Guyan Gascoyne and other Provinces the former being mostly Victorious recovering many places and driving the Enemy for the most part out of his Territories there But whilst the King was intent to go over and finish what had been so well begun and carried on the French King as much as in him lay to cross his proceedings had made a Faction in Scotland against the new King who compelled him to renounce his Allegiance to King Edward and send Defiance to him nor was this all but with an Army hastily gathered he entered and wasted the Northern parts of England Slaying Burning and Plundering without Pity or Remorse Whereupon King Edward recounting his manifold Favours and the great love he had to the Revolted King of Scots this base Ingratitude so stirred his Anger That he resolved a bloody chastisement should be the punishment of his unthankfullness Whereupon recalling some of his Forces and raising more he Marched to the succour of his Subjects and such was his good Fortune that in a little time he met with and fought the Scotch Army slaying 25000 of them winning the strong Castles of Berwick and Dunbar and soon after the City of Edenburough with many other places of note which made King John too late see his Errors and to what distress his rashness had driven him However thinking to find Favour by an humble submission or at least prevent the further Ruin and Desolation of his Country he came and cast himself at King Edwards Feet wholle submitting with himself the Crown and Kingdom of Scotland to be at his dispose in expectation to have been Restored but King Edward resenting very heinously his ungrateful proceedings sent him under a strong Guard to the Tower of London yet ordered him allowance of Liberty Diet and Attendance as became his state when Marching from Sea to Sea without any farther resistance he settled the Affaires of Scotland committing the Government of the Kingdom to John Warren Earl of Surry as his Lieutenant Constituting Hugh Cressingham Lord Treasurer and William Barnsley his Chief Justice confining some of the Rebellious Scots within the Marches of England that they might be disabled from giving any Disturbance in his Absence and so returned in Triumph with great Honours and high applause of his Subjects The King being now at leasure to remember the Injuries the French had done him and resolving to Revenge them Leagued with Guy Earl of Flanders and Transported an Army thither and Fought with Robert Earl of Arthois whome he Routed taking many Towns and Fortresses on the Frontiers which made the French King play over the game again of stirring up the Scots to Rebellion hoping by that means to constrain him to return but on the contrary he appointed Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland his General for that War who mannaged it with that Prudence that after some Marching Training them into the open Field he gave them Battel with incredible Slaughter so that many Miles of Ground were in a manner covered with their dead Bodies by which great Overthrow they found themselves constrained to return to their former Obedience so that the French King perceiving his Project took not on that side seemed very desirous to try his Strength with King Edward in the Field but his Courage failing he reposing more confidence in his Policy than Valour he proceeded to tamper about proposals of Love and Amity that might settle a lasting Peace and King Edward being now a Widower he earnestly solicited him to take his Sister to Wife to make the Alliance stronger which by the cunning subtilty of some Courtiers Bribed by the French King was brought about and Peace ensued after a tedious War that had caused much Bloodshead So the King with his Queen returned home and soon after he made Prince Edward his Son who had been Born at Carnarvan in Wales the better to ingratiate himself with those People Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester and to gain the Hearts of the Londoners he restored them those Liberties his Father had deprived them of and without which they had continued the space of Twelve Years during which time a Governour was set over them by the King and their Magistrates chosen by his order But whilst things were well ordering at home the Scots again fell into Rebellion Whereupon the King sent to demand their Ring-leaders who had drawn them into this danger which principally was one Wallis a Gentleman of an inveterate Spirit against the English Nation with a promise of Pardon to all the rest upon their laying down their Arms or else threatned to waste the Country with Fire and Sword from Sea to Sea and spare none of that Nation he should find in his way But driven on by their hard Fate they were Deaf to these Proposals making yet greater preparations to weather as they thought the Storm they could not but expect and so upon the Kings entering the Marches of Scotland they bid him Battel where before the Armies joyned he made them the same Offers which they seemed to reject with scorn so the Bloody Blast being sounded by the order of the Incensed King who resolved now to Scourge them in earnest the English fell on with such fury and violence that they broke like a Tempest into the Scots Battel carrying all before them so that a miserable slaughter ensued and the King pressing too furiously upon those that Fled in the eagerness of the Pursuit fell from his Horse and broke two of his Ribs yet he lightly remounting and not regarding his Hurt drove them out of the Field with the slaughter of 32000 of them he not now as at other times restraining the Swords of his Soldiers but gave scope and encouragement to their thirst of Revenge and in this Battel fell the flower of the Scots Nobility and Gentry but on our side very few were slain some Historians make mention but of 28 of all Degrees tho' that seemes too Partial But in comparison of the Scots they were certainly very inconsiderable The Prisoners that were taken were not many by reason few were spared in the Fight or in the pursuit that were overtaken so that the small remainder of the Nobles came and Humbled themselves before the King charging the fault on such as they said had justly received their Deserts by being slain in the Battel and this Submission upon their taking a new Oath of Fealty and Homage was accepted and returning home upon the earnest request of Pope Boniface the Eighth he Released John the Deposed King of Scots out of the Tower who went to Normandy to live quietly there on Lands alotted him called Bayliolls Lordship or Lands where falling Blind and being much in Years he Dyed leaving his Estate to his Son Edward However his Death put not an end to the Scots Troubles for they had not long enjoyed Peace but forgetting their Oaths or at least despising all conditions with the English they again Revolted and again felt the same Scourge
many Years Elbowed each other and discontented with a Part strugled who should become Masters of the Whole and Amass the Light Crowns into one more Ponderous we find Fortune or rather Providence gave this advantage to Egbert the Seventeenth King of the West Saxons though to attain it he waded as I may term it through a Sea of Blood in his Wars with the Welsh for so I must henceforth stile the poor remainders of the Antient British Race as taking upon them that Epithite and calling their Principality Wales after the Name the Saxons had many Years before given it also with the Cornishmen who Rebelled against him and were assisted with Supplies from Armorica or Britany in France in his Wars against Bernulf King of Mercia and his subduing the Kingdom of Kent and compelling the East South and Angle Saxons to submit to him In these Enterprizes which took him up for the most part the Nineteen Years he Reigned as Petty Monarch over the West Saxons about one Hundred Thousand are held to be Slain on all sides so that the Crown purchased at so large an expence of Lives being set on his Head as has been said at Winchester he commanded the Name of Saxons to be changed into that of Englishmen corresponding with the Name given to the Country they Inhabited That by this change they by degrees might forget the Distinctions they before were under and so firmly Unite as one Kingdom and People not tending to different but one and the same Interest This Egbert gaining through many difficulties what he long before aspired to made divers good Laws for the better Establishment of his new acquired Soveraignty so that the Welsh though they put not themselves under his Protection yet desirous to be at Peace sent him many Presents out of their divided Dominions of North and South Wales which Provincees for no more must I call them Kingdoms were Governed by Petty Princes After this Egbert made a Progress through the greatest part of England appointing Judges and other Magistrates to see the Laws put in Execution against Offenders and to redress the Wrongs and Grievances of such as were Oppressed being received every where with great respect and then thinking to lead a quiet Life he found by sad experience the Inconstancy of Fortune BARKSHIRE Having promised to give a Brief Description of England and its Rarities c. To make good my Word I conceive no better Method to do it in than placing the Counties and what I find in them worthy of Remark after the respective Reign of each Sole Monarch taking them Alphabetically and first of Barkshire Described c. THis County is bounded on the North with part of Oxfordshire and part of Buckinghamshire on the East with part of Middlesex and part of Surry on the South with Hampshire and partly on the West with Wiltshire It is Rich in Clothworking Fat Pasture abundance of Cattle rare Artificers Rivers stored with Fish of divers sorts particularly the River Kennet abounds with Trouts It Containes 140 Parishes 20 Hundreds 12 Market Towns and 3 Rivers of note and to the Parliament Abingdon sends one Member New Windsor two Reading two and Wallingford two besides two Knights of the Shire The Towns Memorable for things of Note are these viz. At Reading was Interred the Body of King Henry the First in a Collegiate Church of an Abby Founded by himself as also his Queen and Daughter Maud the Empress This place is also Memorable for the Birth of William Laud Arch Bishop of Canterbury the Son of a Poor Clothier At Englesfield the Danes were defeated Wallingford is the Gallena of Ptolomy it was the Antient station of the Romans and chief City of the Atrebants Windsor was Builded by King Edward the Third who Instituted the most Noble Order of the Garter The Burying Place of Henry the Sixth Edward the Fourth Henry the Eighth and King Charles the First Eaton was Founded by King Henry the Sixth and Renouned as a Nursery for bringing up of Youth being one of the chiefest Free-Schools in England Sunning was an Episcopal See during the Residence of Eight Bishops which afterward was translated to Sherbourn and so to Salisbury where it now is fixed At Wantage King Alfred Sir Named the Scourge of the Danes was Born Waltham in the East of this County was an Antient station of the Romans as also was Sinodum in the North as appears by many Roman Coins and Medals of their Emperours Digged up there Newbury is Renowned for the Birth of Thomas Hide a famous Historian and Memorable for the Two great Battels between the King and Parliament in the late Civil War As for Castles that of Windsor in this County is accounted the most Exalted of all others having not only been the Burying Place but Pallace of divers Kings and much delighted in by King Charles the Second who made it his chosen place of Pleasure and Retirement being besides its delightful situation advanced on a high Hill arising with a gradual ascent which affords the pleasantest Prospect imaginable On the North side of this County the River Thames glides washing its verdant Banks in many Meanderings with its Silver Streams and out of it goes many Creeks which much advantages those parts of the County by cheap Water-Carriage from London and other places It is likewise Beautified with some Seats of the Nobility which give a good Prospect to Travelers viz. A Noble Seat of the Earl of Craven near Newbery the Earle of Clarendon's at Swallowfield Hurly belonging to John Late Lord Lovelace Barron of Hurley with a great many stately Houses belonging to the Gentry of the County so that it claimes an Equality with most of the English Counties The Reign of Ethelwolf the Second Sole Monarch of England c. EThelwolf the Eldest Son of Egbert upon his Fathers decease declined the Crown as being then Bishop of Winchester rather affecting a Religious Peaceable Life than to Incumber himself with the weighty Affairs of Government But the Nobles perceiving Troubles would arise if they altered the Succession used many cogent Arguments to perswade him to lay aside his Pall for a Crown but their Reasons prevailed not till they had dealt with his Clergy in a manner to constrain him to a compliance whereupon bestowing his Bishoprick on Swithin his Tutor he was solemnly Crowned at Winchester and settling the Civil Affairs as the times allowed finding part of his Dominions Oppressed by the Danes he raised great Forces and Encountered them in divers Battels and in a Bloody one at Ockly in Surry destroyed the greater part of their Army killing and taking Prisoners their chief Captains or Leaders which made the routed Danes that survived the Fatal day retired to the extremities of Kent where straightened for Food and roving to get it many of them were slain by the Country People This King Marryed Osburga a fair Lady Daughter to his Butler by whom he had Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelbred and Elfride
Market Towns and 5 Rivers Isis which gives an additional name to the Thames into which it falls is very much Celibrated in Antient Story It sends Members to Parliament 9 viz. Oxford City 2 the Vniversity 2 Banbury 1 New Woodstock 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire The Antient City of Oxford is renowned for many remarkable things as being the Place of Meeting of divers Parliaments and holding out many Sieges Here Maud the Empress was Besieged by King Stephen and all in White got by Night over the Thames on the Ice This Place King Charles the First made his chief Head-Quarters during the Civil War till it was taken by Sr. Thomas Farfaix King Richard the First was Born here Its Churches are 13 besides the Cathedral most of them very Stately It is Watered almost round and is supplyed within the City by many Conduits on one of which is the Figure of a Queen Riding on an Ox in Brass But the greatest Ornament of Oxford is its being a Vniversity and for the stateliness of its Colledges their Liberal Endowments and the Number of Scholars contained in them it is not except by its Sister Cambridge to be parallelled in the whole Christian World Of the Number of its Colledges the time of their Foundation and their Founders take the following Account An Account of the Colledges in Oxfond 1. University Colledge was founded by King Alfred Anno 872 for 12. Fellows besides other Students 2. Baliol Colledge was founded Anno 1262. by John Baliol and Devorgilla his Wife Parents of John Baliol King of Scots for 12. Fellows c. 3. Merton Colledge was founded Anno 1274. by Walter de Merton Lord High Chancellour of England and Bishop of Rochester This has 19 Fellows 14 Scholars c. 4. Exeter Colledge was founded Anno 1216. by Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter for 23. Fellows c. 5. Oriel Colledge was founded Anno 1337. by King Edward II for 18. Fellows 12 Schollars c. 6. Queens Colledge was founded Anno 1340. by Robert Eaglesfield B. D. for 15 Fellows besides other Students of the Foundation 7. New Colledge was founded Anno 1375. by William of Wickham Bishop of Winchester and Lord High Chancellour of England for 70 Fellows 10 Chaplains 3 Clerks 16 Choiristers c. 8. Lincoln Colledge was founded Anno 1420. by Richard Fleming Bishop of Lincoln for 15 Fellows c. 9. All-Souls Colledge was founded Anno 1437. by Henry Chicheley Arch Bishop of Canterbury for 40 Fellows besides Chaplains Clerks and other Servants of the Foundation 10. Magdalen Colledge was founded Anno 1459. by William of Wainfleet Bishop of Winchester and Lord High Chancellour of England for 40 Fellows and 30 Scholars besides Chaplains Clerks Choiristers c. 11. Brazen-Nose Colledge was founded Anno 1515. by William Smith Bishop of Lincoln and Richard Sutton Esq for 20 Fellows besides Scholars and Students of the Foundation 12. Corpus Christi Colledge was founded Anno 1516. by Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester and Lord Privy Seal for 20 Follows 20 Scholars besides Chaplains and Clerks c. 13. Christ-Church Colledge was founded Anno 1546. by King Henry VIII for 8 Canons and 100 Students besides Chaplains c. 14. Trinity Colledge was founded Anno 1555. by Sir Tho. Pope for 12 Fellows 12 Scholars and other Students 15. St. Johns Colledge was founded Anno 1557. by Sir Thomas White Merchant Taylor of London for 50 Fellows c. 16. Jesus Colledge was founded Anno 1572. by Queen Elizabeth for 16 Fellows 16 Scholars and other Students 17. Wadham Colledge was founded Anno 1613. by Nicholas Wadham and Dorothy his Wife for 15 Fellows and 15 Scholars c. 18. Pembroke Colledge was founded Anno 1620. by Thomas Teisdale Esq and Richard Wightwick B. D. for 15 Fellows and 11 Scholars c. The Seven Halls are Glocester Edmund St. Alban Magdalen Hart and S. Mary Hall besides New-Inn In all which Colledges and Halls there are fair Chappels and Libraries But amongst these is the most famous Bodlean Library which for choice Books and rare Manuscripts falls little short of the Vatican Here is also that curious Piece of Architecture called the New Theater built for Scholastick Exercises with a fair Printing House by Dr. Sheldon a late Arch Bishop of Canterbury The Musaeum built at the Charge of the Vniversity for the Improvement of Experimental Knowledge especially in Physick with a Laboratory furnished with all sorts of Furnaces and other Materials for Chymical Practice a Store-Room for Preparations and another Room fitted up for a Chymical Library In the Musaeum is also to be seen a curious Repository The publick Physick Garden deserves also to be mentioned here for its Stateliness and infinite Variety of choice Plants The Number of Students in Oxford is rickoned to be 3000 whereof 1000 live upon the Revenues of the Colledges In this City was formerly a famous Castle but now of no great Strength being mostly used for a Prison It has several Bridges about it but one more specially of Stone curiously Arched and is a Place of considerable Trade Woodstock was a long time the Country Retirement of our Kings here it was that Henry II built a sumptuous Bower for fair Rosamond his Paramour here Edward the Black Prince was Born and Sr. Geoffry Chaucer Educated At Islip King Edward the Confessor was Born the other Towns of Note are Banbury Chipingnorton Charlbury Bampton Henly on Thames c. Near Evisham in the South of this County are erected Stones called Rol Richstone in the nature of those on Salisbury Plain but not so big which Fabulous Stories have rendered to have been Men Transformed into Stone but most certain they are a Monument of a great Battel fought there by Rollo the Dane near Oxford is the Well Dripa whose Waters distil from a Rock that hangs over it very Medicinal There is store of Oaker Fullers-Earth and Gipsum at Shot-over Garsington and Whitney and Tobacco-Pipe-Clay and Vmber is found near Blanden Cerulam or Native Blue near Blonds-Court the Tera Lapidosa the Colour of Turkish Rusma is found in the Quarries about Tame the Gold-gritty Clay at Hampton Gay The Seats af the Nobility are Cornbury belonging to the Earl of Clarendon Blechington to the Earl of Anglesey Caversham to the Earl of Craven Dichley and Les Rest to the Earl of Litchfield Ricot and Chesterton to the Earl of Abingdon Broughton Shutford and North Newton to the Lord Viscount Say and Seal Water-Eton to the late Lord Lovelace Cuddesden the Bishops Palace There are fine Parks in this County stored with Deer and many large Woods wherein abundance of Hares shelter The Seats of the Gentry are not a few so that put together it is a very fine Inland County Watered in some parts by the Thames c. The Reign of King HENRY the Third AFter the untimely Death of King John Henry his Eldest Son being but Nine Years of Age was Crowned at Gloucester in the presence of
