Merlin and his wonderfull Prophesies CHAP. 1. Of the Birth of Merlin sirnamed Ambrosius whether he were a Christian or no and by what spirit hee prophesied c. TO Prophets there be severall attributes given some are called prophetae some vates others videntes that is Prophets Predicters and Prophets predicters and seers Seers and these have been from all antiquity The name of prophets was and ought to bee peculiar to those only that dealt onely in divine Mysteries and spake to the people the words which the Almighty did dictate unto them concerning those things which should futurely happen and such also are called in the holy Text Seers But vates was a title promiscuously conferd on prophets and poets as belonging to them both of the first were Moses Samuel David Isaiah Ieremiah Daniel and the rest whose divine Oracles are extant in the old Testament others there were in the time of the Gospell as Iohn Baptist of whom our Saviour himselfe witnesseth that he was not onely a prophet but more than a prophet and we reade in the Acts of the Apostles Cap. 11. 27. And in those days also came Prophets from Hierusalem to Antiochia And there stood up one of them called Agabus and signified Propheticall Poets by the spirit that there should be great famine in all the world which came to passe under Claudius Caesar of the Vaticall or propheticall poets amongst the Greeks were Orpheus Linus Homer Hesiod c. and amongst the Latins Publius Virgilius Maro with others But before I come to enquire in which of these lists This our Countryman Merlin whose sirname was Ambrosius ought to be filed It is needfull that I speak something of his birth and The birth of Merlin parents His mother being certain but his father doubtfull for so our most ancient Chronologers have left them that is whether hee were according to nature begot by a man and a woman or according to his mothers confession that hee was conceived by the compression of a fantasticall spirituall creature without a bodie which may bee easily believed to bee a meere fiction Meâ—…lin the sonne of a Kings daughter or excuse to mitigate her fault being a Royall Virgin the daughter of King Demetius or to conceale the person of her sweet-heart by disclosing of whose name shee had undoubtedly exposed him to imminent danger and this is most probable And yet we reade that the other fantasticall congression is not impossible For Speusippus the sonne of Platoes sister and Elearchus the Sophist and Amaxilides in the second book of his philosophie affirme in the honour of Plato that his mother Perictione having congression with the imaginary shadow Plato and Merlin had fathers alike of Apollo conceived and brought into the World him who proved to bee the Prince of Philosophers Apuleius also in his book intitled De Socratis Daemonio of Socrates his Daemon or genius writes at large that betwixt the Moone and the Earth Spirits inhabit called Incubi of which Spirits betwixt the Moone and the Earth opinion Plato was also who saith That their harbour was between the Moone and the Earth in the moyst part of the ayre A kinde of Daemons which hee thus defines a living creature moyst rationall immortall and passible whose property is to envy men because to that place from whence they were precipitated by their pride man by his humilitie is preferd and of these some are so libidinous and luxurious that sometimes taking humane shape upon them they will commixe themselves with women and generate children from whence they have the name of Incubi whom the Romans called Fauni and Sicarii and of such Saint Augustine Spirits called Incubi in his booke De civitate Dei makes mention It further may bee questioned whether hee were a Christian or a Gentile as also by what Whether Merlin were a Christian or an Heathen spirit he prophesied a Pythonick or Divine that is by the Devill who spake delusively in the Oracle of Apollo or by holy and celestiall revelation For the first it is not to be doubted but hee was a Christian as being of the British Nation This Kingdome having for the space of two hundred and odde yeeres before his birth received the Gospell under King Lucius the first King of this Land by the Substitutes of Pope Eleutherius by whose preaching the King and a great part of his people quite renounced all Pagan Idolatry and were baptized into the Christian Faith but by what spirit he so truly predicted is only knowne to the God Prophets and Prophetesses in all Nations of all spirits who in every Nation and Language pickt out some choice persons by whose mouthes hee would have uttered things which should futurely happen to posterity according to his divine will and pleasure and amongst these was this our Merlin to prove the former Holy Iob was but a Gentile a man of the land of Chus yet none of the holy Prophets of the The former proved Lord did more plainly more faithfully and more pathetically acknowledge Christ and the Resurrection than himselfe when hee saith in a most raptured Emphasis Iob 19. v. 23. O that my words were written even in a book and graven with an iron pen in lead or in stone for ever For I am sure my Redeemer liveth and hee shall stand the last on the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet I shall see God in my flesh whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall behold and none other for mee though my reines be consumed within me Neither was this any wonder in blessed Iob Of the Sibyls whose like for holinesse and uprightnesse of life was not to bee found upon the face of the whole earth when even all the Sibils who were Prophetesses and Virgins and Gentiles of severall Nations for so Varro affirmes predicted not onely of the Incarnation passion and death of our blessed Saviour but of his second comming to judgement of the consummation and dissolution of the World the Resurrection of all flesh the glory of the Saints and the condemnation of the Reprobates especially Sibylla Cumana whom the renowmed Doctors of the Church and more especially Saint Augustine S. Austine aâ—d other of the Fathers approve of the Sibyls prophesies quoted in her prophesies and not thought them altogether unworthy to be remembred in their works of which also Virgil makes menâ—ion in his fourth Eglogue in which Saint Augustine Virgil prophesied of Christ. himselfe witnesseth that hee though an Heathen predicted the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour for he insinuates that he is to speak of a great mystery in his first words which are these Sicelides Musae paulo major a canamus As speaking to the Muses or invocating their assistance that he is now to sing of more stupendious and high things and a little after it followeth Vltima jam venit Cumaei carminis aetas That is now
and soone after died at Shaftbury and was buried at Winchester when he had reigned nineteen yeeres leaving two sonnes Harold sirnamed for his swiftnesse in running Harefoot and Hardy Canutus whom Harold sonne of Canutus King of England in his life time hee caused to bee crowned King of Denmarke Harold succeeded his Father in the Crowne of England in the beginning of whose Reigne there was great doubt made of the Legitimacie of his birth or whether hee were the Kings sonne or no but more especially by Earle Goodwin who was a man of a turbulent spirit who to the utmost of his power would have disinherited him and conferred the Kingdome to his brother But Leofricus whom the King much loved and trusted by the assistance of the Danes opposed mightily Goodwin and his sonne so that they were utterly disappointed of their purpose Harold was no sooner setled in the Kingdome but hee robbed his stepmother Emma that good and devout Lady of her Iewels and Emma wife to Canutus banished Treasure and then banished her the Land wherefore she sailed to Baldwin Earle of Flanders where she was nobly entertained and continued all the Reigne of this Harold in which hee did nothing worth register or deserving memory who after three yeeres and some few moneths died at London or as some say at Oxford and having no issue left his brother Hardy Canutus heire to the Crowne with the death of whose elder brother I conclude this Chapter CHAP. 10. Merlins Prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his Tithing of the Norman Gentlemen the death of Prince Alured sonne to Canutus and Emma the strange death of Earle Goodwin After the death of Edward the Confessor Harold Earle Goodwins sonne usurpeth YOu see how hitherto Merlin hath predicted nothing which the successe and event have not made good wee will yet examine him further and prove if hee have beene as faithfull in the future as the former who thus proceedeth And Helluo then with open jaws shall yawne Devouring even till midnight from the dawn And he an Hydra with seven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian bloud shall prey And tithe them by the pole now well away Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Iron men in woodden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with her Eglets drive c. It followeth in the History Hardy Canutus the Hardy Canutus the Dane crowned King of England sonne of Canutus and Emma began his Reigne over England in the yeere of Grace one thousand forty one who was oâ—… such cruelty as that he was no sooner setled in the State but he presently sent Alphricus Archbishop of Yorke and Earle Goodwin to Westminster to take up the A barbarous cruelty in a brother body of his deere brother and having parted the head from the shoulders to cast them into the River Thames which was by them accordingly performed the cause thereunto moving was for rifling and after exiling his mother Emma whom hee caused with great honour to be brought againe into the Land Hee revived also the almost forgotten Tribute His riot and eâ—…cesse called Dane gelt which hee spent in drinking Deep and Feeding high for these were his delights For besides his immoderate quaffing he had the Tables through his Court spred four times a day with all the riot and excesse that might be devised who himselfe minding only gormondizing and voracitie committed the whole rule of the Land to Emma and Goodwin who had married the Daughter of Canutus by his first wife Elgina by whom many things were much misordered to the great discontent of the Commons This Earle had many sonnes as witnesseth Polychronicon lib. 6. cap. 15. by his Earle Goodwins sons and daughter first wife who was sister to Canutus hee had but one who by the striking of an Horse was throwne into the Thames and there drowned whose mother after died by Lightning and was of such incontinent life that shee prostituted Virgins and young women to make base and mercenary use of their bodies she dead he married a second of whom hee begot sixe sonnes Swanus Harold Tostius Wilnotus Syrthe or Surthe and Leofricus with a daughter named Goditha who after was married to Edward the Confessor Hardy Canutus wholly devoted to all voluptuousnesse being at a Feast at Lambeth in the midst of his mirth and jollity drinking a carowse out of a bowle elbow-deep fell downe Hardy Canutus dieth drinking suddenly and rested speechlesse for the space of eight dayes at the end whereof he expired in the eight day of Iune when hee had raigned two compleat yeeres leaving no issue lawful of his body and was buried by his Father at Winchester in whom ended the Line and Progeny of Swanus so that after this King the bloud of the Danes was quite extinct and made uncapable of any Regall Dignity within this Land The end of the Danish persecution and how long it continued Their bloudy persecution ceasing which had continued counting from their first landing in the time of Brightricus King of the West Saxons by the space of two hundred fifty five yeeres or thereabout by this Hardy Canutus Merlin intended his Helluo as being a gluttonou Prince whose bibacity and voracity would continue from morning till midnight in the first yeere of whose Reigne The two sonnes of Egelredus and Emma namely Alphred and Edward who before were sent into Normandy came into England to see their Mother and were Princely attended by a great number of brave Norman Knights and Gentlemen of which Earle Goodwin that By the seven heads are meant he and his six sonnes who aâ—…sisted him in all his bloudy projects subtle seven-headed Hydra before spoken of having notice ' hee began to plot and devise how to match his only daughter Goditha to one of the two Princes but finding Alured the eldest to be of an high and haughty spirit and would disdaine so mean a marriage he thought by supplanting him to conferre her upon the younger who was of a more flexible disposition Earle Goodwins pâ—…te to compasse which hee pretended to the King and Councell that it might prove dangerous to the state to suffer so many strangers to enter the Land without license By which he got authority and power to manage that businesse according to his owne discretion as being most potent with the King and a great incourager of his profusenesse and riot therefore being strongly accompanied he met with the two Princes and their traine and set upon them as Enemies killing the greater part of them at the first encounter and having surpris'd the rest upon a place called Guil-downe hee slue nine and saved the tenths and then thinking the number of the survivors too Earle Goodwins great cruelty great he tithed againe
Soveraigniz'd fifteen yeares Madan began his Réigne in the yeare of the World foure thousand one hundred twenty two of whom is little left worthy memory but that hee tyrannized over his Subjects and in the fortieth of his Reigne being at his disport of Hunting and lost by his Traine hee The death of Madan was devoured of Wolves which were then plenteous in the Land leaving two Sons Memprisius and Manlius These two brothers were at mortall enmity till in the end Memprisias the elder caused the other to bee traiterously slain after which he fell into all kinde of vices and abandoning the bed of his lawfull wife used the company of many prostitutes and Concubines and then into the brutish sin of Sodomitry for which hee grew hated both of God and man whose body also was in hunting torn to pieces by wild beasts leaving behind him one The death of Memprisius sonne begotten in lawfull wedlâ—…cke named Ebrank Hee beganne his Reigne in the yeare of the World foure thousand one hundred fourescore and two hee had one and twenty wives of whom hee received twenty sonnes and thirty daughters The eldest of which was Gualeu al of Anumerous issue them he sent to Alba Silvius the eleventh King of Italy and sixt of the Latins to have them maried to the blâ—…ud of the Trojans Hee was a great Warriour and conquered in Germany and els-where he builded Caerbranke now called Yorke one hundred and forty yeares after the The building of York erecting of London hee built also in Scotland the Castle of Maidens now called Edenborough Edenborough Castle Castle And after with a strong army pierced Gallia returning thence with great triumph and riches who when hee had reigned sixty yeares died and was buried in Yorke leaving his eldest sonne Brute Greenshield to succeed him in the Kingdome of whom is left no memory worthy the recitall but that he expired and lyeth buried by his Father whose successour was his sonne Leil or Leir who built Careleir or Carleil The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 who in the latter end of his Reigne gave himselfe wholly to sloth by which divers uprores grew in the Realme not at his death appeased whom succeeded his sonne Lud sirnamed Hurdebras who was inaugurated in the yeare of the world foure thousand two hundred The building of Canterbury Winchester Shaftsbury threescore and nineteen he prudently appeased those combustions begot in his fathers days He builded the Town of Kaerkin now called Canterbury and Caerguent now Winton or Winchester and another titled Mount Palatine now Sexton or Shaftsbury hee reigned thirty nine yeares and left a sonne called Bladud This Bladud professed himselfe a great Astrologer and studied the art of Necromancy he builded the Towne of Caerbadon now called Bath and was the first founder of the hot Baths Bathe and the hot Baths this King attempting to flie from the top of Apollo's Temple to the ground his art failing him he broak his neck in the fall when hee had raigned twenty yeares leaving his sonne Leir to The death of Bladud succeed him Leir was of noble conditions and kept the Land in peace and tranquillity hee built the City of Caerleir now Leicester hee Leicester had no sonne but three only daughters Gonovilla Ragan and Cordeilla the youngest whom he best loved who being grown in age desired to know which of his daughters affected him most the first protested she loved him better then her owne soule the second swore her love was inexpressible for shee preferr'd his love before all things under the Sunne which answers Leirs three daughters much pleased him then hee demanded the like of the youngest who told him shee could not flatter like her sisters but she loved him as far as he was worthy to be beloved and as much as a childe ought to love a father which answer much distasting him hee maried his eldest daughter to the Duke of Cornwall and the second to the Duke of Albania and betwixt them divided his Land after his disease but for the younger he reserved no dowre at all Notwithstanding which Aganippus a King amongst the Galls hearing of her great beauty and vertue came into this Kingdome and took her to wife to whom her father would neither part with gold nor jewels nor any remembrance of his love but glad to be so rid of her It was not long after that the two sisters grieved that he liv'd so long incited the two Dukes The ingratitude of the two sisters their husbands called Maâ—…glanus and Hemminus who rose up in armes against him and divided his Dominion betwixt them so that of force he was compeld to flie into France to bee relieved of his youngest daughter whom hee hâ—…d before so much despised whom shee no sooner saw but she exprest unto him all the filiall duty that could be expected from a father so that hee now began to distinguish betwixt flattery and faire words and naturall and pious indulgence briefly shee animated her Husband to The love of Co deilla to her Father take his quarrell in hand who entred into the Land with a puissant army and re-instated him in his thrâ—ne who after he had ruled the Kingdome forty yeeres died and was buried at Caerleil leaving his daughter Cordeilla to inherit the Kingdome who by the generall assent of all the Peeres and Commons was admitted as Queen who for the space of five yeares governed the Land with great prudence and the generall love of the multitude til Morgan and Cunedagius the sons to her two elder sisters invaded her Kingdome and surprising her put her into close prison which servitude her great spirit not able to endure shee with her owne hands slue her The death of Cordeilla selfe These two Nephews to Cordeilla Morgan and Cunedagius divided the Land betwixt them and so continued in great amity for the space of two yeares when some evilly disposed persons whispered in the eares of Morgan that it was a great dishonour unto him being descended from the elder sister Gonewilla and her Husband Maglanus should part from any of his right to Cunedagius sonne to Ragan the second sister and her Hemminius and not possesse himselfe of the whole principality therefore hee made war upon his cousin who sent to him messengers to intreat of amity and unity to which hee would by no meanes condescend Therefore Cunedagie compeld to an unwilling war gave him battaile and rowted his whole army and after chaced him into Wales where in a second field Morgan was slain which place is to this day called Glamorgan or Morgans Glamorgan Land after whose death the victor possessed the sole soveraignty of whom nothing is left worthy memory but that after he had reigned three and thirty yeares hee was buried at Troynovant leaving to succeed him a sonne called Rivallo Rivallo Hee governed the Realme honourably for the space of forty six yeares in
finding the true Crosse and the nayles with which our blessed Saviour was fastned thereto and returne to Hellena sindeth 〈◊〉 Cressâ—… her sonne the Emperour who greatly inlarged the famous City Bizantium and beautified it with stately and sumptuous buildings and for the pleasure which hee tooke in the situation thereof made it his Royall Seat and caused it to be called after his name Constantinople which is the City of Constantine He was also of such power and might in armes that hee purchased to himselfe the Title of Constantine the Great Constantine the Great Hee was moreover stiled the first Christian Emperour and did many things for the upholding of the Faith of which seven by a learned Authour are especially noted First that Christ our blessed Saviour should bee worshipped as God throughout his whole Dominions Secondly Seven Derees made by Constantine to the honour of his Saviour that what man or woman soever spake any blasphemy against him hee should be most severely punished Thirdly that person who did any violence or injury to a Christian man because he was of that belief should forfeit half his goods and possessions Fourthly that as the Emperor of Rome is Head of all temporall Princes so the Bishop of Rome should be chief of all Ecclesiasticall Prelats Fiftly that who so fled to a Church for refuge and made it his Sanctuary should be there free from molestation and danger Sixtly that no man should offer to erect any Church or Temple without the leave and licence of the Bishop of that Diocesse Seventhly that every Prince should give the tenth part of his Revenues toward the mayntenance of Churches and Temples which law for example sake hee confirmed by contributing unto them from his own possessions after all which care of his to establish the true Faith and Gospell hee fell into the detestable Heresie of the Arrians banished Bishop Sylvester beforenamed and persecuted many zealous and godly professors Constantine infated with the Aâ—…rian heresie after which as mine Author affirmeth hee was strook with an incurable Leprosie But now I return to Octavian whom hee left his substitute in Britain Who during the long absence of the Emperour ruled the Land to the great content of the Natives but when hee had throughly invested himselfe into the hearts of the people and thinking his Lord so far remote and could not easily be drawne from so great a charge as the government of both the East and Westerne Octavian usurpeth the Crowne of Britain Empires He thought to usurpe the Title of King and to that purpose distressed such Romans as Constantine had left heere in the Land and so took upon him the sole Soveraignity of which when the Emperour had notice hee sent hither in all haste a Prince called Traherne who was uncle to his mother Helena with three Legions of Romans every Legion consisting on six thousand six hundred and six Knights whom Octavian met in battaile neare unto Portchester or as some Authors write neere Winchester and Trahernesent into Britain compeld Traherne to forsake the field and flie towards Scotland whither Octavian pursued him and gave him a second battaile where hee and the Britains were discomfited and himselfe with some few took shipping and sailed to Norway but not long after he returned into England with a strong Armâ—… of Britains and Norwayes in which interim a British Earle who greatly loved Octavian slue Traherne so that with little difficulty hee subdued the rest of the Commons who were left without a Commander and repossessed the Land which was from the time that Constantine made him Governor or Protector of the Land ten years Octavian thus re-instated gathered great Octavian made absolute K. of Britain riches and treasure in so much that hee feared not the power of any forreigne Prince and ruled the Nation in great peace and quietnesse who being growne aged and full of yeares by the counsell of some of his British Noble men he sent one Mauritius son to Caradock Duke of Cornwall unto Rome For an hopefull young Gentleman called Maximian who was neere allyed to Helena the mother of Constantine that he would come into this Land and by marrying his only daughter enjoy the Kingdome of Britain after him though divers perswaded him to confer that honour upon Conan Meriadock his neere Cousin but the former motion prevailed Conon Meriadock And Maximian the sonne of Leonine brother to Hellen and Uncle to Constantine the Great was sent over with the beforenamed Mauritius and with a sufficient guard of Romans landed safely at the port of Southampton which Conan Meriadock hearing hee gathered a company of his friends and kinsmen and because the other came Maximians first entrance into Britain to dispossesse him of that whicâ—… hee held to be his right Her purposed to ambush him in the way and give him battaile which being told to the King he by his wisdome and power pâ—…evented it so that Maximian came peaceably to Court unto whom the King gave his daughter and the Land with her for her Dower and dyed soon after when he had nobly and peaceably governed the Kingdome for the space of fifty foure yeares CHAP. 5. Maximian made King of Britaine and after Emperour How Armorica came to be called Little Britaine and this Britaine the Great Of Ursula and the eleven thousand Virgins Gratian the last Roman that was King of the Land The great distresses of the Kingdome the cessation of their Tribute paid to Rome Constantine brother to Aldroenus made King of the Realm his death and issue MAximian the sonne of Leonine and Cousin German to Constantine the great was made King of Britaine Maximian K. of Britaine in the yeare of Grace three hundred fourescore and two who proved a valiant and victorious Prince but somewhat proud and withall a persecutor of the Christians And first there was great strife betwixt him and Conan with sundry Conflicts in which they sped diversly but at length they were reconciled and made friends so that he raigned for a time in great peace in which interim he gathered together much treasure and riches At last he was accited to move warre against the Galls and landed with a great Hoast in Armorica now Armorica first called Litle Britaine called Little Britaine which after hee had subdued by the sword hee gave it to Conon Meriadock to hold of him and of the Kings of great Britaine for ever commanding from that time Armorica to be called Little Britain and this Land Britaine the great For which victory and others his Knights proclaimed him Emperour which increased both his pride and tyranny so that he invaded the Lands of the Empire and conquered a great part both of France and Germany which was contrary to his Oath before sworne to the two Emperors Gratian and Valentinian to whom when tydings was brought of this his invasion Gratian prepared to resist him but fearing his power
