Castle an honourable Mansion of his own where he continued and kept a bounteful house to the time of his death which happened in the fourscore and sixth year of his age He was buried at Thetford Abbey in Norfolk dying after a most generous life worth a large estate so clear from debt that at his death he owed not one groat to any person whatsoever an unusual happiness to attend so great a Souldier and Courtier as he was From this famous Duke is descended the Right Honorable James Earl of Suffolk whose great Grandfather Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk married Margret sole Daughter and Heir to Sir Thomas Audley Lord Chancellour of England by whom he had issue Thomas Lord Howard of Walden and Earl of Suffolk who built that magnificent Structure at Audley-end who left the same to his Son and Heir Theophilus a worthy Gentleman the Father of James Earl of Suffolk now living Anno 1659. To whom with his most vertuous Lady I wish all encrease of true honour and felicity To the greater honour of these Progenies this Heroick Earl died so much a Laureat that his Songs and Sonnets by all those that rightly understand Poetry are looked upon as in those dayes to have been the Muses Parnassus so that for his Epitaph there needed no more to be writ but that here lies interred The greatest Courtier the most valiant Souldier and the most accomplisht Poet of those times The Life of CARDINAL VVOLSEY Fortunae variantis opus Wolsaeus ad alta Scandit iter dubium certa minitante ruina CArdinal VVolsey the Tennis-ball of Fortune was born at Ipswich in Suffolk of so poor and despicable Parents that were his story of an ancient date and not delivered by Authentique Historians it might pass for a fiction his Father being no more but a poor Butcher from so low a beginning did he rise to the highest pitch of honour His Education in youth was at Oxford in Maudlin Colledge from thence he was preferred to be School-master to the Marquess of Dorsets Children where he first learned to be imperious over noble blood the Marquess dying Wolsey went into France to seek his Fortune and coming to Callis became servant to Sir John Naphant then Treasurer of the Town where he behaved himself with so great discretion that his Master shortly preferred him to King Henry the Seventh Having thus cast Anchor at Court the Haven of hope and Port of Promotion he was more then double diligent in the Kings eye and very serviceable to Doctour Fox Bishop of Wincheter Secretary and Lord Privy Seal as also to Sir Thomas Lovel Master of the Wards and Constable of the Tower who perswaded King Henry having urgent business with Maximilian the Emperour to send Wolsey in Embassage unto him being at that present in the Countrey of Flanders who returned again before he was thought to be gone and withal concluded some Points forgot in his directions to the hight contentment of King Henry for the which he bestowed upon him the Deanry of Lincolne and not long after made him his Almoner But King Henries day now drawing towards night he adores the rising Sun Prince Henry and having found the length of his foot fitteth him with an easie shoe well knowing there could be no loss to humour him who was so able to give nor was he deceived in his expectation for Henry afterwards coming to be King and having conquered the City of Tourney in France bestowed the Bishoprick of the same upon VVolsey and not long after made him Bishop of Lincolne and Archbishop of York And now being Primas Anglia carried himself accordingly by erecting his Cross in the Kings Court although within the Jurisdiction of Canterbury which high presumption VVilliam Archbishop of Canterbury greatly checked But VVolsey not abiding any Superious obtained to be made Priest Cardinal and Legatus de Latere unto whom the Pope sent a Cardinals Hat with certain Bulls for his Authority in that behalf And now remembring the taunts he had received from Canterbury found means with the King that he was made Lord Chancellour of England and Canterbury which was Chancellour dismissed who had continued in that place long since before the death of King Henry the Seventh VVolsey now sitting at the Helm of Church and State had two Crosses and two Pillars born ever before him the one of his Archbishoprick the other of his Legacy by two of the tallest Priests that were to be found in the Realm To the better maintenance of which chargeable estate the King bestowed on him the Bishoprick of VVinchester and in Commendam the Abbey of St. Albans and with them he held in Farm the Bishopricks of Bathe VVorcester and Hereford enjoyed by strangers incumbents not residing in the Realm so that now being Bishop of Tourney Lincolne York VVinchester Bathe VVorcester and Hereford he seemed a Monster with seven heads and each of them crowned with the Mitre of a Bishop far different from the state of his Lord and Master Christ who had not a hole wherein to hide his head Yet his ambition resteth not here next he aspires to the Triple Crown he onely wants Holiness and must be Pope to the attaining of which Dignity he makes means to the Romish Cardinals as also to the Emperour Charles the Fifth Gold he gave to the Cardinals and they gave him golden promises although they proved but empty performances nor did the Emperour serve him any better promising much but performing nothing VVolsey hereat enraged studies revenge and by his instruments seeks to make a divorce betwixt Queen Katherine Dowager the Emperours Aunt and King Henry the Eighth his Master thereby to advance a Marriage betwixt him and the King of France's sister But though he effected the one he failed in the other for contrary to his expectation King Henry fell in love with Anna Bullen a Gentlewoman nothing favourable to his Pontificial Pomp nor no great follower of the Rites of those times which moved the Cardinal the Pope having assumed the sentence of Queen Katherines cause unto himself to write unto his Holiness to defer the judgement of Divorce till he had wrought the Kings minde in another mould But though this was done secretly it came to the Kings ear and wrought his minde quite off from the Cardinal which finally was the cause of his confusion for upon the Kings dislike the Counsel articled against him and the Law found him in a Premunire for procuring to be Legatus de latere and advancing the Popes Power against the Laws of the Realm for which resentment the Kings displeasure was so incenst that the Broad Seal was taken from him and most of his other Spiritual Preferments his house and furniture seized on to the Kings use and himself removed to Cawood Castle in Yorkshire Yet was he still left Bishop of Winchester and Archbishop of York to which last providing for his installing state equivalent to a Kings Coronation he was arrested of
of Manchester and the Lord Fairfax and with joynt Forces besieged York to raise the Siege Prince Rupert came with a great Army out of the South the three Generals left their Siege to fight the Prince under him also New Castle having drawn his Forces out of York served who on a great Plain called Marston Moor gave Battle to the three Generals The Victory at first enclined to the Royalists but by the valour of Cromwel who fought under Manchester their whole Army was utterly defeated Prince Rupert his Ordnance his Carriages and Baggage being all taken This was the greatest Battel of the whole Civil War and might have proved a great Remora to the Kings proceedings had he not soon after worsted Essex in Cornwall who having lost all his Artillery returned to London The Parliament soon after new modelled their Army Sir Thom as Fairfax was chosen General in the room of Essex and now the Idol of a Treaty was set up at Vxbridge in which to shew the clearness of his Majesties intentions I have included some of his most material proceedings conducible to an Agreement betwixt him and the Parliament His Majesties particular Prayer for a Blessing on the Treaty O most merciful Father Lord God of Peace and Truth we a people sorely afflicted by the scourge of an unnatural War do earnestly beseech thee to command a Blessing from Heaven on this Treaty brought about by thy Providence the onely visible remedy left for the establishment of a happy Peace soften the most obdurate hearts with a true Christian desire of saving those mens bloud for whom Christ himself hath shed his O Lord let not the guilt of our sins cause this Treaty to break off but let the truth of thy Spirit so clearly shine in our mindes that all private ends laid aside we may every one of us heartily and sincerely pursue the Publick good and that the people may be no longer so blindely miserable as not see at least in this their day the things that belong to their peace Grant this gracious God for his sake who is our peace it self even Jesus our Lord Amen His Majesties Message to the Houses of Parliament which drew on the following Treaty at Uxbridge December 13. 1644. His Majesty hath seriously considered your Propositions and findes it very dffiicult in respect they import so great an alteration in Government both in Church and State to return a particular and positive Answer before a full debate wherein those Propositions and all the necessary explanations and reasons for assenting dissenting or qualifying and all inconveniences and mischiefs which may ensue and cannot otherwise be so well foreseen may be discussed and weighed his Majesty therefore proposeth and desireth as the best expedient for peace that you will appoint such number of persons as you shall think fit to treat with the like number of persons to be appointed by his Majesty upon the said Propositions and such other things as shall be proposed by his Majesty for the preservation and defence of the Protestant Religion with due regard to the ease of tender Consciences as his Majesty hath often offered the Rights of the Crown the Liberty and Propriety of the Subjects and the Priviledges of Parliament And upon the whole matter to conclude a happy and blessed Peace Sent by the Duke of Richmond and the Earl of Southampton December 13. 1644 His Majesties Commission to certain Lords and Gentlemen to treat at Vxbridge with the Commissioners of the Lords and Commons assembled at Westminster c. Charles Rex Whereas after several Messages sent by us to the Lords and Commons of Parliament at Westminster expressing our desires of Peace certain Propositions were sent by them to us at Oxon in November last by the Earl of Denbigh and others and upon our Answers Messages and Propositions to them and their Returns to us it is now agreeed That there shall be a Treaty for a well-grounded Peace to begin at Uxbridge on Thursday the thirtieth day of this instant January as by the said Propositions Answers Messages and Returns in writing may more fully appear We do therefore hereby appoint assign and codnstitute James Duke of Richmond and Lennox William Marquess of Hertford Thomas Earl of Southampton Henry Earl of Kingston Francis Earl of Chichester Francis Lord Seymor Arthur Lord Capel Christopher Lord Hatton John Lord Culpeper Sir Edward Nicholas Knight one of cur principal Secretaries of State Sir Edward Hide Knight Chancellour and Vnder-Treasurer of our Exchequer Sir Richard Lane Chief Baron of our said Exchequer Sir Thomas Gardiner Sir Orlando Bridgeman Master John Asburnham and Master Jeffery Palmer together with Dr. Richard Steward upon the Propositions concerning Religion to be our Commissioners touching the Premises and do hereby give unto them or to any ten or more of them full power and authority to meet and on our part to treat with Algernon Earl of Northumberland Philip Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery William Earl of Salisbury Basil Earl of Denbigh Thomas Lord Viscount Wentworth Denzil Hollis William Pierpoint Esquires Sir Henry Vane the younger Knight Oliver St. John Bulstrade Whitlock John Crew and Edmond Prideaux Esquires for the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England at Westminster and John Earl of London Lord Chancellour of Scotland Archibald Marquess of Arguile John Lord Maytland John Lord Balmerino Sir Archibald Johnson Sir Charles Asking George Douglas Sir John Smith Sir Hough Kennedy and Master Robert Carly for the Estates of the Parliament of Scotland together with Master Alexander Henderson upon the Propositions concerning Religion or with any ten or more of them upon and touching the matters contained in the said Propositions Answers and Messages or any other according to the manner and agreement therein specified or otherwise as they or any ten or more of them shall think fit and to take all the Premises into their serious considerations and to compose conclude and end all Differences arising thereupon or otherwise as they or any ten or more of them in their wisdoms shall think fit and upon the whole matter to conclude a safe and well-grounded Peace if they can and whatsoever they or any then or more of them shall do in the Premises we do by these presents ratifie and confirm the same Given at our Court at Oxon the 28. day of January one thousand six hundred forty and four in the 20. year of our Reign His Majesties Instructions to the Commissioners at Uxbridge Concerning the Militia and Ireland First concerning Religion In this the Government of the Church as is set forth Sect. 3. Numb 14. Next concerning the Militia After Conscience this is certainly the fittest Subject for a Kings quarrel for without it the Kingly Power is but a shadow and therefore upon no means to be quitted but maintained according to the known Laws of the Land yet to attain to this so much wished peace of all good men it is in a manner necessary
eminency of it but as many passages in it from his own lips give further illustrations of his Life The first Tryal of Lieutenant Collonel John Lilburne was at the Guild Hall in London the 24. of October 1649. being Wednesday The Commissioners Names of the extraordinary Commission of Oyer and Terminer for the Tryal of Lieutenant Collonel John Lilburn were these Thomas Andrews Lord Mayor Richard Keble Lord Commissioner Philip Jermyn Judge of the upper Bench Thomas Gates Baron John Pulestone Justice of the Common Pleas. Francis Thorp Barron and Member Robert Nicolas Member Richard Aske Justices of the Upper Bench. Peter Warburton Justice of the Common Pleas. Alexander Rigby Baron but absent Sir Thomas Fowler Sir Henry Holcroft Sir William Row Sir Richard Saltonstall Sir Richard Sprignall Sir John Woolistone Sir William Roberts John Green John Clarke John Parker Serjeants at Law William Steel Recorder John Fowke Thomas Foote John Kendrick Thomas Cullum Simon Edmonds Samuel Avery John Dethick Robert Tichburn John Hayes Aldermen Henry Proby Common Sergeant Thomas Brigandine Nathaniel Snape Edward Rich Owen Roe Tobias Lisle Austin Wingfield Richard Downton Daniel Taylor William Wibend Silvanus Taylor The Court was called O yes made All persons that were adjourned to the Court required to make their appearance The Lieutenant of the Tower of London Collonel Francis West was called to bring forth his Prisoner according to the precept Whereupon Collonel West Lieutenant of the Tower brought up the Prisoner out of the Irish Chamber where he had been some time before the sitting of the Court and was guarded by the said Lieutenant and a special Guard of Souldiers besides And being brought to the Bar the Sheriffs of London were directed to take the Prisoner into their custody Silence commanded the Crier said John Lilburne hold up thy hand Lieutenant Collonel Lilburne directed himself to Master Keble one of the Keepers of the great Seal as the President of the Court and said to this purpose Sir will it please you to hear me and if so by your favour thus All the priviledge for my part that I shall crave this day at your hands is no more but that which is properly and singly the Liberty of every Free-born English-man viz. the benefit of the Laws and Liberties thereof which by my Birth-right and Inheritance is due unto me the which I have fought for as well as others have done with a single and upright heart and if I cannot have and enjoy this I shall leave this Testimony behinde me that I died for the Laws and Liberties of this Nation and upon this score I stand and if I perish I perish And if the Fact that I have done cannot be justified by the Law of England let me perish I mention none of this for the gaining of mercy or by way of merit no I scorn it for mercy I crave from none but from the hands of my God alone with whom I hope and am assured one day to rest whom I have set before my eyes and so walked as believing I am alwayes in his presence in whose power my confidence is fixed whom I take