should wear any Hood except striped with divers colours nor Furs but Garments turned the wrong side outward This King confirmed the Liberties of the City of London and ordained that the L. Mayor should sit in all places of Judgment within the Liberty of the same as chief Justice the Kings person only excepted and that every Alderman that had been Mayor should be Justice of Peace in all London and Middlesex and every Alderman that had not been Mayor should be Justice of Peace in his own Ward Also he granted to the Citizens of London that they should not be forced without their own consent to go out of the City to fight or defend the Land and likewise that after that day the Charter and Franchises of the City should not be seized into the Kings hands but onely for Treason and Rebellion done by the whole City Likewise that Southwark should be under the Government of the City and the Lord Mayor to chuse a Bailiff there as he pleased He also granted to the Citizens of London that the Officers of the Mayor and Sheriffs should from that day forward use Maces of silver parcel gilt In the twenty second year of his Reign a contagious Pestilence arose in the East and South parts of the World and coming at last into England it so wasted the people that scarce the tenth person of all sorts were left alive There died in London some say in Norwich between the first of January and the first of July 57374 persons This Plague lasted nine Years In the thirty fifth year of his Reign another Plague happened which was called the second Pestilence in which died many Lords and Bishops In this Kings time a Frost lasted from the midst of September to the Moneth of April In the fourth year of his Reign a solemn Just or Turnament was held in Cheapside London between the great Cross and the great Conduit In the eleventh year of his Reign was so great plenty that a Quarter of Wheat was sold at London for 2 s. a fat Ox for a noble a fat Goose for 2 d. a Pig for a penny and other things after that rate But in his 27 year there was a great scarcity by reason there fell little or no Rain from the end of March to the end of July and was therefore called the Dry Summer John Barns Mayor of London gave a chest with three Locks and a thousand Marks to be lent to young men upon security and for the Use of it if learned they were to say the Psalm De Profundis c. for the soul of John Barns if otherwise to say a Pater Noster but however the money is lent the cheft stood long after in the Chamber of London without money or security In the time of the Princes sickness the King calls a Parliament at Westminster and demands supplies upon which they demand redress of the Grievances of the Subjects and among the rest that John Duke of Law after and Alice Perice the Kings Concubine with others might be removed from the Court this Woman presuming so much upon the Kings favour that she grew very insolent and intermedled with Courts of Justice and other Offices where she her self would sit to countenance her Causes And this was so vehemently urged by the Speaker of the House of Commons that the King rather than want Supplies gave way to it and so they were all presently put from Court But the Prince dying soon after they were all recalled to Court again and restored to their former plâ—ces and Sir Peter de la More the Speaker was at the sâ—â—t of Alice Perice confined to perpetual Imprisonment though by making great Friends he got his Liborty in two years About this time John Wickliff bringeth in a new Doctrine inveighing against the abuses of Church-men Monks and other Religious Orders whom the Duke of Lancaster favoured Whereupon a great contention arose between him and the Bishop of London the Londoners take the Bishops part and set upon the Duke of Lancasters house at the Savoy upon which the Duke after the Tumult caused the Mayor and Aldermen to be displaced and others put in their rooms and Wickliff is banished to Bohemia where his Doctrine continues in great veneration to this day among that People King Edward died in the 64 year of his age and fiftieth of his Reign and his Grandchild Richard the second succeeded of whose unfortunate Reign and Deposition you have heard before we shall therefore onely add a few particulars more In his thirteenth year a Royal Just or Turnament was proclaimed to be holden in Smithfield London and at the day appointed about three of the clock in the Afternoon there issued out of the Tower threescore fine Horses apparelled for the Justs and upon every one an Esquire of Honour riding a soft pace after them came four and thirty Ladies of Honour mounted on Palfreys and every Lady led a Knight with a chain of gold These Knights being on the Kings side had their armour and apparel garnished with white Harts and Crowns of gold upon their heads and so they came riding through the streets of London to Smithfield This Just lasted twenty four days all which time the King and Queen lay at the Bishops Palace by S. Pauls Church and kept open house to all comers In the year 1â—89 whilest the King was at Sheen near London there swarmed in his Court such a multitude of Flies and Gnats skirmishing one with another that they were swept away with Brooms by heaps and Bushels were filled with them In the one and wentieth year of his Reign King Richard caused the great Hall at Westminster to be repaired both with Walls Windows and Roofs In his twelfth year in March there were terrible Winds and afterward a great Mortality and Dearth A Dolphin was likewise taken at London Bridge being ten foot long and very big Also in Parliament time an Image made by Necromancy in Wax as it is said at an hour appointed uttered these words The Head shall be cut off the Head shall be lifted up aloft the Feet shal be lift up above the head This hapned in that called the Marvellous Parliament not long before that called the Parliament that wrought wonders Henry IV. his Uncle succeeded K. Rich. against whom several Rebellions were raised especially one Henry Piercy called Hotspur and others who were overthrown King Henry himself killing thirty six with his own hands the Earl of Worcester among the rest was taken and beheaded with many others whose Heads were set on London Bridge In his time a Parliament was called at Westminster in which the Commons presented a Petition to the King and the House of Peers desiring that the King might have the Temporal Possessions of the Bishops and Clergy affirming that they would maintain 150 Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Hospitals for maimed Souldiers They desired likewise that Clerks Convict should not be delivered into the Bishops Prison
and now the remembrance of these oversights is not more unpleasant to any man than my self and the rather because I have no means left either to recompence the injuries which I have done or to testifie to the World my reformed Affections which experience and stayedness of years had already corrected and would daily have framed to more perfection But whether all the Imputations wherewith I am charged be True either in Substance or in such Quality as they are laid or whether being True they are so heinous as to force these Extremities or whether any other Prince especially in the heat of Youth and in the space of twenty two years the time of my unfortunate Reign doth not sometimes either for advantage or upon displeasure in as deep manner grieve some particular Subject I will not now examine It helpeth not to use any Defence neither is it to any purpose to complain there is left no room for the one nor pity for the other and therefore I refer it to the Judgment of God and your less distempered Considerations I accuse no man I blame no Fortune I complain of nothing I have no pleasure in such vain and needless comforts if I had minded to have stood upon Terms I know I have Great Favourers abroad and I hope some Friends at home who would have been ready yea very forward on my behalf to have begun a bloody and doubtful War but I esteem not my Dignity at so high a Rate or Value as to venture the loss of so much English Bloud and the wasting and desolation of such a flourishing Kingdom as this might have occasioned Therefore that the Common-wealth may rather rise by my fall than I stand by the ruin thereof I willingly yeild to your desires and am here come to dispossess my self of all publick Authority and Title and to make it free and lawful for you to create for your King Henry Duke of Lancaster my Cosen German whom I know to be as worthy to take that Place as I see you willing to give it to him Then he read openly the form of his Resignation which discharged his Subjects from all Oathes and Fealty c. to which the King subscribed and was sworn After which he delivered with his own hands the Crown the Scepter and the Robe to the Duke of Lancaster wishing him more happiness therewith than ever he enjoyed desiring him and the rest to permit him to live safely in a private and obscure life and not altogether forget he had been their King Upon October 13. following the Duke of Lancaster was Crowned King by the Name of Henry the Fourth and King Richard was removed to Pomfret Castle but some of the Lords being discontented with Henry used many endeavours to restore Richard again which caused great Wars and Rebellions and occasioned such Melancholy in King Henry that sitting one time at his Table he sighing said Have I no faithful Friend who will deliver me from him that will be my Death This Speech was especially noted by one Sir Piers of Exton who presently with eight Persons in his Company came to Pomfret commanding the Esquire who was Taster to King Richard to be so no more whereat the King marvelling asked him the Reason Sir said he I am otherwise commanded by Sir Piers of Exton who is newly come from King Henry when King Richard heard that word he took the Carving-knife in his hand and strook the Esquire lightly on the head saying The Devil take Henry of Lancaster and thee together and with that word Sir Piers entred the Chamber with eight armed men every one having a Bill in his hand King Richard perceiving this put the Table from him and stepping to the foremost man wrested the Bill out of his hands and slew four of those that thus came to assault him Sir Piers lept to the Chair where King Richard used to sit whilst the rest chased him about the Chamber at last being forced to the place where Sir Piers was he with a stroak of his Pole-Ax upon his head felled him down and so ended his miserable life It is said that at the point of his death the King gathered some Spirit and with a faint and feeble voice groaned forth these words My Great Grandfnther King Edward the II. was in this manner deposed imprisoned and Murdered by which means my Granfather King Edward the III. obtained the Crown and now is the punishment of that injnry poured upon his next Successor well this may be just for me to suffer but not Right for you to do Your King for a time may rejoyce at my Death and enjoy his desire but let him qualifie his pleasures with Expectation of the same Justice for God who measureth all our Actions by the malice of our Minds will not suffer this to go unpunished Sir Piers having thus slain the King wept bitterly and a great part of this prophetical Speech came to pass in a short time after King Richard thus dead his Body was imbalmed and covered with Lead all save his Face and then brought to London where it lay in St. Pauls Church three days unburied that all might see he was dead And this was the end of this unfortunate Prince in which there was a wonderful Concurrence of Fortune in behalf of King Henry and against Richard but when all is done there is no resisting the Decree of Heaven but since that is unknown to us and perhaps but Conditional we shall be manifest Traytors to our selves if we use not our uttermost endeavours to divert it so that it may be truly said Richard lost his Crown more by his own fault than the Treason of any other After this long diversion let us now return to the Tower of London In 1458 there were Justs and Turnaments in the Tower In 1478. The Duke of Clarence was drowned in a Butt of Malmsey within the Tower Elizabeth Wife to King Henry 7. Dyed in the Tower in Child-bed 1502. In the year 1512 the Chappel in the High White Tower was burnt Queen Ann Bullein was beheaded in the Tower 1541 and a little after Katherine Howard both Wives to Henry the Eight In the year 1546 a strange accident happened in the Tower for one Foxly who was Potmaker for the Mint falling a sleep could not be awakened by pinching beating or burning for fourteen days at which time he awaked as fresh as the first day he began to sleep In King Henry the Eights time the Tower was often full of Prisoners and among others Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor of England who was kept close Prisoner and at last they took from him all his Books whereupon he shut up his Prison Windows and lived in Darkness and being asked the reason he answered it is time to shut up Shop when the Wares are all gone At his first entrance into the Tower the Gentleman Porter demanded his Fee which is the upper Garment whereupon Sr. Thomas pulled off his Cap to
Crown were pleaded in the Tower and divers times afterward In 1222 the Citizens having made a Tumult against the Abbot of Westminster Hubbert of Burg Cheif Justice of England sent for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to the Tower of London to enquire who were Principal Authors thereof Amongst whom one named Constantine Fitz Aelufe boldly avowed That he was the man and had done much less than he thought to have done whereupon the Cheif Justice sent him with two others to Falks de Brent who with armed men brought them to the Gallows and hanged them In 1244 Griffith Prince of Wales being a Prisoner in the Tower attempted an escape and having in the night tyed the Sheets and hangings together he endeavoured thereby to slide from the top of the High Tower but being a Fat man the weight of his Body brake the Rope and he fell The next morning he was found dead his head and neck being driven into his Breast between the Shoulders In 1253 K. Hen. 3. imprisoned the Sheriffs of London in the Tower above a Month about the escape of a Prisoner out of Newgate as is aforementioned In 1260 this King with his Queen for fear of the Barons lodged in the Tower And the next year he sent for his Lords and held his Parliament there In 1263 As the Queen was going by water from the Tower toward Windsor several Citizens got together upon London Bridge under which she was to pass who not only used reproachful words against her but threw stones and dirt at her forcing her to go back again but in 1265. they were forced to submit themselves to the King for it and the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Sheriffs were sent to several Prisons Othon Constable of the Tower being made Custos or keeper of the City About this time Leoline Prince of Wales came down from the Mountain of Snowdon to Montgomery and was taken at Bluith Castle where using reproachful words against the English Roger le Strange fell upon him and with his own sword cut off his head leaving his dead body on the Ground Sir Roger Mortimer caused this Head to be set upon the Tower of London crowned with a wreath of Ivy And this was the end of Leoline who was betrayed by the Men of Bluith and was the last Prince of the Brittish bloud who Ruled in Wales In 1290 Several Judges as well of the Kings Bench as the Assize were sent Prisoners to the Tower and with great Sums of Money obtained their Liberty Sir Thomas Weyland had all his Estate confiscated and himself banished Sir Ralph Hengham Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Bench paid 7000 Marks Sir John Lovet Cheif Justice of the Lower Bench 3000 Marks Sir William Brompton 6000 Marks Yea their Clerks were fined also as being confederate with their Masters in Bribery and Injustice Robert Littlebury Clerk paid 1000 Marks and Roger Leicester as much But a certain Clerk of the Courts called Adam de Straton paid thirty two thousand Marks of Old and new Money besides Jewels without number and precious vessels of Silver which were found in his House together with a Kings Crown whiâ—h some said was King Johns After this the King constrained the Judges to swear That for the future they should take no Pension Fee or Gift of any man except a breakfast or some such small kindness In the 14 of Edw. 2. The King allowed to the Prisoners in the Tower two pence a day to a Knight and a peny a day to an Esquire for their Diet. In 1320. The Kings Justices sate in the Tower for Trial of divers matters at which time John Gissors late Lord Mayor of London and several others fled to the City for fear of being charged with things they had presumptuously done The next year the Mortimers yeilding themselves to King Edw. 2. he sent them Prisoners to the Tower where they were condemned to be drawn and hanged But Roger Mortimer of Wigmore by giving his Keepers sleepy drink made his escape but his Uncle Mortimer died there above 5 years afterward In 1326. The Citizens of London took possession of the Tower and taking away the keys from the Constable they discharged all the Prisoners and kept both the City and Tower for the use of Queen Isabel and her son Edward who was afterward Edw. the III. In 1330 Roger Mortimer Earl of March was taken and committed to the Tower from whence he was drawn to the Elmes and their hanged on the Common Gallows where he hung two days and two nights by the Kings Command and was then buried in the Gray Friers Church This Earl was condemned by his Peers and yet was never brought to make his Defence before them He himself having procured a Law to that purpose by which the Earls of Lancaster Winchester Glocester and Kent were put to death and now he himself suffered by the same Law In the 3. of Edw. 3. 