Throne will o're his Nephews neck Although his own in the attempt he break What follow'd this Vsurper at the Helme A three years Curse on him and his whole Realme At last base fears impossibles foresees And to the Pope bends his unprincely knees In Swinstead Abbey death did him besiege In Sacramentall Masse Wassall my Liege Who pities him a safe estate that scorns And wounds his Temples with a Crowne of Thorns HENRY the Third King of England AFter the Death of King Iohn Henry his eldest Son about the age of nine years was Crowned King but not without some controversie of the Nobles some of the Nobility falling off to him who a little before had made a defection and swore to King Lewis Yet Lewis with an Army of twenty thousand men won many Towns till at last he came to the Castle at Lincolne which a certaine Noblewoman did bravely defend and caused him to stop and an Army of the English coming on in the mean time he was repulsed and conquered many of the English Nobility being taken that stood with him besides the Count of Perch that stood with him till the last preferring an honourable Death before a dishonourable Life Yet he did not despair but sent for more Forces out of France which were all almost destroyed in a Fight at Sea By these misfortunes he was forced to take Conditions of a hundred and five thousand Franks in respect of the charge he had been at he renouncing all right to the Kingdome of England And promising faithfully to prevaile with his father to restore all the Provinces in France belonging to the English The King restored to the rebellious Nobility all the Lands belonging to them And Lewis at Dover set Saile for France having warred unhappily in anothers Land Then a Parliament was summoned and Magna Charta ratified also the Court of Wards was revived and a Tax granted the King to Levy an Army under the Conduct of his Brother Richard for the recovery of his Rights in France The Parliament being ended the said Tax with great celerity is collected without any the lest grutch or contradiction so that the Kings Coffers were replenished with Gold and Silver and all requisites were carefully provided and a gallant Army of couragious men of War were assembled and safely transported With which Richard the Kings Brother did almost wonders subduing where he found resistance and seizing upon Lordships Forts Towns Castles and other defenced places quietly and without blowes no Head being made against him so that within few Months such was his valour and good Fortune he recovered both those Provinces wholly for the King and returned with much honour into England But the Kings absence from those Places gave opportunity to the French King to infest them which he unfriendly laid hold on and suddenly led a new Army into Poicters and easily made himself Lord thereof From thence marcht to Perigott and Alverne and other places in Guyan where he did the like But King Henry sent thither an other Army under the Conduct of his Brother Richard Earl of Cornwall with which he encountered the French and fought many sharp Battels in which for the most part his Fortune continued prosperous and all things seemed to promise him the recovering of whatever in his absence had been lost But in the height of all these broyles a friendly peace was concluded betwixt the two Kings and Richard returned safe into England This Richard Earl of Cornwall the Kings Brother at the suit of the Princes of Germany is elected King of the Romans but not long after being charged with insolence and oppression he was put out of the Office and returns to England a poor King that went out a rich Earle And now began those mischievous broyls and turmoyls in this Realm which until the Kings death daily vexed him more and more and the whole Kingdome also for the King lending too ready and pleasing an ear to lewd and evill Officers about him whom above all Officers he loved and favoured and by whose Counsell and advice both himself and his whole Kingdom was ruled and directed made little account of his best Subjects Love And took from them in divers things such Liberties as by the Lawes and Ordinances of this Kingdome they justly claimed and ought to have enjoyed He also pinched his people with many unnecessary and grievous Taxes which by those lewd and bold Officers were levied with much rigour and sharpness to their great distast The King also took to Wife Eleoner Daughter of Raymond Earle of Province whereby there grew no profit to his affairs but rather suffered great detriment by reason of her thread-bare and beggarly Family and her poor kindred flocking from all Parts as Crowes to the Prey which nevertheless were highly entertained by the King and enâ—icâ—t with money and placed in Offices of greatest honour and profit and the English â—hrust ouâ— aâ— which â—he Nobles stormed and the people every where much murmured But whilâ—â— the King goes about to overthrow his Subjects Rights which they labour to preserve all the Nobiliâ—y being offended at the promotion of strangers they enter into a Conspiracy The King calls a Paâ—liament The Nobility refuse to be present unless he would command the Bishop of Winchester Peter de Rupâ—bus and all his Gang to forsake the Court threatening withall that unless satisfaction were made to them they would depose the King and drive away all strangers his adherents and choose another King In fine both Sides King and Barons fall to Armes and with various success fight severall fierce and cruell Battels at length at the battel near Lewis after the fall of twenty thousand men The two Kings and the Prince with many Knights and Gentlemen of great account were all taken prisoners by the Barons Then a peace is concluded between them a Parliament being called the King confirmed the Government of the twelve Peers which by Hand and Seal he had assigned them in a former Parliament at Oxford called the Mad Parliament and Prince Edward who was Hostage for his Father is set at liberty But the Prince not enduring to see his Father thus a titular King raiseth a fresh Army and about Evesham near Worcester fights the Barons whom by reason of a mortall jarre between Leicester and Gloucester their two Generalls he overthrows Then the Kings call another Parliament and repeals and nulls all former Decrees touching the Authority of the twelve Peers and thus the King got again the staffe into his own hand by the vertue and valour of his princely son The King much incensed with the Londoners for taking part with the Barons could hardly be disswaded from burning the City but at last the Prince made their peace and after thâ—t marches with an Army to the Holy Land where the King dyes having reigned fifty six years HENRY the III. King of England Duke of Aquitane Earle of Poic tiers and Anjou Lord of Ireland He died at
