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A29737 A chronicle of the Kings of England, from the time of the Romans goverment [sic] unto the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King Charles containing all passages of state or church, with all other observations proper for a chronicle / faithfully collected out of authours ancient and moderne, & digested into a new method ; by Sr. R. Baker, Knight. Baker, Richard, Sir, 1568-1645. 1643 (1643) Wing B501; ESTC R4846 871,115 630

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the yeare 1290. in the time of King Edward the first 44 Thomas Langford an Englishman a Dominican Fryer of Chemsford in Essex writ an Universall Chronicle from the beginning of the world to his owne time and lived in the yeare 1320. in the time of King Edward the second 45 Radulphus de Rizeto an Englishman writ a Chronicle of the English Nation and lived about the yeare 1210. in the time of King John 46 Robertus Montensis a benedictine Monke writ a Chronicle from the yeare 1112. to the yeare 1210. at which time he lived 47 Johannes Burgensis an Englishman a benedictine Monke writ Annals of the English Nation 48 Thomas Spot●ey an Englishman a benedictine Fryer of Canterbury writ the Chronicles of Canterbury and lived about the time of King Edward the second 49 Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis called Florilegus for collecting Flores Historiarum chiefly of Bri●aine containing from the beginning of the world to the yeare 1307. about which time he lived 50 Ranulphus Higden a benedictine Monke of Chester writ a Booke which he called Polychronicon containing from the beginning of the world to the sixteenth yeare of King Edward the third in whose time he lived 51 Matthew Paris a benedictine Monke of Saint Albans writ a History chiefly Ecclesiasticall of the English Nation from William the Conquerour to the last yeare of King Henry the third and lived about the time of King Edward the third 52 William Pachenton an Englishman writ a History of the English Nation and lived about the tim● of King Edward the third 53 Bartholmeus Anglicus a Franciscan Fryer writ a Booke Intituled De Proprietatibus rerum and a Chronicle of the Scots and lived in the yeare 1360. in the time of King Edward the third 54 Nicholas Trivet borne in Norfolke of a worshipfull Family became a Domidican Fryer writ many excellent workes in Divinity and Philosophy also Annals of the English Kings from King Stephen to King Edward the second and lived in the yeare 1307. in the time of King Edward the third 55. Alexander Essebiensis Pryor of a Monastery of Regular Canons writ divers learned workes amongst other an Epitome of the British History and lived in the yeare 1360. in the time of King Edward the third 56 John Froyssart borne in the Low Countries writ a Chronicle in the French tongue containing seventy foure yeares Namely beginning with King Edward the third and ●nding with King Henry the fourth in whose time he lived whose Chronicle Sir John Bourchier knight translated into English and John Sleyden a French man hath lately contracted into an Epitome 57 Thomas de la Moore borne in Glocestershire in the time of King Edward the first by whom as having twenty pounds land holden by knights service he was made a Knight and afterward being very inward with King Edward the second writ a History of his life and death 58 Thomas Rodbourne an Englishman and a Bishop writ a Chronicle of his Nation and lived in the yeare 1412. in the time of King Henry the fourth 59 John Trevisa borne in Glocestershire a Priest translated Polychronicon into English adding to it an Eighth Book Intituled De Memorabilibus eorum temporum containing from the yeare 1342. to the yeare 1460. He writ also of the Acts of King Arthur and Descriptions both of Britaine and Ireland and lived in the time of King Edward the fourth 60 John Harding a Gentleman of a good Family in the North writ a Chronicle in verse of the Kings of England to the Reigne of King Edward the fourth wh●rein he all●dgeth many Records which he had got in Scotland that testifie the Scottish Kings submissions to the Kings of England he lived in the yeare 1448. in the time of King Henry the sixth 61 John Capgrave borne in Kent an Hermit Fryer writ many learned workes in Divinity and a Catalogue of the English Saints and lived in the yeare 1464. in the time of King Edward the fourth 62 John Lydgate Monke of Saint Edmundsbury in Suffolke writ divers workes in verse and some in prose as the lives of King Edward and King Ethelstan of the round Table of King Arthur and lived in the yeare 1470. in the time of King Edward the fourth 63 John Weathamstead Abbot of Saint Albans in his worke of English Affaires accuseth Geoffrey of Monmouth of meere Fabulousnesse and lived about the yeare 1440. 64 Gulielmus Elphinston a Scotchman Bishop of Aberdene writ the Antiquiti●s of Scotland and the Statutes of Councells and lived in the yeare 1480. in the time of James the third King of Scotland 65 George Buchanan a Scotchman writ the story of Scotland from Fergusius to Queene Mary in whose time he lived 66 William Caxton an Englishman writ a Chronicle to the three and twentyeth yeare of King Edward the Fourth which he cals Fructus Temporum also a Description of Britaine the life of Saint Edward and the History of King Arthur and lived in the yeare 1484. 67 Thomas Walsingham borne in Norfolke a Benedictine Monke of Saint Albans writ two Histories One shorter the other larger the first beginning from the yeare 1273. and continued to the yeare 1423. The other beginning at the comming in of the Normans and continued to the beginning of King Henry the sixth to whom he Dedicated his worke 68 Robert Fabian a Sheriffe of London writ a Concordance of Histories from Brute the first King of the Britaines to the last yeare of King Henry the second and another worke from King Richard the first to King Henry the seventh in whose time he lived 69 Sir Thomas Moore borne in London Lord Chancellour of England besides many other learned workes writ the Life of King Richard the third and dyed for denying the Kings Supremacy in the Reigne of King Henry the Eight in the yeare 1535. 70 Hector Boethius a Scotchman writ a Catalogue and History of the Kings of Scotland also a Description of that kingdome and lived in the yeare 1526. in the time of James the fifth King of Scotland 71 Polydor Virgill an Italian but made here in England Arch-deacon of Wells amongst other his learned workes writ the History of England from its first beginning to the thirtyeth yeare of King Henry the Eighth to whom he Dedicated his Worke. 72 Edward Hall a Lawyer writ a Chronicle which he cals the Union of the two Roses the Red and the White containing from the beginning of King Henry the fourth to the last yeare of King Henry the eighth and dyed in the yeare 1547. 73 John Leland a Londoner amongst divers other workes writ a Booke of the Antiquity of Britaine and of the famous men and Bishops in it and lived in the yeare 1546. in the time of King Henry the Eighth 74 John Rogers first a Papist and afterward a Protestant amongst other his learned workes writ a History from the beginning of the world and lived most in Germany in the yeare 1548. in the time of King Edward the sixth
75 Philip Commines a knight of Flanders writ the lives of Lewis Charles the Eighth Kings of France wherein he handles many passages betweene them and the Kings of England their contemporaries Of the Moderne These 76 Richard Grafton a Citizen of London writ a Chronicle from the beginning of the world to the beginning of the Reign of Queene Elizabeth in whose time he lived 77 Raphaell Holinshed a Minister writ a large Chronicle from the Conquest to the yeare 1577. and was continued by others to the yeare 1586. 78 Doctor Goodwin Bishop of Hereford writ the Lives of King Henry the eight King Edward the sixth and Queen Mary lived in the time of Qu. Elizabeth 79 Doctor Heyward writ the History of the first Kings William the Conquerour William Rufus and Henry the first also the Reigne of King Henry the fourth and Edward the sixth and lived to the time of King James 80 Samuel Daniel writ a Chronicle of the Kings of England to the end of King Edward the third and is continued by John Trussell to the beginning of King Henry the seventh 81 Sir Francis Bacon Viscount Viscount S. Albans hath written a History of the Reigne of King Henry the seventh in a most elegant stile and lived in the time of King James 82 John Fox writ three large Volumes of the Acts and Monuments of the Church particularly treating of the English Martyrs in the Reignes of King Henry the eighth and Queene Mary and lived in the time of Queene Elizabeth 83 Thomas Cowper Bishop of Winchester writ Chronicle Notes of all Nations specially of England from the beginning of the world to his owne time and lived in the time of Queene Elizabeth 84 William Camden King at Armes writ the life of Queene Elizabeth and a Description of Britaine and lived in the time of King James 85 William Martin Esquire writ the Reignes of the Kings of England from William the Conquerour to the end of King Henry the eighth to which was afterward added the Reignes of King Edward the sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth 86 Francis Biondi an Italian Gentleman and of the Privy Chamber to King Charles hath written in the Italian tongue the Civill Warres between the two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke from King Richard the second to King Henry the seventh Translated elegantly into English by Henry Earle of Monmouth now living 87 Henry Isaacson a Londoner hath written a Chronology of all kingdoms from the beginning of the world to the yeare 1630. being the fifth yeare of King Charles his Reigne 88 Nicholas Harpsefield Arch-deacon of Canterbury hath written a Chronicle of all the Bishops of England to which Edmund Campian the Iesuite made an Addition 89 John Stow Citizen of London writ a Chronicle from Brute to the end of Qu. Elizabeth and is continued to this present time being the 18. yeare of King Charles by Edmund Howe 's a Londoner 90 John Speed a Londoner writ the Story of Britaine from the first beginning to the yeare 1605. being the second yeare of King James 91 William Abington Esquire hath written the Reign of King Edward the fourth in a very fine stile and is yet living 92 Thomas Fuller Batchelour of Divinity and Prebendary of Sarum hath written the Holy Warre in very fine language wherein he relates the Acts of our Kings of England in the Holy Land and is now living 93 Andre du Chesne a Frenchman Geographer to the King of France hath written the History of England Scotland Ireland from their first beginnings to the seventeenth yeare of our present Soveraigne Lord King Charles The end of the Catalogue of Authors A CHRONICLE OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND from the time of the Romans Government unto the Raigne of King CHARLES Of the first knowne times of this Island ALthough we begin the Aera of our Computation from William called the Conquerour as though he were the first King of our English Nation Yet before him were many other excellent Kings and their Acts perhaps as worthy to bee knowne if they could be knowne But seeing after ages can know nothing of former times but what is Recorded by writing It hath followed that as the first Writers were Poets So the first writings have been Fictions and nothing is delivered to Posterity of the most ancient times but very Fables Such as is the story of Albina of whom they say this Island was called Albion though others say ab albis rupibus of the white cliffes that shee should be● the eldest of the two and thirty daughters of Dioclesian King of Syria such as never was who being marryed to two and thirty Kings in one night killed all their husbands for which fact they were put in a shippe themselves alone without any Pylo● so to try their adventure and by chance arrived in this Island of whom Gyants were begotten And if you like not of this then have you the story of Albion the sonne of Neptune of whom the Island tooke its name But when these are exploded there followes another with great Attestation and yet as very a Fable as these namely the story of the Trojan Brute of whom the Island they say was called Britaine though many other causes are given of the name as likewise the story of Brutes cosin Corinaeus of whom they say the Country of Cornwall had its name to whom it was given for overcomming the Giant Gogmagog and that Brute having three sonnes Lectrine Albanact and Camber he gave at his death to his eldest sonne Locrine all the land on this side Humber and called it Lo●gria to his second sonne Albanact all the land beyond Humber of whom it was called Albania now Scotland and to his youngest sonne Camber all the land beyond the river of Severne of whom it was called Cambria now Wales with other such stuffe which may please children but not riper Judgements and were first broached by Geoffry Archdeacon of Monmouth for which all the Writers of his time cryed shame upon him and yet can scarce keepe many at this day from giving credit to his Fictions And when we are once gotten out of Fables and come to some truth yet that truth is delivered in such slender draughts and such broken pieces that very small benefit can be gotten by the knowing it and was not till the time of Iulius Caesar a thousand yeares after the Fable of Brute at which time the Island was yet but in manner of a Village being without Walls as having no shipping which are indeed the true Wals of an Island but onely certaine small vessels made of boards and wicker And as they had no ships for defence without So neither had they any Forts for defence within scarce any houses but such as were made of stakes and boughes of trees fastned together Neither was it yet come to be a Kingdome but was Governed by a number of petty Rulers So as Kent onely had in it as Caesar calleth them foure Kings
VERA EFFIGIES EXCELLENTISSIMI PRINCIPIS CAROLI MAG BRITAN FRAN. HIBERNIAE HAEREDIS Viuat ô Viuat Princeps CAROLINUS et Orbi Imperet in̄umeris decorans sua sêcla Triumphis Flourish braue Prince out shine thy Glorious Name Triumphant Laurels ever Crowne thy Fame CAROLUS inter Reges ut Lilium inter Flores VEROLAM LINCO●●● LONDON YORK A ROMAN A SAXON A DANE A NO●●●● CHRONICLE OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND From the Time of the ROMANS Goverment unto the Raigne of our Soveraigne LORD KING CHARLES Containing all Passages of State Church With all other Observations proper for a CHRONICLE Faithfully Collected out of Authours Ancient and Moderne digested into a new Method By Sr R. Baker Knight LONDON Printed for Daniel Frere and are to be sold at his Shop at the Red Bull in Little Brittaine 1643. To the High and Mighty Prince CHARLES Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornewall Eldest Sonne of our Soveraigne Lord CHARLES King of Great Britaine France and IRELAND SIR THE Dedication of Chronicles hath in all times been thought worthy of the greatest Princes Gulielmus Gemiticensis writ a Chronicle of the Dukes of Normandy and Dedicated it to William the Conquerour Thomas Walsingham writ a Chronicle of the Kings of England and Dedicated it to King Henry the sixth And of late time Sir Francis Bacon Viscount Saint Albans and Lord Chancellour of England writ a History of the Reigne of King Henry the seventh and Dedicated it to Your Royall Grand-Father of blessed memory King Iames For indeed as nothing makes Princes more Illustrious then Learning So no Learning makes them more Judicious then History Other Learning may fill their mindes with knowledge This onely with Judgement And seeing it is Judgement that must sit as President over all their Actions it is fit that History should sit as President over all their Studies History gives an Antedate to Time and brings Experience without gray haires Other Knowledges make You but see Quod antepedes est History is the true perspective Glasse that will make You see things afarre off And though it make not men to become Prophets yet it makes their conjectures to be little lesse then Oracles● But most Illustrious Prince there accrues to your Highnesse by this Chronicle a greater benefit then all this For if it were an Excitation of great force to vertue to have it said Et Pater Aeneas Avunculus excitet Hector of how great Force must it needes be when You shall reade the Noble Acts of so many your worthy Progenitors Some Eternized for their valourous Atchievements in Warre Some for their prudent government in Peace Some Renowned for Mercy some for Justice And although the Example of your Royall Father be not amongst them yet it may be sufficient that while you have the Acts of others upon Record you have his under View by which he seemes to say unto you Disce Puer virtutem exme verumque laborem Fortunam ex aliis And if in any of your Progenitors there appeare as it were Maculae in Orbe Lunae will it not invite you to a higher Orbe that Your Actions may shine with the clearer Beames and then how happy will the eyes be that shall see you sitting in your Throne For my selfe I should account it happinesse enough that I have lived to see the dayes of your Illustrious Father if it were not a great unhappines to see them overcast with clouds yet when these clouds shal be dispel'd will it not make him shine with the greater Splendor And this as old as I am I doubt not to live my selfe to see and having once seene it shal then willingly say my Nunc Dimittis and l●ave the joy of your glorious times for another Age In the meane time prostrating my self humbly at your feet and wishing to your Highnesse as D●iphobus did to Aeneas I Decus I Nostrum Melioribus utere Fatis Your most humble and most devoted Servant RICHARD BAKER An Epistle to the READER THis Booke I suppose will no sooner come abroad but the question will be asked why any man would take so superfluous a Labour to write that which hath been written by so many by some so copiously by some so elegantly that nothing can be added To which Objection I confesse my selfe unable to make a better Answer then by President For when many excellent men had written the Story of the Roman Emperours both accurately and eloquently yet Suetonius Tranquillus comming after them wanted not his part of Commendation For though he added nothing in the matter or substance yet be altered much in the forme and disposition distinguishing that into Classes and Chapters which the former had delivered in one continued Narration as being both lesse tedious to the Reader like a way marked out by Miles and more plainly Informing where Distinction tooke away confusion Besides many have Written the Reignes of our English Kings copiously indeed but so superfluously that much may justly be pared away Some againe Elegantly indeed but so succinctly that much as justly may be added And this if I have endevoured to doe I cannot be blamed If done it I deserve acceptance Againe where many have written the Reignes of some of our Kings excellently as in the way of History yet I may say they have not done it so well in the way of Chronicle For whilst they insist wholly upon matters of State they wholly omit meaner Accidents which yet are Materials as proper for a Chronicle as the other For my selfe if in some places I be found to set downe whole passages as they are already set downe by others and may seeme rather to transcribe then to write yet this I suppose may be excused as being all of one common stocke and no matter from whence the water comes so it come cleane to the Readers use Lastly for the Worke it selfe I dare be bold to say that it hath beene Collected out of Authours both Ancient and Moderne with so great care and diligence that if all other Chronicles should be lost yet this onely would be sufficient to informe Posterity of all passages memorable or worthy to be knowne which of any other generall Chronicle cannot perhaps be said RICHARD BAKER A CATALOGVE OF VVRITERS BOTH ANCIENT AND MODERNE Out of whom this CHRONICLE hath beene Collected 1 GIldas Britannicus surnamed the Wise was the first writer of our English Nation who amongst other his Workes writ a Treatise De Excidio Britanniae He was borne in the year 493. and dyed in the yeare 580. 2 Nennius a Monke of Bangor writ the Story of Britaine and lived about the yeare 620. 3 Venerable Bede a Saxon and a Priest writ the Ecclesiasticall Story of the English Nation from the comming in of Julius Caesar to the yeare 733. about which time he dyed 4 Ethelwardus a writer next to Bede the most ancient writ a generall Chronicle from the Creation to the end of King Edgar 5 Radulphus de Diceto
