at his eyes This his devise had no life because it had no Motte but his answer gave it life when he said to one demaunding his meaning That they were his sonnes which did so pecke him and that Iohn the yongest whome he loved best practised his death more busily than the rest Giraldus Cambrensis distinct King Henry the third as liking well of Remuneration commaunded to be written in his Chamber at Woodstocke as it appeareth in the Recordes in the Tower Qui non dat quod amat non accipit iâ—le quod optat Edmund Crâ—uch-backe his second sonne first Earle of Lancaster vsed a red Rose wherewith his Tombe at Westminster is adorned Edward the third bare for his devise the rayes of the Sunne dispersing themselves out of a cloude and in other places a golden truncke of a tree The victorious Blacke Prince his sonne vsed sometimes one feather sometime three in token of his speedy execution in all his services as the Postes in the Roman times were Pterophori and wore feathers to signifie their flying post-haste But the tradition is that hee wonne them at the battell of Poitiers whereunto hee adioyned this olde English word IC DEN that is I serve according to that of the Apostle The heire while he is a childe differeth nothing from a servant These feathers were an anâ—ent ornament of militarie men as is evident by that of Virgil Cuius olorina surgunt de vertice pennae And were vsed by this Prince before the time of Canoy Chan the Tartarian who because his life was saved by an Owle would have his people weare their feathers from whome Haithon fableth that the people of Iurope received first the vse of feathers Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster brother to this Prince tooke a red Rose to his devise as it were by right of his first wise the heire of Lancaster as Edmund of Langley Duke of Yorke tooke the white Rose Before these two brethren tooke these two Roses which the fautors and followers of their heires after bare in that pittifull distraction of England betweene the families of Lancaster and York a white Rose-tree at Longleete bare vpon one branch a faire white rose on the one side and as faire a red rose on the other which might as well have beene a fore-token of that division as the white henne with the bay sprigge lighting in the lap of Livia Augusta betokened the Empire to her posteritie which ended in Nero when both the brood of that hen failed and the baies of that sprigge withered The said Edmund of Langley bare also for an Imprese a Faulcon in a fetter-locke implying that he was locked vp from all hope and possibility of the Kingdome when his brethren beganne to aspire therevnto Wherevpon he asked on a time his sonnes when he saw them beholding this devise set vp in a window what was Latine for a fetter-locke Whereat when the yong gentleman studied the father said well then you cannot tell me I will tell you Hic haec hoc taceaâ—s as advising them to be silent and quiet and therewithall said Yet God knoweth what may come to passe heereafter This his great Grandchilde King Edward the fourth reported when he commanded that his yonger sonne Richard Duke of Yorke should vse this devise with the fetter-locke opened as Roger Wall an Herald of that time reporteth King Richard the second whose vntrained youth and yeelding lenitie hastened his fall vsed commonly a white Hart couchant with a crowne and chaine about his â—â—cke For wearing the which soone after his deposition lost their lives He also vsed a pescod branch with the cods open but the pease out as it is vpon his Robe in his Monument at Westminster His wife Anne sister to Wenceslaus the Emperour bare an Ostrich with a naile in his beake King Henry the fourth as it is in Maister Garters booke vsâ—d onely a Fox tayled pendent following lysanders advise if the Lions skin were too short to peece it out with a Foxes case His halfe brethren surnamed Beausort of their natall place who after were dukes of Sâ—mmerset c. bare a port-cullis golde wherevnto not long afterward was added this word ALTERA SLCVRITAS And not long since by the Earles of Worcester issued from them MVTARE AVT TIMERE SPâ—RNO His yonger sonne Humfrey Duke of Glocester a noble fautor of good letters baâ—e in that respect a Laurell branch in a golden cup. That most martiall Prince King Henry the fift carried a burnâ—ng Cresset sometime a Beacon and for his word but not appropriate therevnto VNE SANS PLVS One and no more King Henry the sixt had two feathers in saltire King Edward the fourth bare his white Rose the fetter-locke before specified and the sunne after the battell of Mortimers crosse where three Sunnes were seene immâ—diately conioyning in one King Richard the third bare a white Boare which gave occâ—sion to the ryme that cost the maker his life The Cat the Rat and Lovell the Dog Rule all England vnder an Hog King Henry the seaventh in respect of his descent from the house of Summerset vsed the Portcullis before mentioned and in respect of the vnion of the two