and lieth buried at Fonteverard in Normandy Richard the First no Lion ever fought But was call'd Lion's heart cause he was stout From Prison he his Mother did release And setled his Dominions in peace Then levying men and money did prepare All that was needfull to the holy Warre He forc'd King Tuncred buy his peace with Gold And twice won Cyprus for Jerusalem sold. The Turks and Saracens he overthrowes Whilst prostrate Palestine to his Prowess bowes Philip and Leopald their envy bend Against that valour even the Foes commend JOHN King of England NExt Iohn by blowes and bribes usurps his Brothers Crown and Treasury to maintain his unjust Title which was the cause the whole Course of this Kings government was accompanyed with continuall troubles and his two persecutors were Pope Innocent the Third and Philip the Second King of France But the first Tempest was depending from his Cousen Arthur whose Kingdome he had not only taken from him but also had drawne the Dukedome of Normandy to himself leaving to Arthur only the Dukedome of Anjou But his Mother Constance finding her self too weak for the English flyes to the French King and craves aid of him who promised not only to restore all Normandy but all England to Arthur and forthwith received the young man into his Protection Wherefore Phllip listing an Army first made good the Dutchy of Anjou to Arthur and then invaded Normandy But Iohn sailing into Normandy upbraids Philip for perfidiousness because he had very foully broken the peace he had made with his Brother Richard yet for all this they goe not to Armes For while they discourse and each defends his Right they agree on fifty dayes cessation of Armes Baldwin Earle of Flaunders being utterly against it who therefore forsaking Philip makes his peace with the English and takes Counsell by what means when the truce was ended they should wage war with Philip but when Iohn was free from care of war he strikes hands with the French King upon unjust tearms Baldwin hating his sluggishness once more joyned with the French and restored the War of Ierusalem The English are glad and returne home but are very ill received by the Nobility who hated those base Conditions they had made with the French But Iohn now free from War turns all his study to Pole his Subjects and to follow his pleasure Also he deprived the Arch-Bishop of York his brother of all his Fortunes for nothing but because he dehorted him from such injury Then going into Normandy he divorced his Wife Avis and marryed Isabell daughter and heir to the Earl of Engelestne she was Crowned at Canterbury Bâ—t the dayly oppression of King Iohn prevailed so farre also his base Luxury not without murther and Man-slaughter for he destroyed Matilda a beautifull Maid making her to drink Poyson because she would not yield to his entreaty to be corrupted by him And William Bruce with his Wife for speaking somewhat too freely he killed with Famine taking all their estate from them He demanded Subsidies but his Nobles altogether denyed him nor would they follow him in his Wars untill those heavy Imposts laid upon them were taken away Yet he wenâ— afterward into Normandy and thence to Paris where he and his Wife to outward appearance were friendly received by King Philip. But Hugh Earle of Marsh to whom Isabella the Kings Wife was first betrothed being angry with the King for taking his Wife from him joynes with Arthur and begin a new War Philip takes part with them so joyntly those of Tours first then they of Anjou invade they take the Towns of Mirabellum King Iohn reproves Philip for his falseness and begins â—eriously to think upon revenge and coming upon the Forces of the enemy suddenly and unlooked for destroyed them with a great slaughter taking those prisoners that could not escape among whom was Arthur who shortly after dyed of hunger in prison but some say that endeavouring his escape he was drowned in the River but as it is Vulgarly thought he dyed of meer sorâ—ow His Sister Eleanor followed him shortly after the same sad way And thus ended Arthurs Life Title and those Wars Next Year the French King takes all Normandy by Force And now began the Kings other enemy Pope Innocent the Third to vex him more then Philip had done the occasion is this Hubert Arch-Bishop of Canterbury died and the Monks of St. Augustines in that City without the Kings License or knowledge and about midnight elected Reynold a brother of their own to succeed him and took of him an oath forthwith to travell to Rome there to procure his investiture and to receive his Pall from the Pope Tidings hereof coming to the Kings ears he presently made known his inward dislike of their rash and unadvised doings so that upon his motion and to appease his wrath they elect Iohn Gray then Bishop of Norwich Incontinently the King upon his own charges dispatches Letters and Embassadors to the Pope entreating him to ratifie the last choyce But the Pope neglects the Kings Entreaty and confirms him that was first Elected at which the King fretted and stormed much to see himself so slenderly regarded The Monks