to him so long as he kept his Covenants with them and preserved their Rights whereby he acknowledged his Right to the Crown to proceed from their Election To confirm himself in his Dignity he proceeded by the same Method as Henry bestowing his Uncles Treasure freely upon such as either by Arms or Counsel might be useful to him He created several Noblemen He released the People of all extravagant Payments causing a large Charter to be drawn up for mitigating the Severity of divers Laws and bound himself by a solemn Oath to observe the same He granted to the Church and Clergy as great Immunities as they could demand and fully exempted them from the Power of the Temporal Magistrate for all Offences whatsoever without the Bishops Licence And to prevent Rebellions he erected many Castles Forts and Bulwarks in divers Parts of the Land and gave leave to the Nobility Gentry and Clergy to do the like He gave David King of Scots and Uncle to Maud the Empress because he should not assist her the whole County of Cumberland and created his Son Henry Earl of Huntington Notwithstanding which David soon after ravaged the Northern Parts with Fire and Sword in her Quarrel but being encountred by Thurstan Archbishop of York he was overthrown and hardly made his Escape into Scotland leaving above Ten thousand of his Army dead behind him which Victory was judged to be chiefly occasioned by the Courage and Policy of Thurstan who before the Battel openly proclaimed That whoever fell therein should have full Pardon of all his Sins and certainly enter into Heaven which much spirited the English In his sixth year Maud the Empress landed at Arundel in Sussex with onely an hundred and forty Men and was quickly inforced with the English who joyned with her and her base Brother Robert Earl of Glocester and Reynulph Earl of Chester with a stout Party of Welchmen Stephen made all expedition to meet her and a bloody Fight began with equal Success till at length King Stephen's Soldiers left their King almost alone who with his Battel-ax drove back whole Troops of his Enemies and afterward renewed his Assaults till his Sword flew in pieces when being now disarmed he was taken and carried to Bristow-Castle where he continued about three Months and was at last set at liberty in exchange for the Earl of Glocester who was taken Prisoner by King Stephen's Queen This Earl Robert was one of the most valiant Men of that Age he had one Stephen Beauchamp to his Servant whom he made his onely Favourite to the great dislike of all the rest of his Followers And being one time very much endangered in a Battel he called to some of his Company for help but one bitterly replied Call to your Stephen now to help you Pardon me pardon me said the Earl In matters of Love and Wenching I make use of my Stephen but in Martial Affairs I wholly depend upon your Courage and Valour After this Victory Maud the Empress was triumphantly received into Circeter Oxford Winchester and London but refusing to ratifie King Edward's Laws and remit some severe ones which she harshly denied the Londoners contrived to seise her which she having notice of fled suddenly to Oxford where Stephen presently close besieged her who despairing of holding it she and her Followers escaped by clothing themselves in white Linen in a great Snow and so passed unknown to the Sea and got away The Empress being once in the Castle of the Devizes was there in great hazard likewise whereupon she caused her self to be put into a Coffin as though dead and bound fast with Cords and so like a dead Corps she was carried in a Horse-litter to Glocester and soon after being weary of these continual Troubles she went into Normandy King Stephen presently seised all the Castles which were kept by the Barons against him to gain which the sooner it is related he used this Course Having taken the Bishop of Salisbury he put a Rope about his Neck and so led him to the Castle of the Devizes held by his Followers threatning to hang their Bishop and Master if they did not immediately surrender The like he did by Alexander Bishop of Lincoln who held another Castle upon Trent which was thereupon delivered and the King seised all the Treasure and Goods to his own use These Troubles being over the Kingdom for some years enjoyed Peace but Henry called Shortmanâ—le eldest Son to Maud by Jeffry Plantagenet married Eleanor the Daughter and Heir of the Earl of Poictou who had lately been divorced from Lewis the Seventh King of France after she had brought him two Daughters So that Henry was now Duke of Normandy in the Right of his Mother Earl of Anjou by Descent from his Father and Earl of Poictou in Right of his Wife by whom a while after he had likewise the Earldom of Tholouse Prince Henry by the invitation of several of the English Nobility and others was much encouraged to come into England and recover his Right especially since Stephen and Eustace his onely Son did now endeavour to take in the Castles of several Nobles whom they judged to be for Henry's Interest who accordingly landed with a considerable Army King Stephen likewise gathered a very equal Strength to encounter him Both Armies lay near each other and some went between them every day In the mean time Eustace the King's Son by mischance was drowned though others write That being in a rage he set fire to some Corn-fields belonging to the Abby of Bury because the Monks denied him Money and afterwards sitting down to Dinner at the first Morsel of Bread he put into his Mouth he fell into a Fit of Madness of which he died The King though extremely grieved for the Death of his Son yet began to hearken to Terms of Peace and at length he adopted Prince Henry to his Son proclaimed him Heir Apparent to the Crown the Nobles doing Homage to him at Oxford and gave him many Gifts assuring him of his Friendship By this Agreement Arms were laid aside and Peace succeeded the Prince with his Followers returning into Normandy where they were joyfully received But King Stephen being afflicted with the Iliack Passion and with his old Distemper the Hemorrhoids died the next year at Dover 1154. and was buried at Feversham in Kent though his Body was afterward thrown into the River for covetousness of the Lead wherein it was wrapped having reigned Eighteen years and ten months And by the Succession of Henry the Saxon Blood was again restored to the Imperial Crown of this Realm HENRY the SECOND King of England Duke of Normandy Guyen and Aquitain Lord of Ireland TO th' Empress Maud I was undoubted Heir And in her Right my Title being just By Justice I obtain'd the Regal Chair Fair Rosamond I did debauch with Lust For which Heavens Justice hating Deeds unjust Stirr'd up my Wife and Sons to be my Foes Who strove to lay
under the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate but tried by those of their own Profession their greatest Offences were connived at or very slightly examined whereby many grievous Enormities hapned in the Kingdom Whereupon the King summoned a Parliament wherein that Law of King Stephen exempting the Clergy from the Authority of the Temporal Judge for any Crime whatsoever was repealed and the ancient Laws again revived and enforced This was very much opposed by Becket and some few Bishops more of his Faction but after several Conferences these Laws were confirmed and subscribed by all the Bishops but Becket who would by no means assent thereto without inserting this Clause Salvo Ordine suo Saving the Order of the Clergy which would have utterly invalidated all those Laws At which the King being enraged by the persuasion of the other Bishops who dreaded the Consequence Becket took a solemn Oath to allow of those Laws whereat the King turned his Fury into Kindness toward Becket and immediately caused an Indenture to be drawn betwixt himself and the two Archbishops testifying their Submission to this Oath which was subscribed by the King and the Archbishop of York but Becket again relapsing into his former Obstinacy not onely refused it but expressed much sorrow for his former Oath and desired to be absolved there from by the Pope which was done accordingly some private Penance onely being enjoyned him who required him not to yield but to persist constantly in his opinion Upon which the King being again incensed against Becket seises all his Estate and Promotions into his Hands and required an Account of 30000 Marks which he had received when Chancellor but Becket boldly affirmed That the King had given it him freely and therefore he would give no Account thereof Then Becket went again privately to Rome without License and the King being sensible that his Des gn was to incense the Pope against him sent his Ambassadors with Letters to Rome declaring how reasonaâ—le his Demands were and the extraordinary Perverseness of Becket desiring the Pope he might be deprived of his Dignities and promising to provide for him some other way But the Pope not onely denied his Request but in thundring Terms threatned to send two Legats into England who should curse the King and Kingdom unless Becket were presently restored to his Honours and Estate and in the mean time the Pope recommended Becket to be entertained as a Monk in the Abby of Poâ—tiniack in France The King observing how Matters went grew more exasperated and sent to the Abbot to turn Becket out of his House and threatned upon refusal not to leave one Monk