and soone after died at Shaftbury and was buried at Winchester when he had reigned nineteen yeeres leaving two sonnes Harold sirnamed for his swiftnesse in running Harefoot and Hardy Canutus whom Harold sonne of Canutus King of England in his life time hee caused to bee crowned King of Denmarke Harold succeeded his Father in the Crowne of England in the beginning of whose Reigne there was great doubt made of the Legitimacie of his birth or whether hee were the Kings sonne or no but more especially by Earle Goodwin who was a man of a turbulent spirit who to the utmost of his power would have disinherited him and conferred the Kingdome to his brother But Leofricus whom the King much loved and trusted by the assistance of the Danes opposed mightily Goodwin and his sonne so that they were utterly disappointed of their purpose Harold was no sooner setled in the Kingdome but hee robbed his stepmother Emma that good and devout Lady of her Iewels and Emma wife to Canutus banished Treasure and then banished her the Land wherefore she sailed to Baldwin Earle of Flanders where she was nobly entertained and continued all the Reigne of this Harold in which hee did nothing worth register or deserving memory who after three yeeres and some few moneths died at London or as some say at Oxford and having no issue left his brother Hardy Canutus heire to the Crowne with the death of whose elder brother I conclude this Chapter CHAP. 10. Merlins Prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his Tithing of the Norman Gentlemen the death of Prince Alured sonne to Canutus and Emma the strange death of Earle Goodwin After the death of Edward the Confessor Harold Earle Goodwins sonne usurpeth YOu see how hitherto Merlin hath predicted nothing which the successe and event have not made good wee will yet examine him further and prove if hee have beene as faithfull in the future as the former who thus proceedeth And Helluo then with open jaws shall yawne Devouring even till midnight from the dawn And he an Hydra with seven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian bloud shall prey And tithe them by the pole now well away Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Iron men in woodden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with her Eglets drive c. It followeth in the History Hardy Canutus the Hardy Canutus the Dane crowned King of England sonne of Canutus and Emma began his Reigne over England in the yeere of Grace one thousand forty one who was oâ—… such cruelty as that he was no sooner setled in the State but he presently sent Alphricus Archbishop of Yorke and Earle Goodwin to Westminster to take up the A barbarous cruelty in a brother body of his deere brother and having parted the head from the shoulders to cast them into the River Thames which was by them accordingly performed the cause thereunto moving was for rifling and after exiling his mother Emma whom hee caused with great honour to be brought againe into the Land Hee revived also the almost forgotten Tribute His riot and eâ—…cesse called Dane gelt which hee spent in drinking Deep and Feeding high for these were his delights For besides his immoderate quaffing he had the Tables through his Court spred four times a day with all the riot and excesse that might be devised who himselfe minding only gormondizing and voracitie committed the whole rule of the Land to Emma and Goodwin who had married the Daughter of Canutus by his first wife Elgina by whom many things were much misordered to the great discontent of the Commons This Earle had many sonnes as witnesseth Polychronicon lib. 6. cap. 15. by his Earle Goodwins sons and daughter first wife who was sister to Canutus hee had but one who by the striking of an Horse was throwne into the Thames and there drowned whose mother after died by Lightning and was of such incontinent life that shee prostituted Virgins and young women to make base and mercenary use of their bodies she dead he married a second of whom hee begot sixe sonnes Swanus Harold Tostius Wilnotus Syrthe or Surthe and Leofricus with a daughter named Goditha who after was married to Edward the Confessor Hardy Canutus wholly devoted to all voluptuousnesse being at a Feast at Lambeth in the midst of his mirth and jollity drinking a carowse out of a bowle elbow-deep fell downe Hardy Canutus dieth drinking suddenly and rested speechlesse for the space of eight dayes at the end whereof he expired in the eight day of Iune when hee had raigned two compleat yeeres leaving no issue lawful of his body and was buried by his Father at Winchester in whom ended the Line and Progeny of Swanus so that after this King the bloud of the Danes was quite extinct and made uncapable of any Regall Dignity within this Land The end of the Danish persecution and how long it continued Their bloudy persecution ceasing which had continued counting from their first landing in the time of Brightricus King of the West Saxons by the space of two hundred fifty five yeeres or thereabout by this Hardy Canutus Merlin intended his Helluo as being a gluttonou Prince whose bibacity and voracity would continue from morning till midnight in the first yeere of whose Reigne The two sonnes of Egelredus and Emma namely Alphred and Edward who before were sent into Normandy came into England to see their Mother and were Princely attended by a great number of brave Norman Knights and Gentlemen of which Earle Goodwin that By the seven heads are meant he and his six sonnes who aâ—…sisted him in all his bloudy projects subtle seven-headed Hydra before spoken of having notice ' hee began to plot and devise how to match his only daughter Goditha to one of the two Princes but finding Alured the eldest to be of an high and haughty spirit and would disdaine so mean a marriage he thought by supplanting him to conferre her upon the younger who was of a more flexible disposition Earle Goodwins pâ—…te to compasse which hee pretended to the King and Councell that it might prove dangerous to the state to suffer so many strangers to enter the Land without license By which he got authority and power to manage that businesse according to his owne discretion as being most potent with the King and a great incourager of his profusenesse and riot therefore being strongly accompanied he met with the two Princes and their traine and set upon them as Enemies killing the greater part of them at the first encounter and having surpris'd the rest upon a place called Guil-downe hee slue nine and saved the tenths and then thinking the number of the survivors too Earle Goodwins great cruelty great he tithed againe
that tenth putting them to cruel deaths as winding their guts out of their bellies with other torturing deaths then he caused the elder brothers eys to be pluckt out and sent to a religious house in Ely where hee dyed shortly after but the younger he preserv'd as an husband for his daughter and sent him to his mother Emma all which fulfils the former prophesie which saith And he an Hidra with seaven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian blood shall pray By Neustria is understood Normandy And tithe them by the pole c. Emma not trusting the tyranny of Goodwin by whom she had left one son the better to secure the other shee sent him into Normandy but Edward after sirnamed the Coâ—…fessor made King Hardy Canutus beeing dead he was sent for over to receive his iust and lawfull inheritance so that this Edward the sonne of Egelredus and his last wife Emma began his Raigne over England in the yeare of Grace 1043. and was soon after maried to Goditha whom Guido calleth Editha the sole daughter of Earle Goodwin who as all Authors affirme lived with her without any carnall society whether it were in hatred of her kinred as by the greatnesse of her father compel'd to that match or for that he altogether devoted himselfe to chastity it is left uncertaine In the beginning of his Raigne his mother The Kings mother accused of adultery with Alwin Bishop of Winchester Emma was accused to have too much familiarity with the B. of Winchester therefore the King by the counsell of Earl Goodwin seised vpon many of her iewels and confined her to a strict keeping in the Abby of Worwell the Bishop Alwin was also under the Custody of the Clergy but shee more sorrowing for his defame then her owne wrote unto divers Bishops to doe their Iustice affirming she was ready to undergoe any triall whatsoever to give the World satisfaction of her innocence who laboured to the King that their cause might have a just and legall hearing but Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Archbishop of Canterbury against the mother Queen not pleased with the motion said unto them My Brethren Bishops how dare ye plead for her who is a beast and no woman as by defaming the King and her sonne and yielding her selfe a prostitute to the incontinent Alwin proceeding further but if it be so that the woman would purge the Priest who shall then purge the woman who is accused to have been consenting to the death of her sonne Alfred and hath prepared infectious Drugs for the poysoning of her sonne Edward but be she guilty or no if shee will agree to goe bare foot upon nine plough-shares burning and fiery hot for her selfe foure shares and for the Bishop five he may be then cleered and she also To which shee granted and the day of her This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chronicles of same for truth purgation assigned at which day the King in person with many of his Lords were present she was hoodwinkt and led to the place where the Irons lay glowing hot and having passed over the nine shares unhurt shee said Good God when shall I come to the place of my purgation When they opened her eyes and shee saw that she had past the torment without any sence of paine she kneeled downe and gave thanks to the protectour of chastity and innocence Then the King repented him of his credulitie restoring unto her what hee had before taken from her asking of her forgivenes and blessing But the Archbishop Robert who was once a Monke in Normandy and was sent for over by the King and first made Bishop of London and Emma acquit from the suspition of Incontinency after raised to be Metropolitan fled into his Countrey and was no more seene in England after After many insolencies committed against the King by Earle Goodwin and his sonnes too long to reherse they were forced to abandon Earle Goodwin and his sons flie the Land the Land and flie into Flanders to Earle Baldwin whose daughter Iudith Swanus his eldest sonne had married and then by a Parlament they were made Out-lawes and Rebels and their goods and Lands seized where they continued as exiles for the space of two yeeres during which time William the bastard Duke of Normandy came with a Noble Traine to visit the King his Cousin and were royally entertained returning with great gifts and presents into his Country after which Goodwin by intercession of his friends here in England was called home with his sonnes who were received into grace and restored to their former dignities and possessions giving for pledges of his fidelity his sonne Wilnotus and Hacun the sonne of Goodwin and his sons restored Swanus whom the King sent to William Duke of Normandy to be kept in safe custodie Not long after in the twelfth yeere of the Reigne of this Edward the Confessor upon an Easter Monday Goodwin sitting with other Lords at the Kings Table in the Castle of Winsor it hapned that the Kings Cupbearer stumbled but recovered himselfe of a fall at which the Earle laughed heartily and said there one brother helped the other meaning one leg had supported the other which the King observing said yea and so my brother Alphred might have lived to have helped and sustained me had it not bin for Earl Goodwin by which words the Earl apprehending that he upbraided him with his brothers death thinking to excuse himself of the Act said so may I safely swallow this morsell of bread that is in my hand as I am innocent of that deed in swallowing of which hee was choaked which the King seeing commanded him to be dragged from the board his bodie being Goodwins remarkable death conveighed to Winchester and there interred Macrinus saith that he was suddenly struck with a palsie of which hee died â—…hree days after howsoever hee underwent a most remarkable judgement His eldest sonne living who was Harold for Swanus died in his pilgrimage to Ierusalem had all his Fathers Dignities and Honours conferd upon him But in processe of time all those his Lands in Kent of which hee was Earle were eaten up and devoured by the Sea upon whâ—…se dangerous shelves and quick-sands many thousands have beene wrackt and drowned and they are called Goodwins Sands unto this day which verifieth that part of the prophesie of the Hydra where he saith Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Harold having done many noble services for the King and the countrey in all which hee came off with great honour and victorie about the 20. yeere of King Edward hee sayled towards Normandy to visite his brother Wilnotus and his Nephew Hucun who lay there as pledges for the peace betwixt the King and Harold sayleth into Normandie Earle Goodwin buteither by the mistake of the unskilfull Pilot
their Mouchatos thick and long to which Harold answerd but wee shall finde them neither Barmen nor Bookemen but valiant Knights expert in all manner of warlike discipline Then Gurth or Surthe one of the yongest brothers of Harold advised him in person to stand apart and that himselfe with the Lords and Barons would incâ—…unter the Normans because he was sworne to the Duke and they not and if they were put back he then might rally their dispersed troups and maintaine his owne claime and his Countrys quarrel to which hee would by no meanes assent Then Duke William by a clergie man sent him Three profers made by the Duke to the King before the battaile three proffers of which to take his choyce the first that according to his oath he should deliver up the Crowne and all the rights thereto belonging which done to receive it againe and hold it of him as in fee during the terme of his life and after his death to returne it againe to the said William or to such an one of his sons as he would assigne it unto the second to depart and leave the Kingdome without more contention The third that to spare the shedding of Christian bloud they two might singly end the quarrell by the sword All which offers Harold refused returning answer by the Prelat that hee would try his cause by the dint of swords and not of one sword and that he and his Knights were ready to defend their Country against all Forreigne Invaders whatsoever The Duke hearing this his answer delivered unto him he gave strict charge that all his people that night should watch and spend the houres Two different dispositions in the boasts in prayer with the Priests when on the contrary the English Hoast past away the time in dancing and drinking The next morning being Saturday the fourteenth day of October the two Hoasts met at a place where now standeth Battaile Abbey in Battaile Abby in Sussex Sussex which was after built and so called by Duke William in memory of this battaile there fought and his great victory then atchieved in the beginning of which conflict a Norman Banneret called Thilfer slue three English Gentlemen one after another but in attempting the fourth was himselfe slaine Then began a The battail betwixt King Harold with Duke William terrible noyse of the clattering of Harnesse the rushing of shields the trampling of Horses with loud cryes and acclamations on both sides in which the Normans opposed mightily and the English defended themselves manfully and the better because they fought close keeping their battaile whole without scattering or ranging abroad which when Duke William observed he gave a signe to his Commanders that they should give backe as if they were almost compeld to flie and forsake the field yet subtlely embattailing the foot and placing the Horse for Wings on either side the English hoping instantly to have routed them dissevered their Squadrons as for present pursuite but the Normans returning tooke them at that disadvantage and strooke them down on every side yet was this battaile so stoutly fought by the Englishmen that Duke William was there that day beaten from his Steed and three Horses slaine under him but in the end Harold was slaine being shot into the eye with an arrow King Harold slain in the eye with an arrow and fell downe dead in the field which his army seeing they dispersed themselves and every man fled to his best safety Thus died this valiant King Harold having worne the Crowne from the fift of Ianuary to the fourteenth of October making up nine moneths and some odde dayes and was buried in the Monastery of Waltham which hee himselfe The end of the Race of the Saxons had founded in whom ended the bloud of the Saxons which had continued from the beginning of King Hengists reigne for the space of five hundred fourscore and one yeere all which time they had reigned as Kings in this Land saving those foure and twenty yeeres in which Edward the Confessor had the Sovereignty who was of the Norman bloud by his Mother Emma daughter to Richard the Hardy the third Duke of Normandy and first of that name Then Duke William buried his slain men and suffered the English to doe the like Now when Mercia and Northumberland not in this battail the news of Harolds death came to the two Earles of Mercia and Northumberland who were not then in that battaile some thinke that by reason of the distance and difficulty of the way they could not arrive with their forces soon enough but others have conjectured that they purposely absented themselves because in the division of the Danish spoyles they were neglected but howsoever they came to Duke William and submitted themselves giving pledges Duke VVilliam crowned King of England for their truth and fealty thus William Duke of Normandy sirnamed the Conquerour base sonne to Robert the sixt Duke of that Province and Nephew unto Edward the Confessor began his Dominion over this Realme of England in the yeere of Grace one thousand threescore and nine the fifteenth day of October and was crowned upon Christmasse day by Aldredus Archbishop of Yorke next following I now proceed to Merlins next prophesie He that Iron Nation who leads forth for prey Shall finde full spoile and where hee feeds will stay Suppressing the red Dragon for a space Then shall arise two Dragons from his race One aymes at but attains not his desire By Envies Dart the other shall expire The Lion next of Iustice must appeare Who 'gainst the Celticke Towers will ladders reare And cause the Lily like the Aspen shake Whose rore shall all the Island Serpents quake A cunning Alcumist who hath the skill Gold both from flowers and Nettles to distill The first part is plaine and easie the appearance Part of the Prophesie explained whereof is gathered from the former circumstances under the man who leadeth the Iron Nation forth to prey is figured the Conquerour who brought into this Kingdome the strongly armed Normans where finding fat spoile that is a rich and fertile Iland where he feeds will stay that is where he fareth well and hath all things in his owne power to his will and pleasure there he will make his abode and plant himself suppressing the red Dragon for a space that is the first Britains after mingled with the Saxons and from Hengists-men called Englishmen then with the Danes and now againe opprest by the Normans yet was the bloud of the first Natives howsoever mingled never extinguished and the Nation howsoever extreamly suffering yet never altogether eradicated and extirpt but to passe over the Reigne of the Conquerour because no further aymed at by my Author I proceed to the rest Then shall two Dragons issue from his race Meaning from Duke William now living by which two Dragons are intimated his two eldest Sons Robert sirnamed Corthose or Shorthose and William Ruffus so
stiled because of his ruffe haire and beard This Robert the eldest because hee might Robert rebelleth against his Father not be possest of the Duchy of Normandy which his father had before promist him hee by the aide of the French King Philip and Lewis his sonne invaded that Dutchy and tooke divers prizes thence which put his Father to much grievance and trouble in so much that at length the father and the sonne with two great Hosts met in the plaine field where betwixt them was fought a cruell and bloudy battell in which King William was wounded and beaten from his horse and in great danger to be tooke or slaine which his sonne Robert hearing in true filliall piety hee restored his Father set him upon a fresh Horse and delivered him from all danger howsoever in that conflict many of the Kings men fell by the sword and his sonne William received many wounds so that they were compeld to forsake the field and yeeld the honour thereof to his Sonne Robert for which Robert gaineth the day of his Father rebellion as some have related he laid an heavy curse upon him which proved fatall unto him in the end Some write that by the leaping off an horse hee got such a straine meaning King William that it was the cause of his death and when hee found that hee was pasthope of life hee called his three sonnes unto him exhorting them to fraternall love and unity and by his will appointed to Robert the eldest the Duchie of Normandy to William the second the Kingdom of England and to his third sonne Henry because K. Williams admonition to his sons hee was a piece of a Scholer sirnamed Beauclerke hee bequeathed his moveables and treasure then he informed his two eldest sonnes of the disposition of the people whom they were to governe advising William to be affable courteous and liberall to the English and Robert to behave himselfe roughly and sternly towards the Normans which having uttered hee The death of William sirnamed the Conquerour died within few houres after in Normandy and was buried in the City of Cane in the third yeere of his Duchie but of his Reigne over England one and twenty yeeres and ten moneths in the moneth of Iuly in which time of his Sovereignty hee kept the English so streight and low that none of the Nation bore any office of profit or honour but hee somewhat favoured the City of London by granting them their first Charter which is written in the Saxon Londons first Charter granted by King William tongue and sealed with green Wax and is comprehended in eight or nine lines at the most with whose death I also conclude this Chapter CHAP. 12. The prediction of the two Dragons made good by the subsequent History in Robert and William the two sons of the Conquerour who the Lion of Iustice was and what was meant by his Alchymy c. WIlliam the second of that name sirnamed William the second crowned King of England Rufus or the Red beganne his Reigne in the moneth of Iuly in the yeere of Grace one thousand sourescore and nine but Rainolf Monke of Chester in his Polychronicon affirmes that Robert was absent at the death of his Father and hearing that hee had preferd his younger brother to the Crowne of England hee was greatly inraged and laid his Dukedome to pawne to his brother Henry for certaine summes of money with which hee hired an Army and landed at Hampton of which his brother having intelligence sent unto him with this submission following A strange submission of a King Thy brother William entreateth thee to be no way incensed at what I have done For he calleth himselfe not absolute King but Viceroy and thy Substitute and to reigne under thee being greater and therein better because before him borne who hath taken upon him this charge only because of thine absence yet since he is now in place and authority by thy sufferance he humbly prayes thee that he may under thee still so continue paying unto thee annually three thousand marke with condition that the survivour of the two may peaceably enjoy the Kingdome Duke Robert who was not unacquainted with the politick proceedings of his brother shaked his head and began to pawse about an answer and being of a loving and gentle disposition The two brothers attowd bountifull withall and still preferring his honour before his profit as in all his after proceedings hee made manifest condescended to his brothers request and returned into Normandy but William was of a more subtle and crafty condition and yet withall ambitious after vain-glory to maintaine which hee extorted both from the Spiritualty and Temporalty He builded He buildeth Westminster Hall Westminster Hall and by reason that his brother Robert was then in the holy Warres to redeeme Ierusalem from the Pagans hee spent some time in Normandy about his brothers affaires but at his returne the building of the Hall being finished he seemed much discontented with the littlenesse thereof saying it was more fit for a Dining Chamber then a Kings Hall purposing if hee had liv'd to have made a farre greater In the beginning of the thirteenth yeere of his Reigne the third day of August being hunting in the New Forrest by the glancing of an Arrow shot by the hand of one Sir Walter Tyrrell The King murthered to death by Sir Walter Tyrrell the King was wounded to death in the forty fourth yeere of his age who escaped and saved himselfe for none pursued him and few in regard of his former tyranny sorrowfull for his death some thinke that this arrow was purposely aymed at him to fulfill the prophesie of the two brothers One aimes at but attains not his desire By envies dart the other shall expire Now Robert though hee still aymed at the Kingdome yet never attained unto it and the other died according to Merlins words spiculo Invidiae by the dart of Envy the King thus wounded was laid in a Horse-litter and conveyed to Winchester where hee died and was buried In his life time he took upon him great The Kings Character things the day before hee died one asked him where he purposed to keep his Christmasse to which he answered at Poyctiers for the Earle intendeth a Voyage for Ierusalem meaning to seize upon his Earldome Henry of Huntington reporteth of him that though he was generally reported avaritious and gripple-handed yet he was in his owne condition bountifull and liberall as may appeare by the narration following The Abbot of a great Monastery being dead too wel-monied Monks of the same place made friends to the King offering Iustice and liberality in the King large summes to be promoted to that dignity there was also a third Monk who out of his meeknesse and humility had accompanyed them to the Court and to give attendance on him whom the King should admit to be Abbot who called to the
of sishes take The King to maintaine his former Warres which proved so terrible to the French and others was forced to exact money from all manner of people not sparing the Clergie nor the Laitie and therefore Merlin cals him A cunning Alcumist who hath the skill Gold both from flowers and Nettles to distill By the Flowers meaning the Spiritualty by the Nettles the Temporalty in the twenty seventh yeere of this Kings Reign died Henry the fourth Emperour of that name who had before married Mawd the daughter to Henry King of England after whose death she came to her Father in Normandy who because hee had no heires male left of his body hee caused all the Bishops and Barons to sweare in his presence that they The Lords sworne to the succession of Mawd the Empresse should keep the Crowne of England to the use of this Mawde the Empresse if hee died without issue male and she surviving In the eight and twentieth yeere of his Sovereignty Ieffery Plantaginet Earle of Anjoy was espoused unto Mawde the Empresse from whom Her second mariage descended Henry the second sirnamed Short-Mantle who after Stephen was King of England King William being in Normandy as some write fell either with his Horse or from his Horse which after was the cause of his death But Rainolph saith that he tooke a surfet by eating of a Lamprey and died of that when he had reigned thirty five yeers and odde moneths The death of Henry the first of that name whose body when it was embowelled before it could be embalmed cast such a stench that none could abide the place where hee was dissected and though it was wrapped in a Buls skin yet it little abated the smell in so much that divers were infected therewith and the Chyrurgion who clensed the head died of the unwholsome scent which proceeded from the braine which some conjectured to bee a just judgement laid upon him for his mercilesse cruelty shewed upon his brother Robert whose eyes as some have reported hee caused to bee torne out of his head during his imprisonment his body was brought into England and was afterwards buried in the Abbey of Reading which he before had founded after whose death Fame spoke of him as of all other Princes both in the better and worse part Divers said that he surpassed many of his Predecessour Kings in three How the King was spoken of after his death things in wit in eloquence and good successe in battaile and others spared not to say that he was pestilently infected with three notorious vices Covetousnesse Cruelty and Lechery CHAP. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reigne of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawde the Empresse of Henry Short-Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History In every circumstance making good Merlins Prophesie STephen Earle of Bolloigne and sonne Stephen Earle of Bulloigne crowned King to the Earle of Bloys and Mawd sister to the wife of Henry late deceased began his Reigne over the Realme of England in the yeere of grace one thousand one hundred thirty six who was valiant and hardy but as some affirme contrary to the oathe made to King Henry concerning Mawd the Empresse he usurped the Crown and was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at West minster upon the day of Saint Stephen in Christmasse weeke which Archbishop who had taken the same Oath died shortly Perjury punished by the hand of God after with diverse other Lords guilty of the same perjury which as some write was animated and incouraged by one Hugh Bigot who was Steward to King Henry and presently after his death came over into England and before the said Archbishop came other Lords tooke an Oath and sware that he was present a little before the Kings death when hee heard him to disinherit his Daughter Mawd for some distaste that hee had taken against her and had adopted as his lawfull Heire Stephen his Nephew to which the Archbishop with the rest gave too hasty battaile neither did this Hugh for his wilfull perjury escape unpunished who soone after with great trouble of conscience most miserably expired but before I proceed Hugh Bigot dyeth miserably further in the story I will deliver unto you Merlins Prophesie of those times which followeth Drop must a Sagittary from the Skies The prophesie But against him an Eglet will arise That in the Morian Mountains built her nest And against that Celestiall signe contest Shee fayling will a Lions whelpe appeare Whose rore shall make the Centaure quake with feare But when the two shap't Monster shall be tam'd By gentle means the whelpe will be reclaim'd And when the Iron brood in the Land shal fail The bloud of the white Dragon must prevail By the Sagittary which is one of the twelve Celestiall Signes and is the same which hee calleth Part of it exâ—…laned the two shap't Centaure is figured King Stephen who gave not the Lions as his former predecessours had done but emblazed the before-named Sagittary in his Scutcheon and therefore he is by the Prophet so stiled by the Eglet is also intended Maud the Empresse and by the Morian Mountaines a place in Italy so called siguratively including all Italy by a part thereof now let vs see how this with the rest is mâ—…de good by the event In the beginning of his reigne King Stephen King Stephen extorteth both from the Clergie and the Laity used great rigour against the Clergy as fining some Bishops and imprisoning others Besides he seised on all the strong holds and Castles within the Realm as still fearing the comming in of Maud the Empresse in which time Robert Earle of Glocester the base sonne of King Henry took displeasure against the King for seising the strong holds of Glocester Hereford Webly Bristol Dudly and others part of which belonged to his Inheritance and therefore he sent letters to his sister Maud promising to assist her in the iust claime of her Inheritance In the moneth of Iuly and sixth yeare of King Mawd the Empresse landeth in England Stephen â—…aud the Empresse landed at Portsmouth and made towards Bristol at what time Stephen layd siege to the Castle of Walling-ford who hearing of her arivall gathered all the forces hee could make and drew towards the Enemie in which time Robert Earle of Glocester Ranulph Earle of Chester were ioyned to the Empresse and when both their hoasts were in the field ready to give the alarme Ranulph Earle of Chester thus spoke to his souldiers and sayd I require you friends and Countrimen that I The Barons Oration to their souldiers who am the cause to bring you here to hazard lives may be the first man to put mine owne in danger whom Earle Robert interrupted and said It is not unworthy to thee who demandest the first stroake and hazard of this battaile who both for thy noblenesse of bloud and thy
Henry the Third by reason of his tall stature sirnamed Long-shanks began his Reign Novem. 17. the yeere of Grace one thousand two hundred threescore and twelve who came to London the second day of August and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth of December following The Cororati of P. Edward sirnamed Loâ—…gshanks being the second yeere of his Reigne at whose Coronation was present Alexander King of Scots who the morrow following did homage to him for the Kingdome of Scotland but Lewellin prince of Wales refused to come to that solemnitie for which King Edward gathered a strong power and subdued him in his Lewellin P. of Wales rebeileth owne borders and in the yeere after hee called his high Court of Parlament to which also Lewellin presumptuously denied to come therefore after Easter he assembled new forces and entring Wales hee constrained him to submit himselfe to his mercy which with great difficulty Lewellin took to mercy hee obtained then the King built the Castle of Flint and strengthened the Castle of Rutland to keepe the Welsh in due obedience He gave also uuto David brother of Lewellin David brother to Lewellin the Castle of Froddesham who remayned in his Court and with his seeming service much delighted the King but David did it only as a spie to give his brother secret intelligence of whatsoever the King or his Counsell said of him or against him who tooke his opportunity and privatly left the Court stirring up his broâ—…her to a new Rebellion of which the King being informed hee could hardly thinke that hee could prove so ingratefull but being better ascertained of the truth he made fierce warre upon them at length Lewellin was strictly besieged in Swandon Castle from which when hee thought early in a morning to escape with ten Knights only hee was met by Sir Roger Mortimer upon whose Lands hee had before done great out-rage who surprized him and cut off his head and sent it to the King being then at The death of Lewellin P. of Wales Rutland who commanded it to bee pitcht on a pole and set upon the Tower of London and further that all his heires should be disherited and their claime to the Soveraignty of Wales to be deprived the right thereof solely remayning in the Kings of England and their Successours So one after was his brother David taken and after doomed to be drawn hanged and quartered The death of David his brother and his head sent to the Tower and placed by his brother Lewellins in which the prophesie is verified The Cambrian Wolves he through their woods shall chace Nor cease till he have quite extirpt their Race Of this Lewellin a Welsh Metrician writ this Epitaph Hic jacet Anglorum tortor tutor Venedorum Princeps Wallorum Lewelinus regula morum A Welsh poet upon the death of Lewellin Gemma Coaevorum flos regum praeteritorum Forma futurorum Dux Laus Lex Lux populorum Thus anciently Englisht Of Englishmen the scourge of Welsh the protector Lewellin the Prince rule of all vertue Gemme of Livers and of all others the flower Who unto death hath paid his debt due Of Kings a mirrour that after him ensue Duke and Priest and of the Law the right Here in this grave of people lyeth the light To which an English Poet of those times made this answer Hic jacet errorum princeps ac praedo virorum An English poets answer to the former Proditor Anglorum fax livida sectareorum Numen Wallorum Trux Dux Homicida piorum Fex Trojanorum stirps mendax causa malorum Here lyeth of Errour the Prince if yee will ken Thiefe and Robber and traytor to Englishmen A dimme brood a Sect of doers evill God of Welshmen cruell without skill In slaying the good and Leader of the bad Lastly rewarded as he deserved had Of Trojans bloud the dregs and not the seed A root of falshood and cause of many evill deed In the twentieth yeere of the King upon Saint Andrews Eve being the twentie ninth of November died Queene Eleanor sister to the The death of Q. Eleanor King of Spaine by whom the King had foure sonnes Iohn Henry Alphons and Edward the three first died and Edward the youngest succeeded his Father and five Daughters Eleanor who was married to William of Bar Ioan of The Kings Râ—…yall Issue Acris to the Earle of Glocester Gilbert de Clare Margaret to the Dukes sonne of Brabant Mary who was made a Nun at Ambrisbury and Elisabeth espoused to the Earle of Holland and after his death to Humphrey Bokun Earle of Hereford This yeere also died old Queene Eleanor wife The death of K. Edwards mother to Henry the third and mother to King Edward I come now to the twenty fourth yeare of his Reigne in which Alexander King of Scotland being dead hee left three Daughters the first was married to Sir Iohn Baliol the second to Sir Robert le Bruise the third to one Hastings Amongst which there fell dissention about the Title to the Crown as shall appeare in the next Chapter CHAP. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crowne of Scotland for which they did them homage King Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The Prophesie fulfilled His death And Coronation of his sonne c. The death of Gaveston with a Prophesie of King Edward the Second THese three before-named Baliol Bruse and Hastings came to King Edward as chiefe Lord and Sovereigne Authority by which England claimed homage from the Scotch Kings of that Land to dispose of the right of their Titles to his pleasure and they to abide his censure who to the intent that they might know hee was the sole competent Iudge in that case caused old Evidences and Chronicles to be searcht amongst which was Marianus the Scot William of Malmsbury Roger of Hungtington and others in which were found and read before them that in the yeere of Grace nine hundred and twenty King Edward the elder made subject unto him the two Kings of Cambria and Scotland In the yeere nine hundred twenty one the said Kings of Wales and Scotland chose the same Edward to bee their Lord and Patron In the yeere nine hundred twenty six Ethelstane King of England subdued Constantine King of Scots who did him fealty and homage And Edredus brother and successor to Ethelstane subdued the Scots againe with the Northumbers who reigned under him It was also found in the said Chronicles that King Edgar overcame Alpinus the sonne of Kinudus King of Scots and received of him homage as hee had done of his father before time And that Canutus in the sixteenth yeere of his Reign overcame Malcolm K. of Scots and received of him oath and homage that William the Conquerour in the sixt yeere of his Reigne was victorious over Malcolme who before received the Kingdome of the gift of Edward the Confessor who did him fealty the
like did Malcolme and his two sonnes to VVilliam sirnamed the Red sonne to the Conquerour David King of Scots did homage also to Stephen King of England VVilliam King of Scots did the like to Henry the third at the time of his Coronation and when this Henry was dead This Henry cald the third was sonne to Henry the se cond and was crowned but dyed befoâ—…e his Father hee came after to his father Henry the second into Normandy and did the like to him also Alexander King of Scots in the thirty first yeer of Henry the second sonne of King Iohn married at Yorke the Daughter of the said Henry and did him homage for the Realme of Scotland c. Further was shewed unto them the Popes Bulls sent into Scotland by vertue whereof those of their Kings were accursed that would not bee obedient to their Lords the Kings of England Briefely they acknowledging all these Authoriy from Rome to be true Bonds were made on both sides in which thing Edward was tyed in an hundred thousand pounds to nominate their King and the Scots againe bound to obey him nominated as their Soveraigne After which writings sealed they delivered the possession of the Kingdome of Scotland into King Edwards hands to preserve it to his use of whom hee would make election who made choise of Sir Iohn Balioll as true and immediate heire by marrying Sir Iohn Balioll made king of Scots the eldest sister for which he did him homage and sware him fealty which done the Scots with their new King departed joyfully into Scotland But soone after Baliol repented him of his Oath and as some say by the Counsell of the Abbot of Menrosse others by the instigation of the King of France but whether by one or both certaine it is that hee perfidiously revolted and made warre upon England which Edward hearing sped him with a great hoast into The Scots revolt Scotland and laid siege to Barwicke but they bravely defended the Towne and burnt some of our English with which they were so inflamed with pride that they made this scornfull Rime upon the English What ween is King Edward with his long shanks To have won Barwicke all our unthankes Gaas pikes him And when he had it Gaas dikes him At which King Edward being mightily moved so incouraged his souldiers that they first wonne the Ditches and after with great difficulty the Bulwarkes and then came to the gates which they inforced and entring the Towne slew twenty five thousand and seven hundred Scots and lost no man of note save Richard King Edward winneth Barwicke Earle of Cornwall and of meaner people twenty seven and no more which hitherto upholds the former prediction Then from the North shall fiery Meteors threat Ambitious after blood to quench their heate The Dragons blood at which his Crest wil rise And his skales flame where he treads or flies Fright all shall him oppose the Northerne Dyke Passe shall he then and set his foot in wyke By the Northerne Dyke is implyed the River Tweede and by Wyke the Towne of Barwicke but I pursue the History The King having possest the Towne and Castle hee sent Sir Hugh Spencer with Sir Hugh Parcy and other Noble men to besiege Dunbar whither came a mighty Host to remove them thence with whom the English had a fierce and cruel battail A glorious victory at the taking of Dunbar in which were slaine of the Scots twenty two thousand and of the English a very small number wherefore the English to reproach the Scots in regard of their former Rime made this These scattered Scots Hold we for sots Of wrenches unware Earely in a morning in an evill timing Came yee to Dunbar After the taking of the Towne and Castle of Dunbarre the King besieged the City of Edenborough and wonne both it and the Castle Edenborough taken with the Castle Crown c. in which were found the Regalities of state which King Edward tooke thence and offered them at the shrine of Saint Edward upon the eighteenth day of Iune the year following Then Sir Iohn Baliol with diverse of his Clergy and Nobility submitted themselves to the kings grace and having setled the affaires of Scotland hee brought them up to London and then asked them what amends they would make him for all the trouble and damage they had put him to who answered they wholly submitted themselves to his mercy Hee then replyed your Lands nor your goods doe I desire but I will that you take the Sacrament to be my true Feodaries and never more to beare Armes against me to which they willingly assented of w ch were sir Iohn Commin the Earle of Stratherne the Earle of Carick and foure The Scotch sworne on the Sacrament Bishops took Oath in the behalfe of themselves and the whole Clergy which done the king gave them safe conduct into their Country But not long after they hearing the king was busied in his warres of Gascoyne against the French king they made a new insurrection having They breake their oath one VVill. Wallis a desperate Ruffin and of low condition to be their chiefe Leader which the King hearing having ordred his affaires in â—…rance hee sped towards Scotland and entring the Kingdome he burnt and wasted wheresoere he came sparing only all Churches Religious Houses and the poore people who besought him of mercy At length hee met with the Scottish Army upon Saint Mary Mawdlins day at a place called Fonkirke where hee gave them The bâ—…ve battaile at Fonkâ—…ke battaile and slue of them thirty three thousand with the losse only of twenty eight men and no more and finding no other enemies able to resist him hee returned into England and after married Margaret the French Kings sister by which King Edward marrieth the French Kings sister a peace betwixt England and France was concluded Then went king Edward a third time into Scotland and almost famished the Land and tooke the strong Castle of Estrevelin and soon after was taken William VVallis at the Town of The end of William Wallis Saint Dominick who was sent to London where he received his judgement and upon Saint Bartholomews Eve was drawne and quartred his head stooke off and set on London bridge and his foure quarters sent to bee hanged up in the foure chiefe Cities of Scotland after this Robert le Bruce claymed the Crowne of Scotland without acquainting king Edward therewith and drove all the Englishmen out of the Land of which he vowed revenge and to hang up all the Traytors in that kingdome who before hee set forward on that expedition made foure hundred and foure knights at VVestminster upon a Whitson Sunday with whom and the rest of King Edward maketh 400 and foure Knights his Army he once more pierced Scotland and upon Friday before the Assumption of our Lady hee met with Robert le Bruce and his Hoast