they could procure an Executioner to Behead him so greatly was he Beloved by all sorts of People but at length a vile Wretch was procur'd out of a Goal for a sum of Money to perform that Office Five others were put to Death there and at York the next day the Lords Clifford Mobray and Derwell were Hanged in Iron-Chaines The Earl of Hereford likewise lost his Head in all at several places Twenty Noblemen so that in no Reign so much Noble Blood by Executions wet the English Earth These terrible Executions astonished the rest and broke their Strength which greatly puffed up the Spencers by whose Instigation more than any cruel inclination in the King it was thought to be done to secure their own State which after this they imagined could not be shaken For soon after some Courtiers Intreating the King for the Life of a Person of mean Rank who had committed a Murther he broke out into a violent Passion in these words viz. A Plague overtake you all for Flatering Knaves you make much Suit for the Life of an errand Caitiff but which of you spoke a word for the good Knight Lord Thomas my Vnkle By the Bread of God this Varlet shall Dye the Death he deserves and so in a Rage he turned from them and soon after he called a Parliament at York in which Prince Edward his Son was Created Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitain and Sir Andrew Harkly whose extraordinary Service was a principal means of the Barons Overthrow Earl of Carlisle and demanded the Sixth Penny of all Temporalities in England Wales and Ireland to defray the Charges of his intended War against the Scots which he obtained yet the People grievously Murmured at Paying it affirming they were altogether Impoverished by the late Wars and Famine And now the Scots geting secret Inteligence of what the King intended against them resolved to begin first and well knowing they had Impoverished the Northern parts and that no further Booty was there to be had they crossed over the Narrow Straights and fell very furiously on Ireland but by the Courage and prudent Conduct of the Bishop of Armagh and the Lord Brinningham they were Overthrown their King Slain and most of them Cut in Pieces upon this advantage King Edward Marched into Scotland which he found full of Terror and Confusion the People every where flying before him into the Woods Mountains and other Fastnesses thinking by that means to weary out the English and indeed their Project failed not for Snows Rains and bitter Frosts ensuing the English were unable to keep the Field especially their Provisions being near spent and a great Mortality by reason of the raw Damps and Colds grievously afflicted the Camp so that contrary to the mind of the King they were forced to return which the Scots perceiving crept from their lurking Holes and carried Fire a cross which is the usual Signal for the Alarum or raising the Country and soon gathered into such Multitudes that following and wasting his Rear at last they boldly set on his main Battel and discomfited it so that he was constrained to fly and leave them Masters of his Treasure and Baggage This Defeat is said to be occasioned by the Treachery of Sr. Andrew Harkley who had been lately Created Earl of Carlisle who being Bribed by the Scots betraied his trust in the Battel But however it happened it was charged upon him and for it he lost his Head Upon the Kings return there happened a Quarrel between the Queen and the Spencers she charging them to have Alienated the Kings affections from her and to cause him to place it on Harlots and the King seeming to excuse or take part with them she so highly resented the Affront that under pretence of visiting her native Country she obtained leave to go over with the Prince her Son where she was received by King Charles her Brother Philip her Father being Dead with many expressions of kindness and shewing her dislike to return unless matters might be Reformed at home some of the Barons in England sent secretly by Letters to Advise her That if she could procure one Thousand Valliant Strangers they would joyn her on her Landing with a considerable Force and endeavour once more to Redress the Disorders of the State This she made known to her Brother who comforted her by earnest Promises and Oaths That by his Assistance and at his Cost her Wrongs and the Kingdoms Injuries should be Repaired but kept not his Word for being Bribed by the Spencers who by their Spies had notice of her tampering in the French Court when she demanded his Performance he grew cold upon it and chid her for such Intentions saying She was foolishly afraid of her Shaddow since she had Vndutifully forsaken the company of her Lord and Husband The Pope also and chiefest Cardinals being Engaged by great Rewards strictly required the French King upon pain of the Apostolick Curse to send home the Queen and Prince so that she perceiving he intended to deliver her into the hands of such as would have Forcibly brought her over she secretly retired with her Son into the Empire however during her stay at the French Court she had done England a kindness in causing by her Mediation the Troubles in Gascoyne to cease and making an Agreement in other matters relating to the King her Husband In consideration of which he was to confer the Dutchy of Aquitain and Earldom of Poictou on the Prince his Son which he did under his Seal and he did Homage for it to his Unkle the French King but upon his sending for her home she refused to come unless hers and others Grievances were Redressed by Parliament which occasioned his trying by other means to make her return but as is said she retiring into the Empire upon suspicion of what was Intended went to Hainalt where she was kindly received and to make her Interest strong at that Court she without the consent of her Husband or the Peers of England Married the Prince to Phillipa the Earl of Hainalts Daughter upon which account and the means of what Treasure she had brought she raised 2700 Soldiers Commanded by Sr. John of Hainalt and the Lord Beamont to whom Joyned the Young Lord Mortimer who had escaped out of the Tower of London and got beyond the Seas with some other Exiled English Noblemen and Strangers so that having all things in a readiness she Sayled for England and Landed at Orwell in Sussex whither a great Number of English resorted to her and the further she went her Army greatly encreased King Edward having notice of this left his Court and retired hastily into the West to raise Forces promising 1000 l. to any that should bring him the Lord Mortimer's Head The King was no sooner retired but the Londoners taking the Advantage of his Absence seized upon the Bishop of Exeter who was appointed to Govern the City and without any Legal Proceedings or Judicial
A ROMANE A BRITAINE A SAXON A DANE A NORMAN THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND GIVING A True and Impartial Account of the most Considerable Transactions in CHURCH and STATE in PEACE and WAR during the Reigns of all the KINGS and QVEENS from the coming of Julius Caesar into Britain WITH An Account of all the Plots Conspiracies Insurrections and Rebellions LIKEWISE A Relation of the Wonderful Prodigies Monstrous Births Terrible Earth-Quakes Dreadful Sights in the Air Lamentable Famines Plagues Thunders Lightnings and Fires c. to the Year 1696. Being the Eighth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty King WILLIAM the III. TOGETHER With a particular Description of the Rarities In the several Counties of England and Wales With Exact MAPS of each County By JOHN SELLER Hydrographer to His Majesty LONDON Printed by Job and John How for John Gwillim against Crossby-Square in Bishopsgate-street 1696. MVNIFICENTIA REGIA 1715. GEORGIVS D.G. MAG Bâ— â—â— ET HIR â—â—â— FD. J. Puâ—â— sculp TO THE KING Great Sir MY Presumption in this Dedication would be Vnpardonable were it not that the Subject Matter of this Book is such as does particularly Entitle Your Majesty thereunto and makes it fit for a Prince to Patroniâ—e For it is not only the History of the Lives and Reigns of Your Majesty's Royal Predecessors but also a Description of Your Majesty's Kingdom of England and Principallity of Wales A Country that has been Rescu'd by Your Majesty out of the Jaws of those Devouring Monsters Popery and Slavery which were ready to swallow it up 'T was when the Nation lay Expos'd to the Will and Lust of her Insulting Ravishers that Your Majesty as the Guardian Angel of Great Britain came to her Timely Rescue Exposing Your Royal Person to the Danger of the Sea in the worst Season of the Year that You might Save It from impending Ruine And to whom could the History of England be better Dedicated than to a Prince who has done such Great Things for it Who has Rais'd it from that Oblivion to which the Supineness of the late Reigns had Reduc'd it to make the most considerable Figure of any Kingdom in Europe of which Your Majesty has also again made it the Arbiter Having Rais'd the Genius of the Nation by Your Own Heroick Example above what it was in our Third Edward or Fifth Henry's Days 'T is true indeed both those Princes obtain'd Great Victories over France but it was then Weak and Divided Void of all those Acquisitions that Lewis the 14th has Vnjustly Raâ—ish'd from his Neighbours Whereas Your Majesty has Humbled France in the very Zenith of her Glory when she was Laying the Foundation of an Vniversal Monarchy But it would be too great a Boldness in so Weak a Pen to attempt any thing in Your Majesty's Just Praise when even the most Celebrated Writers must fall far short of Performing it as they ought That Your Majesty may long Live and Reign the Terrour of Your Enemies the Joy of Your Subjests and the Delight of all Mankind shall be the daily Prayer of Your Majesties most Humble Subject and Servant John Seller A New Mapp of ENGLAND and WALES By Iohn Seller THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND CHAP. I. Of its Situation and Fruitfulness The Manners Customs and Religion of the Antient Britains How it was first Inhabited Why call'd Britain and the Name of ENGLAND given to the Part we Inhabit Julius Caesar Invited over c. THIS Island of Great Britain containing at present Three Nations or People of different Languages is the largest in Europe and inferiour to none in the other parts of the World for Fertility Power good Government and Glory of it's Great Actions It is Situated in a healthful Climate between 51 and 58 Degrees of North Latitude Bounded on the East with Germany and Denmark on the West with Ireland and the Atlantick Ocean on the North with the Ducalidonian Seas and on the South with France and Normandy ENGLAND the noblest and largest part of it and a distinct Kingdom of it self though at present all under One happy Monarch formerly sustained many Kings at once all of them commanding great Powers as will appear in the Series of History For in spaciousness it extends it self from North to South in the broadest place 386 Miles and from the Lands End in Cornwal to the Isle of Thanet in the East of Kent it stretches 340 Miles besides the spaciousness of the many Islands as Wight Man Anglesey and others of note which I shall have occasion to mention with every thing else that may give satisfaction to the Reader It is for Longitude placed between the Parallels of 14 and 16 Containing 25 Cities in which are Bishops Seas 'T is full of Parks Rivers and Forrests and abounding in plenty of Arable Ground Pleasant Pastures and Cattel throughout its 40 Counties and the like in the 13 Counties of Wales once a distinct Kingdom but now annexed to the English Diadem As to the time of the first Peopling this fruitful Land some will have it soon after the Floud by Sememothâ—us Sixth Son of Japhet others that it was Peopled by King Brutus in the 2887th Year of the Worlds Creation and that we are of Trojan Original So that this must be about 1231 Years after the Deluge when Elie was High-Priest But it is rather generally accepted though many other Stories without any good ground or much credit are mentioned That a Colony of some neighbouring Nation viz from Germany wafted over and finding it so pleasant a Soile gladly planted themselves in it But since this is doubtful and all we can gather concerning the Natives before the Landing of Julius Caesar is from Forreign Authors we must be content to pass these over As for the Name of this Island being call'd Britain it is held to come from the word Brith which signifies Painting or Staining their Skins and also going Naked which was the Custom of the Antient Britains They Raced their Skins drawing on them the Figures of Birds Beasts Flowers Suns Stars c. to distinguish their Dignity which like the slic'd Bark of a Tree growing wider as they grew up made them appear Terrible to their Enemies and indeed they were for the most part Fierce and Cruel especially those in the Northern parts who Traded not with the Civilized Gauls insomuch that they Sacrificed every Tenth Captive taken in the Wars among themselves to their Idols of which they had a great number called by the Names of Planets and in the form of divers living Creatures And to these senseless Stocks their Druid's or Magi whom they accounted their Wise Men and served in stead of Flamins and Priests compelled them to pay their Adoration Worshiping in Groves accounting Fortified Woods their Towns and Cities They wore about their Middles Iron Chains and to them both Men and Women had short Swords girded bearing in their Hands a Spear with a Brass Knob or Bell at the end of it to make a
he continued for a time in that station but using many Arts to win upon the Affections of the People finding he should meet with no great opposition in making him self King contrary to the Trust reposed in him he got to be Crowned at Kingston upon Thames in Surry But Wolstan Arch Bishop of York having laboured to oppose it and not being able to do it became his Enemy practising many underhand Treacheries against him siding with Anlafe the Dane who lurked with a few Forces in the Northern parts till Recruits came to him and then by the Bishops means the People of Northumberland Received him as their King A Mapp of DORSETSHIRE By Iohn Seller Hydrog reg at the west end of the Exchang London This King made St. Germans in Cornwal a Bishop See which was afterwards translated to Cridington by Canute King of the Danes Reigning Sole Monarch in England and at last it was settled at Exeter by Edward the Confessor where it now remaines He began his Reign Anno Dom. 946 and continued it Nine Years and was Buryed at Winchester and is accounted the Tenth Sole Monarch of England In his time a violent Earthquake happened throwing down many stately Buildings especially in the Northern parts Remarks on Dorsetshire c. DOrsetshire is very spacious and fertil breeding great numbers of Cattle in its rich Pastures and is much renowned for its Linnen and Woollen Manufactures It produces abundance of Corn and the Isle of Portland joyning as it were to it furnishes us with plenty of Free-Stone used in building Churches and other stately Fabricks in London c. It is Bounded with Wiltshire Somersetshire Hampshire Devonshire and the Channel It Containes 248 Parishes divided into 29 Hundreds 19 Market Towns and four Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 20 viz. Bridport 2 Croft-Castle 2 Dorchester 2 Lyme Regis 2 Melcom Regis 2 Pool 2 Shaston 2 Weymouth 2 Wareham 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire It has in it a great many Parks stored with Venison Dorchester the chief Town in this Shire is of great Antiquity and was called by the Romans Durnovaria being of pleasant situation and its Buildings Rich and Populous Banbury was Antiently the Court of many West Saxon Kings at Cern Austin the Monk Preached up Christianity on his first Arrival in this shire and by the consent of the People destroyed their Idols and among the rest one called Hell Shaftsbury is famed for the History of the Prophecying Eagle probably a Man whose Name was Aquila in this place was Buryed the Body of Edward the Son of Edgar Murthered at the command of his Step-Mother in Corfe-Castle At Winbourn Minster Builded by Cuthburga Queen of Northumberland was Intered the Body of Ethelred Nor must we forget Lime in this County which is Memorable for the Landing of James late Duke of Monmouth there with about fourscore Gentlemen from Holland in the Year 1685 being the first Year of the late King James's Reign And tho' he brought so few along with him yet in a few Days after his Landing he was several Thousands strong and gave the Kings Forces a considerable Repulse at Philips-Norton and had he gain'd the Day at Sedgemore which in all probability he had done had he