of his Order in France He also published certain Injunctions against the Pope and all Cardinals or Legats who should presume to enter into his Kingdom without his License He then deprived all Becket's Friends and Favourers of their Dignities and Estates banishing them out of the Kingdom as Abettors and Encouragers of Becket in his Obstinacy against the King These Proceedings and especially his being turned out of the Abby for fear of the Kings Anger much troubled Becket yet then Lewis of France though young King Henry had married his Daughter cherisht and entertained him But the King being tired with these Turmoils goes privately into France and in the presence of the French King confers with Becket offering him That if he would now take the Oath and subscribe the Instrument he should return into England and be restored to his Favour and Dignities with all his Friends But he proudly answered That if the King would let him swear and subscribe with this Exception Salvo Honore Dei Saving the Honour of God he would then consent This angred the King more than ever as intimating That those Laws were dishonourable to Almighty God and therefore he would obey no farther than he pleased but Becket undauntedly persisted alledging That he feared none but God and since those Laws did derogate from ancient Customs and Privileges of the Church and robbed God of his Honour the King should never establish them by his Consent as long as he lived The King thus disappointed soon after two Legats came from Rome to curse him and the Realm Whereupon he again goes to Becket into Normandy but finds him the very same Man and therefore he being willing to be quiet consented that Becket should return into England which he did accordingly but the King being much discontented was heard repiningly to say That among all those whom he had advanced there was none would free him from such an insolent and dangerous Enemy He likewise received mean Welcome from the young King Henry because Becket had suspended three or four Bishops who assisted at Henry's Coronation for doing it without a License from him upon which young Henry now banished him his Court and confined him to his own House in Canterbury But a few days after Becket being in the Cathedral of Canterbury standing before the High Altar four Knights and Courtiers fell upon him and slew him there of which Fact King Henry was accused by the Pope but stoutly denied it yet because of his former Murmurings he was forced to submit to the Popes Censure which was To war three years in Person in the Holy Land which he redeemed by building three Monasteries and to go to Becket's Tomb bare-footed which he did and suffered himself to be scourged with Rods by every Monk there And thus the King made a bad end of these Troubles But others soon succeeded for about this time the young King Henry died and his Sons Richard and Jeffry again rebelled against him but the younger was soon after trod to death under the Horses Feet at a Turnament at Paris But Richard yet lived to the further Grief of his Father for joyning himself with Philip King of France he forced his Father out of the City of Mantz the Place where he was born and loved above all others which caused the old King to say That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the World he was resolved to requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that which ought best to please a Child and that was his Fathers Heart And afterward finding his Son John the very first in the Conspiracy against him in that Action he bitterly curst the Hour of his Birth wishing Gods Curse and his own upon his Sons which he would never recal by any Persuasions But coming to Chiron he fell mortally sick and causing himself to be carried to the Church before the High Altar after humble Confession of his Sins he gave up the Ghost 1189. having reigned Thirty four years and eight months RICHARD the FIRST King of England c. called Coeurdelion THrough the Almighty's Mercy and his Aid Jerusalem I conquer'd and set free The Turks and Saracens who waste it laid I 〈◊〉 from Judea soon to flee The Isle of Cyprus was subdu'd by me
Pope sent two proud Legats into England Pandulphus and Durandus who persuaded the King to agree with Langton and restore the Prior and Monks of St. Austins to their Lands and Offices To which John for fear of the Popes Curse and to prevent any further Quarrels yielded onely desiring to be excused as to the Election of the Archbishop yet protesting That if another might be chosen he would prefer Langton to some other Bishoprick But the Legats in stead of gratifying the King in his Request proceeded immediately to excommunicate him pronouncing the Popes Curse against him and absolving all his Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance toward him Yea he required all Christian Princes to make War upon him as the Arch and Grand Enemy of the Church of God Nay he published the Sentence of Deprivation against him and gave his Crown and Kingdom to Philip the French King of which he was to take Possession as soon as he could expel or murder John either by some secret Plot or by open Violence and Hostility Thus did this Unholy Father out of his Usurping Arrogance and Hellish Pride presume to dispose of Kings and Kingdoms at his pleasure and all on the cursed Pretence of the Honour of God and Holy Church But the King not fearing these Thunderbolts was resolved to stand his Ground and to that end took a solemn Oath of his Subjects for his Defence and their Fidelity And then raising a strong Army he entred Scotland against King Alexander for supporting divers Rebellious Clergymen and others who adhered to the Popes Authority against him but the King of Scots finding he should gain nothing but Ruine and Destruction by Opposition humbly submitted himself to King John and an entire Friendship and Amity was concluded betwixt them The French King resolving to take Possession of the Popes Gift provided great Forces to invade the Kingdom but by the diligence of King John 300 of his Ships loaden with Corn Victuals and other Warlike Provisions were seised and thereby Philip's vain Hopes at that time prevented However the Pope accursed the King again and again so that despairing of ever bâ—ing quiet without the Advice of his Council or Nobility he all on a sudden submitted himself upon his Knees to Pandulphus the Popes Legat confessing his Disobedience and begging Pardon and by a Publick Instrument in Writing under his Hand and Seal he resigned his Crown and Scepter to the Pope which Pandulphus kept four days for the Popes Use and then gave them both back to John and his Heirs upon Condition to hold his Kingdom from the Pope and pay 1000 Marks a year to him as a Tribute This base Submission so alienated the Affections of his Nobility and Men of War that they revolted from him and fled to his Enemy the French King who resolved to make his Son Lewis Monarch of this Realm and sent him hither with a numerous Army where he did much mischief though often encountred But the Pope being now for King John forbid Philip to proceed any further against him since he and his Kingdom were now reconciled to him and the Church and that the Crown was held from the See of Rome But the French King refused to obey affirming That no King could give away his Kingdom nor the Protection of his Subjects which were committed to him by God without the Consent of the Nobility Gentry and Commons and that therefore this Kingdom could not be holden of the Church of Rome nor protected by her This Answer so vexed the Pope that he presently sent Cardinal Guallo into England who cursed King Philip and Lewis his Son with all the English Nobility who took part with them Though the wiser sort little regarded what the Cardinal did yet the Common People and Soldiers who were ignorantly devout were so amazed that they fled to their Houses and Ships and others entred into the Houses and Grounds of the Excommunicate Lords and Gentry robbing and spoiling all before them supposing that their Robberies were pleasing and meritorious before God by which means the Lords were much distressed and even ready to starve for want of Sustenance none daring to relieve them so that they were at last necessitated to throw themselves at the Kings Feet and crave his Mercy who though by their means he had been reduced to the utmost Extremities yet being of a merciful Disposition he easily pardoned them and restored them to their Honours and Lands By which means the French finding themselves forsaken were forced to return back to France and all their vast Designs perished in a moment But the Pope intending to make his Proceedings against King John a President to other Princes assembled a General Council at Lateran wherein he gave a full Account of all Transactions with the Kings Grant of his Kingdom and the Tenure whereby it was held from the Church of Rome And in the same Council Otho the Emperour Peter King of Arragon Raymond Earl of Tholouse and divers other Sovereign Princes were Excommunicated and others Interdicted with their Kingdoms and Provinces for Heresie as was pretended though the real Design was to make Princes Slaves and Vassals to the Will and Pleasure of the Pope and to enrich himself with their Ruine For in this Council wherein they say were 1215 Catholick Doctors it was positively concluded That the Pope might depose Kings