where he sate which being stayed miraculously so long as he was sitting as soon as he was up immediately fell upon the place where he sate able to have crushed him in pieces Fox Martyrolog Having prepared a great Fleet of Ships for a journey into Flanders and being at Winchelsey where the Ships were to meet it happened that riding about the Harbour his Horse frighted with the noise of a Wind-mill which the wind drove violently about scrambled up and leapt over the mud-wall of the Town so as neither the King nor Horse was to be seen but every one judged the King could not choose but be thrown and killed yet such was the divine providence over him that the Horse lighted upon his feet and the King keeping the Saddle returned safe He was crowned at Westminster together with his wife Queen Elenor by Robert Kilwarthy Archbishop of Canterbury He ingeniously surprized the Welch into subjection proffering them such a Prince as should be 1. The son of a King 2. Born in their own Countrey 3. Whom none could taxe for any fault The Welch accepted the conditions and the King tendered them his son Edward an Infant newly born in the Castle of Carnarvaâ— Wales was united to the Crown of England in the eleventh year of his Raign who thereupon established the Government thereof according to the Lawes of England A wise a just and fortunate Prince who in regard of his Princely vertues deserveth to be ranged among the principall and best Kings that ever were A right noble and worthy Prince to whom God proportioned a most princely presence and personage a right worthy seat to entertain so heroicall a mind For he not only in regard of fortitude and wisdome but also for a beautifull and personall presence was in all points answerable to the height of royall Majesty whom fortune also in the very prime and flower of his age inured to many a Warre and exercised in most dangerous troubles of the State whilest she framed and fitted him for the Empire of Brittain which he being once crowned King managed and governed in such wise that having subdued the Welch and vanquished the Scots he may justly be counted the second ornament of Great Brittain No Realm but did resound first Edwards praise No praise was ever won with more deserts And no deserts though great could counterpoise Much less out-balance his heroick parts Mars taught him Arms the Muses taught him Arts Whereby so great he grew that might there be A love on earth that earthly love was he Sir Francis Huberts History of Edward the second In the long Warres he had with Robert King of Scotland having by triall found how greatly his presence advantaged the success of his affairs and how he was ever victorious in any enterprise he undertook in his own person when he died he bound his son by solemn oath that being dead he should cause his body to be boiled untill the flesh fell from the bones which he should cause to be interred and carefully keeping the bones ever carry them about him whensoever he should happen to have Warres with the Scots as if destiny had fatally annexed the victory unto his limmes Mountaigne his Essayes l. 1. c. 3. Baliol King of Scotland came to Newcastle upon Tine where King Edward then lay and there with many of his Nobles swears fealty and doth homage to him as his Soveraign Lord. Afterward there grew a great dissention between him and the King and the two Nations which consumed much Christian bloud and continued almost three hundred years King Edward entered Scotland with a great Army King Baliol was taken prisoner The marble Chair in which the Kings of Scotland used to be crowned was also brought thence to Westminster and placed there amongst the Monuments where it still continues Ni fallat fatum Scoti quocunque locatum Invenient lapidem regnare tenentur ibidem Except old sawes do fain And Wizards wits be blind The Scots in place shall raign Where they this stone shall find Of his Warres with the Scotch and his victories over them see Ayscâ— his History of the Warres Treaties Marriages and other occurrents between England and Scotland from King William the Conquerour untill the union of them both in King Iames. In his twelfth year the Justices Itinerants began In his time Iohn Baliol King of Scots builded Baliol-Colledge in Oxford Walter Merton Lord Chancellour of England and after Bishop of Rochester founded Merton-Colledge in Oxford One made this Epitaph of him Dum viguit Rex valuit tua magna potestas Frauâ— latuit pax magna fuit regnavit honestas He raigned thirty four yeares seven moneths one and twenty dayes and lived sixty eight years and twenty dayes EDWARD the second He degenerated wholly from his fathers vertues and esteemed not the good advertisements and precepts which he gave him before his death He granted the Charter to London to elect yearly one of the City at their own pleasure to be their Maior He was the first of the King of Englands children which bore the title and quality of the Prince of Wales Since whose time the eldest sons of the Kings of England were called Princes of Wales as the eldest sons of the Kings of Franâ—e are called Dolphins and of Spain Infants He was called Edward of Carnarvan for the Welch men after Leolines death were earnest with the King for a Prince of their own Countrymen the King told them they should have a Prince there born that could speak no English which they being contented with he named his Infant son who was born there the Queen being brought to Carnarvan He divided Wales incorporated into England into Shires and Hundreds His great affection to Pierce Gaveston and Spenser his Favourites was a means of stirring up the Barons against him It is thy sad disaster which I sing Carnarvan Edward second of that name Thy Minions pride thy States ill managing Thy Peers revolt the sequell of the same Thy life thy death I sing thy sin thy shame And how thou wert deprived of thy Crown In highest fortunes cast by fortune down Sir Francis Huberts History of Edward the second Nine Kings had raigned since the conquest here Whom I succeeded in a rightfull line My father all domestick tumults clear Did warre and win in fruitfull Palestine This Northern Sun even to the East did shine The French were fearfull hearing but his name French Scots and Turks aeternized his fame He married Isabel daughter to King Philip sirnamed le Bean the fair and heir to France all her brothers being dead without issue Gourney most barbarously caused the miserable King to sit on a Mole-hill whilest the Barber shaved him and to take cold water out of a ditch to wash him withall which the patient King seeing told them That in despight of them he would have warm water at his Barbing and there withall shed abundance of tears Being deposed from his Kingdome
it is reported that a Virgin * might travell alone in his dayes through all his Dominions without any violence offered and that Bracelets of gold were hanged in the high wayes and no man so hardy as to take them away William the first so well provided for execution of Justice upon offenders that a young maiden well charged with gold might travell in any part of the Realm without any offer of injury unto her Hayw. He permitted none in office in Court or elsewhere unless he were learned which incited his Nobles to the earnest pursuit of learned Arts and to train up their children in good letters He caused all former Lawes to be surveyed and made choice of the best which he translated into the English tongue He begins his Lawes with a religious Majesty Loquutus est Dominus ad Mosem hos sermones c. and cites all the Decalogue Abbot Ethelred gives this encomium of his Lawes Leges Christianissimas scripsit promulgavit in quibus fides ejus devotio in Deum sollicitudo in subditos misericordia in pauperes justitia circa omnes cunctis legentiâ—us patet He had so great a love to learning that he made a Law that all Freemen of the Kingdome possessing two Hides of Land should bring up their sons in learning till they were fifteen years of age at least that so they might be trained to know God to be men of understanding and to live happily He bestowed the sixth part of his riches and Rents upon the poor strangers of the Countrey and sent every year little less to forraign Churches without the Realm Dalechamps Christian hospitality c. 3. He was very learned a quality rare in his time and as Solomon Alexander the Great Iulius Caesar Augustus and our Charlemagne saith Andre Du Chesne he joyned learning and valour and was clement liberall pious and devout and adorned with all royall vertues and endowments I may in some respects compare him with Almansor the learned and victorious King that conquered Spain He was at fifteen years so skilfull in the seven liberall Sciences that they who were the most learned in them spake of them in his presence with much fear and bashfulness for at every other word he corrected the imperfections which proceeded out of their ignorance At the five and twentieth year of his age he spake eleven languages reading and writing them as perfectly as the very Naturals themselves He divided the dayes of the week after this manner The Friday for matters of his Religion in which he was very devout The Saturday for matters of Justice The Sunday for matters of Warre The Munday for the government of his Kingdomes The Tuesday and Wednesday for his recreations and private affairs And the Thursday for matters of learning He chastised theeves so severely that none durst take any thing from other neither in City nor in Countrey as well in deserts as in peopled placeâ— And in so great awe they were of him that if any one had lost ought in the street or Market-place none durst meddle therewith otherwise than to leave it at the next Shop and cause it to be cryed till the owner were found to whom it was to be restored None ever â—ought for alms or succour at his hands whether he were Moor Christian or Jew that went away unrelieved He was worthily called