Edwards Laws These Laws are partly Ecclesiasticall partly Civill Lambard de priseis Anglorum legibus mentions Leges boni Regis Edwardi quas Gulielmus Bastardus postea confirmavit In these Laws it is observable 1. That all capitall corporall pecuniaty punishments fines for criminall offence◠〈◊〉 all reliefs services and duties to the King are reduced to a certainty not leâ—t arbitrary to the King his Justices or other Officers for the Subjects greater liberty ease and security 2. That they protect preserve the possessions priviledges persons of the Church and Clergy from all invasion injury violence and disturbance The Raign of this King was very peaceable He first used the broad Seal His Wife was named Editha the vertuous Daughter of an infamous Father Earl Godwin Sicut spina Rosam genuit Godwinus Editham His unnaturall dealing with his good Mother Emma and vertuous Wife Editha in whose breast there was a School of all liberall Sciences saith William Malmesbury cannot be excused For upon a poor surmise of Incontinency with Alwin Bishop of Winchester his Mother in his presence was put to the Ordalium to pass blindfolded between nine glowing Coulters which she did without hurt His refusing carnall copulation with his Queen either out of a vowed virginity as most Historians conclude or out of a detestation of Earl Godwins trayterous race quod Rex religiosus de genere proditoris haeredes qui sibi succederent corrupto semine regio noluerit pâ—â—râ—ari as Ingulphus Matthew Westminster and others record whereby he exposed the Kingdome for a prey to the ambitious pretenders aspiring after it The King after this craved mercy and pardon from his Mother for the infamy and injury done unto her for which he was disciplined and whipped by his Mother and all the Bishops there present The first curing the Kings Evil is referred to him and thence to have continued to his successors Solebat Rex Edwardus divinitus solo tactu sanare strumosos hoc est strumam patientes Est enim srruma morbus quem Itali scrophulaâ— vulgo vocant à scrophis quae ea mala scabie afflictantur Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. l. 8. Struma gutturis vitium quod nonnulli scrophulam dicunt solo tactu in quam plurimis sanasse dicitur Lil. Ang. Reg. Chronicon He raigned twenty three years and six moneths and died in the Painted Chamber at Westminster He built St Peters Church in Westminster and was there buried In hoc Rege linea Regum Angliae defecit quae à Cerdicio primo Westsaxonum Rege ex Anglis quingentis septuaginta uno annis non legitur interrupta praeter paucos Danos qui peccatis exigentibus gentis Anglorum aliquandiu regnaverunt Harold The second of that name the thirty eighth Monarch of the English men Son of Earl Goodwin a man of excellent parts and approved valour He driven by tempest into Normandy was affianced to Adelizi the Dukes fifth Daughter He covenanted with the Duke to make him successor to Edward in the Kingdome of England Mr. Fox's Acts and Monuments vol. 1. Mr. Cambden in his Brittannia Holinshed Sir Iohn Hayward Sir Richard Baker incline to this opinion that Harold by his might power craft policy usurped and invaded the Crown without any right against his Oath After Edwards death the Duke sent to him to put him in mind of his Covenant and Oath but Harold replied that this Oath being constrained did no way binde The Duke William landing in Sussex to cut off all occasion of return he fired his own Fleet and upon the shore erected a fortress to be if need were a retiring place for his Souldiers Harold and he fighting seven miles from Hastings in Sussex Harold was slain and his Army vanquished His overthrow was a just punishment of God upon him for his perjury He raigned but nine moneths and nine dayes In him was compleated the period of the Saxons Empire in Brittain after they had continued from their first erected Kingdome by Hengisâ— in Kent the space of six hundred and ten years without any interruption saving the small inter-Raigns of three Danish Kings The Normans were a miâ—â— people of Norvegians Suevians and Danes That Province in France was then called Neustria and now Normandy of the name Norman given unto them because they came out of the North parts The Normans laboured by all means to supplant the English and to plant their own language amongst us and for that purpose they both gave us the Lawes and all manner of pastimes in the French tongue as he that will peruse the Laws of the Conquerour and consider the terms of Hawking Hunting Tenice Dice-play and other disports shall easily perceive Lamb's Perambulation of Kent CHAP. XI WILLIAM the first sirnamed the Conqueror RObert Duke of Normandy the sixth in descent from Rollo riding through Falais a Town in Normandy espied certain young persons dancing near the way And as he stayed to view a while the manner of their disport he fixed his eye especially upon a certain Damsell named Arlotte of mean birth a Skinners Daughter who there danced among the rest The frame and comely