absolve their Subjects from their Allegiance and give away their Kingdoms Likewise That such as spoke evil of the Pope should be damned in Hell and that none should be Emperour till he had sworn Homage to the Pope and had received his Crown from him Also Auricular Confession and Transubstantiation were then decreed and established And thus all these Troubles which had continued ten years came now to an end But the Clergy would by no means be reconciled to King John for such was their inveterate Hatred toward him that under pretence of Kindness he was poysoned by a Monk at Swinstead Abby near Lincoln who to make all sure poysoned himself that he might not fail to do the same to the King And thus died King John when he had reigned Seventeen years in 1216. and lies buried at Winchester He was Politick and exceeding Valiant Bountiful and Liberal to Strangers not given to Revenge for when he was shewed how Honourably one of his Rebellious Barons was Intombed and advised to deface the Monument No by no means says he I wish all 〈◊〉 Enemies were as honourably buried When several Greeks came hither and offered to prove that there were several Errours in the Church of Rome at that time he rejected them saying I will not suffer our Faith which is established to be called in question with doubtful Disputations He left behind him four Sons Henry who succeeded him Richard created King of the Romans William of Valentia and Guido Disnay with three Daughters one married to the Emperour Frederick a second to William Marshal Earl of Worcester and the third
to the Earl of Leicester HENRY the THIRD King of England AMidst great Troubles and Confusions I In Youth ascended to the English Throne England was then opprest with Misery By Frenchmen who by me were overthrown For the brave English under my Command Did soon expell those their insulting Foes My Barons did my Sovereignty withstand And brought upon themselves and me great Woâ—â— For in each Battel none but I did lose I lost my Subjects Lives on every Side From Civil Wars no better Profit grows Friends Foes my People all that beat or died My Gain was Loss my Pleasure was my Pain These were the Triumphs of my troublous Reign AFter the Death of King John Henry his eldest Son of nine years old was Crowned King the Earl of Glocester who had married one of his Aâ—â—â—s and was Learned Wise and Valiant being made Protector of him and the Kingdom who administred Justice faithfully among the People The Youth of the King and the Treachery of many of the English Nobility encouraged Philip of France and Lewis his Son to land fresh Forces in the Realm to whom the Welch likewise joyned all the Forces they could raise But the new Protector raised an Army against them and in many Encounters defeated them And Pope Honorius finding the French slighted his Thunderbolts sent out new Curses more sharp and severe than any of his Predecessors whereupon Prince Lewis seemed at present to be affrighted and to prepare for his Departure though his Father Philip still sent new Forces over But Hugh de Burgh Governour of the Ciâ—â—uâ—-Ports preparing a gallant Fleet valiantly encountred them at Sea and took all their Ships This great Victory brought Lewis to treat of Peace and being absolved by Guallo the Popes Legat and receiving a considerable Sum of Money he surrendred all the Forts Towns and Castles he had taken and with all his Forces sailed back to France leaving his English Friends who had assisted him all these Wars to the rigour of the Law whereby they were cut off by miserable and cruel Deaths The Kingdom having now time to breathe a Parliament was called wherein the Laws of King Edward were revived and the Grand Charter called then Magna Charta containing several Laws for the Liberty Ease and Security of the Subject was confirmed and a Tax granted for sending an Army into France to recover Poictiers and Gascoigne under Richard the Kings Brother which had been injuriously seised by the French for some years Those Provinces were soon regained wholly back to the English which in a short time produced a Peace between both Nations But then worse Troubles succeed it at home for the King confiding onely in some leud Officers about him disregarded his Nobility and most Loyal Subjects invading their Liberties and Estates and vexing them with many grievous and unnecessary Taxes which were levied upon them by his Officers with all manner of severity At length a Parliament was called at Oxford wherein his Designs were altogether crossed and the Proceedings therein of such ill Consequence that it was stiled Insaâ—um Parliamentum or the Mad Parliament For when Multitudes came to complain of their Wrongs and Oppressions the Lords and Commons for redress thereof established many things which they judged necessary but highly intrenching upon the Kings Prerogative for they chose Twelve of the most Considerable Persons in the Kingdom whereof the Earl of Glocester and Simon Montfort Earl of Leicester were Chief who were called Les Douze Pieres or The Twelve Peers to whom full and absolute Power was granted by a Patent sealed by the King though unwillingly to support and maintain the Laws they had made The Parliament being ended the Commissioners began strictly to put those Statutes into Execution whereby they dismissed most of the Kings Menial Servants from their Attendance on him placing others of their Mind in their State This above all other things did most disturb the King and thereupon he grew extreme melancholy But hoping for better Success he summoned another Parliament wherein he with extreme Passion and Grief complain'd of his hard Usage by the Twelve Peers but the Lords and Commons were so far from remitting any thing that they further ratified all that had been done and the Archbishop with nine other Bishops publickly denounced a solemn Curse against all that by Advice or Assistance should oppose those Laws or the Authority of the Twelve Peers This still encreased the Kings Discontent who could take no delight in any thing he enjoyed and therefore went over to divert himself with Lewis King of France who treated him with all manner of Kindness and Magnificence About this time Hugh de Burgh Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others That he had scandalised and abused the King That he had enticed and trayterously defiled the King of Scots Daughter whom he married in hope to succeed her Brother in her Right That he stole out of the Jewel-house a Jewel of such excellent Vertue as to make those who had it Invincible which he had bestowed upon Llewellin Prince of Wales the King's Enemy These and many other Articles was he charged with who doubting the Power of his Enemies retired into Essex where he was seised by Soldiers who sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him to prevent his escape but the Smith understanding who they were for fetching a deep Sigh said Do with me what you pl ase and God have mercy on my Soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron Shackles for him but will rather die for most cruel Death imaginable For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who hath so often preserved England from being destroyed by Strangers and restored England to England Let God be Judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent Deserts with the worst of Recompences However the Commander bound him and carried him Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence by the means of the Bishop of London he was a while after released The King being continually tormented with the diminishing of his Regal Authority endeavoured to procure some Remedy from abroad and to that end with great expence of Money he secretly obtained twâ— Bulls from Pope Alexander the Third whereby the King and all those who had sworn to maintain the new Laws and Ordinances and to support the Authority of the Twelve Peers were freely absolved and discharged from keeping those Oaths But this being kept private the Twelve Peers ruled all and were so diligent in their Business that they left the King nothing to do so that he was King in Name onely not in Power Soon after Hugh Spencer being Lord Chief Justice and a great Favourite with the King was removed by the Twelve Peers being charged with Corruption and Arbitrary Proceedings They likewise dismissed such Sheriffs and Justices as the King had made chusing others in their Places which
