Henry the Third by reason of his tall stature sirnamed Long-shanks began his Reign Novem. 17. the yeere of Grace one thousand two hundred threescore and twelve who came to London the second day of August and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth of December following The Cororati of P. Edward sirnamed Loâ—…gshanks being the second yeere of his Reigne at whose Coronation was present Alexander King of Scots who the morrow following did homage to him for the Kingdome of Scotland but Lewellin prince of Wales refused to come to that solemnitie for which King Edward gathered a strong power and subdued him in his Lewellin P. of Wales rebeileth owne borders and in the yeere after hee called his high Court of Parlament to which also Lewellin presumptuously denied to come therefore after Easter he assembled new forces and entring Wales hee constrained him to submit himselfe to his mercy which with great difficulty Lewellin took to mercy hee obtained then the King built the Castle of Flint and strengthened the Castle of Rutland to keepe the Welsh in due obedience He gave also uuto David brother of Lewellin David brother to Lewellin the Castle of Froddesham who remayned in his Court and with his seeming service much delighted the King but David did it only as a spie to give his brother secret intelligence of whatsoever the King or his Counsell said of him or against him who tooke his opportunity and privatly left the Court stirring up his broâ—…her to a new Rebellion of which the King being informed hee could hardly thinke that hee could prove so ingratefull but being better ascertained of the truth he made fierce warre upon them at length Lewellin was strictly besieged in Swandon Castle from which when hee thought early in a morning to escape with ten Knights only hee was met by Sir Roger Mortimer upon whose Lands hee had before done great out-rage who surprized him and cut off his head and sent it to the King being then at The death of Lewellin P. of Wales Rutland who commanded it to bee pitcht on a pole and set upon the Tower of London and further that all his heires should be disherited and their claime to the Soveraignty of Wales to be deprived the right thereof solely remayning in the Kings of England and their Successours So one after was his brother David taken and after doomed to be drawn hanged and quartered The death of David his brother and his head sent to the Tower and placed by his brother Lewellins in which the prophesie is verified The Cambrian Wolves he through their woods shall chace Nor cease till he have quite extirpt their Race Of this Lewellin a Welsh Metrician writ this Epitaph Hic jacet Anglorum tortor tutor Venedorum Princeps Wallorum Lewelinus regula morum A Welsh poet upon the death of Lewellin Gemma Coaevorum flos regum praeteritorum Forma futurorum Dux Laus Lex Lux populorum Thus anciently Englisht Of Englishmen the scourge of Welsh the protector Lewellin the Prince rule of all vertue Gemme of Livers and of all others the flower Who unto death hath paid his debt due Of Kings a mirrour that after him ensue Duke and Priest and of the Law the right Here in this grave of people lyeth the light To which an English Poet of those times made this answer Hic jacet errorum princeps ac praedo virorum An English poets answer to the former Proditor Anglorum fax livida sectareorum Numen Wallorum Trux Dux Homicida piorum Fex Trojanorum stirps mendax causa malorum Here lyeth of Errour the Prince if yee will ken Thiefe and Robber and traytor to Englishmen A dimme brood a Sect of doers evill God of Welshmen cruell without skill In slaying the good and Leader of the bad Lastly rewarded as he deserved had Of Trojans bloud the dregs and not the seed A root of falshood and cause of many evill deed In the twentieth yeere of the King upon Saint Andrews Eve being the twentie ninth of November died Queene Eleanor sister to the The death of Q. Eleanor King of Spaine by whom the King had foure sonnes Iohn Henry Alphons and Edward the three first died and Edward the youngest succeeded his Father and five Daughters Eleanor who was married to William of Bar Ioan of The Kings Râ—…yall Issue Acris to the Earle of Glocester Gilbert de Clare Margaret to the Dukes sonne of Brabant Mary who was made a Nun at Ambrisbury and Elisabeth espoused to the Earle of Holland and after his death to Humphrey Bokun Earle of Hereford This yeere also died old Queene Eleanor wife The death of K. Edwards mother to Henry the third and mother to King Edward I come now to the twenty fourth yeare of his Reigne in which Alexander King of Scotland being dead hee left three Daughters the first was married to Sir Iohn Baliol the second to Sir Robert le Bruise the third to one Hastings Amongst which there fell dissention about the Title to the Crown as shall appeare in the next Chapter CHAP. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crowne of Scotland for which they did them homage King Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The Prophesie fulfilled His death And Coronation of his sonne c. The death of Gaveston with a Prophesie of King Edward the Second THese three before-named Baliol Bruse and Hastings came to King Edward as chiefe Lord and Sovereigne Authority by which England claimed homage from the Scotch Kings of that Land to dispose of the right of their Titles to his pleasure and they to abide his censure who to the intent that they might know hee was the sole competent Iudge in that case caused old Evidences and Chronicles to be searcht amongst which was Marianus the Scot William of Malmsbury Roger of Hungtington and others in which were found and read before them that in the yeere of Grace nine hundred and twenty King Edward the elder made subject unto him the two Kings of Cambria and Scotland In the yeere nine hundred twenty one the said Kings of Wales and Scotland chose the same Edward to bee their Lord and Patron In the yeere nine hundred twenty six Ethelstane King of England subdued Constantine King of Scots who did him fealty and homage And Edredus brother and successor to Ethelstane subdued the Scots againe with the Northumbers who reigned under him It was also found in the said Chronicles that King Edgar overcame Alpinus the sonne of Kinudus King of Scots and received of him homage as hee had done of his father before time And that Canutus in the sixteenth yeere of his Reign overcame Malcolm K. of Scots and received of him oath and homage that William the Conquerour in the sixt yeere of his Reigne was victorious over Malcolme who before received the Kingdome of the gift of Edward the Confessor who did him fealty the
like did Malcolme and his two sonnes to VVilliam sirnamed the Red sonne to the Conquerour David King of Scots did homage also to Stephen King of England VVilliam King of Scots did the like to Henry the third at the time of his Coronation and when this Henry was dead This Henry cald the third was sonne to Henry the se cond and was crowned but dyed befoâ—…e his Father hee came after to his father Henry the second into Normandy and did the like to him also Alexander King of Scots in the thirty first yeer of Henry the second sonne of King Iohn married at Yorke the Daughter of the said Henry and did him homage for the Realme of Scotland c. Further was shewed unto them the Popes Bulls sent into Scotland by vertue whereof those of their Kings were accursed that would not bee obedient to their Lords the Kings of England Briefely they acknowledging all these Authoriy from Rome to be true Bonds were made on both sides in which thing Edward was tyed in an hundred thousand pounds to nominate their King and the Scots againe bound to obey him nominated as their Soveraigne After which writings sealed they delivered the possession of the Kingdome of Scotland into King Edwards hands to preserve it to his use of whom hee would make election who made choise of Sir Iohn Balioll as true and immediate heire by marrying Sir Iohn Balioll made king of Scots the eldest sister for which he did him homage and sware him fealty which done the Scots with their new King departed joyfully into Scotland But soone after Baliol repented him of his Oath and as some say by the Counsell of the Abbot of Menrosse others by the instigation of the King of France but whether by one or both certaine it is that hee perfidiously revolted and made warre upon England which Edward hearing sped him with a great hoast into The Scots revolt Scotland and laid siege to Barwicke but they bravely defended the Towne and burnt some of our English with which they were so inflamed with pride that they made this scornfull Rime upon the English What ween is King Edward with his long shanks To have won Barwicke all our unthankes Gaas pikes him And when he had it Gaas dikes him At which King Edward being mightily moved so incouraged his souldiers that they first wonne the Ditches and after with great difficulty the Bulwarkes and then came to the gates which they inforced and entring the Towne slew twenty five thousand and seven hundred Scots and lost no man of note save Richard King Edward winneth Barwicke Earle of Cornwall and of meaner people twenty seven and no more which hitherto upholds the former prediction Then from the North shall fiery Meteors threat Ambitious after blood to quench their heate The Dragons blood at which his Crest wil rise And his skales flame where he treads or flies Fright all shall him oppose the Northerne Dyke Passe shall he then and set his foot in wyke By the Northerne Dyke is implyed the River Tweede and by Wyke the Towne of Barwicke but I pursue the History The King having possest the Towne and Castle hee sent Sir Hugh Spencer with Sir Hugh Parcy and other Noble men to besiege Dunbar whither came a mighty Host to remove them thence with whom the English had a fierce and cruel battail A glorious victory at the taking of Dunbar in which were slaine of the Scots twenty two thousand and of the English a very small number wherefore the English to reproach the Scots in regard of their former Rime made this These scattered Scots Hold we for sots Of wrenches unware Earely in a morning in an evill timing Came yee to Dunbar After the taking of the Towne and Castle of Dunbarre the King besieged the City of Edenborough and wonne both it and the Castle Edenborough taken with the Castle Crown c. in which were found the Regalities of state which King Edward tooke thence and offered them at the shrine of Saint Edward upon the eighteenth day of Iune the year following Then Sir Iohn Baliol with diverse of his Clergy and Nobility submitted themselves to the kings grace and having setled the affaires of Scotland hee brought them up to London and then asked them what amends they would make him for all the trouble and damage they had put him to who answered they wholly submitted themselves to his mercy Hee then replyed your Lands nor your goods doe I desire but I will that you take the Sacrament to be my true Feodaries and never more to beare Armes against me to which they willingly assented of w ch were sir Iohn Commin the Earle of Stratherne the Earle of Carick and foure The Scotch sworne on the Sacrament Bishops took Oath in the behalfe of themselves and the whole Clergy which done the king gave them safe conduct into their Country But not long after they hearing the king was busied in his warres of Gascoyne against the French king they made a new insurrection having They breake their oath one VVill. Wallis a desperate Ruffin and of low condition to be their chiefe Leader which the King hearing having ordred his affaires in â—…rance hee sped towards Scotland and entring the Kingdome he burnt and wasted wheresoere he came sparing only all Churches Religious Houses and the poore people who besought him of mercy At length hee met with the Scottish Army upon Saint Mary Mawdlins day at a place called Fonkirke where hee gave them The bâ—…ve battaile at Fonkâ—…ke battaile and slue of them thirty three thousand with the losse only of twenty eight men and no more and finding no other enemies able to resist him hee returned into England and after married Margaret the French Kings sister by which King Edward marrieth the French Kings sister a peace betwixt England and France was concluded Then went king Edward a third time into Scotland and almost famished the Land and tooke the strong Castle of Estrevelin and soon after was taken William VVallis at the Town of The end of William Wallis Saint Dominick who was sent to London where he received his judgement and upon Saint Bartholomews Eve was drawne and quartred his head stooke off and set on London bridge and his foure quarters sent to bee hanged up in the foure chiefe Cities of Scotland after this Robert le Bruce claymed the Crowne of Scotland without acquainting king Edward therewith and drove all the Englishmen out of the Land of which he vowed revenge and to hang up all the Traytors in that kingdome who before hee set forward on that expedition made foure hundred and foure knights at VVestminster upon a Whitson Sunday with whom and the rest of King Edward maketh 400 and foure Knights his Army he once more pierced Scotland and upon Friday before the Assumption of our Lady hee met with Robert le Bruce and his Hoast
