Mercians in Battle and drove the King of Kent out of his Kingdom and to his Conquering Arms the East Angles and East Saxons likewise submitted so that finding none oppose him he caused himself to be Crowned the first sole Saxon Monarch at Winchester and gave the Country the name of England and the Danes with 33 Ship Landing in the 14 of his Reign he gave them â—attle but was Obliged to retire with loss and the â—ext year being invited by the Britains they Landed â—… Wales against whom he Wared and was Victorious This was the 17 King of the West Saxons that had â—eigned successively and began his Reign as sole Monâ—rch Anno 819 and Reigned 17 years and in all 36 Thus the divided Kingdom did Unite And on one head her Crown shone Dazling bright An Account of the East Saxon Kingdom which contained Essex and Middlesex begining Anno 522 and continuing 305 years under the success of 14 Kings THe first that we find to Govern the East Saxons was Erchenwine who began not his Reign till Anno 527 and is held continued it Sixty years and â—hen gave place to Sladda who held it only 9 years when Sebert took upon him the Kingdom and being Converted to the Christian Faith by Miletus Bishop of St. Pauls in London which had been founded by himself and Ethelbert King of Kent in the place where â—he Temple of Diana had stood restored them their priveledges and free Exercise of Religion which had before been denyed them and Reigned 12 years noted to be the first Christian King of the East Saxons Seered succeeded him Anno 617. who contrary to his Predecessor put many Indignities upon the Christians as Prophaining their Communion-Tables and Offering to Idols for which being reproved be Miletus he banished that Bishop and fell heavey upon the rest of the Clergy but at the end of 6 years he was slain by Kingâ—ils King of the West Saxons and Sigesbert Reigned in this stead Continuing King of the East Saxons by the space of 23 years and after him Reigned Sigebert whom Oswye King of the Northumbers perswaded to be Baptixed and accordingly it was performed by Bishop Finnan but being of a wild and sordid naturâ—… when he had Reigned 15 years his Brothers Conspirâ—… against him and slew him and Swithâ—…lm succeedeâ—… Anno 661 who was Converted and Baptized â—… Bishop Cedda and Edelwald King of the East Anglâ—… stood his God-Father but he Reigned only 3 yearâ—… and then gave place to Sighere who after he had beeâ—… Baptized turned Apostate but brought again to â—… former Principles by the means of Woolfere King â—… Mercia he caused the Idol Temples to be Demolisheâ—… and in his time a Raging Plague continued for thâ—… space of 5 years Sebba succeeded him but havinâ—… Reigned about 30 years he layed down his Crown as more desirous of a Monastick Life and entred thâ—… Monastery of St. Pauls London and Sigherd took upon him the Government and Reigned 7 years Aâ—… the end of which Seofrid began his Reign which continued 7 years as the former yet in neither of theâ—… Reigns did any thing Memorable happen nor in theâ—… Successor Offa's for he when he had held the Scepteâ—… of the East Saxons 8 years went to Rome and theâ—… turned Monk and dyed in that state Selred began hiâ—… Reign 722 and Reigned 38 years without any thinâ—… Memorable except His Wars with the Mercians and leaving Cuthred his Successor Imbroyled in Troubles Egbert King of the West Saxons at the end of â—… years drove him out of his Kingdom so that after the Succession of 14 Kings it was in the year 872 made a part of the whole under a sole Monarch Thus Heaven by secret Wheels Winds on the Fates Of Empires Kingdoms and of petty States Turns all things as is in Wisdom thought That his Decrees be to perfection brought An account of the Northumber Kingdom and Succession of Kings THe Kingdom of the Northumbers contained Northumberland Cumberland Yorkshire Durham â—…ncashire Westmerland and some part of the Marches â—…d began in the year of our Lord 547 continuing 379 â—…ar but it does not Challenge a Succession of Kings â—…long for the number found are but 25 and of â—…ese in their order Ida and Ella took upon them to be Kings of the Norâ—…umbers Conjunctly Anno 547 and continued 24 â—…ars but were obliged after 15 years of that Term â—… take in 5 Partners Viz. Adda who held it 7 years â—…appa 5 years Theodwald 1 year Frethulf 7 years â—…odorick 7 years but of these some dying and others â—…ing dispossessed Ethelfride took place making great â—…ar upon the Britains and Subdued Edanaden King â—… the Scots whom he Overcame in a great Battle at â—…egsaston and at Westchester he slew not only the â—…uldiers of the Britains but even the Monks and Religious of all sorts to the Number of 1100 and Banâ—…ed Edwin the British Prince who fled to Redwold â—…ing of the East Angles who Joyning his Forces with â—…e Britains they fought against Ethelfride and slew â—…m when he had Reigned 33 years and Edwine was â—…aced in the Kingdom who at length turning Chriâ—…ian restrained the Persecutions that had been made in â—…ose parts against the Church he was Baptized by â—…aulâ—nus at York together with many of his Nobles but Reigned not above 7 years and then Osrick came to the throne whose reign was far shorter for within a year Waring on the Britains he was slain by Cadwal their King and so made way for â—…swald who slew Cadewal a British Prince but was Overthrown by Penda the Mâ—rcian King and slain at a place called from that Mifortune Oswaltree when he had Reigned 9 years â—…nd succeeded by Cswye this King gave Battle to Ofwine Prince of the Deirans at Wilfairs-Downs whâ—… flying the field was by one of his confidents deliveâ—…ed up and put to Death and altho' Ethelbald Son â—… Oswald and Egbert King of the East Angels Uniteâ—… their Forces with Penda King of Mercia he Oveâ—… threw them near Leads in York-shire Killing Peâ—… Ethclbald with 30 Dukes and Leaders giving thoâ—… United Armyes a great Overthrow and decided thâ—… long Controversy about the Celebration of Easter anâ—… founded the Cathedral Church in Litchfield for a Bishoâ—… See He Reigned 28 years and was succeeded bâ—… Egfride who raising a great Power and Waring upoâ—… Ethelred King of the Mercians he found not the Suâ—…cess of his Prodecessor nor being so contented â—… made an expedition against the Irish who then â—… small Barks perplexed the Coast but following theâ—… too far in the Mountains he was Intraped by an Ambushment and there slain after he had Reigned â—… years leaving his Kingdom to Alfride who thougâ—… he Reigned 20 years did nothing of Note he was suâ—…ceeded by Osred who gave himself up to Prodigiouâ—… Lusts Insomuch that he forced Nuns out of their Mâ—…nasteryes to satiate himself and commiting outrageâ—… he was at last slain by Kenred and Oswick when hâ—… had
Fitz-walter battel at Ferrybridg near Pontefract but not being able to maintain it he was there with most of his men cut in pieces by Henry's Forces when both Armies facing on the Plain between Towton and Saxton on the 28th of March they joined Battel that of Edwards consisting of 48660 men and Henry's of 60000 but by the Lancastrians mistaking Stars for Suns being the Cognizance of each Party and doubting some Treason in the case many of them fled so that those who remained lost the field and in this Battel were slain the Earl of Northumberland the Lords Clifford Neuel Wells Scales Beaumont Dacres Grey Willoughby Fitzhug and other Persons of Quality about 357 and in all 35091 being the most bloudy and obstinate Battel that had been fought upon this Overthrow Henry with his Queen and Son fled into Scotland and were honourably received by King James whose Sister Prince Edward not long after married From Scotland the Queen sailed to France to seek aids in that Court and in mean while King Edward returning to London was a second time proclaimed and calling a Parliament Henry together with his Queen and Prince Edward his Son were disinherited and about fourty three Nobles disinherited and attainted The Queen a Woman of a Martial Spirit by her Interest in France had by this time gotten a considerable number of Men but sailing for Scotland and afterwards making for England her Fleet was scattered by a Tempest so that she and her Husband were left solely to the Aid of the Scots and with what Forces they could gather marched as far as the Bishoprick of Durham but the Forces of the Scots were defeated at Hegely Moor where Sir Ralph Percie dying said in allusion of his Oath to King Henry I have saved the Bird in my Breast And another defeat happening at Hexam Feries Fortune seemed utterly averse and that poor Prince coming out of Scotland into England in disguise was betrayed and apprehended as he sat at Dinner in Wadington-Hall and in an ignominious manner brought to London with his Legs bound under the Horses Belly and secured as a Prisoner in the Tower King Edward by the Imprisonment of Henry conceiving himself more secure sent the Earl of Warwick to woo for him in the Court of Savoy but whilst he earnestly sollicited and had brought the matter to perfection by obtaining the good Will of the Estates News came that King Edward had married the Lady Elizabeth Grey Widow to Sir John Grey slain in the Battel at St. Albans fighting on the part of King Henry with whom he had fallen in Love upon her becoming an humble Suitor to him for her Jointure and because he could not compass his ends without Marriage that vertuous Lady disdaining to be the Harlot even of a puissant King he resolved against the Minds of his Friends to obtain his desires by making her his Wife This so sensibly touched the Earl of Warwick in reflecting upon his Honour in serving a Master of so little Constancy that although he had been mainly Instrumental in helping him to the Kingdom he changed his love into mortal hatred and working upon George Duke of Clarence to favour his design and by secret Practices they stirred up a Commotion in the North where one Robert Huldren headed 15000 of the Commons but he being executed Sir John Conyers undertook to head them Proclaiming as they passed that King Edward was an unjust Prince and unprofitable to the Kingdom when to surpress these disorders he sent an Army under the leading of the Earl of Pembroke who joyned Battel near Banbury and had been victorious had not one John Clapham Esq and Servant to the Earl of Warwick come in the heat of the Fight and displayed his Master's Colours whose Cognisance was the White Bear and by crying a Warwick so dismayed the Welshmen of whom most of the Army was composed that thereby thinking the Earl was come in with his party they threw down their Arms and betook them to flight leaving their General who valiantly fighting was taken Prisoner together with his Brother Sir Robert Herbert and ten other Gentlemen of Note who lost their Heads at Banbury by the Judgment of Conyers and Clapham Anno 1469. The Success of the Northern men occasioned them to rise in great Number and a Party under the Leading of Robert of Ridisdale surprising the King's Manner of Grafton siezed the Lord Rivers the Queens Father together with John his Son whom they beheaded at Northampton which obliged the King to hasten with a great Army but whilst the people were expecting the issue of a bloudy Fight a Truce was concluded which rendering the King more secure than cautious the Earl of Warwick entered his Tent in the dead of Night and with little resistance made him Prisoner and carried him to Warwick Castle and from thence in the Night time conveyed him to Middleham Castle in Yorkshire and there committed him to George Nevil Arch-Bishop of York Brother to the Earl but having Liberty allowed to hunt in the Park and Forrests he was rescued by a Troup of his own Men however Sir Robert Wells with thirty thousand of the Commons disturbed the Country Proclaiming King Henry but encountering King Edwards Forces and himself in a bloudy Battel made Prisoner the Lincolnshire Men of which the Army was mostly composed threw of their Coats with the Earls badge on them in great Confusion left the Field so that from that it was called the battel of Losi-Coaâ—field upon which defeat and the putting Sir Robert with many others to death The Duke of Clarence Earl of Warwick and divers Nobles found themselves obliged to pass the Seas but were refused enterance at Calais of which place VVarwick was Captain by one Vawclear whom he a little before had Substituted his Deputy and for which refusal King Edward made him Captain in VVarwick's stead however they went to the Court at France and were there entertained with much respect where gathering Aids and holding Correspondence with their Friends in England soon after they Landed at Dartmouth and Marched towards London Proclaiming King Henry and commanded all from Sixteen to Sixty years of Age to take up Arms on his behalf against Edward Duke of York whom they termed a Usurper so that all the Land in a manner was in Arms and King Edward perceiving his Fortune utterly averse and that the few forces he had raised were ready to Revolt he thought it no fit time to dispute but rather to reserve himself to a more favourable Fortune whereupon with a few of his Friends he passed the Seas and was received by Charles Duke of Burgundy who had married the Lady Margaret his Sister whilst his Queen took Sanctuary in Westminster where she was delivered of a Son afterwards Christened by the name of Edward and other Sanctuarys were filled with the King's Friends and such as had adhered to him This disorder gave the Kentish men an opportunity to rise in Arms
and do great mischief especially in and about the City of London and had been greater but the Earl entered with his Army and put an end to those disorders and set King Henry at liberty who had been a Prisoner in the Tower for almost the space of Nine years conveying him to the King's Palace in great Triumph where on the 13th of October he was crowned again and went with the Crown on his head to St. Paul's Church the Earl of Warwick bearing up his Train and the Earl of Oxford carrying the Sword before him whilst the people cryed God save King Henry and a Parliament being called to sit at Westminster the 26th of November King Edward was declared a Traitor to his Country and a Usurper of the Crown his Goods and Lands were confiscated and his Adherents were attained The Earl of Worcester for his Cause lost his Head and all the Statutes made by Edward Revoked The Crowns of England and France were entailed to King Henry and his Heirs Male and for default of such Issue to George Duke of Clarence The Earl of Warwick to be Governour of the Land till it could be better settled Thus went the various change of Affairs in England 〈◊〉 the bloudy contest between the houses of York and Lancaster yet continued not the advancement of King Henry for King Edward holding Correspondency in England and gathering some Forces beyond the Seas landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire where the better to insinuate with the People He at first pretended to come for his right as a private person but finding himself strong enough he siezed upon York and increasing in Power marched till â—he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother the Duke of Clarence being reconciled to him by the means of a Maid-servant that had lived with the Old Dutches of York desiring the Earl to forsake King Henry's Cause and close with his Brother but that great Man more regarding his Engagement than Life or Interest sent him word that he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that e'er his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his Life at his enemies Feet which he doubt not should be bought very dear whereupon King Edward hasted to London and was received by the Citizen no ways able to resist him when drawing out his Forces he marched against the Earl and his Accomplicies and on Easter day in the Morning Battel was joyned on Glad-more Heath near Barnet in which bloudy Conflict fortune at first seemed to favour VVarwick but by an unlucky mistake he lost the day for a great Mist falling the embroidered Stars upon the Coats of such as were commanded by the Earl of Oxford being taken for Suns which was King Edward's Cognizance VVarwick's Battallion charged by that Errour upon their Friends and they suspecting it done on purpose crying out Treason quitted the Field which the Earl perceiving and resolving not to out-live the loss of the day charged desperately into the King's Battel killing many with his own Hands but being cut off from the assistance of his own men he there was slain as likewise was his Brother the Lord Montacute in attempting to Rescue him on King Edward's Party dyed the Lords Cromwell Bourchier and Barns with Siâ— John Lisle and on both sides about 10000 of all sorts But thus ended not the Contests for the Crown for Queen Margaret in the right of her Husband and Son raised a strong Power Anno Domini 1471. and gave the King Battel at Tewxbury but Fortune now turned fatally averse to the Queen and her Family for losing the day with the death of John Lord Somerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delues Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whitingham Sir John Leukner and several others and a great many of lesser note The Queen in this rout fled and betook her self to a religious house for sanctuary but was takan thence and made close Prisoner young Prince Edward her Son was taken in his flight by Sir Richard Crofts who presented him to King Edward who having a while beheld him with a stern countenance demanded how he durst presume with Banners displayed to disturb his Kingdom to which the Prince replied that what he did was to recover his Father's Kingdoms and his most rightfull Inheritance But how dare you continued the Prince being but a Subject display your Colours against your Liege Lord Upon this resolute replie King Edward unworthily struck him on the Mouth with his Gantlet when Richard Duke of Gloucester basely taking the hint stabbed him and the Wound being seconded by some of the Servants the poor Prince fell dead at the King's feet Things being carried at an extraordinary highth Edmund Duke of Somerset the Prior of St. John's with divers Knights and Esquiers who had taken sanctuary were contrary to the Custome of those times taken thence by force and executed at Tewxbury and soon after Richard Duke of Gloucester the King's Brother stabbed the pious King Henry to the heart in the Tower of London and his body was exposed in a Coffin at St. Paul's to convince the People he was dead As for the Queen she continued several years a Prisoner but at length her Father mortgaged most of his Principalities to pay her Ransome and she thereupon was sent over Sea where in much sorrow and perplexity she languished â—ut the rest of her days and by this means the Lancastrians being utterly disabled to make head King Edward more assured in his Throne betook himself to his Pleasure and hearing of the Fame of Jane Shoar Wife to a Goldsmith in Gracechurch-street he sent for her and took her to his Bed upon which her Husband renounced her and for Grief and the Disgrace betook himself to travel beyond the Seas never returning into England He had likewise two other Concubines high in his esteem and being in the Year 1474. in France at an Interview with the French King Lewis told him that he would one day invite him to court the fair Ladies of Paris to which Offer Edward readily consented insomuch that the French King not being pleased with his forwardness whispering to Philip Comines his Bosome Friend told him that he repented of his Offer considering that there had been too many English Princes already at Paris so that the King returned without having any opportunity to prosecute such Amours Anno 1478. by the contrivance of Richard Duke of Gloucester George Duke of Clarence was accused of sundry Crimes and committed to the Tower where soon after he was smothered in a Butt of Malmsey Wine and 't is reported the King consented to so great a Wickedness upon a Prophecy That a G. should succeed an E. which however proved true though he mistook the Man for Richard Duke of Gloucester usurped the Throne and murthered his two Sons as will appear hereafter Two Acts yet more of this King's Cruelty are memorable viz. Going
interposing as some Authors have it â—…tween two Deuelists he was unfortunately run â—…rough after he had reigned six years Edred succeeding Edmund Anno 946. the Danes beâ—…n to gather courage not without being privately aâ—…mated by some treacherous English and amongst â—…em Weelstan Arch-Bishop of York so that â—… the â—… caused himself to be Crowned King of Northumâ—…rland against whom Edred marched with a great Army but had the Rear of it surprised by the underhand dealing of Woelstan however he made his party good put the Danes to the rout and returned with victory He made St. Germans in Cornwal a Bishops See which was by Canute the Dane translated to Credington and at last setled at Exeter by Edmund the Confessor where â—it at present remains This Edred was Tenth sole Monarch of England and reigned Nine years Edwy succeeded Edred Anno 955 and was crowned at Kingston upon Thames where it is repoted he committed Adultery with a great Lady his near Kinswoman in the sight of his Nobles and afterwards caused her Husband to be slain that he might more freely enjoy her He thrust out the Monks and put married Priests in the places of those that affected a single Life Banished Dunstan who is now stiled a Saint and the same that is reported to have taken a shee Devil by the Nose with a pair of Tongues for disturbing him at his Forge These things turned the Peoples Affections against the King to a degree of laying him aside and swearing Fealty to Edgar which made him pine to death after he had Rul'd Four years and was buried in the New Abby Church at Winchester Edgar began his Reign Anno 159 he recalled Dunstan and outed the married Priests making a Penalty against Drunkenness and the Land at that time being pestered with Wolves he laid a yearly Tribute of three hundred Wolves Heads upon the Prince of Wales and upon the Noble-men and Free-holders according to the largeness of their Possessions so that in a few years they were all destroyed He made it his business once a year to ride the Circuit of his Kingdom to inquire of Abuses done by his Judges in Illegal Actings or those that were done by private Persons one to another inflicting severe punishments on such as he found tardy yet he have himself up to prodigeous Lust insomuch that casting his Eyes upon any Women he liked he would have his satisfaction by fair means or force and killed Ethelwald an Earl and one of his principal Courtiers with a Spear as he was hunting in the Forest because he had married a beauteous Lady Daughter to Duke Orgarus when he had sent him to fetch her for his own use and then took her to Wife He deflowred a Nun called Wolfe-child and got on her a hopeful Brat which was afterwards Sainted by the name of Edith and afterwards another Nun called Ethelflede on whom he begot his Son Edward who succeeded him he had peace except a little bickering with the Welsh all his Reign feared a broad and at home having the greatest Navy of any King before him some Authors reporting it consisted of Three thousand Ships He was crown'd at Kingston upon Thames by Otho Archbishop of Canterbury and reigned sixteen years Edward the Thirteenth sole Monarch of England began his Reign Anno 975 and was usher'd in by a Famine and a Blazing Star with great contentions between the Monks and Married Priests Dunstan taking taking part with the former and Duke Alfarus with the latter and meeting to Dispute in an upper Room the press being great the Flour fell down and many were wounded only Dunstan's Chair stood fixed upon a Post which gave such credit to the Monks who without doubt had contrived the sinking of the Four as appeared by the Chair being fixed that they gained the point and the Married Priests were turned out suffering great necessity no Man daring to entertain or relieve them Soon after this the King going a Hunting and being near the Castle of Queen Elfreda his Mother-in-Law he separated from his Company and went to pay her and her Son a visit But the treacherous Queen to advance her own caused one of her Servants to stab him in the Back whilst he was drinking on Horseback at her Gate whereupon turning his Horse he fled the farther Treachery but not finding his retinue he through lossâ— of blood fainted and falling in the next Wood expired when he had reigned four Years Ethelred the Son of Edgar and Elfreda succeeded Edward who for his slowness in Affairs was Nick-named The Unready he was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames the ordinary Seat of the Saxon Monarchs and upon his Coronation day a Cloud was seen throughout England half resembling Blood and half Fire and in the third year of his Reign the Danes Landed in divers parts of this Kingdom committing great Outrages and much about the same time a great part of London was laid in Ashes The King not being able to oppose the Torrent of the Danish power compounded a Peace for 10000 Pounds a Year but finding their Advantage they soon raised it to 40000 l which 〈◊〉 heavy upon the Nation and was called Danes Guilt oâ— Danes Money nor did this suffice them but they pillaged and ravag'd the Country so extreamly that the King to free his Sublects from the Oppressions they groaned under gave them private notice on St. Brices day to fall upon the Danes in all the Cities and Towns where they quartered which was done with so much secresie that most of them were cut off this being done on the 13 of November Anno 1002. the News flew into Denmark whereupon new swarms came over under the Leading of Swanus who destroyed all before them with Fire and Sword in such a terrible manner that the People fled to the Woods and Mountains and although the King bought his Peace at the price of 30000 Pounds yet not long after they flew 900 Monks and such as were of Religious Orders in Canterbury and having gotten a great sum of Money from the Archbishop Aphegus for his Ransom they notwithstanding stonâ—d him at Greenwich so that the King perceiving their treachery and cruel dealing and that he was no ways capable of opposing their fury he sent Emma his wise with her two Sons to her Brother Richard Duke of â—â—â—mandy and soon after left the Kingdom to follow them but Swanus being stabbed by his own Meâ— and Canutus his Son set up in his stead Ethelred returned but finding many Treasonable Designs carried on against him by Edricus one of his Dukes and a powerful Enemy in the Land which he was no ways able to oppose he died for grief when he had Reigned thirty seven years and was the fourteenth sole Monarch of England Edmund the Eldest Son of Ethelred Sirnamed Ironside succeeded him Anno 1016. and was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames by Livingus Arch-bishop of Canterbury though Canute then Reigned as King at Southampton This Edmund
of Worcester and Douglas Sir Richard Vernon Barron of Kinlaton taken and beheaded 200 Esquires and Gentlemen of Cheshire and a great number of common Soldiers lost their Lives not without considerable Loss to the King and the ending his Life for Hotspur broke furiously through the Squadron where the Standard was and there had killed or taken him Prisoner had he been seconded as he expected yet this so incensed the King that he caused his Body whom his own Party had carried off and buried to be taken out of the Grave the Head cut off and the Quarters to be dispersed in divers Places As for the Earl of Northumberland he was taken after this Defeat as he was raising Forces in the North yet had his Life pardoned but was abridged in his Estate and the better to quiet the like Disturbances the King called a Parliament but could get no considerable Supply neither in that nor the other two Parliaments that succeeded it About this time William de Willford being abroad with a Squadron of Men of War brought in 40 Prizes laden with Iron Oyl and Rochel Wine which was sold to supply the King's Coffers and a Troup of Western Men brought 3 foreign Lords and 20 Knights of note Prisoners from Dartmouth having slain the Lord Castile and a great many of his Followers who cruzing on the Coast attempted to burn and plunder that place as before they had served Plimouth for which Service the King bestowed liberal Rewards amongst them and in Parliament caused the Earl of Northumberland to be restored to his entire Possession yet these things quieted not the minds of the Nobility for soon after Thomas Mowbray Earl-Marshal of England drew Richard Scroop Arch-Bishop of York into a Conspiracy who tampering with the Earl of Westmoreland and he promising them fair instead of siding with them delivered them up to the King and they were thereupon beheaded but the Pope being highly incensed at the Arch-bishop's Death excommunicated all those that had a hand in it This was seconded by another of the Earl of Northumberland and the Lord Bardolf but their Forces being weak they were encountred by the Sheriff of Yorkshire where the Earl in a sharp conflict was slain in the Field and the Lord mortally wounded and as a mark of Ignominy the Earl's Head was carried on a Pole through London and fixed on the Bridge-gate and because the Scots had encouraged this Undertaking and to surpress the Rumour that went abroad of King Richard's being alive the King marched an Army of 37000 Men to their Borders battered Berwick with a piece of Cannon the first that was used in England and took it as likewise siezed on all the Castles belonging to the Earl of Northumberland then marched into Wales but was â—isappointed in that Expedition by the sudden Inâ—undations and Torrents of Water that flowed â—rom the Hills whereby fifty of his Waggons with Treasure and Provisions were destroyed and a great part of his Food which obliged him to reâ—ire The King to repair his Loss called another Parâ—iament which through his Importunity was constrained to grant him a Subsidy and in the year 1407 a Plague raged throughout England and destroyed in London 30000 Persons A great Frost followed it that lasted 15 Weeks yet the Duke of Burgundy craving the King's Aid against the Duke of Orleance had his Request granted And amongst other memorable Actions of the English Sir John Blunt raised a Siege beat Four thousand French-men with Three hundred English taking about Twelve Noblemen and One hundred and Twenty Gentlemen Prisoners And now Wickliff's Doctrine beginning to spread the Arch-Bishop Arundel so incensed the King that William Sawtree William Swinderby and William Thorp all eminent Divines were put to Death for their profession of a good Faith but the King did not long survive that Cruelty for Anno 1413. falling sick and into an Appoplexy whilst his Crown was placed on his Pillow Prince Henry his Son came and took it thence which the King perceiving upon his reviving sent for him and demaâ—ded the reason of his hastiness who boldly replyed That he seeming dead in all Men's esteem he took it as his Right Whereupon the King with some trouble of mind looking on him said Ah Son with what Right it was got God only knoweth who forgive me the Sin To which the Prince fiercely replyed However it was got I mean to keep it when it shall be mine and defend it with my Sword as you by your Sword have obtained it and soon after the King dyed and was buried at Canterbury This Henry the IV was King of England and France Lord of Ireland c. eldest Son to John Duke of Lancaster by Blanch his Wife He began his Reign the 29th of Sptember Anno 1399 and Reigned 13 Years 3 Months and 16 Days and was the 33d sole Monarch of England by his first Wife Mary he had Issue Prince Henry Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford Humphrey Duke of Gloucester Blanch and Philippa by his second-Wife no Issue that survived him Thus ill-got Crowns create a troubl'd Reign Howe'er so easie got hard to maintain Such Crowns have Thorns that still the Wearer pain The Life Reign and Actions of Henry the V. King of England c. HEnry of Monmouth so called from the place of his Birth in his youthfull years lead away by wild and debauched Courtiers committed many extravagancies not being exempted from Robbing on the High-ways putting his Father in fear of some Design he had upon his Person and attempting to rescue a Prisoner from the Face of Justice in the Court of King's-Bench but when he came to the Crown he was wonderfully changed commanding his former leud Companions to alter their manners or not dare to approach his Court nor within Ten miles of his Person chusing grave and worthy Counsellours and much honouring the Clergy and the more to ingratiate with the People every day after Dinner he was wont for the space of an hour to receive Petitions in order to redress Grievances which he would doe with wonderfull Equity much lamenting the untimely Death of King Richard and so near it touched him that he sent to Rome to be absolved from a Fact he had no hand in Whilst things went on prosperously a Parliament was called wherein it was moved that the superfluous Lands and Temporalties belonging to Religious Houses were sufficient of the Maintainance of 15 Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Alms-Houses and over and above 20007 l per Annum to the King's Coffers and this to curb the Pride of the Clergy was pressed very home and had gone on had not the Arch-Bishop of Canteâ—bury to turn his Thoughts from it perswaded him to seek his Right in France of which Kingdom he told him he was the true Heir enforcing it with strong Reasons insomuch that the young King being naturally of a fierce and warlike Spirit soon hearkned to what he had suggested and sent
made Prisoner by a Burgundian Knight and by him sold to to the English who sent her to Roan and being charged with Witch-craft Bloud-shead and the unnatural use of Man's Apparel contrary to her Sex she was burnt which was too barbarous a usage and had not been executed but to put the French out of the great hopes they conceived in the Promise she had made to drive the French out of the Kingdom and in some kind it had its effects but another expedient was resolved on which was to send over for young King Henry and he accordingly was crowned in Paris with great Pomp by the Cardinal of VVinchester on the 7th of December 1431. The French Nobility doing him homage and the King's Pattents and Grants touching the French Affairs passed under the Seal and Stile of Henry King of the Frenchmen and of England and the Lords Talbot and Arundel were successfully victorious in the Provinces of Main Anjou and other places but John Duke of Bedford Regent of that Kingdom dying at Paris Anno. 1435. with his death the English Affairs sunk for although Richard Duke of York was sent over Regent yet before his arrival Paris was lost by the treachery and revolt of the Citizens and the Duke of Burgundy falling off besieged or blocked up Callais upon notice of which the Duke of Gloucester passed with a great Army but the Burgundians were retired before his arrival which made him proceed to waste the Burgundian Territories and then returned to England whilst the Duke of Somerset the Lords Talbot and VVilloughby made good the English Interest against the French and now it was thought expedient that King Henry should Marry and by the contrivance of de la Pool Duke of Suffolk he took to Wife Margaret Daughter to Renate Duke of Anjou and Lorain Titular King of Sicily and Jerusalem c. with whom he had little or no Dowry and Suffolk's too much favour and interest with the Queen made the Nobles begin to murmur and indeed this Match proved in the end disadvantageous to the English for the Queen being a Woman of a high Spirit and finding her power over a good natured and easie King she delayed not to use it placing and displacing at her pleasure the greatest Counsellers and Ministers of State so the Interest in France daily lessoned and the Dauphinâ— recovered the greatest part of the Kingdom which moved Duke Humphry to reproach the Queen and her Council with bold truth whereby they became so exasperated that from that time they layed Snares to intrap him but finding no plausible opportunity they resolved to take a violent occasion and at a Parliament holden at St. Edmunds-bury Anno 1447. he was arrested by John Lord Beaumont Lord High Constable of England and others charged with High-Treason and put under a Guard of the King's Houshold but had not been long in his Confinement before he was found dead not without strong presumption of violence used towards him yet to shadow it with the people who entirely loved him as a vertuous wise and learned Patriot of his Country his body was exposed and it was given out that he died of an Imposthume and Palsie This Duke who had been the Prop of the English Affairs removed his Servants the better to colour the Matter were brought to Tryall and five of them convicted of High-Treason upon which Sentence they were drawn to Tyburn and being hanged about two Minutes were cut down alive stripped naked and marked out with a Knife to be quartered and then their Charters of Pardon were produced by the Marquess of Suffolk and now the whole frame of Government seemed to repose it self in the Queens Authority and such Favourites as by her insinuation with the King she raised to the highest Dignities This gave scope to the Duke of York's Ambition who concluding there was an open passage to the Crown delayed not the opportunity but consulted his Friends declaring his Title as descended from Lionel and Elder Brother to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster great Grand-father to King Henry the sixth aggravating the miscarriages in Government and keeping up popular divisions and indeed the King's mildness a Council out of Favour with the people â—osses and dishonours abroad a disorder and confusion of things at home mainly contributed to his design and about this time a Rebellion happening in Ireland the Duke of York was looked upon as the fittest Man to go over for the appeasing it and had the fortune to bring it to a happy issue when in the mean while the Duke of Suffolk the Queens great favourite was charged in a Parliament at Westminster with evil Demeanour Misprision and Treason and committed Prisoner to the Tower but the Queen soon after procured his release and now the Yorkists Faction considerably strengthened appeared bare-fac'd and being vigorously withstood by Adam Molins Bishop of Chichester Keeper of the Privy Seal to remove him out of the way a rable of Seamen were stired up to fall upon him at Portsmouth by whose rude hands the good Bishop was slain and in a Parliament holden at Leicester they procured the Banishment of the Duke of Suffolk for five years and as he was attempting to pass the Seas he was taken in Dover Road by such as the Duke of York had laid in wait for him and for want of a Block had his Head cut off on the side of a Cock-boat which was looked upon as a Judgment for his being a contriver of the death of Humphry Duke of Gloucester the King's Uncle Suffolk thus removed out of the way the Duke of York concluded he wanted but one step into the Throne and although he was yet in Ireland he so effectually wrought by his Friends in England that the Kentish Men took up Arms under the leading of Jack Cade and were joyned by those of Essex demanding that the Duke might be called home and that he with some others that Cade named might bechief in Council That those guilty of the death of Duke Humphry might receive due punishment That the Grievances of the people might be redressed and because these requests were not speedily answered they committed many violent out-rages in and about London as plundering the houses of the Citizens beheading the Lord Say Treasurer of England and Mr. Comer High Sheriff of Kent for attempting to perswade them to return to their Obedience However their fury being spent and the King's Proclamation for a Pardon coming out to indemnifie them they returned to their respective Habitations but Cade finding his Power and Credit with the Multitude upon some new disgust attempting again to raise the Rable he was encountered by the Gentry of Kent and slain by one Edan Upon the stirs and uproars in England the Duke of York without any Order hasted from Ireland and took up Arms pretendedly for the Reformation of the State which made King Henry fortifie himself and prepare to oppose their force â— but the Duke of York