a certain number of Britaines and as many Saxons should meet upon a Mayday weaponlesse upon the Plaine of Salisbury on which prefixed day Hengist bethought him of a strange and persidious Treason charging all his Saxons that every one should put a long Knife in his hose and when hee gave this watch-word Nempnith your Sepis they should suddenly fall upon the A most unkâ—…ngly treason unarmed Britaines and kill them to one man Briefly they met at the time and place appointed where Hengist and his Saxons received him and his power with a countenance of peace and love but they had not long spoken together when Hengist giving the watchword the Britans were basely and barbarously butchered unlesse any by his manhood and strength wrest the Knife from his enemy and defend himselfe amongst the British Lords was one Edolf Earle of Chester who as Gunfride affirmes seeing his friends and fellows thus murdered he found the stake of an hedge by chance their scattered with which he not only saved his owne life but A valiant Britain slue seventeene of the opposite side and got safely into the City of Salisbury after which treason executed the King remained with Hengist as prisoner Hengist by his Treason having thus gotten the upper hand and reteining the King in his Vortiger suppressed by Hengist power and custodie hee compelled him to give him three Provinces in the East part of Britain Kent Suffex Norfolke and Suffolke to which some adde Essex c. of which being safely possessed hee suffered the King to goe at large sending for some other of his Kinsmen to take possession of other Provinces in the Kingdome crowning himselfe King of Kent and from his Britain first called England owne name caused this Realme to bee called Hengists Land or as wee now pronounce it England and the Saxons now spreading and quartering themselves in the best and most fertile soyles of the Land as having the Sovereignty over London Yorke Lincolne Winchester with most of the principall Cities in the Realme The Saxons still increasing in multitude and power and the Britains daily decreasing both in number and strength Vortiger was forced to flie or retire himself into Wales where Vortiger forced to fly into Wales after some writers thinking to fortifie himself he began to lay the foundation of a Castle called Generon or Gwayneren in the West side of the River Grana upon an Hill called Cloaricus But what successe he had in the building thereof and how Merlin came first to be knowne to the King with part of his Prophesies I will referre to the subsequent Chapter giving withall the intelligent peruser of this story to better his knowledge this Item that without the laying open of the true passage ofthose timâ—… which I have as briefly as possibly I could in the premises these our prophets predictions which now seeme plaine and easie would have beene much more intricate and hard to bee understood CHAP. 3. By what miraculous accident young Merlin came to be knowne to King Vortiger of the combat betwixt the red and the white Dragon and his prophesie thereof c. WHen Vortigers Architectors had caused the Hill to be digged and the foundation to bee laid on which to erect this new structure after the weake men had digged the circuit of the place where the great stones were to be set in order they were no sooner laid in the hollow of the earth but they instantly sunke down and were swallowed up and no more seen at which the Workmen wondred and the King himselfe was much astonished and the more proofs they made the greater cause of admiration they had especially the scituation being upon an Hill and no moorish or uncertaine ground therefore the King commanded a cessation from the worke for the present and sent to the Bards and Wisards of which that age afforded plenty Vortiger inquires of the Wizards to know a reason of that prodigie or at least what it might portend who being gathered together and having long consulted amongst themselves and not finding by any naturall or supernaturall reason what the cause thereof might be they concluded in the end to save their credits and to excuse their ignorance to put the King off with an impossiblitie and when hee came to demand of them what they had done in the matter they returned him this answer that those stones could never be laid together or the place built upon till they were cemented with the bloud of a man-childe who was borne of a mother but had no man to A cunning evasion his father With this answere the King satisfied the soothsayers departed from him not meanly glad that they had put him off according to our English word with a flam or delirement without any disparagement to their art and cunning who no sooner left his presence but the King cald his servants about him commanding them to ride and search into and through all Provinces and Countries till they could find such an one as the Wisards had spoken of and by faire or foule meanes to bring the party unto him but not acquainting him with the Cause but that the King seeing such an one would send him back richly and bountifully rewarded having received this commission or rather Imposition from the King their master wee leave them to their severall adventures every of them being sufficiently accommodated for so uncertaine a journey One of them amongst the rest hapned to come to a Towne or Citty called Kaier Merlin Merlins City since from him so called which implyes Merlins Towne or Merlins borrough which is no doubt the same which wee call at this day Marlborrow but my author termes it a City at whose gates the messenger of the king arriving it hapned that a great many young Lads were sporting themselves without the walls and of the company two of them in gaming fall out the one yong Merlin the other called Dinabutius who amongst other breathing words cast into Merlins teeth that hee was but some Moon-calfe as born of a mothsr who knew not his father The servant taking notice of this Language presently demanded what he was and who were his parents who returned him answer that for any father hee Merlin first discovered had they knew none but his mother was daughter to the King Demetius and lived a Votaresse in that Citie in a Nunnery belonging to the Church of Saint Peter which having heard her presently went to the chiefe Magistrates and shewed them his Commission from the King which they obeying sent both the mother and sonne under his conduct to attend the pleasure of his Majesty Of whose comming the King was exceeding joyfull and when they appeared before him Merlin and his mother appeare before the King both ignorant of the occasion why they were sent for the King first asked him if that were his naturall sonne Who reply'd that hee was and borne of her own body hee then
knowne magnanimity and courage farre surpassest other men but the Kings false oath hath levied men to this unjust warre in which wee must either strive bravely to winne the mastery or else be basely overcome and we now are run into that hazard that none of us is safe which shall not acquit himselfe by his resolution and Knightly boldnesse therefore shew your valour and be assured of victorie Then Earle Baldwin standing in the front of Earle Baldwins incouragement to to the Kings Army the Kings battaile began to incourage his souldiers in this manner To men that shall fight three things are by them to be observed The first the Iustice of the cause lest they indanger their soules which is cleere on our part who sight for our King Country the second is the number of men and the accommodation of Armes for few are not to oppose a multitude nor naked men against armed and we parallel if not exceed them both in amunition and number the third is boldnesse and courage not for defence only but offence which me thinks I espy in your faces and therefore of all these three our Army is sufficiently furnished Now what bee our enemies A weake and distressed woman assisted by two weak supporters Robert Earle of Glocester a man daring without deed and accustomed to word with words not weapons and Ranulph Earle of Chester haughty but withall fool-hardy constant in nothing and conscious only of Conspiracies who proposeth great enterprizes but never brings any to good effect and for many Legions conducted by such Leaders the more they be in company the sooner they be overcome At which word he was cut off by the violent The battell betwixt the King and the Empresse comming on of the enemy and now beganne a cruell battaile resolutely and bravely fought on both sides the violence whereof lasted long uncertain who should be victors but in the end the Kings Hoast was utterly routed but hee of a more heroicke spirit as scorning to flie mayntained the fight with some few of his Knights The King takâ—…n prisoner and was taken prisoner and being brought before the Empresse shee commanded him to bee conveyed under safe custody to the Castle of Bristoll where he remayned indurance from Candlemasse to holy Rood day next ensuing after which victory she was so exalted in thought and puft up with pride that shee thought now shee had the whole Kingdome in her owne possession and came triumphantly to Winchester after to Wilton to Oxford to Reading to Saint Albans and lastly to London in all which places she was royally received and during her abode there the Queene made assiduate labour for the delivery of the King her husband promising he The Queenes pâ—…tition to the Empresse should surrender the whole Land into her possession and either be take himselfe to some Religious Order or to become a banisht Pilgrime to the end of his life but all was in vaine shee could receive no comfort from the Empresse upon any conditions The Citizens of London likewise petitioned unto her that they might use the Laws of Edward the Confessor as they were confirmed by the Conquerour and that she would be pleased to disanull the strict innovations imposed on the land by her Father Henry to which she nor her Counsell would in the least wise condiscend but the tyde soone turned for Kent tooke part The Londoners and Kentishmen take part with the King with the King and the Londoners being discontented at the deniall of their suite and being assured that the Kentish men would in all their Enterprizes assist them they purposed to have surprized her person of which she having secret intelligence left a great part of her Iewels and houshold-stuffe and fled to Oxford in which slight many of her adherents were disheartned and a great part of her forces dispersed and scattered Then the Queene before so much despised The Queene puâ—…sueth the Empresse by the ayde of her friends the Kentish men Londoners and others gathered a strong host under the conduct of one William De-Pre to pursue the Empresse who understanding the Queens forces daily to increase and hers assiduatly to diminish shee left Oxford and secretly escaped to Glocester whither the Queenes host followed her in defence of which City Robert brother Earle Bobert of Glocester taken prisoner of the Empresse making an excursion from the towne was surprised and taken Briefly a Communication was held between the two opposite parties in which after much debating the businesse on both sides it was concluded that there should be one exchange made of the two prisoners so that the King vpon Holy rood day in harvest King Stephen released in exchange of Earle Robert was released and delivered up to the Queen and her Army and Robert of Glocester was surrendred to his sister Maud the Empresse The Land in this time was much distressed by these two Armies who were in continuall agitation sometimes the King having the better and sometimes the Empresse to relate which at large would aske too long circumstance but in the end the King had the better in the seventeenth Yeare of whose Raigne dyed Ranulph Earle of Chester and Ieffry Plantaginet husband to Maud the Empresse after whose death their The death of Iâ—…ffery Plantaginet sonne Henry sirnamed short mantle because hee used to goe in a short Cloak was created Duke of Anjou and Normandy whose sonne few yeares after maried Elenor daughter to the Earl of Poyctow who had before bin maried to Lewis The marriage of Henry Duke of Normandy the French King but for the too neernesse of blood divorced after hee had received two daughters from her Mary and Alice so that this Henry was the Earle of Anjou by his father Duke of Normandy by his mother and Earle of Poyctow by his wife This King Stephen had a sonne named Eustace Eustace the sonne of King Stephen who by ayde of the French King warred upon the forenamed Henry in which the Duke so Knightly demeaned himselfe that it proved to their great disadvantage some say that King Stephen would have crowned his sonne in his life time but the Clergie would not agree thereto having a command from the Bishop of Rome to the contrary and therefore his purpose tooke no effect Then the King said siege to the Castles of Newbery Wallingford Warbycke and Warwell which had beene kept by the friends of the Empresse to her use in hope of the comming over of her sonne Duke of Duke Henry landeth in England Normandy c. who the same yeere with a great Hoast entered England and first wanne the Castle of Malmsbury and after came to London and possessed himselfe both of the City and the Tower which more by his policie and promise then his potencie and power performed Then King Stephen with his Hoast drew neer to Duke Henry but by the mediation of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury and
others of the Clergie and Nobility who met at a place called the water of Vrme they were kept from A peace mediated betwixt the King and the Duke present hostility some endevouring peace others labouring warre as their humours and affections guided them After which the King took his way towards Ipswich in Suffolke the Duke towards Shrewsbury in which interim died and was drowned Eustace the sonne of King Stephen and was buried at Feversham in Kent in the Abbey which his Father before The death of Prince Eustâ—…ce had founded After which Theobald with others ceased not to bring these two Princes to an attonement which was so earnestly laboured that a peace was concluded upon the conditions following namely that the King having now no heire should continue in the sole Sovereignty during his life and immediately after the conclusion and establishing of that Edict Henrie should be proclaimed Heire apparant in all the chiefe Cities and Borâ—…ughs of England and that the King should take him for his sonne by adoption as immediate Heire to the Crowne and Kingdome wherein that part of the prophesie is fulfilled which saith She failing will a Lions whelpe appeare Whose rore should make the Centaure quake with feare But when the two shap't Monster shall be tam'd By gentle means the whelpe shall be reclaim'd By the Centaure and two shap't Monster or the Sagittary which are all one meaning the King and by the Lions whelpe Henry Duke of Normandy The death of King Stephen c. and after King of England In the end of this yeere died King Stephen when hee had reignâ—…d eighteen yeeres and odde moneths and was buried by his sonne Eustace at Feversham This King spent his whole Reigne in great vexation and trouble which as some conjecture hapned because hee usurped the Crowne contrary to his Oath made to Henry the first that hee should maintaine the inheritance of his daughter Mawd the Empresse this Stephen Vpon what grounds Stephen pretended his title to the Crown was the sonne of Eustace Earle of Bulloigne and of Mary sister to Mawd who was married to his predecessor Henry these two are the daughters of Margaret the wife of Malcolm King of Scots which Margaret was the sister to Edgar Etheling and daughter of Edward the outlaw who was sonne to Edmund Ironside Mawd the Empresse daughter to Henry Beauclarke had by her second husband Ieffery Plantaginet this Henry the second of that name by whom the bloud of the Saxons againe returned to the Crowne partly by King Stephen but more fully by him so that consequently the bloud of the Normans continued but threescore The Norman bloud in sixty yeeres extinguished and ten yeeres accounting from the first yeere of William the Conquerour to the last of the reigne of Henry first compleating those words the prophesie And when the iron brood in the land shall fail The bloud of the red Dragon must prevail CHAP. 14. Divers remarkable passages during the Reigne of Henry the second his numerous issue and how they were affected towards him his vices and vertues his good and bad fortune all which were by this our Prophet predicted HEnry the second sonne of Ieffery Plantaginet The Coronation of King Henry the second and Mawd the Empresse began his Reigne over England in the moneth of October and the yeere of our Lord God one thousand one hundred fifty five of whom before it was thus prophesied The Eglet of the Flawde league shall behold The prophesie of his Reâ—…gne The Fathers of her prime bird shine in gold And in her third nest shall rejoyce but hee Who from the height of the great Rocke may see The Countries round both neer and far away Shall search amongst them where hee best can pray Some of whose numerous ayrie shall retaine The nature of the Desert Pelican The all commanding keys shall strive to wrest And force the locke that opens to his nest But break their own wards of all flowers that grow The Rose shall most delight his smell and so That least it any strangers eyes should daze Hee 'l plant it close in a Dedalian Maze Fortune at first will on his glories smile But fail him in the end alack the while The first words of this Prophesie seeme to reflect Part of the prophesie explained upon the Empresse his Mother by rejoycing her third nest may be intended that having three sonnes Henry Ieffery and William the two later failing as dying in their youth shee might rejoyce in him whose Father being King she saw to shine in gold or else being first espoused to Henry the Emperour and next to Ieffery Plantaginet shee might in her death rejoyce in her third espousall with her Saviour but againe where hee stiles her the Eglet of the Flawde or Borbon League It may bee conferd upon the Queen who being first married to the King of France and through neernesse of bloud divorced from him and sent to her Father and after married to this King being then Duke of Normandy she may be said first to have built her nest in France secondly in Normandy and thirdly and last in England This Prince as the Chronicle describes him The Kings Character to us was somewhat high-coloured but of a good aspect and pleasant countenance fat full chested and low of stature and because hee grew somewhat corpulent hee used a sparing and abstinent diet and much exercised Hunting He was well spoken and indifferently learned Noble in Knighthood and wise in counsaile bountifull to strangers but to his familiars and servants gripple-handed and where hee loved once or hated constant and hardly to be removed he had by his wife Eleanor six sonnes and three daughters The names of five of them His Issue were William Henry Richard Godfery and Iohn of which two came to succeed him in the Throne Richard and Iohn of the sixt there is small or no mention the eldest of his daughters hight Mawd and was married to the Duke of Saxony the second Eleanor to the King of Spaine the third named Iane to William King of Sicily This King was prosperous in the beginning of his Raigne but unfortunate in the end as the sequell will make apparant he was of such magnanimity and courage that hee was often heard to say that to a valiant heart not a whole World sufficeth and according to his words hee greatly augmented his Heritage and much added The Kings Dominions to his Dominions For hee wonne Ireland by strength and in the seventh yeere of his Reigne for divers affronts offered him by William King of Scotland he made such cruell warre upon him that in the end hee tooke him He taketh the Scots King prisoner prisoner and compeld him to surrender into his hands the City of Carlile the Castle of Bamburch the new Castle upon Tyne with divers other holds and a great part of Northumberland which William before had wonne from the
