perceived what their Intention was they endeavour'd to drive them out of the Island but these taking up Arms and calling in a great many thousands of their Country-men to their assistance first took from the Britains the Eastern parts of the Island And the Western parts which were yet in the possession of the Britains being afterwards extreamly wasted by Plague and Famine so that the British King Cadwalladar retired into the lesser Britainy The Saxons took hold of this opportunity conquering all the rest of Britainy except the Province of Wales which being surrounded with Mountains they were not able to subdue This abovementioned Cadwalladar was the last King of the ancient British Race who perceiving that he was no ways able any longer to resist the Power of the Saxons retired to Rome into a Convent But Britainy received the Name of Anglia or England from the Angles § 3. These Saxons erected seven Kingdoms which however had not their beginning all at one time but according as they had taken one part after another from the Inhabitants At last they fell together by the ears among themselves till one having swallowed up another all were united into one Kingdom which how it happened we will briefly relate The first Kingdom then was that of Kent which began in the Year 455 and during the Reigns of seventeen Kings lasted till the Year 827 when it was subdued by the West Saxons The second was the Kingdom of Sussex which began in the Year 488 and under five Kings lasted till the Year 601 when it was likewise made a Province by the West Saxons The third was that of the West Saxons which began in the Year 519 and lasted under nineteen Kings 561 Years The Eleventh of these Kings named Ino did order That each Subject that was worth ten Pence should yearly give one Penny to the Pope of Rome which Tax was first called the King's Alms and afterwards Peter's Pence The fourth Kingdom was that of Essex which began in the Year 527 and lasted under fourteen Kings till the Year 808 when it was also conquered by the West Saxons The fifth was that of Northumberland which began in the Year 547 and lasted under three and twenty Kings till the Year 926 when it also was brought under subjection by the West Saxons The sixth Kingdom was that of the Mercians which had its beginning in the Year 522 and lasted under twenty Kings till the Year 724 when it also fell into the Hands of the West Saxons The seventh was that of the East Angles which began in the Year 575 and lasted under fifteen Kings till the Year 928 when under its King Athelstan it was united with the rest But after Egbert King of the West Saxons had either subdued the rest or forced their Kings to acknowledge him for their Supream Head he and his Successours were henceforward called no more Kings of the Saxons but of England Under his Reign the Danes first enter'd England as they continued to do under the following Kings tho' in the beginning they were at several times bravely repuls'd Nevertheless they got footing at last in the Northern parts of England where they lived for a while pretty quietly under the Protection of the Kings of England But in the time of King Ethelred who began his Reign in the Year 979 the Danes made Inrodes into the Southern parts of England forced the English to pay them great Summs of Money ravish'd their Women and committed such outrages that they got the Name of Lord Danes And tho' the English conspir'd against the Danes and cut them all off yet the Danish King return'd the next Year and made prodigious havock among the English their great Preparations which were made against the Danes being by the Craft of the Traitor Edrick notwithstanding Ethelred had made him Duke of Mercia giving him his Daughter for a Wife render'd ineflectual so that Ethelred was obliged to leave his desolate Kingdom and to retire into Normandy Sueno while he was busie in plundering the Nunnery of St. Edmund having been kill'd by a Sword which no body knew from whence it came Ethelred return'd out of Normandy into England and forced Canute Sueno's Son to retire out of England into Denmark but he return'd quickly with a much greater Force and Ethelred making all imaginable Preparations against him died in the Year 1016 whose Son Edmund sirnamed Ironside did defend himself with great Bravery against the Danes and might have obtained several Victories over them if he had not been therein prevented by that Traitor Edrick At last it was agreed That both Kings should make an end of the War by a single Combat in which tho' Edmund had the advantage of giving Canute a dangerous stroke yet was he persuaded to finish the Combat by dividing the Kingdom with the Danes and was afterwards as he retired privately to ease Nature treacherously murther'd by Edrick § 4. After the death of Edmund Canute called together the English Lords and asked them Whether at the time when the Kingdom was divided there was any thing mentioned concerning the right of Succession of the Brothers and Sons of Edmund and the English out of fear answering there was not he received Homage from them and was crowned King of England After he had rid himself of all that were left of the Royal Race he to curry favour with the People married Emma the Widow of King Ethelred sent most of his Danes home and reigned with great applause Some of his Parasites who pretended to attribute to him something above a Humane Power he ridicul'd by causing a Chair to be set near the Sea-side commanding the Seas not to wet his Feet but the Tide rolling on the Waves as usually he told them That from thence they might judge of what extent was the Power of all worldly Kings He died in the Year 1035. His Son Harald succeeded by reason of his nimbleness sirnamed Harefoot He did nothing worth mentioning but that he caused his Stepmother Emma and her Sons whom he had with fair words persuaded to come over out of Normandy to be miserably murther'd He died in the Year 1039 leaving no Children behind him After his death the great Men of the kingdom called out of Denmark Hardiknut his Brother born of Emma and Canute who was famous for nothing but his greedy Appetite he being used to keep Table four times a day His Subjects were so averse to him that when he happened to die at a Feast after he had reign'd but two Years the English made publick Rejoicings in the Streets which they called Hocks-tide the Danes after his death growing so despicable to the English that the Danish Government in England expired after they had ravag'd England for the space of 240 tho' they possessed the Throne but 26 Years After the death of Hardiknut Edward sirnamed the Confessor Son of King Ethelred
