preserving the Liberty of themselves and their Country But such is the violence of conceit till it be mastered by time or rather so very a Changeling is Humane Reason that what they then cut downe great Woods to defend they have since beene content to see abolished without cutting downe so much as a twigge But one Law especially he made extreamely distastefull to all the Gentry of the Land for where before they might at their pleasure hunt and take Deere which they found abroad in the Woods Now it was Ordained under a great penalty no lesse then putting out their eyes that none should presume to kill or take any of them as reserving them onely for his owne delight And indeed so great delight he tooke in that kinde of sport that he depopulated a great part of Hamshire the space of thirty miles where there had beene saith Carâ—on six and twenty Townes and fourescore Religious Houses and made it a Habitation for such kind of Beasts which was then and to this day is called the New-Forest But the lamentable dysasters that have happened to this Kings Issue doe plainely shew that there is a power that observes all our Actions and which we may know to be Memorem Fandi atque Nefandi But in the first yeare of this Kings Raignâ— he granted to the City of London their first Charter and Liberties in as large forme as they enjoyed them in the time of King Edward the Confessor which he granted at the suite of William a Norman Bishop of London in gratefull remembrance whereof the Lord Major and Aldermen upon the solemne dayes of their resort to Pauls doe still use to walke to the Gravestone where this Bishop lies interred Also this King was the first that brought the Jewes to inhabite here in England as likewise he made a Law that whosoever forced a woman should lose his genitals and in his time long Bowes came first into use in England which as they were the weapons with which France under this King Conquered England so they were the weapons with which England under after-Kings Conquered Fraâ—ce as if it were not enough for us to beate them if we did not beate them with their owne weapons This King also appointed a Constable of Dover Castle and a Lord Warden of the Cinque-Ports with Immunities as they are at this day Affaires of the Church in his Raigne IN the twelfth yeare of his Raigne Lanfranke Arch-bishop of Canterbury held a Synod at London where amongst other things he removed Bishops Sees from small Townes to great Cities as from Silliway to Chichester from Kyrton to Exceter from Wells to Bathe from Shirborne to Salisbury from Dorchester to Lincolne and from Lichfield to Chester and from thence againe to Coventry and not long before the Bishopricke of Lindafferne otherwise called Holy Land upon the river Tweede had beene translated to Durham In the sixth yeare of his Raigne a controversie arising betweene the two Arch-bishops of Canterbury and Yorke they appealed to Rome and the Pope remitted it to the King and Bishops of England Hereupon a Synod is holden at Windsor where sentence was given on Lanfranks then Arch-bishop of Canterburies side that in matters of Religion the Arch-bishop of Yoâ—ke should ever be subject to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Onely at Rome it was decreed for matter of Title that the See of Yorke should be stiled Primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae as it is at this day And as the Arch-bishop of Yorke oweth obedience to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury So all the Bishops of Scotland owe obedience to the Arch-bishop of Yorke as to the Primate of Scotland But as this King tooke downe the Prelates in Temporalties for he ordained they should exercise no Temporall Authority at all So in Spiritualties he rather raised them as may be seene by a passage betweene Aldred Arch-bishop of York and the King for at a time upon the repulse of a certaine suite the Arch-bishop in great discontentment offered to depart when the King in awe of his displeasure stayed him fell downe at his feet desired pardon and promised to grant his suite The King all this while being downe at the Arch-bishops feetâ— the Noblemen that were present put him in mind that he should cause the King to arise Nay saith the Arch-bishop let him alone let him find what it is to anger Saint Peter And as by this story we see the insulting pride of a Prelate in those dayes So by another we may see the equivocating false-hood of a Prelate at that time For Stâ—gand Arch-bishop of Canterbury would often sweare he had not one penny upon the Earth when under the Earth it was afterward found he had hidden great Treasure Also it is memorable but scarce credible of another Bishop who being accused of Simony and denying iâ— the Cardinall before whom he was to Answer told him that a Bishopricke was the gift of the Holy Ghost and therefore to buy a Bishopricke was against the Holy Ghost and thereupon bid him say Glory be to the Father and to the Sonne and to the Holy Ghast which the Bishop beginning and oft essaying could never say and to the Holy Ghost but said it plainely when he was put out of his Bishopricke And yet was not the Church in that Age so barren of Vertue but that it afforded some good Bishops as William Bishop of Durham Founder of University Colledge in Oxford but specially Bishop Woolstan whom upon Lanfrankes reporting to be insufficient for the place for want of Learning the King commanded to put off his Pontificall Robes and to leave his Bishopricke when suddenly out of a divine Inspiration Woolstan answered A better then you O King bestowed these Robes upon me and to him I will restore them And therewithall going to Saint Edwards Shrine who had made him a Bishop and putting off his Robes he strucke his Staffe upon Saint Edwards Monument which stucke so fast in the stone of it that by no strength it could be drawne forth till he drew it forth himselfe which so terrifyed both Lanfranke and the King that they intreated him to take his Robes againe and keepe his Bishopricke Also Oswald Bishop of Salisbury who devised a Forme of Prayers to be daily used in his Church and was used afterwards in other Churches from whence proceeded the common saying of Secundum usum Sarum In this Kings time was Berengarius who denyed the true body of Christ to be in the Sacrament Also in his time Pope Gregory the seventh removed marryed Priests from executing Divine Service whereof great troubles arose in England Workes of Piety by him and others in his time THis King Founded the Abbey of Baltell in Sussex where he overcame Harold the Abbey of Selby in Yorkeshire and a third neere London called Saint Saviours He founded also the Priory of Saint Nicholas at Exceter and gave great priviledges to Saint Martins le Grand in London which
of them backed with a thousand men at Armes yet the Scots resolutely maintained the fight three houres and more but in the end overlaid with number they were put to flight and chased almost to the edge of their Camp In this fight the chiefest force of the Scottish Hors-men was defeated the Lord Hume by a fall from his Horse lost his life his sonne and Heire with two Priests and six Gentlemen were taken prisoners and about fifteene hundred slaine the next day the Protectour and the Earle of Warwick rode towards the place where the Scottish Army lay to view the manner of their incamping As they returned an Herauld and a Trumpeter from the Scots overtook them who having obtained Audience the Trumpeter said that the Lord Huntley his Master to spare effusion of Christian blood would fight upon the whole quarel either with twenty against twenty or with ten against ten or else try it between the Lord Generall and himselfe the Protectour answered that for number of Combatants it was not in his power to conclude any bargaine and as for himselfe that being in publick charge it was not fit he should hazard himselfe against a man of private Conditions which otherwise he would most willingly accept here the Earle of Warwick intreated the Lord Generall that he might accept the Challenge and Trumpeter saith he bring me word that thy Master will performe the Combat with me and thou shalt have an hundred Crownes for thy paines nay rather saith the Lord Generall bring me word that thy Master will abide and give us battaile and thou shalt have a thousand Crownes for thy paines and thereupon when no other agreement could be made a generall battaile was resolved on in the Army of the Scots were five or six and thirty thousand men in the Avant-guard commanded by the Earle of Angus about fifteen thousand in the Battaile over whom was the Lord Governour about teâ— thousand and in the Arreare as many led by the valiant Gourdon Earle of Hackbuttersâ—hey â—hey had none nor men at Armes bur about two thousand Hors-men Prickers as they terme them the rest were all on foote we'â—l furnished with Jack and Scull pikes daggers Bucklers made of boord aâ—d slicing swords broad and thin every man had a long Kirchiffe folded twicâ— or thrice about his neck and many of them had cheines of Lattin drawne thâ—ee or foure times along their hoses and doublet-sleeves they had also to affright the enemies Horses great â—attles covered with parchment or paper and small stones within put upon staves three ells long And now both Armies joyned in battaile where a long fight and much variety of fortune on both sides at length the victory fell to the English in this fight divers of the Nobility of Scotland were slain of the inferior sort about ten or as some say foâ—rteen thousand of the English were slain onely one and fifty Horse-men aâ—d on footmen but many hurt the Lord Gray was dangerously thrust with a pike in the mouth which struck two inches into his neck the Scottish prisoners accounted by the Marshals booke were about fifteene hundred the chiefe whereof were the Earle of Huntley the Lords Yester Hobley and Hamilton the Master of Sanâ—-Poole and the Lord of Wimmes the Earle of Huntley being asked whilst he was a prisoner how he stood affected to the marriage made this answer that he liked the mariage wel enough but he liked not this kinde of woing This victory of Muskelborough against the Scots was on the tenth of December the very same day on which thirty yeers before a victory had bin had against them at Flodden field so as it seems this day was fatall to the Scots and confirms the opinion of Astologers that there are dayes to some men fortunate unfortunate to others if they could be known This victory strook such a terror into many of the Scots that the Earl Bothwel and divers chiefe Gentlemen of Tividale and Meers submitted themselves to the King of England and were received by the Prorectour into his protection after this the English army took many towns and Castles and then for want of Provision returned into England having not stayed above five and twenty dayes in Scotland and not lost above threescore men But notwithstanding this great overthrow at Muskelborough the Governour of Scotland would not yet be quiet but assembling the people made unto them a long Oration exhorting them to defend the liberty of their Countrie and not to be daunted with any event of warre In this mean time many distractions and troubles hapned in England partly in matters of Religion and partly about Inclosures â—nd first for inclosures the Lord Protector caused Proclamation to be set forth commanding they who had Inclosed any Lands accustomed to lye open should upon a certain pain before a day assigned lay them open again and then in matter of Religion certain Injunctions were set forth for removing of Images out of Churches and divers Preachers were sent with Instructions to disswade the people from praying to Saints or for the dead from use of Beads Ashes Processions from Masses Durges praying in any unknown tongue and for defect of Preachers Homilies were appointed publickly to be red in Churches many for offering to maintaine these Ceremonies were either punished or forced to recant Edmund Bonner Bishop of London was committed to the Fleet for refusing to receive these Injuctions Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester was likewise committed first to the Fleet and after to the Tower for that he had preached It were well these changes in Religion should be stayed untill the King were of yeers to govern by himselfe for the like causes Tunstall Bishop of Durham Heath Bishop of Rochester and Day Bishop of Chichester were in like manner committed to prison and all of them dispossessed of their Bishopricks and that which was worse the Bishopricks themselves were dispossessed of their Revenues in such sort that a very smal paâ—t remained to the Bishops that came after And now a Parliament was held in the first yeer of the King and by Prorogation in the second wherein divers Chantries Colledges free Chappels Fraternities and Guildes with all their Lands and goods were given to the King which being sold at a low rate enriched many and ennobled some and thereby made them firme in maintaining the change also it was then ordered that no man should speak against receiving the Eucharist in both kindes and that Bishops should be placed by Collation of the King under his Letters Patents without any election preceding or confirmation insuing and that all Processes Ecclesiasticall should be made in the Kings name as in Writs at the Common-Law and that al Persons exercising Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction should have the Kings Armes in the Seales of their Office and further the Statute of the six Articles and other Statutes concerning punishment of Lollards were repealed and the Kings Supremacy over the Church of England was confirmed
the Queen for succour to whom upon certain conditions she granted an Army of four thousand men and some great Ordnance with which Sir Iohn Norris was sent into France whom yet the French King imployed not as was agreed to the great displeasure of the Queen But as for the Prince of Parma's coming into France hee was prevented by death when hee had governed the Netherlands under the Spaniard fourteen yeers a Prince of many excellent parts and whom Queen Elisabeth never mentioned but with honour And now Queen Elizabeth considering that the King of Spaines chiefe strength was in his Gold of America sends forth Sir Walter Ralegh with a Fleet of fifteene Ships to meete with the Spanish Fleet who passing by a Promontory of Spain received certain intelligence that the Spaâ—ish Fleet was not to come forth that yeare Whereupon dividing his Navy into two parts whereof the one he committed to Sir Iohn Burâ—â—â—ghs the other to Sir Martin Forbysher he waited other opportunities when soon after a mighty Caraque came in view called The Mother of God which from the Beake to the Sterne was a hundred threescore and five foot long built with seven Decks and carrying six hundred men besides rich Merchandize This great Vessell they took and in it to the â—â—lue of a hundred and fifty thousand pounds sterling over and above what the Commanders and Sea-men pilfered This yeare the Queene going in Progresse passed through Oxford where she was entertained by the Schollers with Orations Stage-Plâ—yes and Disputations and by the Lord Buckhurst Chancellor of the University with a sumptuous Feast At her departure She made a Latine Oration wherein she vowed a vow and gave them counsell Her vow was That as she desired nothing so much as the prosperity and flourishing estate of her Kingdome so she as much wished to see the Universities and Schools of learning to flourish likewise Her Counsell was That they would serve God above all not following the curiosity of some wits but the Lawes of God and the Kingdome That they would not prevent the Lawes but follow them nor dispute whether better Lawes might be made but observe those which were already Enacted This year dyed Anthony Browne Viscount Montacute whom Queene Mary honored with this Title because his Grandmother was Daughter and one of the Heirs of Iohn Nevill Marquesse Montacute who though he were a great Roman Catholike yet the Queen finding him faithfull alwayes loved him and in his sicknesse went to visit him There dyed at this time also Henry Lord Scroope of Bolton Knight of the Garter and long time Governour of the Westerne Border toward Scotland At this time Henry Barrow and his Sectaries condemning the Church of England to be no Christian Church and derogating from the Queens Authority in matters Ecclesiasticall he the sayd Barrow as Ring-leader of the rest was put to death in terror to all such disturbers of the peace of the Church About this time by reason of the Queens correspondence with the Turk to the end her Subjects might have free Trading in his Territories It was maliciously given out by some that she had excited the Turke to a War against the Christians which caused the Queen to write to the Emperour shewing him the falsenesse of this report wherein she gave him full saâ—â—sfaction And now a constant report came into England That the King of France had already embraced or was ready to embrace the Romish Religion which so much troubled the Queene that she presently sent Thomas Wilkes into France with reasons if it were not too late to divert him from it But before Wilkes came the King indeed had openly professed the Romish Religion at the Church of Saint Denis in Paris of which his Conversion he declared the causes to Wilkes at large shewing the necessity of it unlesse he would suffer himselfe to be utterly thrust out of the Kingdome And the French AMBASSADOR signifying as much to the Queene in great perplexity She writ to him to this effect Alas what grief what anxiety of minde hath befallen me since I heard this news was it possible that worldly respects should make you lay aside Gods feare â—â—uld you thinke That He who had hitherto upheld and kept you would now at the last leave you It is a dangerous thing to doe evill that gâ—od may come thereof But I hope your minde may alter In the meane while I will pray for you and beg of God That the hands of Esau may not hinder the blessing of Jacob. To this the KING Answered That though he had done this in his owne Person out of necessity yet He would never be wanting to those of the Reformed Religion but would take them into his speciall care and Protection And now was Richard Hasket condemned and executed for Treasoâ— being sent from the English Fugitives beyond Sea to perswade Ferdinand Earle of Derby Sonne to Henry newly deceased to assume the Title of the Kingdome by right of Descent from Mary Daughter to Henry the Seventh and threatning him that unlesse he undertooke this enterprize and withall concealed him the Abettor he should shortly dye in most wretched manner But the Earle fearing a trap was layd for him revealed the matter yet the fellows threating proved not altogether vaine for the Earle within foure Moneths dyed a most horrible death This yeare Death had his tribute payd him from the Nobility for there dyed Henry Ratcliffe Earle of Sussex and three renowned Barons Arthur Grey of Wilton Henry Lord Cromwell and Henry Lord Wentworth besides Sir Christopher Carlile whose Warlike Prowesse at Sea and land deserves to be remembred In IRELAND at this time divers great men in Connaght Rebelled and Tuâ—logh Leynigh being dead Tir-Oen assumed to himselfe the title of O-Neale which in IRELAND is more esteemed than to be called EMPEROVR But upon a sudden dissembling his disconteâ—t hee submitted himselfe to the DEPVTY and promised all obedience Iâ— was now the yeare 1594 and the seven and thirtieth of Queen ELIZABETHâ— Raigne when the good correspondence betweene the King of Scots and Queen ELIZABETH gave the Papists small hope that ever he would prove an Instrument to restore the Catholike Religion Whereupon they began to bethinke themselves of some English Papist that might succeed the Queene but finding none of their owne Sect a fit person they fixed their thoughts upon the Earl of Essex who alwayes seemed a very moderate man and him they devised to have some right to the Crowne by Descent from Thomas of Woodstocke King EDVVARD the Thirds Sonne But the English Fugitives were for the Infanta of Spaine and desiring to set the King of Scots and the Earle of Essex at ods they set forth a Book which they Dedicated to Essex under the name of Doleman but was written indeed by Parsons Dolemans bitter Adversary Cardinall Allen and Francis Englefield The scope of which Booke was to exclude from Succession all persons whatsoever and how near soever Allied
75 Philip Commines a knight of Flanders writ the lives of Lewis Charles the Eighth Kings of France wherein he handles many passages betweene them and the Kings of England their contemporaries Of the Moderne These 76 Richard Grafton a Citizen of London writ a Chronicle from the beginning of the world to the beginning of the Reign of Queene Elizabeth in whose time he lived 77 Raphaell Holinshed a Minister writ a large Chronicle from the Conquest to the yeare 1577. and was continued by others to the yeare 1586. 78 Doctor Goodwin Bishop of Hereford writ the Lives of King Henry the eight King Edward the sixth and Queen Mary lived in the time of Qu. Elizabeth 79 Doctor Heyward writ the History of the first Kings William the Conquerour William Rufus and Henry the first also the Reigne of King Henry the fourth and Edward the sixth and lived to the time of King James 80 Samuel Daniel writ a Chronicle of the Kings of England to the end of King Edward the third and is continued by John Trussell to the beginning of King Henry the seventh 81 Sir Francis Bacon Viscount Viscount S. Albans hath written a History of the Reigne of King Henry the seventh in a most elegant stile and lived in the time of King James 82 John Fox writ three large Volumes of the Acts and Monuments of the Church particularly treating of the English Martyrs in the Reignes of King Henry the eighth and Queene Mary and lived in the time of Queene Elizabeth 83 Thomas Cowper Bishop of Winchester writ Chronicle Notes of all Nations specially of England from the beginning of the world to his owne time and lived in the time of Queene Elizabeth 84 William Camden King at Armes writ the life of Queene Elizabeth and a Description of Britaine and lived in the time of King James 85 William Martin Esquire writ the Reignes of the Kings of England from William the Conquerour to the end of King Henry the eighth to which was afterward added the Reignes of King Edward the sixth Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth 86 Francis Biondi an Italian Gentleman and of the Privy Chamber to King Charles hath written in the Italian tongue the Civill Warres between the two Houses of Lancaster and Yorke from King Richard the second to King Henry the seventh Translated elegantly into English by Henry Earle of Monmouth now living 87 Henry Isaacson a Londoner hath written a Chronology of all kingdoms from the beginning of the world to the yeare 1630. being the fifth yeare of King Charles his Reigne 88 Nicholas Harpsefield Arch-deacon of Canterbury hath written a Chronicle of all the Bishops of England to which Edmund Campian the Iesuite made an Addition 89 John Stow Citizen of London writ a Chronicle from Brute to the end of Qu. Elizabeth and is continued to this present time being the 18. yeare of King Charles by Edmund Howe 's a Londoner 90 John Speed a Londoner writ the Story of Britaine from the first beginning to the yeare 1605. being the second yeare of King James 91 William Abington Esquire hath written the Reign of King Edward the fourth in a very fine stile and is yet living 92 Thomas Fuller Batchelour of Divinity and Prebendary of Sarum hath written the Holy Warre in very fine language wherein he relates the Acts of our Kings of England in the Holy Land and is now living 93 Andre du Chesne a Frenchman Geographer to the King of France hath written the History of England Scotland Ireland from their first beginnings to the seventeenth yeare of our present Soveraigne Lord King Charles The end of the Catalogue of Authors A CHRONICLE OF THE KINGS OF ENGLAND from the time of the Romans Government unto the Raigne of King CHARLES Of the first knowne times of this Island ALthough we begin the Aera of our Computation from William called the Conquerour as though he were the first King of our English Nation Yet before him were many other excellent Kings and their Acts perhaps as worthy to bee knowne if they could be knowne But seeing after ages can know nothing of former times but what is Recorded by writing It hath followed that as the first Writers were Poets So the first writings have been Fictions and nothing is delivered to Posterity of the most ancient times but very Fables Such as is the story of Albina of whom they say this Island was called Albion though others say ab albis rupibus of the white cliffes that shee should beâ— the eldest of the two and thirty daughters of Dioclesian King of Syria such as never was who being marryed to two and thirty Kings in one night killed all their husbands for which fact they were put in a shippe themselves alone without any Pyloâ— so to try their adventure and by chance arrived in this Island of whom Gyants were begotten And if you like not of this then have you the story of Albion the sonne of Neptune of whom the Island tooke its name But when these are exploded there followes another with great Attestation and yet as very a Fable as these namely the story of the Trojan Brute of whom the Island they say was called Britaine though many other causes are given of the name as likewise the story of Brutes cosin Corinaeus of whom they say the Country of Cornwall had its name to whom it was given for overcomming the Giant Gogmagog and that Brute having three sonnes Lectrine Albanact and Camber he gave at his death to his eldest sonne Locrine all the land on this side Humber and called it Loâ—gria to his second sonne Albanact all the land beyond Humber of whom it was called Albania now Scotland and to his youngest sonne Camber all the land beyond the river of Severne of whom it was called Cambria now Wales with other such stuffe which may please children but not riper Judgements and were first broached by Geoffry Archdeacon of Monmouth for which all the Writers of his time cryed shame upon him and yet can scarce keepe many at this day from giving credit to his Fictions And when we are once gotten out of Fables and come to some truth yet that truth is delivered in such slender draughts and such broken pieces that very small benefit can be gotten by the knowing it and was not till the time of Iulius Caesar a thousand yeares after the Fable of Brute at which time the Island was yet but in manner of a Village being without Walls as having no shipping which are indeed the true Wals of an Island but onely certaine small vessels made of boards and wicker And as they had no ships for defence without So neither had they any Forts for defence within scarce any houses but such as were made of stakes and boughes of trees fastned together Neither was it yet come to be a Kingdome but was Governed by a number of petty Rulers So as Kent onely had in it as Caesar calleth them foure Kings
one concerning his Mother the other touching his Wife That concerning his Mother Queen Emma was this that because after King Ethelreds death she marryed the Danish King Canutus and seemed to favour her issue by him more then her issue by King Ethelred therefore he dispossest her of all her Goods and committed her to custody in the Abbey of Worwell and more then this so farre hearkned to an aspersion cast upon her of unchaste familiarity with Alwyne Bishop of Winchester that for her Purgation she was faine to passe the tryall of Fire Ordeall which was in this manner nine Plow-shares red hot weâ—e laid in unequall distance which she must passe bare-foote and blindfold and if she passed them unhurt then she was judged Innocent if otherwise Guilty And this tryall she passed and came off fairely to the great astonishment of all beholders The other touching his Wife was this He had marryed Editha the beautifull and indeed vertuous daughter of the Earle Godwyn and because he had taken displeasure against the Father he would shew no kindnesse to the daughter he had made her his wife but conversed not with her as his wife onely at board buâ— not at Bed or if at bed no otherwise then David with Abishagh and yet was content to heare her accused of Incontinency whereof if she were guilty he could not be innocent So as what the vertues were for which after his death he should be reputed a Saint doth not easily appeare It seemes he was chaste but not without injury to his wife Pious but not without ungratefulnesse to his Mother Just in his present Government but not without neglect of Posterity for through his want of providence in that point he left the Crowne to so doubtfull succession that soone after his decease it was translated out of English into French and the Kingdome made servile to a fourth forraine Nation One Ability he had which raised him above the pitch of ordinary Kings and yet at this day is ordinary with Kings that by his onely touching and laying his hand upon it he cured a Disease which from his Curing is called The Kings Evill His Mother Queene Emma in memory of the nine Plow-shares she had passed in her Tryall gave nine Manors to the Minster of Winchester and himselfe remembring the wrong he had done her bestowed on the same place the Island of Portland in Dorsetshire being about seven miles in compasse He made also of a little Monastery in the West of Londonâ— by the River of Thames a most beautifull Church called of the place Westminster where he provided for his owne Sepulchre and another Dedicated to Saint Margaret standing without the Abbey This of Westminster he endowed with many rich revenues and confirmed his Charters under his broad Seale being the first of the Kings of England who used that large and stately Impression in their Charters and Patents He Founded also the Colledge of Saint Mary Otterey in Devonshire and gave unto it the Village of Otereg and removed the Bishops See from Cridington to Exceter as to a place of farre more Dignity and when he had Raigned the space of three and twenty yeares and six moneths he ended his life the fourth of Ianuary in that roome of his Palace at Westminster which is now called the Paynted Chamber in the yeare 1066. and was buryed in the Church at Westminster which he had builded Of Harold the second English King after the Danes KIng Edward the Confessour being himselfe without issue had in his life time sent into Hungary for his Nephew Edward called the Outlaw the sonne of Edmund Ironside with a purpose to designe him his Successour in the Crowne but he dying soone after his comming into England King Edward then gave his Sonne Edgar the name of Atheling as to say Prince Edgar meaning to designe him for his Successour but being prevented by death before the successour was fully established and Edgar Atheling though he had right yet being young and not of power to make good his Right Harold the sonne of Earle Goodwyn steps into the Throne and never standing upon ceremonies set himselfe the Crowne upon his owne head wherein though as a violater of holy Rites he offended the Clergy yet not any either of Clergy or Layity durst oppose him as being at that time the most martiall man in the Kingdome and such a one as the state of the Realme stood at that time in need of and besides his owne worthinesse had the assistance of Edwyn and Marchar the two great Earles of Yorkeshire and Chester whose sister Algyth he had marryed It is true withall that King Edward had appointed the Crowne after his owne decease sometimes to William Duke of Normandy sometimes to Edgar Atheling and sometimes to this Harold so as he was Crowned by Aldred Arch-bishop of Yorke as not comming in by intrusion or wrong but by the appointment of King Edward though that appointment of King Edwaâ—d was rather to make him Regent during the minority of Edgar then to make him absolute King but howsoever being once in the Throne he was then able to make his owne Title and to make Prince Edgar some amends he created him Earle of Oxford which was indeed to use him like a Childe take away a Jewell and please him with an Apple Yet Harold having once gotten into the Throne he câ—rryed himselfe with great Valour and Justice for the time he sate in it which was but very short as being indeed but tottering from the very beginning and that chiefly by meanes of his owne Brother Toâ—stayne who by diverting his Forces to suppresse a Rebellion made him of lesse force to resist an invasion But now that we have shewed how Harold entred the Throne we must forbeare to shew how he was cast out till we come to him that cast him out who because he was not onely of another Family but of another Nation we must necessarily take the beginning from a deeper roote and indeed seeing in him we shall joyne our Island to the Continent which is a larger world Our Kings hereafter will afford a larger Extent for matter of Discourse then heretofore they have done THE LIFE OF KING WILLIAM THE FIRST CALLED THE CONQVEROUR His Parentage and Descent THere were six Dukes of Normandie in France in a direct line succeeding from father to sonne The first was Rollo who of a private man in Denmarke comming forth with the exuberancy of his Nation wrested by force of Armes from Charles the Simple King of France to bee made Duke of Normandy The second was William his sonne called Long Espee or Long Sword The third was Richard his sonne called the Hardie who had Richard and a daughter called Emma married to Ethelred King of England father of Edward the Confessor The fourth was Richard the second his sonne called the Good The fifth was Richard the third his sonne who by a first wife had three sonnes Richard Robert and
Church was founded before the Conquest by Ingelricus and Emardus his Brother Cousins to King Edward the Confessour These were this Kings workes of Piety in England but in Normandy he Founded also an Abbey at Caen where his Wife Maude built likewise a Monastery of Nunnes He gave also to the Church of Saint Stephens in Caen two Manors in Dorsetshire one Mannor in Devonshire another in Essex much Land in Barkeshire some in Norfolke a Mansion house in Woodstreete London with many Advowsons of Churches and even he gave his Crowne and Regall Ornaments to the said Church being of his owne Foundation for the redemption whereof his Sonne Henry gave the Manour of Brydeton in Dorsetshire In this Kings time Robert sonne to Hyldebert Laâ—ie Founded the Priory of Ponâ—fraite Henry Earle Ferrers Founded a Priory within his Castle at Tutbury Alwyn Chylde a Citizen of London Founded the Monastery of Saint Saviours at Bermondsey in Southwarke and gave to the Monkes there divers Rents in London Also in this Kings time Mauricâ— Bishop of London after the firing of the former Church of Saint Paul in London began the Foundation of the new Church a worke so admirable that many thought it would never have beene finished Towards the building of the East end whereof the King gave the choyce stones of his Castle at the West end of the City upon the banke of the River Thames which Castle having beene at that time fired in place thereof Edward Kilwarby Arch-bishop of Canterbury did afterwards Found a Monastery of Blacke-fryers The King also gave the Manor of Storford to the same Maurice and to his Successours in that See after whose decease Richard his next Successour bestowed all the Rents of his Bishopricke to advance the building of this Church maintaining himselfe by his private Patrimony and yet all he could doe made no great shew but the finishing of the worke was left to many other succeeding Bishops In the fifteenth yeare of this Kings Raigne William Bishop of Durham Founded University Colledge in Oxford Also one Gylbert a Norman Lord Founded the Abbey of Merton in Surrey seven miles from London and Thomas Arch-bishop of Yorke first builded the Minster of Yorke In this Kings sixteenth yeare his Brother Duke Robert being sent against the Scots builded a Fort where at this day standeth New Castle upon Tyne but the Towne and Walls wâ—re builded afterward by King Iohn Also in this Kings time Ledes Castle in Kent was builded by Creveken and the Castle of Oxford by Robert d' Oylie two Noble men that came into England with him Osmond Bishop of Salisbury built the new Church there Also Waring Earle of Shrewesbury built two Abbeyes one in the Suburbs of Shrewesbury and another at Wenlocke Casualties happening in his time IN the twentyeth yeare of his Raigne so great a fire happened in London that from the West-gate to the East-gate it consumed Houses and Churches all the way and amongst the rest the Church of Saint Paul the most grievous fire that ever happened in that City Also this yeare by reason of distemperature of weather there insued a Famine and afterwards a miserable mortality of Men and Cattell Also this yeare in the Province of Wales upon the Sea shoare was found the body of Gawen sisters sonne to Arthur the great King of the Britaines reported to be foureteene foot in length Also in this Kings time a great Lord â—itting at a Feast was set upon by Mice and though he were removed from Land to Sea and from Sea againe to Land yet the Mice still followed him and at last devoured him Of his Wife and Children HE had to Wiâ—e and her onely Mathilde or Maude Daughter to Baldwyn Earle of Flanders She was Crowned Queene of England the second yeare of his Raigne the seventeenth yeare of his Raigne she dyed a Woman onely memorable for this that nothing memorable is Recorded of her but that she built a Nunnery at Caen in Normandy where she lies Buryed By her he had foure sonnes and fivâ— daughters His Sonnes were Robert Richard William and Henry of whom Robert the eldest called Court-cayse of his short thighes or Court-hose of his short Breeches or Courtois of his courteous behaviour for so many are the Comments upon his name succeeded his Father in the Dutchy of Normandy Richard his second Sonne was kild by mis-fortune hunting in the New-Forest William his third Sonne called Rufus succeeded his Father in the Kingdome of England Henry his youngest Sonne called Beauclerke for his Learning had by his Fathers Will five thousand pounds in money and the inheritance also of his Mother His Daughters were Cicelie Câ—nstance Adela Margaret and Elenor of whom Cicelie was Abbesse of Caen in Normandy Constance was marryed to Alan Earle of Britaine Adela to Stephen Earle of Blois Margaret affianced to Harold King of England but never marryed and dyed young Elenor betroathed to Alphonsus King of Gallitia but desiring to dye a Virgin she had her wish spending her time so much in Prayer that with continuall kneeling her knees were brawned Of his Personage and Conditions HE was but meane of stature yet bigge of body and therewithall so strong that few were able to draw his Bow growing in yeares he was bald before his beard alwayes shaven after the manner of the Normans and where in his younger time he was much given to that infirmity of Youth which grows out of strength of Youth Incontinency after he was once marryed whether out of satiety or out of Grace he was never knowne to offend in that kind Of so perfit health that he was never sicke till that sicknesse whereof he dyed Of a sterne countenance yet of an affable nature In warre as expert as valiant In Peace as provident as prudent and in all his Enterprises as Fortunate as Bold and Hardy Much given to Hunting and Feasting wherein he was no lesse pleasant then magnificent He made no great proficience in Learning as having had his education in the licentiousnesse of the French Court yet he favoured learned men and drew out of Italy Lanfranke Anselme Durand Traherne and divers others famous at that time for Learning and Piety Very devout he was and alwayes held the Clergy in exceeding great Reverence And this is one speciall honour attributed unto him that from him we beginne the Computation of our Kings of England His Places of Residence HIs Christmas he commonly kept at Glocester his Easter at Wiâ—chester and his Whiâ—sontide at Westminster and once in the yeare at one of these places would be new Crowned as though by often putting on his Crowne he thought to make it sit the easier upon his head And for the houses which the Kings of England had in those dayes in London I finde that at Westminster was a Palace the ancient habitation of the Kings of England from the time of Edward the Confessour which in the Raigne of King Henry the Eight was by casuall fire burnt downe
French He commanded Robbers upon the High way to be hanged without redemption of whom a famous one at that time was one Dunne and of him the place where he most used by reason of the great Woods thereabouts is to this day called Dunstable where the King built the Borough as now it standeth Counterfeiters of money he punished with pulling out their eyes or cutting off their privy members a punishment both lesse then death and greater Affaires of the Church in his time AT his first comming to the Crowne he foâ—bore his claime to the Investitâ—res of Bishops but after he had beene King some time he claimed that both to invest Bishops and to allow or hinder appeales to Rome belonged to him In these Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury opposed him affirming that both of them belonged to the Pope The contention at last was brought to the Pope to whom King Henry sent William Warlewast elect Bishop of Exceter who saying to the Pope that his Master would not for the Crowne of his Realme lose the Authority of Investing his Prelates the Pope started up and answered Neither will I lose the disposing of Spirituall Promotions in England for the Kings head that weareth the Crowne before God said he I avow it So the contention grew long and hot and many messengers were sent to and fro about it the conclusion was which proved no conclusion that the King should receive homage of Bishops elect but should not Invest them by Staffe and Ring to which the King said noâ—hing for the present but forbore not to doe it ever the lesse for five yeares after the death of Anselme Ralph Bishop of Rochester was by the King made Arch-bishop of Canterbury and notwithstanding all former Decrees and Threatnings of the Pope he received his Investiture of the King About this time a Canon was made against the Marriage of Priests to which purpose Iohannes Cremensis a Priest Carâ—dinall by the Kings licence came into England and held a solemne Synod at London where inveighing sharpely against it affirming it to be no better then profest Adultery he was himselfe the night following taken in bed with a common harlot Even Anselme himselfe the most earnest enforcer of single life dyed not it seemes a Virgin for else he would never in his Writings make such lamentation for the losse thereof Anselme about this time dying Rodulph succeeded in the See of Canterbury and Thomas dying Thurstine succeeded in the Arch-bishopricke of Yorke betweene which two Prelates there arose great contention Rodulph would not consecrate Thurstine unlesse he would professe obedience Thurstine was content to embrace his benediction but professe obedience he would not In this contention the King takes part with Rodulph the Pope with Thurstine after many passages in the businesse upon the Popes threatning to Excommunicate the King Thurstine entred upon his Bishopricke and the King connived In the tenth yeare of his Raigne the Abbey of Ely was made a Bishops See and Cambridgeshire was appointed for the Diocesse thereof which because it belonged before to the Jurisdiction of Lincolne the King gave the Bishop of Lincolne in recompence thereof the Manor of Spalding This King also created a Bishopricke at Carlile and endowed it with many Honours In his time the Order of the Templars beganne and in the 27. yeare of his Raigne the Grey Fryers by procurement of the King came first into England and had their first house builded at Canterbury I may here have leave to tell two stories of Church-men for refreshing of the Reader Guymond the Kings Chaplaine observing that unworthy men for the most part were advanced to the best dignities of the Church as he celebrated Divine Service before him and was to read theâ—e words out of Saint Iames It rained not upon the Earth III yeares and VI moneths he read it thus It rained not upon the Earth one one one yeares and five one moneths The King observed his reading and afterwards blamed him for it but Guymond answered that he did it of purpose for that such Readers were soonest preferred by his Majesty The King smiled and in short time after preâ—erred him to the Government of Saint Frideswids in Oxford The other is this Thomas Arch-bishop of Yorke falling sicke his Physitians told him that nothing would doe him good but to company with a woman to whom he answered that the Remedy was worse then the diseaâ—e and so dyed a Virgin This King granted to the Church of Canterbury and to William and his successours the Custody and Constable-ship of the Castle of Rochester for ever Workes of Piety done by this King or by others in his time THis King Founded and erected the Priory of Dunstable the Abbey of Circester the Abbey of Reading and the Abbey of Shirborne He also new builded the Castle of Windsor with a Colledge there He made also the Navigable River betweene Torkesay and Lincolne a worke of great charge but greater use His Wife Queene Maude passing over the River of Lue was somewhat endangered whereupon she caused two stone-Bridges to be built one at the head of the Towne of Stratford the other over another Streame there called Channel-bridge and paved the way betweene them with Gravell She gave also certaine Manors and a Mill called Wyggon Mill for repairing the same Bridges and Way These were the first stone-Bridges that were made in England and because they were Arched over like a bow the Towne of Stratford was afterward called Bow This Queene also founded the Priory of the Holy Trinity now called Christs Church within the East Gate of London called Aldgate and an Hospitall of Saint Giles in the Field without the West part of the City In this Kings time Iordan Brifet Baron Founded the House of Saint Iohn of Hierusalem neare to Smithfield in London and gave 14. Acres of ground lying in the field next to Clerkenwell to build thereupon a House of Nunnes wherein he with Myrioll his Wife were buryed in the Chapter house Robert Fitsham who came out of Normandy with the Conquerour Founded anew the Church of Teukesbury and was there buryed Herbert Bishop of Norwich Founded the Cathedrall Church there The Priory and Hospitall of Saint Bartholomew in Smithfield was Founded by a Minstrell of the Kings named Reior who became first Prior there Before this time Smithfield was a Laystall of all ordure and filth and the place where Felons were put to Execution Hugh Lacy Founded the Monastery of Saint Iohn at Lanthony neare to Glocester Iuga Baynard Lady of little Dunmow Founded the Church there and gave to maintaine it halfe a Hide of Land This Lady Iuga was late Wife to Baynard that first built Baynards Castle in London Eudâ— the Kings Sewer Founded the Monastery of Saint Iohn at Colchester of blacke Chanons and those were the first of that Order in England Simon Earle of Northampton and Mande his Wife Founded the Monastery of Saint Andrew in Northhampton In the seventh yeare
