pay yearly upon Lammas day one peny to the Pope which at first was contributed under the name of the Kings alms but afterwards was paid by the name of Peter-pence The Pope of Rome had out of every Chimney of England Ireland and Scotland Wales and Cornwall a penny a year for five hundred years together Omnis qui habet triginta denariatas vivae pecuniae in domo sua de proprio suo Anglorum lege dabit denarium sancti Petri. Hoved. Annal pars posterior p. 603. King Henry first forbad this to be paid to the Pope There preached one before him whose Sermon the King liked not as there was reason the King willed Sir Thomas More then being Lord Chancellor to give the Preacher thanks worthy such a Sermon He being a man of a pleasant wit spake aloud to the Preacher that the King might hear and said The Kings Majesty thanketh you for your notable Sermon which when the King heard he called Sir Thomas to him and said What mean you my Lord to give such thanks in our name If it like you quoth he there be some things notable evil It is a note worthy to be remembred that Thursday hath been a fatall day to King Henry the eight and all his posterity for himself died on Thursday the twenty eighth of Ianuary King Edward on Thursday the sixth of Iuly Queen Mary on Thursday the seventeenth of November and Queen Elizabeth on Thursday the twenty fourth of March. After Dr. Collets Sermon preached to him and long communication with him by occasion thereof he dismissed him with these words Lot every one have his Doctor as he liketh this shall be my Doctor Being necessitous he was offered by the House of Commons in a Parliament toward his latter end all the lands and houses of the two famous Universities to be confiscated to his Exchequer by a most mechanick prostitution of the learning the honour and the piety of the Nation but he told them not without a just scorn that he had too much of a Scholar in him to destroy two such Universities as the world had not the like His purpose was if he had lived to have made a perfect Reformation of Religion saith Mr. Fox in his second Volume of his Acts and Monuments oâ— the Church p. 647. and he gives there two reasons of his opinion But the secret working saith he of Gods holy providence which disposeth all things after his own wisdome and purpose thought it good rather by taking the King away to reserve the accomplishment of this Reformation of his Church to the peaceable time of his son Edward and Elizabeth his daughter whose hands were yet undefiled with any bloud and life unspotted with any violence or cruelty Cardinal Woolsey and after him Archbishop Cranmer were in great favour with him Sir Thomas Moor and the Lord Cromwell were also highly esteemed by him Francis King of France after the death of King Henry the eight was much disposed to melancholy whether for that he being some years the younger was by his death admonished of the like approaching fate They were also of so conspiring a similitude of disposition and nature that you shall hardly find the like between any two Princes of whatever different times He celebrated the Funerals of King Henry in the Cathedrall at Paris though excommunicated by the Pope Many learned men lived in his dayes Iohn Collet Dean of Pauls and founder of the School there William Lilly the first Schoolmaster of Pauls School after it was erected Thomas Linacer or rather Linaker a learned Physician and well seen in the tongues Richard Pace a good Linguist Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester Sir Thomas More an excellent Scholar Iohn Frith and William Tindall Robert Barnes Martyrs Robert Wakefield a good Linguist Sir Thomas Eliot Edward Lee Archbishop of Yorke Iohn Leland a great Antiquary William Grocin very expert in Greek and Latine Hugh Latimer Bishop and Martyr who hath put out an elegant Oration in Latine thus entituled Hugonis Latimeri Anglicani pontificis Oratio apud totum Ecclesiasticum Conventum antequam consultatio publica iniretur de Regni statu per Evangelium reformando Regni invictissimi Regis Henrici 8â— 6â— anno vigessimo octavo habita where he speaks of many things fit then to be reformed and well concludes Si nihil est emendandum in communi saltem emendemus nos ipsos singuli He raigned thirty seven years and nine moneths and died in the six and fiftieth year of his life leaving behind him three children Edward Mary and Elizabeth all which also raigned after him EDWARD the sixth Next after the death of King Henry succeeded King Edward his son being of the age of nine years A Prince although but tender in years yet for his sage and mature ripeness in wit and all Princely ornaments as I see but few to whom he may not be equall so again I see not many to whom he may not justly be preferred Fox his Acts Monuments of the Church vol. 2. p. 65 2. He fitly compares him there to good Iosias Favour and love saith he of Religion was in him from his childhood such an Organ given of God to the Church of England he was as England had never better Id. ib. All King Henries issue for themselves in their severall kinds were Princes of eminent vertue As Henry the eighth with Solomon was blame-worthy for women so he left but one son and two daughters Solomon had Rehoboam a fool and unfortunate his daughters but obscure and both of them Subjects But Henry was more happy in Edward his son another Iosiah and his sisters both Soveraignes of an Imperiall Crown Speed Lever compares him to Iosiah in severall respects He was born at Hampton-Court on the twelfth day of October anno 1537 being the only surviving son of King Henry the eight by Iane his third wife daughter to Sir Iohn Seymer Knight It hath been commonly reported and no less generally believed that Prince Edward being come unto the birth and there wanting naturall strength to be delivered his mothers body was ripped open to give him a passage into the world and that she died of the Incision in a short time after Whence this Epitaph was made upon her Phoenix Jana jacet nato Phoenice dolendum Saecula Phaenices nulla tulisse duos Alluding to the Crest of her father a Phenix in flames within a Crown Yet Dr. Heylin in his Ecclesia restaurata saith there are many reasons to evince the contrary that he was not so born The other was not more poetically then truely written he being considering his years an admirable President for all ages of piety learning clemency magnanimity wisdome and care in governing his people As Iulius Caesar in the midst of his greatest actions wrote an exact and curious Commentary of his notable enterprises by Arms so King Edward during all the time of his Raign but most especially towards the
gloria gentis erat Dignus Apollineis lachrymis c. It is to this day a question both how this King died and where he was â—â—ried Queen IANE The Lady Iane Gray whom King Edward had declared for his next Successour was eldest daughter of Henry Lord Gray Duke of Suffolke Her mother was the Lady France's daughter and in fine one of the co-heirs of Charles Brandon the late Duke of Suffolke by Mary his wife Queen Dowager to Lewis the twelfth of France and youngest daughter of King Henry the seventh Grandfather to King Edward now deceased She spake the Latin and Greek tongues with as sweet a fluency as if they had been naturall and native to her exactly skilled in the liberall Sciences and perfectly well studied both kinds of Philosophy She was most zealously affected to the true Protestant Religion then by Law established She was urged by her near friends to accept of the Crown Her Raign was but nine dayes her life not twice so many years as she raigned dayes Ascham Annâ— Maria Schurman Master Fox and others speak of her rare accomplishments Queen MARY It is a question much agitated of the rule of women 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An licita Bodius on Ephes. 5. 22. dislikes it Bodin de Republica l. 6. c. 5. method Hist. c. 6. much opposeth it He lames us for suffering Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth to raign and saith we violated therein not only the Law of God but the law of nature and Nations knoxe also writes against it Danaeus a French man in his Book de Hâ—mine c. 33. saith It is lawfull He quotes Aâ—â— 8. 27. 1 King 10. and commends the Raign of Zenâ—bâ—ia Queen of the Arabians aâ—d Elizabeth Queen of England and Ioan Queen of Navarr as happy and lasting There is a choice Manuscript in Arch. in Oxford Library stiled A dutifull defence of the lawfull regiment of women written by my Lord Howard The Suffolk men first resorted to her promising her their aid and help so that she would not attempt the alteration of Religion established by her brother which she agreed unto but broke her promise and that Diocess tasted the sharpest persecution under her Raign So well inclined was she of her self that had not the zeal of her Religion and the authority of Church men overswayed her own disposition the flames of their consuming fires had not mounted so high She was crowned by Steven Gardiner Bishop of Winchester the Archbishops of Canterbury and Yorke being then prisoners in the Tower Within the compasse of less then four years continuance there died for the testimoniall of their conscience in this case two hundred seventy and seven persons without regard of degree sex or age In the heat of whose flames were consumed five Bishops one and twenty Divines eight Gentlemen eighty four Artificers one hundred Husbandmen servants and labourers twenty six wives twenty widdowes nine virgins two boyes and two Infants There being consultation at the Counsel-board what to do with the Lady Elizabeth Gardiner said My Lords we have but all thâ— while been 〈◊〉 ripping off the leaves and now and then lopped a branch but till such time as we strike at the root of heresie meaning the Lady Elizabeth nothing to purpose can be effected God forbid replied the Spaniards that our King and Master should once conceive a thought to consent unto such a mischief They thence solicited the King on her behalf and he favoured her and set her free at last The worst that can be said of her is this that she was ill principled and the best that she acted according to her principles Judge Morgan who in her Raign gave sentence of death against the Lady Iane Gray presently after her death fell mad and in his ravings continually cried Take away the Lady Jane from me and in that horrour shortly ended his life She was learned Ludovicus Vives A Spaniard was sometimes her Teacher He came to England with Queen Kahterine her mother She lost Calais which had been a long time before in the possession of the Engllish and said if she were opened they would find that next her heart pray it was that a paltry Town should lye where Christ should should have lain At the loss of Calai when a proud French man tauntingly demanded When will ye fetch Calais again An English Captain gravely answered Quâ—ndo peccata vestra erunt nostris gâ—â—viorâ— When your sins shall weigh down ours The Lord Corâ—â—s Governour of Picardy under the French King said That he would be content to lie in Hell seven years so he might win Calais from the English The keeping of it indeed was chargeable to the English but yet it was very advantagious to them While they kept it they had a door open into France upon all occasions and therefore it is commonly said That they carried the keyes of France at their Girdles Of all since the Conquest her Raign was the shortest only excepting that of Richard the Tyrant but much more bloudy then was his She raigned five years and four moneths wanting two dayes only She lieth buried in Westminster without any Monument or remembrance at all Queen ELIZABETH She was born at Greenwich on the seventh of September 15â—3 Her father was Henry the eighth King of England her mother Anne Bulloin whose love to the pure Religion cost her her life Amabat Regina puram verà mque Religionem haec illi res odium nox necem peperit Adolphi à Dans vita Elizabethae The Archbishop Cranmer her Godfather was every where chary and tender over her as one that at the Font had took charge upon him to see her educated in all vertue and piety What Prince was ever more sage in her Counsell or more solemn in her Government or more advised in her favours and fâ—owns Dr. Gaudens Eccles. Anglie Suspiria l. 4. c. 22. Before the age of seventeen years she was skilled in Latine French Italian and in the Greek indifferent well Neither did she neglect musick both singing and playing on instruments very sweetly and artificially for so much as became a Prince With Roger Ascham who governed her studies she read over Melancthons common places Cicero entire a great part of Livies History some select Orations of Isocrates whereof two she translated into Latine Sophocles Tragedies and the New Testament in Greeke by which means she both furnished her speech with elegant language and her mind with wholsome precepts referring her learning rather to practice and conversation then ostentation and pomp yet was she in a manner for learning a miracle among the Princes of her age In one and the same day she answered three Embassadors of great Princes the one in Latine the other in French and the third in Italian I have seen a Book which is in Sion-Colledge wherein divers sentences were turned out of English into Latine and Italian and some translated