not been betray'd It is verily believed the greatest part of England had Declared for him so great an Aversion even at that time the Nation had against King James and Popery and I am sure they have no reason to be fonder of him since But Heaven had decreed our Deliverance to be the Work of another hand And therefore the unhappy Duke after his Defeat at Sedgmore was taken at Ringwood in Hampshire and from thence brought up to London and two days after Beheaded upon Tower-Hill whose Death was follow'd by abundance of barbarous Executions in this County so that there is hardly a Town in it but what can shew some Bloody Tokens of King James his Cruelty The Quarters of the poor Macerated Wretches having been placed upon Poles set up in the High-ways for many Miles together As we shall shew more at large when we come to King James's Reign Sherburn was Antiently an Episcopal See and so continued a long time in whose Cathedral were Interred the Body of the Kings Ethelbert and Ethelbald Maiden Castle about a Mile West of Dorchester and Badbury Castle appear by Coin and other Marks digg'd up and found about them to have been Garisons of the Romans if not builded by them The River Stowr in this County abounds with Tench of an extraordinary bigness In the Isle of Purbeck are veins of Marble tho' not continued but scattering here and there as Cambden observes yet run a great way under Ground Great store of the best Hemp growing in England is found between Bemister and Bridport and near Sturpain on the side of the River there is a plentiful production of Madder The Hills in Dorsetshire are few and those for the most part gradually rising some Crowned with pleasant Woods and others with Corn in its season and flocks of Sheep It is Beautified with several Seats of the Nobility viz. Hook Castle the Duke of Boltons Cranbourn-House the Earl of Salisburys Wimbourn St. Giles the Earle of Shaftsburys The Houses of the Gentry are likewise very stately as well in the Towns as seperate so that it may be ranked among the most delightful Counties of England The Reign of Edwye the Eleventh Sole Monarch of England EDwye Eldest Son to Edmund and Nephew to Edrid began his Reign Anno Dom. 955 finding Affairs in a forward settlement the Danes being for the most part expelled the Land or had turned their Forces on the Scots as knowing they had been foiled on this side and had but little hopes of fixing in the Southern parts of the Island He was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames and there is reported to have drawn a Lady near a kin to him and Married to a Nobleman aside after a Ball or Dancing bout as if he had some matter of importance to relate to her and behind the Cloth of Arras forced her to his Lust which being much complained of by the Nobility he proposed for the reparation of her Honour to take her to be his Wife but her Husband opposing it and willing to pass over the high Injury his Prince had done him rather than his Country should suffer by any publick Mischief that might ensue thereon from Popular Fury or Factions at Court the matter seemed hushed for a time but whether the King feared the private Revenge of an abused Husband or having an inclination to a free Enjoyment of the Lady I determine not but so it was ordered that he in conclusion caused the Husband to be Murthered and took his Lady now free from the bonds of Marriage by the untimely Death of her Husband not for a Wife as he had before proposed but for his Concubine which makes some Authors believe her Ambition to glitter so near a Throne tho'
whilst he was expecting high Promotion he caused him to be Arrested and his Head being stricken off was placed on the highest part of the Tower for by this time he was advanced with an Army to London and the English upon the consternation they were in at the surprizing News of the Kings Death not opposing him in a short time the whole Kingdom submitted to him so that being Crowned Sole Monarch he put a Period to the Saxon Reign about 566 Years from the Establishment of the Heptarchy HARTFORD SHIRE By John Seller This Edmund was the Fifteenth Sole Monarch of England He began his Reign Anno Dom. 1016 and continued it about one Year He was a Prince abounding with Courage Courtesie and Strength a lover of Humanity and very Merciful to those that Submitted to him and so Good-natured That he hardly could be induced to believe any Treachery against him Remarks on Hartfordshire c. HArtfordshire is a very pleasant Inland County producing large crops of Corn especially Barly of which the best Malt is held to be made It abounds with pleastant Orchards and Gardens has in it divers Parks stored with Deer It produces large and small Cattle in great abundance and is sprinkled with Woods and adorned with pleasant Hills Meadows and Inclosiures and is particularly noted for the great quantities of Black Cherries that are at the proper season sent from thence to London many of the Trees that produce them growing in the Hedg-rows in Fields and along the Roads casting a pleasant shade in Summer time to refresh the weary Traveller It is Bounded with Cambridgshire Essex Middlesex Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire and divided into Eight Hundreds viz. Odsey Edwinstree Hitching Broadwater Broughing Hartford Dacor and Caisho Hundreds and these again into 120 Parishes It has 18 Market Towns and one River of note viz. Ware River though it is Watered with many small Streams It sends Members to Parliament Six viz. St Albans two Hartford the Shire Town two and two Knights of the Shire In this County are divers Places worthy of note as St. Albans raised out of the Ruins of old Verulam an Antient Roman station It is Memorable for the Death of St Alban the British Proto Martyr who suffered there in the Tenth Persecution raised by Dioclesian the Roman Emperour who being Buryed here and a stately Monument raised on his Grave by Offa the great King of the Mercians seems to have given it its Name This Place is also famous for two Battels fought here The first between Richard Duke of York and King Henry the sixth the 23d of May Anno Don. 1455. In which the King was defeated with the slaughter of the Duke of Summerset Earl of Northumberland Lord Clifford and 5000 of lesser note The second on the 17th of February Anno Dom. 1460 where King Henry the sixth and his Queen Margaret gained the Victory over the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick Barnet is famed for its Market and Medicinal Waters and for the great Victory gained by Edw. the 4th on the 14th of April Anno Dom. 1471 against the Earls of Warwick and Oxford in whose Field that great Earl was slain since called The Battel of Barnet-Field Here was Born John Barnet Bishop of Worcester then of Bath and Wells lastly of Ely Lord Treasurer in the Reign of Edward the Third Ware Hatfield and Hodsdon are all three seated on the River Lea and near unto Ware is Amwel-Spring famous for being the Head of the New-River which so plentifully furnishes the City of London with Water Langly commonly called Kings Langly gave Birth to Edmond of Langly fifth Son to Edward the Third and the first Burial-place of Richard the Second afterward removed to Westminster Abbots Langly was the Birth-place of Nicholas Break-spear advanced to Pope of Rome by the Name of Pope Adrian the Fourth who made the Emperour Frederick of Germany hold his Stirrop Oister supposed by Cambden to have been the Camp of the Roman Lieutenant Ostorius the next of note are Weathamsted Baldock Redburn Helmsteadsbury Gatesden Hemsted Cottered Grohambury which produced many famous Men. The Seats of the Nobility curiously adorn it and are these More Park once the delightful seat of the Late Vnfortunate Duke of Monmouth Caishobury and Hadam-Hall the seats of the Earl of Essex Totteridg the seat of the Earl of Angleseys Hatfield Hartford-Castle Bigrave Chesunt and Quickwood seats of the Earl of Salisburys With divers seats of the Gentry rendering a pleasant Prospect in all Parts CHAP. IX The Reigns of the Three Danish Kings who were Sole Monarches of England viz. Canute Harrold and Hardicanute with the Memorable Things that happened in their several Reigns Some Observations on the Original of the Danes A Brief Description of the Country from whence they came Their manner of War Religion Customs c. BEing come to speak of a Succession of Kings different in Nation from the former it will not be improper to give an account briefly of the Original of the Nation that gave birth to the first of them c. The Original of the Danes is concluded by some Authors to have been from Scythia That a Famine extreamly raging in that Country divers Colonies had left it and ranging to seek Food found out an Island called Scandia situate Northward not far from the continent of Denmark and in time growing too numerous for that scanty place they Warred on the Danij and so long continued it that they grasped the Kingdom with so hard a hand as to this day it is not wrested from the Race of them and from thence they called the Country Danes-Mark or portion of Land now corruptly Denmark This Peninsule so called by reason it is almost an Island as it is now held by the Danish King that is properly called Denmark is in Length Eighty Miles and Twenty in Breadth having but little firm Land being divided into many Islands whereof Jutland for its bigness is the chief It borders upon Germany and is a near Neighbour to the lower Frisia it is difficult to determine whether it receives greater Benefit than Damage from the Sea for often by the violent Tempests the Banks and Fences being forced by the Waves the Water not only covers the Fields for a long time but by the suddainness of the Deluge destroys many Cattle and People and as well Stately Buildings as Lowly Cottages And the Country is full of Woods containing store of Deer The Island of Frunen is separated from the main Land by a narrow Arm of the Sea To the Westward of it lieth Juta to the East Slayland which for the Beauty and Fertility of it is to be preferred before all the other Islands belonging to the Danish King In it is situate Copenhagen the principal residence of the King also Roschilt the place of their Burial near unto which is the Island of Scandia the first Habitation of the Danes in those parts as most
manner Her Eyes were blinded with a thick Veil and nine Plowshares newly taken out of the Fire laid a Yard distance from each other in an even row over which she was to pass for her Purgation and if she did it without touching any of them she was to be adjudged Guiltless so being led by a Priest her Feet being bare she passed over missing every one of them which being done and she not knowing it Cryed out O Lord when shall I come to the place of my Purgation she having her Eyes uncovered and perceiving she had passed the danger she fell on her Knees and gave thanks to God for her deliverance This King is likwise accounted to be over severe to his Virtuous Wife Edith who being wrongfully accused of Incontinency was Imprisoned and at last confined to a Religious Life in the Monastery of Wilton In this Kings Reign a Blazing Star appeared and was seen for seven Nights all over Europe The Abby of St. Peter's Westminster founded in a place formerly called the Isle of Thorns was Beautified and much Enlarged by him he removed the Bishops See from Credington in Devonshire to Exeter in the same County and was the first of our English Kings that is said to have The Gift conferred upon him of Curing the Disease called Struma now the Kings-Evil And the first also that sealed his Patents with that stately Seal now called The Kings Great Seal He remitted the remainder of the Tax called Dane Gelt moved to it as some say upon seeing a fearful Apparition dancing about a heap of Money in his Closet that had been exacted from the People under that denomination and towards the close of his Reign he collected all the useful Laws made by his Predecessors into one Body and out of them compiled a select Body of Law held at this day to be the Ground of our Common Law This Edward Seventh Son to Ethelred by Emma his Second Wife was Born at Islip in Oxfordshire and brought up to a great degree of Learning which he improved in his Banishment He began his Reign Anno Dom. 1042 and Reigned Twenty Years Six Months and Twenty Seven Days Dying the Fourth of January of a lingering Fever and was Buried in Westminster Abby where in the second Year of the Reign of the Late King James one of the Choristers searching his Tomb found a plain Golden Crucifix Inscribed to be this Kings and delivered it into the Hands of the said King James who esteemed it as an extraordinary Relick by reason this Edward after his Death was Canonized a Saint at Rome tho' for what Extraordinary Vertues I know not Remarks on the County Palatine of Lancaster c. LANCASHIRE by John Seller Lancaster the Shire Town is Commodiously Situate on the South Banks of the River Lon from whence it might probably take the Name of Loncaster and now by corruption Lancaster It has a Curious Bridge Leading to it and in it a famous Church It gave Title from John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster to four Henries Kings of England viz 4th 5th 6th and 7th It is a place of great Antiquity Considerable Trade Pleasant Building and has a stately Castle Manchester the Antient Mancunium of the Romans was highly prized by them where the Ruins of their Forts and Works are found in the digging of Foundacions Ribchester taks it's Name from Rible a little Brook near Clithero it is a Town of great Antiquity and was a station of the Romans as appears by their Coins and Statues that have been digg'd up there and Tradition Reports it to have been once the Richest Town in Christendom Near Duglas a small Brook not far from the Town of Wiggan King Arthur put the Saxons to the Rout with great Slaughter at Belango the Saxons Fought a mortal Battel with each other Near Furness-Fells in this County is a standing Water accounted the greatest in England called Minander-Meer being 10 Miles in Length and all along paved at the bottom with flat Stone and it is said a Fish called a Chare is found here and in no other Waters Also the the River Lune near Cockerfand-Abby abounds with Trout Pike and some Salmon In this County is the Antiently Famous Castle called Hornby Castle Induring many Sieges There are scatered up and down in Lancashire divers Quarries of useful Stone for Building and some Mineralls upon its Hills are many pleasant Springs and Rivers and some places naturally abound with Wiâ—â— Thime Marjorum and Cardus and many other Physical Herbs The Seats of the Nobility give a gratful Prospect to the Travellers and are Clithero Castle belonging to the late Duke of Albemarle Alburn Tower to the Earl of Derby Halfal to the Earl of Macclesfield Hornby Castle to the Lord Morley and Mount-Eagle Wood-acre Hall Ashton Hall and Shortâ—n Hall to the Lord Gerard of Gerards Bromley Wigan the Bishop of Chesters Place besides divers Seats of the Gentry as famous in Prâ—spect for most part as those mentioned and to conclude it has produced many famous Men serviceable in Church and State The Reign of Harrold Twentieth Sole Monarch of England KIng Edward Dying Issueless tho' Edgar Etheling was the next Heir to the Crown yet Harrold Son to Goodwin Earl of Kent by his Wife Sitha Sister to Swain the Younger King of Denmark having Ingratiated himself into the Favour of the leading Nobility and promised great advantages to the Commons he so firmly bound them to him that he procured himself to be Proclaimed King beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 1065 and according to his promise he remitted to the People many grievous Taxes making them everywhere â—asie in their stations and then was Crowned by Aldred Arch Bishop of York confirming the Laws of Edward the Confessor and adding some of his own and laboured to make his bad Title appear more fair in the Eyes of his Subjects by heaping on them what favours they desired as fearing a storm from the Norman Coast which soon after happened to his destruction the cause of it being reported by Historians three several ways 1. That Edward had consigned his Crown to William the Seventh Duke of Normandy to be holden by him after his Death 2. That Young Edgar the true Heir to whom he was great Unkle had resigned his Right to him as being too weak to contend for the possession 3. That Harrold in King Edwards life-time Hawking on the Coast of Sussex the Hawk when he was cast off flew into the Sea whereupon getting into a Skiff in hopes to recover him a Storm arose and he was driven on the Coast of Normandy where Landing and being taken Prisoner he was known and presented to the Duke who caused him to be kept with a strict Guard till such time as he Swore That if King Edward Dyed Issueless he would do his utmost endeavour to secure the Kingdom to the use and behoof of him the before named Duke and thereupon he procuring his Liberty returned to England However
