the City of Dublin to the Petty Kings and most of the Nobility of the Kingdom and having settled the Civil and Ecclesiastical matters reforming Barbarities and Abuses he brought those that held out in Vlster under Subjection and so returned in Triumph to London Thus was Ireland made subject to the Crown of England and has so continued ever since being a very spacious Country viz. in Length 303 Miles in Breadth 112 in Circumference 948. And such was the over-fondness of this King to his Eldest Son Henry that he caused him and his Wife Margaret Daughter to Lewis the French King to be twice sollemnly Crowned in the presence of his People himself the second time for that day leaving the Title of King and serving as a Servitor at his Son's Table whereat the Bishop of Winchester whispering the Young Henry in the Ear said Never any King of England had such a Sewer at his Table Nay replied the Upstart my Father need not think it any dishonour to him as being but Royal Born on one side when I had both a King to my Father and a Queen to my Mother upon this the old King shook his Head and whispered the Bishop I find my Lord I have raised the Young Man too soon and too late repent of it And from that time he laboured to suppress the Pride of his Sons which made them often Rebel and Conspire with his Enemies drawing away the Hearts of many of his Subjects And altho' at one time Lewis the French King Henry Geoffry and John three of his Sons joyned with Robert Earl of Leicester Hugh Earl of Chester and William King of Scots against him yet by plain Valour he Routed them and made his Sons and others that were his Subjects submit to his Pardon and soon after his Son Henry Dyed in the flower of his Age. But these were not all the Kings Troubles for he was grievously pestered with the stubbornness of Becket Arch Bishop of Canterbury For upon his first admittance to that See he refused to take the Oath for observation of the Articles administred to the Clergy which the rest of the Bishops had done because it was clearly against the Popes Authority and perceiving the King much displeased at his refusal he resolved to set the Pope on his Back and therefore privately withdrawing himself went to Rome where he made grievous complaints against the King and Clergy of England to Innocent the Second upon which the Pope gave him the Pall and appointed him Legate so upon his return he delivered up his Chancelorship and Great Seal not giving the King or any other an account why he did so These Jars between the King and the Arch Bishop imboldened the Inferiour Clergy to commit many Irregularities for which they received but small punishment for if they committed Murthers Manslaughters Fellonies or Robberie being Censured by Men of their own Profession they came off as they could wish so that the Common Wealth being sorely oppressed to Redress these Grievances the King found himself constrained to call a Parliament In which that Law made in King Stephens Reign which exempted the Authority of Temporal Judges from meddling with Ecclesiastical Affaires was Repealed and the Laws held in the Reign of Henry the First and other the Kings Predecessors Established and Inforced being commonly called Avitae Legis but he was stoutly opposed in his Proceedings by Becket and some other Bishops who unadvisedly made themselves partakers of his Faction but after many Conferences Disputes and Consultations all except Becket Ratified and Subscribed those newly revived Laws but he by no means would do it unless he might enter this Clause Salvo Ordine suo which words clearly Annihilated the Life and Substance of those Laws but the Bishops fearing the Kings Anger might turn to their great disadvantage at last prevailed with Becket to Swear to the said Laws but upon another Pet taken he recanted his Oath and was Absolved by the Pope Yet it nothing daunted the King but rather Irritated him to Seiz into his own hands all such Temporalities as he had formerly given to the Arch Bishop requiring him to render an Account of 30000 Marks he had Imbezilled during his being Chancellor But the Prelate in Answer to this boldly affirmed the King had freely given it to him as a free Gift and ought not in Honour or Conscience to demand it back Whereupon all the Moveables that appertained to him were Seized by the Kings express command At which Becket being disgusted he went to Rome without the Kings License and the King perceiving his drift was to incense the Pope against him sent his Ambassadors to represent his perversness and evil carriage and how reasonable things were he had imposed on him entreating the Pope to divest him of his Dignity and he would provide for him and his in another station But Becket had made such interest in the Court of Rome That the Pope not only refused it but with many Threatnings sent two Legates To Curse the King and all his People unless on their demands Becket were immediatly restored to his Dignity also to his Lands and Moveables that were Confiscated and in the mean while he commended him to the Abbot of Pontynack where he was kindly received and for a time entertained But upon the Kings Threats that unless he was Expelled the House that he would leave no Monk of that Order in France he was dismissed the King Commanding That without his License no Cardinal nor Legate should presume to set Footing in England and hereupon he Banished all Beckets Relations which much grieved him yet under-hand he was encouraged by Lewis the French King resolutely to persist in his Obstinacy whereupon King Henry to put an end to this difference that much disturbed the Kingdom Sailed to France and in the French Kings presence Conferred with the Arch Bishop making him an Offer That if he would take the Oath again and subscribe the Instrument Triparte as himself and the Arch Bishop of York had done he should be restored to his Favour and enjoy all that was formerly appertaining to him and his Friends recalled from Banishment but then he started another obstacle consenting to do it if it might be with an exception of salvo honore Dei This more angered the King than the former for by it he seemed to Object the Laws made tended to the dishonour of God and if so consequently were void in themselves bringing a scandal upon those that first Instituted them and also upon himself and the Parliament that had Revived them Whereupon Becket plainly told him That he feared none but God and since his Laws were derogatory to the Antient Customs and Priviledges of the Church and Robbed God of his Honour the King in seeking to Establish them should not have his will whilst he lived And upon this Disagreement the Pope sent two Legates to Interdict the Kingdom till Becket should be restored to his Dignity This so far
with various success tho' in them the French were â—enerally worsted but Fortune no further favouring his endeavours but only to stop the French Torrent â—nd their further Encroachments he returned for England On his departure the French King Married Alphonsus his Brother to the Daughter of the Earl of Tholouse and gave him the Earldom of Poictiers and so cunningly contrived it that he would have procured the Earl of March to do him Homage for such Lands as he pretended he held in that Province but he refused it and could not by Entreaties or Threats be wrought on to comply which so enraged the French King that he entered with an Army into the Earldom of March and laid all waste before him but was Fought with by the English Army newly Transported near Burdeaux yet the English being much inferiour in Number after a Long Bloody and Doubtful Fight were constrained to quit the Field and King Henry who did wonders in the Battel that day hardly escaped being taken Prisoner whereupon the Earl of March found he was in a necessity to submit to the Terms offered him by the French King after which King Henry settling his affaires as well as he could returned to England and made a fiâ—m Alliance with the King of Scots to strengthen his Interest against France This continued happy to him for a time but his Court not being purged of Parasites and Whisperers who with their stories set him against the English Nobility a fatal Discord befel which at times lasted till his Death for the Nobles grudging he bestowed Favours on those that deserved them not and was scanty in his Liberalities towards them that had Merited of him at the expence of their Blood and Treasure from Murmuring they fell to open Reproaches charging him with the violation of those Liberties and Priviledges that he had so solemnly Confirmed and Granted This Angered the King and made him inwardly Fret but finding they spoke the sense of the greatest part of the Nation to bring things to a quieter temper and alay or satisfie the discontents of his Subjects he called a Parliament at Oxford tho' in it what he aimed at was for the most part if not altogether frustrated so that it was afterward through the Distractions that happened upon it called Insanum Parliamentum or The Mad Parliament For when multitudes of such as were Grieved came for Redress of their Grievances the Lords and Commons endeavouring to Redress what was amiss Established many things Profitable as they intended for the Common-Weal but highly derogatory to the Kings Prerogative and to the end those things that they had so contrived should be lasting and inviolably observed they made choice of Twelve Noblemen by the Title of Les douze Piers or The Twelve Peers giving them absolute Power and Authority to Maintain and Support those Laws of whom the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester were chief and for this they had their Pattent and took a solemn Oath which was Sealed and Ratified by the King although he did it unwillingly so that the Parliament being ended the Commissioners began by strict Execution to give Life unto those Laws and Ordinances thrusting out of their Places and Offices many of the Kings Menial Servants and Attendants placing others in their stead which very much troubled him for by these proceedings he perceived those that waited on his Person were rather to be Trusted by others than by himself and that he should be furthest from chusing those that were to be nearest to him this made him grow Melancholy and vex himself exceedingly yet thinking to mend what he supposed amiss he called another Parliament which contrary to his expectation Ratified and Confirmed more strongly all that the former had done tho' he at the opening of the Sessions had complained of the hard Usage he had received from the Twelve Peers and by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Nine other Bishops of the Kingdom a solemn Curse was denounced against all such as either by Direction Council Arms or otherwise withstood or hindered the Execution of those Laws or the Authority of the Twelve Peers This made the King more Melancholy than before when to divert himself he Sailed to France and had an Enterview with King Lewis who highly welcomed him Lodged him in his own Palace Feasted him and used him with