the Sea-Port Towns the King sent to grant them their reasonable Demands yet though several Messages passed nothing came to a conclusion and many of the King's Friends left the upper and lower House as dreading the fatal Consequence so that at last there not being above 80 Members in the lower House and 16 in the upper The Queen left England with her illustrious Daughter the Princess of Orange and the King with divers Nobles went to York whither he Summoned the Knights of the Garter and those that held of the Crown to repair And now People fearing things would come to extremity the County of Kent petitioned for an Accommodation but their Petition was rejected and the bringer and receiver imprisoned by the Parliament yet upon the King's Summons about 60000 Men of Yorkshire appeared on Howard Moor near York and after a view were ordered to repair to their respective Habitations but at this time the Parliament borowed a great Summe of Money of the Londoners on the publick Faith and raised an Army of 10000 Foot and 2000 Horse making the Earl of Essex their General and proclaimed War The King being denied entrance into Hull and having vainly assaulted it fortified Newark and Barwick and advancing to Nottingham set up his Standard so that Hostilities began and a piteous War ensued wherein many brave Men lost their Lives Victory declaring sometimes for one Party and sometimes for another insomuch that the Fields â—n about fifty Battles and Skirmishes were fatted with Bloud and made in many places white with the Bones of the slain no Wounds as it is observed by Lucan piercing so deep as those of Civil War but the King being extremely weakened by a fatal Overthrow at the Battel of Nasâ—by fought on June the 14th 1645 where most of his Officers Soldiers and voluntire Gentlemen were â—lain or taken Prisoners his Baggage Cannon Ammunition or what not seized he after the Defeat for want of Money was never in a Condition to make any considerable Head though some Towns and Parties stood out for him but going to Oxford and finding the Storm gather from all Parts distrusting the strength of the Place he privately withdrew and by the Advice of some about him cast himself for protection on the Scotch Army then in England whose Commanders promised him all manner of safety but being in Arrear they for the Summe of 200000 l delivered up this good Prince into the hands of his merciless Enemies who carried him for a while from place to place flattering him with Treaties and Commissioners were sent to him demanding Consessions and Agreements to Articles but when all good people were in hopes of an Accommodation and right understanding that the Land after so much bloudshed might have rest the Scale suddenly turned and a High Court of Justice was erected of which Serjeant Bradshaw was President and although the King denied their Jurisdiction yet they proceeded to try him viz. for that he had caused the cruel bloudshed in England and Ireland and born Arms against the Parliament That he had given Commissions to his Son and others to wage War c. and although he answered not to the Charge yet on the 27th of January 1648. they pronounced Sentence against him that he should loose his Head and accordingly on the 30th of January he was beheaded on a Scaffold before White-Hall-gate where he made a Speech professing his Innocency and desiring God to bless these Kingdoms and forgive his Enemies Thus fell this unfortunate Prince when he had Reigned 23 years 10 Months and 3 Days in the 49 Year of his Age and his Body was Buried at Windsor He was second Son to King James by Anne his Queen and had Issue by Henrietta Maria his Queen Charles James Henrietta Mary Elizabeth Catharine and Henrietta Thus did the much lamented Monarch fall And left behind the slighted earthly Ball Too scanty was Earth's Glory and Renown For him that had in view a heavenly Crown The Reign of Charles the II. King of Great Britain c. AT the Time of the cruel Execution Charles the Second was in Holland whither he had withdrawn himself to prevent the Designs of his Enemies and there with inexpressible Sorrow received the heavy News of his Father's Death and although from the 30th of January 1648 his Reign is dated as being rightfull King of these Realms yet that part of a Parliament then sitting upon penalty of Treason forbid all Persons to proclaim him or be aiding in his Restauration and then the Commons House the better to assure it Voted the Lords useless and dangerous however the Marquess of Ormond since Duke of Ormond Proclaimed the King in Ireland and the Scots did the like in Scotland however in England the King's Arms were pulled down and the Harp and Cross called the Arms of the Common-wealth set up The Processes in Law were altered and Money Coined with the States Arms And now the Lord Fairfax disliking these proceedings and having laid down his Commission of General of the Army Oliver Cromwell took it up and so laboured to please his Masters that with armed Force he brought Scotland and Ireland to a Compliance whilst the King was soliciting the Princes abroad for Aides to recover his Right when the more to disturb that King's Party in England not onely the Crown Lands were set to sail but even the Palaces and those of Bishops Deans and Chapters run the same risk and many worthy persons were expelled places of Benifice or Trust in Church or State and the Parliament for their greater security caused many Castles to be demolished The Marquess of Montross declared for the King's interest in Scotland performing wonders even with 〈◊〉 handfull of men against the Arms of the Countrie but in conclusion after he had done all that â—ould be expected from heroick Valour and Conâ—uct his men being scattered and he obliged to â—hift was taken and at Edenburg hanged and quarâ—ered During the Treaty the Scots had on Foot with the King to bring him into that Kingdom â—owever the urgency of the King's Affairs made â—im dissemble his resentments and upon the Treaty concluded landed at Spey and was conducted 〈◊〉 Edenburg and afterward solemnly Crowned 〈◊〉 Schon viz. January 1. 1650. setting up his Stanard at Abberdeen and causing the Forces reduced â—nder his Command to march against the English â—orces that had entred that Kingdom but without â—mming to any considerable Encounter the King 〈◊〉 July 1651. passed the Tweed and entred England â—ot onely to draw the Enemy out of Scotland but 〈◊〉 join his friends that had promised him Succours and without much difficulty marching through the Country to Worcester many Gentlemen and others came in to him but being followed in a manner at the heels by Cromwell and the Militia of the Counties every where raised and the Earl of Derby whom he had sent to raise Forces in Leicestershire defeated by Lilburn he resolved to fortifie that City and abide the
storm he perceived was gathering about him but long he had not been there before Lambert's men forced the pass at Vpton and other places insomuch that he found himself constrained to hazard a Battel and thereupon sallyed with undaunted bravery at the head of his loyal Forces making great slaughter forcing Cromwell's Regiment to give way and fall into disorder but being to contend with about 60000 men with not above 7 or 8000 after he had done all that could be expected from Resolution and Bravery finding himself overlay'd the retreat was sounded and he retired in some disorder into the City and finding the day utterly lost he passed out at an other Gate and escaped the hands of those that sought his Life God so ordering it that although 1000 l was biâ— for him yet he lay obscure till he found means tâ— pass the Seas Upon this defeat the Earl of Derby was take and beheaded the Scots prisoners were sold and madâ— slaves and divers of the King's Friends at sundâ— times suffered death and confiscation as the Loâ—â— Capel Duke of Hambleton the Earl of Holland â— and soon after Cromwell got himself Proclaimed Protectour and many strange things were Acted tâ—â—cedious to be inâ—erted But the blustring Tyraâ—â—lying and his Son Richard dismounted the seat had mounted in his stead the form and method Government continually altering and the Peoâ— weary of Oppression General Monk came with Forces out of Scotland and after a short time deâ—red for a free Parliament and that Parliament to the great joy of the People happily restored the King who was with his Royal Brothers the Dukes of York and Glocester conducted in great Splendour to his Pallace of White-Hall on the 29th of May 1660. which day by Act of Parliament is set apart as an Annual day of Thanksgiving and many of those that were of the High Commission Court or had an actual hand in his Fathers Death were Tryed Sentenced and Executed in divers places and the 30th of January appointed as an Anniversary in memory of King Charles I. his death and the Churches were restored to Episcopacy and the Purity of Worship as also Crown and Church Lands but to damp this joy the illustrious Princess of Orange coming over to visit her Royal Brothers fell sick of the small Pox and dyed to the great grief of all Europe and on the 13th day of September dyed Henry Duke of Glocester Notwithstanding this happy Restauration there remained some restless people for the January following one Venner a Wine-Cooper with his Fifth-Monarchy Proselytes took Arms and fell desperately upon the City of London killing divers people but being suppressed Venner and 11 more were Executed and the Bodys of Cromwell Ireton and Bradshaw were taken out of their Graves and hanged at Tyburn their heads cut off and set upon Westminster-Hall and their Bodys buryed under the Gallows and on the 23d of April 1661. the King with great Magnificence passed from the Tower to Westminster and there was Solemnly Crowned The Nobles etc. doing him Homage and the Parliament gave very liberally towards the support of the Crown Voting him a Supply of Two Millions Five hundred thousand pounds to be raised in three years time and to hasten the Naval Preparations the City lent him 100000 li. And Anno 1664. War was Proclaimed against the United Netherlands and the following year a fatal Plague fore-run by two blazing Stars happened in most parts of England so that in the space of a year 100000. dyed in the Citys and Suburbs of London and Westminster and 〈◊〉 3 of June a bloudy Fight happened between the two Fleets in which many brave men were killed on both sides and in June following another Fight happened which continued for three days And on the 2d of September a Fire begun in Pudding lane which in three days consumed 78 Parish Churches 5 Consecrated Chappels 18200 Houses Guild-Hall the Royal Exchange and most of the Companys Halls the total Loss valued at Nine Millions 9 hundred thousand pounds and after it many dreadfull Fires happened as in Southwark Lime-House Northampton c. But care was taken to rebuild these and other places more Magnificent in Structure and after several bloudy Engagements at Sea a Peace Anno 1667. was a Peace concluded with the Dutch as likewise the difference with the Crown of Denmark was adjusted soon after and in August 3. 1669. Henrietta Maria the King's Mother and Dowager of England dyed at Columbee in France and was buried at St. Denis Anno. 1670. the Project on foot to make England and Scotland but one was strongly pressed but so many difficulties arize that it was laid aside And the Princess of Orleance making the King a Visit upon her return to France dyed suddenly And the beginning of the year 1671 dyed Her Royal Highness Anne Dutchess of York and was buried at Westminster and in March a Second War was Proclaimed against the Dutch and the French King was brought into the League and in May there happened a desperate Engagement and after that several others which occasioneâ— many disorders in Holland but about the latter enâ— to 1673. a Peace was concluded and the same yeaâ— the Duke of York Married the Princess of Modena much against the mind of the Parliament the King accepted a Freedom of the Goldsmiths and was presented with his Freedom in a Box of Gold and Diamonds and soon after set out his Proclamation for the security of Merchants Ships from Men of War or Privatiers that should come into any of his Ports and to prevent the growth of Popery published an Order that none under very great Penalties should hear Mass or go to Popish Chapels unless such as belonged to the Queen or foreign Embassadours These being the material Treasactions to the year 1678. at the end of which year the Popish Plot came upon the stage discovered first by Israel Tongue and Titus Oates two Divines and afterward by divers others which put the whole Kingdom in a flame and for which divers suffered as Colâ—man Ireland Pickering Grove c. who were Executed at Tyburn and William Viscount Stafford lost his Head on Tower-hill and Green Berry and Hill were Executed for the Murther of Sir Edmund Bury Godfrey And the following year a party of desperate Scots Murthered the Arch-Bishop of Saint Andrews in his Coach and fell into Rebellion but were dispersed by the King's Forces under the Command of the Duke of Monmouth and several of the ring-leaders Executed but soon after his return he fell into disgrace at Court and went for Flanders yet stayed not long there e'er he returned and was received into favour And now the Papists began to struggle to cast off the odium the Plot had cast upon them and laboured to lay it upon the Dissenters Nor was there some hot-headed people of that kind wanting who by their ill-timed behaviour towards the King and his Ministers gave them an unexpected advantage so that the
Rutlandshâ—re Northampton-shire Leicester-shire Dâ—rby-shire and Nottingham-shire the Cornaby Stafford-shire Worcester-shire Cheshire and Shropshire The Cantons of Wales had likewise their order and division viz. The Ordovices possessed Flintshire Carnarvan-shire Denby-shire Mountgomery-shire and Merionoth-shire the Silures Hereford-shire Radnor-shire Brecknock Monmouth and Glamorgan-shire The Dimetâ—e Carâ—marden-shire Pembrook-shire and Cardigan-shire the Ottodini Brigantes Parisi were accounted separate from the former and possessed themselves of York-shire Lancashire Durham Richmond County Westmorland Cumberland Northâ—mberland and the latter sometimes of March Teifidale Twâ—edale and Louthian These Divisions had their respective Heads or Governours to whom they made Acknowledgment and payed some inconsiderable Tribute though most of that kind fell to the share of the Priests and indeed their Riches was but small for Cesar when he found he had a considerable Advantage over the Southren part of this Island layed no greater Tax upon them than three hundred pounds a year as a Tributary Acknowledgment to Rome We might insist on the Tribes that were possessed of Scotland and the Island belonging to Great Britain but not being much to the purpose it is convenient to pursue the more materialpart of History This part of Great Britain is the most plentiful abounding with all Things necessary for the pleasure and Support of Humane Life and was named as is said England from Englone a place in Denmark or as some will have it from a People called East Angles who placed themselves in the Eastern part of it in the time of the Saxons which name neither the Danes nor Normans in their Conquests thought fit to Change or Alter so that it contained it for the space of eight hundred seventy three years when King James united it with Scotland 1602. and restored the Ancient Name of Great Britain and such Reputation it all along had aâ— to gain the fifth place in General Councils and was stiled for the abundance of Plenty it afforded to Supply the Neighbour Nation the Store-house of the Western world for from henâ—s even in early days the Romans were wont yearly to Lade eight hundred Vessels with Corn for the supply of their Armies in other Countries so that it has been often taken for the Fortunate Island mentioned by antient Wâ—iters especially the Grâ—cians But above all it has been the peculiar Care of Heaven in that the Christian Faith was planted here in the sixty third year of our Sâ—viours Incarnation and it is held not without good groundâ— that Josâ—ph of Aramathca was sent hither by Philip the Apostle of France and that he was Buried at Glâ—ssâ—nbury and some will have it and shew much Reason for it that St. Paul was here and Preached the Gospel However this is certain It enjoyed the first Christian King in the person of King Lucius and gave birth to that Glorious Propagator of Christianity Constantine the great Emperor of Rome But thus much for History in General from whence we proceed to what is more particular Thus Fame to breath our Nations Glory 's proud Hark! How her Golden Trumpet sounds aloud From Pole to Pole the Mighty â—lasâ— is gone To fill all Nationâ— circl'd by the 〈◊〉 An Historical Account of the British Princes that opposen the Romans in their attempting to Settle in thâ—se parts THE Romans under Casar first taking the Advantage of the Divisions and Animosities riegning amongst the petty Princes of the Britains made no other account but to Gain a full Possession with little trouble or hazard but found themselves mistaken even in barbarous Valour as they Termed it for so it fell out That King Lud who built the Wâ—st-Gate of the City of London and was the first Founder of the City it self calling it Carelud tho' not in extent as at present dying and leaving two Sonâ— viz. Andragius and Tâ—mantius their Uncle Cassibelane by the Fathers direction took upon him the Government till they should be of Age stiling himself Prince of the Trinâ—bants or new Troy as some will have it being the most powerful of all the Princes of the Britains and when his Nephews were capable of Rule he gave to Andragius Trinovant the Dukedom of Kent and to Temantius the Dukedom of Cornwal reserving to himself the City of Verilum now St. Albons and other â—ependances But Andragius being dissatisfied with his Uncle and hearing the Fame of Caesars great Actions â—mplored his Assistance against him and so far prevailed that he came over and Overcame this Prince after a long and obstinate Resistance wherein eighty thousand were slain on both sides at sundry times and the Country 's Amerced for breaking the Truce and when he left the Island Andragius with a great many British Souldiers went along with him to help him in his Wars against Pompey the Great whom he Overthrew in the Pharsalian Fields So that after the death of Cassibelan who expired at York Temantius possessed both his Father's and Uncle's Dominions nor had Caesar only this Prince to Contend with but likewise Cingitorix Taximagul and Caravil petty Kings of Kent but his Fortune prevailing against them their Men slain and they routed the first was taken and the two last fled So that the Roman Arms growing dreadful to the rest of the Princes after they had lent what Assistance they could and found themselves too weak to Oppose a prevailing Conqueror Senimagues Ancalites Bibroses and the rest of the States of Icenij laid down their Arms and submitted as did many others However Câ—esar rather shewed the Romans this Island than subdued it or knew the Extent of it for neither by Arms or Intelligence could he discover whether it was an Island or Continent Caesar after having waded through the World at a Sea of Blood and reached the very Pinacle of humane Greatness being slain in the Senate House in Rome by the Conspiracy of the Senators Augustus Caesar coming to the Imperial Throne the Britains bâ—…gan to bethink themselves of casting off the Romaâ—… Yoke under Cunobeline who held his Regal Seat â—… Malden in Essex and had been Kinghted by Julius Gâ—…sar and indeed they went a great way in it Aâ—…gustus prepared three times utterly to Subdue him an his Dominions but was diverted by other Affairs â—… that in the twenty third Year of this King's Reign thâ—… PRINCE of Peace our Blessed Lord and Saviour beinâ—… Born the Lyon lay down with the Lamb An Universâ—… Peace ensued according as it had been foretold bâ—… the Prophets This was the first of the British King that stamped his Image upon his Coyn and Dying fulâ—… of years he was succeeded by Guiderius his Son whâ—… was no less desirous than his Father to shake off thâ—… Roman Tribute When he heard Augustus Câ—…sar waâ—… Dead and Caligula who was Emperor in his steadâ—… being denied the Payment made great preparation against him but being an Emperor of little Conduct anâ—… less Courage coming to the Belgick shore he made hâ—… Souldiers gather Shells in their Helmets
But being a Cruel and Desolute Prince he was Killed by his Souldiers after he had continued seven Months in the Throne So that Maximus being then Deputy the Britains felt not the Effects of his Anger and thus Rome wanting a Head Marcus Sylvius Otho entred upon the Stage yet Reigned but three Months and five Days before he made way for Aulus Vitellus who after eight Months Reign was Killed by the Souldiers and Elavius Vespatian made Emperor in his stead So that in these short Revolutions the Britains had Peace yet in this last Reign the Brigantes and Silures were up in Arms but Julius Frontius over-powered them Petilius being Deputy the Famous City of Jerusalem after an obstinate and bloody Siege was Taken by the Romans under the Lâ—ading of Titus Vespatian who succeeded his Father in the Empire after he had Reigned about nine Years and Reigned two years and three months yet we find not that he had any War with the Britains but left the Empire to Domitian his Brother who raised a Persacution against the Christians by the Example of Nero Insomuch that Christianity then beginning to Flourish in this Island many were cut off for the Testimony they bore to their Lord and Master And Julius Agricola being Deputy he upon the Revolt of the Britains gave them â—… and in a fearful Overthrow slew Ten Thousand of them with the Loss of Three Bundred and Forty of his own Men and this is he that first discovered this Country to be an Island and Domitian after about fifteen years Reign dying Cocâ—eius Nerva came to the Throne of Empire being a very Charitable Prince but after ten Months he gave place to Trajan who raised the Third Persecution and Overthrew the Revolting Britains by Spartiaâ—us his Lieutenant Leaving the Stage of Honour after Twenty One Years Six Months when Adrianus was Proclaimed Emperor and although he had no War with the Britains he nevertheless raised a Persecution against the Christians and made the Church of Christ weep Tears of Blood in all Lands whither his Power extended yet he Reigned twenty two years But at length Antonius Pius who Succeeded him restrained re-called his Cruel Edicts yet in his time the Britains rising in Arms were Overthrown by Lollius Urbicus Marcus Aurelius taking next upon him the Administration of the Imperial Power revived the Persecution but had no War with the Britains and giving place after nineteen years Reign Commodius took upon him the Sway of the Empire and now the Almighty smiling upon this Land with the brightest Rays of Divine Love raised up a Christian King and the first that the World had seen viz. King Lucius Son to King Ceilus and Great Grand Child to Arviragius who Married the Emperor Drusius's Daughter and he being more mindful of Religion that dearest part of Government than of any other Consideration the better to Establish the Work so prosperously begun sent two Learned Men to Elutherus then Bishop of Rome to be further Instructed in the FAITH who thereupon sent him Fagarius and Damianus with his Letter in the following words You have received in the Kingdom of Britain by GOD's Mercy both the Law and Faith of Christ you have both the Old and New Testament out of the same through God's Grace by the Advice of your Realm take a Law and by the same through God's Sufferance Rule your Kingdom of Britain for in that Kingdom you are God's Vicar This I have mentioned to shew The honesty and plainness of the Bishops of Rome before they came to be Debauched and Corrupted with Pride and Avarice And this good King so far improved the Advice that he immediately Changed the Seats of the three Arch Flamens and twenty-eight Flamens into so many Archiepiscopal and Episcopal Sees appointing for the first three London York and Gloucester and thereupon the Christian Religion in spite of the Oppressors grew up like a stately Cedar and overspread the Land Helvius Pertinax the next Emperor did nothing of note having but a short Reign not exceeding eight Months and was Succeeded by Didius Julianus who continued not above two Months neither oâ— them having any War with the Britains Yet in the Reign of Septimus Severius the Calledonians were up in Arms and Heraclionus his Deputy not being able to Quell them the Emperor came over in Person yet could not Effect it by reason of the Fortresses and Marshes where they usually Fortified themselves with less than the Loss of fifty thousand oâ— his men and the better to Bridle them he caused a mighty Wall with Towrs to be run from Shorâ— to Shore but being come over a second time upon new Commotions he fell Sick and dyed at York and in his Reign the fifth Persecution was raised against the Christians Bassianus Caracala Reigneâ— after him six years and being made Co-Emperor with his Brother Geta he slew him yet the Britains werâ— not molested during his Reign and then he gave place to Opilius Maerinus who reigned about one year two months and was Succeeded by Heliogabilus a Lude Debauched and Luxurious Emperor whâ— had been formerly Priest to the Son yet he held the imperial Seat four years and then gave Place to Alexander Severus who gave Liberty to the Christiâ—ns to live peaceably and quiet without oppression or persecution but when he had reigned six months â—nd seven days he was killed by the Mutiny of the Almain Souldiers and made way for Maximinus who â—aised the sixth Persecution yet in his time the Briâ—ains were in Peace but three Years put a period to his Reign and Julius Varius Maximus mounted the Throne but he soon after was slain by the Souldiers And Gordianus who succeeded him Reigned but forty days For now the Petorian Souldiers began to commit all manner of Disorders setting the Empire to Sale raising any one to it for Money and then either Killing or Deposing them made room for more Gain and instead of One they sometimes set up Two in Co-partnership as Claudius Puppienus and Celius Balbinus who Reigned only a Year then Antonius Gordianus Reigned and after him Julius Philippus the one Reigning Four and the other Five Years Which short continuance and the Care they had to Secure themselves made them little mind what was done abroad and Lieutenants of Provinces perceiving things go thus unfortunately did not so much trouble themselves in Gathering the publick Taxes as to ingratiate in the Peoples Favour and enrich themselves by Presents and Offerings which were daily made them without runing the hazard of forcing them to Rebel And now Decius coming to the Imperial Seat stirred up by the Enemies of the Church of Christ he raised the seventh Persecution but his Fury continued not for he reigned but two years e're he gave way to Trebonianus and Voâ—usianius who stayed the Persecution and had Peace with the Britains But in two years they gave way to Aelmelianus who reigned not above two months and though Valerianus that succeeded
him held not the Dignity above a year yet being of a Cruel Temper he gave vent to his Anger on the Christians whâ—… now in all places began to Multiply so that agaiâ—… the Church was forced to wear the bloody Scars of eight Persecution and under him St. Laurence anâ—… St. Cyprian suffered Martyrdom Thus went on the course of things in these earlâ—… times and as the Wealth of Britain increased so thâ—… Romans raised their Taxes to a higher pitch yet thâ—… people by this time being better used to their Guest and interchanged Marriages amongst them the were not easily to be drawn into Insurrections especially when they considered they by the Arts anâ—… Manufacture the Romans taught were greatly improved And now came Galienus to the Imperial Seat who notwithstanding his fifteen years Reign had no Waâ—… with the Britains and though Flavius Claudius waâ—… a great hater of Christians and studied for Torment to destroy them yet he liv'd not to effect it but having reigned two years without molesting this Kingdom he gave place to Quintilius who rather desirous of Death than Rule as it appeared by the consequence opened his own Veins and Dyed withouâ—… one way other troubling the Britains Aurelianus succeeded Quintilius and reigned five years without concerning himself with the Affair of this Island yet he put out severe Educts against the Christians so that we may reckon under him the ninth Persecution Tacitus succeeded him yet reigned but six Months e're he gave place to Florianus and he having a shorter Reign was succeeded by â—…robus who held the Imperial Seat five years These â—…ad no War with the Britains but Marcus Aurelius Carus hearing they were in Arms to Recover their â—… Liberty sent Carantius his Lieutenant to Quiet them but he joyned with them so that the Tribute was denied during this Emperors Reign However Carancius was slain by Alectus a succeeding Lieuteâ—…ant Dioclesian coming to the Throne greatly Persecuted the Christians but God considering â—he Distress of His People put an end to his Reign â—fter three Years and so gave Rest to his Church This Emperor made great Wars in this Island by his Lieutenant but with various success and was â—ucceeded by Constantius Clorus who continued the War and came in Person against the Calledonians and â—ists And it was this Emperor that finding King Coilus his Trusty Friend dead upon his Arrival Married Helena his beautiful Daughter and reigning about thirteen Years dyed at York leaving his Son Constantine the Great to Succeed him but he being in his Non-Age the Throne was Usurped Alternately by Constantius Galerus Maximus Severus Maâ—entius Lucinus and Martinianus But at length these were Overcome by the good Fortune of Constantine the Great a Britain by Birth and half so by Parentage he Alotted part of his Empire to his Sons and was the first Christian Emperor the world beheld Some hold That being about to Persecute the Christians he was smitten with a Leprosie and had it Revealed to him in a Vision That unless he called home Bishop Sylvester and the rest of the Banished Clergy he might dispair of Cure which accordingly â—e did and found himself in perfect Health which obliged him to embrace the True Religion Others hold That being about to give Battle and doubting the Success he all on a sudden beheld in the Air a bright shining Cross with this Motto In boc vinces In this thou shalt overcome And taking thereupon the Cross for his device he accordingly became Victorious but however it happened no doubt God in Compassion to His bleeding Church which had undergone ten Cruel Persecutions raised up this Emperor to Heal her Wounds and indeed being Baptized and Received into the Church he lest nothing undone that might tend to her Welfare and the Propagation of the True Religion Some Wars he had with the Britains but they not considerable when after a long Reign he dyed â—… Peace Julian called the Apostate succeeded this gooâ— Emperor begining his Reign Anno Dom. 356. Thâ— man before he came to the Throne professed Christianity and seemed Zealous to promote it being person of great Cunning and much Learning buâ— with the Change of his Condition his Consciencâ— altered which made many believe he made Religion but a Stirrup to Mount the Imperial Throne foâ— then he became their professed Enemy using all thâ— Policy he could to baffle and destroy their Interest and although he did not violently Persecute them himself yet he gave way to such as spared no Affront or Indignities and Writ with his own hand a Book to Ridicule the Gospel calling our Blessed Saviour Gallilean in derision When preparing for the Wanâ— of Persia as he Rod forth he asked one of the Christians What the Carpenters Son was doing at that time He is replied the good Man with an holy Anger making a Coffin for your self At this Julian smiled but whether prophetically spoke or by chance it soâ— fell out That riding at the Head of his Army anâ— Arrow none knowing from what hand it came Morâ— tally wounded him whereupon perceiving hiâ— Death certain he drew forth the Arrow and throwing up handfuls of his own Blood in defiance to Heaven he cried out Vicisti Galilee thou haft Overcome me O Galilean and so expired After whose Death Jovinianus took the Rule and had so greaâ— a liking to the Christian Religion that he easilyembraced it causing the Souldiers and People to do the same and would often Express himself in these terms O that I might govern wise men and wise menâ— govern me His Reign was but short not exceeding a Year when he gave place to Valentinianus in whose Reign the Roman Empire was threatned by the barbarous Nations who made great Spoil and Desolation insomuch that the Legions in Britain were drawn off to Assist nearer home which gave â—e Picts and Irish an opportunity to Invade and â—arrass this Kingdom with great Spoil and Slaughâ—r of the People which made them beseech the Emâ—ror for Aid and Theodosius was sent with a Poâ—er that Repelled the Invaders and left the Briâ—ins in Peace but no longer than till the Romans â—ere departed He was moreover a great Favourer â—f the Christians restored their Temples and forâ—id Idolatrous Worship and Mid-night Sacrifice and â—aving found some treacherous dealing amongst his â—en of War he was wont to say Gold was tryed â—ith the Touch stone and Men with Gold And to him â—ucceeded Gratianus and Valence the former behaving himself with all due Respect to the Christians but â—he latter closed with the Arian Hereticks against them causing eighty of the Christians to be sent â—o Sea in a Ship and there set it on Fire giving them â—he choice either to Drown themselves or Perish in â—he Flame Yet after a Reign of Six Years full of Trouble Maximus and Valentinianus took place but the first held it so short a time that in many Authors he is not mentioned they had no War with the Britains