Edward with the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter were in the North and would not come up at the kings sending it was agreed by the Lords that the Duke of Yorke and Earle of Salisbury should raise an Army and fetch them up by force and to that purpose sped them Northward of which the Queene with her people having notice with a great power of Northern men met with them upon the thirtieth of December at a Towne called Wake-field betwixt whom was fought a bloody Battaile in The battaile of Wakefield which was slaine the Duke of York with his son the earle of Rutland Thomas Nevill sonne to The Duke of Yorke slaine the earle of Salisbury and the earle himself took prisoner whom shee caused to be with others soone after beheaded at Pomphret then shee made haste towards London and the earle of Warwicke with the Duke of Norfolke who were appoynted by Yorke to attend the king gathered an Army and upon a Shrove-tuesday in the The Queen againe victorious morning gave her battaile at Saint Albons in which Warwicke and Norfolke were chaced and the king againe taken and presented to the Queen then He the same afternoone made his sonne Edward knight who was eight yeares of age with thirty persons more The Queene having thus gotten the upper hand of her Enemies thought all things safe expressing more pride than she before had done in the height of which newes was brought her that Edward earle of March eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke with the earle of Warwicke and others with a great strength of March men were met at Cottiswald in their way to London wherefore the King and Queen returned with their Hoast Northward but before her departing from Saint Albons shee caused the Lord Bonsfield and others to bee beheaded who had beene taken in the former field Then came the Earles of March and Warwicke to London to whom resorted all the Gentlemen of the East and South parts of England Then was a Counsaile called of the Lords spirituall and temporall by whom after much debating of the matter it was concluded that forasmuch as King Henry contrary to his honour and oath at the last parliament had done and also that he was reputed unable and insufficient to governe the Realme hee was by their assents discharged of all kingly honour and Royalty and Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made King by the authority of the said Counsell and agreement of the Commons Edward eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke was elected King who presently with his Army followed Henry and met with his Hoast at a place called Towton or Shyrbourne and upon Palm-sunday gave them The battaile at Shyrbourne battaile which was so cruelly fought that there were slaine thirty thousand besides those of note and quality as the Earle of Northumberland the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Clifford Sir Andrew Trollop and others In the Henry and Qu. Margaret flie into Scotland same Field was taken the Earle of Devonshiere and sent to Yorke and there beheaded But Henry the Queene prince Edward the Duke of Somerset the Lord Rosse and others fled into Scotland and King Edward entered Yorke and there kept his Easter Thus Henry lost the Crowne after hee had reigned full thirty eight yeares sixe Moneths and odde dayes and the factious and ambitious Queen forfeited all her right in the kingdome verifying what was predicted But a young Lion hee at length shall tame And send her empty back from whence she came Much trouble shall be made about the Crowne And Kings soone raised and as soon put downe This Edward the fourth of that name and sonne to Richard Duke of Yorke beganne His The Coronation of Edward the fourth Reigne over the Realme of England the fourth of March in the yeare of grace to reckon after the English computation one thousand foure hundred and forty and upon Sunday being the feast day of Saint Peters day was solemnly crowned at Westminster before which time He made sixe and thirty Knights of the Bathe and soone after hee created his brother George Duke of Clarence and his brother Richard Duke of Gloster Of this Kings reigne thus runs the Prophesie The fiercest Beare who by his power alone A prophesie of his reigne Had planted the young Lion in his throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phear who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some terme a Gray And that shall cause much blood on Easter day The Beare who th'exil'd Tygresse meetes in France Vowes the suppressed Lambe againe t' advance And from the Coop where he hath long bin pent To raise him to his former government The Lion the Land flying with a small And slender traine the ragged staffe swayes all But the Beares fiercenesse shall be soone allaid As one that is halfe conquered halfe betraid Then shall the Lambe whom he did late restore Againe coopt up be slaughtered by the Boare After the King had visited the greatest part of the best Townes and Cities in the Kingdom Queen Margaret invadeth England in the second yeare of his reigne Margaret late Queene of England with an army of French and Scotch invaded the North part of England which King Edward hearing sped him thither at whose approach the Queene with the rest affrighted she disbanded her troopes and in a Carick would have sailed into France but such a Tempest fell that she was forced to take a Fisher-boat and landed at Barwicke and roade thence to the Scotch King where newes was brought her that the Carveil in which the greatest of her treasure was was swallowed up in the Sea And in his third yeare the Lord Iohn of Montacute brother to the Earle of Warwicke having chiefe command in the North was warned of King Henries comming with a great power out of Scotland against whom hee assembled the Northern men and met with him about Exham who routed the Scotch Army The battaile at Exham and chaced Henry so neare that hee tooke certaine of his Traine apparrelled in blue velvet garnished with two Crownes and fret with pearle and rich stones He took also the Duke of Somerset the Lord Hungerford the Lord Rosse and others which Duke with the rest were soon after beheaded some at Exham others at New Castle And the same yeare was King King Henry taken and sent to the Tower Henry taken in a Wood in the North Countrey by one Cantlow and presented unto King Edward who forthwith sent him to the Tower where hee remained for a long time after Now Richard of Warwicke who for his many Victoryes and potency in the Realme was called VVarwicke the great was imployed by the king into France to treat a marriage The King married to the Lady Elizabeth Gray betwixt him and the Lady Bona which whilst hee was earnestly soliciting the first of May the king espoused Elizabeth late wife to Sir Iohn Gray who
Cadwallo Sainted now these seven Kings slaine by Cadwallo and his father in law Paeanda were Edwinus his sonne Offricus and Oswaldus the Saint spoken of which were three Kings of Northumberland Segebartus Egricus and Anna who raigned over the Orientall Britons and Cadamus the Scotch King concerning which Oswaldus his sanctity and other pious vertues the ancient Chronicles write largely as also the The story of Saâ—…t Oswaldus Lords of those â—…imes many panegyricks in his prayse which would be too tedious here to insert yet some 〈◊〉 of him howsoever credible or nâ—… I â—…hought fitting to remember it was said of him that when Aldanus Bishop of Scotland whose language neither he nor any of his Saxons understood did at any time pâ—…h before him and his people hee would put upon him a royall garment worn only on solemne Festivall days and whether by vertue of that or by divine rapture he would deliver all that Sermon word for word to his Countrymen in their proper and moderne language hee was also so Hâ—… temperance and charity to the poore temperate in his owne diet and withall so liberall to the poore that when he had guests at his Table hee would not only spare from his owne stomach but if hee saw any of them to gormondize or feed more then became them hee would bid them to eat more sparingly and toremember those hungry bellies at the gate which attended the reversion and fragments from his boord and bounty This reverent Bishop Aldanus being feasted by him on an Easter day the King commanded a great silver Charger fild with the best meats at his Table to bee carried to the beggars at his gate who when they had eaten the meat hee sold the dish and equally divided it amongst them which the Bishop seeing said aloud Live may that liberall hand ô may it always live and never taste of corruption which if we will believe the Roman Legend proved according to his propheticall acclamation for many yeeres after his death when his Tombe was searched and all the rest of his body according to the A prâ—…tended Miracle common course of Nature was putrified and turned to dust that hand and arme alone were preserved from corruption and rottennesse and remained as entire flesh bloud veines and arteries as when he was interred It followeth in the History six of these before named Kings being slaine in severall conflicts Cadwallo whose high spirit was irreconciliable towards the Saxons pursued this Oswald from province to province chasing him even to the wall which Severus the Roman Emperour built to part and divide the two Kingdomes of Britaine and Scotland and then sent his Generall and Father in law Paeana to give him battaile at a place called Hed-field or holy Camps in which by the prayers of this Oswaldus The Britons The battail of Headfield Hoast was quite discomsited of which defeat when King Cadwallo understood he gathered a fresh Army and gave him a second battaile at a place called Bourne in which Oswaldus and his Army were wholly routed and himselfe The death of Oswaldus died lamented in his owne pious bloud for whose charity and sanctitie hee was after canonized and remayneth to this day one of the Saints blessed in our Kalender whose death hapned in the yeere of our Saviour 644 which improved that part of Merlins prophesie Seven Kings shall bee slaine of which one shall bee Sainted By the brazen man mounted upon a steed of brasse who is said to do all these is antonomastiâ—…e meant King Cadwallo to honour whom after his death for his many brave victories and expelling Cadwallo the brazen man and why so called the Saxons out of the land the peeres and people caused his statue at his full size and proportion to be cast in brasse sitting also upon an Horse of brasse in whose buckler they intombed his embalmed body and after set it upon the prime gate of the Citie London it being a piece of admirable art and pulchritude and neere unto the same in further memory of him built a Church dedicated to Saint Martin therefore saith the Prophet The brazen Horse and Man shall watch the Gate whether the people wake or sleepe which continued for many yeeres after CHAP. 8. Hee prophesieth of the civill Warres that shall bee in Britaine in the time of Cadwallo and of the great dearth and desolation in the reigne of Cadwalloder of the Saxons exalting themselves and of the first comming in of the Danes into this land c. AS Merlin in all his prophesies aimeth at a continued History of the maine A continuation of the History passages in this I le of Britain so I also desire to observe a concordance of times left the neglect of either might breed a confusion in both as shall be made good in the sequell his prophesie followeth The crimson Dragon with his owne fierce pawes Shall teare his proper bowels gainst the Lawes Of wholsome Nature plague and famine then Shal fill the barren earth with shrowds of men After the Dragon whose smooth scales are white Hither the Almans daughter shall invite And crown themselves Against whom shall rise An Eagle from the Rock and both surprise Two Lions shall a dreadfull combate make Having their Lists incompast by a Lake At length be atton'd and after shall divide The glorious prey a speckledscale whose pryde Shall ayme at high things will his Lord betray Poysoning the Royall nest in which he lay Of the white Dragon so the Fates agree At length a Decemvirum there shall bee What time the Red shall to his joy behold The roofs of all his Temples deckt with gold c. By the Crimson Dragon is still meant England which after the death of Cadwallo being The conquering Britains fall at ods with themselves impatient of peace for want of forreigne Enemies shall be at Civill dissention in it selfe of which shall ensue much strage and mortality such Dearth also Famine and Desolation which shall happen by the plague that destroyeth the men and the Murrian that killeth the cattle that the Natives shall bee forced to leave the Kingdome as a Wildernesse unpeopled the remaynder of the living being scarce sufficient in number to bury the dead which strange depopulation sell in the third and last yeere of Cadwallader the sonne of Cadwallo which was in the yeere of Grace sixe hundred fourescore and sixe which maketh up the yeere of the World Cadwâ—…llader the last King of the Britains by the account of Polycronicon and other of our English Chronologers five thousand eight hundred fourescore and five so that it appeareth the native Britains had the title and soveraignty of this Kingdome from Brute first landing by the space of one thousand eight hundred and two and twenty yeeres Cadwalloder being the last King of the Britons after whom the Saxons or Angles had the full dominion thereof which maketh good that in the prophesie
