those who conspired against his Majesty and Authority likes not the Advice the King ought not says he venture his Person among such hoseless Ribaulds but rather dispose things so as to curb their Insolence Sir says he Your Sacred Majesty in this Storm ought to shew how much of a King you can play what you will go for hereafter by your present Carriage you will either be feared for the Future or contemned if you seriously consider the Nature of these rough hewn Savages you will find the gentle Ways pernicious your Tameness will undoe you Mercy will ever be in your Power but it is not to be named without the Sword drawn God and your Right hath placed you in your Throne but your Courage and Resolution must keep you there your Indignation will be Iustice good Men will think it so and if they love you you have enough you cannot capitulate not treat with your Rebels without hazarding your Honour and perhaps your Royal Faith if you yield to the Force of one Sedition your whole Life and Reign will be nothing but a Continuation of Broils and Tumults if you assert your Soveraign Authority betimes not only these Doults these Sots but all Men else will reverence you Remember Sir God by whom Lawful Princes Reign whose Vicegerent you are would not forgive Rebellion in Angels you must not trust the Face Petitions delivered you upon Swords Points are fatal if you allow this Custom you are ruined as yet Sir you may be obeyed as much as you please Of this Opinion was Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of Saint Iohn of Ierusalem newly Lord Treasurer of England a Magnanimous and stout Knight but not liked by the Commons When this Resolution was known to the Clowns they grow stark mad they bluster they swear to seek out the Kings Traitors for such they must now go for no Man was either good or honest but he who pleased them the Arch-bishop and Lord Prior and to chop off their Heads here they might be trusted they were likely to keep their Words Hereupon without more Consideration they advance towards London not forgetting to burn and raze the Lawyers and Courtiers Houses in the Way to the Kings Honour no doubt which they will be thought to arm for Sir Iohn Froissart and others report this part thus which probably might follow after this Refusal The Rebels say they sent their Knight so they called him yet was he the Kings Knight for Tyler came not up to Dubbing we find no Sir Iohn nor Sir Thomas of his making Sir Iohn Moton to the King who was then in the Tower with his Mother his half Brothers Thomas Holland Earl of Kent after Duke of Surrey and the Lord Holland the Earls of Salisbury Warwick and Oxford the Arch-bishop Lord Prior and others The Knight casts himself down at the Kings Feet beseeches him not to look upon him the worse as in this Quality and Imployment to consider he is forced to do what he does He goes on Sir the Commons of this Realm those few in Arms comparatively to the rest would be taken for the whole desire you by me to speak with them Your Person will be safe they repute you still their King this deserved Thanks but how long the Kindness will hold we shall soon find they profess that all they had done or would do was for your Honour For your Glory your Honour and Security are their great Care they will make you a Glorious King fearful to your Enemies and beloved of your Subjects they promise you a plentiful and unparalell'd Revenue They will maintain your Power and Authority in Relation to the Laws with your Royal Person according to the Duty of their Allegiance their Protestation their Vow their solemn League and Covenant without diminishing your just Power and Greatness and that they will all the Days of their Lives continue in this Covenant against all Opposition They assure you Sir That they intend faithfully the Good of your Majesty and of the Kingdom and that they will not be diverted from this end by any private or Self-respects whatsoever But the Kingdom has been a long time ill governed by your Uncles and the Clergy especially by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury of whom they would have an Account They have found out necessary Counsels for you they would warn you of many things which hitherto you have wanted good Advice in The Conclusion was sad on the Knights part His Children were Pledges for his Return and if he fail in that their Lives were to answer it Which moved with the King he allows the Excuse sends him back with this Answer that he will speak with the Commons the next Morning which it should seem the report of the Outrages done by the Clowns upon his Refusal and this Message made him consent to At the time appointed he takes his Barge and is rowed down to Redriffe the place nearest the Rebels Ten thousand of them descend from the Hill to see and treat with him with a Resolution to yield to nothing to overcome by the Treaty as they must have done had not the Kings Fear preserved him When the Barge drew nigh the new Council of State says our Knight howled and shouted as though all the Devils of Hell had been amongst them Sir Iohn Moton was brought toward the River guarded they being determined to have cut him in peices if the King had broke his Promise All the Desires of these good and faithful Counsellors contracted suddenly into a narrow Room they had now but one Demand The King asks them What is the matter which made them so earnestly sollicite his Presence They have no more to say but to intreat him to land which was to betray himself to them to give his Life and Soveraignty up to those fickle Beasts to be held of them during their good Pleasures which the Lords will not agree to The Earl of Salisbury of the ancient Nobility and Illustrious House of Montacute tells them their Equipage and Order were not comely and that the King ought