and own to be my stay my staff my strength and support and in whom I rest as the life of my life and whom I hope to meet with joy when this fading and uncertain life shall have an end to live with him in glory and blessedness for evermore And because I would not willingly trouble you with many words to cause you to spend your time impertinently therefore Sir in reference to the Court I shall crave but so much liberty from you as was given to Paul when he pleaded for his life before the Heathen Roman Judges which was free liberty of speech to speak for himself the which I now humbly crave as my right not onely by the Law of God and Man but also by the law and light of Nature And I shall do it with that respect reason and judgement that doth become a man that knows what it is to plead for his life I hope Gode hath given me ability to be master of my own passion and endowed me with that reason that will dictate unto me what is for my own good and benefit I have several times been arraigned for my life already I was once arraigned before the House of Peers for sticking close to the Liberties and Priviledges of this Nation and those that stood for them being one of those two or three me that first drew their swords in Westminster Hall against Collonel Lunsford and some scores of his associates At that time it was supposed they intended to cut the throats of the chiefest men then sitting in the House of Commons I say for this and other things of the like nature I was arraigned by the Kings special Command and Order the first of May 1641. I mention it to this end that when I came before the House of Peers where was about three or fourscore Lords then sitting at the beginning of the parliament who then were supposed the most arbitrary of any power in England yet I had from them free liberty of speech to speak for my life at their Bar without check or controll in the best manner that all those abilities God had given me would enable me and when I was at Oxford I was again arraigned as a Traytor before the Lord Chief Justice Heath for levying War at the Command of the then Parliament against the person of the King and when I came before him in the Guild Hall of Oxford he told me there being present with him as his fellow Judge Master Gardiner sometimes Recorder of the City of London now Sir Thomas Gardiner and others that sate by a special Commission of Oyer and Terminer from the King the which Commission I did not so well then understand as I hope I do now And my Lord Chief Justice Heath stood up and in the face of all the Court and in the face of all the Countrey present there told me Captain Lilburne you are brought here before us for High Treason for leavying War in Oxfordshire against your Sovereign Lord and King and though you be now in a Garrison and were taken in Arms in open hostility against the King yea Sir and I must now tell you in such hostility that we were but about seven hundred men at Brandford that withstood the Kings whole Army in the field about five hours together and fought it out to the very swords point and to the butt end of the Musket and thereby hindered the King from his then possessing the Parliaments Train of Artillery and by consequence the City of London in which very act I was taken a Prisoner without Articles or Capitulation and was by the King and his Party then lookt upon as one of the activest men against them in the whole company yet said Judge Heath we will not take advantage of that to try you by the rules of Arbitrary Marshal Law or any other
high treason by the Earl of Northumberland for words importing a desire of revenge saith Sleidan from thence he was conveyed towards London by the Lieutenant of the Tower in which journey at Leicester Abbey he ended his life breathing out his soul with speeches to his effect Had I been as carefull to serve the God of Heaven as I have been to comply to the will of my earthly King God would not have left me in my old age as the other hath done Some have imagined he poysoned himself as not willing to survive his great glory and some have thought he was poysoned by others that with his feathers they might build themselves nests Surely the fall of this stately oak caused the growth of much underwood many rising by his ruine raising themselves great estates out of the fragments of his fall He left behinde him these glorious monuments of fame the buildings of Christ-Church White-Hall Hampton-Court Windsor His Master King Henry lived in the two first his Tomb being erected in the last Some Historians write that his body swelled after his death as his minde when he was living with his Ego et Rex meus On which ambition of the Cardinal one wrote these verses Dicere Gramatices ratio permittit Ego Rex Ethica te jubet ars dicere Rex Ego Haec est nimirum vivendi ars illa loquendi Principis haec Aulae serviat illa Scholae The Life of Sir THOMAS MOOR Hic est ille Thomas plebis de pulvere magnus Qui tulit incanum Principis ira caput SIr Thomas Moor one of the greatest Ornaments of his time was a man of those high employments and of so great parts to go thorow them that he is deservedly placed amongst our English Worthies He was the Son of Sir John Moor Knight and one of the Justices of the Kings Bench a man singular for his many rare perfections His Birth place was at Milk-street in London the year of our Lord 1480. Having attained some skill in the Latine Tongue Cardinal Moorton Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord High Chancellour of England took him into his house where his wit and admirable deportment appeared to be such that the Cardinall would often say of him to the Nobles that severall times dined with him This Childe here waiting at the Table whosoever shall live to see it will prove the miracle of men For his better proficiency in learning the Cardinal placed him in Canterbury Colledge in Oxford now called Christ-Church where when he was both in the Greek and Latine Tongue sufficiently instructed he was then for the study of the Law put into one of the Innes of Chancery called New Inne where for his time he highly improved from thence he removed to Lincolns-Inne where he was made an Utter-Barrister where for some time he read a Publick Lecture of St. Austine de Civitate Dei in the Church of St. Laurence in the Old Jury Afterwards he was made Reader of Furnivalls-Inne where he continued for the space of above three years after which time he gave himself up to his devotions in the Charter-House of London living religiously there for the space of four years Soon after he married the Daughter of Mr. John Colt of New Hall in Essex by whom he had one Son and three Daughters whom from their youth he brought up in vertue and learning About this time his rare endowments began to be looked upon with a publick eye which caused him to be called to the Bench and soon after chosen a Burgess of Parliament which happenned in the latter end of King Henry the Sevenths Reign who demanding one Subsidy and three fifteens for the Marriage of his eldest Daughter the Lady Margret unto the King of the Scots Sir Thomas making a grave Speech argued so strongly why these exactions were not to be granted that thereby the Kings demands were frustrated and his request denyed by which occasion he fell so deeply into the Kings displeasure that for his own safeguard he was determined to have gone over Sea had not the King soon after dyed which somewhat mittigated his fear and altered his resolution After this he was made one of the under Sheriffs of London by which office and his practice in Law he gained an estate of four hundred pounds per annum Now his learning wisdom knowledge and experience was grown into such note behaving himself so admirably that he gained a general applause from all men and fell into such an estimation with King Henry the Eighth that he made him master of the Requests soon after Knight and one of his Privy Councel and so from time to time advanced him continuing still in his singular favour and trusty service twenty years and above his pleasant disposition and readiness of wit so gaining him into King Henry's favour that upon the death of Mr. Weston Treasurer of the Exchequer the King bestowed on him the office of Treasurer and not long after made him Chancellour of the Dutchy of Lancaster To render his History the more pleasant take these few tastes of the sharpness of his Wit Cambden reports of him that he used to compare the great number of women to be chosen for Wives unto a bag full of Snakes having amongst them but one Eel now if a man puts his hand into this bag he may chance to light on the Eel but 't is a hundred to one if he be not stung with a Snake Being in company where the master of the house commended his Beer for the well relish of the Hop Sir Thomas replyed but had it hopped a little further it had hopped into the Thames A supposed bribe being put upon Sir Thomas a great gilt Cup presented to him he being called before the Kings Council to answer this accusation Sir Thomas acknowledged that he did receive the Cup for a New-years-gift after some importunities he received it but immediately he caused his Butler to fill it with Wine and therein drank to the Gentlewoman that presented it and when that she had pledged him he as freely gave it her again for a New-years gift for her Husband This great Mountain of his accusation being brought scarcely to a little Mosehill When he was Justice of Peace he used to go to the Sessions at New Gate where one of the Ancientest Justice of Peace of the Bench was used to chide persons when their Purses had been cut for not being more carefull telling them that their negligence was the cause that so many Cut-purses were brought thirther Sir Thomas obs rving him to repeat this caution so often sent for one of the chiefest Cut-purses that was in prison and promised him to save him harmless if he would but cut the said Justices Purse the next day as he sat on the Bench and when he had done to make a sign of it to him The day after when they sat again the Thief was called one of the first who being accused of the fact
said he did not doubt but that he could sufficiently excuse himself if he were permitted to speak to some of the Bench in private Being bid to chuse whom he would he chuse the grave old Justice who then had his pouch at his girdle as they wore them in those dayes and whilest that he whispers him in the ear he slily cuts his purse Sir Thomas knowing by the sign that the business was dispatcht presently took occasion to move the Bench to distribute some alms upon a poor needy fellow that was there and for example sake began first himself the old Justice when he lookt for his purse found it cut away and much wondering said He was confident he brought it with him Sir Thomas Moor replyed pleasantly What will you charge any of us with Felony The Justice's colour rising as he was ashamed he calls the Cut-purse and bids him give him his purse again and withal advised the good old Justice hereafter not to be so bitter a censurer of other innocent mens negligences when as himself could not secure his purse in that open Assembly It chanced another time that a Beggars little Dog which she had lost was sent to the Lady Moor for a present she kept it a week being much pleased and delighted with it but at last the Beggar having notice where her Dog was came and complained to Sir Thomas as he was sitting in his Hall at Chelsey that his Lady kept her Dog from her presently my Lady was sent for and the Dog brought with her which Sir Thomas taking in his arms he caused his Wife to stand at the upper end of the Hall and the Beggar at the lower end Then saying that he sate there to do every one justice he bad each of them call the Dog which when they did the Dog ran presently to the Beggar forsaking his Wife which when he saw he desired her to be contented for it was none of hers yet she repining at the sentence he agreed with the Beggar and gave her a piece of Gold All parties being satisfied every one smiling at this strange discovery of truth Sir Thomas Moor demanding his money of one that was in his debt spake this sentence in Latine to Sir Thomas Moor Memento morieris to which Sir Thomas presently replied What say you Sir Memento Mori aeris Remember Mores money It is also storied of him that whereas upon Holy Dayes during his High Chancellourship one of his Gentlemen when Service was done at Church used to come to his Ladies Pew and say Madam my Lord is gone The next Holy Day after his surrender of his office of Chancellourship and putting off his former retinue of Gentlemen he came to his Wives Pew himself and making a low congee said Madam my Lord is gone It is further reported of him that when he was sent by his Master Henry the Eighth into Germany that a little before he delivered his Embassage to the Emperour he bid one of his servants to fill him a Beer-glasse of wine which he drunk off twice commanding his servant to bring him a third he knowing Sir Thomas Moors temperance that he was not used to drink at the first refused to fill him another as he told Sir Thomas of the weight of his employment But his servant not daring to deny his Master the third glass Sir Thomas made his immediate address to the Emperour and spake his Oration in Latine to the admiration of all the Auditours Afterwards Sir Thomas merrily asking his man what he thought of his speech he said that he deserved to govern three parts of the World and he believed if he had drunk the other glass the Elegancy of his Language might have purchased the other part of the World Another time a certain Friend of his presented him with a Book which he intended to publish being well conceited of his own Wit which no body else thought worth the reading because he would Sir Thomas should oversee it ere it were printed he brought it to him who perusing it and finding nothing therein worthy the Press said with a grave countenance If it were in Verse it would deserve better Upon which words he went and turned it into verse then brought it again to Sir Thomas who looking thereon said soberly Yea marry now it is somewhat for it is Rime now before it was neither Rime nor Reason Infinite are the conceited expressions that continually fell from him But to return from whence we have digrest during the time he was Chancellour of the Dutchy he was twice made Ambassadour joyned in Commission with Cardinal Wolsey once to the Emperour Charles into Flanders the other time to the French King into France Being once at Bruges in Flanders where an arrogant fellow had set up a Thesis that he would answer any question could be propounded unto him in what Art soever Of whom when Sir Tho. Moor heard he laughed and made this Question to be put up for him to answer Whether Averia capta in Withernamia sunt irreplegebilia adding that there was one of the English Ambassadours Retinue that would thereof dispute with him This bragging Thraso not so much as understanding those Terms of our Common Law knew not what to answer to it and so he became ridiculous to the whole City for his presumptuous bragging The Sea of Rome being now void Cardinal Wolsey ambitiously seeketh for the place but by means of the Emperour Charles the First was disappointed whereupn the Cardinal as we have recorded in his Life to be revenged on the Emperour and to ingratiate himself with the French King endeavours a Divorce betwixt King Henry and Queen Katherine Aunt to the Emperour thereby to procure him to match with the French Kings sister And for the better accomplishing therof he requested Longland Bishop of London and Ghostly Father to the King to put a scruple into the Kings head that it was not lawful for him to marry his Brothers Wife which the King not sorry to hear of opened it first to Sir Thomas Moor whose counsel he required therein of purpose quoting certain places of Scripture that seemed to serve his turn Sir Thomas Moor unwilling to displease the King by discovering his opinion began to excuse himself as one that had never profest the study of Divinity to be every way unfit to meddle with such matters the King not satisfied with this answer still pressed upon him so sore for it that in conclusion he condescended to his request And further because the business was of such weight and importance as required advisement and good deliberation he besought his Grace that he would give him sufficient time seriously to consider it wherewith the King very well contented told him that Tunstal and Clark Bishops of Durham and Bathe with others the most learned of his privy Councel should also confer with him therein Sir Thomas Moor departing compared those places of Scripture with the Expositions of divers of the
