Conscience sake and to remove ill Councellors raise 26000. men they come to London terrifie all before them but mark the event the City is shut against them the Court is in Armes behind them they are most of them cut off the Duke of Suffolk Wyat the Lord Grey the Lady Jane Grey are executed at Towerhill as one Fetherstone a Miller who acted Edward the 6th was afterwards hanged at Ty-burn and all the good they did was to ruine several Families and exasperate the Queen to those severe Courses against the Reformed Professors which we read of in the Acts and Monuments of those times § 20. Anno 1558. Queen Elizabeth succedeth who now the fourth time altereth the publick Profession in this Nation the Pope excommunicateth her the Queen of Scots sets up her own Title against her Margaret Countess of Lenox and her Husband Arthur Pool and Anthony Fortescue favour that Queen the Papists were underhand stirred up by Ridolph a Florentine Commissioned to that purpose by the Pope The Duke of Norfolk consults with the Bishop of Roste about a Marriage with the Queen of Scots the Earles of Northumberland and Westmerland and the Lord Dacres are up in Armes 1. That the Religion of their fore-fathers might be restored 2. That wicked Councellours might be removed from the Queen to great purpose you may be sure for first the Queen upon these practices was enforced to make those severe Lawes under which the Catholikes groan to this day 2. The Queen of Scots falls to very great troubles and hath not where to lay her head but in the Dominions of Queen Elizabeth the Duke of Norfolk comes to a miserable end the Earles of Northumberland Westmerland and many other Lords are proscribed and many hundred Families upon this account dispoyled of all they had in the World no less then twelve score of them being hanged drawn and quartered in London York Durham and the other seats of their Rebellion Felton that set up the Popes Bull upon the Bishop of Londons Gate was hanged drawn and quartered and they who attempted and conspired to release the Queen of Scots out of Prison fasten her more irremediably'in and brought themselves to sad ends no less then 37. being at once executed upon that occasion Campian and Parsons are hanged drawn and quartered Throgmorton is racked and hanged but the Papists go on write Books and perswade the Queens servants to kill her as Judith did Holophernes but to what end to their own ruine for the Authors and dispersers perish and the Government endureth Mendoza the Spanish Embassadour who procured the Catholikes much favour he was thrust hereupon out of England the Papists would have married the Queen of Scots to an English Catholike but that hastened her death and her friends ruine the Earle of Westmerland dieth miserably in exile Dr. Parry would kill the Queen at a Feast in his house but he brings himself to a wretched end the Male-contents contrive against the Queen and the Lords associate in her behalf particularly one Savage was by Dr. Gifford encited to kill the Excommunicated Queen when to make the Queen and Councel secure there was a Book written by the Papists exhorting their brethren to attempt nothing against their Prince to use only the Christian Arms of fasting prayers and teares Ballord is joyned with Savage who having consulted with Mendoza and others comes over in a Souldiers habit and under another name discovereth himself to Babington who drew into the Plot many zealous Catholikes as Tho. Salisbury Edward VVindsor c. and one Polly who discovered their progress of the Plot to VValsingham day by day but Gifford relented and opened to the Secretary the whole matter the Secretary sent him to the Queen of Scots to keep on his correspondence with her that he might betray her Letters which VValsingham perused sealed up again and sent to the respective persons to whom they were directed all their design was laid open the persons apprehended and fourteen of them executed the Queen of Scots Closets searched and Boxes secured and she her self after all her infortunate medling arraigned condemned and not withstanding the Intercession of France Scotland of the one whereof she was Queen Dowager of the other Queen Mother beheaded To prevent the Queen of Scots death about this time L' Aubespine the French Embassadour deales with one Stafford a needy young Gentleman whose Mother was of the Bed-Chamber to Queen Elizabeth Trappes and Moddy to dispatch the Queen while they are disputing whether it should be done by Poyson in her Meat and Cloaths or by Gun-powder under her Bed or by a Blunderbush as the Prince of Aurange was slain Stafford reveales all to the Lords of the Councel upon this the Queen seals a Warrant for that unfortunate Ladies execution and this was the fate of all these treasons that they hastened those mischiefes which they were designed to prevent as never taking any effect but in the downfall of the Authors The Catholikes conspire again the King of Spain invades us the World gave England over for lost in 88. when beyond expectation the King of Spains great Navy comes to naught abroad the