also to please the King refuse to receive their own first election because it was made in the night At last the Pope would whether the King would or no make choyce of one Stephen Langton one of his Creatures to succeed in the Arch-Bishoprick The King stoutly keeps him off and confiscates all the Lands and Goods of such as partake in the election with Rome and forbids all appeals thither The Pope after a proud letter or two interdicts him and all his Kingdome which he very frankly gives to Philip the French King who coming to invade and possesse himself of the Popes gift lost three hundred of his Ships and returned home as he came Nevertheless Iohn basely on his knees tenders his Crown for the Popes use which his Legate keeps four dayes but the Nobility hating his poor spirit revolt to the French whom Iohn not able to resist flyes and is poysoned by a Monk in Swinstead Abbey who drank to him in these words Wassall my Liege He was buryed at Worcester having Reigned seventeen years and odd months He left behind him four sons viz. Henry who succeeded him Richard who was elected King of the Romans William of Valentia and Guido Disnay And three Daughters viz. one marryed to Frederick the Emperour the second to William Marshall Earl of Worcester and the third to the Earl of Leicester The right Valiant Prince RICHARD surnamed Coeur-de-â—ion King of England and Hierusalem Duke of Normandy and Acuitanè Earle of Poeters and Annou Lo of Ireland c. He died at the age of 43 yeares Ano. 1199. after he had raigned 9 yeares 9 months and 22 dayes and lieth buried at Fonteveraâ—d in Normandy O what a lushie morsell is a Crowne That right or wrong Princes will gusle't downe John to the
the age of 65 yeares after he had raigned 56 yeares and lieth intombed at Westminster 1272. The groaning Kingdome being rid of John Has found his very Image in his Son King Henry the Third nine years of Age Enters a troubled and a doubtfull Stage The Realme he found Rebecca like become With divers Nations strugling in her Womb All which he clear'd at last with promise fair With Oaths Vowes which prov'd nothing but Aiâ— He pill'd his subjects so that at his need Give him they nothing would nor could indeed He marries then with a mean Family And spoyles his Realme to lard their Poverty EDVVARD the First King of England WHen King Henry died Edward his son and heir was in Palestine very intent about the holy war where he underwent a grievous danger having received 3 desperate wounds from his adversary with a poysoned weapon But he was cured by the wonderfull Piety of his Wife who with her mouth in time sucked out the venome from his wounds In his way being made more certain of his fathers death he made great journeyes and travelled in all hast into England where with the generall applause both of his Nobles and Common-people he was crowned King when he was of the age of 35 years At the beginning of his Reigne he used the Nobility well but to abate the insolence of the Clergy he commanded their wealth to be brought into his Exchequer and he afflicted them otherwise and so drew upon himself their envy The Welch rise against him but he luckily intercepts Monfort's daughter espoused to Lluellen their Prince upon surrender of whom that storm blew over and obedience was promised by the Welch to King Edward But within few years three or four at most Lluellen puts an end to his Oath and obedience for his wife Eleoner being dead he breaks forth into new Rebellions also David forgetting the great love of King Edward to him falls off to his brother and so with joynt forces they enter England and does some mischief to Edward both of them wonderfully inflamed by a false prophesie of Merlin whereby the Crowne of Brutus was promised to Lluellen but the battle being set Lluellen was killed by a private Soldier and his Head brought to King Edward his Brother David also was taken and had his Head struck off and with his Brothers it was set upon the Tower of London where it remained a long time after but his four Quarters were sent to four Principall Cities in England to be set up for a terrour to all Traitors hereafter so Edward revenged the Rebellion of the Welch and the death of Alphonsus his first Borne who was slain in the same battle In the eighteenth year of King Edward's Reigne Alexander the King of Scots not having any Issue of his body fell with his horse and unfortunately brake his neck He had three sisters the eldest of which was married to Iohn Balioll Lord of Galloway the second to Robert le Bruse Lord of Valley-Andrew and the third was married into England to Iohn Hastings Lord of Abergavenny amongst these three each of them backed with his best friends sharp bickerings and civill wars arose to the destruction of many worthy persons on all sides Whilst the matter thus was handled King Edward promises the Kingdome of Scotland to Bruse for ever so he would do him homage for it but Bruse refuseth it preferring his Countries Liberty before his own honour Yet Balioll yields to those conditions and so got the Kingdome of Scotland but the ill will of all his Country-men Envy against him increased for refusing Justice upon the death of the Earl of Fife who was slaine for Baylioll exempted Albermeâ—h from punishment that slew him whereupon Baylioll cited before Edward's Tribunall is forced to plead his cause he was angry at this disgrace and denies Homage to Edward and proclaims warre making a Covenant with the French King Hence arose the cause of a most bloudy warre between the two Nations which lasted for three hundred years only some feigned cessations passed between No lesse than four times did this victorious King Edward subdue the false and fraudulent Scots compelling them with extraordinary tokens of subjection and humility to submit themselves to his mercy In the mean time a new warre breaks forth between King Edward and the French King Philip the fair by a controversie between the subjects of