King and absolved of his vows by Gregory 4th His Bishoprick he bestowed on Swithun This King in great devotion passed to Rome where he rebuilt the School built by King Offa late fired bearing the name of Thomas the holy confirmed the grant of Peter-pence and for his kind entertainment in the Popes Court he covenanted to pay a hundred Marks to St. Peter's Church another to St. Pauls Light and a third to his Holiness Lambert Ethelard A.B. Cant. In his return through France he married fair Judith the daughter of Charles the Bald then Emperor in honour of whom he ever placed her in his English Court in a Chair of State with all other Majestical complements of a Queen contrary to the Law of the West-Saxons formerly made for Ethelburga's offence who by accident had poyson'd her own Husband with the poyson she had prepared for one of his Minions Which respect of his to his Queen so displeased his Nobles that they rose in arms against him but by mediation of Friends the difference was composed on these terms viz. That the Land should be divided betwixt himself and Son Ethelbald to whom the better part was allotted He dyed at Stanbridg in A.D. 857 and was first buried where he deceased but afterwards his body was removed to the Cathedral of Winchester He had issue Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelred Elfred and one Daughter named Ethelswith It is said of this King That by the advice of his Nobles he gave for ever to God and the Church both the tythe of all goods and the tenth part of all the Lands of England free from all secular service taxations or impositions whatsoever ETHELBALD A.D. 857. EThelbald or Ethelwald married Judith his Mother-in-law Some say that he married his own Mother who was King Ethelwolph's Concubine But when he had reigned about two years and an half he dyed in A D. 860. His Body was first buried at Sherbourn in Dorcetshire where at that time was the Cathedral Church and Episcopal See but afterwards was removed to Salisbury EThelbert was disquieted by the Danes all the time of his reign First ETHELBERT A.D. 860. they spoiled all before them to Winchester also sacking and spoiling that City howbeit in their return the Berkshire men under the conduct of Osryck Earl of Hampton met with them recovered the prey and slew many of them The same year also the Danes with the Normans entred Thanet but these the Kentish men repulsed and made a great slaughter of them Ethelbert dyed in A. D. 866 and was buried at Sherbourn EThelred was now King of England ETHELRED A.D. 866. when there arrived on the English Coasts an huge Army of Danes under the command of those strong and cruel Captains Inguar and Habba who burnt down the City of York and therein consumed with fire all those that had fled thither for security Who entred Mercia won the City of Nottingham and therein wintred Who with fire and sword laid all waste where they came and spared neither sex nor age religious or secular Therefore to avoid their Barbarities the Nuns of Coldingham deformed themselves by cutting off their upper-lips and noses King Ethelred in one years time fought no less than nine set-battels with these Danes and at that battel fought at Essendon not far from Reading he obtained a great victory over them But in a fight at Basing the King received his mortal wound whereof he dyed at Wittington in A. D. 872. Alfredus Trelolegeldus A. B. Cant. He was buried at Winbourn in Dorcetshire with this Inscription In hoc loco quiescit corpus Sancti Ethelredi Regis West-Saxonum Martyris qui A.D. 872 23 die April per manus Ducorum paganorum occubuit His Issue were Elfred and Oswald and one Daughter named Thyre ALFRED A.D. 872. ELfred or Alfred the fourth Son of King Ethelwolph was in his young years and Fathers life-time anointed King at Rome by Pope Leo but after his brother Ethelred's death was crowned at Winchester and is by some stiled the first absolute Monarch over the English Within a Months time after his Coronation he was forced into the field against the Danes whom he fought at Wilton where he was worsted Then the Danes constrained the West-Saxons to enter into league with them then advanced to London where they wintred compelled the Mercians to compound with them banishing Burthred their King placing another in his stead of their own chusing Their King Halden gained Northumberland which he bestowed amongst his followers In A.D. 876 Rollo a noble-man of Denmark came over with a great Army of fresh Forces making a miserable spoil where he came but Alfred forced him out of the Land Howbeit the Danes who had already seated themselves in England bring the King many times to such extremities that he was forc'd to hide himself out of sight and with such small companies as he had to live by fishing fowling and hunting having no more of his great Monarchy left him but Wilt Somerset and Hantshire nor them neither free from the incursions of the Danes The solitary place of his most residency was an Island in Somersetshire commonly called Edelingsey where in poor disguise he was entertained into a Cowherds Cottage This Cowherd who succoured King Alfred named Dunwolfus whom the King after set to learning and made Bishop of Winchester Yet in these his distresses he would sometimes disguise himself in the habit of a common Minstrel repairing to the Danes Camp and by his excellent skill in Musick and Song would gain the opportunity of observing as well what their designments were as their security which he wisely improved For seeing his time he gathered what small Forces he could and on the sudden surprized his careless enemies in their Camp making a great slaughter of them to the great terror of others of them in other parts of the Nation who accounted the King dead long before Shortly after this the Devonshire men joyned Battel with King Hubba whom they slew with a great number of his Danes near unto a Castle then called Kinwith The body of Hubba was there buried in the field and thereof called Hublestone In that fight the English took the Danes much esteemed Banner called Reafan wherein a Raven pourtrayed was wrought in Needle-work by the three Sisters of Hubba And now the English fortunes seemed so advanced that the Danes sent to the King for Peace which was condescended unto and Gormon or Gurthrun their King was Baptized Alfred being his Godfather Celnoth and Ethelrad A. B. Cant. and giving him the name of Athelstone and withall bestowing on him in free gift Gormoncester or Godmonchester near Huntingdon with the adjoyning territories Thirty of the chief Danish Nobility were likewise baptized upon whom King Alfred bestowed many rich gifts And that the limits of the English might be free from Danish incursions thus the confines of King Alfreds Kingdom were laid out His Dominions were to stretch from
Sparrows being taken and fire fastned to their feet were let fly into the City who lighting among Straw set it on fire whence the City was burnt to the ground but Careticus escaped and fled for safety unto the Mountains of Wales where he dyed From that time forth the Britains lost their whole Kingdom in the East part of the Island and were confined in the West by the Rivers Severn and Dee CAdwan maintained himself and Subjects in great honour and peace CADWAN A D. 635. His first affairs against the Saxons was to revenge the deaths of his Britains and harmless Monks of Bangor slain by wild Ethelfrid the mighty King of Northumberland The Monastery of Bangor in North Wales was situated in the fruitful valley now called the English Mailor containing within it the quantity of a Mile and an half of ground This Monastery as saith Bernard Clarivalentius was the Mother of all others in the World Whose Monks distributed themselves into Seven portions every one numbring 300 Souls and all of them living by the labour of their own hands Many of these Monks assembled at * Chester Caer-Legion to assist their Brethren the Britains with their Prayers against Ethelfrid sirnamed the Wild King of Northumberland who with his Pagan Soldiers set upon the Britains discomfited their host and put to the Sword Twelve hundred of these Christian Monks CAdwallo or Cadwallin the Son of Cadwin warred most valiantly against the Saxons slew the Christian King Edwin of Northumberland CADWALLO A. D. 635. with his Son Osfride in a great and bloody Battel at Heathfield He dyed in peace as the British Writers say and was buried in St. Martins Church in London his Image great and terrible triumphantly riding on Horseback being artificially cast in Brass the Britains placed upon Ludgate to the further fear and terror of the Saxons CADWALLADOR A.D. 685. CAdwallador the Son of Cadwallo with great valour fought against the Saxons but his Nobles dissenting and warring among themselves did much endamage his very hopeful undertakings And by the All disposing hand of Providence so great a dearth befell that Herbs and Roots were the Commons chiefest sustenance Mortality and Pestilence likewise raging so sore and so suddenly that people in their eating drinking walking and speaking were surprised by death and in such numbers that the living were scarce sufficient to bury the dead Which calamities lasted no less than Eleven years whereby the Land became desolate insomuch that the King and many of his British Peers were forced to seek and eat their bread in forain parts But the destroying Angel by Gods appointment having sheathed his devouring Sword Cadwallador was minded to have returned into his native Country with some aids which he had procured of his Cousin Alan King of Little-Britain but was forbid by an Angel as he thought and commanded to go to Rome and there take upon him the habit of Religion which accordingly he did and dyed at Rome where in St. Peters Church he was buried being the last King of the Britains blood about A. D. 689. The most powerful Kings of the Saxon Heptarchy were HEngist HENGIST A.D. 455. who about the 5th year after his arrival in Britain began his Kingdom in Kent He as all the Saxon Kings beside doth derive his original from Prince Woden and his Wife Fria by Wechta the eldest of their Seven Sons being the fifth in Issue from them His Brother Horsa was slain in Battel by the Britains According to some himself dyed in peace others say that he was slain when he had reigned Thirty four years ELla the first King of the South Saxons ELLA A.D. 479. in the Twenty third year of Hengist's Reign brought a fresh supply of Germans to he relief of his Countreymen who landing at Shoreham in Sussex vanquished the Britains in those parts after which he assumed the name of King of that Province CHerdick the first King of the West Saxons CHERDICK A. D. 485. arrived in the Western parts of this Island in the Seventh year of Ella's reign where in his first Battel with the Britains he slew a mighty King of theirs named Natanleod or Nazaleod This Battel was fought in Hampshire near unto a Brook of Water which from Cherdick began to be called Cherdick-ford where now a Town of the same name standeth but by contraction called Charford KENRICK KEnrick the 2d King of the West Saxons inlarged his confines upon the territories of the Britains giving them two great overthrows the one at Searbury in Wiltshire the other at Banbury in Oxfordshire CHELWIN A.D. 560. CHelwin or Cheuline the Son of Kenrick and 3d King of the West Saxons overcame the Britains in many fights also set himself to inlarge his own Territories upon his Countrey-mens For entring Kent in a set Battel he defeated that Kings forces He surprized the Cities of Glocester Bath and Cyrencester slew Three of the British Kings named Coinmagil Candidan and Farimnagil But grown proud through his many victories he tyrannized over his own Subjects which moved them to take part with the Britains against him and at Wodnesbeath now Wansditch in Wiltshire they vanquished and put him to flight forcing him into Banishment in which he dyed EThelbert the 5th King of Kent ETHELBERT A.D. 561. was Married to Berta the Daughter of Chilperick King of France on these conditions That the Lady should enjoy the profession of her Christian Faith and the conversation of Luidhard her learned Bishop About this time it chanced that Gregory the Great then Arch-Deacon of Rome saw certain youths of this Island of Britain brought to Rome to be sold concerning whom he enquired first of what Nation they were and being answered that they were Angles Gregory replied and not without cause are they so named indeed their resemblance is so Angelical and fit it is that they be made inheriters with the Angels in Heaven But of what Province are they in Britain said he and being answered of Deira now great pitty it is said he but that these people should be taken from Deiâ—ira the wrath of God And being told that their Kings Name was Ella he by way of allusion said That Alelujah to the praise of God should shortly be sung in that Princes Dominions to which end when he had attained to be Bishop of Rome he sent Augustin a Monk with Fourty others his assistants which landed in Thanet about A. D. 596 finding at their coming Seven Bishops in the British Churches These Roman Christians sent by Gregory were by King Ethelbert freely permitted to Preach the Gospel and in his chief City of Canterbury he allowed them fit places of residence and to Augustine resigned his own Palace In this City Austin laid the foundation of that great Church dedicated to the name and service of Christ Augustine the Monk and Laurentius A. Bps. of Canterbury And also at his cost built a most fair Monastery wherein
