Lords and having heard their opinions he â—urned to the Commons asking them if they would joyne with the Lords in choosing Henry of Lancaster for their King who all with one voyce cryed Yea Yea whereupon going to the Duke he bowed his knee and taking him by the hand led him to the Royall seat and then began a Sermon taking for his Text out of the first Booke of the Kings cap. 9. Vir dominabitur in populo wherein he declared what a happinesse it is to a Nation to have a King of wisedome and valour and shewed the Duke of Laâ—caster to be such a one and as much the defects in both of the late king Richard The Sermon ended the king thanked them all for his Elâ—ction and testified unto them that he meant not to take advantage against any mans estate aâ— comming in by Conquest but that every one should freely enjoy his own as in times of lawfull succession And now a time was appointed for his Coronation and accordingly upon the 13th day of October following the very day wherein the yeere before he had been banished he was Crowned at Westminster by the Archbishop of Canterbury with all Rites and Ceremonies accustâ—med At his Coronation he was anoynted with an Oyle which a Religious man had given to Henry the first Duke of Lancaster together with this Prophâ—re That the kings anoynted with this oyle should be the Champions of the Church This oyle comming to the hands of king Richard as he was looking amongst his Jewels going then into Ireland he was desirous to be anoynted with it but that the Archbishop of Canterbury told him it was not lawfull to be anoynted twice whereupon putting it up againe at his comming afterwards to Fliâ—t the Archbishop got it of him and kept it till â—he Coronation of king Henry who was the first king of the Realme that was anoynted with it The day before the Coronation the king in the Tower made one and â—orty some say but twelve knights of the Bathe whereof foure were his owne sonnes Henryâ— Thomas Iohâ— and Humfry all then alive and with thâ—m â—hree Earles aâ—d five â—â—rons Upon the Feast-day many claimed Offices as belonging to their Tenures â—o which upon shewing their Right they were admitted And now the King â—ade divers new Officers The Earle of Northumberland he made Constable of Engâ—â—nd the Earle of Westmerland was made Lord Marshall Sir Iohn Serle Chancellor â—ohn Newbery Esquire Treasurer and Sir Richâ—rd Clifford was made Lord Keeper of â—he Privy Seale The Lord Henry his eldest sonne being then about thirteen yeers â—f age was created Prince of Walâ—s Duke of Cornwall and Earle of Chester and â—oone after also Duke of Aquitaine and the Crowne was by Parliament Eâ—â—ailed â—o King Henry and the heires of his body lawfully begotten After this a Parliament was holden in which the Acts made in the Eleventh yeere of King Richard were revived and the Acts made in his one and twentieth yeere were wholly repealed and they who by that Parliament were attainted were reâ—tored to their Lands and Honours whereupon Richard Earle of Warwick was deâ—ivered out of Prison and the Earle of Arundells sonne recovered his Inheritance â—nd many other also that were banished or imprisoned by King Richard were then â—ully restored to their liberty and estates Also the King gave to the Earle of Westâ—erland the County of Richmond and to the Earle of Northumberland the Isle of Mâ—n to be holden of him by bearing the sword wherewith he entred into England And now was the time for shewing of Spleens Sir Iohn Bagot then Prisoner in the Tower accused the Earle of Aâ—merle for speaking words against the Duke of Lancâ—ster now King also the Lord Fitzwater accused him for the death of the Duke of Glocester the Lord Mâ—rley appealed the Earle of Salisbury of Treason and one Hall accused the Duke of Exceter for conspiring the death of Iohn of Gaunt the Kings father But King Henry having entred the Throne in a storme was willing now to have a Calme and therefore laying aside the ones Accusations he accepted of the others Excuses and received the Duke of Aâ—merle and the Duke of Exceter into as much favour as if they had never been accused And to qualifie the hard opinion which forraigne Princes might conceive of King Richards Deposing He sent Ambassadours into divers Countries to make it knowne by what Title and by what favour of the People he came to the Kingdome To the Court of Rome he sent Iohn Trenevant Bishop of Hereford Sir Iohn Cheyny Knight and Iohn Cheyny Esquire Into France he sent Walter Sherlow Bishop of Durham and Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester Into Spaine he sent Iohn Trevor Bishop of Assaph and Sir William Parre and into Germany he sent the Bishop of Bangor and certaine others Most of these Princes seemed either not to regard what was done or were easily perswaded that all was done well onely Charles King of France was so distemper'd with this indignity offered to his sonne in Law K. Richard that by violence of his Passion he fell into his old pangues of Frensie but somewhat recovered he resolved to revenge it wherein many Lords of France shewed themselves forward but specially the Earle of S. Paul who had maried K. Richards halfe-sister yet having prepared an Army in readinesse when afterward they heard of King Richards death they dissolved it againe as considering the time was then past The Aquitaines also and specially the Citizens of Burdeaux as being the place where K. Richard was born were mightily incensed but Sir Robert Knolls Lieutenant of Guyen and afterwards Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester being sent to them by the King so perswaded them that with much adoe they continued in obedience It was about this time moved in Parliament what should be done with King Richard for he was not as yet murthered Whereupon the Bishop of Carlile â— learned man and wise and who had never given allowance to the Deposing of King Richard now that he was in a place of freedome of speech he rose up and said My Lords The matter now propounded is of marvellous weight and consequence wherein there are two points chiefly to be considered the first Whether King Richard be sufficiently put out of his Throne the second Whether the Duke of Lancaster be lawfully taken in For the first how can that be sufficiently done when there is no Power sufficient to doe it The Parliament cannot for of the Parliament the King is the Head and can the Body put down the Heâ—â— You will say But the Head may bow it selfe downe and so may the King â—esignâ— It is true but what force is in that which is done by force and who knowes 〈◊〉 that King Richards Resignation was no other But suppose he be sufficiently ouâ— yet how comes the Duke of Lancaster to be lawfully in If you say by Conâ—uest you speak Treason for what Conquest without Arms aâ—d can a subjâ—ct
and heire Sir Humfry Boâ—rchier sonne and heire to the Lord Berners and divers other knights and gentlemen On the Earls part were slaine the Earle himselfe the Marquâ—ssâ— Montacute and three and twenty knights of whom Sir William Tyrrell was one The Duke of Somerset and the Earle of Oxford fled into VVales to Iasper Earle of Pembroâ—ke The Duke of Exceter being strucken down and so wounded that he was left for dead amongst other the dead bodies because he was not kâ—own but comming to himselfe he got up and escaped to VVestminster and there took Sanctuary The dead bodies of the Earle and Marquesse were brought to London in a Coffin and by the space of three dayes lay open-faced in the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul and then buried with their Ancestours in the Priory of Bissam This Earle of VVarwick was Richard Nevill sonne and heire of Richard Nevill Earle of Salisbury who married the daughter of Richard Beauchamp the sixth Earle of Warwick and in her right was Earle of Warwick in his own of Saliâ—bury he was also Lord Monthermer great Chamberlaine and high Admirall of England Lord Warden of the North Marches towards Scotland and high Steward of the Dutchy of Laâ—caster he had issue two Daughters Isabell married to George Duke of Clarence and Annâ— â—â—rst married to Prince Edward king Henry the sixths Sonne and after to Richard Duke of Glocester Wee may here observe a Constellation of disastrous influences concurring all to the overthrow of this great Warwicke whereof if any one had been missing the wheele of his fortune had perhaps not turned For if the City of Yorke had not too credulously believed king Edwards Oath not to dâ—sturbe king Henry or if the Marquesse Moâ—tacute had stopped as he might his passage at Pomfret or if the Duke of Clarence had not at the very point of the battell at St. Albans deserted his party and joyned with king Edwardsâ— or if Quâ—en Margaret had not by tempest been kept from comming into Eâ—glaâ—d in time or if the Londoners had not been retrograde and deceived his expectation he had never perhaps been overthrown as he was But Fata viam invenient destiny will finde waies that were never thought of will make way where it findes none and that which is ordained in heaven shall be effected by means of which Earth can take no notice Queen Margaret when it was too late accompanied with Iohn Longstrother Prior of Saint Iohns and the Lord Wenlock with divers Knights and Esquires tooke shipping at Harflew the foure and twentieth of March but by tempest was kept back till the thirteenth of April and then with her sonne Prince Edward shee landed at Weymouth and from thence went to an Abby hard by called Ceern and then to Bewly in Hampshire whither there came unto her Edmund Duke of Somerset and Thomas Courtney Earle of Devonshire with divers others amongst whom it is resolved once more to try their fortune in the field but then the Queen would have had her sonne Prince Edward to be sent into France there to remaine in safety till the next battell were tryed but they being of a contrary minde and specially the Duke of Somerset shee at length consented though afterward she repented it From Bewly she with her sonne and the Earle of Somerset passeth on to Bristow intending with what power they could raise in Glocestershire to march into Wales to joyn with Iâ—sper Earle of Pembrooke who was there making preparation of more forces King Eâ—ward hearing of these things resolves to crosse this Conjunction and followes Queen Margaret with a great Power so close that neere Tewkesbury in Glocestershire he overtakes her forces who resolutely turn and make head against him where Somerset on the Queens part leading the Vaunt-guard performed the part of a valiant Commander but finding his souldiers throâ—gh wearines begin to faint and that the Lord Wenlock who had the conduct of the battaile on the Queens part moved no the rode unto him and upbrayding him with cowardise or treachery never staid but with his Pollaxe beat out his brains and now before he could bring in his men to the rescue their Vaward was routed and Iohn Earle of Devonshire with above three thousand of the Queens part were slaine The Queen her selfe Iohn Beaufort the Duke of Somersets brother the Prior of Saint Iohns Sir Gervis Clifton and divers others were taken prisoners all which except the Queen were the next day beheaded At which time Sir Richard Crofts presented to king Edward king Henries Son Edward whom he had taken prisoner to whom king Edward at first shewed no uncourteous countenance but demanding of him how he durst so presumptuously enter into his Realm with Arms and he answering though truly yet unseasonably To recover my Fathers Kingdome and Heritage King Edward with his hand thrust him from him or as some say strooke him with his Gantlet and then presently George Duke of Clarence Richard Duke of Glocester Thomas Grey Marquesse Dorset and William Lord Hastings standing by fell upon him in the placâ— and murdred him His body was homely interred with other ordinary Corpses in the Church of the Monastery of the Black-fryers in Tewkesbury After the Victory thus obtained king Edward repaired to the Abbey Church of Tewkesbury to give God thankes for his good successe and finding there a great number of his enemies that were fled thither to save themselves he gave them all free Pardon onely Edmuud Duke of Somerset 〈◊〉 Longstrother Pryor of Saint Iohns Sir Thomas Tressham Sir Gerviâ— Clifton and divers other Knights and Esquires who were apprehended there and brought before the Duke of Glocester sitting that day as Constable of England and the Duke of Norfolk as Marshall were all arraigned condemned and judged to Dye and accordingly upon the Tuesday being the seventh of May they were all and twelve other knights more on a Scaffold set up in the middle of the Town beheaded but not dismembredâ— and permitted to be buried The same day Queen Margaret was found in a poore house of Religion not farre from thence into which she was fled for safeguard of her life but she was after brought to London and there kept a Prisoner till her Father ransomed her with great summes of money This was the last pitcht battell that was fought in England in king Edward the fourths dayes which happened on the fourth of May being Saturday in the Eleventh yeere of his reigne and in the yeere of our Lord 1471. King Edward being assured that as long as any partakers of king Henry lived and were at liberty he should never be free from plots against his life sent Roger Vaughaâ— a Gentleman much reckoned of in his own Country to entrape Iasper Earle of Pembrooke who had escaped from the last encounter but he having notice of the plot before prevented it by striking off Vaughans head After these great Clouds were thus dispersed there arose a little Cloud which gave the
of Heraulds therein But this notwithstanding being no Lord of the Parliament he was tried by a common Jurie and by them was found guilty and thereupon had judgement of death and the nineteenth of Ianuary was beheaded on the Tower-hill The Duke was attainted by Parliament and kept in prison â—ill in the first yeer of Queen Mary the Attaindour was reversed The death of this Earle might lay an imputation of cruelty upon King Henry if a just jealousie growing from the many circumstances of the Earles greatnesse in the tender age of his owne Sonne did not excuse him Soone after the death of this Earle the King himselfe died having made his last Will in which he tooke order that his Sonne Edward should succeed him in the Crowne and he dying without issue his daughter Mary and she dying without issue his daughter Elizabeth although another order of succession had passed before by Act of Parliament The Executors of his last Will were these sixteene Thomas Cranmor Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Wriothsley Lord Chancellour Sir William Pawlet Lord Saint Iohn and great Master of the Houshold Sir Edward Seymor Earle of Hartford and high Chamberlin of England Sir Iohn Russell Lord Privie Seale Sir Iohn Dudley Viscount Lisle Lord Admirallâ— Cutbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham Sir Anthonie Browne Master of the Horse Sir Edmund Montacute Lord chiefe Justice of the Common-Pleas Sir Thomas Bromley one of the Justices of the Kings Bench Sir Edward North Chancellour of the Augmentation Sir William Paget Knight of the Order Sir Anthonie Dennie Sir William Herbert Sir Edward Wootton Treasurour of Callice and Nicholas VVootton Deane of Canterbury and Yooke To whom were adjoyned as assistance these twelve Henry Fitz Allan Earle of Arundell VVilliam Par Earle of Essex Sir Thomas Cheyney Treasurour of the Houshold Sir Iohn Gage Controlour Sir Anthony VVingfield Vice-chamberlaine Sir VVilliam Peter Principall Secretary Sir Richard Rich Sir Iohn Baker of Sissingherst in Kent Chancellour of the Exchequer Sir Ralph Sadler Sir Thomas Seymour Sir Richard Southwell and Sir Edward Peckham And it was not without need to leave a full Councell Table considering in what termes he left the Kingdome when he died Abroad in league with the Emperour at Peace with the King of France but whether these were not personall onely and no longer binding then King Henry lived might be doubted with the Scots at deadly send with the Pope at utter defiance from both which coasts there could be expected but little faire weather at home the frame of Religion extreamly disioynted and the Clergie that should set it in frame out of frame themselves the mindes of the people extreamly distracted and the Nobility that should cyment them scarce holding themselves together And in this stare was the Kingdome when King Henry the eight dyed in the yeer 1547. the fifty sixth of his life and of his Reigne the eight and thirtieth Of his Taxations IN his fourth yeer in a Parliament at Westminster was granted to the King two Fifteens of the Temporalty and two Tenths of the Clergie and Head-money of every Duke ten marke an Earle five pound a Barron â—oure pound a Knight foure markes and every man valued at eight hundred pounds in goods to pay â—oure markes and so after that rate till him that was valued at forty shillings and he paid twelve pence and every man and woman of fifteen yeers upward four pence In his sixth yeer a Parliament was holden wherin divers subsidies were granted to the King towards the charges of his wars in France in his fourteenth yeer order was taken by the Cardinall that the true value of all mens substance might be knowne and he would have had every man swom to tell what they were worth and required a â—enth part thereof towards the Kings charges in his present wars as the spiritualty had granted a fourth part this the Londoners thought very hard and thereupon were excused for taking oath and were allowed to bring in their bils upon their honesties but when all was done after much labouring by the Cardinall the Clergy granted one halfe of all their yeerly Spirituall Revenues for five yeers and the Temporalty two shillings in the pound from twenty pounds upwards and from forty shillings to twenty pounds of every twenty shillings twelve pence and under forty shillings of every head of sixteen yeers and upwards four pence to be paid in every two yeers in his sixteenth yeer the Cardinall of his owne head attempted by Comission to draw the People to pay the sixth part of every mans substance in plate or monie but this was generally opposed and the People in many Countries rise upon it so as comming to the Kings knowledg â—e utterly disavowed it and blamed the Cardinall exceedingly for attempting it In his foure and twentieth yeer in a Parliament then holden a fifteenth was granted to the King towards his charges of making fortifications against Scotland In his one and thirâ—ieth yeer a Subsidie of two shillings in the pound of lands and twelve of goods with foure fifteenes were granted to the King towards his charges of making Bulwarks In his five and thirtieth yeer a Subsidie was granted to be paid in three yeers every English-man being worth in goods twenty shillings and upwards to five pounds to pay four pence of every pound and from five pounds to ten pounds eight pence from ten pounds to twenty pound six penceâ— from twenty pounds and upwards of every pound two shilings strangers as wel denizens as others being inhabitants to pay double and for lands every English-man paid eight pence oâ— the pound from twenty shillings to five pounds from five pounds to ten pounds sixteen pence and from ten pounds to twenty pouâ—dâ— two shillings and from twenty pounds and upwards of every pound three shillings strangers double the Clergy six shillings in the pound of Benefices and every Priest having no Benifice but an Anual stipend six shillings eight pence yeerly during three yeers Of Lawes and Ordinances in his time IN a Parliament holden in his sixth yeere diverse Lawes were made but two most spoken of one for Apparell another for Labourers In his twelvth yeere he caused the Statutes against Inclosures to be revived and Commanded that decaied houses should be built up againe and that inclosed grounds should be laid open which though it did some good yet not so much as it might have done if the Cardinall for his owne benefit had not procured liberty for great men to keep up their inclosures to the oppression of poor men In his seventeenth yeer the King lying at Eltham diverse ordinances were made bâ— the Cardinall touching the Governance of the Kings House and were long after called the Statutes of Eltham In his eighteenth yeere in the month of May Proclamation was made against all unlawfull games so that in all places tables dice cards and Bowles were taken and burnt but this order continued not long for young men being
in the time of King Edward had refused to signe a writing for disinheriting the Lady Mary and the Lady Elizabeth a fact worthy at least of a kinde remembrance from the Lady Mary now Queene yet now for that at a quarter Sessions in Kent he gave charge upon the statutes of King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixth in derogation of the Primacy of the Church of Rome he was first committed to the Kings Bench then to the Counter and lastly to the Fleet where he grew so troubled in minde that he attempted with a Pen-knife to kill himselfe and being afterward recovered of that hurt and brought to the Queenes presence who gave him very comfortable words yet could never come to be quiet in his minde but in the end drowned himselfe in a River not halfe a mile from his house the River being so shallow that he was faine to lye groveling before he could dispatch himâ—elfe of life And now another sprinkling of mercy came from the Queene for the Marquesse of Northampton and Sir Henry Gates lately before condemned to dye were now pardoned and set at liberty The Lady Iane also was allowed the liberty of the Tower not without hope of life and liberty altogether if her father the Duke of Suffolke had not the second time been cause of her destruction About this time also a Synod was assembled for consulting about matters of Religion and the point specially of the reall presence in the Sacrament The Prolocutour was Doctor VVeston and of the Protestant side were Iohn Almer and Richard Cheyney both Bishops afterward in Queene Elizabeths time also Iohn Philpoâ— afterward burnt Iames Haddon and others After long disputation where reasons were not so much weighed as voyces numbred the Papall side as having most voyces carried it and thereupon was that Religion againe restored and the Masse commanded in all Churches to be celebrated after the ancient manner It was now the yeer 1553. when Queene Mary was come to the age of seven and thirty yeers and therefore high time now to thinke of marriage at least if she meant to have issue of her body but a hard maâ—ter it was to finde a husband in all points â—itting for her yet three at this time in common fame at least were taken into consideration one was the Lord Courtney Mâ—rquesse of Exceter a goodly Gentleman and of Royall blood but there was exception against him because inclining as was thought to Lutheranisme another was Cardinal â—oole of a dignity not much inferiour to Kings and by his Mother descended from Kings but there was exception against him also because foure and fifty yeers old as old a Batchelour as Queen Mary was a maid and so the lesse hope of issue betweene them but the third if he might be had was without exception and this was Phillip Prince of Spaine the Emperour Charles his eldest sonne with whom being a Spaniard she was the fitter matched as being by the Mother a Spaniard her selfe And now very oppertunely came in the beginning of Ian. Embassadors into England about it amongst others the Couâ—â— of Egmond Admirall of the Lâ—w Countryes and Iohn of Memorancy Lord of Curryers whose message was so kindely entertained that the marriage in short time was absolutely concluded though it seemed something strange to many that she should now be wife to the sonne who thirty yeers before should have been wife to the father But so it is Queenes are never old so long as they are within yeers of bearing children And indeede the match was concluded with conditions of farre more advantage to Queeâ—e Mary then they were to King Phillip as on the fourteenth of Ianuary Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancelour of England openly in the Presence Chamber at Westminster declared to all the Lords and Gentlemen there present for it was agreed that after the marâ—iage King Phillip should have the Title of all the Queenes Dominions and be assumed into fellowship of the government but yet with reservation to the Queene of all Priviledges and Customes of the Kingdome and free disposition of all Offices and Honours as likewise the Queene should be assumed into the fellowship of all the Kings Dominions and surviving him should have a Joynture of two hundred thousand Pounds a yeer Then for the issue betweene them if she had a Sonne that he should inherit the Low Countryes and Burgundy and King Phillips sonne Charles which he had by a former wife should inherit all his Dominions in Italie and Spaine but if his sonne Charles should fail without issue then the sonne he should have by Queene Mary should inherit his Kingdomes of Italie and Spaine also And the like good provision was also made for daughters But notwithstanding these great â—dvantageâ— of the maâ—ch yet such was the precipitant rashnesse of some that thinking themselves wiser then the Queene and the Councel they sought by all meanes to oppose the match giving out that it â—ended to bring England under the yoke of Spaine and to make the Countrey a slave to strangers This was the generall murmuring of people but the first that shewed himselfe in Armes was Sir Thomas Wyat of Kent who having communicated the matter with the Duke of Suffolke the Lady Ianes father with Peter Caroe a Knight of Devonshire and divers others intended onely to make secret provision but not to stirre till Prince Phillip should be come that so their cause of taking armes might have the better colour On the fifteenth of Ianuary Robert Dudley sonne to the Duke of Northumberland was arraigned at the Guildhall of high Treason who confessed the indictment and had judgement given by the Earle of Sussex to be drawen hanged bowelled and quartered But now in counsels communicated to many it is a hard matter to have counsell kept and Sir Peter Caroe finding that their plot was discovered fled privily into France where lurking for a time he was afterward taken at Bruxells and brought captive into England as likewise at the same time and place Sir Iohn Cheeke King Edwards Schoolmaster was taken who being drawne by terrours to embrace the Papall Religion with very griefe afterward of his errour pined away and dyed Sir Peter Caroe lived many yeers afâ—er and dyed in Ireland though it be falsely recorded they were both burnt for Religion in Iune of this yeer Wyatt hearing of Sir Peter Caroes flight and that all their purpose was discovered was driven before his time to enter into armes giving out for the cause that it was not to attempt any thing against the Queene but onely to remove ill Councellours and chiefly to repell Prince Phillip least by this mariage the Kingdome should come in subjection to the Spaniard With Wyatt were joyned Sir Henry Isley Sir George Harper Anthony and William Knevet and divers other Gentlemen of the County against him were the Lord Abuegaveny Sir Thomas Cheyney Lord Warden of the Ports Sir Sobert Southwell Sheriffe of Kent Sir