and speech encouraged both Commanders and souldiers saying to them as I have heard If her brother Philip came she would give fire to the first Piece against him I might alledge the testimony of your greatest enemy in confirmation of your Majesties valour at Worcester-battle Kings bear a double image of God as they are men and as they are Magistrates The Scripture saith Those which rule over men should be just ruling in the fear of God One saith They should labour to be more religious and pious toward God than ordinary persons because of the great need they have of his illumination in their counsels of his conduct in their enterprises of his force in their executions and of his provident care in their various occurrents dangers difficulties The Kings seat was so set in the Temple that all might see him there Ezek. 46. 10. 2 Chron. 6. 12 13. 2 King 11. 14. 23. 3. that by his example the devotion of his people might be stirred up God having done such great things both abroad and at home for your Majesty expecteth great things from you I shall humbly implore the Almighty that he would so guide you in all your wayes that you may make his Interest your great interest by reforming what is amiss in Court and Kingdom by promoting his pure worship encouraging the power of godliness and all such as walk according to Scripture-rule are peaceable and hold the Fundamentals by discountenancing Atheisme errour and profaneness the fruits of abused peace and prosperity altering the old speech for the better Exeat aula Qui vult esse pius into impius So shall White-Hall answer its name and your Majesty approve your self to be what your Father desired Charles the Good which is the earnest prayer of Your Majesties most humbly devoted and Loyall subject Edward Leigh TO THE CURTEOUS AND CANDID READER Reader I Here present thee with Choice Observations of all the Kings of England I suppose the Subject will not be unpleasing to an Englishman if the work be answerable to the Title I have excerped my Materials out of the best Latine Writers the Monks to whom we are especially beholding for the History of our Kings of England and chiefest English Chroniclers and Annalists and such as have written of a few or any one of our English Princes Bedes Historia Gentis Anglorum set out by Wheelock of whom Petavius in his History of the world lib. 8. cap. 4. saith thus Bede made his Brittain famous with no lesse Godlinesse and Learning than History who even unto the year 735 hath concluded the Christian beginnings of that Nation Rerum Anglicarum Scriptores post Bedam praecipui in Latine in folio set out by Sr Henry Savill containing the History of Gulielmus Malmesburiensis Henry Huntington Roger Hoveden and others Anglica Normannica Hibernica Cambrica a veteribus Scripta in Latine also in Folio put out by Camden Matthew Paris his Works set out by Dr Watts who is a faithfull Historian and hath written the Reigns of the first seven Kings after the Conquest Of the English Chroniclers Speed Martin and Baker seem to be the best Voluminous Hollingshead Stow and How are not much esteemed by the Learned Sr John Hayward hath written well of the three Norman Kings and Edward the sixth he hath written briefly also of Henry the eourth Godwin of Henry the eighth Edward the sixth and Queen Mary and also of the Bishops of England in Latine and English Sr Robert Cotton of Henry the third Habington of Edward the fourth Sr Thomas More of Richard the third both in Latine and English and Buck my Lord Bacon excellently of Henry the seventh my Lord Herbert of Henry the eighth Camden Annals of Queen Elizabeth and Dr Heylin as is said of King Charles the first History is both pleasing and profitable especially the memorable things of all our own Kings and Governours who have for so many years Raigned amongst us Examples of Superiours especially are very prevalent which of the Rulers believed in him One saith if King Edward the sixth had lived a little longer his only example had bred such a Race of worthy learned Gentlemen as this Realm never yet did afford Here are examples of all sorts good and bad to be followed and eschewed Some loose vain and licentious others learned wise valiant minding the publick welfare of the Nation The Pope could but little prevaile here in England during the Raign of King Edward the third and Richard the second Henry the eighth cast him out then when he had too great power and command over other Princes As he cast out the Pope so did his children Edward the sixth and Queen Elizabeth cast out Popery out of England and so freed us from his spirituall bondage as the other did from his Temporall May their memory be therefore still precious amongst us as the Reformation we enjoy chiefly by their means is a singular blessing Let Him be accounted our English Josias and Her our English Deborah on whom those Verses were made Spains Rod Romes Ruine Netherlands Relief Earths Joy Englands Gem Worlds Wonder Natures chief Prince Henry likewise eldest Son to King James was a virtuous and hopefull Prince had he not been taken away in the flower of his youth he would its thought have much opposed the Pope and Spaniard I have read somewhere of him that he would not swear no not at his Sports and Recreation and being demanded the reason tâ—ereof he said they were not of that weight as to draw an oath from him I hope therefore this Nation having had such worthy Princes and not being ignorant of the slavery they formerly indured when the Pope called England his Ass will never be so foolish as to turn back again into Egypt As long as Mr Foxe his Martyrology is so common to be read eighty eight and the fifth of November are so fresh in our remembrance let us valew the losse of Rome here amongst us no more than that Emperour Honorius did of whom Zonaras writes that he had a Hen called Roma and it being told him Rome was last he was troubled and said She was here even now yea said the other the Hen is here but the City is lost he was then well pleased Our Countriman Beda hath prophetically expounded that Roman S. P. Q. R. of our Englishmen travelling to Rome Stulâ—us Populus Quaerit Roman Though perhaps in some cases one may go too far from Rome yet since some of our Bishops formerly have written well against Antichrist and others have made the Pope to be Antichrist and since also the Iesuites are still busie amongst us I wish there may be no unwarrantable compliance either with the Romish Doctrine or Rites Thomas Lever who Preached before King Edward the sixth and escaped the fury of Queen Maries dayes is commended by Bullinger in his Epistle to Hooper He was the first
establish his Monarchy over England he endeavoured by all means to reconcile the English to him 1. By advancing some of the English Nobility to places of honour and trust 2. By granting to the English equall rights and priviledges with his Danes in consessu in consilio in praelio and advancing them both alike 3. By favouring and inriching the English Clergy and Church-men and manifesting extraordinary piety devotion bounty in repairing building endowing Monasteries and Churches throughout the Realm 4. By easing them of his Danish Forces 5. By ratifying all their former good old fundamentall Laws rights liberties priviledges which they used enjoyed under their Saxon Kings by enacting other good wholsome Laws repealing all unjust Laws and redressing all exactions and grievances A company of flatterers which extolled his greatness and power to be unmatchable he caused to place him in a chair where the Sea ebbs and flowes at South-hampton that by the disobedience of the Tide that would not stop at his command but presumed to dash his royall garments they might learn how low man is at the highest and not to applaud his fortune but fear his fall He acknowledged God alone to be King of this great Element because the Sea is his and he made it The flatterers of Alexander the great made him believe that he was the son of Iupiter but being one day sore hurt and seeing the blood gush out of his wounds What think you of this said he unto them Is not this blood of a lively red hew and meerly humane He was the greatest Prince of power that ever before him raigned over the English people England Denmarke Norway some adde also part of Sweden together with Scotland were wholly subject unto him Filiam suam Imperatori Romano cum ineffabilibus divitiis maritavit Hunting hist. l. 6. In a Parliament at Oxford he made good Laws whereof these were some that concern Religion First For the celebration of divine service it was ordained that all Ceremonies tending to the increase of reverence and devotion should be used as need required Secondly That upon the Sabbath day all publick Fairs Markets Synods Huntings and all secular actions should be forborn unless some urgent necessity should require it Thirdly That every Christian should thrice in the year receive the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fourthly That a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and ears cut off Krantzius much extols him as the most famous of the Kings of Denmarke He was a just Prince in all saving his tyranny against the two young Princes the sons of Edmond The lustre of this new erected Monarchy had no sooner displayed its beams in Canutus but like an unthrifty Taper it began to glimmer in Harold and absolutely expired in Hard knute who dying issueless the current of royalty ran back again into the channell of the Saxon bloud which flowed in the veinsâ— of Edward sirnamed the Conâ—essor Philpot's Preface to his Villare Cantianum After he had in great glory reigned about nineteen years he deceased at Shafiesbury in the County of Dorset and was buried in the Church of the old Monastery at Winchester where Queen Emma made her abode ever after Harold The second Danish King raigning in England and the thirty fifth Monarch of the Land He was called Hare-foot by reason of his swiftness Canutus had him by a Concubine a Shoomakers daughter This base son of Cnute dispossessed his legitimate son Harde-Cnute of the Crown of England contrary to Cnutes will and contract banished and spoiled Queen Emma of her treasure and Jewels oppressed the people with taxes and was soon cut off by death without any issue He was an oppresser of his people and vitious He raigned four years and four moneths He was neither in Warres so hardy nor in Government so prosperous as his Father Canutus before him had been Harde-Canute The third Danish King that raigned in England and the thirty sixth Monarch of the English men For his noble courage he was called Harde-Canutus The first great Prince of the house of Burgundy was Philip sirnamed the Hardy His recalling his Mother Emma and half Brother Edward and entertaining them respectively deserves commendation His Epicurism left an ill custome to all posterity Four times a day his Table must be covered to invite men to intemperancy through which at a marriage he is thought to have choaked himself at Lambeth most rejoycing to be rid of him in memory whereof Hock-tide a Feast of scorning or triumphing was a long time continued after The English men learned of him their excessive gormandizing and unmeasurable filling of themselves with meates and drinkes At the death of this King died all rule of the Danes in this Land after they had miserably afflicted the Kingdome for the space of two hundred and forty yeares though in Regall government but only six and twenty under these three last Kings He raigned two yeares lacking ten dayes The Danes ruled in this Land almost thirty yeares and raged without all rule about three hundred and fifty Lamberts Perambulation of Kent CHAP. X. Edward the Confessor THe son of King Ethelred the thirty seventh Monarch of the English men He was born at Islip near unto Oxford and tenderly educated by Queen Emma his Mother and after his Fathers death for safety sent into France He was the last King of the Saxon race Such was the opinion conceived of his holiness of life as that shortly after his decease he was canonized amongst the Saints and named Edward the Confessour To gain the more love of his Subjects at his first entrance he remitted the taxe of forty thousand pounds yearly gathered by the name of Dane-gilt so grevous to the Commons Fertur Edwardus Confessor teste Ingulpho cùm se daemonem vidisse super dcervo Daingeldi exultantem protestatus esset aspectunique exhorruisset collecium illico restitui jussâ—sse retento ne iota uno feram exactionem perpetuum relaxasse Spelmanni Glossarium Danegaldi redditio propter pyratas primitus statuta est Hoved. dnnal pars posrerior p. 603. vide plura ibid. He collected the Laws of his predecessors into a body for the administration of justice which some say are the ground of our Common-Law though the pleading be altered since the Norman conquest He found the Realm governed by three different Laws the West-Saxon Law the Mereian Law and the Dane Law Out of these three Lawes partly moderated and partly supplied he composed one body of Law commonly called St Edwards Laws which were of so great equity that when they were abrogated by the Conquerour and the Crown fell into controversie between Maud the Empress and King Stephen the people alwayes inclined to favour that part who put them in fairest hope of restitution of those Laws And afterwards in many Civil dissensions the greatest demand of the people appeareth to have been the restitution of King
to be any cause of their taking ill courses he gave to every one of them a competent means whereby to subsist and in stead of them he received the gravest men into his familiarity in whom he conceived there was the greatest prudence to take counsell and faith to give it that he might be helped by their counsels admonitions and prudence He kept his Lent in the Castle of Kenelworth and whilest he lay there messengers came to him from the Dolphin of France named Charles with a present of Paris-Balls for him to play withall but the King wrote to him that he should shortly send to him London-Balls with which he would throw down Paris Walls And to make good his promise he raised a great Army and hastened to France and landed at Caen in Normandy Charles the sixth then King of France raised also a mighty Army and sent a King of Arms to defie him King Henry desirous to know the numbers of the French sent forth Captain Game for discovery who brought word that there were of them enough to kill and enough to take and enough to run away The French were so confident of victory that they sent to King Henry to know what ransome he would give but he obtained a great victory over them He was sirnamed commonly the Alexander of England because as Alexander the Great conquered the most part of Asia in the space of nine or ten years so did this Henry conquer France in less then the like time The second ornament of the English Nation By force of Arms and military prowess maugre the French he conquered France and brought Charles the sixth King of France to that extremity that after a sort he surrendred up his Crown unto him Fuit statura corporis quae justam excederet corpore gracili membris aequalibus ac validis facie decorâ collo oblongo artis militaris peritissimus ac ejus gloriâ illustrissimus Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. 