Calenture And then behind him shall he leave a Kid To undoe all both sire and grandsire did By the Kid is intended the Prince Richard his sonne who succeeded his grandfather in the Throne and therefore so cald because of his condition so suiting with the nature of his predecessour Edward the second whom the prophet for his dissolutenesse of life and inability to manage a State called a Goat not a Lion but to come to the story King Edward left behind him foure sonnes Lionel Duke of K. Edwards Royall Issue Clarence Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edward of Langley Duke of Yorke and Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Cambridge taking their sirnames from the places where they had their birth by whom and the rest of the Nobility his body was conveyed from Richmond to Westminster and there solemnly and sumptuously interred over whose Tombe hung this inscription Hic decus Anglorum flos Regum praeteritorum Forma futurorum Rex clemens pax populorum His Epitaph Tertius Edwardus regni complens Inbilaeum Invictus pardus pollens bellis Machabaeum Which for the better understanding of the vulgar I give you thus paraphrased in English Here lyes our honour flower of Kings forepast Pattern to future making peace to last Edward the third who raign'd a jubilee In strength a pard valour a Machabee Richard the second of that name and sonne of Edward sirnamed the blacke prince eldest Richard the second of that â—…ame made King sonne to Edward the third a childe of the age of eleven yeers began his Reign over the Realme of England the two and twentieth of Iune in the yeere of Grace one thousand twenty seven and upon the fifteenth of Iuly being the day of Saint Swithen ensuing he was crowned at Westminster in the first yeer of whose Reigne about Aprill landed in Kent Anne the Daughter of Charles the fourth Emperour of that name late dead and sister to Wenceslaus then Emperour who by the Major and Citizens of London was honourably met upon Black-heath and with great triumph conveyed vnto Westminster and His Royall mariage the eight day of May solemnely espoused to King Richard of whom it is thus predicted Sport shall the young Kid in his youth and play A prediction of his Reigne 'Gainst whom shall rise the Hedg-hog and the Gray And then the hobnayle and the clowted shoone Shall the Kids glory strive to eclipse at noone But by a Daulphin of the City lov'd That black disastrous cloud shall be remov'd And Phoebus in his wonted or be shine cleare Who when he shall in his full strength appeare Foure princely Lions were to him allyde Gall shall he with his horns in his great pride At length a Fox clad in a skin of gold Shall snatch the Kid from midst of all his fold The yeere before which was the fourth of The insurrection of the Commons his Reign was a great insurrection of the Commons throughout the Land especially in Kent and Essex the reason was because in the third yeere at a parliament held at Westminster there was granted to the king a Groat of every person male or female above the age of fourteene yeeres The chiefe Captains and Leaders of the The Captains of the Rebels Rebels Army were Iack Straw William Wawe Wat Tyler Iack Shepherd Tom Miller and Hob Carter these gathered great multitudes of the Commons and assembled themselves upon Blackheath three miles from London and upon the eleventh of Iune entred the Tower of London where the King was then lodged and took Thâ—…y take the Tower thence perforce Doctor Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Hales prior of Saint Iohns and a white Frier Confessor to the King whom with a mighty acclamation and voice they drew to the Tower-hill and there cut off their heads Then by boats and barges they returned into Southwarke and robbed all strangers of what Their robberies in Southwarke In Westminster Nation soever thence they went to Westminster and took thence all the Sanctuary men and came unto the Savoy which was the Duke of In the Strand Lancasters house and first pilladge it and after set it on fire and then to the palace of Sr. Iohn neere Clerkenwell and spoyled it After they searched the Temples and Innes of Court making havock of all burning their Law books The Innes of Court and killing as many Lawyers and Questmongers as they might find that done they went to St. Martins le Grand releasing there all that had Their mighty insolencies there took Sanctuary with the prisoners of Newgate Ludgate the two Counters tearing their Registers and Books The like they did to the Kings Bench and Marshalses in Southwarke and moreover they did thorow the whole City of London according to their own wils and pleasures When Iack Straw who was prime Commander above the rest had executed all these The pride of the Captain insolencies and saw no resistance against him he was suddenly so tumoured with pride that he thought no man worthy to be his peere in so much that hee rode againe to the Tower where he found the King but weakly attended and in a manner compeld him to ride through divers parts and streets of the City and so conveyed him into Smithfield where in the Kings presence to whom hee did small or no reverence at all hee caused a proclamation to bee made though using his Majesties name yet to his owne wicked end and purpose which William Walworth Fishmonger and then Lord Major seeing and not able to endure his so great presumption and insolency he stept towards and first with a blow on the head stounded him with his Mace and after with a short Dagger which he wore by his side he wounded him to death then with a Sword strook off his The death of Iack Straw head and lifted it upon the point of a Speare and shewing it to the Rebels Cryed out alowd King Richard God save King Richard who when they saw their chiefe Captaine slaine they fled in great disorder of which many were taken and some slaine and the remnant were chaced so that both City and Suburbs were voided of them that night being the fifteenth The Rebels disperst of Iune making good what was predicted Sport shall the young Kid in his youth and play 'Gainst whom shal rise the Hedghog the gray And then the hobnail and the clowted shcon Shall the suns glory strive to eclipse at noon But by a Daulphin of the City lov'd This black disastrous cloudshall be removd c By the young Kid is intended the wanton King by the Hedghog and the gray beasts frequent in the Country Iack Straw VVat Tyler and the rest of the Captaines and Commons by the Daulphin VVilliam VValworth who was free of the Fishmongers and they give the Daulphin in their Escutchion c. CHAP. 23. The Duke of Glocester by a Parliament reformeth the Common wealth
and stratagems abroad French machins and the Italianated god The Spanish Engins Porteguized Iew. The Iesuitick mines and politick crew Of home-bred Traytors let their menaces come By private pistoll or by hostile Drum c. Yet notwithstanding over these and many others strengthened and protected by the hand of the Almighty shee was miraculously victorious whose fame can never faile or Her memory perish and therefore I draw my present conclusion from the premisses Though all these Dogs chace her with open cry Live shall she fear'd and lov'd then Sainted die Many other prophesies have beene disperst abroad under the name of Merlin of which I will give you the tast of one onely and that 's this When Hemp is ripe and ready to pull A prophesie conferd on Merlin Then Englishman beware thy scull In this word Hemp be five Letters H. E. M. P. E. now by reckoning the successive Princes from Henry the Eighth this Prophesie is easilie explaned H. signifieth Henry before named E. Edward his sonne the sixth of that name M. Mary who succeeded him P Philip of Spain who by marrying Queene Mary during the time of her life participated with her in the English Diadem lastly by E. Qu. Elizabeth after whose death there was great feare that some troubles might have rose about the Crowne or that King Iames her successour of like blessed memory might have come in after an hostile manner and so to have made that good Then Englishman beware thy scull Yet proved this augury true though not according to the former expectation or imagination for after his happy and peaceable proclamation and Inauguration there was great mortality not in London only but through the whole Kingdome from which the Nation was not quite clean in seven yeeres after CHAP. 38. The title of K. Iames to the Crown His comming into England A prophesie of his Reigne The first treason attempted against him The gun-powder treason and what the conspirators were The K. of Denmark twice commeth into England An Epitaph upon Prince Henry One of the Duke of Richmond and Lenox Another of Q. Anne An Epitaph upon K. Iames K. Charles proclamed King his Fathers Funeralls c. UPon Thursday being the twenty fourth of March about two of the clock in the morning deceased Queen Elizabeth of blessed memory at her palace of Richmond being aged three score and ten yeares and having reigned forty foure yeares five moneths and King Iames his lineall title to the Crown of England c. odde dayes and the same day about eleven of clock in the forenoone was proclaimed Iames the sixth King of Scotland King of England Scotland France and Ireland at the high Crosse in Cheapside with the Title of Defonder of the Faith being lineally descended from Margaret eldest daughter to King Henry the seventh by Elizabeth his wife who was the eldest daughter to King Henry the fourth the same Margaret was married to King Iames the fourth of that name King of Scotland in the yeare of Grace one thousand five hundred and three who had issue Iames the fifth who was Father to Mary Queene of Scotland Mother to Iames the sixth Monarch of great Britain and King of France and Ireland of whom ere I further proceed to speake any more let me acquaint you with one thing most remarkable A thing worthy to be observed namely how ominous the Thursday hath beene to King Henry the Eighth and to all his posterity for hee himselfe died upon Thursday the eight and twentieth of Ianuary his sonne King Edward the sixth on Thursday the sixth of Iuly Queen Mary on Thursday the seventeenth of November and Queene Elizabeth on Thursday the twenty fourth of March but I returne to King Iames and the prediction made of him and his prosperous Reigne On Boreas wings then hither shall be borne Through Week o're Tweed a Princely Vnicorn The prophesie of K. Iames. Who brought into the world his own fair crest A rampant Lion figured on his brest And to his Armes six Lions more shall quarter With six French Flowers inviron'd with the Ioyning by fates unchangable dispose Garter The Northern Thistle to the Southerne Rose He shall the true Apostolike Faith mayntain With pious zeale During the blessed Reigne Of this faire sprig deriv'd from Richmonds stock No Noble head shall stoop unto the block Yet shall from th' old Lupanar Wolves be sent To undermine both Crown and Government Striving in Hell to register their names By blowing up the State in powder flames Ah wo the while Rebellion and prestigion Should masque themselves in visors of religion All which the holy book meerly gain-says But man's corrupt God Iust in all his wayes Witnesse their wretched ends but happy they Who keep for that an annuall holiday That King shall be a second Salomon Whom all Kings else with wonder gaze upon Who as to an Oracle to him shall come And when he speaks be silent all and dumbe Peace shall he keep within him and without him Whilst all lands else combustions are about him Him shall a second issue male succeed Gracious in word victorious in his deed Though divers adulterate copies something alluding to this purpose have been frequent in the mouths of many yet this best agreeing with the Authors meaning ought to be first received which though it need no explanation at all yet thus much briefly for the satisfaction of the vulgar By Boreas is meant the North-wind upon whose wings the Vnicorne is borne is implide King Iames who gives the Unicorne in The Vnicorne part of the Scottish Arms. Heraldry Through Week over Tweed that is he came through Barwick over the River Tweed which parteth England and Scotland Hee King Iames born with a Lion on his brest was also borne with the exact portraiture of a Lion upon his brest presaging that the white Lion of Scotland should have a proximity and alliance with the three red Lions of England quartered with the three Flower delyces of France the noble remembrance of Edward sirnamed the Black Prince sonne to Edward the Third who by taking the King prisoner in battaile added them to the Arms of England which are incompast by the Garter an Order first made by the aforesaid Edward the Third Theâ—…e came into the peaceable possession of King Iames who also brought the Thistle part of the Arms of Scotland to joyne The Thistlâ—… joyned with the Rose with the two united Roses the White and Red figuring of the two divided Houses York and Lancaster to make one perfect Damaske I omit the manner of his Majesties comming out of Scotland and his Royall entertainment into this Kingdome with joyfull acclamations of the people and the unanimous suffrage of the whole Nation with his Inauguration Coronation and solemne and pompous passing from the Tower through the City of London to Westminster with the severall pageants and showes his Creating of Barons Viscounts and Earles and making of Knights
siege and one night whilst the Guardians thereof were asleep they undermined the earth and were likely to have wonne it but a noble Roman named Manlius Torquatus waking by the crie of Geese and Ganders prevented the Galls and saved the Capitoll For which cause the Romans for a long time after on the first day of Iune The feast of Ganders did annually celebrate the feast of Ganders But Brennus and his people held the Romans so short that they slew many of the Senators and compelled the survivers to lay him downe a thousand pound weight in Gold besides they took the spoyle of the City so that they were inforced to call backe Furius Camillus whom they had before most ungratefully banisht from Ardea and created him the second time Dictator who gave strong battaile to the Galls and won from them all the gold and jewells which they had taken from the Romans Therefore Bren neâ—… his Army towards Greece entering Brennus inva deth Greece Macedonia and dividing his people into two hoasts the one he retained with himselfe and sent the other into Galatia which after was caled Gallograecia and lastly from Gallograecians the Nation were termed Galathians Then Bren conquered Macedonia and overcame their Duke or King Sosthenes and after spoyled the gods of their Temples and said in sport Rich gods ought to contribute towards men some part of their wealth Thence hee came to Delphos where the Oracle was and robbed the Temple of Apollo upon which there was a great Earthquake and Haile-stones of mighty weight and bignesse which destroyed some part of his Hoast and upon the rest an huge part of the rockie mountaine fell and buried them in the Earth and Bren being wounded and despairing of safety drew his Sword and killed himselfe And his â—…rother Belinus after hee had honourably governed the The death of Brennus Kingdome of Britaine with his brother and alone for the space of twenty sixe yeares expired and was buried at Belingsgate leaving a Sonne behinde him called Gurguintus Barbarosse or Gurguint with the red Beard Gurguintus Hee beganne his Reigne in the yeare of the world foure thousand eight hundred thirty foure he conquered Denmarke and forced from them an annuall Tribute of one thousand pound Denmarke made tâ—…butary to England After which victory hee sayled towards England in great triumph but in his course upon the sea hee met with a Fleet of thirty Sayle who haliâ—…g them and demanding of what Countrey they were and the purpose of their Navigation they answered him Their people were called Balenses and that they were exiled from Spaine and with their wives and children had long sayled upon the sea beseeching the King to have compassion of them and to grant them within his large dominions some place to inhabit and they would bee his true and faithfull subjects The King commiserating their estate by the advice of his Barons granted them a wide and vast The first plantation of Ireland Countrey which is the farthest of the westerne Islands which of their Captaine Irlomall was called Ireland and that was the first plantation of that Countrey And after this Gurguintus had established the Lawes of his fore-fathers and exercised justice amongst his Subjects for the space of nineteene yeares he dyed and was buried at Troynovant leaving a sonne called Guintolinus Hee with great honour and clemency guided the Land taking to wife an honourable and learned Lady called Marcia who added to the former Lawes of the Land other wholesome statutes and decrees which were greatly imbraced continued long of efficacy and force which Alured long after King of England caused to be translated out of the British into the Saxon tongue and called them Marthe he lege or the Marcian Lawes to this woman for her great wisedome the government of the Kingdome was committed with the Guardianship of his sonne Cecilius for the space of twenty Cecilius sixe yeares after which time the King expired and was buried at London of this Cecilius there is little or nothing remembred but that he governed the Realm 15 years leaving to succeed him his son Kimarus who was a wild yong Kimarus man and irregular both in his private life and publicke government who when he had reigned three yeares being in his disport of hunting was trayterously slaine by his servants Him succeeded his son Elanius who expired in the second Elanius of his reigne whom succeeded his bastard sonne called Morindus begotten of his Concubine Faugrestela Morindus He was made King in the yeare of the world foure thousand eight hundred fourescore and ten who was a Prince of great valour and courage but given to wrath and cruelty of goodly presence comely personage but a mervailous strength above all the Nobles of the Realme In his time came the King of Mauritania and invaded his Realme whom he incountred with a puissant army and chased to sea taking many of his Souldiers prisoners whom he caused in his owne view to be put to many cruell and tormenting deaths at length riding upon the Sea Strand he espyed an huge Monster which the waters cast up alive which out of his great courage and ambitious of glory purposing to slay with his owne hands he was by it devoured after he had governed the kingdome eight years leaving behinde him five sonnes Gorbomannus Archigallo Elidurus Vigenius and Peridurus Gorbomannus being the first begotten sonne of Gorbomanus Morindus succeeded his Father being a just Prince in whose time was more riches and plenty than in any of the dayes of his predecessors who to the great sorrow both of his Peeres and people dyed without issue after hee had reigned eleven yeares after whom his second brother Archigallo was instated in the Soveraignty Archigallo this Prince was of a contrary condition to the former who gave himselfe to dissen ion and strife imagining causes against his Nobles to deprive them of their possessions and dignities and raising men of base and sordid birth and quality to office and honour And so he could inrich himselfe not caring how hee impoverisht his subjects For which by one assent of the Nobility and Commons he was deposed from all regall dignity after hee had tyrannized five yeares In whose stead was instated the third brother Elidurus Elidurus in the yeare of the world foure thousand nine hundred and fifteene who was so milde and gentle to his Subjects that they added to him a sirname and called him Elidure the meeke To expresse the goodnesse of his condition it happened that hunting in a Wood called Calater neare untâ—… Yorke hee found his banisht brother wandring in the thicke of the Forrest whom he no sooner saw but dismounted Aâ—…are president in a brother from his Steed and imbraced him in his armes and so conveighed him into the City privately where hee concealed him for a time and at length feigning himselfe sicke hee so
impression both in the Princes themselves and both their Armies that a Truce being made they agreed to end the warre betwixt them in a single Duell for which was assigned an Isle called Olkney neere Gloster incompast with the water of Severne which makes good the prophesie Two Lions shall a dreadfull combat make And have their Lists incompast by a Lake In which place at the day prefixed the two worthy and warlike Champions compleatly armed singly met the two Hoastsstanding without the Isle where first they encountred with sharpe The combat betwixt Edmund and Canutâ—…s Lances on Horsback breaking them even to the very Truncheons then they alighted and fought long on foote with their keene swords till their armours were broken in divers places and they both were dangerously wounded when retyring for breath by the first motion of Canutus they made an accord betwixt themselves Canutus made the first motion of peace embracing one another as brothers to the great rejoycing of both Armies After which they made an equall partition of the Land and Canutus married Emma the mother of Edmund but the Snake Edricus whom his Lord had not only pardoned for his former Treason but promoted unto further dignity by creating him Earle of Kent notwithstanding which he corrupted his sonne then attending the King who awaited his opportunity and as he was doing the necessiites of nature strooke him with a Speare into the fundament of which mortall wound hee dyed soone after at Oxford Edmund slaine by the traytour Edricus Then Edricus posted in haste to Canutus and saluted him by the Title of sole Sovereigne of the Kingdome insinuating that for his love and honour hee had removed his Competitour and told him the manner how which Canutus having truly understood and that the Treason was uttered from his owne mouth and in his personall hearing like a just and wise Prince he replyed unto him Forasmuch ô Edricus as for my love thou hast slaine thy naturall Lord whom I entirely affected I shall exalt thy head above all the Lords of England and presently commanded his head to be struck off and pitcht A traytours just reward upon a pole and set upon the highest gate of London and his body to bee throwne into the River of Thames yet Marianus and others write otherwise concerning the manner of his death which makes good what is formerly spoken that a speckled Snake Ayming at high things shall his Lord betray Poysoning the Royall Nest in which he lay Meaning the Kings Treason in which the Traitor was closeted as one whom hee most favoured and honoured Canutus being now sole Monarch the white Canutus sole Monarch of England Dragon was forced to stoop to the Eagle that is the Saxons were compeld to bee under the subjection of the Danes by whom they were so miserably opprest that scarce the tenth part of them were left in the Land and these that remayned were forced to tithe their goods and pay it as a tribute to the Danes therefore saith the Prophet Of the white Dragon so the Fates agree A Decimation in the end shall bee It followeth in the History in a great assembly made of the King and his Barons a question was propounded whether in the composition made betwixt Edmund and Canutus there was any mention made of Edmunds children to have the inheritance of their Father after his death that was in halfe part of the Kingdome to which a great part of them thinking thereby to insinuate unto the Kings favour answered Nay but it hapned unto them contrary to their expectation for knowing them to be naturall Englishmen and before sworn to King Edmund and his heires hee hated them for their perjury never trusting them after but some hee exiled The Kings conscionable justice and some were slaine and others being strooke with the hand of God died suddenly It was likewise ordered by the foresaid Counsell that the two sonnes of Ironside Edmund and Edward should be sent to Swanus the elder brother of Canutus King of Denmarke the purpose is diversly reported some say to be slaine What became of the sons of Edmund Ironside and that Swanus abhorring the Act sent them to Salomon then King of Hungary where Edmund died of a naturall death but his brother Edward in the processe of time married Agatha the daughter of Henry the fourth of that name Emperour and by her besides daughters had a sonne sirnamed Ethelinge This Edward of our English Chronologers is named the Out-law because he never returned into England his native Country In this interim died Swanus King of Denmarke and the Crowne fell to Canutus so that he was sole Sovereigne of both Nations the English and the Danes Canutus landed in Denmarke with a strong Army to possesse himselfe of his lawfull Inheritance and to oppose the Vandals who had pierced that Land and when the King was otherwise negotiated Earle Goodwin with a band of Englishmen set upon the Invaders by night and rowted their whole Army for which noble act the King had him in great favour and the English Nation ever after This King was greatly beloved of his subjects for many of his vertues as being very charitable and devout a great repayrer and decorer of Churches especially of divers Cathedrals which hee caused to be richly beautified with gilding their Altars and Roofs more gloriously then in former ages thereby confirming that part of the prophesie What time the red shall to his joy behold The rooffs of all the Temple shine with gold Meaning the red Dragon Some attribute the cause of his devotion to a noble care he had to repaire what his tyrannicall Father had before ruined that the memory of his Atheisticall cruelty might bee quite forgot others that it was at the Altar of Emma his Queen the Widow Dowager of Egelredus and mother of Ironside who was a Lady of great religious sanctity Hee made also a Voyage to Rome where hee was pontifically received by Bennet the eight of that name and demeaned himselfe with great magnificence and honour It is further reported of him that after his great entertainment there and return from rhence he was so tumoured with pride that standing by the Thames side at a flowing tyde hee charged the water that it should presume no further nor dare to touch his feet which was so farre from obeying his command that he stil keeping his ground from his ankles it came up to his knees at which suddenly stepping backe out of Vaine pride soone repented of the River he blushing said By this all earthly Kings may know that their powers are vaine and transitory and that none is worthy of that name but he who created the Elements and to whom they only obey This Canutus married his eldest daughter by his Wife Elgina the daughter to the Earle of Hampton to Henry sonne of the Emperour Conradus The death of Canutus the second of that name
or by the extremity of tempests hee was driven upon the province of Pountithe and there surprised and sent as prisoner to William Duke of Normandy who some say forced him to take an oath to marry his daughter and keep the Kingdome of England to his behoofe but that which carrieth more shew of trueth is that Harold to insinuate into the Dukes favour in whose power hee now was told him that his King in the presence of his Baronry had selected him his Heire and covenanted with him that if hee survived his sovereigne hee would keepe the Crowne to his use for which Meaning the Duke the Duke gave him his daughter in contract with promise of a large dowry but she was yet in her minority not ripe for marriage in confirmation of which Duke William gave him also his brothers sonne Hucon one of the Hostages and kept the other and after sent him over with rich gifts all which at his returne to England he acquainted the King with who expired the fourth day of Ianuary when hee had reigned twenty three yeeres seven months and The death of Edward the Confessor odde dayes and lyes buried in the Monasterie of Westminster which he before had much beautified and repaired After whom succeeded in the Throne Harold the second son of Earle Goodwin and last King Harold crowned King of England of the Saxons who began his Reigne over England in the yeere one thousand forty six the ambition to gain a Crowne making him forget his oath and promise made to Duke William In the beginning of his Reigne his Land was invaded by his brother Tostius who was beat out of the Kingdome by Edwin and Malcharus Earles of Mercia and Northumberland then Harold Hafagar King of Denmarke and Norway whom Guido the Historiographer calleth the sonne of Canutus hearing of the death of Edward with an Army of three hundred England invaded by the Danes ships entred the mouth of the River Tyne pretending to conquer England as his right and lawfull inheritance which Harold hearing sent the two aforesaid Earles of Mercia and Northumberland till he himselfe had gathered sufficient forces who gave the Danes a strong battaile but being overset with multitudes they were forced to give backe so that the enemy entred further into the Land which the King hearing Harold made haste with his powers And met them at a place called Stratford bridge In which Interim Tostius came out of Scotland and tooke part against his brother Betwixt these two Hoasts was fought a bloudy A bloudy battail in which Harold was victor and cruell battaile In which many brave Knights breathed their last and amongst them Tostius the two Harolds of England and of Denmarke met and fought hand to hand in which combat Harold of Denmarke fell under the hand of Harold of England who was likewise Master of the field in which Olanus brother to Harfagar and Paulus Duke of the Orcades were taken prisoners of whom Harold took sure pledges for their fidelity and homage CHAP. 11. The Landing of Duke William with the Normans the battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slaine being the last King of the Saxon bloud William remayneth Conquâ—…rour and is crowned King of England His death and the successe of the Prophesie HArold ambitiously puft up with this great victory divided not the spoyle Some think it was a great cause of his losse of the battail against William from the enemy taken equally but avaritiously kept the greatest part to his owne use and the remainder hee distributed not to those who had best fought but to those whom hee most favoured by reason whereof hee lost the Harolds answer to Duke William hearts of many of his Knights in this Interim died the Daughter of Duke William before contracted to Harold by which hee thought himselfe fully discharged of his former duty and promise But Duke William was of a contrary minde and by divers messengers mixing faire termes with menaces put him in remembrance of the breach of both to which Harold gave a slight answer that rash and unadvised covenants might bee as well violated as kept that it was not in his power to dispose of the Crowne and Kingdome without the assent of the Peeres and Barons of the Realme besides oaths and promises made either by feare or force were of no validity and therefore left him to take what course hee pleased according to his best direction for that was his peremptory answer At which Duke William being much incensed gathered a selected Army which hee caused to be shipt with all things necessary for so great Duke William â—…ndeth in England an Enterprize and launching from the port of Saint Valery In shorttime landed neer Hastings in Sussex at a place called Penusy making three Three pretenses for his Invasion pretences for his invasion The first and chiefe was to challenge his right to the Crowne as next Heire and moreover bequeathed unto him by his Nephew Edward the Confessor upon his death-bed The second was to vindicate the bloudy murder of his Cousin Alfred and brother of the late King committed by E. Goodwin upon Guildowne which was done as hee pretended by the especiall instigation of Harold The third was to revenge the banishment of Archbishop Robert before remembred in the accusation of Queene Emma with which also hee chargeth Harold as the sole animatour of his exile and hitherto Merlins Prophesies admit no contradiction when he faith Iron men in wooden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with the Eglets drive By the Iron-men meaning the Normans in The prophesie explained Iron Casks and Corslets by wooden Tents their Navigable Vessels who in Harold extinguisht the bloud of the white Dragon the Saxons and expelled the Eglets who were the Danes the brood of Swanus in that Princely bird so emblematized the story followeth Duke William landing one of his feet slipt and the other stuck fast in the sand which one of his Knights observing A good Omen cried aloud A good Omen now William England is thine owne and thou shalt change the title of Duke into King at which he smiled and piercing further into the Land hee made proclamation that no man should take any prey or make any spoyle or doe any violence to the Natives saying it were no reason that hee should offer outrage to that which should be his owne Harrold was at that time in the North who hearing the Normans were landed gathered his forces by the way as he came to supply his army which was much weakned by reason of the last battaile fought against the Danes and Norways and sending spies into the Dukes host to Harold sends spyes into the Dukes Hoast discover their strength word was brought him that his souldiers were all preists and lawyers as having their upper lips chins and cheeks shaven which was their custom then and the English used to weare
knowne magnanimity and courage farre surpassest other men but the Kings false oath hath levied men to this unjust warre in which wee must either strive bravely to winne the mastery or else be basely overcome and we now are run into that hazard that none of us is safe which shall not acquit himselfe by his resolution and Knightly boldnesse therefore shew your valour and be assured of victorie Then Earle Baldwin standing in the front of Earle Baldwins incouragement to to the Kings Army the Kings battaile began to incourage his souldiers in this manner To men that shall fight three things are by them to be observed The first the Iustice of the cause lest they indanger their soules which is cleere on our part who sight for our King Country the second is the number of men and the accommodation of Armes for few are not to oppose a multitude nor naked men against armed and we parallel if not exceed them both in amunition and number the third is boldnesse and courage not for defence only but offence which me thinks I espy in your faces and therefore of all these three our Army is sufficiently furnished Now what bee our enemies A weake and distressed woman assisted by two weak supporters Robert Earle of Glocester a man daring without deed and accustomed to word with words not weapons and Ranulph Earle of Chester haughty but withall fool-hardy constant in nothing and conscious only of Conspiracies who proposeth great enterprizes but never brings any to good effect and for many Legions conducted by such Leaders the more they be in company the sooner they be overcome At which word he was cut off by the violent The battell betwixt the King and the Empresse comming on of the enemy and now beganne a cruell battaile resolutely and bravely fought on both sides the violence whereof lasted long uncertain who should be victors but in the end the Kings Hoast was utterly routed but hee of a more heroicke spirit as scorning to flie mayntained the fight with some few of his Knights The King takâ—…n prisoner and was taken prisoner and being brought before the Empresse shee commanded him to bee conveyed under safe custody to the Castle of Bristoll where he remayned indurance from Candlemasse to holy Rood day next ensuing after which victory she was so exalted in thought and puft up with pride that shee thought now shee had the whole Kingdome in her owne possession and came triumphantly to Winchester after to Wilton to Oxford to Reading to Saint Albans and lastly to London in all which places she was royally received and during her abode there the Queene made assiduate labour for the delivery of the King her husband promising he The Queenes pâ—…tition to the Empresse should surrender the whole Land into her possession and either be take himselfe to some Religious Order or to become a banisht Pilgrime to the end of his life but all was in vaine shee could receive no comfort from the Empresse upon any conditions The Citizens of London likewise petitioned unto her that they might use the Laws of Edward the Confessor as they were confirmed by the Conquerour and that she would be pleased to disanull the strict innovations imposed on the land by her Father Henry to which she nor her Counsell would in the least wise condiscend but the tyde soone turned for Kent tooke part The Londoners and Kentishmen take part with the King with the King and the Londoners being discontented at the deniall of their suite and being assured that the Kentish men would in all their Enterprizes assist them they purposed to have surprized her person of which she having secret intelligence left a great part of her Iewels and houshold-stuffe and fled to Oxford in which slight many of her adherents were disheartned and a great part of her forces dispersed and scattered Then the Queene before so much despised The Queene puâ—…sueth the Empresse by the ayde of her friends the Kentish men Londoners and others gathered a strong host under the conduct of one William De-Pre to pursue the Empresse who understanding the Queens forces daily to increase and hers assiduatly to diminish shee left Oxford and secretly escaped to Glocester whither the Queenes host followed her in defence of which City Robert brother Earle Bobert of Glocester taken prisoner of the Empresse making an excursion from the towne was surprised and taken Briefly a Communication was held between the two opposite parties in which after much debating the businesse on both sides it was concluded that there should be one exchange made of the two prisoners so that the King vpon Holy rood day in harvest King Stephen released in exchange of Earle Robert was released and delivered up to the Queen and her Army and Robert of Glocester was surrendred to his sister Maud the Empresse The Land in this time was much distressed by these two Armies who were in continuall agitation sometimes the King having the better and sometimes the Empresse to relate which at large would aske too long circumstance but in the end the King had the better in the seventeenth Yeare of whose Raigne dyed Ranulph Earle of Chester and Ieffry Plantaginet husband to Maud the Empresse after whose death their The death of Iâ—…ffery Plantaginet sonne Henry sirnamed short mantle because hee used to goe in a short Cloak was created Duke of Anjou and Normandy whose sonne few yeares after maried Elenor daughter to the Earl of Poyctow who had before bin maried to Lewis The marriage of Henry Duke of Normandy the French King but for the too neernesse of blood divorced after hee had received two daughters from her Mary and Alice so that this Henry was the Earle of Anjou by his father Duke of Normandy by his mother and Earle of Poyctow by his wife This King Stephen had a sonne named Eustace Eustace the sonne of King Stephen who by ayde of the French King warred upon the forenamed Henry in which the Duke so Knightly demeaned himselfe that it proved to their great disadvantage some say that King Stephen would have crowned his sonne in his life time but the Clergie would not agree thereto having a command from the Bishop of Rome to the contrary and therefore his purpose tooke no effect Then the King said siege to the Castles of Newbery Wallingford Warbycke and Warwell which had beene kept by the friends of the Empresse to her use in hope of the comming over of her sonne Duke of Duke Henry landeth in England Normandy c. who the same yeere with a great Hoast entered England and first wanne the Castle of Malmsbury and after came to London and possessed himselfe both of the City and the Tower which more by his policie and promise then his potencie and power performed Then King Stephen with his Hoast drew neer to Duke Henry but by the mediation of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury and
others of the Clergie and Nobility who met at a place called the water of Vrme they were kept from A peace mediated betwixt the King and the Duke present hostility some endevouring peace others labouring warre as their humours and affections guided them After which the King took his way towards Ipswich in Suffolke the Duke towards Shrewsbury in which interim died and was drowned Eustace the sonne of King Stephen and was buried at Feversham in Kent in the Abbey which his Father before The death of Prince Eustâ—…ce had founded After which Theobald with others ceased not to bring these two Princes to an attonement which was so earnestly laboured that a peace was concluded upon the conditions following namely that the King having now no heire should continue in the sole Sovereignty during his life and immediately after the conclusion and establishing of that Edict Henrie should be proclaimed Heire apparant in all the chiefe Cities and Borâ—…ughs of England and that the King should take him for his sonne by adoption as immediate Heire to the Crowne and Kingdome wherein that part of the prophesie is fulfilled which saith She failing will a Lions whelpe appeare Whose rore should make the Centaure quake with feare But when the two shap't Monster shall be tam'd By gentle means the whelpe shall be reclaim'd By the Centaure and two shap't Monster or the Sagittary which are all one meaning the King and by the Lions whelpe Henry Duke of Normandy The death of King Stephen c. and after King of England In the end of this yeere died King Stephen when hee had reignâ—…d eighteen yeeres and odde moneths and was buried by his sonne Eustace at Feversham This King spent his whole Reigne in great vexation and trouble which as some conjecture hapned because hee usurped the Crowne contrary to his Oath made to Henry the first that hee should maintaine the inheritance of his daughter Mawd the Empresse this Stephen Vpon what grounds Stephen pretended his title to the Crown was the sonne of Eustace Earle of Bulloigne and of Mary sister to Mawd who was married to his predecessor Henry these two are the daughters of Margaret the wife of Malcolm King of Scots which Margaret was the sister to Edgar Etheling and daughter of Edward the outlaw who was sonne to Edmund Ironside Mawd the Empresse daughter to Henry Beauclarke had by her second husband Ieffery Plantaginet this Henry the second of that name by whom the bloud of the Saxons againe returned to the Crowne partly by King Stephen but more fully by him so that consequently the bloud of the Normans continued but threescore The Norman bloud in sixty yeeres extinguished and ten yeeres accounting from the first yeere of William the Conquerour to the last of the reigne of Henry first compleating those words the prophesie And when the iron brood in the land shall fail The bloud of the red Dragon must prevail CHAP. 14. Divers remarkable passages during the Reigne of Henry the second his numerous issue and how they were affected towards him his vices and vertues his good and bad fortune all which were by this our Prophet predicted HEnry the second sonne of Ieffery Plantaginet The Coronation of King Henry the second and Mawd the Empresse began his Reigne over England in the moneth of October and the yeere of our Lord God one thousand one hundred fifty five of whom before it was thus prophesied The Eglet of the Flawde league shall behold The prophesie of his Reâ—…gne The Fathers of her prime bird shine in gold And in her third nest shall rejoyce but hee Who from the height of the great Rocke may see The Countries round both neer and far away Shall search amongst them where hee best can pray Some of whose numerous ayrie shall retaine The nature of the Desert Pelican The all commanding keys shall strive to wrest And force the locke that opens to his nest But break their own wards of all flowers that grow The Rose shall most delight his smell and so That least it any strangers eyes should daze Hee 'l plant it close in a Dedalian Maze Fortune at first will on his glories smile But fail him in the end alack the while The first words of this Prophesie seeme to reflect Part of the prophesie explained upon the Empresse his Mother by rejoycing her third nest may be intended that having three sonnes Henry Ieffery and William the two later failing as dying in their youth shee might rejoyce in him whose Father being King she saw to shine in gold or else being first espoused to Henry the Emperour and next to Ieffery Plantaginet shee might in her death rejoyce in her third espousall with her Saviour but againe where hee stiles her the Eglet of the Flawde or Borbon League It may bee conferd upon the Queen who being first married to the King of France and through neernesse of bloud divorced from him and sent to her Father and after married to this King being then Duke of Normandy she may be said first to have built her nest in France secondly in Normandy and thirdly and last in England This Prince as the Chronicle describes him The Kings Character to us was somewhat high-coloured but of a good aspect and pleasant countenance fat full chested and low of stature and because hee grew somewhat corpulent hee used a sparing and abstinent diet and much exercised Hunting He was well spoken and indifferently learned Noble in Knighthood and wise in counsaile bountifull to strangers but to his familiars and servants gripple-handed and where hee loved once or hated constant and hardly to be removed he had by his wife Eleanor six sonnes and three daughters The names of five of them His Issue were William Henry Richard Godfery and Iohn of which two came to succeed him in the Throne Richard and Iohn of the sixt there is small or no mention the eldest of his daughters hight Mawd and was married to the Duke of Saxony the second Eleanor to the King of Spaine the third named Iane to William King of Sicily This King was prosperous in the beginning of his Raigne but unfortunate in the end as the sequell will make apparant he was of such magnanimity and courage that hee was often heard to say that to a valiant heart not a whole World sufficeth and according to his words hee greatly augmented his Heritage and much added The Kings Dominions to his Dominions For hee wonne Ireland by strength and in the seventh yeere of his Reigne for divers affronts offered him by William King of Scotland he made such cruell warre upon him that in the end hee tooke him He taketh the Scots King prisoner prisoner and compeld him to surrender into his hands the City of Carlile the Castle of Bamburch the new Castle upon Tyne with divers other holds and a great part of Northumberland which William before had wonne from the