Merlin well verst in many an hidden spell His Countries Omen did long since foretell Grac'd in his Time by sundry Kings he was And all that he predicted came to passe The Life of MERLIN Sirnamed AMBROSIVS His Prophesies and Predictions Interpreted and their truth made good by our English Annalls Being a Chronographicall History of all the Kings and memorable passages of this Kingdome from BRUTE to the Reigne of our Royall Soveraigne King CHARLES A Subject never published in this kind before and deserves to be knowne and observed by all men Quotque aderant vates Rebar adesse Deos. LONDON Printed by I. Okes and are to be sold by Iasper Emery in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Eagle and Child neare St. Austins Gate 1641. To the worthy and by me much Honoured Master IAMES METTAM Esquire c. SIR BY that generous and noble Character which long since I have heard confer'd upon you my sole ambition was to attend so happy an opportuninity as to be any way knowne unto you But when time so farre seconded my wishes that upon an unexpected meeting I was made so fortunate not onely to be admitted into your company but accepted into your knowledge for which I stand much ingaged to your kinseman and friend Mr. T. B. I instantly apprehended that report came much short of your worth and merit which I ingenuously confesse transcended my expectation for besides your generous affability and courtesie the most gracefull garnish and best decorements that become and adorn a true-bred Gentleman finding you not onely generally addicted to the incouragement of all good Arts and Sciences but especially to the professours of Literature and Learning and when upon further discourse I understood that you more particularly had not only took view of some of my weake Labors but crowned them with your Verdict These inducements so farre emboldned mee as to offer these my unpolisht papers to your perusall and patronage which if you shall be pleased to countenance I shall remayne confident against all malicious prejudice desiring rather to stand to the judicious censure of one truly rationall then to the ignorant Nonsence of a numerous rabble Worthy Sir complement is a thing I have ever studied to avoid and I presume you were never pleased to affect then in a word wishing you the accomplishment of all your noble desires alternatly corresponding to your worthy deserts I commend you my generous Patron to the Almighties gracious protection ever remayning Yours obsequiously devoted T. H. To the Reader COurteous and considerate Reader I have here exposed to thy especiall perusall the life and prophesies of our famous predictor Merlinus sirnamed Ambrosius who though he lived in the time of profane paganisme was a professed Christian and therefore his Auguries the better to be approved andallowed thou hast withall their exposition and explanation expresly and punctually making plain and evident how genuinely and properly they comply with the truth of our Chronologie in which you shall finde adding the supplement of the History from Brute who laid the first foundation of our British Colony to the time of King Vortigernus or Vortiger the Usurper of the Crowne under whose Reign Merlin first flourisht a true catalogue of all the Kings of this Island with a summary of all passages of State Ecclesiasticall or Temporall of any remarke or moment during their Principalities and Dominions in so much that scarce anything shall be here wanting to thy best wishes if thou beest desirous to be instructed and faithfully informed in the knowledge of our English Annalls For in the steed of a large study book and huge voluminous Tractate able to take up a whole yeare in reading and to load and tyre a Porter in carrying thou hast here a small Manuell containing all the pith and marrow of the greater made portable for thee if thou so please to beare in thy pocket so that thou mayst say that in this small compendium or abstract thou hast Hollinshed Polychronicon Fabian Speed or any of the rest of more Giantlike bulke or binding to which my short Abbreviary I strive to make this my Prologue or Preface to thee alike sutable being as succinct and briefly contrived as the former summarily comprehended desiring thee to read considerately and withall to censure charitably and so without further complement wishing thy care in the one and courtesie in the other with a favourable pardon of some few errours committed in the presse I bid thee farewell Thomas Heywood A narration of the Kings Reignes from Brute to Vortiger and from Vortiger to King Lud in the first six Chapters and from K. Lud to K. Charles Chap. 1. Brutes first plantation in this Island How he divided it amongst his three sons of severall famous Cities builded here by sundry Kings and how divers Rivers took their first name Of all the remarkable passages that hapned in their Reigns A catalogue from Brute c. Chap. 2. A Continuation of the History of the British Kings unto the time that Iulius Caesar made conquest of the Island the building of divers Cities and Townes Two things especially remarkable in an indulgent mother and a most naturall brother sundry other passages worthy observation The City of Troynovant how called London Chap. 3. The first conquest of this land by Iulius Caesar Britain made tributary to the Romans The birth of our Saviour under Cimbeline K. of Britaine How Southampton came to be so called Vespatians conquest of the Isle of Wight of Catnesse in Scotland of Lucius the first Christian K. of the Britains and of other Roman Governours Chap. 4. The Duke of Cornwall made King of Britain how Walbrooke took first name Constantine the Roman marieth with Helena daughter to King Coill and is made King His Reigne and buriall His son Constantine made King after him who was cald the Great and was the first Christian Emperour His great devotion and after falling into Heresie Octavian his Deputy in Britain usurpeth and after made King Maximinus a Roman by mariage with his daughter succeeds him Chap. 5. Maximian made King of Britain and after Emperour How Armorica came to be called Little Britain and this Britain the Great Of Ursula and the 11000 Virgins Gratian the last Roman that was King of the Land The great distresses of the Kingdome the cessation of their Tribute paid to Rome Constantine brother to Aldroenus made K. of the Realme his death issue Chap. 6. A necessary digression shewing the lives and reigns of 33 Kings of Britain scarce mentioned by any of our English remembrancers with an exact computation of the times c. Chap. 1. Of the strange birth of Ambrosius Merlin whether he were a Christian or no and by what spirit he prophesied c. pag. 1. Chap. 2. In whose Reign Merlin was born How the state of Britain stood in those days with divers necessary occurrences pertinent to the story pag. 9. Chap. 3. By what miraculous accident young
death with the yong Earle of Warwicke the death of the king A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth p. 293 Chap. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queen the kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made knight of the Garter c. p. 304. Chap. 33. The death of Henry the eighth Edward the sixt crowned a calculation of his reigne Musse Iborow field won by the Lord Protector c. p. 315. Chap. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Q. Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary He is arrested of high treason The Coronation of Q. Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope c. p. 326 Chap. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made K. of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queens Marriage at Winchester Their titles their riding through London The Queen rumoured to be with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings hee favoureth the Lady Elisabet He leaveth the Land Queen Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis p. 336 Chap. 37. A brief nomination of her troubles wrought by the Popish Clergie Her passage through London to her coronation with the speeches spoke in the pageants A short remembrance of the prime passages in her reign The former prediction fulfild her death other predictions fathered upon Merlin explained c. p. 347 Chap. 38. The title of King Iames to the Crown His comming into England A prophesie of his Reigne The first treason attempted against him The Gunpowder treason and what the conspirators were The king of Denmarke twice commeth into England King Charles proclaimed King his Fathers Funerals c. p. 361 A Chronographical History of the Kings of Britaine from the first plantation of this Island by Brute and his Cousin Corinaeus to the Reigne of King Vortiger In whose time Ambrosius Merlinus began to utter his Predictions CHAP. 1. Brutes first plantation in this Island How hee divided it amongst his three sonnes of several famous Cities builded here by sundry Kings and how divers Rivers took their first name of all the remarkable passages that hapened in their reignes A Catologue of the Kings continued from Brute to the end of his Line and off-spring FOr the better illustration of this present worke intended it shall not be amisse to shew you a briefe progresse of all the memorable passages of the time before wee come to the Prophesie with a Catalogue of the Kings of this Island and what Remarkable things happened in their reigne To begin with the first Brute who was of the ancient and noble bloud of the Trojans discended from Aeneas and Creusa the How Brute was discended daughter of King Priam These had a sâ—…nne called Ascanius after his Father King of Italy Brute was the sonne of Sylvius Aenaeas the son of Ascanius This Brute at fifteene yeares of age being hunting by the unfortunate glanceing of an Arrow slue his father and had beene also in his birth the death of his mother but for the last disasterous act hee willingly exiled himselfe and taking with him a choice company of adventurers thought to discover some new plantation To omit his many troubles both by Land and Sea in which hee was still most victoriously prosperous at length hee incountred with a small navy of ships of which a Trojane and his neare kinseman was Captain whose name was Corinaeus who joyning their Corinaeus cousin to Brute forces together and after divers and sundry perills landed in this Island of the white and chalky Cliffes called Albion where finding none but Giants of mighty stature he destroyed the most part of them of whom the greatest both in bulke and command was called Gogmagog with whom Corinaeus wrastling to prove their triall of strength Gogmagog in his gripe broke a rib in the side of Corinaeus at which he being inraged gathering all his spirits about him cast him downe the high Rocke of Dover the place where they proved the mastery which is called the fall of Gogmagog unto this day for which and other his valiant acts before The fall of Gogmagog atchieved hee gave him that intire Province which from his name beareth the title of Cornwall Brute then taking full view of the Island The building of Troynovant since called London searching up the River of Thames built upon it a City which in remembrance of the late subverted Troy he called Troynovant or new Troy now London this done he put his Souldiers to tilling of the Earth and governed the Realme peaceably for the space of twenty foure yeares He had by his wife Ignogen the daughter of Pandrusus three sonnes betwixt whom in his life time he divided his Kingdome to How hee divided the Kingdome Locrine the eldest hee gave all that is called England but then Logria after his name To the second Cambrius or Cambre hee left the Countrey of Wales at first from him called Cambria To the third Albanact hee gave the North part of the Land then titled from him Albania now Scotland That done hee expired The death of Brute and was buryed at Troynovant and this happened in the yeare of the world foure thousand fourescore and seven Locrine being King of Britaine hearing that a King of Scythia had invaded his brother Albanacts Dominions and having slaine him in battaile governed in his stead Hee with his brother Cambre assembled a mighty Hoast to avenge his death and in a sharpe conflict discomfited his whole Army and so hotly pursued him in his flight that this Scythian which was called Humber was drowned in that River Plow the River Humber came to be so cald which runneâ—…h up from Ravenspurn up to Hulâ—… which hath since borne his name even to this day After which victory Locrin who had espoused Guendolina daughter to Corinaeus Duke of Cornwall grew inamoured of Estrild a beauteous Lady and Daughter to the aforesaid Humber by whom He had a Daughter named Sabrina of which his Queene having intelligence the accited her Father and friends to make Warre upon her Husband and flew him in fight when hee had governed the Realme for the space of twenty yeares then the Masculine spirited Lady tooke his Concubine Estrild with her beautifull young daughter Sabrina and caused them to bee both drowned in that River which parteth England and Wales and from Sabrina is called Severne to all posterity The River Severne whence called Then Guendolina took upon her the government of the Land till her young Son Madan came to mature age and then resigned it up intirely into his owne hands after shee had
the Romans Coil King of Britaine by which reason there grew great affinity and friendship betwixt the two Nations for he became their willing Tributary Hee was very bountifull to all men by which hee purchased great love both from the Lords and Commons Hâ—…e built the Towne in Essex called Coilchester and when he had peaceably governed the Realme for the space of foure and fifty yeares he dyed and was buried at Yorke leaving a sonne called Lucius who was inaugurated in the yeare of grace one hundred and foure Lucius the first Christian King in Britaâ—…ne score who had the honour to be called the first Christian King of this Island who being a man devoutly given sent to Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome to be instructed in the true faith who to that purpose imployed two learned men called Fuganus and Dimianus who were honourably received by this King Lucius and by whom hee and a great part of the Britaine 's were converted from Paganisme and Idolatry to the true Christian beliefe which hapned in the eighth yeare of his Raigne who after his conversion ordained that all the Idolatrous Arch-Flamins and Flamins should bee made Arch-bishops and Bishops to the number of three Archbishops and twenty eight Bishops and should have the government of the Church lately establisht These being confirmed by the fore-named Bishop of Rome he indowed them with lands and possessions and consecrated all the Pagan Temples to the worship of Christ and when hee had peaceably governed the Land for the space of twelve yeares hee left this earthly Tabernacle for a better and was buryed at Glocester who because hee dyed without Heire the Land grew into great combustion for Lucius dyeth without issue the terme of fifty yeares in which none had the absolute nomination of King or Soveraigne Then Severus the Roman Emperour tooke upon him the government of the Realme in the Severus named himselfe King of Britaine yeare of grace two hundred and eight and ruled the Kingdome five yeares in which time he caused a Ditch and Wall to bee made of Turves and stakes of an hundred and two and twenty Miles in length from Durham to the Scotch Sea during which the Picts with their Duke or Leader Fulgenius came out of Scotland with a strong army and destroyed much of the Countrey beyond Durham against whom Severus for his Conquest of Parthia sirnamed Parthicus assembled a great Hoast of Romans and Britaines and gave them battaile neare unto York in which he was slain and his army discomfited and in that City lyeth interred leaving behinde him two sons namely Geta and Bassianus This Bassianus was the sonne of Severus a British woman Bassianus made King of Britaine and he had Geta by a Roman Lady the Britaine 's therefore made the son of their Country-woman their Soveraigne in the yeare of Grace two hundred and twelve But the Romans held for Geta For which mortall war grew betwixt the two brothers in which Geta was slain and Bassianus who was after made Emperor having incestuously married his stepmother for which many other tyrannies exercised by him on the natives he grew into great hatred of the people and was slaine at a place called Edessa after hee had beene Emperour for the space of seven yeares Carassius aspireth to the Crowne In this interim of his Reigne one Carassius 〈◊〉 Britain of low birth but eminent in armes and the practice of Martiall Exercises obtained of the Senate the keeping of the Coasts and Frontiers of the Land and to oppose the invasion of all strangers so that he drew to him many hardy Knights of the Britans promising unto them many donatives with honour and office if they would make him King of the Land which so far prevailed with them that they with an unanimous consent proclaimed him their Sovereigne and King against whom Bassianus moving battaile and to suppresse them as rebels was slaine by this Carassius who tooke upon him the Regall Dignitie in the yeare of the Incarnation of Christ two hundred and eighteene When the Romans had notice of the death of Alectus made Ruler of Britain their Emperour Bassianus they sent into Britain a great Captain cald Alectus with three Legions to punish the pride and rebellion of Carassius to which Captain Fortune was so favorable that he chaced him from place to place and in the end slue him in battaile after he had eight years usurped This Alectus for his good service done was made Consul of Rome and Governour of the Land who hotly pursued divers British Lords who had tooke part with Carassius against the Romans and exercised great tyranny amongst them so that hee grew into great hatred and contempt of the Natives And therefore they accited one Asclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall who gathered a great hoast of the Britains and made warre against the Romans chasing them from place to place and Country to Country so that at the last Alectus was glad to retire himselfe within the fortifications of London whither Asclepiodotus pursued him and laid siege about the City provoking him to battaile who at length issuing out with his forces many were slaine on both sides but in the end Alectus was slaine after hee had sixe yeares The death of the Roman Alectus governed the Land When Livius Gallus a Roman Captain understood the death of their Generall hee with the survivours of the Army retyred into the Citie for his best security where for a while I leave him CHAP. 4. The Duke of Cornwall made King of Britaine how Walbrook took first name Constantius the Roman marrieth with Helena daughter to King Coill and is made King His Reigne and buriall His sonne Constantine made King after him who was cald the Great and was the first Christian Emperour His great Devotion and after falling into Heresie Octavian his Deputy in Britain usurpeth and after made King Maximinus a Roman by Marriage with his daughter succeeds him c. ASclepiodotus Duke of Cornwall began Asclepiodorus King of the Britains his Dominion over the Britans in the yeare of Grace two hundred thirty two who entred the City of London before by him besieged where he slue this Livius Gallus neere unto a Brook which ran then through a part of the City from Whence Walbrook took the name whom it was called Gallus or Wallus brook and the street VVal-brooke even unto these times Thus having quite vanquished the Romans hee governed the Realme in great peace exercising Iustice exalting meriting and good men and punishing the refractory and evilly disposed till at length a great discontent sâ—…rred up by wicked and seditious persons was raised betwixt him and Coillus or Coil who was then Earle or Duke of Kaircollin or Colchester so that they assembled their severall forces and met in battaile in which conflict Asclepiodotus was slaiâ—…e after hee had governed the Realme according to the most Writers thirty yeares Then Coil
and Scots having knowledge of the death of their countrymen invaded the Land with great hostilitie in so much that hee was no way able to withstand their malice and fury in this great distresse retyring himselfe to Canterbury newes was brought him of theer great ships full of Ammunition and armed men landed in the Isle of Tenet at first hee feared that they were the late Kings brothers Ambrose and Vter who came to lay claime to the Kingdome but finding them to be strangers hee sent to know of what Nation they were and the purpose of their landing Who returned him answer that they were Saxons so called of a Province in The first landing of the Saxons Germany who came to seek adventures abroad and since fortune had brought them into this Land they besought him to receive them into service as being both ready and able to be his faithfull souldiers and to fight for him in the defence of his Country against all forreigne invaders and their Captaines were two brothers Hengist and Horsus The King in regard of his present necessitie which much moved him to correspondencie was exceeding glad of their liberall proffer and accepted of them yet sorry that they were Miscreants and of the Pagan beliefe for as Reverend Bede hath left recorded with Gulielmus de Regibus They at that time worshipped an Idoll or false god called Woden and a Goddesse named Fria in the honour of which god they called one day of the week Wodens-day which When Wednesday and Friday had their appâ—…llation we terme Wednesday and another in the honour of the Goddesse Fria Frisday by us still continuing the name Friday But it followeth in the story Vortimer by the ayde of these Saxons having freed his Land from all forreigne enemies Hengist in reward of his former service demanded of the King so much ground as the hide of a Bull would compasse which request appeared to the King so reasonable that hee easily granted it which skin hee caused to be cut into small and slender thongs with which hee measured a large circuit of earth upon which hee builded a great and strong Fort which he called The building of Thonge Castle Thonge Castle which standeth in the County of Lyndsee When news arrived in Germany of the plenty and goodnesse of this Land with all the commodities thereto belonging they came hither in multitudes covenanting with the Britains that they should only intend their Tillage and Husbandry and themselves would as their souldiers defend the Land from all incursiâ—…ns and invasions demanding for that service only competent means and wages in which interim Hengist The policy of the Saxons sent for sixteen saile more well furnisht with men and all necessary provision In which fleet came also his daughter Rowen a beautiful Lady concerning whom to cutoff all circumstances Hengist invited the King to his new Castle where his faire daughter gave him entertainment with whose beauty hee became so surprised and perditely enamoured that for her sake he repudiated his lawfull wife by whom he had three noble sonnes Vortimerus Catagrinus and Pascentius to marry with this young Saxon Lady and that hee might enjoy her gave to her Vortimer forsaketh his Queen to mary with Rowen the daughter of Hengist Father the Dukedome or Province of Kent though Garagonus then Lord thereof with divers other of the British Peeres thereat much grudged For which and many other honours and revenues conferred upon the Saxons as also that hee left his owne Christian Consort to marry with an Infidel and that Hengist had sent for his sonne Octa to come over with a fresh supply of his Countrymen The Lords of Britaine considering An assembly of the British Lords what dangers were like to fall upon the Land assembled themselves and comming to the King laid open to him the inconvenience and perill which was likely to fall both upon himselfe and the Kingdome by the multitude and strength of these strangers humbly beseeching him for their generall securitie to banish them all or the greatest part of them the Land But the King was deaf of that eare for the Saxons were in such favour with him by reason of his beautifull young Queene that hee preferred them before the love of his owne wife sonnes subjects kinsmen and friends wherefâ—re the Britains with one will and assent crowned his eldest sonne Vortimer King depriving him of all Regall dignity when hee had fully King Vortiger deposed reigned after the consent of the best Histories sixteen yeeres A word or two by the way of our new King Vortimer who assisted by the resolute Britaines Vortimers many brave victories over the Saxons in all haste pursued the Saxons and gave them a great battaile upon the River of Darwent in which the Saxons Hoast was quite discomfited He fought with them a second upon the Foord called Epiford or Aglisthorpe in which fight Catrignus the brother of Vortimer and Horsus the brother to Hengist meeting in the battaile fought together a brave combat and slue each other in which the Britaine 's also were Victors He gave them a third neere unto the Sea-side in which the Saxons were chaced and forced to take the Isle of Wight for their refuge and likewise a fourth mayne battaile upon Colemore which was long and couragiously maintained by the Saxons by reason that they now closed a great part of their Hoast so defensively that the Britaine 's could but with much difficulty approach them for the danger of their Vortimer conquered the Saxons in seven severall battails shot yet in the end they were rowted and many of them drowned and swallowed in the Moore And besides these foure principall and mayne battailes hee had divers other conflicts with them one in Kent another at Thetford in Norfolke a third in Essex neer unto Colchester from all which fields hee departed a glorious Victor neither did he leave their pursuite till he had deprived them of all their possessions in the Land saving the Isle of Tenet which he continually assaulted with his Navy by Sea which when his step mother Rowen saw and how much her Father Hengist with his Saxons by his Martiall Vortimer poysoned by his stopdame Rowen prowesse were distressed shee used such meanes that he was poysoned after hee had victoriously governed the Kingdome for the space of seven yeeres All which time Vortiger the Father of the late dead Vortimer lived privately in Chester where hee so well demeaned him towards the King his sonne by aiding him with his counsell and otherwise that by the Britains generall assent he was againe restored to the Kingdome Hengist againe pierced the Land with a mighty Vortiger restored to the Kingdome Hoast of his Countrymen which Vortiger hearing made towards him with his Army of Britains But Hengist who had before tasted of their hardnesse and courage made means of a treaty for peace whence lastly it was concluded that