two Sons Charles and Carolomannus who divided the Kingdom betwixt them But Carolomannus dying quickly after the whole Kingdom fell to Charles This Charles was justly sirnam'd the Great he having carried the French Monarchy to the highest pitch of its Greatness none of his Successours having been able to attain to the like tho' some of 'em have aim'd at it For having routed Desiderius the last King of the Lombards who endeavour'd to recover what was formerly taken from Aistulphus he conquer'd the Kingdom and brought it under his Subjection He also subdu'd Germany having routed Tassilo who had taken upon him the Title of King of Bavaria He also waged War against the Saxons for the space of 32 Years whom he at last brought under his Obedience obliging them to embrace the Christian Faith For which purpose he erected several Episcopal Sees and Monasteries by the help of the Priests to reform the baâ—barous Manners of this Savage People He also beat the Sclavonians Danes and Huns and took from the Saracens a part of Spain as far as to the River Iberus tho' his Forces in their return home were overthrown near Ronceval where was also slain the famous Rowland This Charles was in the Year 800 at Christmas being then at Rome proclaim'd Emperour by the People by the Instigation of the Pope in St. Peter's Church Tho' he gain'd nothing by this Title except it was the Sovereignty or Protection of the Roman Church and the Patrimony of St. Peter if both did not belong to him before for all the rest he enjoy'd before under other Titles He died in the Year 814. § 5. After the death of Charles the Great the French Monarchy began to decline again because his Son Lewis sirnamed the Pious was more fit to be a Priest than a Souldier And it is certain that so vast a Kingdom where the new Conquests were not yet well settled did require a Prince of a Military Spirit And notwithstanding he had the good Fortune to force some of the Rebellious Nations to return to their Duty yet he committed afterwards two fatal Oversights when in his life time he gave to his Sons the Titles of Kings and divided the Kingdom betwixt them The first of which proved pernicious to himself the second to the Monarchy For these impious and ungratefull Sons were not for staying for their Father's Death but Rebelling against him and made him after he was deserted by every body their Prisoner The Bishops who were by him kept under strict Discipline after they had condemn'd him forc'd him to resign the Government But the great Men of the Kingdom quickly repenting restor'd him to his Throne and he also pardon'd his Sons He died in the Year 840 having before his Death made a new Division of the Kingdom betwixt his Sons the Effects of which appear'd soon after to the World when Lotharius the elder Brother who also had the Title of Emperour undertook to take from his Brothers their Portion against whom the two other Brothers Lewis and Charles entring into a Confederacy forced him to divide the Monarchy with them having first obtain'd a bloody Victory near Fountenay unfar Auxerre in which Battel were slain above 100000 Men and among them the Flower of the French Nation In this Division Germany fell to Lewis's share which ever since has continued separate from France and has made a distinct Empire But the younger Brother Charles sirnamed the Bald got for his Portion the greatest part of France viz. all that part which lies betwixt the Western Ocean and the Meuse but the eldest Brother obtain'd Italy Provence and all those Counties which are situated betwixt the Meuse Rhine and the Some Under the Reign of this Charles the Bald the Normans so they call'd the Danes and Norwegians fell with a considerable Force into France making great Havock where-ever they came And the Kingdom was weakned to that degree by the last bloody Battel and its being divided into so many Principalities for the Sons of Lotharius had also shared their Father's Provinces among themselves that it was not strong enough to chase out of its Dominions these Robbers but was oblig'd under Charles sirnamed the Simple to give into their possession the Province of Neustria which they called after their Name Normandy The Sons of Lotharius dying without Issue Charles the Bald and the Sons of Lewis shared their Part betwixt them out of which Charles got Provence At last Charles obtain'd the Title of Emperour and died in the Year 877. His Son Lewis sirnamed Balbus succeeded him who dying soon after left the Kingdom to his two Sons who were very young viz. to Lewis III. and Carolomannus from whom Lewis King of Germany took Lorrain Lewis dying in the Year 882 as did Carolomannus in the Year 884 none was left but a Brother of theirs by the Father's side viz. the Son of Lewis sirnamed Balbus who being then a Child of five Years of Age was afterwards called Charles the Simple For at that time the Authority of the Kings of France was decay'd to that degree that it was a common custom to give them Sirnames according to the several defects of Body or Mind as were obvious in them He was during his Minority committed to the Tuition of his Cousin Carolus Crassus who also had the Title of Emperours who not long after because he was very infirm both in Body and Mind was deposed and died in the Year 888. The Royal Authority being thus decay'd and nothing but Divisions found in the Kingdom the great Men of the Kingdom mightily increased their own Power so that whereas they used formerly to be Governours of their Provinces under the King's Command they now began to claim them as a Propriety belonging to themselves independent of the King It is related by some That the Kings at that time had nothing left but Rheims and Laon which they could really call their own which Evil could not be totally suppress'd by the following Kings till several hundred Years after After the Death of Carolus Crassus Eudo Count of Paris got himself to be crowned King and waged War with Charles the Simple but died in the Year 898 Yet Charles the Simple quickly found another Rival for the Crown For Rudolf King of Burgundy got himself to be crowned King of France making Charles the Simple his Prisoner who died during his Imprisonment After the Death of Rudolf which happen'd in the Year 936 reign'd Lewis IV. sirnam'd Outremer because he had during the Imprisonment of his Father shelter'd himself in England This King's Reign was full of intestine Commotions he died in the Year 954 leaving for his Successour his Son Lotharius who likewise reign'd in continual troubles till the Year 985 leaving behind him his Son Lewis sirnamed the Faint-hearted of whom the French Historians only say this that