22. Within the term of five or six years he brought the better part of France under his obedience Avaunt proud Rome and brag not of thy men Nor thy aetheriall Caesars Wars declare Cease peerless Plutarch with thy sacred pen The worlds arch-Monarchs aptly to compare Reason doth urge and this alleadge I dare That Englands Homer pourtrayd hath his War Which doth excell the worthiest Caesars Star William Herberts Prophesie of Cadwallader He was of marvellous great strength and passing swift in running insomuch that he with two other of his Lords without Hound Bow or other engine would take a wild Buck or Doe in a large Park He ordained the King of Heralds over the English which is called Garter Never lived English King with more true glory nor ever died any in a more unseasonable time nor more lamented It was said of him that he had something in him of Caesar which Alexander the Great had not that he would not be drunk and something of Alexander the Great which Caesar had not that he would not be flattered The King being certified of his son Henries birth gave God thanks for sending him a son which might succeed in his Crown and Scepter But when he heard reported the place of his nativity he said unto the Lord Fitz Hugh his trusty Chamberlain these words My Lord I Henry born at Monmouth shall reign a while and much get and Henry born at Windsor shall long raign and all lose but as God will so be it The burthen of those Wars lay upon the English mens shoulders who were at that time rich and mighty and had a wise goodly and valiant King called Henry accompanied with sage hardy and expert Captains viz. the Earl of Salisbury Talbot and others When God meant to withdraw his goodness from the English men this wise King died at Bois de Vincennes and his son who proved but a simple man was crowned King of France and England and at Paris Phil. de Commines The Duke of Bedford third son to King Henry the fourth Regent for the English in France fourteen years having crowned his master Henry the sixth in Paris died leaving behind him an honourable witness even from his enemies That he was a brave Commander a true Patriot and a faithfull servant to his Lord and brother Henry the fifth and to his son Henry the sixth He was Regent of France Duke of Bedford Alanson and Anâ—â—u Earl of Main Richmond and Kendall and Constable of England King Henry died in France in the ninth year of his Raign 1422. He left to succeed him his only child Prince Henry about as many moneths old as his father had raigned years HENRY the sixth He was proclaimed King when he was about eight moneths old his mother brought him to the Parliament in London in her bosome He was crowned on the ninth year of his age His infancy was mightily supported by the notable valour and policy of his two Uncles Humphrey Duke of Glocester and Iohn Duke of Bedford to the one was committed the protection of his person and Kingdome to the other the managing of the War continued in France He was a very simple man and almost an innocent Philde Commines l. 3. c. 7. He was of a seemly stature of a slender body and of a beautifull face in whose best of fortune it was never to prossess more then the name of a King What Prophet could have picked out of Mars and Saturn the manifold mishaps which befell that Prince of blessed memory King Henry the sixth sometimes sleeping in a port of honour sometime floting in the surges of mishap sometime possessing forraign Crowns sometimes spoiled and deprived of his own sometime a Prince sometime a prisoner sometime in plight to give succour to the miserable sometime a fugitive among the desperate Howards Defensative against the poyson of supposed Prophesies c. 14. History shews us not an example of a Prince who in so many vicissitudes never met with one fully to his advantage He was four times taken prisoner and in the end despoiled both of his Kingdome and life He was crowned King of France in Nostre Dame in Paris receiving the homage and fealty of all the Nobility of France present and all the Citizens and Inhabitants of that City and the places adjacent He was so continent that at Christide having a shew of young women presented to him bare breasted he immediately departed with these words Fie fie fie for shame Forsooth you be too blame He willingly pardoned many great offences A Ruffian striking him on the face he only said Forsooth you are too blame to strike me your annointed King He was never observed dejected upon the report of any sad accident but entertained all afflictions as sent from the Almighty and absolutely resigned his will to that of heaven He founded Eaton-School and Kings Colledge the Chappell of which last shewed the magnificence that the
whole should have been of had their sounder raigned to have finished them himself At Towton about four miles from Yorke the Armies of Edward the fourth and King Henry the sixth met where was fought the greatest Battell our Stories mention in all these Civil Wars where both the Armies consisted of above a hundred thousand men and all of our own Nation One day when he was washing his hands at a great Feast and cast his eye upon his son Henry then a young youth he said This is the Lad that shall possess quietly that we now strive for This shewed a very propheticall spirit to have been in King Henry that could so long before foretell a thing so unlikely to happen For this was he that was afterward King Henry the seventh before whom at that time there were many lives in being of both the houses of Yorke and Lancaster so some but my Lord Howard in his Defensative against the poyson of supposed Prophesies c. 4. seems not wholly to ascribe it to that King Henry the seventh after laboured his Canonization with the Pope but that succeeded not for however the world was assured of his piety there was much question of his Government So Habington a Papist in his History of King Edward the fourth Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 24. p. 532. saith thus Sed morte post statim obita id officium praestare nequivit Cambden in his Britannia in Surrey saith it was Pope Iulius and that the reason why this took no effect was the Popes covetousness who demanded too great a summe of money for a Kings Canonization as they term it so that he might seem ready to grant those kind of honours not for the Princes holiness sake but for gold Sir Francis Bacon in his History of Henry the seventh relates it thus About this time the King became suitor to Pope Iulius the second to canonize King Henry the sixth for a Saint the rather in respect of that his famous prediction of the Kings own assumption to the Crown The Pope referred the matter as the manner is to certain Cardinals to take the verification of his holy acts and miracles but it died under the reference The generall opinion was that Pope Iulius was too dear and that the King would not come to his rates But it is more probable that the Pope who was extreamly jealous of the dignity of the See of Rome and of the Acts thereof knowing that King Henry the sixth was reputed in the world abroad but for a simple man was afraid it would but diminish the estimation of that kind of honour if there were not a distance kept between Innocents and Saints William Alnwicke Bishop of Lincoln was his Confessor Dr. Litchfield in his Raign preached 3083 Sermons Never any came to be King so soon after his birth nor left to be King so long before his death for he came to be King at eight moneths old and he left to be King twelve years before his death Holy King Henry as they call him was crowned in Paris yet he lost all on that side before he was a man as I remember or soon after and before his unhappy death he lost this land also which loss of both came by striving for both Richard Duke of Glocester killed him that thereby Edward the fourth his brother might be freed from all hostile fear So Polyd. Virg. and others He successively ruled this Land the space of thirty eight years six moneths and four dayes EDWARD the fourth He came unto the Kingdome not by power or justice but by the peoples inclination Biondi He raigned thirty eight yeares six moneths and odde dayes and after his redemption of the Crown six moneths He lived two and fifty years having by his wife one only soâ— called Edward Prince of Wales He was the goodliest Gentleman saith Commines l. 4. c. 10. that ever I set mine eye on and l. 3. c. 5. the beautifullest Prince that lived in his time but after he grew gross and corpulent giving himself wholly to pleasures He was a fortunate Prince in the field for he wan at least nine great Battels fighting himself on foot in every one of them Phil. de Com. in his Hist. Book l. 3. c. 4. and 6. p. 188. saith that King Edward himself told me that in all Battels that he wan so soon as he had obtained victory he used to mount on Horseback and cry to save the people and kill the Nobles for of them few or none escaped Id. l. 3. c. 5. In his fourth Book c. 10. he speaks of an interview between King Edward and Lewis the eleventh King of France the French King after some discourse said pleasantly That he should come to Paris to solace himself there with the Ladies and that he would give him the Cardinall of Bourbon for his Confessor who would easily assoil him of sin if any were committed The King of England took great pleasure in this talk and answered with a merry countenance for he knew the Cardinall to be a good fellow Never lived Prince whom adversity did more harden to action and prosperity more soften to voluptuousness So improvident was his memory that he forgat the greatest injuries and resumed the Archbishop of Yorke into favour not bearing so much as a watchfull eye over a reconciled enemy The so fatall division between the house of Yorke and Lancaster with him in a manner had both their birth and growth I sing the Civil Wars tumultuous broils And bloudy factions of a mighty Land Whose people haughty proud with forraign spoils Upon themselves turn back their conquering hand Whilest kin their kin brother the brother foils Like Ensigns all against like Ensigns band Bowes against Bowes the Crown against the Crown Whilest all pretending right all right 's thrown down Our English Luean Daniel of the Civil Wars The first fortnight of his Raign was died I will not say stained with the bloud of Walter Walker a Grocer who keeping Shop at the Sign of the Crown in Cheapside said He would make his son heir to the Crown a bold jest broke in an evil time yet do I not side with them who taxe the King of severity in this execution unless I could clear this man from being particularly factious for the house of Lancaster or know that those words were uttered in innocent mirth without any scorn to King Edwards title And however perhaps the extraordinary punishment of such saucy language was not then unnecessary to beget authority and make men cautious to dispute the descent of Princes when the question was so nice and arguments not improbable on either side Habingtons History of Edward the fourth Speed saith his words intended no treason the Grocer not once dreaming to touch King Edwards title yet the time being when the Crown lay at stake the Law made them his death He hearing of a certain prophesie that G.
end kept a most judicious Journall of all the most principall passages of the affairs of his estate Inclytus Edvardus formatus ab ubere matris Confestim doctis à praeceptoribus artes Ingenuas omnes didicit qui Graeca Latinis Adjungens studio paucis profecerat annis Ut foret inferior nulli quem terra Britanna Protulerat claro magnorum ex stemmate Regum Nullus adaequari posset si flexilis â—tas In puero egresso nondum tria lustra duosque Annos ingenii aut praecox spectetur acumen Quantum ad doctrinas virtutesque attinet almas Ille erat Europae Phoenix quem funere acerbo Ut flos vere novo viridanti carpitur horto Sustulit ante diem mors immatura Britannis Invidet haec terris pietatem jura colentes Oclandi Anglorum praelia In his childhood being about to take down something which seemed to be above his reach one of his fellowes offered him a bossed plated Bible to stand upon and heighten him for taking that which he desired But he perceiving it to be a Bible with holy indignation resused it and sharply reproved him that made the offer A strong assurance of that dear esteem and veneration in which he held that sacred Book in his riper years Dr. Heylins History of Edward the sixth He hath this observation in his Diary the originall of which is in the hands of Sir Thomas Cotton At the sixth year of my age I was brought up in learning by Dr. Coxe who was after my Almner and John Cheek Master of Arts two well learned men who sought to bring me up in learning of tongues of the Scripture of Philosophy and all liberall Sciences Also John Belmain French man did teach me the French tongue He was annointed King at Westminster by Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury being of the age of nine years A Prince of great devotion constancy of mind love of the truth and incredibly studious Godwins Annals of England He knew all the principall Ports in England Scotland Ireland France and other Countries not far distant how they lay when the tide served what vessels of burden they could receive and what winds served for entrance He reformed Religion He caused Images and all monuments of Idolatry to be destroyed and a great Bible in English to be set up in every Church He was in body beautifull of a sweet aspect and specially in his eyes which seemed to have a starry liveliness and lustre in them He would answer Embassadors sometime upon the suddain either in French or Latin He could call all Gentlemen of account through his Kingdome by their names When Ioan Butcher a blasphemous Heretick was to be burned all the Counsell could not procure him to set his hand to the Warrant Wherefore they employed Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury to deal privily with him for his subscription But the King remained firm both in reason and resolution affirming that he would not drive her headlong to the Devil but because Hereticks for the most part have a strain of madness he thought it best to apply her with some corporall chastisements which with respite of time might happily reduce her to good order The Archbishop was violent both by perswasions and entreaties and when with meer importunity he had prevailed the King in subscribing his name said that he would lay all the charge thereof upon the Archbishop before God Not many years passed but this Archbishop also felt the smart of the fire and it may be that by his importunity for bloud he did offend for a good thing is not good if it be immoderately desired A Miller who had been busie in rebellion against the King knowing the danger willed his man to take the name of the master if any enquired after him Sir Anthony Kingston Provost Martiall came to the Mill and calling for the master the man in his name presented himself who strait commanded him to the Gallows the servant then seeing the danger of death confessed he was not the master but the man Well said the Knight thou canst never do thy master better service then to hang for him and thereupon trusted him up in the next tree The Lord Protector in his dayes marcht with a powerfull Army into Scotland to demand their Queen Mary in marriage to our King according their promises The Scots refusing to do it were beaten by the English in Musleborough fight One demanding of a Scotch Lord taken prisoner Now Sir how do you like our Kings marriage with your Queen I alwayes quoth he did like the marriage but I do not like the wooing that you should fetch a Bride with fire and sword The Kings Uncles Edward-Duke of Somerset Protector of his person Realms and Dominions and Thomas Lord Seymour Baron of â—udley the younger high Admirall of England were both beheaded Strife between their wives about place and precedency caused the death of their husbands and the death of the young King followed speedily after Sir Thomas Seymour Admirall and the younger brother married the Queen Dowager whose hap it was of all the rest to survive her husband She contested with her sister in law for priority of place both were privately encouraged neither would give way to the other The one claimed it as she had been once Queen the other challenged it as she was the present wife of the Protector The wives set their husbands at oddes and their enemies took hold of this advantage The Admirall was shortly questioned for treason by consent of his brother condemned in Parliament and lost his head In the same moneth was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsell and after beheaded In this Kings dayes when Bonner was kept in prison reverend Ridley having his Bishoprick of London would â—ever go to dinner at Fulham without the company of Bonners mother and sister the former alwayes sitting in a Chair at the upper end of the Table These guests were as constant as Bread and Salt to the Board no meal could be made without them He died in the seventh year of his Princely Government in the sixth of Iuly anno 1553. Some write that he was poysoned The death of this Prince was lamented of all the godly within Europe for the graces given unto him of God as well of nature as of erudition and godliness passed the measure that accustomably is used to be given to other Princes in their greatest perfection and yet exceeded he not sixteen years of age Knoxe his Ecclesiasticall Hist. of Scotland l. 1. p. 97. I wonder that Doctor Heylin in his Epistle before his Ecclesia Restaurata should say therefore Whose death I cannot reckon for an infelicity to the Church of England Cardan made this Epitaph of him Flete nefas magnum sed toto flebitis orbe Mortales vester corruit omnis honos Nam Regum decus juvenum flos spesque bonorum Deliciae saecli
