changed apace most of his Friends forsaking him and General Monk coming to London was received with much joy and every one had great hopes of a peaceable Government Then he ordered a free Parliament to be chose who A. D. 1660. April 20. assembled at Westminster on May 1. voted Votes for the Kings return That according to the Ancient and Fundamental Laws of this Kingdom Charles the Second is the Lawful King of these Nations which caused a general rejoycing over all England And His Majesty from his Court at Breda wrote very graciously to the General and Parliament who then sent him 50000 l. for a Present and the City to shew their gratitude sent him 10000 l. And May the 8th by Order of Parliament Charles the Second was at London Proclaimed at London with very great Solemnity Proclaimed King of England Scotland c. May 22. General Monk set forth of London to meet His Majesty who landed at Dover whom the King for his excellent Service was pleased to dignifie with the Honour of Knight of the Garter Master of his Horse Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monk of Botheridge c. chief General of all his Land-Forces in the three Kingdoms and one of his Privy Council And now was the general Joy so great that it cannot be expressed The Regicides and chief Offenders punished and Loyalty truly recompensed A. D. 1661. on St. George's day was the His Coronation Magnificent Coronation of Charles the Second at Westminster by Dr. Juxton Arch-Bishop of Canterbury And now was the Book of Common-Prayer restored again to the Church May 14. Katharine the Infanta of Portugal arrived at Portsmouth His Marriage where she was married to Charles the Second King of England A. D. 1664. the War began with the Dutch And 1665. in May began the Great Plague in London Plague whereof died near 100000 Persons Upon the second of September began that dreadful Fire Fire in London the total Loss sustained by these devouring Flames was valued to be 9900000 l. Sterling In Feb. 1674. after many great Conflicts Peace with Holland between the Dutch and England was there a Peace concluded A. D. 1677. was the Marriage between the Lady Mary and His Highness the Prince of Orange celebrated at St. James's by the Bishop of London Anno Dom. 1679. began the sham-discovery Popish Plot. of the Popish Plot for which so many Persons suffered and which plainly appeared to be afterwards a contrivance of the Non-conformists from whom our gracious Monarch was wonderfully preserved by a Fire at New-market which occasioned him to leave that place sooner than he designed and by that means escaped the designed Ambuscado that was to have destroyed him at Hodsdon The extraordinary occurrences of his Reign about these times are printed by themselves and therefore here omitted Feb. 6. 1684. At Whitehall died our most His Death gracious King Charles the Good and Just which not only almost deluged England with Tears for so great a loss but he was generally lamented through all the Christian World He had no Legitimate Issue Feb. 14. He was Interred in Henry the His Funeral Seventh's Chappel at Westminster JAMES the Second the only Royal A. D. 1684. Brother to King Charles the Second and his undoubted Heir was on the sixth of February Proclaimed at London to the unexpressible joy and satisfaction of all Loyal Proclamation Subjects having the same day been graciously pleased to declare in Council That he would maintain the Protestant Religion as by Law established And truly we can attribute it to no less than the Divine Goodness and Mercy of Almighty God to these Kingdoms that notwithstanding the late strange and unreasonable Animosities against our now gracious Sovereign yet his coming to the Crown was received by his Subjects in all his Dominions with the greatest expressions of content and satisfaction imaginable April 23d being St. George's day he was His Coronation with very great State and Magnificence Crowned at Westminster with his dearest Consort Mary by Dr. Sancroft and Dr. Dolben the two Arch-Bishops and Dr. Turner Bishop of Ely Preached the Coronation-Sermon May the 16th Titus Oates the chief Titus Oates his Sentence for Perjury Evidence to the