either King for Kings that envy one another easily break forth into open Hatred but Edward had other grudges against the French for conniving at the death of his Cousen Henry the Emperors Son Edward therefore when a day was appointed him hath a stipendary to plead his cause before King Philip he refused to appeare whereupon a great Army being raised Philip enters upon the Territories of King Edward in France by force of Armes the King of England by the assistance of neighbour Princes the Earl of Flanders the Duke of Brabant with Adolphus of Nassaw the Roman Emperour presently marches against the King of France but finding the French divided in two parts and defrauded with the Emperours delayes when he had held his winters quarters at Gaunt not without the murmuring of the Citizens and great want of his souldiers At the beginning of the spring truce being made with the French for three years the King tooke Margaret the Dukes sister to wife for Eleoner died in the former Expedition against the Scots And the daughter of Philip being betrothed to King Edwards sonne he retreated for England About the same time Doctor Langton then Bishop of Chester complained grievously to the King upon Edward the young Prince who by the lewd advice of Pierce Gaveston his loose and gracelesse Companion brake forcibly into his Park and made havock of his Game for which the Prince was committed to Prison and Gaveston banished for ever Lastly making an incursion into Scotland he is taken with a Disentery and dies of it and lies buried at Westminster He was very tall of Countenance somwhat sorrowfull of Chastitie like his Father but in fortitude farre before him Religious he was and wise The noble and Victorious Prince EDWARD the first surnamed Long-shanks King of England Duke of Aquitaine Earle of Poictices and Anjou Lo of Ireland c He Conquered Scotland and brought from thence the Marble Chaire He subdued and overcame llewelyn Prince of Wales and made his sonne Edward Prince Hereof he died at the age of 68 yeares 1307. after he had raigned 34 yeares 8 monthes buried at Westminster King Edward Saraceus Head Sholder sunders Where Christ wrought miracles this Prince did wonders His wife with such so pious love abounds She sucks the venome from his poysoned wounds 'T were Treason to their merits to conceal So great a Valour and so sweet a zeal The haughty Welch he soon did over-run And left them Vassalls to his Princely Son And by his sword so weighed down Fortunes scales That Englands heir succeeds stil Prince of
and Peers all urg'd it he declin'd it Scotland he first subdu'd and made it reele Vnder the force of his victorious steel France askt him Homage but he told her plain Homage was due to him her Soveraign Let her to Cressey and to Poictiers look And Callice which 'fore Philip's face he took And what does more than this his fame evince He was the father to the brave BLACK PRINCE RICHARD the Second King of England RICHARD the Second being the Son and Heir of the black Prince and aged 11 years and somwhat more was crowned King of England in the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred and seventy seven The Kingdome was in an Eclipse the most part of this Kings Reigne his youth with all the frailties incident thereunto with bad Governours both of his kingdome and person were the main ruines of the King and almost the Realme For in the whole course of his Government he neglected his Nobillity and taxed his subjects to enable him to give prodigally to his Sycophants and ill deserving Favourites He was too too resolute in his wayes and refused to be reformed be they never so indirect He also despised the sage advice and good directions of his best counsellers and wholly plotted all his courses by the wicked gracelesse projects of his base and loose companions whom he raised to more honourable estates than befitted the meannesse of their Conditions so that they fell by their own weight and he himself in the end was enforced to endure the extremity of his hard fortune For being first disgraced by his Cousin Henry Bullingbrook Duke of Lancaster and Son and Heir to his Unkle Iohn of Gaunt he was at length by him with the generall consent of a whole Parliament deposed from his Crown committed to prison and afterwards wickedly murthered as in this discourse of his disorderly government more amply shall appear In the first year of King Richards Reigne Charls the French King presuming much on his minority and being aided by the Spaniard landed in the South-east and South-west parts of this kingdome and ransacked and burnt the Towns of Plymouth Rye Dartmouth Portsmouth and some other Towns and Villages coasting upon the Sea and would have done more mischief if by the Kings Unkle Edmund of Langley Earl of Cambridge and by the Earls of Buckingham and Salisbury they had not been fought with and beaten to their Ships At the same time one Ramsey a Scot cunningly surprised the Castle of Barwick but was soon beaten out again all the desperadoes being put to death but himself Again the French infest the Coasts of England even unto Graves-end whereupon Richard with Poll-money levies an Army and revenged himself which caused after mischief And now fell out a Rebellion in England exceeding hazardous to the whole kingdome occasioned by one Iohn Wall a factious Priest who perceiving the meaner and baser sort of people much murmuring repining at the last Tax took an unhappy occasion to move them to sedition telling them we are all by nature the children of Adam born of one and the same condition and equall worth and that the Laws of this kingdome were unjust to set so great difference between men making some Peers and Potentates and others poor and penurious Thus they begun to grow mad and implacable against the Nobillity for the basest dregs of men commonly being uncapable of honour themselves are envious against those that are Hereupon together with the hope of pilfering arose