houses of Lancaster and Yorke by his marriage the white Rose vnited with the red sometime placed in the Sunne And in respect he was crowned in the field with King Richards crowne found in an hawtherne bush hee bare the hawthorne bush with the crowne in it with this he filled the windowes at Richmond and his Chappell at Westminster His wife Queene Elizabeth had a white and red rose knit together His mother Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond had three white Dasies growing vpon a turfe When king Henry the eight beganne his raigne the English wits beganne to imitate the French and Italian in these devises adding the Mots First king Henry himselfe at the interview betweene him and king Francis the first whereat also Charles the fift was present vsed for his Impresse an English Archer in a greene coat drawing his arrow to the head with this inscription CVI ADHAEREO PRAEEST whenas at that time those mighty Princes banding one against the other wrought him for their owne particular His wife Queene Anne a happy mother of Englands happines by her most happy daughter bare a white crowned Faulcon holding a Scepter in her right talon standing vpon a golden truncke out of the which sprowted both white and red roses with MIHI ET MEAE To the honour of Queene Iane who died willingly to save her childe King Edwarde was devised after her death a Phaenix in his funerall fire with this Motte NASCATVR VT ALTER King Edward the sixt bare as the Blacke Prince three feathers in a crowne while his father survived as Prince of Wales with IC DEN. Queene Mary when she was Princesse of Wales vsed both a red and white Rose and a Pomegranate knitte together to shew her descent from Laâ—caster Yorke and Spaine When she
then finde for diverse endes wee beganne to note aparte the Apothegms or Speeches call them what ye wil of our nation Which since that time I have so farre encreased as our Countrey-Writers spare in this point have affoorded and heere doe offer them vnto you Albeit I doe knowe they will lie open to the censure of the youth of our time who for the most part are so over-gulled with self-liking that they are more then giddy in admiring themselves and carping whatsoever hath beene done or saide heeretofore Neverthelesse I hope that all are not of one humour and doubt not but that there is diversitie of tastes as was among Horaces guests so that which seemeth vnsavorie to one may seemed dainty to another and the most witlesse speech that shal be set downe wil seeme wittie to some We knowe that whereas Dianaes Temple at Ephesus was burned that night that Alexander the Great was borne one saide It was no marvel for she was then absent as mother Midwise at so great a child-birth Tully dooth commend this for a wittie conceit and Plutarch condemneth it as a witlesse ieast The like is to be looked for in these which neverthelesse whatsoever they are in themselves or in other mens iudgements I commend them to such indifferent courteous modest Readers as doe not thinke basely of the former ages their country and countriemen leaving to other to gather the pregnant Apothegmes of our time which I knowe wil finde farre more favour And that I may set them in order of time I will beginne with the antient Britan Prince called by the Româ—ns Caratacuâ— happly in his owne tongue Caradoc who flourished in the partes now called Wales about the sixtâ—eth yeare after the birth of Christ CAratacus a Britaine that 9. yeeres withstood the Roman pâ—â—ssance was at length vanquished and in triumphant manner with his wife daughters and brethren presented to Claudius the Emperour in the view of the whole cittie of Rome But he nothing appalled with this adversitie delivered this speech Had my moderation and carriage in prosperitie beene answerable to my Nobilitie and Estate I might have come hither rather a friend than a captive neither would you have disdained to have entred amitie with me being nobly descended and soveraigne over many people My present state as it is reproachfull to me â—o it is honorable to you I had horsemen munition and money what marvel is it if I were loath to loose thems If you will be soveraignâ— over all by consequence all must serve you Had I yeelded at the first neither my power nor your glorie had beene renewned and after my execution oblivion bad ansewed But if you save my use I shall be for ever a president and proofe of your clemencie This manly speech purchased pardon for him and his and the Senate assembled adiudged the taking of this poore Prince of Wales as glorious as the conquering of Siphax King of Numidia by P. Scipio or of Perses King of Macedonia by L. Paulus Tacituâ— When this 〈◊〉 now enlâ—rged was carried about to see the state and magnificence of Rome Why doe you saide hee so greedily desire our poore cottages when as you have such stately and magnificall pallaces Zonaras In the time of Nero when the Britans could no longer beare the iniustice wherewith the Romans both hâ—re and elsewhere