by this meanes in the Kings eye he so diligently carried himselfe that he soone got into the Kings heart One time it happened the King had occasion to send a Messenger to the Emperour Maximilian about a businesse that required haste for which imployment no man was thought more fit then Woolsey whereupon the King called him gave him his Errand and bad him make all the speed he could Woolsey departed from the King at Richmond about noone and by the next morning was got to Dover and from thence by noone that day was come to Callice and by night was with the Emperour to whom declaring his Message● and having a present dispatch he rode that night backe to Callice and the night following came to the Court at Richmond The next morning he presented himselfe before the King who blamed him for not being yet gone the ma●ter requiring haste to whom Woolsey answered that he had beene with the Emperour and had dispatched the businesse and for proofe shewed the Emperours lines the King wondred much at his speed but then asked him if he met not his Pursuivant whom he sent after to advertise him of a speciall matter hee had forgotten whereto Woolsey answered May it please your Grace I met him yester-day upon the way but that businesse I had dispatched before taking the boldnesse so to doe without commission as knowing it to be of speciall consequence
chose Sir Thomas Moore who at first disabling himselfe at last made two Petitions to the King one for himselfe that if he should be sent by the Commons to the King on a Message and mistake their inten● he might then with the Kings pleasure resort again to the Commons to know their meaning The other for the House of Commons that if in communication and reasoning any man should speake more largely then of duty he ought to do yet all such offences should be pardoned and that to be entred of Record Which Petitions were granted and then the Parliament began where at first a Subsidie was demanded but as there was much adoe in the House of Commons about it so there was no lesse amongst the Clergey in the Convocation House for Richard Bishop of VVinchester and Iohn Bishop of Rochester were much against it but most of all one Rowland Philips Vicar of Croyden and a Canon of Pauls but the Cardinall taking him aside dealt so with him that he took him off so as he came no more to the House● and then the Bel-weather as one saith giving over his hold the rest soon yelded and so was granted the half of all their spiritual yeerly Revenues to be paid in five yeers following The Clergey being thus brought on on the nine twentieth of April the Cardinall came into the House of Commons to work them also and there shewing the great charges the King was necessarily to be at in his present Wars demanded the sum of eight hundred thousand pounds to be raised of the fifth part of every mans Goods and Lands which was four shillings of every pound This demand was enforced the day after by the Speaker Sir Thomas Moore but the Burgesses were all against it shewing that it was not possible to have it gathered in money for that men of Lands had not the fifth part thereof in Coyne And further alleadged that there be not many parishes in England one with another able to spare a hundred Marks except Cities and Townes and seeing there were not above thirteen thousand Parishes in the Kingdome at this day there are but 9285. how could such a summe be raised Hereupon certai●e of the House were sent to move the Cardinall to be a meanes to the King to accept of a lesser summe but the Cardinall answered he would rather have his tongue plucked out of his mouth with a paire of Pinsors then make to the King any such motion Whereupon the Cardinall came again in●o the House and desired that he might reason with them that were against the demand to which it was answered that the order of that house was to heare and not to reason except amongst themselves When the Cardinall was gone the Commons after long debating the m●tter at last agreed of two shillings in the pound from twenty pounds upward and from forty shillings to twenty pounds of every twenty shillings twelve pence and under forty shillings of every head of sixteene yeeres and upwards foure pence to be paid in two yeeres when this was told to the Cardinall he was much offended so that to please him the Gentlemen of fifty pound Land and upward by the motion of Sir Iohn Hussey a Knight of Lincolneshire were charged with twelve pence more in the pound to be paid in three yeeres The Cardinall to move them to it bore them in hand that the Lords had agreed to foure shillings of the pound which was untrue for the Lords had granted nothing but stayed to see what the Commons would doe whereof when the King heard he reproved the Cardinall for it saying withall that ere it were long he would looke to things himselfe without any Substitute Which speech of the Kings though it da●ted the Cardinall for a while yet he soone recovered his Spirits and now as peremptory afterwards as he had been before After this the Parliament was prorogued till the tenth of Iune during with prorogation the Common people said to the Burgesses we heare say you will grant foure shillings of the pound we advise you ●o doe so that you may goe home with many like threatnings At this time the Cardinall by his power Legant me dissolved the Convocation at Pauls convoked by the Archbishop of Canterbury calling him and all the Clergy to his Convocation at Westminster which was never seene before in England saith Hall The one and thirtieth of Iuly the Parliament was adjourned to Westminster and there continuing till the thirteenth of August was that day at nine of the clock at night dissolved About this time the Bishop of Durham died and the King gave that Bishoprick to the Cardinall who resigned the Bishoprick of Bath to Doctor Iohn Clerke Master of the Rolles and Sir Henry Marney that was Vice-chamberlain was made Lord Privy Seale and shortly after was created Lord Marney also during this Parliament Sir Arthur Plantagenet bastard sonne to King Edward the fourth at Bridewell was created Vicount Lisle in right of his wife who was wise before to Edmund Dudley Beheaded The fifteenth of Iune in the fifteenth yeere of the Kings Reigne Christian King of Denmarke with his Queene driven out of his own Country came into England and was lodged at Bath place who after he had been feasted by the King and by the Citty of London and received great guifts of both returned again into Flanders where he remained as a banished man some yeers after King Henry sent Doctor Henry Standish Bishop of Saint Assaph and Sir Iohn Baker Knight into Denmarke to perswade the people to receive him againe into his Kingdome but they could not prevaile he was so much hated for his cruelty About this time the Earle of Kildare having recovered againe the favour of the Cardinall was sent Deputy into Ireland as he had bin before where he reduced the wilde Irish to indifferent conformity All this while had England warres both with the French and with the Scots In Scotland the Marquesse of Dorset threw downe the Castles of Wederborne of Nesgate of Blackater of Mackwals and burnt to the number of seven and thirty Villages yet never came to skirmish In France the Lord Sands Treasurer of Callice with twelve hundred men went before Bulloigne where he skirmished with the Enemie and after taking divers Churches and Castles in the Enemies Countre● returned backe to Callice with the losse onely of a dozen men King Henry being advertised that the Duke of Albanie was providing of Forces in France with which to returne into Scotland sent forth his Vice-admirall Sir William Fitz-williams with divers great Shippes to intercept him but when he could not meet with him he then landed in the Haven of Trepor● where with seaven hundred men hee beat six thousand French that sought to impeach his landing took their Bulworks and much Ordnance in them● burned the suburbs of the town of Treport and all in five houres and then returned All this while King Henry had but played with the French
to the Counsailors a Moderator a protectour to the King and in his minority to the Kingdome To this place by common consent of the King and Counsaile Edward Seymour Earl of Hartford the Kings Unckle was chosen to hold the place untill the King should accomplish the age of eighteene yeeres In which Office the first thing he did was to make the young King Knight who presently thereupon made Henry Hobblethorne Major of London Knight and then King Henries Obsequies being solemnly performed on the seaventeenth of February were raised in Honour the Earl of Hartford Protectour to be Duke of Somerset William Par Earle of Essex to be Marquis of Northampton Dudly Viscount Lisle to be Earle of Warwick Wriothsley Lord Chancelour to be Earle of Southampton Sir Thomas Seymour the Protectours brother was made Lord of Sudeley and Admirall of England Sir Richard Rich was made Lord Rich Sir VVilliam Willoughby was made Lord Willoughby and Sir Edmund Sheffield was made Lord Sheffield of Butterwick on the nineteenth of February the King in great state rode from the Tower to the Pallace of Westminster where the day following he was Crowned by the Archbishop of Canterbury with all rites accustomed in great solemnity At which time a generall pardon was Proclaimed for all offenders six onely excepted namely the Duke of Norfolke Cardinall Poole Edward Courtney eldest sonne to the Marquis of Excetur Master Fortescue Master Throgmorton and Doctor Pa●es Bishop of VVorcester who was fled to Rome to avoid taking the oath of Suprem●cy all which six continued unpardo●ed till the first yeere of Queene Mary and then were restored A few dayes after the Earle of Southampton Lord Chancelour for be●ng contumacious to the rest of the Lords in matters of Counsaile was removed both from his Office of being Chancelour and from his place in Counsaile and the great Seale was delivered to Sir William Pawlet Lord Saint-Iohn and Lord great Master of the Kings Huoshold Within two months after the death of King Henry died Francis King of France also for whom solemne Obsequies were kept in Pauls Church as hee likewise had kept before at Paris for King Henry these two Kings were of so consenting natures that they had certainly been great friends while they lived if they had not been Kings and that jelousie of state had not made them oftentimes not to be themselves King Henry before his death had left in charge with the Lords of his Counsaile by all meanes possible to procure a proceeding in the mariage with the young Queen of Scots and now in discharge therof the Lord Protectour himselfe with an Army of twelve thousand foot and six thousand horse besides Labourers and Pioners thirteen hundred entred Scotland the third of September at which time also Edward Lord Clinton with a fleet of threescore saile assisted by sea but before he would doe any hostile Act he caused Proclamation to be made that his comming was onely to have performance of the Articles heretofore agreed on fo● the mariage tending to the good of both Kingdomes if they would yeeld unto he would then returne in peaceable manner and the more to draw them on w●ere before it was demanded to have the Queen brought into England and there to be brought up the Protectour was content she should remaine in Scotland till yeers of consent● this demand the more moderate sort of the Scots accou●ted very reasonable but those of the French and Papal faction who were the greatest persons and the greatest number strongly opposed wherupon the Lord Protectour presently put his Army into Array the Lord Gray and Sir Francis Brian with eight hundred Light-horse were sent before to provide lodging for the Army and to give advertisement of the enemies approaches then followed the Avant-guard in number between three and foure thousand foot one hundred men at Armes and six hundred Light-horse led by the Earle of VVarwick then followed the maine Battaile consisting of above six thousand foot six hundred men at Armes and one thousand Light-horse led by the Protecter himself lastly followed the Arrear wherein were between three and foure thousand foot one hundred men at Armes and six hundred Light-horse u●der the conduct of the Lord Dacres upon one wing the Artillery was drawne being sixteen pieces of great Ordinance the other wing was made by men at Armes and Demilances for the Avant-guard and halfe the battaile ridi●g about two flight shoot from their side the other halfe of the battaile and th● whole flanke of the Arrear was closed by the carraiges being nine hundred ●arts besides Waggons ●he rest of the men at Armes and the Demilances marched behinde In this order they marched two dayes taking in three Castles ●s they went with little resistance where it is memorable what a suddaine device the Defendants of one of them used to save themselves for finding they w●re no longer able to defend themselves and that their obstinacy had excluded a●● hope of pardon they made suite they might not presently be slain but have some time to commend their soules to God and afterwards be hanged which respite being obtained thei● pardon afterward did more easily ensue so much doth the winning of time oftentimes prevaile more then any other policy T●e Governour of Scotland hearing of the Protectours approch and having no sufficient Army ready to resist him sent his Heralds abroad into all parts of the R●alm and commanded the fire-crosse to be carried an antient custome in cases of importance which was two firebrands set in fashion of a crosse and pitched upon the point of a speare and therewith Proclamation to be made that all above sixteen yeers of age and under sixty should resort forthwith to Musselborough bring convenient provision of victuals with them By this meanes having gotten a sufficient Army he set forward towards the English who were now come to a River called Linne and here the Earle of Warwick being too ●enterous was like to have bin entrapped but by his valour came off bravely and now the Scottish Horse-men began to hover about the English Army and to come pricking towards them sometimes within length of their staves using provoking words to draw the English from their strength but the Protector not moved with their provocations maintained a close march till he came to Salt-presion by the Frith where he incamped within two miles of the Scottish Army and here the Scots having gotten the advantage of a Hill came upon the English with the number of twelve hundred Horse besides five hundred foot that lay in ambush behind the Hill at which time the Lord Gray and Sir Francis Brian impatient of such bravaries obtained leave of the Gene● to encounter them and so as they came scattered upon the spurre within a stones cast of the English and were beginning to wheele about the Lord Gray with some troops of Light hors-men charged them home and was forthwith seconded by certaine numbers of Demilances and both
