DIEV ET MON DROIT HONI SOIT QVI MAY Y PENSE THE GREAT PLANTAGENET OR A CONTINVED SVCCESsion of that Royall Name from HENRY the Second to our Sacred Soveraigne King CHARLES BY GEO. BVCK Gent. Quod maximum et optimum esse dicitur oportet esse unum Ex Arist Top. lib. 7. LONDON Printed by Nicholas and Iohn Okes. Anno Domini 1635. TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE Sir JOHN FINCH Lord Chiefe Justice of the Common-Pleas c. SIR AS You draw your Eye from the Title I must craue pardon to meet your Lordships Expectation and confesse in these Papers I have but practis'd like a young Limbner wipt away the dust from some Antiquities and by them drawne these proportions which are done too but imagine luscae and not to the full portraicture of that Imperiall greatnesse Nor haue I strain'd my Fancy in high shaddowes for in things of this Nature I would be industrious not affected There wants nothing in the Subiect to make an Historian and a Poet. And had these Intentions met anabler Pen they might with some desert of Pardon haue beene admitted the intermission of your Lordships more serious Houres I haue nothing to excuse mee but my Zeale which in the throng of those that Honour and admire You presses thus neere the influence of your great Vertue humbly prostrating these poore indeavours and the duty of Your most humble and unfained honorer George Buck. To his noble Friend Maister GEORGE BVCK upon his Poësie Noble Friend THou need'st no attributes unto thy Muse He that shall be thy Reader and peruse Thy learn'd Endeavours must with me confesse That thy owne Pen doth best thy selfe expresse Thou art above the vulgar hight or hate That thus the Acts of Kings can vindicate O. ROVRKE To his honoured Friend George Buck on this his Revivall of the Royall-Name of the PLANTAGENETS KIngs are above their Fates and glorious live Though layd in Dust by the prerogative They have o're Fame but this Religious debt Due to the Name of Great Plantagenet So long uncancel'd lay we did distrust Their Names would be more buried then their Dust Till some rich Mercy thy learn'd Quill did wooe To pay this Debt which none but it could doe And now so cleere discharg'd againe their Name Is borne in Triumph on the wings of Fame And to the deeds to which their life did climbe They now in Dust have learn'd to conquer Time For this their Royall gratitude returnes To thee the Laurells which now crowne their Vrnes Who would not wish this Wreath his owne which springs Ioyntly bequeath'd thee from so many Kings Robert Codrington To his deserving Friend Maister George Buc. GEorge in thy deare name methinkes I apprehend That Virtue which did sweare me first thy friend And did not still thy constant soule retaine That worth entire I would e'n here restraine My Pen for 't is not as some may thinke perchance That knowes not thee my doting Ignorance But so much truth as tells me He that can But imitate thee is a happy man And did the World but know thee halfe so well As I it would be thought no flattery to tell How high and nobly Wit and Judgement flowes In thy cleare Soule without vaine glorious showes Let others boast how much their sportive wit Doth please this Madam or with that commit When femall hands interrs their wither'd Bayes Thy Genest shall grow greene and crowne thy praise George Bradley The Preface or Argument of this POESIE DAmaetas having long beene a Wood-man and observed the Natures and Properties of many Trees apprehended some Mystery and peculiar matter in the Genest more then hee could attaine to and meeting with Silenus a man of great Learning and Authority for hee was held a Prophet exposeth to him his Conceit Silenus by meanes of a late accident was well able to instruct and resolve him For there had beene a complaint made lately to Apollo against certaine unworthy fellowes which presumptuously tooke Garlands off his ancient Tree the Laurell He forthwith calling the Muses to Councell in Helicon established Ordinances for the due wearing of that and all other Garlands And because the ancient Garlands were abused and prophained with common and