affirm to be done upon Salisbury plain but however the Nobles thus dead the Juits Angles and Saxons fell on with Fire and Sword killing and destroying all that came in their way carrying a Torrent of Destruction from Sea to Sea so that the poor Britains being utterly disheartned and destitute of a Head fled before them like Flocks of timerous Sheep to the Mountains and Fastnesses many of them living in Rocks Caves and Woods upon such as Nature afforded them to avoid the fury of the destroying Enemy who resolutely bent upon a total Conquest daily sent over for more of their Companions who came in swarms devouring like Locust all the good things of the Land Thus the misery of the Britains renewed and these People began to frame their Government dividing the Country by Lott into seven Parts or petry Kingdoms called from thence The Hepterchie of the Saxons in this order 1. Kent 2. South Saxons 3. West Saxons 4. East Saxons 5. Northumberland 6. Mercia 7. East Angles These they formed into Kingdoms striving as much as in them lay to exterperate the whole Race of the Britains and raise themselves in their places Some may be curious to know the Original of this Transmarine People but Originals of this kind are generally obscure but Historians conjecture they were a branch of the Sacae an Asian People who came into Europe to find themselves better Habitations and planted on the Banks of the Rhine They were upon their arrival in Britain Idolaters worshipping a God for every day in the Week and greatly persecuted those they found to persevere in the Christian Faith And when they went to Battle they had certain Songs prepared to invoke the favour of their Deities and were very unmerciful for they sacrificed every tenth Captive and would admit of no Ransom The Garments of the Saxons were in the form of a Gassock clasped over or pined with wooden Pins their Weapons bended Swords with three notches on the back in the form of a Back-sword but broader with fiat sloaping points and battel Axes using to try the quarrel of a whole Province by single Combate suffering their Virgins to Marry but once and their Men were forbid plurality of Wives except they were Noble and they only for want of Issue Adultry they punished were severly These People going under the Denominations oâ— Saxons Argles and Jutes devided the Kingdom now called England for King Vortâ—gorn being by his Inrâ—ged Subjects over-whelmed with wildfier in his Castle or Pallace as the cause of all their Calamities by gâ—ving at first too much way and countenance to th◠〈◊〉 they parted it out as they found themselveâ— in most power or advantage by birth and Hengist having leave to take his Lot chose Kent and formed it into a Kingdom Stiling himself the first King of Kent begining his Reign 455 and Reigned with great success 34 years and was succeeded by Esca or Oscia from whom the Inhabitants were called Eskins this Prince began his Reign in the year of our Lord 490 and continued it 24 years giving place to Octa who Reigned 23 years and was succeeded by Imerick who somewhat inlarged his Borders and continued his Reign till 562 and during his time was held the second General Counsel at Constantinople for the Establishment of the Church when by the Pious and Exampler lives and Preaching of good Men Christianity that had been trampled on by the Saxons began to revive in Britain so that Ethelbert that succeeded Imerick began to harken to them and upon the Arrival of Austine the Monk and Forty others with him sent by Gregory Bishop of Rome he was Converted and Baptized Anno 596. In the 36th year of his Age and the 4th year of his Reign giving a general Liberty to his Sujects to Renounce their Paganisme so that these good Men by the Kings Appointment setling at Canterbury are reported to Baptize and Convert 10003. in a very short time which prosperous Work by the Influence of Heaven soon over-spread the Kingdom and God accordingly blessed the King with a Long Reign for he continued in his Throne 36 years and then was succeeded by Edbald who at first was averse to the Christians and for fear of him Melitus and Justus fled their Bishopricks but he being Converted by Laurence Arch-Bishop of Canterbury they were recalled but having Reigned 24 years he gave place to Ercombert Anno 5â—2 This King brought Christianity to be highlier prized than before turning the Idol Temples that had been heitherto allowed into places of True Worship commanding the first Lent to be kept that this Kingdom knew but after a Reign of 24 years he dyed and was succeeded by Egbert his Brother who basely Murthered Ethelred and Ethelbert his two Nephews Sons to Ercombert and â—ast the Dead Bodies into the River Medway for which no doubt his Reign was shorter than any before him for he continued it but 9 years ending it by Death 666 and was succeeded by Lothaire who after holding the Scepter of Kent 11 years Engageing in a Bloody Waâ— against Ethelred King of the Mercians and Edrick King of the South Saxons he was shot through with a Dart which put an end to his Life and Reign In his time aâ— third Counsel was held at Constantinople being the 6th General Counsel for the Provision and Establishment oâ— the Church Agathus being Bishop of Rome and Ederick succeeded this Prince he held not the Scepter long before his Subjects upon a disgust took Arms against him and slew him in a pitched Field maintaining themselves against all Opposers So that the Kingdom lay destitute of a Head for the space of six years 〈◊〉 this Kings Reign being the shortest of any Viz. two years only but at the end of 6 years Withred hiâ— Brother for a great sum of Mony payed to Inas goâ— the Possession and Reigned 33 years and there gave place to Egbert who began his Reign 727 in his time there appeared two fearful Commets thaeatning Wars and Desolation which afterward Ensued by the falling out of Petty Princes he Reigned 23 years and was succeeded by Ethelbert Anno 750 who held the Throne 11 years and gave place to Edrick who lost his Life after a Reign of 34 years in a fatal Battle at Otteford against Offa King of the Mercians and in his time another General Counsel was held at Nice and consequently the second General Counsel and then the Kingdom of Kent was Usurped by Ethelbert the third who for that cause being Wared upon by Kenwoolf he was taken Prisoner and crrried into Mercia 〈◊〉 yet he afterward was released and Reigned 3 years giving at the end of that time place to Cuthred whom Kenwolf King of the Mercians Instated in the Thronâ— of Kent Yet his Reign was short terminating in the space of three years and Baldred succeeding him after a long dispute with the Mercian King and 18 years continuance in his Kingdom was forced to flee and leave the Possession
to the Conqueror who about the year 824 made it cease to be any longer a Kingdom annexing it by right of Conquest to that of Mercia in which for the future we must account it This Kingdom continued entire 372 years Thus fell the Kentish Kingdom thus bereft Of all its Grandure to the Conqueror left Its name was swallowed by a greater sway Ingulf'd in what we must call Mercia An account of the Kingdom of the South Saxons containing Sussex and Surry under the Succession of four Kings THis parcel of the British Land fell first to Eâ—â—â— Captain of the Saxons who brought supplys out of Germany at their greatest need Landing at Shoram in Sâ—ssex where he gave barrel to the Britains and by a great overthrow obliged them to the Woods and Fastnesses whereupon sending for more Aid to Aâ—sure him in his Conquest he took possession of Sussex and Surry begining his Reign 488. and continued it 32 years Then giving place to Cossa who Reigned as some will have it 72 years and to him succeeded Ethels Wolfe who after 25 years Reign was slain by Cadewel a Banished Prince of the West Saxons yet before his death the Christian Religion was tolerated in his Kingdom himself being Converted by as Bede has it Bishop Willfride tho' some allow his Conversion to Berinus Bishop of Dorchester however he was held to be a good Prince nor did Cadewel long rest in quiet after his death for Barthun and Authun took up Arms against â—im and made him fly the Kingdom but he returning with a great power overcame the two Dukes and after that it became a part of the West Saxon Kingdom when it had continued a Kingdom 133 years Thus set the second Kingdom or it's Fame For from this time it lost it's ancient Name An account of the West Saxon Kingdom containing Cornwal Devonshire Barkshire and Hampshire with the succession of Kings THe first that possessed himself of this Kingdom was Chardick a low Country German Captain who entred Britain about the year of our Lord 495. and Killing Nataulcon a great Prince of the Britains in a dreadful Battle he made himself King of the West Saxons beginning his Reign in 501 and continued it 33 years at the end of which he gave place to Kenrick who prosecuting the War against the Britains gave them two great overthrows at Banbury in Oxfordshire and Shrewsbury in Wiltshire whereby they losing Courage and hopes of Conquest left him in quiet possession of what his Father had acquired but after a Reign of 26 years he was succeeded by Chewlin who fought Ethelbert King of Kent and defeated his Army at Wimbledon And this is accounted the first Battle the Saxons had amongst themselves he gave likewise a great overthrow to the Britains at Bedfold and surprized four of their Towns as Liganburgh Alisbury Bensington and Evesham and about six years after he fought the Britains at Durham and slew Coinmagil Caudigan and Farmnagil three of the British Kings thereupon surprizing Glocester Bath and Cirencester but at length some Saxons Joyning with the Britains to Oppose his growing greatness he was overthrown at Wodensbeoth and his Son Cuth slain and thereupon Cearlick his Nephews prosecuting the War against him bereft him of the Kingdom after â—…e had Reigned 33 years yet the Nephew held it but â—…x years before he gave place to Chelwoolf This â—…rince held the Scepter of the West Saxons Kingdom 14 â—…ears but being assaulted by the Britains in confedraâ—…y with the Scots and Picts after much trouble and â—…ile he dyed in the Wars so that his Kingdom fell â—… Kingil who gave the Britains Battle at Beandune â—…nd killed 1046 of them and the better to strengthen â—…imself he made peace with Penda King of the Marâ—…ans and was converted to the Christian Faith by â—…erinus to whom he gave Dorchester as a seat This King Reigned 31 years over the West Saxons and â—…hen gave place to Redwald who was Baptized and Reigned 13 years after him Eskwin began his Reign â—…75 and continued it but two years being overcome â—…t that time by Wolfere King of the Mercians at Buâ—…amhford and most of his people slain and was succeeâ—…ed in the Kingdom of the West Saxons by Kentwin who was a greater Persecutor of the poor remnant of â—…he Britains making them fly into the Rocks and Mountains for shelter and security but his Reign â—…asted not long for at the end of 9 years he dyed and gave place to Cadewalde who slew Ethelwoolf King of â—…he South Saxons and afterward usurped his Kingdom and being a Heathen he destroyed many of the Christians especially the Clergy but in the end he was succeeded by Ine who began his Reign Anno 688. â—…he brought the South Saxon Kingdom into a province and had Wars with the Britains and Mercians and made many wholsom Laws upon which many now â—…n force are founded he built the Abby of Glassenbury and went a Pilgrimage to Rome and there dyed This was he that gave the Pope the first Peter-pence from England to be payed on Lammus day his Reign continued 37 years and was succeeded by Ethellred in whose Reign two dreadful Blazing-Stars appeared his Reign continued 14 years and then he gave place to Cuthred Anno 740. this King made Peace with the Mercians and Joyning his Force with them the cruelly opressed the Britains but Adelem an Eaâ—… and one of his Subjects Rebelling against him hâ—… was obliged to give it over to Defend his Trritories but having Reigned 14 years he was succeeded bâ—… Sigesâ—â—rt This King caused Cumbra an Earl of hâ—… Counsel to be slain for reproving his Vices whicâ—… occasioned his Subjects to Rebel and forced him tâ—… shelter himself in a Wood where he was found anâ—… slain by the Earls Swinheard when he had Reigned about a year to whom Kenwoolf succeeded who Waâ—…ed very furiously on the Britains and gave them greâ—… overthrows but in the end himself was overthrowâ—… by Offa King of the Mercians and there slain â—… Captain Ciyto but his Subjects recovered hiâ—… Body and revenged his death upon the Captain and Eighty of his followers The King thus dead Brithrick steped into the Throne in whose time divers strange prodegies and Phantoms appeared as well in the Air aâ—… on the Earth and when he had Reigned without any considerable Action fell by Poyson which he took in in a confection the Queen had prepared for one of hiâ—… paramours whereupon he fled into France and therâ—… died Miserably and now this Kingdom began to draw to a Period or rather to loose it's name to be joyned with the rest in a sole Monarchy for Egbert succeeded Brithrick Anno 806. as King of the West Saxons he after a long War wherein much blood was spilt gained an absolute rule over the Seven Kingdoms making a strict Law against the Welch that should dare to venture over Offas Ditch which he appointed for their Boundard he slew Bernulph King of the
Reigned 9 years and these alternately succeedeâ—… him the one Reigning two years and the other 11 â—… but we find nothing worthy of note in their Reigns This being removed Ceolenuif took the Scepter buâ—… was more given to devotion than to Rule insomuâ—… that at the Expiration of 8 years he layed aside his Royâ—… al Robes for a Monks Habit making him a Cell in aâ—… Holy Island where he lived a Contemplative Life and in his Reign two threatning Commets appeared the one before and the other after Sun rise and seâ—… continuing so to do for the space of 2 Weeks Aâ—… now Egbert took up the Scepter and having held it 2â—… years turned Monk such was the Superstition of thoâ—… times To conclude that by so doing they Merâ—… Heaven Oswulph succeeded Egbert but his Reign waâ—… â—…hort and unfortunate for scarcely had he held it a year but he was Murthered by his Servant at the Inâ—…tigation of his Step-Mother to promote hâ—…r own Son â—…t Mick'e Woughton and Edâ—…lwald took place but in â—…he 6th year of his Reign he was slain by Aâ—…red who â—…teped thereupon into the Throne but at 9 years end â—…or his many Violences and cruel Dealings he was â—…y his Subjects Expeled the Kingdom and Ethâ—…red â—…laced in the Throne but he being twice deposed for â—…is Misgovernment was at last slain by his Subjects â—…nd Alfwald who succeeded him after he had Reigned â—…1 years was Murthered by the Conspiracy of Siga â—…nd Osred succeeded him in the year 789 but after a â—…ears Reign his Subjects Expeled him the Kingdom Thus the Northumbers Kingdom Wavering slood Sometimes in Peace some times in War and Blood There 's nothing stable men and fortune Change Fates unseen Springs can Monarchys unhinge Or make a Kingdom to a Pesant crindge An Account of the Kingdom of Mercia or the Midland Kingdom of the Saxons with the Successon of Kings THis Kingdom more large than the rest contained the Counties of Rutland Lincoâ— Hâ—tington â—eicester Derby Notingham Oxford Châ—shâ—re â—…â—ire Gloucestershire Worâ—â—stershire Sâ—â—â—â—ordshire Beckingâ—amshire Warwickshire Beâ—â—â—â—â—â—shire and â—… â—nd frequently contendâ—d with the rest for the sole Monarchy beginning in the year 582 and continâ—â—out 292 years under the Succession of 20 Kingâ— in â—der as followeth Crida the first of the Mercian Kings began his Reign 582 and being a very wâ—â—likâ— Prince had grâ—sped larger part of the Island than the rest holding it with so hard a hand that nothing could be taken from him during his Reign of 12 years Wibba succeeded him in the Throne who greatly perplexed the Britains and incroached upon the Neighbour Saxonsâ— But when he had reigned 20 years he dyed and Ceorle took place but did nothing of moment Hiâ— Reign lasted only ten years when Pâ—nda the Great and Warlike King of the Mercians came to the Throne who slew in a pitch'd Field Edwin and Oswald Kings of Northumberland Sigesbert Egfrid and Ema Kings of the East-Angles and Expulsed Redâ—wald King of the West Saxons out of his Countries â—… But Fortune not always favouring he in a Battle against Oswye King of the Northumbers ventering tâ— far upon his late Success was there slain when he haâ— reigned about 32 years This great King thus disasterously fallen Penda â—… Wenda took upon him the Government and becamâ— the first Christian King of Mercia But being young and his Step-Mother desirous to prefer her own Soâ— conspired with some of his Nobles against him anâ— procured him to be murthered in the Third year oâ— his Reign but missed her aim for Wolfere a seconâ— Brother was placed in the Throne This Prinâ— conquer'd the West Saxons won the Isle of Wiglâ— and gave it to the King of the South Saxons anâ— altho he before his Conversion had caused his twâ— Sons to be put to death for suffering themselves â—… be Baptized he becoming a Christian greatly â—… mented that Cruelty and caused the Heathen Temples to be converted to the Worship of God and held to found the Abby Church of Peterborough Yâ— he reigned but Four years being the Seventh petâ— Monarch of the Mercians Ethelred succeed him â—… the Throne and warred upon the King of Kent wiâ— great fury insomuch that Blood was shed like Wâ—ter nor did the Churches or Abbies escape his Ragâ— putting Wâ—lfridus out of his Bishoprick of Northumberlanâ— But at last he resigned his Crown to Kenrâ— his Nephew from whom he had unjustly detained it and structen with remorse for the Blood he had shed â—…e turned Monk and dyed in that state his Reign however continued 29 years and in that space two â—…lazing Stars appeared Keâ—red coming to the Throne held the Scepter of â—he Mercian Kingdom in much peace Four years and â—…hen falling into a Melancholly he coveted a Monaâ—…tical Life resigning the Crown to his Cousin Chelred He went to Rome with Offa King of the East Saxons â—…nd Edwin Bishop of Winchester and there dyed a Monk Chelred succeeding Kiâ—…red found a troubleâ—…ome Reign for he was fiercely warred upon by Inâ—…s King of the West Saxons who greatly envyed him â—…o large a Kingdom his Reign continued Seven years â—… he was succeeded by Ethelbald who greatly perplexed â—…he Northumbers by making Incursions into their Country which occasioned Câ—…thred King of the West â—…axons to give him Battle and overthrew him at â—…urford But ingaging him a second time Ethelbald â—…o dealt with the West Saxon Soldiers that they slew â—…heir Master near Tamworth in Warwickshire This King founded the Monastery of Crowland and reigned over the Mercian Kingdom Eleven years and then gave â—…lace to Offa who warred upon â—…rick King of Kent â—…nd slew him at Ottefâ—…rd and so marching from South â—…o North brought all in subjection as he passed overâ—…rowing Kenwolf and his West Saxons near Merton â—…nd made a Ditch of prodigeous length and breadth â—…o be cast up to hinder the Incursions of the Welsh â—…ritains who presuming to throw a part of it down â—…e entered their Territories with Fire and Sword â—…ew Marmodius their King and all his Associetes â—…nd the Danes landing in his time were beat back â—…ith great slaughter He it was that procured at â—…reat cost the Canonization of Alban the Proto â—…artyr of this Kingdom and built a Monastry in the Town of that Name giving a Tenth part of his â—…oods to the Church-men and Poor as an Expiation for the Blood he had shed He began his Reign Anâ—… 758 and continued it 39 years Egfrid succeeded thiâ—… great King and being of a Pious Inclination he restored the Church to all her Antient Priviledges oâ—… which his Father had deprived her but his Reign waâ—… short for it exceeded not four Months Kenwolf succeeded this good Prince and began hiâ—… Reign with a War against Kent whose King he madâ—… Prisoner and gave his Kingdom to Cuthred but at thâ—… Dedication of his new Church at Winchcomb he restored his Royal Prisoner to Liberty and in hiâ—… 22 years Reign did many great
Exploits and waâ—… succeeded by Kenelem But this Prince was unfortunatâ—… in his Youth for having discovered some close Intreagues between his Tutor and Quindride his Sister the latter to prevent his reproofs caused the formeâ—… to Murther him when he had Reigned about threâ—… Months and Cleolwolf who succeeded him reigneâ—… but a year before he was Expulsed his Kingdom by his Subjects at the Instigation of Bernulf who therâ—… upon stepped into the Throne but being warred upon by the West Saxons and East Angles he was slaiâ—… in Battle the Third year of his Reign Anno 831 anâ—… Ludecan who succeeded him felt the like Fate iâ—… the Second year of his Reign from Egbert the Weâ—… Saxon in Conjunction with the East Angles Witlâ—… the next King of the Mercians was overcome â—… Egbert and forced to flee his Kingdom in the Thirâ—… year of his Reign And now the Danes began to peâ—… plex the Coast having an Eye to the Conquest â—… Britain so that they drove Berthulf who succeedeâ—… Wâ—…laf out of the Mercian Kingdom in the Thirteenth year of his Reign And although Brudreâ—… got the Possession of it Anno 852 yet they kept hiâ—… in continual Alarums and notwithstanding at fiâ—… he was Victorious over them yet they returning witâ—… greater Force he was forced to quit the Kingdom when he had reigned about Twenty years and wâ—… the last of the Saxon petty Monarchs in this Kingdoâ—… of Mercia Thus Kingdoms tost by fickle Fortune's hand Must Rise and Fall yet ne'er are at a stand Great things oppress themselves with their own weight And still must yeild to the Decrees of Fate An Account of the Kingdom of the East Angles with their Succession of Kings c. THis Kingdom so named from the Angles that claimed it for their Portion contained Suffolk Norfolk Cambridge and the Isle of Ely and took upon it the form of a Kingdom Anno 373 continuing â—53 years and had the Succession of Fifteen Kings of whom in their order Uffa was the first King of the East Angles who â—etled and founded the Kingdom but was in his beginning very much opposed by the British Princes He Reigned Seven years and gave place by Death to Titulus who Reigned a longer time for some Authors will have it that he held the Scepter of this Kingdom about 32 years Redwald succeeded him â—nd altho upon his coming to the Throne he was a Christian he turned Idolater he assisted Edwin to gain the Crown of Northumberland by slaying Ethelâ—ride in Battle and reigned over the Angles 8 years Expenwald succeeded him This King professed Chriâ—tianity and not being well setled in his Kingdom â—ne Richebert conspired against him and slew him when he had reigned Twelve years And Sigebert succeeded him being a younger Son of Redwald but being given up to a devout Life he after two years Reign resigned his Kingdom and turned Monk But that place could not secure his Life for he was â—lain by Penda Egrick upon the resignation took up the Scepter yet he reigned but four years before Penda overcome his Country and slew him in Battle Anna succeeded him but after a Twelve years Reignâ—… Penda who was a mortal Enemy to the Angles camâ—… again overcome and slew him Upon the unfortunate falls of these last Kings Eâ—…theibert got into the Throne as a favourite of Penda's but he had not reigned about Two years when Oâ—…win King of the Northcumbers slew him in Battle foâ—… taking part with Penda against him And Edelwaâ—… succeeded in the Throne yet he reigned only Eighâ—… yearâ—… before he gave place to Alduâ—… who reigneâ—… Nineteen years and then Eâ—…swoâ—f succeeded in a Reigâ—… of Seven years Beorn reigned after him Twenty foâ—… years and then gave place to Ethelred who reigneâ—… Thirty five yearâ—… yet there is nothing memorably recorded of their Actions And now these petty Kingdoms growing to a period Etheâ—…bert began his Reignâ—… but having displeased the bloody Quindride Wife tâ—… Offa King of the Mercians she prevailed with heâ—… Husband to send for him under pretence of givinâ—… him one of his Daughters in Marriage but having got him in her power she caused him to be put tâ—… death when he had reigned Forty five years anâ—… was succeeded by Edmund in whose time the Danes camâ—… over in great numbers burning and destroying before them insomuch that the King was obliged to shuâ—… himself up in Framingham Castle and after a lonâ—… Seige surrendred it But the Pagan Danes not regarding their Faith having stripped the poor King finâ—… beat him with Câ—dgels then scourged him and afteâ—… that tying him to a Stake shot him to death with Arrows whilst with much Patience and Devotion he suffered the usage calling upon the name of Jesuâ—… and recommending his Soul to his Redeemer thâ—… years of his Reign are doubtfully mention'd however he began to Reign over the East Angles Anâ—… 794 he was afterwards cannonized a Saint and thâ—… Town of St. Edmunds-bury still remains in remembrance of him Thus you the Saxon Hepterchie may view How first it rise and to a period drew To rise more glorious in what does eusâ—e The Saxon Government under sole Monarchs with the Succession if Kings their Reigns and Actions THe Hepterchie of the Saxons appearing very troublesome in their continual Wars amongst themselves and those of the Danes and British Princes who still held out the chief of the last that â—…pposed them during their petty Kingdoms were â—…ortimer Son of Vortinger who reigned Four years Aurelius Ambrosius who reigned Thirty two years â—…ter Pendragon his Brother who reigned Eighteen â—…ears Arthure of whom the Monks have created so â—…any Fables that the truth of his Actions are doubtful who reigned Twenty six years Constantine Son â—…f Cador Duke of Cornwal and Cousin to Arthur who â—…eigned Three years Aurelius Conatus who reigned Thirty three years Vortiporus who reigned Three â—…ears Malgo Cononus who reigned Five years Careâ—…cus who reigned Three years Cadwan who reigned Twenty two years Gadwallo his Son who reigned forty eight years and Cadwallader who reigned â—…leven years These were the Chief of the British Princes who opposed the Saxons and held â—…eir Kingdom for the most part in Wales and the Marches giving them at sundry times many notable â—…verthrows disputing their Country with the Invaâ—…ers till their Power was wasted and the remainder of â—…heir People compelled to betake themselves to the Mountains and Fastnesses Egberts's Fortune prevailâ—…ng he united the seven Kingdoms into one and beâ—…ame the first sole Saxon Monarch causing himself to â—…e crowned at Winchesier giving the whole Country the Name of England and the People the Epethitâ—… of English In the Fourteen year of his Reign thâ—… Danes with thirty three Ships landed in England tâ—… whom he gave battle with such Forces as on the sudden could be raised but was worsted loosing two Dukes two Bishops and most of the Common Soldiers he hardly escaping the Field yet afterwards thâ—… Danes were
driven to their Country but not so much discouraged as to hinder their landing in Wales thâ—… next year and there they joyned the poor remaindeâ—… of the Britains But the King being aware had more time to draw his Forces together when giving then battle he overthrew both parties yet not long after thâ—… Danes sacked the Isle of Shippy and were not with out much slaughter expelled This was the Seventeenth King of the West Saxonâ—… and First sole Monarch of England beginning hâ—… Reign as Monarch 819 and reigned Seventeen yearâ—… much improving and increasing the welfare of thâ—… Kingdom Ethelwolf the Second sole Monarch eldest Son â—… Egbert began his Reign Anno 837 and was in hâ—… Fathers time Bishop of Winchester But being in â—… manner constrained to take upon him the Government he resigned his Bishoprick to Swithâ—…n his Tutâ—… and gave a great overthrow to the Danes at Oclâ—… freeing the Church Lands from all Tribâ—…tes and Râ—…gal Services and going to Rome at the Bishop's peâ—…swasion he confirmed Peter-pence and setled a yeaâ—…ly Pension of Three hundred Marks upon the Râ—… man See and continued his Reign about Twenâ—… years Ethelbald succeeded Ethelwolf being his eldest Sâ—… by his Wife Osburge who was his Butlers Daughteâ—…â—… his Valiant Actions sufficiently appeared against tâ—… Danes in his Fathers Reign but that which bloted â—… great Actions was his Marrying Judith Danghter â—… the French King and his Mother-in-law But â—… reigned only two years and was the Third sole Mâ—…narch of the English Men. Ethelbert the second Son to Ethelwofe succeeded â—…is Brother Anno 860 he was continually alarumed â—…y the Danes who finding the pleasantness of the â—…ingdom compared with their Rocky Land came in warms sometimes landing in one place and someâ—…mes in another and destroyed Wâ—…nchester but the â—…ople gathering in great numbers and falling upon â—…em before they could recover their Ships most of â—…em were slain He reigned Five years and then â—…ave place to Ethelred in whose Reign the Danes and Norwigâ—…ans got more and more footing and being Pagans â—…ed all manner of Rapin and Violence deslowring Virgins and ravishing Women not sparing the Veiled Nun but destroyed the Abbies and Monaâ—…eries so that to save their Chastity by the advice â—…f their Abbess the Nuns of Codingham Monastery â—…ut off their Noses and upper Lips to render themâ—…elves deformed and that the frightful spectacle might â—…ay the Lusts of the inslamed Danes but it prevailed â—…ot for the Monsters having first deflowred them â—…ut them to the Sword and set the House on fire â—…nd so proceeded under the leading of Hungar and Hubâ—…a their Commanders in chief to burn the City of â—…ork committing extraordinary Outrages and Vioâ—…ences But Ethelred at length gave them a great overâ—…hrow slaying one of their Dukes or petty Kings with nine Earls and a great many common Soldiers â—…ut about eighteen days after being recruited with â—…sh Forces they put the King to slight at Basing â—…nd about two Months after wounded and overthrew â—…im at Merton of which wound he dyed when he had â—…eigned about Six years and was succeeded by Elfride fourth Son to Ethelwolf who fought seven Battles with various success against the Danes for in â—…is time they sorely oppressed the Land insomuch â—…hat the High-ways were unfrequented and the Ground â—…n most places Untilled and the King himself obliged â—…o flee into Woods and Desart places but in the end weary of that solitude he put himself in the Habâ—… of a Musician under which disguise he discovered tâ—… sluggish security of the Danes in their Camp wheâ—… upon secretly rallying his scattered People he suâ—…prised them in that manner killing a great number â—… them and taking their Standard And more Daâ—… attempting to land in Devonshire under Halden thâ—… Captain the people rise generally in Arms and falliâ—… upon them near Exeter kill'd the Captain and 8â—… of his Followers This King caused all Thieves to banished and divided the Kingdom into Shires Hundred and Tythings he founded the first common Schoâ—… in Oxford which is now called University Colledgâ—… and continued his Reign Twenty nine years Edward the Eldest Son of Elfride succeeded him and began his Reign 901 when soon after he came â—… the Throne his Nephew Ethelwald stirred up â—… Subjects to rebel against him but they were quietâ—… without much trouble yet the Danes were still â—… possession of one part of the Country which maâ—… the King build a strong Castle at Hartford and marâ—… against them when at St. Edmuns Ditch he gave theâ—… Battle but prevailed not however in that Mortâ—… Battle two of their Kings viz. Ethelwald and Crocâ—…cus were slain And soon after he gave them anothâ—… Battle at Wodesfield with a great overthrow killiâ—… two other of their Kings and two Earls with aboâ—… 4000 Common Soldiers He reigned Twenty foâ—… years and gave place to Etheistance who began his Reign 923 his Subject upon his coming to the Crown rose in Mutine undeâ—… Elfrede a Norman but the Ring-leader taken and seâ—… to purge himself they were quieted yet he was â—… jealous of his Brother Edwin that he consented â—… his being murthered which created in him such remorse that he caused his Murtherers to be put â—… death and had like soon after to have been slain â—… his Tent by one Anlafe a Dane but by a lucky râ—…moval he escaped and a Bishop who had pitched â—… â—…ent on the same Ground was assaulted and slain â—…fter he had killed many of the Danes with his own â—…nd as well Nobles as Plebeans and having â—…yed their fury he had leisure to pass into Scotland â—…th a powerful Army and brought that Kingdom â—…o subjection But upon his return he found the â—…nes had strengthened themselves yet he routed them â—…ar VVinchester and in this contest it is reported Guy â—…rl of VVarwick sought with Colbron the Danish Giâ—…t of mighty seize and slew him hand to hand as â—…e Kings Champion in single Combat and so far read the fame of this King that Historians report â—…ut with what credit I know not that Hugh King â—… France greatly desirous of his friendship sent him â—…e Sword of Constantine the Great which had in its â—…ile one of the Nails that fastened Christ to the Cross likewise his Spear which was that with which Loâ—…â—…us peirced his side with a piece of the Thorny Crown â—… wore that Otho the Emperor sent him a Landskip â—… with precious Stones and the King of Norway a â—…ip with guilt Decks and Purple Sails he reigned â—…een years and was the Eldest Son to King Edâ—…d Edmund the fifth Son of King Edward succeeded his â—…other Anno 940. he fought sundry Battels with variâ—…s success against the Danes and his Son Dunmail reâ—…lling against him he caused his Eyes to be put out â—… was Crowned at Kingstone upon Thames his picture â—… memory of it being still preserved in the Church â—…ith many otherâ—… his Successors he made many wholâ—…m Laws but
gave the Danes many Battels and being of a hardy and couragious temper he greatâ—y raised the drooping hearts of his Subjects raising the Siege of London and worsting their Army four times in open fight so that Canute having Challenged him to a single Duel for the Kingdom he loyfully accepted the offer so that going into an Island called Alney near Glocester they fought valiantly but Canute finding himself over matched and having received some dangerous Wounds he desired a Parly which being granted he said What should move us most Valiant Prince that for the obtaining of a Title we should thus indanger our Lives better it were to lay Malice and Weapons aside and to condescend to a Loving Agreement Let us now therefore become sworn Brothers and divide the Kingdom between us in such League of Amity that each may use the other as his own so shall the Land be peaceably governed and we joyfully assist each other in necessity Upon these words they threw down their Arms and embraced as Friends in the fight of both Armys so that the Kingdom being divided Edmund had the South and Canute the North but in a while after Edrick the Treacherous Duke who had betrayed the Councels of Edmund thinking to ingratiate himself with the Danes run a Spear into the Body of the King as he was easing himself and having by that means killed him he cut off his Head and hastening with iâ— to Canute he cryed Hallsole Monarch of England behold the Head of thy Copartner upon which Canute promised to advance him above all the Nobles of England but whilst the Traytor was big with expectation of honour and preferment he caused him to be Arrested and cutting off his Head fixed it on the Tower advancing him in that sense as he deserved This Edmund was Third Son of Ethelfrid and Fifteenth sole Monarch his Reign exceeded not a year Thus the Great Saxon Monarchy did yield And with her slaughtered King gave up the Field To the Blood-thirsty Danes but three short Reigns Bring back the Saxons and expire the Danes The Danish Monarchy over England and what remarkably happened in the Reigns of the three Danish Kings c. THe Original of the Danes as indeed all Originals is variously reported by Historians some will have that People derived from the Scythians and others from Scandia an Island Northward however when they Invaded England they were populous as it appears by their continual repairing the great numbers they lost for their first Invasion was in the year of our Lord 787 and were about 230 years before they gained the sole Monarchy They were as to their Religion Pagans Canute their first sole Monarch was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch-bishop of Canterbury Anno 1017. he upon his coming to the Crown Banished Edwin Son of Ethelred and sent Edward and Edmund the two Sons of Eumund Ironside to his Brother then King of Sweedâ—n to be made away and proceeded to Mary Queen Emma who had been Wife to King Ethelred and was Sister to the Duke of Normandy upon condition the Heir gotten on her Body should succeed him in the English Throne upon which he assembled the Peers in Parliament at Oxford and there made many good Laws establishing the Christian Religion injoyning that all decent Ceremonies tending to Devotion and Dâ—vine Worship should be observed with reverence that the Lords day should be kept holy and a Clergyman that should kill a Layman or be found guilty of any other notorious Crime should be deprived of his Order and Dignity A married Woman committing Adultery to have her Nose and Ears cut off and a Widow marrying within a Twelvemonth to loose her Joynter and being great in power both by Sea and Land some of his Flatterers would needs go about to perswade him that not only the Earth but the Ocean was obedient to him and that he might raise or calm it at his pleasure and he then being at Southampton to upbraid them caused a Chair to be set on the Sand when the Sea was coming in and placing himself in it commanded the Sea to retire and not dare to wet his Garments but the regardless Waves roaling on dashed him to that degree that he was forced to remove when turning to his Parasites he said You well now perceive all the might and power of Kings is but vanity for none is worthy to have the name of King but he that keepeth Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience to his Will And from that time he declined to wear his Crown causing it to be placed on the Head of Christs Crucified Imageat Winchester and gave many large Gifts to the Church and Church-men building several Churches and going a Pilgrimage to Rome procured the taking off the excessive Charge the English Arch-bishops were at when they took the Pall. He Reigned eighteen years and was the 16. sole Monarch of England being Buried in the old Monastery at Winchester Harold succeeded his Father Canute though he was opposed at his Enterance by Earl Goodwin he was likewife Son to Queen Emma and Crowned at Oxford by Elmothius Arch-bishop of Canterbury using manâ— Dâ— vices to get Edward and Alfrâ—d the two So 〈…〉 into his hunds he decoyed over the latter in his Mothers Name but he landing in hopes to be joyned with the promised Forces was betrayed by Earl Goodwin and the King setting upon his small Forces at Guilford caused them all except every tenth man to be slain and taking Alfrid alive he made his Eyes be put out and fastening one end of his Bowels to a stake he was pricked round with Ponyards till such time as he had drawn out his Guts and so died this poor Prince Nor did he rest here but proceeded to Banish Queen Emma and Confiscate her Goods for reproaching him with the Death of her Son This Harrold was second Son of Canute and the seventeenth sole Monarch of England he began his Reign Anno 1036 and Reigned four years being buried according to Stow at Westminster Hardicanute succeeded Harrold being invited over from Denmark both by the Danes and English and Crowned at London by Elnoth Arch-bishop of Canterbury he caused the Body of Harrold to he digged up and cutting off the Head threw it into the Thames but it being found by some Fisher-men they decently Interred it in St. Clements-Danes so called for its being the chief Burial place of the Danes This King was given much to Eating and Drinking insomuch that he caused his Tables to be spread four times a day with all manner of Dainties and raised a Tax of 32147 pounds to maintain a great Fleet at Sea and in vain Ostentation Earl Goodwin sitted out one with a Golden stern and Men compleatly armed with guilt Arms and Armour but the King hearing the Tax was denied and that Thurston and Feader two of his Collectors were slain by the people at Worcester he expulsed the Bishop and burnt the City but as he was Revelling at a