all which the Duke made colourable answers but most of them being proved by sufficient testimony he asked upon occasion Whether the subjects of another Prince who is confederate and in league with the Queen are to be accounted the Queens enemiesâ— to which Catiline answered They were and that the Q. of England might wage War with any Duke of France yet hold firm Peace with the French King When it grew towards night the L. high Steward demanded of the Duke if he had any more to say for himself who answered I rely upon the equity of the Laws After this the Lords withdrawing a while and then returning the Lord Steward beginning at the lowermost asked them My Lord de la Ware Is Thomas Duke of Norfolk guilty of these crimes of High Treason for which he is called in question He rising up and laying his hand upon his breast answered guilty in like manner they answered all After this the Lord Steward with teares in his eyes pronounced sentence in forme as is used A few dayes after were Barnes and Mather executed who conspired with one Herle to make away certaine of the Councellors and to free the Duke but Herle revealed the businesse presently to whom Barnes when hee saw his Accuser brought forth smilingly said Herle thou wert but one houre before mee else I had beene in thy place for the accuser and thou in my roome to be hanged at the same time with them was hanged also Henry Rolfe for counterfeiting the Queens hand But though the Duke were now condemned yet the Queen was so tender of his case that it was foure Moneths after before he was executed at last on the second of June at eight of the clock in the morning he was brought to the Scaffold upon the Tower-Hill and there beheaded At this time and upon this occasion a Parliament was Assembled wherein amongst other Lawes it were Enacted that if any man shall go about to free any person imprisoned by the Queens expresse Commandementâ— for Treason or suspition of Treason and not yet Arraigned he shall lose all his goods for his life time and be imprisoned during the Queens pleasure if the said person have beene Arraigned the Rescuer shall forfeit his life if condemned he shall be guilty of Rebellion In the time of this Parliament the Queen created Walter Devereux Earl of Essex being before but Viscount Hereford because he was descended by his Great-grand-mothers from the Bourchiers and made the Lord Clinton who had large Revenues in Lincolnshire Earl of Lincoln Also she called forth Iohn Paulet of Basing the Marquesse of Winchester's son Henry Compton Henry Cheyney and Henry Morris for Barons by Summons Within ten dayes after the Dukes death William Lord De-la-ware Sir Ralph Sadler Thomas Wilson Doctor of the Laws and Thomas Brumley the Queens Solicitour were sent to the Queen of Scots to expostulate with her That shee had usurped the Title and Arms of the Kingdom of England and had not renounced the same according to the agreement of the Treaty at Edinburgh That shee had endeavoured the marriage of the Duke of Norfolke without acquainting the Queene and had used all forcible meanes to free him out of prison had raised the Rebellion in the North had relieved the Rebels both in Scotland and in the Low-Countries had implored Aids from the Pope the King of Spaine and others had conspired with certaine of the English to free her out of Prison and Declare her Queen of England Lastly that she had procured the Popes Bull against the Queen and suffered herself to be publikely named the Queen of England in Forreigne Countries All which accusations she either absolutely denyed or else fairly extenuated and though as she said she were a free Queen and not subject to any creature yet she was content and requested that she might make her personall answer at the next Parliament About this time the King of Spain by his Embassadour here complained to the Queen that the Rebels of the Netherlands were harboured and entertained in England contrary to the Articles of the League whereupon the Queen set forth a severe Proclamation That all the Dutch who could any wayes be suspected of Rebellion should presently depart the Realm which yet turned little to D'Alva's or the King of Spains benefit For hereupon Count Vander-Mark and other Dutch going out of England surprized the Brill first then Flushing and afterwards drew other Towns to Revolt and in a short time excluded the Duke D'Alva in a manner from the Sea And this errour to suffer the Protestant party to get possession of the Sea-towns hath been the cause they have been able to hold out even all this long time against the King of Spain And now many military men having little to do at home got them into the Netherlands some to Duke D'Alva but the far greater number to the Prince of Orenge The first of whom was Thomas Morgan who carryed three hundred English to Flushing then followed by his procurement nine Companies more under the conduct of Humphry Gilbert and afterward it became the Nursery of all our English Souldiers At this time Charls the French King setting his mind wholly at least seeming so upon the Low-Country War concluded a peace and entred into a league with Queen Elizabeth which was to remain firm not only during their two lives but between their successors also if the sâ—ccessor signifie to the surviver within a yeer that he accepteth it otherwise to be at liberty It was likewise agreed what aid by Sea or Land they should each of them afford to other upon occasion and for ratification of this League Edward Clinton Earl of Lincoln and Admirall of England was sent into France with whom went the Lord Dacres Rich Talbot Sands and others The French King likewise sent the Duke of Memorancy and Paul Foix iâ—to England with a great train that the Queen in the presence of them and the Embassador in Ordinary might sweare to the league which she did at Westminster the seaventeenth of May in the yeer 1572. The day after she made Memorancye Knight of the Garter Memorancye whilst he tarryed in England made intercession in his Kings name that what favour could be without danger might be shewed to the Queen of Scots and then made much a do again about the marriage with the Duke of Angiou but being hopelesse to make conclusion thereof by reason of the diversity of Religion he returned into France for now was great provision making ready for the mariage between Henry King of Navarre and the Lady Margeret the French Kings Sister to which solemnity with notable dissimulation the Queen of Navarre and the chief of all the Protestants were allured being born in hand that there should be a renovation of love and a perpetuall peace established The Earl of Leicester likewise and the Lord Burleigh were invited out of England and out of Germany the sons of the Prince Elector Palatine under
his favour which to entertaine and encrease King Edward sends him a whole furnish of all vessels for his Chamber of cleane Gold which great gift so wroâ—ght with the Pope that he untied the King from the Covenant made with his Subjects concerning their Charters confirmed unto them by his last three Acts of Parliâ—ment and absolved him from his Oath A safe time for Princes when they mighttye themselves in any obligation to their Subjects and afterward for a bribe to the Pope be untyed againe His Taxations and wayes for raising of money IF Taxations may suffer degrees of comparison it may not unfiâ—ly be said of these three last Kings that King Iohn was in the Positive his Sonne Henry the third in the Comparative and this King Edward in the Superlative For not onely he farre excâ—eded thâ— two former but he hath left a spell to all that come after for ever comming neare him but then under the name of Taxations wee must include the wayes he tooke for raising of profit But first in the way of Parliament In the first yeare of his Raigne was granted him a tenth of the Clergy for two years besides a fifteenth of them and the Temporalty In his fifth yeare a twentieth of their goods towards the Welsh warres In his seventh the old money was called in and new coyned in regard it had beene much defâ—ced by the Iewes for which 297. were at one time executed in London and this brought in profit of no small value In his eleventh yeare he had a thirtieth of the Temporalty and a twentieth of the Clergy for his warres in Wales In the thirteenth Escuage forty shillings of every knights Fee In his foureteenth yeare he had a thousand Markes of certaine Merchants Fined for false weights In his nineteenth the eleventh part of all movables of the Clergy and shortly after a tenth for sixe yeares In his twentieth William Marchyan then Lord Treasurer of England perceiving great riches to be in Churches and religious houses put it so into the Kings head that they were all brought into the Kings Treasury In the eighth yeare of his Raigne he sent ouâ— his Writ Quo Warrantâ— to examine by what title men held their lands which brought him in much money till Iohn Earle of Warren being called to shew his title drew out an old rusty Sword and then said He held his land by that and by that would hold it to death which though it made the King desist from his Project yet he obtained at that time a fifteenth part of the Clergy In his seventeenth yeare he Fined all his Judges for corruption Sir Ralph Higham Chiefe Justice of the higher Bench in seven thousand Markes Sir Iohn Loveton Justice of the lower Bench in three thousand Markes Sir William Brompton in sixe thousand Markes Sir Sâ—lâ—mon Rochester in foure thousand Markes Sir Richard Boyland in foure thousand Sir Walter Hopton in two thousand Sir William Saham in three thousand Robert Lithbury Master of the Rolls in one thousand Roger Leycester in one thousand Heâ—â—y Bray Escheatour and Judge for the Iewes in one thousand but Sir Adam Strattâ—â— chiefe Baron of the Exchequer in foure and thirty thousand and Thomas Wayland found the greatest Delinquent and of the greatest substance had all his goods and whole estate confiscated to the King and himselfe banished out of the kingdome In his eighteenth yeare he banished the Iewes of whom there was at that time above fifteen thousand in the kingdom who had but all their goods confiscateâ— leaving them onely meanes to beare their charges in going away In his foure and twentieth yeare he commanded a new Subsidy to be levied upon all sarplers of Wooll going out of England as likewise with Fels and Hides In his five and twentieth yeare he cals a Parliament at Saint Edmundsbery where is granted the eighth part of the goods of good Townes and of other people the twelfth As for the Clergy they desire to be excused and refuse to contribute in regard of their many late paiments as in the two and twentieth yeare of his Raigne they paied the moâ—ty of their goods and in his three and twentieth yeare he seiâ—ed into his hands all Priories aliens and their goods besides he had a loane of the Clergy which amounted to an hundred thousand pounds but notwithstanding upon this refusall of the Clergy the King puts all Clergy men out of his protection whereby they were to have no Justice in any of his Courts a straine of State beyond any of his Predecessours which so amazed them that in the end the Arch-bishop of Yorke with the Bishops of Durham Ely Salisbury and Lincolne yeelded to lay downe in their Churches the fifth part of all their goods towards the maintenance of the Kings warres whereby they appeased his wrath and werâ— received into grace But the Arch-bishop of Canterbury by whose animation the rest stood out had all his goods seised on and all the Monasteries within his Diocese taken into the Kings hands and Wardens appointed to minister onely necessaries to the Monkes conveâ—ting the rest to the Kings use at length by much suite and Abbots and Priests giving the fourth part of their goods redeeme themselves and the Kings favour In the sixe and twentieth yeare of his Raigne at a Parliament holden at Yorke is granted him the ninth penny of the goods of the Temporalty the tenth penny of the Clergy of the Diocese of Canterbury and of Yorke the fifth and in this yeare also he raised the Imposition upon every sack of Wooll from a noble to forty shillings In his two and thirtieth yeare he sends out a new Writ of Inquisition called Traile-baston for intruders on other mens lands who to oppresse the right owner would make over their land to great men for Batterers hired to beate men for breakers of Peace for Ravishers Incendiaries Murtherers Fighters false Assisours and other such Malefactours which Inquisition was so strictly executed and such Fines taken that it brought in exceeding much treasure to the King As likewise did another Commission at the same time sent forth to examine the behaviour of Officers and Ministers of Justice wherein many were found Delinquents and paid dearly for it At this time also he called his Lords to account for their stubbornnesse some yeares before in denying to attend him into Flanders which brought him in profit answerable to their greatnesse that were called After all this in his foure and thirtieth yeare there is granted him the thirtieth penny of both Clergy and Laity and the twentieth of all Merchants towards his journey into Scotland And this may be sufficient to shew his Taxations to have beene in the Superlative degree And yet besides these he had no small benefit by Silver Mines which in his time were found in Devonshire Of his Lawes and Ordinances IN the first yeare of his Raine were made the Statutes called of Westminster the first In his twelfth yeare were made the Statutes
beheaded he was the same day without the Towne of Pomfret before his owne Castle To speake of the Miracles said to be done by him after his death might be fit for a Legend but not for a Chronicle and therefore I omit them By the like judgement were condemned the Lord Cliffordâ— the Lord Warren Lisle the Lord William Tuchet Thomas Maudit Henry Bradburne Williâ—m Fits-Williams William Lord Cheyney Thomas Lord Mâ—wbray Ioceline Lord Danill all which were executed at Yorke Shortly after the Lord Henry Teyes is taken drawne hanged and quarterâ—d at London the Lord Aldenham at Windsor the Lords Baddlesmere and Ashburton at Canterbury at Cardiffe in Wales Sir William Flemming at Bristow Siâ— Henry Womington and Sir Henry Montford Bannerets at Glocester the Lord Cliffordâ— and Sir William Elminbridge principall men in principall places to spread the more â—eâ—rour over the kingdome all their estates and inheritances are confiscated and â—â—ny new men advanced by the same And this is the first bloud of Nobility that ever was shed in this manner in England since William the Conquerour But not long after the King in a calmer humour beganne to have a sense oâ— the Earle of Lancasters execution which he discovered upon this occasion some â—bouâ— him making earnest suite for a Pardon to one of the Earles followers and preâ—â—â—ng the King hard to it he fell into a great pâ—ssion exclâ—iming â—gâ—inst them as unjusâ— and wicked Counsellours who would urge him to save the life of a notorious Vâ—â—let and would not speake one word for his neare kinsman the Earle of Lancasteâ— who said he had he lived might have beene useâ—ull to me and the whole kingdome but this fellow the longer he lives the more mischiefe he will doe and therefore by the soule of God he should die the death he had deserved Sir Andrew Harkeley who was the man that tooke the Earle of Lancaster prisoner being advanced for his service to the Earledome of Carlile enjoyed his honour but a while for the next yeare after either thrust out into discontent by the Spensers envying his high preferment or combining with the Scots upon hope of a great match as he was accused he is degraded of all his honours drawne hanged and quartered at Londâ—n for Treason But now the King of France summons King Edward to come and doe his homage for Gascoyne and he not comming all his Territories in France are adjudged to be forfeited and many places of importance are seiâ—ed on by the French Hereupon a Parliament is called and it is by common consent of all agreed that the King should not goe in person himselfe in regard of the distraction of the times but should send some speciall man to excuse his appearance whereupon Edmund Earle of Kent the Kings brother is sent but to little effect Then it is thought fit the Queene should goe and indeed the Queene went but what was the cause of her going there is amongst Writers great variance some say she was sent by the King to accommodate this businesse which she negotiated so well as that all quarrels were ended upon condition the King should give to his sonne Edward the Dutchie of Aquitaine with the Earledome of Ponthieu and send him over to doe his homage for them which after many consultationsâ— the King is wrought to yeeld unto and the Prince is sent with the Bishop of Exeter and others to the Court of France accordingly but others sayâ— she went out of discontent to complaine to her brother the King of France for wrongs offered her by the Spensers who had so alienated the Kings minde from her that he would scarce come where she was nor allow her fit maintenance for her calling But whatsoever was the cause of her goingâ— there appeared no cause of her staying but that she had gotten into her company Roger Mortimer Lord of Wigmâ—re a gallant young Gentlemanâ— whom she specially favoured lately escaped out of the Tower of London by giving his keepers as was said a sleeping drinke And withall the Bishop of Exeter perceiving some plots to be in hand and their close consultations made without him withdrawes himselfe secretly and discovers to the King what he observed in their courses Whereupon the King sends presently for the Quâ— and Prince and solicits the King of France to hasten their return which when he saw was neglected and delaied he caused them openly to be proclaimed enemies to the kingdome banished them and all their adherents out of the Land and withall causeth all the Ports to be strongly kept and sends three Admirals to attend in severall Coasts to hinder their landing It was not without suspition that as the King for love of the Spensers had his minde alienated from loving the Queen so the Queen for love of Mâ—rtimer had her minde alienated from loving the King and therefore having him with her câ—red not how long she staied However it was when the Queene heard of the Kings Proclamation she knew there was no returning for her into England without some good assistance whereupon soliciting her brother the King of France he aided her with men and money say some but others that he refusing to aide her as being wrought under hand by the Spensers against her she left the French Court and went into Heynault to the Earle of that Countrey who upon a contract betweene her sonne Prince Edward and Philippa the Earles daughterâ—â—ided her with a competent Army under the conduct of his brotheâ— Iohn and with them and her beloved Mortimer she tooke shipping and landed at Orwell a Port neare unto Harwich in Suffolke where presently came to her the Earle Marshall Henry Earle of Leycester and Henry Earle of Lancaster with the wry neck called Tâ—rtcâ—ll with many other Lords and Bishops The King at this time being at London and hearing of the Queenes landing with such forces and chiefely how all the Realme ranne flocking to her was â—uddenly strucken into a great amazement and though he had his great Counsellours the Spensers about him yet now he found what little good thâ—ir counsel could do him and indeed in this case what should he or what could he do To stay in London was apparent danger for he plainely saw the Londâ—ners to be more inclining to take the Queenes part then his and to goe from London to any other place was as unsafe all places being possest eitheâ— with certaine Enemies or uncertaine Friendsâ— at last the Isle of Lundy is thought of a place plentifull of provisionâ— abounding with Conies Fish and Fowle and the Island of hard accesse as having but one place in it where it could be entred and that so narrow that a few might easily keepe out many upon this place he resolvesâ— and taking with him the Earle of Glocester the Spensers and Robert â—aldâ—cke with some feâ— others he â—akes shipping but by contrary windes is driven backe and raine through Tempests to land in Wales and there in the Abbey of
another It was thought fit to commit it to many and thereupon Iohn Duke of Lancaster Edmâ—â—d Earle of Cambridge the Kings Unkles with some other Lords and Bishops were joyned in Commission to manage the State and Guishard de Angoulesme appointed to be his Schoole-master And now the Kings Minority made forreigne Princes conceive that this would be a time of advantage for any that had quarrell to England which the French and Scots tooke presently hold of For the French came now and burnt the Town of Rye and soone after entring the Isle of Wight burnt divers Townes there and though they were repelled from the Castle by the valiant Sir Hugh Tyrrell Captaine thereof yet they constrained the men of the Isle to give them a thousand Markes to spare the residue of their houses and goods and departing thence they set on land where they saw advantage burning sundry Towns neere to the shoare as Portsmouth Dertmoâ—th and Plimmouth and then sayling towards Dover they burnt Hastings assaulted Winchelsey but being valiantly defended by the Abbot of Battell were forced to retire After this they landed not far from the Abby of Lewis at a place called Rottington where the Prior of Lewis with Sir Thomas Cheyny and Sir Iohn Fâ—llesly encountring them were overthrowne and taken Prisoners And no lesse then the French were the Scots also now busie for comming one morning by stealth they wonne the Castle of Barwick but shortly after upon knowledge thereof had they were driven out againe by the Earles of Northumberland and Nottingham and all the Scotâ— they found in it except Alexander Ramsey their Captaine put to the sword About Michaelmas a Parliament was held at Westminster wherein Alice Piercâ— the late Kings Concubine was banished the Realms and all her goods confiscate and two Tenths of the Clergie and two Fifteenths of the Temporalty were granted but so as that two Citizens of London William Walworth and Iohn Philpot should receive and keepe it to see it bestowed for defence of the Realme In this time Sir Hugh Calverley Deputy of Callis burnt six and twenty French ships in the Haven of Bulloigne and at the same time a great Navy is set out under the guiding of the Earle of Buckiâ—gham the Duke of Britaine the Lord Lâ—timer Sir Robert Knolls and others with a purpose to intercept the Spanish Fleet but through Tempest were twice driven back when in the mean time one Mercer a Scottish Pyrate came to Scâ—rborough tooke there divers ships and committed many outrages and no order being taken to repell him a Citizen of Lâ—â—doâ— nâ—med Iohn Philpot at his own charges set forth a Fleet and in his own person encountring them tooke the said Mercer and all his ships and returning home in stead of being rewarded for his service he was called in question for presuming to raise a Navy without advice of the Kings Councell but he gave â—uch reasons for that he had done that not onely he came off then wiâ—h credit but lives in reputation for it to this day Indeed Reasons of State though they may secretly be censured yet they must not openly be controlled for this were to bring Authority into contempt and in stead of Errors to bring in Confusion but yet when wrongs be offered that are publick every particular person seemes to have an interest in taking revenge and though it may be no manners not to stay the States leisure yet it can be no offence to doe their worke for them Many actions passed at this time with the French and Scots some prosperous and some adverse The Scots burne Roxborough this was adverse but the Earle of Northumberland entring Scotland with ten thousand men spoyleth the Lands of the Earle of March the chief Incendiary this was prosperous but when the Northern men would needs make a Road into Scotland and were encountred by the Scots and put to flight this was adverse Anon after Midsomer the Duke of Lancaster with the Earles of Buckingham Warwick Stafford and others of the Nobility with a strong Power toâ—ke the Sea and landing in Britaine besieged the Towne of Sâ— Malo but finding strong opposition is forced to raise his Siege and returne home this was adverse And now againe the Scots by night entred secretly into the Castle of Berwick and slew Sir Robert Baynton that was Constable there this also was adverse But when the Earle of Northumberland being advertised therâ—of came with a Power assauâ—ted the Castle and after two dayeâ— defence recovered it againe this was prosperous William Montacute Eâ—rle of Salisbury the Kings Lieutenant in Callis forrageth the Country round about and furnisheth Callis with Booties of French cattell Sir Hugh Calverley and Sir Thomas Percy made Admirallsâ— put to Seaâ— and take divers ships laden with merchandise and one shâ—p of warre Sir Iohn Hâ—â—leston Captaine of Chierbourg in France issuing forth assaults a Fortresse of the French which was the storehouse of their Provision and with much valour takes it these were prosperous But when Sir Iohn Clerke lying in Gaâ—rison in a Castle in Britaine where laâ— many Engâ—â—sh ships in the Haven â—ad â—heâ—e ships let upon by the French where though he shewed incredible valoâ—r in the action yet the ships were taken and himselfe slaine this was adverse Also in the third yeere of this Kings Reigne Sir Iohn Arundell Sir Hugh Calverley Sir Thomas Percie Sir William Elmham Sir Thomas Banister and many other Knights went to Sea with a purpose to passe over into Britaine but were so beaten back wâ—th Tempest that divers of their ships were â—ast away and Sir Iohn Arundell Sir Thomas Banister Sir Nicolas Trumpingâ—on Sir Thomas Dale and above a thousand others were all drowned onely Sir Thomas Percie Sir Hugh Calverley Sir William Elmham and certaine others escaped It may not be imperâ—inent to note here the sumptuousnesse of those times for this Sir Iohn Arundell was then said in his Furniture to have two and fifty new sutes of apparell of cloath of Gold and Tissue all lost at Sea This yeere also there being found inconvenience in having many Governors of the King and Kingdome it was by Parliament decreed Thâ—t the Lord Thomas Beauchampe Earle of Warwickâ— should himself alone hold the place of Protector About this time Sir Iohn Annesley Knight accused Thomas Katrington Esquire for betraying the Fortresse of St. Saviour to the French which Katrington denyingâ— at the suit of Annesly a solemne combat is permitted to be between them at which combat the King and all the great Lords were present the Esquire Katrington was a man of a mighty statuâ—e the Knight Annesley a little manâ— yet through the justnesse of his cause after a long fight the Knight prevailed and Katrington the day after the combat dyed In the beginning of the fourth yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstock Earle of Buckingham the Kings Unkle with divers Earles and Lords and an Army of seven or eight thousand was sent into France
wrote certaine Rules of Grammar and other things printed by Richard Pinson Robert Fabian a Sheriffe of London and an Historiographer Edmund Dudley the same man whom king Henry used to take the forfeitures of Penall Statuâ—es who wrote a Booke intituled Arbor Reâ—-publicae Iohn Bockingham an excellent Schoole-man and William Blackeney a Carmelite Frier a Doctor of Divinity and a Necromancer THE REIGNE OF KING HENRY THE EIGHT KING Henry the seventh being deceased his only sonne Prince Henry Heire by his Father of the house of Lancaster and by his Mother of the house of Yorke by unquestionable right succeeded in the Crowne at the Age of eighteene yeers on the two and twentieth of Aprill in the yeere 1509. who having been trained up in the study of good letters all his Fathers timeâ— he Governed at first as a man newly come from Contemplation to Action as it were by the Bookeâ— in so regular and fair a manâ—er that as of Neroes Goverment there was said to be Quinquennium Neronis so of this Kings there might as justly be said Decennium Henrici and perhaps double so long a time comparable with so much time of any Kings Reigne that had been before him How he came to alter and to alter to such a degree of change as he did we shall then have a fit place to shew when we come to the time of his alteration King Henry having learned by Bookes that the weight of a Kingdome is too heavy to lie upon one mans shoulders if it be not supported by able Councellours made it his first care to make choice of an able Councell to which he called VVilliam VVarham Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellour of England Richard Fox Bishop of VVinchester Thomas Howard Earle of Surry and Treasurer of England George Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury and Lord Steward of his Houshold Charles Summerset Lord Chamberlaine Sir Lovellâ— Sir Henry VVyat Doctor Thomas Ruthall and Sir Edward Poynings by advise of these Councellours his first Act after the care of his Fathers Funerall was the care to performe his Fathers Will in marrying the Lady Katherine of Spaine the Relict of his Brother Prince Arthur to which perhaps but in respect of filiall pierie he had not the greatest devotion and for relinquishing whereof he might no doubt more easily have obtained a Despensation from the Pope then his Father had done for getting it to be allowed but obsequiousnesse to his Fathers desire and respect to his Councels advice so far prevailed with him that he would not be Crowned till that were performed that one Coronation might serve them both and so on the third day of Iune following he married the said Lady at the Bishop of Salisburies house in Fleetstreet where of many great solemnities I will remember but this one that though the Bride were a Widdow yet to shew she was a Virgin Widdow she was attired all in white and had the haire of her head hanging-downe behinde at the full length and then having made in the Tower four and twenty Knights of the Bath two dayes after being Midsomer day he was Crowned at Westminster together with his Queene by the hands of VVilliam VVarham Archbishop of Canterbury with all Circumstances of State in such cases usuall and then all the Nobility Spirituall and Temporall did him Homage and the people being asked whether they would receive him for their King they all with one voice cryed yea yea This done his next Act was another part of performing his fathers Will which was to proclaime Pardons for all offences Treason Murder and Felonie only excepted and to have restitution made of all goods unjustly taken from any and because the Instruments of such injustice are alwayes most odious and nothing gives the people so much contentment as to see their Persecutours punished he therefore caused Empson and Dudley the two chiefe Actours of the late unjust proceedings to be committed to the Tower and divers of their inferiour Agents called Promoters as Canby Page Smith Derby Wright Simpson and Stockton to be set on the Pillory in Cornhill with papers on their heads and then to ride through the City with their faces to the horse tailes with the shame whereof within seven dayes after they all died in Newgate Shortly after a Parliament was called whereof Sir Thomas Ingleby was chosen Speaker and therein Empson and Dudley were attainted of High Treason and after arraigned Edmund Dudley in the Guildhall on the seventeenth of Iuly and Sir Richard Empson at Northampton in October following and on the seventeenth of August the yeere following they were both of them beheaded on the Tower Hill and their Bodies and Heads buried the one at the White Fryers the other at the Black On Midsomer Eave at night King Henry came privily into VVestchester cloathed in one of the Coats of his Guard to behold the same and this first yeer King Henry spent in Justs and Maskes which were almost perpetuall performed with great Magnificence alwayes and sometimes with great Acts of Valour on the Kings part specially In February the same yeer Embassadours came from the Kings Father in law the King of Aragon requiring Ayde against the Moores in which service the Lord Thomas Darcy a Knight of the Garter making suite to be imployd he was sent thither and with him the Lord Anthony Gray brother to the Marquesse Dorset Henry Guilford Wolstan Browne and William Sidney Esquires of the Kings House Sir Constableâ— Sir Roger Hastings Sir Ralph Elderton and others who on the Mundâ—y in the Rogation Weeke departed out of Plimotâ— Haven with four ships Royall and on the first of Iune arrived at the Port of Cadis in south Spaine of whose comming the King of Aragon hearingâ— sent to bid them welcome but advertising them withall that he had now by reason of new troubles with France taken truce with the Moores and therefore they might returne againe into their owne Country to whom yet he allowed wages for all his souldiers Wâ—ereupon the Lord Darcy and all his men went aboord their ships but Henry Guilford Wolâ—tan Brâ—wne and William Sidney desirous to see the Court of Spaine went thither and were honourably entertained Henry Guilford and Wolstan Browne were made Knights by the King who gave to Sir Henry Guilâ—ord a Canton of Granado and to Sir Wolstan Browne an Eagle of Sicily on a Chiefe to the augmentation of their Armes William Sidney so excused himselfe that he was not made Knight After this they returned to their ships and their ships into England During the time that the Lord Darcy was in Spain the Lady Margaret Dutchesse of Saâ—oy Daughter unto Maximilian the Emperour and Governesse of Flandeâ—s and other the Low-countryes pertaining to Charles the young Prince of Caâ—tile sent to King Henry for fifteen hundred Archers to aid her against the Duke of Gelders which the King granted and thereupon Sir Edward Poynings Knight of the Garter and Comptroller of the Kings House appointed to goe