merry Epitaphs and so proceed There was a noble man merrily conceited and riotously given that having lately sold the Mannour of an hundred Tenements came ruffling into the Court in a new Suit saying Am not I a mighty man that bear a hundred houses on my back Which Cardinal Wolsey hearing said You might have better employed it in paying your debts Indeed my Lord quoth be you say well for my Lord my father owed my master your father three half pence for a Calves-head hold here is two pence for it Wolsey's Father being a Butcher I will onely set down a few lines of his merry Epitaphs as resemblances of the rest An Epitaph on Menalcas Here lieth Menalcas as dead as a log That liv'd like a Devil and dy'd like a Dog Here doth he lie said I then say I lie For from this place he parted by and by But here he made his descent into Hell Without either Book Candle or Bell. Upon one of a base condition yet in respect of his Name would have claimed Kindred of a most Noble Family and being a notorious Liar was this written Here lies M. F. the son of a Bearward Who would needs bear Arms in despight of the Herhaught Which was a Lion as black as a Jeat-stone With a Sword in his paws instead of a Whetstone Five sons had this Lyar 't is worth the revealing Two arrant Lyars and three hang'd for stealing His Daughters were nine never free from sores Three crooked Apostles and six arrant Whores Another on one that was bald Here lies John Baker enroll'd in mould That never gave a penny to have his head poll'd Now the plague and the pox light on such a device That undid the Barber and starved the Lice But to return where we left Master Cambden was so great a lover of Learning that he founded an History-Professour in Oxford to which he gave the Mannour of Bexley in Kent worth in present a hundred and forty pounds per annum but some few years expired treble as much And now having lived many years in honour and esteem death at last even contrary to Jus Gentium kill'd this worthy Herald so that it seems Mortality the Law of Nature is above the Law of Arms. He died the 74. year of his age November 9. 1623. He was buried in the Abbey of Westminster having this Epitaph upon his Funeral Monument Qui fide Antiqua opera assidua Britannicum Antiquatem indigavit Simplicitatem innatam honestis studiis excoluit Animi solertiam candore illustravit Gulielmus Camdenus ab Elizabetha R. Ad Regis Armorum Clarentii Titulo Dignitatem evocatus Hic spe certa resurgendi in Christo S. E. Q. Obiit Anno Domini 1623. 9. Novembris Aetatis suae 74. A base villain for certainly no person that had a right English soul could have done it hath defaced his Effigies not suffering his Monument to stand without violation whose learned Leaves have so preserved the Antiquities of the Nation Though we have met with most horrid transactions the inevitable dart of death hath deprived us of learned Master Dodsworth yet Divine Providence hath still left us two Argus-eyed Antiquaries Master Ashmole and Master Dugdale who by their studious Inquiries to their vaste expences in most learned Volumes have retrived from our late ruines the honor of the Nation On these Gentlemen I only look as fit to write the Life of their deceased Predecessour Master Selden one of the late Worthies of our Age and Wonders of the World The Life of THOMAS SUTTON Suttonum Ingenium locupletem industria fecit congestas miseris ille refudit opes FAith Hope and Charity these three divine Graces are a created Trinity and have some glimmering resemblance of the Trinity uncreated for as there the Son is begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds from them both so true Faith begets a constant Hope and from them proceeds Charity thus is Gods Temple built in our hearts St Augustin saith that the foundation of it is Faith Hope the erection of the walls and Charity the perfection of the roof an excellent vertue very rare in this contentious self-interested Age wherein fratrum quoque rara gratia est As a shame to these times and an honor to the former I have inserted the life of this worthy Gentleman which if I had omitted I had in some kinde detracted from the honor of the Nation Master Thomas Sutton was of a good extract born in the County of Lincoln the then seat of Baron Willoby of Eresby where in his youth he was generously and liberally brought up he had some knowledge of the Languages and might pass for more then an indifferent Schollar In his youth he attended Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk and afterwards presented his service to the Earl of Warwick with whom for some space of time he was in high favour as also with his Brother that Fox of the State Robert Earl of Leicester In process of time the eminency of his Qualifications being more particularly taken notice of he was preferred made Master of the Ordnance of Barwick of the Laws of which Castle I have seen a transcript reputed to have been under his own hand This place he held for a long time quietly the Barwick Ordinance having been since charged to Covenant purposes but by him onely shot off with silver for Charitable uses The truth is he first raised his estate from that employment by living sparingly and thrivingly continually purchasing and improving of what he had got by merchandize and otherwise Afterwards in his latter time he withdrew himself from the concourse of conversation and dwelt in a little Town called Castle-Camp in the County of Cambridge there he lived privately many years retained no great Family entertained few Guests obscured himself as much as he could and made no show of his Estate yet notwithstanding his wealth was so every where openly known that at last every one gave him the name of the Rich Sutton And now by this time it was the general wonder of all men he having no Heir how he would dispose of his great estate This made his Kindred with emulation one to another in his sickness most diligently to attend him and in his health against the time of his sicknes they strove who should present him with the richest gifts every one of them being freely accepted of The old man who as he received all so they thought at his death to have their own again with the largest Interest I have conversed with some of the Wits who credibly informed me that Ben. Jonsons Play of the Fox under the name of Vulpone had some allusion to Mr. Suttons maner of treating of his Kindred But to pass by such impertinences as he had vaste sums so he had vaste thoughts he had honourable wayes and determined uses to empty his bags with the word P. F. being not heard of in those dayes A Friend of his with
provided in kinde where he was freed from corroding cares and seated on such a rock as the waves of want could not probably shake where he might sit in a calm and looking down behold the busie multitude turmoiled and tossed in a tempestuous sea of dangers And as Sir William Davenant has happily exprest the like in another person Laugh at the graver business of the State Which speaks men rather wise then fortunate He died in Decemb. 1639 having compleated seventy three years His will was made by himself above two years before his death wherein he appointed that his Executours should lay over his Grave a plain stone of Marble with this Epitaph enscribed thereon Hic jacet hujus sententiae primus Author Disputandi pruritus Ecclesiarum scabies Nomen alias quaere Which may be englished thus Here 's lies the first Authour of this Sentence The Itch of Disputation will prove the Scab of the Church Enquire his name elsewhere To acquaint the world with two or three other Instances of the readiness of his Wit he having in Rome retained an acquaintance with a pleasant Priest who invited him one evening to hear their Vesper-Musick at Church the Priest seeing Sir Henry stand obscurely in a corner sends to him by a Boy of the Quire this question written in a small piece of paper Where was your Religion to be sound before Luther To which question Sir Henry Wotton presently under-writ My Religion was to be found then where yours is not to be found in the written word of God To another that asked him Whether a Papist may be saved He replyed You may be saved without knowing that Look to your self To another whose earnest zeal exceeded his knowledge and was still railing against the Papists he gave this advice Pray Sir forbear till you have studied the Points better for the wise Italian hath this Proverb He that understands amiss concludes worse And take heed of entertaining this opinion That the further you go from the Church of Rome the nearer you are to God He left behinde him many Monuments of his Learning whose worth are such that they speak themselves more incomparably to posterity then any Eulogies I can bestow upon them Give me leave to conclude with the words of one of the learnedst Modern Criticks That for the generality of the stile throughout his Works 't is most queintly delightful gentle soft and full of all manner of blandishments onely his pen flowed a little too much with the oyly adulation of Court-flattery Questionless if Sir Henry Wotton was reduced to any of these subserviences they were occasioned from his generous expences in the time of his Embassies for his Masters honour who used him as Queen Elizabeth did Sir Francis Walsingham who had but from hand to mouth The Life of THOMAS VVENTWORTH Earl of Stafford and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland TO particularize all the actions of the Earl of Strafford would of its self require an intire Volume it being a Garden of choice Varieties wherein points of Law are interwoven with Acts of State and the Affairs of Ireland as in the same Escutcheon quartered with those of England I shall onely take a superficial view of his life and not strain my self ambitiously to shew forth the utmost reach of his perfections he being a rare conjunction of Courage attended with loyalty to danger Wisdom accompanied with Eloquence to admiration who could both think and speak speak and do whose answers and replyes to the Articles exhibited against him by the House of Commons show his abilities to be such that whatsoever is spoken of him is infinitely below what was spoken by himself He was born in Yorkshire well descended and as well educated which fitted him to sustain the weighty Affairs he afterwards underwent A great stickler at the first against the Prerogative until allured by Court-preferment he turned Royalist for the King finding his worth and ability never left till he had gained him to himself obliging him to his side by many titles of honour and places of trust whose services he found equivalent to his favours continuing to his death a trusty servant a faithful friend a prudent Counsellour and a constant adherer to his side in all his exigencies The greatest services he did to the King were during the time he was Lieutenant of Ireland by his augmenting and advancing the Kings Revenues there restoring the Churches maintenance suppressing the Out-laws establishing obedience to Royal Authority impediting the Tyranny and usurpation of the great ones over the Commons causing the Irish to leave off many of their barbarous customs and conform themselves to the more civil manners of the English which drew much hatred upon himself for changes though for the better are most times ill resented by the vulgar witness those troubles in England in the time of King Edward the Sixth Nor could these innovations have found more dislike in any Nation under the Heavens then Ireland so wedded are those people to their ancient vain ridiculous customs But since I have inserted his most remarkable actions in the Life of King Charles I shall omit those passages and come to his solemn Trial so paramount in the Equipage of all Cirumstances that as former ages have been unable so future are unlikely to produce a parallell of them This great Minister of State was by the Parliament well known for the length of it accused with twenty eight Articles of High Treason February 16. 1640. The particulars are too long for me here to recite the substance of them being that he endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Governments of the Realms of England and Ireland and enriching himself by indirect wayes in his office for incensing the King against the Scots for endeavouring to set things amisse betwixt his Majesty and the people and to have given counsel tending to the disquiet of the three Kingdoms The 13. of April following began his Trial in Westminster-Hall where there was a Throne erected for the King on each side whereof a Cabinet inclosed about with boards and before with a Tarras before that were the Seats for the Lords of the upper House and sacks of wool for the Judges before them ten stages of seats extending further then the midst of the Hall for the Gentlemen of the House of Commons at the end of all was a desk closed about and set apart for the Lord Lieutenant and his Councel The Earl of Arundel was Lord High Steward his Accusers were Pym Glin Mainard Whitlock St. Johns Palmers Sir Walter Earls Stroud Selden Hampden and others Many dayes were spent and much Rhetorick used on both sides for the Lieutenant was no childe but as cunning in the art of defence as any man in England equal if not surpassing his Predecessour the Earl of Kildare in the time of King Henry the Eighth But the House of Commons were implacable in their hatred towards him nothing being satisfactory to them but his downfal So
use of to Nebucadnezzar that endeavoured to destroy Daniel by his prerogative as he was to be thrown into the Lions Den making this application that if they would not allow him councel to consult with to make a Plea for his life it was a vain thing for him to spend any more words Judge Keble the afterwards President of the High Court of Justice replyed Mr. Lilburne this language is but the sparks of that venemous heat that is within you and they may burst out to prove you guilty before us and in our presence if so be that you are charged with without any other proof or proceedings for you may do it I tell you that you may do it where you stand therefore take heed what you say Mr. Lilburne replyed Sir I have cast up my account and I know what it can cost me he blest God he had learnt to dye having alwayes carryed his life in his hand for about twelve years together Judge Keble replyed he should not now lay it down if he did not destroy or cast away the Common-wealth but if he went about to destroy the Common-wealth the Common-wealth would destroy him Master Lilburne replyed he desired nothing but councel and to produce his witnesses Mr. Prideaux the Atturney General answered that if Master Lilburne had these concernments granted to him it would be a president for all future times by means of which there would be no ends of Tryals in criminal cases and that it was a wonderful strange thing to him that when the prisoner had pleaded the usual way that they did not immediately proceed to Tryal He did desire that Master Lilburne might be dealt with all legal just and fair preceedings of the Court he did desire accordingly the proceedings of the Common-wealth be so too that Master Lilburne may be without delay according to the Law proceeded against for his notorious Treasons Judge Keble immediately said well Mr. Lilburne the Court is very tender not to take up any of your time you have heard what was declared to you there that Master Atturney hath made Process against you returnable to morrow at seven of the Clock and therefore to spend more time would be your loss and dammage the Sheriffs of London are to take care to return the Jury to morrow morning and therefore the Court doth adjourn till seven of the Clock to morrow in the morning in the mean time they commit the prisoner at the Bar to the Lieutenant of the Tower again a prisoner Judge Keble said that he had more favour then any prisoner in England ever had for by the Laws of England in matters of Treason whereof Master Lilburne is indicted he ought to have been Tryed presently and immediately and because all the world shall know with what candor and justice the Court doth proceed against him we deferred time till to morrow morning which is the Courts extraordinary favour and the doors are wide open that all the world may know it Mr. Lilburne said Sir I can shew you a hundred presidents to the contrary to disprove what you say Judge Keble bids adjourn the Court Mr. Lilburne humbly thanked the Judges for their extraordinary favour and so the Curtains were drawn for that day the Court having adjourned till the next morning the Prisoner was remanded to the Tower The 26. of October the Friday following he was brought to the Bar with his Brother