The white Dragon shall invite the Almans daughter which implyeth a greater supply of the German nation and crowne themselves For from that time they bare the Scepter and had the absolute jurisdiction over the whole Land which they continued for a long season To passe over all the Saxon Kings to the time K. Etheldred the sonne of Alfride of Ethelredus in whose dayes An Eagle from the Rock which was Swanus King of Denmarke shall rise c. The better to explain our prophet and to carry the History along this Etheldred the sonne of the most Royall King Edward by his second Wife Alfrida by some cald Estrild when he came to bee crowned by Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury hee could not containe himselfe but with a propheticall spirit uttered those words because by the bloudy slaughter of thy brother thou hast aspired to the Kingdome The sinne of thy most wicked and mischievous mother shall never bee expiated nor any who were of her Diabolicall counsell but by the greatest effusion of the Saxon bloud that ever was shed since their first comming into Britaine and further the beginning of thy Reigne shall be cruell the middle thereof miserable and the end shamefull all which accordingly hapned His Father King Edgar of ever surviving memory Edward the eldest sonne of King Edgar made King had by his first wife called Egelsleda a noble sonne named Edward and by his second Alfrida this Etheldred Edgar being dead the Barons assembled and made Edward King in the yeere of grace eight hundred threescore and fifteene at which his stepmother greatly repined using all the means both of power proofe and friends to have inaugurated her sonne Etheldred being then a lad but of seven yeeres old which in the end most traiterously shee accomplished for the King hunting in the Forrest neere unto the Castle of Corffe in the West Country who having lost all his company bethought himselfe that his stepmother with her A wicked stepmother sonne liv'd in that Castle to whom hee would give a friendly visit who spying from her window afarre of cald to a Villaine that attended her and whispered in his eare what hee should doe by this the King was come to the gate and shee descended to meet him saluting him with a Iudas kisse and intreated him to alight and sojourne with her for that night which hee modestly refusing said hee would only drinke a horsback and so be gone which being brought as the cup was at his mouth her trayterous servant with a long Dagger strooke him quite through the body at which hee put spurs to his horse thinking to have recovered his servants but through his great losse of bloud hee fainted and falling from his horse one of his feet was fastned in the stirrop and so hurried to a place called Corisgate where his miserably mangled body was found and not being knowne at that The base murther upon King Edward present to be the King without ceremony buried whom as you have heard his brother by the Fathers side succeeded In whose reigne hapned divers prodigies pretending great disaster among which was the sterility of the earth the burning of London by an accidentall fire but the most ominous and terrible was the invasion of the Danes and their many massacres inhuman butcheries committed through all the shires and provinces of the Kingdome as more amply hereafter but by the way is to be noted that in the eighth yeere of his reigne hee was espoused to Ithelgina whom Ethelredus marriage and Issue some call Elgina daughter to Earle Edgebertus by whom in processe of time he received a sonne called Edmund after for his notable valour sirnamed Ironside and two others Edwin and Ethelstane with a daughter named Egina About the eleventh yeere of his reigne the The Invasion of the Danes Danes pierced the land in sundry places against whom the King being wholy addicted to effeminacie and cowardise durst make no hostile opposure but for the present appeased them with great summes of mony which being spent they fell to new robberies Then the King bribed them with more notwithstanding which they spoyled Northumberland and at last laid siege to London and to increase his sorrow and trouble Earle Elphricus who was Admirall of The son punisht for the the Navy fled like a Traitour to the Danes and took part with them against his naturall Liege for which the King commanded that his sonne Algarus should have his eyes torne out of his head during which time burning Fevers and the bloudy Flix destroyeth many of the Natives to which was added scarcity and penury amongst the commons in so much that they were forced to rob and steale from one another so that what by their owne pilfering and pillage Fathers treason of the Danes the land was brought to extreame misery by whose continuall invasions and the Kings pusillanimity the Tribute paid unto them was raised from ten thousand pounds to forty thousand named for the continuance thereof Dane-gelt they yet not satisfied to adde to the former the British Peeres were so hollow brested Dane-gelt amongst themselves that when they were at any time assembled and had determined any thing to the impeachment of the Danes they were warned thereof by some of the falshearted Counsell of whom were most suspected Elphricus Edricus intended by the Snake and Edricus the Snake formerly mentioned in the prophesie The Land besides other distresses continuing under this grievous Tribute the King by the The Kings second mariage advice of those familiars who were about him married Emma the daughter of Richard the third Duke of Normandy and first of that name who was for his boldnesse and valour sirnamed Richard the Hardy or without feare and she by the French Chronicles Emma the flowre of Normandy by which Match hee was greatly animated and incouraged so that presuming on the power of his Father in Law hee sent into all the Townes Cities and Villages of this Land secret and straight Commissions charging the Rulers and Magistrates upon the night succeeding the day of Saint Brice that all A generall Massacre of the Danes throughout all the Land the Danes should be murdered in their beds the execution whereof they committed to their Wives and Women which was also accordingly performed a strange wonder that so great a secret should passe generally through that sex without uttering or discovery This generall Massacre of the Danes as same reports began at a little Towne in Hertfordshire twenty foure miles from London called Wealwin from which act it tooke first name as if there the weal of their Country was first warm and the day of Saint Brice hapned that yeare upon the Monday which to this day is called Hoc or Hop-monday but wherefore I know not unlesse by Hoc this day as a remarkablenote Hoc or Hâ—…p Monday to posterity or by Hop as that day the Danes according to
impression both in the Princes themselves and both their Armies that a Truce being made they agreed to end the warre betwixt them in a single Duell for which was assigned an Isle called Olkney neere Gloster incompast with the water of Severne which makes good the prophesie Two Lions shall a dreadfull combat make And have their Lists incompast by a Lake In which place at the day prefixed the two worthy and warlike Champions compleatly armed singly met the two Hoastsstanding without the Isle where first they encountred with sharpe The combat betwixt Edmund and Canutâ—…s Lances on Horsback breaking them even to the very Truncheons then they alighted and fought long on foote with their keene swords till their armours were broken in divers places and they both were dangerously wounded when retyring for breath by the first motion of Canutus they made an accord betwixt themselves Canutus made the first motion of peace embracing one another as brothers to the great rejoycing of both Armies After which they made an equall partition of the Land and Canutus married Emma the mother of Edmund but the Snake Edricus whom his Lord had not only pardoned for his former Treason but promoted unto further dignity by creating him Earle of Kent notwithstanding which he corrupted his sonne then attending the King who awaited his opportunity and as he was doing the necessiites of nature strooke him with a Speare into the fundament of which mortall wound hee dyed soone after at Oxford Edmund slaine by the traytour Edricus Then Edricus posted in haste to Canutus and saluted him by the Title of sole Sovereigne of the Kingdome insinuating that for his love and honour hee had removed his Competitour and told him the manner how which Canutus having truly understood and that the Treason was uttered from his owne mouth and in his personall hearing like a just and wise Prince he replyed unto him Forasmuch ô Edricus as for my love thou hast slaine thy naturall Lord whom I entirely affected I shall exalt thy head above all the Lords of England and presently commanded his head to be struck off and pitcht A traytours just reward upon a pole and set upon the highest gate of London and his body to bee throwne into the River of Thames yet Marianus and others write otherwise concerning the manner of his death which makes good what is formerly spoken that a speckled Snake Ayming at high things shall his Lord betray Poysoning the Royall Nest in which he lay Meaning the Kings Treason in which the Traitor was closeted as one whom hee most favoured and honoured Canutus being now sole Monarch the white Canutus sole Monarch of England Dragon was forced to stoop to the Eagle that is the Saxons were compeld to bee under the subjection of the Danes by whom they were so miserably opprest that scarce the tenth part of them were left in the Land and these that remayned were forced to tithe their goods and pay it as a tribute to the Danes therefore saith the Prophet Of the white Dragon so the Fates agree A Decimation in the end shall bee It followeth in the History in a great assembly made of the King and his Barons a question was propounded whether in the composition made betwixt Edmund and Canutus there was any mention made of Edmunds children to have the inheritance of their Father after his death that was in halfe part of the Kingdome to which a great part of them thinking thereby to insinuate unto the Kings favour answered Nay but it hapned unto them contrary to their expectation for knowing them to be naturall Englishmen and before sworn to King Edmund and his heires hee hated them for their perjury never trusting them after but some hee exiled The Kings conscionable justice and some were slaine and others being strooke with the hand of God died suddenly It was likewise ordered by the foresaid Counsell that the two sonnes of Ironside Edmund and Edward should be sent to Swanus the elder brother of Canutus King of Denmarke the purpose is diversly reported some say to be slaine What became of the sons of Edmund Ironside and that Swanus abhorring the Act sent them to Salomon then King of Hungary where Edmund died of a naturall death but his brother Edward in the processe of time married Agatha the daughter of Henry the fourth of that name Emperour and by her besides daughters had a sonne sirnamed Ethelinge This Edward of our English Chronologers is named the Out-law because he never returned into England his native Country In this interim died Swanus King of Denmarke and the Crowne fell to Canutus so that he was sole Sovereigne of both Nations the English and the Danes Canutus landed in Denmarke with a strong Army to possesse himselfe of his lawfull Inheritance and to oppose the Vandals who had pierced that Land and when the King was otherwise negotiated Earle Goodwin with a band of Englishmen set upon the Invaders by night and rowted their whole Army for which noble act the King had him in great favour and the English Nation ever after This King was greatly beloved of his subjects for many of his vertues as being very charitable and devout a great repayrer and decorer of Churches especially of divers Cathedrals which hee caused to be richly beautified with gilding their Altars and Roofs more gloriously then in former ages thereby confirming that part of the prophesie What time the red shall to his joy behold The rooffs of all the Temple shine with gold Meaning the red Dragon Some attribute the cause of his devotion to a noble care he had to repaire what his tyrannicall Father had before ruined that the memory of his Atheisticall cruelty might bee quite forgot others that it was at the Altar of Emma his Queen the Widow Dowager of Egelredus and mother of Ironside who was a Lady of great religious sanctity Hee made also a Voyage to Rome where hee was pontifically received by Bennet the eight of that name and demeaned himselfe with great magnificence and honour It is further reported of him that after his great entertainment there and return from rhence he was so tumoured with pride that standing by the Thames side at a flowing tyde hee charged the water that it should presume no further nor dare to touch his feet which was so farre from obeying his command that he stil keeping his ground from his ankles it came up to his knees at which suddenly stepping backe out of Vaine pride soone repented of the River he blushing said By this all earthly Kings may know that their powers are vaine and transitory and that none is worthy of that name but he who created the Elements and to whom they only obey This Canutus married his eldest daughter by his Wife Elgina the daughter to the Earle of Hampton to Henry sonne of the Emperour Conradus The death of Canutus the second of that name
that tenth putting them to cruel deaths as winding their guts out of their bellies with other torturing deaths then he caused the elder brothers eys to be pluckt out and sent to a religious house in Ely where hee dyed shortly after but the younger he preserv'd as an husband for his daughter and sent him to his mother Emma all which fulfils the former prophesie which saith And he an Hidra with seaven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian blood shall pray By Neustria is understood Normandy And tithe them by the pole c. Emma not trusting the tyranny of Goodwin by whom she had left one son the better to secure the other shee sent him into Normandy but Edward after sirnamed the Coâ—…fessor made King Hardy Canutus beeing dead he was sent for over to receive his iust and lawfull inheritance so that this Edward the sonne of Egelredus and his last wife Emma began his Raigne over England in the yeare of Grace 1043. and was soon after maried to Goditha whom Guido calleth Editha the sole daughter of Earle Goodwin who as all Authors affirme lived with her without any carnall society whether it were in hatred of her kinred as by the greatnesse of her father compel'd to that match or for that he altogether devoted himselfe to chastity it is left uncertaine In the beginning of his Raigne his mother The Kings mother accused of adultery with Alwin Bishop of Winchester Emma was accused to have too much familiarity with the B. of Winchester therefore the King by the counsell of Earl Goodwin seised vpon many of her iewels and confined her to a strict keeping in the Abby of Worwell the Bishop Alwin was also under the Custody of the Clergy but shee more sorrowing for his defame then her owne wrote unto divers Bishops to doe their Iustice affirming she was ready to undergoe any triall whatsoever to give the World satisfaction of her innocence who laboured to the King that their cause might have a just and legall hearing but Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Archbishop of Canterbury against the mother Queen not pleased with the motion said unto them My Brethren Bishops how dare ye plead for her who is a beast and no woman as by defaming the King and her sonne and yielding her selfe a prostitute to the incontinent Alwin proceeding further but if it be so that the woman would purge the Priest who shall then purge the woman who is accused to have been consenting to the death of her sonne Alfred and hath prepared infectious Drugs for the poysoning of her sonne Edward but be she guilty or no if shee will agree to goe bare foot upon nine plough-shares burning and fiery hot for her selfe foure shares and for the Bishop five he may be then cleered and she also To which shee granted and the day of her This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chronicles of same for truth purgation assigned at which day the King in person with many of his Lords were present she was hoodwinkt and led to the place where the Irons lay glowing hot and having passed over the nine shares unhurt shee said Good God when shall I come to the place of my purgation When they opened her eyes and shee saw that she had past the torment without any sence of paine she kneeled downe and gave thanks to the protectour of chastity and innocence Then the King repented him of his credulitie restoring unto her what hee had before taken from her asking of her forgivenes and blessing But the Archbishop Robert who was once a Monke in Normandy and was sent for over by the King and first made Bishop of London and Emma acquit from the suspition of Incontinency after raised to be Metropolitan fled into his Countrey and was no more seene in England after After many insolencies committed against the King by Earle Goodwin and his sonnes too long to reherse they were forced to abandon Earle Goodwin and his sons flie the Land the Land and flie into Flanders to Earle Baldwin whose daughter Iudith Swanus his eldest sonne had married and then by a Parlament they were made Out-lawes and Rebels and their goods and Lands seized where they continued as exiles for the space of two yeeres during which time William the bastard Duke of Normandy came with a Noble Traine to visit the King his Cousin and were royally entertained returning with great gifts and presents into his Country after which Goodwin by intercession of his friends here in England was called home with his sonnes who were received into grace and restored to their former dignities and possessions giving for pledges of his fidelity his sonne Wilnotus and Hacun the sonne of Goodwin and his sons restored Swanus whom the King sent to William Duke of Normandy to be kept in safe custodie Not long after in the twelfth yeere of the Reigne of this Edward the Confessor upon an Easter Monday Goodwin sitting with other Lords at the Kings Table in the Castle of Winsor it hapned that the Kings Cupbearer stumbled but recovered himselfe of a fall at which the Earle laughed heartily and said there one brother helped the other meaning one leg had supported the other which the King observing said yea and so my brother Alphred might have lived to have helped and sustained me had it not bin for Earl Goodwin by which words the Earl apprehending that he upbraided him with his brothers death thinking to excuse himself of the Act said so may I safely swallow this morsell of bread that is in my hand as I am innocent of that deed in swallowing of which hee was choaked which the King seeing commanded him to be dragged from the board his bodie being Goodwins remarkable death conveighed to Winchester and there interred Macrinus saith that he was suddenly struck with a palsie of which hee died â—…hree days after howsoever hee underwent a most remarkable judgement His eldest sonne living who was Harold for Swanus died in his pilgrimage to Ierusalem had all his Fathers Dignities and Honours conferd upon him But in processe of time all those his Lands in Kent of which hee was Earle were eaten up and devoured by the Sea upon whâ—…se dangerous shelves and quick-sands many thousands have beene wrackt and drowned and they are called Goodwins Sands unto this day which verifieth that part of the prophesie of the Hydra where he saith Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Harold having done many noble services for the King and the countrey in all which hee came off with great honour and victorie about the 20. yeere of King Edward hee sayled towards Normandy to visite his brother Wilnotus and his Nephew Hucun who lay there as pledges for the peace betwixt the King and Harold sayleth into Normandie Earle Goodwin buteither by the mistake of the unskilfull Pilot
