was otherwise in all his attempts successful and is renown'd upon all accounts but in nothing so much as in his Piety to God to whom he gave all the Glory of his Victories The ground of this War was the former claim to the Crown and Kingdom of 〈◊〉 HENRY VI. COmmonly called Henry of Windsor proved a Religious Prince but weak and unfortunate he began his Reign when he was but 8 years old and was crowned King of France at Paris Anno 1431. to whom the Nobles Provost and chief Burgesses sware fealty but lost it five Years after to Charles VII and the loss of that drew on the loss of the whole but it was not without much strugling The beginning of his Reign which all Persons feared would have been the worst proved quite contrary and was the most prosperous which is to be attributed to the Wisdom Care and Resolution of those brave Men that his Father appointed to guard Him and his Dominions Things prospered in France whilst the Heroick Bedford lived who won many Towns and Forts and proved Victor in several Encounters and Battles especially that great Battle of Vernole where as a French Author confesseth Bedford Salisbury and Suffolk did mighty exploits and defeated the whole French Power about which time Bedford as Regent was obeyed in all places through Vimen Poictiers and Picardy and from Paris to Rheims Chalons and Troyes up to the River of Loyre but when this brave Prince died which was about the 14th Year of Henry's Reign and that the Duke of York was made Regent things went very much to wrack in France Guienne was the last Province of France that held out for the English where we lost that brave Captain John Lord Talbot the first Earl of Shrewsbury of that Family and ancestor to the now illustrious Duke of Shrewsbury and called by the French Historians the Glory of the English Nation as we had done some years before at the Siege of Orleans the valiant Earl of Salisbury a Siege which first raised the fame of the French Amazon Joan the sheaperdess commonly called the Maid of Orleans whose wonderful Courage and Success prov'd very fatal to the English though she was afterward burnt at Roan for a Witch and which did not a little contribute to hasten our Expulsion out of that Kingdom all places at length being reduced except Calais and the Norman Isles of Guernsey Jersey c. and thus was the old Prophecy made good that Henry of Monmouth should win all and Henry of Windsor should lose all which was verified to some Purpose in this King for to the former losses was added that of the Crown of England he being deposed after he had Reigned 39 Years but lived eleven Years after and was Murdered by Crook-back Richard in the Tower of London He was a King pious in an intense degree which made Henry VII send to the Pope to have Henry VI. canoniz'd for a Saint but answer was given that he would canonize him for an Innocent but not for a Saint The Causes of this War in this Kings time was the revolt of the French from their obedience to their true King EDWARD IV. ELdest Son of Richard Duke of York and first of this line came to the Crown by right of descent from King Edward III. for Anne his Grandmother was Daughter of Roger Mortimer Son of Edmund Mortimer Earl of March and of Phillip his Wife sole Daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence third Son of Edward III. and Elder Brother of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster so that 't is plain in course of succession he had a precedent Right to the House of Lancaster he was fain to maintain his Right as he had got it by the Sword for to get it no less than six battles had been fought by his Father and himself and six more to secure it were sought in this Reign but when his affairs began to receive any settlement he revolves upon his old Right to the Kingdom of France wherefore upon the request of the Duke of Burgundy his Brother in Law who was already actually in War with the French King he enters into an alliance with him for to carry it on with united Forces and was the more easily induced hereunto because of the assistance France had lately given the Earl of Warwick Queen Margaret her Son Prince Edward and their accomplicâ—s against him King Edward makes very great preparations for this Expedition and having got all things in a readiness rendevouzes at Dover and so from thence sails in a Fleet consisting of 500 sail of all burdens whereof the Duke of Burgundy furnished many and lands at Calais with a greater force then ever at any one time came into France for he had with him 1500 Gen d' Arms being all Nobles and Gentlemen 15000 Archers on Horseback 8000 common Soldiers with 3000 Pioneers 3000 English being at the same time appointed to land in Bretaign for to make a diversion on that side But before King Edward imbarked he sent an Herald from Dover to the King of France with a letter of Defiance written in such Language that mine Author is perswaded could never be of an English Man's Penning So little esteem had the English Nation at that time for their learning in the World the contents of the Letter were That the King should yield unto him the Kingdom of France that so he might restore the Clergy and Nobility to their ancient Liberty and ease them of those great oppressions they laboured under c. which if he refused to do he concluded full of Menaces according to the usual form in that kind The French King read the Letter softly to himself and then withdrawing to another Room sent for the Herald to come before him and told him he was not ignorant of the confederacy between the King his Master and the Duke of Burgundy and how that the â—onstable of France held intelligence also with 〈◊〉 King of England the King having married 〈◊〉 Niece but adds he he will deceive the King â—ur Master as he has done me and as for Burâ—â—ndy 't is manifest he foully prevaricates for he already retired fâ—om before Nunz and at last includes with a present of 300 Crowns to the â—erald and a promise of a Thousand more if Peace were concluded and got him to engage 〈◊〉 further it with all his might King Edward 〈◊〉 no sooner landed at Calais but the Duke of Bâ—â—gundy retires from before Nunz and with a â—all retinue rides to the King at Calais leaving 〈◊〉 Army in the mean time to plunder the Counâ—â—y of Lorrâ—in and Barr from Calais they both â—arted and passing through Bolloign marched Perronne where the English were but coldly â—â—tertained by the Duke for he would suffer but very few of them to come within the Gates 〈◊〉 that they were obliged to take up their quarâ—â—â—s in the Fields there it was the Duke received Message from the Constable of France whereby 〈◊〉 excused