The white Dragon shall invite the Almans daughter which implyeth a greater supply of the German nation and crowne themselves For from that time they bare the Scepter and had the absolute jurisdiction over the whole Land which they continued for a long season To passe over all the Saxon Kings to the time K. Etheldred the sonne of Alfride of Ethelredus in whose dayes An Eagle from the Rock which was Swanus King of Denmarke shall rise c. The better to explain our prophet and to carry the History along this Etheldred the sonne of the most Royall King Edward by his second Wife Alfrida by some cald Estrild when he came to bee crowned by Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury hee could not containe himselfe but with a propheticall spirit uttered those words because by the bloudy slaughter of thy brother thou hast aspired to the Kingdome The sinne of thy most wicked and mischievous mother shall never bee expiated nor any who were of her Diabolicall counsell but by the greatest effusion of the Saxon bloud that ever was shed since their first comming into Britaine and further the beginning of thy Reigne shall be cruell the middle thereof miserable and the end shamefull all which accordingly hapned His Father King Edgar of ever surviving memory Edward the eldest sonne of King Edgar made King had by his first wife called Egelsleda a noble sonne named Edward and by his second Alfrida this Etheldred Edgar being dead the Barons assembled and made Edward King in the yeere of grace eight hundred threescore and fifteene at which his stepmother greatly repined using all the means both of power proofe and friends to have inaugurated her sonne Etheldred being then a lad but of seven yeeres old which in the end most traiterously shee accomplished for the King hunting in the Forrest neere unto the Castle of Corffe in the West Country who having lost all his company bethought himselfe that his stepmother with her A wicked stepmother sonne liv'd in that Castle to whom hee would give a friendly visit who spying from her window afarre of cald to a Villaine that attended her and whispered in his eare what hee should doe by this the King was come to the gate and shee descended to meet him saluting him with a Iudas kisse and intreated him to alight and sojourne with her for that night which hee modestly refusing said hee would only drinke a horsback and so be gone which being brought as the cup was at his mouth her trayterous servant with a long Dagger strooke him quite through the body at which hee put spurs to his horse thinking to have recovered his servants but through his great losse of bloud hee fainted and falling from his horse one of his feet was fastned in the stirrop and so hurried to a place called Corisgate where his miserably mangled body was found and not being knowne at that The base murther upon King Edward present to be the King without ceremony buried whom as you have heard his brother by the Fathers side succeeded In whose reigne hapned divers prodigies pretending great disaster among which was the sterility of the earth the burning of London by an accidentall fire but the most ominous and terrible was the invasion of the Danes and their many massacres inhuman butcheries committed through all the shires and provinces of the Kingdome as more amply hereafter but by the way is to be noted that in the eighth yeere of his reigne hee was espoused to Ithelgina whom Ethelredus marriage and Issue some call Elgina daughter to Earle Edgebertus by whom in processe of time he received a sonne called Edmund after for his notable valour sirnamed Ironside and two others Edwin and Ethelstane with a daughter named Egina About the eleventh yeere of his reigne the The Invasion of the Danes Danes pierced the land in sundry places against whom the King being wholy addicted to effeminacie and cowardise durst make no hostile opposure but for the present appeased them with great summes of mony which being spent they fell to new robberies Then the King bribed them with more notwithstanding which they spoyled Northumberland and at last laid siege to London and to increase his sorrow and trouble Earle Elphricus who was Admirall of The son punisht for the the Navy fled like a Traitour to the Danes and took part with them against his naturall Liege for which the King commanded that his sonne Algarus should have his eyes torne out of his head during which time burning Fevers and the bloudy Flix destroyeth many of the Natives to which was added scarcity and penury amongst the commons in so much that they were forced to rob and steale from one another so that what by their owne pilfering and pillage Fathers treason of the Danes the land was brought to extreame misery by whose continuall invasions and the Kings pusillanimity the Tribute paid unto them was raised from ten thousand pounds to forty thousand named for the continuance thereof Dane-gelt they yet not satisfied to adde to the former the British Peeres were so hollow brested Dane-gelt amongst themselves that when they were at any time assembled and had determined any thing to the impeachment of the Danes they were warned thereof by some of the falshearted Counsell of whom were most suspected Elphricus Edricus intended by the Snake and Edricus the Snake formerly mentioned in the prophesie The Land besides other distresses continuing under this grievous Tribute the King by the The Kings second mariage advice of those familiars who were about him married Emma the daughter of Richard the third Duke of Normandy and first of that name who was for his boldnesse and valour sirnamed Richard the Hardy or without feare and she by the French Chronicles Emma the flowre of Normandy by which Match hee was greatly animated and incouraged so that presuming on the power of his Father in Law hee sent into all the Townes Cities and Villages of this Land secret and straight Commissions charging the Rulers and Magistrates upon the night succeeding the day of Saint Brice that all A generall Massacre of the Danes throughout all the Land the Danes should be murdered in their beds the execution whereof they committed to their Wives and Women which was also accordingly performed a strange wonder that so great a secret should passe generally through that sex without uttering or discovery This generall Massacre of the Danes as same reports began at a little Towne in Hertfordshire twenty foure miles from London called Wealwin from which act it tooke first name as if there the weal of their Country was first warm and the day of Saint Brice hapned that yeare upon the Monday which to this day is called Hoc or Hop-monday but wherefore I know not unlesse by Hoc this day as a remarkablenote Hoc or Hâ—…p Monday to posterity or by Hop as that day the Danes according to
two Spencers c. BY the Cornish Eagle in the former Chapter is meant Pierce Gavestone Earle of Cornwall by his plumes of gold his pride and riches borrowed and extorted from others by the Goat the King who was given to all intemperate effeminacie by the Beare Thomas Earle of Lancaster c. This King was of a beautifull aspect King Edwards Character and excellent feature of a strong constitution of body but unstedfast in promise and ignoble in condition as refusing the company of men of honour to associate himselfe with lewd and vile persons he was much addicted to bibacity and apt to discover matters of great counsell and of stupration and adultery perswaded thereto by his familiars the French men for whose death the King vowed an irreconciliable revenge against the Barons which he after performed indeed so unking-like was his misgovernment that a base Villaine called Iohn Tanner named himself the son of Edward the Iohn Tanner an Impostor first and that by the means of a false nurse hee was stoln out of his cradle and this Edward being a Carters son was laid in his place which the people for the former reasons were easily induced to believe but the Impostor was discovered and by his own confession judged to be hanged and quartered In the seventh yeere of his Reigne Robert le Robert le Bruce wars against England Bruce King of Scots whom his Father made flye into Norway hearing of the misguiding of the Kingdome and the dissention betwixt him and his Barons warre strongly against him and his friends in Scotland and wonne from them Castles and Holds howsoever well munified to the great damage of the English who were interessed The Kings power against Scotland in the Land For which affront the King assembled a great power and invaded Scotland by Sea burning and destroying all such Townes and Villages as were in his way which Robert le Bruce hearing he hasted with a strong Army and upon S. Iohn Baptists day both Hoasts met at a place called Estrivelin neere unto a fresh River called Bannoksburne where betwixt them was fought a cruell battaile in which the English were compeld to forsake the field For which in derision of the English the Scots made this Ryme Doggerill Maidens of England sore may you mourn The Scots derision of the English For the Lemans you have lost at Bannocksborn With a heave and hoe What weened the King of England so soone to have wonne Scotland With a Rumby low In his ninth yeere Barwick was betrayed to the Scots by one Peter Spalding whom the King had Barwick betrayed to the Scots made Governour of the Town and Castle and in the eleventh yeâ—…re the Scots entred the borders of Northumberland most cruelly robbing and burning the Country even the houses of women who lay in Childbed not sparing age The cruelty of the Scots nor sex religious nor other therefore the King raised a new Army and laid siege to Barwick in which interim the Scots past the River of Swale and leaving the Coast where the Kings people lay came into the Borders of Yorkeshire to whom the Archbishop with Priests and ploughmen unexercised in armes gave battail but were discomfited in which so many Priors Clerks Canons and other Clergymen were slaine that they called it the white battaile when The white battaile the King heard of this overthrow hee broke up his siege and retyred to Yorke and soone after to London After this nothing was done without the advice of the two Hugh Spencers the father and the sonne and in a Counsell held at Yorke Hugh Spencer the sonne maugre the Lords was made high Chamberlain of England who bore him as haughtily as ever did Gavestone but let The pride of Hugh Spencer the sonne me take the prophesie along A Goat shall then appeare out of a Carr VVith silver hornes not Iron unfit for warre And above other shall delight to feed Vpon the flower that life and death doth breed By the Goat is figured lascivious Edward therefore said to appeare out of a Car as born in Carnarvan his hornes of silver and not of Iron denotes his effeminacie being unserviceable for warre as may appeare in his successe against the Scots by the Flower of life and death is intended his Queene Isabel the Flower of France at first deare to him as life but in the end as most Writers have suspected with Mortimer accessary to his death but to proceed with the History The Barons to a great number seeing how The assembly of the Barons the Spencers misled the King and misgoverned the affaires in the Land assembled themselves and tooke a solemne and unanimous vow to remove them out of the Kingdome and as their first attempt certain of them appointed to that purpose entred upon the Mannors and Castles of the Spencers in the Marches of Wales spoyling and ruining them to the earth of which riot they complained to the King who summoned them to appeare before his Counsell which The petition of the Barons to the King they refused to doe but gathered unto them a stronger Hoast and sent to his Majesty humbly beseeching him to remove from his person the two Spencers which daily did to him great dishonour and to the Common-weale which damage with humble request the King hearing and doubting his owne safety called a Parliament to be held at London to which the Barons came with a great Hoast all suited in demy-parted Iackets of yellow and greene with a list of white cast overthwart for which the common The Parlament of white-bands people called it the Parliament of white-bands in which the two Spencers were banished the Kingdome for ever But the yeere following the King revoked the Acts made in the former Parliament and called them into England contrary to the will of the Barons and set them in greater authority then before to the great disturbance and almost utter subversion of the Realme for now the whole Land was in combustion and the King animated by the Spencers tooke on him the shape of a Lion and ceased not till hee had cut off the chiefe and prime Nobility of the Land For besides those that were slaine none was brought to the Barre but was thence led to the blocke who having got the better of his Barons he called a Parliament at Yorke in which Hugh Spencer the Father was made Earle of Hugh Spencer the father made Earle of Winchester Winchester and soone after was one Robert Baldock a follow of debaucht life and condition made Chancellour of England Then forfeits Robert Baldock made Chancellour and sines were gathered without sparing of priviledged places or other till a mighty summe of money was gathered towards another expedition into Scotland and then his Army consisted according to Caxton and others of an hundred thousand men but hee sped in that as in the former for on Saint Lukes day at a
was surprized in Nottingham Castle though the keyes were day and night in his owne keeping and sent to the Tower who was accused of the Lords of the Parliament of these particulars following first of the bloudy murder of Edward of Carnarvan in Berkley Castle secondly that he had confederated with the Scots against the honour of the King thirdly that hee had received great summes of money from Sir Iames Douglas Captaine of the Scots delivering unto him the Charter called Ragman to the Scots great advantage and impoverishing of England Fourthly that hee had ingrost into his hands much of the Kings treasure which he had riotously wasted to his owne use by which meanes the King was forc't to borrow of his friends fiftly that he was more private and familiar with Queene Isabel the Kings Mother then was to Gods pleasure and the Kings honour of which Articles being convicted hee was by authority of the said Parliament judged to death and upon Saint Andrews Eve following at London drawne and hanged In his fourth yeere about the beginning of August Sir Edward Baliol the sonne of Sir Iohn The death of Mortimer Baliol sometime King of Scots obtained such favour of King Edward that with the aide of Sir Henry Beaumont Sir David Stocley Sir Iefferey Mowbray and two thousand Englishmen they entred Scotland by Sea where drew to them such multitude that in short time Sir Edward was Lord of a great Hoast and kept his way till he came to a place called Gladismore or as some write Crakismore where hee was encountred with the power of Scotland where betwixt them was fought a sharpe and cruell Sr. Edward Balioll crowned K. of Scots battaile in which a great multitude of the Natives was slaine by reason whereof hee was crowned King at the Towne of Stone shortly after and met with the King at New-castle where Edward received of him fealty and homage for the Crowne of Scotland but soone after the Scots laid plots against his life which he narrowly escaped being forc't to flie from place to place and hide himselfe which King Edward hearing with a strong army pierced K. Edward of England besiegeth Barwick the Realme of Scotland and laid siege to the Towne of Barwick Upon the nineteenth of Iuly the Scots with a mighty power made thither with purpose to remove the siege whom King Edward met and encountred on Halidon Hill giving them battaile over whom he had a triumphant victory insomuch that hee slue of them seven Earles nine hundred Knights and Bannerets four hundred The famous battaile at Hallidowne