and commands c. To take the best care for the keeping of his Peace opposing of all such Levies with a strong hand Farther He commands every man to leave such Assemblies and return home to his own house under penalty of forfeiture of Life and Member and all things forfeitable to the King c. These Clowns charge not the King to be transported Furiously and Hostilely to the destruction of the whole people which can never happen where the King is in his wits But what is fully as mad they will suppose him to Arme against his own life and power against his own peace and the peace of all that love him This Proclamation put life into the Royalists into all honest hearts and dismayes as much the Rebels yet after this the Essex Traitors gather again at Byllericay near Hatfield Peverell and send to the King now at Waltham to know whether he intends to make good his Grants of Liberties and require to be made equal with their Lords without being bound to any Suits of Court view of Frank-pledge only excepted twice the year The King and his Counsell are startled at this impudence The King answers the Agents That if he did not look upon them as Messengers he would hang them up Return sayes he to your fellow Rebels and tell them Clowns they were and are and shall continue in their Bondage not as hitherto but far more basely trampled on While we live and rule this Kingdom by Gods Will we will imploy all our Means and Power to keep you under So that your misery shall frighten all villeins hereafter And your posterity 〈◊〉 curse your memory At the heels of the Messengers the King sends his Unkle Thomas of Woodstock Earl of Buckingham and Sir Thomas Piercy with a body of Horse to quell them The Rebels were intrenched according to the manner of Litsters Camp in the midst of Woods Ten Lances of the Avant Currours rout them the Lords when they were come up inclose the Woods round five hundred are killed eight hundred Horses for carriage taken the broken remainders of the defeat escape to Colchester a Town ever honest and faithfull to the Prince where the loyal Townsmen would not be gotten to stir they sollicite the Townsmen saies the Monk with much intreaty great threats and many arguments neither intreaties nor threats nor arguments would move them From thence they get to Sudbury making every where such Proclamations as of old they had used where the Lord Fitz. walter whose seat was at Woodham Walters in Essex and Sir Iohn Harlestone rush suddenly upon them kill and take them The King meaning to visite Essex in his own person comes to Havering at the bouâ—… a Mannour of his own demain of the sacred Patrimony and from thence to Chesmsford where he appoints Sir Robert Tresilian chief Justice of his Bench of Pleas of the Crown to sit and inquire of the Malefactours and Troublers of the Country and to punish the offendours according to the custome of the Realm known and visible Five hundred of these wretched peasants who had no mercy for others heretofore cast themselves down before the King bare footed and with heads uncovered implore his pardon which he grantâ—… them on condition They discover the great Conspiratours the Captain Rogues The Jurors are charged by the chief Justices to carry themselves indifferently and justly in their Verdicts neither swayed by love or hatred to favour or prosecute any man Many upon the Evidence given in and the finding of the Jury were condemned to be drawn and hanged nineteen of them were trussed upon one Gallowes Heading had formerly been the execution of others in Essex Kent and London because of the numbers of the guilty which was now thought a death short of the demerits of the most foul and heynous offenders Wherefore according to the custom of the Realm It was decreed sayes the Monk that the Captains should be hanged The like was done in other Countries by the Justices in Commission where the King was in person Here the King with the advice of his Counsell revokes his Letters Patents the Charters granted to the Clowns Although so he speaks we have have in the late detestable troubles c. manumised all the Commons our Liege Subjects of our Shires and them c. have freed from all bondage and service c. And also have pardoned the same our Liege men and Subjects all Insurrections by Riding Going c. And also all manner of Treasons Felonies Trespasses and Extortions c. Notwithstanding for that the said Charters were without mature deliberation and unduly procured c. To the prejudice of us and our Crown of the Prelates and great men of our Realm as also to the disherison of holy English Church and to the hurt and damage of the Common-wealth the said Letters we revoke make void and annull c. Yet our intention is such Grâ—…e upon every of our said Subjects to confer though enormiously their Allegeance they have forfeited c. As shall be usefull to us and our Realm The close commands to bring in to the King and his Councell all Charters of manumission and pardon to be cancelled upon their faith and allegeance and under forfeiture of all things