Rosa munda Non redolet sedolet quae redolere solet Being much incensed against Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury he once cried out Me miserum non possum in meo regno pacem cum uno sacerdote habere nec quisquam meorum omnium est qui me hac molestia liberare velit Which words were so interpreted by some that it occasioned his death Stapleton a Jesuit put forth a Book entituled Tres Thomae St. Thomas the Apostle Thomas of Becket and Sir Thomas More He canonizeth the two last and writes far more of them then of the first For the death of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury he was scourged with rods by the Monks of Canterbury and had eighty lashes Geffery Archbishop of Yorke and base son to King Henry the second used proudly to protest by his faith and the Royalty of the King his father To whom one said You may sometimes Sir as well remember what was the honesty of your mother Petrus Blesensis was Archdeacon of Bath under him There was a very strange presage of his death by a Meer or Pool in Normandy for all the Fishes therein leapt forth on land in the night time and fought together with such a dreadfull noise that men came in great numbers to behold the wonder and not one Fish could be found alive in the Pool Other strange accidents are also reported When he died there were found in his Coffers nine hundred thousand pounds besides Plate and Jewels His youngest son was called Iohn Lackland because he had no land assigned him in his fathers time Titles he lacked none for his father had made him Earl of Cornwall Dorset Sommerset Nottingham Derby and Lancaster He raigned thirty four yeares seven moneths and five dayes CHAP. XV. RICHARD the first HE was for his valour sirnamed Coeur de Lion or the Lions heart Hugh Nevill a Gentleman of noble linage one of King Richards speciall familiars is recorded to have slain a Lion in the holy land driving first an Arrow into his brest and then running him through with his Sword Whereupon this Hexameter was made Viribus Hugonis vires periere Leonis The strength of Hugh a Lion slew Which atchievment belike was transferred from the man to the Master and the Story applied to the King by name of King Richard Coeur de Lion But this is only Weevers opinion He was crowned at Westminster by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury He being at dinner in his Hall of Westminster hearing the French King besieged Vernoyâ—e he swore that he would never turn his face till he had fought with him if he did abide and caused the wall to be broken before him and so passed to Normandy and receiving his brother Iohn to mercy raised the siege for the French King fled as soon as he heard of Kings Richards coming A Prince of a most haughty mind and full of resolution born for the Weal of Christendome the honour of England and the terrour of Infidels With the beams of his victories atchieved in Cypres and Syria he made our Countrey of England most famous and renowned through the world He had trained up in his Court a Rymer or Minstrell called Blondell de Neste who being so long without the sight of his Lord his life seemed wearisome to him It was known that he came back from the holy land but none could tell in what Countrey he arrived Whereupon this Blondell resolving to make search for him in many Countries but he would hear some news of him after expence of divers dayes in travell he came to a Town by good hap near to the Castle where his Master King Richard was kept Of his Host he demanded to whom the Castle appertained and the Host told him it belonged to the Duke of Austria Then he enquired whether any prisoner was there detained or no for alwayes he made such secret questionings wheresoever he came and the Host answered that there was one only prisoner but he knew not what he was and yet he had been detained there more then the space of a year When Blondell heard this he used such meanes that he became acquainted with them of the Castle as Minstrels do easily win acquaintance any where but see the King he could not neither understand that it was he One day he sate directly before a window of the Castle where King Richard was kept prisoner and began to sing a song in French which King Richard and Blondell had sometime composed together When King Richard heard the song he knew it was Blondell that sung it and when Blondell paused at half of the song the King entreated him to sing the rest Thus Blondell won knowledge of the King his Master and returning home into England made the Barons of the Countrey acquainted where the King was Whereas before his time the City of London was governed by Portgraves he granted them to be governed by two Sheriffs and a Maior as now it is Iohn the Kings brother making an incursion up to Beauvois where the Bishop being also an Earl of the royall bloud and the eleventh Peer of France valiantly fighting was taken in the skirmish armed at all points and bravely mounted