who were grown weary of the Swedish Government Under the Reign of these five last Kings there were golden times in Sweden the Christian Faith was then Established and the Subjects lived in Peace and Plenty § 4. After the death of Inge the East Gothes without the consent of the other Provinces made one Ragwald Knaphofde a Man of great bodily Strength but of no great Wisdom their King who was slain by the West Gothes In his stead the East Gothes chose Swercher II. a very good King who nevertheless was murthered by one of his Servants After the death of Swercher the East Gothes chose his Son Charles for their King but the Swâ—des at their General Assembly at Vpsal Elected Erick the Son Josward he having married Christina the Daughter of Ingo surnamed the Pious But both the Swedes and Gothes considering afterwards how necessary it was to keep up the Union betwixt these two Kingdoms made an agreement that Erick should remain King over both Kingdoms but that Charles should succeed him and that afterwards their Heirs should Rule the Kingdom in the same manner in their several turns This Erick having reduced the Finns to their former Obedience obliged them to receive the Christian Doctrine He also ordered the antient Constitutions of the Kingdom to be Collected into one Book which was called after his name St. Erick's Law He was slain in the Meadows near Vpsal by Magnus the King of Denmark's Son who having first defeated his Army was proclaimed King But the Swedes and Gothes under the Conduct of Charles the Son of Swercher fell again with such fury upon the Danes that they kill'd all the Danes with their King and his Son upon the spot and out of the spoil built a Church near Vpsal which they called Denmark Charles therefore the Son of Swercher became King of Denmark who Reigned with a general applause till Cnut the Son of Erick returned out of Norway and under pretence that he had abetted his Father's death surprised and killed him His Lady and Children fled into Denmark where having got some assistance they joined with the Gothes under the Conduct of Kell the Brother of Charles to recover the Kingdom but their General was killed upon the spot and their Forces dispersed by Cnus Erickson After which he Reigned very peaceably for the space of twenty three years After the death of Cnut Swercher the Son of Charles was made King of Swedeland but had for his Rival Erick the Son of the last deceased King At last the difference was thus Composed that Swercher should remain King during his life but should be succeeded by Erick But Swercher who notwithstanding this agreement was for settling the Crown upon his Family did barbarously murther all the Sons of Cnut except Erick who escaped into Norway from whence he returned with some Forces and being assisted by the Swedes vanquished Swercher who fled into West Gothland Having obtained Succours of sixteen thousand Men from Weldemar the King of Denmark he attempted to recover his Kingdom but was miserably beaten by Erick's Army he himself narrowly escaping into Denmark from whence he not long after again fell into West Gothland but was again defeated and slain in the Battel Leaving Erick Cnutson in the quiet possession of the Throne who renewed the former agreement made betwixt those two Families and Constituted John the Son of Swercher his Successour in the Kingdom He married Ricnet the Sister of Waldemar King of Denmark and dyed in Wisingsoe Him succeeded according to agreement John the Son of Swercher who Reigned but three years and dyed also in the Isle of Wisingsoe which was the general place of residence of the Swedish Kings in those days § 5. After the death of John Erick the Son of the former King Erick became King of Sweden who being lame and besides this lisping was surnamed the Lisper There was about that time a very Potent Family in Sweden called the Tolekungers who aimed at the Crown To bring these over to his Party the King had married three of his Sisters to three of the Chiefest among them he himself having married Catharine the Daughter of Sweno Tolekunger But these being grown more Potent by this Alliance Cnut Tolekunger rebelled against the King and having worsted him obliged him to fly into Denmark from whence he soon returned with a strong Army and vanquished Tolekunger and having caused him and Halingar his Son to be slain restored the Peace of the Kingdom Under the Reign of this King it was that Gulielmus Sabinensis the Pope's Legat did first forbid the Priests in Sweden to Marry whereas before that time it had been a common Custom among the Priests there to Marry as well as Laymen This Erick under the Conduct of his Brother in Law Birger Yerl forced the Finnes to return to Obedience and to receive the Christian Faith and built several Fortresses upon their Frontiers He dyed without Issue in Wisingsoe Whilst Birger Yerl was absent in Finland the States made Waldemar the eldest Son of Birger Yerl their King as being the deceased King's Sisters Son Who being Crowned in the year next following the Administration of the Kingdom was committed during his minority to his Father Birger who augmented the antient Law Book and deserved so well of the Publick that upon the request of the Estates he was created a Duke whereas before he had been only an Earl or as it is in their antient Language Yerl He met with great opposition from the Tolekungers who had not quite laid aside their pretensions to the Crown so that their jealousie at last broke out into open War But the Duke under pretence of making an agreement with them after having granted them a safe Conduct persuaded them to give him a meeting where having made them all Prisoners caused them to be Executed except Charles Tolekunger who fled into Prussia and remained there all his life time Things being thus settled he gave to his Son in Marriage Sophia the Daughter of Erick King of Denmark and laid the first foundation of the Castle and City of Stockholm and tho his Son was become of Age yet did he never surrender the Government to him as long as he lived He died after he had been Regent fifteen years leaving four Sons Waldemar King of Sweden Magnus Duke of Sudermanland Erick of Smaland and Benedict of Finland who afterwards raised great Disturbances for Waldemar having during his Pilgrimage to Rome and Jerusalem left the Administration of the Kingdom to his Brother Magnus at his return accused him of having aimed at the Crown The States of Sweden held an Assembly at Strengness to compose these differences if possible but met with so much difficulty that it was impossible to be effected Wherefore Magnus and Erick being retired into Denmark soon returned from thence with a