Papists answer for their lives at home and a Law is upon this occasion enacted That none should entertain Popish priests upon pain of the Queens displeasure Yet the Papists are at work still to this purpose hire one Lopez the Queens Physician to make the Queen away by poyson and one Cullen an Irish man to do it with a Rapier both which Conspiracies are discovered by intercepted Letters and the persons are hanged drawn and quartered at Tyburn as Yorke and VVilliams were the year following for being bribed to kill the Queen a Traytor hitherto seldome escaping an extraordinary death But Treason is restlesse and about this time one Squire Groom of the Queens Stable poysons the Earle of Essex his Chaire and the Queens Saddle neither the one nor the other came to any effect save that the Traytor being discovered by VVallpoole his ghostly Father who upon the failure of his successe doubted his fidelity is arraigned and severely executed The Papists did not contrive more designes to overthrow the Reformation than some well-meaning Protestants did to promote it even beyond the established Laws they Petition they make Cecill Leicester and others friends at Court they hold meetings at Cambridge London Oxford Northampton and Leicester they draw up their Discipline they admonish the Parliament and make many friends in both Houses they write against the Queens marriage with Papists against the established Government and worship of this Church but what came of it why 1. Stubs for writing against the Queens marriage had his right hand cut off 2. The Authors Printers and Dispersers of Martyn Marre Prelate and Sions Plea with other Bookes are executed Penry and Barrow are hanged Mr. Cartwright Mr. Udall and others are Confined Suspended Silenced and Discountenanced severe Injunctions are upon their
for that purpose provided and then to fall back three strides and stand the Northern men in the mean time plyed their Bowes till all their Sheaves were empty but their Arrowes fell short of the Enemy threescore yards doing them little and themselves a great deale of harm for their Arrowes being spent and coming to hand blowes their own Arrowes sticking in the ground galled their shins and pierced their feet ten houres the Battle continued wherein fell 36000. Rebels among whom were the Earle of Northumberland the Lords Beaumont Gray Dacres Welts c. the Earle of Devonshire only surviving to an execution whom the Earle of Oxford the Duke of Sommerset followed his Son and the Earle of Pembrooke living beyond Sea in great misery as little better then Vagabonds their Estates and Lands with the possessions of 6000. of their Followers who are now undone being divided among King Edwards Followers Yet a while after all this is forgot and the people are up in Yorkeshire for the breach of a Custome to give the people of St. Leonards in York some quantitie of grain and the Northamptonshire men for Liberty the Captain of the one party Robert Huldorne is beheaded and the other is boyled in an hot Cauldron the Lord Wells and Sir Tho. Dymock are executed 10000. Rebells are slain Sir Rob. VVells their Leader is hanged the Earle of VVarwick flyeth for it and at last the Usurper Edward was glad to be a Vagabond in France and afterwards he and his Rival Henry both by turnes suffered the vengeance due to treason and Rebellion the great Earle of VVarwick is slain with many more Rebells to the number of 16000. who are signal Monitors to late Posterity to study to be quiet and to follow their own business for why should they meddle to their hurt Queen Margaret is taken Prisoner her Son Edward was murthered the Duke of Sommerset is beheaded Fauconbridge the Pyrat after his dangerous tumult about London in the head of 17000. and his Captaines Spicing and Quintine that assailed Algate and Bishopsgate were hanged drawn and quartered and their heads placed on Poles upon those Gates and by a Commission of Oyer and Terminer many both in Essex and Kent were arraigned and condemned for this Rebellion and more fined the Arch-Bishop of York was kept close Prisoner to his dying day as were the Earles of Oxford Pembroke and Richmond whose Ladies begged their bread while their Estates were disposed to King Edwards Courtiers the Duke of Exeter being reduced to that penury that he run by the Duke of Burgundies Coach begging his Bread for Gods sake and was found dead upon the shore of Dover Thus bloody and deceitful men lived not out half their dayes they love mischief and it happeneth unto them they hated peace and it is far from them § 16. Well! Richard Duke of Glocester after his Brothers death aspires to the Crown to that purpose procures himself made Protector dismisseth his Nephew Edw. 5th Guard removeth from him his faithfull friends and kinsmen gets his Brothers out of the Sanctuary contriveth it so that the young Princes should be declared and preached Bastards that the Lords of the Counsel should Petition him considering the necessities of the Kingdome by reason of the late misgovernment to take upon him the administration of the Soveraignty that the Cities