made benefit of the vacancie of Bishopricks and Abbeys so did King Henry K. Iohn took great Fines of many for crimes not proved but onely supposed so did King Henry King Iohn made benefit of a new Seale so did King Henry King Iohn extorted great summes from the Iewes so did King Henry And one way more he had to get money which perhaps his Father had not and that was by begging as he told the Abbot of Borough It was more Almes to give money to him then to the Begger that went from doore to doore Indeed Taxations in this Kings Raigne may be reckoned amongst his Annuall Revenues for scarce any yeare passed without a Parliament and seldome any Parliament without a Taxe or if any sometimes without it was then cause of the greater Taxation some other way as when he tooke of the Londoners for having aided the Barons twenty thousand Markes Of his Lawes and Ordinances IN this Kings Raigne were ratified and confirmed the two great Charters of Magna Charâ—a and Charta de Foresta also in his time were enacted the Statutes called of Merton of Oxford and of Marleborough Also stealing of cattell which before was but Pecuniary he made capitall and the first that suffered for the same was one of Dunstable who having stollen twelve Oxen from the Inhabitants of Colne and being pursued to Redburne was by a Bailiffe of Saint Albons according to the Kings Proclamation condemned and beheaded And it may seeme strange that in these times so much bloud should be shed in the field and none upon the scaffold for till the twenty sixth yeare of this King that one William Marisc the sonne of Geoffrey Marisc a Noble man of Ireland being condemned for Piracie and Treason was hanged beheaded and quartered there is no example of that kinde of punishment to be found in our Histories Particularly in this Kings Raigne was made that Statute by which the Ward and marriage of the heires of Barons within age is given to the King Also in this Kings Raigne the Pleas of the Crowne were pleaded in the Tower of London All Weares in the Thames are in this Kings time ordained to be pluck'd up and destroyed Also the Citizens of London are allowed by Charter to passe Toll-free through all England and to have free Warren about London also to have and use a common Seale Also it was ordained that no Sheriffe of London should continue in his office longer then one yeare which they did before for many In the five and twentieth yeare of this King were Aldermen first chosen within the City of London which then had the rule of the City and of the Wards of the same and were then yearely changed as now the Sheriffes are It was in this Kings time allowed to the City of London to present their Major to the Barons of the Exchequer to be sworne which before was to be presented to the King wheresoever he were In his time the clause Noâ— obstante brought in first by the Pope was taken up by the King in his grants and writings Also in this Kings time William Bishop of Salisbury first caused that custome to be received for a Law whereby the Tenants of every Lordship are bound to owe their suite to the Lords Court of whom they hold their Tenements Affaires of the Church in his time AFfaires of the Church for matter of Doctrine were never more quiet then in this Kings Raigne for now all Heresies accounted of the time especially the Albigenses were in a manner suppressed by the Armes of the King of France not without the Vote of the King of England who forbore to make warre upon him in tendernesse to this service but for matter of manners they were never more turbulent for now Abbeys were fleeced Sanctuaries violated Clergy-men outraged Bishops themselves not spared and all for greedinesse of money or for revenge Ottobone the Popes Legat here in England lying at the Abbey of Oseney there happened a difference betweene his servants and the Schollers of Oxford in which contention a brother of his was slaine and theâ— Legat himselfe faine to fly into the Steeple for safegard of his life whereupon afterward being gotten from thence by the Kings safe conduct he thundred out curses against the Schollers and interdicted the University so as the Colledges grew desolate and the Students were dispersed abroad into other places for the space of halfe a yeare till the Monkes of Oseney and the Regent Masters of Oxford were faine to goe bare-foote and bare-head through London as farre as Durham house where the Legat lay and there upon their humble submission and great mens intercession they were absolved and the University restored to its former estate But of this Ottobone it may not be impertinent to relate a little further that going afterward out of England he came by degrees after the death of Innocent the fifth to be Pope of Rome himselfe by the name of Adrian the fifth and died within fifty dayes after his election Amongst affaires of the Church may be reckoned the Ulcers of any member of the Church such a one as in this Kings time brake out most loathsome for one procuring five wounds to be made in his body in resemblance to the five wounds in Christs body tooke upon him to be Christ and had gotten a Woman that tooke upon her to be the Virgin Mary who continuing obstinate in their madnesse were adjudged to be immured and shut up betweene two wals to the end no doubt the contagion of their filthinesse should spread no further In this Kings time a little novelty was first brought in by Pope Innocent the fourth who ordained that Cardinals should weare red Hats something perhaps for mystery and something for distictnion Workes of piety done by him or by others in his time THis King caused a chest of Gold to be made for laying up the Reliques of King Edward the Confessour in the Church of Westminster Hee builded a Church for converted Iewes in London also an Hospitall at Oxford for passengers and diseased persons also the new Coventuall Church and the Chappell of our Lady at Westminster whereof hee laid himselfe the first stone also the houâ—e of Black-Friers in Canterbury In his time Ela Countesse of Salisbury founded the Abbey of Lacok in Wiltshire Richard Earle of Cornwall founded Hayles a Monastery of Cistersian Monkes neare to Winchcombe in Glocestershire Reginold de Moun Earle of Somerset and Lord of Dunster founded the Abbey of Newham in Devonshire Ranulph the third Earle of Chester and Lord of little Britaine builded the Castles of Chartley Bestone and the Abbey of Dela Cresse Sir Iohn Mansell the Kings Chaplaine founded a house of Regular Chanons neare to Rumney in Kent William de Albineto Earle of Arundell founded the Priory of Wimondham William Brunc a Citizen of London and Rosia his wife founded the Hospitall of our Lady without Bishopsgate in London And Isabel Countesse of Arundell founded the
divers of the French Nobility who attended him to the Pallace where the Queen with her Daughters the Dutchesse of Burgoigne and the Lady Katherine gave him Princely entertainment and after some intercourse of complement between the Princes and the Ladies K. Henry tendred to the Lady Katherine a Ring of great value which she not without some blushing received and afterward upon the twentieth day of May she was affianced to him in St. Peters Church and on the third of Iune following the marriage was solemnized and therewithall king Henry was published to be the only Regent of the Realme and Heire apparent to the Crown of France the Articles whereof with all convenient expedition were Proclaimed both in England and in France and the two kings and all their Nobles and other Subjects of account were sworne to observe them and in particular the Duke of Burgoigne And thus was the Salique Law violated and the heire Male put by his Sucession in the Crowne which the Genius of France will not long endure a while it must and therefore the maine endeavour of both kings now is to keep him down whom they had put downe and thereupon on the fourth day of Iune king Henry with the French king Iames king of Scots who was newly arrived the Duke of Burgoigâ—eâ— the Prince of Orenge one and twenty Earles five and forty Barons with many Knights and Gentlemen and an Army consisting of French English Scotish Irish and Dutch to the number of six hundred thousand marched towards the Dolphin and upon the seventh day laid siege to the Towne of Seâ—â—s which sided with the Dolphin which after foure dayes siege was yielded up From thence they removed having the Duke of Bedford in their company who was newly come out of Eâ—glaâ—d with large supplies of men and money to Monstâ—â—â—â— which was taken by Escalado onely the Castle held out still during the siege whereof king Henry creâ—â—ed an Officer of Armes to be king of Heralds over the Englishmen and intitled him Garter whom he sent with offers of mercy to the Castle but was by the Captaine thereof reproachfully upbraided for punishment of which his presumption â— Gibbet was erected and in view of Mounsieur Guitry the said Captaine twelve of his friends were executed whereupon those of the Castle treated for peace but the king in eight dayes together would not grant so much as a parleyâ— so that after six weekes siege they were enforced their lives saved simply to yield From thence the king marched to Melun upon Sein and besieged it the thirtieth of Iuly the Captaine whereof was Barbason a Gascoigne no lesse politick than valiant who countermined some and stopt other Mines made by the English and foâ—ght hand to hand in the Barriers with king Henry yet at last through Famine and Pestilence was forced to yeild but being suspected to have had a hand in the murther of the Duke of Burgoigne he was sent prisoner to Paris and presently thereupon both the kings with their Queens the Duke of Burgoigne and his Dutchesse with a Royall Traine came thither where the French king was lodged in the House of S. Paul and the king of England in the Castle of Loâ—vre And here the three States of France anew under their hands and Seals in most aâ—thenticke manner Ratified the former Articles of king Henries Succession in the Crowne of France the Instruments whereof were delivered to the king of England who sent them to be kept in his Treasury at Westminster And now King Henry began to exercise his Regency and as a badge of his Authority he caused a new Coyne which was called a Salute to be made whereon the Armes of France and England were quarterly stamped he placed and displaced divers Officers and appointed the Duke of Exeter with five hundred men to the Guard of Paris He awarded out Processe against the Dolphin to appeare at the Marble-Table at Paris which he not obeying Sentence was denounced against him as guilty of the murther of the Duke of Burgoigne and by the sentence of the Parliament he was banished the Realme After this the King making Thomas Duke of Clarence his Lievetenant Generall of Fraâ—ce and Normandy on the 6th of Ianuary with his beloved Queen Katherine he left Pariâ— and went to Amyens and from thence to Calliâ— and thence landing at Dover came to Canterbury and afterward through Loâ—doâ— to Westminster where the Queene upon St. Matthews day the fourth of Februâ—ry was Crowned the King of Scots sitting at dinner in his State but on the left hand of the Queen the Archbishop of Caâ—terbury and the Kings Uncle the Bishop of Winchester being on the right hand All were served with covered messes of silver but all the Feast was Fish in observation of the Lent season After this the king tooke his Progresse through the Land hearing the complaints of his poore Subjects and taking order for the administring of Justice to high and low and then met the Queen at Leicester where they kept their Easter In the meane time the Duke of Clarence making a Road into Aâ—joâ— came to the Citie of Ampers where he knighted Sir William Rosse Sir Henry Gâ—dâ—ard Sir Rowlaâ—d Vyder Sir Thomas Beauford his naturall Son and returning home laden with prey was advertised that the Duke of Alanson intended to intercept his passage whereupon he sent the Scout-master Fogosaâ— Lombard to discover the face of the Enemy who being corrupted brought report that their number was but small and those but ill ordered that if he presently charged there could be no resistance The Dukes credulity caused him to draw all his horses together and leaving his bowes and billâ— behinde which were his chiefâ—st strength with his 〈◊〉 only he makes towards the Enemy but the Traitor leading to a straight where by his appointment an ambush was layd thaâ— the Duke could neither retreat nor flee he soone perceived the Treaâ—chery but finding no remedy he manfully set spâ—â— to his horse and charged upon the Enemy but over-layd with multitude and wearied with fight was himselfe with the Earle of Taâ—kervile the Lord Rosse the Eaâ—le of Angus Sir Iohn 〈◊〉 and Sir Iohn Vereâ—d and above two thousand English slaine The Earls of Sâ—â—erset Suffolke and Pearch Sir Iohn Berklâ—y Sir Ralph Nevill Sir Williâ—â— Bâ—wes and 60 Gentlemen were taken prisoners The body of the Duke of Clâ—rence was by Sir Iohn Beauford his base Son the D. dying without other issue convey'd to England and buried at Canterbury besides his Father and this disaster happened upon â—aster-Eve The King was at Beverley when he heard of his brothers death and presently thereupon dispatched away Edmund Earle of Mâ—rtâ—â—gne into Norâ—â—â—dy making hiâ— Lievtenant thereof and then calls his high Court of Parliament to Westminster requiring ayd by money to revenge his brâ—thers death which was readily granted and the king thus provided sent his brother the Duke of Bedford with an Army to Câ—lliâ— consisting of foure
â—â—â—â—ved by famine he so dyed In the meane time Sir Iohn Oldcastle wrote his Beliefe and presented it himselfe to the King which the King would in no wise receive but suffered him in his presence and Privy chamber to be summoned who appearing before the Archbishop after divers examinations he was condemned of Heresie and committed to the Tower of London from whence shortly after he escaped and got into Wales The king by his Proclamation promised a thousand Marks to any that should bring him in but so much was his doctrine generally favoured that the kings offer was not much regarded but he continued foure yeares after undiscovered At last he was taken in the borders of Wales within a Lordship belonging to the Lord Powes who brought him to London before the Duke of Bedford Regent of the Realme where in the end he was condemned and finally was drawn from the Tower to S. Giles field and there hanged in a chaine by the middle and after consumed with fire the gallowes and all At the time of his first conviction foure yeares before it was rumour'd that twenty thousand men in armes were assembled in S. Giles field whereupon the king at midnight himselfe in person went thither where he found many indeed who upon examination confessed that they came to meet their Captaine Sir Iohn Oldcastle but without any intent against the king yet was Sir Roger Actoâ— and eight and twenty others of them apprehended and executed in Smithfield and all the Prisons in and about London were filled with them In his third yeare the order of Church service throughout England was changed from the use of Pauls to the use of Sâ—lisbury to the great disliking of many in those dayes In his fourth yeare a Councell was holden at Constance whither he sent Ambassadors the Earle of Warwick the Bishops of Salisbury Bath and Hereford the Abbot of Westminster and the Prior of Worcester In which Councell it was decreed that England should have the title of the English Nation and should be accounted one of the five principall Nations in ranke before Spaine which often before had been moved but never granted till then And herein were all Wickliffs positions condemned also Iohn Husse and Hierome of Prague notwithstanding the Emperours safe-conduct were both of them burned In this Councell the Schisme of Anti-popes which had continued the space of nine and twenty yeares was reformed â—eâ—edict the 13. had been elected by the Spaniard Gregory the 1â— by the French Iohn the 24. by the Italians And now in this Councell begun in February 1414 and continued above three yeaâ—es wherein were assembled besides the Emperour the Pope and the Palsgrave of Râ—â—ime foure Patriarks twenty seven Cardinals seven and forty Archbishops one hundred and threescore Bishopâ— Princes and Barons with their attendants above thirty thousand The foresaid elected Popes were all put down or else resigned and in the place as legitimate Pope was elected Otho Loloâ—na by the name of Martiâ— the fifth In this yeare also fell out an Accident which shews the strict observance of Ecclesiasticall censures in those dayes The wives of the Lord Strange and Sir Iohn Trussell of Warâ—ington in Cheshire striving for place at a Sermon in S. Dunstâ—â—s Church in the East their husbands being present fell themselves to striving in their wives behalfâ— and great part-taking there was on both sides some slaine and many wounded The delinquents were committed to the Counter the Church suspended and upon examination the Lord Strange being found guilty was by the Archbishop of Canterbury adjudged to this Penance which was accordingly performed The Parson of S. Dunstâ—â—s went before after whom followed all the Lords servants in their shirts after them went the Lord himselfe bare-headed with a waxe taper in his hand then followed the Lady bare-footed and then last came the Archdeacon Reynold Râ—â—â—ood in which order they went from Pauls where the sentence was given to S. Dunstâ—â—s Church where at the rehallowing thereof the Lady filled all the Vessels with water and according to the sentence offered to the Altaran ornament of the value of ten pounds and the Lord a Pixe of silver of five pounds A Penance no doubt which the Lord and the Lady would have redemed with a great deale of money if the discipline of the Church had in those dayes allowed it but it seemes the commutation of Penance was not as yet come in use In his ninth yeare in a Parliament at Leicester a hundred and ten Priories alient were suppressed because they spoke ill of his Conquests in France and their possessions were given to the King but by him and King Henry the sixth were afterward given to other Monasteries and Colledges oâ— learned men Works of Piety by him or others in his time THis King re-edified his Royall Manour which was then called Sheene now Richmond and founded two Monasteries not farre from it the one of Carthusians which he named Bethelem the other of Religious men and women of the Order of S. Bridget which he named Syon He also founded the Brotherhood of Saint Giles without Cripplegate in London In the second yeare of his Reigne Mooregate neere to Colemanstreet was first made by Thomas Fawkener Major of London who caused also the ditches of the City to be cleansed and a common Privy that was on the Moore without the wall to be taken downe and another to be made within the City upon Wallbrooke into the which brooke he caused the water of the City to be turned by grates of iron in divers places In his sixth yeare William of Sevenoak Major of London founded in the Town of Sevenoak a Free schoole and thirteen Almshouses This man was found at Sevenoak in Kent anew-borne infant of unknown Parents but by charitable people was Christned and brought up bound prentise in London and came at last to be Major of the City Also Robert Chicâ—ely Major of London gave liberally to the Almshouses founded by his brother Henry Chicheâ—â—y Archbishop of Canterbury at Higham-Ferrers in Northamptonshire where they were born But Henry Chicheley the Archbishop founded two Colledges in Oxford one called Bernard Colledge renewed by Sir Thomas White and named S. Iohns Colledge the other called All-Soules which continueth at this day as he left it Also Iohn Kempe Archbishop of Canterburâ— converted the Parish-Church of Wye in Kent where he was borne into a Colledge of Secular Priests Casualties happening in his time IN the fift yeere of his Reigne a great part of the City of Norwich was burnt with all the house of the Friers Preachers and two fryers of that Order In his third yeere on the feast of the Purification seaven Dolphins came up the River of Thâ—mes whereof foure were taken Of his Wife and issue HE married Catherine the daughter of king Charles the sixth of France who was his Queene two yeeres and about three moneths married at Troyes in Champaigne the third day of June 1420. and afterward
he had private conference with three other that came with him to whom at their departure he gave these instructions in writing You shall charge all Lombards and Merchant-strangers Genona's Venetians Florentines and others this day to draw themselves together and to ordaine for us the Captain twelve Harnesse compleat of the best fashion foure and twenty Brigandiâ—es twelve Battell-axes twelve Glaves sixe horses with saddle and bridle compleatly furnished and a thousand maâ—ks in ready money and if they shall faile herein we shall strike off the heads of as many as we can get But they failed not but sent him what he had demanded who thereupon the next morning being the third of Iuly returnes to London and presently sends to the Lord Scales to bring his Prisoner the Lord Say to the Guildhall whither he had called the Lord Major with his brethren before whom he caused the Lord Say to be arraigned who craving to be tryed by his Peeres was forthwith taken from his keeper caried to the Standard in Cheap and there had his head chopt off which being pitched upon a Pike was borne before him to Mile-end whither he went to have conference with the Rebels of Essex and by the way meeting with Sir Iames Cromer High-sheriffe of Kent who had lately maried the Lord Sayes daughter he caused his head also to be strucken off and caried likewise before him in deâ—ision The next morning he came againe to London where after publick execution done upon some of his fellowes and particularly upon a petty Capâ—aine of his named Paris that had done things contrary to his Proclamation upon a displeasure taken against Alderman Malpas he sent and seized upon all his wares and goods and fined Alderman Horne in five hundred marks whereupon the Citizens finding him to grow every day more insolent than other they send to the Lord Scales for assistance who sendeth Matthew Gough an old souldier to them with some forces and furnitures out of the Tower who presently make a stand at the Bridge where Cade notwithstanding forceth his passage and then began to set fire on houses where many aged and impotent people miserably perished Captaine Bough Alderman Sutton and Robert Hayson valiantly fighting were slaine yet upon a fresh supply the Londoners recovered the bridge againe and drove the Rebels beyond the Stoope in South-warke at which time both sides being weary agreed of a Truce till the next day After the Retreat Cade finding he had lost many of his best men was driven for supply to set at liberty all the Prisoners in Southwarke aswell Felons as Debtors when now his company entring into consideration of their danger and of the desperate services their Captaine had brought them to began to discover by their countenances their willingnesse to leave this course whereof the Archbishop of Canterbury having notice he with the Bishop of Winchester came from the Tower by water to Southwarke and there shewed the Kings Generall-Pardon under the Great Seal of England which was so welcome to the Rebells that without taking leave of their Captaine they withdrew themselves that night to their severall habitations Iack Cade with some few followers bent his journey to Quinborough Castle where being denyed entrance he disguised himselfe and privily fled but upon Proclamation with promise of a thousand markes to any that should bring him dead or alive he was afterward by one Alexander Eden Gentleman attached and making resistance in a Garden at Hothfield in Sussex was there slaine his body was brought to London beheaded and quartered his head set upon London bridge his quarters dispersed in divers places in Kent Upon the news whereof the King sends Commissioners into Kent to enquire of the abettours of this Rebellion whither he followeth himselfe in person and though five hundred were found guilty yet eight onely were executed Though London were the chiefe stage of this Rebelion yet other Countries were not free especially Wilâ—shire for the Rebels there upon the nine and twentieth day of June drew William Askot Bishop of Salisbury from the High Altar where he was saying Masse in Edington Church to the top of the hill and there in his Priestly roabes most inhumanely murthered him This Insurrection was not unknown to the King of France who taking advantage thereof seizeth upon all places which the English had in France leaving them nothing but only Callice and the Castles of Hames and Guisnes and this was the issue of the Duke of Somersets Regency in France whereupon comming into England at a Pâ—â—liament holden at Westminster the sixth of November in the nine and twentieth yeer of the Kings râ—igne he was put under Arrest upon notice whereof the Commons of London despoiled his house at Blackfriers and ceased not till Proclamation was made to inhibite them for disobeying whereof there was one man beheaded at the Standard in Cheape At this time the Duke of Yorke under pretence of comming to the Parliament comes out of Ireland and at London had private conference with Iohn Duke of Norfolk Richard Earle of Salisbury the Earle of Devonshire and other his assured friends where it was resolved to keep the chiefe purpose the claime to the Crown secret and onely to make shew that his endeavours were but to remove ill Counsellours from the King of whom they instanced in the Duke of Somerset as chiefe and hereof the Duke sent divers letters to the King complaining of the wrongs the Duke of Somerset had done him but withall making Protestation of his own loyalty To which the King maketh answer that he would take his complaints into consideration but somewhat blames him for the death of the Bishop of Chester by his means suspected to be slaughtered and for dangerous speeches uttered by his servants tending to Rebellion concluding that notwithstanding any thing said or done to the contrary he took and esteemed him a faithfull subject and a loving kinsman But the Duke of York not herewith satisfied departeth into Wales and there leviâ—â—h men making his colour for the good of the Common wealth and the reremoving of bad Counsellours The King advertised hereof presently raiseth an Army and with the Duke of Somerset now enlarged marcheth towards Wales while the Duke of Yorke having notice which way the King came by another way marcheth toward London but being told the Londoners would not admit him entrance he passed the river Thames at Knightbridge marched into Kent and encamped at Burnt-heath The King in his pursuite came to Blacke-heathe and there pitched his Tents from whence he sent the Bishops of Winchester and Ely the Lord Rivers and Richard Andrews Keeper of the Privy Seale to know the cause of this commotion and to make offer of reconcilement if the Dukes Demands were not unreasonable The Duke made Answer that nothing was intended against the Kings person his Crown or Dignity All that was sought was to remove ill Counsellours from about the King but especially Edmund Duke of Somerset
Deane of Paulsâ— to be Commissioners for maâ—ing enquiry of the Offenders 〈◊〉 for assessing their Fines which they did with great severity to some with great mildnesse to others to all with equity 〈◊〉 was now the fourteenth yeer of the kings Reigne when one Sebastian â—â—bato â— Geâ—â—â—a's Sonne born â—t Bâ—iston perswaded the king to man and victuaâ—â— a ship at Bristow â—o search for 〈◊〉 stand which he said he knew to be replenished with rich Commodities who setting forth with three other small shâ—ps of London merchants returned home two yeerâ— after when he had made a large discovery westward and would have gone to 〈◊〉 if the Mariners had not forced him to return a likewise siâ— years before one Christopâ—er Columbus a Spanyard made the first discovery of America Perkin being in the Tower and carefully guarded yet found me â—s to escape and fled to the Priory of Sheen neer Richmond where discovering himselfe to the Pryor of that Monastery he begged of him for Gods sake to get the kings Pardon foâ— his life which the Prior effected but then was Perkin brought to the Court at Westminster and was one day set fettered in a paire of Stocks before Westminster-hall and there stood a whole day the next day he was set upon a like Scaffold in Cheape-side and there standing the whole day also hethen read openly his confession wrâ—tten with his own hand wherein he declared his Parentage and the place of his Birth and all the passages of his Life and by what means he was drawn to make this attempt After this he was committed againe to the Tower and care taken he should be better looked to than he was before But all the care notwithstanding once againe Perkin attempted to escape and drawing into a Confederacy with him the young Earle of Warwicke by faire words and large promises so corrupted his keepers Straâ—gwish Blâ—wet Astwood and long Roger servants to Sir Iohn Digbie Lieutenant of the Tower that they intended to have slaine their Master and set Perkiâ— and the Earle of Warwicke at liberty But this practice was soone discovered â—o that Perkiâ— and Iohn a Water sometime Major of Corke in Ireland one of Perkiâ—s chiefe founders were on the sixteenth day of November arraigned at Westminster and condemned and both of them on the two and twentieth day were drawn to Tyburne and there hanged where Perkiâ— tooke it upon his death that the Confession he had formerly made was true soon after also Blewet and Astwood two of the Lieutenants men were in the same place executed On the one and twentieth day of the same month Edward Plantagemet Earle of Warwicke was arraigned at Westminster before the Earle of Oxford then High Steward of England not for consenting to breake Prison but for conspiring with Perkin to raise Sedition and destroy the king and upon his Confession had Judgement and on the eight and twentieth day of the same month in the yeer 1499. was brought to the Scaffold on the Tower-hill and there beheaded This Earle of Warwick was the eldest Sonne of the Duke of Clarence and was the last Heire male of the name of Plantagenet and had been kept in the Tower from his very Inâ—ancy out of all company of Men and fight of Beasts so as he scarcely knew a Hen from a Goose nor one beast from another and therefore could never know how to practice his escape of himselfe but by Perkiâ—s subtlety for which cause the king favoured him so farre that he was not buried in the Tower but at Bissam by his Ancestours And thus ended the designes of Perkiâ— Warbeck which had troubled both the Kingdome and the King the space of seven or eight yeers a great part of the Kings Raigne But in the time of Perkiâ—s being in the Tower another like practice was set on foot for an Augustiâ—e Frier called Patrick in the County of Suffolk having a Scholler named Ralph Wilford a Cordwayners Sonne he caused him to take upon him to be the Earle of Warwicke lately by great chance gotten out of the Tower and they going together into 〈◊〉 when the Frier perceived some light credit to be given to him he then stuck not to declare it openly in the Pulpit desiring all men to assist him But this practice was soone discovered and both the Mr. and the Scholler were apprehended attainted the Scholler Wilford was hanged on Shrovetuesdâ—y at S. Thomas Waterings and the Frier was condemned to perpetuall Prison for at that time so much reverence was attributed to holy Orders that a Priest though â—e had commited Treason against the king yet had hâ—s life spared And this practâ—â—e was some cause to exasperate the king against the Earle of Warwicke who though innocent in himselfe yet was nocent in pretenders and besides king Ferdinand of Spaiâ—e with whom at this time there was a Treaty for marriage of his Daughter to Prince Arthur had written to the king in plaine terms that he saw no assurance of his Sonnes succession as long aâ— the Earle of Warwicke lived and thus all things unfortunately concurred to bring this innocent Prince to his end In the fifteenth yeer of his Reigne partly to avoide the danger of the Plague then raigning in England but chiefely to conferre with the Duke of Burgoigne about many important businesses the King and Queen sayled over to Callice where at an enterview between him and the Duke at Saint Peters Church without Callice the Duke offered to hold the kings sturrup at his alighting which the king by no meanes would permit but descending from horse-back they embraced wiâ—h great affection â—nd after Communication had between them the King and Queen in the end oâ— Iuâ—â— returned into England In his seventeenth yeer â—wo great Marriages were solemnized the Lady 〈◊〉 of Spaine was sent by her Father king Ferdiâ—aâ—d with a puissant Army of Sâ—â—ps into Eâ—gland where she arrived at Plimouth the second day of October and on the fourteenth of November afterâ— was espoâ—sed openly to Prince Arâ—hur both beâ—ng clad in white He of the age of â—â—fteen yeers shee of eighteen at night they were laid together in one Bed where they lay as Man and Wife all that night when â—oâ—ning appeared the Prince as his servants about him reported called for drinke which before time he had not used to doe whereof one of his Chambâ—rlaines â—sking 〈◊〉 the causeâ— he answered merrily saying I have been this night in the middest oâ— Spaâ—â—â— which is a hot Country and â—hat makeâ— me so dry though some write thaâ—â— grave Matron was laid in bed between them to hinder actuall Consummationâ—â— Tâ—e Ladies portion was two hundred thousand Duckets her joynture the 〈◊〉 part of the Principality of Wales Cornwall and Châ—ster At this Marriage was grâ—â—â— solemnity and Royall Justings during which time there came into London 〈◊〉 Earle a Bishop and divers other noble personages sent from the king of Scots 〈…〉 conclusion of a Mariage before treated of
Sir Giles Capell Thomas Cheiney and others obtained leave of the King to be at the challenge where they all behaved themselves with great valour but specially the Duke of Suffolke whose glory the Dolphyn so much envied that he got a Dutch-man the tallest and strongest man in all the Court of France secretly as another person to encounter him with a purpâ—e to have the Duke foyled but indeed it turned to his greater honour for he foiled the Dutch-man in such sort that when they came to the Barriers the Duke by maine strength took him about the neck and so prommeled him about the head that he made the blood issue out at his nose many other Princes and Lords did bravely and after three dayes the Justs ended King Henry was not long behinde to solemnize it in England also for at Greenwich the Christmas following on Newyeers night and Twelfth night he presented such strange and magnificent devices as had seldome been seene and the third of February following he held a solemne Justs where he and the Marquesse Dorset answered all commers at which time the King brake three and twenty speares and threw to the ground one that encountred him both man and horse At this time preparation was making for King Henry in person to go to Callice there to meet with the French King and Queene but death hindred the designe for before the next spring the first of Ianuary the French King dyed at the City of Paris fourscore and two dayes after his marriage teaching others by his example what it is for an old man to marry a young Lady King Henry hearing of the French Kings death sent the Duke of Suffolke Sir Richard Winkefield and Doctor West to bring over the Queene Dowager according to the Covenants of the marriage Whereupon the Queene was delivered to the Duke by Indenture who obtaining her good will to be her husband which was no hard matter that had been her first love wrote to the King her brother for his consent whereat the King seemed to stick a while but at last consented so as he brought her into England unmarried and then marry at his return but the Duke for more surety married her secretly in Paris and after having received her Dower Apparrell and Jewels came with her to Callice and there openly married her with great solemnity At their coming into England King Henry to shew his contenâ—ment with the marriage in the company of the Duke of Suffolke the Marquesse Dorset and the Earle of Essex all richly apparelled held a new kinde of Justs running courses on horseback in manner Volant as fast as one could follow another to the great delight of the beholders This yeer the King at his Mannour of Oking Woolsey Archbishop of Yorke came and shewed him letters that he was elected Cardinall for which dignity he disabled himselfe till the King willed him to take it upon him and from thenceforth called him Lord Cardinall but his Hat and Bull were not yet come after which Doctor Warham Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Chancelour of England finding Woolsey being now Cardinall to meddle more in his office of Chancelourship then he could well sufferâ— resigned up the Seal which the King presently gave to Woolsey About this time Cardinall Campejus was sent by Pope Leo to King Henry to solicite him to a Warre against the Turke with whom Cardinall Woolsey was joyned in Commission who hearing of the ragged retinue of his fellow Cardinell sent store of red cloath to Callice to make them fit followers of so great a Lord and when Campejus was landed at Dover Cardinall Woolsey caused the gentry of Kent to waite upon to Black-heath where he was met and received by the Duke of Norfolk and many Prelates there in a Tent of cloath of gold shifted himself into his Cardinals robes Eight Mules he had laden with necessaries but Woolsey not thinking them enough for his honour sent him twelve more But now see the shame of pride for in Cheap-side his Mules by some mischance overthrew their Carriages and Coffers on the ground whose lyds flying open shewed the world what treasure it was they carried old Breeches Boots and broken Shoos broken Meat Marybones and crusts of Bread exposing him to the laughter of all the people yet the Cardinall went joging on afore with his Crosses guilt Axe and Mace unto Pauls Church and by the way had an Oration made him by Sir Thomas Moore in name of the City and then waited on with many Bishops was conducted to Bath Place where he was lodged for his own particuler he got well by the Journey for the King gave him the Bishoprick of Salisbury but the errand he came about which was to have Ayde by mony for a Warre against the Turke he could not obtaine for it was well known to be but a devise to get money without any intention of what was pretended In his seventh yeer King Henry kept his Christmas at his Mannour of Eltham where on Twelfth night according to his custome was a stately Maske of Knights and Ladies with solemne Daunsing and a most Magnificent Banquet It was now the eight yeer of King Henryes Reigne when the new league between him and the French King was Proclaimed in the City of London and this yeer Mageret Queene of Scots eldest Sister to King Henry having before married Archibald Dowglasse Earle of Angus by reason of dissention amongst the Lords of Scotland was glad with her husband to flye into England and to seek succour at her brothers hands who assigned to her the Castle of Harbottell in Northumberland to reside in where she was delivered of a daughter named Margaret From thence the King sent for her and her husband to come to his Court and thereupon the third of May Queene Margaret riding on a white Palfrye which the Queen of England had sent her behinde Sir Thomas Parrâ— came through London to Baynards Castle and from thence went to Greenwich but her husband the Earle of Angus was secretly before departed into Scotland which when King Henry heard he onely â—aid it was done like a Scot. And now in honour of his sisters coming King Henry the nine and twentieth of May appointed two solemne dayes of Justs where the King the Duke of Sâ—ffolke the Earle of Essex and Nicholas Carew Esquire took upon them to answer all commers amongst others the King and Sir William Kinston ran together which Sir William though a strong and valourous Knight yet the King overthrew him to the ground all the rest was performed with no lesse valour then magnificence This yeer died the King of Aragon Father to the Queene of England for whom was kept a solemne Obsequie in the Cathedrall Church of Pauls and Queene Margaret after she had been a yeer in England returned into Scotland In this yeer were sent twelve hundred Carpenters and Masons with three hundred Labourers to the City of Tourney in France to build a Castle
Sir Edward Baynton and others The last of October the Duke of Albonye sent two or three thousand men over the water to besâ—edge the Castle of VVarke who by battery of their Ordnance won the ouâ—ermost Ward called the Barnekins and continuing their battery won the second Ward but then Sir William Lisle that was Captaine of the Castle issuing forth with those few he had left drove the Frâ—nch-mâ—n from the place and slew of them to the number of three hundred a memorable service and for which the Earle of Surrey afterwards gave him great thankes The Earle would gladly have followed his enemies inâ—o their owne Borders but that his Commission was onely to defend England and not to invade Scotland Shortly after the Queeâ—e of Scots Mother to the King sent to her Brother the King of England for an abstinence from Warre till a further communication might be had which being graâ—â—ed the English Army brake up and the Earle of Surrey returned to the Court. And now for a while we must be coâ—â—ent to heare of petâ—y Occurrances because greater did not happen which if it make us like the Story the worse it may make us like the times the better seeing they are ever the best times that afford lest matter to be talked of but this time will lasâ— but a while for shortly we shall come to hear Occurrances that have been matter of talk to this day whereof the like have never scarce been seen and will hardly be beleeved when they are heard a Marriage dissolved after twenty yeeres coâ—summation houses built in Piety under pretence of Piety demolished a King made a captiveâ— a Pope held a prisonerâ— Queenes taken out of love put to death out of loathing and the Church it selfe so shaken that it hath stood in distraction ever since At this time the Emperouâ— Charles sent to the King of England two Mâ—ses trapped in crimson Velvet richly embridered also eleven goodly Jeâ—its trapped with russeâ— Velvet richly wrought foure Speares and two Javelins of strange timber and worke richly garnished and five brace of Greyhoâ—ndâ— To the Queene he sent two Mules richly trapped and high Chaiâ—es after the Spanish fashion which Presents were thankfully received both of the King and Queene At this time in the moneth of October the Cardinall sent out Commissions that every man being worth forty pounds should pay the whole Subsedie before granted out of hand which he called an Anticipation which fine new word he thought would make them pay their money the more willingly but they loved their money better then any words he could devise In this yeere the King sent the Lord Morley Sir VVilliam Hussey knight and Doctor Lee his Almoner to Fâ—rdinand Archduke of Austria with the Order of the Garter which he received in the towne of Norimberg to his great contentment In this yeere through Bookes of Prognosticatâ—ons foreshewing much hurt to come by waters and â—â—oods many persons withdrew themselves to high grounds for feare of drowning specially one Bolton Prior of Sainâ— Bartholâ—mewes in Smithfield builded him an House upon Harrow on the Hill and thither wenâ— and made provision for two moneths These great waters should have fallen in February but no such thiâ—â— happeniâ—g the Astronomers excused themselves by saying that in the computaâ—ion they had miscounted in their number an hundred yeeres In this meane time many enterpriâ—es were attempted betweene the Englishmen of Callice and Guyâ—â—es and the Frenchmen of Bulloigne and the Froâ—â—tiers of Picardâ—â— and still Sir VVilliam Fitz Williams Captaine of Guysnes Sir Robert Iâ—rningham Captaine of Newnham Bridge Sir Iohn Walloppe and Sir Iohn Gage were the men that did the French most hurt This yeere the first of September was Docter Thomas Hannibell Master of the Rolles receaved into London by Earles Bishops and diverse Lords and Gentlemen as Embassadours from Pope Clement who brought with him a Rose of gold for a present to the Kingâ— on the day of the Nativity of our Ladâ— after a solemne Masse sung by the Cardinall of Yorke the said present was delivered to the King which was a Tree forged of fine Gold and with branches leaves and flowers resembling Roses About the beginning of Winter the adventâ—rers called Krâ—ekers being not above two hundred and of them five and twenty horsmen made an attempt to fetch some booty from a Village not farre from Mattrell wherof the Earle of Dâ—mmartine having notice he set upon them with a far greater number and slew most of them and this was the end of the Kreekers as brave men as ever served any Prince In December this yeere there came to London diverse Embassadours out of Scotland about a peace to be hadâ— and a mariage to be concluded between the King of Scots and the Lady Mary daughter to the King of England At this time the Lord Leonard Gray and the Lord Iohn Grâ—y brothers to the Lord Marquesse Dorset Sir George Cobham sonne to the Lord Cobham VVilliaâ— Carye Sir Iohn Dudley Thomas VVyat Francis Poynts Francis Sidâ—â—y Sir Anthony Browne Sir Edward Seymor Oliver Manners Percivall Hart Sebastiâ—â— Nudigatâ— and Thomas Calen Esquires of the Kings Household made a challenge of Arms against the Feast of Christmas which was proclaimed by Windsor the Herauld and performed at the time appointed very Nobly at Tilts Tâ—rneys Barriars and the assault of a Castle erected for that purpose iâ— the Tilt-yard at Greenwich where the King held his Christmas that yeer with great State and magnificence About this time Iohn Iokyn Steward of the Household to the French Kings Motheâ— came into England and was received in secret manâ—er into the House of one Doctor Larke a Prebrendary of Saint Stephens who oftentimes talked with the Cardinall about a Peace to be concluded between the two Kings of â—ngland and France of whose often meetings Monsieur de Brate the Emperours Embassadour grew very jealous The four and twentieth of Ianuary Monsieâ—r Brynion President of Roan came to London as Embassadour from the French King and was lodged with the said Iohn Iokyn which small things should not be related but that they were preparatives to great matters afterward On Sunday the fifth of March were received into London Monsieur de Beuer Loâ—d of Campher Admirall of Flanders Monsieur Iohn de la Coose President of 〈◊〉 Master Iohn de la Gache as Embassadours from the Lady Margaret in the name of the Emperour who required three things First they demanded the Lady Mary the Kings only daughter to be presently delivered and she to be nâ—â—ed Empresse and as Governesse take possession of all the Low-Countryes Secondly that all such summes of money as the King should give with her in maâ—riage should be paid incontinently Thirdly that the King of England should passe the sea in person and make Warre in France the next Summer The â—â—rst two demands were not agreed too for certaine causes and as to the third the King said he would take time