considerable Force and having routed the Vanguard of King Waldemar made him their Prisoner Whereupon Magnus called together the Estates of the Kingdom who being most of them of his Party did assign the whole Kingdom to Duke Magnus except only East and West Gothland Smaland and Daht which the King was to have for his share But this Agreement lasted not long for the Danes who had not received their Subsidies promised by Magnus siding with Waldemar the War was renewed which was carried on with various Success till at last the Danes having received satisfaction for the Money due to them left Waldemar in the lurch who in the presence of the Estates resigned the Kingdom to Magnus § 6. Waldemar having resigned the Kingdom Magnus was crowned at Vpsal who resumed the Title of King of the Swedes and Goths which had not been used by his Predecessors ever since the time of Olaus Skotkanung but is since retained by the Kings of Sweden to this day Under this King's reign the Family of the Tolekungers began to raise new Commotions and being assisted by some of the Nobilty murthered Ingemar Danschkep the King's Favourite and took Gerhard the E. of Holstein and Father-in-law to the K. Prisoner laying also close Siege to the Castle of Joncoring which oblig'd the K. to appeaâ—e them for that time by fair Promises but not long after the E. was released the K. accused them before the Assembly of the Nobility of High Treason and caused them all to be executed at Stockholm except Philip of Runby who was fain to redeem his Life at a very dear Rate And with this Stroke the Greatness of the Family of the Tolekungers was quite laid in the dust Having thus settled his Affairs he got his Lady Hederig crowned at Suderasping and with the advice of the Senators made King Waldemar a Prisoner in the Castle of Nicoping where he died four years after Magnus died in Wisignioc but was buried at Stockholm in the Church of the Grey Friars having left the Tuition of his Son Birger who was but eleven years of age and the Care of the Kingdom to Torckell Câ—utson the RixMarshal Torckell Cnutson was Regent for the space of thirteen years during which time he also imprisoned King Waldemar's Son but after their decease he sent an Army into Carâ—lia and having subdued this Nation and induced them to receive the Christian Faith he built on their Frontiers the Fortress of Wibourg and took from the Russians Kekhelm King Birger being by this time come to his riper Years married Mereta the Daughter of Erick King of Denmark and having sent new forces into Carelia and Ingermania built the Fortress of Norburgh on the Frontiers of Russia which however a few years after was retaken and demolished by the Russians Soon after he declared his Son Magnus who was but three years old his Successor in the Kingdom which was confirmed by the chief Men of the Kingdom and especially by his Brothers But this solemn Transaction was of no long continuance for the Brothers quickly fell into divisions among themselves and the two younger growing mistrustful of the King the Marshal retired first into Denmark and from thence into Norway to make use of that King's Intercession to recover their Inheritance which King Birger had seised upon but all this proving ineffectual they made several Inroads into West-Gothland and killed and dispersed the Swedish Troops that were sent to oppose them The King went at last in person with an Army and was met by his Brothers with some Forces which they had obtained of the King of Norway when by the Intercession of some Senators the Differences betwixt the Brothers were composed and the two younger restored to their Estates in Sweden This Agreement cost the old Torcell his Head who under pretence of having upheld the Ammosities betwixt the Brothers and some other matters laid to his charge was beheaded at Stockhelm But no sooner was this Wise Man dead but the two younger Brothers began to aim again at the Crown and having surprised the K. and Q. at their Country Seat called Hatuna forced him to resign the Kingdom and to surrender the Crown and City of Stockholm to his Brother Erick who made the King a Prisoner in the Castle of Nicoping but his Son Magnus was during this Tumult carried into Denmark The King of Denmark undertook 3 several Expeditions to relieve his Brother-in-law and Sister but to no great purpose only that at last it was agreed that the King Queen and their Children should be set at liberty and the matter decided in the Assembly of the Senate of the Kingdom The Senate therefore having been called together at Arâ—oga it was there concluded That in case King Birger would pardon all past Injuries and be contented with what part of the Kingdom should be assigned to him he should be set at liberty which was performed accordingly the Senate and his Brothers having again sworn fealty to him Thus matters seemed to be composed for the present when not long after a greater Storm broke out Erick the King of Denmark having made an Alliance with Haquin King of Norway came with an Army of 60000 Men into Sweden to assist King Birger in bringing his Brothers under his Subjection their first Success was answerable to their great Preparations having taken Joncoping and forced the Duke's Forces to fly before them but the Danes who began to be in want of Provision being most of them gone home there was a Meeting appointed betwixt the Brothers to be held at Helsinburgh where the former Agreement made at Aâ—bega was renewed by virtue of which Duke Erick was to have West Gothland Daht Halland Wermeland and Smalâ—nd Duke Waldemar was to have for his share Vpland Oeland and part of Finland the rest was to remain under the King and the Dukes to hold their Possessions in Fief from him Thus all Animosities seemed to be laid aside and the three Brothers lived in great splendor striving to out-do one another in Magnificence which occasioning some new Taxes proved also the occasion of some Insurrections in the Kingdom which were nevertheless happily appeased and Peace restored to the whole Kingdom In the mean while Duke Waldemar in his journey from Calmar to Stockholm gave a visit to the King at Nycoping who not only treated him with extraordinary Civility but also desired him to return and bring his Brother along with him by which means he hoped that the very seeds of their former Animosities betwixt them might be rooted out Waldemar being overcome by these fair Promises over-persuaded his Brother Erick who was very averse to it at first but at last consented Being arrived in the Castle where the King was they were kindly received and splendidly entertained at Supper but they had not been long in bed and most of their Servants dispersed into several Quarters of the Town till they were made Prisoners beaten
