Earl of Sussex had five Sons whereof Egremont his Son by the second Wife was attainted of Treason Thomas the third Earl Son and Heir of Henry had two Wives but died without Issue 15. The Earl of Huntington was George Lord Hastings created 21. Henry 8. He had Issue Francis the 2d Earl and Sir Edward Hastings whom Queen Mary made Baron of Loughborough that died without Issue Sir Thomas Hastings also who died without Issue And Henry and William besides three Daughters Francis the 2d Earl had Issue Henry the third Earl who died without Issue and four other Sons whereof William died without Issue Sir George Hastings Brother of Francis succeeded in the Earldom and left many Male-branches whereof Henry the Issue of his eldest Son Francis was the fifth Earl and had Issue Ferdinando 16. The Earl of Hertford was Edward Seymour created Anno 29. Henry 8. made Duke of Somerset c. Edw. 6. He was committed to the Tower in the third Year of the King for divers great Offences but then obtained a Pardon and being arraigned of Treason and Felony 1 o Decemb 5. Regis was quit for the Treason and condemn'd for the Felony and therefore beheaded the 22d of July following He had two Sons by his first Wife that died without Issue Edward his 3d. Son or eldest by his 2d Wife the Lady Anne Daughter of John Stanhope Esq succeeded in all his Fathers Honours for a short time namely from the Death of his Father on 22 June 5. Edw. 6. to the End of the next Session of Parliament which was the 25th of April following But the Honours being entail'd upon him and therefore not forfeited for his Father's Attaindure for Felony Misfortune and the Malice of his Adversaries yet so wrought upon him as in this Session they were all taken from him by Parliament with most of his Inheritance which gracious Queen Elizabeth commiserating restor'd him to the Earldom of Hertford and Barony of Seymour To let pass his other Off-spring his Grandchild Edward the 3d. Earl of Hertford fell into King James's displeasure by marrying the Lady Arabella Stuart for which both of them were committed to the Tower 17. The Earl of Bridgwater was Henry Lord Daubeney created 20 July 30. Hen. 8. He died without Issue Anno Edw. 6. and so his Name Family and Dignity was extinct This Earl of Bridgwater was reduc'd to that extremity that he had not a Servant to wait on him in his last sickness nor means to buy Fire or Candles or to bury him but what was done for him in Charity by his sister Cicely married to John Bourchier the first of that Name Earl of Bathe Verba Henrici Bourchier manu sua scripta A Catalogue of the Barons present in Parliament 1. Audley Then John Tonchet Lord Audley who had Issue George Tonchet Lord Audley who had Issue Henry Tonchet Lord Audley who had Issue George Tonchet Lord Audley and Earl of Castle-Haven attainted and beheaded and the Barony of Audley being in see extinguisht 2. Zouche Was John Lord Zouche who had Issue Richard Lord Zouche who had Issue Edward Lord Zouche Son of George Lord Zouche Lord St. Maur and Cantelupe of Harringworth in Northamptonshire who sold his ancient Inheritance died without Issue-Male and his Barony extinct 1 Caroli His first Wife proving disloyal she was divorced from him that he regarded not the two Daughters which he had whom therefore he suffered to marry far below his Degree and Honour as himself saith in his Will upon Record The Eldest being married to Sir William Tate in Northamptonshire the other to in Worcestershire 3. De-laware Tho. Nest Lord De-laware Son of Tho. Lord De-laware that died the 16th Henry 8. married Eliz. Daughter and Co-heir of John Bonvill died without Issue William Nest Son of George Nest Brother of Tho. Lord De-laware being of the Age of 18 Years 1 Edw. 6. was disabled by Parliament to succeed his Uncle as conceiv'd to have imagined his Death and 2 or 3 of Philip and Mary was attainted of Treason by Commission in London Restored in Blood as Heir to Sir George his Father about 3 or 5 Eliz. and created a new Baron De-laware in 8. and had Issue Tho. De-laware Father or Grandfather of him now living 4. Morley Henry Parker made Lord Morley in right of Alice his Mother Daughter and Heir of William Lovell Lord Morley died 27 Novemb. 4. Mar. had Issue Henry who died in the Life of his Father leaving Issue Hen. Lord Morley that died at Paris 1578. Had Issue Edw. Lord Morley who died April 1618 and had Issue William Lord Morley and made Montegle 1 Jacobi and died 1622. and had Issue Henry Lord Morley and Montegle now living and Francis 5. Dacres Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South being in company with certain Gentlemen hunting in Nicholas Potham's Park there committed a Riot and Murther of Bransrigg He was hang'd at Tyburn on St. Peters Day 33 Hen. 8. He had issue Thomas Lord Dacres who died within age and Gregory Lord Dacres who died without issue 1594 and his Family so extinct Margery his Sister and Heir was married to Sampson Leonard who had issue Henry Lord Dacres who had issue Richard Lord