may befall while my Son is alive but let him either vanquish or dye because the honour of this brave day shall be his if God suffer him to survive Which he did and beat the French out of the field Thereupon King Edward with his untouched Battel advanced towards his victorious Son and most affectionately embracing and kissing him said Fair son God send you perseverance to such prosperous beginnings you have nobly acquit your self and are well worthy to have the governance of a Kingdom intrusted unto you for your valour In the field was found the dead bodies of eleven great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above fifteen hundred There was slain the King of Bohemia King of Majorca Earl of Alanson Duke of Lorrain Duke of Bourbon Earl of Flanders Earl of Savoy the Dolphin of Viennois Earl of Sancerre and Harecourt Earls of Aumarl Nevers c. six Earls of Almain besides others of great account with the Grand Prior of France and Archbishop of Roan Of the Commons there fell about thirty thousand Of the English side not one man of note or honour was slain A. D. 1346. From the Forrest of Crescie King Edward marched to Callis and besieged it In the time of which siege the Governour thereof for the sparing of food thrust forth of the Town above fifteen hundred of the poor and impotent people whom this Christian King Edward turned not back but suffered them freely to pass through his Camp relieving them gratis with fresh victuals and giving two pence a piece sterling to each of them But whilst the King was busied abroad in France the Scots in favour of the French invaded England advancing as far as Durham where the English encountring them overcame them took David their King prisoner at Nevils Cross by Durham There lay dead in the field the Earls of Murray and Strathern the Constable Marshal Chamberlain and Chancellor of Scotland with many other Nobles Prisoners taken besides the King were the Earls of Douglas Fife Southerland Wigton and Mentieth In this battel on the English side were many spiritual persons who for the defence of their Country made use of carnal Weapons And as King Edwards friends were successful in England so were they also in forreign parts for in Britain Sir Thomas Dagworth overthrew the Lord Charles of Blois though he had much the odds of him as to number of men In Gascoign and those parts Henry Earl of Derby and Lancaster worsted the Duke of Normandy took sundry places of great importance amongst the rest that considerable Town of Brigerac where he permitted every soldier to seize any House and convert all therein to his own profit Whereupon it hapned that a certain Soldier called Reth having broke into a House where the Monyers had for safety stowed the Money of that Countrey in great long sacks he acquainted the Earl therewith supposing that the Earl intended not so great a treasure for a private share but the Earl told him That accordingly as he had at first proclaimed let the treasure be worth what it would yet was it all his own And now after almost a years siege Callis was delivered to King Edwards mercy In Little-Britain the Kings Warden thereof Sir VValter de Bendly vanquished the Marshal of France in fight slew 13 Lords 140 Knights 100 Esquires and took prisoners 9 Lords besides many Knights and Esquires At length after much spoil made upon the French a peace was concluded on betwixt the two Kings though it continued not long ere the French broke the agreement In revenge whereof Edward presently entred France with an Army Will. Witlesy A. B. Cant. and spoiled it where he came and after his return into England again when he heard that John the new King of France had given to Charles the Daulphin the Dutchy of Aquitain King Edward bestowed the same upon the Black-Prince commanding him to defend that right with the sword The Prince thereupon furnished with a gallant Army set sail towards France where he took many Towns and prisoners advanced into the bosome of France up to the very gates of Burges in Berry from whence wheeling about to return to his chief City Burdeaux John King of France encountered him with a great Army having the odds of six to one notwithstanding which the victorious Prince of Wales discomfited the French took prisoners King John and Philip his youngest son the Archbishop of Sens and many great Lords and about two thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing Armories And slew in fight about fifty two Lords and seventeen hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen with Sir Reginald Camian who that day bore the Or flamb or French Ensign and of the common Soldiers about six thousand To James Lord Audley who in this fight received many wounds the Prince gave 500 Marks Land in fee-simple which said Land the Lord Audley bestowed on his four Esquires that had continued with him in all the brunt and fury of danger King Edward the Father whilst his Son was thus prosperously busied in France proceeded in hostile sort against the Scots and brought King Baliol at Roxbrough to make a surrender of his Crown to him Prince Edward after his late victory marched with joy and triumph to Burdeaux where having refreshed his wearied soldiers he took his leave of France though not of the King thereof for him he brought with him a Captive to London whither the Prince was welcomed with exquisite honour by Henry Picard then Lord Mayor Which said Picard afterwards at one time feasted at his own charge the King of England France Scotland and Cyprus King Edward ordered that eight days should be spent in giving God the glory for the victory and not long after with a Fleet of One thousand one hundred sail he passed over from â—andwich to a fresh invasion and being come before the walls of Paris he honoured Four hundred Esquires and Gentlemen with Knighthood Ample conditions were offered by the French unto the Kâ—ng of England to which he would not at present listen yet at length was perswaded to an accord on these conditions That Himself and Son Edward should for ever release unto King John and his Heirs the right and claim which they had unto the Crown of France Dutchy of Normandy c. That King John and his Son should for them and their Heirs release unto King Edward and his Heirs the whole Country of Aquitain Santoin c. so the County of Ponthicu c. the proper Inheritance of Queen Isabel K Edward's Mother That King John should pay for his ransom the sum of Thirty hundred thousand Schutes of Gold every two of which should be six shillings eight pence sterling with some other conditions All which were ratified with hands Seals and Oaths at Callis though by the falshood of the French King this amity continued not many years for King John by underhand-dealing sought to alienate the hearts of King Edwards forreign subjects
Hengist and the first Christian King thereof was Ethelbert sirnamed Pren. The South Saxons Kingdom containing the Counties of Sussex and Surrey 2 South Saxons commenced in A. D. 488 continuing 113 years Ella being the first King and Ethelwolph the first Christian King thereof 3. West Saxons The West Saxons Kingdom containing the Counties of Cornwall Devon Dorset Somerset Wilts Berks and Hantshire began in A. D. 519 continuing 300 years Cherdick being the first King and Hingils the first Christian King thereof 4. East Saxons East Saxons Kingdom containing the Counties of Essex Middlesex and part of Hartfordshire began in A. D. 527 continuing 281 years Erchenwin being the first King thereof and Sebert the first Christian King 5. North. The Kingdom of Northumberland containing the Counties of York Durham Lancaster Westmoreland Cumberland and Northumberland began in A. D 527 continuing 379 years Ella and Ida the first Kings thereof and Edwin the first Christian King 6. Mercia The Kingdom of Mercia containing the Counties of Huntingdon part of Hartfordshire Northampton Rutland Lincoln Leicester Derby and Nottingham began in A. D. 582 continuing 202 years Creda being the first King and Peada first Christian King thereof 7. East Angles The Kingdom of the East Angles containing the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridge began in A. D. 575 continuing 353 years Vffa being the first King and Redwald the first Christian King thereof Its last King was Edmond whom the Danes for his constant profession of the Christian Faith most barbarously slew at a Village then called Heglisdune where when the Danes were departed his head and body were buried and the Town upon occasion thereof called St. Edmunds-bury After the death of this Edmond the Kingdom of the East Angles was possessed by the Danes till such time that Edward sirnamed the Elder expulsed them and joyned it a Province to the West Saxons But the Britains during the time of the Heptarchy stood still in defence of their own rightful inheritance with great disdain and valorous resistance as much as in them lay opposing the Saxon yoke The British Princes who contended with the Saxons to maintain their Countries rights were these chiefly First VOrtigern at that time King VORTIGERN by the election of the Britains when the Saxons were first invited into the Land This Vortigern reigned first Sixteen years and then deposed for his favours to the Saxons was retained indurance all the Reign of Vortimer his Son after whose death he was re-established but oppressed by the Saxons and pursued by Aurelius he fled into Wales where in a Castle which he built by Merlins directions in the Mountains he with his Daughter whom he had taken to Wife were burnt to Ashes VOrtimer for his Fathers abuse of Government VORTIMER was constituted King of the Britains He gave unto the Saxons Four famous overthrows almost to their utter expulsion After his last Victory over them British Princes he caused his Monument to be erected at the entrance into Thanet whither he had driven the Saxons even in that same place of the overthrow Which Monument was sometime called Lapis Tituli now the Stoner wherein he commanded his Body to be buried to the further terrour of the Saxons that in beholding this his Trophey their hearts might be daunted at the remembrance of their great overthrow But Rowena procured his death by Poyson He restored the Christian Religion then sorely decayed and rebuilt the Churches destroyed by the Pagan Saxons AMBROSIUS AVrelius Ambrosius descended of that Constantine who was elected here only in hope of his lucky name He was very successful against the Saxons but as some say was poysoned by the procurement of Pascentius the youngest Son of Vortigern Others report that he was slain in the Field by the Saxons and that the Britains erected that famous Monument called Stone-henge anciently Chorea Gigantum over the place where he was slain and buried though according to the saying of some Aurelius Ambrosius caused that Monument of Stone-henge to be erected in memorial of the Massacre of 300 of the Nobility of the Britains by the Saxons who were there buried He built Ambresbury in Wilts VTer Pendragon the Brother of Ambrosius was in all his Wars against the Saxons most victorious and fortunate UTER PENDRAGON A.D. 497. He was sirnamed Pendragon either because at his birth there appeared a fiery Comet something resembling a Dragons-head or because of his Serpentine-wisdom or from his Royal Banner wherein was pourtrayed a Dragon with a Golden head When he had reigned Eighteen years he dyed of poyson put into a Well whereof he usually drank ARthur the Son of Pendragon ARTHUR A.D. 516. begotten upon the Lady Igren Dutchess of Cornwall was Crowned King of Britains at Fifteen years of Age about A. C. 516. Twelve Battels he fought against the Saxons with great manhood and victory the last of which was fought at Bath or Bathen-Hill where the Britains gave the Saxons a very great overthrow But Mordred a Prince of the Picts whose Mother was Pendragons Sister affecting the Crown upon the pretence of Arthurs reputed Bastardy gave many attempts against him and lastly at Cambalu now Camelford in Cornwall encountering King Arthur gave him his deaths-wound and was himself slain by Arthur in the place From which place this renowned King was carried to Glastenbury where he dyed of his wounds in A. D. 542 whose body was there buried and after 600 years was digged up by the command of Henry the 2d His bones of great bigness and Skull wherein was perceived Ten wounds were found in the Trunk of a Tree over him was a huge broad Stone in which a leaden Cross was fastned and therein this Inscription Hic jacet c. Here lyes King Arthur buryed in the Isle of Avalonia By him lay his Queen Guenaver whose tresses of hair finely platted of a golden colour seemed perfect and intire till but being touched they mouldred to dust These relicks were reburied in the great Church CONSTANTINE A.D. 542. COnstantine the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwall and Cousin to King Arthur by Marriage and his adopted Heir was slain by Conanus when he had been King Three years and was buried at Stonehenge CONANUS A.D. 545. AVrelius Conanus King Arthur's Nephew detained his Uncle in perpetual Imprisonment and slew his two Cousins because they had more right to the Crown than himself VORTIPORUS A.D. 578. VOrtiporus in many Battels vanquished the Saxons and valiantly defended his Subjects but otherwise very wicked MALGO A.D. 581. MAlgo Canonus in Arms and Dominions was stronger and greater than any other British Potentate saith Gildas CARETICUS A.D. 586. Careticus sowed civil Wars amongst his Subjects the Britains which occasioned them to forsake him and leave him to the mercy of the Saxons who pursuing after him he fled into Cyrencester for safety but by the device of his pursuers certain