not to adventure amongst their Troops They are now more unsatisfied and London how true soever to the Cause and faithless to the Prince shall feel the Effects of their Fury Southwark a friendly Borough is taken up for their first Quarters Here again they throw down the Malignants Houses and as a Grace of their Entrance break up the Kings Prisons and let out all those they find under Restraint in them not forgetting to ransack the Arch-bishops House at Lambeth and spoil all things there plucking down the Stews standing upon the Thames Bank and allowed in the former Ages It cannot be thought but that the Idol loved Adultery well enough but perhaps these publick Bawdy-houses were too unclean and might stink in his Nostrils we cannot find him any where quarrelling with the Bears those were no Malignants They knocked not long at the City-Gates which some say were never
to fire unless Iohn Lakinhethe Guardian of the Temporalities of the Barony in the Vacancy then were delivered to them which the Towns-men mingled in the Throng put them upon The Guardian stood amidst the Crowd unknown This Man out of Piety to preserve the Monastery it was Piety then though it may be thought Impiety now discovers himself he tells them he is the Man they seek and asks what it is the Commons would have with him They call him Traitor it was Capital to be called so not to be so drag him to the Market-place and cut off his Head which is set upon the Pillory to keep Company with the Priors and Chief Justices Walter of Todington a Monk was sought for they wanted his Head but he hid himself and escaped Our Hacksters Errant of the Round Table Knights of Industry would be thought General Redeemers to take Care of all men in Distress for the Burgesses Sake they command the Monks threatning them and their Walls if they obey not to deliver up the Obligations of the Townsmen for their good Behaviour all the ancient Charters from the time of King Knute the Founder any way concerning the Liberties of the Town besides they must grant and confirm by Charter the Liberties of the Town which could not be done in the Vacancy for so it was Edmund of Brumfield Abbot in Name by Provision of the Pope was a Prisoner at Nottingham nor had any Election been since the Death of Abbot Iohn Brivole and therefore the Jewels of the House are pawned to the Townsmen as a Gage that Edmund of Brumfield whom they would suppose Abbot and whom they intended to set free should seal which Jewels were a Cross and Chalice of Gold with other things exceeding in value One thousand Pounds these were restored again in time of Peace but with much Unwillingness Upon the Bruit of the Idols Mishap and the Suppression of his Legions at London these Caterpillers dissolve of themselves Wraw the Priest Westbrome and the rest of the Capital Villains in the General Audit or Doomesday for these Hurliburlies shall be called to a Reckoning for their Outrages Cambridge suffered not a little in these Uproars the Towns-men with the Country Peasants about confederated together break up the Treasury of the University tear and burns its Charters they compel the Chancellor and Scholars under their common Seals to release to the Mayor and Townsmen all Rights and Liberties all Actions and to be bound in 3000l not to molest the Burgesses by Suits of Law concerning these things for the time to come The Mayor and Bayliffs were fetched up by Writ to the next Parliament where the Deeds were delivered up and cancelled the Liberties of the Town seized into the Kings Hand as forfeited new ones granted by him to the University all which they owe yet to the Piety of this King and his Parliament a Court which the Idol never names Had he set up one of his own begetting it must have had nothing else but the Name it would have been as destroying as the Field Norfolk the Mother of the Kets would not loyter this while nor sit lazily and sluggishly looking on Iohn Litster a Dyer of Norwich King of the Commons there infuses Zeal and Daring into his Country-men he had composed out of his own Empire and the Borders an Army of fifty thousand Men. This Upstart Kingling would not wholly move by Example he makes Presidents of his own and tramples not like a dull Beast the Road beaten by others He had heard what was done by the London Congregations he had a Stock of Traditions from the Elders there which he was able to improve and although I know not how he could exceed the Idol with his Council yet so the Monk exceed them he did he presumed greater things Tyler lost his Life before things were ripe was watched and undermined by the King and Nobility he could not spread his full Sails else for his Presumption he far out-goes Litster Litster the Norfolk Devil begins with Plunder and Rapine the only Way to flesh a young Rebellion The Malignants of the Kings Party the rich and peaceable go under that Notion are made a Prey no place was safe or priviledged Plots were laid to get the Lord William of Ufford Earl of Suffolk at his Mannor of Ufford near Debenham in Suffolk into the Company out of Policy that if the Cause succeeded not then the Rebels might cover themselves under the Shadow of that Peer The Earl warned of their Intention rises from Supper and disguised as a Groom of Sir Roger of Bois with a Portmantue behind him riding By-ways and about ever avoiding the Routs comes to St. Albanes and from thence to the King The Commons failing here possess themselves of the places and Houses of the Knights near and compell the Owners to swear what they list and for greater Wariness to ride the Country over with them which they durst not deny Among those enthralled by this Compulsion were the Lords Scales and Morley Sir Iohn Brews Sir Stephen of Hales and Sir Robert of Salle which last was no Gentleman born but as