forfeitable c. Witnesse our selfe at Chelmsford the 2. of July and 5. year of our reign False for the 4. In the case of a Subject and no reason Kings shall be more bound every Act extorted by violence and awe upon the Agent is voyd In the time of Edward the third two Thieves which was the case here force a Traveller to swear that hee will at a day appointed bring them a thousand pound and threaten to kill him if he refuse their oath He swears and performe what he had sworn by advice of all the Justices these two were Indicted of Robbery and the Court maintaines that the party was not bound by this Oath Yet if this be denyed as unsafe Violence or Force which strikes a just fear into any man makes any Contract voyd say the Casuists Bishop Andrewes than most learned Prelate answers to the pretended resignation of King Iohn urged by Bellarmine that what this King did if any such act was done was done by force and out of feare Widdrington the mostloyall of all Roman Catholick Priests who writ much against the Gun-powder Jesuits in defence of the right of Kings against those Jesuits who would have cut off the King the Royall Family the Bishops of the English Catholick Church the Nobility and Gentry as their Letter speaks with one blow sayes of this Resignation or Donation if we may so he call it so That it was not freely given The Jesuites challenge the perpetuall dictature or regency of the University of Pontamousson by Bull of Sixtus the fift contrary to the Statutes of the foundation by Gregory the thirteenth Were the Bull true sayes Barclaie yet it ougt not to be
endeavoured to repair the breaches of his entrance it would have been no small labour to have restored things to any mean and tolerable condition If Presbyter VVicklief and his Classes by their pernitious Doctrines as they are charged to this day did first pervert and corrupt the people and broach that vessell with which Father Baal and Straw poysoned them they must have ruined themselves by the change sure enough they had been no more comprehended in any of Tylers Toleration than the Prelatical or Papistical party In the turmoiles and outrages of this Tyrannie had it taken Innocence Virtue Ingenuity Honesty Faith Learning and Goodnesse had been odious and dangerous The profit and advantage of the new Usurpers had been the measure of Justice and right The noble and ignoble had dyed Streets and Scaffolds with their blood not by Laws and Judgement but out of malice to their height and worth out of fury and covetousness to inrich publicke Theeves and Murtherers The jealousies too and feares of Tyler had made all men unsafe Yet the repute the renowne of the Founders could not have been much The glory of successe cannot be greater then the honesty of the enter prise there must be Justice in the quarrell else there can be no true honour in the prosperity Cato will love the conquered Common-wealth Iugurtha's fame who is sayd to bee Illustrious for his Parricides and Rapines will not make all men fall down and worship On Munday the fifteenth of Iuly not of October as VValsingham is mis-printed The Chiefe Justice Tresilian calls before him the Jury for Inquiry who faulter and shamelâ—…sly protest they cannot make any such discovery as is desired The Chiefe Justice puts them in minde of the Kings Words to them upon the way promising pardon if they will finde out the offendors else threatning them with the punishment they should have suffered who through such silence cannot be apprehended Out they goe againe and the Chiefe Justice follows them He shewes them a Roll of the principall Offendors names tells them they must not thinke to delude and blinde the Court with this impudence and advises them out of a care to preserve wicked mens lives not to hazard their own Hereupon they Indict many of the Towne and Country which Indictments are allowed by a second Inquest appointed to bring in the Verdict and againe affiâ—…med by a third Jury of twelve charged onely for the fairenesse of the Tryall So no man was pronounced guilty but upon the finding of thirty sixe Jurors Then were the Lieutenants Greyndcob Cadingdon and Barber and twelve more Condemned Drawne and Hanged VVallingford Iohn Garleck VVilliam Berewill Thomas Putor and many more with eightie of the Countrey were Indicted by their Neighbours and Impriprisoned but forgiven by the Kings Mercie and discharged They were forgiven most by the Kings Mercie for hee had forbidden by Proclamation all men to sue or begge for them a command which the good Abbâ—… sometimes disobey and hee shall bee-well thanked for it No beneficâ—… oblige some men 〈◊〉 true rugged châ—… can never be made fast never bee tyed by any merit whatsoever Nothing can soâ—… him See an unheâ—…rd of shamelesness till then These laziâ—… tender-hearted Clowns who could hardly be got to discover the guilty now runne with full speed to betray the innocent They indict the Abbot as the principall Raiser and contriver of these Tumults which struck at his own life and the being and safetis of his Monastery The Abbot as it is said sent to Tyler upon his ordinances some of the Town and Monastery but to temporiz and secure himself This is now supposed by the very Traytors indeed Treason by Common Law and Statute against the King his naturall lâ—…ige Lord This having not the feare of God in his heartâ—… c. but being seduced by the instigation of the Devill 〈◊〉 compassing the death c. the deprivation and deposing of his Soveraign Lord from his Royal State c. 