all Gentleness Curtesie and Honour protesting in his Parliament of Estates That he was much dissatisfied in his Conscience for detaining from King Henry his Dutchy of Normandy and such other Territories in France as in Right he ought to Enjoy and on the other hand King Henry intending to conclude an inviolable Peace freely surrendered to him Normandy Anjou Poictiers and Mayn and in the same Parliament with great Solemnity and Honour he received them again to himself and his Heirs Whilst things thus proceeded in France a Quarrel happened between Prince Edward the Kings Son and the Duke of Glocester about the Laws being put too severely in Execution which made the King hasten home to prevent the Danger or Mischief that might happen thereby and with some difficulty he reconciled them and hoping to remove the curb the Peers had laid on him with much Expence he procured Bulls of Pope Alexander the Third by virtue of which himself and all others who had Sworn to maintain those new Laws and Ordinances and to support the proceedings of the Peers and their Authority were freely Absolved from their Oaths yet they took no notice of it but proceeded to displace such Judges Justices and Sheriffs as the King had appointed for not following their Orders and put such in their Places and Offices as they thought fit So that the King being no longer able to endure these Indignities caused the Popes Bulls to be Read and Proclaimed in the chief Towns and Cities of England and Wales straightly Commanding all Persons of what Estate Condition or Degree soever That from thence forth did by Word or Deed Support or Maintain the said Laws and Ordinances or the Authority of the Twelve Peers that they should be committed to Prison and not delivered thence without the Kings consent And hereupon he Swore the Londoners from twelve Years Old and upwards to be True and Faithful to him and to be Aiding to him and his Heirs against all Opposers In the mean while the Barons met and entered into a Resolution among themselves rather to lose their Lives than decline the upholding the Laws and fancying the King had some desperate design upon them their Jealousie so encreased that retiring to the Marches of Wales they raised a strong Army and furnished it with all things necessary for the War they intended yet pretended to abstain from any Hostility or Violence unless the King compelled them to it Then they sent their Letters in a most submissive and humble manner to the King protesting their Duty Service and true Allegiance to him entreating his Highness for the Honour of Almighty God for the
with the Bodies and Blood of the Slain but fresh Forces arriving they found themselves constrained to submit and had to augment their Miseries great Tribute lay'd on them so that they groaned under the burthen of their Opression This Emperour began his Reign Anno Dom. 72 and Reigned Nine Years Titus Vespasian his Son succeeded him in the Empire and sent Offers of Peace to the Britains who accepted them He for his good Nature and Humanity was stiled Delicii Humani Generis The Delight of Mankind He took off part of the Taxes and permitted the Exercise of the Christian Religion which began to flourish in this Island making it his business every Evening to Examine his Actions of the past Day and if he had done no Good Deeds he accounted that Day lost yet his Reign was short viz. Two Years and Three Months Dying greatly Lamented throughout the Empire Domitian his Brother Succeeded him a Person of a cruel Nature who had sought his Death but was prevented This Man began his Reign Anno Dom. 83 he turned his rage and fury against the Christians causing multitudes of them to be Tortured to Death not only in this Land but throughout his Empire inventing New Torments which he first try'd in his Solitudes on Flys and other Insects so that when any one asked Who was with the Emperour It was the usual answer Non Musca not so much as a Fly He appointed Julius Agricola his Lieutenant whom the British Princes of the North opposed making a great Slaughter of his Souldiers but after many Skirmishes in a set Battel were overthrown on the borders of the Tweed Whereupon he Marched his Army through that Country now call'd Scotland with little opposition and was the first Roman that found this Country to be an Island 136 Years after the Landing of Julius Caesar This Emperour began his Reign Anno Dom. 83 and Reigned 15 Years having caused to be destroyed by several sorts of Deaths 10000 Christians At his Death a terible Tempest and Earthquake happened Flames ascended out of the Ground in Cornwal and the Sea broak in on the Essex-Shoar destroying many Villages Towns People and Cattel and Ebbing again left many Monstrous Fishes on the Plains Coceeius Nerva Succeeding this cruel Emperour recalled his Edicts against the Christians gave Peace to the Britains and had done many good things had he not been too hastily disappointed by Death He was called the Patron of the Poor being very Charitable His Reign began Anno 99. and continued only Ten Months Trajan Succeeded Nerva and at his first enterance began the Third Persecutian against the Christians he appointed Spartianus his Lieutenant in Britain with whom the British Princes Fought divers Battels with various success but were at last compell'd to submit being wasted with Slaughter and a grievous Famine that happened amongst them This Emperours Reign began Anno 100 and continued 21 Years and six Months before his Death a terrible Blazing-Star appear'd and the Sea in many places seemed all on Fire in the Night-time Strange and Amazing Voices were heard in the Air and the Water of the Humber seemed for two Days of the colour of BLOOD Adrian continued the Persecution of the Christians with great earnestness making the Streets of the Principal Towns stream with their Blood He appointed Trebellus his Lieutenant in Britain and though he had no open War with the Britains he wasted great numbers of them in digging Mines draining Marshes and making Bridges over Rivers to which servile Labours they were compell'd with rigor He began his Reign Anno Dom. 121 and continued it 22 Years Antonius Pius Succeeding Adrian stayed the Persecution of the Christians restoring them to their Goods and Lands that had been taken from them He constituted Lollius Vrbicus his Lieutenant in Britain against whom the Brigantes made head surprized him in his security and cut off a great number of his Souldiers But afterward in a bloody Battel they were overthrown compelled to submit and pay large Taxes to be restor'd to their possessions This Emperour was called the Patron of Virtue from the gifts and rewards he distributed among pious and learned Men. In his time the Christian Religion flourished and many places of Publick Worship were errected in Britain He began his Reign Anno 139 and Reigned 23 Years Marcus Aurelius Succeeding Antonius Abrogated his Edicts in favour of the Christians and Persecuted them with great fury Agricola was his Lieutenant in Britain and kept the Country in Peace all his time He began his Reign Anno 162 and continued it 19 Years Commodus though of a very wicked Life was however moved at the Sufferings of the Christians and restrained the Persecution In his time flourished King Lucius a Britain Son to King Coillus who Built Colchester and great Grandson to King Arviragus who Married the Emperour Drusius's Daughter He to the honour of this Nation was the first King in the World that embraced Christianity and by it set a good Example to others and to be the better informed in so Sacred a matter he sent Elvanus and Medvinus two of his Learned Counsellors to Elutherius Bishop of Rome to commune with him and receive Instructions from him for the good Government of his Kingdom The good Bishop at this greatly rejoyced and not only Instructed them in the Holy Faith but sent Faganus and Damianus to the King with the following Letter Good King you have received as I understand by your Messengers to my great Rejoycing in the Kingdom of Britain by Gods Mercy both the Law and the Faith of Christ Jesus our ever Blessed Lord you have both the Old and New Testament out of the same through Gods Grace by the Advice of your Realm take a Law and by the same through Gods sufferance Rule you your Kigndom of Britain for in that Kingdom you are Gods Vicar By this we see what different Spirits the Bishops of Rome were of in the time of Primitive Christianity to what they have since been they were then too Modest to Usurp Authority out of their own Jurisdiction and claim Supremacy over Kings yet Luxury Pride and Riches has since brought them not only to such a prodigious height of Arrogancy to set the World in a Flame with Wars and Mischiefs but even to dare to Corrupt the Holy Scriptures and by bringing in Traditions of their own jostle out the Doctrine of our Saviour and his Apostles filling the Nations with Blood and laying them Disolate where they have been opposed or their Revenge could take place The King upon this Advice called a Council and changed the Seats of the three Arch Flammins or Heathen Priests into Arch Bishopricks Viz. at London Glocester and York and the 24 Subordinate Flammins into so many Bishops Sees The Idol Gods of the Britains were laid in the Dust who were many viz. Taramis or Jupiter Tutates or Mercury Helus or Mars Hues or Bacchus Belenus or Apollo Belisama or the Moon Owvana or Minerva