Northampton and in the third was the King himself The Field being thus ordered the King mounted upon a white Hobby and rode from rank to rank encouraging every one to the performance of his Duty The French Army was at least twice more in number consisting of above 60000 Combatants with the flower of all the French Chivalry whereof the chief was the Duke of Alanzon the King's Brother there were besides the Dukes of Lorain and Luxemburg the Earls of Flanders and Artois with other Foreign Princes The French King was so fierce in Confidence of Victory that he would scarce admit of any previous time for Counsel the old King of Bohemia advis'd that the Army should receive some refreshment before the Fight and that the â—rigade of Genâ—ua whereof there were about 15000 Balestiers or Cross-boâ—â—s should make the first Front and the Cavalry to follow next which being agreed upon the Duke of Alanzâ— did stomack that the Genouese should have the Honour of the first Rank This bred such a discontent that they seem'd to be more incens'd against their Leaders then against the Enemy but in the interim there fell such a huge shower of Rain that wetted their Bow-stâ—ings which they had not the wit to cover all the while as the English did insomuch that for the limmerness thereof when they came to Engage they grew useless at the ceasing of the Shower Heaven appear'd in the Action for the English for the Sun did shine full in the faces of the French thereby dazling their Eyes but on the Back of the English King Edward being got into a Wind-mill all the while whence as from a Watch-tower he might explore and behold the face of the Enemy and discerning the disturbance that happen'd because the Genouese were put to change their post instantly gave order to charge that part which made the Genouese recoil Alanzon perceiving this rides about in a rage crying out Sa Sa le ts make way over the bellies of these Italians for they do but hinder us so riding thorow them he came up to the English wing where the Prince of Wales was the fight grew furious and doubtful insomuch that the Commanders about the Prince sent up to the King for a recruit of Power the King asking the messenger whether his Son was wounded or slain and being answered no he replied Then tell them who sent you that as long as my Son is alive they send no more to me for my will is that he win his Spurs and have the honour of this day so the combattings on both sides being wonderfully eager the French King had his Horse killed under him and so with-drew which being known by the English it added much to their Courage so that soon after they became masters of the Field and being in heat of Blood they made no Prisoners but put all to the Sword so that the number of the French slain surmounted the whole Army of the English for there fell about 30000 of the Enemy the chief whereof was the Duke of Alanzon the Dukes of Bourbon and Lorain the Earl of Flanders the Dauphine de Viennois Son to Imbert who afterwards gave the Province of Dauphiny to the French King provided his first Son should be called Dauphine in perpetuum and as a Corollary to this mighty Victory the next day sending Scouts abroad there was another French Army discovered under the conduct of the Arch-bishop of Roan whom the English encounter'd also and utterly defeated There was one passage very remarkable in this Battle whereof Sir Walter Rawleigh makes mention That a day before the Engagement the King sent one Captain David Gam a Welshman to explore and view the French Army which he did with no less danger than Fidelity and brought word that there were in the Enemies Army men enough to Kill enough to take Prisoners and enough to run away which proved true and so the Welsh Captain was knighted in the Field This mighty Victory was seconded a few years after by another more memorable for the Black Prince having now wun his Spurs and being taper'd up to his full growth was sent to Gascoigny where the truce being expir'd he overruns all the Country as far as Tourain thereupon John the then French King rais'd a potent Army more numerous then that at Cressy and going to find out the Prince of Wales he heard of him about Poictiers having not above 10000 effective Men in his whole Army and they also having been tir'd with long Marches whereas the French were fresh and were 6 times as many whereupon the Prince being advised to turn falls about towards Bourdeaux when he was suddenly surrounded by the French Army upon which a Battle being intended there came two Cardinals to mediate an Accommodation but the French King would hearken to none unless the Prince as a vanquish'd man would render up himself and his whole Army to discretion this was of hard digestion at a Prince of such a Courage therefore he answered That at the Mediation of the Holy Father he was willing to restore such places which he had taken en bonne Guerre provided this might be done without prejudice to his Honour whereof he was accountable to the King his Father c. the French King not hearkning to this resolved to fight thereupon the Prince also resolv'd for his part to part with his life at as high a rate as he could in such a strait wherefore making a vertue of necessity by a happy providence he makes choice of an advantagious ground for finding that the French Army consisted most in Cavalry he entrench'd among the adjacent Vineyards where when the French Horse furiously entred being wrap'd and entangled amongst the Vines the English Archers did so ply pelt and gall them that being thereby disordered unrank'd and routed the whole Army in a short time was totally defeated But it seems that this Battel was not so fiercâ— as that of Cressy where no quarter was given for in this a great number of Prisoners were made among whom was King John himself and Phillip his youngest Son whom the Princâ— brought to England and as the French Historian themselves confess he was so civil unto him aâ— the while that he knew not whither he was iâ— quality of a free King or of a Captive And here a fair occasion is given to discoverâ— and vindicate a great truth touching the individual person who first took King John and hâ— was a Welsh Gentleman one Howel of the Life-guard to the Prince which Guard used to carry a kind of battle Axes or Partisans thâ— Howel it seems being one of them in the confus'd medley and fury of the Fight did fortunately meet with the King and seis'd upon him but suddenly in the hurly burly there were some Frenchmen of the Prince's Army rush'd in and the King knowing one of them call'd to him whose name was Myrobrecht de Artois who going on with others to present the Prisoner to