following between three and foure a clocke in the afternoone the Queene was delivered of a daughter that was named Elizabeth the Godfather at the christning was the Archbishop of Canterbury the Godmother the old Dutchesse of Norfolke and the old Marchionesse Dorset widow and at the Confirmation the Lady Marchionesse of Excester the Christning was performed with exceeding great state and great gifts were given by the Gossips This yeere one Pavier the Town-clerke of London hanged himselfe whom Hollinshead saith he heard once sweare a great oath that if he thought the thought the King would set forth the Scripture in English rather then he would live to see that day he would cut his owne throat which I therefore relate that the judgement of God may be seene upon such unhallowed oathes A little before this time one Elizabeth Barton named the Holy Maid of Kent came to be discovered whose abettours were Richard Master a Priest Parson of Aldington in Kent Edward Bocking Doctor of Divinity a Monke of Canterbury Richard Deering a Monke Edward Thwayts Gentleman Henry Gold Parson of Aldermary Hugh Rich a Fryar observant Richard Risby and Thomas Gold Centlemen This Maid had learned to counterfeit falling into Trances in which she would deliver many strange things and amongst others said that by Revelation from God and his Saints she was informed that if King Henry proceeded to the Divorce and married another he should not be King of England one moneth after And here we may see how credulous oftentimes great Schollars are in beleeving Impostures when VVarham Archbishop of Canterbury and Fisher Bishop of Rochester were thought to give credit to this Counterfeit that we need not wonder at Saint Austin who though he gave credit to many lying Miracles yet they were such as had more probability in them then this which consisted in nothing but making of faces as upon Examination of the Maide and her Abettours was confessed and thereupon she and most of them were condemned drawne to Tyburne and there hanged In this meane time the Scots had beene troublesome and made Intodes upon the Borders till at last Commissioners being sent to treat of agreement a Peace was concluded to continue both the Kings lives which on the twentieth of May this yeer was openly Proclaimed About this time at the suit of the Lady Katherine Dowage a Bull was sent from the Pope which cursed both the King and the Realme which Bull was set up in the Towne of Dunkerke in Flanders the Messenger not daring to come neerer and because it was knowne that the Lady Dowager had procured this Curse to be sent the Duke of Suffolke was sent to her lying then at Bugden besides Huntington to discharge a great part of her houshold servants yet leaving her a convenient number like a Princesse It was now the six and twentieth yeer of King Henries reigne when in a Parliament holden an Act was made for establishing the succession in the Crown upon the Lady Elizabeth to which first all the Lords Knights and Burgesses were sworne and after Commissioners were sent into all parts of the Realm to take the oath of all men and women to the said Act. Another Act was also made which authorized the King to be Supreame Head of the Church of England and the Popes authority to be utterly abolished But Doctor Iohn Fisher Bishop of Rochester Sir Thomas Moore Knight and Doctor Wilson Parson of Saint Thomas Apostles in London expresly denied at Lamâ—eth before the Archbishop of Canterbury to take the Oathes of whom Doctor Wilson recanted but the other two persisting in their opinion were both of them beheaded Of these two Bishop Fisher was much lamented as reputed a man both of great learning and good life The Pope had elected him Cardinall and his Hat was come as farrâ— as Callice but before it could come into England his head was off Sir Thomas Moore was both learned and very wise but so given to a vaine of jesting and merry scoffing that he could not refrain it at the very time of his death as when he was carried to the Tower being demanded his upper garment meaning his Gowne you shall have it said he and gave them his cap saying it was the uppermost garment he had also when being upon the Scaffold the Hangman kneeled downe and asked him forgivenesse I forgive thee said he but I promise thee thou wilt never have credit by cutting off my Head my necke is so short and when he was to lay his head downe upon the blocke having a great gray beard he stroked it out and said to the Hangman I pray you let me lay my beard over the blocke lest you should cut it for though you have Warrant to cut off my head you have none to cut my beard But his Devotion was no jesting matter for he used to weare a shirt of haire next his skin for a perpetuall penâ—ance and oftentimes in the Church he would put on a Surplesse and helpe the Priest to say Masse which he forbore not to doe even when he was Lord Chancellour of England as one time the Duke of Norfolke comming to the Church found him doing it Two memorable things are recorded of him one which shewes his great integritie and the small reckoning he made of riches that having passed through so many great imployments and borne so many great Offices yet in all his time â—e never Purchased above one hundred pounds land a yeere nor left any great stocke of money behinde him when he died The other which shewes his filiall piety that being Lord Chancellour of England at the same time that his Father waâ— a Judge of the Kings Bench he would alwayes at his going to Westminster goe first to the Kings Bench and aske his Father blessing before he went to sit in the Chancery The ninth of Iuly this yeere the Lord Dacres of the North was arraigned at Westminster of high treason before the Duke of Norfolke as high Steward of England his Inditement being read he so answered every part and matter therein contained that by his Peeres he was found Not guilty a rare thing to stop a currant that ran with such violence The one and twentieth of September Doctor Taylour Master of the Roles was discharged of that Office and the ninteenth of October following Thomas Cromwell was sworne in his place This yeere the King of Scots was installed Knight of Garter by his Deputy the Lord Erskin and Stephen Gardiner who after the Cardinals death was made Bishop of Winchester was sent Embassadour Legier into France where he remained three yeeres Also in Ianuary of this yeere Katherine Princesse Dowageâ— fell into her last sicknesse to whom the King sent the Emperours Embassadour Legier desiring her to be of good comfort but she finding her death to approach caused onely one of her Gentlewoman to write a Letter to the King commending to him her Daughter and his and beseeching him to be a good Father to
restrained from these Games fell some to drinking some to stealing of Conies and Deere aud such other misdemeanours also in this yeere was an inhauncing of Coyne for preventing the carrying it over to places where it went at higher rate so that the Angell which went before but for seven shillings should now goe for seven and six pence and every ounce of Gold should be five aâ—d forty shillings which was before but forty and other Coynes accordingly In his twentieth yeer Sir Iames Spencer being Major of London the watch used on Mid-somer night was laid downe In his three and thirtieth yeer in a Parliament then holden an Act was made that whosoevet should poyson any person should be boyled to death by which Statute one Richard Roose who had poysoned diverâ—e persons in the Bishop of Rochester place was boyled to death in Smithfield to the terrible example of all other In his two and twentieth yeer three Acts were made one foâ— probate of Testaments another for Mortuaries the third against plurality of benefices Non-Residence buying and taking of Farmes by spirituall persons In his thirtieth yeer it was ordained by Cromwel the Kings Vicar General that in al Churches a Register should be kept of every Weddng Christning and buriall within the same Parish for ever In his one and thirtieth yeer the King first instituted and appointed fifty Gentlemen called Pensioners to waight upon his person assighning to each of them fifty pounds a yeer for the maintainance of thâ—mselvs and two horses in his six and thirtieth yeer Proclamation was made for the inhancing of Gold to eight and fortâ— shillings and silver to foure shillings the ounce also he caused to be coyned base money mingling it with brasse which was since that time called downe the fifth yeere of Edward the sixth and called in the second yeer of Queen Elizibeth In his seven and thirtieth yeer the brothell houses called the Stewes on the Bank-side in Southwarke were pâ—t downe by the Kings Commandement and was done by proclamation and sound of Trumpet In his three and twentieth yeer it was enacted that Butchers should sell their meat by weight Beef for a half-peny the pound and Mutton for three farthings also at this time forraigne Butchers were permitted their flesh in Leadenhall-market which before was not allowed in his time also the Government of the President in the North was first instituted and the first President there was Tunstall Bishop of Durham Affaires of the Church in his time IN the yeer 1517. the eighth yeer of this Kings Reigne Martin Luther of VVittemberg in Germany a Frier of the Order of the Hermisses taking occasion from the abuseâ— of Indulgences began to Preach against the Authority of the Pope and to bring in a Reformation of Religion for repressing of whom the Counsaile of Trent was called by Pope Paul the third in the yeere 1542. which continued above forty yeers but was never received in the Kingdome of Franceâ— which Counsaile by decreeing many things to be poins of faith which were not so accounted before hath made no small distraction amongst Pâ—pists themselves against this Luther King Henry wrote a booke with great bitternesse and with as great bitternesse was answered at the same time with Luther there arose also in the same Country other Reformers of Religion as Zuingliuâ— Occloampadious Melancthon who differing from Luther in some few points made the difference which is at this day of Lutherans and Protestants so called at first Auspurg for making a protestation in defence of their Doctrine which soon after spread all Christendome over King Henry in the sixth and twentieth yeer of his Reigne had excluded the Popes Authority ouâ— of his Realme but thinking the worke not sufficiently done as long as Abbeys and Prioâ—ies kept their station which were as it were his Forteresses and Pillars there wâ—s not long after meâ—nes found to have them suppressed for aspersioâ—s being lâ—id upon them and perhaps no more then truth of Adulteries and Murtherâ— they by Act of Parliâ—ment in his eight and twentieth yeer at lest neere foure hundred of them suppressed and all their lands and goods conferred upon the King In his one and thiâ—tieth yeer all the rest and lastly in his five and thirtinth yeer all Colledgeâ— Chantries and Hospitals so as the hives being now all removed there have never since any Bees or Drones been seen in the Country in this Kings time the Citty of Rome was taken and sacked by the Imperiall Army forcing the Pope to fly to his Castle Saint Angelo and there kept a prisoner till he agreed to such conditions as his Adversaries propounded In the two and twentieth yeere of this Kings reigne a Proclamation was set forth that no person should purchase any thing from the Court of Rome and this was the first blow given to the Pope in England In his three and twentieth yeer the Clergy submitting themselves to the King for being found guilty of a Praemunire were the first that called him supream head of the Church In his foure and twentieth yeere a Parliament was holden wherein one Act was made that Bishops should pay no more Annats or money for their Buls to the Pope and another that no person should appeale for any cause out of this Realm to the Court of Rome but from the Commissary to the Bishop and from the Bishop to the Archbishop and from the Archbishop to the King and all causes of the King to be tried in the upper Hoâ—se of the Convocation In his six and twentieth yeer in Iuly Iohn Frith was burnt in Smithfield aâ—d with him at the same stake one Andrew Howet a Tailor both for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament and in a Parliament holden tâ—is yeer an Act was made which Authorized the Kings Highnesse to be supreame head of the Church of England and the Authority of the Pope to be abolished and then also was given to the King the first fruits and tenths of all Spirituall livings and this yeer were many put to deaâ—h Papists for denying the Kings Supremecy Protestants for denying the Reall presence in the Sacrament and it is incredible what numbers for thesâ— two causes were put to death in the last ten yeers of this Kings Reign of whom if we should make perticular mention iâ— would reach a great way in the Book of Martyrs in his eight and twentieth yeer the Lord Cromwell was made Viâ—aâ— General under the King over the Spiritualty and sate divers times in the Convocation House amongst the Bishops as head over them and in September thiâ— yeere he set forth injunctions commandiâ—g all Parsons and Curates to â—each their Parishoners the Paâ—er Noster the Aâ—e and Creed with the ten Commandements and Articles of the Christian Fâ—ith in the English tongue Iâ— his one and thirtieth yeer was set forth by the Bishops the Book of the six Articles condemning all for Hereticks and to be burnt that should hold 1. That the body
of Christ was not Really present in the Sacrament after Consecration 2. That the sacrament might not truly â—e Administred under one Kind 3. That Priests entred into Holy Orders might marry 4. That vowes of Chastity entred into upon mature deliberation were not to be kept 5. That private Masses were not to be used 6. That Auricular Confession was not necessary in the Church Tâ—is yeere also the Religion of St. Iohns in England commonly called the Order of Knights of the Rhodes was dissolved and on Assension day Sir William Weston Knight Prior of St. Iohns departed this life for thought as was reported after he heard of the dissolution of his Order for the King took all the lands that belonged to that Order into his owne hands in his six and thirtieth â—eere the Letany or Praecession was set forth in English with commandement by the King to be generally used in Parish Churches Workes of Piety done by him or others in his time UPon the suppressing of Abbeys King Henry instituted six new Bishopricks â—nd six Cathedrall Churches endowing them with convenient mainteâ—ance he also gave competent Pensions during their lives to such Riligious Persons as were turned out of their Cloysters he also instiâ—uted in both the Universities Professors of the Hebrew and Greek tongues of Divinity Civil-law and Physick allowing to each of them forty pound a yeer he also founded a Colledge at Cambridge he gave at his death a thousand markes to the poor and to twelve poore Knights of Windsore each of them twelve pence a day for ever and every yeere a long gowne of white cloath in the fifth yeer of this Kings reigne George Monor Major of London re-edified the decayed steeple of the Church of Waltham-stow in Essex adding thereunto a side Isle with a Chappel where he lieth buried on the North side of the Church-yard there he founded a faire Alms-house for a Priest and thirteen poor men and women giving them a weekly maintenance he also for the commodity of Travelours made a cawsey of timber over the marshes from Waltham-stow to Lock-bridg towards London In this Kings eighth yeer Richard Foxe Bishop of Winchester founded Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford minding to have made it a house for Monkes but Hugh Oldham Bishop of Exceter perswaded him to make it rather a Colledge for Schollars and joyned with him in it contributing great sums of money towards it contenting himselfe with the name onely of a Benefactour In his seventh yeâ—r King Henry builded the town of Greenwich In this Kings time Cardinall Woolsey Founded two Colledges one at Oxford another at Ipswich to his Colledge at Oxford he had given foure thousand pounds Land a yeere but his Lands being all confiscate to the King the King tooke the Lands but yet gave to the Colledge a competent maintenance for a Deane eight Prebends and a hundred Fellowes which Colledge is now called Christ-Church and accounts King Henry for their Founder His Colledge at Ipswich was demolished This Cardinall also built Hampton-Court the chiefest at this day of all the Kings houses and built or enlarged White-hall called then Yorke-Place King Henry in his foure and twentieth yeer built his Mansioâ— House of Saint Iames where also he made a faire Parke This place before had â—eene an Hospitall of Sisters with whom the King compounded giving them Pensions during their lives In his thirtieth yeere Nicholas Gibson Groâ—er then Sheriffe of London builded â— Free-School at Ratcliffe nere London with maintenance for a Master and an Usher â—e also builded an Alms-house there for fourteen poor and aged people In his one and thirtieth yeer Thomas Huntlow the then Sheriff of London gave certain tenements to the Haberdashers for finding of ten Almes-men of the same company In his six and thirtieth yeer Sir Iohn Allâ—n who had been twice Major â— London and of the Kings Counsaile gave at his death to the Citty of London a rich Coller of Gold to be worn by the Major which Collor was first worâ—e by Sâ—r William Laxton on Saint Edwards day at the Election of the new Major who gave to every Ward in London twenty pounds to be distributed amongst poore Housholders besides to sixscore persons whereof threescore men to every one a gowne of broad-cloth and a black cap and threescore women to every one a gowne of the like cloath â—nd a white Kerchiffe In his eight and thirtieth yeer King Henry gave to the Citty of London for reliefe of poore people Saint Barthalomews Spittle the Church of the Gray-Friers and two Parish Churches the one at Saint Nicholas in the â—hambles the other Saint Ewins in Newgate-Markeâ— all to be made one Parish Church of the Gray-Fryers and in Lands he gave for the maintenance of the same five hundred markes a yeere for ever and this Church to be named christ-Christ-Church founded by King Henry the eighth Casualties in his time IN his ninth yeere happened a Sweaâ—ing-sicknesse whereof infinite multitudes in many parts of England dyed specially in London and was so violent that in three and sometimes two houres it tooke away mens lives and spared neither rich nor poore for in the Kings Court the Lord Clinton the Lord Gray of Wilton and many Knights Gentlemen and Officers dyed of it It began in Iuly and continued to the midst of December In his thirteenth yeere was a great mortality in London and other places of the Realme and many men of Honour and Worship dyed amongst others Doctor Fitz-Iames Bishop of London in whose place Doctor Tunstall succeeded In his nineteenth yeere by extremity of raine in seed-time there followed a great dearth of Corne which would have caused great calamity but that it was relieved in London by Merchants of the Styliard out of Germany and a thousand quarters supplied out of the Kings owne provision In his twentieth yeere in the end of May began in London another Sweating-sicknesse which afterwards infected all places of the Realme by reason whereof the Tearme was adjourned and the Cicuit of the Assizes also many dyed in the Court as Sir Fraâ—cis Poynts Sir William Compton Knights and William Carew Esquire of the Kings Privie-Chamber the King himselfe for a space removed almost every day till he came to Tittinhanger a place of the Abbot of Saint Albones where he with the Queene and a small number remained till the sicknesse was past In his thirtieth yeere the manner of casting Pipes of Lead for conveyance of water under-ground without using of soder was first invented by Robert Brocke Clerke one of the Kings Chaplaines a profitable invention for by this two men and a boy will doe more in one day then could have beene done before by many men in many dayes Robert Cooper Goldsmith was the first that made the Instruments and put this Invention in practice In a Rebellion in the North in this Kings time when the Duke of Norâ—olke was sent with an Army against the Rebels and that a day oâ— battaile
in the time of King Edward had refused to signe a writing for disinheriting the Lady Mary and the Lady Elizabeth a fact worthy at least of a kinde remembrance from the Lady Mary now Queene yet now for that at a quarter Sessions in Kent he gave charge upon the statutes of King Henry the eight and King Edward the sixth in derogation of the Primacy of the Church of Rome he was first committed to the Kings Bench then to the Counter and lastly to the Fleet where he grew so troubled in minde that he attempted with a Pen-knife to kill himselfe and being afterward recovered of that hurt and brought to the Queenes presence who gave him very comfortable words yet could never come to be quiet in his minde but in the end drowned himselfe in a River not halfe a mile from his house the River being so shallow that he was faine to lye groveling before he could dispatch himâ—elfe of life And now another sprinkling of mercy came from the Queene for the Marquesse of Northampton and Sir Henry Gates lately before condemned to dye were now pardoned and set at liberty The Lady Iane also was allowed the liberty of the Tower not without hope of life and liberty altogether if her father the Duke of Suffolke had not the second time been cause of her destruction About this time also a Synod was assembled for consulting about matters of Religion and the point specially of the reall presence in the Sacrament The Prolocutour was Doctor VVeston and of the Protestant side were Iohn Almer and Richard Cheyney both Bishops afterward in Queene Elizabeths time also Iohn Philpoâ— afterward burnt Iames Haddon and others After long disputation where reasons were not so much weighed as voyces numbred the Papall side as having most voyces carried it and thereupon was that Religion againe restored and the Masse commanded in all Churches to be celebrated after the ancient manner It was now the yeer 1553. when Queene Mary was come to the age of seven and thirty yeers and therefore high time now to thinke of marriage at least if she meant to have issue of her body but a hard maâ—ter it was to finde a husband in all points â—itting for her yet three at this time in common fame at least were taken into consideration one was the Lord Courtney Mâ—rquesse of Exceter a goodly Gentleman and of Royall blood but there was exception against him because inclining as was thought to Lutheranisme another was Cardinal â—oole of a dignity not much inferiour to Kings and by his Mother descended from Kings but there was exception against him also because foure and fifty yeers old as old a Batchelour as Queen Mary was a maid and so the lesse hope of issue betweene them but the third if he might be had was without exception and this was Phillip Prince of Spaine the Emperour Charles his eldest sonne with whom being a Spaniard she was the fitter matched as being by the Mother a Spaniard her selfe And now very oppertunely came in the beginning of Ian. Embassadors into England about it amongst others the Couâ—â— of Egmond Admirall of the Lâ—w Countryes and Iohn of Memorancy Lord of Curryers whose message was so kindely entertained that the marriage in short time was absolutely concluded though it seemed something strange to many that she should now be wife to the sonne who thirty yeers before should have been wife to the father But so it is Queenes are never old so long as they are within yeers of bearing children And indeede the match was concluded with conditions of farre more advantage to Queeâ—e Mary then they were to King Phillip as on the fourteenth of Ianuary Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancelour of England openly in the Presence Chamber at Westminster declared to all the Lords and Gentlemen there present for it was agreed that after the marâ—iage King Phillip should have the Title of all the Queenes Dominions and be assumed into fellowship of the government but yet with reservation to the Queene of all Priviledges and Customes of the Kingdome and free disposition of all Offices and Honours as likewise the Queene should be assumed into the fellowship of all the Kings Dominions and surviving him should have a Joynture of two hundred thousand Pounds a yeer Then for the issue betweene them if she had a Sonne that he should inherit the Low Countryes and Burgundy and King Phillips sonne Charles which he had by a former wife should inherit all his Dominions in Italie and Spaine but if his sonne Charles should fail without issue then the sonne he should have by Queene Mary should inherit his Kingdomes of Italie and Spaine also And the like good provision was also made for daughters But notwithstanding these great â—dvantageâ— of the maâ—ch yet such was the precipitant rashnesse of some that thinking themselves wiser then the Queene and the Councel they sought by all meanes to oppose the match giving out that it â—ended to bring England under the yoke of Spaine and to make the Countrey a slave to strangers This was the generall murmuring of people but the first that shewed himselfe in Armes was Sir Thomas Wyat of Kent who having communicated the matter with the Duke of Suffolke the Lady Ianes father with Peter Caroe a Knight of Devonshire and divers others intended onely to make secret provision but not to stirre till Prince Phillip should be come that so their cause of taking armes might have the better colour On the fifteenth of Ianuary Robert Dudley sonne to the Duke of Northumberland was arraigned at the Guildhall of high Treason who confessed the indictment and had judgement given by the Earle of Sussex to be drawen hanged bowelled and quartered But now in counsels communicated to many it is a hard matter to have counsell kept and Sir Peter Caroe finding that their plot was discovered fled privily into France where lurking for a time he was afterward taken at Bruxells and brought captive into England as likewise at the same time and place Sir Iohn Cheeke King Edwards Schoolmaster was taken who being drawne by terrours to embrace the Papall Religion with very griefe afterward of his errour pined away and dyed Sir Peter Caroe lived many yeers afâ—er and dyed in Ireland though it be falsely recorded they were both burnt for Religion in Iune of this yeer Wyatt hearing of Sir Peter Caroes flight and that all their purpose was discovered was driven before his time to enter into armes giving out for the cause that it was not to attempt any thing against the Queene but onely to remove ill Councellours and chiefly to repell Prince Phillip least by this mariage the Kingdome should come in subjection to the Spaniard With Wyatt were joyned Sir Henry Isley Sir George Harper Anthony and William Knevet and divers other Gentlemen of the County against him were the Lord Abuegaveny Sir Thomas Cheyney Lord Warden of the Ports Sir Sobert Southwell Sheriffe of Kent Sir
mercy and gave them their Pardon of which number were Master Rudston of Kent Sir Iames a Crofts the Lord Iohn Gray brother to the Duke of Sufâ—olke and some others About this time a little before and after were advancements in honour the Lord William Howard Lord Admirall of England was created Baron Hoâ—ard of Eâ—â—ingham Sir Iohn VVilliams was created Baron of Tames Sir Edward North was created Baâ—on of Chartleigh Sir Iohn Bridges was created Baron Chandowes of Sudeley Gerrard Fitz Garret was created Earl of Kildare and Bâ—ron of Ophelley and not long after Sir Anthony Browne Master of the Horse was created Viscount Mountagâ—â— It is scarce worth remembring that in the end of this firâ—â— yeer of â—he Queens reignâ— one Elizabeth Croâ—t a wench of eighteen yeeres old was by prâ—ctice put into a Wall and thereupon called the Spirit in the Wall who with a whistle made for the purpose whistled out many seditious words against the Queene the Prince of Spaine the Masse Confession and such other Points for which she did Penance standing upon a skaffold at Pauls Croâ—â—e all the Sermon time where she made open confession of her fault There had beene good store of Laymens blood shed already and now the times is comming to have Clergie mens shed and for a preparative to it on the tenth of Aprill Cranmâ—r Archbishop of Canterbury Nicholas Ridley laâ—e Bishop of London and Hugh Latimer late Bishop of Worcester are conveyed from the Tower to Oxford there to dispure with Oxford and Cambridge men in points of Religion but specially of the Eucharist the Oxford men were Cole Chaâ—scy Pye Harpsefield Smith and Doctor Weston Prolocurour the Cambridge men Young Seaton Watson Atkinson Fecknham and Sedgewicke the Disputation ended which we may well thinke as the matter was carried went against the prisoners on the twentieth of Aprill they were brought again on the Stage and then demanded whether they would persist in their opinion or else recant and affirming they would persist they were all three adjudged Hereticks and condemned to the fire but their execution we must not looke for till a yeere or two hence but in the meane time we have Iohn Rogers the first Martyr of these time burnt at London the fourth of February after whom the ninth of February Iohn Hooper late Bishop of VVorcester burnt at Glocester after him Robert Ferrar Bishop of Man burnt at Carmarden after him Iohn Bradford with many others and then the two famous men Ridley and Latimer no lesse famous for their constant deaths then their religious lives both burnt at Oxford the sixteenth of October This rising of VVyat had beene a Remora to the Queenes marriage and now to avoid all such obstacles hereafter the Queen in Aprill called a Parliament wherein were pâ—opounded two things one for confirmation of the Marriage the other for restoration of the Popes Primacie This latter was not assented to but with great difficulty for the six yeers reigne of King Edward had spred a plantation of the Protestâ—nt Religion in the hearts of many but the Proposition for the marriage was assented to readily but yet with the adding of some conditions which had noâ— beene thought of in the former Articles First that King Phillip should admit of no Stranger in any Office but onely Nativesâ— secondly that he should innovate nothing in the Lawes and Customes of the Kingdome Thirdly that he should not carry the Queen out of the Realme without her consent nor any of her children without consent of the Councell Fourthly that surviving the Queeâ— he should challenge no right in the Kingdome but suffâ—r it to descend to the next heire Fiftly that he should carry none of the Jewels of the Realme out of the Kingdome nor suffer any Ships or Ordnance to be removed out of the Realme and lastly that neither directly nor indirectly he should cause the Realme of England to be intangled with the warre betweene Spaine and France All things being thus agreed on the Earle of Bedford Lord Privie Seale the Lord Fitzwaters and divers other Lordâ— and Gentlemen are sent into Spaine to fetch over Prince Phillippe who arrived at Southampton the twentieth of Iuly in the yeere 1554. and the three and twentieth came to VVinchester where the Queene met him and the five and twentieth the marriage betweene them there was openly solemnized the desparity of yeeres as in Princes not much regarded though he were then but seven and twenty yeeres of age shee eight and thirty at which time the Emperours Embassadour being present openly declared that in consideration of that mariage the Emperour had given to Prince Phillippe his sonne the Kingdomes of Naples and Hierusalem and thereupon the solemnity of marriage being ended Garter King of Heraulds openly in the Church in the presence of the King the Queene and the Lords both of England and Spaine solemnly proclaimed the title and stile of these two Princes as followeth Phillip and Mary by the grace of God King and Queen of England France Naples Hierusalem and Ireland Defenders of the Faith Princes of Spaine and Scicily Archdukes of Austria Dukes of Millany Burgandy and Brabant Counts of Habspurge Flanders and Tyroll After this the King and Queene by easie journeys came to Winsor Castle where the King was instal'd Knight of the Garter and the Earle of Sussex with him The eleventh of August they removed to Richmond the seven and twentieth to Suffolk-place in Southwark and the next day to London where the stately shews that were made may well enough be conceived without relaring from hence after foure dayes they removed againe to Richmond where all the Lords had leave to depart into their Countries and indeede so many departed that there remained not an English Lord at the Court but the Bishop of Winchester from Richmond they removed to Hampton-court where the Hall door within the Court was continually kept shut so as no man might enter unlesse his errand were first known which might perhaps be the fashion of Spain but to Englishmen seemed very strange About this time Cardinall Poole sent for by the King and Queene came over into England and had come sooner but that the Emperour fearing he might prove a corrivall with his sonne Phillip had used meanes to stop his passage but now that his Sonnes marriage was past he was content to let him passe who though he came from Rome with the great authority of a Legat â— Latere yet he would not but come privately into London because his Attaindour was yet upon Record an Act therefore was presently passed to take it off and to restore him in blood for passing of which Act the King and Queene in person came to the Parliament house whither a few dayes after the Cardinall came himselfe which was then kept in the great Chamber of Whitehall because the Queen by reason of sicknesse was not well able to goe abroad and here the King and Queene sitting under the cloath of Estate
of Scotland sent for aid to the Queen of England But this was matter for consultation It seemed a bad Example for a Prince to give aid to the rebellious Subjects of another Prince On the other side it seemed no lesse then impiety not to give Ayd to the Protestants of the same Religion but most of all it seemed plain madnesse to suffer adversaries to be so neer neighbours and to let the French nestle in Scotland who pretend Title to England upon such like considerations it was resolved to send them Ayd and thereupon an Army of six thousand Foot and twelve hundred Horse was sent under the Command of the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Grey of Wilton his Lievtenant Generall Sir Iames a Crofts Assistant to him the Lord Scroop L. Marshall Sir George Howard Generall of the men at Arms Sir Henry Percy Generall of the Light-horse Thomas Huggens Provost Marshall Thomas Gower Master of the Ordnance Master William Pelham Captain of the Pyoners and Master Edward Randoll Serjeant Major and divers others These coming into Scotland joyned with the Scotish Lords and set down before Leith where passed many small skirmishes many Batteries and sometimes Assaults to whom after some time a new supply came of above two thousand Foot whereof were Captains Sir Andrew Corbet Sir Rowland Stanley Sir Thomas Hesbith Sir Arthur Manwaring Sir Lawrence Smith and others yet with this new supply there was little more done then before many light skirmishes many Batteries and sometimes Assaults so long till at last the young French King finding these broyls of Scotland to be too furious for him to appease he sent to the Queen of England desiring that Commissioners might be sent to reconcile these differences whereupon were dispatched into Scotland Sir William Cecill her principall Secretary with Doctor Wotton Dean of Canterbury who concluded a Peace between England and France upon these Conditions That neither the King of France nor the Queen of Scotland should thenceforth use the Arms or Titles of England or Ireland And that both the English and the French should depart out of Scotland And a generall pardon should be enacted by Parliament for all such as had been actors in those stirs This Peace was scarce concluded when Francis the young King of France died leaving the Crown to his younger brother Charles who was guided altogether by the Queen-Mother and molested with the Civill dissentions between the Princes of Guise and Conde for whose reconcilement the Queen sent Sir Henry Sidney Lord President of VVales and shortly after an Army under the leading of the Lord Ambrose Dudley Earl of VVarwick who arriving at Newhaven was received into the Town which having kept eleven months he was then constrayned by reason of a Pestilence to surrender again upon Composition and so returned About this time when the Parliament was upon dissolving it was agreed upon by the House of Commons to move the Queen to marry that she might have Issue to succeed her to which purpose Thomas Gargrave Speaker of the House with some few other chosen men had accesse to the Queen who humbly made the motion to her as a thing which the Kingdom infinitely desired seeing they could never hope to have a better Prince then out of her loyns Whereunto the Queen answered in effect thus That she was already marryed namely To the Kingdom of England and behold saith she the Pledge of the Covenant with my husband and therewith she held out her finger and shewed the Ring wherewith at the time of her Coronation she gave her self in Wedlock to the Kingdom and if saith she I keep my self to this husband and take no other yet I doubt not but God will send you as good Kings as if they were born of me forasmuch as we see by dayly experience That the Issue of the best Princes do often degenerate And for my self it shall be sufficient that a Marble stone declare That a Queen having Raigned such a time lived and dyed a Virgin Indeed before this time many Matches had been offered her First King Philip and when he was out of hope of matching with her himself he then dealt with the Emperor Ferdinand his Unkle to commend his younger Son Charles Duke of Austria to her for a husband And when this succeeded not then Iohn Duke of Finland second Son to Gustavus King of Sweden was sent by his father to solicite for his eldest Brother Erricusâ— who was honourably received but the Match rejected Then Adolphus Duke of Holst Unkle to Frederick King of Denmark came into England upon a great hope of speeding but the Queen bestowed upon him the Honour of the Garter and a yeerly Pension but not her self Then Iames Earl of Arran was commended to her by the Protestants of Scotland but neither the man nor the motion was accepted Of meaner Fortunes there were some at home that pleased themselves with hope of her Marriage First Sir William Pickering a Gentleman of a good House and a good Estate but that which most commended him was his studiousnesse of good letters and sweet demeanour Then Henry Earl of Arundel exceeding rich but now in his declining age Then Robert Dudley youngest son of the Duke of Northumberland of an excellent feature of face and now in the flower of his age but these might please themselves with their own conceit but were not considerable in her apprehension they might receive from her good Testimonies of her Princely favour but never Pledges of Nuptiall love About this time the Earl of Feria who had married the daughter of Sir William Dormer being denyed leave of the Queen for some of his wives friends to live out of England grew so incensed that he made means to Pius the fourth then Pope to have her excommunicate as an Heretick and Usurper but the Pope inclining rather to save then to destroy and knowing that gentle courses prevail more with generous mindes then roughnesse and violence in most loving manner wrote unto her exhorting her to return to the Unity of the Catholike Church and as it is said made her great offers if she would hearken to his counsell Particularly That he would recall the Sentence pronounced against her mothers Marriage confirm the Book of Common Prayer in English and permit to her people the use of the Sacrament in both Kindes But Queen Elizabeth neither terrified with the Earl of Feria's practises nor allured with the Popes great offers according to her Motto Semper Eadem persisted constant in her resolution To maintain that Religion which in her conscience she was perswaded to be most agreeable to the Word of God and most consonant to the Primitive Church Whilst these grounds of Troubles are sowing in England France and Scotland it is not likely that Ireland will lie fallow though indeed it be a Countrey that will bring forth Troubles of it self without sowing but howsoever to make the more plentifull Harvest of troubles at this time Iohn Oneal