1344. The King commanded Florences of Gold to be coyned in the Tower Perceval de Port of Lake being then Master of the Mint and this is the first coining we read of there we read likewise that the same year the King appointed his Exchange of Money to be kept in Sernes Tower being part of the Kings House in Buckles or Bucklers Bury And we find that in former times all great Sums were paid by weight that is so many pounds or Marks of Gold or Silver cut into blank peices without any stamp upon them and smaller Sums were paid in Starlings which were pence so called for they had no other Moneys This Starling or Easterling money took its name as it is judged from the Easterlings which first made it in England in the Reign of Hen. 2. though others imagine it so called from a Star stamped in the Ring or Edge of the Peny or of a Bird called a Starling stamped on it others yet more unlikely of being coyned at Striveling or Sterling a Town in Scotland but the first Opinion seems the most probable In 1360. A Peace being concluded between England and France Edward the 3d. came back into England and went to the Tower to visit the French King who was Prisoner there setting his Ransome at three Millions of Florences which being paid he was discharged from his Imprisonment and the King conducted him with Honour to the Seaside In the 4th of Rich. 2. 1381. A grievous Tax was laid upon the Subjects which caused much Trouble For the Courtiers greedy to inrich themselves informed the King that the Tax was not so carefully gathered as it ought And therefore they would pay a great Sum of Money to Farm it which they would raise above what it was before by being more severe in gathering it This Proposition was soon accepted so that having the Kings Authority and Letters these Farmers or Commissioners met in several Places in Kent and Essex where they levied this Tax of Groats or Polemoney with all manner of severity which so discontented the
People that they combined together and resisted the Collectors killing some wounding others and making the rest fly The Tumult began first in Kent upon this occasion as it is related in the Chronicles of St. Albans One of these Exactors coming to the House of John others say Wat Tyler living at Dartford in Kent demanded of Tylers Wife a Groat a piece for her Husband her self and Servants and likewise for a young Maiden her Daughter The woman paid for all but her daughter alleaging she was a Child and underage to pay That will I soon know quoth the Collector and shamefully turned the young Maids Coats up to see whether she were come to ripeness of Age these Villains having in divers other Places made the like base and uncivil Trials Hereupon the Mother crying out divers of the Neighbours came in and her Husband being at work in the Town tyling a house hearing of it taking his Lathing-staff in his hand ran home and finding the Collector asked him who made him so bold the Collector returned ill Language and struck at Tyler who avoiding the blow gave the Collector such a home-blow with his Lathing-staff that his Brains flew out of his head which made a great uproar in the Streets and the People being glad at what had happened they prepared to defend and stand by Tyler And thereupon a great number of them being got together they went from thence to Maidstone and then to Black-Heath perswading and Exhorting all the People as they marched along to join with them in this common Cause and setting Guards upon all the ways to Canterbury they stopped all Passengers compelling them to swear That they would keep Allegiance to King Richard and to the Commons That they would accept of no King whose name was John because of the hatred they had to John Duke of Lancaster who called himself King of Castile And that they should be ready when they were called and should agree to no Tax to be levied from thenceforth in the Kingdom nor consent to any except it were a Fifteenth There joyned with them one John Ball a factious Clergyman who took occasion to rip up the grounds of the Mis-government telling the People That this difference of Mens Estates where some were Potentates and others Bondmen was against Christian Liberty taking for his Text this old Rhyme When Adam Delv'd and Eve Span Who was then a Gentleman This so incensed the Commons that their Number daily increased so that when they were come as far as Blackheath they were esteemed to be an Hundred Thousand so that fearing no resistance they began to commit all manner of Violence sparing none whom they thought to be learned especially if they found a pen or Inkhorn about him for then they pull'd off his Hood and with one Voice cryed out Hale him out and cut off his head The King sent some Knights to them to know the cause of their Assembling To whom they answered That for certain Causes they were come together and desired to talk with the King and therefore willed the Knights to tell him That he must needs come to them that he might understand the desire of their Hearts The King was advised by some to go presently to them but Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Chancellor and Robert Hales of St. Johns Treasurer affirmed That it was not fit for the King to go to such a rude Company but rather to take Order to suppress them This the Commons hearing were so enraged that they swore They would go seek the Kings Traytors and cut off their beads And thereupon they marched into Southwark and ruined the Archbishops Palace at Lambeth out of spight to him The Lord Mayor and Aldermen fearing they would do the like to the City ordered the Gates to be shut but the Commoners of the City especially the Poorer sort favouring the Commoners of the Countrey threatned death to all that should attempt it So that the Rebels had free Egress and Regress in and out of London and dayly incouraged the Citizens to favour their Cause declaring Their Purpose was only to bring the Traytors of the Land to Justice and then they would lay down their Arms And hereby they won them to stand by them The first thing they did when they came to London was to send for one Richard Lyon a Grave Citizen who had been Tylers Master and having struck off his head they carried it upon a Pole in Triumph before them The next day they came to the Savoy the Duke of Lancasters House which they set on fire burning all his rich Furniture breaking in peices all his Plate and Jewels and throwing them into the Thames saying They were men of Justice and would not like Robbers inrich themselves with any mans Goods for they only were for destroying Traytors And when one of their Fellows was espied to thrust a fair piece of Silver into his bosom they took him and cast both him and it into the Fire neither took they any thing from any man but at the just price Two and thirty of them were got into the Dukes Wine-cellar where they stayed drinking so long till the Rafters of the House which was on Fire fell upon them and so covered them that not able to get out they were heard cry seven days after and then perished From the Savoy they went to the Temple where they burnt the Lawyers Chambers with their Books and Writings and all they could lay hands on Also the Noble House of St. Johns by Smithfield they set on Fire which burnt for seven days together not suffering any to quench it And likewise the Mannor of Highbury and other Places belonging to St. Johns After this they came to the Tower where King Richard lodged and sent to command him To come to them without delay unarmed and without any Guard which if he refused they would pull down the Tower and be should not escape alive The King finding no other Remedy though he had 600 Armed Men and as many Archers about him yet durst not but suffer them to enter so that in great fear the King went toward them on Horseback his own Guards standing as men amazed Being come into the Tower these Rusticks presumed to enter into the King and his Mothers Chambers with their Weapons and laid themselves on the Kings bed sporting and playing thereon yea they abused the Kings Mother offering to kiss her in such a rude manner that she fell into a Swound They then proceeded with Rage and Fury to search for the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and finding one of his Servants charged him to bring them to the Traytor his Master the Servant being afraid brought them to the Chappel where his Master was at Prayers who being aware of their coming had continued there all night and when he heard they were come he said with great constancy to his Servants Let us now go surely it is best to dye when it is no pleasure to live Upon
which the Rabble cryed Where is the Traytor who answered I am the Archbishop whom you seek not a Traytor Whereupon they dragged him out of the Chappel to Tower-hill where being incompassed with many Thousands and seeing many drawn swords about his head he said What is it dear Brethren you purpose to do what is mine offence committed against you for which you will kill me you were best take heed that if I be killed who am your Pastor there come not on you the Indignation of the just Revenger or at least for such a fact all England be not put under Interdiction or the Popes Curse But they cried out with a great noise That they did not fear the Interdiction neither did allow the Pope to be above them The Archbishop seeing death at hand spoke them fairly and granting forgiveness to the Executioner he kneeled down and offered his Head to be cut off The Hangman struck him on the neck but not deadly he putting up his hand said Aha it is the hand of God and being struck again before he removed his hand his fingers ends were cut off and part of the Arteries with which he fell down but died not till they had mangled him with eight several strokes in the Neck and Head His body lay two days unburied none daring to do it His Head they cut off and nailing his hood thereon fixt it upon a Pole on London Bridge This Simon Sudbury was eighteen years Bishop of London and being translated to Canterbury he in 1375. repaired the Walls of London from the West-gate which he built to the North-gate which had been destroyed by the Danes before the Conquest of William the Bastard He was at last buried in the Cathedral at Canterbury Sir Robert Hales Lord Treasurer of England suffered with him at the same time a most Valiant Knight and Lord of St. Johns together with John Leg one of the Serjeants at Arms and William Apledore a Franciscan Friar who was the Kings Confessor Many more were beheaded daily for no cause but the pleasure of the Commons for it was pastime to them to take any who were not sworn of their Party and pulling off their Hoods behead them They took 13 Flemings out of the Augustine Friers 17 out of another Church and 32 in the Vintry and beheaded them all And to make a distinction of Flemings they put them to pronounce Bread and Cheese and if they spake it like Brot and Cawse off went their Heads as a sure sign that they were Flemings The King coming according as he was required to Mile-end was much astonished at the madness of the People who with frowning Countenances made the following demands which they presented in writing â—nd would have them confirmed by the Kings Letters Patents 1. That all men should be free from Servitude or Bondage so that from thenceforth there should be no Bondmen 2. That he should Pardon all men of what Estate soever all manner of Actions and Insurrections committed and all Treasons Felonies Transgressions and Extortions by any of them done and to grant them Peace 3. That all men henceforth might be infranchised or made free to buy and sell in every County City Burrough Town Fair Market and other Places within the Realm of England 4. That no Acre of Land holden in Bondage or Service should be holden but for four pence and if it had been held for less in former time it should not now be inhanced These and many other things they required telling the King That he had been ill Governed to that day but for the time forward he must be otherwise governed The King finding himself in danger yeilded hereunto and so desiring a Truce the Essex men returned home Next day the King went to Westminster to visit St. Edwards Shrine and coming back by Westsmithfield he found the place full of Kentishmen to whom he sent word That their Fellows the Essex men were gone home and that if they desired it he would grant them the same Conditions of Peace But their Chief Captain named John or as others say Walter Hilliard alias Tyler being a cunning Fellow answered He desired Peace but upon his own Conditions intending by fair words to have delayed the business till the next day for he designed that Night to have killed the King and the Nobility about him and then to have pâ—â—ndred the City and burnt it But he was wonderfully disappointed in his Pride having refused Conditions of Peace which were sent him in three several Charters three times Upon which the King at last sent Sir John Newton not to Command but to Intreat him to come and discourse with him concerning what he demanded among which one particular was That Wat Tyler desired a Commission to behead all Lawyers Escheators and others whatsoever that were learned in the Law conceiving that afterward all would be managed according to the Humour of the Common People And it is reported that the day before putting his hand to his Lips he had said That before four days came to an end all the Laws of England should proceed from his mouth When Sir John Newton desired Tyler to dispatch him he scornfully answered If thou art so hasty thou mayst go to thy Master for I will come when I please However Sir John Newton followed him slowly on Horseback and by the way a Doublet-maker brought threescore Doublets to the Commons and demanded thirty Marks for them but could have no Money Upon which Wat Tyler told him Friend be quiet thou shalt be well paid before this day be ended keep nigh me and I will be thy Creditor Wat Tyler then set Spurs to his Horse and rid up toward the King coming so near that his Horse touched the Crouper of the Kings to whom he said Sir King seest thou all yonder People Yes truly said the King but why dost thou ask Because said Tyâ—er they are all at my Command and have sworn their Truth and Faith to me to do whatever I bid them In good time replyed the King I believe it well Then said Tyler Believest thou King that these People and as many more that are in London will depart from thee thus without having thy Letters No said the King you shall have them they are ready and shall be delivered to them all Wat Tyler observing Sir John Newton to be near him bearing the Kings Sword was offended saying Thâ— it became him better to be afoot in his presence Thâ— Knight answered stoutly That surely there was no haâ—â— in it since he himself was on Horseback This so iâ— raged Wat that he drew his Dagger and offered 〈◊〉 strike the Knight calling him Traytor Sir John toâ—â— him he lied and drew his Dagger likewise Wat Tylâ— seeming much disturbed at this Indignity attempteâ— before his Rustick Companions to have run upon thâ— Knight whom the King to preserve from the dangeâ— commanded to alight from his Horse and deliver hiâ— Dagger to Wat Tyler But his