〈◊〉 such Indictments use to run this must goe for levying VVar against our Lord the King adhering to comforting and aâ—…ding his enemies by opon fact which are the words of the Statute of Treason declarative of the Common Law The Chief Justice abominating and cursing the treacherous malice and perfidiousness of these Bruits makes them tear the Indictment which themselves though urged are not wicked enough to swear to nay which publiquely they confess to bee false in the face of the Court Villeinage was not now abolished though so methink otherwise but by degrees extinguished since this reigne Besides the Letters of Revocation before restoring all things to their old course A Commission which the Abbot procured from the King out of the Chancery then kept in the Chapter-house of this Monastery makes this manifest which speaks to this effect RIchard by the grace of God King of England and of France and Lord of Ireland c. To his beloved John Lodowick Jo Westwycomb c. We command you and every of you upon sight of these presents c. That on our part forthwith ye cause to be proclaimed That all and singular the Tenants of our beloved in Christ the Abbot of S. Albane as well free as bond the Works Customes and Services which they to the foresaid Abbot ought to doe and of ancient time have been accustomed to performe without any contradiction murmur c. Doe as before they have been accustomed The disobedient are commanded to be taken and imprisoned as Rebels In the time of King Henry the seventh there were villains This I observe to make it appeare how little it is which the miserable common people without whom no famous mischiefe can be attained are gainers by any of their riots or seditions whatsoever the changes are their condition is still the same or worse if some few of them advance themselves by the spoiles of the publique shipwrack the rest are no happier for it the insolent sight offends their eyes they see the dirt of their owne ditches Lord it over them and the body of them perhaps more despised than ever Tyler who could not but have known that nothing can be so destructive to Government as the licentiousnesse of the base Commons would doubtlesse when his owne work had been done quickly have chained up the Monster he would have perched in the Kings sacred Oâ—…ke all the Forrest should have beene his Bishopricks Earledomes nay the Kingdomes had been swallowed by him instead of a just ligall power by which the Kings acted an arbitrary boundlesse unlimited power must have beene set up instead of a fatherly royall Monarchy a Tyranniâ—… after the Turkish mode a Monarchy seignioral and had he brought in upon the fall of the Christian Faith and Worship which must have followed his establishment Circumcision and the Creed of Mahoâ—…et as the spirits of men were then debased he must have been obeyed All the Kings right and more must have been his Sultan Tyler's Prerogative
their Prince their naturall Lord unanimously and to side with him against all seditious opposers of his Majesty and the just rights and liberties of his people which they saw like to perish together Farther a Knight of the Court seconds the report and by proclamation in the Kings Name now legall againe commands this herd to keepe the Kings peace under forfeiture of life and members from that houre The King now growne a Protectour againe of his Subjects sends his Letters protectory to the Abbot in these words RIchard c. To all our Lieges and Commons of Hartford c. We pray Charge Command streightly as we may c. by the faith and ligeances which to us yee owe that to our Beloved in God the Abbot of St. Albane nor to our House and Monastery of the said place of our Patronage nor to none of the People Monkes nor â—…thers nor to none of the goods of the said Monastery c Yee suffer to be done as much as in you lies any grievance dammage c. Given under our Great Seale at our City of London c. Though now these Carles were well cooled yet ere the zeale was quite â—…akened and the Clouds dispelled which hovered weakely and were likely to scatter with the next breath of winde they conclude to perfect their building which to the great nusance of this Monastery they haâ—… raised Bâ—…sides the Lieutenants or Major Generalls of Tyler thought it a much unworthiuesse to droope too soon before those whom they had summoned in to piece up their deformed insutrection with so much bravery and insolence They continue and pursue their requests to the Abbot but with lesse noise than formerly the Abbot was advised by Letters from Sir Hugh Segrave Lord Steward of the