Borderers He likewise added the whole Kingdome to his owne and from the South Ocean to the North Islands of the Orcades hee closed all those Lands as under one principall which done and receiving fealty and homage of the said King having a certaine summe of money promist to bee payd unto him within nine moneths following hee suffered him to goe at liberty He spred his Empire so far that none of all his No King before him of such large Empire predecessours had so many Countries and Provinces under their Dominion and rule for besides the Realme of England he had at once in his possession Normandy Gascoine and Guien Anjou and Chinou with Alverne and others and by his wife as her rightfull Inheritance the Pyrene Mountaines which part France and Spaine which proves that hee Who from the height of the great rock may see The Countries round both neere and far away Shall search amongst them where hee best can prey In the seventh year of his Raigne died Theobald Tho Becket created Arch-bishop of Canterbury Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Thomas Becket who was then Chancellour of England was translated unto that See and in the ninth yeare the King cal'd a Parliament at Northampton where hee intended to abolish some privileges which the Clergie had usurped amongst which one was that no Priest or Clergie man though he had committed felony murther or treason against the Kings owne person yet had hee not power to put him to death which he purposed to have reformed in which Thomas Becket then Arch-Bishop violently opposed him and gave him very peremptory and unseemly language vilifying the Kings prerogatiue and authority The Archbishop opposeth the King to his face but when he saw he had not power to prevaile against the King hee in great heate and hast sped him to Alexander then Bishop of Rome grievously complayning on the King and suggesting what iniuries and innovations he would put upon the holy Church continuing there partly in Italy and partly in France for the space of six yeares together After which time Lewis King of France reconciled The King and the Archbishop atton'd the King and the Archbishop the King being then in Normandy and Becket returned to his See at Canterbury whither hee summond all such persons as in his absence had spoyled and rifled his moveables and goods advising them first by faire meanes to restore them but when he saw that course prevailed not he tooke The King cursed by the Archbishop a more severe and compulsory way excommunicating and denouncing all such accursed in his Anathema not sparing the Kings royall person at which the parties here in England whom it particularly concerned sailed over unto the King in Normandy and made a grievous complaint against the Archbishop at which his being extraordinarily incensed sayd in the open audience of those then about him had I any friend that tendered mine honour and safety I had ere this time beene revenged of that traiterous Archbishop At that time were present and heard these words Sir William Breton Sir Hugh Morvill Sir Richard Fitzvile and Sir William Tracy which foure Knights having communed and considered amongst themselves with an unanimous resolution took shipping and landed at Dover and road thence to Canterbury where the fift day in Christmasse weeke they slue the said Bishop in the Church as hee was going to the Altar who had before in the open pulpit The Archbishop slain going to the Altar denounced the King and divers others of his subjects accursed which answers to the former The All-commanding keys shall strive to wrest And force the lock that opens to his nest But breake their own wards c. By the All-commanding Keys is meant the power of the Keyes of Rome who striving to force the lock opening to his nest that is his principality and prerogative broke their owne wards which proved true in this Th. Becket Primate and Metropolitan who was slaine in the yeer 1170 over whose Tombe this Distich was inscribed Anno milleno centeno septuageno Anglorum primus corruit ense thronus which with small alteration may bee thus paraphrased Anno one thousand one hundred seventy dy'd Thomas the Primate in his height of pride The inscription over his Tombe Henry in the fourteenth yeere of his Reigne caused his eldest sonne Henry to bee crowned King of England at Westminster giving him full power over the Realme whilst hee himselfe was negotiated in Normandy and his many other provinces which after proved to his great Henry crowneth his sonne Henry King disadvantage and trouble In which interim he had cast his eye upon a most beautifull Lady called Rosamond on whom hee was so greatly enamoured that it grew even to dotage insomuch that hee neglected the Queenes company The faire Lady Rosamond insomuch that she incensed all his sonnes who tooke up armes against their Father in the quarrell of their mother by which the peace of the Land was turned to hostility and uprore yet the King so farre prevailed that hee surprised the Queen and kept her in close prison and withall The King imprisons the Queene was so indulgent over his new Mistresse that he built for her a rare and wondrous fabricke so curiously devised and intricate with so many turning Meanders and winding indents that none upon any occasion might have accesse unto her unlesse directed by the King or such as in that businesse hee most trusted and this edifice â—…e erected at Woodstocke not farre from Oxford and made a Labyrinth which was wrought like a knot in a Garden called a Maze in which any one might lose himselfe unlesse guided by a line or threed which as it guided him in so it directed him the way out But in processe it so hapned that the sonnes having the better of The Sonnes release their mother their Father set at liberty their Mother who when the King was absent came secretly to Woodstocke with her traine at such a time when the Knight her Guardian being out of the way not dreaming of any such accident had left the Clue carelesly and visible in the entrance of the Labyrinth Which the Queene espying slipt not that advantage but wound her selfe by that silken threed even to the very place where shee found her sitting and presenting her with a bowle of poyson shee compeld her to drinke it off in her presence after which draught shee within few minutes expired and the Queene departed thence in her revenge fully satisfied for which cruell act the King could never be drawne to reconcile Lady Rosamond poisond by the Queene himselfe unto her after and this makes good that of Merlin of all the flowers that grow The Rose shall most delight his scent and so That lest it any strangers eyes should daze He plants it close in a Dedalian Maze Rosamund being dead was buried in the Monastery of Goodstow neere unto Oxford upon whose Tombe
was inscribed Hic jacet in tumba Rosamundi non Rosamunda Her inscription on her tombe Non redolet sedolet quae redolere solet Which by an ancient Writer was thus paraphrased into English The Rose of the World but not the clean flower Is graven heere to whom beauty was lent In this grave full darke now is her bower That in her life was sweet and redolent But now that she is from this life blent Though she were sweet now fouly doth she stink A mirrour good for all that on her think Such was their English poetry in those dayes Long after the death of Rosamond was shewed in that Abbey a rare Coffer or Casket of hers about two foot in length in which was a strange artificiall motion where were to be seen Giants fighting Beasts in motion Fowls flying and Fishes swimming This Henry was troubled by the Queenes animating of his sonnes against him betwixt whom were divers conflicts which would appeare tedious to bee rehearsed It is written of this King that in his Chamber at Windsore hee had painted an Eagle with foure Henries character of his foure sonnes young ones whereof three of them pulled and pecked the body of the old Eagle and the fourth picked at his eyes and being asked what that picture should signifie hee made answer This old Eagle figureth my selfe and the foure birds my foure sonnes who cease not to pursue my life but most of all my sonne Iohn whom I most have loved and therefore Some of his numerous ayrie will retain The nature of the Desert Pelican The nature of the Pelican in the Desert being to pierce her brest with her bill and feed her young ones with her owne bloud In the The death of King Henry sonne of King Henry twenty eight yeere of this Henry died his eldest sonne Henry whom hee had before crowned much repenting on his death-bed for his unnaturall rebellion against his Father Rainold Monke of Chester relates that soon after the death of the Lady Rosamond Lewis the French King and the eighth of that name sent to King Henry one of his daughters to bee kept for his second sonne Richard whom the King vitiated and laboured to Haguntia a Cardinall then in the Land for a Divorce betwixt Henry laboureth a divorce betwixt him and his wife him and his wife intending to have maried that French Lady but he failed of his purpose for he meant by that match to have disinherited his unnaturall sonnes It is further recorded that when William King of Scots was taken by the King of England Hee did him Homage at the City of Yorke and in witnesse of subjection he offered his Hat and Saddle upon Saint Peters Altar which were kept there many yeeres after This King had many strange admonitions for Sundry admonitions to the King to amend his life the amendment of his life one was that in his returne from Ireland as he was taking his horse there appeared unto him a man of a pale and meager aspect bare-foot and in a white Mantle who spake unto him and said I am sent to thee from the Lord of the Sabbaoth who commandeth thee to take order that no Markets bee kept nor any servile worke bee done on the Lords day dressing of meate excepted only which if thou feest performed whatsoever thou purposest thou shalt bring to a good and happy end whose speech the King seemed to distaste and said to him that held his bridle aske of this Churle if he have dreamed that which hee speaketh to which the apparition answered againe whether I have dreamed or not take thou heed to my words and amend thy life or what thou now mockest shall returne to thy great misery which having said he vanisht suddenly the strangenesse whereof though he seriously apprehended yet of the former there was nothing amended He had a second admonition by an Irishman His second admonition who told him all things which the King had done in secret which hee had thought none had knowne but himselfe and withall advised him to repentance and amendment of life but hee regarded it as the former about which time being the foure and twentieth yeere of his The bones of King Arthur and his Queen found Reigne were taken up the bones of King Arthur and his Queene Guenever in the Vale of Avalon the haire of her head seeming white and of a fresh colour but as soone as touched they turned to powder their bones were after translated to the Church in Glastenbury and there the second time buried they were found by a Bard or Singer of Rythmes under the root of an Oke fifteen foot within the ground his third admonition I leave to the next Chapter CHAP. 15. The inauguration of Richard the first sirnamed Cordelion a prediction of his Reigne His warres in the Holy Land his imprisonment by the Duke of Austria his brother Iohns usurpation his second Coronation with his unfortunate death c. A Knight called Sir William Chesterly alias Lindsey told him boldly that His third admonition there were seven severall things by him specially and suddenly to be reformed First to see better to the defence of the Church and provide for the maintenance thereof Secondly to see his Lawes better executed and Iustice more exercised Thirdly not to rob the rich nor extort from them their goods by violence Fourthly to make restitution of all those lands and goods as hee had so wrested Fiftly to make no demurre or delay in just sentence but suffer the right to have lawfull processe Sixtly to see his subjects satisfied for such things as had beene taken up to his use and to pay his servants and souldiers which fell to robbery for that default Seventhly that he should speedily cause the Iewes to avoid the Land But this advise prevailed with him as the former In his thirtieth yeere Heraclius Patriarch of Ierusalem came into England to solicite his aid against the Saracens who had invaded the Christian Territories and to defend the holy City which by Saladine King of Surry was wonne soon after For by the relation of Peter Desroy a French Chronicler Ierusalem was wonne by Godfrey of Bulloigne in the yeere of Grace one thousand fourescore and nineteene and continued under nine Christian Kings of which Guy of Resingham was the last this Heraclius Nine Christian Kings raigne successively over Hierusalem further profered the King the keyes of the holy City and of our Lords grave presenting him Letters from Pope Lucius the third of that name which charged him to take upon him the journey according to an Oath by him formerly made to which the King answered The King refuseth to be Generall foâ—… the Holy Land he could not leave his Land in trouble as a prey to the French and his owne aspiring sonne but he would give largely out of his owne coffers to such as would take that voyage in hand To which the Patriarch replyed we
belonging to the Duke he was beset by one Mainart de Goresen but with losse of some of his traine he by his manhood escaped After at a towne named Frisach one Frederick de Saint Soon made a second attempt upon him and tooke six of his Knights but he by his noble valour made his way through the ambush of the enemy without surprizall and strooke up towards Germany but spies being set to know what course he King Richard taken took he was at length betrayed into the hands of the Duke of Lemple cousin to the Emperor who sent him to the Duke of Austria he presently rifled him of all the treasure and iewels hee had about him and committed him for a moneth to strait and close prison During which time as some write the Duke Hence he had the appeâ—…ation of Cur de Lyon put him to cope singly with a great and mighty Lion weaponlesse and unarmed who having conquered the beast ript up his heart and flang it in the Dukes face and after that with a blow under the eare he slew the Dukes sonne and further that his daughter being enamoured both of his person and great valour he left her vitiated and deflowred but howsoever in this all witnesses agree that when the moneth was expired he sent him to the Emperour who was Henry the first of that name and sonne to Frederick the first who put him into a darke and obscure dungeon covenanting with the Duke that he should have the third part of his ransome there he remained for the space of a yeere and three moneths at length upon a palm-sunday he caused him to be brought before his Princes and Lords to answer what could be obiected against him where hee appeared with such a manly and maiestick aspect and withal answered so directly and discreetly to whatsoever was laid to his charge that they generally comiserated his iniust durance then King Richard ransomed at an hundred thousand pound and set at liberty his ransome was set at an hundred thousand pound sterling and hostages given for the payment by such a time which done he was set at liberty which verefies Coopt up and cag'd then shall the Lion be But after sufferance ransomd and set free The King in the eight yeere of his Reigne The Kings arrivall into England about the latter end of March landed at Sandwich and came straight to London where he was ioyfully received and then calling a Counsaile of his Lords he first took order to pay his ransome and because his brother Iohn in his absence had usurped the Diadem was at that time in France he deprived him of all Honour and title and tooke from him all those Earledomes and revenewes that hee before had conferd upon him and caused him selfe at Winchester to be the second time crowned and then began the ancient grudge to revive betweene the two Kings of England and France which was the more aggravated because the French King supported Iohn against the King his Brother But Prince Iohn seeing how much his fame was magnified in the mouths of all men and that all the parts both of Christendome and Paganisme resounded with his praise he made means to his mother Queene Eleanor by whose mediation a Iohn reconciled to the K. his brother peace was made betwixt her two sonnes whilest the wars in Normandy and France went stil forwards Many wery the battailes fought betwixt the two Kings and much effusion of bloud on both sides where sometimes the one sometimes the other had the better but for the most part Richard the best during which combustion before the last 20000 pound for his ransome was payd his two hostages the Bishops of Bath in England and Roan in Normandy came unto him and told him that they were set at liberty by the Emperour and further shewed that his great enemy the Duke of Austria was accused of Innocent the third then Pope for the iniuries before offered him and that upon Saint Stephens day hee prickt his foot with a thorne which gangrend and should have beene cut off and being told hee must die he sent to his Bishops to be absolved which they had denied to doe till hee had showne himselfe repentant for the foresaid wrongs and released his hostages which being The death of the Duke of Austria accordingly done the Duke died and they were delivered In the processe of the wars before spoken of King Richard in the tenth yeere of his Reigne after Christmasse besieged a Castle in France neere Lymoges called Gaylyard the cause was that a rich treasure being found within the Seigniory of the King of England by one Widomer Vicount of Lemruke hee had denyed to render it up and fled thither for his refuge and defended it manfully till the fift day of April upon which day the King walking unadvisedly to The King too unadvised take view of the Fort and where it might be best entred one named Bertrand Genedow whom some Writers call Pater Basale marked the King and wounded him in the head but some say in the arme with a poysoned arrow after which hurt received hee caused a violent and desperate assault to be made in which hee wonne the Castle then hee made inquiry who hee was that had wounded him who being found and brought before him the King demanded of him why he should rather ayme at his person than any of those who were then about him who boldly made answer because thou slewest my Father and my brethren for which I vowed thy death whatsoever became of me the King after some pawsing leisure for that answer gave him his pardon and liberty but the rest of the souldiers he put to the sword and caused the Castle to bee razed to the earth The death of King Richard the firâ—… and dyed the third day after whose body was buried at Fount E-a-Bleu at the feet of his Father which no way erres from the prophesie For potent Kings whose prides Transcend 'twixt whom a sea-arm onely glides Ambitious truth shall many conflicts try Last by a poysonous shaft the King shall die Iohn the youngest sonne to Henry the second Iohn made King of England and brother to the late deceased Richard was proclaimed King the tenth day of April in the yeere of Grace one thousand one hundred fourescore and nineteene and was crowned at Westminster upon holy Thursday next ensuing of whom it was thus predicted The subtle Fox into the Throne shall creep Thinking the Lion dead who did but sleepe But frighted with his walking rore finds cause To flie the terrour of his teeth and paws After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got Then shall those keyes whose power would awe the fates For a long time lock up his Temple gates Vnburthen him of all the charge he beares And wrest from him the Lawrell that he wears Woes me that from one Leopard should be
that his Lords were acquitted of their allegiance and in what danger his souls and his peoples were hee and his whole Nation standing accursed he at length condiscended to submit himselfe to whatsoever the Court of Rome should determine The Articles proposed by the Pope and by him to be performed were these following Peaceably to suffer Stephen Langton to enter The Articles that hee should yield to into the Land and to enjoy the primacy and profits of his Archbishoprick that these whom hee had banisht should be repeald and their goods whom hee had rifled should be to them restored and that he should yield up his absolute right and title to the Crowne of England and he his heirs thence-forward to hold it of the Pope and his successors to which having granted and he and his Lords being sworne to observe Iohn delivers up his Crowne to the Popes use the same Hee kneeling tooke the Legâ—…te to him the Crowne from his head and delivered it to the Popes use saying these words I here resigne up the Crowne of the Realmes of England and Ireland into the hands of pope Innocent the third and put my selfe wholly into his power and mercy then Pandolph as Deputy for the Pope tooke the Crowne and kept it five dayes in his possession and then the King received it from him againe First having sealed and delivered up an Instrument or writing the effect was that he could challenge no power but by permission of the Pope and further to pay unto the Apostolicke See yeerly a thousand Marks of silver seven hundred for the Crowne of England and three hundred for the Kingdome of Ireland for the payment of which Tribute yeeâ—…ly paid by King Iohn to Rome tribute but the Peter-pence were after gathered and this confirmes the premisses exprest in the prophesie Then shall those keyes whose power would awe the fates For along time lock up his Temple gates Vnburthen him of all the charge he beares And wrest from him the Lawrell that he wears Woes me that from one Leopard should be torne What many Lions in their pride have worne It is made so plaine that it needs no further Interpretor In those days lived one called Peter Peter of Pomfret of Pomfret a Bard and such then were held as Southsayers and prophets who predicted divers of the Kings disasters which fell out accordingly amongst which one was that hee should reigne but fourteene yeeres but when the King had entred the fifteenth hee called him into question for a false prophet to which hee answered that whatsoever hee had foretold was justifiable and true For in the fourteenth yeer hee gave up his Crowne unto the pope and hee paying unto him an annuall tribute the pope raigned and not hee notwithstanding which apology he caused him as a Traytour to be hanged and quartered After which he bore himselfe so aversly towards his Barons that the greatest part of them Lewis sonne to the French King called in to England by thâ—… Barons fell from his Allegiance and called in Lewis son to the French king into the Land covenanting to make him king who was received with his whole Army and possessed of London the Tower and many other strong holds in the kingdome betwixt whom and the king were sundry conflicts and skirmishes in which they diversly sped during which dissention in the seventeenth yeere of his Reigne he expired as the Authour of Polychron saith at Newarke of The death of King Iohn a bloudy flix But by the relation of our English Chronicle to which we give more credit as also by the authority of Master Fox in his Martyrologie he was poysoned by a Monke having been a great Rifler of their Monasteries and dyed at Swinsted Abbey in Lincolnshire this Monke being of the same House and his body was after buried in the Cathedrall Church at Winchester which fatall accident hapned unto him the day after Saint Luke being the eighteenth of October after hee had reigned sixteen yeeres six moneths and odde days leaving behind him two sonnes Henry and Richard In his death verifying He that did all he might the Kirke despise Against his life shall a base Kirkman rise Not forgetting the former which was predicted of Lewis comming into the Land Hither the French flower would it self transpose Where must spring after many a glorious Rose Henry the third of that name and eldest son Henry the third crowned King to King Iohn at the age of nine yeeres beganne his Reigne over the Realme of England the twentieth of October in the yeere of Grace one thousand two hundred and sixteene Philip the second being then king of France this king reigned the longest and did the least of remarkable memory of any of his predecessours Of whom it was thus predicted Dreame shall the Leopards issue in the throne The Prophesie Crudled in rest carefull to keep his owne Nor forcing ought from others changing then His Leopards spots a Lion turn agen Abroad the second whelpe for prey will rore Beyond the Alps to Ioves bird restore rage Her decayde plumes the King of beasts whose His youth conceal'd shall rowse him in his age Against the Boare the Talbot and the Beare The Mountain Cat Goat with whom cohere Of fowls the Falcon Hearn the Peacock Swan With Fishes too prest from the Ocean With whose mixt blouds the Forest shal be dyde Till love unite what discord did divide Presently upon the young Kings Coronation the greatest part of the English peeres revolted The English Lords revolt from Lewis to Henry from the French party and acknowledged him their sole King and Soveraigne so that within a short season they quit both him and all the Aliens and Strangers out of the Land in the eight yeare of his Raigne was held a Parlament The first granting of Wards in which was granted to the King and his successor Kings the Wardship and Mariage of all the Heires which act was called by wise men of that age Initium Malorum In the thirtieth yeare of his Raigne dyed Frederick the Emperour who had before maried Isabell the Kings sister who for his contempt of the church of Rome was accursed of The death of the Emperour Frederick whom was made this Epitaph Fre sremit in Mundo De deprimitalta profundo Ri res rimatur cus cuspide cuncta minatur Which though it cannot sound so well in our English tongue yet is thus paraphrased Free frets the world De Height which depth confounds Ri searcheth all things Cus with the weapen wounds After whose death the Electors could not agree in the choise of a successor some nominated the Duke of Thoring others the Earle of Holland and some againe stood for Richard Earle of Cornwale the Kings brother but in the end Rodulphus Duke of Habspurg was inaugurated by Pope Gregory the ninth so that great variance and strife continued for the space of 27 yeares to
the great Impoverishment of Italy and the lands of the empire in the fortieth yeare of the King landed in England upon Innocents day in Christmas Richard Earle of Cornwall crowned Emperour weeke divers Princes of the Empyre and did their homage to Richard Earle of Cornwale as King of the Romans and Emperour who upon Ascention day after was crowned in Aquisgrane verifying Abroad the second whelp for prey will rore Beyond the Alps and to * Meaning the Eagle Ioves bird restore Her decai'd plumes In the 41 yeare about Saint Barabas day in the moneth of Iune the king called his high The mad Parliament Court of Parliament at Oxford which was called the mad parliament because in it divers Acts were concluded against the Kings pleasure for the reformation of the state for which after great dissention grew betwixt the King and his Nobles called the Barons Wars which proved the perishing of many of the Peeres and almost the ruine of the whole Realme for in that Session were chosen twelve Peeres whom they called the Douz Peeres who had full Commission to correct and reforme whatsoever was done amisse in the Kings Court the Courts of Iustice and Exchequer throughout Twelve of the Nobilitie chosen and called the Douz Peeres the Land to whose power the King and Prince Edward his sonne signed and assented unto though somewhat against their wills of all which passages such as would be fully satisfied I referre them to our English Chronicles or to Michael Draytons Poem of the Barâ—…ns Warres wherein they are amply discoursed and my narrow limits will not give mee leave to relate them at large yet I borrow permission to insist a little further on one particular All things being in combustion betwixt the The Baroâ—…s Letter to the King King and his Peeres and their Armies assembled on both sides the Barons framed a Letter to the King to this purpose To the most excellent Lord King Henry by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Guian c. The Barons and other your faithfull servants their fidelity and oath to God and you coveting to keep sending due saluting with all reverence and honour under due obeysance c. Liketh it your Highnesse to understand that many being about you have before time shewed unto your Lordship of us many evill and untrue reports and have found suggestions not onely of us but also of your selfe to bring your Realme to subversion Know your excellency that we intend nothing but health and security to your person to the uttermost of our powers And not onely to our enemies but also yours and all this your Realme wee intend utter grievance and correction beseeching your grace hereafter to give to them little credence for you shall find us your true and faithfull subjects to the uttermost of our powers And wee Simon Mountfort Earle of Leceister and High Steward of England and Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester at the request of others and for our selves have put to our Seals the 10. of May. To which Letter the King framed this Answer The Kings answer to the Barons Letter Henry by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Guian to Simon de Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and their Complices Whereas by Warre and generall disturbance in this our Realme by you begunne and continued with also burnings and other enormities it evidently appeares that your fidelity to us due you have not kept nor the security of our person litle regarded for so much as our Lords and other our trusty friends which daily abide with us yee vexe and grieve and them pursue to the utmost of your powers and yet daily intend as you by the report of your Letters have us ascertained we the griefe of them admit and take for our owne especially when they for their fidelity which they to us daily impend stand and abide by us to suppresse your infidelity and untroth Wherefore of your favour and assurance we set little store but you as our enemies we utterly defie Witnesse our selfe at our Towne of Lewis the twelfth of May. Moreover Richard his Brother King of the Romans who was come over into England with his wife and son with Prince Edward and other Lords about the King sent them another Letter Richard the Emperour and Prince Edwards Letter to the Barons the tenour whereof was this Richard by the grace of Gâ—…d King of the Romans semper Augustus and Edward the Noble first begotten sonne of the King of England and all other Barons firmly standing and abiding with our Soveraigne Lord the King To Simonde Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and all other their false fellowes c. By the Letters which yee sent to our Soveraigne Lord wee understand that wee are defied of you neverthelesse this word of defiance appeared to us sufficiently before by the deprivation and burning of our Mannors and carrying away of our goods wherefore we will that yee understand that we defie you as our mortall and publicke enemies and whensoever we may come to the revengement of the injuries that you to us have done wee shall requite it to the utmost of our power and where yee put upon us that neither true nor good counsell to our Soveraigne Lord we give you therein say falsely and untruely and if that saying yee Sir Simon de Mountfort and Sir Gilbert de Clare will testifie in the Court of our Soveraign Lord we are ready to purchase to your surety and safe comming that there wee may prove our true and faithfull innocency and your false and trayterous lying Witnessed with the Seales of Richard King of the Romans and Sir Edward Prince before named Given at Lewes the twelfth of May. The successe of the Battaile followeth in the next Chapter CHAP. 18. The deaths of Henry the third and Richard Earle of Cornwale King of the Romans Prince Edwards victories in the Holy Land his Coronation the prophesie of his Raigne his first reducing of Wales under his dominion for ever the beginning of his warres in Scotland c. WHen the Barons had received these letters they were resolved to try it out by the sword on wednesday being the 24 day of May early in the morning both hoasts met where the Londoners who took part with the Barons gave the first assault but were beaten back some-what to the The battaile betwixt the King and the Barons dismay of the Barons Army but they cheared their fresh and lusty Souldiers in such wise that they valiantly came on by whose brave resolution those before discomfited resumed their former strength and vertue fighting without fear in so much that the Kings vaward gave back left their places in this battaile the father spared not the sonne nor the sonne the father such was the misery of those home bred wars in so much that the field was every where strowed with dead bâ—…dyes for
the fight continued the greatest part of the day at last the victory fell to the Barons so that were taken the King the King of the Romans and prince Edward The King taken prisoner with the King of the Romans and P. Edward with five and twenty Barons and Bannerets and the people slaine on both sides amounted to above twentythousand These royall prisoners being put in safe keeping a peace was after debated and at length concluded and they released but it proved to small purpose for many battailes were after fought betwixt them in which sometimes the King sometimes the Barons had the better the circumstances are too long to relate in which Prince Edward bore himselfe bravely in processe the five fiftieth yeer of this Kings Reign the King of the Romans made attonement betwixt the King his brother and Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester who had continued the wars of the Barons upon condition that hee should take a Voyage into the Holy Land for the King for which hee should have towards his charge eight thousand Marks in hand and when hee was on shipboard foure thousand more and to bee ready the first day of May next following but this failing in him Prince Edward undertooke it in his stead and the yeere after abâ—…ut the end of March dyed Richard Emperour of The death of Richard K. of the Romans Almaine King of the Romans and Earle of Cornwall being the Kings brother after hee had governed the Empire betwixt fifteen and sixteene yeeres and was buried at Hales an Abbey of white Monks which hee had before time founded and the yeere following upon the sixteenth day of November died Henry the Third King of England after he had governed the Realme fifty The death of Henry the third six yeeres and twenty seven days leaving for his Heire Prince Edward who was then in the Holy Land and another sonne called Edmund Crowch-backe His body was buried in the Abbey of Westminster and over him inscribed Tertius Henricus jacet hic pietatis amicus His Epitaph Ecclesiam stravit istam quam post renovavit Reddat ei munus qui regnat trinus unus Thus Englished Third Henry here doth rest Of Piety possest Down first this Church he threw And after did renew O grant him thy immunity Thou Trinity in Vnitie The premisses confirme the prophesie of his Reigne towards the latter end of his time which was turbulent and troublesome to the exhausting of the Kings treasure the deaths of many of his Noble Barons and almost to the destruction and desolation of the whole Realm therefore it was truly said of him The King of beasts whose rage His youth conceal'd shall rouze him in his age Against the Boare the Talbot and the Beare The Mountaine Cat and Goat with whom cohere c. By the Lion the King is personated and by the rest of the beasts and birds named the severall Crests and Emblazons in the Barons Armes and Scutchions by which they were distinguisht Prince Edward his sonne was at the time of his death in the Land of Palaestine Of whom also it was thus predicted An Occident all Dragon bright as noone The Prophesie Shal breathing flames dark the Oriental Moon The Cambrian Wolves he through their Woods shall chace Nor cease till hee have quite extirpt their race Then from the North shall fiery Meteors threat Ambitious after bloud to quench their heat The Dragons bloud at which his Crest wil rise And his scales flame and where he treads as flyes Fright all shal him oppose the Northern Dyke Passe shall hee then and set his foot in Wyke After which showers of bloud will fall upon And barren the faire fields of Caledon Then having ended what he took in hand Die in the Marches of another Land Hee in the yeere one thousand two hundred Prince Edwards expeditioâ—… to the Holy Land threescore and eleven and in the yeere of his fathers Reigne fifty five upon the twentieth of August tooke shipping at Dover and sailed thence to Burdeaux but because the French Army bâ—…und upon the same adventure was removed thence he sped after and met with them at Tunis and from theâ—…ce he took shipping for the Holy Land and arrived with some French forces joyned with his owne At Acris or Acon what time the Christians possessed that City only and the City of Tyre holding some few Castles to preserve them from the rage of the Soldan There he was honorably received and with great joy after whose being there the Soldan or Saladine who had wonne all the Countrey there about came thither with an Hoast of an hundred threescore thousand Sarazens and besieged the City and made many bold and bloudy assaults But the Prince so Prince Edwards valour in defending Acris valiantly demeaned himselfe that hee defended the City the Castles belonging to it and all the Territories about that notwithstanding the multitude of the Soldans Army hee was compeld to forsake the siege to his great shame and dishonour Even the French Chronicles whose custome The French Chronicles testifie of P. Edwards valour is to write boastingly of themselves and sparingly of others bestow on him a character of invincible courage and that in all his stratagems and martiall exploits hee so honourably behaved himselfe that his very name was a terrour to the Turks for many yeers after who seeing his great boldnesse and that they were not able to stand him in battaile they plotted how to take away his life by Treason and to that purpose when he was resident in Acon they sent to P. Edward traitcrously wounded him a Sarazen in the name of a Secretary who in delivering unto him a counterfeit message wounded him in the arme with an empoysoned Knife which he wresting from the Infidels hand slue with the same weapon so that he died incontinently Then hee cald for a Surgeon and with incomparable sufferance commanded him to cut out all the putrified and corrupted flesh even to the scaling of the bone without the least shrinking or alteration of countenance of which base treachery hee was after revenged upon them to their great detriment and damage and thus The Occidentall Dragon bright as noon Did breathing flames dazle the orienial moon Hee is called Occidentall as being bred in this our Westerne Island and the Soldan is figured in the Orientall Moone being a Prince in the Easterne part of the World and bearing the semicircled Moone in his Banner Prince Edward during his aboad there had by the Princesse his wife a daughter called Ioane who tooke a His wife was Isabell of Spain Ioan of Acris name from the place and was called Ioane of Acris because there born and was after married to the Earle of Glocester After his being there some two yeeres and upward his father dying hee was called home to take possession of the Crowne of England Edward the first of that name and sonne of
beside Saint Iohns Towne and slue of them seven thousand at the first encounter and the rest fled In this battaile was taken Sir Simon Frizell and sent to London where hee was drawne hanged and quartered there suffered also Iohn Earle of Athelus and Iohn brother to VVilliam King Edwards last victory over the Scots VVallis but Robert le Bruce fled from Scotland into Norway to the King who had married his sister When King Edward had thus abated the pride of his enemies he returned again Southward and a great sicknesse took him at Bozroes upon Sands in the Marches of Scotland beyond Carlile and when he knew hee should die hee called unto him Aymer de Valence Earle of Pembroke Sir Henry Piercy Earle of Northumberland Sir Henry Lacie Earle of Lincolne and Sir Robert Clifford Baron and swore them to crowne his sonne Edward of Carnarvan after his death then hee called his sonne charging him with many things upon his blessing but The Barons sworne to the successour especially that hee shall never receive Pierce Gavestone his old companion before banisht into the Kingdome and so dyed upon the seventh of Iuly when hee had reigned foure and thirty yeeres seven moneths and odde dayes and The death of K. Edward the first thence his body was conveighed to Westminster and there buried approving the prophesie After which showres of bloud will fall upon And barren the faire fields of Caledon Then having ended what he took in hand Die in the Marches of another Land Upon whose Tombe this Distich was inscribed Dum vixit Rex valuit sua magna potestas His Epitaph Fraus latuit pax magna fuit regnavit honestas Thus in those dayes Englisht VVhile lived this King by his power all things VVas in good plight For guile was hid great peace was kid And honesty had might Of his sonne Prince Edward the Prophesie runs thus A prophesie of the Reigne of Edward the second A Goat shall then appeare out of a Carr VVith silver hornes not Iron unfit for warre And above other shall delight to feed Vpon the flower that life and death doth breed A Cornish Eagle clad in plumes of gold Borrowed from others shall on high behold What best can please him to maintain his pride Whose painted feathers shall the Goat misguide Who at length ayming to surprise the Beare Him shall the rowzed beast in pieces teare Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They forc't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin But after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death And the crown'd Goat thinking himself secure Shall after all a wretched end endure To confirme which Edward the second of that name and sonne of Edward the first borne at Carnarvan a Town of VVales began his Reigne over England the eighth of Iuly in the yeere of Grace one thousand three hundred and seven and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth day of December whose Fathers Obsequies were scarcely ended but forgetting the great His Coronation charge and command layed upon him in his death hee sent in haste for his old friend and familiar Pierce Gauestone out of France whom hee received with great joy then sayling into Pierce Gavestone revoked from banishment France the fifteenth of Ianuary following at Bolloigne in Picardy espoused Isabell the His marriage daughter of Philip the Faire and returned with her into England where soone after hee made Gaveston Earle of Cornwall and gave him the Gaveston made Eâ—…le of Cornwall Lordship of VVallingford to the great displeasure of the Barons who were sworne to his father not to suffer him to come into the Realm In the second of his Raign remembring the complaint that Steph. Langton Bishop of Chester had made of him and Gaveston for sundry ryots committed in his fathers dayes for which he was banished he sent him prisoner to the Tower where he was strictly kept and ill attended The Bishop of Chester sent to the Tower for which end seeing how by this Pierce the kings treasury was howrely exhausted the Barons assembled themselves and contrary to the Kings pleasure banished him into Ireland for a Gaveston bani shed into Ireland yeere where the King gave him the Dominion over the whole Land but so mourned and lamented his absence that by the consent of Lords he was shortly call'd back again where he demeaned himselfe with greater pride and insolence then at first despising the Lords and chiefe peeres of the Land calling Sir Robert of Clare Earle of Gloster whoreson the Earle of Gavest abuseth the peeres Lincolne sir Henry Lacy Burstenbelly sir Guy Earle of Warwick black dog of Arderne and the noble Earle Thomas of Lancaster churle and moreover having the keeping and command of all the kings treasure he tooke out of the Iewell-house a table of Gold and tressels of the same which once belonged to King Arthur with many other invaluable Iewels and delivered He robs the Kings treasury them to a merchant called Amery of Friskband to beare them over into Gascoigne which was a great losse to the kingdome and further by his loose and effeminate conditions he drew the King to many horrible vices as adultery as some think sodomitry with others therefore the Lords againe assembled and maugre the king banisht him into Flanders In the first yeere upon the day of saint Brice He is banisht into Flanders being the 13 day of November was born at Winsor the first and eldest sonne of King Edward that after his father was king of England named The birth of Edward the third Edward the third and the same yeere Gaveston was called out of Flanders by the king and restored to all his former honours and then he demeaned himselfe more contemptuously toward the Barons then before who besieged him in the Castle of Scarborough and won it and tooke him and brought him to Gaversed The death of Pierce Gavest besides Warwick and there smote off his head which was done at the instigation of Thomas Earle of Lancaster whom Merlin calls the bear and this approveth the premisses A Cornish Eagle cladin plumes of gold Borrowed from others shall on high behold what best can please him to maintain his pride whose painted feathers shall the Goat misguid who at length aiming to surprise the Beare Him shall the rowzed beast in pieces teare CHAP. 20. The Kings unfortunate wars in Scotland The battle of Bannocsbourn c. Barwick betrayed to the Scots The pride and insolency of the Spencers Their misleading the King Their hate to the Queen she is sent over into France Her victorious return with the Prince The King and his Minions taken the death of the