1479. John II. A Project of sailing to the East Indies Emanuel Moors and Jews banish'd out of Portugal The first Sea-voyage into the East Indies 1497. The reason why the Venetians opposed the Portugueses settling themselves there The Progress of the Duke â—f Albuquerque in the East Indies The discovery of Brasil in America John III. The Jesuites sent to the Indies Sebastian His fatal Expedition into Africa Henry Portugal united to Spain The Dutch sail to the East Indies 1620. 1630. The Portuguese shake off the Yoak of Spain The Duke of Braganzâ— proclaimed King John IV. 〈◊〉 League between Portugal and Holland A War breaks cut betwixt them A Peace in 1661. Alfonsus VI. 1668 1666. Don Pedro. The Humours of the Portugueses Fruitfulness of Portugal Brasile Africa The East Indies A horrible Persecution raised on the Christians of Japan and the occasion of It. The Strength of Portugal How it stands with regard to Spain To France To Holland The ancient Sate of England The Romans conquer England The Saxons come into Britainy â—450 689. The Saxon Kings in England The Saxon Heptarchy Peter's 〈◊〉 The Kingdom of England 818 Dancs first come into England 1002. The Danes driven out but return again King Edmund treacherously murther'd Canute the Dane King of England 1017. Harald Hardiknut Edward the Consessor 1066. Wâ—lliam the Conquerour Willam conquers England October 14 1066. The Corfew Bell. Edgar Atheling makes an attempt His Son Robert Rebels He acts as a Conquerour Robert Rebels again 1088. William Rufus 1100. Henry I. Robert makes a Lesient in England Normandy annexed to the Crown of England The Norman Race extinct Stephen Maud makes War on him Henty II. Hâ—s Son with the French and Scots join in a War against him 1189. Ireland conquered Richard I. He makes an Expedition into the Holy Land In his return â—e is taken Prisoner 1199. John His Nephew Arthur opposes him The King of France dispossesses him of Normandy The Dauphin invited by the Barons invades England 1216. Henry III. The Dauphin is forced â—ome again A War with the Barons He quits his Pretensions on Normandy for a Summ of Money Edward I. The causes of the Differences betwixt the English and Scots A War with Scotland 1307. With France 1297. He banishes the Jews Edward II. Vnsuccessfull 〈◊〉 his War with Scotland 〈…〉 1327. Edward III. His Pretensions to the French Crown He is successfull against Scotland His Expedition into France 1340. The Battel near Crecy 1346. The Scotch defeated He takes Calais 1356. The Battel near Poictiers A dishonourable Peace to France Another War with France 1377. Richard II. A Peace with France Troubles at home The occasion of his Ruin Henry Duke of Lancaster invades England 1399. Henry IV. of the House of Lancaster He had great Difficulties which he surmounted Henry V. He invades France to prosecute his claim of the Crown The Battel uear Aguicourt 1419. 1420. The Administration of France to be in Henry during Charles's life and after his death the Crown to descend to him 1422. Henry VI. Proclaim'd King of France 1423. 1424. The Maid 〈◊〉 Orleans He was crowned in Paris 1432. The English decline in France 1435. The Duke of Burgundy leaves the English and is reconciled to Charles 1436. The occasion of the Troubles in England 1449. The English driven out of France The occasion of this sudden loss 1460. Edward IV. of the House of York A bloody Battel betwixt Edward and Henry Henry taken out of Prison and set on the Throne Edward returns into England Henry a second time Prisoner 147â— and murther'd by the Duke of Gloucester Edward V. Richard III. 1483. Murthers his Nephews He murther's his Wife Henry Earl of Richmond invades England 1485. Henry VII He united the White and Red Roses Lambert Symnel He makes an Expedition inâ—â— France Perkin Warbeck He marries his Daughter Margaret to the King of Scotland Henry VIII He enters into League with Ferdinand and the Pope 1512. His Expedition against France A second An Invasion of the Scots He makes a second War against France The Divorce of Henry VIII The fallâ— of Woolsey 1532. He marries Anna Bullen He abrogates the Pope's Supremacy Monasteries demolished Protestants and Papists executed War with Scotland He enters into a League with the Emperour against France 1550. Anna Bullen beheaded His other Wives Edward VI. 155â— Lady Jane Grey proclaimed Queen Mary Restores Popery Marries Philip of Spain Lady Jane c. beheaded The reason why Philip interceded for the Lady Elizabeth The Battel of St. Quintin Calais lost 1558. Elizabeth Philip desires her in marriage Papists and Paritaus Poreign Seminaries Mary Queen of Scotland The Queen of Scots married Bothwell who murthered her Husband She was made a Prisoner in England 1572. 1586. Beheaded 1587. Queen Elizabeth assists the Huguenots 1562. 1559. The Sovereignty of the Netherlands twice offered her 1595. The Armado defeated Essex heheaded 1600 She was jealous of her Power at Sea James I. Cobham's Conspiracy 1603. The Powder Plot. 1604. 1626. Foreign Plantations Charles I. 1626. War with Spain War with France A Peace concluded with both Causes of the intestine Commotions in England The different Conduct of Queen Elizabeth and King James as to the State The Occasions that were taken from Religion The Conduct of Charles I. Troubles in Scotland and England 1637. 1567. 1617. 1633. The Scotch Covenant A Letter intercepted wherein the Scots desire Succour from France The Parliament is sactious and favours the Scots The Parliament of England directly oppose the King 1642. The Rebellion begins Their Behaviours The King made a Prisoner The Independents become Masters The King is sentenced to death and executed 1648. Ireland conqâ—er'd Charles II. râ—â—ted The Scots câ—nquered Cromwell made Protectour 1652. 1660. King Charles II's Restauration 1660. War with Holland 1665. 1674. Constitution of the English Nation Constitution of the Scotch Nation Of the Irish The Condition of Great Brittainy The Form of the Government in England The Power and Strength of England With relation to other States To the Northern Crowns To Spain To France To Holland The most ancient Stare of France Gaul subdued by the Romans By the Barbarous Nations That the Franks came out of Germany The origin of the French Language Pharamond the first King Clodion Merovaeus Childerick Clouis I. 496. France is divided Clotarius II 614. Dagobert Charâ—es Martell 714. 732. Pipin proclaim'd King The Merovingian Family loses the Crown 751. Pipin's Expeditions He assists the Pope against the Lombards Charles the Great 774. He is proclaimed Emperour of the Romans Lewis the Pious He divides his Kingdom His Sons Rebell 833. Germany divided from France Charles the Bald. The Normans make an Irruption into France 912. Ludovicus Balbus Ludov. III. and Carolomannus Charles the Simple The decay of the Royal Authority The Excessive Power of the Nobles Eudo Count of Paris crown'd King of France 923. Rudolf of Burgundy crown'd King 929. Lewis Outremer Lotharius Lewis the
