discovered his anger against the Lords who had forced his consent to their Banishment which he made appear upon this occasion The younger Spencer having got a few Ships together robbed and pillaged the Merchants of England and all other Nations in the Narrow Seas upon which they Petitioned that a Fleet might be set out to seize and Execute him as a Pyrate and notorious Thief the King smiled seeming to rejoyce thereat and instead of punishing him pardoned them both recalled them from Banishment to despight the Barons and raised them to higher Honour and Offices than before The Lords inraged hereat especially since the Spencers affronted them openly upon all occasions they resolved on revenge and to that purpose immediately raise a strong Army and take the Field and the King with the two Spencers and some other of the Nobles did the like and many sharp encounters passed between them the Lords forgetting they undutifully fought against their Soveraign and the King that his Cruelty had compelled them to take Arms In the end when many of the Barons and thousands of their adherents were slain they fled and were pursued by the King who took the Earls of Lancaster Hereford and many other Lords two and twenty of whom were beheaded in diverse parts of the Realm to the great terror of the People This success made the Spencers yet more insolent so that now they made their Will a Law in all things and presuming that all would be done they desired they persuaded the King to call a Parliament at York in which he created his eldest Son Edward Prince of Wales and Duke of Aquitan Old Hugh Spencer was made Earl of Winchester and Sir Andrew Harkly who was very active against the Lords Earl of Carlisle he likewise exacted the sixth penny of all Mens Estates in England Wales and Ireland whereat the People grievously complained alledging that they were quite impoverished by Famine and Dearth but especially by reason of the disorders in the Government The Scots having notice that K. Edward resolved to revenge the wrongs committed against his Subjects under Robert Bruce their usurping King to divert him invaded Ireland with strong Force but the King being forewarned had sufficiently provided against their landing so that most of them were slain and the rest forced to fly to their Ships and return shamefully home The King now thinking himself invincible marches with a brave Army into Scotland where the Scots being well-armed and many thousands in number pretended to give him Battel when they intended nothing less for as Edward approached they withdrew into the Woods Forrests and Mountains whereby the English Army were soon extreamly distressed by Storms Rain Frost Snow and Hail and likewise with want of Provisions which caused great Mortality so that without performing any thing Honourable he began to retire which the Scots perceiving they pursued him with all cruelty and violence and falling upon his Army forced the King to save himself by flight and leave behind him his Treasure Ordinance and Provisions This disaster happened by the treachery of Sir Andrew Harkley who having privately received Money of the Scots designed to betray the King for which Treason he after lost his Head The Queen being sensible of the malice of the Spencers against her who estranged the King from her Company and Bed and lamenting the late slaughter of many of the Nobility and the continued misery of the Nation she with her Son Prince Edward fled into France to her Brother King Charles where she was at first received with great joy and Promises of assistance the Barons likewise by Letters assuring her of their Service to her self and Son But the Spencers by unvaluable Presents to K. Charles and his Courtiers soon took him off that instead of assistance he reproved his Sister for leaving her Husband the Pope being likewise obliged by the same means required the French King upon pain of his Curse to send the Queen and Prince to Edward and she hardly escaped being betray'd by her own Brother but privately getting into the Empire by means of Sir Robert Artois her kinsman she was joyfully entertained by the Lord Beaumont and his Brother who accompanied her and her Son with three hundred Knights and Gentlemen and landed in England at which the Barons rejoycing soon joyned with her increasing hourly so that the King hastened to Wales to raise Forces leaving the Government of London to Walter Stapleton L. Treasurer and Bishop of Exeter a great Favourite of the Spencers and an Enemy to the Queen and therefore generally hated by the Citizens who abhorring his proud and insolent Government caused his head to be struck off at the Standard in Cheapside without any Legal Tryal and then violently rushing into the Tower slew all they found there keeping that and the City for the Queen and Prince K. Edward upon this revolt chang'd his purpose and posting to Bristow fortified the Town and Castle Sir Hugh Spencer the Father and Son being with him and the Earl of Arundel was made Governour resolving to defend it with all their might but soon after the City was besieged and taken by the Queen and Lords and the Earl of Arundel and Spencer the Father taken Prisoners but the King and Young Spencer being besieged in the Castle not trusting to the strength thereof got out privately in the Night and put themselves in a small Fisherboat but every day for a whole week when the Boat went to Sea it was driven back again near the Castle which the L. Beaumont observing he with a small Vessel chased the Boat and took her wherein he found the King and young Spencer whom they so much desired and brought them to the Queen who presenting them before the besieged in the Castle they presently surrendred Old Spencer the Earl of Winchester and the Earl of Arundel whose Daughter was married to the younger Spencer were beheaded and the King being in an honourable restraint the Queen Prince and Barons with a strong Army marched toward London carrying young Spencer in Triumph before whom several Fidlers and Pipers sung danced and play'd scornfully upon Reeds through every Town and Village as they past where being come he was bound to the top of an high Ladder and his Heart and Privy-members being burnt his Head was set on London Bridge After which the Queen nobly treated and rewarded Sir John of Heynault the Lord Beaumont and their followers who departed home and were there received with great honour The Queen and young Prince to redress all disorders assembled a Parliament in which the King by general consent was deposed and committed to Killingworth Castle with honourable atttendance and Prince Edward his Son Crowned King not long after Edward was removed to Cors-Castle where he was barbarously murdered by his Keepers who through a Horn thrust a burning Spit into his Fundament after he had reigned almost nineteen years and in the forty first of his Age 1307. EDWARD the
then returning into England raised a strong Army of 27000 fighting Men which he landed in France about Autumn The French King having an Army of 60000 Soldiers and accompanied with the Kings of Bohemia Navar and Scotland with Five Dukes Twenty six Earls and above 4000 Lords and Knights entred the Field where he found Edward prepared for Battel but by the Mediation of the Countess of Heynault King Philip's Sister and Mother to King Edward's Wife a Cessation was concluded and King Edward with his Nobles and Soldiers returned to England Yet four years after Edward again met with the Princes of Germany at Brussels who desired the Flemings to joyn with them but they refused unless Edward would entitle himself King of France and Quarter the Arms of France with those of England and lastly would as King of France release them from a Bond of Two Millions of Florens whereby they were obliged not to make War with the King of France King Edward soon yielded to all their Desires whereupon they obliged themselves by a solemn Contract in Writing under their Hands and Seals to assist him to the utmost In the mean time the French Kings Navy landed some thousands of Men at Southampton burning the Town and Villages thereabouts Upon his return the King called a Parliament who raised so great a Tax that the People turned their Prayers into Curses He likewise borrowed great Sums of his richest Subjects and of London 20000 Marks He coined abundance of Gold and Silver Money wherein he quartered the Arms of France and intitled himself King of England and France Having raised an Army of 10000 stout Soldiers he imbarqued them in 200 Ships and sailing toward Sluce he fortunately met with the French Fleet whereon were 40000 Men of divers Nations whom the King fell upon with his whole Navy and after a fierce and bloody Fight very few of the French escaped being all either sunk or taken This Loss was so very considerable that they were afraid to discover it to the French King lest it should too much discompose him and therefore they contrived his Jester should do it who often repeating in his hearing Cowardly Englishmen Faint-hearted Englishmen Dastardly Englishmen The King observing him asked him why Because said he they had not the courage to leap into the Sea as our brave Frenchmen did whereby the King began to have some knowledge of this grand disaster Edward received but small Loss so that the next day he landed at Gaunt and soon after besieged Tournay but by the importunity of the aforesaid Countess of Heynault a second Truce was concluded for one year In King Edward's absence the Scots disliking their King Edward Baliol because he would not engage against the English and calling in David Bruce they invade Northumberland destroying all before them and laying close Siege to Newcastle but at Midnight 200 resolute Men issued out and secretly entred into the Earl of Murray's Tent seising him and killing many to the great terrour of the Scots Camp whereupon David finding stout Resistance raised the Siege and marched to Durham which he took plundred and burnt slaying all the Inhabitants and then sate down before Roxborough Castle defended by the beautiful Countess of Salisbury and her Brother Sir William Mountague who being continually assaulted expected no Help but from the King and to give him notice of their Extremity the valiant Knight himself mounted on a swift Horse rid full speed through thousands of his Enemies sending word to King David as he rid along That in a short time he should again hear of him Upon which the Scots pushed on the Siege with all vigour yet could not carry it and therefore suddenly raised it and returned home King Edward arriving there that very day was much discomposed that he had missed them yet by the Mediation of several Honourable Personages a Truce was concluded for two years The King after the Scots were gone disarmed himself and with ten or twelve Persons of Quality entred the Castle where he was soon inflamed with the Love of the fair Countess but her Vertue resisted all Temptations so that he departed from her in Discontent The King then made a Royal Feast for all his Nobility and Forreigners that came thereto wherein were acted several Martial Sports in one of which the Lord Beaumont a Noble Knight was unfortunately slain After this the King called a Paliament at Westminster wherein he created his eldest Son Edward Prince of Wales and a Tax was raised for the Wars in France for which the King confirmed Magna Charta Charta de Foresta and several other Statutes The next year the King for encouraging Virtue and Valour instituted the Order of the Knights of the Garter at Windsor and then sent an Army into France under the Command of the Earl of Darby John the French Kings eldest Son having closely besieged the Castle of Aguilâ—on in Gascoin with near 100000 men King Edward with his Son eight Earls fifteen Barons and many Gentlemen of Quality with an Army of 14000 men by the advice of the Lord Harcourt a banished Nobleman of France landed in Normandy and took the strong Town of Harflew plundering divers others whereby every Common Soldier was made a Gentleman with the Spoil and his Army increasing he took the City of Caen and abundance of other Towns and Castles the English pursuing their good Fortune so far that they were on a sudden encompassed with 100000 French on the one side and a River on the other yet passing on the Sand at low Water he at last got clear with the slaughter of a very great multitude of French and marching toward Cressy the French King was there resolved to try the fortune of a Field Battel and the English after Prayers to God for sucess with great Courage prepared for fight the King had given the Vanguard to his Son Edward who for his Valour was called the Black Prince the Second Battalion was led by the Earl of Northampton and the third by the King himself The Signal of Battel being given both parties furiously ingaged wherein the Black Prince was very hard put to it and sent to his Father for succor who stood on a Windmil hard by to observe the Fight but the King refused him any aid saying Let them send no more to me whatever happens while my Son is alive but let him either conquer or dye since if it please God he escape I am resolved the honour of this day shall be only his when the Prince heard this he was forced to put out his utmost Courage and Vigor whereby he obtained a glorious Victory the greatest part of the French Army lying dead before them so that in two days wherein the Fight continued there were slain of the French 11 Princes 80 Barons 1200 Knights and above 30000 Common Soldiers the French King himself hardly escaping by flight After the Battel King Edward kissing and imbracing his Son said Fair Son God
spoil and wast Fathers their Sons and Sons their Fathers slew Vndutiful unkind unnatural This War Now York then Lancaster great grew As Conquest did on either side befal But I the Crown and Scepter still did hold For what by wrong I got by force I wore And Prince of Wales I made my Son so bold But as my greatness still increased more By fatal Fate my Vital Thred was cut And all my Glory in a Grave was put THough by right the Crown of England if K. Richard should dye without issue ought to have descended to Edmond Mortimer Earl of March Son and Heir to Edmond Mortimer by Philip his Wife who was Daughter and Heir of Lionel Duke of Clarence the third Son of King Edward the third yet his Cousen Henry of Bullingbroke Duke of Hereford and Son and Heir of John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the younger Brother of Lionel was Elected and Crowned King For after the Resignation of K. Richard was read openly in Parliament Duke Henry rising from his Seat made his challenge to the Crown as followeth In the name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Appurtenances as coming by the Blood Royal from King Edward the third by that Justice which God of his Grace hath sent to me and by the help of my Friends for the recovery of the said Realm which was in point of Perdition to be lost through default of Government and breach of Laws After he had thus spoke the States acknowledged him for King and placed him on the Royal Throne though the whole proceedings against Richard were publickly condemned by John Bishop of Carlisle as hateful to God and Trayterous toward their Prince he not having the favour of Thieves and murderers who are try'd by indifferent Judges and condemned after full proof against them But the Bishop had no sooner ended his Speech e're he was seized by the Earl Marshal and committed close Prisoner in the Abby of St. Albans In this Parliament the Crown of England was intailed upon King Henry and his Heirs for ever and the King created his eldest Son Henry Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Earl of Chester The Parliament was no sooner ended but several of the greatest Lords who pretended most Joy for Henry's advancement conspired to take away his life at a solemn Justs or Triumph at Oxford contr ved for that purpose In this Treason were engaged Edward Plantaginet Duke of Aumerle Son and Heir apparent to Edmond of Langley Duke of York Thomas Holland Duke of Surrey and John his Brother Duke of Exeter both half Brothers to King Richard John Montague Earl of Salisbury Hugh Spencer Earl of Glocester Sir Thomas Blunt and one Magdalen a Servant to King Richard and in Stature and Countenance much like him All the Conspirators except the Duke of Aumerle met at Oxford at the time appointed with strong Guards who going to visit his Father the old Duke snatch't a Writing out of his bosom wherein the whole Plot was display'd who thereupon made haste to discover it to the King at Windsor but his Son outriding him another way came first just as K. Henry was providing to go and disclosing all received the Kings Pardon who perceiving his danger went presently to the Tower of London preparing to raise a great Army The Conspirators upon this discovery being desperate put Magdalen into Royal Robes affirming him to be K. Richard escaped out of Prison and with great Forces they marched toward London to meet the King who going courageously against them with 20000 Men the common Souldiers were so discouraged that they generally run away and left their Lords who were most of them taken and put to death in several parts of the Kingdom Thus was King Henry delivered from this Danger and to prevent the like for the future he caused King Richard to be murdered at Pomfret Castle as aforementioned When the French King Charles the Sixth Father-in-Law to King Richard heard of his Deposing he sent Letters of Defiance to King Henry and raised an Army-Royal in Picardy resolving to revenge his Wrongs but when he heard certainly of his Death he desisted After this the Welch and Scots made Invasions but King Henry with Fire and Sword soon quelled them Yet the next year the Scots again entred the Northern Borders with barbarous Cruelty but were encountred by Henry Hotspur Son of the Earl of Northumberland with 10000 stout Men who gave them a bloody Overthrow killing above 10000 Scots in the Field and taking above 500 Prisoners and among them the Earls of Douglas Fife Murray and Angus The next year the French King sent 1200 Lords and Commanders to Wales to assist Owen Glendour in his Rebellion but meeting with a Storm twelve of his greatest Ships were cast away with all the Men and Arms and the rest with great difficulty returned to France Which Misfortune caused the English to scoff and scorn the French Kings unprosperous Expedition which so exasperated him that he immediately sent another Army of 12000 Men who landed safely and joyned with 10000 rebellious Welch then in Arms. King Henry being sensible of his own danger if he should make but one false Step presenâ—ly provided a very brave Army and marched with all expedition into Wales which when the Frenchmen had notice of distrusting the fickle Nature of the Welch and fearing they would forsake them in time of danger and fly to their Woods and Mountains like Men amazed they run back to their Ships and cowardly returned to France without effecting any thing upon which the Welch likewise disbanded so that King Henry dissolved his great Army and returned home without Blows In his third year King Henry demanded the Scotch Prisoners taken in the last Battel by Henry Hotspur the Earl of Northumberland Earl of Worcester and others who refused to deliver them alledging That by the Law of Arms they belonged to them upon which great Discontents arose between them For the Piercies resolved to restore their Cousin Edmund Mortimer the true Heir to the Crown and to depose King Henry To which end they first earnestly petitioned the King to ransom him he being taken Prisoner by Own Glendour in fighting for King Henry but the King not granting their Request as not desiring his Liberty caused it to be published That he had voluntarily made himself a Prisoner to give some colour for the Treasons the Lords had contrived on his behalf The Piercies being much disturbed at this Proclamation paid his Ransom to Glendour and redeemed him entring likewise into a League with Glendour of mutual Defence and for deposing King Henry and several Scottish Lords joyning with them they raised considerable Forces publishing Six Articles of High Misdemeanours and Misgovernment against King Henry for which they defied him as a Traytor and Usurper and vowed his Destruction King Henry now finding his Crown lay at stake levied a stout Army and first