two Spencers c. BY the Cornish Eagle in the former Chapter is meant Pierce Gavestone Earle of Cornwall by his plumes of gold his pride and riches borrowed and extorted from others by the Goat the King who was given to all intemperate effeminacie by the Beare Thomas Earle of Lancaster c. This King was of a beautifull aspect King Edwards Character and excellent feature of a strong constitution of body but unstedfast in promise and ignoble in condition as refusing the company of men of honour to associate himselfe with lewd and vile persons he was much addicted to bibacity and apt to discover matters of great counsell and of stupration and adultery perswaded thereto by his familiars the French men for whose death the King vowed an irreconciliable revenge against the Barons which he after performed indeed so unking-like was his misgovernment that a base Villaine called Iohn Tanner named himself the son of Edward the Iohn Tanner an Impostor first and that by the means of a false nurse hee was stoln out of his cradle and this Edward being a Carters son was laid in his place which the people for the former reasons were easily induced to believe but the Impostor was discovered and by his own confession judged to be hanged and quartered In the seventh yeere of his Reigne Robert le Robert le Bruce wars against England Bruce King of Scots whom his Father made flye into Norway hearing of the misguiding of the Kingdome and the dissention betwixt him and his Barons warre strongly against him and his friends in Scotland and wonne from them Castles and Holds howsoever well munified to the great damage of the English who were interessed The Kings power against Scotland in the Land For which affront the King assembled a great power and invaded Scotland by Sea burning and destroying all such Townes and Villages as were in his way which Robert le Bruce hearing he hasted with a strong Army and upon S. Iohn Baptists day both Hoasts met at a place called Estrivelin neere unto a fresh River called Bannoksburne where betwixt them was fought a cruell battaile in which the English were compeld to forsake the field For which in derision of the English the Scots made this Ryme Doggerill Maidens of England sore may you mourn The Scots derision of the English For the Lemans you have lost at Bannocksborn With a heave and hoe What weened the King of England so soone to have wonne Scotland With a Rumby low In his ninth yeere Barwick was betrayed to the Scots by one Peter Spalding whom the King had Barwick betrayed to the Scots made Governour of the Town and Castle and in the eleventh yeâ—…re the Scots entred the borders of Northumberland most cruelly robbing and burning the Country even the houses of women who lay in Childbed not sparing age The cruelty of the Scots nor sex religious nor other therefore the King raised a new Army and laid siege to Barwick in which interim the Scots past the River of Swale and leaving the Coast where the Kings people lay came into the Borders of Yorkeshire to whom the Archbishop with Priests and ploughmen unexercised in armes gave battail but were discomfited in which so many Priors Clerks Canons and other Clergymen were slaine that they called it the white battaile when The white battaile the King heard of this overthrow hee broke up his siege and retyred to Yorke and soone after to London After this nothing was done without the advice of the two Hugh Spencers the father and the sonne and in a Counsell held at Yorke Hugh Spencer the sonne maugre the Lords was made high Chamberlain of England who bore him as haughtily as ever did Gavestone but let The pride of Hugh Spencer the sonne me take the prophesie along A Goat shall then appeare out of a Carr VVith silver hornes not Iron unfit for warre And above other shall delight to feed Vpon the flower that life and death doth breed By the Goat is figured lascivious Edward therefore said to appeare out of a Car as born in Carnarvan his hornes of silver and not of Iron denotes his effeminacie being unserviceable for warre as may appeare in his successe against the Scots by the Flower of life and death is intended his Queene Isabel the Flower of France at first deare to him as life but in the end as most Writers have suspected with Mortimer accessary to his death but to proceed with the History The Barons to a great number seeing how The assembly of the Barons the Spencers misled the King and misgoverned the affaires in the Land assembled themselves and tooke a solemne and unanimous vow to remove them out of the Kingdome and as their first attempt certain of them appointed to that purpose entred upon the Mannors and Castles of the Spencers in the Marches of Wales spoyling and ruining them to the earth of which riot they complained to the King who summoned them to appeare before his Counsell which The petition of the Barons to the King they refused to doe but gathered unto them a stronger Hoast and sent to his Majesty humbly beseeching him to remove from his person the two Spencers which daily did to him great dishonour and to the Common-weale which damage with humble request the King hearing and doubting his owne safety called a Parliament to be held at London to which the Barons came with a great Hoast all suited in demy-parted Iackets of yellow and greene with a list of white cast overthwart for which the common The Parlament of white-bands people called it the Parliament of white-bands in which the two Spencers were banished the Kingdome for ever But the yeere following the King revoked the Acts made in the former Parliament and called them into England contrary to the will of the Barons and set them in greater authority then before to the great disturbance and almost utter subversion of the Realme for now the whole Land was in combustion and the King animated by the Spencers tooke on him the shape of a Lion and ceased not till hee had cut off the chiefe and prime Nobility of the Land For besides those that were slaine none was brought to the Barre but was thence led to the blocke who having got the better of his Barons he called a Parliament at Yorke in which Hugh Spencer the Father was made Earle of Hugh Spencer the father made Earle of Winchester Winchester and soone after was one Robert Baldock a follow of debaucht life and condition made Chancellour of England Then forfeits Robert Baldock made Chancellour and sines were gathered without sparing of priviledged places or other till a mighty summe of money was gathered towards another expedition into Scotland and then his Army consisted according to Caxton and others of an hundred thousand men but hee sped in that as in the former for on Saint Lukes day at a
into Wales who took the King the Earle of Arundell Hugh Spencer the son and the Chancellour and brought them all prisoners to Hereford in which interim the Citizens The tower of London taken by the Citizens of London won the tower of London and kept it to the Queenes use Upon the morrow after the feast of Simon and Iude the same day that the L. Major takes Hugh Spenâ—… the father put to death his oath was Hugh Spencer the father put to death and after buried at Winchester and upon Saint Hughs day following being the eighteenth Hugh the son drawn hanged and quâ—…rtered day of November was Sir Hugh the son drawne hanged and quartered at Hereford and his head sent to London and set upon the Bridge making good They after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death The common fame went that after this Hugh was taken hee would take no manner of sustenance and that was the cause he was the sooner put to death of whom was made this Distich following Funis cum lignis à te miser ensis ignis Hugo securus equus abstulit omne decus Rope gallows sword and fire with a just knife Took from thee Hugh thy honour with thy life Foure dayes after was the Earle of Arondell put to death and Robert Baldock the Chancellour being committed to Newgate dyed miserably Baldock the Chancellour dyes in Newgate in prison then the Queene with the Prince her son with the rest of the Lords were with great joy the fourteenth day of December received at London and thence conveighed to Westminster where a Parliament was called the effect whereof expect in the following Chapter CHAP. 21. The deposing of Edward the second his repentance his death His sonne Edward made King A Prophesie of his Reigne His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwicke His famous victory at Sea over the French Hee layes claime to the Crowne of France instituteth the Order of the Garter His victory at Cressie His taking of Calice c. FRom this Parliament were Messengers sent to the King then prisoner in Kenelworth Castle three Bishops three Earles two Abbots two Barons two Iudges with Sir William Trussell Procurator of the Parliament to depose him of all Kingly dignity who the five and twentieth of Ianuary in the presence of the aforesaid Lords from the body of the whole House delivered unto him these words following I William Trussell in the name of all men of King Edward deposed from all Kingly power this Land of England procurator of this Parliament resigne to thee Edward the homage that was sometimes made to thee and from this time forth deprive thee of all Kingly power and I shall never be attendant on thee as King after this time And thus was Edward the second deposed and his sonne Edward made King when hee had raigned full eighteene yeeres sixe moneths and odde dayes who during his imprisonment first at Kenelworth and after at Barckley Castle grew greatly repentant of his former course of life finding at length what it Edward greatly repentant was to be misled by upstarts and people of mean condition many of whose penitentiall fancies are still extant And amongst the rest this following Most blessed Iesu Root of all vertue Grant I may thee sue In all humilitie Sen thou for our good List to shed thy blood And stretch thee on the Rood For our iniquitie I thee beseech Most wholsome leech That thou wilt seech For mee such grace That when my body vile My soule shall exile Thou bring in short while It in rest and peace Edward the third of that name sonne of Edward the second and Philip sole daughter of Philip Edward the third made King the Faire at fifteene yeeres of age began his Reigne his father yet living the six and twentieth of Ianuary in the end of the yeer of Grace one thousand three hundred and twenty six and was crowned at Westminster upon the day of the Purification of our Lady next ensuing at what time the earth yielded plenty the Ayre temper the Sea quietnesse and the Church peace hee confirmed the Liberties and Franchises of London and gave Southwarke to bee under the Lord Majors rule and government Of whose Reigne it was thus predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so intire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and Grandsire wonne before Neptune his Navall triumphs shall advance His Coat he quarters with th' Flower of France And after mauger the Canicular Tyke Tweed shal he passe and win again the Wyke A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Dye must this brave Whelp of a Calenture And then behind him shall he leave a Kid To undo all both sire and grandsire did The effect of all these will succeed in their order in the first yeere of this Kings Reigne the late King Edward was miserably slaine and put to a most cruell death by the meanes of Sir Roger The death of K. Edward Mortimer who notwithstanding in the Parliament after was made Earle of March the same yeere the foure and twentieth of Ianuary the young King married the Lady Philip daughter to the Earle of Henault in the City of Yorke A Parliament held at Northampton and soone after cald a Parliament at Northampton to which by the meanes of Sir Roger Mortimer and the old Queene an unprofitable and dishonorable peace was made with the Scots who caused the King to release them of all fealty and homage and delivered up to them all the old Writings sealed by their Kings and chiefe Lords of their Land with all Charters and Patents and many rich Iewels which had before beene wonne from them by the Kings of England amongst which the blacke Crosse of Scotland is especially named and the yeere following David the son of Robert le Bruce King of Scots married Iane sister to the King of England whom they after to the derision of the English called Iane make peace and amongst other The Scots taunt the English taunting Songs made of our Nation this was one Long beards heartlesse Painted bodies witlesse Gay coats gracelesse Maketh England thriftlesse But these merry and jigging tunes were turned to their most lamentable Aymee's within few moneths after During the Kings minority all the affaires of the Realme were managed by Sir Roger Mortimer The pride of Sir Roger Mortimer and the Mother Queene And the great persons appointed to that purpose were vilified and not set by which Sir Roger in imitation of K. Arthur was said to keep a round Table to which many noble Knights belonged to his infinite cost and expence But howsoever in the Articles objected by the Parliament against Mortimer third yeere of the King the said Sir Roger
slaine of men of note the Duke of Athenes the Duke of Burbon Sir Iohn Cleremont Marshall of France Sir Henry Camian Banneret who bore that day the Oriflambe a special relick that the French Kings used in all battailes to have borne before them the Bishop of Chabous with divers others to the number of fifty foure Bannerets Knights and others And of prisoners taken in that battaile were Iohn King of France Philip his fourth sonne Iohn King of France tooke prisoner Sir Iaques of Burbon Earle of Poitou and brother to the Duke of Burbon Sir Iohn of Artoys Earle of Ewe Sir Charles his brother Earle of Noble men took prisoners Longevile Sir Giffard Cousin German to the French King Sir Iohn his sonne and heire William Archbishop of Sence Sir Simon Melen brother to the Earle Canlarvive and Earle of Vandature The Earles of Dampmartin of Vendosme of Salisbruch of Moyson the Martiall Denham with others as Bannerets Knights and men of name according to their owne Writers fifteene hundred and above from which battaile escaped Charles eldest son of King Iohn and Duke of Normandy with the Duke of Anjoy and few others of name And King Edward after due thanks given to Almighty God for his Charles Duke of Normandy escapeth from the battaile triumphant victory retyred himselfe to Burdeaux with his Royall prisoners where the King and the rest were kept till Easter following In the one and thirtieth yeere of the King the sixteenth of April Prince Edward being eight and twenty yeeres of age tooke shipping with his prisoners at Burdeaux and the foure and twentieth of May was received with great joy by the Citizens of London and thence conveyed to the Kings palace at Westminster where the King sitting in his estate Royall in Westminster Hall after hee had indulgently entertained the Prince he was conveyed to his lodging and the French King royally conducted to the Savoy where he lay long after and in the Winter following were royall Iusts held in Smithfield at which were present the King of Three Kings present at the Iusts in Smithfield England the French King the Scotch King then prisoners with many noble persons of all the three Kingdoms the most part of the strangers being then prisoners Whilst K. Iohn remayned in England which was for the space of 4 yeers and odde days The king of England and the blacke Prince his son with their Armies over-run the greatest part of France during the time of Charles his Regency over the kingdome who was king Iohns eldest son against whom they had many memorable victories spoyling where they list and sparing what they pleased in so much that king Edward The Father and sonne victorious in â—…rance made his owne conditions ere any peace could be granted at length the king was delivered and royally conveyed into his country who so well approved of and liked his entertainment here that in the thirty seventh yeere of king Edward he returned into England and at Eltham besides Greenwich dined with the king and in the same afternoon was royally received by the Citizens and conveyed through London to the Savoy which was upon the twenty fourth of Ianuary but about the beginning of March following a grievous sicknesse tooke him of which he dyed the eight of Aprill following King Iohn dyeth at the Savoy whose body was after solemnly conveyedto St. Denis in France and there royally interred In the fortieth yeere of the king one Barthran de Cluicon a Norman with an Army of Frenchmen entred the land of Castile and warred upon Peter king of that Country and within foure moneths chaced him out of his kingdome and crowned Henry his bastard brother in his stead wherefore hee was constrained to flie to Burdeaux and to demand aide of Prince Edward who commiserating his case as being lawfull king howsoever of a tyrannous and bloudy disposition he granted his request so that hee assisted Peter with his English Archers against the bastard Henry with his French Spear-men whose two Armies mâ—…t neere unto a town called Doming where betwixt them was a lâ—…ng P. Edwards victoryia Spaine and cruell fight but in the end the victory fell to the Prince and Henry with his whole army were rowted In which battail were taken Barthran de Claicon and Arnold Dodenham Marshall of France with divers others as well French as Britons and Spaniards and slain to the number of five thousand of the enemies and of the princes Army sixteen hundred after which hee enstated Peter in his kingdome who after perfidiously denyed to pay the princes army For which he was after divinely punished as also for killing his owne wife the daughter to the Duke of Burbon for his Bastard brother Henry knowing how hee was justly abandoned by the English having gathered new forces gave him battaile in which being taken his brother commanded his head to be strooke off which was immediately done after which Iohn of The death of Don Peter Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the Kings sonne and Edward his brother Earle of Cambridge married the two daughters of this Peter late King of Castile Iohn espoused Constance the elder and Iohn a Gaunts title to Spain Edward Isabel the younger by which marriages the two brethren claimed to be inheritours to the Kingdome of Castile or Spaine In the one and fiftieth yeare of the King upon the eighth of Iune being Trinity Sonday dyed that renowned souldier Edward the black Prince in the palace of Westminster whose body The death of the blacke Prince was after carried to Canterbury and there solemnly interred who in his life time was much beloved both of the Commons and the whole kingdome especially for removing from the kings person all such as had misled him in his age by which the Common Weale was much oppressed amongst others was the Lord Latimer noted for principall and Alice Pierce the Kings Concubine with Sir Richard Skory Alice Pierce the Kings Conâ—…ine all which were according to the Commons just complaint by the Prince removed but hee was no sooner dead but the king contrary to his promise before made called them again admitting them to their former Offices and Honours and Alice his prostitute to his wonted grace and favour In the two and fiftieth yeer the two and twentieth day of Iune dyed at his Mannor of Sheen The death of K. Edward the third now called Richmond the royall and most victorious Prince king Edward the third of that name of whom it was truly predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so entire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and grandsire wonne before As also that of the unparalleld blacke Prince his sonne who died before his Father A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Die shall this brave Whelp of a
thence had him secretly conveyghed to Callis where he was pireously murthered After The murder of the Duke of Gloster the 2 Earles of Arundel Warwick were judged and executed After was called a parliament in which divers of the Nobility had more honourable titles conferred upon them And other upstarts neither of birth nor quality were advanced to office and honour in which parliament also many true heires were dis-inherited c. For which the people greatly murmured against the King and his Councell pretending that the revenues of the Crowne were wasted The rumour of the Commons and the causes thereof upon unworthy persons for which divers exactions were put upon the Commons that the chiefe rulers about the King were of low birth and little reputation and men of honour kept out of office and favour that the Duke of Gloster was secretly murdered without processe of Law and the Earles of Arnndel and Warwicke put to death contrary to the Kings owne proclamation with divers others to the number of eight and thirty severall Articles all which at his deposing were publickly protested against him Harding the Chronologer reports that King Richard was prodigall ambitious and luxurious The estate of the Kings Court. to whose Court resorted at their pleasures ten thousand persons pretending businesse there that in his kitchin were three hundred Serviters and in every office to the like number of Ladies Chamberers and Landresses three hundred who exceeded in costly and sumpâ—…uous apparell and farre above their degrees The very groomes and yeomen were cloathed in silke sattin and damaske scarlet imbroydery The great pride of the court gold chaines and Gold smiths worke were then common such was the pride then in the Court It was also commonly voyc'd that hee had let to farme the revenues of the Crowne to Bushy Baggot and Green which caused the Nobility also with the Commons to grudge against the King and his government And this yeare being the one and twentieth of his reign died Iohn a Gaunt the Duke of Lancaster at The death of Iohn a Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the Bishop of Elyes Palace in Holborne and was buried on the North side of the Quire in Paules where his Tombe remaineth to this day This yeare also fell a great difference betwixt Differences betwixt the two Dukes of Hereford and Norffolke the two Dukes of Hereford who was sonne to Iohn a Gaunt and the Duke of Norfolke the cause was after some Writers that the two Dukes riding from the Parliament the Duke Norfolke said unto the other Sir you see how unstedfast the King is in his word and how shamefully hee putteth his Kinsmen to death exiling some and imprisoning others and no doubt what hath hapned to them may in time fall upon us c. of which words the Duke of Hereford accused him unto the King which the one affirming the other denying a day of battaile was appointed them at Coventry upon the eleventh of September where the King and the greatest part of the Nobility were present where both appearing in the Lists and ready for the Combat the King threw down his warder and staid the fight and forthwith banished The two Dukes banished the Realme the Duke of Hereford for ten yeeres and the Duke of Norfolke for ever upon which sentence Hereford sayled into Britaine and Norfolke after passing divers Countries lastly came to Venice and there ended his life In his two and twentieth yeere the common fame ran that he had farmed the Realm of England to Sir VVilliam Scroop Earle of VViltshire and Treasurer and to Sir Iohn Bushy Sir Iohn Bagot and Sir Henry Green and in the moneth of Aprill the King with a potent Host sayled into Ireland leaving for his Pro-rex in England The Kings iourney into Ireland his Uncle Edmund Langley Duke of Yorke In which Voyage he prospered well and quieted the realme to his pleasure and whether it were for some noble act done or out of his grace and bounty I cannot say hee there Knighted Henry sonne to the Duke of Hereford then in exile which Henry after his Fathers death was crowned King of England by the name of Henry the first Whilst King Richard was thus busied in Ireland the Duke of Hereford late banisht with the Archbishop of Canterbury who had before left the Realme and Thomas sonne to the Earle of Arondell late beheaded these with others being a small company in number landed at Ravenspurre in the North and under pretence of The Duke of Hereford lanâ—…s at Ravenspurre laying claime to the Dukedome of Lancaster due to him by Iohn of Gaunt his Father deceased he raised the people as hee went to whom multitudes assembled being weary with the misgovernment of King Richard who hearing how the estate in England then stood made speedy returne from Ireland and in the beginning of September landed in Milford Haven and sped him thence to Flint-castle in VVales intending thither to gather more strength to oppose The King lands in Wales the Dukes proceedings Who in the interim proclayming himselfe Duke of Lancaster in the right of his Father Iohn a Gaunt came to Bristow where without resistance hee seised upon Sir William Scroope Earle of Wiltshire and Treasurer of England Sir Iohn Bushy and Sir Henry Green with Sir The Earle of Wiltshire with others executed Iohn Bagot who escaped and fled into Ireland but the other he there judged and put to execution which the King being then in Flint Castle hearing he much doubted his safety and so did all these who were then about him therefore Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester and Steward of the Kings Houshold contrary to his Allegiance broke his white Staffe openly in the Haâ—…l willing every onâ—… to shift for himselfe by reason of which the King was forsaken of all his people and soone after surprized and presented The King taken and presented to the Duke to the Duke who put him under safe keeping and himselfe hasted towards London Who comming neere to the City sent the The hate of the Commons to the King King secretly to the Tower of which some ill disposed persons ambusht him in the way and would have slain him because of his former misgovernment but the Citizens enformed of their malicious purpose rescued him from their fury then the Duke comming to London by consent of the King a Parliament was begun the thirteenth of September In which many accusations and Articles concerning his misruling the Realme to the number of eight and thirty the King was charged with and for which the King subscribing willing as it was then given out to his owne deposement hee was deprived from all Kingly Majesty the manner of the proceedings therein were too long to relate which sentence being publisht and openly read in Parliament Henry Duke of Hereford and now of King Richard deposed Lancaster rising from the place where hee before sate and
standing where all might behold him first making the signe of the Crosse upon his forehead and after on his brest silence being commanded he spake as followeth In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost I Henry of Lancaster Clayme the Realme of England with the Crowne and all the appurtenances thereto belonging as I am rightly discended from the right Line of the bloud comming from that good Lord K. Henry the third and through the right that God of his grace hath sent me with the help of my kinred and friends to recover the same which was in point to be undone for default of good governance and justice c. Which having spoken hee sate downe in his The Duke of Hereâ—…ord claymes the Crowne place then every one hearing his clayme spake what hee thought and after some distance of time the Archbishop of Canterbury knowing the minds of Lords stood up and asked the Commons if they would assent with the Nobility in their election which they thought to be needfull and for the good of the Kingdome to which with an unanimous voice they said yea yea after which the Archbishop approching the Duke uttered some words to him in private which done hee arose and taking him by the hand led him unto the Kings Seat and placed him therein after made a long Oration to that noble Assembly the effect whereof was to prove the Dukes Title to the Crowne and to justifie the deposing of the King verifying what was before predicted of him Foure Princely Lions were to him allide Gall shall be with his horns in his great pride At length a Fox clad in skin of gold Shall snatch the Kid from midst of all his fold By the foure Lions are figured his foure Princely Uncles sonnes to Edward the third whom he severally injured preferring men raised from nothing to be eminent above them both in honour and office and by the Fox Henry of Balwarke who clothed himselfe with all the golden ornament of Regall Majesty and snatcht him from the midst of all the fold that was from amongst his own subjects and people and after caused him to bee put to a violent and cruell death CHAP. 24. The Coronation of Edward the fourth with his great Feast held in Westminster Hall A great Conspiracy intended against him but prevented the lamentable murder of King Richard the second in Pomfret Castle by Sir Pierce of Exton his valour at his death His Epitaph The great riches found in his treasury A prosecution of sundry passages in the Reigne of King Henry He prepares a journey for the Holy land but is prevented by death HEnry the fourth of that name and sonne to Iohn a Gaunt Duke of Lancaster tooke possession of the whole Dominion of England upon the last day of September in the yeere of Grace one thousand three hundred fourescore and nineteene after which he made new Officers cleane through the Kingdome One and forty Knights of the Bath made and then gave order for his Coronation and the Eve before hee in the Tower made 41 knights of the Bath of which three were his owne sonnes and three Earles and five Lords c. Then the morrow after being Monday the thirteenth of October he was crowned at Westminster King Henries Coronation by the Archbishop of Canterbury after which solemnity ended a great and sumptuous feast was held in the great Hall where the king being sate in the middest of the table the Arch-bishop The manner of his great feast in Westminster Hall of Canterbury with three other Prelates were placed at the right hand of the same table and on the left hand the Arch-bishop of York with foure other of the Clergy Henry the kings eldest sonne stood by his Father on his right hand with a sword poyntlesse and the Earle of Northumberland new made Lord Constable with a poynted sword on his left hand both swords being held upright Before the king stood all dinner time the dukes of Aumerl of Surry and of Exceter with two other Earles and the Earle of Westmerland late made Marshall rov'd about the Hall with many Tip Staves to make roome that the Officers with more ease might serve the Tables Of which the chiefe upon the right side of the hall was begun by the Barons of the Cinque ports and at the Table next the Cupboord upon the left hand sate the Lord Major and the Aldermen of London which Major being Drewe Barendine Goldsmith was presented according to the custome with a cup of gold after the second course came in Sir Thomas Dimocke armed at all poynts and sitting upon a The Kings Champion good Steed road to the higher part of the Hall and before the King caused a Herald to make Proclamation that whosoever would affirme King Henry was not lawfull inheritour to the Crown and Kingdome of England he was there ready to wage battaile against him which Proclamation hee caused to bee made after in three other parts of the Hall in French and English with many more observances at such solemnities exercised and done which feast being ended the morrow after being tuesday the parliament was againe begunne of this King and his reigne it was thus predicted The Foxe being earth'd according to his mind In the Kids den a Magazine shall finde The prophesie of his reigne Yet all that treasure can his life not save But rather bring him to a timelesse grave Meane time shall study many a forrest beast By a new way to kill the King in jest But crafty Rainold shall the plot prevent And turne it all to their owne detriment Wales and the north against him both shall rise But he who still was politicke and wise Shal quell their rage much trouble he 'll indure And after when he thinks himselfe secure Hoping to wash the Kids bloud from his hand Purpose a voyage to the Holy Land But faile Yet in Hierusalem shall dye Deluded by a doubtfull augury In the former parlament were many Challenges of the peers one against the other which came to none effect but onething was there confirmed What was done in the Parliament that whosoever had hand in the good Duke of Glosters death should dye as traitors For which divers found guilty after suffered moreover sundry acts made in the time of Richards reigne were disannulled and made voyd and others held more profitable for the kingdomes good and Common-weales enacted in their stead Then was King Richard removed from the Tower and thence conveighed to Leedes and King Richard removed to Pomphret after to the Castle of Pomphret there was provision made for the King to keep his Christmas at Windsor in which interim the Dukes of Amerle of Surrey and of Exeter with the Earles of Salisbury and of Gloster with others of their affinity Lords Knights and Esquires made great provision for a Maske to be presented before the King upon Twelfth night which grew neere and
a Mars shall breed Who in his armes accommodate and fit Shall compasse more by warre then he by wit The Caduceus to a sword shall change And grim Orion shal though it seeme strange Sit in Astraea's orbe and from her teare The three leav'd flower she in her hand did bear And turn it to a lawrell to adorn The Lions brows whom late the Toad did scorn And after many a furious victory At length invested shall the Lion bce In a new Throne to which his clayme is faire As being matcht unto the Kingdomes heire Living this royall beast shall lose no time But be at last from earth snatcht in his prime Presently after his Coronation hee caused the corps of King Richard to be removed from the Fryers at Langley and solemnly interred upon the South side of Saint Edwards Shrine in Westminster by the body of Queene Anne his wife In the second yeere of his Reigne hee held his Parliament at Leicester where amongst other A parliament held at Leicester things the Commons put up their former Bill against the Clergy who kept so much of the Temporalties in their hands In feare whereof lest the King should give unto it any comfortable audience certaine Bishops and others of the Clergie put the King in minde to clayme his right in France for which they offered him great and notable summes by reason whereof that Bill was againe put by and the Prince listning to the motion of the Prelats aymed onely to set forward his expedition against France The King prepareth for France and sent his Letters to the French King to that purpose who returned him answer full of derision and scorne wherefore hee made speedy provision for war And in his third yeare road honorably accompanied through London and thence to Southampton where he had appoynted his army to meete him There Richard Earle of Cambridge Lords arrested of treason Sir Richard Scroope then Treasurer of England and Sir Thomas Gray were arrested of Treason arraigned and the nine and twentieth day of Iuly following beheaded The morrow after the King tooke the sea and the sixteenth of August landed in Normandy and laid siege to Hareflew and won it then leaving Sir Thomas Bewford his Noble Captaine there he sped him The King lands in Normandy from Calice with the Dolphin who had then the ruling government of France by reason of the Kings great sicknesse having broke the bridges to hinder the Kings passage over the river Sanne therefore hee was constrained to take the way toward Picardy and passe the River Pericon whereof the French being aware assembled their forces and lodged neere to Agencourt Roland court and Blangie When King Henry saw that hee was thus invironed K. Henry environed with the French with his enemies he pitcht his battaile betwixt Agincourt and Blangie having no more then seven thousand able men But in those dayes the yeomen had their limbes at liberty Their breeches fastned with one point and their jacks or coats of male long and easie to shoote in drawing bowes of great strength and shooting arrows of a yard long besides the head King Henry then considering the number of the enemy and that the French stood much upon their horse charged every Archer to take a sharpe stake and pitch it aslope before him that when the Cavalry with their speares assaulted them they should give back and so the horse should A rare policy of K. Henry foyle themselves upon the stakes and then to powre their shot upon them and when the king had thus providently ordered for the battaile over night the morrow after being the twenty fift of October and the day of Crispin and Crispianus hee attended the approch of the enemy who were in number forty thousand able fighting men The number of the French army Who about nine a clock in the morning with great pride and scorne set upon the English thinking to have overrid them with their horse and trod them underfoot but the Archers as they were before appointed retyred themselves within their stakes upon which the French horses were galled which the English Archers perceiving and that their horses being gored with K. Henries victorious battaile at Agencourt the stakes tumbled one upon another so that they which were foremost were the confusion of them which followed the Archers after their arrows were spent fell upon them with swords and axes so that the day fell with little losse to the English of whom were slaine that day the Slain of the English Duke of Yorke who had the leading of the Van and the Duke of Suffolke and not above six and twenty persons more But of the French were kild that day morethen Slain of the French 10000 common souldiers of the'nobility the three Dukes of Bar of Alonson and of Braban eight Earles and of Barons above fourescore with gentlemen in Coat Armours to the number of three thousand besides in that fight were taken prisoners the Duke of Orleance the Duke of Burbon the Earles of Vendosme of Ewe Prisoners takē of the French of Richmont and Bursigant then Marshall of France with knights and Esquires besides common men surmounting the number of two thousand and foure hundred when king Henry had by Gods helpe obtained this glorious victory and recalled his people from pursuit of the enemy newes was brought of a new Hoast comming towards him wherefore hee commanded his souldiers to bee imbattailed and then made proclamation through his Army A suddain policy of King Henry that every man should kill his prisoner which made the Duke of Orleance and the rest of the French Nobility in such feare that they by authority of the King sent to the Hoast to withdraw so that the King with his prisoners the morrow following took their way towards Calais where for a time he rested himselfe and his Army Thus it was truely prophesied of him Note a strange mixture in the planets seed For now a Mercury a Mars shall breed Who in his armes accommodate and fit Shall compasse more by warre than he by wit The Exposition is plaine by Mercury is meant the father who was politicke and ingenious and by Mars the sonne who by his Military Prowesse attchieved more then the other apprehended But it followeth the three and twentieth of November he was met upon Black Heath by the Lord Major and his brethren who conducted him through the City where were presented many pageants and Showes to The Kings comming into England gratulate his famous victory to Westminster whither the same houre came Sigismond the Emperour who lodged him in his owne palace and after was Saint Georges feast kept at Windsor in the time of which solemnity during the time of divine Service the King kept the estate but in the sitting at the Feast he gave it to the Emperour where he the Duke of Holland and The Emperour Sigismund made Knight of the Garter
a great Almane prince called the Duke of Briga were made Knights of the Garter and after seven weekes aboad here left the land whom the King in person conducted to Callis in which time of his there being the Duke of Bedford with the Earle of March and other Lords had a great Sea-fight with divers Caricks of Genoway and other ships where after long and cruell fight the honour fell to the English to the Victory by sea great losse of the strangers both of their men and shippes in which three of their Caricks were taken In his first yeare in a parliament called at Westminster wherein order was taken for provision for his second hostile expedition in to France Richard sonne and heire to the Earle of Cambridge put to death at Southampton was created Duke of Yorke who after was married to Cecile daughter to the Earle of Westmerland The issue of Richard Duke of Yorke by whom he had issue Henry who dyed young Edward who was after King Edmund Earle of Rutland Anne Dutchesse of Exeter Elizabeth Dutchesse of Suffolke George Duke of Clarence Richard Crook-backe Duke of Gloster and after King and Margaret Dutchesse of Burgoin and when all things were accommodated for the Kings voyage he made Iohn Duke of Bedford his brother protector of the Land and about Whitsunday tooke shipping at Southampton and sailed towards Normandy where hee King Henry lands in Normandy laid siege to a place called Toke or Towke During which notice was given to the King that the Vicount Narbon General of the French Navy intended to invade England to prevent whom he sent the Earle of March the Earle of Huntington with others to scoure the Seas who meeting with their Fleete after a long and bloody conflict conquered and overcame them Another Sea-victory upon the ninth of August in which they tooke plenty of Treasure being the money which should have payed the French Kings Souldiers Then was Tooke with the Castle deliuered up to King Henry which he gave to his brother the Duke of Clarence with all the Signiory thereto belonging hee after tooke the strong City of His many conquests in Normandy Caan in Normandy with foureteene other strong holds and Castles and whilst he was thus busied the Earle of March the Earle of Warwicke with others wonne Laveers Falois Newlin Cherburg Argentine and Bayons c. where the king kept St. Georges Feast and made fifteene knights of the Bath Then king Henry divided his people into three parts whereof one hee reserved to himselfe the second he committed to the Duke of Clarence the third to the Earle of Warwicke which Duke and Earle so well imployed their forces that in short time they wonne many strong Townes and Castles whilst the King laid siege to Roan of which one Sir Guy de Bowcier was Captaine which was also delivered up Roan taken by K. Henry into his hands so that having subdued all Normandy he then entered France and conquered the Cities and Townes as he marcht and upon the twentieth of May came to Troies in Champaigne where he was honourably received for the Duke of Burgoine being slaine in the presence of the Dolphin Philip his sonne who succeeded King Charles with his daugh ter and heire in the possession of K. Henry in the Dukedome refused the Dolphins part and leaguing himselfe with King Henry delivered unto him the possession both of the French King and Dame Katherine his sole Daughter Then was such an unity laboured by the Lords on both sides to be had betwixt the two Nations that by the urgence of the said Philip Duke King Henry marrieth the Lady Katherine of Burgoin King Henry at Troyes in Champaigne was solemnly marryed to Katherine heire to the kingdome of France upon the third day of Iune being Trinity sunday Before the solemnization of which marriage certaine Articles were agreed upon by the two Kings the effect Articles concluded betwixt the two nations of England and â—…rance whereof followeth that Charles should remain King during the tearme of his life and king Henry should be made regent and governour of the kingdome in the right of his Queene and wife and that after the death of Charles the Crowne of France with all the rights thereto belonging to remaine unto king Henry and his King Henry made heire apparant to the Crowne of France Heires kings c. And because Charles was then visited with sicknesse King Henry as Regent should have the whole and entire government of the Realme and that the Lords of France as well spirituall as temporall should make oath to King Henry to bee obedient unto him in all things and after the Death of Charles to become his true liege-men and subjects c. Further the Dutchy of Normandy and all other Normandy and France made one Monarchy Lordships thereto belonging to bee as one Monarchy under the Crowne of France and that during the life of Charles Henry sbould not name or write himselfe King of France but Charles in all his Writings should name King Henry his dearest Son and immediate Heire to the crown and that by the advice of both counsailes of the Realmes of England and France such ordinances should be established that when the Crowne of France fell to King Henry or his Heires that it might with such unitie joyne to the Realme of England that our King might Vnity betwixt the two Kingdomes rule both the Realms as one Monarchy c. that King Charles nor Philip Duke of Burgoyn should make any peace with the Dolphin of Vien without the consent of King Henry nor he make any accord with him without the agreement of Charles and Philip c. thus you see His Caducaeus to a Sword did change And grim Orion though it might seem strange Sit in Astraeas Orbe and from her teare The three leav'd Flower shee in her hand did beare And turne it to a Lawrell to adorne The Lions brows whom late the Toad did scorn By the Caducaeus turning into a sword is meant that Mercury was now turn'd Mars and The prophesie explained Peace into warre The same is allegorically intended by Orion who is called Lucifer for the terriblenesse of his aspect sayd by the Astronomicall Poets to beare a sword hee removeth Astraea that is Iustice out of her Orbe For in the time of warre force and might sway all who rends from her bosome the peaceable three leav'd Flower which is the Flower Delyce with which he Crownes the Lion King Henry whom the Toad did scorne thus demonstrated Some write that the Armes of France were at First the three Toads which after they changed to the three Lillies as they are now quartered with the English Armes c. But to continue the History these former Articles being by the consent of both the Princes and their peeres ratified king Henry with his new Queene were honourably received into Paris where King Henry and