be with childe by Edward Seymoure Earl of Hertford who being at that time in France was presently sent for and being examined before the Archbishp of Canterbury and affirming they were lawfully married but not being able within a limited time to produce witnesses of their marriage they were both committed to the Tower where she was brought to Bed and after by the Connivence or Corruption of their Keepers being suffered sometimes to come together Shee was with childe by him again which made the Queen more angry then before so as Sir Edward Warner Lieutenent of the Tower was put out of his place and the Earle was fined in the star-chamber five thousand pounds and kept in prison nine yeers after Though in pleading of his Case One Iohn H●les argued They were lawfull man and wife by virtue of their owne bare Consent without any Ecclesicsticall Ceremonie The Lady a few yeers after falling through grief into a mortall Sicknesse humbly desired the Queens Pardon for having married without her knowledge and commending her children to her clemency dyed in the Tower At this time the King being under Age dissentions amongst the Peeres grew hot in Erance of which there were two Factions Both pretending the cause of Religion of the One the Duke Guise a Paipst was Head of the other the Prince of Conde a Protestant but while Delirant Reges Plectunter Achiui while these Princes are at variance the people suffer for it and chiefly as being under the weaker protection the Protestant Party where upon Queene Elizabeth having well learned the Lesson Tum tua res agitur partis cum proximus ardet● and fearing least the flaim of their dissention might kindle a fire within her owne Kingdome sent over Sir Henry Sidney Lord Presiden of Wales into France to endeavour by all possible means their reconcilement which when hee could not effect and perhaps it was never meant he should effect it but onely to see what invitations would be made to the Queen for her assistance she thereupon at the moan of the afflicted Protestants sent over an Army of six thousand Souldiers under the Conduct of the Earl of Warwick in assistance of the Prince of Conde and other Protestant Lords who delivered to him the Town of Newhaven to hold in the King of France his name untill such time as Calice were restored But the Prince of Conde marching to joyn with the English Forces was by the Duke of Guise interrupted and taken prisoner● which had been a great disappointment to the English but that the Duke of Colin joyned with him besieged Caen in Normandy and took it toge●her with Bayeux Faleise and Saint Lo. The French Hostages that were pledges for the payment of five hundred thousand Cowns if Calice were not restored were remaining still in England who perceiving there was like to be War with France prepared secretly to get away but being ready to take Shipping were discovered and brought back again In the mean while the Prince of Conde drawn on with a hope to marry the Queen of Scots and to have the chief Government in France during the Kings Minority concluded a Peace with the King and with the Guises so as now all French as well Protestants as Papists required to have Newhaven delivered up But the Earl of Warwick perceiving the ●icklenesse of the French Protestants First to make su●e to draw him into France and now upon so slight occasion to require him to be gone he shutteth all ●rench both Protestants and Papists o●t of the Town and layes hold of their Ships the French on the other side make ready to set upon the Town saying They fought not now for Religion but for their Countrey wherefore it was meet that both Protestants and Papists should joyn their Forces seeing they had already concluded a Peace betwixt themselves And hereupon the Duke of Memorancy sent a Trumpetter to the Earl of Warwick commanding him yeeld the Town who making answer by Sir Hugh Pawlet That he would never yeeld it without the Queens leave he thereupon besieged the Town and with great violence of Battery sought to get it by force Which Queen Elizabeth hearing she sent a Commission to the Earl of Warwick to yeeld it up if upon honourable Conditions which soon after was accordingly done after the English had held it eleven months and then the Earl without any dishonour for yeelding up a Town which the Pestilence made him no lesse unwilling then unable to hold he returned into England but that which was more dolefull then the losse of Newhaven he brought the Pestilence with him into England The recovery of this Town not onely made the French to triumph but hereupon the Chancellor of France pronounced openly That by this Warre the English had lost all their Right to Calice and were not to require it any more seeing it was one of the Conditions That neither of the Nations should make Warre upon the other which was the Point stood upon by the King of France and his mother when Queen Elizabeth sent Sir Thomas Smith to demand Calice to be restored At this time there were such crosse designes amongst the Princes of Christendome that a very good Polititian could hardly understand their Ayms The Duke of Guise being slain in the Civill Warre the Queen of Scots Dowry was not paid her in France and the Scots were put off from being the Kings Guard This exceedingly displeased the Queen of Scots but then to please her again● and for fear lest hereupon she should apply her self to the friendship of the English her Unkle the Cardinall of Lorrain solicites her afresh to marry Charls Duke of Austria offering her for her Dowry the County of Tyroll The Queen of Scots to make use of her Unkles fear and perhaps to bring Queen Elizabeth into an opinion of depending upon her acquaints her with this motion and therein requires her advice Queen Elizabeth not willing she should marry with any forraign Prince perswades her to take a husband out of England and particularly commended to her the Lord Robert Dudley whose wife a little before had with a fall broke her neck promising withall that if she would marry him she should then by Authority of Parliament be declared her successour in case she dyed without issue But when her Unkles and the Queen-Mother were informed of this motion they so much disdained the Marriage with Dudley that so she would refuse that Match and perseverein the friendship of the French they offered to pay her the Dowry money that was behinde and to restore the Scots to all their former liberties in France And as for the King of Spain he had indeed a Ligier Embassadour here in England but rather by way of complement and to watch advantages then for any sincere love which he began now to withdraw from the English as suspecting them to intend a Trade to the West Indies And now the French Protestants may see what they brought upon
themselves by leaving the English at Newhaven and by trusting to their Country-men the French Papists for their peace was but a snare and the Marriage of Henry of Bourbon Prince of Navarre with Margaret of Valois the French Kings sister was but a bait to entrap them for upon the confidence of this Marriage being drawn together into Paris they were the readier for the slaughter and a few dayes after the Marriage which were all spent in Feasts and Masks to make them the more secure upon a Watch-word given the bloody faction fell upon the Protestants and neither spared age nor sex nor condition but without mercy and sense of humanity slaughtered as many as they could meet with to the number of many thousands It was now the sixth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign a yeer fatall for the death of many great Personages First died William Lord Grey of We●lon Governour of Berwick a man famous for his great Services in War then William Lord Paget a man of as great Services in Peace who by his great deservings had wrought his advancement to sundry dignities and honourable places and though zealous in the Roman Religion yet held by Queen Elizabeth in great estimation to his dying day Then Henry Mannors Earl of Rutland descended by his mother from King Edward the fourth And lastly Francis the Dutchesse of Suffolk daughter to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and mother to Queen Iane. And now Queen Elizabeth finding how fickle the French Protestants had carryed themselves towards her intended to make a Peace and to that end sent Sir Thomas Smith into France joyning Throgmorton in Commission with him and in conclusion a Peace was agreed on whereof amongst other Articles this was one That the Hostages in England should be freed upon the payment of six hundred thousand Crowns and this Peace was ratified by the Oath both of the Queen of England and the King of France About this time the English Merchants were hardly used both in Spain● and in the Netherlands upon pretence of Civill differences but indeed out of hatred to the Protestant Religion whereupon the English removed the seat of their Trading to Embden in Freezland● but Gusman the Spanish Liegier newly come into England finding the great dammages that the Netherlands sustained by these differences endeavoured by all means to compose them and thereupon Viscount Mountague Nicholas Wootton and Walter Haddon Master of the Requests were sent to Bruges in Flanders who after many interruptions brought the matter at last to some indifferent agreement It was now the seventh yeer of Queen Elizabeth when making a Progresse she went to see Cambridge where after she had viewed the Colledges and been entertained with Comedies and Scholasticall Disputations she made her self a Latine Oration to the great encouragement of the Schollars and then returned Presently after her return● she made the Lord Robert Dudley Master of her Horse first Baron of Denbigh giving him Denbigh and all the Lands belonging to it and then Earl of Leicester to him and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten which Honour was conferred upon him with the greatest State and Solemnity that was ever known And now Leicester to endear himself to the Queen of Scots accused Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper for being privy to the libell of Hales who affirmed the Right of the Crown to belong to the Family of Suffolk in case the Queen should die without Issue and thereupon was Bacon cast into prison till afterward upon his purgation and the mediation of Sir William Cecill he was set at liberty and restored to his place And now for a while we must cast our eyes upon Scotland for that was now the Stage where all the great businesses of State were acted Matthew Steward Earl of Lenox who had marryed Margaret Dowglas King Henry the eighth's Neece by his eldest sister had been kept as an Exile in England now twenty yeers him the Queen of Scots invites to come into Scotland● under pretence of restoring to him his ancient Patrimony but indeed to conferre with him about a Marriage with his son the Lord Darlie for being reputed heir to the Crown of England next after her self she thought by matching with his son to strengthen her own title and to prevent the hope of any other Queen Elizabeth upon sute made by his wife gave the Earl leave to go but soon after suspecting what the Queen of Scots intent was in sending for him she to hinder the proceeding sent Sir Thomas Rand●ll to her to let her know That if she proceeded in this Ma●ch she would exceedingly wrong her self for that it was a Match so much disliked by all the English that she was fain to prorogue the Parliament lest upon dislike thereof there should something be enacted against her Right of Succession But if she would marry the Earl of Leicester she should then by Parliament be declared her next Heir Hereupon in the month of November the Earl of Bedford and Sir Thomas Randoll for Queen Elizabeth● the Earl of Murray and Lidington for the Queen of Scots at Barwick entred into a Treaty concerning the Marriage with the Earl of Leicester The English Commissioners urged the great benefits that by this Match would accrew both to the Queen of Scots her self and to the whole Kingdom of Scotland The Scotish on the other side urged the great disparagement it would be to the Queen of Scots if refusing the offers made her of divers great Princes she should match her self with so mean a person as the Earl of Leicester This matter held long debate partly for that the English Commissioners were so appointed by Queen Elizabeth and partly for that the Scotish Commissioners had a good minde to hinder her from marrying at all and perhaps not the least for that the Earl of Leicester being verily perswaded he should at last obtain Queen Elizabeth her self by secret Letters warned the Earl of Bedford not to urge the Marriage with the Queen of Scots too far and was thought for this cause to favour Darly under hand The matter being in this manner protracted for two whole yeers together the Queen of Scots impatient of longer delay and being resolved in her minde what she would do● used means that the Lord Darly got leave of Queen Elizabeth to go into Scotland for three months onely under colour to be put in possession of his fathers Lands though it be strange the Queen upon any te●●ms would let him go if she really intended to hinder the Marriage but such was the destiny if there were not a plot in it and ●o in Febr●ary he came to Edinburgh who being a young man of not above nineteen yeers of age of a comely countenance and most Princely Presence the Queen of Scots as soon as she saw him fell in love with him yet in modesty dissembling it for the present she sought to get a Dispens●on from Rome because of their neernesse in Consanguinity And now
her inclination being grown so apparent that there was no concealing it she sent Lydington to Queen Elizabeth desiring her consent But she through the suggestions of the Earl of Murray being induced to believe that the Queen of Scots intention was by this Marriage to get the Crown of England and to bring in Popery entred into consultation with her Privy Councell what was fit to be done to hinder the Marriage who all concluded that these were the best wayes First To have a Company of Souldi●rs levyed for terrour ●ake about the Borders towards Scotland then to commit to prison the Countesse of Lenox the Lord Darlies Mother and to recall from Scotland the Earl of Lenox and his ●on Darly upon pain of the losse of all their goods in England then that the Scots who were known to be averse from the Marriage should be relieved and assisted and lastly That Katherine Grey with the Earl of Hertford should be received into some grace about whom onely it was thought the Queen of Scots was most solicitous as being her Rivall to the English Crown Hereupon Sir Nicholas Throgmorton was sent to the Queen of Scots to counsell her in the Queens name not to proceed in this Marriage and to shew her the many inconveniences that would accrew unto her by it But she returned answer That the matter was too far passed to be recalled and that Queen Elizabeth had no cause to be displeased with i● seeing herein she followed her advice Not to match with ● stranger but with an English man born Queen Elizabeth being informed of her answer calleth home the Earl of Lenox and the Lord D●rly his son commanding them upon their Allegiance to return The Father modestly by Letters excu●eth himself the son humbly intrea●eth her not to be a hinderance to his preferment which he vows to employ in her Majesties Service to the uttermost of his power And now to make him the fitter match for her the Queen of Scots honoured him first with Knighthood then with the Dignities of the Lord Armanack Earl of Rosse and Duke of Rothsay which Dukedom by Bir●h pertaineth to the eldest sons of the Kings of Scotland After this when he had not been above five months in Scotland she marryed him and with the consent of most of the Peers declared him King At this the Earl of M●rray and other whom he drew to his pa●ty extremely fretted and fell to moving of turbulent questions Whether it were lawfull to admit a Papist King Whether the Queen of Scots might choose a husband at her own pleasure and whether the Peers of the Kingdom might not out of their Authority impose one upon her But howsoever they raised Arms and had disturbed the Nuptialls but that the Queen levyed an Army to encounter them with which she pursued them so closely that they were fain to fly into Engl●●d for protection where Queen Elizabeth made no ●cruple to receive them seeing the Queen of Scots had received Yareby Sta●don and Walsh that were fled out of England but the Ea●l of Murray especially who had alwayes been found addicted to the English Queen Elizabeth perhaps was not much troubled at this Marriage partly as knowing the milde disposition of the Lord Darly and how little accesse of strength it brought ●o ●he Queen of Scots but most of all 〈◊〉 plain●y ●eeing ●here wo●ld ●●ouble● 〈◊〉 in Scotland upon it and the troubles of Scotland would be the q●i●tnes●e of England which as a good Mother of her Co●●●rey was the ●ark she aymed at yet she made ● shew of being offended with it but rather to co●ceal her aym then that ●he was offended with it indeed At this time the Emperour Maximlian sent to Queen Elizabeth his Embassadour Adam Smiricote renewing the former sute for his brother Charles of Austria for which Marriage the Earl of Sussex was very earnest the Earl of Leicester as much against it so as it grew to a quarrell between them and the Court was divided into factions about it but the Queen who never liked the dissentions of her Peers though it be a Rule with some Divide and Raign made them friends at least in countenance We may now leave Scotland a while and see the Honour done at this time to Queen Elizabeth not much inferiour to the Honour done to Solomon by the Queen of Saba for now Cecile the sister of Errick King of Sweden and wife of Christopher Marquesse of Baden being great with childe came from the farthest part of the North a long Journey thorow Germany of purpose to see her for the great fame she had heard of her Wisedom At her being here she was delivered of a childe to whom in requitall of her kindenesse Queen Elizabeth was God-mother and named him Edward●s Fortunatus giving to her and her husband besides Royall Entertainment a yeerly Pension At this time also for the great Fame of her wisedome Donald mac Carty More a great Potentate of Ireland came and delivered up into her hands all his most ample Territories and then receiving them again from her to hold them to him and his Heirs males lawfully begotten and for want of such Issue to remain to the Crown of England The Queen in requitall invested him with the honour of Earl of Glenkarne and Baron of Valence and besides many Presents given him paid the charges of his Journey It was now the eighth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign when Sir Nicholas Arnold a Knight of Gloucestershire Governing Ireland under the title of a Justice was called home and Sir Henry Sidney placed in ●his room And here by the way it is to be noted That the Governours of Ireland after it came under the English were at first called Justices of Ireland afterwards Lievtenants and their Vice-gerents were called Deputies Afterwards at the Princes pleasure sometimes Deputies sometimes Justices and sometimes Lievtenants which last Title though it be of greatest honour yet in power is in a manner but the same Si● Henry Sidney at his coming into Ireland found the Province of Munster in much disorder● by reason of strife between Gyrald Earl of Desmond and Thomas Earl of Ormond whereupon the Queen sending for the Earl of Desmond into England ordained a new Government in that Province appointing a President to administer Justice together with an Assistant on the Bench two Lawyers and a Notary and the first President she made in this place was Sir William Sent-leger And now Queen Elizabeth in a Progresse went to Oxford where she took pleasure in viewing the Colledges in hearing Orations in seeing of Comedies till the Comedy of Palemon and Arcett turned to a Tragedy for by the fall of a wall through the multitude of people that pressed in to see it three men were slain At her coming away she made an Oration in Latine to the Schollars a sufficient recompence for all the Orations they had made to her And this yeer was a call of seven new Serjeants at Law who