left nothing unattempted which might advance the glorious Gospel of Christ. He built St. Augustines a goodly Church in Canterbury He built also St. Pauls Church in London and St. Andrews in Rochester He died in the three and twentieth year of his Monarchy and the fifty sixth of his Kingdome of Kent Redwald The third King of the East-Angles and seventh Monarch of the English men Of this Redwald Cambden reporteth out of Bede that he was baptized and that to make sure as he thought of the right way of worship he had in the same Temple one Altar for Christian Religion and another for sacrifice to Devils He raigned eight yeares and was King of the East-Angles thirty one Edwine The Great King of Northumberland and the eighth sole Monarch of the English men He was slain in Battell by Penda and Cadwallo the seventh year of his Monarchy the seventeenth of his Kingdome He lived fourty eight yeares Oswald King of Northumberland and the ninth Monarch of the English men He was a religiouâ— King and took such care for the coâ—version and salvation of his Subjectâ— that he sent into Scotland for aid and a Christian Bishop to instruct his Northumbrians in the Gospel of truth Mira fuit in homine sanctitas mirum pietatis studium nulli unquam malum pro malo reddidit sed Christi regis summi exemplum imitatus ijs etiam bene precabatur beneque volebaâ— Ã quibâ—â—s accepisset injurias Polyd. Virg. Ang. Hist. l. 4. p. 82. He left the name to Oswalster in Shropshire Of this Oswald as also of Stephan King of Hungary it is storied that their right hands though dead never putrified because they had been much exercised in almes-deeds Bed hist. Angl. l. 3. c. 6. Bonsinius Quis suit Alcides quis Caesar Julius aut quit Magnus Alexander Alcides se superasse Fertur Alexander mundum sed Julius hostem Se simul Osuualdus mundum vicit hostem He died in the 23. year of his Monarchy and the 56. of his Kingdome of Kent Oswy King of Northumberland and the tenth Monarch of the English men He was Brother to Edwin and Oswald He founded the Cathedrall Church in Litchfield for a Bishops See Upon an occasion Oswin humble â— himself before the holyman Adrian who upon sight thereof wept and gave this reason of his weeping I know this King will not live long and this reason of his reason for I never before this saw an humble King He lived fifty seven yeares and raigned the space of twenty eiâ—ht yeares Wulphere The sixth King of the Mercians and the eleventh Monarch of the Englâ—â—â— men He becoming a â—hristian destroyed all those Temâ—les wherein his Heathen Gods had been worshipped converting them all into Christian Churches and religious Monasteries He raigned King over the Mercians seventeen yeares and Monarch of the English fuily four Ethelred The seventh King of Mercia and twelfth Monarch of the English A modest Prince which loved better to preserve then to encrease his power by Arms. He raigned above thirty yeares Kenred The eighth King of Mercia and the thirteenth Monarch of the English men He raigned in peace four yeares then weary of Government and desirous of contemplation be sought a more private and religious life and thereupon appointing â—helred his Cosen-germane to rule in his place in the fifth year of his Raign abandoned his Kingdome and Country and departed to Rome and in a Monastery in that City was made Monk Chelred The ninth King of the Mercians and the fourteenth Monarch of the English He had got as great reputation of military valour as any Prince of his time if he had not died so soon He raigned only seven yeares Ethelbald The tenth King of the Mercians and the fifteentth Monarch of the English A peaceable Prince but was over amorous Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz an Englishman by Nation sent an Epistle to him This is one passage in it Quapropter â—â—li charissime paeniteat te memora quam turpe sit ut tu qui multis gentihus dono Dâ—â— dominaris al injuriam ejus sis libidinis servus The Epistle is full of good counsell to be seen in Malmesbury He ruled forty two yeares Offa. The eleventh King of the Mercians and the sixteenth Monarch of the English men He was a warlike Prince and for the most part fortunate He built a Church in Warwickeshire where the adjoyning Town from it and him beareth the name Off-Church and caused a great Ditch to be made large and deep from Sea to Sea betwixt his Kingdome and Wales whereby he might the better defend his Country from the incursions of the Welsh men And this Ditch is to be seen in many places as yet and is called Offas Ditch at this day Lords History of Wales The Ditch began at the River Dee by Bassing-werke between Cheâ—ter and Ruthlan and ran along the hils sides to the South-Sea a little from Bristow reaching above a hundreth miles in length Id. the description of Wales He first gave the Peter-pence to Rome and was himself at the length shorne a Monk He raigned thirty nine yeares Egfrid The twelfth King of the Mercians and the seventeenth Monarch of the English He re-establisht the priviledges and liberties of all the Churches which his Father had supprest He raigned only four moneths he was taken away by sudden death in the hundreth fourty first day after his Fathers decease Kenwolfe The thirteenth King of the Mercians and the eighteenth Monarch of the English men At home he was an example of piety peace justice and Religion abroad temperate humble and courteous without vain ostentation or ambitious conceits In Warres he was stout and victorious in peace studious to enrich his Subjects he carried himself so at all times that envy could not touch him with her tongue Bede dedicateth his Ecclesiasticall History to him He raigned twenty two yeares CHAP. IV. OF the Saxons that reigned sole Kings of this Island 1. Egbert raigned thirty seven years 2. Ethelwulf the son of Egbert twenty years 3. Ethelbald the eldest son of Ethelwulf five years 4. Ethelbert the second son of Ethelwulf five years 5. Ethelred the third son of Ethelwulf five years 6. Alfred the youngest son of Ethelwulf five years 7. Edward sirnamed the elder twenty three years 8. Aethelstane the eldest son of Edward sixteen years 9. Edmund the second son of Edward six years 10. Edred the youngest son of Edward nine years 11. Edwin the elder son of Edmund four years 12. Edgar the younger son of Edmund sixteen years 13. Edward the elder son of Edgar forty years 14. Ethelred the younger son of Edgar thirty seven years 15. Edmund the son of Ethelred in whose time the Danes possessed the greatest part of England Egbert The eighteenth King of the West-Saxons the nineteenth but first sole and absolute Monarch of the English men Upon
Honor deliciae Anglorum Malmesbury Or as Ingulphus ter meth him Honor Rosa Regum In his time all Ecclesiasticall Orders flourished learned and vertuous men were highly esteemed all Civil and forrign Warres ceased and he was called the King of Albion being no less powerfull by Sea than by Land Mexia's Treasury of time vol. 2. l. 7. c. 1. He was Angliciorbis flos decus nâ—â—n minus memâ—rabilis â—â—nglis quam Cyrus Persis Romulus Romanis Alexander Macedonibus Arsaces Parthis Carolus Magnus Francis as Malmesbury Abbot Ethelred Florentius Wigorniensis Simeon Dunelmensis Henry Huntingdon Matthew Westminster Râ—ger de Hoveden and others record of him Immediately after his death Res spes Anglorum retro sublapsae sunt totius Regni status est perâ—urbatus post tempus laetitiae quod illius tempore vigebat pacified caepit tribulatio undique advenire as Malmesbury Wigorniensis Hoveden Simeon Dunelmensis and Bromton observe Such an incomparable loss was the death of so just pious and prudent a King to the whole Nation Qui 〈◊〉 vitiâ— posâ—e◠〈◊〉 virtutibus deleviâ— when most others do quite contrary He raigned sixteen yeares and two moneths in great tranquillity and honour and died in the 37th year of his age After Edgar's death the Danes so plagued this Realm that there was nothing setled in it either in Church or State till finally they obtained the Kingdome The Danes raigned in England 25. years But Speed saith they molested England for two hundred eighteen years See Ayscu his Declaration of the first Inhabitants of this Island The Danes by strength caused Husbandmen to ear and sow the land and to do all other vile labour that belonged unto Husbandry and the Dane held his wise at pleasure with daughter and servant When the Husbandman came home he should scantly have of his own as his servants had so that the Dane had all at his commandement and did eat and drink his fill of the best when the owner had scant his fill of the worst Besides this the common people were so oppressed by them that for fear and dread they called them in every such house as they had rule of Lâ—rd Dane But in process of time after the Danes were voided the Land this word Lord Dane was in derision and despight of the Danes turned by English men into a name of reproach called Lurdane which yet is not forgotten for if one English man will rebuke another he will say Thou art but a Lurdane Grafton Edward sirnamed the Martyr The thirty first Monarch of the English men He began his Raign at twelve years of age Adolescens summae sanctitatis frugi ea modestia regnare caepit ut omnibus charissimus esseâ— quippe qui paternas virtutes gnaviter imitabatur Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 6. The end of this young King was lamentable being stabbed by his Stepmothers treachery when he was drinking a cup of wine on Horseback when he in kindness came to visit her through which wound fainting and falling from his Horse he was dragged to death by his foot intangled in the stirrop He raigned three years and six some say eight moneths CHAP. VIII ETHELRED FOx calls him Egelred or Elred The two and thirtieth Monarch of the English men He was a man neither for ward in action nor fortunate in proceedings and therefore commonly called the unready He defiled the Font at his Baptism with his ordure whereupon Dunstan being troubled in his mind by the Lord said he and his blessed mother this childe shall prove a sloathfull person He was half Brother to King Edward who was treacherously murdered and so much lamented his Brothers murder saith Malmesbury l. 2. c. 10. being then but a childe of ten years old and so detested it that his Mother Elfrida falling therewith in a rage took wax Candles having nothing else at hand wherewith she scourged him so sore well near till he swouned that after the same he could never abide any wax Candles to butâ— befor him Of his Laws vide Lambardum de priscis Anglorum legibus The Danes grew upon him so fiercely that he was forced to purchase his peace from them with great summes of money to the undoing of his poor Kingdome To put a period to this insufferable vassâ—lage a bloudy massacre was executed upon them by the Kings secret Commission on St Brices day but such bruitish courses never find a wished close He most unfortunately raigned thirty seven years and nine dayes Edmund sirnamed Ironside The thirty third Monarch of the English men and the third son to Ethelred He was of personage tall for courage hardy strong of limmes and well could endure the travels of Warre whence some conceive that sirname was given him not for that he used to go alwayes in armour as some would have it He fought with Cnute a royall single duâ—ll first on horseback then on â—oot in the Isle of Olerenge or Olney near Glocester in the midst of Severn in the view of both their Armies with extraordinary courage and equall success till they were both quite tired but neither of them vanquished At last upon Cnuâ—es motion they began to parly in a friendly manner and divided the Realm between them Edmund enjoying that part which lay coasted upon France and Canutus entred upon the rest But Ironside enjoyed not long his part for Duke Edrick a very compound of treasons contrived the end of renowned Edmund who being retired to a place for natures necessity he thrust from under the draught a sharp spear into his body and having thus murthered him he cut off his head presenting it to Canutus with this â—awning salutation All hail thou now sole Monarch of England for herâ— behold the head of thy Co-partner which for thy sake I have adventured to cut off Canutus though ambitious enough of Soveraignty yet abhorring in his heart so detestable a murther and knowing that he who was faithless to his naturall Soveraign would never be faithfull to him a stranger commanded his head to be divided from his shoulders and placed upon the highest gate in London Mors hujus Principis sanè miserabilis fuit tum quod florem ejus aetatis rapuerit tum quod totum regnum in praeceps dederit His Raign continued only seven moneths in which time he fought seven or eight Battels in defence of his Countrey People and their Liberties By his untimely death the Saxonâ—Monarchy â—Monarchy was devolved to the Danes CHAP. IX The Danes Monarchs CANUTUS THe first Danish King raigning in England and the thirty fourth Monarch of the English men He is more truly called Cnute Cui ex magnitudine rerum gestarum magni nomen accessit Krantzii hist. Daniae l. 4. A valiant and prudent Prince This Invader of Ironside's Kingdome the better to secure his Empire against Prince Alfred and Edward Edmunds Brothers married Emma his Queen After this marriage to