his Queen feasted in Paris when they had rested a season Hee with the Duke of Burgoine laid siege to divers Townes which held with the Dolphin of Vien as the strong City of Meldane or Melian to Melden and others and tooke them and having done all his pleasure in France he and the Queen took leave of Charles the French king and sayled into England and at Westminster with great solemnity Q. Margaret Crowned at Westminster she was Crowned In the beginning of his tenth yeare was born at Windsor the sixt day of December Henry the sixt of that name at Easter after the Queene The birth of Henry the sixt tooke shipping at Southampton and sayled into France where she was royally received of her father and mother and King Henry being still busied in his warres of France and still gaining from them Cities and Townes in the ninth of August he fell grievously sick at Boys in Vincent and dyed the last day of the Month when hee had reigned nine yeares five months and ten dayes leaving issue behind him onely Henry aged The death of Henry the fift eight moneths and odde dayes then the Kings body was imbalmed and after brought to Westminster and there buried verifying Thus after many a famous victory At length invested shall the Lion be In a new Throne to which his claime is faire As being matcht unto the kingdomes heire Living this royall beast shall lose no time But bee at length from earth snatcht in his prime CHAP. 27. The Duke of Gloster made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasill a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Paris A prophesie of his raigne the death of the Duke of Gloster The death of the Marquesse of Suffolke The insurrection of the Commons under Iack Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh Armes his person seised against the Kings promise and for feare set at liberty HEnry the sixt of that name and the sole Henry the sixt made King sonne of Henry the fift and Queene Katherine beganne his Reigne over the Realme of England the first day of September in the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred twenty two who during his Minority was committed to the guardianship of his two Vncles the Dukes of Gloster and Bedford the The Duke of Gloster protector the Duke of Bedford regent Duke of Gloster beeing protector of England and the Duke of Bedford regent of France In the first yeare of this Kings reigne dyed Charles the seventh King of France by whose death the Crowne and the Realme with the rights of them fell to the young king Henry the possession of which was by the Lords of France in generall excepting some few who took part with the Dolphin delivered to the duke of Bedford as Regent during the nonage of the King who in the second yeare of his reigne wonne from the Dolphin more than foure and twenty strong holds and Castles to the great Honour The Regents victories in France of the English Nation and with whom all attempts succeeded prosperously and victoriously till the fift yeare that the Earle of Salisbury who was called the good Earle with the Earle of Suffolke the Lord Talbot and others laying The death of the good Earle of Salisbury strong siege to the City of Orleance the Earle was slaine by a shot from the Towne after whose death the English still lost rather than wonne so that by little and little they were compelled from all their possession in France for where they prevailed in any battaile in three they were discomfited In the eighth yeare of his reigne and upon the ninth of his age King Henry was Crowned King Henries Coronation in St. Peters Church at Westminster where were made sixe and thirty knights of the Bath His Coronation with all honour and joy being finished provision was made for his journey into France and upon Saint Georges day following being the twenty third of April hee tooke shipping and landed at Callis with a great train of the English Nobility during whose abode there many battails were fought in divers parts of the kingdom betwixt the English and French in which the French for the most part prevailed Ione de Pucil a sorceresse some said by the help of a woman called Ioan de Pucil whom they stiled The Maiden of God who was victorious in many conflicts and at length came to a Town called Compeine with intent to remove the siege layd unto it by the Duke of Burgoine and the English but by the valour of a Burgonian knight called sir Iohn Luxemburgh her company was distressed and she took alive and after carried to Roan and there kept a season because she seigned her selfe with child but the contrary being found she was adjudged to Shee is burnt for a witch death and her body burnt to ashes In his tenth yeere and upon the seventh of December King Henry the sixt was crowned Henry the sixt crowned at Paris King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester at whose Coronation were present the Regent The Duke of Burgoine with others of the French Nobility after the solemnity of which royall Feast ended The King left Paris and kept his Christmasse in Roan and thence returned into England where hee was joyfully received and of whom it was thus predicted How comes the Sun to rise where he should set Or how Lambs Lions Lions Lambs beget The prophesie of King Henries reigne Yet so 't must be The Lambe though doubly crown'd And thinking his large Empire hath no bound Yet shall a Daulphin at a low ebbe land And snatch one powerful scepter from his hand Thus it falls out twixt father and the sonne Windsore shall lose what ever Monmouth A Tigresse then in title onely proud wonne In the Lambs bosome seeks her self to shroud A seeming Saint at first meek and devout But in small time her fiercenesse will break out Nor can her ravenous fury be withstood Vntill through sated with best English blood But a young Lion he at length shall tame And send her empty back from wheâ—…ce she came Much trouble shall be made about â—…he crown And Kings soon raised and as soone put down c. After sundry conflicts betwixt the English and the French in which they diversly sped at length Charles the Dolphin who tooke upon him to be King of France by the proffer of many Towns Castles Cities Provinces and Lordships so Charles the Dolphin and Philip Duke of Burgoin reconciled wrought upon the Duke of Burgoine that notwithstanding he had before slain his Father adhered to his party and proclaimed himself utter enemy to the English which was in the thirteenth of Henry in which yeere dyed the noble and valorous Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France and was buried with great solemnity at Roan in the Church of
Edward with the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter were in the North and would not come up at the kings sending it was agreed by the Lords that the Duke of Yorke and Earle of Salisbury should raise an Army and fetch them up by force and to that purpose sped them Northward of which the Queene with her people having notice with a great power of Northern men met with them upon the thirtieth of December at a Towne called Wake-field betwixt whom was fought a bloody Battaile in The battaile of Wakefield which was slaine the Duke of York with his son the earle of Rutland Thomas Nevill sonne to The Duke of Yorke slaine the earle of Salisbury and the earle himself took prisoner whom shee caused to be with others soone after beheaded at Pomphret then shee made haste towards London and the earle of Warwicke with the Duke of Norfolke who were appoynted by Yorke to attend the king gathered an Army and upon a Shrove-tuesday in the The Queen againe victorious morning gave her battaile at Saint Albons in which Warwicke and Norfolke were chaced and the king againe taken and presented to the Queen then He the same afternoone made his sonne Edward knight who was eight yeares of age with thirty persons more The Queene having thus gotten the upper hand of her Enemies thought all things safe expressing more pride than she before had done in the height of which newes was brought her that Edward earle of March eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke with the earle of Warwicke and others with a great strength of March men were met at Cottiswald in their way to London wherefore the King and Queen returned with their Hoast Northward but before her departing from Saint Albons shee caused the Lord Bonsfield and others to bee beheaded who had beene taken in the former field Then came the Earles of March and Warwicke to London to whom resorted all the Gentlemen of the East and South parts of England Then was a Counsaile called of the Lords spirituall and temporall by whom after much debating of the matter it was concluded that forasmuch as King Henry contrary to his honour and oath at the last parliament had done and also that he was reputed unable and insufficient to governe the Realme hee was by their assents discharged of all kingly honour and Royalty and Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made King by the authority of the said Counsell and agreement of the Commons Edward eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke was elected King who presently with his Army followed Henry and met with his Hoast at a place called Towton or Shyrbourne and upon Palm-sunday gave them The battaile at Shyrbourne battaile which was so cruelly fought that there were slaine thirty thousand besides those of note and quality as the Earle of Northumberland the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Clifford Sir Andrew Trollop and others In the Henry and Qu. Margaret flie into Scotland same Field was taken the Earle of Devonshiere and sent to Yorke and there beheaded But Henry the Queene prince Edward the Duke of Somerset the Lord Rosse and others fled into Scotland and King Edward entered Yorke and there kept his Easter Thus Henry lost the Crowne after hee had reigned full thirty eight yeares sixe Moneths and odde dayes and the factious and ambitious Queen forfeited all her right in the kingdome verifying what was predicted But a young Lion hee at length shall tame And send her empty back from whence she came Much trouble shall be made about the Crowne And Kings soone raised and as soon put downe This Edward the fourth of that name and sonne to Richard Duke of Yorke beganne His The Coronation of Edward the fourth Reigne over the Realme of England the fourth of March in the yeare of grace to reckon after the English computation one thousand foure hundred and forty and upon Sunday being the feast day of Saint Peters day was solemnly crowned at Westminster before which time He made sixe and thirty Knights of the Bathe and soone after hee created his brother George Duke of Clarence and his brother Richard Duke of Gloster Of this Kings reigne thus runs the Prophesie The fiercest Beare who by his power alone A prophesie of his reigne Had planted the young Lion in his throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phear who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some terme a Gray And that shall cause much blood on Easter day The Beare who th'exil'd Tygresse meetes in France Vowes the suppressed Lambe againe t' advance And from the Coop where he hath long bin pent To raise him to his former government The Lion the Land flying with a small And slender traine the ragged staffe swayes all But the Beares fiercenesse shall be soone allaid As one that is halfe conquered halfe betraid Then shall the Lambe whom he did late restore Againe coopt up be slaughtered by the Boare After the King had visited the greatest part of the best Townes and Cities in the Kingdom Queen Margaret invadeth England in the second yeare of his reigne Margaret late Queene of England with an army of French and Scotch invaded the North part of England which King Edward hearing sped him thither at whose approach the Queene with the rest affrighted she disbanded her troopes and in a Carick would have sailed into France but such a Tempest fell that she was forced to take a Fisher-boat and landed at Barwicke and roade thence to the Scotch King where newes was brought her that the Carveil in which the greatest of her treasure was was swallowed up in the Sea And in his third yeare the Lord Iohn of Montacute brother to the Earle of Warwicke having chiefe command in the North was warned of King Henries comming with a great power out of Scotland against whom hee assembled the Northern men and met with him about Exham who routed the Scotch Army The battaile at Exham and chaced Henry so neare that hee tooke certaine of his Traine apparrelled in blue velvet garnished with two Crownes and fret with pearle and rich stones He took also the Duke of Somerset the Lord Hungerford the Lord Rosse and others which Duke with the rest were soon after beheaded some at Exham others at New Castle And the same yeare was King King Henry taken and sent to the Tower Henry taken in a Wood in the North Countrey by one Cantlow and presented unto King Edward who forthwith sent him to the Tower where hee remained for a long time after Now Richard of Warwicke who for his many Victoryes and potency in the Realme was called VVarwicke the great was imployed by the king into France to treat a marriage The King married to the Lady Elizabeth Gray betwixt him and the Lady Bona which whilst hee was earnestly soliciting the first of May the king espoused Elizabeth late wife to Sir Iohn Gray who
counsell held at the Tower Hastings and others Hee caused an out-cry of Treason to be made in the next roome at which the Lords were amerc'd and he himselfe went to the doore and received such persons in as he had before appointed who laid hand upon the Lord Hastings in which stirring the Earle of The death of the Lord Hastings Derby was hurt in the face and for a while committed to safe custody but the Lord Chamberlaine in all haste was led to the Hill within the Tower and without judgement or long confession his head laid upon a log and cut off by the Executioner after which cruelty thus done all such as he suspected would oppose him in his claime to the Crowne hee put in hold whereof the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Ely were two but the Earle of Derby for feare his sonne Lord Strange should have raised the Cheshire and Lancashire men hee set at liberty to goe where he pleased Upon the sunday following himselfe and the Duke of Buckingham being present with others of the Nobility Doctor Ralph Shaa in the time of his Sermon laboured to prove the children The effect of D. Shaaâ—… Sermon at Pauls â—…osse of Edward the Fourth illegitimate and not right beires to the Crowne preferring the title of the Protector at whom was flung a dagger which stucke in the post close by his face but none knew or at the least would acknowledge from whence it came which Doctor who before had a great opinion of learning having by this Sermon lost all his reputation dyed as some say distracted not many days after Upon the Tuesday following the Commons of the City were assembled at Guild-hall whither The Duke of Buckinghams oration in the Guild hall was sent by the Protectour the Duke of Buckingham with other Lords by whom was rehearsed to the Major the rest what title the Lord Protectour had to the Crowne before his Nephews which in an excellent Oration was delivered by the Duke of Buckingham whom they applauded for the manner but no way approved the matter of his speech for it took no effect amongst them all departing silent and keeping their thoughts to themselves then the Tuesday succeeding being the twentieth day of Iune the Protector of himselfe took upon him as King and Governour of the Realme and rode The Protectour takes upon him to be King in great state to Westminster and in the great Hall placing himselfe in the seat Royall with the Duke of Norfolke who was before Lord Howard on the right hand and the Duke of Suffolke on the left after the royall Oath taken hee called before him the Iudges and giving them a long exhortation for the executing of his Lawes administring justice with other Ceremonies being done hee was conveyed to the kings palace and there lodged and upon friday The protector proclaimed King by the name of Richard the third being the two and twentieth of Iune throughout the City of London hee was proclaimed king of England by the name of Richard the Third Yet thought he himselfe in no security whilst his two Nephewes in the Tower were living concerning whose death as some have reported hee tasted the Duke of Buckingham but finding him averse to his purpose as in his noble Buckingham not accessary to the Princes deaths spirit abhorring an act so unnaturall and execrable he after sought all advantages how to insidiate his life though hee had been the onely means to raise him to that height of Sovereignty and knowing that it was in vaine to worke any noble or generous mindes to such a bloudy and inhumane purpose hee at length had observed a melancholy and discontented Gentleman called Iames Tirrell to whom some have given the title of a knight and him hee moulded to his owne ends who having the keyes of the Princes lodgings delivered unto him hee hired two bloudy Ruffians who when they were fast asleepe fell upon them and smothered them in their beds But in what place their bodies were buried it is uncertain and thus The murder of the two princes in the tower From the Herculean Lion lately sphear'd And in his Orbe to Iove himself indear'd Two luminous stars without eclipse or cloud As had they been unto some offering vow'd Are perisht on the Altar ere they grow To that full splendor which the world they owe. By the Herculean or Cleomaean Lion is figured the victorious and invincible King Edward the Fourth lately spheared that is by death lately translated above the Spheares to the Celestiall Orbe Heaven and by two shining stars Edward the sift and Richard Duke of Yorke c. the rest needeth no comment CHAP. 30. Dissention betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham Richard insidiateth the life of Richmond Buckingham takes armes against the King and is beheaded Banister perfidious to his Lord Queen Annes policy and tyranny His Laws Richmond landeth at Milford Haven The battaile at Bosworth The death of Richard Richmond made King A prophesie of his Reigne c. RIchard the Third of that name son to Richard Duke of Yorke and youngest brother to Edward the Fourth late King began his Dominion over the Realme of England the twentieth day of Iune in the yeere of the Incarnation of our Lord one thousand foure hundred fourescore and three with whose Reigne I proceed Some say the Noble Duke of Buckingham Difference betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham came to demand of him the Earle of Herefords Land promised him before he was King which hee not onely denied him but gave him rough and harsh language which the Duke in regard of his former courtesies done unto him and not only knowing his ingratitude but with all his malicious spleene against any that should in the least oppose him in his bloudy and most cruell designes he therefore retyred himselfe from Court and after some discourse held with Bishop Morton who was the Kings prisoner and in his custody he was brought to have intelligence from the Queen and the Countesse of Derby by whose instigation hee after laboured to bring in Henry Richmond then a banisht man in the Court of the Duke of Britaine but from Buckinghams plots against the King the house of Lancaster the next heire to the Crown Whilst these things were in secret agitation the King laboured by all meanes possible of friends gifts promises and the like to take away the life of the Earle whose projects and Richard labors to supplant Richmon pursuits too long here to rehearse he miraculously escaped only comforted by some Noble Englishmen some compulsively banisht others voluntarily exiling themselves all partners in one and the same calamity in which interim the Duke of Buckinghams intent of innovation some think by his perfidious servant Banister was discovered to the King therefore for his Buckingham taketh arms owne security he was forced to take armes but many of his friends failing
But none without their faults since Adams fal He shall have many vertues but not all Who never spares for who can fraeilty trust Man in his rage or woman in his lust CHAP. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife Hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-Field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queene the Kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made Knight of the Garter Peace with France Both Kings defie the Emperour The death of Cardinall Wolsey Henry divorced from his first wife Marrieth the Lady Anne Bulloigne Her death He marrieth the Lady Iane Seimour He revolteth from Rome The Earle of Hartfords victories in Scotland Bulloigne besieged and wonne HEnry the Seventh who was loth to part with the Dower of the Spanish princesse wrought so by a Dispensation from the pope that his sonne prince Henry was married to the late Widdow of his own brother prince Arthur deceased who comming to the Crown some say by the counsell of his Father on his death-bed put to death Empson and Dudley who had gathered a great masse of money into the Kings treasury by exacting and extorting from the Commons of whom they were extreamly hated for which piece of justice he wonne the hearts of the people and soone after was borne at Richmond upon New yeares The birth and death of prince Henry day prince Henry the Kings sonne who died upon S. Matthews day the yeere following and soon after was the Lord Dacres sent into Spaine to aide the King against the Moores and Sir Edward Poynings into Gelderland to aide the prince of Castile And in his fourth yeere the King in person invaded France and tooke Turwin and Turney having discomfited the French King Henry aydeth Spaine invadeth France Floden Field in which the K. of Scots was slain Hoast at a place called Blewmy during which time the Scotch King raised against England an hundred thousand men whom the Earle of Surry the Kings Lievtenant encountred at a place called Flodden in which battaile the King himselfe was slaine with eight Bishops and eleven Earles besides of the common souldiers innumerable for which service by him done King Henry created him Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Earle of Surrey In his sixt yeere a peace was concluded betwixt England and France and in the seventh Peace betwixt England and France yeere the French King espoused the Lady Mary the Kings sister in the moneth of Iune and died upon New yeares day next ensuing wherefore The birth of the Lady Mary Charles Brandon married to the French Queen Mary the kings sister the King sent for her againe by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke In February was borne the Lady Mary the Kings Daughter at Greenwich and in Aprill the French Queene came over into England and was married to the foresaid Duke of Suffolke in which yeere also Margaret Queene of Scots the Kings sister fled into England and lay at a place called Hare-bottle where she was delivered of a daughter called Margaret and came to London in May and tarried here a whole yeer and upon the eighth of May following returned again into her Country In October the tenth yeer of the King the Admirall An enteâ—… view betwixt the Kings of England and France of France came into England and Tournay was delivered againe to the French King whom after Henry met between Arde and Guiens where were great Triumphs after there was a solemne meeting betwixt the Emperour and Charles the fift and the King of England who went with him to Graveling and after hee went to Calice with the King where hee was royally entertained and feasted who in the thirteenth of the King the sixt of Iune was honourably received Charles the fift Emperor made Knight of the Garter into the City of London by the Lord Major the Aldermen and the Communalty who from London went to meet the King at Windsore where he was made Knight of the Garter which was done with great solemnity and then from Southampton hee sailed into Spain soone after Christian King of Denmarke came into England and had Royall entertainment from the King During these passages the Earle of Surrey Lord Admirall who before had appeased the tumults and manifold combustions stirred up in Britain Picardy France invaded by the English Ireland burnt divers Townes in Britaine and Picardy and the Duke of Suffolke invaded France with 10000 men and passing the River of Some spoyled many Towns and Villages and returned without opposition and the Duke of Albany in Scotland who before had made a vain e attempr against England besieged the Castle of Wark but hearing of the Earle of Surreys marching towards him he fled into his Countrey In the eighteenth yeere of the King Cardinall Cardinall Wolsey Embassadour into France Wolsey went over into France pompously attended where he concluded a league betwixt the King of England and the French King who both defied the Emperour and sent an Army into Italy to make war against him and upon the nineteenth of October the great Master of England and France defied the Emperour France came over to England to ratifie the League made betwixt the two Kings all which verifie that part of the prediction Rouze him shall this fierce Lion in his den Be favoured of the gods and fear'd of men Gallia shall quake Albania stand in awe And Caesars stoop when he but shews his paw To league with him Hesperia shall take pride Those whom the Africke Moores halfe blacke have dyde By Albania is meant Seotland so called from Albanactus the second sonne of Brute the first King thereof and by Hesperia Spaine who after the African Moores had long possessed the greatest part of the Land by enterchangable merceage betwixt them and the Natives the Spaniards are black and tawny even to this day In the one and twentieth yeare the King having cast his eye upon a new Mistris pretending A divorce sought by the King betwixt him and Queen Katherine a matter of conscience hee began to consider with himselfe that hee had long incestucusly lived with his brothers wife for which cause the Legats of Rome met with the King at Black Fryers about the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of that marriage Amongst the rest Cardinall Wolsey standing stiffe against a Divorce in October following was discharged of his Chancellourship and presently after was a peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and the King and in the yeere after the great Cardinall who had been arrested of high Treason and by that meanes forfeited his infinite estate to the The death of Card. Wolsey King died on Saint Andrews in a poore Fryery not without suspition of poyson After by a legall course and due processe of Law the king was divorced from the Lady Katherine his brothers wife and soone after married to the Lady Anne Bulloigne who upon The King married
the fourth who dyed in the Tower This Countesse Of Cardinal Pool from his minority had one onely sonne called Reignold Pool who was of great familiarity with the Lady Mary in their minority and devoting himself wholly to the study of the Arts was initiated in Maudline Colledge in Oxford but being a very young man left the University and having a great desire to travaile crost the seas and went into Italy seven years he spent in the Academy of Padua where entring into great familiarity with Peter Bent chiefe Secretary to the pope then raigning hee brought him into such reputation with his holinesse that in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty eight he was made His imploiment to the Emperor and French K. Cardinall and imployed in Embassie both to the Emperor and French King in which negotiations hee is said to have dealt perfidiously with his owne Liege Lord and Soveraigne King Henry the eighth For dangerous is an English man being once Italionated The incensed King not able to reach the Son who was the Actor yet used his power against the mother as an accessary who being questioned for sending her sonne dayly supplies of money from England into Italy was for that convicted The Countesse of Salisbury his Mother beheaded of Treason and being fourescore yeares ofage was beheaded This Cardinall Poole was of the Royall blood as lineally descended from George Duke of Clarence of singular learning and approved modesty insomuch that in the twice vacancy of the See of Rome he was in either selected and nominated as pope but refusing it as too great a charge for such was Cardinal Pool twice elected Pope his apology hee rather chused a solitaty and sequestred life and so retired himselfe into a Monastery neere Verona of which according to rumour hee was first Founder and Patron in which hee spent a great part of his age as a man extermin'd from his native Country so continuing the later part of Henry the eight and the entire Soveraignty of Edward the sixt But Queene Mary his first acquaintance being invested into the English Throne having the soveraigne power in her owne dispose she sent to call him home with purpose as it was then rumourd having the pâ—…pes authority Queen Mary is purposed to marry with Car dinal Poole to dispence with all his Ecclesiasticall dignities to have made him her husband Of which Charles the Emperour having notice partly by his power and partly by his policy wrought so by his Engineeres that Spanish policy hee was detained in Italy till a match was fully concluded betwixt his sonne Prince Philip and the Queene which being perfected and then past prevention the Cardinall was at liberty to dispose of himselfe and for his greater Honour was sent over by the pope with the title of Legatus alatere at which time as Doctor Thomas Cranmer was not onely suspended but Cardinal Pool made Archbishop of Canterbury dispossessed of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury in stead of whom Cardinal Poole was installed into that See where having beene three yeares Archbishop when newes was brought him of the death of his Cousen Queene hee the same houre expired the fifty eight of his age His death and lyeth buryed within Saint Thomas Chappell in Canterbury Church with this short Inscription onely Depositum Cardinalis Poli. The prophesie ayming at him where it saith From the Pontificke Sea a Poole shall runne That wide shall spread its waters and to a stood In time shal grow made red with Martyrs blood The next Chapter leads mee to the entrance of prince Philip sonne to the Emperour Charles into the Land and his marriage with Queene Mary c. CAP. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made King of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queenes marriage at Winchester Their Titles their riding through London The Queene rumourd to bee with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings he favoureth the Lady Elizabeth He leaveth the Land Queene Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis The death of Queene Mary The Inauguration of the Lady Elizabeth A prophesie of her birth and reigne TO omit all the Insurrections in Her time of the discontented Commons as that of Sir Thomas Wiat in Kent to keepe King Philip out of the Land in which the Duke of Suffolke was Insurrections in the time of Queen Mary a partisan with another commotion in Devonshire by Gowen and Peter Carow Giles Champernham and others with a third about Woodhurst in Sussex w ch was soon appeased a fourth by Vdall Throgmorton Daniel Pecham Stanton c. A fift by Henry Stafford who tooke Scarborough Castle in the North. I come now to Prince Philip who after all those that interposed his landing were cut off in the yeare of grace one thousand five hundred fifty foure the twentieth of Iuly made his safe arrivall at South-hampton where he was honourably received by Prince Philip landeth at Southampton the greatest part of the Nobility and was presented with the Order of Saint George and the Garter set with rich stones fastned about his Legge who before he would enter any house Prince Philip presented with the George and Garter went first into Holy Rood Church which standeth just opposite to the Towne-Hall where he gave thanks to God for his safe and prosperous arriuall and having spent some halfe an houre in his devotion hee mounted upon a goodly Iâ—…nnet richly caparisoned which was that morning sent him by the Queene and so rode back towards his lodging which was neare unto the Water-gate The monday following he left Southampton and attended by the Lords and Gentlemen of England rode towards Winchester but by the reason of great store of Raine that fell the same day the journey seemed something unpleasant but there about seven of Clocke towards night hee was magnificently received and rode to the Church before he would see his lodging loud Musicke entertained him at his alighting and the bishop of that Sea with Stephen Gardiner foure other met him at the Church doore attended with Priests Singing men and Quiristers all in rich Coaps who had three faire Crosses or Crucifixe s born before them In the first entrance of the Church the Priest kneeled downe to pray which done he arose and went under an Imbroydered Canopy from the west doore up to the Quire who when he saw the Hoast put off his Hat to doe it reverence and then entred into a goodly Traverse hung with costly Arras and there kneeled againe till Winchester the Chancellor began Te Deum whom all the whole Quire seconded that done hee was brought thence by Torch-light and went on foot through the Cloisters to his lodging whither the Queenes Guard attended him to a faire House belonging to the Dean Hee was at that time apparrelled in a Coat or Mantle curiously imbroydered with gold his Prince
Merlin came to be known to King Vortiger of the combat betwixt the red and the white Dragon and his prophesie thereof c. p. 18 Chap. 4. Merlins former prophesie explained sundry prestigious acts done by him to delight the King His prophesie of the Kings death c. p. 25 Chap. 5. Uterpendragon succeedeth his brother Aurelius He is enamoured of Igerna wife to the Duke of Cornwall whom by the art of Merlin he enjoyes of whom he begot King Arthur pag. 32 Chap. 6. Merlins former prophesie made plain concerning king Arthur with sundry other occurrences pertinent to the English History pag. 41. Chap. 7. Of the conception and birth of these 7 pious and religious brothers And being sent to death how preserved educated and doctrinated Merlins prophesies and their explanation p. 49 Chap. 8. He prophesieth of the civill wars that shall be in Britain in the time of Cadwallo And of the great dearth and desolation in the Reigne of Cadwallader c. p. 58 Chap. 9. Of divers bloudy battails fought betwixt Canutus and Edmund Their great opposition ended in a single Duell They make peace and equally divide the kingdome betwixt them p. 68 Chap. 10. Merlins prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his tithing of the Norman Gentlemen c. p. 76. Chap. 11. The landing of Duke William with the Normans The battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slain being the last King of the Saxon bloud Wil. conquereth c. p. 87 Chap. 12. The prediction of the two Dragons made good by the subsequent History in Robert and William the two sons of the Conquerour who the Lion of Iustice was and what was meant by his Alchymy c. p. 96. Chap. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reign of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawd the Empresse of Henry Short Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History c. p. 106 Chap. 14. Divers remarkable passages during the Reigne of Henry the second his numerous Issue and how they were affected towards him his vic◅ and vertues his good and bad fortune all which were by this our Prophet predicted p. 116 Chap. 15. The Inauguration of Richard the first sirnamed Cordelion a prediction of his Reigne His wars in the Holy Land his imprisonment by the Duke of Austria his brother Iohns usurpation his second Coronation with his unfortunate death c. p. 127 Chap. 16. The rest of the prophesie made good in the subsequence the troublesome Reign of K. Iohn his losse of Normandy his Land interdicted by the Pope to whom hee is compeld to resigne his Crown his death c. p. 137 Chap. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the third succeedeth his Father a prediction of his Reign his brother Richard made king of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament p. 147 Chap. 18. The death of Henry the third and Richard Earle of Cornwall king of the Romans Prince Edwards victories in the Holy Land His Coronation the prophesie of his reign c. p. 157 Chap. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crown of Scotland for which they did them homage K. Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The prophesie fulfilled His death And coronation of his son c. p. 167 Chap. 20. The Kings unfortunate wars in Scotland The battail of Banno◅urn c. Barwick betrayed to the Scots The pride and insolencie of the Spencers Their misleading the K c. p. 178 Chap. 21. The deposing of Edward 2d his repentance his death his son Edward made K◅g A prophesie of his reign His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwick His famous victory at Sea over the French c. p. 189 Chap. 22. The famous battaile of Poytyers fought by Edward the Black Prince in which hee took Iohn the French King prisoner His conquest in Spaine The memorable act of William VVal worth Lord Major c. p. 201 Chap. 23. The Duke of Glocester by a Parlament reformeth the Common-wealth Iohn of Gaunt claims his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons c. p. 213 Chap. 24. The coronation of Henry the 4 with his great Feast held in VVestminster Hall A great conspiracy intended against him but prevented the lamentable murder of King Richard the second in Pomfret Castle by Sir Pierce of Exto◅ His valour at his death His Epitaph The great riches found in his treasury c. p. 224 Chap. 25. The Coronation of Henry the fift A prophesie of his reign His victorious battail over the French at Agencourt His second Voyage into France His victories by Sea and Land He is made heir by the marriage of his wife to the Crowne of France His third Voyage into France The birth of Pr. Henry The death of Henry the fift p. 236. Chap. 27. The Duke of Glocester made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasil a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Pa◅is A prophesie of his reign the death of the D. of Gloster The death of the Marquis of Suffolk The insurrection of the Commons under Iacke Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh arms his person seised against the Kings promise and for feareset at liberty p. 248. Chap. 28. The ambition of Queen Margaret The battail at Saint Albons Yorke made Protector The Queens practice against the Lords The battail at Northampton York proclaimed heire to the Crowne York slain in the battail at Wakefield Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made king A prophesie of his Reigne The battaile at Exham King Henry taken and sent to the Tower The marriage of Edward Hee flies the Land Henry again made king p. 259. Chap. 29. Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crown and Glocester traytor his landing at Ravēsport the battail at Barnet the battail at Teuxbury king Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence The death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young king c. p. 272. Chap. 30. Dissention betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham Richard insidiateth the life of Richmond Buckingham takes armes against the King and is beheaded Banister perfidious to his Lord Queene Annes policy and tyranny His Lawes Richmond landeth at Milford Haven The battaile at Bosworth The death of Richard Richmond made King A prophesie of his Reigne c. p. 283 Chap. 31. The Earle of Northumberland slain by the Commons The Matchevilian plots of the Dutchesse of Burgundy to disturbe the peace of king Henry Perkin Warbeck her Creature hee is nobly marryed in Scotland and taken for the Duke of Yorke the death of the Lord Standley and others Divers insurrections about Perkin his
death with the yong Earle of Warwicke the death of the king A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth p. 293 Chap. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queen the kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made knight of the Garter c. p. 304. Chap. 33. The death of Henry the eighth Edward the sixt crowned a calculation of his reigne Musse Iborow field won by the Lord Protector c. p. 315. Chap. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Q. Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary He is arrested of high treason The Coronation of Q. Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope c. p. 326 Chap. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made K. of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queens Marriage at Winchester Their titles their riding through London The Queen rumoured to be with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings hee favoureth the Lady Elisabet He leaveth the Land Queen Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis p. 336 Chap. 37. A brief nomination of her troubles wrought by the Popish Clergie Her passage through London to her coronation with the speeches spoke in the pageants A short remembrance of the prime passages in her reign The former prediction fulfild her death other predictions fathered upon Merlin explained c. p. 347 Chap. 38. The title of King Iames to the Crown His comming into England A prophesie of his Reigne The first treason attempted against him The Gunpowder treason and what the conspirators were The king of Denmarke twice commeth into England King Charles proclaimed King his Fathers Funerals c. p. 361 A Chronographical History of the Kings of Britaine from the first plantation of this Island by Brute and his Cousin Corinaeus to the Reigne of King Vortiger In whose time Ambrosius Merlinus began to utter his Predictions CHAP. 1. Brutes first plantation in this Island How hee divided it amongst his three sonnes of several famous Cities builded here by sundry Kings and how divers Rivers took their first name of all the remarkable passages that hapened in their reignes A Catologue of the Kings continued from Brute to the end of his Line and off-spring FOr the better illustration of this present worke intended it shall not be amisse to shew you a briefe progresse of all the memorable passages of the time before wee come to the Prophesie with a Catalogue of the Kings of this Island and what Remarkable things happened in their reigne To begin with the first Brute who was of the ancient and noble bloud of the Trojans discended from Aeneas and Creusa the How Brute was discended daughter of King Priam These had a sâ—…nne called Ascanius after his Father King of Italy Brute was the sonne of Sylvius Aenaeas the son of Ascanius This Brute at fifteene yeares of age being hunting by the unfortunate glanceing of an Arrow slue his father and had beene also in his birth the death of his mother but for the last disasterous act hee willingly exiled himselfe and taking with him a choice company of adventurers thought to discover some new plantation To omit his many troubles both by Land and Sea in which hee was still most victoriously prosperous at length hee incountred with a small navy of ships of which a Trojane and his neare kinseman was Captain whose name was Corinaeus who joyning their Corinaeus cousin to Brute forces together and after divers and sundry perills landed in this Island of the white and chalky Cliffes called Albion where finding none but Giants of mighty stature he destroyed the most part of them of whom the greatest both in bulke and command was called Gogmagog with whom Corinaeus wrastling to prove their triall of strength Gogmagog in his gripe broke a rib in the side of Corinaeus at which he being inraged gathering all his spirits about him cast him downe the high Rocke of Dover the place where they proved the mastery which is called the fall of Gogmagog unto this day for which and other his valiant acts before The fall of Gogmagog atchieved hee gave him that intire Province which from his name beareth the title of Cornwall Brute then taking full view of the Island The building of Troynovant since called London searching up the River of Thames built upon it a City which in remembrance of the late subverted Troy he called Troynovant or new Troy now London this done he put his Souldiers to tilling of the Earth and governed the Realme peaceably for the space of twenty foure yeares He had by his wife Ignogen the daughter of Pandrusus three sonnes betwixt whom in his life time he divided his Kingdome to How hee divided the Kingdome Locrine the eldest hee gave all that is called England but then Logria after his name To the second Cambrius or Cambre hee left the Countrey of Wales at first from him called Cambria To the third Albanact hee gave the North part of the Land then titled from him Albania now Scotland That done hee expired The death of Brute and was buryed at Troynovant and this happened in the yeare of the world foure thousand fourescore and seven Locrine being King of Britaine hearing that a King of Scythia had invaded his brother Albanacts Dominions and having slaine him in battaile governed in his stead Hee with his brother Cambre assembled a mighty Hoast to avenge his death and in a sharpe conflict discomfited his whole Army and so hotly pursued him in his flight that this Scythian which was called Humber was drowned in that River Plow the River Humber came to be so cald which runneâ—…h up from Ravenspurn up to Hulâ—… which hath since borne his name even to this day After which victory Locrin who had espoused Guendolina daughter to Corinaeus Duke of Cornwall grew inamoured of Estrild a beauteous Lady and Daughter to the aforesaid Humber by whom He had a Daughter named Sabrina of which his Queene having intelligence the accited her Father and friends to make Warre upon her Husband and flew him in fight when hee had governed the Realme for the space of twenty yeares then the Masculine spirited Lady tooke his Concubine Estrild with her beautifull young daughter Sabrina and caused them to bee both drowned in that River which parteth England and Wales and from Sabrina is called Severne to all posterity The River Severne whence called Then Guendolina took upon her the government of the Land till her young Son Madan came to mature age and then resigned it up intirely into his owne hands after shee had