grounded their greatnes Bundica called by some Boadicia Princesse then of the partes of Norffolke and Suffolke exceedingly iniuried by them animated the Britanâ— to shake off the Roman bondage and concluded Let the Romaines which are no better than Hares and Fâ—xeâ— vnderstand that they make a wrong match with Woolâ—es and Greyhoundes And with that woorde lette an Hare oâ—t of her lappe as a fore-token of the Romans fearefulnesse but the successe of the bâ—ttell prooved otherwise Xiphilinus Calgacus a warrelike Britan commaunding in the north parte of this Isle when he had encouraged his people with a long speach to withstand the Romans ready to invade them concluded emphatically with these words You are now come to the shocke thinke of your auncestors thinke of your posteritie for the Britans before the arivall of the Romans enioyed happy liberty and now were in daunger of most heavy slaverie Severus the Emperour an absolute Lorde of the most parte of this Isle when from meane estate hee had ascended to the highest honour was woont to say I have beene all and am never the better When hee lay sicke of the gowt at Yorke and the souldiers had saluted his sonne there by the name of Augustus as their Soveraigne he got him vppe caused the principall practisers of that fact to be brought before him and when they prostrate craved pardon hee laying his hand vppon his head sayde You shall vnderstand that my head and not my feete dooth governe the Empire and shortly after ended his life in the cittie of Yorke with these wordes I found the State troublesome every where and I leave it quiet even to the Britans and the Empire sure and firme to my children if they be good but vnsure and weake if they be bad A man he was verie industrious of marvellous dispatch and so invred in continuall action that at the last gaspe he said And is there any thing for me to doe now While he ruled the world was so loose that three thousand were indicted at Rome of adultery at which time Iulia the Empresse blamed the wife of Argetocox a northern Britaine Lady that the Brittish women did not according to womanhoode carry themselves in accompanying with men for then tenne or twelve men hadde twoo or three wives common among them But she not ignorant of the Roman incontinencie replied Wee accompany indeede with the best and bravest men openly but most vile and base companions doe vse you secretly Xiphilinus At Yorke also died Constantinus Chlorus the Emperour who being not able to furnish Dioclesian his consort in the Empire with such a masse of mony as he required at that instant saide Hee thought it better for the common-weale that many should be in the handes of private men then shutte vp in the Emperors coffers concurring with Traiane who compared the treasure of the Prince vnto the splene that the greater it groweth the limbes are the lesser Eusebius His sonne Câ—nstantine invested in the Empire at Yorke and a Britan borne as all Writers consent beside Nicophorus who lived not long since and now Lipsius deceived by the false printed coppie of Iul. Firmicus the first Emperour which advanced the faith of Christ followed the humilitie of Christ for hee vsed to call the common people His fellow servants and brethren of the Church of God When a slattering Priest for in all ages the Clericall will flatter as well the Laicall tolde him that his godlines virtues iustly deservd to have in this world the empire of the world and in the world to come to raigne with the sonne of God The humble Emperour cried
Schollers who were bigge men Which when the Emperour sawe hee smiling saide In good faith Maister Iohn you are no indifferent divider Yes if it like your Highnesse verie indifferent saide he for heere poynting to himselfe and the two great fishes be two great ones and a little one and so yonder reaching his hand towardes the Schollers are two great ones and a little one Idem Wenefridus borne at Kirton in Devonshire after furnamed Boniface who converted Freesel and to Christianitie was wont to say In olde time there were golden Prelats and woodden Chalices but in his time woodden Prelates and golden Chalices Beatus Rhenanus libr. 2. rerum Germenâ—arum Ethelwold the Bishop of Winchester in the time of king Edgar in a great famine solde away all the sacred golde and silver vessells of all his church to releeve the hunger-starved poore people saying That there was no reason that the senselesse temples of God should abound in riches and living temples of the holy-ghost starve for hunger Whenas Kinnad King of Scotâ— a vassall to King Eadgar of England had saide at his Table That it stoode not with the honour of the Princes of this Isle to be subiect to that Dandiprat Eadgar who was indeede but of small stature yet full of courage He vnderstanding thereof withdrew Kinnad privately into a wood as though hee had to conferre with him of some important secret where he offered him the choice of two swords prepared for that purpose with these wordes Now we