full of Honour and Loyalty as any Man Knighted by the Kings Grand-father for his Valour he was says Froissart one of the biggest Knights in England a Man not supple enough who could not bend before the new Lords he had not the Solidity of Judgment as some more subtle than honest call it to accomodate himself to the times Like Messala he would be of the justest side let the Fortune be what it would he would not forsake Justice under Colour of following Prudence he thought it not in vain to prop up the falling Government perhaps his Judgment may be blamed he stayed not for a sit time had he not failed here he had not fought against Heaven against Providence whose Councils and Decrees are hid from us are in the Clouds not to be pierced our Understanding is as weak as foolish as Providence is certain and wise Our Hopes and Fears deceive us alike we cannot resolve our selves upon any Assurance to forsake our Duty for the time to come Gods Designs are known only to himself it is Despair not Piety Despair too far from that to leave our Country in her dangerous Diseases in her publick Calamities the Insolency of injust Men is a Prodigy of their Ruin and the Incertainty of things Humane may teach us That those we esteem most established most assured are not seldom soonest overthrown Plato would not have them refer all things to Fate there is somewhat in our selves says he not a little in Fortune Ours are but Cockfights the least Remainder of Force and Life may strike a necking Blow and by an unlooked for Victory raise what is fallen if Death cannot be kept off if our Country cannot he saved by our Attempts there is a Comliness in dying handsomly nor can any Man be unhappy but he who out-lives it We have heard of
the Candle 's out But I profane thy Ashes gracious Soul Thy Spirit flew to high to truss these foul Gnostick Opinions Thou desired'st to meet Such Tenents that durst stand upon their Feet And beard the Truth with as intens'd a Zeal As Saints upon a fast Night quilt a Meal Rome never trembled till thy piercing Eye Darted her through and crush'd the Mystery Thy Revelations made St. Iohn's compleat Babylon fell indeed but 't was thy Sweat And Oyl perform'd the work to what we see Foret old in misty Types broke forth in thee Some shallow Lines were drawn and sâ—…onces made By Smatterers in the Arts to drive a Trade Of Words between us but that prov'd no more Than threats in cowing Feathers to give ore Thy Fancy laid the Siege that wrought her Fall Thy Batteries commanded round the Wall Not a poor loop-hole Error could sneak by No not the Abbess to the Friery Though her Disguise as close and subtly good As when she wore the Monk's hose for a Hood And if perhaps their French or Spanish Wine Had fill'd them full of Beads and Bellarmine That they durst sally or attempt a Guard O! How thy busie Brain would beat and ward Rally And reinforce Rout And relieve Double reserves And then an onset give Like marshal'd Thunder back'd with Flames of Fire Storms mixt with Storms Passion with Globes of ire Yet so well disciplin'd that Judgment still Sway'd and not rash Commissionated Will No Words in thee knew Order Time and Place The instant of a Charge or when to face When to pursue advantage where to halt When to draw off and where to reassault Such sure Commands stream'd from thee that 't was one With thee to vanquish as to look upon So that thy ruin'd Foes groveling confess Thy Conquests were their Fate and Happiness Nor was it all thy Business hereto war With forreign Forces But thy active Star Could course a home-bred Mist a native Sin And shew its Guilt 's Degrees how and wherein Then sentence and expel it Thus thy Sun An Everlasting Stage in labour run So that its motion to the Eye of Man Waved still in a compleat Meridian But these are but fair Comments of our Loss The Glory of a Church now on the Cross The transcript of that Beauty once we had Whilst with the Lustre of thy Presence clad But thou art gone Brave Soul and with thee all The Gallantry of Arts Polemical Nothing remains as Primitive but Talk And that our Priests again in Leather walk A Flying Ministry of Horse and Foot Things that can start a Text but ne'er come to 't Teazers of Doctrines which in long sleev'd Prose Run down a Sermon all upon the Nose These like dull glow-worms twinckle in the Night The frighted Land-skips of an absent Light But thy rich Flame 's withdrawn Heaven caught thee hence Thy Glories were grown ripe for Recompence And therefore to prevent our weak Essays Th' art crown'd an Angel with Coelestial Bays And there thy ravish'd Soul meets Field and Fire Beauties enough to fill its strong Desire The Contemplation of a present God Perfections in the Womb the very Road And Essences of Vertues as they be Streaming and mixing in Eternity Whiles we possess our Souls but in a Veil Live Earth confin'd catch Heaven by retail Such a Dark-lanthorn Age such jealous Days Men tread on Snakes sleep in Batalias Walk like Confessors hear but must not say What the bold World dares act and what it may Yet here all Votes Commons and Lords agree The Crosier fell in Laud the Church in thee On the death of his Royal Majesty Charles late King of England c. WHat went yout out to see a dying King Nay more I fear an Angel suffering But what went you to see A Prophet slain Nay that and more a martyr'd Soveraign Peace to that sacred Dust Great Siâ—… our Fears Have left us nothing but Obedient Tears To court your Hearse and in those Pious Floods We live the poor remainder of our Goods Accept us in these latter Obsequies The unplundred Riches of our Hearts and Eyes For in these faithful Streams and Emanations W' are Subjects still beyond all Sequestrations Here we cry more than Conquerors Malice may Murder Estates but Hearts will still obey These as your