in a little Town in this County it rained blood the red drops whereof appeared in sheets hung out to dry In the 22 of Q. Elizabeth 1580. there fell such great rains in September and October as caused very great floods in divers parts of the Kingdom in Newport the Cottages were born down and the Corn lost in Bedford the water came up to the Market place where their Houshold stuff swum about their Houses their Wood Corn and Hay were carried away and the Town of St. Needs in Huntingtonshire was suddainly overflowed while the Inhabitants were in bed the waters brake in with such violence that the Town was all defaced the Swans swum down the Market-place Godmanchester was also overflown their Houses being full of water and their Cattel destroved At St. Needs in K. Hen. 7ths time there fell Hailstones which were measured 18 inches about At Asply near Woburn in this County there is a little Rivolet the Earth whereof it is reported turneth Wood into Stone and that a wooden Ladder was to be seen in the Monastery hard by which having lain a great while covered all over with it was digged out again all Stone Take the strange operation of it from his Pen who though a Poet is a credible Author The Brook which on her bank doth boast that earth alone Much noted in this Isle converteth wood to stone This little Asplyes Earth we anciently instile ' Mongst sundry other things a wonder of the Isle There is another of the same nature in Northamptonshire of which hereafter In 1507. Thomas Chase a Religious sober Man being a very zealous opposer of Popish Idolatry and Superstition was thereupon brought before the Bishop at Woburn by means of some malicious Informers who proposed divers questions to him intermixt with many Taunts Jears and Reproaches Chase answered him very undauntedly defending the Truth against Popish errors boldly for which he was committed into the Bishops Prison called Little Ease where he lay cruelly manacled with Chains and Fetters and almost starved for hunger which when the Bishop saw did not prevail upon him but that the more severely he was used he was the more fervent in defending the Protestant Faith he resolved privately to murder him for fear of an uproar amongst the People and accordingly soon after ordered him to be strangled and pressed to death in the Prison he still heartily calling upon God to receive his Spirit the Bishop causing it to be reported that he had hanged himself in Prison This was in the Reign of K. Henry 7. In 1506. One William Tilsworth was condemned by Dr. Smith Bishop of Lincoln for Heresy and burnt in this County at his burning his only Daughter a Religious Woman and Wife to one Clark was compelled by the bloody Papists to set fire with her own hands to her dear Father and at the same time John Clark her Husband with many others did pennance by bearing Faggots and were burnt in the Cheek with an hot Iron and about two years after Thomas Bernard Husbandman and James Melvin Labourer were both burnt for the Protestant Religion in one Fire in this Shire The chief Town of this County is Bedford most fruiâ—fully and pleasantly seated without the Town there formerly stood a Chappel upon the bank of the River Ouse wherein as some Authors affirm the Body of Ossa the great Mercian King was interred but by the overswelling of that River was carryed away and swallowed up whose Tomb of Lead as if it were some Phantastical thing appeared often to them that sought it not but to them that seek it saith Ross it is invisible In K. Henry 3. his Reign while a Parliament was sitting at Northampton an unsufferable outrage was complained of to them committed by one Falcacius a Norman by birth who seized upon Henry Braybrook a Judge as he was upon the Bench at the Assizes at Dunstable and clapped him close Prisoner in Bedford-Castle with a strong Guard upon him because 30 Verdicts had passed against him upon Tryals at Law for Lands which he had forceably entred upon the Judges Wife came to the Parliament and with her Tears and complaints so moved them with pitty and indignation that all other matters laid aside the Clergy as well as Laity attended the King to besiege the Castle Falcacius being Governor thereof was gone himself into Wales with hopes of raising more Forces to maintain his Rebellion but had left his Brother Lieutenant in his room with a desperate crew of Villains and all manner of Ammunition and Provision sufficient for a whole years Siege yet after 2 Months the Castle was taken by Storm the Lieutenant and all his Companions hanged and the Castle itself pull'd down to the ground as a den of Thieves and to deter all others for the future from committing such Villanous and Treasonable Crimes This Falcacius as we said was a French-man born and a Bastard and came over in K. Johns time in a very mean condition by whom for his Courage he was made Governor of Bedford Castle to defend it against the Barons where by plunder and Rapine he got a great deal of mony together K. John likewise forcing a Lady who was a great Heiress to Marry him no less to her own discontent than disparagement but now when his Castle was thus unexpectedly levelled to the Earth and all his Estate seized to the King he prevails with the Bishop of Coventry to bring him to the King at Bedford where throwing himself at the Kings feet he implores his mercy for his forme good Services which he with difficulty obtained but upon condition to be sent into perpetual banishment which was done accordingly and the King was so incensed at the keeping of his Castle against him that he thereupon commanded all Frenchmen to depart by a a time limited under a very severe penalty In the 7th of Queen Elizabeth Henry Cheyney High Sheriff of Bedfordshire was created Baron of Tuddington in this County in his Youth he was very wild and ventrous witness his playing at Dice with Henry 2. King of France from whom he won a Diamond of great worth at a cast and being demanded by the King what shift he would have made to repair himself in case he had lost the cast I have said young Cheyney in a huffing bravery Sheeps Tails enough in Kent where he had an Estate with their Wool to buy a better Diamond than this in his latter age he was much reduced and very grave dying without issue Dunstable is seated in a chalky ground well Inhabited and full of Inns hath four Streets answerable to the four Quarters of the world in every one of which there is a pond of standing water for the publick use of the Inhabitants a Tale of vain credit is reported of this Town that it was built to bridle the outragiousness of a strong Theif called Dun by K. Henry 1. but certain it is that the place was held by the Romans yet Sir