Collonel Robert Lilburne his Sollicitour Master Sprat and some other of his friends being hardly admitted Judge Keble saying your Brother shall not stand by you there I will onely have one hold your Papers and Books and the rest not to trouble you therefore let them come out of the Court. Master Lilburne pleaded for his Councell instancing Major Rolfes Tryal at Oxford about his intent to poison the King where he had Councell allowed him to which Judge Keble subtlely answered Mr. Lilburne when you come to Tryal you shall see there will be no need of Councel the Court will be instead of Councel to you nay the Court if they see matter of Law for Councel though you do not ask it they will give it you and therefore set your heart at rest for if there be any thing Rational in Law that we can spy out as well as your Councel wee 'l help you in it Master Lilburne answered Sweet Sir I pray but one word more if you deny me what the Law affords me and that which hath been granted to the Law by Cavalier Judges yea and by your fellow Judges who are now in power at this day the Lord deliver me from standing in need of you to be my Councellours Sayes Keble we are upon our lives as well as you Master Liburne replied No by your Favor not in so eminent a manner Judge Keble replied we are upon our lives and our souls to all eternity Master Lilburne desired to be heard one word Judge Keble said he would hear no more Upon which Master Prideaux desired the Court would proceed and not prolong time being he had pleaded not guilty and had confessed someting Lilburne replied No sir you do me wrong and abuse me I never confessed any thing neither did I plead not guilty he said his Plea was conditional grounded on their promises not to take any advantages of his ignorance in their Formalities Judge Keble exasperated at his obstinacy cried out Go on be silent Master Lilburn desired that at least they would let him hear the grand Jury speak for he understood from some of themselves that they never found him guilty but do conceive themselves wronged by some words yesterday that passed from some of the Judges he desired to hear them speak Judge Keble desired him to be rational a word he often used and that he would be silent and hear the Court he told him he could lose no more time to hear him he bid the Crier call the Jury the Crier called and Master Lilburne earnestly prest to be heard but could not Master Lilburne desired to see their faces Judge Keble warned Master Sprat Johns Sollicitour not to talk to the Prisoner he said he might stand and hold the Books but he should not come near the Prisoner to talk to him as he had done the day before Master Lilburne said that the Law allowed a stander by to speak in the Prisoners behalf at the Bar much more to whisper to him but more especially if he were his Sollicitour The Crier called the names Miles Petty William Wormwell John Sherman Thomas Dainty Ralph Ely Edward Keiser Edward Perkins Ralph Packman Francis Woodall William Commins Henry Hauson Roger Jenkenson Joshua Hammond Richard Allen Richard Nevil John Main Henry Jooley Arthur Due Roger Sears John Mayo Henry Jooley Arthur Due Roger Sears The Cryer said you good men of the City appear Stephen Jues John Sherman Ralph Ely Roger Jenkenson Roger Sears John Mayo Nicholas Murren The Clerk of Court sayes to the Jury here is your
ibidem patria jura interpretantur frequentavit c. About the Latter end of King Richard the Seconds dayes he flourished in France and got himself into high esteem there by his diligent exercise in learning After his return home he frequented the Court at London and the Colledges of the Lawyers which there interpretted the Laws of the Land and among them he had a familiar Friend called John Gower a Yorkshire man born a Knight as Bale writeth of him This Gower in a Book of his entituled Confessio Amantis tearmeth Chaucer a worthy Poet and maketh him as it were the judge of his works He married a Knights Daughter of Henault called Paon de Ruel King of Arms by whom he had issue his Son Thomas to whom King Edward the Third in recompense of his Fathers services in France gave him in marriage the Daughter and Heire of Sir John Burgershe Knight This Thomas Chaucer had onely one Daughter named Alice married thrice first to Sir John Philip Knight then to Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury and the third time to William de la Pole Earl and after Duke of Suffolk who for love of his Wife and the convenient seat of her estate he removed into Oxfordshire and Barkshire where his Wives Lands lay This Alice had a Daughter by her second Husband Thomas Montacute Earl of Salisbury named after her Mother Alice married to Richard Nevill Son to Ralph Earl of Westmerland by whom she had Richard John and George Richard espoused Anne sister and sole heir to the Lord Beauchamp and after Duke of Warwick in whose right he was created Earl of Warwick But to return to our ancient Poet Geffery Chaucer he had alwayes an earnest desire to inrich and beautifie our English Tongue which in those dayes was very rude and barren and this he did following the example of Dante 's and Petrarch who had done the same for the Italian Tongue Alanus for the French and Johannes Mena for the Spanish neither was Chaucer inferiour to any of them in the performance hereof and England in this respect is much beholding to him as Leland well noteth Anglia Chaucerum veneratur nostra Poetam Cui veneres debet patria lingua suos Our England honoureth Chaucer Poet as principal To whom her Countrey tongue doth owe her beauties all He departed out of this world the 25. day of October 1400. after he had lived about 72. years Thus writeth Bale out of Leland Chaucerus ad canos devenit sensitque senectutem morbum esse dum causas suas Londini curaret c. Chaucer lived till he was an old man and found old age to be grievous and whilest he followed his causes at London he died and was buried at Westminster The old Verses which were written on his Grave at the first were these Galfridus Chaucer vates famae poesis Maternae haec sacra sum tumulatus humo But since Mr. Nicholas Brigham did at his own cost and charges erect a Monument for him with these Verses Qui fuit Anglorum vates ter maximus olim Gaufredus Chaucer conditur hoc tumulo Annum si quaeras Domini si tempora vitae Ecce notae subsunt quae tibi cuncta notant Anno Domini 1400. die mensis Octob. 25. It will not be amiss to these Epitaphs to adde the judgements and reports of some learned men of this worthy and famous Poet. And first of all Thomas Occleve who lived in his dayes writeth thus of him in his Book De regimine Principis But welaway is mine hart woe That the honour of English Tongue is dead Of which I wont was confaile have and réed O maister dere and fadre reverent My maister Chaucer floure of Eloquence Mirror of fructuous entendement O universal fadre of science Alas that thou thine excellent prudence In thy bed mortal mightest not bequeath What eyld death alas why would she thée fie O death thou didst not harm tingler in slaughter of him But all the Land it smerteth But natheless yet hast thou no power his name sle Hâ—â— hie vertue asterteth Vnslain fro thee which ay us lifely herteth With Books of his ornat enditing That is to all this land enlumining John Lidgaete likewise in his Prologue of Bocchas of the fall of Princes by him translated saith thus in his commendation My Master Chaucer with his fresh comedies Is dead alas chief Poet of Brittain That Whilom made full pitteous Tragedies The faule also of Princes he did complain As he that was of making sovereign Whom all this Land should of right prefer Sith of our language he was the Loadsterr Also in his Book which he writeth of the Birth of the Virgin Mary he hath these verses And eke my Maister Chaucer now is in Grave The noble Rethore Poet of Britaine That worthy was the laurel to have Of Poetry and the Palm attaine That made first to distill and raine The Gold dew drops of speech and eloquence Into our Tongue through his eloquence And as for men of latter time Mr. Ascham and Mr. Spenser have delivered most worthy testimonies of their approving of him Mr. Ascham in one place calleth him English Homer and makes no doubt to say that he valueth his Authority of as high estimation as ever he did either Sophocles or Euripides in Greek And in another place where he declareth his opinion of English versifying he useth these words Chaucer and Petrark those two worthy wits deserve just praise And last of all in his discourse of Germany he putteth him nothing behinde either Thucidides or Homer for his lively descriptions of site of places and nature of persons both in outward shape of body and inward disposition of minde adding this withall that not the proudest that hath written in any Tongue whatsoever for his time have outstript him Mr. Spenser in his first Eglogue of his Shepards Kallender calleth him Tityrus the god of Shepards comparing him to the worthiness of the Roman Tityrus Virgil in his Faerie Queene in his Discourse of Friendship as thinking himself most worthy to be Chaucers friend for his like natural disposition that Chaucer had he writes that none that lived with him nor none that came after him durst presume to revive Chaucers lost Labours in that unperfect tale of the Squire but onely himself which he had not done had he not felt as he saith the infusion of Chaucers own sweet spirit surviving within him And a little before he calls him the most renowned and Heroicall Poet and his writings the works of heavenly wit concluding his commendation in this manner Dan Chaucer well of English undefiled On fames eternal Bead-roll worthy to be filed I follow here the footing of thy feet That with thy meaning so I may the rather meet Mr. Cambden reaching one hand to Mr. Ascham and the other to Mr. Spenser and so drawing them together uttereth of him these words De Homero nostro Anglico illud verè asseram quod de
hath this worthy Princes fame been blasted by malicious traducers who like Shakespear in his Play of him render him dreadfully black in his actions a monster of nature rather then a man of admirable parts whose slanders having been examined by wise and moderate men they have onely found malice and ignorance to have been his greatest accusers persons who can onely lay suspition to his charge and suspition in Law is no more guilt then imagination as the divine Father Chrysostom faith A good man hardly suspecteth another to be evill but an evill man scarcely supposeth any to be good King Richard had three great Favourites as Princes are seldome without some and those according to the constant custom of the World must be envied Catesby Ratcliffe and Lovel King Richards own Arms being the Bore upon which one Collingborne of the West fancied this Libel which in those times was received for excellent Wit The Cat the Rat and Lovel the Dog Rule all England under a Hog But leaving such trifles to return to King Richard Henry Earl of Richmond ambitious of Sovereignty envying his prosperity practises with forreign Princes and confederates with the English Nobles for Assistance and Forces against King Richard The chief abettor in England he had on his side was the Duke of Buckingham one who had formerly constantly adhered to King Richards side but being by him denyed the Earldome of Hereford and Constableship of England grew discontented took up Arms was defeated and afterwards by Marshall Law put to death Yet did not this break the neck of Henries design but having by his fair deportment gained Force from the Duke of Brittain and some other Princes envious of the prosperity of the House of York Richmond puts forth to Sea and lands at Milford-Haven in Wales after some refreshing he marches to a Town called Haverford-West where the people who flocked to him in great number welcomed him as a Prince descended from their ancient Princes of Wales the people generally being very noble and loving to their Brittish Kindred Hither came to him with great Forces the Earl of Salop Sir Rice ap Thomas Sir Walter Herbert Sir John Savage Sir Gilbert Talbot and many others His Army thus strong and united he passes the Severne and marches to Leichfield King Richard hearing of his arrivall prepareth against him but though he thought the Nobility generally cemented to his side yet found he a general defluxion from them to the other side the Earl of Surrey the Earl of Westmerland Viscount Lovel and John Duke of Norfolk being the principall that stuck to him which last was much importuned to have fallen off from him the night before the Battel one writing this Rime upon his Gate Jack of Norfolk be not too bold For Dicken thy master is bought and sold But he regarding more his fidelity then any danger that could befall him doubles his care and diligence on the behalf of his Sovereign The Earl of Northumberland who had received great favours from the King and who had in his Name raised vaste Forces being sent for by him refused to come pretending for his disobedience certain dreams wherein he was forewarned by his Father for to fight on King Richards side But the greatest defection was in the Lord Stanley who notwithstanding he had left his Sonne George Stanley as a Pledge of his faith with the King yet revolted to the other side King Richard notwithstanding all these disadvantages having encouraged his Army gives Richmond a Battle where valiantly fighting after he had with his own hands slain Sir Charls Brandon the Earls Standard-bearer and unhorsed Sir John Cheny and shewed himself a most Heroick Person being over-powered with multitude he was slain on the place With him died the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Surrey was taken Prisoner and the whole Army quite defeated This Battle was fought at a Village called Bosworth near to Leicester The Victor was crowned in the Field by Sir VVilliam Stanley with King Richards Crown which he as a valiant and confident Master of his right had worn that day King Richards dead body after it was most barbarously mangled and wounded was thrown behinde one upon a lean Jade and so conveyed to Leicester where at last it obtained a bed of earth honourably appointed by the order of King Henry the Seventh in the chief Church of Leicester called Saint Maries belonging to the Order and Society of Grey Friers the King in short time after causing a fair Tomb of mingled colour'd Marble adorned with his Statue to be erected thereupon And notwithstanding the times were such when this great Prince lived that he had scarcely time to sheath his sword yet left he behinde him many Monuments of his Piety He founded a Collegiate Church of Priests in Middleham in Yorkshire another Colledge of Priests in London in Tower-street near to the Church called our Lady Barking he built a Church or Chappel in Towton in Glocestershire he founded a Colledge in York convenient for the entertainment of an hundred Priests he built the high stone Tower at Westminster and when he had repaired and fortified the Castle of Carlile he founded and built the Castle of Perrith in Cumberland He began many other good Works which his sudden fatt prevented as Polidor Virgil witnesseth which Works and Monuments of Piety shew not the Acts of a Tyrant I shall end all with this Eulogy which a learned Writer gives him King Richard was a stout valiant person ever indulgent to his People careful to have their Laws duly observed his making so many good ones if they signified not some goodness in himself were evident arguments of his more then ordinary love to Law and Justice The Life of THOMAS HOWARD Earl of SURREY THomas Howard Earl of Surrey in his time the Ornament of Mars and the Muses was Son to Sir John Howard Knight first made Barron by King Edward the Fourth and afterwards Duke of Norfolk by King Richard the Third in whose quarrel he was slain This noble Earl his Son having been well educated and afterwards trained up in Court his Martial minde hating those silken pleasures admired of Courtiers he with divers other young Gentlemen went over to Charles Duke of Burgundy who then had Wars with Lewis King of France in whose quarrel he behaved himself so gallantly that he won the honour and reputation of a most expert Commander At his return King Edward for his valour bestowed on him the Order of Knighthood to whose side he constantly adhered in that great difference betwixt him and the House of Lancaster That quarrel being ended by the overthrow of VVarwick he afterwards did excellent service in the Wars betwixt him and Lewis the French King King Edward being dead and the Crown by joynt consent both of Peers and People placed on King Richards head and after confirmed by Act of Parliament he with his Father the Duke of Norfolk held firm to his side notwithstanding the many