or by the extremity of tempests hee was driven upon the province of Pountithe and there surprised and sent as prisoner to William Duke of Normandy who some say forced him to take an oath to marry his daughter and keep the Kingdome of England to his behoofe but that which carrieth more shew of trueth is that Harold to insinuate into the Dukes favour in whose power hee now was told him that his King in the presence of his Baronry had selected him his Heire and covenanted with him that if hee survived his sovereigne hee would keepe the Crowne to his use for which Meaning the Duke the Duke gave him his daughter in contract with promise of a large dowry but she was yet in her minority not ripe for marriage in confirmation of which Duke William gave him also his brothers sonne Hucon one of the Hostages and kept the other and after sent him over with rich gifts all which at his returne to England he acquainted the King with who expired the fourth day of Ianuary when hee had reigned twenty three yeeres seven months and The death of Edward the Confessor odde dayes and lyes buried in the Monasterie of Westminster which he before had much beautified and repaired After whom succeeded in the Throne Harold the second son of Earle Goodwin and last King Harold crowned King of England of the Saxons who began his Reigne over England in the yeere one thousand forty six the ambition to gain a Crowne making him forget his oath and promise made to Duke William In the beginning of his Reigne his Land was invaded by his brother Tostius who was beat out of the Kingdome by Edwin and Malcharus Earles of Mercia and Northumberland then Harold Hafagar King of Denmarke and Norway whom Guido the Historiographer calleth the sonne of Canutus hearing of the death of Edward with an Army of three hundred England invaded by the Danes ships entred the mouth of the River Tyne pretending to conquer England as his right and lawfull inheritance which Harold hearing sent the two aforesaid Earles of Mercia and Northumberland till he himselfe had gathered sufficient forces who gave the Danes a strong battaile but being overset with multitudes they were forced to give backe so that the enemy entred further into the Land which the King hearing Harold made haste with his powers And met them at a place called Stratford bridge In which Interim Tostius came out of Scotland and tooke part against his brother Betwixt these two Hoasts was fought a bloudy A bloudy battail in which Harold was victor and cruell battaile In which many brave Knights breathed their last and amongst them Tostius the two Harolds of England and of Denmarke met and fought hand to hand in which combat Harold of Denmarke fell under the hand of Harold of England who was likewise Master of the field in which Olanus brother to Harfagar and Paulus Duke of the Orcades were taken prisoners of whom Harold took sure pledges for their fidelity and homage CHAP. 11. The Landing of Duke William with the Normans the battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slaine being the last King of the Saxon bloud William remayneth Conquâ—…rour and is crowned King of England His death and the successe of the Prophesie HArold ambitiously puft up with this great victory divided not the spoyle Some think it was a great cause of his losse of the battail against William from the enemy taken equally but avaritiously kept the greatest part to his owne use and the remainder hee distributed not to those who had best fought but to those whom hee most favoured by reason whereof hee lost the Harolds answer to Duke William hearts of many of his Knights in this Interim died the Daughter of Duke William before contracted to Harold by which hee thought himselfe fully discharged of his former duty and promise But Duke William was of a contrary minde and by divers messengers mixing faire termes with menaces put him in remembrance of the breach of both to which Harold gave a slight answer that rash and unadvised covenants might bee as well violated as kept that it was not in his power to dispose of the Crowne and Kingdome without the assent of the Peeres and Barons of the Realme besides oaths and promises made either by feare or force were of no validity and therefore left him to take what course hee pleased according to his best direction for that was his peremptory answer At which Duke William being much incensed gathered a selected Army which hee caused to be shipt with all things necessary for so great Duke William â—…ndeth in England an Enterprize and launching from the port of Saint Valery In shorttime landed neer Hastings in Sussex at a place called Penusy making three Three pretenses for his Invasion pretences for his invasion The first and chiefe was to challenge his right to the Crowne as next Heire and moreover bequeathed unto him by his Nephew Edward the Confessor upon his death-bed The second was to vindicate the bloudy murder of his Cousin Alfred and brother of the late King committed by E. Goodwin upon Guildowne which was done as hee pretended by the especiall instigation of Harold The third was to revenge the banishment of Archbishop Robert before remembred in the accusation of Queene Emma with which also hee chargeth Harold as the sole animatour of his exile and hitherto Merlins Prophesies admit no contradiction when he faith Iron men in wooden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with the Eglets drive By the Iron-men meaning the Normans in The prophesie explained Iron Casks and Corslets by wooden Tents their Navigable Vessels who in Harold extinguisht the bloud of the white Dragon the Saxons and expelled the Eglets who were the Danes the brood of Swanus in that Princely bird so emblematized the story followeth Duke William landing one of his feet slipt and the other stuck fast in the sand which one of his Knights observing A good Omen cried aloud A good Omen now William England is thine owne and thou shalt change the title of Duke into King at which he smiled and piercing further into the Land hee made proclamation that no man should take any prey or make any spoyle or doe any violence to the Natives saying it were no reason that hee should offer outrage to that which should be his owne Harrold was at that time in the North who hearing the Normans were landed gathered his forces by the way as he came to supply his army which was much weakned by reason of the last battaile fought against the Danes and Norways and sending spies into the Dukes host to Harold sends spyes into the Dukes Hoast discover their strength word was brought him that his souldiers were all preists and lawyers as having their upper lips chins and cheeks shaven which was their custom then and the English used to weare
of sishes take The King to maintaine his former Warres which proved so terrible to the French and others was forced to exact money from all manner of people not sparing the Clergie nor the Laitie and therefore Merlin cals him A cunning Alcumist who hath the skill Gold both from flowers and Nettles to distill By the Flowers meaning the Spiritualty by the Nettles the Temporalty in the twenty seventh yeere of this Kings Reign died Henry the fourth Emperour of that name who had before married Mawd the daughter to Henry King of England after whose death she came to her Father in Normandy who because hee had no heires male left of his body hee caused all the Bishops and Barons to sweare in his presence that they The Lords sworne to the succession of Mawd the Empresse should keep the Crowne of England to the use of this Mawde the Empresse if hee died without issue male and she surviving In the eight and twentieth yeere of his Sovereignty Ieffery Plantaginet Earle of Anjoy was espoused unto Mawde the Empresse from whom Her second mariage descended Henry the second sirnamed Short-Mantle who after Stephen was King of England King William being in Normandy as some write fell either with his Horse or from his Horse which after was the cause of his death But Rainolph saith that he tooke a surfet by eating of a Lamprey and died of that when he had reigned thirty five yeers and odde moneths The death of Henry the first of that name whose body when it was embowelled before it could be embalmed cast such a stench that none could abide the place where hee was dissected and though it was wrapped in a Buls skin yet it little abated the smell in so much that divers were infected therewith and the Chyrurgion who clensed the head died of the unwholsome scent which proceeded from the braine which some conjectured to bee a just judgement laid upon him for his mercilesse cruelty shewed upon his brother Robert whose eyes as some have reported hee caused to bee torne out of his head during his imprisonment his body was brought into England and was afterwards buried in the Abbey of Reading which he before had founded after whose death Fame spoke of him as of all other Princes both in the better and worse part Divers said that he surpassed many of his Predecessour Kings in three How the King was spoken of after his death things in wit in eloquence and good successe in battaile and others spared not to say that he was pestilently infected with three notorious vices Covetousnesse Cruelty and Lechery CHAP. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reigne of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawde the Empresse of Henry Short-Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History In every circumstance making good Merlins Prophesie STephen Earle of Bolloigne and sonne Stephen Earle of Bulloigne crowned King to the Earle of Bloys and Mawd sister to the wife of Henry late deceased began his Reigne over the Realme of England in the yeere of grace one thousand one hundred thirty six who was valiant and hardy but as some affirme contrary to the oathe made to King Henry concerning Mawd the Empresse he usurped the Crown and was inaugurated by the Archbishop of Canterbury at West minster upon the day of Saint Stephen in Christmasse weeke which Archbishop who had taken the same Oath died shortly Perjury punished by the hand of God after with diverse other Lords guilty of the same perjury which as some write was animated and incouraged by one Hugh Bigot who was Steward to King Henry and presently after his death came over into England and before the said Archbishop came other Lords tooke an Oath and sware that he was present a little before the Kings death when hee heard him to disinherit his Daughter Mawd for some distaste that hee had taken against her and had adopted as his lawfull Heire Stephen his Nephew to which the Archbishop with the rest gave too hasty battaile neither did this Hugh for his wilfull perjury escape unpunished who soone after with great trouble of conscience most miserably expired but before I proceed Hugh Bigot dyeth miserably further in the story I will deliver unto you Merlins Prophesie of those times which followeth Drop must a Sagittary from the Skies The prophesie But against him an Eglet will arise That in the Morian Mountains built her nest And against that Celestiall signe contest Shee fayling will a Lions whelpe appeare Whose rore shall make the Centaure quake with feare But when the two shap't Monster shall be tam'd By gentle means the whelpe will be reclaim'd And when the Iron brood in the Land shal fail The bloud of the white Dragon must prevail By the Sagittary which is one of the twelve Celestiall Signes and is the same which hee calleth Part of it exâ—…laned the two shap't Centaure is figured King Stephen who gave not the Lions as his former predecessours had done but emblazed the before-named Sagittary in his Scutcheon and therefore he is by the Prophet so stiled by the Eglet is also intended Maud the Empresse and by the Morian Mountaines a place in Italy so called siguratively including all Italy by a part thereof now let vs see how this with the rest is mâ—…de good by the event In the beginning of his reigne King Stephen King Stephen extorteth both from the Clergie and the Laity used great rigour against the Clergy as fining some Bishops and imprisoning others Besides he seised on all the strong holds and Castles within the Realm as still fearing the comming in of Maud the Empresse in which time Robert Earle of Glocester the base sonne of King Henry took displeasure against the King for seising the strong holds of Glocester Hereford Webly Bristol Dudly and others part of which belonged to his Inheritance and therefore he sent letters to his sister Maud promising to assist her in the iust claime of her Inheritance In the moneth of Iuly and sixth yeare of King Mawd the Empresse landeth in England Stephen â—…aud the Empresse landed at Portsmouth and made towards Bristol at what time Stephen layd siege to the Castle of Walling-ford who hearing of her arivall gathered all the forces hee could make and drew towards the Enemie in which time Robert Earle of Glocester Ranulph Earle of Chester were ioyned to the Empresse and when both their hoasts were in the field ready to give the alarme Ranulph Earle of Chester thus spoke to his souldiers and sayd I require you friends and Countrimen that I The Barons Oration to their souldiers who am the cause to bring you here to hazard lives may be the first man to put mine owne in danger whom Earle Robert interrupted and said It is not unworthy to thee who demandest the first stroake and hazard of this battaile who both for thy noblenesse of bloud and thy
was inscribed Hic jacet in tumba Rosamundi non Rosamunda Her inscription on her tombe Non redolet sedolet quae redolere solet Which by an ancient Writer was thus paraphrased into English The Rose of the World but not the clean flower Is graven heere to whom beauty was lent In this grave full darke now is her bower That in her life was sweet and redolent But now that she is from this life blent Though she were sweet now fouly doth she stink A mirrour good for all that on her think Such was their English poetry in those dayes Long after the death of Rosamond was shewed in that Abbey a rare Coffer or Casket of hers about two foot in length in which was a strange artificiall motion where were to be seen Giants fighting Beasts in motion Fowls flying and Fishes swimming This Henry was troubled by the Queenes animating of his sonnes against him betwixt whom were divers conflicts which would appeare tedious to bee rehearsed It is written of this King that in his Chamber at Windsore hee had painted an Eagle with foure Henries character of his foure sonnes young ones whereof three of them pulled and pecked the body of the old Eagle and the fourth picked at his eyes and being asked what that picture should signifie hee made answer This old Eagle figureth my selfe and the foure birds my foure sonnes who cease not to pursue my life but most of all my sonne Iohn whom I most have loved and therefore Some of his numerous ayrie will retain The nature of the Desert Pelican The nature of the Pelican in the Desert being to pierce her brest with her bill and feed her young ones with her owne bloud In the The death of King Henry sonne of King Henry twenty eight yeere of this Henry died his eldest sonne Henry whom hee had before crowned much repenting on his death-bed for his unnaturall rebellion against his Father Rainold Monke of Chester relates that soon after the death of the Lady Rosamond Lewis the French King and the eighth of that name sent to King Henry one of his daughters to bee kept for his second sonne Richard whom the King vitiated and laboured to Haguntia a Cardinall then in the Land for a Divorce betwixt Henry laboureth a divorce betwixt him and his wife him and his wife intending to have maried that French Lady but he failed of his purpose for he meant by that match to have disinherited his unnaturall sonnes It is further recorded that when William King of Scots was taken by the King of England Hee did him Homage at the City of Yorke and in witnesse of subjection he offered his Hat and Saddle upon Saint Peters Altar which were kept there many yeeres after This King had many strange admonitions for Sundry admonitions to the King to amend his life the amendment of his life one was that in his returne from Ireland as he was taking his horse there appeared unto him a man of a pale and meager aspect bare-foot and in a white Mantle who spake unto him and said I am sent to thee from the Lord of the Sabbaoth who commandeth thee to take order that no Markets bee kept nor any servile worke bee done on the Lords day dressing of meate excepted only which if thou feest performed whatsoever thou purposest thou shalt bring to a good and happy end whose speech the King seemed to distaste and said to him that held his bridle aske of this Churle if he have dreamed that which hee speaketh to which the apparition answered againe whether I have dreamed or not take thou heed to my words and amend thy life or what thou now mockest shall returne to thy great misery which having said he vanisht suddenly the strangenesse whereof though he seriously apprehended yet of the former there was nothing amended He had a second admonition by an Irishman His second admonition who told him all things which the King had done in secret which hee had thought none had knowne but himselfe and withall advised him to repentance and amendment of life but hee regarded it as the former about which time being the foure and twentieth yeere of his The bones of King Arthur and his Queen found Reigne were taken up the bones of King Arthur and his Queene Guenever in the Vale of Avalon the haire of her head seeming white and of a fresh colour but as soone as touched they turned to powder their bones were after translated to the Church in Glastenbury and there the second time buried they were found by a Bard or Singer of Rythmes under the root of an Oke fifteen foot within the ground his third admonition I leave to the next Chapter CHAP. 15. The inauguration of Richard the first sirnamed Cordelion a prediction of his Reigne His warres in the Holy Land his imprisonment by the Duke of Austria his brother Iohns usurpation his second Coronation with his unfortunate death c. A Knight called Sir William Chesterly alias Lindsey told him boldly that His third admonition there were seven severall things by him specially and suddenly to be reformed First to see better to the defence of the Church and provide for the maintenance thereof Secondly to see his Lawes better executed and Iustice more exercised Thirdly not to rob the rich nor extort from them their goods by violence Fourthly to make restitution of all those lands and goods as hee had so wrested Fiftly to make no demurre or delay in just sentence but suffer the right to have lawfull processe Sixtly to see his subjects satisfied for such things as had beene taken up to his use and to pay his servants and souldiers which fell to robbery for that default Seventhly that he should speedily cause the Iewes to avoid the Land But this advise prevailed with him as the former In his thirtieth yeere Heraclius Patriarch of Ierusalem came into England to solicite his aid against the Saracens who had invaded the Christian Territories and to defend the holy City which by Saladine King of Surry was wonne soon after For by the relation of Peter Desroy a French Chronicler Ierusalem was wonne by Godfrey of Bulloigne in the yeere of Grace one thousand fourescore and nineteene and continued under nine Christian Kings of which Guy of Resingham was the last this Heraclius Nine Christian Kings raigne successively over Hierusalem further profered the King the keyes of the holy City and of our Lords grave presenting him Letters from Pope Lucius the third of that name which charged him to take upon him the journey according to an Oath by him formerly made to which the King answered The King refuseth to be Generall foâ—… the Holy Land he could not leave his Land in trouble as a prey to the French and his owne aspiring sonne but he would give largely out of his owne coffers to such as would take that voyage in hand To which the Patriarch replyed we
belonging to the Duke he was beset by one Mainart de Goresen but with losse of some of his traine he by his manhood escaped After at a towne named Frisach one Frederick de Saint Soon made a second attempt upon him and tooke six of his Knights but he by his noble valour made his way through the ambush of the enemy without surprizall and strooke up towards Germany but spies being set to know what course he King Richard taken took he was at length betrayed into the hands of the Duke of Lemple cousin to the Emperor who sent him to the Duke of Austria he presently rifled him of all the treasure and iewels hee had about him and committed him for a moneth to strait and close prison During which time as some write the Duke Hence he had the appeâ—…ation of Cur de Lyon put him to cope singly with a great and mighty Lion weaponlesse and unarmed who having conquered the beast ript up his heart and flang it in the Dukes face and after that with a blow under the eare he slew the Dukes sonne and further that his daughter being enamoured both of his person and great valour he left her vitiated and deflowred but howsoever in this all witnesses agree that when the moneth was expired he sent him to the Emperour who was Henry the first of that name and sonne to Frederick the first who put him into a darke and obscure dungeon covenanting with the Duke that he should have the third part of his ransome there he remained for the space of a yeere and three moneths at length upon a palm-sunday he caused him to be brought before his Princes and Lords to answer what could be obiected against him where hee appeared with such a manly and maiestick aspect and withal answered so directly and discreetly to whatsoever was laid to his charge that they generally comiserated his iniust durance then King Richard ransomed at an hundred thousand pound and set at liberty his ransome was set at an hundred thousand pound sterling and hostages given for the payment by such a time which done he was set at liberty which verefies Coopt up and cag'd then shall the Lion be But after sufferance ransomd and set free The King in the eight yeere of his Reigne The Kings arrivall into England about the latter end of March landed at Sandwich and came straight to London where he was ioyfully received and then calling a Counsaile of his Lords he first took order to pay his ransome and because his brother Iohn in his absence had usurped the Diadem was at that time in France he deprived him of all Honour and title and tooke from him all those Earledomes and revenewes that hee before had conferd upon him and caused him selfe at Winchester to be the second time crowned and then began the ancient grudge to revive betweene the two Kings of England and France which was the more aggravated because the French King supported Iohn against the King his Brother But Prince Iohn seeing how much his fame was magnified in the mouths of all men and that all the parts both of Christendome and Paganisme resounded with his praise he made means to his mother Queene Eleanor by whose mediation a Iohn reconciled to the K. his brother peace was made betwixt her two sonnes whilest the wars in Normandy and France went stil forwards Many wery the battailes fought betwixt the two Kings and much effusion of bloud on both sides where sometimes the one sometimes the other had the better but for the most part Richard the best during which combustion before the last 20000 pound for his ransome was payd his two hostages the Bishops of Bath in England and Roan in Normandy came unto him and told him that they were set at liberty by the Emperour and further shewed that his great enemy the Duke of Austria was accused of Innocent the third then Pope for the iniuries before offered him and that upon Saint Stephens day hee prickt his foot with a thorne which gangrend and should have beene cut off and being told hee must die he sent to his Bishops to be absolved which they had denied to doe till hee had showne himselfe repentant for the foresaid wrongs and released his hostages which being The death of the Duke of Austria accordingly done the Duke died and they were delivered In the processe of the wars before spoken of King Richard in the tenth yeere of his Reigne after Christmasse besieged a Castle in France neere Lymoges called Gaylyard the cause was that a rich treasure being found within the Seigniory of the King of England by one Widomer Vicount of Lemruke hee had denyed to render it up and fled thither for his refuge and defended it manfully till the fift day of April upon which day the King walking unadvisedly to The King too unadvised take view of the Fort and where it might be best entred one named Bertrand Genedow whom some Writers call Pater Basale marked the King and wounded him in the head but some say in the arme with a poysoned arrow after which hurt received hee caused a violent and desperate assault to be made in which hee wonne the Castle then hee made inquiry who hee was that had wounded him who being found and brought before him the King demanded of him why he should rather ayme at his person than any of those who were then about him who boldly made answer because thou slewest my Father and my brethren for which I vowed thy death whatsoever became of me the King after some pawsing leisure for that answer gave him his pardon and liberty but the rest of the souldiers he put to the sword and caused the Castle to bee razed to the earth The death of King Richard the firâ—… and dyed the third day after whose body was buried at Fount E-a-Bleu at the feet of his Father which no way erres from the prophesie For potent Kings whose prides Transcend 'twixt whom a sea-arm onely glides Ambitious truth shall many conflicts try Last by a poysonous shaft the King shall die Iohn the youngest sonne to Henry the second Iohn made King of England and brother to the late deceased Richard was proclaimed King the tenth day of April in the yeere of Grace one thousand one hundred fourescore and nineteene and was crowned at Westminster upon holy Thursday next ensuing of whom it was thus predicted The subtle Fox into the Throne shall creep Thinking the Lion dead who did but sleepe But frighted with his walking rore finds cause To flie the terrour of his teeth and paws After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got Then shall those keyes whose power would awe the fates For a long time lock up his Temple gates Vnburthen him of all the charge he beares And wrest from him the Lawrell that he wears Woes me that from one Leopard should be