Popish Plot being convicted upon two Informations of Perjury received Sentence That he should pay a Fine of one thousand Marks for each Perjury should stand in the Pillory at Westminster-Hall Gate and at the Royal-Exchange be whipped twice viz. from Aldgate to Newgate and from Newgate to Tyburn all this was to be done in that week But besides for an Annual commemoration of his admirable faculty of Swearing it was ordered that four times every year upon the days on which he fathered his horrid falsities so long as he lived he should stand in the Pillory and the places to be The Royal-Exchange Temple-Gate Charing-Cross and Tyburn May the 19th the Parliament met and Parliament met unanimously chose Sir John Trevor Speaker who was also approved of by His Maiesty June the 11th the Duke of Monmouth The Duke of Monmouth his Landing at Lyme having Caballed with the Earl of Argyle to put their rebellious Designs in practice in England and Scotland at the same time landed at Lyme in Dorset-shire with about 150 Men after an Hostile manner where many of the like rebellious Principles flocked to him so that in few days he left Lyme and took the Field and marched with his Forces to Taunton and Bridgewater His first Repulse and from thence near Bristol to Canisham-Bridge where they were repulsed by a party of 100 of His Maiesties Horse Commanded by Collonel Oglethorp who there cut off two of Monmouth's best Troops of Horse From thence the Rebels marched near to Bath but His Majesties Forces being joyned there they marched in much fear and confusion backwards towards Frome and from thence to Philipsnorton where the Duke of Grafton encountred them very smartly in which Engagement Mr. May a Voluntier was killed with many common Souldiers From thence they went to Shepton-Mallet from thence to Wells and so to Bridge-water His Maiesties Forces commanded by the Earl of Feversham all the while pursuing them on â—â—uly the 5th came to Weston within three â—â—iles of the Rebels where they placed â—â—hemselves in a very advantageous Post â—â—ronting a spacious Plain having a Ditch before them in which posture next Mornâ—â—ng the late Duke of Monmouth resolved to attack them and to that end had with all possible silence in the Night drawn his Forces out of Bridge-water to the number of about 6000 Foot and 1200 Horse and towards Morning formed them in Battel and marched so with design to surprize the Earl of Feversham but he having advice of it by his Scouts was prepared to receive them though the number of his Souldiers was but small in comparison of the Rebels having but 2000 Foot and 700 Horse but here God
and Breadth Page 1 Boadicea 2 Bonds first sealed 10 Becket Tho. 14 Black Prince 21 A Bishop's Chastity 49 Blasphemy 51 London-Bridge 53. and finisht 53 Shower of Blood 53 Barons 63 Barons first executed 64 A Bishop rescued from the King by force ibid Shower of Blood 78 A miraculous Birth 95 Last Banneret in England 99 A Pond of Blood 108 C. CAractecus Page 4 Cadwallader ibid Constantine ibid Cambridge founded 7 Church-Rights sold. 10 Charles the I. 36 Charles the II. 37 Committee of Safety 39 Canutus 48 Scotch Custom 49 Children born with Horse-tails 52 A barbarous Cruelty 57 Common-Councel-men first in London 58 Charters confirm'd 59 A false Christ. 60 Richard Clare his Valour 61 Coronation-Chair brought from Scotland into England 62 The Value of Calice 66 Clergies Tax ibid Chaucer 68 A noble Citizen of London 69 Combat between Katrington and Annesley ib Character of King Henry the V. 75 A wonderful Cock 78 Cap of Maintainance 89 King Henry the VIII supream Head of the Church 90 First Registers in Churches 92 Cranmer Archbishop his Heart not burnt 96 East-India Company 100 First Master of Ceremonies 103 A monstrous Child 105 King Charles murdered 108 D. DAnes first invade England Page 6 Second Invasion of Danes ibid Drake Captain 34 Dangerfield 45 A Dwarf 63 A great Dearth 65 First Dauphin of France 66 Dukes first created 67 An Appearance of the Devil 74 â—â—fender of the Faith Title 90 Dolphins 95 Captain Drake 99 English first Drunkards ibid Dublin-University 100 A great Drought 101 Deer-killers Penalty 104 Duels restrain'd 