they their Books and rankt their dispositions into several forms for that Schoolmaster deserves to be beaten himself who beats nature in a Boy for a fault The truth is our English Schoolmasters I mean the unworthier sort of them to conceal their ignorance and continue their profits keep Boyes in Lillies Grammar first to get it by short lessons by heart and then to construe it which they have a Book to help themselves with continuing so long in this no less slothful and knavish practice of theirs that Foot-boyes and Mechanicks in other Countries speak good familiar Latine before we are out of our Quae Genus it being a custom beyond the Seas to chuse a large Grammar as Disputerius or the like which they onely explain and then fall to their Vocubularies familiar Authors and Dictionaries and in a short time are able to travel with the Latine Tongue over the world Mr. Cambden taking great pains in the erudition of youth continued so for a long space till that he was called aside Queen Elizabeth making him first Richmond Herald and not long after Clarenceaux King of Arms so that here was the story as Mr. Fuller writes of Dionysius inverted who from a King became a Schoolmaster but here a Schoolmaster became a King I mean of Arms which place he discharged with great integrity being very carefull to preserve the memories of extinguish'd families and restoring many to their own rightful Arms as also to curb their usurpation who unjustly entitle themselves to ancient families Spending his time under a peaceable Prince he had leasure to compose those most excellent Works of his which he left behinde him as a Monument of his never dying fame Viz. his Britannia which he wrote in Latine since translated into English by Philemon Holland Doctor of Physick A Book which will speak its own worth better then my rude Pen can set it forth His History of the Reign of Queen Elizabeth the Original and true Edition of which he writ in Latin it was Printed at London in Folio The lesser Volumes Printed in Holland are corrupted That passage in favour of Mary Queen of Scots left out for which the doors of the Cloisters being shut too by one with a vizard to disguise he was soundly banged about the walks with these words often repeated For Queen Elizabeth and so was dismissed not knowing to his dying-day who bestowed so much pains upon him He wrote a Greek Grammar which for the clear method and brevity of it is out-done by no forreign nation His last book which one would have had written on his monument for his Epitaph Cambdens Remains contains the Languages Names Sirnames Allusions Annagrams Armories Monies Empresses Apparel Artillery wise Speeches Proverbs Posies and Epitaphs To recreate the Reader I think it not amiss to relate some few passages out of this last mentioned book that it may appear that our most gravest Authors would many times mix somewhat of mirth with their more solid writtings to draw the Reader on as well by pleasure as profit Amongst other pleasant passages he mentions Johannes Erigena sirnamed Scotus a man renowned for learning who sitting at the Table in respect of his learning with Charles the Bald Emperour and King of France behaved himself as a slovenly Schollar nothing courtly whereupon the Emperour asked him merrily Quid interest inter Scotum Sotum What is the difference between a Scot and a Sot He merrily but yet malapertly answered Mensa the Table as though the Emperour were the Sot and he the Scot. In another place he mentions the Emperour did set down unto him a dish with two fair great fishes and one little one willing him to be carver unto two other Schollars that sat beneath him this Master John who was but a little man laid the two great Fishes upon his own Trencher and set down the other little Fish unto the two Schollars who were big men which when the Emperour saw he smiling said In faith Master John you are no indifferent divider yes if it like your Highness very indifferent said he for here pointing to himself and the two great Fishes be two great ones and a little one and so yonder reaching his hand towards the Schollars are two big ones and a little one He continues with the pleasant relation of Winefridus born at Kirton in Devonshire after sirnamed Boniface who converted Freesland to Christianity was wont to say In old time they were golden Prelates and wooden Chalices but in his time wooden Prelates and golden Chalices Then discourses in another place of Ethelwold the Bishop of Winchester in the time of King Edgar in a great famine sold away all the sacred Gold and Silver Vessels of his Church to relieve the hunger-starved poor people saying That there was no reason that the senseless temples of God should abound in riches and living Temples of the Holy Ghost starve for hunger In another place that when Hinguar of Denmark came so suddenly upon Edmund King of the East-Angles that he was forced to seek his safety by flight he happened unhappily on a troop of Danes who fell to examining of him whether he knew where the King of the East-Angles was whom Edmund thus answered Even now when I was in the palace he was there and when I went from thence he departed thence and whether he shall escape your hands or no God knoweth But so soon as once they heard him name God the godless infidels pittifully martyred him In another place he takes notice of a quick retort to Geffery base Son to King Henry the Second who being by him advanced to the See of Lincoln would in his Protestations and Oaths alwayes protest By my faith and the King my Father But Walter Mapes the Kings Chaplaine told him You might do as well to remember sometimes your Mothers honesty as to mention so often your Fathers Royalty As also of Eubulus a scoffing Comical Greek Poet who cursed himself if ever he opened his mouth against women inferring albeit Medea were wicked yet Penelope was peerless if Clytemnestra were naught yet Alcestes was passing good if Phaedra were damnable yet there was another laudable But here saith he I am at a stand of good women I finde not one more but of the wicked I remember thousands To this purpose I have read in an old Manuscript Women are all in extrems too willing or too wilful too forward or too froward too friendly or too fiendly too courteous or too coy the mean they alwayes meanly account of As also of a certain Captain who being perswaded to marry replied no If I marry a Wife she will be wilfull if witty then wanton if poor then peevish if beautiful then proud if deformed then loathsome and the least of these is able to kill a thousand men But I fear I have been too prolix I shall onely adde one story concerning Cardinal Wolsey then give you a taste amongst many others of some of his
Parents what manner of person he was like to prove is hence easie to conjecture since no advantages either from Nature or Education could be imagin'd to be wanting to him he past the more tender years of his childhood not without rare testimonies of many growing excellencies and great abilities of mind nor did he come on faster in age then in ingenuity and acuteness of wit which promised high assurances of that profound and universal knowledge and comprehension of things which rendred him afterwards so famous and brought him to be taken notice of by many noble persons and others that were eminent both in dignity and place and principally by the Queen her self who as I have heard from some of repute and credit took much delight oftentimes to discourse with him and to try his wit with difficult questions but with so much gravity and deliberate judgement did he behave himself that the Queen was us'd to call him the little Lord Keeper of the Seal Being askt of her how old he was he yet a childe ingeniously answered That he was the yonger by two years for her happy Reign When he had attained the age that was thought ripe for the University or rather more early then others commonly us'd to go he was by his Fathers appointment entered of Trinity Colledge in Cambridge under the tuition of the most Reverend John Whitgift Doctour of Divinity at that time Master of that Colledge afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury a Prelate of the first magnitude and most conspicuous for Sanctity Learning Patience and Humility under whom he was found to have made a wonderful progress in the Liberall Arts and Sciences and above all that were his contemporaries while he gave himself up wholly to his study in the University wanting yet somewhat of sixteen years of age The Philosophy of Aristotle as his Lordship hath been pleased to impart to me in private discourse began to seem unsavoury and distasteful to him not out of any disesteem of that Author for it was ever his custom to load him with high praises but because of the insufficiency of that way of Philosphy since it was so contriv'd and dispos'd as his Lordship was oftentimes pleas'd to inculcate as if it had been fram'd onely for disputations and controversies and was altogether barren as to the production of such operations as tended to the benefit of humane life in which opinion he persisted to his very last gasp After he had run through the whole course of the Liberal Arts his Father thought fit to have him bend and apply himself chiefly to the study of Politicks and for that cause took care to send him into France in the Company of Sir Amie Pawlet at that time appointed Ambassadour in ordinary to the French King He had not been there very long ere he was so far lookt upon as to be thought a fit person to be sent into England upon some special message to the Queen which employment having worthily discharg'd he was sent back by the Queen not without some testimony of her grace and favour Upon his going into France the second time he took this resolution not to see England again till after some certain-years expired During his travels in France his Father the Lord Keeper died leaving behinde him as I have heard from some that were acquainted with his affairs a considerable sum of money purposely set apart for the purchasing of certain Lands and Revenues for the use of this his youngest Son who onely of all the rest was left after his Fathers decease destitute of a hereditary patrimony for though in his Fathers estate yet not in his Fathers affection held he the lowest place But since the buying of those Lands was onely intended and not performed in his Fathers life-time there fell no more to his share then according to the proportion of money that was to be distributed among five brothers which was the cause that he enjoy'd but a slender and somewhat hard fortune during his yonger years for he came not to the possession of that noble and most delightful Mannor of Gorhambury till many years after and that by the death of his most dear Brother Mr. Anthony Bacon a man of great note and one that had been much conversant in the Courts of Forreign Princes for the excellency of his Wit equal but for knowledge in the Liberal Arts inferiour to his Brother Between these two there had ever past a most firm league of friendship as being besides the same paternal extraction united by a more strict tye of having both one Mother As soon as he return'd out of France his care was to pitch upon some certain course of life thereupon he addicted himself to the study and profession of the common Law of England in which undertaking he in a short time made an admirable progress Although to use his own words he made choice of that profession rather as subservient and auxiliary then as his principal intention He set forth from the first to the last divers Tractates concerning this subject in which though perhaps by some of the ancient standers of that profession he might be exceeded as to the bulk of volume and number of cases yet for matter of weight and his insight into the fundamentals and mysteries of the Law he gave place to none He had scarce serv'd out his Apprentiship in the Law before he was by the Queen taken into her learned Council extraordinary a favour as I have heard scarce granted to any one before The habitation he chose as most commodious for his studies and Office of Advocate was amongst the honourable society of Grey's-Inne into the number of which Society he admitted himself there he erected that neat and elegant structure which at this day is known by the name of the Lord Bacons Buildings in which at times he spent the greatest part of his life some few years onely excepted even to the very day of his death In this Society he carried himself with that mildness that affability and generosity of minde that thereby he attracted to himself great love and respect from the Seniors and Students of that Inne But though he was tied by the exigence of his fortune and for his better maintenance to profess the Law yet his minde and affection inclin'd more to the Political Arts and Offices of State of which if it had pleased her Royal Majesty he was as capable as any In the full strength of his age he admitted himself of the number of those that followed that noble though unfortunate Heroe the Earl of Essex whom as a most faithful and bosom Councellour he served to his utmost power ad still laboured to instill into his minde wholesom and honourable precepts till at length that Earl giving ear to the counsels of certain rash and hair-brain'd men ran head-long to his own destruction This he ow'd to the native and ingenuous endowments of his minde that they opened to him an easier and
French would advance no nearer until spying their advantage the English being to go over a narrow passage having salt-pits on either side they then came on amain powring great vollies of shot upon the English and having routed the Lord Montjoyes Troops and taken him prisoner they fell upon Sir William Coninghams but they most bravely fought it out even to the last man had the Lord Montjoyes Troops done the like a quarter so many had not perished but cowards are foes to their own lives and gain onely this by running away to be killed more basely and further off from their fellows The rear being thus routed they fall on upon the main Battel but Sir Edward Conways who commanded the van facing about made them retreat and having left a select company of musquetiers to guard the pass until night they burnt the Bridge lodging that night in a place called the Loose and the next day went on board Thus returned home the English with extream loss whereof the Duke as in Command the chief so did he share chiefly in the disgrace the French scoffingly saying Though the Duke could not take the Cittidal of St. Martins yet it was odds but he would take the Tower of London Doctor Moor also a Prebend of Winchester took occasion in his Sermon to cite that of Augustus in Cornelius Tacitus Quintili Vare redde Legiones which saith the Historian perished propter inscitiam temeritatem Ducis giving him a quaint wipe the Amphibology of the word Dux thus as the Poet hath it When we do think puft up with hope that we do fly aloft Then soonest clipped are our wings by angry stars full oft But the King was not so daunted at this disaster but that he resolved to give one pluck more for the relief of Rochell which the Earl of Denbigh attempting with ill success a third Fleet was made ready then which there never before appeared a more gallant Armado formed by our Nation The Duke desirous to recover his reputation much blemished by his discomfiture at the Isle of Rhee was by the King made Commander in chief but before his setting forth being at breakfast at Portsmouth with Subize and others of principal quality one John Felton sometimes a Lieutenant to a Foot Company in the Regiment of Sir John Ramsey watching his opportunity as the Duke was passing through an Entry with Sir Thomas Frier to whom he declined his ear in the posture of attention in the very instant of Sir Thomas his retiring from the Duke Felton with a knife stab'd him on the left side into the very heart saying as he struck him The Lord have mercy upon thy soul a Speech which the Duke had scarce time to say for himself such effusion of blood flowing from the wound after the knife was pulled out that he presently expired being onely heard to say some report with an oath The Villain hath killed me The motives that induced Felton to this execrable murther are said to be these he had long and in vain waited for his arrears of pay due for former service again he was twice repulsed upon his Petition for a Captains place and others super-inducted over his head But least private malice should be thought his onely motive to the fact he declared it to be the late Remonstrance of the House of Commons sticking a paper