be abrogated that when a man marryed his Lord should lye the first night with his Bride Which custome by her indevour was altered to a payment in money After these troubles were ended in the North a new trouble ariseth in the West for now the Welsh men hearing of King Williams distractions enter upon the English borders making spoyle and havocke of men and Townes whom King William went with an Army to encounter but could doe no good upon them till he was faine to returne to London and provide him a stronger Army About this time also Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland by whom Malcolme King of Scots was in King Williams service formerly slaine finding his service not rewarded as he expected enters into Conspiracy against the King but the King being informed of the practise seiseth suddenly upon many of his Compl●ces and himselfe after many devises and shifts for flight is taken and put in prison in the Castle of Windsor After this King William to take a further revenge of the Welsh and to make an absolute conquest of that unquiet people with a farre greater Army then ever before enters Wales and thinkes with new devices of Castles and Forts utterly to subdue them but they defending themselves with their Woods and Mountainous passages tyre and weary out the King and his Army so as he leaves the businesse to two Hughes one Earle of Salop the other of Chester who first invaded and tooke Anglesey their Island of refuge where they used all kinde of cruelty pulling out of eyes and cutting off hands and noses in prosecuting of which businesse Hugh Earle of Salop was slaine but Hugh Earle of Chester entred Wales and in the end with the slaughter of Rees the last King of Wales made an absolute Conquest of the Country For after this though they often rebelled yet they were in a true subjection And these for the most part were all the troubles of his Raigne where we may observe that none of them did ever overtake him but still he met them and from none of them he ever fled but was still the pursuer and yet so many as might well have taken away all the comfort of a Crowne and have made him willing to change his Diadem for a paire of Beades but that Ambition though sometimes weary yet never ty●es His Exactions and Courses for raising of money IN the second yeare of his Raigne Lanfranke Arch-bishop of Canterbury dyed who had kept the kingdome and King in some good Order but assoone as he was dead the King as though he were then got loose ranged without reines in all licentiousnesse preying especially upon the Clergy as amongst whom he found the richest Booties When Bishoprickes or Abbeyes were vacant it was familiar with him to seise them into his owne hands as this of Lanfranke he kept to his owne use foure yeares together and longer would have kept it if a sicknesse of his Body had not healed this disease of his minde For finding himselfe in some hazard of death he then conferred the Arch-bishopricke of Canterbury upon Anselme and the Bishopricke of Lincolne upon Robert Bloet two eminent men of that time but assoone as hee was well againe it repented him of that he had done and was not quiet till hee had drawne from the said Bloet five thousand pounds and from Anselme also good summes of money For he repented not more in time of sicknesse for the evill he had done in health then being in health he repented him of the good he had done in sicknesse that it may in a manner be said there was nothing made him sicke but health and nothing made him be in health but sicknesse But this preying upon the Clergy was growne into such a custome with him that he kept in his hands at one time three Bishoprickes Canterbury Winchester and Salisbury and twelve Abbeys all which he let out to Farme and received the profits and from this King the use is said to have risen first in England that the Kings succeeding had the Temporalties of Bishops Sees as long as they remained voyd Having agreed to pay the King of France a great summe of money he raised it in this manner He caused twenty thousand men to be levied under pretence for his warres in Normandy but when they were ready to be shipped it was signified to them from the King that whosoever would pay tenne shillings towards the levying of Souldiers in Normandy should be excused from going and stay at home which was so plausible an offer to the Army that scarce a man was found that accepted not the condition When Duke Robert went into the Holy Land he pawned his D●tchy of Normandy to his Brother King William for 6666. pounds or as some write for 12600. which money King William tooke up part by a grievous Imposition so that Bishops melted their Plate and the Temporall Lords spoyled their Tenants for the payment thereof and part by loane but chiefely of Religious persons He sold the Abbey of Glastenbury to Thurstan for five hundred pounds and when he built Westminster Hall he made that an occasion to lay a heavie taxe upon the people who grudged at it as done of purpose He usually sold all Spirituall preferments to them would give most and tooke Fines of Priests for Fornication as also he tooke money of Jewes to cause such of them as were converted to renounce Christianity and returne to Judaisme as making more benefit by their Unbeliefe then by their Conversion He caused divers of the Nobility to pay grievous Fines for transgressing his Laws though the fault were never so small He set forth a Proclamation that none should goe out of the Realme without his Licence by which he drew much money from many for either they must tarry at home and live discontented or else content him for giving them leave to goe abroad And from thence the Custome or Law of Ne exeas Regno seemes to have taken its beginning for Precedents of servitude are sure to live where Precedents of Liberty are commonly still-borne These were his wayes for raising of money wherein Promoters and Informers were his darling servants and the most officious of all was Ralph Bishop of Durham of whom he would often say there was not such another man in the world to serve a Kings turne And yet he was not so greedy of lucre but that he did some Acts that may serve for examples as one time an Abbey being vacant two Monkes of the Covent came suiters to him for the place offering great summes and each of them out-bidding the other whereupon the King looking about and espying another Monk standing not farre off asked him what he would give for the place Who answering he neither had any thing to give nor would give any thing if he had it Well said the King thou hast spoken honestly thou art fitter to be Abbot then either of these and so bestowed the place upon him gratis
good way to proceed by force but rather by fraud and thereupon sends to the Lords that if they would come to him to Windsor he would grant their demands The Lords comming thither but in a Military manner for they durst not trust his word the King saluted them all kindly and promised to give them satisfaction in all they demanded and so in a Meadow betweene Windsor and Stanes called Running-meade he freely consented to confirme their former Liberties and was content some grave Personages should be chosen to see it performed But the next day when it should be done he gets him gone to South-hampton and from thence to the I le of Wight where advising with his Councell what in this case was fittest to be done It was concluded he should send to the Pope to acquaint him with this mutiny of the Lords and to require his help while the King in the meane time lived skulking up and downe in corners that no man might know where to find him or which is worse as some write roving about and practising Piracy And now the Lords beginne to suspect fraud when shortly after the Kings Messengers who were Walter and Iohn Bishops of Worcester and Norwich returne with the Popes Decree which was that the Kings Grant to the Lords should be void with this Decree the King after three moneths that he had staied in the I le of Wight comming backe to Windsor acquaints the Lords but they accusing the Messengers for false informing the Pope and the Pope also for making a Decree without hearing both sides betake them to Armes and sweare by the holy Altar to be revenged for this Iudification and injurious dealing The King finding the Lords nothing moved with the Popes Decree sends againe unto him to acquaint him with it who mightily incensed to have his Decree so sleighted adjudgeth them all to be held as enemies of Religion and gives power to Peter Bishop of Winchester and to the Abbot of Reading to Excommunicate them In the meane time the King had sent the Bishop of Worcester Chancellour of England and others with his Seale to hire Souldiers from the parts beyond the Seas who returned shortly after bringing along with him out of Poicto● and Glasconie Savery de Malcon Geoffrey and Oliver B●t●vile brothers under their conduct so great a rabble that with these Forces within halfe a yeare the King had gotten all the Castles of the Barons to the borders of Scotland And now he divides his Army committing part of it to his brother William Earle of Salisbury and others to set upon London and with the other part he goes himselfe into Yorkshire where most of the Lords had Possessions which in most cruell manner he destroyeth with fire and sword The Lords being thus on all sides distressed resolve upon a course neither honourable nor safe yet such as necessity made seeme both they send to Philip King of France requiring him to send over his sonne Lewis to their aide and promising they would submit themselves to be governed by him and take him for their Soveraigne To this motion of the Lords King Philip was as forward as themselves which King Iohn understanding sends againe to the Pope requiring him to use his authority to stay the King of France from comming But King Philip though much regarding the request of the Pope yet nothing so much as the acquest of England with all speed provides an Army and with a fleete of sixe hundred sayle● sends over his sonne Lewis who passing into England landeth at Sandwich whither many of the Lords and others resort unto him and giving Oaths of Allegeance joyne themselves with him King Iohn at this time was at Dover but not daring to stay there for feare of the enemy he commits the Castle to Hubert Burgh and goeth himselfe to Canterbury and from thence to Winchester in manner of a flight which Prince Lewis understanding goeth straight to London and by a plausible Oration makes that City sure unto him and thither come to him the King of Scots with an Army of choyce Souldiers as also the Earles Warren Arundel Salisbury with many others And now Prince Lewis passeth all the Countrey over without resistance but not without infinite outrages committed by his Souldiers which it was not in him to hinder and then comming to Norwich he takes that City easily but Dover cost him a longer siege as being defended by the valiant and loyall Captaine Hubert Burgh In this meane while King Iohn finding his enemies imployed in these difficult sieges sends about and gathers a rabble of all raskall people to him and with them runneth over all the Countrey spoyling and killing in most barbarous manner and now was the kingdome made the Stage of all miseries of rapine and cruelty two Armies in it on foote at once each of them seeking to prey upon the other and both of them upon the Countrey But the King comming to Wallpoole in Norfolke where the Washes were to be passed over he sendeth one to search where the Foord was passable and there himselfe with some few passed over but the multitude with all the cariages passing without orde● they cared not where were all drowned with which dysaster the King through anguish of minde fell into a Feaver whereof within a few dayes he died And here was an end of all the troubles of this King In whom it is observable that loving his case● so well as he did he should runne voluntarily into such troubles especially at home upon so small occasions as he did but it should seeme there is no greater hinderance to men for accomplishing their will then their owne wilfulnesse Of his Taxations TO speake of his Taxations it may not unproperly be said that it was but one continued Taxation all his Raigne through yet to divide it into parts his first was the Taxation of three shillings upon every Plough-land through the kingdom● to pay the thirty thousand Markes for his Neece Blanches Portion and to mend this Taxation he seiseth upon all the Temporalties of his brother Geoffrey Arch-bishop of Yorke for opposing it and for a continuation he makes a progresse shortly after into all the North parts where he exacts great Fines of offenders in his Forests Very shortly after solicited by the Popes Legate he grants a Subsidy of the fortieth part of al his subjects Revenues for one year to succor the Holy Land Shortly after this he chargeth his Earls and Barons with the losses he sustained in France thereupon Fines them to pay the seventh part of all their goods neither spared he the Church or the Commons in this Imposition Before this year is ended another Lea●y is made at a Parliament in Oxford wherein is granted two Markes and a halfe of every knights Fee for Military aide neither are the Clergy exempted from paying their part and before another yeare is out another Imposition is laid of the thirteenth part of all movables and other
the King the estate of his kingdome and the oppressions of Popes inquiry was made of the Revenues which the Romans and Italians had in England which were found to be annually sixty thousand Markes being more then the yearely Revenues of the Crowne which so moved the King that he caused the same to be notifyed with all other Exactions to the Generall Councell now Assembled at Lyons and this with the ill usage of his Agent Martin so vexed the Pope that he is said to have uttered these words It is time to make an end with the Emperour that we may crush these petty Kings for the Dragon once appeased or destroyed these lesser Snakes will soone be trodden downe But upon the Popes rejecting the consideration of these grievances of England and despi●ing the Kings message who he said began to Frederize it was absolutely here ordained under great penalty that no contribution of money should be given to the Pope by any Subject of England and the King for a time assents unto it but being of an irresolute and wavering nature and afraid of threats he soone gave over what he undertooke so as the Pope continued his former rapine and though he had promised never to send any more Legats into England ye● sent he other Ministers under the title of Clerkes that had as great power as Legats and effected as much And now for the other part of the State new occasions also of complaint were offered Peter of Savoy Earle of Richmond comes into England bringing with him certain Maides to be marryed to young Noble men of this Countrey the Kings Wards of whom Edmund Earle of Lincolne hath one and Richard de Burgh another and the same yeare three of the Kings Brothers by the Mother Guy de Lusignan William de Valence and Athelmar Clerke are sent over to be provided of Estates in England also Thomas of Savoy sometimes Earle of Flanders by Right of his Wife comes with his sister Beatrix Countesse of Provence the Queenes Mother who are againe Feasted and Gifted for which the King is taxed the next Parliament in Candlemas Terme and besides sharply reprehended for his breach of Promise having Vowed and Declared by his Charter never more to injure the State in that kinde also for his violent taking up of provision of Waxe Silke Roabes and specially of Wine contrary to the will of the sellers and many other grievances they complaine of all which the King patiently heares in hope to obtaine his desire but yet nothing is effected and the Parliament being Prorogued till Midsummer following and the King growing more obdurate then before it afterward brake up in discontent But the Parliament not supplying him he is advised to furnish his wants with sale of his Plate and Jewels of the Crowne being told that though they were sold yet they would revert againe unto him and having with great losse received money for them he askes who had bought them Answer is made the City of London That City said he is an inexhaustible Gulph If Octavius Treasure were to be sold they surely would buy it And now to vexe them he appoints a Faire to be kept at Westminster forbidding under great penalty all exercise of Merchandise within London for fifteene dayes