his near Kinswoman and not long after slew her Husband that he might the more freely injoy his incestuous pleasure Otho A B Cant. A great enemy he was to the Monks Order expelling them from some of their Monastries and placing married Priests in their vacancies Dunstan the St. he expelled the Realm either for his bold reprehensions of him or for detaining the Treasure his Uncle had committed to his keeping or both but the people having the Monks single life in high veneration and conceiting Dunstan to be a very holy man they turned their affections from him and sware their fealty to Edgar for very grief whereof he pined away and dyed A. D. 959 and was buried in the Church of the New-Abby at Winchester EDGAR A.D. 959. EDgar sirnamed the Peaceable was Crowned at Kingston by Otho Arch-Bishop of Canterbury To rid the Land of Wolves which then were very plenty instead of the Tribute imposed on the Prince of Wales by King Athelstan he appointed Luduall Prince of Wales to pay yearly 300 Wolves His Navy-Royal he imployed in securing the Coasts from Pirates and foreign enemies wherein himself would sayl every Summer And in the Winter he would circuit the Countrey taking an account of the administration of his Laws and demeanor of his great men especially his Judges whom he would punish severely if he found them to have been guilty of bribery or partiality insomuch that there was never less robbery deceit or oppression than in the reign of this King His State was so flourishing in peace and prosperity that caused divers Kings to bind themselves in League with him Wars he had none in all his reign OTHO A.B. Cant. save a little towards the latter end thereof by the Welsh whom he quickly curbed But that which darkned his glory was his lasciviousness For he defloured a certain Nun called Wolfchild on whom he begat St. Edyth after her another named Ethelflede on whom he begat his son Edward And after this happening to hear a Western Dukes Daughter extolled for her beauty he came to her Fathers house commanding her to his bed But her Mother tender of her honour instead of her Virgin-daughter brought her servant-maid in the dark to the King who well enough pleas'd him that night though in the morning when he understood the deceit he checked the Lady yet entertain'd this Servant for his Concubine keeping to her bed alone till he married his lawful Wife Elfrida Duke Ordgarus daughter The fame of whose excelling-beauty coming to his ear he employed Earl Ethelwold his Favourite to go to visit her and if he found her beauty suiting then to court and secure her for the King But Etholwold liked her so well when he saw her that he courted her for himself and at his return to Court pretended to the King that her beauty was far short of what it was famed to be therefore besought the King in respect she was a great Heiress that he would sollicite her Father to bestow her upon him to Wife Which the credulous King did But the Duke had not been long married with fair Elfrida ere a fresh commendation of her beauty sounded in the Kings ears Elsius and Dunstane A.B. Cant. Whereupon he resolved to make his own eyes the Witnesses which accordingly he did And upon sight of her beauty became so inamored of her that taking Etholwold at the advantage as they were hunting together he ran him through with his Javelin then took Elfreda to be his Wife who was very willing to embrace the honour Edgar at the instigation of Dunstane now Archbishop of Canterbury displaced the married priests and possessed their vacancies with Monks of single life To repress drunkenness which the Danes had brought in he ordained a size by certain Pins in the Pot with penalty to any that presumed to drink deeper than the Mark. He dyed A.D. 975 and was buried in the Abby of Glastenbury His Issue were Edward Edmond and Ethelred Ordolph the son of Ordgare Earl of Devonshire in A. D. 961 built a famous Abby at Tavistoke in Devon Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester about A. D. 963 and in the reign of King Edgar in a great Famine sold away all the sacred Vessels of his Church for to relieve the poor saying That there was no reason that the sensless Temples of God should abound in riches and lively Temples of the Holy-Ghost to want them EDWARD II. 975. EDward sirnamed the Martyr was much opposed by his Mother-in-law Queen Elfrida and many of the Nobles as being illegitimate but by the procurement of Dunstane and the Clergy he was admitted to be King and was crowned at Kingstone in A.D. 975. The beginning of whose Reign was attended with a miserable barrenness of the ground and Murrain amongst Cattel A dreadful Comet also appeared These many men thought to be signs and judgments sent from heaven for the sins committed against the Married Clergy who were expulsed from their ancient possessions In favour of whom the Duke of Mercia destroyed the Monastries in his Province cast out the Monks restoring to the Priests and their Wives their ancient revenues On the contrary Duke Edelwin in East-Saxia grievously oppressed the married Priests To put an end therefore to these troubles and to prevent the dangers that might ensue the case was referred to be heard in Council at Winchester where the business was debated so long till the Monks were in hazard of losing the day Whereupon it was perswaded to be referred to the Rood placed where the Council sate which Oracle after devout prayers made unto it thus spake God forbid it should be so God forbid it should be so you judged well once and to change that again is not good Upon which words the married Priests went down the wind But they disclosing to the people that this was but a trick of the Monks in placing a man behind the wall who through a trunk uttered these words in the mouth of the Rood it was therefore instantly desired that the case might be once more scanned Which was granted and at Cloves in Wiltshire the Prelates Peers and Commons assembled where being set in consultation Ethelgar and Elfrick A.B. Cant. the Chamber-floor being over-pressed with the weight of people broke and fell down hurting many and killing others only St. Dunstane by a miracle remained without any hurt the post whereon his Chair stood standing still firm This is the story And now the secular married Priests were left to take Care without any Cure But King Edward as he hunted near Corf-Castle where Elfrida and her son Ethelred resided either on purpose or by chance parted from his company and came to the Castle to visit his Brother-in-law where as he sate on horse-back at the gate discoursing with Elfrida and Ethelred and whilst he was drinking a cup of Wine a knife was struck into his back by a servant whom Elfrida had appointed thereunto Whereupon the King setting
the Kings command none left alive save this too skilful Archer who neither denied nor excused the fact but alledged the necessity of his case and the justice of God in it for that the King he said had slain his Father and two Brothers with his own hands Yet did the magnanimous King forgive this Bertram de Guidon the fact gave him an Hundred Shillings and set him at liberty but Captain Markadey after the King was dead took him flea'd him alive and then hang'd him When Ceur de Lyon perceived the certain approach of death with contrition confession and participation of the Sacrament he prepared himself for another life and dyed of his wound April 6 A D. 1199. And according to his command his Bowels were buried at Charron amongst the rebellious Poictovins as those who had only deserved his worst parts his heart at Roan as the City which for her constant loyalty had merited the same and his Corps were inhumed at Font-Everard at the feet of his Father to whom he had sometime been disobedient In the first year of his Reign he appointed Henry Fitz Alwin to be Major of London that honourable City having been formerly governed by Portgraves or Portreves He caused Money to be coyned held in great request for its purity by the Easterlings a people of Germany afterwards current Money and called Sterling from the Easterlings When this King was in France one Fulk a Priest told him that he kept three Daughters which if he did not dismiss they would procure him Gods wrath Why Hypocrite said the King all the World knows that I never had Child Yea said Fulk you have Three and their names are Pride Covetousness and Lechery Is it so said the King You shall see me presently dispose them The Knights Templers shall have Pride the White Monks Covetousness and the Clergy Lechery and there have you my three Daughters bestowed amongst you Now lived Robin Hood an outlawed Noble and Little John who with an Hundred stout fellows more molested all passengers by the way yet only robbed and made prey of the rich selling good pennyworths when they had done JOHN JOHN though that Arthur his Brother Jeffries Son was living A. D. 1119. yet by the assistance of his Mother Eleanor and other Noble Friends was by the great Councel of the Realm admitted King To whom they then sware only a conditional Fealty viz. To keep faith and peace to him if he would render to every of them their rights He was crowned at Westminster by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury His Reign throughout was attended with great troubles For first the King of France took upon him to establish young Arthur in the Kingdom though after a while for his own advantage he delivered the Prince into his Uncles hands Then the King of Scots procured some disturbances but an accord was shortly made the two Kings of England and Scotland swearing faithful love to each other upon the Crosier of Archbishop Hubert Presently after which these two Kings with the King of south-South-Wales expressed their great humility by helping to carry the Corps of Hugh Bishop of Lincoln on their shoulders to the place of interment Then the Clergy disturbed the peace oppugning the Kings Royal Title to a Benefice locking the Church-doors against his Praesentee scorning his Princely Letters fencing the Church with armed men against his Officers assailing his Sheriff moving the Pope to excommunicate all their opposers yea caused the King himself to be accused to the Pope for a Tyrant The whole Cistercian Order denied the payment of a subsidy granted the King The Canons of Lincoln refused to accept of him for their Bishop whom the King had appointed in the place of him deceased Hubert Archbishop called a General Councel in his Province without the Kings permission and then disdained the Kings prohibition thereof The Lay-Peers they came in also to act a part and at a time when the King stood in need of their help against the Poictovins and French refused to attend the King in his Wars against them Howbeit King John put forth to Sea arrived in Normandy and in battel overthrew his Nephew Arthur and by valour recovered all the Provinces which had revolted Prince Arthur and all the Peers of Poictou above 200 French Knights and others of command he took prisoners Not long after which young Arthur dyed not without suspition of violence Which gave fresh occasion to some of the disaffected Peers to bâ—â—dy against the King whom the King of France now cited as his Homager for the Dukedom of Normandy to appear at a set-day to be tryed by his Peers upon point of Murder and Treason And King John not appearing at the appointed time was by the King and Peers of France Disinherited and condemned and according to the sentence they proceeded against him and what by the Kings remisness the treachery of his people and power of his enemies he lost a great part of his strongest Towns and Castles in the French Territories But the Delinquent Peers and Barons King John put to their Fines and for the carrying on of the Wars against France had a Subsidy granted him which moved the people to think hardly of him The King of France who had been too succesful of late against the English sent a braving Champion over into England to justifie by Duel his proceeds in K. John's French Dominions with whom John Curcy Earl of Vâ—ster undertook to combate This Curcy was a man of gyant-like limbs and strength and of some conditions â—oâ— despicable had they not been savaged with too much rudeness Which appeared not only in his wild speeches touching the Kings 〈◊〉 of his Nephew Arthur but even thâ—n 〈◊〉 the King demanded of him whether he would combat in his quarrel answered No not in thy quarrel nor for thy sake yet for the Kingdoms right I will fight to the death But this the French Champion never put him to for hearing of the Earls excessive feeding and strength answerable thereto the Monsieur sneak't away into Spain as asham'd to shew his face again in France Of Earl Curcy 't is further said That when the two Kings of France and England met together upon a Truce in France K. Philip having heard of Curcy and that he was in the English Camp requested of K. John that he might see some experiment of his so much feared and famed strength Whereupon an Helmet of excellent proof full-farced with Mayl was set upon a Wooden block when the Earl first lowring round about him with a dreadful aspect lift up his trusty skeyn and cleft so deep quite through the steely resistance into the knotty wood that none there present save himself could draw it out again which he did with ease Then being by the Kings asked Why he frowned so angrily before he struck answered That he purposed if he had fail'd of his blow to have kill'd them all both Kings and the other spectators But for all