carriage of her body the naturall beauty and graces of her countenance the simplicity of her rurall both behaviour and attire pleased him so well that the same night he procured her to be brought to his lodging where he begat of her a Son who afterward was named William The English afterwards adding an aspiration to her name according to the naturall manner of their pronouncing termed every unchast Woman Harlot He seized the Crown of England not as conquered but by pretence of gift or adoption aided and confirmed by nearness of bloud and so the Saxon Laws formerly in force could not but continue and such of them as are now abrogated were not at all abrogated by his conquest but either by the Parliaments or Ordinances of his time and of his successours or else by non-usage or contrary custome Mr. Seldens review of his History of Tythes c. 8. see more there He never made the least pretence claim or title to the Crown and Realm of England only as an absolute Conquerour of the Nation but meerly by title as their true and lawfull King by designation adoption and cognation seconded with the Nobles Prelates Clergy and peoples unanimous election And although it be true that this Duke ejected Harold and got actuall possession of the Throne and Kingdome from him by the sword as did Auâ—elius Ambrosius and others before and King Henry the fourth Edward the fourth and Henry the seventh yet that neither did nor could make him a King by conquest only no more than these other Princes seeing the end of this Warre was not against the whole English Nation the greatest part whereof abetted his interest but only against the unjust usurper and intruder King Harold and his adherents Although the Laws of this Kingdome
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
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
where his servant stood as prisoner and commanded him to be ungived and set at liberty William Gascoigne the chief Justice of the Kings Bench exhorted the Prince to be ordered according to the ancient Laws of the Realm or if he would have him saved from the rigour of the Laws that he should obtain if he might of the King his father his gracious pardon whereby no Law or justice should be impeached With which answer the Prince being more inflamed endeavoured himself to take away his servant The Judge considering the perillous example and inconvenience that might thereby ensue with a valiant courage and spirit commanded the Prince upon his allegiance to leave the prisoner and to depart his way with which commandement the Prince being set all in a fury in a terrible manner came up to the place of judgement some thinking that he would have slain the Judge or have done him some hurt but the Judge sitting still without moving declaring the majesty of the Kings place of judgement and with an assured bold countenance spake thus to the Prince Sir remember your self I keep here the place of the King your soveraign Lord and Father to whom you owe double obeysance wherefore in his name I charge you desist from your wilfulness and unlawfull enterprise and from henceforth give good example to those which after shall be your proper Subjects 〈◊〉 and now for your contempt and disobedience go you to the prison of the Kings Bench whereto I commit you and remaine you there prisoner untill the pleasure of the King your Father be further known With which wordes being abashed and also wondering at the marvellous gravity of that worshipfull Justice the Prince laying his weapon apart doing reverence departed and went to the Kings Bench as he was commanded whereat his servants disdaining came and shewed to the King all the whole affair He a while studying after as a man all ravished with gladness holding his hands and eyes towards heaven cried out with a loud voice O mercifull God how much am I bound to thy infinite goodness â—ffâ—ecially for that thou hast given me a Iudge who feareth not to minister justice and also a sin who can suffer semblably and obey justice Sir Thomas Eliot in his Governour saith here a man may behold three persons worthy memory First a Judge who being a Subject feared not to execute justice on the eldest son of his soveraign Lord and by order of nature his successor Also a Prince son and heir of the King in the midst of his folly more considered his evil example and the Judges conscience in justice then his own estate and wilfull appetito Thirdly a noble King and wise father who contrary to the custome of parents rejoyced to see his son and the heir of his Crown to be for his disobedience by his Subject corrected The Oath ex officio it should rather be called in officiosum was brought into the Church under him The Prelates requiring it to discover those which that age esteemed Hereticks and especially those which they called Lollards which Master Fox in his Acts and Monuments calls a bloudy Law In his admonition to his son at his death he said Of English men so long as they have wealth and riches so long shalt thou have obeysance but