conclude But now to the King of Denmark belongs Norway formerly a distinct Kingdom and some other Countries which render his Territories much larger than when the Danes first possessed it As for their Religion when they first Invaded England and long after it was Paganism Their Idols were many out-numbering those of the Pagan Saxons to some they Offered Horses to others Humane Sacrifice Fruits Flowers Water Bread Wine Fish c. They were a People very Bloody and Cruel to those they prevailed over and extreamly Lustful and Treacherous Their Habit was close girted Coats their Arms Spears of a moderate length Battel-Axes and Faulchions their Diet many times the Flesh of their slain Enemies Rost or Sodden it was about 230 years from their first Invading England before Canute got the Sole Monarchy of whose Reign I am next to treat The Reign of Canute Sixteenth Sole Monarch of England and first of the Danes that Reigned here CAnute Son to Swane who as you have heard was Murthered by his Souldiers began his Reign as Sole Monarch Anno Dom. 1017. He was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch Bishop of Canterbury and at his first coming to the Crown kept the English under with a very strict Hand every where disarming them and making it a capital Crime for above a certain number of them to meet together unless called by his Authority so that Faires and Marts were in a manner laid aside He Deposed and Banished the Popular Nobles conferring their Titles of Honour and Estates on his Danes and yet not thinking he was sufficiently secured whilst Edward and Edmund the Sons of Edmund Ironside remained in the Kingdom and yet thought that if he should dip his Hands in their Innocent Blood he must of necessity incur the perpetual hatred of the English he concluded to take away their Lives privately so that he might excuse it and lay the blame on others whereupon he sent the Young Princes to his Brother King of Sweden with private Instructions to make them away but he detesting so base a crime Transferred them to the King of Hungary where Edmond Dyed but Edward getting favour at Court and being a Prince endowed with much manly Beauty and excellent Parts Agatha Sister to the Empress of Germany fell in Love with him to whom he was Married and by her had Edgar Sirnamed Etheling who Dyed without Issue Margaret who Married Malcolm King of Scots she had Issue Christian a Veiled Nun Edgar David and Alexander all three Kings of Scotland proceeded from this Line as also Maud wife to King Henry the first King of England who had Issue Maud the Empress Mother to King Henry the Second so that the design of making away these Princes abroad by a wonderful Providence turned in the end to the Advantage of both Kingdoms in restoring the Saxon Line after the Norman Conquest to England in the person of Henry the Second and producing many worthy Kings in Scotland Canute to strengthen his Interest Marryed Emma Sister to Richard Duke of Normandy and widow to King Ethelred and soon got possession of the Kingdom of Norway which has ever since been annexed to the Crown of Denmark then Warring on the Scots he made them Tributaries so that some reckon him to be the possessor of Four Kingdoms he made a strict League with the Normans and set out a huge Navy to Sea bringing thereby a Terror on all the Neighbouring Sea Coasts laying a Tax of 82000 Pounds on his English Subjects with which Money at the perswasion of Queen Emma he pay'd off and sent away the greater part of the Lazy Danes to their Native Country which won him much favour with the English Then he set himself to the contriving and establishing wholsom Laws for the better settlement of his Kingdom and for the more firmly founding them he called a Parliament at Oxford He is commended for his aversion to Dissemblers Traitors and Flatterers for one of the latter having told him He was Soveraign King not only of the Land but the Sea and not only his People but the Winds and Waves were subject to his Command to disprove and upbraid the Parasite being at Southampton he caused his Chair to be placed on the Sand and Commanded the Sea that it should not swell to wet his Royal Robes but the Waves Rowling towards the Shoar in their wonted Flowings Dashed him up to the Thighs whereupon rising hastily he said to his Attendants Now you see all the Might and Power of Kings is but Vanity for none is worthy to have the Name of King but he that hath all things subject to his Laws and from that time as several Authors affirm he not only Banished all Flatterers from the Court but refused to wear his Crown In the Third Year of his Reign with a great Navy he Sailed to Denmark that Country being then Invaded by the Vandalls who had over-run the larger part of Germany and overthrowing them in a bloody Battel Slaying their chief Leaders he chased the rest out of his Kingdom and causes Castles and Forts to be Builded on the Frontiers to secure it against their Incursions And so returning with Victory he was received at London in Triumph and having settled his Affairs in a flourishing condition the Kingdom thereby much recovered its Antient Renown and he having received the Christian Faith a considerable time before hearing of the Magnificence of Rome and desirous to see its stately Structures the manner of their Living c. went thither not Royally Attended but as a Pilgrim where nevertheless being known he was received with great respect and having given liberally to that See after he had visited all the places of note in that Superb City once Mistriss of the World he returned highly satisfied with the Undertaking causing the Ruined Churches to be Repaired and Founded divers Religious Houses giving great Priviledges to the Monastery of St. Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk which he had re-Edified and then taking a Progress to restore the Face of Justice in the several Counties punishing the corrupt Ministers and Oppressors worn out with the Toiles of War and Indefatigable Study in settling his new acquired Kingdom he fell Sick on the Road some Miles from Shaftsbury and being conveyed to that Town in a short time he paid the debt by Nature due from all that are cloathed with Mortality Dying Anno Dom. 1036 when he had Reigned 18 Years and tho' the First of the Danish yet is accounted the 16th Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Huntingtonshire c. HUntingtonshire is as the former an Inland County Bounded by Northamptonshire Bedfordshire and Cambridgshire It produces store of Wooll Cattle Corn and many fertil Pastures it is somwhat Woody tho' incumbered with few Hills of any considerable height it has many small Streams abounding with Roach Dace Chub Trouts Carp and Pike and abundance of Wild Fowle resorts to its Meers and Marshy Places it contains divers Parks of Deer and some Warrens also
County and produces store of large Cattle much Corn plenty of Fowl Fruits Fish wholsom Pastures c. It is Bounded by Darbyshire Notinghamshire Lincolnshire Rutlandshire Northamptonshire and Warwickshire It is divided into 6 Hundreds containing 192 Parishes 11 Market Towns and one noted River It sends Members to Parliament 4 viz. Leicester 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Leicester is pleasantly seated on the River Stower and well compacted being the County Town and a place of considerable Trade it is of great Antiquity as held to have been Builded by King Leir a famous British King for which cause it was antiently called Leir-Cester Lutterworth gave Birth to the famous John Wickliff who was Parson of it and the first English Reformer or Detector of the Errors in the Church of Rome frequently Writing and Disputing against them in the Reign of Edward the Third for which many snares were laid to take his Life by the Romish Clergy but he escaped them and Dyed a natural Death leaving the Candle of Truth Lighted by which John Huss Jerome of Prague Luther and others took their prospect of a happy Reformation that soon after ensued Bosworth is Memorable for the Battel fought near it on Redmore August 22 Anno Dom 1485 wherein Richard the Third was slain by the forces of Henry Earl of Richmond and his Crown found in a Hawthorn Bush which was placed on the Earles Head and he Proclaimed King which put an End to the fatal Feuds between the Houses of York and Lancaster In the West of this County once stood Clycester a famous City in the time of the Romans called by them Bennone though now nothing but a few Ruins of it remain The other Towns of note are Mountsorell Loughborough Waltham on the Woald Ashby-de-la-Zouch Bildsdon Lutterworth Harborough c. At Cole-Overton in the Hundred of West Goscot and other parts of this County great store of Pitcole is digg'd of a Bitumencus Nature very hard and fast about Luterworth are Allomey Veins and Welâ—s whose Waters strained through them are Medicinal and Petrefying so that it is said they turn Straw and Sticks into Stone by reason of their Exceeding Coldness near Belvoir-Castle on a R ck are found Snake Stones Cockle Stones and Star Stones The Seats of the Nobility are Pleasantly Situate viz Garerton one of the seats belonging to the Late Duke of Albemarle Burbage to the Earl of Kent Belvoir-Castle partly in Lincolnshire to the Earle of Rutland Ashby-de-in-Zouch Donington-Park to the Earl of Huntington Broadgate and Grooby to the Earl of Stamford Stanton-Bruâ—nell to the Earle of Cardigan Ashby-Folville to the Lord Carrington Besides these there are iâ— great many fine Houses of the Gentry standing sightly to the Fields and Roads some Parks and store of Ganie at all proper Seasons CHAP. XI An Account of the Norman Original How they came to be called Normans With a Description of the Dutchey of Normandy c. BEfore I enter upon the particulars of the Reign of William the First stiled the Conquerer I shall take the Method observed upon other Turns and Changes of Government viz. To give some Account of these New Invaders who at last laid claim to England by Conquest These Normans so called from the Northern Climes which first produced them were composed of Norwegians Swedes and Danes who finding their Country too straight for them betook them to the Seas to seek their Fortunes and practiced Piracies upon the Coasts of Belgia Frizia and England on the latter of which they Landed under the Leading of Rollo their Duke and became very troublesom to the English Saxons between whom there was great Wars Till at last Rollo Dreaming He sat on the highest Hill in France and a pleasant Spring Issued out of a Rock on which he laid his Head running down in many Streams to which flocked a number of Birds with Red Brests to Drink the Water and then flew to fragrant Groves where they Sung so Melodiously that he was Ravished with their Notes and beneath this Hill he fancied there lay so pleasant a Country that the like he had never beheld in his Life When Waking much pleased with his Dream he sent for a Monk of Crowland accounted a great Diviner telling him his Dream and demanding the Interpretation of it who willing for his Countrys sake to be rid of such troublesom Guests told him at an adventure as is supposed That the Fates had Decreed him to settle his Dominions in one of the most pleasant Countries of France Which he gave creadit to and perceiving England much wasted and impoverished by a tedious War and a Famine that then raged having exacted some Aides and Supplies of Money he Transported his Forces over the Narrow Sea and Warred five Years with such Fury on the French that fearing to lose all Charles their King Sirnamed the Simple gave him his Daughter Gilla in Marriage and as her Dowry the Peaceable Possession of what they had already gained by the Sword which being modeled into a Dutchy they called Normandy which Name through all the changes of that Kingdom it bears to this day This Rollo was great Grandfather to Richard the Fifth Duke of Normandy Elder Brother to Robert Father to William the Conquerer As for a Brief Description of the Dukedom of Normandy once a Patrimonial Inheritance of the Kings of England and to which they now have a Right It is Bounded on the East with the Isles of France at the River Epta which passes by the City of Gisors on the West with Britany the Antient Armorica and a Collony of the Britains from which it is separated by the River Crenon Northward by the Sea on the South with the Country of Mayne and is divided by the River Seine Abundantly Rich in Merchandize through the commodiousness of its Havens and Rivers The People are the most Subtil Apt and Ingenious of all the French Provinces yet Affable Curteous and greatly enclined to Learning Their Manufacture consisting most in Wooll and Linnen Cloth the Country producing no Vines capable of making good Wine unless about Caen a very pleasant City The chief City is Roan very famous for many Sieges as in the Series of History will appear having an Arch Bishop whose Jurisdiction extendeth to the River Oyse and a Parliament till of late that the French King has assumed such a Despotick Power and much lessened its Authority was usually held here for the consulting the good of the Province The other Cities of note are Auranche Argences Alancon Falaise Fecham Newhaven or Haver-de-Grace St. Valery Sileaux Constance Manta St. Michale and divers Walled Towns to the number of Eighty So that when the French by reason of our Civil Dissentions wrested it from us they plucked one of the fairest Jewells out of the English Diadem which in time we may yet hope to regain especially under the Auspicious Reign of WILLIAM the Third our present Heroick and Victorious King The Reign of WILLIAM the First