at a certain interview between the King and Pope Innocent the second the sons of Robert Earl of Mellent maintained open disputations against divers Cardinals and Chaplains of the Pope Sir Iohn Hayward To purchase the favour of the Clergy he called Anselme out of exile and restored him both to the dignity and revenues of the See of Canterbury He committed Radulph alias Ranulph Bishop of Durham to prison who had been both author and agent to King William in most of his distrustfull actions against the Clergy To make the Clergy the more assured the King renounced the right which his Ancestours used in giving Investitures and acknowledged the same to appertain to the Pope The Clergy did much favour him by reason of his liberall leave either to erect or to enlarge or else to enrich religious buildings For to these works the King was so ready to give not only way but encouragement and help that in no Princes time they did more within this Realm either flourish or encrease Sir Iohn Hayward numbers twenty five religious buildings either done or helped forward or permitted and allowed by the King This King being born in England and the Queen of English bloud-royall raised the depressed English Nation again unto honour and credit He restored them to the use of fire and candle after eight of the Clock at night which his Father had most straitly forbidden He being a wise Prince and well knowing that an Empire gotten by force could no longer remain then that force continued sent into Scotland and took to Wife Maud the daughter of Queen Margaret sister to Edgar Etheling who was now dead and left no issue whereby this Maud was the heir of the Saxon line and in her brought back again to us the ancient English blood-royall before it had descended beyond one generation from the Conquerour in whose line it continueth unto this day She was adorned with all royall vertues principally with piety and humility These Verses were made in her commendation Prospera non laetam fecere nec aspera tristem Aspera risus ei prospera terror erant Non decor effecit fragilem non sceptra superbam Sola potens humilis sola pudica decens She being married against her will seeing she must violate the vow of her virginity she cursed her of-spring if any came of her which was not altogether vain saith Polyd. Virgil in regard they were all afterward drowned He reduced Normandy to England He built therein many Castles and planted Garrisons and with no less wisdome assured that State then with valour he had won it He brought with him his Brother Robert into England and committed him to safe custody in the Castle of Cardiffe He striving to escape was taken again committed to close prison his eyes put out and a sure guard set upon him Thus he remained in desolate darkness neither reverenced by any for his former greatness nor pitied for his present distress Thus he continued about twenty seven years in a life far more grievous then death even untill the year before the death of King Henry So long was he a suitor in wooing of death So long did the one Brother overlive his good fortune the other his good nature and disposition esteeming it a fair favour that the uttermost extremity was not inflicted He gave his daughter Maud the Empress in second marriage to the Earl of Anjou and his Sister Elix as some Chronicles call her to Steven Earl of Bloys Thence sprang the loss of this Kingdome to Maud during her life by being so far out of the land in another Countrey when she should have accepted it here Therof sprang the perjuries of Steven King of England enticed to a Kingdome through the commodity of his near place And thence came the Civill miseries to the people who through the incertainty of a Governour were in field and Arms one against another His daughter Maud as well as that Lacedemonian Lady Lampedo whom Pliny maketh mention of was a Kings daughter a Kings wife and a Kings mother Daughter of this Henry the first King of England wife of Henry the fourth Emperour of Germany and mother to Henry the second King of England Concerning which matter there is this Distick engraven on her Tomb. Magna ortu majórque viro sed maxima partu Hîc jacet Henrici filia sponsa parens The daughter wife the mother eke of Henry lieth here Much blest by birth by marriage more but most by issue dear He was a great administrer of justice and the first that ordained that theeves should be hanged He ordained that counterfeiters of money should lose both their eyes and be deprived of their privy parts He took away the deceit which had been occasioned by variety of measures and made measure by the length of his own arm which hath been commonly used ever since by the name of a yard He is yet alive in his Laws See his Laws in Lambard de priscis Anglorum legibus His expences were chiefly in his Warres and his many and great fortifications in Normandy His buildings were the Abbey of Reading the Castle of Warwicke of Bristoll the Mannour of Woodstocke and the great inclosure of that Park with a stone Wall seven miles about There was a singular and most remarkable example of Gods justice upon his children For when the King both by force crast and cruelty had dispossest over-reacht and lastly made blind and destroyed his elder Brother Duke of Normandy to make his own sons Lords of his Land God cast them all male and female Nephews and Neeces Maud excepted into the bottome of the Sea with above a hundred and fifty others that attended them whereof a great many were noble and of the King dearly beloved Evasit unus ille agrestis qui tota nocte malo supernatans mane totius tragediae actum expressit Malmesb. de Henrico primo l. 5. Vide Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 11. p. 191. Nulla unquam navis fuit Anglâ—ae tantae miseriae nulla toto orbi tam patulae famae His usuall Oath was By our Lords death and so was Queen Elizabeths He first instituted the form of the High-Court of Parliament as now it is in use The first Parliament was held at Salisbury upon the nineteenth day of April in the sixteenth year of his Raign See Lamberts Archeion p. 240 241 242 243. When Matilde his daughter was given in marriage to Henry the fifth Emperour he took three shillings of every Hide of land throughout the Realm which being followed by succeeding Kings did grow to a custome of receiving aid whensoever they gave their daughters in marriage About this time the marriage of Priests was forbidden in England but the King for money permitted them to retain their wives and in the end set an imposition in that respect upon every Church throughout the Realm It availed not any man
where he sate which being stayed miraculously so long as he was sitting as soon as he was up immediately fell upon the place where he sate able to have crushed him in pieces Fox Martyrolog Having prepared a great Fleet of Ships for a journey into Flanders and being at Winchelsey where the Ships were to meet it happened that riding about the Harbour his Horse frighted with the noise of a Wind-mill which the wind drove violently about scrambled up and leapt over the mud-wall of the Town so as neither the King nor Horse was to be seen but every one judged the King could not choose but be thrown and killed yet such was the divine providence over him that the Horse lighted upon his feet and the King keeping the Saddle returned safe He was crowned at Westminster together with his wife Queen Elenor by Robert Kilwarthy Archbishop of Canterbury He ingeniously surprized the Welch into subjection proffering them such a Prince as should be 1. The son of a King 2. Born in their own Countrey 3. Whom none could taxe for any fault The Welch accepted the conditions and the King tendered them his son Edward an Infant newly born in the Castle of Carnarvaâ— Wales was united to the Crown of England in the eleventh year of his Raign who thereupon established the Government thereof according to the Lawes of England A wise a just and fortunate Prince who in regard of his Princely vertues deserveth to be ranged among the principall and best Kings that ever were A right noble and worthy Prince to whom God proportioned a most princely presence and personage a right worthy seat to entertain so heroicall a mind For he not only in regard of fortitude and wisdome but also for a beautifull and personall presence was in all points answerable to the height of royall Majesty whom fortune also in the very prime and flower of his age inured to many a Warre and exercised in most dangerous troubles of the State whilest she framed and fitted him for the Empire of Brittain which he being once crowned King managed and governed in such wise that having subdued the Welch and vanquished the Scots he may justly be counted the second ornament of Great Brittain No Realm but did resound first Edwards praise No praise was ever won with more deserts And no deserts though great could counterpoise Much less out-balance his heroick parts Mars taught him Arms the Muses taught him Arts Whereby so great he grew that might there be A love on earth that earthly love was he Sir Francis Huberts History of Edward the second In the long Warres he had with Robert King of Scotland having by triall found how greatly his presence advantaged the success of his affairs and how he was ever victorious in any enterprise he undertook in his own person when he died he bound his son by solemn oath that being dead he should cause his body to be boiled untill the flesh fell from the bones which he should cause to be interred and carefully keeping the bones ever carry them about him whensoever he should happen to have Warres with the Scots as if destiny had fatally annexed the victory unto his limmes Mountaigne his Essayes l. 1. c. 3. Baliol King of Scotland came to Newcastle upon Tine where King Edward then lay and there with many of his Nobles swears fealty and doth homage to him as his Soveraign Lord. Afterward there grew a great dissention between him and the King and the two Nations which consumed much Christian bloud and continued almost three hundred years King Edward entered Scotland with a great Army King Baliol was taken prisoner The marble Chair in which the Kings of Scotland used to be crowned was also brought thence to Westminster and placed there amongst the Monuments where it still continues Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Except old sawes do fain And Wizards wits be blind The Scots in place shall raign Where they this stone shall find Of his Warres with the Scotch and his victories over them see Ayscâ— his History of the Warres Treaties Marriages and other occurrents between England and Scotland from King William the Conquerour untill the union of them both in King Iames. In his twelfth year the Justices Itinerants began In his time Iohn Baliol King of Scots builded Baliol-Colledge in Oxford Walter Merton Lord Chancellour of England and after Bishop of Rochester founded Merton-Colledge in Oxford One made this Epitaph of him Dum viguit Rex valuit tua magna potestas Frauâ— latuit pax magna fuit regnavit honestas He raigned thirty four yeares seven moneths one and twenty dayes and lived sixty eight years and twenty dayes EDWARD the second He degenerated wholly from his fathers vertues and esteemed not the good advertisements and precepts which he gave him before his death He granted the Charter to London to elect yearly one of the City at their own pleasure to be their Maior He was the first of the King of Englands children which bore the title and quality of the Prince of Wales Since whose time the eldest sons of the Kings of England were called Princes of Wales as the eldest sons of the Kings of Franâ—e are called Dolphins and of Spain Infants He was called Edward of Carnarvan for the Welch men after Leolines death were earnest with the King for a Prince of their own Countrymen the King told them they should have a Prince there born that could speak no English which they being contented with he named his Infant son who was born there the Queen being brought to Carnarvan He divided Wales incorporated into England into Shires and Hundreds His great affection to Pierce Gaveston and Spenser his Favourites was a means of stirring up the Barons against him It is thy sad disaster which I sing Carnarvan Edward second of that name Thy Minions pride thy States ill managing Thy Peers revolt the sequell of the same Thy life thy death I sing thy sin thy shame And how thou wert deprived of thy Crown In highest fortunes cast by fortune down Sir Francis Huberts History of Edward the second Nine Kings had raigned since the conquest here Whom I succeeded in a rightfull line My father all domestick tumults clear Did warre and win in fruitfull Palestine This Northern Sun even to the East did shine The French were fearfull hearing but his name French Scots and Turks aeternized his fame He married Isabel daughter to King Philip sirnamed le Bean the fair and heir to France all her brothers being dead without issue Gourney most barbarously caused the miserable King to sit on a Mole-hill whilest the Barber shaved him and to take cold water out of a ditch to wash him withall which the patient King seeing told them That in despight of them he would have warm water at his Barbing and there withall shed abundance of tears Being deposed from his Kingdome
