Merlin came to be known to King Vortiger of the combat betwixt the red and the white Dragon and his prophesie thereof c. p. 18 Chap. 4. Merlins former prophesie explained sundry prestigious acts done by him to delight the King His prophesie of the Kings death c. p. 25 Chap. 5. Uterpendragon succeedeth his brother Aurelius He is enamoured of Igerna wife to the Duke of Cornwall whom by the art of Merlin he enjoyes of whom he begot King Arthur pag. 32 Chap. 6. Merlins former prophesie made plain concerning king Arthur with sundry other occurrences pertinent to the English History pag. 41. Chap. 7. Of the conception and birth of these 7 pious and religious brothers And being sent to death how preserved educated and doctrinated Merlins prophesies and their explanation p. 49 Chap. 8. He prophesieth of the civill wars that shall be in Britain in the time of Cadwallo And of the great dearth and desolation in the Reigne of Cadwallader c. p. 58 Chap. 9. Of divers bloudy battails fought betwixt Canutus and Edmund Their great opposition ended in a single Duell They make peace and equally divide the kingdome betwixt them p. 68 Chap. 10. Merlins prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his tithing of the Norman Gentlemen c. p. 76. Chap. 11. The landing of Duke William with the Normans The battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slain being the last King of the Saxon bloud Wil. conquereth c. p. 87 Chap. 12. The prediction of the two Dragons made good by the subsequent History in Robert and William the two sons of the Conquerour who the Lion of Iustice was and what was meant by his Alchymy c. p. 96. Chap. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reign of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawd the Empresse of Henry Short Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History c. p. 106 Chap. 14. Divers remarkable passages during the Reigne of Henry the second his numerous Issue and how they were affected towards him his vic◅ and vertues his good and bad fortune all which were by this our Prophet predicted p. 116 Chap. 15. The Inauguration of Richard the first sirnamed Cordelion a prediction of his Reigne His wars in the Holy Land his imprisonment by the Duke of Austria his brother Iohns usurpation his second Coronation with his unfortunate death c. p. 127 Chap. 16. The rest of the prophesie made good in the subsequence the troublesome Reign of K. Iohn his losse of Normandy his Land interdicted by the Pope to whom hee is compeld to resigne his Crown his death c. p. 137 Chap. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the third succeedeth his Father a prediction of his Reign his brother Richard made king of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament p. 147 Chap. 18. The death of Henry the third and Richard Earle of Cornwall king of the Romans Prince Edwards victories in the Holy Land His Coronation the prophesie of his reign c. p. 157 Chap. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crown of Scotland for which they did them homage K. Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The prophesie fulfilled His death And coronation of his son c. p. 167 Chap. 20. The Kings unfortunate wars in Scotland The battail of Banno◅urn c. Barwick betrayed to the Scots The pride and insolencie of the Spencers Their misleading the K c. p. 178 Chap. 21. The deposing of Edward 2d his repentance his death his son Edward made K◅g A prophesie of his reign His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwick His famous victory at Sea over the French c. p. 189 Chap. 22. The famous battaile of Poytyers fought by Edward the Black Prince in which hee took Iohn the French King prisoner His conquest in Spaine The memorable act of William VVal worth Lord Major c. p. 201 Chap. 23. The Duke of Glocester by a Parlament reformeth the Common-wealth Iohn of Gaunt claims his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons c. p. 213 Chap. 24. The coronation of Henry the 4 with his great Feast held in VVestminster Hall A great conspiracy intended against him but prevented the lamentable murder of King Richard the second in Pomfret Castle by Sir Pierce of Exto◅ His valour at his death His Epitaph The great riches found in his treasury c. p. 224 Chap. 25. The Coronation of Henry the fift A prophesie of his reign His victorious battail over the French at Agencourt His second Voyage into France His victories by Sea and Land He is made heir by the marriage of his wife to the Crowne of France His third Voyage into France The birth of Pr. Henry The death of Henry the fift p. 236. Chap. 27. The Duke of Glocester made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasil a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Pa◅is A prophesie of his reign the death of the D. of Gloster The death of the Marquis of Suffolk The insurrection of the Commons under Iacke Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh arms his person seised against the Kings promise and for feareset at liberty p. 248. Chap. 28. The ambition of Queen Margaret The battail at Saint Albons Yorke made Protector The Queens practice against the Lords The battail at Northampton York proclaimed heire to the Crowne York slain in the battail at Wakefield Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made king A prophesie of his Reigne The battaile at Exham King Henry taken and sent to the Tower The marriage of Edward Hee flies the Land Henry again made king p. 259. Chap. 29. Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crown and Glocester traytor his landing at Ravēsport the battail at Barnet the battail at Teuxbury king Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence The death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young king c. p. 272. Chap. 30. Dissention betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham Richard insidiateth the life of Richmond Buckingham takes armes against the King and is beheaded Banister perfidious to his Lord Queene Annes policy and tyranny His Lawes Richmond landeth at Milford Haven The battaile at Bosworth The death of Richard Richmond made King A prophesie of his Reigne c. p. 283 Chap. 31. The Earle of Northumberland slain by the Commons The Matchevilian plots of the Dutchesse of Burgundy to disturbe the peace of king Henry Perkin Warbeck her Creature hee is nobly marryed in Scotland and taken for the Duke of Yorke the death of the Lord Standley and others Divers insurrections about Perkin his
the great Impoverishment of Italy and the lands of the empire in the fortieth yeare of the King landed in England upon Innocents day in Christmas Richard Earle of Cornwall crowned Emperour weeke divers Princes of the Empyre and did their homage to Richard Earle of Cornwale as King of the Romans and Emperour who upon Ascention day after was crowned in Aquisgrane verifying Abroad the second whelp for prey will rore Beyond the Alps and to * Meaning the Eagle Ioves bird restore Her decai'd plumes In the 41 yeare about Saint Barabas day in the moneth of Iune the king called his high The mad Parliament Court of Parliament at Oxford which was called the mad parliament because in it divers Acts were concluded against the Kings pleasure for the reformation of the state for which after great dissention grew betwixt the King and his Nobles called the Barons Wars which proved the perishing of many of the Peeres and almost the ruine of the whole Realme for in that Session were chosen twelve Peeres whom they called the Douz Peeres who had full Commission to correct and reforme whatsoever was done amisse in the Kings Court the Courts of Iustice and Exchequer throughout Twelve of the Nobilitie chosen and called the Douz Peeres the Land to whose power the King and Prince Edward his sonne signed and assented unto though somewhat against their wills of all which passages such as would be fully satisfied I referre them to our English Chronicles or to Michael Draytons Poem of the Barâ—…ns Warres wherein they are amply discoursed and my narrow limits will not give mee leave to relate them at large yet I borrow permission to insist a little further on one particular All things being in combustion betwixt the The Baroâ—…s Letter to the King King and his Peeres and their Armies assembled on both sides the Barons framed a Letter to the King to this purpose To the most excellent Lord King Henry by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland Duke of Guian c. The Barons and other your faithfull servants their fidelity and oath to God and you coveting to keep sending due saluting with all reverence and honour under due obeysance c. Liketh it your Highnesse to understand that many being about you have before time shewed unto your Lordship of us many evill and untrue reports and have found suggestions not onely of us but also of your selfe to bring your Realme to subversion Know your excellency that we intend nothing but health and security to your person to the uttermost of our powers And not onely to our enemies but also yours and all this your Realme wee intend utter grievance and correction beseeching your grace hereafter to give to them little credence for you shall find us your true and faithfull subjects to the uttermost of our powers And wee Simon Mountfort Earle of Leceister and High Steward of England and Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester at the request of others and for our selves have put to our Seals the 10. of May. To which Letter the King framed this Answer The Kings answer to the Barons Letter Henry by the grace of God King of England Lord of Ireland and Duke of Guian to Simon de Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and their Complices Whereas by Warre and generall disturbance in this our Realme by you begunne and continued with also burnings and other enormities it evidently appeares that your fidelity to us due you have not kept nor the security of our person litle regarded for so much as our Lords and other our trusty friends which daily abide with us yee vexe and grieve and them pursue to the utmost of your powers and yet daily intend as you by the report of your Letters have us ascertained we the griefe of them admit and take for our owne especially when they for their fidelity which they to us daily impend stand and abide by us to suppresse your infidelity and untroth Wherefore of your favour and assurance we set little store but you as our enemies we utterly defie Witnesse our selfe at our Towne of Lewis the twelfth of May. Moreover Richard his Brother King of the Romans who was come over into England with his wife and son with Prince Edward and other Lords about the King sent them another Letter Richard the Emperour and Prince Edwards Letter to the Barons the tenour whereof was this Richard by the grace of Gâ—…d King of the Romans semper Augustus and Edward the Noble first begotten sonne of the King of England and all other Barons firmly standing and abiding with our Soveraigne Lord the King To Simonde Mountfort and Gilbert de Clare and all other their false fellowes c. By the Letters which yee sent to our Soveraigne Lord wee understand that wee are defied of you neverthelesse this word of defiance appeared to us sufficiently before by the deprivation and burning of our Mannors and carrying away of our goods wherefore we will that yee understand that we defie you as our mortall and publicke enemies and whensoever we may come to the revengement of the injuries that you to us have done wee shall requite it to the utmost of our power and where yee put upon us that neither true nor good counsell to our Soveraigne Lord we give you therein say falsely and untruely and if that saying yee Sir Simon de Mountfort and Sir Gilbert de Clare will testifie in the Court of our Soveraign Lord we are ready to purchase to your surety and safe comming that there wee may prove our true and faithfull innocency and your false and trayterous lying Witnessed with the Seales of Richard King of the Romans and Sir Edward Prince before named Given at Lewes the twelfth of May. The successe of the Battaile followeth in the next Chapter CHAP. 18. The deaths of Henry the third and Richard Earle of Cornwale King of the Romans Prince Edwards victories in the Holy Land his Coronation the prophesie of his Raigne his first reducing of Wales under his dominion for ever the beginning of his warres in Scotland c. WHen the Barons had received these letters they were resolved to try it out by the sword on wednesday being the 24 day of May early in the morning both hoasts met where the Londoners who took part with the Barons gave the first assault but were beaten back some-what to the The battaile betwixt the King and the Barons dismay of the Barons Army but they cheared their fresh and lusty Souldiers in such wise that they valiantly came on by whose brave resolution those before discomfited resumed their former strength and vertue fighting without fear in so much that the Kings vaward gave back left their places in this battaile the father spared not the sonne nor the sonne the father such was the misery of those home bred wars in so much that the field was every where strowed with dead bâ—…dyes for
into Wales who took the King the Earle of Arundell Hugh Spencer the son and the Chancellour and brought them all prisoners to Hereford in which interim the Citizens The tower of London taken by the Citizens of London won the tower of London and kept it to the Queenes use Upon the morrow after the feast of Simon and Iude the same day that the L. Major takes Hugh Spenâ—… the father put to death his oath was Hugh Spencer the father put to death and after buried at Winchester and upon Saint Hughs day following being the eighteenth Hugh the son drawn hanged and quâ—…rtered day of November was Sir Hugh the son drawne hanged and quartered at Hereford and his head sent to London and set upon the Bridge making good They after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death The common fame went that after this Hugh was taken hee would take no manner of sustenance and that was the cause he was the sooner put to death of whom was made this Distich following Funis cum lignis à te miser ensis ignis Hugo securus equus abstulit omne decus Rope gallows sword and fire with a just knife Took from thee Hugh thy honour with thy life Foure dayes after was the Earle of Arondell put to death and Robert Baldock the Chancellour being committed to Newgate dyed miserably Baldock the Chancellour dyes in Newgate in prison then the Queene with the Prince her son with the rest of the Lords were with great joy the fourteenth day of December received at London and thence conveighed to Westminster where a Parliament was called the effect whereof expect in the following Chapter CHAP. 21. The deposing of Edward the second his repentance his death His sonne Edward made King A Prophesie of his Reigne His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwicke His famous victory at Sea over the French Hee layes claime to the Crowne of France instituteth the Order of the Garter His victory at Cressie His taking of Calice c. FRom this Parliament were Messengers sent to the King then prisoner in Kenelworth Castle three Bishops three Earles two Abbots two Barons two Iudges with Sir William Trussell Procurator of the Parliament to depose him of all Kingly dignity who the five and twentieth of Ianuary in the presence of the aforesaid Lords from the body of the whole House delivered unto him these words following I William Trussell in the name of all men of King Edward deposed from all Kingly power this Land of England procurator of this Parliament resigne to thee Edward the homage that was sometimes made to thee and from this time forth deprive thee of all Kingly power and I shall never be attendant on thee as King after this time And thus was Edward the second deposed and his sonne Edward made King when hee had raigned full eighteene yeeres sixe moneths and odde dayes who during his imprisonment first at Kenelworth and after at Barckley Castle grew greatly repentant of his former course of life finding at length what it Edward greatly repentant was to be misled by upstarts and people of mean condition many of whose penitentiall fancies are still extant And amongst the rest this following Most blessed Iesu Root of all vertue Grant I may thee sue In all humilitie Sen thou for our good List to shed thy blood And stretch thee on the Rood For our iniquitie I thee beseech Most wholsome leech That thou wilt seech For mee such grace That when my body vile My soule shall exile Thou bring in short while It in rest and peace Edward the third of that name sonne of Edward the second and Philip sole daughter of Philip Edward the third made King the Faire at fifteene yeeres of age began his Reigne his father yet living the six and twentieth of Ianuary in the end of the yeer of Grace one thousand three hundred and twenty six and was crowned at Westminster upon the day of the Purification of our Lady next ensuing at what time the earth yielded plenty the Ayre temper the Sea quietnesse and the Church peace hee confirmed the Liberties and Franchises of London and gave Southwarke to bee under the Lord Majors rule and government Of whose Reigne it was thus predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so intire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and Grandsire wonne before Neptune his Navall triumphs shall advance His Coat he quarters with th' Flower of France And after mauger the Canicular Tyke Tweed shal he passe and win again the Wyke A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Dye must this brave Whelp of a Calenture And then behind him shall he leave a Kid To undo all both sire and grandsire did The effect of all these will succeed in their order in the first yeere of this Kings Reigne the late King Edward was miserably slaine and put to a most cruell death by the meanes of Sir Roger The death of K. Edward Mortimer who notwithstanding in the Parliament after was made Earle of March the same yeere the foure and twentieth of Ianuary the young King married the Lady Philip daughter to the Earle of Henault in the City of Yorke A Parliament held at Northampton and soone after cald a Parliament at Northampton to which by the meanes of Sir Roger Mortimer and the old Queene an unprofitable and dishonorable peace was made with the Scots who caused the King to release them of all fealty and homage and delivered up to them all the old Writings sealed by their Kings and chiefe Lords of their Land with all Charters and Patents and many rich Iewels which had before beene wonne from them by the Kings of England amongst which the blacke Crosse of Scotland is especially named and the yeere following David the son of Robert le Bruce King of Scots married Iane sister to the King of England whom they after to the derision of the English called Iane make peace and amongst other The Scots taunt the English taunting Songs made of our Nation this was one Long beards heartlesse Painted bodies witlesse Gay coats gracelesse Maketh England thriftlesse But these merry and jigging tunes were turned to their most lamentable Aymee's within few moneths after During the Kings minority all the affaires of the Realme were managed by Sir Roger Mortimer The pride of Sir Roger Mortimer and the Mother Queene And the great persons appointed to that purpose were vilified and not set by which Sir Roger in imitation of K. Arthur was said to keep a round Table to which many noble Knights belonged to his infinite cost and expence But howsoever in the Articles objected by the Parliament against Mortimer third yeere of the King the said Sir Roger