surnamed Ceur de Lion was the third Son of Henry the II. but the Eldest when his Father died aged 35 years when he began his Reign the former part whereof was spent by him in the Wars in the Holy-Land William Longshamp Bishop of Ely and Chancellor of England governing the Kingdom during his absence in this War he signalized his Valour to a wonder having first taken Cyprus in his way thither and at Acon in Syria so behaved himself that he became an object of Envy to other Christian Princes especially to King Phillip of France as you shall see hereafter where ever he went Terror was his forerunner insomuch that it grew common amongst those Eastern People to terrifie their Children with the apprehension of King Richard's coming in his return being driven upon the Coast of Dalmatia and thinking to pass home by Land incognito he was made Prisoner by the Duke of Austria who brought him to the Emperor Henry and was detained by him in Custody for a Year and five Months till he paid a great Ransom his unparallell'd Valour and Bravery was the occasion of this misfortune these and other Princes bearing him Envy especially the French King who invades Normandy during his absence which obliged Richard to make a Peace with Saladine for Three Years much to the disadvantage of the cause they fought for Phillip attacked Gisors and had it surrendred to him and many other Places and then hasted to lay Siege to Roan but found such a vigorous defence made by the Valiant and Noble Earl of Leicester that he was forced to quit his Enterprize and so returned into France On the 12th of March 1194. King Richard landed at Sandwich was recrowned again reduced the Kingdom entirely to his Obedience which was much divided because of his Brother John's pretentions in his absence and hearing the King of France had besieged Vernail he passed over into Normandy and arrived at Harfleur with 100 Ships full of Horsemen Armour c. the noise whereof so frighted the Monsieur that he left the Siege and went his ways whereupon Richard enters the French Dominions takes in several strong Places but the Noble Leicester had the misfortune to be taken Prisoner who afterward paid a great summ of Money for his Ransom and soon after ensued a Truce for a short time which was no sooner ended but Richard takes the Field possesses himself of the Castle of Brisen Novencourt c. the French King in the mean time besieging Albermarl whither Richard hastening to succour the Place a sharp Battle was fought between both Armies wherein the French prevailed chiefly upon the account of the English being wearied with their hard March But Richard had no sooner recruited and refreshed his Soldiers but he laid Siege to Miligio took it and burnt it down to the Ground whereupon ensued some overtures of Peace Albemarl in the mean time falling into the French hands and ran the same fate with Miligio Some three Years after Richard turned his Arms against the Barons of Poictiers that rebelled against him with prosperous success till at last besieging the Castle of Chaluz and having brought it to that extremity that he would grant no other Conditions but a surrender at Discretion he was shot in the left Arm out of a Cross-bow with an invenomed Dart by one Bartram de Gordon of which wound he died the 6th of April 1199. after he had reigned Nine Years and Nine Months and was buried at Fonteverard at his Fathers Feet The Causes were that while Richard went on so prosperously in the Holy Land the French King out of Envy and contrary to his Sacramental Oath invaded Normandy which forc'd King Richard to make peace with Saladine so much disadvantagious to all Christendom JOHN THe Brother of Richard who died without issue and youngest Son of Henry the II. succeeded his Brother to the prejudice of Arthur Geoffrey his Elder Brothers Son who was the real heir of Course This Arthur in right of his Mother was Earl of Bretagne in France so that by this exclusion England lost one of the best Provinces in that Kingdom and by advancing John to the Throne we not only lost almost all our Possessions in France but England it self became vassal to the Pope the Clergy of those times growing strangely bigotted to Rome and perverse to the King King John was in Normandy when his Brother dyed and though he wasted over into England with all possible speed to take Possession of the Crown and that his presence was so necessary here for to keep his new Subjects in their Obedience to him yet he could make no long stay for before a Year came about he was forced to return into Normandy again upon information that Phillip King of France had with a powerful Army made an irruption into Normandy who took the Country of Main and several other places from the English the Britons at the same time possessing themselves of the City of Angiers the Towns of Gorney Butenant and Gensoline Arthur doing also Homage to King Phillip for Anjou Poictiers Turain Main Bretaign and Normandy but soon after a Peace was concluded between the Kings and thereby many places confirmed to the French King that he had taken and others yielded up by John upon the account of his neece Blanch's Marriage with Lewis heir of France besides 30000 Marks in Silver paid to Phillip and all this to the great dishonour as well as detriment of the English Nation About two Years after this to wit the third of the Kings Reign one Hugo Brune a Noble Man of Aquitain raised a Rebellion against King John in that Province but he and his Adherents being unable to withstand John's Forces made complaint of him to Phillip of France whereupon he was summoned by the Nobles of France as Duke or Earl of Aquitain and Anjou to appear before the French King and to stand to the Judgment of his Peers which he refused upon which the Court adjudged him to be deprived of all his Lands which he or his Predecessors held of the King of France King Phillip forthwith raises a great Army invades Normandy takes in many Castles and a great part of the Country without resistance but Arthur Duke of Bretaign besieging the Castle of Mirable with Queen Eleanor then in it King John fell upon him there with such Force and Fury that he routed his Army and took Arthur and many others of Note Prisoners Arthur sometime after was sent Prisoner to the Tower of Roan and was there barbarously Murdered some said by King John's own hands but in all this time Phillip prospered in so much that in a very short space King John was in a manner despoiled of all the Lands he held in Fee of the Crown of France King John once and again made great preparations to recover his lost Dominions and had the good success to destroy the French Fleet and recover the Province of Poictou but his Domestick troubles both