taken by right of War and not to be dismissed till she had made satisfaction for assuming the Title of England and for the death of Darly her husband who was born one of the Queens Subjects In this diversity of opinions Queen Elisabeth out of her own judgement sent word by Middemore to the Regent of Scotland that he should come himself in person or else depute some fit persons to answer the complaints of the Queen of Scots against him and his confederates and render sufficient reasons wherefore they had deprived her otherwise● she would forthwith dismisse her and with all the forces she could settle her in her Kingdom To this Summons Murray obeys and comes to York the place appointed for this Treaty accompanied with seven more of his intimate friends who stood Delegates for the Infant King namely Iames Earl of Morton Ad●m Bishop of the Ork●neys Robert of Dunferm Patrick Lord of Lyndsey Iames Mac-gylly and Henry ●adinary and with these Lydington the Secretary and Ge●rge Buchanan And the very same day came thither Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk Thomas Ratcliff Earl of Sussex and Sir Ralph Saedler a Privie-Councellour appointed Commissioners for Queen Elisabeth For the Queen of Scots who took it hainously that Queen Elisabeth would not hear the caus● h●r self but refer h●r to Subjects being an absolute Prince and not ty●d to their proc●edings there appeared Iohn Lesley Bishop of Ross William Lord Levyng●●on Robert Lord Boyde Ga●●● of Kilwynnin Iohn G●urd●n and Iames Cock●urn Being met Lydingto● turning himself to the Scots in a wondrous liberty of Speech gave them this advice Maturely to consider what prejudice they should draw upon themselves by accusing th● Queen of Scots and calling her Reputation in question publikely before the English professed enemies of the Scottish Nation Likewise wha● account they shall be able to give hereof to the King when he shall grow to ●iper y●●rs and shall see what an injury this was to the Kingdom his Mother and his own per●on Wherefor● said he it seemeth requisite to forbear this businesse al●ogether unlesse the Queen of England will enter into a ●u●uall league of Offence and Defence against all those which under this pretenc● shall go about ●o molest us Upon this Speech of his the D●l●gates of the Que●n of Scots made Protestation That although it pleased the Qu●●n of Scots to have the cause between her and her disloyall Subjects d●●●ted befo●● the English yet she being a free Prince and obnoxious to no earthly Prince whatsoever did not thereby yeeld her self subject to th● Jurisdiction and command of any person On the contrary the English pro●est●d That they did in no wise admi● that Protestation in pr●judice to the right which the Kings of England have anciently challenged as superiou● Lords of the Kingdom of Sco●land The day after the Queen of Sco●s Delegates s●t forth at large the injurious dealing of Morton Murray Marre Gle●car● 〈◊〉 and others against the Queen and how they had compelled h●r for fear of death to resign her Crown which therefore they said was of no ●or●● Murray and his confederates make answ●r That they had done nothing but by consent of the Peers in Parliament and tha● in pros●cu●ing o● Bothwell the author of the Kings murther whom the Queen protected and as for her resignation ●hat it was voluntarily and freely done All this the Queen of Scots Delega●es answered and confuted affirming in particular That where there are 100 Earls Bishops and Barons more or lesse that have voices in the Parliament of Scotland there were not in that tum●ltous assembly they speak of above four Earls one Bishop an Abbot or two and six Barons wherefore their earnest request was that the Q●een of England would be ●●nsible of these indignities offered her and take some course for a speedy rednesse After this some new Commissioners from Queen Elizabeth were added to the former to some of whom the Queen of Scots took exception unlesse the French and Spanish Embassadors might be taken in and her self admitted into the presence of the Queen and them publickly to defend her own innocency and that Murray might be detained and ●ited whom she affirmed she was able to prove to have been the chief Plotter of the murther of her husband Darley This was held to be a just demand by the Duke of Norfolk the Earls of Arundell Sussex Leicester and the Lord Clinton But Queen Elizabeth waxing somewhat angry openly said that the Queen of Scots should never want an Advocate as long as Norfolk lived It was seen here which is said that the heart of the King is inscrutable for how Queen Elizabeth stood affected in this case of the Queen of Scots no man could well discern● she detested the insolency of her Subjects in deposing her and yet gave no assistance to restore her After long agitation of this businesse and nothing concluded Murray a little before his return into Scotland slyly propounded the mariage of the Queen of Scots to the Duke of Norfolk which he with a modest answer rejected as a thing full of danger But withall Murray the more to alienate Queen Elizabeths mind from the Queen of Scots gave ou● that she had passed away to the Duke of Andyn her Right to the Crown of England and that the transaction was confirm'd at Rome he shewd Letters also which the Queen of Scots had written to some friends whom she trusted wherein she accused the Queen for not dealing with her according to promise and boasted of succours she expected from some others This last clause something troubled Queen Elizabeth neither could she conjecture from whence any such succour should come seeing both France with the Civill Wars and the King of Spain in the Low-countries had eno●gh to do at home But at last it brake out that one Robert Ridolph a Florentine under the habit of a Merchant in London was suborned by Pope ●ius the fifth to make a secret commotion of the Papists in England against the Queen which he performed indeed with a great deal of secrecy and much cunning whereupon the Queen of Scots was removed from Bolton a Castle of the Lord Scroops where all the neighbouring people were Papists● to Tutbury more toward the heart of the Country under the custody of George Earl of Shrewsbury About this time the Guises in France and the Duke D'Alva in the Low-countries began to endeavour the utter extirpation of the Protestant Religion In France the Ministers of the Gospell are commanded within a limitted time to depart the Kingdom when Queen Elizabeth forgetting the ●icklenesse of the Protestants at New-haven once again takes upon her their protection supplyes them with two hundred thousand Crowns in money besides Munition in abundance and with all humanity receives the French that fled into England the rather for that they made solemn protestation they took not up Arms against their Prince but only stood upon their own defence In the Low-countries
likewise the Duke D'Alva breathing nothing but slaughter and blood made the Dutch come flocking into England as into a Sanctuary where with all courtesie they were received And here it will be fit to shew how the War in the Low-countries began first which was thus At which time the King of Spain brought in the Spanish Inquisition● a small number of the meaner sort of people in tumultuous manner● cast the Images out of Churches and brake ●hem in pieces and although that tumult was soon quieted yet the King of Spain taking advantage at the rashnesse of a few to charge the whole Nation with Rebellion sent amongst them Ferdinando Alvarez Duke D' Alva a bloody and fierce man who contrary to the Ordinances and customes of the Country took away all authority from the ordinary Courts of Justice Erected new consistories condemned and put to death the Peers without tryall by their lawfull Judges Placed Garrisons of Spaniards throughout all their Cities and Villages and by force exacted the twentieth part of the fruits of the Earth and the tenth of moveables upon every Alienation At that time a mighty masse of money borrowed from the Genowayes and other Italian Merchants was sent out of Spain into the Low-countries there to be imployed to interest which being brought by shipping was pursued by the French and forced to fly for succour into the Havens of England whom the Queen commanded to be succour'd as conceiving the money to be the King of Spains as it was given out But at the same time Cardinall Odette coming out of France into England and giving notice to the Queen that the money was not the King of Spains but belonged to certain merchants of Geneva from whence the Duke D' Alva had taken it against their will with a purpose to imploy it to the ruine of the Protestants and information also being given her by one that had a property in the money that it was so● she determined to put in security and to borrow the money of the merchants her self which is an usuall thing with Princes when goods are taken in their Ports and the King of Spain himself had lately done the like The Duke D' Alva being informed of this dealing of thee Queens by Gerard de Spese the King of Spains Embassador in England seizeth presently upon all the goods of the English in the Low-co●ntries and kept the men prisoners The Queen did the like with the Dutch merchants in England Letters of Mart were granted on both sides and this grew to such a quarrell between the Nations that being nourished with other differences afterward it brought forth in Eighty Eight that Spanish Invasion which is and will be memorable in all future Ages Upon occasion of this Money detained certain Peers of England amongst whom were the Duke of Norfolk the Marquesse of Winchester the Earls of Arundell Northumberland Pembroke Leicester and others Accused Sir William Cecill for sending away money into France making this their colour but done indeed out of envying his great favour with the Queen and suspecting him to incline to the house of Suffolk in the matter of succession Hereupon they consult sec●etly how to get him be imprison'd and Throgmorton who envyed him as much as they suggesting that if he were once clapp'd up they might soon find out a way to crush him But the Queen by what means it is uncertain coming to have notice hereof gave a check to their purpose and protected Cecill against their combined practises The Earl Murray being returned into Scotland makes the Lords believe that he desires a meeting at Edinbourgh to consult about restoring the Queen to her Liberty but as Hamilton Duke of Chasteau Herald appointed Vicegerent of the Kingdome by the Queen and the Lord Heris were coming thither he circumvented them and before any of the rest came cast them into prison and forthwith in an open War oppresseth all her Favourers It may be thought the Earl Murray could have been content the Queen should have been set at liberty but that he knew her liberty could not be without his servitude and Queen Elisabeth perhaps would willingly have had her resto●e● to her Kingdom but that she doubted her restoring would indanger her own security And thus while they regarded their own ends in the first place and hers but in the second she had the fortune to be pitied but not the happinesse to be relieved and all she could do her self was but to tye the knot of her bonds the faster if she could have sate still they would perhaps have loosened of themselves but now the more she stirred the more she was intangled And now the Destiny of the Duke of Norfolk began to work It was in every ones mouth that the Duke should marry the Queen of Scots and it is true there had been motions made but the matter not so forward as the Voice of the People which commonly presageth what will follow It had been motioned to the Duke at York by the Bishop of Ros●e and afterward in pretence at least by Murray himself at Hampton-Court but the Duke before he would resolve in the matter deliberated with the Earls of Aru●dell Northumberland Westmerland Sussex Pembroke Southampton and Leicester himself who all judged it fit he should acquaint the Queen with it first and then leave the matter to her liking Within a few dayes Sir Nicholas Throgmorton meeting the Duke in the Pallace at Westminster advised him to move the Earl of Leicester himself to embrace the match seeing he had formerly sued for it but if he refused it then at least to take him along with him for that himself alone would hereby be able to procure the Queens consent A day or two after the Earl of Leicester propounded the matter to the Duke and then communicateth it to the Earls of Arundell and Pembroke who thereupon together with Throgmorton wrote Letters to the Queen of Scots commending the Duke of Norfolk to her for a Husband the Duke himself likewise writeth to her tendering his singular Love and respect unto her Upon this Articles are drawn written with Leicesters own hand and sent to the Queen of Scots to which if she consented they then promised to procure that Queen Elisabeth should give her assent and that forthwith she should be reinvested in her Kingdom and the Succession of England should be confirmed upon her Wee may easily believe the Queen of Scots was not hardly drawn to give consent to her own desire but in the mean time the Duke had imparted to the Lord Lumley the whole proceeding and had much ado to get the Earl of Leicesters consent that he might advise of it with some other of his Friends yet a little after he opened the matter to Cecill also The rumour of this Marriage was soon come to the Queens ears which the Duke understanding hee dealt earnestly with the Earl of Leicester to have the matter propounded to the Queen out of hand
his fault shall deserve The Bishop alle●dged for himself That he had not violated the Right of ●n Ambassadour Via Iuris but V●● Fact● to use his own words and therefore adviseth them not to use harder measure to him then was used to the English Ambassadours 〈…〉 in France R●ndoll and T●mwo●th in Scotland who had raised Rebellions there and were open Abettors of the same and yet had no greater punishment then to be gone at a time limitted When they began to urge him what the English had testified against him he lovingly requested them to give no credit to it● forasmuch as by a received Custome which hath the force of a Law The Testimony of an English man against a Scot or of a Scot against an English man is not to be admitted but after some other altercations the Bishop is led away to the Tower and kept close prisoner At this very season Matthew Earl of Lenox Regent of Sco●●and the Kings Grand-father was by the adverse party set upon at unawares who having yeelded himself to David Spense of Wormester that was then very carefull to defend him together with him was slain by Bell and C●ulder when with great industry he had governed the Kingdom for his Grand-childe about fourteen months In whose room Iohn Areskin Earl of Mar●e by common consent of the Kings Faction was chosen Regent of Scotland who being a man of a quiet disposition through extreme grief of the m●ny troubles he sustained in the place departed this life when he had governed thirteen months And now a Parliament was held at Westminster wherein besides a Law for preventing of the treacherous endeavours of seditious subjects another Law was made That if any one during the Queens life by Books written or printed shall expressely affirm That any i● or ought to be the Heir or Successor of the Queen besides the naturall Off-sp●ing of her Body or shall to that purpose publish print or dispers● any Book or Schedules he and his favour●rs shall for the first offence suffer a yeers imprisonment and the losse of one half of his goods and if they offend again they shall be in a Pr●munir● A Law also was made by which to be reconciled to the Sea of Rome was made Treason and it was pronounced against the Queen of Scots That if she offended again against the Laws of England it might be lawfull to question her as the wife of a Peer of the Kingdom of England But here the Queen interposed her Authority and would not suffer it to be enacted About this time in May a solemn Tilting was performed at Westminster where th● Challengers were Edward Earl of Oxford Charles Howard Sir Henry Lee and Chri●●●pher Hatt●n Esquire who all did valiantly but the Earl of Oxford best