the Queen and she have so done The Protector furiously interrupting him Thou Traytor said he dost thou tell me of If 's and And ' s I tell thee they have done it And therewith struck his Hand very hard upon the Table upon which the Room was presently filled with Soldiers one of whom at his entrance struck at the Lord Stanley's Head with an Halbert who to save his Life fell under the Board though not without much loss of Blood The Protector himself seised upon the Lord Hastings and accusing him of Treason in general without any Trial or Answer caused him to be beheaded upon a Log on the Green in the Tower Which Execution hapned the same day and hour that the afore-mentioned Lords suffered without Trial at Pomfret by the Advice and Consent of this very Lord Hastings After this the Protector committed the Archbishop of York the Bishop of Ely and the Lord Stanley to Prison and presently putting himself and Buckingham into ragged Clothes he sent for several eminent Citizens to whom he declared with great passion That the Lord Hastings and his Confederates had conspired to take away his Life this Morning at the Council had he not timely prevented it by the sudden Execution of him and seising the rest Within two hours after the Lord Hastings's his death a long Proclamation written fairly in Parchment under the Great Seal was read in divers parts of the City by an Herald at Arms with great Solemnity whereby it appeared to be contrived and written some days before Richard having thus dispatcht those that he thought stood in his way he caused Dr. Shaw a wicked Priest in a Sermon at Paul's Cross the Sunday after to display the Honourable Birth of the Protector with his Virtues and Valour and to defame King Edward for his Wantonness with Shore's Wife and others and stigmatized his Children for Bastards as being before his Marriage contracted to Elizabeth Lucy He likewise charged the Protectors own Mother with Incontinency when King Edward and the Duke of Clarence were born and that none of her Children were Legitimate but Richard whom he extolled to the Skies for his Goodness and Virtues at which time Richard appeared among the People the Doctor expecting they should have shouted and cried God save King Richard but every one stood silent and astonished to observe how unworthily and villainously things were managed to make the Protector King The next day the Duke of Buckingham endeavoured by the same Arguments to persuade the Londoners at Guildhall to acknowledge Richard for the true and undoubted Heir of the Crown which they then did not assent to yet the next day they were forced against their Wills at Baynards Castle to accept of him for their lawful King praying him to undergo that Burden for their Security which he often hypocritically refused yet at last with a pretended unwillingness accepted And here ended the short Reign and soon after the Life of this young innocent Prince having enjoyed it onely two Months and 13 days being murdered by his barbarous Uncle in the 13th year of his Age 1483. RICHARD the THIRD King of England c. A Moition that never is content Which Angels threw from Heaven unto Hell That for a Plague upon mankind is sent Ambitiously made me Aspire Rebel Ambition that damn'd Necromantick spell Made me clime high with shame to tumble down By Blood and Murther I did all expel Whose Right or Might debar'd me from the Crown My smiles my Gifts my favour or my frown Were mischievous in blood I took delight By cruel Tyranny I sought renown Till Heaven's just Judge me justly did requite By Blood I go by Blood I lost the Throne Alive detested Dead bewailed of none RIchard being crowned King used all means possible to ingratiate himself with the people and tâ—ough he heard that the Lord Strang Son to the Lord Stanley was raising forces in the North for the relief of his Father the Lord Stanley who was wrongfully imprisoned by Richard he took no notice thereof but instead of punishing him set him at liberty and made him Steward of his House he likewise inlarged the Arch Bishop of York but committed Morton Bishop of Ely as a Prisoner to the Duke of Buckingham which was afterward the cause of Richards destruction as well as his own he conferred great honours upon several creating his only Son Edward Prince of Wales John Howard was made Duke of Norfolk his Son Thomas Earl of Surrey the Lord William Barkley was made Earl of Nottingham and Francis Lovel viscount Lovel having firmly settled himself as he imagined he sent Ambassadors to the French King to conclude a Peace with him who so much abhorred his detestable cruelties that he would neither see nor give audience to their Message This affront and several others so tormented him that he thought he should never be acknowledged nor honoured as King whilst the young Princes lived as though such horrible murders could ever gain him love or reputation among the People Having with his confederate the Devil contrived this execrable villany he took his progress toward Glocester as if he intended to honour the place of his Title and Dignity vainly imagining that if this heinous fact were committed in his absence he should be thought innocent thereof and first he attempted to perswade Sir Robert Brachenbury whom he made Lieutenant of the Tower to perpetrate this cursed act which he generously refusing Richard swore and stormed like a fury but remembring there was a needy profligate fellow belonging to the Tower named James Tirrel he by Letters earnestly perswades him to commit this hellish murder with promises of great reward who quickly assenting thereto demands by Richards Letters the keys of the Tower to be delivered to him by the Lieutenant and then next night he sends Miles Forrest and John Dighton two Imps of Hell into the innocent Childrens Chamber who smothered them both in their beds and buried them at the stairs foot from whence they were removed and privately buried in some unknown place The news of the death of the two young Princes raised a lamentable consternation in the minds of the Nobility and People only the Tyrant and his favourites gloried in this admired peace of policy whereby they thought Richard had now securely setled himself and his posterity in the Kingdom but soon after Edward his only Child died to his great grief and trouble And now returning to London from his progress he called a Parliament and made divers good Laws and by his executing them with mercy his liberality to the poor and his courtesy to all persons he endeavoured to insinuate himself into the favour and affections of all which it seems had effect upon some for several Gentlemen of divers Counties in England offering him a Benevolence of a good sum of money he refused it saying I had rather have your hearts than your money which considering his savage nature it may be doubted in
CHARLES the FIRST King of England c. THough clog'd with miseries and woes Palm-like deprest I highher rose And as th' unmoved Rock outbraves The b isterous Winds and raging Waves So Triumpht I and shone more bright In sad afflictions darksome Night My splendid but yet toilsom Crown Regardlesly I trampled down With joy I took a Crown of Thorn Though Sharp yet easy to be born The Heavenly Crown already mine I view'd with Eyes of Faith divine I vain things slighted to inchace Glory the just reward of Grace CHarles the third Son of James the sixth King of Scots and Ann his wife daughter of Frederick the Second King of Denmark was born at Dumfermling in Scotland Nov. 19. 1600. At the Age of two years he was created D. of Albany In 1603. K. James had news by Sir Robert Cary one of the younger Sons of the L. Hunsdon that Q. Elizabeth was dead contrary to the opinion of many of his Scotch Courtiers who being wearied with the tediousness of their expectation did believe at last that it would never be acknowledged by the Lords of England that the Q. was dead as long as there was any old woman of that Nation left to wear good clothes take the name of Q. upon her for bringing which news the D. of Albany was committed to the Governance of Sir Robert Carys Lady and he himself ever after much esteemed by him This news being seconded by that of the proclaiming of K. J. for her lawful successor the K. prepared to go for England at which time a certain Laird of the High-lands though very old came to Court to take his leave of him and after his prayers for his Majesties long life and prosperity he next applied himself to D. Charles without taking any great notice of Prince Henry and when the K. told him he mistook himself in his Addresses to the Infant as not being his eldest Son and Prince of Scotland he answered That he knew well enough what he did and that it was this Child in whom his name and memory was to be perpetuated to future Ages with other speeches of the like nature which were then disregarded but after the death of Prince Henry were thought to have somewhat prophetical in them In the sixth year of his age he was taken from the charge of the Women and committed to the Tutorage of Mr. Tho. Murray under whom he advanced exceedingly in learning the weakness in his legs rendring him more bookish and studious than he had otherwise been which Prince Henry taking notice of he jestingly one time took Archbishop Abbots Square Cap and put on his brothers head telling him That if he continued a good boy and followed his book he would make him one day Archbishop of Canterbury which the Child took in such disdain that he threw his Cap on the ground and trampled it under his feet which afterward was taken as an ill presage to the Church but it was altogether groundless as to him since there never was a more gracious Patron to the Church nor a more resolute Champion for the Hierarchy than he When he was twelve years old his brother Prince Henry died and Charles succeeded in the Principality of Wales Dukedom of Cornwal all the Royalties thereof In 1622. he took Ship at Dover arrived at Bullen in France and from thence rid Post to the Court of Spain upon this occasion Frederick Prince Palatine being disspossest of his ancient patrimony by the Emperor of Germany as aforementioned the upper Palatinate being conferred upon the D. of Bavaria and the lower on the K. of Spain it was held most expedient to negotiate a marriage between Prince Charles and the Infanta of Spain for the recovery of the whole which being managed by the L. Digby he was fed with delays from one time to another whereupon K. James resolved to send the Prince in Person either to consummate or break off the treaty accordingly he went accompanied with the D. of Buckingham Mr. Endimion Porter and Mr. Francis Cottington when â—ews came of his arrival at Madrid though the English Subjects were glad for his safety yet they were afraid of his danger because he had put himself into the power of the King of Spain which no body durst acquaint the King withal but Archee the Jester who going boldly to the King as he found him in a good humour told him That he was come to change Caps with him Why said the King Marry says Archee Because thou hast sent the Prince into Spain from whence he is never like to return But says the King What wilt thou say when thou â—est him come back again Marry says Archee I will then take off the Cap which I put upon thy head for sending him â—hither and put it on the King of Spain for letting him return At which words it is reported the King was much concern'd not having before apprehended the danger of that Adventure Dr. Heylins Life K. Charles p. 25. But the Spaniard had no such design and therefore the Restitution of the Palatinate being denied the Match broke off and a Rupture was like to follow whereupon K. James proposed a Marriage with Henrietta Maria of France whom the Prince had seen when he passed incognito into Spain which afterward took effect It is reported that when she was told that the Prince of Wales had been at the Court and was gone to Spain she said That if he had went to Spain for a Wife he might have had one nearer hand and saved himself a great part of the trouble During these Preparations for a War and Marriage King James departed this life at Theobalds and Prince Charles was proclaimed K. of G. Brittain France and Ireland But having already published a little Book of the same price with this called The Wars in England Scotland and Ireland or An Account of the Reign of King Charles the First his Illegal Tryal and deplorable Martyrdom with all Passages to His present Majesties happy Restauration I shall not here repeat any part thereof but collect some few Remarkable Occurrences which have happened from the year 1660 to this time King CHARLES the Second NO Voice more soft than Thunder can express Our present Joy or our past Heaviness None can the largeness of this Joy set out Vnless at once he makes three Kingdoms shoâ— To God on High in Thankfulness and Praisâ—t Who without Blood did Crown our King witâ— Bays Brought from three Conquered Nations whichh he Holds in subjection but to make them free Without a War Great Charles his Kingdoms won Thus streight when Heaven please the thing is done Now let us thankful be and sing his praise Who for our Cypress has bestowed Bays May we give God and Caesar all their due And always Peace and Loyalty pursue AFter His Majesties most Wonderful and Joyful Restauration in the year 1660 he was April 23. following Crowned with all manner of Magnificence at Westminster and
Egbert overcame both Danes and Welch together Ethelwolph his Son succeeded after whom reign'd Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelred and then Alfred in whose time the Danes under Rollo a Nobleman came over with a great Army but by the Valour of Alfred were beaten This virtuous Prince divided the twenty four Hours of the Day and Night into three equal Parts which he observed by the burning of a Taper set in his Chappel Clocks and Watches being not then in use Eight Hours he spent in Contemplation Reading and Prayer other eight for his Repose and the Necessaries of Life and the other eight in Affairs of State He divided the Kingdom into Shires Hundreds and Tythings for the better Administration of Justice and suppressing of Robbers and Felons which had so good effect that the People might travel with all manner of security yea saith my Author if Bracelets of Gold had been hung in the High-ways none durst have presumed to have taken them away He commanded all his Subjects who possessed two Hides of Land to bring up their Sons in Learning till they were at least fifteen years old asserting That he accounted a Man Free-born and yet Illiterate to be no better than a Beast a Sot and a Brainless Creature Neither would he admit any into Office that were not so He translated the Holy Gospel into the Saxon Tongue was devout in the Service of God and a great Protector of Widows and Orphans Edward his eldest Son succeeded him against whom his Nephew Ethelwald rebelled His Sister Elfleda had very hard Travel of her first Child whereupon she ever after forbore the Nuptial Embraces alledging it to be an over-foolish Pleasure which occasioned such bitter Pains and listing her self a Soldier under her Brother she performed many valiant Exploits against the Danes against whom Edward obtained a great Victory near Wolverhampton wherein two of their Kings were slain with many of the Nobility and a Multitude of Common Soldiers which procured him both Fear and Love from the People After his Death Ethelstane reigned who is said to be the first Anointed King of this Island He enlarged his Dominions farther than he received them He overthrew Godfrey the Danish King of Northumberland Howell King of Wales and Constantine King of Scotland forcing them to submit to his Pleasure after which he again restored them to their Dignities glorying That it was more Honour to make a King than to be a King These Actions procured him much Renown from his Neighbour-Princes who courted his Friendship and sent him curious Presents Otho the Emperour who married his Sister sent him a Curiosity richly set with Precious Stones very artificially contrived wherein were Landskips with Vines Corn and Men seeming so naturally to move as if they had been real The King of Norway sent him a sumptuous Ship richly gilt with Purple Sails The King of France sent him a Sword which was said to have been Constantine's the Great the Hilt whereof was all of Gold and therein as they said was one of the Nails which fastned Christ to the Cross He likewise sent the Spear of Charles the Great reported to be the same wherewith our Saviours Side was pierced also a part of the Cross a piece of the Crown of Thorns and the Banner of St. Maurice It is related That this King Ethelstane or Athelstane in the third Year of his Reign was so harassed by the Danes that he was forced to shut himself up in Winchester City who propounded to him either to submit and hold the Realm of them or to determine the Quarrel between two Champions of each side The King was much perplexed at these Propositions because his three valiant Knights Guy Earl of Warwick