most of his Army whereupon Wales entirely submitted to the English Obedience These Troubles were scarce over when another Storm threatned from Normandy The Duke spurred on by Philip of France who promised to Aid him a second time prepared for England but the King having an Army on foot concluded it better to seat the War in another Country than in his own and therefore to prevent the Dukes making his Voyage Sailed to Normandy whose surprising Landing brought great fear on the Country however the King finding himself able with the Army he had to do no great matters and being destitute of Money to raise Forces Abroad bethought him of a Stratagem to do it viz. He sent to England many chief Officers to Levy such for the Wars as were of Ability and having Listed Citizens of London and others to the number of 30000 when they came to the Sea Shoar and most of them shewed an unwillingness to Embark as looking back to their Wives and Children from which many of them had been forced upon a pretended pressing urgency it was Proclaimed That such as would lay down Ten Shillings should be Discharged from the Service which most of them did with great Alacrity so that very few of them went With this Money King William underhand bought off Philip the French King from the Duke of Normandy's Interest which he perceiving agreed with his Brother by Ratifying again the former Conditions and the Christian Armies being on foot in most parts of Europe to rescue the Christians in the Holy Land from the Tyrany of the Turks and Sarazens Duke Robert to raise Forces and accompany them Pawned his Dutchey of Normandy to King William for 10000 Pounds and there did many Valiant Exploits insomuch that at the taking of Jerusalem he was first proffered to be made King of it and all the Country lying about it larger than what either David or Solomon possessed but he refused it in hopes of the Kingdom of England after his Brothers Death tho' he was disappointed of it and Dyed a deplorable Death which some have accounted as a Judgment for his having refused the profered Scepter of Jerusalem However on his refusal the Princes chose Godfry of Bulloin Earl of Flanders with which Choice he Joyfully complied but would not be Crowned as he said with a Crown of Gold where our Blessed Saviour for the Sins of Man and to procure his Redemption had some time worn a Crown of Thorns But nearer to My Purpose The King was no sooner returned out of Normandy but News was brought him the Welsh were again in Rebellion whereupon he Marched to Subdue them but returned without effecting it by reason of the violent Torrents occasioned by the Rain and their keeping among the Rocks and Fastnesses till his Army was tired out with Famine and other inconveniencies yet soon after they grew Quiet of themselves But scarce had he time to take breath ere a Rebellion broke out in the North whither he hasted with his Army gave the Rebells a great Overthrow and takeing some of the Ringleaders caused them to be put to Death but extended his Pardon to the common sort and Mowbray who encouraged them was committed to Windsor Castle where he continued a long while Prisoner And the Welsh growing again troublesom by wasting the English Borders and carrying away great spoils the King sent the Earls of Shrewsbury and Chester against them with a strong Power where after some Search and as secret Marchings as they could they found them making Merry in the Isle of Anglesey with the Plunder they had got from the English and falling upon them when they expected nothing less their Feasting was turned into Mourning for the greater part of them was Slain and those that were taken Prisoners mostly lost Feet Hands or Eyes or were put to worse Torments as a Terror to the rest that they should keep Quiet within their appointed limits The King thinking all would now be Quiet resolved to take his Ease and then forgeting how the English had faithfully stood by him and assisted him in his most dangerous undertakings he cast many of them out of Favour Office and Trust laying grievous Taxes on the Commonalty Selling for ready Money the best Promotions in Ecclesiastical and Civil Affairs Prohibiting Anselm Arch Bishop of Canterbury to Assemble any Convocations or Synods for the well ordering the Clergy or for the Correcting such as did Offend without his Leave or License by which means he secretly filled his Coffers with Treasure and tho' the Good Arch Bishop laid before him the ill consequences and dangers of such Proceedings and not being minded he resolved to go for Rome and lay before Pope Vrban the Third the danger the Church was in by Misgovernment and to perswade him to Intercede with the King not to intermedle with Church-Affaires but leave them to his Clergy The King hearing of his Intention sent to command him not to go but the Old Man and his Retinue were before on their Journey however the King sent after him and Pillaged him near Dover of all his Wealth in hopes that would stay him but it did not For he went to Rome and made such Complaints that the Pope in a chafe would have Excomunicated the King But his Clergy Advised him that having already Excomunicated the Emperour Henry the Fourth The first Christian Prince that ever was under Excomunication therefore it would be convenient to see the Issue of that Sentence ere he proceeded any further For says a blunt Abbot your Holiness must have a care how you heat any more Irons before you see how those you have Heated already will be Quenched least they prove too Hot for your handling However many Letters and Verbal Messages were sent to the King Admonishing him not to meddle any more with the Investing of Bishops by giving them the Cross Ring and Pastoral Staff nor Prohibit the Assembling of the Convocations or Synods touching the Affairs of the Church nor the Execution of any Canons tho' they were by Regal Authority Confirmed To this the King Answered That he would still do as he Pleased and not lose so fair a Flower belonging to his Crown And being Reproved in the absence of Anselm by Ralph Bishop of Chichester he cast him into disgrace and Suspended many Churches in his Diocess causing the Revenues to be brought into his Exchequer so that the Clergy finding no Redress greatly Murmured but in vain till his humour was over and then he not only received the Bishop into his extraordinary Grace and Favour but Granted many Honourable Priviledges to his See yet he stood not long on these terms ere the Kings humour changing again he Banished him By these ways the King had Amassed great Sums part of which he laid out in Building viz. He made outward Walls and Bullwarks about the Tower of London on this side the Ditch which Ruined by Time and other Accidents are now Demolished tho' some of the
times the beating of a Drum is heard and People say it is usually the Alarm or Forerunner of Wars or Changes of Government and indeed before the late Revolution it was for many days together heard very plain It has a very fine Church a Free-Sohool and an Almes-House Peterborough is famed for its Building and the curious Work of its Cathedral It is seated as Northampton and Oundle are on the River Nen. At Higham Ferries was Born Henry Chichely Cardinal and Arch-Bishop of Canterbury in the Reign of Henry the Sixth who Founded All Souls Colledge in Oxford Edgcot on Danes Moor near this place a Bloody Battle was Fought Anno 1469 between Robin of Risdale and Sr. John Coniers against William Herbert Earl of Pembrook the Lord Rivers and others At Fotheringay Castle Mary Queen of Scots was kept a long time Prisoner and at last Beheaded in it The other Towns of Note are Towcester Daventree Wellingborough Kettering Brabrook situate mostly on pleasant Streams that branch in all parts of this County At Wellingborough are Medicinal Waters upon the account of which Queen Mary the First Lay there for several Weeks In the midest of the River Nen South of Peterborough is a deep Gulf so Cold in the Summer no Swimmer is able to endure it yet never Frozen in the Winter The whole County is pleasantly sprinkled with Woods and Tufted Groves wherein great store of Hares shelter The Seats of the Nobility are Grafton Regis a seat of the late Duke of Grafton Burghly Worthorp and Wakerly belonging to the Earl of Exeter Apethorp and Sewlhay Lodg to the Earl of Westmerland Brayton Luswick alias Lowick Thrapston and Sudborow to the Earl of Peterborough Althorp to the Earl of Sunderland Dean to the Earl of Cardigan Winwick to the Earl of Craven Holdenby to the Earl of Feversham Kerby to the Lord Viscount Hatton Baron of Kerby c. Astwell to the Lord Ferrers Easton Mauit to the Lord Grey Boughton and Barnwell Castle to the Lord Montague Rockingham Castle Warmington and Stoke Albony to the Lord Watson Stean to the Lord Crew Peterborough-Pallace and Castle to the Lord Bishop of the Diocess Besides these there are many stately Houses of the Gentry that give a curious Prospect to most Roads in the County The Reign of King STEPHEN THough King Henry thought he made the Crown of England and Dutchy of Normandy sure to his Daughter Maud and her Issue yet for a whole Reign it was debarred from them for Stephen Third Son to Stephen Earl of Bloyce by his Wife Adilicia or Alice Third Daughter to Willian the Conquerer having insinuated himself into the Favour of the leading Nobles Sailed for England and Landed at Whit-Sand Bay with whom came a wonderful Tempest attended with Thunder and Lightening He was Crowned at Westminster on the 26th of December Anno Dom. 1135 by William Corbell Arch Bishop of Canterbury and so well was he Instructed in the former Examples That by Wisdom and Policy he laboured to lay a sure foundation for his Advancement and because Riches are the Sinews and Strength of the Strongest Kings he therefore to Enrich himself seized on the Treasure of the Deceased King and Bountifully disposed of it to such as either by Arms or Council were most likely to stand him in stead he also created sundry Noblemen and Dignified many others with the Honour of Knighthood which made him find many fast Friends and because benefits received