Secretary Iohn Cheeke one of his Schoolmasters Henry Dudley and Henry Nevill were made Knights and that which perhaps it had bin happy if it had never bin Sir Robert Dudley one of the Duke of Northumberlands sons the same who was afterward the great Earle of Leicester was sworne one of the six orninary Gentlemen of the Kings Chamber for after his comming into a place so neere about him the King enjoyed his health but a while The aspiring thoughts of the Duke of Northumberland were now growne up to be put in execution He was advanced in title of honour equall with the highest in authority and power above the highest he had placed his politicke Sonne neere about the Kings person the next thing was to remove the Duke of Somerset out of the way and for this also he had prepared instruments Sir Thomas Palmer Crane Hamond Cecill and others who brought severall accusations against the Duke some trenching upon the King and Kingdome but one specially against the Duke of Northumberlands person whose practises when the Duke of Somerset found and had cause to feare he went one day Armed into the Duke of Northumberlands Chamber with a purpose to kill him but finding him in his bed and being received with much kinde complement by him his heart relenâ—ed and thereupon came away without any thing done at his comming out one of his company asked him if he had done the deed who answered No then said he you are your selfe undone and indeed it so fell out for when all other Accusations were refelled this onely stucke by him and could not be denyed and so on the first of December he was arraigned at Westminster where the Lord William Paâ—let Marquesse of Winchester and Lord Treasurour sat as high Steward of England and with him Peeres to the number of seven and twenty the Dukes of Suffolke and Northumberland the Marquesse of Northampton the Earles of Derby Bedford Huntington Rutland Bathe Sussex Worcester Pembrooke and Hertâ—ord the Barons Aburgaveuy Audeley Wharton Evers Laâ—ymer Borough Zouth Stafford Wentworth Darcye Sturton Windsor Cromwell Cobham and Bray The Lords being set the Inditâ—ments were read in number five containing a charge for raising men in the North parts of the Realme and at his house for assembling men to kill the Duke of Northumberland for resisting his Attacâ—ment for raising London for assaulting the Lords and devising their deaths To all which he pleaded Not guilty and made a satisfactory Answer to every point though the Kings learned Councell pâ—essed them hard against him This done the Lords went together where exception was taken by some â—s a thing unfit that the Duke of Northumberland the Marquesse of Northampton and the Earle of Pembrooke should be of the Jurie seeing the prisoner was chiefely charged with practises against them But to this the Lawyers made answâ—r that a Peere of the Realm might not be challenged so after much variation of opinions the prisoner was acquiâ—t of Treasor but by most voyees found guilty of Felony and that by a Statute lately by his owne pâ—ocuremeâ—t made That if any should attempt to kill a Privie Councellour although the Fact were not done yet it should be Felonie and be punished with death But upon his being acquit of Treason tâ—e Axe of the Tower was presently laid downe which mâ—de people conceive he had beene acquitted of all who thereupon for joy gave so great a shout that it was heard as farre as Charing-Crosse but the Duke was little the better for being acquitted of Treason seeing he was found guilty of Felonie and had Judgement to dye It is thought by some he might have saved his life if he had demanded his Clergie but it is rather thought that in that Statute Clergie wâ—s denied Two moneths after his condemnation much against the Kings will Hee was brought to the Tower-Hill to execution wherâ— bâ—ing â—scended the Scaffold hee entred into a Speech wherein though he justified himselfe for any matter tending to the hurt of the King or Kingdome yet he confessed he was justly by the Law brought to thâ—â— dâ—â—â—h and thanked God that had given him so large a time of repentance speâ—ially that he had opened his eyes to see cleerely the light of the Gospell and going on in his Speech a sudden noyse arose of some crying away â—way which made some thinke a Pardon had beene come but was indeede the voyce of some that had beene warned to be at the Execution and were come somewhat late but the tumult being appeased the Duke went on with his Speech and at last commending his soule to God with a counâ—enance not shewing a signe of feare or perturbation onely his cheekes a little redder then they use â—o be he peaceably laid downe his head upon the blocke and in a moment with one stroke of the Axe had it strucken off The death of this Duke made the Duke of Northumberland more odious to the people then he was before and there were some that dipped Hâ—ndkerchiffes in his blood and kept them to upbraide the Duke of Northumberland withall when he came himselfe afterward to the like end After execution of the Duke Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Miles Partridge were hanged at the Tower-hill Sir Michael Stanhope and Sir Thomas Arundell were there beheaded After the Dukes condemnation it was thought fit to have something done for averting the Kings minde from taking thought and to that end one George Ferrers a Gentleman of Lincolnes-Inne was appointed in the Christmas-time to be Lord of Misrule who so carried himselfe that he gave great delight to many and some to the King but not in proportion to his heavinesse About this time was a call of seven Serjeants at Law who kept their Feast at Grayes-Inne of whom Master Robert Brooke Recorder of London was the first and the next Master Dyer who was chosen Speaker the next Parliâ—ment About this time also the Lord Paget was committed to the Tower â—or what cause is not certaine and being a Knight of the Order his Garder was taken from him by Garter king at Armes upon this pretence that he was said to be no Gentleman either by Father or Mother and the Garter was then bestowed on the Earle of Warwicke the Duke of Norâ—humâ—erlands eldest Sonne and the Lord Rich Lord Chancellour was put off from his Place and the Seal then delivered to Doctor Thomas Goodricke Bishop of Elye About this time also three great Ships were set forth at the Kings charge for discovery of a passage to the East Indies by the North Seas the chiefe Pilot and directour in this Voyage was one Sebastian Gabato an Englishman borne at Bristow but the son of a Genoway these Ships at the last arrived in the Countrey of Muscovia but not without losse of their Captain Sir Hugh Willoughby who being tossed and driven by tempest was afterward found in his Ship frozen to death and all his people At this time alâ—o the Duke of Suffolks three
first Sir Charles Percy and Mr. Thomas Somerset and after them Sir Thomas Lake Clerk of the Signet a man well acquainted with the State of the Kingdome both to acquaint him with the generall applause of all the Realme to receive him for their Soveraigne and also informe him in what termes the State of the Kingdom stood that so he might not come altogether a stranger when he came into it Q. Elizabeth indeed had left him not only a Kingdom but a Kingdom without incombrance No wars abroad no sedition at home and not only so but a kingdom furnished with all the fruits of Peace plenty of all things necessary and of all necessary things the chiefest a wise Cousell for the left Sir Thomas Egerton L. Chanselor Thomas L. Buckhurst L. Treasurer Charles E. of Nottingham L. Admiral Sir Rob. Cecill principall Secretary Foure such men that the meanest of them were sufficient to sit at the Helme of any Kingdom Yet to these and 〈◊〉 other besides all whâ—â— the K. now by his letters authorizeth to exercâ—â—â—â—â—eir severall places â—s formerly they had done he addeth certaine new ones of his own choosing as namely the E. of Northumberland and Cumberlandâ— the L. Thâ— Howard and then after the L. Henry Howard the one the brother the other the son of the late D. of Norâ—olk who had suffered so much that at last he suffered for the Q. his mother But although the calling of these two last to such place was done no doubt out of â—avour to that house yet one of them being known the other doubted to be a Papist it was presently apprehended as a faâ—vour to that sidâ— and the Catholicks were not a little confident of his good inclination to them all in generall And it was indeed but necessary they should at this time have such a conceit for in the late Q. sicknes a little before her death Pope Clement the 8 had written two Brieves to the Catholicks in England to admit of none to succeed in the Kingdom when that miserable woman should happen to dye so he plâ—ased to sâ—ilâ— the most glorious Q. that ever lived but such a one of whose good inclination to the See of Rome they should at least be well perswaded And now K. Iames having setled the Government of his Kingdom of Scotland and made convenient preparation for his journey on the 5 of Aprill 1603 he set forward and rode that day from Edinburgh to Dunglasse and from thenâ—â— the next day to â—â—rwick who having stayed two daysâ— the 8 of Aprill he râ—de to Withâ—ringtonâ— a house of Sir Robert Caries from thence the 9 to Newcastle whâ—re he stayed Sunday and heard the Bish. of Durham preach and so joyfull wâ—re the Townsmen of his being there that all the time of his stay they bore the chargâ— oâ— his houshold The 13 of Aprill he set forward to Durham and from thence the 14 to Waltâ—orth the 15 towards York where his traine encreased to such a multitude that he was faine to publish an inhibition of the peoples resort and flocking to him At York it was a question to whom it belonged to beare the sword before the Kâ— in that place for both the E. of Cumberland claimed it as herâ—ditary to his House and the President of the North claimed it as belonging to his place but it was adjudged to George E. of Cumberland who accordingly did itâ—â—rom York the 18 day the K. râ—de to Grimston to a house of Sir Edw. Stanhopes the 19 to Pâ—â—fâ—â— and so to Duncaster where he lodged at the signe of the Beare and Sunâ— The 20â— of Aprillâ—e â—e rode towards Worsuppc a house of the E. of Shrewsâ—â—riâ—s from thence the 21 to Neâ—â—rk upon Trent where a Cutpurse being taken in the fact was by the K. warrant haÌ„ged a most unseasonable delinqeÌ„nt who would force the K. to commit Iustice at a time when hee intended nothing but mercy the as to Beaver Castle a house of the E. of Rutlands hunting all the way as he rode From Beaver the 23 to Burleigh who having stayd 2 or 3 days the 27 he removed to Hitchinbrâ—â—k a house of Sir Oliver Cromwels where the heads of the Vniversity of Cambridge met himâ— From thence he rode towards Royston and as he passed thorough Godmanchester a Town close by Huntington the Bayliffes of Town presented him with 70 Teeme of horse all traced to faire new Ploughsâ— at which the K. wondring they said it was their ancient custome so to do when any K. of England passed thorough their Town and by which as being the K. tenants they held their Land At Royston he lodged that night at M. Chesters house at his own charge which he had not done before since his comming into Eng. The â—0 of Aprill he rode to Standâ—â— a house of S. Thomas Sadlers where he stayd Sunday and heard the Bish. of London preach The 2 of May he removed to Brosbourne a house of Sâ— Henry Cocks cofferer to the late Q. and now to the K. where â—â—t him the L. Keeper the Lâ— Treasurer the L. Admirall divers other Lords The 3 of May he came to Theobalds a house of Sir Robert Cecils when all the Lords of thâ— late Queenes most honorable Privy Counsell presented themselves and thâ—râ— the Lord Keeper made a grave Oration At this house the fourth of 〈◊〉 the King made diverse Noblemen of Scotland of his Privy Counsell here in England namely the Duke of Lâ—nâ—x the Earle of Marre the Lord 〈◊〉 Sir â—â—â—rg◠〈◊〉 Treasurer of Scotland S. Iames Elphingston his Secretary and the Lord of Kinlosse made afterward Mr. of the Rolles Saterday the seâ—â—â—th of May he rode towards London where by the way the Sheriffe Swynâ—erâ—â—â— and the Aldermen met him and by their Oratour Mr. Richard Martin made him an eloquent Oration and then he rode on to the Charter-house neeâ—e Smithfield a house belonging to the Lord Thomas Howard where he stayed foure dayes and at his departing from thence made the Lord Zoucheâ— and the Lord Burgley of his privie Counsell But wee must here omit that from the Kings first setting forth of Scotlandâ— as hee was in all places received with most Royall entertainment and rich presents so he againe carryed himselfe most affable and distributed his favours in most plentious manner in some places discharging all prisoners but such as lay for Treason or murther but specially in conferring the order of Knighthood of which sort the first he made was Mr. Iohn Peyton son to Sir Iohn Peyton Leiutenant of the Tower After him divers Scots in sundry places at Theobalds eight and twenty of which number the compiler of this worke though the unworthiest was one at Charter-house above fourescore and not many dayes after no fewer than at least a hundred and before the yeare went about God knowes how many hundreds that one would wonder what the King would doe with so many Milites having no warre toâ—ard But it waâ—
but who can thinke himselfe too old for a Kingdome when Galba for attaining the Romane Empire was contented to buckle on Armour being fourescore yeares old The Dâ—ke in his time of peace came over into England to visite his cousin King Edward who besides his Princely entertainment made him at that time as some thinke a promise to leave him his Successour in the Kingdome Harold after this going over to the Dukâ— in Normandy for procuring some friends of his to be released the better to effect it tooke his solemne Oath to assist him for obtaining the Kingdome So as having the word of Edward and the oath of Harold he had now sufficient obligations to expect it But hearing of the death of King Edward and that Harold was Crowned King he thought himselfe not more forgotten by Edward then wronged by Harold and therefore sent messengers to him to put him in mind of K. Edwards Pâ—omise and his owne Oath but Harold puffed up with the conceit of being a King as though that very name were enough to expiate all breach of Oathes and that nothing could binde him who had now the fetters in his owne hand returned onely sleight answers that his Oath was forced and voyd in it selfe as being made without consent of the Kingdome Whereupon the Duke thus sleighted by Harold endevours to make him an honest man by force assuring himselfe he should find him the weaker Enemy for finding him a perjured Friend The Reasons that facilitated his Conquest of England DUke William incensed with Harolds answers acquaints his Nobility with his purpose who with some adoe consented to ayd him as likewise many other great Lords of France but specially Baldwyn Earle of Flanders whose daughter he had marryed and who being at that time Guardian of the young King of France procured ayde from him also and to make the Enterprise the more successefull Pope Alexander the second sent him a Banner with an Agnus of Gold and one oâ— the haires of Saint Peter So as the preparation of the Duke both by Sea and Land was very great having three hundred saile of ships and as some write 890â— and as one Norman above a thousand and as Cemeticensis three thousand and though Harold had likewise provided a warlike Fleet to encounter him yet it was at thaâ— time unfortunately diverted another way for Taustayâ—e his Brother being then in rebellion in the North and Harold Harfager King of Norway at the same time invading those parts and perhaps upon a bruite that the Dukesâ— Fleet was not yet ready to come forth removed both his Fleet and Army thither where though he got the Victory at Stamford with the death both of his Brother Toustayne and of the King of Noâ—way yet it made way for the Duke to land quietly and he entred the Kingdome as one may enter a house when the doores are all left open By this meanes King Harâ—lds shipping the best wall of defence to an Island was utterly frustrate and as for his Land Forces they were by his Battaile at Stamford exceedingly both weakned and impaired yet hearing that Duke William was landed at Pemsey not farre from Hastings in Sussex he repaired thither with all speed and gathering together his broken Forces and encreasing them by all the meanes he could made himselfe ready to give the Duke Battaile Duke William in the meane time as soone as he had landed his men sent his ships presently away that there might be no thinking of any thing but either Death or Victory And then going himselfe on land it is said his foot slipped and he fell downe which some that stood by taking for an ill signe No saith he I have by this taken possession of this Land And indeed Presages are but as Animus ejus qui praesagit as in this Dukes fall it afterwards fell out Many wayes of composition betweene Duke William and King Harold were propounded yet Harold would hearken to none as nothing doubting of successe and perhaps thinking it a disgrace to capitulate for that which was now his owne and when one of his Brothers called Gyrth being lesse interessed and therefore clearer sighted intreated him to consider what a fearefull thing it was to breake an Oath which he so solemnely had sworne Harold seemed to conceive that nothing which he did being a private man could be of force to binde him now being a Prince and so on the fourteenth day of October being Saturday in the yeare 1066. which day he liked the better because it was his Birth-day hoping that the day of his Birth would not so much degenerate to prove the day of his death though even this also bred no good blood to the Action for the Souldiers of Harold thinking thereby to honour their Kings Birth-day spent the night before in revelling and drinking where the Souldiers of the Duke out of consideration of their next dayes worke spent the night in quietnesse and devotion they joyned battaile the Kentish-men being placed in the Fore-front as by an ancient custome is their due and King Harold with his Londoners leading the maine Battaile where though their Armies were not much unequall in number for they were each of them neare about threescore thouâ—and men yet there was great oddes in the expertnesse of their Souldiers and more in the advantage of their weapons for the Duke had with him all the flowre of France and Flanders where King Harold had lost his best men in his late Battaile and for advantage of weapons the Normans had long Bowes and Arrowes which of the English at that time were not at all in use what mervaile then that the Normans got the Victory though King Harold losing his life yet lost no Reputation and though the English Souldiers shewed no lesse valour in being Conquered then the Normans did in Conquering One circumstance may not be omitted that King â—arold as an expert Generall had ordered his men in so firme a Body that no force of the Normans could disorder their Rankes till Duke Williamâ— used a Stratagem commanding his men to retire and to counterfeit flight by which he drew the English on upon a hollow ground covered with earth whereinto many of them fell and perished and besides into an ambush of his Horsemen which unexpectedly fell upon them and cut them in pieces Withall there seemes one great errour to have beene committed at least if it were an errour and not rather a neceâ—sity that there was not a supplementall Army provided as his Brother Gyrth would have had it which might have come on if the first had failed and would have beene of great advantage against a wearyed Army But when Sic visum est superis all humane force is weake and cannot withstand all humane Providence is unprovided and cannot prevent The body of Harold at his Mother Thyrace suite was recovered and lyes buryed in Waltham Abbey which he had begunne to build at least to repaire But here Gyraldus
Cambrensis tels a strange story that Harold was not slaine in the Battaile but onely wounded and lost his left eye and then escaped by flight to Chester where he afterwards led a holy Anchorets life How Duke William proceeded after his victory at Hastings AS his Valour wonne him the Victory so his Victory wonne him a Crowne that now of an old Duke he was suddenly become a young King and indeed nothing so much renues life and makes the yeares in a manner young againe as addition of Honour specially when it is the fruite of merit First therefore having given publicke thankes to God for his happy successe he led his Army towards London not the direct way perhaps doubting some new Encounter but coasting about through part of Kent through Sussex Surrey Hampshire and Barkeshire where at Wallingford he passed over the Thames and then through Oxfordâ—shire Buckinghamshire and Hartfordshire untill he came to Barkehamstead where there came unto him Aldred Arch-bishop of Yorke Woolstan Bishop of Worcester Willfere Bishop of Hereford and many other Prelates accompanyed with Edgar Atheling with Earle Edwyn and Marâ—har Brothers and men of the greatest sway in the Kingdome and many others of the Nobility It is true upon the defeate at Hastings Earle Edwyn and Marchar had a purpose to set up Edgar Atheling as next Heire of the Royall blood and Grand-childe to Edmund â—ronside and so beloved of the people that he was called their Darling but considering his young yeares and other inabilities but specially finding the mindes of the Bishops who at that time bore all the sway to be otherwise inclined they desisted from that course and thus the Duke without any opposition comming to London was received by Bishops and Lords and all with great joy though small gladnesse and if he had not their hearts yet he had their knees for in most humble manner they submitted themselves to him acknowledging him for their Soveraigne Lord and upon Christmas-day after he was Crowned at Westminster by Aldred Arch-bishop of Yorke the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Stigand not being admitted to doe that office for some defect in his Investiture and perhaps for some aspersion in his manners How he rewarded his followers THough he hath had the name of Conquerour yet he used not the Kingdome as gotten by Conquest for he tooke no mans living from him nor dispossessed any of their goods but such onely whose demerit made unworthy to hold them as appeares by his Act to one Warren a Norman to whom he had given the Castle of Sherborne in Norfolke for when Sherborne who was owner of it acquainted the King that the Castle was his and that he had never borne Armes against him he presently commanded Warren to deliver it quietly up unto himâ— Onely vacancies of Offices and filling up the places of those who were slaine or fled were the present meanes he made use of for preferring his Followers One speciall preferment we cannot omit that where one Herlowyn a Nobleman in Normandy had marryed his Mother Arlette and had by her a Sonne named Hugh Lupus he gave to the said Hugh the Earledome of Chester to hold of him as freely by his sword as himselfe held England by his Crowne by vertue of which Grant the said Hugh ordained under him foure Barons Nigell he made Baron of Halton Malbanke Baron of Nantwich Eustace Baron of Mawpase and Vernon Baron of Shipbrooke Such an Honour as no Subject before or since ever enjoyed the like What meanes he used for securing himselfe in the Kingdome BEsides the Oath of Fealty which he tooke of all his Lords both Spirituall and Temporall at his Coronation in Lent following going into Normandy he tooke along with him the greatest part of the great men of the Kingdome of whom Edwyn and Marchar the two Earles of Northumberland and Mercia Stigand Arch-bishop of Canterbury Edgar Atheling Waltheoff sonne to Syward formerly Earle of Northumberland and Agelnothus Abbot of Glastenbury were the chiefe leaving the care of the Kingdome in his absence to Odo Bishop of Bayeux his Brother by the Mother and to William Fits Osburne whom he had made Earle of Hereford And to abate the greatnesse of the Prelates which at that time was growne in a manner unlimited he ordained that from thenceforth they should not command with any Temporall Authority whatsoever And because the common people are no lesse to be feared for their number then the Nobility for their greatnesse he first tooke from them all their Armour to the end that leaving them without stings they might afterward be but Droanes And because there is seldome any danger from singular numbers but all the danger riseth from plurality therefore to prevent conspiracies and combinations which are commonly contrived in the night he commanded that in all Townes and Villages a Bell should be rung at eight a clocke in the Evening and that in every house they should then put out their Fire and Lights which was called Couure Feu and goe to Bed And for more security he erected Castles in the most doubtfull places of the Kingdome One at Yorke another at Lincolne a third at Nottingham at that time called Snottingham and a fourth at Hastings where he first Landed By these meanes the Kingdome was quiet all the time of his being away in Normandy saving onely that Edrick the Forester in the County of Hereford calling in to his ayde the Kings of Wales made some small disturbance And indeed all the States of the Kingdome might in his very person finde something to make them apt to tolerate his Government For first the People might thinke themselves in a sort advanced being now made members of a greater Body when the Dukedome of Normandy should come to be annexed to the Kingdome of England and by experience of his good Governement being a Duke they might well hope he would not governe worse being made a King And the Nobility might be well content as having a King of their former Kings choosing and though a Stranger yet no Alien as having in him many veines of the same blood and therefore likely also to have some veâ—nes of the same goodnesse of their good King Edward But specially the Clergy could not chuse but be content as having a King who came commended to them by a commending as strong as a commanding the Popes Benediction What Troubles or Insurrections were during his Raigne BUt the Body of a State being more obnoxious to crudities and ill humours then the state of a Naturall body It is impossible to continue long without distempers notwithstanding any preservatives that can be applyed And therefore in the second yeare of his Raigne brake forth the discontentment of Edgar Etheling justly the first as having most cause being the next of the late Royall blood and therefore most apt to be sensible of servitude who taking along with him his mother Agatha and his two Sisters Margaret and Christine stole secretly away to Sea with