are alone you may try your manhood now may it appeare who should be subiect to the other retire not one foote backe It standeth not with the honour of Princes to brave it at the Table and not to dare it in the field But Kinad heere-at dismaied desired pardon by excuse and obtained it Malmesburiensis pag. 33. The same king Eadgar having brought into his subiection the aforesaid Kinnad king of Scottes Malcolm king of Cumberland Mac cuis the arch pirate lord of the Isles with Dufnall Griffith Howell Iacob Iudethilâ— Princes of Wales was rowed by them in triumphant manner in his barge vpon the river of Dee at Chester at which time it is reported he saide Then may my successours the Kings of England glorie when they shall doe the like Marianus Scotus Anno 973. When Hinguar of Denmarke came so sodainely vppon Edmund the king of the East-Angles that hee was forced to seeke his safetie by flight hee happened vnhappily on a troupe of Danes who fell to examining of him whether hee knew where the king of the East-Angles was whome 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 handes or no onely God knoweth But so soone as they once heard him name God the godlesse infidells pittifully martired him Vita Sancti Edmundi When Brithwold a noble Saxon marching against the Danes encamped neare Maldon was invited by the Abbot of Elie to take his dinner with him he refusing answered Hee would not dine from his companies because hee could not fight without his companies Liber Eliensis King Canutus commonly called Knute walking on the sea sands neare to Southampton was extolled by some of his flattering followers and tolde that hee was a king of kings the mightiest that raigned farre and neare that both sea and land were at his commaund But this speach did put the godly King in mind of the infinite power of God by whome Kings have and enioy their power and therevpon hee made this demonstration to refell their flatterie He tooke off his cloake and wrapping it round together sâ—te downe vpon it neare to the sea that then beganne to slowe saying Sea I commaund thee that thou touch not my feete 〈◊〉 he had not so soone spoken the worde but the surgâ—ng wave dashed him He then rising vp and going backe saide Ye see now my Lorde what good cause you have to call me a King that am not able by my commaundement to stay one wave no mortaâ—l man doubtlesse is woorthy of such an 〈◊〉 name no man hath such commaund but one King which ruleth all Let vs honour him let vs call him King of all kings and Lord of all nations Let vs not onely confesse bvt also prâ—fesse him to be ruler of the heavens sea anâ— land Polydorus and others When Edric the extorteâ— was deprived by King Câ—ute of the government of Mercia hee impatient of the disgrace tolde him he had deserved better for that to pleasure him hee had first revolted from his Soveraigne king Edmund and also dispatched him Whereat Câ—ute all appalled answered And thou shalt die for thy desert whenâ—â— thou arte a traitour to God and me in killing thy king and my confederate brother His bloud be vpon thy head which hast layed handes vpon the Lordes annoynted Some reporte that he saide For his deserts he should be advaunced above all the Nobilitie of England which hâ— câ—mmediately performed advauncing his head vpon the Tower of London Florilegus King Edward the Confessour one afternoone lying in his bedde with the curtaine drawne round about him a poore pilfering Courtier came into his chamber where finding the Kings Casket open which Hugoline his chamberlaine had forgotten to shut going foorth to pay money in haste hee tooke out so much money as hee couldâ— well carry and went away But insatiable desire brought him againe and so the third time when the King who lay still all this while and would not seeme to see beganne to speake to him and bade him speedily be packing For he was well if hee coulde see for if Hugoline came and tooke him there he were not onely like to loose all that he had gotten but also stretch an halter The fellow was no sooner gone but Hugoline came in and finding the Casket open and much money taken away was greatly mooved But the King willed him not to he grieved For saide he he that hath it had more neede of it then wee have This at that time was adiudged Christian lenitie but I thinke in our age it will be accounted simplicitie in the woorst sense Vita Sancti Edwardi This Edward hasted out of Normandie whither his expelled father king Ethelred had fled with him with a great power to recover the kingdome of England from the Danes neere vnto whose forces hee was encamped ready to give them battell But when his Captaines promised him assured victorie and that they would not leave one Dane alive God forbid quoth Edward that the kingdome should be recovered for me one man by the death of so many thousand men It is better that I do leade a private and vnbloody life then be a King by such but chery And therewithall brake vp Campe and retyred into Normandy where he staied vntill God sent oportunitie to obtaine the kingdome without blood Paulus Aemilius Harold as hee waited on the cup of the said king Edward chanced