the Spaniards because they have thereby a convenient Correspondence with the House of Austria As long as Burgundy and the Netherlands were united they might be compared to a Kingdom but now Burgundy is lost the seven united Provinces have separated themselves from the rest of the Netherlands and France has conquered a great part of the remainder And tho' in the Spanish Netherlands there are very fair and strong Cities left yet nevertheless it seems that the greatest benefit which Spain receives from them amounts to this That by them the French Arms are diverted from the other Spanish Territories that they commonly draw the Seat of War thither and serve to take off the edge of the French Fury In the East Indies the Philippine Islands belong to the Spaniards whose Capital City being Manilla was taken by them in the Year 1565 but these Islands are so inconsiderable that it has been often under debate whether it were not most convenient to abandon them Yet some Indian Commodities which from several places and especially from China are brought to Manilla are from thence transported to New-Spain and Mexico whereby there is kept a constant Communication betwixt the Spanish West and East Indies § 19. From what has been said it is evident that Spain is a potent Kingdom which has under its Jurisdiction rich and fair Countries abounding with all Necessaries not only sufficient for the use of its Inhabitants but also affording a great overplus for Exportation The Spaniards also do not want Wisdom in managing their State Affairs nor Valour to carry on a War Nevertheless this vast Kingdom has its Infirmities which have brought it so low that it is scarce able to stand upon its own Legs Among those is to be esteemed one the want of Inhabitants in Spain there being not a sufficient number both to keep in obedience such great Provinces and at the same time to make Head against a potent Enemy which want is not easily to be repaired out of those Countries which are under their subjection since it is the Interest of Spain rather to restrain the Courage of these Inhabitants for fear they should one time or another take Heart and shake off the Spanish Yoak And whenever they raise some Souldier in these Provinces they cannot trust them with the defence of their Native Country but are obliged to disperse them by sending them into other Parts under the Command only of Spaniards Spain therefore is scarce able to raise within it self a sufficient number of Souldiers for the Guard and Defence of its frontier places Wherefore whenever Spain happens to have War with other Nations it is obliged to make use of Foreign Souldiers and to raise those is not only very chargeable but also the King is not so well assured of their Faith as of that of his own Subjects The want of Inhabitants is also one reason why Spain cannot now-a-days keep a considerable Fleet at Sea which nevertheless is extreamly necessary to support the Monarchy of that Kingdom Another weakness is That the Spanish Provinces are mightily dis-joined they being divided by vast Seas and Countries These therefore cannot be maintained and governed without great difficulty for the Governours of the Provinces being remote from the sight of the Prince he cannot take so exact an account of their Actions and the oppressed Subjects want often opportunity to make their Complaints to the King besides that Men and Money are with great charge and danger sent out of Spain into these Provinces without hopes of ever returning into the Kingdom Their Strength cannot be kept together as being obliged to divide their Forces The more disjoined these Provinces are the more frontier Garrisons are to be maintained all which may be saved in a Kingdom whose parts are not so much dis-joined They are also liable to being attack'd in a great many places at once one Province not being able to assist another Besides this America being the Treasury of Spain is parted from it by the vast Ocean whereby their Silver Fleets are subject to the hazard of the Seas and Pyrates And if it happens that such a Fleet is lost the whole Government must needs suffer extreamly by the want of it the Inhabitants of Spain being so exhausted as not to be able to raise sufficient Summs to supply the Publick Necessities The Spaniards are also mighty deficient in regulating their West India Trade which is so ill managed that the greatest part of those Riches are conveyed to other Nations whereby they are empoured to chastise Spain with its own Money After the death of Philip II. it has also proved very prejudicial to Spain that by the carelessness of the succeeding Kings and during the long Minority of this present the Nobles have so increased their Power that they are now very backward in duely assisting the King and by impoverishing the King and Commonalty have got all the Riches to themselves It is also a common Disease in all Governments where the Popish Religion has got the upper hand That the Popish Clergy is very rich and potent and yet pretends by a Divine Right to be exempted from all publick burdens except that some of them in the utmost extremity vouchsafe to contribute some small portion for the defence of the whole but that not without consent of the Pope Yet the King of Spain has that Prerogative which he obtained from Pope Hadrian IV. that he has the disposal of all the chief Church Benefices in his Kingdom and he is also Head and Master of all the Ecclesiastical Orders of Knighthood in Spain And because the Kings of Spain have hitherto pretended to be the most zealous Protectours of the Papal Chair and Religion they have thereby so obliged the Zealots of the Roman Catholick Religion and especially the Jesuits that these have always been endeavouring to promote the Interest of Spain § 20. Lastly It is also worth our observation how Spain does behave it self in relation to its Neighbours and what Good or Evil it may again expect from them Spain therefore is opposite to the Coast of Barbary having also several Forts on that side viz. Pegnon de Velez Oran Arzilla and would be better if they had also Algiers and Tunis From hence Spain need not fear any thing now since it has quite freed it self from the very Remnants of the Moors But the Pyracies committted by those Corsaires is not so hurtfull to Spain as to other Nations who traffique with Spain Italy or Turky for the Spaniards seldom export their own Commodities into the other parts of Europe but these are exported by other Nations The Turks seem to be pretty near to the Islands of Sicily and Sardinia and to the Kingdom of Naples Yet are they not much feared by the Spaniards the Sea which lies betwixt them being an obstacle against making a Descent with a considerable Army in any of those Parts and if an Army should