Monasteries and all the gold and silver of either Chalices or Shrines he tooke to his owne use Likewise he Sessed all Bishops and Abbots what number of souldiers they should finde to serve him in his warres also the strangers which he maintained in Pay he dipsersed into Religious houses and some also among the Nobility to bee maintained at their charge Many other taxations he made but last of all in the eighteenth yeare of his Raigne by the advise of Roger Earle of Hertford he caused the whole Realme to be described in a Censuall Roll whereof hee tooke a President from King Alfred so as there was not one Hyde of Land but both the yearely rent and the owner thereof was therein set downe How many Ploughlands what Pastures Fennes or Marishes what Woods Farmes and Tenements were in every Shire and what every one was worth Also how many Villaines every man had what Beasts what Cattell what Fâ—es what other goods what rent or commodity his Possessions did yeeld This booke was called the Roll of Winton because it was kept in the City of Winchester By the English it was called Doomesday booke either by reason of the generality thereof or else corruptly instead of Domuâ— Dei booke for that it was laid in the Church of Winchester in a place called Domuâ— Dei. According to this Roll taxations were imposed sometimes two shillings and at this time six shillings upon every Hyde of Land a Hyde containing as some account it twenty Acres buâ— as Master Lambert proveth a hundred Acres In all those Lands which he gave to any man hee reserved Dominion in chiefe to himselfe as also a yearely rent and likewise a Fine whensoever the Tenant did alien or dye These were bound to him by Oath of Fealty and Homage and if any died his heire being within age the King received the profits of his Lands and had the custody and disposing of the heires body untill his age of one and twenty yeares To be short his greedinesse of money was so great that he spared not his owne brother Odo but found accusations against himâ— to the end he might seise upon his Treasure which was infinite great and which he had gathered in hope to buy the Papacy Onely one kinde of profit he forbare to meddle with that is Vacancies of Abbeys and Bishopricks which he alwayes reserved for the Successours but then he tooke another course of farre greater profit for he compelled all men to make new Fines at his pleasure for confirmation of any Grant or Priviledges formerly granted by any Prince of the Realme by which devise he got into his possession the greatest part of all the riches of the Land as well of the Clergie as of the Laity And one particular may not be omitted that is reported of him which was this The Monkes of Ely to purchase their peace agreed to give him seven hundred Markes when comming to pay it there wanted a Groat in the weight for in those dayes greater summes were not payd by tale but by weight which the King understanding denied them all composition for Peace untill with much suite he was intreated to accept of a thousand Markes more Of his Lawes and Ordinances and Courts of Iustice erected by him ALthough at his Coronation he had taken an Oath to observe the Lawes of King Edward then in use yet afterwards perhaps counting his Coronation Oath but a matter of course he abrogated many and in their stead brought in the Lawes of Normandie commanding them to be written in French and also that all Causes should be Pleaded and all matters of Forme dispatched in French upon a pretense to dignifie the French tongue but with a purpose to intrappe men through ignorance of the language as indeed it did or perhaps to make the Normans language predominant in the Kingdome as he had made their persons which yet hee was so farre from effecting that there is not so much as any footsteps remaining of the Norman language in the English tongue Formes of Judgement and trials by Fire and Water called Ordeal formerly used were in short time after the Conquest disused and in the end utterly abrogated by the Pope as derived from Paganisme That of Combat continued longer but of no ordinary use and all actions both criminall and reall began now to be wholly adjudged by the Verdict of twelve men according to the custome of Normandie where the like Forme is used and called by the name of Enquest with the same cautions for the Jurours as it is here continued to this day though by the Lawes of Ethelred it appeares that the triall by twelve men was in use long before his time And where before the Bishop and the Alderman were the absolute Judges to determine all businesse in every Shire and the Bishop in many Cases shared in the benefit of the Mulcts with the King now hee confined the Clergie within the Privince of their owne Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction to deale onely in businesse concerning rule of soules according to the Canons and Lawes Episcopall And where the Causes of the Kingdome were before determined in every Shire and by a Law of King Edward all matters in question were upon speciall penalty decided in their Gemote or Conventicle held monethly in every Hundred Now he ordained that foure times in the yeare for certaine daies the same businesses should be determined in such place as he would appoint where he constituted Judges to attend for that purpose Also he Decreed there should be Sheriffes in every Shire and Justices of Peace for punishment of Malefactors Finally he ordained his Councell of State his Chancery his Exchequer Scaccarium corruptly called so of the word Statarium or rather of the Boord or Table where the Officers sate also his Courts of Justice which alwayes removed with his Court These places he furnished with Officers and assigned foure Termes in the yeare for determining controversies among the people The place of these Courts was Westminster where King William Rufus afterward built a stately Palace Now for his provisionary Revenues the Kings Tenants who held Lands of the Crowne payd him no money at all but onely Corne and other victuals and a just note of the quality and quantity of every mans ratement was taken through out all the Shires of the Kingdome and levyed ever certaine for maintenance of the Kings house Onely the Kentish men procured the continuance of their ancient Lawes by a trick for King William riding towards Dover at Swâ—nscombe two miles from Gravesend the Kentish men met him but in the forme of a moving wood by reason of the great boughes they had cut and carried in their hands and compassing the King about they onely made suite for the continuanâ— of their Lawes which the King without any great scruple granted and glad he was so ridde of them A strange conceite in the Kentish men to hazard themselves more for the preserving a simple Custome then for
beene bred in Cambridge not perhaps that his learning was so great but that it was great either in respect of that age which had but little or in respect of his Brothers who had none at all and the People having beene oppressed before by the ill Government of two Kings that were illiterate could not chuse but be glad to come under the Government of a King â—hat was Learned And though his Brother Robert as being the Elder had right unto it yet he as out of sight was out of minde and perhaps neglected as being himselfe negligent withall it was given out that he was chosen King of Hierusalem and therefore no looking for him to come home and to give force to all these reasons Henry Newborough Earle of Warwicke was a principall â—urtherer His course for establishing himselfe in the Kingdome IT is a hard matter to keepe that safely which is unjustly gotten and therefore he tooke all possible care to overcome that hardnesse which he effected by these meanes First he called Anselme Arch-bishop of Canterbury home from Exile placed William Gyfford a learned man in the Bishopricke of Winchester and Monasteries that had beene long vacant he furnished with good Abbots And because it is no lesse pleasing to the People to have bad instruments punished then the good to be advanced he cast Ralph Bishop of Durham a principall cause of their late oppressions into prison then mitigated the rigour of the new Lawes and promised restitution of the old And that there might be no abuse in measures he ordained a measure made by the length of his owne Arme which is called a Yard He restored to his Subjects the use of Lights and Fire in the night which before had beene forbidden after eight a clocke at night He acquited the People from the Taxe of Danegelt and from all other unjust payments which had beene imposed upon them by the two former Kings He gave free liberty to the Nobility and Gentry of the Realme to inclose Parkes for Deere and Warrens for Coneyes and such like game And because he knew Scotland might be an ill Neighbour to him if not tyed by some Bond and none so sure as the Bond of Alliance he therefore takes Matild sister of the present King Edgar to be his Wife His Troubles during his Raigne RAlph Bishop of Durham the late King Williams great Instrument for Exactions that had by this King beene committed to the Tower made an escape and passing over to Duke Robert in Normandy incenseth him not to suffer himselfe to be baffled by a younger Brother as for his Brother William there was some reason because his Father had given him the Kingdome by his Will but what could Henry pretend who had his Portion given him in money Besides it was an agreement with his Brother William with consent of all the Lords of the Reâ—lme that the Surviver of them should succeed With such like instigations and withall assuring him there were many in England would take his part he easily perswaded the Duke to that from which he could hardly have disswaded him who thereupon with a convenient Army puts to Sea and lands at Portsmouth while Henry waited for his comming about Hastings and being landed there much people resorted to him that it was like to have beene a bloody businesse but by mediation of Friends working upon the flexible nature of Duke Robert it was brought at last to this agreement that King Henry should pay to Duke Robert three thousand markes yearely and Duke Robert should succeed him in the kingdome if he survived And thus this cloud that threatned so great a storme brought with it â—ather Sunshine and faire weather for now to his possession of the Kingdome there was added a right and he might now justifie his being a King without any scandall or usurpation After this another little cloud arose but was soone dispersed For Robert de Belesme Earle of Shrewsbury a rash young man of disposition but more through discontentment though discontented for nothing but that having a great Estate he was not a King as well as some others fortifyed the Towne of Shrewsbury and the Castle of Bridgenorth and got many Welshmen to assist him but the King comming with a mighty Army so terrifyed the Welsh that they abandoned the Earle and left him a prey to the King in his person and more in his Estate for the King seised his Estate into his hands but for his Person he onely banisht it the Realme For as yet the shedding of blood and putting to death though for great Treasonable practises was not much in use Policy of State was not yet growne to that heighth of severity The like attempt and upon the like occasion was made by William Earle of Mortaigne in Normandy and of Cornwall in England Unckle to the King onely for denying him the Earledome of Kent which because he could not obtaine he entred into Treasonable practises by which he lost the Earledomes he had before But these troubles were but as the labour of a Woman that is safely delivered painefull for a time but ending in joy and indeed for the most part this King had the fortune to be a gainer by his losses After this Duke Robert came in kindnesse into England to visitâ— his Brother Henry where he was so well pleased with his entertainment that in requitall thereof and to doe a favour to the Queene that was his God-daughter he released to King Henry the three thousand markes which he was yearely to pay him But returning into Normandy and considering better what he had done he so repented him that he spared not to give out that his Brother had directly cousened him Which comming to King Henryes eare so incensed him that he presently sent over a mighty Army which forraged the Country and wonne many Townes and Cities and soone after went over himselfe where he so prevailed that he left Duke Robert but onely Roan in all Normandy to put his head in and this done returnes into England And now Duke Robert beginnes to be sensible of his owne weaknesse and therefore comes over into England to try the uâ—â—ermost of his Brothers good nature himselfe had sent him a Tunne of Wine to refresh him withall when in a siege he was ready to perish for want of water and it cannot be but that gratefulnesse and naturall affection meeting together must needes worke something in the minde of a Brother Thus resolved he presents himselfe to the King referring both his Dukedome and himselfe and all differences and debates to his will and pleasure But whether incensed with the scandalous words Duke Robert had given out of him or whether aspiring to joyne Normandy to England as his Father had done before King Henry scarce vouchsafed to heare him speake at least vouchsafed not to make him any answer but in a sullen manner turned away and so left him which scornefull usage put the Duke into such indignation that
Geoffrey of Monmouth Bishop of Saint Asaph in Wales Also Hugo Carthusianus a Burgundian but made Bishop of Lincolne here in England THE LIFE and RAIGNE OF KING HENRY THE SECOND KING Stephen being dead Henry Duke of Anjou by his Father Geoffry Plantagenet succeeded him in the Kingdome of England by agreement whom he preceded by right as being Sonne and Heire of Mawde sole daughter and Heire of King Henry the first and was crowned at Westminster by Theâ—bald Arch-Bishop of Canterbury on the seventeenth of December in the yeare 1155. and was now a greater Prince then any of his Ancestours had beene before and indeed the Kingdome of England the Dukedome of Normandy and the Dukedome of Anjou in his owne right and in the right of his wife Queen Eleanor the Duchy of â—uyen and the Earldome of Poictou bâ—ing all united in his person made him a Dominion of a larger extent then any King Christian had at that time He was borne at Ments in Normandy in the yeare 1132. a great joy to his Father Geoffry Duke of Anjou a greater to his Mother Mawde the Empresse but so great to his Grandfather King Henry the first that it seemed to make amends for his sonne William whom unfortunately he had lost before by Shipwrack The yeares of his childhood were spent at home under the care of his Parents at nine yeares old or there abouts he was brought by his Unkle Robert Earle of Glocester into England and placed at Bristow where under the tuition of one Matthew his Schoolemaster to instruct him in learning he remained foure yeares after which time he was sent into Scotland to his great Unkle David King of Scots with whom he remained about two yeares initiated by him in the Principles of State but chiefely of his owne estate and being now about fifteene yeares of age was by him Knighted and though scarce yet ripe for Armes yet as a fruit gathered before its time was mellowed under the discipline of his Unkle Robert one of the best Souldiers of that time And now the Duke his Father not able any longer to endure his absence sent with great instance to have him sent over to him for satisfying of whose longing Earle Robert provided him of passage and conducted him himselfe to the Sea side where he tooke his last farewell of him Being come into Anjou his Father perhaps over-joyed with his presence not long after died leaving him in present possession of that Dukedome being now about nineteene yeares of age when shortly after he married Eleanor late the wife of Lewis King of France but now divorced A yeare or two after he came againe into England where after some velitations with King Stephen they were at last reconciled and his succession to the Crowne of England ratified by Act of Parliament Not long after he went againe into France and presently fell to besiege a Castle which was detained from him by the French King in the time of which siege newes was brought him of King Stephens death which one would have thought should have made him hasten his journey into England yet he resolved not to stirre till he had wonne the Caste which resolution of his being knowne to the Defendants they surrendred the Castle but yet no sooner but that it was sixe weekes after before he came into England when he was now about the age of three and twenty yeares His first Acts after he came to the Crowne He beganne his Raigne as Solomon would have begunne it if he had beene in his place for first he made choyce of wise and discreet men to be his Consellours then he banished out of the Realme all strangers and especially Flemmings with whom the Kingdome swarmed as of whom King Stephen had made use in his warres amongst whom was William of Ypres lately before made Earle of Kent Castles which by King Stephens allowance had beene built he caused to be demolished of which there were said to be eleven hundred and fifteene as being rather Nurseries of rebellion to the subject then of any safety to the Prince He appointed the most able men of that profession to reforme abuses of the Lawes which disorder of the wars had brought in He banished many Lords who against their Oath had assisted King Stephen against him as thinking that men oncâ— perjured would never be faithfull and to the end he might be the lesse pressing upon the people with Taxations he resumed all such Lands belonging to the Crown which had any way beene aliened or usurped as thinking it better to displease a few then many and many other things he did which in a disjoynted State were no lesse profitable and expedient then requisite and necessary His Troubles during his Raigne HE had no Competitors nor Pretenders with him for the Crowne and therfore his troubles at first were not in Capite strooke not at the roote as K. Stephens did but were onely some certaine niblings at inferiour parts till at last he brought them himselfe into his own bowels For what was the trouble in his first yeare with the Welsh but as an exercise rather to keep him in motion then that it needed to disquiet his rest for though they were mutinous for a time while they looked upon their owne Bucklers their Woods and Mountainous passages yet as soone as K. Henry did but shew his sword amongst them they were soone reduced to obedience for the present and to a greater awfulnesse for the future It is true Henry Earle of Essex that bore the Kings Standard was so assaulted by the Welsh that he let the Standard fall to the ground which encouraged the Welsh and put the English in some feare as supposing the King had beene slaine but this was soone frustrated to the Welsh and punished afterward in the Eaâ—le by condemning him to be shorne a Monke and put into the Abbey of Reading and had his lands seised into the Kings hands And what was his trouble with Malcolme King of Scots but a worke of his owne beginning for if he would have suffered him to enjoy that which was justly his owne Cumberland and Huntingtonshire by the grant of King Stephen and Northumberland by the gift of his Mother Maude the Empresse he might have staied quietly at home and needed not at all to have stirâ—ed his foote but he could not endure there should be such parings off from the body of his Kingdome and therefore went with an Army into the North where he wonne not but tooke Northumberland from him with the City of Carlâ—ill and the Castles of Newcastle and Bamberg and meerely out of gratefulnesse in remembrance of the many coâ—rtesies done him before by David King of Scots he left him the County of Huntingâ—on but yet with condition to owe fealâ—y and to doe homage to him for it And what was his trouble with his brother Geoffrey but a Bird of his owne hatching For his Father Geoffrey Duke of Anjou had three sonnes Henry
Geoffrey and William and dying he left his Dukedome of Anjou to his eldest son Henry but to hold no longer then till he should come to be King of England and then to deliver it up to his second sonne Geoffrey and he made his Lords to sweare not to suffer his body to be buried untill his sonne Henry had taken his Oath to doe it which Oath Henry afterward in reverence to his Fathers body did take but as he tooke it unwillingly so he willingly brake it and sent presently to Adrian the then Pope for a Dispensation of his Oath which granted he enters Anjou with an Army and takes from his brother Geoffrey being little able to make resistance not onely the Dukedome of Anjou but some other Cities also which his Father had absolutely given him for his maintenance yet out of brotherly kindnesse was content to allow him a Pension of a thousand pounds a yeare which brotherly kindnesse was so unkindly taken by his brother Geoffrey that it brake his heart and within a short time after died And thus these troubles begun by Henry himselfe were soone ended but now a trouble is comming on begun by Lewis King of France and this is like to stick longer by him For King Lewis not having yet digested King Henries marriage with his divorced wife Eleanor seekes all opportunities to expresse his spleene by doing him displeasure and a fit opportunity was now offered for there fell out a difference betweene Raymond Earle of Saint Giles and Henry King of England about the Earledome of Tholouse which Raymond possest and Henry claimed in this difference King Lewis takes part with Raymond as pretending it to be the juster side Hereupon are great forces provided on both sides and it was like to have come to a dangerous battell but that by mediation of friends a Peace was made and to make the Peace the firmer a marriage was concluded betweene Henry King Henries eldest sonne scarce yet seven yeares of age and Margaret daughter of King Lewis not past three who was delivered to King Henry to bring up till fit yeares for consummation This was then thought a strong linke to hold them in friendship but it proved afterward a cause to make the greater breach and indeed when a sonne is once matched into a Family the Father must never looke from thence afterward to have a good wish seeing the daughter thus matched can have no advancement but by the advancement of her husband and he none at least none so wâ—ll as by the ruine of his Father yet this brake not out till some yeares after It was now about the eighteenth yeere of King Henries Raigne and his sonne Henry growne to be seventeene yeares of ageâ— when it came into the Kings minde to have his sonne Henry crowned King and Raigne with himselfe in his owne time partly out of indulgence to his sonne but chiefely as having found by his owne experience that Oaths for succession are commonly eluded but Oaths for present Allegeance as being Verba de Praesenti can have no evasion and pleasing himselfe with this conceit he acquaints his Lords with his purpose and causeth his sonne Henry to be crowned King by the hands of Roger Arch-bishop of Yorke and all the Lords to sweare Allegeance to him at the Feast of which solemnity King Henry to honour his sonne would needs carry up the first dish to his Table whereupon the Arch-bishop Roger standing by and saying merrily to the new King What an honour is this to you to have such a waiter at your Table Why saith he what great matter is it for him that was but the sonne of a Duke to doe service to me that am the sonne of a King and Queene Which the old King hearing beganne to repent him now it was too late of that he had done For indeed the honour which by Gods commandement children are to doe to their Parents is by such making them their equals in a manner abolished at least it gives them stomachs to take more upon them then is fit But King Henry passed it over and meant to set the best side outward And now King Lewis tooke displeasure that his daughter was not crowned as well as her husband and therefore to satisfie him in that point King Henry sendeth his sonne Henry and his wife Margaret into Englandâ— and causeth them both to be crowned by Walter Arch-bishop of Roan and shortly after the young King Henry and his wife goe backe to King Lewis her Father and by him with great joy and variety of sports were entertained In the time of their being there King Lewis partly out of his old spleene to King Henry and partly to make his sonne in law more absolure fals oftentimes into conference with him and finding his hot spirit to be fit tinder for such fire tels him it was a shame he should suffer himselfe to be made a stale have the title of a King and not the authority and that as long as he stood in such termes that which seemed an honour was indeed a disgrace With which words of King Lewis the young King Henry was set afloate and from that time forward stucke not openly to oppose his Father whereof his Father having intelligence sent messengers to King Lewis desiring him from the King their Master to be a meanes to bring his sonne to more moderation But King Lewis hearing the Embassadours name their Master King with an angry countenance said unto them What mean you by this to call him King who hath passed his Kingdome over to his son and with this answer sent them away To this evill another worse was added that Queene Eleanor his wife enraged with jealousie of her husbands Concubines both incenseth her sonne Henry and perswadeth also two other of her sonnes Richard and Geoffrey to joyne against their Father telling them it would be better for them that their brother should prevaile who could not chuse but allow them better maintenance then their Father did With these perswasions they passe over into Normandy and joyne with their brother Henry who emboldned by their assistance growes now more insolent then he was before that when messengers were sent to him from his Father requiring him to lay downe his Armes and to come lovingly to him he proudly made answer that his Father must not looke he would lay downe his Armes unlesse himselfe first would lay downe his authority and resigne the Kingdome And now Lewis King of France calling together the great Lords of his Kingdome and with them William King of Scots Hugh Earle of Chester Roger Mowbray Hugh Pigot and other of his sonnes party they all take their Oaths to assist the young King Henry with all their power and thereupon all in one day the French invade Normandy Aquitaine and Britaine the King of Scots Northumberland and King Lewis the City of Vernoill which he brought to that distresse that it was agreed by the Inhabitants if it were
