Fitz-Harris were hanged at Tyburn July 2. The E. of Shaftsbury was committed to the Tower one Stephen Colledg a Joyner was likewise sent Prisoner thither and a Bill being brought against him to the Grand-Jury at the Old Bayly they returned it Ignoramus a while after he was sent to Oxford and found guilty of High-Treason committed there for which he was there executed Novem. 24. a Commission issued out for the Tryal of L. Shaftsbury at the Old Bayly but the Grand-Jury brought in the Bill Ignoramus July 12 13 14. 1683 Willam L. Russel Thomas Walcâ—t William Hoâ—e and John Rous were endicted and condemned for High Treason the L. Russel was beheaded in Lincolns-Inn-Fields and the others executed at Tyburn Decem. 7. Algernon Sidney Esquire was beheaded on Tower-hill upon the same Account June 20. 1684. Sir Thomas Armstrong was hanged and quartered upon an Outlawry for High-Treason James Holloway likewise executed some time before at Tyburn upon the like Outlawry for High Treason The Names of the Principal Officers Civil and Military in England 1684. The Right Honourable the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable Privy-Council 33. Lord A. Bishop Canterbury Lord Gilford Lord Keeper E. of Radnor L. President Mar. Hallifax L. Privy Seal Duke of Ormond Duke of Albemarle Duke of Newcastle Duke of Beaufort Marquess of Winchester Earl of Lindsey Earl of Arlington Earl of Oxford Earl of Huntington Earl of Bridgwater Earl of Peterborough Earl of Chesterfield Earl of Sunderland Earl of Clarendon Earl of Bath Earl of Craven Earl of Ailsbury Earl of Nottingham Earl of Rochester L. Viscount Faulconbridge Lord Bishop of London Lord Dartmouth Henry Coventry Esq Sir â—â—oline Jenkyns Knight 〈…〉 Ernle 〈…〉 Chichely 〈…〉 L.C. Justice Sidney Godolphin Esq Edward Seymour Esq The Great Officers of the Crown 9. L. High Steward of Engl. L. Keeper Lord North. L. High Treasurer at present in Commission L. President E. of Radror L. Privy Seal Mar. Hallifax L Great Chamberlain Earl of Lindsey L. High Constable Earl Marshal D. of Norfolk L. High Admiral at present in Commission His Majesties Principal Secretaries of State 2. Earl of Sunderland Sidney Godolphin Esq Officers of His Majesties Houshold Ecclesiastical 3. Dean of the Chappel Lord Bishop of London Clerk of the Closet Lord Bishop of Durham L. Almoner L. B. Rochester Civil 9. L. Steward D. of Ormond L. Chamberlain E. Arlington Master of the Horse Duke of Richmond Treasurer Lord Newport Comptroller L. Maynard Cofferer Lord Brounker Master of the Houshold H. Bulkly Esq Clerks of the Green-cloth Sir S. Fox Sir W. Boreman Clerks Comptrollers Sir Win. Churchill Sir R. Mason Gentlemen of the Bed chamber E. of Bath first Gentleman and Groom of the Stole Duke of Newcastle E. of Dorset and Middlesex Earl of Mulgrave Duke of Albemarle Earl of Lindsey Earl of Oxford Earl of Arran Lord Latimer Earl of Sussex Earl of Rannelagh Earl of Litchfield Earl of Rochester Vicechamb H. Saville Esq Keeper of the Privy Purse Baptist May Esq Treasurer of the Chamber Edward Griffen Esq Surveyor-General of His Majesties Works Sir Christopher Wren Master of the Robes belonging to His Majesties Person Hen. Sydney Esq Master of the Jewel-house Sir Gilbert Talbot Master of the Ceremonies Sir Charles Cotterel Master of the Wardrobe Ralph L. Mountague Master Falconer Duke of St. Albans Clerks of the Council Sir J. Nicholas Kt. of the Bath Sir Philip Lloyd Sir Thomas Dolman Francis Gwyn Esq Masters of the Requests Sir Charles Cotterel Thomas Povey Esq Sir William Glascock Charles Morley Esq Clerks of the Privy Seal Sir Charles Bickerstaff John Matthews Esq Thomas Watkins Esq John Richards Esq Clerks of the Signet Sir John Nicholas Kt. Bath Sidney Bere Esq Nicholas Morice Esq Dr. William Trumbull Kt. Marshal Sir E. Villiers Usher of the Black Rod Sir Thomas Duppa Serj. Porter Sir H. Progers Military Capt. of the Band of Pensioners E. of Huntington Lieut. Fra. Villiers Esq Standard-bearer Sir Humphrey Winch. Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard L. Viscount Grandison Lieut. Tho. Howard Esq Ensign H. Dutton-Colt Esq Clerk of the Check Charles Villiers Esq The Judges and Principal Officers of Justice 12. Of the Kings Bench. Sir Geo. Jeffreys Kt. Bar. L. C. Justice of England Sir Francis Withens Kt. Sir Richard Holloway Kt. Sir Thomas Walcot Kt. Of the Common Pleas. Sir Tho. Jones L. C. Justice Sir Hugh Windham Kt. Sir Job Charlton Kt. Sir Creswel Levinz Kt. Of the Exchequer Will. Mountague L.C. Baron Sir Edw. Atkyns Kt. Sir William Gregory Kt. Sir Thomas Street Kt. Of the High Court of Chancery Fra. L. Guilford L. Keeper Sir Harbottle Grimston Master of the Rolls The Eleven Masters in Chancery Sir John Coell Kt. Sir W. Beversham Kt. Sir Samuel Clark Kt. Sir Edward Low D. L. Sir Miles Cooke Kt. Sir Lac. Will. Child Kt. Sir John Hoskins Kt. Sir John Franklyn Kt. Sir Adam Otley Kt. Sir Robert Le Gard Kt. Sir James Astrey Kt. Sir R. Sawyer Attorny Gen. H. Finch Esq Sollicit Gen. The Court of the Dutchy of Lancaster Chancellor Sir T. Chichely Vicechancell Sir J. Otway Attorney Gen Sir J. Heath Receiver Gen. Sir J. Curson Auditors J. Fanshaw Esq Edw. Webb Esq Clerk Cheek Gerard Esq The Chief Officers of His Majesties Revenue The Commissioners of the Treasury Earl of Rochester Sir John Ernle Kt. Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Edward Deering Bar. Sir Stephen Fox Kt. Sydney Godolphin Esq And under these Lords The Commissioners of the Customs Charles Lord Chene Sir Dudley North Kt. Andrew Newport Esq Sir Richard Temple Baronet Sir Geo. Downing Kt. Bar. Sir Nicholas Butler Kt Commissioners of the Exciseâ— and Fire-Hearths Sir Denny Ashburnham Bar. Francis Parrey Esq Robert Huntington Esq Charles Davenant Esq John Friend Esq Felix Calvert Esq Nath. Horneby Esq Patrick Trant Esq William Bridge Esq Treasurer Sir Cornw. Bradshaw Kt. Commissioners for Wine-Licences Henry Deering Esq William Young Esq John Taylor Esq Michael Brighouse Esq Robert Ryves Esq Commissioners of Appeals for Excise Robert Spencer Esq Charles Fanshaw Esq Sir Paul Neal Kt. George Dodington Esq Edward Seymour Esq Of the High Court of Admiralty The Commissioners for Executing the Office of L. High Admiral of England Earl of Nottingham Sir Thomas Meers Baronet Sir Humphrey Winch Kt. Sir Edward Hales Baronet Sir John Chichely Knight Henry Saville Esq Arthur Herbert Esq Vice-Admiral of England Duke of Crafton Rere-Adm Ar. Herbert Esq Judge of the Admiralty Sir Leoline Jenkyns Treasurer of the Navy L. Falkland Comptroller Sir Richard Haddock Surveyor Sir John Tippet Clerk of the Acts James Southern Esq To whom are joyned these Commissioners Sir John Narborough Kt. Sir Phineas Pett Kt. Sir Richard Beech Kt. Sir John Godwin Kt. Constable of the Tower of London Lord Allington Lieutenant of the Tower Thomas Cheek Esq Master of the Ordinance Lord Dartmouth Lieut. Sir Chr. Musgrave Surveyor of the Ordnance Sir Bernard de Gome Kt. Treasurer Cha. Bertie Esq Clerk of the Ordnance
he was discoursing and drinking on Horseback as the Cup was at his Mouth a Servant of the Queens by her Contrivance struck him into the Back with a Knife or Dagger at which setting Spurs to his Horse to get away and fainting with loss of Blood he fell from his Horse with one Foot in the Stirrup and was dragged up and down the Woods till at last his Body was left dead at the Gate of Corf Castle When this Fact was committed the Queen was so struck with remorse that to expiate her Guilt she built two Monasteries Almsbury and Wormwell For as Mr. Fox observes most of these Religious Houses were founded either upon the account of some Publick or Private Murther Edward the Martyr as he was called being thus slain Etheldred his younger Brother the Son of Edgar and Queen Elfrida succeeded He reigned thirty eight Years but was very unfortunate and full of Troubles all his time It is related That when Archbishop Dunstan Christned Etheldred as he held him over the Font the Child was not very cleanly whereupon the Bishop swore By the Mother of God this Boy will prove an unhappy and slothful Prince which hapned accordingly At his Coronation a Cloud appeared half like Blood and the other half like Fire In his third Year the Danes invaded the Kingdom in several Places and the King paid them Forty thousand Pound yearly for his Quiet which much disobliged his Subjects yea the English were so low that the Danes commanded their Houses Wives Daughters and all they had Whereupon Etheldred contrived that all the Danes were massacred in one Day But this did more enrage them so that first Swain and then Canutus came with two hundred Sail of Ships and landed in Cornwal burning and destroying all before him and killing Nine hundred Monks and Nuns at one time the Kings Counsels being all betrayed by the Traytor Edrick Whereupon he fled with his Queen Emma and her two Sons into Normandy to Richard Duke thereof who was her Brother But Swain being soon after killed by his own Men they made his Son Canutus King After which Etheldred returns again to England and perceiving the several Treasons against him and being unable to withstand their Fury he soon after died Edmund the eldest Son alive of Etheldred succeeded sirnamed Ironside from his great Strength and Courage He was Crowned at Kingston But the Danes were then so powerful in England that Canutus was accepted King at Southampton many of the Clergy and Laity swearing Allegiance to him but the City of London stood firm for Edmund who fought several Battels against the Danes and routed Canutus four times in the plain Field and would in likelihood have freed the Nation from the Danes had not the ever-false Edrick and other perfidious Persons of the Clergy and Laity prevented it At length to avoid further Bloodshed they made an Agreement to divide the Kingdom betwixt them but Edmund enjoyed the Benefit of this Accord a very short time being soon after murdered as he was easing Nature by Edrick and his Head presented to Canutus who though he loved the Treason yet commanded the Traytor to be beheaded THE GOVERNMENT of the DANES BY the Death of Edmund the Saxon Monarchy came to a Period for Canutus after his Death seised upon the other half of England none being able to withstand whereby the Danes made themselves sole Masters of this Island after it had been in possession of the Saxons about 566 Years The English Nobles owning Canutus for their Lawful King and swearing Fealty to him at his Coronation at London in the Year of Christ 1017. Though Canutus had never the better Opinion of them considering that most of them had sworn Allegiance to Edmund their Natural Sovereign and likewise that they were English Natives He therefore judged them treacherous Persons and used them accordingly for some he banished others he beheaded and many by the just Judgment of Heaven died sudden Deaths Canutus to establish his Government called a Parliament of Bishops Lords and Barons in London wherein many Laws were ordained and among others this following VVe admonish diligently all Christian Men that they do always love God with an inward heart and be diligently obedient to Divine Teachers and do subtilly search Gods Learning and Laws often and daily to the profit of themselves And we warn that all Christian Men do learn to know at leastwise the right Belief and aright to understand the Lords Prayer and the Creed for that with the one every Christian Man should pray unto God and with the other shew forth right Belief He also ordained in another Parliament at Oxford That both English and Danes should observe the Laws made by King Edgar as judging them to be above all others most just and reasonable He married Emma the Widow of King Etheldred and Sister to Richard Duke of Normandy with this Condition That the Issue of her Body by him should inherit the Kingdom of England He went to Rome to complain of the excessive Extortions of the Pope from the English Archbishops upon receiving their Palls And having reigned twenty Years over England he died Notwithstanding the former Agreement yet Harold the Son of Canutus by Elgina his first Wife in the absence of Hardiknute the Son of Queen Emma succeeded his Father and the better to secure himself he by the assistance of the treacherous Earl Godwin who had married Canutus's Dâ—ughter endeavours to get into his Power Edward and Alfred the two Sons of Queen Emma by King Etheldred whom he knew had more Right than himself and to that purpose they counterfeit a Letter in Emma's Name whom Harold had abused and robbed of her Jewels the Contents whereof were to this purpose EMma in Name onely Queen to Edward and Alfred her Sons sends Motherly Gree ings Whilst we severally bewail the Death of our Sovereign my Lord and your Father and your selves Dear Sons are still more and more disposs ssed from the Kingdoms of your Lawful Inheritance I much wonder what you intend to do since you know that Delays in Attempts give the Usurper more leisure to lay his Foundation and more safely to fix thereon his intended Building never ceasing to post from Town to City to make the Lords and Rulers thereof his Friends by Threats Prayers or Rewards But notwithstanding his Policy yet they privately signifie that they had rather have one of you their Native Country-men to reign over them than this Danish Usurper Therefore my Advice is That either of you do with all speed repair to me that we may advise together what is to be done in this so great an Enterprise Fail not therefore but send me word by this Messenger what you intend to do herein And so fare ye well Your Affectionate Mother Emma Messengers being sent to Normandy with this Letter they met onely with Alfred Edward being gone into Hungaria to whom delivering their Message he was very joyful and made