Hill Esquires and of the common people two and thirty thousand in which battail were slain of the English but 15 persons after which glorious victory the Captaine of Barwick the morrow following being Saint Margarets day yielded to the King both the Town and Castle which verifies that mauger the Canicular Tyke Tweed shall he passe and set his foot in Wyke Tyke is that which the Northerne men call a Dogge and by the Canicular Tyke is meant the Dog-starre Tweed is the water which parteth the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland and by Wyke as is before remembred meant the Towne of Barwicke I onely capitulate this one battaile of many against the Scots purposing the like compendiousnesse in his famous victories over the French During the dissention betwixt the two Kings of England and France which by no mediation could be atton'd though there were many meetings English ships taken by the French to that purpose the French King sent a strong Navy to Sea to take our English Merchants and encountred with two good ships of England called the Edward and the Christopher and after nine houres fight in which were slaine of both parties about sixe hundred men the two ships were taken and all the wounded Englishmen alive cast overboard into the Sea after King Edward in his fifteenth yeere in the moneth of Iune tooke shipping and sayled towards Flanders where met him Sir Robert Morley with the North Navy of England so that his Fleet consisted of three hundred sayle and at Midsomer upon Saint Iohns Eve hee met and fought with the French Navy which were foure hundred saile which lay in waite for him â—…eere to the Towne cald Sluce their chiefe Admirals were Sir Hugh Querret Sir Nicholas Buchet and Barbe Nore in English black beard The French Admirals Betwixt these two Royall Fleets was a strong and bloudy fight which continued for the space of eight houres before it could be distinguisht which way the victory was likely to incline yet in the end by Gods mercy and the manhood of the King the French were chaced and many of their ships burned and taken amongst which were the ships of the two Admirals Querret and Buchet who maugre the French were hanged up in their owne Vessels and amongst the rest were recovered the Edward and the Christopher manned with the French in this battaile the King himselfe was sore wounded in the thigh and of the French were slain thirty thousand A glorious Sea-victory in that one Navall conflict soon after or as some write a little time before by the advice of his confederate Princes hee layed claime to the Crowne of France as his rightfull inheritance King Edward lays claime to the Crowne of France and for the more authority to countenauce itâ—… hee quartered the English Lions with the French Flower de Lyces as they remaine to this day so that we see Neptune his Navall Triumphs did advance and He his Coat quarters with the Arms of France I am forc't to intermit many and divers conflicts and skirmishes with winning of Forts and Castles Challenges that past betwixt the two Kings with the particular valours and noble Gests of sundry of our Nation to relate which would aske a voluminous Tractate where my confinement is to a meer epitomy of Chronicle passing over all accidents saving what are most remarkable which brings me to the eighteenth yeere of his Reigne In which at a Parliament King Edwards eldest son created Prince of Wales held at West minster his eldest sonne Edward was created Prince of Wales and he in the yeer following first instituted the famous renowmed Order of the Garter which was solemnized at Windsor as it is continued to this day In his one and twentieth yeere hee landed in Normandy The Order of the Garter first instituted and burnt and spoyled all the Country before him wasting the Province of Constantine Then he laid siege to Caan the chief City and wonne it and amongst other he took there prisoners the Constable of France and the Kings Chamberlaine and all the spoyle of the City which was held to be inestimable and sent to his ships which was conveighed into England He then entred France and coasted towards Paris to Vernon to Poysie to Saint German still wasting as hee went Then hee tooke and made use of all the Kings Royall Mannors
slaine of men of note the Duke of Athenes the Duke of Burbon Sir Iohn Cleremont Marshall of France Sir Henry Camian Banneret who bore that day the Oriflambe a special relick that the French Kings used in all battailes to have borne before them the Bishop of Chabous with divers others to the number of fifty foure Bannerets Knights and others And of prisoners taken in that battaile were Iohn King of France Philip his fourth sonne Iohn King of France tooke prisoner Sir Iaques of Burbon Earle of Poitou and brother to the Duke of Burbon Sir Iohn of Artoys Earle of Ewe Sir Charles his brother Earle of Noble men took prisoners Longevile Sir Giffard Cousin German to the French King Sir Iohn his sonne and heire William Archbishop of Sence Sir Simon Melen brother to the Earle Canlarvive and Earle of Vandature The Earles of Dampmartin of Vendosme of Salisbruch of Moyson the Martiall Denham with others as Bannerets Knights and men of name according to their owne Writers fifteene hundred and above from which battaile escaped Charles eldest son of King Iohn and Duke of Normandy with the Duke of Anjoy and few others of name And King Edward after due thanks given to Almighty God for his Charles Duke of Normandy escapeth from the battaile triumphant victory retyred himselfe to Burdeaux with his Royall prisoners where the King and the rest were kept till Easter following In the one and thirtieth yeere of the King the sixteenth of April Prince Edward being eight and twenty yeeres of age tooke shipping with his prisoners at Burdeaux and the foure and twentieth of May was received with great joy by the Citizens of London and thence conveyed to the Kings palace at Westminster where the King sitting in his estate Royall in Westminster Hall after hee had indulgently entertained the Prince he was conveyed to his lodging and the French King royally conducted to the Savoy where he lay long after and in the Winter following were royall Iusts held in Smithfield at which were present the King of Three Kings present at the Iusts in Smithfield England the French King the Scotch King then prisoners with many noble persons of all the three Kingdoms the most part of the strangers being then prisoners Whilst K. Iohn remayned in England which was for the space of 4 yeers and odde days The king of England and the blacke Prince his son with their Armies over-run the greatest part of France during the time of Charles his Regency over the kingdome who was king Iohns eldest son against whom they had many memorable victories spoyling where they list and sparing what they pleased in so much that king Edward The Father and sonne victorious in â—…rance made his owne conditions ere any peace could be granted at length the king was delivered and royally conveyed into his country who so well approved of and liked his entertainment here that in the thirty seventh yeere of king Edward he returned into England and at Eltham besides Greenwich dined with the king and in the same afternoon was royally received by the Citizens and conveyed through London to the Savoy which was upon the twenty fourth of Ianuary but about the beginning of March following a grievous sicknesse tooke him of which he dyed the eight of Aprill following King Iohn dyeth at the Savoy whose body was after solemnly conveyedto St. Denis in France and there royally interred In the fortieth yeere of the king one Barthran de Cluicon a Norman with an Army of Frenchmen entred the land of Castile and warred upon Peter king of that Country and within foure moneths chaced him out of his kingdome and crowned Henry his bastard brother in his stead wherefore hee was constrained to flie to Burdeaux and to demand aide of Prince Edward who commiserating his case as being lawfull king howsoever of a tyrannous and bloudy disposition he granted his request so that hee assisted Peter with his English Archers against the bastard Henry with his French Spear-men whose two Armies mâ—…t neere unto a town called Doming where betwixt them was a lâ—…ng P. Edwards victoryia Spaine and cruell fight but in the end the victory fell to the Prince and Henry with his whole army were rowted In which battail were taken Barthran de Claicon and Arnold Dodenham Marshall of France with divers others as well French as Britons and Spaniards and slain to the number of five thousand of the enemies and of the princes Army sixteen hundred after which hee enstated Peter in his kingdome who after perfidiously denyed to pay the princes army For which he was after divinely punished as also for killing his owne wife the daughter to the Duke of Burbon for his Bastard brother Henry knowing how hee was justly abandoned by the English having gathered new forces gave him battaile in which being taken his brother commanded his head to be strooke off which was immediately done after which Iohn of The death of Don Peter Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the Kings sonne and Edward his brother Earle of Cambridge married the two daughters of this Peter late King of Castile Iohn espoused Constance the elder and Iohn a Gaunts title to Spain Edward Isabel the younger by which marriages the two brethren claimed to be inheritours to the Kingdome of Castile or Spaine In the one and fiftieth yeare of the King upon the eighth of Iune being Trinity Sonday dyed that renowned souldier Edward the black Prince in the palace of Westminster whose body The death of the blacke Prince was after carried to Canterbury and there solemnly interred who in his life time was much beloved both of the Commons and the whole kingdome especially for removing from the kings person all such as had misled him in his age by which the Common Weale was much oppressed amongst others was the Lord Latimer noted for principall and Alice Pierce the Kings Concubine with Sir Richard Skory Alice Pierce the Kings Conâ—…ine all which were according to the Commons just complaint by the Prince removed but hee was no sooner dead but the king contrary to his promise before made called them again admitting them to their former Offices and Honours and Alice his prostitute to his wonted grace and favour In the two and fiftieth yeer the two and twentieth day of Iune dyed at his Mannor of Sheen The death of K. Edward the third now called Richmond the royall and most victorious Prince king Edward the third of that name of whom it was truly predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so entire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and grandsire wonne before As also that of the unparalleld blacke Prince his sonne who died before his Father A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Die shall this brave Whelp of a
was slaine at Towton in the great Battaile fought against Henry which espousalls were solemnized early in the morning at Grasten neare Stony Stratford where were present none but the Spouse the Spousesse the Dutchesse of Bedford Her Elizabeth Crowned Queene Mother the Priest two Gentlewomen and a young man who helped the Priest at Masse which marriage was for a time kept secret but after shee was with great solemnity Crowned Queene at VVestminster which the earle of VVarwicke taking as a great affront as being fooled in his Embassie and Queene Margaret being then with her sonne Edward in the Warwicke voweth to remove King Edward Court of France hee with the earle of Oxford who had stood alwayes against the Yorkists secretly made promise to the Queene to waite their time to remove king Edward and place the Diadem upon the Head of King Henry which makes good The Forest Beare who by his power alone Had planted the young Lion in his Throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phere who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some doe terme a Gray c. By the Beare is figured Warwick who gave the Beare and the ragged staffe who supported the cause of Edward Earle of March till hee had Crowned him King who being sent into France to negotiate a Match betwixt him and the Lady Bona whom hee calls the Lionesse In the interim hee married with a Badger or Gray by which is intimated Elizabeth the Lady Gray c. And now about the eighth yeare broke out the long dissembled hate betwixt the King and the Earle of VVarwicke who confedered unto him the Duke of Clarence who had before married his Daughter In which season by their instigations were divers Rebellions in Lincolnshire likewise in the North by a Captaine who called himselfe Robin of Ridisdale in Lincolnshire by the Lord VVels c. Robin of Ridisdale Meane time the Duke of Clarence with the Earle of VVarwick and other solicited Lewis the eleventh king of France to assist them in the restoring of king Henry to his rightfull inheritance who gladly granted their request which Lords after their departure from England were proclaimed Rebells and Traytors who in September the tenth yeare of the king landed at Dertmouth making their proclamations in the name of Henry the sixt to whom multitudes from all parts resorted so that the Edward flies the land king being in the North with great danger passed the Washes in Lincolneshire and fled into Flanders and Warwicke brought the king Henry again made King from the Tower and conducted him in all state through London to Westminster and once more set the Crowne upon his head CHAP. 29. King Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crowne and Gloster Traytor his landing at Ravensport the Battaile at Barnet the battaile at Teuxbury King Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence the death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young King his tyranny being Protector hee is proclaimed King the murder of the two Princes in the Tower A prophesie of them before their deaths KIng Henry being thus re-instated there was dayly waiting on the Sea-coast for the landing of Queen Margaret and her sonne Prince Edward and provision made against the re-entring of the kingdome by King Edward and his company then was called a Parliament in