it relates to France or Spain of Poland and other such like States so it is easie for him to curb the Pirates on the Barbary Coast Which Nests of Pirates might have been easily destroyed long ago if they had not been let alone on purpose to render the Trade in the Mediterranean difficult to the Hamburgers and some others England has nothing to fear from Portugal and this must rather hope for assistance from England and Holland against Spain The Naval Strength of the Northern Crowns England need not be jealous of as long as the same is divided Yet it cannot be for the Interest of England if one of those Kings should become absolute Master of the East Sea or that they should be fain to depend on the Discretion of the Dutch Since the Naval Strength of Spain is mightily decay'd England need not fear any thing from thence Yet does it not seem to be the Interest of England to fall out with that Kingdom considering what a vast Trade the English have into Spain for Spain does either consume the English Commodities at home or else exchanges them for Silver by sending of them into America There are some who have computed that in case of a War with Spain the English would lose in effects above thirty Millions and besides this their Trade into the Levant and other places would be greatly endangered by the Privateers of Ostend Biscay Majorca and Minorca who at the time of the Wars under Cromwell took 1500 Merchant-ships from the English Tho' the Land Forces of France are now-adays much superiour to the English this Island both for its bigness and strength making up not above a third part of France yet the Naval Strength of France has hitherto not been able to come in competition with the English It is the chiefest Interest of England to keep up the Balance betwixt France and Spain and to take a special care that the King of France do not become Master of all the Netherlands for it is visible that thereby his Power at Sea would be encreas'd to that degree that he might enter on a Design of being even with England for what they have formerly done to France Holland seems to be the only obstacle that the English cannot be sole Masters of the Sea and Trade tho' for the rest they have no reason to fear the Dutch by Land but only at Sea because the Dutch Land Forces are not so considerable as to be able to undertake any thing of great moment Nevertheless how desirous soever the English are to be sole Masters at Sea yet does it not seem to be the Interest of England frequently to engage it self in Wars with Holland it having been observ'd that the Dutch since the Wars with England are rather increased in Valour Experience and Power at Sea And because other Nations are not likely to suffer that Holland should be swallow'd up by the English or that one Nation should have the Monopoly of Europe it seems therefore the best method for the English to let the Dutch trade as well as themselves and to set some others upon their Backs which may give them so much work as thereby to give a check to their growing Greatness and in the mean while take care to establish their own Power at Sea and Commerce abroad But least of all it would be for the Interest of England if Holland should be brought under the Yoak of the French King who without question by the additional Sea Forces of Holland and the advantage of the East India Trade would be superiour in Power to any in Europe CHAP. V. Of FRANCE § 1. AS far as we can search into the most ancient Histories it is evident from thâ—nce That Gaul now call'd France has been a very powerfull and populous Country For the Gauls in ancient times had conquer'd a great part of Italy where they settled themselves who also when they had over-run Greece and some other neighbouring Countries inhabited a part of the Lesser Asia which was called from them Galatia or Gallo-gracia Yet formerly this so powerfull Country did never either rightly understand or exert its own Strength against other Nations because it was not then under the Government of one Prince but divided into a great many pâ—â—â—y States which were always at variance with one another This much facilitated the Conquest of the Romans over them who else stood not in fear of any Nation so much as the Gauls And tho' the incomparable Valour of Julius Caesar was chiefly instrumental in subduing this Nation yet with tâ—n Legions he had work enough to effect it in ten Years time But as soon as the Romans had brought this fair Country under their Subjection they employ'd all means to suppress the Martial Spirit of this Nation in which they succeeded as well in this as in other Nations it being their Custom to civilize and refine the Manners of these Nations thereby to render them soft and eâ—â—eminate After France had been near 500 Years under the Domâ—nion of the Romans it fell under the Reign of the Emperour Honorius into the Hands of the Barbarous Nations For the Goths after they had over-run Italy settled themselves in Gallia Narbonensis and the Burgundians conquer'd a considerable part of the rest But the Franks entring this Kingdom settled and maintained themselves in it giving it the Name of France after their own Name These Franks were for certain Germans tho' some of our Modern French Writers pretend to demonstrate That this Nation was a Colony of the ancient Gauls who being overstock'd with People at home passed over the Rhine and having settled a Colony in Germany after several hundred Years return'd into their Native Country But it is more probable That the Franks are the same Nations which were formerly encompass'd by the Rivers of the Mayn the Rhine the Weâ—er and the Sea and which in Tacitus's time were call'd Salii Bructeri Trisii Angrivani Chamari Sigambri and Chatti and who having enter'd into a mutual Confederacy against the Romans called themselves in spite of their Power Franks or a free People as not doubting but to be able to defend their Liberty against them And it is certain that they did transplant the German Tongue into France which was for a great while after in fashion among persons of the best Quality till at last they used themselves by degrees to the Latin Tongue formerly introduced by the Romans which being corrupted by the German Tongue produced the modern French Language It is also evident that the Race of the ancient Gauls was not quite extinguish'd but that both Nations were by degrees united in one yet with this difference that the Frankish Families made up the Body of the Nation § 2. But howsoever this be all Historians agree in this That the Franks did choose for their King about the Year 424 Pharamond who established among them wholsome Laws and