backe vnto his flocke Whereuppon the King sent vnto the Pope the armour that he was taken in and willed his Ambassadour to vse the words of Iacobs sonnes vnto their father when they had solde away their brother Ioseph Hanc invenimus vide vtrum tunica filij tui sit an 〈◊〉 This wee found see whether it be the coate of thy sonne or no. Nay quoth the Pope it is not the coate of my sonne nor of my brother but some impe of Mars and let him procure his deliverie of he will for I wil be no meane for him When the French king and king Richard the first beganne to parlee of peace his brother Iohn who had falsely and vnnaturally revolted vnto the French king fearing himselfe came in of his owne accord and suppliantly besought Richard brotherly to pardon his manifolde offences that he had vnbrotherly committed against him hee rehersed the straight league of brotherly piety he recounted the many merits of his brother he bewailed with teares that hitherto he had beene vnmindefull of them as an vnnaturall and vnthankefull person Finally that hee dooth live and shall live hee dooth acknowledge that hee hath received it at his handes The king being mollified with this humble submission saide God graunt that I may as easily forget your offences as you may remember wherein you have offended IN the wofull warres with the Barons when king Iohn was viewing of the Castle of Rochester held against him by the Earle of Arundel he was espied by a very good Arcubalister who tolde the Earle thereof and saide that hee would soone dispatch the cruell tyrant if he would but say the word God forbid vile varlet quoth the Earle that we should procure the death of the holy one of God What saide the souldier he would not spare you if hee had you at the like advantage No matter for that quoth the Earle Gods good wil be done and be wil dispose and not the King Math Paris When one about him shewed him where a noble man that had rebelliously borne armes against him lay verie honourably intoombed and advised the king to deface the monument he said No no but I would al the rest of mine enemies were as honourably buried Idem When diverse Greekes came hither and offered to proove that there were cettaine â—rrours in the Church of England at that time hee reiected them saying I will not suffer our faith established to be called in question with doubtful disputations Fragm antiquum aeditum à P. Pithaeo Yet when the saide king Iohn sawe a fatie Bucke haunched he saide to the standers by See how faire and fatte this Buâ—ke is and yet hee never heard Masse all his life long But this may be forged to his disgrace by the envious Math. Paris IN a solemne conference betweene king Henry the third of England and Saint Lewes king of France the onely devout kings of that age when the French king saide He had rather heare Sermons than heare Masses Our king replied which some will smile at now but according to the learning of that time That he had rather see his loving friend meaning the reall presence in the Sacrament than to heare never so much good of him by others in sermons This I note because it was then thought facetious which I doubt not but some wil now condemne as superstitious Gâ—â—l Rishanger Pecham that Opticall Archbishop of Canterbury who writte Perspectiva Communis when Pope Gregorie the tenth who had created him Archbishop commaunded him to pay foure thousand markes within foure moneths vnder paine of excommunication hee that came vnto the See then deepely indebted saide Beholde you have created me and as a creature doth desire to be perfected by his creator so I doe in my oppressions flie vnto your Holmesse to be recreated Archiep. Cantuar. Sewall Archbishop of Yorke much agrieved with some practises of the Popes collectors in England tooke all patiently and saide I will not with Chaâ— discover the nakednes of my father but cover and conceale it with Sem. As Constantine the Great saide that hee would cover the faults of Bishops and Fathers of the Church with his Imperiall robe Mat. Paris Pope Innocentius the fourth when he offered the kingdome of Sicil and Naples to Richard Earle of Cornewall with many impossible conditions You might as well say de the Earles Agent at Rome say to my Lord and Maister I sell or give you the Moone climbe vp catch is and take it Anonymus qui incipit Rex Pictorum Alexander successor to Innocentius sent vnto the saide Earle Richard to borrow a great masse of money but the Earle answered I wil not lend to my superior uppon whome I cannot distraine for the debts This Richard is reported by the saide Author to have had so great treasure that hee was able to dispend for tenne yeeres an hundred markes a day which according to the Standard of that time was no small summe Idem In the raigne of king Henry a Bishop of London stoâ—â—ly withstoode the Popes Nunciâ— that would have