was miserably afflicted with barenness of ground Famine Murrain of Cattle and a fearful Comet appeared all which were thought to be the signs of Divine Displeasure for the wrong done to the married Clergy who were turned out of their Livings and ancient Possessions only for having Wives contrary to the Law of God and against all Justice and Reason whereto the unmarried Priests answered That Christ respected neither the Person nor the place but had only regard to thâ—se that took up the Cross of Pennance and followed him But they good men little understood the incumbrance of marrying for otherwise they would have felt that the condition of married men was more truly taking up the cross and enduring Pennance than their careless single Life The Churchmen thus divided and rent the Nobles as well as others took part of either side as they were affected and both parties raised great Armies in their own defence the Fire thus blown from a spark to a flame was like to have grown higher but by mediation Arms were laid aside and the cause was referred to a Council assembled at Winchester where after long debate when the cause was like to go against the unmarried Monks the matter was referred to the determination of a Rood or Image of a Man that stood against the Wall by the persuasion of the great Oracle St. Dunstan who desired them to pray devoutly and to give diligent ear for an answer the Idol being as good natured as they were devout was very easily persuaded to give them this advice God forbid it should be so God forbid it should be so you have judged well once and to change that again is not good This was Authority suâ—â—â—â—ent to suppress the Priests who now with their Wives went down the Wind yet they made another Attempt for persuading the People that this was buâ—â—â— trick of the Monks who placed a man behind the Wâ—â—â— that through a Trunk uttered these words through the mouth of the Rood they therefore earnestly desired â—hat the cause might be heard once more this at last was granted and appointed at Cleve in Wiltshire whither the Prelates and most of the Nobles and States of the Kingdom besides innumerable Gentlemen and Commons came the Council being sate and the Controversie growing hot whether by the weakness of the Foundation or the vast weight of the People or both the joysts of the Chamber where they sate fell down and the multitude with it whereof many were hurt and some killed only Archbishop Dunstan then President escaped for the Post whereon his Chair was set stood wholly untouched which the Monks said was not without a miracle he being their mouth against the married Priests whose cause fell now with this fall and the Peoples affections drawn from them they had liberty now to accompany with their Wives without Cure though not without Care And all this happened by the strange preservation of Dunstan upon the Post which yet is not so strange since the Monks report that the main Beam of his House being one time sunk out of its place and the whole building like to fall and knock him on the Head he made it return into its former place only by making the sign of the Cross thereon with his Fingers so extream powerful was he in such wooden miracles which are not much to be wondred at since it seems his very harp could do miracles as when of itself it sung a Hymn very melodiously yea the blessed Virgin her self is said to have come to solace him with her songs and it was ordinary for Angels to sing familiarly with him and for him to whip Devils that came to him in the Shapes of Dogs Foxes and Bears but his greatest exploit was when the Devil knowing that he was unmarried came to tempt him in the shape of a handsome brisk Wench but the Saint got her by the Nose with a pair of hot burning Pincers and thereby spoiled a good Face making her to rear in a dreadful manner Thus these sottish Monks deluded the People with such ridiculous stories and thereby rather disgraced than honoured those whom they designed to magnify Southampton is a Town populous rich and beautiful from which the whole County derives its name The famous King Canutus his flatterers persuaded him that he was greater than Alexander Caesar or Cyrus and was possessed with more than humane Power to convince these fawning Courtiers being one time at Southampton he commanded his Chair of State should be set on the shore when the Sea began to flow and then sitting down therein in the presence of many of his Attendants he spake thus to the Element Thou Sea art part of my Dominion and the ground whereon I sit is mine neither was there ever any that durst disobey my command or by breaking it escaped unpunished I charge thee therefore that thou presume not to come upon my Land nor wet these Royal Robes of thy Lord that are about me But the Sea giving no heed to his threatnings but keeping on its usual course of Tide first wet his Skirts and then his Thighs whereupon suddenly rising up he thus spake in the hearing of them all