who lived in his Reign or not at all one Herand another courageous Knight and Earl Rohand Guy's Father-in-Law were gone to the Holy Land In this Strait after he had prayed for Deliverance it is said he had a Vision wherein he was directed to rise early the next Morning and taking two Bishops with him to get up to the top of the North Gate of that City where he should see a likely Man clothed as a Pilgrim bare-foot and on his bare Head a Chaplet of White Roses and that this should be the Man that should conquer Colebrand the Danish Giant for so was his Name and free the English from the Danish Bondage The next Day the King thus attended at the Gate sees Earl Guy so habited being newly arrived from Jerusalem whereupon Athelstane addressing himself to him desires him to accept the Combate as being ordained by Heaven to acquit this Realm from Tyranny Guy replied My Lord you may easily perceive that I am not in a Condition to take upon me this Fight being harassed and weakned by daily Travel lay this Task therefore upon your stout and hardy Soldiers whom you were wont v ry much to esteem Ah said the King such indeed I had but they are gone some to the Holy Land as one valiant Knight called Guy who was Earl of Warwick I had also a courageous Servant named Sir Herand de Ardene Would to God they were now here for then would this Duel be soon undertaken and the War quickly finished In speaking which Words the Tears trickled down his Cheeks which made such impression upon the Pilgrim that he engaged to undertake the Combate Upon the Day appointed Guy putting on the King's best Armour the Sword of Constantine the Great St. Maurice his Lance and one of the Kings best Coursers he rode through Winchester appearing like a most accomplish'd Knight and went to the Place appointed which was in a Valley called Chiltecumb where Colebrand soon after came so loaded with Armour that his Horse could scarce bear him and a Cart driven before him filled with Danish Axes great Clubs with Knobs of Iron squared Bars of Steel and Iron Hooks to pluck his Adversary to him Thus marching disdainfully along and seeing Sir Guy in the height of Pride he commanded him to come off his Horse and throw himself with submission at his Feet But the gallant Pilgrim disregarding his Words commending himself to Heaven put Spurs to his Horse and at the first Encounter pierced the Giants Shield with such Force that his Lance broke into Shivers which so enraged the Giant that coming up furiously he killed Guy's Horse who being dismounted dangerously wounded Colebrand The Combate having lasted for some time the Giant fainted and fell with loss of Blood and Guy immediately cut off his Head thereby freeing England at present from the insulting Dane After all which he offered his Sword in the Cathedral of Winchester which was long after kept in the Vestry and called Colebrand's Ax. The other Reliques of Guy Mr. Drayton thus describes Thy Statue Guy Cliff keeps the Gazers Eyes to please Warwick thy mighty Arms thou mighty Hercules Thy strong and massy Sword that never was controll'd Which as her ancient Right her Castle still doth hold Thus much for
Earl Guy who lived in the Year of Christ 929. This King Ethelstane by the insinuation of his Cup-bearer became incensed against his Brother as if he had contrived Treason against him who therefore ordered him to be put into a small Vessel without Tackle or Oars and so be exposed to the mercy of the Sea wherewith the young Prince was so overwhelm'd with Sorrow that he threw himself headlong into the Sea whose Ghost the King endeavoured to appease by a voluntary Penance of seven years and building two Monasteries Neither did the treacherous Cup-bearer escape Vengeance for on a Festival-day as he was busie in waiting one of his Feet slipping he recovered himself by the help of the other and thereupon pleasantly said You may see now how one Brother can help another This Speech suddenly recalled to the Kings Mind the Death of his Innocent Brother whereupon he caused the Cup-bearer who was the Procurer thereof to be immediately executed Edmund the fifth Son of King Edward succeeded and after him Edred his sixth Son Then Edwy or Edwin the eldest Son of Edmund was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames who was of a lascivious temper for it is related That on the very Day of his Coronation he suddenly left his Nobility and went into a private Room to debauch a great Lady his near Kinswoman whose Husband he soon after slew St. Dunstan who was present and then Abbot of Glastenbury followed the King into his Chamber and leading him out by the Hand accused him before Odo Archbishop of Canterbury by whom he was severely reproved and forbid the Company of that woman The King was hereat enraged against Dunstan and banished him out of the Land and became so great an Enemy to the Order of Monks that he expelled many of them out of their Monasteries and put married Priests in their Places The People having a great Opinion of the Holiness of Dunstan and being offended at the Kings severity toward him and other Irregularities they turned their Affections to Edgar his Brother and removing Edwin from his Princely Dignity Edgar was made King in his stead for very grief whereof he soon wasted away and died in 959. Edgar was called the Peaceable He maintained the Kingdom in great Glory and Prosperity His Navy Royal is said to consist of three thousand six hundred Ships with which he every Summer sailed round his Land to secure the Sea from Pyrats He caused Ludwall Prince of Wales to pay him three hundred Wolves yearly in stead of a former Tribute in Money whereby England and Wales which were formerly very much over-run were now so freed that there was scarce a Wolf to be found alive He was very severe upon his Judges if he found them guilty of Bribery and Partiality riding the Circuit himself every Year for that purpose Yet among all these Vertues he is said to be very Voluptuous especially toward Women not sparing the very Nuns which sounded so ill that Dunstan took the boldness to reprove him for it and coming into his Presence the King in Courtesie rose from his Royal Throne to take him by the Hand and seat him by him But Dunstan refusing the King his Hand with a stern Countenance and contracted Brow spake thus to him You that have not been afraid to corrupt a Virgin dedicated to Christ how can you presume to touch the Consecrated Hands of a Bishop You have defiled the Spouse of your Maker and do you now think by your flattering Service to pacifie the Friend of the Bridegroom No Sir do not mistake your self for I will be no Friend to him who hath Christ for his Enemy The King thunder-struck with these dreadful Words and touched with remorse of Conscience fell down at the Feet of Dunstan who raising him up began to aggravate his Crime and finding the K. pliable to his Instruction he enjoyned him the following Penance for satisfaction That he should wear no Crown for the space of seven years That he should fast twice a Week That he should distribute his Treasure lest him by his Ancestors liberally to the Poor That he should build a Monast for Nuns at Shaftsbury that since he had robbed God of one Virgin by his Transgression so he should restore to him many again for the time to come Likewise That he should expel Clerks or Priests of evil Life meaning those who were married out of the Churches and place Monks in their room All this Edgar performed and the seven years being past Dunstan saith the Historian calling the Nobility with the Bishops Abbots and Clergy together he before all the People set the Crown upon the Kings Head at Bath in the thirteenth year of his Reign Dunstan who it seems rul'd all having hither to hindred it The Nun here mentioned was Wilfrid a D's Daughter by whom he had a Daughter called Editha He had a Son likewise by Elfrida the Earl of Devonshire's Daughter which Dunstan being now grown good natured Christned The words of the Historian are these The Child also which was gotten of the Harlot he Baptized in the Holy Fountain of Regeneration and giving him the Name of Edward adopted him to be the Kings Son There are abundance of ridiculous Miracles related of this Dunstan One among many others was That a Vision appearing to him required him to take up the Body of Editha the Bastard and Canonize her fol a Saint a her Tomb being accordingly opened in the Church of Wilton where she was buried her whole Body saith the Monkish Historian was consumed to Dust save onley her Thumb her Belly c. whereof she her self shewed the meaning declaring That her Thumb remained intire because she so often used to cross her self therewith and the other Parts did signifie the extraordinary Abstinence and Chastity With such stuff were the People then abused and persuaded to worship for Saints the dead Carcases of those that were many times of very profligate Lives while on Earth In King Edgar's Reign there was a great Famine wherein Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester sold away all the Church-Plate and Vessels of Gold and Silver to relieve the Poor saying There was no reason that the senseless Temples of God should abound in Riches and the lively Temples of the Holy-Ghost to be in want of them After the Death of Edgar there was great Division many of the Nobility being for Etheldred the true and only legitimate Heir of Edgar but the other Nobles and the Clergy especially Dunstan fearing the Married Clergy should again prevail he with several other Bishops meeting together and carrying the Cross before Edward brought him to the Lords and by many Perswasions prevailed with them to accept him for their King He was accounted a just meek Prince and very charitable to the Poor Yet enjoyed he the Crown but a short space for in the fourth Year of his Reign as he was Hunting near Corf Castle where his Brother Etheldred and Queen Elfrida his Mother resided while
the Riches were The Garrison offered to yield themselves and all therein if they might save their Lives and Limbs But the King would accept of no Terms bidding them defend themselves and that he was resolved to win it by his Sword and hang them all Whereupon an Archer standing on the Wall observing his opportunity charging his Steel Bow with a square Arrow and praying that by that Shot he might deliver the Innocent from Oppression and the King just then taking view of the Castle he wounded him in the Shoulder which was made extreme painful by an unskilful Chirurgeon However the Assault was renewed the Castle taken and all put to the Sword by the Kings Command but this too skilful Archer who boldly owned the Action for being demanded How he durst shoot at the Person of a King he replied That the King had slain his Father and his two Brothers with his own Hand and that he was exceeding glad he was now so happily revenged Notwithstanding this Answer the King gave him 100 s. and his Liberty but yet after the King was dead one of his Captains took him flea'd him alive and then hanged him He died of his Wound 1199. having reigned victoriously Ten years and in the Forty second year of his Age leaving no Legitimate Son behind him KING JOHN ROme's mighty Metred Metropolitan I did oppose and was by him depos'd In stead of Blessing he did Curse and Ban And round with Wars and Troubles me inclos'd English and Normans both resisted me Lewis of France my Kingdom did molest Whereby from Turmoils I was seldom free But spent my Kingly Days in little Rest At last the Pope was pleas'd me to restore Peace was proclaim'd and I was re-inthron'd Thus was my State oft turned o're and o're Blest Curst Friends Foes Divided and Aton'd And after Seventâ—â—n yâ—ars were past I fell At Swinstead poyson'd by a Monk of Hell JOhn Plantagenet Earl of Lancaster in his own Right and of Glocester by his Wife being the youngest Son of King Henry the Second succeeded and was Crowned King though Arthur Plantagenet his Nephew and Son of Jeffry his elder Brother was living The whole Course of his Government was attended with continual Troubles his two great Persecutors being Pope innocent the Third and Philip the Second of France King Philip being envious at Englands Grandeur took all Occasions to disturb John as by entertaining Prince Arthur animating him to regain the Crown of England and supplying him with Men and Money and the Normans joyning with them Arthur won many strong Places in Normandy But King John's Lieutenants made a stout Defence till he himself went over with a strong Army and fought many Battels with his Nephew but at last both Sides being wearied with equal Losses they made a Truce which was again broken by the incitement of the French King who promising Arthur double the Forces he had before they both entred Normandy plundring and burning many Towns and Villages But John who wanted nothing but Money was voluntarily supplied by his Lords Gentlemen and Commons with a large Tax they being grieved to see the English Territories thus destroyed and all the stout Youth voluntarily listed themselves for the Service whereby John soon landed in Normandy where thousands more resorted to him so that soon after the two Armies met and fought desperately but at length the French gave way and Arthur was taken Prisoner and sent to Roan where leaping from the Walls with design to escape he was drowned in the Ditch though others write That he came to a violent Death by King John's Order However the French King improved the Report to the best advantage peremptorily citing King John to come and do him Homage for the Dukedom of Normandy and likewise to appear at a set Day to be tried by his Peers for Treason and Murder But John not obeying his Summons was by the King and Peers of France disinherited and condemned and according to the Sentence they proceeded against him For several of the English Nobility joyning with Philip and John being careless the French with a powerful Army took in most of the Towns in Normandy which hapned by the fault of the English Lords and Bishops for when the King was ready to embarque for Normandy Archbishop Hubert forbid him and the Peers refused to attend him upon which the King laid great Fines upon them and seised upon the Estate of Hubert who died soon after But now Pope Innocent his other Enemy begins to play his Part and vex him more dangerously than Philip of France had done For Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury being dead the Monks of St. Austins in that City without the Kings Knowledge or License elected one Reynold a Monk to succeed him and made him take an Oath to go immediately to Rome and to procure his Investiture and receive his Pall of the Pope The King hereat was much displeased so that to appease his Wrath they made a new Election and with his Approbation chose John Gray Bishop of Norwich and the King presently sent Letters and Ambassadors to the Pope entreating him to confirm his Choice But Innocent after the Example of his insolent Predecessors confirmed the first Election whereat John was enraged yea divers of those Monks who chose him now joyned with the King against him alledging the Election was made in the Night and not in open Day and was therefore null and void At length the Pope to end the Controversie nominated Stephen Langton a Man in the Popes Interests and ordered the Monks to elect him which King John forbid But the Papal Command was obeyed and Stephen was elected Archbishop of Canterbury This so exasperated the King that in his Letters to the Pope he solemnly protested That thenceforward he would take strict Account of those Subjects who for any Matters of Right and Justice should run gadding to Rome alledging That he had Bishops Nobles and Magistrates of his own who according to the Customs of the Kingdom could and should determine all Controversies in Church and State and That he would rather expose himself to a thousand Deaths than basely and servilely subject himself and his Kingdom to the insolent and unreasonable Commands of the Pope But Innocent haughtily answered That the Election of Langton should stand requiring the King to give him quiet Possession to recal such Monks as were banish'd on his Account and restore their Estates or otherwise he did authorize four Bishops to interdict and curse the King and the Realm King John observing that the four Bishops appointed grew very Arrogant with their new Authority and thought long e're he signified his Resolution he thereupon seised upon their Estates and declared That he resolved to take the same Course with all those that received any Promotions or Investitures from Stephen Langton or went or appealed to Rome upon any Occasion without License or that should execute any Command of the Pope within this Kingdom Upon this the
