be made for this great fight and happy did he thinke himselfe who should be admitted for a Defendant much more Assailant At last to encounter his Highnesse with his six Assailants 58. Defendants consisting of Earles Barons Knights and Esquires were appointed and chosen eight Defendants to one Assailant every Assailant being to fight by turnes eight severall times fighting two every time with push of Pike and Sword twelve stroakes at a time after which the Barre for separation was to bee let downe untill a fresh onset The great night of this Solemnity now approaching his Highnesse in his owne lodging in the Christmas did Feast the Earles Barons and Knights assailants and defendants untill the great Twelfth appointed night on which this great fight was to be performed which being come his Highnesse to the great wonder of the beholders did admirably fight his part giving and receiving that night 32. pushes of Pikes and about 360. stroakes of Swords which is scarse credible in so young yeares enough to assure the World that Great Britaines brave Henry aspired to immortality Against the morrow after the same said fight was also prepared a Magnificke Feast at his Highnesse house at Saint Iames at which his Majestie his Highnesse his Brother and Sister with all the other Earles Lords and Knights of the Court were present where after Supper according as before they had beene judged his Highnesse gave three prises to the three best deserving viz. to the Right Honourable the Earle of Montgomery one and to Sir Thomas Darcy and Sir Robert Gourdon Knights the other two The Barriers finished and prises won judged and delivered shortly after began preparation every where to be made for his Highnesse Creation every one from the highest to the lowest to shew there exceeding love striving who should exceed in bravery untill fast-posting Time at length brought forth the long wished for day before which his Highnesse then lying at Richmond a House scituate on the Rivers side seven miles from Westminster the place of his Creation the custome being to be brought from such a place the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of London with the worshipfull Aldermen his Brethren accompanied with thirtie six severall Companies of Citizens of divers callings in so many severall Barges and all Citie-like braverie possible with their severall Flagges Banners Colours Armes Trumpets Drummes and Phyfes with other such provision came from their mighty and renowned City up the silver-streamed River to welcome meet and accompany his Highnesse towards the solemne Action where having encountred with his Highnesse Barges with all the joy love and kindnesse possible to the wonder of the World all eyes were bent towards so joyfull and desired a sight they came altogether rowing downe the proud River which for two or three miles together seemed to be covered with Pinnaces Barges Boates and Oares unto White-hall bridge at the Court where hee was also received and welcommed by the Right Honourable the Lords of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Counsel with divers others and from thence by them conducted unto his Majestie where he remained untill the time of his Creation which being the next day he was in presence of the right Honorable the High Court of Parliament Lords Spiritual and Temporall By his Majestie the King his Father Created Prince of Wales Duke of Cornewall great Earle of Chester c. with a full Investment in all the Ancient and great Liberties ever possessed by any of his famous Predecessors and with the joy and approbation of the whole House His Highnesse being now absolute of himselfe did take up House with a full addition of high Officers Sir Thomas Challener Chamberlaine Sir Charles Cornwallis Treasurer and Sir Iohn Hollis Comptrouler of his House making good and strict Ordets through the same both above and below staires more like a grave wise and ancient Counsellour surveying disposing dispatching his affaires then so young and great a Prince Now were allorted unto him certaine Lands for his revenewes which he was so farre from diminishing that hee left the same encreased by thousands a yeare his servants did now begin to looke which way to helpe themselves since his Highnesse was every day more and more able to give yet he being very sparing to give any thing did onely give Grants unto some with promises hopes and delayes unto others because he would not hee said dispose of any thing untill with the gift he might perpetrat the same which could not be untill either yeares or the High Court of Parliament should enable him but this time as yet not being come he went on his owne frugall courses suffering almost nothing to passe in his House or other affaires which hee himselfe did not oversee At last bethinking himselfe that Wales and Cornwall c. his Principalitie had a long time beene without a Prince of their owne he thought hee might the rather shew his Authority in renewing and avoiding Leases wherefore having first by a Writ called Scire facias avoided and annihilated all their former Rights and Leases hee brought them unto a