the Prince there was a contest who took him first and the King was desired to point at him so he pointed at Howel and said this is the Man who took me There are authentick Records in some Welsh Manuscripts that confirm this Moreover they have a general Tradition and some Songs which continue fresh to this day how Howel did put a Bridle in the French King's Mouth with many other Expressions touching this great Act. Now for that signal exploit the Prince knighted him in the Field and he was ever after call'd Sir Howel y Fuyall Sir Howel with the Axe he had the Constableship of Crikyth Castle given him with the farms of Chester mills and other considerable things conferr'd upon him which surely would not have been but for the merit of some high signal Service The British Records besides Tradition and common Report that mention this were to be found in Sir John Winn's Library an honourable knowing Knight who was a curious collector of Antiquities These and many other glorious exploits were done by this King in France who ceased not his pursuits till he had got the Key of it hanging at his Girdle to wit the Town of Calais that in those days was looked upon to be impregnable which he carried after a long Siege This Kings Reign is also memorable upon many other accounts as for the Institution of the noble Order of the Garter for removing the staple of Wool from Flanders into England for that great Champion against Rome the famous Wickliff and for his own numerous issue by his Heroick Queen Phillipa being no less then seven Sons and five Daughters his Sons were these Edward the Black Prince the hopes of England and who died before his Father William of Hatfield Lioneâ— Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Edmund of Langley Duke of York William of Windsor and Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester he died at Richmond in 1377. when he had Reigned 50 Years and odd Months The cause of the War twixt the English and French in Edward the III. time was a claim to the Crown and Kingdom of France in right of his Mother Isabel which they would make invalid by their Salique or distaâ—â— Law to which the greatest Civilians do allow 〈◊〉 essence at all and Du Haillan the great French Historian hath no better Opinion of it but to be a meâ— Chymera or Imaginary thing but of this more presently OF THE Salique Law HERE I judge it no ways impertinent to be a little more particular yet touching the claim of this King Edward to the Crown of France and what grounds the French had by vertue of this Salique Law for the exclusion of him claiming from a Female and first we will briefly state his claim as it then stood and then come to the Law it self and it was thus Phillip the IV. surnamed the Fair had three Sons Lewis the Contentious Phillip the Long and Charles the Fair all these successively reigned after him and died without issue inheritable he had likewise a Daughter named Isabel I purposely omit the other being foreign to the present affair married to Edward the II. King of England and so was Mother to Edward the III. The issue male of Phillip the Fair thus failing Phillip Son and Heir of Charles Earl of Valois Beaumont c. who was Brother to Phillip the Fair laid claim to the Crown as next heir male against King Edward who made answer to the objection of the Salique Law that admitting it was as they asserted yet he was heir-male though descended of a Daughter and this in a publick assembly of the States of France first about the Protectorship of the Womb for Queen Joan Dowager of Charles the Fair was left with Child and delivered of a Daughter named Blanch afterwards Dutchess of Orleans was had in solemn dispute by Lawyers on both sides and applied at length also to the direct point of inheriting the Crown and so adjudged against King Edward What followed hereupon we have in some measure traced in the Preceding History of his Wars and are more at large recorded in Walsingham Froissart Aemilius and a multitude of more modern Writers whereby it appears and will in the Wars of this King's Successors in France how the denial of this Soveraignty to him by the French cost the lives of many thousands of their Men and involved that Country into long and miserable Calamities But as for the Law it self whereby they pretended such an exclusion of him it may well be said with Drayton in his Poly-Albion that every mouth speaks of it but few understand the thing it self or so much as the Etymology of its name and therefore to clear this point as well as we can we are necessitated to ascend a little higher then these times wherein it was made use of in prejudice to the English claim and to begin with the Original of the Francks with whom they affirm it was brought into France The Francks therefore according to many modern Historians came originally from Asia into Germany though others and perhaps upon better grounds make their original to be in Germany it self but this is certain that upon the decline of the Roman Empire they inhabited Franconia a Province of Germany and about the year 413 or according to Davila 119 invaded France under Pharamond whom they chose to be their King and Leader which Pharamond they make to be Son to Marcovir a Prince that governed them in Franconia but first before they began their Expedition they held a general Assembly near unto a River named Sala and there by the advice of the Salij their Priests or as others of the Salians whom they make to be the same with Francks enacted Laws for Government and amongst the rest one for the Exclusion of Females from inheriting the Crown which from the aforesaid appellations whether one or all it matters not came to be denominated the Salique Law But Goropius that fetches all our of Dutch and this perhaps more tollerably then many of his other Etymologies deriving the Salians name from Sal which in contraction he makes to be from Sadel inventors whereof says he the Salians were interprets them to be as much as Horse-men a name fitly applied to the War-like and most noble Persons of any Nation as Equites in Latin Chevaliers in French and Marchog in Welch do very well agree to so that upon the whole the Salique Law is made by him to be as much as a Chivalrous Law and Salique Land Quae ad equestris ordinis dignitatem in capite summo in caeteris membris conservandam pertinebat which very well agrees with a sentence given in the Parliament at Bourdeaux upon an ancient Will devising all the Testator's Salique Lands which was in point of Judgment interpreted to be a Fief and who knows not but that Fiefs were originally military Gifts but if things be so how then comes Salique to extend to the