Assoon as the Parliament was dissolved a Consultation was held Whe●her Iohn Story Doctor of the Laws the Duke D'Alva's Searcher who somtime before was by a wile brought into England being an Englishman born and having in Bra●ant consulted with a for●aign Prince about the invading of England were to be held guilty of high Treason It was resolved a●firmatively whereupon he is called to the Bar and indicted of Treason● That he had consulted with one Pres●all a Conjurer to make away the Queen That he cursed her dayly when he said Grace at Table That he shewed a way to the Secretary of Duke D'Alva how to invade England c. where he affirming That the Judges had no power to meddle with him for that he b●longed not to the Queen of England but was the King of Spain's sworn subject● is neverthelesse condemned by the Fo●m of Nihil dicit forasmuch as no man can renounce the Country wherin he was born nor abjure his Prince at his own pleasure and finally executed after the manner of Tray●ors Ireland at this time was indifferent quie● for Sir Iohn Perot President of Munster had brought Iames Fitz Morris to submit himself and crave pardon Sidney the Lord Deputy returned into England and Sir William Fitz Williams who had marryed his sister succeeded in his room It was now the fifteenth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign when Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk on the sixteenth day of Ianuary was brought to his Tryall at Westminster-Hall where sate as Commissioners George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury made High Steward of England for that day Reynold Grey Earl of Kent Thomas Ratcliff Earl of Sussex Henry Hastings Earl of Huntington Francis Russell Earl of Bedford Henry Herbert Earl of Pembr●●k Edward Seymor Earl of Hertford Ambrose Dudley Earl of Warwick Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester Walter Devereux Viscount of Hereford Edward Lord Clinton Admirall William Lord Howard of Effingham Chamberlain William Cecill Lord Burley Secretary Arthur Lord Grey of Wilton Iames Blunt Lord Mountjoy William Lord Sands Thomas Lord Wentworth William Lord Borough Lewis Lord Mordant Iohn Pawlet Lord St. Iohn of B●sing Robert Lord Rich Roger Lord North Edmund Bruges Lord Ch●ndois Oliver Lord St. Iohn of Bl●tsho Thomas Sackvile Lord Buckhurst and William West Lord de la Ware After silence bidden Sir Owen Hopton Lievtenant o● the Tower is commanded to bring the Duke to the Bar and then the Clerk of the Crown said Thomas Duke of Norfolk late of Keningale in the County of Norfolk Hold up thy hand which done the Clerk with a loud voyce readeth the crimes laid to his charge That in the eleventh yeer of the Queens Raign he had trayterously consulted to make her away and to bring in forraign Forces for invading the Kingdom Also That he dealt with the Queen of Scots concerning Marriage contrary to his promise made to the Queen under his hand writing Also That he relieved with money the Earls of Northumberland and Westmerland that had stirred up Rebellion against the Queen Also That in the thirteenth yeer of the Queens Raign he implored Auxiliary Forces of Pope Pius the fifth the Queens professed enemy of the King of Spain and the Duke D'Alva for the freeing of the Queen of Scots and restoring of the Popish Religion And lastly That he sent supply to the Lord Heris and other the Queens enemies in Scotland These Indictments being read the Clerk demanded of the Duke if he were guilty of these crimes or not Here the Duke requested he might be allowed to have Counsell But Catiline chief Justice made answer That it was not lawfull Yet saith the Duke I have heard that Humphrey Stafford in the Raign of K. Henry the seventh in a Cause of Treason had one assigned to plead for him To which Dyer chief Justice of the Common-Pleas made answer That Stafford had Counsell assigned him concerning the Right of Sanctuary from whence he was taken by force● but in the Inditement of Treason he pleaded his own cause After this the Duke yeelding to be tryed by the Peers first Barham Serjeant at Law then Gerard the Queens Atturney and lastly Bromley the Queens Solicitor enforced the crimes objected against him to
Grand-father had lyen asleep for fifty yeers together At this time many particular Rebellions were in Ireland The O C●nors and O Moors took Arms and committed many outrages In Munster Iames Fitzmorris and Fitz Edmund did the like but by the industry of Sir Iohn Perrot President of Munster were suppressed In Ulster Bryan Mac Phelym burnt Knockfergus and many other joyned in Rebellion with him Against these Walter Devereux whom the Queen had lately created Earl of Essex desired leave to go which Sir William Fitz-Williams Deputy of Ireland opposed as fearing that the glory of so great an Earl vvould ecclipse his light But for this the Queen findes a remedy by appointing Essex to take a Parent of the Deputy whereby to be made Governour of Ulster But this remedy for Fitz-Williams might have made a sore in the minde o● E●sex to receive his Authority from his inferiour but that the noblenesse of his minde made him more to regard the vertue then the glory And so in the end of August hee landed at Knockfergus having with him the Lords Darcy and Rich and Sir Henry Knowles and his four Brothers Michael and Iohn Carves Henry William and Iohn Norreses At his landing Bryan Mac Pheli● welcomed him tendring unto him all manner of dutifulnesse and service but presently a●ter falls from him and joyns with Turlogh Leynigh After this revolt the Ea●l of Essex finding many difficulties in the businesse and himself not well provided of skilfull Souldiers makes suit to the Queen for leave to come home which the Earl of Leicester who liked his room better then his company opposed till after expence of a yeer● time and much treasure hee at last obtained leave and returned home The next yeer being 1574. and the seventeenth yeer of Queen Elisabeths Raign the Duke of Alenson grew more importunate in his suit then at any time before so as hee obtained of the Queen to come into England any time before the twentieth of May and this she the rather did because shee perceived him now to bee really bent against the Guyses her sworn Enemies But before this Answer was brought him Valentine Dale Doctor of the Civil Law the Queens Embass●dour in France gave intimation to the Q●een That Alenson and Navarre were in restraint and committed to Keepers For the Guyses had suggested that Alenson held intimate friendship with Admirall Colin the chief Leader of the Protestants in France and indeed Alenson being examined freely confessed that hee had now for a good while desired the marriage of the Queen of England● and conceiving that good correspondence with Colin might be usefull to him to that end hee had thereupon had conference with him thereabout and concerning the Low-Country Warre In the mean time Thomas W●lks Dales Secretary got cunningly to Alenson and in the Queens name made promise both to him and to Navarre that she would omit no opportunity of procuring their inlargement For which the subtle Queen-Mother so complained of him to Queen Elisabeth that hee was fain to go into France and there to crave pardon for his fault But Navarre not unmindfull of this kindnesse in Wilks when about five and twenty yeers after being King of France hee saw him in Normandy hee Knighted him Hereupon the Queen sent Thomas Randoll into France to the Queen-Mother that if it were possible hee might gain Reconciliation for Alenson her sonne and for the King of Navarre But before hee was landed in France Charles the then French King dyed whose Funerall Rites were solemnly performed in Saint Pauls Church in London Assoon as Henry the third King of France was come from Poland Roger Lord North was sent into France to congratulate his return and his happy Inauguration into the Kingdom who thereupon together with the Queen-Mother did forthwith send their joynt Letters into England strongly soliciting the businesse of marriage between Alenson and the Queen In the mean time notwithstanding they used all possible devices and left no means unsought to get the yong King of Scotland to bee sent into France and to deprive Morton who was the Regent of his Authority whereof the Queen of Scots also was very desirous shee being perswaded that if her sonne were once gotten safely into France shee and the Catholicks in England should bee more mildly used At which time an aspersion was cast upon the Queen of Scots as if she had made the match between Charles Unckle to the Queen of Scots who had lately the Earldom of Lenox confirmed to him by Parliament and Elizabeth Cavendish the Countesse of Shrewsburie's daughter by a former husband upon which ground both their mothers and some others also were kept in Prison for a time and being doubted whereunto this marriage should tend Henry Earle of Huntington President of the Councell in the North is authorized with secret Instructions to examine it It will be fit here to say something of this place of Government in the North which from small beginnings is now become so eminent as it is at this day whereof this was the Originall When as in the Raigne of Henry the Eight after that the Rebellion in the Northerne parts about the subversion of Abbyes was quieted the Duke of Norfolke tarryed in those quarters and many complaints of injuries done were tendered unto him whereof some he composed himself and others hee commended under his Seale to men of wisdome to determine Hereof when King Henry heard he sent down a peculiar Seal to be used in these cases and calling home the Duke committed the same to Tunstall Bishop of Durham and Constituted Assistants with Authority to heare and determine the complaints of the poor and he was the first that was called President and from that time the authority of his successours grew in credit It was now the yeer One thousand five hundred seventy five and the Eighteenth yeer of Queen Elisabeths Raign vvhen Henry the third King of France being returned from Poland and Crowned at Rheims was carefull to have the League of Blois confirmed which in the Yeer 1572. had been concluded betweene his Brother Charles and that most Illustrious Queen ELIZABETH Now therefore hee confirmed it with His owne Subscription and delivered it to Dale the Queen 's Legier as the Queen like wise ratified it at Saint-James neere Westminster But a little after he demanded by Letters whether the mutuall defence against all persons mentioned in the League was intended to comprehend the case of Religion also Whereunto she answering that it did comprehend it hee thereupon hearing this from the Queen began presently to prepare Warre against the Protestants and Alenson being drawne to the Adverse party there was no speech of the marriage for a long time In the Netherlands at this time Lodovicke Zuinga who was successor unto Duke D'Alva was wholly bent to recover the Command of the Seas which D'Alva had neglected but not being sufficiently provided of a Navy he sent Boischott into England that with
was Iohn of Austria come into the Low-countries with a large Commission for he was the Naturall sonne of the Emperour Charles the fifth to whom the Queen sent Edward Horsey Governour of the Isle of Wight to Congratulate his coming thither and to offer help if the States called the French into the Netherlands yet at the same time Swevingham being exceeding importunate on the States behalfe she sent them twenty thousand pounds of English mony so well she could play her game of both hands upon condition they should neither change their Prince nor there Religion nor take the French into the Low-countries nor refuse a Peace if Iohn of Austria should condiscend to indifferent Conditions but if he embraced a Peace then the money should be paid back to the Spanish souldiers who were ready to mutiny for lack of pay So carefull she was to retaine these declining Provinces in obedience to the King of Spaine At this time a Voyage was undertaken to trie if there could be found any sea upon the North part of America leading to the wealthy coast of Cathaia whereby in one Comerce might be joyned the riches of both the East and West parts of the worlde in which voyage was imployed Martyn Frobysher who set saile from Harwich the eighteenth of Iune and the ninth of August entred into that Bay or sea but could passe no further for Snow and Ice The like expedition was taken in hand two yeers after with no better successe About this time died the Emperour Maximilian a Prince that Deserved well of Queen Elizabeth and the English who thereupon sent Sir Philip Sidney to his sonne Ridolphus King of the Romanes to condole his Fathers death and congratulate his succession as likewise to doe the like for the decease of the Count Electour Palatine named Frederick the third with her surviving sonne And now Walter Deveruex Earl of Essex who out of Leicesters envie had bin recalled out of Ireland was out of Leicesters feare as being threatned by him sent back again into Ireland but with the empty title of Earl Marshall of Ireland with the grief whereof he fell into a bloody Flux and in most grievous torments ended his life When he had first desired the standers by to admonish his sonne scarce tenne yeers old at that time to have alwayes before his eyes the six and thirtieth yeer of his age as the utmost terme of his life which neither himself nor his father before him could out-go and the sonne indeed attained not to it as shall hereafter he declared He was suspected to be poisoned but Sir Henry Sidney Deputie of Ireland after diligent search made wrote to the Lords of the Counsell That the Earl often said It was familiar to him upon any great discontentment to fall into a Flux and for his part he had no suspition of his being poisoned yet was this suspition encreased for that presently after his death the Earl of Leicester with a great sum of money and large promises putting away Dowglasse Sheffield by whom he had a son openly marryed Essex his widdow For although it was given out That he was privately marryed to her ye● Sir Francis Knolles his father who was well acquainted with Leicester's roving loves would not believe it unlesse he himself were present at the Marriage and had it testified by a publike Notary At this time also died Sir Anthony Cook of Gyddy-Hall in Essex who had been School-master to King Edward the sixth and was no lesse School-master to his own daughters whom he made skilfull in the Greek and Latine Tongues marryed all to men of great Honour one to Sir William Cecill Lord Treasurer of England a second to Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seal a third to Sir Thomas Hobby who died Ambassador in France a fourth to Sir Ralph Lowlet and the fifth to Sir Henry Killigrew At this time the sons of the Earl of Cla●ricard who scarce two months before had obtained pardon for their Rebellion fell into Rebellion again but were by the Deputy soon supprest and William Drury newly made President of Munster reduced the whole Provice to good Order except only the County of Kerry whither a number of Vagabonds were gotten trusting to the Immunities of the place For King Edward the third made Kerry a County Palatine and granted to the Earls of Desmond all the Royall Liberties which the King of England had in that County excepting Wreckby Fyre Forestall and Treasure Trou●e The Governour notwithstanding who wisely judged that these Liberties were granted for the better preservation of Justice and not for maintenance of outragious malefactors entred into it and violently put to flight and vanquished the mischievous crew which the Earl of Desmond had placed there in ambush The Earl in the mean while made great complaints of Drury to the Deputy and particularly of the Tax which they call Ceasse which is an exaction of provision of Victualls at a certain rate for the Deputies Family and the Souldiers in Garrison This Tax not he onely but in Leinster also many Lords refused to pay alleadging that it was not to be exacted but by Parliament but the matter being examined in England it appeared by the Records of the Kingdome That this Tax was anciently imposed and that as a certain Right of Majestie a Prerogative Royall which is not subjected to Laws yet not contrary to them neither as the wise Civilians have observed Yet the Queen commanded to use a moderation in exactions of this nature saying She would have her subjects shorn but not devoured It was now the yeer 1577 and the twentieth of Queen Elizabeths Raign when Iohn of Austria pretending to Queen Elizabeth nothing but Peace yet is found to deal secretly with the Pope to peprive her of her Kingdome and himself to marry the Queen of Scots and invade England of which his practices the Prince of Orange gives Queen Elizabeth the first intelligence Whereupon finding his deep dissembling she enters into a League with the States for mutuall defence both at Sea and Land upon certain Conditions but having concluded it because she would not have it wrongfully interpreted as though she meant to foster a Rebellion in the Netherlands she sent Thomas Wilkes to the King of Spain with these Informations That she had alwayes endeavoured ●o keep the Low-Countryes in obedience to the King of Spain had perswaded even with threatnings the Prince of Orange to accept of Peace but withall if the King of Spain would have his Subjects obedient to him she then requests him to restore their Priviledges and to remove I●hn of Austria from the Government who not onely was her deadly enemy but laboured by all means to bring the Netherlands into utter servitude If this be granted by the King of SPAIN she then faithfully promiseth That if the States perform not their Allegiance to him as by their Promise to her they are engaged to doe she will utterly forsake them and bend