unworthy use he made choyce of a new Tree viz. the Genest and instituted Garlands thereof giving them prerogatives above the rest and appropriated them to one imperiall Family seated in * Britania or Albion rather vide Stanz 13 and is taken out of Orpheus in his Argonaunt where Master Camden rather readeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Albion or Alba rather then Pinaria Leucëëssa with expresse defence that none else should weare them that not all the Princes of this Family should weare Garlands hereof but some a Chappelet and some onely a branch or Plant the compleate Garland reserved for his favorite * Sub Daphnis quod nomen in hac Ecloga datus S.R. Carolo sicut Julio Caesari olim in Ecloga 5. Virg. à Pastoribus Daphnis After Silenus declareth more particularly who and what these royall Worthies were Beginning with the great Henry sonne of the Empresse Matilda the first King of this Iland surnamed * Plantagenet from Planta-Genistae so call'd as some say for wearing a slip or stalk of broom in his cap or hat who write that toward his latter days in penance contrition for his past sins he undertook to goe to the Holy Sepulcher in the poore and despised habit of a Broome-man and to signifie himselfe so bore a broom-stalk in his cap as I have read of other Princes who in great penitece humblenes for their sins for their better privacy security have travail'd thither like Carpēters Joyners other poore mechanicke Tradesmen wearing in the same kind somebadge of the trade they seemed to professe Others say it was because he scourged himselfe with the stalks of broom which grew upon the Plaines where once the holy City stood But I shal expresse this occasion more amply in another place He was also surnamed Courtmantle Plantagenet and so deducing a Geneologie from him through his Royall posterity to our present Sacred Soveraigne Charles his now Heire whom hee Crowneth with this Polyanthine Garland c. In whose Sacred Person are joyntly met and coalesced the Royall bloods Titles and Interests not onely of great Britaine but also of France and Ireland For Scotland the Crowne and Scepter thereof missa per innumeros avos all men acknowledge his ancient right therein And his Majesties Title to Ireland will be manifest in the Genealogy herein deduced from the Great Plantagenet King Henry the second the first English Prince of * Lyonell Planta Duke of Clarence 3 Son of K. Edw. 3. married Eliz. Daughter and Heire of Will. Mure-Burk Earle of Vlster Lord of Conacht from whom the Dukes of York are descended Camden in Hiber Ireland and from his Heroicall posterity as well Marches as others who have beene
worthies of this land 19. A Prince form'd of the true materiall mould He was as valorous as politicke Hee could well win and what he wan could hold And fortune followes such men in their traine (1) Normandy not Neustria Pithaeus Westria was his he rul'd in (2) Little Britaine Armoricke And raignd in Albion and Aquitaine In briefe a Sov'raigne he did raigne and rule From Pyraene Mount ains to the frozen (3) Terrarum ultima Thule Seneca Island or Thy-leusell that is Shetland secundum Gasp Peucerum apud G. Camdenum Thule 20. His glorious enfigne next he doth display Whose valiant zeale and Chivalry divine K. Richard 1. surnamed Caeur de Lyon married Berengaria daughter of Garcia King of Navarre Made in the Pagan Kingdomes such a way As all the Christian Hosts might enter in He tooke Acon and Ioppa in Palestine And did besides the Realme of Cyprus win He ward with Men and slew the Austriak Lyon Then made a peace with God and went to Syon 21. Next rides King Iohn to whom stout Calidoun Tooke solemne oath to be a true Leig-man To him the King and the heires of his Crown K. Iohn brother to Rich. 1 surnamed Sans terrae He got Angolesme by marrying with Isabell daughter and heire of Almery Earle of Angolesme and the Isle of Man by conquest Walter Buck brought 700 men out of Brabant wan Ely divers Castles for this K. Iohn Vide Camdenū in Occadini et Holinsh And by his auspices the Brabant Knight From Rebell Lords their Isle of refuge wan By him