themselves by leaving the English at Newhaven and by trusting to their Country-men the French Papists for their peace was but a snare and the Marriage of Henry of Bourbon Prince of Navarre with Margaret of Valois the French Kings sister was but a bait to entrap them for upon the confidence of this Marriage being drawn together into Paris they were the readier for the slaughter and a few dayes after the Marriage which were all spent in Feasts and Masks to make them the more secure upon a Watch-word given the bloody faction fell upon the Protestants and neither spared age nor sex nor condition but without mercy and sense of humanity slaughtered as many as they could meet with to the number of many thousands It was now the sixth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign a yeer fatall for the death of many great Personages First died William Lord Grey of Weâ—lon Governour of Berwick a man famous for his great Services in War then William Lord Paget a man of as great Services in Peace who by his great deservings had wrought his advancement to sundry dignities and honourable places and though zealous in the Roman Religion yet held by Queen Elizabeth in great estimation to his dying day Then Henry Mannors Earl of Rutland descended by his mother from King Edward the fourth And lastly Francis the Dutchesse of Suffolk daughter to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk and mother to Queen Iane. And now Queen Elizabeth finding how fickle the French Protestants had carryed themselves towards her intended to make a Peace and to that end sent Sir Thomas Smith into France joyning Throgmorton in Commission with him and in conclusion a Peace was agreed on whereof amongst other Articles this was one That the Hostages in England should be freed upon the payment of six hundred thousand Crowns and this Peace was ratified by the Oath both of the Queen of England and the King of France About this time the English Merchants were hardly used both in Spainâ— and in the Netherlands upon pretence of Civill differences but indeed out of hatred to the Protestant Religion whereupon the English removed the seat of their Trading to Embden in Freezlandâ— but Gusman the Spanish Liegier newly come into England finding the great dammages that the Netherlands sustained by these differences endeavoured by all means to compose them and thereupon Viscount Mountague Nicholas Wootton and Walter Haddon Master of the Requests were sent to Bruges in Flanders who after many interruptions brought the matter at last to some indifferent agreement It was now the seventh yeer of Queen Elizabeth when making a Progresse she went to see Cambridge where after she had viewed the Colledges and been entertained with Comedies and Scholasticall Disputations she made her self a Latine Oration to the great encouragement of the Schollars and then returned Presently after her returnâ— she made the Lord Robert Dudley Master of her Horse first Baron of Denbigh giving him Denbigh and all the Lands belonging to it and then Earl of Leicester to him and the heirs males of his body lawfully begotten which Honour was conferred upon him with the greatest State and Solemnity that was ever known And now Leicester to endear himself to the Queen of Scots accused Sir Nicholas Bacon Lord Keeper for being privy to the libell of Hales who affirmed the Right of the Crown to belong to the Family of Suffolk in case the Queen should die without Issue and thereupon was Bacon cast into prison till afterward upon his purgation and the mediation of Sir William Cecill he was set at liberty and restored to his place And now for a while we must cast our eyes upon Scotland for that was now the Stage where all the great businesses of State were acted Matthew Steward Earl of Lenox who had marryed Margaret Dowglas King Henry the eighth's Neece by his eldest sister had been kept as an Exile in England now twenty yeers him the Queen of Scots invites to come into Scotlandâ— under pretence of restoring to him his ancient Patrimony but indeed to conferre with him about a Marriage with his son the Lord Darlie for being reputed heir to the Crown of England next after her self she thought by matching with his son to strengthen her own title and to prevent the hope of any other Queen Elizabeth upon sute made by his wife gave the Earl leave to go but soon after suspecting what the Queen of Scots intent was in sending for him she to hinder the proceeding sent Sir Thomas Randâ—ll to her to let her know That if she proceeded in this Maâ—ch she would exceedingly wrong her self for that it was a Match so much disliked by all the English that she was fain to prorogue the Parliament lest upon dislike thereof there should something be enacted against her Right of Succession But if she would marry the Earl of Leicester she should then by Parliament be declared her next Heir Hereupon in the month of November the Earl of Bedford and Sir Thomas Randoll for Queen Elizabethâ— the Earl of Murray and Lidington for the Queen of Scots at Barwick entred into a Treaty concerning the Marriage with the Earl of Leicester The English Commissioners urged the great benefits that by this Match would accrew both to the Queen of Scots her self and to the whole Kingdom of Scotland The Scotish on the other side urged the great disparagement it would be to the Queen of Scots if refusing the offers made her of divers great Princes she should match her self with so mean a person as the Earl of Leicester This matter held long debate partly for that the English Commissioners were so appointed by Queen Elizabeth and partly for that the Scotish Commissioners had a good minde to hinder her from marrying at all and perhaps not the least for that the Earl of Leicester being verily perswaded he should at last obtain Queen Elizabeth her self by secret Letters warned the Earl of Bedford not to urge the Marriage with the Queen of Scots too far and was thought for this cause to favour Darly under hand The matter being in this manner protracted for two whole yeers together the Queen of Scots impatient of longer delay and being resolved in her minde what she would doâ— used means that the Lord Darly got leave of Queen Elizabeth to go into Scotland for three months onely under colour to be put in possession of his fathers Lands though it be strange the Queen upon any teâ—â—ms would let him go if she really intended to hinder the Marriage but such was the destiny if there were not a plot in it and â—o in Febrâ—ary he came to Edinburgh who being a young man of not above nineteen yeers of age of a comely countenance and most Princely Presence the Queen of Scots as soon as she saw him fell in love with him yet in modesty dissembling it for the present she sought to get a Dispensâ—on from Rome because of their neernesse in Consanguinity And now
easie matter for him to surprize the Queen whom when he had in his hands he might then set the Queen of Scots at liberty and might easily obtain of Queen Elizabeth a toleration of Religion The former Reasons tooke somewhat with the Duke but this point of surprizing the Queen he abhorred as an impious fact and therefore rejected as pernitious and Dangerous In France a little before this was the mariage solemnized between Charles the ninth King of France and Elizabeth of Austria daughter to the Emperor Maximilian in gratulation whereof Queen Elizabeth sent into France Thomas Lord Buckhurst who with great magnificence was received and perhaps the more in regard of a motion now intended to be made for the Lord Buckhurst having in his retinue one Guydo Cavalcantius a noble man of Florence the Queen Mother of France as being a Florentine her self had often conference with him when she would many times say what a happines it would be to both the Kingdoms if a Match were made between the Queen of England and her sonne Henry Duke of Angiou and at last desired him to commend the motion to the Queen of England both from her and from her son the King of France as a thing they both exceedingly desired The Lord Buckhurst returned having for a present from the King of France a chayn weighing a thousand French crowns and Cavalcantius at his return made the motion to the Queen who seemed not unwilling to hearken to it for by this Match there should be added to the Kingdome of England the wealthy Dukedoms of Angiou Bourbon Auverne and in possibility the Kingdome of France it self Hereupon a Treaty was held in which the French propounded three Articles one concerning the Coronation of the Duke another concerning the Joynt Administration of the Kingdom a third concerning a Toleration of his Religion to which it was answered that the two first Articles might in some sort be composed but the third scarce possibly for though a contrary Religion might be tolerated between Subjects of the same Kingdome yet between a wife and her husband it seemed very Incongruous and inconvenient yet the matter at last came to this conclusion That if the Duke would afford his presence with the Queen at divine Service and not refuse to hear and learn the doctrine of the Church of England he should not be compelled to use the English Rites but at his pleasure use the Romane not being expresly against the word of God But upon these Punctiliâ—s they could not accord and so the Treaty after it had continued almost a yeer brake utterly off It was indeed generally thought that the Maâ—ch was never really intended of either side but that they both pretended it for onely their owne ends for the Earle of Leicester who knew more of the Queenes minde then any man wrote at this time to Sir Francis Walsingham the Queens Embassador in France That he found the Queens inclination so cold in the matter that though the Point of Religion were â—ully accorded yet she would finde one point or other to breake it off At this time the continuance of the Duke of Norfolkes affection towards the Queen of Scots came to be discovered by a packet of Letters sent by Ridolphus to the Bishop of Rosâ—e and by Bayliffs confession who brought the letters being set upon the Rack so as the Bishop of Rosse was confined to the Isle of Ely Thomas Stanlie Sir Thomas Gerard and Râ—lâ—ton were cast into the Tower and Hâ—nry Howard who had an aspiring minde to be Arch-bishop was committed to the Arch-bishop of Canterbury's keeping At the same time the Queen of Scots sent money to her confederates in Scotland which being by Higford delivered to one Browne to carry and told it was Silver when he found by the weight that it was Gold he began to suspect something and thereupon went and delivered both the money and Letters to the Lords of the Councell Upon this Higford being examined confessed the whole matter and withall gave notice of that Commentary also of the Queen of Scots which is mentioned before Two dayes after the Duke himself being examined and knowing nothing what his servauâ—s had confessed deâ—yed every particular and thereupon was brought again to the Tower by Ralph Sadler Thomas Smith Henry Nevill and Doctor Wilson And after him Bannester who was the Dukes Counsell at Law The Earls of Arunâ—el and Southampton the Lord Lumley the Lord Cobham Henry Percy Lowder Powell Goodyer and others are committed to prison who upon hope of pardon confessed all they knew concerning the matter When these things and especially the Commentary which the Duke thought had been burnt were shewed him he then cryed out I am betrayed by my own servants not having learned to be distrustfull which is the very sinew of Wisedom And then with all submission he besought the Lords to mediate for him to the Queen towards whom he protested he never had the least thought of doing any hurt And now seeing it appeared that the Bishop of Rosse had been the whole-contriver of the businesse it was deliberated what to do with him because he was an Ambassadour Hereupon divers Civilians are called as David Lewis Valentine Dale William Drury William Aubâ—y and Henry Iones of whom these questions were asked First Whether an Ambassadour who raiseth Rebellion against that Prince â—o whom he is an Ambassadour may enjoy the Priviledges of an Ambassadour and is not lyaâ—le to punâ—shment They answered That such an Ambassadour hath forfeited the Priviledges of an Ambassadour and is liable to punishment Secondly Whether the Minister or Procter of a Prince who is deposed by publike Authority and in whose room another is Inaâ—gurated may enjoy the Priviledges of an Ambassadour They answered That if such Prince be lawfully deposed his Proctâ—r cannot challenge the Priviledges of an Ambassadour forasmuch as none but absolute Princes and such as have-Right of Majesty can appoint Ambassadours Thirdly Whether a Prince who is come into another Princâ—s Countrey and held in Custody may have his Proctor and if he shall be held an Ambassadour They answered If such a Prince have not lost his Soveraignty he may have his Proctor but whether that Proctor shall be reputed as an Ambassadour or no this dependeth upon the Authority of his Delegation Fourthly Whether if a Prince give warning to such a Proctor and to hiâ—â— Prince who is under custody that this Proctor shall not from hencefâ—rth be accounted for an Ambassadour Whether that Proctor may by Law challenge the Priviledge of an Ambassadour They answered A Prince may forbid an Ambassadour to enter into hiâ— Kingdome and may command him to depart the Kingdome if he â—ontain nâ—t himself within his due limits yet in the mean while he is to enjoy the Priviledges of an Ambassadour Upon these Answers the Bishop of Rosse is warned by the Lords of the Councell that he shall no longer be esteemed an Ambassadour but be punished as
all which the Duke made colourable answers but most of them being proved by sufficient testimony he asked upon occasion Whether the subjects of another Prince who is confederate and in league with the Queen are to be accounted the Queens enemiesâ— to which Catiline answered They were and that the Q. of England might wage War with any Duke of France yet hold firm Peace with the French King When it grew towards night the L. high Steward demanded of the Duke if he had any more to say for himself who answered I rely upon the equity of the Laws After this the Lords withdrawing a while and then returning the Lord Steward beginning at the lowermost asked them My Lord de la Ware Is Thomas Duke of Norfolk guilty of these crimes of High Treason for which he is called in question He rising up and laying his hand upon his breast answered guilty in like manner they answered all After this the Lord Steward with teares in his eyes pronounced sentence in forme as is used A few dayes after were Barnes and Mather executed who conspired with one Herle to make away certaine of the Councellors and to free the Duke but Herle revealed the businesse presently to whom Barnes when hee saw his Accuser brought forth smilingly said Herle thou wert but one houre before mee else I had beene in thy place for the accuser and thou in my roome to be hanged at the same time with them was hanged also Henry Rolfe for counterfeiting the Queens hand But though the Duke were now condemned yet the Queen was so tender of his case that it was foure Moneths after before he was executed at last on the second of June at eight of the clock in the morning he was brought to the Scaffold upon the Tower-Hill and there beheaded At this time and upon this occasion a Parliament was Assembled wherein amongst other Lawes it were Enacted that if any man shall go about to free any person imprisoned by the Queens expresse Commandementâ— for Treason or suspition of Treason and not yet Arraigned he shall lose all his goods for his life time and be imprisoned during the Queens pleasure if the said person have beene Arraigned the Rescuer shall forfeit his life if condemned he shall be guilty of Rebellion In the time of this Parliament the Queen created Walter Devereux Earl of Essex being before but Viscount Hereford because he was descended by his Great-grand-mothers from the Bourchiers and made the Lord Clinton who had large Revenues in Lincolnshire Earl of Lincoln Also she called forth Iohn Paulet of Basing the Marquesse of Winchester's son Henry Compton Henry Cheyney and Henry Morris for Barons by Summons Within ten dayes after the Dukes death William Lord De-la-ware Sir Ralph Sadler Thomas Wilson Doctor of the Laws and Thomas Brumley the Queens Solicitour were sent to the Queen of Scots to expostulate with her That shee had usurped the Title and Arms of the Kingdom of England and had not renounced the same according to the agreement of the Treaty at Edinburgh That shee had endeavoured the marriage of the Duke of Norfolke without acquainting the Queene and had used all forcible meanes to free him out of prison had raised the Rebellion in the North had relieved the Rebels both in Scotland and in the Low-Countries had implored Aids from the Pope the King of Spaine and others had conspired with certaine of the English to free her out of Prison and Declare her Queen of England Lastly that she had procured the Popes Bull against the Queen and suffered herself to be publikely named the Queen of England in Forreigne Countries All which accusations she either absolutely denyed or else fairly extenuated and though as she said she were a free Queen and not subject to any creature yet she was content and requested that she might make her personall answer at the next Parliament About this time the King of Spain by his Embassadour here complained to the Queen that the Rebels of the Netherlands were harboured and entertained in England contrary to the Articles of the League whereupon the Queen set forth a severe Proclamation That all the Dutch who could any wayes be suspected of Rebellion should presently depart the Realm which yet turned little to D'Alva's or the King of Spains benefit For hereupon Count Vander-Mark and other Dutch going out of England surprized the Brill first then Flushing and afterwards drew other Towns to Revolt and in a short time excluded the Duke D'Alva in a manner from the Sea And this errour to suffer the Protestant party to get possession of the Sea-towns hath been the cause they have been able to hold out even all this long time against the King of Spain And now many military men having little to do at home got them into the Netherlands some to Duke D'Alva but the far greater number to the Prince of Orenge The first of whom was Thomas Morgan who carryed three hundred English to Flushing then followed by his procurement nine Companies more under the conduct of Humphry Gilbert and afterward it became the Nursery of all our English Souldiers At this time Charls the French King setting his mind wholly at least seeming so upon the Low-Country War concluded a peace and entred into a league with Queen Elizabeth which was to remain firm not only during their two lives but between their successors also if the sâ—ccessor signifie to the surviver within a yeer that he accepteth it otherwise to be at liberty It was likewise agreed what aid by Sea or Land they should each of them afford to other upon occasion and for ratification of this League Edward Clinton Earl of Lincoln and Admirall of England was sent into France with whom went the Lord Dacres Rich Talbot Sands and others The French King likewise sent the Duke of Memorancy and Paul Foix iâ—to England with a great train that the Queen in the presence of them and the Embassador in Ordinary might sweare to the league which she did at Westminster the seaventeenth of May in the yeer 1572. The day after she made Memorancye Knight of the Garter Memorancye whilst he tarryed in England made intercession in his Kings name that what favour could be without danger might be shewed to the Queen of Scots and then made much a do again about the marriage with the Duke of Angiou but being hopelesse to make conclusion thereof by reason of the diversity of Religion he returned into France for now was great provision making ready for the mariage between Henry King of Navarre and the Lady Margeret the French Kings Sister to which solemnity with notable dissimulation the Queen of Navarre and the chief of all the Protestants were allured being born in hand that there should be a renovation of love and a perpetuall peace established The Earl of Leicester likewise and the Lord Burleigh were invited out of England and out of Germany the sons of the Prince Elector Palatine under
colour of honour but indeed that they might be intrapped and they and together with them the Protestant Religion at one blow if not clean cutt off yet receiveâ— deadly wound For the marriage being celebrated there presently followed that cruell Massacre at Paris and the terrible slaughter of the Protestants throughout all the Cities of France but to set a shew of equity upon the fact Edicts and Proclamations were presently set forth that the Protestants had plotted a wicked conspiracy against the King the Queen Mother the Brethren the King of Navarre and the Princes of the blood Royall and to keep the thing in memory Coyne was presently stamped upon the one side whereof was the Kings picture with this Inscription Virtus in Rebelles on the other side Pietas excitavit justitiam But the King of France notwithstanding all the shew hee made of Piety escaped not the Divine revenge for before the yeer came about hee fell sick of a bloody Flixe and afterwards with long and grievous torments ended his life A little before this Mota Fenell Embassador to the King of France being in England by vertue of an order from the Queen Mother of France propoundeth to Queen Elizabeth at Kenelworth two dayes before the Massacre in that Kingdome the marriage of her youngest sonne Francis Duke of Alenson for the Queen Mother had been told by some cunning men that all her sons should be Kings and she knew no way for it but this Bâ—t Queen Elizabeth by reaâ—on of the disparity of age modestly excused her self For he was scarce â—eventeen yeers old and she was now past eight and thirty yet she promised to consider of it and Alenson did not leave to prosecute the â—â—it At tâ—is time Thomas Percy Earl of Northâ—mberland who first Rebelled and afterwards fled into Scotland was for a sum of money delivered by the Earl of Morton to the Lord Hunsdon Governour of Barwick and a while afâ—er was beheaded â—t York And now as these two great Personages the Duke of Norfolkâ— and the Earl of Northumberland were taken away by a violent death so three other great Personages were at this time tâ—ken away by a naturall death First Wâ—llâ—am Paulet who from a private man came by degree to be Marquesse of Winchester lived to the age of within three yeers of a hundred and could reckon a hundred and three of his children and his childrens issue after he had held the pâ—ace of Lord Treasurer of England above twenty yeers in whose roome succeeded Sir Wâ—lliam Cecill Lord Burleigh then dyed Edmund Earle of Darby famous as well for his hospitality and good house-keeping as for his skill in Surgery and Bone-setting then dyed Sir William Peter who being descended from an honest stock at Exceter in Devonshire was Privy Counsellor and Secretary to King Henry the Eight Kiâ—g Edward the Sixth Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth who plantâ—d himself in Essex where he purchased greaâ— possessions whose son Iohn was by King Iames made Baron of Writle in that Country And now Qâ—een Elizabeth having formerly borrowed money oâ— her Subjects she thankfully repayd it which wonne her no lesse love then if she had given it and more love she gained also at this time by two Proclamations by one of which she commanded Noble men to observe the Law of keeping Retâ—iners by the other she restrained Informers who under colour of spying out Crown Land concealed by private persoâ—s sacralegioâ—sly seized upon the Lands of Parish-Churches and Alms-Houses piously endowed by the Queens Ancestors And more Love and Honour also she gained at this time by two acts of Justice the one that she satisfied the English Merchants out of the goods which were detâ—ined belonging to the Dutch and restored the rest to the Duke D' Alva and make a full transaction with the Merchants of Geneva for the monâ—y intercepted the other that she freed England at this time of the debts which her Father and her Brother had run into in forraign partâ— and were increased by yeerly interest and caused the obligations of the City of London which had so often been renued to be given in to the great rejoycing of the Citizens The Spanish affairs growing now very turbulent in the Netherlands Flushing lost the towns of Holland revolted and the Spanish Navy vanquished by the Zelanders Duke D'Alva against his will began to shew more kindnesse towards the English so as in the month of Ianuary the trade which in Anno 1568. had been forbidden was now allowed again between the Dutch and the English for two yeerâ— but those two yeers expired the English removed their trading to the confederates Stateâ— The last yeer in the month of November a daughter was born to the French King to whom he requested Queen Elizabeth to be God-mother who theâ—eupon sent William Somerset Earl of Worcester into France with a Font of massy Gold to stand as her Deputy at the Christning Hereupon and for that the Queen promised to observe the League strictly the French King and the Queen mother began to affect her more and more and the Duke D'Alenson wrote sundry love-letters to her the French King and His Mother interceding for the mariage with all earnestnesse It is true the Queen conceived divers reasons why it was fit for her to marry but the Courtiers for their own ends disswaded her as much from it at last the Queen Mother of France was wonderfull importunate that her sonne Alenson might have leave to come and see herâ— whereunto being wearyed with continuall Letters and Messages she gave her consent but upon condition that hee should not take it for any disgrace to him if hee returned without obtaining his suit But as soon as Queen Elizabeth had notice that his brother Henry was elected King of Poland and that the King of France was very sick shee gave intimation to Alenson by Edward Horsey Governour of the Isle of Wight that hee should not make too much haste into England but should first procure a peace by some meanes or other in France and declare by some notable Argument his good will towards the Protestants thereby to be the more welcome Ghest into England Hereupon a peace was concluded in France and in certain places the Protestants were allowed to exercise their Religion and then again the French King and the Queen Mother used all their endeavour to have the marriage go forward for they were very desirous thâ—t Alenson who was of a crooked and perverse disposition and prone to raise tumults might bee removed out of France and withall they requested of Queen Elizabeth that if the Duke of Angiou took his voyage into Poland by Sea hee might have publike caution to sail through the British Ocean To this last request she not only consented with all alacrity but also made offer of a Fleet to conduct him thither In the mean while Alenson fell sick of the Meazles which his mother signified to Queen Elizabeth by Count Rhets excusing him
thereupon for not coming into England as he had determined The Count found the Queen at Canterbury where she gave him Royall intertainment and Matthew Parker Archbishop of Canterbury Royall intertainment to them both All this while since the death of the Earl of Marre there had been no Regent in Scotland but now by the procurement of Queen Elizabeth chiefly Iames Dowglas Earl of Morton is made Regent who when his Authority in a Parliamentary Assembly was established Enacted many profitable Laws for the defence of Religion against Papists and Hereticks in the name of the King But the proâ—ection and keeping of the Kings Person hee confirmed to Alexander Areskin Earl of Marre to whom the custody of the Kings in their tender yeers by speciall priviledge belongeth though hee were himself in his Minority Upon these conditions That no Papists nor factious persons should be admitted to his presence An Earl should come with onely two servants attending him A Baron with onely one All other single and every one unarmed The French King in the mean time sent his Embassadour Mounsier Vyriar to corrupt the Earls of Atholl and Hâ—ntley with large promises to oppose the Regent Queen ELISABETH as much laboured to defend him but though by the ministery of Killigrew shee had drawn Iames Hamilton Duke of Castle-Herald and George Gourdon Earl of Huntley and the most eminent of that Faction upon indifferent conditions to acknowledge the Regent yet VVilliam Kâ—râ—â—ld Lord Graâ—nge whom Murray when hee was Regeâ—t had made Goveâ—nour of Edingborough Castle The Lord Humâ—s Lydington the Bishop of Dunkeld and others would by no meanes admit of the Regents Government but held that Castle and fortified it in the Queen of Scots name having Lydington for their Counsellor herein and trusting to the naturall strength of the place and to the Duke D' Alva's and the Fâ—eâ—ch Kings promises to send them supplies both of men and money Now when these persons could by no meanes drawne to accept of conditions of peace and to deliver up the Castle to the Regent Queen Elizabeth who could in no case endure the French in Scotland suffered her self at length to be intreated by the Regent to send Forces Gunnes and Ammunition for assaulting of the Castle upon certain conditions whereof one was that ten Hostages should be sent into England to be security foâ— returning the men and Munition unlesse by the common hazard of War they should chance to miscarry The conditions being argued on William Drury Marshall of the Garrison at Barwick with some â—reat Ordnance and Fifteen hundred Souldiers amongst whom were some noble Voluntiers George Carie Henry Carie Thomas Cecill Heâ—ry Lee William Knolles Sutton Cotton Kelway VVilliam Killigrew and others entred into Scotland and besieged the Castle which after three and thirty dayes siege was delivered up to the Regent for the Kings use with all the persons that were in it amongst whom Kircald Lord Grange and Iames his brother Musman and Cook gold-smiths who had counterfeited Coyne in the Castle were hanged although to redeem Granges life a hundred of the Family of the Kircalds offered themselves to be in perpetuall servitude to the Regent besides an annuall Pension of three thousand Marks and twenty thousand pounds of Scottish money in present and to put in caution that from thence forth he should continue in duty homage to the King but it would not bee accepted Humes and the rest were spared through Queen Elizabeths mercifull intercession Lydington was sent to Leith where hee dyed and was suspected to bee poysoned A man of the greatest understanding in the Scottish Nation and of an excellent wit but very variable for which George Buchanan called him the Camelion And now from this time Scotland began to take breath after long Civill Warres and as well the Captaines of both parties as the Souldiers betook themselves into Swedeland France and the Low-Countries where they valorously behaved themselves and wonne great commendation As for Iohn Lesle Bishop of Rosse he was now set at liberty but commanded to depart presently out of England and being beyond the Sea he continued still to sollicite his Mistresse the Queen of Scots cause with the Emperour the Pope the French King and the German Princes of the Popish Religion who all led him on with faire promises but performed nothing For indeed he in whom he had greatest confidence which was the Duke D' Alva was at that time called away partly out of Jealousie of State as being thought to grow too great and partly out of opinion that by his cruelty he made the people to revolt and therefore in his place was sent Ludovicus Zuinga a man of great Nobility in Spain â—ut of a more Peaceable disposition then D' Alva â—ow this man did all good Offices to win Queen Elizabeth to him and minding his owne Affairs only would not intermeddle with the Scottish or English matters About this a frentick Opinion was held by one Peter Bourcheâ— a Gentâ—eman of the Middle-Temple that it was lawfull to kill them that opposed the truth of the Gospell and so far was he possest with this opinion that he assaulted the famous Seaman Captain Hawkins and wounded him with a dagger taking him for Hutton who at that time was in great favour with the Queen and of her privy Counsell whom he had been informed to be a great Adversary to Innovations The Queen grew so angry hereat that she commanded Marshiall Law should be executed upon him presently till her Counsell advised her that Marshiall Law was not to be used but in the Field and in turbulent times but at home and in time of Peace there must be Legall proceedings Hereupon Bourchet was sent to the Tower where taking a brand out of the fire he strook it into the brains of one of his keepers named Hugh Longwroth and killed him for which fact he was condemned of murther had his right hand cutt off and nayled to the Gallows and then himselfe hanged After the violent death of this Varlet we may speake of the naturall death of two great persons First William Lord Howard of Effingham Son of that warlike Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolk by his second wife Agnes Tilney This William was made a Baron by Queen Mary and Lord High Admirall of England and by Queen Elizabeth Lord Chamberlain till such time that being taken with age he yeelded up that place to the Earl of Sussex and was then made Keeper of the Privy Seal which is the fourth degree of honour in England His Son Charles succeeded him in the Dignity of his Barony who was after made Lord Chamberlain to the Queen and then Lord High Admirall of England A while after him dyed Reginold Grey Earl of Kent whom the Queen a yeer before of a private man had made Earl of Kent when as that Title from the death of Richard Grey Earl of Kent who had wasted his Patrimony and was elder brother to this mans
Grand-father had lyen asleep for fifty yeers together At this time many particular Rebellions were in Ireland The O Câ—nors and O Moors took Arms and committed many outrages In Munster Iames Fitzmorris and Fitz Edmund did the like but by the industry of Sir Iohn Perrot President of Munster were suppressed In Ulster Bryan Mac Phelym burnt Knockfergus and many other joyned in Rebellion with him Against these Walter Devereux whom the Queen had lately created Earl of Essex desired leave to go which Sir William Fitz-Williams Deputy of Ireland opposed as fearing that the glory of so great an Earl vvould ecclipse his light But for this the Queen findes a remedy by appointing Essex to take a Parent of the Deputy whereby to be made Governour of Ulster But this remedy for Fitz-Williams might have made a sore in the minde oâ— Eâ—sex to receive his Authority from his inferiour but that the noblenesse of his minde made him more to regard the vertue then the glory And so in the end of August hee landed at Knockfergus having with him the Lords Darcy and Rich and Sir Henry Knowles and his four Brothers Michael and Iohn Carves Henry William and Iohn Norreses At his landing Bryan Mac Pheliâ— welcomed him tendring unto him all manner of dutifulnesse and service but presently aâ—ter falls from him and joyns with Turlogh Leynigh After this revolt the Eaâ—l of Essex finding many difficulties in the businesse and himself not well provided of skilfull Souldiers makes suit to the Queen for leave to come home which the Earl of Leicester who liked his room better then his company opposed till after expence of a yeerâ— time and much treasure hee at last obtained leave and returned home The next yeer being 1574. and the seventeenth yeer of Queen Elisabeths Raign the Duke of Alenson grew more importunate in his suit then at any time before so as hee obtained of the Queen to come into England any time before the twentieth of May and this she the rather did because shee perceived him now to bee really bent against the Guyses her sworn Enemies But before this Answer was brought him Valentine Dale Doctor of the Civil Law the Queens Embassâ—dour in France gave intimation to the Qâ—een That Alenson and Navarre were in restraint and committed to Keepers For the Guyses had suggested that Alenson held intimate friendship with Admirall Colin the chief Leader of the Protestants in France and indeed Alenson being examined freely confessed that hee had now for a good while desired the marriage of the Queen of Englandâ— and conceiving that good correspondence with Colin might be usefull to him to that end hee had thereupon had conference with him thereabout and concerning the Low-Country Warre In the mean time Thomas Wâ—lks Dales Secretary got cunningly to Alenson and in the Queens name made promise both to him and to Navarre that she would omit no opportunity of procuring their inlargement For which the subtle Queen-Mother so complained of him to Queen Elisabeth that hee was fain to go into France and there to crave pardon for his fault But Navarre not unmindfull of this kindnesse in Wilks when about five and twenty yeers after being King of France hee saw him in Normandy hee Knighted him Hereupon the Queen sent Thomas Randoll into France to the Queen-Mother that if it were possible hee might gain Reconciliation for Alenson her sonne and for the King of Navarre But before hee was landed in France Charles the then French King dyed whose Funerall Rites were solemnly performed in Saint Pauls Church in London Assoon as Henry the third King of France was come from Poland Roger Lord North was sent into France to congratulate his return and his happy Inauguration into the Kingdom who thereupon together with the Queen-Mother did forthwith send their joynt Letters into England strongly soliciting the businesse of marriage between Alenson and the Queen In the mean time notwithstanding they used all possible devices and left no means unsought to get the yong King of Scotland to bee sent into France and to deprive Morton who was the Regent of his Authority whereof the Queen of Scots also was very desirous shee being perswaded that if her sonne were once gotten safely into France shee and the Catholicks in England should bee more mildly used At which time an aspersion was cast upon the Queen of Scots as if she had made the match between Charles Unckle to the Queen of Scots who had lately the Earldom of Lenox confirmed to him by Parliament and Elizabeth Cavendish the Countesse of Shrewsburie's daughter by a former husband upon which ground both their mothers and some others also were kept in Prison for a time and being doubted whereunto this marriage should tend Henry Earle of Huntington President of the Councell in the North is authorized with secret Instructions to examine it It will be fit here to say something of this place of Government in the North which from small beginnings is now become so eminent as it is at this day whereof this was the Originall When as in the Raigne of Henry the Eight after that the Rebellion in the Northerne parts about the subversion of Abbyes was quieted the Duke of Norfolke tarryed in those quarters and many complaints of injuries done were tendered unto him whereof some he composed himself and others hee commended under his Seale to men of wisdome to determine Hereof when King Henry heard he sent down a peculiar Seal to be used in these cases and calling home the Duke committed the same to Tunstall Bishop of Durham and Constituted Assistants with Authority to heare and determine the complaints of the poor and he was the first that was called President and from that time the authority of his successours grew in credit It was now the yeer One thousand five hundred seventy five and the Eighteenth yeer of Queen Elisabeths Raign vvhen Henry the third King of France being returned from Poland and Crowned at Rheims was carefull to have the League of Blois confirmed which in the Yeer 1572. had been concluded betweene his Brother Charles and that most Illustrious Queen ELIZABETH Now therefore hee confirmed it with His owne Subscription and delivered it to Dale the Queen 's Legier as the Queen like wise ratified it at Saint-James neere Westminster But a little after he demanded by Letters whether the mutuall defence against all persons mentioned in the League was intended to comprehend the case of Religion also Whereunto she answering that it did comprehend it hee thereupon hearing this from the Queen began presently to prepare Warre against the Protestants and Alenson being drawne to the Adverse party there was no speech of the marriage for a long time In the Netherlands at this time Lodovicke Zuinga who was successor unto Duke D'Alva was wholly bent to recover the Command of the Seas which D'Alva had neglected but not being sufficiently provided of a Navy he sent Boischott into England that with
the Bishops of Rosse and Glasco her Agents in France to have no further to do with the English Fugitives These things Qâ—een Elizabeth heard gladly and thereupon sent Beale to the Queen of Scots who joyntly with the Earl of Shrewsbery should signifie unto her That if she continued still in the same minde as she had delivered to Waad Sir Walter Mildmay should come out of hand â—o her and Treat concerning her liberty but withall she commanded Mildmay and Beale to dive into her as well as they could to know what practises the Duke of Guyse had on foot To that which she had spoken to sir William Waad the Queen of Scots made a wary answer but to that concerning the Duke of Guyse she plainly confesseth That being sickly heâ— selfe and weak of body she had committed her selfe and her Son to the Protection of the Duke of Guyse her dear Cosen of whose intendments she knoweth nothing nor if she did would she disclose them unlesse she might be sure of her own liberty Lastly she requesteth That being a free and an absolute Prince she may not be worse handled than Queen Elizabeth her selfe was when she was a subject and kept in prison by her Sister These things had a hearing but no feeling and the rather by a strange accident for Creighton a Scottish Jesuit sayling from the Lâ—w-Countries and taken by Dutch Pirats had certain papers which he tore and threâ— away which thrown over-boord and by the winde blown back into the ship miraculously as Creighton himselfe sayd they were brought to sir William Waad who patching them together with much labour and cunning discovered by them some new intendments of the Pope the King of Spainâ— and the Guyse about the Invading of England Whereupon and upoâ— divers other rumors the better to provide for the safety of the Queen a number of her Subjects the Earl of Leicester being the foremost men of all ranks and conditions bound themselves mutually to each other by their oaths and subscriptions to persecute all those to the very death that should attempt any thing against the Queen which league of theirs they called the Association The Queen of Scoâ—s who presently apprehended that this Association was entred into for her destruction maketh this proposition by Nave her Secretary to the Queen and the Councellâ— That if she might have her liberty granted and be assured of the Qâ—eenâ—â—ove she would enter a strict league and â—mity with her and passing by all matters of offence esteem and honor â—er above all the Princes of the Christian World yea and saving the ancient League betwixt Fraâ—ce and Scâ—â—laâ—d she would her selfe be comprehended in tâ—e Association and a League defensivâ— against all that should go about to injure the Queen Herewith Queen Eliâ—abeth was wonderfully pleased and at that time cerâ—â—â—nly had an inclination to grant her freedom Bâ—t see what malice can do for many in Englandâ— but specially the Scoâ—s of 〈◊〉 â—dverse party endeavoured by all means to hinder it exclaiming That 〈◊〉 Queen could be no longer in safety if the Queen of Scots were set at liberty That both Kingdoms were utterly undone if she were admitted into 〈◊〉 â—oynt Government of the Kingdom of Scotland and that the reformed â—â—â—â—gion lay a bleeding if Papists were admitted within the Court walls 〈◊〉 was this all but the Scottish Ministers in their Pulpits loaded the 〈◊〉 of Scots with all manner of contumelies slandred the King himselfe and 〈◊〉 Councell in most bitter manner and being cited to appear before him 〈◊〉 saying That the Pulpits were exempted from all Regall Authority and that Ecclesiasticall persons were not to be censured by the Prince but 〈◊〉 their own Consistory directly against the Laws made the year before in Paâ—liament whereby the Kings Authority over all persons whether Eccleâ—â—â—sâ—icall or Secular was confirmed and namely That the King and his Councell were Supream Judges in all Causes and that whosoever refused 〈◊〉 bâ— tryed by them should be holden guilty of High-treason all Presbyâ—â—â—â—â—s and Lay-conventicles forbidden Parity of the Clergy taken away 〈◊〉 the authority of Bishops restored whose Calling the Presbyteries had condemned as wicked and Antichristian And lastly all scurrilous Libels â—â—â—inst the King and his mother prohibited namely the Scottish History of George Buchanan and his Dialogue De Iure Regni apud Scotos At this time upon her adversaries suggestion the Queen of Scots is taken from the Earl of Shrewsbery and committed to the custody of sir Pawletâ—nd â—nd sir Drue Drury and that on set purpose as some were perswaded to drive her into abrupt and desperate attempts and indeed upon this she grew more importunate with the Pope and King of Spain to hasten their inâ—â—ndment whatsoever became of her as ill indeed was like to become of her if it be true as some sayd that Leicester sent out assasinats to make her â—way but that Drury detested the villany and would grant them no â—â—cesse And how to alienate Queen Elizabeth utterly from her it is suggested to 〈◊〉 That Allen for the Catholicks of the Clergy Inglefield for the Layity â—nd the Bishop of Râ—sse for the Queen of Scots with consent of the Pope and the King of Spain had joyntly combined to depose her and to bar the King of Scotland from his hereditary Right to the Crown of England and to marry the Queen of Scots to an English Noble-man of the Romish Religion and him the English Catholikes should chuse King of England and the Pope confirm the Election and all this upon the credit of Hart the Priest but who this English Noble-man should be that should marry the Queen of Scots could not be found though Walsingham were very busie to seacrh iâ— out the fame went upon Henry Howard the Duke of Norfolks brother â—ho was a single man a great Papist and of high estimation amongst the Catholikes This yeer died in Exile and misery Charles Nâ—vill who was in the Rebellion of the North the last Earl of Westmerland of this Family a House from whence descended many Noble Personages six Earls of Westmerland â—wo Earls of Saliâ—â—â—â—y and Warâ—iâ—k an Earl of Kent a Maâ—quesse Mountâ—cut◠〈◊〉 Duke of Bedford Baron Ferrers of 〈◊〉 the Lord Latymer the Lord of 〈◊〉 one Queen and five Dutchesses to let passe Counteâ—â—es and Baronneâ—ses an Arch-bishop of York and a numerous company of other Lords In Eâ—glâ—nd died none of â—eckoning this yeer but onely Plâ—â—den the famous Lawyer but in France â—he Duke of Angiâ—â— died of griefâ— aâ—d in Holland William Prince of Orange shot into the body with â—hree Bullets by one Bâ—lthâ—sâ—r Gerard a Burgundian It was now the yeer 1585 and the eight and twentieth of Queen Elizaâ—â—â—â—â— Raign when to tiâ— the French King more neerly to her whom the 〈◊〉 â—â—fore she had received into the number of the Knights of the â—arter she sent the Earl of Derby into France to invest him with the Robes and Ornaments according to