and Palaces and drunke his Wine and occupied all such stuffe and necessaries as he there found and after his departing set them on fire as Saint German Mount-joy Pezzy c. In so much that the French King thinking it a great dishonour both to him and the whole Nation that the English should pierce the heart of his Kingdom unfought with hee therefore assembled all his prime Chevalry and met with the English farre inferiour to them in number neere to a town called Cressie and upon the twentie sixt of August was fought betwixt them a sharpe and The famous field of Cressy wonne by the English bloudy battaile in which at the end King Edward was the triumphant Victor where were at that time slaine of the French party The King of Bohemia sonne to Henry the Emperour the seventh of that name with the Duke of Loraine the Earle of Alonson brother to the King Charles Earle of Bloys the Earles of Flanders Sancer Harcourt and of Fiennes with divers other to the number of eight Bishops and Earls with seventeene Lords of name and of Bannerets Knights and Esquires more then sixteene hundred so that their owne Chroniclers report that the flower of France perisht in that battail besides of the commons above eight thousand and the French King with a small company sore wounded fled to a Towne called Bray and The French King wounded there lay the night following Whom King Edward pursued not being advertised of another great host comming towards him and therefore he kept the field and A second battell set watches and made great fires thorow the host and so continued till the munday following upon which day early in the morning appeared to them a new army of French men of which they slew more in number than the Saturday before and then having given thanks unto God for his great victorie he marches towards Bulloine and thence to Calais to which K. Edward besiegeth Calais he laid siege for the space of a whole yeare then came the French King with a numerous Army to remove him but before his comming it was Calais won by the English yeelded to King Edward so that hee departed thence sad and ashamed But King Edward staied in the towne a month and removed all the old Inhabitants which were French and stored it with English but especially Kentish men and having set all things in order hee sailed with great tâ—…iumph into England and arrived at London the twentie third day of October where he was magnificently received of the Citizens and so conveyed unto Westminster We have hither to spoke only of the father it followes that some thing should be said of the son the unparallel'd Edward Prince of Wales Why Prince Edward was called the Black Prince not for his complexion but for his terrour in battell surnamed the Black Prince who whilst his father rested him in Calais with a puissant host entred Gascoyne and made spoyle at his pleasure through the whole Country and with great riches and many noble prisoners hee retyred himselfe to Burdeaux and though the Earls of Armineck and of Foyz of Poytiers and Cleremont with Iames de Burbon and many other Knights who had double the number to the Prince were in his way yet passed he from Tholous to Nerbon and from Nerbon to Burdeaux without battaile where having reposed himself awhile and rested his army he sent many of his prisoners into England and there entred the province of Berray and therein made sharpe warre which King Iohn of France hearing he gathered a mighty number of people and made towards the Prince who in the mean season was passed the River of Loyer and encountred by divers of the Nobility of France betwixt whom was a sharp conflict but the fortune of the day fell to the Prince who slue many of his enemies P. Edward victorious against the French and took divers prisoners as the Lord of Craou and others of note to the number of fifty foure whom he had sent to safe custody in Burdeaux and himselfe sped to Towres whither also K. Iohn came against the prince who took his way to Poytiers where we for a while leave him upon his march c. CHAP. 22. The famous Battaile of Poytiers fought by Edward sirnamed the Black Prince in which he tooke Iohn the French King prisoner His other victories in France His conquest in Spaine The death of the victorious Prince Edward King Edward the Thirds death and Epitaph Richard the second made King a prediction of his Reigne The insurrection of the Commons The memorable Act of William Walworth Lord Major c. WE left Prince Edward upon his march toward Poytiers in keeping which way a French Army encountred A second battail against the French him but he chaced their multitude and besides many slaine took of them forty prisoners amongst which were the Earle of Sancer the Earle of Iurigny the Lord Chasterlin Master of the Kings palace and a Knight called Sir Guilliam de Daneham whom hee also sent to his rendevouz at Burdeaux and soone after hee lodged him and his Hoast neer Poytiers so that the Fronts of both Hoasts lay within a quarter of a mile each of other betwixt whom the Cardinall of Pernigvort sent from pope Innocent the sixt laboured to make a peace but finding his endevour frustrate hee retyred himselfe to Poityers to attend the successe of the battaile which was fought upon Monday the nineteenth of September in the yeere of Grace one thousand The famous battail of Poytiers three hundred fifty six and the sixt yeer of Ring Iohn the manner followeth The Duke of Athenes with such of the Nobility as were in the Kings Vaward about two aclocke in the afternoone set upon the English Hoast which was strongly munified with wood and trees in the manner of a Barricadoe so that the French Cavalry could not approch them but the shot of the English Archers was so violent that it overturned horse and man and whilest the Duke of Athenes with Sir Iohn Cleremont Marshall of France and others assaulted the prince and his people on one side The Duke of Normandy King Iohns eldest son and the Duke of Orleance the Kings brother set upon him on another part which two Dukes were Leaders of two strong Armies But these The manner of the battaile three battails did little harme to the English for by reason of their arrows the French were so gauled and wounded that they fled to the great dismay and discomfort of the King and the rest of his people Who then in person came on with his mayn Hoast but the English kept themselves whole without scartering and received them on the points of their weapons with such dexterity and courage that the French were forc't to give back of which the English taking the advantage rowted their whole Army in which battaile Noble men of France slaine in the battaile were
Iohn of Gaunt claymes his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings Daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons against the present government The pride of the Dukes Court The Dukes of Hereford and Norfolke banished King Richard deposed and Henry Duke of Hereford and Lancaster made King WHen the King saw the great manhood and courage of the Lord Major The Lord Major and divers Aldermen Knighted by the King and his Brethren the Aldermen his assistants hee in his own person Knighted the said William Walworth with Nicholas Bremble Iohn Philpot Nicholas Twiford Robert Laundor and Robert Gayton Alderman and moreover in the memory of that Noble Act added to the Armes of the City the bloudy Dagger as it remayneth to this day In the eleventh yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Uncle to the King the Earle of Arundell with the Earles of Warwicke Darby and Nottingham taking into their consideration how much the land was misgoverned and his Majesty mislead by some Sycophants neere about him they met in counsell at a place A Parliament to rectifie the Commonweale called Radecockbridg and having assembled a strong power came to London and there caused the King to call a Parliament whereof hearing Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke Lionel Vere Marquesse of Divelin Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke and Chancellour of England fearing the censure of that high Court â—…ed the Land and dyed in forreigne Countries Then the King by counsell of the fore-said Lords caused to be apprehended Sir Robert Tresilian chief Iustice of England Sir Nicholas Brembre late Major of the City Sir Iohn Salisbury of the Persons judged to death Kings Houshold Sir Iohn Beauchampe Steward of the House Sir Simon Burleigh Sir Thomas Bernes Sir Robert Belknap with one Iohn Vske Serjeant at Arms all which by the foresaid Parliament were convict of Treason and put to death some at Tyburne some at Towerhill and all such as fled with those that forsook the land by the authority of that high Court banished for ever In the thirteenth yeare Iohn a Gaunt Duke Iohn a Gaunt clayms his title in Spain of Lancaster with a strong army sailed into Spaine to claime the Kingdome in right of Lady Constance his wife the daughter of Don Peter with whom joyned the King of Portugall with his forces so that of necessity the King of Spain was forced to treat with the Duke of peace and amity the conditions were that the King of Spaine should marry the Dukes eldest daughter named Constance and moreover should give unto the said Duke to recompence the charges of his warre so many wedges of gold as should load eight Chariots and moreover during the lives of the said Duke and his wife hee should at his proper cost and charges deliver unto the Honourable conditions of peace Dukes Assignes yearely ten thousand Markes of gold within the towne of Bayon which conditions being ratified and assurance given for the performance thereof the Duke departed with the King of Portugall to whom shortly after hee married his second daughter the Lady Anne so that the elder and the younger were made the two Queenes of Spaine and Portugall King Richards first wife being dead after hee K. Richards second marriage maried Isabel the daughter of Charles the sixt K. of France who was but 8. years of age at whose espousalls in the French kings Court many rich interchangable gifts passed betwixt them as first the king of England gave the French king a Bason of gold and Ewer who returned him three standing Cups of gold with covers and a Enterchangeable gifts betwixt the two Kings ship of Gold garnished with pearle and stones at a second meeting Richard gave him a curious Oâ—…ch set with rich stones valued at five hundred Markes then the French King gave him two Flagons of gold and a Tablet of gold set with Diamonds and in it the picture of St. Michael a Tablet of gold with a Crucifixe another with the image of the Trinity and a fourth with the image of Saint George all of them set with stones of great splendor Richard then presented him with a Belt or Bauldricke set with great Diamonds Rubies and Emeraulds which for the riches thereof the King wore upon him so often as they met together many other presents past betwixt them and a full peace was concluded betweene them for thirty yeares Peace concluded betwixt England and France and amongst other things King Richard delivered up Brest which had beene long held by the English The yeare after in the Moneth of February the King held a magnificent Feast at Westminster Hall whither pressed divers Souldiers lately discharged from Brest whose mindes when the Duke of Gloster rhe Kings Vncle understood he went to his Majesty and said Sir doe you take notice of you Souldiers who asked him again what they were The Duke replyed these be your subjects souldiers cashiered from Brest who have done you good service and have now no meanes to live upon who have been ill paid and now are worse rewarded To whom the King answered it was my will they should have been well paid but if ought have failed therein let them petition to our Treasurer at length the Duke said but it savoureth of small discretion to deliver up a strong Fort with ease which was got with great difficulty by your Progenitors The Duke of Glosters bold replye to the King at which the King changed countenance and said Vncle how spake you these words which the Duke with great vehemency uttered againe whereat the King being more moved replyed Thinke you I bee a Merchant or foole to sell my Land by St. Iohn Baptist nay c. For these words thus uttered on both sides great ranâ—…or was kindled betwixt the King and Duke which was never extinguished till by the consent of the K. his uncle was basely murdered For the Duke purposing to remove some who were potent about the king called to him A second purpose for reformation the Earles of VVarwicke of Arundel and of Nottingham who was Marshall of England and of the Clergy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the two Abbots of St. Albans and VVestminster and these were solemnly sworne to supplant from their authority the Duke of Lancaster the Duke of Yorke with others prejudiciall to the good of the kingdome But Nottingham contrary to his oath revealed all to the king A persidious act in the Earle of Notingham who presently whilst the other thought themselves secure called another Councell in which it was decreed that the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke shâ—…uld bee censured and brought to the King who in person arrested his Vncle Sir Thomas of VVoodstock some say at Plashy in Essex others at Greenwitch in the night time and taking him in his bed first sent him to the Tower and
standing where all might behold him first making the signe of the Crosse upon his forehead and after on his brest silence being commanded he spake as followeth In the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost I Henry of Lancaster Clayme the Realme of England with the Crowne and all the appurtenances thereto belonging as I am rightly discended from the right Line of the bloud comming from that good Lord K. Henry the third and through the right that God of his grace hath sent me with the help of my kinred and friends to recover the same which was in point to be undone for default of good governance and justice c. Which having spoken hee sate downe in his The Duke of Hereâ—…ord claymes the Crowne place then every one hearing his clayme spake what hee thought and after some distance of time the Archbishop of Canterbury knowing the minds of Lords stood up and asked the Commons if they would assent with the Nobility in their election which they thought to be needfull and for the good of the Kingdome to which with an unanimous voice they said yea yea after which the Archbishop approching the Duke uttered some words to him in private which done hee arose and taking him by the hand led him unto the Kings Seat and placed him therein after made a long Oration to that noble Assembly the effect whereof was to prove the Dukes Title to the Crowne and to justifie the deposing of the King verifying what was before predicted of him Foure Princely Lions were to him allide Gall shall be with his horns in his great pride At length a Fox clad in skin of gold Shall snatch the Kid from midst of all his fold By the foure Lions are figured his foure Princely Uncles sonnes to Edward the third whom he severally injured preferring men raised from nothing to be eminent above them both in honour and office and by the Fox Henry of Balwarke who clothed himselfe with all the golden ornament of Regall Majesty and snatcht him from the midst of all the fold that was from amongst his own subjects and people and after caused him to bee put to a violent and cruell death CHAP. 24. The Coronation of Edward the fourth with his great Feast held in Westminster Hall A great Conspiracy intended against him but prevented the lamentable murder of King Richard the second in Pomfret Castle by Sir Pierce of Exton his valour at his death His Epitaph The great riches found in his treasury A prosecution of sundry passages in the Reigne of King Henry He prepares a journey for the Holy land but is prevented by death HEnry the fourth of that name and sonne to Iohn a Gaunt Duke of Lancaster tooke possession of the whole Dominion of England upon the last day of September in the yeere of Grace one thousand three hundred fourescore and nineteene after which he made new Officers cleane through the Kingdome One and forty Knights of the Bath made and then gave order for his Coronation and the Eve before hee in the Tower made 41 knights of the Bath of which three were his owne sonnes and three Earles and five Lords c. Then the morrow after being Monday the thirteenth of October he was crowned at Westminster King Henries Coronation by the Archbishop of Canterbury after which solemnity ended a great and sumptuous feast was held in the great Hall where the king being sate in the middest of the table the Arch-bishop The manner of his great feast in Westminster Hall of Canterbury with three other Prelates were placed at the right hand of the same table and on the left hand the Arch-bishop of York with foure other of the Clergy Henry the kings eldest sonne stood by his Father on his right hand with a sword poyntlesse and the Earle of Northumberland new made Lord Constable with a poynted sword on his left hand both swords being held upright Before the king stood all dinner time the dukes of Aumerl of Surry and of Exceter with two other Earles and the Earle of Westmerland late made Marshall rov'd about the Hall with many Tip Staves to make roome that the Officers with more ease might serve the Tables Of which the chiefe upon the right side of the hall was begun by the Barons of the Cinque ports and at the Table next the Cupboord upon the left hand sate the Lord Major and the Aldermen of London which Major being Drewe Barendine Goldsmith was presented according to the custome with a cup of gold after the second course came in Sir Thomas Dimocke armed at all poynts and sitting upon a The Kings Champion good Steed road to the higher part of the Hall and before the King caused a Herald to make Proclamation that whosoever would affirme King Henry was not lawfull inheritour to the Crown and Kingdome of England he was there ready to wage battaile against him which Proclamation hee caused to bee made after in three other parts of the Hall in French and English with many more observances at such solemnities exercised and done which feast being ended the morrow after being tuesday the parliament was againe begunne of this King and his reigne it was thus predicted The Foxe being earth'd according to his mind In the Kids den a Magazine shall finde The prophesie of his reigne Yet all that treasure can his life not save But rather bring him to a timelesse grave Meane time shall study many a forrest beast By a new way to kill the King in jest But crafty Rainold shall the plot prevent And turne it all to their owne detriment Wales and the north against him both shall rise But he who still was politicke and wise Shal quell their rage much trouble he 'll indure And after when he thinks himselfe secure Hoping to wash the Kids bloud from his hand Purpose a voyage to the Holy Land But faile Yet in Hierusalem shall dye Deluded by a doubtfull augury In the former parlament were many Challenges of the peers one against the other which came to none effect but onething was there confirmed What was done in the Parliament that whosoever had hand in the good Duke of Glosters death should dye as traitors For which divers found guilty after suffered moreover sundry acts made in the time of Richards reigne were disannulled and made voyd and others held more profitable for the kingdomes good and Common-weales enacted in their stead Then was King Richard removed from the Tower and thence conveighed to Leedes and King Richard removed to Pomphret after to the Castle of Pomphret there was provision made for the King to keep his Christmas at Windsor in which interim the Dukes of Amerle of Surrey and of Exeter with the Earles of Salisbury and of Gloster with others of their affinity Lords Knights and Esquires made great provision for a Maske to be presented before the King upon Twelfth night which grew neere and