great Thamsis bridge so exquisite Which lay in wooden modells was begun A braver worke in Europ ne're was done 22. Then comes his Sonne with other Architects Hen. 3. surnamed Winchester maried Elianor daughter of Raymond Ear. of Provence Not to build Babells and Castles in the Aire But he a holy house for God projects The which he doth at Westminster performe A Temple high magnificent and faire A glorious pile for sacred use and forme And shall remaine to all posterity The hallow'd Monument of his Piety 23. Now adde the formost two which bore his name K. Edward 1. surnamed Longshank married first Elianor daughter of the K. of Castile she was heire of Ponthieu and Mother of K. Edward 2. by his second Wife Margaret Da. of the French K. He had Tho. of Brotherton from whom by Segrave Moubray the Howards are descended Who of the Saint disguis'd a Ring received To th' one some give a Hammer for surname Because he bruis'd Gaiothell in his rage And him of Iacobs Stone and Chaire bereaved But Iacob repossess'd them by praesage The other Edward the Templars did expell Of whom I can no more say to say well 24. Behold him next who in his doome supreme Pouuoire above an Estre did advance For he was offered Caesars Diadem 2 Vide Tho. Walsingham in Ed. 1. K. Ed. 2. surnamed of Carmarvon married Isabell daughter and heire of Phil. le Bel K. of France K. Edw. 3. surnamed de Windesore married Philip daughter of William Earle of Henalt c. He tooke Calais and wan many victories of the French as at Crecy and Sluys c. refused to bee Emperour Paralipom ad Abb. Vrspergens But followed boones forbod and downe anon Cuts with his Mothers sword the flowers of France And plants them in his field of Albion And puts them in his royall Lyons guard For so quoth he Dieu et mon droyt award 25. Phillip the famous Macedonian Ed. de Woodstock P. of Wales and of Aquitainc married Ioan Da. and heire of Edm. Plantagenest Earle of Kent First he overthrew 60000 Spaniards and Frēch in Spain betwixt Naveret and Naiara Had not a son of higher worth then he For where the Prince blacke Edward went he wan This honors comet first did faire appeare At Cressy field which Navaret did see After more bright then Mavors in his Spheare But Poiters chiefly where hetooke King Iean For there a double victory he wan 26. Two Richards more succeed the one a Prince K. R. 2 his son surnamed de Burdeaux married Anne of Lexeinbourg Da. of the Emperour Wenceslaus K. R. 3 surnamed de Fotheringay Du. of Gloster c. married Anne Nevill Da. of Ric. the great Earle of Warwick Whose goodly presence men to wōder moved And was as bountifull as any since Fame hath bin sharp to th' other yet because All accusations of him are not proved And he built Churches did make good lawes And all men held him wise and valiant Who may deny him then his Genest Plant. 27. But Henry Bullingbrook me thinks doth frowne King Henry 4. surnamed de Bolenbrock married Mary Daughter and heire of Humphery Bohun Earle of Hereford c. He was Duke of Lancaster in the right of his Mother Blanch Da. of Hen. Duke of Lancaster c. That Gloster here should next to Bourdeaux com Because he from his Cozen tooke the Crowne Mistake not Henry for by right for neither Of yee in these triumphall Carrs is roome But best of all you may be matcht together Yet I must grant thou wert a Princely knight And Patron of the bloody Rose by right 28. But to thy sonne the Dolphins strange repaire King Henry 5. surnamed de Munmouth married Kath. Da. to Charles the 6 the French King Of this Dolphine vid. Tho. Walsingham in An. Do. 1392. He conquered France for the most part He dyed at Blois de Vinciennes neere Paris Swimming in post up to the royall Porte Foretold that he was borne the Lillies heire This signe was soone by sequels verified Dolphin he was by right or swords effort And he in France victorious liv'd and dyed whom Agincourt so nobly did receive At Vinciene Parke of all he takes his leave 29. Henry his sonne surnamed of Windlesore K. H. 6 surnamed the Saint built a Colle dge at Eaton and the Kings Colledge in Camb. married Marg. Da. of Rene. K. of