to the lining of his hat wherein he had written as followeth I would have no man commend me for doing it but rather discommend themselves for if God had not taken away their hearts for their sins he had not gone so long unpunished John Felton The man is cowardly base in mine opinion and deserves neither the name of a Gentleman or Souldier that is unwilling to sacrifice his life for the honour of God his King and Countrey John Felton Felton for this fact suffered at Tyburne very penitent and sorry for what he had done his body was from thence conveyed to Portsmouth and there hung in Chains Of this fact of Feltons a modern Wit thus writes Some say the Duke was vertuous gracious good And Felton basely did to spill his blood If it be so what did he then amiss In sending him the sooner to his Bliss All deaths seem pleasant to a good mans eye And bad men onely are affraid to dye Chang'd he this Kingdom to possess a better Then is the Duke become John Feltons debtor Many are said to be the warnings the Duke had of his end some two moneths before one Doctor Lamb a creature of the Dukes was by the rude multitude slain in the Streets they telling him as they were belabouring him with stones and cudgels That were his Master the Duke there they would give him as much This time also was common in many mens mouths Let Charles and Mary do what they can The Duke shall dye like Doctor Lamb. The same day that Lamb was slain the Dukes Picture fell down in the High Commission Chamber at Lambeth These with other the like accidents fore-bodeing something of present fatality to the Duke being spoken of in the Lady Davis her hearing she for certain reply'd No his time is not come till August The same Lady also as I was informed by a Gentleman of near relation unto me did by her servant certifie the Duke that at such time as a Mole which he had upon his Shoulder should go away the Duke should dye which accordingly came to pass But the most strange if true is that related by Lilly in his Observations on the Life and Death of King Charles namely that a Daemon appeared to one Parker in the likeness of Sir George Villers the Dukes Father bidding him go and tell his Son that unless he refrained such and such company he should ere long be killed and withal shewed him a knife appointed for the act Parker told the Duke of these things but being an old man was judged to doat not long after the Daemon appeared to him again telling him that the Duke should not long survive and also bid him set his own house in order for he should shortly dye Both which things accordingly came to pass He died the thirty sixth year of his age a time which by the course of Nature he might have doubled Never did so great a man fall so much unlamented though causeless as by the success of Affairs wise men have since determined The Life of Sir HENRY VVOTTON TO survey him at one single prospect Sir Henry Wotton was born at Bocton-Hall in the County of Kent in the year of our Redemption 1568. descended of an ancient and honourable Family great cherishers of Learning as appears by that excellent Antiquary Master William Lambert in his Perambulation of Kent He had three elder Brothers all Knights men eminent for Wisdom and Piety by all which it appears that Sir Henry Wotton was a branch of such a Kindred as left a stock of reputation to their posterity His Childehood being spent under the
I desire that you would be silent and joyn with me in prayer and I trust in God we shall all meet and live eternally in Heaven there to receive the accomplishment of all happiness where every tear shall be wiped away from our eyes and every sad thought from our hearts And so God bless this Kingdom and Jesus have mercy on my soul Having ended his Speech he addrest himself to prayer wherein he continued about a quarter of an hour and then standing up took his leave of all the Nobles and considerable Persons on the Scaffold which done he prayed again and then laying his head down on the Block had the same dissevered from his body by the Executioner at one blow His Body was afterwards embalmed and carried into Yorkshire there to be buried amongst his Ancestors I shall close the Scene and shut up all with Mr. Cleavelands excellent Epitaph on this Heroe Here lies wise and valiant Dust Huddled up 'twixt fit and just Strafford who was hurried hence 'Twixt treason and convenience He spent his time here in a mist A Papist yet a Calvanist His Prince's nearest joy and grief He had yet wanted all relief The Prop and Ruine of the State The Peoples violent love and hate One in extreams lov'd and abhor'd Riddles lies here and in a word Here lies and let it lie Speechless still and never cry The Life of VVILLIAM LAUD Archbishop of Canterbury THis reverend Father in God William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury the times he lived in neither knowing his worth nor worthy of his person have too much vilified He was of no extraordinary Extraction as well as Stature yet he rose by his deserts to the highest degree of Honour He was born at Reading in Barkshire the year of our Redemption 1573. His Father a man of a competent Estate willing to see his pregnant son well educated who in few years attained to such learning that he was sent to St John Baptists Colledge in Oxford where he was such a Proficient that in twelve years space he was looked upon and applauded even to admiration of the University from whence he proceeded Batchelour and Master of Arts. Not long after he was chosen Procter of the University about which time he also became Chaplain to the Earl of Devonshire where first he fell acquainted with the Nobility a great cause no doubt of his preferment Soon after he proceeded Batchelour then Doctour in Divinity and becoming Chaplain to Doctour Neal Bishop of Rochester was by him recommended to King James and made his Chaplain Being now in the path to promotion he neglected no opportunity conducible thereunto but proves very serviceable to all those who might be any wayes advantageous to his advancement more especially was he observient to the Duke of Buckingham the grant Favorite of the times So that in short space he was made Prebend of Bugden and Westminster Dean of Glocester Archdeacon of Huntington and President of Saint Johns Colledge in Oxford besides these several Benefices bestowed upon him Stanford in Northamptonshire West-Tilbury in Essex Cuckston in Kent and Ibstock in Leicestershire Not long after King James the best Master to his Servants that ever was bestowed the Bishoprick of St. Davids upon him and with it in Commendam the Parsonage of Creek King James dying his Son our late Sovereign Charles finding his abilities took him into more special regard making him first Bishop of Bathe and Wells then Dean of his Chappel next a Privy Councellour soon after Bishop of London then Chancellour of Oxford and not long after Archbishop of Canterbury Higher he could not be advanced in England in Rome he might who to gain him to their side made him a ridiculous tender of a Cardinals Cap to which he returned answer That somewhat dwelt within which would not suffer that till Rome were otherwise then it is Implying thereby that that Church had errours to which his conscience could no wayes conform Far different was Bishop Laud from his Predecessor D. Abbot whose judgement for the indifferency of things Ceremonial made the enjoyning of them by Bishop Laud be termed an innovation many in their writings at that time inveighed bitterly against Episcopal Government as also against the Bishops three of which violent opponents were Mr. Pryn a Barrester of Lincolns Inne Dr. Bastwick a Physician and Master Burton a Divine who were censured in the Star-Chamber to pay each of them five thousand pounds to the King to lose their ears in the Pillory and to be imprisoned perpetually The first in Canarvan Castle in Wales the second in Lanceston Castle in Cornwall and the other in Lancaster Castle Master Pryn over and above to be stigmatized on both cheeks with the letter S. for a Schismatick This severity with the obtruding of the Common Prayer Book altered on the Scots which was by the Kings special command so exasperated them and the English Commonalty that Libels were each day scattered about one pasted on the Cross in Cheapside That the Archbishop of Canterbury had his hand in persecuting the Saints and shedding the blood of the Martyrs Another in the South Gate of Pauls That the Devil had let that house to him Another on the North Gate of Pauls That the government of the Church of England is a candle in the snuff going out in a stench Another hanged upon the Standerd in Cheapside wherein his Speech in the Star-Chamber was set in a kinde of Pillory c. Five hundred persons likewise under the name of Apprentices beset his house at Lambeth intending no doubt to have done to him as the unruly Rabble did to his Predecessour Simon Sudbury in the time of King Richard the second who was sacrificed to the fury of the people for which one of the chief named Thomas Bensteà being taken was hanged and quartered Many have been the reports that this Archbishop was addicted to Popery and a great friend to the Papists Certainly he who shall read the relation of his conference with the Jesuite Fisher will finde him so little theirs as he hath for ever disabled them from being so much their own as they were before it being the exactest Master-piece of Polemick Divinity of all extant as Sir Edward Deering in one of his Speeches writes that this Book of his mortally wounded the Jesuite in the fifth rib This learned Volume might have satisfied the people as touching his Religion and his Diary written by himself of the Integrity of his Life For he had not any intermission for his pen and best intentions of minde against the Roman Faction whatsoever the Covenanters have interpreted to the contrary he having continual occasions to lift up his eyes to heaven for the preservation of the glory of the Church and the honour and safety of his Majesty as by the abstract of a discovery made by Andreas ab Habernsfeid against the designs of the Papists to stir up a Commotion in Scotland and in the heat thereof to
so faithfully discharged he hid endeavours that he won the love of both sides Thus after he had holily and peaceably for many years to the honour of God and edification of his Church continued to the time of his death constantly preaching the word of God he in the seventy sixth year of his age surrendered up his soul into the hands of his Maker his mamory being as a precious Oyntment yielding a sweet savour in the Nostrils of Gods Saints which gave occasion to one of our late Poets amongst many others to write these two Verses Usher remains sustain'd by the blest Powers A Saint in Heavens bright Orb a Star in ours He deceased the 21. of March 1655. and was honourably buried in Henry the Sevenths Chappel at the Abbey in Westminster Oliver then Lord Protectour dispending two hundred pounds at his Funeral extending to his the Grant of some of the Lands of the Primacy of Armagh for twenty one years I shall shut up all with this Character given him by a solemn Order in the Convocation at Oxford Anno 1644. James Vsher Archbishop of Armagh Primate of all Ireland The most skilful of Primitive Antiquity the unanswerable Defender of the Orthodox Religion the Maul of Errours in Preaching frequent eloquent very powerful a rare example of an unblameable life Of whom may be writ as one doth by way of Elegy on the late Martyr of our times that admirable Divine Dr. Hewet Since he is dead report it thou my Muse Vnto the world as grief and not as news Heark how Religion sighs the Pulpit groans And tears run trickling down the senseless stones That Church which was all ears is now turn'd eyes The Mother weeps and all her Children cries In remembrance of him and his incomparable abilities at Christ Church in Oxford there is an Oration spoke constantly once a year He left many Monuments of his Learning behinde him to posterity His Book De successione Ecclesiarum 4o. Londini 1613. Epistolarum Hibernicarum Sylloge 4o. Dublini 1630. Historia Goteschalci Dublini 1631. De Primordiis Ecclesiarum Britannicarum 4o. Dublini 1631. the greatest part of which were cast away as they came by sea Ignatii Epistolarum annotationibus 4o. Oxoniae 1648. De anno solari Macedonum 8o Londini 1648. Annales Veteris Testamenti Folio Londini 1650. Annales Novi Testamenti Folio Londini 1654. both which are since in one Volumn printed in English a Work acknowledged by the learnedst men of this Age for the admirable Method and Worth of it not to have hitherto been parallel'd by any preceding Writers Epistola ad Cappellum de variantibus textus Hebraici Lectionibus 4o. Londini 1652. De Graeca septuaginta interpretum versione Syntagma 4o. Londini 1655. His English Works were these A Sermon preached before the House of Commons February 18. 1618. A Declaration of the visibility of the Church preached in a Sermon before King James June 20. 1624. A Speech delivered in the Castle Chamber in Dublyn the 22. of November 1622. An Answer to Malon the Jesuit 4o. 1631. The Religion professed by the ancient Irish and Brittains 4o. 1631. Two Works which routed the Catholicks of Ireland Immanuel of the Incarnation of the Son of God 4o. Dublin 1639. A Sermon for the learning and worth of it never to be sufficiently esteemed A Geographical description of the Lesser Asia 4o. Oxford 1644. Confessions and Proofs of Doctor Reinolds and other Protestant Divines concerning the Right of Episcopacy 4o. Oxford 1644. His Discourse of the Original of Bishops and Archbishops 4o. Oxford 1644. The Sum and Substance of Christian Religion being in part his but publisht without his consent Folio London His small Catechisme reviewed 12o. London A Method for Meditation or a direction for hearing the Word I have since had the happiness to peruse several Sermons of his ordained for the Press truly worthy of him they were all of them but one preached before the year 1626. most of them before he was Bishop I thought it for the better knowing of them from others that may be falsely father'd on him to be convenient to set down the several Texts Philip. 3.8 Ephes 2.1 2. Ephes 2.2 3. John 14.16 17. His most excellent Sermons on the Sacraments out of 1 Cor. 11.28 as also on Colos 1.21 Two Sermons on 1 Pet. 4.17 His Sermon preacht a little before he was made a Bishop before the King at Greenwich June the 25. 1626. his Text was taken out of the 1 Cor. 14.33 the words For God is not Authour of confusion but of peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints At that time there was a strange division and clashing one against another of the great ones of the Court whom his sharp Sermon toucht so near to the quick that the Puritanical Bishop as they then called him put the highest spirits of them to a non plus These Sermons Dr. Bernard of Grayes-Inne formerly Chaplain to Bishop Vsher had the perusal of who said they wanted nothing but onely that Life and Majesty they were adorned with when the Bishop himself delivered them I have ended my discourse as to what concerns this reverend Father of the Church I have no more to write but onely to exprese my sorrow that I could not arrive to a right knowledge of the Lives of two of our late worthy Divines Doctour Featly who died first as his spirits were oppressed with the afflictions of our distracted times as also of that Contemplative Seraphical Clergy-man Bishop Hall who was in Heaven whilest he was on earth the Life of the former Doctor Featly the Champion of our Church against the Romanists I at last despaired of having after a long search and strict enquiry gained no perfect cognizance from any of his friends and concerning Bishop Hall having no acquaintance with the Heir to his blessed qualifications his most accomplisht Son otherwise then from the Pulpit my modesty being so much a stranger to him would not suffer me to make an address The Life of Master John Lilburne I Question not but that it will be admired that such an inferiour person as Master Lilburne should take up any room in this Volume I shall onely need to express that I have not inserted him as a Worthy but rather as a Wonder the truth is whosoever shall diligently mark the transactions of this person will finde such variety of matter contained in his Life not onely to excuse the publishing of it but also so far to transport them that read it as to believe him to be a fit object for an intire Volume by himself rather then this short relation I shall obtrude on his memory which considering how his Life was shufled and confused the Reader cannot expect any other then fragments no clear nor continued progress of his History When Taxaris saw his Countrey-man Anacharsis in Athens he said unto him I will at once shew thee all the Wonders of Greece So may I say of him I will