Edward with the Dukes of Somerset and Exeter were in the North and would not come up at the kings sending it was agreed by the Lords that the Duke of Yorke and Earle of Salisbury should raise an Army and fetch them up by force and to that purpose sped them Northward of which the Queene with her people having notice with a great power of Northern men met with them upon the thirtieth of December at a Towne called Wake-field betwixt whom was fought a bloody Battaile in The battaile of Wakefield which was slaine the Duke of York with his son the earle of Rutland Thomas Nevill sonne to The Duke of Yorke slaine the earle of Salisbury and the earle himself took prisoner whom shee caused to be with others soone after beheaded at Pomphret then shee made haste towards London and the earle of Warwicke with the Duke of Norfolke who were appoynted by Yorke to attend the king gathered an Army and upon a Shrove-tuesday in the The Queen againe victorious morning gave her battaile at Saint Albons in which Warwicke and Norfolke were chaced and the king againe taken and presented to the Queen then He the same afternoone made his sonne Edward knight who was eight yeares of age with thirty persons more The Queene having thus gotten the upper hand of her Enemies thought all things safe expressing more pride than she before had done in the height of which newes was brought her that Edward earle of March eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke with the earle of Warwicke and others with a great strength of March men were met at Cottiswald in their way to London wherefore the King and Queen returned with their Hoast Northward but before her departing from Saint Albons shee caused the Lord Bonsfield and others to bee beheaded who had beene taken in the former field Then came the Earles of March and Warwicke to London to whom resorted all the Gentlemen of the East and South parts of England Then was a Counsaile called of the Lords spirituall and temporall by whom after much debating of the matter it was concluded that forasmuch as King Henry contrary to his honour and oath at the last parliament had done and also that he was reputed unable and insufficient to governe the Realme hee was by their assents discharged of all kingly honour and Royalty and Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made King by the authority of the said Counsell and agreement of the Commons Edward eldest sonne to the Duke of Yorke was elected King who presently with his Army followed Henry and met with his Hoast at a place called Towton or Shyrbourne and upon Palm-sunday gave them The battaile at Shyrbourne battaile which was so cruelly fought that there were slaine thirty thousand besides those of note and quality as the Earle of Northumberland the Earle of Westmerland the Lord Clifford Sir Andrew Trollop and others In the Henry and Qu. Margaret flie into Scotland same Field was taken the Earle of Devonshiere and sent to Yorke and there beheaded But Henry the Queene prince Edward the Duke of Somerset the Lord Rosse and others fled into Scotland and King Edward entered Yorke and there kept his Easter Thus Henry lost the Crowne after hee had reigned full thirty eight yeares sixe Moneths and odde dayes and the factious and ambitious Queen forfeited all her right in the kingdome verifying what was predicted But a young Lion hee at length shall tame And send her empty back from whence she came Much trouble shall be made about the Crowne And Kings soone raised and as soon put downe This Edward the fourth of that name and sonne to Richard Duke of Yorke beganne His The Coronation of Edward the fourth Reigne over the Realme of England the fourth of March in the yeare of grace to reckon after the English computation one thousand foure hundred and forty and upon Sunday being the feast day of Saint Peters day was solemnly crowned at Westminster before which time He made sixe and thirty Knights of the Bathe and soone after hee created his brother George Duke of Clarence and his brother Richard Duke of Gloster Of this Kings reigne thus runs the Prophesie The fiercest Beare who by his power alone A prophesie of his reigne Had planted the young Lion in his throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phear who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some terme a Gray And that shall cause much blood on Easter day The Beare who th'exil'd Tygresse meetes in France Vowes the suppressed Lambe againe t' advance And from the Coop where he hath long bin pent To raise him to his former government The Lion the Land flying with a small And slender traine the ragged staffe swayes all But the Beares fiercenesse shall be soone allaid As one that is halfe conquered halfe betraid Then shall the Lambe whom he did late restore Againe coopt up be slaughtered by the Boare After the King had visited the greatest part of the best Townes and Cities in the Kingdom Queen Margaret invadeth England in the second yeare of his reigne Margaret late Queene of England with an army of French and Scotch invaded the North part of England which King Edward hearing sped him thither at whose approach the Queene with the rest affrighted she disbanded her troopes and in a Carick would have sailed into France but such a Tempest fell that she was forced to take a Fisher-boat and landed at Barwicke and roade thence to the Scotch King where newes was brought her that the Carveil in which the greatest of her treasure was was swallowed up in the Sea And in his third yeare the Lord Iohn of Montacute brother to the Earle of Warwicke having chiefe command in the North was warned of King Henries comming with a great power out of Scotland against whom hee assembled the Northern men and met with him about Exham who routed the Scotch Army The battaile at Exham and chaced Henry so neare that hee tooke certaine of his Traine apparrelled in blue velvet garnished with two Crownes and fret with pearle and rich stones He took also the Duke of Somerset the Lord Hungerford the Lord Rosse and others which Duke with the rest were soon after beheaded some at Exham others at New Castle And the same yeare was King King Henry taken and sent to the Tower Henry taken in a Wood in the North Countrey by one Cantlow and presented unto King Edward who forthwith sent him to the Tower where hee remained for a long time after Now Richard of Warwicke who for his many Victoryes and potency in the Realme was called VVarwicke the great was imployed by the king into France to treat a marriage The King married to the Lady Elizabeth Gray betwixt him and the Lady Bona which whilst hee was earnestly soliciting the first of May the king espoused Elizabeth late wife to Sir Iohn Gray who
was slaine at Towton in the great Battaile fought against Henry which espousalls were solemnized early in the morning at Grasten neare Stony Stratford where were present none but the Spouse the Spousesse the Dutchesse of Bedford Her Elizabeth Crowned Queene Mother the Priest two Gentlewomen and a young man who helped the Priest at Masse which marriage was for a time kept secret but after shee was with great solemnity Crowned Queene at VVestminster which the earle of VVarwicke taking as a great affront as being fooled in his Embassie and Queene Margaret being then with her sonne Edward in the Warwicke voweth to remove King Edward Court of France hee with the earle of Oxford who had stood alwayes against the Yorkists secretly made promise to the Queene to waite their time to remove king Edward and place the Diadem upon the Head of King Henry which makes good The Forest Beare who by his power alone Had planted the young Lion in his Throne Is sent abroad a Lionesse to finde To be his phere who having chang'd his mind Doats on a Badger whom some doe terme a Gray c. By the Beare is figured Warwick who gave the Beare and the ragged staffe who supported the cause of Edward Earle of March till hee had Crowned him King who being sent into France to negotiate a Match betwixt him and the Lady Bona whom hee calls the Lionesse In the interim hee married with a Badger or Gray by which is intimated Elizabeth the Lady Gray c. And now about the eighth yeare broke out the long dissembled hate betwixt the King and the Earle of VVarwicke who confedered unto him the Duke of Clarence who had before married his Daughter In which season by their instigations were divers Rebellions in Lincolnshire likewise in the North by a Captaine who called himselfe Robin of Ridisdale in Lincolnshire by the Lord VVels c. Robin of Ridisdale Meane time the Duke of Clarence with the Earle of VVarwick and other solicited Lewis the eleventh king of France to assist them in the restoring of king Henry to his rightfull inheritance who gladly granted their request which Lords after their departure from England were proclaimed Rebells and Traytors who in September the tenth yeare of the king landed at Dertmouth making their proclamations in the name of Henry the sixt to whom multitudes from all parts resorted so that the Edward flies the land king being in the North with great danger passed the Washes in Lincolneshire and fled into Flanders and Warwicke brought the king Henry again made King from the Tower and conducted him in all state through London to Westminster and once more set the Crowne upon his head CHAP. 29. King Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crowne and Gloster Traytor his landing at Ravensport the Battaile at Barnet the battaile at Teuxbury King Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence the death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young King his tyranny being Protector hee is proclaimed King the murder of the two Princes in the Tower A prophesie of them before their deaths KIng Henry being thus re-instated there was dayly waiting on the Sea-coast for the landing of Queen Margaret and her sonne Prince Edward and provision made against the re-entring of the kingdome by King Edward and his company then was called a Parliament in which King Edward was proclaymed usurper of King Edward proclaimed Vsurper and his brother Glost. traitor the Crowne and his brother Duke of Gloster Traytor and both attainted by vertue of the said parliament then the Earle of Warwicke road into Kent thinking to have met the Queene at Dover but the winds were so averse to her that she lay from November to Aprill and all that while could not put to sea by reason of which the Earle of Warwicks journey was disappoynted In the beginning of Aprill Edward landed King Edward landeth at Ravensport at Ravenspurne with a small company of Flemmings who in all could not make up the number of a thousand and so drew towards Yorke making proclamation in the name of King Henry that his comming was to no other intent than to claime the inheritance of the Dukedome of Yorke where the Citizens kept him out till he had taken a solemne oath that King Henries oath to York he purposed no more then he spake where having refresht him and his followers he departed thence and held his way toward London and having paked by favour and fairwords the lord Marquesse Montacute who lay with an army to stop his way and finding his strength hourely to The cōnivence of the Marquesse after his ruine increase hee then made proclamation in his owne name as king of England and so held on his journey till he came to London where hee was gladly received into the City and so made to Pauls and offered at the Altar and thence to the Bishops palace where hee found the King almost alone for all his servants and others had left him and having put him under safe custody King Henry againe made prisoner he there rested him till Easter Eve When hearing of his brother Clarence with the other Lords comming with a strong host to Saint Albons he hasted thitherward and lay that night in Barnet in which season the Duke of Clarence contrary to his oath made to the French Clarence revolteth from the Lords King renounced the title of King Henry and came that night with his whole strength to his brother at whose revolt the Lords were somewhat abashed but by the Earle of Oxford they were againe comforted by whose perswasion they marched forward to Barnet whither hee came leading the Vaward and on a plaine neere unto the Town pitched his field upon the morrow being Easter day both Hoasts met upon the one party were two Kings present Edward and Henry upon the other the Duke of Exeter Edward brought Henry to the field the Lord Marquesse Montacute the Earles of Warwicke and of Oxford with other men of name In their first encounter the Earle of Oxford so manfully demeaned himself that hee bore The valour of the Earle of Oxford over that part of the field which he set upon in so much that news came to London that Edwards Hoast was discomfited and it might have hapned if his men had kept their army and not presently disordered themselves by falling to rifle and pillage but after long and cruel fight King Edward obtained the victory in which battaile of the Lords party were slain Marquesse King Edward obtains the victory Mountacute his brother the Earl of Warwick on the Kings party the Lord Barons and of the Commons on both sides one thousand five hundred The death of the Earle of Warwicke and Marquesse Montacute the same day in the afternoon came King Edward to London and first offered at Pauls and road thence to his
and the indisposition of the weather warring against him for by reason of the Land slouds hee could not joyne his forces together hee therefore was compeld to dissolve his Army and suffer every man to shift for his best safety himselfe retyring to the house of his Secretary and servant Banister who in hope of a thousand pounds reward to him that could bring forth the Duke promist only but never paid betrayde him to the King who caused him to bee had to Salisbury and on a scaffold in the Market place to have his head The death of the Duke of Buckingham cut off and such was the tragicall end of that honourable person Of this Banister and how his falsnesse to his Banisters persidiousnesse punished Lord was punisht in him and his posterity much hath been spoken as that his wife died distracted his sonne was found strangled with a cord his daughter found drowned in a shallow puddle of water and hee suffered on the gallows for a robbery and that since that day even to this age none of that House and Family but have some orother of the name beene troubled with the falling sicknesse a good caveat for all corrupt and perfidious servants King Richard though hee had removed all or most of his potent enemies Buckingham the Queenes Kindred and others yet knowing hee was hated for his many murders especially for the two Princes in the Tower and that hee was moreover suspected for causing Queen Anne his wife to bee poysoned who dyed suddenly in hope to have married the Lady Elizabeth daughter to the Queen Dowager who after the death of her two brothers was immediate heire Q. Anne poysoned to the Crowne hee to stop the mouthes of the multitude and as farre as might be to insinuate himselfe into the hearts of the Commons made many good and profitable Lawes to the benefit â—…ing Richards policy of the Common-wealth which are yet called the wholsome Laws of the Kingdome but this he did not that hee so much loved their good but that he so well affected his owne safety and because he was loth to leave the World without some worthy character behind him hee strived to bee reputed the best of Kings though hee knew himselfe to be the worst of men Amongst other pieces of his justice it was laid to the charge of one William Collingborne a Gentleman that hee was authour of a libell the effect whereof was this The Cat the Rat and Lovell the Dog Collingborns Libell Rule all England under an Hog By the Cat meaning Catesby by the Rat Ratcliffe and by Lovell the Dog the Lord Lovell all which were Court Favourites and ruled the Land under the King who bore the white Bore for his Cognisance for which Rime and other matters pretended against him he was arraigned convicted and condemned and after suffered on a new paire of Gallows on the Tower-hill where he was no sooner cast off the ladder but cut down and his bowels ript out of his belly The tyrannous death of M. Collingborne and thrown into the fire and lived till the bloudy Hangman thrust his hand into the bulk of his body to grope for his heart and even then hee was heard to say aloud O Lord Iesus yet more trouble and so died to the great compassion of much people During which passages Henry Earle of Richmond the Lord Marquesse Dorset brother to Henry Earle of Richmond the Queene and Sir Iames Blont then Keeper of the Castle of Guines who brought with him Iohn the brave and valiant Earle of Oxford who had been kept prisoner in that Castle ever since the field fought at Barnet These with other of their noble friends with a small company of English French and Britains landed in Milford His landing in Milford Haven Haven in the month of August which Earle no sooner sat his feet on shore but he incontinently kneeling upon the earth with a sober and devout countenance began the Psalme Indica me Domine discerne causam meam c which when hee had finished and kissed the ground he rose up and commanded such as were about him boldly and in the name of God to set forward of whose landing the King hearing he set it light making no haste to oppose them as despising them in regard of their small number But when the arrivall and returne of this Prince was rumoured abroad through the land many drew unto him aswell Sanctuary men as others so that his Army greatly increased which the King hearing hee then gathered a strong Hoast and so sped him that upon the two and twentieth day of the same moneth August and The Kings Hoast the beginning of the third yeere of his Reigne He met with Prince Henry neere unto a Village called Bosworth besides Leicester where betwixt them was fought a sharpe and cruell battaile for The battaile at Bosworth the time which more bloudy had beene if the Kings party had beene fast and constant to him for some left him and fled to his enemy and others stood hovering as Neuters to see unto whom the victory would fal of which the Lord Stanley Father in law to the Earle of Richmond with a strong band of Cheshire and Lancashire-men was chief Some were of opinion that the King lost the battaile by his owne foole-hardinesse and The Kings rashnesse in the field head-strong spleene for when the fight was begunne and he mounted on a white Steed was in the center of his Army to give directions for the field upon any occasion upon the suddaine hee cal'd to know what part of the adverse ground Richmond then maintained who being poynted to the place suddenly without any directions left or any substitute to command in his place sprung out of his hoast and made thither and calling aloud for Richmond was knowne by his Guard who seeking to presse through them wounding some and killing others was himselfe with his horse broached upon their Halberds The newes of the Kings death being blowne abroad his army stood The death of King Richard at a stand onely defending themselves but not offending any insomuch that the glory of the day fell to the Earle of Richmond and his partisans upon the Kings party were slaine Iohn Duke of Norfolke before his late creation Lord Howard with Brakenbury Lievtenant of the Tower but no other of name or quality where was taken the Earle of Surrey sonne to the Duke of Norfolke who was sent to the Tower The Earle of Surrey taken and there remained prisoner a long time after Then was the body of King Richard despoyled of his Armes and stript naked and then disgracefully cast behind a man riding upon a leane Iade the body being almost wholly covered with mire and dirt and so unreverently carryed to the Friers at Leicester where after a season he had laine openly that all men might behold him with little reverence and lesse mourning he was cast