Welsh they made some stirs And one Fitz-Arnulph a Citizen of London attempted to set up Lewis again for the which himself and two others were hanged and many more had their hands or feet cut off The Barons they were high for a confirmation of their Liberties And Lewis of France upon the death of his Father seized Rochel and the whole Country of Poictou which belonged to the King of England into his hands under pretence that K. Henry an Homager for Aquitain was not present at his Coronation nor yet excused his absence by Ambassadors Whereupon Henry summons a Parliament for Aids to recover his losses which being granted he sent over his forces which discomfited the French But the King necessitated for more Monies for the carrying on of his design in Gascoign wrung from the Londoners Five thousand Marks above their Fifteenths alledging that they had to his prejudice given Lewis the like sum The Clergy also were compelled under pain of Papal censure to pay the Fifteenth not only for their temporal but also Ecclesiastical Goods And by advice of Hubert de Burgo Chief Justice the King revoked the Charters of Liberties which for about two years had been practised through the Realm pretending his Non-age when granted Which caused in all a great heart-burning against Hubert Howbeit the King was well furnish'd with money and men which he caused to be transported into Britain and on the same day in which he set sail from England himself in person did visit the poor and feeble dealing large Alms to them and not refusing to kiss the sick and leprous But before that the King had opportunity to effect any thing in those parts considerable the Irish rebelled constraining him to return to reduce then inâ—o order Which when he had done he advanced against the Welsh whom he also repressed though not without considerable loss About this time Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others for the committing of many great crimes and he doubting that he should not have a fair Tryal retired himself into Essex whither he was prosecuted by Armed men and in a Chappel at Burntwood was apprehended out of which the rude Soldiers hailed him and sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him which when the Smith understood that they were for him fetching a deep sigh he said Do with me what you please and God have mercy on my soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron-Shackles for him but will rather dye the worst death that is For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who so often hath preserved England from being destroyed by strangers and restored England to England Let God be judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be Notwithstanding all this Sir Godfrey de Crancomb who commanded the party bound the Earl and conveyed him to the Tower of London where he had not long been ere the Bishop of London procured his liberty though shortly after he was again imprisoned In his place the King elected for his Councellor and Confident Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester who displaced the English Officers and in their Rooms placed Poictovins and Britons stuffing the Kings Castles with them intrusting as it were the treasures strength and Realm it self in their hands to the great discontent of the English Peers Who now confederated against the strangers and refused upon the Kings summons to appear in Parliament sending this impudent Message to their Soveraign That if out of hand he removed not the Bishop of Winchester and strangers out of his Court they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdom would drive him and his wicked Counsellors out of it and would consult about creating of a new King Whereupon the King animated by Winchester commanded the Earl-Marshal with all others whom he suspected to appear at Glocester where the King was with an Army Which they refusing to do the King burnt their Mannors and gave away their Inheritances to the Poictovins The Earl-Marshal he contracts strict amity with Leweylyn Prince of Wales and made great spoil on the possessions of the Kings reputed Seducers Shrewsbury he sackt and burnt Gilbert Lord Basset the Earls great Confederate set fire on Alkmundbury not far from Huntingdon But the Earl-Marshal having crossed the seas into Ireland there to recover his Lands taken from him by the fraud of the Bishop of Winchester was there wounded to death for whose loss the King to the wonder of all that saw it broke forth into tears affirming That he had left no Peer about him in the Kingdom And now the Bishop of Winchester hated of the people was commanded by the King not to meddle any farther in State-matters And against Peter Rivallis Lord Treasurer the King was so in raged that he sware he would pluck out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders And by the workings of the Bishops an accord was effected betwixt the King and his Peers and the Poictovins were commanded to depart the Realm Howbeit the Land was not yet eased of its Oppressors and Oppressions for the Pope sent over into England three hundred Romans requiring to have the first Benefice that should become vacant to be bestowed on them requiring also great sums of money of the Clergy for maintenance of the Pope's Wars against the Emperor Which though the Clergy at first opposed yet were forced to yeild unto it at the last The Pope himself had a mind to have come hither in his own person but the King's Councel liked not thereof alledging that the Romans Rapines and Simonies had enough stained England's purity though the Pope himself came not personally to spoil and prey upon the Wealth of the Church About the year 1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother with the Earls of Pembroke Chester Lincoln Salisbury and many other honourable persons departed for the Holy Land and in A. D. 1242 the King passed the Seas to recover Poictou but effected not any thing remarkable though he expended great store of Treasure Upon his return into England he was therefore compelled to be burthensome to his subjects for recruiting of his exhausted Treasure as well by the levy of Escuage as of Loan and otherwise The Jews in especial manner were made sensible of his wants Too much of their money thus rais'd 't is said he expended in Entertainments and Shows though afterward the King reflecting on his former profuseness in gifts and entertainments he shortned the allowances of his houshold and entertainments without any regard to Majesty And to spare his own charge the more he invited himself now to this mans house now to that but no-where contenting himself with his welcome unless himself and his Queen Son Edward yea and chief Favourites were presented with costly Gifts 'T is said that he was sometime
reduced to that penury that he was forced to live upon the Alms of the Church This King designed at least pretended to go for the Holy Land when the Parliament granted him large Aids upon this condition That at this time once for all he should submit himself to govern by Law to confirm the Charters of Liberties or Magna Charta Against the breakers whereof a most solemn curse was pronounced The King swearing to keep all Liberties upon pain of that execratory sentence As he was a man a Christian a Knight and a King anointed and crowned Yet notwithstanding the Oath and the Curse the King two or three years after caused the Tenth of all England and Ireland to be collected for his own use and the Popes the Pope having given the Kingdom of Sicily to his Son Edmond but the English subjects were first to win it for him Which the Nobles peremptorily denied the attempting there being occasion enough for money and men at home the Welsh having risen in rebellion Against whom Prince Edward was sent who though he wanted not for Courage St. Edmund of Abingâ—â—n A. B. Caâ—t yet in one field lost 2000 English men and was beaten out of the field In A.D. 1257 was Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother elected King of Romans and was crowned at Aquisgrane having paid a large sum of money for the honour At this time the Earl was reputed to possess so much ready Coin as would every day for ten years afford him an hundred Marks upon the main stock besides his Rents and Revenues in Germany and the English Dominions And now the King relapsed into his profuseness and favouring of the Poictovins and other forreigners The Nobles hereupon came exquisitely armed to the Parliament holden at Oxford with a resolution to inforce the King and his Aliens to their proposals Which were That the King should unfeignedly keep the Charter of Liberties That such an one should be in place of Justitiar who would judg all impartially That the Forreigners should be expelled the Realm And that twenty-four persons should there be chosen to have the sole administration of King and State and yearly appointing of all great Officers Reserving to the King the Ceremonies of Honour Binding themselves by Oath to see these things performed and the King and Prince swearing to observe the ordination of these disloyal Barons who had by an Edict given out high menacings against all that should resist The Poictovins were so terrified by these violent proceedings that they fled into France The giddy people they joined with the Barons as the Assertors of their Liberties Boniface A. B. Cant the Londoners bound themselves under their publick Seal to assist them in the common Cause Richard King of Romans the Barons would not suffer to come into England but in a private manner with a very small train and being landed they exacted an Oath of him and upon pain of forfeiting all his Lands in England bound him to join with them in reforming the State which they factiously had assumed to do having appointed Four Knights Commissioners in every shire to enquire of all Oppressions and to certifie the same to them And the better to strengthen their Cause Simon Montford Earl of Leicester Head of the Factionists with others passed into France there to transact with the King thereof as to an indissoluble League About which time King Henry for want of Money or good Counsel or both was induced upon no very good terms for ever to renounce to the King of France all his right to Normandy Anjou Tourain Main and Poictou But the fire which had been long in blowing did now break out into a flame the King and his Barons taking arms against each other Simon de Montford executes his greatest revenge on the Queens friends who were aliens not sparing the King's who were free-born English-men Yet at length mutual weariness inclines Henry and his Barons to a peace and the King is willing that the Statutes of Oxford should be in force but the Queen was unwilling Which being known to the Londoners it put the baser sort into so leud a rage that she being to shoot the Bridg from the Tower towards Windsor where Prince Edward was ingarison'd they with dirt and stones and villanous words forced her back to the Tower Howbeit at London in a Parliament there held matters were pieced up though shortly after all was rent again both sides making fresh preparations for War King Henry drew towards Oxford where the rendezvous of his friends and forces was appointed from which University he dismissed all the Students being above fifteen thousand of those only whose names were entred into the Matriculation-book Whereupon many of them went to the Barons to Northamptor whither Henry came and breaking in at the Town-Walls encountred his Enemies amongst whom these Students of Oxford had a Banner by themselves advanced right against the King and did more annoy him in the fight than the rest of the Barons Forces Which the King who at length prevailed vowed sharply to revenge but was disswaded by his Councellors who told him that those Students were the sons and kindred of the great men of the Land whom if he punished even the Nobles that now stood for him would take arms against him The King encouraged by this success advanceth his Royal Standard toward Nottingham burning and wasting the Barons Lands wheresoever he came The Barons they sent Letters to him protesting their loyal observance to his person but all hostility to their enemies who were about him Rob. Kilwarby A B. Cant To which the King returned them a full defiance as to Traytors professing that he took the wrong of his friends as his own and their enemies as his At length the two Armies met and ingaged in fight wherein Prince Edward bravely behaved himself putting the Londoners to flight pursuing them for four miles but in the mean while his Father having his horse slain under him yielded himself prisoner the King of Romans and other great Peers were taken and the whole hope of the day lost on the Kings side On the next day peace was concluded for the present on condition That Prince Edward and Henry the King of Romans Son should also render themselves into the Barons hands And now by this advantage the factious Lords gained all the chief Castles of the Kingdom into their power Montford carrying his Soveraign as his prisoner about the Country yet with all outward respect and honour the rather to procure a more quiet surrender of Garrisons So fortunate may Treason and Rebellion for a time be though in the end it commonly speeds as it deserves To tame these Rebels the Pope sends his Cardinal Legate to Excommunicate them but they trusting to the temporal sword made light of the spiritual Howbeit to the Kings great advantage there hapned so irreconcileable a difference betwixt the two great Earls of Leicester and Glocester that the