Dacres Father of now Lord Dacres a Child 6. Dacres of Gilsland William died 1563 had issue Thomas Lord Dacres Leonard George S. P. Edward Francis George Lord Dacres Son of Thomas Lord Dacres being but 7 Years old and granted Ward to the Duke of Norfolk brake his Neck by a fall from a Vaulting-horse at Charterhouse Anno ... Eliz. And his Barony and Family extinct he dying without issue Male his two Sisters and Heirs were married to the Dukes Sons Philip Earl of Arundel and the Lord William Howard Thomas Lord Dacres Son of William Lord Dacres had issue William slain at Thetford 1569 his Sisters and Heirs Anne married to Philip Howard Mary married to Thomas Howard Elizabeth to Lord William Howard 7. Cobham George Brook Lord Cobham Son of Thomas Lord Cobham who died 1529 died 1558 had Issue William Lord Cobham He died 1597 and five other Sons which William had Issue Henry Brook Lord Cobham attainted and died 1618 S. P. and Sir William Brook S. P. and George Brook attainted and executed at Winchester An. 1603 the Barony extinct 8. Maltravers Henry Fitz-Alam Son of William Fitz-Alam the 10th Earl of Arundel which William died 35 H. 8. was in the life of his Father Lord Maltravers and Baron of Parliament and after the death of his Father the last Earl of Arundel of that Name 9. Ferrers Walter Lord Devreux Lord Ferrers of Chartley Son of John Devreux Lord Ferrers was created Vicount Hereford 1 Edward 6. had Issue Richard that died in the life of his Father and had Issue Walter Devreux Earl of Essex suspected to be poison'd and had Issue Robert Devreux Earl of Essex attainted and executed 1601 and Walter Devreux slain at the Siege of Roan Earl Robert had
issue Robert restor'd 1. Jacobi 10. Powis Edward Grey of Northumberland Lord Powis Son of John Grey Lord Powis married Anne the base Daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and died without issue and his Family extinct 11. Clinton Edw. Lord Clinton whose Father died 9 Hen. 8. was made Earl of Lincoln 14 Eliz. and died 27th Eliz. and had Issue Henry Earl of Lincoln who had Issue Thomas Earl of Lincoln Father of Theophilus now Earl 12. Scroope John Lord Scroope of Bolton Son of Henry Lord Scroope of Bolton which John in Henry 8's time married the Daughter of the Earl of Cumberland had Issue Henry Lord Scroope who died 1592 and had Issue Thomas Lord Scroope who died 1609 who had Issue Emanuel Lord Scroope Earl of Sunderland that died without lawful Issue and both Barony and Earldom extinct 13. William Sturton had Issue Charles Lord Sturton who for murthering Mr. Argile and his Son was hang'd at Salâ—sbury 6. March 1565. He had Issue John Lord Sturton S. P. and Edw. now Lord Sturton 14. Latimer John Nevil Lord Latimer lived 23 Hen. 8. and had Issue John Nevil Lord Latimer who died 1577 19 Eliz. without Issue Male and his Family and Barony extinct notwithstanding his four Daughters 15. Montjoy Charles Blunt Lord Montjoy who succeed his Father William Blunt Lord Montjoy and died 38 Henry 8. had Issue James Lord Montjoy who died 1581 had Issue William Lord Montjoy S. P. 1594 and Charles made Earl of Devon 1603 and died 1606 without lawful Issue so the Family and Barony was extinct but for a base Son of his Montjoy Blunt was created Lord Montjoy 3 Jacobi and afterwards Earl of Newport Anno 4. 16. Lumley John Lord Lumley marry'd Jane the eldest Daughter and Co-heir of Henry Fitz-Alam the last Earl of Arundel of that name and had by her Charles Thomas and Mary who died all without Issue so his line was extinct 17. Montegle Sir Edward Stanley created Lord Montegle 6 Henry 8. had Issue Thomas Stanley Lord Montegle who married Mary Daughter of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and had issue William Stanley Lord Montegle who died without issue Male and his Barony extinct till King James Anno 1. conferr'd it on William Parker after Lord Morley for revealing the Gunpowder-Treason having married Elizabeth Daughter and sole Heir of the aforesaid William 18. Windsor Andrew Windsor made 21 Henry 8. and died 33 and had issue William Lord Windsor q. ob 1558 who had issue Edward Lord Windsor who died 1575 who had Fredrick Lord Windsor who died Sept. 28 Eliz. and Henry Lord Windsor who died 1605 who had issue Thomas now Lord Windsor yet without issue 19. Wentworth Thomas Lord Wentworth made 21 Henry 8. had issue Thomas Lord Wentworth who died 1590 who had issue William Wentworth who died 1582 S. P. and Henry Lord Wentworth who died 1593 who had issue Thomas Lord Wentworth created Earl of Cleveland 1 Caroli and had issue Thomas his Son and Heir apparent 20. Burrough Thomas Lord Burrough had issue Edward that married Qu. Catherine now S. P. William who had issue Henry eldest Son slain by Sir Tho. Holcroft near Kingston Anno 1578 and Thomas Lord Burrough Deputy of Ireland and Sir John Burrough slain by Sir John Gilbert 1594. Thomas Lord Burrough had Issue Robert Lord Burrough that died a Child without issue 1601 and the Barony extinct The first Thomas had issue besides Edward