in a short time from the Holy Land to England where he was joyfully received both by the Peers and People and soon after Crowned King in the One and thirtieth year of his Age at which 500 Great Horses were let loose for any to take that would in honour of so Martial a Prince After the Battel aforementioned wherein Simon Montford Earl of Leicester his Son Henry and many other Lords were stain and the Lady Eleanor his Daughter was banished but kindly received by Philip the Hardy of France thereby to gain the Good-will of many English Lords who being discontented with the last Kings Government were not well pleased with his Son who constantly assisted his Father against them Philip being likewise sensible of the Courage of King Edward to prevent his own danger he secretly incited Lluellin Prince of Wales to rebell promising him likewise the Lady Eleanor in Marriage But Edward having private notice of this Contract and that the Lady was coming over to Wales he intercepted her at Sea and kept her Prisoner upon which Lluellin took the Field with many thousand Men but mean and thievish Fellows On the other side King Edward resolving to make himself terrible to the Welch raised a very formidable Army but Lluellin being sensible or his inability to resist and out of his extreme Love to the Lady submitted himself to the King and made many solemn Oaths of his Fidelity to the King against France and all others whereupon Edward who was inclinable to Mercy freely granted him his Pardon his Favour and his beloved Lady so that all was ended without a drop of Blood But a few years after David his Brother of a mutinous Temper and yet one much in favour with the King persuaded Lluellin to put himself again into Arms and many sharp Conflicts passed between him and Sir Roger Mortimer but at length they were both taken and their Heads sent to the King who caused them to be set upon the Tower of London Yet were the Welchmen so perversely bent to ruine themselves that within a few Months after they twice rebelled but were soon subdued by many terrible Slaughters and severe Executions And because they maintained their Wars more by hiding and shifting among vast Woods and Forests the King caused all the Woods to be cut and burnt down by which means they were reduced to more Civility and applied themselves to Arts and Trades like other Men. In his eighteenth year Alexander King of Scots fell from his Horse and broke his Neck leaving no Issue behind him He had three Sisters the eldest married to John Baliol Lord of Galloway the second to Robert Bruce Lord of Valley Andrew and the third to John Hastings Lord Abergaveny in England These three contended for the Crown losing many Men on all sides and the Country much ruined whereupon King Edward as their Sovereign Lord went into Scotland to compose those Differences and in the end they were all contented to refer themselves to his Judgment by an Instrument under their Hands and Seals Whereupon King Edward chose Twenty Englishmen and as many Scots of good Understanding and Discretion who consulted thereof and upon their Determination he declared John Baliol who had married the eldest Sister to be King who thereupon received the Crown from King Edward and did him Homage for the same And now the French King wrongfully invading the English Territories in Gascoign and Guyen the King to supply his Necessities seised upon all the Plate Jewels and Treasure of the Churches and Religious Houses within the Kingdom being advised thereto by William March Lord Treasurer who alledged That it were better this money should be stirring and according to the Name Currant and go abroad to the Use of the People than to lie rusting in Chests without any Use or Advantage whatsoever The King likewise compelled the Clergy to give one half years Revenue of all their Ecclesiastical Dignities which when they scrupled at affirming That by a Canon lately made at the Council of Lions they were excused from all Temporal Supplies he told them plainly Since you refuse to help me I will also refuse to help you If you deny to pay Tribute to me as your Prince I will deny to protect you as my Subjects And therefore if you be spoiled robbed or murdered expect no Succour nor Defence from me nor mine But to get some Amends they humbly petitioned the King to repeal the Statute of Mortmain or the Will of a Dead Mans Hand which forbad all Persons to give any Houses or Lands to the Church either at their Deaths or before without leave from the King But he resolving never to gratifie them in any thing replied That it was not in his Power without the Consent of a Parliament to make void any Law whatsoever So that they were forced to be contented though with much inward Vexation Having thus fleec'd the Clergy he laid a new Tax upon Wooll and Hides exported out of the Kingdom and required the tenth part of every Mans Estate to be paid him to maintain his Wars He caused the Clergy to bring into his Treasury all such Sums of Money as they had promised to pay the Pope for the War against the Turks and took up 100000 Quarters of Wheat which he sent to his Armies in Normandy where they fought with doubtful Success sometimes winning and then again losing In his Twenty fifth year 1296. John Baliol King of Scots by the secret incitement of the French King and some others about him sent a proud Defiance to King Edward and a Renunciation of his Fealty and Homage and with a tumultuous Army entred the Northern Borders cruelly destroying all with Fire and Sword Whereupon Edward upbraiding him with his many Favours and Honours received from him resolved to revenge his Ingratitude and with strong Forces marched thither taking the Castle of Berwick with the Slaughter of 25000 Scots He likewise won Dunbar Edinburgh and all other Places of Strength The King of Scots observing no Safety in Resistance humbly submitted himself to the King and surrendred the Kingdom into his Hands who with a strong Guard sent him Prisoner to the Tower of London but with large allowance of Liberty and Attendance and then committed the Government of Scotland to John Warren Earl of Sussex Sir Hugh Cressingham High Treasurer and Wistiam Earnly Lord Chief Justice of that Kingdom Having so happily performed this he then turned his Arms to France who to divert him animated the Scots again to rebell but King Edward resolving not to leave the French if possible without fighting continued still in Normandy sending Orders to the Earl of Northumberland and others to suppress that Rebellion which they did with a very bloody slaughter Upon which the French King perceiving himself disappointed would not venture to engage the English Army but sent honourable Propositions of Peace which were accepted by the King and a general Peace was proclaimed After his return
send you perseverance that you may always succeed as you have prosperously begun you have Nobly acquitted your self and worthily deserve the Government of a Kingdom bestowed upon you for your Valour King Edward perceiving that after this Victory the French King made no Preparations to resist him marched toward Callice burning and destroying all before him and begirt it with a close Siege which after it had continued a whole year the French King with an Army of 200000 men came to the relief thereof which not being able to effect the Passages thereto being so well fortified by K. Ed◠〈…〉 went back again leaving the poor Townsme◠〈◊〉 mercy of King Edward During this Sieg◠〈◊〉 King of Scotland invaded England with an Army of 50000 men by the procurement of the French King but the Queen with 12000 stout Souldiers fought with him routed his Army took King David Prisoner and several other Persons of Honour killing divers more and above 15000 Scots After this Victory the Queen attended with a Troop of handsom Ladies and Gentlewomen whose Husbands or Kinsmen had long lain at the Siege of Callice sailed thither and were entertained by the King and his whole Army with great joy the Town being despairing of Relief begged the Kings mercy which he denied unless six of the chiefest Citizens came out to him in their Shirts barefoot and bareheaded with Halters about their Necks to be disposed of at the Kings pleasure which hard condition some of them undertook to perform presenting the King with the Keys of the Town and Castle which Edward receiving commanded them to be all presently hanged but his Commanders interposed strongly on their behalf which yet could not prevail the King threatning to make them examples for the wrongs done to the English Nation at Sea at length the Queen with Prayers and Tears on her Knees procured their Pardon The King having got possession of this important Town returned to England and was received at London with great Triumph and by the Popes means a Truce was concluded with the French for two years which being expired Edward sent a strong Army under the Conduct of his Son the Black Prince into Gascoyn destroying all in their march But King John who succeeded his Father Philip resolved to stop this Current and the Black Prince having only 10000 men with him John raised a vast Army and accompanied with his young Son Philip and the Flower of the Nobility of France made all speed toward Prince Edward who was at Poicters ready to receive him The Fight was very bloody but the English Archers galling the French Horse with their Arrows soon disordered their Army and notwithstanding the utmost conduct of the valiant K. John they were put to the rout the King and his Son being taken Prisoners who being brought before the Prince he bowed to the King and giving him comfortable words feasted him and his Son Philip very nobly and lodged him in his own Bed With this Prize the Black Prince returned into England and was joyfully received by all In this Fight were taken seventeen Earls above fifty Lords and a multitude of Knights and Gentlemen of Quality so that every Souldier who had least had two Prisoners all which with the Spoil of the Field the Prince freely gave the Souldiers and every man had Gold and Silver in abundance costly Armour and other valuable things being left on the ground as worth nothing King John lived some time at the Savoy and after at Windsor being as kindly treated by the King as he could desire and after four years Imprisonment a Peace was concluded whereby it was agreed That King John should pay 500000 l. Ransom of Sterling Money and several Countries were freely resigned to the English by John and the French King never to assist any King of Scotland against England About which time David King of Scotland who had been a Prisoner in England ten years for a Ransom of 100000 l and giving his Oath never again to bear Arms against England was released About two years after three Kings came at once to visit King Edward John King of France David King of Scots and the King of Cyprus The next year the Black Prince went into Normandy and was made Governour of the English Conquests who assisted Peter King of Castile and restored him to his Crown of which he was dispossessed by his Bastard brother Henry but soon after Henry with fresh Forces suddenly fell upon King Peter seised him and put him to death By reason of Peter's Death the English Soldiers under the Black Prince despairing of receiving their Pay and being in great necessity daily petitioned the Prince for Relief who finding no other means to supply them imposed several Taxes upon the Inhabitants of Aquitain who finding their Privileges invaded complained thereof to the French King who summoned the Prince to appear before him at Paris contrary to the express Articles of Peace lately concluded and presently proclaimed War against England and the Prince not being in a Posture of Defence all those Countries Towns and Forts daily revolted to the French so that King Edward who had been Victorious forty years lost all those Provinces almost in one The French provided a Navy likewise wherewith they commanded the Narrow Seas But John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster going over to Callice with a brave Army soon made the Frenchmen feel his Fury and recovered many Towns but after John's departure another Army commanded by Sir Robert Knowls and the Lord Fitzwater by reason of some Quarrel between the Commanders was defeated by the French King and 1000 English slain whereby all the Garrisons were again delivered up to the French The King much disturbed at these Misfortunes called a Parliament wherein the Temporalty freely gave him a Subsidy of 15000 l. but the Clergy denied him any Supply whereupon he removed them from all Honours and Offices and placed more grateful Subjects in their room The French King had now besieged Rochel almost a year for whose Relief a Fleet was sent under the Earl of Pembroke but he was fought with by Henry the Bastard of Castile and the Earl with 160 more taken Prisoners the rest with much terrour and difficulty escaped to England Upon the News of this Defeat several other Towns and Provinces revolted to the French King After this John of Gaunt landed with strong Forces at Callice and joyning with the Duke of Brittain ravaged the Country till they came to Bourdeaux where the Black Prince lay very sick and John was made Governour of those Provinces Prince Edward died soon after and was buried at Canterbury the King himself not living long after dying in the Fifty first year of his Reign and the Sixty fifth of his Age 1377. and was buried at Westminster RICHARD the SECOND King of England c. A Sun-shine Morn oft brings a Showry Day A Calm at Sea sometimes foretells a Storm All is not Gold that appears bright and gay A
being one of the greatest Islands in the Universe It was formerly called Samothea from Samothes as some report the sixth Son of Japhet who first inhabited here two hundred fifty two years after the Flood It was also named Albion as is said from Albion a Giant the Son of Neptune who after he had conquered the Samotheans setled here three hundred thirty five years after the Deluge Some say it was called Albion ab albis Rupibus from the white Rocks toward France which is most probable The Grecians called it Britain for what Reason we know not it may be from Prittannia which signifies Metals they finding the Island full of Brass Tin Iron Gold Silver and Lead Lastly It was named England from Engloen a Place in Denmark which was neither changed by the Danes nor Normans and retained that Title eight hundred seventy three years till King James came to the Crown and united England and Scotland which is since called Great Britain It was accounted the Fortunate Island and Pope Innocent in the Reign of Henry the Third was so in love with it that he would fain have come over to see it if the King would have permitted it England is thought to have embraced Christianity about sixty three years after Christ in Nero's time and that Joseph of Arimathea was sent by the Apostle St. Philip to preach the Gospel here yea some affirm That both St. Paul and Simon Zelotes were here likewise though these are onely Conjectures Julius Caesar tells us That when he entred this Island they were not under one sole King or Monarch but divided into no less than twenty eight petty Kingdoms or Provinces The most memorable of their Princes who opposed the Conquest of the Romans are these following 1. Cassibelan King of the Trinobantes who inhabited Middlesex Essex and Hartfordshire For about the Year of the Worlds Creation 3913. and fifty four years before the Birth of Christ the Fortunate Romans under the Conduct of Julius Caesar first landed about Deal in Kent the News whereof was so exceeding welcome to the Roman Senate that they decreed a Thanksgiving for twenty days an Honour never granted to any before the greatest Victors having had but five or at most but ten days assigned them At which time Cassibelan was chosen by general Consent to withstand the Roman Invasion which he did with very great Courage beating them twice off from the British Shore His chief City was Verulam near where St. Albans now standeth 2. Cingitorix Carvil Taximagul and Segonax These four reigned Kings of Kent together and opposed the Romans at the same time but were vanquished by them their Men being slain Cingitorix taken and the other three forced to fly and shift for themselves 3. Cunobeline 4. Togodumus 5. Cataractus a most renowned Prince of the Icenians who inhabited Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridgshire He resisted the Romans gallantly for nine years together but was then betrayed and carried to Rome in Triumph yet for the gallantry of his Spirit he was released from his Bonds and taken into Caesar's Favour 6. Voadicea or Boadicea Wife to Prasagutus King of the Icenians who made the Emperour Nero his Heir leaving his Noble Queen and her two Daughters to the Emperour's Protection but he abusing his Trust she slew in one Battel eighty thousand Romans taking and plundering the Cities of Verolamium and Carnalodunum now Malden in Essex whereby she brought Terrour upon all but being at length vanquished in Fight she poysoned her self rather than to submit to her Enemies These with divers other Princes were very stout Defenders of their Country and Liberties against the Roman Power for above an hundred years neither had they been then subdu'd but by the unhappy Quarrels and Divisions among themselves whereby their Enemies took the advantage to ruin them altogether and become their Masters The several Roman Emperours who commanded in Britain were Julius Caesar Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian and several others even fifty two in number among whom Constantius Chlorus the Father of Constantine the Great was very remarkable He was a Wise Noble and Publick-spirited Prince he usually said That it was more profitable for the State that the Wealth of the Land should be dispersed into the Commons Hands than to lie locked up in the Princes Coffers He was so averse to Superfluity that he had scarce Necessaries but herein he chiefly excelled that he protected the poor Christians who were under a bloody Persecution from Dioclesian the Roman Tyrant he made his Court their Sanctuary And to try the sincerity of their Profession he used Jehu's Policy commanding all his Officers and Servants to offer Sacrifice to the Heathen Gods and threatning to discard the Refusers but on the contrary he rejected all that complied with this Reflection That he who is disloyal to his God can never be faithful to his Prince Whilst he was Governour here under the Emperour Aurelian he married Helena the Daughter of Coelius a British Prince who converted him to Christianity on whom he begot Constantine the Great in Britain After he was Emperour he came hither and fought against the Picts but returning from that Expedition he fell sick at York which was his Imperial Seat At which time his Son Constantine came thither to him at the sight of whom being much comforted he sate up in his Bed and spake to this effect It now sufficeth and Death is not terrible to me since I shall leave my Actions not yet accomplished unto thee my Son to be performed in whose Person I doubt not but that my Memory shall be preserved as in a Monument of succeeding Fame What I did design though now by this my fatal Period I leave undone be thou sure to do it that is Govern thy Empire with Justice protect the Innocent and wipe away all Tears from the Eyes of the Christians for therein above all other things I have accounted my self happy To thee therefore I leave my Diadem and their Defence taking my Faults with me to the Grave there to be buried in everlasting Oblivion and leaving my Vertues if I had ever any to live and survive in thee And here he ended his Speech and his Life together The afore-mentioned Persecution under Dioclesian and Maximinian was very grievous It was called the Tenth Persecution and continued for ten years with so great rage that within one Months time seventeen thousand Christians were put to death and multitudes of others cruelly used though escaping with their Lives And as in other Places so in Britain the Churches of the Christians were demolished their Bibles burnt and their Bodies massacred divers being killed at St. Albars and other Places yea so many suffered at Lichfield that the Place became like another Golgotha upon which account that City hath for its Arms a Field of Blood whereon are many Martyrs But the chief Cause of these Miserie 's proceeded from the Christians themselves For
