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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
his pious devotion then Roman Iulius did for Rome in his great magnanimity and prowesse Now to prove that King Edward was a Caesar To prove King Edward a Caesar. the young Lady Iane Seymour being at Hampton Court when the time of her teeming came and there was small hope of her delivery news was brought to the King that her throes were violent upon her and that the Infant could not be brought into the world but by the death of the mother For by preserving the one the other must needs perish When that his pleasure was demanded what was to be done in so strict an exigent Hee commanded that the child should be cut from the wombe saying Sure I am that I can have more wives but uncertaine I am whether I can have more children c. Upon the sixt day of Iuly in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty three Iohn Barnes The death of Edward the sixt Mercer being Lord Major and William Garret and Iohn Mainard Sheriffs at Greenwich departed out of this world King Edward of that name the sixth in the sixteenth of his age and the seventh of his Reigne whom some say that hee died of a pleurisie others that hee was poysoned by a Nosegay For it was generally murmured by the people that the Uncles being removed the Nephew could not long remaine after which best complyes with the former calculation which saith Then fall must this faire structure built on hie And th' English like the Roman Caesar die The first made away in the Court the other murdered in the Capitoll of which hopefull and toward Prince this character is left to future memory Hee was carefull for the establishing of the Protestant Religion to have it flourish through His Character His zeale to the propagation of true Religion all his Dominions The Masse hee abolished and Images demolished the learned men of his time he greatly incouraged moving them to interpret the Scriptures to the capacities of the vulgar and commanded the Liturgie and Common Prayers to bee read in the English tongue In his minority hee had maturity of judgement and was literated in all the Arts liberall of a retentive memory He knew all the Ports and Havens in England France Scotland and Ireland being as well acquainted with their scites as their names In the Greeke Latin French Italian and Spanish Tongues extraordinarily verst in Logicke Morall Philosophy and the Mathematicks conversant in Cicero Livy Tacitus and Salust frequent Hesiod and Sophocles His knowledge in all kindes of literature he understood and was able to interpret Isocrates from the originall He was wisely witty even to wonder his body featured and his minde modelled almost to miracles religiously he lived devoutly he dyde that he breath'd his last it is certaine but where his body lyes buried to us most uncertain CHAP. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Queene Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary Hee is arrested of high Treason The Coronation of Queen 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 His comming into England and made Archbishop of Canterbury His death THe two ambitious Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke thinking to disable the two sisters Mary and The ambition of the two Dukes Elizabeth the daughters of King Henry the Eighth from any lawfull claime to the Crowne as reputing them no better then bastards had made a matcht betwixt Guilford Dudley the fourth sonne to Northumberland and the Lady Iane Gray sole daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and pretending that King Edward in his last will nominated her Heire apparant to the Crowne after his death they caused the said Lady Iane presently upon the Kings death Iune the tenth to be proclaimed Queene and true and immediate Heire to the Kingdome The Lady Iane Gray proclaimed Queen in sundry places of the City of London which proved to her utter ruine The Lady Mary being at that time at Framingham The Suffolke men adhere to the Lady Mary in Suffolke was much troubled at the report of such disastrous news which the more perplexed her because she had intelligence that it was done by the Nobility and the whole body of the Councell to whom the Suffolke men assembling as not liking such shuffling in state proffered her their voluntary assistance to possesse her in her lawfull and indubitate inheritance Before which time The great Duke of Northumberland having a large Commission granted him by the Lords of the Councell and Northumberlands Commission to fetch in the Lady Mary signed with the great Seale of England had raised an army with intent both to suppresse and surprize the Lady Mary which was no sooner advanced and the rising of the Suffolke men bruited at Court but the Lords in generall either for feare of the Commons or repenting them of the injury done unto the rightfull Inheritrix they sent a countermand after the Duke to lay by his Armes who when he thought himselfe in his greatest power being abandoned by the Nobility he was also forsaken of the Commons so that at Cambridge hee with his sonnes and some few servants were left alone who thinking thereby to make his peace in the open market place proclaimed the Lady Mary Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. notwithstanding which in Kings Colledge hee was arrested of high Treason and Northumberland arrested of high treason from thence brought up to London and committed to the Tower Then was the Lady Mary generally received as Queen so proclaimed through the Kingdom the twentieth of Iuly and the third of August The Lady Mary received for Queen following shee tooke possession of the Tower and during her abode there released all the Romish Bishops there imprisoned From thence she road in great state through London towards her palace of Westminster where shee was solemnely crowned by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester her sister the Lady Elizabeth being present at her Coronation Of this Queene and her Reign it is thus predicted Then shall the masculine Scepter cease to sway A prediction of her and her Reigne And to a Spinster the whole Land obey Who to the Papall Monarchy shall restore All that the Phoenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the faggot and the stake And they of Convert bodies bonefires make Match shall this Lionesse with Caesars sonne From the Pontifick sea a pool shall runne That wide shal spread it's waters and to a flood In time shal grow made red with martyrs blood Men shall her short unprosperous Reigne deplore By losse at sea and damage on the shore Whose heart being dissected you in it May in large characters find Calice writ Now ceased the Heire Male to Reign and the Scepter was disposed to
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