generall submission to compound take and hold new of him which they were all ready to performe a little before his death Whereupon Surveyors and Commissioners were appointed and dispatched to survey all his Lands and to returne a true certificate of the whole valew untill which being but a little before his sicknesse and death he deferred all manner of Suits because he would first be informed truely what and how great their demands were In the 17. and 18. yeares of his Age he began not onely to be a Man in stature but also in courage and wisdome to the admiration of all and with the eyes of his Spirit surveying the mighty Inheritance whereunto he was Heire apparant he did also straine to be the better furnished if ever his shoulders should undergoe so great a burthen with furniture befitting the same it being wisdome in the time of peace to prepare for the same knowing that Peace is the harbinger of Warre chiefly in Ships counted the brazen Wall of this Isle he in the time of our security thought thereof and therefore did not only intreate his Majestie to cause his Officers of the Navy to build him a Ship called the Prince then the fairest of this Isle but also to advance the affaires of the Navy to his power now and then got leave of his Majestie to goe in person to view the Ships and Storehouses which divers times he did Not content herewith he did also practise Tilting charging on Horsebacke with Pistols after the maner of the Wars with all other the like inventions Now also delighting to conferre both with his owne and other Strangers and great Captaines of all manner of Wars Battailes Furniture Armes by Sea and Land Disciplines Orders Marches Alarmes Watches Stratagems Ambuscadoes Approaches Scalings Fortifications Incampings and having now and then Battailes of head-men appointed both on Horse and Foot in a long Table
ILLUST HENRICUS PRINCEPS WALLIAE W. M. Sculp THE LIFE AND DEATH OF OVR Late most Incomparable and Heroique Prince HENRY Prince of WALES A Prince for Valour and Vertue fit to be Imitated in Succeeding Times Written by Sir CHARLES CORNVVALLISKnight Treasurer of his Highnesse Houshold LONDON Printed by Iohn Dawson for Nathanael Butter 1641. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTY PRINCE CHARLES Prince of WALES c. SIR FInding this Manuscript amongst others I could not passe by it as I did the rest The subiect thereof being so rare a Prince as it may seeme worthy Your Highnes perusall In reading Him You may read Your self His Titles of Honour were the same with Yours Your titles of Vertues the same with His He was as You are the Mirror of the Age which that You may still continue shall ever be the prayer of Your Highnes most humble servant N. B. THE LIFE AND DEATH OF HENRY Prince of WALES SIR YOur imposed taske when with the eyes of my mind I considered I found such a multitude of letts and rubs therein that it seemed unto me a thing impossible to dare to looke after much more to adventure to write any thing touching the Life and Death of our late most noble and ever renowned Prince whose high soaring thoughts because the world was not able to containe the heaven of heavens vouchsafed to entertaine for both his farre every where renowned Fame thorowout this Isle and the whole world being too great that who should adventure to say any more should but in vaine adde water to the Sea As also the numbers of others neerer unto him of most assured knowledge and better judgement all which knew him a great deale better then I being able to give the world and you more full and absolute satisfaction together with the multitude and divers sorts of Religious wise grave juditious learned Critticke and curious censurers all who if it should happen but once to peepe into the world for the welbeloved subject therof would gredily entertane and welcome the same with their divers humors and piercing judgements These and many more with the conscience of my unworthines insufficiencie to performe so high a task which rather would become some Homer Virgil Demosthenes Cicero or rather some one in whom all their excellencies are combined to performe aright like mountaines appeared at first in my way yet because as one saith In magnis voluisse sat est rather then it should not be done at all and with the losse the remembrance also perish how and in what manner we lost so brave a Prince Sometime the expectation of the world and that it might for ever be knowne unto it and you both how exceeding great this last duty is which I owe to the dead as also how absolutely you may command him whom your love long since hath strictly bound to be perpetually yours in place of a better I haue adventured upon these ensuing conditions to lanch out my fraile barke into that great Ocean of sorrow even from the cradle to the grave whence storme-beaten as you see I have with much adoe recovered my desired haven First that whatsoever distaste you finde therein of any thing you would not impute it to any presumption of mine but rather to my frailty and ignorance which rather then to offend you I have herein bewrayed Next that whatsoever is here written