the main design of his Preparations having private notice that his Brother John was practicing against him and fearing whilst he was warring abroad he might lose his Kingdom at home he resolved to make such Conditions with the Turkish Sultan as might be best for the Settlement and Peace of the Christians in Syria But the crafty Infidel being very sensible of the weak condition the Christian Army was in would not hearken to any other Terms than to have all the Towns that were taken Ptolomais Excepted surrendered and upon that condition they should be suffered to have a quiet Enjoyment of their Effects and to Trade in the Country and so having made this Agreement and Sold the Island of Cyprus for a Sum of Money to Hugh of Lusingham the last Christian King of Jerusalem though at that time but in Name which Title he confered on King Richard and it lasted to many of our Kings afterward who were stiled Kings of Jerusalem he Embarked in divers Vessels with his Queen who had accompanied him in that dangerous Voyage and Sailed for England but the Ship he was in being separated from the rest of the Fleet in a Storm was driven on the Coast of Histria lying between Aquileia and Venice where he was Ship-Wrack'd and saving his Life by Swimming was made Prisoner and presented to the Duke of Austria in whose Territories he Landed but the Queen who was in another Ship and the rest of the Fleet came safe to England The King by misfortune thus made a Prisoner to his Enemy whom he had disgusted by throwing down his Standard as is said was Sold by him for 40000 Pounds to the Emperer Frederick who set his Ransom at 100000 Pounds Fourscore Thousand of which was raised in England but Duke Leopold was constrained to Pay the other Twenty Thousand Pounds before he could be released from the Popes Curse pronounced against him for making a Prince his Prisoner who for the honour of the Christian Name had Warred Victoriously in the Holy Land So that after almost a Years Imprisonment the King was set at Liberty of which Lewis the French King had no sooner notice but be sent John the Kings Brother word The Devil was got loose again However he did not immediately return to England but went to Normandy and with the Terror of his coming frighted the French out of many strong holds they had taken in his absence then raising a puissant Army he entered France wasting all before him with Fire and Sword reducing to his Subjection all such places as had been taken and made the Rebellious Norman Peers who had engaged in the French Faction prostrate themselves before him whose humble Submission he accepted and accordingly Pardoned them on promises of future Obedience and Fidelity Let me now speak of something that happened Remarkable in England during the Kings absence I told you he had left the Bishop of Ely Regent This Man being of mean Parentage his Grandfather a Plowman and himself the Son of a Cowheard soon forgot his Original as such mostly do who are raised from a low Estate to high Promotion and grew so Insolently Proud that he would not Ride abroad without a Guard of 500 Men to attend him his Table was exceeding Expensive on the Publick Cost and his Insolencies over all sorts as well the Clergy as Laiety was so great that he soon procured himself a Universal Hatred yet a while he Proudly spread his Peacocks Train being Served at his Table and every where Waited on by the Sons of Noblemen to whom he gave in Marriage with some Portion and Preferment divers of his Rustick Kindred thinking thereby to strengthen his Interest but this proved to him a broken Reed for finding he was generally hated by the Nobles and Commons to shun the storm that threatened him with some violent End he sewed up many Jewels and some Gold in the Garments of a Pedlar Woman and Disguised in that Habit resolved to leave the Land carrying under his Arm a piece of Country Cloath which he offering to sale at Dover was Discovered and Seized suffering much outrage from the Common People and being sent to London the Lords Committed him to the Tower where he remained till the Kings return who not only released him but restored him to his Bishoprick yet having seen the folly of his Pride he grew more Humble and shortly after Travelling to Rome Dyed by the way unlamented by all that had known his former carriage The Queen-Mother in the Kings absence perceiving her Son John's aspiring who had a hand in bringing the Bishop of Ely into Disgrace and Outing him made a strong Party of her Friends as soon as she heard King Richard was a Prisoner compelling the Nobles and such others as were in Offices and Trusts to Swear to be True to him and Conserve the Realm to his use and behoof and John hearing he was Released and in Normandy hasted to excuse himself submitting to his Grace and Mercy voluntarily surrendering all the Forts and Castles he had Seized into his hands saying What â—e had done he was provoked to do by the Extraordinary Pride and Insolent Behaviour of the Bishop of Ely who unworthily had disordered the Government of the Realm and particularly for the Outrages he had committed on the Person of Jeffery Arch Bishop of York the Kings Brother Yet by the Peers he was Condemned in the Forfeiture of his Goods Estate and Honours but not long after received them again and was restored to the Kings Favour and came with him to England where the King at his Landing was Joyfully received by Hubert Arch Bishop of Canterbury and most of the Nobles causing himself a second time to be Crowned and the Coronation Solemnity was performed at Winchester Then he made a new Broad-Seal by which device he got much Money out of his Subjects who were obliged to have their Patents Royal Grants for Offices and other Evidences new Sealed the former being declared null and void And yet this not sufficing to put the Kingdom in a good Settlement pay his Soldiers Arrears and repay the Money that had been taken upon trust for his Ransom the Treasuries of Religious Houses were ransacked and a Parliament being called he was allowed to reassume into his hands such Mannors Lordships Lands and Offices as had been disposed of at his setting out to the Holy War for Ready Money so that the Purchasers were enforced to content themselves with the Profits they had Received in lieve of the Money they had Paid After this as the King was at Dinner in his Palace of Westminster News came to him that the French had Besieged Nerville in Normandy upon which in a great Passion he Swore He would never turn his back till he had got thither with his Army and to save his Oath a place by order was immediatly broken in the Wall through which he passed the breach heing left open above a hundred Years afterward in Remembrance
of it and his Arrival so terrified the French That they no sooner heard of his Landing but they raised the Siege Yet pursuing this Advantage he gave a mighty Army of them Battel near Gysors slaying great numbers and putting the rest to Flight he not having half their number Whereupon said he Not we but Dieu Et Mondroit that is God and our Right hath obtained this Victory After which the Kings of England made it their Motto under their Arms and so he prosecuting this Victory took many Towns But in the midest of his Success Pope Innocent the Third Interceding a Peace was concluded between the two Crowns but it held not long for the French giving new provocations he passed the Seas again with a powerful Army when closely Besieging the Castle of Challons near to Lymois as he took a private view he was descried and known by a common Soldier who Shooting at him with a square impoisoned Arrow out of a Steel Bow grievously Wounded him in the Arm yet he took the Castle by Storm and caused all he found therein to be Slain except the Person who wounded him who being brought before him and demanded how he durst shoot a Poisoned Arrow at the King The Fellow who expected he was reserved for Death by Cruel Torments seemed not at all daunted but boldly reply'd That in the War he had lest his Father and his Brother and was exceeding glad Fortune had so well assisted him in Revenging their Deaths Upon this resolute Answer the King much contrary to the expectation not only of the Prisoner but all the rest freely Pardoned him and caused him to be led out of the Army to avoid the violence of the Soldiers towards a Person who had Slain their King for indeed he Dyed within three days after viz. the 6th of April Anno Dom. 1199. This King Richard began his Reign Anno Dom. 1189 and Reigned 9 Years and 9 Months Dying in the 42 Year of his Age and was Buried at Font-Everard in Normandy at his Fathers Feet as himself had directed He was for his surpassing Valour called Ceur de Leon or Lions-Heart fearing no danger where the attempt was Honourable In his Reign the Jews were Banished out of Norwich St. Edmunds-Bury Stamford Lyn and York in which last place about 500 of them besides Women and Children entered a Tower of the Castle and when they found themselves hard pressed by a Siege they cut the Throats of their Wives and Children and cast them on the Heads of the Besiegers then in a desperate mood Fired the Tower and Burnt themselves in it tho' Quarter was offered if they would have Surrendered NORTHUMBERLAND Remarks on the County of Northumberland THis Northern County the Extremity of England is Bounded on the North and part of the West with Scotland another part of the West with Cumberland on the South with part of Cumberland and the Bishoprick of Durham and on the East with the German Ocean In many Parts there is Plenty of good Corn it produces a profitable Breed of Cattle has in it many pleasant Gardens Orchards Parks Hare and Coney Warrens on the Western side it is somewhat incommoded with Hills but otherwise produces Plains Inclosures Meadows Woods tho' not many It contains 46 Parishes 5 Market Towns and is branched with 21 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 8 viz. Berwick upon Tweed 2 Morpeth 2 New-Castle on Tine 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire This County was the Antient Northumbrian Kingdom of the Saxons and suffered much by lying so near the borders of Scotland especially when the Scots utterly destroy'd the Pictish Kingdom that had for some time screened them from the Incroachment of that Northern Nation At a Place called Otterburn a great Battle was Fought between the English and Scots Alnwick is of note for the mighty Victories the English gained over the Scots and being the usual Seat of the Northumbrian Kings and lately of many of the Noble Earls of Northumberland At Emildon Duns Sirnamed Scotus was Born a Person of great Wit and Subtilty in School Philosophy Berwick is pleasantly situate on the Tweed looking a great way from its lofty Turrets into both Kingdoms and is fam us for the many Sieges it has held out against the Scots in divers Kings Reigns Newcastle is pleasantly seated on the River Tine that branches all the Southern part of this County and produces store of Salmon as dos also the River Bywel Newcastle is also famous for furnishing the City of London with Coals brought thence by Sea and therefore commonly called Sea-Coals which Trade is also a great Nursery for Seamen Vpon the Hills near North-Tine tho' Boggy and full of Water there are great heaps of Stones which some take as a Monument of a Roman British or Saxon Victory The Seats of the Nobility are Ogle Castle Bothat Castle Heple Tower belonging to the Noble Family of the Duke of Newcastle Prudhoe Castle to the Duke of Summerset Wark Castle Chillingham Castle Dunstaburg Castle and Horton Castle to the Lord Grey of Wark Widerington Castle to the Lord Widerington and some Houses there are of the Gentry very Beautiful and pleasantly Situate especially on the East side with a curious Prospect to the Sea by means of whose Washing its Shoars this County receives great Benefit The Reign of King JOHN RICHARD the First Dying in Normandy and Buried at Font-Everard his Brother John Earl of Lancaster by his own Right and of Glocester in Right of his Wife having long aspired to the Crown thought this was his time to push hard for it although Arthur Plantaginet Son to Geoffery his Elder Brother was Living and so with what store of Treasure he had heaped up making many of the Nobles and some Leading Commoners of his Party he openly laid claim to the Soveraignty of England as his Undoubted Right and Arthur not being able to stand in competition with him this way as being little Interested in the English by reason he had for the most part been brought up beyond the Seas and consequently a Stranger to the greatest part of the Nation his Right was carried away in the current of the Peoples Inclinations and John was Crowned at Westminster by Hubert Arch Bishop of Canterbury at what time the Bishop to flatter the People and curry-favour with the King declared in an Oration That the Crown of England was meerly Arbitrary and Elective yet the more sober part of the Nobility knowing this Princes Haughty Temper Swore him to several Articles upon his admission to the Crown for Observing and Maintaining their Rights and Priviledges Antient Laws and Customs c. Scarcely was King John Settled in his Throne but Philip the French King underhand assisted by others sent for Arthur to his Court protesting a great deal of Love and tender Affection to him Informed him of his Title to the Crown of England Dutchy of Normandy and Britany animating him to raise his Spirits and use his
Prelates Noblemen and Judges sufficient to determine any Controversies within his Kingdom that should arise either in Church or Common-Weal and added That he would rather expose himself to Ten Thousand Deaths than basely as he was required make himself and his Kingdom Servil to the Popes Insolency and Peremptory Commands But on the other side the Pope threatened what he would do if he was not Obey'd in the Election of Langton and the calling home such Monks as had Fled through fear of the Kings displeasure on this last Election and because this was not speedily done he sent his Apostolical Command to the Prelates of London Ely Worcester c. to Interdict the Kingdom if the King continued in his obstinacy as he termed it This Commission was put in Execution and the Church-Doors were shut up for several Years Some Authors say Six there being neither Prayers Sermons Christenings nor Service at the Funerals of the Dead said or performed publickly during that time so that the People distinguished not the Sabbath from other days but followed their Work and Sports on it living More like Infidels than Christians such power over the Minds of besotted Men had the Popes Usurpation in those dark and ignorant Times For this Affront the King Banished divers Bishops and others of the Clergy whom he found most forward in complying with the Popes Interest seizing on their Temporalities resolving to take the like course with all such as consented to receive Promotions Investitures or Ecclesiastical Degrees from the Pope or new Arch Bishop or that went to Rome upon any occasion without his License or did attempt to put in Execution any Command from the Pope within his Kingdom The Pope no sooner heard of this but resolving not to cool on it he sent into England two Legates viz. Pandulph and Durant to perswade the King to be Reconciled to Langton and the other Bishops and Clergy that were under his Displeasure in England or in Banishment to restore them to their Lands Places and Goods that a good understanding might be renewed between the Pope and him This did but little please the King yet however fearing to be Accursed and Embroyl himself in new Troubles for in those days the Popes Leaden Sword did more mischief in Kingdoms than many of Steel People being for the most part infatuated to believe what he did he did by the immediate Will and Command of God whose Vicegerent he assumed to himself to be He promised to perform all but allowing the Election of Cardinal Langton protesting that if another might be chosen he would yet prefer him to some other Bishoprick but the Imperious Legates instead of gratifying the Kings Request pronounced the Popes Curse not only against the King but all Persons who should do him Service or give him Attendance or supply him with things Necessary Absolving his Subjects from their Allegiance Duties and Oaths requiring all Christian Princes to make War upon him as upon the Arch and Grand Enemy of the Church of God The Pope also published and pronounced against him Sentence of Deprivation and gave his Crown and his Kingdom to Philip the French King if by any secret Plot or open Violence and Hostility he could Expel or Murther him These were the Fruits of this pretended Holy un-Holy Father The Popes Religion and Government and this Usurping Arrogance was a badg of his unsufferable Pride in that he presumed to do what no Earthly Creature can do nor what a Christian ought to attempt to do against a Prince who is Gods Anointed and against such a one as the Almighty has placed in his Kingdom to Govern and Rule his People Yet this Fulmination did not much startle King John and being determined to know the minds of his People how they stood affected to him after this matter he took a sollemn Oath of them for the defence of his Person and the performance of faithful Service to him and then raising an Army he went to Scotland because that King encouraged by the Pope was practicing against him sheltering such as had taken part with the Pope and fled out of England But King Alexander the Second perceiving that Fire and Sword began to devour apace in his Country he with much Humility sent to King John to desire him to spare his People and their Substance and what in reason he required he would accord to and a Peace was made shortly between them he consenting to Banish all the Kings Enemies out of his Country This much disappointed Philip of France who was preparing to Invade England and had to that end provided a gallant Army but by the Wisdom Valour and Circumspection of King John and the Providence of God 300 of his Ships Laden with Corn and other Provisions and Necessaries for the Invasion were Surprized by our Ships which great disapointment put an end at that time to the Design and frustrated his vain hope But after all this the King finding so many Efforts and Treacheries against him that disparing to weather every one of them and pittying the sufferings of his People under these distractions he suddainly without the Advice of his Nobles or of his Privy Council degenerating from his former daring and boldness of Spirit fell on his Knees before the Legate acknowledging his Disobedience craving of him the Popes Pardon resigning with his Crown the possession of his Kingdom to the See of Rome which Crown the proud Prelate took and to put him into some pain in considering whether he should ever have it restored again kept it Four Days and then returned it to the use of him and his Heirs reserving 1000 Marks Yearly by way of Tribute to the See of Rome which was the main thing the Pope had aimed at and for which he had all the while made such a prodigious noise and bustle But this low and Un-Prince-like Submission to a paltry Priest threw him into another mischief which was the contempt and dislike of his Nobles so that for the most part they Revolted from him and entered upon a cruel and unnatural War which went very near to have enslaved this flourishing Island once more to Strangers for the Barons finding they were too weak to oppose the King they leaned on Philip of Frrnce proposing if he would assist them with sufficient Forces and Money they would soon Depose King John and place the Crown upon the Head of Lewis Son to Philip This News fired the Young Ambitious French Prince who had also something of a Martial Spirit that he never left urging his Father till he had furnished him out with an Army But the Pope having now closed with King John on his complaining of this to him he sent his strict command under many Threats to the French King not to suffer his Son to pass the Seas or in the least to molest a Kingdom under the Protection of the Holy See tho' as you have heard a little before himself had given it to them