levied exactions of the Cleargie Whereupon the Nâ—â—ciâ— complained vnto the king who shortly menaced the Bishop and tolde him he would cause the Pope to plucke his peacockes toile but the Bishop boldely answered the King that the Pope and he being too strong for him might bereave him of his bishoprick by might but never by right and that although they tooke away his Mitre yet they would leave him his Helmet Lib. Cantuar. Wicked rather than wittie is that of a Deane high treasurer of England that had demeaned himselfe so well in his office that when he died he made this wicked will I bequeathe all my goodes and possessions vnto my liege Lords the King my body to the earth and my soule to the divell Idem VVHen Edward the first heard of the death of his onely sonne hee tooke it grievously as a father but patiently as a wise man But when hee vnderstoode shortely after of the departure of his father king Henry the third he was wholy deiected and comfortlesses whereat when Charles king of Sicile with whome he then soiourned in his returne from the holy land greatly marvelled He satisfied him with this God may send more sonnes but the death of a father is irrecoverable Waâ—singham This is that king Edward the first who as in lineaments of body he surpassed all his people being like Saul higher than any of them so in prudence conioyned with valour and industry he excelled all our Princes giving ther by sure ankerholde to the governement of this realme waving vp and downe before most vncertainely Which hee effected not so much by establishing good lawes as by giving life vnto his lawes by due execution And as my Author saith Iudices potissimùm iudicans quos constituit indices aliorum Who addeth also this of him Nemâ— in consilijs illo argutior in eloquâ—â— torrentiâ—r in periculis socurior in prosperis â—â—utiâ—r in adversis
Pace had a sonne at his circumcision named Haly hee would be called Aven Pace concealing Haly but his sonne howsoever hee were named would be called Aven-Haly c. So Surnames passing from father to sonne and coÌ„tinuing to their issue was not antiently in vse among any people in the world Yet to these single Names were adioyned oftentimes other names as Cognomina or Sobriquetts as the French call them and By-names or Nicke-names as we terme them if that word be indifferent to good and bad which still did die with the bearer and never descended to posteritie That we may not exemplifie in other nations which would afforde great plenty but in our own King Eadgar was called the Peaceable king Ethelred the Vnreadie king Edmund for his Valour Iron-side king Harold the Hare-foote Eadric the Streona that is the Getter or Streiner Siward the Degera that is the Valiant King William the first Bastard king William the second Rouse that is the Red king Henry the first Beauclarke that is Fine Scholler so in the house of Aniou which obtained the Crowne of England Geffrey the first Earle of Aniou was surnamed Grisogonel that is Grey-cloake Fulco his sonne Nerra his grand-childe Rechiâ— for his extortion Againe his grand-childe Plantagenet for that he ware commonly a broome-stalke in his bonnet His sonne Henry the second king of England Fitz-Empresse because his mother was Empresse his sonne king Richard had for surname Corde-Lion for his lion-like courage as Iohn was called Sans-terre that is Without land So that wheras these names were never taken vp by the sonne I knowe not why any should thinke Plantagenet to be the surname of the royall house of England albeit in late yeeres many have so accounted it Neither is it lesse strange why so many should thinke Theodore or Tydur as they contract it to be the surname of the Princes of this Realme since king Henry the seaventh For albeit Owen ap Merâ—dith Tydur which married Katharine the daughter of Charles the sixth king of France was grandfather to king Henry the seventh yet that Tydur or Theodore was but the Christian name of Owens grandfather For Owens father was Meredith ap Tydur Ap Grone Ap Tydur who all without Surnames iterated Christian names after the olde manner of the Britaines and other nations heeretofore noted and so lineally deduced his pedegree from Cadwallader king of the Britans as was found by Commission directed to Griffin ap Lewellin Gitteu Owen Iohn King and other learned men both English and Welsh in the seaventh yeare of the said king Henry the seventh Likewise in the line Royall of Scotland Milcolme or Malcolme was surnamed Canmore that is Great head and his brother Donald Ban that is White Alexander the first the Prowde Malcolme the fourth the Virgine William his brother the Lion As amongest the Princes of Wales Brochvail Schitrauc that is Gaggtothed Gurind Barmbtruch that is Spade-bearded Elidir Coscorvaur that is Heliodor the Great house-keeper and so in Ireland Murough Duff that is Blacke 〈◊〉 Roo that is Red Nemoliah that is full of wounds Patric Ban that is White Gavelcâ— that is Fetters To seeke therefore the auntient Surnames