Let all the worlds Inhabitants know that vain and weak is the power of their Kings and that none is worthy of the name of King but he that keeps both Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience and bindeth them in an everlasting Law of Subjection After which time he would never suffer the Crown to be set upon his head but presently crowned therewith the Picture of our Saviour on the Cross at Winchester with such strong delusions were these devout Princes drawn away by those crafty Priests who alwaies made gain of their Godliness This King after he had reigned 19 years in great glory died at Shaftesbury and was buried in the Church of the old Monastery at Winchester to which Church he gave most Rich and Royal Jewels whereoâ— one is recorded to be a Cross worth as much as the whole Revenue of England amounted to in one year this Church being new built his bones with many other English Saxon Kings were taken up and preserved in gilt Coffers fixt upon the walls of the Quire in that Cathedral Church In the year 1053. King Edward the Confessor dispossest his Mother Queen Emma of all her Estate because after his Fathers death she Married King Canutus and seemed to favour her Children by him more than the former he also committed her to Custody in the Abby of Worwell yea he so far hearkned to an aspersion cast upon her of unchast familiarity with Alwine Bishop of Winchester that to clear her self she was fain to pass the Tryal of Fire Ordeal which was in this manner nine Plowshares red hot were laid in unequal distance which she must pass barefooted and blindfold and if she passed them unhurt she was judged Innocent this terrible Tryal she passed fairly without the least damage to the great astonishment of
Hell whom they devoutly worshipped as the preserver of their health Shaftsbury likewise wherein one Aquila either Man or Eagle is reported to have prophecied of future times In this City Edward son of Edgar who was murdered at Corf-Castle by his Step-Mother to make way for her own Son was buried In the Reign of K. Edward 2 the great Earl of Lancaster married a Lady from Camford in this County who was taken out of his house by one Richard Martin a deformed lame Dwarf who challenged her for his Wife alledging he had lain with her before the Earl married her whereupon the Lady was examined who voluntarily confessed it was all true and thereupon the ugly Fellow in her right claimed the Two Earldoms of Lincoln and Salisbury In the Fourth of this Kings Reign the Church of Middleton with all the Monuments were consumed with Lightning the Monks being at Mattens In the 22d of Edward 3. a Plague was brought from beyond Sea into the Towns and Villages of England on the Seacosts of Dorsetshire which raged so both there and in other parts of England that scarce the Tenth man was left alive in the Kingdom In 1506. King Philip sailing out of Germany to take possession of the Kingdom of Spain was driven by Tempest upon the Coasts of England and landed at Weymouth to refresh himself and was invited by Sir Tho. Trenchard a worthy Knight of that County to his House who immediately sent word to King Henry 7. of his Arrival who glad to have his Court honoured by so great a Prince sent the Earl of Arundel at present to wait upon him till himself should follow the Earl attended him with a gallant Troop of about 300 Horse and for more state came to him by Torch light upon this Message though K. Philip had many reasons to hasten his Journy yet not to distaste K. Henry he came Post to Windsor where after great and magnificent Entertainment K. Henry taking an opportunity when they were both in a private room laying his Hand civilly upon K. Philip's Arm said Sir you have been saved upon my Coast I hope you will not suffer me to wreck upon yours The King of Castile asking him what he meant I mean saith the King that hair-brain'd Fellow the Earl of Suffolk who being my Subject is protected in your Country and begins to play the Fool when all others are weary of it The King of Castile answered I had thought Sir your felicity had been above these thoughts but if it trouble you I will banish him K. Henry answered That his desire was to have him delivered to him with this the King of Castile a little confused said That can I not do with my honour Well then said the King the matter is at an end at last the King of Castile who much esteemed K. Henry composing his Countenance said Sir you shall have him but upon your honour you shall not take his Life I promise it upon my honour said K. Henry and he kept his promise for he was not put to death during all his Reign but yet he took such order that in the Reign of his Son K. Hen. 8. he had his Head cut off This Earl of Suffolk had lately gone over to Flanders to the Lady Margret K. Henry's sworn Enemy which made the King doubt of his Intentions The Earl was accordingly brought over and sent to the Tower and after K. Philip had received the Order of the Garter and Prince Henry that of the Golden Fleece the King of Castile departed home In the 26. of Q. Elizabeth 1558. at a place called Blackmore in the Parish of Armitage in this County a piece of ground containing 3 Acres removed from its place and went quite over another Close with the Trees and Fences thereon a great way off stopping up an High-way which led to Cerne the same Hedges inclosing it as before and the Trees standing very upright thereon onely one Oak of almost 20 Load fell down in the place from whence it removed there remained a great deep Pit In 1613. Aug. 7. The Town of Dorchester was utterly consumed with Fire which began in the house of a Tallow-Chandler and destroyed the whole Town save a few Houses near the Church and all their Wares and Goods to the value of Two Hundred Thousand Pounds yet no man perished therein In June 1653. a black