latter forsook the Barons cause and joyned himself with Roger de Mortimer and his associates to whom not long after Earl Warren and William de Valence Earl of Pembroke with other Peers united themselves and Prince Edward escaping came in safety to them the Counties of Hereford Worcester Salop and Chester coming in to their assistance When the Prince having a considerable strength marched against Montford who hearing of the Princes advance encamped at Evesham where Prince Edward inclosed him compelling him either to fight or yield The first of which he elected both Armies joyning battle before the Town of Evesham where the Earls host was with much slaughter especially of the Welsh utterly in the end distressed and discomfited Symon de Montford being slain in fight had his head hands and feet chopt off The King who had been brought a prisoner into the field by his friends valour and good hap was restored to his Liberty And he presently after this cruel battel called a Parliament at Winchester by whose approbation he seized into his hands the Charters of London and other disloyal Towns disinherited such as were on the Earls side distributing their estates amongst his well-deserving Subjects The Legate Cardinal Ottabon excommunicated the Bishops of London Winchester Worcester and Chichester for their adhering unto the Earl And now all things being calm in England Prince Edward with many of the Nobles took the Cross upon them for the Holy-Land And the King to secure the Nations peace held a Parliament at Marleborough where the statutes of Marleborough were enacted But King Henry having been at Norwich to punish the Citizens outrage in burning the Priory Church he in his return fell grievously sick at the Abby of St. Edmond in Suffolk and there died in A. D. 1272. Whose issue was Edward Edmond Sirnamed Crouchback Richard John William Henry Margaret Beatrice and Katherine This King laid the first stone of the new work of the Abby-Church at Westminster He founded the house of Converts where such as forsook the Jewish Religion had provisions for maintenance He also erected and endowed a famous Hospital at Oxford both for the entertainment of Forreigners and Pilgrims and for relief of such as were diseased He was so disposed to performing acts of charity made Leoline Prince of Wales Montfords confederate when he was threatned hardly if he would not live at peace to answer thus I more fear the Alms deeds of the King than all the men of war which he hath and his Clergy to boot King Henry because Thomas de la Linde killed a white Hart in Blackmore Forest which he much fancied set a perpetual fine upon the land which at this day is called White-Hâ—â—â—-Silver In the 17. year of his reign four mock Suns were seen from morning till evening after which followed so great a Dearth that people were forced to eat horse-flesh and barks of Trees and in London twenty thousand were famished A D. 1241. Certain Jews of Norwich were hanged for circumcising a Christian Child and their house called the Thor was destroyed A Scholler of Oxford who attempted to kill the King in his chamber at Woodstock was pulled in pieces by wild Horses Now arose in England a most monstrous impostor who pretended himself to be Christ procuring himself to be wounded in the hands feet and side thinking thereby the more easily to delude the people his punishment was immuring between two walls together with an old hag pretending her self to be the Virgin Mary there to pine to death In this Kings reign flourished in England the Irrefragable Doctor Alexander de Hales who was School-Master to the Angelic Dr. Thomas Aquinas Now also lived Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln called Romanorum Malleus who writ boldly against the Pope reproving his arrogant to call them no worse practises At Sorbiodunum or Salisbury Richard Poor then Bishop of Sarum built that stately Church which hath in it as many windows as are days in the year as many marble-pillars as hours as many doors as months Magna Charta containing the Sum of all the written Laws of England was ordained in the ninth year of Henry the third The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year William Hardel was Mayor John Travers Andrew Newland Sheriffs In his second Year Robert Serl was Mayor Thomas Bokerell Ralph Holyland Sheriffs In his third Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Benet Senturer William Blundivers Sheriffs In his fourth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor John Wail or Veil Josue le Spicer Sheriffs In his fifth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Wimbledon John Wail or Veil Sheriffs In his sixth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Renger John Veil Sheriffs In his seventh Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Joyner Thomas Lambert Sheriffs In his eight Year Richard Renger was Mayor William Joyner Thomas Lambert Sheriffs In his ninth Year Richard Renger continued Mayor John Trevers Andrew Bokerill Sheriffs In his Tenth Year Richard Renger continued Mayor John Trevers Andrew Bokerill Sheriffs In his Eleventh Year Richard Renger continued Mayor Roger Duke Martin Fitz-Williams Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Roger Duke was Mayor Stephen Bokerell Henry Cocham Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Roger Duke continued Mayor Stephen Bokerell Henry Cocham Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Roger Duke continued Mayor William Winchester Robert Fitz-John Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Roger Duke continued Mayor Richard Walter John de Woborn Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Andrew Bokerel was Mayor Michael of St. Helen Walter de Enfield Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Henry de Edmonton Gerard Bat Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Simon Fitz-Mary Roger Blunt Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Ralph Ashwy John Norman Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Gerard Bat Richard or Robert Hardel Sheriffs In his Twenty first Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Henry Cobham Jordan Coventry Sheriffs In his Twenty second Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor John Tolason Gervais the Cordwainer Sheriffs In his Twenty third Year Richard Renger was Mayor John Codras John Whilhall Sheriffs In his Twenty fourth Year William Joyner was Mayor Raymond Bongy Ralph Ashwy Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year Gerard Bat was Mayor John Gisors Michael Tony Sheriffs In his Twenty sixth Year Reymond Bongy was Mayor Thomas Duresm John Voyl Sheriffs In his Twenty seventh Year Reymond Bongy continued Mayor John Fitz-John Ralph Ashwy Sheriffs In his Twenty eighth Year Ralph Ashwy was Mayor Hugh Blunt Adam Basing Sheriffs In his Twenty ninth Year Michael Tony was Mayor Ralph Foster Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his Thirtieth Year John Gisors was Mayor Robert Cornhill Adam of Bewley Sheriffs In his Thirty first Year John Gisors continued Mayor Simon Fitz-Mary Lawrence Frowick Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Peter Fitz-Alwin was Mayor John Voil Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Michael Tony was Mayor Nicholas Fitz-Josue
Geoffry VVinchester Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Roger Fitz-Roger was Mayor Richard Hardel John Tolason Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year John Gisors was Mayor Humfrey Bat VVilliam Fitz-Richard Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Adam Basing was Mayor Lawrence Frowick Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his thirty seventh Year John Tolason was Mayor VVilliam Durham Thomas VVimbourn Sheriffs In his thirty eighth Year Richard Hardel was Mayor John Northampton Richard Pichard Sheriffs In his thirty ninth Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Ralph Ashwy Robert of Limon Sheriffs In his fortieth Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Stephen Doe Henry VValmond Sheriffs In his forty first Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Michael Bokerel John the Minor Sheriffs In his forty second Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Richard Otwel VVilliam Ashwy Sheriffs In his forty third Year Richard Hardel continued Mayor Robert Cornhil John Adrian Sheriffs In his forty fourth Year John Gisors was Mayor John Adrian Robert Cornhil Sheriffs In his forty fifth Year VVilliam Fitz-Richard was Mayor Adam Browning Henry Coventry Sheriffs In his forty sixth Year VVilliam Fitz-Richard continued Mayor John Northampton Richard Pichard Sheriffs In his forty seventh Year Thomas Fitz-Richard was Mayor John Taylor Richard VValbroke Sheriffs In his forty eighth Year Thomas Fitz-Richard continued Mayor Robert de Mountpeter Osbert de Suffolk Sheriffs Yet Fabian saith that from this 48. Year to the end of his Reign there were no Mayors of London but only Guardians of the City In his forty ninth Year Thomas Fitz-Thomas Fitz-Richard was Mayor George Rokesley Thomas de Detford Sheriffs In his fiftieth Year Thomas Fitz-Thomas Fitz-Richard continued Mayor Edward Blunt Peter Anger Sheriffs In his fifty first Year VVilliam Richards was Mayor John Hind John VValraven Sheriffs In his fifty second Year Alen de la Souch was Mayor John Adrian Lucas de Batencourt Sheriffs In his fifty third Year T VVimbourn Custos Sir Stephen Edward VValter Harvey VVilliam Duresme Sheriffs In his fifty fourth Year Hugh Fitz-Ottonis Custos of London and Constable of the Tower Thomas Basing Robert Cornhil Sheriffs To this time the Mayor and Sheriffs had been chosen but now the King grants the choice of them to the City it self In the fifty fifth Year John Adrian was Mayor VValter Potter Philip Taylor Sheriffs In his fifty sixth Year John Adrian continued Mayor Gregory Rochesly Henry VValleis Sheriffs In his fifty seventh Year Sir VValter Harvey was Mayor Richard Harris John de VVodeley Sheriffs EDWARD I. EDWARD sirnamed Long-shanks at his Father Henrys death A.D. 1272 was imployed in the holy Wars wherein he so excellently behaved himself that he gained the repute of a most valiant Souldier At Acon an assasinate wounded him with a poysoned knife which wounds his Queen Eleanor daily licked with her Tongue till therewith the poyson was extracted and the wounds healed her self receiving no harm thereby When the news of his Fathers death came to his ears he grieved much more than for the death of his Son who died a little before saying to the King of Sicily who wondred thereat that the loss of Sons is but light because they are multiplied every day but the death of Parents is irremediable because they can never be had again At his arrival in England he was most joyfully welcomed and with his dearest Eleanor was Crowned at Westminster by Robert Kilwarby Arch-Bishop of Canterbury When for the more royal celebration of the Coronation-feast of so Martial a Prince there were five hundred great horses let loose every one to take them for his own who could The first matter of remark done by King Edward after his Coronation was the subduing of Wales whose Prince Lewelin the last Prince of Britains blood had refused to do him homage but being slain his head crowned with Ivie was set upon