and all other Fayres in England and namely that of Ely but this Novelty came to nothing the Inconvenience of the place as it was then and the foulenesse of the weather brought more affliction then benefit to the Traders That Christmas also he requires Newyeares gifts of the Londoners and shortly after writes unto them his Letters imperiously deprecatory to ayde him with money and thereby gets of them twenty thousand pounds for which the next yeare after he craves pardon of them And notwithstanding his continuall taking up all Provisions for his House yet he lessens his House-keeping in no honourable manner And then seeing he could get nothing of the States together he calls unto him or writes to every Nobleman apart declaring his poverty and how he was bound by Charter in a debt of thirty thousand pound to those of Burdeaux and his Gascoynes who otherwise would not have suffered him to depart home at his last being in France but fa●ling herein of Temporall Lords he addresseth his Letters to the Prelates of whom he findes as little reliefe by much importunity and his owne presence he got of the Abbot of Ramsey a hundred pound but the Abbot of Borough had the face to deny him though the King told him it was more Almes to give money to him then to a Begger that went from doore to doore The Abbot of Saint Albons yet was more kind and gave him threescore Markes To such lownesse did the necessity of this indigent King through his profusion bring him The Iewes ever exposed to his will feele the weight of these his wants One Abraham found a Delinquent redeemes himselfe for seven hundred Markes and Aaron another Iew protests the King had since his last being in France taken from him at times thirty thousand Markes of Silver besides 200. Markes of Gold given to the Queene But now the Lords assemble againe at London and presse him with his promise made unto them that the Chiefe Justiciar Chancellour and Treasurer should be appointed by the Generall Councell of the kingdome but by the absence of Richard Earle of Cornwall which was thought to be done of purpose they returne frustrate of their desire And now the Bishopricke of Winchester falling void the King sends presently to the Monkes of the Cathedrall Church to Elect his Brother Athelmar and because he would not be denyed he goes thither himselfe in person and there enters the Chapter house as a Bishop or Prior gets up into the Presidents Chaire beginnes a Sermon and takes his Text Iustice and Peace have kissed each other and thereupon useth these words To me and other Kings who are to governe the people belongs the rigour of Judgement and Justice to you who are men of quiet and Religion Peace and Tranquillity and this day I heare you have for your owne good beene favourable to my request with many such like words whereby the Monkes finding the earnestnesse of his desire held it in vaine to deny him and Athelmar is Elected but with this reservation if the Pope allow it Shortly after followes the memorable Case of Sir Henry de Bathe a Justiciar of the kingdome and a speciall Counsellour to the King● who by corruption had attained to a mighty Estate and is said in one Circuit to have gotten two hundred pound land per annum He is accused by Sir Philip D●rcy of falsehood in the Kings Court and the King is so incensed against him that in the Parliament at this time holden in London Proclamation is made that whosoever had any Action or Complaint against Henry de Bathe should come and be heard One of his fellow Justiciars accused him of acquiting a malefactor for a bribe The King seeing Henry
Oxford who wrote divers excellent Treatises in Naturall and Morall Philosophy which remaine in estimation to this day and who for the great fame of his learning had the honour to be one of the Instructours of Edward the blacke Prince Roger of Chester a Monke of that City and an Historiographer Iohn Burgh a Monke who wrote a History and also divers Homilies Richard Aungervill Bishop of Durham and Lord Chancellour of England borne in Suffolke Walter Heminford an Historiographer Richard Chichester a Monke of Westminster who wrote an excellent Chronicle from the yeare 449. to the yeare 1348. Richard Rolle alias Hampole who writ many excellent Treatises in Divinity Robert Holcot a blacke Frier borne in Northampton a learned Schooleman and wrote many bookes in Arguments of Divinity Thomas Bradwardin borne neare Chichester in Sussex Arch-bishop of Canterbury and who wrote against the Pelagians and for his depth of learning had the Title of Doctor Profundu● Richard Fits Ralph Arch-bishop of Armagh in Ireland a learned writer William Grysant named Anglicus a notable Physitian whose son came to be Pope and was called Urbane the fifth Iohn Killingworth an excellent Philosopher Astronomer and Physitian Ranulph Higden a Monke of Chester an Historiographer Bartholomew Glanvile descended of those Glanviles that were sometimes Earles of Suffolke Simon Islip Arch-bishop of Canterbury and Founder of Canterbury Colledge in Oxford who wrote many Treatises Matthew Westmonasteriensis who wrote the booke called Flores Historiarum William Fleete an Hermit who wrote sundry Treatises exhorting England to repentance Henry Knighton who wrote a History Intituled De gestis Anglorum and lastly two other worthy perhaps to have beene placed first Iohn Mandevill the great Travellour a Doctor of Physicke and a knight who died at Liege in the yeare 1372. and Sir Geoffrey Chawcer the Homer of our Nation and who found as sweete a Muse in the Groves of Woodstocke as the Antients did upon the banks of Helicon THE REIGNE OF KING RICHARD THE SECOND RICHARD called of Burdeaux because born there the onely Sonne of Edward the black Prince was by his Grandfather in his life-time declared to be his Heire and lawfull Successour and accordingly after his death was crowned King of England at Westminster the sixteenth day of Iuly in the yerre 1377. by Simon Su●bury Archbishop of Canterbury And for the more solemnity of his Coronation he then m●de nine Knights and created foure Earles Thomas of Woodstock King Edward the Thirds youngest Sonne was created Earle of Buckingham and Northampton Thomas Mowbray younger brother of Iohn L. Mowbray Earle of Nottingham Gifford Angoulesme a Gascoigne was made Earle of Huntington and Henry Percy sonne of Henry L. Percy was created Earle of Northumberland At the time of the Coronation the Duke of L●ncaster by the name of Iohn King of Castile and Leon and Duke of Lancaster put in his claim as Earle of Leicester to have the place of Earle Marshall of England as Duke of Lancaster to carry the sword called Curtana as Earle of Lincolne to be Carver that day all which to be executed by himselfe or by his sufficient Deputy which with the fees thereunto belonging were confirmed unto him As likewise divers others made their claimes Robert de Veere E●rle of Oxford to have the office of Chamberlaine and to powre out water for the King to w●sh Iohn Wiltshire Citizen of London by reason of a Moyitie of the Manour of Heydon holden in Sergeantie claimed to hold a Towell for the King to wipe with when he went to meat Thomas Beauchampe Earle of Warwick to beare the third Sword before the King and also to exercise the office of Pantler Sir Iohn Argentine by reason of his Manour of Wimondtey in the County of Hartford to serve the King at his Cup William L. Furnivall for his Manour of Fernham to support the Kings right arme when he held the Royall Scepter Anne late wife of Iohn de Hastings Earle of Pem●rooke ●or hi● Manour of Ashele in Norfolke to have the Office of Naperer which she was admitted to doe by her Deputy Sr. Thomas Blunt Richard Earle of Arundell for his Manour of B. in Kent was admitted to be chiefe Butler The L. Major of London to attend in his owne person as chiefe Cup-waiter Sir Iohn Dimmock for his Manour of Scrivelbie and Sir Baldwin Frevile for his Castle of Tamworth in the County of Warwick contended for the Office of being the Kings Champion but adjudged to Dimmock William de Latimer and Iohn the sonne and heire of Iohn Mowbray of Axholm joyntly petitioned to have the Office of Almoner but adjudged to Latimer Richard Lion as Tenant of the Manour of L. held by the service of making wafers for the King at his Coronation was thereunto admitted The Barons of the Cinque-Ports were admitted to beare the Kings Canopy upon foure staves of silver over the Kings head and also to sit at meat in the Hall at the highest Table on the Kings right hand Iohn Fitz-Iohn by reason of his Manour of S. in Norfolk was admitted to be chiefe Larde●er Richard Herring for the Manour of C. in the County of Surry claimed to be Usher of the Kings Chamber but because that claim did no way concern the Coronation he was left to pursue his Right some other time The Coronation it selfe was performed with great solemnity After a Sermon the King tooke his Oath and then the Archbishop blessed the King which done he tore ●ff his garments and strippped him into his shirt then he annoynted his hand● head breast shoulders and the joynts of his armes with the s●cred Oyle and after certaine Prayers he then cl●dd● him first with the Coat of S. ●dward and after with his Mantle after which the Archbishop delivered him the Sword saying Accipe Gladium with which two Earles gyrded him Then he gave him Bracelets saying● Accipe Armillas After this he put upon him an upper vesture called a Pall saying● Accipe Pallium In the meane time while the Archbishop blessed the Crowne he to whose Office it pertained put spurres on his heeles after the Crown was blessed the Archbishop set it on his Head saying Coronet te Deu● then he delivered him a Ring saying Accipe An●●lum Immediately herewith came the L. Fur●ivall by virtue of his Office offering him a red Glove which the Arch B. blessed and putting it on his hand gave him the Scepter saying Accipe Scep●rum and after that in his other hand delivered him a Rod on the top whereof stood a Dove saying Accipe Virgam Virtuti● and then blessed the King saying Benedicat te De●● which done the King kissed the Bishops and Abbots by whom he was afterward led to his seat and so ended the solemnity The tender yeares of the King being but eleven yeeres of age required a Protector but being perhaps thought dangerous to commit that Authority to onely one who might rather seeke to get it for himselfe then to keep it for
Chancellour owed him and if he were so tender of him that he could not finde i● his heart to doe it himselfe they would doe that work for him and thereupo● charged him with such crimes that all his goods were confiscate and himselfe adjudged to dye if the king so pleased though some write his sentence was onely to pay a Fine of twenty thousand markes and a thousand pounds yeerly beside Upo● this provocation the opposite side seek present revenge It is devised that the Duke of Glocester as principall and other Lords that crossed the kings courses should be invited to a Supper in London and there be murthered In the execu●●on of which plot the former Lord Major Sir Nicolas Brember had a speciall hand● but the present Major Rich●rd Exton moved to it by the king would by no mean●● consent and thereupon the plot proceeded not But for all these harsh straines and many such other that passed this Parliament a Subsidie was at length granted to the king of halfe a Tenth and halfe a Fifteenth but with condition that 〈◊〉 should not be issued but by order from the Lords and the Earle of Arund●ll was appointed to receive it But before this time both Houses had directly agreed that unlesse the Chancellour were removed they would meddle no further in the P●●liament The king advertised hereof sent to the Commons that they should se●● unto Eltham where he then lay forty of their House to declare their mindes 〈◊〉 him but upon conference of both Houses it was agreed that the Duke of Glo●●st●r and Thomas Arundell Bishop of Ely should in the name of the Parliament goe unto him who comming to the king declared That by an old Statute the king once a yeere might lawfully summon his Court of Parliament for reformation of all corruptions and enormities within the Realme and further declared That by an old Ordinance also it was Enacted That if the king should absent himself 40 dayes not being sick the Houses might lawfully break up and returne home At this the king is said to say Well we perceive our people goe about to rise against us and therefore we thinke we cannot doe better then to aske ayd of our Cosin the king of France and rather submit us to him then to our own Subjects To which the Lord● answered They wondred at this opinion of his Majesty seeing the French king was the antient Enemy of the kingdome and he might remember what mischiefes were brought upon the Realme in king Iohns time by such a course By these and the like perswasions the king was induced to come to the Parliament and soon after Iohn Fortham Bishop of Durham is discharged of his Office of Lord Treasurer and in his place was appoint●d Ioh● Gilber● Bishop of Hereford a Frier of the order of Preachers also Michael de la P●●le Earle of Suffolke is discharged of his Office of Chancellour and Thomas Aru●dell Bishop of Ely by consent of Parliament placed in his roome Also by Order of Parliament thirteen Lords were chosen to have oversight under the king of the w●ole government of the Realme of which thirteen there were three of the New-Officers named as the Bishop of Ely Lord Chancellour the Bishop of Hereford Lord Treasurer and Nicolas Abbot of W●ltham Lord keeper of the Privy Seale The other ten were William Archbishop of C●●terbury Alexander Archbishop of York Edmund of L●ngley Duke of York Thoma● Duke of Glocester William Bishop of Winchester Thomas Bishop of Exeter Rich●rd Earle of Arundell Richard Lord Scr●●pe and Iohn Lord Devereux But this participation of the Government being found inconvenient held not long Also in this Parliament it was granted that Robert de Veere lately created Duke of Ireland should have receive to his own use 30000. markes which the French-men were to give for the heires of ●he Lord Charles de Bl●ys but it was granted upon ●his condition● That before the next Easter he should passe over into Ireland to recover such lands as the King had there given him so desirous the Lords and Commons were to have him removed from the Kings presence But though the King gave way to this torrent of the Parliament for the present yet as soone as the Parliament was dissolved he dissolved also all that had been done either against the Lord Chancellour or against the Duke of Ireland or against Alexander Nevil Archbishop of York and received them into more favour then ever he had done before In his Tenth yeere about the Beginning of March Richard Earle of Arundell appointed Admirall and Thomas Mowbray Earle of Nottingham the Earle of Devonshire and the Bishop of Norwich went to Sea with a warlike power of men and ●rmes to watch for the Fleet of Flanders that was ready to come from Rochell with wines and meeting with them they set upon them and tooke of them to the number of a hundred Vessels all fraught with wines so as wine grew so plentifull that it was sold for thirteen shillings foure pence the Tonne and the best and choysest for twenty shillings Besides this they landed in Flanders where they relieved and fortified Brest and demolished two Forts which the Enemy had built against it But this happy service of the Earle of Arundell the Duke of Ireland the Earle of Suffolke Sir Simon Burley and Sir Richard Sturrey who continued still about the King seemed rather to envy then to commend insomuch that when the Earle of Nottingham that had ever been the Kings play fellow and of equall age to him came to the Court he was neither received by the Duke of Ireland with any good welcome nor by the King with any good countenance and therefore indeed not by the King with any good Countenance because not by the Duke of Ireland with any good Welcome About this time the Duke of Ireland sought to be divorced from his lawfull wife daughter to the Lady Isabel one of king Edward the third's daughters and took to wife one Lancerona a Vintners daughter of Bohemia one of the Queenes maids at which indignity the Duke of Glocester that was unkle to the Lady thus forsaken tooke great displeasure which the Duke of Ireland understanding studied how by some meanes he might dispatch the Duke of Glocester out of the way Easter was now past the time appointed for the D. of Irelands going over into Ireland when the King with a shew to bring him to the waters side went with him into Wales and in his company Michael de la Poole Earl of Suffolke Robert Tresilian L. Chie● Justice and divers others who there consulted how they might di●patch the Duke of Glocester the Earles of Arundel Warwick D●rby Nottingham with divers others of that Faction but when the King had remained in those parts a good while he returned and brought back the Duke of Ireland with him and so his voyage into Irel●●d was cleane forgotten About the same time Robert Tresilian Chiefe Justice came to