Cloud was seen over the Town of Pool and soon after dissolved into a shower of Blood which fell warm upon mens hands some green leaves with those drops upon them were sent to London and seen by many The Forrest of the White Hart is in this County so called because in the Reign of Henry 3. the King came hither to hunt and having taken other Deer he spared a most beautiful and goodly white Heart which afterward Thomas de Lynd a Gentleman of this Country with others in his Company took and killed for which the King put a mulct or Fine upon him and the whole County and the very lands which they held pay even to this day every year by way of amercement a sum of Mony into the Exchequer which is called White Hart Silver My self saith Dr. Fuller have paid a share for the sauce who never tasted any of the meat so that it seems Kings Venison is sooner eaten than digested Mr. Ignatius Jordan was born at Lime Regis in this County and when he was young was sent to Exeter to be brought up a Merchant in this City having passed through the several inferiour Offices he at last came to be Mayor and was a Justice of Peace 24 years together yet his beginning was but very mean which he was always ready to acknowledg for when some threatned him with Law-suits and that they would not give over while he was worth a groat he cheerfully told them That he should be then but two pence poorer than when he came first to Exeter for said he I brought but six pence with me hither He would often say He wondred what rich men meant that they gave so little to the Poor and yet raked so much together for their Children do you not see said he what becomes of it and would reckon up divers examples of such as heaped up much for their Children and they in a short time consumed it all on the other side he spoke of such as had small beginnings and afterward became rich or of a competent Estate giving a particular instance of himself I came said he but with a groat or sixpence in my purse to this City had I had a shilling in my purse I had never been Mayor of Exeter In his Troubles in the Star Chamber when one told him he was sorry that the Lord Keeper was against him He answered I have a greater Lord Keeper than him the Lord is my Keeper I will not be afraid He was famous for Justice and Charity in his life and at his death left very large Legacies to the poor
all Beholders using this Speech to her Leaders O Lord when shall I come to the place of my Purgation but having her eyes uncovered and seeing her self clearly escaped she fell upon her knees and with Tears gave thanks to her deliverer whereby she recovered her former honour and in memory thereof gave 9 Mannors to the Minster of Winchester according to the number of the Plow shares this King was as unkind to his Wife as to his Mother for having Married Editha the beautiful and indeed vertuous Daughter of Earl Godwin because he had taken displeasure against the Father he would shew no kindness to the Daughter he had made her his Wife but conversed not with her as his Wife only at board but not at bed or if at bed no otherwise than David with Abishag and yet was content to hear her accused of Incontinency whereof if she were guilty he could not be Innocent so that what the virtues were for which after his death he should be reputed a Saint doth not easily appear it seems he was chast but not without injury to his Wife Pious but not without ingratefulness to his Mother just in his present Government but not without neglect of Posterity for through his want of Providence in that point he left the Crown to so doubtful a Succession that soon after his Decease it was translated out of English into French and the Kingdom made servile to another Forreign Nation In the year 1184. A Priest at Andover praying before the Altar was slain with Thunder likewise one Clark and his Brother were burnt to death with Lightning and soon after a shower of blood rained in the Isle of Wight two hours together In the year 1250. King Hen. 3. in whose nature it seemed an inseparable quality to be violent in every thing he had a mind to have done and that sometimes without due respect to his Majesty as appears by what follows This King having a design to advance his half Brother Ethelmare to the Bishoprick of Winchester was not satisfied in sending a strict command to the Monks to chuse him but goes to Winchester in Person and the Clergy being met he gets up into the Pulpit and Preaches a Sermon to them taking for his Text these words Justice and Peace have kissed each other from whence he raised this Doctrine That whereas the rigor of Judgment and Justice belonged to him and other Kings who were to Rule the Nations so quiet peace and tranquillity belonged to the Clergy and this day saith he I hope they will both kiss each other for I doubt not but that both for your own good and my desire you will chuse my Brother Bishop this day with many other words to the same purpose whereby the Monks perceiving the earnestness of his desire held it in vain to deny him and thereupon elected Ethelmare but because he was no Priest they did it with this reservation If the Pope did allow thereof but the Pope resolving to make his advantage thereof as well as the King exacted 500 marks of Church Revenues for his Confirmation which made Matthew Paris a Monk to utter this bitter lamentation O Pope the chief of Bishops why dost thou thus suffer the Christian World to be defiled worthily worthily therefore art thou driven out of thine own City and See and like a Runagade and another Cain art inforced to wandâ—r up and down O thou God of just vengeance when wilt thou draw forth thy Sword and imbrue it in the blood of such wretched Oppressors The Pope it seems was then fled from Rome for fear of the Emperor of Germany and though he would neither reform these grand