Wedding in Lambeth he suddenly fâ—ll down dead when he had reigned about two years He was third Son of Canute and the eighteenth sole Monarch he began his Reign Anno 1040 and was 〈◊〉 at Winâ—r and with him fell the Dâ—sh Monarchy in England and the Saxons re-entered to the no small Joy of the people Thus Monarchies and Monarchs rise and fall Whilst worldly Pomp is Fortunes Tennis-ball The Saxon Monarchy restored c. HArdicanute being dead Edward the seventh Son of Ethelred by Queen Emma was sent for out of Normandy where he had taken Sanctuary during the Danish Monarchy and Crown'd upon his Arrival at Winchester by Edsine Arch-bishop of Canterbury Anno 1042. and to gain the greater favour of the people he remitted the Tax of 40000 Pounds a year which had for 40 years been levyed upon all Lands except those of the Clergy by the Name of Dane-Guilt and the better to settle his Kingdom he compiled a Body of wholsom Laws from those of the Mercians West Saxons and Danes still known by the Title of Edward the Confessor's Laws written in Latin his Wars were only with the Welsh Irish and some Danes but those very inconsiderable yet Earl Goodwin being very powerful joyned with his Sons against him and in January a very deep Snow falling which covered the Earth till the middle of March the Cattle and Fowls of the Air were starved in abundance and the Summer produced Lightnings that burnt up the Corn whereupon a Famine ensued and the King at the Instigation of Goodwin and Robert Arch-bishop of Canterbury seized upon his Mothers Jewels and committed her Prisoner to the Abbey of Warwick putting her to undergo the Law Ordalium which is to pass over nine hot Plow-shares with naked feet and blindfold laid about a yard asunder which she did without touching them before she knew she was come to the place so that a reconciliation hereupon ensued and this manner of tryal was by way of Purgation for such as were suspected of Incontinency he Imprisoned her for Marrying Canute and not assisting him and his Brothers in their Extremity In this Kings Reign a great Earth-quake happened and Earl Goodwin was choaked at the King's Table with a piece of Bread which he wished might choak him if he had any hand in the Death of Alfrid the Kings Brother He is accounted the first King that ever Cured the King's-Evil he Marry'd Edith Daughter to Goodwin a very Beautiful Lady but had no Children by her being reported never to have Carnally known her and seeing a needy Courtier come into his Chamber one Morning as he lay in Bed with the Curtains drawn and take as much Money out of his Coffer as he could carry he suffered it without speaking but upon his third coming he reproved him of Covetousness charging him to be gone for if Hugoline his Treasurer should come and seize him in the Fact he would be sure to stretch for it and scarce was he gone when the Treasuaer who had casually left open the Coffer came and appeared in a great Consternation at the loss but the King bid him not trouble himself for he that took it had most need of it And lying soon after upon his Death-Bed perceiving those that stood about him to weep he said If you loved me you would not weep but rejeyce because I go to my Father with whom I shall receive the Joys promised to the Faithful not through my merite but the free mercy of my Saviour who sheweth mercy on whom he pleases And giving up the Ghost he was buried at Westminster when he had Reigned 20 Years and 6 Months and 27 Days he rebuilt St. Peter's Westminster and St. Margret's Church made the first Great Seal and was the 19 sole Monarch of England called the Confessor Harrold Son to Earl Goodwin and Sitha his Wife Sister to Swain the younger King of Denmark was upon the Death of King Edward taken for King though he waved the Ceremony of this Coronation and to ingratiate himself with the People lightened the Texes and Behaved himself Courteous and Affable to all Men but he had not long held the Regal Dignity before William Duke of Normandy sent to put him in mind of his Oath which was made during his Imprisonment in Normandy whether in the time of King Edward he had been driven by stress of weather importing that when ever Edward died he should secure the Kingdom for the Norman Duke but Harrold urging what he then did was by constraint and that he conceived himself not obliged to stand to it The Duke prepared to Invade the Kingdom at which time a Dreadful Commet appeared denouncing the Woes and Miseries that ensued for before the Normans arrived a great number of Danes and Norwigeans landed in the North under the Leading of Testo and Harrold Harfrager King of Denmark and spoiling the Country before them marched to York which constrained the King to draw out his Army but being about to pass Stamford-bridge built over the River Derwent his Forces were stopped by a single Dane of Gigantick stature and strength and forty of his Men killed in attempting to remove him but in the end a Soldier getting under the Bridge in a Boat run his Spear through a Creuis and by that means killed him so that the Bridge gained the King gave Battle and overthrew the Enemy with great slaughter killing the Danish King and Tosto his Brother and Olave the Kings Son with Paul Earl of Orkney were taken Prisoners however they upon earnest supplication were suffered to depart the Kingdom in the ships that brought them with the heavy news of their loss but the King had scarce time to consider his advantage before he had News that William Duke of Normandy was Landed with 50000 Men at Pevensey in Sussex on the eigth of September 1066 and fired his Fleet to put his Soldiers out of hopes of return which made Harrold hasten to oppose him who by this time had sent a Messenger to London to demand the Kingdom but they dismissed him with Threats and although the Duke to prevent the effusion of more blood proffered to fight hand to hand yet the King refused it saying It should be tried by more Swords than one Whereupon the Armys advancing pitched in a large Plain and from thence the King sent Spies into the Dukes Camp who being taken were lead from Rank to Rank and made to take a perfect survey of the Army and so dismissed The 14th of October 1366 being come the Armys drew out and faced each other till the Trumpets sounded the Charge when at the first Encounter the Normans were forced to give ground and retire in disorder which the English perceiving and thinking the Battle won carelesly disranked to pursue them which they perceiving and taking that advantage rallied and changed the face of Fortune for the Normans entering the loose squadrons overwhelmed the English with showers of Arrows so that all was turned
that without any constraint or imposition of Penalty they flocked thitheâ— from all parts whereupon the place was constrained to yield and Odo again Banish'd but whilst these thing passed Duke Robert was not idle for having gathereâ— what Forces he could he Landed at Southampton but finding himself unable to resist the Army that was marching against him and not joyned by the expected supply he repassed the Seas without doing any thing oâ— note except the ingageing VVilliam to pay him 3000 Mark a year and after his Decease to resign it to him or his Heirs and now Lanfrank the Arch-bishop dying the King supplied himself with Treasure by keeping the See of Canterbury and many other Ecclesiasticaâ— Promotions vacant for the space of four Years some oâ— which he likewise sold and was wont to say That Christ's Bread is a sweet Dainty and most delicious foâ— Kings Howbeit when two Monks were contending who should give most to be made Abbot of a certain Abby in the King's Disposal he espied a third Monk standing in a corner and causing him to advance he demanded VVhat he would give to be made Abbot Not onâ— Farthing replyed the Monk for I have renounced thâ— VVorld and Riches that I may the more carefully servâ— God Then replyed the King thou art worthy to bâ— made Abbot and the Abbey shall be thine The Scots by this time having Invaded England under the leading of Molcolm their King King VVilliam marched his Army Northward to oppose him but before it came to the trial of Battle a Peace was concluded and the 12 Villages in the Northern Marcheâ— which the Scots had held during the Reign of VVilliam the Conqueror restored them for a Tribute of twelve Marks a year And this year the King to strengthen him against the Scots rebuilt Carlisle in Cumberland which had been demolished by the Danes about two â—undred years before And in Anno 1093 made Anâ—elm a Norman Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury but â—ong the Peace lasted not between the two Kingdoms for Malcolm coming to Glocester to treat about further â—ccord and not being received or entertain'd according to his liking he returned in a rage and raising a great Army in his own Country fell into the English Frontires with Fire and Sword destroying all before him as far as Alnewick and no sooner were these stirs quieted but Robert Mobray and William of Anchon conspired with divers others to depose King William and set up Stephen de Albermarle a Sisters Son but were prevented and defeated The Welsh making many Incursions and Inroades into the Kings Territories he marched a powerful Army into the heart of Wales and there did such notable Exploits that the Welsh finding themselves unable to make head against his Forces submitted themselves so that from the year 1093 VVales has been subject to the Crown of England The King upon new provocations Invaded his Brother Roberts Terretories in Normandy taking divers Castles and strong holds inforcing him thereby to a Peace after which uniting their Forces against their younger Brother Henry who had practised the surprising their Territories he was besieged by them in the Castles of St. Michaels Mount in Normandy during which Siege King VVilliam's life was in great hazard for being too forward in charging such as sallied he was overthrown by a Knight and had his Horse slain but being known the Knight took him up and presented him with another Horse when the King springing into the Saddle and coming up with a fierce countenance demanded who it was that haâ— overthrown him but the undaunted Knight instead of excusing it boldly told him it was he Then saiâ— the King looking mildly upon him by St. Lukes facâ— for that was his usual Oath thou shalt be my Knight and inroled in my Check with a Fee answerable to thâ— worth But in conclusion Henry being constrained foâ— want of Water and other necessaries to submit the Brethren were reconciled and Robert preparing for the Holy Wars mortgaged his Dukedom of Normandy to King VVilliam for 6660 pounds to raisâ— which petty sum at that time he caused great Taxes as they were termed to be laid upon the People and forced the Religious Houses to contribute towards it And in the absence of Robert the French besieging Main in Normandy the King upon notice of it as hâ— sat at Dinner in his Palace of VVestminster swore Hâ— would never turn his back till he arrived there and so causing the Wall to be broke through for his passage he hasted to Sea commanding his Army to follow him but the Winds being contrary and the Seaâ— rough and boisterous the Mariners doubted to set sail and the Pilot besought the King to continue in the Port till the Weather was more favourable but he impatient of delay and disdaining to fear replied Hast thou ever heard that a King has been drowned therefore hoist up the Sails I charge thee and be gone So that safely and unexpectedly arriving in Normandy the French were so terrified that they raised the Siege This King denied that the Pope had any Authority over any Bishop of his Realm and also the Poweâ— of binding and loosing yet in acknowledgement to the See of Rome he paid Peter pence granted by his Father he derided Invocation of Saints and curbed the avarice and aspiring Ambition of the Clergy In his Reign a great Earthquake happened and the Steeple of the Abby of VVinchester was burnt with â—…ghtning which likewise rent the roof of the â—…by casting down the Image of the Virgin Mary â—…d her Crucifix breaking one of her Legs and not â—…ng after so great a Wind happened at London that it â—…ew down sixty some say six hundred Houses taking of the roof of Bow Church and carrying it a great â—…ight in the Air And so great a Famine and Morâ—…ity ensued that the quick were scarcely able to buâ—… the dead Two blasing Stars appeared and many â—…ars as if they shot fiery Darts at each other â—…nd in the last year of his Reign the Sea overâ—…wed her Banks carrying away a great number â—… People Cattle and Houses drowning most of the â—…ands which had been Earl Goodwins which is not â—…covered to this day but retain the Earls Name as â—…own by that of Goodwins Sands At Finchamstead â—…ear Abbington in Barkshire a Well of bloodly coâ—…oured Water sprung up for fifteen days and then â—…eased King VVilliam by this time having setled his Afâ—…irs betook him to Recreations and especially â—…unting in the New Forrest his Father had made by â—…he unpeopling and delapidation of a great many â—…owns and Vilages when so it happened that Sir VValter Tyrre a French Knight shooting at a Stag he Arrow glanced against a Tree and flying aslaunt â—…ruck the King into the breast of which he immeâ—…ately died August 1. Anno 1100. and his Body being â—…id in a Cart the best Herse those times afforded a â—…reat King it broke bemired in a dirty way yet beâ—…g put into
as â—eing elevated with Wine and good Chear fell soul â—n a Rock which broke the Ship to pieces yet the â—rince with his Bride and some others got into the â—ng Boat and might have gone off but the Counâ—ss of Pearch crying to him from the Fore-castle â—or help he caused the Boat to turn and take her in â—ut before he could effect it so many leaped into it â—nd clung to its sides esteeming in that extremity their Lives as dear as their Princes that it sunk with the overlaiding and they were all drowned This doleful news coming to the Kings Earl by some of the Seamen that had escaped upon pieces of the Ship he greatly lamented the loss of his Children and though he was well in years yet in some measure to repair it he Married a second Wife viz. Adilicia Daughter to Jeffery Duke of Lorain but having no Issue by her he sent for Maud his Daughter who had been married to the Emperor her Husband being at that time dead and calling a Parliament caused Stephen his Sisters Son with his Nobles to swear her as to his lawful and now only Heir when sailing into Normandy after the toil of hunting eating a great meal of Lampries he presently fell sick and after seven days sickness dyed in the Town of St. Denis Anno 1135 his body was brought to Reading and buried in the Abby himself had founded and his Bowels and Brain at Roan nor did he dye without suspition of being poisoned for the very sent that came from his Brain was the death of the Physician that took it out The Wives of this King were two viz. Maud Daughter to Malcolm King of Scotland and Adilicia Daughter to Godfry Duke of Lorain his lawful Issue by the first was William and Maud by the last he had none yet is held to have fourteen Illegitimate Children He built many Abbies and Monasteries and was very charitable to the Poor In his time many Prodigies appeared and the Ground rent by an Earthquake sent forth such flames as destroyed some and indangered the lives of more He was King of England and Duke of Normandy fourth Son to William the Conqueror beginning his Reign Anno 1100 and Reigning 35 years being the 23 Monarch of England dying in the 65 year of his Age. Thus falls another Monarch soon or late All Crowns and Scepters in the dust must set All breath of Life the lowly and the high Must leave this narrow stage for vast Eternity The Reign of King Stephen with his Memorable Actions c. STephen Earl of Bloys Son to Adilicia Daughter to William the Conqueror and Stephen Earl of Bloys notwithstanding he had sworn Fealty to the Empress Maud laid claim to the Kingdom and by the interest and policy of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester and Roger Bishop of Sarum as also one Hugh Bigot who swore that King Henry upon his Death-bed taking a distaste at his Daughters proceedings had disenherited her and appointed this Stephen to succeed him in his Kingdom of England and Dukedom of Normandy so that upon these and other interests that were made he was Crowned at Westminster on St. Stephen's day Anno 1135 by William Curboil Archbishop of Canterbury the Prelates swearing to hold him King so long as he should preserve their Churches Rights and the Lay-Barrons in like manner swore Allegiance to him so long as he should keep his Covenants with them in preserving their Rights and Priviledges so that he accepted of the Crown and owned his Right as by Election The Charter containing his peoples Franchises Liberties and Immunities which he obliged himself to maintain he Signed and Sealed it at Oxford which was That all Liberties Customs Possessions granted to the Church should be firm and in force That Persons and Causes Ecclesiastical should appertain only to Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction That Church vacancies and the Goods of Church-men should be at the sole dispose of the Clergy That all ill usage touching Forests Exactions c. should be abolished and the Antient Laws restored to their Purity And for his security against the expected storm he caused or suffered many Castles to be erected which afterwards proved to his detriment This King took quiet possession of the Throne and had an interrupted Series of Tranquility for a time but by degrees the distractions came on that turned the Land into a seat of War for many years Baldwin de Redners was the first that openly began to declare himself in favour of the Empress Maud and hereupon the Welshmen took up Arms and falling upon the English not altogether provided gave them a considerable overthrow Nor did David King of the Scots forbear to invade this Kingdom and the Wesh incouraged by their former success continued to spoil the Frontiers and under the favour of another Scotish Invasion wherein under the leading of their King the Scots committed almost unparallel outrages The Nobles conspired against King Stephen betaking them to their respective Castles and strong Holds declaring that they were slighted and rejected in favour of the Flemmings and especially one Willinm de Ypre his chief counsellor and privado to follow whose directions he had neglected that of his Peers But the Scots instead of assisting these Lords making many other Invasions made great spoil and havock of their Houses Castles and Estates seeming rather to aim at a conquest than any thing less So that those in the North marched against them and being animated by Thurstan Archbishop of York by whose Authority Ralph Bishop of Durham being made General undertook but by what Warrant I know not to forgive the sins of all that should fall in Battle and secure them from punishments and pains in another Life the English fell on with such fury that they drove the Scots out of the Field with great slaughter nor could the presence of their King and the Prince his Son restrain them from open flight into Scotland and King Stephen following this advantage obliged them to sue for Peace however he found himself but slenderly assured in the Hearts of his People especially of the Nobles which made him prepare for the worst and hearing the Empress Maud was landed with a small train not exceeding 140 men at Arundel he hasted to oppose her but she being a Woman of great Policy coloured over her Intentions protested she came in peace only to spend the remainder of her days in a Country wherewith she was so much delighted and although the King had some little mistrust he nevertheless dissembled it and gave her Royal Entertainment causing her to be conveyed to the City of Bristol appointing it for her reception scarce had the Empress continued at Bristol two Months before she privately withdrew to Wallingford expecting the Forces her Brother Earl Robert was raising on her behalf But the King having notice of many underhand contrivances besieged that place whilst his Brother the Bishop of Winchester under a pretence of friendship and important
business inviting many of the Nobles that he thought disaffected to the King he made them Prisoners in his Palace and by that means constrained them to render their Castles as Ransoms for their Persons which much weakened the Interest of the Empress yet Earl Robert burnt Worcester for holding out against her and the like did Ralph Painel one of her Captains to Nottingham The Empress finding her Measures broken by the crafty Bishop of Winchester hasted to Lincoln but the King followed close and besiged that City and took it yet she made her escape so that new Measures being taken her Forces daily increased insomuch that becoming strong in the Field Robert Earl of Glocester and Ralph Earl of Chester gave the King battle near Lincoln which was maintained with great obstinacy and effusion of blood Victory seeming to incline to neither party till such time as the Kings Horse gave way thought to have been done by treachery however the Foot stood manfully to it but being overcharged and trampled down for want of their Horse to cover them they fled likewise leaving the King who chose rather to die than give back to fight the Battle when with a very weighty Battle-Ax like an inraged Lyon he drove whole squadrons before him killing a great number for wherever he struck the blow proved mortal but in the fury of the Fight having broken his Battle-Ax and after that his Sword he was beaten down with a Massiestone thrown at him and by that means brought under and taken Prisoner King Stephen thus made a Prisoner was carried to Glocester where the Empress expected him and from thence sent Prisoner to Bristol whereupon all but the County of Kent acknowledged her as their Soveraign so that going to Winchester in state she there received the Regal Crown and passing to London she was met with Procession and the Acclamations of the people but the Earl of Glocester Brother to the Empress being taken by some of the Nobles that sided with King Stephen and Imprisoned at Glocester searing if any violent Death befel the King he should run the same Risque he so far solicited the matter that an exchange was made and both the one and the other had Liberty after which the Earl went for Normandy which had revolted from Stephen to raise Forces to secure what was gained but whilst this was doing the Londoners being displeased as not receiving the satisfaction they expected and the Nobles thinking themselves slighted by her the restless Bishop of Winchester set the Nation again into a Blaze of dissention making a strong Party for King Stephen besieging the Empress in the Castle of Winchēster seven weeks and then the better to work his advantage feigning a Peace and causing it to be proclaimed set open the City Gates but she and her followers almost starved out with Famine were scarce departed when he caused them to be pursued in which pursuit many were slain and taken Prisoners and amongst them Earl Robert who by this time was returned with a slender Train and others taking Sanctuary in the Nunnery of Worwell were burnt together with the House nor did the Bishop spare Winchester but fired it for taking part with the Empress The Empress escaping this Storm betook her self to the Castle of the Devizes in Wiltshire but being closely pressed by the prevailing party and out of all hopes of relief she contrived a Stratagem to prevent her falling into their hands viz. Inclosing her self in a Coffin and making it known to a few of her Trusty Friends under pretence it was the dead Body of a Person whom the Besiegers knew to be dead in that place procuring a pass for the burial of it with its Ancestors She was in a Horse-litter carried to Glocester and there joyfully received by those of their Party But finding it not safe to continue there she hasted to Oxford where being straightly Besieged by the King in the depth of Winter and the Suburbs gain'd she found her self in no capacity longer to defend the place but taking the advantage of a Snow that had fallen she put on white Garments and by that means in the dusk of the Evening passed alone undiscovered to Abington on Foot and from thence to Wallingford on Horseback the same Night so sweet is a Crown that no Difficulties or Dangers are thought too much to attain it It was indeed strugled for with various success causing a great deal of blood shed as the Partys prevailed with Burnings and Devastations However that he might assure the Succession of his Son Eustuce he called a Council at London commanded Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury to Anoint him King but having received the Pope's Mandate to the contrary he refused it for which he was obliged to leave the Land and flie to Normandy yet the King for this refusal seized upon his Possessions But shortly after Prince Eustace dying the King became more inclinable to an agreement with the Empress The death of this Prince is by some Historians thus reported viz. Having set fire to the Corn Fields belonging to the Abby of Bury because the Monks refused to supply him with a sum of Money for his present occasion after that at his first sitting down to Dinner upon the first bit of Bread he touched he fell distracted and died in that fit but this seems a Fable of the Monks to terrifie people from medling with their Diana or the abundance of Treasure they in those days of Ignorance scraped to themselves even from those that had far greater need However the Kings hope dying in this Prince he was content to adopt Henry by some called Fitz Empress though indeed Plantaginet for his Son and Successor to whom at Oxford in the great Assembly held there for that purpose the Peers did Homage as to the undoubted Heir and the Prince acknowledged the King as his Father and after whom he was to Reign nor did Stephen live long when this was done for being afflicted with the Illiack pasio and the Haemorhoids worn out with Labour and continual toil left the Crown which he had worn with so much trouble and variety of Fortune to young Henry dying at Dover Anno 1134 and was Buried at Feversham in Kent though afterward his Body only for the value of the Lead that inclosed it was cast into the River by the covetous Sexton This Stephen was King of England and Duke of Normandy third Son to Stephen Earl of Blois by his Wife Adilicia or Alice Daughter to William the Conqueror he began his Reign the second of December Anno 1135 and Reigned Eighteen Years Ten Months and 20 Days and had Issue by Maud or Matilda his Wife Daughter of Eustace Earl of Bulloigne Brother of Godfry and Baldwin Kings of Jerusalem Baldwin Eustace William Maud and Mary he had likewise two Natural Sons Gervas the younger he made Abbot of Westminster Thus in a Tempest liv'd the Warlike King Small rest he found till death the calm did
the Profits and Arrears of the See of Canterbury restored But this restles Prelate taking his time to disturb the Kingdom whilst the old King was in Normandy published the Popes Letters by which Roger Arch-bishop of York and Hugh Bishop of Durham were suspended from their Ecclesiastical Functions for that they had crowned the young King in prejudice to the See of Canterbury and the Bishops of Exeter Sarum and London were cut off from the Church by censure for being Assistants at that Coronation nor would he at the young Kings earnest intreaties but under divers restrictions and hard conditions Absolve them Becket's new insolencies coming to the ear of the old King in Normandy he fell into a great rage and let such words fall that some of his Courtiers interpreting them to intimate the Kings desire to be rid of that proud Prelate contrary to his knowledge Richard Fitzurse William Tracie Hugh Brito and Hugh Norvil passed secretly into England and getting admittance into the Cathedral Church at Canterbury took their opportunity with concealed Weapons to fall upon him as he stood in the Evening Service time before the high Altar and there slew him with a Monk or two that made resistance and thereupon made their escapes This news flying to Rome and the Murther charged upon the King as done by hiâ— order the Pope began terribly to mennace him when he to take off the imputation of guilt not only protested his innocence but offered to purge himself by submitting to the Judgment of such Cardinâ— Legates as the Pope should send upon inquiry intâ— the Fact and the better to quiet the people that began to murmur against him he passed into Irelanâ— with a great Army and finding the several pettâ— Kings divided amongst themselves he made a Conquest of that Kingdom and made himself Lord Ireland Upon the Kings return from the Conquest Ireland he found two Cardinal Legates arrived Normandy by whom he was absolved after giving Oath that he was no ways consenting to the death Becket and declaring his sorrow for having let fâ— words in his anger that might administer any ocâ—sion of committing that crime whereupon the coâ—ditions of his Penance were enjoyned viz. That his own charge for the space of a year he should maâ—tain two huâ—dred Soldiers for defence of the Holy Laâ— That he should revoke all Customs introduced to the 〈◊〉 judice of the Churches Liberties and restore and make up the Possessions of the Church of Canterbury That he should cull home and freely receive all that were in Banishment for Becketg 's cause There were other secret Penances enjoyned which upon his coming over he performed The King notwithstanding the satisfaction he gave the Pope was not at ease for the young King Henry his Son instigated by his Mother the Kings of Scotland and France his two Brothers Richard and Geofry with divers Nobles as well English as Normans raised a Rebellion and seized upon many Towns in Britain and other places But the old Kings Fortune prevailed against them and by Humphry Bohun his High Constable in England he overcame Robert Earl of Leicester which made Lewis of France seek a Truce with him of six Months which was accorded and coming to Canterbury three Miles bare footed as his private Penance he entred the Chapter House of the Monks and humbly prostrating himself on the floor begged pardon and suffered himself voluntarily to be whipped on the back with Rods by all the Brethren of the House so that his stripes amounted to fourscore This confirmed the people of his innocency or at least satisfied their anger so that the Scots invading England were so unanimously opposed that they were defeated and William their King taken prisoner Young King Henry attempting to land was driven back to France by contrary Winds but making some other attempts he died in the expedition Anno 1183 And the next year Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem came into England to implore the Kings Aid â—gainst the Infidels that grievously oppressed the Eastern Christians and that he would go thither in person but the Nobles being consulted and not approving it only a supply of Money was granted The King the better to quiet his Son John who was of a turbulent spirit constituted him Lord of Ireland assigning him rents in England and Normandy however he conspired with his Brothers Richard and Geofry against him but before any thing came to perfection Geofry was troden to death under the Horses feet at a Turnament in Paris notwithstanding Richard by the assistance of Philip the French King drove his Father out of Mentz the place of his birth and for which reason he loved it above all other whereupon with tears he declared that seeing his Son had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the World he would requite him for from that day he would deprive him of that thing which in him should best please a Child viz. his heart and having a Scrowl of the Conspirators he no sooner found his Son John in the head of them and first in that Scrowl but he curst the hour of his Birth laying God's curse and his own upon all his Sons which he could not be prevailed upon to recal but fretting himself for the unnatural proceedings of his Children and worn out with age and toil he fell sick at Charon and finding the approach of death he caused himself to be carried to the Church and laid before the high Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sins he gave up the ghost Anno 1189 and waâ— intered at Font Everard This King Henry the Second was King of England Duke of Normandy Guen and Aquitain eldest Son to Jeffery Plantagenet Earl of Anjou Son to Foulk King of Jerusalem by Maud his Wife eldest Daughter tâ— Henry the First He began his Reign on the 25th oâ— October 1154 and reigned 34 years eight months anâ— eleven days and was the twenty fifth sole Monarcâ— of England he had Issue by his Wife Eleaner Will am who died 1156 Richard Geofry and Philip whâ— died very young John Maud who was married 〈◊〉 Henry sirnamed the Lyon Duke of Saxony Eleanâ— married to William King of Castile Joan married 〈◊〉 VVilliam King of Sicily and afterwards to Ramuâ— the fourth Earl of Tholouze By the lovely Rosamond his beautiful Concubinâ— he had natural Issue viz. VVilliam sirnamed Longspur and Jeffry Arch-bishop of York This Rosamond was Daughter to the Lord Clifford and whilst the King prosecuted his Wars in Normandy and France he caused her to be kept in a Labrinth built at VVoodstock to secure her from his jealous Queen but she finding her by a clew of Thred or Silk which the Fair one had accidentially let fall compelled her to drink Poison of which she died to the unspeakable grief of the King who not only detested his Queen for so much cruelty but raised a stately Monument at Godstow with this Scription Hic jacet in