the Conquerour being never overcome He won eighty six Battels by Sea and by Land and took five Kings subdued three parts of the world Asia Africke and Europe His life and death by Ashley Alfred's Arms are to be seen in the publike Hall of University-Colledge in Oxford The Archdeacon of Huntington speaking of the continuall travail he had during his Raign relates these Verses of him Nobilitas innata tibi probitatis honorem Armipotens Aelfrede dedit probitasque laborem Perpetuumque labor nomen cui mixta dolori Gaudia semper erant spes semper mixta timori Si modo victor eras ad crastina bella pavebas Si modo victus eras ad crastinâ— bella parabas Cui veâ—tes sudore jugi cui â—â—eca cruore Tincla jugi quâ—â—ntum sâ—t onus regnare probarunt Non fuit immensi quisquam per climata mundi Cui tot in adversis vel respirare liceret Nec tamen aut ferro contritus poncre ferrum Aut gladio potuit vitae finisse labores Iam post transactos vitae regnique dolores Christus ei sit vera quies sceptrumque perenne He raigned twenty seven years say some twenty eight saith Powell the writer of his life Ingulphus saith he died in the twenty ninth year of his Raign CHAP. VI. EDWARD the elder THe twenty fourth King of the West-Saxons and twenty fifth Monarch of the English men Fuit Edwardus forma eximia ac per omnes aetatis gradus decentissima Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 6. Before the conquest of the Normans there were in England three Edwards 1. This Edward the elder 2. Edward the Martyr 3. Edward the Confessor We have had more Kings of England of this name than of any other nine in all three before the conquest and six after it Verstegans Etymology of our Saxon proper names Henry the name of seven Emperours of Germany eight Kings of England four Kings of France four Kings of Castile Phillips his new world of English words He was heir apparent to his Father Alfreds valour and vertues as well as to his Crown Some say he was the great Iustinian of our Nation Our Laws being suppressed by the Danish Kings were revived and reinforced in the time of Edward the Confessor whence they had the name of Edward the Confessors Laws He raigned in great Warres and honour the space of twenty four years So Henricus Huntingdoniensis saith Paternum regnum tenuit 24. annis Ethelstan or Adelstan The twenty fifth King of the West Saxons and the twenty sixth Monarch of the English men He was crowned at that Kingly Town Kingston In Regia villa in Regem levatur Rog. de Hoveden He began his Kingdome with War and ended in peace and tranquillity He was the worthiest Prince saith Lhoyd of Saxon bloud that ever raigned Being seduced by the bad Counsell and false suggestions of one of his favourites he banished his Brother Edwin unjustly commanding him to be sent to Sea with only one servant and in a Boat without Oar or Sail wherein he perished His Cup-bearer after in his service upon festivall stumbled with the one foot and recovering himself with the other pleasantly said You see how one Brother helpeth another upon which speech the King with grief and touch of heart called to mind the death of his innocent Brother occasioned by his wicked Counsell and forthwith commanded execution to be done on him the procurer and himself was ever after more tender and carefull toward his other Brethren Leyland in his new years gift to King Henry
Rosa munda Non redolet sedolet quae redolere solet Being much incensed against Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury he once cried out Me miserum non possum in meo regno pacem cum uno sacerdote habere nec quisquam meorum omnium est qui me hac molestia liberare velit Which words were so interpreted by some that it occasioned his death Stapleton a Jesuit put forth a Book entituled Tres Thomae St. Thomas the Apostle Thomas of Becket and Sir Thomas More He canonizeth the two last and writes far more of them then of the first For the death of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury he was scourged with rods by the Monks of Canterbury and had eighty lashes Geffery Archbishop of Yorke and base son to King Henry the second used proudly to protest by his faith and the Royalty of the King his father To whom one said You may sometimes Sir as well remember what was the honesty of your mother Petrus Blesensis was Archdeacon of Bath under him There was a very strange presage of his death by a Meer or Pool in Normandy for all the Fishes therein leapt forth on land in the night time and fought together with such a dreadfull noise that men came in great numbers to behold the wonder and not one Fish could be found alive in the Pool Other strange accidents are also reported When he died there were found in his Coffers nine hundred thousand pounds besides Plate and Jewels His youngest son was called Iohn Lackland because he had no land assigned him in his fathers time Titles he lacked none for his father had made him Earl of Cornwall Dorset Sommerset Nottingham Derby and Lancaster He raigned thirty four yeares seven moneths and five dayes CHAP. XV. RICHARD the first HE was for his valour sirnamed Coeur de Lion or the Lions heart Hugh Nevill a Gentleman of noble linage one of King Richards speciall familiars is recorded to have slain a Lion in the holy land driving first an Arrow into his brest and then running him through with his Sword Whereupon this Hexameter was made Viribus Hugonis vires periere Leonis The strength of Hugh a Lion slew Which atchievment belike was transferred from the man to the Master and the Story applied to the King by name of King Richard Coeur de Lion But this is only Weevers opinion He was crowned at Westminster by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury He being at dinner in his Hall of Westminster hearing the French King besieged Vernoyâ—e he swore that he would never turn his face till he had fought with him if he did abide and caused the wall to be broken before him and so passed to Normandy and receiving his brother Iohn to mercy raised the siege for the French King fled as soon as he heard of Kings Richards coming A Prince of a most haughty mind and full of resolution born for the Weal of Christendome the honour of England and the terrour of Infidels With the beams of his victories atchieved in Cypres and Syria he made our Countrey of England most famous and renowned through the world He had trained up in his Court a Rymer or Minstrell called Blondell de Neste who being so long without the sight of his Lord his life seemed wearisome to him It was known that he came back from the holy land but none could tell in what Countrey he arrived Whereupon this Blondell resolving to make search for him in many Countries but he would hear some news of him after expence of divers dayes in travell he came to a Town by good hap near to the Castle where his Master King Richard was kept Of his Host he demanded to whom the Castle appertained and the Host told him it belonged to the Duke of Austria Then he enquired whether any prisoner was there detained or no for alwayes he made such secret questionings wheresoever he came and the Host answered that there was one only prisoner but he knew not what he was and yet he had been detained there more then the space of a year When Blondell heard this he used such meanes that he became acquainted with them of the Castle as Minstrels do easily win acquaintance any where but see the King he could not neither understand that it was he One day he sate directly before a window of the Castle where King Richard was kept prisoner and began to sing a song in French which King Richard and Blondell had sometime composed together When King Richard heard the song he knew it was Blondell that sung it and when Blondell paused at half of the song the King entreated him to sing the rest Thus Blondell won knowledge of the King his Master and returning home into England made the Barons of the Countrey acquainted where the King was Whereas before his time the City of London was governed by Portgraves he granted them to be governed by two Sheriffs and a Maior as now it is Iohn the Kings brother making an incursion up to Beauvois where the Bishop being also an Earl of the royall bloud and the eleventh Peer of France valiantly fighting was taken in the skirmish armed at all points and bravely mounted on whose behalf the Pope upon the Bishops humble suit pleading the Clergies immunity wrote somewhat earnestly to King Richard to set his very dear son for so he called the Bishop at liberty The King in a kind of pleasant earnestness caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop to be presented to the Pope with this question Vide an tunica filii tui sit an non Whereupon the Pope replied That he was neither his son nor the son of the Church and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings will because he was rather judged to be a servitor of Mars then a souldier of Christ. In his time were those famous Out-laws called Robin-hood and Little Iohn He was wounded in the arm by an Arrow shot at him out of a Cross-bow by Peter Bisile of which wound he died within four dayes after CHAP. XVI King Iohn WHose Raign had it not fallen in the time of so turbulent a Pope so ambitious neighbour-Princes so disloyall Subjects nor his Story into the hands of exasperated Writers he had appeared a King of as great renown as misfortunes His overhasty undertakings brought in those broyls of the Barons Wars Before this Kings time we seek in vain for any great Councel He first as may be gathered though darkly by the Record used their Councels and Assents in the sixth year of his Raign He had by his Wife Isabel a son Henry who succeeded him in the Kingdome In his voyage towards Ireland as he was in his journey in the borders of Wales there was one taken and brought before him who had killed a Priest The Officer desired to understand the Kings pleasure what he would have done to him Let him