Sicil. Du. of Aniou Who was in London and in Paris crowned Most worthily a Plant of Genest bore But not by Scepters sole his praise beganne K. H. 7. solicited the Pope to Canonize K. H. 6 who refused His christian vertues made him most renowned For he was deem'd a very holy man And had bin made a Saint long since shrin'd But that the vice-Saint maker was unkind 30. I must omit that proud Plantagenet R. Du. of Yorke heire generall of the Crowne Regent of France Married Cecely Nevill Da. of Ralph Earle of Westmerland Who in high Parliament the King defide But I may not his gallant sonne forget Who twice did win the royall Gole by armes And was the father of the happiest bride That ever Camber compast in his armes K. H. 4. married Wydevile Da. of Ant. Earle Rivers extinguished Lancaster Q. Eliz. 1. King Ed. 5. She made the losse the lighter of that sonne Whose raigne then
ended as it was begunne 31. She and her Richmond on'd by sacrament K.H. 7. Earle of Richmond married Eliz. Plant. Da. and heire of K. Ed. 4. for them Christopher Columb offered todiscover the Indies Ric. Hacklet 3. Refus'd the golden offer of Colone Foreseeing that the riches and the rent Would hardly countervaile the keepers care And had beside a secret reed that one Who should hereafter sit in Arthurs Chaire Should fetch the fleece when he occasion saw And hold the golden Monarke in his awe H. Earle of Richmond got both the field and Crowne at Bosworth Marga. his mother was an heire of the house of Somerset he extinguished the heire Male of the house of Yorke 32. This Richmond was a very prudent Prince And therefore was surnamed Solomon The world hath seen great workes accomplisht sincē Which were projected by his active braine This man of Fate did happily attone The civil feud which long before did raigne Betwixt the Rose which first grew in the wood And that which Venus coloured in her blood Vid. Ovid in Metam these Roses were the devises of Yorke and Lancaster 33. These happy plants have overspread this Isle By Henry and more fruitfull Margaret Marg. their da. was married to Iam. 4. K. of Scotland by whom he had K. Iam. 5. who married Mary Da. to Claud. Du. of Guise who bare to him Mary Qu. of Scotland and France heire apparant of Eng. grandmother to our Soveraigne Lord K. Charles But Henryes branches flourish'd but a while She is the roote of this immortall seede Whence Iames the wise and new Plantagenet Did spring and was her father who did breed heere The great Polistiphan as shall appeare When they are past which come triumphant 34. This is that Henry whose great soule did first Giue a check-mate unto the pride of Rome K. H. 8 married Katherne Da. of Ferdinand K. of Castile by whom he had Queene Mary hee had Q. Eliz. by Anne of Bolein Da. of the Earle of Wiltshire he had K. Ed. by Iane sister of the Du. of Somer A stirring worke which else no Monarch durst What he avowes he executes indeed And is not startled with their Churches doome And see how duely vertue hath her meed For the Pope himselfe * Doctor Coop Bi. of Linc. in Chronici as the Bishop saith First stiled him defendor of the Faith 35. His hopefull sonne brought happily to passe K. Ed. 6. What was attempted by that hardy King For he abolished the Romish Masse Qnem Dij diligunt moritur Iuvenis Menander Timely resolv'd to maintaine Christian truth And as his yeares so did his vertues spring But envious fates untimely nipt his youth Then let this serve to make compleat his praise Whom Gods do love he dyes in tender daies 36. This is King Henries eldest daughters place A Queene endued with heavenly vertues many Devout sans dout a Mary full of grace Just of her word as any prince hath beene Her liberall hand was never clos'd to any whose need requir'd or where a want was seen And whatsoever piously is given Q. Mary married Phillip 2. K. of Spain Is with great usury restor'd in heaven 37. Her younger Sister next to her doth set Q. Eliz. 2 addeth Virginia to her Empire Who was in acts and age the happier much And therefore weares the braver Chappelet A Queene whose state so happily did stand That men did say