Eight Kings of Kent and Ten Arch-Bishops were afterwards interred But between the Britain Christians and Austin there was a great difference about the due time for celebrating the Feast of Easter Easter was kept in Britain after the manner of the Eastern Church on the Fourteenth day after the full Moon whatsoever day of the week it happened on and not on Sunday as we at this day observe it which made Austin in great displeasure against them and they to dislike him for his pride The British Bishops were consecrated by their own Arch-Bishops and they by their own Suffragans making no profession of subjection to any other Church And when Augustine the Monk required of the British Bishops to profess subjection to the See of Rome Dinothus Abbot of Bangor made it apparent by divers Arguments that they owed him none nor did they follow the Rites of Rome But King Ethelbert being by Augustine converted to the Christian Faith was the instrument of converting of Sebert King of the East Saxons whom he assisted in the building of St. Pauls where had stood the Temple of Diana as also the Church of St. Peters at Westminster then called Thorney where the Temple of Apollo stood and himself built the Cathedral Church at Rochester dedicating it to St. Andrew He brought the Laws of his Countrey into their own Mother-Tongue and was very forward in advancing the Christian Religion He dyed in or near A.D. 616 and was buried at Canterbury Augustine the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury dyed during the reign of Ethelbert was buried in the Northern Porch of the New Church in Canterbury dedicated to St. Peter and Paul and Laurentius succeeded him in that Bishoprick REdwald 3d King of the East Angles REDWALD A.D. 616. was Baptized in Kent but returning into his own Countrey through the perswasions of his Queen he returned to his superstitions and in one and the same Temple erected an Altar for the service of Christ and another for his Idols EDwin the Great EDWIN A D. 624. and 2d King of Northumberland subdued all the coasts of Britany wheresoever any Provinces were inhabited either by Britains or Saxons which thing no King of the English before him had done And added the Mevian Isles or Hebrides unto his own Dominions He was converted to the Christian Faith by Paulinus and Baptized at York in St. Peters Church then built of Wood which he rebuilt of Stone making it the Cathedral Church and Paulinus Arch-Bishop of that See * Church of Lincoln founded by Bp. Paulinus He suppressed Idolatry established the Gospel in the Northern parts which daily spread into other Provinces and with such fruit of Peace that throughout his Dominions a weak Woman with hâ—r new-born babe might have passed without danger or â—amâ—ge over all the island from State â—ea◠〈◊〉 And for the conveniency of way-faring me◠〈…〉 closed clear Springs by the ways sides Melitus and Justu A. Bps. of Canterbury where he placed great Basons of Brass both to wash and bathe in But Penda the Mercian King and Cadwallo the Britain confederated against him and in fight slew him and his Son Osfryd His Body was buried at Streanshall now called Whitby OSWALD A.D. 633. OSwald the 5th King of Deira the 9th of Bernicia and 3d of Northumberland having received the Christian Faith in Scotland during his banishment there at his return took such care for the salvation of his Subjects that he sent into Scotland for Aidan a Christian Bishop to instruct his Northumbrians in the Gospel of Truth And because the Bishop could not speak their Language the King himself would interpret his Sermons to the people Which godly undertaking of the good King and Bishop was so successful that as is reported in Seven days space Fifteen thousand received Baptism At this time the whole Island flourished with Peace and plenty and acknowledged their subjection to Oswald But Penda King of Mercia envying his flourishing estate slew him in Battel at a place called Maserfield in Shropshire and then tore his body peace-meal Whereupon the said place of his death is called to this day Oswalds-tree His dismembred Limbs were first buried in the Monastery of Bradney in Lincolnshire afterwards removed to Glocester and buried in the North-side of the upper end of the Quire in the Cathedral Church King Oswald being at Dinner on Easter-day Melitus and Justus A.B. Cant. one brought him word that there was a great company of poor people in the Streets which asked Alms of him whereupon he commanded the Meat prepared for his own Table to be carried to them and brake a Silver Platter to pieces and sent it amongst them In the year of Christ 636 Honorius Arch-Bishop of Canterbury first divided England into Parishes Northumberland was sometime parted into two Kingdoms namely Deira and Bernicia Osway the 4th King of Northumberland OSWAY A.D. 643. slew Penda in fight with the discomfiture of all his Mercian power and in the same Battel slew Ethelbert King of the East Angles who sided with Penda after which victory he subdued the Mercians and made the Northern part also wholly subject unto him He founded the Cathedral Church in Lichfield for a Bishops See dyed in A. D. 670 and was buried in St. Peters Church in Streanshalch VVlfhere the 6th King of the Mercians VULFHERE A D. 668. slew his two Sons Vulfald and Rufin because they usually resorted to reverend Chad for the profit of their Souls and had received at his hands the Sacraments of Baptism Their martyred bodies Queen Erminhild their Mother caused to be buried in a Sepulchre of Stone and thereupon a fair Church to be erected which by reason of the many Stones brought thither for the foundation was ever after called Stones Honorius and Duesdedit A.B. Cant. and is now a fair Market-Town in Staffordshire But Vulfhere repenting his most inhumane murder and becoming a Christian converted his Heathen Temples unto Churches and Monasteries and finished Medisham now Peterborough his brother Pada's foundation inriching it largely with Lands and possessions He dyed A. D. 674 and was buried at Peterborough ETHELRED EThelred because of his Nephew Kenreds minority and disposition to a private life was accepted of the Mercians for their King His entrance was with War against the Kentish King Lothair whose Countrey he miserably destroyed sparing neither Religious nor secular place But at length disquieted in mind because of his cruelties to expiate his crimes he first built a godly Monastry at Beadney in Lincolnshire then resigning the Crown to Kenred became there a Monk himself living a regular life the term of Twelve years and dyed Abbot of the place in A. D. 716. In the 4th year of his Reign a fearful Blazing-Star discovered it self and for three Months together continued rising in the morning and giving forth a blazing pile very high and of a glittering flame KEnred the 8th King of Mercia Theodorus and
causing a great dearth among Cattel extraordinary Rains Water floods incredible which so softned the hills to the foundations that some of them fell and over-whelmed the Villages near them Most of the principal Cities were indamaged by fire So great a fire hapned in London that it consumed Houses and Churches all the way from the West-gate to the East-gate And 't is said that tame and domestick Fowls became wild flying to the Woods WILLIAM RVFVS WIlliam sirnamed Rufus A. D. 1087. notwithstanding that Robert Curtoise his eldest Brother was living yet by the mediation and assistance of Lanfrank Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Wolstane he gained the voices of the Councel and was Crowned A. D. 1087. But Odo Bishop of Bayeux to take revenge for his sufferings under the Conqueror instigated Duke Robert to repair into England and recover his right which he promised should soon be effected Now Robert that Money the sinews of War might not be wanting for the carrying on of this design mortgaged the Province of Constantine to his Brother Henry and with him many of the English sided William on the other hand by fairly promising to abolish the over-hard Laws made by his Father and to take off the Taxes and Imposts drew the people generally to stand in his defence by whose aids he regained divers strong holds that the Nobles had seized for Duke Robert He also besieged Rochester wherein Odo was from which siege he sent forth his Proclamation throughout the Land commanding all men to repair thereto and that whosoever would not should be reputed a Niding A word so disgraceful and hateful to the English signifying a Coward or base-hearted fellow that made multitudes hast with all speed to that service Whereupon the Castle was yielded and Odo banished and his goods confiscated But whilst these things were acting Robert Duke of Normandy Landed at Southampton and very shortly returned again into his own Territories upon his Brother Williams promise to pay him Three thousand Marks yearly and to resign the Kingdom to him or his Heirs at his death About this time Lanfrank Arch-Bishop of Canterbury dyed and the King kept that See vacant above Four years So did he by many other Ecclesiastical promotions and set to sale the rights of the Church preferring those therein that would give the most and yet his exchequer became never the richer He was wont to say That Christs bread is sweet dainty and most delicate for Kings His Brother Roberts Territories in Normandy he invaded taking divers strong holds and Castles inforcing Robert to make a Peace with him After which these two Brothers unite their forces against their Brother Henry But he fearing after-claps had strongly fortified the Castle of Mount St. Michael in Normandy wherein they besieged him In which time of Siege King Williams life was in great hazard for some of the besieged sallying forth William more boldly than wisely rode against them and a Knight encountring him slew his Horse under him and had slain him too had he not made himself known by his voyce Whereupon the armed men with great reverence took him up and brought him another Horse when the King not staying for the stirrup sprang into the Saddle and with angry countenance demanded who it was that overthrew him and the Knight as boldly answered and shewed himself who he was By Lukes face quoth the King thou shalt be my Knight and be inrolled in my Check with a fee answerable to thy worth Prince Henry in the time of this siege being sorely distressed for Water sent to his Brother Robert knowing him to be of the better temper desiring him that he might have that permitted him which God had made common Duke Robert commanded him to be supplied whereat King William was wroth Anselme A.B. Cant. To whom Robert sayd And dost thou esteem more of water which is every where to be got than of a Brother having no more but him and me In short time after these Three brethren were reconciled and in short time after that the two elder again disagreed The Peace of England was also disturbed by Malcolme King of Scots but by the Ambushment of Mowbray Earl of Northumberland he was slain with his Son Edward Then Mowbray grown proud turns Rebel but was taken and committed to Windsor Duke Robert preparing for the Holy Wars mortgaged his Dukedom to his Brother William for the sum of Six thousand six hundred sixty six pounds of Silver for the making up of which sum King William made the Religious Houses to ransack their Coffers Normandy therefore was now the Kings concern to keep as his own wherefore a while after hearing as he sate at meat that Main a City in Normandy was straitly besieged and his Subjects sorely distressed he swore his wonted Oath By St. Lukes face that he would not turn his back till he was with them And thereupon commanded the wall of the House to be broke down that he might go forth the next way to Sea leaving order for his Nobles straight-way to follow him But the Winds being contrary and Seas raging his Pilate humbly desired him to stay a while till the winds and Seas were appeased To whom the King said Hast thou ever heard that a King hath been drowned Therefore hoise up the sails I charge thee and be gone Which accordigly being done the King making such hast relieved the City before it was expected Then setling his affairs in that Countrey he returned into England where as he was Hunting in New-Forest Sir Walter Tyrrel a French Knight shooting at a Stag the Arrow glanced against a Tree and struck the King into the breast with which he immediately dyed Aug. 1. A. D. 1100. His body layd in a Colliers Cart was drawn with one poor Jade through a very dirty way till the Cart broke where for a while the Corps was left in the dirt but afterwards was conveyed to Winchester and there buryed in the Cathedral Church The bones since have been taken up and laid into a Coffer with the bones of Canutus At Westminster he laid new foundations of a most stately Palace and finished that stately building called the great Hall which he found fault with because no bigger accounting it scarce worthy the name of a Bed-chamber in respect of that which he intended to build He new built the City Carlisle which 200 years before had been spoiled by the Danes built the Church of St. Saviours in Southwark and founded an Hospital in York to the Honour of St. Peter In this Kings reign the Bishops See was translated from Selsey to Chichester anciently called Cissancester In his Reign happened a most dreadful Earth-quake vehement Lightning leaving an intolerable stink behind it An exceeding tempest of Wind that in London drove down Sixty Houses blew off the Roof of Bow-Church with the Beams Six of which in their fall were driven Twenty three foot deep into the ground the Streets of the City lying then
Bertualdus A. B of Cant. reigned in peace the term of four years but affecting a private retired life he appointed Chelred his Cousin to rule in his stead and accompanied with Offa King of East-Saxons KENRED and Edwin Bishop of Winchester he went unto Rome where himself and Offa became Monks and there dyed CHeldred the 9th King of the Mercians CHELRED A.D. 709. was all along during his seven years reign engaged in Wars against Inas King of the West-Saxons Which Inas being in pilgrimage at Rome in A.D. 720 gave a tribute to Rome called Peter-pence being a peny for every house At first it was called the Kings Alms it was also called Romescot Inas built a Colledg at Wells and a stately Abby at Glastenbury where formerly the old Cell of Joseph of Arimathea had been He also built a Castle at Taunton King Chelred dyed in A. D. 716 and vvas buried in the Cathedral Church at Lichfield EThelbald the 10th King of the Mercians ETHELBALD spent the most part of his reign in peace and too much thereof in Luxury for the vvhich he vvas reproved by Boniface an English man Bishop of Mentz Whose Epistle Redargutory had this influence upon the King that in sign of repentance he priviledged the Church from all Tributes to himself and founded the Abby of Crowland About which time it was appointed by Arch-Bishop Cuthbert and his Clergy in a convocation held in his Province that the Sacred Scriptures should be read in their Monasteries the Lords Prayer and Creed taught in the English tongue A. D. 733. In January the Sun suffered so great an Eclipse that the Earth seemed to be overshadowed as with Sack-cloth And A. D. 756 and in December the Moon being in her full appeared both dark and bloody for a Star though there be none lower than the Moon seemed to follow her and to deprive her of light till it had got before her But great Ethelbald fighting against Cuthred the West Saxon was trayterously slain by the procurement of one of his own Captains near Tanworth and was buried at Repton in Derbyshire OFFA A.D. 758. OFFA the 11th King of the Mercians as is said was born both lame deaf and blind continuing so unto his mans estate He was of such stout and daring spirit that he thought nothing impossible for him to attain unto The first that felt his fury were the Kentish men whose King Alrike he slew in fight with his own hands From south to north he then marched and beyond Humber made havock of all that opposed him Whence returning in triumph he vanquished Kenwolph and his West-Saxons with whom Marmadius King of the Britains sided He caused a great ditch to be made between his and the Britains borders that is from Basingwark in Flintshire and North-Wales not far from the mouth of Dee running along the Mountains into the South ending near Bristol at the fall of Wye The tract whereof in many places is yet seen being called Clawdh Offa Tarninus and Nothelmus A.B. Cant. or Offa's Ditch The Danes that had invaded England he forced back to their ships with the loss of all their booty and many of their lives Then making his son Egfryd Partner with him in the Kingdom he went to Rome where he made his Kingdom subject to a tribute called Peter-pence and gave rich gifts to Pope Hadrian for canonizing Alban a Saint in honour of whom at his return he built a Magnifick Monastry over against Verolanium Also in testimony of his repentance for the blood he had shed in his Wars he gave the tenth part of his goods unto the Church-men and poor At Bath he built a Monastry and in Warwick-shire a Church where the adjoining town from it and him beareth the name Off-Church He dyed at Offley in A D. 794 and was buried without the town of Bedford in a Chappel standing upon the bank of Owse which long since was swallowed up by the same River In A D. 755 was Sigebert King