the Tower of London In his stead the King created his own son Edward born at Caernarvon Prince of Wales And now Wales being setled in quiet the King repaired into France where he sate in person with the French King in his Parliament at Paris as a Peer of that Realm in respect of such lands as he held in those parts and being returned into England he addressed himself to purge his state from the Oppressions under which it groaned Fifteen thousand of the extorting Jews he banished out of the Land confiscating their goods His corrupt Justiciars he displaced and fined and constrained all his Justices to swear that from that time they would take no Fee Pension or Gift of any man except only a breakfast or like present He also appointed that Justices Itinerants should go their several circuits at such certain times of the year And now the Crown of Scotland by the death of Alexander the third being destitute of any apparent Heir by the umpirage of King Edward it was setled on the head of John Baliol who did homage to Edward against the minds of the Scots for the whole Kingdom of Scotland But shortly after Baliol to regain the affections of his people combined with the French against the English wherefore the King advanced against the Scots with a puissant Army drove the Scots out of the North-parts of England where they had done much mischief took Berwick Town and Castle had Dunbar yielded to him and after a cruel fight obtained a victory of great importance took the Castle of Roxbrow John Peckham A.B. Cant. had Edenbrough rendred to him so brought Baliol to sue for mercy which was granted on condition that the Scots should submit to him as their Soveraign And accordingly the Nobles of Scotland at a Parliament holden at Berwick did swear to be true Subjects to Edward for ever after and hereof a solemn Instrument was there sealed by them John the late King was sent to the Tower of London and the custody of Scotland was committed to John de Warren Earl of Surrey and Sussex Out of Edenbrough Edward took the Crown Scepter and Cloth of State Burnt their Records abrogated their Laws altered the forms of their Divine service transplanted their learnedst men unto Oxford The Marble-chair in the Abby of Schone wherein the Kings of Scotland were wont to be Crowned he sent unto Westminster This is the Chair upon which was ingraven the Famous prophetical Distich Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem That the Scots should reign wheresoever that chair should be verified in King James But King Edward drawn beyond the Seas by occasion of wars in Gascoign and for aid of friends in Flanders one William Walleys Captain of the discontented Scots put Earl Warren to flight in Scotland and all the English forces that were with him taking them at an advantage as they were passing over a narrow-bridge near Striveling where the slaughter of the English was not small Hugh de Cressingham Treasurer of Scotland for King Edward was there slain whose dead body the Scots did fley dividing his skin amongst
and his wild companions would way-lay and rob his Fathers and his own Receivers And when one of his servants was arraigned at the Kings Bench bar for felony this Prince hearing thereof posted thither commanding his Fetters to be struck off and he set at liberty and when the Judge opposed him therein commanding him upon his Allegiance to cease from such riot and keep the Kings peace he in a rage ascended the Bench and gave the Judge a blow on the face who sate still undaunted and boldly thus spake unto the Prince Sir I pray remember your self This seat which I here possess is not mine but your Fathers to whom and to his Laws you owe double obedience If his Highness and his Laws be thus violated by you who should shew your self obedient to both who will obey you when you are a Soveraign or minister execution to the Laws that you shall make Wherefore for this default in your Fathers name I commit you prisoner to the Kings Bench until his Majesties pleasure be further known With which words the Prince abashed stood mute laid by his weapons and with obeysance done went to the Prison Whilst the King his Father was crazie and kept his Chamber he through the Princes wild extravagances and set on by some Court-whisperers began both to withdraw his affections and to fear some violence against his own person from the Prince which when young Henry understood in a strange disguise he repaired to his Fathers Court accompanied with many persons of Honour His garment was a Gown of blew Satten wrought full of eye-let-holes and at every eye-let the needle left hanging with the silk it was worked with About his Arm he wore a Dogs Collar set full of S's of Gold the Tirets thereof being most fine Gold Being come to the Court he charged his followers to advance no further than the fire in the Hall whilst himself passed on to his Fathers presence before whose feet he fell confessing his youthful faults and justifying his loyalty to his person declaring himself to be so far from any disloyal attempt that if he knew any person of whom his Father stood in any danger or fear his hand according to duty should be the first to free the King of suspition yea saith he I will most gladly suffer death to ease your perplexed heart and to that end I have this day prepared my self both by confession and receiving the blessed Sacrament Wherefore I humbly beseech your Grace to free your suspition from all fears conceived against me with this dagger the stab whereof I will willingly receive at your hands and will clearly forgive my death At which the King melting into tears cast down the naked dagger which the Prince had put into his hand and raising his prostrate Son Henry Chicheley A. B. Cant. embraced and kissed him confessing that his ears had been over-credulous against him which he promised they should never be in the future But notwithstanding this Prince's youthful exploits yet when he had attained the Crown to begin a good Government he began at home banishing from his Court those unruly youths that had been his consorts commanding them either to change their manners or never to approach within ten miles of his person And chose worthy men for his Council of Estate advancing his Clergy with Power and dignity So highly careful was he for the execution of Justice that himself would every day after dinner for the space of an hour receive Petitions of the oppressed and with great equity would redress their wrongs And so nearly did the death of King Richard touch his heart that he sent to Rome to be Absolved from that guilt of his Fathers Act. In the first year of his Reign at a Parliament holden at Leicester was a Bill exhibited wherein complaint was made That the temporal lands given to the Religious houses and spiritual persons for devotion sake were either superfluous or disorderly spent Whose revenues if better imployed would serve for the defence of the Land and Honour of the King For the maintenance of fifteen Earls 1500 Knights 6200 Esquires and 100 Almes-houses for the relief of diseased and impotent people and unto the Kings Coffers Twenty thousand pounds per Annum By the Authority of this Parliament an 110 Priories alien were suppressed and their possessions given to the King and his successors for ever But to divert those in Authority from such like proceedings projects were put into the Kings head for recovery of France his rightful possession Henry Chicheley Archbishop of Canterbury suggested that King Henry as the true Heir unto his Great-grand-Father Edward the third was the true Heir to the Crown of France As for the Salique-Law alledged against the English claim he affirmed that that Text touched only those parts of Germany which lay betwixt the Rivers Elbe and Sala conquered by Charles the Great who placing the French there to inhabit because of the dishonest lives of those German-women made this Law In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant which the gloss did falsely expound for the whole Kingdom of France whose practise notwithstanding he shewed to be contrary by many experiences both in King Pepin descended of Blithud daughter to Clothair the first and by Hugh Capet as Heir to the Lady Lingard daughter to Charlemain so King Lewis called the Saint and besides that this exclusion is contrary to the word of God which alloweth women to succeed in their Fathers inheritance Numbâ— 27. King Henry now sends a summons and demand in the first place of his Dutchies of Normandy Aquitain Guyon and Anjou to which the Daulphin of France in derision sent him for a present a Tun of Paris Tennis-Balls but the King returned for answer That he would shortly send him London-Balls which should shake Paris-walls Whilst the English were making provision against the French Sir Robert Humfreville gave the Scots a considerable defeat which the French understanding with also the great preparations that Henry of England was making against them they sent over Ambassadors who at Winchester made offer of money and some Territories also the Princess Katharine to be given in marriage to King Henry so that he would conclude a peace but it was answered That without the delivery of the other Dominions belonging to the Kings Progenitors no pacification was to be made And when the Ambassadors had had their answer given them the King sent Antilop his Pursevant at Arms unto Charles King of France with Letters of defiance next made Queen Joan his Mother-in-Law Regent of the Realm then drew his Forces to Southampton commanding his followers there to attend him on such a day The King of France on the other part makes all the preparation he could to defend himself and to offend the King of England To Grey a Privy-Councellor Scroop Lord Treasurer and the Earl of Cambridge Son of Edmond Duke of York he sent 't is said a Million of Gold to betray
VVarwick fled into France thinking to take sanctuary at Callis but there the Lord Vawclear whom VVarwick had substituted his Deputy denied them admittance bidding them defiance with his great Guns for which good service King Edward mad Vawâ—leaâ— himself Governour of Callis But though these Lords were rejected here yet were they with great respect received at the â—rench Court K. Lewis furnishing them with aids which effected they set sail and landed at Dartmouth from whence Warwick marched towards London proclaiming Henry King and commanding all from sixteen to sixty upon a great penalty to take arms against the Usurper Edward Duke of York And incredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who a little before applauded and approved none but King Edward The Bastard Fawconbridg in the West and the Earl of Pembroke in Wales every-where proclaimed King Henry also And the Lord Montacute who having mustered 6000 men in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham drew them back again alledging King Edward's ungratefulness to his friends Every one cryed now A King Henry a King Henry a Warwick a Warwick and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot that King Edward was forced to flye beyond the seas His Queen Elizabeth stole out of the Tower and took sanctuary in Westminster where on the 4th of November she was delivered of a son which without all pomp was there also baptized by the name of Edward Other Sanctuaries were also full of Edwards Friends And now the Kentish men took the opportunity to rob spoil and do much harm about London and some in London it self and more would have done had not the Earl of Warwick come in to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before On October 6 the said Earl entred the Tower wherein King Henry had been detained prisoner almost the space of 9 years whom he released and restored to him the title of King and forthwith conveyed him through London to the Bishops palace where a pompous Court was kept till the 13 of the same month on which day Henry went Crowned to St. Pauls the Earl of Warwick bearing his Train and Earl of Oxford the Sword the people crying God save King Henry November 26 following a certain Parliament was begun at Westminster wherein K. Edward was declared a Traytor to his Country an Usurper of the Crown and had all his goods confiscate the like judgment passed against his adherents John Tiptoft Earl of Worcester was beheaded All the Statutes made by K. Edward were revoked The Crowns of England and France entailed to K. Henry and his Heirs Male and for want of such unto George Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick was made Governour of the Land in those turbulent times But K. Edward having received some aids from the Duke of Burgundy and the promises of more in England landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire At his first arrival he seemed to lay aside his claim to the Crown pretending only to his rights as a private person howbeit when he had possest himself of York and got his friends about him he then marched in an hostile manner till he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother Clarence brought in to his assistance 4000 men And Clarence reconciled to K. Edward sought to draw in Warwick to which end he sent messengers to him to the Town of Warwick where he then lay but Warwick bade the Messengers go tell the Duke from him That he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that ere his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his life at his enemies foot which he doubted not should be bought very dear This stout resolution made Edward more wary therefore he hastens forward to obtain London whither when he was come the Citizens set open their Gates to him And now peaceable Henry becomes Prisoner again to K. Edward who hearing of Warwicks advance towards London draws forth his forces to meet him taking Henry along with him and upon Gladmore neer Barnet on Easterday in the morning the Kings and Earls hosts joyned Battel the best of the day for a while being Warwicks but at length through the fogginess and darkness of the Air the Stars embroidered on the Earl of Oxfords mens Coats who were in the left wing of the Battel were mistaken for the Sun which K. Edwards men wore in which error VVarwicks Battalion le ts fly at their own fellows that were in great forwardness of gaining the victory and they not knowing the cause of the errour judged themselves betrayed whereupon the Earl of Oxford with 800 men quit the Field Which great VVarwick perceiving he couragiously animated his men and furiously rushed into the midst of his enemies battel so far that he could not be rescued where valiantly fighting he was slain Marquis Montacute making forward to relieve him was also slain whereby ended that bloody days task On King Edward's part died the Lord Cromwel Lord Bourchier Lord Barnes and Sir John Lisle On the other part the Earl of Warwick and his brother John Nevil Marquis Montacute On both sides ten thousand most of which were buried upon the same plain where afterwards a Chappel was built In this same year 1471 and within few weeks after this was a battel fought at Tewksbury betwixt King Edward and the Martial Queen Margaret the defeat hapning to the Queen On whose side were slain John Lord Sommerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delves Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whittingham and Sir John Lewkner with three hundred others Amongst them that fled Prince Edward King Henries son was one him Sir Richard Crofts apprehended and presented him to the King whom the King a while beheld with austere countenance at last demanded of him How he durst with Banner display'd so presumptuously disturb his Realm To which the Prince answered That what he did was to recover his Fathers Kingdomes and his most rightful inheritance How darest thou then added the Prince which art his subject display thy Colours against him thy Liege-Lord Which answer so moved King Edward that he dashed the Prince on the mouth with his Gantlet and Richard Duke of Glocester with some of the Kings servants most shamefully murdred him at the Kings feet His body was buried in the Monastery of the black Friars at Tewksbury Edmond Duke of Sommerset the Pryor of St. Johns with many Knights and Esquires were taken forth of Sanctuary and executed at Tewksbury Queen Margaret in this fatal day of battel took into a religious house from whence she was taken and committed to sure and strait keeping in which condition she remained till such time that she was ransomed by her Father Duke Renate May 20 King Edward entred London and in few days after the Crookback'd Duke of Glocester stabbed harmless King Henry to the heart Whose
Mayor Stephen Slaney Henry Billingsley Sheriffs In her seven and twentieth Year Sir Wolstone Dixie vvas Mayor Anthony Ratcliffe Henry Pranel Sheriffs In her eight and twentieth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor George House William Elkin Sheriffs In her nine and twentieth Year Sir George Bond was Mayor Thomas Skinner John Catcher Sheriffs In her thirtieth Year Sir Martin Calthorp served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Hugh Offley Richard Saltonstall Sheriffs In her one and thirtieth Year Sir John Hart was Mayor Richard Gurney Stephen Some Sheriffs In her two and thirtieth Year Sir John Allot served one part Sir Rowland Heyward the other Nicholas Mosley Robert Brook Sheriffs In her three and thirtieth Year Sir William Webbe was Mayor VVilliam Rider Benet or Benedict Barnham Sheriffs In her four and thirtieth Year Sir William Roe was Mayor John Garret or Gerrard Robert Taylor Sheriffs In her five and thirtieth Year Sir Cuthbert Buckle served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Paul Banning Peter Haughton Sheriffs In her six and thirtieth Year Sir John Spencer was Mayor Robert Lee Thomas Bennet Sheriffs In her seven and thirteth Year Sir Stephen Slaney was Mayor Thomas Lowe Leonard Halliday Sheriffs In her eight and thirtieth Year Sir Thomas Skinner served one part Sir Henry Billingsley the other John Wats Richard Godard Sheriffs In her nine and thirtieth Year Sir Richard Saltonstall was Mayor Henry Roe John More Sheriffs In her fortieth Year Sir Stephen Some was Mayor Edward Holmedon Robert Hampson Sheriffs In her one and fortieth Year Sir Nicholas Mosley was Mayor Humphrey Walde Roger Clerk Sheriffs In her two and fortieth Year Sir William Rider was Mayor Thomas Smith Thomas Cambel VVilliam Craven Sheriffs In her three and fortieth Year Sir John Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Henry Anderson William Glover Sheriffs In her four and fortieth Year Sir Robert Lee was Mayor James Pemberton John Swinerton Sheriffs JAMES A. D. 1602 KING James his Title to the Crown of England sprung from Henry the seventh whose Issue 〈◊〉 the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret his eldest daughter was the next Heir which Lady Margaret being married unto James the fourth King of Scotland by him had Issue James the fifth whose only daughter and Child Queen Mary was the Mother of King James the sixth of that name that had swayed the Scepter in Scotland Which learned Prince when he heard of the death of Queen Elizabeth set forward out of Scotland and was with great joy received of all his English Subjects in his way to London and at his approach unto that honourable City the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with five hundred choice Citizens all in Chains of Gold and well-mounted met his Majesty and with all solemn observance attended him unto the Charter-house Then preparations were made for his Coronation but before the day appointed thereunto a Proclamation came forth that no Citizen should presume to approch the Court the City having buried in one week above one thousand of the plague And yet a greater plague than this was intended against England about the Kings coming in had not God in his mercy prevented it For Pope Clement the eighth having sent unto Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuites in England two Bulls therein prohibiting any to be admitted to the Crown unless he would first tolerate the Romish Religion and by all his best endeavours advance that Catholique cause Hereupon the Popes creatures to do their unholy Father the best service they could combined with some whom private discontents had discomposed to surprise the Kings person and Prince Henry intending to retain them prisoners in the Tower or if they could not gain the Tower then to carry them to Dover-Castle and there to keep them till they had brought the King to their own terms and compleated their designs The persons accused for this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brook and Bartholomew Brooksby Esquires Anthony Copley Gentleman Watson and Clark Priests A. D. 1603 and July 21 King James and Queen Anne were Crowned at Westminster by John Whitguift Archbishop of Canterbury and when the Coronation was over the Conspirators were conveyed to Winchester where the Term was then kept because of the plague at London and there had their Tryal and were all condemned by their Jury save Sir Edward Parham Howbeit only three of them were executed namely Watson Clark and George Brook This business thus Transacted for the safety of King and Kingdom his Majesty to gratify the Puritan or Presbyterian party that had petitioned for a reformation in the English Church commanded an Assembly of selected Divines to appear in his Royal presence at Hampton-Court whither the summoned accordingly repaired Persons summoned to maintain the cause of the Church of England were the Archbishop of Canterbury Bishops of London Durham Winchester c. Persons for the reformation of the Church were Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Sparks of Oxford Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chaderton of Cambridge At this conference his Majesty notably vindicated the Church of England see the conference at Hampton-Court Printed 1604. After an indeavour of setling Church-peace the King commanded a new Translation of the holy Scriptures which was accordingly done A. D. 1604 and August the nineteenth was peace proclaimed betwixt the two Nations of Spain and England And the King to joyn the Nations of England and Scotland into an happy unity caused himself by Proclamation to be stiled King of Great Britain A Proclamation also came forth commanding all Jesuites and Seminary Priests out of the Land but these under-miners of Church and State mean not to leave England so but design to stay and triumph in its ruins purposing by one fatal-blow to destroy the King the Prince the Peers both temporal and Spiritual the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament And the Traytors intent when that damnable villany should be effected was to surprize the Queen and remainder of the Kings Issue Richard Bancroft A. B. Cant. to bring in forreign powers and to alter Religion Sir Edward Baynham an Attainted person was sent to the Pope to acquaint him with the designed Gun-powder-Treason and Thomas Winter brought with him out of Flanders Guy Fawks as a fit Executioner of their hellish project The Conspirators resolved among themselves that it was lawful for case of Conscience to destroy the innocent with the nocent and this by the Authority and judgment of Garnet himself Then they took Oath of secresy swearing by the blessed Trinity and the Sacrament they then were about to receive never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstance this their Plot in hand nor any of them to desist from the Execution thereof until the rest of the Conspirators should give leave This done Mr. Thomas Piercy hired an house next adjoyning to the Parliament-House pretending it to be for his Lodgings and
from him and the County of Ponthieu he surprized before King Edward heard thereof Wherefore the King sent over John Duke of Lancaster and Humphry de Bohun Earl of Hartford to invade France who pierced up as far as Roan and after them the King sent that renowned Captain Sir Robert Knolls who went on very prosperously till by the instigation of Sir John Mensterworth and some others who thought themselves better than Sir Robert a division was made in the Army whereby the English fortunes were hindred for the which Mensterworth paid the loss of his head About the same time also some great Officers of the Kings as John Duke of Lancaster the Lord Latimer and Sir John Sterrie were complained of for fraudulency to the State and at the request of the Parliament called The good were displaced But that which caused the greatest grief to English-men was the loss of their Martial Prince Edward who left this life upon Trinity Sunday 1376 about his age 46 and was buryed at Canterbury Nor did his Martial Father long survive him for in A. D. 1377. he dyed at Shene in Surrey and was buryed as Westminster His Issue were Edward the black Prince so called from his dreadful valorout Acts William of Hatfield Lionel Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Simon Sudbury A. B Cant. Edmond Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York William of Windsor Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester Isabel Joan Blanch and Margaret He built Queenborough in Kent in honour of Queen Philip his Wife He erected a building at Windsor-Castle whose circumference was six hundred foot where Knights and men of War were to have their entertainment of Diet at his charge and begun a magnificent Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary which King Henry the eight and Sir Reginald Bray finished He is also said to be the Founder of the most Noble Order of the Garter so intituled perhaps from the Garter he took up of the Countess of Salisburies which slipped off in a dance perhaps for that in a battel wherein he was victorious Garter was the Word or Signal But some will have this King to be only the Reviver of this Order and Richard the first to be the Institutor of it King Edward confirmed Magna Charta about twelve times He restrained the Pope from conferring English Benefices