the freer Access to the French and Normans if the English should rebell he plucked down and ruined Thirty six Churches with many Towns and Villages for many Miles even from Salisbury to the Sea making his New Forest there But this Offence did not escape unpunished for in this very Forest Richard the Kings second Son was goared by a Deer and died William Rufus his third Son was slain by an Arrow shot at an Hart and his Grandchild Robert Curtoyse being in pursuit of the Game was struck by a Bough into the Jaws and died there 14. His chief Pleasure being in Hunting he seised all Chases and Forests of the Kingdom into his Hands making very cruel Laws against such as presumed to hunt in them without License as the loss of Eyes Limbs and the like 15. He gave large Territories and Farms to his Favourites who leased them out to their Slaves and Servants creating them into Mannors and calling themselves Lords thereof He reserved some Tenures to himself whereby his Tenants were obliged to serve him in the Wars or attend his Person to which they were sworn in Publick Courts by which Tenure he disposed of their Heirs in Marriage having Possession of their Estates till they were Twenty one years of age By which Example other Great Lords did the like This was the Model of King William's sharp and severe Government wherein he rather used the Power of an insolent and lawless Conquerour than the Legal Administration of a gracious King whereby he was feared by many but loved by few and such as were most in favour with him were discountenanced upon every slight occasion These violent Proceedings especially in raising such intolerable Taxes occasioned a Rebellion in Devonshire and another in Northumberland the second Year of his Reign but his good Fortune soon suppressed them as it also did the next Year the Invasion of Swanus King of Denmark who was incited thereto by the English that fled thither for Succour from the Cruelty of King William but he no sooner saw them almost e're he made them fly back to their Ships and to revenge the Infidelity of the English he utterly destroyed their fruitful Lands about York and Durham so that the Ground lay waste nine years after and abundance of People died with Want and Famine The next year he summoned a general Convocation of the Clergy wherein he bitterly accused several grave and learned Bishops Abbots Priors and others of many pretended Crimes and Offences for which he absolutely deprived them of their Dignities and Estates which he bestowed on others either for Love or Money These insufferable Acts provoked Marcarus and Edwin the Earls of Northumberland and Mercia with Egilwyn Bishop of Durham to raise an Insurrection But the King quickly drove Edwyn into Scotland Marcarus was taken and imprisoned in the Tower of London where he long continued and the Bishop was inhumanely famish'd to death in Abington Abby At this time great difference arose about the Primacy of the Archbishops of Canterbury and York but at last it was adjudged in favour of the first and York submitted accordingly In his fifteenth year his eldest Son Robert by the instigation of Philip the French King rebelled against him in Normandy which occasioned his Father to go thither with an Army where he was so stoutly encountred that he was unhorsed and in great danger of his Life by his Son unknown but he hearing his Fathers Voice rescued him again and was after reconciled and received Pardon of his Father and the King with great loss returned again to England Soon after William to revenge divers Injuries and Affronts offered him by King Phi ip in Normandy went with a gallant Army into France where finding Odo Earl of Kent and Bishop of Bayeux his Brother by the Mother to hold secret Correspondence with the French King he complained thereof to the Lords whereupon Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury advised the King to commit him to Prison What says the King are you for committing a Clergy-man You need not said Lanfrank commit the Bishop of Bayeux but you may very justly imprison the Earl of Kent Which was done accordingly Sometime before this Pope Hildebrand dying a Magician told Odo That he foresaw he should succeed him upon which Odo having already swallowed the Papacy in thought sent Money the most prevailing Messenger to Rome before-hand and purchased himself a Palace there providing likewise for his Journey thither but King William for his Presumption and other Misdemeanours staid and committed him saying Offensive foolhardiness must be restrained in time While the King was in Normandy he fell sick and the French King hearing his Distemper was in his Belly scoffingly said Our Cousin William is now in Childbed Ah what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church Sure an hundred thousand will hardly be enough King William hearing of this Jest said Well I hope our Cousin of France shall be at no such Cost for after this my Childbirth at my going to Church I will saith he swearing by the Resurrection and Brightness of God find him a thousand Candles and light them all my self Alluding to the Candles that Women used to carry in that Age when they went to be Churched And soon after he performed his Word destroying the People Towns and Cities on the Frontiers of France with Sword and Fire but in burning the City of Mantz he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he got a Sickness which being increased by the Leaping of his Horse burst the inner Rim of his Belly he being very Corpulent of which he soon after died at Roan Upon his Death-bed he said I appoint no Successor to the Kingdom of England but I commend it to the Eternal God whose I am and in whose Hands all things are He much lamented his Severity and Cruelty to the English Nation He was buried in the Abby of St. Stephen at Caen in Normandy though his Funerals were interrupted by a Norman Gentleman who would not permit him to be buried till he had received Satisfaction for that Ground which the Conquerour had unjustly taken from him Thus this victorious Conquerour whose Mind could not be confin'd to one Kingdom while he lived being dead could hardly get a place to be buried in The Charters and Conveyances in his Reign were not so tedious as now adays but very short and plain as appears by this following transcribed out of an Authentick Record I William King the third of my Reign give to Norman Hunter to me that art both leif and dear the Hop and the Hopton and all the Bounds up and down under the Earth to Hell above the Earth to Heaven from me and mine to thee and thine as good and as fair as ever they mine were To witness that this is sooth I bite the white Wax with my Tooth Before Jug Maud and Margery and my youngest Son Henry For a Bow and a broad
bad Mind doth a handsom Shape deform So I who was by Blood Descent and Form The perfect Image of a Gallant Prince Because my Vices I did not reform No Faith 's in Face or Shape I did evince My Royal Name and Power a Mock was made My Subjects madly in Rebellion rose Mischief on Mischief still did me invade Oppos'd Depos'd Expos'd Inclos'd in Woes With doubtful Fortune I in Trouble Reign'd At length by Murder Death and Rest I gain'd KIng Edward the Third in his last Sickness created his Nephew Richard Son to the Black Prince deceased Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwal committing the Regency of the Kingdom to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster After his Death Richard the Second of that Name of Eleven years old was Crowned King of England In the whole Course of his evil Government he slighted his Nobility and taxed his Subjects severely to throw it away prodigally upon his ill-deserving Favourites despising the Advice of the Wise and hearkning to the Follies of his young debauched Companions In his first year Charles King of France presuming on his Minority being assisted by the King of Castile landed in England burning the Towns of Plymouth Dartmouth Portsmouth Rye and others on the Sea and would have proceeded further had they not been encountred by the Earls of Cambridge Buckingham and others who beat them back to their Ships At the same time a valiant Scot named Alexander Ramsey at the instigation of the French King with only forty men desperately scaled the Walls of Berwick Castle and finding the Captain and Guards sleeping they took it without blows designing to have taken the Town too but the Inhabitants from the great noise in the Castle suspecting mischief cut down the Stairs of the Drawbridge on the Townside so that when the Scots let it fall the Chains broke and the Bridge fell into the Castle Ditch whereby the Scots not being able to get out were made Prisoners by their own Victory They then endeavoured to fortify the Castle but it was soon besieged and taken by K. Richard's Forces who gave quarter to none but only Ramsey their Captain Soon after the French again landed in England doing great mischief at Dover Winchelsey Hastings and Gravesend where they got much Booty To prevent and revenge these injuries a Parliament was called at Westminster wherein four Pence was laid upon every person above fourteen years old the levying whereof caused a dangerous Rebellion under Jack Straw Wat Tyler John Wall a Factious Priest and others who stiled themselves The Kings Men and the Servants of the Commonweal of England declaring that all Men ought to be equal in Dignity and Estate as being all the Sons of Adam they marched through several Countreys to London the mean sort of People joyning with them so that they became very formidable committing all manner of Insolencies and making bold demands of the King and the Lord Mayor which so incensed the Mayor that he struck Tyler off his Horse with his Sword where he was killed immediately upon which the Rebels who were above 20000 soon disperst no less than fifteen hundred being Executed for the same with several cruel Deaths and Torments in divers parts of the Realm And thus in an instant vanished this great cloud which threatned the destruction of King and Kingdom In his tenth year the King forsaking the advice of his gravest and most experienced Nobility was perswaded to commit many illegal and disorderly Actions by the Counsel of Michael de la Pool his Chancellor Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford Alexander Archbishop of York and Robert Tresillian Lord Chief Justice who without cause exasperated him against the Duke of Glocester his Uncle and the Earls of Warwick and Arundel whom they intended to surprise at Supper if Nicholas Exton Lord Mayor of London would have assisted them But failing herein they resolved to impeach them in Parliament but they being jealous of the Kings intent came thither strongly guarded while they were on their way in a Wood near the Court the King asked the Opinion of several about him what he should do in the case at length he merrily demanded of one Sir Hugh Liun who had been a good Souldier in his days but was now distracted what he would advise him to do Issue out quoth Sir Hugh and let us set upon them and kill every Mothers Son and when thou hast so done by Gods Eyes thou hast killed all the faithful Friends thou hast in England But K. Richard doubting the success of any violent course that Design was defeated and the King demanding a great Tax of four fifteens is not only denied but several misdemeanors of his Government are declared to him and at length Michael de la Pool his favourite is by the Lords found guilty of many offences Condemned Fined and Imprisoned and Commissioners were appointed to examine the Crimes of all the Kings Officers the King taking an Oath not to recal that Commission without consent of Parliament and it was enacted That all those who should perswade the King to infringe the same should for the second offence suffer as Traytors to the King and Kingdom Notwithstanding which this Parliament was no sooner ended but Pool Vere Tresillian and others perswaded him contrary to this Solemn Oath to assemble the Judges at Nottingham where they pronounced the Duke of Gloucester and the thirteen Commissioners and divers others to be guilty of High Treason for compelling the King to ratify the Commission under his Great Seal which Judgment they confirmed under their Hands as agreeable to the Laws of the Kingdom The Truce with France being ended that King sent 1000 Persons of Quality into Scotland who joyning with their Army of 30000 they therewith invaded England committing many violences but hearing King Richard was marching toward them they turned into the craggy Mountains of Wales doing much mischief to the Inhabitants and in the mean time K. Richard entred Scotland with 68000 men burning and destroying Edinborough St. Johnstons Sterling Dundee with many other places and then returned home The Scots and French returning found little or no sustenance by reason of the late ruins so that the Frenchmen were forced to return home without Horses Arms or Money but the Admiral and several Grandees were kept as Pledges by the Scots till the French King had satisfied the losses and damages which they had sustained meerly for his sake upon whose account they entred into this War whereupon he was forced to send what Money they demanded to redeem his Commanders The French King vowing Revenge against the English for these Disgraces prepared a very great Army which he designed to transport into England in a Navy of no less than 1200 Ships Against whom King Richard soon raised vast Forces consisting in above 100000 Men. But all these mighty Preparations soon came to nothing for the French Soldiers in their March toward the Ships committed such horrid
Beauty Strength or Wit What is Command great Honour and high Place When Treason lurks where Majesty doth sit Vnhappy I had too much Proof of this Nipt in my Eud and blasted in my Bloom Depriv'd by Murder of all Kingly Bliss And in Three Kingdoms could not find a Tomb. By Treason thus my Greatness did decay Ere the Fruit grew the Tree was cut away KIng Edward left behind him two Sons Edward of the Age of thirteen years who unfortunately succeeded him and Richard Duke of York two year younger with five Daughters and one onely Brother Richard Duke of Glocester who being of an ambitiouâ— and bloody Nature took the Opportunity of the younâ— Kâ—ngs Minority to raise himself upon the Ruins of his Brothers Family At the death of the King Prince Edward kept his Court at Ludlow in Wales to restrain the Welch from Mischief and Anthony Earl of Rivers the Queens Brother and Uncle to the Prince was by King Edward made Protector of his Person all Places of Honour and Profit being disposed of by the Queen and him which Richard did much disdain and therefore often consulted with the Duke of Buckingham and the Lord Hastings about removing the young King from them who contrived to take him into their Custody thereby to have the Honour and Benefit thereoâ— The Queen with her Brother and the Lord Grey he Son and her other Friends were now marching 〈◊〉 London with strong Forces in order to Crown the King and the Duke of Glocester knowing the Business muâ— be done before that was performed persuaded tâ—â— Queen by Letters to dismiss the Soldiers lest such â— great Army should cause suspicion of some ill Desigâ— and suddenly seising the King at Stonystratford the waited upon him toward London committing the Eaâ—â— Rivers Lord Grey Sir Thomas Vaughan and some others to Pomfret Castle in Yorkshire where they were soon after beheaded without any Trial upon the same day that the Lord Hastings who had conspired with Richard against them was beheaded by his Order in the Tower as you read hereafter Then Richard and his Confederates removed all the other Officers and Servants from about him declaring that those Noblemen who suffered had resolved to destroy all the Lords of King Edward's Blood The Queen hearing of the fatal Murder of her Brother Son and Friends repented her disbanding the Soldiers by Richard's cunning Persuasions and fearing the Event she with her five Daughters and her youngest Son Richard Duke of York took Sanctuary at Westminster The young King also mourned extremely at the miserable Slaughter of his Friends but the two Dukes of Glocester and Buckingham endeavoured to comfort him expressing their Loyalty by a thousand Protestations and bringing the King toward London he was met by the Lord Mayor and above 500 grave Citizens before whom Richard behaved himself with so much reverence and submission to the King that he persuaded them as well as the Council of State to declare him Protector of the King and Kingdom which was the great thing he aimed at but not having the Duke of York in his Hands he grievously complained against the Queen for detaining him as a Prisoner and hindring him from keeping company with his Brother which he enforced with so many plausible Reasons that the Council sent and commanded her to deliver him up which she unwillingly did kissing and weeping bitterly over him praying God to deliver him from all danger and telling the Archbishop of York who was sent for him That she would