of West-Saxons slain by a Swineherd and in A.D. 760 Kenwolph King of West-Saxons made Wells an Episcopal See EGfryd the son of Offa restored to the Church her ancient priviledges which his Father had deprived her of EGFKID A.D. 794. He dyed in the first year of his reign and was buried in the Abby-Church of St. Albans KEnwolph the 13th King of the Mercians KENWOLPH A.D. 795. was at home a president of peace religion and justice and abroad of temperance humility and courtesie In War stout and victorious in Peace studious of enriching his subjects He vanquished the Kentish men and carried away their King prisoner detaining him captive and giving his Kingdom to Cuthred He built a fair Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire where upon the dedication thereof he led Pren his captive King of Kent up to the high altar and there without either his entreaty or any ransom set him at full liberty He dyed A. D. 819 and was buried at Winchcomb where was buried also Kenelm his son murder'd by his sister Quendred SAXON MONARCHS EGBERT A.D. 819. EGbert the 18th King of West-Saxons first warred against the Cornish and Welsh a remnant of the old Britains which for fourteen years held side against this King which so enraged him that he made it present death for any Britain to pass over Offa's pitch into England Their great Caer-legion now Westchester he took from them and at London cast down the Image of their Prince Cadwalle He subdued Kent East-Saxons and East-Angles also the Mercians and indeed all upon the North and South of Humber yeilded him obedience He was crowned at Winchester absolute Monarch of the whole Island in A. D. 819 and caused the South of this Island to be called England Three several times the Danes landed in England in his reign whom he expelled He dyed in A. D. 836 and was buryed at Winchester Cuthbert and Brogmius A.B. Cant. But his bones were since taken up and with others bestowed in Chests set upon the Wall on each side the Quire of the Cathedral with these verses inscribed Hic Rex Egbertus pausat cum Rege Kenulpho nobis egregia munera uterque tulit His issue were Ethelwolph and Ethelstan and one Daughter named Egdith commonly called St. Edith who was Governess of a Monastry of Ladies at Pollesworth in Warwickshire EThelwolph was in his youth committed unto the care of Helmestan Bishop of Winchester ETHELWOLPH 836. and by him unto learned Swithun the Monk He took such a liking unto the quiet and solitary life enjoyed only by religious men all other estates being molested to withstand the intruding Danes that he took upon him the Monkish Vow and profession and was made Deacon and shortly after upon the death of Helmestan he was elected if not consecrated also Bishop of Winchester But the death of his Father immediately following by the intreaty of the Nobles and constraint of the Clergy he was made
his near Kinswoman and not long after slew her Husband that he might the more freely injoy his incestuous pleasure Otho A B Cant. A great enemy he was to the Monks Order expelling them from some of their Monastries and placing married Priests in their vacancies Dunstan the St. he expelled the Realm either for his bold reprehensions of him or for detaining the Treasure his Uncle had committed to his keeping or both but the people having the Monks single life in high veneration and conceiting Dunstan to be a very holy man they turned their affections from him and sware their fealty to Edgar for very grief whereof he pined away and dyed A. D. 959 and was buried in the Church of the New-Abby at Winchester EDGAR A.D. 959. EDgar sirnamed the Peaceable was Crowned at Kingston by Otho Arch-Bishop of Canterbury To rid the Land of Wolves which then were very plenty instead of the Tribute imposed on the Prince of Wales by King Athelstan he appointed Luduall Prince of Wales to pay yearly 300 Wolves His Navy-Royal he imployed in securing the Coasts from Pirates and foreign enemies wherein himself would sayl every Summer And in the Winter he would circuit the Countrey taking an account of the administration of his Laws and demeanor of his great men especially his Judges whom he would punish severely if he found them to have been guilty of bribery or partiality insomuch that there was never less robbery deceit or oppression than in the reign of this King His State was so flourishing in peace and prosperity that caused divers Kings to bind themselves in League with him Wars he had none in all his reign OTHO A.B. Cant. save a little towards the latter end thereof by the Welsh whom he quickly curbed But that which darkned his glory was his lasciviousness For he defloured a certain Nun called Wolfchild on whom he begat St. Edyth after her another named Ethelflede on whom he begat his son Edward And after this happening to hear a Western Dukes Daughter extolled for her beauty he came to her Fathers house commanding her to his bed But her Mother tender of her honour instead of her Virgin-daughter brought her servant-maid in the dark to the King who well enough pleas'd him that night though in the morning when he understood the deceit he checked the Lady yet entertain'd this Servant for his Concubine keeping to her bed alone till he married his lawful Wife Elfrida Duke Ordgarus daughter The fame of whose excelling-beauty coming to his ear he employed Earl Ethelwold his Favourite to go to visit her and if he found her beauty suiting then to court and secure her for the King But Etholwold liked her so well when he saw her that he courted her for himself and at his return to Court pretended to the King that her beauty was far short of what it was famed to be therefore besought the King in respect she was a great Heiress that he would sollicite her Father to bestow her upon him to Wife Which the credulous King did But the Duke had not been long married with fair Elfrida ere a fresh commendation of her beauty sounded in the Kings ears Elsius and Dunstane A.B. Cant. Whereupon he resolved to make his own eyes the Witnesses which accordingly he did And upon sight of her beauty became so inamored of her that taking Etholwold at the advantage as they were hunting together he ran him through with his Javelin then took Elfreda to be his Wife who was very willing to embrace the honour Edgar at the instigation of Dunstane now Archbishop of Canterbury displaced the married priests and possessed their vacancies with Monks of single life To repress drunkenness which the Danes had brought in he ordained a size by certain Pins in the Pot with penalty to any that presumed to drink deeper than the Mark. He dyed A.D. 975 and was buried in the Abby of Glastenbury His Issue were Edward Edmond and Ethelred Ordolph the son of Ordgare Earl of Devonshire in A. D. 961 built a famous Abby at Tavistoke in Devon Ethelwald Bishop of Winchester about A. D. 963 and in the reign of King Edgar in a great Famine sold away all the sacred Vessels of his Church for to relieve the poor saying That there was no reason that the sensless Temples of God should abound in riches and lively Temples of the Holy-Ghost to want them EDWARD II. 975. EDward sirnamed the Martyr was much opposed by his Mother-in-law Queen Elfrida and many of the Nobles as being illegitimate but by the procurement of Dunstane and the Clergy he was admitted to be King and was crowned at Kingstone in A.D. 975. The beginning of whose Reign was attended with a miserable barrenness of the ground and Murrain amongst Cattel A dreadful Comet also appeared These many men thought to be signs and judgments sent from heaven for the sins committed against the Married Clergy who were expulsed from their ancient possessions In favour of whom the Duke of Mercia destroyed the Monastries in his Province cast out the Monks restoring to the Priests and their Wives their ancient revenues On the contrary Duke Edelwin in East-Saxia grievously oppressed the married Priests To put an end therefore to these troubles and to prevent the dangers that might ensue the case was referred to be heard in Council at Winchester where the business was debated so long till the Monks were in hazard of losing the day Whereupon it was perswaded to be referred to the Rood placed where the Council sate which Oracle after devout prayers made unto it thus spake God forbid it should be so God forbid it should be so you judged well once and to change that again is not good Upon which words the married Priests went down the wind But they disclosing to the people that this was but a trick of the Monks in placing a man behind the wall who through a trunk uttered these words in the mouth of the Rood it was therefore instantly desired that the case might be once more scanned Which was granted and at Cloves in Wiltshire the Prelates Peers and Commons assembled where being set in consultation Ethelgar and Elfrick A.B. Cant. the Chamber-floor being over-pressed with the weight of people broke and fell down hurting many and killing others only St. Dunstane by a miracle remained without any hurt the post whereon his Chair stood standing still firm This is the story And now the secular married Priests were left to take Care without any Cure But King Edward as he hunted near Corf-Castle where Elfrida and her son Ethelred resided either on purpose or by chance parted from his company and came to the Castle to visit his Brother-in-law where as he sate on horse-back at the gate discoursing with Elfrida and Ethelred and whilst he was drinking a cup of Wine a knife was struck into his back by a servant whom Elfrida had appointed thereunto Whereupon the King setting
above all the Peers of his Kingdom A while after performing this his promise by causing Edrick's head to be cut off and placed on the highest Gate of London But some say that King Edmond dyed a natural death at London when he had reigned seven Months whose body was buried at Glastenbury His Issue were Edward sirnamed the Out-law because he lived out of England during the reign of the Danes and Edmond DANES CANUTE A.D. 1017 CANVTE the Dane after the death of Edmond seized upon the other half part of the Kingdom the English Nobles owning him for their rightful King and swearing allegiance to him He was crowned at London by Living us Elstane Arch-bishop of Canterbury A. D. 1017. And to establish the Crown more sure to himself he banished Edwin the son of King Ethelred who for his melancholy and regardless behaviour was called The King of Churles He also sent away Edward and Edmond the sons of Edmond Ironside Next he espoused Emma the Widow of King Ethelred and sister to the Duke of Normandy on this condition That the issue of her body by him should inherit the English Crown Then calling a Parliament of his Peers to Oxford he there established these Laws following viz. That all decent ceremonies tending to the encrease of reverence and devotion in the service of God should be used as need required That the Lords Day should be kept holy That a Clergy killing a Lay-man or for any other notorious crime should be deprived both of his Order and Dignity That a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and ears cut off And a Widow marrying within the space of twelve months after her Husbands dectase should lose her Joynture With many others He went on pilgrimage to Rome where he complained against the excessive exactions and vast sums of money extorted by the Pope from the English Archbishops at such times as they received their Palls from thence Which the Pope engaged to redress for the future The greatness and glory of this King was such that some Court-Parasites sought to perswade him that he possessed a more than humane power but he to demonstrate the contrary being then at Southampton caused a Chair to be set on the shore when the Sea began to flow then sate himself in it and in the presence of his many attendants thus spake to the swelling-waves Thou Sea art part of my dominion don't therefore on pain of punishment presume so much as to wet the robes of thy Lord. But the unruly Sea swelling on further and further first wet his skirts then thighs so that the King suddenly started up and retiring said Let the inhabitants of the world know that the power of Kings is but weak and vain and that none is worthy the name of King save He that keepeth Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience to his own will After which time he would never wear his Crown but therewith crowned the picture of Christ on the Cross at Winchester which became a prize to the Church-men He dyed in A.D. 1035 and was buried at Winchester His Issue were Swein Harold Hardicanute and two Dâ—ughters In Essex he built the Church of Ashdon where he had the victory of King Edmond In Norfolk he founded the Abbey of St. Benets and in Suffolk the Monastry of St. Edmond Egelnoth A.B. Cant. which Saint he much dreaded To the Church of Winchester besides other rich Jewels he gave a Cross worth as much as the Revenue of England amounted to in one year And unto Coventry they say he gave the Arm of St. Augustine which at Papia cost him an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold HARALD A.D. 1035 HARALD for his exceeding swiftness sirnamed Harefoot the base son of King Canute in the absence of Hardicanute his Fathers son by Queen Emma was admitted King by the Nobility and crowned at Oxford by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury Which done for the better securing of the Crown to himself he sought means to gain Edward and Alfred the two surviving sons of King Ethelred into his hands In order whereunto he sent to them into Normandy a Letter feigned in their Mother Emma's name inviting them over into England for the recovery of their right But when Prince Alfred was accordingly arrived Earl Goodwin who pretended great kindness unto him betrayed him and his small party brought over with him into Haralds hands who at Guilford committed them to the slaughter only reserving every tenth man either for service or sale Alfred he sent prisoner into the Isle of Ely where his eyes being put out he in short time after dyed through grief and pain Queen Emma's Goods Harald confiscated banished her out of the Realm and oppressed the English people with great payments He dyed at Oxford Elnothus A B. Cant. A.D. 1040 and was buried at Westminster HArdicanute upon the death of Harold was by the States of the Land HARDICANUTE A.D. 1030 as well English as Danes invited over from Denmark to take upon him the government of the Kingdom which he accordingly did and was crowned at London by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury The dead body of his half brother King Harold he caused to be taken up and to be thrown into the River Thames which being found by a Fisherman he buried it in the Churchyard of St. Clements Danes so called because the great burial-place of the Danes Hardicanute for the maintaining of his Fleet imposed heavy tributes on the English insomuch that two of the Collectors thereof named Thurstane and Feader were slain by the Citizens of Worcester for which fact their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expulsed the See till that with money he had purchased his peace Earl Goodwin presented to this King a Ship whose Stern was of Gold with Eighty soldiers in her all uniformly and richly suited On their heads they all wore gilt Bargenets and on their bodies a triple gilt Habergion swords with gilt hilts girded to their wasts a battel-ax after the manner of the Danes on their left shoulders a target with gilt bosses born in their left hands a dart in the right hand and their arms bound about with two bracelets of gold of six ounces weight But as Hardicanute was revelling and carousing at Lambeth in a solemn Assembly and Banquet He suddenly fell down dead The day of whose death instead of laments was annually celebrated amongst the common people with open pastimes in the streets Which time being the eighth of June is called Hoctide or Hucxtide signifying a time of scorn and contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death He was buried at Winchester A. D. 1042. About four years before the Danes first coming into England which was near the year of our Lord 789 showers of blood fell from Heaven and bloody Crosses were therewith marked upon mens garments 'T is said also that after the Danes had seated themselves in England whilst the English were drinking