overlaid Well then said the King return and tell them who sent you That so long at my son is alive they send no more to me whatever happen for I will that the honour of the day be his And so at last the English obtained the greatest victory they ever yet had against the French There were there found the dead bodies of eleven great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above one thousand and five hundred of the Commons above thirty thousand Not one man of honour or note slain upon the English side King Edward after the Battell aftectionately embracing and kissing his victorious son said Fair son God send you good perseverance to so prosperous beg innings you have nobly acquit your self and are well worthy to have the governance of a Kingdome entrusted to you for your valour Sir Eustace Rihamant in the encounter at Calis-Gate between Sir Walter Manny and the Lord Charney met with King Edward who disguising himself in common armour served under the banner of Sir Walter Manny and fought so stoutly with him that he stroke the King twice down on his knees but in the end the King took him prisoner and then he yeelded his Sword to the King but knowing what he was said thus Sir Knight I yeeld me as your prisoner upon which cause the King came after supper to him and with a merry countenance said thus to the Knight Sir Eustace you are the Knight in the world that I have seen most valiant either in assault of enemies or defence of himself I never â—ound Knight that gave so much ado body to body as ye have done this day wheâ—efore I give you the prize above all the Knights of my Court by right sentence and herewithall the King being bare-headed having a Chaplet of fine pearls that he ware on his head took the same Chaplet from off his head being fair goodly and rich and said to the Knight I give you this Chaplet for the best doer in Arms in this journey past of either party and I desire you to bear it this year for the love of me I know well you be fresh and amorous and oftentimes are among doubty Knights and fair Ladies yet say wheresoever ye come that the King of England did give it you and I quite your prison and ransome depart to morrow if it please you whereupon the Knight did not only wear the same Chaplet in remembrance of so gracious a benevolence of so worthy a Prince but also did bear after in his Arms three Chaplets garnished of pearls Fern his Glory of Generosity p. 210 211. Mr. Wren in his Monarchy asserted p. 125. saith The successes of the English in France alwayes followed the person of the Prince with us Edward the third and Henry the fifth wise and valiant Princes gaining Richard the second and Henry the sixth weak Princes losing with them Iohn and Charles the sixth men of no ability losing Charles the fifth and Charles the seventh brave Princes recovering Edward the black Prince of Wales who so long governed our Countrey of Guienne a man whose conditions and fortune were accompanied with many notable parts of worth and magnanimity having been grievously offended by the Limosins though he by main force took and entered their City could by no means be appeased nor by the wailfull out-cries of all sorts of people as of men women and children be moved to any pitty they prostrating themselves to the common slaughter crying for mercy and humbly submitting themselves at his feet untill such time as in triumphant manner passing through their City he perceived three French Gentlemen who alone with an incredible and undaunted boldness gainstood the enraged violence and made head against the fury of his victorious Army The consideration and respect of so notable a vertue did first abate the dint of his wrath and from these three began he to relent and shew mercy to all the other inhabitants of the Town Michael Lord of Montaigne his Essayes l. 1. c. 1. Having had great victories against the French and other neighbouring Nations he instituted the Order of the Garter and consecrated it to St. George He appointed a Garter to be the Ensign of this Order wrought richly with gold and precious stones which should circle the leg beneath the knee and on it to have these words apparently discerned Honi Soit Qui Mal Y â—ense Shame to him which evil thinks The number of these Knights are twenty six whereof the King himself is the chief These Knights wear the Ensign of Saint George fighting with a Dragon fastened to a rich Chain or Collar which weighed and was worth eighty pounds of English money See Montaigne his Essayes l. 2. c. 7. of the words of honour About this time the famous Dr. Iohn Wicklef a man of sharp wit profound learning and of great judgement did in the University of Oxford publickly maintain sundry Propositions and dogmaticall points against the Church of Rome His followers were in the phrase of those dark dayes called Lollards whereas in truth they endeavoured to extirpate all pernicious weeds which through time sloath and fraud had crept into the field of Gods Church Such was this Kings courtesie friendly behaviour toward the two captive Kings of France and Scotland while they remained together in England as that hereby he won their love and favour for ever after as appeared by their repair hither to visit the King and Queen and to recreate and solace themselves in their company Thus it came to pass that their captivity here turned more to their own advantage and the peaceable enjoying of their estates after the same then if it had never hapned unto them Mr. Thomas May wrote his victorious Raign in Verse in seven Books He raigned almost one and fifty yeares and lived about sixty five who of all the Kings of the Realm saith Mr. Fâ—x unto Henry the eight was the greatest bridler of the Popes usurped power whereby Iohn Wicklef was maintained with aid sufficient CHAP. XVIII RICHARD the second HE descended from four Edwards of which the first three were succeeding Kings the fourth Prince of Wales sirnamed the black Prince who dying before his father Edward the third did not attain the Crown The Civil Warres of England by Sir Francis Bâ—ondi an Italian He was crowned in the eleventh year of his age and sufficiently shewed the miserable condition of such States as are governed by an Infant King He was the goodliest personage of all the Kings that had been since the conquest The beautifull picture of a King sighing crowned in a Chair of Estate at the upper end of the Quire in St. Peters at Westminster is said to be of him which witnesseth how goodly a creature he was ilâ— outward lineaments Speed He had nothing worthy his great fortunes but his great birth When he had with full hand bestowed upon Simâ—â—â— Montford Earl of Leicester
where his servant stood as prisoner and commanded him to be ungived and set at liberty William Gascoigne the chief Justice of the Kings Bench exhorted the Prince to be ordered according to the ancient Laws of the Realm or if he would have him saved from the rigour of the Laws that he should obtain if he might of the King his father his gracious pardon whereby no Law or justice should be impeached With which answer the Prince being more inflamed endeavoured himself to take away his servant The Judge considering the perillous example and inconvenience that might thereby ensue with a valiant courage and spirit commanded the Prince upon his allegiance to leave the prisoner and to depart his way with which commandement the Prince being set all in a fury in a terrible manner came up to the place of judgement some thinking that he would have slain the Judge or have done him some hurt but the Judge sitting still without moving declaring the majesty of the Kings place of judgement and with an assured bold countenance spake thus to the Prince Sir remember your self I keep here the place of the King your soveraign Lord and Father to whom you owe double obeysance wherefore in his name I charge you desist from your wilfulness and unlawfull enterprise and from henceforth give good example to those which after shall be your proper Subjects 〈◊〉 and now for your contempt and disobedience go you to the prison of the Kings Bench whereto I commit you and remaine you there prisoner untill the pleasure of the King your Father be further known With which wordes being abashed and also wondering at the marvellous gravity of that worshipfull Justice the Prince laying his weapon apart doing reverence departed and went to the Kings Bench as he was commanded whereat his servants disdaining came and shewed to the King all the whole affair He a while studying after as a man all ravished with gladness holding his hands and eyes towards heaven cried out with a loud voice O mercifull God how much am I bound to thy infinite goodness â—ffâ—ecially for that thou hast given me a Iudge who feareth not to minister justice and also a sin who can suffer semblably and obey justice Sir Thomas Eliot in his Governour saith here a man may behold three persons worthy memory First a Judge who being a Subject feared not to execute justice on the eldest son of his soveraign Lord and by order of nature his successor Also a Prince son and heir of the King in the midst of his folly more considered his evil example and the Judges conscience in justice then his own estate and wilfull appetito Thirdly a noble King and wise father who contrary to the custome of parents rejoyced to see his son and the heir of his Crown to be for his disobedience by his Subject corrected The Oath ex officio it should rather be called in officiosum was brought into the Church under him The Prelates requiring it to discover those which that age esteemed Hereticks and especially those which they called Lollards which Master Fox in his Acts and Monuments calls a bloudy Law In his admonition to his son at his death he said Of English men so long as they have wealth and riches so long shalt thou have obeysance but when they be poor they are alwayes ready to make insurrection at every motion All the time of his sickness his will was to have his Crown set upon his Bolster by him and one of his fits being so strong upon him that all men thought him directly dead the Prince coming in took away the Crown when suddenly the King recovering his senses missed his Crown and asking for it was told the Prince had taken it whereupon the Prince being called came back with the Crown and kneeling down said Sir to all our judgements and to all our griefs you seemed directly dead and therefore I took the Crown as being my right but seeing to all our comforts you live I here deliver it much more joyfully then I took it and pray God you may long live to wear it your self In his time were the two famous Poets Chaucer and Gower None of the sons of Henry the fourth did degenerate a thing not usuall in so large a family Henry the fifth died gloriously in the pursuit of his conquests the Duke of Clarence valiantly fighting and though of a naturall death and Glocester of a violent yet died they not with less fame then did the others Biondi his History of the Civil Warres of England l. 5. in Henry the sixth The Duke of Bedfords death is to be numbred among the chiefest causes of the loss of France He was a prudent Prince of long experience in Arms and Government obeyed by his own feared by his enemies Id. ibid. Fourth Henry was by some blind Bard foretold That he should never die till he had seen Ierusalem fourth Henry will be old Ierusalem for him shall be unseen No he shall see it when he least doth ween He swouns at prayers and by religious men Is straight convey'd unto Ierusalem Sir Francis Huberts History of Edward the second The like Prophesie we read of Pope Sylvester the second to whom being inquisitive for the time and place where he should die it was answered that he should die in Ierusalem who then saying Mass in a Chappell called likewise Ierusalem perceived his end there to be near and died In this Kings time Guild-Hall in London was built Gower being very gracious with him carried the name of the only Poet in his time He and Chaucer were Knights The King died in Ierusalem-Chamber in minster in the year of his age forty six He raigned thirteen years and a half wanting five dayes Fourteen years say others CHAP. XIX HENRY the fifth HE was just wise magnanimous valiant To this noble Prince by an assent of the Parliament all the Estates of the Realm after three dayes offered to do fealty before he was crowned or had solemnized his Oath well and justly to govern the Commonweal which offer before was never found to be made to any Prince of England Stowes Chron. His young years were spent in literature in the Academy of Oxford where in Queens-Colledge he was a Student under the tuition of his Uncle Henry Beauford Chancellour of that University When he came to be King he made Thomas Rodban a famous Astronomer in those dayes Bishop of St. Davids and Iohn Carpenter a learned Divine Bishop of Worcester having known them both whilest he lived in the University The Civil Wars of England by Sir Francis Biondi Presently after his Coronation he called before him all his old companions who had been disorderly with him strictly charging them not to presume to come within ten miles of his Court untill such time as they had given good proof of their amendment in manners and left any of them should pretend want of maintenance
thereby to win the hearts of the people as being conscious to himself that the true obligations of Soveraignty in him failed He put to death Hastings A greater judgement of God then this upon Hastings I have never observed in any Story For the self same day that the Earl Riners Grey and others were without triall of Law or ostence given by Hastings advice executed at Ponfret I say Hastings himself in the same day and as I take it in the same hour in the same Lawless manner had his head stricken off in the Tower of London He had little quiet after the murther of his two Nephews in the Tower of London Sir Iohn Beaumont hath well described Bosworth-field in Verse The night before he was slain he dreamed that he saw divers images of Devils which pulled and haled him not suffering him to take any rest the which vision stroke him into such a troubled mind that he began to doubt what after came to pass Charles the ninth King of France after the massacre in Paris and divers other Cities wherein were slaughtered about thirty thousand never saw good day but his eyes rolled often uncertainly in the day with fear and suspition and his sleep was usually interrupted in the night with dismall dreams and apparitions He being near his end vomited out bloud pittifully by all the conduits of his body as a just judgement for him that barbarously shed it throughout all the Provinces of the Realm He raigned two yeares two moneths and one day CHAP. XIX HENRY the seventh THe fourteen Plantagenets thus expiring with Richard the third five Tudors take their turns in this manner Henry the seventh Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth They are called Tudors because Henry the fifth his widow being a French woman married Owen Tudor from whom Henry the seventh did lineally descend In this Nation how hath the Crown walked even since Christs birth from Britains to Saxons Danes Normans Plantagenets Tudors Stuarts Mrs Shawes Tomb-stone This King pretended a six-fold title to the Crown By Conquest Military election of Souldiers in the fields near Bosworth by Parliament by Birth by Donation and Marriage He did never stand upon his marriage with the right heir as the foundation of his right unto the Crown for he knew well enough that if that had been his best and only title though it might make the power good unto his children yet while she was living he must hold the Crown in her right not in his own and if she died before him it was lost Because he was crowned in the field with King Richards Crown found in an Hawthorn-Bush he bare the Hawthorn-Bush with the Crown in it He was crowned the thirtieth day of October in the year of our Lord 1485 by Thomas Bourehier Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinall At which day he did institute for the better security of his person a Band of fifty Archers under a Captain to attend him by the name of Yeomen of his Guard and yet that it might be thought to be rather a matter of dignity after the imitation of that he had known abroad then any matter of diffidence appropriate to his own case he made it to be understood for an Ordinance not temporary but to