aside in an obscure grave The manner of King Richards buriall and there buried when he had reigned or rather usurped the Kingdome by the space of two yeares two months and two daies It is said of this Prince that he came into the world with his feet forward which being taunted with being a youth by a yong Noble man and one of his Peeres hee made answer 't is true and was it not time for mee to make haste into the world there being such a bustling and trouble in the Land which hee seemed to allude unto those times when his Father laid claime to the Crowne Hee was borne also with teeth in his Head which was somewhat prodigious too and crooke backt he was but whether so borne or that it came to him by any sinister accident I am altogether ignorant King Richards character onely of this I am sure that all these with the processe of his bloudy practises punctually comply with the prophesie which saith A bunch-back'd monster who with teeth is born The mockery of art and natures scorn Who from the wombe preposterously is hurld And with feet forward thrust into the world Shall from the lower earth on which he stood Wade every step he mounts knee deep in blood He shall to th' height of all his hopes aspire And cloth'd in state his ugly shape admire But when he thinks himself most safe to stand From forreigne parts a native Whelp shal land c. After the Battaile thus wonne prince Henry was received as King and there instantly so proclaimed Prince Henry victor who thence hasted to London so that upon the twenty eighth day of August he was by the Major and Citizens met in good array at Harnsie park and thence conveighed through the City and lodged in the Bishop of Londons palace for a time and then he removed to Westminster This Henry the seventh of that name sonne to the Earle of Richmond began his dominion Prince Henries Coronation over the Realme of England the two and twentieth of August in the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred fourescore and five and the thirtieth day of October following at Westminster was crowned and in the second yeare of his reigne he espoused Elizabeth the eldest daughter to King Edward the fourth who the yeare after upon St. Katherines day was crowned The Coronation of the Queene at Westminster And this Henry is that native Lions whelpe before spoken of Who shall the long divided blood unite By joyning of the Red Rose with the white For by this marriage the long divided houses of Yorke who gave the white and Lancaster who gave the red Rose were happily combin'd and from that even to this present day never disparted or sundred of him it was also thus predicted The spirit that was meerely Saturnine The prophesie of his reigne Being supprest upon the landshall shine Planets of a more glad aspect and make Peace from their Orbs sixt in the Zodiacke Yet from the cold Septentrion Mars shall threat And war me their frigid pulses with his heat And Mercury shall though it may seem rare Consult with Cassiopeia in her Chaire To fashion strange impostures but warres god By sword nor Hermes with his charming rod Shall ought prevaile where power with Princes meete And when Religion shall Devotion greet Where all these foure at once predominant are Vaine are the attempts of stratagem or warre But he who of the former is possest Shall be abroad renown'd and at home blest Fame afarre off his glorious name shall tell And Plutus neare hand make his Coffers swell By the Saturnine Spirit is intended the bloody and malitious condition of Richard the third which was now supprest by death for as Saturne was said to devoure his owne Children so he hungred and thirsted after the bloud of his owne brother and Nephewes and therefore not altogether unproperly alluded the rest you shall find made apparent in the sequell This religious and wise King being thus The Dutchesse of Burgundy an enemy to the King peaceably instated in the Throne his old inveterate enemy the Dutchesse of Burgundy raised a new Impostor whom she called Richard Duke of Yorke the younger brother to Edward the fift but hearing the King intended to make away young Warwicke who was sonne to the Duke of Clarence and then prisoner in the Tower they changed his name from Yorke to Warwicke who was no other than the sonne of a Baker this youth shee put to the tutoring of A new Conspiracy a Priest who so well improved him that hee could now to the life personate a Prince and for no lesse he was received first into Ireland to whom the Earle of Lincoln came who also made a pretended right to the Crowne To whose aide the Dutchesse sent two thousand Almaines under the command of one Martin Swart an old Souldier and of approved Discipline these with the Lord Lovel and Kildare landed in Lancashire and made towards York with whom the King met at a place called Stoak in which fight the army of the Rebels Stoak field was routed Swart and Lincoln slaine and the Lord Lovell thinking to swim the Trent was drowned and Simnel the mocke King taken whom the King would not put to death but made him a Turn-broach in his Kitchen where hee continued long after CAP. 31. The Earle of Northumberland slaine by the Commons The Matchevilian plots of the Dutchesse of Burgundy to disturbe the peace of King Henry Perkin Warbeck her Creature He is nobly married in Scotland and taken for the Duke of Yorke the death of the Lord Standley and others Divers insurrections about Perkin his death with the young Earle of Warwicke The death of the King A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth IN the fourth yeare of this Kings Reigne the Earle of Northumberland sent to gather some Taxes which were to bee levied in the North was slain by the commons The Earle of Northumberland slaine by the Commons who still favoured the party of the Yorkists And further to countenance the act they made an insurrection and chused for the Captaines one Chambers and another Egremond to suppresse whom was sent the Noble and valiant Earle of Surrey who having discomfited their Army and tooke Chambers with divers others of the chiefe Rebells who were led to Yorke The Rebells slaine and taken and there executed as Traytors But Egremond fled the field and escaped to the Dutchesse of Burgundy whose Court was a Sanctuary for all Male-contents and Fugitives threat Thus from the cold Septentrion Mars did And warme their frigid pulses with his heat This subtile Mercurialist knowing how wisely and politickly the King had borne him betwixt the Emperour and the King of France who had beene at mortall enmity about the marriage of the young Dutchesse of Britaine she being first contracted by a Proxie to the old Emperor but from him divorced before enjoy'd and
parish Church throughout England that no Coarse should be buryed before sixe a Clocke in the morning nor after sixe at night and that when any dyed the Bell should ring three quarter of an houre at least In this Interim the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke Dudly and Gray privately murmuring and openly maligning that The two Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk the Kings two Uncles should beare such great authority in the Kingdome by which their glories seemed not onely eclipsed but quite darkned the elder brother commanding the Land the younger the Sea the one Lord Protector the other Lord High Admirall so that the whole Dominion and Soveraignty of the kingdome the kings name excepted was divided betwixt them And further considering that it was in vaine for them to attaine to their owne ambitious ends but by sundring this fraternall tye and unloosing this Gordian knot Their plots gainst the Protector and Admirall of Consanguinity which had beene so long inseparably continued betwixt them they therefore projected betwixt themselves how this almost impossible thing might be brought to passe and doubting the event if they should attempt to worke by their servants as to corrupt them with Bribes or the like they therefore tooke a nearer and more safe course to practise it by their Wives and to draw their balas from out of their owne bosomes and The Wives made themcans to betray the Husbands most successively to their purpose thus it happened Sir Thomas Seimer Lord High Admirall having married the Queene Dowager whose good Fortune it was of all the rest of the kings wives to survive her Husband contested with her sister in law for precedence and priority of place to which the Protectors wife standing upon her prerogative could by no meanes bee wonne to give way This emulation betwixt the two sisters fitly sorting to the Dukes purposes for the one challenged the right hand as once being Queene and the other claimed it as wise to the present Protector To this new kindled fire the two Dukes bring fuell Dudly incourageth the one secretly Gray the other privately so that the Wives set the Husbands at oddes by taking their parts so that by the instigation of those emulous and incensed Ladies a mortall hatred grew betwixt the two brothers insomuch that in the third year of the King the Admirall was questioned for the ill managing his Office and sundry Articles preferred in Court against him so that he was condemn'd in Parliament and his head The death of the Lord high Admirall strooke off the Protector his brother signing the Warrant for his death The one being thus removed there was the lesse difficulty to supplant the other for in the same Month of February in which the Admirall lost his head was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsaile of which the two Dukes were chief and many Articles of Treason and ill government of the state commenced against him but about a yeare after his confinement by his submission to the Lords and intercession made for him by the K. upon the sixt of February hee was released injoy'd his former offices honors but all this was but a lightning before death for his two great potent adversaries stil prosecute their malice against him insomuch that not long after calling him to a second account when he had nobly acquit himself at the Barre of all treason objected against him he was in the Guild Hall of London not by a Iury of his peeres by The Lord Protector put to death for felony twelve men convicted and condemned of Felony for which on a Scaffold on Tower-Hill hee suffered death verifying what was before spoken of the young King Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt th' other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray It is so manifest it needs no Comment This Edward Seimour was the sonne of Sir A Character of the L. Protector Edward Seimour knighted by Henry the eight who had married the Lady Iane his naturall sister He after created him Viscount Beauchamp in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty sixe and the yeare following Earle of Hereford after that he was installed Knight of the Garter His honours and offices made Lord great Chamberlain of England one of the honourable privy Counsail much favoured of the eighth Henry who in his last Testament instituted him one of the chiefe of his sixteene Executors after this King Edward created him Baron de sancto Mauro then Duke of Somerset He was next by a generall voyce of parliament made Protector over the Kings person and of all his Kingdomes and Dominions Governour and Lord Generall of all the Kings forces by Land and Sea He was moreover Lord high Treasurer and Earle Martiall of England Captaine of the two Islands of Gernsie and Iersie and Chancellour of the University of Cambridge In all which Offices and Dignities he demeaned himselfe The Duke of Somerset catalogu'd amongst the English Martyrs with such Honourable bounty and singular piety that some have not doubted to Catalogue him amongst our English Martyrs But to returne to the History by this protectors meanes who was a constant Protestant Images were puld downe through all Churches of England Marriage of priests made lawfull The suppressing of the Romish Religion by parliament and Doctor Bonner with other Romish Prelates deposed from their Bishopricks and other of the Reformed Church supplyed their places making good what was before calculated of the young King By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes This needs some explication Hee is called young Caesar as being produced into the world The prophesie explained by the cutting or ripping up of his mothers wombe from which the great Roman Iulius borne after the same manner had added to him the name of Caesar which Title hee left as Hereditary to all the succeeding Emperours after him who as hee reduced the Aristocracie which was the government of the Senate and Optimates into one entire monarchall Diadem placing the Empire in Rome so of the contrary this young King from the great Pontifex of Rome who in time wearing a Triple Diademe and thereby challenging power in Heaven potently upon earth regency and predominance over Hell and moreover making earthly Kings and Emperours to acknowledge unto him a preheminence and supremacie making them to kisse his feet with other servil officeâ—… â—…e by opposing this Soveraignty and shrinking his head out of so extreame a servitude may bee truly said to have done more against Rome in
death with the yong Earle of Warwicke the death of the king A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth p. 293 Chap. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queen the kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made knight of the Garter c. p. 304. Chap. 33. The death of Henry the eighth Edward the sixt crowned a calculation of his reigne Musse Iborow field won by the Lord Protector c. p. 315. Chap. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Q. Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary He is arrested of high treason The Coronation of Q. Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope c. p. 326 Chap. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made K. of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queens Marriage at Winchester Their titles their riding through London The Queen rumoured to be with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings hee favoureth the Lady Elisabet He leaveth the Land Queen Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis p. 336 Chap. 37. A brief nomination of her troubles wrought by the Popish Clergie Her passage through London to her coronation with the speeches spoke in the pageants A short remembrance of the prime passages in her reign The former prediction fulfild her death other predictions fathered upon Merlin explained c. p. 347 Chap. 38. The title of King Iames to the Crown His comming into England A prophesie of his Reigne The first treason attempted against him The Gunpowder treason and what the conspirators were The king of Denmarke twice commeth into England King Charles proclaimed King his Fathers Funerals c. p. 361 A Chronographical History of the Kings of Britaine from the first plantation of this Island by Brute and his Cousin Corinaeus to the Reigne of King Vortiger In whose time Ambrosius Merlinus began to utter his Predictions CHAP. 1. Brutes first plantation in this Island How hee divided it amongst his three sonnes of several famous Cities builded here by sundry Kings and how divers Rivers took their first name of all the remarkable passages that hapened in their reignes A Catologue of the Kings continued from Brute to the end of his Line and off-spring FOr the better illustration of this present worke intended it shall not be amisse to shew you a briefe progresse of all the memorable passages of the time before wee come to the Prophesie with a Catalogue of the Kings of this Island and what Remarkable things happened in their reigne To begin with the first Brute who was of the ancient and noble bloud of the Trojans discended from Aeneas and Creusa the How Brute was discended daughter of King Priam These had a sâ—…nne called Ascanius after his Father King of Italy Brute was the sonne of Sylvius Aenaeas the son of Ascanius This Brute at fifteene yeares of age being hunting by the unfortunate glanceing of an Arrow slue his father and had beene also in his birth the death of his mother but for the last disasterous act hee willingly exiled himselfe and taking with him a choice company of adventurers thought to discover some new plantation To omit his many troubles both by Land and Sea in which hee was still most victoriously prosperous at length hee incountred with a small navy of ships of which a Trojane and his neare kinseman was Captain whose name was Corinaeus who joyning their Corinaeus cousin to Brute forces together and after divers and sundry perills landed in this Island of the white and chalky Cliffes called Albion where finding none but Giants of mighty stature he destroyed the most part of them of whom the greatest both in bulke and command was called Gogmagog with whom Corinaeus wrastling to prove their triall of strength Gogmagog in his gripe broke a rib in the side of Corinaeus at which he being inraged gathering all his spirits about him cast him downe the high Rocke of Dover the place where they proved the mastery which is called the fall of Gogmagog unto this day for which and other his valiant acts before The fall of Gogmagog atchieved hee gave him that intire Province which from his name beareth the title of Cornwall Brute then taking full view of the Island The building of Troynovant since called London searching up the River of Thames built upon it a City which in remembrance of the late subverted Troy he called Troynovant or new Troy now London this done he put his Souldiers to tilling of the Earth and governed the Realme peaceably for the space of twenty foure yeares He had by his wife Ignogen the daughter of Pandrusus three sonnes betwixt whom in his life time he divided his Kingdome to How hee divided the Kingdome Locrine the eldest hee gave all that is called England but then Logria after his name To the second Cambrius or Cambre hee left the Countrey of Wales at first from him called Cambria To the third Albanact hee gave the North part of the Land then titled from him Albania now Scotland That done hee expired The death of Brute and was buryed at Troynovant and this happened in the yeare of the world foure thousand fourescore and seven Locrine being King of Britaine hearing that a King of Scythia had invaded his brother Albanacts Dominions and having slaine him in battaile governed in his stead Hee with his brother Cambre assembled a mighty Hoast to avenge his death and in a sharpe conflict discomfited his whole Army and so hotly pursued him in his flight that this Scythian which was called Humber was drowned in that River Plow the River Humber came to be so cald which runneâ—…h up from Ravenspurn up to Hulâ—… which hath since borne his name even to this day After which victory Locrin who had espoused Guendolina daughter to Corinaeus Duke of Cornwall grew inamoured of Estrild a beauteous Lady and Daughter to the aforesaid Humber by whom He had a Daughter named Sabrina of which his Queene having intelligence the accited her Father and friends to make Warre upon her Husband and flew him in fight when hee had governed the Realme for the space of twenty yeares then the Masculine spirited Lady tooke his Concubine Estrild with her beautifull young daughter Sabrina and caused them to bee both drowned in that River which parteth England and Wales and from Sabrina is called Severne to all posterity The River Severne whence called Then Guendolina took upon her the government of the Land till her young Son Madan came to mature age and then resigned it up intirely into his owne hands after shee had
their Mouchatos thick and long to which Harold answerd but wee shall finde them neither Barmen nor Bookemen but valiant Knights expert in all manner of warlike discipline Then Gurth or Surthe one of the yongest brothers of Harold advised him in person to stand apart and that himselfe with the Lords and Barons would incâ—…unter the Normans because he was sworne to the Duke and they not and if they were put back he then might rally their dispersed troups and maintaine his owne claime and his Countrys quarrel to which hee would by no meanes assent Then Duke William by a clergie man sent him Three profers made by the Duke to the King before the battaile three proffers of which to take his choyce the first that according to his oath he should deliver up the Crowne and all the rights thereto belonging which done to receive it againe and hold it of him as in fee during the terme of his life and after his death to returne it againe to the said William or to such an one of his sons as he would assigne it unto the second to depart and leave the Kingdome without more contention The third that to spare the shedding of Christian bloud they two might singly end the quarrell by the sword All which offers Harold refused returning answer by the Prelat that hee would try his cause by the dint of swords and not of one sword and that he and his Knights were ready to defend their Country against all Forreigne Invaders whatsoever The Duke hearing this his answer delivered unto him he gave strict charge that all his people that night should watch and spend the houres Two different dispositions in the boasts in prayer with the Priests when on the contrary the English Hoast past away the time in dancing and drinking The next morning being Saturday the fourteenth day of October the two Hoasts met at a place where now standeth Battaile Abbey in Battaile Abby in Sussex Sussex which was after built and so called by Duke William in memory of this battaile there fought and his great victory then atchieved in the beginning of which conflict a Norman Banneret called Thilfer slue three English Gentlemen one after another but in attempting the fourth was himselfe slaine Then began a The battail betwixt King Harold with Duke William terrible noyse of the clattering of Harnesse the rushing of shields the trampling of Horses with loud cryes and acclamations on both sides in which the Normans opposed mightily and the English defended themselves manfully and the better because they fought close keeping their battaile whole without scattering or ranging abroad which when Duke William observed he gave a signe to his Commanders that they should give backe as if they were almost compeld to flie and forsake the field yet subtlely embattailing the foot and placing the Horse for Wings on either side the English hoping instantly to have routed them dissevered their Squadrons as for present pursuite but the Normans returning tooke them at that disadvantage and strooke them down on every side yet was this battaile so stoutly fought by the Englishmen that Duke William was there that day beaten from his Steed and three Horses slaine under him but in the end Harold was slaine being shot into the eye with an arrow King Harold slain in the eye with an arrow and fell downe dead in the field which his army seeing they dispersed themselves and every man fled to his best safety Thus died this valiant King Harold having worne the Crowne from the fift of Ianuary to the fourteenth of October making up nine moneths and some odde dayes and was buried in the Monastery of Waltham which hee himselfe The end of the Race of the Saxons had founded in whom ended the bloud of the Saxons which had continued from the beginning of King Hengists reigne for the space of five hundred fourscore and one yeere all which time they had reigned as Kings in this Land saving those foure and twenty yeeres in which Edward the Confessor had the Sovereignty who was of the Norman bloud by his Mother Emma daughter to Richard the Hardy the third Duke of Normandy and first of that name Then Duke William buried his slain men and suffered the English to doe the like Now when Mercia and Northumberland not in this battail the news of Harolds death came to the two Earles of Mercia and Northumberland who were not then in that battaile some thinke that by reason of the distance and difficulty of the way they could not arrive with their forces soon enough but others have conjectured that they purposely absented themselves because in the division of the Danish spoyles they were neglected but howsoever they came to Duke William and submitted themselves giving pledges Duke VVilliam crowned King of England for their truth and fealty thus William Duke of Normandy sirnamed the Conquerour base sonne to Robert the sixt Duke of that Province and Nephew unto Edward the Confessor began his Dominion over this Realme of England in the yeere of Grace one thousand threescore and nine the fifteenth day of October and was crowned upon Christmasse day by Aldredus Archbishop of Yorke next following I now proceed to Merlins next prophesie He that Iron Nation who leads forth for prey Shall finde full spoile and where hee feeds will stay Suppressing the red Dragon for a space Then shall arise two Dragons from his race One aymes at but attains not his desire By Envies Dart the other shall expire The Lion next of Iustice must appeare Who 'gainst the Celticke Towers will ladders reare And cause the Lily like the Aspen shake Whose rore shall all the Island Serpents quake A cunning Alcumist who hath the skill Gold both from flowers and Nettles to distill The first part is plaine and easie the appearance Part of the Prophesie explained whereof is gathered from the former circumstances under the man who leadeth the Iron Nation forth to prey is figured the Conquerour who brought into this Kingdome the strongly armed Normans where finding fat spoile that is a rich and fertile Iland where he feeds will stay that is where he fareth well and hath all things in his owne power to his will and pleasure there he will make his abode and plant himself suppressing the red Dragon for a space that is the first Britains after mingled with the Saxons and from Hengists-men called Englishmen then with the Danes and now againe opprest by the Normans yet was the bloud of the first Natives howsoever mingled never extinguished and the Nation howsoever extreamly suffering yet never altogether eradicated and extirpt but to passe over the Reigne of the Conquerour because no further aymed at by my Author I proceed to the rest Then shall two Dragons issue from his race Meaning from Duke William now living by which two Dragons are intimated his two eldest Sons Robert sirnamed Corthose or Shorthose and William Ruffus so