seeing her greatnesse such This Lady leadeth Fortune in her hand A virgin that her sexes Fame exceld And for her rarenesse was a Phoenix held 38. For weigh her peace established at home And next her victories atchive'd abroad As well in Indies as in Christendome Then her safe guarding her confederates Her zeale to the true worshiping of God Her wisely moderating her three estates Those spok her name with wōder love feare Which al the world did with amazement heare 39. Adde more which joyn'd strange Scepters to their plants Ri. Earle of Cornewall Brother to K. Hen. 3. elected King of Almaine or Romans Jo. of Gant Du. of Lancast K. of Castile and Lyon by Q Constāce his wife As Cornewall did the Scepter of Almaine And that of Castile royall Ion of Gant Progenitor by sonnes and either daughter Of all the Kings of Britaine and of Spaine Without Sir * K. Hen. 4. ut supra Bolenbrook who for the slaughter Of a King inunct ashamed hid his eyes In the darke bosome of a strange disguise 40. But Bedford shall his Fathers place supply Jo. Duke of Bedford 3 son of K. Hen. 4. Regent of France where hee tooke the great Champion of France Jeane la Pucille overthrew the Vicount of Narbone at Sea wan the battaile at Vervell which as Ceres sayth Fasoit porter dueil a toute la France Who though no King yet was a great Viceroy And in his place behav'd him royally Th'arm'd sorceresse committed to the flame Narbone Alanson and their * K. Charles 7. was called in scorne le petit Roy de bourges petty roy Vanquaish'd at Vernveil witnesse wel the same And while he liv'd preserv'd th' inheritance Of his dread Liege and kept in aw all France 41. Some more great Genesters recount I may Whose frōts shold with this crown have circled beene But they wer absēt at the sacring day As Arthur heire unto the greatest King Artur Plantag Earle of Britaine son of Geffrey 3 sonne of K. Hen. 2. Heire apparant proclaimed by K. Ri. 1. Ma. Da. and heire of James 5. K. of Scotland by Mary de Louraine Da. of the Duke of Guise ut supra 38. St. Peter calleth the crown of immortall glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Epist Cap. 5. And she that was of France Scotland Queene Whose vertues praises all the Muses sing And weares instead a Chappelet of Plants In Heaven a Diadem of Amarants 42. And divers others set on Fortunes knee Highly advanc'd for Vertues just respects Have worne a branch of this Imperiall Tree Farther they neither did presume nor might For they were men and had some light defects But yet they past as farre each other wight As hee that followes here eclipseth them Who in his Cradle wore the Diadem 43. This is that Olive bearer of this Isle Sic Minerva dicta Olivifera ab Ovidio K. James high Senescall of England Scotland Frāce by private heritages viz. by Leicester ab Aniou He married Anne daughter of Fredericke the second King of Denmarke Who did by high preordinance divine That great intestine quarrell reconcile Which so unnaturally so long had beene Betwixt Brutes sonnes Albanact and Locrine As Theodore did that which was betweene The bloody brothers Lancaster and Yorke And was a figure of this greater worke 44. To this his reunited Albion Let us annexe the Crowne of Pharamound And faire Hibernias joyning three in one Tria juncta in uno it is the Motto
continually seized thereof untill this day * His Maiesties Title to France see it more at large in the Argument So likewise his title to the crowne of France sheweth it selfe cleerely in the ancient possessions of these royall Plantagenets here presented His Majesties Progenitors first Dukes of Normandy then of Aquitaine Earles of Poictou of Aniou of Maine of Touraine and of Britaine and after Angolesme and lastly Kings of all France in the right of †Vide Iohn Froissard Tom. 3. Isabell or Elizabeth sole Daughter and Heire of Philip le bell King of France Mother of King Edward the third who made a most renowned and happy entry upon that his Royall inheritance And he his great Heires were not onely Titular Lords but also Actuall possessors of France many yeares and yet to this day in token of that ancient