a formidable tumult who for their Leader took one Watt Tyler and for other chief Officers had Iack Straw Iack Shepheard and the seditious Priest Iohn Wall stiling themselves the Kings men and the Servants of the Common-weal of England They marched towards London beating down and rifling of houses and all before them They make all Knights and Gentlemen forsake their houses which they burn or rifle at lest They send also to the King who then lay in the Tower requiring him to come and speak with them Whereupon the King purposing to prevent mischief went to Graves-end but seeing their rage and madnesse he â—â—ared to put himself into their hands and returned back again to the Tower of Londoâ— Next day came this rabble to Southwark and finding the Bridge fortified and the Gates shut they resolved to kill all the people burn the Burrough but to prevent mischieâ— they were let into the City who were fain to entertain them with gifts and good words Then they rifle thâ— Savoy and kill all they light on they robbed all the Inns of Courâ—s and burnt their Law books nor spared they the Churches but sacrilegiously stole all they could lay hand on Watt Tyler commands his Masters head to be carried before him on a Lance mâ—erly because he had given him some small correction when he was his servant The Rebels send â—o the King who goes to Mile-end Green to them freely pardons them all gives them his Banners for their security whereupon many forsake Tyler who with about 20000 marches into Smithfield resolving to ransack and burn the City Then the King courteously perswades them to desist but Tyler commanded the Esquire that bare the sword before the King to give him his Dagger but the Esq told him it was the Kings Sword and should not be givâ—n to a knave whereat Tyler swore e're he would eat or drink the Esq should lose his head The King loth to have the Esq endangered bid him give him the Sword but the Esq would not then stept in William Wallworth Major of the City and clapt his Dagger to Tilers heart commanding him to submit to the King presently about a thousand armed Citizens came and routed them Thus did the storme blow over by Gods goodnesse and the Majors Courage and ever since the City carry the Dagger in their Escutcheon Ball and Iack Staw were executed the rest pardoned The French prepare a great army purposing to invade England King Richard rayseth a mighty power to conquer Scotland which designes had no good events Mischeife and Misery having sate long abroad began now to hatch at home The insulting Peers and rebellious people bandy the regall Power into hazard The Scots enter England under the Command of Sr. William Dowglasse and are encountered by the Noble Lord Henry Hotspur Dowglasse is slain and Hotspur taking Ireland rebels The King goes against him in person and the mean while loseth his Kingdom which with himself and Crown he is forced to surrender to his Cousin Henry Bullingbrook Son to Iohn of Gant Duke of Lancaster Anno 1400. The true pourtraicture of Richard the 2. King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Prince of Chester he raigned 22 yeres was deposed and murther'd at Pomfraict Cast at the age of 33 yeares Buried first at Langley and 14 yeares after by K. Henry th◠〈…〉 and their waâ— honourably â—uâ—erred Richard the Second son to such a Prince The World has never had his equall
the taking and burning of St. Thomes information being sent to Gondimer who was Embassador here in England he never rested assaulting the King with importunity for Reparation Raleigh no sooner came a shoare at Plymouth but he had secret information and did endeavour to get from thence in a Bark for Rochel but being apprehended by Sir Lewis Stackly he is brought to London and committed to the Tower Gondimer that looked upon him as a man that had not only high abilities but animosity to do his master mischief being one of those scourges that Queen Elizabeth had made use of to afflict the Spaniards and having gotten him in the Trap he laid his baits about the King in October he was brought to the Kings Bench Barre at Westminster before the Lord chief Justice where the records of his arraignment at Winchester were opened and he demanded why the judgement should not be put in execution Raleigh that judgement was void by the Kings Commission for his late expedition the Lord chief Justice replyed The opinion of the Court was to the contrary he then required time to prepare for death but it was answered The appointed time was the next morning accordingly on that morrow he was beheaded Buckingham the great favourite is slain by Felton for which he was executed Queen Anne about this time fell sick and dyed she was a Queen to be had in everlasting Memory for her Noble Vertues The King also fell sick but by Gods assistance he recovered The Paâ—sgrave in the interim who had marryed the Lady Elizabeth by the prompting on of some of the German Princes was chosen King of Bohemia The Emperour was wonderfully enraged at this Election and proclaimed war against him driving him first out of Bohemia and afterwards out of all Germany who in Holland the common refuge of all wretchâ—d people found a bountifull and safe entertainment But Iames that he might help his son in law made a motion for a marriage betwixt his son Charls and the Infanta of Spain Charls is sent into Spaine through France by Land where he saw upon his journey Mary daughter to Henry the fourth he was received in Spain magnificently to outward appearance but a difference falling out betwixt the Duke of Buckingham and Count Olivares the principall Don of the Spanish Court the Treaty was drawn out at length but Charls impatient of delay returns home and arrives safe in England and was afterward married to Mary whom he had affectionately beheld in France What remains to be spoken of King Iames is either scarce worth recording or dubious in the truth thereof He dyed at last of a disease of the Spleen though