are more frequently pleasing to the Vulgar than Right or Reason to ingratiate with the Common Sort he remitted several Taxes of â—hose Grievance they had complained in the latter end of the last Reign but could have no Redress causing the better to confirm this Concession a Charter to be made to the People under the Great Seal for an Assurance of his not Revoking what he had consented to he also made a Mitigation of the Severeties and Penalties of divers Laws and by Solemn Oath bound himself to Observe and Keep the same he likewise Renounced the future Seisures of all Ecclesiastical Dignities and Promotions when they should become Vacant the better to Endear the Clergy to him giving to the Church and Church-men such Graceful and Profitable Priviledges and Immunities as they would demand exempting them among other things from the Authority of the Temporal Magistrate for all Offence whatsoever unless the Ordinary consent to give them up to the Secular Power And to prevent suddain Disturbances that might arise he Builded many Forts Fortresses Bullwarks and Castles Licensing the Nobles Gentry and Clergy to do the like for their Security And to keep fair with David King of Scots who was Unkle to Maud the Empress he gave him the County of Cumberland to hold it in Fee of the Crown of England and do Homage for it when he should be so required and Created his Eldest Son Henry Earl of Huntingdon yet this sufficed not that restless King for soon after he entered England in the Empresses Quarrel and laid many Towns and Villages Waste but being Encountered by Thurston Arch Bishop of York he was Overthrown and flying into Scotland left about 10000 of his Men Dead behind him Nor were the Welsh less troublesome tho' he had Banished Baldwin D' Redvers for Rebelling against him but greatly infested the Western Parts whereupon an Army was sent and gave them Battel but by the Negligence of the Commanders for want of due order the English were put to the Rout and many Slain tho' more taken Prisoners many of which were lead away by the Welsh-women and so great a number were Drowned by the fall of a Bridge over Tweed That a Passage was made over the Water with their Dead Bodies In the Sixth Year of this Kings Reign the Empress Maud being accompanied by her Brother-in-Law Robert Duke of Glocester Landed in England with an Army which as it Marched was much encreased by the comming in of many English and soon after joyned by Randulph Earl of Chester with a Body of Welsh hereupon the King reposing no confidence in delay but Experience advising him that time would be the chief enabler of his Adversaries Success he Levied a strong Army and Marched against them so that a cruel Fight with equal hopes was Fought for many hours between them but at length the common Souldiers on the Kings part striving faintly rather endeavouring to save themselves than to defend their Prince they at last betook them to Flight and left him with a few Nobles and Gentry yet with his Battel-Ax in his Hand like an enraged Lion he stoutly maintained the Combate Slaying many of the Enemy till at last being surrounded and in vain demanded to yeild he made a War himself against whole Troops till being beaten down with a weighty Stone cast on him at a distance he was taken Prisoner and carried to Bristol Castle where remaining about three Months he was exchanged for the Duke of Glocester who in the mean while was made
Francis Lord Lovel and others were Slain with 4000 Common Soldiers and Symnel taken Prisoner June 16 Anno Dom. 1487. At Mansfield was Born the first Earl Mansfield in Germany now a famous Family in the Empire said to be one of King Arthurs Round Table Knights Blythe is a pleasant Town situate on the River Idle Besides these of Note and Antiquity are Hoverham Retford Worksop and Southwell In this County is the much noted Forrest of Shirwood where Robin Hood held his chief Residence and in it are bred a great many of those Hares called the Laner In this County they digg a soft Stone which Burnt makes a Plaister for Flooring their upper-Rooms which dry'd is harder than Plaister of Paris About Worksop grows store of Liquorice The County contains many Parks full of Deer The Rivers Meers and Ponds are stored with Fish and at the Season there is plenty of Wild-Fowl The Seats of the Nobility are Worksop belonging to the Duke of Norfolk Welbeck Abby and Notingham Castle to the late Earl of Newcastle Holm Pierepont to the Duke of Northumberland Rufford to the Marques of Hallifax Houghton and Chare-House to the Earl of Clare Shelford to the Earl of Chesterfield Bestwood to the Earl of Burford Newsted Abby Bulvel Park and Linby to the Lord Rochdale Averham and Killham to the Lord Lexington besides divers pleasant Seats of the Gentry c. The Reign of King RICHARD the First RICHARD the Eldest Son living of Henry the Second was in Normanay at the time his Father Dyed there and could not come over so soon as was expected by reason that Country remained unsettled by Intestine Wars and some Factions the French had made at a great Expence to keep it so which required necessarily his presence However he sent over speedy orders for the Releasment of Queen Elianor his Mother who had endured a long and hard Imprisonment by the strict command of King Henry who would not forgive her at his Death because she had Poisoned Rosamond his fair and much beloved Concubine and after her Releasment she was by King Richard appointed Regent of England till his Return And then by reason her own Experience had informed her what hardships those endured who Languished under Confinement she caused to be set at Liberty all such as were in Prison for ordinary Offences or small Debts The latter she Paid that the Subjects should be no Loosers by her commiseration and Administred the Government Prudently with much Moderation Integrity and Justice The King at length coming over with a splendid Train of Nobility was received with great Joy of the People and puting an end to the Queen Dowager's Regency was Crowned by Baldwin Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Swore to keep several Articles administered to him by the Nobles to the Ease and great Advantage of his Subjects freeing all that were in Prison for Offences against the Crown and such others as without injustice done to his Subjects he could acquit and in the whole course of his Government so provided that Mercy with Justice might extend to all and finding his Brother John of a Turbulent Spirit he heaped many Honours and Promotions on him thereby to satisfie him and alay his thirst of aspiring viz. He Created him Earl of Lancaster and gave him the Counties of Notingham Devon and Cornwal Married him to the sole Daughter and Heiress of the Earl of Glocester by which means he obtained the Lordship of that County But these great Favours and Donations answered not the Kings expectations for when he had showered on him such Bounties he found him by his practices reaching at the Crown as much relying on a Faction at home and the promises of the French to assist him when need required it It being a Policy of theirs to divert King Richard whom all Historians allow to be a Valiant and Warlike Prince from Warring on France in Reparation of the many Injuries his Subjects in Normandy had Sustained by the Inroads they had frequently made However the King mildly reproving his Brother and shewing him his Ingratitude to nurture such Designs also the Guilt and Danger he would incur he made many Excuses and Protestations he had no such Designs as had been suggested of him and they were both his and the Kings Enemies who had spread those reports to set them at variance These and his renewed Protestations of Loyalty and Obedience resolving to live quiet and contribute all he could to the Advantage of the Commonweal prevailed with the King to accept of his Submission and have a good opinion of his Fidelity and the King as an Expiation for the Offences himself had committed against Henry his Father making a Vow to accompany the other Christian Princes for the Recovery of the Holy Land from the Turks and other Infidels who grievously Oppressed the Asian Christians he the more easily winked at what he had plainly seen so that a Reconcilement being made the Kings thoughts were wholly taken up with his intended Expedition but having Lavished away the vast Treasure his Father left in large Donations he found Money was wanting to furnish him out with such an Army and Equipage as might stand with his Honour He had been Solicited besides his own Inclinations by the Pope to this Undertaking with many promised Blessings as others had been if by their Arms they Regained the Holy City Jerusalem from the Infidels yet to raise Money he refused to Levy any Taxes on his Subjects but Sold his Castles of Barwick and Roxborough to the King of Scots for 10000 Pounds the Lordship and Earldom of Durham to Hugh then Bishop of the See for 16000 Pounds as also Honours Lordships Mannors Priviledges Royalties and Crown-Lands upon other Grants and Tenures to divers of his Subjects for much Money so that having as he supposed a sufficient Treasure he prepared things in a readiness but contrary to his expectation it falling short he borrowed Sums of such as he had formerly Liberally bestowed his Bounties on protesting that for the performing so great and Honourable a service he was not unwilling to Sell his City of London if he could find any body of Ability to Purchase it rather than by Taxes he would Oppress his Subjects In this Undertaking at the Instance and earnest Incitement of the Pope were also Engaged Frederick the Emperer Philip the Second Sirnamed Augustus King of France Leopold Arch Duke of Austria and many other Princes so that a gallant Army was prepared and great store of Treasure With these King Richard entered into an Agreement that their General Rendezvous should be in the Island of Sicily the following Spring and That such Wealth and Booty as God and good Fortune should put into their Possession should be equally divided between them and their Forces and thus every thing being in a readiness King Richard appointed William Langchamp Bishop of Ely Regent in his Absence and soon after the better to Establish the Bishops Authority among the