with several other Christian Princes against the Infidels in the Holy Land being fortunate in all his Proceedings save onely in his Succession to the Crown for his Success was so great there that he was freely offered to be made King of Jerusalem which he as generously refused By reason of his Absence his youngest Brother Henry without the least trouble or difficulty ascended the English Throne with the universal Approbation of the Nobility and Commons whose Inclinations were the stronger toward him because he was born in England after his Father was Crowned King and from the great Opinion they had of his singular Vertues Learning and good Temper Yet before his Coronation the Nobles obliged him to swear That he would ease the People of the great Taxes and many other Pressures under which they suffered which he accordingly performed After he was Crowned for the better ensuring his Estate and Title against the Claim of his Brother Robert he freely distributed the great Treasures left by King William among those who upon all Occasions he judged would stand by his Interest He dignified the Wealthy with high Offices and Titles of Honour He abated the Rigour of the New Laws and promised restitution of their old Privileges He regulated Weights and Measures bringing them all to one Standard He freed the People from the heavy Tribute of Danegilt and from all other unjust Taxes and Payments imposed by the former Kings He gave liberty to the Nobility and Gentry to enclose Parks and Chases with Game for their Recreation He banished from his Court all Flatterers as Traytors to his State and Government and all Luxury Sumptuousness in Apparel and Superfluity in Diet he utterly discountenanced He ordained That Thieves and High-way Robbers should be punished with Death With all manner of diligence and Application he endeavoured to reform the monstrous Pride intolerable Covetousness and extreme Sloth and Negligence of the Clergy He recalled Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury from Banishment and restored him to his Bishoprick giving him full Power to call Convocations and Synods at his Pleasure for regulating the intolerable Abuses of the Church yet leaving to the Pope his Authority to invest Bishops by giving them the Ring the Pall and the Pastoral Staff All such Ecclesiastical Dignities and Revenues which his Brother by the lewd Advice of Reynulph Bishop of Durham had seised into his Hands he freely conferred upon Grave and Learned Persons and committed Reynulph Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence he afterward escaped and earnestly invited Duke Robert who was now returned with great Honour from the Holy Land to recover the Kingdom with his Sword who thereupon raised a great Army with a Design to transport them to England In the mean time Henry having by his Proceedings endeared himself to his People confirmed them now further by marrying Maud Sister of Edgar King of Scots and Daughter of Malcolm by Margaret his Wife Sister to Edgar Atheling and Daughter to King Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside the victorious and valiant King of the Saxons Soon after Duke Robert arrived with his Army at Portsmouth many English joyning with him and great Expectations and Fears arose of a bloody War but by the discreet Mediation of Friends to both Sides a loving Agreement was concluded upon almost the same Conditions as with William Rufus namely That Henry should enjoy the Crown during Life paying to Robert Three thousand Marks a year Whereupon Robert returned back to the great discontent of his own Nobility Afterward Robert returned again to England to congratulate his Brothers good Fortune where he was Royally entertained and at the Request of his Sister Queen Maud he forgave the Payment of the Three thousand Marks a year Yet after a while the Ambition of Dominion caused Henry upon some slight occasion to quarrel with his Brother which proceeded so far that he went over to Normandy with an Army where being assisted by many of the Duke's discontented Nobility and Gentry he so prevailed against Robert that he took the Cities of Roan Caâ—n and Valois from him who being forsaken of all fled from one Place to another to secure himself King Henry returning victoriously into England and Robert perceiving that his Lords and People had utterly forsaken him and refused their Assistance and Henry's Strength and Riches increasing he came privately into England and presented himself to his Brother referring himself and all his Concerns to his own Determination But the King either knowing the Inconstancy of the Duke or being prepossessed by some Whisperers that he did not intend uprightly turned from his distressed Brother with a scornful and disdainful Countenance refusing to accept of this his humble Submission The Duke being struck to the Heart returns back to his own Country resolving to die like a Man in the Field but Henry soon routed his weak Forces and brought him Prisoner into England committing him to Cardiff Castle in Wales where endeavouring his Liberty his Eyes by Henry's Command were put out after which he lived miserably Twenty years and was buried at Glocester About this time Robert Belasme Earl of Shrewsbury raised a Rebellion but being soon vanquished he fled into Normandy where finding William of Mortaigne and Cornwal who was offended with the King for keeping from him the Earldom of Kent he soon perswaded him to raise another Insurrection and joyning their Forces they designed great matters but were presently routed by the King's Forces and kept Prisoners during their Lives The King being now freed from fear of Enemies resolved to take the same Advantages his Predecessors had done as to the Investiture of Bishops and taking vacant Bishopricks into his Hands whereat Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury was so displeased that he refused to Consecrate such new Bishops as had received their Investitures from the King But Girald Archbishop of York freely performed it upon the King's Command Hereupon Anselm went to complain at Rome and prevailed at last against the King by a Synod of the Clergy held at London Three years after Anselm died and King Henry seised the Revenues of his Bishoprick into his Hands which he kept five years and if at any time he were intreated by the Bishops to bestow it he still answered That he onely kept it for an able and sufficient Man Having enjoyed a few years of Peace he was again rowsed out of it by Lewis the French King who joyning with Fulk Earl of Anjou and Baldwyn Earl of Flanders they all made great Preparations for Invading the Dutchy of Normandy But Henry raising an Army of valiant Commanders and Soldiers landed there and soon engaged with them in Battel which continued nine hours with so great fury on each side that though King Henry won the Field and chased his flying Enemies a long way yet he would often say That he then fought not for Victory but Life Quickly after a Reconciliation was made between these four Princes and William King Henry's eldest Son
was married to the Earl of Anjou's Daughter But in their Voyage hither the two young Princes two more of the King's Children and his Niece Lucy with her Husband the Earl of Chester with near one hundred and fourscore others were unfortunately drowned by the carelesness of the drunken Mariners at which the King was wonderfully dismay'd The Welch soon after rebelled raising all the Power they could make which yet the King in a little time and with small Loss overthrew suffering his Soldiers to glut their Swords in the Blood of those Rebels whom neither gentle Usage nor former Severity could oblige to Loyalty The King returning from Wales with Honour soon after sent his Daughter Maud to be married to Henry the Fifth Emperour of Germany her contracted Husband with a Princely Portion of Silver and Gold At the same time he erected the High Court of Parliament appointing it to consist of Three Estates of which himself was the Head so that the Laws being made by the Consent of all should not be disliked of any In his Twenty seventh year Henry the Emperor died without any Issue by Maud who being at that time Twenty four years old was courted by the greatest Princes in the Christian World But the King to strengthen his Kingdom against the French married her to Jeffry Plantaginet Son and Heir to Fulk Earl of Anjou by whom she had three Sons Henry who was King after Stephen Jeffry and William which gave much content to the King to think that his Race should succeed in the Crown and the more to secure it he obliged his Nobility and the Great Officers of the Kingdom to take no less than three solemn Oaths in five years time That with their best Advice and the hazard of their Lives and Estates they would support and defend the Succession of his Daughter and her Heirs It was a Custom in his time that all Bills and Orders which concerned the Servitors of the Court should be signed without a Fee Now it hapned that Thurstan the Steward complained to the King against Adam of Yarmouth Clerk of the Signet for refusing to sign a Bill without a Fee The King heard Thurstan first commending that old Custom and reproving the Clerk for Exaction The Clerk answered I received the Bill and desired your Steward onely to bestow on me two Spiced Cakes made for your own Mouth which he refusing I denied to sign his Bill The King then reprehending the Steward commanded Adam to sit down on the Bench and then ordered the Steward to put off his Cloke and to fetch in a clean Napkin two of the best Spiced Cakes for the King's Mouth and humbly to present them to Adam which being done Adam signed the Bill and the King made them Friends adding That Officers of the Court ought to be kind to Strangers if they wanted their Assistance and much more to gratifie one another Queen Maud his Wife was so devout that she would go to Church bare-foot and was still employed in Works of Charity insomuch that David King of Scotland her Brother coming to visit her found her in her Privy Chamber with a Towel about her Middle washing wiping and kissing Poor Mens Feet which he disliking said Sure if your Husband knew this you should never kiss his Lips She replied That the Feet of the King of Heaven were to be preferred before the Lips of any King on Earth King Henry had a Pottle of Wine every Night set in his Chamber but because he seldom used to drink his Chamberlain and Pages were wont to carowse it among them One time about Midnight the King called for Wine whereat the Chamberlain and Pages were much troubled because they had left none At length Pain being called in humbly confessed the matter begging pardon What says the King have you but one Pottle a Night That is too little for me and you For the future I will allow two one for my self and another for you and your Fellows For this Act the King was commended for Bounty and Clemency When King Henry had reigned Thirty five years and four Months he surfeited by eating of Lampreys and died in the Sixty fifth year of his Age 1135. and was buried at Reading in Berkshire He was Wise Learned and Valiant yet more inclined to Peace than War He never levied but two Taxes on his People one for his Wars in France and another for marrying his Daughter Maud the Empress He grew rich of his own and was liberal He made good Laws which were profitable to the Virtuous but sharp against Malefactors using more Severity than Mercy from whence he was accounted cruel by the Common People but styled the Lion of Justice by the Learned He was gentle and grateful to his Friends rough to his Enemies but easily reconciled Yet was he too lascivious in his Life having many Concubines by whom he had twelve Bastards whom he owned He left no Legitimate Sons behind and therefore in this King ended the Issue-Male of William the Conquerour and the Crown was devolved to his general Heirs KING STEPHEN BY wrested Titles and usurping Claim Through Storms and Tempests of tumultuous Wars The Crown and Scepter which were still my Aim I won and wore encompass'd round with Jars The English Normans Scots did all prepare Their utmost Forces to oppose my Power Whilst England was oppress'd with Woe and Fear And War the Sword and Want do all devour But as Years Months Weeks Days do hourly waste And vanish all away â—as things of nought My troublous Royalty decay'd at last And unto nought was my Ambition brought This is the State of Transitory things Befalling meanest Men and greatest Kings THe Experience of all Ages doth inform us That for the eager desire of Honour and Riches Men have broken all Bonds of Honesty and Friendship but if a Kingdom may be obtained though with the breach of the most solemn Oaths and Obligations there is no scruple made of it and Men will venture upon Perjury and Damnation for gaining thereof which was too truly verified at this time For though Stephen Earl of Bulloign Son and Heir of Stephen Earl of Blois by Adela the Conquerour's Daughter was a Person whom King Henry had chiefly obliged by many Solemn and Publick Oaths to further the Succession of his Daughter Maud and her Children yet after his Death finding that all the Nobility who were equally sworn as himself applied themselves to him and awaited his Commands he either forgot or disregarded all his former Vows and caused himself to be Crowned King partly by the procurement of his Brother Henry Bishop of Winchester but chiefly by means of Hugh Bigot who took his Oath that King Henry upon his Death-bed appointed Stephen to be his Successor having disinherited his Daughter Maud upon some disgust taken against her the Prelates swearing to obey him as their King so long as he did preserve the Privileges of the Church and the Nobles swearing Allegiance
to the Earl of Leicester HENRY the THIRD King of England AMidst great Troubles and Confusions I In Youth ascended to the English Throne England was then opprest with Misery By Frenchmen who by me were overthrown For the brave English under my Command Did soon expell those their insulting Foes My Barons did my Sovereignty withstand And brought upon themselves and me great Woâ—â— For in each Battel none but I did lose I lost my Subjects Lives on every Side From Civil Wars no better Profit grows Friends Foes my People all that beat or died My Gain was Loss my Pleasure was my Pain These were the Triumphs of my troublous Reign AFter the Death of King John Henry his eldest Son of nine years old was Crowned King the Earl of Glocester who had married one of his Aâ—â—â—s and was Learned Wise and Valiant being made Protector of him and the Kingdom who administred Justice faithfully among the People The Youth of the King and the Treachery of many of the English Nobility encouraged Philip of France and Lewis his Son to land fresh Forces in the Realm to whom the Welch likewise joyned all the Forces they could raise But the new Protector raised an Army against them and in many Encounters defeated them And Pope Honorius finding the French slighted his Thunderbolts sent out new Curses more sharp and severe than any of his Predecessors whereupon Prince Lewis seemed at present to be affrighted and to prepare for his Departure though his Father Philip still sent new Forces over But Hugh de Burgh Governour of the Ciâ—â—uâ—-Ports preparing a gallant Fleet valiantly encountred them at Sea and took all their Ships This great Victory brought Lewis to treat of Peace and being absolved by Guallo the Popes Legat and receiving a considerable Sum of Money he surrendred all the Forts Towns and Castles he had taken and with all his Forces sailed back to France leaving his English Friends who had assisted him all these Wars to the rigour of the Law whereby they were cut off by miserable and cruel Deaths The Kingdom having now time to breathe a Parliament was called wherein the Laws of King Edward were revived and the Grand Charter called then Magna Charta containing several Laws for the Liberty Ease and Security of the Subject was confirmed and a Tax granted for sending an Army into France to recover Poictiers and Gascoigne under Richard the Kings Brother which had been injuriously seised by the French for some years Those Provinces were soon regained wholly back to the English which in a short time produced a Peace between both Nations But then worse Troubles succeed it at home for the King confiding onely in some leud Officers about him disregarded his Nobility and most Loyal Subjects invading their Liberties and Estates and vexing them with many grievous and unnecessary Taxes which were levied upon them by his Officers with all manner of severity At length a Parliament was called at Oxford wherein his Designs were altogether crossed and the Proceedings therein of such ill Consequence that it was stiled Insaâ—um Parliamentum or the Mad Parliament For when Multitudes came to complain of their Wrongs and Oppressions the Lords and Commons for redress thereof established many things which they judged necessary but highly intrenching upon the Kings Prerogative for they chose Twelve of the most Considerable Persons in the Kingdom whereof the Earl of Glocester and Simon Montfort Earl of Leicester were Chief who were called Les Douze Pieres or The Twelve Peers to whom full and absolute Power was granted by a Patent sealed by the King though unwillingly to support and maintain the Laws they had made The Parliament being ended the Commissioners began strictly to put those Statutes into Execution whereby they dismissed most of the Kings Menial Servants from their Attendance on him placing others of their Mind in their State This above all other things did most disturb the King and thereupon he grew extreme melancholy But hoping for better Success he summoned another Parliament wherein he with extreme Passion and Grief complain'd of his hard Usage by the Twelve Peers but the Lords and Commons were so far from remitting any thing that they further ratified all that had been done and the Archbishop with nine other Bishops publickly denounced a solemn Curse against all that by Advice or Assistance should oppose those Laws or the Authority of the Twelve Peers This still encreased the Kings Discontent who could take no delight in any thing he enjoyed and therefore went over to divert himself with Lewis King of France who treated him with all manner of Kindness and Magnificence About this time Hugh de Burgh Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others That he had scandalised and abused the King That he had enticed and trayterously defiled the King of Scots Daughter whom he married in hope to succeed her Brother in her Right That he stole out of the Jewel-house a Jewel of such excellent Vertue as to make those who had it Invincible which he had bestowed upon Llewellin Prince of Wales the King's Enemy These and many other Articles was he charged with who doubting the Power of his Enemies retired into Essex where he was seised by Soldiers who sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him to prevent his escape but the Smith understanding who they were for fetching a deep Sigh said Do with me what you pl ase 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 die for most cruel Death imaginable For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who hath so often 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 of Recompences However the Commander bound him and carried him Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence by the means of the Bishop of London he was a while after released The King being continually tormented with the diminishing of his Regal Authority endeavoured to procure some Remedy from abroad and to that end with great expence of Money he secretly obtained twâ— Bulls from Pope Alexander the Third whereby the King and all those who had sworn to maintain the new Laws and Ordinances and to support the Authority of the Twelve Peers were freely absolved and discharged from keeping those Oaths But this being kept private the Twelve Peers ruled all and were so diligent in their Business that they left the King nothing to do so that he was King in Name onely not in Power Soon after Hugh Spencer being Lord Chief Justice and a great Favourite with the King was removed by the Twelve Peers being charged with Corruption and Arbitrary Proceedings They likewise dismissed such Sheriffs and Justices as the King had made chusing others in their Places which