overlaid Well then said the King return and tell them who sent you That so long at my son is alive they send no more to me whatever happen for I will that the honour of the day be his And so at last the English obtained the greatest victory they ever yet had against the French There were there found the dead bodies of eleven great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above one thousand and five hundred of the Commons above thirty thousand Not one man of honour or note slain upon the English side King Edward after the Battell aftectionately embracing and kissing his victorious son said Fair son God send you good perseverance to so prosperous beg innings you have nobly acquit your self and are well worthy to have the governance of a Kingdome entrusted to you for your valour Sir Eustace Rihamant in the encounter at Calis-Gate between Sir Walter Manny and the Lord Charney met with King Edward who disguising himself in common armour served under the banner of Sir Walter Manny and fought so stoutly with him that he stroke the King twice down on his knees but in the end the King took him prisoner and then he yeelded his Sword to the King but knowing what he was said thus Sir Knight I yeeld me as your prisoner upon which cause the King came after supper to him and with a merry countenance said thus to the Knight Sir Eustace you are the Knight in the world that I have seen most valiant either in assault of enemies or defence of himself I never â—ound Knight that gave so much ado body to body as ye have done this day wheâ—efore I give you the prize above all the Knights of my Court by right sentence and herewithall the King being bare-headed having a Chaplet of fine pearls that he ware on his head took the same Chaplet from off his head being fair goodly and rich and said to the Knight I give you this Chaplet for the best doer in Arms in this journey past of either party and I desire you to bear it this year for the love of me I know well you be fresh and amorous and oftentimes are among doubty Knights and fair Ladies yet say wheresoever ye come that the King of England did give it you and I quite your prison and ransome depart to morrow if it please you whereupon the Knight did not only wear the same Chaplet in remembrance of so gracious a benevolence of so worthy a Prince but also did bear after in his Arms three Chaplets garnished of pearls Fern his Glory of Generosity p. 210 211. Mr. Wren in his Monarchy asserted p. 125. saith The successes of the English in France alwayes followed the person of the Prince with us Edward the third and Henry the fifth wise and valiant Princes gaining Richard the second and Henry the sixth weak Princes losing with them Iohn and Charles the sixth men of no ability losing Charles the fifth and Charles the seventh brave Princes recovering Edward the black Prince of Wales who so long governed our Countrey of Guienne a man whose conditions and fortune were accompanied with many notable parts of worth and magnanimity having been grievously offended by the Limosins though he by main force took and entered their City could by no means be appeased nor by the wailfull out-cries of all sorts of people as of men women and children be moved to any pitty they prostrating themselves to the common slaughter crying for mercy and humbly submitting themselves at his feet untill such time as in triumphant manner passing through their City he perceived three French Gentlemen who alone with an incredible and undaunted boldness gainstood the enraged violence and made head against the fury of his victorious Army The consideration and respect of so notable a vertue did first abate the dint of his wrath and from these three began he to relent and shew mercy to all the other inhabitants of the Town Michael Lord of Montaigne his Essayes l. 1. c. 1. Having had great victories against the French and other neighbouring Nations he instituted the Order of the Garter and consecrated it to St. George He appointed a Garter to be the Ensign of this Order wrought richly with gold and precious stones which should circle the leg beneath the knee and on it to have these words apparently discerned Honi Soit Qui Mal Y â—ense Shame to him which evil thinks The number of these Knights are twenty six whereof the King himself is the chief These Knights wear the Ensign of Saint George fighting with a Dragon fastened to a rich Chain or Collar which weighed and was worth eighty pounds of English money See Montaigne his Essayes l. 2. c. 7. of the words of honour About this time the famous Dr. Iohn Wicklef a man of sharp wit profound learning and of great judgement did in the University of Oxford publickly maintain sundry Propositions and dogmaticall points against the Church of Rome His followers were in the phrase of those dark dayes called Lollards whereas in truth they endeavoured to extirpate all pernicious weeds which through time sloath and fraud had crept into the field of Gods Church Such was this Kings courtesie friendly behaviour toward the two captive Kings of France and Scotland while they remained together in England as that hereby he won their love and favour for ever after as appeared by their repair hither to visit the King and Queen and to recreate and solace themselves in their company Thus it came to pass that their captivity here turned more to their own advantage and the peaceable enjoying of their estates after the same then if it had never hapned unto them Mr. Thomas May wrote his victorious Raign in Verse in seven Books He raigned almost one and fifty yeares and lived about sixty five who of all the Kings of the Realm saith Mr. Fâ—x unto Henry the eight was the greatest bridler of the Popes usurped power whereby Iohn Wicklef was maintained with aid sufficient CHAP. XVIII RICHARD the second HE descended from four Edwards of which the first three were succeeding Kings the fourth Prince of Wales sirnamed the black Prince who dying before his father Edward the third did not attain the Crown The Civil Warres of England by Sir Francis Bâ—ondi an Italian He was crowned in the eleventh year of his age and sufficiently shewed the miserable condition of such States as are governed by an Infant King He was the goodliest personage of all the Kings that had been since the conquest The beautifull picture of a King sighing crowned in a Chair of Estate at the upper end of the Quire in St. Peters at Westminster is said to be of him which witnesseth how goodly a creature he was ilâ— outward lineaments Speed He had nothing worthy his great fortunes but his great birth When he had with full hand bestowed upon Simâ—â—â— Montford Earl of Leicester
all the benefits he could yea and given his own sister iâ— marriage he raised a most dangerous War and spoiled shamefully a great part of England under pretence of restoring the Commonwealth and maintaining liberty neither left he any thing undone to bring the King under to change the State of a Mâ—â—â—rchy to bring in an Oligarchy But in the 〈◊〉 after that fortune had for a good while favourably smiled upon him he was slain at Eveshâ—m in Worcestershire with many other of the Barons his Complices by the prowess of Prince Edward 〈…〉 〈…〉 Although the Kingdome endured great Crosses in the affairs of State under this King yet some have thought that it found as great a blessing in matters of Religion which in those dayes took so deep root in this our Land by the preaching of Iohn Wickliffe that the branches thereof did spread themselves even over the Seas Speeds Chronicle He was the onely Son of that famous Cheiftain the black Prince of Wales a renowned son of a renowned father but as a plant transplanted into a savage soyl in degree and disposition wholly degenerate retained a tincture of the light inconstancy of his Mother and the luxuriousness of his great Grandfather Edward the second and running his course came to his end He had in his Court a thousand persons in ordinary allowance of diet three hundred servitors in his Kitchin above three hundred Ladies Chamberers and Landerers His Apparel was sumptuous and so was it generally in his time he had one Coat of gold and stone valued at thirty thousand Marks One interview with the French King at Ards when his Wife Isabel was delivered unto him cost three hundred thousand Markâ— Queen Anne his Wife Daughter to the Emperour Charles the fourth first taught English women the manner of sitting on horseback which now is used whereas before-time they rode very unseemly astride like as men do The Civil Wars in England had their beginning from his bad Government Henry the fourth did first commence them and Henry the fifth suspended them but they again brake forth under Henry the sixth Wat Tyler the Master of the Kentish Rebels was slain with a Dagger by William Walworth Mayor of London close by the Kings side in the Kings defence who was therefore Knighted and the City since giveth for Arms the Dagger He was first deposed then slain Men are easily emboldened saith Guicciardine c. 3. of his History of Italy against a Prince that is fallen into contempt The most current report at that time went that he was Princely served every day at the Table with abundance of costly meats according to the order prescribed by Parliament but was not suffered to taste or touch any one of them and so perished of famine Mr. Fox saith he was at Pamfret Castle famished to death Sir Pierce of Extone at last killed him though he with an Axe wrested out of one of their hands first killed four of those which came with him to murther him At the point of his death he groaned forth these words My great Grandfather King Edward the second was in this manner deposed imprisoned and murthered by which means my Grandfather King Edward the third obtained possession of the Crown and now is the punishment of that injury powred upon his next successor Well this is right for me to suffer but not for you to do your King for a time may