pulse should be felt by a long Speech of the Duke of Buckingham and upon their sullenness and silence some of Richards servants in the croud should cry King Richard King Richard that himself should be married the Relict of Prince Edward Henry the 6th Son and with his Queen Crowned very solemnly murthereth the two Princes makes love to the Lady Elizabeth the Rightfull Heire of the Crown and flourisheth Men seeing this oppression and violent perverting of judgment and justice in this Province marvelled at the matter but he that was higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they for this prosperous Usurper never had a quiet mind but was troubled with fearfull dreames the King of France rejects his Embassadours the Duke of Buckingham who set him up plotteth with Bishop Morton of Ely House to depose him The Earle of Richmond afterward K. H. the 7th is set up by the French and Welch landeth at Milford Haven the Earles of Pembrooke and Shrewsbury joyne with him the Lord Stanley secretly favoureth him as Sir Jo. Savage Sir Simon Digby and others did more openly at Bosworth he meets King Richard where the Earle of Northumberland deserted him the Duke over-powers him 6000. of his followers dye upon the place and himselfe left dead and naked in the Field untill a Pursivant at Armes brought him behind him like a Calfe his Head and Armes hanging down one side of the Horse and his Legges on the other to the Gray-friersChurch within the Town of Leicester where he lay a miserable Spectacle of the sad issue of Treason and Rebellion untill for pitty the Friers buried him his Agents coming all to a like shamefull end as Sir James Tyrrel who was executed Miles Forrest rolled alive James Dighton lived and dyed unpittied the great Duke of Buckingham who raised him was beheaded by him and Bannister who betrayed him to Richard was afterwards hanged whose eldest Son hanged himself his youngest Son was drowned and his Daughter smitten with a Leprosy because sentence against evil doers is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do evil though sinners do evil an hundred times and their days be prolonged it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall they prolong their dayes which are as a shadow because they feared not before God § 17. Anno 1485. The Usurper thus suppressed Treason and Rebellion thus avenged King Henry by Conquest by marriage by choice setled upon his Throne with a strong Guard about him never known before in England some discontents appeared in the North where the Lord Lovell was in the Head of an Army before the King was aware but upon Proclamation of Pardon the Rebels disperse and Lovell with his Complices flie for their Lives which they afterwards loose shamefully upon Tower-Hill the place of Execution Not long after a Priest named Symond sets up one Lambert Symnel for Edward Earle of VVarwicke who was lately escaped out of Prison and pretends him King of England he is countenanced in Ireland encouraged by the Lady Margaret Countess of Burgoign and assisted by an Army under the Earle of Lincolne but what came of this Plot why the true Earle of VVarwicke was shewed abroad the Earle of Lincolne and many Lords are slaine at Stokes 500. Families are undone by this Treason and the King more firmly established A Subsidy is granted the King in the 4th year of his Reign towards his French Warres and it was agreed that every Man should pay the tenth penny of his goods the Northern Men refuse to pay it the
brought upon that occasion under an English Prince who established the Government thereof according to the Lawes of England § 11. Edward the Second goeth on in his Fathers exorbitant wayes entertaineth evil Councellors viz. Gaveston and Spencer to the great grievance of the Lords and Kingdome Upon this the Lords arme and rebell the Pope writes to them they would not read his Letters saying That they were men of the Sword the Bishops treat with them but they would not hear affronts are put upon the King by the Lords as that of the mad woman who brought him all his faults in Writing and upon the Lords by the King as that of the Duke of Lancaster's Wife being challenged from him by an ugly fellow who made it good he was Married to her the Lord Baldesmers Keeper is hanged and his Wife and Children in prison for holding the Castle of Leedes against the King many of the Barons fall off and submit to his Majesty the whole Kingdome is dissatisfied yet the King defeates Lancaster takes him and many of his Followers prisoners condemnes and beheads him as he doth the Lord Clifford the Lord Lisle the Lords Tuchet Cheyney Mowbray Danell Teyes Aldenham Baddlesmore the last of whom with many noble Knights are hanged drawn and quartered as thousands more upon that occasion came to a miserable end And afterwards when the Queen and the Barones by a joynt interest prevailed so far as to depose the King yet first within three years after was she in Parliament voted uncapable of her Jointure put to a Pension of a 1000 l. a year and kept a Prisoner 30. years to her dying day 2. And her Minion Mortimer