of his late Highnesse not content herewith you would only use the same as a Ladder to mount up your thoughts to a far more excellent meditation of his vertues further also that you would not be too busie upon this report to censure any of your Phisitians or any other al whom I protest I have endeavoured to please without partiality so farre as in my judgement the truth would suffer me rather imputing the blame unto my relation then any of their actions As also that with your accustomed patience you would delay to censure me for this letter untill with mature judgement you have throughly perused the same considering how much more easie it is to censure others then to doe well our selves Again that since the way by which I must passe is through a long darke silent solitary untroden path leading even to the chambers of death fraught altogether with sorrow ending in teares wherein I cannot chuse but by the excesse thereof many times fall stumble and misse of my way you would with your gentle excuses reach out your hand of love to helpe me up againe rather expecting what is entended then done Lastly that you with my other discreet Reader who hereafter shall see the same would onely use it as a Hunters baite to stay your stomacks a little until some others of better knowledge and sounder judgement doe feed you with a better dinner KNow then that the Kings Majestie and the Queene lying at the Castle of Striveling a place famous for Antiquitie faire for Building pleasant for Scituation on Tuesday the 19. of February 1594. about 3. a clocke in the morning his Highnesse was born to the great joy of all the whole Isle and all forraigne true hearted Princes and people his Majesties well-willers and Confederats but chiefly the Phaenix of her age great matchlesse Elizabeth to shew the exceeding love to his Majestie did not onely â—end the Right Honourable the Earle of Sussex with rich presents to the Christing but also by him and for Her did give unto his Highnesse the Name of HENRY most renowned and Victorious after which by speciall appointment from his Majestie he was resigned to the custody and keeping of the Earle of Marre assisted also by the continuall and vigilant care of the venerable and noble Matron his Mother unto whom the chief charge of his Highnesse person by his Majestie was given Shee also for many yeares before being his owne great happy Nurse with whom he no lesse prospered in all things then his Royall Father before him did in the selfe same place and keeping Thus continued the strength of his Father and the glory of his Mother a great while in the hands of women giving in this his tender age by his wonderfull courage infallible tokens of a Noble and Heroick Spirit no musick being so pleasant in his eares as the sounding of the Trumpet the beating of the Drumme the roaring of the Canon no sight so acceptable as that of Pieces Pistols or any sort of Armour all which evidently shew that if hee had lived Mars himselfe would not one day have dared to looke him in the face Thus he remained untill the 5. or 6. yeares of his Age at which time his Majestie thought it expedient he should no longer want a Tutor Whereupon Master Newton afterwards his Secretary was by his Majesty thought fittest for the said place who presently with all care possible did begin to teach his Highnesse the grounds of Learning with the Introductions leading to the same A little after the Women being put from about his Highnesse divers
whereby he might in a manner view the right ordering of a Battaile how every troope did aide and assist another as also the placing of the light Horsemen Vauntguard Maine Battaile with the assisting wings and Rerewards c. which are out of my element to speake of Neither did he omit as he loved the Theoricke of these things to practise the same entertaining in his House a Dutch Captaine sent unto him by his Excellence Grave Maurice a most excellent Ingineer in all manner of things belonging to the Wars causing also from time to time new Pieces of Ornance to be made learning to shoot and levell them right to the white No lesse provident was he to have great Horses and those of the best which were sent unto him from all Countreyes so that I may truely affirme no Prince in Christendome did exceed him therein Thus in these and other worldly pleasures which stoope for acquaintance unto greatnesse did he spend the yeares past In the 19. yeare of his Age whether by his continuall toile of body and minde or some internall unknowne causes I know not where before he was of somewhat a full round face and very pleasant disposition his Visage began to appeare somewat paler longer and thinner then before hee himselfe being also more sad and retyred then usuall yet without any complaint of him or jealousie of his Followers save that some halfe a yeare after hee would now and then complaine of a small kinde of giddy lumpish heavinesse in his forehead the paine wherof moved him as I thinke for the most part ever before hee would put on his Hat to stroke up with his hand his brow and forehead he did also use to bleed at the nose often and in great