ancient Laws If these things be denyed they are here presently to abide the verdict of Battel being fully resolved rather to dye than to part with their Laws or to live servile in bondage The Conqueror in this streight more wisely than willingly granted their demands Some of the English this Norman King banished and most part of every mans estate he seized into his own hands bestowing the Lands of the Natives amongst his followers He deprived Monastries Bishopricks Lanfrank A B. Cant. Cities and Corporations of their ancient liberties and priviledges putting them to redeem them at his own rate And for default of lacking the weight of a Groat in the payment of 700 Marks by the Monks of Ely for the restoring to their Abby the ancient possessions they were constrained to pay a 1000 Marks more The Clergy he charged with maintenance for his Wars bereaved the Religious Houses of their Treasures Chalices and rich Shrines abrogated for the most part the ancient Laws of the Land ordaining new in their stead not so equal or easie to be kept also causing them to be writ in the Norman Tongue He ordained the four Law-Terms whereas before the causes of the Kingdom were determined in every Shire or by the late Law of King Edward in their Gemote or Conventicle held monthly in every Hundred He commanded every English Housholder to put out both Fire and Candle at eight of the Clock at Night At which hour in all Cities Towns and Villages he caused a Bell to be rung by the Normans then called Covre-feu that is Coverfire to prevent nightly meetings He laid great Subsidies upon the Land And that the same might amount to his greater benefit he caused an exact survey to be taken of the whole Kingdom and of every particular part and Commodity thereof causing all the people of England to be numbred their names taken and what every one might dispend by the year their substance Money and Bondmen recorded How many yokes of Oxen and Plow-lands were in the Realm and what services they owed him Which done he exacted Six Shillings to be paid him for every Hide of Land The Book thus made of every several survey by the English was called Doomes-day Book He permitted no English man to bear any office of trust and credit He dispeopled 36 Parish Towns laying the Churches and Towns flat with the earth making thereof a Forest for pleasure now called New-Forest To strengthen himself against revolts and rebellions he fortified such places as he thought most convenient for his purpose and built the Tower of London the Castles of York Lincoln Nottingham and Hasting He was the first that brought the Jews to inhabit England His Son Robert rebelled against him in Normandy and in sight dismounted him but then knowing his voice desired his pardon and remounted him Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent his Brother by the Mother for secretly siding with the King of France he committed to Prison not as Bishop but as he was Earl and seized his Estate Some of whose Gold ground into powder was found hidden in the bottom of Rivers The Conqueror going to War against the King of France in Normandy fell sick when keeping his Bed beyond his wont and the French King hearing that the Disease was in his Belly scoffingly said of him Our Cousin William is laid now in Child-bed Oh what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church surely I think an Hundred thousand will not suffice Which King William hearing of said Well I trust our Cousin of France shall be at no such cost but after this my Child-birth at my going to Church swearing by the resurrection and brightness of God I will find him a Thousand Candles and light them my self And accordingly not long after he entred France with a great Army spoiling all where he came and setting the City Mauntz on fire But he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he gat a sickness which increased with a leap of his Horse that burst the inward rim of his belly cost him his life He dyed at Roan in Normandy A. D. 1087. And forsaken of all his Courtiers his body was left unburied till that one Harluims a poor Countrey Knight at his own charge conveyed it to Caen. Where when it should have been buried a certain man in Gods name forbad the interment in that place which said he was his and his Ancestors right taken from them violently by the said Duke Whereupon they were forced to compound with him ere they interr'd the Corps His Issue were Robert Richard William Henry and six Daughters His base Son named William Peverel was Earl of Nottingham By his last Will and Testament he commanded all his Treasure to be distributed to Churches Gods Ministers and the poor limiting to each their several portion To the Church and Monks of St. Stephens at Caen in Normandy he gave divers Mannors in England and great store of Land yea and his Crown and Regal Ornaments which his Son Henry redeemed To his Son Robert he had before given the Dukedom of Normandy England he left undisposed only wish'd his Son William might succeed him in it And to Henry he gave Five thousand pound presaging that all his Dominions should become Henries in the end He did oft-times exhort his Children to the study of Learning with this saying That an unlearned Prince is but a Crowned Ass He built a Religious House called Battel-Abby in the same place where King Harold was slain dedicating it to the holy Trinity and St. Martin That there the Monks might pray for the Souls of Harold and the rest that were slain in that place endowing it with many great priviledges and amongst the rest these Two That if any Murderer or other Felon for fear of death fled thither he should be freed from all punishment And that it should be lawful for the Abbot of that place to deliver any Thief or Robber from the Gallows if he should chance to pass where any such execution was in hand At Selby in Yorkshire he founded the Abby of St. Germans at Excester the Priory of St. Nicholas and at Caen in Normandy the Monastry of St. Stephens In his time it was decreed at Rome That the See of York should be stiled primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae The setting Seals to Bonds and Writings was now first used in England there being before only Witnesses to them Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed by the Conqueror and dyed in Prison The Abbot of St. Albans told this King that the reason why he gained England in one Battel which the Danes could not do in many was because the maintenance of Martial men with a part of the Lands Revenues was converted to maintain religious men and to religious uses In the time of this Kings Reign befell a most fearful Earth-quake strange burning Feavers very mortal Murrains
England and Ireland Pandulph now having got what he came for hastens into France there to disswade Philip from proceeding against King John as being become an obedient and reconciled Son to the Church But Philip who was of his holy Fathers mind not caring for K. John's repentance but his Crown in great choler professed That since the Pope himself had so far thrust him on his Legats suggestions no nor his threats of excommunication should not withdraw him from his intentions In which resolution calling his Peers into a consultation they all approved his design save Ferdinand Earl of Flanders who alledged that it was an unreasonable thing to think of invading another mans right inforcing this his judgment with so good arguments that thereby many of the Peers were induced to change their opinion Which so incensed K. Philip that he drew his Forces against Flanders commanding his mighty prepared Fleet to set forward thitherward Of the which K. John having speedy intelligence set forth his Navy and happily surprized the French Fleet at the Port of Damme whilst most of the Soldiers were on Land spoiling the Earls Country taking 300 Vessels laden with Provisions Arms and other costly fraught and burning and sinking above an 100. And now the King thinking to take the advantage of this Victory made ready a great Army for the recovery of his hereditary Provinces lost to the French but when all else was ready then the Barons denied him their attendance till he was assoyled of his Excommunication and that their pristine liberties granted them by Henry the first were restored Stephen Langton animating them herein and promising his faithful assistance to them Hereupon the King makes his appeal to Rome presenting the Pope with rich presents in answer to which the Pope sent his Legate the Bishop of Tusculum who wrought with the King to corroborate the conveyance of his Kingdoms to the Pope unto which the King yielded But the Archbishop of Canterbury opposed himself against it with whom the Peers of the Land joyned avowing it to be an execrable thing to the whole World And in a full Parliament it was Enacted That since the King could not without consent of Parliament bring his Realm and people to such thraldom therefore if the Pope should in the future attempt any such thing again with life and livelihood he should be withstood The Pope hearing of this not only conceived exceeding hatred against the Archbishop but sent also his authentick Letters for repealing the Interdict upon restitution of 1300 Marks more to the Prelates and that but by equal portions of five years payment And now the King passed into Poictou which he reduced thence into Britain where his Poictovins according to their old custome proved false to him to his great detriment The while his Barons they play Rex at home renewing their confederation and binding themselves with an Oath at the High Altar at St. Edmonds bury That they would pursue the King with Arms till he should consent to the Charter of Liberties granted by Henry 1st So that the King was inforced to return into England where when come they challenged this Charter as a part of his Oath made at his Absolution and shortly after they met together at Stamford with a very numerous Army Their General was Robert Fitz-Walter whom they stiled The Marshal of Gods Army and Holy Church London invited them to enter the City by night where when entred by their threatful Letters they not only drew most of the Nobles from the King but had also almost lockt him out of his Royal Seat insomuch that he was necessitated by gentle messages to procure of his factious Barons a place and day of meeting which was Running-Mead betwixt Windsor and Stains since called Councel-Mead whither they came with Armed multitudes out of all the Kingdom numberless Where the King perceiving their so great strength and his own small party he granted them the utmost of their desires not only for liberties specified in Magna Charta and Charta Forestae but also for a kind of rule in the government by 25 selected Peers to whose command all the other Barons were also bound by Oath to be obedient But the King could not long relish this therefore privately sends to his trustiest friends to fortify and victual their Castles and himself secretly retires into the Isle of Wight From whence he dispatched Messengers both to the Pope and his foreign friends to crave the censure of the one and succours of the other against such outragious Rebels In both which his Agents were so sedulous and friends compassionate that at Rome by definitive sentence the Barons Charters were made voyd the King and Barons accursed if either of them observed the composition made at Councel-Mead And from Flanders Goscoin Brabrant and other parts such competent aids came in as incouraged the King after Three Months secrecy to shew himself in the face of his Enemies His Host he divided into two parts with the one conducted by himself Northward he every-where subdued his Rebels as likewise did the Earl of Salisbury Southward Stephen Langton the Pope suspended for abetting the Barons and his Brother Simon Langton Archbishop elect of York had his election made voyd the Pope constituting in his place Walter Gray whose Pall cost him no less than 1000 pounds The Archiepiscopal Pall is a Pontifical Vestment made of Lambs wooll as it comes from the Sheeps back without any other artificial colour and spun by a peculiar order of Nuns cast into St. Peters Tomb and adorned with little black Crosses having two Labells hanging down before and behind which the Archbishops when going to the Altar put about their Necks above their other pontifical Ornaments The disloyal Barons were all excommunicated by name and all their Lands together with the City of London Interdicted But the lofty Barons held those censures in so high contempt that they decreed neither themselves nor Citizens of London should observe them nor the Prelates denounce them And to revive their dying Cause they resolve on a project for betraying the Crown of England unto Lewis the Dauphin of France sending their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with all the Barons Seals to implore K. Philips favour for sending his Son and his Son for the acceptance of the English Crown To prevent a correspondency herein the Pope sends his Apostolical Commands to Philip of France that he should stay his Son from entring upon St. Peters patrimony with a Curse also on all such as should assist the excommunicate Barons To which Philip replied That England was no patrimony of St. Peters no King saith he having power of himself to alienate his Kingdom K. John especially who being never lawful King had no power to dispose thereof and that it was an error and pernicious example in the Pope and an itching lust after a new kind of Domination His Peers swore That they would spend their blood rather than suffer that a King