on strangers He invited Cloth-workers to repair hither out of Forreign parts to whom he granted sundry priviledges The staple of wools which had been in Flanders he revoked establishing the same in Westminster Canterbury Chichester Bristol Lincoln and Hull The famous custom of the Kings of England Washing Feeding and Clothing of as many poor people upon Maundy Thursday as they are years old is referred to the celebration which this King made of his fifth year His Concubâ—e Alice Pierce was so insolent Simon Sudbury A. B. Cant. that she would go into the Courts of Justice where sitting by the Judges and Doctors she would proudly perswade or disswade for her most advantage therefore was complained of in Parliament and removed from the person of the King At a Parliament held the thirty seventh of his Reign the wearing of Gold and Silver Silks and rich Furs were forbidden to be worn by any but eminent Persons also the Labourer and Husbandman was limited to the eating of such certain meats An Act was likewise made that no common whore should wear any Hood except striped with divers colours nor Furs but garments with the wrong side outward At Stamford in Lincolnshire an University was instituted but of short continuance A blazing-Star appeared which continued thirty days Southhampton was burnt by the French A. D. 1348 It rained from Midsummer till Christmas A plague all over Christendom some say the World and so raging in England that scarce the Tenth person of all sorts was left alive In London it was such that in one years space there was buryed in the Cistercian or Charter-House Church-yard above fifty thousand It began in the year 1348 and continued till the year 1357 and was seconded with murrain of Cattle and dearth of all things Now flourished in the University of Oxford that Famous Doctor John Wickliffe whose followers in those Popish-times were called Lolards from Lolium signifying tares or hurtful weeds amongst Corn. The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Henry Darcy John Hawton Sheriffs In his second Year John Grantham was Mayor Simon Francis Henry Cobmartin Sheriffs In his third Year Richard Swanland was Mayor Richard Lazer William Gisors Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor Robert of Ely Thomas Worwode Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Pountney continued Mayor John Mocking Andrew Aubery Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Preston was Mayor Nicholas Pike John Husband Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor John Hammond William Hanford Sheriffs In his eighth Year Reginald at the Conduit was Mayor John Kingstone Walter Turk Sheriffs In his ninth Year Reginald at the Conduit continued Mayor Walter Mordon Richard Vpton Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor John Clark W. Curtes Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Henry Darcy was Mayor Walter Neale Nicholas Crane Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Henry Darcy continued Mayor William de Pomfret Hugh Marbler Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Andrew Aubery was Mayor William Thorney Roger Frosham Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Andrew Aubery continued Mayor Adam Lucas Bartholomew Morris Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year John of Oxenford was Mayor Richard de Barking John de Rokesley Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Simon Francis was Mayor John Loufkin Richard Killingbury Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year John Hammond was Mayor John Steward John Aylesham Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year John Hammond continued Mayor Geoffry Witchingham Thomas â—eg Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Richard Lazer was Mayor Edmund Hemenhall John of Glocester Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Geoffry Witchingham was Mayor John Croydon William Clopton Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Thomas Leggy was Mayor Adam Brampson Richard Fas or Bas Sheriffs In his twenty second Year John Loufkin was Mayor Henry Bicard Simon Doleby Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Walter Turk was Mayor Adam of Bury Ralph of Lynne Sheriffs In his twenty fourth Year Richard Killingbury was Mayor John Notte VVilliam of Worcester Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year Andrew Aubery was Mayor John Wroth Gilbert of Stenineshorpe Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Adam Francis was Mayor John Peace John Stotley Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Adam Francis continued Mayor William Wold John Little Sheriffs In his twenty eight Year Thomas Leggy was Mayor William Nottingham Roger Smelt Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Simon Francis was Mayor Thomas Foster Thomas Brandon Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Henry Picard was Mayor Richard Nottingham Thomas Dolsel Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir John Stody was Mayor Stephen Candish Bartholomew Frostling
raised a Rebellion in VVales but Glendour against the Kings coming had withdrawn himself with his surest friends into the Fastnesses of Snowden wherefore the King only made some spoil in the Country and returned Many vvere the plots that vvere still made against the King but the contrivers were discovered and put to death among whom were many Monks And now Glendour having taken the Lord Mortimer prisoner with no small slaughter of his Herefordshire-men the King marched again into Wales where while he stayed he was in great danger to have perished by sudden storms and rains the like whereof his people had never seen or felt The common fame went that Glendour was a Conjurer and had raised those hideous Thâ—â—â—pâ—â—â— by â—lish Arts. In the No◠〈…〉 forces were more fortunate against the Scotts for at Halidon-hill Henry Hot-spur obtained a great victory taking prisoners the Earls of Douglas Fife Angus Murray and Orkney the Lords Montgomery Erskin and Grave with about eighty Knights besides Esquires and Gentlemen And besides what Scots were slain in battel there were about five hundred of those which fled from the fight drowned in the River Tweed But that Henry might have little joy of his ill-gotten greatness the Piercies they raised a dangerous Rebellion wherein indeed they pretended a care for the Common-wealths reformation though they really intended the advancement of their own private interests for it was agreed amongst the conspirators that the Kingdom should be shared betwixt Mortimer Earl of March Piercy and Owen Glendour South England to Mortimer North England to Piercy and Wales beyond Severn to Glendour and Archenbald Earl of Douglas vvas allowed as a sharer to be freed from ransom and to have Berwick for his ovvn Thus agreed they fortify Shrewsbury vvhither the King advanceth vvith his Army vvhere a terrible battel vvas fought and therein Hot-spur slain and his Host vanquished The Earls of Dunglas Worcester Sir Richard Vernon and Baron Kindleton vvith divers others vvere taken though not vvithout great danger of the Kings life and the death of many persons of quality on his side Henry Hot-spurs body was drawn out of the Grave Beheaded and Quartred and the parts sent to be set up in divers places of the Kingdom The Earl of Worcester Vernon and Kindleton were Beheaded The Earl of Northumberland who was taken by the way as he was bringing Forces out of the North to joyn with those at Shrewsbury had his life pardoned The year following a Parliament was holden at Coventry called the Lack-learning-Parliament either for the unlearnedness of the persons or for their malice to learned men For in order to supply the Kings wants a Bill was exhibited against the temporalties of the Clergy but by the courage of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Kings care of the Church their motion was fruitless A. D. 1405 another conspiracy was made against King Henry the chief in which conspiracy were Thomas Mowbray Earl Marshal and Richard le Scrope Archbishop of York who being taken were both Beheaded But the Pope excommunicated all such that had a hand in putting the Archbishop to death Another fresh report of King Richards being alive was again spread abroad when the Earl of Northumberland and Lord Bardolph sought to raise an Army in the North but were encountred by the Sheriff of York-shire who after a sharp conflict slew the Earl in the field and mortally vvounded the Lord Bardolph The Earls head vvas cut off and after it had been ignominiously carryed through London vvas fixed on the Bridge A. D. 1413 the King fell sick and as some report in this his last sickness he caused his Crown to be set on a pillow at his beds-head when suddenly the pangs of his Apoplexy seized on him so violently that all supposed him to be dead At which instant Prince Henry coming in took away the Crown but his Father recovering out of his fit quickly missed it and understanding who had taken it away caused his son to be called unto him of whom he demanded what he meant to bereave him of that whereunto he had yet no right The Prince boldly replyed Long may you live Sovereign Father to wear it your self but all men deeming that you was gone to Inherit another Crown this being my right I took it as my own but now do acknowledge it for none of mine And therewith set the Crown where he found it O Son quoth the Father with what right I got it God only knovveth vvho forgive me the sin But hovvsoever it vvas got said the Son I mean to keep it and defend it vvhen it shall be mine vvith my Svvord as you by the Svvord have obtained it The King dyed at London and vvas buried at Canterbury His Issue vvere Henry Thomas Duke of Clarence John Duke of Bedford Humphrey Duke of Glocester Blanch and Philippa A great Plague befel throughout England chiefly in London vvhere vvithin a short space it destroyed thirty thousand In the ninth year of his reign a Snovv continued December January February and March The Winter vvas so very sharp and long that almost all small Birds perished through hunger A little before the Rebellion of the Piercies vvas a strange Apparition betvveen Bedford and Bickleswade vvhere sundry Monsters of divers colours in the shapes of armed men vvere often seen to issue out of the Woods in the morning vvhich to such as stood far off seemed to encounter one another in most terrible manner but vvhen they drevv near nothing vvas to be found Because the number of Lolards so called increased an Act vvas made for the punishing of them by burning The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir Thomas Knolls was Mayor William Waldren William Hende Sheriffs In his second Year Sir John Francis was Mayor John Wakel William Ebot Sheriffs In his third Year Sir John Shadworth was Mayor William Venor John Fremingham Sheriffs In his fourth Year John Walcot was Mayor Richard Marlow Robert Câ—icâ—y Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir William Ascham was Mayor Thomas Falconer Thomas Pool Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Hinde was Mayor William Louth Stephen Spilman Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir John Woodcock was Mayor Henry Barton William Cromer Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir Richard Whittingham vvas Mayor Nicholas Watton Geoffry Brooke Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir William Stondon vvas Mayor Henry Ponfract Henry Halton Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir Drew Barentine was Mayor Thomas Buck VVilliam Norton Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Richard Marlow vvas Mayor John Law VVilliam Chichely Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir Thomas Knolls was Mayor John Penne Thomas Pike Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir Robert Chichely was Mayor John Rainwel VVilliam Cotton Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year VVilliam VValden vvas Mayor Ralph Lovenham VVilliam Sevenoke Sheriffs HENRY V. A. D. 1413 HENRY of Monmouth whilst he was Prince did many things very incongruous to the greatness of his birth For he