haughty mind would no be so pacified for he demanded his Sword also 〈◊〉 which Sir John Newton answered It is the Kings Sword and thou art not worthy to have it neither durst thou 〈◊〉 it of me if there were no more here but thou and I. 〈◊〉 my Faith said Wat Tyler I will never eat till I haâ— thy Head and would thereupon have fallen upoâ— him But at that very Instant William Walworth Loâ—â— Mayor of London a stout Couragious Person accoâ—â— panied with divers Knights and Esquires came 〈◊〉 assist the King to whom he said My Leige it were great shame and such as had never before been heard 〈◊〉 if in such a presence they should permit a Noble Knight 〈◊〉 be shamefully Murdered and that before the face of thâ—â— Severaign therefore he ought to be rescued and Tyler tâ— Rebel to be Arrested The Lord Mayor had no sooner spoke thus but thâ— King though he were very young yet began to takâ— Courage and commanded him to lay hands upon him Walworth being a man of an incomparable Spirit anâ— Courage immediately arrested Tyler with his Mac upon his Head and that in such a manner as he seâ— down at the feet of his Horse and those who attended the King presently encompassed him round thâ— his Companions could not see him and John Caveâ— dish an Esquire of the Kings alighting from his Horse rust his Sword into Tylers Belly Although some â—ite that the Lord Mayor did it with his Dagger many â—hers followed and wounded him in divers places to â—ath and then they drew his body from among the â—ople into St. Bartholomews Hospital The Commons perceiving their Captain to be slain â—yed out Their Captain was Traiterously murdered â—d incouraged one another to fight and revenge his â—eath and bent their Bows Upon which the King 〈◊〉 to them and said What work is this my Men what 〈◊〉 you mean to do Will you shoot at your King Be not â—â—tinous nor concerned for the death of a Traytor and Riâ—ld I am your King I will be your Captain and Leaâ—r follow me into the Field and there you shall have â—hatsoever you desire This the King said for fear in â—eir fury they should fire the Houses in Smithfield â—here there Captain was slain They thereupon followed him intothe open Feild though the Souldiers â—â—at were with him were uncertain whether they â—ould kill the King or whether they would be â—iet and depart peaceably home with the Kings â—harter In the mean time William Walworth the ever reâ—owned Lord Mayor to prosecute his first worthy â—ct which had succeeded so happily went only with â—â—e man with all speed into the City and there beâ—â—n to cry out You good Citizens come to help your â—ing who is in danger to be murdered and succour me â—ur Mayor who am in the same danger or if you will not â—â—lp me yet leave not the King destitute The Citizens who had a great Esteem and Affection or the King no sooner heard this but with a Noble â—nd Loyal forwardness they immediately raised a thouâ—nd Men who being compleatly armed stayed in â—â—e streets for some Commander who with the Lord â—ayor might lead them to the Assistance of the King 〈◊〉 this his great distress when by good chance Sir Robert Knowls a Freeman of the City came at that instant whom they all desired to be their Leader which he willingly accepted and so with the Lord Mayor and some other Knights they were led to the King who with all his Company rejoyced very much at this unexpected Assistance from these brave armed Citizens who all on a sudden incompassed the whole Body of the Commons And here in an instant was a very strange and Remarkable Alteration for the Commons presently threw down their Arms and falling on their knees begg'd Pardon and they who just before boasted that they had the Kings Life in their power were now glad to hide themselves in Caves Ditches and Corn-fields The Knights being desirous of revenge intreated the King that they might be permitted to take off the heads of an hundred or two of them but the King would not grant it but commanded the Charter which they demanded written and sealed to be delivered to them at that time for preventing further mischief as doubting if they were not satisfied the Commons of Essex and Kent might rise again Having got their Charter they departed home The Commons being thus dispersed and gone the King called for the worthy Lord Mayor and with great Honour deservedly Knighted him in the Field and gave him a hundred pound a year in Fee he also Knighted five Aldermen his Brethren girding them about the waste with the Girdle of Knighthood as the manner was in those days but Stow saith it was thus To cause the Person to put a Basenet on his Head and then the King with a Sword in both his Hands to strike him strongly on the Neck And for an Eternal Remembrance of this happy day the King for the Honour of the City granted that a Dagger should be added to the Arms of the City in the right Quarter of the Shield they before this time bearing only a Cross without the Dagger After this the King marched into the City with great Joy and went to His Mother who lodged in the Tower Royal called then the Queens Wardrobe where she had continued two days and nights in great fear and trouble But when she saw the King she was extreamly comforted saying Ah fair Son what great sorrow have I suffered for you this day To whom the King answered Certainly Madam I know it well but now rejoyce and thank God for I have this day recovered mine Inheritance and the Realm of England which I had almost lost Then the Arch-Bishops Head was taken off London Bridge and Wat Tylers set up in the Place Now since some Writers have reported that the Rebel so Valiantly struck down by Sir William Walworth was named Jack Straw and not Wat Tyler it may be necessary to give an Account of the Principal Leaders and Captains of the Commons of whom Wat Tyler was the Cheif as being the first man who judged himself offended there were likewise Jack Straw John Kirkby Allen Thredder Thomas Scot and Ralph Rugg these and divers others were Commanders of the Kentish and Essex men And at the same time there were gathered together to the number of fifty thousand in Suffolk by the incitement of John Wraw a lewd Priest who made one Robert Westbrome take upon him the name of King these fell to destroying Houses but especially those of Lawyers and seizing Sir John Cavendish Lord Cheif Justice of England they beheaded him and set his Head upon the Pillory in St. Edmundsbury The like Commotion of the Commons was at the same time also in Cambridgshire the Isle of Ely and Norfolk conducted by John Litester a Dyer and to countenance their proceedings the more they designed to have brought William Ufford Earl
of Suffolk into their Fellowship but he having notice of their intent suddenly rose from supper and got away Yet they compelled many other Lords and Knights to be sworn to them and to ride with them as the Lord Scales the Lord Morley Sir John Brewis Sir Stephen Hales and Sir Robert Salle the last of whom not enduring their Insolencies had his Brains dashed out by a Countrey-man that was his Bondman The rest terrified by his Example were glad to carry themselves submissively to their Commander John Littester who named himself King of the Commons and counted it a Preferment for any to serve him at his Table in taking Assay of his Meats and Drinks with kneeling humbly before him as he sate at Meat And now these Fellows upon Consultation send two Choice Men namely the Lord Morley and Sir John Brewis with three of their Chief Commons to the King for their Charter of Manumission and freedom from Bondage who being on their way they were met near Newmarket by Henry Spenser Bishop of Norwich who examining if there were any of the Rebels in their Company and finding three of the Chief present he instantly caused their Heads to be struck off and then pursued on toward Northwalsham in Norfolk where the Commons stayed for an Answer from the King and though he had at first but eight Lances and a small number of Archers in his Company yet they so increased as to become a compleat Army with which he set upon the Rebels and routed them taking John Littester and other Principal Ringleaders whom he caused all to be Executed and by this means the Countrey was quieted After this the Lord Mayor of London sate in Judgment upon Offenders where many were found guilty and lost their Heads among others Jack Straw John Kirkby Alane Tredder and John Sterling who gloried that he was the man who had slain the Archbishop Sir Robert Tresilian Chief Justice was likewise appointed to sit in Judgment against the Offenders beforâ— whom above fifteen hundred were found guilty anâ— in divers places put to death and among them John Ball their Priest and Incendiary of whom it is not impertinent to relate a Letter he wrote to his Fellow Rebels in Essex by which we may see how fit an Orator he was for such an Auditory and what strength of perswasion there was in Nonsense John Sheep St. Mary Priest of York and now of Colchester greeteth well John Nameless and John the Miller and John Carter and biddeth them that they beware of Guile in Burrough stand together in Gods name and biddeth Peirce Plowman go to his work and chastize well Hob the Robber and take with you John Trueman and all his Fellows and no moe John the Miller ye ground small small small The Kings Son of Heaven shall pay for all Beware or ye be woe know your Friend from your Foe Have enough and say Hoe and do well and better Elee Sin and seek Peace and hold you therein and so biddeth John Trueman and all his Fellows Neither may it be amiss to declare the Confession of Jack Straw at his Execution The Lord Mayor being present spake thus to him John Behold thy death is at hand without remedy and there is no way left for thy escape therefore for thy Souls health without making any lye tell us what your Intentions were and to what end you Assembled the Commons After some pause John seeming doubtful what to say the Lord Mayor added Surely John thou knowest that if thou perform what I require of thee it will redound to thy Souls Health Being hereupon incouraged he made his Confession to this purpose It is now to no purpose to lye neither is it lawful to utter any untruth especially knowing that my Soul must suffer more bitter Torments if I do so And because I hope for two advantage by speaking Truth First that what I shall say may profit the Common-wealth and Secondly That after my death I trust by your Suffrages to be helped and succoured according to your promises by your Prayers I will therefore speak Faithfully and without deceit At the same time when we were Assembled upon Black-Heath and had sent to the King to come to us our purpose was to have slain all such Knights Esquires and Gentlemen as attended him And for the King we would have kept him amongst us that the People might have more boldly repaired to us since they would have thought that whatever we did was by his Authority Finally when we had got strength enough so as not to fear any attempt made against us we would have slain all such Noblemen as should either have given Counsel or made Resistance against us but especially we would have slain all the Knights of the Rhodes or St. John of Jerusalem and lastly we would have killed the King himself and all men of Estates with Bishops Monks Canons and Parsons of Churches Only we would have saved Friers Mendicants for Ministring the Sacraments to us When we had been rid of all these we would have devised Laws according to which the Subjects of this Realm should have lived For we would have created Kings as Wat Tyler in Kent and others in other Countreys But because this our purpose was disappointed by the Archbishop of Canterbury who would not permit the King to come to us we sought by all means to dispatch him out of the way as at length we did And further the same Evening that Wat Tyler was killed we were resolved having the greatest part of the Commons of the City inclined to join with us to have set Fire in four corners of the City and so to have devided among our selves the Spoil of the chiefest Riches that could have been found And this said he was our purpose as God may help me now at my last end After this Confession he was beheaded and his head was set on London Bridge by Wat Tylers And thus by the happy and prosperous success at London this dangerous Rebellion was fully quieted In 1392. and the Fifteenth of Richard II. there happened some difference between that King and the Londoners One occasion was that the King would have borrowed of them a thousand pound but they feeling much and fearing more the Kings daily Exactions not only refused it but abused a certain Italian Merchant who would have laid down the Money Another occasion was That one of the Bishop of Salisburies Servants named Walter Roman taking an House Loaf out of a Bakers basket in the Streets ran with it into the Bishops House The Citizens demanded the delivery of the Offender but the Bishops men shut the Gates and would not suffer the Constable to enter upon which many people got together threatning to break open the Gates and Fire the House unless Roman were brought forth What said they are the Bishops men Priviledged or is his house a Sanctuary or will he protect those whom he ought to punish if we may be abused