Crown which is held to be meerly without Tenure therefore saith a later Lawyer Ego scio legem salicam agere de privato Patrimonio tantum I know the Salique Law intends only private Possessions Again there are some who pretend to give us the names of the Compilers of this Law and not this alone but of many others as they say viz. Wisogast Bodogast Salogast and Windogast wise Councellors about that Pharamonds Reign the text of it in this part is offered us by Claude de Seissell Bishop of Marseilles Bodin and other French Writers as if it were as ancient as the original of the name in these words De Terra Salica nulla Portio Haereditatis Mulieri veniat sed ad virilem sexum tota terrae Hereditas perveniat No part of the Salique Land can descend to the Daughter but all to the Male and in substance as if referr'd to the person of the Kings Heir Female so much if remembred by that great Civilian Baldus and divers others but rather as a custom then any particular Law as an Author of that Kingdom hath expresly Written Ce n' est point vne loye ecritte mais nee auec nous que nous n' avons point inventer mais l' avons puisse de la nature meme qui le nous a ainsi apris donne cet instinct that is this is no Law Written but learned of Nature But why the same Author dares affirm that King Edward yielded upon this point to the French Phillip de Valois I wonder seeing all storie and carriage of state in those times is so manifestly opposite Becanus undertakes a conjecture of the first cause which excluded Gynaecocracie among them guessing it to be upon their observation of the misfortune in War which their Neighbours the Bructerans a people about the now over Issel in the Netherlands from near whom he as many others first derive the Franks endur'd in the time of Vespasian under the Conduct and Empire of one Velleda a Lady even of Divine Esteem amongst them The learned Drayton who has particularly treated of this Subject leaves it at last in suspence and concludes thus But howsoever the Law be in Truth or Interpretable for it might ill beseem me to offer determination in a matter of this kind it is certain that to this day they have an usage of ancient time which commits to the care of some of the greatest Peers that they when the Queen is in Child-birth be present and warily observe left the Ladies privily should counterfeit the inheritable Sex by supposing some other made when the true Birth is Female or by any such means wrong their ancient Custom Royal. But by his favour this is a custom in England as well as in France where the Females do notwithstanding inherit the Crown and never any Law pretended to the contrary I shall therefore conclude upon the whole with this one Remark that notwithstanding the many Volumes that have been writ to justifie King Edward and his Successors Title to France tho' its true the English in that age were better skilled in the Sword then in the Pen and the great dust that has been raised by the French under pretence of this Salique Law to impede his way to their Crown Yet after all it appears clearly to me that the aforesaid Dutchess of Orleans had a better Title then either King Edward or Phillip de Valois for she was Daughter to Charles the Fair the last King of the Caputian line whereas Edward was descended only from Isabel Sister to this same King And as for Phillip de Valois his pretentions had little of reality in them when'tis plain Hugh Capet descended from a Female of the Carolovinian line yet succeeded to the Crown of France and where was their Salique Law then whereof they afterwards so much boasted that it was born with them and never Writ but taught by Nature RICHARD II. SOn to Edward the Black Prince by Joan his Wife Daughter to Edmund Earl of Kent the youngest Son of King Edward I. succeeded his Grand-Father King Edward III. being but eleven years old but had neither his Wisdom nor good Fortune from Bourdeaux his Birth-place where his Father kept his residence as Duke of Aquitaiâ— he was called Richard of Bourdeaux in his Minority he was governed by his Unkles the Dukes of Lancaster and Glocester his Reign was first much disturbed with the Scots and there were also divers traverses of War especially by Sea with France for the French began to improve in Navigation and did us much mischief for they burnt a good part of Rye Hastings and Portsmouth advancing into the River as far as Gravesend where they likewise took booties and burnt almost all the place they also took footing in the Isle of Wight but were soon repell'd Sir John Arundel being sent with a considerable Fleet to Bretaign was disastrously cast away with above 1000 Persons more whereof some were of Rank and Gallantry but a little after Sir Hugh Caverley and Sir Thomas Percy being made Admirals they so scowr'd and secur'd the Seas and they took such a World of Prises that French Wines were sold in London for a Mark a Tunn and 't is a passage of some remark how one John Philpot a Citizen of London mann'd out a Fleet at his own charge took Prises and did many exploits against the French yet at his return he was questioned for setting forth Men of War without a Warrant from King and Council This Reign is also remarkable for the famous Rebellion of Wat. Tyler and Jack Straw for the expeditions of the Duke of Lancaster into Spain but especially for that famous interview between the Kings of England and France between Calais and St. Omers manag'd with all the Ceremony Pomp and Grandeur that could be imagined and where a knot of Friendship was tied by King Richards taking the Lady Isabel to Wife the King of France's Daughter he being then a Widdoer as having buried Queen Anne the King of Bohemia's Daughter about two Years before this King after much male-administration was at length deposed when he had reigned 22 Years and about 3 Months and was soon after murder'd in Pomfret Castle in Yorkshire HENRY IV. COmmonly called Henry of Bullingbrook the first King of this line was Son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster 4th Son of Edward III. he came to the Crown by the power of the Sword but with the consent of the People the issue of Lionel Duke of Clarence 3 Son to the said King Edward being laid aside that had a precedent right he was a Prince of singular Prowess but most part of his time was taken up in suppressing of Rebellions at home and in the old trade of warring with Scotland whereat the French grew insolent fitted out divers Fleets and attempted the Coasts of England first under the count of St. Paul who landed at the Isle of Wight with 7000 Men where he burnt some Villages