there was false reports spread abroad That he was poysoned when he had reigned twenty and two years in the year 1625. He was a true Platonick Prince a Husband worthy of his Wife an honest Father to his Children a good King to his Subjects because he was a Prince he was the most learned and he was the best Prince by reason of his learning In this Kings reigne English Plantations were â—etled in the Indies Virginia Bermudaes and New-England in which are Common-wealths The right high and most mightie Monarch IAMES by the Grace of God King of great Britaine Fraunce and Ireland c. â—efendor of the Faith D Sculp They look for peace and behold war But we Did look for war and have met peace in thee The North wind brings no good it is untrue Never brought wind England more good than you Whose Mothers death may all the world convince Revenge could never conquer such a Prince What could Great Britain wish but such an heir Vnites two Realms scarce ever out of war Your wisdome plenty peace who descants on Conclude you even a second Solomon Herein Great Sir you Solomon surpass'd That to your God were constant to the last CHARLS I st King of Great Britain France Ireland CHARLS the first succeeded his Father being 25 years of Age. The first design he had was to marry Henrietta Maria Daughter to Henry the fourth of France as he had purposed before who landed in England the 22. of Aprill and was received magnificently Then a Navy was prepared against the Spaniard for all friendship was grown stale between these two Kings by reason of the breach of the marriage and the business of the Palatinate he joyned with the ships of Holland and sent away toward Spain and first assaulting Cades and not prevailing they set up sail and spoyling all the Spanish Vessels they met they return for England Now a Covenant was made between the English and the united Provinces and they resolved with joynt forces to tire out the Spaniard But Charls whose Exchequer was emptied by reason of his Spanish voyage and setting forth his Navy was forced to call a Parliament but they would do nothing till Buckingham had answered to his charge they are dissolved and the King raises money otherwise provides a mighty Fleet and surprizes all the Spanish Ships he lights on But the French not being spared a stop and Confiscation is made of English Vessels in France The Ministers of the Church of Rome and those that came over with the Queen privately disturb the English affairs they are commanded to depart the Land not without gifts the French King takes it ill and some are recalled The French not satisfied forbid all commerce Charls the like envy encreases Lewis oppresseth the Rochellers Charls sends relief to the besieged but prevails little heavy complaints are made against Buckingham Charls to stop all farther proceedings against Buckingham again dissolves the Parliament He raiseth new forces to assist the Rochellers under the command of Buckingham but being ready to embark himself he was stabbed by Felton an English man who was taken and hanged for his pains A new Parliament is summoned they deny Tunnage and Poundage The King reprints the Common-prayer-book at which the Scots rebell he goes against them with an Army but returns without any good condition made Now the Scots made a neerer agreement among themselves against the King which they called their Covenant The King therefore distressed for want calls a Parliament and asks Subsidies of them all in vain The Queen indeavours what she can with the Pope but nothing is to be done unlesse the King would abjure the reformed Religion but the King hates the motion and had rather lose his Crowns than accept such hard conditions Nor was it long ere these Demagogues brought down a tumultuous rabble of Apprentices and other base people to the Parliament door crying out Away with the Lieutenant of the Tower down with Popish Bishops out of the house with them And to weaken his Majesty the more or rather to satisfie the insolent tumult they cast 12 Bishops into prison the Earl of Bristoll and his son were sore threatned and the year before that never enough honoured Thomas Earle of Strafford lost his head to satisfie this unreasonable rout
Henry the 2d surnamed Shortmantle King of England Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine Earle of Poicteres and Anjou Lord of Ireland He raigned 34 yeares 9 months died the 6 th of Iuly 1189 at the age of 61 yeares and lieth buried at Fonteverard in Normandy He that shall read thy Reign great Henry must Conclude thee truly valiant wise and just Who from the Treasury of thine own braine Didst Forreign and Domestick Wars maintain Thou never didst unusuall Tax impose Vpon thy subjects to subdue thy foes Yet did thy Son in ready Coyne receive Nine hundred thousand pounds which thou didst leav Hadst thou not Becket nor thy Syren seen Thy Love had ne're turn'd Lust nor Anger spleen Thy Son◠with woe had ne're opprest thy life No Rosamond is like a Royall Wife RICHARD the First King of England RIchard the Eldest Son living of Henry the Second being in Normandy when his Father dyed succeeded in his Throne and because those countries wanted settlement and required a longer time of his presence above all other things he was most carefull for the enlargement of Queen Eleanor his Mother who by her deceased Husband was committed to straight imprisonment because she loathed and would not indure his lascivious course of living with his wanton Paramour Rosamond but sharply reproved him for the same And because she was every way vertuous discreet and wise he committed the whole Government of this Realm in his absence to her care and management and because her own experience had informed her what anguish and sorrow poor helpless Captives did endure she set at liberty all such as were imprisoned for ordinary offences or for small debts which she her self did pay for them And administred the Common-weals affairs with wonderfull