But Popes usually blow hot or cold as their Interest Ebbs or Flows and therefore it was no wonder he should so soon change his side But Philip refused to Obey his Mandate returning Answer That no King without the consent of his Nobles Prelates and Common People can Subject his Kingdom to the See of Rome or put it under its Protection it being Committed to them by God and consequently this Kingdom was not holden of the See of Rome nor ought to be Defended or Protected by her This Answer somewhat startled the Pope yet using his old way he sent Guallo his Legate Cardinal of St. Martins to Curse Philip and Lewis his Son and such of the English Nobility as took part with them as also all their other Adherents and Accomplices and tho' the wiser sort little minded this yet the ordinary degrees of Soldiers whose Devotion more directly depended on Fear than Knowledge or Judgment to apprehend any danger that could ensue from such threats were so amazed and daunted that they left their Leaders in the Field and returned home to their Wives and Children c. And the Rascally sort in England hearing divers Noblemen were under this Curse entered into their Houses Fields and Parks Robbing Spoiling and bearing away whatever they could find of value being so far from doubting or disputing with their own Consciences whether they did well in it or not that such was the blindness of those Times they supposed their so doing tended to the Glory of God Almighty and that their Rapin and Violence was well pleasing in his Sight yet this hastened many of the Lords who had little left to subsist on to submit to the King and prostrate at his Feet confess their undutiful Revolt and crave his Pardon Upon this they were received into Favour with gentle reproofs for their former failures and were restored to their Estates and Honours so that the Disorders that had happened were by this means settled and a Peace for a time ensued to the great refreshing of a Nation wearied out with Intestine Broyls The Pope intending to make his Proceedings with King John a President to other Princes Assembled a General Council at Lateran where he caused to be published at large the Assignment of the Kingdom of England to the See of Rome and there Otho the Emperour Peter King of Arragon Raymond Earl of Tholouse were Excomunicated for no other material reason than not submitting themselves and Principalities to the Popes Pride and Insolency to be disposed of at his pleasure Also the Empire Kingdom and Principality appertaining to them were Interdicted on pretended Heresie In this Council Auricular Confession and Transubstantiation were Decreed the Cup taken from the Laity in the Communion c. And it was made no less than Eternal Damnation to such as should speak evil of the Pope and that they who were guilty of it should immediatly when they Dyed descend into Hell without being admitted by the way to call in at Purgatory to take leave of any of their Acquaintance And that no Man should presume to take on him the Imperial Diadem till he was Sworn the Popes Vassal paid him Homage and received that Crown at his Hands But these Princes despised him and his idle Menaces yet he secretly wrought them many Troubles and put their Subjects into Rebellion but in time the Storm blew over with the end of his restless Life During these stirs the Irish fell into Rebellion but were soon Quieted on the Kings going over for at Dublin he was met by Twenty of their petty Kings who submitted and promised him their future Obedience And one Gualter Maxes Arch Deacon of Oxford Preached against the Pride of the Pope and wrote a Book Entituled The Revelation of the Romish Goliah for which the Bishops greatly Persecuted him And the Clergy not being heartily reconciled to the King because he had controuled them in many things as he was in his Progress to settle the Kingdom so long disquieted and out of order Dining at Swinstead-Abby not far from Lincoln one Simon a Villanous Monk who served at the Table being of the Order of St. Bernard Poisoned him by delivering into his hand a Bowl of Intoxicated Wine and Poisoned himself also for company the King compelling him upon suspecting by a suddain pain in his Stomach some Treachery to Drink part of it Too easy a Death for such a Monster in wickedness who considered not that Kings are God's Anointed and that the Affront is put upon Heaven when they are Injured Thus fell King John after a troublesom Reign for the most part when he had Reigned 17 Years 6 Months and 13 Days He Dyed on the 19th of October Anno Dom. 1216. and was Buried at Winchester To palliate this execrable Murther it was given out that he should say holding a Halfpeny Loaf in his hand That if he lived a Twelve-month he would make it at the Rate of Twelve Pence and that he should have Ridiculed the Mass when the Pope had Accursed him upon cuming to the Quarry of a Buck that was Slain in Hunting viz. See how fair and fat this Buck is that never heard Mass in all its Life That when he was vexed with the Rebellious Barons he should send to Mira Mula a prevaling King in Africa for Assistance promising him to turn Mahometan and hold his Kingdom Tributary of him if by his help he prevailed over his Enemies But these seem to be Monkish Stories raised to poison his Fame as well as Body and are Rejected by Authentic Historians In the Ninth Year of his Reign by a New Charter he enabled the Citizens of London for their good Service done him to make their Annual Choice of a Mayor and two Sherifs for the better Government of the City In his Reign London-Bridge was Built with Stone-Arches as still it remains being before only of Timber and a dreadful Fire happening on it taking both Ends by the vehemency of the Wind carrying the Flame in sheets from the one to the other the People that came to Quench it were caught in the middle of the danger and Boats coming to receive them by Water they thronged in a hurry so fast into them that divers Sunk so that in the Thames and Flames 300 are computed to perish OXFORD SHIRE By Ihon Seller He left behind him Four Sons viz. Henry who Succeeded him Richard Elected King of the Romans William of Valentia and Guidio Disany and Three Daughters viz. Isabella Married to Frederick the Emperer a Second to William Marshal Earl of Worcester and a Third to the Earl of Leicester Remarks on Oxfordshire c. OXfordshire abounds in rich Pastures store of Cattle Corn Fruits Fish Fowle Coneys Hares Deer and other things to render it Pleasant and Acceptable being a pleasant Inland County bounded with Glocestershire Warwickshire Northamptonshire Buckinghamshire and Barkshire It contains one City which is a Bishops See and in its 14 Hundreds has 280 Parishes 12
Female and that there was no force in that Law to debar him of such a Right This the King considered prudently and deliberated with Grave Counsel about it who all concluded it was his undoubted Right and the Earl of Arthois who fled out of France for saying upon the French Kings Sentencing his Earldom to Maud Countess of Burgundy By me was he made a King and by me shall he be Deposed vehemently solicited the King to claim and prosecute his Right promising him his Interest to make him many Friends even in the Heart of France But this was laid aside a while by reason of a difference arising between England and Scotland For King Edward sending to David the Scots King who had Married his Sister to restore the Castle of Berwick and do him Homage for his Kingdom he Answered That by the Sword he had won the Castle and would keep it and as for the Homage demanded his Father never acknowledged any such Service and if he had King Edward had released it if any such was due and therefore he would not confess any Tenure of the Crown of England This slighting Answer highly exasperated King Edward so that he raised a powerful Army and Marching into Scotland soon subdued the better part of it Fortifying and Garisoning to his own use the Towns and Castles he took and in his return posessed himself of Berwick and caused Edward Bayliol Son to John Bayliol who had been King of Scotland but was deceased there to be Crowned King of Scotland to hold it in Tenure of him and committing to his charge the Government of the Town of Berwick Yet he had not long withdrawn his Army ere the Scots had outed this new King and compelled him to fly into France whereupon King Edward Marched against David who had procured a great many French Forces and Overthrew him with a great Slaughter of his followers and so again having secured that Kingdom more strongly than before he returned in Triumph And now he had leasure to consider how to possess himself of the French Diadem and the firmer to bind the Earl of Arthois to his Interest he created him Duke of Richmond and to carry on the thing secretly till it should be ripe for execution The King by private Messages craved the Advice of the Earl of Hanialt his Wives Father the Lord Beaumont and others who had great Interest in Germany and the Netherlands who all approved it promising their best assistance and that he might have power to command the Nobles and Common People of those Countries when occasion required it They procured him to be created Vicar General of the Empire All this while the French King was Ignorant of their Proceedings being extreamly busy in providing Necessaries for an Army of 60000 Men with which he intended to pass into the Holy Land making his Brother John Duke of Normandy and Regent of all his Dominions till his return but at length having secret Notice of King Edwards Pretensions from some Treacherous Counsellors in England who under-hand were his Pensioners he laid aside his intended Eastern Expedition to defend his own Country yet this Discovery sooner than was wished did not at all amate King Edward nor slacken him in what he Designed but knowing Money is the Sinnew and main support of War by many Politick Devices he got vast Sums from his Subjects and Treasured it in his Coffers till his Affaires should require it so that for a time Money became so scarce among the Trading People That a fat Ox was sold for a Noble a fat Sheep for Twelve Pence a Quarter of Wheat for Two Shillings and other Provisions proportionable Matters being thus Resolved on and Forwarded he Sailed to Flanders with his Queen where he met and Conferred with a great many Princes of Germany who agreed to assist him and returning raised an Army of 27000 Men with which he Landed in France and to oppose him the French King took the Field with an Army of double the Number but when they were ready to joyn in Battel Jone Countess of Hainalt Sister to King Philip and Mother to the Queen of England by her unwearied Mediation staid their forward Swords by procuring a Twelvemonths Truce whereupon the French King dissolved his Army and King Edward with his returned to England Yet he gave not over his Design for going to Brussells after the expiration of the Truce the German Princes firmly Engaged themselves to his Interest and solicited the Flemings to Confederate in the League but they excused it unless the King would stile himself King of France and quarter the Arms of that Kingdom with his own That so he might be impowered to release unto them a Bond of Two Millions of Florins wherein they stood obliged not to wage War against the King of France These things he actually did and then they consorted with the German Princes who Signed and Sealed an Instrument to be True to King Edwards Interest and thereupon he returned to England to make speedy preparations for the War and found that in his Absence the French Squadrons had Burnt Southampton and Ravaged Hampshire and part of Sussex carrying away much Booty but not doubting they should one day pay dear for it he called a Parliament who Granted him a Fifth part of Moveable Goods and a Third Part of Corn also a great Tax on Wooll which lay heavy on the Meaner Sort. He Borrowed morover of his Rich Subjects and the City of London furnished him with 20000 Marks he Coined much Gold and Silver with the French Arms Quartered with the Lions and so early in the Spring Sayled to the Sluce which he found Blocked up by a Fleet of French Genois Picards and other Nations about 250 Sail and on Board them an Army of 40000 Men these he Encountered and utterly Defeated Destroying all that he seized not to his use sending a Multitude of Prisoners into England which Victory obtained by much an inferiour Number of Ships and Men gained him a large Reputation among the Princes his Confederates and greatly dismayed the French and Marching into Flanders he joyned the Forces of Jacob Dartwell General of the Flemings with those of the Duke of Guelders the Marquess of Muse Earls of Mons Suvians and Hainalt the Lord Tralquemont and many Thousand Germans c. and laid Siege to the City of Tournay which the French King prepared to Relieve but as before by the incessant Mediation of the Countess of Hainalt when the Place was at point of Yielding another Truce was made and the Armies Dissolved to the great perplexity of most that had Engaged Whilst King Edward was imployed abroad the Scots by the Encouragement of the French King Deposed Edward Bayliol and Renounced their Homage to the Crown of England but upon his Marching thither with 6000 Horse and 40000 Foot he Regained what had been Lost and made them Submit Yet he was no sooner retired but David coming out of France with some
Valiantly killed Four with a Bill he wrested out of one of their Hands Thus untimely Dyed King Richard the Second when he had Reigned 22 Years 3 Months and 8 Days Being the 32d Sole Monarch of England After his Death his Body was brought to London and exposed to the view of the People to satisfie them he was Dead and prevent their taking part with Impostors and then Buried at Langley In this Kings Reign the River Ouse between Swelstone and Harleswood near Bedford stood still and divided it self so that the Botton in the Middle remained dry for three Miles Soon after Vtred Bolton John Ashwerby Walter Bruce John Ashton and Peter Peteshall were Persecuted some by Perpetual Imprisonment some by Banishment for Preaching and Maintaining Wickliffe's Doctrine In the last Year of this Kings Reign all the Bay-Trees in England Withered and when Lancaster came to the Crown fresh Branches sprouted from the supposed dead Stocks And an Army of Birds Fighting in the Air strangely destroyed each other THE County of SUFFOLKE Remarks on the County of Suffolk c. SUffolk has many Advantages in its Situation by reason the Eastern part of it opens to the Sea and is stored with commodious Havens besides this County abounds with Cattle Wooll Corn Marshes producing fat Pastures store of Butter and much Cheese but not much approved of It is mostly plain branched with several curious Rivers flowing from and runing into the Ocean On the North it is Bounded with Norfolk on the West with Cambridgeshire and on the South with Essex It contains 22 Hundreds 575 Parishes 28 Market Towns 1 Castle 2 principal Rivers 32 Bridges 27 Parks most of them well stored with Deer It sends Members to Parliament 16 viz. Alborough 2 Dunwich 2 St. Edmunds-Bury 2 Ipswich 2 Orford 2 Sudbury 2 Eye 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Ipswich in this County was Founded by one Gipsa it has a flourishing Estate in Shiping-Trade by reason of the Navigable River it stands on it was often harassed in antient times by the Danes and is particularly noted for the Birth of that great Pagentry of Fortune Cardinal Wolsey whose Father was a Butcher in it St. Edmunds-Bury is Memorable for King Edmund's being Shot to Death by the Danes for Expiation of which Cruelty King Canute Erected here a stately Monastery once accounted the Richest in Europe And here a Parliament was held in the Reign of King Henry the Sixth Exning is the Birth-place of St. Audri Sister to King Ina. At Renlisham Redwald the first Christian King of the East-Angles kept his Court Lidgate is the Birth-place of John Sirnamed Lidgate a famous English Poet. The Seats of the Nobility are Busbrook Hall belonging to the Duke of St. Albans Ewston to the Earl of Arlington Christs Church in Ipswich Sudbury Hall Soham Lodge to the Lord Viscount Hereford Denham Hall to the Lord Viscount Townsend Broom Hall and Carleford Hall to the Lord Cornwallis Besides these there are a great many stately Buildings belonging to private Gentlemen In some of the Cliffs to the Sea Hawks build and there is much Game for Recreation as Fishing Fowling Hunting c. Here also stands Framlingham Castle a place of great State Beauty Strength and Conveniency and the Ruins of Burgh Castle Remain The Reign of HENRY the Fourth commonly called Henry of Bullenbrook THIS Henry was Crowned by the consent of the Estates in the life time of Richard the Second and created Henry his Eldest Son Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Earl of Chester Then he called a Parliament in his own Name in which the Bishop of Carlisle for speaking in the behalf of King Richard and moving a commiseration of his wrongs was committed close Prisoner to the Abby of St. Albans and the Crown was entailed on Henry and his Heirs forever This Parliament no sooner ended but many Lords Conspired the Death of the King entering into Oath and Covenant to do it at Oxford where they had appointed sollemn Sports for his Entertainment in honour as they Flatteringly pretended of his happy Accession to the Crown but really with an intent to restore King Richard And accordingly they met Armed all but Edward Plantagenet Duke of Aumarle Son to Edmund of Langley Duke of York the Kings Unkle who as he sat at Dinner with his Father had by chance the Label of the Instrument of Combination hanging out at his Bosom of which the old Duke taking hold drew forth the whole Writing and Reading the Contents of the Conspiracy prepared for Windsor to give the King an account of it which the young Duke perceiving hastily took Horse and out-stript him himself revealing all the Intrigue for which he had his Pardon Upon this Discovery the King put off his Journey to Oxford and hastened to the Tower of London securing the City to his Interest and raising an Army of which the Lords at Oxford had no sooner notice but they encreased their Forces causing one Magdalen much in likeness to Personate King Richard and advanced their Standard to meet the King but finding they were much inferiour to him in Number their courage failed which so disheartened the Souldiers that they dispersed and left their Leaders to shift for themselves so that most of them were Taken and Executed in divers places others fled the Kingdom and reserved themselves to broach new Broils and this hastened King Richard's Murther in the manner as has been said For King Henry complaining that so long as he Lived he should never be at rest and demanding if none loved him so well as to rid him of that Torment Pierce of Exton to curry favour with him posted away and with other Ruffians villainously performed it at which the French King was mightily displeased purposing to send his Letters of Defiance to King Henry and Invade his Kingdom but upon second thoughts tho' he had raised a potent Army he dissolved it and proceeded no further in the business Yet soon after he Levied another Army to Invade Aquitaine and Guyan but was so stoutly withstood by King Henry's Forces That he retired and Disbanded them But the King of England doubting the security of his ill-got Title laboured to make Peace with him the better to strengthen himself offering a Marriage between Henry his Son and the Lady Isabella Widow to King Richard and Daughter to Charles the Sixth of France but that King considering how unfortunate Marriages had been between France and England refused it whereupon she was sent over in great State and Married to her Cousin Charles Eldest Son of Lewis Duke of Orleance her Unkle Soon after this Owen Glendour with his Welsh Rebelled Overthrowing the King's Army and taking the Lord Grey of Ruthen and Edmund Mortimer the Kings Cousin Prisoners using them exceeding hardly the sooner to oblige the King to Ransom them but he neglected it because Mortimer was nearer Allied to the Crown by Right of Descent than himself yet tho' he might have had his