so deeply wounded the Kings Mind that he resolved immediately to make use of the Popes Bulls and thereupon caused them to be solemnly proclaimed in England Wales and Ireland adding That all who did any way support those Laws or the Twelve Peers should be committed to Prison He likewise took an Oath of all above twelve years old in and about London to be true to him and his Heirs But the Lords were not to be frighted declaring That they were resolved rather to die than recede from the Acts of that Honourable Assembly And judging that the King was designing something against them they went into the Marches of Wales where they raised a strong Army and then humbly addressed themselves to the King by Letters protesting their Fidelity to him and beseeching his Majesty That for the Honour of God the Good of his Soul and the Welfare of his People he would renounce and forsake those Counsels which were given him to suppress the Ordinances of Oxford and the Twelve Peers The King was much displeased with these Letters but returned no Answer Whereupon the Barons marched with a strong Army toward London carrying a Banner wherein the Kings Arms were curiously wrought As they passed they destroyed and burnt the Houses and Estates of those that favoured the Popes Bulls as undoubted Enemies to the King and Kingdom and then approaching to London they were joyfully received by the Citizens The King desâ—â—ing to divide the Lords caused it to be published That himself and the greatest part of the Barons were agreed and therefore required that all Arms might be laid aside and Peace restored But the Barons marched to Windsor where finding many Strangers in the Kings Palace they rifled and removed them but at length upon the Kings Motion all Differences were referred to Lewis the French King who upon hearing of both Parties declared That all the new Laws and Ordinances should be made void and the Power of the Twelve-Peers dissolved This Sentence the Lords judged Partiality and therefore fly again to Arms on th Marches destroying all that belonged to Sir Roger Mortimer who counselled the King to withstand them Prince Edward likewise raises an Army and marches against them but is overthrown After this they marched to London in Triumph hut King Henry hearing that Peter and Simon Montfort had raised Forces at Northampton he levied a strong Army and took the Town by Assault making the two Commanders and many others Prisoners The Barons being powerful were herewith nothing discouraged yet still sent Letters to the King with humble Protestations of their Fidelity if the new Laws were observed But Henry his Brother Richard King of the Romans and Prince Edward sent the Barons an absolute Defiance and wi h their Armies they met at Lewes in Sussex where after a bloody Fight the two Kings Prince Edward and several other Persons of Quality were taken Prisoners above 20000 being slain After which both Sides inclined to heaâ—â—en to Peace and at length it was agreed That the King by new Articles and Oaths should confirm the Power of the Twelve Peers and the other new Laws yet that two Spiritual and two Temporal Lords should review them and alter what they thought fit and if they could not agree the Duke of Britain was to be Uâ—pire This being concluded the two Kings eldest Sons were delivered as Hostages to the Barons where they continued above nine Months The King then called another Parliament wherein the Oxford Ordinances were again confirmed and the King again swore to maintain the Authority of the Twelve Peers and those Laws till any thing were found amiss in them and all who had defended them in the late Wars were pardoned by the King whereupon the two Princes were enlarg'd Yet soon after the two great Earls of Glocester and Leicester differed about these Laws and Prince Edward joyning with Glocester a cruel Battel was sought at Evesham in Worcestershire wherein Simon Montford Earl of Leicester and his Son Sir Hugh Spencer were slain and the Power of the Barons was utterly defeated And a Parliament being called no Man durst then contradict the Kings Will so that all the Laws made at Oxford the Authority of the Twelve Peers all Patents Commissions and Instruments whatsoever relating to what was Enacted in that called The Mad Parliament were brought forth and publickly damned cancelled and made void And thus King Henry regained his former Power and Authority to do as he pleased After which he humbled the City of London but upon their Submission received them again into Favour When Pope Innocent the Fourth offered the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples to Richard King of the Romans aforementioned with many impossible Conditions You might as well said the Kings Agent at Rome say to my Lord and Master I sell or give you the Moon climb up catch and take it Pope Alexander his Successor desired to borrow a great Sum of Money of Richard to whom he replied I will lend no Money to my Superiors whom I cannot oblige to repay me again This Richard is said to be so very rich that he was able to spend 100 Marks a day for ten years together which was a great Sum in that Age. Wicked rather than witty was that of a Dean and High Treasurer of England about this time who it seems had carried himself so well in his Office that when he died he made this wicked Will I bequeath all my Goods and Possessions to my Sovereign Lord the King my Body to the Earth and my Soul to the Devil Prince Edward full of Heat and Courage now resolves to make himself famous and transporting an Army into the Holy Land he there wrought Wonders the Turks not daring to engage in that Quarter wherein he was and raising the Siege of Acon which they had long lain before with above 100000 Men But since Force would not they resolved to dispatch him by Treachery a villainous Saracen wounding him unawares with a venomous Knife though after much Pain and Danger and the extreme Love of his Queen Eleanor who suckt out the Poyson with her Mouth he recovered thereof But in his absence King Henry died when he had reigned above Fifty six years in the Year 1272. EDWARD the FIRST King of England c. MY Glorious Victories and Valour try'd My Mighty Actions And ne'er dying Fame Were all proclaim'd throughout the World so wide By gallant Deeds I won Immortal Fame Rebelliouis Wales I utterly subdu'd And made them Vassals to my Princely Son I Scotland entered with Fire and Blood And almost all that Kingdom over-run Still where I fought triumphantly I won Through Wounds and Death my Glory I obtain'd Yet when I these renowned Deeds bad done A costly Sepulchre was all I gain'd For though Grandees contend for Earthly Sway Death binds them to the Peace and parts the Fray EDward sirnamed Longshanks from the Properness of his Person being informed of his Father's Death by great Journeys arrived
THIRD King of England c. IN Peace and War I still Triumphant stood Fortune for me seemed to fix her Wheel I did revenge my Fathers Death and Blood And forced France my valiant Arm to feel I warr'd on Scotland with victorious Steel The slaughtring Sword and Fire did all devour A Kingdom so divided needs must reel Betwixt the Bruces and the Baliols Power Thus every day my Grandeur mounted higher With Black Prince Edward my victorious Son Vnto the top of Honour we aspire By glorious Victories and great Actions done But all my Triumphs Fortunes Force and Strength Old Age and Death to Nothing brought at length AT the Age of Fifteen years Edward the Third was Crowned King his deposed Father being then alive He was chiefly counselled in his younger years by Queen Isabel his Mother Edmond Earl of Kent and Sir Roger Mortimer which Knight to ingratiate himself with the Queen was a chief Instrument in the Murder of the late King In his second year the Scots proclaimed War against England whereupon King Edward with an Army of fifty four thousand Men and attended with Sir John Heynault the L. Beamont and five hundred Lords and Gentlemen marched into Scotland where he pursued his lurking Enemies who fled into Woods Mountains and Hills and thereby tired the English Army so that he returned without any memorable Action and then married Philip the Daughter of William Earl of Heynault and calling a Parliament at Northampton the two Spencers and Walter Stapleton were attainted of High Treason at which time by the advice of the Queen and Mortimer a dishonourable Peace was made with the Scots whereby that King was discharged from doing homage to Edward and the great Charter called Ragman whereby the late King of Scotland and all his Nobility under their Hands and Scals did acknowledge their Subjection to the Kings of England was delivered up and the Kings Sister Jane was married to David Son and Heir to K. R. Bruce Roger Mortimer was now made Earl of March which did much discontent the Nobility especially after they saw that by his power with the King and Familiarity with the Queen he had trecherously procured the Earl of Kent the Kings Uncle to be beheaded but by Divine Vengeance Mortimer himself was charged by the State with these Trayterous Articles 1 That he had wickedly procured the murther of the late King 2. That by false and malicious accusations he had caused the King to cut off the Head of his Vncle who was Noble Religious Valiant and a main Pillar of the Commonwealth 3. That he had too familiarly conversed with the Queen Mother to her just reproach and the Kings dishonour 4. That for a Bribe of twenty thousand pound he had procured the release of the Scots Homage Lastly That he had cheated the King of his Jewels and Treasure converting them to his own use For these horrid Treasons he was condemned and Executed in the same manner as young Spencer and Q. Isabel was committed to a strong Castle where she continued above thirty years after and then died In his fifth year Philip the French King sent to require King Edward to do Homage for the Dutchy of Guyen which he unwillingly performed his Lords being therewith offended alledging That in the Right of Queen Isabel his Mother the Crown of France belonged to him and that he therefore ought not to have acknowledged any Fealty at all The King then sent to David King of Scotland to restore the Castle of Berwick and do him Homage for the Kingdom but David stoutly answered That his Father won that Castle by Conquest and he would hold it by the Sword and That his Father never acknowledged any Subjection and if any had been due yet King Edward had released him from it The King being of a great Spirit was resolved to revenge these Affronts by conquering both Scotland and France and to that end he presently sent an Army against the Scots and over-run the better part of that Country without resistance taking Berwick and Crowning Edward Baliol King of Scotland to whom he committed the Government of Berwick Castle and two years after he again marched into Scotland and setled this new King on his Throne receiving his Homage and restored several English Lords to their Estates which by the Peace with King Bruce they were deprived of David the deposed King fled into France and after two years by the assistance of the French King landed some Forces in Scotland but King Edward soon encountred and routed them and then returned victoriously into England In his tenth year Philip the French King gave the Earldom of Artois away by Sentence from Robert Artois to Maud Countess of Burgundy and Aunt to this Robert which so incensed him that he said By me Philip was made King and by me he shall be again deposed For these Words he was proclaimed a Traytor to the Crown throughout all France so that to save his Life he fled into England where for his former Service to Queen Isabel and her Son when in France he was honourably received and entertained by King Edward who knew him to be a wise and valiant Man and therefore made him Earl of Richmond and loved him so entirely that he never undertook any Matter of Consequence without his Advice This Noble Knight continually informed the King of his Right to the Crown of France by his Mother Queen Isabel and that with such convincing Reasons and Persuasions that Edward began now in earnest to contrive the attaining thereof negotiating privately with the Earl of Heynault his Wives Father and Brother-in-Law to the French King and with Sir John of Heynault Lord Beaumont his Brother and several other Princes and States of Germany who encouraged and assisted him therein creating him Vicar-General of the Empire by which he had Power to command the Nobility and Commons of those Countries to aid him in his Enterprise Whilst these things were secretly consulting in England Philip of France little suspected he was to fight for his Crown with the English and therefore at the Importunity of Pope Benedict the Eleventh he had prepared a greater Army for the Holy Land than ever any Christian Prince did before him which were provided with all Necessaries for three years and the Government of his Kingdom he committed to his eldest Son John Duke of Normandy Being just ready to depart he had News of the Pretensions and Preparations of the English and therefore thought it more necessary to defend his Kingdom at home than to go upon such a frivolous Errand abroad In the mean time King Edward having by many Politick Devices drained his Subjects Purses insomuch that for want of Money a fat Ox was sold for a Noble a fat Sheep for Six pence six Pigeons for a Penny and a Quarter of Wheat for Two shillings he with his Queen sailed to Antwerp where he concluded the Methods of the War with the Princes of Germany and
bad Mind doth a handsom Shape deform So I who was by Blood Descent and Form The perfect Image of a Gallant Prince Because my Vices I did not reform No Faith 's in Face or Shape I did evince My Royal Name and Power a Mock was made My Subjects madly in Rebellion rose Mischief on Mischief still did me invade Oppos'd Depos'd Expos'd Inclos'd in Woes With doubtful Fortune I in Trouble Reign'd At length by Murder Death and Rest I gain'd KIng Edward the Third in his last Sickness created his Nephew Richard Son to the Black Prince deceased Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwal committing the Regency of the Kingdom to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster After his Death Richard the Second of that Name of Eleven years old was Crowned King of England In the whole Course of his evil Government he slighted his Nobility and taxed his Subjects severely to throw it away prodigally upon his ill-deserving Favourites despising the Advice of the Wise and hearkning to the Follies of his young debauched Companions In his first year Charles King of France presuming on his Minority being assisted by the King of Castile landed in England burning the Towns of Plymouth Dartmouth Portsmouth Rye and others on the Sea and would have proceeded further had they not been encountred by the Earls of Cambridge Buckingham and others who beat them back to their Ships At the same time a valiant Scot named Alexander Ramsey at the instigation of the French King with only forty men desperately scaled the Walls of Berwick Castle and finding the Captain and Guards sleeping they took it without blows designing to have taken the Town too but the Inhabitants from the great noise in the Castle suspecting mischief cut down the Stairs of the Drawbridge on the Townside so that when the Scots let it fall the Chains broke and the Bridge fell into the Castle Ditch whereby the Scots not being able to get out were made Prisoners by their own Victory They then endeavoured to fortify the Castle but it was soon besieged and taken by K. Richard's Forces who gave quarter to none but only Ramsey their Captain Soon after the French again landed in England doing great mischief at Dover Winchelsey Hastings and Gravesend where they got much Booty To prevent and revenge these injuries a Parliament was called at Westminster wherein four Pence was laid upon every person above fourteen years old the levying whereof caused a dangerous Rebellion under Jack Straw Wat Tyler John Wall a Factious Priest and others who stiled themselves The Kings Men and the Servants of the Commonweal of England declaring that all Men ought to be equal in Dignity and Estate as being all the Sons of Adam they marched through several Countreys to London the mean sort of People joyning with them so that they became very formidable committing all manner of Insolencies and making bold demands of the King and the Lord Mayor which so incensed the Mayor that he struck Tyler off his Horse with his Sword where he was killed immediately upon which the Rebels who were above 20000 soon disperst no less than fifteen hundred being Executed for the same with several cruel Deaths and Torments in divers parts of the Realm And thus in an instant vanished this great cloud which threatned the destruction of King and Kingdom In his tenth year the King forsaking the advice of his gravest and most experienced Nobility was perswaded to commit many illegal and disorderly Actions by the Counsel of Michael de la Pool his Chancellor Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford Alexander Archbishop of York and Robert Tresillian Lord Chief Justice who without cause exasperated him against the Duke of Glocester his Uncle and the Earls of Warwick and Arundel whom they intended to