Houshold and Sir Thomas Percy created after Earle of Worcester to grant all things assuring him these grants being thus forced from him would be voide in Law and could not hurt his Monastery The Abbots Chamber the Chappell all places are full of them they give directions to the Abbots Clerke for their Charter of Liberties which now they were contented to accept but will have a Bond of one thousand pounds sterling for the delivering up the Charter unknowne before the annunciation of the blessed Virgin next if it can be found if not that the Abbot with his twelfth hand an antient Saxon manner of purging or clearing the offender where the offence was secret with twelve of his chiefe Monkes should sweare that he neither has nor detains any such Charter with his knowledge The Abbot agrees he and the Covent Seale But oh the miracle not to be believed nor understood without another upon our faith and understanding the Seale in which the glorious Protomartyâ—… was figured three times together could not be pulled from the Wax no sleight no strength could doe it To passe by the pious frauds and dreames of Monkes from thence the black-bands depart to the Market place there at the Crosse they publish their new Acquisitions the Charters of the King and Abbot with the Kings protection of the Monastery which was but a counterfeit of their love On Munday and Tuesday following the villeins of the Patrimony of our Protemartyr as the others did in all places else imbroiled exact of the Abbot deeds of manumission and Liberty according to the effect of the Royall Charter before which Charter the Abbot recites and confirmes From villeins these now conceive themselves Gentlemen of Welsh pedegree descended of Princes nay as our Monk noble beyond the line and race of Kings they are meere free-holders hold onely of God and the Sunne rather of the Sun and club and will neither performe their customes and services nor pay Rent The common people who are neither swayed by Religion or Honesty stop and check themselves not that they were contented but because they could not nay they durst not goe on to more The plague of this distemper was not onely epidemicall but kept its dayes on the fatall Saturday fifty thousand Clownes out of Suffolke Essex Cambridgeshire the Isle of Eliâ—… places miserably harrassed according to the former presidents were incorporated by the jugling tricks of the Essexian impostors sent out by the Fathers of disobedience in the first conception of the ruffle to inveigle proselites to the Holy League This was but an indigested Masse without shape or forme Wraw not Straw as sometimes he is called a most leud Presbyter as Walsingham or Priest who came from London the day before with Orders from Tyler who according to his owne establishment had the executive power was imployed into those parts to lick and fashion the Monster He with Robert Westbrome King of this Congregation lead the tatter'd reformers from Mildenhall to St. Edmunds bury where then stood a most glorious Monastery and where their fellow scoundrells expected them Wraw findes these choperloches good disciples willing to learne and quick of apprehension so capable they understood his least signes The same frensies are againe acted by other Lunaticks the Lawyers or Apprentices of the Law as the Monke and their houses are the first objects of their spight they doe not onely cut off them but fire their nests Lir Iohn Cavendish chiefe Justice of the Kings Bench who had beene one of the most able Serjeants of this Kings Grand-fathers Reigne and was made chiefe Justice by him they intercept and behead Orpheus Traâ—…it Nerâ—… the Romane Belgabred the Brittaine excellent in the sweetnesse of a voyce and skill of Song with Iohn of Cambridge Prior of Saint Edmunds lose their lives in the same manner as they unluckily fell in to their hands The cause of the Priors death is made this He was discreet and managed the affaires of his Monastery faithfully and diligently he was taken neare Mildenhall a Towne then belonging to Saint Edmund of the demaine of the Abby the Vassalls Hindes Villeins and bond-men of the house sentenced him murthered him by Vote His body lay five dayes naked in the field unburied In Saint Edmunds bury these cut-throats compasse the Priors head round as in a procession after they carry it upon a Lance to the pillory where that and the chiefe Justices head are advanced Their next worke was the levelling a new house of the Priours After they enter the Monastery which they threaten to fire unlesse Iohn Lakinhethe Gardian of the temporalities of the Barony in the vacancy then were delivered to them which the Towns-men mingled in the throng put them upon the Gardian stood amidst the croud unknown This man out of piety to preserve the Monastery it was piety then though it may be thought impiety now discovers himselfe he tells them he is the man they seeke and askes what it is the Commons would have with him They call him traitor it was capitall to be called so not to be so drag him to the Market-place and cut off his head which is set upon the Pillory to