the Riches were The Garrison offered to yield themselves and all therein if they might save their Lives and Limbs But the King would accept of no Terms bidding them defend themselves and that he was resolved to win it by his Sword and hang them all Whereupon an Archer standing on the Wall observing his opportunity charging his Steel Bow with a square Arrow and praying that by that Shot he might deliver the Innocent from Oppression and the King just then taking view of the Castle he wounded him in the Shoulder which was made extreme painful by an unskilful Chirurgeon However the Assault was renewed the Castle taken and all put to the Sword by the Kings Command but this too skilful Archer who boldly owned the Action for being demanded How he durst shoot at the Person of a King he replied That the King had slain his Father and his two Brothers with his own Hand and that he was exceeding glad he was now so happily revenged Notwithstanding this Answer the King gave him 100 s. and his Liberty but yet after the King was dead one of his Captains took him flea'd him alive and then hanged him He died of his Wound 1199. having reigned victoriously Ten years and in the Forty second year of his Age leaving no Legitimate Son behind him KING JOHN ROme's mighty Metred Metropolitan I did oppose and was by him depos'd In stead of Blessing he did Curse and Ban And round with Wars and Troubles me inclos'd English and Normans both resisted me Lewis of France my Kingdom did molest Whereby from Turmoils I was seldom free But spent my Kingly Days in little Rest At last the Pope was pleas'd me to restore Peace was proclaim'd and I was re-inthron'd Thus was my State oft turned o're and o're Blest Curst Friends Foes Divided and Aton'd And after Seventâ—â—n yâ—ars were past I fell At Swinstead poyson'd by a Monk of Hell JOhn Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster in his own Right and of Glocester by his Wife being the youngest Son of King Henry the Second succeeded and was Crowned King though Arthur Plantagenet his Nephew and Son of Jeffry his elder Brother was living The whole Course of his Government was attended with continual Troubles his two great Persecutors being Pope innocent the Third and Philip the Second of France King Philip being envious at Englands Grandeur took all Occasions to disturb John as by entertaining Prince Arthur animating him to regain the Crown of England and supplying him with Men and Money and the Normans joyning with them Arthur won many strong Places in Normandy But King John's Lieutenants made a stout Defence till he himself went over with a strong Army and fought many Battels with his Nephew but at last both Sides being wearied with equal Losses they made a Truce which was again broken by the incitement of the French King who promising Arthur double the Forces he had before they both entred Normandy plundring and burning many Towns and Villages But John who wanted nothing but Money was voluntarily supplied by his Lords Gentlemen and Commons with a large Tax they being grieved to see the English Territories thus destroyed and all the stout Youth voluntarily listed themselves for the Service whereby John soon landed in Normandy where thousands more resorted to him so that soon after the two Armies met and fought desperately but at length the French gave way and Arthur was taken Prisoner and sent to Roan where leaping from the Walls with design to escape he was drowned in the Ditch though others write That he came to a violent Death by King John's Order However the French King improved the Report to the best advantage peremptorily citing King John to come and do him Homage for the Dukedom of Normandy and likewise to appear at a set Day to be tried by his Peers for Treason and Murder But John not obeying his Summons was by the King and Peers of France disinherited and condemned and according to the Sentence they proceeded against him For several of the English Nobility joyning with Philip and John being careless the French with a powerful Army took in most of the Towns in Normandy which hapned by the fault of the English Lords and Bishops for when the King was ready to embarque for Normandy Archbishop Hubert forbid him and the Peers refused to attend him upon which the King laid great Fines upon them and seised upon the Estate of Hubert who died soon after But now Pope Innocent his other Enemy begins to play his Part and vex him more dangerously than Philip of France had done For Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury being dead the Monks of St. Austins in that City without the Kings Knowledge or License elected one Reynold a Monk to succeed him and made him take an Oath to go immediately to Rome and to procure his Investiture and receive his Pall of the Pope The King hereat was much displeased so that to appease his Wrath they made a new Election and with his Approbation chose John Gray Bishop of Norwich and the King presently sent Letters and Ambassadors to the Pope entreating him to confirm his Choice But Innocent after the Example of his insolent Predecessors confirmed the first Election whereat John was enraged yea divers of those Monks who chose him now joyned with the King against him alledging the Election was made in the Night and not in open Day and was therefore null and void At length the Pope to end the Controversie nominated Stephen Langton a Man in the Popes Interests and ordered the Monks to elect him which King John forbid But the Papal Command was obeyed and Stephen was elected Archbishop of Canterbury This so exasperated the King that in his Letters to the Pope he solemnly protested That thenceforward he would take strict Account of those Subjects who for any Matters of Right and Justice should run gadding to Rome alledging That he had Bishops Nobles and Magistrates of his own who according to the Customs of the Kingdom could and should determine all Controversies in Church and State and That he would rather expose himself to a thousand Deaths than basely and servilely subject himself and his Kingdom to the insolent and unreasonable Commands of the Pope But Innocent haughtily answered That the Election of Langton should stand requiring the King to give him quiet Possession to recal such Monks as were banish'd on his Account and restore their Estates or otherwise he did authorize four Bishops to interdict and curse the King and the Realm King John observing that the four Bishops appointed grew very Arrogant with their new Authority and thought long e're he signified his Resolution he thereupon seised upon their Estates and declared That he resolved to take the same Course with all those that received any Promotions or Investitures from Stephen Langton or went or appealed to Rome upon any Occasion without License or that should execute any Command of the Pope within this Kingdom Upon this the
THIRD King of England c. IN Peace and War I still Triumphant stood Fortune for me seemed to fix her Wheel I did revenge my Fathers Death and Blood And forced France my valiant Arm to feel I warr'd on Scotland with victorious Steel The slaughtring Sword and Fire did all devour A Kingdom so divided needs must reel Betwixt the Bruces and the Baliols Power Thus every day my Grandeur mounted higher With Black Prince Edward my victorious Son Vnto the top of Honour we aspire By glorious Victories and great Actions done But all my Triumphs Fortunes Force and Strength Old Age and Death to Nothing brought at length AT the Age of Fifteen years Edward the Third was Crowned King his deposed Father being then alive He was chiefly counselled in his younger years by Queen Isabel his Mother Edmond Earl of Kent and Sir Roger Mortimer which Knight to ingratiate himself with the Queen was a chief Instrument in the Murder of the late King In his second year the Scots proclaimed War against England whereupon King Edward with an Army of fifty four thousand Men and attended with Sir John Heynault the L. Beamont and five hundred Lords and Gentlemen marched into Scotland where he pursued his lurking Enemies who fled into Woods Mountains and Hills and thereby tired the English Army so that he returned without any memorable Action and then married Philip the Daughter of William Earl of Heynault and calling a Parliament at Northampton the two Spencers and Walter Stapleton were attainted of High Treason at which time by the advice of the Queen and Mortimer a dishonourable Peace was made with the Scots whereby that King was discharged from doing homage to Edward and the great Charter called Ragman whereby the late King of Scotland and all his Nobility under their Hands and Scals did acknowledge their Subjection to the Kings of England was delivered up and the Kings Sister Jane was married to David Son and Heir to K. R. Bruce Roger Mortimer was now made Earl of March which did much discontent the Nobility especially after they saw that by his power with the King and Familiarity with the Queen he had trecherously procured the Earl of Kent the Kings Uncle to be beheaded but by Divine Vengeance Mortimer himself was charged by the State with these Trayterous Articles 1 That he had wickedly procured the murther of the late King 2. That by false and malicious accusations he had caused the King to cut off the Head of his Vncle who was Noble Religious Valiant and a main Pillar of the Commonwealth 3. That he had too familiarly conversed with the Queen Mother to her just reproach and the Kings dishonour 4. That for a Bribe of twenty thousand pound he had procured the release of the Scots Homage Lastly That he had cheated the King of his Jewels and Treasure converting them to his own use For these horrid Treasons he was condemned and Executed in the same manner as young Spencer and Q. Isabel was committed to a strong Castle where she continued above thirty years after and then died In his fifth year Philip the French King sent to require King Edward to do Homage for the Dutchy of Guyen which he unwillingly performed his Lords being therewith offended alledging That in the Right of Queen Isabel his Mother the Crown of France belonged to him and that he therefore ought not to have acknowledged any Fealty at all The King then sent to David King of Scotland to restore the Castle of Berwick and do him Homage for the Kingdom but David stoutly answered That his Father won that Castle by Conquest and he would hold it by the Sword