the sixth of July 1189 and reigned nine Years nine Months dying in the 42 year of his Age being the 26 sole Monarch of England he was conttacted to Alice Daughter to Lewis the seventh King of France But falling passionately in love with Berengaria Daughter to Sanches the six King of Navar he married her in the way to the Holy Land whether she was accompanying her Father but had no Issue by her yet he left behind him Philip and Isabel his natural Children Thus the stout Lyons Heart to Death did yeild Whose dreadful Arms had strew'd the bloody field Of fruitful Palestine no Infidel Nor French nor Rebels could resist his Steel Victorious every where he did remain Cyprus he won yet by an Arrow slain The Reign and Actions of John King of England c. JOhn called by King Henry the Second his Father Lackland as being out of hopes of the Crown by reason so many Brothers were before him was notwithstanding Arthur his Eldest Brother Geofry's Son being alive crowned upon the Death of King Richard by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury at Wesâ—minster through the instance of Queen Eleanor and most of the Nobles yet the French King promoted great troubles in England under pretence of Inthroaning the young Prince yet for great sum he connived at his being delivered into his Uncles hands so that upon new disturbances occasioned as well by the Clergy as Laity he was closely imprisoned The Poctovians rebelling the King prepared to quiet them but as well the Clergy as the Lay-peers denied him assistance of Men and Money or to wait on him in person yet with such a Power as he could raise with present Treasure he passed the Seas overthrew the Rebels took the young Prince who had escaped prisoner with divers Peers and two hundred French Knights reducing all the revolted Towns to their obedience so that Prince Arthur now kept under stricter restraint than ever died in prison as some will have it not without suspition of violence which caused much murmuring amongst the people and the French King laying hold of that opportunity cited King John as an Homager for the Dukedom of Normandy c. to appear at a set time to be tried by his Peers upon Articles of Murther and Treason but the King disdaining to obey the Summons he was pretendedly by the French King and his Peers disinherited and condemned in his absence so that by reason of the Intestine Troubles not being able to pass over with a sufficient Army to repel the insulting French men they seized upon many of his Towns and Castles some by force and others by treachery yet quieting matters somewhat better at home and getting a considerable sum of Money from the delinquent Barons and such as had been in Rebellion against him and having moreover a Subsidy granted him he prepared to pass the Seas when in the mean while the French King out of a bravado sent a Knight as his Champion to challenge to single Combate any of the Kings Subjects and in a mortal battle to justifie the proceedings of his Sender To match this Braggadocia John Curcy Earl of Ulster in Ireland who had some time before been brought prisoner into England upon a revolt of the Irish so that the King knowing him to be of a savage and untractable nature went in person to propose this honourable undertaking when looking on the King with a stern countenance enough to strike terror in the beholders he said In thy Quarrel I will neither draw Sword or fight a stroke but for the honour of the Realm of England I will shed my last drop of blood Hereupon the day was appointed and all things ordered to be in a readiness but in the mean while the Monsieur geting knowledge of the Earls Gigantick Stature and proportion of Limbs as likewise the great quantities of Provisions he daily devoured he thought it no boot to stay and thinking it was not safe to return into France he sneaked away and went for Spain so that Philip of France ashamed of the disgrace sent to excuse it yet new troubles as indeed this Kings Reign was a perpetual storm arising hâ— could not so soon get over Sea as he expected how ever upon his coming the French were terrified tâ— a degree of suing for peace and it was upon the relinquishing sundry places they had taken accordingly so that the two Kings appointing an interview anâ— the Irish Earl happening to be there the French Kinâ— was very desirous to see a tryal of his strength wheâ— placing a Steel Helmet upon a knotty trunk of Oaâ—â— the Irish man with a strong Sword that no body bâ— himself could weld after a dreadful sneer or two let fly with so full a charge that he cut not only the Helmet in two but entred his Sword so far into the wood that none but himself could pluck it out when being asked by King John 〈◊〉 he looked so furiously before he gave the blow his â—â—ply was That had he missed it he would have killed not only the two Kings but all the spectators The Truce that the French made with the English at this time served but to gain the greater advantage by rendring King John more supine in his Affairs for by degrees they encroached upon all Normandy geting even the City of Roan it self upon which Main Tourain Poctou revolted nor could King John hinder it having his hands full at home and when he was about to go for Normandy Habert Arch-bishop of Canterbury suspected to be a Pentioner of King Philip peremtorily forbid him to proceed in that voyage and the Earls and Barons a second time denyed their Aid insomuch that the King in a rage seized upon some of their Estates and grievously fined others nor was it a little gainful to him that Hubert the Arch-bishop dyed the same year whose large Treasure the King â—ook for the use of the Wars but now an obstacle â—rose The Monks of Canterbury chose one Reginald for their Arch-bishop who was Subprior of their Convent yet the King opposed it and presented John Grey Bishop of Norwich so that the Pope upon noâ—ice of what had happened rejected both and went â—bout to impose on them one Stephen d' Langton whom the Monks for fear of the Pope's high Curse wherewith they were threatned received as their Arch-bishop but the King knowing him to be one â—f the French Faction and that he would consequentâ— be prejudicial to his Affairs could not be brought 〈◊〉 hearken to it though the Pope sent him a present â—f Rings with some flattering Comments on them â—eclaring That the Right and Power over all Chiâ—â—â—â— as in the See of Rome But the King threatning if he desisted not from such pretentions in England he would stop all Monies that passed from hence to Rome and thereupon a hot contest by Letters happening between them the old blade in a pet Interdicted the Kingdom which the Bigottry of the times made the people think
although the Barons were excommunicated yet they slighted it and incouraged the City of London which was Interdicted for adhearing to their Interests and sent to Lewis Dauphin of France their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with their Seals intreating King Philip his Father to send him in order to take possession of the English Diadem but the Pope advertised of what was in hand sent his Apostolick commands to Philip charging him not to suffer his Son to molest St. Peter's Patrimony with a Curse upon such as should assist him but it prevailed not for the hot-headed Prince sent over with a Fleet of 600 Ships and 80 Boats landing in Kent where he joyned the Barons whereupon the King retired towards Winchester and the Dauphin came to London where he was received in triumph the Citizens doing him homage as did the Barons at Westminster he swearing to them That he would restore all men their Rights and recover to the Crown whatever King John had lost so that most important places submitted During these Transactions the King ruined the Houses and Castles of the Barons in Arms and set forward from Lyn in Norfolk to give them battle but passing the Washes the Floods destroyed most of his Baggage with many of his Soldiers which obliged him to desist But the Barons not having their rents paid began to look back and perceiving their services slighted by the Dauphin and the places of trust bestowed on his French-men they thought it high time to reconcile themselves to their King which was hastened by the discovery the Viscount d' Melun made upon his Death-bed viz. That Lewis had sworn when established on the Throne to condemn the Barons to perpetual banishment as Traytors to their King and utterly root out their Kindred so that forty of them immediately addressed their Letters of humble submission to the King but it so unfortunately fell out that he was dead before they arrived The death of this King is variously reported some will have it to be of a Flux others of a Surfeit but Writers of best credit say that coming to Swinstead Abby after his great loss in the Washes and seeing the liberal profuseness of the Monks whilst his Army was in a manner half starved he said in a pet holding a Loaf in his hand That if he lived but half a year he would make it 12 times as dear which being overheard by a Monk he mixed poison in a Cup of Wine and served it to the King as he was at dinner by the force whereof he died some again will have it to be done by intoxicated Fruit. This John was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain sixth Son of King Henry the Second by Q. Eleanor and 27 sole Monarch of England he began his Reign on the 6th of April Anno 1199 reigned 17 years 6 months and 13 days dying of poison the 19. of October 1216. Thus from a troubled Throne King John descends And in his Grave all toil and trouble ends There factious Subjects Popes nor Galick Arms Disturb his rest with their too rude alarms Death can alone from cares of state give rest The slumbring Grave is with no fears opprest The Reign and Actions of Henry the III. King of England c. KIng John being dead the Barons almost with one voice and consent notwithstanding Lewis was yet in the Land with his Army chose Henry eldest Son to the deceased King about Ten years of Age Crowning him nine days after his Fathers Death and the Earl of Pembroke was constituted his Guardian who raised an Army and marched against the French giving them a great overthrow near Lincoln taking several of the Barons that stood out with about 400 Knights and Esquires Prisoners besides a great Booty the French had scraped together in plundering the Country and many of the French that scattered from the Battel were killed by the Peasants nor was the Fleet appointed to bring Supplies out of France better treated for being met by the English most of the French Ships were burnt sunk or taken so that the Dauphin was obliged with such Forces as he could Rally to shut himself up in London whither he was followed by the Earl and besieged by Water and Land which made the Monsieur begin to think of a timely Capitulation The substance was That Lewis and the Barons in Arms should submit to the Censure of the Church and that then he and as many as would goe with him should be permitted to depart the Land with a Promise never to return again in a design of harming it and that he should use his Interest with his Father that such things as belonged to the English Crown and were wrongfully detained should be restored and that when himself should be King of France he should peaceably part with them and that he should immediately render to Henry all Castles and Places taken in England during the War To this Lewis swore and for the better security of the Barons that had been in Rebellion Wallo the Legate the Earl of Pembroke and the young King swore they should be restored as well the Barons as others to all their Rights and Inheritances with their Liberties before demanded of King John that none of the Laity should suffer damage or reproach for the Side or Party they had taken and that the Prisoners taken in War or by Surprize should be released Upon this Lewis the Dauphin and as many of his Followers as were left passed into France yet the Kingdom was molested by sundry turbulent Persons whom no Concessions nor Favours could oblige and amongst these were William Earl of Aumarle Robert de Veipont c. which encouraged the Welsh to raise new Broils on the Frontiers And soon after one Arnulph a Citizen of London with divers others Conspiring to call in Lewis a second time Arnulph and two others were hanged and several had for the like Attempt their Hands or Feet cut off and the Barons finding their Liberties but slowly confirmed began to murmur Lewis extreamly vexed for the disgrace he had suffered in England upon the Death of his Father though contrary to his Oath seized upon Rochel and the County of Poictu both appertaining to the English and the true Cause he excused by pretending King Henry as Homager of Aquitain should have attended at his Coronation but that he neither did it in Person nor shewed any Reason for his being absent by his Ambassadors These Proceedings made King Henry nâ— at Age Call a Parliament which granted him Supply in order to raise an Army for the recovery of his Right but that not proving sufficient though he that Summer vanquished the French in a set Battel he pressed about 5000 Marks from the Londoners above their Fifteenths and the Clergy were not exempted but under pain of the papal Censure obliged to pay the Tax of Fifteenths but the greatest Summe he raised was by revoking the Charters and Liberties excusing it by
declaring they were granted in his nonage But this begat Hubert de Burgo his chief Justice who advised him to it a very great hatred amongst the People however the King with the Money thus gotten raised an Army and sailed for Britany winning many Places and driving them from their Encroachments but the Irish rebelling he was constrained to return sooner than he purposed but upon notice of his Preparations the Irish laid down their Arms and sneaked into their Eogs He about the same time quieted the Welsh that began to be mutinous and now it was that the Bishop of Winchester and others found an opportunity to accuse Hubert de Burgo of many high Crimes and Misdemeanours upon which he fled but being taken at Brent Wood in Essex he was brought bound to London and Imprisoned in the Tower when in his Place as chief Counsellour and Confident the King ordained Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester but he being a Foreigner by Birth so greatly favoured Strangers that he procured them to be put into Offices and the most important Trusts of the Kingdom which made the English Noblemen confederate against him and the King summoning them to Parliament they sent him word that if out of hand he removed not the Bishop of Winchester and Strangers out of his Court they would drive both him and them out of the Kingdom and having removed him with his evil Counsellours they would consult about Creating a new King But animated by the Bishop of Winchester his Confident the King marched to Gloucester with an Army and sending for them by Name such as appeared not he burnt their Mannors and gave their Inheritances to his Strangers which made the Earl-Marshal and others that stood out contract a strict Alliance with Lewellin Prince of Wales and by way of Reprisal fell upon the Possessions of the Kings Favourites burning some Towns and many Castles but the Earl-Marshal crossing the Seas to recover his confiscated Possessions in Ireland was there wounded and of that wound he dyed whose Death instead of Rejoycing the King as some expected made him on the contrary burst into Tears declaring That he had not left his peer in England and the King plainly perceiving the People's hatred in general against the Bishop commanded him not to meddle any farther in Matters of State and finding the necessity of it he laid aside Peter Rivalis his Lord-Treasurer commanding the Poictuovians to depart the Land But the Disquiets ended not in this manner for the Pope perceiving the English Clergy did not greatly stickle for his Interest and Advantage he the better to support his Usurpation sent over 300 Romans requiring they should be placed in the first Benefices as they became vacant at the same time demanding great Summes of Money of the Clergy for the Maintenence of his Wars against the Emperour the which though at first denied was at length complyed with and soon after the Pope as he alledged out of a Curiosity from a Report he had heard of the Country's Fertility and Pleasantness was greatly desirous to come over and see it making his Suit to the King that he might be admitted but the Council considering he had some sinister end in it not only the Laity but the Clergy opposed it In the year 1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall with the Earls of Lincoln Salisbury Pembroke Chester and others departed with a great Train to the Holy-Land and two years after King Henry passed the Seas to recover Poictou but spent a great deal of Treasure without effecting any thing memorable which made him in his Return levy grievous Taxes to supply his Coffers and above all he sate heavy upon the Jews who were then great Usurers in this Kingdom draining them of what they had unlawfully gotten He likewise retrenched the Expences of his House condescending to such a meanness that to save Charges he would invite himself and his Court frequently to the Houses of such wealthy Persons as he thought best able to give him Entertainment getting likewise a great Summe of the Parliament under pretence of going to the Holy-Land and for his consenting again to restore the Liberties and Charters Anno 1257. Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother was chosen King of the Romans by the Electoral Princes and with King Henry's consent passed into Germany yet he was obliged to purchase this Leave with a great Summe of Money as being accounted one of the richest Princes in Europe He was Crowned King of the Romans at Aquisgrave and received the Honour due to his Character from all the Princes and Estates of the Empire But after his Departure new Differences arose between King Henry and his Nobles upon the Account of the Return of Strangers contrary to the Agreement so that they came armed to the Parliament at Oxford binding themselves by Oath to have Things of that nature regulated and the King the better to quiet them without bloud-shed together with Prince Edward his Son was there content and the wide Differences being referred to a Parliament appointed to meet at London they were cemented But the Peace continued not long eâ— upon new Disgusts both Sides prepared for War so that the King seizing upon Oxford turned out the Students of that University to the number of 15000 whose Names were entered in the Matriculation Book which made many of them take part with the Barons and imbody themselves under a peculiar Standard so that when the King broke into Northampton where part of the Confederate Army lay the Students bore the brunt of the Battel and killed more Men than all the rest of the Soldiers which so incensed King Henry that he vowed a sharp Revenge but being told they were many of them the Sons and Kinsmen of the Noblemen in his Army and that such Rigour would alienate them from him he retracted his Resolution Yet heightned with this Success he pursued the Barons to Nottingham burning and wasting their Possessions which made them seek for Peace declaring by a submissive Letter their Loyalty to him and that they had no Design against his Person but their Quarrel was to his evil Counsellors the known Enemies of the Kingdom But the King reproaching them by the Name of Traitors sent them word that the Injury done to his Friends he took as done to himself and therefore held them as theirs and his own Enemies so that no good understanding being towards the Armies drew out and engaged in a mortal Battel wherein Prince Edward the King 's eldest Son behaved himself with much Bravery routing the Battalion composed of Londoners and following the pursuit four Miles which notwithstanding was prejudicial to his Father for in the mean while the King's Horse was slain under him and he made Prisoner together with his Brother the King of the Romans who a little before returned to England for the security of his Possessions so that the Prince not being able to restore the Battel Victory fell to the Barons and
neglecting it and refusing to acknowledge they ought so to doe he with a powerfull Army entred Scotland and being about to charge the Enemy as he was mounting his Horse startled and threw him breaking by a spurn of his Heel two of the King's Ribs yet without delay he remounted and gave them Battel charging quite through their Army with such slaughter that in a very short time they were all in Rout and Confusion so that in this Action near Fawkirk 70000 Scots are reported to be slain after which most of the strong places yielded to King Edward when returning victorious to England he in Parliament restored Mogna Charta and Charta Forestae agreeing that no Tax or Subsidy should be levied upon the People but by the Consent of Prelates Peers and Commons in Parliament and in the end of his Grants left out Salvo jure Coronae nostrae viz. Saving the rights of our Crown and at the earnest entreaty of the Pope he set Baliol at Liberty And now the King being desirous absolutely to subject and annex Scotland to the Crown of England raised another powerfull Army against which the Scots not able to make head retired and as their last refuge entreated the Pope to send his Letters of Inhibition which accordingly were sent but the King was so far from regarding them that he in a great passon swore he would not desist ahd when they urged it farther that if he persevered the Pope would take it upon himself he with a disdainfull Smile replied What! Have you done Homage to me as to the chief Lord of Scotland and do you now suppose that I can be terrified with Threatenings as if like one that had no Power to compell I would let the right which I have go out of my Hands Let me hear no more of this for if I do I swear by the Lord I will consume all Scotland from Sea to Sea This resolute Protestation so terrified the Scots that they only replied For the Justice and Rights of their Countrey they were ready to shed their Bloud and the King to justifie his Proceeding sent the Earl of Lincoln to Rome so that by the Influence of the Pope a Truce was concluded from all Saints to Whitsuntide but the Pope not so contented before the Truce was expired declared himself in favour of the Scots whereupon King Edward in a Parliament holden at Lincoln by the General Consent defended his Proceedings with a Protestation that they had not exhibited any thing to the Court of Rome as in form of Judgment or submitting to the Tryall of his Cause but rather for the satisfaction of its Merit and Justice and when the Pope required the King to stand to his decision for matter of Claim the Peers to whom the King had entirely referred it signified to the Pope that the King of England was not to answer in Judgment for any rights of the Crown before any Tribunal under Heaven and that by sending Deputies and Attornies to that purpose he should make the Truth and Justice of his Cause doubtfull forasmuch as it manifestly tended to the Disinherision of the Crown which with the help of God they would maintain against all Men And this was subscribed at Lincoln Anno 1301. by no less than 100 Peers so that Pope Boniface the Third perceiving no good to be done and loth to break with England gave over his Pretensions and left the Scots to make the best of their business whereupon the King made the Lord Segrave Custos of that Kingdom but the Scots thereupon growing impatient took Arms and overthrowing the Custos took him Prisoner but he was soon rescued by Sir Robert Nevil yet this made King Edward set forward with an Army which brought such a Terrour upon Scotland that he marched through the Kingdom from Roxborow to Cathiness 300 miles without the lest resistence for those that were in Arms betook themselves upon his approach to the Woods and Mountains The King thus absolute in Scotland had for a summe of Money Wallis their Ring-leader delivered into his hands so that at Westminster being found guilty of Treason in rebelling against the King his law full Sovereign he was hanged and quartered his Quarters sent into Scotland and set up in divers remarkable places after whose death Bruce that had contended with Baliol for the Kingdom headed the Scots and gathered a considerable Army but was routed by Aymery de Valence one of King Edward's Captains and forced into the Orcades where he lived an obscure Life with much hardship till he found another opportunity to head his Countrey-men and did many noble Exploits which drew King Edward to oppose him but in his way he fell sick at Carlisle where finding the near approach of Death he charged his Son Edward who was to succeed him that he should be industrious to bring the Scots under the English Obedience and that he should carry his Bones along with him through Scotland the better to render him victorious commanding on pain of his Curse not without common consent to recall out of Banishment Pierce Gavestone and farther enjoining him to send his Heart into the Holy Land accompanied with 149 Knights and their Train to which end he had laid up two thousand pounds of Silver and that upon pain of Damnation the Money should be turned to no other use then removing from Carlisle to Bury upon the Sands he there dyed of a Dissentery anno 1307. and his Body buried at Westminster This Edward the First was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitain c. eldest Son to Henry the Third by Eleanor his Queen his first Wife was Eleanor Daughter to Ferdinand the Third King of Castile by whom he had Issue John Henry and Alphons all dying young Edward who succeeded him Eleanor married to Henry the Third Earl of Barrie Joan married to Gilbert Clare Earl of Hereford and Gloucester Margaret married to John the Second Duke of Brabant Berenger Alice and then Mary who at the earnest Entreaty of her Grandmother became a veiled Nun at the Age of Ten years Elizabeth first married to John Earl of Holland and Zealand then to Humfrey Bohun Earl of Hartford and ctssex then Beatrix and Blanch. By his Second Wife Margaret Daughter to Philip the Hardy King of France he had Issue Thomas Earl of Norfolk and Earl Marshal of England Edmund Earl of Kent and Eleanor who dyed young he began his Reign on the 16th of November anno 1272. and reigned 34 Years 7 Months and 12 days dying in the 35th year of his Reign and the 69th of his Age. Thus did grim Death close up our Monarch's eyes From whom no mortal Might could take the Prize In Arms renowned the World his Fame has heard Belov'd by most and by all Mankind fear'd The Reign and Actions of Edward the Second King of England c. THis King from the place of his Birth was called Edward of Caernavon he began his Reign anno 1307
and prosecuting the Wars of Scotland he obliged many of the Scotch Nobility to doe him Homage at Dumsreize and upon his return he imprisoned Walter Bishop of Chester seizing upon all his Goods and Credits for causing by his Complaint the Banishment of Gaveston in the Reign of Edward the First as likewise himself to be restrained in his disorderly way of living Then passing the Seas he at Bulloign in France married young Isabel Daughter to Philip the Fair. King of France and returned with her in a most splendid manner bringing back with him Gaveston his darling Favourite who was a Gentleman Stranger brought up with him in his youth and now under the Influence of the King began to be so imperious that the Nobility was set against him yet the King who thought nothing too dear for his Minion not only upheld him but supplied him with Treasure to the highest Profuseness giving him his Jewels and wishing nothing more than that he might succeed him in the Throne which obliged the Parliament to pass an Act for his perpetual Banishment but had much difficulty to get it passed by the King nor did he doe it but to pass another giving him a great Summe of Money however with reluctancy he signed it yet he would suffer his Privado whom he had made Earl of Cornwall to be no farther from him than Ireland where he maintained him in a splendid manner and within a while called him to Court and married him to Joan of Acres Countess of Gloucester his Sisters Daughter which made him more insolent than ever consuming the King's Treasure in Feasts Plays and other Riotous Proceedings at such a rate that there was not enough left to supply the necessities of the Court drawing the King likewise into such Debaucheries that the Queen finding her self sensibly injured reproved him at first with mildness but finding that ineffectual she openly complained so that Gaveston was a third time banished yet he staid not long before the King privately sent for him making him principal Secretary of State which so incensed as well the Bishops as the Temporal Lords that they resolved to expell him by Force of Arms chusing for their Leader Thomas Earl of Lancaster and at Dathington whither his Fear had driven him he was surprized by Guy Earl of Warwick who conveyed him to Blacklow where several of the Nobles consulting that if he was set at Liberty he would work their Ruine with the King they proceeded to prevent it and without any formal Tryall caused his head to be struk off which greatly incensed the King and raised in him a mortal Enmity against those Lords yet by the Mediation of Gilbert Earl of Gloucester they were seemingly forgiven The Scots about this time rising in arms under David Bruce whom they had chosen their King or Leader entering England and doing great Mischief in Northumberland King Edward marched against them but in this expedition many of the discontented Lords refused to aid him under pretence that he had delayed to ratifie their Liberties and Charters through which defect he received a great overthrow near Bannocksbourn for there the two Armies joining the crafty Scots had in divers places made deep Trenches covering them with rotten Hurdles and Earth so that the English Chavalry pressing on fell into those Pits and were gored upon the sharp Stakes that were placed at the bottom and although the King behaved himself with much bravery refusing to leave the field till he was forced thence by his Friends yet the Earl of Gloucester the Lord Clifford and about seven hundred Knights and Esquires with a great number of common Soldiers were slain many Nobles taken Prisoners together with a large Booty and this was the greatest Advantage the Scots ever gained over the English which encouraged them to make deeper Inroads with whom some of the discontented English joined while King Edward in the most solemn Pomp interred the Body of Gaveston at Kings-Langley in Hertfordshire and soon after instead of one he raised up two Privadoes or Favourites viz. the Spencers Father and Son who perceiving themselves high in the King's Favour instead of taking warning by the Fate of Gaveston they strove to exceed him to pride and Arrogance which soon procured them the hatred of the Nobles to such a degree that the King could not consider himself in Safety till he had consented to their Banishment But now the Queen who had hitherto been a Mediatrix between the King and his Barons being denied a Night's Lodging in one of the Baron's Castles she so highly resented the Affront that her former good Offices were changed into Studies of Revenge and in this humour she laboured with the King to ruine those she a little before had sought to protect and the King easily exasperated soon consented to pleasure her to his Power and therefore to cross the Barons he caused the Judgment against the Spencers to be reversed Some of the delinquent Lords fearing the Storm that threatened them submitted to the King others were taken Prisoners as the two Roger Mortimers Father and Son and committed to the Tower but the rest resolved to stand out under the Leading of the Earl of Lancaster but they were overthrown at Burrough-bridg where Humphrey de Bohun was slain by a Spear from under the Bridge And the Earl with other principal Men to the number of Ninety or upwards most of them Barons and Knights were taken Prisoners by Andrew de Herkerly Captain of Carlisle for which Service he was afterward created Earl of that place These Noble Prisoners were not long confined before they too sensibly felt the King's Anger for being pushed on by the Queen the Spencers and other Court Favourites he caused the Earl of Lancaster his Unkle to be beheaded at Pontefract where he stayed five hours upon the Scaffold before the Sheriff could procure an Executioner and the Barons and Knights were hanged and quartered in divers places And here the Queen had her Revenge for the Lord Badelmere who refused her the Lodging being taken amongst others was hanged before it so that by this rigorous Execution most of the Noble English Bloud supplyed the thirsty Earth with too precious a draught But it appears that this Cruelty was rather an Act of the Courtiers than done by the King 's natural Inclination for one of a mean family being taken in the Rebellion and the Favourites pleading earnestly for his Pardon the King in a great rage reviled them in these terms viz. A plague upon you cursed Whisperers malitious Backbiters wicked Counselors Intreat you for the Life of a most notorious Knave who would not speak one word for the Life of my near Kinsman that most noble Knight Earl Thomas By the Soul of God this Fellow shall dye the death he has deserved and accordingly he was executed In the Year 1322. The King to revenge former Injuries marched with a great Army into Scotland but through the neglect of his Purveyors
a great Scarcity of Provision happening he was constrained without performing any memorable Action to make his Retreat nor was the Scots so contented but falling on his Rear not only cut off a great many of his Men but obliged him to leave his Baggage with much Treasure as a Prey to them But now the Pope in favour of England having interdicted Scotland a Truce was concluded between the two Kingdoms for thirteen Years and so ended this tedious War and the King had leisure to make his Progress through the several Counties of York Lancaster and the Marches of Wales punishing such as had been in the former Rebellion and amongst others Andrew de Herkerley was drawn hanged and quartered for taking part with the Scots But now a greater Storm began to gather for young Mortimer making his Escape out at a Window and swimming the River of Thames fled beyond the Seas and joined himself to other Fugitives and banished English and not long after the Spencers oppressing the Kingdom and setting the King against the Queen she under a pretence of Visiting her Father's Court at Paris found means with her Son Edward to get beyond the Seas and refused upon the King 's sending for her to return till she joining with Mortimer her dear Fovourite and other Lords raising a considerable Power and holding Correspondence with the Lords that yet were disaffected in England landed in a hostil manner and marched against the King who was preparing to oppose her seizing upon many considerable Towns The King by this Proceeding finding himself in distress and that the Londoners and many of the Lords had declared against him setting the Prisoners every where at Liberty and recalling those that were banished thought it good to avoid coming to Battel whereupon the Queen with her Forces sate down before Bristol took it and therein Spencer the Elder whom she caused to be cut up alive after being dragged through the Streets for the Satisfaction of the People who mortally hated him And now the King finding himself in a manner forsaken fled into Wales and there for a time lay secret in the Abby of Neath but in the end being discovered and with him the younger Spencer Robert Baldok Chancellour and Simon de Reading the King hereupon was conveyed to Kenelworth Castle and the Lords to Hereford where the Queen lay and there Spencer and Reading being condemned by Sir William Trussel Lord Chief Justice on that occasion they were hanged The Confederates with the Queen having in this manner imprisoned the King and not conceiving it safe to set him at Liberty resolved amongst themselves to make Edward his Son a Prince of about thirteen years of Age King and thereupon sent Sir William Trussel to the Castle where the King was Prisoner to acquaint him with what was intended which put him into a mortal Agony from whence being recovered he greatly lamented and bewailed his hard Fate however Trussel being instructed what to doe proceeded to unking him in these words I William Trussel in the Name of all Men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator do resign to thee Edward the Homage that was made to thee some time and from this time forward I deprive thee and defie thee of all Power Royal and I shall never be tendent to thee after this time Anno Dom. 1327. And here following the Rule of other Historians we put an End to his Reign though he lived in Captivity as we shall have occasion to mention in the Reign of his Son This Edward the Second was King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Aquitain and fourth Son of Edward the First by Eleanor his Queen he began his Reign the 7th of June Anno 1307. and reigned 19 Years 6 Months and 18 days and was the 30th sole Monarch of England he was murthered Anno 1327. in the 20th Year of his coming to the Crown and the 41st of his Age and afterward buried at Gloucester His Wife was Isabel Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France and by her he had Issue Edward of Windsor John of Eltham Joan married to David Bruce and Eleanor married to Reynold Duke of Guelder In his time there happened a very great Famine throughout England with many strange Sights betokening the Woes and Miseries that after followed c. Thus by misguided Zeal a Monarch fell Vndone by Parasites he lov'd too well Hard Fate of Princes that in time wont see Their Friends from Foes untill they ruin'd be The Reign and Actions of Edward the Third King of England c. EDward the Third though scarcely of sufficient years of Discretion to know what belonged to the Titles or Rights of Crowns and Kingdoms had however more compassion on his afflicted Father than the Queen his Mohter had on her Husband for young as he was when he heard what had happened he greatly bewailed his Misfortune vowing never to take upon him the Government unless the King freely consented to resign without compulsion nor could they constrain him to it but with threats that they would utterly reject the whole Line and chuse a King out of the Nobility though of another Family Upon these Considerations the young King eight days after his Father's Resignation was crowned with the usual Ceremonies but the old King being yet alive and the People compassionating his Captivity his Deposers thought themselves no ways secure especially Mortimer who was suspected to be over familiar with the Queen and from that time they fell to plotting his death in order to which Mortimer procured an express from the young King to remove him under pretences of Friendship and Advantage but indeed that he might put him into such hands as he was sure would dispatch him and thereupon he was conveyed to Berkley Castle when by the way for fear he should be rescued by the People who had yet some remains of Love for him they set him on a Mole-hill in order to shave him for the better disquise and in an insulting manner told him That the Water of the next Ditch should accommodate him for that purpose to which the sorrowfull King replied That there should be warm Water whether they would or not and thereupon sent forth a floud of Tears and being arrived at Berkley Castle in the Custody of Thomas Gurney and John Matravers he was murthered by them or such as they appointed in this barbarous manner viz. being bound to a bed with his face downwards they thrust a hollow Horn into his Fundament and through that to prevent any burning or searing in the outward parts they thrust an Iron Instrument red hot twisting it amidst his Bowels till with horrible pain and torment amidst crys and groans he expired And this Wickedness Historians record to be acted upon Mortimer's sending an ambiguous Sentence prepared by Adam Torleton Eishop of Hereford to such as kept the Castle viz. Edvardum occedere nolite tâ—mere bonum est To kill King Edward refuse to