torne What many Lions in their pride have worne Hither the French flower would it self transpose Where must spring after many a glorious rose Hee that did all he might the Kirk despise Against his life shall a base Kirk-man rise The former part of this prediction is apparant Iohn cold here the Fox and after the Leo pard in the premisses where Iohn sought like a Fox subtlely and craftily to insinuate into the peoples hearts and rob him of his Kingdom thinking his brother all that time as dead when hee was utterly despairing of his liberty but finding him waking as being enfranchised and set at large he then was frighted by the least frown of his brows being glad to mediate his peace by his Mother the rest shall follow in order hee was King Iohns châ—…acter of a disposition course and retrograde self-will'd and proud in all or most of his undertakings very infortunate In the first yeere of his reigne he divorced himselfe from his first wife daughter to the Earle of Glocester pretending too neere propinquitie in bloud and soone after married Isabel daughter to the Earle Angolesme King Iohns second mariage and issue in France by whom hee had issue two sonnes Henry and Richard and three daughters Isabel Eleanor and Iane He was before his coronation girt with the sword of the Dukedome of Britany and suffered it to be taken from him by his yong Nephew Arthur son to Ieffery Plantaginet to his great derogation and dishonour he after left all Normandy which the French King wonne Iohn looseth Normandy from him even to one Towne and Village approving that of the Prophet After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Rollo and Gilla Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got The Prophet for his stained and contaminated life and government would not vouchsafe him the name of a Lion but a Leopard alluding as well to his spotted fame as his skin by whose cowardly and unkingly proceedings Philip the French King seized all Normandy and tooke it into his absolute possession annexing it to his Crowne which no French Monarch ever had since the time of Charles the Simple who gave that Duchie to Rollo as a dowry with Guilla his daughter which had successively continued under the Sovereignty of the Dukes of Normandie and the Kings of England three hundred yeers and upwards In the first yeere of his Reigne Stephen Langton being chosen Archbishop of Canterbury by the Monks the election was opposed by the The ground of a great quarrel betwixt the King and the Archbishop King for which hee complained him to the Pope who sent unto him loving and kinde Letters to admit of the said Stephen to which his Lords advised him but the more he was importuned the more implacable hee grew returning the Popes messengers backe with peremptory deniall The next yeere came a strict commandement from Rome that unlesse the King would peaceably suffer the Archbishop to enjoy his See that the whole Land should be interdicted charging these four Bishops William of London King Iohns obstinacy Eustace of Elie Walter of Winchester and Giles of Hereford to denounce the King and his Land accursed unlesse his command were punctually obey'd but though these Prelates with the rest of his Peeres were urgent with him to eschew the rigorous Censure of the Church all was to no purpose for which upon the six and twentieth day of March they began in London and first shut up the doores of all Temples Churches and Chappels with all the other places where Divine Service was used and as in London so they did through the whole Land The whole land by the Popâ— accursed for which the King was so inraged that he seized all their temporalties into his hands putting them into such feare that they were forced to flie to the banisht Archbishop some write that this interdiction was of such power and validity that during the time therof which was six yeers three moneths and odde dayes no Service was said no Sacraments administred no Childe Christned none Married and not any suffered An uncharitable Bull. to come to Confesse In this interim the King from anger grew to The Kings Proclamation rage proclayming that all persons Spirituall or Temporall that held any Lands or other livelihood here shall by the next Michaelmasse returne into the Land or failing therein forfeit their whole estates besides that diligent search should be made what Letters should be brought from Rome which should bee delivered to the He extorteth from the Clergie King then hee extorted from all the Monasteries not sparing any Religious House that had dependance on the Clergie For which a new Commission was sent from Rome by vertue whereof the Curse of interdiction was againe denounced to which by the authority of the Pope was added that this his Bull acquitted and absolved all the Lords of England as well spirituall as Temporall from all duty and allegiance before sworne to the King and that they might lawfully rise in armes against him to depose and deprive him of all Regall honour and dignity but all these tooke no more impression The Lords and others acquit of their allegiance by the Pope in him then if they had beene clamoured in the eares of a deafe man or proclaymed to a Statue of Marble But by the way which I cannot let passe this King Iohn in the tenth yeere of his Reigne and of grace one thousand two hundred and ten The first Major and Sheâ—…iffs of London made by K. Iohn granted to the City of London by his Letters Patents that in stead of two Bayliffs by which their Magistracy was held they should yeerly choose themselves a Major and two Sheriffs which Major was Henry Fitz-allwin and Peter Duke and Thomas Neale Sheriffs The same yeere London bridge which before was of timber London bridge Saint Mary Overies was begun to be builded of stone and Saint Mary Overies Church to be erected in Southwark CHAP. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the Third succedeth his Father a prediction of his Reigne his brother Richard made King of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament The Barons Wars c. I Proceed where I left in the same yeere the Pope sent over his Legate More thunderings from the Pope Pandolphus with another a Latere to accompany him to solicit the same businesse who were sent back with a like frivolous answer yet hee sent againe the yeere following the same Pandolphus threatning wonders if hee did not receive Stephen Langton into his Archbishoprick and make restitution of all such moneys and other moveables of which he had robbed the Monasteries c. Then at last the King considering into what dangers hee had intricated himselfe hy his peremptory denials how he had lost Normandy abroad and then in what desperate case his Kingdom stood King Iohns submission at home
Henry the Third by reason of his tall stature sirnamed Long-shanks began his Reign Novem. 17. the yeere of Grace one thousand two hundred threescore and twelve who came to London the second day of August and was crowned at Westminster the fourteenth of December following The Cororati of P. Edward sirnamed Loâ—…gshanks being the second yeere of his Reigne at whose Coronation was present Alexander King of Scots who the morrow following did homage to him for the Kingdome of Scotland but Lewellin prince of Wales refused to come to that solemnitie for which King Edward gathered a strong power and subdued him in his Lewellin P. of Wales rebeileth owne borders and in the yeere after hee called his high Court of Parlament to which also Lewellin presumptuously denied to come therefore after Easter he assembled new forces and entring Wales hee constrained him to submit himselfe to his mercy which with great difficulty Lewellin took to mercy hee obtained then the King built the Castle of Flint and strengthened the Castle of Rutland to keepe the Welsh in due obedience He gave also uuto David brother of Lewellin David brother to Lewellin the Castle of Froddesham who remayned in his Court and with his seeming service much delighted the King but David did it only as a spie to give his brother secret intelligence of whatsoever the King or his Counsell said of him or against him who tooke his opportunity and privatly left the Court stirring up his broâ—…her to a new Rebellion of which the King being informed hee could hardly thinke that hee could prove so ingratefull but being better ascertained of the truth he made fierce warre upon them at length Lewellin was strictly besieged in Swandon Castle from which when hee thought early in a morning to escape with ten Knights only hee was met by Sir Roger Mortimer upon whose Lands hee had before done great out-rage who surprized him and cut off his head and sent it to the King being then at The death of Lewellin P. of Wales Rutland who commanded it to bee pitcht on a pole and set upon the Tower of London and further that all his heires should be disherited and their claime to the Soveraignty of Wales to be deprived the right thereof solely remayning in the Kings of England and their Successours So one after was his brother David taken and after doomed to be drawn hanged and quartered The death of David his brother and his head sent to the Tower and placed by his brother Lewellins in which the prophesie is verified The Cambrian Wolves he through their woods shall chace Nor cease till he have quite extirpt their Race Of this Lewellin a Welsh Metrician writ this Epitaph Hic jacet Anglorum tortor tutor Venedorum Princeps Wallorum Lewelinus regula morum A Welsh poet upon the death of Lewellin Gemma Coaevorum flos regum praeteritorum Forma futurorum Dux Laus Lex Lux populorum Thus anciently Englisht Of Englishmen the scourge of Welsh the protector Lewellin the Prince rule of all vertue Gemme of Livers and of all others the flower Who unto death hath paid his debt due Of Kings a mirrour that after him ensue Duke and Priest and of the Law the right Here in this grave of people lyeth the light To which an English Poet of those times made this answer Hic jacet errorum princeps ac praedo virorum An English poets answer to the former Proditor Anglorum fax livida sectareorum Numen Wallorum Trux Dux Homicida piorum Fex Trojanorum stirps mendax causa malorum Here lyeth of Errour the Prince if yee will ken Thiefe and Robber and traytor to Englishmen A dimme brood a Sect of doers evill God of Welshmen cruell without skill In slaying the good and Leader of the bad Lastly rewarded as he deserved had Of Trojans bloud the dregs and not the seed A root of falshood and cause of many evill deed In the twentieth yeere of the King upon Saint Andrews Eve being the twentie ninth of November died Queene Eleanor sister to the The death of Q. Eleanor King of Spaine by whom the King had foure sonnes Iohn Henry Alphons and Edward the three first died and Edward the youngest succeeded his Father and five Daughters Eleanor who was married to William of Bar Ioan of The Kings Râ—…yall Issue Acris to the Earle of Glocester Gilbert de Clare Margaret to the Dukes sonne of Brabant Mary who was made a Nun at Ambrisbury and Elisabeth espoused to the Earle of Holland and after his death to Humphrey Bokun Earle of Hereford This yeere also died old Queene Eleanor wife The death of K. Edwards mother to Henry the third and mother to King Edward I come now to the twenty fourth yeare of his Reigne in which Alexander King of Scotland being dead hee left three Daughters the first was married to Sir Iohn Baliol the second to Sir Robert le Bruise the third to one Hastings Amongst which there fell dissention about the Title to the Crown as shall appeare in the next Chapter CHAP. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crowne of Scotland for which they did them homage King Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The Prophesie fulfilled His death And Coronation of his sonne c. The death of Gaveston with a Prophesie of King Edward the Second THese three before-named Baliol Bruse and Hastings came to King Edward as chiefe Lord and Sovereigne Authority by which England claimed homage from the Scotch Kings of that Land to dispose of the right of their Titles to his pleasure and they to abide his censure who to the intent that they might know hee was the sole competent Iudge in that case caused old Evidences and Chronicles to be searcht amongst which was Marianus the Scot William of Malmsbury Roger of Hungtington and others in which were found and read before them that in the yeere of Grace nine hundred and twenty King Edward the elder made subject unto him the two Kings of Cambria and Scotland In the yeere nine hundred twenty one the said Kings of Wales and Scotland chose the same Edward to bee their Lord and Patron In the yeere nine hundred twenty six Ethelstane King of England subdued Constantine King of Scots who did him fealty and homage And Edredus brother and successor to Ethelstane subdued the Scots againe with the Northumbers who reigned under him It was also found in the said Chronicles that King Edgar overcame Alpinus the sonne of Kinudus King of Scots and received of him homage as hee had done of his father before time And that Canutus in the sixteenth yeere of his Reign overcame Malcolm K. of Scots and received of him oath and homage that William the Conquerour in the sixt yeere of his Reigne was victorious over Malcolme who before received the Kingdome of the gift of Edward the Confessor who did him fealty the
place called Bellalaund or Brighland hee had like to have beene taken as he sat at dinner which could not have beene had he not had some traitours about him and now confer the premisses The King almost surprized at dinner with the Prophesie Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They fore't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin The two Owls are the two Spencers who from the ashes of the Cornish Eagle Gaveston grew into the especiall favour of the King who were sayd to case the Goat in the skinne of the Lyon by animating the effeminate King to the warres against the Barons by whose deaths they got many rich spoyls and then forced to take their wings to fly where they were banisht the Realme at the parliament of white Bands c. The state of the kingdome thus standing and the two Spencers commanding all the Land had Warres with France about the Dutchy of Guian to attone which difference betwixt the two Kings the two Spencers being in all things The hate of the Spencers towards the Queene which was after the cause of their ruine opposite to the Queen whom they had brought to the bare allowance and pension of twenty shillings a day they further plotted how to rid her out of the Land and perswaded the King to send her into France to make peace betwixt the two Kingdomes having before seized on all her lands and those belonging to the Prince The Queen sent into France Briefely the Queene arrived in France and was royally received by her brother who hearing of her base usage and by whom he was much incensed against the K. and his wicked Counsellors and sent to him under his seale to come in person into France to doe him homage or he She is royally received by the King her brother should forfeit the Dutchy of Guian Of which K. Edward took little regard in hope his Queen would salve all things that were amisse betwixt the brother and husband After the Queenes three months abode in France the Prince desired of his Father that he might have leave to visite his mother and unckle which his Father granted and said to him at parting Goe my faire sonne in Gods blessing and mine and returne to mee againe as speedily as you may who passing the Sea and comming to the Kings Court hee joyfully received him and said Faire sonne you bee welcome and since your Father came not to doe homage for the Dutchy of Guian as his antecessors have done I give you the Lordship to hold of me in heritage and so the Prince was created and thence forward called the Duke P. Edward made Duke of Guien of Guien Which being knowne to King Edward hee was highly incensed especially because the Prince was instated into that honour without his consent and pleasure and finding that notwithstanding his often sending they made no haste to returne hee made Proclamation that if within such a day prefixed they made not their repaire into the Land they should be held as enemies to the Crowne and state but the Queene much fearing the malice of the Spencers whom she knew to bee her mortall enemies she removed not thence then the King made forfeiture of all their goods and Lands before seized and took the profits of them to his owne use and sent sharpe and threatning Letters to the French King if he suffered them The French King refuseth to aid his sister to sojourne longer in his Realme upon which he commanded them thence without any further comfort or succour At that time Sir Iohn Henaud brother to the Earle of Henaud a man of great courage and valour being in the French Court much commiserating the Queene and the Prince desired her to goe with him to his brother the Earle of which she was glad and taking his noble offer was there honourably received Then was a marriage concluded betwixt Prince Edward The Prince contracted to Philip daughter to the Earl of Henaud and Phillip the Earles Daughter upon certaine conditions one of which was that the Earle should send over into England the Queene and her sonne with 400 men at Armes under the conduct of his Brother In which interim the two Spencers sent three Barrells of Coyne with Letters to some of the French Peeres that if it were possible they should make away the Queene or her sonne or at least send them away disgraced out of the Realme which mony and Letters were taken by a ship of the Henauders and brought to the Queene during her abode The Spencers beat at their own weapons there which the Earles brother seeing said unto her bee of comfort Madam this is a good Omen the Spencers your enemies have sent you money to pay your souldiers Of which the King of England having intelligence he sent to all the Ports and Havens to interdict their landing notwithstanding which the Queene and Prince with these foure hundred Hollanders and a small company of English gentlemen who had fled to her in the time of her exile landed at a port called Orwel besides The Queene landeth in Suffolk Harwich in Suffolke the fifteenth of September Sir Iohn Henaud the Earles brother being their Captain and Leader without any opposition or resistance to whom after their landing the people resorted in great companies and sped towards London where the King and the Spencers were then resident who hearing of the multitudes that then drew unto her left Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter Custos of the Citie The King and Spencers flie to Wales and with a small company fled towards Wales she came then to London where the people were willing to receive her which the Bishop with many sharpe and bitter words opposing the Commons of the City tooke him violently and beheaded him with two of his Esquires at the Standard in West-cheap whose bodies were borne to the Thames side where the Bishop had begun a new edifice contrary to their liking and there unreverently buried The Queene with an easie march followed The Queene pursueth the King the king who came to Bristoll with the Earle of Arundell the two Spencers and his infamous Chancellour Baldock where after counsell taken it was agreed that Hugh Spencer the father should stay there and take charge of the towne and castle whilest the King and the rest tooke shipping thence for Wales to raise the Welshmen in his aid of which the Queene having notice sent thither the Earle of Kent Sir Iohn Henaud with others who with small difficultie The Town and Castle of Bristoll taken tooke the towne and castle with Hugh Spencer the father alive and delivered them to the Queene who remained there till the greatest part of her army pursued the King and his other Minions
into Wales who took the King the Earle of Arundell Hugh Spencer the son and the Chancellour and brought them all prisoners to Hereford in which interim the Citizens The tower of London taken by the Citizens of London won the tower of London and kept it to the Queenes use Upon the morrow after the feast of Simon and Iude the same day that the L. Major takes Hugh Spenâ—… the father put to death his oath was Hugh Spencer the father put to death and after buried at Winchester and upon Saint Hughs day following being the eighteenth Hugh the son drawn hanged and quâ—…rtered day of November was Sir Hugh the son drawne hanged and quartered at Hereford and his head sent to London and set upon the Bridge making good They after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death The common fame went that after this Hugh was taken hee would take no manner of sustenance and that was the cause he was the sooner put to death of whom was made this Distich following Funis cum lignis à te miser ensis ignis Hugo securus equus abstulit omne decus Rope gallows sword and fire with a just knife Took from thee Hugh thy honour with thy life Foure dayes after was the Earle of Arondell put to death and Robert Baldock the Chancellour being committed to Newgate dyed miserably Baldock the Chancellour dyes in Newgate in prison then the Queene with the Prince her son with the rest of the Lords were with great joy the fourteenth day of December received at London and thence conveighed to Westminster where a Parliament was called the effect whereof expect in the following Chapter CHAP. 21. The deposing of Edward the second his repentance his death His sonne Edward made King A Prophesie of his Reigne His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwicke His famous victory at Sea over the French Hee layes claime to the Crowne of France instituteth the Order of the Garter His victory at Cressie His taking of Calice c. FRom this Parliament were Messengers sent to the King then prisoner in Kenelworth Castle three Bishops three Earles two Abbots two Barons two Iudges with Sir William Trussell Procurator of the Parliament to depose him of all Kingly dignity who the five and twentieth of Ianuary in the presence of the aforesaid Lords from the body of the whole House delivered unto him these words following I William Trussell in the name of all men of King Edward deposed from all Kingly power this Land of England procurator of this Parliament resigne to thee Edward the homage that was sometimes made to thee and from this time forth deprive thee of all Kingly power and I shall never be attendant on thee as King after this time And thus was Edward the second deposed and his sonne Edward made King when hee had raigned full eighteene yeeres sixe moneths and odde dayes who during his imprisonment first at Kenelworth and after at Barckley Castle grew greatly repentant of his former course of life finding at length what it Edward greatly repentant was to be misled by upstarts and people of mean condition many of whose penitentiall fancies are still extant And amongst the rest this following Most blessed Iesu Root of all vertue Grant I may thee sue In all humilitie Sen thou for our good List to shed thy blood And stretch thee on the Rood For our iniquitie I thee beseech Most wholsome leech That thou wilt seech For mee such grace That when my body vile My soule shall exile Thou bring in short while It in rest and peace Edward the third of that name sonne of Edward the second and Philip sole daughter of Philip Edward the third made King the Faire at fifteene yeeres of age began his Reigne his father yet living the six and twentieth of Ianuary in the end of the yeer of Grace one thousand three hundred and twenty six and was crowned at Westminster upon the day of the Purification of our Lady next ensuing at what time the earth yielded plenty the Ayre temper the Sea quietnesse and the Church peace hee confirmed the Liberties and Franchises of London and gave Southwarke to bee under the Lord Majors rule and government Of whose Reigne it was thus predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so intire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and Grandsire wonne before Neptune his Navall triumphs shall advance His Coat he quarters with th' Flower of France And after mauger the Canicular Tyke Tweed shal he passe and win again the Wyke A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Dye must this brave Whelp of a Calenture And then behind him shall he leave a Kid To undo all both sire and grandsire did The effect of all these will succeed in their order in the first yeere of this Kings Reigne the late King Edward was miserably slaine and put to a most cruell death by the meanes of Sir Roger The death of K. Edward Mortimer who notwithstanding in the Parliament after was made Earle of March the same yeere the foure and twentieth of Ianuary the young King married the Lady Philip daughter to the Earle of Henault in the City of Yorke A Parliament held at Northampton and soone after cald a Parliament at Northampton to which by the meanes of Sir Roger Mortimer and the old Queene an unprofitable and dishonorable peace was made with the Scots who caused the King to release them of all fealty and homage and delivered up to them all the old Writings sealed by their Kings and chiefe Lords of their Land with all Charters and Patents and many rich Iewels which had before beene wonne from them by the Kings of England amongst which the blacke Crosse of Scotland is especially named and the yeere following David the son of Robert le Bruce King of Scots married Iane sister to the King of England whom they after to the derision of the English called Iane make peace and amongst other The Scots taunt the English taunting Songs made of our Nation this was one Long beards heartlesse Painted bodies witlesse Gay coats gracelesse Maketh England thriftlesse But these merry and jigging tunes were turned to their most lamentable Aymee's within few moneths after During the Kings minority all the affaires of the Realme were managed by Sir Roger Mortimer The pride of Sir Roger Mortimer and the Mother Queene And the great persons appointed to that purpose were vilified and not set by which Sir Roger in imitation of K. Arthur was said to keep a round Table to which many noble Knights belonged to his infinite cost and expence But howsoever in the Articles objected by the Parliament against Mortimer third yeere of the King the said Sir Roger