105 Countess of Derby's Resolution 108 Lady Eleanor Davis 109 E. ENgland's Length and Breadth Page 2 Its first Inhabitants ibid Their Wives ibid England when so call'd and why 6 Divided into Parishes ibid Kings-Evil first cured 7 A dreadful Example ibid Divided into Circuits 14 Edward the I. sirnamed Long-shanks 17 Edward Caernarven ibid Edward the III. Crowned 19 Edward the IV. 26 Edward the V. 27 Edward the VI. 32 Elizabeth Queen ibid Ethelred 48 Strange Earthquake 49 53 Elephant first seen in England 60 Emperor takes Pay of King Henry 88 A prodigious Earthquake 100 Another 101 F. FIre in London Page 39 Great Fire in London 49 A bountiful Feast 59 Vast Expences in France 60 A great Frost 68 4000 French frighted at the Name of Salisbury 76 A Fort taken by one Man 99 A monstrous Fish 100 G. GOspel first preach'd in England Page 3 First publickly professed here ibid Gaviston 18 Garter first instituted 21. 54 Lady Jane Grey 32 Gunpowder Plot. 35 Guns first used 66 Knights of Garter first ibid Guns first invented 72 First Garter King at Arms. 74 Gold paid by Weight 75 King's Guard first ordained 85 Granada won by the Spaniards 86 An uncourteous Guest 94 H. HEptarchy Page 4 5 Henry the I. Crown'd at Westminster 11 His Death and Issue 12 Henry the II. Plantagenet 13 Henry the III. Crowned 16 Henry the IV. 22 Henry the V. 23 Henry the VI. 24 Henry the VII 28 Henry the VIII 29 Hell Kettles 40 First Burning in the Hand 87 Large Hailstones ibid Ceremonies of Cutting off the Hand for Courtstriking 91 John Hopkins 97 Hacket's strange Reconciliation 99 King James presented with 70 Teams of Horses 103 I. IReland conquer'd Page 14 John King Crown'd at Westminster 15 First Justice of Peace 21 Joan de Lorrain 24 James the I. King 35 James the II. King 40 Installation at Windsor 45 First Lord of Ireland 50 Johannes de Temporibus ibid Ireland first entred by the English 51 Submits to King Henry 52 King of Jerusalem's Title whence 54 Laws first in Ireland 58 A devout Jew 60 Man-Island conquered 66 A noble Justing 70 An Image made to speak 72 King Edward the IV. sits as Judge 79 A melancholy Judge 80 A magnificent Interview 89 King Henry his Justing ibid Viscount Lisle dies of Joy 92 St. James's built 93 English Laws in Ireland 95 A wonderful Journey 104 K. THe Kingdom interdicted by the Pope P. 58 Knighthood compell'd 60 Knights-Templers imprisoned 64 Earl of Kent beheaded 65 Manner of Knighting 70 Obligations of Knighthood 91 Knights-Baronets first created 104 L. A Learned Man became an Ideot Page 59 Laws first pleaded in English 67 Legitimacy by Parliament 71 Barons first made by Letters Patents ibid Lions die in the Tower 77 Judge Littleton 82 Wonderful Lightning at Whitecomb 108 M. FIrst Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London Page 15. 55 Magna Charta 17 Evil May-day 29 Man hang'd for his Master 32 Mary Queen ibid Monmouth lands at Lyme 42 Defeated and beheaded 43 A Lord devoured by Mice 49 Miracles 58 Maid of Leicestershire 61 Montfort's Audacity ibid Sir John Mandevil 65 Judgement on King Edward's Murderers 83 Name of Merchant-Taylors first given 87 Masking first used in England 88 Meat sold by Weight 93 Mass restored 96 A strange Mortality 98 N. NUns of Codington Page 48 French Navy of 1287. 7 Necromantick Art 76 Last Nuncio in England 98 O. Oswald Page 6 Oxford-University founded 7 Oliver Usurper 37 Oates his Plot. 40 Perjury and Punishment 41 Oath of Allegiance 105 P. AN English-man elected Pope Page 15 Peterkin and Symnel 28 Protestancy founded 32 Abolished 33 Old Parr his Age. 37 Plague in London 39 First Parliament in England 49 Two Popes at once 53 A Bondman came to be Pope ibid King John resigns his Crown to the Pope 48 A wonderful Preservation 63 First Coronation-Pardon 65 A wonderful Pestilence 67 Great Plenty 68 A King obliged to attend the Parliament 70 A strange sort of general Pardon 71 Prince Henry made a Prisoner 73 King Henry the 5ths Prophesie 74 Printing first used in England 77 A wonderful Prodigy ibid The Fickleness of Parliaments 80 First suing in forma Pauperis 86 Popes Authority abolished 91 First Gentlemen-Pensioners 93 Priests Children legitimated 95 A Plague 105 