require that poor and innocent Child at his Hands When the lovely Youth was put into the Protector 's Hands he before the whole Assembly took him in his Arms kissing hugging and embracing him and often solemnly protesting upon his Soul That nothing in the World except the King himself was so dear to him as that young Child though he then designed to sacrifice them both to his cursed Ambition And bringing the young Duke to the King who was extremely pleased with his Company he conveyed them through London with great Pomp and State to the Tower upon pretence of Security in these troublous Times whenas there were no Troubles but what were occasioned by himself and his wicked Accomplices Having thus betrayed these poor innocent Lambs into his Slaughter house Richard then contrives how he might most commodiously Butcher them At first he doubted whether he should reveal his Design to the Duke of Buckingham but upon promising his Daughter to Buckingham's Son and the Earldom of Hartford as a Dowry he soon gained him and bestowing on him a great Sum of the Kings Money he soon persuaded him to assist him But because the Lord Hastings whom the Protector for former Friendship had newly made Lord Chamberlain had been always true to Edward the Fourth and was hearty for the Service of the young King they despaired of gaining him and therefore resolved to dispatch him Hereupon he called a great Council of the Lords in the Tower proposing to them the speedy Coronation of the King though it was least intended by him and then grew very pleasant with the Lords and told Dr. Morton Bishop of Ely whom he loved not That he heard he had fine Strawberries in his Garden in Holbourn intreating him to send for some which he willingly did being very glad the Protector was so kind to him Upon a sudden Richard rises from the Board desiring the Lords to proceed in the Matters before them and that he would go out and return again presently which he did within an Hour after And being set in his Chair he bent his Brows bit his Lips wrung his Fists and looked fiercely on the Ground The Lord being much disturbed at this Alteration sate all silenâ— for some time expecting what he would say at length he demanded What they deserved who had wickedly plotted to destroy him being Vncle and Protector to the King The Lords being absolutely innocent sate like Men amazed not one of them uttering a Word at length the Lord Hastings who was most familiar with him replied Those that have transgressed the Law deserve the severest punishment thereof To which all the Lords assented Then quoth the Protector That Sorceress meaning the Queen and that Strumpet Shore 's Wife have conspired together to take away my Life by Witchcraft and to confirm it do but see how my Left-arm is already wasted and consumed and therewith plucked up his Sleeve and confidently shewed his naked Arm though all present knew certainly that his Arm had been never otherwise from his Mothers Womb Neither could they be so foolish to believe that the Queen and Shore's Wife should joyn together above all Women since she was King Edward's Concubine besides the Queen was known to be Mild Virtuous and Religious The Lord Hastings who since Edward's Death had taken Shore's Wife for his Concubine and having left her that Morning in his own Bed endeavoured to appease his Rage against her and said My Lord If
the Queen and she have so done The Protector furiously interrupting him Thou Traytor said he dost thou tell me of If 's and And ' s I tell thee they have done it And therewith struck his Hand very hard upon the Table upon which the Room was presently filled with Soldiers one of whom at his entrance struck at the Lord Stanley's Head with an Halbert who to save his Life fell under the Board though not without much loss of Blood The Protector himself seised upon the Lord Hastings and accusing him of Treason in general without any Trial or Answer caused him to be beheaded upon a Log on the Green in the Tower Which Execution hapned the same day and hour that the afore-mentioned Lords suffered without Trial at Pomfret by the Advice and Consent of this very Lord Hastings After this the Protector committed the Archbishop of York the Bishop of Ely and the Lord Stanley to Prison and presently putting himself and Buckingham into ragged Clothes he sent for several eminent Citizens to whom he declared with great passion That the Lord Hastings and his Confederates had conspired to take away his Life this Morning at the Council had he not timely prevented it by the sudden Execution of him and seising the rest Within two hours after the Lord Hastings's his death a long Proclamation written fairly in Parchment under the Great Seal was read in divers parts of the City by an Herald at Arms with great Solemnity whereby it appeared to be contrived and written some days before Richard having thus dispatcht those that he thought stood in his way he caused Dr. Shaw a wicked Priest in a Sermon at Paul's Cross the Sunday after to display the Honourable Birth of the Protector with his Virtues and Valour and to defame King Edward for his Wantonness with Shore's Wife and others and stigmatized his Children for Bastards as being before his Marriage contracted to Elizabeth Lucy He likewise charged the Protectors own Mother with Incontinency when King Edward and the Duke of Clarence were born and that none of her Children were Legitimate but Richard whom he extolled to the Skies for his Goodness and Virtues at which time Richard appeared among the People the Doctor expecting they should have shouted and cried God save King Richard but every one stood silent and astonished to observe how unworthily and villainously things were managed to make the Protector King The next day the Duke of Buckingham endeavoured by the same Arguments to persuade the Londoners at Guildhall to acknowledge Richard for the true and undoubted Heir of the Crown which they then did not assent to yet the next day they were forced against their Wills at Baynards Castle to accept of him for their lawful King praying him to undergo that Burden for their Security which he often hypocritically refused yet at last with a pretended unwillingness accepted And here ended the short Reign and soon after the Life of this young innocent Prince having enjoyed it onely two Months and 13 days being murdered by his barbarous Uncle in the 13th year of his Age 1483. RICHARD the THIRD King of England c. A Moition that never is content Which Angels threw from Heaven unto Hell That for a Plague upon mankind is sent Ambitiously made me Aspire Rebel Ambition that damn'd Necromantick spell Made me clime high with shame to tumble down By Blood and Murther I did all expel Whose Right or Might debar'd me from the Crown My smiles my Gifts my favour or my frown Were mischievous in blood I took delight By cruel Tyranny I sought renown Till Heaven's just Judge me justly did requite By Blood I go by Blood I lost the Throne Alive detested Dead bewailed of none RIchard being crowned King used all means possible to ingratiate himself with the people and tâ—ough he heard that the Lord Strang Son to the Lord Stanley was raising forces in the North for the relief of his Father the Lord Stanley who was wrongfully imprisoned by Richard he took no notice thereof but instead of punishing him set him at liberty and made him Steward of his House he likewise inlarged the Arch Bishop of York but committed Morton Bishop of Ely as a Prisoner to the Duke of Buckingham which was afterward the cause of Richards destruction as well as his own he conferred great honours upon several creating his only Son Edward Prince of Wales John Howard was made Duke of Norfolk his Son Thomas Earl of Surrey the Lord William Barkley was made Earl of Nottingham and Francis Lovel viscount Lovel having firmly settled himself as he imagined he sent Ambassadors to the French King to conclude a Peace with him who so much abhorred his detestable cruelties that he would neither see nor give audience to their Message This affront and several others so tormented him that he thought he should never be acknowledged nor honoured as King whilst the young Princes lived as though such horrible murders could ever gain him love or reputation among the People Having with his confederate the Devil contrived this execrable villany he took his progress toward Glocester as if he intended to honour the place of his Title and Dignity vainly imagining that if this heinous fact were committed in his absence he should be thought innocent thereof and first he attempted to perswade Sir Robert Brachenbury whom he made Lieutenant of the Tower to perpetrate this cursed act which he generously refusing Richard swore and stormed like a fury but remembring there was a needy profligate fellow belonging to the Tower named James Tirrel he by Letters earnestly perswades him to commit this hellish murder with promises of great reward who quickly assenting thereto demands by Richards Letters the keys of the Tower to be delivered to him by the Lieutenant and then next night he sends Miles Forrest and John Dighton two Imps of Hell into the innocent Childrens Chamber who smothered them both in their beds and buried them at the stairs foot from whence they were removed and privately buried in some unknown place The news of the death of the two young Princes raised a lamentable consternation in the minds of the Nobility and People only the Tyrant and his favourites gloried in this admired peace of policy whereby they thought Richard had now securely setled himself and his posterity in the Kingdom but soon after Edward his only Child died to his great grief and trouble And now returning to London from his progress he called a Parliament and made divers good Laws and by his executing them with mercy his liberality to the poor and his courtesy to all persons he endeavoured to insinuate himself into the favour and affections of all which it seems had effect upon some for several Gentlemen of divers Counties in England offering him a Benevolence of a good sum of money he refused it saying I had rather have your hearts than your money which considering his savage nature it may be doubted in
Earl Guy who lived in the Year of Christ 929. This King Ethelstane by the insinuation of his Cup-bearer became incensed against his Brother as if he had contrived Treason against him who therefore ordered him to be put into a small Vessel without Tackle or Oars and so be exposed to the mercy of the Sea wherewith the young Prince was so overwhelm'd with Sorrow that he threw himself headlong into the Sea whose Ghost the King endeavoured to appease by a voluntary Penance of seven years and building two Monasteries Neither did the treacherous Cup-bearer escape Vengeance for on a Festival-day as he was busie in waiting one of his Feet slipping he recovered himself by the help of the other and thereupon pleasantly said You may see now how one Brother can help another This Speech suddenly recalled to the Kings Mind the Death of his Innocent Brother whereupon he caused the Cup-bearer who was the Procurer thereof to be immediately executed Edmund the fifth Son of King Edward succeeded and after him Edred his sixth Son Then Edwy or Edwin the eldest Son of Edmund was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames who was of a lascivious temper for it is related That on the very Day of his Coronation he suddenly left his Nobility and went into a private Room to debauch a great Lady his near Kinswoman whose Husband he soon after slew St. Dunstan who was present and then Abbot of Glastenbury followed the King into his Chamber and leading him out by the Hand accused him before Odo Archbishop of Canterbury by whom he was severely reproved and forbid the Company of that woman The King was hereat enraged against Dunstan and banished him out of the Land and became so great an Enemy to the Order of Monks that he expelled many of them out of their Monasteries and put married Priests in their Places The People having a great Opinion of the Holiness of Dunstan and being offended at the Kings severity toward him and other Irregularities they turned their Affections to Edgar his Brother and removing Edwin from his Princely Dignity Edgar was made King in his stead for very grief whereof he soon wasted away and died in 959. Edgar was called the Peaceable He maintained the Kingdom in great Glory and Prosperity His Navy Royal is said to consist of three thousand six hundred Ships with which he every Summer sailed round his Land to secure the Sea from Pyrats He caused Ludwall Prince of Wales to pay him three hundred Wolves yearly in stead of a former Tribute in Money whereby England and Wales which were formerly very much over-run were now so freed that there was scarce a Wolf to be found alive He was very severe upon his Judges if he found them guilty of Bribery and Partiality riding the Circuit himself every Year for that purpose Yet among all these Vertues he is said to be very Voluptuous especially toward Women not sparing the very Nuns which sounded so ill that Dunstan took the boldness to reprove him for it and coming into his Presence the King in Courtesie rose from his Royal Throne to take him by the Hand and seat him by him But Dunstan refusing the King his Hand with a stern Countenance and contracted Brow spake thus to him You that have not been afraid to corrupt a Virgin dedicated to Christ how can you presume to touch the Consecrated Hands of a Bishop You have defiled the Spouse of your Maker and do you now think by your flattering Service to pacifie the Friend of the Bridegroom No Sir do not mistake your self for I will be no Friend to him who hath Christ for his Enemy The King thunder-struck with these dreadful Words and touched with remorse of Conscience fell down at the Feet of Dunstan who raising him up began to aggravate his Crime and finding the K. pliable to his Instruction he enjoyned him the following Penance for satisfaction That he should wear no Crown for the space of seven years That he should fast twice a Week That he should distribute his Treasure lest him by his Ancestors liberally to the Poor That he should build a Monast for Nuns at Shaftsbury that since he had robbed God of one Virgin by his Transgression so he should restore to him many again for the time to come Likewise That he should expel Clerks or Priests of evil Life meaning those who were married out of the Churches and place Monks in their room All this Edgar performed and the seven years being past Dunstan saith the Historian calling the Nobility with the Bishops Abbots and Clergy together he before all the People set the Crown upon the Kings Head at Bath in the thirteenth year of his Reign Dunstan who it seems rul'd all having hither to hindred it The Nun here mentioned was Wilfrid a D's Daughter by whom he had a Daughter called Editha He had a Son likewise by Elfrida the Earl of Devonshire's Daughter which Dunstan being now grown good natured Christned The words of the Historian are these The Child also which was gotten of the Harlot he Baptized in the Holy Fountain of Regeneration and giving him the Name of Edward adopted him to be the Kings Son There are abundance of ridiculous Miracles related of this Dunstan One among many others was That a Vision appearing to him required him to take up the Body of Editha the Bastard and Canonize her fol a Saint a her Tomb being accordingly opened in the Church of Wilton where she was buried her whole Body saith the Monkish Historian was consumed to Dust save onley her Thumb her Belly c. whereof she her self shewed the meaning declaring That her Thumb remained intire because she so often used to cross her self therewith and the other Parts did signifie the extraordinary Abstinence and Chastity With such stuff were the People then abused and persuaded to worship for Saints the dead Carcases of those that were many times of very profligate Lives while on Earth In King Edgar's Reign there was a great Famine wherein Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester sold away all the Church-Plate and Vessels of Gold and Silver to relieve the Poor saying There was no reason that the senseless Temples of God should abound in Riches and the lively Temples of the Holy-Ghost to be in want of them After the Death of Edgar there was great Division many of the Nobility being for Etheldred the true and only legitimate Heir of Edgar but the other Nobles and the Clergy especially Dunstan fearing the Married Clergy should again prevail he with several other Bishops meeting together and carrying the Cross before Edward brought him to the Lords and by many Perswasions prevailed with them to accept him for their King He was accounted a just meek Prince and very charitable to the Poor Yet enjoyed he the Crown but a short space for in the fourth Year of his Reign as he was Hunting near Corf Castle where his Brother Etheldred and Queen Elfrida his Mother resided while