lodging at Westminster and soon after was King Henry brought riding in a long gown of Blue Velvet and conveyed through Cheape unto Westminster and thence to King Henry again committed to the tower the Tower where he remayned all his life time after thus we find by the premisses The Beare who th'exil'd Tigresse meets in France Vowes the suppressed Lambe againe to advance And from the Coop where he hath long bin pent To raise him to his former government All which hapned according to the former prediction as also the sequell The Lion the land flying with a small And slender train the ragged Staffe sways all But the Bears fiereenesse shall be soon all aid As one that is halfe conquered halfe betraid That is half conquered by the prowesse of King Edward and betraid by his perfidious brother the D. of Clarence Edward thus having repossest the Kingdome provided against the landing of Queen Margaret and her sonne who notwithstanding with an army of Frenchmen entred the Land as farre as Teuxbury where the King met her and chaced her house and slue The battaile at Teuxbury many of them in which battaile was taken her sonne Edward and brought to the King who demanding some questions and he not answering him to his minde the King strook him over the face with his Gauntlet upon which hee was drag'd into a withdrawing room and there slaine by the Duke of Glocester In the same The murder of P. Edward yeere upon Ascension eve was the corps of Henry the sixt late King brought unreverently from the Tower through the high streets of the City unto Pauls and there left for that night and on the morrow conveyed with bils and staves and King Henry stabd to death in the tower the like weapons unto Chelsey and there without any solemne ceremony enterred who was stabd with a Dagger in the Tower by the hands of the foresaid Richard Duke of Glocester So that the Lambe the Beare did late restore Again coopt up was murdred by a Bore For the Bore was the Cognizance belonging to the said Duke when King Edward had thus subdued his enemies He sent over the miserable and distressed Queene Margaret into her owne Countrey whence shee never returned into this Kingdome after In the seventeenth yeere of the King the Duke of Clarence his second brother The murder of the Duke of Clarence was for some displeasure taken against him committed to the Tower where hee not remayned long but hee was secretly drowned in a But of Malmsey as it was commonly voic'd by the instigation of the Duke of Glocester I let passe the rest of this Kings Reigne in which hapned no great matter of remarke or consequence so that after his many victories for hee was never The death of K. Edward the Fourth conquered in any battaile hee governed the Realme in great tranquillity and quietnesse and expired the eleventh of Aprill in the yeere of the Incarnation of our Lord one thousand foure hundred fourscore and three after he had raigned full two and twenty yeeres and as much as from the fourth of March to the eleventh of Aprill whose corps was conveyed to VVindsor and there with all due and solemne Ceremony interred leaving two sonnes Prince Edward the eldest and Richard Duke of Yorke the younger with three Daughters Elizabeth after Queene Sicily and Katharine Edward the fift of that name and sonne to Edward the Fourth at eleven yeeres of age began his Reigne the eleventh of Aprill in the beginning of the yeer of our Lord God one thousand foure hundred fourescore and then of whom and his Uncle Richard Duke of Glocester the prediction followeth The Prophesie From the Herculean Lion lately sphear'd And in his Orbe to Iove himself indear'd Shall shine two stars without eclipse or cloud But they as to some sacred offering vow'd Shall perish on the Altar ere they grow To that full splendor which the world they owe A bunch-back'd monster who with teeth is born The mockery of art and natures scorn Who from the wombe preposterously is hurld And with feet forward thrust into the world Shall from the lower earth on which he stood Wade every step he mounts here deep in blood He shall to th' height of all his hopes aspire And cloth'd in state his ugly shape admire But when he thinks himself most safe to stand From forreigne parts a native Whelpshal land Who shall the long divided blood unite By joyning of the Red Rose with the white Edward the Fourth yielding his due to nature Hatred betwixt the King and Queenes kindred the long concealed grudge betwixt the King and the Queenes Allies began to vent it self for the Marquesse Dorset brother to the widowed Queene with others of her proximity had then the Guardianship of the young King who being in the Marches of VVales conveyed him towards London to make provision for his Coronation but the Duke of Glocester who intended otherwise attended with a company of Northern Gentlemen all in mourning met with the King at Stony-stratford and after a dissembled greeting betwixt him and the Marquesse dischardged him of his Office and Marquesse Dorset discharged of his Guardianship tooke upon himselfe the government of the king and thence accompanied with the Duke of Buckingham who was in great favour with the people brought him with all honour toward London whereof hearing Queene Elizabeth mother to the King and fearing the sequel she with her younger sonne the Duke of Yorke and her daughter Elisabeth tooke Sanctuary at VVestminster meane time the king was royally met by the Citizens of London and through The Queene taketh Sanctuary the City brought to the Bishop of Londons palace and there lodged Then the Duke of Glocester so wrought with Bouchier Archbishop of Canterbury that hee went with him to the Queene who upon the Archbishops faith and promise of his safety delivered The young Duke of York delivered to the Archbishop and Duke of Glocester to them the D. of Yorke then the Duke caused the king and his brother to be removed to the Tower and the Duke lodged himselfe in Crosby House in Bishopsgate street and great preparation was made for the yong kings Coronation in which time the Duke of Glocester being made Protector caused Sir Anthony VVoodvile Lord Scales the Queenes brother the Lord Richard the Queenes son Sir Richard Hawt and Sir Thomas to be beheaded at Pomfret more out of his owne tyranny then any The protectors tyranny trespasse by them committed next to further his aspiring purpose Hee covertly sounded the hearts of the Nobility how they stood affected and to that end cold many counsailes and amongst others he found the Lord Hastings then Lord Chamberlaine constant to the supporture of king Edward the Fourths Issue Upon the thirteenth of Iune being in the Counsel Chamber at the Tower with the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Derby the Lord A
married to the youthfull French King shee I say observing his provident and cautelous proceeding in all things for the security of his State and Kingdome with a false stampe coyned a new Duke of Yorke a stripling called Perkin Warbeck who being Christned by Edward the Perkin Warbeck a new impostor 4 th it might be suspected that being as hee was warlike so also much addicted to the love of women by too much familiarity with the mother the child might have some of the Yorkists blood in him Edward being both Father and Godfather But so or no most sure it was Edward the fourth Godfather to Perkin that the Dutchesse exposed him to the world for the young Duke of Yorke who was spared from death which his brother suffered in the Tower for so it was given out But after shee had fully tutor'd and instructed him to take upon him the Majesty and deportment of a Prince least he should be found to be her creature shee cunningly sent him from her The subtilty of the Dutchesse of Burgundy Court over into Ireland where hee was received for no lesse then he nam'd himselfe Thence King Charles sent for him into France where he had Princely entertainment and service suiting with his stile but a peace being concluded betwixt England and France finding no safety there hee came as a distressed stranger to shelter himselfe under the wings of the Dutchesse of Burgundy whom she cunningly at first lookt upon as strangely till she had questioned him about all things in which shee had before instructed him and then as a Prince whose injuries were much to bee pittied shee received him to her protection The newes of a surviving Duke of Yorke was greedily swallowed by the discontented Commons of England The chiefe of note A new conspiracy against the King who were drawne to this beliefe were the Lord Fitzwater Mountfort and Thwaytes with the Lord Standley who was Father in law to the King and then Lord Chamberlaine Ratcliffe and others But Henry then understanding the danger likely to ensue first made it manifest to the world how both the Princes were together murdered with the manner of their deaths by which he did infallibly evince that hee could not be Yorke then the politicke King thought there was no surer way to disable the Impostors claime then by taking away his abettours and whilst these things were thus in agitation Sir Robert Clifford who had undermined all the Dutchesse proceedings came over to the King Sir Robert Clifford chalengeth the L. Standly of treason and disclosed them unto him who challenged the Lord Standley of Treason as to bee a prime incourager of Perkins Faction for which the King notwithstanding the neere affinity as the name of Father and Sonne interchanged betwixt them and forgetting also that hee was the prime man who set the Crowne upon his head hee caused him the fifteenth of February following to bee beheaded on a Scaffold upon the Tower-hill not without a great aspersion The L. Standly beheaded of ingratitude which severity of Iustice was also executed upon Mountford and Stafford Then Perkin who had wintered with the Dutchesse in the spring made an attempt for England his forces subsisting meerely of male-contents banquerupts and fugitives and hearing the King was in the North landed to the number of sixescore and odde in Kent thinking Perkin landeth in Kent they would have adhered to his Faction but he himself kept a ship boord But the Kentish apprehending the danger of a Rebellion seeing no more would come a shore set upon them whom they found slew some and took the rest prisoners all which were put to death and not one amongst them spared Thence he sailed to Flanders to fetch more ayd and from thence to Ireland where he found small comfort after to Scotland whose arrivall there being by commendatory Letters prepared by Charles the The French K. an abetter of Perkin French King he was royally entertained and to the Scotch King and his Nobility hee delivered so smooth and passionate a Tale before dictated by the Dutchesse that they tooke not onely great commiseration of his former disasters but promised withall not onely to raise him but to establish him in the height at which hee aimed causing him to bee espoused to a beautifull Virgin the Lady Gordon and after with a potent Army entred Northumberland Perkin married to the Lady Gordon making Proclamation in the name of Richard Duke of Yorke with sugered promises of severall enfranchisements and immunities to the Commons if they would acknowledge him their King and Soveraigne all which nothing prevailed with the people so that King Iames hearing of Henries marching towards him with a puissant Hoast he retreated his Army into his owne Countrey After which there was a marriagâ—… concluded A match concluded betwixt Iames of Scotland and the Lady Margaret betwixt King Iames and the Lady Margaret the eldest daughter to King Henry from whom our King Iames of blessed memory descended as immediate and undoubted Heire to the Crown of England which match was consummate in the seventh yeare of King Henry and in the same year landed at Plimmouth Katherine daughter to the King of Spaine who upon St. Erkenwalds day was espoused to Prince Arthur eldest sonne to the King who in Aprill following Prince Arthur married to Katherine of Spaine The death of Prince Arthur expired in the Towne of Ludlow The yeare after began the famous and most glorious worke of the Kings Chappell ' at Westminster and upon the eleventh of February dyed Queen Elizabeth wife to King Henry in the Tower The death of Queen Elizab. lying then in Child bed c. There was also a commotion in Devonshire and Cornwall about the collection of sixescore A commotion in Devonshire and Cornwall thousand pound which the King had demanded in parliament the first raisers thereof were a Lawyer and a Blacke-smith who comming as farre as Wells the Lord Audley tooke upon him to be their Generall who passing through Kent came as farre as Black-Heath in the sight of London but were then encountred by the Kings forces the Lord Audley was taken and The chiefe of the Rebells executed beheaded the Lawyer Smith drawn hanged and quartered the rest by the King ' pardoned But after that fortunate match betwixt the Scotch King and the Lady Margaret there was no longer residence there for Perkin who exposed him to his further fortune yet would not his faire Bride Katherine Gordon leave him though he were forced to forsake the Land but associated him into Ireland from whence hee was presently sent for by a new company of Cornish and Devonshire Rebells who began first to assemble themselves at a Towne called Bodwin in Cornwall To whom Perkin was no sooner come but they made him their Captain and Prince who called him selfe no more Richard Duke of Yorke but Richard King of England
But none without their faults since Adams fal He shall have many vertues but not all Who never spares for who can fraeilty trust Man in his rage or woman in his lust CHAP. 32. Prince Henry married to his brothers wife Hee winneth Turwin and Turney in France Floden-Field with the famous victory against the Scots Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke marrieth the French Queene the Kings sister The Emperour Charles the fift made Knight of the Garter Peace with France Both Kings defie the Emperour The death of Cardinall Wolsey Henry divorced from his first wife Marrieth the Lady Anne Bulloigne Her death He marrieth the Lady Iane Seimour He revolteth from Rome The Earle of Hartfords victories in Scotland Bulloigne besieged and wonne HEnry the Seventh who was loth to part with the Dower of the Spanish princesse wrought so by a Dispensation from the pope that his sonne prince Henry was married to the late Widdow of his own brother prince Arthur deceased who comming to the Crown some say by the counsell of his Father on his death-bed put to death Empson and Dudley who had gathered a great masse of money into the Kings treasury by exacting and extorting from the Commons of whom they were extreamly hated for which piece of justice he wonne the hearts of the people and soone after was borne at Richmond upon New yeares The birth and death of prince Henry day prince Henry the Kings sonne who died upon S. Matthews day the yeere following and soon after was the Lord Dacres sent into Spaine to aide the King against the Moores and Sir Edward Poynings into Gelderland to aide the prince of Castile And in his fourth yeere the King in person invaded France and tooke Turwin and Turney having discomfited the French King Henry aydeth Spaine invadeth France Floden Field in which the K. of Scots was slain Hoast at a place called Blewmy during which time the Scotch King raised against England an hundred thousand men whom the Earle of Surry the Kings Lievtenant encountred at a place called Flodden in which battaile the King himselfe was slaine with eight Bishops and eleven Earles besides of the common souldiers innumerable for which service by him done King Henry created him Duke of Norfolke and his sonne Earle of Surrey In his sixt yeere a peace was concluded betwixt England and France and in the seventh Peace betwixt England and France yeere the French King espoused the Lady Mary the Kings sister in the moneth of Iune and died upon New yeares day next ensuing wherefore The birth of the Lady Mary Charles Brandon married to the French Queen Mary the kings sister the King sent for her againe by Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolke In February was borne the Lady Mary the Kings Daughter at Greenwich and in Aprill the French Queene came over into England and was married to the foresaid Duke of Suffolke in which yeere also Margaret Queene of Scots the Kings sister fled into England and lay at a place called Hare-bottle where she was delivered of a daughter called Margaret and came to London in May and tarried here a whole yeer and upon the eighth of May following returned again into her Country In October the tenth yeer of the King the Admirall An enteâ—… view betwixt the Kings of England and France of France came into England and Tournay was delivered againe to the French King whom after Henry met between Arde and Guiens where were great Triumphs after there was a solemne meeting betwixt the Emperour and Charles the fift and the King of England who went with him to Graveling and after hee went to Calice with the King where hee was royally entertained and feasted who in the thirteenth of the King the sixt of Iune was honourably received Charles the fift Emperor made Knight of the Garter into the City of London by the Lord Major the Aldermen and the Communalty who from London went to meet the King at Windsore where he was made Knight of the Garter which was done with great solemnity and then from Southampton hee sailed into Spain soone after Christian King of Denmarke came into England and had Royall entertainment from the King During these passages the Earle of Surrey Lord Admirall who before had appeased the tumults and manifold combustions stirred up in Britain Picardy France invaded by the English Ireland burnt divers Townes in Britaine and Picardy and the Duke of Suffolke invaded France with 10000 men and passing the River of Some spoyled many Towns and Villages and returned without opposition and the Duke of Albany in Scotland who before had made a vain e attempr against England besieged the Castle of Wark but hearing of the Earle of Surreys marching towards him he fled into his Countrey In the eighteenth yeere of the King Cardinall Cardinall Wolsey Embassadour into France Wolsey went over into France pompously attended where he concluded a league betwixt the King of England and the French King who both defied the Emperour and sent an Army into Italy to make war against him and upon the nineteenth of October the great Master of England and France defied the Emperour France came over to England to ratifie the League made betwixt the two Kings all which verifie that part of the prediction Rouze him shall this fierce Lion in his den Be favoured of the gods and fear'd of men Gallia shall quake Albania stand in awe And Caesars stoop when he but shews his paw To league with him Hesperia shall take pride Those whom the Africke Moores halfe blacke have dyde By Albania is meant Seotland so called from Albanactus the second sonne of Brute the first King thereof and by Hesperia Spaine who after the African Moores had long possessed the greatest part of the Land by enterchangable merceage betwixt them and the Natives the Spaniards are black and tawny even to this day In the one and twentieth yeare the King having cast his eye upon a new Mistris pretending A divorce sought by the King betwixt him and Queen Katherine a matter of conscience hee began to consider with himselfe that hee had long incestucusly lived with his brothers wife for which cause the Legats of Rome met with the King at Black Fryers about the lawfulnesse or unlawfulnesse of that marriage Amongst the rest Cardinall Wolsey standing stiffe against a Divorce in October following was discharged of his Chancellourship and presently after was a peace concluded betwixt the Emperour and the King and in the yeere after the great Cardinall who had been arrested of high Treason and by that meanes forfeited his infinite estate to the The death of Card. Wolsey King died on Saint Andrews in a poore Fryery not without suspition of poyson After by a legall course and due processe of Law the king was divorced from the Lady Katherine his brothers wife and soone after married to the Lady Anne Bulloigne who upon The King married