health of his own Soul and for the welfare and happiness of his People and Kingdom utterly to defie except his Queen and Children all such as Councelled him or did themselves intend to suppress the Laws and Ordinances established in the Parliament at Oxford or the Authority and Power which for the advantage of the common good was Granted to the Twelve Peers But the King displeased at these Letters returned not any Answer which made them display their Banners and march towards London and as they passed by the Houses of such as favoured the Kings proceedings on the account of the Popes Bulls they Plundered and Spoiled them and laid many in Ruins by Fire Proclaiming such Persons Enemies to the King and Government Approaching London they sent their Letters to the Mayor and Citizens to know whether they were resolved to support the Laws and Ordinances or not and the Authority of the Twelve Peers protesting before God that themselves meant not nor intended any other thing and if they were found defective in any point a speedy Reformation should be made These Letters were no sooner received and read but they were sent to the King who demanded of the Mayor and Citizens whether they would support those Laws and the Twelve Peers or renounce them but fearing their Plunder when such an Army was at their Gates they Assembled in Common-Hall and agreed to send the King Answer That they would stand by the Laws and Peers tho' a little before they had Sworn to the King to stand by him against all opposers This greatly displeased the King but they setting light by his Anger received the Barons with their Army into the City with many expressions of Joy and from hence they Marched to Windsor Castle and displaced all Strangers rifling them of what they had gotten by their Places and Offices especially such as the Prince had put into Trust this yet more offended the King But his Privy Council laboured to pacify him by sending to the Barons to restore the Goods taken from the Aliens and telling him that from thenceforth none but himself should place Persons in Trust but to neither of these the Barons would accord but at last concluded to put the descision of the Controversie to Lewis the French King and inviolably stand to his Award and King Henry agreeing to it Peace for a time ensued and the Swords on both sides were Sheathed and the matter Stated on either part being controverted before the French King it was by him Decreed That all the said Ordinances and Laws should be Annihilated and from thenceforth no Authority or Power should be left in the Twelve Peers But this Sentence was so distasteful to the Barons that they publickly accused him of Partiality to curry-favour with King Henry absolutely refusing to stand by his Award and so strongly were they bent to maintain whatsoever had been in Parliament Established That they repaired again to the Marches of Wales and Levied new Forces and in their passage to London Spoiled and Burnt the Goods Lordships and Houses of Sr. Roger Mortimer who had Counseled the King against them To oppose their Proceedings Prince Edward Marched with the Kings Army against them and a cruel Battel was fought for the space of a whole Day in which the Prince Acted Wonders beyond what could be expected from his Young Years But most of his Commanders being Slain he was at length compelled to leave the Field and March hastily back again with his broken Army leaving the Barons Masters of the Field After this Victory the Barons Marched their Army to London where they were received with great demonstrations of Joy and soon after the Rifraff of the City contrary to the minds of the sober Citizens appointed to themselves two Captains whom they stiled Constables of London and made Proclamation That all who were affected to their Party should take Arms upon Ringing the great Bell at St. Pauls and so Assembling in a Tumultuous manner they committed many Outrages upon the Houses of those that did not approve their Proceedings and then in a great troop went to the Palace of Richard King Henry's Brother who by the German Princes had been Elected King of the Romans and entering it by force seized and carried away all his Plate Treasure and Rich Furniture pulling down and defacing for the most part that stately Building This made him of a Friend ever after an Enemy to the City and Barons For whereas before he had laboured a Reconcilement between the King and them he utterly gave over that good office and exasperated him to continue the War against them so that the King having notice that Sr. Peter Montfort had gathered considerable Forces near Northampton declaring for the Barons he Marched thither whereupon Mountfort retired into the Town with his Forces and was straightly Besieged so that in a little time it being taken by Assault he with Simon the Earl of Leicesters Son and many others were taken Prisoners and disposed of in several Goals till a further course could be taken with them But the Barons being strong in the Field little regarded this blow but advancing their Banners near Lewis in Sussex gave the Kings Army Battel which continued with such obstinate cruelty on both sides that Fathers and Sons Brothers and other near Relations Killed one another without Remorse and such a havock was made that the Army on either side being much wasted the King taken Prisoner with his Brother c. after Fourteen Hours desperate Fighting and the slaughter of 20000 Men on both sides the Royal Party by these Accidents was so weakened that a Treaty ensued and it was Agreed That the King should by new Articles and the renewing his Oath Confirm the Authority granted to the Twelve Peers and all the Ordinances and Laws with this Caution notwithstanding That Two Lords Spiritual and Two Temporal should take a View of and Examine the said Laws and Ordinances and if they saw any reason to Amend or Alter them they might do it and if they agreed not in their Opinions Then the Duke of Britany as Vmpire should be invested with full Power to Arbitrate and End the Difference And the King and his Brother for standing to this had their Liberty and gave their two Eldest Sons as Hostages who upon that account were detained in the Castle of Dover about nine Months Upon this the King called a Parliament which again crossed his expectation by Confirming and Ratifying the Laws of the Oxford Parliament and Authority of the Twelve Peers which constrained the King to take a new Oath to maintain them and the Peers Authority till according to Agreement if any thing was found amiss it should be Reformed c. and all such as in those Wars or otherwise had Maintained them were Pardoned by the King Whereupon the Young Princes were set at Liberty But soon after fell a Difference between the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester the two heads of the Barons Faction
which made them divide into parties to decide their Quarrel by the Sword yet the King fearing this might Involve many of his Subjects in Ruin and shake the Quiet of the whole Kingdom interposed his Authority and Mediation to make them Friends But whilst this was doing Prince Edward the Kings Son taking advantage of their difference departed secretly from Court and consorting with the Earls of Glocester and Warren Sr. Roger Mortimer and others they raised an Army on the Marches of Wales and fell on the Earl of Leicesters Forces with such fury near Eversham in Worcestershire that they totally Routed them and in this Battel the Earl of Leicester Simon his Eldest Son Sr. Hugh Spencer and many others of note were Slain and so enraged were the Soldiers that they dispitefully used the Earls dead Body by cuting off the Head Hands Feet and Privy Members sending them into divers Shires as Trophies of their Victory This turn of fortunate Success so ellevated the drooping King that he resolved utterly to throw off his Fetters and assume his Kingly Authority uncontrouled whereupon whilst his Enemies were full of fear and mistrust and their strength in a manner utterly broken he summoned a Parliament which conforming to his will more through dread of his Anger than voluntarily Repealed the Laws and Ordinances made in the Oxford Parliament disannuling the Authority of the Twelve Peers and all Patents Commissions and Instruments whatsoever that tended to the Establishing and Ratifying those things were by the Kings express Commandment brought forth publickly Cancelled and made void by which means he regained his former Power and Liberty to say and do as he pleased This Parliament was no sooner ended but the King expressed his anger towards the City of London because as is alledged the Rulers and Inhabitants had always despised him and taken part with the Barons against him vowing to consume it with Fire and leave it in a heap of Rubbish as a lasting Monument of their Rebellion to succeeding Ages and so firmly had he determined it That all his Friends and Favorits had much ado to avert him from this purpose nor could it be done till the Citizens caused an Instrument in Writing to be drawn and Ratified it with their common Seal by which they Confessed their Rebellion humbly craving Pardon and without any restraint or exception submitted their Lands Goods Lives and the whole City to the Kings Grace and Mercy Whereupon paying 1000 Marks Fine they were Restored to their Liberties and Customs which had been seized into the Kings hands during which space they had suffered much dammage yet for what Wrongs soever they received they could find no Redress And many Robberies and Piracies during the Wars being committed by the Inhabitants of the Cinque-Ports to hinder his Courts of Justice being pestered with many Complaints he ordered they should be heard in the Courts within the Jurisdiction of those Ports where the Persons agrieved expecting little redress because the Inhabitants were parties few Complaints after that were made Gilbert Clare Earl of Glocester by his revolt from the Barons and joyning his Interest with the Prince expecting high preferment for the success that had given the King all these Advantages and not meeting with it agreeable to his mind grew angry and Meditating Revenge retired from Court into the City where the Citizens forgeting how lately they had been Pardoned and the danger they were in flocked to him in great Numbers and then Sallying through Temple Bar went to the Kings Palace at Westminster which they Rifled with the Houses of many Court Favourites in and out of the City This Outrage made the King pronounce no less than utter Destruction to them But the Prince and Kings Counsellours fearing such severity might renew the Civil War as dangerous as ever with much ado pacified him so far that he Granted a Pardon to the Earl of Glocester and all that had Acted in the late Tumult Yet the Earl finding but cold Entertainment at Court fearing some mischief might befal him at home Made it his request to the King that he would send him with an Army to make War in the Holy Land This motion tho' it tended to much charge and expence pleased the King well for he considered if he continued at home he would still be Plotting but abroad he could little injure the quiet of the Government so that an Army being raised the Earl repented him of his Undertaking and feigned so many causes for delay that the King took the Command out of his hand and gave it to Prince Edward who Transported the Army into Palestine and by his valorous Acts brought such a Terror on the Turks and Sarazens That they seldom if they could avoid it adventured themselves against the Christians in that Quarter where the Prince drew up and the Terror of his coming made them raise the Siege of the City of Acon which they had pressed hardly for a long time with 100000 Men which made them secretly contrive his Death For a Sarazen under pretence of delivering him a Letter Stabbed