and That his Father never acknowledged any Subjection and if any had been due yet King Edward had released him from it The King being of a great Spirit was resolved to revenge these Affronts by conquering both Scotland and France and to that end he presently sent an Army against the Scots and over-run the better part of that Country without resistance taking Berwick and Crowning Edward Baliol King of Scotland to whom he committed the Government of Berwick Castle and two years after he again marched into Scotland and setled this new King on his Throne receiving his Homage and restored several English Lords to their Estates which by the Peace with King Bruce they were deprived of David the deposed King fled into France and after two years by the assistance of the French King landed some Forces in Scotland but King Edward soon encountred and routed them and then returned victoriously into England In his tenth year Philip the French King gave the Earldom of Artois away by Sentence from Robert Artois to Maud Countess of Burgundy and Aunt to this Robert which so incensed him that he said By me Philip was made King and by me he shall be again deposed For these Words he was proclaimed a Traytor to the Crown throughout all France so that to save his Life he fled into England where for his former Service to Queen Isabel and her Son when in France he was honourably received and entertained by King Edward who knew him to be a wise and valiant Man and therefore made him Earl of Richmond and loved him so entirely that he never undertook any Matter of Consequence without his Advice This Noble Knight continually informed the King of his Right to the Crown of France by his Mother Queen Isabel and that with such convincing Reasons and Persuasions that Edward began now in earnest to contrive the attaining thereof negotiating privately with the Earl of Heynault his Wives Father and Brother-in-Law to the French King and with Sir John of Heynault Lord Beaumont his Brother and several other Princes and States of Germany who encouraged and assisted him therein creating him Vicar-General of the Empire by which he had Power to command the Nobility and Commons of those Countries to aid him in his Enterprise Whilst these things were secretly consulting in England Philip of France little suspected he was to fight for his Crown with the English and therefore at the Importunity of Pope Benedict the Eleventh he had prepared a greater Army for the Holy Land than ever any Christian Prince did before him which were provided with all Necessaries for three years and the Government of his Kingdom he committed to his eldest Son John Duke of Normandy Being just ready to depart he had News of the Pretensions and Preparations of the English and therefore thought it more necessary to defend his Kingdom at home than to go upon such a frivolous Errand abroad In the mean time King Edward having by many Politick Devices drained his Subjects Purses insomuch that for want of Money a fat Ox was sold for a Noble a fat Sheep for Six pence six Pigeons for a Penny and a Quarter of Wheat for Two shillings he with his Queen sailed to Antwerp where he concluded the Methods of the War with the Princes of Germany and
fell upon the Scots at Shrewsbury before they could joyn their Confederates whom he routed as he did likewise Hotspur and Worcester killing thirty six with his own Hand The Earl of Worcester was taken and beheaded and several of the principal Confederates were hanged and quartered and their Heads set upon London bridge Prince Henry likewise went into Wales against Owen Glendour who was suddenly forsaken by his Army and hiding himself in the Woods being encompassed by the Princes Forces was miserably starved to death Henry Hotspur was slain in the Field but his Father the Earl of Northumberland came voluntarily and submitted himself to the King protesting himself innocent of these Treasons which though the King did not in the least credit yet he gave him good Words and suffered him to depart at pleasure because he had Berwick Castle and other strong Places in his Possession These Troubles being ended Lewis Duke of Orleance Brother to the French King sent a vain-glorious Challenge to King Henry requiring him with an hundred stout English to fight with him and the like number of French for Honours sake at a Place appointed But the King discreetly answered That his former warlike Actions sufficiently cleared him from the infamous Title of Coward That Kings ought not to be so careless of their Kingdoms or prodigal of the Blood of their Subjects whom God had committed to their Charge as to fight for any Cause unless for the Defence of the True Religion their own Rights or to secure their Realms from Foreign Enemies and revenge their Peoples Wrongs That a Sovereign Prince by the Laws of Arms and Honour was not obliged to any Challenge in the Field except against one equal to him in Dignity Yet that he would be always ready to repress any Violence or Wrong which the Duke should rashly or unadvisedly attempt against him or his People The haughty Duke having received this mild Answer grew inraged and immediately sate down with a great Army before the Town of Vergie in Guyen which he besieged three Months giving many fierce Assaults and receiving such stout Repulses that despairing of Success he was compelled to raise his Siege and return disgracefully into France The Duke of Burgundy likewise judging that King Henry durst not leave the Kingdom to make War abroad desired leave of the French King to attempt the regaining of Callice and to that end raised great Strength but the French Kings Council being informed of King Henry's vast Preparations to defeat them commanded Burgundy to desist which he imputed to the Pride of the Duke of Orleance lest he should gain more Honour than himself No sooner was Henry freed from this Danger but another presently succeeded contrived by Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland Richard Scroop Archbishop of York Thomas Mowbray Earl-Marshal the Lords Hastings Faulconbridge Bardolf and others but the Conspiracy being privately revealed he unexpectedly marched with an Army into the North and surprised all the Lords except Northumberland and Bardolf whom he immediately beheaded Northumberland fled into France and from thence came back a while after into Scotland where he was promised Aid against the King but Prince Henry being sent thither burnt and destroyed all before him taking in the Castles of Berwick and Anwick and forcing the Scots to beg for Truce which was granted them for a few Months onely But three years after Northumberland and Bardolf animating the Scots to a new War entred Northumberland and did much mischief Whereupon King Henry raised Forces to suppress them but before his coming they were routed by Sir Ralph Rooksby Sheriff of the County and the two Lords with divers others being taken they cut off their Heads and sent them for Presents to the King After which till his Death which hapned in two years he enjoyed Peace and Quietness and then died at London of an Apoplexy having reigned Thirteen years and five months and lived Fifty six 1412. and was buried at Canterbury In his Admonition to his Son at his Death he spake thus As long as Englishmen have Wealth and Riches so long shalt thou have Obedience from them but when they are Poor they are still ready for Commotion and Rebellion HENRY the FIFTH King of England c. FRom the Lancastrian Line successively I Englands Glorious Golden Garland got I mixed Justice still with Clemency Much Blood I shed yet Blood-shed loved not Time may my Bones and Sepulchre destroy But Time can never blast my endless Fame Oblivion my great Acts can ne'er annoy Or make Forgetfulness forget my Name In France a Game at Tennis I did play With roaring Rackets thundring Guns and Drums And what I play'd for still I brought away The Spoils triumphantly transporting home Yet at the last grim Death my Life assail'd And as I liv'd I di'd lov'd and bewail'd WHilst Henry the Fifth was Prince he accompanied with several rude debauched Persons with whom he committed many extravagant Actions but after the Death of his Father being Crowned King he became a new Man banishing all those his loose Companions from his Presence and Court and electing grave discreet Counsellors and Officers in all Places for Administration of the Government and Courts of Justice He applied himself to reform all kind of Abuses and especially the Pride Covetousness and other Enormities of the Clergy enjoyning them to apply themselves to Prayer Preaching and Hospitality He executed the Laws with moderation upon his People and to prevent any Irruptions of the Scots and Welch he built divers Forts and Castles on the Frontiers Garrison'd with some thousands of stout Soldiers In his first year he ordered the Body of King Richard the Second to be removed with great Pomp and Solemnity from Langley to Westminster and buried it with Queen Ann his first Wife In his second year he called a Parliament at Leicester in which he was earnestly petitioned to suppress the Religious Houses throughout the Kingdom as being now onely the Nurseries of Idleness Gluttony Letchery and Pride the Revenues whereof were reckoned to be worth 20000 l. a year which would then maintain 15 Earls 1500 Knights and above 6000 Soldiers besides an Allowance to a great number of Alms-houses To divert this dangerous Motion the fat Abbots and Priors the idle Monks wanton Fryars and whining Nuns joyntly beseeched the Archbishop of Canterbury to be their Friend who in a Learned Oration discovered the Kings Right to the Crown of France proposing an easie Method for attaining thereto and lastly as a more prevailing Argument he offered the King as a free Gift from the Clergy an incredible Sum of Money for furthering him therein This Proposal laid all those Petitions asleep being approved of both by King Nobles and People and nothing was discoursed of but Englands recovering of France To which purpose the Duke of Exeter the Kings Uncle the Archbishop of Dublin the Lord Gray High Admiral and the Bishop of Norwich attended with 500 Horse were sent Ambassadors to the