Glory 's yet above the reach Of such whose purple Lines confusion preach And now Dear Sir vouchsafe us to admire With envy your arrival and that Quire Of Cherubims and Angels that supply'd Our Duties at your Triumphs Where you ride With full Caelestial Ioes and Ovations Rich as the Conquest of three ruin'd Nations But 't was the Heavenly Plot that snatch'd you hence To crown your Soul with that Magnificence And bounden rites of Honour that poor Earth Could only wish and strangle in the Birth Such pittied Emulation stop'd the blush Of our Ambitious Shame non-suited us For where Souls act beyond Mortality Heaven only can perform that Iubilee We wrestle then no more but bless your day And mourn the Anguish of our sad delay That since we cannot add we yet stay here Fetter'd in Clay Yet longing to appear Spectators of your Bliss that being shown Once more you may embrace us as your own Where never Envy shall divide us more Nor City-tumults nor the Worlds uproar But an Eternal Hush a quiet Peace As without end so still in the Increase Shall lull Humanity asleep and bring Us equal Subjects to the Heavenly King Till when I 'll turn Recusant and forswear All Calvin for there 's Purgatory here An Epitaph STay Passenger Behold and see The widdowed Grave of Majesty Why tremblest thou Here 's that will make All but our stupid Souls to shake Here lies entomb'd the Sacred Dust Of Peace and Piety Right and Just. The Blood O start'st not thou to hear Of a King 'twixt hope and fear Shed and hurried hence to be The Miracle of Misery Add the ills that Rome can boast â—…rift the World in every Coast â—…ix the Fire of Earth and Seas With humane Spleen and Practices To puny the Records of time By one grand Gygantick Crime Then swell it bigger till it squeeze The Globe to crooked Hams and Knees Here 's that shall make it seem to be But modest Christianity The Law-giver amongst his own â—…entenc'd by a Law unknown â—…oted Monarchy to Death By the course Plebeian Breath The Soveraign of all Command â—…uffering by a Common Hand A Prince to make the Odium more Offer'd at his very door The head cut off O Death to see 't â—…n Obedience to the Feet And that by Iustice you must know If you have Faith to think it so Wee 'l stir no further than this Sacred Clay But let it slumber till the Iudgment Day Of all the Kings on Earth 't is not denyed Here lies the first that for Religion dyed A Survey of the World THe World 's a guilded Trifle and the State Of sublunary Bliss adulterate Fame but an empty Sound a
round my Boys Let each Soul take its sip Who knows what falls between the Cup and Lip What can a voluntary pale-Look bring Or a deep Sigh to lessen Suffering Has Mischief any pity or regard The foil of Misery is a Breast prepar'd Hence then with folded Arms eclipsed Eyes And low imprison'd Groans meek Cowardise Urge not with Oars Death that in full Sail comes Nor walk in fore-stall'd Blacks to the dark Tombs But rather than th' Eternal Jaws shall gape Gallop with Curtius down the Gallant hap Mean time here 's that shall make our Shackles light And charm the dismal Terrors walk by Night T is this that chears the drooping Soul revives The benum'd Captive crampt in his cold Gives Kingdoms and Cottages the Mill and Throne Sack the Grand Leveller commands alone T is Sack that rocks the boyling Brain to rest Confirms the Aged Hams and warms the Breast Of Gallantry to Action runs half-share And Metal with the buff-fac'd Sons of War 'T is Wit 'T is Art 't is Strength 't is all and more Then lose the Flood-gates George wee 'll pay or score An Epig. to Doulus DOulus advanc'd upon a goodly Steed Came mounting o'er the Plain in very Deeâ—… Whereat the People cring'd and bow'd the Knee In Honour of my Lord 's rich Livery Hence swell not Doulus nor erect thy Crest 'T was for the Goddess sake we capp'd the Beast An Epig. on the People of England Sweating and chafing hot Ardelio crys A Boat a Boat else farewel all the Prize But having once set Foot upon the Deep Hot-spur Ardelio fell fast asleep So we on Fire with zealous Discontent Call'd out a Parliament a Parliament Which being obtain'd at last what did they do Even squeeze the Wool-packs and lye snorting too Another Brittain a lovely Orchard seem'd to be Furnish'd with Natures choice Variety Temptations golden Fruit of every sort Th' Hesperian Garden fann'd from feign'd Report Great Boys and small together in we brake No matter what disdain'd Priapuâ—… spake Up up we lift the Great Boys in the Trees Hoping a common Share to simpathize But they no sooner there neglected streight The Shoulders that so rais'd them to this Height And fell to stuffing of their own Bags first â—…nd as their Treasure grew so did their Thirst. Whiles we in lean Expectance gaping stand â—…or one Shake from their charitable Hand â—…ut all in vain the Dropsie of Desire â—…o scorch'd them three Realms could not quench the Fire â—…e wise then in your Ale bold Youths for fear The Gardner catch us as Moss caught his Mare A Sing-song on Clarinda's Wedding NOw that Love's Holyday is come And Madg the Maid hath swept the Room And trimm'd her Spit and Pot Awake my merry Muse and sing The Revells and that other thing That must not be forgot As the gray Morning dawn'd 't is sed Clarinda broke out of her Bed Like Cynthia in her Pride Where all the Maiden Lights that were Compriz'd within our Hemisphere Attended at her side But wot you then with much ado They dress'd the Bride from top to toe And brought her from her Chamber Deck'd in her Robes and Garments gay More sumptuous than the live-long-day Or Stars enshrin'd in Amber The sparkling Bullies of her Eyes Tike two eclipsed Suns did rise Beneath her Crystal Brow To shew like those strange Accidents Some sudden changeable Events Were like to hap below Her Cheeks bestreak'd