R. ROmans first enter England Page 2 Their Departure 3 Rosamond 14 Richard Coeur de Lion 15 Robin Hood and Little John ibid. 55 Richard the II. 22 Richard the III. 28 King Richard's Reply to the Priest 56 A â—â—ot of Sheep 64 A strange Rainbow 96 A vast Rain ibid Rain of Fire from Heaven 110 S. SAxons Invasion Page 4 Stephen Earl of Blois Crown'd at Westminster 12 His Valour Death Issue 13 Salisbury Church built 16 Scotland subjected 17 Spencers 18 Scots invade England 20 Straw and Tyler 22 A wonderful Sorceress 53 William King of Scots does Homage to King John 57 Sterling Money ibid. 58 King of Scots does Fealty to King Edward 62 Title to Scotland surrendred 65 Defrauding Souldiers punished 66 A Subsidy granted without asking 74 Scriptures ordered to be in Latin 75 A wonderful Slaughter 79 King Edward marries his Subject 80 Sheep sent to the King of Arragon ibid Strange Examples of Severity 81 Length of Shoos Noses 82 Inundation of the Severn 84 Sweating Sickness 85 A Carver made Sheriff ibid A Just at Sheens 86 Sanctuaries
abrogated 87 Stews put down 93 A great Sleeper ibid Serges made in England 100 A Star at Noon at King Charles the 2ds Birth 107 T. ORders of Templers Page 49 Wonderful Accident of Thunder 51 Thames almost dry 50 Decrease of Teeth in Men. 68 1500 executed for Treason 69 Five Mâ—â—n hang'd at Tyburn yet lived after 77 A wonderful Tempest 97 Tobacco brought into England 99 U. UTer Page 4 A strange Vision 89 A miraculous Victory 94 W. WIlliam sirnamed Rufus Page 10 His Expedition into Normandy 11 Death and Burial ibid Wales subdu'd 17 Woolsey Cardinal 30 Woolston's Miracle 48 Westminster first built 49 Prince of Wales whence first 59 Wales and England united Apparel for Whores 67 King Edward and the Widow 81 A large Whale taken 101 〈◊〉 brought to London 104 Y. YEomen of the Guard first instituted Page 86 Collections of Life and Death NAture durable and not durable in Stones Metals Page 111 In Herbs and Fruit-trees 112 Length and shortness of Life in Creatures viz. The Elephant Camel Dog Sow Vultures ib Birds Fishes Crocodiles tame Animals 113 Of Nourishment 114 To make large Fruit. ibid Where Men live longest ibid To try Healthfulness of Air Signs of long Life Medicines for long Life Blood-letting Strong Liquors and Spices Spare Diet Exercise 115 Of Joys Grief and Fear Anger and Envy Pity and Shame Love and Hope Admiration 116 Chief Promoters of Longaevity Desarts and Mountains Anointings Sweatings Woollen Clysters Bathing Meats c. 117 118 The Porches of Death SUdden Death Poysons Extream Passions Strangling Page 119 To recal Life if possible 120 Collections of Natural History containing many choice Experiments viz. PErcolation Separating Bodies by weight c. To make Vines fruitful Meats and Drinks most nourishing An admirable Drink To keep long under Water To prolong Life Make Drink fresh Keep Fruit green Ripen Apples To make Gold Accelerate Growth Make Whelps little Preserving Rose-leaves Candles long last To make a hot Bed Fruit grow into shape To make Inscriptions on Trees Fruit without Core or Stone To try Seeds if good When to gather Fruits Easiest Death Of Drunkenness Prognosticks of unwholsom Years Induration of Quick-silver Apples without Core Raise Water by Flame Of Sneezing Audacity Food beneficial to the Brain To help Courage and Ingenuity Infallibly to take away Warts From Page 121. to Page 132. Vulgar Errors First Book THeir Causes Page 132 A further Illustration 133 Second Cause 135 Nearer and more immediate Causes in wise and common sort of People viz. Misapprehension Fallacy Credulity Supinity Adherence to Authority Antiquity and Tradition 137 Brief Enumeration of Authors 141 Of the same 143 The last Promoter of Common Errors Satan 144 Second Book OF Chrystal Page 145 Of the Loadstone 148 Of Bodies Electrical 149 Tenents of Vegetables 151 Insects and Properties of Plants 153 Third Book OF the Elephant Page 154 Of the Horse 155 Of the Dove 156 Of the Bever 157 Of the Badger 158 Of the Bear ibid Of the Basilisk 159 Of the Wolf 160 Of the Deer 161 Of the Kingfisher 163 Of Griffins 164 Of the Phoenix 165 Of Frogs Toads and Toadstone 166 Of the Salamander 167 Of the Amphisbaena 