joy at my death and enjoy his desire but let him qualifie his pleasures with the expectation of the like justice for God who measureth all our actions by the malice of our minds will not suffer this violence unrevenged He lived three and thirty years raigned two and twenty and three moneths Thus far the Plantagenets have continued in an unquestionable right line now follows the division of the houses of Lancaster York three of each succeeding in their order Of Lancaster Henry the fourth sirnamed Bulling brook Henry the fifth of Monmouth Henry the sixth of Windsor Of Yorke three others succeeded upon a better title 1. Edward the fourth 2. Edward the fifth 3. Richard the third HENRY the fourth He was son to Iohn of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster from the loynâ— of whom the greatest number of the Kings of England Spain Portugall since his time as also several other persons of eminent dignity are descended Mr. Dugdalâ—s History of St. Pauls Cathedrall He was annointed with an oyl which a certain religious man gave unto Henry the first Duke of Lancaster Grandfather to the King by the mothers side when he served in the Wars of King Edward the third beyond the seas together with this Prophesie that the Kings which should be annointed therewith should be the Champions of the Church There was a great contest then between the white and red Rose the houses of Yorke and Lancaster The red Rose prevailed now he being the first renowned King of the house of Lancaster He first studied a popular party as needing all to support his titles There was in his Raign a Parliament held at Coventry called Parliamentum indoctorum the lack-learning Parliament either for the unlearnedness of the persons or for their malice to learned men During the time of this Kings Raign execution by fire was first put in practice within this Realm for controversies in points of Religion He shed the bloud of Gods Saints and raigned neither long nor hâ—pâ—ily Mr. Foxâ—aith â—aith his time was full of trouble bloud and misery He was the first of the Kings of England saith he that put out his hand to the shedding of the bloud of the Saints since the conquest Humphrey his son was by his brother King Henry the fifth created Duke of Glocester he was Protector of the Kingdome of England for twenty five years in the time of King Henry the sixth He was a man who nobly deserved of the Commonwealth and of learning as being himself very learned and a magnificent Patron and benefactor of the University of Oxford where he had been educated and was generally called the good Duke Speed This Duke Humphrey purchased a wonderfull number of Books in all Sciences whereof he freely gave to a Library in Oxford a hundred and twenty nine fair Volumes Bales Conclusion to Leylands New years gift to King Henry the eight One saith all the Henries of the house of Lancaster even to Henry the seventh were most eminent for great vertues Henry the fourth for his behaviour and courtesie Henry the fifth for his valour and magnanimity Henry the sixth for his justice and piety The renowned Prince King Henry the fifth during the life of his father was noted to be fierce and of wanton courage One of his servants whom he favoured was for felony by him committed arraigned at the Kings Bench whereof the Prince being advertised and incensed by light persons about him in furious rage came hastily to the Barre
whole should have been of had their sounder raigned to have finished them himself At Towton about four miles from Yorke the Armies of Edward the fourth and King Henry the sixth met where was fought the greatest Battell our Stories mention in all these Civil Wars where both the Armies consisted of above a hundred thousand men and all of our own Nation One day when he was washing his hands at a great Feast and cast his eye upon his son Henry then a young youth he said This is the Lad that shall possess quietly that we now strive for This shewed a very propheticall spirit to have been in King Henry that could so long before foretell a thing so unlikely to happen For this was he that was afterward King Henry the seventh before whom at that time there were many lives in being of both the houses of Yorke and Lancaster so some but my Lord Howard in his Defensative against the poyson of supposed Prophesies c. 4. seems not wholly to ascribe it to that King Henry the seventh after laboured his Canonization with the Pope but that succeeded not for however the world was assured of his piety there was much question of his Government So Habington a Papist in his History of King Edward the fourth Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 24. p. 532. saith thus Sed morte post statim obita id officium praestare nequivit Cambden in his Britannia in Surrey saith it was Pope Iulius and that the reason why this took no effect was the Popes covetousness who demanded too great a summe of money for a Kings Canonization as they term it so that he might seem ready to grant those kind of honours not for the Princes holiness sake but for gold Sir Francis Bacon in his History of Henry the seventh relates it thus About this time the King became suitor to Pope Iulius the second to canonize King Henry the sixth for a Saint the rather in respect of that his famous prediction of the Kings own assumption to the Crown The Pope referred the matter as the manner is to certain Cardinals to take the verification of his holy acts and miracles but it died under the reference The generall opinion was that Pope Iulius was too dear and that the King would not come to his rates But it is more probable that the Pope who was extreamly jealous of the dignity of the See of Rome and of the Acts thereof knowing that King Henry the sixth was reputed in the world abroad but for a simple man was afraid it would but diminish the estimation of that kind of honour if there were not a distance kept between Innocents and Saints William Alnwicke Bishop of Lincoln was his Confessor Dr. Litchfield in his Raign preached 3083 Sermons Never any came to be King so soon after his birth nor left to be King so long before his death for he came to be King at eight moneths old and he left to be King twelve years before his death Holy King Henry as they call him was crowned in Paris yet he lost all on that side before he was a man as I remember or soon after and before his unhappy death he lost this land also which loss of both came by striving for both Richard Duke of Glocester killed him that thereby Edward the fourth his brother might be freed from all hostile fear So Polyd. Virg. and others He successively ruled this Land the space of thirty eight years six moneths and four dayes EDWARD the fourth He came unto the Kingdome not by power or justice but by the peoples inclination Biondi He raigned thirty eight yeares six moneths and odde dayes and after his redemption of the Crown six moneths He lived two and fifty years having by his wife one only soâ— called Edward Prince of Wales He was the goodliest Gentleman saith Commines l. 4. c. 10. that ever I set mine eye on and l. 3. c. 5. the beautifullest Prince that lived in his time but after he grew gross and corpulent giving himself wholly to pleasures He was a fortunate Prince in the field for he wan at least nine great Battels fighting himself on foot in every one of them Phil. de Com. in his Hist. Book l. 3. c. 4. and 6. p. 188. saith that King Edward himself told me that in all Battels that he wan so soon as he had obtained victory he used to mount on Horseback and cry to save the people and kill the Nobles for of them few or none escaped Id. l. 3. c. 5. In his fourth Book c. 10. he speaks of an interview between King Edward and Lewis the eleventh King of France the French King after some discourse said pleasantly That he should come to Paris to solace himself there with the Ladies and that he would give him the Cardinall of Bourbon for his Confessor who would easily assoil him of sin if any were committed The King of England took great pleasure in this talk and answered with a merry countenance for he knew the Cardinall to be a good fellow Never lived Prince whom adversity did more harden to action and prosperity more soften to voluptuousness So improvident was his memory that he forgat the greatest injuries and resumed the Archbishop of Yorke into favour not bearing so much as a watchfull eye over a reconciled enemy The so fatall division between the house of Yorke and Lancaster with him in a manner had both their birth and growth I sing the Civil Wars tumultuous broils And bloudy factions of a mighty Land Whose people haughty proud with forraign spoils Upon themselves turn back their conquering hand Whilest kin their kin brother the brother foils Like Ensigns all against like Ensigns band Bowes against Bowes the Crown against the Crown Whilest all pretending right all right 's thrown down Our English Luean Daniel of the Civil Wars The first fortnight of his Raign was died I will not say stained with the bloud of Walter Walker a Grocer who keeping Shop at the Sign of the Crown in Cheapside said He would make his son heir to the Crown a bold jest broke in an evil time yet do I not side with them who taxe the King of severity in this execution unless I could clear this man from being particularly factious for the house of Lancaster or know that those words were uttered in innocent mirth without any scorn to King Edwards title And however perhaps the extraordinary punishment of such saucy language was not then unnecessary to beget authority and make men cautious to dispute the descent of Princes when the question was so nice and arguments not improbable on either side Habingtons History of Edward the fourth Speed saith his words intended no treason the Grocer not once dreaming to touch King Edwards title yet the time being when the Crown lay at stake the Law made them his death He hearing of a certain prophesie that G.