when they be poor they are alwayes ready to make insurrection at every motion All the time of his sickness his will was to have his Crown set upon his Bolster by him and one of his fits being so strong upon him that all men thought him directly dead the Prince coming in took away the Crown when suddenly the King recovering his senses missed his Crown and asking for it was told the Prince had taken it whereupon the Prince being called came back with the Crown and kneeling down said Sir to all our judgements and to all our griefs you seemed directly dead and therefore I took the Crown as being my right but seeing to all our comforts you live I here deliver it much more joyfully then I took it and pray God you may long live to wear it your self In his time were the two famous Poets Chaucer and Gower None of the sons of Henry the fourth did degenerate a thing not usuall in so large a family Henry the fifth died gloriously in the pursuit of his conquests the Duke of Clarence valiantly fighting and though of a naturall death and Glocester of a violent yet died they not with less fame then did the others Biondi his History of the Civil Warres of England l. 5. in Henry the sixth The Duke of Bedfords death is to be numbred among the chiefest causes of the loss of France He was a prudent Prince of long experience in Arms and Government obeyed by his own feared by his enemies Id. ibid. Fourth Henry was by some blind Bard foretold That he should never die till he had seen Ierusalem fourth Henry will be old Ierusalem for him shall be unseen No he shall see it when he least doth ween He swouns at prayers and by religious men Is straight convey'd unto Ierusalem Sir Francis Huberts History of Edward the second The like Prophesie we read of Pope Sylvester the second to whom being inquisitive for the time and place where he should die it was answered that he should die in Ierusalem who then saying Mass in a Chappell called likewise Ierusalem perceived his end there to be near and died In this Kings time Guild-Hall in London was built Gower being very gracious with him carried the name of the only Poet in his time He and Chaucer were Knights The King died in Ierusalem-Chamber in minster in the year of his age forty six He raigned thirteen years and a half wanting five dayes Fourteen years say others CHAP. XIX HENRY the fifth HE was just wise magnanimous valiant To this noble Prince by an assent of the Parliament all the Estates of the Realm after three dayes offered to do fealty before he was crowned or had solemnized his Oath well and justly to govern the Commonweal which offer before was never found to be made to any Prince of England Stowes Chron. His young years were spent in literature in the Academy of Oxford where in Queens-Colledge he was a Student under the tuition of his Uncle Henry Beauford Chancellour of that University When he came to be King he made Thomas Rodban a famous Astronomer in those dayes Bishop of St. Davids and Iohn Carpenter a learned Divine Bishop of Worcester having known them both whilest he lived in the University The Civil Wars of England by Sir Francis Biondi Presently after his Coronation he called before him all his old companions who had been disorderly with him strictly charging them not to presume to come within ten miles of his Court untill such time as they had given good proof of their amendment in manners and left any of them should pretend want of maintenance
to be any cause of their taking ill courses he gave to every one of them a competent means whereby to subsist and in stead of them he received the gravest men into his familiarity in whom he conceived there was the greatest prudence to take counsell and faith to give it that he might be helped by their counsels admonitions and prudence He kept his Lent in the Castle of Kenelworth and whilest he lay there messengers came to him from the Dolphin of France named Charles with a present of Paris-Balls for him to play withall but the King wrote to him that he should shortly send to him London-Balls with which he would throw down Paris Walls And to make good his promise he raised a great Army and hastened to France and landed at Caen in Normandy Charles the sixth then King of France raised also a mighty Army and sent a King of Arms to defie him King Henry desirous to know the numbers of the French sent forth Captain Game for discovery who brought word that there were of them enough to kill and enough to take and enough to run away The French were so confident of victory that they sent to King Henry to know what ransome he would give but he obtained a great victory over them He was sirnamed commonly the Alexander of England because as Alexander the Great conquered the most part of Asia in the space of nine or ten years so did this Henry conquer France in less then the like time The second ornament of the English Nation By force of Arms and military prowess maugre the French he conquered France and brought Charles the sixth King of France to that extremity