moderation integrity and Judgment untill her Son the King came home who was with all solemnity and strange Triumphs anoynted and Crowned King of England The King imitating the mild and gentle disposition of his Mother and commiserating the troubles of such as were afflicted freed out of prison all such as were his debtors or were enthralled for any transgression which concerned himself and whom without injustice done to others he might acquit And through the whole course of his Government he so provided that Justice with mercy might be extended to all Many were the honourable and profitable promotions he heaped upon his brother Iohn whom he created Earl of Lancaster giving to him moreover the Provinces of Nottingham Devonshire and Cornwall and marryed him to the sole and only daughter and Heir of the Earl of Gloucester from whom he received the Lordship of that Country Too great favours conferred on subjects make them aspire too high Just so was it with the King and his Brother Iohn for when the King had poured upon him plentifull showers of his bounty and had advanced him to honour and estate above all others his thoughts mounted above the Moon and made him unnaturally and unthankfully to affect the Crown This King for his invincible valour and haughty courage was esteemed to be most matchless in the Christian World so that he was surnamed Cuer de Lion or Lyons heart His Fathers Coffers enriched him with great store of Gold and Silver and such was his contempt of riches and bounty to such as either deserved well or were men of any noble worth that he bestowed on them great gifts with such alacrity that in short time he unbowelled all his bags little foreseeing that future business might require the expence of more then the great plenty which was left unto him and that when he wanted he should be driven to hard shifts to relieve himself This King was Crown'd at Westminster Sept. 3. 1189. by Baldwin Arch-Bishop of Canterbury namely on that day so memorable for an accidentall slaughter of the Iewes whose insolence he abundantly restrained by giving License to Weed out that odious kind of men which for their blasphemies he hated No sooner was he crowned but at the instigation of the Pope he was engaged with Philip King of France and Leopald Arch Duke of Austria and many other Christian Princes to win Ierusalem which he did These things concluded although the Kings profuse bounty and great expenses had made him bare and needy yet would he not burthen his people with any tax to supply his wants but rather chose to raise mony out of his own Estate which he did by selling Priviledges Demeans Immunities and Cities among which sales he sold Barwick Castle and Rokesborough to the King of Scots for ten thousand pounds and the Lordship and Earldome of Durham to Hugh then Bishop of that See for much money and he did protest that for the performing of so great and honourable a Service he was not unwilling to sell his City of London it self if any were able to purchase it rather then he would be chargeable unto others And thus the King having furnished himself with all provisions necessary for his Journey he for the time of his absence entrusted the Kingdome of England to Hugh Baldulph Bishop of Durham and to William Prunellus and William Longo Scampius Chancellor of the Kingdome dividing to each his part and Proportion he set Robert Earl of Leicester a man of honesty and integrity over Normandy and Aquitane yet to prevent the ambition of Iohn he was minded to send him into Normandy but his Mother interceding for him and becoming surety for his fidelity he was left in England Lastly appoynting Arthur his brother Ieffery his Son to be his Successour in case he should dye in this Expedition He enters upon his Voyage accompanied with many Gallant Lords Knights and Gentlemen whose Resolutions much increased his hopes of good successe In the way contrary Winds drive him upon Cyprus assails and wins it of which Philip of France demands a share Richard denies him and thence arose a great feud between the two Kings which put a great stop to the whole Enterprize Richard got great renowne but being forsaken by the French and the Burgundians forsaking him he makes peace with Saladine upon unjust tearmes and returning home is betrayed to Leopaldus then to the Emperour is imprisoned and with a mighty Ransome redeemed which afterward lost the Emperour his Life and Leopaldus the breaking of his Legs and lastly the losing it Lastly after four years he arrives in England where he met with treasons and troubles on all sides by the French by home-bred thieves and the Iewes which he suppressed and marches against the French and at the siege of a City received a shot in the Arme whereof he dyed and was buryed at Fontenward in Normandy He Reigned nine years nine months and twenty two dayes The right Valiant Prince RICHARD surnamed Coeur-de-lion King of England and Hierusalem Duke of Normandy and Aquitanè Earle of Poeters and Anuou Lo of Ireland c. He died at the age of 43 yeares An o 1199. after he had raigned 9 yeares 9 months and 22 dayes