report of the death of Britic he with great speed returned out of France where during the time of his abode he had served with good commendation in the Warres under Charles the Great by meanes whereof his reputation encreasing among his own Country-men he was thought worthy of the Government before he obtained it He first gave this Kingdom the name of England He ordained by publick Edict that the Heptarchy possessed by the Saxons should be called thence forward the Land of the English whence the Latines took also their name Anglia and the French that d' Angleterre There were three hundred years from King Egbert unto William the Conquerour He raigned over the West-Saxons thirty six years and seven moneths and Monarch of the whole Island seventeen Ethelwulfe The nineteenth King of the West-Saxons and the twentieth Monarch of the English men He being once himself nuzled in that order was alwayes good and devout to religious orders He was so well learned and so devout that the Clerks of the Church of Winchester did choose him in his youth to be their Bishop which function he took upon him and was Bishop of Winchester for seven years before he was King The History of Cambria by Lhoyd augmented by Doctor Powell p. 32. A Monk a Deacon and a Bishop yet elected King because they could not finde a fitter person for the Crown Necessitate cogente factus est Rex Roger Hoveden He ordained that Tythes and Church-Lands should be free from all taxes and Regall services Ethelwolphus Rex omnium historicorum consensu fide praestantissimus nec pietatis magis quà m rerumoptimé gestarum laude celebriâ— illustris Anti Sanderus Dialogo secundo Polyd. Virgil in the fifth Book of his English History saith of King Alfred Atqui Neotum inprimis monasâ—icae professionis virum sanctissimum ob eximiam eruditionem miro amore complexus est quo hortante Oxonij gymnasium instituit proposita mercede omnibus His second son by his Queen Iudith daughter of Charles the bald Emperour King of France Neote was much addicted to learning and was one of the first Divinity readers in the University of Oxford He was interred in the County of Huntington at a place then called Arnulphsbury and afterwards in regard of his interment St. Neots and now St. Needes This King was famous for having four sons who all of them were Kings of this Land successively He raigned twenty years one moneth and nine dayes Ethelbald The twentieth King of the West-Saxons and the twenty first Monarch of the English men He took Iudith his stepmother to be his wife this prodigious incest was soone punished by his untimely death He raigned five years Ethelbert The one and twentieth King of the West-Saxons and the two and twentieth Monarch of the English men The first Christned Prince of all the Saxon Nation Omnium Anglo-Saxonum regum Christi nominis primus hospes Twini Comment de rebus Brittanicis His name signifieth nobly-conceited or advised or of noble conceit or advisement Verstegan He raigned over the Kentish-South and East-Saxons ten years and was Monarch of the whole only five Ethelred The two and twentieth King of the West-Saxons and the twenty third Monarch of the English men Great was the valour of this King for in his short time of Raign as Malmesbury and other Writers record he fought no less than nine set Battels against the Danes in one year in most of them victorious At Wintburne in Darset-shire there is this Epitaph written on his Tomb. In hoc loro quiescit corpus S. Ethelredi Regis West-Saxonum Martyris qui anno Domini DCCCLXXII XXIII Aprilis per manus Danorum Pagâ—norum occuâ—â—uit He raigned in great trouble five years saith Malmesbury CHAP. V. Alfred Aelfred or Alvred THe twenty third King of the West-Saxons and twenty fourth Monarch of the English men He was the first annointed King of England as glorious for his most excellent Laws transcendent Justice and Civil Government as for his martiall exploits victories and for his incomparable piety and extraordinary bounty to the Clergy and learned men Of his great memory when he was young vide Asserium de Aelfredi rebus gestis He was accounted a good Grammarian Rhetorician Philosopher Musician and Poet. His Raign began with troubles and Warres in defence of the Land which the Pagan Danes intended to destroy and though his powers were small yet was he forced into the field within one moneth after his Coronation He fought no less than forty six bloudy Battels saith Spelman with the Danes by Land and Sea for his Countries liberties Vir in bellâ— per omnia strenuissimus Asserius He was once brought to that extremity that he was forced to leave his Companies and lurk in Somerset-shire Marshes The solitary place of his most residency was an Island inclosed with two Rivers Thane and Parret at their meetings in the County of Somerset commonly called Edeling seâ— where he in very poor attire disguised was entertained into a Cow-heards service where on a time as he sate by the fire in trimming of his Bow and shaâ—ts a Cake of dough baking on the hearth before him chanced to burn the Cowheardess coming in and seeing him minde his Bow more than his bread in a great â—ury cast away both his Bow and arrowes and checking him said Thou fellow dost thou see the bread burn before thy face and wilt not turn it and yet art thou glad to eat it before it be half baked Of the naturall dayes twenty four hours eight he allotted for devotion and contemplation eight for refection and recreation and the eight remaining for matters of the Commonwealth Iulius Caesar having spent the whole day in the field about his military affairs divided the night also for three severall uses one part for his sleep a second for the Commonwealth and publike business the third for his studies Peacham He translated Gregories Pastorals Bâ—les History and Boethius de Consolatione Philosophiae into the Saxon tongue and began to do the like with Davids Psalmes In divinis libris sacra lectione tam assiduus erat quod Davidicum Psalterium vel aliquem alium librum aedisicâ—â—torium in sinu suo semper ferret viros literatissimâ—s de terris exteris ad se accersens aliquandiu in Palatio suo secum pro sacris literis addiscendis retentos demum diversis praelatiis dignitatibus premoveret Ingulphi Historia p. 870. vide plura ibid. p. 871. He restored the decayed University of Oxford by fixing therein a Colledge now bearing the name of Vniversity-Colledge and annexed ample maintenance unto it He divided his Kingdome into Shires Hundreds and Tithings for the better ordering and administring of justice and for the abandoning of theeves which had formerly encreased by the meanes of long Warres whereby notwithstanding the multitude of Souldiers continually imployed
his Father At a time upon the repulse of a certain suit the Archbishop brake forth into discontentment expostulated sharply against the King and in a humorous heat offered to depart But the King stayed him fell down at his feet desired pardon and promised satisfaction in the best manner that he could The Nobility which were present put the Archbishop in minde that he should cause the King to arise nay answered the Archbishop let him alone let him still abide at St. Peters feet So with much ado he was appeased and entreated to accept his suit By reason of sickness he kept his chamber a long time whereat the French King scoffing said The King of England lyeth long in Childbed Which when it was reported unto King William he answered When I am Churched there shall be a thousand lights in France alluding to the lights that Women used to bear when they were Churched and that he performed within few dayes after wasting the French Frontiers with fire and sword Malmesb. de Wilielmo primo l. 4. Some of the Earls conspiring against him he perceiving his estate to be now brought into no small danger and loath to put all upon the hazard and fortune of a Battell against men so well provided and with desperation armed as a man perplexed entred into consultation with Lâ—nfrancke then Archbishop of Canterbury what course were now best for him to take for the appeasing of these so great and dangerous troubles By whose advice he came to a parl with the English Nobility where after much reasoning and debating of the matter a peace was at length concluded and agreed upon so that the English men laying down their Arms the Conquerour in the presence of the Archbishop Lanfrancke and others took a solemn Oath upon the holy Evangelists and all the reliques of the Churches of St. Albans from thence forth to observe and keep the good and ancient Laws of the Realm which the noble Kings of England his Predecessors had before made and ordained but especially those of St. Edwarâ— of all others supposed to be most equall and indifferent for the geneâ—all good of the people He courteously received and honourably maintained Edgar Etheling in his Court allowing him a pound weight of silver every day to spend a rare example of a victorious Conqueror shewed upon a man so unconstant who twice had broken his Oath of fidelity and dangerous to be so near unto his person being as he was a competitor of his Crown During all his Raign either the sword was not put up into the scabbard or if it were the hand was alwayes upon the hilt ready to draw it So unwilling on the one part were the English men to bear the yoke and so haughty on the other part were the Norman Conquerors that to be called an English man was in their eyes