evill practice should be used against them they were content to doe But when the Lords were ready to come at the day appointed they heard of an Ambush laid to intrap them at the Mewes and thereupon stayed so as they came not at the time appointed Whereupon the king asking why they came not according to their promise It was answered because hee kept not his promise there being an Ambush of a Thousand armed men laid to surp●ize them at the Mewes The king hearing this was astonied and swore he knew of no such thing and commanded presently the place should be searched but it was true an ambush was laid but not at the Mewes but in a place a●out Westminster where Sir Thomas Tryvet and Sir Nicholas Brember had assembled them This one action might have made the king sensible of his favorites abusing his authority but that where affection makes the construction all things are taken in a good sense or was it perhaps they had a VVarrant dormant to prosecute the kings ends without the kings knowledge Yet the Lords after this receiving a safe conduct from the king came to Westminster of whose comming when the king heard hee apparelled himselfe in his royall-Robes and with his Scepter in his hand came into the great Hall before whom the Lords upon their knees presented themselves the king bidding them welcome and taking each of them by the hand Then the lord Chancellor making a speech wherein he blamed them for raysing of Armes and requiring to know the cause they answered They had done it for the good of the King and kingdome and to take away the Tra●tors about the King Upon this the king himself spake asking him whether they thought to compel him by strong hand have not I saith he sufficiēt men to beat you down truly in this behalf I make no more account of you then of the basest skullion in my kytchin yet after these great words he lift up the Duke of Glocester who all this while was kneeling and commanded the rest also to rise and then led them courteously to his chamber where they sate and dranke together And finally it was concluded they should all meete againe as well these Lords as those they accused at the next Parliament which the king promised to call speedily and each party to receive there according to Justice and in the meane time all parties to be in the kings protection But when the Favorite Lords heard this they told the king plainly they neither durst nor would put themselves to the hazard of such a meeting and therfore the Duke of Ireland and the rest of that faction left the Court to bee out of the way But the king not enduring their abs●nce app●l●ted Thomas Mollineux Constable of ●he castle of Chester to rayse an Army and to safe-conduct the duke of Ireland to him But ●●ey being come as far as Radcoat-bridge were encoun●red by the Earle of Darby and the Duke of Ireland not d●ring to joyne battell with him fled and being to passe a River cast away his gantlets and sword to bee the more nimble and giving his horse the spur leapt into the river and so escaped that when these things were afterwards found it was verily thought hee had been drowned till news came he was got into Holland where being no very welcome guest hee went from thence into the Bishoprick of Vtricht and after two or three yeeres scambling about in manner of a fugitive at Lovaine in Brabant he ended his life A man of many good parts and worthy enough of his Princes favor if with that favor he had not grown proud and in that pride injurious and insulting over others no lesse deserving then himselfe Hee was valiant enough against any man but the Earle of D●rby and of him indeede both the Genius of the Duke of Ireland and of King Richard himselfe seemed to stand in feare for neither of them durst meet him in the field though encouraged to it by those about them About this time the Duke of Suffolke doubting some plots laid to surprize him fled over to C●llis in disguise shaving his beard and counterfeiting himselfe a Poulterer to sell certain foule which hee had gotten but being come to Callis was by the Lord William Beauchampe Deputy of the Town sent back into England whom the King notwithstanding permited to goe at large to make it be thought hee was more afraid then hurt more suspicious then he needed By this time the Lords h●d gotten matter enough against the King at least to justifie their Armes and thereupon with an Army of forty thousand men they came to London where after some debate they were received and then the Duke of Gloucester the Earles of Darby and Nottingham went to the King in the Tower to whom after humble salutations they shewed the Letter which he had written to the Duke of Ireland to levy an Army for their destruction likewise the Letters which the French King had written to him conteining a safe conduct for him to come into France there to doe Acts to his own dishonor and the kingdoms This done upon the Kings promise that he would come the next day to Westminster to treate further of these matters the Lords departed only the Earles of Nottingham and Darby at the Kings instance stayed all night but before the King went to bed his minde was cleane altered for keeping his promise to meete the Lords the next day at Westminster which the Lords understanding they sent peremptorily to him that if he came not according to his promise they would choose another king that should hearken to the faithfull Counsell of his Lords This touched the king so to the quick that the next morning he went and met the Lords who there declared to him how much it concerned the good of the kingdome that those Traitours so often spoken of should be removed from the Court To which the king though much against his will yet at last condiscended And thereupon presently Alexander Nevil Archbishop of York and Thomas Rushoke Bishop of Chichester and Confessour to the king were expelled the Court who not willing to come to after-reckonings fled no man knew whither They expelled also Iohn Fourdham Bishop of Durham Lord Treasurer the Lord Zouch of Haringworth the Lord Burvell the Lord Beaumont Albery de Veere Baldwin de Bereford Richard Adderbury Iohn Worth Thomas Clifford and Iohn Lovel knights but constreined to put in Sureties to appeare at the next Parliament Also certaine Ladies were expelled the Court as the Lady Poynings the Lady Mouling and others bound to appeare at the next Parliament There were also arrested and committed to severall Prisons Sir Symon Burley William Elmham Iohn Beauchamp Steward of the kings house Sir Iohn Salisbery Sir Thomas Trivet Sir Iames Berneys Sir Nicolas Dagworth and Sir Nicolas Brember knights Also Richard Clifford Iohn Lincolne Richard Mitford the kings Chaplains Nicolas Sclake Deane of the kings Chappell and Iohn
withall made the Bishop sweare that if the said Iohn and Gaunt should at any time either directly or indirectly attempt the Crown or that rightfully through want of issue it should devolve unto him that then he should discover this matter and make it known unto the King and Councell Afterward the Queen being dead and the Bishop finding Iohn of Gaunt as he thought too much aspiring he secretly told him this relation and this adjuration of his supposed mother advising him not to seeke higher than a private state for else he was bound by oath to make it known to all the World Thus far the Bishop did well but when he saw the Son of Iohn of Gaunt not only aspiring but possessed of the Crown why did he not then discover it and joyn at least with the Bishop of Ca●lile in opposing it Certainly we may know that either the whole relation was but a Fable or that Wickham was a Temporizer or that Iohn of Gaunt was a most patient man to suffer the affront of such an indignity with l●sse than the death of him that did it But howsoever it was it is certain the Duke bore a mortall grudge to the Bishop who had no way to withstand such an enemy but by making Alice Pierce his friend by whose means after two years he was restored to all his livings and afterward K. Edward being dead and Alice Pierce banished by the means of a greater friend than Alice Pierce his full ourse he obteined in the second year of k. Richard a generall pardon under the Great Seale of England and from that time forward enjoyed a quiet life and dyed in the fourth yeare of this King Henry the fourth being then of the age of above 80 years and lieth buried in the Church of St. Swithen● in VVinchester in a monument of his own making in his life time leaving for his heire Thomas Perrot the son of his sister Agnes married to VVilliam Perrot Another great example of the volubility of Fortune in Professors of learning was Roger VValden who dyed in the ninth yeare of this King he was at first a poor Scholler in Oxford and the first step of his rising was to be a Chaplain in the Colledge there of St. Maries from thence by degrees he got to be Dean of Yorke and after this a high step to be Treasurer of England and yet a higher after that up●n the banishment of Thomas Arundell to be Archbishop of Canterbury But bein● now at the top he came down again for in this kings time Thomas Arundell bei●g restored to the Archbishopricke VValden was not only put out of ●hat place 〈◊〉 was called to accompt for the Treasure●ship and though he shewed hi● quietus est yet all his Temporalties were seized and his person imprisoned till by the mediation of the now Archbishop Arundell he was made Treasurer of Calice and after promoted to be B●shop of London The next place after these is justly due to Geoffry Ch●ucer and Iohn Gower two famous Poets in this time and the Fathers of English Poets in all the times after Cha●cer dyed in the fourth yeare of this king and lyeth buried at VVestminster Gower in this kings ninth yeare and was buried in St. Mary Overys Church in Southwarke And now come others to be remembred who lived and died in this kings time Hugh Legate born in Hartfordshire a Monke of St. Albons who wrote Scholies upon Boetius de Consolatione Nicholas Gorham born also in Hartfordshire a Dominick Frier and the French kings Confessor though an Englishman VValte● Disse so called of a Town in Norfolke where he was borne Confessor to the Duke of Lancaster Lawrence Holbeck a Monke of Ramsey who wrote an Hebrew Dictionary Iohn Cotton Archbishop of Armagh Rich●rd Scroope brother to William Scroope Lord Treasurer of England made Archbishop of Yorke and writing an invective against King Henry lost his head William Thorpe an earnest follower of Iohn Wickliffe for which he was committed to Saltwood Castle where he dyed Stephen Patrington born in York●shire and Robert Mascall a Carmelite Frier of Ludlow both of them Confessors to king Henry the fifth Boston a Monke of the Abbey of Burie in Suffolke who wrote a Catalogue of all the Writers of the Church and other Treatises Iohn Purvey who was convented for teaching Doctrine con●rary to the Church of Rome and compelled to recant Thomas Rudburne Bishop of S. Davids who wrote a Chronicle Nicolas Riston who considering the strife between the then Anti-popes wrote a booke De tollendo schismate Robert Wansham a Monke in Dar●etshire who wrote a booke in verse Of the Originall and signification of Words Robert Wimbledon an excellent Preacher as app●ar●th by the Sermon he made upo● this Text Redde rationem Villicatio●is tuae THE REIGNE OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH HENRY of Monmouth so called from the place in Wales where he was born eldest Son of King Henry the fourth succeeded his Father in the kingdom of England to whom the Lords of the Realm swore Homage and Allegiance before he was yet Crowned an honor never done before to any of his Predecessors and afterwards on the ninth of Aprill in the yeare 1412 he was Crowned at Westminster by Thomas Arundell Archbishop of Canterbury with all Ri●es and Solemnities in such case accustomed And as the Scripture speaks of Saul that assoone as Samuel had annointed him King he had a new heart given him and he became another man than he was before So was it with this king Henry for presently after his Coronation he called before him all his old Companions who had been fr●tres in malo with him strictly charging them not to pre●ume to come within ten miles of his Court untill such time as they had given good proofe of their amendment in manners and least any of them should pretend want of maintenance to be any cause of their taking ill courses he gave to every one of them a competent meanes whereby to subsist And knowing as he did the fashion of the Scots and Welch that in times of change they would commonly take adva●tage to make Inroades upon the Borders he therefore ca●sed Forts and Bulwarks in fit places to be erected and placed Garrisons in them for preventing or repelling any such incu●sions Immediately after this he called a Parliament where a Subsidie was granted without asking and in this Parl●ament the Commons began to harp upon their old string of taking away the Temporalties of the Clergie and the Bishops fearing how it might take in the kings ears thought it best to divert him by striking upon another string which they knew would be more pleasing to him which was to shew him the great right he had to the Crown of France And hereupon Chicheley Archbishop of C●nterbury in a long narration deduced the kings Right from Is●bel Daughter to Philip the fourth married to king Edward the second from whom it discended by direct line to his Majesty and no
Daughter of Richard Beauchamp Earle of W●rwicke deceased Upon this marriage the Earle of Warwicke discovered to hi● what hitherto he had concealed concerning his project for the restoring of k. H●nry to which Clarence gave approbation with promise to assist him in it to his uttermo●● At this time Sir Thomas Cooke late Major of London was by one Hawkins appeached of Treason for the which he was sent to the Tower and his place in Londo● seized by the Lord Rivers The case was this the sayd Hawkins came to Sir Thomas requesting him to lend a thousand Marks upon good surety who answered he would first know for whom it should be and for what intent and understanding it should be for the use of Queen Margaret he refused to lend a penny The matter rested two or three years till the sayd Hawkins was layd in the Tower and brought to the Brake called the Duke of Exeters Daughter by means of which paine hee confessed amongst other things the motion he had made to Sir Thomas Cook● and accused himselfe so farre that hee was put death Sir Thomas Cooke lying in the Tower from Whitsuntide till Michaelmas had his place in Essex named Gyddihall spoyled his Deere in his Parke destroyed and though arraigned upon life and death he were acquitted of the Indictment yet could not be delivered till he had payd eight thousand pounds to the king and eight hundred to the Queen And now the Earle of VVarwicke sendeth to his brothers the Arcbbishop and the Marquesse to prepare all things ready to set on foot the intended revolt from king Edward and to procure some rebellious commotion in the North whil'st he and his new Son in law would provide to goe forward with the worke which they accordingly did in Yorkeshire an occasion being taken for the breach of an ancient custome there to give to the poore people of St. Leonards in the City of Yorke certain quantities of Corn and Grain This commotion the Archbishop and the Marqu●sse underhand fomented yet to colour the matter the Marquesse opposed the Rebels and cut off the head of Robert Huldorne their Captain but his head being cut off the Rebels got them other Captains Henry Son and heir to the Lord Fi●zhugh and sir Henry Nevill Son to the Lord Latimer the one the Neph●w the other ● Cozen-germane to the Earle of VVarwicke with whom they joyne the valiant Captaine Sir Iohn Conyers These when they could not enter Yorke came marching towards London all the way exclaiming against king Edward as an unjust Prince and an usurper King Edward hearing of this commotion sends Sir VVilliam Herbert whom of a meane Gentleman two years before he had made Earle of Pembrooke and his brother sir Richard Herbert together with the Lord Stafford of Southwick to suppresse the Rebels and they with an Army of seven thousand most Welchmen march towards them but the Lord Stafford being put from his Inne where he used ●o lodge by the Earle of Pe●brooke tooke such a distaste at it that he withdrew his Arche●s and gave over the businesse yet the Earle of Pemb●ooke though thus for●●●en with his own Regiment encountred the Rebels slew Sir Henry Nevill and divers others● when being upon the point of victory one Iohn Clappa● a servant of the E●rle of VVarwicke comming in with five hundred rascally fellows and crying aloud a W●rwicke a Warwicke the Welchmen supposing the Earle had beene 〈◊〉 turned presently their backs and fled five thousand of them were slain the E●●le of Pembr●●ke himselfe and his much lamented brother Sir Richard Herbert a most goodly personage were taken prisoners brought to Banbury where both o● th●● with ten other Gentlemen were put to death And now the Northamptonshire men joyning with the Rebels in this fury made them a Captain named Robert Hilla●d but they named him Robin of Riddesdale suddenly came to Grafton where they tooke the Earle Rivers father to the Queen and his sonne Sir Iohn Woodvile brought them to Northampton and there without Judgement beheaded them King Edward advertised of these mischances wrote to the Sheriffs of Somerset-shire and D●v●●-shire to apprehend the Lord Stafford of Southwick who had treacherously ●●●saken the Earle of Pembrooke and if they could take him to put him to death who being soon after found in a Village within Brentmarsh was brought to Bridge●a●er and there beheaded After this battell fought at Hedgecote commonly called B●●bury field the Northern men resorted to Warwick where the Earl with great joy received them and hearing that king Edward with a great army was comming thither he sent for his sonne in Law the Duke of Clare●ce with all speed to repaire ●●to him who joyning together and using means cunningly by having some co●●●nication of Peace to make the king secure and to take little heed of himself●● they took advantage of his security and in the dead of night set on his Campe and killing the watch before the king was aware at a place called Wolney foure miles from Barwick they took him prisoner in his bed and presently conveyed him to Middleham Castle in Yorkeshire to be there in safe custody with the Archbishop of Yorke And now they had the Prey in their hand if they had as well looked to ke●p it as they had done to get it but king Edward whether bribing his Keepers or otherwise winning them by faire promises got so much liberty sometimes for his re●reation to goe a hunting by which he caused Sir William Stanley Sir Thomas of 〈◊〉 and divers of his friends at a certaine time to meet him who took him from hi● Keepers and set him againe at liberty whil'st the Earle of Warwicke nothing doubting his brother the Archbishops care in safe keeping him thinking the brunt of the warres to be now past dismist his Army and intended only to finde out King Henry● who was kept a prisoner but few men knew where King Edward being now at liberty posteth to York and from thence to Lanca●●e● where his Chamberlaine the Lord Hastings had raised some forces with which he marcheth to London aud is there joyfully received The Earle of Warwick likewise sends to his friends and makes preparation for a new army whil'st in the me●n time by mediation of divers Lords an enterview in VVestminster-hall is agreed upon and solemn Oath taken on both sides for safety between King Edward the Duke of Clarence and the Earle of Warwicke but each party standing strictly upon terms tending to their own ends they parted as great Enemies as they met and so from thence the K. went to Canterbury the Duke and the E. to Lincolne whither they had preappointed their forces to repaire under the Conduct of Sir Robert W●l● Son heir of the L. Wels a man of great valour and experience in the wars K. E●●●rd to take off so able a man from the Earles part sends for his Father the L. Wels to come unto him who taking with him his