Wales He paid the Scots for all their Treacheries And 4 times brought them on their humbled knees EDVVARD the Second King of England EDward the Second succeeds his Father in the Throne who was too unmindâ—ull of his â—athers commands in his â—ast Will and Testament in which he was enjoyned and solemnly protâ—sted to performe three things especially namely that he should carry his fathers Bones along with him till he had conquâ—red Scotland Secondly that he should expend thirty thousand pounds in the Holy Warre and Thirdly that he should never recall Peirce Gaveston whom for just reasons his Father had banished for Life But he never performed any of these for his fathers bones he did well enough to let them rest but for Gaveston he recalled him and bestowed on him all the money designed to the Holy War longing more to brake his Oath touching him then to take his Coronation Oath The Noble men who perfectly knew how wickedly this Gaveston was enclined perceiving that the King doted on him and that his affections towards him were unlimited being perplexed with inward grief and foreseeing that his insolence would be the ruine of the Realme emboldened themselves to put the King in mind of his Oath But as his conscience nothing troubled him for the breach thereof so their disliking encreased his desires towards Gaveston and to make him great which was the next thing he took in hand and now none but Gaveston must rule all in all frown who would the King cared not Gaveston must and shall be great and therefore first he is Lorded with the Baronie of Wallingford and soon after he is created Earl of Cornwall and if this was not enough to make him rich he is made sole Commander over the Kings Jewells and Treasures in which Oâ—fice so absolute was his power and so cunning his crafty pate to provide in the time of his prosperity for adverse Fortune which might ensue that secretly he conveyed beyond the seas a fair Table and Tressells all made of beaten Gold and many rich and precious Ornaments to the great hurt of the King and dammage of this Realme He also took much pleasure to feed the Kings fancy with great variety of delights and by his example he inured him to excessive banqueting and drunkennesse and his vile and unchast all urements made him carelesse of the bed and society of his Religious and Vertuous Queen Isabel the Daughter of the French King Philip the fair Sister to Charls his successor and trained him to the adulterous Consortship of wanton curtizans and shameless Whores The Queen who sorrowed hereat beyond measure reposed all her means for redresse of those unsufferable wrongs in her prayers to God and her modest wooing for her Kâ—ngs love but all endeavours came to nothing for the beams of her excellent vertues could not pierce the thick clouds of his vanities neither could her pious tears mollifie his heart hardened in too much variety and plenty of loathsome sins The Nobles and those of the Kings Counsell secretly and severall timâ—s enformed the King what notice at offence strangers and his own people even the Vulgar at the lewd and vicious courses of Gaveston and how strangely they spoke of him and of his Government altogether eclipsed by the interposition of his fowle vices betwixt himself and it but all availâ—d nothing with him who was resolved rather to lose his Crown than his Companion Then at the Lords Petition the King sends him into Ireland not as a person proscribed but a President at length the Nobles perceiving the Kings heavinesse for his absence petition his recall in hope of his amendment and to please the King but he growes more insolent theâ— before At last the Barons hopelesse to redresse and unable to support so despised a burthen besiâ—ge this wicked Gaveston in a strong castle win it and cut off his head Then the King to vex his Nobility he entertained into his Society and Counsels the two Spencers father and son men as gracelesse and odious to the Nobles and common people as the other was They advised him to Whores and Concubines and to forsake the sweet Company of his modest and vertuous Queen which made him a scorne to forraigne Princes and all honest men yet the King in spight of his greatest Lords supported the Spencers in all whatever they took in band But this evill Government begets him envy and contempt at home and eneâ—ies abroad â—or Râ—â—liruse being re-crowned in Scotland invades England four or five dayes marcheth with fire and Sword making havock of all before him But King Edward had behavâ—d himself so ill aâ— home in over-favouring his Minions altogether neglecting his Nobles that his â—athers bones could stand him now in little stead for no lesse then three â—imes is he overthrâ—wne by the Scots yea with numbers farre inferiour to his own to the shame of this Realme famous for the best Souldiers in the World At home he became too fortunate for he overthrows his Barons Army beheads 22. Lords by the advice of these villanous perfidious Spencers But the Queen with the Prince her Son saile beyond Sea obtains assistance of her Cousin Sr. Iohn Henault and his friends returns into England and joyning with the Nobles and the City of London overthrowes the Kings Forces and besieging him and the Spencers in Bristoll Castle takes it and them and executes these miscreants the Spencers father and Son and other their Confederates and committed the King to Prison whence he never escaped Then a Parliament is called wherein they consulted to depose the King and to Crown his Son but he was so piously conscientious that he would not accept the Crowne unlesse his father willingly resigned it which he freely did being glad they would Crowne his Son in his stead And not long after he miserably ended his dayes in Barkly Castle by piercing his bowels with a red hot Spit through his fundament and at the Age of 43 he was buried at Gloucester He was tall and comely of Stature but of immoderate dotage on his Minions and given to drunkenness which made him too open of his Counsels too much addicted to lasciviousnesse his own nature being rather corrupted by his vicious Minions than otherwise Edward the 2d. King of England Duke of Aquitaine Earle of Poictou Anjou and Pontieu Lord of Ireland He raigned 19. yeares 7 mo ths and was deposed the 25th of Ianuary 1327. and shortly comâ—â—â—ted to prison in Barkley Castle and there cruelly murdered 〈◊〉 the age of 43 yeares huried at Glocester Edward the Second doth deserve to have All his Remembrance buryed in his grave He lead to Scotland many thousand men And having seen it e'ne came home agen Pierce Gaveston enthralled his jale heart So close that nothing but the axe could part Next come his dearling Spencers to his view Rid of one Rakeshame now he must have two Honour and Princely prudence are thrown down And Dotage takes