latter forsook the Barons cause and joyned himself with Roger de Mortimer and his associates to whom not long after Earl Warren and William de Valence Earl of Pembroke with other Peers united themselves and Prince Edward escaping came in safety to them the Counties of Hereford Worcester Salop and Chester coming in to their assistance When the Prince having a considerable strength marched against Montford who hearing of the Princes advance encamped at Evesham where Prince Edward inclosed him compelling him either to fight or yield The first of which he elected both Armies joyning battle before the Town of Evesham where the Earls host was with much slaughter especially of the Welsh utterly in the end distressed and discomfited Symon de Montford being slain in fight had his head hands and feet chopt off The King who had been brought a prisoner into the field by his friends valour and good hap was restored to his Liberty And he presently after this cruel battel called a Parliament at Winchester by whose approbation he seized into his hands the Charters of London and other disloyal Towns disinherited such as were on the Earls side distributing their estates amongst his well-deserving Subjects The Legate Cardinal Ottabon excommunicated the Bishops of London Winchester Worcester and Chichester for their adhering unto the Earl And now all things being calm in England Prince Edward with many of the Nobles took the Cross upon them for the Holy-Land And the King to secure the Nations peace held a Parliament at Marleborough where the statutes of Marleborough were enacted But King Henry having been at Norwich to punish the Citizens outrage in burning the Priory Church he in his return fell grievously sick at the Abby of St. Edmond in Suffolk and there died in A. D. 1272. Whose issue was Edward Edmond Sirnamed Crouchback Richard John William Henry Margaret Beatrice and Katherine This King laid the first stone of the new work of the Abby-Church at Westminster He founded the house of Converts where such as forsook the Jewish Religion had provisions for maintenance He also erected and endowed a famous Hospital at Oxford both for the entertainment of Forreigners and Pilgrims and for relief of such as were diseased He was so disposed to performing acts of charity made Leoline Prince of Wales Montfords confederate when he was threatned hardly if he would not live at peace to answer thus I more fear the Alms deeds of the King than all the men of war which he hath and his Clergy to boot King Henry because Thomas de la Linde killed a white Hart in Blackmore Forest which he much fancied set a perpetual fine upon the land which at this day is called White-Hâ—â—â—-Silver In the 17. year of his reign four mock Suns were seen from morning till evening after which followed so great a Dearth that people were forced to eat horse-flesh and barks of Trees and in London twenty thousand were famished A D. 1241. Certain Jews of Norwich were hanged for circumcising a Christian Child and their house called the Thor was destroyed A Scholler of Oxford who attempted to kill the King in his chamber at Woodstock was pulled in pieces by wild Horses Now arose in England a most monstrous impostor who pretended himself to be Christ procuring himself to be wounded in the hands feet and side thinking thereby the more easily to delude the people his punishment was immuring between two walls together with an old hag pretending her self to be the Virgin Mary there to pine to death In this Kings reign flourished in England the Irrefragable Doctor Alexander de Hales who was School-Master to the Angelic Dr. Thomas Aquinas Now also lived Robert Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln called Romanorum Malleus who writ boldly against the Pope reproving his arrogant to call them no worse practises At Sorbiodunum or Salisbury Richard Poor then Bishop of Sarum built that stately Church which hath in it as many windows as are days in the year as many marble-pillars as hours as many doors as months Magna Charta containing the Sum of all the written Laws of England was ordained in the ninth year of Henry the third The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year William Hardel was Mayor John Travers Andrew Newland Sheriffs In his second Year Robert Serl was Mayor Thomas Bokerell Ralph Holyland Sheriffs In his third Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Benet Senturer William Blundivers Sheriffs In his fourth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor John Wail or Veil Josue le Spicer Sheriffs In his fifth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Wimbledon John Wail or Veil Sheriffs In his sixth Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Renger John Veil Sheriffs In his seventh Year Robert Serl continued Mayor Richard Joyner Thomas Lambert Sheriffs In his eight Year Richard Renger was Mayor William Joyner Thomas Lambert Sheriffs In his ninth Year Richard Renger continued Mayor John Trevers Andrew Bokerill Sheriffs In his Tenth Year Richard Renger continued Mayor John Trevers Andrew Bokerill Sheriffs In his Eleventh Year Richard Renger continued Mayor Roger Duke Martin Fitz-Williams Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Roger Duke was Mayor Stephen Bokerell Henry Cocham Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Roger Duke continued Mayor Stephen Bokerell Henry Cocham Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Roger Duke continued Mayor William Winchester Robert Fitz-John Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Roger Duke continued Mayor Richard Walter John de Woborn Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Andrew Bokerel was Mayor Michael of St. Helen Walter de Enfield Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Henry de Edmonton Gerard Bat Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Simon Fitz-Mary Roger Blunt Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Ralph Ashwy John Norman Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Gerard Bat Richard or Robert Hardel Sheriffs In his Twenty first Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor Henry Cobham Jordan Coventry Sheriffs In his Twenty second Year Andrew Bokerel continued Mayor John Tolason Gervais the Cordwainer Sheriffs In his Twenty third Year Richard Renger was Mayor John Codras John Whilhall Sheriffs In his Twenty fourth Year William Joyner was Mayor Raymond Bongy Ralph Ashwy Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year Gerard Bat was Mayor John Gisors Michael Tony Sheriffs In his Twenty sixth Year Reymond Bongy was Mayor Thomas Duresm John Voyl Sheriffs In his Twenty seventh Year Reymond Bongy continued Mayor John Fitz-John Ralph Ashwy Sheriffs In his Twenty eighth Year Ralph Ashwy was Mayor Hugh Blunt Adam Basing Sheriffs In his Twenty ninth Year Michael Tony was Mayor Ralph Foster Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his Thirtieth Year John Gisors was Mayor Robert Cornhill Adam of Bewley Sheriffs In his Thirty first Year John Gisors continued Mayor Simon Fitz-Mary Lawrence Frowick Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Peter Fitz-Alwin was Mayor John Voil Nicholas Bat Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Michael Tony was Mayor Nicholas Fitz-Josue
from him and the County of Ponthieu he surprized before King Edward heard thereof Wherefore the King sent over John Duke of Lancaster and Humphry de Bohun Earl of Hartford to invade France who pierced up as far as Roan and after them the King sent that renowned Captain Sir Robert Knolls who went on very prosperously till by the instigation of Sir John Mensterworth and some others who thought themselves better than Sir Robert a division was made in the Army whereby the English fortunes were hindred for the which Mensterworth paid the loss of his head About the same time also some great Officers of the Kings as John Duke of Lancaster the Lord Latimer and Sir John Sterrie were complained of for fraudulency to the State and at the request of the Parliament called The good were displaced But that which caused the greatest grief to English-men was the loss of their Martial Prince Edward who left this life upon Trinity Sunday 1376 about his age 46 and was buryed at Canterbury Nor did his Martial Father long survive him for in A. D. 1377. he dyed at Shene in Surrey and was buryed as Westminster His Issue were Edward the black Prince so called from his dreadful valorout Acts William of Hatfield Lionel Duke of Clarence John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster Simon Sudbury A. B Cant. Edmond Earl of Cambridge and Duke of York William of Windsor Thomas of Woodstock Duke of Glocester Isabel Joan Blanch and Margaret He built Queenborough in Kent in honour of Queen Philip his Wife He erected a building at Windsor-Castle whose circumference was six hundred foot where Knights and men of War were to have their entertainment of Diet at his charge and begun a magnificent Church dedicated to the Virgin Mary which King Henry the eight and Sir Reginald Bray finished He is also said to be the Founder of the most Noble Order of the Garter so intituled perhaps from the Garter he took up of the Countess of Salisburies which slipped off in a dance perhaps for that in a battel wherein he was victorious Garter was the Word or Signal But some will have this King to be only the Reviver of this Order and Richard the first to be the Institutor of it King Edward confirmed Magna Charta about twelve times He restrained the Pope from conferring English Benefices on strangers He invited Cloth-workers to repair hither out of Forreign parts to whom he granted sundry priviledges The staple of wools which had been in Flanders he revoked establishing the same in Westminster Canterbury Chichester Bristol Lincoln and Hull The famous custom of the Kings of England Washing Feeding and Clothing of as many poor people upon Maundy Thursday as they are years old is referred to the celebration which this King made of his fifth year His Concubâ—e Alice Pierce was so insolent Simon Sudbury A. B. Cant. that she would go into the Courts of Justice where sitting by the Judges and Doctors she would proudly perswade or disswade for her most advantage therefore was complained of in Parliament and removed from the person of the King At a Parliament held the thirty seventh of his Reign the wearing of Gold and Silver Silks and rich Furs were forbidden to be worn by any but eminent Persons also the Labourer and Husbandman was limited to the eating of such certain meats An Act was likewise made that no common whore should wear any Hood except striped with divers colours nor Furs but garments with the wrong side outward At Stamford in Lincolnshire an University was instituted but of short continuance A blazing-Star appeared which continued thirty days Southhampton was burnt by the French A. D. 1348 It rained from Midsummer till Christmas A plague all over Christendom some say the World and so raging in England that scarce the Tenth person of all sorts was left alive In London it was such that in one years space there was buryed in the Cistercian or Charter-House Church-yard above fifty thousand It began in the year 1348 and continued till the year 1357 and was seconded with murrain of Cattle and dearth of all things Now flourished in the University of Oxford that Famous Doctor John Wickliffe whose followers in those Popish-times were called Lolards from Lolium signifying tares or hurtful weeds amongst Corn. The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Henry Darcy John Hawton Sheriffs In his second Year John Grantham was Mayor Simon Francis Henry Cobmartin Sheriffs In his third Year Richard Swanland was Mayor Richard Lazer William Gisors Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor Robert of Ely Thomas Worwode Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Pountney continued Mayor John Mocking Andrew Aubery Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Preston was Mayor Nicholas Pike John Husband Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor John Hammond William Hanford Sheriffs In his eighth Year Reginald at the Conduit was Mayor John Kingstone Walter Turk Sheriffs In his ninth Year Reginald at the Conduit continued Mayor Walter Mordon Richard Vpton Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John Pountney was Mayor John Clark W. Curtes Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Henry Darcy was Mayor Walter Neale Nicholas Crane Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Henry Darcy continued Mayor William de Pomfret Hugh Marbler Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Andrew Aubery was Mayor William Thorney Roger Frosham Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Andrew Aubery continued Mayor Adam Lucas Bartholomew Morris Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year John of Oxenford was Mayor Richard de Barking John de Rokesley Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Simon Francis was Mayor John Loufkin Richard Killingbury Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year John Hammond was Mayor John Steward John Aylesham Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year John Hammond continued Mayor Geoffry Witchingham Thomas â—eg Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Richard Lazer was Mayor Edmund Hemenhall John of Glocester Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Geoffry Witchingham was Mayor John Croydon William Clopton Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Thomas Leggy was Mayor Adam Brampson Richard Fas or Bas Sheriffs In his twenty second Year John Loufkin was Mayor Henry Bicard Simon Doleby Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Walter Turk was Mayor Adam of Bury Ralph of Lynne Sheriffs In his twenty fourth Year Richard Killingbury was Mayor John Notte VVilliam of Worcester Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year Andrew Aubery was Mayor John Wroth Gilbert of Stenineshorpe Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Adam Francis was Mayor John Peace John Stotley Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Adam Francis continued Mayor William Wold John Little Sheriffs In his twenty eight Year Thomas Leggy was Mayor William Nottingham Roger Smelt Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Simon Francis was Mayor Thomas Foster Thomas Brandon Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Henry Picard was Mayor Richard Nottingham Thomas Dolsel Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir John Stody was Mayor Stephen Candish Bartholomew Frostling