168 Of the Viper 169 Of Hares 170 Of Moles 171 Of Lampries 172 Of Snails 173 Of the Chameleon 174 Of the Ostrich 175 Of the Unicorns Horn. 176 That all Animals of the Land are in the Sea 177 Common course of Diet and choice or abstinence from sundry Animals 178 Of Sperma Ceti 179 Tenents of Animals false or dubâ—â— 180 Swans Melody ibid The Peacock ibid Of the Stork Toad Spider Lion Cock Snakes 181 Fourth Book Of the Erectness of Man 182 Of the Heart 184 Of Plurisies and 185 the Ring-finger 185 Of the right and left Hand 186 Of Swimming and Floating 187 Of Weight 188 Passages of Meat and Drink 189 Of Sneezing 190 Of the Jews 191 Of Pigmies 193 Fifth Book OF Pictures First Of the Pelican Page 194 Picture of the Dolphin 195 Serpent and Eve 196 Pictures of Eastern Nations c. 197 Sixth Book OF the Beginning of the World 199 Seventh Book HIstorical Tenents Of the forbidden Fruit. 199 That a Man has one Rib less than a Woman 203 The Death of Aristotle 204 Abridgment of Honour PRiviledges due to the Gentry 205 Of the Esquire 206 Of Knighthood in general and the Knight-Batchelor 207 Of the Knight of the Bath 208 Of Bannerets 209 Of Baronets 210 Of Barons 211 Of a Bishop 212 The Viscount 213 Count or Earl 213 The Marquess 213 Of the Duke 214 Of the Archbishop ibid The Prince 215 The King 216 Of Women 217 â—â—edence amongst the Peers of England 218 A short MEMORIAL OF English History Beginning before the Invasion of Britain by Julius Caesar and from thence continued to the year 1686. BRITAIN THE length of Britain from Length and breadth of Britain the Luzard-point Southward in Cornwal to the Straithy-head in Scotland containeth 624 miles The breadth from the Lands-end in Cornwal in the West unto the Island Tenet in the East containeth 340 miles A Place so well stored with all necessary Commodities for this Life that our English Lucan thus sings The fairest Land that from her thrusts the rest As if she cared not for the World beside A World within her self with Wonders blest England's Dimension in length from Length and breadth of England Barwick to the Lands-end is 386 miles In breadth from Sandwich to the Lands-end 279. In compass about 1300 miles The first Inhabitants of this Island were The first Inhabitants derived from the Gauls and anciently few and those of the better sort only did wear any sort of Cloathing Their Wives were 10 or 12 which they Their Wives held common amongst Parents and Brethren yet was the Issue reputed his only who first married the Mother when she was a Maid It is observable in the time of the Romans A valiant Queen of one Boadicea Queen to Pratiosagus after her Husband's Death receiving Incivilities from the Romans opposed her self against them and in one Battel slew 80000 of them and got several other great Victories but at length she was vanquished in Battel when rather than live subject to her Foes she poysoned her self The Romans were opposed 100 years nor were the Britains then subdued but by their own Divisions An. Mun. 3913. Julius Caesar first took Romans first â—â—ed Britain Footing in Britain about Deal besore Christ 54. In the year of Redemption 67. Domitius Nero reigning the 6th Emperor Joseph of Arimathea was sent by Philip the Apostle to First Preacher of the Gospel in Britain plant the Gospel in Britain who laid the foundation of the Christian Faith at a Place then called Avalon now Glastenbury where he died and was buried A. D. 181. Aurelius Commodus being Emperor The first publick profession thereof was the Christian Faith in Britain first professed by publick Authority under King Lucius the