Sicily trembled at my Courage bold King Tancred bought his Peace and did agree To pay me Threescore ounces of pure Gold Whilst I abroad won Honour many ways Ambitious John my Brother vext my Realm In Austria I was Pris'ner many days Thus Floods of Troubles did me overwhelm At length I home return'd my Ransom paid But soon my Glory in the Grave was laid RIchard the eldest Son living of King Henry was in Normandy at the time of his Fathers Death and because there were many things amiss he was resolved to continue there some time but yet gave immediate Order for the Release of his Mother Queen Eleanor who was closely imprisoned by her Husband for the Death of Rosamond and her continual reproving him for his lascivious Course of Life And because she was very discreet virtuous and wise King Richard committed the whole Government of the Kingdom in his absence to her management who having experimentally known the Troubles and Sorrows of Prisoners and Captives she released such as were committed for small Offences and paid the Debts of divers others that they might be freed and in all things used great Moderation and Justice till the return of her Son who was received and Crowned King with much Joy and Solemnity And he imitating the mild Disposition of his Mother commiserating the Afflicted provided in the whole Course of his Government that Justice should be extended with Mercy toward all He conferred many Honours upon his Brother John whom he created Earl of Lancaster and gave him the Counties of Nottingham Devon and Cornwal marrying him to the Daughter and Heir of the Earl of Glocester from whom he had the Lordship of that County also but in stead of obliging him these Favours made him Ambitious and ingratefully to affect the Crown and to boast that his Parts and Endowments were sufficient to make him a King This King for his invincible Courage was the greatest Heroe at that time in the Christian World so that he was called Coeurdelion or the Lions Heart who would attempt any thing though never so difficult if it were honourable His Fathers great Treasure which he left behind him furnished him sufficiently with Gold and Silver but such was his contempt of Riches that he freely bestowed Gifts upon all deserving Persons and in a little time by his extreme Bounty had disposed of most of it not considering that future Occasions might cause great Expences as it soon appeared For in the beginning of his Reign the Pope by many strong Sollicitations and Promises of his Blessings persuaded him to go in his own Person and fight against the Saracens in the Holy Land and to recover Jerusalem from the Infidels which he at length undertook being assisted therein by Frederick Emperour of Germany Philip Augustus King of France Leopold Archduke of Austria and many other Christian Princes who had raised Men and Money and made all other Provisions to that purpose All entring into Covenants That their Rendezvouz should be in Sicily and that all the Wealth and Booty they should meet with should be equally divided among them These things being concluded though the Kings Liberality and Expences had made him necessitous yet he was resolved not to burden his People with any Tax to supply himself but raised great Sums of Money out of his own Estate and among others he sold the Castles of Berwick and Roxborough to the King of Scots for 10000 l. and the Lordship of Durham to Hugh Pudsey the Bishop thereof creating him likewise Earl of it laughing heartily while he was investing him and saâ—ing I think I am very cunning and a Crafts master in my Business that can make a young Earl of an old Bishop He likewise sold divers Honours Mannors Offices Privileges and Royalties and many other things protesting That for performing that great and honourable Service â—â— would be willing to sell his City of London if he could find any able to buy it rather than he would be chargeable to others Having thus provided himself with all Necessaries for his Journey and raised a gallant Army wherein were many Lords Knights and Gentlemen and gathered a Sum of no less than 1100000 l. he left the Principal Command of the Kingdom to William Longchampe Bishop of Ely the Popes Legat and Lord Chancellor of England concluding a firm Friendship with William King of Scots he then set sail for the Holy Land with a Royal Navy to the Island of Cyprus where Isacius the discourteous King in stead of relieving them with Necessaries pillaged and abused them whereat King Richard being enraged landed his Men and soon conquered the whole Kingdom carrying away the King and his Daughters Prisoners and selling the Country to the Knights Templars for 30000 Marks From thence according to Agreement he sailed to Sicily where he met Philip the French King Upon their first Enterview there was great Familiarity and Endearment betwixt them but Philip being denied any part of the Spoil of Cyprus both because he was absent and likewise King Richard affirming That the Agreement extended onely to such things as they should gain in the Holy Land Philip thereupon grew angry and discontented which Richard disregarded declaring publickly That let the French King do what he durst he should never be a Partner in that Booty Yet Philip knowing the Eyes of all Christendom were upon him would make no open Breach and so they again embarqued Tancred the Usurping King of Sicily having either out of love or fear given King Richard above 6000 Ounces of Gold before his departure Sailing from thence with a Navy of above 300 Ships they met with a rich Argosey or Ship with French Flags but Manned with no less than 1500 Turks and Saracens and all manner of Warlike Provisions as Fire-works Barrels and Cages of venomous Serpents all designed for the Relief of the City of Acon formerly called Ptolemais this Vessel he took drowning 1300 Saracens and then landing at Acon in company with King Philip they sate down before it there being already Christians of divers Nations as Genoways Florentines Flemings Almains Danes Dutch Pisans Friezelanders Lumbards and some English under Hubert Bishop of Sarum wich the Knights Templars and several Asians During the Siege Sultan Saladine beheaded 1500 Christian Slaves in revenge whereof King Richard killed 2500 Tarks in sight of their Army After a long and sharp Siege the City of Acon was taken upon the entring whereof a forward Knight advanced the Banner and Ensign of Leopold Archduke of Austria but King Richard seeing it he himself ran up to the Wall pluck'd them down and trampled them under his Feet whereat the French King was still more incensed speaking high Words but Richard slighting his Anger affirmed That if any were offended thereat they might do what they pleased since he had onely righted himself in those Injuries done against him and that he was ready to maintain what he had acted with his Sword in the Field King
Philip growing still more angry and pretending to fear some secret League between King Richard and the Turks to the prejudice of himself and his Followers he withdrew all the Troops belonging to the Emperour the Archduke and himself and leaving the King of England returned home Yet did not this discourage the gallant King Richard but with his own Forces and those of some other Christian Princes who submitted to his Conduct he prosecuted his Designs victoriously in all Places where he came It is related That there being a fair Opportunity for the taking of Jerusalem King Richard and the Duke of Burgundy marched in two Bodies from Acon to surprise it but when they approached near it Burgundy envying Richard's Glory signified to him That he would retire with his Soldiers because it should not be said the English had taken Jerusalem While this Message was delivering and King Richard grieving that such a glorious Enterprise should miscarry by Emulation an English Soldier came suddenly and cried out Sir Sir come hither and I will shew you Jerusalem But Richard throwing his Coat of Arms over his Face and weeping spake thus aloud Ah my Lord God I beseech thee that I may not see thy Holy City Jerusalem since I am not able to deliver it out of the Hands of thine Enemies The same Author writes That this Prince was so renowned for Valour that he was more dreaded among the Saracens than any Christian King ever was insomuch that when their Infants cried the Mothers to still them would say King Richard will come and take you which would affright them into stilness Yea when their Horses started at any time the Turks would spur them and cry What you Jades you think King Richard is here But while Richard was triumphant over his Enemies abroad his Affairs in England were very badly managed by the Bishop of Ely who being the Grandson of a Plowman and the Son of a Cow-keeper in the North after such high Advancement as Lord Chancellor and Protector of the Kingdom he grew insolent and exercised unusual Oppressions and Tyrannies over all sorts of Persons both in Church and State yea so ambitious and vain-glorious was he that when he rid abroad for his Recreation he would be attended by above a thousand Horse and would be waited on by the Sons of the Principal Nobility to whom he would marry his beggarly Kindred with little or no Fortunes But perceiving himself at length generally hated and abhorred he resolved to forsake the Kingdom and disguising himself in the Habit of a Country-man with a Piece of Cloth under his Arm he travelled toward Dover but being there discovered he was furiously assaulted by the People and dragged along upon the Sands after which being sent to London he was by the Nobility committed to the Tower where he cont nued till the King's Return but was then restored to his Liberty and Offices though he enjoyed them not long for he died soon after travelling to Rome to the great Joy of the wronged English Subject King Richard heard of these Transactions and of the great Discontent of his Brother John who out of hatred to the Bishop of Ely had seised divers Towns Forts and Castles into his Hands and onely wanted the Peoples Favour to make himself King He had advice likewise of the Inroads and Invasions of Philip the French King into Normandy in his absence These Tidings enforced him for preserving his Royalty to make a Peace with the Turks for three years even when he was in the height of Success and to return home In the way he again won the Isle of Cyprus from the Knights Templars to whom he had formerly sold it and then exchanged it with Guy of Lusignan for the City of Jerusalem he being the last Christian King thereof upon which Richard was called King of Jerusalem and so were many of his Successors long after Proceeding in his Voyage homeward he was by a violent Storm Shipwreck'd upon the Coast of Istria near Venice and travelling into the Territories of Leopold in Austria he was taken Prisoner and by him sold to the Emperour Henry the Sixth for 6000 Marks who taking good Security of Richard for paying him 100000 l. he gave him his Liberty In short time he arrived in Normandy and raising a stout Army he quickly revenged himself on the French for their Injuries against him and recovered all that had been unjustly taken from him While the King was thus employed his Brother Joâ—n came to him and humbly desired his Pardon alledging That what he had done was onely occasioned by the unsufferable Pride and Insolence of the Bishop and therefore he now freely surrendred all again into his Hands The King being mollified by this ingenuous Confession said God grant that I may as easily forget your Offences as you may remember wherein you have offended and then not onely gave him his Pardon but received him into his special Grace and Favour He then returned into England and summoning a Parliament he caused himself to be crowned the second time imposing very heavy Taxes upon the People for his Ransom and seising the Treasures of several Monasteries And to increase his own Revenue he resumed into his Hands all those Honours Mannors Castles Privileges and Offices which he had formerly sold to his Subjects forcing them to be contented with the Profits they had received By which ways he got together 80000 l. toward his Ransom the rest Leopold forgave him being curst by the Pope for making Richard a Prisoner coming from the Holy War After this the King transported another Army into France where he fought very successfully against the French and in one Battel took 100 Knights on Horseback 200 great Horse 140 of them being barbed and armed with Iron In these Wars Philip Bishop of Beavoirs and Peer of the Blood-Royal fighting valiantly in a Skirmish was taken Prisoner and order'd to be committed and Irons put on his Legs as being an inveterate Enemy to King Richard This hard Usage being complained of to the Pope he writ earnestly to Richard not to detain his dear Son an Ecclesiastical Person and a Shepherd of the Lords but to send him back to his Flock The King in a pleasant Bravery sent the Head-piece Back and Breast of Iron in which he was taken to the Pope with the Question of Jacob's Sons to their Father Behold this we found him in Is this thy Sons Coat Nay says the Pope it is the Coat neither of my Son nor a Son of the Church but of some Son of Mars therefore let him procure his Liberty as well as he can for I will not concern my self therein Soon after King Richard was cut off in the midst of all his Glory for the Lord Limoges having found a vast Treasure of Gold and Silver he sent the greatest part thereof to him as Lord thereof but the King resolving to have all came to besiege the Castle of Chalms where he judged