which King Edward was proclaymed usurper of King Edward proclaimed Vsurper and his brother Glost. traitor the Crowne and his brother Duke of Gloster Traytor and both attainted by vertue of the said parliament then the Earle of Warwicke road into Kent thinking to have met the Queene at Dover but the winds were so averse to her that she lay from November to Aprill and all that while could not put to sea by reason of which the Earle of Warwicks journey was disappoynted In the beginning of Aprill Edward landed King Edward landeth at Ravensport at Ravenspurne with a small company of Flemmings who in all could not make up the number of a thousand and so drew towards Yorke making proclamation in the name of King Henry that his comming was to no other intent than to claime the inheritance of the Dukedome of Yorke where the Citizens kept him out till he had taken a solemne oath that King Henries oath to York he purposed no more then he spake where having refresht him and his followers he departed thence and held his way toward London and having paked by favour and fairwords the lord Marquesse Montacute who lay with an army to stop his way and finding his strength hourely to The cōnivence of the Marquesse after his ruine increase hee then made proclamation in his owne name as king of England and so held on his journey till he came to London where hee was gladly received into the City and so made to Pauls and offered at the Altar and thence to the Bishops palace where hee found the King almost alone for all his servants and others had left him and having put him under safe custody King Henry againe made prisoner he there rested him till Easter Eve When hearing of his brother Clarence with the other Lords comming with a strong host to Saint Albons he hasted thitherward and lay that night in Barnet in which season the Duke of Clarence contrary to his oath made to the French Clarence revolteth from the Lords King renounced the title of King Henry and came that night with his whole strength to his brother at whose revolt the Lords were somewhat abashed but by the Earle of Oxford they were againe comforted by whose perswasion they marched forward to Barnet whither hee came leading the Vaward and on a plaine neere unto the Town pitched his field upon the morrow being Easter day both Hoasts met upon the one party were two Kings present Edward and Henry upon the other the Duke of Exeter Edward brought Henry to the field the Lord Marquesse Montacute the Earles of Warwicke and of Oxford with other men of name In their first encounter the Earle of Oxford so manfully demeaned himself that hee bore The valour of the Earle of Oxford over that part of the field which he set upon in so much that news came to London that Edwards Hoast was discomfited and it might have hapned if his men had kept their army and not presently disordered themselves by falling to rifle and pillage but after long and cruel fight King Edward obtained the victory in which battaile of the Lords party were slain Marquesse King Edward obtains the victory Mountacute his brother the Earl of Warwick on the Kings party the Lord Barons and of the Commons on both sides one thousand five hundred The death of the Earle of Warwicke and Marquesse Montacute the same day in the afternoon came King Edward to London and first offered at Pauls and road thence to his
lodging at Westminster and soon after was King Henry brought riding in a long gown of Blue Velvet and conveyed through Cheape unto Westminster and thence to King Henry again committed to the tower the Tower where he remayned all his life time after thus we find by the premisses The Beare who th'exil'd Tigresse meets in France Vowes the suppressed Lambe againe to advance And from the Coop where he hath long bin pent To raise him to his former government All which hapned according to the former prediction as also the sequell The Lion the land flying with a small And slender train the ragged Staffe sways all But the Bears fiereenesse shall be soon all aid As one that is halfe conquered halfe betraid That is half conquered by the prowesse of King Edward and betraid by his perfidious brother the D. of Clarence Edward thus having repossest the Kingdome provided against the landing of Queen Margaret and her sonne who notwithstanding with an army of Frenchmen entred the Land as farre as Teuxbury where the King met her and chaced her house and slue The battaile at Teuxbury many of them in which battaile was taken her sonne Edward and brought to the King who demanding some questions and he not answering him to his minde the King strook him over the face with his Gauntlet upon which hee was drag'd into a withdrawing room and there slaine by the Duke of Glocester In the same The murder of P. Edward yeere upon Ascension eve was the corps of Henry the sixt late King brought unreverently from the Tower through the high streets of the City unto Pauls and there left for that night and on the morrow conveyed with bils and staves and King Henry stabd to death in the tower the like weapons unto Chelsey and there without any solemne ceremony enterred who was stabd with a Dagger in the Tower by the hands of the foresaid Richard Duke of Glocester So that the Lambe the Beare did late restore Again coopt up was murdred by a Bore For the Bore was the Cognizance belonging to the said Duke when King Edward had thus subdued his enemies He sent over the miserable and distressed Queene Margaret into her owne Countrey whence shee never returned into this Kingdome after In the seventeenth yeere of the King the Duke of Clarence his second brother The murder of the Duke of Clarence was for some displeasure taken against him committed to the Tower where hee not remayned long but hee was secretly drowned in a But of Malmsey as it was commonly voic'd by the instigation of the Duke of Glocester I let passe the rest of this Kings Reigne in which hapned no great matter of remarke or consequence so that after his many victories for hee was never The death of K. Edward the Fourth conquered in any battaile hee governed the Realme in great tranquillity and quietnesse and expired the eleventh of Aprill in the yeere of the Incarnation of our Lord one thousand foure hundred fourscore and three after he had raigned full two and twenty yeeres and as much as from the fourth of March to the eleventh of Aprill whose corps was conveyed to VVindsor and there with all due and solemne Ceremony interred leaving two sonnes Prince Edward the eldest and Richard Duke of Yorke the younger with three Daughters Elizabeth after Queene Sicily and Katharine Edward the fift of that name and sonne to Edward the Fourth at eleven yeeres of age began his Reigne the eleventh of Aprill in the beginning of the yeer of our Lord God one thousand foure hundred fourescore and then of whom and his Uncle Richard Duke of Glocester the prediction followeth The Prophesie From the Herculean Lion lately sphear'd And in his Orbe to Iove himself indear'd Shall shine two stars without eclipse or cloud But they as to some sacred offering vow'd Shall perish on the Altar ere they grow To that full splendor which the world they owe A bunch-back'd monster who with teeth is born The mockery of art and natures scorn Who from the wombe preposterously is hurld And with feet forward thrust into the world Shall from the lower earth on which he stood Wade every step he mounts here deep in blood He shall to th' height of all his hopes aspire And cloth'd in state his ugly shape admire But when he thinks himself most safe to stand From forreigne parts a native Whelpshal land Who shall the long divided blood unite By joyning of the Red Rose with the white Edward the Fourth yielding his due to nature Hatred betwixt the King and Queenes kindred the long concealed grudge betwixt the King and the Queenes Allies began to vent it self for the Marquesse Dorset brother to the widowed Queene with others of her proximity had then the Guardianship of the young King who being in the Marches of VVales conveyed him towards London to make provision for his Coronation but the Duke of Glocester who intended otherwise attended with a company of Northern Gentlemen all in mourning met with the King at Stony-stratford and after a dissembled greeting betwixt him and the Marquesse dischardged him of his Office and Marquesse Dorset discharged of his Guardianship tooke upon himselfe the government of the king and thence accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham who was in great favour with the people brought him with all honour toward London whereof hearing Queene Elizabeth mother to the King and fearing the sequel she with her younger sonne the Duke of Yorke and her daughter Elisabeth tooke Sanctuary at VVestminster meane time the king was royally met by the Citizens of London and through The Queene taketh Sanctuary the City brought to the Bishop of Londons palace and there lodged Then the Duke of Glocester so wrought with Bouchier Archbishop of Canterbury that hee went with him to the Queene who upon the Archbishops faith and promise of his safety delivered The young Duke of York delivered to the Archbishop and Duke of Glocester to them the D. of Yorke then the Duke caused the king and his brother to be removed to the Tower and the Duke lodged himselfe in Crosby House in Bishopsgate street and great preparation was made for the yong kings Coronation in which time the Duke of Glocester being made Protector caused Sir Anthony VVoodvile Lord Scales the Queenes brother the Lord Richard the Queenes son Sir Richard Hawt and Sir Thomas to be beheaded at Pomfret more out of his owne tyranny then any The protectors tyranny trespasse by them committed next to further his aspiring purpose Hee covertly sounded the hearts of the Nobility how they stood affected and to that end cold many counsailes and amongst others he found the Lord Hastings then Lord Chamberlaine constant to the supporture of king Edward the Fourths Issue Upon the thirteenth of Iune being in the Counsel Chamber at the Tower with the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Derby the Lord A
Westcrag Enderlaw the Pile and the Towne Broughton Chester Fell's Crawned Dudistone Stanhouse the Fiker Beverton Franent Shenstone Marcle Farpren Kirklandhill Katherwyke Belton Eastbarnes Howland Butterden Quickwoe Blackbourne Raunton Bildi and the Tower with many other Townes and Villages by the Fleet on the Sea-side as Kincorne Saint Miuers the Queens Ferry part of Petinwaines c. Which done for their brave and notable service there done hee made Forty five Knights made at Leith at Leith forty five knights And thus was the king victorious over Scotland In this interim Warres were proclaimed against France so that the king gave free liberty and licence to all his subjects to use the French king and all that depend upon him to their best advantage and commodity and the same yeare hee prepared an Army to invade King Henry in person invadeth France France and himselfe in person the fourteenth of Iuly departed from Dover towards Callais and the next day removed to Morgisen upon the twenty sixt of the same month the Campe removed to high Bulloine and there camped on The siege of Bulloine the north-east part of the Towne two dayes after the Watch Tower call'd the old man was taken and the day after base Bulloine was won and upon the thirteenth of Septemb. the Town Bulloine taken by the K. was victoriously conquered by Henry the eight king of England France and Ireland defendor of the faith who upon humble petition made by the French suffered them to depart the Towne with bagge and baggage and this year were taken by the English fleet 300 and odde ships of the French to the great enriching of this nation and the great impoverishing of theirs CAP. 33. The death of Henry the eighth Edward the sixt crowned a calculation of his reigne Musselborow field wonne by the Lord Protector The death of the two brothers the Lord High Admirall and Lord protector a Character of the Duke of Somerset the death of King Edward not without suspition of poyson His Character c. THe yeare following being the thirty seventh of the kings reigne upon the thirteenth of Iune being Whitsunday Peace concluded betwixt England and France in London was proclaimed a generall peace betwixt the two kingdomes of England and France with a solemne procession at the time of the proclamation and that night were great Bone-fires made in the City and Suburbs for the celebration of the said union and upon the one and twentieth of August came over from the French king Monsieur Denebalt high Admirall of France and brought Monsieur Denebalt Embassador fom the French King with him the Sacre of Deepe with twelve Gallyes bravely accommodated who landed at the Tower where all the great Ordinance were shot off and he received by many peeres of the Realme conveighed to the Bishop of Londons palace where hee rested two nights and on Monday the twenty third of the same month he rode towards Hampton Court where the king then lay whom the young prince Edward met with a royall traine to the number of five hundred and fourty in velvet Coats and the His entertainment by Prince Edward princes Livery were with sleeves of cloath of gold and halfe the Coats embroydered where were eight hundred Horses richly caparison'd and riders suiting to the state who brought him to the Mannor of Hampton Court The next morning the KING and hee received the Sacrament together in confirmation of the late concluded peace After that were many Masques and Showes in which the very Torch Magnificent Showes bearers were apparrelled in gold with costly feasts and banquets during the space of sixe dayes after with many great gifts given to him and his chiefe followers hee returned to his countrey The next yeare being the thirty eighth of the King upon the ninth of Ianuary by the The death of the noble Earle of Surrey Kings expresse command was beheaded on the Tower-hill that noble and valorous gentleman the Earle of Surrey who had ingaged his person in Picardy Normandy Ireland Scotland c. from whence he never came but crowned with victory and the twenty eighth of the same Month the King himselfe departed the world in the yeare one thousand five hundred