Son in Law Sir Thomas Dymock and comming to attend the Kings pleasure was told by his friends how wonderfully the King was incensed against them whereupon for their safety they take Sanctuary at Westmi●ster But upon the Kings Princely word they come unto him who comm●ndeth the Lord Wells to write to his Sonne to desist from adhering to the Ea●le of Warwicke which the Lord Wells accordingly did but Sir Robert Wells notwiths●●nding his Fathers letters continuing firme to ●he Earle still so much incensed King Edward that he caused both his Father and Sir 〈◊〉 Dymock to be behe●ded He supposed perhaps that the Lord W●lls was himself underhand a friend to the Earl and had not dealt sincerely with him in procuring his Sonne to leave that party But now Sir Robert Wells seeing the King draw neer to Stamford where he had pitched his Tents and hearing of his Fathers beheading was much distracted what to doe to decline b●ttell with the King he thought would shew too much feare and ●o give him battell before the E●rle of Warwicke were come with his forces would shew too much boldnesse But his Veines were so filled with a desire of revengi●● his Fathers death that he thought he could never shew boldnesse enough and thereupon encountring with the Kings Army farre greater ●hen his own opprest with multitude was taken prisoner together with Sir Thomas de L●●d and divers others who presently in the place were put to execution as soone as Sir Robert W●ll● was taken the Lincolneshir● men to make themselves the lighter to run away threw off their Coates for which cause this battell was afterward called L●se-●oate-field in which it is reported were slaine above ten thousand men The Earle of Warwick 〈◊〉 of this De●eate and not having present 〈…〉 raise an army sufficient to oppose king Edward● when he could by no means dr●● the Lord Stanley to his party he determined to sayle into Fr●●c● and hyring ships at Dartmouth in Dev●●●●ire he with his sonne in Law the Duke of Clarence 〈◊〉 their wives took to Sea and thinking to land at C●lli●e of which Town he hims●●●● was Captaine he was by the Lord V●●cleere a Gascoigne whom he had left his Deputy there repelled and with so great inhumanity that the Dutchesse of Clar●●●● who was then in labour was faine to be delivered in the ship all the courtesie 〈◊〉 th●● distresse shewed was only to send a flaggon or two of wine which fact of V●●cleeres when king Edward heard of he was so well pleased with it that he presently sent him a Patent to be Captaine of the Town himself and the Duke of 〈◊〉 for the same service sent unto him Philip de Comi●es who hath written the History of these times with a grant of one thousand Crowns pension during his life Never man was beter paid for one act of di●sembling for the truth was Prae 〈◊〉 excl●sit for●● it was out of his love that he suffered him not to enter the Town for he knew there were many great ones in it so addicted to king Edward and so maliciously bent against the Earle that if he or any of his company should have come they would in all likelihood have done them some mischiefe And hereof he made a good proofe soon after for when the Earle took to sea again the Lord 〈◊〉 sent him word he should take heed where he landed for that the Duke of 〈◊〉 lay in waite to take him which advertisement did the Earle more good then the keeping him out of Callice did him hurt The Earle upon this advertisement ●●●ded at D●epe in Nor●a●die whereof when king Lewis heard he sent and invited him to come to his Court at Amboi● where he received him with no lesse honour than ●f he had been a king In the mean time king E●●ard made enquiry for all such as were ayders to the Earle of Warwick● of whom some were apprehended as guilty some fled to Sanctuary and some submitted to the kings mercy as Iohn Marquesse Mo●●●cute whom he courteously received Queen Margare● who at this time sojourned with Duke Rayner her father hearing of the Earle of Warwicks arrivall with her Son Prince Edward came to Ambois and with her also came Iasper Earle of Pembrooke and Iohn Earl of Oxford lately escaped out of prison and fled into France between whom a new Combination is made and for a foundation of firme ami●ie king He●ries sonne Prince Edward marries Anne the Earle of Warwicks second daughter after which marriage the Duke of Clarence and the Earles took a solemn Oath never to leave the warre till either king Henry or his sonnne Prince Edward were restored to the Crown● But notwithstanding this Oath this marriage put new thoughts into the Duke of Clarence his minde casting with himselfe that the issue of it could be no lesse then the utter extirpation of the house of Yorke whereupon making faire shew still to his Father in Law the Earle of Warwicke he underhand fals off and secretly gives advertisement to his brother king Edward of all their proceedings And now the Earle of VVarwicke having been six months in France in this time he had 〈◊〉 from the king of France both ships and men and money and receiving 〈◊〉 out of England that many Lords and others were ready to adventu●e their lives in his qua●rell if he would come for the people generally held him in such 〈◊〉 that they thought the Sunne was taken from the world when he was 〈◊〉 and this in great part for his gre●t Hospi●ality who it is said used to spend ●spam● a breakf●st he with the Earles of Oxford and Pembrooke took to 〈◊〉 and though the Duke of B●rgoigne had a Fle●● at sea to in●ercept him ye● his Fleet be●●g by ●empest scattered and king Edw●rd●rusting ●rusting to that Flee● having provided no other● the Earle had a quiet passage to land at Dar●mouth in Devonshire whe●e being landed he made Proclamation in king He●ry the six●h● name that all good Subj●ct● should prep●re to fight against king Edward who contrary to Right had usurpe●●he Crown Upon which Proclamation it is scarce to be believed how m●ny tho●●●nds of men resorted to him with which fo●ces he made towar●s Lo●don upon notice of whose approach on the Sunday next after 〈◊〉 day one Doctor G●ddard a Chaplaine of Hi● preaching at Paul● Cross● did so s●t fo●th his Earles pious intention that many of his auditory were moved to favour the Earle proceeding insomuch that the M●rquesse Montacu●e who had in king Edwards beh●lf 〈◊〉 six thousand men about London found them all inclinable to goe with him 〈◊〉 the Earle of VVarwick and accordingly w●nt and joyned with him King Ed●●rd h●●ring of the great flocking of people to the Earle sent forth letters into all parts of the Realme for raysing an army but few came and those few with no great good will which when he perceived he began to doubt his case and thereupon ●●co●panied with
accompani●d with his sonne in law the Lord Clinton Sir Matthew Browne Sir Iohn Dig●y Iohn Werton Richard Wetherill and others to the number of fifteen hundred took shipping at Sandwich and passing over to the said Lady Regent did her there great service for which Iohn Norton Iohn Fogge Iohn Scott and Thomas Lynde were knighted and then with many thanks and rewards returned not having lost in all the Journey by warre or sicknesse above an hundred men In the third yeer of King Henryes Reigne one Andrew Barton a scottish Pirate was grown so bold that he robbed English-men no lesse then other Nations● till the King sent his Admirall Sir Edward Howard to represse him who in a fight so wounded the said Barton that he died and then taking two of his ships brought the men prisoners to London and though their offence deserved no lesse then death yet the King was so mecifull as to pardon them all provided they departed the Realme within twenty dayes The King of Scotts hearing the death of Barton and taking of his ships sent to King Henry requiring restitution but King Henry answered his Herauld that he rather looked for thanks for sparing their lives who so justly had deserved death In the third yeer also of King Henryes Reigne the French King made sharpe Warre against Pope Iulius the second whereupon King Henry wrote to the French King requiring him to desist from his Warre against the Pope being his friend and confederate but when the King of France little regarded his request he then sent him word to deliver him his Inheritance of the Dutchy of Normandie and Guyen and the Countryes of Angiou and Mayne as also his Crown of France or else he would recover it by the sword But when the King of France was not moved with this threatning neither King Henry then joyning in league with the Emperour Maximilian with Ferdinand King of Spaine and with divers other Princes resolved by advise of his Councell to make warre on the King of France and to that end made preparation both by Sea and Land This yeer the King kept his Christmas at Greenwich in a most Magnificent manner On New-yeers day was presented one of his Joviall Devises which onely for a Patterne what his showes at other times were I thinke fit to set downe at large In the Hall was made a Castle garnished with Artillery and weapons in a most warlike fashion and on the Front of the Castle was written la Forteresse Dangerense within the Castle were six Ladies clothed in russet Sattin laid all over with leaves of gold On their heads Coyfes and Caps of gold After this Castle had been carried about the Hall and the Queen had beheld it in came the King with five other apparelled in Coates one halfe of russet-Satten with spangles of fi●e gold the other halfe of rich cloath of gold on their heads Caps of russet Sattin embrodered with works of fine gold These six assaulted the Castle whom the Ladies seeing so lusty and couragious they were contented to solace with them and upon further communication to yeeld the Castle and so they came downe and daunced a long space after that the Ladyes led the Knights into the Castle and then the Castle suddenly vanished out of their sights On Twelfth day at night the King with eleven more were disguised after the maner of Italie called a Maske a thing not seen before in England They were apparelled in garments long and broad wrought all with gold with Vysors and Caps of gold And after the banket done these Maskers came in with six Gentlemen disguised in silke bearing staffe Torches and desired the Ladyes to dance and after they had danced and communed together tooke their leave and departed The five and twentieth of Ianuary began the Parliament of which was speaker Sir Robert Sheffield knight where the Archbishop of Canterbury shewed the wrong which the King of France did to the King of England in with-holding his Inheritance from him and thereupon the Parliament concluded that Warre should be made on the French King and his Dominions At this time King Ferdinand of Spaine having Warre with the French King wrote to his Sonne in law King Henry that if he would send over an Army into Biskey and invade France on that side he would aid them with Ordnance Horses and all other things necessary whereupon Thom●s Gray Marquesse Dorset was appointed to go and with him the Lord Howard Sonne and hei●e to the Earle of S●rry the Lord Brooke the Lord Willoughby the Lord Ferrers the Lords Iohn Anthony and Leonard Grey all brothers to the Marquesse Sir Grisseth ap Ryce Sir Maurice Barkeley Sir William Sands the Baron of B●r●ord and Sir Richard Cornwall his brother William Hussey Iohn Melton William Kingst●n Esquires and Sir Henry Willoughby with divers others to the number of ten thousand who taking ship at Southampton o● the sixteenth of Ma●● the third of Iune they landed on the coast of Biskey whither within three dayes after their arrivall came from the King a Marquesse and an Earle to welcome them but of such necessaries as were promised there came ●one so as the English being in some want of victualls the King of Navarre offered to supply them which they accepted and promised thereupon not to molest his Territories After the Army had lyen thirty dayes looking for aid and provision from the King of Spaine at last a Bishop came from the King desiring the● to have patience a while and very shortly he would give them full contentme●t In the mean time the Englishmen forced to feed much upon Garlick and 〈◊〉 drink of ho●t Wines fell into such sicknesse that many of them dyed at least eighteen hundred persons which the Lord Marquesse seeing he sent to the King to know his pleasure who sent him answer that very shortly the Duke of Alv● should come with a great power and joyne with him and indeed the Duke of Alva came forward with a great Army as if he meant to joyne with him as was promised but being come within a dayes Journey he suddenly turned towards the Realme of Navarre and entring the same chased out the King and Conquered the Kingdom to the King of Spaines use This Spanish policie pleased not the English who finding nothing but words from the King of Spain and being weary of lying so long idle they fell upon some small Townes in the border of Guyen but for want of Horses as well for service as draught were unable to performe any great matter at which time being now October the Lord Marques fell sick and the Lord Howard supplied his place of General to whom the King of Spaine once again sent excusing his present coming and requiring him seeing the time of yeer was now past that he would be pleased to break up his Army and disperse his Companies into Townes thereabou● till the nex● spring when he would not faile to make good all his promises
came to Guisnes for the King of England the Earl of Hertford the Bishop of Winchester Sir Iohn Dudley Viscount Lisle Baron of Mawpas and high Admirall of England Sir William Paget the Kings Secretary Doctor Nicholas Wootton Dean of Canterbury For the French King there came to Ard Claude Danebolt Admirall of France the Bishop of Eureux Monsieur Reymond chiefe President of Roan and the Secretary Bouchetell Diverse times they met betwixt Ard and Guisnes and after long debating of matters and diverse breakings off● at length the seventh of Iune a Peace was concluded and proclaimed in the City of London on Whitsunday the thirteenth of Iune by sound of trumpet and the same day in like manner at Paris and Roan the chiefe Article of which Peace was this that the French King paying to the King of England eight hundred thousand Crownes within the terme of eight yeeres should have Bulloigne againe restored to him which in the mean time should remain in possession of the King of England as a pledge for assurance of the said money and now for a full establishment of this Peace the Viscount Lisle Lord Admirall with the Bishop of Duresme and divers other Lords were sent into France to take oath of the French King and of the Dolphin as likewise at the same time divers Lords came from the French King to take oath of King Henry who by the way were met by the yong Prince and many Lords and conducted to the King at Hampton-Court In his seven and thirtieth yeere the three and twentieth of November a Parliament began at VVestmins●er wherein was granted to the King a Subsidie both of Spiritualty and Temporalty and all Colledges Chanteries and Hospitalls were given to him to dispose of the foure and twentieth of December the Parliament was prorogued on which day the King comming to the Parliament House the Speaker made to him an Oration which the Lord Chancelour was used to answere but at this time the King would answer himselfe the effect whereof was that where Master Speaker had commended him for many excellent qualities that were in him he thanked him for it not that he had them but for putting him in mind how necessary it was he should have them then he thanked the whole House for their Subsidie and for giving him the Colleges and Chanteries which hee promised to see bestowed to the glory of God and good of the Realme lastly he ackowledged their love to himselfe but found fault with want of love to one another for what love where there is not concord and what concord when one calleth another Heretick and Anabaptist and he againe calleth him Papist and Hipocrite and this not onely amongst those of the Temporalty but even the Clergy men themselves preach one against another inveigh one against another without Charity or Discretion some be so stiffe in their old mumpsimus and others so curious in their new sumpsimus that few or none Preacheth truly and sincerely the word of God now therfore let this be amended feare and serve God be in Charity amongst your selves to the which I as your supream Head and Soveraigne Lord exhort and require you and this said the Acts were openly read to some he gave his Royall assent and to diverse assented not Whilst oath for the peace was thus taken by both Kings Bulloigne remaining still in King Henries possession Monsieur de Chatillon Captain of Mont-pleasier began to make a new Bastillion at the very mouth of the Haven of Bulloigne naming it Chatillous Garden hereof the Lord Gray of VVilton as then Deputy of Bulloigne advertised the King by Sir Thomas Palmour requiring to know his pleasure whither he should race it as a thing very incommodious to the Town or let it stand the King asked advice of his Counsail who all agreed that the conditions of the peace ought in no wise to be infringed and therefore to let the Bastillian stand whereupon the King caused his Secretary the Lord Paget to write a letter to the Lord Gray to that purpose but then called Sir Thomas Palmour secretly to him bidding him tell the Lord Gray that whatsoever he had written in his letter yet with all speed possible he should race the fortification to the ground Sir Thomas Palmour replying that a message by word of mouth being contrary to his leter would never be beleeved wel said the King do you tell him as I bid you and leave the doing it to his choice upon the comming back of Sir Thomas Palmour the Lord Gray called a counsaile shewing them th● King● letter and withall Sir Thomas Palmours message and then asked their Advise what in this case he should doe who all agreed without any question that the letter was to be followed and not the message to which the Lord Gray himselfe said nothing but caused the message to be wtitten verbatim from Sir Thomas Palmours mouth and those of the Counsaile to set their hands to it this done the night following he issued forth with a company of Armed men and Pioners aud overthrew the fortification to the ground a●d then sent Sir Thomas Palmour with letters to the King who as soon as he saw him asked aloud what will he doe it or no Sir Thomas Palmour delivering his letter said your Majesty shall know by these but then the King halfe angry nay tell me saith he wil he doe it or no being then told it was done and the fortification clean raced he turned to his Lords and said what say you my Lords to this Chatillous Garden is raced to the ●loore whereto one presently answered that he that had done it was worthy to loose his head to which the King streightl● replyed that he would rather lose a dozen such heads as his was that so J●dged then one such servants as had done it and therewith commanded the Lord Grays pardon should presently be drawn the which he sent vvith letters of great thanks and promise of reward the cause why the King took this course was this lest if he written the racing of the Fortification in his letter it might have come t● the French-mens knowledge before it could have been done and so have been prevented and by this may be taken a scantling of King Henries great Capacitie It is now the eight and thirtieth yeere of his reigne when about Michaelmas Thomas Duke of Norfolke and Henry Earle of Surrey his Sonne and heire upon certaine surmises of treason were committed to the Tower of London and the thirteenth of Ianuary the King then lying at the point of death the said Earle was arraigned in the Guild-hall before the Lord Major the Lord Chauncellour and other Lords there in Commission the speciall matter wherewith he was charged was the bearing of certaine Armes that were said to belong to the King and to the Prince though the Earle justified the bearing of them as belonging to divers of his Ancestours affirming withall that he had the opinion