touching a League offensive and defensive though the King at first required some additions and though the French Ambassador infinitely opposed it yet at last he consented to it and in Iuly following there met at Barwick Edward Earle of Rutland William Lord Euer and Thomas Randoll for the Queen of England Francis Earl of Bothwell Robert Lord Boyde and Humes for the King of Scots and there the League which was called the League of strict Amity for that the word offensive liked not the Scots was upon certain points concluded First for the maintenance of the reformed Religion and then other such Articles as commonly in Leagues are usuall The very same moneth that this League was agreed on a most dangerous conspiracy against the Queen was discovered For first one Iohn Savage was by the perswasions of Gifford Doctor in Divinity induced to believe that it was a meritorious work to take away the lives of Princes Excommunicate who thereupon vowed to kill Queen Elizabeth but to make the Queen and her Councell secure at the very same time they wrote a bookâ— exhorting the Papists in England to attempt nothing against their Prince and to use only the Christian weapons of Tears Prayers Watching and Fasting About Whitsuntide one Ballard a Seminary Priest of Rheims acquainted with the vow of Savage having dealt in France with Mendoza and Charles Paget about invading of England arrived here in a souldiers habit and by a counterfeit name called Captain Fosâ—â— with these matters he acpuaints one Anthony Babington a gentleman of Darbyshire who by the Bishop of Glasco the Queen of Scots Ambassador in France had been commended to her as one worthy of her love so as between them there passed often letters in unknown characters In short time Babington had drawn into the Plot other gentlemen as zealous of the Romish Religion as himselfe namely Edward Windsor brother to the Lord Windsor Thomas Salisbery of a good Family in Devonshire Charles Tilney one of the Queens Pensioners Chydiock Tichburne of Hamshire Edward Abington whose father was Coferer to the Queen Robert Gage of Surrey Iohn Traversâ— and Iohn Charnock of Lancashire Iohn Ionesâ— Savage formerly spoken of Barnwell of a noble Family in Ireland and Henry Dunne a Clerk in the Office of First-fruits and Tenths one Pollie also serued himselfe into their company a fellow throughly acquainted with the affairs of the Queen of Scots who was thought to have revealed all their consultations to Walsingham day by day To these Gentlemen Babington communicateth his affairs but not every particular to every one but to Ballard Tichburne and Dunnâ— he sheweth the Letters which passed between him and the Queen of Scots with Tilney and the rest he dealeth to be the Assassinates of whom some at first loth at last consented and in a foolish vaingloriousnesse a picture of the Assassinates was made to the life and Babington in the midst with these words Quorsum haec alio properentibus This Picture they say was gotten and privately shewed to the Queen who knew none of them by face but only Bernwell who had oftentimes come to her in the causes of the Earl of Kildare whose servant he was Certain it is that the Queen one day walking abroad spyed this Bernwell and turning to Hatton sayd Am not I well Guarded that have not so much as one man in the company with a sword by his side Thus much Bernwell himselfe told the rest of his confederacy and how easie a matter it had bin to have dispatched her at that time if the rest had been present The chief discoverer of the Plot was the aforesayd Gifford This man was a gentleman of a good Houâ—e at Chellington in Staffordshire not far from Chartley where the Queen of Scots was kept prisoner and was now sent by the English fugitives in France under the counterfeit name of Luson to put Savage in minde of the vow he had made and to convey letters between them and the Queen of Scots But he whether pricked in conscience or dismayed in minde came to Walsingham privately revealing who he was and for what end and by whom sent into England Walsingham courteously entertained him and sent him down into Staffordshire to do the work he had undertaken Here Gifford bribing the Brewer of the House where the Queen of Scots lay contrived the matter in such sort with him that by a hole in the wall in which a loose stone was put he should give in and receive forth Letters the which by messengers purposely layd by the way came evermore to Walsinghams hands who broke them open copied them out and by the rare cunning of one Thomas Philips found out the meaning of the private Characters and by the singular Art of Arthur Gregory sealed them again so curiously that no man would imagine them to have been opened and ever sent them to the parties to whom the superscription directed them In like manner were the former letters from the Queen of Scots to Babington intercepted as also other letters written at the same time to Mendoza the Spanish Ambassador Charles Paget the Lord Paget the Archbishop of Glasco and Francis Englefield The Queen as soon as she understood by these letters of the storm hanging over her head both at home and abroad commanded Ballard to be apprehended who on a sodain is taken in Babingtons house Babington hereupon goeth to Walsingham with whom he had long been a suiter for licence to go into France promising to do great matters in discovering the practises of the Fugitives Walsingham with fair promises drives him off from day to day and now perswades him that for a small space till he could get his license sealed he would lodge at his house in London where they might have secret conference without suspition This Web Walsingham himselfe had spun hitherto and no other of the Queens Councell were made acquainted and longer yet he would have drawn the thread out but that the Queen was unwilling least as she sayd by not avoyding danger when she might she should seem rather to tempt God than to trust in him Whereupon Walsingham sent a Note to his man Scudamore from the Court to looke carefully to Babington This Note was delivered in such manner that Babington sitting by at Table when Scudamore read it overlooked him and read it likewise Hereupon suspecting that all was discovered the next night he and Scudamore and one or two more of Walsinghams servants supping at a Tavern and being very merry he made an excuse that he must needs step aside and rose up leaving his Cloak and his sword and so made haste through the dark to Westminster where Gage and he changed apparel and then together withdrew themselves 〈◊〉 S. Iohns wood neer the City whether Barnwell also and Dun betook themâ—â—â—ves In the mean space they were proclaimed Traytors all England overâ— Hereupon they lay lurking in Woods and by-places they shave Babingtons 〈◊〉 disfigure the beauty of
for the Execution of the Queen of Scots which might be in a readinesse upon any fear of danger charging him not to disclose the matter to any whomsoever But the next day her minde was altered and sent Sir William Killegrew to Davyson to countermand the making of the Commission Whereupon Davyson goes to her and lets her know That the Commission was already made and the Seal put to it Whereat the Queen extreamly angry rebuketh him sharply for his hastinesse yet Davyson imparteth the matter to Privy Councellors and perswades them That the Queen Commanded the Commission should be put in execution Hereupon Beale Clerk of the Councell is sent down with Letters wherein authority is deputed to the Earls of Shrewsbury Kent Derby Cumberland and others that she should be put to death according to the Law with which proceeding the Queen was not once made acquainted and more than this Although she had intimated to Davyson That she would take some other order concerning the Queen of Scots yet did not he stay Beale from going And now comes in the last Act of the Queen of Scots Tragedyâ— for assoon as the Earls were come to Fotheringay They together with Sir Amis Pawlet and Sir Drue Drurie with whom she was then in custody go unto her and reading the Commission signifie the cause of their comming and in a few words admonish her to prepare her selfe for death for that she must dye the next day Whereto without any change of countenance or passion of minde she made Answer I had not thought that my Sister the Queen would have consented to my death who am not subject to your Laws but since it is her pleasure death shall then be to me most welcome Then she requesteth that she might conferre with her Confessor and Melvyn her Steward which would not be granted The Bishop or Deane of Peterborough they offered her but them she refused The Earles being departed she gave order that Supper should bee hastened where shee eat as she used to doe soberly and sparingly and perceiving her men and women servants to lament and weepe she comforteth them and bid them rejoyce rather that she was now to depart out of a world of misery After supper she looketh over her Will read the Inventory of her Goods and Jewells and writ their names severally by them to whom she gave any of them at her wonted hour she went to bed and after a few hours sleep awaking spent the rest of the night in her devotion And now the fatall day being come wich was the 8 of February she getteth up and makes her ready in her best Apparell and then betook her self in her Closet to Almighty God imploring his assistance with deep sighes and groans untill Thomas Andrews Sheriffe of the County gave notice that it was time to come forth and then with a Princely Majesty and chearfull conntenance she came out her head covered with a linnen Vayl and carrying an Ivory Crucifix in her hand In the Gallery the Earls met her and the other Gentlemen where Melvyn her servant upon his bended knees deplored his own fortune that he should be the messenger to carry this sad newes into Scotland whom she comforted saying Do not lament Melvyn Thou shalt by and by see Mary Steward freed from all cares Then turning her self to the Earls She requested that her servants might stand by her at her death which the Earl of Kent was very loath to grant for fear of superstition To whom she sayd Fear nothing these poor wretches desire only to give me my last farewell I know the Queen my Sister would not deny me so small a request After this the two Earls and the Sheriff of the County leading the way she came to the Scaffold which was set up at the upper end of the Hall where was a Chayre a Cushion and a Block all covered with Mourning Then the Dean of Peterborough going to Prayers she falling upon her knees and holding up the Crucifix in both her hands prayed with her Servants in Latine out of the Office of the blessed Virgin Prayers being ended she kissed the Crucifix and signing her self with the Sign of the Crosse said As thy arms O Christ were spread forth upon the Crosse so embrace me with the open arms of thy mercy and forgive me my sins Then the Executioner asking her pardon she forgave him And now her women helping off her outer Garments and breaking forth into shrikes and cryes she kissed them signed them with the Crosse and willed them to leave lamenting for now an end of her sorrows was at hand and then shadowing her face with a Linnen Cloth and lying down on the Block she repeated the Psalm In te Domine speravi ne confundar in aeternum at which words she stretching forth her Body her head at two blows was taken off Her Body was afterward Royally buried in the Cathedrall Church at Peterborough but since that her Noble Son Iames King of Great Britain erected a Royall Monument for her in King Henry the seventh's Chappell at Westminster This end had Mary Queen of Scots in the six and fortieth yeer of her age and of her Imprisonment in England the eighteenth a Lady so compleat in all excellent parts of body and minde that must needs have made her a happy woman if she had not been a Queen and perhaps a happy Queen too if she had not been Heir to the Crown of England For why did all her endeavours want successe but onely from the fear of that Succession and no Innocency of heas could be a Defence where the fury of Jealousie made the Assault Assoon as it came to the Queens knowledge that the Queen of Scots was put to death her countenance grew dejected and her speech fayled her insomuch that all in mourning weeds she gave her self over to sorrow Commanded her Councellors from her Presence and caused Davyson to be cited to the Starchamber And assoon as grief would suffer her She wrote a Letter with her own hand to the King of Scots and sent it by Sir Robert Cary to this effect That her minde was infinitely disquieted in regard of this lamentable event against her meaning and intent entreating him to believe That if she had commanded it she would never have denyed it and withall Protesting her true affection towards him and her assiduous watchfulnesse for the prospering of his affairs While Carye was on his journey Davyson is cited to the Star-Chamber before these Delegates Sir Christopher Wray Chiefe Justice of the Kings-Bench for that time made Lord Privy Seal the Archbishop of Canterbury and York the Earls of Worcester Cumberland and Lincolne the Lords Grey and Lumley Sir Iames Croft Comptroller of the Queens House Sir Walter Mildmay Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Edmond Anderson Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas and Sir Roger Manwood Lord Chief Baron where note That Bromely Lord Chancellor Burleigh Lord Treasurer Leicester and Hatton who were
board and carryed away a great deale of Gold but the Vessell and Ordnance was wreck to the Governour of Calice Drake and Fencz in the mean while perceiving the Spanish Fleet to gather togethea again before Graveling set upon them with great violence to whom strâ—ightwayes Fenton Southwell Beeston Crosse and Riman joyne themselves and soon after the Admirall himself Sir Thomas Howard and the Lord Sheffield the Galleon called Saint Matthew was sorely battered by Seymor and Winter driven toward Ostend and set upon again by the Zelanders and at last was taken by the Flushingers And now the Spanish Navy having want of many necâ—ssaries and no hope of the Prince of Parma's coming they resolved to returne Northward for Spain in which passage they lost both many Ships and men the English Navy still following them close till they were faine to give them over for want of Powder Whilest these things passed at Sea the Queen â—n Person came to Tilbury to view the Army and Campe there where she shewed such undaunted Courage and Resolution that it wonderfully animated the spirits of them all And thus this Navy which was three whole Yeers in preparing in the space of a month was often beaten and at length put to flight many of their men being slain more then halfe of their Ships taken and sunk of the English not above a hundred at the most missing nor so much as a Ship but Cocks little Vessell and Sayling about all Brittaine by Scotland the Orkeneys and Ireland they returned into Spain with as much dishonour as they came out with boasting for indeed Mendoza in France by a Book in Print Triumphed before the Victory For the happy successe of this Action Queen Elizabeth appointed prayers and thanksgiving over all the Churches of England and she as it were in triumph came in Person attended with a great Troop of the Nobility into the City and went into the Cathedrall Church of Saint Paul where the Banners taken from the Enemy was placed in view and there in most humble manner gave thanks to Almighty God And â—hat which increased the publike joy was the newes which Sir Robert Sidney brought out of Scotland That the King had over-past all injuries was lovingly affected towards the English and desired to imbrace sincere and perfect amitie with the Queen For as for the King of Spain he wittily told the Embassadour that he expected no other courtesie from him but such as Polyphemus promised Ulisses that he should be the last whom he would devoure And now dyed the great Earl of Leicester the fourth day of September at his Mannor of Killingworth of a violent Feaver I may well say the great Earl considering the many great Honours he enjoyed which are extant in the Story yet one honour greater then any he had before he effected even then when he was ready to go out of the world and that wasâ— To be Vice-gerent in the high Government of England and Ireland for which the Patent was already drawne and had been sealed but that Burleigh and Hatton shewed the Queen how dangerous a thing it might prove for so great Authority to reside in one Subject He was while he lived in so great favour with the Queen that some thought and himselfe not the least that she meant to marry him yet when he dyed his goods were sold at an Outcry to make payment of the debts he owed her About this time Philip Earl of Arundell who three yeers before had been cast in prison was now cited in Westminster Hall to the judgement of his Peers and Henry Earl of Derby was made High Steward of England for the time The matters layd to his charge were these That he had contracted friendship with Cardinall Allen Parsons the Jesuite and other Traytours exciting divers both abroad and at home to restore the Romish Religion promising his assistance thereunto and for that reason had a purpose to depart the Kingdom That he was privy to the Bull in which Pope Sixtus Quintus had deposed the Queen and given England to the Spaniard that being imprisoned in the Tower he caused Masse to be said for the prosperous successe of the Spanish Fleet and for that purpose had framed peculiar prayers for his own private use Being demanded whether he were guilty of these things turning himself to the Judges he asked them these questions First whether it were lawfull to heap up so many crimes together in one Bill of Indictment They answered that it was Then whether Arguments taken from presumptions were of force They answered that it was lawfull for him to interpose exceptions if he saw cause Then again if he might be Arraigned for those things which were Capitall by the Law made the thirteenth yeer of the Queen after that the time expressed in the Act was expired They promised they would proceed against him by no Law but the old Statute of Treason made in the Raigne of King Edward the Third But now again asked if he were guilty or notâ— He pleaded not guilty whereupon Puckening the Queens Sergeant at Law Popham Atturney Generall Shuttleworth Sergeant at Law and Egerton the Queens Sollicitour in their turnes urged and proved the crimes objected some whereof he denyed some he extenuated but in conclusion was by his Peers found guilty and condemned yet the Queen spared his life and was content with thus much done in terror to the Papists It was now the yeer 1589. And the two and thirtieth of Queen Elizaâ—eths Raign when to be in some sort revenged of the Spaniards for their invasion she gave leave to Sir Iohn Norris and Sir Francis Drake to underâ—ake an Expedition at their own private charges requiring nothing of her but a few Ships of War who took along with them Anthony the bastard laying clayme to the Kingdom of Portingall and of Souldidrs to the number of eleven thousand of Sea-men about fifteen hundred setting Sayle from Plimmouth the fifth day of Aprill they arrived at the Groyne in Gaâ—acia whereof with great valour they took first the Lower town and afterward the Higher and from thence sayling toward Portingall they met Robert Earl of Essex who without the Queens leave had put to Sea After two dayes they arrive at Penycha a Town of Portingall which they took and left the Castle to Don-Antonio and from thence they march by land towards Lisbon threescore miles off The Foot Companies led by Norris whom Drake promised to follow with the Fleet. Being come to the West Suburbs of Lisbon they found no body there but a few poor disarmed Portugalls who cryed out God save King Antonio The day following the Spaniards made a sayle out in which Skirmish Bret Caresley and Carre stout Commanders were slain yet did the Earl of Essex drive the Spaniards to the very gates of the Citie And now having tarryed here two dayes and seeing no signe of the Portingalls revolting which Don-Anthonio had assured them would be finding fresh supplies come
into the Town their own Army sickly Victualls and Powder failing and that which most of all Sir Francis Drake not bringing the great Ordnance as he promised they departed from the Suburbs of Lisbon towards Cascais a little Town at the mouth of the River Tagus which Town Drake had taken this meane while who excused his not coming to Lisbon by reason of the Flatâ— he must have passed and the Castle of Saint Julian Fortified with fifty pieces of great Ordnance Neer this place they found threescore Hulkeâ— of the Hause towns of Germany laden with corne and all manner of Munition which they took as good prize towards their charges in regard the Queen had forbidden them to carry Victualls or Munition to the Spaniard From hence they set sayle toward Virgo a forlorne Town by the Sea-side and pillaging all along that Quarter returned for England having lost in the Voyage of Souldiers and Marriners about six thousand yet not so much by the Enemy as by eating of strange fruites and distemper of the Climate It concerns the state of England to look at this time into the state of France for while those things were in doing between Spain and England the Popish Princes of France under pretext of defending the Catholike Religion entred into a combination which they called The holy League The purpose whereof was to root out the Protestants and to divert the Right of Succession to the Crown of France For they bound themselves to each other by oath to suffer no person but a Catholike to be King of France which was directly to exclude the King of Navarre and the Prince of Conde if the present King without issue male should fail The head of this League was the Duke of Guise who having given some overthrows to the German Forces that came into France in aid of the Protestants was immeasurably extolled by the Clergie and others and grew to such a height of reputation that entring into Paris he made the King glad to leave the City and in an Assembly at Bloys to make him great Master of the French Cavalery and to consent by Edict to the cutting off the Protestants So as the King standing now in fear of him used means at last even in the very Court to have him murthered and soon after the Cardinall his brother to be strangled Hereupon so great a confusion followed that the people every where disobeyed the Magistrates and spoiled the Kings very Pallace at Paris Some Cities affected a Democrâ—cie others an Aristocracie but few liked of a Monarchy The Confederates in the mean while made a new Seal usurped the Royall Authority seized into their hands the best fortified places intercept the Kings Revenues call in Spanish Souldiers and in all places denounce war and violence against the King And the King in this case being forced to flye to the Protestantâ— for succour they then most wickedly by one Iames Clement a Monk made him away The King being ready to dye Declareth the King of Navarre to be his lawfull successor but the Confederates would exclude him as an open Heretick and yet whom to make choice of they cannot well agree some would have the Duke of Lorraine as being descended from the ancient Kings of France some thâ— Duke of Savoy as borne of the French Kings daughter a Prince Poâ—eâ—t and Couragious others would have the Duke of Guises brother that waâ— murtheredâ— others the King of Spain but the greatest part gave theiâ— voices for the Câ—rdinall of Bourbon who was one degree neerer alâ—yed to the slain King then the King of Navarre his Nephew He therefore was presently proclaimed King of France with the Title of Charls the Tenth but he being a Priest the King of Navarre also was at the same time proclaimed King of France who abode at Diepe a Sea Town of Normandy and doubted not to drive the Cardinall easily out of France The King of Navarre being thus raised in Dignity but weake in means implored Aid of the Queen of England offering to make a League Offensive and Defensive the Queen out of a pious respect to a King of her own Religion sent him presently two and twenty thousand pound sterling in Gold such a summe of Gold as he professed he had never seen at one time before and withall supplyed him with four thousand Souldiers under the command of Peregrine Lord Willoughby for Colonells she appointed Sir Thomas Wilford who was made Marshâ—ll of the Field Iohn Boroâ—ghs Siâ— William Drury and Sir Thomas Baskervyle and gave them a months pay in hand Hereupon the Confederates whom the King had vanquished â— little before at Arques beyond all expectation began to quaile and the day before the Arrivall of the English they vanished away with this addition of Forces the King marcheth to Paris and being ready to enter the Citie causeth a retreat to be â—ounded as loath to have spoile made of a Citie which he hoped shortly should be his own Afterwards by the assistance of the English he wonne many Towns and then having marched at least five hundred miles on foot he gave them leave after a long winters service to returne into England In which Voyage of men of note dyed Captain Hunnings but of a naturall death also Stubbs he whose right hand was cutt off for writing the book against the Queens marriage and Sir William Drury slain by Master Boroâ—ghs in a single Combat where the quarrell was that he being but a Knight would take place of Boroughs that was the younger son of a Baron contrary to the Lawes of the English Gentry About this time Iames King of Scots with Queen Elizabeths good liking Espoused Anne the daughter of Frederick the second King of Denmarke by his Deputy but she afterward sayling for Scotland was by tempest cast upon Norway and there through continuall stormes forced to stay so as the King in the winter season set sayle thither that the marriâ—ge according to his vow might be accomplished within the yeer some were of opinion that those stormes were caused by witch-craft and was confirmed indeed by some witches taken in Scotland who confessed they had raised those stormes to keep the Queen from landing in Scotland and that the Earl of Bothwell had asked Counsell of them concerning the Kings end who was thereupon cast into prison but in a short time breaking loose occasioned new stirs in Scotland This yeer many Noble personages dyed Frances Countesse of Sussex sister to Sir Henry Sidney Sir Walter Mildway Chancellour and Vice-Treasurer of the Exchequer William Somerset Earl of Worcester so numerous in his off-spring that he could reckon more children of both Sexes then all the Earls of England Also Iohn Lord Sturton Henry Lord Compton and at Bruxels the Lord Paget At this time the Queen who was alwayes frugall strained one point of Frugality more then ever she had done before for upon the information of one Caermarden though Burleigh Leicester and Walsingham were
to the Crowne unlesse they were Roman Catholikes Contending further for the right of Isabella Infanta of Spaine as being descended from Constance Daughter of WILLIAM the Conquerour from Eleanor eldest Daughter to HENRY the Second Married to Alphonso the ninth King of Castile from Beatrix Daughter to King HENRY the Third Titles obsolete and which exceed the bounds of Heraldry to discusse This year the nineteenth of February was Henry Prince of Scotland born to whom the Queen was Godmother and sent Robert Earl of Sussex for her Deputy But now greater matters were in hand Plots were layd against the Queenes life some Spaniards thinking to make her away by Poison and not daring to trust any Englishman in such a businesse they treat to that purpose with Rodericke Lopes a JEVâ— and Phisitian to the Queen wiâ—h Stephen Ferreirâ— Emmanuel Loyfie and other Portugalls for divers of that Nation came into England at this time in relation to Anthonioâ— who being discovered by letters of theirs that were intercepted were Arraigned at Guildhall and by their own confessions convinced to have conspiâ—ed against the life of the Queen they were all condemned and Exeâ—â—â—ed at Tiburne LOPES professing that he loved the Queen as well as Jesus Christ which was cause of laughter to themâ— that knew him to be a JEVV The next day after them was condemned Câ—llenâ— an Irish Fencer sent hither by the English Fugitives to kill the Queen who was straightway executed though he were at that very time sick and ready to dye About this time Sir Iohn Norris having been in a hot conflict at sea against the Spaniard where Sir Martin Forbysher received his deaths wound was now called home with a purpose to send him into Ireland In which mean while Richard Hawkins Sonne of Sir Iohn Hawkins the famous sea Captain had been set forth a year since with three of the Queens ships and two hundred men in them whereof one of them at the Isle oâ— St. Anne was by chance fired another of them seperated by tempest returned into England himself in the third passed the Straights of Magellan being the sixth man in the Spanish accompt that had ever done it and being now come into the wide Southern sea he took five ships laden with Merchandize one whereof he took away the rest he suffered to redeeme themselves for two thousand Duckats But at last being set upon by Bertrandus a Castro who was sent out by the Vice-Roy of those parts with eight ships against him after three dayes battery he yeilded and though upon composition yet was neverthelesse sent into Spain and there for divers years kept prisoner But Iames Lancaster in another part of America had better successe for being set forth by some London Merchants whose goods the Spaniards had seized with three Ships and a long Boat Hee tooke nine and thirty Spanish Ships and at Fernanbucke in Brasile where the wealth of an East-Indian Caraque was lately unloden hee desperately venturing upon the Shoare Loaded Fifteene Ships with the wealth of the Indian Caraque Sugar Reed Redwood called Brasill and other Merchandize and then safely and victoriously returned home At ROME about this time dyed Cardinall ALLEN borne in Lancashire of an honest Family brought up in Oxford in Oriall Colledge In Queene Maries dayes he was Proctor of the University and after Canon of the Cathedrall Church at YORKE Upon the change of Religion in ENGLAND he left the Kingdome and was Divinity Professor at Doway in Flanders and made Canon of the Church at Cambray He procured a Seminary to be set up in Doway for the English another at Rheims and a third at Rome and through zeal of the Romish Religion forgot whose subject he was born At home at this time dyed Iohn Peers Archbishop of Yorke in whose place succeeded Matthew Hutton translated from the See of Durham There dyed also Ferdinand Stanley Earl of Derby being in the floure of his age miserably tormented and vomiting â—tuffe of a darke rusty colour being thought to have been poysoned or bewitched There was found in his chamber a little image of wax with hairs of the colour of his hairs thrust into the belly which some thought was done of purpose that men should not suspect him to be poisoned his vomit so stained the silver Andirons that it could never be gotten out and his body though put in searcloathes and wrapped in lead did so â—tinck and putrifie that for a long time none could endure to come neer where he was buried The Master of his Horse was much suspected who the same day the Earl tooke his bed took one of his best Horses and fled away About this time also dyed Gregory Fines Lord Dacres a man somewhat crazed the Son of Thomas Lord Dacres hanged in the Raign of King Henry the Eight And now Sir William Fitz Williams Lord Deputy of Ireland was called home and William Russell youngest Son of Francis Earl of Bedford was sent in his room to whom presently came the Earl of Tir-Oen and in humble manner craved pardon of his fault that he had not presented himself at the call of the late Lord Deputy Bagnall Marshall of the Irish Forces exhibited many Articles against him but he so pleaded for himself with promise of loyalty hereafter that he was dismissed But see the subdolousnesse of this man for he would never after be gotten to come again though the Deputy sent for him with many kinde messages It was now the year 1595 and the eight and thirtieth year of Queen Elizabeths Raign when Edâ—ond Yorke and Richard Williams who were formerly apprehended came to their tryall and were executed at Tiburn for being bribed to kill the Queen At this time a constant rumor was blown abroad from all parts of Europe that the Spaniards were coming again against England with a farre greater Fleet than that in Eighty Eight and that it was already under sayl whereupon Souldiers were levyed and placed on the Sea-coast Two Navies were made ready one to expect them at home in the Channell the other to go for America under Hawkins and Drake but when all came to all it was but certain Spaniards who loosed from the sea-coast of France with four Gallies which betimes in the morning landing in Cornwall fired a Church standing alone in the fields and three Villages of Fishermen Neulyne Moushole and Pensaus and then presently retyred not taking or killing any one person And these were the first and last Spaniards that in hostile manner â—ver set foot upon English ground And now mischiefs growing daily in France a great number perswaded the King to conclude a Peace with Spain and the Queen her self began to mistrust him especially having lately received intelligence out of the Popes Conclave that he was received into the bosome of the Church of Rome with the Popes Benediction and that upon conditions prejudiciall to the Protestants And therefore at this time were divers undertakings of the English against
the like whereof had not been known in former Ages should not be drawn into Example In her fortieth yeer in a Parliament at Westminster were granted her by the Clergy three entire Subsidies and by the Laity as many with six fifteenths and Tenths In her two and fortieth yeer to furnish her self with money towards the Irish War she delegated certain Commissioners to confirm the Crown Lands to the possessors that held any of controverted Titles and to take money for the Confirmation thereby to take away the troubles by concealers who at this time were very busie Of her LAVVS and ORDINANCES IN a Parliament holden in her first yeer an Act was made That every person should go to Divine Service upon Sundayes and Holy-dayes or else pay twelve pence to the poor Also it was enacted That Bishops should not let the Lands of the Church longer then for one and twenty yeers or three Lives except to the Queen or her Successors In her third yeer Proclamation was made That the Teston coyned for twelve pence and in the Raign of King Edward embased to six pence should not be currant but for four pence the Groat but for two pence and the piece of two pence but for a penny And not long after all the said base Moneyes were called in and fine Sterling money was allowed for them after the Rate For Ireland also she coyned Sterling money where nine pence in England went for twelve pence there The Queen was the first that brought certain Counties to deliver Provision at a certain rate that so they might be freed from the Purveyors Also the first that granted allowance to Judges for their Circuit In her sixth yeer in a Parliament then holden it was made Treason to refuse taking the Oath of Supremacy yet with this limitation That by it the blood should not be dishonoured nor goods confiscate nor the Oath to be required of any Baron of the Kingdom Also this yeer by a Common Councell in London It was enacted That all such Citizens as from thenceforth should be constrained to sell their houshold-stuff Leases of houses or such like should first cause the same to be cried thorow the City by a man with a Bell and then to be sold by the common Outcryer appointed for that purpose and he to receive one farthing upon the shilling for his pains In her three and twentieth yeer she represseth by Proclamation excesse in apparell Gold Chayns and Clokes which men wore down to their heels The length of Swords was limitted to three Foot and Daggers to twelve Inches besides the Hilts. Buildings likewise in the Suburbs were restrained In-mates forbidden and expresse charge set forth That no dwelling house should be new built within three miles of any of the City Gates under pain of imprisonment and losse of the materialls In her time was set on foot by Sir Thomas Smith the Law made for the serving of Colledges with provision to the great benefit of those Scholasticall Societies In her two and fortieth yeer she setteth forth Proclamations against the Transportation of Gold or Silver wrought or unwrought according to the former Acts of Parliament in that case provided This yeer also she founded the Company of the East India Merchants and allowed them ample Priviledges In her three and fourtieth yeer all Monopolies are called in by Proclamation In her four and twentieth yeer severe Laws are made against Papists some inflicting death some fine and imprisonment In her eight and twentieth yeer a Proclamation was set forth prohibiting to sow Woâ—d within eight miles of any of the Queens Houses and four miles off any Cities or Towns Corporate AFFAIRS of the CHURCH in her time ON Sunday the first of Ianuary next after the Queens coming to the Crown by vertue of her Proclamation the English Letany was read accordingly as was used in her Graces Chappell in all Churches thorow the City of London and likewise the Epistle and Gospel of the day begun to be read at Masse-time in the English Toâ—gue Also in a Parliament holden in her first yeer the first Fruits and Tenths were restored to the Crown and the Supreme Government over the State Ecclesiasticall and the book of Common-Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments in the English Tongue was restored and by degrees the Protestant Religion was established The Bishops that refused the Oath of Supremacy were all removed and Protestant Bishops placed in their room It was enacted also That all persons should go to Divine Service upon Sundayes and Holy-dayes and a Fine of twelve pence imposed upon every one that should be absent and the same to be given to the poor In her fourth yeer the Queen was solicited by Pope Pius to send her Orators to the Councell of Trent which she refused as not acknowledging it a lawfull Councell In a Parliament holden in her eighth yeer it was enacted and by a generall consent declared That the Election of the Arch-bishops and Bishops in England together with their Consecration Confirmation and Investiture which some persons slanderously called in question was lawfull and Canonicall and that they were rightly and according to the Acts and Statutes of the Kingdom chosen and consecrated In her eleventh yeer there arose in England two contrary factions in Religion on the one side Thomas Harding Nicholas Sanders and other Divines that had fled out of England began to exercise the Episcopall Jurisdiction upon the Queens Subjects which they had derived from the Sea of Rome On the other side Colman Burton Hallingham Benson and other making profession of the pure Religion would allow of nothing but what was directly taken out of the Scriptures openly condemning the received Discipline of the Church of England together with the Church Liturgy and the very Calling of Bishops as savouriâ—g too much of the Romish Religion protesting in the Pulpiâ—s That it was an impious thing to hold any thing common with the Church of Rome and used all diligence to have the Church of England reformed in every point according to the Rule of the Church of Geneva These although the Queen commanded to be committed to prison yet it is incredible how upon a sudden their followers encreased known by the envious name of Puritans This sect so mightily encreased that in her sixteenth yeer the Queen and Kingdom was extremely troubled with some of the Clergy who breathing out nothing but Evangelicall parity cryed down the Ecclesiasticall Form of Government as a thing polluted with Romane drâ—ggs and setting forth Books likewise Intituled The Admonition to the Parliament and the Defence of the Admonition they refused to resort to the Divine Service publikely in use and framed to themselves other Rites Whereupon the Queen to suppresse them whom by no means she liked commanded every where the severity of the Law touching the Uniformity of Common-Prayer to be put in execution and those books upon pain of Imprisonment to be delivered into the hands of the Bishops or some
his brother Prince Ethelred were then residing he out of his love to both would needs himselfe alone goe visit them where the cruell woman out of ambition to bring her owne Sonne to the Crowne caused one to runne him into the backe with a knife as he was drinking a cup of Wine on horse backe at his departing who feeling himselfe hurt set spurres to his horse thinking thereby to get to his company but the wound being mortall and he fainting thorow losse of much blood fell from his Horse but one foote being intangled in the stirrup he was thereby rufully dragged up and downe through Woods and Lands And lastly left dead at Corfes gate for which untimely death he was ever after called by â—he name of Edward the Martyr He Raigned onely three yeares and â—ix moneths and was Buryed first at Winchester without all Funerall pompe but after three yeares by Duke Alferus removed and with great solemnity interred in the Minster of Shaftsbury Queene Elfrid to expiate this her bloody fact built the two Monasteries of Almesbery and Worwell in the Counties of Wilâ—shire and Southampton in which latter with great repentance she lived till her death After the death of Edward the Martyr dying at the age of sixteene yeares his halfe brother Ethelred at the age of twelve yeares in the yeare 979. was Crowned King at Kingston upon Thames by Dunstan Arch-bishop of Canterbury though much against his will which King by reason of his backwardnesse in Action was commonly called the Unready Before whose time for two and twenty yeares pastâ— the Danes had lived as quiet Inmates with the English but whether weary of so long doing nothing or finding now opportunity of doing something in the second yeare of this King they begin to stirre and inviting from home more forces who in seven Ships arrived upon the Coast of Kent they spoyled all the Country specially the Isle of Thanet and continued this course of forraging the Kingdome sometimes in one part and sometimes in another for eleven yeares together till at last in the yeare 991. the King by advice of his Lords of whom Siricius the now Arch-bishop of Canterbury was chiefe was contented to pay them ten thousand pounds upon condition they should quietly depart the Realme This served the turne for the present but was so farre from satisfying them that it did but give them the greater appetite for the yeare following they came againe and that with a greater Fleet then before against whom the King prepared a competent Navy and committed it to Elfricke Earle of Mercia but he proving treacherous as indeed all other for the most part did whom the King imployed against the Danes as with whom they were allyanced in blood the Danâ—s so prevailedâ— that for the next Composition they had sixteene thousand pounds given them and a yeare after twenty thousand and so every yeare more and more till it came at last to forty thousand by which meanes the Land was emptyed of all Coyne and the English were brought so low that they were faine to Till and Eare the Ground whilest the Danes sate idle and ate the fruite of their labours abusing the Wives and Daughters of their Hosts where they lay and yet iâ— every place for every feare were called Lord-Danes which afterward became a word of derision when one would signifie a lazy Lubber In this distressed state the King at last bethought himselfe of a course He sent forth a secret Commission into every City within his Dominions that at an appointed time they should massacre all the Danes that were amongst them The day was the thirteenth of November being the Festivall of Saint Bricius in the yeare 1002. His command was accordingly performed and with such rigour that in Oxford the Danes for refuge tooke into the Church of Saint Frideswyde as into a Sanctuary when the English neither regarding Place nor Person set the Church on site wherein many of the Danes were burnt and the Library thereof utterly defaced And who would not now thinke but that England by this Fact had cleane shaken off the Danish yoke for ever yet it proved cleane otherwise For the newes of this massacre adding a new edge of revenge to the old edge of ambition made the Danes sharper set against the English then ever they had beene before so as the yeare following their King Sweyne with a mighty Navy entred the Country razed and levelled with the ground the City of Exceter all along from the East Gate to the West against whom the King levyed an Army and made Generall over it the Earle Edricke his great Favourite whom he had created Duke of Mercia and given him his Daughter Edgyth in marriage yet all this great favour could not keepe him from being treacherous for being sent Embassadour to the Danes to mediate for Peace he revealed to them the weaknesse of the Land and treacherously disswaded them from consenting to any Truce Upon this King Ethelred gave order that every three hundred and ten Hydes of Land should build a Ship and every eight Hydes finde a compleat Armour furnished yet all this great preparation came to nothing but onely to make a shew After this the King seeing no end of their invasions nor promise kept upon any composition for three Danish Princes with a great Fleet were now newly arrived He intended to adventure once for all and to commit his cause to God by the fortune of a Battaile To which end he secretly gathered a mightily Power and comming unlooked for when the Enemy was unprepared he had certainely given an end to the Quarrell if the wicked Edricke had not disswaded him from fighting and put him into a causelesse feare by forged tales After this the Danes forraged many Countryes burnt Oxford Theâ—ford and Cambridge and lastly entred Wiltshire which was the seventh shire in number they had laid waste like a Wildernesse The yeare after they make a new Expedition and besiege Canterbury which by treason of a Church-man they wonne tooke Alphegus the Arch-bishop and flew nine hundred Monkes and men of Religion besides many Citizens without all mercy for they Tythed the people slaying all by nines and reserving onely the tenth to live so that of all the Monkes in the Towne there were but foure saved and of the Lay people foure thousand eight hundred by which account Master Lambert collecteth that there dyed in this Massacre three and forty thousand and two hundred persons The Arch-bishop Alphegus for that he refused to charge his Tenants with three thousand pounds to pay for his ransome they most cruelly stoned to death at Greenâ—wich Turkillus the leader of these murtherers tooke into his possession all Norfolke and Suffolke over whom he tyrannized in most savage manner the rest compounding with the English for eight thousand pounds quietly for a while sojourned among them The yeare following came King Sweyne againe and with a great Navy arrived in the mouth of Humber and