a certain number of Britaines and as many Saxons should meet upon a Mayday weaponlesse upon the Plaine of Salisbury on which prefixed day Hengist bethought him of a strange and persidious Treason charging all his Saxons that every one should put a long Knife in his hose and when hee gave this watch-word Nempnith your Sepis they should suddenly fall upon the A most unkâ—…ngly treason unarmed Britaines and kill them to one man Briefly they met at the time and place appointed where Hengist and his Saxons received him and his power with a countenance of peace and love but they had not long spoken together when Hengist giving the watchword the Britans were basely and barbarously butchered unlesse any by his manhood and strength wrest the Knife from his enemy and defend himselfe amongst the British Lords was one Edolf Earle of Chester who as Gunfride affirmes seeing his friends and fellows thus murdered he found the stake of an hedge by chance their scattered with which he not only saved his owne life but A valiant Britain slue seventeene of the opposite side and got safely into the City of Salisbury after which treason executed the King remained with Hengist as prisoner Hengist by his Treason having thus gotten the upper hand and reteining the King in his Vortiger suppressed by Hengist power and custodie hee compelled him to give him three Provinces in the East part of Britain Kent Suffex Norfolke and Suffolke to which some adde Essex c. of which being safely possessed hee suffered the King to goe at large sending for some other of his Kinsmen to take possession of other Provinces in the Kingdome crowning himselfe King of Kent and from his Britain first called England owne name caused this Realme to bee called Hengists Land or as wee now pronounce it England and the Saxons now spreading and quartering themselves in the best and most fertile soyles of the Land as having the Sovereignty over London Yorke Lincolne Winchester with most of the principall Cities in the Realme The Saxons still increasing in multitude and power and the Britains daily decreasing both in number and strength Vortiger was forced to flie or retire himself into Wales where Vortiger forced to fly into Wales after some writers thinking to fortifie himself he began to lay the foundation of a Castle called Generon or Gwayneren in the West side of the River Grana upon an Hill called Cloaricus But what successe he had in the building thereof and how Merlin came first to be knowne to the King with part of his Prophesies I will referre to the subsequent Chapter giving withall the intelligent peruser of this story to better his knowledge this Item that without the laying open of the true passage ofthose timâ—… which I have as briefly as possibly I could in the premises these our prophets predictions which now seeme plaine and easie would have beene much more intricate and hard to bee understood CHAP. 3. By what miraculous accident young Merlin came to be knowne to King Vortiger of the combat betwixt the red and the white Dragon and his prophesie thereof c. WHen Vortigers Architectors had caused the Hill to be digged and the foundation to bee laid on which to erect this new structure after the weake men had digged the circuit of the place where the great stones were to be set in order they were no sooner laid in the hollow of the earth but they instantly sunke down and were swallowed up and no more seen at which the Workmen wondred and the King himselfe was much astonished and the more proofs they made the greater cause of admiration they had especially the scituation being upon an Hill and no moorish or uncertaine ground therefore the King commanded a cessation from the worke for the present and sent to the Bards and Wisards of which that age afforded plenty Vortiger inquires of the Wizards to know a reason of that prodigie or at least what it might portend who being gathered together and having long consulted amongst themselves and not finding by any naturall or supernaturall reason what the cause thereof might be they concluded in the end to save their credits and to excuse their ignorance to put the King off with an impossiblitie and when hee came to demand of them what they had done in the matter they returned him this answer that those stones could never be laid together or the place built upon till they were cemented with the bloud of a man-childe who was borne of a mother but had no man to A cunning evasion his father With this answere the King satisfied the soothsayers departed from him not meanly glad that they had put him off according to our English word with a flam or delirement without any disparagement to their art and cunning who no sooner left his presence but the King cald his servants about him commanding them to ride and search into and through all Provinces and Countries till they could find such an one as the Wisards had spoken of and by faire or foule meanes to bring the party unto him but not acquainting him with the Cause but that the King seeing such an one would send him back richly and bountifully rewarded having received this commission or rather Imposition from the King their master wee leave them to their severall adventures every of them being sufficiently accommodated for so uncertaine a journey One of them amongst the rest hapned to come to a Towne or Citty called Kaier Merlin Merlins City since from him so called which implyes Merlins Towne or Merlins borrough which is no doubt the same which wee call at this day Marlborrow but my author termes it a City at whose gates the messenger of the king arriving it hapned that a great many young Lads were sporting themselves without the walls and of the company two of them in gaming fall out the one yong Merlin the other called Dinabutius who amongst other breathing words cast into Merlins teeth that hee was but some Moon-calfe as born of a mothsr who knew not his father The servant taking notice of this Language presently demanded what he was and who were his parents who returned him answer that for any father hee Merlin first discovered had they knew none but his mother was daughter to the King Demetius and lived a Votaresse in that Citie in a Nunnery belonging to the Church of Saint Peter which having heard her presently went to the chiefe Magistrates and shewed them his Commission from the King which they obeying sent both the mother and sonne under his conduct to attend the pleasure of his Majesty Of whose comming the King was exceeding joyfull and when they appeared before him Merlin and his mother appeare before the King both ignorant of the occasion why they were sent for the King first asked him if that were his naturall sonne Who reply'd that hee was and borne of her own body hee then
of her most trusty maids having hyred them to A cruell purpose of a mother that purpose to take the young spralling infants and either to kill them or to cast them into the next River to which purpose as they were hasting and carrying them in little baskets it pleased the higher powers that a grave and reverent Bishop met them upon the way and as hee passed by the women hee heard the infants to cry and make mone which hee imagined was Gods providence in the preservation of the children to implore his helpe and aide therefore hee made stay of them and would needs see what they carried in their laps concealed which they as loth to betray their ladies secrets unwilling to shew hee grew the more suspicious and compelled them having some servants then about him to discover what was hid in their baskets which being opened the babes all living seemd to rejoyce at his sight and smile in his face with which he was much delighted Then more strictly examining them to what purpose they carried them in that manner and threatning them with the severity of the Law if they told him not the truth they knowing the power and authority of the Church and danger of Ecclesiasticall censure and that their attempt deserved if not execution yet excommunication at the least concealed no part of the truth but earnestly solicited him whatsoever became of them to have a care of their Ladies honour the pious and charitable Prelate having been before himselfe of her perverse opinion and now seeing how justly the Creatour of all things had dealt with her and to what desperation shee was brought by thinking to save a A good and charitable Prelate poore credit in this life by the murther of so hopefull an issue to forfet all the hopes she had in the World to come hee dismist the bearers without any further trouble adjuring them to tell their Lady that they had wounded the young Infants according to her commandement of which he himselfe would take charge and adopt them for his owne and causing them to be born to his palace and after to the Church he himselfe baptized them and gave them their names as aforesaid then sent for Nurses and commanded that they should bee carefully educated and when they came to any understanding he set them to schoole and caused them to be instructed in all the seven Liberall Arts for hee found them to be of pregnant and capable apprehensions who after by his means came to be preferd to Church promotions and after to The seven children proved seven Bishops Episcopall Dignities I now proceed to Merlins next prophesie which thus followeth The Heavens in stead of water bloud shall showre And famine shall both young and old devoure Droop and be sad shall the red Dragon then But after mickle time be blithe agen And now the Serpent that was white before Shall have his silver scales all drencht in gore Seven scepter-bearing Kings in field shall die One of whose Sainted soules shall pierce the Skie Kept shall the babes bee from their Mothers wombes And soone as climbe on earth grope for their Tombes All by a brazen man shall come to passe Who likewise mounted on his Steed of brasse Both night and day will Londons prime Gate keep Whether the carelesse people wake or sleepe Whosoever shall read Matthew of Westminster our ancient English Chronologer pag. 29. shall finde that in the days of Cadwallo King King Cadwallo and his fortune of this Island the thirteenth after Brute that for three dayes together bloud dropt from the clouds after which came great swarms of infectious Flyes by whose bytings or stingings there was great mortality in this Land and by the shower of bloud is further intimated the great effusion of British bloud sometime by publicke hostility sometimes by Civill and Domesticke enmity profusely wasted in so much that the earth appeared as if bloud had been powred downe from the Heavens after which by the barrennesse of the earth followed so great a Famine that nothing was found for A great Fâ—mine the people to feed on but the roots of withered Herbs and Grasse and such flesh as they could catch by hunting No wonder then if this made the British Nation figured under the Red Dragon greatly to Britain much distressed droop which after much sufferance and labour was restored to his pristine state and dignity For Cadwallo who was King Anno salutis 633 after many horrid crosses and disasters â—xile expulsion from his Kingdome and the losse of his whole Inheritance was forced with a few of his followers that remayned of his many Legions to retire into the lesse Britaine to his Cousin King Salomon who courteously received him where hee wintred and in the spring when Kings goe customably out to warre hee Cadwallo returns to Britain furnisht him with an Army of ten thousand able men when having shipt her safely and prosperously arrived in this his owne native and hereditary provinces And hearing that Paeanda King of Mercia or middle England had besieged in Exeter his Cousin Briant with those poore remainder of Britons which he had left behind dividing his souldiers into severall Squadrons not only removed the siege but took the King prisoner who having given him sufficient hostages for his truth and fidelity Cadwallo receiveth Paeanda into league gave him also his only daughter to wife so that hee became the Father in Law who made him Generall of his Army After which Cadwallo calling all his exiled subjects dispersed abroad in severall provinces into the Kingdome hee raised a competent Army and invaded Northumberland with fire and sword of which Edwinus was then King who assembling to his aide all the Reguli or lesse Kings gave him a strong encounter in which his whole Army was discomfited and himselfe slain in the field whom succeeded his sonne Assricus assisted by Chaldodus Duke of the Orcades Cadwallo victorious over the Northumbers whom Matthew of Westminster cals Offridus and Gothaldus now Cadwallo not contented with his former victories gathered his whole forces together against Offricus whom hee also slue in battaile with his two Nephewes and Cadamus the Scots King who came to take part with the Northumbers which done he past through all the Kingdome being so maliciously and cruelly bent against the Saxons that hee His cruelty against the Saxons neither spared age nor sex killing the old and young Infants new borne and those that never saw the sun in their mothers wombs purposing utterly to extirpate and root out all the Saxon Nation thus you see the red Dragon namely the British Nation after much dejection exalted and the sâ—…ales of the white Serpent the Saxons stained in sanguine tincture by so generall a massacre It followeth seven Scepter-bearing Kings shall be slaine in the field of which one of them shall bee The names of the seven Kings slaine by
Monkes severally and either of them outbid the other the King casting his eye upon the third who came as their servant thinking his businesse had been to the same purpose demanded of him if hee would give more then his brethren had proffered who answered him againe that he would neither offer nor give to the value of one penny neither would he take any such charge upon him which came unlawfully by symony whose words when the King had duly considered he said that he of the three was best worthy to take so holy a charge upon him and gave it him freely Duke Robert being at this time in the holy Henry usurpeth the crown Wars the yongest brother Henry third son to the Conquerour and first of that name began his Reigne the fift day of August in the yeere of our Lord eleven hundred and one and this was he whom Merlin cals Leo Iustitiae the Lion â—…f Iustice who banisht from his Court all flattering and effeminate Sycophants he was also abstinent and abhorring gormondizing and the excesse of Feasts hee was further well studied in the seven Liberall Arts and used to fight more with counsaile then the sword and yet upon just occasion hee would shew himselfe as valiant as he proved fortunate In the second yeere of whose Reigne Robert his brother being there imployed in the Wars of Palaestine against the Miscreants and Infidels receiving newes that his brother William was dead and that his brother Henry had usurped Duke Robeâ—…t offered to bee made King of Ierusalem the Crown of England notwithstanding that the Christian Princes offered to make him King of Ierusalem yet he refused that honour but with great speed returned into Normandie and there raised forces to claime his right unto the Crown of England and landed at Portsmouth but a mediation of peace was made betwixt them and that hee should have the same yeerly revenue of three thousand Marks which he had in the days of King William with which he returned fully satisfied at which his Lords and Peeres were much discontented as also for other things which in his easie nature hee had yielded to both against his honour and profit Duke Robert neglected by his Peeres for which he was by them lesse regarded and in the end quite neglected This Robert in his Fathers days was in all his enterprizes victorious and after did many brave exployts at the siege of Acan against the Turks and as is before said was by the great suffrage of the Christian Hoast chosen King of Ierusalem but whether hee thought it to be an honour with too much trouble or for the covetousnesse of the Crowne of England hee made refusall thereof for which it hath beene thought that hee sped the worse in all his endevours after For a dissention fell betwixt him and his Nobles so that they sent to King Henry his brother that if hee would come over into Normandy they would deliver up the whole Country into his hands and acknowledge him their sole Lord and Governour of which profer it is said Henry accepted but before any hostility was threatned Robert came into England to visit his brother and new sister for the King was lately married to Mawd the Duke Roberts easie and liberall disposition daughter of Malcolme King of Scotland at whose request he released to his brother the tribute of three thousand Marks by the yeere and so departed Notwithstanding which by the instigation of bad and wicked Counsellours this seeming brotherly love was quite abrogated and dissolved so that the King with a strong Army invaded Normandy and by reason that Roberts Peeres and Nobles fell from him hee chased him from place to place and won from him his Cities Cane Roan and Faloys with all other places defensible so that Robert was forced to defire aide of Philip the French King and after of the Earle of Flanders but they both failed him so that with those few forces which hee could make hee gave battaile to his brother in the which hee was surprized and taken prisoner and sent over into England and put Duke Robert taken prâ—…soner by his bâ—…other into the Castle of Cardiffe in Wales where hee remayned his whole life time and being dead was buried at Glocester and thus hee who might have been King of Ierusalem and twice King of England had he taken the opportunity offered The Duchy of Duke Robert him died with no greater title then the bare Duke of Normandy Warres then grew betwixt the King of England and the French King in which they sped diversly but in the end Henry beat him in his own Country and had of him a glorious victory to the great terrour and astonishment of all the French Nation and those lesser Princes of his Confederacie making good that of the Prophet The Lion next of Iustice shall appeare Who 'gainst the Celticke Towers shall ladders reare And cause the Lily like the Aspen shake Whose rore shall all the Island Serpents quake By the Lily is meant the Flowre de Lyce which The Prophesâ—…e explained the French King beares in his Scutcheon which was said to quake like an Aspen whose leafe of all others is soonest moved with the winde by reason of the great affright and terrour hee put the French into at the noyse of his Drummes the thundring of his Horses hoofs and the lowdnesse of his warlike instruments About the twentieth yeere of this Kings Reigne when he had been three yeeres together in Normandy the King took shipping at Harflute a part of that Duchie the foure and twentieth day of November and arrived safe in England not many houres after And soon upon that his two sonnes William who was Duke of Normandy with Richard his brother with Notha the Countesse of Parsie Richard Earle of Chester with his wife the Kings Niece The Archdeacon of Hereford with Knights Gentlemen and others to the number of an hundred and forty persons These took shipping at the same Port to follow the King but in their passage the ship sunke under them and they were all drowned to one man saving a Butcher who reported that this disastrous misfortune fell The Kings two sonnes with many others drowned by the negligence of the Master and Saylers who in the night being at dissention amongst themselves ran the Vessell upon a Rocke and split her from which danger the young Duke William was escaped by getting into a boat neer the shâ—…are but when hee heard the lamentable out-cry of the Countesse Notha hee commanded the Rowers to row back and if it were possible to save her life who having recovered her into the boat they were by a tempestuous gust so over-charged that it was violently overturned and they all swallowed in the Sea of which strange accident Merlin also prophesied in these words The Lions whelps their nature shall forsake Catuli Leonis in aequoreo pisces transformabuntur And upon them the shape
seek a man not mony every Christian Prince sendeth us money but none sendeth us a Prince and therefore we demand a Prince that needeth money and not money that needeth a Prince who finding no other comfort from the King departed his presence much discontented but the King thinking to sooth him up with faire words followed him to the Sea-side but the more the King laboured to humour him the more harsh and hardned he grew against the King and said unto him hitherto thou hast reigned gloriously The Patriarchs answer to the King but hereafter thou shalt be abandoned of him whom thou forsakest think what he hath given to thee and what thou in gratitude hast returned to him againe who at the first wast false to the French King and after slewest Thomas Becket and now lastly forsakest the protection of Christs faith at which words the King was much moved and sayd to the Patiarch though all the people of the Land were one body and spoke with one mouth they durst not say to me as thou hast done true saith the Patriarch for they love thine and not thee the safety of thy goods temporall but not the safety of thy soule then he offered his head to the King saying now doe me that right which thou did'st to thine Arch-Bishop for I had rather be slayne by thee then by the Sarazens The King kept his patience and replied should I depart out of the Land mine owne sons would seise upon my Crowne and Scepter in mine absence no wonder answered the Patriarch A proud and peremptory Patriarch for of the devil they come and to the devill they shall and so departed from the King in great anger after which all things went averse against him Giraldus Cambrisius writes of him that he cherisht strife amongst his owne children thinking thereby to live himselfe in the more rest and further saith that hee was peerelesse for three things wit war wantonnesse He Raigned twenty sixe yeares victoriously and gloriously foure yeares distractedly and doubtfully and his five last yeares infortunately and miserably in the end by meere vexation and anger he fell into a fever and dyed thereof in the Castle of Chinon in Normandy in the moneth of The death of King Henry the second Iuly when he had raigned thirty foure yeares eight moneths and odd dayes and was buried at Founte-blew fulfilling that of the former prediction Fortune at first shall on his glories smile But faile him in the end c. Richard the first of that name and second sonn Richard the first succedeth his father of Henry sirnamed Short Mantle succeeded his father and began his Raigne over England in the moneth of Iuly 1189 who upon the day of his Coronation commanded that all the prisoners about London which lay in for the Kings debt or otherwise murder and treason excepted should be set at large of whose future Reign it was thus predicted The Lions heart wee l gainst the sarazen rise And purchase from him many a glorious prise The Rose and Lilly shall at first vnite But parting of the prey prove opposite Iebus and Salem will be much opprest As by the lame and blind againe possest The Lion-hearted amongst Wolves shall range And by his art Iron into silver change But whilst abroad these great acts shall be done All things at home shall to disorder run Coopt up and cag'd then shall the Lion bee But after sufferance ransom'd and set free Then doubly crowned two mighty ones whose prides Transcend twixt whom aseas arme only glides Ambitious both shall many conflicts try Last by a poysonous shaft the Lion dye This King soone after his Coronation conferd upon his brother three great dignities and honours as the Earldome of Nottingham Cornwale Chester and Lancaster and maried him to the daughter of the Earle of Gloster who was his only childe by which he was heire to that Earldome also all which he after but cruelly requited then the king sought to be absolved for his rebellion against his father which he easily purchast upon promise to pursue the wars Richard undertaketh the holy voyage in Palestina which his father refused and to expedite that voyage he gave over the two Castles of Barwick and Rocheborough to the Scotch king for ten thousand pound towards the charges of his journey moreover he sould to the old Bishop of Durham that Province for a great sum of mony and as he had covenanted made him Earle thereof which done the king laught and said to the standers by observe what art and cunning is in me who can make a young Earle of an old Bishop by such meanes hee emptyed many of the Clergies bagges and fil'd his own coffers granting large fees and annuities out of the Crowne for which some as far as they durst blaming him he replyed unto them that it was good for a man to ayde himselfe with his owne adding that if the citty London were his at that time of his neede he would sel that also if he could meete with a merchant able to buy it In the second yeare of his Raigne hee made The Bishop of Ely made Vice Gerent in the Kings absence William Longshamp Bishop of Ely Chancellour of England leaving the whole Land to his guiding then sayled he into Normandy and thence into France to Philip the second and after covenants drawne betwixt them for the continuance of so great and hazardous a iourney in the spring of the yeare they set forward Richard by sea and Philip by land appointing their randevouz in Sicily where meeting as it was agreed a difference grew betwixt the 2. Kings Difference betwixt the English and French Kings in so much that King Phillip left Richard in Sicily and departed towards Acon or Acris in which time the King of Cyprus tooke two of king Richards ships and peremptorily denyed their delivery For which he invaded the kingdome of Cyprus making sharpe war therein chacing the King from Citty to Citty in so much that K. Richard conquered the Kingdome of Cyprus he was compeld to yield unto him upon condition that he should not bee layed in bonds of iron whereof the king accepted and kept his promise causing him to be fettered in chaines of silver verifying that of the prophesie The Lion-hearted amongst Wolves shall range And by his art iron into silver change When he had remained there for the space of 2. months taking his pleasure of the countrey victualled his navy he steered his course towards Acon and by the way he encountered a great ship of the Soldans furnisht with store of amunition and treasure which he surprised seized after which he safely arived at the foresaid citty and met with the king of France of whom he was ioyfully received for not long before 2000 of his army were cut off by the Sarazens then King Richard caused the Citty to be violently assaulted on every side so that they were
torne What many Lions in their pride have worne Hither the French flower would it self transpose Where must spring after many a glorious rose Hee that did all he might the Kirk despise Against his life shall a base Kirk-man rise The former part of this prediction is apparant Iohn cold here the Fox and after the Leo pard in the premisses where Iohn sought like a Fox subtlely and craftily to insinuate into the peoples hearts and rob him of his Kingdom thinking his brother all that time as dead when hee was utterly despairing of his liberty but finding him waking as being enfranchised and set at large he then was frighted by the least frown of his brows being glad to mediate his peace by his Mother the rest shall follow in order hee was King Iohns châ—…acter of a disposition course and retrograde self-will'd and proud in all or most of his undertakings very infortunate In the first yeere of his reigne he divorced himselfe from his first wife daughter to the Earle of Glocester pretending too neere propinquitie in bloud and soone after married Isabel daughter to the Earle Angolesme King Iohns second mariage and issue in France by whom hee had issue two sonnes Henry and Richard and three daughters Isabel Eleanor and Iane He was before his coronation girt with the sword of the Dukedome of Britany and suffered it to be taken from him by his yong Nephew Arthur son to Ieffery Plantaginet to his great derogation and dishonour he after left all Normandy which the French King wonne Iohn looseth Normandy from him even to one Towne and Village approving that of the Prophet After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Rollo and Gilla Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got The Prophet for his stained and contaminated life and government would not vouchsafe him the name of a Lion but a Leopard alluding as well to his spotted fame as his skin by whose cowardly and unkingly proceedings Philip the French King seized all Normandy and tooke it into his absolute possession annexing it to his Crowne which no French Monarch ever had since the time of Charles the Simple who gave that Duchie to Rollo as a dowry with Guilla his daughter which had successively continued under the Sovereignty of the Dukes of Normandie and the Kings of England three hundred yeers and upwards In the first yeere of his Reigne Stephen Langton being chosen Archbishop of Canterbury by the Monks the election was opposed by the The ground of a great quarrel betwixt the King and the Archbishop King for which hee complained him to the Pope who sent unto him loving and kinde Letters to admit of the said Stephen to which his Lords advised him but the more he was importuned the more implacable hee grew returning the Popes messengers backe with peremptory deniall The next yeere came a strict commandement from Rome that unlesse the King would peaceably suffer the Archbishop to enjoy his See that the whole Land should be interdicted charging these four Bishops William of London King Iohns obstinacy Eustace of Elie Walter of Winchester and Giles of Hereford to denounce the King and his Land accursed unlesse his command were punctually obey'd but though these Prelates with the rest of his Peeres were urgent with him to eschew the rigorous Censure of the Church all was to no purpose for which upon the six and twentieth day of March they began in London and first shut up the doores of all Temples Churches and Chappels with all the other places where Divine Service was used and as in London so they did through the whole Land The whole land by the Popâ— accursed for which the King was so inraged that he seized all their temporalties into his hands putting them into such feare that they were forced to flie to the banisht Archbishop some write that this interdiction was of such power and validity that during the time therof which was six yeers three moneths and odde dayes no Service was said no Sacraments administred no Childe Christned none Married and not any suffered An uncharitable Bull. to come to Confesse In this interim the King from anger grew to The Kings Proclamation rage proclayming that all persons Spirituall or Temporall that held any Lands or other livelihood here shall by the next Michaelmasse returne into the Land or failing therein forfeit their whole estates besides that diligent search should be made what Letters should be brought from Rome which should bee delivered to the He extorteth from the Clergie King then hee extorted from all the Monasteries not sparing any Religious House that had dependance on the Clergie For which a new Commission was sent from Rome by vertue whereof the Curse of interdiction was againe denounced to which by the authority of the Pope was added that this his Bull acquitted and absolved all the Lords of England as well spirituall as Temporall from all duty and allegiance before sworne to the King and that they might lawfully rise in armes against him to depose and deprive him of all Regall honour and dignity but all these tooke no more impression The Lords and others acquit of their allegiance by the Pope in him then if they had beene clamoured in the eares of a deafe man or proclaymed to a Statue of Marble But by the way which I cannot let passe this King Iohn in the tenth yeere of his Reigne and of grace one thousand two hundred and ten The first Major and Sheâ—…iffs of London made by K. Iohn granted to the City of London by his Letters Patents that in stead of two Bayliffs by which their Magistracy was held they should yeerly choose themselves a Major and two Sheriffs which Major was Henry Fitz-allwin and Peter Duke and Thomas Neale Sheriffs The same yeere London bridge which before was of timber London bridge Saint Mary Overies was begun to be builded of stone and Saint Mary Overies Church to be erected in Southwark CHAP. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the Third succedeth his Father a prediction of his Reigne his brother Richard made King of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament The Barons Wars c. I Proceed where I left in the same yeere the Pope sent over his Legate More thunderings from the Pope Pandolphus with another a Latere to accompany him to solicit the same businesse who were sent back with a like frivolous answer yet hee sent againe the yeere following the same Pandolphus threatning wonders if hee did not receive Stephen Langton into his Archbishoprick and make restitution of all such moneys and other moveables of which he had robbed the Monasteries c. Then at last the King considering into what dangers hee had intricated himselfe hy his peremptory denials how he had lost Normandy abroad and then in what desperate case his Kingdom stood King Iohns submission at home
place called Bellalaund or Brighland hee had like to have beene taken as he sat at dinner which could not have beene had he not had some traitours about him and now confer the premisses The King almost surprized at dinner with the Prophesie Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They fore't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin The two Owls are the two Spencers who from the ashes of the Cornish Eagle Gaveston grew into the especiall favour of the King who were sayd to case the Goat in the skinne of the Lyon by animating the effeminate King to the warres against the Barons by whose deaths they got many rich spoyls and then forced to take their wings to fly where they were banisht the Realme at the parliament of white Bands c. The state of the kingdome thus standing and the two Spencers commanding all the Land had Warres with France about the Dutchy of Guian to attone which difference betwixt the two Kings the two Spencers being in all things The hate of the Spencers towards the Queene which was after the cause of their ruine opposite to the Queen whom they had brought to the bare allowance and pension of twenty shillings a day they further plotted how to rid her out of the Land and perswaded the King to send her into France to make peace betwixt the two Kingdomes having before seized on all her lands and those belonging to the Prince The Queen sent into France Briefely the Queene arrived in France and was royally received by her brother who hearing of her base usage and by whom he was much incensed against the K. and his wicked Counsellors and sent to him under his seale to come in person into France to doe him homage or he She is royally received by the King her brother should forfeit the Dutchy of Guian Of which K. Edward took little regard in hope his Queen would salve all things that were amisse betwixt the brother and husband After the Queenes three months abode in France the Prince desired of his Father that he might have leave to visite his mother and unckle which his Father granted and said to him at parting Goe my faire sonne in Gods blessing and mine and returne to mee againe as speedily as you may who passing the Sea and comming to the Kings Court hee joyfully received him and said Faire sonne you bee welcome and since your Father came not to doe homage for the Dutchy of Guian as his antecessors have done I give you the Lordship to hold of me in heritage and so the Prince was created and thence forward called the Duke P. Edward made Duke of Guien of Guien Which being knowne to King Edward hee was highly incensed especially because the Prince was instated into that honour without his consent and pleasure and finding that notwithstanding his often sending they made no haste to returne hee made Proclamation that if within such a day prefixed they made not their repaire into the Land they should be held as enemies to the Crowne and state but the Queene much fearing the malice of the Spencers whom she knew to bee her mortall enemies she removed not thence then the King made forfeiture of all their goods and Lands before seized and took the profits of them to his owne use and sent sharpe and threatning Letters to the French King if he suffered them The French King refuseth to aid his sister to sojourne longer in his Realme upon which he commanded them thence without any further comfort or succour At that time Sir Iohn Henaud brother to the Earle of Henaud a man of great courage and valour being in the French Court much commiserating the Queene and the Prince desired her to goe with him to his brother the Earle of which she was glad and taking his noble offer was there honourably received Then was a marriage concluded betwixt Prince Edward The Prince contracted to Philip daughter to the Earl of Henaud and Phillip the Earles Daughter upon certaine conditions one of which was that the Earle should send over into England the Queene and her sonne with 400 men at Armes under the conduct of his Brother In which interim the two Spencers sent three Barrells of Coyne with Letters to some of the French Peeres that if it were possible they should make away the Queene or her sonne or at least send them away disgraced out of the Realme which mony and Letters were taken by a ship of the Henauders and brought to the Queene during her abode The Spencers beat at their own weapons there which the Earles brother seeing said unto her bee of comfort Madam this is a good Omen the Spencers your enemies have sent you money to pay your souldiers Of which the King of England having intelligence he sent to all the Ports and Havens to interdict their landing notwithstanding which the Queene and Prince with these foure hundred Hollanders and a small company of English gentlemen who had fled to her in the time of her exile landed at a port called Orwel besides The Queene landeth in Suffolk Harwich in Suffolke the fifteenth of September Sir Iohn Henaud the Earles brother being their Captain and Leader without any opposition or resistance to whom after their landing the people resorted in great companies and sped towards London where the King and the Spencers were then resident who hearing of the multitudes that then drew unto her left Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter Custos of the Citie The King and Spencers flie to Wales and with a small company fled towards Wales she came then to London where the people were willing to receive her which the Bishop with many sharpe and bitter words opposing the Commons of the City tooke him violently and beheaded him with two of his Esquires at the Standard in West-cheap whose bodies were borne to the Thames side where the Bishop had begun a new edifice contrary to their liking and there unreverently buried The Queene with an easie march followed The Queene pursueth the King the king who came to Bristoll with the Earle of Arundell the two Spencers and his infamous Chancellour Baldock where after counsell taken it was agreed that Hugh Spencer the father should stay there and take charge of the towne and castle whilest the King and the rest tooke shipping thence for Wales to raise the Welshmen in his aid of which the Queene having notice sent thither the Earle of Kent Sir Iohn Henaud with others who with small difficultie The Town and Castle of Bristoll taken tooke the towne and castle with Hugh Spencer the father alive and delivered them to the Queene who remained there till the greatest part of her army pursued the King and his other Minions
was surprized in Nottingham Castle though the keyes were day and night in his owne keeping and sent to the Tower who was accused of the Lords of the Parliament of these particulars following first of the bloudy murder of Edward of Carnarvan in Berkley Castle secondly that he had confederated with the Scots against the honour of the King thirdly that hee had received great summes of money from Sir Iames Douglas Captaine of the Scots delivering unto him the Charter called Ragman to the Scots great advantage and impoverishing of England Fourthly that hee had ingrost into his hands much of the Kings treasure which he had riotously wasted to his owne use by which meanes the King was forc't to borrow of his friends fiftly that he was more private and familiar with Queene Isabel the Kings Mother then was to Gods pleasure and the Kings honour of which Articles being convicted hee was by authority of the said Parliament judged to death and upon Saint Andrews Eve following at London drawne and hanged In his fourth yeere about the beginning of August Sir Edward Baliol the sonne of Sir Iohn The death of Mortimer Baliol sometime King of Scots obtained such favour of King Edward that with the aide of Sir Henry Beaumont Sir David Stocley Sir Iefferey Mowbray and two thousand Englishmen they entred Scotland by Sea where drew to them such multitude that in short time Sir Edward was Lord of a great Hoast and kept his way till he came to a place called Gladismore or as some write Crakismore where hee was encountred with the power of Scotland where betwixt them was fought a sharpe and cruell Sr. Edward Balioll crowned K. of Scots battaile in which a great multitude of the Natives was slaine by reason whereof hee was crowned King at the Towne of Stone shortly after and met with the King at New-castle where Edward received of him fealty and homage for the Crowne of Scotland but soone after the Scots laid plots against his life which he narrowly escaped being forc't to flie from place to place and hide himselfe which King Edward hearing with a strong army pierced K. Edward of England besiegeth Barwick the Realme of Scotland and laid siege to the Towne of Barwick Upon the nineteenth of Iuly the Scots with a mighty power made thither with purpose to remove the siege whom King Edward met and encountred on Halidon Hill giving them battaile over whom he had a triumphant victory insomuch that hee slue of them seven Earles nine hundred Knights and Bannerets four hundred The famous battaile at Hallidowne Hill Esquires and of the common people two and thirty thousand in which battail were slain of the English but 15 persons after which glorious victory the Captaine of Barwick the morrow following being Saint Margarets day yielded to the King both the Town and Castle which verifies that mauger the Canicular Tyke Tweed shall he passe and set his foot in Wyke Tyke is that which the Northerne men call a Dogge and by the Canicular Tyke is meant the Dog-starre Tweed is the water which parteth the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and by Wyke as is before remembred meant the Towne of Barwicke I onely capitulate this one battaile of many against the Scots purposing the like compendiousnesse in his famous victories over the French During the dissention betwixt the two Kings of England and France which by no mediation could be atton'd though there were many meetings English ships taken by the French to that purpose the French King sent a strong Navy to Sea to take our English Merchants and encountred with two good ships of England called the Edward and the Christopher and after nine houres fight in which were slaine of both parties about sixe hundred men the two ships were taken and all the wounded Englishmen alive cast overboard into the Sea after King Edward in his fifteenth yeere in the moneth of Iune tooke shipping and sayled towards Flanders where met him Sir Robert Morley with the North Navy of England so that his Fleet consisted of three hundred sayle and at Midsomer upon Saint Iohns Eve hee met and fought with the French Navy which were foure hundred saile which lay in waite for him â—…eere to the Towne cald Sluce their chiefe Admirals were Sir Hugh Querret Sir Nicholas Buchet and Barbe Nore in English black beard The French Admirals Betwixt these two Royall Fleets was a strong and bloudy fight which continued for the space of eight houres before it could be distinguisht which way the victory was likely to incline yet in the end by Gods mercy and the manhood of the King the French were chaced and many of their ships burned and taken amongst which were the ships of the two Admirals Querret and Buchet who maugre the French were hanged up in their owne Vessels and amongst the rest were recovered the Edward and the Christopher manned with the French in this battaile the King himselfe was sore wounded in the thigh and of the French were slain thirty thousand A glorious Sea-victory in that one Navall conflict soon after or as some write a little time before by the advice of his confederate Princes hee layed claime to the Crowne of France as his rightfull inheritance King Edward lays claime to the Crowne of France and for the more authority to countenauce itâ—… hee quartered the English Lions with the French Flower de Lyces as they remaine to this day so that we see Neptune his Navall Triumphs did advance and He his Coat quarters with the Arms of France I am forc't to intermit many and divers conflicts and skirmishes with winning of Forts and Castles Challenges that past betwixt the two Kings with the particular valours and noble Gests of sundry of our Nation to relate which would aske a voluminous Tractate where my confinement is to a meer epitomy of Chronicle passing over all accidents saving what are most remarkable which brings me to the eighteenth yeere of his Reigne In which at a Parliament King Edwards eldest son created Prince of Wales held at West minster his eldest sonne Edward was created Prince of Wales and he in the yeer following first instituted the famous renowmed Order of the Garter which was solemnized at Windsor as it is continued to this day In his one and twentieth yeere hee landed in Normandy The Order of the Garter first instituted and burnt and spoyled all the Country before him wasting the Province of Constantine Then he laid siege to Caan the chief City and wonne it and amongst other he took there prisoners the Constable of France and the Kings Chamberlaine and all the spoyle of the City which was held to be inestimable and sent to his ships which was conveighed into England He then entred France and coasted towards Paris to Vernon to Poysie to Saint German still wasting as hee went Then hee tooke and made use of all the Kings Royall Mannors