and William Sir Thomas Burrough S. P. and Henry Father of Nicholas who had issue Sir John Burrough ut creditur slain at Rees 21. Bray Sir Edmund made Baron 21 Hen. 8. and had issue John Lord Bray died without issue and so the Barony and Line extinct but he had six Sisters 22. Walter Hungerford made Baron of Hatsbury 28 Hen. 8. was beheaded for Buggery and his Barony extinct yet he had issue Sir Walter Hungerford Knight who died without issue Male and so this Family extinct 23. St. John William Paulet was created Lord St. John of Basing 30 Hen. 8. and made Earl of Wiltshire 3 Edward 6. and 5 Edward 6. Marquess of Winchester who had issue John Marquess who had issue William Marquess who had issue William Marquess Father of William Lord St. John that died S. P. and of John now Marquess 24. Sir John Russel was made Baron 30 Hen. 8. and Earl of Bedford 3 Edw. 6. he had Woburn Abby for his Dwelling-house with the Church turned to a strange use even the Stable he had Francis the second Earl of Bedford his sole issue who had four Sons and three Daughters 1. Edmund Lord Russel died without issue 2. John Lord Russel died without issue Male. 3. Francis Lord Russel treacherously slain by the Scots in time of Truce but left two Sons who died without issue Edward the 4th Earl of Bedford and then Sir William 4th Son of the first Francis was by King James made Lord Russel of Thornhaugh whose Son Francis is now the 5th Earl and long may he live and prosper 25. William Parr made Baron Parr of Kendall 9. March 30 H. 8. after Earl of Essex and lastly Marquess Nortston had three Wives was divorced from his first and died without issue York 186. Leonard Lord Gray Lord Lieutenant of Ireland holdeth a Parliament in Ireland 1. Maii 28 Hen. 8. at Dublin wherein he passeth an Act for the suppressing of Abbies Chron. of Ireland pag. 100. In the 32 of the King he is called home and sent to the Tower and in the 25th of June 33 he was to be arraigned in the King's Bench at Westminster and to be try'd by a Jury of Knights being no Lord of Parliament but confessing the Indictment had his Judgment and was beheaded at Tower-Hill the third Day following a Man of singular Valour that had formerly serv'd his Prince and Country most honourably in France and Ireland Stow 32 Hen. 8. and 33. Now I labour in observing the Particulars seeing the whole body of the Baronage is since that fallen so much from their ancient lustre magnitude and estimation I that about 50 Years agoe did behold with what great respect observance and distance principal Men of Countries apply'd themselves to some of the meanest Barons and so with what familiarity inferiour Gentlemen often do accost many of these of our times cannot but wonder either at the Declination of the one or at the Arrogance of the other but I remember what an eminent Divine once said in a Sermon he compared Honour among Dignities to Gold the heaviest and most precious Metal but Gold saith he may be beaten so thin as the very Breath will blow it away so Honour may be dispers'd so popularly that the Reputation of it will be pretermitted To say what I observe herein as the Nobility spoiled God of his Honour by putting those things from him and communicating them to lazy and vulgar Persons so God to requite them hath taken the ancient Honours of Nobility and communicating them to
saith Malmsbury that which I saw perform'd for not long after his Son Roger Possessing his Father's Inheritance was Banish'd by King Henry I. for putting an Officer of the King 's to Death in an head-long fury Malms de Gest. Pont. p. 271. And his Sheriffwick went to Beaumont who Married his Sister Camb. 578. Hugh Earl of Shrewsbury with Hugh Earl of Chester was sent by William Rufus to assail the Welch-men in Anglesey which they perform'd with great cruelty not sparing the Churches For the Earl of Shrewsbury made a Dog-kennel of the Church of St. Fridank laying his Hounds in it for the Night time but in the morning he found them mad But it chanced that Magnus King of Norway came in the mean time to take also the same Island and encountering the Earl of Shrewsbury at Sea shot him in the Eye where only he was unarm'd and the Earl thereupon falling out of the Ship into the Sea was both Slain and Drown'd and dy'd without Issue Girald Camb. Hov. in Ann. 1098. Holl. ib. Cat. EE Shrewsb Geoffrey the 16th Abbot of St. Albans living whilst he was young a Secular Man and teaching at Dunstable did there about the beginning of King Henry I. make a Play of St. Catharine call'd Miracula and for Acting of it did borrow of the Sexton of St. Albans divers Copes that belong'd to the Quire of St. Albans for the Service of God and having used them prophanely in his Play both the House wherein they were and the Copes themselves were the next Night casually Burnt Geoffery for great Grief hereupon gave over the World and by way of a Propitiatory Sacrifice offer'd up himself a Monk in St. Albans where afterward in the Year 1119. viz. 19 or 20. of Henry I. he was