so deeply wounded the Kings Mind that he resolved immediately to make use of the Popes Bulls and thereupon caused them to be solemnly proclaimed in England Wales and Ireland adding That all who did any way support those Laws or the Twelve Peers should be committed to Prison He likewise took an Oath of all above twelve years old in and about London to be true to him and his Heirs But the Lords were not to be frighted declaring That they were resolved rather to die than recede from the Acts of that Honourable Assembly And judging that the King was designing something against them they went into the Marches of Wales where they raised a strong Army and then humbly addressed themselves to the King by Letters protesting their Fidelity to him and beseeching his Majesty That for the Honour of God the Good of his Soul and the Welfare of his People he would renounce and forsake those Counsels which were given him to suppress the Ordinances of Oxford and the Twelve Peers The King was much displeased with these Letters but returned no Answer Whereupon the Barons marched with a strong Army toward London carrying a Banner wherein the Kings Arms were curiously wrought As they passed they destroyed and burnt the Houses and Estates of those that favoured the Popes Bulls as undoubted Enemies to the King and Kingdom and then approaching to London they were joyfully received by the Citizens The King desâ—â—ing to divide the Lords caused it to be published That himself and the greatest part of the Barons were agreed and therefore required that all Arms might be laid aside and Peace restored But the Barons marched to Windsor where finding many Strangers in the Kings Palace they rifled and removed them but at length upon the Kings Motion all Differences were referred to Lewis the French King who upon hearing of both Parties declared That all the new Laws and Ordinances should be made void and the Power of the Twelve-Peers dissolved This Sentence the Lords judged Partiality and therefore fly again to Arms on th Marches destroying all that belonged to Sir Roger Mortimer who counselled the King to withstand them Prince Edward likewise raises an Army and marches against them but is overthrown After this they marched to London in Triumph hut King Henry hearing that Peter and Simon Montfort had raised Forces at Northampton he levied a strong Army and took the Town by Assault making the two Commanders and many others Prisoners The Barons being powerful were herewith nothing discouraged yet still sent Letters to the King with humble Protestations of their Fidelity if the new Laws were observed But Henry his Brother Richard King of the Romans and Prince Edward sent the Barons an absolute Defiance and wi h their Armies they met at Lewes in Sussex where after a bloody Fight the two Kings Prince Edward and several other Persons of Quality were taken Prisoners above 20000 being slain After which both Sides inclined to heaâ—â—en to Peace and at length it was agreed That the King by new Articles and Oaths should confirm the Power of the Twelve Peers and the other new Laws yet that two Spiritual and two Temporal Lords should review them and alter what they thought fit and if they could not agree the Duke of Britain was to be Uâ—pire This being concluded the two Kings eldest Sons were delivered as Hostages to the Barons where they continued above nine Months The King then called another Parliament wherein the Oxford Ordinances were again confirmed and the King again swore to maintain the Authority of the Twelve Peers and those Laws till any thing were found amiss in them and all who had defended them in the late Wars were pardoned by the King whereupon the two Princes were enlarg'd Yet soon after the two great Earls of Glocester and Leicester differed about these Laws and Prince Edward joyning with Glocester a cruel Battel was sought at Evesham in Worcestershire wherein Simon Montford Earl of Leicester and his Son Sir Hugh Spencer were slain and the Power of the Barons was utterly defeated And a Parliament being called no Man durst then contradict the Kings Will so that all the Laws made at Oxford the Authority of the Twelve Peers all Patents Commissions and Instruments whatsoever relating to what was Enacted in that called The Mad Parliament were brought forth and publickly damned cancelled and made void And thus King Henry regained his former Power and Authority to do as he pleased After which he humbled the City of London but upon their Submission received them again into Favour When Pope Innocent the Fourth offered the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples to Richard King of the Romans aforementioned with many impossible Conditions You might as well said the Kings Agent at Rome say to my Lord and Master I sell or give you the Moon climb up catch and take it Pope Alexander his Successor desired to borrow a great Sum of Money of Richard to whom he replied I will lend no Money to my Superiors whom I cannot oblige to repay me again This Richard is said to be so very rich that he was able to spend 100 Marks a day for ten years together which was a great Sum in that Age. Wicked rather than witty was that of a Dean and High Treasurer of England about this time who it seems had carried himself so well in his Office that when he died he made this wicked Will I bequeath all my Goods and Possessions to my Sovereign Lord the King my Body to the Earth and my Soul to the Devil Prince Edward full of Heat and Courage now resolves to make himself famous and transporting an Army into the Holy Land he there wrought Wonders the Turks not daring to engage in that Quarter wherein he was and raising the Siege of Acon which they had long lain before with above 100000 Men But since Force would not they resolved to dispatch him by Treachery a villainous Saracen wounding him unawares with a venomous Knife though after much Pain and Danger and the extreme Love of his Queen Eleanor who suckt out the Poyson with her Mouth he recovered thereof But in his absence King Henry died when he had reigned above Fifty six years in the Year 1272. EDWARD the FIRST King of England c. MY Glorious Victories and Valour try'd My Mighty Actions And ne'er dying Fame Were all proclaim'd throughout the World so wide By gallant Deeds I won Immortal Fame Rebelliouis Wales I utterly subdu'd And made them Vassals to my Princely Son I Scotland entered with Fire and Blood And almost all that Kingdom over-run Still where I fought triumphantly I won Through Wounds and Death my Glory I obtain'd Yet when I these renowned Deeds bad done A costly Sepulchre was all I gain'd For though Grandees contend for Earthly Sway Death binds them to the Peace and parts the Fray EDward sirnamed Longshanks from the Properness of his Person being informed of his Father's Death by great Journeys arrived
Son Edward to prosecute the Scots and to carry his dead Body along with him through Scotland For as long said he as thou hast my Bones with thee thou shalt certainly be victorious And that he should send his Heart to the Holy Land with 140 Knights and their Retinue for which Expence he had provided 32000 l. in Silver and charging him upon pain of eternal Damnation not to divert the Money to any other use Lastly Commanding him upon pain of his Curse not to recal Gaveston that wicked Debaucher of h s Youth without common Consent And soon after he died in the Five and thirtieth year of his Reign and Sixty ninth of his Age 1307. and was buried at Westminster EDWARD the SECOND King of England c. AS soon as e're my Father was Interr'd Greatness and Glory seem'd to wait on me When to the Regal Throne I was preferr'd All did rejoyce to me all bow'd the Knee But all these fickle Joys soon had an end My Love to thee Pierce Gaveston was so great My Dotage scarcely left me one true Friend My Queens Peers Peoples Hopes I did defeat Tormented both in Body and in Mind I by the Scots was beat at Bannocks Bourn And forc'd by Flight Security to find Yet seis'd on by my Queen At my return A red-hot Iron did my Bowels goar My woful Misery all Men did deplore THe comely Personage and Majesty of Edward the Second who succeeded his Father seemed to promise many Blessings from his Government but his Mind being grosly corrupted with vicious Company in his Youth made him burdensom to his Nobility and a scorn to his inferiour Subjects which brought woful Calamities upon himself and his Kingdom For no sooner was his Head adorned with the Imperial Crown but his Heart longed for the debauched Gaveston who though banished by his Father and Edward having taken an Oath that he should never return yet hearing how things went he soon came back and was received with extraordinary Joy and Content by the King The Nobles being extremely concerned as fearing the ruine of Church and State by his Insolence presumed to put the King in mind of his Oath but as his Conscience did not trouble him for the breach thereof so their Dislike increased his Love so that Gaveston and none but Gaveston managed all being created Baron of Wallingford Earl of Cornwal and Treasurer of all his Jewels and Treasure who fearing a Storm privately sent beyond Sea a massy Table and Tressels of beaten Gold with many other rich Ornaments and Jewels He likewise enticed the King to banquet and drink without measure and to leave the Society of Isabel his Queen Daughter to King Philip the Fair of France The Nobles murmured the Common People talked boldly his own Servants privately told him of the Villanies of Gaveston yet he disregarded the first and frowned on the last But yet perceiving he should not be able to protect him against the Importunity of the Lords he was sent into Ireland where he was no sooner arrived but Messengers with Letters of Comfort Plate Jewels Gold and Silver in abundance and Promises of Reward and Advancement were sent him by the King so that it seemed rather an Honourable Ambassy than Banishment During Gaveston's absence the King was so melancholy and discontented that his Nobility in hopes of his Reformation moved the King for his return When he came back his Pride and Insolence increased so much that he publickly gloried in his misleading the King and abused the Lords to their Faces so that being no longer able to suffer his Impudence they besieged him in a strong Castle whither he fled which having won they took Gaveston and cut off his Head at which the King was so highly incensed that he sought all ways to revenge his Death And to vex the Nobility he took into his nearest Familiarity and Counsels the two Spencers Father and Son Men as wicked and odious to the Lords and People as the former who perswaded him to frequent the Company of Harlots and Concubines and utterly to neglect his Queen But this evil Government of himself and his Kingdom kindled new Heats between him and his Subjects of which Robert Bruce taking the advantage came from Norway whither he had fled into Scotland and was joyfully received and crowned King of that Kingdom and raising a puissant Army he entred England burning and destroying all before him till he was encountred by the King but Edward fighting a Battel within Scotland received an Overthrow with the loss of many thousand Soldiers besides Gilbert de Clare Earl of Glocester forty two Lords and above fourscore Knights and Barons who were taken Prisoners and he shamefully forced to fly into England for Safety where one John Powdras a Tanners Son of Exeter confronted him affirming That he was the Legitimate Son of King Edward the First and that he was changed in his Cradle by his Nurse for a Carters Child offering several Proofs for the same and among others alledging the unkingly and base Qualities of Edward upon which many of the Vulgar flock'd to him But being taken and confessing his Treason he was condemned and executed At the same time the almost impregnable Castle of Berwick was betray'd to Robert Bruce and such a great Famine and Murrain of Cattel happened as was hardly ever known Likewise about two hundred Highwaymen and Thieves Clothed like Gray Friers Robbed and Murdered the Inhabitants of the North part without respect to Age or Sex the Scots also raised an Army and made such Devastation that the Famine increased wofully so that the living could scarce bury the dead and the rest were forc't to eat Rats Mice Cats Dogs Horses and the like Edward marching to suppress the Scots received a second overthrow more lamentable than the former returning back with much disgrace leaving his Northern Subjects a merciless prey to their Barbarous Enemys The Nobility observing the miseries of the Kingdom daily to increase complain of the Misgovernment of the Spencers telling him plainly They had so much interest in his Person and the Government that they were bound to inform him of his misdemeanors and the mis-managment of his two Corrupt Counsellors The King knowing their complaints to be true yet resolving not to part with his Favourites contrived to surprise those Noble-men who most hated the Spencers and giving them a pleasing answer presently after summoned a Parliament pretending to reform what was amiss to the great joy both of Lords and Commons but the Barons suspecting trechery repaired to London with a strong Army of their followers all clothed in the same Livery which highly offended the King because he was afraid they would deprive him of his dear Minions which happened accordingly for it was enacted by Parliament That the two Spencers should be banished for ever and not to return upon pain of death after which they were soon sent away at which most Men were pleased but the King continually