that after a sort he surrendred up his Crown unto him Fuit statura corporis quae justam excederet corpore gracili membris aequalibus ac validis facie decorâ collo oblongo artis militaris peritissimus ac ejus gloriâ illustrissimus Polyd. Virg. Ang. hist. 22. Within the term of five or six years he brought the better part of France under his obedience Avaunt proud Rome and brag not of thy men Nor thy aetheriall Caesars Wars declare Cease peerless Plutarch with thy sacred pen The worlds arch-Monarchs aptly to compare Reason doth urge and this alleadge I dare That Englands Homer pourtrayd hath his War Which doth excell the worthiest Caesars Star William Herberts Prophesie of Cadwallader He was of marvellous great strength and passing swift in running insomuch that he with two other of his Lords without Hound Bow or other engine would take a wild Buck or Doe in a large Park He ordained the King of Heralds over the English which is called Garter Never lived English King with more true glory nor ever died any in a more unseasonable time nor more lamented It was said of him that he had something in him of Caesar which Alexander the Great had not that he would not be drunk and something of Alexander the Great which Caesar had not that he would not be flattered The King being certified of his son Henries birth gave God thanks for sending him a son which might succeed in his Crown and Scepter But when he heard reported the place of his nativity he said unto the Lord Fitz Hugh his trusty Chamberlain these words My Lord I Henry born at Monmouth shall reign a while and much get and Henry born at Windsor shall long raign and all lose but as God will so be it The burthen of those Wars lay upon the English mens shoulders who were at that time rich and mighty and had a wise goodly and valiant King called Henry accompanied with sage hardy and expert Captains viz. the Earl of Salisbury Talbot and others When God meant to withdraw his goodness from the English men this wise King died at Bois de Vincennes and his son who proved but a simple man was crowned King of France and England and at Paris Phil. de Commines The Duke of Bedford third son to King Henry the fourth Regent for the English in France fourteen years having crowned his master Henry the sixth in Paris died leaving behind him an honourable witness even from his enemies That he was a brave Commander a true Patriot and a faithfull servant to his Lord and brother Henry the fifth and to his son Henry the sixth He was Regent of France Duke of Bedford Alanson and Anâ—â—u Earl of Main Richmond and Kendall and Constable of England King Henry died in France in the ninth year of his Raign 1422. He left to succeed him his only child Prince Henry about as many moneths old as his father had raigned years HENRY the sixth He was proclaimed King when he was about eight moneths old his mother brought him to the Parliament in London in her bosome He was crowned on the ninth year of his age His infancy was mightily supported by the notable valour and policy of his two Uncles Humphrey Duke of Glocester and Iohn Duke of Bedford to the one was committed the protection of his person and Kingdome to the other the managing of the War continued in France He was a very simple man and almost an innocent Philde Commines l. 3. c. 7. He was of a seemly stature of a slender body and of a beautifull face in whose best of fortune it was never to prossess more then the name of a King What Prophet could have picked out of Mars and Saturn the manifold mishaps which befell that Prince of blessed memory King Henry the sixth sometimes sleeping in a port of honour sometime floting in the surges of mishap sometime possessing forraign Crowns sometimes spoiled and deprived of his own sometime a Prince sometime a prisoner sometime in plight to give succour to the miserable sometime a fugitive among the desperate Howards Defensative against the poyson of supposed Prophesies c. 14. History shews us not an example of a Prince who in so many vicissitudes never met with one fully to his advantage He was four times taken prisoner and in the end despoiled both of his Kingdome and life He was crowned King of France in Nostre Dame in Paris receiving the homage and fealty of all the Nobility of France present and all the Citizens and Inhabitants of that City and the places adjacent He was so continent that at Christide having a shew of young women presented to him bare breasted he immediately departed with these words Fie fie fie for shame Forsooth you be too blame He willingly pardoned many great offences A Ruffian striking him on the face he only said Forsooth you are too blame to strike me your annointed King He was never observed dejected upon the report of any sad accident but entertained all afflictions as sent from the Almighty and absolutely resigned his will to that of heaven He founded Eaton-School and Kings Colledge the Chappell of which last shewed the magnificence that the
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.