French King Charles the Sixth who in the Kings Name required the peaceable Surrender of the Kingdom of France with the entire Dutchies of Aquitain Normandy Anjou Poictou and Mayn proposing That if without effusion of Blood the French King would yield to his Demands he would then vouchsafe to take his Daughter Katherine in Marriage and would endow her with all the afore-mentioned Provinces and allow the French King all Honour and Respect But if he refused to deliver his Patrimony without Blows he would then endeavour to gain it by the Sword wherein he must expect his People would suffer all the Calamities of a War The French King and Nobility were much surprised at this unexpected Message and therefore desired time to deliberate on so weighty an Affair but the Dolphin the Kings eldest Son despising the Youth and unlikely Attempt of King Henry sent him as a Present a Tun of Tennis-balls as more agreeable to his Years which Henry receiving said That he would shortly send him such London Balls as should shake Paris Walls and thereupon soon levied a strong Army Which the Dolphin being informed of who by reason of the Sickness of the King managed all Affairs he sent Ambassadors to Henry That if he would desist from all Hostility and live in Peace and take his Sister Katherine to Wife he should have with her a considerable sum of money and some small Territories in France but the King returned answer that Unless Aquitain Normandy Anjou and all the other small Seigniories were delivered to him as justly appertaining to his Crown he would neither disband his Army nor wave his Title to the Crown of France but would attempt to gain it by fire and Sword As soon as the French Ambassadors were gone the King having left considerable forces upon the Borders of Scotland and provided all things necessary sent his Letters of defiance to the French King and was just imbarking for his voyage when at that very instant a dangerous conspiracy was discovered either to deliver him up to the French or murder him in his Tent contrived by Richard Earl of Cambridge Brother to the Duke of York Henry Lord Scroop and Sir Thomas Gray three of the most valiant Commanders in his whole Army who being apprehended and brought into his presence freely confessed the whole contrivance and that they were corrupted by rewards from the Dauphin upon which they were the next day executed as Traytors The Wind serving the King transported his Army into Normandy in an hundred and forty ships and the Town of Harflew being delivered to him after a seige of thirty seven days was ransomed from plunder by the Citizens with great sums of Gold and Silver the King then resolved to march to Callice through the very Borders of France though the Dauphin had an Army of thirty thousand and the English were only two thousand Horse and thirteen thousand Archers many of them wanting health victuals and sleep and having plenty of nothing but silver and Gold which in that place would not give them the least supply of what was truly necessary for preserving their Lives It much disturbed the French King who lay at Roan that the English should march on thus without control and therefore he sent K. Henry a defiance and that he would be with him in a few days and accordingly bringing an Army of threescore thousand Horse into the Field incamped near a Town called Agen-Court making great jollity the night before the battel as assuring themselves of the victory being so very numerous and the English so inconsiderable and sickly on the contrary K. Henry and his little Army spent the night in Prayers and Devotions as knowing that they must either conquer valiantly or dye basely upon Fryday Oct. 20. 1414. The battel began wherein both sides fought with great courage but at length K. Henry obtained a glorious victory there being slain the High Constable and High Admiral of France the Dukes of Alanson Brabant and Bane thirty four Earls and Lords eight thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen and about sixteen hundred Common Souldiers besides ten principal Dukes and Lords taken Prisoners on King Henry's side were not slain above six hundred Souldiers and two Commanders After this K. Henry marched safely to Callice where having refreshed themselves they took shipping for England being inriched with Gold Silver and costly armour in abundance and the King was received with all manner of Joy and Triumph into London The French King was extreamly troubled at this great overthrow but the Dauphin especially insomuch that he died as was thought for meer vexation soon after The Earl of Arminiach being made High Constable the Duke of Exeter the Kings Uncle Governour of Harflew understanding he was going that way with some forces suddenly issued out upon him and defeated his whole party which so inraged the new Constable that with all speed he besieged Harflew on every side with five hundred ships at the mouth of the River Seyn which K. Henry having notice of he presently sent a stout Army imbarked in two hundred Ships who falling upon the French Fleet in sight of the Town utterly destroyed them with a vast slaughter of men and thereby forced the Constable immediately to raise the siege and King Henry then calling a Parliament and declaring to them his right to France they freely gave him great sums of money wherewith sailing into Normandy he won the strong Town of Caen in the mean time such private quarrels arose between the French Nobility as much advantaged K. Henry who daily won the chiefest Towns in Normandy and then laid a formal siege to the great City of Roan which was strongly fortified and well provided so that K. Henry gave many terrible assaults in vain upon which being informed that there were above two hundred Thousand Men Women and Children within the Walls he resolved to gain it by famine without blows and to that end casting a deep ditch about the City pitched full of sharp stakes and guarded with Archers the Inhabitants could neither pass in nor out so that in two months time the Famine increased so grievously that the Citizens drunk nothing but Vinegar and Water and were forced to eat Rats Mice Cats Dogs and Horses and the poorer sort being turned out perished miserably between the Gates and the English Trenches the Famine still growing more outragious they sent four Knights four Scholars and four of their chief Burgesses clothed all in black as Commissioners to the King who spake to this purpose Great and renowned Prince In all ages Kings and valiant Captains have gained the greatest glory and reputation by subduing their proud and haughty enemies with their Swords and valour and it hath been always reckoned a note of baseness and Cowardice in a Prince to overcome by Famine and want of food wherein there is neither wise conduct nor true courage That your highness may therefore equal the greatest Conquerors in generosity we
desire you to sufferour sick and wounded men with our women and Children to pass safely through your Camp and if afterward you dare assault our walls and forts and by your courage should happen to become our Lord you may then deal with us as you please and by this action may make your self famous among those Heroes who scorn all mean attempts and regard nothing so much as unspotted honour and reputation The King having with some trouble heard this bold Oration he presently returned this undaunted Answer Proud vain glorious Frenchmen Do you imagin that I am so weak a Scholar in the Art of War as not to have yet learned the principles thereof are not the Sword Fire and Famine the three principal Instruments wherewith the most renowned Kings and Gallant Captains have ever and do still endeavour to subdue their enemies and being joined together are they not able to conquer the stoutest nation in the World it was my goodness and Clemency that I did not assault your walls with my Sword because I would not willingly be the death of any but those who wilfully seek their own destruction neither do I intend to consume so fair a Jewel as this City is with Fire but desire to preserve it as being my own Right and Inheritance if I then use the mildest of the three that is Famine to correct you and bring you to reason you may if you please quickly free your selves from it by delivering this City into my hands which if you shall obstinately refuse I will make you sensible that every impudent talking fellow is not fit to instruct Princes in martial affairs neither ought bookish unexperienced Plebeians to read warlike Lectures to me who am their enemy you desire nay you saucily require that your sick and starved People may pass