unfitly be here related First for the celebration of divine Service it was ordained that all Ceremonies tending to the encrease of reverence devotion should bee used as need required Secondly that upon the Sabbath day all publike Faires Markets Synods Huntings and all secular actions should be forborne unlesse some urgent necessity should require it Thirdly that every Christian should thrice in the yeare receive the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper Fourthly that if a Minister of the Altar killed a man or committed any notorious crime he should bee deprived both of his Order and Dignity Fifthly thâ—t a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and eares cut off Sixthly That a widow marrying within a twelvemonth after her husbands decease should lose her Joynture These and many other good lawes were made whereby the kingdome remained during all his time in a most peaceable state and government In the third yeare of his Raign he heard how the Vandales taking advantage of his absence had entred Denmarke and annoyed his subjects whereupon with a great Army of English hee passed over the Seas and gave them battaile but with ill successe the first day when preparing for the next dayes battaile the Earle Goodwyn who was Generall of the English secretly in the dead of the night set upon the Vandals Campe with a great slaughter of their souldiers made their two Princes Ulfus and Anlave to flie the field In the morning it was told Canutus that the English were fled for that their station was left and not a man of them to be found which did not a little trouble his patience but he going in person to see the truth found the great overthrow the English had given for which service ever after hee held the English and especially the Earle Goodwyn in great estimation After this returning home hee made a prosperous Expedition against Malcolme King of Scots and at last in the fifteenth yeare of his Raigne wearied with the honourable troubles of the world and out of devotion he tooke a Journey to Rome to visit the Sepulchre of St. Peter and Paul from whence he writ to the Bishops and Nobility of England that they should carefully administer Justice and never seeke to advance his profit by any undue wayes or with the detriment of any man At his returne froÌ„ Rome he built in Essex the Church of Ashdone where he got the victory against King Edmund in Norfolke the Abbey of St. Benets which Saint he greatly reverenced and in Suffolke the Monastery of St. Edmund which Saint he deadly feared To the Church of Winchester hee gave many rich Jewels whereof one was a Crosse valued to be worth as much as the whole Revenue of England amounted to in one yeare To Coventry he gave the arme of the great St. Austin which he bought at Pavia in his returne from Rome for which he payd an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold One strange Act is recorded which he did for convincing his fawning flatterers who used to tell him that his power were more then humane For being one time at Southampton he commanded that his chaire of State should be set on the shoare when the Sea began to flow and then sitting downe there in the presence of his many attendants he spake thus to that Element I charge thee that thou presume not to enter my Land nor wet these Robes of thy Lord that are about me But the Sea giving no heede to his command but keeping on his usuall course of Tyde first wet his skirts and after his thighes whereupon suddenly rising he thus spake in the hearing of them all Let all the worlds Inhabitants know that vaine and weake is the power of their Kings and that none is worthy of the name of King but he that keepes both heaven and earth and sea in obedience After which time he would never â—uffer the Crowne to be set upon his head but presently Crowned therewith the Picture of Christ on the Crosse at Winchester from which example arose perhaps the custome to hang up the Armour of Worthy men in Churches as Offerings consecrated to him who is the Lord of battaile When he had Raigned nineteene yeares he deceased at Shafteâ—bery in the County of Dorset the twelfth of November in the yeare 1035. and was buried in the Church of the old Monastery at Winchester which being after new built his bones with many other English Saxon Kings were taken up and are preserved in gilt Coffâ—rs fixed upon the wals of the Quire in that Cathedrall Church He had by his two wives three sonnes Sweyne and Harold by his first wife Alfgive and Hardicnute by his second wife Queene Emma and two daughters of whom the eldest called Guinhilda was married to the Romane Emperour Henry the third who being accused of adultery and none found to defend her cause at last an English Page adventured to maintaine her Innocency against a mighty Gyantlike-Combatant who in fight at one blow cutting the sinewes of his adversaries legge with another he felled him to the ground and then with his sword taking his head from his shoulders redeemed both the Empresses life and honour But the Empresse after this hard usage forsooke her husbands bed and tooke upon her the Veyle of a Nun in the Towne of Burges in Flanders where she devoutly spent the râ—st of her life Of the second Danish King in England KIng Canutus dying left his Kingdome of Norway to his eldest Son Sweynâ— and his Kingdome of England to his youngest Sonne Hardiknâ—te whom he had by his wife Emma but he being at the time of his Fathers death in Denmarke Harold his elder Brother by a former wife taking advantage of his absence layes claime to the Crowne For determining of which Right the Lords assembled at Oxford where Queene Emma pleaded for her sonne Hardiknute urging the Covenant of Canâ—tus at their marriage and his last Will at his death as also Earle Goodwyn of Kent did the like being left Guardian of her Children and keeper of his last Will. But Harolds presence together with the favour of the Londoners Danes and Northumbrians so wrought with the Lords that the absent Hardiknute was neglected and Harold was Proclaimed and Crowned King at Oxford by â—lnothus Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the yeare 1036. Harold having now attained the Crowne was not so jealous of his Brother Hardiknute as of his mother in Law Queene Emma and her Sonnes by King Ethelreâ— who were beyond Sea and therefore how to secure himselfe against these was his first care For effecting whereof he framed a Letter as written by Queene Emma to her two Sonnes Edward and Alfred instigating them to attempt the Crown usurped by Harold against their Right to which letter comming first to the hands of Alfred he suspecting no fraud returned Answer that he would shortly come over and follow her Counsaile And thereupon with a small Fleet and some few souldiers lent
him by Baldwyn Earle of Flaunders he tooke the Sea for England where comming to shoare Earle Goodwyn met him and bound himselfe by Oath to be his guide to his Mother Queene Emma but being wrought firme for Harold he led him and his company a contrary way and lodged them at Guilford making knowne to King Harold what he had done who presently committed them all to slaughter sparing onely every tenth man for service or sale Prince Alfred himselfe he sent Prisoner to the Isle of Ely where having his eyes inhumanely put out in griefe and torment he ended his life Some adde a more horrible kind of cruelty as that his belly was opened and one end of his bowels drawne out and fastned to a stake his body pricked with Needles or Poignards and forced about till all his Entrailes were extracted This done he then set upon Queene Emma confiscated her Goods and banished her the Realme And now further to secure himselfe he kept the Seas with sixteene Danish Ships to the maintenance whereof he charged the English with great payments by which if he procured the safety of his Person he certainly procured the hatred of his Subjects This King for his swiftnesse in running was called Harefoot but though by his swiftnesse he out-runne his Brother for the Kingdome yet could he not runne so fast but that death quickely overtooke him For having Raigned onely foure yeares and some moneths he dyed at Oxfordâ— and was buryed at Westminster having never had Wife or Children Of the third and last Danish King in England KIng Harold being dead the Lords to make amends for their former neglect send now for Hardiknute and offer him their Allegeance who accepteth their offer and thereupon taking Sea arrived upon the Coast of Kent the sixth day after he had set saile out of Denmarke and with great pompe conveyed to London was there Crowned King by Elnothus Arch-bishop of Canterbury in the yeare 1040. His first Act was to be revenged of his deceased brother Harold whose body he caused to be digged up and throwne into the Thames where it remained till a Fisherman found it and buryed it in the Church yard of Saint Clement without Temple Barre commonly called Saint Clement Danes because it was the burying place of the Danes as some write But towards his Mother and halfe Brother Prince Edwâ—rd he shewed true naturall affection inviting them both to returne into England where he received them with all the honour that from a Sonne or Brother could be expected But now as the King Harold for his swiftnesse in running was surnamed Harefooâ—e So this King for his intemperance in dyet might have been surnamed Swines-mouth or Boccâ—di Porco for his Tables were spread every day foure times and furnished with all kindes of curious dishes as delighting in nothing but Gormandizing and Swilling and as for managing the State he committed it wholly to his Mother Qâ—eene Emma and to the politicke Earle of Kent Godwyn who finding this weaknesse in the King began to thinke himselfe of aspiringâ— and to make the better way for it he sought by all meanes to alien the Subjects hearts from the Prince amongst other courses he caused him to lay heavy Taxes upon them onely for Ship-money to pay his Danes amounting to two and thirty thousand pounds which was so offensive to the people that the Citizens of Worcester slew two of his Officers Thurstaâ— and Feâ—dax that came to Collect it But this King had soone the reward of his Intemperance For in a Solemne Assembly and Banquet at Lambeth Revelling and Carowsing he suddenly fell downe without speech or breath after he had Raigned only two yeares and was buryed at Winchester His death was so welcome to his Subjects that the day of his death is to this day commonly celebrated with open pastimes in the street and is called Hocks-tide signifying scorning or contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death For with him ended the Raigne of the Danes in England after they had miserably afflicted the kingdome for the space of two hundred and forty yeares though in Regall Government but onely six and twenty Of English Kings againe and first of Edward the Confessour KIng Hardiknute dying without issue as having never beene marryed and the Danish line cleane extinguished Edward for his Piety called the Confessour halfe Brother to the deceased Hardiknute and sonne to King Ethelred by his Wife Queene Emma was by a generall consent admitted King of England and was Crowned at Winchester by Edsyne Arch-bishop of Canterbury on Easter day in the yeare 1042. being then of the age of forty yeares He was borne at Islip neare to Oxford and after his Fathers death for safety sent into France to the Duke of Normandy his Mothers Brother from whence he now came to take upon him the Crowne of England His Acts for gaining the Peoples love were first the remitting the yearely tribute of forty thousand pounds gathered by the name of Danegilt which had beene imposed by his Father and for forty yeares together paid out of all mens Lands but onely the Clergy and then from the divers Lawes of the Mercians West Saxons Danes and Northumbrians he selected the best and made of them one Body certaine and written in Latine being in a sort the Fountaine of those which at this day we tearme the Common Lawes though the formes of pleading and processe therein were afterward brought in by the Conquerour The Raigne of this King was very peaceable Onely in his sixth yeare the Danish Pirates entred the Port of Sandwich which with all the Sea-coast of Essex they spoyled and then in Flanders made merchandise of their prey As likewise the Irish with thirty ships entred Severne and with the assistance of Griffyth King of Southwales burnt or â—lew all in their way till at last Reese the brother of Griffyth was slaine at Bâ—lenden and his head presented to King Edward at Glocester His Domesticall troubles were onely by Earle Gâ—dwyn and his sonnes who yet after many contestations and affronts were reconciled and Godwyn received againe into as great favour as before But though King Edward forgave his Treasons yet the Divine Providence did not for soone after as he sate at Table with the King on Easter Munday he was suddenly strucken with death and on the Thursday following dyed and was buryed at Winchester Some make his death more exemplar as that justifying himselfe for Prince Alfreds death he should pray to God that if he were any way guilty of it he might never swallow downe one morsell of bread and thereupon by the just Judgement of God was choaked by the first morsell he offered to eate In this Kings time such abundance of snow fell in Ianuary continuing till the middle of March following that almost all Cattell and Fowle perished and therewithall an excessive dearth followed Two Acts are related of this King that seeme nothing correspondent to the generall opinion had of his Vertue
not a Law yet it is an Ordinance which was first brought in by this King that the Lions should be kept in the Tower of London Affaires of the Church in his timâ— THis Kings Raigne is famous for the contention of a Subject with the Prince and though it may be thought no equall match yet in this Example we shall find it hard to judge which of them had the victory But before we come to speak of the Contention it is fit to say something of the Man and of the Quarrell The man was Thomas Becket borne in London his Father one Gilbert Becket his Mother an outlandish Woman of the Country of Syria His first rising was under Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury who taking a liking to him as one saith no man knew for what made him first Arch-deacon of Canterbury and then used meanes to have him be the Princes Tutor after that to be Chancellour of England and after the decease of the said Theobald was himselfe made Arch-bishop of Canterbury in his place One memorable thing he did at his comming to be Arch-bishop he surrendred his place of being Chancellour as not thinking it fit to sit at the Helme of the Common-wealth and of the Church both at once But now began the Contention betweene the King and him the difference was the King would have it ordained that Clergy men who were malefactors should be tryed before the Secular Magistrate as Lay men were This Becket opposed saying it was against the liberty of the Church and therefore against the honour of God Many Bishops stood with the King some few with Becket the Contention grew long and with the length still hotter till at last Becket was content to assent to the Ordinance with this clause Salvo Ordine suo the King liked not the Clause as being a deluding of the Ordinance He required an absolute assent without any clause of Reservation At last after many debatings and demurres the Arch-bishop yeelds to this also and subscribes the Ordinance and sets his hand unto it But going homewards it is said his Crosse-bearer and some other about him blamed him for that he had done but whether moved with their words or otherwise upon second thoughts the next day when they met againe he openly repented his former deed retracts his subscription and sends to the Pope for absolution of his fault which the Pope not onely granted but encouraged him to persist in the course he had begunne It may be thought a Fable yet is related by divers good Authours that one time during this Contention certaine fellows cut off the Arch-bishops horses taile after which fact all their Children were borne with tailes like horses and that this continued long in their Posterity though now long since ceased and perhaps their Families too But King Henry finding there was no prevailing with Becket by faire meanes beginnes to deale more roughly with him and first makes use of Authority upon his Temporalties and withall a censure was spoken of to be intended against his person which Becket understanding thought it his best course to flee the Realme and thereupon passing under the name of Dereman he passeth over Sea and there two yeares by the Pope and five by the King of France was maintained as it were of Almes in which misery nothing vexed him so much as that King Henry sent all his kindred Men and Women old and young into Banishment after him And now King Henry finding that Becket stood much upon his Legatine Power sent messengers to the Pope desiring him to take that power from him and to conferre it upon his Arch-bishop of Yorke but the Pope answered he would not doe so but was content the King himselfe should be his Legate and sent him Letters to that purpose which King Henry tooke in such scorne that he threw away the Letters and sent them presently backe to him againe In this meane time the King of France prevailed with King Henry to afford Becket a conference hoping to bring them to some Agreement where being together King Henry alledged before the King of France that he required nothing of Becket but his assent to an Ordinance to which in his Grandfather King Henries the first time all the Bishops of the Realme and the Arch-bishop of Canterbury that then was did give their Assent yet this moved not Becket at all but he continued his former Tenet it was against the honour of God and therefore desired to be excused See now saith King Henry the perversenesse of this man all that agrees not with his owne humour is presently against the honour of God While these things were thus a working Becket had gotten him more friends at Rome and by their meanes prevailed with the Pope to give him power to interdict some Bishops in England that had done him wrong and the Pope spared noâ— to threaten Excommunication to King Henry himselfe if he restored not Becket to his Dignity But whether awed with his threatning or wonne by the King of Frances importunity or else perhaps relenting in himselfe he was contented at last that Becket should returne home and enjoy his Bishopricke who being come to Canterbury the Bishops whom he had indicted for Crowning the young King Henry which he said was his right to have done made humble suite unto him to be released of the censure Which when the Arch-bishop would not grant but with certaine cautions and exceptions the Bishops discontented went over to the King complaining of the hard measure that was offered them by the Arch-bishop whereat the King being much moved Shall I never saith he be at quiet for this Priest If I had any about me that loved me they would find some way or other to ridde me of this trouble Whereupon foure knights standing by that heard the King make this complaint namely Reynold Fits-urse or Bereson Hugh Morvyll William Tracy and Richard Britton thinking they should doe an acceptable service to the King went shortly after into England and going to Canterbury found the Arch-bishop then at Church when upon the steps there they strucke him upon the head with their swords and slew him the thirtieth day of December in the yeare 1172. Afterward with much adoe by King Henries meanes they were pardoned by the Pope onely enjoyned Penance to goe on Pâ—lgrimage to Ierusalem as some write but others more probably that the King abhorred them ever after and that within three yeares they all dyed miserably You have heard his persecution and as some would have it called his Martyrdome now heare the honours that have beene done him and the visitations to his Tombe And first King Henry himselfe comming to Canterbury as soone as he came within sight of Beckets Church lighting off his horse and putting off his hose and shooes he went barefoot to his Tombe and for a further penance suffered himselfe to be beaten with rods by every Monke of the Cloyster A few yeares after King Lewis of France comes
into England of purpose to visite the Shrine of Saint Thomas where having paid his Vowes he makes Oblations with many rich Presents The like many Princes since that time have done and many Miracles are reported to have beene done at his Tombe which yet may be unbeleeved without unbeliefe and with Faith enough Another difference in this Kings dayes was betweene the two Arch-bishops of England about the jurisdiction of Canterbury over Yorke which being referred to the Pope he gave judgement on Canterburies side Also in this Kings dayes there was a Schisme in the Church of Rome two Popes up at once of whom Alexander the third was one which Schisme continued the space of almost twenty yeares Also in this Kings dayes one Nicholas Breakespeare borne at Saint Albans or as others write at Langley in Hartfordshire being a bondman of that Abbey and therefore not allowed to be a Monke there went beyond Sea where he so profited in Learning that the Pope made him first Bishop of Alba and afterward Cardinall and sent Legate to the Norwayes where he reduced that nation from Paganisme to Christianity and returning backe to Rome was chosen Pope by the Name of Adrian the fourth and dyed being choaked with a Fly in his drinke In his dayes also Heraclius Patriarch of Hierusalem came to King Henry desiring ayde for the Holy Land but not so much of money as of men and not so much of men neither as of a good Generall as himselfe was to whom King Henry answered that though he were willing to undertake it yet his unquiet State at home would not suffer him with which answer the Patriarch moved said Thinke not Great King that Pretences will excuse you before God but take this from me that as you forsake Gods cause now so he hereafter will forsake you in your greatest need But saith the King if I should be absent out of my kingdome my own Sonnes would be ready to rise up against me in my absence to which the Patriarch replyed No marvaile for from the Devill they came and to the Devill they shallâ— and so departed Also in this Kings dayes there came into England thirty Germans Men and Women calling themselves Publicans who denyed Matrimony and the Sacraments of Baptisme and of the Lords Supper with other Articles who being obstinate and not to be reclaimed the King commanded they should be marked with a hot iron in the forehead and be whipped which punishment they tooke patiently their Captaine called Gerard going before them singing Blessed are ye when men hate you After they were whipped they were thrust out of doores in the Winter where they dyed with cold and hunger no man daâ—ing to relieve them This King after his conquest of Ireland imposed the tribute of Peter pence upon that kingdome namely that every house in Ireland should yearely pay a penny to Saint Peter Workes of piety done by him or by others in his time THis King Founded the Church of Bristow which King Henry the eighth afterward erected into a Cathedrall He also Founded the Priories of Dâ—ver of Stoneley and of Basinwerke and the Castle of Rudlan and beganne the Stone Bridge over the Thames at London He caused also the Castle of Warwicke to be builded Maude the Empresse his Mother Founded the Abbey of Bordesly In his time also Hugh Mortimer Founded Wigmore Abbey Richard Lucye the Kings Chiefe Justice laid the Foundation of the Coventuall Church in the honour of Saint Thomas in a place which is called Westwood otherwise Lesâ—es in the Territory of Rochester in the new Parish of Southfleete He also builded the Castle of Anger in Essex Robert Harding a Burgesse of Bristow to whom King Henry gave the Barony of Barkeley builded the Monastery of Saint Augustines in Bristow In the tenth yeare of his Raigne London Bridge was new made of Timber by Peter of Cole-church a Priest Robert de Boscue Earle of Leycester Founded the monastery of Gerendon of Monkes and of Leycester called Saint Mary de Prate of Chanons Regular and his Wife Amicia Daughter of Ralph Montford Founded Eaton of Nunnes In the two and twentyeth yeare of his Raigne after the Foundation of Saint Mary Overeyes Church in Southwarke the Stone bridge over the Thames at London beganne to be Founded towards which a Cardinall and the Arch-bishop of Canterbury gave a thousand Markes Aldred Bishop of Worcester Founded a Monastery at Glocester of Benedictine Monkes Casualties that happened in his time IN the Eleventh yeare of this Kings Raigne on the six and twentyeth day of Ianuary was so great an Earth-quake in Ely Norfolke and Suffolke that it overthrew them that stood upon their feet and made the Bells to ring in the Steeples In the seventeenth yeare of his Raigne there was seene at Saint Osythes in Essex a Dragon of marveilous bignesse which by moving burned houses and the whole City of Canterbury was the same yeare almost burnt In the eighteenth yeare of his Raigne the Church of Norwich with the houses thereto belonging was burnt and the Monkes dispersed At Andover a Priest praying before the Altar was slaine with Thunder Likewise one Clerke and his Brother was burnt to death with Lightning In the three and twentyeth yeare a showre of Blood Rained in the Isle of Wight two houres together In the foure and twentyeth yeare the City of Yorke was burnt and on Christmas day in the Territory of Derlington in the Bishopricke of Durham the Earth lifted up it selfe in the manner of an high Tower and so remained unmoveable from morning till evening and then fell with so horrible a noyse that it frighted the Inhabitants thereabouts and the earth swallowing it up made there a deepe pit which is seene at this day for a Testimony whereof Leyland saith he saw the Pits there commonly called Hell-kettles Also in the same yeare on the tenth day of Aprill the Church of Saint Andrewes in Rochester was consumed with fire In the eight and twentyeth yeare of his Raigne Barnewell with the Priory neare unto Cambridge was burnt In the thirtyeth yeare the Abbey of Glastenbury was burnt with the Church of Saint Iulian. In the yeare 1180. a great Earthquake threw downe many buildings amongst which the Cathedrall Church of Lincolne was rent in peeces the five and twentieth of Aprill And on the twentieth of October the Cathedrall Church of Chichester and all the whole City was burnt This yeare also neare unto Orford in Suffolke certaine Fishers tooke in their Nets a Fish having the shape of a Man in all points which Fish was kept by Bartholomew de Glanvile in the Castle of Orford sixe moneths and more he spake not a word all manner of meates he did gladly eate but most greedily raw Fish when he had pressed out the juyce oftentimes he was brought to Church but never shewed any signe of adoration at length being not well looked to he stole to the Sea and never was seene after In the yeare 1188. on
not turne his face till he were revenged whereupon he caused the wall right before him to be presently beaten downe that so he might passe forward without turning his face and thus in haste he goes to Vernoull whither he was no sooner come but the King of France made as great haste to be gone not without some losse and more disgrace Here his brother Iohn submits himselfe to him and with great shew of penitence intreats his pardon which he readily granted saying onely I wish you may as well remember your fault as I shall forget it The King of France having left Vernoull enters Turonia and neare to Vindocinum pitcheth his Tents thither King Richard followes him and with his comming so affrighted him that leaving bagge and baggage Munition Tents and Treasure to a marvellous valew he gets him gone and glad hee was so rid of King Richard After this a Truce was agreed upon for a yeare which each of them longed till it were expired as having no pleasure but in troubling one another In this time there was a trouble at home though not to the King yet to the kingdome for Robin Hood accompanied with one little Iohn and a hundred stout fellowes more molested all passengers upon the High-way of whom it is said that he was of Noble bloud at least made Noble no lesse then an Earle for some deserving services but having wasted his estate in riotous courses very penury forced him to take this course in which yet it may be said he was honestly dishonest for he seldome hurt any man never any woman spared the poore and onely made prey of the rich till the King setting forth a Proclamation to have him apprehended it hapned he fell sicke at a certaine Nunnery in Yorkshire called Birckleys and desiring there to be let bloud was betraid and made bleed to death Such another trouble though not to the King yet to the kingdome fell out by reason of the Jewes and first at the Towne of Linne in Norfolke upon this occasion A Jew being turned Christian was persecuted by those of his Nation and assaulted in the streete who thereupon flying to a Church hard by was thither also followed and the Church assaulted which the people of the Towne seeing in succour of the new Christian they fell upon the Jewes of whom they slew a great number and after pillaged their houses By this example the like assaults were made upon the Jews at Stamford and after that at Lincolne and lastly at Yorke where infinite numbers of Jewes were massacred and some of them blocked up in the Castle cut the throats of their wives and children and cast them over the wals upon the Christians heads and then burnt both the Castle and themselves neither could this sedition be staied till the King sent his Chancellour the Bishop of Ely with force of Armes to punish the offenders His last trouble was a punishment of covetousnesse for one Guydomer having found a great treasure in the Kings Dominions and â—or feare of King Richard flying to a Towne of the King of France for his safegard was pursued by the King but the Towne denying him entrance and he thereupon going about the wals to finde the fittest place for assaulting it one Bertram de Gurdon or as others call him Peter Basile shot at him with a Crosse-bow and hit him on the arme of which wound he died within foâ—re dayes after and so ended all his troubles Of his Taxations and wayes for raising of money OF Taxations properly so called there were never fewer in any Kings Raigne but of wayes to draw money from the subject never more It is true the first money raised for his journey was all out of his owne estate by selling or pawning of Lands but when at his comming backe he resumed the Lands into his hands agaâ—ne without paying backe the money he had received this if it may not have the name yet certainely it had the venome of a bitter Taxation Likewise the feigning to have lost his Seale then enjoyning them to have their Grants confirmed by a new though it went not in the number yet it had the weight of a heavy Taxation where it lighted Afterward the money raised for his Ransome was not so properly a Taxation as a Contribution or if a Taxation for him yet not by him which was done in his absence by the subjects themselves and indeed no Taxations are commonly so pinching as those which are imposed upon the subject by the subject and such was this for to raise money for his Ransome therâ— was imposed upon every Knights Fee 20. s. of all Lay-mens Revenues the fourth part and the fourth part of all the Revenues of the Clergy with a tenth of their goods Also the Chalices and Treasure of all Churches were taken to make up the sum Afterward this onely was a plaine Taxation and granted in Parliament that of every Plough-land through England he should have two shillings and of the Monkes Ciâ—teaux all their Wooll of that yeare And one more greater then this and was this yeare imposed towards his warres in Normandy that every Hide of Land as much as to say every hundred Acres of Land should pay five shillings which computed without deductions will rise to a summe that will seeme incredible Lawes and Ordinances in his time HIs Ordinances were chiefely for the Meridian of London for where before his time the City was governed by Portgraves this King granted them to be governed by two Sheriffes and a Major as now it is and to give the first of these Magistrates the honour to be remembred the names of the Sheriffes were Henry Cornhill and Richard Reyner and the name of the first Lord Major was Henry Fits-Allwyn who continued Major during his life which was foure and twenty yeares And now beganne the City first to receive the forme and state of a Common-wealth and to be divided into Fellowships and Corporations as at this day they are and this Franchise was granted in the yeare 1189. the first year of King Richard the first Affaires of the Church in his time THe Church within his owne Dominions was quiet all his time no contestation with the Pope no alterations amongst the Bishops no difference betweene the Clergy and the Laity or the Clergy amongst themselves they all seemed to lie asleepe till they were afterwards awakened in the time of the succeeding King But abroad in his time there was an addition of three Orders of Devotion the Order of the Augustine Friers called Friers Mendicants begunne by William of Paris then the Order of Friers Minors begunne by Saint Francis and lastly the Orders of Friers Preachers begunne by Saint Dominick though not confirmed till the first yeare of Pope Honorius Workes of Piety in his time VVOrkes of Piety are for the most part workes of plenty penury may inwardly have good wishes but outwardly it can expresse but little and indeed all parts of the
Nunnery of Marran neare to Linne Friers Minors first arrived at Dover nine in number whereof five remained at Canterbury and there builded the first Covent of Friers Minors that ever was in England the other foure came to London who encreasing in number had a place assigned them in Saint Nicholas Shambles which Iohn Iwyn Mercer of London appropriated to the use of the said Friers and became himselfe a Lay brother Also in this Kings time the new worke of Saint Pauls Church in London was begunne If it were piety in the Iew who falling into a Privie upon a Saterday would not be taken out that day because it was the Iewes Sabbath It was as much piety in the Earle of Glocester that would not suffer him to be taken out the next day because it was the Christian Sabbath and when the third day he was taken out dead whose piety was the greater A strange accident upon an act of piety is related in this Kings time which if true is a Miracle if not true is yet a Legend and not unworthy to be read that in a time of dearth one man in a certaine Parish who allowed poore people to relieve themselves with taking Corne upon his ground had at Harvest a plentifull crop where others that denied them had their Corne all blasted and nothing worth In this Kings time also Hugh Balsamus Bishop of Ely founded Saint Peters Colledge in Cambridge Hubert de Burgh Earle of Kent was buried in the Church of the Friers Preachers in London to which Church he gave his Palace at Westminster which afterward the Arch-bishop of Yorke bought and made it his Inne since commonly called Yorke place now White-Hall Casualties happening in his time AT one time there fell no Raine in England from the first of March to the Assumption of our Lady and at another time there fell so much Raine that Holland and Holdernes in Lincolneshire were over-flowed and drowned In the seventeenth yeare of his Raign were seene five Suns at one time together after which followed so great a Dearth that people were constrained to eate horse flesh and barkes of Trees and in London twenty thousand were starved for want of foode Also in his time the Church of Saint Mildred in Canterbury and a great part of the City was burnt Also the Towne of New-Castle upon Tine was burnt Bridge and all And though it may seeme no fit place to tell it yet here or no where it must be told that in this Kings time there was sent by the King of France the first Elephant that ever was seene in England Of his Wife and Children HE marryed Eleanor the second of the five Daughters of Raymond Earle of Provence who lived his Wife thirty seven yeares his Widow nineteene dyed a Nun at Aimesbury and was buryed in her Monastery By her he had sixe Sonnes and three Daughters of his Sonnes the foure youngest dyed young and were buryed three of them at Westminster and the fourth in the New Temple by Fleetstreet His eldest Sonne Edward surnamed Longshanke of his tall and slender body succeeded him in the kingdome His second Sonne Edmund surnamed Crouch-backe of bowing in his backe as some say but more likely of wearing the signe of the Crosse anciently called a Crouch upon his backe which was usually worne of such as had vowed voyages to Hierusalem as he had done He was invested Titular King of Sicilie and Apulia and created Earle of Lancaster on whose person originally the great contention of Lancaster and Yorke was Founded He had two Wives the first was Avelin Daughter and Heire of William Earle of Albemarle by whom he left no issue The second was Queene Blanch Daughter of Robert Earle of Artois Brother of Saint Lewis King of France Widow of Henry of Champaigne King of Navarre by her he had issue three Sonnes and one Daughter His eldest Sonne Thomas who after his Father was Earle of Lancaster and having marryed Alice Daughter and Heire of Henry Lacie Earle of Lincolne was beheaded at Pomfret without issue His second sonne Henry Lord of Monmouth who after his Brothers death was Earle of Lancaster and Father of Henry the first Duke of Lancaster his third Sonne Iohn who dyed unmarryed His Daughter Mary marryed to Henry Lord Percy Mother of Henry the first Earle of Northumberland This Edmund dyed at Bay in Gascoyne in the yeare 1296. when he had lived fifty yeares whose body halfe a yeare after his death was brought over into England and entombed at Westminster Of King Henries three Daughter the eldest Margaret was marryed to Alexander the third King of Scotland by whom she had issue two Sonnes Alexander and David who dyed both before their Father without issue and one Daughter Margarâ—t Queene of Norway Wife of King Erike and Mother of Margaret the Heire of Scotland and Norway that dyed unmarryed The second Daughter of King Henry was Beatrice borne at Burdeaux marryed to Iohn the first Duke of Britaine and had issue by him Arthur Duke of Britaine Iohn Earle of Richmont Peter and Blanch marryed to Philip Sonne of Robert Earle of Artois Eleanor a Nunne at Aimesbury and Mary marryed to Guy Earle of S. Paulâ— she deceased in Britaine and was buryed at London in the Quire of the Gray Fryers within Newgate The third Daughter of King Henry named Katherine dyed young and lies buryed at Westminster in the space betweene the Chappels of King Edward and Saint Benet Of his Personage and Conditions HE was of stature but meane yet of a well compacted body and very strong one of his eyelids hanging downe and almost covering the blacke of his Eye For his inward endowments it may be said he was wiser for a man then for a Prince for he knew better how to governe his life then his Subjects He was rather Pious then Devout as taking more pleasure in hearing Masses then Sermons as he said to the King of France He had rather see his Friend once then heare from him often His minde seemed not to stand firme upon its Basis for every sudden accident put him into passion He was neither constant in his love nor in his hate for he never had so great a Favorite whom he cast not into disgrace nor so great an Enemy whom he received not into favour An example of both which qualities was seene in his carriage towards Hubert de Burgh who was for a time his greatest Favourite yet cast out afterward in miserable disgrace and then no man held in greater haâ—red yet received afterward into grace againe And it is memorable to heare with what crimes this Hubert was charged at his Arraignment and â—pecially one That to disswade a great Lady from marriage with the King he had said the King was a squint-eyed Foole and a kinde of Leper deceitfull perjuâ—ed more faint-hearted then a Woman and utterly unfit for any Noble Ladies company For which and other crimes laid to his charge in the Kings Bench where
battell saying They were but clouds and would soone passe away yet so watched him that what with light skirmishes and what with skarcity of victuals his forces were so diminished that of thirty thousand which went out of Callice there scarce retunred six thousand home which made King Edward say of this King Charles that he did him more mischiefe sitting still then his Predecessours had done with all their stirring And now by this time all Poictou is lost and all Aquitaine also but onely Burdeaux and Bayon when the Arch-bishop of Roan and others are sent from Pope Gregory the eleventh to mediate a Peace betweene the two Kings but each of them standing upon high termes of conditions nothing could be effected but Truce upon Truce for two or three yeares together In which time Edward Prince of Wales died and with him we may say the Fortune of England being a Prince so full of vertues that he left no place for any vice and if he had lived in the Heroicke times might well have beene numbâ—ed amongst the nine Worthies His body was buried at Canterbury where his Monument standeth King Edward in his seven and fortieth yeare calleth a Parliament at Wâ—stminster which lasted but eight dayes and to which were Summoned by Writ of Clergy men onely foure Bishops and five Abbots Of King Edwards Acts after the death of the Prince IN the time of the Princes sicknesse King Edwâ—rd cals a Parliament at Westminster in which when demands were made for supply of the King demands were presently made for redresse of grievances for the subjects It was required that the Duke of Lancaster the Lord Latymer then Lord Chamberlaine Dame Alice Pierce the Kings Concubine and one Sir Richard Sturry might be removed from Court And this was so vehemently urged by their Speaker Sir Peter la Moore that the King rather then not to be supplied gave way unto it and thereupon all these persons are presently put from Court but the Prince soone after dying they are all recalled to Court againe and restored to their former places About this time exâ—mplary justice was done upon Sir Iohn Minsterworth knight who was drawne hanged and quartered at Tiburne for Treason by him committed in defrauding Souldiers of their wages Thiâ— was now the fâ—ftieth yeare of King Edwâ—â—ds Raigne and he for another Iubilee graâ—â—s another generall pardon to his subjectsâ— onely William Wicâ—ham Bishop of Winchester is excepted being lately by procurement of the Duke of Lancaster fallen into the Kings displeasureâ— and forbiddâ—â— to come to the Parliament This Parliament was called the good Parliamentâ—â—â—ough it wrought ill effects for Sir Peter de la Mare at the suite of Alice Pierce is committed to perpetuall imprisonment at Notâ—ingham though within two years after by importunate suite of friends he regained his liberty This Alice Pierce presuming upon the Kings favour grew so insolent that she entermedled with Courts of Justice and other Offices where â—he herselfe would fit to countenance her Causes And now the Duke of Lancastâ—â— is come to have the Regencie and to manage all the affaires of the kingdome but King Edward to prevent the mischiefes when by disordering the succession might grow in the kingdome providently settled the same in Parliament upon Richard of Burdeaux â—reating him first Earle of Chester and Cornwall and then Prince of Wales and caused all the Lords of the Realme to talâ—e an Oath to accept him for their King as his lawfull Heire when himselfe should be dead In this meane time a Treaty was had about a marriage betweene this Prince Richard and Mâ—ry a daughter of Charles King of France and an offer was made to King Edward to leave him foureteene hundred Townes and three thousand fortresses in Aqâ—itaine upon condition he would render Callice and all that he held in Picardy but before any thing could be concluded King Edward died Of his Taxations IN the eighth yeare of his Raigne in a Parliament holden at London there was granted him a fifteenth of the Temporalty a twentieth of the Cities and Boroughs and a tenth of the Clergy In his tenth yeare in a Parliament at Northampton is granted a tenth penny of Cities and Boroughs a fifteenth of others and a tenth of the Clergy Also all such treasure as was committed to Churches through England for the Holy Warre is taken out for the Kings use towards his warres with France The next yeare after all the goods of three orders of Monks Lomâ—ards Cluniakes and Cistercians are likewise seised into the Kings hands and the like Subsidy as before granted at Nottingham In his twelfth yeare and as some write in absence of the King in a Parliament at Northampton is granted by the Laity one halfe of their Wooll but of the Clergy the whole The next yeare after a fifteenth was likewise paid in Wooll by the Commonalty In his foureteenth yeare in a Parliament at London is granted him for Customâ— of every sacke of Wooll forty shillings for every three hundred Wooll Fells forty shilâ— for every Last of Leather forty shillings and of other Merchandises according to the rate the same to endure from that Easter to the Whitsontide twelve moneth after Besides there was granted of Citizens and Burgesses a ninth part of goods of forraine Merchants and others a fifteenth of Husbandmen the ninth Sheafe the ninth Fleece the ninth Lamb for two years also another tenth of the Clergy and for his present supply he had Loanes of divers persons and the City of London lent twâ—nty thousand Markes For the grant of which mighty Subsidy the King besides his Pardon to divers kinds of offendours remits all Amerciaments for transgressions in his Forests Reliefs and Scurage to the first time of his going into Flanders besides all aides for the marriage of his sonnes and daughters during his Raigne pardoning and remitting all ancient debts and â—rrâ—rages both of his Fermors and others till the tenth yeare of his Raigne and likewise confirmes the great Charter of Magna Chartae In his eighteenth yeare in a Parliament at London a tenth was granted by the Clergy and a fifteenth by the Laityâ— Besides a Commission is sent into every Shire to inquire of mens abilities and all of five pounds to tenne of Lay Fee were appointed to finde an Archer on horsebacke of twenty five a Demilaunce and so ratably above There had formerly been made a certaine coyne of Gold called the Floren of base alloy for the Kings benefit towards his warres in France but this was now called inâ— and Nobles of finer metall coyned to the great contentment of the people In his nine and twentieth yeare he hath by Parliament granted unto him fifty shillings upon every sack of Wooll for six years next ensuing by which Imposition it was thought the King might dispend a thousâ—â—d Markes Sterling a day the vent of Wooll was so great in that time But that which exceeded all his Taxations was the Ransome he had in