forty The death of Henry the eighth seven whose body was most Royally intombed at Windsor the sixteenth of February following King Edward the sixt began his dominion The inauguration of Edward the sixt over the Realme of England the one and thirtieth of Ianuary in the yeare of grace one thousand five hundreth forty seven and upon the nineteenth of February ensuing hee rode with his Vncle Sir Edward Seymour Lord governour and Protector and Duke of Somerset with the Nobility of the Land from the Tower through the City of London and so to Westminster and was annoynted and Crowned by Doctour Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury who after ministred unto him the Sacraments with other divine Ceremonies according to the Protestant reformed Church Of this Kings Birth and Reigne it was thus calculated By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt the other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray Then fall must this faire structure built on high And th' English like the Roman Caesar dye In his first yeare Sir Thomas Seimour the Kings unkle brother to the Duke of Somerset being Lord high Admirall by the Viz-Admirall called Sir Andrew Dudley having no other Vessells but the Paunce and the Hart and these singly manned there was a great conflict at Sea with three tall Scottish ships in the narrow Victory by sea Seas doubly manned and trimmed with great Ordinance notwithstanding which hee tooke them and brought them into Orwell Haven where he had good booty and store of prisoners And the same yeare in August the Lord Protector the Duke of Somerset with the Earle of Warwicke and others marcht with a noble Army into Scotland and not farre from Edenborrough at a place called Mosselborrough Musselborough field the English and Scotch Hoasts met where betweene them was fought a sharpe and cruell battaile in which in the end the English were victors and in which were slaine of the Scots foureteene thousand and prisoners taken of Lords Knights and Gentlemen to the number of fifteene hundred This yeare also was ordained that the Communion should be received in both kinds and at that time Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester for opposing the same was commanded to the Tower Commandement Gardner committed to the Tower also was given to all the Curats of every
parish Church throughout England that no Coarse should be buryed before sixe a Clocke in the morning nor after sixe at night and that when any dyed the Bell should ring three quarter of an houre at least In this Interim the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke Dudly and Gray privately murmuring and openly maligning that The two Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk the Kings two Uncles should beare such great authority in the Kingdome by which their glories seemed not onely eclipsed but quite darkned the elder brother commanding the Land the younger the Sea the one Lord Protector the other Lord High Admirall so that the whole Dominion and Soveraignty of the kingdome the kings name excepted was divided betwixt them And further considering that it was in vaine for them to attaine to their owne ambitious ends but by sundring this fraternall tye and unloosing this Gordian knot Their plots gainst the Protector and Admirall of Consanguinity which had beene so long inseparably continued betwixt them they therefore projected betwixt themselves how this almost impossible thing might be brought to passe and doubting the event if they should attempt to worke by their servants as to corrupt them with Bribes or the like they therefore tooke a nearer and more safe course to practise it by their Wives and to draw their balas from out of their owne bosomes and The Wives made themcans to betray the Husbands most successively to their purpose thus it happened Sir Thomas Seimer Lord High Admirall having married the Queene Dowager whose good Fortune it was of all the rest of the kings wives to survive her Husband contested with her sister in law for precedence and priority of place to which the Protectors wife standing upon her prerogative could by no meanes bee wonne to give way This emulation betwixt the two sisters fitly sorting to the Dukes purposes for the one challenged the right hand as once being Queene and the other claimed it as wise to the present Protector To this new kindled fire the two Dukes bring fuell Dudly incourageth the one secretly Gray the other privately so that the Wives set the Husbands at oddes by taking their parts so that by the instigation of those emulous and incensed Ladies a mortall hatred grew betwixt the two brothers insomuch that in the third year of the King the Admirall was questioned for the ill managing his Office and sundry Articles preferred in Court against him so that he was condemn'd in Parliament and his head The death of the Lord high Admirall strooke off the Protector his brother signing the Warrant for his death The one being thus removed there was the lesse difficulty to supplant the other for in the same Month of February in which the Admirall lost his head was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsaile of which the two Dukes were chief and many Articles of Treason and ill government of the state commenced against him but about a yeare after his confinement by his submission to the Lords and intercession made for him by the K. upon the sixt of February hee was released injoy'd his former offices honors but all this was but a lightning before death for his two great potent adversaries stil prosecute their malice against him insomuch that not long after calling him to a second account when he had nobly acquit himself at the Barre of all treason objected against him he was in the Guild Hall of London not by a Iury of his peeres by The Lord Protector put to death for felony twelve men convicted and condemned of Felony for which on a Scaffold on Tower-Hill hee suffered death verifying what was before spoken of the young King Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt th' other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray It is so manifest it needs no Comment This Edward Seimour was the sonne of Sir A Character of the L. Protector Edward Seimour knighted by Henry the eight who had married the Lady Iane his naturall sister He after created him Viscount Beauchamp in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty sixe and the yeare following Earle of Hereford after that he was installed Knight of the Garter His honours and offices made Lord great Chamberlain of England one of the honourable privy Counsail much favoured of the eighth Henry who in his last Testament instituted him one of the chiefe of his sixteene Executors after this King Edward created him Baron de sancto Mauro then Duke of Somerset He was next by a generall voyce of parliament made Protector over the Kings person and of all his Kingdomes and Dominions Governour and Lord Generall of all the Kings forces by Land and Sea He was moreover Lord high Treasurer and Earle Martiall of England Captaine of the two Islands of Gernsie and Iersie and Chancellour of the University of Cambridge In all which Offices and Dignities he demeaned himselfe The Duke of Somerset catalogu'd amongst the English Martyrs with such Honourable bounty and singular piety that some have not doubted to Catalogue him amongst our English Martyrs But to returne to the History by this protectors meanes who was a constant Protestant Images were puld downe through all Churches of England Marriage of priests made lawfull The suppressing of the Romish Religion by parliament and Doctor Bonner with other Romish Prelates deposed from their Bishopricks and other of the Reformed Church supplyed their places making good what was before calculated of the young King By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes This needs some explication Hee is called young Caesar as being produced into the world The prophesie explained by the cutting or ripping up of his mothers wombe from which the great Roman Iulius borne after the same manner had added to him the name of Caesar which Title hee left as Hereditary to all the succeeding Emperours after him who as hee reduced the Aristocracie which was the government of the Senate and Optimates into one entire monarchall Diadem placing the Empire in Rome so of the contrary this young King from the great Pontifex of Rome who in time wearing a Triple Diademe and thereby challenging power in Heaven potently upon earth regency and predominance over Hell and moreover making earthly Kings and Emperours to acknowledge unto him a preheminence and supremacie making them to kisse his feet with other servil officeâ—… â—…e by opposing this Soveraignty and shrinking his head out of so extreame a servitude may bee truly said to have done more against Rome in
his pious devotion then Roman Iulius did for Rome in his great magnanimity and prowesse Now to prove that King Edward was a Caesar To prove King Edward a Caesar. the young Lady Iane Seymour being at Hampton Court when the time of her teeming came and there was small hope of her delivery news was brought to the King that her throes were violent upon her and that the Infant could not be brought into the world but by the death of the mother For by preserving the one the other must needs perish When that his pleasure was demanded what was to be done in so strict an exigent Hee commanded that the child should be cut from the wombe saying Sure I am that I can have more wives but uncertaine I am whether I can have more children c. Upon the sixt day of Iuly in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty three Iohn Barnes The death of Edward the sixt Mercer being Lord Major and William Garret and Iohn Mainard Sheriffs at Greenwich departed out of this world King Edward of that name the sixth in the sixteenth of his age and the seventh of his Reigne whom some say that hee died of a pleurisie others that hee was poysoned by a Nosegay For it was generally murmured by the people that the Uncles being removed the Nephew could not long remaine after which best complyes with the former calculation which saith Then fall must this faire structure built on hie And th' English like the Roman Caesar die The first made away in the Court the other murdered in the Capitoll of which hopefull and toward Prince this character is left to future memory Hee was carefull for the establishing of the Protestant Religion to have it flourish through His Character His zeale to the propagation of true Religion all his Dominions The Masse hee abolished and Images demolished the learned men of his time he greatly incouraged moving them to interpret the Scriptures to the capacities of the vulgar and commanded the Liturgie and Common Prayers to bee read in the English tongue In his minority hee had maturity of judgement and was literated in all the Arts liberall of a retentive memory He knew all the Ports and Havens in England France Scotland and Ireland being as well acquainted with their scites as their names In the Greeke Latin French Italian and Spanish Tongues extraordinarily verst in Logicke Morall Philosophy and the Mathematicks conversant in Cicero Livy Tacitus and Salust frequent Hesiod and Sophocles His knowledge in all kindes of literature he understood and was able to interpret Isocrates from the originall He was wisely witty even to wonder his body featured and his minde modelled almost to miracles religiously he lived devoutly he dyde that he breath'd his last it is certaine but where his body lyes buried to us most uncertain CHAP. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Queene Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary Hee is arrested of high Treason The Coronation of Queen Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray Her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope His comming into England and made Archbishop of Canterbury His death THe two ambitious Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke thinking to disable the two sisters Mary and The ambition of the two Dukes Elizabeth the daughters of King Henry the Eighth from any lawfull claime to the Crowne as reputing them no better then bastards had made a matcht betwixt Guilford Dudley the fourth sonne to Northumberland and the Lady Iane Gray sole daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and pretending that King Edward in his last will nominated her Heire apparant to the Crowne after his death they caused the said Lady Iane presently upon the Kings death Iune the tenth to be proclaimed Queene and true and immediate Heire to the Kingdome The Lady Iane Gray proclaimed Queen in sundry places of the City of London which proved to her utter ruine The Lady Mary being at that time at Framingham The Suffolke men adhere to the Lady Mary in Suffolke was much troubled at the report of such disastrous news which the more perplexed her because she had intelligence that it was done by the Nobility and the whole body of the Councell to whom the Suffolke men assembling as not liking such shuffling in state proffered her their voluntary assistance to possesse her in her lawfull and indubitate inheritance Before which time The great Duke of Northumberland having a large Commission granted him by the Lords of the Councell and Northumberlands Commission to fetch in the Lady Mary signed with the great Seale of England had raised an army with intent both to suppresse and surprize the Lady Mary which was no sooner advanced and the rising of the Suffolke men bruited at Court but the Lords in generall either for feare of the Commons or repenting them of the injury done unto the rightfull Inheritrix they sent a countermand after the Duke to lay by his Armes who when he thought himselfe in his greatest power being abandoned by the Nobility he was also forsaken of the Commons so that at Cambridge hee with his sonnes and some few servants were left alone who thinking thereby to make his peace in the open market place proclaimed the Lady Mary Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. notwithstanding which in Kings Colledge hee was arrested of high Treason and Northumberland arrested of high treason from thence brought up to London and committed to the Tower Then was the Lady Mary generally received as Queen so proclaimed through the Kingdom the twentieth of Iuly and the third of August The Lady Mary received for Queen following shee tooke possession of the Tower and during her abode there released all the Romish Bishops there imprisoned From thence she road in great state through London towards her palace of Westminster where shee was solemnely crowned by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester her sister the Lady Elizabeth being present at her Coronation Of this Queene and her Reign it is thus predicted Then shall the masculine Scepter cease to sway A prediction of her and her Reigne And to a Spinster the whole Land obey Who to the Papall Monarchy shall restore All that the Phoenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the faggot and the stake And they of Convert bodies bonefires make Match shall this Lionesse with Caesars sonne From the Pontifick sea a pool shall runne That wide shal spread it's waters and to a flood In time shal grow made red with martyrs blood Men shall her short unprosperous Reigne deplore By losse at sea and damage on the shore Whose heart being dissected you in it May in large characters find Calice writ Now ceased the Heire Male to Reign and the Scepter was disposed to