French hasted out of the Field with their Prisoners and Spoil as having had hot work on it already and not willing to try a second Encounter The King was much troubled at this Overthrow and the death of his Brother but resolving Revenge he sent the Earl of Mountague to succeed him in the Command of the Provinces and assembling a Parliament caused to be laid before them the State of both Nations whereupon to enable him in his Wars the Temporality gave him one Fifteenth and the Clergy two and for Expedition the Bishop of Winchester Advanced 20000 l. and received it again out of the Tax Granted by Parliament whereupon an Army consisting of 24000 Men was Transported under the Command of John Duke of Bedford the King's Brother driving the Dauphin from the Siege of Chartieres from thence the Duke Marched to Paris and was soon joyned by the Duke of Burgundy with 4000 Horse nor was the King slow in following his Army having with him James the Young King of Scots who with his own People Besieged and Took Direux and delivered it to King Henry and so they chased the Dauphin out of all his strong Holds compelling him to take Refuge in Berry whither the King thought not fit to tire his Army in following him but having taken in a great many places repassed the Loire About this time Queen Catharine was delivered of a Son at Windsor which News coming to the King very much troubled him because he had charged her not to Lye-in there but being unexpectedly taken in Labour necessity compelled her to do it The King's Reason for it was grounded on an old Prophecy Predicting No Prince Fortunate that should be Born there Whereupon in a Passion he said to the Lord Fitz-Hugh his Chamberlaine Good God! I Henry of Monmouth shall have but a short Reign and Win much but Henry of Windsor shall Reign long and Loose all But God's Will be done Soon after this the King having Reduced the Isles of France and almost all other Places fell Sick and unable to Travel whereupon he committed the charge of the Army to his Brother John Duke of Bedford Then calling together his Nobles and sending for the Queen he appointed the Duke of Bedford Regent of France and Lieutenant General of Normandy and his other Brother Humphry Duke of Glocester Regent of England and Protector of his Son's Person Exhorting the Nobles to maintain the Friendship with the Duke of Burgundy and always to be at Union among themselves to be faithful to his Son and Queen and never to conclude a Peace with the Dauphin till he submitted to his Son Soon after this he Dyed August 31st Anno 1422 at Boice Le Vincenois in France of a Burning Feavour and Flux in the 30th Year of his Age when he had Reigned 9 Years 5 Months and 10 Days and his Body being brought over was Buried among his Noble Ancestors at Westminster with extraordinary Solemnity SUSSEX By I. Seller Remarks on the County of Sussex c. SUssex is a very pleasant open County in most parts and much advantaged by its lying open on its South side to the Sea It produces a considerable sprinkling of Corn flocks of Sheep and many Large Cattle Fruit great store and much Pasture-Ground It abounds in Butter Cheese and some Honey Flax and Hops on the West it is Bounded with Hampshire on the North with Kent and Surry and on the East with the Sea and some little part of Kent It contains 1 City viz. Chichester which is a Bishops See 65 Hundreds Parishes 312 Market Towns 17 1 Castle 2 Rivers 10 Bridges and 33 Parks It sends Members to Parliament 20 viz. Arundel 2 Bramber 2 Chichester 2 East Grinstead 2 Horesham 2 Lewis 2 Midhurst 2 New Shoreham 2 Steyning 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Besides the Cinque Ports viz. Hastings 2 Rye 2 Seaford 2 and Winchelsea 2. Chichester in this County is held to be Founded by Cissa a South Saxon and the Bishoprick was Translated thither from Sesley by William the Conqueror at Lewis King Ethelston Coined his Money and a strong Castle was Built there by Earl Warren and a Bloody Battel fought near it between King Henry and his Barons at Pensey or Pevensey the Conqueror Landed when he won England and near Hastings the great Fight was fought between William and King Harold for the Kingdom and the place is called to this day Battel-Field at Buckstead the first Great Iron Guns in England were Cast The Waters in this County produce the best Carp in the Island and on the Sea Coast store of Lobsters are taken Near Walsal are store of Lime Pits Sesley is famed for Cockles near Tenderden Steeple is a Stone that sensibly appears to Grow by the falliag of the Rain The Seats of the Nobility are Arundel Castle belonging to the Duke of Norfolk Buckhurs and Stoneland belonging to the Earl of Dorset part of Bolebrook to the Earl of Thanet Herst Monceux to the Earl of Sussex Cowdrey Battel-Abby and Poynings to the Lord Montague Petworth-Place to the Duke of Sommerset Eridg to the Lord Abergavenny Up-Park to the Lord Grey and Chichester Palace to the Bishop of the Diocess And many sightly Houses belonging to the Gentry c. The Reign of HENRY the Sixth commonly called Henry of Windsor HENRY the Sixth being at the Death of his Father not above three Months Old a Parliament was soon after called and he Crowned at Westminster at five Months Old the Queen holding him in her Lap whilst the Ceremony was performed and likewise brought into the Parliament-House where the Lords paid Homage to him as their Rightful Soveraign a Speech on his behalf being made to them by the Queen Exhorting them to be stedfast and Unanimous in securing his Right and opposing his Enemies c. which they promised to be and endeavour to the utmost Not long after this King Charles the Sixth Dying the French Nobles began to bethink themselves that it stood little with their Honour to be subject to a Prince of another Nation whilst they had a Son of their King amongst them and forgeting their Oaths and Fealty they began on a suddain to grow cold towards the English and seemed desirous to shake off their Yoak of which the Regent giving notice to his Brother in England care was taken continually to send him over Men and Money to compell them if necessity required it to their Obedience but first he used all manner of fair Means minding them if they persevered in their Loyalty the happy conclusion would make them Rich and Fortunate win to them the Love and Favour of their Young King as he grew up and increased in Wisdom and Years c. However the Dauphin got himself Crowned by his Party under the Title of Charles the Seventh and with his small Army took the Field sending the Lord Grandval to Besiege Pont-Melance on the River Seine which he had the fortune to surprize before the
English Garrison was aware of his coming putting most he found therein to the Sword but it was soon regained by the Earl of Salisbury and the Lord Grandval swore Allegiance for his Ransom to King Henry but basely revolted as soon as he was Enlarged Then the Earl took Senes whereupon the Parisians sued to the New French King to assist them underhand tho' at the same time they had for a colour sent some of their Citizens to King Henry promising a continued Duty and Loyalty for yet they found not matters ripe for an open Revolt But whilst the Regent was Magnificently Celebrating his Nuptials with the Lady Ann Sister to the Duke of Burgundy they secretly sent to Charles Advertising him That if he came speedily with any considerable Power they would over-master the English Garrison and deliver the City into his hands This greatly Rejoyced him but whilst his Preparations were slow the Conspiracy was made known to the Regent who swiftly Marched his Army in at their Gates seized on the chief Conspirators and caused them to be Executed in sundry places of the City placing a greater Garrison which very much curbed them bridling them more with the Castle of Pacy and Coursay not far from thence which he took and strongly Fortified and to prevent the Scots Aiding the French James their King was sent home who had been taken on the Seas and a Prisoner at Large to the English many Years yet the English Interest was something weakened by the Revolt of the Duke of Britainy who fearing the Regent growing Powerful might bring him into subjection joyned with the Dauphin as did his Brother Arthur Earl of Yvrie causing that Town in Normandy of which King Henry the Fifth had made him Captain to Rebel yet that and Vernoille which had likewise Revolted were soon Regained and the French Armies that came to Relieve them were Overthrown Soon after the defeated Governour of Yvrie whom the Dauphin had unworthily made Constable of France Besieged St. James Town in Bayon with 4000 Men but the Besieged issuing out with hideous cries of St. George and the Earl Salisbury who by his Martial deeds was grown Terrible to the French that Army being seized with a fear that the Earl was entered with his Army on the other side and about to break-in upon them all in confusion threw away their Arms and fled so a handful of Men pursuing a great many of them leaped into the River and were Drowned others were slain and all the Rich Plunder of the Camp fell to the English But whilst we thus Triumphed in France a Mischief had like to have marred all at home by a discord that happened between the Duke of Gloucester and his Unkle the Bishop of Winchester But the Regent leaving the Earl of Warwick his Lieutenant General in France came timely over and made them Friends in a Parliament he called in honour of which Reconciliation the Young King held a solemn Feast and the Regent Dubbed him a Knight after which the King made Richard Son to the late Earl of Cambridge Duke of York and Restored John Moubray Earl Marshal to his Fathers Dutchy of Norfolk and the Bishop of Winchester going to Callis met the Popes Bull which Invested him with the Dignity of a Cardinal which highly pleased him and new Forces being Levied in England were sent to strengthen the Armies in France so that a great number of Towns that had Revolted were Regained and many French Nobles put to their Ransoms which raised Money to maintain the War Orleance being now the strongest place the French held the Earl of Salisbury laid Siege to it but after two Months lying before it the Earl from a Watch-Tower taking a view of the Town where it was easiest to be Assaulted was slain by a shot from a Culverin being the first Noble Englishman ever known to be kill'd by a Great Shot and with his Death the Courage of the English much abated However the Earl of Suffolk succeeded him in the Command who sending out Sir John Falstaff to procure Provisions for the Camp the Lord Delabreth in his return intending to surprise him with a great Power was beaten by his small Party as being catched again with the Agincourt Trap by Goaring their Horses on Irons Pointed whilst the English retired safe behind them and with their Arrows made a miserable Slaughter of 2500 of his Men taking 11000 Prisoners and a great Booâ— whereupon the Besieged in Orleance offered to deliver up the City to the Duke of Burgundy if he would take them into his immediate Protection which he consented to do if the Regent would Agree to it But when he proposed it the Regent told him He could not for since King Henry had been at such great Charge to reduce it to Extreamity and at a point to Yield it was altogether reasonable it should obey no other Soveraign but him This much perplexed the Duke and made him ever after lessen his Affections to the English till he quite fell off and to their great detriment joyned with the adverse party The Citizens of Orleance finding their Proposal fruitless sent to the Dauphin for speedy Succour resolving to hold out to the last Extreamity and the Watches of the English Camp being careless as expecting every day it would Surrender in the depth of Night they thrust several Thousand Men in with store of Provisions so that within a few days they boldly Sallied with their main Strength won a strong Pass and slew 600 English that Guarded it but Assaulting a Bastile where the Lord Talbot lay he fell on them with such fury that leaving half their Number Dead the rest fled fearful into the Town But the next day the Earl of Suffolk by reason of the new Supplies seeing no probability of winning the Place raised the Sirge and put the greater part of his Army into Garrisons but whilst himself lay at Jargeaux the French won it and took him Prisoner and many Noble Prisoners were Slain because the French hotly contended among themselves to whom they rightly belonged and about 25000 French under the Earl of Vendosm and others meeting with the Lords Scales Talbot and Hungerford who Fought with them desperately but not having above 5000 English they were Overthrown and the Lords taken Prisoners yet the French magnifying their Victory many small Towns and Castles Revolted to them as Trois Rhemes Challons and many others which made the Regent resolve to give Charles Battel sending to defie him as a Usurper and Traytor to his Lord and Master and tho' he drew out his Army and made some semblance as if he accepted the Challenge yet he shifted and fled from place to place and could not be brought to a fair Field and the Towns still Revolting it was thought Expedient to send for King Henry over thinking his Presence might keep the rest in Obedience and accordingly coming to Paris he was Crowned there King of France with much Royal Pomp
her Chastity was not to be violated but with that Cumpulsion that would pull down vengance on his Head that laying aside the thoughts of any other he Married her promoting all her Kindred to Dignities and Honours creating the Lord Rivers her Father Earl Rivers and High Constable of England her Son Sir Thomas Grey Marquess of Dorset and preferred him and others to Rich Heiresses of Noblemen and did many other things for them that displeased his nearest Friends For no sooner the Duke of Clarence his Brother heard of the Earl of Warwick's being greatly displeased at the Kings having put that affront on him but they met and consulted which way to constrain the King to lay aside these new Favourites and so great was the Earl of Warwick's Anger for the disgrace the King had made him incur in Foreign Courts by this Marriage which utterly disannulled that which he had treated about that he cast nothing in his mind more than how he might Depose him and Restore King Henry and several Consults with the Marquess Montacute his Brother and others were held to further his purpose The King who feared Warwick's Greatness and Popularity was not altogether ignorant of his discontents tho' he outwardly dissembled it as well as he could and therefore the better to weather the Storm he saw coming tho' as yet at a distance he concluded a Truce for Fifteen Years with the King of Scots to weaken the Earl on that side and to Henry King of Castile and John King of Arragon he sent as a Present to make Friends with them about a Hundred Cotshall-Sheep a thing they never before nor any of their Predecessors upon any Intreaty or for large sums offered could obtain from the Kings of England from which small Number such Multitudes have since Encreased as in the Woollen-Trade has turned greatly to our damage And that he might be the better able to deal with Lewis the French King if War by him should be Proclaimed or he should underhand assist the Earl of Warwick in any attempt he made a League with Charles the Hardy Duke of Burgundy and gave him his Sister Margaret in Marriage and two other Sisters to the Dukes of Exeter and Suffolk But for all this Warwick's design was closely carried on and it was Agreed among them That he and the Duke of Clarence should go to Callice and there to strengthen the Alliance the Duke should Marry Isabella the Earls Daughter and in their Absence as if without their knowledge or consent the Marquess Montacute and Arch Bishop of York Brothers to Warwick should with the help of their Friends raise a Rebellion in Yorkshire which they did by inciting the Rusticks not to pay Tribute of Corn to the Hospital of St. Leonard in the City of York which upon refusal being exacted by the Collectors commotions arose and at length about 15000 came before the City with an intention to Plunder and Demolish that Hospital c. but by a Sally of the Citizens they were beaten off and so Marched away towards Northampton Headed by Sir John Conyers an Experienced Soldier but were met by William Earl of Pembrook and Humphry Lord Stafford who by the Kings Command had raised Forces in Wales and after they had overthrown 2000 Archers that the Lords had laid in Ambush to fall on their Rear upon a dissention arising between Pembrook and Stafford the latter withdrew his Forces so that the former with much courage tho' few in Number giving the Rusticks Battel in Banbury Field having near gained the Victory the Scale of success was suddainly turned in a surprising manner viz. One John Clapham a Servant to the Earl of Warwick having got his Masters Standard in which was Portraied the White Bear coming in with a small Troop and crying A Warwick a Warwick