keepe company with the Priors and chiefe Justices Walter of Todington a Monke was sought for they wanted his head but he hid himselfe and escaped Our hacksters errant of the round Table Knights of industry would be thought Generall redeemers to take care of all mâ—…nin distresse For the Burgesses sake they command the Monkes threatning them and their walls if they obey not to deliver up all the obligations of the Towns-men for their good behaviour all the antient Charters from the time of King Cnut the Founder any way concerning the liberties of the Town besides they must grant and confirmâ—… by Charter the Liberties of the Towne which could not be done in the vacancy for so it was Edmund of Brumfield Abbot in name by provision of the Pope was a prisoner at Notingham nor had any election beene since the death of Abbot Iohn Brivole and therefore the Jewels of the house are pawned to the Townsmen as a gâ—… that Edmund of Brumfield whom they would suppose Abbot and whom they intended to set free should Seals which Jewels were a Crosse and Calice of Gold with other things exceeding in value one thousand pounds these were restored againe in time of peace but with much unwillingnesse Upon the brute of the Idolâ—… mishap and the suppression of his Legions at London these Caterpillers dissolve of themselves Wraw the Priest Westbrome the rest of the capitall villeins in the generall audit or doomesday for these hurliburlies shall be called to a reckoning for their outrages Cambridge suffered not a little in these uproars the Towns-men with the Country peasants about confederated together breake up the treasury of the Universiâ—…y tear and burn its Charters they compell the Chancelour and Schollars under their common Seals to release to the Major and townsmen all rights and Liberties all actions and to be bound in 3000â—… not to molest the Burgesses by sâ—…its of Law concerning these things for the time to come The Mayor and Bailiffs were fetched up by writ to the next Parl. where the deeds were delivered up and Cancelled the Liberties of the towne seized into the Kings hand as forfeited new ones granted by him to the University all which they owe yet to the piety of this King and his Parliament a Court which the Idol never names had he set up one of his owne bâ—…getting it must have had nothing else but the name it would have beene as destroying as the field Norfolke the Mother of the Kets would not loyter this while nor sit lazily and sluggishly looking on Iohn Litster a Dyer of Norwich King of the Commons there infuses zeale and daring into his Country-men he had composed out of his owne Empire and the borders an Army of fifty thousand Men This upstart Kingling would not wholly move by example hâ—… makes presidents of his owne and tramples not like a dull beast the râ—…ad beaten by others He had heard what was done by the London Congregations he had a stock of traditions from the Elders there which he was able to improve and although I know not how he could exceed the Idol with his councell yet so the Monk exceede them he did he presumed greater things Tyler lost his life before things were ripe was watched and undermined by the King and Nobility he could not spread his full saâ—…les else for his presumption he far out-goes Litster Litster the Norfolke Devil begins with plunder and rapine the onely way to flâ—…sh a young Rebellion The Malignants of the Kings party the rich and peaceable goe under that notion are made a prey no place was safe or priviledged Plots were laid to get the Lord William of Ufford Earle of Suffolke at his Mannor of Ufford neer Debenham in Suffolke into the company out of policy That if the cause succeeded not then the Rebels might cover themselves under the shadow of that Peere The Earle warned of their intention rises from Supper and disguised as a Groom * of Sir Roger of Bois with a Port-mantue behind him riding by-waies and about ever avoiding the routs comes to St. Albanes and from thence to the King The Commons Failing here possesse themselves of the places and houses of the Knights neare and compell the owners to sweare what they list and for greater wariness to ride the Country over with them which they durst not deny among those inthralled by this compulsion were the Lords Scales and Morley Sir Iohn Brews Sir Stephanâ—… of Hales and Sir Robert of Sallâ—… which last was no Gentleman borne but as full of honour and loyalty as any man Knighted by the Kings Grand-father for his valour he was sayes Froissart one of the biggest Knights in England a man not supple enough who could not bend before the new Lords He had not the solidity of judgement as some more subtle than honest call it to accommodate himselfe to the times Like Messala he would be of the Justest side let the fortune be what it would he would not forsake Justice under colour of following prudence he thought it not in vaine to prop up the falling Government perhaps his judgement may be blamed he stayed not for