of his place and committed to the Tower for some days A. D. 1621 the Count Palatine of the Rhine was elected King of Bohemia by the States of that Kingdom but immediately after the Emperor with great forces assaulted him in Prague drove him with his Wife and Children from thence and deprived him of his Patrimony the Palatinate Prince Charles about this time by great Gundamores perswasion was sent into Spain in order to the gaining of the Infanta to Wife it being suggested that by that match with Spain a re-settlement of the Prince Palatine in his Patrimony might have been procured But when the Prince was arrived in Spain though he found Royal entertainment in the Court yet was he suffered to have little acquaintance with the Infanta insomuch that in all his eight months stay in Spain he never spake with her but twice and that before company with certain limitations also what he should speak to her Some thought that a difference betwixt the Duke of Buckingham then with the Prince and Count Olivares the King of Spains great Favourite was no small obstruction to the match Others thought that the King of Spain never intended any such thing but meant only by this Treaty to spin out time till he had compassed some designs in the Low-Countries and Palatinate But howsoever it was Gundamore made some good improvement of the Treaty to himself for he perswaded some English Ladies of the certainty of the match and they gave him good Sums of money to be put in such or such an Office when the Spanish Princess should come to the English Court King James at last wearied with delaies if not angred with the delusion sent for the Prince to return which accordingly he did and not long after this Treaty of marriage with Spain was utterly ended and the King made preparations both of men and money to recover the Palatinate and sent to Treat of a marriage with France A. D. 1525 and March 27th this Politick and Peaceable Monarch King James died of an Ague at Theobalds and was buried at Westminster with great solemnity and greater lamentations of his Subjects His Issue were Henry Charles Elizabeth And Mary and Sophia who both died young Two obstinate Arian-Hereticks Bartholomew Legat and Edward Wightman were burnt the first in Smithfield the other at Lichfield George Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury being on hunting as he shot at a Deer his Arrow by mischance glanced and killed a man but he was cleared yet out of a Religious tenderness he kept the day of the year on which the mischance hapned with a solemn fast all his life after The murder of one VVaters murdered by his Wife was discovered by a dream One of the said VVaters neighbours dreamed that VVaters was strangled and buried in such a certain dunghill which upon search was found true and the Wife was burned for the fact A. D. 1606 Virginia was planted with an English Colony It was first discovered A. D. 1584 by Sir VValter Rawleigh who is said to have first brought that charming weed Tobacco into England The Bermudas and New-England were also made English Plantations King James for a sum of money quit the Cautionary Towns Brill c. A. D. 1612 A blazing Star was seen streaming toward the West infinite slaughters and devastations following both in Germany and other places Mayors and Sheriffs of London in his Reign In his first Year Sir Thomas Bennet was Mayor Sir William Rumney Sir Thomas Middleton Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Low was Mayor Sir Thomas Hayes Sir Roger Jones Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Leonard Hollyday was Mayor Sir Clement Scudamor Sir John Jolles Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir John VVats was Mayor William VValthall John Leman Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir Henry Row was Mayor Geoffrey Elwes Nicholas Style Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir Humphrey VVeld vvas Mayor George Bolles Richard Farrington Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Thomas Cambell vvas Mayor Sebastian Harvey William Cockaine Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Craven vvas Mayor Richard Pyat Francis Jones Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir James Pemberton was Mayor Edward Barkham John Smiths Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John Swinnerton vvas Mayor Edward Rotheram Alexander Prescot Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir Thomas Middleton vvas Mayor Thomas Bennet Henry Jaye Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir Thomas Hayes was Mayor Peter Proby Martin Lumley Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Jolles was Mayor VVilliam Goare John Goare Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Sir John Leman was Mayor Allen Cotten Cuthbert Hacket Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Sir George Bolles vvas Mayor William Holyday Robert Johnson Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year Sir Sebastian Harvey was Mayor Richard Hearne Hugh Hamersley Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir William Cockaine vvas Mayor Richard Deane James Cambell Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir Francis Jones was Mayor Edward Allen Robert Ducie Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir Edward Barkham was Mayor George Whitemore Nicholas Rainton Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Sir Peter Proby was Mayor John Hodges Sir Humphrey Hantford Sheriffs In his one and twentieth Year Sir Martin Lumley was Mayor Ralph Freeman Thomas Mounson Sheriffs In his two and twentieth Year Sir John Goare was Mayor Rowland Heilin Robert Parkhurst Sheriffs CHARLES I. CHARLES the First was born at Dunferling in Scotland on November the nineteenth A. D. 1600 A. D. 1625. but in so much weakness that his Baptisme was hastned In the second year of his age he was created Duke of Albany Marquess of Ormond Earl of Ross and Baron of Ardmonack In the fourth year of his age he was brought to the English Court and made Knight of the Bath and invested with the Title of Duke of York In his eleventh year he was made Knight of the Garter and in his twelfth year Duke of Cornwal In his sixteenth year he was created Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Flint the revenues thereof being assigned to maintain his Court. In his nineteenth year he performed a Justing at White-hall wherein he acquitted himself with a bravery equal to his dignity A. D. 1622 he was sent into Spain there to contract a marriage with the Infanta whither he was to pass incognito through France accompanyed only with the Marquess of Buckingham Mr. Endymion Porter and Mr. Francis Cottington But this attempt of King James in sending him to the Court of Spain raised the censures of the World upon him as being too forgetful of the inhospitality of Princes to each other when they have been found in an others Dominions And this none other daring to mind the King of his Jester Archee did it after this manner He came to exchange Caps with the King why so said King James because said Archee thou hast sent the Prince into Spain from whence he is never like to return But said the King what wilt thou say when thou seest him come back again Marry saith the
Commons of England in Parliament assembled have appointed them a High Court of Justice for the Trying of Charles Stuart King of England before whom he had been three times convened and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other crimes and misdemeanors was read in behalf of England c. To which Charge the said Charles Stuart refused several times to answer c. for all which Treasons and crimes mentioned in the Charge this Court doth adjudg the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murderer and publick enemy to be put to death by severing his Head from his Body This Sentence being read the Members of the Court approved it by holding up their hands His Majesty offered to speak after the Sentence which Bradshaw would not suffer him to do but commanded him to be taken away when in his passing along the Soldiers reviled him with many irreverent taunts blew their stinking Tobacco into his face which they knew to be very distasteful to him and one or two more barbarous than the rest spit in his face the good King wiping it off again and saying My Saviour suffered far more than this for me And when the rude Soldiers instructed by their Commanders cried out Justice Justice Execution Execution this pious King pitied their blindness saying Poor souls for a piece of money they would do as much for their Commanders Such as pull'd off their Hats or bowed to him as he was carrying back to his imprisonment the Soldiers beat with their fists and weapons and knocked down one dead but for saying God be merciful unto him January the 28th this right Christian King was guarded from Whitehall to St. James's where Dr. Juxon Bishop of London preached before him on these words In the day when God shall judg the secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Rom. 2.16 January the 29th the Lady Elizabeth and Duke of Gloucester being admitted to take their last Farewell of their condemned Father his Majesty after he had given his blessing to the Princess Elizabeth bad her tell her Brother James whenever she should see him that 't was his Fathers last desire That he should no more look upon Charles as his Eldest Brother only but be obedient to him as his Soveraign and that they should love one the other and forgive their Fathers enemies He also bad her to read Bishop Andrews Sermons Hooker 's Ecclesiastical Policy and Bishop Laud against Fisher which would ground her against Popery wished her not to grieve for him for he should die a glorious death it being for the Laws and Liberties of the Land and for maintaining the Protestant Religion Bad her tell her Mother That his thoughts had never strayed from her and that his love should be the same unto the last Then gave her his Blessing bidding her to send his Blessing to the rest of her Brothers and Sisters and commendations to all his friends To the Duke of Gloucester he said He heard the Army intended to make him King but that he told him he must not accept so long as his two Elder Brothers were living commanded him to fear the Lord and he would provide for him Tuesday January the 30th in the morning the Bishop of London read Divine Service in his Majesties presence when the 27th Chapter of St. Mathew's Gospel the History of our Saviours Crucifixion fell out to be the second Lesson After Morning-prayer the King received the Sacrament and performed private Devotions in preparation to his Passion which being ended about Ten of the Clock this most Christian King was brought from St. James's to Whitehall by a Regiment of Foot and a private Guard of Partizans the Bishop on one hand of him and Colonel Thomlinson who had the charge of him on the other both bare headed His Majesty walked very fast and bad them go faster thus saying That he now went before them to strive for an Heavenly Crown with less solicitude than he had often encouraged his Soldiers to fight for an Earthly Diadem Being come into the Cabinet-Chamber in Whitehall where he used to lodg he there pass'd the time for near two hours in his Devotion about Twelve he eat a bit of bread and drank a glass of Clarret and towards One Col. Hacker with other Officers and Soldiers brought him through the Banquetting-house and through a Window of that upon a Scaffold which was hung with Black Divers Companies of Foot and Troops of Horse were placed on each side of the Street which hindred the approach of the very numerous spectators therefore the King directed his Speech chiefly to Col. Thomlinson therein declaring his innocency how that he began not the War with his two Houses of Parliament calling God to witness that he never intended to incroach upon their priviledges but they began upon him and that he believed that ill instruments betwixt him and them had been the cause of all the bloodshed Then acknowledged Gods Judgments to be just upon himself in suffering an unjust sentence to pass upon him for that he had suffered an unjust sentence to be executed upon another meaning upon the Earl of Strafford Then declared himself to be a good Christian having forgiven all the World and even those in particular who ever they were that had been the chief causers of his death desiring God to forgive them and that they might repent of that great sin praying with St. Stephen that this might not be laid to their charge and wished they might take the right way for the peace of the Kingdom which was he said by giving God his due in regulating rightly his Church according to the Scriptures By giving the King his due being directed by the Laws of the Land By giving the people their due in having Government under those Laws by which their lives and goods might be most their own and not be subject to an Arbitrary power for the opposing of which said he it is that I am brought to the Scaffold for if said he I would have given way to an Arbitrary power or way to have all Laws changed according to the power of the Sword I need not to have come here and therefore I tell you and pray God it be not laid to your charge that I am the Martyr of the People Then he declared he died a Christian according to the Profession of the Church of England as he found it left him by his Father After this he discoursed with the Bishop to whom he gave his George to be sent to the Prince then preparing himself for the Block he said I have a good cause and a gracious God on my side I go from a corruptible to an incorruptible Crown where is no disturbance no disturbance in the world Then having said a few words to himself as he stood with hands and eyes lift up he laid his neck upon the Block and after a short pause stretching forth his hands the Vizarded Executioner at one