the Lords as believing them to be Loyal and true to the King that it was not in their power to raise any great force against them They were then commanded to take care That no Knights nor Burgesses should afterward he chosen to any Parliament but those whom the King and his Council should name They replyed It was a hard matter in those times of Jealousy and suspition to deprive the People of their Ancient Liberties in choosing their Representatives after which they were dismissed And some of the Judges of the Realm being called that is Robert Tresillian Lord Chief Justice of the Kings Benâ—â— Robert Belknap Chief Justice of the Common-pleas John Holt Roger Fulthorpe and William Borough Knights and Judges men learned chiefly in one point that is without considering Truth or Falshood to please those in high Place These were charged upon their Allegiance to give True and full Answers to the following Questions I. Whether the Statute and Commission in the last Parliament that is against Michael de la Pool were against the Kings Prerogative or not To which they all answered It was II. How they were to be punished who procured that Statute c. or who moved or compelled the King to consent thereunto They Unanimously answered They ought to be put to death as Traytors unless the King would please to pardon them III. When a Parliament is Assembled and the Cause of their Meeting declared and common Articles limited by the King upon which the Lords and Commons in that Parliament should proceed if the Lords and Commons will go upon other Articles and not these appointed by the King till the King hath first answered their desires though injoyned by the King to the contrary whether the King in this Case ought not to command the Parliament and oblige them to do his pleasure before they proceed further They answered That in this Case the King should over-rule and if any presumed to do contrary he was to be punished as a Traytor IV. Whether the King may at his pleasure dissolve the Parliament and Command the Lords and Commons to depart They answered That the King at his Pleasure may dissolve the Parliament and whoever shall after proceed against the Kings Mind as in a Parliament he is worthy to be punished as a Traytor V. Since the King may at his pleasure remove any of his Officers and Justices and punish them for their Offences whether may the Lords and Commons without the Kings Will accuse them in Parliament They replied They cannot and whosoever doth the contrary deserveth to be punished as a Traytor VI. What punishment they deserve who moved in Parliament that the Statute whereby K. Edward of Carnarvan was deposed in Parliament should be produced whereby a new Statute should be made It was answered That as well he that moved it as he that brought the Statute into the House were to be punished as Traytors Lastly Whether the Judgment given in Parliament against Michael de la Pool were erroneous and revocable They answered It was Erroneous and Revocable and that if the Judgment were now to be given the Justices would not give the same At this time the Londoners incurred much obloquy for having before been pardoned by the King of some Crimes lay'd to their Charge they were now ready to comply with his desires and a Jury of them being Impanneled they indicted some Lords of many crimes laid to their Charge And now the King and the Duke of Ireland sent into all parts of the Realm to raise men in this Quarrel against the Lords And required the Mayor of London to give an Account how many able men he could raise in the City who answered That he thought they could make fifty Thousand men at an hours warning Well said the King go and try what may be done But when the Mayor went about it the Citizens answered That they would never fight against the Kings Friends and the Defenders of the Realm About this time the King intended to have apprehended the Duke of Glocester but he made his escape and with other Lords had got together a great power of men at Harringey Park Upon which the King commanded that no Citizen of London should sell to the D. of Glocester the E. of Arundel or any of the Lords any Armour or Furniture of War under a great penalty After this the King is perswaded to send to the Lords to come to him to Westminster upon Oath given by the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and the Chancellor that no fraud nor evil practice should be used against them which the Lords were content to do but when they were ready to come they understood there was an Ambush laid to intrap them of a Thousand men in the Mews which the King absolutely denied he had any knowledge of yet the Lords after this receiving a safe Conduct from the King came to Westminster of whose coming when the King heard he apparelled himself in his Royal Robes and with his Scepter in his hand came into the Great Hall before whom the Lords upon their Knees presented themselves the King bidding them welcome and taking each of them by the hand Then the Lord Chancellor made a Speech wherein he blamed them for raising Arms desiring to know the Cause who answered They had done it for the good of the Kingdom and to remove the Traytors about the King Upon which the King himself spoke and asked them whether they thought to compel him by strong hand Have not I saith he sufficient power to beat you down truly in this behalf I make no more account of you than of the basest Skullion in my Kitchen Yet after these great words he lift up the Duke of Glocester who all this while was kneeling and commanded the rest also to rise and then led them Courteously to his Chamber where they sate and drank together and at last it was concluded they should all meet again as well these Lords as those they accused at the next Parliament which the King promised he would speedily call and each party to receive there according to Justice and in the mean while all Parties should be under the Kings Protection But when the Favourite Lords heard this they told the King plainly they neither durst nor would put themselves to the hazard of such a Meeting and therefore the Duke of Ireland and the rest of that Faction left the Court to be out of the way but the King not enduring their absence appointed Thomas Molineux Constable of the Castle of Chester to raise an Army and to safe conduct the Duke of Ireland to his presence But they being come as far as Radcoat Bridge were encountred by the Earl of Derby and the Duke of Ireland not daring to joyn battel with him fled and being to pass a River cast away his Gauntlets and sword to be more nimble and spurring his Horse lept into the River and so escaped though it was reported he was drowned till
news came he was got into Holland where being no welcome Guest he wandred up and down two or three years like a Fugitive and at Lorain in Brabant ended his life By this time the Lords had got matter enough against the King at least to justifie their Arms and thereupon with an Army of Forty thousand men they came to London where after some debate they were received and some of them went to the Tower to the King to whom after humble Salutations they shewed the Letter which he had written to the Duke of Ireland to levy an Army for their destruction likewise the Letters which the French King had written to him containing a safe Conduct for him to come into France there to do Acts to his own dishonour and the Kingdoms After which upon the Kings Promise that he would come the next day to Westminster to treat further of these matters the Lords departed only at the Kings desire the Earls of Nottingham and Derby stayed all Night but before the King went to bed his Mind was quite altered as to keeping promise with the Lords which they understanding sent peremptorily to him That if be came not according to his Word they would chuse another King who should hearken to the faithful Counsel of his Lords This touched the King to the quick so that the next morning he went met them they declared to him how much it concerned the good of the Kingdom that those Traitors so often spoken of should be removed from the Court To which the King though much against his Will at last condescended and thereupon the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Chichester fled no man knew whether the Bishop of Durham Lord Treasurer Lord Zouch Lord Burrel Lord Beumont and others were expelled the Court and constrained to put in Bail to appear the next Parliament Also cerâ—ain Ladies were expelled the Court as the Lady Poynings the Lady Mouling and others Several other Knights with three of the Kings Chaplains and the Dean of his Chappel were likewise committed to Prison Shortly after the Parliament began called afterward the Parliament that wrought wonders On the first day whereof all the Judges but one were arrested as they sate upon the Bench and sent to the Tower and several Lords and Bishops were impeached But the Lord Chief Justice Tresillian having made his escape was afterward taken and hanged at Tyburn Sir Nicholas Brember was Beheaded with an Axe which he had prepared for the beheading of others after this divers Lords and Knights and among the rest the Steward of the Kings Household were Beheaded on Tower-hill Also all the Judges were condemned to dye but by the Queens Intercession they were only banished the Realm and all their Lands and Estates Confiscated only a small Sallery was allowed them for their support Finally in this Parliament an Oath was required and obtained of the King that he would perform such things as the Lords should Order and this Oath was likewise required of all the People of the Kingdom After this the Duke of Glocester and some other Lords upon discontent conspire to seize upon the King the Dukes of Lancaster 〈◊〉 York and commit them to Prison and all the other Lords of the Kings Council they determined should be drawn and hanged but the King having notice thereof by a Wile he seizeth upon the Duke of Glocester and sends him presently to Callice where he soon after lost his life being smothered with Pillows as some write and divers other Lords are committed to the Tower and soon after the Earl of Arundel is beheaded on Tower-hill and a Parliament being called the King brought it so about that he obtained the whole Power of the Parliament to be conferred upon certain Persons or to any seven or eight of them and these by virtue of this Grant proceeded to conclude upon many things which concerned the whole Parliament to the great prejudice of the State and a dangerous Example in time to come A General Pardon was also granted for all the Kings Subjects but only to Fifty whose names he would not Express but reserved them to himself that when any of the Nobility offended him he might at his Pleasure name him to be one of the number excepted and so keep them still within his danger Also in this Parliament the Judges gave their Opinious That when Articles are propounded by the King to be handled in Parliament if other Articles be handled before those be first determined that it is Treason in them that do it And for the more strengthning the Acts of this Parliament the King purchased the Popes Bulls containing grievous Censures and Curses to those that should break them And now the Heads of the Opposite Faction having lost their Heads and all things as well setled as could be desired the King was secure as thinking himself safe and he had been indeed safe if Time and Fortune were not Actors in Revenge as well as men or rather if a Superiour Power did not interpose whose ways are as secret as himself is invincible About this time it happened that Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk and Henry Duke of Hereford accused each other for speaking words sounding highly to the Kings dishonour whereupon a Combate is agreed upon between them which being ready to be begun the King interposeth and banisheth the Duke of Norfolk for ever and the D of Hereford for six years But soon after several discontented Lords sollicite the D. of Hereford to return into England take the Government upon him they would be ready to assist him who thereupon without much deliberation prepares to come over and landing at Ravenspur in Yorkshire where many Lords Gentlemen and Common people repaired to him to whom he solemnly protests That though some of them had invited him to come to take the Government yet he came only to take possession of the Inheritance descended to him from his Father which King Richard unjustly and contrary to his promise had seized into his hands Hereupon many more Lords join with him and all the Kings Castles are surrendred to him and the Lord Scroop Treasurer of England Sir Henry Bushy and Sir Henry Green being seized were condemned and beheaded for Misgoverning the King and the Realm King Richard was at that time in Ireland busie in suppressing the Rebels and had no notice of the Dukes Arrival in England till six weeks after but hearing of it he sends the Earl of Salisbury before to raise an Army and promiseth to come himself within six days the Earl provides an Army of Forty Thousand men but when the King came not at his time they all disbanded and went away The King coming over and finding how it was fell into despair and secretly the next night gets into Conway Castle The Duke of Hereford now Duke of Lancaster by his Fathers Death sends the Earl of Northumberland to the King that if his Grace would undertake there should be a
Parliament called wherein Justice might be done and himself pardoned all Offences he would be ready to come to him on his knees and as an humble Subject to obey him Yet upon this Conference with the Earl some say the King required only that himself and eight more whom he would name might have honourable allowance with assurance of a private quiet Life and that then he would resign his Crown and that upon the Earls Oath that this should be performed the King agreed to go with the Earl to meet the Duke but after four miles riding coming to the place where they had laid an Ambush the King was seized and carried Prisoner to Flint Castle where the Duke of Lancaster came to him and bowing the knee thrice came toward him whom the King took by the hand and lifted up saying Dear Cousin you are welcome the Duke humbly thanking him said My Soveraign Lord and King the Cause of my coming at this present is your honour saved to have restitution of my Person my Lands and Heritage whereto the King answered Dear Cousin I am ready to accomplish your Will so that you enjoy all that is yours without exception After this coming out of the Castle the King called for Wine and then mounted on Horseback and by easie Journeys came to London and the next day he was committed to the Tower As the King was carried toward London divers Citizens conspired to lye in wait by the way and suddenly slay him partly for private Grievances and partly for the Severity he had used toward the whole City But the Maior having notice thereof prevented it and rid forth with a Considerable Company to conduct him safely to the Tower and soon after a Parliament was called by the Duke of Lancaster but in the name of King Richard where many heinous points of Misgovernment were laid to his Charge and were drawn up into three and thirty Articles the Cheif whereof were Thâ—t be had wastefully spent the Treasure of the Realm upon unworthy Persons whereby great Taxes were laid upon the People That he had borrowed great sums of Money and given his Letters Patents to repay the same and yet not one peny ever paid That he had taxed men at the pleasure of himself and his unhappy Council and had spent the money in folly and not in paying poor men for their victual and viand That he said the Laws of the Realm were in his Head and Breast by reason of which phantastical Opinion he destroyed Noblemen and Impoverished the Commons That he most Tyranously and unprincely said that the Lives and Goods of all his Subjects were in his hands and at his disposition That when divers Lords as well spiritual as Temporal were appointed by Parliament to Treat of matters concerning the good of the Kingdom while they are busie therein he and others of his Party went about to impeach them of Treason and that the King caused all the Rolls and Records to be kept from them contrary to his promise made in Parliament and to his open dishonour That he had private Spies in every place and if any discoursed of his Lascivious living or his Illegal Actings he presently apprehended them and grievously fined them That he changed Knights and Burgesses of Parliament at his Pleasure putting out divers Persons and placing others in their Room to serve his Will and Appetite That when divers Lords and Justices were sworn to speak the truth in many things which concerned the honour and profit of the Realm the King so threatned them that they durst not speak what was right That by force and threats he compelled the Judges