hold in succession for ever after Through whose care vigilancy policy and forecasting wisdome for times to come the State and Commonwealth of England hath to this day stood established and invincible Camdens Britannia in Surrey A politick Prince he was if ever there were any who by the engine of his wisdome beat down and overturned as many strong oppositions both before and after he wore the Crown as ever King of England did Whose worthy renown like the Sun in the midst of his sphere shineth and ever shall shine in mens remembrance What incomparable circumspection was in him alwayes found that notwithstanding his long absence out of this Realm the disturbance of the same by sundry seditions among the Nobility Civil Warres and Battels wherein infinite people were slain yet by his most excellent wit he in few years not only brought this Realm in good order and under due obedience revived the Laws advanced justice refurnished his dominions and repaired his mannours but also with such circumspection treated with other Princes and Realms of leagues of alliance and amities that during the most part of his Raign he was little or nothing disquieted with War hostile or martiall business And yet all other Princes either feared him or had him in fatherly reverence He could never endure any mediation in rewarding his servants and therein exceeding wise for whatsoever himself gave he himself received back the thanks and the love on the contrary in whatsoever he grieved his Subjects he wisely put it off on those that he found fit ministers for such actions By his happy marriage being next heir to the house of Lancaster with Elizabeth daughter and heir to Edward the fourth of the house of Yorke the white and red Roses were conjoyned Sir Francis Bacon saith of Iohn Morton Archbishop of Canterbury Chancellor of England and Cardinal He deserveth a most happy memory in that he was the principall means of joyning the two Roses From the twenty eighth year of Henry the sixth unto the fifteenth of Henry the seventh the Civil War between Lancaster and Yâ—â—ke continued wherein as they reckoned there were thirteen fields fought three Kings of England one Prince of Wales twelve Dukes one Mâ—rquesse eighteen Earles with one Vicount and twenty three Barons besides Knights and Gentlemen lost their lives Cambd. Brit. in Warwickeshire The King in honour of the Brittish race of which himself was named his first son Arthur according to the name of that ancient worthy King of the Brittains in whose acts there is truth enough to make him famous besides that which is fabulous King Arthur fought twelve Battels with the Saxons and overthrew them Hollinsh Arthurus belliger illis temporibus dux militum Regum Brittanniae contra Saxones invictissimè pugnabat duodecies dux belli fuit duodecies victor bellatorum Hunting hist. l. 2. That Arthur was one of the nine Worthies There were three Jewes Ioshua David Iudas Maccabaeus three Gentiles Hector of Troy Alexander the Great and Iulius Caesar three Christians Arthur of Britain Charlemain of France and Godfrey of Bullen Arthur ursum significat quasi ursinum diceres Burhillus in MS. The Prince Arthur died before his father and lieth buried in the Quire of the Cathedrall Church at Worcester After was born to the King at Greenwich the Lord Henry his second son which was created Duke of Yorke and after Prince of Wales who succeeded his father in governance of this Realm by the name of Henry the eighth His time did excell for good Common-wealths Laws so as he may justly be celebrated for the best Law-giver to this Nation after
Laws for acting any thing in opposition unto that Religion which was then established Concerning which there goes a Story that when a Popish Priest had urged her very earnestly to declare her judgement touching the presence of Christ in the blessed Sacrament she very cautelously resolved the point in these following Verses 'T was God the Word that spake it He took the bread and brake it And what the Word did make it That I believe and take it But all this Caution notwithstanding her aversness from the Church of Rome was known sufficiently not to be altered while she lived Dr. Heylins History of Queen Elizabeth At her entrance to her Raign she sent to her Agent in the Court of Spain to represent unto King Philip the second the dear remembrance which she kept of those many humanities received from him in the time of her troubles Yet afterward some of our own and some forraign Wâ—iters taxe her of too much unkindness toward King Philp to whom she had been so much obliged The ground of his Invasion in eighty eight was the divers indignities he received from Queen Elizabeth though ever since the death of Queen Mary he forbore to do any thing that might displease her During his abode in England he had done her such signall and high savours as to preserve her head from the Scaffold to have her allowance enlarged to divert her Sister from a design she had to send her beyond Sea to be a 〈◊〉 and at his departure from England he desired not to carry with him but one Ring of a hundred pound price He shewed no small love also in comprehending the suâ—rendâ—y of Calais to the English in his Treaty of peace with France The Queen assisted Don Antonio the Bastard against him about the title of Portugall fomented his own naturall Subjects against him in the revolt of the confederate Provinces so far as to send a Governour of her own amongst them She gave Commissions to rob him in the Indies She intercepted some of his treasure in her own Seas going to Flanders and wronged some of the Hans Towns who were under his protection These with sundry incitements more caused Philip to prepare this powerfull Fleet to be quit with her at once for all scores Howels History of Naples But it may be said in her defence that thâ—e King of Spain did stir up the Irish against her and did also encourage such Traytors as conspired against her in England Sir Francis Drake who was Captain of the Iudith with Sir Iohn Hawkins in the voyage of Guiny 1567 received together with him considerable dammage and injuries from the Spaniard in the Port of St Iohn D' Vllâ—a of the West Indies contrary to promise and agreement with him and therefore what he did against the Spaniards was to repair himself At the beginning of the Netherlanders troubles she imparted unto the King of Spain sincere advice not to hold a heavy hand over that people which he rejected and contemned Her Majesty nevertheless gave not over her honourable resolution which was if it were possible to reduce and reconcile those Countryes unto the obedience of the King of Spain if not yet to preserve them from alienating themselves to a forraign Lord and so continued to mediate unto the King for some just and honourable capitulations of grace and accord Which course she held untill the death of the Duke of Anjou at which time the enemy pressing them the united Provinces were received into her Majesties protection which was after the King of Spain had discovered himself an unplacable Lord to them and also a professed enemy unto her Majesty having already actually invaded Ireland and designed also the invasion and conquest of England Gabriel Powell his refutation of an Epistle apologetically written by a Puritan Papist to perswade the permission of the promiscuous use and profession of all sects and heresies c. 9. p. 98. Trading was much promoted in her time By her intercession the Turk gave way to the English trading in Turkie whence the Company of Turkish Merchants The Great Duke of Russia also much respected her and the English for her sake England was much adorned with building in her time Plures nobilium privatorum villae elegantia laxitate cultu conspicuae jam passim in Anglia surgere caepâ—runt quà m alio quovis seculo magno sanè regni ornamento verùm hospitalis gloriae detrimento Camd. Annal. She was very sparing in bestowing Honours for in twelve years she made but four Barons She made Westminster Abbey famous for the Coronation and sepulture of our Kings of England and for the keeping of the Insignia Regalia a Collegiate Church where there is a Dean twelve prebends a Schoolmaster and Usher forty Scholars called Kings Scholars out of which some are chosen yearly to both Universities Servants Choristers and twelve Almes-men as Camden in his Annals shews Being near her end she declared Iames King of Scotland to be her Successor so Camden and Du Chesne and Iohnston in his Historia Britannica Sir Francis Walsingham her Secretary died poor he left only one daughter which married Sir Philip Sidney and after the Earl of Essex When she was near death Whitgift Archbishop of Canterbury came to her and spoke much of the redemption of mankind of the resurrection of the body and immortality of the soul to whom she answered with great tranquility and constancy that she desired to be soon dissolved and to be with Christ. She having setled her Dominions in peace died in the year 1602 the twenty fourth of March the sixty ninth of her age and of her Raign the forty fourth CHAP. XX. IAMES the first King of Great Brittain THe Tudors breathing out their last in excellent Elizabeth Stuarts take their turn by an unquestionable title 1. Iames the first of England but sixth of Scotland 2. Charles the first of England It may seem wonderfull that there was no commotion at all upon the Queens decease that he came to the Crown here so peaceably without any opposition He caused himself to be stiled King of Great Brittain to prevent difference between the two Nations one of which else would have preferred England in his title and the other Scotland The name of Brittain continued to be the name generally of the whole Island but more specially of the parts of England and Wales ever since before the invasion of the Romans King Alfred was entituled Governour of the Christians of all Brittain King Edgar was stiled Monarch of all Brittain King Henry the second was entituled King of all Brittain King Iohn had his Coyn stamped with this Inscription Iohannes Rex Britonum Walter sirnamed Banguho according as his father was returning into Scotland fought valiantly for his King against the Islands Rebels and the Savages of Scotland In recompence of his extraordinary vertue he was made Great Provost and Treasurer of the houshold Royall
which the Scots signifie by the name of Stuart or Steward He so faithfully discharged the trust reposed in him without the least reproach or wasting of the Kings Moneys that the sirname of Stuart was imposed on him and given also to his posterity This was the original of the Illustrious Family of Stuart From this Walter descended that Robert Steward who was after in right of his wife King of Scotland since which time there have been successively nine Soveraigns of that name in Scotand Margaret eldest daughter of King Henry the seventh and Elizabeth his Queen was twice married in Scotland first to King Iames the fourth then to Archibald Douglas Earl of Angis her son by the King was King Iames the fifth our King Iames his mothers father her daughter by the Earl was Margaret Countess of Lennox our King Iames his fathers mother David Bruse King of Scotland being dead without issue of his body Robert Steward his sisters son by the generall consent of all the Estates was crowned King of Scotland in the year of our Lord 1370. This family hath ever since born the Crown of Scotland even unto this day King Iames united both the Kingdomes of England and Scotland and testified this conjunction in the Money that was coined both silver and gold with these words Quae Deus conjuxit nemo separet and also Tueatur unita Deus The twenty shillings pieces had this Inscription Faciam eos in gentem unam other golden Coines had these words Henricus rosas regna Iacobus He was born in the Palace of Edinborough on the nineteenth of Iuly anno 1566 and solemnly crowned King of the Scots on the same day of the Moneth anno 1567 and joyfully received to the Crown of England on the fourteenth of March 1602. He had a great dexterity in discovering an imposture and a marvellous sagacity to discuss natural things He detected the forgery of Richard Haydock a Physitian pretending to preach at night in his sleep who acknowledged his forgery to the King It was his custome to discourse during Meals with one or more Divines concerning some point of controversie in Philosophy There was a Conference or Disputation at Hampton Court before him Some of our Divines taxe Dr. Barlow Dean of Chester for a partial Penman of that Conference See Mr. Ley his Discourse of Disputat concerning matters of Religion c. 4. p. 46. Besides the relieving by Pensions all the poorer sort he hath honoured more Martial men than all the Kings of England have done for this hundred years Had his Apothegmes or wise speeches and also Queen Elizabeths been collected by a skilfull hand I suppose they would have been very usefull to the publick There is one that hath written a Book in Latine of Favourites where I think my Lord Car the Earle of Somerset the Duke of Buckingham are reckoned for the English Favourites the later of which was in great favour both with the Father and Son King Iames and King Charles Vossius in his Preface to his Book de Arte Grammatica if I forget not much commends King Iames. Isaac Causabone that famous Schollar was much respected and encouraged by him He was both a wise and learned Prince of disposition merciful and gracious a great seeker of peace according to that Motto which he ever used Beati pacifici In the stile of the Court he went for Great Britains Solomon nor is it any excursion beyond the precincts of verity to say that neither Britain nor any other Kingdome whatsoever could ever since Solomons dayes glory in a King for recondite learning and abstruse knowledge so near a match to Solomon as he Mr. Rushworths Historicall Collections 23. Iacobi p. 161. He was compared to Solomon in severall respects by Bishop Williams in his Funerall Sermon on 1 King 11. 41 42 43. Archbishop Spotswood saith he was the Solomon of this age admired for his knowledge of all manner of learning Hist. of Scotland l. 7. His Works shew his great learning especially his Basilicon Doron or Kingly gift It cannot be said how well it was accepted in England and what admiration it raised in all mens hearts of him and of his piety and wisdome Certain it is that all the Discourses which came forth that time for maintaining his right to the Crown of England prevailed nothing so much as did that Treatise Spotsw Hist. of the Church of Scotland l. 6. Iustinians Institutes Caesars Commentaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are prized for their Authors as well as matter He had such a promptness in exprâ—ssing his mind that his extemporall sâ—eeches were little inferiour to his premeditated writings His invention was as quick as his first thoughts and his words as ready as his invention I' advouois franchement de n' avoir Iamais veu Prince dont la sincerité la prudence l' equaunimité meritast plus de gloire de louanges Que l' ayant tonsiours trouné d' un courage urayement Royal tout genereux d' un esprit plus intelligent plus vif plus penetrant plus judicieux que nul de son Conseil I' avois aussi tonsiours passionnement desiré de terminer conclurre avec luy les affaires non avec eux Memoires de Mounsier de Rosny Duc de Sully Tom. 2. p. 141. He was a good Poet. A very good Horseman He had such a fashion in riding that it could not so properly be said he rid as that his Horse carried him for he made but little use of his bridle and would say a Horse never stumbled but when he was reined He was a great lover of quiet and much given to hunting and to his Book and wholly fixt in Warring by writings with the Church Bentivoglio his History of Flanders part 3. l. 8. See his Relation of the united Provinces of Flanders c. 3. In his apparrell and civill garb he seemed naturally to affect a majestick carelesness in his pecuniary dispensations to his favourites he was excessive liberall King Iames being invited in a hunting journey to dine with Sir Thomas I. of Barkshire turning short at the corner of a Common happened near to a Countryman sitting by the heels in the stocks who cryed Hosanna unto his Majesty which invited him to ask the reason of his restraint Sir Thomas said It was for stealing a Goose from the Common The fellow replyed I beseech your Majesty be judge who is the greater thief I for stealing Geese from the Common or his Worship for robbing the Common from the Geese By my sale Sir said the King to Sir Thomas I 'le not dine to day on your dishes till you restore the Common for the poor to feed their flocks Which was forthwith granted to them and the witty fellow set free He spake broad in the Scottish tone and dialect Sir Kenelme Digby in his Discourse touching