should dispossess his children of the Crown was consenting to his death interpreting G. to be George Duke of Clarence which fell out to be Glocester to whose tyranny he left them by this ungodly means He vanquished in nine Battels himself being present The Scene of his fortune had more changes then any King of England yet except his Competitor Lust was reputed his bosome-sin God severely punisht him in his sons who were both dispossest of their Kingdome and their lives by their unnaturall Uncle there being so much appearance of right by their fathers incontinency that even an Act of Parliament was made to bastardize them He was the first of our Kings since the Conquest that married his Subject His usuall Oath was By Gods blessed Lady He sate on the Kings Bench in open Court three dayes together in Michaelmas Term anno 〈◊〉 of his Raign to understand how his Laws were executed Have we not seen the late King of England Edward the fourth of that name heir of the house of Yorke utterly destroy the house of Lancaster under the which both his father and he had lived many yeares Farther the said King Edward having done homage to King Henry the sixth being of the house of Lancaster did he not afterward hold him prisoner many years in the Tower of London the chief City of the Realm where in the end he was put to death Phil. de Commines hist. l. 5. c. 18. He saith that their King Lewis the eleventh of France in wisdome and sense far surmounted King Edward Lib. 6. c. 2. and l. 5. c. 13. he saith of Lewis undoubtedly he was one of the wisest and subtilest Princes that lived in his time That very day wherein an honourable peace was concluded between Edward the fourth and King Lewis the eleventh upon subscribed Articles it chanced a white Dove as Commines writes to repose her self upon King Edwards pavilion whereupon though many gathered an argument yet since she sate not equally between both the Kings I like much better of a Gascoines observation who having been present at the sight reported unto Philipde Commines as himself records that the Dove repaired to King Edwards Tent only to this intent to refresh and prune her self after a great rain because the Sun was warmest there Howards Defensative c. 24. Richard Nevill Earl of Warwicke was a man of an undaunted courage but wavering and untrusty the very Tennice-Ball in some sort of fortune who although he were no King was above Kings as who deposed King Henry the sixth a most bountifull Price to him from his royall dignity placed Edward the fourth in the royall Throne and afterwards put him down too restored Henry the sixth again to the Kingdome enwrapped England within the most wofull and lamentable flames of Civill War which himself at the length hardly quenched with his own bloud In his spirit birth marriage and revenue he was mighty which raised his thoughts above proportion The greatest and busiest Subject our later age hath brought forth That make-King Warwick having the English Crown Pinn'd on his sleeve to place where he thought best Who set up Princes and did pull them down How did he toyl the Land with his unrest How did his Sword rip up his mothers brests Whose greatness and his popularity Wrought both his own and others tragedy Sir Francis Huberts History of Edward the second Cecil Dutchess of Yorke his mother lived in Henry the sevenths Raign and died at her Castle of Barkhamsted being of extream years who had lived to see three Princes of her body crowned and four murthered He being near his death told his friends that if he could as well have foreseen things as now to his pain he proved them he would never have worn the courtesie of mens knees with the loss of so many heads He raigned two and twenty yeares one moneth and five dayes EDWARD the fifth He was scarce eleven years old when his father died and succeeded him in the Kingdome but not in the Crown for he was proclaimed King but never crowned and indeed it may not so properly be called the Raign of Edward the fifth as the tyranny of Richard the third He hearing that his Uncle had left the name of Protector and taken upon him the title of King and was with full consenting of the Lords to be crowned within a few dayes following with the same Crown and in the like Estate as had been provided for his solemnity the dejected Innocent sighed and said Alass I would my Vncle would let me enjoy my life yet though I lose both my Kingdome and Crown He and his brother Richard were murthered in the Tower Tâ—win brethren