of Mr. Lilburne was for differences betwixt the State and him Master Lilburne desired that Master Prideaux might be excepted against as his enemy one of the faction of the Court against his life Judge Keble told him that he spoke irrationally and indiscreetly he having so fair respect and so free a hearing to except against so great a Minister of the Court afterwards Judge Jermyn a sound Lawyer but a better forenoon then afternoons man said That since Master Lilburne begun to plant his Ordnance against the Authority of the Court that the Court did sit by a lawful Authority derived from the Parliament the supreme Authority of England that he was accused of High Treason had his Jury of Freemen of London Citizens men of religious integrity he instanced many cases to him concluding that he desired him to put himself upon his Tryal by Law and to hear with patience those offences of Treason were laid to his charge Master Lilburne notwithstanding continued to use several arguments against the Commission of Oyer and Terminer which he knew to be that by the virtue of which they did sit and since he was to be tryed for his life he desired to hear their Commission read but since they had denyed him that he desired all his friends to take notice how contrary to reason and equity they dealt with him Judge Keble urged him still not taking notice of his Traverses to hold up his hand at the Bar which he explained to him was no more but a special notice that the party is the man inquired for and therefore if he were John Lilburne the man that was charged he bid him but say that he was the man and that he was there and that should suffice Lilburne accordingly said I am John Lilburne Son to John Lilburne Judge Jermyn afterwards to perswade him to hold up his hand gave him two reasons why that custom had been alwayes used First for notice that those who are called for capital and criminal offences that they should hold up the hand to declare that they are the men Secondly he said that a pure innocent hand did set forth a clear and unspotted heart for which reason he bid Mr. Lilburne hold up his hand if he refused to do it he deprived himself of the prime benefit of the customs of England Master Lilburne still quibling with the Court and refusing Judge Keble gave order that the Indictment should be read to which purpose Master Broughten read Hold up your hand Master Lilburne and hearken to the charge thou standest indicted of High Treason by the name of John Lilburne late of London Gentleman for that thou art a false Traytor not having the fear of God before thy eyes but being stirred up and moved by the instigation of the Devil c. After he had read it out Master Broughton said What saist thou John Lilburne art thou guilty of this Treason of which thou standest indicted or not guilty Lilburne answered That by the Laws of England he was not to answer questions against or concerning himself Another Judge said Master Lilburne by the Laws of the Land you are to plead to your charge and it is no accusing of your self to say you are guilty or not guilty Master Lilburne instanced the Petition of Right to the former purpose he also excused himself as he was ignorant of the formalities of the Law having none of the Law Books in English and therefore fore them to take away his life in a Language he understood not was extream hard therefore he humbly desired to have Councel assigned him to consult with Judge Keble told him he could not grant him that favour it was not consistent with the Law Master Lilburne still refused to plead without Councel withal he said he was not guilty in any of the treasons in manner or form as they were laid down in the Indictment pointing to it and withal said Now I have pleaded and crave the Liberties of England that you will assign me counsel Master Boughton said By whom wilt thou be Tryed Lilburne replyed By the known Laws of England and a legal Jury of his equals constituted by Law One of the Clerks said you must say by God and your Countrey Master Lilburne said he never read in the Laws of England that he was to plead in that manner Judge Keble explained the word Countrey to him saying By it was meant a Jury of his equals Master Lilburne desired as he had bin a prisoner seven moneths deprived of Books that he might have a reasonable time allowed him to prepare himself for his Plea and Defence or else to knock him in the head in the place where he stood for he must needs be destroyed if they denyed him the means of his preservation After many of his evasions Judge Nichols told him that if he would not be lead by the proceedings of Law it would be worse for him Master Lilburne instanced the freedom of his Tryal at Oxford the Judges in effect told him that he was now at London on a different manner of fact He answered they might murther him if they would observing Master Prideaux the Atturney General whispering Judge Thorpe in the ear he said on the Bench It was not lawful for a Judge to be whispered To which Judge Thorpe replyed that as he was the prosecutor of the State against him he might confer privately with him Master Lilburne quoted to the contrary Cooks Institutes the third part Cap. Treason upon which Judge Keble took him up short and said that if he would not come to something and behave himself according to the bounds of Reason and Law he would cause his Jury to be returned Master Lilburne replyed that he desired to have the priviledge of the Laws of God which he said he himself must acknowledge to be the Law of England and he was sure that the Law of God was that they should do as they would be done by now he said it could not be by the Laws of God for his adversaries to have the helps of all manner of councels by snares quirks tricks and provocations to take away his life and for him to be denyed the benefit to consult with any to preserve himself against such potent malice Judge Jermyn answered the question was not whether the Law of God and the Law of reason and the Law of man may be consonant to each other and whether the Court or John Lilburne shall be Judges thereof that was the question Master Lilburne crying for all equity to himself but allowing the Court none Judge Keble said further that when a man had done such treasonable things that it was the Law of God that he should answer directly and positively whether he were guilty or no and if he answer not guilty and they be not fully proved against him there is no more to be said After some other trifling pro and con Master Lilburne compared the prerogative that he said the Judges made
Prisoner at the Bar presented before the Court here take your Jury of Life and Death if therefore Master Lilburne you will challenge them or any of them you must challege them before that they go to be sworn Cryer Every man that can inform my Lords the Justices and the Atturney General of the Commonwealth against Master John Lilburn Prisoner at the Bar of any Treason or Fellony committed by him let them come forth and they shall be heard for the Prisoner stands upon his deliverance and all others bound to give their attendance are upon pain of forfeiture of their Recognizance to come in Master Lilburne desired to be heard a few words the Judge told him he must talk in his legal time and take legal exceptions and then he should be heard till midnight Master Lilburne desired to be heard he said he did not know the faces of two men that were read to him therefore he desired that he might have time to consider of them Judge Keeble told him that he ought not to have it Master Lilburne desired the Judge that he would at least vouchsafe him to have some friends by him that are Citizens of London that knew them to give him information of their quality and conditions without which he said they might as well hang him without a Tryal Mr. Sprat or Master Robert Lilburn challenged one of the Jury which the Judge excepted against and commanded the Fellow in the white cap should come out there pull him out Master Lilburne replied that they did not deal civilly according to their own Law and now there was a full noise the whole cry was to pull down the Stag of the Petition of Right The Jury being called he excepted against several persons of the Jury six lived about Smithfield one in Gosling-Street two in Cheapside two in Broad-street one in Friday-street After his particular exception Master Broughton proceeds and reads his Indictment Hold up thy hand John Lilburne Thou standest here indicted of High Treason by the name of John Lilburn late of London Gentleman for that thou as a false Traytour not having the fear of God before thine eyes but being stirred and moved up by the instigation of the Devil didst endeavour not onely to disturb the peace and tranquility of this Nation but also the government thereof to subvert now established without King or House of Lords in the way of a Commonwealth and a free State and happily established and the Commons in Parliament assembled being the supream Authority of this Nation of England to disgrace and into a hatred base esteem infamy and scandal with all the good true and honest persons of England to bring into hatred that is to say that thou the said John Lilburne on the first day of October in the year of our Lord 1649. and on divers other dayes and times both before and after in the Parish of Mary the Archess in the Ward of Cheap London aforesaid of thy wicked and devillish minde and imagination falsely malitiously advisedly and trayterously as a false Traytor by writing and imprinting and openly declaring that is to say by a certain scandalous poysonous and trayterous writing in paper entituled A salva libertate and by another scandalous poysonous and trayterous Book entituled An Impeachment of High Treason against Oliver Cromwel and his son-in-law Henry Ireton Esquires late Members of the late forcibly dissolved House of Commons presented to publick view by Lieutenant Collonel John Lilburn close Prisoner in the Tower of London for his real true and zealous affection to the liberties of this Nation and by another scandalous poysonous and trayterous Book imprinted and entituled An Out-cry of the yong men and Apprentices of London or an inquisition after the lost fundamental Laws and Liberties of England directed August 29. 1649. in an Epistle to the private Souldiers of the Army especially all those that signed the solemn Engagement at New-Market Heath the fifth of June 1647. but more especially the private Souldiers of the Generals Regiment of Horse that helped to plunder and destroy the honest and true hearted Englishmen trayterously defeated at Burford the fifteenth of May 1649. And also by another scandalous poysonous and traiterous Book intituled The legal fundamental liberties of the people of England revised asserted and vindicated didst publish that the Government aforesaid is tyranical usurped and unlawful and that the Commmons Assembled in Parliament are not the Supreme Authority of this Nation and further that thou the said John Lilburne as a false Traitor God before thine eyes not having but being moved and led by the instigation of the Devil endeavouring and maliciously intending the Government aforesaid as is aforesaid well and happily established thou the said John Lilburne afterwards that is to say the aforesaid first day of October in the year of our Lord 1649. aforesaid and divers other dayes and times as well before as after at London aforesaid that is to say in the Parish and Ward aforesaid London aforesaid maliciously advisedly and traiterously didst plot contrive and endeavour to stir up and to raise force against the aforesaid Government and for the subverting and alteration of the said Government and to do those wicked malicious and traiterous advisement to put in execution c. and thou the said John Lilburne afterwards that is to say the aforesaid first day of October in the year of our Lord 1649. aforesaid and divers dayes and times as well before as after at London aforesaid that is to say in the Parish and Ward aforesaid of thy depraved minde and most wicked imagination in and by the aforesaid scandalous poysonous and trayterous book Intituled An impeachment of high Treason against Oliver Cromwel and his son-in-law Henry Ireton Esquires late Members of the late forcible dissolved House of Commons presented to publick view by Lieutenant Collonel John Lilburne close prisoner in the Tower of London for his real true and zealous affection to the Liberties of his native Countrey falsly maliciously advisedly and traiterously didst publickly declare amongst other things in the said Book those false scandalous malicious and traiterous words following but my true friends meaning the friends of the said John Lilburne I meaning the foresaid John Lilburne shall here take upon me the boldness considering the great distractions of the present times to give a little further advice to our friends aforesaid from whose company or society or from some of them hath been begun and issued out the most transcendent clear rational and just things for the peoples liberties and freedoms That the foresaid John Lilburne hath seen or read in this Nation as your notable and excellent Petition of May the 20th 1647. burnt by the hand of the common-hangman recorded in my book called Rash Oaths Unwarrantable page 29 30 31 32 33 34 35. with divers Petitions of that nature and the Petition of the 19th of January 1648. recorded in the following discourse page 45 46 47 48. and the
Masculine Petition of the eleventh of September 1648. so much owned by petitions out of several Counties yea and by the Officers of the Armies large Remonstrance from Saint Albones the sixteenth of November 1648. page 67.68 69. the subtance of all which I thou the aforesaid John Lilburne meaning conceive is contained in the printed sheet of paper signed by my fellow prisoners Mr. William Walwin Mr. Richard Overton and Mr. Thomas Prince and my self dated the first of May 1649. and intituled The Agreement of the free people of England which false scandalous and traiterous Book called the Agreement of the people of England tends to the alteration and subversion of the Government aforesaid the principles of the aforesaid Agreement I meaning your self the said John Lilburne hope and desire you the friends of the aforesaid John Lilburne meaning will make the final centre and unwavering standard of all your desires hazards and endeavours as to the future settlement of the peace and Government of this distressed wasted and divided Nation the firme establishing of the principles therein contained being that onely which will really and in good earnest marry and knit the interest what ever it be that dwels upon them unto the distressed or oppressed Commons of this Nation Not to instance the particular application how these and his other Books were stigmatized more at large in the Indictment as also his traiterous intents purposes and designs to their extent displayed The Indictment being reading and the noise of the people in the Hall great the prisoner said he could not hear and had some few lines before read over to him Master Lilburne therefore prayed the people to hold their peace Gentlemen I beseech you be quiet speaking to the people Lord Keeble replyed Quiet you your self we will quiet them for you The Cryer said If any man can give any Evidence to my Lords the Justices of Oyer and Terminer against Mr. John Lilburne let him come in and he shall be heard Master Lilburne desired to be heard to speak two or three words Lord Keeble said It is not a fit time you shall be heard in your due time but hear what the witnesses say first Master Lilburne replyed He conceived he was much wronged in saying that he pleaded not guilty for he pleaded no such plea I appeal to the Court and to all that heard me whether I pleaded any such plea for before I pleaded the Court became engaged to me to take no advantage of my ignorance of the formalities of the Law and promised to give me as much priviledge as my Lord Duke of Hambleton and others enjoyed before the Court of Justice By your favours said he I pleaded conditionally and now I make my absolute Plea to the Indictment which was this that he excepted against the matter and form of it in matter time and place and humbly craved Counccel to assign and plead to the errors thereof He beseecht them to hear him a few words Sir with favour he humbly craved liberty to speak a few words he said I shall keep me close to that which is my right and my duty and that is to the matter of Law in my Indictment