him in the Arm with an Impoisoned Knife whereupon the Prince struck him down with his Foot and upon the noise his Guards coming in cut the Villan in pieces yet so desperate was the Wound by reason of the venom that the Surgeons declared That unless any at the hazard of their Lives would daily suck the Wound to draw away the Poison his Life could not be saved this when all his Courtiers strained Courtesie to do or utterly refused was undertaken by Elianor his virtuous and loving Wife Sister to the King of Spain who had accompanied him in that tedious Journey and yet she was not at all injured by it And now the King having had some Peace was a little disturbed by a Tumult in Norwich who Burnt the Monastery of the Trinity but he hasting thither they dispersed yet escaped not so for a strict enquiry being made into the matter 50 of the chief Actors were Drawn Hanged and Quartered and their Quarters Burned Soon after this the King fell Sick and Dyed at the Abby of St. Edmund's in Suffolk on the Sixteenth of November Anno Dom. 1275 in the 57th Year of his Reign and 65th of his Age. He was Buried with great Magnificence at Westminster In this Kings Reign an Imposture at the Provincial Synod at Oxford suffered himself to be Wounded in the Hands Feet and Sides saying he was Christ and a Woman that went about with him called herself the Virgin Mary but being taken and closed up between two Walls they there miserably perished On St. Paul's Day in the 15th Year of his Reign such an unusual Thunder and Lightening happened That whilst Roger Niger Bishop of London was at Mass in St. Paul's the Cathedral was so shaken that the People verily supposed it would have falln and that they should have been burned with the flashes of Lightening whereupon all except the Bishop and Arch-Deacon ran
after fell into a general Rout throwing away their Coats to run the nimbler for which reason it is to this day called the Battel of Loose Coat Field and in it were slain about 10000 Sir Robert and some other of Note being taken Prisoners lost their Heads The Earl of Warwick Duke of Clarence and other Lords hearing of this fatal Overthrow distrusting the fidelity of the Army they Commanded left it secretly by Night and with a small Train took Shipping at Dartmouth and Sailed till they came before Callice but was denied Enterance by Monsieur Vaucler whom the Earl had left as his Deputy there for which he was made Captain of the place by King Edward and had a Thousand Pounds a Year Pension from the Duke of Burgundy And here on Shipboard the Dutchess of Clarence was brought to bed of a Son to whom Vauclear would not send any Necessaries nor suffer the Child to be brought on Shore to be Christened yet Sayling hence to Diep they took by the way a Rich Prize belonging to Burgundy and Landing were met by the French King at the Castle of Amboys on the River Loyer and highly welcomed with promises of Assistance and being conducted to the French Court they found there Queen Margaret Prince Edward her Son and Jasper sometimes Earl of Pembrook who had escaped a little before out of the Tower of London with others where they entered into new Conferences in order to Depose King Edward and Restore King Henry and the Earl of Warwick to make his own Party the Stronger gave his Second Daughter in Marriage to Prince Edward and soon after the French King furnishing them with Shipping Men and such Necessaries as they required leaving Queen Margaret and the Prince her Son at the French Court to attend their success they put to Sea and Landed at Dartmouth in Devonshire where the Earl Marshalled his Forces then few in Number but quickly encreased by the Peoples flowing to his Standard from all sides upon his putting out a Proclamation in King Henry's Name requiring them to repair to his Aid with Money Victuals and all things Necessary for the War and valiantly to fight against the Duke of York whom he stiled a Usurper and bloody Tyrant untruly and falsly calling himself King Having by this time mustered a powerful Army he Marched it towards London The King was not idle at this Juncture but with what Army he could gather on the suddain Marched to give the Earl Battel yet on the way hearing that in all the places where his Enemies came the People applauded them and no cry was heard but King Henry and a Warwick and having little confidence in his own Soldiers by the wavering he found in them notwithstanding his wonted courage his Heart now failed him Whereupon in the Night taking with him about 800 of his Friends he could rely on he left the Army and posted into Lincolnshire but finding nothing there in a readiness to advantage him he took Shipping and Sayled for Holland and so passed to Burgundy where he was kindly received by the Duke his Brother-in-Law Upon this the Earl of Warwick came to London and King Henry was taken out of the Tower and carried in Triumph to St. Paul's Church where having paid his Devotions and made his Offerings he was convey'd to the Bishop of London's Palace where he kept his Court with much Bounty and Magnificence and a Parliament being assembled at Westminster in his Name in it Edward and all his principal Adherents were Attainted of High Treason their Goods and Possessions Confiscated to King Henry and by the same Authority the Duke of Clarence was declared to be the next Heir to Richard Duke of York tho' his Second Son and the Dutchy of York was setled on him and his Heirs Also the Crown entailed to King Henry and the Heirs Male of his Body and for want of such Issue to the Duke of Clarence and his Heirs Male and such as had been dispossessed for Henry's Cause were restored to their Titles and Estates Clarence and Warwick were stiled the Kings best Friends Patriots of their Country and made chief Rulers in all things under Henry Upon notice of this great Revolution Queen Margaret and her Son came over but long they had not been here ere Edward furnished by the Duke of Burgundy with Ships Men and Warlike Stores Landed at Ravenspurg in Yorkshire declaring he came not now for the Kingdom but to possess himself of the Dutchy of York his Rightful Inheritance on which he intended as a Subject to live Peaceably which drew many to favour his Cause but having got admittance into that City he soon discovered other Intentions For tho' a little before he had Sworn the contrary to the Citizens â—he Garisoned it with his own Soldiers and exacted Money of them to raise more Forces and so Marching towards London the Marquess Montacute who was sent to oppose him let him pass whereupon he caused himself to be Proclaimed King setting up the Royal Standard This obliged the Earls of Warwick Oxford and divers other Nobles to raise an Army and advance to give him Battel but the Duke of Clarence Marching another way with a separate Army being reconciled to his Brother Edward and joyning his Army with him the Earl thought fit at that time to take other measures not harkening to any fair Words or large Promises to draw him from King Henry's side but bitterly inveighed against the Duke of Clarence saying He had always rather be an Earl firm to his Word and Oath than a Perjured Duke tho' in hopes of a Kingdom Edward being now very much strengthened Marched to London whilst Warwick was raising more Forces and being with some difficulty received by the Citizens he sent King Henry again to the Tower yet having continual News of Warwick's approach he drew out his Forces and Encamped near Barnet about Ten Miles from London having King Henry as a pledg with him fearing if he had left him in the Tower the Londoners in his Absence would have set him at Liberty and the next Morning the Earl of Warwick resolving to throw all on the fortune of a Battel drew up in Battel Array viz. The Right Wing he gave to the Marquess his Brother and the Earl of Oxford the Main Battel to the Duke of Sommerset and others the Left Wing was Commanded by himself and the Duke of Exeter the Vant-Guard of King Edward's Army was commanded by the Duke of Gloucester the Main Battel by himself and the Duke of Clarence in which was King Henry the 6th the Rear-Guard by the Lord Hastings and after they had confronted each other a little space and both Generals made moving Orations to animate their Soldiers the Trumpets sounded the Charge and they rushed together with great fury fighting five or six Hours so desperately that Victory seemed to encline to no side whilst the City of London was greatly amazed and terrified with various Reports of the
Counsellors which made him Fortify his Pallace and accept of a Guard of the Inns of Court Gentlemen who offered their Service to defend his Person from any Insults The Parliament hereupon apprehending a fear of Danger that threaten'd them assumed a Guard for their Defence constituting the Earl of Essex Captain of it and appointed an extraordinary Assembly in the City of London and soon after committed twelve Pishops Prisoners to the Tower which scared most if not all the rest from giving their Attendance and many Ministers of State were Accused and Censured And the Earl of Strafford upon his Tryal being accused of many things and plainly answering all that by Articles was laid to his Charge and the Court Adjourning without prefixing any time of meeting the Commons proceeded to draw up and dispatch a Bill of Attainder against him which the King with great difficulty and some reluctancy of Mind Signed but the Warrant for his Execution he laboured much to defer saying He had heard the Cause and believed in his Conscience the Earl was not guilty of Treason and yet he could not clear him of Misdemeanour but hoped a way might be found out to satisfie Justice and their Fears without oppressing his Conscience and had consulted about it with his Judges and Bishops before he had Signed the Bill as also a Bill for the sitting of the Parliament during the pleasure of both Houses which last was occasioned for satisfying the Scots who required vast Sums of Money However the Earl was Executed tho' the King laboured much to save him proposing his perpetual Imprisonment and many other things He was attended at his Execution on Tower-Hill by the Arch-bishop of Armagh and to this Effect addressed him to the People viz. That he was come thither to pay the last Debt he ow'd to Sin with a good Hope of rising to Righteousness that he Dyed willingly Forgave all and patiently submitted declaring himself Innocent of the Crimes charged against him wishing Prosperity to the King and People He advised his Adversaries to repent of their violent Proceedings against him saying He thought it a strange way to write in Blood the beginning of Reformation and Settlement of the Kingdom however he wished his Blood might rest and not cry against them declaring he Dyed in the Communion of the Church of England for whose Prosperity he Prayed and concluded with a Desire that the Spectators would pray for him And then had his Head stricken off There having been about this time some Tumults made about White-Hall and Westminster and the King being inform'd they were