abuses in himself nor others yet Robert Crosthead the stout and learned Bishop of Lincoln resolved to reform the Monks and Fryâ—ers but they appealing to the Pope the Bishop went to him and plainly told him That all Offenders escaped punishment because his heart was so open and ready to receive Bribes from them The Pope dismist him and sent him back with â—n angry Countenance and reproachful words he was â—t this time at Lyons where a while after the Council breaking up Cardinal Hugo Preached a Farewell Sermon â—o the Citizens and among other benefits which they â—ad reaped by the Popes residence in their City reckoned up this for a principal one That whereas at their â—oming to Town there were but three or four Bawdy Houses â—n Lyons now at their departure they left but one but indeed â—hat reached from one end of the City to the other whereby we may observe that France had some part of the Popes Blessings as well as England But it seems the People had no very good opinion of â—he proceedings of this King Henry both against the Lords and the Church and not only Men but Women â—ndertook to reprehend him for the same for Isabel Widdow to the Earl of Arundel a young Lady having â—eceived a repulse from the King in a matter which she â—lledged was hers in Equity presumed to speak thus to â—is face O my Lord King why do you turn away from Justâ—ce we cannot now obtain right in your Court you are placed as 〈◊〉 middle Person between God and us but you neither govern â—s nor your self neither are you afraid to vex the Church divers ways at present as well as you have formerly nor by several â—ppressions to afflict the Nobles of the Kingdom The King â—eing fired at this free discourse looking on her with a â—cornful and angry countenance spake thus to her with â—loud voice O my Lady Countess what have the Lords of England given you a Charter and hired you to be their Advoâ—ate and Orator because they know you have your Tongue at will No my Lord said the Countess They have made me no Charter but the Charter which your Father made and which your self confirmed swearing to keep the same inviolably and constantly and often extorting mony upon promise that the Liberties therein should be faithfully observed which yet you have not kept but have broken without regard to Honour or Conscience therefore you are found to be a manifest violater of you Faith and Oath for where are now the Liberties of England so often fairly ingrossed in Wriâ—ing so often granted so often bought and paid for I therefore though a Woman and all the Natural Loyal People of the Land appeal against you to the Tribunal of the dreadful Judge and Heaven and Earth shall bear us Witness that we are used unjustly and God the Lord of Revenges right us The King saith the Author abashed at these words asked her if she did not look to obtain her suit upon favour since she was his Kinswoman she replied that seeing he had denied that which the Law gave how could she hope to obtain her suit by favour Therefore said she I do appeal to the presence of Christ against those also of your Counsellors who bewitch and dull your Judgment and draw you
be And lie in mine own Ashes as you see Verlam I was what boots it that I was Since now I am but weeds and wastful grass And another English Poet writes thus in the name of Watling one of the 4 Imperial Highways Thou saw'st when Verlam once her head aloft did rear Which in her Cinders now lies sadly buried here With Alabaster Tuch and Porphyry adorn'd When well near in her pride great Troynovant she scorn'd A nameless Author hath writ thus upon this forgotten City Stay thy foot that passest by And a wonder here descry Churches that inter'd the dead Here themselves are buried Houses where men slept and wak't Here in Ashes underrak't And to the Poet to allude Here is Corn where once Troy stood Or if you the Truth would have Here 's a City in a Grave A wonder Reader think it then That Cities thus should die like men And yet a wonder think it none For many Cities thus are gone Out of the ruines of this City rose the fair Town of St. Albans remarkable for bringing forth Alban the Martyr for about the year of Christ 180. King Lucius reigned in Brittain who hearing of the Miracles and Wonders done by the Christians in divers places sent Letters to Eleutherius Bishop of Rome desiring to receive the Christian Faith the good Bishop being glad of this request sent him two Preachers Faganus and Damianus by whose faithful endeavours it pleased God the King and many of his People were Converted and Baptized the Temples of Idols and other Monuments of Gentilism were subverted thus the true Religion increased and Superstition and Idolatry decreased many Bishops being ordained and set over the People and all things setled in good order after which this religious King sent again to Eleutherius for the Roman Laws according to which he desired to govern his People to which request Eleutherius returned this answer That for the Roman and Imperial Laws they might have their defects but the Law of God could not and thereupon advised him to study the Scriptures and out of them by the Council of his Realm to enact Laws for the Government of his Kingdom For saith he You are Gods Vicar in your Kingdom and therefore it behoves you to unite your People to call them to the Faith and Service of Jesus Christ to cherish and maintain them to rule and govern them and to defend them from all such as would do them wrong c. The Christian Faith thus received by the Brittains flourished here 216 years till the coming of the Saxons But the Ramans continuing Heathens raised much trouble against the Professors thereof especially after the death of Lucius who dying without 〈◊〉 the Barons and Nobles disagreeing about a Successor the Romans stepped in and took the Crown into their hands