all things were in readinesse for the performance thereof But that day in the Morning A conspiracy of the Lords against King Henry came secretly unto the King the Duke of Aumerle and discovered unto him that he with the foresaid Lords gentlemen had made a solemne conjuration to kill him in the said Mask therefore advised him to provide for his safety upon which notice given the King departed privately from Windsor and came that night to London upon which the Lords finding their plot to be discovered they fled westward but the King caused speedy pursuit after them so that the Duke of Surry and the Earle of Salisbury were taken at Ciceter Sir Thomas Blunt Sir Benet Saly and Thomas Wintercell at Oxford Sir Iohn Holland Duke of Exeter at Pitwell in Essex and divers others in severall places the Noble men were beheaded the rest drawne and quartered but all of their Heads set upon the Bridge gate at London approving the premises Meane time shall study many a forrest beast By a new way to kill the Foxe in jest But crafty Rainold shall the plot prevent And turne it all to their owne detriment The King having well considered of this great conspiracy and that they intended by his death to restore the imprisoned King to his diadem The Foxes policy he bethought himselfe that he could live in no safety whilst the other was breathing and therefore he determined of his death and to that purpose called unto him one Sir Pierce of Exton to see his will executed who presently poasted to Pomphret and with eight more well armed entred the Castle and violently assaulted him with their Polaxes and Halberds in his Chamber who apprehending their purpose and seeing his owne present danger most valiantly wrested one of their weapons from him with which he manfully acquitted himselfe and slew foure of the eight before he himselfe fell but at the last he was basely wounded to death by the hand of Sir Pierce of Exton whose body was after laid in the Minster at Pomphret to the publicke view that all men might be satisfied of his The Death of K. Râ—…chard death and was after brought up to London and exposed to all eyes in Pauls least any man should after pretend to lay any plots for his liberty And now King Henry being in peaceable and quiet possession of the Kingdomes thought it time to rifle his predecessors Coffers in whose Treasury he found in ready Coyne three hundred thousand pound sterling besides Plate What King Richards treasure amounted to at his death Iewels and rich Vessels as much if not more in value Besides in his Treasurers hands hee found so many gold Noble and other summes that all of them put together amounted to seven hundred thousand pounds sterling yet could not all this summe afford him a better funerall than in the poore Friery of Langley which after by Henry the Kings sonne in the first yeare of his reigne was removed thence and with great solemnity interred amongst the Kings in the Chappell of Westminster All this processe verifying the former prediction The Foxe being earth't according to his mind In the Kids den a Magazin shall find Yet all that treasure can his life not save But rather bring him to a timelesse grave Over his Tombe in the Chappell the King caused these Verses following to be inscribed Prudens mundus Ricardus jure secundus K. Richards Epitaph Perfatum victus jacet hic sub marmore pictus Verus sermone suit plenus ratione Corpore procerus animo prudens ut Homerus Ecclesiam favit elatos suppeditavit Quemvis prostravit regalia qui violavit Thus Englished Wise and cleane Richard second of that name Conquered by fate lyes in this Marble frame True in his speech whose reason did surpasse Of feature tall and wise as Homer was The Church he favoured he the proudsubdude Quelling all such as Majesty pursude Concerning which Epitaph one of our English Chronologers seeing how it savoured more of flattery then truth thus exprest himself But yet alas though this meeter or rime Thus death embelisht this Noble Princes fame And that some Clerk which favoured him sometime List by his comming thus to enhance his name Yet by his story appeareth in him much blame Wherefore to Princes is surest memory Their lives to expresse in vertuous constancie In the second yeere of King Henries Reigne The rebellion of Owen Glendour Owen Glendour rebelled in Wales against whom the King entred the Countrey with a strong army but at the Kings comming hee fled up to the Mountaines whom the King for the endangering his Hoast durst not follow but returned without deeming any thing worthy note In the yeere following Sir Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester and Sir Henry Piercy sonne and heire to the Earle of Northumberland gathered The battaile at Shrewsbury a great power and upon the one and twentieth day of Iuly met with the King and his army neere unto Shrewsbury betwixt whom was fought a cruell and bloudy battail but at length the King was victor in which fight Thomas Percy Earle of Worcester was taken and his Nephew Sir Henry with many a brave Northerne man was slaine And upon the Kings part the Prince was wounded in the head and the Earle of Stafford with many others slaine It was observed that in this battail father fought against sonne sonne the father brother the brother and uncle the nephew the twenty fift of Iuly following was Sir Thomas Percy beheaded at Shrewsbury and in August after the Duchesse of Britain landeth at Flamoth in Cornwall K. Henries second mariage with the Duchesse of Britain and from thence conveyed to Winchester where shee was solemnely espoused to King Henry Soone after Richard Scroop Archbishop of Yorke with the Lord Mowbray Marshall of England with others to them allyed made a new insurrection against the King with purpose A nâ—… insurrection to supplant them to whom the King gave battaile on this side Yorke where after some losse on both sides the King had the better of the day the Archbishop and the Martiall being both taken in the field and soone after beheaded in that Kings Reigne was the Conduit builded in Cornwall as it now standeth The Market of the Stocks at the lower end of Cheapside and the Guild hall of London new edified and of a Sumptuous buildings during this kings Reigne small cottage and ruinous and decayed house made such a goodly structure as it appeares to this day Moreover the famous and stately Bridge of Rochester with the Chappell at the foot of the said Bridge was fully perfited and finished at the sole charge and cost of Sir Robert Knolls who in the time of Edward the third Sir Robert Knolls had atchieved many brave and memorable victories in France and Britain who also re-edified the body of the White Friers Church in Fleetstreet to which place hee left many good Legacies and
a Mars shall breed Who in his armes accommodate and fit Shall compasse more by warre then he by wit The Caduceus to a sword shall change And grim Orion shal though it seeme strange Sit in Astraea's orbe and from her teare The three leav'd flower she in her hand did bear And turn it to a lawrell to adorn The Lions brows whom late the Toad did scorn And after many a furious victory At length invested shall the Lion bce In a new Throne to which his clayme is faire As being matcht unto the Kingdomes heire Living this royall beast shall lose no time But be at last from earth snatcht in his prime Presently after his Coronation hee caused the corps of King Richard to be removed from the Fryers at Langley and solemnly interred upon the South side of Saint Edwards Shrine in Westminster by the body of Queene Anne his wife In the second yeere of his Reigne hee held his Parliament at Leicester where amongst other A parliament held at Leicester things the Commons put up their former Bill against the Clergy who kept so much of the Temporalties in their hands In feare whereof lest the King should give unto it any comfortable audience certaine Bishops and others of the Clergie put the King in minde to clayme his right in France for which they offered him great and notable summes by reason whereof that Bill was againe put by and the Prince listning to the motion of the Prelats aymed onely to set forward his expedition against France The King prepareth for France and sent his Letters to the French King to that purpose who returned him answer full of derision and scorne wherefore hee made speedy provision for war And in his third yeare road honorably accompanied through London and thence to Southampton where he had appoynted his army to meete him There Richard Earle of Cambridge Lords arrested of treason Sir Richard Scroope then Treasurer of England and Sir Thomas Gray were arrested of Treason arraigned and the nine and twentieth day of Iuly following beheaded The morrow after the King tooke the sea and the sixteenth of August landed in Normandy and laid siege to Hareflew and won it then leaving Sir Thomas Bewford his Noble Captaine there he sped him The King lands in Normandy from Calice with the Dolphin who had then the ruling government of France by reason of the Kings great sicknesse having broke the bridges to hinder the Kings passage over the river Sanne therefore hee was constrained to take the way toward Picardy and passe the River Pericon whereof the French being aware assembled their forces and lodged neere to Agencourt Roland court and Blangie When King Henry saw that hee was thus invironed K. Henry environed with the French with his enemies he pitcht his battaile betwixt Agincourt and Blangie having no more then seven thousand able men But in those dayes the yeomen had their limbes at liberty Their breeches fastned with one point and their jacks or coats of male long and easie to shoote in drawing bowes of great strength and shooting arrows of a yard long besides the head King Henry then considering the number of the enemy and that the French stood much upon their horse charged every Archer to take a sharpe stake and pitch it aslope before him that when the Cavalry with their speares assaulted them they should give back and so the horse should A rare policy of K. Henry foyle themselves upon the stakes and then to powre their shot upon them and when the king had thus providently ordered for the battaile over night the morrow after being the twenty fift of October and the day of Crispin and Crispianus hee attended the approch of the enemy who were in number forty thousand able fighting men The number of the French army Who about nine a clock in the morning with great pride and scorne set upon the English thinking to have overrid them with their horse and trod them underfoot but the Archers as they were before appointed retyred themselves within their stakes upon which the French horses were galled which the English Archers perceiving and that their horses being gored with K. Henries victorious battaile at Agencourt the stakes tumbled one upon another so that they which were foremost were the confusion of them which followed the Archers after their arrows were spent fell upon them with swords and axes so that the day fell with little losse to the English of whom were slaine that day the Slain of the English Duke of Yorke who had the leading of the Van and the Duke of Suffolke and not above six and twenty persons more But of the French were kild that day morethen Slain of the French 10000 common souldiers of the'nobility the three Dukes of Bar of Alonson and of Braban eight Earles and of Barons above fourescore with gentlemen in Coat Armours to the number of three thousand besides in that fight were taken prisoners the Duke of Orleance the Duke of Burbon the Earles of Vendosme of Ewe Prisoners takē of the French of Richmont and Bursigant then Marshall of France with knights and Esquires besides common men surmounting the number of two thousand and foure hundred when king Henry had by Gods helpe obtained this glorious victory and recalled his people from pursuit of the enemy newes was brought of a new Hoast comming towards him wherefore hee commanded his souldiers to bee imbattailed and then made proclamation through his Army A suddain policy of King Henry that every man should kill his prisoner which made the Duke of Orleance and the rest of the French Nobility in such feare that they by authority of the King sent to the Hoast to withdraw so that the King with his prisoners the morrow following took their way towards Calais where for a time he rested himselfe and his Army Thus it was truely prophesied of him Note a strange mixture in the planets seed For now a Mercury a Mars shall breed Who in his armes accommodate and fit Shall compasse more by warre than he by wit The Exposition is plaine by Mercury is meant the father who was politicke and ingenious and by Mars the sonne who by his Military Prowesse attchieved more then the other apprehended But it followeth the three and twentieth of November he was met upon Black Heath by the Lord Major and his brethren who conducted him through the City where were presented many pageants and Showes to The Kings comming into England gratulate his famous victory to Westminster whither the same houre came Sigismond the Emperour who lodged him in his owne palace and after was Saint Georges feast kept at Windsor in the time of which solemnity during the time of divine Service the King kept the estate but in the sitting at the Feast he gave it to the Emperour where he the Duke of Holland and The Emperour Sigismund made Knight of the Garter
a great Almane prince called the Duke of Briga were made Knights of the Garter and after seven weekes aboad here left the land whom the King in person conducted to Callis in which time of his there being the Duke of Bedford with the Earle of March and other Lords had a great Sea-fight with divers Caricks of Genoway and other ships where after long and cruell fight the honour fell to the English to the Victory by sea great losse of the strangers both of their men and shippes in which three of their Caricks were taken In his first yeare in a parliament called at Westminster wherein order was taken for provision for his second hostile expedition in to France Richard sonne and heire to the Earle of Cambridge put to death at Southampton was created Duke of Yorke who after was married to Cecile daughter to the Earle of Westmerland The issue of Richard Duke of Yorke by whom he had issue Henry who dyed young Edward who was after King Edmund Earle of Rutland Anne Dutchesse of Exeter Elizabeth Dutchesse of Suffolke George Duke of Clarence Richard Crook-backe Duke of Gloster and after King and Margaret Dutchesse of Burgoin and when all things were accommodated for the Kings voyage he made Iohn Duke of Bedford his brother protector of the Land and about Whitsunday tooke shipping at Southampton and sailed towards Normandy where hee King Henry lands in Normandy laid siege to a place called Toke or Towke During which notice was given to the King that the Vicount Narbon General of the French Navy intended to invade England to prevent whom he sent the Earle of March the Earle of Huntington with others to scoure the Seas who meeting with their Fleete after a long and bloody conflict conquered and overcame them Another Sea-victory upon the ninth of August in which they tooke plenty of Treasure being the money which should have payed the French Kings Souldiers Then was Tooke with the Castle deliuered up to King Henry which he gave to his brother the Duke of Clarence with all the Signiory thereto belonging hee after tooke the strong City of His many conquests in Normandy Caan in Normandy with foureteene other strong holds and Castles and whilst he was thus busied the Earle of March the Earle of Warwicke with others wonne Laveers Falois Newlin Cherburg Argentine and Bayons c. where the king kept St. Georges Feast and made fifteene knights of the Bath Then king Henry divided his people into three parts whereof one hee reserved to himselfe the second he committed to the Duke of Clarence the third to the Earle of Warwicke which Duke and Earle so well imployed their forces that in short time they wonne many strong Townes and Castles whilst the King laid siege to Roan of which one Sir Guy de Bowcier was Captaine which was also delivered up Roan taken by K. Henry into his hands so that having subdued all Normandy he then entered France and conquered the Cities and Townes as he marcht and upon the twentieth of May came to Troies in Champaigne where he was honourably received for the Duke of Burgoine being slaine in the presence of the Dolphin Philip his sonne who succeeded King Charles with his daugh ter and heire in the possession of K. Henry in the Dukedome refused the Dolphins part and leaguing himselfe with King Henry delivered unto him the possession both of the French King and Dame Katherine his sole Daughter Then was such an unity laboured by the Lords on both sides to be had betwixt the two Nations that by the urgence of the said Philip Duke King Henry marrieth the Lady Katherine of Burgoin King Henry at Troyes in Champaigne was solemnly marryed to Katherine heire to the kingdome of France upon the third day of Iune being Trinity sunday Before the solemnization of which marriage certaine Articles were agreed upon by the two Kings the effect Articles concluded betwixt the two nations of England and â—…rance whereof followeth that Charles should remain King during the tearme of his life and king Henry should be made regent and governour of the kingdome in the right of his Queene and wife and that after the death of Charles the Crowne of France with all the rights thereto belonging to remaine unto king Henry and his King Henry made heire apparant to the Crowne of France Heires kings c. And because Charles was then visited with sicknesse King Henry as Regent should have the whole and entire government of the Realme and that the Lords of France as well spirituall as temporall should make oath to King Henry to bee obedient unto him in all things and after the Death of Charles to become his true liege-men and subjects c. Further the Dutchy of Normandy and all other Normandy and France made one Monarchy Lordships thereto belonging to bee as one Monarchy under the Crowne of France and that during the life of Charles Henry sbould not name or write himselfe King of France but Charles in all his Writings should name King Henry his dearest Son and immediate Heire to the crown and that by the advice of both counsailes of the Realmes of England and France such ordinances should be established that when the Crowne of France fell to King Henry or his Heires that it might with such unitie joyne to the Realme of England that our King might Vnity betwixt the two Kingdomes rule both the Realms as one Monarchy c. that King Charles nor Philip Duke of Burgoyn should make any peace with the Dolphin of Vien without the consent of King Henry nor he make any accord with him without the agreement of Charles and Philip c. thus you see His Caducaeus to a Sword did change And grim Orion though it might seem strange Sit in Astraeas Orbe and from her teare The three leav'd Flower shee in her hand did beare And turne it to a Lawrell to adorne The Lions brows whom late the Toad did scorn By the Caducaeus turning into a sword is meant that Mercury was now turn'd Mars and The prophesie explained Peace into warre The same is allegorically intended by Orion who is called Lucifer for the terriblenesse of his aspect sayd by the Astronomicall Poets to beare a sword hee removeth Astraea that is Iustice out of her Orbe For in the time of warre force and might sway all who rends from her bosome the peaceable three leav'd Flower which is the Flower Delyce with which he Crownes the Lion King Henry whom the Toad did scorne thus demonstrated Some write that the Armes of France were at First the three Toads which after they changed to the three Lillies as they are now quartered with the English Armes c. But to continue the History these former Articles being by the consent of both the Princes and their peeres ratified king Henry with his new Queene were honourably received into Paris where King Henry and