the Female which was not seen nor known since long before the Conquest when Bouduca or as some call her Boadicia soveraignized In the time of Nero Caesar and Spinster was an ancient British Title given to the Feminine sex before King Edgars Reign by which name even princesses being convented or summoned into any Court are called unto this day but to proceed with the History in the tenth day of the moneth after her Coronation A Parlament in which Romish Religion is restored began a Parlament in which besides the supplanting of the protestant Religion which began to be establisht in the dayes of King Edward were convicted and attainted of high Treason Iohn Duke of Northumberland Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterbury Sir Ambrose Dudley Knight Guilford Dudley Esquire and Husband to the Lady Gray Sir Andrew Dudley Knight with others as William Marquesse of Northampton Iohn Earle of Warwicke c. and the twelfth of August was beheaded on the The death of the Duke of Northumberland Tower Hill Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland Sir Iohn Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer Thus you see the end of Northumberland if any bee desirous to know also what became of Suffolke I can parallell him to none more genuinely than to the Duke of Buckingham Hee Underwood a second Banister had a Banister this an Vnderwood a servant raised by him to a faire revenue and to whose safeguard he had committed his person who in a spacious hollow Tree for some few moneths concealed him whether hee brought him meat and drinke with millions of oaths ingag'd for his truth and fidelity but being easily corrupted with some small quantity of gold and many large and liberall promises hee Iudas-like betrayde his Master and delivered him up to the Noble Earle of Huntington who with a strong guard brought him through London to the Tower He was after arraigned in the great Hall The death of the Duke of Suffolke at Westminster and soone after on the Tower Hill lost his head Yet probable it was that the Queene had pardoned that offence had he not seconded it with another by confedering with Sir Thomas Wiat of Kent to interpose her marriage with Philip of Spain sonne to the Emperour and to that purpose departed secretly into Warwicke and Leicestershire where hee knew himselfe best affected and made their open Proclamation to keep all strangers from the Land for which hee fell into the Queens irreconciliable displeasure which not only hasted his owne end but the deaths of Guilford and the Lady Iane for the Statists at that time especially those that were devoted to the Romish faction held it no policie to suffer any of the contrary Religion to live especially if they could intrap them in any quiddits of Law which might be stretcht to be made Capitall therefore upon the twelfth of February in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty foure it being the first day of the week Guildford Dudley was brought to the Scaffold upon the Tower hill where when hee The death of Guilford Dudley had with all Christian devotion made his peace with Heaven hee with a setled and unmoved constancy submitted himselfe to the stroake of death which was given in the sight of his excellent Spouse who to that purpose was placed in a window within the Tower the object strikeing more cold to her heart then the sight of that fatall axe by which shee was presently to The death of the Lady Iane Gray suffer which she most patiently endured Never was sweet Ladies death more passionately bewayled being remarkable in Iudge Morgan who pronounced the sentence against her who presently after fell mad and in all his distracted ravings Cryed Take away the Lady The death of Iudge Morgan Iane take her from mee and in that extream distemperature with these words in his mouth ended his life some report that shee was young with childe at the time of her suffering but though her Romish opposites were many and the times bloudy Christian charity may perswade they would not use such inhumanity especially against a person of her Royall bloud and Linage she was an excellent Lady endued with more vertues and extraordinary endowments then is frequently found in that sex being a patterne to others for true Religion and Piety of which her godly Oration to the people and holy prayer at her death extant in Mr. The Lady Ianes character Her age at her death Fox his Martyrologie abundantly witnesse shee exceeded not sixteen yeeres of age of an excellent feature and amiable aspect of Learning incredible in wit incomparable of inforced Honours so unambitious that she never attyred her selfe in any Regall ornaments but constrainedly and with teares Divers of her Latin Verses have beene spread to posterity and of her Works in the English Tongue an Epistle to a learned man falne off from the Truth and turnd Apostate another Epistle to her sister with a Colloquy or reasoning with one Freckman a Romist about Faith and the Sacraments c. Soon after followed the deaths of Doctour Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury acquit of The deatâ—…s of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley Treason and condemed of Heresie Nicholas Ridley late Bishop of London and Hugh Latimer with infinite others insomuch that scarce any City or Market Towne thorow the whole Kingdome in which some pious professor or other had not felt the scorching of the fire and faggot I should fill whole pages to reckon up particulars only thus in briefe it is observed that Queene Maries Reigne was the shortest of any Prince since the Conquest that wore the Crown Richard the Thirds only excepted and that more Christian bloud was spilt in her few yeeres concerning Religion and matter of The great tyranny used in her time conscience then had been shed in any one Kings Reigne since the time of King Lucius the first establisher of Christianity in this his Realme of England which recollects the memory of the former prophesie where he speaks of the Spinster Who to the Papall Monarch shall restore All that the Phaenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the Faggot and the Stake And they of convert bodies bonefires make c. By the Phaenix meaning King Edward so tearmed by Hieronymus Cardanus because hee was unparalleld in his time and by the Convert bodies those who where converted to the reformed and protestant Religion for which cause thousands in sundry places of the Kingdome suffered Now why Queene Mary was so zealous to propagate the popish faith it followeth next to enquire she was brought up Why Queen Mary was so forward to preferre the Romish Religion under her Mothers wing a Spaniard who being of the Spanish blood persisted in the Spanish beliefe but when her mother after three yeares divorce from the King expired she was committed to the guardianship of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury and daughter to George Duke of Clarence brother to Edward
the Romans Coil King of Britaine by which reason there grew great affinity and friendship betwixt the two Nations for he became their willing Tributary Hee was very bountifull to all men by which hee purchased great love both from the Lords and Commons Hâ—…e built the Towne in Essex called Coilchester and when he had peaceably governed the Realme for the space of foure and fifty yeares he dyed and was buried at Yorke leaving a sonne called Lucius who was inaugurated in the yeare of grace one hundred and foure Lucius the first Christian King in Britaâ—…ne score who had the honour to be called the first Christian King of this Island who being a man devoutly given sent to Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome to be instructed in the true faith who to that purpose imployed two learned men called Fuganus and Dimianus who were honourably received by this King Lucius and by whom hee and a great part of the Britaine 's were converted from Paganisme and Idolatry to the true Christian beliefe which hapned in the eighth yeare of his Raigne who after his conversion ordained that all the Idolatrous Arch-Flamins and Flamins should bee made Arch-bishops and Bishops to the number of three Archbishops and twenty eight Bishops and should have the government of the Church lately establisht These being confirmed by the fore-named Bishop of Rome he indowed them with lands and possessions and consecrated all the Pagan Temples to the worship of Christ and when hee had peaceably governed the Land for the space of twelve yeares hee left this earthly Tabernacle for a better and was buryed at Glocester who because hee dyed without Heire the Land grew into great combustion for Lucius dyeth without issue the terme of fifty yeares in which none had the absolute nomination of King or Soveraigne Then Severus the Roman Emperour tooke upon him the government of the Realme in the Severus named himselfe King of Britaine yeare of grace two hundred and eight and ruled the Kingdome five yeares in which time he caused a Ditch and Wall to bee made of Turves and stakes of an hundred and two and twenty Miles in length from Durham to the Scotch Sea during which the Picts with their Duke or Leader Fulgenius came out of Scotland with a strong army and destroyed much of the Countrey beyond Durham against whom Severus for his Conquest of Parthia sirnamed Parthicus assembled a great Hoast of Romans and Britaines and gave them battaile neare unto York in which he was slain and his army discomfited and in that City lyeth interred leaving behinde him two sons namely Geta and Bassianus This Bassianus was the sonne of Severus a British woman Bassianus made King of Britaine and he had Geta by a Roman Lady the Britaine 's therefore made the son of their Country-woman their Soveraigne in the yeare of Grace two hundred and twelve But the Romans held for Geta For which mortall war grew betwixt the two brothers in which Geta was slain and Bassianus who was after made Emperor having incestuously married his stepmother for which many other tyrannies exercised by him on the natives he grew into great hatred of the people and was slaine at a place called Edessa after hee had beene Emperour for the space of seven yeares Carassius aspireth to the Crowne In this interim of his Reigne one Carassius 〈◊〉 Britain of low birth but eminent in armes and the practice of Martiall Exercises obtained of the Senate the keeping of the Coasts and Frontiers of the Land and to oppose the invasion of all strangers so that he drew to him many hardy Knights of the Britans promising unto them many donatives with honour and office if they would make him King of the Land which so far prevailed with them that they with an unanimous consent proclaimed him their Sovereigne and King against whom Bassianus moving battaile and to suppresse them as rebels was slaine by this Carassius who tooke upon him the Regall Dignitie in the yeare of the Incarnation of Christ two hundred and eighteene When the Romans had notice of the death of Alectus made Ruler of Britain their Emperour Bassianus they sent into Britain a great Captain cald Alectus with three Legions to punish the pride and rebellion of Carassius to which Captain Fortune was so favorable that he chaced him from place to place and in the end slue him in battaile after he had eight years usurped This Alectus for his good service done was made Consul of Rome and Governour of the Land who hotly pursued divers British Lords who had tooke part with Carassius against the Romans and exercised great tyranny amongst them so that hee grew into great hatred and contempt of the Natives And therefore they accited one Asclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall who gathered a great hoast of the Britains and made warre against the Romans chasing them from place to place and Country to Country so that at the last Alectus was glad to retire himselfe within the fortifications of London whither Asclepiodotus pursued him and laid siege about the City provoking him to battaile who at length issuing out with his forces many were slaine on both sides but in the end Alectus was slaine after hee had sixe yeares The death of the Roman Alectus governed the Land When Livius Gallus a Roman Captain understood the death of their Generall hee with the survivours of the Army retyred into the Citie for his best security where for a while I leave him CHAP. 4. The Duke of Cornwall made King of Britaine how Walbrook took first name Constantius the Roman marrieth with Helena daughter to King Coill and is made King His Reigne and buriall His sonne Constantine made King after him who was cald the Great and was the first Christian Emperour His great Devotion and after falling into Heresie Octavian his Deputy in Britain usurpeth and after made King Maximinus a Roman by Marriage with his daughter succeeds him c. ASclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall began Asclepiodorus King of the Britains his Dominion over the Britans in the yeare of Grace two hundred thirty two who entred the City of London before by him besieged where he slue this Livius Gallus neere unto a Brook which ran then through a part of the City from Whence Walbrook took the name whom it was called Gallus or Wallus brook and the street VVal-brooke even unto these times Thus having quite vanquished the Romans hee governed the Realme in great peace exercising Iustice exalting meriting and good men and punishing the refractory and evilly disposed till at length a great discontent sâ—…rred up by wicked and seditious persons was raised betwixt him and Coillus or Coil who was then Earle or Duke of Kaircollin or Colchester so that they assembled their severall forces and met in battaile in which conflict Asclepiodotus was slaiâ—…e after hee had governed the Realme according to the most Writers thirty yeares Then Coil