had been given to them since the year 1454. but also several other Church Lands and precious moveables all which he annexed to the Crown In the mean while the Bishops and their party were not idle but were contriving all manner of mischief against the King though with small success For the Dalekerls who had made an Insurrection were frightened by the King to comply with his commands and to send away their Leader the supposititious Sâ—ure and Sigismund King of Poland unto whom the dissatisfied party had proffered the Crown did not think fit to accept of it so that Bishop Brask despairing at last of the Roman Catholick Cause under pretence of a Journey retired to Dantzick The King having surmounted all these difficulties thought convenient not to defer any longer his Coronation which having been solemnized at Vpsal with the usual Solemnity he summoned the Rebellious Dalekerls to appear before him at Thuana threatning them with Fire and Sword if they did not appear at the appointed time The Rebels being throughly frightened by the King's severity appeared without Arms at the appointed place where he caused several of the Ringleaders to be Executed and dismissed the rest after having promised to be obedient for the future In Helsingland he appeased the tumultuous multitude with threats and fined their Leaders and having called together a Synod of the Clergy at Orebro where the King's Chancellour was President the chiefest Points of the Popish Doctrine were there abolished and in their stead the Protestant Religion introduced where it was also ordered that a Protestant Professor of Divinity should be Constituted in each Cathedral This wrought in a manner Miracles among the Inferiour Clergy and Monks who left their Monasteries were married and became Ministers in the Protestant Churches But the Bishops and their party entred into an Association with some of the dissatisfied Lords in West Gothland who accused the King of Heresie and other Crimes renouncing their Allegiance to him These were Headed by Thuro Johanson the Rix Marshal who raised an Insurrection among the Dalekerls and endeavoured also to stir up the West and East Gothes whom he persuaded to make Magnus Brynteson a Man in great Authority among them their King But the King having again appeased this tumult by granting his Pardon to them Magnus the Bishop of Skara and Thuro Johnson fled into Denmark but Magnus Bayteson Nils Olofson and Thuro Erickson having been Convicted of High Treason at the Dyet held at Strâ—ngness the two first were Executed and the third paid a considerable Fine The King then to settle the minds of his Subjects having renewed his Pardon caused the superfluous Bells to be taken out of the Steeples the same being granted to him by the Estates towards the payment of a Debt due to the Lubeckers Which proved a new Subject for an Insurrection for the Dalekerls not only seised upon some of these Bells but also pretended to hold an Assembly at Arboga to consult about the Deposing of King Gustave which obliged the King to call together the Estates at Vpsal whither he came in person with a good Army and meeting with great opposition from the mutinous People ordered his Soldiers to fire among them which so terrified them that upon their Knees they begged his Pardon promising to be more Obedient for the future Things being thus pretty well settled the King married Catharine the Daughter of Magnus Duke of Saxen Lauenburgh and having received intelligence that King Christian was landed in Norway with a considerable Force he sent some Troops under the Command of Lars Sigeson the Rix Marshal to the Frontiers of Norway who having been joined by some Danes forced King Christian to raise the Siege of Banus who at last surrendring himself to the Danes was by Frederick King of Denmark committed to Prison where he died after twenty seven years imprisonment But no sooner was this storm over but the Lubeckers raised another against Sweden For they having demanded from the King to grant them the whole Trade on his Northern Sea Coasts which he refused to consent to peremptorily demanded their Debt and having joyned with a great many Refugies of King Christian's party and made John Earl of Hoya who had married King Gustave's Sister their Head did propose to themselves no less than the Conquest of the Northern Kingdoms having inticed some Citizens of Stockholm under pretext of making that City a free Hanse Town to lay violent hands on the King And after the death of Frederick King of Denmark when that Kingdom was divided into several Factions persuaded the Senate of Copenhagen and Malmoe to enter into the Confederacy of the Hanse Towns Being thus strengthened by a considerable party within that Kingdom they had great success against the Danes till these having declared Christian III. their King and being assisted with Mony Ships and Forces by King Gustave beat the Lubeckers near Heâ—sinburgh and afterwards in a Sea-Fight defeated their whole Fleet and carried a great many of their Ships into Denmark Soon after King Gustave to strengthen himself the better at Home married Margaret the Daughter of Abraham Erickson Governor of West Gothland which Alliance stood afterwards his Son Duke John in great stead against King Erick King Gustave having also conceived a jealousie against the Emperour Charles V. whom he suspected to be for making Palls Grave Frederick Son in Law of the imprisoned King Christian King over the Northern Kingdoms took a resolution to strengthen himself with the Alliance of France To put this design in execution he sent his Secretary into France who having first made a Treaty of Commerce betwixt these two Crowns did also afterwards conclude a defensive Alliance betwixt them Gustave having thus settled his Affairs called a Dyet to be held at Westeraas where the Estates of the Kingdom declared the Succession Hereditary for the future Constituting Erick Gustaveson who was then but eleven years old his Father's Successor At the same Dyet the Popish Religion was quite abolished and the Lutheran Religion Established in Sweden the King and the Estates having obliged themselves by a Solemn Oath to maintain the same with all their power In the year 1551. King Gustave after the death of his Queen Margaret married Catharine the Daughter of Gustave Olufson and ruled the Kingdom of Sweden with great Tranquility except that the Russians had faln into Livonia and Finland with whom having made a Peace and being now grown very old he by his Testament gave to John his second Son the Dukedom of Finland to the third Son Magnus the Dukedom of East Gothland and to Charles the youngest of all the Dukedom of Sudermanland Nericke and Wermeland which Countries they were to hold in Fief from the Crown But his eldest Son Erick who was â—o succeed him in the Kingdom having been persuaded by his Tutor Dionysius Burraeus a Frenchman to make his Addresses to Elizabeth Queen of