in their deaths what had they done O Richard sees a fault that they were in It is not actuall but a mortall one They Princes were 't was their original sin Why should so sweet a pair of Princes lack Their Innocents-day in th' English Almanack Aleyns History of Henry the seventh RICHARD the third He was king in fact only but Tyrant both in title and regiment He was ill featured of limmes crook-backed hard favoured of visage malicious wrathfull envious It is for truth reported that the Dutchess his mother had so much ado in her travail that she could not be delivered of him uncut and that he came into the world with the feet forward and as the same runneth also not untoothed whether men of hatred report above the truth or else that nature changed her course in his beginning which in the course of his life committed many things unnaturally Buck that writes his Raign writes favourably of him but the Chroniclers generally condemn him He was brother to King Edward the fourth and having most wickedly murthered his Nephews usurped the Kingdome by the name of King Richard the third and after two years lost both it and his life in a pitched field He slew with his own hands King Henry the sixth being prisoner in the Tower as men constantly said and that without commandement or knowledge of King Edward the fourth who undoubtedly if he had intended his death would have appointed that Butcherly office to some other then his own brother He slew also that Kings son in the presence of Edward the fourth Was the contriver of the death of the Duke of Clarence his brother He bare a white Bore for his Cognisance The Lord Lovell Sir Richard Ratcliffe and Sir William Catesby were chief rulers under him of the which persons was made a seditious Rime and fastened upon the Cross in Cheapside and other places of the City It was this The Cat the Rat and Lovell the Dog Rule all England under a Hog For which one Colingborne was executed A Prince who deserved to be ranked among the worst men and the best Kings Yet Sir Francis Bacon in his History of Henry the seventh saith that his good Laws were but the brocage of an usurper
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
thereby to win the hearts of the people as being conscious to himself that the true obligations of Soveraignty in him failed He put to death Hastings A greater judgement of God then this upon Hastings I have never observed in any Story For the self same day that the Earl Riners Grey and others were without triall of Law or ostence given by Hastings advice executed at Ponfret I say Hastings himself in the same day and as I take it in the same hour in the same Lawless manner had his head stricken off in the Tower of London He had little quiet after the murther of his two Nephews in the Tower of London Sir Iohn Beaumont hath well described Bosworth-field in Verse The night before he was slain he dreamed that he saw divers images of Devils which pulled and haled him not suffering him to take any rest the which vision stroke him into such a troubled mind that he began to doubt what after came to pass Charles the ninth King of France after the massacre in Paris and divers other Cities wherein were slaughtered about thirty thousand never saw good day but his eyes rolled often uncertainly in the day with fear and suspition and his sleep was usually interrupted in the night with dismall dreams and apparitions He being near his end vomited out bloud pittifully by all the conduits of his body as a just judgement for him that barbarously shed it throughout all the Provinces of the Realm He raigned two yeares two moneths and one day CHAP. XIX HENRY the seventh THe fourteen Plantagenets thus expiring with Richard the third five Tudors take their turns in this manner Henry the seventh Henry the eighth Edward the sixth Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth They are called Tudors because Henry the fifth his widow being a French woman married Owen Tudor from whom Henry the seventh did lineally descend In this Nation how hath the Crown walked even since Christs birth from Britains to Saxons Danes Normans Plantagenets Tudors Stuarts Mrs Shawes Tomb-stone This King pretended a six-fold title to the Crown By Conquest Military election of Souldiers in the fields near Bosworth by Parliament by Birth by Donation and Marriage He did never stand upon his marriage with the right heir as the foundation of his right unto the Crown for he knew well enough that if that had been his