many Ieâ—es were hurt and some slaine and thereupon a rumour was suddenly spread abroad that the King had commanded to have all the Iewes destroyed Whereupon it is incredible what rifling there was of Iewes houses and what cutting of their throats and though the King signified by publike Declaration that he was highly displeased with that which was done yet there was no staying the fury of the multitude till the next day so often it fals out that great solemnities are waited on with great dysasters or rather indeed as being connaturall they can hardly be asunder Of his first Acts after he was Crowned HE beganne with his Mother Queene Eleanor whom upon her Husbands displeasure having been kept in Prison sixteen yeares he not onely set at liberty but set in as great authority as if she had beene left the Regent of the kingdom The next he gratifies was his brother Iohn to whom he made appeare how much the bounty of a Brother was better then the handnesse of a Father For he conferred upon him in England the Earledomes of Cornwall Dorset Somerset Nottingham Darby and Leycester and by the marriage of Isabel daughter and heire to the Earle of Glocester he had that Earledome also as likewise the Castles of Marleborough and Lutgarsall the Honours of Wallingford Tichill and Eye to the value of 4000. Markes a yeare an estate so great as were able to put a very moderate mind into the humour of aspiring of which Princes should have care Concerning his affianced Lady Adela it may be thought strange that having desired her so infinitely when he could not have her now that he might have her he cared not for her but the cause was knowne and in every mans mouth that she was now but his Fathers leavings yet he would not send her home but very rich in Jewels to make amends if it might be for the losse of her Virginity though this was something hard on his part when the Father had taken all the pleasure that the sonne should afterward pay all the charges But by this at least he made a quiet way for his marriage now concluded and shortly after to be consummated in Sicilie with Berengaria the daughter of Garsyas King of Navarre And now his minde is wholly set upon his long intended voyage to the Holy Land for which he thinkes not the treasure left by his Father to be sufficient which yet amounted to nine hundred thousand pounds but forecasting with himselfe the great charge it must needs be to carry an Army so long a journey he seekes to enlarge his provision of money by all the means he can devise Not long before Hugh Pudsey had been advanced to the Bishopricke of Durham and now for a great summe of money he sold him the Earledome and then said merrily amongst his Lords Doe yee not thinke me a cunning man that of an old Bishop can make a young Earle From the Londoners also he drained great summes of money and made them recompence in Franchises and Liberties which they had not before He made also greatsales to the the King of Scots he sold the Castles of Berwick and Roxborough for ten thousand pounds to Godfryde Lucie Bishop of Winchester the Manors of Weregrave and Ments to the Abbot of Saint Edmundsbery the Manor of Mildhall for one thousand Markes of silver to the Bishop of Durham the Manor of Sadborough and when it was marvelled that he would part with such things he answered that in this case he would sell his City of London if he could finde a Chapman But the worst way of all was that pretending to have lost his Signet he made a new and made Proclamation that whosoever would safely enjoy what under the former Signet was granted should come to have it confirmed by the new whereby he raised great summes of money to himselfe but greater of discontentment in his subjects By these and such like meanes he quickly furnished himselfe with money and now it remained onely to consider to whose care he should commit the government of the Kingdome in his absence and after deliberation he made choyce for the North parts of Hugh Bishop of Durham joyning in Commission with him Hugh Baldulph and William Brunell and for the South parts he appoints William Longshampe Bishop of Ely and Chancellour of England and for his greater strength causeth the Pope to make a Legat of all England and Scotland and for Normandy and Aquitaine Robert Earle of Leycester all men eminent for prudence and uprightnesse and which is most of all for loyalty and indeed to make a man fit for such imployment all these vertues must concurre As for his brother Iohn he knew very well his aspiring minde and therefore would have tied him to live in Normandy and not to come into England till his returne but that their Mother Queene Eleanor interceded and passed her word for him and that nothing might be left unprovided for he appointed his Nephew Arthur the sonne of his brother Geoffrey Duke of Britaine to be his Successor if himselfe should faile And now Undique convenere vocat jam carbasus auras every man is ready to take Shipping and no stay now but for a Wind onely some say that King Richard before his departing calling his Lords and Knights unto him and swearing them to be true gave to overy of them a blew riband to be knowne by from whence the first occasion of the Order of the Garter is thought to beginne Of his journey into the Holy Land KING Richard having prepared an Army of thirty thousand foote and five thousand horse and having appointed to meete Philip King of France in Sicilie at the latter end of Iune in the yeare 1190. sets forward himselfe by Land to Marseillis and there stayes till his Ships should come about but his Navy being driven by tempest to other parts and the King weary of long staying after sixe weekes he hireth shipping for himselfe and his company and passeth forward to Messana in Sicilie where arrived also the King of France and not long after his owne Navy In this Iland the King William now lately dead had married Iane King Richards sister from whom Tancred the present King with-held her Dower and therefore though he shewed King Richard faire countenance yet he dealt secretly with the Messanians to use all meanes to get him gone whereupon the Messanians taking a small occasion set suddenly upon the English and thrust them out of their Towne with which King Richard justly offended who had his Campe without the Towne prepares himselfe to revenge the affront when Tancred sending to him to signifie that the affront was offered without his knowledge and much against his liking so pacified him that for the present he remained satisfied but understanding afterward that the Messanians did but waite their opportunity till the Spring when King Richard should be going he resenting their intention staies â—ot their leisure but assaulting the Towne with fire
Prince Lewis of France who at his first hearing of King Iohns death thought himselfe then sure of injoying the Kingdome quietly and that he should need to feare no more opposition now that he heares of the new Kings Crowning and that so solemnly and with so unanimous a consent he begins to thinke himselfe in worse case then before and to grow jealous of the English Lords that had adhered to him what they would doe in this new world And indeed a conflict was already growne in their minds which of the two Obligations should be the greater either that of their Oath to Prince Lewis or that of their Allegeance to King Henry They could not but think it extreme ungratfulnes to forsake Prince Lewis whom they had themselves invited to come and they could not but thinke it extreme undutifulnesse to stand out in opposition against K. Henry their naturall Soveraigne and that which added no small weight to this scale was a discovery lately made by the Viscount Melun a French Lord at the time of his death who confessed as a matter of conscience that Prince Lewis had 〈◊〉 if once he got thâ— kingdome utterly to extirpate all the English Nobility and to admit 〈◊〉 but Fâ—â—nch to any place of dignity But whether any of these reasons or any other 〈◊〉 their motives certaine it is that many of them of whoâ— were principâ—â—â— the Earles of Arâ—ndâ—ll Warren Salisbury and William the eldest sonne of the Protectour shrunke from Prince Lewis and went to King Henry as thinking no Obligation so great as Allegeance and many againe continued constant to Prince Lewis as thinking no Obligation so great as an Oath And now Prince Lewisâ— to cast the Dice of Fortune before his enemies though they had gotteâ— them a Head should gather to a head and draw more forâ—â—s together staying â—imselfâ— a Londo◠〈…〉 his Lieuâ—enantâ— with an Army of twenty thousand to take in as many Townes as they could and many they tooke with small opposition but comming to Lincolne where though they had the Towne it selfe yet the Castle stood oâ—â—â— and â—ad beene defended by a Noble Lady a whole yeare before they found such resistance that their proceeding was there arrested for thither came presently Wiâ—â—iaâ— the Proâ—ectâ—ur with hâ—s sonnâ— William the Bishops of Winchester â—alisâ—ury and â—â—ester tâ—e â—arles of â—alisbury Ferrers and Albemarle William de Albinet William de Cantilupe Falcasius Thomas Basset Robert Viponâ— Brenâ— de Lisâ—e Geâ—â—frey Lacie and many other Barons with all the power of the young King who with wonderfull violence assault the City at which time it was propounded by the French to sally forth and give them battell but conceiving their Army to be greater then indeed it was for the English had set double Ensignes to every Company which made a shew of twice as many as they were they forbare that course and kept them selves within the Towne by which meanes being cooped up and straitned iâ— place so as they couâ—◠〈◊〉 make use of their Forces as otherwise they might theâ— were in conclusion 〈…〉 and all the principall men of the English that had adhered to Prince 〈◊〉 â— were taken prisoners as namely Saâ—â— Earle oâ— Winchester Henry de â—ohun 〈◊〉 of Hereford Gilbert de Gant lately made Earle of Lincolne by Prince Lewis 〈◊〉 Fiâ—â—â—water Richard Mount-fiâ—â—het William Mawbrâ—y William Beauchamp Williâ—â— Maudeâ— Oliver Harcourt Roger de Cressy William de Colvilâ— William de Roâ— Robert de Ropeâ—â—â—y â—alph Chenduiâ— Barons besides foure hundred knights or men at Armes Onely the Earle of Perch their Generall being compassed about and willed to render himselfe swore he would never become prisoner to any English and thereupon was runne thorow the sight of his Helmet into the braines and instantly died This was a maine blow to Prâ—nce Lâ—â—is and thâ— last of his battels in England and because the City was very rich in Merchandise the English in derision called it Lewis Faire But Prince Lewis was not yet discouraged for he had sent to King Philip his Father to send him new supplies out of France and new supplies were indeed sent but Hubert de Buâ—gh Governour of Dâ—ver being as vigilant as he was valiant watched their comming and in a Sea-fight defeated them all of whom but few escaped and now this blow at Sea was so much greater then that at Land that where that made him onely doubt this made him despaire at leasâ— made him malleable and fit to be wrought upon by composition whereupon it was at last concluded that Prince Lewis should have fifteene thousand Markes for the charges he had beene at and abjure his claime to any interest in the kingdome and withall to worke his Father for restitution of such Provinces in France as appertained to this Crowne and that when himselfe should be King he should resigne them in a peaceable manner On the other part King Henry takes his Oath and for him the Legat Guallo and the Protectour to restore unto the Barons of the Realme and other his subjects all their Rights and Priviledges for which the discord beganne betweene the late King and his people After this Prince Lewis is honourably attended to Dover and departs out of England about Michaelmas above two yeares after his first arrivall And now the kingdome is come to unity within it selfe one King and one people and for a yeare or two there was little to be done onely some few there were whom the corruption of the times had engendred and who being borne in a storme could not live in a calme of whom the principall were the Earle of Lisleâ— and Hugh de Bayliâ—lâ— who bustling about got possession of some Castles with what intention all men knew but with what hope of effecting their intention no man could imagine for being but a handfull of men to the body of the Realme they were easily suppressed and either brought to acknowledge their faults or else punished for not acknowledging them It was now the fourth yeare of King Henries Raigne at which time William Earle of Pembroke Protectour of the Realme died and was buried in the new Temple at London in whose place came the Bishop of Winchester and now was the King the second time Crowned and had granted him by Parliamentâ— for Eâ—câ—age two Markes of silver of every knights Fee for the affaires of the kingdome and recovery of his Transmarine Dominions which is now designed and Mallâ—on de Savery the Poictoâ—in with William Long-sword Earle of Salisbury sent over to try the affections of that people whom they finde for the most part inclinable to the obedience of this Crowne but the King of France being required peaceably to deliver them made answer that having gotten them by the sword by the sword he would hold them But now the King being come to some yeares of understanding was in a Parliament holden at London put in minde by the Archbishop of Canterbury of the Oath he had taken for confirmation
of the Liberties of the kingdome which though oppugned by some and spâ—cially by William Brewer and Hubert de Burgh whom the King had now made his chiefe Justiciar as having beene an Act of constraint yet the King then againe ratified and twelve knights or other Legat men of every Shire by Writs were charged to examine what the Lawes and Liberties were which the kingdome injoyed under his Grandfather and that they should returne them by a certaine day and here the King by Parliament resumeth into his hands such Alienations as had beene made by his Ancestors of any Crowne Land The next yeare after another Parliament is held at Westminster wherein is required the fiftieth part of all the movables both of the Clergy and Laity for the recovery of those parts in France with-held from the Crowne by Lewis now King contrary to his Oath and promise made here in England at his departure which though it concerned the Honour and Dignity of the kingdome and the estates of most of the Nobility yet would it not be yeelded to but upon confirmation of their Liberties which in the end was obtained in the same words and forme as King Iohn had granted them in the two Charters before and twelve knights are chosen in every Shire to dispart the old Forests from the new and the new to be laid open and ploughed and improvedâ— to the great comfort and benfit of the subject and two yeares they were accordingly injoyed Of his Acts after he came to be of age IT was now the tenth yeare of King Henries Raigne and being about nineteene yeares of age he claimed to take the government of the kingdome into his own hands and no longer to be under a Protectour and now will presently appeare the difference betweene a Prince that is ruled by good Counsell and a Prince that will doe all of himselfe and take no advise For the ten yeares hee was ruled by a Protectour were all passed as it were in a calme without noyse or clamour but as soone as he tooke upon him the government himselfe there grew presently stormes and tumults no quietnesse either to the subject or himselfe nothing but grievances all the long time of his Raigne For at the Parliament now holden at Oxford as soone as he was Crowned againe he presently cancels and annuls the Charter of the Forests as granted in his Nonage and therefore he not bound to observe it and then not using any longer the Seale which the Protectour had used he makes a new and causeth a Proclamation to be made that whosoever would enjoy any benefit of Grants under his Seale should come and have them signed by his new Seale by which course he drew much mony from many and this was the first grievance Shortly after he commits the keeping of Barkehamstead Castle to one Walleran a Duâ—chman which Castle belonged to his Brother Richard Earle of Cornewall but when Earle Richard required to have the possessionâ— as oâ— right he ought it was then plotted by Hubeâ—t Burgh Chiefe Justice and the Kings chiefe Counsellor to commit him to prison which the Earle understanding oâ— at least suspecting flies presâ—ntly to Mâ—rleborough where he finds William Earle Marshall his vowed friend with whom he hasâ—ens to Stamford and there meeâ—es with the Earles of Chester Glocester Warren Hereford Ferrers Warwicke and diverâ— other Barons who all confederate together and send to the King â—hat unlesse he restore the Castle to his brother and â—o them the Liberties of Forests which he had lately cancelled at Oxford they would seeke to recover them by the sword Here upon King Henry to pacifiâ— his brotherâ— not onely renders the Castle to himâ— but gives him besides all that his Mother had in Dower and also great possessions which the Earle of Britaine and thâ— Earle of Bâ—leigne lately deceasedâ— had in England but to the Petition of the Lords he makes a dilatory answerâ— and this was another grievance Not long after King Henry is perswaded by Hugh â—e Brun Earle of March who had married his Mother to make a journey into France for recovery of his right thereâ— but the Earle perswaded it for ends of his owne which to have discovered had beene no way to comâ—â—â—â—e themâ—â—e must therefore â—ay some colours upon his worke and it was colour enoughâ— that the action would be of great benefit to the King if it might succeedâ— and the likelihood of succeeding was most apparent by reason of the great inclinaâ—ion of the people to King Henry and their great aversnesse from King Lewis Upon these colours King Henry undertaking the action raiseth great summes of money from the Clergyâ— and from the Londoners for redemption of their Libertiesâ— and takes the â—hird part of all the goods of the Iewesâ— but when he returned home a yeare after without having done any thing but spent his treasure and his timeâ— and that which was moâ—e worth then both these the lives of many Noble men and others this was another grievance And now King Henry bringing many Pâ—â—ctâ—â—ins over with him who had served him in his warresâ— he was to reward them â—ere which he could not doe but by displacing and spoyle of his Officers First therefore he calleth Ralph Bretton Treasurer of his Chamber to account and grievously Fâ—nes him for defrauding him in his Office Then likewise is Hubert de Burgh Chiefe Justiciar and his Chiefe Counsellour called to account for such Treasure as passed his Office who being further charged with crimes of Treason flies to the Church of Merton for sanctuary from whence when the King commanded him to be drawne out by violence the Bishop of London hearing of it commanded him to be returned back to sanctuary upon paine of Excommunication but the King commanding him to be kept from sustenance hunger at last enforced him to render himselfe to the Kings mercy all his goods which were very great confiscate Also Walter Bishop of Carlile is thrust out of his Office of Treasure and William Rodon knight from his place of Maâ—shall of the Kings house and all the chiefe Counsellours Bishops Earles and Barons of the kingdome are removed as distrustedâ— and onely strangers preferred to their roomes of which course Peter de Rupibus a Poictouin Bishop of Winchester and one Peter de Rivalis the Kings speciall Favorite were said to be the Authors and this was another grievance The King was now about eight or nine and twenty yeares old and a Consultation was had for a fit wife for him There was propounded a sister of Alexander King of Scots but it was not thought fit the King should marry the younger sister when Hubert de Burgh had married the elder he therefore takes one of his owne choosing and marries Eleanor daughter to Raymond Earle of Province by which match he neither had Portion by his Wife nor strength of Alliance by friends or if any were it was all made vaine by distance onely he had by her
the King the estate of his kingdome and the oppressions of Popes inquiry was made of the Revenues which the Romans and Italians had in England which were found to be annually sixty thousand Markes being more then the yearely Revenues of the Crowne which so moved the King that he caused the same to be notifyed with all other Exactions to the Generall Councell now Assembled at Lyons and this with the ill usage of his Agent Martin so vexed the Pope that he is said to have uttered these words It is time to make an end with the Emperour that we may crush these petty Kings for the Dragon once appeased or destroyed these lesser Snakes will soone be trodden downe But upon the Popes rejecting the consideration of these grievances of England and despiâ—ing the Kings message who he said began to Frederize it was absolutely here ordained under great penalty that no contribution of money should be given to the Pope by any Subject of England and the King for a time assents unto it but being of an irresolute and wavering nature and afraid of threats he soone gave over what he undertooke so as the Pope continued his former rapine and though he had promised never to send any more Legats into England yeâ— sent he other Ministers under the title of Clerkes that had as great power as Legats and effected as much And now for the other part of the State new occasions also of complaint were offered Peter of Savoy Earle of Richmond comes into England bringing with him certain Maides to be marryed to young Noble men of this Countrey the Kings Wards of whom Edmund Earle of Lincolne hath one and Richard de Burgh another and the same yeare three of the Kings Brothers by the Mother Guy de Lusignan William de Valence and Athelmar Clerke are sent over to be provided of Estates in England also Thomas of Savoy sometimes Earle of Flanders by Right of his Wife comes with his sister Beatrix Countesse of Provence the Queenes Mother who are againe Feasted and Gifted for which the King is taxed the next Parliament in Candlemas Terme and besides sharply reprehended for his breach of Promise having Vowed and Declared by his Charter never more to injure the State in that kinde also for his violent taking up of provision of Waxe Silke Roabes and specially of Wine contrary to the will of the sellers and many other grievances they complaine of all which the King patiently heares in hope to obtaine his desire but yet nothing is effected and the Parliament being Prorogued till Midsummer following and the King growing more obdurate then before it afterward brake up in discontent But the Parliament not supplying him he is advised to furnish his wants with sale of his Plate and Jewels of the Crowne being told that though they were sold yet they would revert againe unto him and having with great losse received money for them he askes who had bought them Answer is made the City of London That City said he is an inexhaustible Gulph If Octavius Treasure were to be sold they surely would buy it And now to vexe them he appoints a Faire to be kept at Westminster forbidding under great penalty all exercise of Merchandise within London for fifteene dayes and all other Fayres in England and namely that of Ely but this Novelty came to nothing the Inconvenience of the place as it was then and the foulenesse of the weather brought more affliction then benefit to the Traders That Christmas also he requires Newyeares gifts of the Londoners and shortly after writes unto them his Letters imperiously deprecatory to ayde him with money and thereby gets of them twenty thousand pounds for which the next yeare after he craves pardon of them And notwithstanding his continuall taking up all Provisions for his House yet he lessens his House-keeping in no honourable manner And then seeing he could get nothing of the States together he calls unto him or writes to every Nobleman apart declaring his poverty and how he was bound by Charter in a debt of thirty thousand pound to those of Burdeaux and his Gascoynes who otherwise would not have suffered him to depart home at his last being in France but faâ—ling herein of Temporall Lords he addresseth his Letters to the Prelates of whom he findes as little reliefe by much importunity and his owne presence he got of the Abbot of Ramsey a hundred pound but the Abbot of Borough had the face to deny him though the King told him it was more Almes to give money to him then to a Begger that went from doore to doore The Abbot of Saint Albons yet was more kind and gave him threescore Markes To such lownesse did the necessity of this indigent King through his profusion bring him The Iewes ever exposed to his will feele the weight of these his wants One Abraham found a Delinquent redeemes himselfe for seven hundred Markes and Aaron another Iew protests the King had since his last being in France taken from him at times thirty thousand Markes of Silver besides 200. Markes of Gold given to the Queene But now the Lords assemble againe at London and presse him with his promise made unto them that the Chiefe Justiciar Chancellour and Treasurer should be appointed by the Generall Councell of the kingdome but by the absence of Richard Earle of Cornwall which was thought to be done of purpose they returne frustrate of their desire And now the Bishopricke of Winchester falling void the King sends presently to the Monkes of the Cathedrall Church to Elect his Brother Athelmar and because he would not be denyed he goes thither himselfe in person and there enters the Chapter house as a Bishop or Prior gets up into the Presidents Chaire beginnes a Sermon and takes his Text Iustice and Peace have kissed each other and thereupon useth these words To me and other Kings who are to governe the people belongs the rigour of Judgement and Justice to you who are men of quiet and Religion Peace and Tranquillity and this day I heare you have for your owne good beene favourable to my request with many such like words whereby the Monkes finding the earnestnesse of his desire held it in vaine to deny him and Athelmar is Elected but with this reservation if the Pope allow it Shortly after followes the memorable Case of Sir Henry de Bathe a Justiciar of the kingdome and a speciall Counsellour to the Kingâ— who by corruption had attained to a mighty Estate and is said in one Circuit to have gotten two hundred pound land per annum He is accused by Sir Philip Dâ—rcy of falsehood in the Kings Court and the King is so incensed against him that in the Parliament at this time holden in London Proclamation is made that whosoever had any Action or Complaint against Henry de Bathe should come and be heard One of his fellow Justiciars accused him of acquiting a malefactor for a bribe The King seeing Henry
brought to King Edward and for the love of her Prince Leolyn was content to submit himselfe to any conditions which besides subjection of his State was to pay fifty thousand pounds Sterling and a thousand pounds per annum during his life and upon these conditions the marriage with his beloved Lady was granted him and was solemnized here in England whereat the King and Queene were themselves present Three yeares Leolyn continued loyall and within bounds of obedience in which time David one of his Brothers staying here in England and found by the King to be of a stirring Spirit was much honoured by him Knighted and matched to a rich Widow Daughter of the Earle of Darby and had given him by the King besides the Castle of Denbigh with a thousand pounds per annum though as it was afterwards found he lived here but in the nature of a spy For when Prince Leolyns Lady was afterward dead and that he contrary to his Conditions formerly made brake out into rebellion then goes his Brother David to him notwithstanding all these Favours of the King and they together enter the English Borders Surprise the Castles of Flynt and Rutland with the person of the Lord Clifford sent Justiciar into those parts and in a great Battaile overthrew the Earles of Northumberland and Surrey with the slaughter of Sir William Lyndsey Sir Richard Tanny and many others King Edward advertised of this Revolt and overthrow being then at the Vyzes in Wiltshire prepares an Army to represse it but before his setting forth goes privately to his Mother Queene Eleanor lying at the Nunnery of Aimesbury with whom whilest he conferred there was one brought into the Chamber who faigned himselfe being blinde to have received his sight at the Tombe of King Henry the third Aâ—soone as the King saw the man he remembred he had seene him before and knew him to be a most notorious lying Villaine and wished his Mother in no case to beleeve him but his mother who much rejoyced to heare of this Miracle for the glory of her husband finding her sonne unwilling that his Father should be a Saint grew suddenly into such a rage against him that she commanded him to avoid her Chamber which the King obeyes and going forth meetes with a Clergy man to whom he tels the story of this Impostour and merrily said He knew the justice of his Father to be such that he would rather pull out the eyes being whole of such a wicked wretch then restore them to their sight In this meane time the Arch-bishop of Canterbury had gone of himselfe to Prince Leolin and had laboured to bring him and his brother David to a re-submission but could effect nothing for besides other reasons that swayed Prince Leolin the conceit of a Prophesie of Merlin that he should shortly be Crowned with the Diadem of Brute so overweighed him that he had no care for peace and shortly after no head for after the Earle of Pembroke had taken Bere Castle which was the seat of Prince Leolin he was himself slain in battell and his head cut off by a common Souldier was sent to King Edw. who caused the same to be Crowned with Ivie and to be set upon the Tower of London And this was the end of Leolin the last of the Welsh Princes betraied as some write by the men of Buelth Not long after his brother David also is taken in Wales and judged in England to an ignominious death First drawn at a horse taile about the City of Shrewsbury then beheaded the trunke of his body divided his heart and bowels burnt his head sent to accompany his brothers on the Tower of London his foure quarters to foure Cities Bristow Northâ—â—pton York and Winchester A manifold execution and the first shewed in that kind to this kingdome in the person of the son of a Prince or any other Noble man that we reade of in our History It is perhaps something which some here observe that at the sealing of this conquest King Edward lost his eldest son Alphonsus of the age of twelve years a Prince of great hope and had onely left to succeed him his sonne Edward lately borne at Carnarvan and the first of the English intituled Prince of Wales but no Prince worthy of either Wales or England And thus came Wales to be united to the Crowne of England in the eleventh yeare of this King Edwards Raigne who thereupon established the government thereof according to the Lawes of England as may be seene by the Statute of Rutland in the twelfth yeare of his Raigne The worke of Wales being setled King Edward passeth over into France upon notice of the death of Philip the Hardy to renew and confirme such conditions as his state in those parts required with the new King Philip the fourth intituled the Faire to whom he doth homage for Aquitaine having before quitted his claime to Normandy for ever After three yeares and a halfe being away in France he returns into England and now in the next place comes the businesse with Scotland and will hold him woâ—ke at times as long as he lives and his sonne after him Alexander the third King of Scots as he was running his horse fell horse and man to the ground and brake his necke and died immediatelyâ— by reason whereof he leaving no issue but onely a daughter of his daughter Margaret who died also soone after there fell out presently great contention about succession Ten Competitors pretend title namely Erick King of Norway Florence Earle of Holland Robert Bruce Earle of Anandale Iohn de Baylioll Lord of Galloway Iohn de Hastings Lord of Abergeveny Iohn Cummin Lord of Badenaw Patrick de Dunbarre Earle of March Iohn de Vescie Nicholas de Sulâ—s William de Rosse all or most of them deâ—cending from David Earle of Huntington younger brother to William King of Scots and great Unkle to the late King Alexander This title King Edward takes upon him to decide pretending a Right of Superiority from his Ancestours over that kingdome and proving it by authority of old Chronicles as Marianus Scotus William of Malmsbury Roger de Hoveden Henry of Huntington Ralph de Luceto and others which though the Scottish Lords who swaied the Interregnum opposed yet are they constrained for avoyding of further inconveniences to make him Arbiter thereof and the tenne Competitours bound to stand to his award Two are especially found betweene whom the â—ight lay Iohn de Baylioll Lord of Galloway and Robert Brâ—ce the one descending from an elder daughter the other from a sonne of a younger daughter of Alan who had married the eldest daughter of this David brother to King William The controversie held long twelve of either kingdome learned in the Lawes are elected to debate the same at Berwick all the best Civilians in the Universities of France are solicited to give their opinions all which brought forth rather doubts then resolutions whereupon King Edward the better to