quantitie wherein he found great ease untill a little before his Sicknesse the passages being stopped this helpe to his further griefe left him he was now subject to many strong and extraordinary qualmes so that for danger and celerity they were forced many times to fetch him againe with strong waters which being onely by intermission now and then were let passe as they came without any suspition of so suddaine sorrowes Much about the beginning of this Summer there could almost bee no newes heard but of his Sisters marriage of which many speeches went currant according to the divers affections of Protestants and Papists some wishing her to bee married to the King of Spaine some to the Prince of Savoy some to the young Lands-grave and some to his Highnesse the Palsgrave her now husband But hee following the streame of his Fathers well setled affections for great Britaines eternall felicity and terrour of all Papists did onely fancy the Palsgraves motion shortly after advancing the same by all meanes possible at the comming of the Right honourable the Count Hannaw the Palsgraves great Ambassadour whose errand as the speech went was to knit up this match unto whose suite his Highnesse did not onely give way and second the businesse but also in signe of love entertaine and countenance the said Count next unto his Majesty more then any never resting untill all was agreed as thankes bee to God it is now finished Matters now being at rest the Duke of Bovillon and Count Hannaw having returned home againe his Higenesse removed to Richmond where hee lay untill the progresse the pleasure of the River running close by the house inviting him now and then to swimme which hee endeavoured to learne in the evening to the dislike of many who did see him swimme after supper his stomack being full affirming it to bee full of danger and that it was needlesse for him to adventure himselfe in the water but no remedy hee would needs continue the same and did untill his removing from thence Hee did now also delight many times to walke late at night by the Rivers side in Moone light to heare the Trumpets sound an eccho which many suspected because the Dew then falling did him small good But the time of the progresse now approaching when as hee was commanded hee must needs meet the King his Father at Beaver Castle in Notinghamshire the second Saturday after the beginning of the same which now drawing neere his Highnesse neither considering the strength of his body the greatnesse of the journey being neere fourescore and sixteene miles nor the extreame and wonderfull heat of the season and notwithstanding my persuasions to the contrary determined to ride that great journey in 2. dayes according to which hee set forth on fryday by one of the clock in the morning from his house at Richmond comming to Finchingbrooke besides Huntington a house pertaining to Sir Oliver Cromwell Knight Master of his game by tenne of the clock in the morning which as they say is threescore miles in nine houres posting where hee remained all that night the next day having six and thirty miles to Beaver Castle where hee meet with his Father just at the time prefixed But the time of one thing I had almost forgot to tell you how before his comming from Richmond in intending to feast the Courtat his Mannor of Woodstock about the end of this progresse it being the first time of their generall meeting there since the house became his had given order to his Officers to provide a most magnifique Feast against their comming to the foresaid house withall having ordained a great Summer-house of greene boughes to bee built in the parke wherein the great supper should bee all which was with speed performed meane while although the season was exceeding hot his Highnesse did ride many and extraordinary journeyes in the same which as was thought did much incline his boyling bloud towards inflamation At last their journeis being towards an end to Woodstock they came where his Highnesse accordingly to his former intention did feast the Lords and Ladies at a long table neere which hee himselfe did beare them company from the Wednesday night of their comming untill the Sunday night which unknowne to him hee had appointed for the last great farewell unto all his friends By this time the appointed night for this great feast being come his Highnesse did himselfe in person come into the banqueting house to see all things in good order for great was his care to give contentment At last the King and Queene being set at a Table by themselves at the upper end of the roome his Highnesse with his Sister accompanied with the Lords and Ladies sitting at another Table of thirty yards long and more by themselves there was to bee seene one of the greatest and best ordered feasts as ever was seene nothing wanting which any way was fitting to adorn such a solemne meeting All which to the generall joy of the whole Court his Highnesse like to a Princely Bridgrome cheering and welcomming his Guests there appeared an universall contentment in all but litle knew he that it was his last great farewel to his Father Mother Sister yea