made Abbot Lib. MS. de Abbatibus Sti. Albani Madoc ap Meredith Prince of Powis spoiling two Churches in Anglesey and part of the Isle was with all his Men Slain in the return Stow p. 217. Sherbourne in Dorsetshire was made an Episcopal See in the Year 704 or 705. And as the use of the time was with many Curses no doubt against him or them that should violate it or should get or procure it to be alien'd from that Bishoprick St. Oswald who flourish'd 270 Years after fortifi'd those Curses as is reported with divers other bitter imprecations It continu'd peaceably in the Possession of the Bishops till the time of King Stephen then Roger Bishop of that See translated by his Predecessor to Salisbury building three sumptuous Castles one at Sherbourn another at Devizes and the third at Malmsbury the King supposing they might turn to his prejudice sent for the Bishop and took and imprison'd him with some others of his Coat and calling a Council of the Peers and Baronage obtain'd a Statute to this effect That all Towns of Defence Castles and Munitions through England wherein Secular business was went to be exercised should be the King 's and his Barons And that the Church-men and namely the Bishops as Divine Dogs should not cease to bark for the desence and safety of their Sheep and to take diligent heed that the invisible Wolf that malignant Enemy wory not or scatter the Lord's Flock Thus the King obtain'd these Castles that he thirsted after with the Bishop's Person and Treasure beside And being summon'd hereupon to a Synod at Winchester by his Brother Henry Bishop there and Legate of the Pope he sent Albery de Vere Earl of Guisne and Chamberlain of England a Man of excellent Speech and singularly well learned in the Law whom some report to be made Chief Justice of England after the said Roger him I say did the King send to the Synod as his Attorney or Sergeant at Law to defend his Cause which he did with so great Art and Dexterity that nothing was therein determin'd But mark the issue e'er a twelve Month came to an end the Earl Albery de Vere was Slain in London Florileg in Ann. 1140. The King himself within another twelve month taken Prisoner and being deliver'd upon an exchange for the Earl of Glocester spoileth divers Churches by his Flemish Soldiers and buildeth the Nunnery of Wilton into a Castle where the Town is fired about his Ears his Men slain his Sewer Plate and other things taken and himself driven to escape by a shameful Flight He continueth his Wars with unprofitable Success falleth at discord with his Barons and is driven to make Peace with Duke Henry his Adversary His Son Eustace displeased therewith applieth himself to spoil Cambridge-Shire and those parts falleth upon the Lands of the Abby of Bury and carrieth the Corn to his Castles and sitting down to Dinner as he put the first Morsel in his Mouth he fell Mad and dy'd miserably Mat. Par. Ann. 1152. Stow Ann. 1153. In the end he stated the Crown upon the Duke Henry being compell'd thereto and dying had no lawful Issue Male to propagate his Family his Sons of that sort being taken away in his Life time Having spoken of those Curses set of old like Bulwarks about the Castle of Sherbourn to defend it against Sacrilegious Assailants and of the Operation they had in those Ancient Days it falleth very fitly in my way to shew also in what manner they have uttered their venome since that time of old for tho Poison temper'd by an Apothecary with over long keeping will lose its strength yet the Poison that lurketh in the Veins of Curses lawfully imposed is neither wasted nor weakened by Antiquity but oftentimes breaketh forth as violently after many Ages as if they were but of late denounced Like the implicite Curse that devour'd the seven Sons of Saul for breaking the Covenant with the Gibeonites made above Five Hundred Years before their time See therefore a farther Collection touching this matter delivered unto me above three Years since by a Person of great Place and Honour The Castle of Sherbourne was granted to the See of Salisbury by St. Oswel with several bitter Imprecations and Cursings on him or them that should get or procure Sherbourne to be aliened from that See St. Oswel praying that he or they might die Issueless or Unfortunately that should so take it King Stephen was the first that got it from that See after the first Donation Ann. 1139. His Death and his Son 's Dying Mad make it observable Will. Martel King Stephen's Sewer had it who being taken Prisoner gave it for his Ransome Ann. 1142. Reg. 7. Hoved ibid. p. 488. In Edward III. time the Earl of Salisbury had it who dy'd Issueless and not Fortunate Then the Duke of Northumberland had it who was Attainted After the Duke of Somerset had it who was Attainted After the Lord Paget had a Lease from the Bishop who was Attainted After him Sir Walter Rawleigh had it who was Attainted After him the Earl of Somerset had it who was Attainted for Felony The Crown had it Prince Henry had it