part proving the weaker Spencer the elder was taken at the Siege of Bristol and there cut up alive and quartered The younger was taken with The death of the Spencers the King at the Abby of Neath in Wales which Spencer was ignominiously hanged The distressed King being now shut up in Prison at last yielded to resign the Crown The resignation of his Crown to his Son Edward whereupon Sir William Trussel in behalf of the whole Realm renounc'd all Allegiance to him A. D. 1327. His Issue were Edward John Joan and His Issue Eleanor EDWARD the Third was Crowned A. D. 1327. upon Candlemas-day Soon after Tho. de Gourney and John Mattrevers conveyed the old King from Kenelworth to Berkley Castle and there Murdered him by running a Death of Edward the Second burning Spit into his Body as he was easing Nature Sept. 22. 1327. His Body was buried at Gloucester To animate these Regicides Adam de Torleton Bishop of Hereford sent them this ambiguous Phrase by Mortimer Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est This King made Edw. Baliol King of Scots who did him Homage In the year 1327. died Charles the Fair King of France by whose death the Crown Edward the Third his Title to France devolved to Edward King of England in right of his Mother Queen Isabel who was Daughter to Philip the Fair and Sister to Charles the Fair. But the French pretending a Fundamental Law by which no Woman was inheritable to France sought to debar King Edward of his right receiving to the Crown Philip of Valois whose Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair advancing the Brothers Son before the Daughters Son Whereupon King Edward went into France with a puissant Army His Expedition for his Right in France and over-ran all places in his way at last the French Army met him at Cressy in Ponthio lying between the Rivers of Some and Anthy being above 100000 men A bloody Fight ensued where the Black Prince King Edward's Son without the help of the Battel wherein his Father was which stood idle won so great a Victory of the French A great Victory that they slew of their party 11 great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above 1500. and of the Commons about 30000. Of the English not one man of Note or Honour was slain The Scots taking this Opportunity in Scots invade England favour of the French invaded England but were soon stopt their King David taken Prisoner and their chiefest Nobles slain After the King had taken many great places in France at last there was a Peace concluded though it continued not long ere the French broke the Agreement In revenge whereof King Edward entred His second Journey into France France with an Army and spoiled it where he came and after his return home he bestowed the Dutchy of Aquitain on the Black Prince commanding him to defend his right The Prince furnished with a gallant Army went to the chief City Bourdeaux and John King of France encountred him with a great Army having the odds of six to one notwithstanding the Victorious Prince discomfited the French Another great Victory by the Black Prince took Prisoners the King and his youngest Son and many great Lords and about 2000 Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing Armories slew 52 Lords and 1700 Knights and Gentlemen besides common Soldiers 6000. Shortly after he return'd home with his Prisoner King John and a while after these Conditions were agreed The Agreement upon That King John and his Heirs should have the Crown of France and Dutchy of Normandy and King Edward and his Heirs Aquitain and Santain and King John pay for his Ransom 500000 l. Sterling Not long after this the Martial Prince The death of the Black Prince Edward died on Trinity Sunday 1376. about his age 46 and was buried at Canterbury And his Father died soon after at Shene in The Kings Death and Burial His Issue Surrey A. D. 1377. and was buried at Westminster His Issue were Edward the Black Prince William Lionel John of Gaunt Edmund William of Windsor Thomas Isabel Joan Blanch and Margaret He was the founder of the Noble Order The first Order of the Garter of the Garter so entituled from the Garter he took up of the Countess of Salisbury's which slipt off in a Dance Also in his First Justices of the Peace first year was the Original of Justices of the Peace RICHARD the Second the Son of A. D. 1377. the Black Prince was Crowned King in the eleventh year of his Age but ere the Crown was settled on his Head the French braved it on the English Coasts and the Scots set fire on the Tower of Roxborough and through want of care in such who had the charge of State-matters in the Kings behalf things were declined to a shameful change and the glorious Atchievements of the two late Edwards fell under an Eclipse Jack