of the Realm to condescend to him for destruction of divers of the Lords That he caused his Fathers own Brother the Duke of Glocester without Law to be Attached and sent to Callice and there without Cause to be secretly Murdered That contrary to the Great Charter of England he caused several lusty young men to Challenge divers old men upon matters determinable at Common Law in the Court Martial where Tryal is only by battel which old men fearing submitted themselves to his mercy whom he fined unreasonably at his pleasure That in all his Leagues with Forreign Princes his way of Writing was so subtill and dark that no other Prince nor his own Subjects could beleive or trust him That he craftily devised certain private Oaths contrary to Law causing several to swear the same to the utter undoing of many honest men That he assembled certain Lancashire and Cheshire-men to make War upon the Lords and suffered them to rob and spoil without prohibition That notwithstanding his pardon granted them he inforced divers of those who joined with the Lords to be again Intollerably fined to their utter undoing Upon these and some other Articles which were read it was demanded of the Nobility and the Commons what they judged both of the Truth and desert of these Articles who all agreed that the Crimes were Notorious and King Richard was worthy for the same to be deposed from all Princely Honour and Kingly Government The Duke of York who a little before had been Governour of the Realm for the King and directed him much thought it best that King Richard should both Voluntarily Resign and also be Solemnly deposed by consent of all the States of the Realm for Resignation only would be imputed to fear and deprivation to force and therefore this being concluded on there came Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury the Archbishop of York the Bishop of Hereford the Duke of Lancaster and several other Lords and Abbots to King Richard in the Tower of London When all were set in their places King Richard was brought forth apparelled in his Royal Robes the Crown on his head and the Scepter in his hand and was placed among them in a Chair of State Never was Prince so Gorgeous with less Glory and greater Grief to whom it was not disgrace sufficient to lose both the honour and Ornaments of a King but he must openly do even in great scorn renounce the one and deliver up the other After a little Pause and expectation the King rose from his Seat and spake to the Assembly these words or to this effect I assure my self that some at this present and many hereafter will account my Case lamentable either that I have deserved this Dejection if it be just or if it be wrongful that I could not avoid it Indeed I do confess that many times I have shewed my self both less Provident and less painful for the benefit of the Commonwealth than I should or might or intended to do hereafter and have in my Actions more respected the satisfying of my own particular humour than either Justice to some private persons or the Common Good of all yet I did not at any time omit duty or Commit Grievance upon natural dulness or set malice but partly by abuse of Corrupt Councellors partly by Error of my Youthful Judgment
Salters and Gerrards Hall This Ward hath an Alderman his Deputy and 11 Common Council Men 10 Constables 8 Scavengers Wardmote Inquest 13 and a Beadle 23. Queen Hythe VVard comprehends Tainity lane Breadstreet hill Fyfoot lane Disbourn lane Little Trinity lane Old Fishstreet Lambeth hill Pye lane Townsend lane Queen Hythe Salt VVharf Stew lane Broof VVharf Broken wharf Trig lane and Bull wharf The whole Ward was consumed in 1666 with these Churches Trinity Church St. Nicholas Cole Abby St. Nicholas Olaves St. Maudlins Old Fishstreet Saint Mary Mounthaw St. Mary Somerset St. Michael Quean Hythe and St. Peters Pauls wharf It hath an Alderman his Deputy and 6 Common Council Men 9 Constables 8. Scavengers Wardmote Inquest 13 and a Beadle In it is Painter Stainers Hall 24. Castle Baynard Ward contains part of Creed lane the Last part of Avemary lane part of Pater noster Row the East side of Warwick lane Peters hill lane Pauls Wharf Addle hill Carter lane Dolittle lane Sermon lane St. Pauls Chain and part of the South Church-yard St. Peters Pauls Wharf and Baynards Castle It was wholly burnt down by the Fire and therein Baynards Castle St. Bennets Church near Pauls Wharf St. Andrew Wardrobe St. Mary Magdalen and St. Gregories by St. Pauls It hath an Alderman his Deputy and 6 Common Council Men 10 Constables 7 Scavengers VVardmote Inquest 14 and a Beadle 25. Farringdon Ward without is very large and contains Giltspur street Pye Corner Cock lane Holbourn Conduit St. Bartholomews Hospital Duck lane Saint Bartholomews Close part of Long lane part of Chick-lane Smithfield Cow lane Snow hill to the Bishop of Elies House Furnivals Inn Staples Inn Bernards Inn Fetter-lane Thavies Inn Shoe lane the Churches of St. Sepulchres and St. Andrews Holborn the Old Baity where the Sessions is kept for London and Middlesex Fleet Ditch Holborn Bridge the Streets on each side the Fleet Prison Fleet lane St. Dunstaus Church in the west Cliffords Inn the south end of Chancery lane Sergeants Inn even to the Rolls Liberty Jackanapes lane part of Sheer lane the two Temples White Fryers Water lane Salisbury Court St. Brides Church Bridewel lane and Bridewel There is now a new Street out of Chancery lane to Little Lincolns-Inn Some part of this VVard was burnt and also Newgate It hath an Alderman Deputy and 16 Common Council Men 14 Constables 15 Scavengers VVardmote Inquest 44 and 3 Beadles 26. Bridge Ward without contains long Southwark St. Georges Church St. Olaves Church Barnaby street Kent street Blackman street St. Mary Overies formerly a Priory of Canon Regulars St. Thomas Church and Hospital for the Sick and Lame and the Lock a Lazer House in Kent street in which were five Prisons the Clink the Compter the Marshalsea the Kings Bench the White Lyon also Winchester house Battle bridge the Bridge house and Bermondsey Abby It hath an Alderman 3 Deputies a Bailiff no Common Council Men 16 Constables 6 Scavengers and VVardmote Inquest 20. Every VVard hath a peculiar Alderman as an Overseer or Guardian who hath greater Power than any ordinary Justice of Peace CHAP. VIII The Inns of Court and Chancery Colleges Schools and Hospitals in and about the City of London THE famous City of London may not unfitly be stiled an University for therein are taught all Liberal Arts and Sciences for not only Divinity Civil Law and Physick which are usual in Universities are read hear but also the Municipal or Common Law of the Nation is here taught and Degrees taken therein which can be said of no other City moreover all sorts of Sciences as Geography Hydrography the Arts of Navigation and Fortification Anatomy Chyrurgery Chymistry Calligraphy Brachygraphy or Short-hand the Arts of Riding Fencing Dancing Art Military Fireworks Limning Painting Enamelling Sculpture Architecture Heraldry all sorts of Musick Arithmetick Geometry Astronomy Grammar Rhetorick Poetry and any other Science that may contribute to the accomplishment of an Ingenuous Noble Man or Gentleman The Colleges of Municipal or Common Law for Professors and Students are Fourteen and are still called Inns the old English word for the Houses of Noble Men or Bishops There are 2 Inns of Sergeants 4 Inns of Court and 8 Inns of Chancery the Inns of Chancery were probably so named because there dwelt such Clerks as did chiefly study the forming of Writs their Names are Thavies Inn begun in the Reign of Edward III. Furnivals Inn Bernards Inn New Inn Clements Inn Cliffords Inn anciently the House of the Lord Clifford Staple Inn belonging to the Merchants of the Staple and Lyons-Inn anciently a common Inn with the sign of the Lyon These were preparatory Colleges for younger Students many being entred here before admitted into the Inns of Court now they are generally taken by Attorneys Sollicitors and Clerks who have Chambers apart and their Diet in an Hall together where they are obliged to appear in long Robes and black round knit Caps these Colleges belong all to some Inns of Court who send yearly some of their Barristers to read to these In each of these Inns of Chancery may be about threescore Persons The Inns of Court were so named as some think because the Students therein are to serve the Courts of Judicature of these there are 4. First the 〈◊〉 Temples heretofore the dwelling of the Knights Templars and purchased by some Professors of the Common Law above 300 years ago they are called the Inner middle Temple in elation to Essex house which was a part of the Knights Templars Lodgings call'd utter or outer Temple because it is seated without Temple-Bar the 2 other Inns of Court are Lincolns-Inn and Greys-Inn belonging to the Noble Family of the Greys In the Reign of K. Henry VI. there were in each of these above 200 Students These Societies are no Corporations nor have any Iudicial Power over their Members only certain Orders among themselves which have by consent the force of Laws for lighter Offences they are only excommoned or put out of Commons not to eat with the rest for greater they lose their Chambers There are no Lands or Revenues belong to these Societies nor have they any thing for defraying the Charges of the House but what is paid at Admittance and quit Rents for their Chambers the whole Company in each Society may be divided into 4 parts Benchers Vtter Barristers Inner Barristers and Students In the 4 Inns of Court there now are reckoned 800 Students There are 2 more Colleges called Sergeants Inn where the Common Law Student when he hath arrived to the highest Degree hath his Lodging and Diet and are as Doctors in the Civil Law out of these are chosen all the Judges of the Kings Bench and Common-Pleas There is likewise the College of Civilians called Doctors-Commons near St. Pauls for the Professors of the Civil Law where commonly the Judges of the Arches Admiralty and Prerogative Court reside whose Office is not far off They judgeth of Estates
down to the Ground and that as he lay on the ground there came out of his Mouth a flame of fire with abundance of smoke this last being told the King he made a jest of it saying Well a Monk he is and he can dream only as Monks do that is for gain Go give him an hundred shillings lest he think he hath dreamed unprofitably But though he had these warnings yet the day after Lammas he would needs go a hunting in the New Forrest yet something resenting the many Presages he stayd within all the forenoon About dinner time an Artificer came and brought him six Crossbow Arrows very strong and sharp four whereof he kept himself and the other Two he delivered to S. Walter Tyrell a Knight of Normandy his Bow-bearer saying Here Tyrell take you two for you know how to shoot them to purpose And so having at dinner drank more berally than his custom as it were in contempt of Prodigies and Presages he rides out in the New Forest where S. Walter Tyrell shooting at a Deer the arrow glanced against a Tree or as some say grazed upon the back of the Deer and flying forward struck the King in the breast who hastily breaking off so much as stuck in his body with one onely groan fell down and dyed of which sudden mischance his followers having notice most of them went away and those that remained with much ado got his body put into a Colliers Cart which being drawn with one lean Horse through a very foul dirty way the Cart broke and there lay the Spectacle of worldly Glory all besmeared with his own bloud and filthyly bedaubed with mire till he was conveyed to Winchester where he was buried under a plain Marble stone in the Cathedral King Henry the 1. his brother and the youngest son of William the Conquerour succeeded him though his elder brother Robert Duke of Normandy was living which caused great Wars and disturbance In his time Anseâ—m Archbishop of Canterbury being returned called a Council of the Bishops at London wherein he offended both the King and Clergy for he excommunicated all married Priests half the Clergy of England at that time being either married or the Sons of Married Priests and depending upon the Popes assistance he deprived many great Prelats of their Promotions because they were invested in them by the King but they refused to resign them since they had them by the donation of their Soveraign upon which Anselm thinking himself much wronged appealed to the Pope and went to Rome in Person soon after The King likewise sent Herbere Bishop of Norwich and Robert Bishop of Litchfield Privy Counsellors and William Warwast his Procurator as Ambassadors to Rome and the last being a Clergyman of a bold and daring Spirit He in debating his Soveraigns cause before the Pope and Cardinals with threatning Language and Countenance avouched That the King his Master would not lose his Right in the Investitures of the Church though he lost his Kingdom Whereto Pope Paschal being upon his own dunghill as stoutly answered If thou sayest the King will not lose his donation of Churches for the loss of his Kingdom Know thou for certain that before God I will not suffer him to to enjoy them without punishment and will venture my head thereupon But notwithstanding these great words against the King yet the degraded Abbots were restored again through the Clemency of the Papal See which is never wanting to any as long as The White and Red make intercession for them as the Monks own words were at that time A while after Cardinal Cremensis came into England from the Pope and calling a Council in London upon the Birth day of the Blessed Virgin he made a solemn Oration in praise of Virginity and Chastity and a terrible Invective against the Married Priests affirming it to be no less than professed Adultery And to amplifie their sin the more he shewed what great Impiety it was to rise from the Bed of unlawful Lust for so he termed chast Marriage and with polluted hands to touch the Sacrament of the Body of Christ yet but the very night following this holy Cardinal was found in Bed with a common Whore having himself consecrated the Host that very day so that he returned to Rome with much shame and but little success in the intended matter Yea Anselm himself the most earnest in favour of single life did not it seems die a Virgin for else he would never in his writings make such lamentations for the loss thereof Yet Anselm afterward called another Council at Westminster where it was ordained That Priests should no longer be suffered to have Wives and that there should be no more selling and buying men in England they being then sold like Horses or Oxen. Yet King Henry afterward suffered Priests to have Wives for Fines or rather took Fines of them whether they had Wives or no because they might have them if they would Duke Robert his Brother having sound that force would not prevail to settle him in his Right to the Kingdom he himself comes over to King Henry referring both his Dukedom and himself and all differences and debates to his will and pleasure but King Henry scarce vouchsafed to speak to him or at least to make him an answer but in a sullen humour turned away and so left him Which scornful usage put the Duke into such Indignation that he resolved upon Revenge and returning into Normandy raiseth a great Army But Henry knowing Robert to be a Souldier and considering his own Estate called his Lords together to London and there tickled their cars with this pleasing Speech My Friends faithful Counsellors and Native Country men You know all undoubtedly that my Brother Robert was elected and called by God himself to be the fortunate King of Jerusalem and how unfortunately or rather insolently he refused that sacred Estate whereby he is now most justly reprobated of God You also know by many other experiments his Pride and Arrogancy for being a man of a war like bumour he is not onely impatient of Peace but also earnestly desireth to trample upon you as men of object and contemptible dispositions and upbraid you for idle Drones Belly-gods and what not But I your King am naturally inclined to be both humble and peaceable and take delight in nothing more than in doing you good and to maintain your Tranquillity and ancient Liberty as I have often sworn unto you and meekly and willingly to yield my self to your advices whereby I may circumspectly govern you as a clement Prince And to that end even now will I confirm if your Wisdoms think fit your over-worn and undermined Charters and will corroborate them most firmly with a new Oath and Ratification In the mean time all the Laws which the holy King Edward by Gods inspiring did establish I do here command to be inviolably observed hereby to move you to adhere stedfastly unto me in chearfully