whereupon great ruine and misery ensued to the Kingdom for sometimes the Idolatrous Romans reigned and sometimes the Christian Brittains according to the fortune of the War The first remarkable Persecution which we hear of was under Dioclesian and Maximi◠when the Heathens raged so extreamly that in Brittany and some other Places there are reckoned Seventeen Thousand Martyrs who suffered for the name of Christ In this Persecution a famous Preacher called Amphibolus being searcht for to be Imprisoned he to escape the fury of his Persecutors hid himself in the House of Alban aforementioned who was a Citizen of Verulam now St. Albans this Alban was at that time a Heathen but observing Amphibolus to continue day and night in watching and Prayer he began to be convinced and to hearken to the Divine Instructions and Exhortations of this good man and forsaking Idolatry he became a very sincere Christian The Enemy having intelligence that this Minister was in his house Soldiers were ordered to search for him which Alban having notice of he apparelled himself in the cloths of Amphibolus and offered himself to the Souldiers who bound him and carried him before the Judge who was at that time sacrificing to his Idols The Judge perceiving the business said Since thou hadst rather convey away the Rebel and Traytor to our Gods than deliver him up to undergo due punishment for his blaspheming our Deities look therefore what Torments he should have suffered if he had been taken the same shalt thou endure if thou refuse to practise the Rights of our Religion Alban was regardless of these Threats and being replenished with Divine Fortitude boldly told the Judge to his face That he would not obey his Commandment Then said the Judge Of what House and Stock art thou Alban answered It is no matter of what stock I am but if thou desirest to know my Religion be it known unto thee that I am a Christian and that I imploy my self in the exercise of their Holy Religion The Judge then demanded his name my Parents said he named me Alban And I Honour and Worship the True living God who made all things of nothing The Judge being inraged hereat said If thou desirest to prolong thy life come and Sacrifice to our Gods Alban answered The Sacrifice you offer to the Devil profits you nothing but rather purchaseth for you eternal pains in Hell-fire The Judge was still more incensed hereat and commanded the tormentors to beat him thinking stripes might prevail more than words yet Alban continued not only patient but joyful in the midst of all his Torments the Judge perceiving that neither words nor blows would remove him from his Constancy commanded him to be beheaded The Executioner observing his fervent Faith and Prayers fell down at his Feet throwing away the Sword desiring rather to die for him or with him than to do Execution upon him and suffered accordingly whereby he was made a Martyr for that Faith of which he was before a Persecutor The other Officers were astonished and trembled to behold this strange Providence but at last one of them took up the Sword wherewith he cut off the Martyr Albans head In this Town of St. Albans King Offa built a most stately Monastery which we read was upon this occasion In the Year 793 Offa the 11th King of the Mercians took to wife one Quenrid of whom it is recorded that her name was Drida and that she was Kinswoman to the French King Charles the great and was for some Offence banished his Realm being put into a boat without Sail or Tackle and arriving upon the Coasts of England was relieved by Offa who was then a young Nobleman and changed her name to Quenrid of whom he became so much in love that contrary to the Will of his Parents he married her she being of a proud cruel and ambitious Nature as appears by the sequel For Ethelbert King of the East Angles a wise and religious Prince coming to the Court of King Offa being persuaded by his Nobles to desire his Daughter in Marriage was accompanied with a great Train suitable to his Quality but Queen Quenrid envious of his
Scots and the Lord Darnly began to cool and their unkindness was fomented by one David Risio an Italian Musician and afterward the Queens Secretary who had often secret conference with her when the King might not be admitted this indignity the Lords about the King made him sensible of and thereupon his death was contrived and he was killed in an outer Chamber next the Queen she being then with Child and like by the affright to have miscarried the Earl of Murray base Son to K. James 5. and base Brother to the Queen was the chief instigator of this murther of the foulness of which Fact when the King was sensible he resolved to be revenged upon Murray who having notice thereof prevented it with causing the like to be done to him for soon after the King in a stormy tempestuous night was strangled in his Bed and then cast forth into the Garden and the House immediately blown up with Gunpowder the rumor of this murther being spread abroad common fame laid it upon Morton and Murray and their Confederates Morton and Murray lay it upon the Queen the King thus murthered the Queen was advised by them to Marry James Earl of Bothwell though he was the man that had acted the Murther but upon condition that above all things respect might be had to her young Son and that Bothwell might be legally quitted both from the bonds of his former Marriage and also of the Kings Murther hereupon it is plotted that Bothwell should be brought to the Bar and Morton being his advocate by the sentence of the Judges he is clearly acquitted and then by consent of some of the Nobility he is Married to the Queen being first made Duke of Orkney which bred a suspition in many that the Queen was conscious of the Murther which was the thing the Confederates aimed at by this Marriage for they