his countenance for he was of an extraord●●ary beauty with the husks of green Wall-nuts and when they were hal● starved went to the houses of the Bellamies neer Harrow on the hill who were great Papists There they were hid in Barns and put into a Coun●●ey habit but notwithstanding all their shifting within ten dayes after they were discovered and brought to London The other Complices were soon after taken most of them in the Suburbs of the Citie Salisbury and Trav●●se in Cheshire and Iones in Wales who harboured them in his house after he knew they were Proclaimed Traitors Windsor only was never heard of Many dayes were spent in the examination of them who cut one the others throats with their own confessions All this while the Queen of Soits and her servants are so narrowly looked to by Pawlet that she knew nothing of all these passages Assoon as they were apprehended Thomas Gorge was sent to acquaint her with the whole matter which yet he did not do till she was got on horse-back to Ride a hunting and was not then suffered to return bu● in shew of curtesie was carried up and down to see the Houses of the Gentry thereabouts In which mean while Iohn Manners Edward Acton Richard Bagot and Sir William Waad took Nave and Curle the Queen of Sc●●s Secretaries and the rest of her servants and delivered them to Keepers apart that they might have no speech between themselves nor with their Lady the Queen of Scots Then they break open all doors and such Desks and Boxes as they found with any papers in them they set their seals upon and sent them to the Court In which being broken open before the Queen were found a number of Letters from Forreign parts the copies likewise of Letters sent to severall persons and threescore Alphabets at least of private Characters as also Letters to her from some of the English Nobility containing great proffers of love and service which the Queen notwithstanding took no notice of but passed over in silence according to her Motto Video Taceo I see and say nothing Gifford now who had all this while served their turn is sent into France but ere he went hence left an Indenture with the French Ambassador here in England with instructions that he should deliver no Letters to the Queen of Scots or the Fugitives in France but to him that exhibited an Indenture matching with that the which he sent underhand to Sir Francis Walsingham The twentieth o● September seven of the forenamed Conspirators were Arraigned and pleading guilty were condemned of High-treason Two dayes after seven other were called to the Bar who pleaded not guilty but notwithstanding were found guilty by their own confessions and condemned Pollie only though he were privie to all passages yet because he had disclosed many things to Walsingham was not called in question The twentieth day of the moneth the first seven in St. Giles Fields where they were wont to meet were hanged cut down instantly their privy members cut off and themselves yet living and beholding it were in cruell manner bowelled and quartered namely Ballard Babington Savage who the roap breaking fell dowd from the Gibbet and was presently taken by the hangman his privie members cut off and bowelled while he was perfectly living Barnwell Tichburne Tilney And Abbington The next day the other seven were drawn to the same place and executed in the same fashion but in a more gentle manner by the Q●eens speciall charge who detested the former cruelty for they were to hand till they were quite dead Salisbery first then Dun then Iones Cherno●k Traverse Gage and with them Hierome Bellam● who had concealed Babington after he was Proclaimed Traytor whose brother being guilty of the same fact had strangled himselfe in Prison When these men were executed Nave a Frenchman and Curle a Scots-man Secretaries to the Queen of Scots were examined concerning the Letters the copies of Letters and priviate Characters found in the Queen of Scots Closet who under their own voluntary subscriptions acknowledged that they were their own hand writings dictated in French by the Queen her self taken by Nave turned into English by Curle and copied out in secret Characters Hereupon Sir Edward Wootton was sent out of hand into France to make known to the King the order of the Treason and to shew him the copies of the Queen of Scots Letters confirmed by the testimony of sundry of the English Nobility that the French King might see what dangerous plots were by Charls Paget and the English Fugitives contrived against the Queen of England And now what should be done with the Queen of Scots was a great consultation wherein the Councellours were not all of one minde some conceived That it were not good to take any rigorous course against her but only to hold her in fast custody both for that she was not Authour of the Treason but only conscious to it and because she was crazie and not likely to live long Others out of a care of Religion were of opinion To have her forthwith Arraigned and put to death according to the Law Leicester thought it better to have her poisoned and sent a Divine to Walsingham to prove it lawfull but Walsingham protested against that course A difference then arose amongst them by what Law to proceed against her Whether by the Law of the 25. of Edward the Third In which they are Pronounced guilty of Treason who plot the destruction of the King or Queen raise War in his Dominions or adhere to his Adversaries Or else by the 27. of the Queen Enacted a year since Their opinion at last prevailed who thought best to proceed against her by this latter Law as being indeed in this case provided Whereupon divers of the Lords of the Privie Councell and other of the Nobility are Authorized by the Queens Letters to enquire by vertue of that Law and passe sentence against all such as raised Rebellion Invaded the Kingdome or attempted any violence against the Queen These Commissioners therefore upon the 11. day of October repaired to Fotheringay Castle in Northamptonshire where the Queen of Scots was then held prisoner and the next day sent unto her VValter Mildmay Pawlet and Edward Barker publick Notary who delivered her the Queens Letters which having with a setled countenance read She sayd It seems to me strange● that the Queen should lay her Command upon me to hold up my hand at the Bar as though I were a Subject seeing I am an absolute Queen no lesse than her selfe but howsoever I will never do any thing prejudiciall to Princes of my degree nor to my Son the King of Scotland After many meetings she standing still upon her innocency and upon her exemption from answering as being an absolute Prince and specially for yeelding to be tryed by the English Laws of which One she sayd had lately been made of purpose for her destruction It was at last told her
plainly by the Chancellour and Treasurer That if she refused to answer to such crimes as should be objected they would then proceed against her though she were absent Being brought at last with much ado to consent the Commissioners came together in the Presence Chamber a Chaire of Estate was set for the Queen of England in the upper end of the Chamber under a Canopy beneath over against it was placed a Chair for the Queen of Scots on both sides of the Cloth of Estate stools were set upon which on the one side sate the Lord Chancellor the Lord Treasurer the Earls of Oxford Kent Derby Worcester Rutland Cumberland Warwicke Pembrooke Lincolne and Viscount Mountacute● On the other side sate the Lords Aburgavany Zouch Morley St. Iohn of Bletsho Compton and Cheyney Next to these sate the Knights that were Privie Councellors Sir Iames Crofts Sir Christopher Hatton Sir Francis Walsingham Sir Ralph Sadler Sir Walter Mild●● and Sir Amis Pawlet Foreward before the Earls sate the two Chiefe Justices and the Lord chiefe Baron on the other side the two Barons and the other Justices Dale and Foord Doctors of the Civill Law at a Table in the midst Popham the Queens Atturney Generall Egerton her Solicitor ●●●die her Serjeant at Law the Clerk of the Crown and two Notaries When the Queen of Scots was come and had placed her selfe silence being made Bromely Lord Chancellor turning towards her sayd That the Queen had appointed these Commissioners to hear what she could Answer to crimes layd to her charge assuring her that nothing would be cause of more joy to the Queen then to hear that she had proved her selfe innocent Upon this she rising up sayd That although being an absolute Prince she could not be compelled to appear before the De●egates yet to manifest her innocency she was now content to appear Then Gawdie opened every speciality of the Law lately made against which she had taken excception shewing By Babingtons confession by Letters passed between them by the confessions of Ballard and Savage by the confessions of her Secretaries Nave and Curle that she was privy to their Treasons and consented to the Invasion of England and destruction of the Queen To which she answered That Letters might be counterfeited her Secretaries might be corrupted and rest in hope of life might be drawn to confesse that which was not true In this she stood peremptorily That she never consented to any Attempt against the Queens Person though for her own delivery she confessed she did After many other charges by the Commissioners and replies by the Queen of Scots At last she requested that she might be heard in a full Parliament or before the Queen her selfe and her Councell But this request prevailed not for on the 25. day of October following at the Star-Chamber in Westminster the Commissioners met again and there pronounced sentence against her Ratifying by their Seals and subscriptions that after the 1. day of Iune in the seven and twentieth year of our Soveraign Lady Queen Elizabeth divers matters were compassed and imagined in this Kingdom by Anthony Babington and others with the privity of Mary Queen of Scots pretending Title to the Crown of England tending to the hurt death and destruction of the Royall Person of our sayd Soveraigne Lady the Queen After a few dayes a Parliament was holden at Westminster the which was begun by Authority from the Queen derived to the Archbishop of Canterbury the Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Derby and the same not without some Presidents At this Parliament the Proscriptions of the Lord Paget Charls Paget Francis Inglefield Francis Throgmorton Anthony Babington Thomas Salisbury Edward Iones Chyd●ock Tichburne Charles Tilney and the other complices was confirmed and their goods and possessions adjudged confiscate Also the Peers of the Kingdom with an unanimous consent exhibit a Petition to the Queen by the Lord Chancellor that for the preservation of the true Religion and safety of the Queen of themselves and their Posterity the Sentence passed against Mary Queen of Scots might according to Law be presently Promulged They put the Queen in minde of the fearfull examples of Gods Judgements extant in Scripture upon King Saul for sparing of Agag and upon Ahab for not putting Benhadad to death But the Queen answereth them to this effect First acknowledging Gods miraculous preservation of her and then their constant affections towards her for whose sakes onely she desires to live Otherwise when she calls to minde things past beholds the present and expects what may happen in time to come that she accounts them most happy who go soonest hence That the Law lately made by which the Queen of Scots is condemned was not made as some maliciously have imagined to ensnare her but cont●ariwise to forewarn and deterre her from attempting any thing against it which though it had not been made yet were there other ancient Laws enough to condemne her Nothing could have been more grievous to me than that a Prince and one so neer Allied unto me should deserve the Sentence pronounced against her and seeing the matter is of rare example and of a very weighty consequence I hope you will not expect that I should at this present determine any thing Yet that there may be no danger in delay● I will in due time signifie my minde unto you and in the meane time would have you to expect from me whatsoever good Subjects may looke for from a Gracious Prince Twelve dayes after having deeply weighed the matter in her minde she sent the Lord Chancellor to the Peers and Puckering to the Lower House entreating them to advise more diligently concerning so weighty a matter and to bethinke themselves of some wholesome remedy by which the life of the Queen of Scots might be spared and their security also provided for They when they had a long time in most serious manner deliberated hereof Return at last this Verdict That the Queenes life could not be in safety while the Queen of Scots lived unlesse she either repented and acknowledged her crimes or were kept in straight custody or bound by her oath and obligations or gave Hostages or lastly departed the Kingdome And seeing none of these were likely to be remedies It remained that only her death would be a remedy Repentance in her they could little hope for who would not so much as acknowledge her self faulty Close Imprisonment Obligations Oath and Hostages they accounted as nothing which all vanished if the Queens life were once taken away and if she departed the Kingdom they feared she would straightway go about to Invade it again These things the Lord Chancellor and Puckering the Speaker of the Lower-House declared to the Queen at large and urged her in their names to have the Sentence put in execution Hereupon the Queen after a short pawse spake at last to this effect I protest my chief desire hath been that for your security and my own safety some other
way might be devised than that which is now propounded but seeing it is now evident and certain that my safety without her destruction is in a more deplorate estate I am most grievously affected with inward sorrow That I who have pardoned so many Rebells have neglected so many Treasons either by connivance or silence should now at last exercise cruelty upon a Prince so neerly Allied to me As for your Petition I beseech you to rest in an Answer without an Answer If I say I will not grant your Petition I shall happily say what I mean not I● I should say I will grant it then cast I my selfe into destruction headlong whose safety you so earnestly desire And that I know you in your wisedoms would not I should doe After this the Parliament was Prorogued and then were the Lords Buckhurst and Beale sent to the Queen of Scots to let her understand that Sentence was pronounced against her and confirmed by Parliament and that the execution of it was earnestly desired by the Nobility and the Commons and therefore perswaded her that before her death she would make acknowledgement of her offences against God and the Queen Intimating That if she lived the Religion received in England could not subsist Hereupon she was taken with an unwonted alacrity and seemed to triumph for joy giving God thanks and gratulating her own felicity That she should be accounted an Instrument for establishing Religion in this Island and therewith requested She might have some Catholike Priest to administer the Sacrament to her but was denied which some deemed not inhumane onely but tyranicall and heathenish The Bishop and the Dean whom for this cause they commended to her she utterly rejected and jeered at the English Nation saying The English were ever ●nd anon wont to murther their own Kings and therefore no mar 〈◊〉 they should now thirst after her destruction In Dcember following the Sentence against her was Proclaimed in London first and after over all the Kingdom wherein Queen Elizabeth seriously protested that this Promulgation of the Sentence was extorted from her to her great grief by the importunity of the whole Body of the Kingdome The Queen of Scots being told hereof seemed not a whit dejected with it but writing to the Queen never maketh intercession for her self nor expostulateth her death but onely makes three small requests one That she might be buried in France by her Mother another That shee might not be put to death privately but her servants to be present the third That her servants might freely depart and enjoy such Legacies as she had given them Of which Requests she desireth the Queen to vouchsafe her an answer but whether this Letter ever came to Queen Elizabeth is uncertain This condemnation of the Queene of Scots as a thing strange and scarce credible was soone spread farre