on whose behalf the Pope upon the Bishops humble suit pleading the Clergies immunity wrote somewhat earnestly to King Richard to set his very dear son for so he called the Bishop at liberty The King in a kind of pleasant earnestness caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop to be presented to the Pope with this question Vide an tunica filii tui sit an non Whereupon the Pope replied That he was neither his son nor the son of the Church and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings will because he was rather judged to be a servitor of Mars then a souldier of Christ. In his time were those famous Out-laws called Robin-hood and Little Iohn He was wounded in the arm by an Arrow shot at him out of a Cross-bow by Peter Bisile of which wound he died within four dayes after CHAP. XVI King Iohn WHose Raign had it not fallen in the time of so turbulent a Pope so ambitious neighbour-Princes so disloyall Subjects nor his Story into the hands of exasperated Writers he had appeared a King of as great renown as misfortunes His overhasty undertakings brought in those broyls of the Barons Wars Before this Kings time we seek in vain for any great Councel He first as may be gathered though darkly by the Record used their Councels and Assents in the sixth year of his Raign He had by his Wife Isabel a son Henry who succeeded him in the Kingdome In his voyage towards Ireland as he was in his journey in the borders of Wales there was one taken and brought before him who had killed a Priest The Officer desired to understand the Kings pleasure what he would have done to him Let him
Bastards as begotten in the highest heat and strength of affection have many times been men of excellent proof both in courage and in understanding â—his was verified in Hercules Alexander the great Romulus 〈◊〉 King Arthur in Homer Demosthenes Bartholus Gratian 〈…〉 Peter Comestor See Peacham compleat Gentleman c. 1. p 9. 〈…〉 alâ—cubi leâ—â—sse prisâ—os septentrionales populos etiam spurios 〈◊〉 in successionâ—m nec illâ—us igitur tituli gloriosum Angliae subactorem 〈◊〉 Normannâ—m puâ—â—â—â—sse videtur qui Epistolam ut alias plurâ—s ad Alanum Brittaniae minâ—ris comitem sic orditur Ego Wilielmus Cogâ—nâ—mâ—nto Bastardus Henrici Spelmanni Glossarium Vide Polyd. Virg. Aug. hist. l. 8. Sir Iohn Hayward in the life of William the first reports this jest somewhat otherwise though he agree in the substance The arrow was first brought into this Land by the Normans Hollinshed and Sir Iohn Hayward in William the first As long Bows were the weapons with which this King conquered England so they were the weapons with which England under after-Kings conquered France as if it were not enough for us to beat them unless we did beat them with their own weapons Sir Richard Baker Subjectis humilis apparebat facilis inexorabilis erat rebellibus Matth. Paris hist. Ang. Daniels History Vide Henrici Spelmanni Glossarium p 287. Curfu aliter Corerfu à Gal. Couvrir tege re feu ignis Latine Ignitagium Spelmanni Glossartum Vt ferociam populi ad otiumper-ducereâ— omnibus 〈◊〉 ademit statuit que ut quisque pater familias vesperi circiter horam octavam post meridiem tecto ciueribus igne dormitum tret ad ad signum vicatâ—m dari voluit per campanas it quot etiam nunc servatur Normannice vulgo dicitur Coverfu Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist l. 9. Lamberts Archeion p. 24. Monumentum totius Britranniae non dico antiquissimum sed absque controversia augustissimum duobus magnis voluminibus Angliae descriptionem continens Alià s Liber judiciarius alià s censualiâ— Angliae alià s Angliae noticia lustratio interdum Rotulus Regis à similitudine antiquioris Rotulus Wintoniae Liber Wintoniae nuncupatum Spelmanni Glossarium Vide plura ibid. 〈◊〉 praefat ad Eadmeri historiam Sir Iohn Hayward in his life p. 23. â—14 Sir Iohn Hayward Cardinal Perron the learned French man was a fat corpulent man and had a great belly A French Lady to quip him said thus to him Mouasieur quaâ—d vous vous accoucherez To whom he replyed Quand vouâ— sâ—ras sage femme Speed Silent lâ—gos inter arma Lambards Arâ—â—tion Verstegans Antiq. c. 6. p. 182. Pueritiam aâ—â— spem regui literis municbat subinde patre quoque audiento jactare Proverbium solitus Rex illiteratus Asinus coronatus Malmesb de Henrico primo l 5. One and twenty years and one moneth saith Fox Seventy four saith Polyd Virgil. Qua enim conditio sortis humanae non moneat ad pictatem cùm auditum suâ—rit Regem istum qui tantae potentiae in vitâ suâ extitit ut in tota Anglia in tota Normannia in tota Cinomanensi patria neâ—o contra imperium ejus manum movere auderet Mox ut in terram spiritum exhalaturus positus est ab omni homine sicut accepimus uno solo duntaxat serviente excepto derelictum cadaver ejus sine omni pompa per Sequanam naâ—cella delatum cum scpeliri deberet ipsam terram sepulturae illius à quodam rustico calumniatam qui eam hereditario jure reclamans conquestus est illam sibi jam olim ab codem injuria fuisse ablatam Eâ—dmeri historia novorum Viâ—â— Maâ—mesb Polyd. Virg. de Wilielmo primo * Or Courthosâ— of his short Hose or Brâ—eches Or Courtois of his courteous behaviour Sir Iobn Haywards Lives of the three Norman Kings of England p. 125. 