encouraged by the Lord Kimbolton and five Members of the House of Commons the King demanded those five Members whom he accused of High-Treason as also the Lord Kimbolton a Member of the House of Peers but they were refused to be delivered Whereupon he came with about 500 armed Men to the House of Commons where the Speaker resigned the Chair to him but looking about and not seeing those he expected for upon Notice they were withdrawn he declared his good Intentions to the Parliament saying He hoped they would send him those Members against whom he had matters of high Concern But they were so far from doing it that they put the City of London in Arms and Adjourned their sitting for five days forbidding the Citizens to help the King to find out any of the accused Members and so far were they from it that the Parliament sitting again they carry'd them in Triumph and placed them in their Seats shouting and threatning as they passed by White-hall and to lessen the King's Power the Parliament sent Letters to the adjacent Counties commanding the Militia to draw up in Arms Whereupon they found that upon occasion more than 20000 Men could be got in a Readiness These proceedings made the King withdraw to Hampton-Court whose absence much encreased the Parliaments Authority among the People and to endear them to the Citizens they adjourned from Westminster to London and sent their Mandates to the Governors of Sea-port Towns strictly forbidding them to Obey any of the King's Orders unless they were confirmed by them This more weaken'd his Power than all their former Proceedings which the King by an early precaution in Garisoning those parts might have prevented The King considering that things were likely to go ill and that he had given away his Power and could not dissolve this Parliament he endeavoured by mild Terms to win them to his Interest and Writ from Windsor protesting his good meaning towarâ—s both Houses and that he would be ready to any thing that might be for the good of his People whereupon they sent Messengers to desire him to return to London but for some Reasons he refused it Hereupon the Commons drew up an humble Remonstrance which seemed so unreasonable to the Peers as to what therein they proposed that they rejected it till they saw the Commons uniting against them and then Messengers were sent to the King with it who with some Reservation yielded to part of it and denyed the rest which not satisfying them they proceeded to Petition the King That the accused Members might be freed from all imputation of Guilt which was Granted During the King's being busie in Scotland a horrid Conspiracy and Rebellion broke out in Ireland which was discovered but the Night before it began to the Lords-Justices by Owen O Conally by which means Dublin and some other places were secured and divers of the Conspirators apprehended However it was carry'd on with such a Rage and Fury by the Encouragement of the Popish Priests Monks and Fryars that nothing for a time but Slaughter and miserable Cruelties on the English and Scots were to be seen in most of the Provinces the Romish Priests loudly declaring that they were Hereticks and ought to be Extirpated from the Earth that it it was no more Sin to kill them than Dogs and a mortal one to Relieve and Protect them giving the Sacrament to divers on condition that they should spare neither Man Woman nor Child saying It did them a great deal of Good to wash their Hands in their Blood and they were told If any of the Murtherers in this Attempt were slain they should immediately go to Heaven so that nothing but Blood-shed and piteous Cries were to be seen and heard in most parts of that Kingdom The King to Redress this Solicited the Scots Parliament to send ovâ—r Forces but they refused Alledging It was a dependant Kingdom on England and if the English Parliament would make use of and pay any of their Men they might raise them or otherwise they would not intermeddle And the Parliament of England being slow in sending over Succours about 200000 of all sorts fell in this unparrallel'd Massacre but Forces going over the Cut-throats were every where Routed many Slain and the rest betook themselves to their Fastnesses and the state of Affairs were restored to some good Order The Contendings between the
England of the most Religious and Sanctified Persons he could Nominate This was called the Little-Parliament and indeed they did Little exept it were making an Act against Tythes and an Act for Marriages by a Justice of Peace and then being weary of their Power they gave it up to Oliver who had given it to them And now another sort of Government comes next For the Officers of the Army had drawn up a new System and presented it to Oliver desiring him to take the Government upon him under the Title of Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland He at first made a shew of refusing it tho' every one believ'd there was nothing that he desir'd more but being further pressed to it he accepted of it and was that afternoon install'd at Westminster Tho' the Dutch had been already severely beaten and were extreamly Solicitous for a Peace yet that they might get the better Terms they resolved to try the Fortune of War once more which yet prov'd more in-auspicious to them than the former for in the next Battel which was on the 29th of July 1653. Admiral Van Trump was Slain and 33 Sail of Ships sunk to the bottom of the Ocean out of which 1200 men were Sav'd by the English taken up out of Boats and swimming in the Sea This was so great a Mortification to the Dutch that the States were afraid of a general Revolt And therefore they forthwith apply'd themselves to Oliver for a Peace which in the Infancy of his new Government he was willing to Grant upon reasonable Terms tho' they were reduc'd to so low a Condition that he might have made what Terms he pleas'd The Success the English had against the Dutch made other Nations fear Cromwel The Spanish Ambassador coming early to Congratulate his Authority and the Portugals came in a Splendid Embassy to sue for Peace Nor were the French backward to own his Power So that he had now no apprehension of Trouble but only from the Royalists to suppress whom a Plot was soon after found out of several Persons for an intended Assassination of the Protector and several Persons Executed for it The King about this time went into Germany and Solicited several of the Princes there for assistance but with little Success Ireland being wholly reduc'd to Obedience the Marquess of Ormond and the Lord Inchiqueen having timely withdrawn themselves and Embarqued for France an Itinerant High Court of Justice was set up and several of the chief Rebels that began the Massacre in Forty-One were Try'd and Executed for the same among which that notorious Villain Sir Philem O Neal was Hang'd and Quarter'd and his Head plac'd upon Dublin-bridge Some attempts for a rising having been made by several of the Nobility of Scotland they were utterly Defeated by General Monk who was made Commander in chief of that Kingdom And now the Protector having according to the Articles of Government called a Parliament who beginning to Question the Power by which they were called they were soon dissolved again and several of the Royalists taken up about a new Conspiracy The Protector about this time having a mind to some of the Spaniards Indian-Gold sent a Fleet and Army to surprize Hispaniola in the West-Indies but sailing in that attempt by the ill Conduct of General Venablers they went from thence to the Island of Jamaica which they took and which has continued ever since in the Power of the English being now a very rich and flourishing Plantation And General Blake being with his Fleet in the Streights and coming before Tunis and sending to the Governour to demand Satisfaction for the Wrongs done by their People to the English and that the English Captives there might be deliver'd to him had return'd for answer That their Castles of Guletto and Porta Ferina were both well Mann'd and furnished with Ordnance and therefore they did not fear him Whereupon Blake with his great Ships and their Seconds came into the Bay of Porta Ferina within Musquet-shot of the Castle and fired with such fury upon them notwithstanding the frequent Discharges of sixty Great Guns upon his Ships that in two Hours the Castle was made Defenceless and all their Guns dismounted at the same time Burning Nine of their Ships which he found in the Road. This Noble Action strook such a Terror not only upon Tunis who were willing then to Submit to Blakes Proposals but also upon Algeirs and Triâ—olâ— that they quickly came to a Treaty and a Peace was made very much to the Advantage of the English About this time there having been an horrible Massacre made upon the Poor Protestants of Piedmont by the Command of the Duke of Savoy 〈◊〉 the instigation of the Popish Priests and Jesuits the Protector espous'd their Quarrel and not only sent to the Duke on their behalf causing his Edict against them to be recall'd but likewise caus'd a solemn Day of Humiliation to be kept and vast Sums of Money Collected throughout all England for their Relief and sent it or at least part of it by Sir Samuel Moreland to them which made Oliver be look'd upon abroad as the great Patron of the Reformed Religion Upon the War made with Spain by the attempt upon Hâ—spaniola and Jamaica before-mentioned a Peace ensued with France by which among other Articles the King and his Royal Brothers were excluded that Kingdom After which Rear-Admiral Stayner with a part of the English Fleet set upon eight Spanish Ships within four Leagues of the Bay of Cadiz the Admirals Ship in which was General Don Marco del Porto with 600000 pieces oâ— Eight ran ashore in the Bay the Vice-Admiral Commanded by Don Francisco de Esquevel and having in heâ— 1200000 pieces of Eight was taken as was also another Ship Commanded by Don Rodiques Calderon both theâ— were set on Fire one by the Spaniards themselves to prevent their being made Prisoners and the other by accident Two other very rich Ships were taken and kept and severâ— of the Spanish Nobles being taken were brought up tâ— London but Oliver being satisfied with the Treasure takâ— in the Ships dealt very Generously with the Spanish Nobleâ— and after a small time of detaining them here sent theâ—â— home without Ransom The next Year General Blaâ—â— lying with some Ships near Cadiz to watch for they turn of the Spanish Plate-Fleet had intelligence that they were put into the Bay of Santa-Cruz and sailing thither he discern'd the Spanish Fleet to the number of sixteen barricado'd in the Bay but this did not hinder Blake but that the next Morning he sailed into the Bay and whilst some of his Ships pour'd their Broad-sides into the Castles and Forts he and Stayner fought the Spanish Fleet and obtained an intire Victory but perceiving he could not bring away the Spoil set them all on Fire but one that was Sunk But that which is most wonderful in this Noble Action was That the Wind which blew