right have seisin of a * Gersey Gernesey Alderney c. are parcels of Normandy so consequently of France yet possessed by the King of England part of that Kingdome notwithstanding that counterfeit-heathnish law Salica maintained by al the power of France many ages against them His Majesties title and descent from the ancient Kings of Great Britaine and which is least knowne may thus readily be derived * His Majesties Title frō the British Kings The Welch Bardes as also our best Heralds Record that 1 Ruffin Rhese-ap-Gruffith surnamed Argluid Prince of South-Wales about the yeare of our Lord 1196 and issued from Cadwallader the last British King had a Daughter named 2 Faire Iulian Gwenlhiam married to 3 Edmund Edneuet Vachan Lord of Bransencle and chiefe Justice of Wales and bare to him a sonne called 4 Gerion or Jeronim Grono this Grono had 5 Theodore Tedor Tedor had Grono Grono had Tedor Tedor had 6 Veridik Meredith Meredith had Owen which Owen married Katherine Widdow of King Henry 5 and Daughter of the French King Charles the sixt by whom he had Edmond created Earle of Richmont by King Hen. 6. his Brother Vterine And this Edmond was father of King Hen. 7 who was Father of Queene Margaret his Majesties great Grandmother And lastly to finish his Majesties Titles to all those Diadems mentioned in this Poësie His Majesties title from the Saxon Kings I have inserted a Genealogie of the Saxon Kings drawne from the first uniter of the Heptarchy and the Godfather of Anglia King Egbert unto Matilda the Empresse Daughter and Heire of King Hen. 2. Ancestour of all the English Kings untill this day from whom this Poësie is a continued Pedegree unto his Majesty and his most excellent Sonne c. But it may be objected why I derive not his Title and Genealogie from some of the ancient Monarchs of this Isle Britons or Saxons or at the least from K. William the Conqueror I must answere that to have chosen any of the most ancient Kings I must have looked so farre backe as I should not onely have beene too tedious but also lost my selfe in obscure wayes as they know which know what our ancient Stories bee But as for William the Conquerour there bee many reasons why I should not begin with him although I goe as neare him as his Sonnes Daughter for first he was a Bastard Vide Lib. 5. Stephani Cadomensis de Gulielmo Conquestore editum An. Dom. 1603. and yet not that of the blood Royall of England his chiefe Title to the Crowne being but violence and his Sword as he confessed with remorse of conscience at his Death Secondly he was never possessed of one halfe of Britaine for hee had neither Scotland nor Wales and in Ireland not one foote Furthermore Girard Du. Haillan and other French Antiquaries according to their Salike Heraldry say that his line ended in his Sonne King Hen. 1. Philosalicus for all they hold as a Maxime La famille se cotinuè es masles et se finist aux filles and yet Du. Haillan notwithstanding or forgetting this affirmeth in another place that the race of the Kings of England issued out of the house of Aniow viz. from our great Henry and his ancestours continueth untill this day from whom there be many reasons on the other side why I should deduce the Genealogies of our Kings passed K. Henry 2. the greatest King c. and of our present Soveraigne Lord King Charles for this great Henry was not onely rightfull Heire and King of England but also the greatest King of whom there is any credible Story extant which hath beene in this Isle of Britaine since the time of the Roman Emperours who were reputed Lords of all the World which thus I demonstrate briefly He was King of England in the right of his Mother Matilda King Malcolm Knighted this King Henry 2. at 15. yeares of age Neubrig who writeth much in the honour of this K. Malcolm lib. 2. Cap. 20. the Empresse Daughter and Heire to King Henry the first by Matilda Bona Daughter of King Malcolm Canmoir and of Margaret his wife who was the Daughter of Edward Exul the Saxon Prince the Sonne of Edmund Ironside King of England Anno Dom. 1016. This Edmund was Sonne and Heire to King Etheldred who