beside Saint Iohns Towne and slue of them seven thousand at the first encounter and the rest fled In this battaile was taken Sir Simon Frizell and sent to London where hee was drawne hanged and quartered there suffered also Iohn Earle of Athelus and Iohn brother to VVilliam King Edwards last victory over the Scots VVallis but Robert le Bruce fled from Scotland into Norway to the King who had married his sister When King Edward had thus abated the pride of his enemies he returned again Southward and a great sicknesse took him at Bozroes upon Sands in the Marches of Scotland beyond Carlile and when he knew hee should die hee called unto him Aymer de Valence Earle of Pembroke Sir Henry Piercy Earle of Northumberland Sir Henry Lacie Earle of Lincolne and Sir Robert Clifford Baron and swore them to crowne his sonne Edward of Carnarvan after his death then hee called his sonne charging him with many things upon his blessing but The Barons sworne to the successour especially that hee shall never receive Pierce Gavestone his old companion before banisht into the Kingdome and so dyed upon the seventh of Iuly when hee had reigned foure and thirty yeeres seven moneths and odde dayes and The death of K. Edward the first thence his body was conveighed to Westminster and there buried approving the prophesie After which showres of bloud will fall upon And barren the faire fields of Caledon Then having ended what he took in hand Die in the Marches of another Land Upon whose Tombe this Distich was inscribed Dum vixit Rex valuit sua magna potestas His Epitaph Fraus latuit pax magna fuit regnavit honestas Thus in those dayes Englisht VVhile lived this King by his power all things VVas in good plight For guile was hid great peace was kid And honesty had might Of his sonne Prince Edward the Prophesie runs thus A prophesie of the Reigne of Edward the second A Goat shall then appeare out of a Carr VVith silver hornes not Iron unfit for warre And above other shall delight to feed Vpon the flower that life and death doth breed A Cornish Eagle clad in plumes of gold Borrowed from others shall on high behold What best can please him to maintain his pride Whose painted feathers shall the Goat misguide Who at length ayming to surprise the Beare Him shall the rowzed beast in pieces teare Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They forc't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin But after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death And the crown'd Goat thinking himself secure Shall after all a wretched end endure To confirme which Edward the second of that name and sonne of Edward the first borne at Carnarvan a Town of VVales began his Reigne over England the eighth of Iuly in the yeere of Grace one thousand three hundred and seven and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth day of December whose Fathers Obsequies were scarcely ended but forgetting the great His Coronation charge and command layed upon him in his death hee sent in haste for his old friend and familiar Pierce Gauestone out of France whom hee received with great joy then sayling into Pierce Gavestone revoked from banishment France the fifteenth of Ianuary following at Bolloigne in Picardy espoused Isabell the His marriage daughter of Philip the Faire and returned with her into England where soone after hee made Gaveston Earle of Cornwall and gave him the Gaveston made Eâ—…le of Cornwall Lordship of VVallingford to the great displeasure of the Barons who were sworne to his father not to suffer him to come into the Realm In the second of his Raign remembring the complaint that Steph. Langton Bishop of Chester had made of him and Gaveston for sundry ryots committed in his fathers dayes for which he was banished he sent him prisoner to the Tower where he was strictly kept and ill attended The Bishop of Chester sent to the Tower for which end seeing how by this Pierce the kings treasury was howrely exhausted the Barons assembled themselves and contrary to the Kings pleasure banished him into Ireland for a Gaveston bani shed into Ireland yeere where the King gave him the Dominion over the whole Land but so mourned and lamented his absence that by the consent of Lords he was shortly call'd back again where he demeaned himselfe with greater pride and insolence then at first despising the Lords and chiefe peeres of the Land calling Sir Robert of Clare Earle of Gloster whoreson the Earle of Gavest abuseth the peeres Lincolne sir Henry Lacy Burstenbelly sir Guy Earle of Warwick black dog of Arderne and the noble Earle Thomas of Lancaster churle and moreover having the keeping and command of all the kings treasure he tooke out of the Iewell-house a table of Gold and tressels of the same which once belonged to King Arthur with many other invaluable Iewels and delivered He robs the Kings treasury them to a merchant called Amery of Friskband to beare them over into Gascoigne which was a great losse to the kingdome and further by his loose and effeminate conditions he drew the King to many horrible vices as adultery as some think sodomitry with others therefore the Lords againe assembled and maugre the king banisht him into Flanders In the first yeere upon the day of saint Brice He is banisht into Flanders being the 13 day of November was born at Winsor the first and eldest sonne of King Edward that after his father was king of England named The birth of Edward the third Edward the third and the same yeere Gaveston was called out of Flanders by the king and restored to all his former honours and then he demeaned himselfe more contemptuously toward the Barons then before who besieged him in the Castle of Scarborough and won it and tooke him and brought him to Gaversed The death of Pierce Gavest besides Warwick and there smote off his head which was done at the instigation of Thomas Earle of Lancaster whom Merlin calls the bear and this approveth the premisses A Cornish Eagle cladin plumes of gold Borrowed from others shall on high behold what best can please him to maintain his pride whose painted feathers shall the Goat misguid who at length aiming to surprise the Beare Him shall the rowzed beast in pieces teare CHAP. 20. The Kings unfortunate wars in Scotland The battle of Bannocsbourn c. Barwick betrayed to the Scots The pride and insolency of the Spencers Their misleading the King Their hate to the Queen she is sent over into France Her victorious return with the Prince The King and his Minions taken the death of the
rebellion shall distresse And overtumourd insolence make lesse Whilst Iustice keeps an incorrupted place To have all flattery and bribes in chace Whilst wisdome arm'd with vowes devout and Shall have a power above ostent and folly holy Whilst these continue which we much desire So long thy people shall thy Reigne admire To this she answered that she had took notice of their good meaning towards her and The Queens gracious construction most graciously promised her best endevour for the continuance and incouragement of those vertues and suppressing of the said vices Passing from thence to Soper lane end where stood another sumptuous and goodly pageant spreading from one side of the streete to the other being raised three degrees or stories high in the upper sate one Child in the second three in the third and lowest foure representing the eight Beatitudes The Speech followeth delivered The pageant at Soperlane end to her in Latin We that thy great afflictions late have seen Acknowledge thou art blest 8 times ô Queen Blest hast thou beene because so poore in spirit And therefore thou a kingdome dost inherit Blest for thou mourned hast and therefore see Great comforts are prepared now for thee Blest for thy meeknesse next with thoughts divine thine Therefore this earth from henceforth shall bee Hunger and thirst for godlinesse thou hast Suffered now all good things shal please thy tast Blest since to all th' art mercifull and kind Therefore thou mercy shalt hereafter find Blest because pure in heart therefore thy grace Shall be to looke thy Maker in the face Blest as contentions having reconcil'd All peace-makers Gods children shall be stil'd Blest art thou since for righteousnesses sake Thou persecution suffered hast to make Thy patience greater thy reward more strong For to all such salvation doth belong At the conclusion of this speech the people The votes of the people wished all together with one generall vote these blessings aboundantly to fall upon her whom shee much thanked and past on to the Standard in Cheape which was garnished with The Standard in Cheap divers Banners penons and Streamers and upon it placed a noyse of Trumpets the Crosse being very beautifully trimmed upon the porch of Saint Peters Church doore stood the Wayts of the City with Cornets and Hoboyes and play'd lowd Musique moving onward shee espide another pageant erected at the little Conduit The pageant at the little Conduit in the upper end of Cheap and demanded what it might signifie One told her Majesty that there was placed Time Time replyed she and Time I thanke my God hath brought mee hither and being further informed that the English Bible was there to bee delivered unto her by Truth the daughter of Time she answered shee was beholding to the City for that Her love to the English Bible present above all other which she would mayntaine with the best blood that ran in her Royall veins and commanded Sir Iohn Parrot one of the Knights that held the Canopy to fetcht it from the child But understanding that it was to be let down by a silken string she caused him to stay and proceed no further then met her the Lord Major and the Aldermen There the Recorder made a learned speech Shee is met by the L. Major and Aldermen and delivered unto her withall a purse of Crimson Sattin richly embroydered and in it a thousand Marks in gold which shee received with her own hand and to his speech she made present answer as followeth I thanke my Lord Major his brethren and you all where your request is that I should continue your good Lady and Queene be assured I will be as good and gracious unto you as ever Princesse was to her people no will in mee can want and I perswade my self no power shall be deficient to provide for the safety and security of you all for which I shall not spare my best bloud God thanke you all The Bible being presented unto her and all the pertinences of that Show being past comming over against Pauls Schoole one of the Scholers delivered her a Latin Oration with divers Latin Verses The Oration began Philosophus ille divinus Her comming to Ludgate Plato c. and the Verses Anglia nunc tandem plaudas laetare resulta c. It would ask too long time to interpret them shee past thence through Ludgate which was gorgeously beautified and adorned where were Trumpets Cornets Shalmes and Hoboyes and thence into Fleetstreet where at the Conduit she was received by the fift and last pageant in The pageant in Fleetstreet which was expressed Debora the Iudgesse and Restorer of the House of Israel At Saint Dunstans Church stood the Children of the Hospitall and by one of them a speech delivered unto her to which shee attentively listned and promised to be their future Benefactour upon Temple Barre were placed the two Giantlike figures of The show at Temple barre Corinaeus and Gogmagog holding a Table wherein the effects of all the former pageants were in Latin inscribed Thence shee departed toward Westminster where shee was the next day being the fifteenth of Ianuary with all Royall solemnity crowned Her coronation Thus Sol shines on her with his best aspect With Ariadnes Crown Astraea deckt Doth now discend upon this terrene stage Not seen before since the first golden age Through many forges did this metall glide Like gold by fire repur'd and seven times tryde In regard that her inimitable Reigne and Government hath so oft and amply so largely and learnedly both in the Latin and English tongue been voluminously discoursed I will onely present you with a Table of their Tractates and Treatises as a briefe Register to prompt the Readers remembrance As first by refusing a Mariage with her brother in law Philip King of Forreigne and domestick attempts against â—…er Majesty after she was Queen Spaine shee made him her publike and profest enemy that the French animated by the Guisians in the right of Mary Queene of France and Scotland would have invaded her Kingdome that Spain France and Scotland all and at once combined against her the thundring Bull of Pius Quintus which quitted all her subjects from their allegiance Rebellions in the North Duke Dalva's attempts in the Low countries Pools and Dacres Conspiracies Iohn of Austria from Spaine Stukeley in Ireland Saunders and Sam. Iosephus Desmond and Fitz-morris Paget Throgmorton and Arondel Bernardine Mendoza and Cardinall Allan the Spanish Armado stiled Invincible The fourteene Traytors Englefield and Rosse Hispanified Parry with his pistoll Italianated Aubespinaeus and Trappius his Secretary Frenchified Walpoole the Iesuite Lopez the Iew and Squire who would have poysoned her Saddles pummell c. these prove what was before by the Prophet predicted Her bright aad glorious Sunbeams shall expell These are so plain they need no exposition The vain clouds of the candle booke and bell Domestick plots