then any other King did in Realities so in any distemper of his people he had no other Physicke but to open a veine but we shall do him extreame wrong to thinke that all the blood shed in his time was of his shedding they were the Bishops that were the Draco to make the bloody Laws the Bishops that were the Phalaris to put them in execution the King of●entimes scarce knowing what was done Certain it is when a great Lord put a Gentlewoman the second time on the rack the King hearing of it exceedingly condemned him for such extream cruelty As for Religion though he brought it not to a full Reformation yet he gave it so great a beginning that we may truly say of that he did Dimidium plus toto They who charge him with the vice of lust let them shew such another example of continence as was seen in him to lye six moneths by a yong Lady and not to touch her for so did hee with the Lady Anne of Cleve but this is to make Nosegayes I like better to leave every flower growing upon its staulke that it may be gathered fresh which will be done by reading the Story of his Life Of his Death and Buriall IT is Recorded of him that in his later time he grew so fat and slothfull that engines were made to lift and remove him up and downe but howsoever in the six and fiftieth yeer of his age whither a dropsie or by reason of an ulcer in his leg he fell into a lang●ishing feaver which brought him into such extreamity that his Physitians utterly despared of his life whereof yet none durst speake a word to him till Master Denny one of his Privy-chamber tooke the the boldnes to goe to him telling him of the danger he was in and withall putting him in mind to thinke of his soules health to which he answered that hee confessed his sin●es to be exceeding great yet had such confidence in the mercy of God through Christ that he doubted not of forgivenesse though they had been much greater and being then asked by Master Denny if he would have any Divine brought to him with whom to confer he answered he would willingly have the Archbishop Cranmer but not yet a while til he had taken a litle rest whereupon the Archbishop being then at Croydon was presently sent ●or but before he could come the King was growne speechlesse onely seeming to retain a little memory so as putting out his hand and the Archbishop desiring him to shew some signe of his faith in Christ he then wrung the Archbishop hard by the hand and immediately gave up the Ghost the eight and twentieth of Ianuary in the yeer 1547. the six and fiftieth of his age and of his reigne the eight and thirtieth his body with great solemnity was buried at Windsor under a most costly and stately Tombe begun in copper and guilt but never fi●ished Men of note in his time MEn famous for the sword were many in his time and in a manner all that it is hard making choice without being partiall unlesse we shal preferre Dukes of equal valour before others of meaner caling and then wil the Dukes of Norfolke and Suffolk hold worthily the place first and next to them the yong Earl of Surrey who had been more fortunate if he had been lesse valiant Of men of letters in his time there were whole Armies in forraigne parts the most ●amous were Budaeus Ludovicus Vines Iohn Revolin Erasmus Roteradamu● Vrsinus Cornarius Sadolet Martin Bucer in England were Iohn Collet Deane of Pauls and Founder of the Schoole there VVilliam Lilly borne a● Odiham in Hamshire first Scholmaster of Pauls-Schoole Thomas Linaker a learned Phisitian Iohn Skelton a pleasant Poet VVilliam Horman Vice Provest of Eaten who wrote divers workes Sir Rastal● a Citizen and Stationer of London Christopher Saint-Germane an excellent Lawyer Sir Thomas Elyot Iohn Leland a diligent searcher of Antiquities Sir Iohn Bourchier Knight Lord Berners who translated ●he Chronocles of Froysard out of French into English Henry Standish Bishop of Saint Assaph who w●ote a book against Erasmus traslation of the new Testament Arnold of London who wrote certain Colections touching Historicall matters Thomas Lupset a Londoner who wrote sundry vertuous Treatises Henry Bradshaw a black Monke who wrote the life of Saint VVerborough and also a certain Chronocle Iohn Palsgrave a Londoner who wrote instructions for the perfect understanding of the French tongue Iohn S●vish a Cornish-man who wrote certaine abbreviations of Chronicles with a Treatise of the wars of Troy Anthony Fitz-Herbert a Judge who wrote an Abridgment of the Law Wilfride Holme who wrot a Treatise of the rebellion in Lincolnshire Thom●s Lanquet who wrote an Epitomy of Chronicles and also of the winning of Bulloigne Thomas Soulman of Gernsey who wrote divers notes of History Cutbert Tunstall Bishop of Durham Robert VVhittington who wrote divers Treatises for the instruction of Grammarians Iohn Russell who wrote a Treatise entituled super jure Caesaris et Papae also commentaries in Cantica Simon Fish a Kentish-man who wrote a book called the supplication of Beggars George Bullen Lord Rochford brother to Queen Anne who wrote divers songs and sonets Francis Bigod Knight born in Yorkeshire who wrote a book against the Clergy intitled de Impropriationibus Henry Lord Morley who wrote divers Treatises as Comodies and Tragedies as the life of sectaries and certaine rimes VVilliam Botevile alias Thynne who restored the works of Chawcer Richard Turpin who ser●ing in the Garrison of Callice wrote a Chronicle of his time and died in the ●eer 1541. Sir Thomas VViat Knight who wrote divers matters in English-meeter and transl●ted the seven Penitentiall Psalmes and as some say the whole Psalter he died of the pestilence as he was going Embassadour to the Emperour in the yeer 1541. Henry Howard Earle of Surrey who wrote divers Treatises in English-meeter Iohn Field a Londoner who wrote a Treatise of mans Free-will de Servo homi●is Arbitrio and Collections of the common Laws of England Robert Shingleton borne in Lancashire who wrote a Treatise of the seven Churches and certaine Prophesies William Parry a Welsh-man who wrote a booke intitled speculum Iuvenam THE REIGNE OF KING EDWARD THE SIXTH IT was now the yeere 1547. when on the eight and twentieth of Ianuary King Henry dying Prince Edward his Sonne by his third wife the Lady Iane Seymour and the onely Sonne he left behinde him as well by right of Inheritance as by his last Will succeeded him in the Kingdome to whom as being but nine yeers old and therefore unripe for Government hee had assigned eight and twenty Councellours a fit number if agreeing amongst themselves too many if at variance and at variance they would soon fall if there were not a moderatour to keep them in concord the first worke therfore necessary to be done in this new world was to make choice of such a man as might be
the sixth yeer of his reigne which was the yeer before he died he fel sick of the Measels and being well recovered of them he fell after soon into the smal Pox of them also was so well recovered that the summer following he rode a progresse with a greater magnificence then ever he had done before having in his traine no fewer then four thousand horse In Ianuary following whether procured by sinister practise or growing upon him by naturall infirmity he fell into an indisposition of body which soon after grew to a cough of the Lungs Whereupon a rumour was spread abroad by some that a Nosegay had been given him at Newyeerstide which brought him into this slow but deadly consumption by others that it was done by a Glister how ever it was he was brought at last to so great extremity that his Physicians despared of his life and when Physicians could do him no good a Gentlewoman thought to be prepared for the purpose tooke him in hand and did him hurt for with her applications his legges swelled his pulse failed his skinne changed colour and many other symptomes of approaching death appeared The hour before his death he was overheard to pray thus by himselfe O Lord God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy chosens sake if it be thy will send me life and health that I ma● truly serve thee O Lord God save thy chosen people of England and defend this Realme from Papistrie and maintaine thy true Religion that I and my People may praise thy holy Name for thy Sonne Jesus Christs sake So ●urning his face and seeing some by him he said I thought you had nor been so nigh Yes said Doctor Owens we heard you speak to your selfe then said the King I was praying to God O I am faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my spirit and in so saying gave up the Ghost the sixth day of Iuly in the yeer 1553. and in the sixteenth yeer of his Age when he had reigned six yeers five moneths and nine dayes It is noted by some that he died the same moneth and the same day of the moneth that his father King Henry the eight had put Sir Thomas Moore to death His body was buried upon the ninth of August in the Chappell of Saint Peters Church in Westminster and laid neere to the body of King Henry the seventh his grandfather At his funerall which was on the tenth of August following his sister Queen Mary shewed this respect to him that though Doctor Day a Popish Bishop preached yet all the service with a communion was in English Men of note in his time THis Kings reigne being short and having but small warres had not many sword-men famous for any acts they did Gowne men there were some as Edward Holl a Councellour in the Law who wrote a notable Cronicle of the union of the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster William Hugh a Yorkeshireman who wrote a notable Treatice called The troubled mans medicine Thomas Sternehold borne in Southampton who turned into English Meete● seven and thirty of Davids Psalmes The Interregnum betweene the death of King Edward and the proclaiming at London of Queene Mary KIng Edward being dead the Duke of Northumberland tooke upon him to sit at the Sterne and ordered all things at his pleasure so two dayes after he with others of the Councell sent to the Lord Major that he with six Aldermen and twelve principall Commons should repaire presently to the Court to whom when they came it was secretly signified that King Edward was dead and that by his last Will to which all the Nobility and Judges had given assent he had appointed the Lady Iane daughter to the Duke of Suffolke to succeede him his Letters Patents whereof were shewed them and therupon they were required to take their Oathes of Allegeance to the Lady Iane and to secure the City in her behalfe which whether dissemblingly or sincerely whether for love or fear yet they did and then departed The next day the Lady Iane in great state was brought to the Tower of London and there declared Queene and by edect with the sound of Trumpet proclaimed so through London at which time for some words seeming to be spoken against it one Gilbert Pot a Vint●ers servant was set in the Pilory and lost both his ears Before this time the Lady Mary having heard of her brothers death and of the Duke of Northumberlands designes removed from Hovesdon to her Mannour of Keninghall in Norfolke and under pretence of fearing infection having lately lost one of her houshold servants of the plague in one day she rode forty miles and from thence afterward to her Castle of Framingham in Suffolke where taking upon her the name of Queene there resorted to her the most part of all the Gentlemen both of Norfolke Suffolke offering their assistance but upon condition she would make no alteration in Religion to which she condiscended and thereupon soone after came to her the Earles of Oxford Bathe and Sussex the Lord Wentworth Thomas Wharton and Iohn Mordant Barrons eldest sonnes and of Knights Cornwallis Drury Walgrave Shelton Beningfield Ierningham Suliard Freston and many others The Lady Mary being thus assisted wrote her letters signed the ninth of Iuly to the Lords of the Councell wherein shee claimed the Crowne as of right belonging to her and required them to proclaime her Queene of England in the City of London as they tendred her displeasure To this letter of hers the Lords answered that for what they did they had good Warrant not onely by King Edwards last Will but by the Lawes of the land considering her Mothers divorce and her owne Illegitimation and therefore required her to submit her selfe to Queene Iane being now her Soveraigne This Letter was written from the Tower of London under the hands of these that follow Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Thom●s Elye Chancellour William Marquesse of Winchester Iohn Earle of Bedford Henry Duke of Suffolke Francis Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Duke of North●mberland William Earle of Pembrooke Thomas Lord Darcey Lord Chamberlin Cobham Rich Huntington Cheyney Iohn Gates William Peter William Ce●ill Iohn Clerke Iohn Mason Edward North and Robert Bowes The quarell on both sides being thus begun by Letters is prosecuted by Armes and the Lords for their Generall make choyce of the Duke of Suffolke as a man most likely to be firme and sure in the imployment but the Queen his daughter cannot misse his presence and besides is not willing to hazard his person and thereupon she by intreaties and the Lords by perswasions prevaile with the Duke of Northumb●rland to undertake the charge who before his going having conference with the Lords let them know how sensible he was of the double danger he under-went in this enterprize both in respect of the Lady against whom he went and
spare her Father the Duke of Suffolkes life till his second offence gave her just provocation The goodnesse of her nature might be seene in the badnesse of her fortune who tooke nothing so much to heart as unkindnesse of friends the revolt of Callice and the absence of King Phillip being the two chiefe causes that brought her to her end Of her Death and Buriall THE conceit of her being with childe had kept Physitians to looke into the state of her body so as her distemper at first neglected brought her by degrees into a Dropsie to which was added a burning Feavour brought upon her by a double griefe one for the long absence of King Phillip who had now beene away a yeer and a halfe the other and perhaps the greater for the losse of Callice as she forbore not to say to some about her that if they looked into her Heart being dead they should finde Callice there She began to fall sicke in September and dyed at her Mannour of Saint Iames the seventeenth of Novemb●r in the ●eer 1558. when she had reigned five yeers four moneths and eleven dayes Lived three and forty yeers Her Body was interred in a Chappell in the Minster of Saint Peters Church at Westminster without any Monument or other Remembrance Men of note in her time OF Men of Valour in her time there were many as may be seen in the Story of her Re●gne but to name some for example there was William Herbert Earle of Pembrooke the chiefe assistant of King Phillip in the winning of Saint Quintins there was William Lord Gray of VVilton Captain of Guysnes who though he yeelded the Town yet more out of tendernesse to his Souldiers then out of feare of his Enemies which he would never else have yeelded up and to speake of one of a meaner ranke there was Sir Anthony Ager who in defence of the Town of Callice lost his life but not till he made the Enemie turne their backes and flye O● learned men also there were many as Iohn Rogers borne in Lancashire who Translated the Bible into English with Notes Richard Moryson Knight borne in Oxfordshire who wrote divers Treatises Robert Record a Doctor of Physicke who wrote a Booke of Arithmaticke C●●bert Tunstall of a worshipfull Family in Lancashire though base borne who●e Ancestours came into England with the Conquerour as his Barbour and ●herefore hath three Combs his Armes Bishop first of London and after of D●●ham who wrote divers learned Workes Richard Sampson Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield who wrote certaine Trea●●ses Luc●s Shephea●d borne a● Colechester in Essex an English Poet Iane Dudley daughter ●o Henry Gray Duke of Suffolke wrote divers excellent Treatises VVilliam Thomas a VV●lshman who w●ote the History of Italie and other things Iames Brookes and Iohn Standish both of them writers in defence of the Popes Doctrine VVilliam Peryn a black Fryer who wrote in defence of the Masse and also divers Sermons Henry Lord Stafford sonne to Edward Duke of Buckingham who amongst other things which he wrote Translated a Booke out of Latine into English intituled Differentia● which Booke as some thinke was first compiled by Edward Foxe Bishop of Hereford Iohn Hopkins who translated divers of Davids Psalmes into English Meeter which are to be found amongst those appointed to be sung in the Church THE RAIGNE OF Queen Elizabeth QUeen Mary dying on Thursday the seventeenth of November in the Yeer 1558 her sister the Lady Elizabeth of the age of five and twenty yeers the onely surviving childe of King Henry the eighth by undoubted Right succeeded Her in the Crown which happened in a time of Parliament Nicholas Heath Arch-bishop of York and Lord Chancellor sent to the Knights and Burgesses in the Lower House to repair immediately to the Lords of the Upper House to whom he signified That Queen Mary was that morning dead and