in ancient Charters is written Totius Britanniae Rex quod nota because an Anonymus in a little booke dedicated to King Iames affirmeth that never any Prince was King of this whole Isle untill then but hee is deceived for besides Constantius Chlorus and his Sonne our Country-man Constantine the great Constans Aurelius Ambrosius Vter and others which were Lords of all great Britaine Edgar also the Father of this King Etheldred was absolute Monarch of this Island and so puissant in forces both by Land and Sea as he was surnamed the Great and was styled Totius Albionis Basileus Anglici Orbis Basileus as G. Malmsburiensis Florentius Wigorniensis witnesse Britaria ab adventu Saxonum in insulam appellatur Anglica Ioan. Salisb. in Policratico Whereupon to note also by the way some thinke that the word Anglia was sometimes used for the whole Isle and which Ion Lidgate disertly assevereth in King Arthurs complaint in these words Great Britaine now called England and so likewise doth Geoffry Chaucer in the Franklins tale viz. Ranulfus Higeden in Polichronic in England that Clepid was Britaine and Ranulphus Cestrensis a graver Authour peremptorily affirmeth that King Egbert after his Conquests ordayned and commanded that the Saxons and Iutes should be called Angles and this Britaine should be called England but I leave this to be discussed by Antiquaries And to returne to the ancient Saxon Kings Progenitors of this Henry and also possessors of the whole Isle it is to be shewed for the better confirmation of that which hath beene said against the opinion of the Anonymus in diuers ancient Records and Charters of Donations of these Kings to Monasteries and to Cathedrall Churches Ex archiv is Ciscestrensis
Ecclesiae and in other ancient Monuments in these styles * Ephoca Ego Athelstanus Rex Anglorum Dominicae Incarnationis DCCCCXXX Regni verò mihi gratis Commissi vj. Indictione iij. * Ephoca Epacta xviij Concurrente iiij Nonis Mensis Aprilis iij. Lunae rotigerae vagationis i. per ejusdem omni-patrantis dextram totius Britanniae regium solio sublimatus c. Ego Edmundus Rex Anglorum caeterarumquègentium in circuitu persistentium Gubernator Rector Anno Domini 945. Ego Edredus King Edred was Uncle to Edgar Ingulf Rex terrenus sub Imperiali potentia Regis saeculorum aeterniquè Principis magnae Britaniae temporale gerens imperium c. Anno Domini 148. Ego Edgarus totius Albionis Monarcha c. An. Dom. 966. and in another Ego Edgarus totius Albionis finiti-morumque regnum Basileus An. Domini 974. These three last styles hath Ingulfus Abbot of Croyland transcribed by him from the Charters of the Monastery and the other two before going are copied out of the Records of Chichester Cathedrall Church as also these three next following Ego Eadwis Basileon totius Albionis If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sub Rex This Edwis or Edwin was eldest Brother to the great K. Eadger Asser in Histo de Gestis Ealfridi c. Anno Domini Dcccc. Lvj. Imperij antem i. And in another place Ego Edwin Rex gentium Albionis c. And in the date of a Charter of Bishop Brighthelmus Anno secundo imperij Edwin totius Albionis Insulae imperantis there is also in Asser Meneuensis Aelured or Aelfred a more ancient Saxon King then these written Omnium Britanium Insulae Christianorum Rector An. Dom. 872. And Edward surnamed Pius and Confessor was from the yeare of our Lord 1050. King of this whole Ile if there be any credit to be given to our Stories was styled Rex Albionis Io. Twinus in Albionicis as Iohn Twin avoweth out of his Charters given to the Abby of Abington and that same King Etheldred before cited was styled in the Charters of Glastonbury Etheldred Anglicae nationis caeterarumque gentium triniatim intra ambitum Britan. Insulae degentium c. Basileus and another King in old inscription Britinniae Anax and many such more which were too long to recite And some Kings of the Norman race which is more rare have beene so styled For the Lord Bishop of Bristow voucheth a Coine of King Iohn wherein is stamped Ioannes In his Treatise about the Union Rex Britonum But his Grand-child