a great concumely insomuch as it made some of the more light-conceited of the English to seek to better their esteem by imitating the Normans both in apparrell and language which among the graver sort bred the Proverb that Jack would be a Gentleman if he could speak French He favoured learned men and drew out of Italy Lanfrancke Anselme Durand Trahern and divers others famous at that time for learning and piety 'T is better with William Hunter than with William the Conqueror 'T is better to have a name in the Book of Martyrs than in the Book of Chronicles Mr. Nortons life of Mr. Iohn Cotton Perceiving his own defects in some points for want of learning he did exhort his children oftentimes to learning with this saying An unlearned Prince is a crowned Ass which speech took great impression in his son Henry This is one speciall honour attributed unto him that from him we begin the Computation of our Kings of England From the Normans bearing of Armes began amongst us Ab eo posteriores series Regum inchoavere perinde acsi de integro ille regnum ipsum instituâ—isset Regesque qui seâ—uti sunt usi similiter sunt ut nunc utuntur insignibus Regiis quae dedisset Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 9. Nostrates priusquam in Angliam penetrasset Wilielmus primus hunc armorum cultum à Normannis videntur accepisse Spelmanni Aspilegia p. 40. Vide etiam p. 44. He ended his life upon the ninth day of September full both of honour and of age when he had raigned twenty years eight moneths and sixteen dayes in the threescore and fourth year of his age His dead body was not only abandoned but left almost naked upon the ground Being conveyed from Roan where he died to Cane one Fitz Arthur denied the King buriall in the Abbey-Church as ground which was wrongfully taken by the King from his Father till he had a hundred pounds paid him for it Mr. Ienkyn in his Exposition of the Epistle of Iude vers 4. p. 351. saith Of our twenty five Monarchs since the Conquest thirteen taking in three who are thought to be poysoned are said to have had violent and untimely deaths CHAP. XII K. William the second sirnamed Rufus or the Red. KIng William the first took to wife Matilde daughter to Baldwin Earl of Flanders a man for his wisdome and power both reverenced and feared even of Kings but because she was his Cousin-germane he was for his marriage excommunicate by his own Uncle Mauger Archbishop of Roan Hereupon he sued to Pope Victor and obtained of him a dispensation and afterwards so wrought that by a provinciall Counsell his Uncle Mauger was deprived of his dignity This King had by his Wife four sons Robert Richard William and Henry Robert his eldest son sirnamed Courtcuise by reason of the shortness of his thighs succeeded him in the Duchy of Normandy He was a man of exceeding honourable courage and spirit for which cause he was so esteemed by the Christian Princes in the great Warre against the Saracens that when they had subdued the City and Territory of Hierusalem they offered the Kingdome thereof first unto him The King of England to whom the Schola Salernitana was dedicated was this Robert eldest son of the Duke of Normandy which begins thus Anglorum Regi scribit Schola tota Salerni and it seems to be written when this Robert returned out of Palestina into Apulia and by reason of a Fistula from his poysoned wound he had consulted with the School of Salerne concerning it and preserving his health Neither doth that hinder that this Book is written to the King of England but Robert never raigned here for the Kingdome of right belonged to him which his younger Brother William Rufus possessed in his absence and for recovering of that he warred with his Brother but was overcome by him Richard had raised the good expectation of many as well by his comely countenance and behaviour as by his lively and generous spirit But he died young by misadventure
King Edward the first For his Laws who so marks them well are deep and not vulgar not made upon the Spur of a particular occasion for the present but out of providence of the future to make the estate of his people still more and more happy after the manner of the Legislators in ancient and heroicall times The Tax called Benevolence was devised by Edward the fourth for which he sustained much envy It was abolished by Richard the third by Act of Parliament to ingratiate himself with the people and it was revived by this King but with consent of Parliament for so it was not in the time of King Edward the fourth It is observed as a rule in Politicks that Dominium sequitur terram those that are the greatest proprietaries have the chief power as in Turkie because none there holds any land but during his life therefore the great Turk hath such unlimited power and so the Barons were able they say to maâ—e War with their Prince because the land was most in their and their Tenants possession Henry the seventh therefore being raised by the Nobles conceiving that those which exalted him might cast him down did abate their power and made Statutes against Retainers But Henry the eighth demolishing the Abbies distributed the lands among the people and so they again gained great power by that meanes He made a composition with Philip father to the Emperour Charles the fifth being here in England that he should deliver into his hands the Duke of Suffolke his mortall enemy who was fled out of England and saved himself in the Low Countries alwayes provided that the King should attempt nothing against the Dukes life which promise notwithstanding being ner his end he expresly by will and testament commanded his succeeding son that immediately after his decease he should cause him to be put to death Montaigne his Essayes l. 1. c. 7. There scarce passed any Parliament in this time without a Law against Riot and Retainers the King having an eye to might and multitude The King was on a time entertained by the Earl of Oxford that was his principall servant both for war and peace nobly and sumptuously at his Castle at Henninghom At the Kings going away the Earls servants stood in a seemly manner in their Livery Coats with cognizances ranged on both sides and made the King a Lane The King called the Earl to him and said My Lord I have heard much of your hospitality but I see it is greater then the speech These handsome Gentlemen and Yeomen which I see on both sides of me are sure your meniall servants The Earl smiled and said It may please your Grace that were not for mine ease They are most of them my Retainers they are come to do me service at such time as this and chiefly to see your Grace The King started a little and said By my faith my Lord I thanke you for my good chear but I may not endure to have my Lawes broken in my sight My Atturney must speake with you The Earl after compounded for a thousand marks His disposition to crush treasure out of his Subjects purses by forfeitures upon penall Lawes proved the blot of his time When among many Articles exhibited by the Irish against the Earl of Kildare the last was All Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King shall this Earl rule all Ireland and shortly after he made him Deputy thereof Iames the fourth King of Scotland married with the Lady Margaret the Kings eldest daughter During the Treaty it is reported that the King remitted the matter to his Counsell And that some of the Table in the Freedome of Counsellors the King being present did put the case that if God should take the Kings two sons without issue that then the Kingdome of England would fall to the King of Scotland which might prejudice the Monarchy of England Whereunto the King himself replied That if that should be Scotland would be but an accession to England and not England to Scotland for that the greater would draw the less and that it was a safer union for England then that of France This was the ninth time that since the Conquest the Scottish Kings have married with the English Nation Ayscu He left at his death most of it in secret places under his own Key and keeping at Richmond the summe of near eighteen hundred thousand pounds sterling a huge mass of money even for these times His son Henry the eight by his pleasures by unprofitable Wars exhausted all that treasure in a few of the first years of his Raign He died at his Palace at Richmond which himself had built having lived two and fifty years and raigned three and twenty years and eight moneths He died and in memoriall of his name Built that fair Chappell where he now takes rest A rich foundation of a curious frame The fairest monument lest unsupprest Passing all temples of the gorgeous East O strew his Hearse with Roses red white For he both stemmes did in one unite Storâ—rs Wolseius aspirans HENRY the eighth Seven is a number fatall from the heavens But eight King Henry passing all the sevens Storers Wolseius aspirans Of personage he was tall and mighty and in his latter years somewhat gross in wit and memory excellent such majesty and humanity as was comely in such a Prince Cui natura fortunaque supra Regium nomen incomparabilis formae maxime praestantis ingenii accumulata dona contulerunt nemo enim è tota Anglica juventute vel staturae dignitate vel venustate oris vel nervorum firmitate Regem aequavit Paul Jov. Britanniae descript Huic erat à teneris annis ars bellica cordis Ut reliquas dotes condignas principe tanto Corporis atque animi non sit memor are necesse Quod fortis clemens humeris quod alitor ibat Omnibus egregia facie vultuque decoro Oclandi Anglorum praelia It hath been observed by Historians of Tiberius Emperour of Rome of Mahomet the Great Emperour of the Turks and of Henry the eight King of England that there was no security in their love but that such as were highest in their favour were nearest to ruine He brought unto the block two Queens two noble Ladies one Cardinall declared of Dukes Marquesses Earls and the sons of Earls no fewer then twelve Lords and Knights eighteen of Abbots and Priors thirteen Monks and religious persons about seventy seven and many more of both Religions to a very great number Dr. Heylins Ecclesia Restaurata That is a tart expression of Sir Walter Rauleigh in his Preface to his History of the world If all the pictures and patterns of a merciless Prince were lost in the world they might all again be painted to life out of the Story of this King How many wives did he cut off and cast off as his fancy and affection changed When he was