with white and red Like pretty Tell-tales of the Bed Presag'd the blust'ring Night With his encircling Arms and Shade Resolv'd to swallow and invade And skreen her Virgin Light Her Lips those Threads of Scarlet dye Wherein Love's Charms and Quiver lye Legions of Sweets did crown Which smilingly did seem to say O crop me crop me whiles you may Anon th' are not mine own Her Breast those melting Alps of Snow On whose fair Hills in open Show The God of Love lay napping Like swelling Buts of lively Wine Upon their Ivory Stells did shine To wait the lucky Tapping Her Waste that slender Type of Man Was but a small and single Span Yet I dare safely swear He that whole Thousands has in Fee Would forfeit all so he might be Lord of the Mannor there But now before I pass the Line Pray Reader give me leave to dine And pause here in the Middle The Bridegroom and the Parson knock With all the Hymeneal Flock The Plum-cake and the Fiddle When as the Priest Clarinda sees He star'd as 't had been half his Fees To gaze upon her Face And if the Spirit did not move His Continence was far above Each Sinner in the Place With mickle Stir he joyn'd their Hands â—…d hamper'd them in Marriage Bands As fast as fast might be Where still methinks methinks I hear That secret Sigh in every Ear Once Love remember me Which done the Cook he knock'd amain â—…nd up the Dishes in a Train Come smoaking two and two With that they wip'd their Mouths and sate â—…ome fell to quaffing some to prate Ay marry and welcome too In Pray'rs they thus impall'd the Meat Roger and Marget and Thomas and Kate Rafe and Bess Andrew and Maudlin And Valentine eke with Sybill so sweet Whose Cheeks on each side of her Snuffers did meeâ—… As round and as plump as a Codlinâ—… When at the last they had fetched their Freeze And mired their Stomacks quite up to the Knees In Claret for and Good Chear Then then began the merry Din For as it were thought they were all'on the Pin O what kissing and clipping was there But as Luck would have it the Parson said Grace And to frisking and dancing they shuffled apace Each Lad took his Lass by the Fist And when he had squeez'd her and gaum'd her untiâ—… The Fat of her Face ran down like a Mill He toll'd for the rest of the Grist In Sweat and in Dust having wasted the Day They enter'd upon the Last Act of the Play The Bride to her Bed was convey'd Where knee-deep each hand fell down to the Ground And in seeking the Garter much pleasure was found 'T would have made a Man's Arm have stray'd This Clutter o'er Clarinda lay Half bedded like the peeping Day Behind Olympus Cap Whiles at her Head each twitt'ring Girl The fatal Stocking quick did whirl To know the lucky Hap. The Bridegroom in at last did rustle All disappointed in the Bustle The Maidens had shav'd his Breeches But let him not complain 't is well In such a Storm I can you tell He sav'd his other Stitches And now he bounc'd into the Bed Even just as if a Man had sed Fair Lady have at all Where twisted at the Hug they lay Like Venus and the sprightly Boy O who would fear the Fall Thus both with Love's sweet Tapers fired And thousand balmy Kisses tyred They could not wait the Rest But out the Folk and Candles fled And to 't they went but what they did There lies the Cream o'th'Jest The
a Day Tyler who had insinuated himself into the good Grace of these Churls by appearing the most stirring and active of the Kennel who began and ruled the Cry and was by I know not what Ceremony perhaps like that Irish Election by casting an old Shoe over his Head declared Prince of the Rabble leads them to Rochester which will not come behind Canterbury in Kindness The People of the Town says the Knight were of the same Sect it seems the Castle once one of the strongest in the Kingdom was now neither fortified nor manned the Governour Sir Iohn Moton yields himself into their Hands he was one of the Kings Family of his Houshold and must be thought awed as he was into the Engagement Here the Commons might be thought ashamed of their own Choice they offer Sir Iohn the General 's Staff which had he accepted he must have commanded according to the Motions of Lieutenant General Tylers Spirit and when this turn had been over at the least stamp of his Foot have vanished sneaked off the Stage They tell him Sir Iohn you must be our Captain and which shews the Power of his Commission you shall do what we will have you The Knight likes not their Company he trys his best Wit and Language to be rid of them but could not prevail They reply downright Sir Iohn if you will not doe what we will have you you must dye for it we will not be denyed but at your Peril Enough was said the Knight yields but his Charge of Captain General is forgotten we shall see hereafter what Use they make of him and in what manner he must be employed This Example is followed in the other Countrys The Gentry did not only lose their Estates and Honour but their Courage and Gallantry their Bloods were frozen Fear had stifled their Spirits The Clowns as the Knight had brought them into such Obeysance that they caused them to go with them whether they would or not they fawned on them humbled themselves to them like Dogs groveling at their Feet The Lord Molines Sir Stephen Hales Sir Thomas Guysighen this Sir Iohn Moton and others were Attendants and Vassals to the Idol Every Day new Heaps of Men flock to them like Catalines Troops all that were necessitous at Home Unthrifts broken Fellows such as for their Misdeeds feared the Justice of the Laws who resent the dangerous and distracted State of the Kingdom alike and will no doubt hammer out an Excellent Reformation they will mend their own Condition which will be enough we must expect no more and now the Confidence in their Strength made them bold enough to throw off their Mask of