discovered his anger against the Lords who had forced his consent to their Banishment which he made appear upon this occasion The younger Spencer having got a few Ships together robbed and pillaged the Merchants of England and all other Nations in the Narrow Seas upon which they Petitioned that a Fleet might be set out to seize and Execute him as a Pyrate and notorious Thief the King smiled seeming to rejoyce thereat and instead of punishing him pardoned them both recalled them from Banishment to despight the Barons and raised them to higher Honour and Offices than before The Lords inraged hereat especially since the Spencers affronted them openly upon all occasions they resolved on revenge and to that purpose immediately raise a strong Army and take the Field and the King with the two Spencers and some other of the Nobles did the like and many sharp encounters passed between them the Lords forgetting they undutifully fought against their Soveraign and the King that his Cruelty had compelled them to take Arms In the end when many of the Barons and thousands of their adherents were slain they fled and were pursued by the King who took the Earls of Lancaster Hereford and many other Lords two and twenty of whom were beheaded in diverse parts of the Realm to the great terror of the People This success made the Spencers yet more insolent so that now they made their Will a Law in all things and presuming that all would be done they desired they persuaded the King to call a Parliament at York in which he created his eldest Son Edward Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitan Old Hugh Spencer was made Earl of Winchester and Sir Andrew Harkly who was very active against the Lords Earl of Carlisle he likewise exacted the sixth penny of all Mens Estates in England Wales and Ireland whereat the People grievously complained alledging that they were quite impoverished by Famine and Dearth but especially by reason of the disorders in the Government The Scots having notice that K. Edward resolved to revenge the wrongs committed against his Subjects under Robert Bruce their usurping King to divert him invaded Ireland with strong Force but the King being forewarned had sufficiently provided against their landing so that most of them were slain and the rest forced to fly to their Ships and return shamefully home The King now thinking himself invincible marches with a brave Army into Scotland where the Scots being well-armed and many thousands in number pretended to give him Battel when they intended nothing less for as Edward approached they withdrew into the Woods Forrests and Mountains whereby the English Army were soon extreamly distressed by Storms Rain Frost Snow and Hail and likewise with want of Provisions which caused great Mortality so that without performing any thing Honourable he began to retire which the Scots perceiving they pursued him with all cruelty and violence and falling upon his Army forced the King to save himself by flight and leave behind him his Treasure Ordinance and Provisions This disaster happened by the treachery of Sir Andrew Harkley who having privately received Money of the Scots designed to betray the King for which Treason he after lost his Head The Queen being sensible of the malice of the Spencers against her who estranged the King from her Company and Bed and lamenting the late slaughter of many of the Nobility and the continued misery of the Nation she with her Son Prince Edward fled into France to her Brother King Charles where she was at first received with great joy and Promises of assistance the Barons likewise by Letters assuring her of their Service to her self and Son But the Spencers by unvaluable Presents to K. Charles and his Courtiers soon took him off that instead of assistance he reproved his Sister for leaving her Husband the Pope being likewise obliged by the same means required the French King upon pain of his Curse to send the Queen and Prince to Edward and she hardly escaped being betray'd by her own Brother but privately getting into the Empire by means of Sir Robert Artois her kinsman she was joyfully entertained by the Lord Beaumont and his Brother who accompanied her and her Son with three hundred Knights and Gentlemen and landed in England at which the Barons rejoycing soon joyned with her increasing hourly so that the King hastened to Wales to raise Forces leaving the Government of London to Walter Stapleton L. Treasurer and Bishop of Exeter a great Favourite of the Spencers and an Enemy to the Queen and therefore generally hated by the Citizens who abhorring his proud and insolent Government caused his head to be struck off at the Standard in Cheapside without any Legal Tryal and then violently rushing into the Tower slew all they found there keeping that and the City for the Queen and Prince K. Edward upon this revolt chang'd his purpose and posting to Bristow fortified the Town and Castle Sir Hugh Spencer the Father and Son being with him and the Earl of Arundel was made Governour resolving to defend it with all their might but soon after the City was besieged and taken by the Queen and Lords and the Earl of Arundel and Spencer the Father taken Prisoners but the King and Young Spencer being besieged in the Castle not trusting to the strength thereof got out privately in the Night and put themselves in a small Fisherboat but every day for a whole week when the Boat went to Sea it was driven back again near the Castle which the L. Beaumont observing he with a small Vessel chased the Boat and took her wherein he found the King and young Spencer whom they so much desired and brought them to the Queen who presenting them before the besieged in the Castle they presently surrendred Old Spencer the Earl of Winchester and the Earl of Arundel whose Daughter was married to the younger Spencer were beheaded and the King being in an honourable restraint the Queen Prince and Barons with a strong Army marched toward London carrying young Spencer in Triumph before whom several Fidlers and Pipers sung danced and play'd scornfully upon Reeds through every Town and Village as they past where being come he was bound to the top of an high Ladder and his Heart and Privy-members being burnt his Head was set on London Bridge After which the Queen nobly treated and rewarded Sir John of Heynault the Lord Beaumont and their followers who departed home and were there received with great honour The Queen and young Prince to redress all disorders assembled a Parliament in which the King by general consent was deposed and committed to Killingworth Castle with honourable atttendance and Prince Edward his Son Crowned King not long after Edward was removed to Cors-Castle where he was barbarously murdered by his Keepers who through a Horn thrust a burning Spit into his Fundament after he had reigned almost nineteen years and in the forty first of his Age 1307. EDWARD the
fell upon the Scots at Shrewsbury before they could joyn their Confederates whom he routed as he did likewise Hotspur and Worcester killing thirty six with his own Hand The Earl of Worcester was taken and beheaded and several of the principal Confederates were hanged and quartered and their Heads set upon London bridge Prince Henry likewise went into Wales against Owen Glendour who was suddenly forsaken by his Army and hiding himself in the Woods being encompassed by the Princes Forces was miserably starved to death Henry Hotspur was slain in the Field but his Father the Earl of Northumberland came voluntarily and submitted himself to the King protesting himself innocent of these Treasons which though the King did not in the least credit yet he gave him good Words and suffered him to depart at pleasure because he had Berwick Castle and other strong Places in his Possession These Troubles being ended Lewis Duke of Orleance Brother to the French King sent a vain-glorious Challenge to King Henry requiring him with an hundred stout English to fight with him and the like number of French for Honours sake at a Place appointed But the King discreetly answered That his former warlike Actions sufficiently cleared him from the infamous Title of Coward That Kings ought not to be so careless of their Kingdoms or prodigal of the Blood of their Subjects whom God had committed to their Charge as to fight for any Cause unless for the Defence of the True Religion their own Rights or to secure their Realms from Foreign Enemies and revenge their Peoples Wrongs That a Sovereign Prince by the Laws of Arms and Honour was not obliged to any Challenge in the Field except against one equal to him in Dignity Yet that he would be always ready to repress any Violence or Wrong which the Duke should rashly or unadvisedly attempt against him or his People The haughty Duke having received this mild Answer grew inraged and immediately sate down with a great Army before the Town of Vergie in Guyen which he besieged three Months giving many fierce Assaults and receiving such stout Repulses that despairing of Success he was compelled to raise his Siege and return disgracefully into France The Duke of Burgundy likewise judging that King Henry durst not leave the Kingdom to make War abroad desired leave of the French King to attempt the regaining of Callice and to that end raised great Strength but the French Kings Council being informed of King Henry's vast Preparations to defeat them commanded Burgundy to desist which he imputed to the Pride of the Duke of Orleance lest he should gain more Honour than himself No sooner was Henry freed from this Danger but another presently succeeded contrived by Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland Richard Scroop Archbishop of York Thomas Mowbray Earl-Marshal the Lords Hastings Faulconbridge Bardolf and others but the Conspiracy being privately revealed he unexpectedly marched with an Army into the North and surprised all the Lords except Northumberland and Bardolf whom he immediately beheaded Northumberland fled into France and from thence came back a while after into Scotland where he was promised Aid against the King but Prince Henry being sent thither burnt and destroyed all before him taking in the Castles of Berwick and Anwick and forcing the Scots to beg for Truce which was granted them for a few Months onely But three years after Northumberland and Bardolf animating the Scots to a new War entred Northumberland and did much mischief Whereupon King Henry raised Forces to suppress them but before his coming they were routed by Sir Ralph Rooksby Sheriff of the County and the two Lords with divers others being taken they cut off their Heads and sent them for Presents to the King After which till his Death which hapned in two years he enjoyed Peace and Quietness and then died at London of an Apoplexy having reigned Thirteen years and five months and lived Fifty six 1412. and was buried at Canterbury In his Admonition to his Son at his Death he spake thus As long as Englishmen have Wealth and Riches so long shalt thou have Obedience from them but when they are Poor they are still ready for Commotion and Rebellion HENRY the FIFTH King of England c. FRom the Lancastrian Line successively I Englands Glorious Golden Garland got I mixed Justice still with Clemency Much Blood I shed yet Blood-shed loved not Time may my Bones and Sepulchre destroy But Time can never blast my endless Fame Oblivion my great Acts can ne'er annoy Or make Forgetfulness forget my Name In France a Game at Tennis I did play With roaring Rackets thundring Guns and Drums And what I play'd for still I brought away The Spoils triumphantly transporting home Yet at the last grim Death my Life assail'd And as I liv'd I di'd lov'd and bewail'd WHilst Henry the Fifth was Prince he accompanied with several rude debauched Persons with whom he committed many extravagant Actions but after the Death of his Father being Crowned King he became a new Man banishing all those his loose Companions from his Presence and Court and electing grave discreet Counsellors and Officers in all Places for Administration of the Government and Courts of Justice He applied himself to reform all kind of Abuses and especially the Pride Covetousness and other Enormities of the Clergy enjoyning them to apply themselves to Prayer Preaching and Hospitality He executed the Laws with moderation upon his People and to prevent any Irruptions of the Scots and Welch he built divers Forts and Castles on the Frontiers Garrison'd with some thousands of stout Soldiers In his first year he ordered the Body of King Richard the Second to be removed with great Pomp and Solemnity from Langley to Westminster and buried it with Queen Ann his first Wife In his second year he called a Parliament at Leicester in which he was earnestly petitioned to suppress the Religious Houses throughout the Kingdom as being now onely the Nurseries of Idleness Gluttony Letchery and Pride the Revenues whereof were reckoned to be worth 20000 l. a year which would then maintain 15 Earls 1500 Knights and above 6000 Soldiers besides an Allowance to a great number of Alms-houses To divert this dangerous Motion the fat Abbots and Priors the idle Monks wanton Fryars and whining Nuns joyntly beseeched the Archbishop of Canterbury to be their Friend who in a Learned Oration discovered the Kings Right to the Crown of France proposing an easie Method for attaining thereto and lastly as a more prevailing Argument he offered the King as a free Gift from the Clergy an incredible Sum of Money for furthering him therein This Proposal laid all those Petitions asleep being approved of both by King Nobles and People and nothing was discoursed of but Englands recovering of France To which purpose the Duke of Exeter the Kings Uncle the Archbishop of Dublin the Lord Gray High Admiral and the Bishop of Norwich attended with 500 Horse were sent Ambassadors to the
infringe this Agreement that then the Duke of York should have present possession of the Crown the Duke having thus got the Government of the Kings Person and Dominions sent Letters to Scotland in the Kings name to the Queen and several of the Lords with her to appear with all speed before the King but they not only refused his Command but marched boldly toward London with an Army of eighteen thousand English and Scots but at Wakefeild the Duke of York met the Queen and perswaded her to submit which not prevailing another bloudy battel was fought wherein the Duke was worsted himself his younger Son Edward and three thousand of his men being slain and the rest fled The Queen having taken the Earl of Salisbury beheaded him and divers others whose heads she caused to be set upon the walls of York in despight of that party which was fully revenged in a short time upon the King Queen and Prince and a great number more of the Lancastrian faction The Earl of March now Duke of York hearing of this overthrow though his Army were only three thousand men fell upon Jasper Earl of Pembroke the Kings half brother Owen Tudor his Father and their Confederates which he soon routed killing four thousand of them and taking Owen Tudor Father in Law to King Henry and divers others Prisoners who were immediately beheaded But the Queens Army about the same time having encountred the Duke of Norfolk and his forces made them fly and leave K. Henry behind whereat the Queen was extream joyful and insolent but hearing of the success of the young Duke of York she retired into the North raising an Army of 60000 Men she met the Dukes Army of forty nine thousand at a place called Towton where after a cruel fight wherein thirty six thousand Englishmen were slain the Duke obtained an absolute Victory The King Queen and Prince Edward their only Son fled to Scotland and were kindly received by that King delivering to him the Town and Castle of Berwick but the Duke rid Triumphantly to York from whose walls he took the heads of his Father and Friends and set up those of the Earl of Devonshire and others in their stead King Henry hopeless of succour sufficient from Scotland sent his Queen and Son to Reyner her Father and the French King for aid he himself remaining in Scotland patiently expecting the event of his future state And here we may properly end his Reign as being after this only the Tennis-ball of Fortune for though he were sometimes put in hope of having his Kingdom established yet he was inthron'd and dethroned in so short a time that it seemed rather like the acting of a Tragedy than of matters really performed He reigned 38 and lived 49 years EDWARD the FOURTH King of England c. I York's Great Heir by the strange Chance of War Was Crown'd Vncrown'd and then again Inthron'd I wholly crush'd the House of Lancaster Whilst woful England under Misery groan'd Fathers and Mothers Childless made did grieve These bloody Bickerings lasting threescore Years E're they to Peace and Quiet did arrive Wherein were slain above an hundred Peers But Age and Time all Earthly things destroys Through Terrors Horrors Mischief and Debate By Truth by Treason by Hopes Fears and Joy I got I kept I left I lost the State Thus as the Powers Divine do smile or frown Glories or Troubles wait upon a Crown EDward Duke of York having thus overthrown King Henry and his Queen and executed many of his chief Opposers returned triumphantly to London where he was joyfully received and Crowned June 19. 