Straw and Wat Tyler caused Straw Tyler great Rebellions but were supprest at last King Richard married the Lady Ann His Marriage Daughter to the Emperour Charles the IV. and a Truce was concluded with France After a great many Troubles by Civil Wars and Dissensions he was caused to His resignation of the Crown resign the Crown to the Duke of Lancaster Queen Ann Wife to King Richard first Womens first riding on sidefaddles taught English Women to ride on side-saddles before they rode astride and long trainâ—â— Gowns for Women HENRY the Fourth the Son of John A. D. 1399. Duke of Lancaster the fourth Son of King Edward the Third was Crowned at Westminster All that the old King said was I look not after such things but my hope is that after all this my Cousin will be my good Lord and Friend Many did strive to re-place Richard but to no purpose Death of King Richard And he at last died at Pontfract Castle by Hunger Cold and great Torments and was buried at Langley in Hartford-shire There was a great many Conspiracies afterwards against King Henry but they all came off with the worst and the Plotters thereby only hastened their own ruin The King died at London A. D. His Death and Issue 1413. His Issue were Henry Thomas John Humphrey Blanch and Philippa HENRY the Fifth of Monmouth whilest A. D. 1413. he was Prince did many things very incongruous to the greatness of his Birth yet when he had attained the Crown to begin a good Government he began at home banishing from Court those unruly Youths that had been his Consorts He began his Reign in all things very advisedly He sent into France to demand his Right and the Dauphin in derision sent him a Ton of Paris Tennis Balls But the King returned for Answer that he would shortly send him London Balls which should shake Paris Walls And soon after went with an His
the Magazin of Powder that lay in a vaulted Room took Fire by Accident whereby the Earl and his Company were blown up The same year a Pond in Cambridge became A Pond of Blood red as Blood the Water whereof being taken up in Basons retained still the same Colour Many Sights were seen in Armies in the Air. the Air as Armies fighting one against another which were looked upon as sad Presages of the future Wars In the 14th year of his Reign at Whitecomb A wonderful Lightning at Whitecomb in the County of Devon a Ball of Fire was seen to come into the Church in the time of Divine Service whereby three Persons were killed and 62 hurt divers of whom had the linings of their Cloaths burnt though their outward Garments were not so much as singed and most of the Seats were turned upside down and the Pillars Steeple and Church more endamaged than the expence of 300 l. could repair On Tuesday the 30th of January 1648 King Charles murthered was perpetrated that horrid and damnable Murther of the most Gracious of Kings Charles the I. an Act so wicked and diabolical so unjust and cruel that possibly the whole World since the Creation cannot produce its Parallel The most wonderful Remark of Courage The wonderful Resolution of the Countess of Derby in the Troubles of this King was shewed by the Noble Earl of Derby and his Renowned Lady which Lady by her admirable Courage and Magnanimity maintained her House of Latham for the King against the Parliaments Forces who besieged it from Feb. 28. 1644 till the 27th of May following when the Siege was raised by Prince Rupert EXTRAORDINARY EVENTS In the first 13 Years of the Reign of King CHARLES the Second ANno 1652. This year died the Lady A. D. 1648. The Lady Eleanor Davis Eleanor Davis Wife to Sir John Davis the King 's first Serjeant at Law in England who was a Lady that has the greatest Character for Piety Vertue Wit and Prudence that I ever read and her Predictions most wonderful Of the death of the Duke of Buckingham long before In the most flourishing condition of the Nation she foretold its unparallel'd Troubles and in the depth of those Troubles she foretold that happy Restauration to Peace and Settlement which we at this day through the mercy of God enjoy under our most Gracious Sovereign and in every one she long before prefixed the Time of their Accomplishment Anno 