and neare so as intercessions came thicke in her behalfe to Queene ELIZABETH but specially from the King of Scots and the King of FRANCE who sent their severall Ambassadors using all the reasons that naturall affection in the one and likenesse of condition in the other could urge for sparing of her life but when the necessity of the State seemed to obstruct all wayes of clemency the French Ambassador L' Aubespine falls from reasons to action and thinketh no way so effectuall for saving the Queen of Scots life as to take away Queen ELIZABETHS life and thereupon First he dealeth covertly with William Stafford a young Gentleman and prone to embrace hopes whose Mother was of the Bed-chamber to Queen ELIZABETH and his brother at that time Ambassador Lieger in France and afterward more openly by Trappe his Secretary to murther the Queen Stafford though not daring to act such a villany himselfe yet commended one Moody to him a resolute fellow and one that for money would be sure to do it Upon this Stafford brings Trappe to Moody being then in the common Gaole who upon Trappes offers undertakes it But then the consultation was by what way it should be done Moody propounded poison or else to lay a bagge of Gunpowder under the Queens Bed and suddenly fire it But Trappe liked of neither of these wayes but would rather have it done as was done to the Prince of Orange But while they are thus consulting about the way of doing it Stafford discovers all to the Lords of the Councell Whereupon Trappe who was now bound for France was apprehended and being examined confessed the whole matter Upon this the Ambassador himself was sent for to Cecills house the twelveth of Ianuary where met him by the Queens appointment Cecill Lord Treasurer the Earl of Leicester Sir Christopher Hatton Vice-Chamberlain and Davyson one of her Secretaries who declare to the Ambassador every particular which Stafford Moody and Trappe his Secretary had confessed Assoone as Stafford was brought forth and began to speake the AMBASSADOR interrupted him and revyling him made asseveration that St●fford first propounded it when Stafford falling on his knees made fearful imprecations that the AMBASSADOR first propounded it himself But whosoever propounded it sayth BVRLEIGH It appeares that you were made acquainted with the matter To which hee presently Replyed That if hee had knowne of any such thing yet being he was an AMBASSADOVR he o●ght not to give notice of it but to his own King After much reasoning in this manner The Lord Burleigh admonished him to beware how he offended hereafter in this kinde and let him know That he is not quitted from the offence though for this time the Queen be pleased to forbear him But upon this Treason the Queen of Scots Adversaries put many terrors into Queen Elizabeths minde giving out That the Spanish Navy was come to Milford Haven That the Scots were broken into England That the Duke of Guyse with a great Army was landed in Sussex That the Queen of Scots was escaped out of Prison and had gotten a Company up in Arms and many other such feigned suggestions Through which at length they drew the Queen to this That she sealed Letters for executing the Sentence against the Queen of Scots and one of her greatest perswaders to it as the Scots reported was one whom the King of Scots had sent to disswade her from it namely Patricke Grey who sounded often in her ears Mortua non mordet when she is dead she cannot bite The Queen notwithstanding began to weigh with her self whether it were better to rid her out of the way or else to spare her and many great reasons offered themselves on both sides but where only speculative reasons presented themselves for sparing her many practicall reasons and those pressed both by Courtiers and Preachers were presented to her so as long holden in suspence she would oftentimes sit speechlesse and her countenance cast down At last her fear prevayling she delivered to Secretary Davyson Letters under her hand and Seal to get the Commission made under the Great Seal of England
for the Execution of the Queen of Scots which might be in a readinesse upon any fear of danger charging him not to disclose the matter to any whomsoever But the next day her minde was altered and sent Sir William Killegrew to Davyson to countermand the making of the Commission Whereupon Davyson goes to her and lets her know That the Commission was already made and the Seal put to it Whereat the Queen extreamly angry rebuketh him sharply for his hastinesse yet Davyson imparteth the matter to Privy Councellors and perswades them That the Queen Commanded the Commission should be put in execution Hereupon Beale Clerk of the Councell is sent down with Letters wherein authority is deputed to the Earls of Shrewsbury Kent Derby Cumberland and others that she should be put to death according to the Law with which proceeding the Queen was not once made acquainted and more than this Although she had intimated to Davyson That she would take some other order concerning the Queen of Scots yet did not he stay Beale from going And now comes in the last Act of the Queen of Scots Tragedy● for assoon as the Earls were come to Fotheringay They together with Sir Amis Pawlet and Sir Drue Drurie with whom she was then in custody go unto her and reading the Commission signifie the cause of their comming and in a few words admonish her to prepare her selfe for death for that she must dye the next day Whereto without any change of countenance or passion of minde she made Answer I had not thought that my Sister the Queen would have consented to my death who am not subject to your Laws but since it is her pleasure death shall then be to me most welcome Then she requesteth that she might conferre with her Confessor and Melvyn her Steward which would not be granted The Bishop or Deane of Peterborough they offered her but them she refused The Earles being departed she gave order that Supper should bee hastened where shee eat as she used to doe soberly and sparingly and perceiving her men and women servants to lament and weepe she comforteth them and bid them rejoyce rather that she was now to depart out of a world of misery After supper she looketh over her Will read the Inventory of her Goods and Jewells and writ their names severally by them to whom she gave any of them at her wonted hour she went to bed and after a few hours sleep awaking spent the rest of the night in her devotion And now the fatall day being come wich was the 8 of February she getteth up and makes her ready in her best Apparell and then betook her self in her Closet to Almighty God imploring his assistance with deep sighes and groans untill Thomas Andrews Sheriffe of the County gave notice that it was time to come forth and then with a Princely Majesty and chearfull conntenance she came out her head covered with a linnen Vayl and carrying an Ivory Crucifix in her hand In the Gallery the Earls met her and the other Gentlemen where Melvyn her servant upon his bended knees deplored his own fortune that he should be the messenger to carry this sad newes into Scotland whom she comforted saying Do not lament Melvyn Thou shalt by and by see Mary Steward freed from all cares Then turning her self to the Earls She requested that her servants might stand by her at her death which the Earl of Kent was very loath to grant for fear of superstition To whom she sayd Fear nothing these poor wretches desire only to give me my last farewell I know the Queen my Sister would not deny me so small a request After this the two Earls and the Sheriff of the County leading the way she came to the Scaffold which was set up at the upper end of the Hall where was a Chayre a Cushion and a Block all covered with Mourning Then the Dean of Peterborough going to Prayers she falling upon her knees and holding up the Crucifix in both her hands prayed with her Servants in Latine out of the Office of the blessed Virgin Prayers being ended she kissed the Crucifix and signing her self with the Sign of the Crosse said As thy arms O Christ were spread forth upon the Crosse so embrace me with the open arms of thy mercy and forgive me my sins Then the Executioner asking her pardon she forgave him And now her women helping off her outer Garments and breaking forth into shrikes and cryes she kissed them signed them with the Crosse and willed them to leave lamenting for now an end of her sorrows was at hand and then shadowing her face with a Linnen Cloth and lying down on the Block she repeated the Psalm In te Domine speravi ne confundar in aeternum at which words she stretching forth her Body her head at two blows was taken off Her Body was afterward Royally buried in the Cathedrall Church at Peterborough but since that her Noble Son Iames King of Great Britain erected a Royall Monument for her in King Henry the seventh's Chappell at Westminster This end had Mary Queen of Scots in the six and fortieth yeer of her age and of her Imprisonment in England the eighteenth a Lady so compleat in all excellent parts of body and minde that must needs have made her a happy woman if she had not been a Queen and perhaps a happy Queen too if she had not been Heir to the Crown of England For why did all her endeavours want successe but onely from the fear of that Succession and no Innocency of heas could be a Defence where the fury of Jealousie made the Assault Assoon as it came to the Queens knowledge that the Queen of Scots was put to death her countenance grew dejected and her speech fayled her insomuch that all in mourning weeds she gave her self over to sorrow Commanded her Councellors from her Presence and caused Davyson to be cited to the Starchamber And assoon as grief would suffer her She wrote a Letter with her own hand to the King of Scots and sent it by Sir Robert Cary to this effect That her minde was infinitely disquieted in regard of this lamentable event against her meaning and intent entreating him to believe That if she had commanded it she would never have denyed it and withall Protesting her true affection towards him and her assiduous watchfulnesse for the prospering of his affairs While Carye was on his journey Davyson is cited to the Star-Chamber before these Delegates Sir Christopher Wray Chiefe Justice of the Kings-Bench for that time made Lord Privy Seal the Archbishop of Canterbury and York the Earls of Worcester Cumberland and Lincolne the Lords Grey and Lumley Sir Iames Croft Comptroller of the Queens House Sir Walter Mildmay Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Edmond Anderson Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and Sir Roger Manwood Lord Chief Baron where note That Bromely Lord Chancellor Burleigh Lord Treasurer Leicester and Hatton who were
States sent for out of England to succour it the Town was furiously a●saulted with seventeen thousand great shot and a mighty breach was made into it which neverthelesse Roger Williams Franis Vere Nicholas Baskervile with the Garrison of the English and Wallons were valiantly defended for a while but at last were enforced to yeild it up● Leicester that came to relieve it finding himself too weak for the Besiegers being gone away And indeed the States would not commit any great Army to his Command who they knew had a determination to se●ze L●yden and some other Towns into his own hands and had a purpose to surprize the absolute Government Whereupon the States used means that Leicester was called home gave up the Government to the States and in his roome succeeded Maurice of Nassaw Son to the Prince of Orange b●ing now but twenty years of age Peregrine Lord Willonghby was by the Queen made Gene●all of the English Forces in the Low-Countries to whom she gave command to reduce the English Factions into the States obedience the which with the help of Prince Maurice he easily effected Leicester being now come home and perceiving that an accusation was preparing against him by Buckhurst and others for his unfaithfull managing of affairs in Holland privately with tears he cast himself down at the Queens feet entreating her that she would not receive him with disgrace at his return whom she had sent forth with honor and so far prevailed with her that the next day being called to examination before the Lords he took his place amongst them not kneeling down at the end of the Table as the manner of Delinquents is and when the Secretary began to read the heads of his Accusation he interrupted him saying That the publick instructions which he had received were limited with private restriction and making his appeal to the Queen eluded the whole crimination with the secret indignation of his Adversaries This year was famous for the death of many great Personages In the moneth of February dyed Henry Nevill Lord of Aburgaveny great Grand-childe to Edward Nevill who in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth got this Title in the right of his Wife only Daughter and Heir to Richard Beauchamp Earl of Worcester and Lord of Aburgaveny In which right when as the only Daughter of this Henry Wife to Sir Thomas Fane challenged the Title of Baronesse of Aburgaveny a memorable contention arose concerning the Title between her and the next Heir Male to whom by Will and the same confirmed by Authority of Parliament the Castle of Aburgaveny was bequeathed This question being a long time debated at last in a Parliament holden in the second year of King Iames the matter was tryed by voyces and the Heir Male carried the Lordship of Aburgaveny and the Barony Le Dispencer was ratified to the Female This year also in the moneth of Aprill dyed Anne Stanhope Dutchesse of Somerset ninety years old who being the Wife of Edward Seymer Duke of Somerset and Protector of England contended for precedency with Katherine Parre Queen Dowager to King Henry the Eight There dyed also Sir Ralph Sadler Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster the last Baneret of England with which dignity he was adorned at the Battell of Musselborough in Scotland After him dyed Thomas Bromley Lord Chancellor of England and six dayes after He whom the Queen meant should have succeeded him Edward Earl of Rutland but he now fayling Sir Christopher Hatton was made Lord Chancellor who though he were a Courtier yet the Queen knowing him to be an honest man thought him not unfit for that place where conscience hath or should have more place than Law although some were of opinion That it was not so much the Queens own choice as that she was perswaded to it by some that wisht him not well both thereby to be a cause of absenting him from the Court and thinking that such a sedentary place to a corpulent man that had been used to exercise would be a means to shorten his life and indeed he lived not full out three years after This yeer Sir Iohn Perot was called home out of Ireland and left all in 〈◊〉 quiet to Fits Williams his Successor For hitherto the English 〈◊〉 it no hard matter to vanquish the Irish by reason of their unskil●ulnesse in Arms eight hundred Foot and three hundred Horse was ●●ld an invincible Army but after that by Perots command they were ●●●●cised in Feats of Arms and taught to discharge Muskets at a Mark 〈◊〉 had in the Low-Countries learned the Art of Fortification they held the English better to it and were not so easily overcome And now we are come to the one and twentieth yeer of Queen Eliza●●●●s Raign being the yeer 1588 long before spoken of by Astrologers 〈◊〉 be a wonderfull yeer and even the Climactericall yeer of the World And yet the greatest Wonder that happened this yeer was but the wonderfull Fleet that Spain provided for invading of ENGLAND if the defeat of that wonderfull Fleet were not a greater Wonder It is true there was at this time a Treaty of Peace between England and Spai● and the Earl of Derby the Lord Cobham Sir Iames Crofts Dale and Rogers Doctors of Law Commissioners for the Queen for the Prince of Parma the Count Aurenberg Champignie Richardot Ma●s and Garvyer Doctors had many meetings about it neer to Ostend but it seemed on the p●rt of Spain rather to make the English secure that they should not make provision for War than that they had any purpose of reall proceeding seeing they accepted not of any reasonable Conditions that were offered but trifled out the time till the Spanish Navy was come upon the Coast and the Ordnance heard from Sea and then dismissed the English Delegates The Spanish Navy consisted of one hundred and thirty Ships whereof Galeasses and Galleons seventy two goodly Ships like to floating Towers in which were Souldiers 19290 Marriners 8350 Gally-slaves 2080 Great Ordnance 2630 For the greater holinesse of their Action twelve of their Ships were ca●led The twelve Apostles Chief Commander of the Fleet was Don Alphonso Duke of Medina and next to him Iohn Martin Recalde a great Sea-man The twentieth of May they weighed Anchor from the River Tagus but were by Tempest so miserably disperst that it was long ere they m●t again but then they sent before to the Prince of Parma That he with his Forces consisting of fifty thousand old Souldiers should be ready to joyn with them and with his Shipping conduct them into England and to land his Army at the Thames Mouth The Queens Preparation in the mean time was this The Lord Charles Howard Lord Admirall with all her Navy and Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admirall to be ready at Plimouth and the Lord Henry Seymor second son to the Duke of Somerset with forty English and Dutch Ships to keep the Coasts of the Netherlands to hinder the Prince of Parma's