the cure of wounds by the powder of Sympathy saith he had a strange antipathy to a naked sword of which he there ascribes the cause He alleadged this reason to an English Divine wherefore the Scottish Church was never troubled with heresie for if said he it sprang up in a Purish there was an Eldership itoâ— suppress it if it had escaped them the Presbytery was ready to crush it if the Presbytery should be negligent than the Synod would opposeâ—it if it had not been by them suppressed the Generall Assembly would take strict order concerning it Philip de Mornay Lord of Plessis often complained that the King of England was too much taken up with some petty differences amongst his own but was not carefull enough to heal the deep wounds and breaches which were in the Church Yet his sending certain select and worthy Divines to the Synod of Dort to compose the unhappy differences then in the Law Countries and his causing the Bible to be translated into English by judicious Divines and set forth more exactly than formerly it had been done were noble works He had two sons Prince Henry and King Charles and one daughter that lived the Lady Elizabeth Queen of Bohemia The order of Knight Baronets was instituted by him they must be Gentlemen of three descents and should be worth a thousand pounds per annum the number to be installed was not to exceed two hundred I may for his learning and respect to the learned his eloquence and his profound questions at meals compare him to Charles the Great of whom Eginhardus de vita gestis Caroli Magni Inter caenandum aut aliquod acroamia aut lectorem audiebat Legebantur ei historiae antiquorum Regum gesta Delectabatur libris S. Augustini prâ—cipuè iis quos de civitate Dei inscripsit Erat eloquentia copiosiu exuberans poterátque quicquid vellet apertissimè exprimere Artes liberales studio sissimè coluit earúmque doctores plurimum veneratus magnis afficiebat honoribus Vide plura ibid. The Moneth of November is memorable for the seventeenth 1558 the initiation of Queen Elizabeth in which the purity of the Gospel brake forth and fifth in King Iames his Raign in which the treachery of the Gospels enemies brake out Dr. Heylin in his Historia Quinqu-Articularis c. 22. saith it was an usuall practice with him in the whole course of his Government to ballance one extream by the other countenancing the Papists against the Puritan and the Puritan sometimes against the Papist that betwixt both the true Religion and professors of it might be kept in safety But in the Epistle of his Book to his Son he shews what he means by Puritan He died at Theohalds in the year 1625 the twenty seventh of March the fifty ninth year of his age having raigned over all Great Brittain twenty two years compleat CHARLES the First the second Monarch of Great Brittain He was born November the nineteenth anno Dom. 16â—0 at Dun-fermling in Scotland He was the third son of Iames the sixth King of the Scots and of Anne his wife daughter of Frederick the second and sister of Christian the fourth Kings of Denmarke He was comely of person very active temperate chaste mercifull He was thought to be the best mark-man and the most comely manager of a great Horse of any one in all the three Kingdomes Of his lawfull descent to his Crown and Kingdomes from all the Kings of this Nation See Flemings Royall Progeny He was crowned on the second of February at Westminster in the year 1626 by Dr. Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury He was rather slow than fluent in his words as well by grace as a naturall imperfection yet he was pithy pathetick and sententiou in his expressions What the Brittains lost to the Saxons they to the Danes and the Norman got from both was his birth-right besides the Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland and Principality of Wales additions to the Normans Conquest Shortly after his Coronation he was married to the Lady Henrietta Maria younger Daughter to Henry the fourth King of France by whom he had seven Children four Sons and three Daughters He improved himself much by his travels and was generally liked in Spain When he was there Archee the fool came boldly to King Iames as he found him once in a good humour and told him that he was come to change Caps with him Why said the King Marry sayes Archee because thou hast sent the Prince into Spain from whence he is never like to return But said the King What wilt thou say when thou seest him come back again Marry sayes Archee I will then take off the fools Cap which I put upon thy head for sending him thither and put it on the King of Spains for letting him return At which words it is reported that the King became exceeding pensive never before so much apprehending the danger of that adventure as then and afterward he did For his being a Papist though it be charged by some of his enemies yet I suppose there is little ground for it as his manifesto at the beginning of the English and Scotch Presbytery shews Therefore Mr. Baxter in his Key for Catholicks c. 45. hath vindicated him from this aspersion His own Letters to the Queen taken at Naseby and his counsell to the Duke of Glocester to obey the Queen his mother in all but what related to Religion sufficiently confute this calumny In the year 1618 King Iames published a Declaration tolerating sports on the Lords day It was so much disliked as it was soon after called in It was after revived and ratified by King Charles L'estrange saith there was not any one Royall Edict during all King Charles his Raign resented with equall regret It was his custome in his youth for refreshing his mind and the confirming of his health almost every week to hunt the Harts and Does In the three summer moneths he hunted the males being fat and pleasant to eat in the like space of time he hunted the females There was one Robert Par of Shropshire aged 152 who lived in the Raign of ten Kings and being brought up to London by the procurement of the Earl of Arundell died here and lyes buried in Westminster Abbey Constat quot generationes Carolingorum Johannes de Temporibus trisecli-senex superavit ille nuper Anglus sub Edoardo 4. natus sub Carolo denatus qui novem vel decem Regibus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fuit Hornii Dissertatio de aetate mundi c. 6. Never was there in this Isle a Scene of Justice more magnificent reared for any Subject than that for the Earl of Strafford Scaffolds were erected on either side of Westminster Hall there the Commons sate uncovered and in the midst of the lower ascent the Peers behind but raised above them there was placed a Chair and Cloth of State for the
how many of note this Divine hath written against and what paradoxall if not heterodoxall tenets he hath often laboured to maintain sometimes against the determinations of a Parliament rightly so called I wonder at that passage of his near the conclusion of his Novice-Presbyter instructed The great knower of hearts and searcher of the reins in whose presence I write knoweth that if himself would be pleased to discharge me of the service of contradicting and opposing men and dispose of me in a way of retirement were it never so private and obscure where I might only contest with my own weakness and errors he should give me one of the first-born desires of my soul in the things of this life into my bosome He may do well to weigh those places Exod. 22. 28. 1 Sam. 26. 9. Prov. 24. 21. Eccles. 10. 20. The Greek word for King notes him that is the stay or foundation of the people He is called 1 Pet. 2. 13. the Supreme or Superiour The Greek word signifies one that hath above others in matter of Authority and Supremacy The Generals Commission the Covenant the Parliaments Declarations and Engagements both to the King and Scots were for the preservation of the Kings person Even Mr. Goodwin in his Anticavallierismâ— and Mr. Burroughs in his Lord of Hosts though they justified the Warre yet they shewed their dislike of any injury to the Kings person I may justly vindicate the Parliament of England from having any hand in this abominable action Nunquam in te peccavit Britannia tua sed nec in Parentem sola colluvies illa de formis nefariorum tâ—nebrionum haec cuncta execranda procudit D. Creyghtoni Dedicâ—t hist. Concilii Tridentini Some object that every Monarch hath his power from the consent of the whole body therefore the whole body hath a power above the power of the Monarch and to this purpose they alleadge that Maxime Quicquid efficit tale est magis tale All Government they say is for the good of the governed and Salus populi suprema lex That Maxime even in naturall causes is subject to divers restrictions and it holds not in this particular The Guardian is for his sake that is under age yet he hath power over him Of the right interpretation of the other Maxime Salus populi suprema lex See Dr. Sanderson de Obligat Consc. Praelect 9 10. Not that Prince which is most potent over his Subjects but that Prince which is most potent in his Subjects is truly potent witness that incomparable Princess of happy memory Queen Elizabeth It was also our King Charles his own Golden Maxime The peoples Liberty strengthens the Kings Prerogative and the Kings Prerogative is to defend the peoples Liberty Let us leave the Doctrine of King-killing to Mariana the Iesuite to defend and the perpetration of such a horrid act to Ravilliac and such monsters of men Of Marianas Doctrine and of the Iesuites opinion of the lawfulness of deposing Princes that are hereticall See in Dr. Taylors collection of Polemicall and Morall Discourses his Sermon preached upon the fifth of November on Luke 9. 54. I shall close up all with Davids patheticall speech 2 Sam. 1. 20. Tell it not in Gath publish it not in the streets of Askeloâ— lest the daughters of the Philistims rejoyce lest the daughters of the uncircumcised triumph As I have severall times in the Parliament so I thought sit here to give in my testimony against that unsound opinion and abominable practice Had I been sooner freed out of the Kings-head in the Strand where I with many other worthy Secluded Members were confined for not going along with the rest of the House in their intended evill designe I had published a Treatise against King-killing which I had formerly composed before that Fatall stroake Finis Errata PAge a line 15. read Hervord p. 3. l. 22. Ethelbald p. 4. margin Histoire d' Angleterre p. 9 l. penult ult r. Aidan p. 10. l. 4. p. 9. l. 9. r. Oswalstre p. 16. marg l. 10. r. nami illi argentei l. 11. r. pontificius quaestor l. 11 12. dele qui publicé bonas artes profiterentur quô multi doctrina clari confluérunt docendi gratta p. 20. marg dele Vid Asser c. p. 29. l. 9. r. sica p. 28. l. penult r. upon a. p. 34. l. e 30. r. this l 31. r. all p. 44. marg l. 20 21. r. ipse suae p. 51. l. 4. r. He refused p. 61. l. 36. r. cotraderet p. 68. marg l. 20. dele non p. 73. marg l. 1. r. plerisqué p. 81 l. 15. r. one one one c. p. 85. l. 29. r. of p. 90. l. 21. r. Cyrus p. 95. marg l. ult r. loquentem p. 106. marg l. 8. r. Episcopus p. 116. m. l. 11. r. Polyd. p. 111. l. 14. r. Civilis p. 129. l. 6. r. Westminster An Alphabeticall Table expressing or pointing to the chief things contained in this Treatise A ALfred his severall Names page 20 The first annointed King of England ibid. His Vertues p. 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Arthur King and Prince p. 154 155 B Bastards many of them famous p. 56 Benevolence by whom that Tax was devised p. 156 Black Prince a valiant person why so called p. 113 115 Bush Why Henry the 7th bore the Hawthorn-Bush with the Crown in it p. 151 C Canutus p. 42 43 44 45 Magna Charta often confirmed p. 111 City of London gives the Dagger for its Arms and why p. 100 D Danes long molested England p. 37 38 47 E Edgar p. 33 34 35 36 37 38 Edward the elder p. 27 More Kings of England of that name than of any other name p. 27 Edward the Confessor p. 48 49 50 51. Edward the first p. 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 Edward the second p. 104 to 109 Edward the third p. 109 to 117 Edward the fourth p. 136 to 146 Edward the fifth p. 146 147 Edward the sixth from p. 170 to 178 Egbert p. 15 16 England five times plagued by other Nations p. 14 Called so first by Ethelbald p. 11 18 Ethelbert p. 7 18 Ethelred p. 10 18 19 Ethelwolfe p. 16 17 Ethelston p. 28 G The order of the Garter instituted by King Edward the third p. 115 116 The King of Heralds called Garter ordained by Henry the fifth p. 132 Guild-Hall in London in what Kings raign erected p. 128 H L. Hastings a speciall judgment on him p. 149 Harlos whence p. 55 Hengist why so called the first Monarch of the English p. 4 5 The Heptarchy of the Saxons p. 2 3 Henry the first p. 73 to 81 Henry the second p. 84 to 86 Henry the third p. 94 to 98 Henry the fourth p. 122 to 129 Henry the fifth p. 129 to 134 Henry the sixth 134 to 139 Henry the seventh p. 150 to 160 Henry the eighth p. 160 to 170 Humble King rare p. 10 Humphrey Duke of Glocester