surprise at Supper if Nicholas Exton Lord Mayor of London would have assisted them But failing herein they resolved to impeach them in Parliament but they being jealous of the Kings intent came thither strongly guarded while they were on their way in a Wood near the Court the King asked the Opinion of several about him what he should do in the case at length he merrily demanded of one Sir Hugh Liun who had been a good Souldier in his days but was now distracted what he would advise him to do Issue out quoth Sir Hugh and let us set upon them and kill every Mothers Son and when thou hast so done by Gods Eyes thou hast killed all the faithful Friends thou hast in England But K. Richard doubting the success of any violent course that Design was defeated and the King demanding a great Tax of four fifteens is not only denied but several misdemeanors of his Government are declared to him and at length Michael de la Pool his favourite is by the Lords found guilty of many offences Condemned Fined and Imprisoned and Commissioners were appointed to examine the Crimes of all the Kings Officers the King taking an Oath not to recal that Commission without consent of Parliament and it was enacted That all those who should perswade the King to infringe the same should for the second offence suffer as Traytors to the King and Kingdom Notwithstanding which this Parliament was no sooner ended but Pool Vere Tresillian and others perswaded him contrary to this Solemn Oath to assemble the Judges at Nottingham where they pronounced the Duke of Gloucester and the thirteen Commissioners and divers others to be guilty of High Treason for compelling the King to ratify the Commission under his Great Seal which Judgment they confirmed under their Hands as agreeable to the Laws of the Kingdom The Truce with France being ended that King sent 1000 Persons of Quality into Scotland who joyning with their Army of 30000 they therewith invaded England committing many violences but hearing King Richard was marching toward them they turned into the craggy Mountains of Wales doing much mischief to the Inhabitants and in the mean time K. Richard entred Scotland with 68000 men burning and destroying Edinborough St. Johnstons Sterling Dundee with many other places and then returned home The Scots and French returning found little or no sustenance by reason of the late ruins so that the Frenchmen were forced to return home without Horses Arms or Money but the Admiral and several Grandees were kept as Pledges by the Scots till the French King had satisfied the losses and damages which they had sustained meerly for his sake upon whose account they entred into this War whereupon he was forced to send what Money they demanded to redeem his Commanders The French King vowing Revenge against the English for these Disgraces prepared a very great Army which he designed to transport into England in a Navy of no less than 1200 Ships Against whom King Richard soon raised vast Forces consisting in above 100000 Men. But all these mighty Preparations soon came to nothing for the French Soldiers in their March toward the Ships committed such horrid
French King Charles the Sixth who in the Kings Name required the peaceable Surrender of the Kingdom of France with the entire Dutchies of Aquitain Normandy Anjou Poictou and Mayn proposing That if without effusion of Blood the French King would yield to his Demands he would then vouchsafe to take his Daughter Katherine in Marriage and would endow her with all the afore-mentioned Provinces and allow the French King all Honour and Respect But if he refused to deliver his Patrimony without Blows he would then endeavour to gain it by the Sword wherein he must expect his People would suffer all the Calamities of a War The French King and Nobility were much surprised at this unexpected Message and therefore desired time to deliberate on so weighty an Affair but the Dolphin the Kings eldest Son despising the Youth and unlikely Attempt of King Henry sent him as a Present a Tun of Tennis-balls as more agreeable to his Years which Henry receiving said That he would shortly send him such London Balls as should shake Paris Walls and thereupon soon levied a strong Army Which the Dolphin being informed of who by reason of the Sickness of the King managed all Affairs he sent Ambassadors to Henry That if he would desist from all Hostility and live in Peace and take his Sister Katherine to Wife he should have with her a considerable sum of money and some small Territories in France but the King returned answer that Unless Aquitain Normandy Anjou and all the other small Seigniories were delivered to him as justly appertaining to his Crown he would neither disband his Army nor wave his Title to the Crown of France but would attempt to gain it by fire and Sword As soon as the French Ambassadors were gone the King having left considerable forces upon the Borders of Scotland and provided all things necessary sent his Letters of defiance to the French King and was just imbarking for his voyage when at that very instant a dangerous conspiracy was discovered either to deliver him up to the French or murder him in his Tent contrived by Richard Earl of Cambridge Brother to the Duke of York Henry Lord Scroop and Sir Thomas Gray three of the most valiant Commanders in his whole Army who being apprehended and brought into his presence freely confessed the whole contrivance and that they were corrupted by rewards from the Dauphin upon which they were the next day executed as Traytors The Wind serving the King transported his Army into Normandy in an hundred and forty ships and the Town of Harflew being delivered to him after a seige of thirty seven days was ransomed from plunder by the Citizens with great sums of Gold and Silver the King then resolved to march to Callice through the very Borders of France though the Dauphin had an Army of thirty thousand and the English were only two thousand Horse and thirteen thousand Archers many of them wanting health victuals and sleep and having plenty of nothing but silver and Gold which in that place would not give them the least supply of what was truly necessary for preserving their Lives It much disturbed the French King who lay at Roan that the English should march on thus without control and therefore he sent K. Henry a defiance and that he would be with him in a few days and accordingly bringing an Army of threescore thousand Horse into the Field incamped near a Town called Agen-Court making great jollity the night before the battel as assuring themselves of the victory being so very numerous and the English so inconsiderable and sickly on the contrary K. Henry and his little Army spent the night in Prayers and Devotions as knowing that they must either conquer valiantly or dye basely upon Fryday Oct. 20. 1414. The battel began wherein both sides fought with great courage but at length K. Henry obtained a glorious victory there being slain the High Constable and High Admiral of France the Dukes of Alanson Brabant and Bane thirty four Earls and Lords eight thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen and about sixteen hundred Common Souldiers besides ten principal Dukes and Lords taken Prisoners on King Henry's side were not slain above six hundred Souldiers and two Commanders After this K. Henry marched safely to Callice where having refreshed themselves they took shipping for England being inriched with Gold Silver and costly armour in abundance and the King was received with all manner of Joy and Triumph into London The French King was extreamly troubled at this great overthrow but the Dauphin especially insomuch that he died as was thought for meer vexation soon after The Earl of Arminiach being made High Constable the Duke of Exeter the Kings Uncle Governour of Harflew understanding he was going that way with some forces suddenly issued out upon him and defeated his whole party which so inraged the new Constable that with all speed he besieged Harflew on every side with five hundred ships at the mouth of the River Seyn which K. Henry having notice of he presently sent a stout Army imbarked in two hundred Ships who falling upon the French Fleet in sight of the Town utterly destroyed them with a vast slaughter of men and thereby forced the Constable immediately to raise the siege and King Henry then calling a Parliament and declaring to them his right to France they freely gave him great sums of money wherewith sailing into Normandy he won the strong Town of Caen in the mean time such private quarrels arose between the French Nobility as much advantaged K. Henry who daily won the chiefest Towns in Normandy and then laid a formal siege to the great City of Roan which was strongly fortified and well provided so that K. Henry gave many terrible assaults in vain upon which being informed that there were above two hundred Thousand Men Women and Children within the Walls he resolved to gain it by famine without blows and to that end casting a deep ditch about the City pitched full of sharp stakes and guarded with Archers the Inhabitants could neither pass in nor out so that in two months time the Famine increased so grievously that the Citizens drunk nothing but Vinegar and Water and were forced to eat Rats Mice Cats Dogs and Horses and the poorer sort being turned out perished miserably between the Gates and the English Trenches the Famine still growing more outragious they sent four Knights four Scholars and four of their chief Burgesses clothed all in black as Commissioners to the King who spake to this purpose Great and renowned Prince In all ages Kings and valiant Captains have gained the greatest glory and reputation by subduing their proud and haughty enemies with their Swords and valour and it hath been always reckoned a note of baseness and Cowardice in a Prince to overcome by Famine and want of food wherein there is neither wise conduct nor true courage That your highness may therefore equal the greatest Conquerors in generosity we
to the French with all the Forts Artillery and baggage upon the payment of Four hundred thousand Crowns to the King of England The Duke of Brunswick now desired the Lady Mary the Kings Eldest Sister in Marriage but there being a treaty about marrying her to the Infanto of Portugal it was retarded In the mean while the Emperor of Germany demanded by his Ambassador that the Lady Mary might have free exercise of the Mass but neither promises nor threats could prevail with the King to allow it being as he said against his Conscience a treaty was likewise set on foot for a Marriage between the Lady Elizabeth the Kings youngest Sister and the King of Denmarks Eldest Son but when it was almost concluded the princess could by no means be prevailed upon to consent thereto And soon after several of the Nobility were sent in an Ambassy to the French King to Treat of a Marriage between King Edward and his Daughter which at length was agreed on the French being to give her two hundred thousand Crowns as a Portion but it was never consummated by reason of the Kings Death The Earl of Warwick was now created Duke of Northumberland and having an irreconcileable hatred against the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector resolved upon his ruin which Somerset was not insensible of and therefore used all imaginable caution to defeat him but being of a mild disposition though perswaded by his friends to prevent his own ruin by Northumberlands destruction he was unwilling to taste any violent course only he was perswaded by some treacherous acquaintance to go privately armed to the Council Table where being apprehended his bosom was opened and he thereupon committed to the Tower tryed and found guilty upon a new Law which made it Fellony to design the Death of a Privy Councellor and was soon after beheaded on Tower-hill together with Sir Michael Stanhope and Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Miles Partridge being hanged there at the same time Mean while the Duke of Suffolks three Daughters which he had by Francis Daughter of Charles Brandon and Mary Queen of France were married at Durham House the Eldest Jane Grey to the Lord Guilford Dudley Fourth Son to the Duke of Northumberland the Second Katherine to the Earl of Pembroke the youngest being somewhat deformed to Martin Keys the Kings Gentleman Porter the Duke of Northumberland having so far advanced his designs as to procure an Alliance with the Royal family now hoped to arrive to the height of his ambition though the people generally hated him for his practices against those two gallant men the Duke of Somerset and the Lord Admiral the Kings Uncles For the King now grew very weak and in a languishing state of body which whether occasioned by grief for the Death of his Uncles or whether caused by poison which as some reported was infused into a Nosegay of Flowers presented to him on new years day as a great rarity or whether by a defluxion of Rheum upon his Lungs is yet uncertain however he fell into an Hectick Feaver which the Physicians declared would suddenly cause his Death whereupon the Duke of Northumberland used several stratagems to secure the Lady Mary and perswaded the King to exclude his two Sisters in regard if the Lady Mary succeeded Popery and Idolatry would be again introduced and she could not be put by unless her other Sister the Lady Elizabeth were likewise excluded since their Rights depended upon one another but if he pleased to appoint the Lady Jane his own next Kinswoman to succeed he might be sure the true Religion would be maintained to Gods great Glory so that the sick Prince out of Love to Religion was prevailed with to exclude his two Sisters and to ordain by his will the Lady Jane to be his Successor which will was subscribed by all the Council Bishops and Judges except Sir John Hales Bishop Cranmer likewise made some difficulty to sign it but at length did as others and a few days after this pious Prince departed this Life at Greenwich July 6. 1553. in the Seventeenth year of his Age when he had reigned six years and five months being buried at Westminster near his Grandfather Henry the Seventh MARY Queen of England c. AS soon as I ascended to the Throne The True Religion I banisht quite Rome Spain and I were all conjoin'd in one To persecute to burn and put to flight All that the Gospel of our Lord profest All who oppos'd blind Error and the Pope All such with grievous tortures were opprest With th' Ax with Fire with Faggot and the Rope Scarce any Nation underneâ—th the Sky Afflicted was as I caused this to be But when my thoughts and hopes were grown most high Then Death at five years end arrested me No Bail would serve I could commaâ—d no aid But in the Prison of my Grave was laid MAry eldest Daughter of King Henry the Eighth by Queen Katha ine of Spain was born at Greenwich 1518. at whose birth though great numbers of the Nobility were at Court yet there was not observed to be the usual joy upon such occasions which some thought proceeded from a secret impulse that she was rather born for a Scourge than a Blessing to the Nation as it after happened when she grew up she was committed to the Tuition of the Countess of Salisbury who above all things instructed her in the Romish Principles which may be thought the reason of her furious Zeal therein and especially since Stephen Gardiner a keen enemy to the Reformation was her Ghostly Father of whom she once demanded What he thought of those that were not of her Opinion He told her They would infallibly be damned since there was no Salvation in any Church but that wherein the Pope Christs Vicar was the Head and that it was dangerous to converse with them but a mortal sin to spare any of them if she had advantage against them it being pleasing to God to destroy them as obstinate Hereticks which pernicious Counsel as soon as she had power she fully put in practice After the death of King Edward the Lady Jane was proclaimed Queen which the Lady Mary who was at her Mannor at Hovesdon in Herefordshire having notice of she sent a Letter to the Lords of the Council to deplore her Brothers death and demand the Crown as her right but they writ her an answer wherein they insisted on the lawfulness of her Mothers divorce whereby she was made Illegitimate and by several Acts of Parliament yet in force uninheritable to the Crown Imperial of this Realm together with the Will of King Edward and the proclaiming of Queen Jane and therefore desired her to be quiet and obedient to the present Government This was Signed by above twenty of the Council divers of them being Executors of the Testament of the last King The Lady Mary perceiving their Resolution to stand by Queen Jane went to Framingham Castle in