K. Edward 1. and after him K. Edw. 3 Vide Th. Walsingham in K. Edw. 1. in Ed. 3. were greater Monarchs here then he But this great Henry Plantagenets Empire extended beyond the bounds of the Britanish world and his greatnesse so farre exceeded all other Kings his Ancestours that hee was styled Maximus Britaniae Regum as I will shew by and by and by good right Jo. Praesul Carnotensis in Policratico for besides this his great Britaine and Ireland he was possessed of a great part of France by these Titles Hee was Duke of Normandy by right of Inheritance from his Grandfather King Henry 1 K. Edw. 3. erected Aquitaine into a Princedome for his eldest sonne Ed. Duke of Normandy c. He was Duke of Aquitain that is Gascoine and Guien sometimes a iKngdome and Earle of Poictou by the marriage of Queene Elinor Daughter and Heire of William Duke of Aquitaine Jean de la Hay and Earle of Poictou whose wife Ieanne was daughter of David King of Scots He was Earle of Aniou Seminary of Kings of Touraine and Maine his native Countrey by right of inheritance from his Father Geoffry le Bel Earle of them all He swayed in little Britaine which authority he acquired partly by the Marriage of Const daughter and heire of Conan Earle of Brita with his third sonne Geoffry Earle of Richmond but chiefly by his Sword as it appeareth by Gu. Lib. 11. Cap. 18. Neuburgensis who then lived and thus writeth Cum a potentioribus in Britania inferiores premerentur Regis Anglorum auxilium expetentes ejus se ditioni spontanè subdiderunt c. ipsosque potentes viribus subegit sicque in brevi tot a Britania potitus est He also conquered Auuergne For Ireland he twice invaded that kingdome and by Armes seconded with Letters of favour of his good Friend Pope Adrian an Englishman hee brought the discording Princes there Girald Cambr. in Hibern expugnata G. Canden to submit their differences and their Titles to him and so obtained the possession of the Isle As for those parts and parties in this our Great Britaine viz. of England Scotland and Wales which did not acknowledge his Soveraignty he reduced them in good time to the ancient subjection and obedience which they owed to the British and Saxon Kings his Progenitors The Welch-men in their Stories acknowledge this but for the other if any doubt be made G. Neuburgensis veridicus Autor as Polidore Virgill observeth him will thus satisfie him speaking of this King Henry and of David K. of Scots his prisoner being then both at Yorke Occurrit ei Rex Scotorum cum universis Regni nobilibus qui omnes in Ecclesia beatissimi Apostolorum Principis Regi Angliae tanquam principall Domino hominum cum Ligeantia id est solemni cautione standi cum eo pro eo contra omnes homines Rege proprio praecipiente fecerunt ipse quoquè Rex Scotorum coram universa multitudine nobilium utriusquè regni Regem Anglorem modis solemnibus Dominum suum seque hominem fidelem eius declaravit eiquè tria praecipua regni sui munimina scilicèt Rokesburke Berwick Castellum puellarum loco obsidum tradidit c. But Iohn Bishop of Chartres maketh his Empire yet much greater Jo Bish Carnotensis in Policratico for he boundeth it to the Southward with Spaine and to the Northward with the Isle of Orkney and might as well if it had pleased him with the North-Pole as Giraldus Cambrensis did and then styleth him maximum Britaniae Regum and goeth further and compareth him to Alexander and ascribeth as some interpret the first discovery of the West-Indies which was made by Madok a younger sonne of Owin Gwineth D. Powell Prince of North-Wales An. Dom. 1170. to this King because it was done by his auspices as we may as well also attribute to him the redeeming of our great Arthur from the injurious imputation of a fabulous Heros because he caused his Monument to be sought out which was sunke deepe into the ground in the Isle of Aualon by the occasion of a Bardes song D. Powell in the Hist of the Princes of Wales which he heard in Pembrooke but I will set downe Gyraldus his owne words written in manner of a Panegyrick to this King elegant enough for those times Sil. Giraldus in Tepographia