his Queen feasted in Paris when they had rested a season Hee with the Duke of Burgoine laid siege to divers Townes which held with the Dolphin of Vien as the strong City of Meldane or Melian to Melden and others and tooke them and having done all his pleasure in France he and the Queen took leave of Charles the French king and sayled into England and at Westminster with great solemnity Q. Margaret Crowned at Westminster she was Crowned In the beginning of his tenth yeare was born at Windsor the sixt day of December Henry the sixt of that name at Easter after the Queene The birth of Henry the sixt tooke shipping at Southampton and sayled into France where she was royally received of her father and mother and King Henry being still busied in his warres of France and still gaining from them Cities and Townes in the ninth of August he fell grievously sick at Boys in Vincent and dyed the last day of the Month when hee had reigned nine yeares five months and ten dayes leaving issue behind him onely Henry aged The death of Henry the fift eight moneths and odde dayes then the Kings body was imbalmed and after brought to Westminster and there buried verifying Thus after many a famous victory At length invested shall the Lion be In a new Throne to which his claime is faire As being matcht unto the kingdomes heire Living this royall beast shall lose no time But bee at length from earth snatcht in his prime CHAP. 27. The Duke of Gloster made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasill a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Paris A prophesie of his raigne the death of the Duke of Gloster The death of the Marquesse of Suffolke The insurrection of the Commons under Iack Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh Armes his person seised against the Kings promise and for feare set at liberty HEnry the sixt of that name and the sole Henry the sixt made King sonne of Henry the fift and Queene Katherine beganne his Reigne over the Realme of England the first day of September in the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred twenty two who during his Minority was committed to the guardianship of his two Vncles the Dukes of Gloster and Bedford the The Duke of Gloster protector the Duke of Bedford regent Duke of Gloster beeing protector of England and the Duke of Bedford regent of France In the first yeare of this Kings reigne dyed Charles the seventh King of France by whose death the Crowne and the Realme with the rights of them fell to the young king Henry the possession of which was by the Lords of France in generall excepting some few who took part with the Dolphin delivered to the duke of Bedford as Regent during the nonage of the King who in the second yeare of his reigne wonne from the Dolphin more than foure and twenty strong holds and Castles to the great Honour The Regents victories in France of the English Nation and with whom all attempts succeeded prosperously and victoriously till the fift yeare that the Earle of Salisbury who was called the good Earle with the Earle of Suffolke the Lord Talbot and others laying The death of the good Earle of Salisbury strong siege to the City of Orleance the Earle was slaine by a shot from the Towne after whose death the English still lost rather than wonne so that by little and little they were compelled from all their possession in France for where they prevailed in any battaile in three they were discomfited In the eighth yeare of his reigne and upon the ninth of his age King Henry was Crowned King Henries Coronation in St. Peters Church at Westminster where were made sixe and thirty knights of the Bath His Coronation with all honour and joy being finished provision was made for his journey into France and upon Saint Georges day following being the twenty third of April hee tooke shipping and landed at Callis with a great train of the English Nobility during whose abode there many battails were fought in divers parts of the kingdom betwixt the English and French in which the French for the most part prevailed Ione de Pucil a sorceresse some said by the help of a woman called Ioan de Pucil whom they stiled The Maiden of God who was victorious in many conflicts and at length came to a Town called Compeine with intent to remove the siege layd unto it by the Duke of Burgoine and the English but by the valour of a Burgonian knight called sir Iohn Luxemburgh her company was distressed and she took alive and after carried to Roan and there kept a season because she seigned her selfe with child but the contrary being found she was adjudged to Shee is burnt for a witch death and her body burnt to ashes In his tenth yeere and upon the seventh of December King Henry the sixt was crowned Henry the sixt crowned at Paris King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester at whose Coronation were present the Regent The Duke of Burgoine with others of the French Nobility after the solemnity of which royall Feast ended The King left Paris and kept his Christmasse in Roan and thence returned into England where hee was joyfully received and of whom it was thus predicted How comes the Sun to rise where he should set Or how Lambs Lions Lions Lambs beget The prophesie of King Henries reigne Yet so 't must be The Lambe though doubly crown'd And thinking his large Empire hath no bound Yet shall a Daulphin at a low ebbe land And snatch one powerful scepter from his hand Thus it falls out twixt father and the sonne Windsore shall lose what ever Monmouth A Tigresse then in title onely proud wonne In the Lambs bosome seeks her self to shroud A seeming Saint at first meek and devout But in small time her fiercenesse will break out Nor can her ravenous fury be withstood Vntill through sated with best English blood But a young Lion he at length shall tame And send her empty back from wheâ—…ce she came Much trouble shall be made about â—…he crown And Kings soon raised and as soone put down c. After sundry conflicts betwixt the English and the French in which they diversly sped at length Charles the Dolphin who tooke upon him to be King of France by the proffer of many Towns Castles Cities Provinces and Lordships so Charles the Dolphin and Philip Duke of Burgoin reconciled wrought upon the Duke of Burgoine that notwithstanding he had before slain his Father adhered to his party and proclaimed himself utter enemy to the English which was in the thirteenth of Henry in which yeere dyed the noble and valorous Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France and was buried with great solemnity at Roan in the Church of
our Lady after whose death notwithstanding the incomparable valour of the Lord Talbot whose name was so The death of the D. of Bedford regent terrible in France that with it women frighted their children to still and quiet them the Earle of Arundell and others yet fortune for the most part was averse to the English c. and though there were many Treaties of peace to bee made betwixt the two Kingdoms yet they came to no effect and thus for divers yeeres it continued During which passages divers murmurs and grudgings beganne to breake out betwixt the Duke of Glocester Lord Portectour and Uncle to the King and divers persons neere about the Court amongst which was chiefe the Earle of Suffolke which in the end was the confusion Suffolk seeketh to supplaâ—…t the Duke of Glocester of them both For in the one and twentieth yeere the said Earle of Suffolke who had broke off a Mariage concluded by the English Embassadors betwixt King Henry and the daughter to Earle Arminacke went over into France and made a match betwixt him and the Kings daughter of Hierusalem and Cicily who had the bare titles thereof and was indeed a king Suffolks proceedings without a Country to compasse which mariage he delivered to the said king the Duchie of Anjou and Earldome of Maine which were called the keyes of Normandy to the great prejudice and dishonour of the English Nation For which service done he was created Marquesse of Suffolke and soone after with his wife and others pompously accommodated brought her into England where shee was espoused to the King at a place called Southwick in Hampshire The King marrieth the Lady Margaret whence after she was convayed to London and thence to Westminster and thereupon the 30 of May being Trinity Sunday solemnly crowned With which match it seemes God was not well pleased for after that day fortune began to forsake the King who lost his Friends in England and his revenues in France for soone after Q. Margaret causeth many miseries the whole State was swayed by the Queene and her Counsell to the dishonour of the king the Realmes detriment and her owne disgrace for thereby fell the losse of Normandy the division of the Lords the rebellion of the Commons The king deposed her sonne slaine 〈◊〉 and she banisht the Land for ever all which â—…iseries fell as some have conjectured for the breach of that lawfull contract first made betwixt the king and the daughter to the Earle of Arminacke In his five and twentieth yeere was a Parliament called at Saint Edmondsbury in Suffolke which was no sooner begun and the Lords assembled but Humphrey Duke of Glocester was The Protectour arresteâ—… aâ—…d after murdered in his bed arrested by Viscount Beaumond then high Constable of England the Duke of Buckingham and others and the sixt day after found dead some say murdered in his bed of whose death the Marquesse of Suffolke was most suspected whose body after it was publikely showne was conveighed to Saint Albons and therehonourably interred and soon after five of the principall of his Houshold hang'd and drawne but by the kings mercy not quartered In his eight and twentieth yeere was called The Marquesse of Suffolke arrested another Parliament in which the Marquesse of Suffolke was arrested and sent to the Tower where hee lived a moneth at his pleasure and was after set at large to the discontent of some Lords but all the Commons For he was charged with the delivery of Amiens and Maine and the murder of Duke Humphrey called the good Duke of Glocester upon which ensued a rebellion of the commons of which one Blew-beard Blew-beard cald himselfe Captain but they were soon supprest and the chief of them put to death the Parliament was then adjourn'd to Leicester whither caâ—…e the King and with him the Queens great Favourite the Duke of Suffolke Then the Commons made petition to the king that all such as had hand in the delivery of Anjou and Maine and the death of the Protector might be severely punished of which they accused as guilty the Marquesse of Suffolke the Lord Say The Marquesse of Suffolk banisht for five yeeres the Bishop of Salisbury one Damiall a Gentleman and one Trivillian with others to appease whom Suffolke was exiled for five yeeres and the Lord Say Treasurer of England with the rest were put a part for a while and promist that they should bee imprisoned and Suffolke taking shipping in Norfolke to have sailed into France was met by a ship of Warre called the Nicholas of the Tower and being knowne by the Captain he tooke him into his owne Vessell and brought him backe to the port of Dover where on the side of the Boat he caused his head to be struck off and cast it with the body on the The death of Suffolk sands and so went again to sea In this yeere also being the Iubilee the commons of Kent assembled themselves in great multitudes under a Captaine called Iacke Cade The insuâ—…rection of â—…ck Cade who named himselfe Mortimer and Cousin to the Duke of Yorke against him the King raised a strong Hoast and sent Sir Humphrey Stafford and William his brother with certain forces to subdue them but the Rebels prevailed against them and left the two Noble brothers dead in the field after which victory the Captaine put on him Knights apparell with Briganders set with gilt nayls and Helmet with gilt Spurs To The Captains pride whom was sent the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Duke of Buckingham who had conference with him and found him very discreet in his answers but not to bee wonne to lay by his armes and to blinde the eyes of the people the more hee used great justice in his Campe at length he came to Southwarke at which time the commons of Essex lay with an army at Mile-end and when hee approched the draw-bridge he hewed the ropes and chains asunder with his Iack Cade enters London sword and so entred London where hee made proclamâ—…tions in the Kings name that no man on pain of death should rob spoyle or take from any man but to pay for whatsoever hee cald for which drew unto him the hearts of many of the Citizens and when he came to London stone His cunning to delude the people he strook upon it with his sword and said Now is Mortimer Lord of this City after hee caused the Lord Say to bee fetcht from the Tower and without any just processe at the Standard in Cheape commanded his head to be His Iustice. cut off and another called Cromer who had bin high Sheriffe of Kent he also commanded to be beheaded then pitcht their heads upon two poles and as they passed the streets in divers places caused the poles to joyn so that the dead mouthes kissed each other Thus hee had free recourse into the Citie by day and at night returned
sundry of the Nobility then made their residence who hearing thereof assembled also a sufficient Army and sped towards Saint Albons of which the Duke of Yorke being advertised hee also made thither and was at one end of the Town whilst the King and his people were at the other and this was on the three and twentieth day of May the Thursday before Whitsonday Now whilst a Treaty of peace was communed upon the one part the Earle of Warwicke with the Marchmen The battail at S. Albons entred the Towne upon the other end and fought eagerly against the Kings people so that both the battails joyn'd and continued the fight for many houres but in the end the victory fell to the Duke of Yorke and of the Kings side were slaine the Duke of Somerset the Earle of The King taken Northumberland and the Lord Clifford with many honourable Knights and Gentlemen The morrow after the Duke with great honour and reverence conveighed the King backe to London and lodged him in the Bishops Palace then called a parliament at Westminster by authority whereof the Duke of Yorke was Yorke made Protector made protector of the Realme the Earle of Salisbury Chancelour and the Earle of Warwick Captaine of Callis and all such as were in authority about the king removed and the Queeene and her Counsaile who before swayed all vilified and set at nought But shee out of her great policy insinuated with divers Lords who were of her faction and disdaining the rule the Duke bore in the Realme by the name of protector as if the King were insufficient to governe A sodaine change the state which as shee thought was great dishonour to him and disparagement to her she made such friends of the Lords both spirituall and temporall that the Duke was shortly discharged of his protectorship and the Earle of Salisbury of his Chancellourship which was the cause of much combustion after So that it appeares A Tigresse then in title onely proud In the Lambes bosome seeks her selfe to shroud A seeming Saint at first meeke and devout But in small time her fiercenesse will break out Nor can her rav'nous fury be withstood Vntill through sated with best English blood Which will manifestly appeare in the sequell for she causing the king to remove from The Queens practise against the Lords London to Coventry the Duke of Yorke was sent for thither by a privy Seale with the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury whose lives were ambusht in the way of which they having notice escaped the danger After a day of meeting was appoynted at London whither the Lords came with great traines at their heeles and the Earle of Warwicke with a strong band of men from Callis in red Iackets and white ragged sleeves upon them but by reason of the strength the Lords had nothing was attempted against them but a dissembled peace was made betwixt the two factions which being tyed with Against the Earle of Warwicke a small and slender thred it happened that in a private quarrell a servant of the Earle of Warwicks hurt one of the kings servants upon which the Earle comming from the Counsaile to take his barge the kings family rudely set upon him and the blacke guard assaulted him with their spits where divers of his followers were sore hurt and hee himselfe dangerously wounded with great difficulty escaped but hee got into London and from thence sailed to Callis He thus secured the Queen then aymed at the life of his Father the Earle of Salisbury who set upon him the Lord Audley with a Against the Earle of Salisbury strong Company to way-lay him in his comming towards the City who mending his traine kept on his journey and upon Blore-heath they met both and after a bloody conflict the Lord Audley with many of his followers were slaine and two of the Earles sonnes wounded who in their way home were surprized by some of the Queenes faction and sent prisoners to Chester Vpon which the Duke with the Lords assembled themselves for their owne security and the Earle of Warwick came with a band of men Andrew Trollop persidious to the Lords from Callis of which he made one Andrew Trollop Captaine against whom the King gathered a strong hoast and came to Ludlow where the Lords were incampt but the night before the battaile this Andrew with his Callis souldiers left the Lords and joyned with the Kings Army At which the Lords were much discouraged because hee was privy to all their purposes wherefore they left their Tents standing and fled The Duke of Yorke tooke The Lords flie and leave the King Master of the field shipping for Ireland the rest escaped into Gernsay by the meanes of one Iohn Dinham an Esquire who brought them a ship which Dinham was after made Treasurer of England so that the King was made Master of the field the Dutchesse of York with her Children taken prisoners in Ludlow and sent to her sister the Dutchesse of Buckingham where she remained long after and the Lords proclaimed Traytors and their goods and Lands forfeited and seised into the Kings hands but at length the tide turned For the Lords being favoured by the Commons who much murmured at the proceeding of the Q. her counsaile again entred the land upon the ninth of Iuly encountred the Kings hoast at Northampton where after long fight the victory fell to the Earle of Salisbury and the Lords of his party where the Kings Hoast was discomfitted and hee taken in the field after The battaile at Northampton many of his Nobility were slaine amongst whom were the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Shrewsbury the Vicount Beaumont the Lord Tiremond c. After which victory they returned to London and brought with them the King keeping his estate then sent for the Duke of York out of Ireland In the mean time they called a parliament during which the Duke of Yorke came to Westminster and lodged in the Kings palace upon which grew a rumour that Henry should be deposed and the Duke of York made King one day the Duke came into the parliament Chamber and in the presence of all the Lords sate him downe in the kings seat and claimed the Crowne as his rightfull inheritance The pride of the Duke of Yorke at which there was great murmuring amongst the Lords but after divers Counsailes held it was concluded that Henry should continue king during his naturall life and after his death his sonne Prince Edward to bee set apart and the Duke of Yorke and his Heires to bee kings and he to bee admitted protector of the king and Regent of the Realme and upon saturday following being the ninth of November and thirty ninth of king Henry the Duke was The Duke proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne proclaymed through the City Heire apparant to the Crowne and his Progeny after him And because Queen Margaret with her Son Prince