and Palaces and drunke his Wine and occupied all such stuffe and necessaries as he there found and after his departing set them on fire as Saint German Mount-joy Pezzy c. In so much that the French King thinking it a great dishonour both to him and the whole Nation that the English should pierce the heart of his Kingdom unfought with hee therefore assembled all his prime Chevalry and met with the English farre inferiour to them in number neere to a town called Cressie and upon the twentie sixt of August was fought betwixt them a sharpe and The famous field of Cressy wonne by the English bloudy battaile in which at the end King Edward was the triumphant Victor where were at that time slaine of the French party The King of Bohemia sonne to Henry the Emperour the seventh of that name with the Duke of Loraine the Earle of Alonson brother to the King Charles Earle of Bloys the Earles of Flanders Sancer Harcourt and of Fiennes with divers other to the number of eight Bishops and Earls with seventeene Lords of name and of Bannerets Knights and Esquires more then sixteene hundred so that their owne Chroniclers report that the flower of France perisht in that battail besides of the commons above eight thousand and the French King with a small company sore wounded fled to a Towne called Bray and The French King wounded there lay the night following Whom King Edward pursued not being advertised of another great host comming towards him and therefore he kept the field and A second battell set watches and made great fires thorow the host and so continued till the munday following upon which day early in the morning appeared to them a new army of French men of which they slew more in number than the Saturday before and then having given thanks unto God for his great victorie he marches towards Bulloine and thence to Calais to which K. Edward besiegeth Calais he laid siege for the space of a whole yeare then came the French King with a numerous Army to remove him but before his comming it was Calais won by the English yeelded to King Edward so that hee departed thence sad and ashamed But King Edward staied in the towne a month and removed all the old Inhabitants which were French and stored it with English but especially Kentish men and having set all things in order hee sailed with great tâ—…iumph into England and arrived at London the twentie third day of October where he was magnificently received of the Citizens and so conveyed unto Westminster We have hither to spoke only of the father it followes that some thing should be said of the son the unparallel'd Edward Prince of Wales Why Prince Edward was called the Black Prince not for his complexion but for his terrour in battell surnamed the Black Prince who whilst his father rested him in Calais with a puissant host entred Gascoyne and made spoyle at his pleasure through the whole Country and with great riches and many noble prisoners hee retyred himselfe to Burdeaux and though the Earls of Armineck and of Foyz of Poytiers and Cleremont with Iames de Burbon and many other Knights who had double the number to the Prince were in his way yet passed he from Tholous to Nerbon and from Nerbon to Burdeaux without battaile where having reposed himself awhile and rested his army he sent many of his prisoners into England and there entred the province of Berray and therein made sharpe warre which King Iohn of France hearing he gathered a mighty number of people and made towards the Prince who in the mean season was passed the River of Loyer and encountred by divers of the Nobility of France betwixt whom was a sharp conflict but the fortune of the day fell to the Prince who slue many of his enemies P. Edward victorious against the French and took divers prisoners as the Lord of Craou and others of note to the number of fifty foure whom he had sent to safe custody in Burdeaux and himselfe sped to Towres whither also K. Iohn came against the prince who took his way to Poytiers where we for a while leave him upon his march c. CHAP. 22. The famous Battaile of Poytiers fought by Edward sirnamed the Black Prince in which he tooke Iohn the French King prisoner His other victories in France His conquest in Spaine The death of the victorious Prince Edward King Edward the Thirds death and Epitaph Richard the second made King a prediction of his Reigne The insurrection of the Commons The memorable Act of William Walworth Lord Major c. WE left Prince Edward upon his march toward Poytiers in keeping which way a French Army encountred A second battail against the French him but he chaced their multitude and besides many slaine took of them forty prisoners amongst which were the Earle of Sancer the Earle of Iurigny the Lord Chasterlin Master of the Kings palace and a Knight called Sir Guilliam de Daneham whom hee also sent to his rendevouz at Burdeaux and soone after hee lodged him and his Hoast neer Poytiers so that the Fronts of both Hoasts lay within a quarter of a mile each of other betwixt whom the Cardinall of Pernigvort sent from pope Innocent the sixt laboured to make a peace but finding his endevour frustrate hee retyred himselfe to Poityers to attend the successe of the battaile which was fought upon Monday the nineteenth of September in the yeere of Grace one thousand The famous battail of Poytiers three hundred fifty six and the sixt yeer of Ring Iohn the manner followeth The Duke of Athenes with such of the Nobility as were in the Kings Vaward about two aclocke in the afternoone set upon the English Hoast which was strongly munified with wood and trees in the manner of a Barricadoe so that the French Cavalry could not approch them but the shot of the English Archers was so violent that it overturned horse and man and whilest the Duke of Athenes with Sir Iohn Cleremont Marshall of France and others assaulted the prince and his people on one side The Duke of Normandy King Iohns eldest son and the Duke of Orleance the Kings brother set upon him on another part which two Dukes were Leaders of two strong Armies But these The manner of the battaile three battails did little harme to the English for by reason of their arrows the French were so gauled and wounded that they fled to the great dismay and discomfort of the King and the rest of his people Who then in person came on with his mayn Hoast but the English kept themselves whole without scartering and received them on the points of their weapons with such dexterity and courage that the French were forc't to give back of which the English taking the advantage rowted their whole Army in which battaile Noble men of France slaine in the battaile were
Iohn of Gaunt claymes his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings Daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons against the present government The pride of the Dukes Court The Dukes of Hereford and Norfolke banished King Richard deposed and Henry Duke of Hereford and Lancaster made King WHen the King saw the great manhood and courage of the Lord Major The Lord Major and divers Aldermen Knighted by the King and his Brethren the Aldermen his assistants hee in his own person Knighted the said William Walworth with Nicholas Bremble Iohn Philpot Nicholas Twiford Robert Laundor and Robert Gayton Alderman and moreover in the memory of that Noble Act added to the Armes of the City the bloudy Dagger as it remayneth to this day In the eleventh yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Uncle to the King the Earle of Arundell with the Earles of Warwicke Darby and Nottingham taking into their consideration how much the land was misgoverned and his Majesty mislead by some Sycophants neere about him they met in counsell at a place A Parliament to rectifie the Commonweale called Radecockbridg and having assembled a strong power came to London and there caused the King to call a Parliament whereof hearing Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke Lionel Vere Marquesse of Divelin Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke and Chancellour of England fearing the censure of that high Court â—…ed the Land and dyed in forreigne Countries Then the King by counsell of the fore-said Lords caused to be apprehended Sir Robert Tresilian chief Iustice of England Sir Nicholas Brembre late Major of the City Sir Iohn Salisbury of the Persons judged to death Kings Houshold Sir Iohn Beauchampe Steward of the House Sir Simon Burleigh Sir Thomas Bernes Sir Robert Belknap with one Iohn Vske Serjeant at Arms all which by the foresaid Parliament were convict of Treason and put to death some at Tyburne some at Towerhill and all such as fled with those that forsook the land by the authority of that high Court banished for ever In the thirteenth yeare Iohn a Gaunt Duke Iohn a Gaunt clayms his title in Spain of Lancaster with a strong army sailed into Spaine to claime the Kingdome in right of Lady Constance his wife the daughter of Don Peter with whom joyned the King of Portugall with his forces so that of necessity the King of Spain was forced to treat with the Duke of peace and amity the conditions were that the King of Spaine should marry the Dukes eldest daughter named Constance and moreover should give unto the said Duke to recompence the charges of his warre so many wedges of gold as should load eight Chariots and moreover during the lives of the said Duke and his wife hee should at his proper cost and charges deliver unto the Honourable conditions of peace Dukes Assignes yearely ten thousand Markes of gold within the towne of Bayon which conditions being ratified and assurance given for the performance thereof the Duke departed with the King of Portugall to whom shortly after hee married his second daughter the Lady Anne so that the elder and the younger were made the two Queenes of Spaine and Portugall King Richards first wife being dead after hee K. Richards second marriage maried Isabel the daughter of Charles the sixt K. of France who was but 8. years of age at whose espousalls in the French kings Court many rich interchangable gifts passed betwixt them as first the king of England gave the French king a Bason of gold and Ewer who returned him three standing Cups of gold with covers and a Enterchangeable gifts betwixt the two Kings ship of Gold garnished with pearle and stones at a second meeting Richard gave him a curious Oâ—…ch set with rich stones valued at five hundred Markes then the French King gave him two Flagons of gold and a Tablet of gold set with Diamonds and in it the picture of St. Michael a Tablet of gold with a Crucifixe another with the image of the Trinity and a fourth with the image of Saint George all of them set with stones of great splendor Richard then presented him with a Belt or Bauldricke set with great Diamonds Rubies and Emeraulds which for the riches thereof the King wore upon him so often as they met together many other presents past betwixt them and a full peace was concluded betweene them for thirty yeares Peace concluded betwixt England and France and amongst other things King Richard delivered up Brest which had beene long held by the English The yeare after in the Moneth of February the King held a magnificent Feast at Westminster Hall whither pressed divers Souldiers lately discharged from Brest whose mindes when the Duke of Gloster rhe Kings Vncle understood he went to his Majesty and said Sir doe you take notice of you Souldiers who asked him again what they were The Duke replyed these be your subjects souldiers cashiered from Brest who have done you good service and have now no meanes to live upon who have been ill paid and now are worse rewarded To whom the King answered it was my will they should have been well paid but if ought have failed therein let them petition to our Treasurer at length the Duke said but it savoureth of small discretion to deliver up a strong Fort with ease which was got with great difficulty by your Progenitors The Duke of Glosters bold replye to the King at which the King changed countenance and said Vncle how spake you these words which the Duke with great vehemency uttered againe whereat the King being more moved replyed Thinke you I bee a Merchant or foole to sell my Land by St. Iohn Baptist nay c. For these words thus uttered on both sides great ranâ—…or was kindled betwixt the King and Duke which was never extinguished till by the consent of the K. his uncle was basely murdered For the Duke purposing to remove some who were potent about the king called to him A second purpose for reformation the Earles of VVarwicke of Arundel and of Nottingham who was Marshall of England and of the Clergy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the two Abbots of St. Albans and VVestminster and these were solemnly sworne to supplant from their authority the Duke of Lancaster the Duke of Yorke with others prejudiciall to the good of the kingdome But Nottingham contrary to his oath revealed all to the king A persidious act in the Earle of Notingham who presently whilst the other thought themselves secure called another Councell in which it was decreed that the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke shâ—…uld bee censured and brought to the King who in person arrested his Vncle Sir Thomas of VVoodstock some say at Plashy in Essex others at Greenwitch in the night time and taking him in his bed first sent him to the Tower and
all things were in readinesse for the performance thereof But that day in the Morning A conspiracy of the Lords against King Henry came secretly unto the King the Duke of Aumerle and discovered unto him that he with the foresaid Lords gentlemen had made a solemne conjuration to kill him in the said Mask therefore advised him to provide for his safety upon which notice given the King departed privately from Windsor and came that night to London upon which the Lords finding their plot to be discovered they fled westward but the King caused speedy pursuit after them so that the Duke of Surry and the Earle of Salisbury were taken at Ciceter Sir Thomas Blunt Sir Benet Saly and Thomas Wintercell at Oxford Sir Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter at Pitwell in Essex and divers others in severall places the Noble men were beheaded the rest drawne and quartered but all of their Heads set upon the Bridge gate at London approving the premises Meane time shall study many a forrest beast By a new way to kill the Foxe in jest But crafty Rainold shall the plot prevent And turne it all to their owne detriment The King having well considered of this great conspiracy and that they intended by his death to restore the imprisoned King to his diadem The Foxes policy he bethought himselfe that he could live in no safety whilst the other was breathing and therefore he determined of his death and to that purpose called unto him one Sir Pierce of Exton to see his will executed who presently poasted to Pomphret and with eight more well armed entred the Castle and violently assaulted him with their Polaxes and Halberds in his Chamber who apprehending their purpose and seeing his owne present danger most valiantly wrested one of their weapons from him with which he manfully acquitted himselfe and slew foure of the eight before he himselfe fell but at the last he was basely wounded to death by the hand of Sir Pierce of Exton whose body was after laid in the Minster at Pomphret to the publicke view that all men might be satisfied of his The Death of K. Râ—…chard death and was after brought up to London and exposed to all eyes in Pauls least any man should after pretend to lay any plots for his liberty And now King Henry being in peaceable and quiet possession of the Kingdomes thought it time to rifle his predecessors Coffers in whose Treasury he found in ready Coyne three hundred thousand pound sterling besides Plate What King Richards treasure amounted to at his death Iewels and rich Vessels as much if not more in value Besides in his Treasurers hands hee found so many gold Noble and other summes that all of them put together amounted to seven hundred thousand pounds sterling yet could not all this summe afford him a better funerall than in the poore Friery of Langley which after by Henry the Kings sonne in the first yeare of his reigne was removed thence and with great solemnity interred amongst the Kings in the Chappell of Westminster All this processe verifying the former prediction The Foxe being earth't according to his mind In the Kids den a Magazin shall find Yet all that treasure can his life not save But rather bring him to a timelesse grave Over his Tombe in the Chappell the King caused these Verses following to be inscribed Prudens mundus Ricardus jure secundus K. Richards Epitaph Perfatum victus jacet hic sub marmore pictus Verus sermone suit plenus ratione Corpore procerus animo prudens ut Homerus Ecclesiam favit elatos suppeditavit Quemvis prostravit regalia qui violavit Thus Englished Wise and cleane Richard second of that name Conquered by fate lyes in this Marble frame True in his speech whose reason did surpasse Of feature tall and wise as Homer was The Church he favoured he the proudsubdude Quelling all such as Majesty pursude Concerning which Epitaph one of our English Chronologers seeing how it savoured more of flattery then truth thus exprest himself But yet alas though this meeter or rime Thus death embelisht this Noble Princes fame And that some Clerk which favoured him sometime List by his comming thus to enhance his name Yet by his story appeareth in him much blame Wherefore to Princes is surest memory Their lives to expresse in vertuous constancie In the second yeere of King Henries Reigne The rebellion of Owen Glendour Owen Glendour rebelled in Wales against whom the King entred the Countrey with a strong army but at the Kings comming hee fled up to the Mountaines whom the King for the endangering his Hoast durst not follow but returned without deeming any thing worthy note In the yeere following Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester and Sir Henry Piercy sonne and heire to the Earle of Northumberland gathered The battaile at Shrewsbury a great power and upon the one and twentieth day of Iuly met with the King and his army neere unto Shrewsbury betwixt whom was fought a cruell and bloudy battail but at length the King was victor in which fight Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester was taken and his Nephew Sir Henry with many a brave Northerne man was slaine And upon the Kings part the Prince was wounded in the head and the Earle of Stafford with many others slaine It was observed that in this battail father fought against sonne sonne the father brother the brother and uncle the nephew the twenty fift of Iuly following was Sir Thomas Percy beheaded at Shrewsbury and in August after the Duchesse of Britain landeth at Flamoth in Cornwall K. Henries second mariage with the Duchesse of Britain and from thence conveyed to Winchester where shee was solemnely espoused to King Henry Soone after Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke with the Lord Mowbray Marshall of England with others to them allyed made a new insurrection against the King with purpose A nâ—… insurrection to supplant them to whom the King gave battaile on this side Yorke where after some losse on both sides the King had the better of the day the Archbishop and the Martiall being both taken in the field and soone after beheaded in that Kings Reigne was the Conduit builded in Cornwall as it now standeth The Market of the Stocks at the lower end of Cheapside and the Guild hall of London new edified and of a Sumptuous buildings during this kings Reigne small cottage and ruinous and decayed house made such a goodly structure as it appeares to this day Moreover the famous and stately Bridge of Rochester with the Chappell at the foot of the said Bridge was fully perfited and finished at the sole charge and cost of Sir Robert Knolls who in the time of Edward the third Sir Robert Knolls had atchieved many brave and memorable victories in France and Britain who also re-edified the body of the White Friers Church in Fleetstreet to which place hee left many good Legacies and
our Lady after whose death notwithstanding the incomparable valour of the Lord Talbot whose name was so The death of the D. of Bedford regent terrible in France that with it women frighted their children to still and quiet them the Earle of Arundell and others yet fortune for the most part was averse to the English c. and though there were many Treaties of peace to bee made betwixt the two Kingdoms yet they came to no effect and thus for divers yeeres it continued During which passages divers murmurs and grudgings beganne to breake out betwixt the Duke of Glocester Lord Portectour and Uncle to the King and divers persons neere about the Court amongst which was chiefe the Earle of Suffolke which in the end was the confusion Suffolk seeketh to supplaâ—…t the Duke of Glocester of them both For in the one and twentieth yeere the said Earle of Suffolke who had broke off a Mariage concluded by the English Embassadors betwixt King Henry and the daughter to Earle Arminacke went over into France and made a match betwixt him and the Kings daughter of Hierusalem and Cicily who had the bare titles thereof and was indeed a king Suffolks proceedings without a Country to compasse which mariage he delivered to the said king the Duchie of Anjou and Earldome of Maine which were called the keyes of Normandy to the great prejudice and dishonour of the English Nation For which service done he was created Marquesse of Suffolke and soone after with his wife and others pompously accommodated brought her into England where shee was espoused to the King at a place called Southwick in Hampshire The King marrieth the Lady Margaret whence after she was convayed to London and thence to Westminster and thereupon the 30 of May being Trinity Sunday solemnly crowned With which match it seemes God was not well pleased for after that day fortune began to forsake the King who lost his Friends in England and his revenues in France for soone after Q. Margaret causeth many miseries the whole State was swayed by the Queene and her Counsell to the dishonour of the king the Realmes detriment and her owne disgrace for thereby fell the losse of Normandy the division of the Lords the rebellion of the Commons The king deposed her sonne slaine 〈◊〉 and she banisht the Land for ever all which â—…iseries fell as some have conjectured for the breach of that lawfull contract first made betwixt the king and the daughter to the Earle of Arminacke In his five and twentieth yeere was a Parliament called at Saint Edmondsbury in Suffolke which was no sooner begun and the Lords assembled but Humphrey Duke of Glocester was The Protectour arresteâ—… aâ—…d after murdered in his bed arrested by Viscount Beaumond then high Constable of England the Duke of Buckingham and others and the sixt day after found dead some say murdered in his bed of whose death the Marquesse of Suffolke was most suspected whose body after it was publikely showne was conveighed to Saint Albons and therehonourably interred and soon after five of the principall of his Houshold hang'd and drawne but by the kings mercy not quartered In his eight and twentieth yeere was called The Marquesse of Suffolke arrested another Parliament in which the Marquesse of Suffolke was arrested and sent to the Tower where hee lived a moneth at his pleasure and was after set at large to the discontent of some Lords but all the Commons For he was charged with the delivery of Amiens and Maine and the murder of Duke Humphrey called the good Duke of Glocester upon which ensued a rebellion of the commons of which one Blew-beard Blew-beard cald himselfe Captain but they were soon supprest and the chief of them put to death the Parliament was then adjourn'd to Leicester whither caâ—…e the King and with him the Queens great Favourite the Duke of Suffolke Then the Commons made petition to the king that all such as had hand in the delivery of Anjou and Maine and the death of the Protector might be severely punished of which they accused as guilty the Marquesse of Suffolke the Lord Say The Marquesse of Suffolk banisht for five yeeres the Bishop of Salisbury one Damiall a Gentleman and one Trivillian with others to appease whom Suffolke was exiled for five yeeres and the Lord Say Treasurer of England with the rest were put a part for a while and promist that they should bee imprisoned and Suffolke taking shipping in Norfolke to have sailed into France was met by a ship of Warre called the Nicholas of the Tower and being knowne by the Captain he tooke him into his owne Vessell and brought him backe to the port of Dover where on the side of the Boat he caused his head to be struck off and cast it with the body on the The death of Suffolk sands and so went again to sea In this yeere also being the Iubilee the commons of Kent assembled themselves in great multitudes under a Captaine called Iacke Cade The insuâ—…rection of â—…ck Cade who named himselfe Mortimer and Cousin to the Duke of Yorke against him the King raised a strong Hoast and sent Sir Humphrey Stafford and William his brother with certain forces to subdue them but the Rebels prevailed against them and left the two Noble brothers dead in the field after which victory the Captaine put on him Knights apparell with Briganders set with gilt nayls and Helmet with gilt Spurs To The Captains pride whom was sent the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Buckingham who had conference with him and found him very discreet in his answers but not to bee wonne to lay by his armes and to blinde the eyes of the people the more hee used great justice in his Campe at length he came to Southwarke at which time the commons of Essex lay with an army at Mile-end and when hee approched the draw-bridge he hewed the ropes and chains asunder with his Iack Cade enters London sword and so entred London where hee made proclamâ—…tions in the Kings name that no man on pain of death should rob spoyle or take from any man but to pay for whatsoever hee cald for which drew unto him the hearts of many of the Citizens and when he came to London stone His cunning to delude the people he strook upon it with his sword and said Now is Mortimer Lord of this City after hee caused the Lord Say to bee fetcht from the Tower and without any just processe at the Standard in Cheape commanded his head to be His Iustice. cut off and another called Cromer who had bin high Sheriffe of Kent he also commanded to be beheaded then pitcht their heads upon two poles and as they passed the streets in divers places caused the poles to joyn so that the dead mouthes kissed each other Thus hee had free recourse into the Citie by day and at night returned
sundry of the Nobility then made their residence who hearing thereof assembled also a sufficient Army and sped towards Saint Albons of which the Duke of Yorke being advertised hee also made thither and was at one end of the Town whilst the King and his people were at the other and this was on the three and twentieth day of May the Thursday before Whitsonday Now whilst a Treaty of peace was communed upon the one part the Earle of Warwicke with the Marchmen The battail at S. Albons entred the Towne upon the other end and fought eagerly against the Kings people so that both the battails joyn'd and continued the fight for many houres but in the end the victory fell to the Duke of Yorke and of the Kings side were slaine the Duke of Somerset the Earle of The King taken Northumberland and the Lord Clifford with many honourable Knights and Gentlemen The morrow after the Duke with great honour and reverence conveighed the King backe to London and lodged him in the Bishops Palace then called a parliament at Westminster by authority whereof the Duke of Yorke was Yorke made Protector made protector of the Realme the Earle of Salisbury Chancelour and the Earle of Warwick Captaine of Callis and all such as were in authority about the king removed and the Queeene and her Counsaile who before swayed all vilified and set at nought But shee out of her great policy insinuated with divers Lords who were of her faction and disdaining the rule the Duke bore in the Realme by the name of protector as if the King were insufficient to governe A sodaine change the state which as shee thought was great dishonour to him and disparagement to her she made such friends of the Lords both spirituall and temporall that the Duke was shortly discharged of his protectorship and the Earle of Salisbury of his Chancellourship which was the cause of much combustion after So that it appeares A Tigresse then in title onely proud In the Lambes bosome seeks her selfe to shroud A seeming Saint at first meeke and devout But in small time her fiercenesse will break out Nor can her rav'nous fury be withstood Vntill through sated with best English blood Which will manifestly appeare in the sequell for she causing the king to remove from The Queens practise against the Lords London to Coventry the Duke of Yorke was sent for thither by a privy Seale with the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury whose lives were ambusht in the way of which they having notice escaped the danger After a day of meeting was appoynted at London whither the Lords came with great traines at their heeles and the Earle of Warwicke with a strong band of men from Callis in red Iackets and white ragged sleeves upon them but by reason of the strength the Lords had nothing was attempted against them but a dissembled peace was made betwixt the two factions which being tyed with Against the Earle of Warwicke a small and slender thred it happened that in a private quarrell a servant of the Earle of Warwicks hurt one of the kings servants upon which the Earle comming from the Counsaile to take his barge the kings family rudely set upon him and the blacke guard assaulted him with their spits where divers of his followers were sore hurt and hee himselfe dangerously wounded with great difficulty escaped but hee got into London and from thence sailed to Callis He thus secured the Queen then aymed at the life of his Father the Earle of Salisbury who set upon him the Lord Audley with a Against the Earle of Salisbury strong Company to way-lay him in his comming towards the City who mending his traine kept on his journey and upon Blore-heath they met both and after a bloody conflict the Lord Audley with many of his followers were slaine and two of the Earles sonnes wounded who in their way home were surprized by some of the Queenes faction and sent prisoners to Chester Vpon which the Duke with the Lords assembled themselves for their owne security and the Earle of Warwick came with a band of men Andrew Trollop persidious to the Lords from Callis of which he made one Andrew Trollop Captaine against whom the King gathered a strong hoast and came to Ludlow where the Lords were incampt but the night before the battaile this Andrew with his Callis souldiers left the Lords and joyned with the Kings Army At which the Lords were much discouraged because hee was privy to all their purposes wherefore they left their Tents standing and fled The Duke of Yorke tooke The Lords flie and leave the King Master of the field shipping for Ireland the rest escaped into Gernsay by the meanes of one Iohn Dinham an Esquire who brought them a ship which Dinham was after made Treasurer of England so that the King was made Master of the field the Dutchesse of York with her Children taken prisoners in Ludlow and sent to her sister the Dutchesse of Buckingham where she remained long after and the Lords proclaimed Traytors and their goods and Lands forfeited and seised into the Kings hands but at length the tide turned For the Lords being favoured by the Commons who much murmured at the proceeding of the Q. her counsaile again entred the land upon the ninth of Iuly encountred the Kings hoast at Northampton where after long fight the victory fell to the Earle of Salisbury and the Lords of his party where the Kings Hoast was discomfitted and hee taken in the field after The battaile at Northampton many of his Nobility were slaine amongst whom were the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Shrewsbury the Vicount Beaumont the Lord Tiremond c. After which victory they returned to London and brought with them the King keeping his estate then sent for the Duke of York out of Ireland In the mean time they called a parliament during which the Duke of Yorke came to Westminster and lodged in the Kings palace upon which grew a rumour that Henry should be deposed and the Duke of York made King one day the Duke came into the parliament Chamber and in the presence of all the Lords sate him downe in the kings seat and claimed the Crowne as his rightfull inheritance The pride of the Duke of Yorke at which there was great murmuring amongst the Lords but after divers Counsailes held it was concluded that Henry should continue king during his naturall life and after his death his sonne Prince Edward to bee set apart and the Duke of Yorke and his Heires to bee kings and he to bee admitted protector of the king and Regent of the Realme and upon saturday following being the ninth of November and thirty ninth of king Henry the Duke was The Duke proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne proclaymed through the City Heire apparant to the Crowne and his Progeny after him And because Queen Margaret with her Son Prince
was slaine at Towton in the great Battaile fought against Henry which espousalls were solemnized early in the morning at Grasten neare Stony Stratford where were present none but the Spouse the Spousesse the Dutchesse of Bedford Her Elizabeth Crowned Queene Mother the Priest two Gentlewomen and a young man who helped the Priest at Masse which marriage was for a time kept secret but after shee was with great solemnity Crowned Queene at VVestminster which the earle of VVarwicke taking as a great affront as being fooled in his Embassie and Queene Margaret being then with her sonne Edward in the Warwicke voweth to remove King Edward Court of France hee with the earle of Oxford who had stood alwayes against the Yorkists secretly made promise to the Queene to waite their time to remove king Edward and place the Diadem upon the Head of King Henry which makes good The Forest Beare who by his power alone Had planted the young Lion in his Throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phere who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some doe terme a Gray c. By the Beare is figured Warwick who gave the Beare and the ragged staffe who supported the cause of Edward Earle of March till hee had Crowned him King who being sent into France to negotiate a Match betwixt him and the Lady Bona whom hee calls the Lionesse In the interim hee married with a Badger or Gray by which is intimated Elizabeth the Lady Gray c. And now about the eighth yeare broke out the long dissembled hate betwixt the King and the Earle of VVarwicke who confedered unto him the Duke of Clarence who had before married his Daughter In which season by their instigations were divers Rebellions in Lincolnshire likewise in the North by a Captaine who called himselfe Robin of Ridisdale in Lincolnshire by the Lord VVels c. Robin of Ridisdale Meane time the Duke of Clarence with the Earle of VVarwick and other solicited Lewis the eleventh king of France to assist them in the restoring of king Henry to his rightfull inheritance who gladly granted their request which Lords after their departure from England were proclaimed Rebells and Traytors who in September the tenth yeare of the king landed at Dertmouth making their proclamations in the name of Henry the sixt to whom multitudes from all parts resorted so that the Edward flies the land king being in the North with great danger passed the Washes in Lincolneshire and fled into Flanders and Warwicke brought the king Henry again made King from the Tower and conducted him in all state through London to Westminster and once more set the Crowne upon his head CHAP. 29. King Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crowne and Gloster Traytor his landing at Ravensport the Battaile at Barnet the battaile at Teuxbury King Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence the death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young King his tyranny being Protector hee is proclaimed King the murder of the two Princes in the Tower A prophesie of them before their deaths KIng Henry being thus re-instated there was dayly waiting on the Sea-coast for the landing of Queen Margaret and her sonne Prince Edward and provision made against the re-entring of the kingdome by King Edward and his company then was called a Parliament in which King Edward was proclaymed usurper of King Edward proclaimed Vsurper and his brother Glost. traitor the Crowne and his brother Duke of Gloster Traytor and both attainted by vertue of the said parliament then the Earle of Warwicke road into Kent thinking to have met the Queene at Dover but the winds were so averse to her that she lay from November to Aprill and all that while could not put to sea by reason of which the Earle of Warwicks journey was disappoynted In the beginning of Aprill Edward landed King Edward landeth at Ravensport at Ravenspurne with a small company of Flemmings who in all could not make up the number of a thousand and so drew towards Yorke making proclamation in the name of King Henry that his comming was to no other intent than to claime the inheritance of the Dukedome of Yorke where the Citizens kept him out till he had taken a solemne oath that King Henries oath to York he purposed no more then he spake where having refresht him and his followers he departed thence and held his way toward London and having paked by favour and fairwords the lord Marquesse Montacute who lay with an army to stop his way and finding his strength hourely to The cōnivence of the Marquesse after his ruine increase hee then made proclamation in his owne name as king of England and so held on his journey till he came to London where hee was gladly received into the City and so made to Pauls and offered at the Altar and thence to the Bishops palace where hee found the King almost alone for all his servants and others had left him and having put him under safe custody King Henry againe made prisoner he there rested him till Easter Eve When hearing of his brother Clarence with the other Lords comming with a strong host to Saint Albons he hasted thitherward and lay that night in Barnet in which season the Duke of Clarence contrary to his oath made to the French Clarence revolteth from the Lords King renounced the title of King Henry and came that night with his whole strength to his brother at whose revolt the Lords were somewhat abashed but by the Earle of Oxford they were againe comforted by whose perswasion they marched forward to Barnet whither hee came leading the Vaward and on a plaine neere unto the Town pitched his field upon the morrow being Easter day both Hoasts met upon the one party were two Kings present Edward and Henry upon the other the Duke of Exeter Edward brought Henry to the field the Lord Marquesse Montacute the Earles of Warwicke and of Oxford with other men of name In their first encounter the Earle of Oxford so manfully demeaned himself that hee bore The valour of the Earle of Oxford over that part of the field which he set upon in so much that news came to London that Edwards Hoast was discomfited and it might have hapned if his men had kept their army and not presently disordered themselves by falling to rifle and pillage but after long and cruel fight King Edward obtained the victory in which battaile of the Lords party were slain Marquesse King Edward obtains the victory Mountacute his brother the Earl of Warwick on the Kings party the Lord Barons and of the Commons on both sides one thousand five hundred The death of the Earle of Warwicke and Marquesse Montacute the same day in the afternoon came King Edward to London and first offered at Pauls and road thence to his
married to the youthfull French King shee I say observing his provident and cautelous proceeding in all things for the security of his State and Kingdome with a false stampe coyned a new Duke of Yorke a stripling called Perkin Warbeck who being Christned by Edward the Perkin Warbeck a new impostor 4 th it might be suspected that being as hee was warlike so also much addicted to the love of women by too much familiarity with the mother the child might have some of the Yorkists blood in him Edward being both Father and Godfather But so or no most sure it was Edward the fourth Godfather to Perkin that the Dutchesse exposed him to the world for the young Duke of Yorke who was spared from death which his brother suffered in the Tower for so it was given out But after shee had fully tutor'd and instructed him to take upon him the Majesty and deportment of a Prince least he should be found to be her creature shee cunningly sent him from her The subtilty of the Dutchesse of Burgundy Court over into Ireland where hee was received for no lesse then he nam'd himselfe Thence King Charles sent for him into France where he had Princely entertainment and service suiting with his stile but a peace being concluded betwixt England and France finding no safety there hee came as a distressed stranger to shelter himselfe under the wings of the Dutchesse of Burgundy whom she cunningly at first lookt upon as strangely till she had questioned him about all things in which shee had before instructed him and then as a Prince whose injuries were much to bee pittied shee received him to her protection The newes of a surviving Duke of Yorke was greedily swallowed by the discontented Commons of England The chiefe of note A new conspiracy against the King who were drawne to this beliefe were the Lord Fitzwater Mountfort and Thwaytes with the Lord Standley who was Father in law to the King and then Lord Chamberlaine Ratcliffe and others But Henry then understanding the danger likely to ensue first made it manifest to the world how both the Princes were together murdered with the manner of their deaths by which he did infallibly evince that hee could not be Yorke then the politicke King thought there was no surer way to disable the Impostors claime then by taking away his abettours and whilst these things were thus in agitation Sir Robert Clifford who had undermined all the Dutchesse proceedings came over to the King Sir Robert Clifford chalengeth the L. Standly of treason and disclosed them unto him who challenged the Lord Standley of Treason as to bee a prime incourager of Perkins Faction for which the King notwithstanding the neere affinity as the name of Father and Sonne interchanged betwixt them and forgetting also that hee was the prime man who set the Crowne upon his head hee caused him the fifteenth of February following to bee beheaded on a Scaffold upon the Tower-hill not without a great aspersion The L. Standly beheaded of ingratitude which severity of Iustice was also executed upon Mountford and Stafford Then Perkin who had wintered with the Dutchesse in the spring made an attempt for England his forces subsisting meerely of male-contents banquerupts and fugitives and hearing the King was in the North landed to the number of sixescore and odde in Kent thinking Perkin landeth in Kent they would have adhered to his Faction but he himself kept a ship boord But the Kentish apprehending the danger of a Rebellion seeing no more would come a shore set upon them whom they found slew some and took the rest prisoners all which were put to death and not one amongst them spared Thence he sailed to Flanders to fetch more ayd and from thence to Ireland where he found small comfort after to Scotland whose arrivall there being by commendatory Letters prepared by Charles the The French K. an abetter of Perkin French King he was royally entertained and to the Scotch King and his Nobility hee delivered so smooth and passionate a Tale before dictated by the Dutchesse that they tooke not onely great commiseration of his former disasters but promised withall not onely to raise him but to establish him in the height at which hee aimed causing him to bee espoused to a beautifull Virgin the Lady Gordon and after with a potent Army entred Northumberland Perkin married to the Lady Gordon making Proclamation in the name of Richard Duke of Yorke with sugered promises of severall enfranchisements and immunities to the Commons if they would acknowledge him their King and Soveraigne all which nothing prevailed with the people so that King Iames hearing of Henries marching towards him with a puissant Hoast he retreated his Army into his owne Countrey After which there was a marriagâ—… concluded A match concluded betwixt Iames of Scotland and the Lady Margaret betwixt King Iames and the Lady Margaret the eldest daughter to King Henry from whom our King Iames of blessed memory descended as immediate and undoubted Heire to the Crown of England which match was consummate in the seventh yeare of King Henry and in the same year landed at Plimmouth Katherine daughter to the King of Spaine who upon St. Erkenwalds day was espoused to Prince Arthur eldest sonne to the King who in Aprill following Prince Arthur married to Katherine of Spaine The death of Prince Arthur expired in the Towne of Ludlow The yeare after began the famous and most glorious worke of the Kings Chappell ' at Westminster and upon the eleventh of February dyed Queen Elizabeth wife to King Henry in the Tower The death of Queen Elizab. lying then in Child bed c. There was also a commotion in Devonshire and Cornwall about the collection of sixescore A commotion in Devonshire and Cornwall thousand pound which the King had demanded in parliament the first raisers thereof were a Lawyer and a Blacke-smith who comming as farre as Wells the Lord Audley tooke upon him to be their Generall who passing through Kent came as farre as Black-Heath in the sight of London but were then encountred by the Kings forces the Lord Audley was taken and The chiefe of the Rebells executed beheaded the Lawyer Smith drawn hanged and quartered the rest by the King ' pardoned But after that fortunate match betwixt the Scotch King and the Lady Margaret there was no longer residence there for Perkin who exposed him to his further fortune yet would not his faire Bride Katherine Gordon leave him though he were forced to forsake the Land but associated him into Ireland from whence hee was presently sent for by a new company of Cornish and Devonshire Rebells who began first to assemble themselves at a Towne called Bodwin in Cornwall To whom Perkin was no sooner come but they made him their Captain and Prince who called him selfe no more Richard Duke of Yorke but Richard King of England