Sir Iames Dowglasse the King surrenders by his Charter all his title of Soveraignty to the Kingdome of Scotland restores divers Deeds and Instruments of their former Homages and Fealties with the famous Evidence called Ragmans Roll and many ancient Jewels and Monuments amongst which was the blacke Crosse of Scotland and besides any English man is prohibited to hold lands in Scotland unlesse he were a dweller there In consideration whereof King Bruce was to pay thirty thousand Markes and to renounce his claime to the Counties of Cumberland and Northumberland and any other place possessed by him in England This was no good beginning and yet worse followed after For another Parliament being holden at Winchester Edmund Earle of Kent the Kings Unkle is there accused and condemned upon his confession for intending to restore his brother the late King Edward an intention onely without any fact yet condemned he was and brought to the Scaffold but generally so beloved of the people that he stood on the Scaffold from one a clocke till five before any executioner could be found that would doe the office till at last a silly wretch of the Marshalsey was gotten to cut off his head But the Authors of his death escaped not long themselves for in the third yeare of the Kings Raigne another Parliament is holden at Nottingham wherein the Queen hath all her great Joynture taken from her and is put to her Pension of a thousand pounds a yeare and her selfe confined to a Castle where she remained the rest of her dayes no fewer then thirty yeares a time long enough to finde that her being the daughter of a King the sister of a King the wife of a King and the mother of a King were glorious titles but all not worth the liberty of a meane estate and as for Mortimer lying then in the Castle of Nottingham and lately created Earle of the Marches of Wales he was seised on in this manner the King taking with him William Montacute Robert Holland and others goe secretly one night by Torch-light through a privie way under ground till they came to the Queenes Chamber where leaving the King without they entred and found the Queene with Mortimer ready to goe to bed then laying hands on him they led him forth after whom the Queene followed crying Bel fits â—el fits ayes pitie du gentil Mortimer good son good sonne take pity upon the gentle Mortimer suspecting that her sonne had beene amongst them this course was taken to apprehend him for avoyding of tumult he having no fewer then ninescore knights and Gentlemen besides other meaner servants continually about him But thus seised on he is committed presently to the Tower accused of divers great crimes whereof these were chiefe that he had procured the late Kings death that he had beene the author of the Scots safe escaping at Stanhope Parke corrupted with the gift of thirty thousand pounds that he had procured the late marriage and Peace with Scotland so dishonourable to the King and kingdome that he had beene too familiar with the Queene as by whom she was thought to be with child of which Articles he is found guilty and condemned and thereupon is drawne and hanged on the common Gallowes at the Elmes now called Tiburne where his body remained two dayes as an opprobrious spectacle for all beholders After these businesses in England there comes a new businesse upon him from the King in France for about this time Philippe le Bel King of France the Queens brother dying without issue the right of succession to the Crowne is devolved upon the Heire to Charles a former King wherein are competitours Philip Duke de Valois and Edward King of England Edward is the nearer in bloud buâ— drawes his Pedegree by a Female Philippe the further off but descending by all Males and because the Law Salique excluding Females was conceived as well to exclude all descendants by Females therefore is Philips title preferred before King Edwards and Philip is received and crowned King of France to which preferment of his Robert d' Arthois a Peere of great power gave no small furtherance And now as soone as Philip was Invested in the Crowne he summons King Edward to come and doe his Homage for the Dutchy of Guyenne and his other lands in France held of that Crowne according to the custome which though it were some prejudice to King Edwards claime afterward yet in regard his kingdome of England was scarce well setled and himselfe but young he was contented to doe and thereupon the sixth of Iune in the yeare 1329. King Edward in a Crimson Velvet gowne imbroidered with Leopards with his Crowne on his head his Sword by his side and golden Spurres on his heeles presents himselfe in the body of the Cathedrall Church of Amyens before King Philip sitting in his Chaire of Estate in a Velveâ— Gowne of a Violet colour imbroydered with Flowers de lys of Gold his Crowne on his head and his Scepter in his hand with all his Princes and Peeres about him The Viscount Melun Chamberlaine of France first commands King Edward to puâ— off his Crowne his Sword and his Spurres and to kneele downe which he did on a Crimson Velvet Cushion before King Philip and then the Viscount putting both his hands together betweene the hands of the King of France pronounced the words of the Homage which were these You become Liegeman to my Master here present as Duke of Aquitaine and Peere of France and you promise to beare faith and loyalty unto him Say yea and King Edward said yea and kissed the King of France in the mouth as Lord of the Fee The like Homage also he did for the Earldome of Ponthieu But this act of submission left a rancour in King Edwards heart which afterwards brake so out that it had beene good for France 〈◊〉 had never beene exacted This done King Edward returnes home and there finds a new busines with Scotland upon this occasion Edward Baylioll sonne to Iohn Baylioll sometimes King of Scotland two and thirty yeares after his fathers deposition beganne now to shew himselfe attempting the recovery of that Crowne and comming out of Fraâ—ce where he had all that while remained and getting aide under-hand in Englaâ—d with them he suddenly assailes those who had the government of Scotland during the Nonage of the young King David being at that time with the King of Fraâ—ce and in a battell overcame them with the slaugher of many Noble men and thousands of the common people and thereupon was immediatly Crowned King of Scotland at Scone But notwithstanding this great defeat King Baylioll was forced to retire him into England to get more aide of King Edward who now shewes himselfe in the action joynes with Baylioll against his brother in Law King David goes in person with a strong Army to recover Berwicke which after three moneths siege being valiantly defended by the Lord Seton was taken in and the Army
discharged of his office done of purpose by his enemies to lay a blot upon him A lamentable thing in a State when private envy shall be suffered to undermine the publique safety and by this meanes Sir Thomas Gâ—rard had the more opportunity to sell the Towne for which if he were a gainer in money he was yet a loser in reputation and hated both of French and English in much discontent dyed Arthur Constable of France and Iohn Duke of Alanson besieged the Towne of Aurancâ—es but were with dishonor repelled by the Lord Talbot After this Le Hyre sent Letters to them that he had a promise from divers Burgers of Roâ—â— to let them in at any time appointed against which time they came to Râ—ze within foure leagues of Roan but the Lord Talbot having notice hereof marched covertly to Roaâ— and from thence before day to Ryze where he surprizeth the French takes the Lord Fountaines Sir Allan Geron and many others and with a rich booty returneth to Roan The sixt day of November in the sixteenth year of the Kings Reign the Earle of Warwicke having oftentimes been aboord and still beaten back by tempest landed at Harflâ—w with a thousand fresh Souldiers and from thence came to Roaâ— but in the meane time the Duke of Burgoigne seeing no new Regent yet come besiegâ—th the Towne of Croâ—â—y to the reliefe whereof the new Regent now come sent the Lord Talbot with five thousand men whose approach the Duke not enduring retired to Abâ—evyle leaving onely foure hundred with whom hee had manned the â—â—style by him there erected which was soone gained and all the souldiers either taken or slaine And here the valiant Talbot sent word to the Duke that if he would save his Countrey from vastation he should come to a battell but the Duke not liking the match conveighs himselfe to Aâ—yeâ—s Twenty dayes together did the Lord Talboâ— with fire and sword passe through Piccardie and Arthoâ—s without opposition and then returned Sir Thâ—mâ—â— Kyriell seized upon the Dukes Carriages and Ordnance and having left in Crotoy victuall enough for six hundred men for a whole yeare he brought the rest to the Earle of Warwicke And now Henry Earle of Mortaigâ—e Son to Edmund Duke of Somerset arrived with two hundred Archers and three hundred Spears took the Castle of St. Aâ—yoâ— wherein were three hundred Scots and French the Scots he flew all and hanged the French because they had sworn fealty to England and broke it he tooke likewise the Castle of Algarche and by means of an ambush taketh the Lord Camerois comming to the rescue thereof On the other side the Towns of Neux in Brye and Susan were sold and delivered to the French by the treacherous Burgers In Iune the Earle of Huntingtâ—â— with two thousand Archers and foure thousand Speares was sent into Gascoigne whither the Earle of Danois was lately come to buy Towns and Castles but the Earle of Huntington upon his comming thither changed all the Captains and Officers whereby he prevented all such bargains and so farre had bribery spread it selfe at this time that even in Normandy the English Captaines â—ad but small confidence in the Natives and not much in some of their owne Nation whereupon Sir Richard Woâ—dvile Sir William Chamberlaine and sir William Peâ—o were sent thither to stop the current of that corruption At this time the Councell of France procured a reconcilement between the king and the Dolphin who had beene long in jealousies and dissention which if â—t had not beene done the kingdome had beene torne with Factions and never beene able to subsist And now in a great frost and snow the English under the conduct of Sir Iohn Clifford having covered their Armour with white shirts and their heads with white Almâ—â— skulls came to Ponthois by night and undiscovered past the ditches scaled the walls slew the Guards and tooke the Towne but this good lucke was accompanied with a bad of more importance for presently upon it the Earle of Warwicke dyed in the Castle of Roan and conveyed into England was buried in his Castle of Wâ—rwicke To reduce Pontâ—ois the French King in person layeth siege unto it when Richard Duke of Yorke being the second time made Regent having with him the Earle of Oxford aud the Earle of Ewe levyes a power to raise the Siege and arriving there sends word to the King that the next morning he would give him battell but the King liked not his bidding but leaving his Ordnance at midnight stole away to Poyssy thither also the Regent followes him but with no provocations could draw him to fight About this time a treaty for Peace between the two Kings is appointed to be held at Callis by the mediation of the Dutchesse of Burgoigne a Portugall Lady Commissioners meet of both sides but nothing concluded only the Duke of Orleance who had been prisoner to the English five and twenty years is by the Dutchesse medâ—ation ransomed with three hundred thousand Crowns of the Duke of Burgoignes money The Lord Willoughby besiegeth Deepe which the Dolphin with sixteene thousand men commeth to raise and there young Talbot is taken prisoner with Sir Iohâ— Peto and sir Iohn Repley but are shortly after redeemed by exchange And now another weakning happened to the English party the Earle of St. Paul forsakes them and is reconciled to the King of France The English lay siege to Tartus for the raysing whereof the French King marcheth thither with 60000 men relieveth the Towne and then marcheth to Saveryne which he taketh in and in it Sir Iohn Rampston after which he tooke in Arques but then the English cutting off all convoyes of victualls from comming to him he is forced to returne after whose departure the English recover all that he had taken and to boot take his Lieâ—tenant prisoner slaying or hanging all his Souldiers In this meane while the Lord Talbot taketh in Conquet and driveth the Bastard of Orleance from the siege of Gagliâ—rdâ— but the French in the Castle of Cornhill detained many English prisonersâ— for redeeming of whom Sir Francis the Aragonist used this stratagem he apparelled halfe a dozen lusty fellowes like Peasantsâ— carrying baskets with corne and victualls and sends them to the Castle while he with his company lyes in ambush in a Valley neere the Castle the six unsuspected are admitted and comming to the Captaines chamber seize upon him and withall give the signe to the ambush who comming readily on entred the Castle put the Souldiers to the sword set the prisoners at liberty burnt downe the Castle and with the booty and Captaine of the Castle returned to Roan Whil'st these alternations passed in France a more unnaturall passed in Engâ—and the Uncle riseth against the Nephew the Nephew against the Uncle The Duke of Glocester Articles against the Cardinall charging him with affecting Preheminence to the derogation of the Kings Prerogative and contempt of his Lawes which Articles are delivered to the
chose Sir Thomas Moore who at first disabling himselfe at last made two Petitions to the King one for himselfe that if he should be sent by the Commons to the King on a Message and mistake their intenâ— he might then with the Kings pleasure resort again to the Commons to know their meaning The other for the House of Commons that if in communication and reasoning any man should speake more largely then of duty he ought to do yet all such offences should be pardoned and that to be entred of Record Which Petitions were granted and then the Parliament began where at first a Subsidie was demanded but as there was much adoe in the House of Commons about it so there was no lesse amongst the Clergey in the Convocation House for Richard Bishop of VVinchester and Iohn Bishop of Rochester were much against it but most of all one Rowland Philips Vicar of Croyden and a Canon of Pauls but the Cardinall taking him aside dealt so with him that he took him off so as he came no more to the Houseâ— and then the Bel-weather as one saith giving over his hold the rest soon yelded and so was granted the half of all their spiritual yeerly Revenues to be paid in five yeers following The Clergey being thus brought on on the nine twentieth of April the Cardinall came into the House of Commons to work them also and there shewing the great charges the King was necessarily to be at in his present Wars demanded the sum of eight hundred thousand pounds to be raised of the fifth part of every mans Goods and Lands which was four shillings of every pound This demand was enforced the day after by the Speaker Sir Thomas Moore but the Burgesses were all against it shewing that it was not possible to have it gathered in money for that men of Lands had not the fifth part thereof in Coyne And further alleadged that there be not many parishes in England one with another able to spare a hundred Marks except Cities and Townes and seeing there were not above thirteen thousand Parishes in the Kingdome at this day there are but 9285. how could such a summe be raised Hereupon certaiâ—e of the House were sent to move the Cardinall to be a meanes to the King to accept of a lesser summe but the Cardinall answered he would rather have his tongue plucked out of his mouth with a paire of Pinsors then make to the King any such motion Whereupon the Cardinall came again inâ—o the House and desired that he might reason with them that were against the demand to which it was answered that the order of that house was to heare and not to reason except amongst themselves When the Cardinall was gone the Commons after long debating the mâ—tter at last agreed of two shillings in the pound from twenty pounds upward and from forty shillings to twenty pounds of every twenty shillings twelve pence and under forty shillings of every head of sixteene yeeres and upwards foure pence to be paid in two yeeres when this was told to the Cardinall he was much offended so that to please him the Gentlemen of fifty pound Land and upward by the motion of Sir Iohn Hussey a Knight of Lincolneshire were charged with twelve pence more in the pound to be paid in three yeeres The Cardinall to move them to it bore them in hand that the Lords had agreed to foure shillings of the pound which was untrue for the Lords had granted nothing but stayed to see what the Commons would doe whereof when the King heard he reproved the Cardinall for it saying withall that ere it were long he would looke to things himselfe without any Substitute Which speech of the Kings though it daâ—ted the Cardinall for a while yet he soone recovered his Spirits and now as peremptory afterwards as he had been before After this the Parliament was prorogued till the tenth of Iune during with prorogation the Common people said to the Burgesses we heare say you will grant foure shillings of the pound we advise you â—o doe so that you may goe home with many like threatnings At this time the Cardinall by his power Legant me dissolved the Convocation at Pauls convoked by the Archbishop of Canterbury calling him and all the Clergy to his Convocation at Westminster which was never seene before in England saith Hall The one and thirtieth of Iuly the Parliament was adjourned to Westminster and there continuing till the thirteenth of August was that day at nine of the clock at night dissolved About this time the Bishop of Durham died and the King gave that Bishoprick to the Cardinall who resigned the Bishoprick of Bath to Doctor Iohn Clerke Master of the Rolles and Sir Henry Marney that was Vice-chamberlain was made Lord Privy Seale and shortly after was created Lord Marney also during this Parliament Sir Arthur Plantagenet bastard sonne to King Edward the fourth at Bridewell was created Vicount Lisle in right of his wife who was wise before to Edmund Dudley Beheaded The fifteenth of Iune in the fifteenth yeere of the Kings Reigne Christian King of Denmarke with his Queene driven out of his own Country came into England and was lodged at Bath place who after he had been feasted by the King and by the Citty of London and received great guifts of both returned again into Flanders where he remained as a banished man some yeers after King Henry sent Doctor Henry Standish Bishop of Saint Assaph and Sir Iohn Baker Knight into Denmarke to perswade the people to receive him againe into his Kingdome but they could not prevaile he was so much hated for his cruelty About this time the Earle of Kildare having recovered againe the favour of the Cardinall was sent Deputy into Ireland as he had bin before where he reduced the wilde Irish to indifferent conformity All this while had England warres both with the French and with the Scots In Scotland the Marquesse of Dorset threw downe the Castles of Wederborne of Nesgate of Blackater of Mackwals and burnt to the number of seven and thirty Villages yet never came to skirmish In France the Lord Sands Treasurer of Callice with twelve hundred men went before Bulloigne where he skirmished with the Enemie and after taking divers Churches and Castles in the Enemies Countreâ— returned backe to Callice with the losse onely of a dozen men King Henry being advertised that the Duke of Albanie was providing of Forces in France with which to returne into Scotland sent forth his Vice-admirall Sir William Fitz-williams with divers great Shippes to intercept him but when he could not meet with him he then landed in the Haven of Treporâ— where with seaven hundred men hee beat six thousand French that sought to impeach his landing took their Bulworks and much Ordnance in themâ— burned the suburbs of the town of Treport and all in five houres and then returned All this while King Henry had but played with the French
for the suppressing of so many Monasteries the King instituted certaine new Bishoprickes as at VVestminster Oxford Peterborough Bristow Chester and Gloster and assigned certaine Canons and Prebends to each of them The third of November Henry Courtney Marquesse of Exceter and Earle of Devonshire Henry Poole Lord Montacute Sir Nicholas Carew of Bedington Knight of the Garter and Master of the Kings Horse and Sir Edward Nevill brother to the Lord of Aburgeiney were sent to the Tower being accused by Sir Geoffry Poole the Lord Montacutes brother of high treason theâ— were indiâ—ed for devising to promote and advance one Reinold Poole to the Crowne and put downe King Henry This Poole was a neere kinsman of the Kings being the sonne of the Lady Margaret Countesse of Salisbury daughter and heire to George Duke of Clarence he had been brought up by the King in learning and made Deane of Excetur but being sent after to learne experience by travaile he grew so great a friend of the Popes that he became an enemy to King Henry and for his enmity to the King was by Pope Iulius the third made Cardinall for this mans cause the Lords aforesaid being condemned were all executed the Lord Marquis the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neâ—ill beheaded on the Tower-hill the ninth of Ianuary Sir Nicholas Carew the third of March two Priests condemned with them were hanged at Tyburn Sir Ieoffry Poole though condemned also yet had his pardon About thiâ— time one Nicholson alias Lambert being accused for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament appealed to the King and the King was coâ—tent to heare him whereupon a Thronâ— was set up in the Hall of the Kings Pallace at Westminster for the King to siâ— and when tâ—e Bishops had urged their arguments and could not prevaile then the King tooke him in hand hoping perhaps to have the honour of conâ—erting an Hereticke when the Bishops could not doe it and withall promised him pardon if he would recant but all would not doe Nicholsoâ— remained obstinâ—te the King mist his honor the delinquent mist his pardon and shortly after was drawne to Smithfield and there burnt About this time King Henry being informed that the Pope by instigation of Cardinall Poole had earnestly moved divers great Princes to invade England He as a provident Prince endeaâ—oured aâ—â—arnâ—stly to provide â—or defence aâ—d to that end rode himselfe to the Sâ—a-coast◠〈◊〉 them fortifiâ—â— and in needfull places Bulwarkes to be erected Hee câ—used hiâ— Naâ—â—eâ—â— be rigged and to be in readinesse at any short warning he câ—â—sed Musters â—â— be raken in all sheeâ—es and lists of all able men in eâ—ery Countâ— in Lâ—â—â—don specially where Sir William Forman the â—hen Mâ—jor â—â—â—â—ified the number of fifteene thousand not that they were 〈…〉 but that so many were ready prepared and these on the eight of May the King himselfe saw Mustered in Iames Parke where the Citizeâ—s â—â—â—ove in such sort to exceed each other in bravary of armes and forwardnesse of service aâ— if the City had bin a Campe and they not men of the gownâ— but all profest Souldiers which they performed to their great cost but greater comendâ—â—ion It was now the one and thirtieth yeere of King Henriâ—s reigne and the nine and fortieth of his age when having continued a widdower two yeere he began to thinke of marrying againe and bee needed not be a suiâ—our for a wife for he was sued unto take one The Emperour sollicited him to marry the Dutchesse of Milan but to marry her he must first obtaine a Licence from the Pope and King Henry was resolved rather to have no wife then to have any more to doe with the Pope Then the Duke of Cleve made suit unto him to marry the Lady Anne hiâ— Sister and hee was a Protestant Prince and so though differing in points of Doctrine yet in the maine Point of excluding â—he Pope both of one minâ—e Many about the King were forward for thiâ— Maâ—ch but the Lord Croâ—well specially and indeed it concerned him more then any other that the King should take a Protestant wife seeing 〈◊〉 actions hâ—d beene such as none but â— Protestant Queene would ever like and if the Queene should not like them the King though done by his leave would â—ot like them long Hereupon such meanes was used that Embâ—ssaâ—ours came from the Duke of Cleve to conclude the March and theâ— the elevâ—nth of December the Lady her selfe in grâ—at state was brought first to Callice and then over to Dover and being come to Rochester the King secretly came to see her afterward she was conducted to London meâ— by the way in severall places by all the great Lords and Ladies of the Kingdome The third of Ianuary she was received into London by Sir William Hollice then Lord Major with Orationâ— Pageants anâ— all complements of Staâ—e the greatest that ever had beene seene On Twelfth day the Marriage was â—olemnized the Archbishop of Canterbury did the office the Earle of Oversteine a German Lord gaâ—e her In Aprill following the Lord Cromwell as though he had won the Kings heart for ever by making this march was made Earle of Essex for in March before Henry Rourchieâ— Earle of Essexâ— and the ancientest Earle of England had broken his necke by seeking to breake a yong Horse leaving onely one Daughter and the dying without issue the Earldome came to the Family of Devereux which yet enjoyed not the honour till afterward in Queene Elizabeths time and then made but not restored The ninth of March the King created Sir William Paulet Treasurour of his House Lord Saint Iohn Sir Iohn Russell Controlour Lord Russell and shortly after Sir William Par was created Lord Par. The eight and twentieth of April began a Parliament at Westminster in the which Margaret Countesse of Salisbury Gertrude wife to the Marquesse of Exceter Reynold Poole Cardinall broâ—her to the Lord Montacute Sir Adrian Foskew Thomas Dingley Knight of Saint Iohns and divers others were attainâ—ed of high treason of whom Foskew and Dingley the tenth of Iuly were beheaded the Countesse of Salisbury two yeeres after and in this Parliament the Act of the six Articles was established and Sir Nicholas Hare was restored to his place of Speaker in the Parliament It was now five moneths after the Kings marriage with the Lady Anne of Cleve and though the King at the first sight of the Lady did not like her person yet whether as respecting the honour of Ladies he would not disgrace her at the first meeting or whether he ment to try how time might worke him to a better liking or indeed that he would not give distaste to the German Princes at that time for sole ends he had a working he dissembled the matter and all things went on in a shew of contentment on all hands But for all these shewes the crafty Bishop of London Stephen Gardiner finding how the world went with the Kings affection towards his