were granted he would then perform all duties of a loyall subject In consulting about which Petitions another Truce was concluded till the first of April during which Truce Tir Oen dealt secretly with the King of Spain for Ayd to be sent him making neverthelesse a fair shew of willingnesse to obedience so far that by the procurement of Norris and Fenton a pardon was granted him the which he pretended to receive more joyfully than the Instrument whicd conferred the Earldome upon him yet all this was but dissimulation to win the time for his own ends In the midst of these Irish Affairs Albertus Arch-Duke of Austria and Cardinall whom the King of Spain had newly set over the Netherlands mustered together the Spanish Forces upon pretence of raising the Siege of La Fere in Picardie but upon a sudden turneth aside and besiegeth Calice and taking Newnham Fort the very first day became Master of the Haven The Queen informed hereof forthwith upon the very Sunday in time of Divine Service commandeth to leuy souldiers whom she committeth to the Earl of Essex but before they could be shipped certain News came That the Town and Fort were taken by the Spaniard Whereupon the Queens Army was dismissed and onely some money lent to the French King But a few dayes after a far greater and more select Army is raised in England wherein many of Noble Houses served as Voluntaries For the Queen to divert the King of Spain from invading her Borders thought it the best way to invade his Whereupon a Navy of a hundred and fifty Ships was made ready where were souldiers under pay 6360 Voluntaries of the Nobility and Gentry 1000 Marriners 6772 besides the Dutch-men who brought two and twenty ships Robert Earl of Essex and Charls Howard Lord Admirall of England were made Generalls with equall Authority but the Admirall to hold Prerogative at Sea Essex at Land To these for a Councell of War were joyned the Lord Thomas Howard Walter Raleigh Francis Vere George Carew and Conyers Clifford The whole Fleet was divided into four Squadrons the Admirall commanded the first Essex the second the Lord Thomas Howard the third and Raleigh the fourth The Officers of the Army were Francis Vere Serjeant Major Generall or Marshall Iohn Winkfield Quarter-Master Generall George Carew Master of the Ordnance Conyers Clifford Serjeant Major Colonells were Robe●t Earl of Sussex sir Christopher Blunt sir Thomas Gerrard sir Richard Winkefield William Winkefild was Commander of the Vo●untaries and Anthony Ashley Secretary to the Councell of War was to Register their Acts and Consultations The Commission being drawn the Queen gave them private Instructions and withall a Prayer of her own making to be d●ily used in every Ship This F●eet set forth from Plimouth at the beginning of Iune Nigh un●o Cabo S. Vincent they lighted upon an Irish Barque which told them That at Cales they were secure and that in the Haven there were at Anchor Gallies ships of War● and a great many Merchants Vessells The twentieth of Iune they cast Anchor on the West side of the Island within two dayes they were agreed to set upon the Spanish ships whereat the Earl of Essex cast up his Cap for joy This businesse was alot●ed to the lesser ships because the Road was too shallow for the great The Gallyes quickly fled and creeping along the shore shifted away but the Spanish ships that lay at Anchor at Puntall turned their broad sides so as the English Fight with them lasted from break of day till noon at which time the Spaniards having their Gallons miserably tor● and many of their men slain resolved to fire the the ships or run them ashore The Spanish Admirall being fifteen hundred Tun of Burthen was fired by a Moor and two other ships which lay next her took the fire and were lost likewise When this Sea-Fight was ended Essex landed eight hundred souldiers at Puntall a league from the Town of Cales when half a mile from the Town the Spanish Horse and Foot shewed themselves and presently gave back again but straightway cometh forth a greater number Then Essex commanded his Forces to make a fair Retreat and having enticed forth their enemies they turned upon them with such violence that they forced them back into the Town Then the Earl got up to a Bulwark newly raised neer the Gate where he spyed a passage into the Town● but so high from ground that they must leap a Spears length to get down Yet Evans the Earl of Sussex his Lievtenant Arthur Savage and other leaped down and the mean while Sir Francis Vere broke the Gate and rushed in and the rest with him In the Market place Iohn Winkfield was shot in the head and with stones from the tops of the houses divers were wounded amongst whom Samuel Bagnall received eight wounds and Arthur Savage was bloody all over which two were Knighted in the place The next day the Castle was yeelded upon condition That the Inhabitants might depart with the clothes on their backs the rest to be left for spoyl For five hundred and fourscore thousand Duckets the Castle was to be redeemed and for the payment forty of the chief Citizens to be sent Hostages into England Now Raleigh was commanded to fire the Merchants Ships lying at Port Reall when they promised two Millions of Duckets to redeem them but this the Admirall would not hear of saying He was sent to destroy Ships not to dismisse them upon Composition A world of Munition was found in the City and great store of money privately carried away every one shifting for himself It was thought by the wiser sort That the Spaniard could not be damnified lesse by this Expedition than twenty Millions of Duckets None of note was slain amongst the English but onely Winkfield who also slew a Spanish Captain and now at last threescore Military men were honored with Knight-hood After this having spoyled the whole Island● and demolished the Forts● they returned into England much against the will of Essex who would fain have bin attempting some other enterprise The Queen received them home with much affability giving many thanks to those of principall note but extolling the Earl of Essex and the Admirall above the rest And now bethinking her self of a fit man to be Governour of the Bryll which was given by the States as a Caution Town for money due she made choyce of Sir Francis Vere although Essex commended other to her for the place but another thing he took with great indignation That in his absence she had made Sir Robert Cecill Secretary whereas he had formerly with great instance commended Sir Thomas Bodley to her● And now the King of Spain to recover his honour lost at Cales setteth forth a Navy for England and Ireland with a great number of Irish Fugitives● but being at Sea most of his ships were either run upon Rocks or cast away in storms so as this Expedition came to nothing But the
he had left very able men to sit at the Helme there in his absence yet he knew that as it is the Masters Eye that makes the Horse fat So it is the Prince's presence sometimes that keeps out many distempers in a State that would otherwise creep in● and now when in his staying six Months there he had seen all things well setled both in the Ecclesiasticall State and in the Temporall and made it appeare that he resided not in England out of any neglect of Scotland but to the end he migt be in the place of most conveniency to both Kingdoms on the fifteenth of September he returned to London not more to the griefe of the Scots to leave him than to the joy of the English to receive him so much was King Iames as a just and wise Prince beloved of both the Nations Now comes to be related a matter of speciall observation Sir Walter R●wlegh had lived a condemned man many yeares in the Tower and now his Destiny brought him to his end by liberty which it could not do by imprisonment for out of a longing for liberty he propounded a project to the King upon which as he was a well spoken man and of a great capacity he set such coulours of probability especially guilding it over with the Gold he would fetch from a Mine in Guyana and that without any wrong at all to the King of Spa●ne if he might be allowed to go the Iourney that the King if he gave not credit that he could performe it at least gave way that he should undertake it and thereupon with diverse ships accompanied with many Knights and Gentlemen of quality he set forward on the Voyage but when after long search or shew of search no such place of Treasure or no such treasure could be found whether it were that he thought it a shame to returne home with doing nothing or that his Malus Genius thrust him upon the Designe He fell upon Saint Th●m● a Towne belonging to the King of Spaine sacked it pillaged it and burnt it and here was the first part of his Tragicall Voyage acted in the death of his eldest son the last part was Acted in his own death at his returne For Gundomore the Spanish Lieger did so aggravate this fact of his to the King against him that it seemed nothing would give satisfaction but Rawlegh's head without which he doubted there would follow a breach of the League between the two Nations Rawlegh excused it by saying that he was urged to it by the Spaniards first assaulting of him and besides that he could not come at the Myne without winning this Town but Gundomor was too strong an Adversary for him and the King preferring the publique Peace before the life of one man already condamned gave way to have the Sentence of his former Condemnation executed upon him and thereupon brought to the Kings Bench Ba●●e he was not newly Arraigned or Indicted as being already M●rtuus in Lege but only hath the former Sentence averred against him and so carryed to the Gate-house and from thence the next morning to the Parliament Yard a Scaffold was there erected upon which after fourteen yeares reprivall his head was cut off at which time such abundance of bloud issued from his v●i●es that shewed he had stock of Nature enough left to have conti●ued him many yeares in life ●hough now above threescore yeares old if it had not been taken away by the hand of Violence And this was the end of the great Sir Walter Rawlegh great sometimes in the ●●vour of Queene Elizabeth and next to Drake the great scourge and hate of the Spaniard who had many things to be commended in his life but none more than his constancy at his death which he tooke with so undaunted a resolution that he might perceive he had a certaine expectation of a better life afte● it so farre he was from holding those Atheisticall opinions an aspersion whereof some traducing persons had cast upon him About this time King Iames made a progresse to the Vniversity of Cambridge who delighted with the Disputations and other scholasticall exercises he stayed three whole dayes and could have been content to have stayed as many yeares for next being a King he was made to be a Scholler In the yeare 1619. being the seventeenth yeere of King Iames his Raigne that knot of love which above twenty yeares had beene tyed betweene him and his Queene was by death dissolved for on Tuesday this yeere the second of March Queen Anne dyed at Hampton Court whose Corps was brought to Denmark house and from thence conveighed to Westminster wherein the Royall Chappell with great solemnity it was interred a Princesse very memorable for her vertue and not a little for her Fortune who besides being a Queene was so happy as to be Mother of such admired children as she brought into the World But the dissolving of this knot cast the King into an extreame sicknesse and after some recovery into a Relaps from which notwithstanding it pleased God to deliver him as having yet some great worke to doe This yeare on Munday the third of May one Mr. Williams a Barrister of the Middle Temple was arraigned at the Kings Bench for civilling and for writing Bookes against the King and upon Wednesday following was hanged and quartered at Charing Crosse. But an action of another nature was performed this yeare the seventeenth of Iuly not unworthy the relating which was this that one Bernard Calvert of Andover rode from St. Georges Church in Southwarke to Dover from thence passed by Barge to Calice in France and from thence returned back to Saint Georges Church the same day setting out about three a clock in the morning and returned about eight a clock in the Evening fresh and lusti● In the yeare 1621. a Parliament was holden at Westminster wherein two great examples of Iustice were shewed which for future terrour are not unfit to bee here related One upon Sir Gyles Montpesson a Gentleman otherwayes of good parts but for practising sundry abuses in erecting and setting up new Innes and Alehouses and e●acting great summes of money of people by pretence of Letters Patents granted to him for that purpose was sentenced to bee degraded and disabled to beare any office in the Common-wealth though he avoyded the execution by flying the Land but upon Sir Erancis Michell a Iustice of Peace of Middlesex and one of his chiefe Agents the sentence of Degradation was executed and he made to ride with his face to the horse tayle thorough the City of London The other example was of Sir Francis Bacon Viscount St. Albans Lord Chancelour of England who for bribery was put from his place and committed to the Tower but after some few dayes enlarged in whose place Doctor Williams Deane of Westminster was made Lord Keeper The Count Palatine being now strengthned with the allyance of the King of Great Brittaine was thought a fit
of them backed with a thousand men at Armes yet the Scots resolutely maintained the fight three houres and more but in the end overlaid with number they were put to flight and chased almost to the edge of their Camp In this fight the chiefest force of the Scottish Hors-men was defeated the Lord Hume by a fall from his Horse lost his life his sonne and Heire with two Priests and six Gentlemen were taken prisoners and about fifteene hundred slaine the next day the Protectour and the Earle of Warwick rode towards the place where the Scottish Army lay to view the manner of their incamping As they returned an Herauld and a Trumpeter from the Scots overtook them who having obtained Audience the Trumpeter said that the Lord Huntley his Master to spare effusion of Christian blood would fight upon the whole quarel either with twenty against twenty or with ten against ten or else try it between the Lord Generall and himselfe the Protectour answered that for number of Combatants it was not in his power to conclude any bargaine and as for himselfe that being in publick charge it was not fit he should hazard himselfe against a man of private Conditions which otherwise he would most willingly accept here the Earle of Warwick intreated the Lord Generall that he might accept the Challenge and Trumpeter saith he bring me word that thy Master will performe the Combat with me and thou shalt have an hundred Crownes for thy paines nay rather saith the Lord Generall bring me word that thy Master will abide and give us battaile and thou shalt have a thousand Crownes for thy paines and thereupon when no other agreement could be made a generall battaile was resolved on in the Army of the Scots were five or six and thirty thousand men in the Avant-guard commanded by the Earle of Angus about fifteen thousand in the Battaile over whom was the Lord Governour about te● thousand and in the Arreare as many led by the valiant Gourdon Earle of Hackbutters●hey ●hey had none nor men at Armes bur about two thousand Hors-men Prickers as they terme them the rest were all on foote we'●l furnished with Jack and Scull pikes daggers Bucklers made of boord a●d slicing swords broad and thin every man had a long Kirchiffe folded twic● or thrice about his neck and many of them had cheines of Lattin drawne th●ee or foure times along their hoses and doublet-sleeves they had also to affright the enemies Horses great ●attles covered with parchment or paper and small stones within put upon staves three ells long And now both Armies joyned in battaile where a long fight and much variety of fortune on both sides at length the victory fell to the English in this fight divers of the Nobility of Scotland were slain of the inferior sort about ten or as some say fo●rteen thousand of the English were slain onely one and fifty Horse-men a●d on footmen but many hurt the Lord Gray was dangerously thrust with a pike in the mouth which struck two inches into his neck the Scottish prisoners accounted by the Marshals booke were about fifteene hundred the chiefe whereof were the Earle of Huntley the Lords Yester Hobley and Hamilton the Master of San●-Poole and the Lord of Wimmes the Earle of Huntley being asked whilst he was a prisoner how he stood affected to the marriage made this answer that he liked the mariage wel enough but he liked