Kings Writ Affaires of the Church in his time IN the second yeere of this Kings Reigne there came messengers from the new-elected Pope Vrban to require the Kings ayd against such Cardinals as he named Schismâ—ticks that had elected another Pope whom they named Clemâ—nt which Cardinalls sent messengers likewiâ—e to crave his ayd for them but through perswasion of the Archbishop of Canterbury Vrbans request was granted and Clement rejected In his fourth year Iohn Wickliffe set forth his opinion touching the Sacrament of the Altar denying the doctrine of Transubstantiation in such sort as the Church of Rome did then teach In his sixth year Henry Spencer Bishop of Noâ—wiâ—h received Bulls from Pope Vrbâ—n to grant all priviledges of the Crusado to all such as would come over and assist him against the Anti-Pope Clement which being debated in Parliament It was after much opposition agreed that it should go forward and thereupon the Bishop not only gathered much money from such as would contribute to the expedition but drew many great Captaines to go themselves in person as namely Sir Hugh Calverley sir William Farington the Lord Henry Beauâ—â—â—t sir William Elmham sir Thoâ—as Tryvet and divers others The money raised by contribution came to 25000 Franks and the Army to 3000 Horse and 15000 Foot with which Forces the Bishop passing over into Flanders wonne the Towns of Graveling Dunkirke and Newport but at last encountred by a mighty Army of the French he was put to the worse and returned into England In the twelveth yeare of this Kings Reigne an Act was made that none should passe the Seas to purchase promotions or provisions as they tearmed them in any Church or Churches Also in this yeare Thomas late Earle of Lancaster by reason of miracles reported to be done by him was Canonized for a Saint At this time also the Wickliffs mervelously increased Preaching against Pilgrimages and Images whose greatest opposer was the Bishop of Norwich In his thirteenth yeare Proclamation was made that all Beneficed men abiding in the Court of Rome should return into England by a certain day under pain of forfeiting their Benefices and all other not Beneficed under a certain pain likewise Also about this time a Statute was made that no Ecclesiasticall person should possesse Manours Houses Lands Revenues or Rents whatsoever at the hands of the Feoffee without the Kings Licence and the chiefe Lords In his eighteenth yeare the Wickliffs were persecuted and excommunication pronounced against them by the Archbishop of Canterbury In this Schisme of the two Popes the French Clergy wrote in behalfe of Clement their Pope and sent it into England the Clergy of England on the contrary wrote in behalfe of Pope Vrban and so nothing was agreed Works of Piety in his time IN the 20th yeare of this Kings Reign William Bâ—teman Bishop of Norwich builded Trinitie Hall in Cambridge In the third year of his Reign Iohn Philpot Major of Loâ—don gave to the Citie certain Tenements for the which the Chamberlain payeth yearly to thirteen poore people to every of them seven pence the week for ever and as any of those thirteen persons dyeth the Major appointeth one to succeed and the Recorder another In the one and twentieth yeare of his Reign King Richard caused the great Hall at Westminster to be repaired both the Walls Windows and Roofe In his time Siâ—â—â— Archbishop of Canterbury slain by the Rebels upon Tower hill built the West-gate of Canterbury and from thence to the North-gate commonly called the long wall Thomas Fits-Alaâ— or Arundell being Bishop of Ely built the great Gatehouse of Ely house in Holborne and being after Bishop of Canterbury he built a faire spire steeple at the West-end of his Church there called to this day Arundell steeple and bestowed a tuneable ring of five Bells upon the same Of Casualties happening in his time IN his third yeare so great a mortality afflicted the North parts of England that the Country became almost desolate In his sixt yeare on the 24 day of May there happened so great an earthquake or as some write a watershake that it made Ships in the Havens to beat one against the other In Iuly in the year 1389. whilest the King was at Sheene there swarmed in his Court such multitudes of Flyes and Gnats skirmishing with one another that in the end they were swept away with brooms by heaps and bushels were filled with them In his twelveth yeare in March first there were terrible Windes afterward followed a great mortality and after that a great dearth that a bushelâ— of wheat was sold for thirteen pence which was then thought a great price for the years before it was sold for six pence and Wooll was sold for two shillings a stone In his fourteenth year on Christmas day a Dolphin was taken at London-bridge being ten foot long and a monstrous grown fish Ind his eighteenth year an Exhalation in likenesse of fire appeared in the night in many places of England which when a man went alone went as he went and stayed as he stayed sometimes like a wheele sometimes like a Barrell sometimes like a timberlogge but when many went together it appeared to be far off Also in a Parliament time ther was a certain Image of waxe made by Necromancie as was sayd which at an houre appointed uttered these words The Head shall be cut off the Head shall be lift up aloft the feet shall be lift up above the Head and then spake no more This happened in the Parliament called the Marvellous Parliament not long before the Parliament that wrought wonders In his one and thirtieth yeare a River not far from Bedford suddenly ceased his course so as the channell remained dry by the space of three miles which was judged to signifie the Revolting of the Subjects from their naturall Prince In his two and twentieth yeare almost through all England old Bay-trees withered and afterwards grew green againe which was supposed to import some strange event About the yeare 1380. the making of Gunnes was found by a Germaâ—e which may well be reckoned amongst casualties seeing it was found by casualty for this Germane having beaten Brimstone in a morter to powder and covered it with a stone it happened that as he struck fire a sparke chanced to fall into the powder which caused such a flame out of the morter that it raised the stone a great heigth which after he perceived he made a Pipe of iron and tempered the powder with some other ingredients and so finished that deadly Engine The first that used it were the Venetians against the inhabitans of Geneva Of his Wives KING Richard in his time had two Wives the first was Anne Daughter to the Emperour Charles the Fourth and Sister to the Emperour Wenceslaus who lived his wife ten years and dyed without issue at Sheene in Surry in the year 1392 whose death King Richard tooke so heavily that he caused the buildings of that
the Scottish Bishops had no Metropolitane but the Bishop of Yorke was Metropolitane and Primate of Scotland now in this Kings time Pope Sixâ—â—â— appointed the Bishop of Saint Andrews to be Metropolitane of Scotland who had twelve Bishops under his obedience Of Workes of Piety done in his time THIS King laid the foundation of the new Chappell at Windsoâ— and his Queen Elizabeth founded the Queens Colledge in Cambridge and endowed it with large Possessions About his fifteenth yeere Doctor Woodlarke Provost of Kings Colledge in Cambridge Founded Katherine-hall there In his seventeenth yeer the Wall of the City of London from Cripplegate to Bishopsgate was builded at the charges of the Citizens also Bishopsgate it selfe was new built by the Merchants 〈◊〉 of the Styliard Also in this yeere dyed Sir Iohn Crosby Knight late Major of London who gave to the repairing of the Parish-Church of St. Helens in Bishopsgatestreet where he was buried 500 Marks to the repairing of the parish Church of Heâ—wâ—rth in Middlesex forty pounds to the repairing of London-wall an hundred pounds to the repairing of Rochester-bridge ten pounds to the Wardens and Commonalty of the Grocers in London two large Pots of silver chased halfe gilt and other Legacies About this time also Richard Rawson one of the Sheriffs of London caused an house to be builded in the Church-yard of St. Mary Hospitalll without Bishopsgate where the Major and Aldermen use to sit and heare the Sermons in Easterholy-daies In his nineteenth yeere William Tailour Major of London gave to the City certaine Tenements for the which the City is bound to pay for ever at every Fifteene granted to the King for all such as shall dwell in Cordwainers-street-ward sessed at twelve-pence apiece or under And about the same time one Thomas 〈◊〉 Sheriffe of London builded at his own costs the great Conduit in Cheâ—pside In his three and twentieth yeere Edmund Shaw Goldsmith who had been Major of London at his own costs re-edified Cripplegate in London which gate in old time had been a Prison Of Casualties happening in his time IN his third yeare the Minster of Yorke and the Steeple of Christs Church in Norwich were burnt In his seventeenth yeere so great a Pestilence reigned in England that it swept away more people in foure moneths than the Warres had done in fifteen yeeres past Also in his nineteenth yeere was another Pesâ—â—lence which beginning in the later end of September continued till the beginning of November twelve-moneth following in which space of time innumerable people dyed Of his wife and issue KIng Edward had been contracted to Eleanor daughter of Iohn Talbot Earle of Shrewsbury maried after to Sir Thomas Butler Baron of Sâ—dely but he maried Elizabeth the widdow of Sir Iohn Grey daughter of Richard Woodvile by his wife Iaqueline Dutchesse of Bedford she lived his wife eighteene yeeres and eleven moneths by whom he had three sonnes and seven daughters Edward his eldest sonne borne in the Sanctuary at Westminster Richard his second sonne borne at Shrewsbury George his third sonne borne also at Shrewsbury but dyed a childe Elizabeth his eldest daughter promised in mariage to Charles Dolphin of France but maried afterward to King Henry thâ— Seventh Cicely his second daughter promised in mariage to Iames Duke of â—othsay Prince of Scotland but was maried afterward to Iohn Viscount Wells whom she outlived and was againe re-maried but by neither husband had any issue she lyeth buried at Quarena in the Isle of Wight Anne his third daughter was maried to Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke Earle Marshall and High Treasurer of England by whom she had two sonnes both dying without issue she lyeth buried at Framingham in Norfolk Bridget his fourth daughter borne at Eltham in Kent became a Nunne in the Nunnery of Dartford in Kent which king Edward had founded Mary his fifth daughter was promised in mariage to the King of Denmarke but dyed in the Tower of Greenwich before it could be solemnized she lyeth buried at Windsor Margaret his sixth daughter dyed an Infant Katherine his seventh daughter was maried to William Courtney Earle of Devoâ—shire to whom she bare Lord Henry who by King Henry the eighth was created Marquesse of Exeter Concubines he had many but three specially and would use to say that he had three Concubines who in their severall properties excelled One the merriest another the wyliest the third the holyest harlot in his Realme as one whom no man could lightly get out of the Church to any place unlesse it were to his bed The other two were greater personages than are sit to be named but the merriest was Shores wife in whom therefore he tooke speciall pleasure This woman was borne in London worshipfully descended and well maried but when the King had abused her anon her husband as he was an honest man and did know his good not presuming to touch a Kings Concubine left her up to him altogether By these he had naturall issue Arthur sirnamed Plantagenet whose mother as is supposed was the Lady Elizabeth Lucy created Viscount Lisle by King Henry the Eight at Bridewell in London And Elizabeth who was maried to Sir Thomas Lumley knight to whom she bare Richard afterward Lord Lumley from whom the late Lord Lumley did descend Of his Personage and Conditions HE was saith Comines the goodliest Personage that ever mine eyes beheld exceeding tall of statuâ—e faire of complexion and of most Princely presence and we may truly say he was of full age before he came to one and twenty for being but eighteen yeeres old when his Father dyed he sued out his livery presently so as he began the race of his forâ—â—ne just like Augustus Caesar each of them at the same age succeeding an Ancestour after a violent death and each of them left to set on a roofe where but onely a foâ—â—â—â—tion was laid before For his conditions he was of an erected composure both of body â—nd minde but something sagging on the Fleshes side and never any man that did marry for Love did so little love Mariage for he tooke as much pleasure in other mens wives as in his owne He was never more confident than when he was in danger nor ever more doubtfull than when he was sâ—â—ure Of the foure Cardinall virtues Forâ—â—nde and Prudence were in him naturally Temperance â—â—d Justice but to serve his turne He was politick even to irreligion for to compasse his ends he would not stick to sweare what he never meant Yet he was Religious beyond Policy for before Battailes he used to make his Prayers to God after Victories to give him Thanks He was farre from being proud yet very ambitious and could use familiarity and yet retaine Majestie He was a great Briber and whaâ— he could not get by force he would by Rewards as much as what he could not get by Battery he would by Mines Hâ— was too credulous of Reports which made him be in errour sometimes to the hâ—rt
Earle returning into Brittâ—iâ—e received there the news of the Duke of Buckinghams death and the dispâ—râ—ing of the Confederates forces with which though he was at first much troubled yet was he as much comforted afterward when he saw the Marquesse Dorset and those other Lords and Captaines come unto him soon after whose comming upon Christâ—â—sse day before the high Altar in the great Church of Rheims the Earle of Richmoâ—d gave Oath to marry the Lady Elâ—zabeth as soone as he should be quietly â—eâ—led in the Government of England and thereupon all the Lords and Knights there present did him homage and in the same place each to other Religiously Vowed taking the Sacrament upon it never to cease prosecuting warre against king Richard till either his Deposition or Destruction King Richard being informed of these things makes diligent enquiry after all such as might be suspected to be favourers of Richmonds association of whom Sir George Brown and Sir Roger Clifford with foure other Gentlemen are apprehended and exâ—cuted at London Sir Thomas Sentlâ—geâ— whom mâ—rried Anne the Duke of Excetâ—rs widdow this kings own sister and Thomas Rame Esquire were executed at Exceter Thomas Marquesse Dorset and all such as were with the Earle of Richâ—â—â—d were at a Parliament then holden attâ—inted of Treason and all their Goodâ— aâ—d Lands seized on to the kings use Besides these a poore Gentleman called Câ—lliâ—gborâ—â— for making a small ryme of thâ—ee of his wicked Coâ—nsellours the Lord Lâ—â—â—ll Sir Robert Ratcliffe and Sir William Catesby which ryme was thus framed 〈◊〉 Cat the Rat and â—â—vell the Dog rule all Englaâ—â— under a â—â—og was put to deatâ— â—nd his body divided into foure quarterâ— At this time a Truce is conclâ—ded betwixt England and Scâ—â—land for three yearsâ— and for a seâ—ling a firmer Amity between the two kingdomes a marriage it treatedâ— of between the Duke of Rothsay eldest Sonne to the king of Scots and the Lady Anne de la Poole daughter to Iohn Duke of Suffolk by Anne sister to king Riâ—hard which sister he so much favoured that after the death of his own sonne who dyed some time before â—e caused Iohn Earle of Lincolne her sonne and his Nephew to be proclaimed Heire apparent to the Crown of England And now King Richard to take away the Root of his feare once againe sent Ambâ—â—â—adors to the Duke of Britaine with ordeâ— besides the great gifts they caried with them to make offer that king Richard should yeerly pay and answer the Duke of all the Revenues and Profits of all lands and possessionsâ— as well belonging to the Earle of Richmond as of any other Nobleman or Gentleman that were in his company if he after that time would keep them in continuall prison and restraine theâ— from liberty But the Duke of Britâ—ine being at that time fallen into such infirmity that the Ambassadors could have no audience they addressed themselves to â—eter Landois the Dukes chief Treasurer and he taken with this golden hook faithfully promised to satisfie their Request and had done so indeed but that B. Mortoâ— sojourning then in Flâ—â—ders had by his friends Intelligence of his purpose and presently informed the E. thereof The E. was then at Vaâ—â—eâ—â— who upon the Bps. information taking with him only five servants as though he went but to visit some friend when he was five miles forward on his way suddenly turned into a Wood adjoyning and there changing apparell with one of his servants followed after as their attendant and never rested till by wayes unknown he came to his company abiding at Angiâ—râ— yet was not his departure so secret nor so sudden but that Peter Landois had notice of it who sending Posts after him was so neer overtaking him that he was scarce entred one houre into Francâ— when the Posts arrived at the Conâ—ines and then durst goe no further In the mean time Sir Edward Woodvile and Captaine Pâ—ynings who with their companies were left behinde in Vannes had been in danger of Peter Lâ—ndis his malice but that the Duke being informed by the Chancellour of their case not only protected them but furnished them with all necessaries for their journey to the Earle and was so incensed against Lâ—â—dois for this action of his that for this and some other over-bold preâ—umptions he was afterward hanged The Earle having passed this danger in Britaine and being arrived in France addresseth himselfe to the French king imploring his ayde and hath it promised and performed and in this time Iohn Vere Earle of Oxford who had long time been kept prisoner in the Castle of Hammes so farre prevailed with Iames Blunt Captaine of the Fortresse and Sir Iohn Fortescue Porter of the Town of Callice that not onely they suffered him to be at liberty but accompanied him also to the Earle of Richmâ—â—â— to whom Captain Blunt gave assurance that the Fortresse remained wholly at his devotion At this time also there resorted to the Earle divers young Gentlemen that were Students in the University of Paris profering him their service amongst whom was Richard Fox at that time famous for his learning with whom afterward the Earle advised in all his affaires made him one of his most Privy Counsell and at last Bishop of Winchester But now king Richard having been disappointed of his designe in Britaine hath another way in his head to disapoint the Earle of Richmond of his marriage with the Daughter of Queen Elizabeth and to this end he sent to the Queenâ— being still in Sanctuary divers messengers who should first excuse and purge him of all things formerly attempted and done against her and then should largely promise promotions innumerable not onely to her selfe but also to her sonne Lord Thomas Marquesse Dâ—râ—etâ— by â—orâ—e of which promises the messengers so prevailed with her â—hat noâ— onely she began â—o relent but 〈…〉 was content to submit her selfe wholly to thâ— kingâ— pleasure And thereupon putting in oblivion the murther of her innoâ—â—â—â— Children the butchering of her own Brother and Sonne the infamy of her â—oyâ—ll Huâ—â—and the aspersion of Adulteâ—y cast upon her selfe the imputation of Bastardy laid to her Daâ—â—hterâ—â— forgetting also her Oaâ—h made to the Earle of Richmonds Mothâ—r seduced by flaâ—tering words she first delivered into king Richards hands her â—ive Daughters and after sent letters to the Marquesse her Sonne being then at Pariâ— witâ— the Earle of Richmond willing him by any means to leave the Earle and with all speed to repaire into Englandâ— where for him were provided great Honours and Promotions Assuring him further that all offences on both parts were forgotâ—en â—nd forgiven and both he and she incorporated in the kings favour If we wonder at this credulity in the Queen we may conceive she was moved with the 〈…〉 motives of Feare and hope she feared no doubt that if she denyed the kingâ— request he would presently take some sharpe course both against her and her Dâ—â—â—htâ—rs and she hoped that
betweene them was appointed it happened that the night before a small Brooke called Dun running between the two Armies upon the fall of a small raiâ—e swelled to such a height that it was not passable by either foot or horse a thing which had never happened before upon a great raine and was then accounted as indeed it was no lesse then a Miracle In his three and thirtieth yeere was a great mortality in the Realme by reason of hot Agues and Fluxes and withall so great a drouth that small Rivers were clean dryed much cattell dyed for lacke of water and the Thames were grown so shallow that the Salt-water flowed above London-bridge till the raine had encreased the fresh waters In his five and thirtieth yeere the first cast-Peeces of Iroâ— that ever were made in England were made at Buckstead in Sussex by Ralph Hâ—ge and Peter Bawde In his six and thirtieth yeere was a great Plague in London so as Michaelmâ—s Tearme was adjourned to Saint Albones and there kept In his seven and thirtieth yeere on Tuesday in Easter-weeke William Foxley Pot-maker for the Mint of the Tower of London fell asleepe and could not bâ— waked with pinching or burning till the first day of the next Tearme which was full fourteene dayes and when he awaked was found in all points as if he had slept but one night and lived forty yeeres after About â—â—is fifteenth yeere it happened that divers things were newly brought intâ— England whereupon this Rime was made Turâ—â—s Carps Hoppes Piccarell and Beere Caâ—â—e into ENGLAND all in one yeere Of his Wives and Children KIng Henry had six Wives his first was Katherine daughter of Ferdinand King of Spain the Relict of his brother Arthur she lived his Wife above twenty yeeâ—s and then was divorced from him after which she lived three yeers by the name of Katherine Dowager she deceased at Kimbolton in the County of Huntington the eighth of Ianuary in the yeere 1535. and lieth interred in the Cathedral Church of Peterborough under a Hearce of black say having a white Crosse in the midst His second Wife was Anne second daâ—ghter of Sir Thomas Bullen Earle of VViltshire and Ormond shee was maried to him the five and twentieth day of Ianuary in the yeere 1533. lived his wife three yeers three months and five and twenty dayes and then was beheaded and her body buried in the Quire of the Chappell in the Tower his third Wife was Iane daughter of Sir Iohn Seymour and sister to the Lord Edward Seymour Earle of Hartford and Duke of Somerset she was maried to him the next day after the beheading of Queen Anne lived his Wife one yeer five months and foure and twenty dayes and then died in Child-bed and was buried in the midst of the Quire of the Church within the Castle of Windsor His fourth Wife was Anne sister to the Duke of Cleve she lived his wife six moneths and then was Divorced she remained in England long after the Kings death and accompanied the Lady Elizabeth through London at the solemnizing of Queene Maries Coronation His fifth wife was Katherine daughter of Edmund and Neece of Thomas Howard his brother Duke of Norfolke she was married to him in the two and thirtieth yeere of his reigne lived his wife one yeere sixe moneths and foure dayes and then was beheaded in the Tower of London and buried in the Chancell of the Chappell by Queene Anne Bullen His sixt wife was Katherine daughter of Sir Thomas Parre of Kendall and sister to the Lord William Parre Marquesse of Northampton she was first married to Iohn Nevill Lord Latimer and after his decease to the King at Hampton-Court in the five and thirtieth yeere of his reigne she was his wife three yeeres six moneths and five dayes and then surviving him was againe married to Thomas Seymour Lord Admirall of England unto whom she bore a daughter but died in her Childe-bed in the yeere 1548. He had children by his first wife Queene Katherine Henry borne at Richmond who lived not full two moneths and was buried at Westminster also another Sonne whose name is not mentioned lived but a short time neither then a daughter named Mary borne at Greenwich in the eighth yeere of his reigne and came afâ—erward to be Queene of England By his second wife Queene Anne Bullen he had a daughter named Elizabeth borne at Greenwich in the five and twentieth yeere of his reigne who succeeded her sister Mary in the Crowne he had also by her a sonne but borne dead By his third wife Queene Iane he had a Sonne named Edward borne at Hampton-Court in the nine and twentieth yeere of his reigne who succeeded him in the Kingdome Besides these he had a base Sonne named Henry Fitz-roy begotten of the Lady Talboyse called Elizabeth Blunt borne at Blackamore in Essex in the tenth yeere of his reigne who was made Duke of Richmond and Somerset married Mary daughter of Thomas Howard Duke of Norfolke with whom he lived not long but dyed at Saint Iames by Westminster and was buried at Framingham in Suffolke Of his Personage and Conditions HEE was exceeding tall of statuâ—e and very strong faire of complexion in his latter dayes corpulent and burley concerning his conditionâ— Hee was a Prince of so many good parts that one would wonder he could have any ill and indeed he had noâ— many ill till flattery and ill councell in his latter time got the upper hand of him His cruelty to his wives may not onely be excused but defended for if they were incontinent he did but justice if they were not so yet it was sufficient to satisfie his conscience that he thought he had câ—use to thinke them so and if the marriage bed be honourable in all in Princes it is sacred In suppressing of Abbies he shewed not little Piety but great providence for though they were excellent things being rightly used yeâ— most pestilent being abused and then may the use be justly suppressed when the abuse scarce possibly can be restrained To thinke he suppressed Abbies out of covetousnesse and desire of gaine is to make him extreamly deceived in his reckoning for if we compare the profit with the charge that followed we shall finde him certainly a great looser by the bargaine He was so farre from Pride that he was rather too humble at lest he conversed with his Subjects in a more familiar manner then was usuall with Princes So valiant that his whole liâ—e almost was nothing but exercises of valour and though performed amongst his friends in jest yet they prepared him against his enemies in earnest and they that durst be his enemies found it It may be said the complexion of his government for the first twenty yeers was sanguine and joviall for the rest collerick and bloody and it may be doubted whether in the former he were more prodigall of his owne treasure or in the latter of his Subjects blood for as he spent more in Fictions
the sixth yeer of his reigne which was the yeer before he died he fel sick of the Measels and being well recovered of them he fell after soon into the smal Pox of them also was so well recovered that the summer following he rode a progresse with a greater magnificence then ever he had done before having in his traine no fewer then four thousand horse In Ianuary following whether procured by sinister practise or growing upon him by naturall infirmity he fell into an indisposition of body which soon after grew to a cough of the Lungs Whereupon a rumour was spread abroad by some that a Nosegay had been given him at Newyeerstide which brought him into this slow but deadly consumption by others that it was done by a Glister how ever it was he was brought at last to so great extremity that his Physicians despared of his life and when Physicians could do him no good a Gentlewoman thought to be prepared for the purpose tooke him in hand and did him hurt for with her applications his legges swelled his pulse failed his skinne changed colour and many other symptomes of approaching death appeared The hour before his death he was overheard to pray thus by himselfe O Lord God deliver me out of this miserable and wretched life O Lord thou knowest how happy it were for me to be with thee yet for thy chosens sake if it be thy will send me life and health that I maâ— truly serve thee O Lord God save thy chosen people of England and defend this Realme from Papistrie and maintaine thy true Religion that I and my People may praise thy holy Name for thy Sonne Jesus Christs sake So â—urning his face and seeing some by him he said I thought you had nor been so nigh Yes said Doctor Owens we heard you speak to your selfe then said the King I was praying to God O I am faint Lord have mercy upon me and receive my spirit and in so saying gave up the Ghost the sixth day of Iuly in the yeer 1553. and in the sixteenth yeer of his Age when he had reigned six yeers five moneths and nine dayes It is noted by some that he died the same moneth and the same day of the moneth that his father King Henry the eight had put Sir Thomas Moore to death His body was buried upon the ninth of August in the Chappell of Saint Peters Church in Westminster and laid neere to the body of King Henry the seventh his grandfather At his funerall which was on the tenth of August following his sister Queen Mary shewed this respect to him that though Doctor Day a Popish Bishop preached yet all the service with a communion was in English Men of note in his time THis Kings reigne being short and having but small warres had not many sword-men famous for any acts they did Gowne men there were some as Edward Holl a Councellour in the Law who wrote a notable Cronicle of the union of the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster William Hugh a Yorkeshireman who wrote a notable Treatice called The troubled mans medicine Thomas Sternehold borne in Southampton who turned into English Meeteâ— seven and thirty of Davids Psalmes The Interregnum betweene the death of King Edward and the proclaiming at London of Queene Mary KIng Edward being dead the Duke of Northumberland tooke upon him to sit at the Sterne and ordered all things at his pleasure so two dayes after he with others of the Councell sent to the Lord Major that he with six Aldermen and twelve principall Commons should repaire presently to the Court to whom when they came it was secretly signified that King Edward was dead and that by his last Will to which all the Nobility and Judges had given assent he had appointed the Lady Iane daughter to the Duke of Suffolke to succeede him his Letters Patents whereof were shewed them and therupon they were required to take their Oathes of Allegeance to the Lady Iane and to secure the City in her behalfe which whether dissemblingly or sincerely whether for love or fear yet they did and then departed The next day the Lady Iane in great state was brought to the Tower of London and there declared Queene and by edect with the sound of Trumpet proclaimed so through London at which time for some words seeming to be spoken against it one Gilbert Pot a Vintâ—ers servant was set in the Pilory and lost both his ears Before this time the Lady Mary having heard of her brothers death and of the Duke of Northumberlands designes removed from Hovesdon to her Mannour of Keninghall in Norfolke and under pretence of fearing infection having lately lost one of her houshold servants of the plague in one day she rode forty miles and from thence afterward to her Castle of Framingham in Suffolke where taking upon her the name of Queene there resorted to her the most part of all the Gentlemen both of Norfolke Suffolke offering their assistance but upon condition she would make no alteration in Religion to which she condiscended and thereupon soone after came to her the Earles of Oxford Bathe and Sussex the Lord Wentworth Thomas Wharton and Iohn Mordant Barrons eldest sonnes and of Knights Cornwallis Drury Walgrave Shelton Beningfield Ierningham Suliard Freston and many others The Lady Mary being thus assisted wrote her letters signed the ninth of Iuly to the Lords of the Councell wherein shee claimed the Crowne as of right belonging to her and required them to proclaime her Queene of England in the City of London as they tendred her displeasure To this letter of hers the Lords answered that for what they did they had good Warrant not onely by King Edwards last Will but by the Lawes of the land considering her Mothers divorce and her owne Illegitimation and therefore required her to submit her selfe to Queene Iane being now her Soveraigne This Letter was written from the Tower of London under the hands of these that follow Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury Thomâ—s Elye Chancellour William Marquesse of Winchester Iohn Earle of Bedford Henry Duke of Suffolke Francis Earle of Shrewsbury Iohn Duke of Northâ—mberland William Earle of Pembrooke Thomas Lord Darcey Lord Chamberlin Cobham Rich Huntington Cheyney Iohn Gates William Peter William Ceâ—ill Iohn Clerke Iohn Mason Edward North and Robert Bowes The quarell on both sides being thus begun by Letters is prosecuted by Armes and the Lords for their Generall make choyce of the Duke of Suffolke as a man most likely to be firme and sure in the imployment but the Queen his daughter cannot misse his presence and besides is not willing to hazard his person and thereupon she by intreaties and the Lords by perswasions prevaile with the Duke of Northumbâ—rland to undertake the charge who before his going having conference with the Lords let them know how sensible he was of the double danger he under-went in this enterprize both in respect of the Lady against whom he went and
and the Cardinall on their right hand all the Lords Knights and Burgesses being present the Bishop of VVinchester Lord Chancellour made a short speech unto them signifying the presence of the Lord Cardinall and that he was sent from the Pope as his Legate a Latere to doe a worke tending to the glory of God and the benefit of them all which saith he you may better heare from his own mouth Then the Cardinall rose up and made a long solemne Oration wherin he first thanked them for his restoring by which he was enabled to be a member of their society then exhorting them to returne into the bosome of the Church for which end he was come not to condemne but to reconcile not to compell but to call and require and for their first worke of reconcilement requiring them to repeale and abrogate all such Lawes as had formerly beene made in derogation of the Catholicke Religion After which Speech the Parliament going together drew up a Supplication which within two dayes after they presented to â—he King and Queene wherein they shewed themselves to be very penitent for their former errours and humbly desired their Majesties to intercede for them to the Lord Cardinall and the See Apostolicke that they might be Pardoned of all they had done amisse and be received into the bosome of the Church being themselves most ready to abrogate all Lawes prejudiciall to the See of Rome This Supplication being delivered to the Cardinall he then gave them Absolution in these words Wee by the Apostolicke authority given unto us by the most Holy Lord Pope Iulius the third Christs Vicegerent on Earth doe Absolve and deliver you and every of you with the whole Realme and Dominions thereof from all Heresie and Schisme and from all Judgements Censures and Paines for that cause incurred and also Wee doe restore you againe to the unity of our Mother the holy Church The report hereof comming to Rome was cause that a solemne Procession was made for joy of the conversion of England to the Church of Rome And now the Queene had a great desire to have King Phillip crowned but to this the Parliament would by no meanes assent In October this second yeere of her reigne a rumour was spread of the Queenes being with childe and so forward that she was quicke and thereupon were Lettes sent from the Lords of the Councell to Bonner Bishop of London that Prayers of Thanksgiving should be made in all Churches and the Parliament it selfe was so credulous of it that they entred into consideration of the education of the childe and made an Act desiring the King our of 〈◊〉 confidence they had in him that if the Queene should faile he would be pleased â—o take upon him the Rule and Government of the childe but after â—ll this in Iune following it came to be knowne that it was but a Tympany â—r at lest the Queene so miscarried that there came no childe nor the Queene likely ever after to have any But howsoever in hope of the joy that was expected in Ianuâ—ry of this yeere divers of the Councell as the Lord Chancellour the Bishop of Elye the Lord Treasurour the Earle of Shrewsbâ—ry the Controlour of the Queens house Secretary Bourne and Sir Richard Soâ—thwell Master of the Ordinance were sent to the Tower to discharge and set at liberty a great part of the Prisoners in the Tower as â—amely the late Duke of Northumberlands sonnes Ambrose Robert and Henry also Sir Andrew Dudley Sir Iames Croâ—ts Sir Nicholas Throgmorton Sir Iohn Rogers Sir Nicholas Arnold Sir George Harper Sir Edward Warner Sir William Sentlow Sir Gowen Carow William Gybbs Esquire Cutbert Vaughan and some others About this time one William Fetherstone a Millers sonne of the age of eighteene yeeres named and bruted himselfe to be King Edward the sixth for which being apprehended and examined he answered as one lunaticke and thereupon was whipped at a Carts â—ayle and banished into the North but the yeere after spreading abroad againe that King Edward was alive and that he had talked with him he was arraigned and condemned of treason and at Tyburn hanged and quartered In the moneth of March the Queene was taken with a fit of Devotion and thereupon called unto her foure of her Privie Councell namely William Marquesse of Winchester Lord Treasurour Sir Robert Rochester Comptrolour Sir William Peter Secretary and Sir Francis Englefield Master of the Wards and signified unto them that it went against her conscience to hold the Lands and Possessions as well of Monasteries aud Abbeys as of other Churches and therefore did freely relinquish them and leave them to be disposed as the Pope and the Lord Cardinall should thinke fit and thereupon charged them to acquaint the Cardinall with this her purpose Aâ—d shortly after in performance hereof Iohn Fecknam late Deane of Pauls was made Abbot of Westminster and had possession delivered him and with him fourteen Monkes received the Habit at the same time and on the twentieth of November Sir Thomas was instituted Lord of Saint Iohns of Hierusalem and was put in possession of the Lands belonging unto it And when it was told herâ— that this would be a great diminution of the Revenues of her Crowne she answered she more valued the salvation of her soule then a thousand Crownes a most religious speech and enough if there were but this to shew her to be a most pious Prince The fourth of September this yeer King Phillip waited on with the Earle of Arundell Lord Steward the Earle of Pembrooke the Earle of Huntington and others went over to Callice and from thence to Brussels in Brabant to visit the Emperour his Father who deliveâ—ing him possession of the Low Countries in March following he returned into England but then on the sixth of Iuly following by reason of wars with France he passed again over to Callicâ— and so into Flanders from whence he returned not till eighteene moneths after which made great muttering amongst the common people as though hee tooke any little occasion to be absent for the little love hee bore to the Queene In the third yeere of the Queene dyed Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester at his house in Southwarke of whose death it is memorable that the same day in which Bishop Ridley and Master Latimer suffered at Oxford he would not goe to dinner till foure a clocke in the aâ—ternoone thoâ—gh the old Duke of Norâ—olke was come to dine with him the reason was because he would first heare of their being burnt and as soon as word of that was brought him he presently said Now let us goe to Dinner where sitting downe and eating merrily upon a sudden he fell into such extremity that he was faine to be taken from the Table and carried to his bed where he continued fifteen dayes without voyding any thing either by urine or otherwise which caused his tsongu to swell in his mouth and so dyed after whose death