miserable Fugitives saith the Story pa. 79 80. Dom. Touching their Issue I find that Fitz-Vrs fled into Ireland and I heard there that the Wild-Irish and Rebellious Family of Mac-Mahunde in the North Parts is of that Lineage The Family of another of them is at this Day prosecuted with a Fable if it be so that continueth the Memory of this Impiety for in Gloucestershire it is yet reported that wheresoever any of them Travelleth the Wind is commonly in their Faces The Quadripartite History call'd Quadrilogus printed at Paris An. 1495. saith The Murderers after this Horrible Fact rode that Night to a Manour of the Archbishops named there corruptly Sumantingues forty Miles Leucas distant from Canterbury lib. 3. c. 20. and that being Men of great Possessions active Soldiers and in the strength of their Age yet now they became like Men beside themselves stupid amaz'd and distracted repenting entirely of what they had done and for Penance took their way to the Holy-Land But Sir Will. Tracy being come to the City of Cossantia in Sicily and lingring there fell into an horrible Disease so that the parts of his Body rotted whilst he lived and his Flesh being dissolved by the Putrefaction himself did by piece-meal pull it off and cast it away leaving the Sinews and Bones apparent In this misery this wretched Murderer as it was testified by the Bishop of that City who was then his Confessor ended his Days but very penitently His other Complices lived not long after for all the four Murderers were taken away within three Years after the Fact committed Dicti Libri lib. 4. c. 71. RICHARD I. IT appeareth by a MS. Copy of Mat. Paris which I have wanting much of that which is Published and having much which the Published wanteth that King Richard I. had spoiled some Church of the Chalice and Treasure and that it was thereupon conceived that the revengeful Hand of God pursued him to his Death First by tickling his covetous Mind with the report of hidden Treasure found by one Vidomer a Viscount of Britain in France which he the King claim'd to belong to him by his Prerogative And then in stirring him to raise War against the Viscount for it and to besiege him in the Castle and Town of Chalus in the Countrey of Limosin whither the Viscount was fled and had carried the Treasure as it were to train the King to that fatal place importing the name of a Chalice But here it so fell out that the King being repelled in his Assault and surveying the Ground for undermining the Town-Walls one Peter Basil struck him in the left Arm or about the Shoulder with a Quarrel from a Cross-Bow out of the Castle The King little regarding his Wound pursued the Siege so as within twelve Days he took the Town and found little Treasure in it But his Wound in the mean time â—estering deprived him of his Life April 9. in the tenth Year of his Reign being about 44 Years old Hereupon a Satyrist of that time wrote this tart Dystichon related in the MS. Mat. Par. Christe tui Chalicis praedo fit praeda Chalucis Aere brevi rejicis qui tulit aera Crucis i. e. He that did prey upon thy Chalices Is now a prey unto the Chaluces And thou O Christ rejectest him as Dross That robb'd thee of the Treasure of thy Cross. King Edward I. Anno Regni 23. took all the Priories Aliens and their Goods into his Hands allowing every Monk 18 d. a Week reserving the overplus to his Treasury and Wars And in Anno 1295. Regni ejusdem caused all the Monasteries in England to be search'd and the Money in them to be brought up to London He also seiz'd into his Hands all the Lay-Fees because they refused to pay to him such a Tax as he demanded Stow in dicto An. p. 317. Mat. Westm. in An. 1296. saith it was a fifth part of their Revenues And for that being prohibited by the Council of Lions upon pain of ... they refused he seiz'd all their Lands and Goods as well of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Robert Winchelsea as other and put them out of his Protection c. Godwin p. 148. Presently after this the King's Forces were overthrown in Gascony Mat. Westm. p. 408. And tho' he prosper'd in his Wars against Scotland and wholly subdued it yet shortly after Rob. le Bruce recovered it from him and overthrew his Son Edward II. with a mighty Army at Burnocksbourne from whence escaping by flight he after suffer'd great Afflictions and Calamities by means of his own Wife and Barons and was at last Deposed Imprisoned and Murther'd Giraldus Cambrensis a good Author reporteth that one Hur Chaplain to William de Bruce a great Lord in Wales in the time of King John of his Chapel of St. Nicholas in the Castle of Aberhodni did Dream in a Night that one bid him tell his Lord that had taken away the Land given in Alms to that Chapel and presumed to detain it that Hoc aufert fiscus quod non accipit Christus Dabis impio Militi quod non vis dare Sacerdoti The King's Exchequer shall take that from thee that thou wilt not suffer Christ to enjoy and the impious Soldier that which thou wilt not permit unto the Priest The Words are