be afraid is good This passage in Mortimer's Letter being written without stops and the Keeper well-knowing that aspiring Lord had no kindness for the King took it as the Writer truly meant though Mortimer upon his being Accused alledged his Command was not to kill the King but that he sent word it was good to be afraid to doe it Young King Edward upon the inhumane Murther of his Father was on the Borders of Scotland and had environed the Scots in the Woods of Wividale and Stanhope but Mortimer desirous to eclipse the Glory of that young Prince that his own might appear so carried the Matter that through the carelessness of the English Army they escaped so that the King after a vast Expence of Treasure and the hazard of his Life which had been lost had not his Chaplain stepped between him and Death receiving the mortal Wound in his own Body returned inglorious And soon after Joan the King's Sister was married to David Bruce whom the Scots had made their King whereupon a Peace though somewhat dishonourable to the English ensued and in the same year viz. 1327 dyed Charles the Fair King of France without Issue by which means that Crown devolved to King Edward in Right of his Mother Daughter to Philip the Fair and Sister to Chaâ—lâ—s but to bar the English of that Advantage the French Peers opposed their Salique Law pretending thereby that no Woman was capable of Inheriting the Crown of France or being admitted the Regency and thereupon they admitted Phillip de Valois whose Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair which afterward cost the French many showers of Bloud About this time the Lord Mortimer and the Queen Mother perceiving Edmund Earl of Kent the King's Uncle to cross their purposes found means to procure his Death which so far opened the Eyes of the young King together with the Report that his Mother was with Child by Mortimer as not to think himself in safety till he had crushed that ambitious Man and the better to doe it he undertook a daring Enterprize for fearing he was with the Queen at Notingham Castle notwithstanding it was strongly guarded he entered in the night time accompanied with a few of his trusty Friends and by an unsuspected way viz. through a Vault under ground coming suddenly into his Mother's Chamber found Mortimer undressed and ready to go to Bed to her whereupon he caused him to be a Arrested and carried away Prisoner and being tryed in open Parliament he was Condemened at Westminster upon several Articles viz. For causing the King to make a dishonorable Peace with the Scots and taking large Bribes to procure it For procuring the Death of King Edward the Second and his over Familiarity with Queen Isabel For his oppressing the People by illegal Exactions And lastly For embezzling the King's Treasures And for these and the like receiving Sentence as a Traytor he was drawn to Tyburn and there hanged and his Body left on the Gallows for the space of two days and nights and with him in the same manner dyed Sir Simon de Bedford and John Deverell Esq as Contrivers of King Edward the Second's Death the Queen had likewise her Pension shortened And now there arising a Dispute between the Houses of Baliol and Bruce for the Crown of Scotland King Edward not thinking himself obliged to stand to what Mortimer and his Mother had done in his Minority since many of his Towns were detained raised a considerable Army and striking in with Edward Baliol besieged Berwick when to relieve it the whole Power of Scotland advanced so that at Halydon Hill the Battel was joined and after an obstinate bloudy Fight the Scots were routed with great slaughter there dyed Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus Governour of Scotland the Earls of Southerland Carrick and Ross the three Sons of the Lord Walter Steward and about 14000 of lesser rank with a very inconsiderable damage to the English whereupon Berwick surrendered and Baliol was accepted King of Scotland submitting to King Edward as his Homager for the Kingdom and he in lieu thereof became his Protector King Edward having settled Scotland began to take into Consideration the Injuries the French had done in preventing him of his Right as likewise by encroaching upon his Territories in that Kingdom and finding no redress by way of Embassy he resolved to gain it by the Sword yet to justifie his Actions he sent his Reasons to the College of Cardinals and the better to strengthen his Interest made a League with the High and Low Dutch as he did with other foreign Potentates and now he proceeds to require a Supply which being liberally given and Moneys raised by sundry other ways he raised a gallant Army and crossed the Seas to Antwerp assuming by the importunity of the Flemings the Title and Armories of France quartering the Lillies with the Lions and having all things in a readiness he entered the North part of that Kingdom burning and destroying the Country as far as Turwin returning with the Spoil to Antwerp where with Philippa his Queen he kept Christmas and about Candlemas set Sail for England The French having had a tast of the King of England's Courage and he resolving to goe on pressed the Parliament for a greater Supply which was liberally granted and he in lieu of that Kindness gave a general Pardon of Trespasses and other dues to him confirming Magna Charta and Charta de Forestae and on the 23d of June set sail from Harwich intending for Sluce but in the way was encountered by 400 French Ships with which the King engaged and having the favour of the Wind and Sun made an almost incredible Destruction so that the terrour of the English caused many of the French to leave their Ships and leap into the Sea so that Thirty thousand are said to have perished together with the greatest part of the Fleet and the King landing entered France sitting down before Tourney from whence he sent the French King a Challenge to fight single handed for the Kingdom or if that pleased not each to bring 100 Men into the Field for the saving the effusion of more bloud or otherwise within Ten days to join Battel near Tourney But to this King Philip made no direct Answer alledging the Letter was not sent to him the King of France but barely to Philip d' Valois for so it was directed and he therefore thought himself in honour not bound to Answer it yet he approached the English Camp with a very numerous Army and every day Battel was expected but Two Cardinals and the Mother of King Philip so laboured to prevent the slaughter that must have ensued that a Truce was concluded till the Midsummer following The Truce was no sooner expired but King Edward invaded Normandy to the City of Caen and over-ran the Countrey allmost within sight of the Walls of Paris forcing his way over the Sein and where the Bridges were broken
Crown of France and Dutchy of Normandy c and in lieu thereof King John and his Son should for them and their Heirs release unto King Edward and his Heirs the entire Countrey of Aquitain Santogne and their Dependences c. That King John should pay 300000 Schuts of Gold each valued at six Shillings eight pence Sterling which Agreement was ratified at Calais but not all performed for now the Black Prince dying Anno 1377. in the 46th year of his Age and the King growing in years and sickly matters abroad were neglected and the French renewed their Encroachments nor did the King long survive the death of that dear Son for having appointed the Son of that Prince to succeed him in the Throne he dyed on the 21st of June Anno 377. in the 51st year of his Reign and was the 31st sole Monarch of England c. This Edward was King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain eldest Son to Edward the Second by Isabel his Queen Daughter to Philip the Fair King of France he dyed at Shene in Surry and was buried at Westminster his Wife was Philip Daughter to the Earl of Hanault and Holland by whom he had Issue Edward the Black Prince William of Hatfield Lionel Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edward Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York William of Windsor and Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Gloucester Isabel married to Ingelram of Guisnes Earl of Soysons and Arch Duke of Austria Joan espoused by proxy to Alphons the Eleventh King of Castile and Leon but dyed before the consummation of the Nuptials Blanch who dyed young Mary married to John Montfort Duke of Bretaigne and Margaret married to John de Hasting Earl of Pembroke He built many stately Fabricks settled the Wool Staple at Calais instituted the Order of the Garter restrained the Pope from conferring Benefices upon Strangers constituted Prince Edward his Son first Duke of Cornwall since inherent to the Eldest Son of the Kings of England in his time florished the famous John Wickliff who first openly and successfully opposed the Pope and exposed the manifest Errours of the Church of Rome Blazing Stars likewise appeared with continued Rains and a great Mortality through all Europe so vehemently that the Dead were more than the Living Thus the great Warrier after all his Toil From whom whilst living none could take the spoil Dropt in old Age and made the Grave his Bed Whom late the Nations did both love and dread The Reign and Actions of Richard the II. King of England c. THis Richard was Son to Edward the Black Prince he was crowned on the 21st of June 1377 in the eleventh Year of his Age but the Government growing out of Frame by reason of the King's Nonage and the Differences amongst the Nobility the French took the opportunity to invade some Sea coast Towns and the Scots were emboldened to enter England burning Roxborough and to augment the miseries of the English the Pestilence raged fearfully in the Northern parts so that the glorious Face of things seemed utterly to be changed but a better Accord ensuing the Earl of Northumberland regained Berwick and in the Year 1379. a Parliament being held at London where it was agreed that the more wealthy sort should be taxed for the King 's present occasions and the poorer exempted but this held not long for the next year another Parliament being called at Northampâ—on a Poll Tax was agreed on that every Person of either Sex above the Age of Sixteen should pay 12 pence a head which was looked upon as so great a Grievance that many refused not only to pay it but took up Arms especially in Kent Surry Essex Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridge-shire under the Leading of those notorious Persons Jack Straw and Wat. Tyler who making no less than one hundred thousand came to London where the multitude sided with them and committed many outrages as burning the Priory of Saint John's the Duke of Lancaster's Palace at the Savoy us likewise the Archbishop of Canterbury's Goods at Lambeth defacing all Rolls Records and Writings wherever they found them as professing themselves great Enemies to the Law nor did this suffice but dragging the Archbishop then Chancellour of England and Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of St. John's out of the Tower though the King was present they in a rude and barbarous manner heheaded them on logs of Timber with loud Shouts and Rejoicings and proceeded to exhibite many unreasonable Petitions yet necessity constrained the King either to dissemble their Insolence or grant them their Demands whereupon many dispersed went to their respective Habitations and the rest the King by his Proclamation ordered to meet him in Smithfield with promises of Satisfaction where in great numbers they came armed with a Messeline of Weapons headed by Wat. Tyler who in presence of the King using insolent Speeches and attempting to kill Sir John Newton for contradicting him William Walworth Lord Mayor of London being by and no longer able to endure such Arrogance after some Expressions of his Resentment stabbed Tyler with a Dagger which his companions perceiving prepared to take a bloudy Revenge but the King taking courage spurred forward commanding them to follow him declaring that he would be their Captain and in the mean while Walworth armed the Citizens and came with a thousand well appointed men bearing Tyler's Head on a Spear before them by which he so daunted the rout that they threw down their Weapons and besaught the King's Mercy with a Promise of future Obedience and Walworth for this Act was knighted with a Donative of one hundred pounds a year free Land and from this Action many will have it that the Dagger was added to the City Arms and soon after this Jack Straw and about 1500 others were executed upon the account of this Rebellion Straw at his death confessing that their Design was to murther the King and Nobles and set up petty Kings of their own chusing in every Shire The Nation being better at quiet the King bethought himself of Marrying and in order to it having treated with the Emperour Charles the Fourth for the Lady Anne his Daughter she was sent into England and the Nuptials were celebrated upon which a Peace with France ensued yet the Scots continued to invade the Northern parts though with various Success but this was not all for the King advancing divers persons of mean worth to the highest Dignities or at least the greatest Favours and places of Trust the Nobles began to murmur and fall off so that although a Parliament was called they would not grant the King any Aids unless his Favourites were removed or degraded which he could not well digest and therefore resolved to find out some other way to supply his Coffers in order to which he seized upon the Estates and Effects of sundry that had withdrawn themselves and consulting his Lawyers for his better justification
about sundry Articles of Treason in the compass of which the Lords that stood out might fall he got them subscribed at Nottingham by Robert Trisilian Chief Justiciar Robert Belknap Chief Justice of the Common Pleas John Holt Roger Fulthrop and William Burgh Justiciars as likewise by John Lecton Serjeant at Law whereupon he proclaimed them Traitors and both sides armed but the King finding the Lords too powerfull for him and that they had discovered the Snares he had laid to entrap them thought it no time to oppose his small number against forty thousand men but shut himself up with such Forces as he had in the Tower of London where he had laid up Stores for his Subsistence if things came to farther Extremity The King withdrawn the Lords came to Westminster and there assembling to consult what was to be done they resolved to dispatch a Messenger to let the King know that if he left not the Tower and came quickly to them that things might be better settled and ordered they would proceed to chuse a King that should and would hearken to and the Judgment and Counsel of his Peers This though much against his will constrained him to meet them at Westminster and after some debate consented to remove from his Person Alexander Nevil Archbishop of York the Bishops of Durham and Chichester the Lords Zouch and Beaumont and many others with certain chargeable Court-Ladies who were maintained as Spies upon the Actions of the Nobility and the better to make up the breach a Parliament was summoned in which the Judges were called to an Account for the subscribing of the Articles and other matters and most of them being arrested as they sate in Judgment were sent Prisoners to the Tower but Trisilian took an opportunity to escape yet being apprehended he was in the morning sentenced in Parliament and in the Afternoon pursuant to that Sentence as one that had wheedled in the rest to a compliance he was conveyed to Tyburn and there had his Throat cut by Hand of the common Executioner and many others were put to death as evil Counselours and Betrayers of the People The Estates of the King 's chief Favourites were likewise confiscated but the Scots at the same time invading the Northern Parts the Proceedings were not carried on to the highth as was otherways intended and not long after the Scale turned for another Parliament being called at London the Sanctuary of former Laws and all partscular Charters of Pardon were disannulled and taken away from Thomas Duke Gloucester the Earl of Arundel and others for their Treasonable Practices and Enterprizes and all the Justiciars who stood for the King were cleared from the Danger and Scandal they lay under and the Articles they had signed were ratified and such as had offended against them proclaimed Traitors and Richard Earl of Arundâ—l was beheaded on Tower-Hill as guilty of the breach of them The Earl of Warwick upon the like cause was banished and the Duke of Gloucester arrested and carried to Calais where he was privately made away and the King created himself Earl of Chester and to his Escutcheon Royal added the Armories of Edward the Confessour creating his Cosin Henry Duke of Hereford who was not long after accused by Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk for speaking dangerous words of the King and Mowbray constantly affirming what Hereford denied the Combat was granted them and all things in order to it prepared but when they were entred the Lists and at the point of defying each other to death the King threw down his Warder by that means staying the Combat changed the manner of the Order and banished them the Kingdom the Duke of Norfolk for ever and the Duke of Hereford first for ten Years then for six only constraining them upon pain of death immediately to depart and soon after the Duke of Lancaster Father to the latter and Uncle to the King dying he seized on all his Wealth which was extremely considerable he being looked upon one of the richest uncrowned Heads in Europe Long had not these Things passed before the Irish fell into Rebellion when to quiet them King Richard raised a great Army to supply which he grievously oppressed his Subjects by a heavy Tax which begot no small Hatred amongst the People so that some of the Nobles who favoured Hereford now become Duke of Lancaster sent to him to advertize him of the Discontents letting him know that this was his time to make his Fortune and he not delaying the opportunity with an Army of about 2000 English and Foreigners landed whilst King Richard was busie in Ireland and was immediately joined by the Earl of Northumberland and his Son and declaring as a specious pretence he came for no more than his Dutchy of Lancaster the People in compassion of his wrong flocked about him from all parts so that the Duke of York whom King Richard had left Governour of the Kingdom till his Return from his Irish Expedition not being able to oppose the Torrent was obliged to acquiess and suffer him to take Bristol where Bushy and Green two of the King 's Privy Counselours being made Prisoners they lost their Heads to please the multitude This allarmed King Richard in Ireland and obliged him to hasten for England gathering some Troups in Wales which he joined to those he brought over but few of the Nobles coming to his Assistence and finding himself too weak to oppose the Torrent he suffered them to disband and betook himself with a few of his Followers to Conwoth Castle and from thence sent to demand Honourable Conditions and amongst the rest That if himself and eight more whom he should name might have Allowance becoming their Qualities and an assurance of a quiet Private Life he would be content to resign the Crown to his Cosin the Duke of Lancaster and being promised what what was demanded he put himself into the hands of the Earl of Northumberland and was conveyed to the Tower of London whereupon a Parliament was called in his Name to sit at Westminster who concluding upon his Resignation sent an Instrument to him in order to his subscribing which being accordingly done as likewise seal'd he put his Signet Ring upon the Duke's Finger and after this a definitive Sentence passed in Parliament at which time the Duke of Lancaster rising from his Seat made his Claim and Challenge to the Crown in the following words viz. In the Name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Apurtenances as coming of the Bloud Royal from King Henry the Third and that Justice which God of his Grace doth send me by the help of my Friends for the Recovery of the said Realm which was in point of Perdition through default of Government and breach of Laws After this Claim Henry was acknowledged by all the Estates for King and seated in the Royal Throne which is accounted the end of Richard's
Reign This Richard the Second was King of England and France Lord of Ireland and Duke of Aquitain second Son to Edward the Black Prince by Joan his Wife Daughter to Edmund Earl of Kent His Reign began the 21st day of June 1377. and he reigned 22 Years three Months and eight days and was the 22d sole Monarch of England c. and was murthered in Pontefract Castle as will appear in the next Reign He had two Wives but no Issue or at least none that survived him his last Wife Isabel Daughter to Charles the Fifth King of France being so young that she was incapable of consummating the Joys of a Marriage Bed c. In his time made Portents and Prodigies happened the Bay and Lawrel Trees withered throughout England and suddenly after became green and flourishing and the deep River near Bedford divided into two Streams leaving the Chanel dry for three miles He caused his Palace of Shene now Richmond in Surry to be demolished occasioned by the excessive grief he conceived for the loss of his first Wife Queen Ann who dyed there he likewise upon the City's refusing to lend him 1000 l took away their Charter and obliged them to ransome it at a far greater Summe Thus we behold how Fortune plays with Kings There 's nothing stable found in earthly things The Greatness that on Power and Honour grows Like the wild Ocean has its Ebbs and Flows The Reign and Actions of Henry the IV. King of England c. HEnry of Bullinbrook so called from the place of his Birth Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster upon the Resignation of King Richard was crowned by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury making it his business to ingratiate himself with the People thereby the better to secure what he had gained he sent his Ambassadours likewise abroad to keep up the Correspondency with foreign Princes as also to justifie his Proceedings but France and Normandy approved not of them but rather condemned what had pasted in dishonour of King Richard nor were there divers in England wanting who laboured to restore him and amongst these were John Holland Earl of Huntington Thomas Hollnnd Earl or Kent John Mâ—â—acute Earl of Salisbuy Thomas Spencer Earl oâ— â—â—â—ucester with the Dukes of Surry Exeter and 〈…〉 but these Lords were altogether unsuccessfull 〈◊〉 Undertaking although they raised a considerable number of Persons in Arms giving out King Richard was at liberty and there present the better to confirm which they had gotten his Chaplain to personate him for the Townsmen of Cyrencester assailed them took divers of them and because some of the Lords Servants had fired the Town to contribute to their Masters Escape whilst the People were busie in extinguishing the Flames they in Revenge cut off the Heads of such Noblemen as they had taken without Law or Process and the Commons of Essex did the like to the Earl of Huntingdon in revenge of the Duke of Gloucester's Death mentioned in the foregoing Reign to be made away at Cailais The Lord Spencer falling into the hands of the Rabble at Bristol met the same Fate Others were put to Death at Oxford and some at London John Maudlin the Counterfeit Richard and one Thurby were drawn hanged and quartered The Bishop of Carlisle was condemned but afterwards pardoned and thus the Attempt was totally frustrated yet it proved fatal to Richard for Henry finding he could not assure himself in the Throne whilst the deposed King lived and he purposely letting fall some words before his Favourites as Who shall rid me of the cause of my troubles c. Sir Pierce of Exton to curry-favour with him went to the Castle where King Richard was lodged and gaining admittance under pretence of an Order from the King he and seven of his Accomplices fell upon and murthered that poor Prince with Battel-Axes yet before he fell wresting a Weapon he killed four of them others will have him to dye through Famine and Discontent which may appear something likely when we consider he was exposed at St. Paul's London for the space of three days thereby to assure the People of his Death and prevent any Counterfeit that might be set up and afterwards buried at Kings-Langly in Hartfordshire yeâ— in the fifth year of Henry the V. his Remains were brought to Westminster and interred with his Ancestours where some will have that beautifull Pâ—â—ture of a King Crowned in a Chair of State to be placed at the upper end of the Choir in memory â— him However this freed not Henry from dangâ—â—â—â— for the Scots entered England and the Welsh took 〈◊〉 Arms under the Leading of Owen Glendour but were both defeated yet these publick Practices were seconded with a private one which had proveâ— more dangerous had it taken effect viz. a Calthrop being an Engine with four sharp Spears standing upward was placed in his Bed and had peradventure put an end to his days had he not espyed it before he lay down but it could not be known who placed it there The Welsh who rather retired than over-come took Arms in greater number and overthrowing the Lord Edward Mortimer who was sent to surpress them took him Prisoner and obliged him to marry Glendour's Daughter nor did People spare to spread abroad sundry inveterate Libels for which some were executed and amongst them several Gray Fryars and the King going against the Welsh was repulsed by a mighty Storm yet succeeded his Lieutenant the Early of Northumberland and his Son Piercy Hoâ—spur better against the Scots in the North for by them the Scots were overthrown in two Battels and some Persons of note taken Prisoners The King being at this time a Widower took to Wife the Lady Jane of Navarre Widow to John de Mountfort Duke of Britain which Marriage was followed by dreadfull Prodigies and soon after the Lord Piercy Hotspur when he had done Wonders against the Scots and thinking his Services slighted grew discontented and turned his Arms against King Henry and with him joyned Mortimer Earl of March Henry Piercy his Father and Owen Glendour pretending a Care to reform Disorders in the Government though it was afterwards discovered they intended nothing more than their own Interest for Mortimer was to have the South part of â—â—gland Piercy the North Glendour all beyond the 〈◊〉 and Archibald Earl of Douglas who had beâ—â—â—â— been takan Prisoner to have his Liberty and the Town of Berwick with the Territories belonging to it but before they could gather into any great Body the King was advancing with a powerfull Army towards Shrewsbury which they had fortified when Hotspur no sooner discovered the Royal Standard but resolving to loose his Life or win the Day drew out Fourteen thousand Men and desperately engaged the King and Prince Henry his Son yet being inferiour in number though he fought with a Courage beyond expression Fortune that never before failed him turned her back so that he was slain and the Earls
so far prevailed with the easie King that a Reconciliation was made and the Kuke of Somerset who mainly opposed the Yorkists Interest was confined a Prisoner to his house which done the Duke of York dissolved his Army and came to London making great complaints to the King against Somerset of which that Duke had no sooner notice but he came before the King and accused his Accuser Face to Face charging him with High-Treason as having conspired to depose the King and take the Sovereignty on himself whereupon the Duke of York was confined till such time as he swore in St. Paul's Church before a great Concourse of Nobility to continue a true faithfull and obedient Subject to King Henry And about this time by the success of John Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury the Affairs of France began to appear in a better posture for by the prevailing Arms of this valiant man Burdeaux the chief City in Normandy was taken with many other Places of Note but upon his attempting to relieve Castilion charging the Enemy upon unequal Terms he was slain in the Field together with his Son the Viscount Lisle and with him dyed all the English hope of ever recovering what was lost in France for the Duke of York not regarding his Oath An. 1445. took up Arms and broke into the King's Palace and the King to oppose him drew out considerable Forces so that a great Battel was fought at St. Albans where the King was wounded with an Arrow and taken Prisoner and the Duke of Somerset the Earls of Northumberland and Stafford together with the Lord Clifford and divers other Knights and Gentlemen of the Royal Party slain Henry being brought to London a Parliament was called in which the Memories and Honours of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester were restored and those that had taken up Arms under the Duke of York indempnified of the Treason and that Duke created Protectour of England The Earl of Salisbury made Chancellour and the Earl of Warwick his Son Captain of Calais And thus having gotten the Power into their hands they worked out the Counsellours and Favourites of the King placing such in their stead as would stickle for their Interest The Divisions gave the French the boldness to make discents into several places In Kent and Devonshire they burnt some Towns and committed many Outrages which yet abated not the heat and heart-burning of the English one to another for although 〈◊〉 Lords met and concluded a seeming Agreementâ— yet it lasted not long before both side â—â—â—â—med and a mortal Battel was fought on 〈…〉 where the King's Party was worsted And soon after another Battel was fought at Ludlow where the Duke and his Adherents received a great overthrow and the Town of Ludlow laid in Ruines for adhering to the Yorkists and hereupon a Parliament was called wherein the Duke of York the Earls of March Salisbury and Rutland and others were attainted of High Treason and had their Estates confiscated But on the 9th of July 1460. the Scale turned for in a fatal Battel at Northampton the King was overthrown by means of the revolt of the Lord Grey of Ruthen and in this Battel on the King's part there were slain the Duke of Buckingham the Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Beaumont the Lord Egrinham Sir William Lucy and others and the King himself was made Prisoner and carried to London where in a Parliament begun the 8th of October the Duke of York laid Claim to the Crown and set forth his Pedigree and urged it so far that the Parliament came to a conclusion That Henry should enjoy the Crown during his natural Life but then it should fall to the Duke of York and his heirs and the heirs of Henry to be utterly excluded and accordingly the Duke was proclaimed Heir apparent to the Crown But Queen Margaret who was in the North raising Forces resolved not to stand to what her Husband had been forced to consent to but to maintain the right of her Son Prince Edward but having gathered a considerable Army she marched towards London against her the Duke drew out and near Wakefield a bloudy and doubtfull Battel was faught in which the Duke of York was slain his Forces overthrown his Son the Earl of Rutland killed begging his Life on his Knees and the Earl of Salisbury taken Prisoner and beheaded the Duke's head was cut off and a Paper Crown set upon it by way of derision and thus had ended the fatal Quarrel between the Houses of York and Lancaster had not Edward Earl of March eldest Son to the Duke of York advanced with a great Army gathered in the Marches of Wales and near Mortimer's Cross in Ludlow fought with the Queens Army when at the joining of the Battel three Suns appeared in the Firmament which immediately united into one In this Battel the Queens Forces were overthrown with great Slaughter and Owen Tudor Father in law to King Henry VII being taken Prisoner was together with Sir John Scudemore and his two Sons beheaded but An. 1460. the Queen overthrew the Earl of March in a great Battel at St. Albans rescuing King Henry out of his hands who was brought thither to countenance the Soldiers but the Londoners sided with him and upon the Queens drawing off to the North proclaimed him King of England c. And here Historians put an end to King Henry's Reign though he lived much longer as will appear in the succeeding Reign his Wife was Margaret Daughter to Reynate King of Jerusalem c. by her he had Issue Edward This Henry was King of England and France and Lord of Ireland the onely Child of Henry the Fifth by Katharine his Queen he began his Reign on the 30th of August 1422. and reigned thirty eight Years 6 Months and 3 Days being the thirty fifth sole Monarch of England and was stabbed to the heart in the Tower by Richard Duke of Gloucester Brother to Edward the Fourth on the 20th of May 1471. in the 46th Year of his Age buried first in the Abbey of Chartsey in Surry afterwards removed to Windsor by Henry the Seventh then removed again none knows where In his time many strange Accidents happened portending the Woes and Miscries that befell the Kingdom Thus the good pious King bereft of Crowns Bore patiently the Wreck of Fortune's frowns Yet murtherous minds were not with this content But in a stream of Bloud to Heaven he 's sent The Reign and Actions of Edward the Fourth King of England c. EDward the eldest Son to Richard Duke of York in the beginning of his Reign found great opposition from the Lancastrians who pitying the Misfortune of pious King Henry raised Forces in many parts he was crowned at Westminster but the Citizens who had been the greatest Sticklers for him not finding him answer their expectations in performing the Promises he had made them began to decline his Interest however he marched against the Forces raised in the North giving the Lord
into the Countrey he was invited to hunt in the Park of one Thomas Burdet Esq where after having caught much Game he by the persuasion oâ— some that were about him killed a white Buck which for its Tameness and comely Form was greatly beloved by the Owner and upon notice it was slain he wished the Horns of it in the Belly of those that advised the King to doe it which being over-heard by some Court Parasites they to curry favour with the King made their Report of it to him with aggravation insomuch that Burdet was tried and cast for High Treason in wishing the King's Death and accordingly beheaded at Tyburn Another Person he caused to be hanged before his own door in Cheapside for saying to a little Youth his Son that if he would mind his Book and be a good Boy he would make him heir to the Crown meaning in all probability his house that bore that Sign c. But now the King worn out with Wars and Women much grieved for the untimely death of his Brother fell sick and sending for the Nobles that were at Court he earnestly desired them to live peaceably together and have regard to his Children in their tender Years forgetting Injuries and Animosities as they tendered the Love of God and their King appointing his Son Edward a Youth of about 12 years of Age to succeed him making the Duke of Gloucester Protectour of his Person during his Minority and then gave up the Ghost on the 9th of Apr. 1483. He had Issue by Elizabeth his Wife Daughter to Richard Woodvile Earl Rivers Prince Edward Richard Duke of Bedford who dyed a Child Richard Duke of York Elizabeth married to Henry VII Ciciâ— married to the Lord Viscount Wells Anne married to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk Bridget a veiled Nun Mary who dyed 1482. Margaret who dyed an Infant Katharine married to William Courtney Earl of Devonshire his base Issue was Arthur and Elizabeth This Edward was King of England France and Lord of Ireland Son to Richard Plantagenet Duke of York he began his Reign on the 4th of March 1460. and reigned 22 Years 1 Month and 5 Days and was the 36th sole Monarch of England he dyed in the 40th year of his Age and the 23d of his Reign his Body was buried in the new Chapel at Windsor whose Foundation himself had laid Thus after bloudy Toils with restless Fate The Warlike Prince does to the Grave retreat The mighty dead now undistinguished lies Death makes the Monarch and the Slave his prize The Reign and Actions of Edward the V. King of England c. EDward V upon the death of his Father was committed to the Care and Tutulage of Sir Anthony Woodvile with whom were joined sundry of the Queens Relations before her Marriage but Richard Duke of Glocester the deceased King's Brother thirsting after Sovereignty laboured to remove them from the Person of the young King and to that â—nd hearing they were bringing him out of the Countrey whither he had retired to be crowned â—t London with a great Power and Train he so â—ealt with the Queen that she sent express word they should save the charge and trouble of so great 〈◊〉 Concourse and urged as Gloucester had insinuated that it would give the Nobility at London apprehensions of danger and occasion of disturbance or discontent and having made the Duke of Buckâ—ngham the Lord Hastings and others his Confidents he marched to Stonystratford and there took â—ho young King by force from the small Train that attended him arresting the Lord Richard Grey Sir Thomas Vaughan and Sir Richard Hawtre in the King's presence nor could his entreaty prevail for their delivery he made Sir Anthony Woodvile now Lord Rivers Prisoner and soon after sent him and the Lord Grey with a strong Guard to a Castle in the North pretending for his Justification of these proceedings that they had a design upon his Life and the Lives of the ancient Nobility that they might have the power of the King and Kingdom in their own hands and to render the report more plausible caused old Armour and rusty weapons to be shewed to the people in his way to London pretending those were the Instruments intended to doe the business The Queen upon the surprising news began to have mortal Apprehensions of the danger the King and her self were in finding how she had been imposed on by the Protectour in forbidding the strength intended for the Guard of her Son's Person and the better to secure her self she removed with her son Richard Duke of York and her Daughters into the sanctuary at Westminster and people werâ— filled with fear and confusion especially when they found the Thames full of Boats with the servants oâ— Buckingham and Gloucester in them to prevent thâ— escape of any persons that way and to prevenâ— their coming to sanctuary however the Archbishop of York comforted the Queen the best he could delivering up the Broad Seal and telling her if anâ— misfortune came to the King he would crown hiâ— Brother and the Duke of Gloucester caused thâ— Lord Hasting Lord Chamberlain to send a Messagâ— to the Archbishop to assure him all would be well but the Queen declared against that Lord as onâ— that sought the Ruine of her Family however oâ— the fourth of May the King came to Town and waâ— in much Pomp conveyed to the Bishop of London Palace where the Dukes of Gloucester Buckingham and other Noblemen swore Fealty to him and by a second Approbation the first was confirmed Protector of the King's Person and Kingdoms Gloucester having made a prosperous beginning fell to strengthening his Party and held divers Councils to contrive what was farther to be done but he found he had as yet but half his Prey in his hands and thereupon he laboured to get the Duke of York into his possession and to that end Consultations were held in the Stra-chamber where it was resolved that for sundry Reasons he should be with his Brother but the Abbat and Archbishop declaring it was no ways reasonable but alltogether dangerous to make a breach upon the sanctuary the latter was appointed to wait upon the Queen to prevail with her for his peaceable delivery and although she used many pregnant Reasons to the contrary yet understanding the Protectour was resolved to have him by force if fair means failed she with much regret and a floud of sorrow delivered him to the charge of the Archbishop and other Lords that attended saying I deliver him and his Brother into your hands of whom I shall require them before God and the World after which she tenderly kissed and embraced the Infant blessing him and weeping over him as a fatal presage of his Misfortune whilst the Child wept as fast the Protectour having gotten him he took him in his Arms and gave him a treacherous Kiss saying Now wellcome my Lord even with all my heart The Prize thus gotten the Councils were removed