into the Country through my Army and then if I dare I may assault your Town the World will certainly wonder at your cruelty who have barbarously and uncharitably thrust out of your Gates multitudes of innocent poor distressed People of your own blood kindred and Country on purpose that I should unmercifully kill and destroy them yet such hath been my mercy that I have often relieved and succored them but since I find your obstinacy still continue I henceforth resolve not to give them any comfort and if they perish with Famine as they needs must God will require their blood at your Hands who would most wickedly expose them to these calamities and not at mine who would willingly preserve them if I could have my right be you therefore assured that since you remain so obdurate they shall not pass through my Army but die at your Gates unless your hard Hearts yield them some pity And when I see cause I will assault your Town to your cost but will not be directed how nor when by you in the mean time I would have you know that he who does thus invade and march through the very bowels of your Countrey he who hath already taken as strong though not so great Cities as this and he who with the death and destruction of your chiefest Nobles Captains and most valiant men at Arms hath forced his way thus to besiege your Town dares also if he please assault it and doubts not in the least to win it when he shall think fit The King having thus spoke ordered that the French Commissioners should Dine with his great Officers of State and with a frowning Countenance turned from them after Dinner the Frenchmen consulting among themselves humbly begged of the King a Truce for eight days to consult what was to be done which the King naturally inclined to Clemency freely granted during which daily conferences passed between both partys but nothing was concluded upon which the Townsmen desired only one day more which was frankly assented to in which the Common People hearing nothing was done fell into a dreadful mutiny and threatned to cut their Commanders Throats for suffering them to starve like Dogs for their own pleasure and therefore they forced them to deliver up this great and strong City The French being much disheartned at these disasters a Treaty of Peace was begun in which K. Henry being denied all his demands was very angry and told the Duke of Burgundy the Regent of the Kingdom That he would have the Princess Katherine to Wife and all those Countreys and Provinces he required or else he would drive both his Master and himself out of the Kingdom The Duke reply'd Such words were spoke with much ease but it would cost him much trouble and pains to make them good Which King Henry was resolved to do and therefore suddenly tooâ— the Town of Poictois in a dark night with scaling Laâ—◠〈◊〉 without blows and thereby laid the way open to Pâ— before which the Duke of Clarence the Kings Brother 〈◊〉 with his Troops two days and much affrighted 〈◊〉 â—itizens but being â—â—able to assault it with so 〈◊〉 a number he rose from thence and within seâ—â—â—ays took all the Towns Cities Castles and Forts in Normandy except Mount St. Michael The Duke of Burgundy finding that the want of an entire friendship between him and the Dauphin was the chief cause of the destruction of France resolved to agree with him but the Dauphin being irreconcileable upon their meeting caused the Duke to be trecherously murdered which yet seemed to be a just revenge upon him he himself having caused Lewis the Duke of Orleance to be murthered upon a like enterview in the tenth year of K. Henry the Fourth Philip the Dukes Son was extreamly inraged with this horrible accident and to be quit with the Dauphin he with the Earl of Flanders used all means to conclude a Peace betwixt the Kings of England and France and so turn all their Forces against the Dauphin who acted upon his own account and had lately deprived the the Queen of France of her Treasure who therefore hated and abhorred him and to that end it was agreed that K. Henry should meet with Charles the Sixth K. of France Isabel his Queen and the Lady Katharine where a firm Peace was soon agreed on and K. Henry was married with great triumph to the Lady Katharine and was proclaimed sole Regent and Heir apparent of the Crown of France both in England and France King Charles only to have Possession during life After this Peace which consisted of twenty Articles very advantageous to Henry and that the Nobility of both Kingdoms had sworn to them the two Kings accompanied with James the young and valiant King of Scots the Duke of Burgundy Prince of Orange with a great many Lords and Knights besieged and took all the strong Towns and Castles in the Dutchy of Burgundy which joyned with the Dauphin and then they all marched to Paris where K. Henry was again proclaimed Heir apparent of France and soon after a great Assembly was called at Paris where both Kings sat as Judges and the Dutchess
on him as his Guard She then caused it to be published in England that her Nephew Richard was alive and expected the assistance of all his loving Subjects to restore him to his Kingdom as being the undoubted Heir Male of the House of York these reports wrought much both upon the Gentry and Common People so that many resolved to assist him and sent Sir Robert Clifford secretly into Flanders to enquire whether he were really such as was pretended who by the Subtilty of the Dutchess and the Ingenuity of the Lad was really perswaded that he was King Edward the Fourth's youngest Son of which sending an account into England his Friends and Partakers daily increased This Design extreamly disturbed King Henry who therefore strongly fortified all places upon the Sea coast and likewise sent divers Spies to the Dutchess of Burgundy who under pretence of joyning with her discovered what Persons in England intended to joyn with Perkin upon whose information and after Legal Tryals the chiefest of them were executed as Traytors In the mean time an Insurrection happened in Lond n against the Easterlings the Apprentices of London breaking up their Warehouses at the Stillyard and doing much mischief but they were soon disperst by the Lord Mayor and afterward all pardoned by the King And now Sir Robert Clifford upon his repentance and the Intercession of his Friends was pardoned by King Henry who coming over discovered all the Contrivances of the Lady Margaret and Perkin with the rest of the Conspirators but named onely Sir William Stanley at which the King admired because he was much beloved by him and had received great rewards who upon clear Conviction was beheaded In the mean time Perkin being furnished with Ships by the Lady Margaret manned with abundance of Villains and Outlaws who landing in Kent were beaten back with great loss and 160 taken Prisoners who where executed in divers places Having such ill success he lands next in Ireland and goes from thence to Scotland where he was entertained by that King though he knew he was a Counterfeit who assisting him they marched into Northumberland and almost utterly destroy'd it Upon this King Henry calls a Parliament who laying a severe Tax on the People the Cornishmen rebel and march toward London but at Blackheath King Henry got an absolute Victory with the slaughter of 2000 Rebels And then turning his Arms toward the Scots they fled before him so that he entred Scotland without resistance destroying many considerable Towns and Forts the Scotch King not daring to relieve them though he with his Army were sometimes not a mile distant Upon this followed a Truce for some years upon condition that Perkin should be banished out of Scotland who sailed from thence into Cornwal where the Cornishmen though so lately defeated yet being desperate joyned with him and Besieged Exeter very closely but at length left it and sat down before Taunton but the King marching toward him with a Formidable Army Perkin with his chief Captains fled and took Sanctuary at Beauly near Southampton several of the rest were taken and executed and the Rable pardoned and Perkin being Besieged in his Monastry yielded himself and was brought to the King who pardoned him only he was set in the Stocks upon an high Scaffold in Cheapside a whole day with a Paper pinned at his back declaring his ignoble descent and Pedigree and was then committed Prisoner to the Tower where practicing with Edward the young Earl of Warwick and others to raise disturbances he was by Law condemned and executed for High Treason together with young Warwick who was extreamly pitied by all for his innocence King Henry soon after sending an Ambassage to Philip Duke of Burgundy by Warham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Doctor in the end of his Speech gave this severe remark on the Dutchess That after she was threescore years old she had brought forth two Monsters Lambert and Perkin and those not in the ninth and tenth Month as Women usually do but in the hundred and fourscore Month for they were both above fifteen years of age when she brought them abroad as it were out of her Belly neither were they Crisoms or Infants but such lusty lads that as soon as ever they were born they were able to make War with a Mighty King These troubles being over his eldest Son Prince Arthur of fifteen years old was married to the Lady Katharine daughter to Ferdinando King of Spain and the next year James