Hypocrisie they began to open the Inside They departed from Rochester says Froissart and passed the River he says the Thames at Kingstone and came to Brentford where I think he leads them out of their Way beating down before them and round about the Places and Houses of Advocates and Procurers and striking off the Heads of diverse Persons Walsingham tells us who those Advocates and Procurers were All Men says he were amused some looked for good from the new Masters others feared this Insurrection would prove the Destruction of the Realm The last were not deceived All the Lawyers of the Land so he goes on as well the Apprentices Counsellors as old Justices all the Jury-men of the Country this was Priest Baal's Charge they could gripe in their Clutches had their Heads chopped off It was a Maxim of the Cabal That there could be no Liberty while any of these Men were suffered to breath From little to great they fell upon things which they never thought of in their first Overflow which Guicciardine observes in civil Discords where the Rebellion is Fortunate and Mens Minds are puft up with Success to be Ordinary The Statue of Cumaean Apollo weeps for the Destruction of Cumae we shall here read of Men without Sense or Apprehensions both the Stories will seem as Incredible The stupid Nobility and Gentry sleep in their Houses till they are roused by these Blood-hounds that they might seem to deserve the Calamity tumbling upon their Heads They were becoming Tenants at Will in Villeinage to their Vassals under their Distress their Task and Taxes more by the sottish Baseness of themselves than any Vertue in these Rascals scorned and sleighted by every tatter'd Clunch Their Lands continually upon any Vote or Information to be sold or given away upon any Information of Loyalty or Faithfulness The ancient Vertues of the Gentleman not to be found in that Age and serving only for a Pretence to Ruin no one could form an Expectation of more than this to be the last Man born what was Polyphemus his Kindness to Ulysses to be devoured last all which they were contented to hazard and indure to preserve a Shred or jagg of an incertain ragged Estate for the Health or Mistresses Sake subject ever to the Violence of the same lawless spoiling Force which maimed and rent it before Next to return to this Riffraff their Cruelty reaches to Parchment Deeds Charters Rolls of Courts Evidences are cast by them into the Fire as if they meant to abolish all Remembrance of things this was to defeat their Lords in the Claims of any ancient Rights and to leave no Man more Title than themselves had to their Sword and Power The Kentish and Essexian Rout were joyned says the Monk but he tells us not where and approached near London at Black-heath they made an Halt where they were near 200000 strong Thither came two Knights sent by the King to them to inquire the Cause of the Commotion and why they had amassed such Swarms of the People They answer they met to conferr with the King concerning Business of Weight they tell the Messengers they ought to go back to the King and shew him that it behoves him to come to them they would acquaint him with their Desires we shall quickly discover why his Presence was required Upon Return of the Knights it was debated in Council by the Lords about the King whether he should go or no Some of the Table more willing to venture the King than themselves willing to throw him into the Gulph or perhaps not senting the Design of the Clowns perswade him to see them Your Majesty thus they must make a Tryal of these Men Necessity now must be looked on above Reason if any thing can give the Check to the Uproars it must be your Presence there can be no Safety but in this Venture it is now as dangerous to seem not to trust as to be deceived Fate is too much feared if it be imagined that this Tree of your Empire which has flourished so many Ages can fall in an Hour The Archbishop of Canterbury Simon Theobald of Sudbury Lord Chancellor of England the most Eloquent most wise and most pious Prelate of the Age Faithful to his Prince and therefore odious to
could not be well tempered with vulgar Blood a Servant of the Arch-Bishops who had trusted himself to these Guards and Walls is forced to betray his Lord. He brings them into the Chappel where the Holy Prelate was at his Prayers where he had celebrated Mass that Morning before the King and taken the Sacred Communion where he had spent the whole Night in watching and Devotion as presaging what followed He was a Valiant Man and Pious and expected these Blood-hounds with great Security and Calmness of Mind when their bellowing first struck his Ears he tells his Servants that Death came now as a more particular Blessing where the Comforts of Life were taken away that Life was irksome to him perhaps his pious Fears for the Church and Monarchy both alike indangered and fatally tied to the same Chain might make him weary of the World and that he could now dye with more quiet of Conscience than ever a Quiet which these Parricides will not find when they shall pay the Score of this and their other Crimes However the Flattery of Success may abuse our Death-bed represents things in their own Shape and as they are After this the Rout of Wolves enter prophanely roaring where is the Traitor where is the Robber of the Common People He answers not troubled at what he saw or heard Ye are welcome my Sons I am the Arch-Bishop whom you seek neither Traitor nor Robber Presently these Limbs of the Devil griping him with their wicked Clutches tear him out of the Chappel neither reverencing the Altar nor Crucifix figured on the top of his Crosier nor the Host these are the Monks Observations for which he condemns them in the highest Impiety and makes them worse than Devils and as Religion