lodging at Westminster and soon after was King Henry brought riding in a long gown of Blue Velvet and conveyed through Cheape unto Westminster and thence to King Henry again committed to the tower the Tower where he remayned all his life time after thus we find by the premisses The Beare who th'exil'd Tigresse meets in France Vowes the suppressed Lambe againe to advance And from the Coop where he hath long bin pent To raise him to his former government All which hapned according to the former prediction as also the sequell The Lion the land flying with a small And slender train the ragged Staffe sways all But the Bears fiereenesse shall be soon all aid As one that is halfe conquered halfe betraid That is half conquered by the prowesse of King Edward and betraid by his perfidious brother the D. of Clarence Edward thus having repossest the Kingdome provided against the landing of Queen Margaret and her sonne who notwithstanding with an army of Frenchmen entred the Land as farre as Teuxbury where the King met her and chaced her house and slue The battaile at Teuxbury many of them in which battaile was taken her sonne Edward and brought to the King who demanding some questions and he not answering him to his minde the King strook him over the face with his Gauntlet upon which hee was drag'd into a withdrawing room and there slaine by the Duke of Glocester In the same The murder of P. Edward yeere upon Ascension eve was the corps of Henry the sixt late King brought unreverently from the Tower through the high streets of the City unto Pauls and there left for that night and on the morrow conveyed with bils and staves and King Henry stabd to death in the tower the like weapons unto Chelsey and there without any solemne ceremony enterred who was stabd with a Dagger in the Tower by the hands of the foresaid Richard Duke of Glocester So that the Lambe the Beare did late restore Again coopt up was murdred by a Bore For the Bore was the Cognizance belonging to the said Duke when King Edward had thus subdued his enemies He sent over the miserable and distressed Queene Margaret into her owne Countrey whence shee never returned into this Kingdome after In the seventeenth yeere of the King the Duke of Clarence his second brother The murder of the Duke of Clarence was for some displeasure taken against him committed to the Tower where hee not remayned long but hee was secretly drowned in a But of Malmsey as it was commonly voic'd by the instigation of the Duke of Glocester I let passe the rest of this Kings Reigne in which hapned no great matter of remarke or consequence so that after his many victories for hee was never The death of K. Edward the Fourth conquered in any battaile hee governed the Realme in great tranquillity and quietnesse and expired the eleventh of Aprill in the yeere of the Incarnation of our Lord one thousand foure hundred fourscore and three after he had raigned full two and twenty yeeres and as much as from the fourth of March to the eleventh of Aprill whose corps was conveyed to VVindsor and there with all due and solemne Ceremony interred leaving two sonnes Prince Edward the eldest and Richard Duke of Yorke the younger with three Daughters Elizabeth after Queene Sicily and Katharine Edward the fift of that name and sonne to Edward the Fourth at eleven yeeres of age began his Reigne the eleventh of Aprill in the beginning of the yeer of our Lord God one thousand foure hundred fourescore and then of whom and his Uncle Richard Duke of Glocester the prediction followeth The Prophesie From the Herculean Lion lately sphear'd And in his Orbe to Iove himself indear'd Shall shine two stars without eclipse or cloud But they as to some sacred offering vow'd Shall perish on the Altar ere they grow To that full splendor which the world they owe A bunch-back'd monster who with teeth is born The mockery of art and natures scorn Who from the wombe preposterously is hurld And with feet forward thrust into the world Shall from the lower earth on which he stood Wade every step he mounts here deep in blood He shall to th' height of all his hopes aspire And cloth'd in state his ugly shape admire But when he thinks himself most safe to stand From forreigne parts a native Whelpshal land Who shall the long divided blood unite By joyning of the Red Rose with the white Edward the Fourth yielding his due to nature Hatred betwixt the King and Queenes kindred the long concealed grudge betwixt the King and the Queenes Allies began to vent it self for the Marquesse Dorset brother to the widowed Queene with others of her proximity had then the Guardianship of the young King who being in the Marches of VVales conveyed him towards London to make provision for his Coronation but the Duke of Glocester who intended otherwise attended with a company of Northern Gentlemen all in mourning met with the King at Stony-stratford and after a dissembled greeting betwixt him and the Marquesse dischardged him of his Office and Marquesse Dorset discharged of his Guardianship tooke upon himselfe the government of the king and thence accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham who was in great favour with the people brought him with all honour toward London whereof hearing Queene Elizabeth mother to the King and fearing the sequel she with her younger sonne the Duke of Yorke and her daughter Elisabeth tooke Sanctuary at VVestminster meane time the king was royally met by the Citizens of London and through The Queene taketh Sanctuary the City brought to the Bishop of Londons palace and there lodged Then the Duke of Glocester so wrought with Bouchier Archbishop of Canterbury that hee went with him to the Queene who upon the Archbishops faith and promise of his safety delivered The young Duke of York delivered to the Archbishop and Duke of Glocester to them the D. of Yorke then the Duke caused the king and his brother to be removed to the Tower and the Duke lodged himselfe in Crosby House in Bishopsgate street and great preparation was made for the yong kings Coronation in which time the Duke of Glocester being made Protector caused Sir Anthony VVoodvile Lord Scales the Queenes brother the Lord Richard the Queenes son Sir Richard Hawt and Sir Thomas to be beheaded at Pomfret more out of his owne tyranny then any The protectors tyranny trespasse by them committed next to further his aspiring purpose Hee covertly sounded the hearts of the Nobility how they stood affected and to that end cold many counsailes and amongst others he found the Lord Hastings then Lord Chamberlaine constant to the supporture of king Edward the Fourths Issue Upon the thirteenth of Iune being in the Counsel Chamber at the Tower with the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Derby the Lord A
counsell held at the Tower Hastings and others Hee caused an out-cry of Treason to be made in the next roome at which the Lords were amerc'd and he himselfe went to the doore and received such persons in as he had before appointed who laid hand upon the Lord Hastings in which stirring the Earle of The death of the Lord Hastings Derby was hurt in the face and for a while committed to safe custody but the Lord Chamberlaine in all haste was led to the Hill within the Tower and without judgement or long confession his head laid upon a log and cut off by the Executioner after which cruelty thus done all such as he suspected would oppose him in his claime to the Crowne hee put in hold whereof the Archbishop of Yorke and the Bishop of Ely were two but the Earle of Derby for feare his sonne Lord Strange should have raised the Cheshire and Lancashire men hee set at liberty to goe where he pleased Upon the sunday following himselfe and the Duke of Buckingham being present with others of the Nobility Doctor Ralph Shaa in the time of his Sermon laboured to prove the children The effect of D. Shaaâ—… Sermon at Pauls â—…osse of Edward the Fourth illegitimate and not right beires to the Crowne preferring the title of the Protector at whom was flung a dagger which stucke in the post close by his face but none knew or at the least would acknowledge from whence it came which Doctor who before had a great opinion of learning having by this Sermon lost all his reputation dyed as some say distracted not many days after Upon the Tuesday following the Commons of the City were assembled at Guild-hall whither The Duke of Buckinghams oration in the Guild hall was sent by the Protectour the Duke of Buckingham with other Lords by whom was rehearsed to the Major the rest what title the Lord Protectour had to the Crowne before his Nephews which in an excellent Oration was delivered by the Duke of Buckingham whom they applauded for the manner but no way approved the matter of his speech for it took no effect amongst them all departing silent and keeping their thoughts to themselves then the Tuesday succeeding being the twentieth day of Iune the Protector of himselfe took upon him as King and Governour of the Realme and rode The Protectour takes upon him to be King in great state to Westminster and in the great Hall placing himselfe in the seat Royall with the Duke of Norfolke who was before Lord Howard on the right hand and the Duke of Suffolke on the left after the royall Oath taken hee called before him the Iudges and giving them a long exhortation for the executing of his Lawes administring justice with other Ceremonies being done hee was conveyed to the kings palace and there lodged and upon friday The protector proclaimed King by the name of Richard the third being the two and twentieth of Iune throughout the City of London hee was proclaimed king of England by the name of Richard the Third Yet thought he himselfe in no security whilst his two Nephewes in the Tower were living concerning whose death as some have reported hee tasted the Duke of Buckingham but finding him averse to his purpose as in his noble Buckingham not accessary to the Princes deaths spirit abhorring an act so unnaturall and execrable he after sought all advantages how to insidiate his life though hee had been the onely means to raise him to that height of Sovereignty and knowing that it was in vaine to worke any noble or generous mindes to such a bloudy and inhumane purpose hee at length had observed a melancholy and discontented Gentleman called Iames Tirrell to whom some have given the title of a knight and him hee moulded to his owne ends who having the keyes of the Princes lodgings delivered unto him hee hired two bloudy Ruffians who when they were fast asleepe fell upon them and smothered them in their beds But in what place their bodies were buried it is uncertain and thus The murder of the two princes in the tower From the Herculean Lion lately sphear'd And in his Orbe to Iove himself indear'd Two luminous stars without eclipse or cloud As had they been unto some offering vow'd Are perisht on the Altar ere they grow To that full splendor which the world they owe. By the Herculean or Cleomaean Lion is figured the victorious and invincible King Edward the Fourth lately spheared that is by death lately translated above the Spheares to the Celestiall Orbe Heaven and by two shining stars Edward the sift and Richard Duke of Yorke c. the rest needeth no comment CHAP. 30. Dissention betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham Richard insidiateth the life of Richmond Buckingham takes armes against the King and is beheaded Banister perfidious to his Lord Queen Annes policy and tyranny His Laws Richmond landeth at Milford Haven The battaile at Bosworth The death of Richard Richmond made King A prophesie of his Reigne c. RIchard the Third of that name son to Richard Duke of Yorke and youngest brother to Edward the Fourth late King began his Dominion over the Realme of England the twentieth day of Iune in the yeere of the Incarnation of our Lord one thousand foure hundred fourescore and three with whose Reigne I proceed Some say the Noble Duke of Buckingham Difference betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham came to demand of him the Earle of Herefords Land promised him before he was King which hee not onely denied him but gave him rough and harsh language which the Duke in regard of his former courtesies done unto him and not only knowing his ingratitude but with all his malicious spleene against any that should in the least oppose him in his bloudy and most cruell designes he therefore retyred himselfe from Court and after some discourse held with Bishop Morton who was the Kings prisoner and in his custody he was brought to have intelligence from the Queen and the Countesse of Derby by whose instigation hee after laboured to bring in Henry Richmond then a banisht man in the Court of the Duke of Britaine but from Buckinghams plots against the King the house of Lancaster the next heire to the Crown Whilst these things were in secret agitation the King laboured by all meanes possible of friends gifts promises and the like to take away the life of the Earle whose projects and Richard labors to supplant Richmon pursuits too long here to rehearse he miraculously escaped only comforted by some Noble Englishmen some compulsively banisht others voluntarily exiling themselves all partners in one and the same calamity in which interim the Duke of Buckinghams intent of innovation some think by his perfidious servant Banister was discovered to the King therefore for his Buckingham taketh arms owne security he was forced to take armes but many of his friends failing
But none without their faults since Adams fal He shall have many vertues but not all Who never spares for who can fraeilty trust Man in his rage or woman in his lust CHAP. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife Hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-Field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queene the Kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made Knight of the Garter Peace with France Both Kings defie the Emperour The death of Cardinall Wolsey Henry divorced from his first wife Marrieth the Lady Anne Bulloigne Her death He marrieth the Lady Iane Seimour He revolteth from Rome The Earle of Hartfords victories in Scotland Bulloigne besieged and wonne HEnry the Seventh who was loth to part with the Dower of the Spanish princesse wrought so by a Dispensation from the pope that his sonne prince Henry was married to the late Widdow of his own brother prince Arthur deceased who comming to the Crown some say by the counsell of his Father on his death-bed put to death Empson and Dudley who had gathered a great masse of money into the Kings treasury by exacting and extorting from the Commons of whom they were extreamly hated for which piece of justice he wonne the hearts of the people and soone after was borne at Richmond upon New yeares The birth and death of prince Henry day prince Henry the Kings sonne who died upon S. Matthews day the yeere following and soon after was the Lord Dacres sent into Spaine to aide the King against the Moores and Sir Edward Poynings into Gelderland to aide the prince of Castile And in his fourth yeere the King in person invaded France and tooke Turwin and Turney having discomfited the French King Henry aydeth Spaine invadeth France Floden Field in which the K. of Scots was slain Hoast at a place called Blewmy during which time the Scotch King raised against England an hundred thousand men whom the Earle of Surry the Kings Lievtenant encountred at a place called Flodden in which battaile the King himselfe was slaine with eight Bishops and eleven Earles besides of the common souldiers innumerable for which service by him done King Henry created him Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Earle of Surrey In his sixt yeere a peace was concluded betwixt England and France and in the seventh Peace betwixt England and France yeere the French King espoused the Lady Mary the Kings sister in the moneth of Iune and died upon New yeares day next ensuing wherefore The birth of the Lady Mary Charles Brandon married to the French Queen Mary the kings sister the King sent for her againe by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke In February was borne the Lady Mary the Kings Daughter at Greenwich and in Aprill the French Queene came over into England and was married to the foresaid Duke of Suffolke in which yeere also Margaret Queene of Scots the Kings sister fled into England and lay at a place called Hare-bottle where she was delivered of a daughter called Margaret and came to London in May and tarried here a whole yeer and upon the eighth of May following returned again into her Country In October the tenth yeer of the King the Admirall An enteâ—… view betwixt the Kings of England and France of France came into England and Tournay was delivered againe to the French King whom after Henry met between Arde and Guiens where were great Triumphs after there was a solemne meeting betwixt the Emperour and Charles the fift and the King of England who went with him to Graveling and after hee went to Calice with the King where hee was royally entertained and feasted who in the thirteenth of the King the sixt of Iune was honourably received Charles the fift Emperor made Knight of the Garter into the City of London by the Lord Major the Aldermen and the Communalty who from London went to meet the King at Windsore where he was made Knight of the Garter which was done with great solemnity and then from Southampton hee sailed into Spain soone after Christian King of Denmarke came into England and had Royall entertainment from the King During these passages the Earle of Surrey Lord Admirall who before had appeased the tumults and manifold combustions stirred up in Britain Picardy France invaded by the English Ireland burnt divers Townes in Britaine and Picardy and the Duke of Suffolke invaded France with 10000 men and passing the River of Some spoyled many Towns and Villages and returned without opposition and the Duke of Albany in Scotland who before had made a vain e attempr against England besieged the Castle of Wark but hearing of the Earle of Surreys marching towards him he fled into his Countrey In the eighteenth yeere of the King Cardinall Cardinall Wolsey Embassadour into France Wolsey went over into France pompously attended where he concluded a league betwixt the King of England and the French King who both defied the Emperour and sent an Army into Italy to make war against him and upon the nineteenth of October the great Master of England and France defied the Emperour France came over to England to ratifie the League made betwixt the two Kings all which verifie that part of the prediction Rouze him shall this fierce Lion in his den Be favoured of the gods and fear'd of men Gallia shall quake Albania stand in awe And Caesars stoop when he but shews his paw To league with him Hesperia shall take pride Those whom the Africke Moores halfe blacke have dyde By Albania is meant Seotland so called from Albanactus the second sonne of Brute the first King thereof and by Hesperia Spaine who after the African Moores had long possessed the greatest part of the Land by enterchangable merceage betwixt them and the Natives the Spaniards are black and tawny even to this day In the one and twentieth yeare the King having cast his eye upon a new Mistris pretending A divorce sought by the King betwixt him and Queen Katherine a matter of conscience hee began to consider with himselfe that hee had long incestucusly lived with his brothers wife for which cause the Legats of Rome met with the King at Black Fryers about the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of that marriage Amongst the rest Cardinall Wolsey standing stiffe against a Divorce in October following was discharged of his Chancellourship and presently after was a peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and the King and in the yeere after the great Cardinall who had been arrested of high Treason and by that meanes forfeited his infinite estate to the The death of Card. Wolsey King died on Saint Andrews in a poore Fryery not without suspition of poyson After by a legall course and due processe of Law the king was divorced from the Lady Katherine his brothers wife and soone after married to the Lady Anne Bulloigne who upon The King married