25 26. Her name filed the Christian Turkish Persian American Indian parts Purchas pâ—â—grimage 1. l. 3. c. 1. Sect. 1. See ibid. c. 3. Sect. 3. If she were a Catholick she might be accounted the mirrour of the world saith a secular Priest Meteranus Rer. Belg. hist. l. 23. much commends her That great Elizabeth of England nurse of God Church God hath established her seat with justice and goodness hath made her the terrour of all enemies of Christ and the beauty of Europe â—olynes of the Civil Wars of France Bacons Uniform Government of England part 2. c. 34. She wrote then Tanquam ovis as a sheep to the slaughter He was a bold Preacher who afterwards told her she was now Tanquam indomita juvenca This was Mr. Deâ—ring They presenting to her the Bible in English at the little Conduit in Cheapâ—ide she answered I thank the City for this gift above all the rest it is a Book which I will often and often read over She delighted much in the love of her people What gentle language would she use to them What cordiall prayers would she make for them Speeds Chron. Surely Surely a Prince so high in the favour of God and so mighty with men so blessed with dayes and prosperous in her Raign so beloved at home and so dread abroad so absolute for blessings and so admired for Government was never seen in England William Leighs Queen Elizabeth paraleld second Sermon He paralels he there in her princely vertues with David Ioshua and Hezekiah 1. With David in her afflictions to build the Church First Serm â— 2. With Ioshua in her puisâ—â—nce to pâ—otect the Church Second Sermon 3. With Hezekiah in her piety to reform the Church Third Sermon Her Motto was Semper eadem It Plutarch were alive to write lives by paralels it would trouble him both for vertue and fortune to find for her a paralel amongst women Sir Francis Bacon the Lord Chancellour Elsmere She was the happy instrment of God to promote the Protestant Religion in all parts May his History of the Parliament of England l. 1. c. 1. See more there Robert Cecil Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester the Lord Howard Admâ—ralâ— Walsingham What famous Captains were Generall â—Norris Captain Williams Morgan the noble Earl of Essex and others in land afâ—airs Who more renowned than Captain Drake Frobisher Hawkins Candish with the â—est in Sea travails Sir Philip Sidney was her great favourite Sir Richard Bakers Chron. Bishop Iewel was the glory of her Raign for learning Grafton in Q. Mary Cette vivacité d' esprit fermetè de jugement generuse resolution aux bauteâ— enterprises esquelles excelloit vostre Royale Loyale soeur là brave Elizabeth d' Angleterre Memoires de Sully Multa Regis Phiâ—â—pi secundi indignationem sâ—â—m 〈◊〉 adversus 〈◊〉 Reginam tantâ— quidem 〈◊〉 sensu â—uanto pro benefiâ—â—is proque viâ—a iâ—sa quam et bis â—â—tque dedisse rev Rex affirmabâ—t dum conspirationum insimulatam è â—arcere capitalique judicio liberaverat pro bâ—s aliis que promâ—ritis alias super alias accepisse se indesinenter injuâ—ias agnoscebat Viderat statim ab initio Principem Orangium as Belgarum populos consilio pecunia milite ad defectionem ab illa concitatoâ— Iâ—diâ—rum provincias à Draco à Conditio ab aliis ejus emissarlis vâ—xatas ac direptas â— regiam pecuniam interversam ac naves in Anglia râ—tâ—â—tas â—lenconâ—am spâ—ruptiarum ia Angliam allectum atque inde in Belgium ad capiendam Brabantiae coronam instructum Stradae de bello Belgico Decas 2. l. 9. Vide Cambdeâ—â—l Annales See Purchas Pilgrim part 3 4 c. 9 â—ct â— Reginam â—um vixit ut sororem diligentissimè observavit Anglosque pariter caeteros eximiâ— dilexit Camd. Annal. An uncharitable Jesuit in a scandalous Libell spread abroad and published some years after Q. Elizabeths death saith that she died without sense or feeling of Gods mercies and that she wished she might after her death hang a while in the air to see what striving there would be for her Kingâ—dome Camd. Eliz. transl Preface * Ita repugnante nâ—â—ine Scotiae Rex Angliae possessionem 〈◊〉 primâ—â—sque intra omnem annalium memoriam Britanniae totam Insulam uno imperio complexus est Groti hist. Belg. One that writes Ruinorum conspiratio saith Quinqus Reges ex honoratissima Sâ—uartorum familia etiam eodem omnes praenomine continuâ—â—aserie invicem succedentes in ipsâ— aetatis ant flore aut vigore extinctos acceperant relictis semper regni haeredibus pueris aut impuneribus qui per atatem gerendis rebus non sufficerent Favins Theater of Honour l. 5. c. â— See Dr. Heylins Geog. of the Brittish Isle See Mr. Wentworths Book before quoted This Margaret was Grandmother to King Iames by his father and mother Grotii â—ist Belg. See Osbornâ— Miscellanies of Esâ—ayes Paradoxes p. 6 7 8 9. Dr. Reynolds at its first coming out being shewed it read it over and bought it saying he was concerned and wronged in it Sir Walter Rauleigh his Hist. of the World part 1. l. 5. c. 6. Sect. 2. See more there Vide Idaeam Rosae sive de Jacobi Regis virtutibus â—â—arrationem Quis hodie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vere amans non optet ex animo magnae Britanniae magnum illuns Regem ob eximias doctrinaâ— dotes quibus tanti neminis Majestaâ—i sempiternam famam circumfudit in universals reformatarum Ecclesiarum Concilio ad modum magni illius Constantini Episcopis Pastoribus non modo ad externi ordinio conservationem veâ—ùm etiam ad controversiarum quae hodieagiantur definitionem aliquando praâ—sidere Gers. Buc. Dissert de Gubernat Eccles. p. 115. * Liber à Rege ad fillum conscriptus in quo optimus Princeps omnibus â—umcris absolutua elegantissimè depingitur â—acre ibtle est quot homiâ—um animos studis inde sibi conciliarit quartum sui expectationem cum admiratione apud omnes concitarit Camdeni Annal. rerum Anglie part 4. p. 171. Sâ—â—vent je l' oioi plaindre que S. M. d' Angleterre trop arreste a quelques petites dissensiones entre les siens â— ' avoitpas asses de soin de la guerison de plus profondes playes qui sont en l' Eglise La vie de M. du Plessis l. 2. The 29 of May is famous for our present Kings birth and return to London * See Mr. Gatakers Vindication of the Annotat. of Ier. 10. 20. against Lilly p. 75. Of a Feavor His birth Being about the age of twenty five years God so loosed his tongue at his triall that he spoke without the least stammering or hesitation Sir Franck Wortley his Character Dr. Gaudâ—n in his Eccles. Aug. Suspiria l. 3. c. 22. saith he was stedfast and able in his judgement against Popery * Letter 20. to the Queen speaking of Religion he saith It is no thank to me to trust thee in any thing else but in this which is the only thing of difference in opinion betwixt 〈◊〉 See M. Gatakers Apologeticall Discourse aginst Lillie Harvei excreit 64. de generat animal He as well as the Countess of Desmond so much spoken of for her great age is said to have lived in the Raign of Edward the fourth H. L'estrange The History of the French Academy p. 220. Id. ib p. 221. Boxhornius in his Metamorphosis Anglorum hath collected Apophthegmata Carolina 1. Theologica 2. Moralia 3. Politica The Author of the Character of him mentions his severall vertues King Iames his Works are all in one volume in Folio both in Latine and English Mr. Philpots Kent surveyed and illustrated See M. S. â—ords Loyall â—ubjects Indignation for his Râ—vall Sâ—veraâ—gnâ— Dâ—col 〈◊〉 Primus Reformatus à Reformatis à suis subjectis Salmaqi ad militorum responsio D. Cornelius Burgess preached against it on Amos 5. 13. Dr. Gauden protested also against it I have heard that four French Divines Bochart Amyraut Vincent and de Laâ—gly have written against the Kings death of which some I have seen The Princess of Tureine Daillé Gachens and Grelinâ—court have also written against it * Effundi volo ejus sanguinem per Magistratum scilicet volo in cum animadverti eum capito plecti lege talionis Mercer Vide Paul Fag col lat Translat in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vide Grotium de jure belli pacis l. 1. c. 3 4. Cameronem ad Rom. c. 13. v. 3. Imperii sinis unicus populi utilitas Jun. Brut. vind contra Tyranui * Quod asseverant cum à quo aliquis constituitur esse superiorem constituto verum duntaxat est in ea constitutione cujus effectus perpetuò pender à voluntate constituentis non etiam in eâ— quae ab initio est voluntatis postea vero effectum habet necessitatis Grotius de jure belli pacis l. 1. c. 3. Vide plura ibid.