one held in the Tower and the other in Bishopsgate-Street under pretence of preparing for the King's Coronation and the better to colour the matter Pageants were ordered to be made but the Protectour perceiving the Lords Hastings and Stanly to cross what he aimed at he resolved to remove those Obstacles in order to which coming in the morning to that Council in the Tower with a very pleasant countenance and excusing his lateness he went out again for a little space but then returned with a frowning and angry countenance and demanded what ought to be done to those that sought to compass his death who was of the Royal Bloud and so near allied to the Crown To which they agreed that they ought to be punished as heinous Traitours They are said the Protectour that Sorceress my Sister meaning the Queen and that Witch Shoar's Wife of her Council that have wasted my Body with their Sorceries anâ— Witchcraft and thereupon drawing up his slieve shewed his Arm which was wasted and wearish buâ— indeed had never been otherwise whereat the Lords stood mute as knowing it was only designed to quarrel with them till the Ld. Hastings presuming upon the friendship he had all along had with him and at that time keeping Jane Shoar as his Miss whom he thought to excuse said Certainty my Lord if they have so done they are worthy of punishment What replied the Protectour fiercely thou servesâ— me with If 's and And 's I tell thee they have done so and that I will make good upon thy Body Traitor Vpon me my Lord replied Hastings Yes upon thee Traitor replied the Protectour and thereupon gave a Blow with his Fist on the Table at which as the Signal one without cried Treason and immediately there rushed in a company of armed Men one of them letting fly with his Sword at the Lord Stanly and wounded him in the head nor had he failed to have cleft his Skull had he not nimbly shrunk under the Table Then the Protectour caused Hastings to be arrested bidding him speedily take a Priest and confess himself swearing by St. Paul he would not dine till he saw his Head off and it was no time for that Lord to reason the matter but taking a Priest at a venture after he was shriven his Head was struck off on a Log of Timber in the Tower and the sooner to save the Protector 's Oath who was in haste to go to dinner And thus dyed this man in the time of his greatest Security betrayed by a Servant of his whom he had too much relied on and trusted with his secrets To colour off the Murther of the Lord Hastings who fell without Process or Tryall the Lord Mayor and Aldermen were sent for to whom the Protector and Duke of Buckingham appeared in old rusty Armour declaring that their Lives being in such eminent danger by the Conspiracy of the Lord Hastings and others of which they had not been informed till ten in the Morning that in their defence they were forced to take what came first to hand requiring them so to report it to their fellow Citizens and an Instrument in Writing to the same purpose that had been drawn up before hand was Proclaimed by the Heraulds and to set some Gloss upon his Words he caused the Sheriffs of London to sieze upon all the Riches and Furniture of Jane Sheaâ—s House and commanded the Bishop of London to put her to open Pennance and accordingly she went barefoot in her Shift with a Rope about her middle and a Tapour in her hand through the Streets of London to Paul's Cross c. and further the Protector commanded under great Penalties that she should be turned into the Streets and none should relieve her yet several did it privately whose Lives and Estates she had saved by her Power and Interest with King Edward however she lived to an old Age not dying till the 20th year of the Reign of Henry the eight The Protector 's hand dipped again in Bloud he resolved not to stop but by a private Order sent to his Creature Sir Reheard Radeliff the Lords taken from the King at Stonystratford and Northampton were beheaded in Pontefract Castle And now the Protector concluding his passage open to the Throne no longer Masqued his Intention but gaining Edmund Shaw Lord Mayor of London to side with him many Clubs and Caballs were carried on by his Party and Dr. Shaw Brother to the Mayor Preaching a Sermon at St. Paul's Cross on the 19th of June declared to the people that there had been no lawfull Marriage between King Edward and his Queen and therefore the Children ought not to succeed to the Throne and that neither King Edward nor the Duke of Clarence his Brother were held by them that knew most of that Affair to be the lawfull Sons of Richard Duke of York but said he This Noble Prince meaning the Protectour who waâ— to have come in just at the time the Words were uttering he is his Fathers own Picture his very Features and his Countenance which remarkably declar'â— him to be the true Son of the great Duke of York yeâ— the Protector not coming at that time but somewhat late the Doctor turned back from the other Matter he was upon to the old Lesson repeating the very words again which rather made the Audi-Laugh than give heed to them and the Doctor afterward grew so ashamed of his flattery that finding himself every where reproached he not long after dyed for Grief This way not succeeding the Mayor was ordered to Summon the Citizens to meet at Guild-Hall where the Duke of Buckingham made several Orations to persuade them to reject the Line of King Edward and own the Protectour for their King but all he could obtain was only the Shouts of some Servants and Foot-boys who were ordered to be there for that purpose which the Duke laying hold of as the Consent of the People he told them it was a very goodly Cry and then whilst the Citizens stood amazed at his discourse he desired them to make their humble Petition to the Protectour that he would receive the Crown and take upon him the Kingly Government and accordingly the next day the Mayor Aldermen and some of the Commoners with abundance of Rabble at their Heels accompanied the Duke of Buckingham and some other Lords to Bainard's Castle where the Protector kept his Court and sending in their Message the Protector appeared in the Balcony as seeming to fear some danger of his person if he give them nearer access feigning an Ignorance of their coming and when Buckingham having first intreated his Graces Pardon and a License to acquaint him with the cause of their coming declared it was to beseech him to take the Crown and Government upon him he looked angry and dissembled an amazement at such a request protesting against it and was forced if you will believe it to be threatened into an acceptance of what he had so
10000 l and about 80000 of them took their Oaths to become his Liege Subjects making Sir Edward Poinings Governour and Thomas Wolsey his great Favourite Bishop of that City nor did this Success remain to the English in France alone but at the same time in England for the Scots invading England with a powerfull Army and having pierced as far as Northumberland the Earl of Surry gave them battel with a great overthrow in Folden Field where James their King one Archbishop 2 Bishops 2 Abbats 12 Earls 17 Lords a great number of Knights and Gentlemen and about 8000 common Soldiers slain and allmost all the rest taken prisoners This memorable Battel was fought on Septemb. 9. 1513. King Hen. victorious in France the French sought all Ways for an Accommodation and at last Pope Leo becoming Moderatour a Peace was concluded and soon after Lewis XII married Mary the King 's younger Sister at Albeville with great splendour yet he lived but 82 days after for being aged and infirm and over striving himself to pleasure a beautious lively young Lady it no doubt contributed to the hastening his End and upon his Death the Queen returning for England was privately married at Callais to Charles Bradon Duke of Suffolk her first Lover and from whom she had unwillingly parted to fall into the Arms of Majesty And now by the too free Access of Foreigners Trade greatly decreasing one John Lincoln and other aggrieved persons put up a Bill of Complaint and it was read by the Minister at the Spital Sermon This so animated the Rabble that getting together on May day 1517. they fell upon plundered and destroyed the Houses of the Strangers committing many Outrages on their Persons Nor was the Magistracy able to quell them for being all in an uproar the Lieutenant of the Tower who had no Good-Will for the City played the Great Guns upon it but the Rage of the Multitude spent they retired to their respective Habitations yet several were taken and tried of which number Lincoln and 13 more most of them youths were hanged in divers places of the City and about 200 Men and Boys and 9 Girls and Women went in their Shifts only being bare headed footed and legged and Ropes about their Necks to Westminster where at the upper end of the Hall the King sate and after he had sharply reproved them and they on their knees had begged Mercy Wolsey by the King's command pronounced their Pardon whereat with a joyfull Cry they threw up their Halters in token of deliverance from death and this day ever since is called Evil May day and soon after Tournay was restored to the French in consideration they paid the King 600000 Crowns in twelve years and the Dauphin to marry the Lady Mary King Henry's Daughter when she should be of sufficient years of Consent but if the Marriage took no effect then the City to be restored and Wolsey who by this time had bought him a Cardinal's Cap to have 1000 Marks a year for the profits of the Bishoprick and Wolsey having power with the King to doe all remembring a former Affront put upon by Edward Stafford Duke of Buckingham he used his interest to the destruction of that great Peer who was beheaded on Tower-hill upon pretence of aspiring to the Crown In the Year 1521. the Emperour Charles V. in his way to Spain landed at Dover for Refreshment and at the King 's earnest Request came to London and was royally entertained with all the Magnificence and Splendour the Court abounded with at that time and King Henry having written a Book against Martin Luther and sent it to the Pope he in recompence to his Zeal for the Roman Church sent him the Stile of Defender of the Faith which has ever since remained to the Kings and Queens of England sending him likewise a Consecrated Rose The Peace between England and France by reason of misunderstandings growing to a Conclusion a Parliament was assembled at the King's Palace in Black-Fryers granting him half the yearly Revenues of all Spirituall Livings to be paid for five years and the tenth part of all Temporal Substance to carry on his Wars so that not staying to expect War he sent to meet it commanding the Duke of Suffolk to pass over with an Army who taking many Towns and Castles and every where worsting the French returned Victorious and the King banished the Scots out of England confiscating their Goods but upon the Mediation of his Sister a peace was concluded for a time yet there was Martial business abroad for the Irish rebelled and siezing upon the Earl of Kildare who bore the Kings Authority in that Kingdom they sent him bound to England with many Accusations against him for which he was committed to the Tower and Wolsey who hated him signed a Warrant for his Execution without the knowledge of the King whereupon the Lieutenant went to Court and the Trick being made known to the King Wolsey was severely checked and the Earl had the King's Sgnet sent him for his security About this time overtures being made by the Emperor's Ministers in consideration of Marriage with the Lady Mary the French having rejected the Match and some scruples arising about the Legality of her Birth as being born on a Queen that had been his Brother's Wife the King began to fall into a dislike of his Marriage and sent to Rome to sue out a Divorce but finding delays in that Cour◠he desired a Cardinal might be sent to hear the Cause and accordingly Cardinal Campius was sent whose Mules casting their Sumpters in Cheap-side the Cardinal's Treasure was discovered to consist o◠old Shooes broken Meat tatter'd Breaches and Rags which raised no small Laughter in the people This Cardinal sate with Wolsey and other Clergy men but when the King expected the issue of the Matter instead of giving the definitive Sentence he dissolved that Court and referred the Cause to the Pope which so incensed the King that he Commanded him to depart the Kingdom and sent Dr. Cranmer to Rome to justifie the proceedings to the Pope who with other learned Men bringing the Opinions of almost all the Universities of Europe under their Seals that it was not Lawfull to Marry 〈◊〉 Brother's Wife the Divorce was made yet the Queen lived in England till she dyed and King Henry proceeded to take to Wife Ann of Bullen a very beautifull Lady who to that end he had before made a Dutches and honoured with many favours but better she had been without them as by the sequel wi◠appear Cardinal Wolsey whose power was such tha◠he seemed to sway both King and Kingdom bega◠about this time to be lessened in esteem and shortly after for not only disliking but striving to cros◠the King's Proceedings in the Divorce and new Marriage had first the great Seal of England taken from him then several of his Bishopricks which he had ingrossed which begining of disgrace made him more liable to
the Revenge of some Courtiers whom he had iâ—jured and they soliciting the King to proceed further he commanded him to leave the Court and retire to York but as he was on his way he was overtaken and arrested by the Earl of Northumberland and his House and Furniture siezed Hiâ— Charge was for speaking Arrogant Words against the King which were interpreted that he meant to take revenge for his disgrace but at Leicester Abby in his way to London taking an Italian Confection to break Wind from his Stomach he dyed not without suspition of Poisoning himself rather than after so great a share of Power and Grandure as he had possessed to fall into the hands of his Enemies His last words were these viz. If I had served my God as faithfully as I have served my King he would not at this time cast me off As for his Birth it was mean being the Son of a Butcher at Ipswich rising from a low degree by his Policie Cuning and prompt Genus About this time Queen Ann was delivered of a Daughter Christened by the name of Elizabeth afterward our renowned Queen of England and two years after of a dead Child but the Popish party at Court perceiving this good Queen strongly to incline to the Lutheran Doctrine and encourage those of the Profession they found an opportunity to strike in with some displeasure of the King 's and accuse her of Incest and Adultery with her Brother the Lord Rochfort which appeared upon no other Foundation than his waiting upon her whilst she was in Bed to inquire of her Health and for joy of her recovery presuming to salute her however she was beheaded on Tower-Hill making a very Pious and Christian-like end and for the same Fact dyed Her Brother in like manner on the 19th of May 1536. and the next day the King gave a greater light into this cruel Execution by Marrying the Lady Jane Seymour Daughter to Sir John Seymour which looked as though the removing one from his Embraces was only to make way for the other Wolsey as is said being dead Thomas Cromwell a Black-smith's Son of Putney who had been an under Favourite of the Cardinals began to rise in the Kings esteem being first made Master of the Jewel-house then Barron of Okeham then Earl of Essex after that great Chamberlain of England and Vicar General of the Spiritualities he was a great favourer of the Reformed Religion and strove what in him lay to promote it but this and his greatness proved his downfall by raising powerfull Enemies at Court against him so that after he had done many great things for the King and Kingdom he was Arraigned Condemned and lost his Head however some change of the Face of the Romish Worship made the Monks and Fryars invite the Plebeans to take up Arms under pretence of redressing Grievances and reforming matters of State and were headed in Lincolnshire by one Mackarel a Monk but being promised by the King their requests should be partly answered they laid down their Arms but it was not long before another rout got together under the name of Pilgrims carrying in their Banner the Picture of Christ with his five Wounds the Chalice Cake and other foolish Devices declaring for Holy Mother Church and a Reformation in State These assembled in Yorkshire to the number of 40000 Commanded by one Diamond a Fisherman who Stiled himself the Earl of Poverty and one Robert Aske yet upon the approach of the King's Forces though they had for a time appeared very formidable being promised as the former some Redress of their Demands and a Pardon for what had passed they dispersed themselves yet upon these and the like stirs several of the Ringleaders were taken and Executed as four Abbots two Pryors three Monks and 3 Priests nor did Captain Mackerel escape this Execution and of Temporal Persons dyed the Lord Dacres Sir Robert Constable Sir Francis Bigod Robert Aske and divers others and now the Churches began to be purged of Images and other Trumpery which greatly inriched the King's Coffors for many of them were of Gold and Silver set with precious Stones and those of Wood were burnt nor were the Monasteries and Religious Houses long delayed of which there were suppressed Monasteries â—645 Colledges 90 Chanceries and Free Chapels â—374 So that the Bible was read in English Register Books appointed and Weddings and Christenâ—ngs Commenced in due order to hinder Clandestine Iniquities for upon their being demolished great numbers of Childrens Sculls and Bones were found which had been Murther'd stopt up in the Walls and other places to hide the Infamy of the Lascivious Nuns and Fryars c. But by this means the Revenues siezed swarms of Monasticks were turned out to shift which made them labour to incense not only many of the Commons but some Noblemen and Gentlemen against the King and the Pope sent a Bull Excommunicating the King but the Bull bearer being taken as he was fixing it upon the Bishop of Londons Palace he was as a Traytor conveyed to Tyburn and there hanged with the Bull about his Neck and the Marquess of Exceter the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Nevile were Executed at Tower-Hill for Conspiring to depose Henry and place Cardinal Reignald Pool Grand-son to the Duke of Clarence in the Throne The Lady Jane Seymour whom Henry hade made â—his Queen dying in Child-bed with Prince Edward afterward our Edward the Sixth the King Married the Lady Ann Sister to the Duke of Cleve and she being sent over the King no sooner fixed his Eyes on her but he took dislike a to her Person and pretending he had been deceived in the Report of her Beauty the Beding was refrained and a Divorce procured in Parliament barring her the Tittle of Queen and he proceeded to Marry the Lady Catharine Howard Neice to the Duke of Norfolk but she soon after run the same Risque as Ann of Bulloin had done for she had not been Married much above a year before she was accused of Fornication and Adultery the one with Francis Derham before Marriage and the other with Thomas Culpeper after she was Queen for which she together with the Lady Jane Rochfort lost her head on Tower-Hill the latter suffering for Concealing the Fact of the former though the Queen declared to her Confessor to the last she was innocent as for Derham and Culpeper they were Executed at Tyburn nor did the Countiss of Salisbury Daughter to George Duke of Clarence and Mother to Cardinal Pool escape the cruelty of the King for upon a suspition she held Correspondence with her Son she was attainted in Parliament and beheaded upon that Attandure and about the same time the Lord Leonard Grey lost his Head for Treason and for refusing to deny the Pope's Supreamicy and acknowledge the King's upon a Statute acknowledging the King Supream Head in his own Kingdom John Fisher Bishop of Rochester and the famous Sir Thomas Moor Lord Chancellor
gave those persons leave for the most part to escape and the Earls light Horse-men coming on the Rebels gave back and at length betook them to open flight and were pursued three miles with the slaughter oâ— 3500 of them yet such as had Barrocaded themselves with Carts and Waggons amongst the Ordinance as men in despair resolved to sell their liveâ— at a dear rate but upon offer of Pardon they threw down their Arms crying God save King Edward and the next day Kett being siezed in a Barn was hanged in Chains upon the Castle of Norwich and his Brother William Kett was hanged on Womanhaâ— Steple and Nine others on the Oake of Reformation The pretence of this Rebellion was about throwing open Inclosures which the King by his Proclamation had commanded to be done but it was neglected These Commotions were no sooner over but another Rebellion broke out in the North Headed by Thomas Dale a Parish Clark one Stephenson a â—ost-master and William Ombler a Yeoman pretending to restore Church rights and redress Grievances declaring the power of the Pope above that of the Kings and that the Church had power of â—oth Swords but this feeble Rebellion not exceeding â—000 vanquished upon the Kings sending his Forâ—es and offer of Pardon yet Ombler Dale and four others were on the 12th of September 1549. Execuâ—ed at York as Seducers and Ring-leaders These and the like disturbances qeieted considerable ones began at Court for Thomas Seymour Baron of Sudley High Admiral of England having married Queen Catharine Parr Widow to Henry the Eighth and some words and contest happening between her and the Dutches of Somerset Wife to the Protector for precedences the two Brothers so unadvizedly espoused their Wives Quarel which was fomented by secret Enemies that the Admiral by the Protector 's procurement being accused in Parliament for attempting to get the King's person and Government into his hands c. Upon slender proofs was Sentenced and lost his Head on Tower-Hill on the 20th of March to the great grief of the young King who aboured to prevent it but by Somerset's removing this Brother he stood open to the malice and revenge of his implacable Enemies for soon after by the contrivance of Northumberland and others divers Articles were exibited against him for abusing his Trust Animating the Rebels sowing Sedition amongst the Nobles keeping a Court of Requests in his own house whereupon he was deprived of his Authority and sent to the Tower but the King soon released him yet was he not restored to his Trusts Whilst these heats lasted at Court the Affairs abroad were neglected insomuch that the Scots recovered most of the Town the English had taken and the French attempted to surprize Bullenberg with seven thousand men but were beaten off witâ— the loss of one hundred and fifty and had no better sucsess in their attempts upon Guernsey and Jersey Islands however things not going well at home Bullenberg and Bulloin were surrendred to the Frencâ— upon Conditions and the payment of a large Sumâ— of Mony and now to add to the Calamity thâ— Mortal Disease called the Sweating Sickness raged in England carrying off many thousands pursuing the English into Forreign Countrys where none but they were afflicted with it And now the Duke of Northumberland being grown great at Court laboured to remove the Duke of Somerset and by aâ— Stratagem found an opportunity for the Duke by some of his flatters being perswaded there was aâ— design against his life went privately Armed to the Council but his Gown opening as he sate at the Board it was laid hold of as a design in him to kill some of the King 's Privy Counsellors and that with some light matters being urged with agravation they procured his imprisonment and soon after being tryed and found guilty of Felony though he might have come off by his Clergy yet his Council nor himself not foreseeing to claim it he was on the 22d of February Anno 1550 brought to Tower-Hill and there after having declared his Innocence and made a most Christian Speech he was beheaded which some looked upon as a Judgment for so rigorously persecuting his Brother Upon the Death of this Uncle though Plays and other Devices were made to divert the King he grew Melancholly and the people were greatly Incensed against Northumberland however he taking the occasion from the King's Sickness and Disorder procured him to disinherit his two Sisters Mary and Elizabeth and settle the Crown on Jane Eldest Daughter to the Duke of Suffolk by the Lady Frances Daughter to Charles Brandon and Mary Queen of France younger Sister to King Henry the eighth who was married to Guilford Dudly Fourth Son to Northumberland and to this Will of the Kings the Council Bishops and all the Judges except Sir John Hollis Subscribed and the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London afterward promised their Assistance and Protection but this was supposed to hasten the King's Death For Northumberland having gotten what he expected viz. The Crown in his own Family removed his Physicians â—nd trusty Friends putting him into the hands of a â—he Doctress who wittingly or unskilfuly brought him to his End on the 6th of July 1553. This good Prince is accounted a second Josia exceeding in Charity and Piety all that went before him having Learning and Understanding far above his years â—nd had he lived a longer Date he had proved more perspicuously the Mirror of Kings This Edward was King of England France and Ireland the only Son of King Henry the Eighth by Jane his third Wife he Reigned six Years five Months and eight Days and was the one and Forâ—ieth sole Monarch of England dying in the 16th of his Age and was buried at Westminster Thus England's Phoenix early left the Stage His Death was much Lamented of the Age Yet he contented dy'd from 's Throne to rise In Angels Arms to everlasting joys The Life and Bloudy Reign of Queen Mary UPon the Death of King Edward according to his Will the Lady Jane was proclaimed in London and elsewhere and confirmed by the Council but Mary Eldest Daughter to King Henry the Eighth being then at Fremingham Castle sent to complain against their Proceedings in giving away her right commanding them to acknowledge heâ— their lawfull Queen but they returned her a very slight answer commanding her to be obedient to Queen Jane her Sovereign whereupon with such Friends as she had about her she prepar'd for London and to her a great many of the Suffolk men repaired offering her their Service in case their Religion might be asured insomuch that by that means and the siezure of several Ships in the Ports out of which she caused the Cannon and Ammuition to be taken she became formidable whereupon an Army of 13000 men under the Command of the Duke of Northumberland marched out against her but by that time the Duke was got as far as Cambridge he had notice that
two Ruffians sent at another time to kill her who were prevented by Beddingfield her Keepers being out of Town she at last escaped the ruine intended her In the year 1554. on the 16th of April a great Dispute was held between the Popish Doctors and Thomas Cranmer Arch Bishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridly Bishop of London Hugh Lattimer Bishop of Durham and others of the Reformed Religion at Oxford about Transubstantiation and other Points wherein when the Papists found themselves baffled they told the Bishops though they had the word yet they had the Sword and indeed they used it with extream cruelty for these good Prelates were then Imprisoned and about a Year and six Months after were burnt for the sake of a good Conscience in Oxford Town-Ditch and now on the 25th of July Philip King of Spain arrived with a great Train of Nobility and the Marriage was solemnized and they proclaimed by the Titles of Philip and Mary King and Queen of England France Naples Jerusalem and Ireland Princes of Spain and Sicily Arch Dukes c. of Austria Dukes c. of Millain Burgundy and Brahant Counts c. of Haspurg Flanders and Tyrol and in November following the Queen was said to be with Child and upon the spreading this report she took her Chamber whereupon Midwives Rockers and Nurses were provided and the Priests in their Pulpits prayed for her safe Delivery assuring the people before hand it was a Prince and some where so vain to discribe it features the Parliament likewise resolved if the Queen Dyed King Philip should be Protector of the Realm and the Infant during the Minority and at last a false Rumour was given out that the Queen was actually delivered of a Prince whereupon the English Merchants at Antwerp and other Ports discharged their Guns and drunk Healths to their young Master but in conclusion it appeared the Queen was not nor never had been with Child yet it was conjectured by many that the Papists if King Philip had not protested against it had shamed a Child upon the Nation and soon after out of some dislike he left England and returned no more yet he taking part with the Emperour his Father against the French the Queen sent a Gallant Army under the Leading of the Earl of Pembroke to his Aid as he lay at the Siege of St. Qeintines by whose help the place was taken from the French whereupon the Duke of Guis with the greatest part of the French Army coming about by swift Marches unexpectedly laid Siege to Calais the only English Town in France and there being no Succours sent from England by reason of contrary Winds as if Heaven apparently declared it self against the breach of League the besieged few in number after they had done all that men were capable of doing in Defence of the place surrendered it upon advantageous Articles The loss of this place and the unkindness of King Philip cast the Queen into a deep Melancholly insomuch that she declared if she was opened when Dead they might find Calais written on her Heart and the Sweating Sickness coming on she fell desperately ill and dyed the 17th of November 1558 in her Reign were consumed in the Flames for the sake of a good Conscience five Bishops twelve Ministers 18 Gentlemen forty eight Artificers one hundred Husband-men Servants and Labourers twenty six Wives twenty Widows nine Virgins and two Infants the one Whipped to Death by Bonner's Chaplain for calling him Ball 's Priest and the other springing out of his Mothers Womb whilst she was in the Flames was notwithstanding cast into the Fire sixty more were Imprisoned and grievously persecuted seven of them Whipped and sixteen perished in Prison who being as Hereticks denyed Christian Burial were buried in Dunghills The Dutches of Suffolk and divers others were forced to flie beyond the Seas where they suffered extreme Misery and hardship nay so violent were the Priests who altogether swayed the Queens Inclinations that they intended to take up the Body of King Henry her Father and bury it in a Dunghill in revenge of the injurys he had done Mother Church in rooting out the Monks and Fryars but the Council opposed it and in process of of time almost all the Persecutors came to miserable Ends. This Mary was Queen of England France and Ireland Eldest Duaghter to Henry the Eighth by Catharine his Queen Daughter to Ferdinand the Seventh King of Spain She began her Reign on the 6th of July and Reigned five Years four Months and Eleven Days dying in the fortieth Year of her Age without Issue and was buried in Westminster being the 42. sole Monarch of England c. Thus Dy'd Romes Darling who a wonder stood In Cruelty and Feasting Flames with Bloud Made England groan beneath a Popish Yoak Yet Death at last the fatal Fetters broke The Reign and Actions of Elizabeth Queen of England c. QUeen Mary giving place by Death her Illustrious Sister Elizabeth after escaping many Eminent Dangers succeeded her in the Throne the Nobles owning her their rightfull Queen and doing her Homage so that on the 15th of January she was crowned by Dr. Oglethorp Bishop of Carlisle and soon after a Parliament was called in which the Title of Supreamacy was taken from the Pope and restored to the Crown with the tenths and first Fruits of Ecclesiastical Livings as also the Common Prayers as used in the Churches in the Reign of Edward the Sixth and such Acts as in Queen Marys time were made in favour of the Romanists were were repealed so that the Face of Religion was again restored and many pious men that had fled the Land returned and about this time a Petition was made to the Queen to Marry that her Royal Issue might succeed her but she absolutely refused to hearken to it saying That she held it sufficient that a Marble Stone should tell to Posterity that she a Quen had Reigned lived and dyed a Virgin The Pope by this time having Notice that England was rescued out of his Clutches set all his Engines on work to trouble the Reign of this great Queen which obliged her to enter into Confederacy with divers Protestant Princes of Germany and upon demanding Calais the French promised to deliver it to the English at the Expiration of eight years or to pay 500000 Crowns but it was never performed though sworn to and for the better Regulation of the Clergy in England Oaths were tendered whereupon divers refusing to own the Queens Supreamacy were turned out and learned Men who had been outed in Marys Reign put into their places she likewise called into her Mint Pase and Adulterated Coin and allowing so much as the true value she refined it and Coined that Mony that now goes Currant in her Stamp laying up Magazines and Stores of Warlik Provision and sent Aids into Franne to support the Protestants in Arms against the Papist but to divert her nearer home Shan O-Neal Rebelled in Ireland