willingly and powerfully repulsing the wrongs offered me by my Brother shall I say Nay by the most deadly Enemy both to me to you and the whole Nation For if I be guarded with the Valour and Affections of Englishmen I shall scorn the threats of him and his Normans and count them vain and not to be regarded With these fair promises which yet he afterward quite neglected he so won the hearts of the Lords and the Londoners that they engaged to die with him or for him against any opposition whatsoever Duke Robert being gone and Henry thus setled in the affection of the People he raised a very great Army and accompanied with divers of the Nobility sailed to Normandy where falling upon Robert before he was half ready to fight he obtained a compleat Victory over him and won Normandy with the slaughter of ten thousand men taking Robert himself prisoner whom he brought over and committed to Cardiff Castle in Wales where he remained a prisoner till he died yet had liberty of walking in the Kings Meadows and Pastures But being weary of this Confinement he endeavoured to make his escape which the King being afraid of ordered his eyes to be put out which to avoid the deformity of breaking the Eye-bals was done by causing his head to be held to a burning Basin till the Glassie Tunicles had lost the Office of retaining the Light This though it increased his misery yet did not shorten his life for he lived long after in all from the time of his Imprisonment twenty eight years And thus this great Duke who in his Birth was the joy of Nature in his Life was the scorn of Fortune And it is worth observing that the English won Normandy thâ— very same day fortieth year the Normans had won England Such Revolutions of Fortune there are in kingdoms and so unstable is the state of all wordly Greatness This Robert died 1134 and lies buried at Glocester One Author writes That King Henry sent him according to his Custom a Robe of Scarlet and putting it first on himself found that the Capouch or Hood as the Fashion was then was somewhat too little whereupon he said Carry this to my Brother his head is less than mine The Messenger delivering the Robe Duke Robert demanded if any had worn it and being told the King had first tried it on and what words he had said The Duke replied I have too long protracted a miserable life since my Brother is so injurious to me that he sends me his old Clothes to wear And from that time he would never taste any food nor receive any comfort This King Henry first instituted the Form of the High Court of Parliament for before his time onely certain of the Nobility and Prelates of the Realm were called to consultation about the most important Affairs of State but he caused the Commons also to be assembled by Knights Citizens and Burgesses of their own electing and made that Court to consist of three Estates the Nobility the Clergy and the Commons represeming the whole Body of the Realm and appointed them to fit in several Chambers the King the Lords and the Bishops in one and the Commons in another and to consult together by themselves He established likewise several other Orders as they are used to this day The first Parliament that was so held met at Salisbury upon the 19 of April in the 16 Year of his Reign 1019. He forbid wearing of long hair which at that time was frequent according to the French Mode He commanded Robers on the High-way to be hanged without Redemption He punished Counterfeiters of Money with pulling out their eyes or cutting off their privy members a punishment both less than Death and greater In this Kings time Guymond one of his Chaplains observing that unlearned and unworthy men were generally prefer'd to the best dignities in the Church as he celebrated Divine Service before him and was to read these words out of S. James It rained not upon the earth III years and VI Months he read it thus It rained not upon the Earth 1.1.1 years and 5.1 Months The King observed his Reading and afterwards blamed him for it but Guymond answered That he did it on purpose since such Readers were sconest advanced by His Majesty The King smiled and afterwards promoted him About this time Thomas Archb. of York falling sick his Physicians told him that nothing would do him good but to company with a woman to whom he answered That the Remedy was worse than the disease And so it is said died a Virgin Upon the Tenth of October the River of Medway that runs by Rochester failed so of water for many miles together that in the midst of the Channel the smallest Vessels could not pass and the same day also in the Thames between the Tower and London Bridge men waded over on foot for the space of two days A great fire happened in London which consumed a long Tract of buildings from Westcheap to Aldgate and several other great Cities in England were likewise burnt down about this time In the thirteenth of this King many Prodigies were seen a Pig was farrowed with a face like a child a Chicken was hatched with four legs and the Sun was so deeply eclipsed that by reason of the darkness many Stars did plainly appear This King left behind him onely one daughter named Maud who could never come to be Queen though born to a Kingdom She was married at six years old to the Emperour Henry the Fourth and after his death she was again married to Fulk Duke of Anjou Yet her Father took much care to establish the Succession in her and her issue and therefore he called his Nobility together and among them David King of Scots and made them take their Oaths of Allegiance to her and her Heirs This he did three years one after another wherein nothing pleased him so much as that Stephen Earl of Blois was the first man that took the Oath because he was known to be or it was known at least that he might be a pretender to the Crown But the King should have considered that no Oath is binding when the getting a Kingdom is the price of breaking it and especially to Stephen who was so deeply interested Yet Providence could do no more and the King was well satisfied with it especially when he saw his daughter Mother of two Sons for this though it gave him no assurance yet it gave him assured hope to have the Crown perpetuated in his Posterity Yet after King Henry was dead Stephen ascends the Throne as being Earl of Bulleign Son to Stephen Earl of Beis by Adela daughter of King William the Conquerour and though there were two before him that is Maud the Empress and Theobald his elder Brother yet taking hold of opportunity while the other lingred about smaller Affairs he solicites all the Orders of the Realm Bishops and Lords and People to receive
Thomas Becket that proud and insolent Archbishop of Canterbury a Londoner by birth The King requiring to have it ordained That the Clergy who were malefactors should be tried before the Secular Magistrate This Becket opposed it alledging it was against the Liberty of the Church and therefore against the honour of God Many Bishops stood with the King and some few with Becket the Contention grew long and hot so that the King being extreamly disturbed said on a time Shall I never be at quiet for this Priest If I had any about me that loved me they would find some way or other to rid me of this trouble Which complaint four of his Knights that stood by hearing they presently went to Canterbury and finding Becket in the Cathedral they struck him on the head and felling him down killed him in the place But this created more trouble for though with much Intercession the Pope pardoned the four Knights being onely enjoined Pennance to go on Pilgrimage to Jerusalem Yet the Kings was more severe for going to Canterbury as soon as he came in sight of Beckets Church alighting off his Horse and putting off his Hose and Shoes he went barefoot to the Tomb and for a further Penance suffered himself to be beaten with rods upon his bare skin by every Monk in the Cloister This King Henry first ordained that the Lions should be kept in the Tower of â—â—ndon In the tenth Year of his Reign London Bridge was new built with Timber by Peter of Colechurch a Priest And in his twenty second Year after the foundation of St. Mary Overies Church in Southwark the Stone Bridge began to be founded toward which a Cardinal and an Archbishop of Canterbury gave a thousand Marks This King had many Concubines and among the rest Rosamond daughter of Walter Lord Clifford whom he kept at Woodstock in Lodgings so cunningly contrived 〈◊〉 â—o Stranger could find the way in Yet Queen Eleanor did by a clew of silk fallen from Rosamonds â—ap as she sate to take the Air who suddenly flying from the sight of her Pursuer the end of the silk fastned to her foot and the Clew still unwinding remained behind which the Queen followed till the found her whom she sought for in her Labyrinth So much is the Eye of Jealousie â—uicker in finding out than the Eye of Care is in hiding What the Queen did to Rosamond when she came to her is uncertain but this is certain that Rosamond lived but a short time after King Henry had two sons by her William called Long-Sword Earl of Salisbury and Jeffery Archbishop of York In the sixteenth year of his Reign King Henry caused his eldest son Henry to be crowned at Westminster by the hands of Roger Archbishop of York and caused all the Lords to swear Allegiance to him as having found by Experience That Oaths for Succession are commonly eluded but Oaths for present Allegiance can have no evasion At the Feast of this Solemnity King Henry to honour his son would needs carry up the first dish to his Table Whereupon Archbishop Roger standing by and saying merrily to the new King What an honour is this to you to have such a Waiter at your Table He briskly replied Why what a matter is it for him that was but the son of a Duke to do service to me that am the son of a King and a Queen Which the old King hearing began to repent of what he had done yet he passed it over and set the best side outward This young King died before his Father so that Richard the First the eldest son then living succeeded his Father in the Throne and was crowned at Westminster 1189. He drained great sums of money from the Londoners and made them recompence in Franchises and Liberties And indeed the Laws and Ordinances in his time were chiefly made for the Meridian of London For whereas before his time the City was governed by Portgraves this King granted them to be governed by two Sheriffs and a Mayor as it is now And to give the first of these Magistrates the honour to be remembred the names of the Sherifts were Henry Cornhill and Richard Reyner and the name of the first Lord Mayor was Henry Fitz-Alwin who continued Mayor during his life which was four and twenty Years But Fabian who was himself Sheriff of London and therefore most likely to know the truth affirmeth That the Officers ordained now by K. Rich. were but only 2 Bailiffs and that there was no Mayor nor Sheriffs till the tenth of King John But however the City now began first to receive the Form and State of a Common-wealth saith the Historian and to be divided into Fellowships and Corporations as at this day and this Priviledge was granted the first of Richard 1. 1189. This King left no Children behind him that we have any certain account of unless we reckon as a Popish Priest did who coming to King Richard told him that he had three very wicked Daughters which he desired him to bestow or else Gods wrath would attend him But the King denying he had any Daughters at all Yes saith the Priest thou cherishest three Daughters Pride Covetousness and Lechery The King apprehended his meaning and smiling thereat called his Lords attending and said My Lords this Hypocritical Priest hath descovered that I maintain three Daughters Pride Covetousness and Lechery which he would have me bestow in Marriage and therefore if I have any such I have found out very fit Husband for them all My Pride I bequeath to the haughty Templers and Hospitallers who are as proud as Lucifer himself my Covetousness I give to the White Monks of the Cistercian Order for they covet the Devil and all but for my Lechery I can bestow it no where better than on the Priests and Bishops of our times for therein they place their greatest felicity and happiness In this Kings time for three or four years together there happened so great a drougth that a Quarter of Wheat was sold for eighteen shillings eight pence and thereupon followed so great a Mortality of People that the living scarce sufficed to bury the dead King Richard being dead the Right of Succession remained in Arthur son of Jeffery Duke of Anjou elder brother to E. John but John thinking Arthurs Title but a Criticism of State and not so plain to common capacities as his own who was Son of a King and Brother to a King ascended the Throne as confidently as if he had no Competitor onely Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury made an Oration on his behalf wherein waving the Right of Succession he insisted wholly upon the Right of Election by the People whereby it would follow that those who brought him in might throw him out Of which the Bishop being told said He did it on purpose to cause King John to be more careful of his Government by making him sensible upon what an uncertain foundation his Regality stood King