seized after this manner the King her Son takes a Torch light and two or three to attend him and steales privately under ground into the Queens Chamber about Bed time where the Wanton undressing himself for her Bed they immediately carry him away notwithstanding the Queen shreeks Bel fils bel fils ayes pity du Gentile Mortimer good Son good Son pitty Gentle Mortimer he is commited to the Tower and hanged drawn and Quartered by Tyburn where his body remained two dayes an opprobrious espectacle to all Beholders And in a word so remarkable were the disasters that befell those that contrived any thing against the Government in this Kings Reign that we hear of no more treasons in the others who lived fifty years in perfect peace all men looking upon the former examples Seeing and fearing and not daring to do any more presumptuously § 12. Untill the beginning of Richard the Seconds Reign when by reason of some extravagances by the exactors of Poll-money the common people at Deptford and indeed all over the Kingdome rising as one man Upon this occasion a Collector of Pollmoney comes to one John Tylers house demands Pollmoney of his Wife for her Daughter and she saying that her Daughter was not of age to pay the rude fellow said he would see whether that were so or not and thereupon forcibly turned up her Cloaths whereat the Mother cryed out the Father being at Work hard by upon that comes in and with a Lathingstaffe which he had in his hand knocked the fellow on the head upon Tylers complaint among his Neighbours and one Ball a Priests seditious discourses of Liberty levelling c. whose saying was When Adam dug and Eve span where was then the Gentleman the Commons of Kent Essex Hertfordshire Sussex Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgeshire are up 100000. declaring for the King and the Commons and resolving to have no King John entered the City besiege the Duke of Lancasters house at the Savoy abuse the Kings Mother in the Tower behead the Lord Chancellour and the Lord Treasurer the Lord Chief Justice they pull down Lawyers houses they compell many Noblemen and Gentlemen to ride with them their Leaders keep the state of Kings they resolve to destroy all Knights and Gentlemen But what was the issue 1. Two and thirty of them are burnt in the Duke of Lancasters Cellar 2. Fear and trembling siezed on several of them who deserted their brethren 3. Their Leader is stabbed to death by the Lord Mayor Sir W. Walworth for whose sake the Dagger is in the City Armes to this day 4. The rest of them laying down their Armes upon Sir Rob. Kuolles his approach to them submitted to the Kings mercy who executed 1500. of them in divers places in which exploit 25000. Families perished Not long after the City of London that dares do any thing for a Riot against the Lord Treasurers servants in pretence but indeed a plot against the Kings Government had their Liberties seized on their Charter taken from them their Lord May or removed and a Warden set over them and a fine of 15000 set upon them All this would not allay the discontents and ambitions of men for the Duke of Glocester and other Lords upon an Abbots Vision of the Destruction of the Kingdome by the misgovernment of King Richard and was there ever Treason without a Clergy man consult about seizing and deposing K. R. and executing the Lords of the Councel at Arundel Castle where they received the Sacrament and took upon it an Oath of Secrecy by the hands of the A. B. Canterbury now the Earle Marshall Deputy of Callice discovered all the Plot to the King who thereupon by a stratagem devised by his Counsel took the Duke of Glocester a Bed who hearing of his coming cast his Cloak about his shoulders and with all reverence bid him welcome the King courteously requesting him to make himself ready to ride with him a little way within a mile of his House he was arrested by the hands of the Earl Marshall and sent to Callice where he dyed a miserable death the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury is banished the Earle of Arundel and the Lord Treasurer are beheaded and 1500. Families of their brethren and adherents perished § 13. Anno 1399. Henry the 4th was in full Parliament declared King of England but having let fall an expression to this purpose when he was Earle of Darby viz. That Princes had too little and religious men too much the politick Abbot of Westminster laid hold of the words and inviting to his House the discontented Dukes of Surrey Exeter Albemarle the Earles of Salisbury and Glocester with many more communicated their grievances to each other and lay a Plot to invite his Majesty to asolemn Just at Oxford where he was to be murthered by an unknown hand in the heat of the pleasure and action taking oaths of secrecy and sealing Indentures Sextipartite for the performance of Conditions on all sides the Justs are proclaimed the King is invited and promiseth to come secrecy on all hands kept most firmly to that very day but there is a God in Heaven that revealeth secrets unto Kings for it happened that as the Duke of Albemarle rid to