222. See Renasus Morean in his Prolâ—gomena to his learned Animadversions by which he hath illustrated that work Vossius de Philosophia c. 12. Joannes de Meâ—iolano medicus nomine â—ollâ—gii Scholae Salernitanae conscripâ—i librum cui titulus Schola Salernitana Id ibid. By a fall from his Horse Deâ—raudaverat Gulielmus pater Robertum regno Angliae partim non oblitus ejus in se impietatis contumaciae partim veritus si ille id obtineret ne ejus facilitas qua praeditus erat ad defectionem paratiores non redderet Anglos quos ipse laeserat quapropter rem tutiore loco fore putà vit si Rufo cujus jampridem morum pariter acerbitatem atque immanitatem naturae cognitam habucrat committeretur Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 10. Sir Iohn Hayward * Brittarnia in Glocester-shire See more there of him He seems to have followed the example of Iacob who gave to his younger son Ioseph the land which he had taken with his Sword and his Bow Besides in the rebellion of his son Robert this son stood firmly for him and in his quarrell hazarded his life Sir Richard Baker Robert was then absent in Germany Incomparabilis proculdubio nostro tempore princeps si non â—um magnitudo patris obruâ—reâ— nec ejus juventutem fata praecipitassent ne per 〈◊〉 maturiorem aboleret â—rrores â—centia potestatis impetus juvenili contractos Malmesb de Wilielmo secundo l. 4. He is therefore ill spoken of by Clergy men He claimed the investitute of Prelates to be his right He forbad appeals to Rome Malmesb. Vnum adificium ipsum per maximum domum in Londoniâ iâ—câ—pit perfecit non parcens expensis dummodo liberalitatis suae magnificentiam exhiberet Malmesb. Daniels History Malmesb. Veterum plerique traditur transsossum fuisse Regem sagitta quam in ferarum vivario quod novam Forestam dicimus jactu infoelici collimaraâ— Gualterus Tyrellus Gallus idque est receptissimum Scd accuratius multo quam caeteri singularia omnia quae miseram Regis caedem Tyrelli jactum fatalem attinent narrat Ordericus Vitalis in hist. Eccles l. 10. p. 783. Seldeni notae ad Eadmerum Vide Malmesb de Wilielmo secundo l 4. Henricus ob singularem quae pro regio fuit nomine eruditionem Belloclericus dictus Seldeni Ianuâ—â— Anglorum Vide ejus dissert ad c. â— Henricus Rex urbanitate comitate affabilitate lenitate justitia fortitudine omnes sui temporis Principes anteire putabatur Huc etiam acces sit quod oâ— ni literarum genere Cantabridgiae Lutetiaeque instructus à pueritia ita profecit â—ut Wilielmus ejus pater eum Episcopali muâ—â—ri aptum censuerit Qui doctâ—nae praesidio saluberrimâ—s multas leges ipse condidit Papales technas saepe offecit caâ—â—è vitavit ut siâ—cam opportunitatem quam Henricus octavus nactus fuisset Papalem jurisdictionem exterminasset praefractum ac à Papa concitatum in se clerum in officio tenuisset Joscâ—lini Antiq. Brit. p. 124. Infans cum omnium votis conspirantibus
as he was hunting within the New-Forrest before he had made experiment of his worth He was buried at Winchester with this inscription Hic jacet Richardus filius Wilielmi senioris Berniae Dux To Henry the King gave at the time of his death five thousand pounds out of his treasure but gave him neither dignity nor Lands foretelling that he should enjoy the honour of both his Brothers in time and far excell them both in dominion and power He succeeded his Brother William in the Kingdome of England and wrested Normandy out of the possession of Robert When William the first drew near his end he commended the Kingdome of England to his second son William with many blessings admonitions and prayers for his prosperous success He dispatched him unto England with Letters under his own Seal to Lanâ—rancke then Archbishop of Canterbury whose authority was great with the Clergy and people of the Realm It was conjectured by some that the King was guided in this choice no less by his judgment then by his affection because he esteemed the fierce disposition of his son William more fit to govern a people not well setled in subjection then the flexible and mild nature of his eldest son Robert Cambden saith he was berest of the Kingdome of England because he was born before his Father was King Milles gives two reasons why the Conquerour preferred his younger son unto the Kingdome before his eldest Partly for his disloyalty and disobedience and partly doubting lest through the facility of his nature he should give occasion unto the English men to take heart unto them and to rebell against him whereas William his younger Brother was a man of more rough and harsh nature and therefore fitter as his Father thought to bear rule and command over a warlike and new conquered people