King Henry into his hands or else to murder him but their Treason being discovered they received the just reward of Traytors On the seventh of August 1414 the King of England with 1500 sail took to the seas attended with Thirty thousand Soldiers besides Gunners Enginiers Artificers and Labourers a great number And the 15 day of the same Month he cast anchor in the mouth of Seyn about three miles from Harflew where landing his men he fell devoutly on his knees desiring Gods assistance to the gaining of his Right Then made Proclamation That on pain of death Churches Church-men Women and Children should be spared from all violence And after due encouragement to his followers he made Harflew the first essay of his Fortunes in France it being a Port conveniently seated upon the mouth of the River Seyn and a safe entrance into his intended Conquest as well for the landing of men as to hinder the passage unto Roan and Paris both which received Traffique by the same River This town of Harflew was surrendred to King Henry Septemb 22. Into which when he first entred he passed along the streets bare-footed until he came to the Church of St. Martin where with great devotion he gave most humble thanks unto Almighty God for that his first atchieved Enterprize When the King had continued at Harflew about fourteen days he marched with 2000 Horse and 13000 Foot through Caux and Eu towards Callis in which march the French used all their endeavours to endamage him for besides many skirmishes they broke down the Bridges where he was to pass plashed the woods entrenched the ways stuck stakes in the Fords and in places of advantage laid store of soldiers to impeach his passage conveyed all victuals out of the Countreys through which he should go and at Blanchetague where he purposed to have passed over the River Some there the French had fortified against him for which cause he marched by Worms with intent to have passed the River at Port le Remy but finding that also guarded he kept along the River to Hargest the French Army marching on the other side Therefore he still marched on by the River side till he came to Bathen-Court where he got over his feeble and wearied Army proceeding on his march till he came to Azin or Agin-Court which was upon Octob. 24 where the French in a field of advantage purposely chosen had pitched their Banner-Royal with an infinite Host exceeding the English six times in number some say ten times King Henry now seeing himself so far engaged and many of his men sick of the flux 't is said he offered the surrender of Harflew and what else he had won and to make satisfaction for the harms done in France so as he might have liberty safely to depart for Callis to which the Constable and Marshal of France were willing but the young Princes and Nobles refused all conditions of Peace And assuring themselves of victory they before-hand disposed of the English Prisoners prepared a Chariot for the captive King divided the prey commanded the Bells to be rung in the adjacent Cities and Towns and thanks to be given to God that had delivered the Enemy into such a place of advantage sent to King Henry to know what ransome he would give sent for King Charles and the Daulphin to come in their persons to the battel that so they might have the honour of the Victory And so bold were the French upon their numbers and great strength that they spent the night before the battel in Feasts triumphs and sports but the English more wisely in preparing themselves for the fight When morning was come the French took the field pressing who should be foremost to this easie as they thought Conquest Against whom their greatest strength consisting in Horse King Henry commanded Two hundred strong Bow-men to lodg in a low Meadow where a deep ditch full of water might help to secure them from the Horse and the bushes cover them from sight having stakes also prepared and shod with iron at both ends which they were appointed to stick slopewise in the ground and to remove them upon occasion to guard them from the Horse This done King Henry ranged his Host disposing it into three Battels placing his Bow-men on both sides the Main where the King rode himself richly accoutred before whom the Royal Standard was born and many other Banners in Warlike order Both sides being in readiness they a while stood facing one another But the King of England resolving to break his way through his Enemies to Callis or else to dye with a cheerful countenance and words full of courage he animated his followers to put forth their utmost powers that after-ages might know what the Lance the Axe the Sword and the Bow could do in the hands of the Valiant and that whosoever desired Riches Honours and Rewards here they were to be had Which words ended his Army fell prostrate on the ground and committed themselves to God every man taking into his mouth a piece of earth in remembrance of his own mortality or in lieu of the Sacrament And then rising up the King with cheerful countenance commanded his Standard to advance forward saying Because our injurious enemies do attempt to shut up our way let us upon them in the name of the most Glorious Trinity and in the best hour of the whole year Sir Thomas Erpingham an old experienced Soldier with a Warder in his hand led the way who when he saw time threw his Warder up into the air whereat the whole Army gave a great shout The French kept still their own ground which the undaunted English perceiving they advanced towards them giving another shout when immediately the Archers laid in the Meadows darkned the Air with a showr of Arrows and the English Army fell on with admirable courage the most of them also for nimbleness being but half cloathed without hat and bare-leg'd so behaving themselves that the French Vantguard was instantly distressed and disordered into such a confused press that they were not able to use their Weapons at any advantage Their Wings which assayed to charge upon the English were broken and forced back for safety to their Main Battel where they bred both fear and confusion And those French Troops which pursued the Archers who gave back as if forced to flye came on with their Horses on the spur upon the jaws of destruction for falling by multitudes on those goring-stakes left by the Archers on purpose they were miserably overthrown and panched to death the English still on all hands hotly pursuing their advantages Against whom the Duke of Brabant advanced hoping by his example to encourage others furiously breaking into the English Army wherein manfully fighting he was slain With the like resolution Duke Alanzon pressed into the English Battalion where King Henry fought and there had slain Humphrey Duke of Glocester had not the King come in to his
Princes to attempt the recovery of the holy-Land sending Cardinal Campeius on this errand into England Which Cardinal and his company being come to London as they passed through Cheap-side the sumpture Mules cast their Carriages and Coffers on the ground out of which the lids flying open fell old breeches boots and broken shoes torn stockings tattered rags old iron and horse shoes broken meat marrow bones roasted eggs and crusts of bread with such-like treasure About A. D. 1521 the Emperour Charles passing toward Spain landed at Dover where the King met him and conducted him in great state to London lodging him in his new Palace in the Black-Friars then feasted him at Windsor and in such bands of amity the Emperor and King Henry seemed to be link'd that in London this sentence was set up in the Guild-hall over the dore of the Councel-Chamber Carolus Henricus vivant Defensor uterque Henricus fidei Carolus Ecclesiae The reason of which Titles Defender of the Faith and Church was For that Charles the Emperour had directed forth a solemn Writ of Out-lawry against Dr. Martin Luther who had then given a great blow to the Triple Crown and King Henry had wrote a Book against the said Luther for the which the Pope gave the Title of Defender of the Church to the Emperour and Defender of the Faith to the King and for the same cause he sent King Henry a consecrated Rose A new variance hapning again betwixt the Kingdoms of France and England the King assembled a Parliament at the Black-Friers in London which granted him half of the yearly revenues of all Spiritual livings to be paid for five years continuance and the tenth part of all temporal substance to carry on the Wars against France and Scotland When the King being furnished with mony sent a great Army into France under the conduct of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who had married Mary the Kings Sister Queen Dowager of France This valiant Commander first besieged and won Bell-Castle then took the Castle of Bonguard Braie Roie Lihome Mondedier and Boghan which done he returned King Henry was so inraged against the Scots that he took from all those inhabiting England all their goods sending them into their Country on foot with white Crosses sowed upon their uppermost garments But Margaret Queen of Scots solliciting her brother Henry for a peace the difference betwixt the two Nations was for a while reconciled About A. D. 1525 arose great troubles in Ireland the wild Irish casting off all obedience and killing many of the Kings English Subjects Girald Fitz-Girald Earl of Kildare was sent prisoner into England for that the Earl of Ossery had accused him of many misdemeanors as That he connived at the Earl of Desmonds escape whom he should have attached by order from the King That he grew over-familiar with the Irish and that he put to death the Kings best subjects When the Earl was brought to London he was committed to the Tower by the Cardinals means who did not love him In the Tower he expected death daily but with such couragious resolution that being at slide-groat with the Lieutenant when the Mandate was brought for his Execution on the morrow morning and seeing the Lieutenant struck into a sudden sadness he said unto him By St Bride Lieutenant there is some mad game in that Scroll but fall how it will this throw is for a huddle And when the worst was told him he said I pray thee Lieutenant do no more but assuredly learn from the Kings own mouth whether his Highness be witting of this or not Whereupon the Lieutenant loving the Earl well went to the King and shewed him the Warrant which the King seeing controlled the sawciness of the Priest for so he then called the Cardinal and gave the Lieutenant his Signet for a nullity of the Warrant so the Earl was delivered from the death threatned and not long after from his imprisonment About or in A. D. 1528 King Henry began to call into Question the lawfulness of his marriage with his Queen Katharine who was daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain and had been married to Prince Arthur eldest son of Henry the seventh when he was about fifteen years of age but he dying ere he had been married twelve months King Henry his brother by the advice of his Councel took this Princess Katharine to Wife in few days after his Fathers death and enjoyed her nuptial society near twenty years in which time she had born him two sons both dying in their infancy and one daughter named Mary afterward Queen But now he said his Conscience was much dissatisfied doubting it might not be lawful for him to have his brothers Wife notwithstanding he had had a dispensation from the Pope for it therefore first he refused his Queens bed and having moved the doubt to his own Divines he next sent for the opinion of most of the Universities of Europe which concluded against it and signified so much under most of their common Seals He also sent Agents unto Rome with an humble request to the Pope that an indifferent Judge might be sent to determine this weighty affair Whereupon Cardinal Campeius was sent over into England with whom Cardinal Wolsey was joyned in Commission These Cardinals had a place ordained them in the Black-Friers in London for the keeping of their Court of Judicature To which Court the King and Queen were summoned to appear personally which accordingly they did having several seats prepared for them When the Court was sate the Cryer called King Henry to appear who forthwith answered Here Then was the Queen called who made no answer at all but presently rose up and going to the King fell on her knees at his feet and in the audience of the people said unto him Sir I desire you to take some pity upon me and do me Justice and right I am a poor woman a stranger born out of your Dominions having here no indifferent Councel and less assurance of friendship Alas Wherein have I offended or what cause of displeasure have I given you that you thus intend to put me away I take God to my Judge I have been to you a true and humble Wife ever conformable to your will and pleasure never gain-saying any thing wherein you took delight Without all grudge or discontented countenance I have loved all them that loved you howsoever their affections have been towards me I have born you Children and been your Wife now this twenty years Of my Virginity and Marriage-bed I make God and your own Conscience the Judge and if it otherwise be proved I am content to be put from you with shame The King your Father in his time for wisdom was known to be a second Solomon and Ferdinand of Spain my Father accounted the wisest amongst their Kings could they in this Match be so far over-seen or are there now wiser and more learned men than at that time were Surely it seems
were painted with the five wounds of Christ the Chalice Cake and other Romish inventions This their Rebellion they termed the holy Pilgrimage Their General of foot was one James Diamond a poor Fisher-man stiled the Earl of Poverty their chief Leader was Mr. Robert Aske a man it seems of terror For when Lancaster Herald at Arms was sent to him to declare the Kings message this Aske did so terribly bluster forth his answers that the Herald fell before him on his knees excusing himself to be but a Messenger Many persons of great note were parties in this insurrection And to draw the more in to side with them Aske and his complices set forth in writing these scandalous untruths against the King First That no infant should be permitted to receive the blessed Sacrament of Baptisme bot onles an trybet to be payd to the King Secondly That no man under twenty pound lands shall eyte no brede made of Wheat ner Capon Chekyn Gois ner Pig bot onles to pay a trybet to the King Thirdly That for every Ploghe-land the King will have en trybet with other extreme urgent causes and heartily Fare ye well Their oath wherein they bound themselves in this league was the preservation of the Kings person and Issue the purifying of Nobility and expulsing all villain blood and evil Counsellors not for envy to any to enter into their pilgrimage or any private commodity but for the Common-weal the restitution of the Church and suppression of Heresy and Hereticks But a great force being drawn against them they dispersed themselves upon promise of pardon and redress in their just complaints Yet notwithstanding this the Kings clemency some of the chief of these actors ingaged themselves again in a new insurrection in short time after this for which offence they suffered death Of Ecclesiastical persons were put to death four Abbots two Priors three Monks seven Priests also Captain Mackarel and of temporal persons were executed Robert Aske the Lord Dacres Sir Robert Constable Sir Francis Bigod Palmer Percie Hamilton Tempest and Lumley These stirs being stinted a Commission came forth to purge the Churches of Idols and to suppress the Monastries to the Kings use granted him by Parliament When down went the Rood of Boxely in Kent commonly called the Rood of Grace which was made with divers vices to bow down and lift up it self to shake and stir both head hands and feet to rowl the eyes move the lips and to bend the brows thereby to cheat silly Souls So likewise the Images of our Lady of Walsingham and Ipswich set with Jewels and Gems also divers other both of England and Wales were brought to London and many of them burnt before the Lord Cromwel at Clelsey A. D. 1538. Then down went the Monasteries to the number of about 645 besides 90 Colledges and of Chantries and free Chappels 2374. Almost all these were born down in those boistrous times to the worlds amazement Amongst the Shrines that of Thomas a Becket was defaced whose meanest part was pure Gold garnished with many precious Stones the chiefest of which was a rich Gem of France offered by King Lewis who asked and obtained of this prime Saint believe it who list That no passenger betwixt Dover and White-sand should perish by Ship-wrack But instead of these impertinencies the holy Bible was commanded to be read in English in the Churches and Register-Books of Weddings Christnings and Burials to be kept in every of them If we will credit tradition shameful villanies were too frequently prepetrated by the Monasticks as Whoredoms Incests Sodomy and Murders Many infants bones the products of their wantonness were found in many of their religious houses The Monasteries thus dissolved and the revenues thereof converted to secular uses King Henry hereby ran in great obloquy of many forreign Princes and Potentates but especially of the Pope Yea