went then well he might condemn them so They drag him by the Arms and Hood to Tower Hill without the Gates there they howl hideously which was the Sign of a Mischief to follow He asks them what it is they purpose what is his Offence tells them he is their Arch-Bishop this makes him guilty all his Eloquence his Wisdom are now of no Use he adds the Murder of their Soveraign Pastor will be severely punished some notorious Vengeance will suddenly follow it These Destroyers will not trouble themselves with the idle Formality of a Mock-trial or Court of their own erecting an abominable Ceremony which had made their Impiety more ugly they proceed down-right and plainly which must be instead of all things He is commanded to lay his Neck upon the Block as a false Traitor to the Commonalty and Realm To deal roundly his Life was forfeited and any particular Charge or Defence would not be necessary his Enemies were his Accusers and Judges his Enemies who had combined and sworn to abolish his Order the Church and spoil the Sacred Patrimony and what Innocency what Defence could save Without any Reply farther he forgives the Headsman and bows his Body to the Axe After the first hit he touches the Wound with his Hand and speaks thus It is the Hand of the Lord. The next Stroke falls upon his Hand e'er he could remove it cuts off the tops of his Fingers after which he fell but dyed not till the eighth Blow his Body lay all that day unburied and no Wonder all Men were throughly Scared under the Tyranny of these Monsters all Humanity all Piety were most unsafe The Arch-bishop dyed a Martyr of Loyalty to his King and has his Miracles recorded an Honour often bestowed by Monks Friends of Regicide and Regicides on Traitors seldom given to honest Men. In his Epitaph his riming Epitaph where is shewn the pittiful ignorant Rudeness of those times he goes for no less he speaks thus Sudburiae natus Simon jacet hic tumulatus Martyrizatus nece pro republica stratus Sudburies Simon here intombed lies Who for the Common-wealth a Martyr dies It is fit says Plato that he who would appear a just Man become Naked that his Vertue be dispoiled of all Ornament that be he taken for a wicked Man by others wicked indeed that he be mocked and hanged The wisest of Men tell us There is a Just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness and there is a wicked Man that prolongeth his Life in his Wickedness The Seas are often calm to Pirates and the Scourges of God the Executioners of his Fury the Goths Hunns and Vandals heretofore Tartars and Turks now how happy are their Robberies how do all things succeed with them beyond their Wishes Our Saviours Passion the great Mystery of his Incarnation lost him to the Iews his Murtherers Whereupon Grotius notes it is often permitted by God that pious Men be not only vexed by wicked Men but murdered too He gives Examples in Abel Isaiah and others the MESSIAH dyed for the Sins of the World Ethelbert and Saint Edmund the East-Angles Saint Oswald the Northumbrian Edward the Monarch c. Saxon Kings are Examples at Home Thucidides in his Narration of the Defeat and Death of Nician the Athenian in Sicily speaks thus Being the Man of all the Grecians of my Time had least deserved to be brought to so great a Degree of Misery It is too frequent to proclaim Gods Judgments in the Misfortunes of others as if we were of the Celestial Council had seen all the Wheels or Orbs upon which Providence turns and knew all the Reasons and Ends which direct and govern its Motions Men love by a strange Abstraction to seperate Facts from their Crimes where the Fact is Beneficial the Advantage must canonize it it must be of Heavenly Off-spring a Way to justifie Cain Abimelech Phocas our Third Richard Ravilliac every lucky Parricide whatsoever Alexander Severus that most excellent Emperor assassinated by the Militia or Souldiery by an ill Fate of the Common-wealth for Maximinus a Thracian or Goth Lieutenant General of the Army a cruel Savage Tyrant by Force usurped the Empire after him replyed to one who pretended to foretell his End That it troubled aim not the most Renowned Persons in all Ages dye violently This Gallant Prince condemned no Death but a dishonest fearful one Heaven it self declared on the Arch-bishops side and cleared his Inocency Starling of Essex who challenged to himself the Glory of being Headsman fell mad suddenly after ran through the Villages with his Sword hanging naked upon his Breast and his Dagger naked behind him came up to London confest freely the Fact and lost his Head there As most of those did who had laid their Hands upon this Arch-bishop coming up severally out of their Countrys to that City and constantly accusing themselves for the Parricide of their spiritual Father Nothing was now unlawful there could be no Wickedness after this they make more Examples of barbarous Cruelty under the Name of Justice Robert Lord Prior of St. Iohn and Lord Treasurer of England Iohn Leg or Laige one of the Kings Sergeants at Arms a