the Fourth King of Scots married the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter to King Henry but these joys were soon over for Prince Arthur died within five Months after he was married And now King Henry resolving to humble his People took advantage of the breach of the Penal Laws imploying Sir Richard Empson and Edmond Dudleâ— therein who being attended with a Band of Cheats and Informers ruined abundance of People in many Countreys in England so that no man thought himself secure of any thing he enjoyed In his twenty first year the King and Queen of Castile being driven by storm into England were entertained by the King with all kind of magnificence and the next year King Henry grew sick and infirm and perceiving his time was short he deprived those Caterpillars of their power who during his Sickness Plagued the People more than ever he likewise pardoned all Offences and restored great summs to those who had been robbed by those wretched Cormorants being extream penitent for the wrongs and injuries he had committed upon his Subjects and having reigned twenty three years and lived fifty two he died and was buried in a sumptuous Chappel built with great cost by himself at Westminster in the year 1508. HENRY the EIGHTH King of England c. TO both the Royal Houses I was Heir Of Two that long contended I One made This Nation rent and almost in despair I did revive setling Commerce and Trade I banish'd RomishVsurpations vain In France I Bulloign Tyrwin Tournay waâ— The Stile of Faiths Defender I did gain Six Wives I had three Anns two Kates one Jane In my Expences Royal beyond measure Striving in Noble Actions to exceed Accounting Honour as my greatest Treasure Yet various Fancies did my Frailty feed I made I marr'd I did and I undid Till all my Greatness in a Grave was hid HEnry the onely surviving Son of Henry the Seventh succeeded his Father at Eighteen years of Age 1509. And having a Dispensation from the Pope he married the Lady Katherine his Brother Prince Arthur's Widow To oblige his People he made open Proclamation That he would hear the Complaints against Empson and Dudley and finding they had committed notorious Rapines on his Subjects he caused them to be beheaded at Tower-hill and their Confederates were Pilloried in several Places of the Kingdom At this time the French King Lewis the Twelfth made War with the Pope whereupon Henry offered himself a Mediator but was rejected by the French King and
therefore proclaimed War against France upon which occasion and for writing against Martin Luther the Pope stiled him Defender of the Faith Henry sending a Fleet and an Army thither took the Towns of Tyrwin and Tournay At the same time James the Fourth King of Scots though he had married Margaret King Henry's eldest Sister contrary to his Oath and Articles invaded England with an Army of 100000 Fighting Men but the Earl of Surrey with 26000 Men marching against them utterly routed the whole Scotch Army at Flodden field King James himself being slain valiantly fighting After this succeeded a Peace and the French King married King Henry's second Sister Mary And now Cardinal Wolsey of mean Parentage grew extreme Great by the Kings extraordinary Affection toward him and among other extravagant Actions he procured a License from the Pope to pluck down several small Abbies and Priories and to settle the Lands upon two Colleges which he had built one in Ipswich and another in Oxford which President occasioned King Henry some years after to pull down all the rest In his eighth year a Riot hapned in London against Merchant-Strangers and Artificers for which many were condemned of High Treason but were all pardoned by the King The Truce with France was soon broken by the French King whereupon King Henry sent an Army thither who won and burnt Morlaix and several other Towns returning home with great Booty In his twentieth year the Kings Marriage with Queen Katherine of Spain is questioned which was thought to be cunningly contrived by Cardinal Wolsey whereupon the King refrained her Bed and it was judged unlawful by six Foreign Universities so that notwithstanding the Popes Opposition who would have had it referred to him it was made null and void by the next Parliament upon which the Pope caused his Curse to be set up at Dunkirk against the King pronouncing the Marriage lawful But Henry little regarded those Paper Pellets for hereby the Pope lost his Supremacy in England and Bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More were beheaded for defending it The King soon after married Ann Bullein Daughter to the Lord Rochford who was judged a Favourer of Protestants and therefore disliked by Cardinal Wolsey who for abundance of Misdemeanours was found guilty of a Praemunire and all his Estate and Honours were taken from him for grief whereof he soon after died In his twenty sixth year the King was by Parliament declared Supreme Head of the Church within all his own Dominions in all Ecclesiastical Causes and all Popish Bulls and Indulgences were made void and several Religious Houses of Nuns and Monks whose Revenue exceeded not 200 l. a year were suppressed The next year Queen Ann the Kings dearly-beloved Wife was beheaded though she protested her Innocency at her death being accused for prostituting her Body to her own Brother the Lord Rochford who with some others were put to death for the same This Tragedy being over the King within twenty days married Jane the Daughter of Sir John Seymour by whom he had the Virtuous Prince Edward who succeeded him but within few days after the good Queen died James King of Scotland being slain as aforementioned his Queen Margaret eldest Sister to King Henry was afterward married to Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus who had a Daughter by her called Margaret this young Lady the Lord Howard married without the Kings leave for which she being of the Blood Royal he was beheaded as a Traytor The Kings Proceedings against the Pope caused a Rebellion in Lincolnshire but they were soon dispersed and Captain Cobler their Leader with others executed This was no sooner supprest but an Insurrection begun in the North of above 40000 who called themselves The Holy Pilgrims but upon the Kings Pardon they all quietly departed â—ome A third Rebellion succeeded in Westmorland upon the same account but was likewise defeated and seventy of the principal Conspirators executed In his twenty eighth year several Persons were executed for denying the Kings Supremacy and the Lord Cromwel is made Vicegerent in all Spiritual Matters by whom all Images and Shrines in Churches were taken down and destroyed and the Houses and Lands of Abbots Priors Monks and Nuns for their many Misdemeanours were all taken away and their yearly Revenues amounting to above 200000 l. setled on the King who freely exchanged them for other Lands with divers of his Nobles and Gentry thereby preventing as much as possible the restoring them to their former Uses After the Lord Cromwel had performed this great Business he persuaded the King to marry Ann of Cleve whom he never liked so that though he was married to her four Months he never conversed with her as a Wife the Clergy soon after dissolving the Marriage and the King married Katherine Howard Daughter to the Lord Howard Brother to the Duke of Norfolk The King then began to frown upon Cromwel which his Enemies who were many observing procured his Downfal for he was attainted in Parliament and without being suffered to defend himself was condemned and executed for High Treason and about this time the Lord Hungerford and the Lord Leonard Gray were put to death King Henry was very unfortunate in his Wives for soon after his last Marriage he was informed that his Queen Katherine had before Marriage lived very lasciviously with one Francis Derham and Thomas Culpeper whereupon the Queen and the Lady Rochfort who was privy thereto were soon after attainted of Treason by Parliament and beheaded and the other two hanged at Tyburn About this time an Act of Parliament was made declaring it High Treason to deny the Oath of Supremacy or to acknowledge the Authority of the Pope Yet though the Discipline of the Church was altered the Doctrine remained almost the same for there were six bloody Articles likewise enacted and it was made Heresie and thereupon burning to deny any of them They were these 1. That after speaking the Words of Consecration by the Priest the real and natural Body and Blood of Christ as he was conceived and crucified was in the Sacrament and no other Substance 2. That the Communion in both Kinds is not necessary to Salvation 3. That Priests may not marry 4. That Vows of Chastity ought to be observed by the Law of God 5. That Private Masses ought to be continued 6. That Auricular Confession is necessary and expedient to be retained in the Church of God The refusal of these Articles caused the Death of very many Protestants as the denying the Kings Supremacy cut off several Papists so that at the same time Protestants were burnt on one side of Smithfield and Papists hanged on the other which made Foreigners admire not understanding what Religion King Henry was of In his thirty third year the King married Katherine Parr Sister to the Marquess of Northampton and Widow to the Lord Latimer who was likely to have lost her Head if her Virtue and the Kings sudden Death had not