spare her Father the Duke of Suffolkes life till his second offence gave her just provocation The goodnesse of her nature might be seene in the badnesse of her fortune who tooke nothing so much to heart as unkindnesse of friends the revolt of Callice and the absence of King Phillip being the two chiefe causes that brought her to her end Of her Death and Buriall THE conceit of her being with childe had kept Physitians to looke into the state of her body so as her distemper at first neglected brought her by degrees into a Dropsie to which was added a burning Feavour brought upon her by a double griefe one for the long absence of King Phillip who had now beene away a yeer and a halfe the other and perhaps the greater for the losse of Callice as she forbore not to say to some about her that if they looked into her Heart being dead they should finde Callice there She began to fall sicke in September and dyed at her Mannour of Saint Iames the seventeenth of Novembâ—r in the â—eer 1558. when she had reigned five yeers four moneths and eleven dayes Lived three and forty yeers Her Body was interred in a Chappell in the Minster of Saint Peters Church at Westminster without any Monument or other Remembrance Men of note in her time OF Men of Valour in her time there were many as may be seen in the Story of her Reâ—gne but to name some for example there was William Herbert Earle of Pembrooke the chiefe assistant of King Phillip in the winning of Saint Quintins there was William Lord Gray of VVilton Captain of Guysnes who though he yeelded the Town yet more out of tendernesse to his Souldiers then out of feare of his Enemies which he would never else have yeelded up and to speake of one of a meaner ranke there was Sir Anthony Ager who in defence of the Town of Callice lost his life but not till he made the Enemie turne their backes and flye Oâ— learned men also there were many as Iohn Rogers borne in Lancashire who Translated the Bible into English with Notes Richard Moryson Knight borne in Oxfordshire who wrote divers Treatises Robert Record a Doctor of Physicke who wrote a Booke of Arithmaticke Câ—â—bert Tunstall of a worshipfull Family in Lancashire though base borne whoâ—e Ancestours came into England with the Conquerour as his Barbour and â—herefore hath three Combs his Armes Bishop first of London and after of Dâ—â—ham who wrote divers learned Workes Richard Sampson Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield who wrote certaine Treaâ—â—ses Lucâ—s Shepheaâ—d borne aâ— Colechester in Essex an English Poet Iane Dudley daughter â—o Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke wrote divers excellent Treatises VVilliam Thomas a VVâ—lshman who wâ—ote the History of Italie and other things Iames Brookes and Iohn Standish both of them writers in defence of the Popes Doctrine VVilliam Peryn a black Fryer who wrote in defence of the Masse and also divers Sermons Henry Lord Stafford sonne to Edward Duke of Buckingham who amongst other things which he wrote Translated a Booke out of Latine into English intituled Differentiaâ— which Booke as some thinke was first compiled by Edward Foxe Bishop of Hereford Iohn Hopkins who translated divers of Davids Psalmes into English Meeter which are to be found amongst those appointed to be sung in the Church THE RAIGNE OF Queen Elizabeth QUeen Mary dying on Thursday the seventeenth of November in the Yeer 1558 her sister the Lady Elizabeth of the age of five and twenty yeers the onely surviving childe of King Henry the eighth by undoubted Right succeeded Her in the Crown which happened in a time of Parliament Nicholas Heath Arch-bishop of York and Lord Chancellor sent to the Knights and Burgesses in the Lower House to repair immediately to the Lords of the Upper House to whom he signified That Queen Mary was that morning dead and therefore required their Assents to joyn with the Lords in proclayming Queen Elizabeth which accordingly was done by the sound of Trumpet first at Westminster and after in the City of London The Queen was then at Haâ—fieldâ— from whence on Wednesday the three and twentieth of November she removed to the Lord North's house in the Charter-house where she stayed till Monday the eight and twentieth of November and then rode in her Chariot thorow London to the Tower where she continued till the fifth of December and then removed by water to Somerset-House in the Strand from whence she went to her Pallace at Westminster and from thence on the twelfth of Ianuary to the Tower and on the fourteenth of Ianuary to Westminster to her Coronationâ— where it is incredible what Pageants and Shews were made in the City as she passed On Sunday the five and twentieth of Ianuary she was Crowned in the Abbey Church at Westminster by Doctor Oglethorp Bishop of Carlile with all Solemnities and Ceremonies in such case accustomed At this time to honour her Coronation she conferred more Honour then in all her life after William Parre degraded by Queen Mary she made Marquesse of Northampton Edward Seymor whose father had been Attaynted she made Earl of Hertford Thomas Howard second son to Thomas Duke of Norfolk she made Viscount Bindon Sir Henry Carie her Cousin German she made Baron of Hunsdon and Sir Oliver St. Iohn she made Baron of Bletsho And now the Queen though she were her self very wise yet would not trust and it was a great point of wisedome that she would not trust to her own wisedome and therefore she chose Counsellors to assist her In which number she took Nicholas Heath Arch-bishop of York William Pawlet Marquesse of Winchester L. High Treasurer Henry Fitz Alan Earl of Arundell Francis Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Edward Stanley Earl of Derby Wil. Herbert E. of Pembroke Edw. L. Clinton L. Admirall and William L. Howard of Effingham Sir Thomas Cheyney Sir William Peter Sir Richard Sackvyle and Nicholas Wootton Dean of Canterbury all which had been Counsellors to Queen Mary and were of her Religion But then to make a counter-poyse of Counsellors of her own Religion she joyned with them William Parre Marquesse of Northampton Francis Russell Earl of Bedford Sir Thomas Parry Sir Edward Rogers Sir Ambrose Cave Sir Francis Knolles and Sir William Cecill late Secretary to King Edw. the sixth and a little after Sir Nicholas Bacon whom she made Keeper of the Great Seal And having thus provided for her State at home she seeks correspondence with Princes abroad To the Emperour Ferdinand she sent in Embassage Sir Tho. Chaloner to the King of Spain in the Low-Countreyes the Lord Cobham to the Princes of Germany Sir Henry Killigrew Sir Aemygill Wâ—ad to the Duke of Holst and another Ambassadour to the King of Denmark There were also Ambassadours sent to the Pope to the State of Venice and to the French King with whom at this time there was a Treaty of Peace holden at Cambray between the Kingdoms of France England and
kept their Feast at Grayes Inne in Holborn Upon the Queens return from Oxford the Parliament began where they presently fell upon the mâ—tter of succession and moving the Queen to marryâ— in which points some went so far that they spared not to accuse the Queen as one carelesse of Posterityâ— to defame Cecill with libells and reproaches as if he were her Counselloâ—â— in this matter but above all to curse Doctor Huic her Physitian who was thought to disswade her from Marriage by reason of I know not what womanish insufficiency At last in the Upper House it was agreed That Sir Nichâ—laâ— Bacon Lord Keeper their Orator should in all their names beseech the Queen to marry and withall to declare a Successor in the Crown if she should happen to die without Issue for which he gave many reasons declaring what mischiefs were likely to befall the Kingdom if she should die before a Successor were designed But in the Lower House there were some amongst whom were Bell and Mouâ—son two Lawyers of great account Dutton Sir Paul Wentwortâ— and other who grew to far higher tearms disparaging the Queens Authority and saying That Princes were bound to designe a Successor and that in not doing it the Queen should shew her self no better then a parricide of her Countrey The Queen was contented to bear with words spoken in Parliament which spoken out of Parliament she would never have endured but not willing to expostulate the matter with the whole number she commanded that thirty of the Higher House and as many of the Lower should appear before her to whom she delivered her minde to this effect That she knew what danger hangeth over a Princes head when a Successor is once declared she knew that even children themselves out of a hastie desire of bearing Rule had taken up Armes against their own fathers and how could better conditions be expected from kindred She had by reading observed That Successors in a collaterall Line have seldom been declared and that Lewis of Orleance and Francis of Angoulesme were never declared Successors and yet obtained the Crown without any noyse Lastly she said Though I have been content to let you debate the matter of Succession yet I advise you to beware that you be not injurious to your Princes patience With these and the like reasons she gave so good satisfaction that they never after troubled her with making any more such motion And though she consented not in plain tearms to declare a Successor yet soon after she gave some intimation of it for one Thornton a Reader of the Civill Law in London who in his Lectures called the Queen of Scots Right in question was clapped up in prison for his labour In the beginning of her ninth yeer Charles the ninth King of Frâ—ncâ— sent his Ambassadour Ramboulet into England to the Queen with the Robes and Ornaments of the Order of S. Michael to bestow upon which two of her Nobility she pleased and she making choice of the Duke of Norfolk and the Earl of Leicester they were by Ramboulet invested with them an Honour that had never been conferred upon any English but only K. Henry the eighth King Edward the sixth and Charls Brandon Duke of Suffolk though afterward prostituted almost to any without difference And now to return to the Affairs of Scotland The nineteenth of Iune last past the Queen of Scots in a happy hour was at Edinborough Castle diliveâ—ed of a Son that was afterward Iames the sixth of Scotland and the first Monarch of Great Britain whereof she presently sent word to Queen Elizabeth by Iames Melvyne who thereupon sent Sir Henry Killigrew to congratulate her safe deliverance and her young son with all demonstration of love and amity But now the love of the Queen of Scots to her husband the Lord Darly was not so hot at first but it was now grown to be as cold and she had not heaped honour on him so fast before but now as fast she taketh them off for where before in all publike Acts she had used to place her husbands name first now she caused it to be placed last and in the coyning of money began to leave it quite out This unkindenesse between them was fomented by one David Rizie an Italian whom the Queen had taken into her service first as a Musician and then taking a liking to him made him here Secretary for the French Tongue by means whereof he had oftentimes secret conference with her when the King her Husband might not be admitted This indignity the King himself being given to his pleasures of Hunting and Hawking resented not so much as some Lords that were his friâ—nds who told him plainly That it stood not with his Honour to suffer this fellow to live By whose instigation the King drawn to plot his death One day taking with him the Earl of Reuven and other he rushed into the Queens Chamber at her Supper time where finding David Rizie at a Cupboord tasting some meat that had been taken from the Table he seized upon him dragged him forth into an outer Chamber and there murthered him the Queen at that time being great with childe and like by that affright to have miscarryed But the Fact being done the King came in to her again assuring her there was no hurt at all intended to her Person The man that had animated the King to do this fact was especially the Earl Murray of whom it is necessary to say something because his part will be the greatest of all the Scottish Actions of this time He was the base sonne of King Iames the fifth and so the base brother of the Queen made at first Prior of Saint Andrewes But not liking that Religious Title he affected rather some Temporall Honour which when the Queen being then in France denyed him then in an angry mood returned into Scotland where by the advice of Knox whom he held for a great Patriark brought the matter so to passe that in an Assembly of the States the Religion was altered and the French were banished out of Scotland Yet afterward as soon as the Queen was a Widow he posted into France and so insinuated with her that she created him Earl of Murray and promoted him to an Honourable Marriage Being thus exalted he returned into Scotland where for the further growth of his ambitious designes he sowed seeds of Sedition affirming often what a misery it was to be under the Command of a woman and that Royalty was not to be tyed to any Stock or Kindred but to Vertue onely whether the parties were legitimaie or no by this course making way to the Kingdom for himself To this end he used all the meaâ—s he could to keep the Queen from marrying again which when he could not effect he then sought wayes how to make discord between her and her Husband for which cause he had caused the King to murther Rizie Of the foulnesse of which Fact when the
the Commissioners made unto her certain Propositions of Agreement First That the Treaty of Edinborough should be confirmed then That she should renounce her Right and Title to England during Queen Elizabeths life or any children of her body lawfully begotten then That she should send her sonne for a Hostage into England with other six Hostages such as the Queen should nominate then That the Castles of Humes and Fast-castle should be held by the English for three yeers with some other To which Propositions the Queen of Scots for the present gave a provident answer but referred the fuller Answer to the Biship of Rosse her Ambassadour in ENGLAND and some other Delegates who afterwards allowing some of the Propositions and not allowing others the Treaty came to nothing but the matter rested in the state it was before Aâ— this time Philip King of Spain had contracted Marriage with Anne of Austria Daughter to the Emperour Maximilian his own Neece by his Sister who was now setting Sayl from Zealand towards Spain when Queen Elizabeth to testifie her love and respect to the House of Austria sent Sir Charls Howard with the Navy Royall to conduct her thorow the Briâ—ish Sea And now was the twelfth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign finished which certain Wizards had made Papists believe should be her last but contrary as if it were but her first a new Custome began of celebrating the seventeenth day of November the Anniversary day of her Raign with ringing of Bells Tiltings and Bon-fires which Custome as it now began so it was never given over as long as she lived and is not yet forborn so long after her death At this time in Ireland Connagher ô Brien Earl of Towmond noâ— brooking the severe Government of Edward Fitton President of Connaght entred into Consultation with some few to raise a new Rebellion which being at the point ready to break forth was strangely discovered for the day before they meant to â—ake up Arms Fitton knowing not at all of the matter sent â—hâ— Earl word in friendly manner That the next day he and a few friends with him would be his Guests The Earl convinced by his own conscience imagined that his Intendments were revealed that Fitton would come as an enemy rather then a Guest Out of which feareâ— he presently set Sayle into FRANCE where repenting himselfe seriously of his fault he confessed the whole businesse to Norris the Queenes Embassadour in France and by his intercession was afterward pardoned and restored In Ianuary the thirteenth yeer of her Raigne Queen Elizabeth in royall pompe entring the City of London went to see the Burse which Sir Thomas Gresham had lately built for the use of the Marchants and with sound of trumpets and the voice of a Herald solemnly named it the Royall Exchange A few dayes after for his many great services she made Sir William Cecill Baron Burgley There were now about the Scottish affaires in the name of the King of of Scots the Earle Morton Peruare Abbot of Dumformelin and Iames Mac-Gray whom when Queen Elizabeth required to shew more clearely for what causes they had deposed the Queen they exhibited a long and tedious Commentary wherein with a certain insolent liberty they endeavoured to prove by the ancient Right of the Kingdom of Scotland that the people of Scotland were above the King and urged Calvins Authority also That Popular Magistrates are constituted for the moderation of the Licentiousnes of Princes and that it is lawfull for them both to imprison Kings and upon just causes to depose them This writing the Queen could not reade without indignation but to the Delegates she gave this Answer She saw no just cause yet why they should handle the Queen in such manner and therefore willed them to think upon some course out of hand how to allay the dissentions in Scotland Hereupon in Sir Nich. Bacons house Keeper of the Great Seal a Proposition was made to the Bishop of Rosse the Bishop of Galloway and Baron Levingston delegates for the Queen of Scots that for the security of the Kingdom and the Qu. of England it were requisite that before the Queen of Scots should be let at libertie The Duke of Castle-Herald the Earle of Huntley and Argyle the Lord Humes Heris and another of the Barons should be delivered for Hostages and the castle of Dumbriton and Hâ—â—eâ— yeelded up into the hands of the English for three yeers But they made Answer that to yeeld up great personages and such fortifications as were demanded were nothing else but to leave the miserable Queen utterly destitute of faithfull friends and naked of all places fit for guard and defence yet they offered to give two Earls and two Barons for Hostages till two yeers were expired which not being accepted they straightway gathered and spoke it openly That now they plainly perceived the English meant to keepe the Queen of Scots perpetually prisoner and likewise to break off the Treaâ—y seeing they rigorously demanded such securitie as Scotland was not able to make good And now Queen Elizabeth seeing that nothing could be done for her owne the King and Queen of Scots safety unlesse Both Factions in Scotland consented she held it fit that the Lords of Scotland should themselves appoint some chosen persons to compound the matter While matters in England proceeded in this sort the Queenes partie in Scotland was hardly used Frythâ— the strongest castle in Scotland was taken and I. Hamilton Archbishop of Saint Andrewes the Duke of Castle-Heralds brother as an accessary to the murder of Dâ—â—lye was hanged without being arraigned according to Law In England the Queen of Scots had all her servants taken from her except Tenne only and a Priest to say masse with which indignities the Queen of Scots provoked causeth a large Commentary of her Counsels with certain love-letters to the Duke of Norfolk to be carried to the Pope and the King of Spain by Ridolphuâ— which being brought first to the Duke Higford one that waited on the Duke in his bed chamber had copyed out but being commanded to burne them he hid them under a Matt in the Duke Bed-chamber and that it should seeme purposely Ridolphus to daw on the Duke to be Head of the discontented Partie in England aggravated to him the wrongs he had sufferedâ— how against all law he had been kept a long time in prison and now to his great disgrace was not Summoned to the Parliament he exhibited to him a Catalogue of such of the Nobilitie who had vowed to Assist him he shewed how the Pope so the Catholick Religion might be promoted would himself undergo all the charge of the Warre and had already layd down an hundred thousand Crownes whereof himself had distributed twelve thousand amongst the English that were fled he promised that the King of Spain would send four thousand horse and six thousand foot to his Assistance to these reasons the Bishop of Rosse added That it was an
Sâ—aâ—ue Hereupon Stubâ—â—s and Page were brought to the Scaffâ—ld made of purpose in the Market place at Westminster and their right hands with a Butchers knife and a malleâ— cut off by the wrest the Printer was pâ—â—donedâ— At that time Stubbs when his right hand was cut off uncovered his head with the left and cried out God save the Queen to the great amazement of all the beholders At this time the Queene upon importunate suite of her Counsell gave way â—hat Edmund Campian Ralph Sherwin and Alexaâ—der Bryant Priests should be called to the â—arre who being accused by vertue of a Law made in the five and twentieth yeare of King Edward the Third to have plotted the ruine of the Queene and Kingdome to be adhering to the Pope the Queens enemy and coming into England to raise Forces against the State were then condemned of High-treason and accordingly executed Campian after he was convicted being demanded First whether Queen Elizabeth wâ—re a lawfull Queen would make no answer afterward Whether he â—ould stand for the Queen or for the Pope if he should send an Army against the Queen he plainly professed That he would be of the Popes side â—nd witnessed so much under his hand After this some other Papists upon the like occasion were also put to death which the Queen rather necessaâ—ily than willingly assented to as being unwilling to force the conscience of any These and the like exorbitancies of Papists were cause that new â—â—d strict Laws were enacted against them the Parliament following which began the next Ianuary The French Duke after three moneths abode in England took his journey in February into the Low-Countries whom the Queen her self brought on his way as far as Canterburyâ— and then commanded the Earl of Leicester the Lord Charles Howard Hunsdon Willoughby Windsor Sheffield Sir Philip Sidney Sir Francis Russell Sir George Bourchier and some other prime knights to accompany him to Antwerpe where he is made Duke of Brabant Limbâ—â—rg and Lorraine for the Dutch had long before removed the King of Spains Government and quitted the people from their oath of Allegiance that it might be in their power to choose any other Prince Heâ—e the Duke of Anjou gave free leave to exercise the Roman Religion to as many as would swear Fealty to him and abjure the King of Spains authority but â—fter all having spent a great masse of money with which he was supplied from England and observiâ—g that only vain and empty titles were conferred upon him while the States held all the Dominion in their own hands he rashly enterprized an assault upon Antwerpe and some other Towns and shortly departed without any great matter performed At this time Queen Elizabeth as well to get her some friends as she had procured her selfe many enemies received into the Order of tâ—e Garter Fredericke the Second King of Denmarke to whom she employed Sir Peregrine Bertye whom she had lately made Lord Willoughby of Eresby to Invest him But now to prevent the Duke of Guyses designe in Scotland which was to make use of the Duke of Lenox favour with the King to withdraw his affection from the English William Reuthen whom the King had lately made Earle of Gowry endeavoured with others by all means to remove Lenox and the Earl of Arran from the King and so while Lenox was gone from Ferth where the King at that time was to Edinburgh and Arran was also absent on a journey The Earls Gowry Marre Lindsey and other taking the opportunity invited the King to the Castle of Reuthen and there detained him not permitting him to walk abroad All his trusty servants they removed from about him Arran they cast in prison enforced the King to call home the Earl of Angus and to send away Lenox into France who being a man of a soft and gentle disposition for the Kings safety readily consented and not content with all this they compelled the King by his Letters to Queen Elizabeth to approve and allow of this his thraldome The Queen of Scots in the mean while bewailing her own hard fortune and the distresse of the King her Son layeth open the same in a large letter written to the Queen in French With which letter Queen Elizabeth being somewhat affected sent unto her Robert Beale Clerk of the Councell to expostulate with her concerning the querulous writing and joyntly with the Earle of Shrewsbury to treat of the setting her at liberty And indeed serious consultation was held at the Councell Table about it and the most were of opinionâ— that upon certain conditions she should have her liberty but the Scottish of the English faction opposing it nothing was effected Soone after this the King sent Colonell William Steward and Iohn Colvill to Queen Elizâ—beth profering all manner of respect and observance and requesting her advice for quieting the tumults in Scotland and also for his contracting of marriage At which time news was broughâ— that the Duke of Lâ—nox was dead in France who departing this life â—t Paris even at the very point of death as oftentimes before made open profession of the Proâ—â—stant Religion thereby confuting those who had maliciously traduced him for a Papist After whose death when the surprizers of the King were lift up in their own conceits as thinking they had him safe enough He on a sudden though scarce eighteen yeers of age with some few others conveyed himselfe to the Castle of St. Andrews to whom the Nobility presently repaired bringing Armed Bands with them as fearing some danger might befall him Afterwards in fair words he advised some of his surprizers to go from the Court for avoyding of tumults and promised them pardon if they woâ—ld crave it But Gowry only asked pardon and submitted himselfe using this distinction That he had not offended in matter buâ— in forme onely and then the King sent for the Earle of Arran to the Court and respected him as his intimate friend imploying him to compose the differenâ—es amongst the Nobility and to purge the kingdome and his own Court from civill dissensions Whiles he is sedulous in these cares comes Sir Francis Walsingham from Queen Elizabeth to advise him not to be led away by evill Councellours to the destruction of both kingdoms He findeth the King accompanied with the flowr of the nobility and beholdeth another maner of Majesty than he looked for in Scotland Plaâ—ing Audience given him he put the King in minde of what the Queen out of Isocrates in private Letters had formerly admonished him That a Prince must be such a lover of Truth that more credit may be given to his bare word than to anothers oath and in many words advised him to beware now in his youth of evill Councellours and alwayes to be like himselfe The King answered That he was an absolute Prince and would not that others should appoint him Councellors whom he liked not but that he had long since devoted the first-fruits of his amitie
board and carryed away a great deale of Gold but the Vessell and Ordnance was wreck to the Governour of Calice Drake and Fencz in the mean while perceiving the Spanish Fleet to gather togethea again before Graveling set upon them with great violence to whom strâ—ightwayes Fenton Southwell Beeston Crosse and Riman joyne themselves and soon after the Admirall himself Sir Thomas Howard and the Lord Sheffield the Galleon called Saint Matthew was sorely battered by Seymor and Winter driven toward Ostend and set upon again by the Zelanders and at last was taken by the Flushingers And now the Spanish Navy having want of many necâ—ssaries and no hope of the Prince of Parma's coming they resolved to returne Northward for Spain in which passage they lost both many Ships and men the English Navy still following them close till they were faine to give them over for want of Powder Whilest these things passed at Sea the Queen â—n Person came to Tilbury to view the Army and Campe there where she shewed such undaunted Courage and Resolution that it wonderfully animated the spirits of them all And thus this Navy which was three whole Yeers in preparing in the space of a month was often beaten and at length put to flight many of their men being slain more then halfe of their Ships taken and sunk of the English not above a hundred at the most missing nor so much as a Ship but Cocks little Vessell and Sayling about all Brittaine by Scotland the Orkeneys and Ireland they returned into Spain with as much dishonour as they came out with boasting for indeed Mendoza in France by a Book in Print Triumphed before the Victory For the happy successe of this Action Queen Elizabeth appointed prayers and thanksgiving over all the Churches of England and she as it were in triumph came in Person attended with a great Troop of the Nobility into the City and went into the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul where the Banners taken from the Enemy was placed in view and there in most humble manner gave thanks to Almighty God And â—hat which increased the publike joy was the newes which Sir Robert Sidney brought out of Scotland That the King had over-past all injuries was lovingly affected towards the English and desired to imbrace sincere and perfect amitie with the Queen For as for the King of Spain he wittily told the Embassadour that he expected no other courtesie from him but such as Polyphemus promised Ulisses that he should be the last whom he would devoure And now dyed the great Earl of Leicester the fourth day of September at his Mannor of Killingworth of a violent Feaver I may well say the great Earl considering the many great Honours he enjoyed which are extant in the Story yet one honour greater then any he had before he effected even then when he was ready to go out of the world and that wasâ— To be Vice-gerent in the high Government of England and Ireland for which the Patent was already drawne and had been sealed but that Burleigh and Hatton shewed the Queen how dangerous a thing it might prove for so great Authority to reside in one Subject He was while he lived in so great favour with the Queen that some thought and himselfe not the least that she meant to marry him yet when he dyed his goods were sold at an Outcry to make payment of the debts he owed her About this time Philip Earl of Arundell who three yeers before had been cast in prison was now cited in Westminster Hall to the judgement of his Peers and Henry Earl of Derby was made High Steward of England for the time The matters layd to his charge were these That he had contracted friendship with Cardinall Allen Parsons the Jesuite and other Traytours exciting divers both abroad and at home to restore the Romish Religion promising his assistance thereunto and for that reason had a purpose to depart the Kingdom That he was privy to the Bull in which Pope Sixtus Quintus had deposed the Queen and given England to the Spaniard that being imprisoned in the Tower he caused Masse to be said for the prosperous successe of the Spanish Fleet and for that purpose had framed peculiar prayers for his own private use Being demanded whether he were guilty of these things turning himself to the Judges he asked them these questions First whether it were lawfull to heap up so many crimes together in one Bill of Indictment They answered that it was Then whether Arguments taken from presumptions were of force They answered that it was lawfull for him to interpose exceptions if he saw cause Then again if he might be Arraigned for those things which were Capitall by the Law made the thirteenth yeer of the Queen after that the time expressed in the Act was expired They promised they would proceed against him by no Law but the old Statute of Treason made in the Raigne of King Edward the Third But now again asked if he were guilty or notâ— He pleaded not guilty whereupon Puckening the Queens Sergeant at Law Popham Atturney Generall Shuttleworth Sergeant at Law and Egerton the Queens Sollicitour in their turnes urged and proved the crimes objected some whereof he denyed some he extenuated but in conclusion was by his Peers found guilty and condemned yet the Queen spared his life and was content with thus much done in terror to the Papists It was now the yeer 1589. And the two and thirtieth of Queen Elizaâ—eths Raign when to be in some sort revenged of the Spaniards for their invasion she gave leave to Sir Iohn Norris and Sir Francis Drake to underâ—ake an Expedition at their own private charges requiring nothing of her but a few Ships of War who took along with them Anthony the bastard laying clayme to the Kingdom of Portingall and of Souldidrs to the number of eleven thousand of Sea-men about fifteen hundred setting Sayle from Plimmouth the fifth day of Aprill they arrived at the Groyne in Gaâ—acia whereof with great valour they took first the Lower town and afterward the Higher and from thence sayling toward Portingall they met Robert Earl of Essex who without the Queens leave had put to Sea After two dayes they arrive at Penycha a Town of Portingall which they took and left the Castle to Don-Antonio and from thence they march by land towards Lisbon threescore miles off The Foot Companies led by Norris whom Drake promised to follow with the Fleet. Being come to the West Suburbs of Lisbon they found no body there but a few poor disarmed Portugalls who cryed out God save King Antonio The day following the Spaniards made a sayle out in which Skirmish Bret Caresley and Carre stout Commanders were slain yet did the Earl of Essex drive the Spaniards to the very gates of the Citie And now having tarryed here two dayes and seeing no signe of the Portingalls revolting which Don-Anthonio had assured them would be finding fresh supplies come