therefore required their Assents to joyn with the Lords in proclayming Queen Elizabeth which accordingly was done by the sound of Trumpet first at Westminster and after in the City of London The Queen was then at Ha●field● from whence on Wednesday the three and twentieth of November she removed to the Lord North's house in the Charter-house where she stayed till Monday the eight and twentieth of November and then rode in her Chariot thorow London to the Tower where she continued till the fifth of December and then removed by water to Somerset-House in the Strand from whence she went to her Pallace at Westminster and from thence on the twelfth of Ianuary to the Tower and on the fourteenth of Ianuary to Westminster to her Coronation● where it is incredible what Pageants and Shews were made in the City as she passed On Sunday the five and twentieth of Ianuary she was Crowned in the Abbey Church at Westminster by Doctor Oglethorp Bishop of Carlile with all Solemnities and Ceremonies in such case accustomed At this time to honour her Coronation she conferred more Honour then in all her life after William Parre degraded by Queen Mary she made Marquesse of Northampton Edward Seymor whose father had been Attaynted she made Earl of Hertford Thomas Howard second son to Thomas Duke of Norfolk she made Viscount Bindon Sir Henry Carie her Cousin German she made Baron of Hunsdon and Sir Oliver St. Iohn she made Baron of Bletsho And now the Queen though she were her self very wise yet would not trust and it was a great point of wisedome that she would not trust to her own wisedome and therefore she chose Counsellors to assist her In which number she took Nicholas Heath Arch-bishop of York William Pawlet Marquesse of Winchester L. High Treasurer Henry Fitz Alan Earl of Arundell Francis Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury Edward Stanley Earl of Derby Wil. Herbert E. of Pembroke Edw. L. Clinton L. Admirall and William L. Howard of Effingham Sir Thomas Cheyney Sir William Peter Sir Richard Sackvyle and Nicholas Wootton Dean of Canterbury all which had been Counsellors to Queen Mary and were of her Religion But then to make a counter-poyse of Counsellors of her own Religion she joyned with them William Parre Marquesse of Northampton Francis Russell Earl of Bedford Sir Thomas Parry Sir Edward Rogers Sir Ambrose Cave Sir Francis Knolles and Sir William Cecill late Secretary to King Edw. the sixth and a little after Sir Nicholas Bacon whom she made Keeper of the Great Seal And having thus provided for her State at home she seeks correspondence with Princes abroad To the Emperour Ferdinand she sent in Embassage Sir Tho. Chaloner to the King of Spain in the Low-Countreyes the Lord Cobham to the Princes of Germany Sir Henry Killigrew Sir Aemygill W●ad to the Duke of Holst and another Ambassadour to the King of Denmark There were also Ambassadours sent to the Pope to the State of Venice and to the French King with whom at this time there was a Treaty of Peace holden at Cambray between the Kingdoms of France England and
Spain where for England was employed the Earl of Arundell Thursbey Bishop of Ely and Doctor Wootton Dean of Canterbury with whom William Lord Howard of Effingham was joyned by a new Commission As soon as King Philip heard of the death of his wife Queen Mary pa●●ly out of considerations of State and partly out of affection of love he solicited Q. Elizabeth by his Ambassadour the Earl of Feria to joyni● Marriage with himself which was no more for two sisters to have successively one husband then was done before for two brothers to have successively one wife and for this he promised to procure a Dispensation from the Pope To which motion the Queen though she well knew That to allow a Dispensation in this case to be sufficient were to make her own Birth Illegitimate yet to so great a Prince and who in her sisters time had done her many favours she would not return so blunt an Answer but putting the Ambassadou● off for the present in modest tearms She conceived there would be no better way to take him off clean from further sute then by bringing in an Alteration of Religion which yet she would not do all at once and upon the sudden as knowing the great danger of sudden changes but by little and little and by degrees as at first she permitted onely Epistles and Gospels the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Creed to be read to the People in the English Tongue in all other matters they were to follow the Romane Rite and Custome untill order could be taken for establishing of Religion by Authority of Parliament and a severe Proclamation was set forth prohibiting all Points of Controversie to be medled with by which means she both put the Protestants in hope and put not Papists out of hope Yet privately she committed the correcting of the Book of Common Prayer set forth in the English Tongue under King Edward the sixth to the care and diligence of Doctor Parker Bill May Cox Grindall Whitehead and Pilkington Divines of great Learning with whom she joyned Sir Thomas Smith a learned Knight but the matter carryed so closely that it was not communicated to any but ●o the Marquesse of Northampton the Earl of Bedford and Sir William Cecile The two and twentieth of March the use of the Lords Supper in both kindes was by Parliament allowed The four and twentieth of Iune the Sacrifice of the Masse was abolished and the Liturgy in the English Tongue established though as some say but with the difference of six voyces In Iuly the Oath of Supremacy was propounded to the Bishops and others And in August Images were removed out of Churches and broken or burnt By these degrees the Religion was changed and yet the change to the wonder of the world bred no disturbance which if it had been done at once and on the sudden would hardly at least not without dangerous opposition have been admitted During this time a Parliament had been summoned to begin at Westminster upon the fifteenth of Ianuary and now the Queen for satisfaction of the people appointed a Conference to be held between the Prelates of the Realm and Protestant Divines now newly returned who had fled the Realm in the time of Queen Mary for the Prelates were chosen Iohn White Bishop of Winchester Ralph Bayne Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield Thomas Watson Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Cole Dean of Pauls Doctor Langdell Arch-deacon of Lewis Doctor Harpsefield Arch-deacon f Canterbury and Doctor Chadsey Arch-deacon of Middlesex For the Protestant side were appointed Doctor Scory Doctor Cox Doctor Sands Doctor Whitehead Doctor Grindall Master Horne Master Guest Master Elmer and Master Iuell The place was prepared in Westminster Church where besides the Disputants were present the Lords of the Queens Councell with other of the Nobility as also many of the Lower House of Parliament The Articles propounded against the Prelates and their adherents were these First That it is against the Word of God and the Custome of the ancient Church to use a Tongue unknown to the people in common Prayer and in the Administration of the Sacraments Secondly That every Church hath authority to appoint and change Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall Rites so they be to edification Thirdly That it cannot be proved by the Word of God that there is in the Masse a Sacrifice Propitiatory for the living and the dead For the manner of their Conference it was agreed it should be performed in writing and that the Bishops should deliver their Reasons in writing first The last of March was the first day of their meeting where contrary to the Order the Bishops brought nothing in writing but said They would deliver their mindes onely by Speech This breaking of Order much displeased the Lords yet they had it granted Then rose up Doctor Cole and made a large Declaration concerning the first Poynt when he had ended the Lords demanded if any of them had more to say who answered No Then the Protestant Party exhibited a written Book which was distinctly read by Master Horne This done some of the Bishops began to affirm they had much more to say in the first Article This again much displeased the Lords yet this also was granted them to do at their next meeting on Munday next but when Munday came so many other differences arose between them that the Conference broke off and nothing was determined But in the Parliament there was better Agreement for there it was enacted That Queen Elizabeth was the lawfull and undoubted Queen of England notwithstanding a Law made by her Father King Henry the eighth that excluded both her and her sister Mary from the Crown seeing though the Law be not repealed yet it is a Principle in Law That the Crown once gained taketh away all defects Also in this Parliament First fruits and Tenths were restored to the Crown and the Title of Supreme Head of the Church of England was confirmed to the Queen with so universall consent that in the Upper House none opposed these Laws but onely the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir Anthony Brown Viscount Mountague and in the Lower House only some few of Papall inclination murmured saying That the Parliament was packt and that the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Arundel and Sir William Cecill for their own ends had cunningly begged voyces to make up their Party The Supremacie thus confirmed to the Queen the Oath was soon after tendred to the Bishops and others of whom as many as refused to take it were presently deprived of their livings And that we may see how inclining the Kingdom at this time was to receive the Protestant Religion It is said that in the whole Realm wherein are reckoned above Nine thousand Spirituall Promotions there were no more that refused to take the Oath but onely fourscore Parsons fifty Prebendaries fifteen Masters of Colledges twelve Archdeacons twelve Deans six Abbots and fourteen Bishops indeed all that were at that time
themselves by leaving the English at Newhaven and by trusting to their Country-men the French Papists for their peace was but a snare and the Marriage of Henry of Bourbon Prince of Navarre with Margaret of Valois the French Kings sister was but a bait to entrap them for upon the confidence of this Marriage being drawn together into Paris they were the readier for the slaughter and a few dayes after the Marriage which were all spent in Feasts and Masks to make them the more secure upon a Watch-word given the bloody faction fell upon the Protestants and neither spared age nor sex nor condition but without mercy and sense of humanity slaughtered as many as they could meet with to the number of many thousands It was now the sixth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign a yeer fatall for the death of many great Personages First died William Lord Grey of We●lon Governour of Berwick a man famous for his great Services in War then William Lord Paget a man of as great Services in Peace who by his great deservings had wrought his advancement to sundry dignities and honourable places and though zealous in the Roman Religion yet held by Queen Elizabeth in great estimation to his dying day Then Henry Mannors Earl of Rutland descended by his mother from King Edward the fourth And lastly Francis the Dutchesse of Suffolk daughter to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and mother to Queen Iane. And now Queen Elizabeth finding how fickle the French Protestants had carryed themselves towards her intended to make a Peace and to that end sent Sir Thomas Smith into France joyning Throgmorton in Commission with him and in conclusion a Peace was agreed on whereof amongst other Articles this was one That the Hostages in England should be freed upon the payment of six hundred thousand Crowns and this Peace was ratified by the Oath both of the Queen of England and the King of France About this time the English Merchants were hardly used both in Spain● and in the Netherlands upon pretence of Civill differences but indeed out of hatred to the Protestant Religion whereupon the English removed the seat of their Trading to Embden in Freezland● but Gusman the Spanish Liegier newly come into England finding the great dammages that the Netherlands sustained by these differences endeavoured by all means to compose them and thereupon Viscount Mountague Nicholas Wootton and Walter Haddon Master of the Requests were sent to Bruges in Flanders who after many interruptions brought the matter at last to some indifferent agreement It was now the seventh yeer of Queen Elizabeth when making a Progresse she went to see Cambridge where after she had viewed the Colledges and been entertained with Comedies and Scholasticall Disputations she made her self a Latine Oration to the great encouragement of the Schollars and then returned Presently after her return● she made the Lord Robert Dudley Master of her Horse first Baron of Denbigh giving him Denbigh and all the Lands belonging to it and then Earl of Leicester to him and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten which Honour was conferred upon him with the greatest State and Solemnity that was ever known And now Leicester to endear himself to the Queen of Scots accused Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper for being privy to the libell of Hales who affirmed the Right of the Crown to belong to the Family of Suffolk in case the Queen should die without Issue and thereupon was Bacon cast into prison till afterward upon his purgation and the mediation of Sir William Cecill he was set at liberty and restored to his place And now for a while we must cast our eyes upon Scotland for that was now the Stage where all the great businesses of State were acted Matthew Steward Earl of Lenox who had marryed Margaret Dowglas King Henry the eighth's Neece by his eldest sister had been kept as an Exile in England now twenty yeers him the Queen of Scots invites to come into Scotland● under pretence of restoring to him his ancient Patrimony but indeed to conferre with him about a Marriage with his son the Lord Darlie for being reputed heir to the Crown of England next after her self she thought by matching with his son to strengthen her own title and to prevent the hope of any other Queen Elizabeth upon sute made by his wife gave the Earl leave to go but soon after suspecting what the Queen of Scots intent was in sending for him she to hinder the proceeding sent Sir Thomas Rand●ll to her to let her know That if she proceeded in this Ma●ch she would exceedingly wrong her self for that it was a Match so much disliked by all the English that she was fain to prorogue the Parliament lest upon dislike thereof there should something be enacted against her Right of Succession But if she would marry the Earl of Leicester she should then by Parliament be declared her next Heir Hereupon in the month of November the Earl of Bedford and Sir Thomas Randoll for Queen Elizabeth● the Earl of Murray and Lidington for the Queen of Scots at Barwick entred into a Treaty concerning the Marriage with the Earl of Leicester The English Commissioners urged the great benefits that by this Match would accrew both to the Queen of Scots her self and to the whole Kingdom of Scotland The Scotish on the other side urged the great disparagement it would be to the Queen of Scots if refusing the offers made her of divers great Princes she should match her self with so mean a person as the Earl of Leicester This matter held long debate partly for that the English Commissioners were so appointed by Queen Elizabeth and partly for that the Scotish Commissioners had a good minde to hinder her from marrying at all and perhaps not the least for that the Earl of Leicester being verily perswaded he should at last obtain Queen Elizabeth her self by secret Letters warned the Earl of Bedford not to urge the Marriage with the Queen of Scots too far and was thought for this cause to favour Darly under hand The matter being in this manner protracted for two whole yeers together the Queen of Scots impatient of longer delay and being resolved in her minde what she would do● used means that the Lord Darly got leave of Queen Elizabeth to go into Scotland for three months onely under colour to be put in possession of his fathers Lands though it be strange the Queen upon any te●●ms would let him go if she really intended to hinder the Marriage but such was the destiny if there were not a plot in it and ●o in Febr●ary he came to Edinburgh who being a young man of not above nineteen yeers of age of a comely countenance and most Princely Presence the Queen of Scots as soon as she saw him fell in love with him yet in modesty dissembling it for the present she sought to get a Dispens●on from Rome because of their neernesse in Consanguinity And now