parish Church throughout England that no Coarse should be buryed before sixe a Clocke in the morning nor after sixe at night and that when any dyed the Bell should ring three quarter of an houre at least In this Interim the two great Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke Dudly and Gray privately murmuring and openly maligning that The two Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolk the Kings two Uncles should beare such great authority in the Kingdome by which their glories seemed not onely eclipsed but quite darkned the elder brother commanding the Land the younger the Sea the one Lord Protector the other Lord High Admirall so that the whole Dominion and Soveraignty of the kingdome the kings name excepted was divided betwixt them And further considering that it was in vaine for them to attaine to their owne ambitious ends but by sundring this fraternall tye and unloosing this Gordian knot Their plots gainst the Protector and Admirall of Consanguinity which had beene so long inseparably continued betwixt them they therefore projected betwixt themselves how this almost impossible thing might be brought to passe and doubting the event if they should attempt to worke by their servants as to corrupt them with Bribes or the like they therefore tooke a nearer and more safe course to practise it by their Wives and to draw their balas from out of their owne bosomes and The Wives made themcans to betray the Husbands most successively to their purpose thus it happened Sir Thomas Seimer Lord High Admirall having married the Queene Dowager whose good Fortune it was of all the rest of the kings wives to survive her Husband contested with her sister in law for precedence and priority of place to which the Protectors wife standing upon her prerogative could by no meanes bee wonne to give way This emulation betwixt the two sisters fitly sorting to the Dukes purposes for the one challenged the right hand as once being Queene and the other claimed it as wise to the present Protector To this new kindled fire the two Dukes bring fuell Dudly incourageth the one secretly Gray the other privately so that the Wives set the Husbands at oddes by taking their parts so that by the instigation of those emulous and incensed Ladies a mortall hatred grew betwixt the two brothers insomuch that in the third year of the King the Admirall was questioned for the ill managing his Office and sundry Articles preferred in Court against him so that he was condemn'd in Parliament and his head The death of the Lord high Admirall strooke off the Protector his brother signing the Warrant for his death The one being thus removed there was the lesse difficulty to supplant the other for in the same Month of February in which the Admirall lost his head was the Protector committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Counsaile of which the two Dukes were chief and many Articles of Treason and ill government of the state commenced against him but about a yeare after his confinement by his submission to the Lords and intercession made for him by the K. upon the sixt of February hee was released injoy'd his former offices honors but all this was but a lightning before death for his two great potent adversaries stil prosecute their malice against him insomuch that not long after calling him to a second account when he had nobly acquit himself at the Barre of all treason objected against him he was in the Guild Hall of London not by a Iury of his peeres by The Lord Protector put to death for felony twelve men convicted and condemned of Felony for which on a Scaffold on Tower-Hill hee suffered death verifying what was before spoken of the young King Vpright he shall betweene two Bases stand One in the sea fixt th' other on the land These shall his pupillage strongly maintaine Secure the continent and scoure the maine But these supporters will be tane away By a Northumbers Wolfe and Suffolks Gray It is so manifest it needs no Comment This Edward Seimour was the sonne of Sir A Character of the L. Protector Edward Seimour knighted by Henry the eight who had married the Lady Iane his naturall sister He after created him Viscount Beauchamp in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty sixe and the yeare following Earle of Hereford after that he was installed Knight of the Garter His honours and offices made Lord great Chamberlain of England one of the honourable privy Counsail much favoured of the eighth Henry who in his last Testament instituted him one of the chiefe of his sixteene Executors after this King Edward created him Baron de sancto Mauro then Duke of Somerset He was next by a generall voyce of parliament made Protector over the Kings person and of all his Kingdomes and Dominions Governour and Lord Generall of all the Kings forces by Land and Sea He was moreover Lord high Treasurer and Earle Martiall of England Captaine of the two Islands of Gernsie and Iersie and Chancellour of the University of Cambridge In all which Offices and Dignities he demeaned himselfe The Duke of Somerset catalogu'd amongst the English Martyrs with such Honourable bounty and singular piety that some have not doubted to Catalogue him amongst our English Martyrs But to returne to the History by this protectors meanes who was a constant Protestant Images were puld downe through all Churches of England Marriage of priests made lawfull The suppressing of the Romish Religion by parliament and Doctor Bonner with other Romish Prelates deposed from their Bishopricks and other of the Reformed Church supplyed their places making good what was before calculated of the young King By birth a Caesar and in hopes as great Shall next ascend unto th' Imperiall seat Who ' ere mature cropt in his tender bloome Shal more against then Caesar could for Rome He th' Aristocracy Monarchall makes This from the triple Crowne the Scepter takes This needs some explication Hee is called young Caesar as being produced into the world The prophesie explained by the cutting or ripping up of his mothers wombe from which the great Roman Iulius borne after the same manner had added to him the name of Caesar which Title hee left as Hereditary to all the succeeding Emperours after him who as hee reduced the Aristocracie which was the government of the Senate and Optimates into one entire monarchall Diadem placing the Empire in Rome so of the contrary this young King from the great Pontifex of Rome who in time wearing a Triple Diademe and thereby challenging power in Heaven potently upon earth regency and predominance over Hell and moreover making earthly Kings and Emperours to acknowledge unto him a preheminence and supremacie making them to kisse his feet with other servil officeâ—… â—…e by opposing this Soveraignty and shrinking his head out of so extreame a servitude may bee truly said to have done more against Rome in
his pious devotion then Roman Iulius did for Rome in his great magnanimity and prowesse Now to prove that King Edward was a Caesar To prove King Edward a Caesar. the young Lady Iane Seymour being at Hampton Court when the time of her teeming came and there was small hope of her delivery news was brought to the King that her throes were violent upon her and that the Infant could not be brought into the world but by the death of the mother For by preserving the one the other must needs perish When that his pleasure was demanded what was to be done in so strict an exigent Hee commanded that the child should be cut from the wombe saying Sure I am that I can have more wives but uncertaine I am whether I can have more children c. Upon the sixt day of Iuly in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty three Iohn Barnes The death of Edward the sixt Mercer being Lord Major and William Garret and Iohn Mainard Sheriffs at Greenwich departed out of this world King Edward of that name the sixth in the sixteenth of his age and the seventh of his Reigne whom some say that hee died of a pleurisie others that hee was poysoned by a Nosegay For it was generally murmured by the people that the Uncles being removed the Nephew could not long remaine after which best complyes with the former calculation which saith Then fall must this faire structure built on hie And th' English like the Roman Caesar die The first made away in the Court the other murdered in the Capitoll of which hopefull and toward Prince this character is left to future memory Hee was carefull for the establishing of the Protestant Religion to have it flourish through His Character His zeale to the propagation of true Religion all his Dominions The Masse hee abolished and Images demolished the learned men of his time he greatly incouraged moving them to interpret the Scriptures to the capacities of the vulgar and commanded the Liturgie and Common Prayers to bee read in the English tongue In his minority hee had maturity of judgement and was literated in all the Arts liberall of a retentive memory He knew all the Ports and Havens in England France Scotland and Ireland being as well acquainted with their scites as their names In the Greeke Latin French Italian and Spanish Tongues extraordinarily verst in Logicke Morall Philosophy and the Mathematicks conversant in Cicero Livy Tacitus and Salust frequent Hesiod and Sophocles His knowledge in all kindes of literature he understood and was able to interpret Isocrates from the originall He was wisely witty even to wonder his body featured and his minde modelled almost to miracles religiously he lived devoutly he dyde that he breath'd his last it is certaine but where his body lyes buried to us most uncertain CHAP. 34. The Lady Iane proclaimed Queene Northumberlands Commission to suppresse the Lady Mary Hee is arrested of high Treason The Coronation of Queen Mary A prediction of her Reigne The Romish Religion restored The death of Northumberland Of Suffolke Of Guilford Dudley Of the Lady Iane Gray Her character The death of Cranmer Ridley and Latimer The life of Cardinall Poole twice elected Pope His comming into England and made Archbishop of Canterbury His death THe two ambitious Dukes of Northumberland and Suffolke thinking to disable the two sisters Mary and The ambition of the two Dukes Elizabeth the daughters of King Henry the Eighth from any lawfull claime to the Crowne as reputing them no better then bastards had made a matcht betwixt Guilford Dudley the fourth sonne to Northumberland and the Lady Iane Gray sole daughter to the Duke of Suffolke and pretending that King Edward in his last will nominated her Heire apparant to the Crowne after his death they caused the said Lady Iane presently upon the Kings death Iune the tenth to be proclaimed Queene and true and immediate Heire to the Kingdome The Lady Iane Gray proclaimed Queen in sundry places of the City of London which proved to her utter ruine The Lady Mary being at that time at Framingham The Suffolke men adhere to the Lady Mary in Suffolke was much troubled at the report of such disastrous news which the more perplexed her because she had intelligence that it was done by the Nobility and the whole body of the Councell to whom the Suffolke men assembling as not liking such shuffling in state proffered her their voluntary assistance to possesse her in her lawfull and indubitate inheritance Before which time The great Duke of Northumberland having a large Commission granted him by the Lords of the Councell and Northumberlands Commission to fetch in the Lady Mary signed with the great Seale of England had raised an army with intent both to suppresse and surprize the Lady Mary which was no sooner advanced and the rising of the Suffolke men bruited at Court but the Lords in generall either for feare of the Commons or repenting them of the injury done unto the rightfull Inheritrix they sent a countermand after the Duke to lay by his Armes who when he thought himselfe in his greatest power being abandoned by the Nobility he was also forsaken of the Commons so that at Cambridge hee with his sonnes and some few servants were left alone who thinking thereby to make his peace in the open market place proclaimed the Lady Mary Queen of England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. notwithstanding which in Kings Colledge hee was arrested of high Treason and Northumberland arrested of high treason from thence brought up to London and committed to the Tower Then was the Lady Mary generally received as Queen so proclaimed through the Kingdom the twentieth of Iuly and the third of August The Lady Mary received for Queen following shee tooke possession of the Tower and during her abode there released all the Romish Bishops there imprisoned From thence she road in great state through London towards her palace of Westminster where shee was solemnely crowned by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester her sister the Lady Elizabeth being present at her Coronation Of this Queene and her Reign it is thus predicted Then shall the masculine Scepter cease to sway A prediction of her and her Reigne And to a Spinster the whole Land obey Who to the Papall Monarchy shall restore All that the Phoenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the faggot and the stake And they of Convert bodies bonefires make Match shall this Lionesse with Caesars sonne From the Pontifick sea a pool shall runne That wide shal spread it's waters and to a flood In time shal grow made red with martyrs blood Men shall her short unprosperous Reigne deplore By losse at sea and damage on the shore Whose heart being dissected you in it May in large characters find Calice writ Now ceased the Heire Male to Reign and the Scepter was disposed to
the Female which was not seen nor known since long before the Conquest when Bouduca or as some call her Boadicia soveraignized In the time of Nero Caesar and Spinster was an ancient British Title given to the Feminine sex before King Edgars Reign by which name even princesses being convented or summoned into any Court are called unto this day but to proceed with the History in the tenth day of the moneth after her Coronation A Parlament in which Romish Religion is restored began a Parlament in which besides the supplanting of the protestant Religion which began to be establisht in the dayes of King Edward were convicted and attainted of high Treason Iohn Duke of Northumberland Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterbury Sir Ambrose Dudley Knight Guilford Dudley Esquire and Husband to the Lady Gray Sir Andrew Dudley Knight with others as William Marquesse of Northampton Iohn Earle of Warwicke c. and the twelfth of August was beheaded on the The death of the Duke of Northumberland Tower Hill Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland Sir Iohn Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer Thus you see the end of Northumberland if any bee desirous to know also what became of Suffolke I can parallell him to none more genuinely than to the Duke of Buckingham Hee Underwood a second Banister had a Banister this an Vnderwood a servant raised by him to a faire revenue and to whose safeguard he had committed his person who in a spacious hollow Tree for some few moneths concealed him whether hee brought him meat and drinke with millions of oaths ingag'd for his truth and fidelity but being easily corrupted with some small quantity of gold and many large and liberall promises hee Iudas-like betrayde his Master and delivered him up to the Noble Earle of Huntington who with a strong guard brought him through London to the Tower He was after arraigned in the great Hall The death of the Duke of Suffolke at Westminster and soone after on the Tower Hill lost his head Yet probable it was that the Queene had pardoned that offence had he not seconded it with another by confedering with Sir Thomas Wiat of Kent to interpose her marriage with Philip of Spain sonne to the Emperour and to that purpose departed secretly into Warwicke and Leicestershire where hee knew himselfe best affected and made their open Proclamation to keep all strangers from the Land for which hee fell into the Queens irreconciliable displeasure which not only hasted his owne end but the deaths of Guilford and the Lady Iane for the Statists at that time especially those that were devoted to the Romish faction held it no policie to suffer any of the contrary Religion to live especially if they could intrap them in any quiddits of Law which might be stretcht to be made Capitall therefore upon the twelfth of February in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty foure it being the first day of the week Guildford Dudley was brought to the Scaffold upon the Tower hill where when hee The death of Guilford Dudley had with all Christian devotion made his peace with Heaven hee with a setled and unmoved constancy submitted himselfe to the stroake of death which was given in the sight of his excellent Spouse who to that purpose was placed in a window within the Tower the object strikeing more cold to her heart then the sight of that fatall axe by which shee was presently to The death of the Lady Iane Gray suffer which she most patiently endured Never was sweet Ladies death more passionately bewayled being remarkable in Iudge Morgan who pronounced the sentence against her who presently after fell mad and in all his distracted ravings Cryed Take away the Lady The death of Iudge Morgan Iane take her from mee and in that extream distemperature with these words in his mouth ended his life some report that shee was young with childe at the time of her suffering but though her Romish opposites were many and the times bloudy Christian charity may perswade they would not use such inhumanity especially against a person of her Royall bloud and Linage she was an excellent Lady endued with more vertues and extraordinary endowments then is frequently found in that sex being a patterne to others for true Religion and Piety of which her godly Oration to the people and holy prayer at her death extant in Mr. The Lady Ianes character Her age at her death Fox his Martyrologie abundantly witnesse shee exceeded not sixteen yeeres of age of an excellent feature and amiable aspect of Learning incredible in wit incomparable of inforced Honours so unambitious that she never attyred her selfe in any Regall ornaments but constrainedly and with teares Divers of her Latin Verses have beene spread to posterity and of her Works in the English Tongue an Epistle to a learned man falne off from the Truth and turnd Apostate another Epistle to her sister with a Colloquy or reasoning with one Freckman a Romist about Faith and the Sacraments c. Soon after followed the deaths of Doctour Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury acquit of The deatâ—…s of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley Treason and condemed of Heresie Nicholas Ridley late Bishop of London and Hugh Latimer with infinite others insomuch that scarce any City or Market Towne thorow the whole Kingdome in which some pious professor or other had not felt the scorching of the fire and faggot I should fill whole pages to reckon up particulars only thus in briefe it is observed that Queene Maries Reigne was the shortest of any Prince since the Conquest that wore the Crown Richard the Thirds only excepted and that more Christian bloud was spilt in her few yeeres concerning Religion and matter of The great tyranny used in her time conscience then had been shed in any one Kings Reigne since the time of King Lucius the first establisher of Christianity in this his Realme of England which recollects the memory of the former prophesie where he speaks of the Spinster Who to the Papall Monarch shall restore All that the Phaenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the Faggot and the Stake And they of convert bodies bonefires make c. By the Phaenix meaning King Edward so tearmed by Hieronymus Cardanus because hee was unparalleld in his time and by the Convert bodies those who where converted to the reformed and protestant Religion for which cause thousands in sundry places of the Kingdome suffered Now why Queene Mary was so zealous to propagate the popish faith it followeth next to enquire she was brought up Why Queen Mary was so forward to preferre the Romish Religion under her Mothers wing a Spaniard who being of the Spanish blood persisted in the Spanish beliefe but when her mother after three yeares divorce from the King expired she was committed to the guardianship of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury and daughter to George Duke of Clarence brother to Edward
the fourth who dyed in the Tower This Countesse Of Cardinal Pool from his minority had one onely sonne called Reignold Pool who was of great familiarity with the Lady Mary in their minority and devoting himself wholly to the study of the Arts was initiated in Maudline Colledge in Oxford but being a very young man left the University and having a great desire to travaile crost the seas and went into Italy seven years he spent in the Academy of Padua where entring into great familiarity with Peter Bent chiefe Secretary to the pope then raigning hee brought him into such reputation with his holinesse that in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty eight he was made His imploiment to the Emperor and French K. Cardinall and imployed in Embassie both to the Emperor and French King in which negotiations hee is said to have dealt perfidiously with his owne Liege Lord and Soveraigne King Henry the eighth For dangerous is an English man being once Italionated The incensed King not able to reach the Son who was the Actor yet used his power against the mother as an accessary who being questioned for sending her sonne dayly supplies of money from England into Italy was for that convicted The Countesse of Salisbury his Mother beheaded of Treason and being fourescore yeares ofage was beheaded This Cardinall Poole was of the Royall blood as lineally descended from George Duke of Clarence of singular learning and approved modesty insomuch that in the twice vacancy of the See of Rome he was in either selected and nominated as pope but refusing it as too great a charge for such was Cardinal Pool twice elected Pope his apology hee rather chused a solitaty and sequestred life and so retired himselfe into a Monastery neere Verona of which according to rumour hee was first Founder and Patron in which hee spent a great part of his age as a man extermin'd from his native Country so continuing the later part of Henry the eight and the entire Soveraignty of Edward the sixt But Queene Mary his first acquaintance being invested into the English Throne having the soveraigne power in her owne dispose she sent to call him home with purpose as it was then rumourd having the pâ—…pes authority Queen Mary is purposed to marry with Car dinal Poole to dispence with all his Ecclesiasticall dignities to have made him her husband Of which Charles the Emperour having notice partly by his power and partly by his policy wrought so by his Engineeres that Spanish policy hee was detained in Italy till a match was fully concluded betwixt his sonne Prince Philip and the Queene which being perfected and then past prevention the Cardinall was at liberty to dispose of himselfe and for his greater Honour was sent over by the pope with the title of Legatus alatere at which time as Doctor Thomas Cranmer was not onely suspended but Cardinal Pool made Archbishop of Canterbury dispossessed of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury in stead of whom Cardinal Poole was installed into that See where having beene three yeares Archbishop when newes was brought him of the death of his Cousen Queene hee the same houre expired the fifty eight of his age His death and lyeth buryed within Saint Thomas Chappell in Canterbury Church with this short Inscription onely Depositum Cardinalis Poli. The prophesie ayming at him where it saith From the Pontificke Sea a Poole shall runne That wide shall spread its waters and to a stood In time shal grow made red with Martyrs blood The next Chapter leads mee to the entrance of prince Philip sonne to the Emperour Charles into the Land and his marriage with Queene Mary c. CAP. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made King of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queenes marriage at Winchester Their Titles their riding through London The Queene rumourd to bee with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings he favoureth the Lady Elizabeth He leaveth the Land Queene Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis The death of Queene Mary The Inauguration of the Lady Elizabeth A prophesie of her birth and reigne TO omit all the Insurrections in Her time of the discontented Commons as that of Sir Thomas Wiat in Kent to keepe King Philip out of the Land in which the Duke of Suffolke was Insurrections in the time of Queen Mary a partisan with another commotion in Devonshire by Gowen and Peter Carow Giles Champernham and others with a third about Woodhurst in Sussex w ch was soon appeased a fourth by Vdall Throgmorton Daniel Pecham Stanton c. A fift by Henry Stafford who tooke Scarborough Castle in the North. I come now to Prince Philip who after all those that interposed his landing were cut off in the yeare of grace one thousand five hundred fifty foure the twentieth of Iuly made his safe arrivall at South-hampton where he was honourably received by Prince Philip landeth at Southampton the greatest part of the Nobility and was presented with the Order of Saint George and the Garter set with rich stones fastned about his Legge who before he would enter any house Prince Philip presented with the George and Garter went first into Holy Rood Church which standeth just opposite to the Towne-Hall where he gave thanks to God for his safe and prosperous arriuall and having spent some halfe an houre in his devotion hee mounted upon a goodly Iâ—…nnet richly caparisoned which was that morning sent him by the Queene and so rode back towards his lodging which was neare unto the Water-gate The monday following he left Southampton and attended by the Lords and Gentlemen of England rode towards Winchester but by the reason of great store of Raine that fell the same day the journey seemed something unpleasant but there about seven of Clocke towards night hee was magnificently received and rode to the Church before he would see his lodging loud Musicke entertained him at his alighting and the bishop of that Sea with Stephen Gardiner foure other met him at the Church doore attended with Priests Singing men and Quiristers all in rich Coaps who had three faire Crosses or Crucifixe s born before them In the first entrance of the Church the Priest kneeled downe to pray which done he arose and went under an Imbroydered Canopy from the west doore up to the Quire who when he saw the Hoast put off his Hat to doe it reverence and then entred into a goodly Traverse hung with costly Arras and there kneeled againe till Winchester the Chancellor began Te Deum whom all the whole Quire seconded that done hee was brought thence by Torch-light and went on foot through the Cloisters to his lodging whither the Queenes Guard attended him to a faire House belonging to the Dean Hee was at that time apparrelled in a Coat or Mantle curiously imbroydered with gold his Prince