to the Lady Anne Bolloigne Whitsunday was crowned Queene and on Midsommer day following dyed the French Queene Mary the kings sister and wife to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke And on the Eve of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin following was born the Lady Elizabeth at Greenwich in which The birth of the Lady Elizabe◅h yeere as an happy presage of her future love unto the Gospell it was enacted that no man should sue any appeale to Rome In Ianuary the seven and twentieth of the King died the Lady Katherine princesse Dowager The death of Q. Katherine late wife to the King and in the 28 of his Reigne Queene Anne Bolloigne with her brother the Lord Rochford Noris Weston Breerton and Marks were attainted of high Treason and The King married to the Lady Iane Seymour beheaded and soone after the King married the Lady Iane Seymour in the yeere one thousand five hundred thirty seven on Saint Edwards eve in Iune Prince Edward was borne at Hampton The birth of Pr. Edward Court and the three and twentieth of October following died Queene Iane and lyeth buried at Windsore then was the Bishop of Rome with all his usurped power quite abolished out of the Realme and the King assumed to himselfe the supremacy over the Church in England and Ireland to whom were granted the first-fruits before The death of Sir Thomas Moore c. paid to the pope with the Tenths of all spirituall possessions For denying of whose Supremacy that famous and learned Gentleman Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancellour of England with the Bishop of Rochester were beheaded and presently after three Monks of the Charterhouse for the some offence Then followed the dissolution of all the Abbeys Fryeries and Nunneries through the whole Realme when the Masse and all Romish Superstitions were forbidden and divers Images that had Engines to make their eyes open and shut and their other limbes to move and stirre were broken to pieces and defaced and all Fryers Monks Canons and Nuns were forced to change their Habits and forsake their Cloysters A proclamation also was made which hath beene since establisht as a Law that the English Bible should bee read in every Church The English Bible commanded to bee read in Churches throughout the Realme and that no Holydayes should be solemnized and observed except our Ladydayes the Apostles the Evangelists Saint George and Saint Mary Magdalen and that Saint Marks Eve and Saint Lawrence Eve should not be kept as fasting days And that children should not goe decked and garnished as they doe on Feasting dayes upon Saint Nicholas Saint Katherine Saint Clements and the holy Innocents and the like all which comply with the prophesie He from the sceptarchy of Hils That Europe aws and triple-crown that fils The Christiā world with terror takes the power And brings it home unto his British bower Blunting the horns of all the Bashan Buls And rooting from the Land the razord skuls By the Sceptarchy of Hils meaning the seven Hils on which the City Rome standeth and further The prophefie explained taking on himselfe to be the supreme Head of the Church within his own Dominions he takes away that power from the Popes Triple-crowne to which all the Christian Kingdomes else were in vassallage By blunting the hornes of the Bashan Buls meaning the Popes Writs of Excommunications Interdictions Anathemaes or Cursings which are called his Buls the terrour whereof hee now vilifies and sets at nought by rooting the rozard sculs from the Land is meant the suppression of Fryers Divers who suffered for denying the Kings Supremacie and Monks who had the upper part of their heads alwayes shaven c. Many were those who suffered for denying the Supremacie as Fryer Forrest who was hanged and burnt in Smith-field with the Image of Darvell Gathren in Wales and for the same offence suffered the Abbots of Reading of Colchester and the great rich Abbot of Glastenbury whose name was Whiting whom the King commanded to be hanged upon the top of the Tower an eminent place and visibly afarre for which way soever a man travels towards that Towne it may be seene twenty miles distant now it seem'd a thing impossible that the Sea with his greatest inundation should swell so high that any Fish should float over or upon it yet so saith the prophesie and all such are mystically delivered parabolically or in allegoricall figures O're Glastenbury for the eye that 's dim May at that day behold a Whiting swim The place being so conspicuous and apparant that one with halfe an eye might see his body waving betwixt the two Elements of Earth and Aire After diverse rebellions in Ireland for which Rebellions in Ireland the Earle of Kildare was committed and died a naturall death during his imprisonment in the Tower and that his sonne made a new insurrection and slew the Bishop of Develin and that for another Rebellion Thomas Fitzgarret with five of his Vncles were drawne hanged and quartered and that the Lord Leonard Gray was beheaded on the Tower-hill for divers Treasons done in Ireland during the time hee was there Deputy for the King yet the King so wisely and discreetly demeaned himselfe towards that Nation that in the thirtieth third yeare of his reigne the Earle of Desmond and the great Oneile submitted themselves to his mercy and grace after which the great Oneile The great Oneile made Earle of Tyron was created Earle of Tyron and his son Baron of Doncannon Thus you see He by his Art could fashion Musicall grounds From th' untun'd harp that discords only sounds By the Harpe which is the Armes of the kingdome meaning Ireland it selfe c. For Treason also were beheaded at the Tower-Hill Thomas Cromwell Earle of Essex and Vicar generall The death of Cromwel Earle of Essex of England who had beene once a faithfull servant to Cardinall Woolsey and after entertained and raised by the King who as it is commonly voyc't put it first into the kings head to pull downe the Abbyes and make a dissolution of the Monasteries and with him dyed the Lord Hungerford In the thirty fift yeare of the king the Earle of Hartford being made Livetenant Generall for his warres in Scotland in regard of divers affronts given him the fourth of May he landed at Leith burning and destroying the Countrey sparing neither Castle Towne Pile nor The Earle of Hartfords voy age into Scotland village for hee ransacked and laid waste the Borrough and towne of Edenborrow with the Abbey called Holy rood house and the Kings Palace neare adjoyning the Towne of Leith also with the Haven and Pire the Castle and Village of Cragmiller the Abbey of New Bottell with part of Muskelborrough Towne the Chappell of the Lady of Lauret Preston Town the Castle of Harinton Towne with the Friers and Nunnery a Castle of Oliver Sanckers the Towne of Dundbarre Laureston with the Grange Vrilaw
Westcrag Enderlaw the Pile and the Towne Broughton Chester Fell's Crawned Dudistone Stanhouse the Fiker Beverton Franent Shenstone Marcle Farpren Kirklandhill Katherwyke Belton Eastbarnes Howland Butterden Quickwoe Blackbourne Raunton Bildi and the Tower with many other Townes and Villages by the Fleet on the Sea-side as Kincorne Saint Miuers the Queens Ferry part of Petinwaines c. Which done for their brave and notable service there done hee made Forty five Knights made at Leith at Leith forty five knights And thus was the king victorious over Scotland In this interim Warres were proclaimed against France so that the king gave free liberty and licence to all his subjects to use the French king and all that depend upon him to their best advantage and commodity and the same yeare hee prepared an Army to invade King Henry in person invadeth France France and himselfe in person the fourteenth of Iuly departed from Dover towards Callais and the next day removed to Morgisen upon the twenty sixt of the same month the Campe removed to high Bulloine and there camped on The siege of Bulloine the north-east part of the Towne two dayes after the Watch Tower call'd the old man was taken and the day after base Bulloine was won and upon the thirteenth of Septemb. the Town Bulloine taken by the K. was victoriously conquered by Henry the eight king of England France and Ireland defendor of the faith who upon humble petition made by the French suffered them to depart the Towne with bagge and baggage and this year were taken by the English fleet 300 and odde ships of the French to the great enriching of this nation and the great impoverishing of theirs CAP. 33. The death of Henry the eighth Edward the sixt crowned a calculation of his reigne Musselborow field wonne by the Lord Protector The death of the two brothers the Lord High Admirall and Lord protector a Character of the Duke of Somerset the death of King Edward not without suspition of poyson His Character c. THe yeare following being the thirty seventh of the kings reigne upon the thirteenth of Iune being Whitsunday Peace concluded betwixt England and France in London was proclaimed a generall peace betwixt the two kingdomes of England and France with a solemne procession at the time of the proclamation and that night were great Bone-fires made in the City and Suburbs for the celebration of the said union and upon the one and twentieth of August came over from the French king Monsieur Denebalt high Admirall of France and brought Monsieur Denebalt Embassador fom the French King with him the Sacre of Deepe with twelve Gallyes bravely accommodated who landed at the Tower where all the great Ordinance were shot off and he received by many peeres of the Realme conveighed to the Bishop of Londons palace where hee rested two nights and on Monday the twenty third of the same month he rode towards Hampton Court where the king then lay whom the young prince Edward met with a royall traine to the number of five hundred and fourty in velvet Coats and the His entertainment by Prince Edward princes Livery were with sleeves of cloath of gold and halfe the Coats embroydered where were eight hundred Horses richly caparison'd and riders suiting to the state who brought him to the Mannor of Hampton Court The next morning the KING and hee received the Sacrament together in confirmation of the late concluded peace After that were many Masques and Showes in which the very Torch Magnificent Showes bearers were apparrelled in gold with costly feasts and banquets during the space of sixe dayes after with many great gifts given to him and his chiefe followers hee returned to his countrey The next yeare being the thirty eighth of the King upon the ninth of Ianuary by the The death of the noble Earle of Surrey Kings expresse command was beheaded on the Tower-hill that noble and valorous gentleman the Earle of Surrey who had ingaged his person in Picardy Normandy Ireland Scotland c. from whence he never came but crowned with victory and the twenty eighth of the same Month the King himselfe departed the world in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty The death of Henry the eighth seven whose body was most Royally intombed at Windsor the sixteenth of February following King Edward the sixt began his dominion The inauguration of Edward the sixt over the Realme of England the one and thirtieth of Ianuary in the yeare of grace one thousand five hundreth forty seven and upon the nineteenth of February ensuing hee rode with his Vncle Sir Edward Seymour Lord governour and Protector and Duke of Somerset with the Nobility of the Land from the Tower through the City of London and so to Westminster and was annoynted and Crowned by Doctour Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who after ministred unto him the Sacraments with other divine Ceremonies according to the Protestant reformed Church Of this Kings Birth and Reigne it was thus calculated By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt the other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray Then fall must this faire structure built on high And th' English like the Roman Caesar dye In his first yeare Sir Thomas Seimour the Kings unkle brother to the Duke of Somerset being Lord high Admirall by the Viz-Admirall called Sir Andrew Dudley having no other Vessells but the Paunce and the Hart and these singly manned there was a great conflict at Sea with three tall Scottish ships in the narrow Victory by sea Seas doubly manned and trimmed with great Ordinance notwithstanding which hee tooke them and brought them into Orwell Haven where he had good booty and store of prisoners And the same yeare in August the Lord Protector the Duke of Somerset with the Earle of Warwicke and others marcht with a noble Army into Scotland and not farre from Edenborrough at a place called Mosselborrough Musselborough field the English and Scotch Hoasts met where betweene them was fought a sharpe and cruell battaile in which in the end the English were victors and in which were slaine of the Scots foureteene thousand and prisoners taken of Lords Knights and Gentlemen to the number of fifteene hundred This yeare also was ordained that the Communion should be received in both kinds and at that time Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester for opposing the same was commanded to the Tower Commandement Gardner committed to the Tower also was given to all the Curats of every
parish Church throughout England that no Coarse should be buryed before sixe a Clocke in the morning nor after sixe at night and that when any dyed the Bell should ring three quarter of an houre at least In this Interim the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke Dudly and Gray privately murmuring and openly maligning that The two Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk the Kings two Uncles should beare such great authority in the Kingdome by which their glories seemed not onely eclipsed but quite darkned the elder brother commanding the Land the younger the Sea the one Lord Protector the other Lord High Admirall so that the whole Dominion and Soveraignty of the kingdome the kings name excepted was divided betwixt them And further considering that it was in vaine for them to attaine to their owne ambitious ends but by sundring this fraternall tye and unloosing this Gordian knot Their plots gainst the Protector and Admirall of Consanguinity which had beene so long inseparably continued betwixt them they therefore projected betwixt themselves how this almost impossible thing might be brought to passe and doubting the event if they should attempt to worke by their servants as to corrupt them with Bribes or the like they therefore tooke a nearer and more safe course to practise it by their Wives and to draw their balas from out of their owne bosomes and The Wives made themcans to betray the Husbands most successively to their purpose thus it happened Sir Thomas Seimer Lord High Admirall having married the Queene Dowager whose good Fortune it was of all the rest of the kings wives to survive her Husband contested with her sister in law for precedence and priority of place to which the Protectors wife standing upon her prerogative could by no meanes bee wonne to give way This emulation betwixt the two sisters fitly sorting to the Dukes purposes for the one challenged the right hand as once being Queene and the other claimed it as wise to the present Protector To this new kindled fire the two Dukes bring fuell Dudly incourageth the one secretly Gray the other privately so that the Wives set the Husbands at oddes by taking their parts so that by the instigation of those emulous and incensed Ladies a mortall hatred grew betwixt the two brothers insomuch that in the third year of the King the Admirall was questioned for the ill managing his Office and sundry Articles preferred in Court against him so that he was condemn'd in Parliament and his head The death of the Lord high Admirall strooke off the Protector his brother signing the Warrant for his death The one being thus removed there was the lesse difficulty to supplant the other for in the same Month of February in which the Admirall lost his head was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsaile of which the two Dukes were chief and many Articles of Treason and ill government of the state commenced against him but about a yeare after his confinement by his submission to the Lords and intercession made for him by the K. upon the sixt of February hee was released injoy'd his former offices honors but all this was but a lightning before death for his two great potent adversaries stil prosecute their malice against him insomuch that not long after calling him to a second account when he had nobly acquit himself at the Barre of all treason objected against him he was in the Guild Hall of London not by a Iury of his peeres by The Lord Protector put to death for felony twelve men convicted and condemned of Felony for which on a Scaffold on Tower-Hill hee suffered death verifying what was before spoken of the young King Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt th' other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray It is so manifest it needs no Comment This Edward Seimour was the sonne of Sir A Character of the L. Protector Edward Seimour knighted by Henry the eight who had married the Lady Iane his naturall sister He after created him Viscount Beauchamp in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty sixe and the yeare following Earle of Hereford after that he was installed Knight of the Garter His honours and offices made Lord great Chamberlain of England one of the honourable privy Counsail much favoured of the eighth Henry who in his last Testament instituted him one of the chiefe of his sixteene Executors after this King Edward created him Baron de sancto Mauro then Duke of Somerset He was next by a generall voyce of parliament made Protector over the Kings person and of all his Kingdomes and Dominions Governour and Lord Generall of all the Kings forces by Land and Sea He was moreover Lord high Treasurer and Earle Martiall of England Captaine of the two Islands of Gernsie and Iersie and Chancellour of the University of Cambridge In all which Offices and Dignities he demeaned himselfe The Duke of Somerset catalogu'd amongst the English Martyrs with such Honourable bounty and singular piety that some have not doubted to Catalogue him amongst our English Martyrs But to returne to the History by this protectors meanes who was a constant Protestant Images were puld downe through all Churches of England Marriage of priests made lawfull The suppressing of the Romish Religion by parliament and Doctor Bonner with other Romish Prelates deposed from their Bishopricks and other of the Reformed Church supplyed their places making good what was before calculated of the young King By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes This needs some explication Hee is called young Caesar as being produced into the world The prophesie explained by the cutting or ripping up of his mothers wombe from which the great Roman Iulius borne after the same manner had added to him the name of Caesar which Title hee left as Hereditary to all the succeeding Emperours after him who as hee reduced the Aristocracie which was the government of the Senate and Optimates into one entire monarchall Diadem placing the Empire in Rome so of the contrary this young King from the great Pontifex of Rome who in time wearing a Triple Diademe and thereby challenging power in Heaven potently upon earth regency and predominance over Hell and moreover making earthly Kings and Emperours to acknowledge unto him a preheminence and supremacie making them to kisse his feet with other servil officeâ—… â—…e by opposing this Soveraignty and shrinking his head out of so extreame a servitude may bee truly said to have done more against Rome in
the Female which was not seen nor known since long before the Conquest when Bouduca or as some call her Boadicia soveraignized In the time of Nero Caesar and Spinster was an ancient British Title given to the Feminine sex before King Edgars Reign by which name even princesses being convented or summoned into any Court are called unto this day but to proceed with the History in the tenth day of the moneth after her Coronation A Parlament in which Romish Religion is restored began a Parlament in which besides the supplanting of the protestant Religion which began to be establisht in the dayes of King Edward were convicted and attainted of high Treason Iohn Duke of Northumberland Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterbury Sir Ambrose Dudley Knight Guilford Dudley Esquire and Husband to the Lady Gray Sir Andrew Dudley Knight with others as William Marquesse of Northampton Iohn Earle of Warwicke c. and the twelfth of August was beheaded on the The death of the Duke of Northumberland Tower Hill Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland Sir Iohn Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer Thus you see the end of Northumberland if any bee desirous to know also what became of Suffolke I can parallell him to none more genuinely than to the Duke of Buckingham Hee Underwood a second Banister had a Banister this an Vnderwood a servant raised by him to a faire revenue and to whose safeguard he had committed his person who in a spacious hollow Tree for some few moneths concealed him whether hee brought him meat and drinke with millions of oaths ingag'd for his truth and fidelity but being easily corrupted with some small quantity of gold and many large and liberall promises hee Iudas-like betrayde his Master and delivered him up to the Noble Earle of Huntington who with a strong guard brought him through London to the Tower He was after arraigned in the great Hall The death of the Duke of Suffolke at Westminster and soone after on the Tower Hill lost his head Yet probable it was that the Queene had pardoned that offence had he not seconded it with another by confedering with Sir Thomas Wiat of Kent to interpose her marriage with Philip of Spain sonne to the Emperour and to that purpose departed secretly into Warwicke and Leicestershire where hee knew himselfe best affected and made their open Proclamation to keep all strangers from the Land for which hee fell into the Queens irreconciliable displeasure which not only hasted his owne end but the deaths of Guilford and the Lady Iane for the Statists at that time especially those that were devoted to the Romish faction held it no policie to suffer any of the contrary Religion to live especially if they could intrap them in any quiddits of Law which might be stretcht to be made Capitall therefore upon the twelfth of February in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty foure it being the first day of the week Guildford Dudley was brought to the Scaffold upon the Tower hill where when hee The death of Guilford Dudley had with all Christian devotion made his peace with Heaven hee with a setled and unmoved constancy submitted himselfe to the stroake of death which was given in the sight of his excellent Spouse who to that purpose was placed in a window within the Tower the object strikeing more cold to her heart then the sight of that fatall axe by which shee was presently to The death of the Lady Iane Gray suffer which she most patiently endured Never was sweet Ladies death more passionately bewayled being remarkable in Iudge Morgan who pronounced the sentence against her who presently after fell mad and in all his distracted ravings Cryed Take away the Lady The death of Iudge Morgan Iane take her from mee and in that extream distemperature with these words in his mouth ended his life some report that shee was young with childe at the time of her suffering but though her Romish opposites were many and the times bloudy Christian charity may perswade they would not use such inhumanity especially against a person of her Royall bloud and Linage she was an excellent Lady endued with more vertues and extraordinary endowments then is frequently found in that sex being a patterne to others for true Religion and Piety of which her godly Oration to the people and holy prayer at her death extant in Mr. The Lady Ianes character Her age at her death Fox his Martyrologie abundantly witnesse shee exceeded not sixteen yeeres of age of an excellent feature and amiable aspect of Learning incredible in wit incomparable of inforced Honours so unambitious that she never attyred her selfe in any Regall ornaments but constrainedly and with teares Divers of her Latin Verses have beene spread to posterity and of her Works in the English Tongue an Epistle to a learned man falne off from the Truth and turnd Apostate another Epistle to her sister with a Colloquy or reasoning with one Freckman a Romist about Faith and the Sacraments c. Soon after followed the deaths of Doctour Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury acquit of The deatâ—…s of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley Treason and condemed of Heresie Nicholas Ridley late Bishop of London and Hugh Latimer with infinite others insomuch that scarce any City or Market Towne thorow the whole Kingdome in which some pious professor or other had not felt the scorching of the fire and faggot I should fill whole pages to reckon up particulars only thus in briefe it is observed that Queene Maries Reigne was the shortest of any Prince since the Conquest that wore the Crown Richard the Thirds only excepted and that more Christian bloud was spilt in her few yeeres concerning Religion and matter of The great tyranny used in her time conscience then had been shed in any one Kings Reigne since the time of King Lucius the first establisher of Christianity in this his Realme of England which recollects the memory of the former prophesie where he speaks of the Spinster Who to the Papall Monarch shall restore All that the Phaenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the Faggot and the Stake And they of convert bodies bonefires make c. By the Phaenix meaning King Edward so tearmed by Hieronymus Cardanus because hee was unparalleld in his time and by the Convert bodies those who where converted to the reformed and protestant Religion for which cause thousands in sundry places of the Kingdome suffered Now why Queene Mary was so zealous to propagate the popish faith it followeth next to enquire she was brought up Why Queen Mary was so forward to preferre the Romish Religion under her Mothers wing a Spaniard who being of the Spanish blood persisted in the Spanish beliefe but when her mother after three yeares divorce from the King expired she was committed to the guardianship of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury and daughter to George Duke of Clarence brother to Edward
Philips demeanour to the people Hat sutable and a white Feather in it with a rich Orient Iewell all the way as he passed he turned himselfe to the people on both sides with a pleasant Countenance and after supper which was about ten of Clocke certaine of the Counsaile by a private way brought him to the Queene who entertained him graciously His first meeting with the Queene and lovingly they had conference together abouthalfean houre in the Spanish tongue w ch ended he tooke his leave and was conducted backe to his lodging Upon the Tuesday following about three of clocke in the afternoon he came from his lodging on foote attended by the Lord Steward the Earle of Darby the Earle of Pembrook and other Lords and Gentlemen as well strangers as English and that day he was attired in a cloake of blacke Spanish cloth imbroydered about with Silver a paire of white silke stockings and the Garter of the Order about his legge where he shewed himselfe His apparrell freely and openly to all men at his entrance into the Court loud Musicke was heard and in the great Hall the Queen met and kissed him before all the people then she taking the right hand they went together in the presence Chamber and talked under the cloth of state about a quarter of an houre He then took leave of her Majesty and comming into the open Court the Pensioners and Yeomen of the Guard stood on both sides as farre as the Gate from whence the Lords conducted him to the Cathedrall where hee heard Evensong which ended they brought Him backe to His lodging with Torch-light and so left him The same night the Emperor sent a Message to the Queene to give her to understand that P. Philip made K. of Naples and Hierusalem his sonne was not a Prince onely but a King of Hierusalem and Naples with other dominions after mentioned in his style Upon Saint Iames his day being the five and twentieth of Iuly about eleven of clocke in the morning the King and Queene came from their lodgings towards the Church on foot both richly attyred in Gownes of cloath of Gold set with pearle stones and jemmes he with his Guard and the with hers either having a Sword born before them before her by the Earle of The Ceremonies before the marriage Darby before him by the Earle of Pembrooke being câ—…me unto the Church he went to one Altar and she to another hanged with Curtaines of Cloth of gold which being after drawne it was imagined that they were there shriven after they came from their places and meeting they very lovingly saluted each other hee also being at that time bare-headed Then sixe Bishops went to the place prepared for the Nuptiall Ceremony the King standing on the left hand and she on the right Then the Lord Chancellour asked the Banes betwixt them first in Latin and then in English The Ring was a plaine hoope of gold without any The solemnization of the marriage betwixt king Philip and Queen Mary stone For she desired to be marryed as Maids used to bee of old the Nuptialls being ended the King and Queene went hand in hand under a sumptuous Canopy by sixe Knights borne over them and two swords carryed before them comming before the Altar they kneeled down with either of them a lighted Tapor in their hands then they arose and withdrew she into a Traverse on the right side He into another on the left After the Gospell read they again appeared and kneeled before the Altar all the time of Masse which being ended the King of Heraulds openly proclaimed their Majesties King and Queene with these Titles following Philip and Mary by the Grace of God King Their Royall titles and Queene of England France Naples Hierusalem and Ireland defenders of the Faith King and Queene of Spaine Sicilia Leon and Arragon Arch-Dukes of Austria Dukes of Millaine Burgundy and Brabant Counties of Husburgh Flanders and Tyroll Lords of the Islands of Sardinia Majorcha Minorcha of the Firme land and the great Ocean Sea Palatines of Henault and the holy Empire Lords of Freezeland and of the Isles and governours of all Asia and Affrica The Trumpets ceasing the King and Queen came forth hand in hand royally attended and so went on foote to the Court and dyned together openly in the Hall at one Table Thus you see The Lionesse hath matcht with Caesars sonne I have beene the longer in this Relation to shew the magnificent solemnities of Princely Nuptialls in those times used The eighteenth of August the King and Queene went to Suffolke place in Southwarke and there dyned after Dinner they rode together over London Bridge and so past through the City the streets Their entertainment into the City of London being hanged sumptuously and divers pageants and Showes presented unto them having relation to their persons and the great joy of the people conceived at their Royall Marriage and unity of the Nations being after received by the Bishop of London into the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul with Procession where having done their devotion they rode on in great state towards their palace at Westminster Then came divers Embassadours from severall Countries from Russia Poland Denmarke Hungary Naples c. to gratulate the Nuptialls of these two potent princes After it was bruited that the Queene was with Child for which there was great thanksgiving The Queen rumoured to be with child and prayers through all the Churches of London for her safe delivery to come and King Philip chosen to bee protector of the Infant Male or female by a decree in parliament in case the Queene should miscarry in Childe-birth But some having whispered in his head that hee should be deluded by a supposititious infant prepared for that purpose and loath that a conterfeit should bee heire to all his Realmes and dominions hee would not depart the Chamber at the time of her delivery by which the plot tooke no effect and bred some distaste betwixt the King and the Queene Againe to King Philip favoured the Lady Elizab. second this the King greatly favoured the Lady Elizabeth and observing what Tyranny was used against the dejected princesse hee began to be somewhat jealous of the English Nation and their proceeding in state apprehending that if they insidiated the life of a Native being their Queene and Soveraignes sister with what small scruple of Conscience might they ayme to supplant him or any of his followers who were aliens and strangers which made him so suddainly to forsake the Queene and the Land his excuse being to visit his Father the King Philip leaveth the Land Emperour and to take possession of the Low Countries to the great sorrow of her Majesty of whom hee tooke his leave the fourth day of September In her dayes Calais was lost by the English Callis lost by the English and taken by the French by the ill management of the State
an oath all which were convicted condemned drawne hanged and quartered also upon Friday the twentie eight of March in the fourth yeare of the King Henry Garnet the Henry Garnet provinciall of the Iesuits executed provinciall or principall of the English Iesuites was arraigned at Guild Hall in London upon the same Treason and condemned and after drawn from the Tower to the West end of Pauls was executed like the former Traitors Thus wee see That from the old Lupanar Wolves were sent To undermine both crown and government Striving in Hell to register their names By blowing up the State in powder flames c. The word Lupanar comes from Lupa a shee Wolfe or Prostitute so was the wife of Fanstulus the Nurse to the two Infants Romulus and Lupanar shee was also called Acca Laneratia Remus the first erectors of Rome called from Lupa comes also Lupanar that is a brothelhouse and Idolatry is called fornication almost through the whole Scripture and from Rome had these Arch-traytors their Incendiary c. Amongst other Royall Visitants Christianus the fourth of that name King of Denmarke came into England royally attended to see his The King of Denmarke commeth into England brother in law King Iames and his naturall sister Queene Anne whom the King in person met a shipboord with Prince Henry The Duke of Lenox and divers of the Nobility and dined with him in his Cabin the two Kings afterward rode triumphantly through the City of London the Embassadors of France Spaine and Venice being spectatours of the solemnity Here Hee was royally and magnificently entertained and feasted till his returne c. who liked his welcome so well that hee came hither the second time And in all the passages of His Majesties Reigne where was nothing seen but peace tranquillity and quietnesse there is no subject to write on but of sundry Plantations during his Reigne as in Virginia Bermudas or the Summer Islands c. Of men raised to Office and Honour of his severall Embassies into Forreign Countries to make peace and attonement betwixt divided Kingdomes and his enterchangeable entertayning of their Embassadours of the mariage of the Lady Elizabeth to the prince Palatine of the death of that most hopefull plant of Honour and Royalty Prince Henry of whom I have read this Epitaph In Natures law 't is a plain case to die No cunning Lawyer can demurre on that An Epitaph upon Prince Henry For cruell death and fat all destinie Serve all men with a finall Latitat tryde So brave Prince Henry when his cause was Confest the action paid the debt and dyde I may also put you in remembrance of the new erecting of the Artillery Garden of the New River brought to London of the building of the New Exchange in the Strand and Hicks Hall of Censures in the Star-chamber in the High Commission Court the burning of the Banquetinghouse c. of Sir W. Raleigh's execution at Westminster c. the creating of George Villiers Gentleman Duke his Mother Countesse of Buckingham with infinite other peaceable passages but these are now out of my road In the year one thousand six hundred and eighteene upon Wednesday the eighteenth of November ablazing Starre appeared and upon Tuesday the second of March following at Hampton Court dyed Queene Anne of whom was made this Epitaph The death of Queen Anne Her to invite the great God sent his star Whose friends and kindred mighty Princes are Who though they run the race of men and die Death seems but to refine their majesty So did this Queen frō hence her Court remove And left the earth to be inthron'd above Then she is chang'd not dead no good Prince dyes But like the day-star only set to rise Upon Monday the sixteenth of February one thousand six hundred twenty three the King with the Nobility prepared to goe to the Parlament House but that morning dyed Lodowick Duke of Richmond and Lenox at Vpon the death of the Duke of Richmond and Lenox his lodging at the Court in White Hall who is worthily remembred in this Epitaph following Are all diseases dead or will death say She could not kill this prince another way Yes it was so for time and death conspired To make his death as was his life admired The Commons were not summond now I see Meerly to move laws but to mourne for thee No lesse then all the Bishops could suffice To wait upon so great a sacrifice The Court the Altar was the Waiters peeres The mirrh and frankineense great Cosins tears A braver offering with more pompe and state Nor time nor death could ever celebrate Of King Iames his wisdome integrity bounty his study of peace which hee made good in his Motto Beati Pacifici and for all his other singular vertues He with a superarrogative overplus made good what was before for many yeares predicted of him all which may be included in this one Epitaph made upon him Can Christendomes great Champion sink away Thus silently into a bed of clay Can such a Monarch die and not to have An Earthquake at the least to ope his grave Did there no Meteors fright the Vniverse Nor Comet hold a torch to light his Herse Was there no clap of thunder heard to tell All Christendom their losse and ring his knell Impartiall Fates I see all princes then men Though they liv'd Gods yet they must die like And the same passing bell may toll for them Which rung but now the beggers requiem When such a soule is from the earth bereaven Me thinks there should be triumph made in Heaven The stars should run at tilt at his decease To welcome him into the place of peace Who whilst hee liv'd in peace liv'd and did Being in peace to keepe peace still alive strive No widows curses and no Orphants cryes Shall interrupt his hallowed obsequies For their slain husbands or their fathers lost In bloudy war to wake thy peacefull ghost Let thy great predecessors boast the pryse Of glorious and yet bloudy victories Let them upon their sepulchers expose Triumphs of war and spoyle of forreigne foes And glory to have turn'd the harvest field To a pitcht Campe and ploughshare to a shield So that on bloudy furrows there were born As many blades of steele as now of corne Yet shall thy prayse be greater since thy joy Was to plant nations rather then destroy And though no mortall trophy speak thy prayse Because no drop of bloud hath staind thy dayes Yet this sure truth their greatest fame controls They subdu'd bodies thou hast conquered souls Truth was thy banner the thrice sacred word Thy target and thy pen a two edg'd sword But lo when Spanish coast Romes canon shot False Gowries treason Cateshy's powder-plot Could not destroy all these thy fate did brave A Fever would needs bring thee to thy grave For being mortall fate could not invent His passage by a nobler instrument Then his own bloud which made him compre VVithin himselfe the glory of his end hena Like to a circle this rich Diamond must Be cut by no means else then it 's owne dust Thus is our Sun set never to return Pay therefore tri◅ute to his funerall urn All peacefull souls and with true sorrows sence Give unto him your hearts benevolence Of pious teares then turn you from the VVest To see the new Sun rising in the East King Charles the first of that name King of Prince Charles proclaymed King England began his Reigne on Sunday the twenty seventh of March one thousand six hundred twenty five and the next day after commanded by proclamation that all Officers and Magistrates of what degree or quality soever through out his whole Dominions should sti◅l use and exercise all such power and authoritie as they held from his Father of blessed memory untill his pleasure were further knowne and on Saturday the seventh of May next ensuing were performed the Funerall rites of his Father King The Funerall of King Iames Iames and his corps with all magnificence and state carried from Denmark house in the Strand to VVestminster Abbey Church King Charles being the chiefe and principall Mourner artended with all the Nobility Clergy and Iudges with sundry Embassadors and all his officers and domesticke servants in mourning habits His Herse being more royally adorned and attended then any of his predecessour Kings in which magnificent solemnity his corps was interred in the Chappell Royall c. I should now pr◅ceed to the Reigne of the high mighty and invincible Prince Charles concerning whose sacred person my rude pen dare not be so bold nor with any of his just and Of Prince Charles royall proceedings but am rather content to leave them to those of more knowing and bet ter approved judgements and more frequently verst in state businesse and the laws and limits that belong to History and Chronologie then my selfe yet thus farre according to my weake Talent and crassa Minerva let me borrow leave to confer on him though far short of his great meed and merit a briefe character Hee is a Prince wise and just crowned with all the especiall gifts of nature and fortune but which farre transcends the rest plenteously endowed with all heavenly graces Blest in a Royall chast and beautifull Consort blest with a most hopefull and numerous Issue conspicuous in the four Cardinall vertues Iustice Prudence Temperance and Fortitude grounded in the three Theologicall Graces Faith Hope and Charity illustrious in all other Vertues which generally adorne men but make a Prince greatly admired and gloriously eminent whom with his incomparable Queen the unparalleld Prince his sonne with the rest of his Royall Issue God Almighty in his great providence and infinite mercy continue in long life health prosperity and happinesse c. FINIS