Sir Iohn Hayward in the life of William the second discusseth that controversie whether Kings may prefer younger sons and quite disinherit elder sons of the Kingdome and resolves it negatively The Glossographer upon the Decrees noteth that the son of a King may be called King during the life of his Father as wanting nothing but administration A little before his Fathers death William journeyed toward England and quickly arrived at the Port called Whitesand where he received the first report of his Fathers death Hereupon with all speed he posted to Lanfrancke delivered his Fathers Letters and forthwith was declared King and not long after was crowned at Westminster His hair was deeply yellow by reason whereof he was called Rufus say Polyd. Virgil and others He doubted of some points of Religion then professed namely of praying to Saints worshipping of reliques and such like He endeavoured to abate the tumorous greatness of the Clergy at that time and attributed not so much to the See of Rome as divers Kings before him had done He restrained his Subjects from going to Rome and withheld the annuall payment of Peter-pence and was often heard to say that they follow not the trace of St. Peter they greedily gape after gifts and rewards they retain not his power whose piety they do not imitate Albeit he promised to the English whilest his first fears and jealousies continued that they should enjoy free liberty of hunting yet did he afterwards so severely restrain it that the penalty for killing a Deer was death During Lanfranckes life he so lived that he might have been a mirrour of Princes though afterwards he gave himself to sensuall lust and covetousness Matthew Paris condemns him much It is reported that when his Chamberlain upon a certain morning brought him a new pair of Hose the King demanded what they cost and the Chamberlain answered three shillings hereat the King grew impatient and said What heavy beast dost thou take these to be convenient Hose for a King Away beggar and bring me other of a better price Then the Chamberlain departed and brought a far worse pair of Hose for a better could not at that time be found and told the King that they cost a mark The King not only allowed them for fine enough but commended them also as exceeding fit He walled the City of London and built the great Hall at Westminster which is two hundred seventy foot in length and seventy four foot in breadth He set forth a Proclamation that none should go out of the Realm without his license by which he drew much money from many From thence the custome or Law of Ne exeas Regno seems to have taken its beginning His usuall Oath was by St. Lukes face Malmesb. Coming to imbarque at Dartmouth the Mariners told him the weather was rough and there was no passing without imminent danger Tush said he set forward I never yet heard of King that was drowned Answerable to that of Iulius Caesar which enforced a poor Pilot in the like case to launch forth and in the rage of the storm comforted him with saying Caesarem Caesaris fortunam veâ—is Charles the fifth in the Battell of Tunis when he was advised by the Marquess of Guasto to retire his person when the great Ordnance began to play said Marquess thou never heardst that an Emperour was slain with a great shot Sir Walter Tyrell aiming at the Deer where the King was hunting within the New-Forrest with an Arrow and looseing his Bow either too carelesly at the Deer or too steadily at the king saith Polydore Virgil struck him therewith full upon the brest The King having so received the wound gave forth a heavy groan and presently fell down dead So much of the Arrow as was without his body was found broken whether with his hand or by his fall it is not certainly known He raigned in great variety of opinion with his Subjects some applauding his vertues others aggravating his vices twelve yeares eleven moneths wanting eight dayes and was at his death forty and three years old Sir Iohn Hayward in his life p. 219. CHAP. XIII King Henry the first sirnamed Beauclerke HE apprehending the opportunity of Duke Roberts absence did forthwith seize upon the treasure of the King and thereby also upon his State and so was crowned at Westminster by Maurice Bishop of London because Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury was then in exile For his learning he was called Beauclerke fair Clerk or fine Scholar brought up in the study of the liberall Arts at Cambridge He was sirnamed Leo justitiae in all Stories one of the most noble Princes that ever raigned in this Realm Sir Thomas Eliots Governour Cambden urgeth this against him as if his justice was by the common people deemed cruelty Cambd. Rem He was excellent in wit eloquent in speech and fortunate in Battell and for these three he had three notable vices covetousness cruelty and lechery Stowes Chron. By his example the young Nobility of the Realm began to affect a praise for learning insomuch as