There are many things put into the Indictment by the Testimonies of Witnesses now sworn that are pretended to be acted in several Countries whether that be according to Law or no I do not know whether you will judge it so or no but sure I am if either those express Statutes that I have already cited to the Jury or the third part of Cooks Institutes be Law I ought not to be tryed for Treason but by a Jury of the next Neighbour-hood in the self-same County the fact is pretended to be committed in and therefore it is very questionable to me whether my Indictment be legal for that it chargeth me with facts of treason committed in three several Counties and that being matter of Law I desire Counsel to argue that point in the first place There are also a great many other exceptions I have to make against the Illegality of the Indictment and having particularized one I humbly crave that which is my right by Law that I may have Counsel assigned to me you have said you will do what shall become ingenious and understanding men and just Judges in it and therefore I crave leave according to my undoubted Right to have Counsel assigned to plead in matters of Law to the insufficiency of the Indictment and particularly to that point I have nominated There are also a great many things arise out of the matter of fact that will be points of Law likewise and some of them appear to be so there were never two clear and positive witnesses to one fact sworn against me but to most of the particular Treasons there is but one a piece and I cannot yield tha to be legal but questionable in the Law which I desire Counsel to dispute I know not any of all the Books fixed upon me but the Out-cry that hath two plain witnesses to it and yet it is not sworn that I am the Author of it the state of the first is this that I was at the Printers before the Copy was taken away and that I gave one of those Books to a Souldier to sum up the Notes of the matter of fact that thereon hath been endeavoured to be proved is too hard a task to be done by me immediately and therefore I conceive it but just for you to assign me Counsel to agree with the Counsel against me what are the points of fact upon the proof from which the points of Law are to be deducted and whatever you that call your selves my Judges may think of this yet I hope and verily believe that these my honest fellow Citizens that are the Gentlemen of my Jury who have thereby as men the issues of my life and death in their hands and will think it but a just and rational motion and request and therefore before them again I desire to have Counsel assigned to plead in Law to the errours of the Indictment and also to the Law arising upon the fact this with a larger priviledge was granted by one of your own brother-Judges to Major Rolfe last year as his right by Law and I do again appeal to Mr. Justice Nichols then one of Rolfes Counsel for the truth of this I pray speak Sir is it not true but the Judge sitting as if he had neither life nor soul Mr. Lilburne further said I hope Sir it doth not enter into your thoughts presently to put me to an undigested extemporary answer to so large an Indictment as that is that hath been read against me that it is possible for any mans brain if it were as big as the biggest Magazine in London to carry it in his head and Sir I hope you do not conceive that my memory is of a greater largeness then the greatest Magazine in this City you engaged unto me when I
know or ever heard of in England for good Law Judge Keble answered If you can convince us that matter of Law does concern you the Iury you say something Mr. Lilburne answered Sir I have been shuffled too much out of my Liberties already give me leave to read but the Law to the Jury I will make use of nothing now to them but your own words and when I have done I will leave my self to them and the guidance of God upon their conscience and having the Book open in his hand he said in the first part of Cooks Institutes sex 366. fol. 226 227 228. in his Exposition of Ployden hath these words The Lord Keble answered Have we dealt so fairly with you all this while pray be confident those that are quotations there are not for your purpose but I thought how good a Lawyer you were for to set Cooks Commentaries upon Ployden when there is no such Book or Commentary go to your matter of Fact which is clear but for this let it fall down and spare your self and trouble your self no more with Cook he has no Commentary upon Ployden But Master Lilburne prest to speak Judge Iermyn cryes out Hold Sir Mr. Lilburne replyes What will not you allow me liberty to read your Law O unrighteous and bloody Judges Judge Iermyn answers By the fancy of your own minde you would puzzle the Iury we know the Book a little better then you do there is no such Book as Cooks Commentary upon Ployden The Lord Keble said Sir you shall not read it Judge Iermyn sayes he cannot be suffered to read the Law he had broached an erroneous opinion that the Iury are Iudges of the Law which is enough to destroy all the Law in the Land there was never such a damnable heresie broached in this Nation before The Cryer cryes out Hear the Court. Master Lilburne answers Do your pleasure then here I le dye Jury take notice of their injustice but seeing they will not hear me I appeal to you and say It is an easie matter for an abler man then I am in so many interruptions as I meet with to mistake Ployden for Littleton I am surehere is Cooks Commentaries upon Littleton and these be his words In this case the Recognitors of the Assize may say and render to the Justices their Verdict at large upon the whole matter which I am sure is good Law forasmuch as we see it continually done in all actions of Trespass or Assault where the Jury doth not onely judge of the validity of the proof of the Fact but also of the Law by assigning what damages they think is just Lord Keble said I am sure you are in an errour in a gross one as possible a man can be in this is so gross that I thought it could not have come from Master Lilburne that professeth himself to be a rational and knowing man Master Lilburn goes on And in another place he saith For as well as the Jurors may have Cognizance of the Lease they also as well may have Cognizance of the condition And further there Cook saith Here it is to be observed that a special Verdict or at large may be given in any Action and upon any Issue be the Issue General or Special And in Section 368. Littleton hath these words Also in such Case where the Inquest may give their Verdict at large if they will take upon them the knowledge of the Law upon the matter they may give their verdict generally Cooks words upon it are fully to the same purpose who saith Although the Jury if they will take upon them as Littleton here saith the knowledge of the Law may give a general Verdict I am sure this is pertinent to my purpose and now I have done Sir The Lord Keble replyes You have spent a little time but you have done your self no good I thought you had understood the Law better then I see you do Master Lilburne Now Sir as to matter of Fact according to your own desire seeing you have broke your promise and will allow me no Councel but lye at catch with me sayes he I shall come to it without any Preamble The Statute of the 1 Edward 6. Chap. 12. I desire the Jury may take notice of the Statutes and the 5. and 6. of Edward the sixth Chap. 11. here 's the Statute Book which doth expresly declare That no man shall be condemned for Treason petty Treason nor any such like Crimes but by the Evidence and clear proof of two legal and sufficient Witnesses Sir Edward Cook in his third part Institutes Chapter of High Treason is absolutely of the same opinion folio 12 In this branch sayes he four things are to be observed First this word proveablement proveably that is upon direct and manifest proof not upon conjectural presumptions or inferences or strains of wit but upon good and sufficient proof of two Witnesses and this is folio 12. And here in the Adverb proveablement proveably hath a great force and signifieth a direct and plain proof And secondly This word attaint necessarily implyeth that he be poceeded with and attainted according to the due course and proceedings of Law and not by absolute power or by other means as in former times it hath been used And folio 24. Chap. Petty Treason he saith It hath been holden that upon the Tryal of misprision of Treason there must be two lawful Witnesses as well upon the Tryal as the Indictment as it was resolved by the Justices in the Lord Lumleys case Hill 14. Eliz. reported by the Lord Dier under his own hand and in the margent he hath this note upon it That this is the last resolution of the Judges upon it And a litttle below in the same folio and folio 25 he saith Therefore upon the Indictment which is in manner of an accusation by the Statutes of 1. Edward 6. Cap. 12. 5. 6. Edward 6. Cap. 11. Two lawful Witnesses are requisite And in folio 240. he hath the same his words are these Attainders of Treason c. ought to be upon plain and direct evidence as before is said for if the party be executed restitution may be had of his Lands but never can be had of his life Now I have done Sir Lord Keble I hope the Jury hath seen the Evidence so plain and so fully that it doth confirm them to do their duty and to finde the Prisoner guilty of what is charged upon him J. Iermyn This that you have said makes much for the Iury. Afterwards there were several witnesses examined Mr. Thomas Newcomb as to a Book he printed the last sheet of it entituled The Apprentices Out-cry which Mr. Newcomb by circumstances acknowledged was taken before it was perfected Afterwards John Took John Skinner Thomas Lewis John Hawkins John Merriman the Witnesses were sworn all which Master Lilburne did so order with his Queries and confident Questions that they were at their wits ends Mr. Lilburne all
his first principles of self-denying he having before waved many advantages of the times to make certain his Protectorship which was to grasp all at once The Articles of the Government to which he signed are as followeth 1. That his Excellency be chief Protector of the three Nations of England Scotland and Ireland 2. That he will call to his assistance Councellours not under the number of thirteen nor above twenty one 3. That he shall not act without the advice of his Councel 4. That there shall be every three years a Parliament called freely chosen to begin in September next viz. four hundred and the number for every County proportionable 5. That no Parliament shall adjourn till they have sat above five moneths 6. When ever any Bill is passed in Parliament the Lord Protector shall have twenty dayes to advise with his Councel if he sign it not in twenty dayes it shall pass without unless contrary to these Articles 7. That no Parliament be dissolved by the Protector but end every three years and the Protector to issue out Warrants 8. All the Crown Revenues left to go to the maintenance of the Lord Protector 9. To make Peace or War as he pleaseth with the advice of his Councel in the intervall of Parliaments but not to raise money without the Parliament unless in extraordinary causes 10. Whatsoever goes out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England to go out in the name of the Lord Protector 11. That it is treason to speak against the present Government 12. That all forfeited and confiscated Estates go to the maintenance of the Lord Protector 13. That all Acts of Parliament made and Estates sold stand good and be enjoyed 14. That the Lord Protector have power to confer titles of Honour and to dispose of the great places of trust 15. That in the intervall of Parliaments the Lord protector with his Councel do order the Affairs of the Nation 16. That all Articles of War be kept 17. That the known Laws of the Common-wealth be continued 18. That a standing Army be maintained of ten thousand Horse and twenty thousand Foot 19. That Christian Religion be maintained such as is contained in the Word of God 20. That all persons shall have Liberty of Conscience provided that they disturb not the Civil Government except the Popish and Prelatical party 21. That no Papist or Delinquent in Arms since the year 1649. elect or be elected a Parliament Man under penalty of forfeiture of one years revenue and the Moiety of his personal Estate 22. That the Lord Protector have power to pardon all offenders except Murther 23. That Writs be issued out in July next for summoning the Parliament either by the Protector or in course 24. That when the Protector dyes the Council then sitting shall summon all the members of the Council the Major part to elect one to be Protector before they stir out of the Council Chamber and the person so chosen not to be under the age of twenty one years nor of the family of the Stuarts These Articles sworn to he was proclaimed Lord Protector in the Palace-yard at Westminster and by the Lord Major and Aldermen in their Scarlet Gowns at the Royal Exchange who to ingratiate themselves with their new Governour bestowed on him a costly feast at Grocers Hall it is an usual observation that persons that make their wayes with their Swords that their shows to take the people generally are more stately then those of successive Princes what he admitted of as with his own permission was nothing to those dutiful solemnities that pursued his memory without dispute he had studied the art and ordinance of self-denying insomuch that the Parliament perceiving that he did but complement his Generalship which he might with fafety and most right have accepted they pressed him the less as he seemed to push away that with his little finger that they were certain he was ready to grasp with both his hands this was not so miraculous in him according to that of Ovid. Os homini sublime dedit caelumque videre Jussit erectos ad sydera tollere vultus The greatest admiration that hath surprised me hath bin what in the compass of a year I have observed the tides and streams of petitions out of most Counties that at the first rise or promise of greatness have pursued every alteration as party-coloured as Josephs Coat and as variable as the Rainbow it is not to be depictured how Janus-faced they have been on all occasions with how many religious expressions and wishes they have made their addresses and masqued their self-interests if it were possible in so short an interim of time at once adoring so many rising Suns I shall reflect no otherwise on such confused transactions then in the citation of a Verse which the Reader may understand as he pleases Pope Innocent the chief of all the rout Answer'd his name but how if In were out Since I have so strangely digressed it will not be amiss to take notice of a book lately come forth intituled History and Policy reviewed concerning the political transactions of the Protector publisht in a strange name written in the stile of the holy Court in which the Author undertakes a prodigious enterprise to compare Cromwel to Moses his pen is too palpably fraught with flattery yet not without unparalleld subtilty he having like the little Indian Gentleman in the short jacket pickt the verminout of Nic. Machiavels head for his use throwing of one side principals honester then this own Machiavel never so disguising himself with the vizard of Religion that he appears to be an arranter devil then the Florentine certain I am that I never read a book that more pleased or dispeased me But to proceed at his first instalment Heavens bless us immediately follows a plot miraculously discovered eleven of the grand conspirators being apprehended were committed to the Tower where having remained a while they were again set at liberty This web was not well spun his spies and informers which he entertained at a vast expence put on their spectacles that they might see better against the next occasion In the interim the Scots under the Earls of Glencarne and Kenmore raised another Army of 4000. Horse and Foot but were soon dissipated by the vigilancy of Collonel Morgan who after a short but smart fight killed one hundred and fifty of them and defeated all the rest Suspicions are necessary allarms as they at least suffer persons not to be overtaken with too much security of their affairs Another great plot was now again discovered the chief conspirators were said to be Mr. Thomas and John Gerrard Brothers John Jones an Apothecary and Thomas Tender Somerset Fox and Master Peter Vowel who were all condemned but two onely suffered viz. Mr. Vowel who was hanged Also about the same time the Portugal Ambassadors Brother was brought to his tryal for the pistolling of one Mr. Greenwood