a fit time had he not failed here he had not â—…ought against heaven against providence whose counsells and decrees are hid from us are in the clouds not to be pierced our understanding is as weake as foolish as providence is certein and wise Our hopes and feares deceive us alike we cannot resolve our selves upon any assurance to forsake our duty for the time to come Gods designes are knowne onely to himselfe It is despaire not piety despair too farre from that to leave our Country in her dangerous diseases in her publick calamities the insolency of injust men is a prodigie of their ruine and the incerteinty of thingâ—… humane may teach us that those we esteeme most established most assured are not seldome soonest overthrownâ—… Plato would not have men refer all things to fate there is somewhat in our selves sayes he not a little in fortune Ours are but cockfights the least remainder of force and life may strike a necking blow and by an unlooked for victory raise what is falne if death cannot be kept off if our Country cannot be saved by our attempts there is a comlinesse in dying handsomly nor can any man be unhappy but he who out-lives it We have heard of Women who cast themselves into the fiery pits where their dead husbands are consumed of Vassals who stab themselves to follow their Prince into the next world of Othoâ—… Praetorians of the Saguntines burning in their Cities flames What can be so honourable as to dye for or with our Countrey or Faith our Religion or Honesty to die with that which gave us life and liberty and sense of these Litsters Hog-herds vow to burne Norwich unlesse this Knight will come out to them which he does well mounted and forsakes his Horse to please them They seem to honour him highly and offer
for Kent a part too small for the Archtyrant and others for other Shires Here was to be Monarchy still not evill in it selfe but where it ought to be of right onely the Family was to be changed the antient Saxon Norman stemme for an upstart dunghill brood of Vipere Tyler to be advanced upon the ruines of Richard the Câ—…dar to be torne up to make the Bramble roome enough while any of the royall off spring had beene in being to claime the right to have involved the miserable perjured foolish people in an everlasting civill Warre never to have ceased while there had beene a veine of blood to run The mainteinance of Tylers wrong his usurpation not to looke farther than the present World would have beene more fatall then ten plagues Iohn addes no man thwarted these ends of ours more than the Archbishop therefore we hated him to death and made all the hast possible to bring him to it In the evening of that Saturday in which Wat perished because the poorer sort of the Londoners favoured us we intended to have fired the City in foure places and to have divided the spoyles So the faithfull Citizens as forward as they were had at last paid for their love he calls God to witnesse these truths The confessions of many others of the ingagement agreed with this of Straw The Lawyers and those as one who fled from the tyranny of the time durst now show their faces Here is tyranny of the rout tyranny of a savage Clown their bouteseu whose few dayes of cruell usurpation were more bloody more destroying then the yeares of any Caligula any Nere any Domitian whatsoever A Civill Warre sayes a noble Frenchman makes more breaches as to a Country as to Manners Lawes and Men in six Moneths then can be repaired in six yeares What then can be thought or said of those Monsters who against all ties of nature and piety shall raise a desperate civill Warre meerely with the intent to overthrow Religion the Church the Government Lawes and Humanity out of a cursed divelish ambition to advance themselves Tylers and Sons of the Earth before to an height which God as some love to speake never called them to For though power is of God it is onely so when the comming to it is by lawfull meanes He that ordaines the power allowes not the usurpation of it Tyler had the power to doe mischiefe the power of rebellion the power which must have ruined the church common wealth but whether this be the power which Christians are to submit to let the next Casuists judge The Septuagint translation of the Bible sayes of Abimelech who slew his seaventy Brethren murder ushers usurpation in He made himselfe King by Tyranny The Monk who writes the lives of the Offa's speaking of Beormred the Mercian Usurper has these words In the same region of the Mercians a certaine Tyranne rather destroying and dissipating the Nobility of the Realm than ruling c. persecuting banishing c. Lest any one especially of the Royall Blood should be advanced in his place he vehemently feared The thirty Usurpers in the time of Gallienus are every where called Tyrannes Paulus Diaconus writing of Valentine in the time of Valentinian sayes He was crushed in Britannie before he could invade the Tyrannie and of Maximus that he was stout and valiant and worthy of the Empire had he not against the faith of his oath