was cast upon the Isle of Thanet in Kent twenty Ells long and thirteen foot broad from the belly to the back bone and eleven â—oot between the eyes One of his eyes being taken out of his head was more then a Cart with â—ix horses could draw the Oyl being boyled out of the head was Parmasittee This yeer also the River Thames ebbed and flowed twice within an hour and in the Month of November the Heaven seemed to be all on fire Also on the four and twentieth of February being a great Frost after a Flood which was not great there came down the River of Severn such a swarm of Flyes and Beetles that they were judged to be above a hundred Quarters the Mills thereabout were dammed up with them for the space of four dayes and then were cleansed by digging them out with Shovells In her threâ— and twentieth yeer in the beginning of April about six a clock after noon happened an Earthquake not far from York which in some places strook the very stones out of Buildings and made the Bells in Churches to jangle The night following the earth trembled once or twice in Kâ—nt and again the first day of May. In her six and twentieth yeer being the yeer 1583 the like Prodigie happened in Dorset-shire as in the yeer 1571 had happened in Hereford-shire A field of three Acrees in Blackmore with the Trees and Fences moved from its place and passed over anoâ—her Field travelling in the High-way that goeth to Herne and there stayed In her eight and twentieth yeer Tobacco was first brought out of the West Indies into England by Ralph Lane In her five and thirtieth yeer there was so great a Drouth that not onely the Fields but the Springs themselves were dried up and many Cattell every where died for want of water The River of Thames likewise did so fail that a horse-man might ride over at London Bridge In her six and thirtieth yeer was a great Plague in London so as there died this yeer in London and the Suburbs seventeen thousand eight hundred and ninety besides the Lord Maior and three Aldermen and Michaelmas Term was holden at S. Albons Of her PERSONAâ—E and CONDITONS SHe was of stature indifferent tall slender and straight fair of Complexion her hair inclining to pale yellow her fore-head large and fair her eyes lively and sweet but short sighted her nose somewhat rising in the midst the whole compasse of her countenance somewhat long yet of admirable beauty but the beauty of her minde was far more admirable She had been a subject which taught her to rule she had been in misery which taught her to be mercifull and indeed never Prince ruled with more Justice and with her Justice mingled more mercy She had more Valour in her then was fit for a woman but that she was a Ruler over men and more Humility in her then was fit for a Prince but that she meant to be a President to women She delighted in nothing so much as in the love of her Peoplâ— which she procured by ordaining good Magistrates and forbearing Impositions Her way not to need them was frugality and her way to have them when she needed them was liberality She made Honour in her time the more honourable by not making it common and indeed knowing it to be an influence from her self she kept it as her self a Virgin and would not prostitute it to unworthy persons She declined being a mother of children to the end she might be a mother of her Countrey and indeed no mother ever loved her children more then she did her people and therefore never children loved a mother more then her people did her She coveâ—ed not so much to be an owner of riches as of rich Subjects for she thought money did as well in their Coffers as in her own and indeed â—he never wanted it when they had it and they alwayes had it when she â—â—eded it Never Prince had a wiser Counâ—ell then she yet never Prince â—eeded it lesse for she was her self a Counsellor to her Counsell In sum whatsoever may in flattery be said of a wise just mercifull religious and learned Prince may truely be said of her in all which if ever she had an â—â—uall yet she never certainly had a superiour In playing her game of â—ortune she loved not an after-game for she liked Preventions better then Remedies She was admirable in expressing her minde both by speech and writing and if collection could be made of her Apophthegms and extemporall Orations it would certainly excell any thing extant in that kinde And for her writing Sir Henry Savile affirms That he had seen some Translations of hers which far exceeded the Originalls Never Prince kept greater State with lesse statelinesse Her Pensioners and Guard were alwayes the tallest and goodliest Gentlemen and Yeomen of the Kingdom her maids of Honour and other women about her the fairest and most beautifull Ladies of the Realm and yet her self a Diana amongst her Nymphes insomuch that a great Lord of France being entertained at Court and the Queen asking him how he liked her Ladies made answer It was hard to judge of Stars in presence of the Sun Of her DEATH and BURYALL IT was now the yeer 1602 when she feeling some Infirmities of Old-age and Sicknesse retired her self at the end of Ianuary to Riâ—hmond at which time in a sad Omen she commanded the Ring to be filed off her finger wherewith she was solemnly at the first inaugurated into the Kingdom and since that time had never taken it off it being grown into the flesh in such manner that it could not be drawn off without filing At the beginning of her sicknesse the Almonds of her Jaws began to swell and her appetite by little and little failed her withall she gave her self wholly to sadnesse and heavinesse which some imputed to her care for the losse of the Earl of Essex others because she heard That divers of the Nobility sought the favour of the King of Scots adoring him as the Sun rising and neglecting her but howsoever in March a kinde of benummednesse seized upon her with a deep melancholly so as she would sit silently refrain her meat and not admit of any conference but with the Archbishop of Canterbury with whom she prayed â—ervently till such time as her speech failed her which failed her a day before she died She being in this case it was thought fit the Admirall and Secretary should go to her to know her minde concerning a Successor to whom she gave this answer My Throne hath been the Throne of Kings I would not a mean person should succeed me The Secretary requesting her to speak more plainly I will said she have a King succeed me and what King but the King of Scots my neerest Kinsman After this the Arch-bishop exhorting her to think of God That do I said she nor do my thoughts ever wander from him And when her tongue no
persons but afterward all sorts of men without any difference were admitted that it came almost to bee doubted whether the Dignity of the Order did more grace the persons or the meanesse of the persons disgrace the Order and indeed when the Lawes of an Institution are not in some measure observed it seemes to make a kind of nullity in the collation About this time on Sunday the â—4 of October an exemplar pennance was imposed upon Sir Peckâ—all Brâ—â—kas Knight which was to stand at Pauls Crosse in a white sheet holding a stick in his hand having been formerly convicted before the high Commissioners for many notorious Adulteries with divers women This yeare 1614. in the month of Iuly Christianus King of Denmark out of his love to his sister and King Iames came the second time into England but as being now secure of himselfe privately and with a small company so as he came to the Queen at Somerset house unexpected and before any knowledge was had of his comming but K. Iames being then in progresse in Bedford-shire and hearing of it came presently back and after he had entertained him here with Hunting Hawking running at Ring Bear-baiting Plays Fire-worksâ— and Fencing on the first of August Prince Charles brought him aboard his Ship who then took his leave and returned home In Octob. this yeare was a call of Sarjeants at Law being 11. in number namely George Wild Wil Towes Richâ— Bawtrie Henry Finch Thâ—â— Chamberlain Francis Moâ—râ— Thomas Attow Iohn Moâ—re Francis Harvie Charles Chibbourn and Tho. Richardson and in Trenity Terme before there had two other been called namely Sir Randal Creâ— of Lincolâ—s Inne and Sir Robert Hitcham of Grayes Inne Knights About this time an Embassador came from the young Emperour of Russia to King Iames desiring his continuall love and amity and to be a means of making attonemeâ—â— between him and the K. of Swethland and withall presented him with a rich present of Furs which was no smal honour to the K. of great Britain to have so great a Potentate as the Emperor of Russia a solicit him to be his mediator Though King Iames out of all naturall goodnesse was addicted to peace yet out of providence he neglected not to be prepared for war and thereupon in the yeare 1610. had granted priviledges to a society called of the Millitarie Garden and this year 1614 caused a Muster of men to be presented before him which was performed to his great liking and to the great commendation of the City About this time a memorable Act was performed by M. Hug. Middleton Citizen and Gold-smith of London and borne in Denâ—igh-shire who having an Act of Parliament for his Warrant with infinite cost and indefatigable labour brought water to the City of London from the two great springs of Chadwell and Amwell in Hartfort-shire having cut a Channell from thence to a place neere Islington whither he conveyed it to a large Pan and from thence in pipes of young Elmes to all places of the City for as the Poeth saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nothing is so commodious for the life of man as water Another memorable Act was about this time done on the North side on Lon. called Moore-fields which being before invironed with deep stinking ditches and noysome common showers was now not only made faire sweet but so levelled into walkes and let with trees that it is the pleasantest place of all the City The next yeare being 1615 another memorable Act for the benefit and beauty of the City of London was performed for Smith-field which was before a rude dirty place was now paved all over and strong railes sequestring the middle part of it were set up to make it a faire walking place and fit for Market or any other use The Lady Arbella a neare kinsewoman of the Kings had sometime before without the Kings privity secretly married Master William Seymour younger son of the Earle of Hartford now Earle of Hartford himselfe for which they were both committed to the Tower and now this yeare on the seven and twentieth day of Sep. she ended her lif there and was buried in the Chappell Royall at Westminster This yeare also in Iuly were Enstalled Knights of the Garter Francis Earle of Rutland Sir George Villers Master of the Horse and Sir Robert Sidney Viscount Lisâ—â— and in another kind of Honour the Earle of Arundell the Lord Carews and Doctor Andrews Bishop of Ely were sworne Privie Counsellours Wales by the death of Prince Henry had been a good while without a Prince and now to supply that place Prince Charles is Created Prince of Wales In Ioy whereof the Town of Ludlow in Shropshire and the City of London performed great Triumphs and the more to honour his Creation There were made five and twenty Knights of the Bathe all them Lords or Barons sons and yet more to honour it there were forty selected Gentlemen of the Innes of Court that performed a solemne Iusts at Barries with great magnificence This yeare was a Censure of divers great Delinquents for first Sir Edward Cookâ— was upon displeasure discharged from being Lord Chiefe Justice of the Kings Bench and two dayes after his discharge Sir Henry Montagâ—e the Kings Sergeant at Law was placed in his room Next to him the Lord Egerton whyther disabled by sicknesse or age to exercise the place or upon displeasure also had the Sele taken from him which was delivered to Sir Francis Bacon the King's Attourney he made first Lord Keeper and the Lord Egerton dying soon after Lord Chancellour Not long after him Sir Henry Yelverton the Kings Attourney for adding new priviledges to the Londoâ—ers Charter without the Kings privity was in displeasure put from his place and in his room was placed Sir Thomas Coventry the Kings Sollicitor But awhile after Sir Henry â—elverton was made a puny Iudge of the Common Pleas having indeed the reputation of an excellent Lawyer And yet this work of Censuring stayed not here for much about this time Thomas Earle of Suffolk Lord Treasurer of England had the staffe of his Office taken from him which was soon after delivered to Sir Henry Montagâ—â— Lord Chiefe Iustice of the Kings Beâ—ch If Sir Iohn Benet Iudge of the Prerogative Court had made a little more haste he mihght have made one in this number of Delinquents but he came short three or foure yeares and then being charged by his own servant with brybery he was put from his place and censured in the Starre-Chamber to pay twenty thousand pounds and in his roome was placed Sir William Byrde a man of more integrity Though King Iames upon the death of Queene Elizabeth came to reside in England yet â—e forgot not that Scotland was his native Countrey and therefore after he had spent some yeares in England to acquaint himselfe with the State of the Kingdome In March this yeare one thousand six hundred and sixteentâ— he made a Iourney into Scotland for though
expresse his Character in a word which worthily might be matter for many volumes He was to his wife a most loyall husband to his children a most loving father to his servants a most bountifull Master to his Subjects a most just prince to all Princes neare him a most peaceable neighbour that more justly it may be said of him than of whom it was said Quaete tam laeta telerunt saecula a Prince afâ—eâ— Plato's owne heart for his learning and which is infinitly more worth after Gods owne heart for his Religiousnesse and Piety Oâ— his Death and buriall OF his death there were many scandalous rumours spread and some were so impudentâ— as to write that he was poysoned as the Duke of Richmond and the Marquis Hambleton had been before but King Iames being dead and his body opened there was found no signe at all of poyson his inward parts being all sound but that his Spleen was a little faulty which might bee cause enough to cast him into an Ague The Ordinary high way especially in old bodies to a naturall death Of this ague after a months anguishing notwithstanding all the remedies that could be applyed he departed this life aâ— Thâ—â—balds on the 27 of March in the yeare 1625 in the 59 yeare of his ageâ— when he had Raigned two and twenty years compleat His body for the greater Staâ—e was convayed by Torche light from Theobalds to Denmark house who having tested from the 23 of Aprill to the 7 of May it was carryed to Westminster and there interred in the Chappell Royall with great solemnity but with greater lamentation there being scarce any of the infinite multitude that was present of whom it might not be said Multa gemens largoque humectat flumine Vultum Of Men of note in his time MIlitary Men of Note in a time of Peace as the whole Raigne of King Iames was we have no reason to expect yet if we look amongst the Voluntaries that went to the Schoole of War in the Low-Countryes we shall find a payre of brothers that may stand in comparison with the greatest Souldiers in the most Martiall times S. Francis Vere who as another Hanniball who with his own eye could see more in the Martiall Discipline than common men can do with two and Sir Horatio Vere who as another Philopaemen contained in a very little body a very great both skill and courage But for Men of Note in Learning as being in the time of a most learned Prince there was never greater store of whom these for example In curiousnesse of Preaching there was Doctor Andrewes Bishop of Winchester who hath left to posterity a Century of such golden Sermons that shews he as well deserved the name of Chrysostome as he that had it In multiplicity of Reading there was Doctor Reynolds of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford who seemed as it were a living Library and one would have thaught his Memory to be a perfect Index of all the Books had ever beene written In knowledge of Law there was Sir Edward Cook Chiefe Iustice of the Kings Bench who hath written such excellent Commentaries of the Law that he seemes as another Bartholus or Baldus amongst us In Elegancy of writing there was Sir Francis Bacon Viscount Saint Albans who besides his profounder Books of Novum Organum hath written the Reigne of K. Henry the 7 in so sweet a style that like Manna it pleaseth the tast of all palats In the skil of Antiquities there was William Camden King at Armes who hath set forth the Description of Brittaine and the life of Q. Eliz. in so lively colours that he seems to have brought Brittaine out of darknesse into light and to keep Q. Eliz. alive after her death And to speake it in a word the Trojan Horse was not fuller of Heroick Grecians than K. Iames His Raigne was full of men excellent in all kinds of Learning And here I desire the Reader leave to remember two of my own old acquaintance the one was Mr. Iohn Dunne who leaving Oxford lived at the Iâ—nâ—â— of Court not dissolute but very neat a great visiter of Ladies a great frequenâ—er of Playes a great writer of conceited Verses untill such time as King Iames taking notice of the pregnancy of his Wit was a meanes that he betooke him to the study of Divinityâ— and thereupon proceeding Doctour was made Deane of Paules and became so rare a Preacher that he was not only commended but even admired by all that heard him The other was Sir Woottonâ— mine old acquaintance also as having been fellow pupils and chamber fellows in Oxford divers yeares together This Gentlemen was imployed by K. Iames in Embassage â—o Venice and indeed the Kingdom afforded not a fitter man for maâ—ching the Capriciousnes of the Italian Wâ—â—s a man of so able dexterity with his Pen that he hath done himself much wrongâ— and the Kingdom more in leaving no more of his Writings behind him Of the English Plantation in the Indies that wâ—re iâ— King IAMES his time ANâ— now we are come to a time wherein we may very neare say as much of King Iames as was said of Agustus Caesar Super Garamantus Indos profert Imperium In this better that where Augustus did it by the violent way of Armes King Iames did it by the civill way of Plantations for in his dayes began the great plantation of the English in the Indies and must be acknowledged the proper effect of his peaceable Government The first Plantation of the English in the Indies was that which is now called Virginia in memorie of the Virgin Queen Elizabeth but called before Wingandacoa It was first discovered by Sir Walter Rawlegh in the yeare 1584 to whom the first Letters Patents were granted for making a Plantation there but yet no Colony was sent thither till the yeare 1606. It is a Countrie in America between the degrees of 34 and 45 of the North Latitude but that part of it which is planted by the English is under the Degrees of 37 38 and 39. It is no Island as many have imagined but a part of the Continent adjoyning to Florida The first and chiefe Towne made here by the English is called Iames Towne in honour of the Kings most Eexcellent Majesty It is a Countrie abounding with all sorts of Fish and Fowle so fruitfull that it yeelds thirtie and sometimes fortie Bushells of Corne upon an Acre and that which to us is more strange hath three harvests in a yeare the Corne being sowed ripe and reaped in little more than two moneths Manyâ— Plantations had beene attempted here before but came to nothing the first to any purpose was in the yeare 1607. under the conduct of Captaine Gosnoll Iohn Smith and Mr. Edw. Maria Winkfield who carried a Colonie thither of a hundred persons but of these many dying of sicknesse or slaine by the Savages a new supply came in the yeare 1608. of a hundred and twenty
Spain where for England was employed the Earl of Arundell Thursbey Bishop of Ely and Doctor Wootton Dean of Canterbury with whom William Lord Howard of Effingham was joyned by a new Commission As soon as King Philip heard of the death of his wife Queen Mary paâ—â—ly out of considerations of State and partly out of affection of love he solicited Q. Elizabeth by his Ambassadour the Earl of Feria to joyniâ— Marriage with himself which was no more for two sisters to have successively one husband then was done before for two brothers to have successively one wife and for this he promised to procure a Dispensation from the Pope To which motion the Queen though she well knew That to allow a Dispensation in this case to be sufficient were to make her own Birth Illegitimate yet to so great a Prince and who in her sisters time had done her many favours she would not return so blunt an Answer but putting the Ambassadouâ— off for the present in modest tearms She conceived there would be no better way to take him off clean from further sute then by bringing in an Alteration of Religion which yet she would not do all at once and upon the sudden as knowing the great danger of sudden changes but by little and little and by degrees as at first she permitted onely Epistles and Gospels the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Creed to be read to the People in the English Tongue in all other matters they were to follow the Romane Rite and Custome untill order could be taken for establishing of Religion by Authority of Parliament and a severe Proclamation was set forth prohibiting all Points of Controversie to be medled with by which means she both put the Protestants in hope and put not Papists out of hope Yet privately she committed the correcting of the Book of Common Prayer set forth in the English Tongue under King Edward the sixth to the care and diligence of Doctor Parker Bill May Cox Grindall Whitehead and Pilkington Divines of great Learning with whom she joyned Sir Thomas Smith a learned Knight but the matter carryed so closely that it was not communicated to any but â—o the Marquesse of Northampton the Earl of Bedford and Sir William Cecile The two and twentieth of March the use of the Lords Supper in both kindes was by Parliament allowed The four and twentieth of Iune the Sacrifice of the Masse was abolished and the Liturgy in the English Tongue established though as some say but with the difference of six voyces In Iuly the Oath of Supremacy was propounded to the Bishops and others And in August Images were removed out of Churches and broken or burnt By these degrees the Religion was changed and yet the change to the wonder of the world bred no disturbance which if it had been done at once and on the sudden would hardly at least not without dangerous opposition have been admitted During this time a Parliament had been summoned to begin at Westminster upon the fifteenth of Ianuary and now the Queen for satisfaction of the people appointed a Conference to be held between the Prelates of the Realm and Protestant Divines now newly returned who had fled the Realm in the time of Queen Mary for the Prelates were chosen Iohn White Bishop of Winchester Ralph Bayne Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield Thomas Watson Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Cole Dean of Pauls Doctor Langdell Arch-deacon of Lewis Doctor Harpsefield Arch-deacon f Canterbury and Doctor Chadsey Arch-deacon of Middlesex For the Protestant side were appointed Doctor Scory Doctor Cox Doctor Sands Doctor Whitehead Doctor Grindall Master Horne Master Guest Master Elmer and Master Iuell The place was prepared in Westminster Church where besides the Disputants were present the Lords of the Queens Councell with other of the Nobility as also many of the Lower House of Parliament The Articles propounded against the Prelates and their adherents were these First That it is against the Word of God and the Custome of the ancient Church to use a Tongue unknown to the people in common Prayer and in the Administration of the Sacraments Secondly That every Church hath authority to appoint and change Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall Rites so they be to edification Thirdly That it cannot be proved by the Word of God that there is in the Masse a Sacrifice Propitiatory for the living and the dead For the manner of their Conference it was agreed it should be performed in writing and that the Bishops should deliver their Reasons in writing first The last of March was the first day of their meeting where contrary to the Order the Bishops brought nothing in writing but said They would deliver their mindes onely by Speech This breaking of Order much displeased the Lords yet they had it granted Then rose up Doctor Cole and made a large Declaration concerning the first Poynt when he had ended the Lords demanded if any of them had more to say who answered No Then the Protestant Party exhibited a written Book which was distinctly read by Master Horne This done some of the Bishops began to affirm they had much more to say in the first Article This again much displeased the Lords yet this also was granted them to do at their next meeting on Munday next but when Munday came so many other differences arose between them that the Conference broke off and nothing was determined But in the Parliament there was better Agreement for there it was enacted That Queen Elizabeth was the lawfull and undoubted Queen of England notwithstanding a Law made by her Father King Henry the eighth that excluded both her and her sister Mary from the Crown seeing though the Law be not repealed yet it is a Principle in Law That the Crown once gained taketh away all defects Also in this Parliament First fruits and Tenths were restored to the Crown and the Title of Supreme Head of the Church of England was confirmed to the Queen with so universall consent that in the Upper House none opposed these Laws but onely the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir Anthony Brown Viscount Mountague and in the Lower House only some few of Papall inclination murmured saying That the Parliament was packt and that the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Arundel and Sir William Cecill for their own ends had cunningly begged voyces to make up their Party The Supremacie thus confirmed to the Queen the Oath was soon after tendred to the Bishops and others of whom as many as refused to take it were presently deprived of their livings And that we may see how inclining the Kingdom at this time was to receive the Protestant Religion It is said that in the whole Realm wherein are reckoned above Nine thousand Spirituall Promotions there were no more that refused to take the Oath but onely fourscore Parsons fifty Prebendaries fifteen Masters of Colledges twelve Archdeacons twelve Deans six Abbots and fourteen Bishops indeed all that were at that time