to the Lady Anne Bolloigne Whitsunday was crowned Queene and on Midsommer day following dyed the French Queene Mary the kings sister and wife to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke And on the Eve of the Nativity of the blessed Virgin following was born the Lady Elizabeth at Greenwich in which The birth of the Lady Elizabe◅h yeere as an happy presage of her future love unto the Gospell it was enacted that no man should sue any appeale to Rome In Ianuary the seven and twentieth of the King died the Lady Katherine princesse Dowager The death of Q. Katherine late wife to the King and in the 28 of his Reigne Queene Anne Bolloigne with her brother the Lord Rochford Noris Weston Breerton and Marks were attainted of high Treason and The King married to the Lady Iane Seymour beheaded and soone after the King married the Lady Iane Seymour in the yeere one thousand five hundred thirty seven on Saint Edwards eve in Iune Prince Edward was borne at Hampton The birth of Pr. Edward Court and the three and twentieth of October following died Queene Iane and lyeth buried at Windsore then was the Bishop of Rome with all his usurped power quite abolished out of the Realme and the King assumed to himselfe the supremacy over the Church in England and Ireland to whom were granted the first-fruits before The death of Sir Thomas Moore c. paid to the pope with the Tenths of all spirituall possessions For denying of whose Supremacy that famous and learned Gentleman Sir Thomas Moore Lord Chancellour of England with the Bishop of Rochester were beheaded and presently after three Monks of the Charterhouse for the some offence Then followed the dissolution of all the Abbeys Fryeries and Nunneries through the whole Realme when the Masse and all Romish Superstitions were forbidden and divers Images that had Engines to make their eyes open and shut and their other limbes to move and stirre were broken to pieces and defaced and all Fryers Monks Canons and Nuns were forced to change their Habits and forsake their Cloysters A proclamation also was made which hath beene since establisht as a Law that the English Bible should bee read in every Church The English Bible commanded to bee read in Churches throughout the Realme and that no Holydayes should be solemnized and observed except our Ladydayes the Apostles the Evangelists Saint George and Saint Mary Magdalen and that Saint Marks Eve and Saint Lawrence Eve should not be kept as fasting days And that children should not goe decked and garnished as they doe on Feasting dayes upon Saint Nicholas Saint Katherine Saint Clements and the holy Innocents and the like all which comply with the prophesie He from the sceptarchy of Hils That Europe aws and triple-crown that fils The Christiā world with terror takes the power And brings it home unto his British bower Blunting the horns of all the Bashan Buls And rooting from the Land the razord skuls By the Sceptarchy of Hils meaning the seven Hils on which the City Rome standeth and further The prophefie explained taking on himselfe to be the supreme Head of the Church within his own Dominions he takes away that power from the Popes Triple-crowne to which all the Christian Kingdomes else were in vassallage By blunting the hornes of the Bashan Buls meaning the Popes Writs of Excommunications Interdictions Anathemaes or Cursings which are called his Buls the terrour whereof hee now vilifies and sets at nought by rooting the rozard sculs from the Land is meant the suppression of Fryers Divers who suffered for denying the Kings Supremacie and Monks who had the upper part of their heads alwayes shaven c. Many were those who suffered for denying the Supremacie as Fryer Forrest who was hanged and burnt in Smith-field with the Image of Darvell Gathren in Wales and for the same offence suffered the Abbots of Reading of Colchester and the great rich Abbot of Glastenbury whose name was Whiting whom the King commanded to be hanged upon the top of the Tower an eminent place and visibly afarre for which way soever a man travels towards that Towne it may be seene twenty miles distant now it seem'd a thing impossible that the Sea with his greatest inundation should swell so high that any Fish should float over or upon it yet so saith the prophesie and all such are mystically delivered parabolically or in allegoricall figures O're Glastenbury for the eye that 's dim May at that day behold a Whiting swim The place being so conspicuous and apparant that one with halfe an eye might see his body waving betwixt the two Elements of Earth and Aire After diverse rebellions in Ireland for which Rebellions in Ireland the Earle of Kildare was committed and died a naturall death during his imprisonment in the Tower and that his sonne made a new insurrection and slew the Bishop of Develin and that for another Rebellion Thomas Fitzgarret with five of his Vncles were drawne hanged and quartered and that the Lord Leonard Gray was beheaded on the Tower-hill for divers Treasons done in Ireland during the time hee was there Deputy for the King yet the King so wisely and discreetly demeaned himselfe towards that Nation that in the thirtieth third yeare of his reigne the Earle of Desmond and the great Oneile submitted themselves to his mercy and grace after which the great Oneile The great Oneile made Earle of Tyron was created Earle of Tyron and his son Baron of Doncannon Thus you see He by his Art could fashion Musicall grounds From th' untun'd harp that discords only sounds By the Harpe which is the Armes of the kingdome meaning Ireland it selfe c. For Treason also were beheaded at the Tower-Hill Thomas Cromwell Earle of Essex and Vicar generall The death of Cromwel Earle of Essex of England who had beene once a faithfull servant to Cardinall Woolsey and after entertained and raised by the King who as it is commonly voyc't put it first into the kings head to pull downe the Abbyes and make a dissolution of the Monasteries and with him dyed the Lord Hungerford In the thirty fift yeare of the king the Earle of Hartford being made Livetenant Generall for his warres in Scotland in regard of divers affronts given him the fourth of May he landed at Leith burning and destroying the Countrey sparing neither Castle Towne Pile nor The Earle of Hartfords voy age into Scotland village for hee ransacked and laid waste the Borrough and towne of Edenborrow with the Abbey called Holy rood house and the Kings Palace neare adjoyning the Towne of Leith also with the Haven and Pire the Castle and Village of Cragmiller the Abbey of New Bottell with part of Muskelborrough Towne the Chappell of the Lady of Lauret Preston Town the Castle of Harinton Towne with the Friers and Nunnery a Castle of Oliver Sanckers the Towne of Dundbarre Laureston with the Grange Vrilaw
his pious devotion then Roman Iulius did for Rome in his great magnanimity and prowesse Now to prove that King Edward was a Caesar To prove King Edward a Caesar. the young Lady Iane Seymour being at Hampton Court when the time of her teeming came and there was small hope of her delivery news was brought to the King that her throes were violent upon her and that the Infant could not be brought into the world but by the death of the mother For by preserving the one the other must needs perish When that his pleasure was demanded what was to be done in so strict an exigent Hee commanded that the child should be cut from the wombe saying Sure I am that I can have more wives but uncertaine I am whether I can have more children c. Upon the sixt day of Iuly in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty three Iohn Barnes The death of Edward the sixt Mercer being Lord Major and William Garret and Iohn Mainard Sheriffs at Greenwich departed out of this world King Edward of that name the sixth in the sixteenth of his age and the seventh of his Reigne whom some say that hee died of a pleurisie others that hee was poysoned by a Nosegay For it was generally murmured by the people that the Uncles being removed the Nephew could not long remaine after which best complyes with the former calculation which saith Then fall must this faire structure built on hie And th' English like the Roman Caesar die The first made away in the Court the other murdered in the Capitoll of which hopefull and toward Prince this character is left to future memory Hee was carefull for the establishing of the Protestant Religion to have it flourish through His Character His zeale to the propagation of true Religion all his Dominions The Masse hee abolished and Images demolished the learned men of his time he greatly incouraged moving them to interpret the Scriptures to the capacities of the vulgar and commanded the Liturgie and Common Prayers to bee read in the English tongue In his minority hee had maturity of judgement and was literated in all the Arts liberall of a retentive memory He knew all the Ports and Havens in England France Scotland and Ireland being as well acquainted with their scites as their names In the Greeke Latin French Italian and Spanish Tongues extraordinarily verst in Logicke Morall Philosophy and the Mathematicks conversant in Cicero Livy Tacitus and Salust frequent Hesiod and Sophocles His knowledge in all kindes of literature he understood and was able to interpret Isocrates from the originall He was wisely witty even to wonder his body featured and his minde modelled almost to miracles religiously he lived devoutly he dyde that he breath'd his last it is certaine but where his body lyes buried to us most uncertain CHAP. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Queene Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary Hee is arrested of high Treason The Coronation of Queen Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray Her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope His comming into England and made Archbishop of Canterbury His death THe two ambitious Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke thinking to disable the two sisters Mary and The ambition of the two Dukes Elizabeth the daughters of King Henry the Eighth from any lawfull claime to the Crowne as reputing them no better then bastards had made a matcht betwixt Guilford Dudley the fourth sonne to Northumberland and the Lady Iane Gray sole daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and pretending that King Edward in his last will nominated her Heire apparant to the Crowne after his death they caused the said Lady Iane presently upon the Kings death Iune the tenth to be proclaimed Queene and true and immediate Heire to the Kingdome The Lady Iane Gray proclaimed Queen in sundry places of the City of London which proved to her utter ruine The Lady Mary being at that time at Framingham The Suffolke men adhere to the Lady Mary in Suffolke was much troubled at the report of such disastrous news which the more perplexed her because she had intelligence that it was done by the Nobility and the whole body of the Councell to whom the Suffolke men assembling as not liking such shuffling in state proffered her their voluntary assistance to possesse her in her lawfull and indubitate inheritance Before which time The great Duke of Northumberland having a large Commission granted him by the Lords of the Councell and Northumberlands Commission to fetch in the Lady Mary signed with the great Seale of England had raised an army with intent both to suppresse and surprize the Lady Mary which was no sooner advanced and the rising of the Suffolke men bruited at Court but the Lords in generall either for feare of the Commons or repenting them of the injury done unto the rightfull Inheritrix they sent a countermand after the Duke to lay by his Armes who when he thought himselfe in his greatest power being abandoned by the Nobility he was also forsaken of the Commons so that at Cambridge hee with his sonnes and some few servants were left alone who thinking thereby to make his peace in the open market place proclaimed the Lady Mary Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. notwithstanding which in Kings Colledge hee was arrested of high Treason and Northumberland arrested of high treason from thence brought up to London and committed to the Tower Then was the Lady Mary generally received as Queen so proclaimed through the Kingdom the twentieth of Iuly and the third of August The Lady Mary received for Queen following shee tooke possession of the Tower and during her abode there released all the Romish Bishops there imprisoned From thence she road in great state through London towards her palace of Westminster where shee was solemnely crowned by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester her sister the Lady Elizabeth being present at her Coronation Of this Queene and her Reign it is thus predicted Then shall the masculine Scepter cease to sway A prediction of her and her Reigne And to a Spinster the whole Land obey Who to the Papall Monarchy shall restore All that the Phoenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the faggot and the stake And they of Convert bodies bonefires make Match shall this Lionesse with Caesars sonne From the Pontifick sea a pool shall runne That wide shal spread it's waters and to a flood In time shal grow made red with martyrs blood Men shall her short unprosperous Reigne deplore By losse at sea and damage on the shore Whose heart being dissected you in it May in large characters find Calice writ Now ceased the Heire Male to Reign and the Scepter was disposed to
Philips demeanour to the people Hat sutable and a white Feather in it with a rich Orient Iewell all the way as he passed he turned himselfe to the people on both sides with a pleasant Countenance and after supper which was about ten of Clocke certaine of the Counsaile by a private way brought him to the Queene who entertained him graciously His first meeting with the Queene and lovingly they had conference together abouthalfean houre in the Spanish tongue w ch ended he tooke his leave and was conducted backe to his lodging Upon the Tuesday following about three of clocke in the afternoon he came from his lodging on foote attended by the Lord Steward the Earle of Darby the Earle of Pembrook and other Lords and Gentlemen as well strangers as English and that day he was attired in a cloake of blacke Spanish cloth imbroydered about with Silver a paire of white silke stockings and the Garter of the Order about his legge where he shewed himselfe His apparrell freely and openly to all men at his entrance into the Court loud Musicke was heard and in the great Hall the Queen met and kissed him before all the people then she taking the right hand they went together in the presence Chamber and talked under the cloth of state about a quarter of an houre He then took leave of her Majesty and comming into the open Court the Pensioners and Yeomen of the Guard stood on both sides as farre as the Gate from whence the Lords conducted him to the Cathedrall where hee heard Evensong which ended they brought Him backe to His lodging with Torch-light and so left him The same night the Emperor sent a Message to the Queene to give her to understand that P. Philip made K. of Naples and Hierusalem his sonne was not a Prince onely but a King of Hierusalem and Naples with other dominions after mentioned in his style Upon Saint Iames his day being the five and twentieth of Iuly about eleven of clocke in the morning the King and Queene came from their lodgings towards the Church on foot both richly attyred in Gownes of cloath of Gold set with pearle stones and jemmes he with his Guard and the with hers either having a Sword born before them before her by the Earle of The Ceremonies before the marriage Darby before him by the Earle of Pembrooke being câ—…me unto the Church he went to one Altar and she to another hanged with Curtaines of Cloth of gold which being after drawne it was imagined that they were there shriven after they came from their places and meeting they very lovingly saluted each other hee also being at that time bare-headed Then sixe Bishops went to the place prepared for the Nuptiall Ceremony the King standing on the left hand and she on the right Then the Lord Chancellour asked the Banes betwixt them first in Latin and then in English The Ring was a plaine hoope of gold without any The solemnization of the marriage betwixt king Philip and Queen Mary stone For she desired to be marryed as Maids used to bee of old the Nuptialls being ended the King and Queene went hand in hand under a sumptuous Canopy by sixe Knights borne over them and two swords carryed before them comming before the Altar they kneeled down with either of them a lighted Tapor in their hands then they arose and withdrew she into a Traverse on the right side He into another on the left After the Gospell read they again appeared and kneeled before the Altar all the time of Masse which being ended the King of Heraulds openly proclaimed their Majesties King and Queene with these Titles following Philip and Mary by the Grace of God King Their Royall titles and Queene of England France Naples Hierusalem and Ireland defenders of the Faith King and Queene of Spaine Sicilia Leon and Arragon Arch-Dukes of Austria Dukes of Millaine Burgundy and Brabant Counties of Husburgh Flanders and Tyroll Lords of the Islands of Sardinia Majorcha Minorcha of the Firme land and the great Ocean Sea Palatines of Henault and the holy Empire Lords of Freezeland and of the Isles and governours of all Asia and Affrica The Trumpets ceasing the King and Queen came forth hand in hand royally attended and so went on foote to the Court and dyned together openly in the Hall at one Table Thus you see The Lionesse hath matcht with Caesars sonne I have beene the longer in this Relation to shew the magnificent solemnities of Princely Nuptialls in those times used The eighteenth of August the King and Queene went to Suffolke place in Southwarke and there dyned after Dinner they rode together over London Bridge and so past through the City the streets Their entertainment into the City of London being hanged sumptuously and divers pageants and Showes presented unto them having relation to their persons and the great joy of the people conceived at their Royall Marriage and unity of the Nations being after received by the Bishop of London into the Cathedrall Church of St. Paul with Procession where having done their devotion they rode on in great state towards their palace at Westminster Then came divers Embassadours from severall Countries from Russia Poland Denmarke Hungary Naples c. to gratulate the Nuptialls of these two potent princes After it was bruited that the Queene was with Child for which there was great thanksgiving The Queen rumoured to be with child and prayers through all the Churches of London for her safe delivery to come and King Philip chosen to bee protector of the Infant Male or female by a decree in parliament in case the Queene should miscarry in Childe-birth But some having whispered in his head that hee should be deluded by a supposititious infant prepared for that purpose and loath that a conterfeit should bee heire to all his Realmes and dominions hee would not depart the Chamber at the time of her delivery by which the plot tooke no effect and bred some distaste betwixt the King and the Queene Againe to King Philip favoured the Lady Elizab. second this the King greatly favoured the Lady Elizabeth and observing what Tyranny was used against the dejected princesse hee began to be somewhat jealous of the English Nation and their proceeding in state apprehending that if they insidiated the life of a Native being their Queene and Soveraignes sister with what small scruple of Conscience might they ayme to supplant him or any of his followers who were aliens and strangers which made him so suddainly to forsake the Queene and the Land his excuse being to visit his Father the King Philip leaveth the Land Emperour and to take possession of the Low Countries to the great sorrow of her Majesty of whom hee tooke his leave the fourth day of September In her dayes Calais was lost by the English Callis lost by the English and taken by the French by the ill management of the State