raised himselfe per tyrannidem by tyrannie In other places Eugenius Gratian Constance Sebastian created Tyrannes The words Tyranne and Tyrannie and tyrannous partie being used often by him are ever opposed to just and Regall power never used in any other sense Widdrington to the example of Athalia urged by Bellarmine against Kings sayes she was no lawfull Queen she had seized the Kingdome as an Usurpresse by Tyrannie the Kingdome belonged to Ioash in whose right and by whose power she was justly slaine Our most learned Prelate Bishop Abbot of Salisbury tells the Cubs of Loyola Athalia had snatched had grasped and held the kingdome with no right no title but by butchery robbery rapine and forcible entry and that she was thrown down and killed by the common bounden duty and faith of Subjects to their Prince Baronius a Cardinal that the Maccabees of Levi or house of the Assamoneans may not be made Usurpers matches them with the royall line of David else sayes he absque labe tyrannidis without the stain of Tyrannie they could not meddle with the Kingdome Rodolph Duke of Survia or Suabenland set up for a false Emperour by that devilish Pope Hildebrand against the Emperour Hen. the IIII. is called by the Germanes a Tyranne upon this score A full Tyrannie sayes one of our Chiefe Justices speaking of the Papall power in Church causes here has two parts without right to usurp and inordinately to rule and the Statute 28 of King Henry the 8. against the Papall Authority calls it an usurped Tyranny and the exercise of it a Robbery and spoyling of the King and his people The Statute 31 Henry 6. adjudging Iohn Cade another Impe of Hell and successour of Wat to be a traitour whcih are the words of the title and all his Indictments and Acts to be voide speakes thus The most abominable Tyrannie horrible odious and arrant false Traytour Iohn Gade naming himselfe sometime Mortimer he and Tyler had two Names taking upon him Royall power c. by false subtile and imagined language c. Robbing Stealing and spoyling c. And that all his Tyranny Acts Feats and false opinions shall be voyded and that all things depending thereof c. under the power of Tyranny shall be likewise voide c. and that all Indictments in times comming in like case under power of Tyranny Rebellion c. shall be voide in Law and that all Petitions delivered to the King in his last Parliament c. against his minde by him not agreed shall be put in oblivion c. as against God and conscience c. To proceed The King because all these risings were by the Ring leaders protested to be made for him and his Rights and that the forces then raised were raised by his Authority and all their actions owned by him issues out a Proclamation from London to this effect RIchard c. To all and singular Sheriffes Majors Bayliffs c. of our County of N. c. Because we are given to understand That divers of our Subjects who against our Peace c. have raised and in diverse Conventicles and Assemblies c. Do affirme That they the said Assemblies and Levies have made and doe make by Our will and Authority c. We make knowne to all men That such Levies Assemblies and Mischiefes from Our Will and Authority have not proceeded He addes they were begun and continued much to His displeasure and disgrace to the prejudice of His Crowne and dammage of the Realm Wherefore he injoynes
and quiet slavery let us live or die with Liberty in so generous so honest a contention it will be glorious to be overcome whatsoever our feares are worse we cannot be than now we are about to make our selves Successe too does not so often faile men as their owne industry and boldnesse Feare not for me nor trouble your selves at my dangers I shall thinke my selfe more happy than our Lords if they prosper or their King to die a Martyr of the Cause with the reputation of such a gallantry Let such courage as would have hurryed you forward to all brave and signall mischiefs had I lost my head at Hartford inflame your heavy sprights Methinks I see the Heroe Tylers Ghost chiding our sluggish cowardice and by the blazes of his fire-brands kindled in Hel and waved by Fiends about his head leade on to noble villanies Let dreaming Monks and Priests tremble at the aery sounds of God and Saints he who feares Thunder-bolts is a religions heartlesse Coxcombe and shall never climb a Molehill Thus our buskin'd Martyr swaggers after the raptures put upon him by Walsingham Greyndcobs stubbornnesse hardens on the Clownes they now accuse themselves of basenesse that they did not cut off the Knights Head and naile it on the Pillory to the terrour say they of all Judges and false Justices Greyndcob had raised spirits which he could not lay when he would Three dayes being expired he is againe sent to Hartford Gaol where hee heares news from his Brother who mediated for him in the Court not very pleasing which he communicates to his Townsmen His intelligence was to this effect That Rich of Beauchamp Earl of Warwick and Sir Thomas Percie with a thousand armed men were appointed to visit S. Albanes