1461. and a Parliament being called Aubrey Vere Earl of Oxford and his Son with some other Counsellors of King Henry being attainted of Treason were beheaded And to strengthen himself King Edward created his eldest Brother George Duke of Clarence and Richard he made Duke of Glocester and several others were advanced to Honour and the Duke of Somerset Sir Ralph Pierce with other inveterate Enemies of King Edward finding no hope of success submitted and received Pardon In the mean time Q. Margaret coming from France with her Son and going into Scotland many Scots joyned with her and marching with her Husband to Berwick Castle raised considerable Forces in Northumberland and Durham Somerset and Piercie treacherously going to her but being encountred by John Nevil Lord Montague they were soon routed and fled onely Sir Ralph Pierce died valiantly fighting and pursuing his Victory he utterly overthrew King Henry's Army the Duke of Somerset with seven other Lords being taken and Beheaded Henry fled back to Scotland Edwards Army went forward and recovered divers Castles and Forts in Northumberland and among others Bamborough commanded by Sir Ralph Grey who had formerly sworn Alâ—egiance to K. Edward whom they Beheaded after he had been degraded of his Knighthood by hewing off his Spurs tearing in pieces his Coat of Arms and breaking his Sword over his Head In his third year K. Henry travelling toward London in disguise was taken in the North and being brought to King Edward was committed close Prisoner to the Tower And now the King designing to marry sent his most intimate Favourite Richard Nevil the Valiant Earl of Warwick and Brother to the L. Montacute to propose a match with the Lady Bona the French Kings Daughter which was soon agreed to and concluded In which time K. Edward hunting in Wickwood Forrest and coming to the Mannor of Grafton set his Eyes on Elizabeth the Widdow of Sir John Gray who was slain as he fought for King Henry at St. Albans and counting her very warmly to satisfy his pleasures was modestly and constantly denied which inflamed him the more as having seldom met with refusals upon such an account what therefore he could not obtain unlawfully he resolved to gain by Marriage and accordingly without any further delay or advice made her his Wife she having assured him That as she accounted her self too mean to be his Wife so she thought he self too good to be his Harlot King Edwards Mother would fain have dissuaded him from it alledging among many other reasons that her Widdowhood was a sufficient cause why he should not dishonour himself with Bigamy in his first Marriage to which he merrily reply'd She is indeed a Widdow and hath Children and by Gods blessed Lady I am a Batchelor and have some too and each have good proof that neither of us are like to be barren and therefore pray Madam be contented for I hope I shall get a young Prince that shall please you very well and as for the Bigamy or Widdowhood let the Priest charge me with it when I come to take Orders for I have heard it is forbidden to a Priest but never yet thought in was so to a Prince But however pleasing this Marriage was to the King yet it proved very unsatisfactory to his Subjects and unfortunate to himself for the Earl of Warwick having News
therefore proclaimed War against France upon which occasion and for writing against Martin Luther the Pope stiled him Defender of the Faith Henry sending a Fleet and an Army thither took the Towns of Tyrwin and Tournay At the same time James the Fourth King of Scots though he had married Margaret King Henry's eldest Sister contrary to his Oath and Articles invaded England with an Army of 100000 Fighting Men but the Earl of Surrey with 26000 Men marching against them utterly routed the whole Scotch Army at Flodden field King James himself being slain valiantly fighting After this succeeded a Peace and the French King married King Henry's second Sister Mary And now Cardinal Wolsey of mean Parentage grew extreme Great by the Kings extraordinary Affection toward him and among other extravagant Actions he procured a License from the Pope to pluck down several small Abbies and Priories and to settle the Lands upon two Colleges which he had built one in Ipswich and another in Oxford which President occasioned King Henry some years after to pull down all the rest In his eighth year a Riot hapned in London against Merchant-Strangers and Artificers for which many were condemned of High Treason but were all pardoned by the King The Truce with France was soon broken by the French King whereupon King Henry sent an Army thither who won and burnt Morlaix and several other Towns returning home with great Booty In his twentieth year the Kings Marriage with Queen Katherine of Spain is questioned which was thought to be cunningly contrived by Cardinal Wolsey whereupon the King refrained her Bed and it was judged unlawful by six Foreign Universities so that notwithstanding the Popes Opposition who would have had it referred to him it was made null and void by the next Parliament upon which the Pope caused his Curse to be set up at Dunkirk against the King pronouncing the Marriage lawful But Henry little regarded those Paper Pellets for hereby the Pope lost his Supremacy in England and Bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More were beheaded for defending it The King soon after married Ann Bullein Daughter to the Lord Rochford who was judged a Favourer of Protestants and therefore disliked by Cardinal Wolsey who for abundance of Misdemeanours was found guilty of a Praemunire and all his Estate and Honours were taken from him for grief whereof he soon after died In his twenty sixth year the King was by Parliament declared Supreme Head of the Church within all his own Dominions in all Ecclesiastical Causes and all Popish Bulls and Indulgences were made void and several Religious Houses of Nuns and Monks whose Revenue exceeded not 200 l. a year were suppressed The next year Queen Ann the Kings dearly-beloved Wife was beheaded though she protested her Innocency at her death being accused for prostituting her Body to her own Brother the Lord Rochford who with some others were put to death for the same This Tragedy being over the King within twenty days married Jane the Daughter of Sir John Seymour by whom he had the Virtuous Prince Edward who succeeded him but within few days after the good Queen died James King of Scotland being slain as aforementioned his Queen Margaret eldest Sister to King Henry was afterward married to Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus who had a Daughter by her called Margaret this young Lady the Lord Howard married without the Kings leave for which she being of the Blood Royal he was beheaded as a Traytor The Kings Proceedings against the Pope caused a Rebellion in Lincolnshire but they were soon dispersed and Captain Cobler their Leader with others executed This was no sooner supprest but an Insurrection begun in the North of above 40000 who called themselves The Holy Pilgrims but upon the Kings Pardon they all quietly departed â—ome A third Rebellion succeeded in Westmorland upon the same account but was likewise defeated and seventy of the principal Conspirators executed In his twenty eighth year several Persons were executed for denying the Kings Supremacy and the Lord Cromwel is made Vicegerent in all Spiritual Matters by whom all Images and Shrines in Churches were taken down and destroyed and the Houses and Lands of Abbots Priors Monks and Nuns for their many Misdemeanours were all taken away and their yearly Revenues amounting to above 200000 l. setled on the King who freely exchanged them for other Lands with divers of his Nobles and Gentry thereby preventing as much as possible the restoring them to their former Uses After the Lord Cromwel had performed this great Business he persuaded the King to marry Ann of Cleve whom he never liked so that though he was married to her four Months he never conversed with her as a Wife the Clergy soon after dissolving the Marriage and the King married Katherine Howard Daughter to the Lord Howard Brother to the Duke of Norfolk The King then began to frown upon Cromwel which his Enemies who were many observing procured his Downfal for he was attainted in Parliament and without being suffered to defend himself was condemned and executed for High Treason and about this time the Lord Hungerford and the Lord Leonard Gray were put to death King Henry was very unfortunate in his Wives for soon after his last Marriage he was informed that his Queen Katherine had before Marriage lived very lasciviously with one Francis Derham and Thomas Culpeper whereupon the Queen and the Lady Rochfort who was privy thereto were soon after attainted of Treason by Parliament and beheaded and the other two hanged at Tyburn About this time an Act of Parliament was made declaring it High Treason to deny the Oath of Supremacy or to acknowledge the Authority of the Pope Yet though the Discipline of the Church was altered the Doctrine remained almost the same for there were six bloody Articles likewise enacted and it was made Heresie and thereupon burning to deny any of them They were these 1. That after speaking the Words of Consecration by the Priest the real and natural Body and Blood of Christ as he was conceived and crucified was in the Sacrament and no other Substance 2. That the Communion in both Kinds is not necessary to Salvation 3. That Priests may not marry 4. That Vows of Chastity ought to be observed by the Law of God 5. That Private Masses ought to be continued 6. That Auricular Confession is necessary and expedient to be retained in the Church of God The refusal of these Articles caused the Death of very many Protestants as the denying the Kings Supremacy cut off several Papists so that at the same time Protestants were burnt on one side of Smithfield and Papists hanged on the other which made Foreigners admire not understanding what Religion King Henry was of In his thirty third year the King married Katherine Parr Sister to the Marquess of Northampton and Widow to the Lord Latimer who was likely to have lost her Head if her Virtue and the Kings sudden Death had not
the next year His Majesty and Donna Katherina Infanta of Portugal were married by the Lord Bishop of London at Pertsmouth June 14. 1662. Sir Henry Vane was beheaded on Tower-Hill for High Treason In December three Ambassadors came from the Emperour of Russia with rich Presents to His Majesty In July 1663. the Laird Warriston was Executed at Edenborough according to the Sentence in Parliament on a Gibbet twenty two foot high In January Twenty one Persons were condemned for High Treason in Yorkshire In March 1664. War was proclaimed against the Dutch for which the Parliament gave His Majesty a supply of Five and twenty hundred thousand pounds June 3. 1665. His Royal Highness obtained a Gâ—â—â—t Viâ—tory against the Hollanders wherein above Thirty of their Capital Snips were taken and destroyed and near Eight thousand Men killed and taken Prisoners Of the English were slain the Earls of Falmouth Portland and Marlborough and the Lord Muskerry A great Sickness in London for in this year there died Ninety seven thousand three hundred and six whereof of the Plague Sixty eight thousand five hundred ninety six In June 1666. another Victory was obtained against the Dutch by His Majesties Fleet under Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle after a sharp Ingagement of three days in two of which the Duke of Albema le maintained the Fight with Fifty Ships against above Eighty of the Enemy In September this year a sudden and lamentable Fire broke out in London which burnt down Thirteen thousand two hundred Houses in four days time June 11. 1667. Some of His Majesties Frigates took twelve Dutch Prizes and sunk two upon the coast of Norway In March 1668. several Apprentices and other idle Persons about London got tumultuously together under the notion of pulling down Houses of ill fame eight of whom were taken and indicted of High Treason four whereof were Executed at Tyburn Jan. 4. The Duke of Albemarl died at the Cock-Pit and the 23d his Dutchess likewise died May 25. 1670. His Majesty and His Royal Highness went to Dover where the Dutchess of Orleance Landed the next day May 9. Colonel Bloud and others attempted to carry away the Royal Crown out of the Tower of London March 14. 1672. Sir Rob. Holms with six of His Majesties Ships met with the Dutch Smyrna and Streights Fleet conveyed by eight of their Men of War of Portsmouth and upon refusing to strike and lower their Top-Sails fought them and took five of the richest of them March 28. His Majesties Declaration of War aga nst the States General of the Vnited Provinces was Proclaimed In May there happened a violent Fire at St. Catherines near the Tower of London which consumed above an hundred Houses May 28. His Royal Highness engaged the whole Dutch Fleet in Southwold Bay and after a sharp Encounter of about eight hours the Dutch Fleet gave way and retreated In this Engagement that gallant Commander the Earl of Sandwich was lost as likewise Sir Fretchevill Hâ—llis Capt. Digby and Sir John Cox May 17. 1673. The English and French Fleets joyned together in the Downs and soon after they engage against the Dutch and after a sharp Dispute forced them to retreat and shelter among the shallows Aug. 11. A third Victory was obtained against the Hollanders under the Command of Prince Râ—pert where that valiant Sea-man Sir Edw. Spragg was unhappily drowned Her Royal Highness with the Dutchess of Modena her Mother arrived at Dover Novemb. 21. where they were met by His Royal Highness the D. of York in order to the Consummation of their Marriage Feb. 9. The Treaty of Peace concluded between His Majesty and the Dutch was signed by His Majesties Commissioners and the Spanish Ambassador commissioned by the States thereunto Decemb. 18. 1674. His Majesty having been pleased at His Entertainment at Guildhall London on the Lord Mayors day before to accept of the Freedom of the City This day the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen waited upon His Majesty at Whitehall and humbly presented him with the Copy of the Freedom of the City in a Box of massy Gold the Seal thereof hanging in a Golden Box set over with Diamonds to a very great value Aug. 20. 1675. A Hurricane happened at Barbadoes which destroyed at Sea eight Ships and Ketches and at Land 300 Houses and about 200 Persons Sept. 3. The whole Town of Northampton was near burnt to the ground by an accidental Fire Novemb. 7. 1677. A Marriage was solemnized between the Prince of Orange and the Lady Mary at St. James's by the L. Bishop of London Sept. 29. 1678. Titus Oats and Dr. Tongue were examined before the Privy Council in order to the discovering a Plot against His Majesties Person and Government Next day Mr. Edw. Coleman was committed to Newgate Octob. 10. Sir Edmunbury Godfrey having been missing three or four days was found dead in a ditch with his own Sword thrust through him nigh Primrose Hill and the Coroners Jury gave in their Verdict that he was murdered by a Confederacy of Assassinates On the 19th a Proclamation was issued out for discovery of the Murtherers Octob. 21. The Parliament met and the next day Oats was examined before the Commons and the next day after before the House of Lords Octob. 24. Mr. Will. Bedlow came in for a discoverer of the Plot and Sir Edmundbury Godfreys Murther Octob. 30. A Proclamation was published for a General Fast Another commanding all Popish Recusants to depart ten miles out of London Another That no Officer nor Souldier in His Majesties Guards should be a Papist Nov. 11. Wiâ—l Staley a Goldsmith was Executed at Tyburn for Treason Nov. 30. His Majesty gave His Royal Assent to an Act to disable Papists to Sit in either House of Parliament Decemb. 3. Edw. Coleman was Executed A false Alarum happened of the French Landing in the Isle of Purbeck Jan. 24. Ireland and Grove were Executed being convicted of High Treason for carrying on the Popâ—sh Plot Feb. 21. Green Bury and Hill were hanged for the Murther of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey April 4. 1669. Articles of Impeachment were drawn up by the House of Commons against the E. of Powis L. Stafford L. Arundel of Warder L. Petre and L. Bellasis upon which they were committed Prisoners to the Tower April 21. The King dissolved His Privy Council and constituted another consisting of thirty May 3. Dr. Sharp Archbishop of St. Andrews in Scotland was there barbarously murdered in his Coach by twelve Assassinates May 29. A Rebellion broke out in the West of Scotland where they proclaimed the Covenant and set up a Declaration but were soon dispersed by His Majesties Forces June 21. Whitehead Harcourt Gavan Turner and Fenwick all Priests and Jesuits being condemned at the old Bayly for the Popâ—sh Plot were executed at Tyburn and soon after Mr. Langhorn upon the same account Decem. 29. 1680. The L. Stafford was beheaded on Tower-hill June 15. 1681. Oliver Plunket and Edward