by all means increased the suspition that they might have the better colour against her and so the very same men who absolved Bothwell and consented to the Marriage now take arms against her as a Delinquent in both forcing her Husband to flee and then seize upon the Queen whom clad in a very homely garment they thrust into Prison in Lochlevyn Queen Elizabeth hearing of it sends Sir Nicholas Throgmorton to expostulate the matter with them who alledged The Queen was subject to no Tribunal under Heaven That no Judge on Earth might call her in question c. They again opposed the peculiar right of that Kingdom and used Buchanans argument in his Treasonable Dialogue That in extraordinary Cases the People have power both to create and to depose their King They then persuaded her to resign the Kingdom which if she refused to do fairly they threatned to question her openly for her incontinent living for the Kings Murther for Tyranny so that through fear She resigned her Kingdom to her young Son James at that time scarce thirteen months old who was five days after anointed and Crowned King and she constituted Murray Vice-Roy during his Minority soon after some of Bothwells Servants were executed for the Kings Murther who cleared the Queen from being concerned in it The Queen having been 11 Months Prisoner afterward made her escape and raised Forces which being unexperienced were soon defeated by Murray whereupon she endeavoured to save her self by flight and travelled 60 Miles in one day and contrary to the advice of her Friends went with a few of her Attendants in a small Bark and landed at Wickington in Cumberland sending Letters to Q. Elizabeth that having made an escape from her insolent and rebellious Subjects she was now come into England upon certain hope of her approved Clemency and therefore humbly desiring that she might be forthwith admitted to her presence Q. Elizabeth sent her Letters of comfort and promised her aid defence according to the equity of her cause but denied her access since she was held guilty of many crimes giving command to have her brought to Carlile as a place of more safety Q. Mary then desired she might depart to some other Country but upon consultation most were of Opinion to have her detained as one taken by right of War and not to be dismissed till she had made satisfaction for assuming the Title of England and for the death of Darnly her Husband who was born one of the Queens Subjects After this many Conspiracies were made to set the Queen of Scots at Liberty The Pope sends out his Bull against Q. Elizabeth freeing her Subjects from all Allegiance to her and the Duke of Norfolk is beheaded upon her account These and many other contrivances and conspiracies seemed very much to indanger the Life of Q. Elizabeth and tended to the Invasion of England whereupon the better to provide for her safety a number of her Subjects the Earl of Leicester being the chief and others of all ranks and conditions enter into an Association wherein they declare That since by Her Majesties Life they and all other Her Majesties Subjects do enjoy inestimable benefit they do by this Writing make manifest their duty for the safety of their Sovereign Lady They then proceed And to that end we and every of us first calling to Witness the name of Almighty God do voluntarily and most willingly hind our selves every one of us to the other jointly and severally in the Band of one firm and Loyal Society and do hereby vow and promise by the Majesty of Almighty God that with our whole Powers Bodies Lives and Goods and with our Children and Servants we and every of us will faithfully serve and humbly obey our said Sovereign L.Q. Elizabeth against all States Dignities and Earthly Powers whatsoever and will as well with our joint and particular Forces during our Lives withstand offend and persue as well by force of Arms as by all other means of revenge all manner of Persons of what state soever they shall be who shall attempt against Her Royal Person c. to the utter extermination of them their Counsellours Aiders and Abettors And if any such wicked attempt against her most Royal Person shall be taken in hand and procured whereby any that have may or shall pretend Title to come to this Crown by the untimely death of Her Majesty so wickedly procured which God for his mercies sake forbid may be avenged we do not only bind our selves jointly and severally never to allow accept or favour any such pretended Successor by whom or for whom any such detestible Act shall be attempted or committed as unworthy of all Government in any Christian Realm or Common-Wealth And do also further vow and protest as we are most bound and that in the presence of the Eternal and Everlasting God to prosecute such Person and Persons to death with our joint or particular forces and to take the utmost revenge upon them that by any means we or any of us can devise and do or cause to be devised and
Emperor Augustus who Pliny says was but two foot and an hand-breadth high but whether he were at his full growth or proportionable he doth not tell us The County of Rutland is divided into five Hundreds wherein are 2 Market Towns 48 Parish Churches and is in the Diocess of Peterborough It elects only 2 Parliament Man for the County and gives the Title of Earl to John L. Mannours SHROPSHIRE hath Cheshire on the North Worcester Hereford and Radnorshires on the South Montgomery and Den bigh shires on the West It produceth Iron Pitcoal Barley Wheat Cattle Wood and Cloth The Shire Town is Shrewsbury which for Circuit Trade and Wealth doth surpass Ludâ—ow and is inferior to few of our Cities her buildings are fair her Streets many and large her Inhabitants rich her Trade chiefly in our Staple Commodities of Cloth and Freezes In the reign of King John 1197. Robert of Shrewsbury was