himself for not delivering of St. Quinâ—â— alleadging that if he had done it he could â—â—ve done him no further service in the Kingâ—om of France but added that seeing the King 〈◊〉 England was come over in Person he would 〈◊〉 the future do whatever the Duke should comâ—and him and gave him his Faith in Writing he â—ould serve him and his Confederates to the utâ—ost of his Power against all Opponents whatsoâ—â—er the Duke delivers the Constables Letter to the King adding some things thereto of his own head as that the Constable would certainly dâ—liver up St. Quintin and all other places in 〈◊〉 Power as soon as ever he came before them which the King willing to believe marches tâ—gether with the Duke forthwith from Peronne tâ—wards St. Quintin the English expecting to be â—â—ceived with ringing of Bells approached thâ— Town in a careless manner but had a quite contrary entertainment for they from the Towâ— fired their Cannon upon them and withâ—â—â— made a Sally both with Horse and Foot wherâ—in some English were slain and others taken Prâ—soners This double dealing both of the Constable anâ— Duke made the King the more readily hearkâ—â— to the Overtures of Peace that the French Kinâ— offered him wherefore in a Village near Amiâ—â— Commissioners for both Kings met whereof 〈◊〉 France were the Bastard of Bourbon Admiral 〈◊〉 Lord St. Peter and Bishop of Eureux and for Eâ—â—land the Lord Howard one Chalanger and Doctâ—â— Morton where it was agreed the French Kiâ—â— should pay the King of England presently befoâ—â— his departure out of France Seventy Two Thoâ—sand Crowns towards the expence of the Engâ—â—â—â— Army and 50000 Crowns a year for ever 〈◊〉 that the Dauphine should marry King Edwards â—â—dest Daughter and have the Dutchy of Guien 〈◊〉 her maintenance but at the King's return 〈◊〉 English Barons held it to be an inglorious Peâ—â—â— though 't was said to be made by the Holy Ghâ—â—â— â—or a Dove was seen to be often on King Edward's â—ent during the Treaty But the last Article was never performed for the Dauphine was afterward married to Margaret Daughter to Maximiâ—an Archduke of Austria so much to the disappointment and sorrow of King Edward that he â—ell sick upon it as Comines saies and departed â—his life at Westminster the 9th of April at the Age of 41. when he had Reigned 22 Years and â—bout one Month Anno 1483. and was buried at Windsor where before he had provided him a â—esting place this King had three Concubines whereof Jane Shoar was one of whom he would say one was the Merriest another the Wiliest and the third the Holyest Harlot in his Realm The cause of this War was a defection of the French from their Loyalty to England in Conjuction with the assistances they gave Queen Margaret and the Earl of Warwick against King Edward EDWARD V. ELdest Son of King Edward IV. was not above 12 years of Age when his Father died during this Kings short Reign if it may be called 〈◊〉 there was neither nor well could be any war 〈◊〉 act of Hostility that we read between Engâ—â—nd and France for it was but three Months that he reigned for Richard Duke of Glocester his Unkle knowing how easie a step it was from the place of a Protector and first Prince of the Blood to the Crown turned every stone to get the the Protectorship from the Lord Rivers the King's Unkle by the Mother side and having compassed it his next business was to get Prince Richard the King's Brother into his Clutches also whom the Queen Mother was fain to part with in great arfliction and struggling of Nature for she delivered him up as it were for Execution and the Protector who was resolved to make both him and the King a victim to his ambition looks upon the two young Princes from that very time as two Birds in a Cage that should not be long-lived but to blind the People he forthwith gave orders for the King's Coronation whilst he secretly contrived with the Duke of Buckingham his great Coajutor in his cursed designs to fix the Crown upon his own head Buckingham with his Artifices forced in a manner the City to a compliance which nolens volens was at last forced to proclaim Richard King of England the Duke pretending that all the late Kings issue were Bastards and the Protector only true heir to the Crown who when it was offered unto him by the Duke in the name of the City refused it with a counterfeit angry Countenance but when his Privado making himself the mouth of the Assembly said that if his Grace would not accept of the Crown they would find one that should then he was pleased to take it upon him as his right RICHARD III. WAs youngest Brother to Edward IV. of whom 't was said he was born with Teeth in his Head and Hair on his Shoulders At his first coming to the Crown he took his Seat in the Court of King's Bench where like a gracious Prince he pronounced Pardon of all offences committed against him to insinuate thereby to the People what a blessed Reign this was like to be but he spared not the two young Princes then in the Tower but they were by his Order stiffled in their Beds this reign was so troublesom at home that Richard though a warlike Prince in himself had not leasure to mind his affairs abroad for the Duke of Buckingham the great instrument of all his Villanies whether through the horrour of the said Murder or some other resentment did most certainly from that time project his ruine who had been the chief instrument of his elevation there was then at the Court of the Duke of Bretaign in France Henry Earl of Richmond the next heir to the House of Lancaster whose advancement to the Crown Buckingham and others resolved upon with proviso that Henry should consent to marry the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward IV. whereby the Houses of York and Lancaster should be united into one but before the Plot took effect the Duke was taken and lost his Head without any form of Tryal or any regard had to his former Service Richmond lands at Milford Haven in Wales but with 200 men from whence advancing forwards by dayly reinforcements made up a body of 5000 men with whom he incountred K. Richard at Bosworth in Leicestershire being Aug. 12. 1485. The fight was very sharp but successful to Henry who carried the day and with it the Crown of England for there Richard was slain after he had acted the part of a great Captain and most valiant Soldier and so ended his bloody and short Reign which was but two years two Months and odd days but however to his praise it must be said that during his Reign he procured many good Laws for the ease of his People and omitted nothing that might tend to the honour of the English Nation HENRY VII BOrn in Pembrocke Castle in Wales succeeded next