not this kinde of woing This victory of Muskelborough against the Scots was on the tenth of December the very same day on which thirty yeers before a victory had bin had against them at Flodden field so as it seems this day was fatall to the Scots and confirms the opinion of Astologers that there are dayes to some men fortunate unfortunate to others if they could be known This victory strook such a terror into many of the Scots that the Earl Bothwel and divers chiefe Gentlemen of Tividale and Meers submitted themselves to the King of England and were received by the Prorectour into his protection after this the English army took many towns and Castles and then for want of Provision returned into England having not stayed above five and twenty dayes in Scotland and not lost above threescore men But notwithstanding this great overthrow at Muskelborough the Governour of Scotland would not yet be quiet but assembling the people made unto them a long Oration exhorting them to defend the liberty of their Countrie and not to be daunted with any event of warre In this mean time many distractions and troubles hapned in England partly in matters of Religion and partly about Inclosures ●nd first for inclosures the Lord Protector caused Proclamation to be set forth commanding they who had Inclosed any Lands accustomed to lye open should upon a certain pain before a day assigned lay them open again and then in matter of Religion certain Injunctions were set forth for removing of Images out of Churches and divers Preachers were sent with Instructions to disswade the people from praying to Saints or for the dead from use of Beads Ashes Processions from Masses Durges praying in any unknown tongue and for defect of Preachers Homilies were appointed publickly to be red in Churches many for offering to maintaine these Ceremonies were either punished or forced to recant Edmund Bonner Bishop of London was committed to the Fleet for refusing to receive these Injuctions Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was likewise committed first to the Fleet and after to the Tower for that he had preached It were well these changes in Religion should be stayed untill the King were of yeers to govern by himselfe for the like causes Tunstall Bishop of Durham Heath Bishop of Rochester and Day Bishop of Chichester were in like manner committed to prison and all of them dispossessed of their Bishopricks and that which was worse the Bishopricks themselves were dispossessed of their Revenues in such sort that a very smal pa●t remained to the Bishops that came after And now a Parliament was held in the first yeer of the King and by Prorogation in the second wherein divers Chantries Colledges free Chappels Fraternities and Guildes with all their Lands and goods were given to the King which being sold at a low rate enriched many and ennobled some and thereby made them firme in maintaining the change also it was then ordered that no man should speak against receiving the Eucharist in both kindes and that Bishops should be placed by Collation of the King under his Letters Patents without any election preceding or confirmation insuing and that all Processes Ecclesiasticall should be made in the Kings name as in Writs at the Common-Law and that al Persons exercising Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction should have the Kings Armes in the Seales of their Office and further the Statute of the six Articles and other Statutes concerning punishment of Lollards were repealed and the Kings Supremacy over the Church of England was confirmed
All this while the warres in Scotland continued and were managed by the Lord Gray of Wilton with variable successe and now about this time was sent to him in aide the Earle of Shrewsbury with fifteen thousand men against him in aid of the Scots was sent the Rhinegrave with ten thousand French who entring into consul●ation how to remove the yong Queene out of the reach of the English provided a Fleet and sailing round about Scotland notwithstanding the English Fleet lay in wait to impeach their passage yet conveyed her safely into France being then but six yeers old accompanied in the journey with Iames her base brother Iohn Erskin and William Leviston and in April following was married to Francis the Dolphin of France You heard before the alterations now heare the troubles for when the Injunctions were sent abroad into the Countrey and Commissioners appointed to see them executed one Master Bodye a Commissioner as he was pulling down Images in Cornwall was suddenly by a Priest stabbed into the body with a knife Hereupon the people flocked together in divers parts of the sheere taking Armes and beginning to commit outrages and although the chiefe Offendour was hanged and quartered in Smithfield and many of his complices executed in divers parts of the Realme and withall a Pardon proclaimed to all that would lay downe Armes yet neither could that severity nor this lenity restraine them from their insolencies but in divers Countries as Sussex Hampshire Kent Glostershire Warwickshire Wostershire but specially in Semersetshire and Devonshire great assemblies of people gathered to a head whose chiefe Leaders were Humfrey Arundel and about six others of inferiour note but many Priests Some of these we may say were Commonwealth mutiners and some mutined for religion they who were for the Common-wealth could agree upon nothing some would have no Justices some no Gentlemen some no Lawyers nor ordinary Courts of Justice but above all Inclosures must down but whether all or which or how to be imployed none could tell The religious Mutiners were not altogether so various in their voyces as having some few amongst them by whom they were guided these in name of the people hamered up these Ar●icles following upon granting of which they pro●essed that both their bodies and goods should be at the Kings devotion 1. That Curates should administer Baptisme at all times of necessity a● well o● week-dayes as on holy-dayes 2. That their children might be confirmed by the Bishop 3. That the Masse might be celebrated no man communicating with the Priest 4. That they might have reservation of the Lords body in their Churches 5. That they might have holy-bread and holy-water in remembrance of Christs precious body and blood 6. That Priests might live unmarried 7. That the six Articles set forth by King Henry the eight might be continued at lest till the King should come to full age Upon these demands the King although he knew that Reasons would little prevaile with unreasonable men yet to discharge the place he held he sent them in writing Answers to them all and withall a generall pardon if they would desist and lay downe armes But the sedicious growing the more outragious the fairer they were intreated and finding themselves unable to subsist with their owne estates began to thinke upon the spoyle of Cities and first they came to Excetour and demanded entrance which the Citizens refusing they fell to set fire on the ga●es but the Citizens prevented this by casting in wood and maintaining the fire till they had cast up a halfe moone within upon which when the Seditious attempted to enter they were presently hewen and cut in peeces After this they mined the wals laid powder and rammed the mouth but the Citizens prevented this also by making a countermine whereinto they poured such plenty of water that the wet powder could not be fired All this while the Lord Russell Lord Privie Seale who had beene sent downe to suppresse the Commotion lay at Huntington expecting more Forces whilst these Citizens of Excetour for twelve dayes together endured so great famine that they were faine to eat horses and make bread of course bran moulded in cloathes for that otherwise it would not cleave together At last the Lord Gray came to the Lord Russell with supply of Forces who after many conflicts with the Rebels forced them to raise their siedge at Excetour and thereby freed the City from many miseries to whom the King afterward gave the Mannour of Evyland in reward for their loyalty After this the Rebels rallying their Force● were againe set upon by the Kings Army and the greatest part of them slaine the rest fled many were taken and executed by Martiall Law the chiefe Leaders were sent to London and there executed The sedition being thus suppressed it is memorable what sport Sir William Kingston the Provost Marshall made by vertue of his Office upon men in misery One Boyer Major of Godmin in Cornwall had bin amongst the Rebels not willingly but enforced to him the Provost sent word he would come and dine with him for whom the Major made great provision a little before dinner the Provost took the Major aside and whispered him in the eare that an execution must that day be done in the town and therefore required to have a paire of Gallows set up against dinner should be done the Major failed not of his charge presently after dinner the Provost taking the Major by the hand intreated him to lead him to the place where the Gallowes was which when he beheld he asked the Major if he thought them to be strong enough yes said the Major doubtlesse they are well then said the Provost get you up speedily for they are provided for you I hope answered the Major you mean not as you speak in faith said the Provost there is no remedy for you have bin a busie Rebell and so without respit or defence he was hanged to death a most uncurreous part for a guest to offer his host Neere the said place dwelled a Millar who had bin a busie actor in that Rebellion who fearing the approach of the Marshall told a sturdy fellow his servant that he had occasion to go from home and therefore bid him that if any man came to enquire after the Millar he should not speak of him but say that himselfe was the Millar and had bin so for three yeers before So the Provost came and called for the Millar when out comes the servant and saith he was the man the Provost demanded how long he had kept the Mill these three yeeres answered the servant then the Provost commanded his men to lay hold on him and hang him on the next tree At this the fellow cryed out that he was not the Millar but the Millars man nay Sir said the Provost I will take you at your word and if thou beest the Millar thou art a busie knave if thou beest nor thou art a false
her self with all her Forces to compell them While Wilkes in Spain unfoldeth the●e matters Iohn of Austria sendeth to Queen Elizabeth in most grievous manner accusing the States for disobedience and making a large declaration of the causes for which he had taken up Armes again Thus Queen Elizabeth like a fortunate Princesse sate as an Honourable Arbitresse between the Spanish the French and the States insomuch that it was not untrue which one wrote That France and Spaine were Ballances in the Scale of Europe and England the Beame to turne them either way for they still got the better to whome she adhered About this time when the Judges sate at the Assizes in Oxford and one ●owland I●nkes a Book-seller was questioned for speaking approbrious words against the Queen suddenly they were surprised with a pestilent favour whether rising from the noysome smell of the prisoners or from the dampe of the ground is uncertaine but all that were there present almost every one within forty hours died except Women and children and the Contagion went no further There died Robert Bell Lord chief Baron Robert D'Oylie Sir William Babington D'Olye Sheriffe of Oxford-shire Harcourt Weynman Phetiplace the most noted men in this Tract Barham the famous Lawyer almost all the Jurours and three hundred other more or lesse This yeer the title of the Lord Latimer which had flourished in the Familie of the Nevills ever since the dayes of King Henry the sixth was extinct in Iohn Nevill who died without issue male and left a faire estate to four daughters whereof the eldest marryed Henry Earl of Northumberland the second Thomas Cecill who was afterward Earl of Exceter the third Sir William Cornwallis and the fourth Sir Iohn Daverse In Ireland the O-Moores and O-Conors and others whose Ancestours the Earl of Sussex in Queen Maries dayes had for their rebellion deprived of their Patrimonie in Loyse and Oph●li● did now break forth into a new Rebellion under the conduct of Rori● Oge that is Roderick the younger set on fire the village of Naasse assault L●chlin from whence being driven back by the valour of George Care● the Governour he was afterward slain Out of England at this time there went into the Low-countries Iohn North the Lord Norths eldest sonne● Iohn Norris second son to the Lord Norris Henry Cavendish and Thomas Morgan Colonells with many voluntaries to learn Militarie experience Thither also came Caesamire the Elector Palatines sonne with an Army of German Horse and foot at the Queenes charges upon the●e Don Iohn assisted by the Prince of Parma Mondragon and other the best Commanders of Spain confident of victorie flyeth furiously before they expected him yet after a long fight was forced to retreat but then turning again and thinking to breake through the Hedges and Brakes where the English and Scottish voluntaryes had placed themselves was again repulsed for the English and Scottish were so hot upon the matter that casting away their garments by reason of the hot weather they fought in their shirts which they made fast about them In this battell N●●●●● fought most valiantly and had three horses s●ain under him as also 〈◊〉 the Scot Bingham and William M●r●ham Now for comfort ●o the afflicted Provinces there came at that ●●me into the Netherlands the Count Sw●●zenberg from the Emperour M●nsie●● Be●●●●●re from the French King and from the Queen of England the Lord Cobham and Wal●ingham with Commission to procure conditions of Peace but returned without doing any thing for that Don Iohn refused to admit the Pro●estan● Religion and the Prince of Orange refused to return into Holland About this time Egr●m●●d R●●cliffe son to Henry Earl of Susse● by his second wife who had been a prime man in the rebellion of the North and served now under Don Iohn was accused by the English fugitives that he was sent under hand to kill Don Iohn which whether true or false he was thereupon taken and put to death The Spaniards have affirmed That Ratcliffe at his last end confessed voluntarily That he was freed out of the Tower of London and moved by Walsinghams large promises to do this Fact but the English that were present at his death deny that he confessed any such thing though the English Rebells did all they could to wrest this confession from him At this very time Don Iohn in the flower of his age died of the Pestilence or as some say of grief as being neglected by the King of Spain his brother a man of an insatiable Ambition who aymed first at the Kingdom of Tunis and after of England and who without the privity of the French King or King of Spain had made a league with the Guises for the defence of both Crowns Alanson although very busie about the Belgick War yet now began again to pursue the Marriage with Queen Elizabeth for renewing of which suit first was Bachervyle sent to the Queen and soon after Ramboulet from the French King and within a month after that Simier a neat Courtier and exquisitely learned in the Art of Love accompanied with a great number of the French Nobility whom the Queen at Richmond entertained in such loving manner that Leicester began to rage as if his hopes were now quite blasted Certainly a little before when Ashley a Lady of the Queens Bed-chamber mentioned the Earl of Leicester to her for husband she with an a●gry countenance replyed Dost thou think me so unlike my self and so forgetfull of Majestie as to prefer my servant whom I my self have advanced before the greatest Princes of the Christian world But it is now time to return to the Scottish Affairs The Earl of Morton Regent of Scotland though a man of great wisedome and valour yet was now so overcome of covetousnesse that he grew universally hated and thereupon with the joynt consent of the Nobility the Administration of the Common-wealth was translated to the King though he was yet but twelve yeers old and twelve of the chief Lords were appointed to attend him in Councell three of them by course for three months amongst whom the Earl of Morton for one that they might not seem to cast him quite off The King having taken upon him the Administration sent presently the Earl of Dumformelin to Queen Elizabeth acknowledging her great deserts towards him and requesting to have the Treaty of Edinburgh agreed on in the yeer 1559 to be confirmed for the more happy restraining the robbers about the borders and withall That his ancient Patrimony in England namely the Lands granted to his Grand-father Ma●●hew Earl of Lenox and the Countesse his Grand-mother might be delivered into his hands● who was the next Heir The Queen readily promised the former demands but stuck a little at the last concerning the Patrimony For she would not grant That Arbella the daughter of Charles the King of Scots Unkle Born in England was the next Heir to the Lands in England neither would she grant the