laying claim to the Province of Vlster but great preparations being made against him he came over and submitted yet returning to his old Trade he was at length slain by one of his Companions who with his Head compounded for his own safetie c. and shortly after great Dissensions happened in Scotland where the Scots Mutiniers Murthered their King and the Queen the Heiress of Scotland and Mother to King James the First of England flying for France was driven on the Coast of England and made a Prisoner by order of Council and now the Pope impatient of delay by his Commissions and large Promises stirr'd up many as well Nobles as Plebeans to take Arms causing his Bulls to be dispersed the better to incense the people against the Queen however they were overthrown and an Alderman a Priest and about 66 Constables and others Executed at Durham and other places The Earls of Northumberland and Westmoreland hereupon fled into Scotland but raising new Commotions they were again routed and Northumberland on the 22d of August 1570 beheaded at York where to the last he affirmed the Pope's Supreamacy and declared the Land to be in Schism according as the Pope had declared in his Bull or Curse against the Queen which had been privately fastened on the Gate of the Bishop of London's Palace and divers Priests conspiring themselves and stirring up others to raise Commotions were convicted and Executed at sundry times and places as Story Summevil Parry Campion Throckmorton Howard and others Anno 1577. the famous Captain Drake set sail from Plymouth and in 3 years wanting 12 days compassed the whole Earth making many wonderfull discoverys his Men being worshiped by the Barbarous Nations as Gods and at a place which he named Nova Albion the King surrendered him his Crown of Net-work and Feathers curiously wrought desiring him to take upon him the Government of the Country which he did to the behoof of the Queen setting up a Monument of her Sovereignty in those parts by the consent of King and People and much about the same time Sir Martin Forbisher tryed the North East Passage and named the furthest Land Queen Elizabeths Forelands and whilst this great Queen flourished in spite of Forreign and Clandestine Foes Francis de Valois Duke of Anjou and Brother to the French King made sute to her for Marriage and mistaking the Freedom she had taken for a consent came over to Wooe her in Person but after the Expence of much Treasure himself and his Sute were rejected and he returned no wiser than he came And now the King of Spain oppressing the States of the Neitherlands and labouring to settle the Inquisition amongst them the Queen upon their humble supplication sent over 1000 Horse and 5000 Foot under the Leading of Sir John Norris and for the Security of the Reimbursment of her Charges had the Towns of Brill and Flushing with two Sconces and a Castle put into her hands Anno 1587 The Priests raised new stirs in England and Ireland which hastened the Death of Mary Queen of Scots for that poor Princess weary of a tedious Imprisonment holding some Intelligence with one Babington and others in orders to make her escape was betrayed by her Secretary and being Sentenced as one that had designed to depose Queen Elizabeth and set up her self she was on the 7th of Feb. beheaded at Fotheringay Castle whose Execution proved afterward no small cause of discontent to our Queen All hopes by this means and other disappointments being lost to the Papists of bringing their Designs about by Clandestine ways the Pope stirred up the King of Spain to Invade the Kingdom giving it him as the Patrimony of St. Peter and promising him success whereupon he gathered his huge Armado which he named Invincible even whilst there was a Treaty of peace on Foot yet the Queen having notice from Henry the Third King of France what was intended against her prepared by Sea and Land to expect the Storm pitching her Camp at Tillbury in Essex consisting of 15000 Horse and 22000 Foot and for her own Guard out of the several Countys she drew 23520 Horsemen and 34500 Foot-men and in the remarkable year 1588 on the 20th of July the Spaniards with their huge Hulks which appeared on the Sea like floating Castles passed by Plymouth towards Calais to joyn the Duke of Parma Governour of the Neitherlands for the King of Spain but were dispersed with a mighty Tempest yet gathered again but were so beaten by the English under the command of the Lord Howard Admiral Sir Francis Drake and others that of 134. great Ships that Sail from Lisbon only 53 returned into Spain so that there were missing 81 Vessels 13000 Soldiers and Sea-men and there was hardly a Noble Family in Spain but lost a Brother or Kinsman in this Expedition which had cost the King of Spain Ten Millions For this great deliverance the Queen gave publick Thanks in St. Paul's Church and the Spanish Prisoners and Streamers were brought to London and the Queen resolving to be even with the Spaniard for this Treachery sent Sir Francis Drake and others into the West-Indies where they took many Spanish Towns and Ships with great store of Gold and Silver and after that she assisted Don Antonio the expulsed King of Portugal to recover his right whereupon they burnt Cadiz and the Shiping in the Harbour worth five Millions took several Towns in Portugal and marched to the very Gates of Lisbon against which the Earl of Essex breaking his Lance demanded the proudest Spaniard of them all to come and answer him They likewise sailed to the Azzores and took and plundered those Islands This made the Papists at home begin to stir for which Patrick Cullen Dr. Lopez a Spaniard and divers others hired to kill or poison the Queen were detected and executed and indeed the Plots and Contrivances of the like kind against this Queen are recorded to be very many nor did the Spaniards fail to send Forces to the Assistance of the Irish Rebells under Tyroen but they were defeated by the Lord Montjoy many of them killed and the rest obliged to beg leave to depart the Kingdom and Tyroen forsaken of his Followers was sent into England and Imprisoned in the Tower About this time the Earl of Essex who had been under disgrace for some Miscarriages when he was Deputy of Ireland and confined to his House being of a fiery temper and knowing his Enemies at Court were contriving his Ruine he sent for â—â—e Earl of Southampton and divers other Friends as resolving to force a Visit and confront them in the presence of the Queen but being strictly forbid it he confined the Counsellors that were sent to that purpose under a guard and marched into London but finding himself opposed and that there were none very forward to stand with him upon such an Undertaking he returned and fortified his House in the Strand but finding himself to weak to hold out
he surrendred himself and was committed to the Tower and soon after he with the Earl of Southampton were convicted of High-Treason in endeavouring to Leavy War against the Queen c. and the Earl of Essex on the 20th of February 1600 lost his Head on the Green within the Tower not only lamented of the people whose Darling he was but of the Queen her self who at the perswasion of his Enemies had in the heat of her passion signed the Warrant for his Death divers others were Executed on this occasion as it were to bare so great a Man company nor did the Queen enjoy her self after the fall of this Favourite but hastened her own Death by grief dying on the 24th of March 1602 and was buried in Henry the Seventh's Chapell at Westminster when she had Reigned 44 Years 4 Months and 7 Days and in the 69th Year of her Age. This Elizabeth was Queen of England France and Ireland Daughter to Henry the Eighth by his Wife Ann Bulloin in her Reign happened Earthquakes Blazing Stars and a Mortal Plague of which 40000 dyed in and about London She was the 43th sole Monarch of England c. Thus set the Glory of her Sex in Dust Whose endless Memory Fame keeps in trust When Eating Time shall Marble Tombs deface Her Name shall live belov'd in every place The Life Reign and Actions of James the First King of Great Britain c. THe name of the Tudors expiring in Queen Elizabeth gave way to that of the Stuarts James the Sixth of Scotland great Grand-child to James the Fourth and Margaret his Wife Eldest Daughter to Henry the Seventh succeeding to the Crown by reason of the failure of Issue by the Male Line who upon notice of the Death of Queen Elizabeth being invited by the Nobles set forward from his Kingdom of Scotland and entering England was received on the Frontires with great joy and conducted to London being met some distance by the Mayor and Aldermen and five hundred Horse who conducted him to the Charter-House prepared for his Reception but because the Plague raged the Coronation was deferred and the Popish Party who had earnestly expected the death of the Queen in hopes a Papist might succeed finding themselves disappointed laboured to prevent his establishment in the Throne and several were detected who had received Orders from the Pope to seize his Person and bring him to their own terms however on the 21st of July 1603. The King together with the Queen his Royal Consort were crowned at Westminster by Dr. Whitgift Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and the Conspirators being tryed at Winchester many were found guilty yet only Watson and Clark two Priests together with George Brook suffered death the King pardoning the rest mostly at the place of Execution and then in a dispute between the Bishops of the Church of England and the Puritan Ministers who pretended to a farther Reformation this wise Prince gave it for the first and by learned reasons so confuted the latter that they were utterly non-plussed and after that he caused the Holy Scripture to be new Translated from the Original and Anno 1604 he made peace with Spain and proceeded to a Uniting the Kingdoms of England and Scotland and took upon him the Stile of King of Great Britain banishing the Jesuites and Seminary Priests who began a fresh to disturb the Government which made them as their last Shift or rather cruel revenge contrived that hellish Plot called the Gunpowder-Plot wherein they bound themselves by Oaths and Sacraments for the more secretly carrying it on but nothing escapes the Eyes of the Almighty who when they were in the highest expectation of success turned their Wisedom into Foolishness for by a Letter directed to the Lord Monteagle whom one of the Conspirators was desirous to spare the Nest they had so long been making was found and in it thirty six Barrels of Powder intended to blow up the King Lords and Commons in Parliament this was discover'd under great heaps of Billets but the very Morning they were to assemble in Parliament and Guy Faux at the Vault Door under the Parliament-House Cloaked Booted and Spurr'd with a Dark-Lanthorn and Matches ready to lay the Train upon which the Conspirators were pursued and in the dispute John and Christopher Wright Thomas Piercy and Robert Catesby were slain and Anno 1605 on the 27th of January Sir Edward Digby Thomas Winter Robert Winter Ambrose Rookwood Thomas Bates Robert Keys and Guido Faux were found guilty and Executed as Traitors at the West-end of St. Pauls and in the Palace-Yard In memory of this signal Deliverance the fifth of November the Day on which it was discovered by Authority of Parliament was enacted a perpetual day of Thanksgiving Henry Garnet and divers others concerned in this Plot were Executed at sundry Times and Places Garnet confessing it though a Jesuite and warning the Roman Catholicks not to practice any Treason against their Prince for God would certainly discover and defeat it And soon after there happened Insurrections in the Shires of Liecester Warwick and Northampton about throwing open Inclosures Headed at last by John Reynolds but were dispersed and quieted without much Trouble and the King to honour the City entered himself a Brother of the Cloath-workers Company and by his Example many Nobles were made free of that and divers others the New Exchange was finished Anno 1609 and furnished with Wares being called by the King Britain's Burse The Priests and Jesuites were commanded to depart the Kingdom The Body of Mary Queen of Scots Mother to King James was Anno 1612 removed from Peterborough to the Royal Chappel at Westminster and there splendidly Interred and the Kingdom remained in great Tranquility But to abate the Joy Prince Henry the King 's eldest Son dyed November the 6th of a Feaver though not without some suspicion of Poyson to the great Grief of the Kingdom whose Darling he was And Frederick the Electour Palatine of the Rhine coming into England was married to the Lady Elizabeth the King 's eldest Daughter in the Royal Chappel at White-Hall on the 14th of February following but soon after at the Instance of the Bohemians taking upon him the Rule of that Kingdom he was routed by the Emperour's Forces who seized likewise the Palatinate and the King gave the Citizens of London the Province of Vlster in Ireland and instituted the Order of Baronets limiting them within the number of 200 and to cease with the failure of Issue and Anno 1614 the New River was brought to London to the great refreshment of the City which was much stinted for want of Water being only supplied by a few Conduits in the neighbouring Fields and this year a Divorce being sued out between Robert Devereux and his Countess on her Pretence of his Insufficiency she married Robert Carre Earl of Somerset and the King 's great Favourite for inveighing against which Marriage they procured Sir Thomas Overbury first
to be sent Prisoner to the Tower and there to be poisoned for which Contrivance Sir Gervase Elwes and Mrs. Turner suffered Death the Earls and Countess were likewise sentenced but had by the King's Mercy Leases of their Lives granted them for 99 years and for ever banished the King's Presence The Fall of this Favourite made way for Mr. George Villiers a Gentleman of a good House who was soon after created Duke of Buckingham Anno 1618. Sir Walter Rawleigh was delivered from a long Imprisonment in the Tower and sent to discover a golden Mine in the West-Indies promising it should be no ways prejudicial to the Spaniards but failing in that Discovery and Sacking the Spanish Town of St. Thoms upon his Return to England at the continued Importunity of Gondamore the Spanish Ambassadour he was Beheaded upon a former Sentence and on the 2d of March 1618 Queen Anne died and was buried at Westminster her Death was preceeded by an extraordinary Blazing-Star And now the King being desirous to see Prince Charles Married sent him into Spain to render his Courtship to the Infanta but after a six Months stay being trifled with that Court insisting to have him change his Religion c. the King recalled him and prepared for War in order to recover the Palatinate and set on Foot a Treaty of Marriage with France but lived not to see it concluded for on the 7th of March Anno 1625 he died of an Ague at Theobalds in Scotland and was Buried at Westminster with great Solemnity much lamented of his Subjects being a Prince of extraordinary Learning Conduct and Prudence his Wife was Ann Daughter of Frederick the Second King of Denmark by whom he had Issue Henry Charles Elizabeth and two other Daughters Mary and Sophia who dyed young This King James was great Grand-Child by Father and Mother's side to Margaret Daughter to Henry the 7th of England He began his Reign over this Kingdom Anno 1602 Reigned 22 years 3 days and was the 44 sole Monarch of England and first of Great Britain whose antient Name he restored by uniting the Kingdoms He died in the 59 year of his Age. Thus to Death's Fury the wise Prince gave way And left this Twilight for eternal Day That Phenix-like he out of moulder'd Dust May Glorious rise to mingle with the Just The Life Reign and Actions of Charles the First King of Great Britain c. KIng James giving way by Death Prince Charles his only surviving Son was immediately Proclaimed and Crowned at Westminster soon after which he was solemnly Married to Henrietta Maria Daughter to Henry the Fourth French King whom he had seen in his Journey through Paris to the Court of Spain The Marriage being over the King began to shew his Resentments of the Affronts he had received in the Court of Spain and Anno 1625 a Parliament was called and Assembled at Westminster on the 8th of June wherein after some strong Debates about Petitions of Right and Religion the King had two Subsidies granted him and a Fleet was sent to Sea which spoiled and greatly indamaged the Spanish Coast but although the War was just and honourable yet upon the Meeting again of the Parliament in the August following they denyed a farther Supply whereupon he endeavoured with the Advice of his Lawyers to raise Money by way of Tonage but the Parliament forbid the Payment of it and many of the Merchants refused to obey the King's Mandates however the King making an Alliance with the united Provinces set out another Fleet and greatly distressed the Spaniards but amongst others some French Ships being sunk burnt or taken they seized the English Effects in their Ports by way of Reprisal whereupon the French were commanded to leave England but Monsieur Basompire coming Ambassadour prevailed to have many of them recalled yet all Commerce ceased between the two Kingdoms and the French greatly oppressed the Rochellers which made them humbly supplicate King Charles's Assistance who sent a good power under the leading of the Duke of Buckingham but the French being strongly Encamped and Fortified in Rhee the English returned without effecting any thing considerable and the Parliament again complained of several Grievances whereupon they were Dissolved and new Forces raised for the Relief of Rochell but as the Duke of Buckingham was about to Embark he was stabbed to the Heart by one John Felton an English Adventurer at Portsmouth for which the Murtherer was Executed seeming to approve off and glory in the Fact to the last and thus unhappily fell this Duke that had been the Darling Favourite of two Kings Anno 1630 the Queen on the 29th of May was brought to Bed of a Son afterward Christened by the Name of Charles and since our Soveraign Monarch as will appear in the next Reign at his Birth a bright Star appeared in the day-time and on the 14th of October 1633 the Queen was delivered of the Duke of York but the Joy of these Births were a little Eclipsed by the misunderstandings in Scotland and the oppositions made in payment of Ship-Money though Ten Judges had given their Vote for the legality of it the Occasion of great Commotions in Scotland arising about the Service-Book of Common-Prayer being sent thither to be read in Churches as usual in England for when the Dean came to read it in St. Giles's Church at Edenborough he narrowly escaped his Brains being beaten out by the People's throwing Stools Chairs and Cudgels at him nor did the Bishop who got up into the Pulpit to appease them fare any better and so great in a short time grew the Tumult that the Magistrates were not able to quell it which obliged the King to raise an Army but upon his Approach the Scots in Arms met him on the Lorders and submitted and a Peace thereupon was concluded but soon after fell to Covenanting and raised new Commotions the which and the Misunderstandings between the King and his Parliament gave the native Irish an opportunity to Rebel and commit a most horrible Massacre on the English throughout that Kingdom murthering about 200000 of all Ages and Sex before any Succours were sent to their Relief This happened in the year 1641 the same year the Earl of Strafford was beheaded upon an Attaindure of Parliament and about two years after William Laud Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was Executed in the same manner and the King having passed a Bill for the Parliament to sit during their Pleasure such Heats ensued and such Tumults withall that the King after he had endeavoured to give them all the satisfaction that could consist with his Honour and Conscience was obliged to retire to Windsor to avoid the Insolencies of the Multitude who threatened him in his Palace and committed many outrages pulling down the Organs and spoiling the Vestments and Ornaments of Worship in Westminster-Abby and during the King's Absence the Parliament having put the Country in Arms and took into their hands most of
Earl of Shaftsbury and others were Imprisoned in the Tower one Stephen Colledge a Joyner was Tryed at Oxford found guilty of High Treason and Executed And in the year 1683. Captain Walcot William Hone and John Rouse were executed at Tyburn and the Lord Russell and Algernoon Sidney lost their heads And not long after Sir Thomas Armestrong being brought from Holland and James Holloway from Nevis were sentenced at the King's Bench Bar upon their Outlawries and executed at Tyburn And two Informations for Perjury were preferred against Titus Oates the principal Evidence in the Plot But before he came to Tryal the King dyed for falling ill on Monday the 2d of February 1684. With a violent fit of the Appoplexy which at that time bereaved him of his Senses he continued in a languishing Condition till Friday the 6th of February and then dyed in the 55th year of his Age when he had Reigned 36 years and seven days And was buried in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel being the 46th Sole Monarch of England Thus Charles the Great his Glory laid aside A Prince that Fortune in all Shapes had try'd In War and Councils equally approv'd Feard of his foes but of his friends belov'd Remarkable Transactions from the Time of King JAMES the II. coming to the Crown till his Leaving the Kingdom c. KING Charles leaving no Issue by Queen Katharine his onely Brother succeded him and was Proclaimed by the style of James the Second King of England c. at the Pallace Gate and in London with the usual Solemnity and Ceremony Causing the Lords and others present that were before to be Sworn of His Majesty's Privy Council signifying by Proclamation it was his Pleasure that all who at the decease of King Charles were in Office of Government should so continue till his pleasure was further signified And upon his first sitting in Council he made a Speech in which amongst other Expressions are these viz. I shall make it my endeavour to preserve this Government both in Church and State as it is now by Law Established I know the Principles of the Church of England are for Monarchy and the Members of it have shewed themselves good and loyal Subjects Therefore I shall always take care to Defend and Support it I know too that the Laws of England are sufficient to make the King as a great a Monarch as I can wish and as I shall never depart from the Just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so I shall never Invade any Man's Property I have often heretofore ventured my Life in Defence of this Nation and I shall still go as far as any man in preservation of it in all its Just Rights and Liberties Nor was it long before a Proclamation was Issued forth to give notice the King intended to call a Parliament inculcating therein the settlement of the Revenue for the support of the Crown and Government that there was a necessity for the maintenance of the Navy for the Kingdoms defence and the advantage of Trade in order to which he desired that the settlement of the Customs due in the Reign of King Charles the Second might continue declaring it was his will and pleasure that the Duties should be Collected accordingly and that he did not doubt of the ready complyance of his Subjects therein This being given forth the Merchants did not dispute the payment And the next thing taken in hand was the preparation for the funeral of the deceased King all persons belonging to or having business at the Court being commanded by an Order of the Earl Marshal to put themselves into decent Mourning and indeed the loss of a Prince that ruled so much in the hearts of his Subjects found a ready complyance for not onely the Courtiers were in Mourning but all the responsible persons of the Kingdom and his Royal Highness the Prince of Denmark on the tenth of February took his place at the Council Board as a Privy Councellour of this Kingdom All things being prepared for the Funeral Solemnities of King Charles the Second with decency and order as the occasion required the Royal Corpse was on the 14th day of February Interred in King Henry the Sevenths Chappel at Westminster The Prince of Denmark whose Train was born up by the Lord Cornbury being chief Mourner and aâ— curious Figure of Wax representing the King was set up amongst the rest of the Kings of England his Predecessours and an Order was published for altering the Prayer in the Liturgy or Common Prayer relating to the Royal Family by way of exchanging Names in the repetition viz. JAMES for CHARLES and further viz. our Gracious Queen MARY CATHERINE the Queen Dowager Their Royal Highnesses MARY Princess of Orange the Princess ANNE of Denmark and all the Royal Family And Money being wanting in the Exchequer it was taken up upon the Excise by way of Farming and the Earl of Rochester was constituted Lord High Treasurer of England and the Marquess of Halifax Lord President of the Privy Council the Earl of Clarendon Lord Privy Seal and the Duke of Beaufort Lord President of Wales These Great Officers thus put in Trust gave us prospect of the tranquility of Affairs and the King was Proclaimed in all the Citys and Burrough Towns of the Kingdom and in the like order in Scotland and Ireland and the Earl Marshal issued out the orders of Summons in order to the preparation of the Coronation which was appointed to be on the 23d of April being Saint George's day requiring all persons who in regard of their Tenures Customs and Usage are bound to do and performe Services on that day to appear before the Commissioners and make out their Claims and give their attendance at the Solemnity and a Proclamation was sent into Scotland in order to the calling of a Parliament in that Kingdom with a Proclamation of Indemnity to divers of the Scottish Nation Then he proceeded to put out a Proclamation to Summons a Parliament to sit at Westminster on the 19th day of May 1685. And accordingly the Citys Burroughs and Shires proceeded to Election and sundry Embassadours residing in England or such as came by Expresses made their Complement of Condolence and Congratulation and the 23d of April being come great preparations were made for the Coronation the Nobles and others met in their Robes and Formalities the Ceremony was performed with much Magnificence and the Parliament according to appointment met when the King in his Robes went to the House and being seated on the Throne made a Speech in which amongst other things He informed them that the Earl of Argyle was Landed in Scotland with the men he brought with him from Holland c and soon We had notice that that Earl had levyed considerable Forces in Argyleshire and other places which obliged the Militia to rise in Arms and several Troops were sent from England and more had gone had not the Duke of Monmouth landed at Lyme in
Englands Chronicle OR THE LIVES REIGNS OF THE Kings and Queens From the time of JVLIVS CAESAR To the present Reign of K. WILLIAM and Q. MARY Containing The Remarkable Transactions and Revolutions in Peace and War both at Home and Abroad as they relate to this Kingdom with the Wars Policies Religion and Custom Success and Misfortunes as well of the Antient Britains as Roman Saxon Danish and Norman Conquerors with Copper Cuts and whatever else is conduceable to the Illustration of History By J. Heath LONDON Printed for Benj. Crayle at the Peacock and Bible at the West end of St. Pauls N. Bodington in Duck-lane and G. Conyers at the Ring on Ludgate-hill 1689. W Conq K Will 2 K Hen 1 K Ste K Hen 2 K Ric 1 K Iosor K Hen 3 K Ed 1 K Ed 2 K Ed 3 K Iames. 2. K Rich 2 England's Cronicle K Hen 4 Hen 5 or the Lives Reigns of all the KINGS QUEENS To the present Reign of K. William L. Mary K Hen 6 K Ed 4 K Ed 6 K Hen 8 K Hen 7 K Ric 3 K Ed 5 K Ch 2 K Ch 1 K Iames Q Eliz Q Mary Englands fam'd Monarchs thus pouriâ—â—â—â—â— behold Whose warlike Deeds this vollume does unfold For Wisdom and for Valour they were known Each had their Triumphs on the Brittish Throne Licensed July the 3d. 1689. And Entred according to Order THE PREFACE TO THE READER READER IN this Book you have the Recital of the past and present Glories of this famous Kingdom from the time it was first disâ—vered to this day continued in the renowned Actions of its Kings and Princes being a Series of History so remarkable and delightful that nothing material can be truly said to be omitted Here you may find the Original Manners Wars and Customs of the first Britains their contending with the Romans their Courage and various Success and whâ—â— and by what means this Nation became subject to the Roman Saxon Dane and Norman Conquerors with the sundry Revolutions of Church and State as well in Peace as War Transactions at home and abroad various Policies and Stratagems c. And indeed those things hat have made this Island lift her Head above other Nations blessed by the plenteous hand of Heaven and the Industry of her Natives her Renown has travel'd with the Sun scarce any corner of the habitable World where Fame has not breathed her Glories I need not much infist upon this to those who are daily Spectators of her Riches and Plenty as well of her own Product and Manufacture as accruing by Navigation c. from the remotest Oriental Parts nor of the Purity of Religion or Tranquility we enjoy under the Auspicious Reign of our Gracious King and Queen but it remains that I recommend to you the perusal of what cannot but aford as much satisfaction as any thing of this kind is capable of rendring So hoping it may prove very useful to all Lovers of History I am Reader yours to serve you J. Heath Englands CHRONICLE OR The Lives and Reigns of all the Kings and Queens from the time of JVLIVS CAESAR to the present Reign of K. William Qu. Mary c. A Discription of the Island of Britain with its Original Denomination c. THE Island of Great Britain whose Fame has travel'd with the Sun and reached the remotest Kingdoms of the Earth is bounded with Germany and Denmark on the East or properly with the German Ocian on the West with Ireland or the Irish Seas on the North with the Ducalidonian Seas and on the South with France and Normandy scituate in the eighth Climate of the North Latitude and placed in relation to Longitude between the Parrals of fourteen and sixteen Containing in length from Strathy-Head in the Kingdom of Scotland to the Lizard point in Cornwal Six Hundred Twenty Four Miles and in Breadth from the Isle of Thannet in Kent to the Lands end in Cernwal Three Hundred and Forty Miles though formerly its Limits were Fancied from the Orcadâ—s to the 〈…〉 Mountainâ— As for the time of its being peopled even the most curious Historians vary some hold it to be inhabited long before the Flood and that being a part of France it was by the Rapid Inundation of the Universe broken off from the Continent where now the Channel parts Dover from Calais and by that means being left by the Flood became an Island But this I conceive only conjectural without any warrantable Testimony and is grounded upon the Pariety of the Soils and Temprature of Air. Since that there are others that will have it possessed by one Albion a Gyant who beat out the Samotheans whose Gigantick Race increased till the time that King Brute Coasting these Seas with a powre of Trojans under his Command observing its spaciousness and fertility made a Descent and subdued it and of this latter Opinion is the so much Celebrate Antiquary and Historian Jeffry of Monmouth and from this Trojan Prince he would have us believe the Island took its Name But those who have seriously enquired into the Date he proposes for the Landing of Brute viz. In the 2887 Year of the worlds Creation find not any Foundation to Build a belief that such a Man was ever in these Parts but rather the Name was derived from the word Prith or Brith signifying Painting and probably the Greeks who were then the greatest Navigators Sailing along the Coast and perceiving the painted People that inhabited it might from that signification give it a Name as indeed they did to most Islands and Countries that were not Civilized where ever they came or it might be from the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mettals for its abounding with Mettals as it had done that of Albion from Albis Rupibus viz. White Rocks that appear towards the Coast of France These are the Conjecturals and we might run on in a maze of uncertainty till we tired the Reader considering that before the Landing of the Romans thâ— People were uncivilized keeping no Writings or Râ— cords of their Country or Actions to Druids or Priests themselves being a kind of Magicians or such as dealt in Spells and Charms preserving their Religious Rites and Ceremonies in Hieroglipicks and Figures after the manner of Egypt the better to create an Awe and Dread upon the more ignorant and raise an esteem and veneration of themselves which otherwise must have much abated the Credit they had gained But leaving things that are doubtful and have never been fully cleared by the most curious and industrious Writers we come to what is more warrantable and for what we have sureâ— grounds laying aside the Story of the Samothes sprung from the 〈◊〉 Son of Japhat perhaps as Fabulous as the rest and that is to the Year of the Worlds Creation 3873. Viz. Caius Julius Caesar by the prevailing Arms of the Roman Commonwealth having subdued Gallia now France and a great part of Germany thirsty of new Glory
by Conquest being invited hither by Andragius one of the Sons of King Lud upon a Quarrel that happened between him and his Uncle Cassibelan King of the Trinobantes he from the Shoars of Gallia viewing the Coast and finding by Report and Scituation that it was fair and fruitful in a temperate Climate and that its Conquest would highly redound to his Honour and the Advantage of the Roman People he setled as well as the shortness of the time would permit the new Conquests and prepared an extraordâ—nery Fleet of Ships and smaller Vessels for the Transportation of his Army yet had he much ado to makâ— the Legions Imberque who perceiving the dreadful Rocks on the distant Shore together with the roughness and danger of the Sea complained That after all the Toiles and Hardships they had indured he was now about to carry them into another World for so they esteemed this great Island Caesar notwithstanding the speed that attended his Expeditions was not so silent in his Preparation but the Britains had notice of it from such of the Gauis as had made their escapes in small Barques and upon his attempting to land he found the Shores between Dover and Sandwich covered with the armed Britains under Casibâ—lan and other Kings who disputed his landing with great resolution and sury beating him twice from the Shore with the loss of his Sword and the no small danger of his Person which constrained him to put his Archers on board small Vessels whose Shot to which the Britains were not accustomed made them retire whilst under that Favour he landed part of his Legions yet long was it before he could make good his ground with the loss of his huge Fleet broken to pieces by the fury of the Tempest and a great number of his Men slain in divers Conflicts and Skirmishes for the Natives sighting partly in hook-armed Waggons or their fashion'd Chariots of War and partly on foot with Spears small imboss'd Shields and large Swords being exceeding nimble charged and retired in Parties as they saw it convenient and when in any Battel they were worsted they betook themselves to fortified Woods which served them in the nature of Castles So that in the end this great Conquerour tired with continual Alarums thought it convenient to make a Peace with those Kings that had opposed him and taking Hostages he returned to France there to quiet some new Commotions that were arisen The People in the condition Casar found them were tall big-bodied strong and greatly addicted to hardship having few Towns unless such as were the Capitals of their Kings but lived in fortified Woods the Men being allowed as many Wives as they could keep fierce and cruel yet sparing in Dyet and not much addicted to Labour so that the Ground lay mostly untilled and when they sowed their Corn they only strewed it on the Earth and harrowed it over with Bushes on which they laid considerable weights and being carried away with a notion of the Pythagorians they forbore very much to kill or destroy the Creatures lest they should unhouse the Souls of their Friends and nearest Relations which they concluded at their deaths had passed by Transmigration into them so that Hares Hens and Geese especially were found in such plenty and so same that it was admirable with great store of delicious Fruits which Nature of her own accord had produced The Trade of the Britains if any abroad was very inconsiderable for as Casar observes their Boats were for the most part Leather drawn over Wicker of Osiers or such as were fewed together with Thongs so that they durst not venture far from the shore nor did they trouble themselves with any store of Provision when they Sailed The better sort were clad but they mostly with Skins which they had not the art to dress taking a 〈◊〉 of pride in Nakedness for as much as being Young they Raised and Sâ—arrified their Skins into Carved Works of Bâ—rds Bâ—asls Trâ—es Flowers Fist Sunâ— Mconâ— Sâ—rs and the like it bâ—ing a Trade oâ— Imployment to persons well versed in iâ— as well as Paiâ—ting or Carving at this Day and in there Sears they suppled the Juice of Would or Woâ—d which not only couloâ—red their Bodâ—◠〈◊〉 sinking in where the Skin gave way left a lasting Stain that grew up with them to Maturity fortifying their Bodys by shutting up the 〈◊〉 against heat or cold and though they lived in a sind of a state of Innocency sequâ—stered from the hurry and business of more Civiliz'd Mations yet being under many Governours they frequently Wared upon each other through Emulation though their Riches were inconsidâ—rable their Coyn or what was Courant amongst them being only Brass or Irsn Ringâ— Boxes Oâ—nches at a certain Sieze or Weight though afterward by the Example of the Romans they stamped Silver and Gold with sundry Devices Imbosâ— Shield ways They made their Drink of Barly boiled in Water but took little account of Milk and less of their Cattle taking great pride in shaving themselves all but the upper Lip which they did in imitation of the Gauls wearing Iron Chains about their Necks and Wasts with Brass Rings on their Fingers as Ornaments and they had Women in common amongst Brothers and Parents and the Issue was attributed to him who first gathered her Virginity As for the Religion of the Antient Britains if so I may term it and not rather a Diabolieaâ— Delusion it was Superstitious and Barbarous for the Druids or Priests whom they held to be very Oracles gave themselves up to Witchcrasts and Inchantments muttering horrid Charms pretending to raise Stoâ—ms and Tempests to call for Lightning and Thunder Nor was their Idolatry less for they had Images almost without number to which they prayed and made Sacrifice under certain Names and Figures as the Priests directed not sparing to offer the Flesh of their Enemies taken in War and amongst them even Priest-craft reigned in those days for Excommunication was of great Force and the Theologie they held was that the Soul being Immortal lost not nor lessened in its Existence by the dying of the Body but passed in its Existence by the dying of the Body but passed into another either rational or irrational Creature and their Pxiests were Judges in all Civil Controversies This was the state of the Britains when the Romans same first acquainted with the Island and those of England so named since that time from a place in Denmark called Engelon or from the East Augles were distinguished by their Cantons or Tribes in the following order and possession viz. The Cantij possessed Kent the Regni Sâ—ssex and Surry the Durotriges Dorset-shire the Damnoni Devon-shire and Cornwal the Belgâ—e Somerset-shire Wilt-shire and Sonthampton-shire the Atrebati Bark-shire the Dubuni Oxford-shire and Glocester-shire the Catieuclani Warwick-shire Buckingham-shire and â—edford-shire the Trinobantes Hartford-shire Essex and Middl sex the Icenij Suffolk Norfolk Cambridge-shire and Huntington-shire the Conitani Lincoln-shire