Bishop of Bangor whom this King afterward in War with Leoline Prince of Wales took Prisoner in his own Cathedral Church and enjoyned him to pay 300 Hawks for his ransome which seemed not so proper that a man of Peace should be ransomed with Birds of Prey yet we read that in the Reign of K. Charles 1. a Nobleman was ransomed at the Isle of Rhee for a brace of Greyhounds neither may it be wondred how the Bishop procured them of a sudden since many were brought from Norway and he might also furnish himself out of Pembrokeshire This Bishop seemed somewhat humorous by a passage in his Will wherein he ordered his Body should be buried in the midst of the Market place of Shrewsbury which may be imputed either to his humility or his foresight that the fury of the Wars then between the English and Welch would fall fiercest on Churches as the fairest Market that men preferring their profit before their Piety would preserve their Market Places though their Churches were destroyed He died 1215. In 1402. K. Henry 4. was made sensible that a Crown can hardly sit easy upon the head if it be not set right on at first for now a new conspiracy was hatched against him the Piercies Earls of Northumberland and Worcester with Henry Hotspur began at this time to fall off from K. Henry because at their request he denied to redeem their Kinsman Mortimer from Glendours slavery that he denied them the benefit of such Prisoners as they had taken of the Scots at Hamilden whereupon they themselves procured Mortimers delivery and then entred into a League Offensive and Defensive with Glendour whereby they agreed to divide the Kingdom into three parts between them wherein Glendour persuaded them they should fulfill a Prophecy as though K. Henry were the Mouldwarp cursed of Gods own mouth and they were the Lyon the Dragon and the Wolf who should divide the Land among them all England from the Severn to Trent South and Eastward was to be the portion of the Earl of March all Wales and the Lands beyond Severn Westward to be Owen Glendours and all the remainder of the Land from the Trent Northward to be the L. Piercies â—n the mean time K. Henry not unacquainted with the Conspiracy published by Proclamation that Mortimer Carl of March had voluntarily caused himself to be taken Prisoner that the Rebels having him in their Custody might pretend some colour for their Conspiracy â—nd therefore he had little reason to take care for his â—eliverance Hereupon the Piercies assisted with a Company of Scots with the E. of Stafford Richard Scroop Archbishop of York and many others resolved to join with Glendour but first they framed certain Articles against the King and sent them to him in writing That King Henry had falsified his Oath given at his landing swearing that he came only to recover his Inheritance and would not meddle with the King or Crown That most Traitorously he had taken Arms against his Soveraign Lord King Richard 2. had Imprisoned him and then most barbarously caused him to be murdered and without any Title or Right had procured himself to be made and crowned King That ever since the Murder of King Richard he had unjustly kept the Kingdom and Crown from his Cousen Edmund Mortimer Earl of March to whom of night it belonged That when no want compelled him he had imposed divers subsidies and Taxes upon the People to their great grief of which they would willingly but durst not complain That no Justice could be expected from him since contrary to his Coronation Oath he had by Letters sent into divers Counties procured such Parliament Men to be chosen as upon occasion might serve his turn And lastly that whereas for Affinities sake he ought to have ransomed his Cosen the Earl of March from his strait and loathsome Imprisonment he not only denied it but falsely and untruly published that he became a voluntary Prisoner for all which and many other causes they utterly defied Henry as a Traytor and Vsurper and as an Enemy vowed his destruction and the restoring the said Earl to his Right K. Henry could not but know that all these Articles against him were true yet since this knowledge did not hinder him from seeking the Crown when he had it not it would less hinder him from seeking to keep it now he he had it and if he were able being a private man to get it from a King he was likely to be more able being now a King to keep it from private Men and as for any objections of Conscience he could answer them all by this That if his Title were good against King Richard by his resignation it was good against Mortimer by his swearing Allegiance and upon these grounds with a mind as confident as if all Circumstances were on his side he raised an Army and marched toward the Lords taking care they might by no means join with the Welch and in Battlefield near Shrewsbury he encountred them in which Fight though the Scots and Henry Hotspur shewed muâ—â— valour yet the Victory rested on the Kings side Hotspâ—â—r being slain the Earl of Worcester taken Prisoner with several others On the Kings part the L. Stafford who that day revolted to him and nine who were that morning Knighted were slain and 1600 common Soldiers but of the Conspirators above 6000 The King was once unhorsed by Dowgâ—â—ss who in his presence slew Sir Walter Blunt who was that day attired in all things like the King Dowglas being afterward taken Prisoner by the fall of his Horse was by the Kings Command for his valour set at liberty without ransom In this Battel the young Prince Henry though wounded in the face with an Arrow lost not his Courage but continued fighting still After this Victory the King caused publick thanks to be given and then ordered the Earl of Worcester to be beheaded and many others to be hanged drawn and quartered after which he sent Prince Henry into Wales with his whole Army but before