was Iohn of Austria come into the Low-countries with a large Commission for he was the Naturall sonne of the Emperour Charles the fifth to whom the Queen sent Edward Horsey Governour of the Isle of Wight to Congratulate his coming thither and to offer help if the States called the French into the Netherlands yet at the same time Swevingham being exceeding importunate on the States behalfe she sent them twenty thousand pounds of English mony so well she could play her game of both hands upon condition they should neither change their Prince nor there Religion nor take the French into the Low-countries nor refuse a Peace if Iohn of Austria should condiscend to indifferent Conditions but if he embraced a Peace then the money should be paid back to the Spanish souldiers who were ready to mutiny for lack of pay So carefull she was to retaine these declining Provinces in obedience to the King of Spaine At this time a Voyage was undertaken to trie if there could be found any sea upon the North part of America leading to the wealthy coast of Cathaia whereby in one Comerce might be joyned the riches of both the East and West parts of the worlde in which voyage was imployed Martyn Frobysher who set saile from Harwich the eighteenth of Iune and the ninth of August entred into that Bay or sea but could passe no further for Snow and Ice The like expedition was taken in hand two yeers after with no better successe About this time died the Emperour Maximilian a Prince that Deserved well of Queen Elizabeth and the English who thereupon sent Sir Philip Sidney to his sonne Ridolphus King of the Romanes to condole his Fathers death and congratulate his succession as likewise to doe the like for the decease of the Count Electour Palatine named Frederick the third with her surviving sonne And now Walter Deveruex Earl of Essex who out of Leicesters envie had bin recalled out of Ireland was out of Leicesters feare as being threatned by him sent back again into Ireland but with the empty title of Earl Marshall of Ireland with the grief whereof he fell into a bloody Flux and in most grievous torments ended his life When he had first desired the standers by to admonish his sonne scarce tenne yeers old at that time to have alwayes before his eyes the six and thirtieth yeer of his age as the utmost terme of his life which neither himself nor his father before him could out-go and the sonne indeed attained not to it as shall hereafter he declared He was suspected to be poisoned but Sir Henry Sidney Deputie of Ireland after diligent search made wrote to the Lords of the Counsell That the Earl often said It was familiar to him upon any great discontentment to fall into a Flux and for his part he had no suspition of his being poisoned yet was this suspition encreased for that presently after his death the Earl of Leicester with a great sum of money and large promises putting away Dowglasse Sheffield by whom he had a son openly marryed Essex his widdow For although it was given out That he was privately marryed to her ye● Sir Francis Knolles his father who was well acquainted with Leicester's roving loves would not believe it unlesse he himself were present at the Marriage and had it testified by a publike Notary At this time also died Sir Anthony Cook of Gyddy-Hall in Essex who had been School-master to King Edward the sixth and was no lesse School-master to his own daughters whom he made skilfull in the Greek and Latine Tongues marryed all to men of great Honour one to Sir William Cecill Lord Treasurer of England a second to Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper of the Great Seal a third to Sir Thomas Hobby who died Ambassador in France a fourth to Sir Ralph Lowlet and the fifth to Sir Henry Killigrew At this time the sons of the Earl of Cla●ricard who scarce two months before had obtained pardon for their Rebellion fell into Rebellion again but were by the Deputy soon supprest and William Drury newly made President of Munster reduced the whole Provice to good Order except only the County of Kerry whither a number of Vagabonds were gotten trusting to the Immunities of the place For King Edward the third made Kerry a County Palatine and granted to the Earls of Desmond all the Royall Liberties which the King of England had in that County excepting Wreckby Fyre Forestall and Treasure Trou●e The Governour notwithstanding who wisely judged that these Liberties were granted for the better preservation of Justice and not for maintenance of outragious malefactors entred into it and violently put to flight and vanquished the mischievous crew which the Earl of Desmond had placed there in ambush The Earl in the mean while made great complaints of Drury to the Deputy and particularly of the Tax which they call Ceasse which is an exaction of provision of Victualls at a certain rate for the Deputies Family and the Souldiers in Garrison This Tax not he onely but in Leinster also many Lords refused to pay alleadging that it was not to be exacted but by Parliament but the matter being examined in England it appeared by the Records of the Kingdome That this Tax was anciently imposed and that as a certain Right of Majestie a Prerogative Royall which is not subjected to Laws yet not contrary to them neither as the wise Civilians have observed Yet the Queen commanded to use a moderation in exactions of this nature saying She would have her subjects shorn but not devoured It was now the yeer 1577 and the twentieth of Queen Elizabeths Raign when Iohn of Austria pretending to Queen Elizabeth nothing but Peace yet is found to deal secretly with the Pope to peprive her of her Kingdome and himself to marry the Queen of Scots and invade England of which his practices the Prince of Orange gives Queen Elizabeth the first intelligence Whereupon finding his deep dissembling she enters into a League with the States for mutuall defence both at Sea and Land upon certain Conditions but having concluded it because she would not have it wrongfully interpreted as though she meant to foster a Rebellion in the Netherlands she sent Thomas Wilkes to the King of Spain with these Informations That she had alwayes endeavoured ●o keep the Low-Countryes in obedience to the King of Spain had perswaded even with threatnings the Prince of Orange to accept of Peace but withall if the King of Spain would have his Subjects obedient to him she then requests him to restore their Priviledges and to remove I●hn of Austria from the Government who not onely was her deadly enemy but laboured by all means to bring the Netherlands into utter servitude If this be granted by the King of SPAIN she then faithfully promiseth That if the States perform not their Allegiance to him as by their Promise to her they are engaged to doe she will utterly forsake them and bend
touching a League offensive and defensive though the King at first required some additions and though the French Ambassador infinitely opposed it yet at last he consented to it and in Iuly following there met at Barwick Edward Earle of Rutland William Lord Euer and Thomas Randoll for the Queen of England Francis Earl of Bothwell Robert Lord Boyde and Humes for the King of Scots and there the League which was called the League of strict Amity for that the word offensive liked not the Scots was upon certain points concluded First for the maintenance of the reformed Religion and then other such Articles as commonly in Leagues are usuall The very same moneth that this League was agreed on a most dangerous conspiracy against the Queen was discovered For first one Iohn Savage was by the perswasions of Gifford Doctor in Divinity induced to believe that it was a meritorious work to take away the lives of Princes Excommunicate who thereupon vowed to kill Queen Elizabeth but to make the Queen and her Councell secure at the very same time they wrote a book● exhorting the Papists in England to attempt nothing against their Prince and to use only the Christian weapons of Tears Prayers Watching and Fasting About Whitsuntide one Ballard a Seminary Priest of Rheims acquainted with the vow of Savage having dealt in France with Mendoza and Charles Paget about invading of England arrived here in a souldiers habit and by a counterfeit name called Captain Fos●● with these matters he acpuaints one Anthony Babington a gentleman of Darbyshire who by the Bishop of Glasco the Queen of Scots Ambassador in France had been commended to her as one worthy of her love so as between them there passed often letters in unknown characters In short time Babington had drawn into the Plot other gentlemen as zealous of the Romish Religion as himselfe namely Edward Windsor brother to the Lord Windsor Thomas Salisbery of a good Family in Devonshire Charles Tilney one of the Queens Pensioners Chydiock Tichburne of Hamshire Edward Abington whose father was Coferer to the Queen Robert Gage of Surrey Iohn Travers● and Iohn Charnock of Lancashire Iohn Iones● Savage formerly spoken of Barnwell of a noble Family in Ireland and Henry Dunne a Clerk in the Office of First-fruits and Tenths one Pollie also serued himselfe into their company a fellow throughly acquainted with the affairs of the Queen of Scots who was thought to have revealed all their consultations to Walsingham day by day To these Gentlemen Babington communicateth his affairs but not every particular to every one but to Ballard Tichburne and Dunn● he sheweth the Letters which passed between him and the Queen of Scots with Tilney and the rest he dealeth to be the Assassinates of whom some at first loth at last consented and in a foolish vaingloriousnesse a picture of the Assassinates was made to the life and Babington in the midst with these words Quorsum haec alio properentibus This Picture they say was gotten and privately shewed to the Queen who knew none of them by face but only Bernwell who had oftentimes come to her in the causes of the Earl of Kildare whose servant he was Certain it is that the Queen one day walking abroad spyed this Bernwell and turning to Hatton sayd Am not I well Guarded that have not so much as one man in the company with a sword by his side Thus much Bernwell himselfe told the rest of his confederacy and how easie a matter it had bin to have dispatched her at that time if the rest had been present The chief discoverer of the Plot was the aforesayd Gifford This man was a gentleman of a good Hou●e at Chellington in Staffordshire not far from Chartley where the Queen of Scots was kept prisoner and was now sent by the English fugitives in France under the counterfeit name of Luson to put Savage in minde of the vow he had made and to convey letters between them and the Queen of Scots But he whether pricked in conscience or dismayed in minde came to Walsingham privately revealing who he was and for what end and by whom sent into England Walsingham courteously entertained him and sent him down into Staffordshire to do the work he had undertaken Here Gifford bribing the Brewer of the House where the Queen of Scots lay contrived the matter in such sort with him that by a hole in the wall in which a loose stone was put he should give in and receive forth Letters the which by messengers purposely layd by the way came evermore to Walsinghams hands who broke them open copied them out and by the rare cunning of one Thomas Philips found out the meaning of the private Characters and by the singular Art of Arthur Gregory sealed them again so curiously that no man would imagine them to have been opened and ever sent them to the parties to whom the superscription directed them In like manner were the former letters from the Queen of Scots to Babington intercepted as also other letters written at the same time to Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador Charles Paget the Lord Paget the Archbishop of Glasco and Francis Englefield The Queen as soon as she understood by these letters of the storm hanging over her head both at home and abroad commanded Ballard to be apprehended who on a sodain is taken in Babingtons house Babington hereupon goeth to Walsingham with whom he had long been a suiter for licence to go into France promising to do great matters in discovering the practises of the Fugitives Walsingham with fair promises drives him off from day to day and now perswades him that for a small space till he could get his license sealed he would lodge at his house in London where they might have secret conference without suspition This Web Walsingham himselfe had spun hitherto and no other of the Queens Councell were made acquainted and longer yet he would have drawn the thread out but that the Queen was unwilling least as she sayd by not avoyding danger when she might she should seem rather to tempt God than to trust in him Whereupon Walsingham sent a Note to his man Scudamore from the Court to looke carefully to Babington This Note was delivered in such manner that Babington sitting by at Table when Scudamore read it overlooked him and read it likewise Hereupon suspecting that all was discovered the next night he and Scudamore and one or two more of Walsinghams servants supping at a Tavern and being very merry he made an excuse that he must needs step aside and rose up leaving his Cloak and his sword and so made haste through the dark to Westminster where Gage and he changed apparel and then together withdrew themselves 〈◊〉 S. Iohns wood neer the City whether Barnwell also and Dun betook them●●●ves In the mean space they were proclaimed Traytors all England over● Hereupon they lay lurking in Woods and by-places they shave Babingtons 〈◊〉 disfigure the beauty of
Spain Sir Walter Rawleigh Captain of the Guard having defloured a Mayd of Honor whom afterward he married had lost the Queens favour and was held in Prison for certain moneths but afterward being set at liberty though banished the Court He undertook a Voyage to Guyana setting sayl from Plimmouth in February he arrived at Trinidada where he took St. Iosephs Town but found not a jot of money there From hence with Boats and a hundred souldiers he entred the vast River Orenoque ranging up in Guyana four hundred myles but getting little but his labour for his travell In like manner Amyas Preston and Sommers Pillaged sundry Towns of the King of Spains in the Western parts and three ships of the Earl of Cumberland set upon a huge Caraque which by casualty was fired when they were in fight and these were the enterprises of private persons but the Queen being informed that great store of wealth for the King of Spains use was conveyed to Port Rico in St. Iohns Island sent thither Hawkins Dr●k● and Baskervile with land Forces furnishing them with six ships out of her own Navy and twenty other men of War They set sayl from Plimmo●th the last of August and seven and twenty dayes after came upon the Coast of the great Canarie which being strongly Fortified they forbore to assault A moneth after they came to the Isle of St. Dominicke where five Spanish ships being sent forth to watch the English lighted upon one of the small English ships which was strayed from the Company and ●●●ting the Master and Marriners upon the Rack understood by them That the English Navy was bent to Port Rico whereupon they make all possible speed to give notice thereof that being fore-warned they might accordingly be armed And thereupon as soon as the English had cast Anchors 〈◊〉 the Road at Port Rico the Spaniards thundered against them from the shore si● Nicholas Clifford and Brute Browne were wounded as they sate at ●upper and two dayes after died Hawkins also and Drake partly of dis●●se and partly of grief for their ill successe died soon after At the end of eight months the Fleet came home having done the enemy little hurt fired onely some few Towns and ships but received infinite damage thems●lves lost two such Sea-men as the Kingdom I may say all Europe had ●ot their like left For the Spaniards having of late yeers received great ●●rms by the French and English had now provided for themselves with Fortifications which were not easie to be won At this time the Queen made known to the States in the Low-Countries the great charges she had been at in relieving them ten yeers together for which she requiteth some considerable recompence The States again alleadge the great charges they were at in Eighty Eight in repelling the Spaniards in her cause yet not to fall out about the matter they were content to allow some reasonable retribution but yet for the present nothing was concluded Likewise at this time the Hanse Towns in Germany make complaint to the Emperour and the Princes of the Empire That the Immunities from customes antiently granted them by the Kings of England began to be Antiquated and that a Monopoly of English Merchants was set up in Germany to which the Queen by Sir Christopher Perkins first shewing the cause of the first Grant and then the Reason of Queen Maries prohibiting it afterward makes them so satisfactory an answer that those very Hanse-Towns which complained brought into England at this time such store of Corne that it prevented a mutiny which thorough dearth of Corn was like to have hapned in London This yeer was famous for the death of many great Personages Philip Earl of Arundel condemned in the yeer 1589. The Queen had all this while spared but now death would spare him no longer having since that time been wholly given to contemplation and macerated himself in a strict course of Religion leaving one onely son Thomas by his wife Anne Dacres of Gillis●and He had two brothers Thomas Lord Howard whom Queen Elizabeth made Baron of Walden and King Iames afterward Earl of Suffolk and William Lord Howard of the North who yet liveth and one sister the Lady Margaret marryed to Robert Sackvile afterward Earl of D●rset and father of Edward Earl of Dorset now living a Lady so milde so vertuous and so devout in her Religion that if her brother macerated himself being in prison she certainly did no lesse being at liberty whom I the rather mention because I had the happinesse to know her living and the unhappinesse to be a Mourner at her Funerall There died this yeer also William Lord Vaulx a zealous Papist and Sir Thomas Hineage Vice-Chamberlain and Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster whose onely daughter marryed to Sir Moyle Finch of Kent was no small advancer of that House There died also William Whitaker Master of S. Iohns Colledge in Cambridge and Divinity Professor As likewise Sir Roger Williams and Sir Thomas Morgan so as this yeer was honoured with the deaths of two great Lords one exquisite Courtier one great Schollar and two famous Souldiers In Ireland at this time Russell the Deputy doubting a storm of War from Tir-Oen sent into England requiring to have some experienced souldier sent to him with Forces who though he desired Baskervyle to be the man yet Sir Iohn Norris was sent with thirteen hundred old souldiers besides a further supply whom Tir-Oen hearing to be coming set presently upon the Fort of Blackwater and in the absence of Edward Cornwall the Governour took it But now being doubtfull of his case in a subdolous manner as he was a double dealing man he both offereth his help to the Earl of Kildare against the Deputies servants and at the same time maketh promise to the Earl of Ormond and Sir Henry Wallope of loyalty and obedience but notwithstanding he was forthwith proclaimed Traytor under the name of H●gh O Neal bastard son to Con O Neal. There was at this time with the Rebells in Ulster a thousand Horse and 6280 Foot and in Connaght two thousand three hundred all at Tir Oens command and the Forces of the English under Norris not much fewer with whom the Deputy himself joyned and marched together to Armagh which so terrified the Rebels that Tir Oen forsaking the Fort of Blackwater began to hide himself Whereupon the Deputy returned leaving Norris to follow the War with the Title of Generall of the Army But this satisfied not Norris and therefore out of emulation betwixt himself the Deputy he performed nothing worth the speaking of and seemed to favour Tir Oen as much as the Deputy hated him insomuch as he had private conference with him a thing not lawfull with proclaymed Traytors and upon his submission and Hostages given a Truce was granted both to him and Odonell till the first of Ian●ary When the Truce was expired Tir Oen exhibited certain Petitions protesting if they