At this report the Rebels startle they fall to new Treaties offer the Charters and Book in which the old Pleas betwixt the Abby and the Town were recorded with 200 l. for amends The Booke is received the rest put off till the next day The Earl of Warwick sends onely excuses â—…he heard his own house was on fire that the Clowns of his own Lordships were up and hee leaves all thingâ—… else to quel them This raises the fallen courages of those of St. Albanes they now laugh at their late fearâ—… If the Commons say they must quit their right of Conquest and surrender their Charters yet will not we the renowned Mechanicks of St. Albanes be their president And as in all tumults which can never be observed too often lying is necessary and must not bee uselesse whatsoever else is They lay the blame of their obstinacy upon the Inhabitants of Barnet and Watford who threaten so they would have it believed to burn their Town if they deliver up their Liberties Which Inhabitants of Barnet and Watford had humbly surrendred theirâ—… before and submitted to the Kings mercy Thus we find these Rebels of St. Albanes again swaggering in their old Rhodomontadoes An Esquire of the Abbots acquaints the King with these turnings who vows to sit personally in judgement upon these everlasting male-contents The Abbot full of pitty and charity who had saved some of these enemies of his House from the Axe by intercession at London continues his goodness still he sollicites Sir Hugh Segrave Steward of the Houshold and others of his friends to mitigate the Kings displeasure and hinder his journey thither which was not in their power Now again are the Townsmen dejected and seek by all means to keep off the tempest which threatned them They fee Sir William Croyser a Lawyer to make their defence and mediate with the Abbot where there was no danger an agreement is concluded the day of the King's entry by which they would bind the Abbot not to disclose them or inform against them He promises if they fail not in performance on their part not to make any complaints to the King of them that he would be a suiter for their peace if his prayers may be heard but that here he cannot assure them Pardons were Acts flowing meerly from the Kings Grace No man had any power or authoritie to pardon or râ—…mit treasons c. but the King and whether he could prevail for them he knew not This doubtfulness troubles them it seems to call their innocency too much into question They tell him his good will was sufficient and that as to what belonged to the Royal Dignity they should satisfie the King After Vespers the King made his entry into the Town being met by the Abbot and Covent the Bels rang aloud and the Monke sang merrily his welcome He was followed by some thousands of Bowmen and Cavaliers In this train was Sir Robert Tresilian Chief Justice of the Kings Bench who the next day being Saturday the 13. of Iuly and first of the Dog-dayes sate in judgement at the Moot-hall saies Walsingham at the Town-house Greyndcob Cadindon and Iohn the Barber are fetched from Hartford and said fast till Munday against which time new Jury-men are chosen and charged to be ready with their Verdicts Prophet Baal the Sergius of the new Alcaran the Priest of the Idol and his Calves the Martin of the yoak of pure discipline of the Eldership was taken by the Townsmen of Coventry brought to St. Albanes the day before and this Saturday condemned by the Chief Justice to be Drawn Hanged Beheaded Imbowelled and Quartered which was done on the Munday following He confessed to the Bishop of London to whose Christian Piety he ought the two last dayes of his life which were begged for his repentance that certaine hot and powerfull Pastours of the Separation Brethren of simple hearts called by the Spirit he named six or seven had covenanted and engaged to compass England and Wales round as Itinerant Apostles to propagate the Gospel beat down all abomination of the outward Man Antichristian Hierarehy and Tyranny of the Nimrods of the Earth to cry up the great and holy Cause and to spread the Law Principles and Heresies of Bâ—…l which Disciples saies this Rabbi unlesse they be prevented and taken off wil destroy the Realm in two years Hee might have said two moneths and been believed as to the Civility Humanity Order and Honour never intermitted but in the confusion of a barbarous impious age which made England glorious they had been destroyed and torn up in a less time A few licentious ill Acts easily beget a custom and an hundred ill customes quicklier grow and prevaile than one single good one there is a proneness in unruly man to run into deboshments and no wonder that the arrogant misled silly multitude capable of any ill impressions should deprave and disorder things where all ties of restraint are loosened hay where disorders are not onely defended by the corrupt wits of hirelings but bidden strengthened by a Law and Villainies made legal Acts Had the Idol King Tyler with his Councll not gone on too far in the way of examination but