to Richard upon Bosworth Battle and assumed the Crown as heir of the House of Lancaster by his Mother side Margaret Countess of Richmond then alive and lived many years after daughter and heir of John de Beauford Duke of Sommerset Son of John Earl of Summerset Son of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster by Jane Swinford but born before Wedlock though afterward legitimated by Act of Parliament yet with a Proviso of not being capable to inherit the Crown his Father was Edmund Tewdor Son of Owen Tewdor descended as 't was said from Cadwallader the last Brittish King so that here was but a very slender Title in so much that Henry according to a former compact was necessitated for the strengthning of it to take Elizabeth eldest daughter to Edward the IV. to Wife and Heir to the House of York to whom he proved no very indulgent Husband tho she wanted no attractive accomplishments but his aversion to the house of York was so predominant that it found place not only in his Wars and Council but in his Chamber and Bed but his assuming of the Crown first in his own name and afterwards never making use of hers either in his Coins Proclamations or any Administrations spun him out a Thread of many Seditions and Troubles at home and might perhaps divert him from great undertakings abroad for he was a Prince that wanted neither Wisdom nor Courage however it was in his time that the Dutchy or Bretaign was annext to the Crown of France which it was in his power to have prevented and indeed herein he seemed to be outwitted by Charles the French King who by his Artifices engaged King Henry to be a mediator between him and the Duke of Bretaign while he with his Forces besieges Nantes and routs the Dukes whole Army 't is true the Lord Woodville the Queen's Uncle secretly stole over into Bretaign with a small band of Men from the Isle of Wight which action exposed the English Ambassadors who then mediated a Peace to no small Danger but the reinforcement was so inconsiderable as to do the Britons no great service But the Battle of St. Alban aforementioned wherein the Britons were overthrown with the loss of 6000 or their Men and the Duke of Orleans who sided with them with the Prince of Orange taken Prisoners allarmed King Henry in such sort that he forthwith dispatcht succors into Bretaign under the command of Robert Lord Brook to the number of Eight Thousand choise Men who quickly joined the remainder of the Britons Forces and marched towards the Enemy who though flush'd with their late Victory well knowing the English Courage kept themselves within their Trenches and declined Battle but in the mean time took all advantages upon our Men with their light Horse though they commonly came off with loss especially by means of the English Archers But while these things were thus transacting Francis Duke of Bretaign dies whereupon the principal Persons of that Dutchy partly bought and partly through faction put all things into such confusion that the English finding no Head nor Body to join forces with and being jealous of their Friends as well as in danger of their Enemies upon the approach of Winter returned home five Months after their landing At this time Archduke Maximilian Son to the Emperor Frederick was Govâ—â—nor of Flanders and in treaty of Marriage with Anne Heiress of Bretaign when 〈◊〉 happened a Rebellion at Bruges which was carryed on by the Lord Ravenstein who seized upon Ipre and Sluce and sent to the Lord Corde's French Governor of Picardy infamous in History for that saying he could be content to lie in Hell Seven Years so he might win Calais from the English for aid who as being before provided immediately besieges Dixmude whereat the King of England being displeased sends forthwith the Lord Morley with a 1000 Men to the Governour of Calais and with an addition of a 1000 more from thence had order but under pretence of securing the English Pale about that City to put themselves into Dixmude which in conjunction with some Germanâ— they effected undiscovered and so with the Garrison attacked the Enemies Camp with that Resolution and Bravery that after a bloody and obstinate Fight they beat them out of it with the loss of about 8000 Men but on the English parâ—not above an 100 Men and among them the Lord Morley The Cannon and Baggage fell also into their hands with which they marcheâ— to Newport from whence the Lord Daubigny returned to his Government of Calais leaving thâ— Wounded and some other Voluntiers there Cordes having intelligence hereof departs immediately from Ipre with a great force and attack Newport and had carried the principal fort 〈◊〉 the Town when fortunately there arrived in the Haven a reinforcement of English Archers who beat him out of it again whereat he became so discouraged that he raised his Siege which accidents tended to an open Rupture between the two Crowns Hereupon King Henry advises Maximilian to press on his Marriage with Anne of Bretaign which he did accordingly insomuch that the marriage was consummate by Proxy the Lady put to Bed and Maximilian's Embassador with Letters of Procuration in the presence of many noble Personages putting his naked Legg between the Espousall sheets Maximilian thinking all things now sure neglected for a time his further proceeding and intended his Wars in the mean while the French King consulting his Divines got them to declare this way of consumâ—ation invalid so as they made sport of it in France saying That it was an argument Maximilian was a Widower and a cold Wooer that could content himself to be a Bride-groom by a Deputie and would not make a little Journey 〈◊〉 put all out of question and easily by Emissaâ—ies whereof he had store about her prevailed â—pon the young Lady to consent to become his â—ife who was a young King and a Batchellor Which procedure and artifice of France distasted 〈◊〉 Henry that he caused his Cancellor to tell 〈◊〉 French Embassadors who were sent to sooth 〈◊〉 up upon this occasion that he was resolâ—ed to recover his right to Normandy Gutien Anjou and to the Kingdom of France it self unless the French King were content to have King Henry's Title to France at least tribute for the same handled in a Treaty Maximilian and with good reason storms more then any body at this perfidious dealing of France sends forthwith Embassadors both to England and Spain to incite them to enter into an offensive League against France promising to concur with considerable forces oâ— his own hereupon Henry calls a Parliament gets plentiful supplies and raises a puissant Army in which were many noble personages and over whom he makes Jasper Duke of Bedford and John Earl of Oxford Generals under his own person and on the 9th of September in the 8th year of his Reign departs towards the Sea Coast October 6th he imbarked at Sandwich and the