Sir Edward Sherburne Kt. Storekeeper W. Bridges Esq Keeper of the Records in the Tower Sir Alg. May. Kt. The Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London and the Wards whereunto each long Above the Chair Sir Henry Tulse Kt. Lord Mayor Breadstreet Sir W. Turner Castle Baynard Sir W. Hooker Cornhil Sir Robert Vyn r. Langborn Sir J. Edwards Candlewick Sir John Moor. Walbrook Sir W. Pritchard Bridge without Below the Chair Sir Ja. Smith Portsoken Sir R. Jefferies Cordwainer Sir W. Rawstern Limestreet Sir J. Peake Billingsgate Sir T. Beckford Aldgate Sir J. Chapman Towerstreet Sir Si. Lewis Bassishaw Sir Jo. Reymond Bishopsgate Sir Dud. North. Faringdon without Pet Rich Esq Aldersgate Sir P. Daniel Sheriff Bridge within Sa. Dashwood Esq Sheriff Cheapside Sir B. Bathurst Cripplegate Sir J. Buckworth Colemanstr Sir Ben. Newland Vintry Jacob Lucy Esq Dowgate Ch. Duncomb Esq Broadstreet Pet. Paravicini Esq Queenhith B. Thorogood Esq Faringdon within Recorder Sir Tho. Jenner Chamberlain Mr. Ailworth Com. Serjeant H. Crisp Esq Townclerk W. Wagstaff Esq Vicechamberl J. Lane Esq The Colonels of the Six Regiments of the Trained Bands of London The Red Sir R. Vyner Green Sir Ja. Edwards Yellow Sir John Moor. Blue Sir Will. Pritchard Orange Sir Ja. Smith White Sir John Peake Post master of England E. of Arlington and under his Lordsh P. Froud Esq His Majesties Lieutenants of the several Counties of England Berks Duke of Norfolk Bucks Earl of Bridgwater Bedford Earl of Ailsbury Bristol Duke of Beaufort Cheshire Earl of Derby Cumberland E. of Caâ—lisle Cambridge Lord Alington Cornwal Earl of Bath Devon Duke of Albemâ—rle Dorset Earl of Bristol Derby Earl of Devon Durham L. Bish of Durham Essex Duke of Albemarle Glocester Duke of Beaufort Hereford Duke of Beaufort Hertford E. of Bridgwater Huntingdon E. of Ailsbury Hampsh E. of Gainsborough Kent Earl of Winchelsea Lancashire Earl of Derby Leicester Earl of Rutland London L Mayor and the Lieutenancy Lincoln Earl of Lindsey Monmouth D. of Beaufort Middlesex and Southwark Earl of Craven Norfolk Duke of Norfolk Northampt. E. Peterborough Northumberl D. Newcastle Nottingham D. Newcastle Oxford Earl of Abingdon Purbeck Isle D. of Beaufort Rutland E. of Gainsborough Suffolk Earl of Arlington Surrey Duke of Norfolk Shropshire Visc Newport Stafford Earl of Shrewsbury Somerset D. of Somerset Sussex Earl of Dorset To wer Hamlets L. Alington Worcester E. of Plymouth Warwick E. of Sunderland Wilts Earl of Pembroke Westmorland E. Carlisle North and South-Wales Duke of Beaufort East Rid. York D. Somerset West Rid. E. of Burlington North Rid. V. Faulconbridge Vnder these are Deputy-Lieutenants who are most of the Principal Gentlemen of each County The Officers of His Majesties three Troops of Horse Guards The Kings Troop Captain Duke of Albemarle Lieutenants Aston Esq Edw. Villiers Esq Edw. Griffin Esq Cornet Sir Walter Clerges Guidon Major Binns The Queens Troop Captain Sir Philip Howard Lieutenants Sir Geo. Hewit Sir John Fenwick Cornet Charles Orby Esq Guidon Ph. Darcy Esq His Royal Highness's Troop Captain Earl of Feversham Lieutenants Colo. Worden Colonel Oglethorp Cornet Philip Darcy Esq Guidon Major Edm. Meine The Kings Regiment of Horse under the Earl of Oxford Lieut. Col. Aubrey E. Oxford Major Sir Francis Compton The Foot Guards The Kings Regiment Colonel Duke of Grafton Lieut. Col. John Strode Esq Major William Eyton Esq The Coldstream Regiment Colonel Earl of Craven Lieut. Col. E. Sackville Esq Major John Huitson Esq His Royal Highness's Regiment Colonel Sir Ch. Littleton Lieut. Col. Ol. Nicholas Esq Major Richard Baggot Esq The Holland Regiment Colonel Earl of Mulgrave Lieut. Col. Sir Tho. Ogle Major Windram Esq Governors of Countries Islands Cities Towns Forts and Garrisons Barbadoes Sir Ric. Dutton Bermudos Sir Hen. Heydon Berwick D. of Newcastle Carlisle Lord Morpeth Chepstow Duke of Beaufort Chester Sir Geof Shakerley Dover and Cinque-Ports Col. John Strode Gravesend and Tilbury Sackville Tufton Esq Guernsey Visc Hatton Holy Island Sir J. Fenwick Hull Earl of Plymouth Hurst Castle Ireland Duke of Ormond Jersey Island Sir J. Lanier Jamaica Sir Tho. Lynch Languard Fort Sir R. Manly Leeward Islands Sir Will. Stapleton St. Maws Sir Jos Iredenham Maryland Lord Baltimore New Engl. H. Cranfield Esq New York Col. Dungan Pensylvania Mr. Will. Penn. Pendennis Cast L. Arundel Plymouth and St. Nicholas Island Earl of Bath Portsmouth E. Gainsborough Sandown Cast Sir A. Jacob. Sherness Sir Cha. Littleton Scilly Isâ— Godolphin Esq Scarborough Cast Sir Tho. Slingsby Surat Jo Child Esq Presid Tinmouth Sir Ed. Villiers Virginia L. Howard of Effin Upnor Cast R. Minors Esq Isle of Wight Sir R. Holmes Windsor Castle Constable Duke of Norfolk General Officers Commissary General of the Musters H. Howard Esq Pay-master Gen C. Fox Esq Secretary at War William Blathwayte Esq Judge Advocate Clarke Esq His Majesties Consuls in several Parts of the World Alicant Tho. Jefferies Esq Alexandria Mr. Browers Aleppo Mr. G. Nightingale Argiers Mr. Sam. Martin Bayon Mr. Jo. Westcomb Barcelona Seignior de Roca Cadiz Sir Martin Westcomb Canaries Mr. Rich. Owen Carthagena Mr. Hen. Petit. Cyprus Mr. Sauvaâ— Genoa Mr. John Kirk Lisbon Tho. Maynard Esq Legorn Sir Tho. Dâ—reham Maâ—aga Jam. Pendarvis Esq Marseilles Mr. Rob. Lang. Messina Mr. Ch. Ball. Naples Mr. Geo. Davies St. Sebastian Mr. Morgan Sevil Tho. Rumbold Esq Smyrna Mr. Will. Raye Tunis Mr. Fr. Baker Tripoly Mr. Rich. Baker Venice Mr. Jo. Hobson Zant Mr. Pendarvis The Names of the Nobility Lords Spiritual and Temporal Knights of the Garter and Deans of the Kingdom of England 1684. Dukes and Dutchesses James D. of York and Albany onely Brother to His Sacred Majesty Henry Howard D of Norfolk Cha. Seymour D. of Somerset Geo Villiers D. of Buckingham Chr. Monck D. of Albemarle Jam. Scot D. of Monmouth H. Cavendish D of Newcastle Barbara D. of Cleveland Lovisa de Querovalle D. of Portsmouth Cha. Lenos D. of Richmond Ch. Fitz Roy D of Southampt Hen. Fitz Roy D. of Grafton James Butler D. of Ormond Hen. Somerset D. of Beaufort Geo Fitz Roy D. Northumberl Ch. Beauclaire D. St. Albans Marquesses Cha. Paulet M. of Winchester Geo. Saville M. of Hallifax Earls and Countesses Aubrey de Vere E. of Oxford Cha. Talbot E. of Shrewsbury Anthony Grey E. of Kent Will. Stanley E. of Derby John Manners E. of Rutland Th. Hastings E. of Huntingd. Will. Russel E. of Bedford Tho. Herbert E. of Pembroke Edw. Clinton E. of Lincoln James Howard E. of Suffolk Charles Sackville E. of Dorset and Middlesex James Cecil E. of Salisbury John Cecil E. of Exeter Jo. Egerton E. of Bridgwater Phil. Sidney E. of Leicester Geo. Compton E. of Northampt. Edw. Rich E. of Warwick and Holland W. Cavendish E. of Devonsh Wil Fielding E. of Denbigh John Digby E. of Bristol Gilb. Holles E. of Clare Ol. St. John E. of Bolingbroke Cha. Fane E. of Westmorland C. Mountague E. of Manchest Tho. Howard E. of Berkshire Jo. Sheffield E. of Mulgrave Tho. Savage E. of Rivers
Robert Bertie E. of Lindsey Hen. Mordant E. of Peterbor Tho. Grey E. of Stamford Hen. Finch E. of Winchelsey Ro. Pierrepoynt E. of Kingston Ch. Dormer E. of Carnarvon Ph. Stanhope E. of Chesterfield Tho. Tufton E. of Thanet Tho. Weston E. of Portland W. Wentworth E. of Strafford Ro. Spencer E. of Sunderland Rob. Leake E. of Scarsdale Ed. Mountague E. of Sandw Hen. Hyde E. of Clarendon Algernon Capel E. of Essex Rob. Brudenel E. of Cardigan Arth. Annesley E of Anglesey John Greneville E. of Bath Cha. Howard E. of Carlisle Will. Craven E. of Craven Robert Bruce E. of Ailsbury Rich. Boyle E. of Burlington Hen. Bennet E. of Arlington Anth. Cooper E. of Shaftsbury Will. Herbert E. of Powis Ed. Henry Lee E. of Lichfield Tho. Osborne E. of Danby Tho. Lennard E. of Sussex Lewis Duras E. of Feversham Cha. Gerard E. of Macklefeld John Roberts E. of Radnor Will. Paston E. of Yarmouth Geo. Berkley E. of Berkley Eliz. Countess of Shepey Dan. Finch E. of Nottingham Laur. Hyde E. of Rochester Jam. Bertie E. of Abingdon Ed. Noel E. of Gainsborough Con. Darcy E. of Holderness Tho. Windsor alias Hickman E. of Plymouth Viscounts Leicest Devereux V. Hereford Fra. Brown V. Mountague W. Fiennes V. Say and Seal Tho. Bellasyse V. Fauconberg Cha. Mordant V. Mordant Fra. Newport V. Newport Tho. Thynne V. Weymouth Horat. Townsend V. Townsend Christoph Hatton V. Hatton The Arch-Bishops Bishops and Deans 1684. Bishops names Deans names Bishopricks names Dr. Sandcroft Dr. Tillotson Cant Arch Bish Dr. Dolben Dr. Wickham York Arch Bish Dr. Lloyd Dr. Stratford St. Asaph Dr. Lloyd Dr. Humphries Bangor Dr. Mew Dr. Bathurst Bath and Wells Dr. Gulston Dr. Thompson Bristol Dr. Rainbow Dr. Smith Carlisle Dr. Pierson Dr. Ardern Chester Dr. Carleton Dr. Stradling Chichester Dr. Wood Dr. Addison Coventry Lichf Dr. Womock B. of the Ch. St. Davids Dr. Crew Dr. Sudbury Durham Dr. Gunning Dr. Spencer Ely Dr. Lamplugh Dr. Annsly Exon. Dr. Frampton Dr. Marshal Glocester Dr. Crofts Dr. Benson Hereford Dr. Bew Dr. Gamage Landaff Dr. Barlow Dr. Brevint Lincoln Dr. Compton Dr. Stillingfleet London Dr. Sparrow Dr. Sharpe Norwich Dr. Fell Dr. Fell Oxford Dr. Lloyd Dr. Patrick Peterborough Dr. Turner Dr. â—astillion Rochester Dr. Ward Dr. Pierce Sarum Dr. Morley Dr. Meggot Winchester Dr. Thomas Dr. Womock Worcester  Dr. Spratt Westminster Dr. Bridgeman Bishop of the Isle of Man Baron and Baronesses Geo. Nevill L. Abergavenny James Touchet L. Audley and E. of Castlehaven in Irel. Cha. West L. de la Warre Tho. Parker L. Morley and Monteagle Robert Shirley L. Ferrers Cha. Mildmay L. Fitz-Walter Hen. Yelverton L. Grey Frances Lady Ward Will. Stourton L. Stourton Conyers Darcy L. Conyers Henry Sandys L. Sandys Vere Cromwel L. Cromwel and E. of Arglas in Irel. Ralph Eure L. Eure. Philip Wharton L. Wharton Tho. Willoughby L. Willoughby of Parham William Paget L. Paget Francis Howard L. Howard of Effingham Cha. North L. North and L. Grey of Rolleston James Bruges L. Chandois Robert Carey L. Hunsdon John Petre L Petre. Digby Gerard L. Gerard of Bromley Henry Arundel L. Arundel of Warder and a Count of the Empire Cath. O Brien Bar. Clifton Christoph Roper L. Tenham Fulke Greville L. Brooke Ralph Lord Mountague of Boughton Ford L. Grey of Warke John Lovelace L. Lovelace John Paulet L. Paulet Will. Maynard L. Maynard John Coventry L. Coventry Will. L. Howard of Escrick Charles Mohun L. Mohun Hen. L. Herbert of Cherbury Thomas Leigh L. Leigh Thomas L. Jermyn William Byron L. Byron Richard L. Vaughan and E. of Carbery in Ireland Francis Smith L. Carrington William L. Widdrington Edward Ward L. VVard Tho. Colepeper L. Colepeper Jacob Astley L. Astley Charles Lucas L. Lucas John Bellasyse L. Bellasyse Ed. Watson L. Rockingham Rob. Sutton L. Lexington Marmaduke L. Langdale John L. Berkley of Stratton Francis Holles L. Holles Charles L. Cornwallis George Booth L. Delamer Thomas Crew L. Crew Rich. L. Arundel of Treryse James L. Butler of Moor-Park E. of Ossory Hugh L. Clifford of Chudleigh Rich. L. Butler of Weston Susan Lady Bellasyse Rich. Lumley L. Lumley Geo. Carteret L. Carteret John Bennet L. Ossulston George Legge L. Dartmouth William L. Alington Ralph Stawel L. Stawel Francis North L. Guilford The Knights and Companions of the Most Noble Order of the Garter as they were filled up at Windsor April 8. 1684. 2 King of Denmark 1 SOVEREIGN of the Order 1 King of Sweden 2 Duke of York 3 Prince of Orange P. Elector of Brandenburgh 3 4 Prince Elector Palatine P. George of Denmark 4 5 Duke of Ormond Duke of Buckingham 5 6 Earl of Oxford Earl of Strafford 6 7 Duke of Monmouth Duke of Albemarle 7 8 Duke of Beaufort Earl of Bedford 8 9 Earl of Arlington Duke of Southampton 9 10 Earl of Mulgrave Duke of Newcastle 10 11 Earl of Danby Duke of Grafton 11 12 Duke of Richmond Duke of Hamilton 12 13 Duke of Somerset Duke of Northumberland 13 There are lately published the three following Books which with this of Englands Monarchs may be reckoned a very satisfactory History of England and the affairs thereof for above a thousand years past they are to be had single or all bound together of Nath Crouch at the Bell in the Poultry near Cheapside I. ADmirable curiosities Rarities and Wonders in England Scotland Ireland or An account of many remarkable persons places and likewise of the Battles Sieges Prodigious Earthquakes Tempests Inundations Thunders Lightnings Fires Murders and other considerable occurrences and accidents for many hundred years past Together with the natural and artificial rarities in every County in England with several curious Sculptures Price One Shilling II. Historical Remarks and Observations of the Ancient and present state of London and Westminster shewing the Foundations Walls Gates Towers Bridges Churches Rivers Wards Halls Companies Government Courts Hospitals Schools Inns of Court Charters Franchises and Priviledges thereof with an account of the most remarkable Acccidents as to Wars Fires Plagues and other Occurrences for above Nine hundred years past in and about these Cities to the Year 1681. and a description of the manner of the Tryal of the late Lord Stafford in Westminster Hall Illustrated with Pictures with the Arms of the 65 Companies of London and the time of their Incorporating Price One Shilling III. The Fifth Edition of the Wars in England Scotland and Ireland being near a third enlarged with very considerable Additions containing an Impartial Account of all the Battles Sâ—iges and other Remarkable Transactions Revolutions and Accidâ—â—â—s which have happened from the beginning of the Reign of Kâ—â—g Charles the First 1625 to His Majesties happy Restauration 1660. The illegal Tryal of King Charles 1. at large with his last Spâ—ech at his Suffering And the most considerable matters which happened till 1660. with Pictures of several remarkable Accidents Price One Shilling Nine other very useful pleasant and necessary Books are lately published