resign the Powers to him which we received of him We have voted if you comply not to send for the Captain General Tyler and Twenty thousand of his Militia to the Danger of this Place and of the Monks Heads The Abbot here recites his good Deeds how often in their Necessities he had relieved them he had been he says their spiritual Father thirty two Years in all which time no Man had been grieved or oppressed by him this giving implyedly the Lye to Wallingford they grant but will not be denyed The Obligations and Charters which they require are delivered them which they burn in the Market-place near the Cross. This did not content them they ask for an ancient Charter concerning the Town Liberties the Capital Letters of which say they were one of Gold another of Azure The Abbot prays them to be satisfied for that time he protests they have all he has to give them he knew of no more yet he would make a search and if any such Deed could be found it should faithfully be delivered to them This too was the answer of the Covent it was agreed that the Abbot should after Dinner disclaim under his Hand and Seal in all Things prejudicial to their Liberty In Memory of an old Suit betwixt Abbot Richard the First and the Townsmen in the Reigns of William the Second and Henry the First wherein the Townsmen were overthrown were laid Milstones before the Door of the Parlor These Iohn the Barber with others took away as a Token of Victory over the Law these they break into small pieces and distribute amongst the Worthies as the Sacred Bread is given in the Eucharist Who could forbear Tears says Walsingham heavily bewailing these Changes to see Servants command their Lords who know not how to rule nor how to pity To see London once the noble Head of our Cities become a Stye for unclean Swine Who would not tremble to hear that the Arch-bishop and the Lord Treasurer should be offered Victims to wicked Spirits to the Kentish â—…dol the Kentish Saturn or Moloch and his Hob-goblins in the midst of the Kingdom Nay says he whose Heart would it not have wounded through to have seen the King of England who of Right for Majesty and Dignity ought to precede all Kings in the World out of Fear of his Head observe the Nods and Becks of these Varlets and the Nobility and Gentry mortified Beasts trampled on by these Scullions enslaved at their own Charge lick up their Dust. After Dinner a sad Dinner to the Monks this Merdaille these Stinkards throng before the Gates and demand the Charter of Liberties which the Abbot had promised them to seal which was sent and read to them in the thickest of the Rout If they please to accept it this was the Abbots Complement he is ready to seal They resolved never to be pleased with much Scorn and Pride answer by an Esquire of the Abbot That the Abbot must appoint some Clerk of his to attend them with â—…nk and Parchment themselves would dictate and after the Abbot and Covent should confirm what was done when this Humour was satisfied the Safety and Peace of the Monastery and Monks were as desperate as ever The old Charter which they will everlastingly believe concealed must be produced else they will bury the Covent in the Ruins of the Cloysters This Charter did certainly as they will have it contain all their ancient Liberties and Priviledges and if this was true there was no great Reason it should be in the Abbots keeping Here the Abbot imploys the most Honourable Esquires of the Country as Mediators to soften them and offers if they desire it to say Mass before them next Morning and to swear upon the Sacrament he should be about to take with what Monks they would name that he kept from them no such Charter with his Knowledge Make Choice says he of what Liberties you can you shall have my Charters drawn they shall be granted you by it I will seal you a real Charter instead of a fantastical one never seen by you no where to be had The Abbot struggles in vain against these Waves this Charter of their Fancies they will have Nor shall any other Price redeem the Monastery they intended the Subversion of the House and wrangle thus crossly that they might seem to have some Pretences to do it but because they had much Business to go about and could not be here and there too a Truce was taken for that Day and many of these pure Brethren betake themselves to other parts some of them would not be prevailed with the Bread and Ale of the Monastery brought forth to them in huge Fat 's would not work upon them to lay their Fury they staid only for a leading Hand Here an honest Burgess interposes Ribaulds says he what is it you purpose most of you here are Forreigners of the Villages about this is the most famous Mischief which can be acted in this Country this Beacon must set all on Fire and it is fit we who are Burgesses and Freemen of this Town should give the On-set By this Fineness they are gained to quit the Gates and joyn to the Assistance of their Fellow-Labourers The rest of the Day is spent by their united Forces in overthrowing of Houses clashing of Vessels and spoiling of Goods according to the Rule of Walter the false Founder of the Order At Night the Lieutenants make Proclamamation under the Kings Banner commanding strong Guards to be set about the Town that they may be assured against Surprizes and about the River Werlam and Saint Germains making it Loss of the Head to any Monk who should be found issuing from or entring the Monastery that Way this was done to set a Trap for the Prior and those who fled with him They proclaimed also that whosoever could challenge any Debts due to him from the Monastery might put in his Claim and little Proof should be needed the next Day and the Burgesses of the Town would discharge as far as the Goods of the Monastery would reach Much more was Magisterially thrown in to shew a Cast of the present Power Which was no sooner done but there appears a Farmer of the Mannor of Kingsbury belonging to this Abby arme I with his Sword and Buckler this Man was much in Arrears for his Farm and durst not peep abroad from his lurking Holes before these Broils which hiding of himself he imputes now to the Injustice and Cruelty of the Prior This Chuff demands one hundred Marks Damages for the Losses he had sustained in his Absence and threatens to burn the Grange of Saint Peter and Mannor-house of Kingsbury near the Abby if he be not repaired Twenty pounds he receives upon this Demand and goes away swearing he would freely give it back again for the Priors Head Saturday Night passed with much Perplexity to the Monks who were at their Wits