and homeborn subjects disliking hereof by secret working sought to deprive King Henry and to elevate Regâ—nald Pole to the regal dignity for the which treason Henry Courtney Marquess of Excester the Lord Montacute and Sir Edward Neville were beheaded on Tower-hill A. D. 1540 and January the sixth was King Henry married unto the Lady Anne Sister to the Duke of Cleve but he refrained her bed for the dislike he had to her person and she good Lady no other cause alledged was divorced by Parliament the June following when it was also enacted That she should no longer be called Queen In this Parliament was Cromwell Attainted for setting at liberty certain persons committed for misprision of Treason and Heresy for favouring and maintaining the Translation of heretical Books so called into English for countenancing and supporting heretical Teachers for being an heretick himself and for having spoken great words for the upholding his said religion to wit That the King himself should not change it if he would The cause why the King fell into dislike of him and consequently of his ruin was because he stood in the defence of the Lady Anne of Cleve and spake not all well of the Lady Katharine Howard whom the King was minded and did take to Wife Which distast of the Kings against him his enemy Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester did improve to Cromwells destruction who was beheaded on Tower-hill and with him the Lord Hungerford of Heitesbury for buggery Margaret Countess of Salisbury daughter of George Duke of Clarence and Mother of Cardinal Reginald Pole being neither Arraigned nor Tryed but condemned by Parliament as Cromwell had been was beheaded And the Lord Leonard Grey about the same time lost his head for Treason And the next day after his death Thomas Fines Lord Dacres of the South died at Tyburn for killing a man in a fray Nor was the Sword sheathed until the heads of Queen Katharine Howard and the Lady Jane Rochford were struck off the former for Adultery the other for concealment as was alledged The parties offending with Katharine Howard were Francis Dereham and Thomas Culpepper Dereham before she was Queen and Culpepper after who both were executed at Tyburn Decemb. the tenth and on Febru the twelfth following Mrs Katharine Howard for so in the Act of her Attainder she is called who had been Queen for the space of a year and half with the Lady Jane widow of the Lord Rochford were brought unto the Tower-hill where in lamentable passions they suffered death This Queen protested after her condemnation to Dr. White her last Confessor that she was guiltless having never so abused her Soveraigns bed But as these in case of Treason so others in matter of Conscience were put to death by force of the Statutes made under this King Whereof one was the renouncing the Popes supremacy and owning the King for supream head of the Church in his own Dominions this concerned the Papists The other was the six Articles this concerned the Protestants Which six bloody Articles were First That after the words of Consecration there
fourteenth Year Sir John Mundy vvas Mayor John Rudston John Champneis Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Sir Thomas Baldrie was Mayor Michael English Nicholas Jennings Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year Sir William Bailey vvas Mayor Ralph Dodmere VVilliam Roche Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir John Allen was Mayor John Caunton or Calton Christopher Askaw Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir Thomas Seymour vvas Mayor Stephen Peacock Nicholas Lambert Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir James Spencer was Mayor John Hardy William Hollis Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Sir John Rudston vvas Mayor Ralph Warren John Long Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Sir Ralph Dodmer was Mayor Michael Dormer Walter Champion Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Sir Thomas Pargiter was Mayor William Dantesey or Dancy Richard Champion Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Sir Nicholas Lambert was Mayor Richard Gresham Edward Altham Sheriffs In his Twenty fourth Year Sir Stephen Peacock was Mayor Richard Reynolds John Martin Nicholas Pinchon John Priest Sheriffs In his twenty fifth Year Sir Christopher Askew vvas Mayor William Forman Thomas Kitson Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Sir John Champneis was Mayor Nicholas Leveson William Denham Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Sir John Allen was Mayor Humfrey Monmouth John Cotes Sheriffs In his Twenty eighth Year Sir Ralph Warren was Mayor Robert or Richard Paget William Bowyer Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Sir Richard Gresham was Mayor John Gresham Thomas Lewin Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Sir VVilliam Forman was Mayor William Wilkinson Nicholas Gibson Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir VVilliam Hollys was Mayor Thomas Ferrer Thomas Huntlow Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Sir William Roche was Mayor VVilliam Laxstone Martin Bows Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Sir Michael Dormer was Mayor Rowland Hill Henry Suckley Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Sir John Cotes was Mayor Henry Hobberthorn Henry Amcoats Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year Sir William Bowyer was Mayor John Tholouse Richard Dobbes Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Sir William Laxton was Mayor John Wilford Andrew Jud Sheriffs In his thirty seventh Year Sir Martin Bows was Mayor George Barne Ralph Allen or Alley Sheriffs In his thirty eighth Year Sir Henry Hobberthorn was Mayor Richard Jarveis Thomas Curteis Sheriffs EDWARD VI. A. D. 1547. EDward the Sixth was born but not without the death of his Mother A.D. 1537 Octob. 12. A. D. 1547 and Febr. 20. he was Crowned at Westminster At which time when three Swords were delivered to him as King of England France and Ireland he said There was yet another Sword to be delivered him namely the sacred Bible which is said he the sword of the Spirit without which we are nothing neither can do any thing His Mothers brother Edward Lord Seymour Earl of Hartford and Duke of Somerset was by the consent of the Nobles made Protector over his Minority and the Realms In short time after the Kings Coronation the Lord Protector and Council sought to effect the Marriage betwixt the young King and the young Queen of Scotland as it had been formerly agreed on by both Nations but this the Scots refused to yield unto wherefore the Protector led an army into Scotland and at a place called Edmondstone-edg near to Musclebrough fought the Scots and vanquished them following the chase of them almost five miles wherein the Lord Fleming with sundry men of note were slain and 10000 of the Soldiers and about a 1000 were taken Prisoners the chief whereof were the Earl of Huntly the Lords Yester Hobby and Hamilton the Lord Weems and a brother of the Earl of Cassills Lieth the English sacked and set on fire took the Island St. Colmes Broughticrag Rocksbrough Humes Castle and others insomuch that many Gentlemen in Tividale and the Meres came to the Protector and entred into terms and conditions of peace with him After the Protectors return a Parliament was assembled at London wherein the six Articles were repealed those Colledges and Chappels that King Henry had left were given the King and the Churches ordred to be purged of all Images And accordingly Commissioners were appointed who first began at St. Pauls in London and thence proceeded throughout England and Wales But this reformation occasioned great commotions which began in the West A Priest stabbed one Mr. Body a Commissioner to the heart for plucking down certain Images and this fact of his was so favoured by the Cornish and Devonshire Rusticks that ten thousand of them rose in Arms heading themselves under Mr. Humphrey Arundel six other Gentlemen and eight Priests These rebells besieged the City of Excester and sore distressed it yet did the Citizens loyally hold out against them for which the King did enlarge their Liberties and gave unto their City the Mannor of Exilond At last the rebells agree upon Articles to be sent the King therein requiring to have Mass celebrated as in time past it had been To have holy bread and holy water in remembrance of Christs body and blood To have the six Articles again in force c. To these and the rest of their demands the King sent an answer Therein pitying their ignorance reproving their sawciness and withal a general pardon to as many as would desist in time concluding thus We for our part seek no longer to live than to be a Father to our people and as God hath made us your King so hath he commanded you obedience by whose great Majesty we swear you shall feel the same power in our Sword which how mighty it is no subject knoweth how puissant it is no private man can judg and how mortal no English heart can think Therefore embrace our mercy whilst it is offered lest the blood spilt by your means cry vengeance from the earth and be heard in the ears of the Lord of Heaven Notwithstanding all this the rebells still persisted in their Traiterous attempts the King therefore sent an army against them which put them to flight at Honiton then worsted them at Excester where the rebells lay siege and lastly upon Clift-heath destroyed the greatest part of them their consecrated Host Crucifix Crosses consecrated Banners holy bread and holy water which the rebells had brought into the field thinking by vertue of them to have made all sure on their side were all trampled into the dirt Arundel Winsland Holmes and Bury four rebell-Captains were taken and executed at London Others also of their partakers were executed by Martial Law amongst whom was Boyer the Mayor of Bodmin in Cornwall Nigh to which Town dwelt a Miller that had been a busie-fellow in the rebellion but he knowing his own danger willed his man to take the name of Master if any enquired after him To this Millers house Sir Anthony Kingstone Marshall of the Field came where calling for the Master the officious man in his name very bodily presented himself whom Sir Anthony straight commanded to the Gallows and when the poor fellow seeing the
this success made the English too secure insomuch that through neglect of seasonable and fitting supplies the Town of Callis was forced to yield to the French upon but indifferent Terms on the English part Thus the Town of Callis won by the victorious King Edward the third and that by no less than eleven months siege was now in the compass of eight days besieged and regained and that in the depth of Winter it being surrendred on January 17th 1557. And in the same month and year were also the strong Forts of Guises and Hames taken by the French whereby all the English footing was lost in France This loss with the absence of King Philip who did not passionately love his consort the Queen is thought to have hastned the death of Queen Mary She was heard to say That the loss of Callis was written in her heart and might therein be read when her body should be opened She died of a burning Fever Novemb. 17th 1558 and was buried at Westminster The Church-possessions which this Queen had in her hands she freely resigned with this saying That she set more by the Salvation of her own Soul than she did by ten Kingdoms Though she was of no bad natural temper yet through a blind zeal she dealt so rigidly and cruelly against those called Sacramentarians the Protestants that in less than four years space she caused to be put to death of them 277. In Smithfield and other parts of the Land were consumed of them in the flames for Christs-sake 5 Bishops 21 Ministers 8 Gentlemen 48 Artificers 100 Husbandmen Servants and Labourers 26 Wives 20 Widows 9 Virgins 2 Boys and 2 Infants one of them whipt to death by bloody Bonner and the other springing out of its mothers womb as she burned at the stake was thrown again into the fire Sixty four more were persecuted for their profession of the true Christian Doctrin whereof 7 were whipped 16 perished in prisons and were buried in dunghills and many lay in captivity condemned till the coming in of Queen Elizabeth and many fled the Realm in those Scorching times amongst whom was Katharine Dutchess of Suffolk the last Wife of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Pray God of his great mercy defend England from the Religion and cruelties of Antichristian Rome On the self-same day that Queen Mary died died also Cardinal Pole Archbishop of Canterbury and was buried at Canterbury In the raign of this Queen extream dearths raged also Quartain Agues of which many old people died especially Clergy-men At a little Town about a mile and Eastward from Nottingham a Tempest of thunder did great harm beat down many Houses forced the Bells out of the Steeple carrying them to the outside of the Church-yard and some Webs of Lead four hundred foot into the field A Child by the violence of it was taken out of a mans arms and carried a hundred foot Five or six men besides the Child were slain by it Some Hail-stones fell that were fifteen Inches about Mayors and Sheriffs of London in her Raign In her first Year Sir Thomas White was Mayor Thomas Offley William Hewet Sheriffs In her second Year Sir John Lyon was Mayor David Woodroffe William Chester Sheriffs In her third Year Sir William Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Thomas Lee or Leigh John Machel Sheriffs In her fourth Year Sir Thomas Offley was Mayor William Harper John VVhite Sheriffs In her fifth Year Sir Thomas Curteis was Mayor Richard Mallory James Altham Sheriffs In her sixth Year Sir Thomas Lee or Leigh was Mayor John Halsey Richard Champion Sheriffs ELIZABETH A. D. 1558. QUeen Elizabeth the Restorer and Defender of tne publick profession of the Apostolical Religion in England begun her Reign A. D. 1558 Novemb. 17. Upon the death of her sister Queen Mary she removed to the Charter-house of London and from thence was royally attended through the City unto the Tower In which Triumphal state as she passed through the streets of London when the Book of God was presented to her at the little Conduit in Cheapside she received it with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breast saying That the same had been her chiefest delight and should be the Rule by which she meant to frame her Government January 15 was the Crown-Imperial set on her head by Dr. Oglethorp Bishop of Carlile Shortly after which a Parliament sate wherein the Title of the Supremacy was restored to the Crown with the Tenths and First fruits of all Ecclesiastical Livings and the Book of Common-Prayer set forth in Edward the sixths time was ratified as also those Acts repealed which were Enacted in Queen Maries time in favour of the Romish and against the Reformed Religion During this Parliament a Petition was made unto her Majesty to move her unto Marriage in hope of royal Issue from her To which she replied That she best liked a Virgins life but that if it hapned that her affection should change her choice should be only of such an one as should be as careful as any of themselves for the publick good As for her Issue she said if she should have any it might grow out of kind and prove ungracious and therefore to leave behind her a more lasting and grateful remembrance she held it sufficient that a Marble-stone should declare to posterities that she a Queen had reigned lived and died a Virgin This Maiden-Queen the better to secure her self against the Bishop of Rome who sought to disable her Title by the calumny of Illegitimation entred into a league with some Princes of Germany This done she claimed the restitution of Callis as her right having been lawfully granted and assured by the French themselves unto the Crown of England But the English Queen was not more desirous to have Callis than the French was unwilling to part with it howbeit at length it was thus concluded That Callis should remain French the term of eight years and then to return to the English else the French to pay 500000 Crowns which they never performed though the agreement was sealed and sworn unto Next her Highness proceeds to purge the Clergy of England ordering the Oath of Supremacy and other Articles to be tendred them which many refusing were forthwith deprived of their Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions Then went forth Commissioners to suppress those Monasteries restored by Queen Mary Matthew Parker A. B. Cant. and to cast out all Images set up in Churches and after the reducing of Church-matters into order this happy Queen brought her Coyns into fine and pure Sterling debasing of Copper-coins causing likewise great store of Munition Armour and Powder to be brought into the Land and laid up in readiness against a time of need A. D. 1562 Her Majesty sent Ayds into France to support the Reformed Religion there These with great joy were received into the Towns of Newhaven Roan and Deep but within the space of twelve moneths they were forced back