left nothing unattempted which might advance the glorious Gospel of Christ. He built St. Augustines a goodly Church in Canterbury He built also St. Pauls Church in London and St. Andrews in Rochester He died in the three and twentieth year of his Monarchy and the fifty sixth of his Kingdome of Kent Redwald The third King of the East-Angles and seventh Monarch of the English men Of this Redwald Cambden reporteth out of Bede that he was baptized and that to make sure as he thought of the right way of worship he had in the same Temple one Altar for Christian Religion and another for sacrifice to Devils He raigned eight yeares and was King of the East-Angles thirty one Edwine The Great King of Northumberland and the eighth sole Monarch of the English men He was slain in Battell by Penda and Cadwallo the seventh year of his Monarchy the seventeenth of his Kingdome He lived fourty eight yeares Oswald King of Northumberland and the ninth Monarch of the English men He was a religiouâ— King and took such care for the coâ—version and salvation of his Subjectâ— that he sent into Scotland for aid and a Christian Bishop to instruct his Northumbrians in the Gospel of truth Mira fuit in homine sanctitas mirum pietatis studium nulli unquam malum pro malo reddidit sed Christi regis summi exemplum imitatus ijs etiam bene precabatur beneque volebaâ— Ã quibâ—â—s accepisset injurias Polyd. Virg. Ang. Hist. l. 4. p. 82. He left the name to Oswalster in Shropshire Of this Oswald as also of Stephan King of Hungary it is storied that their right hands though dead never putrified because they had been much exercised in almes-deeds Bed hist. Angl. l. 3. c. 6. Bonsinius Quis suit Alcides quis Caesar Julius aut quit Magnus Alexander Alcides se superasse Fertur Alexander mundum sed Julius hostem Se simul Osuualdus mundum vicit hostem He died in the 23. year of his Monarchy and the 56. of his Kingdome of Kent Oswy King of Northumberland and the tenth Monarch of the English men He was Brother to Edwin and Oswald He founded the Cathedrall Church in Litchfield for a Bishops See Upon an occasion Oswin humble â— himself before the holyman Adrian who upon sight thereof wept and gave this reason of his weeping I know this King will not live long and this reason of his reason for I never before this saw an humble King He lived fifty seven yeares and raigned the space of twenty eiâ—ht yeares Wulphere The sixth King of the Mercians and the eleventh Monarch of the Englâ—â—â— men He becoming a â—hristian destroyed all those Temâ—les wherein his Heathen Gods had been worshipped converting them all into Christian Churches and religious Monasteries He raigned King over the Mercians seventeen yeares and Monarch of the English fuily four Ethelred The seventh King of Mercia and twelfth Monarch of the English A modest Prince which loved better to preserve then to encrease his power by Arms. He raigned above thirty yeares Kenred The eighth King of Mercia and the thirteenth Monarch of the English men He raigned in peace four yeares then weary of Government and desirous of contemplation be sought a more private and religious life and thereupon appointing â—helred his Cosen-germane to rule in his place in the fifth year of his Raign abandoned his Kingdome and Country and departed to Rome and in a Monastery in that City was made Monk Chelred The ninth King of the Mercians and the fourteenth Monarch of the English He had got as great reputation of military valour as any Prince of his time if he had not died so soon He raigned only seven yeares Ethelbald The tenth King of the Mercians and the fifteentth Monarch of the English A peaceable Prince but was over amorous Boniface the Archbishop of Mentz an Englishman by Nation sent an Epistle to him This is one passage in it Quapropter â—â—li charissime paeniteat te memora quam turpe sit ut tu qui multis gentihus dono Dâ—â— dominaris al injuriam ejus sis libidinis servus The Epistle is full of good counsell to be seen in Malmesbury He ruled forty two yeares Offa. The eleventh King of the Mercians and the sixteenth Monarch of the English men He was a warlike Prince and for the most part fortunate He built a Church in Warwickeshire where the adjoyning Town from it and him beareth the name Off-Church and caused a great Ditch to be made large and deep from Sea to Sea betwixt his Kingdome and Wales whereby he might the better defend his Country from the incursions of the Welsh men And this Ditch is to be seen in many places as yet and is called Offas Ditch at this day Lords History of Wales The Ditch began at the River Dee by Bassing-werke between Cheâ—ter and Ruthlan and ran along the hils sides to the South-Sea a little from Bristow reaching above a hundreth miles in length Id. the description of Wales He first gave the Peter-pence to Rome and was himself at the length shorne a Monk He raigned thirty nine yeares Egfrid The twelfth King of the Mercians and the seventeenth Monarch of the English He re-establisht the priviledges and liberties of all the Churches which his Father had supprest He raigned only four moneths he was taken away by sudden death in the hundreth fourty first day after his Fathers decease Kenwolfe The thirteenth King of the Mercians and the eighteenth Monarch of the English men At home he was an example of piety peace justice and Religion abroad temperate humble and courteous without vain ostentation or ambitious conceits In Warres he was stout and victorious in peace studious to enrich his Subjects he carried himself so at all times that envy could not touch him with her tongue Bede dedicateth his Ecclesiasticall History to him He raigned twenty two yeares CHAP. IV. OF the Saxons that reigned sole Kings of this Island 1. Egbert raigned thirty seven years 2. Ethelwulf the son of Egbert twenty years 3. Ethelbald the eldest son of Ethelwulf five years 4. Ethelbert the second son of Ethelwulf five years 5. Ethelred the third son of Ethelwulf five years 6. Alfred the youngest son of Ethelwulf five years 7. Edward sirnamed the elder twenty three years 8. Aethelstane the eldest son of Edward sixteen years 9. Edmund the second son of Edward six years 10. Edred the youngest son of Edward nine years 11. Edwin the elder son of Edmund four years 12. Edgar the younger son of Edmund sixteen years 13. Edward the elder son of Edgar forty years 14. Ethelred the younger son of Edgar thirty seven years 15. Edmund the son of Ethelred in whose time the Danes possessed the greatest part of England Egbert The eighteenth King of the West-Saxons the nineteenth but first sole and absolute Monarch of the English men Upon