1656. It was related by the young Rain of Fire from Heaven Marquess Francisco de Lopez who with his Brother and Sisters was brought up to London being lately come from Peru that the Cities of Luma and Calao in Peru were destroyed by an Earthquake and Fire raining from Heaven in which Ruine perished 11000 Spaniards and about 100 Indians As for the other Events occurring in the late King 's and this happy Monarch's Reign I shall omit them here being so extraordinary and innumerable that they cannot be comprized but in large Volumes of which upon that occasion we have many extant SHORT COLLECTIONS OF Life and Death Nature durable and not durable MEtals at last decay by Rust only Gold excepted Quicksilver decays only by Fire Stones at last decay by a kind of Nitre Precious stones and Crystals grow less orient by age Metals 'T is observ'd that Stones lying towards the North decay sooner than towards the South but Iron the contrary as may be Stones seen in all Buildings Glass and Bricks having passed the fire last very long Gums Wax and Honey last very long Note that these continue longest being always wet or always dry Colder Herbs die yearly both in Root and Stalk but hot Herbs bear their age better The Vine and Rosemary attain to 60 Herbs and Fruit-trees years White Thorn and Ivy above 100. The Oak and Elm do commonly come to 800 years Most Fruit-trees attain to about 60 years but the sowrer the Fruit the longer-lived is the Tree All sorts of Fruits and Flowers might be long kept in earthen Vessels close stopt and much longer if the Vessels whether earthen or glass be sunk in the Water or buried in the Earth Fruits closed in Wax or any the like Case keep green very long Length and shortness of Life in Living Creatures THE Elephant grows till 30 and lives Elephant commonly till 200 years The Camel sometimes attains to 100 Camel years The Dog or Fox seldom reach 20 years Dog The Sow lives 15 years the Cat about 8. Sow Vultures Vultures live to near 100 years as also all Birds that eat Flesh and Prey live long The Swan and Goose commonly reach Birds 100 years The Parrot also lives long Ring-doves reach 20 years but Doves or Turtles not above 8. Of Fishes the Dolphin is said to live 30 years Lampreys were found in Caesar's Fish-ponds Fishes to live 60 years The Pike longest liver of fresh Fish reaches 40. Carp Bream Tench and Eel reach 10 years Crocodiles grow as long as they live and Crocodile are very long-liv'd It is generally observed that there are Birds and Beasts more Birds long-liv'd than Beasts though most come to their full growth in a year The Reason is thought to be because they partake more of the substance of the Mother than of the Father and so are not so hot and also their mixt and easie motion is a great help Upon this account it is noted that those What men live longest Men who more resemble the Mother than Father live longest as most participating of her substance and thereby the cooler Feeders on Grass are shorter-liv'd than those that feed on Flesh Seeds or Fruits Good Cloathing helps much to long Life Tame Animals by degenerating are Tame Animals much shorter-liv'd Of Nourishment The Slip of any Tree grafted on a Stock comes on most kindly To make an Onion very large place To make Fruit large the Seed in another Onion under ground Length of Life in Man Before the Flood Men lived many hundred When men lived long years though none reacht 1000 and 't is observed that those of the holy Line did not live so long as the Line of Cain there being of these but 8 Generations and of the other 11 Generations before the Flood But soon after the Flood Man shorter-liv'd Man was brought down to a 4th part of his primitive Age. Here the Lord Bacon numbers up many long livers since the Flood and here also he observes that though Virgil divined and men are wholly Of man's Decay carried away with an opinion that there is a continual decay by succession of Ages as well in the term of man's Life as in the stature and strength of his Body yet within these last 3000 years a time whereof we have sure memory there hath been no sensible alteration It is also observed that in cold Countries Where men live longest