St. Austin's in Serm. de Temp. spoken against them that invade Tithes and Church Rights and that which is there threatned against them saith Giraldus hapned most certainly in a very short time to this With-holder Vidimus quippe nostris diebus c. For we have seen saith he in our own Days and found certainly by undoubted verity that Princes and great Men Usurpers of Ecclesiastical Possessions and chiefly by name King H. II. Reigning in our time and tainted above others with this Vice a little Leven corrupting the whole Lump and new Evils falling thereby daily upon them to have consum'd all their whole Treasure giving that unto the hired Soldiers which they ought to have given unto the Priest He mentioneth not what it was particularly that hapned to Bruce but commiserating him as a singular good Man runneth out into a long Commendation both of him and his Wife The rest therefore of this Tragedy I must supply out of Mat. Par. who in An. 1209. reporteth thus That King John doubting the Fidelity of his Nobles sent a Troop of Soldiers to require of them their Sons or Nephews or near Kinsmen for Hostages Coming to Will Bruce's and demanding his Sons the Lady Maud his Wife in the humor of a Woman preventing her Husband said I will deliver no Sons of mine to your King John for that he beastly Murdered his Nephew Arthur whom he ought to have preserved Honourably Her Husband reproved her and offer'd to submit himself to the Tryal of his Peers if he had offended the King but that would not serve The King understanding it sent his Soldiers in all haste a privily as he could to
which we omit The said Monasteries were given to the King by authority of divers Acts of Parliament but no provision was herein made for the said Project or any part thereof Only ad favendum populum these Possessions were given to the King his Heirs and Successors to do and use therewith his and their own Wills To the Pleasure of Almighty God and the Honour and Profit of the Realm Now observe the Catastrophe In the same Parliament of 32. Henry VIII when the great and opulent Priory of St. Johns of Jerusalem was given to the King he demanded and had a Subsidy both of the Clergy and Laity and the like he had in 34. Henry VIII and in 37. Henry VIII he had another Subsidy And since the dissolution of the said Monasteries he exacted divers Loans and against Law receiv'd the same Thus the great Judge the Lord Coke doth severely censure the ill-doings under Henry VIII and sheweth that notwithstanding the infinite Wealth in Money Lands and other Riches which came to the King by the dissolutions yet the People were burthen'd with more Taxes Subsidies and Loans than ever in former Times That it fully appeareth that as the goodly pretences to free the People from Subsidies and several Payments were but empty and vain pretences only ad favendum populum to deceive and abuse the People So in our late long Parliament many publick Projects and Pretences were propos'd and the Presbyterian party were zealous to advance the Throne of Christ and the Tribunal of Christ with all his holy Ordinances in full force as their Language did propose it But it was quickly discover'd that no such Matters were truly intended but only the Land of the Church must be taken to maintain Armies to bring in the Scots-Highlanders Red-shanks Goths and Vandals to subvert the King his Crown and Dignity and in the end to take all the Crown-lands and to divide them amongst the Soldiers and others at their pleasures But the dismal Events and tragical Mischiefs that have happen'd might have been foreseen and prevented but that most Men are ignorant of our own Histories and Chronicles as well as of foreign Histories and Examples wherein they might easily have observ'd the fearfull ends that have follow'd upon the like doings both in our own Kingdoms and other neighbouring Nations as France Germany and Bohemia especially within these last forty Years For as Solomon saith There is no new thing under the Sun For the like hath happen'd often both at home and abroad but that Men will take no warning by any Examples but persist in their wicked and sacrilegious Attempts tho' in the end they bring confusion and destruction upon themselves Whereas it is said that when Henry V. suppress'd the Priories Aliens a good part of their Lands was given to other Religious Houses both by that King and his Son Henry VI. who bestow'd a great part of those Lands upon Colleges in the Universities it is true but in our Reformation there is no such care taken to convert any part of the Church-lands to pious and publick Uses but the Cormorants devour all They spake also of maintaining many Hospitals for relieving of maim'd Soldiers in our present time there is an infinite Number of maim'd Soldiers but no Hospitals provided for them whereas they should have provided some good Number and withall an hundred Bedlams to entertain pious zealous and outragious Puritans who have lost their Wits and Senses and are become extremely mad with distemper'd