so daunted the Kings Men who thought the Earl had been there with a fresh supply that they threw down their Arms and fled and being hotly Pursued more than 5000 were slain Sir Richard Herbert and Eight others of Note being taken Prisoners were Beheaded at Banbury by the Rusticks Upon this Success their Army greatly encreased and a separate Party making one Robin of Risdale their Captain Plundered the Kings Mannor-House at Grafton and finding there the Earl of Rivers Father to the Queen and his Son John they carried them to Northampton and Beheaded them and some of the Kings Forces having Taken the Lord Stafford he lost his Head at Bridgwater for Deserting the Earl of Pembrook at Banbury Field The Duke of Clarence and Earl of Warwick taking the advantage of these Troubles Landed and with considerable Forces put themselves at the head of the Rusticks so that by this addition and Warwick's Great Name in War they became so formidable to the King that at the earnest request of some Nobles who fear'd the desolation of their Country by such a cruel War as was threatened he consented to a Treaty during which the King being more careless than he ought to have been of his Person the Earl of Warwick with a strong Band entered his Camp by Night and having killed the Watch carried him Prisoner from his Tent to the Castle of Middleham in Yorkshire Committing him to the ward of the Arch Bishop but soon after having liberty to go a Hunting he was Rescued by Sir William Standley and Sir Thomas Burgh who upon private notice lay in Ambush behind the Wood with a Troop of Horse and immediatly Posted to London This inwardly vexed the Earl of Warwick who thought to draw great Advantages from his Imprisonment However the Truce continued and a meeting of both sides was appointed in the great Hall at Westminster where nevertheless the objections of good Deserts and unthankful Requitals were with such vehement expressions repeated and maintained by the Earl of Warwick that the King being highly displeased with Threats and Fury they parted from each other The King taking his way to Canterbury and the Confederate Lords into Lincolnshire where they raised an Army and placed Sir Robert Wells Son to the Lord Wells in chief Command over it as being very expert in Millitary Affairs King Edward had no sooner notice of this but he sent for the Lord Wells and Sir Thomas Dymock his Brother-in-Law commanding them to use their endeavours to bring over Sir Robert to his Interest but though they very much laboured to do it it proved without effect which so angered the King that contrary to his sollemn promise he caused the Heads of the Lord Wells and Sir Thomas Dymock to be stricken off which gained him much displeasure of the Nobles and Commons and hastned Sir Robert Wells to give him Battel ere the Confederate Lords who wanted but a days March came up with the Lincolnshire-Men he commanded so that the King oppressing him with his Number though he fought Valiantly to revenge his Fathers and Unkles Death his Soldiers at last tired out for want of fresh supplies gave way and soon
of Money to Betray him over which he earnestly laboured to do shewing him the Kings Letters in a Loving stile wherein he invited him into England promising at his Arrival to give him his Daughter Elizabeth in Marriage and by this means the Treacherous Treasurer trained the Earl to St. Malloes where a Ship and Equipage lay ready to Transport him But no sooner had John Chevelet the Earls Friend truly informed the Duke of Brittany that this pretended Marriage was designed for the Earls destruction but he commanded his Treasurer oâ— pain of Death to re-possess him of his Person who accordingly stole him from the English whilst himselâ— made merry with the Ambassador and caused his Servants to thrust him into a Sanctuary whose priviledgâ— might not be violated excusing and laying it on theâ— own Negligence for not taking more care to keep â—im when in their custody This Loss both of Money and of Prey made King Edward exceeding Angry but there being no remedy he seemed slightly â—o pass it over Not long after this by the instigation of the Duke â—f Gloucester and others the King grew exceeding Jeaâ—ous of his Brother the Duke of Clarence being the more incited to it by an old Prophecy which Predicted 〈◊〉 G should Reign after an E and this Dukes Name â—eing George he verily believed he was meant by it â—alling freshly into his mind his Practices with Warwick â—nd what had been done concerning him in Parliament â—nd thereupon by his contrivance he was accused of High Treason for Conspiring his Death and Aspiring â—o the Throne and after a few days Imprisonment â—e was found Drowned in a Butt of Malmsey leaving â—ehind him but two Children Edward and Margaret who were both Unfortunate for Edward being creaâ—ed Earl of Warwick was Imprisoned very Young and â—auslesly Beheaded in the Reign of Henry the Seventh â—n a surmize he intended to Escape Prison and joyn with Perkin Warbeck to raise Commotions And Marâ—aret was Married to Richard De La Poole Earl of Salisâ—ury who being a Widow after the Earls Death was â—eheaded in the Reign of Henry the Eighth so strange â—â— is that Competitors for Crowns rarely enjoy that Calm and Tranquility that attends on a meaner Estate Nor do Historians excuse this King from being of a â—ruel Temper as causing a Mercer in Cheapside to be â—anged at his own door for Jestingly saying to his â—ttle Son If he would be a good Boy he would make him â—eir to the Crown meaning his House bearing that Sign â—ut it being otherways wrested it cost him his Life â—e also caused one Thomas Burdet Esq to be Beheaded upon a very slender occasion viz. Being on his Progress in Warwickshire he chanced to Hunt in one of Burdel's Parks and among others killing a White Buck which he highly esteened News of it was no sooner brought but the Gentleman in a passion wished The Horns in the Belly of those that Counselled the King to kill him This being told by some Pick-thanks to Edward with this addition viz. That he wished the Horns in his Belly the Judges soon construed it that thereby he wished the King's Death who with those Horns in his Belly could by no means Live and so the poor Gentleman in lieu of the great Entertainment he had given the King and his Nobles at his House lost his Life at Tyburn being there Beheaded The King in the latter-end of his Reign contrary to his former Generous humour grew exceeding Covetous and Nigardly so that to encrease his Treasure he extorted much Money from his People by vexing them with the execution of Penal-Laws which quenched their Love and Affections very much with this Money he proposed to Match his Daughters and sent to the French King to mind him of his Oath sworn to in the Articles that he should send over for the Lady Elizabeth and Marry her to the Dauphin but he never intending it excused it only with fair promises that he would do it speedily and whilst this was on foot James the Third King of Scots required the Lady Cicilia another of the Kings Daughters in Marriage with his Son and Heir apparent which was agreed to and part of her Portion paid before hand but instead of her being sent for and a Friendly Allyance concluded the King of Scots with this Money raised Forces and entered England committing many cruel outrages 〈…〉 The Duke of Gloucester was sent with a 〈◊〉 â—â—ble Army forcing his way into the Town of Berwick and Besieging the Castle defended by Earl Bothwel but purposing to March into Scotland he left the Lord Standly with 4000 Men to maintain the Siege and pursued the Scots King wasting his Country with Fire and Sword Till the Nobility perceiving the miserable estate of the Realm humbly sued to the Duke for Peace which was granted on these Conditions viz. That full Restitution should be made to King Edward 's Subjects for the Injuries done them That the Scots King should Restore his Brother the Duke of Albany who was in the English Army to his Honours c. That the Castle of Berwick should be Yeilded or not Rescued from the present Siege and the Marriage Money Re-paid The First of these they performed not as being unable but the other were observed and the Castle of Berwick soon Surrendered But the French King utterly broke all Frindship with King Edward by denying the Yearly Pension and Marrying the Dauphin to the Lady Margaret Daughter to Maximillian Son of Frederick the Emperour which Affront had certainly caused a War had King Edward lived to have prosecuted what he had projected but falling Sick of a Surfeit with Eating too excessively at a Banquet he grew daily weaker and weaker and a visible decay of Nature appearing in him he called his Nobles about him and laboured to make Friendship between his Wives kindred and his own causing them to Embrace and give Solemn assurances of it in his presence then recommending to them the care of his Queen and Children earnestly Exhorting them to live in Unity he gave up the Ghost at Westminster on the ninth of April 1483 in the 40th Year of his Age and 23d of his Reign His Body being buried in a Chappel of his own foundation at Windsor In this Kings Reign John Hust was Burnt on Tower-Hill for the profession of a good Conscience A Rose-Tree in the beginning of the calamitous Wars between the two Houses Bore on one Branch a White and a Red Rose the Cognizances of York and Lancaster and a Spring of Blood gushed out near Lancaster Amazing Voices were heard in the Air Firey Meteors and Blazing-Stars c. appeared as also Fiery Armies Fighting furiously Remarks on Westmorland c. THis County is partly Hilly and partly Plain It produces Cattle a good sprinkling of Corn store of Wild-Fowl and in some places abounds in Fish Venison c. It is Bounded with Yorkshire Lancashire and Cumberland It is divided into five Wards containing 26
John Rogers who in King Henry the Eighth's Reign had fled and associated himself with the famous Tindal after his Death returned into England in the Reign of King Edward the Sixth and was made a Prebend of St. Pauls by Bishop Ridley being taken and cast in Prison Sentence of Death passed upon him to be burnt which pain he endured with great Constancy and undauntedness of Spirit Exhorting his Wife and Ten Children who weeping came to take their leave of him to part with him Joyfully and Trust in God who would be a better Husband and Father to them Doctor John Hooper Bishop of Gloucester came in for a Crown among the number of these Martyrs and they having Condemned him he was sent down to Gloucester to be burnt where as they said he had done the greatest mischief in sowing the Seeds of Heresie and there in mallice because he earnestly Exhorted the People to be Constant in a steadfast Faith and not to adheare to the destructive Tenents of the Church of Rome they Burnt him with Green Wood so that his Leggs and part of his Thighs were consumed whilst he continued Praying and Exhorting the People yet in these Torments he declared he was as Easie as in a Bed of Roses Dr. Robert Ferrar Bishop of Carmarden was likewise brought on the stage for thwarting Bishop Gardener's Humour and being Condemned as a Heretick by Dr. Morgan who had been thrust into his Bishoprick there happened but a short space between that and his suffering the Flames in Carmarden-Market-Place expressing a firmness of Mind and much resolution in undergoing his Torments accusing Gardener of his Death and Citing him to Answer it before God's High Tribunal Rowland Taylor an Eminent Minister of Hadley being accused as the former was sent to that Parish to be Burnt where he was Lamented by all sorts of People especially the Poor to whom he had been very Charitable calling out the Almes-People by Name and giving them then what Money he had Exhorting them to follow the Doctrine he had Taught them and coming to the Stake he Merrily said Now many would be deceived whereat a Popish Priest supposing he would have Recanted urged him to it with promises and hopes of longer Life but he smilingly Reply'd You mistake my meaning I do not intend by the Grace of God any that I have Preached his Word to shall find me Contradict what I have Taught for Life or any other thing but once supposing to have been Buried in Hadly Church-Yard the Worms will be deceived because my Corpulent Body that might have fed them must now be Burnt to Ashes Besides these divers others of Note were Burnt as Lawrence Saunders a famous Preacher at Coventry John Cardmaker Chancellour of Wells and Bath At London John Bradford a Man Eminent for his Learning and Sanctity in Smithfield At which place also suffered in the Flames that Eminent and Holy Martyr Mr. John Philpot saying at his Martyrdom I will pay my Vows in thee O Smithfield And with him suffered a little Youth praising God and Rejoyceing in the Flames Yet this Issue of Blood staid not for Tho. Tompkins whose Hand Bonner Bishop of London burnt in Prison to try his Constancy which he endured with much Patience was burnt in Smithfield also William Hawtree And in Essex Stephen Knight William Pigot and John Lawrence Rawlins White at Cardiff William Flower and George Marshal at Westminster and John Warn in Smithfield And now the Goâ—ls being full and complaint made by the Pope to the King and Queen That Hereticks were not so severely dealt-with as beyond the Seas they sent to Bonner prone enough of himself to Cruelty that he should disincumber the Prisons in his Diocess by sending such as were Condemned to Execution and proceed to the Tryals of the rest In obedience to this bloody Command he Condemned John Ardely and John Sympson who were burnt in Essex and Thomas Wats Tho. Hawks Tho. Osmond William Bamford Tho. Osburn Inhabitants of Cogshal in Essex being Committed for not Receiving the Easter Sacrament were Condemned and Burnt in several places of that County John Bland Nicâ—olas Shetterden John Frakesh and Humphery Middleton also suffered the Flames and a while after by the same Cruelty fell Nicholas Hall John Harpole Christopher Wade and Margery Boley In Kent John Launder Derick Carver Tho. Iveson John Denby James Abbes John Newman Patrick Packingham and Richard Hook suffered the Flames Robert Samuel a Minister was Burnt at Norwich two more at Ipswich five in the Diocess of Canterbury for Bonner especially took as much pleasure in Condemning these Good People and sending them to the Flames as Domitian did in Torturing Flys Seven were Burnt in one Fire in Smithfield four in Canterbury A Woman as she was Burning in the Isle of Guernsey had a Child sprung out of her Womb which the Cruel Torturers threw again into the Flames To be brief and not tire your Patience in drawing so Tragical a Scene too wide There were in this short Raign consumed in the Flames for the Confession of a Good Faith 277 of all Ages and Sexes viz. Five Bishops 21 Divines 8 Gentlemen 4 Tradesmen 100 Husbandmen Servants and Labourers 26 Wives 20 Widows and Virgins 2 Boys and 1 Infant Besides these 7 were Whipped one to Death 16 perished in Prisons 12 were Buried in Dunghills and many lay Condemned in Expectation of the Firey Tryal and some Hundreds fled beyond the Seas but the death of this Queen who gave way to so much Cruelty put an end to the Persecution the stream of Blood being thereby stopped And before this time and soon after most of the Persecutors were overtaken by Gods Judgments and came to Miserable and Detested Ends. Some were Executed for several heinious Crimes others wandered beyond the Seas till they Perished and some were Eaten up by Vermin And thus Reader have I heitherto made good my Promise and now passing over this Acaldama or Field of Blood I lead you to a more diverting Theme The Reign of Queen ELIZABETH ELIZABETH Youngest Daughter to Henry the Eighth after her many Sufferings in close Confinement and attempts made to take away her Life happily Succeeded to the Throne and put a stop to the cruel Persecutions her Sister had raised on the 17th of November 1558. And the first publick Testimony she gave of her Princly Discretion and Knowledge in the weighty Affairs of State was to chuse a Wise and Learned Council causing new Commissions and Instructions to be sent to the several Ambassadors in Forreign Courts and desired by Sir Edward Hern her Agent who had resided in Queen Mary's Time at the Court of Rome That mutual Good Offices might pass between her and the Pope in matters that concerned Publick Affairs seeing she had happily Succeeded her Sister on the Throne But the haughty Old Man would not Answer but in his usual Dialect viz. That the Kingdom of England was held in Fee of the See Apostolick That she