Winds became Westerly it being then neap Tide but two days after the Waters increasing and the Wind becoming Westerly the Earl was intreated to fight the French Fleet but did not and weighed Anchor and sailed away The Duke to redeem this miscarriage of his Brother-in-Law in August following goes to Portsmouth to command the Fleet there for the relief of Rochel but on the 23 of the said Month was stabbed by Felton on whom by the way hanging in Chains at Portsmouth was made this ingenious Coppy of Verses There uninterr'd suspends though not to save Surviving Friends the expences of a Grave Felton's dead Earth whom to it self must be His own sad Monument his Elegy As large as Fame but whether bad or good I say not by himself 't was wrought in blood For which his Body is entomb'd in air Arch'd o're with Heaven and ten thousand fair And glorious Diamond Stars a Sepulcre Which time can never ruinate and where Th' impartial Worms not being brib'd to spare Princes wrapt up in Marble do not share His Dust which oft the charitable skies Embalm with Tears doing those obsequies Belonging unto Men while pittying fowl Contend to reach his body to his Soul yet the design was pursued under the command of the Earl of Linsey who attempted several times to force the Barricadoes of the River before Rochel but all in vain or if he had it had been to no purpose for the Victuals wherewith the Rochellers should have been relieved were all tainted and 't was well the French had no Fleet there for the English Tackle and other matterials were all defective and so Rochel fell and with it in a manner all the Glory and Interest of the reformed in France but 't is remarkable what counsel concurred to the reducing of this important place and what accidents followed after The French Army had been before it a long time and had made no considerable Progress in the Siege when the Marquess Spinola returning from Flanders into Spain directed his course through France and hearing the King and Cardinal were at the Siege of Rochel waited upon both and going to view the Works one day asked the Cardinal what they meant to do there and continuing his Discourse said That as they managed matters there was no possibility of taking the place what must we do then saies the Cardinal Push replies the Marquess do as we have done at Antwerp make a Dyke at the Mouth of the Harbour and yo 'll by that means starve them out the Cardinal immediately takes up the project sets all hands on work and with Immense Labour and Celerity finishes the Dyke which in a short time reduced the place to that starving Condition that they were at length forced to surrender at Discretion and it is note-worthy that as Leyden about 54 years before was miraculously preserved from the hands of the Spaniards for being reduced to the last extremity they let loose the Waters upon them which the Dams restrained before and upon that the Army march'd away whereas had they staid but two or three days longer in the Neighbourhood they might have had an open passage to the Town for the Walls of it fell down to the Ground and a strong Northerly Wind had clear'd the Country of the Water so Rochel by a quite contrary fate had been surrendered but a very few days when the Dyke so far broke as that they might have been relieved by Sea had there been a Fleet ready for that purpose But when Spinola came to the Council in Spain he was so brow-beaten and snubb'd for his Advise to the Cardinal by the Duke of Medina then prime Minister of State and other Grandees that he never after could get his Money paid that was owing him and dyed a Begger and in utmost disgrace so well did the Spaniards then understand their true Interest that as long as the Reformed could make head in France the Arms of that Kingdom would be confined within its own limits and they and other Princes be less molested by those aspiring and restless Neighbours and this was the unhappy end of this War between England and France and the dreadful Presages of the Duke of Roan hereupon to give his Words the mildest terms I can had but too fatal effects upon the Person of that Prince to whose perfidy he attributed the loss of this Fortress and the Protestant interest in France for after this Dissention grew daily more and more in England which drew on an unnatural Civil War that ended with a sad Catastrophe in the Kings dying by the Ax for he was beheaded January 30th 1648. after he had Reigned 23 Years 10 Months and odd days and in the 49th Year of his Age. 1. The causes pretended for this War were that the French King had imployed the Eight Men of War which the King of England had lent him to be made use of against Genua against the Rochellers 2. That the King's Mediation in behalf of the Reformists was slighted 3. That the English Merchant Ships and their effects were seized before there was any breach between both Kingdoms though its certain that the Duke of Buckingham as Lord High Admiral of England by an extraordinary Commission first seized the St. Peter of New-haven the whole Cargo computed to amount to 40000 l. and tho the King ordered the releasment of the Ship Decemb. 7th 1625. yet the Duke upon the 6th of February following caused the said Ship to be again arrested and detained as you may see in Rushworth f. 313. 4. A fourth cause of this War we have assigned in the noble Baptista Nani that the Duke of Bucks having while in France contracted love in that Court and desiring leave to go thither under pretence of composing the Feuds that brake forth in the Queen's Family in England was by Richlieu's advice denied entrance into that Kingdom and grew thereupon so enraged that he sware since he was forbidden entrance in a peaceable manner into France he would make his passage with an Army CHARLES II. AFter about Twelve years Exile during which interval we had no Wars with France was restored to the Throne of his Ancestors Anno 1660. This Prince had not been above Five Years setled in his Dominions when a War broke out with the Dutch by Sea the French joining with them in it at that time against us so that there was a Declaration of War set forth against France but the Dutch found no great assistance from them in this Confederacy for while the Dutch in all the Engagements we had with them but one and that was when the Fleet was foolishly divided were beaten by us the French instead of uniting their force with the other dispatch away a Fleet to subdue the English in their Plantations in the Leeward Islands almost totally expelled the English out of St. Christophers interrupted them in their Trade to their other Islands and assumed a Sovereignty in those Seas but upon the