Zeal as the Anabaptists and Fifth-Monarchy-men Quakers and the rest of the Rabble Humfrey Duke of Glocester coming to the Parliament at St. Edmundsbury and lodging there in a place as Leland saith sacred to our Saviour he was by the Lord John Beaumont then High-Constable of England the Duke of Buckingham the Duke of Somerset and others arrested of High-Treason suggested and being kept in Ward in the same place was the Night following viz. 24. Febr. cruelly murther'd by De la Pole Duke of Suffolk Some judg'd him to have been strangled some to have a hot Spit thrust up his Fundament some to be smother'd between two Feather-beds But all indifferent Persons saith Hall might well understand that he died some violent Death Being found dead in his Bed his Body was shewed to the Lords and Commons as though he had died of a Palsie or Imposthume which others do publish But it falleth out that this Lord John Vicount Beaumont and the Duke of Buckingham were both slain in the Battle of Northampton 38. Henry VI. The Duke of Somerset taken Prisoner at the Battle of Exham An. 1462. and there beheaded The Duke of Suffolk being banisht the Land was in passing the Seas surpriz'd by a Ship of the Duke of Exeter's and brought back to Dover-Road where in a Cock-boat at the Commandment of the Captain his Head was stricken off and both Head and Body left on the Shore CHAP. VII Of the great Sacrilege and Spoil of Church-lands committed by Henry VIII His promise to employ the Lands to the advancement of Learning Religion and Relief of the Poor The preamble of the Statute 27. Henry VIII to that purpose which is omitted in the printed Statutes The neglect of that Promise The great increase of Lands and Wealth that came to the King by the Dissolution Quadruple to the Crown-lands The Accidents which happen'd to the King and his Posterity to the Agents under him as the Lord Cromwell and others to the Crown and the whole Kingdom and to the new Owners of the Lands A View of the Parliaments that passed the Acts of the 27 and 31 of Henry VIII and of the Lords that voted in them and what happened to them and their Families The Names of the Lords in the 27 of Henry VIII omitted in the Record but those of the 31 Henry VIII are remaining being most the same Men. The Names of the Lords Spiritual in those Parliaments and the great Spoil of Libraries and Books The Names of the Lords Temporal in those Parliaments with the Misfortunes in their Families and Dignity abated What hath happened to the Crown it self by the loss of Crown-lands What hath happened to the Kingdom in general and the great Injury done to the Poor The Mischief of the Tenure of Knights-service in Capite which by Act is to be reserved upon all Church-lands that pass from the Crown The ancient Original of Wardship from the Goths and Lombards the abuse of it amongst us The prediction of Egebred an old Hermite The unfortunate Calamities of the Palsgrave and other Princes of Germany by invading the Patrimony of the Church How carefull the Heathens were not to misuse the things consecrated to their Gods King James's Letter to the University of Oxon about Impropriations I Am now come off the Rivers into the Ocean of Iniquity and Sacrilege where whole thousands of Churches and Chappels dedicated to the Service of God in the same manner that
flowed into it by Act of Parliament the next year following being the 33d of his Reign to the Number one and other of But as the Red-sea by the miraculous Hand of God was once dried up so was this Sea of Wealth by the wastfull Hand of this Prince immediately so dried up as the very next year viz. Regni 34. the Parliament was drawn again to grant him a great Subsidy for in the Statute-book it is so stiled and this not serving his turn he was yet driven not only to enhance his Gold and Silver-money in Anno 36 but against the Honour of a Prince to coin base Money and when all this served not his turn in the very same year to exact a Benevolence of his Subjects to their grievous Discontent Perceiving therefore that nothing could fill the gulf of his effusion and that there was now a just cause of great expence by reason of his Wars at Bulloign and in France they granted him in the 37th Year 2 Subsidies at once and four Fifteens and for a Corollary all the Colleges Free-Chapels Chantries Hospitals c. before-mentioned in Number 2374. upon confidence that he should dispose them as he promised solemnly in the Parliament to the Glory of God who in truth for ought that I can hear had little part thereof The next year was his fatal Period otherwise it was much to be feared that Deans and Chapters if not Bishopricks which have been long levelled at had been his next design for he took a very good Say of them by exchanging Lands with them before the Dissolution giving them rackt Lands and small things for goodly Manners and Lordships and also Impropriations for their solid Patrimony in finable Lands like the exchange that Palamedes made with Glaucus much thereby encreasing his