French King and his Mother out of the hands of so dangerous a Faction by aiding such of the French Subjects as preferred the service of their Soveraign and Country above all other respects and for preserving the reformed Religion from universal destruction and maintaining her own subjects in Peace and safety this she publisht in a Manifesto to the World and accordingly assisted the Hugonots with Ships Amunition and six thousand men The Papists apprehending the Queen would lay the Ax to the Root of their Religion contrived several horrid and dangerous Conspiracies against her life which were all happily prevented Differences growing great between the Queen of Scots and her Nobility they imprisoned her from whence she escaped into England and put her self under the Protection of the Queen who after mature deliberation concluded to detain her as one taken by the Right of War and not to dismiss her till she had made satisfaction for assuming the Title of England and the Death of Darnley her husband who was an English subject born and Commissioners were appointed to examine the cause at Tork and Murray the Regent of Scotland was summoned to answer the complaints of the Queen of Scots who entred a Protestation against these proceedings as being a free Princess and obnoxious to no earthly Princess on the contrary the English alledged that they would in no wise admit of her Protest as being in prejudice of the rights which the Kings of England have anciently challenged as Superior Lords of Scotland At last after she had continued Prisoner in England eighteen years she was brought to a Tryal and being charged with having been privy to several conspiracies against the Queens Life the Commissioners of the Star Chamber pronounced sentence against her and she was soon after beheaded though after her Death Queen Elizabeth was very much troubled and grieved The Duke of Alva a man of Tyrannical and Arbitrary Principles being sent Governour into the Low Countries by the Court of Spain a War broke out with great fury for he being an enemy to their nation destroyed all their priviledges brought in the Inquisition and endeavoured by all manner of cruelties to extirpate the Protestant Religion whereupon the Hollanders confederate together in a League Offensive and Defensive constituting the Prince of Orange their Commander in chief but finding their Forces too weak to oppose the King of Spain they sent an honourable Ambassy to Queen Elizabeth offering her the Soveraignty of Holland and Zealand as she was descended from the Earls of Holland by Philippa the Wife of K. Edward the third after consideration the Queen thanked them for their good Intentions toward her but added she could not receive those provinces into her protection yet would endeavour to prevail with the King of Spain for concluding a Peace Yet she afterward sent them twenty thousand pound which with several other provocations both upon the account of Policy and Religion so inraged the Pope and Spaniard that they conspired her utter destruction the King of Spain having prepared a Navy which the Pope Christened The Invincible Armado wherewith he designed to conquer and take possession of the Kingdom of England bestowed on him by the Pope but Queen Elizabeth providing a Fleet under the Lord Howard Sir Francis Drake and other valiant Commanders fell upon them and after several days fight utterly defeated them insomuch that the Spaniards lost in this expedition above fourscore Ships thirteen thousand five hundred Souldiers and above two thousand Prisoners taken in Ireland Zealand and the Low Countries so that there was no considerable family in Spain but either lost Son Brother or Kinsman in this great defeat The French King Henry the Fourth afrer long Wars with the House of Guise and the confederate Papists of the Holy League fearing that they would at last destroy him now turned from the Protestant Religion and having acquainted Queen Elizabeth with the necessity thereof she endeavoured to divert him therefrom writing to him in these very terms Alas VVhat grief what anxiety of mind hath befallen me since I heard this news VVas it possiâ—le that worldly respects should make you lay aside the fear of God Could you think that he who hath hitherto upheld and kept you would now at the last leave you It is a dangerous thing to do evil that good may come thereof but I hope your mind may alter In the mean while I pray for you and beg of God that the hands of Esau may not hinder the blessing of Jacob To which K. Henry replied That though he had done this in his own Person out of necessity yet he would never be wanting to those of the reformed Religion but would take them into his special care and Protection However this his compliance did not save his life for having raised a great Army one Ravilliack a bloody Villain murdered him in his Coach in the Streets of Paris declaring the chief motive thereof to be because he suspected him still a Hugonot and that those Forces were designed against the Pope The Queen now assisted the Hollanders with considerable Forces under the Earl of Leicester and others and sent the Earl of Essex with a gallant Navy who took Cales the Castle being redeemed for 580000 Duckets and a vast quantity of Amunition and Money found in the Town The Spaniards offered Sir VValter Rawleigh two Millions of Duckets to free their Ship from firing but he said He was sent to destroy Ships not to dismiss them upon Composition the loss was judged 20000000 of Duckets by this Expedition In the mean time Tyrone breaking into Rebellion in Ireland got a great victory over the English and after some debate the Earl of Essex was sent thither with ample Authority but not meeting with expected success he returned to England without the Queens permission whereupon he was committed to custody and brought to a private Tryal but upon his submission was again set at liberty yet being reproached with want of Courage by some of the Cabal he turned Malecontent and used all means to gain the Peoples love resolving to seize on the Queen but being disappointed he retired into the City endeavouring to ingage the Citizens on his side which not being able to effect he at length surrendred himself to the Lord Admiral and was sent to the Tower with his great friend the Earl of Southampton both whom being Try'd were found guilty of Treason and Essex was beheaded but Southampton pardoned several of their confederates being likewise executed Soon after Queen Elizabeth died at Richmond in her Bed after she had wonderfully escaped abundance of Popish Conspiracies against her life there being above 100 Persons executed at several times during her Reign for designing to destroy her whereof sixty seven were Jesuits she reigned forty four years lived sixty nine and died March 24. 1602. of whom this Epitaph was written None like Elizabeth was found in learning so divine She had the perfect skilful art of
the next year His Majesty and Donna Katherina Infanta of Portugal were married by the Lord Bishop of London at Pertsmouth June 14. 1662. Sir Henry Vane was beheaded on Tower-Hill for High Treason In December three Ambassadors came from the Emperour of Russia with rich Presents to His Majesty In July 1663. the Laird Warriston was Executed at Edenborough according to the Sentence in Parliament on a Gibbet twenty two foot high In January Twenty one Persons were condemned for High Treason in Yorkshire In March 1664. War was proclaimed against the Dutch for which the Parliament gave His Majesty a supply of Five and twenty hundred thousand pounds June 3. 1665. His Royal Highness obtained a Gâ—â—â—t Viâ—tory against the Hollanders wherein above Thirty of their Capital Snips were taken and destroyed and near Eight thousand Men killed and taken Prisoners Of the English were slain the Earls of Falmouth Portland and Marlborough and the Lord Muskerry A great Sickness in London for in this year there died Ninety seven thousand three hundred and six whereof of the Plague Sixty eight thousand five hundred ninety six In June 1666. another Victory was obtained against the Dutch by His Majesties Fleet under Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albemarle after a sharp Ingagement of three days in two of which the Duke of Albema le maintained the Fight with Fifty Ships against above Eighty of the Enemy In September this year a sudden and lamentable Fire broke out in London which burnt down Thirteen thousand two hundred Houses in four days time June 11. 1667. Some of His Majesties Frigates took twelve Dutch Prizes and sunk two upon the coast of Norway In March 1668. several Apprentices and other idle Persons about London got tumultuously together under the notion of pulling down Houses of ill fame eight of whom were taken and indicted of High Treason four whereof were Executed at Tyburn Jan. 4. The Duke of Albemarl died at the Cock-Pit and the 23d his Dutchess likewise died May 25. 1670. His Majesty and His Royal Highness went to Dover where the Dutchess of Orleance Landed the next day May 9. Colonel Bloud and others attempted to carry away the Royal Crown out of the Tower of London March 14. 1672. Sir Rob. Holms with six of His Majesties Ships met with the Dutch Smyrna and Streights Fleet conveyed by eight of their Men of War of Portsmouth and upon refusing to strike and lower their Top-Sails fought them and took five of the richest of them March 28. His Majesties Declaration of War aga nst the States General of the Vnited Provinces was Proclaimed In May there happened a violent Fire at St. Catherines near the Tower of London which consumed above an hundred Houses May 28. His Royal Highness engaged the whole Dutch Fleet in Southwold Bay and after a sharp Encounter of about eight hours the Dutch Fleet gave way and retreated In this Engagement that gallant Commander the Earl of Sandwich was lost as likewise Sir Fretchevill Hâ—llis Capt. Digby and Sir John Cox May 17. 1673. The English and French Fleets joyned together in the Downs and soon after they engage against the Dutch and after a sharp Dispute forced them to retreat and shelter among the shallows Aug. 11. A third Victory was obtained against the Hollanders under the Command of Prince Râ—pert where that valiant Sea-man Sir Edw. Spragg was unhappily drowned Her Royal Highness with the Dutchess of Modena her Mother arrived at Dover Novemb. 21. where they were met by His Royal Highness the D. of York in order to the Consummation of their Marriage Feb. 9. The Treaty of Peace concluded between His Majesty and the Dutch was signed by His Majesties Commissioners and the Spanish Ambassador commissioned by the States thereunto Decemb. 18. 1674. His Majesty having been pleased at His Entertainment at Guildhall London on the Lord Mayors day before to accept of the Freedom of the City This day the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen waited upon His Majesty at Whitehall and humbly presented him with the Copy of the Freedom of the City in a Box of massy Gold the Seal thereof hanging in a Golden Box set over with Diamonds to a very great value Aug. 20. 1675. A Hurricane happened at Barbadoes which destroyed at Sea eight Ships and Ketches and at Land 300 Houses and about 200 Persons Sept. 3. The whole Town of Northampton was near burnt to the ground by an accidental Fire Novemb. 7. 1677. A Marriage was solemnized between the Prince of Orange and the Lady Mary at St. James's by the L. Bishop of London Sept. 29. 1678. Titus Oats and Dr. Tongue were examined before the Privy Council in order to the discovering a Plot against His Majesties Person and Government Next day Mr. Edw. Coleman was committed to Newgate Octob. 10. Sir Edmunbury Godfrey having been missing three or four days was found dead in a ditch with his own Sword thrust through him nigh Primrose Hill and the Coroners Jury gave in their Verdict that he was murdered by a Confederacy of Assassinates On the 19th a Proclamation was issued out for discovery of the Murtherers Octob. 21. The Parliament met and the next day Oats was examined before the Commons and the next day after before the House of Lords Octob. 24. Mr. Will. Bedlow came in for a discoverer of the Plot and Sir Edmundbury Godfreys Murther Octob. 30. A Proclamation was published for a General Fast Another commanding all Popish Recusants to depart ten miles out of London Another That no Officer nor Souldier in His Majesties Guards should be a Papist Nov. 11. Wiâ—l Staley a Goldsmith was Executed at Tyburn for Treason Nov. 30. His Majesty gave His Royal Assent to an Act to disable Papists to Sit in either House of Parliament Decemb. 3. Edw. Coleman was Executed A false Alarum happened of the French Landing in the Isle of Purbeck Jan. 24. Ireland and Grove were Executed being convicted of High Treason for carrying on the Popâ—sh Plot Feb. 21. Green Bury and Hill were hanged for the Murther of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey April 4. 1669. Articles of Impeachment were drawn up by the House of Commons against the E. of Powis L. Stafford L. Arundel of Warder L. Petre and L. Bellasis upon which they were committed Prisoners to the Tower April 21. The King dissolved His Privy Council and constituted another consisting of thirty May 3. Dr. Sharp Archbishop of St. Andrews in Scotland was there barbarously murdered in his Coach by twelve Assassinates May 29. A Rebellion broke out in the West of Scotland where they proclaimed the Covenant and set up a Declaration but were soon dispersed by His Majesties Forces June 21. Whitehead Harcourt Gavan Turner and Fenwick all Priests and Jesuits being condemned at the old Bayly for the Popâ—sh Plot were executed at Tyburn and soon after Mr. Langhorn upon the same account Decem. 29. 1680. The L. Stafford was beheaded on Tower-hill June 15. 1681. Oliver Plunket and Edward
Northampton Rutland Lincoln Leicester Derby and Nottingham continuing two hundred and two years 7. The last Kingdom was that of the East Angles containing the Counties of Norfolk and Suffolk which lasted three hundred fifty three years Yet during the time of this Heptarchy many of the British Princes valiantly defended their lawful Inheritances and with great Courage endeavoured to prevent the Saxon Yoke from being imposed upon their Necks Among whom was Vortimer the Son of Vortigern afore-mentioned for Vortigern being after sixteen years Reign deposed from the Government for his Kindness to the Saxons his Son Vortimer was chosen King of the Britans and presently engaged against the Saxons gaining so much in four famous Victories over them that they were almost extirpated He erected a Monument in the Isle of Thanet in the Place where the Saxons were overthrown which to this day is called the Stowers wherein he commanded his Body to be buried that the Saxons might be terrified with the sight thereof He restored the Christian Religion then much decayed and rebuilt the Churches destroyed by the Pagan Saxons Rowena procured his Death by Poyson after which his Father Vortigern was re-established in the Government But being oppressed by the Saxons and pursued by Aurelius he fled into Wales where in a Castle which he built by Merlin's Directions in the Mountains he with his Daughter whom he had taken to Wife were burnt to Ashes Aurelius Ambrosius was likewise very successful against the Saxons He is said to have built Stonehenge near Salisbury in remembrance of the Massacre of three hundred of the British Nobility who were there slain by the Treachery of the Saxons Vter Pendragon who succeeded him was no less fortunate He was named Pendragon either because at his Birth there appeared a fiery Comet like a Dragons Head or from his Royal Banner wherein was the Picture of a Dragon with a Golden Head He died of Poyson put into a Well wherein he used to drink Arthur his Son and Successor won twelve Battels against the Saxons and chased Colgern their Captain from his Camp in Northumberland to York from whence he escaped into Germany The Relicks of Arthur's Round Table are to this time shewn at Winchester with the Twenty four Seats After him reigned Constantine Aurelius Conanus Vortiporus Malgo Canonus and Careticus This last King raised a Civil War among his own Subjects the Britans which made them forsake him and leave him to the Mercy of the Saxons who pursuing him he fled to Cirencester in Berkshire for safety but his Enemies taking several Sparrows fastned Fire to their Feet and let them fly into the City who lighting upon Straw and thatcht Houses burnt the City to the Ground but Careticus escaped and fled for security to the Mountains of Wales where he died After twenty four years Civil Dissention Cadwan was made King During these Troubles Austin the Monk who was sent hither by Pope Gregory to convert the Britans carrying himself very insolently at a Meeting with the British Bishops at a Place thence named Austins Oak in Worcestershire they could come to no Agreement whereupon it is thought Austin contrived this cruel Revenge There was a Monastery at Bangor in North Wales situated in a fruitful Valley now called The English Mailor containing in compass about a Mile and an half of Ground This Monastery saith my Author was the Mother of all others in the World the Monks whereof divided themselves into several Companies every one consisting in about three hundred Souls and all maintaining themselves by the Labour of their Hands Many of these Monks met at Caer Legion now Chester to assist their Brethren the Britans with their Prayers against Ethelfrid the wicked King of Northumberland who with his Pagan Soldiers by the Procurement of Austin as was judged slew two thousand of these Christian Monks and discomfited the British Host Cadwallo his Son reigned after him and was victorious over the Saxons slaying Edwin King of Northumberland and his Son Osfride in a bloody Battel He died in peace say the British Writers and was buried at St. Martins Church in London his Statue on Horseback in Brass being set upon Ludgate for a Terrour to the Saxons Cadwalloder the Son of Cadwallo fought manfully against the Saxons but the Distractions amongst his Nobility much hindred his Proceedings There was likewise a dreadful Famine in his Reign so that the Common People reckoned Roots and Herbs to be dainty Food This was followed by a woful Mortality which was so raging and sudden that great numbers of People were surpriz'd by Death while they were eating drinking walking and speaking These Calamities lasted near eleven years so that the Country was almost depopulated the King and his British Peers being forced to leave the Land who went to his Cousin Allan King of Little Britain in France The Saxons taking advantage of these severe Miseries lamentably oppressed the wretched Britans to whose Aid Cadwallader with the Assistance of his Cousin Allan did once design to return but being diverted by a Dream which he had he went on Pilgrimage to Rome and according to the Superstition of that Age he there turned Monk where he soon after died and was buried with whom died all the Hopes of the Britans he being the last King of the British Blood whereby the Saxons became Sovereign Lords and Masters of this Island And thus was this unhappy Country a second time conquered by Strangers which hapned about the Year of our Lord 689. Yet the Saxons according to the common Fate of Conquerours after they had subdued their Enemies disagreed among themselves and several of their Princes incroached upon the Territories of each other and so became petty Monarchs of some part of Britain These were reckoned to be fourteen in number till at last Egbert the eighteenth King of the West Saxons got command over all the seven Kingdoms of the Saxons and so became sole Monarch of England which none of his Predecessors before ever obtained He had War fourteen Years with the Cornish and Welch and took Westchester their chief Hold from them making a strict Law against any Welchman that should pass over Offa's Dike or set one Foot within his English Dominions He slew Bernulf King of Mercia in Battel and drove the King of Kent out of his Kingdom The East Angles and East Saxons submitted to him and likewise the South Saxons whereupon he caused himself to be crowned absolute Monarch at Winchester And this Monarchy continued in the Saxons till the Danes first got and then lost it again and the Saxons Issue failing upon their next entrance it then fell to the Normans as by the Sequel will appear In the fourteenth year of Egbert the Danes with thirty three Ships landed in England to whom he gave Battel but had the worst of the Day losing two of his chief Captains and two Bishops but the Danes returning two years after into Wales and joyning with the Welch