King John went with a full Resolution having now got a very great Army together to give present Battle to Lewis but as he was passing the Washes of Lincolnshire which are always dangerous all his Carriages Treasure and Provision were irrecoverably lost in the the Sands himself and his Army hardly escaping The kingdom was now made the Stage of all manner of Rapine and Cruelty having two Armies in it at once each of them seeking to prey upon the other and both of them upon the Country Which the Lords seriously reflecting upon and finding likewise their faithful Services to Lewis little regarded since he bestowed all places that were conquered upon French men onely they began to consider how they might free themselves from these Calamities But that which startled them most was that a Noble French man called Viscount de Melun whâ— was very much in esteem with Lewis being upon his death-bed in London desired to have somâ— private conference with those English Lords and Londoners to whom Lewis had committed the Custody of that City to whom he discovered That lamentable desolation and secret and unsuspected ruine and destruction hung over their heads since Lewis with sixteen others of his chief Earls and Lords of whom himself was one had taken an Oath that if ever the Crown of England were setled on his head they would condemn to perpetual banishment all such as now adhered to him against King John as being Traitors to their own Sovereign and that all their Kindred and Relations should be utterly rooted out of the Land This he affirmed to be true as he hoped for the salvation of his now departing soul and thereupon counselling them timely to prevent their approaching miseries and in the mean while to lock up his words under the Seal of Secresie he soon after departed this life These dreadful Tidings strangely amazed the Auditors and though many of the Lords doubted whether if they returned to their Allegiance toward King John he would ever accept of their Repentance since they had so highly provoked him Yet forty of them immediately sent submissive Letters to the King therein expressing their sorrow and hoping that true Royal Bloud would be ever ready to yield mercy to such as were ready to yield themselves prostrate to intreat for it But these solicitors for mercy came too late for King John through vexation of mind for the loss of his Carriages fell into a high Fever whereof within few days he died Though the manner of his death is otherwise reported by other Authors one of whom saith he was poisoned at Swinshead Abby by a Monk of that Covent upon the following account The King being told that Corn was very cheap said That it should be dearer ere long for he would make a penny loaf to be sold for a shilling At which Speech the Monk was so offended that he put the poison of a Toad into a Cup of Wine and brought it to the King telling him There was such a cup of Wine as he had never drank in all his life and therewithal drank first of it himself which made the King drink more boldly of it but finding himself very ill upon 〈◊〉 he asked for the Monk and when it was told him that he was fallen down dead Then saith the King God have mercy upon me I doubted as much Others say Poison was given him in a dish of Pears and add that this was judged such a meritorious act that the Monk had a Mass appointed to be said for his soul for ever after by his Fellow-Monks This King is charged with Irreligion by the Monks of those times who did not love him and therefore we know not how far they are to be believed And among other Speeches That having been a little before reconciled to the Pope and afterward receiving a great overthrow from the French he in great anger cried out That nothing had prospered with him since he was reconciled to God and the Pope And that at another time being a hunting â—e merrily said at the opening of a fat Buck See how this Deer hath prospered and how fat he is and yet I dare swear he never heard Mâ—ss He is likewise charged that being in some distress he sent Thomas Hardington and Ralph Fitz-Nichols Knights Ambassadors to Miramâ—malim King of Africa and Morocco with offer of his kingdom to him if he would assist him and that if he prevailed he himself would become a Turk and renounce the Christian Religion To this time the City of London had been governed by two Bailiffs but the King in his tenth Year taking displeasure against them for denying his Purveyors Wheat he imprisoned them till 35 of the chief Citizens repaired to him and acquainted him with what small store the City had and how the Commons were ready to make an Insurrection about it he was then satisfied and likewise at their suit he by a New Charter granted â—o the Citizens to elect a new Mayor and 2 Sheriffs to be chosen yearly nine days before Michaelmas which Order hath continued to this day though with some alteration as to time In this Kings time likewise five and thirty of the most substantial Citizens were chosen out and called the Common Council of the City In this Kings time there fell Hail as big as Goose eggs with great Thunder and Lightning so that many Men Women and Cattle were destroyed Houses overthrown and burned and Corn in the Fields beaten down In 1202. and the 4. of King John there began a Frost the 14. of January which continued to the 22. of March that the Ground could not be tilled so that in the Summer following a Quarter of Wheat was sold for a Mark which in the days of Henry the second was sold for twelve pence and a Quarter of Beans or Oats for a Groat and why the disproportion in the prices is now so great since the price of Silver is much less altered for an ounce of Silver was then valued at twenty pence which is now valued at five shillings must be left to Philosophers to give the reason for since scarcity makes things dear why should not plenty make them cheap About this time Fishes of strange shape were taken armed with Helmets and Shields like armed men onely they were much bigger A certain Monster was likewise found stricken with Lightning not far from London which had an head like an Ass a belly like a Man and all other parts far differing from any other Creature And in another place a Fish was taken alive in the form of a Man and was kept six Months upon Land with raw flesh and fish and then because they could not make it speak they cast it into the Sea again In the ninth of King John the Arches and Stone bridge over the Thames at London was quite finished by Serle Mercer and William Alman then Procurators and Masters of the Bridge-house and soon after a great Fire happened there of which
confirm their Charter was to make himself less than a King and the Lords thought as long as that was denied they were no better than Slaves and as the King could endure no Diminution so the Lords could endure no Slavery But the King might keep his own with sitting still the Lords could not recover their own but by motion And hereupon they confederated together the chief among them being Richard the Brother of William late Protector and now Earl Marshal who repair to the King and boldly tell him of his faults and require satisfaction Whereupon the King presently sends for whole Legions of French men over and withal summons a Parliament at Oxford whither the Lords refuse to come After this a Parliament is called at Westminster whither they likewise refuse to come unless the King would remove the Bishop of Winchester and the French from the Court and more than this they send him word that unless he did this they would expel both himself and his evil Counsellors out of the Land and create a new King Upon this threatning Pledges are required of the Nobility for securing their Allegiance and Writs are sent out to all who held by Knights Service to repair to the King by a certain day which the Earl Marshal and his Associates refusing the King without the Judgment of the Couâ—â— and his Peers causeth them to be proclaimed Outlaws and seizeth upon all their Lands which he gives to the French men and directs out Writs to attach their Bodies where-ever found Upon which some of the Confederate Lords went over to the King and the Earl Marshal is persuaded to do the same which he refusing a design is laid to draw him over into Ireland to defend his Estate there which was seized upon by the King where being circumvented by Treachery he lost his life Yet the King disavows being concerned therein and lays the fault upon his Officers An easie way saith the Historian for Princes never to be found in any fault After this the Lords went into Wales and joined with Prince Lewellin whither also came Hubeâ—t de Burg Earl of Kent Hereupon the King is advised to go himself thither who complained That he was not able in regard of his wants saying that his Treasurers told him all the Rents of his Exchequer would scarce maintain him in Clothes Victuals and Alms. Whereupon some of his Lords answered That he might thank himself if he were poor since he gave so much of his Revenue to his Favourites and had so far alienated his Lands that he was onely a King in name rather than for his Estate though his Ancestors were magnificent Princes who abounded in all worldly glory and wealth and had heaped up vast Treasures onely by the Rents and Profits of the Kingdom The King being stung with this just Reprehension began by their advice to call his Sheriffs Bailiffs and other Officers to a strict account and squeezed great sums of money out of them forcing Ralph Briton his Lord Treasurer to pay him a thousand pound and others very considerable sums whereby he at this time filled his Coffers After two years affliction a Parliament is called at Westminster wherein the Bishops admonish the King by his Fathers Example to be at peace and unity with his People and remove from him Strangers and to govern the Kingdom by Natives of the Realm and by the Laws otherwise they would proceed by Ecclesiastical Censure both against himself and his Counsellors The King â—â—ing no way to subsist but by temporizing removes all Strangers from about him calls his new Officers to account and restores the Lords to their places and possessions Soon after another Parliament is called which the King would have to sit in the Tower whither the Lords refusing to come a place of more freedom is appointed in which Parliament the Sheriffs are removed for corruption and the King would have taken the Great Seal from the Bishop of Chichester who refused to deliver it as having received it from the Common Council of the kingdom In the 21 Year of this Kings Reign another Parliament is called at London where the King requires a great sum of money which being directly opposed the King promiseth by Oath never more to injure the Nobility so they would but relieve him at present and that he would use onely the Counsel of his Natural Subjects and freely grant the inviolable observation of their Liberties Whereupon a Subsidy was granted him but with this condition that four Knights in every County be appointed to receive and pay in the same either to some Abby or or Castle where it may be safely kept that if the King fail of performing his Oaths and Promises it may be restored to the Country from whence it was collected About this time the King to please the Lords ordered Peter de Rivalis and some other of his French Favourites to appear in Westminster Hall as Delinquents and he him self coming thither sate in person upon the Bench among his Judges And Peter de Rivalis being first called the King looking sternly upon him spake thus to him O thou Traitor by thy wicked advice I was drawn to set my Seal to those treacherous Letters for the destruction of the Earl Marshal in Ireland the Câ—tents whereof were to me unknown And by thine and such like wicked counsel I banished my natural Subjects and turned their minds and hearts from me By the bad counsel of thee and thy Accomplices I was stirred up to make War upon them to my exceeding loss and the dishonour of my Realm for thereby I wasted my Treasure and lost many worthy persons together with much of my former honour and respect I therefore require of thee an exact account as well of my Treasure as the Custody of the Wards together with many other Perquisites and Profits belonging to the Crown To whom Rivalis denying nothing whereof he was charged but falling to the ground thus answered My Sovereign Lord and King I have been raised up and enriched with worldly goods onely by you confound not therefore your own Creature but please to grant me some time to make my defence against what I am charged with Thou shalt said the King be carried to the Tower of London there to deliberate of it till I am satisfied And he was sent accordingly But Stephen de Seagrave Lord Chief Justice whom the King likewise called most wicked Traitor had time till Michaelmas to make up his accounts and so had others But afterward by Mediation and paying very great Fines to the King they obtained their Liberty and were a while after again taken into grace and favour In the midst of these distractions and troubles it pleased God to inflict upon this City and the Kingdom the Plague of Famine as well as the Sword whereby the Poor miserably perished for want of Bread The Authors of those Times relate this Story very credibly to shew how displeasing Unmercifulness and want of
the Kingdom but they go home again frustrate of their desiâ—es Not long after a Parliament is assembled at London and Henry de Bath one of the Judges and Councellour to the King who by corruption had got a vast Estâ—te is accused by Philip Darcy and Bath thereupon appears strongly guarded with his Friends The Accusations were many but especially two That he troubled the whole Realm and stirred up all the Lords thereof against the King and that for reward he had discharged a Malefactor out of Prison The King was so enraged to see him with so many men that mounting into an high place he cries out aloud Whosoever kills Henry de Bath shall be pardoned for his death and I do here acquit him and so departs But Sir John Mansel one of his Council spake thus to some who was ready to execute his will Gentlemen and Friends It is not necessary for us to put that presently in execution which the King commandeth in his anger for it may be when his wrath is over he will be sorry for what he hath said Besides if any violence be offered to Bath here are his friends ready to revenge it to the utmost And so Sir Henry Bath escaped the present danger and afterwards with money and friends made his peace About this time the King by Proclamation calls the Londoners to Westminster and there causeth the Bishops of Worcester Chichester to declare his intentions and to exhort the People to undertake the recovery of the Holy Land from the Saracens the King being persuaded thereto by the Pope who usually sent Princes abroâ—d to recover Palestine on purpose that he might fleece the Subjects of some and seize the Lands of others at home in their absence But the Londoners had no mind to this Pilgrimage and therefore all the Bishops Arguments prevailed onely upon three poor Knights whom the King thereupon in open view embraceth kisseth and calls his Brethren but checks the Londoners as ignoble Mercenaries and there himself takes his Oath for performing this Journey and to set forth upon Midsummer day next In taking his Oath he lays his right hand upon his Brest according to the manner of a Priest and after on the Book and kist it as a Layman Now for money to carry on this the King demands a Tenth of the Estates of the Clergy and Laiety for three years together To which end a Parliament is called at London where the Bishops are first dealt withal as being a work of Piety but they absolutely refuse it then the Temporal Lords are set upon and they answer as the Bishops which put the King into so great a rage that he drove out all that were in his Chamber as if he had been mad Then he falls to persuade them apart sending first for the Bishop of Ely and tells him how kindly he had formerly been to him the Bishop dissuades him from the Journey by the example of the French King and useth many other Arguments which the King hearing commanded the Bishop in great passion to be thrust out of doors and perceiving by this what he might expect from others he falls upon his former violent courses and the City of London is compelled to contribute a thousand Marks Gascoign is likewise ready to revolt unless speedy succour be sent them and general Musters are made which occasions another Parliament at London who it seems began to consider that the Kings turn must be served one way for other and therefore they agreed to relieve him the usual way rather than force him to those extravagant courses which he took Yet so as the Reformation of the Government and the Ratification of their Laws and Liberties might once again be solemnly confirmed After fifteen days consultation a Tenth is granted for this holy expedition and thereupon those often confirmed Charters called Magna Charta and Charta de Forestae are again ratified and that in the most solemn and ceremonious manner that State and Religion could possibly devise The King with all the chief Nobility of the Realm in their Robes and the Bishops in their Vestments with burning Candles in their hands assemble to hear the terrible Sentence of Excommunication against the