best and only title though it might make the power good unto his children yet while she was living he must hold the Crown in her right not in his own and if she died before him it was lost Because he was crowned in the field with King Richards Crown found in an Hawthorn-Bush he bare the Hawthorn-Bush with the Crown in it He was crowned the thirtieth day of October in the year of our Lord 1485 by Thomas Bourehier Archbishop of Canterbury and Cardinall At which day he did institute for the better security of his person a Band of fifty Archers under a Captain to attend him by the name of Yeomen of his Guard and yet that it might be thought to be rather a matter of dignity after the imitation of that he had known abroad then any matter of diffidence appropriate to his own case he made it to be understood for an Ordinance not temporary but to hold in succession for ever after Through whose care vigilancy policy and forecasting wisdome for times to come the State and Commonwealth of England hath to this day stood established and invincible Camdens Britannia in Surrey A politick Prince he was if ever there were any who by the engine of his wisdome beat down and overturned as many strong oppositions both before and after he wore the Crown as ever King of England did Whose worthy renown like the Sun in the midst of his sphere shineth and ever shall shine in mens remembrance What incomparable circumspection was in him alwayes found that notwithstanding his long absence out of this Realm the disturbance of the same by sundry seditions among the Nobility Civil Warres and Battels wherein infinite people were slain yet by his most excellent wit he in few years not only brought this Realm in good order and under due obedience revived the Laws advanced justice refurnished his dominions and repaired his mannours but also with such circumspection treated with other Princes and Realms of leagues of alliance and amities that during the most part of his Raign he was little or nothing disquieted with War hostile or martiall business And yet all other Princes either feared him or had him in fatherly reverence He could never endure any mediation in rewarding his servants and therein exceeding wise for whatsoever himself gave he himself received back the thanks and the love on the contrary in whatsoever he grieved his Subjects he wisely put it off on those that he found fit ministers for such actions By his happy marriage being next heir to the house of Lancaster with Elizabeth daughter and heir to Edward the fourth of the house of Yorke the white and red Roses were conjoyned Sir Francis Bacon saith of Iohn Morton Archbishop of Canterbury Chancellor of England and Cardinal He deserveth a most happy memory in that he was the principall means of joyning the two Roses From the twenty eighth year of Henry the sixth unto the fifteenth of Henry the seventh the Civil War between Lancaster and Yâ—â—ke continued wherein as they reckoned there were thirteen fields fought three Kings of England one Prince of Wales twelve Dukes one Mâ—rquesse eighteen Earles with one Vicount and twenty three Barons besides Knights and Gentlemen lost their lives Cambd. Brit. in Warwickeshire The King in honour of the Brittish race of which himself was named his first son Arthur according to the name of that ancient worthy King of the Brittains in whose acts there is truth enough to make him famous besides that which is fabulous King Arthur fought twelve Battels with the Saxons and overthrew them Hollinsh Arthurus belliger illis temporibus dux militum Regum Brittanniae contra Saxones invictissimè pugnabat duodecies dux belli fuit duodecies victor bellatorum Hunting hist. l. 2. That Arthur was one of the nine Worthies There were three Jewes Ioshua David Iudas Maccabaeus three Gentiles Hector of Troy Alexander the Great and Iulius Caesar three Christians Arthur of Britain Charlemain of France and Godfrey of Bullen Arthur ursum significat quasi ursinum diceres Burhillus in MS. The Prince Arthur died before his father and lieth buried in the Quire of the Cathedrall Church at Worcester After was born to the King at Greenwich the Lord Henry his second son which was created Duke of Yorke and after Prince of Wales who succeeded his father in governance of this Realm by the name of Henry the eighth His time did excell for good Common-wealths Laws so as he may justly be celebrated for the best Law-giver to this Nation after
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