own Revenues as he took 72 from York besides other Lands Tenements Advowsons Patronages c. in the 37th of his Reign which are mentioned particularly in the Statute 37. Henry VIII cap. 16. He took also 30 and above as I remember in the 27th Year from the Bishop of Norwich whom he left not that I can learn one Foot of the goodly Possessions of his Church save the Palace at Norwich and how many I know not in the 37th Year also from the Bishop of London I speak not of his prodigal Hand in the Blood of his Subjects which no doubt much alienated the Hearts of them from him But God in these eleven Years space visited him with 5 or 6 Rebellions In Lincolnshire Anno 28 and 3 one after another in Yorkshire Anno 33 one in Somersetshire Anno 29 and again in Yorkshire Anno 33. And though Rebellions and Insurrections are not to be defended yet they discover unto us what the displeasure and dislike was of the common People for spoiling the Revenues of the Church whereby they were great losers the Clergy being mercifull Landlords and bountifull Benefactors to all Men by their great Hospitality and Works of Charity Thus much touching his own Fortunes accompanying the Wealth and Treasure gotten by him as we have declared by confiscating the Monasteries wherein the prophetical Speech that the Archbishop of Canterbury used in the Parliament 6. Henry IV. seemeth performed That the King should not be one farthing the richer the next Year following II. What happened to the King's Children and Posterity Touching his Children and Posterity after the time that he entered into these Courses he had two Sons and three Daughters whereof one of each kind died Infants the other three succeeding in the Crown without Posterity His base Son the Duke of Richmond died also without Issue and as the Issue of Nebuchodonosor was extinct and his Kingdom given to another Nation the 68th Year after he had rifled the Temple of Jerusalem and taken away the holy Vessels so about the same period that King Henry VIII began to sack the Monasteries with their Churches and things dedicated to God was his whole Issue extinct Male and Female base and legitimate and his Kingdom transferred to another Nation and therein to another Royal Family which is now His Majesty's singular happiness that had no hand in the like depredation of the Monasteries and Churches of that Kingdom there committed by the tumultuous if not rebellious Subjects Contrary as it seems to the good liking of our late Sovereign King James who as is reported said that if he had found the Monasteries standing he would not have pulled them down not meaning to continue them in their superstitious Uses but to employ them as Chorah's censers to some godly purposes Wherein most piously he declared himself both in restoring as I hear some Bishopricks and divers Appropriations in Scotland and also by moving the Universities of England to do the like as by his gracious Letter doth appear which shall here following be expressed in the end So his Grandfather King James the 4th of Scotland when he was solicited by Sir Ralph Sadler then Embassador from King Henry to augment his Estate by taking into his Hands the Abbies James refus'd saying What need I take them into mine Hands when I may have any thing I require of them And if there be Abuses in them I will reform them for there be a great many good Which was a wise answer and if King Henry had done the like here he might have had an immense and ample Revenue out of the Monasteries and old Bishopricks while they enjoyed their Lands being a third part of the Kingdom as appears by Doomsday-Book by way of First-fruits Tenths Pensions and Corrodies yearly that he should never have needed at any time to ask one Subsidy of his Subjects To return where we left off having spoken of the extinguishment of the Issue of King Henry whereof the immortally renown'd Princess Queen Elizabeth was the golden period Let us cast our Eyes upon the principal Agents and Contrivers of this Business III. What happen'd to the Principal Agents The Lord Cromwel was conceived to be the principal mover and prosecutor thereof both before and in the Parliament of 27 and 37 Hen. VIII and for his good service impenso impendendo upon the 18th of April before the beginning of the Parliament of 31 which was on the last of the Month he was created Earl of Essex and his Son Gregory made Lord Cromwell yet e're the Year was past from the end of the Parliament of 31 he fell wholly into the King's Displeasure and in July 32 he was attainted and beheaded professing at his Death that he had been seduc'd and dy'd a Catholick His Son Gregory Lord Cromwell being as I said made a Baron in the life time of his Father and invested with divers great Possessions of the Church supported that new risen Family from utter ruine but his Grandchild Edward Lord Cromwell wasting the whole Inheritance sold the head of his Barony Oukham in Rutlandshire and exchanging some of the rest all that remained with the E. of Devonshire for