Infringers of the same and at the lighting of those Candles the King having received one in his hand gives it to the Prelate that stood by saying It becomes not me who am no Priest to hold this Candle my heart shall be a greater testimony and withal laid his hand spred upon his brest during the reading the Sentence Which done he caused the Charter of King John his Father granted by his free Consent to be openly read And then having thrown down their Candles which lay smoaking on the ground they cried out So let them who incur this Sentence be extinct and have no better savour than these snuffs And the King with a loud voice said As God help me I will as I am a man a Christian a Knight a King crowned and anointed inviolably observe all these things And therewithal the Bells rung out and the People shouted for Joy Yet was not all quieted by this Grant for Siâ—â—â— Mâ—â—tford Earl of â—ercester a while after charâ—â—g the King with breach of promise the King in great rage replied No promise was to be kept with an unworthy 〈◊〉 At which words Montford riseth up and protested That the King lied and were he not or 〈◊〉 by his Royal Dignity he he would make 〈◊〉 â—â—pent his words The King commanded his Attendants to lay hold of him but the Lords would not suffer it Yet after this great affront Montford is again sent to Gascoun with a great Fleet by the King who goes also himself into France and there spends a vast deal of money but it is the Londoners must pay for all for returning home about Christmas they presented him with an hundred pound in Money and two hundred pound in plate which was so slighted and so ill taken that advantage was soon found against them about the escape of a Prisoner which cost them Three Thousand Marks and commonly he had every year one quarrel or other with the Citizens which they are sure to make satisfaction for Soon after another Parliament is called at London wherein the Lords again expostulate about their former Liberties requiring that the Lord Chief Justice c. should be chosen by Parliament They likewise require twenty four Conservators should be elected twelve by the King and twelve by themselves to see to the due execution of these Charters which the King knowing their strength yielded to and both he and his Son the Prince sware to confirm the same A while before the King sent to some Monasteries to borrow money his Officers alledging that the King was Lord of all they had who answered they acknowledged that but yet so as to defend it not to destroy it or take it illegally away from them K Henry 6 Murdered in the Tower K. Edward 5.4
London Mercer who first practised the same in the Abby of Westminstor 1471. This King Henry lost his Kingdom when he had reigned thirty eight years six months and odd days The day after he was murdered he was brought to St. Pauls Church in an open Coffin bare-faced where he bled and from thence carried to Black Fryars where he also bled and lastly was buried at Windsor In the first year of King Edward the fourth Walter Walker Grocer living in Cheapside was beheaded for speaking some words against King Edward In his fourth year there was a great Pestilence and the Thames was frozen over In his 14 year John Grose was burnt on Tower-hill for Religion The same year King Edward in his Progress hunting in Sir Thomas Burdels Park slew many Deer and among the rest a white Buck which Sir Thomas hearing of wished the Bucks head horns and all in his belly who moved the King to kill him Upon which words he was condemned to die and being drawn from the Tower of London to Tyburn was there beheaded Next year George D. of Clarence K. Ed. Brother was drowned in the Tower in a But of Malmsey In his twenty second year some Thieves for Robbery in St. Martins le Grand were drawn to Tower-hill and there hanged and burnt and others were pressed to death In this Kings time Richard Rawson one of the Sheriffs of London caused a House to be built at St. Mary Spittle for the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to hear Sermons in the Easter Holy-days King Edward the fourth being dead his eldest Son Edward not above eleven years old was proclaimed King but never crowned for the Duke of Glocester hearing of his Brothers death comes to London and having gotten the King and his Brother the Duke of York into his hands sends them to the Tower and murders the Lord Hatings who was true to Edward and then endeavours to prove the two children of Edward Illegitimate whereby he at last attained the Crown by the name of Richard the third and afterwards persuades Sir James Tyril to murder the two young Princes in the Tower who getting two other Villains as bad as himself they come to the childrens chamber in the night and suddenly wrapping them up in their cloths and keeping down by force the Feather-bed and Pillows hard upon their mouths so stifled them that their breath being gone they surrendred up their innocent souls and when the Murtherers perceived first by their strugling with the pains of death and then by their long lying still that they were throughly dead they laid their bodies out and then called Sir James Tyril to see them who presently caused their bodies to be buried under the Stairs But these Murderers came all to miserable ends and King Richard himself after this abominable Fact never had a quiet mind but was troubled with fearful dreams and would sometimes start out of his bed and run about the chamber in a great fright as if all the Furies in Hell were about him as he did the night before the Battle at Bosworth Field where he was slain by King Henry the seventh who succeeded to the Crown King Richard took away from Jane Shore one of King Edwards Concubines all her Goods to the value of above 3000 Marks and afterward caused her to do Pennance before the Cross for her Incontinency with a Taper in her hand when though undressed yet she appeared so fair and lovely and likewise so modest that many who hated her course of life yet pitied her course usage since she used all the favour she had with King Edward to the good of many but never to the hurt of any And truly she had cause to complain against Richard for being so severe for her offending against the seventh Commandment onely when he did no pennance for offending heavily against all Ten. But perhaps he got some Good Fellow to be his Confessor After Richard called Crook-back was slain Henry the seventh was proclaimed King In whose time were made several general Laws as that for admitting poor people to sue in Forma Pauperis without paying Fees to Attorney Counsellor or Clerk Another that no person that shall assist by Arms or otherwise the King in being shall ever after be impeached thereof or attainted by course of Law or act of Parliament and that if any such Act of Attainder did happen to 〈◊〉 made it should be void and of none effect In his fifth year it was ordained by Parliament that the Mayor of London should have the conservation oâ— the River of Thames from Stanes-bridge to the Waters of Yeudale and Medway In his seventeenth year John Shaw Lord Mayor of London caused his Brethren the Aldermen to ride from Guildhall to the Water-side when he went to Westminster to be presented to the Exchequer He also causeâ— Kitchins and other Conveniences to be built it Guild-hall This King was the first that ordaine a Company of tall proper men to be Yeomen 〈◊〉 the Guard and to attend the person of the King to whom he appointed a Livery and a Captaâ—â— over them In his eighteenth year King Heâ—â—â— himself being Free of the Tailors Company 〈◊〉 divers Kings before had been namely Richard tâ— second Henry the fourth fifth and sixth Edwarâ— the fourth and Richard the third as also eleveâ— Dukes twenty eight Earls and forty eight Lord He therefore now gave them the name of Mâ—â—chant-Taylors as an honourable Title to end 〈◊〉 for ever The 22 of August 1485. the very day King Henâ— got the Victory over King Richard a great Fiâ— happened in Bredstreet London in which was burnt the Parson of St. Mildreds and one person more In his tenth year in digging a new Foundation in the Church of St. Mary-hill in London the body of Alice Hackny who had been buried 175 years before was found whole of skin and the joints of her arms pliable the Corps was kept above ground four days without annoyance and then buried again In his twelfth year on St. Bartholomews day there fell Hail-stones measured twelve Inches about The great Tempest which drove King Philip of Spain into England blew down the Golden Eagle from the Spire of St. Pauls and in the fall it fell upon the sign of the Black Eagle in St. Pauls Church-yard where the School-house now is and broke it down This King was frugal from his Youth the City of London was his Paradice for what good fortune soever befel him he thought he enjoyed it nor till he acquainted them with it His Parliament was his Oracle for in all matters of Importance he would ask their advice yea he put his Prerogative many times into their hands After he had lived fifty two years and reigned twenty three years he died April 22. 1508. Henry the eighth his only Son succeeded him In the ninth year of his reign on May Eve there was an Insurrection of the Young men and Apprentices of London against Foreigners for which Riot several
and that the Statute in the second year of his Reign against Lollards or the Followers of John Wickliff might be repealed But the King denied their Petition and in person commanded them from thenceforth not to trouble their brains about any such business since he was resolved to leave the Church in as good state as he found it In the third year of this King a Blazing Star appeared first at the East and then sent out fiery streams toward the North foreshewing perhaps the effusion of bloud that followed after in those parts In the same year the Devil appeared saith our Author in the likeness of a Gray Frier who entering the Church put the people in great fear and the same hour the top of the Steeple was broken down and half the Chancel scattered abroad by a Tempest of Whirlwind and Thunder In his eighth year Richard Whittington Lord Mayor of London erected Whittington Colledge with Lodgings and Weekly Allowance for several poor People He also built Newgaâ—e half of St. Bartholomews Hospital in Smithfield and a bountiful Library in Christchurch and likewise the East end of Guild-hall and a Chappel adjoyning to it with a Library of Stone for keeping the Records of the City The Grocers in London purchased their Hall in Coney hoop Lane for 320 Marks In his twelfth year Guild-hall was begun to be rebuilt and of a little Cottage made a famous Building as now it is John Gover the famous Poet new built a great part of S. Mary Overies Church where he lies buried In a Parliament holden the ninth year of his Reign the King moved to have allowed him every year wherein no Parliament met a Tenth of the Clergy and a Fifteenth of the Laity to which demand the Bishops consented but the Commons would not In his seventh year a Parliament began at Westminster which lasted almost a whole year wherein a Subsidy was granted which was so severe that even Priests and Friars who lived of Alms were forced every one to pay a Noble In the forty sixth year of his Age having peace at home and abroad and being too active to be idle King Henry resolved to go to the Holy Land and great provision was made for his Journey to Jerusalem but he needed no such preparations for being at Prayers at S. Edwards Shrine in Westminster Abbey he was suddenly raken with an Apoplexy and thereupon removed to the Abbot of Westminsters house when recovering himself he asked where he was and being told that it was the Abbots house in a Chamber called Jerusalem Well then said he the Lord have mercy upon me for this is the Jerusalem where an Astrologer told me I should die And here he died indeed March 20. 1413. aged 46 years of which he reigned 13. It is worth remembring that all â—he time of his Sickness he would have his Crown set upon his Bolster by him and one of his Fits being so strong upon him that all men thought him to be dâ—â—ectly dead the Prince his Son coming in took away the Crown when the King suddenly recovering his senses missed it and asking for it was told the Prince had taken it whereupon the Prince being called came back with the Crown and kneeling down said Sir to all our Judgments and to all our Griefs you seemed directly dead and therefore I took the Crown as being my Right but seeing to all our comforts you live I here deliver it much more joyfully than I took it and I pray God you may long live to wear it your self Well said the King â—ighing what Right I had to it God knoweth but saith the Prince if you die my Sword shall maintain it to be my Right against all opposers Well saith the King I refer all to God but I charge thee on my blessing that thou administer the Laws justly and equally avoid Flatterers defer not to do Justice neither be sparing of Mercy And then turning about said God bless thee and have mercy upon thee and with these words gave up the Ghost In this Kings Reign there died of the Pestilence in London above thirty thousand in a short time and a Frost lasted fifteen Weeks Henry the fifth succeeded his Father and proved a very wise and valiant King though the People much doubted of it because when he was Prince he followed such disorderly courses For getting into company with some lewd Fellows it is said he lay in wait for the Receivers of his Fathers Rents and in the person of a Thief set upon them and Robbed them Another time when one of his Companions was arraigned for Felony before the Lord Chief Justice in Westminster Hall he went to the Kings Bench Bar and offered to take the Prisoner away by force but being withstood by the Lord Chief Justice he stepped to him and struck him over the Face whereat the Judge nothing disturbed rose up and told him that he did not this affront to him but to the King his Father in whose place he sate and therefore to make him sensible of his fault he committed him Prisoner to the Fleet. It was wonderful how calm the Prince was in his own cause who had been so violent in his Companions for he pariently obeyed the Judges Sentence and suffered himself quietly to be led to Prison This passage was very pleasing to the King his Father to think he had a Judge of such courage and a Son of such submission But yet for these and some other Frolicks the King displaced him from being President of the Council and placed therein his third Son John This made the Prince so sensible of his Fathers displeasure that he endeavoured to recover his good opinion by as strange a way as he lost it for attiring himself in a Garment of blue Sattin wrought all with Oylet holes of black Silk the Needle hanging thereto and about his Arm a thing like a Dogs Collar studded with SS of Gold he came to the Court at Westminster to whom the King though not well in health caused himself to be brought in a Chair into his Privy Chamber where in the presence of three or four onely of his Privy Council he demanded of the Prince the cause of his unwonted Habit and coming who answered That being not onely his Subject but his Son and a Son always so tenderly beloved by him he were worthy of a thousand deaths if he should but intend or imagine the least offence to his Majesty and had therefore prepared himself to be made a Sacrifice and thereupon reached his Digger and holding it by the point he said Sir I desire not to live longer then that I may be thought to be what I am and shall ever be Your faithful and obedient Vassal With this or the like answer the King was so moved that he fell upon his Sons neck and with many tears imbracing him confessed That his ears had been too open to receive Reports against him and promising faithfully that from thenceforth