Sheriffs In his thirty second Year John Loufkin was Mayor John Barnes John Buris Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Simon Doulseby was Mayor Simon of Benington John of Chichester Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year John Wroth was Mayor John Dennis Walter Berney Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year John Peche was Mayor William Holbech James Tame Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Stephen Candish was Mayor John of St. Albans James Andrew Sheriffs In his thirty seventh Year John Not was Mayor Richard of Croydon John Hiltoft Sheriffs In his thirty eighth Year Adam of Bury was Mayor John de Metford Simon de Mordan Sheriffs In his thirty ninth Year John Loufkin was Mayor John Bukilsworth John Ireland Sheriffs In his fortieth Year John Loufkin continued Mayor John Ward Thomas of Lee Sheriffs In his forty first Year James Andrew was Mayor John Tarngold VVilliam Dickman Sheriffs In his forty second Year Simon Mordan was Mayor Robert Girdeler Adam Wimondham Sheriffs In his forty third Year John Chichester was Mayor John Piel Hugh Holdich Sheriffs In his forty fourth Year John Barnes was Mayor William Walworth Robert Gayton Sheriffs In his forty fifth Year John Barnes continued Mayor Adam Staple Robert Hatfield Sheriffs In his forty sixth Year John Piel was Mayor John Philpot Nicholas Brembar Sheriffs In his forty seventh Year Adam of Bury was Mayor John Abery John Fished Sheriffs In his forty eighth Year VVilliam VValworth was Mayor Richard Lions William Woodhouse Sheriffs In his forty ninth Year John Ward was Mayor John Hadley William Newport Sheriffs In his fiftieth Year Adam Staple was Mayor John Northampton Robert Laund Sheriffs RICHARD II. RICHARD the Son of Edward the Black Prince was crowned King in the eleventh year of his age but ere the Crown was setled on his head the French braved it on the English coasts and the Scots set fire on the Tower of Roxbrough and through want of care in such who had the charge of State-matters in the young Kings behalf things were declined to a shameful change and the glorious atchievements of the two late Edwards fell under an eclipse The North parts of England were grievously afflicted with the stroke of Pestilence and their misery augmented by the inroads and outrages of the Scots who had now by surprize gained Berwick which upon the ninth day after the Earl of Northumberland regained by force A. D. 1379 a Parliament was held at London wherein for supply of the Kings wants it was agreed That the Commons or poorer sort should be spared and the burden be wholly laid upon the abler sort And in the next year following a Parliament was held at Northampton wherein every one of each sex above such an age was charged to pay 12 d. per poll which with the hatred born to John Duke of Lancaster was the cause of a great insurrection of the Commons and Bond-men chiefly of Kent Essex Surrey Suffolk Norfolk and Cambridg-shire The principal heads of the said giddy multitude were VVat Tyler and Jack Straw The Rebels of Kent embattel'd themselves upon Black-Heath by Greenwich from whence they marched to London where the common sort generally siding with them they became Masters of Misâ—ule The Priory of St. Johns without Smithfield they kept burning for about seven days Savoy-Palace belonging to the Duke with all the riches therein they consumed by fire in a kind of holy outrage for they threw one of their fellows into the flames because he had thrust a piece of stolen Plate into his bosome They burnt all the Archbishops Goods at Lambeth and defaced all the Writings Rolls Records and Monuments of the Chancery as having a special hatred to the Lawyers Simon Tibald Archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England a worthy Prelate Sir Robert Hales Lord Prior of St. Johns and Treasurer of England they haled out of the Tower where the King was in person and beheaded them on Tower-hill with great shoutings and rejoycings The number of these rebellious Reformers under the leading of Jack Straw and the Idol of Clowns VVat Tyler were about an Hundred thousand and at a Sermon made to them by John Ball there was near twice as many Their proud Petitions the King granted them necessity compelling him thereto after which a great multitude of them repaired to their several homes The remaining Rout the King by his Proclamation invited to meet him in Smithfield where he would satisfie their desires in all respects to the full William Courtney A. B. Cant But when they were met in the place appointed Wat Tyler there in the presence of the King offering to kill Sir John Newton for not giving him some undue respect William Walworth Lord Mayor thereupon set upon the arch-Traytor with a drawn Weapon and slew him Which when the Rebels perceived they prepared to take extream revenge but the King instantly spurring forth his Horse bade them follow him and he would be their Captain And whilst they thronged after him into the fields brave VValworth the while hasted into the City raised a thousand Citizens in armour and brought them with VVat Tylers head born before him upon a spear to the King Which the rude multitude seeing some of them fled and others on their knees begged mercy of the King Worthy Walworth the King knighted and bestowed on him an hundred pound lands by the year in fee-simple and as some write the Dagger was now added to the City-arms in remembrance of the great good service done by the Lord Mayor Jack Straw at the time of his execution confessed that these Rebels had designed to murder the King and chief of the Realm and to have set up petty kings of their own chusing in every shire The number of rebels executed in all places was about Fifteen hundred These were called the Hurling-times And now the Nation being setled in quiet King Richard married the Lady Ann Daughter unto the Emperor Charles the Fourth John Duke of Lancaster was sent into France where he concluded a Truce with that Nation for six months But these sun-shine days lasted not long For besides the annoyances done to England by the Scots at several times and the French threatning an Invasion the worst mischief befel at home through the means of discontented and ambitious spirits who kindled a Civil War The Laity took offence against the Clergy because the Archbishop had in Parliament refused to yeild to an unjust proportion of the Tax granted the King to be laid upon the Clergy And so far were the Commons and some Lay-Peers offended therewith that they petitioned the King to take away the Temporalties from Ecclesiastical persons which he denied saying That he would maintain the English Church in the quality of the same state or better in which himself had known it to be when he came to the Crown The displacing of Sir Richard Scrope Chancellor was displeasing to most men The reason of his displacing was because he refused to pass such large gifts
under the Great Seal as the King in his youthful humour had granted to some Courtiers Also the Kings over-freeness to the Queens Countrey-men the Bohemians discontented many The ancient Nobles they envied that Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford was created Marquess of Dublin and Duke of Ireland and Michael de la Pool a Merchants Son Earl of Suffolk and that the King had them in too great favour These were held for great grievances nor would the Parliament grant the King any aids against his forreign foes unless these Lords were removed and degraded This the King could not well digest but consulted the Learned in the Law concerning certain Articles of Treason within the compass of which he might take the popular Lords And at Nottingham Robert Trisilian Chief Justitiar Robert Belknap Chief Justice of the Common Pleas John Holt Roger Fulthorp and William Burgh Justitiars John Lockton the Kings Sergeant at Law All subscribed to certain Articles of Treason made against the Lords which afterwards cost them dear Judg Belknap foresaw the danger therefore unwillingly consented saying There wants but an Hurdle Horse and Halter to carry me where I might suffer the death deserved For if I had not done this quoth he I should have dyed for it and because I have done it I deserve death for betraying the Lords And now the King and Lords prepare themselves for the field the Lords march up to London with an Army of about Forty thousand men against whose coming the King not being able to match their power shuts himself up in the Tower whither the factious Lords Glocester Derby Arundel Warwick and Marshall send him word That if he come not quickly to Westminster according to appointment they would chuse them another King who both would and should obey the Counsel of the Peers Hereupon the King though with no good-will attends their Lordships pleasure at Westminster where he yeilded to remove from about his person Alexander Neville Archbishop of York the Bishops of Durham and Chichester the Lords Zouch and Beaumont with divers others and amongst them certain Ladies Other of his friends were made prisoners And at the Parliament which was shortly after the Judges were arrested as they sate in Judgment and most of them sent to the Tower Trisilian that had fled being apprehended and brought to the Parliament in the forenoon had sentence to be drawn to Tyburn in the afternoon and there to have his throat cut which was done accordingly Divers other Knights also were sacrificed to their revenge The Duke of Ireland and others had their estates confiscated to the Kings use by Act of Parliament This while the Scots invaded the North of England under the conduct of Sir William Douglas whom Henry Hot-spur fighting with hand to hand slew but the Earl of Dunbar coming with an excessive number of Scots took Hot-spur and his brother prisoners A. D. 1396 Peace was concluded with the French the Scots and Spaniards being included therein And in September 1397 a Parliament called The Great for the extraordinary number of Peers and their retinues which came thereunto was held at London wherein the sanctuary of former Laws and all particular Charters of pardon were taken away from Thomas Duke of Glocester the Earl of Arundel and others for their treasonable practises and all the Justitiars who stood for the King were cleared from dishonour and such Articles as they had subscribed were publickly ratifyed and the offenders against them pronounced Traytors Richard Earl of Arundel was beheaded on Tower-Hill where at his death he utterly denyed that he was a Traytor in word or deed The Earl of Warwick confessing himself a Traytor in open Court was only banished to the Isle of Man The Duke of Glocester whom as the peoples darling it seemed not safe to bring to a publique Tryal was secretly smothered with pillows and feather-beds at Callis The King at this Parliament created himself Prince of Chester and to his Escutcheon-Royal added the Armories of Edward the Confessor his Cousin Henry Earl of Derby he made Duke of Hereford and advanced the Titles of many other Nobles Not long after which Henry Duke of Hereford accused Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk for speaking certain words to the Kings dishonour which Mowbray constantly denying it should have come to a combat within Lists but the King ended the controversy otherwise by banishing Norfolk for ever and Hereford first for ten years then for six only In the year following the Duke of Lancaster dyed when the King unjustly seized upon the goods of that mighty Prince his Uncle and determined to banish for ever his son the Duke of Hereford now Duke of Lancaster by his Fathers death But whilst King Richard was in Ireland to qualify a disturbance there Henry Duke of Lancaster and Hereford lands in England with what forces he had pretending nothing but the recovery of his inheritance To him there repaired the Earl of Northumberland his son Hot-Spur and Earl of Westmoreland with many others Multitudes offering their service to him as pitying his calamity and exasperated against the King because to furnish his Irish voyage he had extorted moneys on all hands and had taken up carriages victuals and other necessaries without any recompence The Duke of Lancaster with an Army of about sixty thousand marched to Bristol besieged the Castle and took it and therein two Knights of the Kings Councel Bushy and Green whose heads were cut off at the request of the rabble The Duke of York whom King Richard had left behind him to govern England could gain but small assistance against Lancaster nor could the King at his return into England find many friends therefore he betook himself to a parly with his enemies the sum of his demands being That if himself and eight more whom he should name might have Honourable allowance with the assurance of a private quiet life he would resign the Crown This was promised him whereupon he put himself into the Duke of Lancasters hands who conducted him out of the West to London where he was lodged in the Tower And now a Parliament is summoned in the Kings name to be held at Westminster in which Parliament King Richard was charged with the breach of his Coronation-Oath in thirty two Articles His abuse of the publick Treasure waste of the Crown-Land loss of Honour abroad and that at home he was guilty of Falshood Injustice Treason against the rights of the Crown and what not that ambition and envy could invent against him Tho. Arundell A. B. Cant. The result whereof was he resigned his Crown to the Duke of Lancaster which resignation the whole body of the Parliament did particularly accept saving the most loyal Bishop of Carlisle A. D. 1399 Septemb 29. In the very beginning of this Kings reign one John Philpot a private Citizen of London at his own charge manned out a Fleet to the Sea for the guarding of both Land and Sea from the enemy