of the royall and most antient families of Europe is to seeke that which never was And therefore greatly are they deceived which thinke Valoys to have beene the surname of the late French kings or Borbon of this present king or Habsburg or Austriac of the Spanish king or Steward of the late kings of Scotland and now of BRITAINE or Oldenburg of the Danish For as all know that have but sipped of Histories Valoys was but the Apponage and Earledome of Charles yonger sonne to Philip the second from whome the late kings descended so Borbon was the inheritance of Robert a yonger sonne to saint Lewes of whom this king is descended Habsburg and Austria were but the olde possessions of the Emperors and Spanish Kings progenitours Steward was but the name of office to Walter who was high Steward of Scotland the progenitour of Robert first King of Scots of that family and of the King our Soveraigne And Oldenburg was but the Erledome of Christian the first Danish king of this family elected about 1448. But yet Plâ—â—tagenet Steward Valois Borbon Habsburg c. by prescription of time have prevailed so farre as they are now accounted surnames But for surnames of Princes well said the learned Marcus Salon de Pace Reges cognomiue now vtâ—ntur qâ—â—ia vt Regum familiae agnationes memoriae conserventur 〈◊〉 cognomina non sunt necessaria prout in alijs inferioribus quorum ipsa cognomina agnationum ac familiarum memoriâ—â— tutantur About the yeare of our Lord 1000. that we may not minute out the time surnames beganne to be taken vp in France and in England about the time of the Conquest or else a very little before vnder King Edward the Confessor who was all Frenchified And to this time doe the Scottishmen referre the antiquitie of their surnames although Buchanan supposeth that they were not in vse in Scotland many yeares after But in England certaine it is that as the better sort even from the Conquest by little and little tooke surnames so they were not setled among the common people fully vntill about the time of King Edward the second but still varied according to the fathers name as Richardson if his father were Richard Hodgeson if his father were Roger or in some other respect and from thenceforth beganne to be established some say by statute in their posteritie This will seeme strange to some Englishmen and Scotishmen which like the Arcadians thinke their surnames as ancient as the Moone or at the least to reach many an age beyond the Conquest But they which thinke it most strange I speake vnder correction I doubt they will hardly finde any surname which descended to posteritie before that time Neyther have they seene I feare any deede or donation before the Conquest but subsigned with crosses and single names without surnames in this manner in England Ego Eadredus confirmavi ✚ Ego Edmundus corroboravi ✚ Ego Sigarius conclusi ✚ Ego Olfstanus consolidavi c. Likewise for Scotland in an old booke of Duresme in the Charter whereby Edgare sonne of King Malcolme gave lands neere Coldingham to that Church in the yeare 1097. the Scottish Noblemen witnesses therevnto had no other surnames than the Christian names of their fathers For thus they signed S. ✚ Gulfi filij Mâ—niani S ✚ Culverti filij Donecani S ✚ Olavi filij Oghe c. As for my selfe I never hitherto found any hereditarie Surname before the Conquest neither any that I know and yet both I my selfe and divers whom I know have pored and pusled vpon many an old Record and Evidence to satisfie our selves heerein and for my part I will acknowledge my selfe greatly indebted to them that wil cleare me this doubt But about the time of the Conquest I
sung briefely Si quid de cùlmine Troiae Diminuit liuor virtus reparauit vt orbi Hic vrbem rapuit haec orbem reddidit vrbi Passionate are these verses vpon the death of K. Richard the first penned by one Gaulfrid Neustria sub clypeô Regis defensa Richardi Indefensa modò gestu testare dolorem Exundent oculi lachrimas exterminet ora Pallor connodet digitos tortura cruentet Interiora dolor verberet aera clamor Tota peris ex morte suâ mors non fuit eius Sed tua non vna sed publica mortis imago O Veneris lachrimosa dies ô sidus amarum Illa dies tua nox fuit Venus illa venenum Illa dedit vulnus sed pessimus ille dierum Primus ab vndecimo qui vitam victricus ipsam Clausit vterque dies homicida tyrannide mira Traiecit clausus inclusum tectus apertum Prouidus incautum miles munitus inermem Et proprium Regem And after a fewe verses he speaking to Death addeth in commendation of that prince Nihil addere nouerat vltrà Ipse fuit quicquid potuit natura sed istud Causa fuit quare rapuisti res pretiosas Eligis viles quasi dedignata relinquis These former verses were mentioned by Chaucer our English Homer in the description of the sodaine stirre and Panicall feare when Chanteclere the cocke was caried away by Reynold the Foxe with a relation to the said Galfride The silly widow and her daughters two Herd the hennes crie and make ado And out at the dore