Earl's caused the Attorney-General to draw up a Charge against him consisting of Eleven Articles of matters of divers Natures And beside these Articles against the Duke the Earl of Bristol exhibited Eleven others against the Lord Conway The Earl likewise gave in his Answer to each particular Article of his Impeachment And now whilst these two Peers were thus Contesting the House of Commons presented an Impeachment against the Duke consisting of twelve Articles to each of which the Duke made Replies But that not Satisfying the Commons they drew up another Declaration of Grievances against the Duke whom they resolved by all means to bring down which Declaration was read before the Bill of Subsidies Which so Incensed the King that he Dissolved the Parliament the very next Day and thereby lost Four Subsidies and Three Fifteenths rather than the Duke should be farther Question'd by the Parliament tho' one of the Articles against the Duke was for a strong Presumption of his having Poisoned the King's Father And thus ended this King's Second Parliament After this Dissolution the King Committed the Earl of Bristol to the Tower and Published first a Proclamation for Burning all Copies of the Commons Declaration and then a Declaration shewing the Grounds and Reasons of his Dissolving this and the former Parliament There were several Occasions at this time which required considerable Sums of Money for besides the Palatinate there was great Likelihood of a War with France upon occasion of the French King 's using the Vaunt-Guard one of the King's Men of War lent to the French King to go against Genoa with six other Merchants Ships turn'd into Men of War against the French Protestants in Rochel expresly contrary to Agreement and the King being extreamly Troubled at it demanded Satisfaction of the French King who Deferring to give it the King seized a rich French Ship and the French King Arrested the Goods of the English Merchants in France to the Value of about 300000 l. tho' afterwards Restoration was made on both sides But the Insolent Practices of the Priests and Jesuits belonging to the Queen especially her Confessor soon caused another Rupture for he imposed upon her as a Pennance to wait upon his Servants at their Dinner and to walk on Foot in a rainy Morning from Sommerset-House to St. James's and from thence to Tyburn to offer up her Prayers for the Souls of the Romish Martyrs i. e. Traytors or Jesuits that had been Executed there himself the mean while riding by her in his Coach But these Arrogancies being unsufferable the Queens French Domesticks were paid off and sent Home Hereupon the French King tho' this was no more than what himself had done before in sending back all the Spanish Courtiers that came with his Queen Arrested all the English Merchants Ships that lay in the River of Bourdeaux this was so ill resented by the King that the Peace so lately patch'd up was now turn'd into an open War And the King thereupon made use of those Forces against the French which were designed against the Spaniard complying now with the Desires of the Rochelers who had humbly Sued to him for Aid and Protection But the Fleet design'd for their Relief not going out till after Michaelmas a very improper Season to send out a Fleet of great Ships to Sea encountred only with Storms and Tempests and return'd Home again without doing any thing leaving the poor Rochellers in a worse Condition than they were before The Assessment of the Loan again set on Foot since the Parliaments Dissolution being generally Opposed the People of lower Rank were Ordered to appear in the Military-Yar near St. Martins in the Fields to be Listed for Soldiers it being thought fit that those who could not with their Purâ—es should assist the King with their Persons But several Gentlemen and others of Ability for refusing the Loan were Committed Prisoners to the Fleet Marâ—â—â—sea Gate-House and other Prisons Sir John Elliot who Petition'd his Majesty declaring that he could prove by many Presidents That all manner of Aids and Taxes in former Kings Reigns were never Levied but the general Consent of the Nobility and Commons Assembled in Parliament Notwithstanding which he was Committed to the Gate-House Dr. Sybthorp and Manwaring two Eminent Preachers at Court instead of Preaching the Gospel Preach'd up the Necessity and Duty of the Loan one of them Asserting That the Prince hath power to Direct his Counsel and make Laws and that Subjects if they cannot exhibit Active Obedience in case the thing Commanded should be against the Law of God or Nature yet ought to yield Passive Obedience and in all other Cases they were bound to Active Obedience The other was more express to the Purpose and affirmed That the King 's Royal Command in imposing of Loans and Taxes though without Consent in Parliament did Oblige the Subjects Conscience upon pain of Eternal Damnation Which Position being highly Applauded at Court the Sermon of Dr. Sybthorp call'd Apostolick Obedience was approved by Dr. Laud then Bishop of London and an Express sent from the King to Archbishop Abbot to License it which he refusing the King suspended him from his Archiepiscopal See and a Commission was Granted to five Bishops to execute his Office And now the D. of Buckingham to clear his Reputation and shew his Diligence in his Admiral-ship with some difficulty compleated his Naval Forces consisting of 6000 Horse and Foot in Ten Royal Ships and Ninety Merchant-Men with which he set Sail from Portsmouth June 27th 1627. and Published a Manifesto of the King's Affection to the Reformed Churches in France and his Displeasure for the last Mis-employing of his Ships against the Rochellers But after all through the Duke 's ill Conduct or Obstinacy in going before St. Martin's Castle in the Isle of Rhee against which his Council disswaded him rather than against the Mede another Castle in that Island which they might in all likelihood have carried and would have been a safe place of Retreat in case of Necessity this great Design Miscarried with the Death of near Two Thousand common Souldiers Thirty Prisoners of Note and Forty four Colours taken Yet to make some Amends for this Miscarriage a great French Ship was taken upon the Coasts of Holland Laden with all sorts of Ammunition to a great Value Also Sir John Pennington took 34 rich French Merchant-men homeward-bound and brought 'em all safe into England The lowness of the Exchequer the late Miscarriage at the Isle of Rhee and the present distressed Condition of the Rochellers being laid before the Lords of the Council it was thereupon resolved to call another Parliament and Writs were forthwith issued out accordingly And the Parliament met the 27th of March and the King tells them That the greatness of the Danger requires a speedy Supply and hopes they will prove such true Patriots as not to deceive his Expectations The first thing the Commons went upon was the Grievances
Oxford where having Recruited his Army he marched to Gloucester which he Besieged And Prince Rupert having taken Bristol and gained some other advantages came to him In the mean while Essex hasted away with the City Trained-Bands and Auxiliaries added to his Army and between the King and him a great Battel was Fought on Newbury-heath soon after for upon his coming having raised the Siege he followed the King and having view'd his Army presently Engag'd and after a sharp Fight the King's Party had the worst And now the Parliament getting the Fleet from Sir John Pennington made the Earl of Warwick Admiral and watched the Coast to prevent the Landing of Foreign Forces and Sir John Hotham and hâ—s Son being Tryed for intending to deliver Hull to the King on some Disgust taken were Condemned and Beheaded and the Parliament proclaimed all Traytors that should assist the King against them with Horse Arms or Money and Treason for any Member of their House to Desert them and go to him And soon after the second Newbury Fight ensued in which the King was worsted and between 4 or 5000 Men Slain on both sides after which the Vxbridge Treaty began But the Parliaments Demands were such that it broke off without coming to any Agreement Whilst these and other matters happened in England the Marquess of Montâ—osâ— with a handful of Men performed Wonders in Scotland overthrowing the Lord Burleigh and divers others but not being Succoured as he expected it onâ—â— diverted the Scâ—ts for a time from entring England And upon the Parliaments passing the Self-denying Ordinance the Earls of Essex Manchester and Denbeigh Surrendred their Commissions in the Lords House and 10000 l. per Annum was Voted to Essex out of Delinquents Estates And now Sir Thomas Fairfax was made General of their Army and Oliver Cromwell Lieutenant-General of the Horse and most of the Commission-Officers were Changed and Col. Mitton Surprized Shrewsbury one of the King's head Garisons York being Relieved by Prince Rupert the bloody Fight at Marston-Moor ensued in which 9000 were Slain which occasioned the Surrendering that City and Col. Massey Defeated the Prince at Lebury But that which most Ruined the King was Naseby Battel where besides the slain the greater part of his Soldiers and Officers were taken Prisoners also divers of his menial Servants his Coach and Cabinet of Letters This Battel was Fought in a Fallow-Field on the North-West-side of Naseby a mile broad which Ground was wholly taken up by the Armies so that the Battel was exceeding bloody both sides being vâ—ry Couragious and Numerous not being 500 Odds And here the King besides his Men lost 12 pieces of Cannon 8000 Arms 40 Barrels of Pouder 200 Carriages and his baggage besides his Treasure that should have paid his Army or raised Recruits and was never after able to recover the Blow but faintly Strugled whilst the Parliament Forces swept away almost all his Garisons Oxford being the last of any Note in which the King was closely Besieged and that City made a very stout Resistance but there being no Army in the Field that could relieve it the King fearing a Storm resolved to go thence privately and cast himself for Protection on the Scots Army that was advanced as far as Southwel and thence to New-Castle The Scots promised him Protection and appeared very Joyful of his Presence among them yet all waa but Dissimulation for the English Parliament demanded his Delivery and they wanting their Pay which they could not by any other means foresee they should have in consideration of 200000 l. they Surrendred him Prisoner and immediately marched back over the Tweed in the mean while Oxford Litchfield Worcester Pendennis the Island and Castle of Scilly and many others Surrendred and the few Parties of Royalists that made Head were frequently routed But briefly to pass over this Bloody Scene which cannot be very Grateful to English-men I come to a close of this unhappy Reign Having got the King in their Hands they sent him Prisoner to Holmby-Castle whilst many earnestly Laboured for an Accommodation the Surry-men Petitioned but were set upon by the Soldiers some Slain and many Wounded nor fared the Kentish-men better At length a Treaty was set on Foot but Letters were purposely scattered to fright the King away intimating Designs against his Life for then he had a kind of Liberty being brought to Hampton-Court in order to the Treaty When escaping into the Isle of Wight he was there made Prisoner by Coll. Hammond in Carisbrook-Castle and it was Voted No further Address be made to the King But that was afterward Annulled and the King's Concessions Voted Satisfactory and things were in a fair way to an Agreement But the Army Officers knowing their Commissions lasted but with the War dealing under-hand with some designing Men in the Parliament-House who under pretence of a Publick Good had all along along aimed at Self-interest the Soldiers being by Interest and Promises made of their Party all such Members as were for the Accommodation were by Military Force excluded the House and the King brought to Hurst-Castle and afterwards to Windsor and his Party went extreamly to wreck at Maidstone Ponifract Bow Stratford Kingston and Colchester after a brave Resistance being taken Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle were shot to Death tho' Quarter had been given them And now those Members that were left in the House of Commons contrary to the Consent of the Lords being backed by the Army made an Act as they called it for the Tryal of the King and Erected a Tribunal called by them a High-Court of Justice to that end of which John Bradshaw a Serjeant at Law was President and 56 others as Judges and the King being called before them and accused of several Crimes as that he gave cause for the Cruel Blood-shed in England and Ireland that he had Proclaimed War in setting up his Standard against the Parliament That he had commissioned his Son and others to wage War and therefore was pronounced a Traytor a Tyrant and an Enemy to the Common-wealth of England To this Charge the King refused to Answer or to acknowledge the Authority of the Court offering his Reasons but they were not admitted and being several times brought before them and urged thereunto on his refusal on the the 27th of Jan. 1648. the Sentence was pronounced against him viz. That he the said Charles Steuart was fallen from all Dignity was Guilty of High-Treason and to be put to Death by Severing his Head from his Body for being a Tyrant a Murtherer and an Enemy to the Common-Wealth The Sentence being read the Court stood up in Confirmation of it as an Act and Resolution of them all and the King offering to speak was Violently Hurried away by the Guard And tho' the Dutch Embassador the Scots and most of the English Nobles interceeded to stay Execution he was on the 30th of Jan. 1648. brought from St. James's to White-Hall
Aberdeen presented him with 1500 l. which so angered the Estates that they strictly forbid all other Towns under great Penalties to do the like And coming to Edenburg he was a second time Proclaimed King July 16. Anno 1650. But the English overthrowing the Scots Army commanded by Montgomery at Muscleborough his Coronation was put off till January when with much Solemnity he was Crown'd at Scone and setting up his Standard at Aberdeen made him self Generallissimo of the Scots Army and Fortifying Sterling he removed his Court thither Whilst these things passed the English Parliament as they pretended found out several Plots against them for which Sir Henry Hyde and Capt. Brown Bushel were Beheaded and soon after Mr. Gibbons and Mr. Love a Presbyterian Minister Cromwel perceiving he could not draw the Scots to a Battel Transported 1600 Foot and 4 Troops of Horse over the Fife who assisted by Lambert and Okey routed Sir John Brown's Forces killing about 2000 on the place taking him and about 200 more Prisoners and the King perceiving his Enemies prevail so fast in Scotland calling a Council it was agreed he should March into England to try what Friends he had to assist him But they came in very slowly the Parliament having taken care before to prevent it so that in a long March very few joyned him except the Lord Escreek's Son with a Troop of Horse and the Earl of Derby with 250 Foot and 6 Horse but whilst the King lingered by the way Lambert being Guided over the Moors and Dales in Yorkshire got before him and Cromwel pursued hard after yet after a sharp Dispute with Lambert he gained the Pass of Warington-bridge and sent to Coll. Mackworth to Surrender Shrewsbury but he refused it whereupon he marched to Worcester and was recieved with much Joy into that place but whilst he was Fortifying this Place news came that the Earl of Derby who went to raise Forces in Lancashire was overthrown by Lilburn and most of his chief Commanders slain or taken Prisoners and now the Trained-Bands from all parts gathering about Worcester Cromwel and others came up with the Regular Forces and Lambert gained the Pass at Vpton where the Bridge was broke down by swimming the River and rescuing a Party of their Men besieged by Massey in a Church and by this means beat the King's Party and entirely gained the Pass and Cromwel laid a Bridge of Boats over the River but the King scorning to be cooped up with his Army on the third of Sept. 1651 sallyed out of Worcester and gave the Enemy Battle but having Charged several times and two Horses shot under him over-powred by Numbers he was forced to Retreat but was closely pursued by the Parliament Forces who thrust with his into the Town and then the Cry being to Save the King he had the good Luck to get away with the Lord Wilmot and coming to a Farmer 's House on the edge of Stafford-shire disguised himself cutting off his long black Hair with a Knife for want of Scissars and after that was Secured a while in Boscobel-house by the Pendrills Hudstone a Priest and some few others that were thought fit to be made acquainted with his being there but 1000 l. being set upon him and Search almost every where made he narrowly Escaped one Evening by getting out at the Back-door into the Wood whilst the Searchers were entring at the Fore-door and there he made an Oak-Tree his Palace which shelter'd him till the heat of the Search was over And at length by the means of Mrs. Jane Lane for whose Servant he went and passed by some of Oliver's Troopers as such After having escaped many Dangers and passed through many Difficulties he Landed at New-Haven in France from whence he went to his Mother then at the French Court. In this Battle about 3000 were Slain but a far greater Number were taken Prisoners and most of the Scots sold as Slaves here and to the Plantations Their Colours taken were hung up in Triumph in Westminster-Hall and the Earl of Derby who was taken at his Overthrow was Beheaded at Bolton in Lancashire The Marquess of Ormond and Lord Inchiqueen standing out in Ireland levied considerable Forces for the King's Service and the former Besieged Dublin with a Formidable Army but being Negligent and many of them raw Soldiers Collonel Jones the Governour Sallying first with a few and then with the whole Garison raised the Siege and took almost all the Plunder of the Camp afer which several other Towns were taken and Cromwel coming over with a sufficient Force took Drogheda and divers other places in many of which the bloody Irish were put to the Sword unless such as by hiding found means to Escape his Fury and in three Years time Ireland was Quieted and Reduced Scotland and Ireland being thus Reduced to the Obedience of the Common-wealth of England as it was then stiled the Parliament Resolved that Scotland shall be United to England and Monarchy Abolâ—shed also in that Kingdom and that Scotland shoul send up Deputies in such a Proportion as the Parliament should think meet to represent them in the Parliament of England which tho' the Kirk party opposed was notwithstanding done After which follow'd an Act of Grace to all the People of England pardoning whatever they had done and all Hostilities committed against the Parliament provided they take the Engagement which was To be true and Faithful to the Common-wealth of England as then Established without King or House of Lords No sooner were these things over and all things seemed Quiet at Home but our Young Common-wealth found new Occasion for the exercise of their Arms abroad There had been for some time a Grudge between them and the Senior Common-wealth of Holland occasion'd by the Assassination of their Agent Dr. Dorislaus there and afterwards by the Affronts put upon their Embassadors Oliver St. John and Walter Strickland by the common People in Holland insomuch that these Embassadors not thinking themselves sufficiently Vindicated by the States came away in great Discontent and afterwards when the States sent Embassadors here to Excuse themselves and to desire a Pacification they were answer'd with Demands of Reparation for their Herring-Fishing and Question'd about the Business of Amboyna and other things of that Nature which made them go back re infecta Upon this the Hollanders resolving to be as Stout as they set out a great Fleet for the Security of their Trade under the Command of Van Trump with instructions not to strike his Flag to the English Admiral c. Upon which on the 17th of May 1652. Van Trump came into Dover-road with 42 Sail of Men of War and Blake the English Admiral encountred them with a far less Number and tho' there was no great matter done on neither side yet Van Trump had the worst of it having had one Ship sâ—nk and another taken and about 150 men Slain whereas the English had not any Ship