stert they anon And saw the fox toward the woodygon And bare vpon his back the cock away And cried out harow and well away Aha the fox and after him they ran And eke with staues many other man Ran Coll our dogge Talbot and eke Garland And Malkin with her distaffe in her hand Ran Cow and Calfe and eke the very hogges For they so sore affraid were of the dogges And showting of men and of women eake They ran so her hert thought to breaks They yellen as fends do in hell The Duckes cried as men would them quell The Geese for feare flew ouer the trees Out of the heues came swarmes of Bees So hideous was the noyse ah benedicite Certes Iack Strawe ne his meiney Ne made neuer shoutes halfe so shrill When that they would any Fleming kill As that day was made vpon the Fox Of brasse they blew the trumpes and of box Of horne and box i which they blew and pouped And therewith they shriked and shouted It seemed as though heauen should fall O Gaulfride dere maister soueraigne That whan the worthy King Richard was slaine With shot complainedst his death so sore Why ne had I now thie science and thy lore The Friday for to chide as did ye For on a Friday shortly slaine was he Then would I shew you how that I could plaine For Chauntecleercs dred and for his paine Certes such crie ne lamentation Was neuer of Ladyes made when that Ilion Was won an Pirrhus with his bright sword Whan he hent King Priam by the beard And slough him as saith Aeneidos As made all the hennes in the cloos Whan they lost of Chantecleere the sight But souerainly dame Pertâ—lott shright Well louder than did Hasdruballs wife Whan that her husband hath lost his life And that the Romans had brent Cartage She was so full of torment and of rage That wilfully into the fire she stert And brent her selfe with a stedfast hert O wofull Hennes right so cried ye As when that Nero brent the city Of Rome cried the Senators wives For that her husbonds should lose her lives These may suffice for some Poeticall descriptions of our auncient Poets if I would come to our time what a world could I present to you out of Sir Philipp Sidney Ed. Spencer Samuel Daniel Hugh Holland Ben Iohnson Th. Campion Mich. Drayton George Chapman Iohn Marston William Shakespeare other most pregnant witts of these our times whom succeeding ages may iustly admire Epigrammes IN short and sweete Poems framed to praise or dispraise or some other sharpe conceit which are called Epigrammes as our countrie men now surpasse other nations so in former times they were not inferior if you consider ages as the indifferent Reader may iudge by these In the praise of our natiue Countrie England Alfred of Beuerley made this Anglia plena iocis gens libera et apta iocari Libera gens cui libera mens libera lingua Sed lingu i melior liberiorque manus And in another olde Booke I finde this Anglia dulce solum quod non aliena recensque Sed tua dulcedo pristina dulce facit Quae nihil à Galliâ— sed Gallia suscipit à te Quicquid amoris habet quicquid honoris habet In the darke misle of all good learning about 800. yeares since in commendation of the godly King Saint Osâ—uald was made this Quis fuit Alcides quis Casar Iulius aut quis Magnus Alexander Alcides se superasse Fertur Alexander mundum sed Iulius hostem Se simul Osuualdus mundum vicit hostem To the honour of Elfleda noble Lady which repaired Darby Chester Warwicke c. I haue found this O Elfleda potens ô terror virgo virorum Victrix naturae nomine digna viri Te quo splendidior fieres natura puellam Te probitas fecit nomen habere viri Te mutare decet sed solum nomina sexus Tu Regina potens Rexque trophaea parans Iam nec Caesarei tantum meraeri triumphi Caesare splendidior virgo virago viges This also may here haue place which William Conquerours Poet made to him wheÌ„ he had obtained this Realme Caesariem Caesar tibi si natura negauit Hanc Wilielme tibi stella comata dedit It may seeme he alluded to the baldnesse of Iulius Caesar who for that cause vsed a Lawrell Garland to the Comete appearing before his conquest of this kingdome portending the same as it was thought and to the manner of the French in that time among whom long bushie haire was the signale marke of Maiestie as Agathias noteth when as all subiects were rounded and the Kings only long haired Which custome continued among the French Kings vntill Peter Lombard Bishop of Paris disswaded them from it and among ours as appeareth by their seales vntill King Henry the 5. The happy successe of English and Normans with the cowardly flight of the French at Nugent 1109 in the time of King Henry the first was thus expressed Henricus regum rex decus abstulit altos Francigenis animos Ludouicum namque Nugenti Rex regem campo magnum maior superauit Praeposuere fugam bellis calcaria telis Galli praecipites fama spolijsque potitos Laureâ Normanos laus aterna coronat Sic decus iste ducum sic corda tumentia pressit Oraque Francorum superba mutire coegit Maud daughter to Malcolm King of Scots a woman of rare pietie