to a new Counter made in Woodstreet of the Citie Purchase and building the which removing was confirmed by the Common Councell of the City Affaires of the Church in her time IN the first yeere of this Queenes reigne all Bishops which had beene deprived in the time of King Edward the sixth were restored to their Bishopriks and the new removed also all Benefized men that were married or would not forsake their opinion were put out of their Livings and other of a contrary opinion put in their roomes Also this yeere on the seven and tweetieth of August the Service begun to be sung in Latine in Pauls Church Also this yeere the Popes authority was by Act of Parliament restored in England and the Masse commanded in all Churches to be used In her second yeer the Realme is Absolved and reconciled to the Church of Rome by Cardinall Poole and first Fruits and Tenths are restored to the Clergy but this was soone revoked the Councell finding the necessity of it for the Queenes support In her fourth yeere Monasteries were begun to be reedified of which number were that of Westminster that of Sheene and Sion that of the Black-fryers and the Fryers of Greenwich Of the number of those that dyed for Religion in her time there are recorded five Bishops one and twenty Divines and of all sorts of men and women two hundred threescore and seventeene Workes of Pietie done by her or others in her time THis Queen restored a great part of Abbey-lands that were in her possession and if she had lived longer very likely she would have restored more In her first yeer Sir Thomas White then Major erected a Colledge in Oxford now called Saint Iohns Colledge before Bernard Colledge he also erected Schooles at Bristow and Reading and gave two thousand pounds to the City of Bristow to purchase Lands the profits whereof to be imployed for the benefit of young Clothiers for ten yeeres and after that to be imployed in like manner to the benefit of two and twenty other shires and Cities In her third yeere dyed Sir Iohn Gresham late Major of London who founded a free School at Holt in Norâ—olke and gave to every Ward in London ten pounds to be distributed to the poore also to Maids marriages two hundred pounds Cutbert Tunstall Bishop of Duâ—ham erected a goodly Library in Cambridge storing it with many excellent both Printed and written Bookes he also bestowed much upon building at Durham at Alnewicke and at Tunbridge Casualties happening in her time IN her first yeere on the seven and twentieth of August the goodliest Ship in England called The Great Harrye being of the burthen of a thousand tun was burnt at Woolwich by negligence of the Mariners In her second yeer on the fifteenth of February appeared in the skie a Rainbow reversed the bowe turned downward and the two ends standing upward also two Sunnes shined at one time a good distance asunder which were taken for ill signes This yeere also in the moneth of August at a place in Suffolke by the Sea side all of hard stone and pibble lying betweene the Townes of Oxford and Alborough where never grasse grew not any earth was ever seene there chanced suddenly to spring up without any tillage or sowing so great abundance of Peason that the Poore gathered above an hundred quarters yet there remained some ripe and some blossoming as many as were before In her fourth yeer hot burning Agues and other strange diseases tooke away much people so as between the twentieth of October and the last of December there dyed seven Aldermen namely Henry Heardson Sir Richard Dobâ—s laâ—e Major Sir William Laxton late Major Sir Henry Hobblesterne late Majors Sir Iohn Champneys late Major Sir Iohn Aleph late Sheriffe and Sir Iohn Gresham late Major In her fourth yeer before Harvest Wheat was sold for foure Markes the quarter Mault at foure and forty shillings the quarter and Pease at six and forty shillings eight pence where after harvest Wheat was sold for five shillings the quarter Malt at six shillings eight pence Rye at three shillings foure pence the quarter In the Countrey Wheat was sold for foure shillings the quarter Mault at foure shillings eight pence and in some places a bushell of Rye for a pound of Candles which was foure pence In her fift yeer within a mile of Nottingham so mervailous a tempest of thunder happened that it beat down all the Houses and Churches in two Towns thereabouts cast the Bels to the outside of the Church-yard and some webs of Lead foure hundred foot into the field writhen as if it had been leather the riveâ— of Trent running between the two Townes the water with the mud in the bottome was carried a quarter of a mile and cast against trees with the violence whereof the trees were pulled up by the the roots and cast twelve score off also a childe was taken forth of a mans hand and carried two speares length high and then let fall two hâ—ndred foot off of which fall it dyed five or six men thereabouts were slaine and neither flesh nor skin perished also there fell some Hale-stones that were fifteen inches about This yeer also in Harvest-time was great mortality and specially of Priests so as many Churches were unserved and much corne was lost in the field for want of Workmen whereupon ensued a great scarcity so that corne was sold for fourteen shillings a quarter and Wood sold in London for thirteen shillings a thousand of Billets and Coles ten pence a sacke Also this yeer on the last of September fell so great store rain that Westminster Hall was full of water and Boats were rowed over Westminster-bridge into Kings-street Of her Personage and Conditions OF her Personage we can make no particular description only we may say she was none of the most amiable but yet without deformity but of her Conditions we may say she was not without deformity and yet was very amiable If we account her Religion a deformity yet her constancy and devotion in it we must needs count a beauty if it were a deformity to promise the Suffolke men not to alter the Religion wâ—ich King Edward had established yet it was certainly a Pious dissemâ—ling Cretizare cum Câ—etensibus and equivocation will some say was there a vertue where she deceived them into truth and did them good against their wils And as for her sister Elizabeth if she did not love her it was but a quality hereditary in her for their Mothers did not love one another before and indeed not without some cause in both for as those upbraided each others marriage so these each others birth We shall not doe her right if we deny her to be of a mercifull disposition seeing oftentimes she pittied the person where she shed the blood she could have found in her heart to have spared the Lady Ianes life if Ragion diâ—stato had not beene against itâ— and she did
Spain where for England was employed the Earl of Arundell Thursbey Bishop of Ely and Doctor Wootton Dean of Canterbury with whom William Lord Howard of Effingham was joyned by a new Commission As soon as King Philip heard of the death of his wife Queen Mary paâ—â—ly out of considerations of State and partly out of affection of love he solicited Q. Elizabeth by his Ambassadour the Earl of Feria to joyniâ— Marriage with himself which was no more for two sisters to have successively one husband then was done before for two brothers to have successively one wife and for this he promised to procure a Dispensation from the Pope To which motion the Queen though she well knew That to allow a Dispensation in this case to be sufficient were to make her own Birth Illegitimate yet to so great a Prince and who in her sisters time had done her many favours she would not return so blunt an Answer but putting the Ambassadouâ— off for the present in modest tearms She conceived there would be no better way to take him off clean from further sute then by bringing in an Alteration of Religion which yet she would not do all at once and upon the sudden as knowing the great danger of sudden changes but by little and little and by degrees as at first she permitted onely Epistles and Gospels the Ten Commandments the Lords Prayer and the Creed to be read to the People in the English Tongue in all other matters they were to follow the Romane Rite and Custome untill order could be taken for establishing of Religion by Authority of Parliament and a severe Proclamation was set forth prohibiting all Points of Controversie to be medled with by which means she both put the Protestants in hope and put not Papists out of hope Yet privately she committed the correcting of the Book of Common Prayer set forth in the English Tongue under King Edward the sixth to the care and diligence of Doctor Parker Bill May Cox Grindall Whitehead and Pilkington Divines of great Learning with whom she joyned Sir Thomas Smith a learned Knight but the matter carryed so closely that it was not communicated to any but â—o the Marquesse of Northampton the Earl of Bedford and Sir William Cecile The two and twentieth of March the use of the Lords Supper in both kindes was by Parliament allowed The four and twentieth of Iune the Sacrifice of the Masse was abolished and the Liturgy in the English Tongue established though as some say but with the difference of six voyces In Iuly the Oath of Supremacy was propounded to the Bishops and others And in August Images were removed out of Churches and broken or burnt By these degrees the Religion was changed and yet the change to the wonder of the world bred no disturbance which if it had been done at once and on the sudden would hardly at least not without dangerous opposition have been admitted During this time a Parliament had been summoned to begin at Westminster upon the fifteenth of Ianuary and now the Queen for satisfaction of the people appointed a Conference to be held between the Prelates of the Realm and Protestant Divines now newly returned who had fled the Realm in the time of Queen Mary for the Prelates were chosen Iohn White Bishop of Winchester Ralph Bayne Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield Thomas Watson Bishop of Lincolne Doctor Cole Dean of Pauls Doctor Langdell Arch-deacon of Lewis Doctor Harpsefield Arch-deacon f Canterbury and Doctor Chadsey Arch-deacon of Middlesex For the Protestant side were appointed Doctor Scory Doctor Cox Doctor Sands Doctor Whitehead Doctor Grindall Master Horne Master Guest Master Elmer and Master Iuell The place was prepared in Westminster Church where besides the Disputants were present the Lords of the Queens Councell with other of the Nobility as also many of the Lower House of Parliament The Articles propounded against the Prelates and their adherents were these First That it is against the Word of God and the Custome of the ancient Church to use a Tongue unknown to the people in common Prayer and in the Administration of the Sacraments Secondly That every Church hath authority to appoint and change Ceremonies and Ecclesiasticall Rites so they be to edification Thirdly That it cannot be proved by the Word of God that there is in the Masse a Sacrifice Propitiatory for the living and the dead For the manner of their Conference it was agreed it should be performed in writing and that the Bishops should deliver their Reasons in writing first The last of March was the first day of their meeting where contrary to the Order the Bishops brought nothing in writing but said They would deliver their mindes onely by Speech This breaking of Order much displeased the Lords yet they had it granted Then rose up Doctor Cole and made a large Declaration concerning the first Poynt when he had ended the Lords demanded if any of them had more to say who answered No Then the Protestant Party exhibited a written Book which was distinctly read by Master Horne This done some of the Bishops began to affirm they had much more to say in the first Article This again much displeased the Lords yet this also was granted them to do at their next meeting on Munday next but when Munday came so many other differences arose between them that the Conference broke off and nothing was determined But in the Parliament there was better Agreement for there it was enacted That Queen Elizabeth was the lawfull and undoubted Queen of England notwithstanding a Law made by her Father King Henry the eighth that excluded both her and her sister Mary from the Crown seeing though the Law be not repealed yet it is a Principle in Law That the Crown once gained taketh away all defects Also in this Parliament First fruits and Tenths were restored to the Crown and the Title of Supreme Head of the Church of England was confirmed to the Queen with so universall consent that in the Upper House none opposed these Laws but onely the Earl of Shrewsbury and Sir Anthony Brown Viscount Mountague and in the Lower House only some few of Papall inclination murmured saying That the Parliament was packt and that the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Arundel and Sir William Cecill for their own ends had cunningly begged voyces to make up their Party The Supremacie thus confirmed to the Queen the Oath was soon after tendred to the Bishops and others of whom as many as refused to take it were presently deprived of their livings And that we may see how inclining the Kingdom at this time was to receive the Protestant Religion It is said that in the whole Realm wherein are reckoned above Nine thousand Spirituall Promotions there were no more that refused to take the Oath but onely fourscore Parsons fifty Prebendaries fifteen Masters of Colledges twelve Archdeacons twelve Deans six Abbots and fourteen Bishops indeed all that were at that time
her self with all her Forces to compell them While Wilkes in Spain unfoldeth theâ—e matters Iohn of Austria sendeth to Queen Elizabeth in most grievous manner accusing the States for disobedience and making a large declaration of the causes for which he had taken up Armes again Thus Queen Elizabeth like a fortunate Princesse sate as an Honourable Arbitresse between the Spanish the French and the States insomuch that it was not untrue which one wrote That France and Spaine were Ballances in the Scale of Europe and England the Beame to turne them either way for they still got the better to whome she adhered About this time when the Judges sate at the Assizes in Oxford and one â—owland Iâ—nkes a Book-seller was questioned for speaking approbrious words against the Queen suddenly they were surprised with a pestilent favour whether rising from the noysome smell of the prisoners or from the dampe of the ground is uncertaine but all that were there present almost every one within forty hours died except Women and children and the Contagion went no further There died Robert Bell Lord chief Baron Robert D'Oylie Sir William Babington D'Olye Sheriffe of Oxford-shire Harcourt Weynman Phetiplace the most noted men in this Tract Barham the famous Lawyer almost all the Jurours and three hundred other more or lesse This yeer the title of the Lord Latimer which had flourished in the Familie of the Nevills ever since the dayes of King Henry the sixth was extinct in Iohn Nevill who died without issue male and left a faire estate to four daughters whereof the eldest marryed Henry Earl of Northumberland the second Thomas Cecill who was afterward Earl of Exceter the third Sir William Cornwallis and the fourth Sir Iohn Daverse In Ireland the O-Moores and O-Conors and others whose Ancestours the Earl of Sussex in Queen Maries dayes had for their rebellion deprived of their Patrimonie in Loyse and Ophâ—liâ— did now break forth into a new Rebellion under the conduct of Roriâ— Oge that is Roderick the younger set on fire the village of Naasse assault Lâ—chlin from whence being driven back by the valour of George Careâ— the Governour he was afterward slain Out of England at this time there went into the Low-countries Iohn North the Lord Norths eldest sonneâ— Iohn Norris second son to the Lord Norris Henry Cavendish and Thomas Morgan Colonells with many voluntaries to learn Militarie experience Thither also came Caesamire the Elector Palatines sonne with an Army of German Horse and foot at the Queenes charges upon theâ—e Don Iohn assisted by the Prince of Parma Mondragon and other the best Commanders of Spain confident of victorie flyeth furiously before they expected him yet after a long fight was forced to retreat but then turning again and thinking to breake through the Hedges and Brakes where the English and Scottish voluntaryes had placed themselves was again repulsed for the English and Scottish were so hot upon the matter that casting away their garments by reason of the hot weather they fought in their shirts which they made fast about them In this battell Nâ—â—â—â—â— fought most valiantly and had three horses sâ—ain under him as also 〈◊〉 the Scot Bingham and William Mâ—râ—ham Now for comfort â—o the afflicted Provinces there came at that â—â—me into the Netherlands the Count Swâ—â—zenberg from the Emperour Mâ—nsieâ—â— Beâ—â—â—â—â—re from the French King and from the Queen of England the Lord Cobham and Walâ—ingham with Commission to procure conditions of Peace but returned without doing any thing for that Don Iohn refused to admit the Proâ—estanâ— Religion and the Prince of Orange refused to return into Holland About this time Egrâ—mâ—â—d Râ—â—cliffe son to Henry Earl of Susseâ— by his second wife who had been a prime man in the rebellion of the North and served now under Don Iohn was accused by the English fugitives that he was sent under hand to kill Don Iohn which whether true or false he was thereupon taken and put to death The Spaniards have affirmed That Ratcliffe at his last end confessed voluntarily That he was freed out of the Tower of London and moved by Walsinghams large promises to do this Fact but the English that were present at his death deny that he confessed any such thing though the English Rebells did all they could to wrest this confession from him At this very time Don Iohn in the flower of his age died of the Pestilence or as some say of grief as being neglected by the King of Spain his brother a man of an insatiable Ambition who aymed first at the Kingdom of Tunis and after of England and who without the privity of the French King or King of Spain had made a league with the Guises for the defence of both Crowns Alanson although very busie about the Belgick War yet now began again to pursue the Marriage with Queen Elizabeth for renewing of which suit first was Bachervyle sent to the Queen and soon after Ramboulet from the French King and within a month after that Simier a neat Courtier and exquisitely learned in the Art of Love accompanied with a great number of the French Nobility whom the Queen at Richmond entertained in such loving manner that Leicester began to rage as if his hopes were now quite blasted Certainly a little before when Ashley a Lady of the Queens Bed-chamber mentioned the Earl of Leicester to her for husband she with an aâ—gry countenance replyed Dost thou think me so unlike my self and so forgetfull of Majestie as to prefer my servant whom I my self have advanced before the greatest Princes of the Christian world But it is now time to return to the Scottish Affairs The Earl of Morton Regent of Scotland though a man of great wisedome and valour yet was now so overcome of covetousnesse that he grew universally hated and thereupon with the joynt consent of the Nobility the Administration of the Common-wealth was translated to the King though he was yet but twelve yeers old and twelve of the chief Lords were appointed to attend him in Councell three of them by course for three months amongst whom the Earl of Morton for one that they might not seem to cast him quite off The King having taken upon him the Administration sent presently the Earl of Dumformelin to Queen Elizabeth acknowledging her great deserts towards him and requesting to have the Treaty of Edinburgh agreed on in the yeer 1559 to be confirmed for the more happy restraining the robbers about the borders and withall That his ancient Patrimony in England namely the Lands granted to his Grand-father Maâ—â—hew Earl of Lenox and the Countesse his Grand-mother might be delivered into his handsâ— who was the next Heir The Queen readily promised the former demands but stuck a little at the last concerning the Patrimony For she would not grant That Arbella the daughter of Charles the King of Scots Unkle Born in England was the next Heir to the Lands in England neither would she grant the
up a White Flagge and desired Parlee but Parlee was denyed because he had combined with Rebells with whom it is not lawfull to hold Parlee Then he demanded that his Company might passe away with their Baggage but neither would this be granted Then he required â—hat some of the chiefer sort might have leave to depart but neither could this be obtained At last when they could prevail in nothing they hanged out the white Flagge again and submitted themselves absolutely without any condition to the Deputies mercy who presently consulteth how to deal with them and this was the Case Their number was well neer as great as the English there was present fear of danger from the Rebells and the English were so destitute of meat and apparell that they were ready to mutiny unlesse they might have the spoyl granted them and besides there were no ships neither to send them away if they were spared For these Reasons it was concluded the Deputy gain-saying and letting tears fall That onely the Leaders should be saved the rest all slain and all the Irish hanged up which was presently put in execution to the great disliking of the Queen who detested the slaughter of such as yeelded themselves and would accept of any excuses or allegations And yet more cruelty then this was at that time committed in the Netherlands for Iohn Norris and Oliver Temple English Commanders together with some Companies of Dutch setting out early one morning took Mechlyn a wealthy Town of Brabant at an assault with ladders where they promiscuously murthered both Citizens and Religious Persons offering violence even upon the dead taking away Grave-stones which were sent into England to be sold. About this time certain English Priests who were fled into the Netherlands in the yeer 1568 by the procurement of William Allen an Oxford Schollar joyned themselves to study at Doway where they entred into a Collegiate Form of Government to whom the Pope allowed a yeerly Pension But tumults arising in the Low-Countries and the English Fugitives being commanded by the King of Spains Deputy to depart from thence other the like Colledges for the trayning up of the English youth were erected one at Rheims by the Guises and another at Rome by Pope Gregory the thirteenth which alwayes afforded new â—upplyes of Priests for England when the old fayled who should spread abroad the seeds of the Romish Religion here amongst us from whence those Colledges had the name of Seminaries and they called Seminary-Priests who were trayned up in them In these Seminaries amongst other Disputations it was concluded That the Pope hath such fulnesse of Power by Divine Right over the whole Christian world both in Ecclesiasticall and Secular matters that by vertue thereof it is lawfull for him to excommunicate Kings absolve their subjects from their Oath of Allegiance and deprive them of their Kingdoms From these Seminaries at this time there came two into England Robert Parsons and Edmund Campian both of them English-men and Jesuites Parsons was born in Somerset-shire a fierce and rough conditioned fellow Campian was a Londoner of a milder disposition They had been both brought up in Oxford Campian a Fellow of St. Iohn's Colledge and had been Proctor in the yeer 1569 and when he was made Deacon counterfeited himself to be a Protestant till such time as he slipped out of England Parsons was of Baylioll Colledge where he made open profession of the Protestant Religion till for dishonest carriage he was expelled the House and then fled to the Popish Party Both these came privily into England in the disguise one while of Souldiers another while of Noble-men sometimes like English Ministers and sometimes in the habit of Apparitors Parsons who was made the Superiour brake forth into such open words amongst the Papists about deposing the Queen that some of themselves had a purpose to complain of him to the Magistrates Campian though something more moderate yet in a Writing provoked the English Ministers to a dispuâ—e and published in Latine an Elegant Book of his ten Reasons in maintenance of the Doctrine of the Romish Church as Parsons in like manner set forth another violent Pamphlet against Clark who had written modestly against Campians Provocaâ—ion But Doctor Whitaker soundly confuted Campian who being after a yeer apprehended and put upon the Rack was afterward brought out to a Disputation where he scarcely made good the great fame that went of him In this yeer was the return of Captain Drake from his incredible Voyage round about the World which Magellan had before attempted but died in the Voyage whereof to relaâ—e all particular accidents would require a large Volume It may suffice in this place to deliver some speciall Passages He was born of mean Parentage in Devon-shire yet had a great man Francis Russell after Earl of Bedford to be his God-father His father in K. Henry the eighth's time being persecuted for a Protestant changed his Soyl and lived close in Kent K. Henry being dead he got a place amongst the Marriners of the Queens Navy to reade Prayers and afterward bound his son Franâ—is to a Ship-Master who in a Ship which went to and fro upon the Coast with Commodities one while to Zealand another while to France trayning him up to pains and skill at Sea who afterward dying took such a liking to him that he bequeathed his Barque to him by his Will This Barque Drake sold and then in the yeer 1567 went with Sir Iohn Hawkins into America in which Voyage he unfortunately lost all he had Five yeers after having gotten again a good sum of Money by Trading and Pyracy which the Preacher of his Ship told him was lawfull he bought a Ship of Warre and two small Vessells with which he set Sayl again for America where his first Prize was great store of Gold and Silver carryed over the Mountains upon Mules whereof the Gold he brought to his Ships but left the Silver hiding it under ground After this he fired a great place of Traffique called The Crosse at the River Chiruge when roaming to and fro upon the Mountains he espyed the South Sea where falling upon his knees he craved assistance of Almighty God to finde out that passage which he reserveth for another Voyage and for the present having gotten much riches he returned home Afterwards in the yeeâ— 1577 the thirteâ—â—th day of November with five Ships and Sea-men to the number of 163 he set Sayl from Plimmoâ—th for the Southern Sea and within five and twenty dayes came to Cantyne a Capâ— in Baâ—bâ—ry and then sayled along by the Islâ— of Fâ—gâ— which sends forth â—â—emes of Sulphur and being now unâ—eâ— the Line he let every one in his Ships blood The sixteenth of Apâ—â—l entring into the mouth of the Plateâ— they espyed a world of Sea-Calves in which place Iohn-â—oughty the next to Drake in Authority was called in question for raising Sedition in the Navy wâ—o being found guilty was beheaded
to the Queen of England his deer Sister and doth now willingly make profer of the same Walsingham now dealt with him farther not to lay to the Queens charge what broyls had lately fallen out in Scotland sheweth how beneficiall to him and to both kingdoms Amity had been hitherto and would be in time to come also so it were not neglected and that the same might the better be confirmed if the variance between the Nobility were layd asleep by a Law of oblivion Enacted in Parliament The Peers which now were removed from the Court called back again Religion looked into and a firm League concluded between both kingdoms The King made answer that he gladly embraced Amity with England and that he would constantly defend the Religion already established Afterward he lovingly dismissed Walsingham though he held him no good friend to him and his Mother and carefully looking to matters with undestanding even above his yeers proposed and profered reconciliation to those that had surprized him if within a limited time they asked Pardon which they were so far from doing that the entred into new consultations to surprize him again whereupon they are commanded within a set time to leave the kingdom of which number Marre Glames Paslet and some other betook themselves into Ireland Boyde Zester Weeme Lochlevin into the Low-Countries Dumfermilin into France the Earle of Angus is confined to his Earldome Gowry onely to his owne ruine stayeth behinde after the limited time hatching new devises About this time happened a difference and thereupon a Warre between the Emperors of Muscovia and the King of Sweden when Iohn King of Sweden doubting himself to be no fit Match for the Emperour sent a Royâ—â—l Ambassage to Queen Elizabeth requesting her to intercede for him to â—â—e Emperour which she did without delay and by her Ambassadour drew the Muscovian to a Peace upon reasonable Conditions Bâ—t the Muscovianâ—â—ortly â—â—ortly after dying and Theodorus his Successor granting free Traffique to â—â—rchants of all Nations that would come thither the Queen importuned him to admit of none but English Merchants requiring him to confirm the Priviledges which his Father had granted them Whereto by way of Answer he demanded Free Trading for all the English saying It was not fit that a small Company should exercise a Monopoly and all other be â—estrayned But as for Customes he promised to take lesse by one half of that Company then of any other because they first opened the way thither The next Summer Albertus Alasco a Palatine of Poland of a comely personage and great learning came into England to see the Queen who was nobly entertained both by her and the Nobility as also by the Schollâ—rs of Oxford with learned Orations and other Recreations but having â—â—rryed here four Months and run iâ—to much debt he secretly withdrew himself and departed This man I saw my self afterward in Crakow very bare though it was reported of him That he had in a Dowry with a wife fifâ—y Castles of great value but what Myne can bear the charges of prodigality This yeer proved fatall to divers great men for there died this yeer â—â—â—st Thomas Ratcliffe the third Eâ—rl of Sussex of this Family a man of greaâ— spirit and great faithfulnesse to his Countrey There died also Henry Wriothsley Earl of Southampton one exceedingly devoted to the Romish Religion and a great favourer of the Queen of Scots which cost him Queen Elizabeths displeasure and imprisonment besides There died also Sir Humphrey Gilbert who was cast away at Sea in his return from the North pâ—rt of America whither he lately sayled with five Ships having sold his Patrimony in hope to plant a Colony tâ—ere There died also Edmund Grindall Arch-â—ishop of Canterbury being blinde through age a graâ—e and pious Pâ—elate who stood highly in the Queens favour for a long time till he lost 〈◊〉 last by favouring as was said the Puritans Conventicles but the â—â—ue cause indeed was for disallowing the Marriage of Iuliâ— an Italian Physitian with another mans wife against the Earl of Leicester's pleasure Grindâ—ll dying Iohn Whiteguyft succeeded in the See of Canterbury being translaâ—ed thither from the See of Worcester At this time certain popish Books written against the Queen and Princes Excommunicate withdrew divers from their Allegiance and particularly so intoxicated one Somervile an English Gentleman that he went privately â—o the Court and breathing out nothing but blood and death against all Protestants set upon one or two by the way with his drawn Sword Being apprehended he stuck not to say That he would murder the Queen with his own hands Hereupon he and upon his intimation Ardenâ—is â—is father in Law a man of an ancient House in Warwick-shire Ardens wife their daughter Somerviles wife and Hall a Priest were brought to the Bar and all condemned Somervile as principall the rest as accessaries Thâ—ee dayes after Somervile was found strangled in the prison Arden was â—â—â—cuted and quartered the women and the Priest were spared Many piâ—ied the old Gentleman Arden as misled by the Priest and as it was genâ—rally believed brought to his end through the envy of Leicester whom he used to call Whore-master Upstart and many such opprobrious â—â—mes In the Netherlands the English Garrison at Alost in Flanders being neglected the Governour Pigot and the other Captains for want of pay upon Composition yeelded up the Town to the Spaniard and then fearing disgrace at home joyned themselves to the Prince of Parma at whose hands finding themselves slighted by degrees they stole all away and came all to unlucky ends In Ireland the famous Rebell Gyrald-Fitz Gyrald the eleventh Earl of Desmond of this Family having a long time in lurking places escaped the English was now by a common Souldier found out in a poor Cottage and slain His head was sent into England and set upon London-Bridge This end had this great Lord descended from Maâ—rice the son of Gyrald of Wâ—ndsore an English-man famous amongst those who first set upon Ireland in the yeer 1170. He possessed whole Countries together with the County Palatine of Kerry and had of his own Name and Race at least five hundred Gentlemen at his command All whom and his own life also he lost within the space of three yeers very few of his House being left alive And this disaster he fell into by proving Trayterous to his Prince at the instigation of certain Popish Priests Of whom the chief was one Nicholas Sanders an English-man who at the same time died miserably of Famine being starved to death when as being forsaken and running mad upon his ill successe he roamed up and down the Mountains and Groves finding nothing to sustain him In his Scrip were found certain Orations and Letters written to hearten the Rebells and promising large rewards from the Pope and King of Spain Upon the Rebells ill successe Iames Fitz Eustace Viscount Baltinglas fled into Spain where he pined away with grief He
out of zeal to the Romane Religion a little before he had taken up Arms with the Rebells and exhorting the Earl of Ormond his neighbour to do the like who drew his Linage from St. Thomas of Canterbury he used these wâ—rds to perswade him That if Saint Thomas of Canterbury had not dyed for the Church of ROME thou hadst never been Earl of Ormond for King HENRY the second to expiate the murther of THOMAS Bâ—CKET gave large Lands in Ormond to his Predecessors The beginning of the next Spring certain Scots together with Gowry plotted again to surprize the King pretending onely a care of Religion and to remove ill Councellors from him but the King having intelligence of their practise used means by Colonell Steward to have Gâ—â—ry taken and cast into prison whereupon Marre Glames Angus and other of the confederates flie into England and beseech the Queen to commiserate their estate who had incurred the Kings displeasure to do her and the Kingdom of England service The King on the other side accuseth them to the Queen of haynous crimes and requires to have them delivered up into his hands But Secretary Walsingham who bore great good will to these men sent Letters with a Command That they should be safely admitted into Linds Ferme otherwise called The holy Island where Huâ—sdon being Governouâ— there and great addicted to the King of Scots resisted Walsinghams Command alleadging he could not satisfie the Secretary in this point unlesse the Queen gave expresse Command Hereupon grew a Dispute Whether a Secretary of State might not transact a businesse of State without speciall Commission from the Prince How this Case was determined is uncertain but sure it is the Scots came not thither though some favour they had shewed them here in England In the mean time Gowry was tryed by his Peers at Sâ—eclyn where being accused of many Treasons though he gave colourable answers to them all yet was found guilty condemed and beheaded whose head his servants sewing to his body committed to the Grave About this time were practises plotted against Queen Elizabeth in behalf 〈◊〉 the Queen of Scots chiefly by Francis Throgmorton eldest son of Iohn â—â—â—â—gmorton Justice of Chester who came to be suspected by reason of â—etters sent to the Queen of Scots which were intercepted Upon his apâ—â—â—hension Thomas Lord Paget and Charles Arundel privately stole away 〈◊〉 France grievously complaining against Leicester and Walsingham for â—â—ienating the Queen from them and using such wiles that scarce any mâ—n was able to live in safety Henry Earl of Northumberland and Philip Earl of Arundel were confined to their houses his wife committed to the â—â—stody of Sir Thomas Shirley William Howard the Earls brother and Heâ—â—y Howard their Unkle brother to the Duke of Norfolk were examined about Letters from the Queen of Scots and many Statagems were set on foot dangerous to some particular persons but necessary as should 〈◊〉 for the Queens security Certain it is That now the malice of the Papists against the Queen brake forth more violently than ever before for in printed Books they stirred up the Queens own servants to â—ttempt the like upon her that Iudith did on Olephernes The Author of these Books could not be found but the suspition lay upon one Gâ—egory Martin sometime of Oxford and Carter a Statioâ—er who printed the Books suffered for it And whereas the Papists every where â—â—aduced the Queen for cruelty she desirous alwayes to leave a blessed â—â—membrance behinde her grew extremely offended with the Commissioners for Popish causes taxing them of too much cruelty insomuch that they were fain in a printed Declaration to cleer themselves protesting That they questioned no man for his Religion but onely for dangerous attempts against the Queen and Stateâ— and that Câ—â—pian himself was never so Racked but that he could presently walk up and down But all this gave not the Queen satisfaction but she commanded the Commissioners to forbear tortures and the Judges other â—uâ—ishments and not long after when seventy Priests were taken and some of them condemned and the rest in danger of the Law she caused them all to be Shipped away and sent out of England The chief of whom were Gaspar Heywood the great Epigrammatist's son the first â—esuite that ever set foot in England Iames Bâ—sgrave Iohn Hart and Edâ—â—â—d Rishton At this time Mendoza the Spanish Ambassadour was thrust out of England for joyning with Throgmorton in his Treason against the Queen whereupon Sir William Waad was sent to the King of Spain to satisfie him how ill Mendoza had discharged the Office of an Ambassadour here in England who when the King admitted him not to his Presence but in a slighting manner putting him off to his Councellors Waad taking it in great disdain boldly said That it was a declared Custome among Princes though in heat of War to give Ambassadours audience and thereupon stouâ—ly refused to â—â—clare his Ambassage and so returned into England unheard The greatest matters laid to Mendoza's charge were gottâ—n out of Throgmorton's Confession for when he was in danger to be apprehended he sent to Mendoza a box of Writings and when his Châ—sts were searched there were found two Scrowls one with the names of the Ports of England and in the other the names of the Nobility and Gentry in England that favoured the Romish Religion These when Thâ—ogmorton saw brought forth he said they were counterfeited and â—tood to it upon the very Rack but being brought to the Rack the second timeâ— he then confessed all That Morgan by Letters out of France had given him information that the Catholike Princes had decreed to invade England and with the help of the Duke of Guise to free the Q. of Scots and that nothing was now wanting but mony ayd in England and that for procuring of this Charls Paâ—eâ— under the counterfeit name of Mope was sent into Sussex where the Duke of Guise intended to land and that he had imported all this matter to Mendoza and intimated the names of the Ports and of the Noble-men that should assist But being arraigned at the Guild-hall he denyed all this again saying He had spoken so because he would not be Racked again Yet being condemned to die he flying to the Queens mercy confessed in a manner all he had before relatedâ— and then at the Gallows went about to deny it again So false to it self is the minde of man when it is divided between hope and fear and lies under the burden of a guilty conscience Sir William Wade being returned from Spain was employed to the Queen of Scots about a Treaty begun two years before To whom the distressed Queen sincerely professed That she devoted her service and her selfe to the Queen of England and made solemne promise That if the former Treaty might go on she would mediate with the King her Son to receive into favour the Earl of Angus and the other Scottish Lords and would charge
way might be devised than that which is now propounded but seeing it is now evident and certain that my safety without her destruction is in a more deplorate estate I am most grievously affected with inward sorrow That I who have pardoned so many Rebells have neglected so many Treasons either by connivance or silence should now at last exercise cruelty upon a Prince so neerly Allied to me As for your Petition I beseech you to rest in an Answer without an Answer If I say I will not grant your Petition I shall happily say what I mean not Iâ— I should say I will grant it then cast I my selfe into destruction headlong whose safety you so earnestly desire And that I know you in your wisedoms would not I should doe After this the Parliament was Prorogued and then were the Lords Buckhurst and Beale sent to the Queen of Scots to let her understand that Sentence was pronounced against her and confirmed by Parliament and that the execution of it was earnestly desired by the Nobility and the Commons and therefore perswaded her that before her death she would make acknowledgement of her offences against God and the Queen Intimating That if she lived the Religion received in England could not subsist Hereupon she was taken with an unwonted alacrity and seemed to triumph for joy giving God thanks and gratulating her own felicity That she should be accounted an Instrument for establishing Religion in this Island and therewith requested She might have some Catholike Priest to administer the Sacrament to her but was denied which some deemed not inhumane onely but tyranicall and heathenish The Bishop and the Dean whom for this cause they commended to her she utterly rejected and jeered at the English Nation saying The English were ever â—nd anon wont to murther their own Kings and therefore no mar 〈◊〉 they should now thirst after her destruction In Dcember following the Sentence against her was Proclaimed in London first and after over all the Kingdom wherein Queen Elizabeth seriously protested that this Promulgation of the Sentence was extorted from her to her great grief by the importunity of the whole Body of the Kingdome The Queen of Scots being told hereof seemed not a whit dejected with it but writing to the Queen never maketh intercession for her self nor expostulateth her death but onely makes three small requests one That she might be buried in France by her Mother another That shee might not be put to death privately but her servants to be present the third That her servants might freely depart and enjoy such Legacies as she had given them Of which Requests she desireth the Queen to vouchsafe her an answer but whether this Letter ever came to Queen Elizabeth is uncertain This condemnation of the Queene of Scots as a thing strange and scarce credible was soone spread farre and neare so as intercessions came thicke in her behalfe to Queene ELIZABETH but specially from the King of Scots and the King of FRANCE who sent their severall Ambassadors using all the reasons that naturall affection in the one and likenesse of condition in the other could urge for sparing of her life but when the necessity of the State seemed to obstruct all wayes of clemency the French Ambassador L' Aubespine falls from reasons to action and thinketh no way so effectuall for saving the Queen of Scots life as to take away Queen ELIZABETHS life and thereupon First he dealeth covertly with William Stafford a young Gentleman and prone to embrace hopes whose Mother was of the Bed-chamber to Queen ELIZABETH and his brother at that time Ambassador Lieger in France and afterward more openly by Trappe his Secretary to murther the Queen Stafford though not daring to act such a villany himselfe yet commended one Moody to him a resolute fellow and one that for money would be sure to do it Upon this Stafford brings Trappe to Moody being then in the common Gaole who upon Trappes offers undertakes it But then the consultation was by what way it should be done Moody propounded poison or else to lay a bagge of Gunpowder under the Queens Bed and suddenly fire it But Trappe liked of neither of these wayes but would rather have it done as was done to the Prince of Orange But while they are thus consulting about the way of doing it Stafford discovers all to the Lords of the Councell Whereupon Trappe who was now bound for France was apprehended and being examined confessed the whole matter Upon this the Ambassador himself was sent for to Cecills house the twelveth of Ianuary where met him by the Queens appointment Cecill Lord Treasurer the Earl of Leicester Sir Christopher Hatton Vice-Chamberlain and Davyson one of her Secretaries who declare to the Ambassador every particular which Stafford Moody and Trappe his Secretary had confessed Assoone as Stafford was brought forth and began to speake the AMBASSADOR interrupted him and revyling him made asseveration that Stâ—fford first propounded it when Stafford falling on his knees made fearful imprecations that the AMBASSADOR first propounded it himself But whosoever propounded it sayth BVRLEIGH It appeares that you were made acquainted with the matter To which hee presently Replyed That if hee had knowne of any such thing yet being he was an AMBASSADOVR he oâ—ght not to give notice of it but to his own King After much reasoning in this manner The Lord Burleigh admonished him to beware how he offended hereafter in this kinde and let him know That he is not quitted from the offence though for this time the Queen be pleased to forbear him But upon this Treason the Queen of Scots Adversaries put many terrors into Queen Elizabeths minde giving out That the Spanish Navy was come to Milford Haven That the Scots were broken into England That the Duke of Guyse with a great Army was landed in Sussex That the Queen of Scots was escaped out of Prison and had gotten a Company up in Arms and many other such feigned suggestions Through which at length they drew the Queen to this That she sealed Letters for executing the Sentence against the Queen of Scots and one of her greatest perswaders to it as the Scots reported was one whom the King of Scots had sent to disswade her from it namely Patricke Grey who sounded often in her ears Mortua non mordet when she is dead she cannot bite The Queen notwithstanding began to weigh with her self whether it were better to rid her out of the way or else to spare her and many great reasons offered themselves on both sides but where only speculative reasons presented themselves for sparing her many practicall reasons and those pressed both by Courtiers and Preachers were presented to her so as long holden in suspence she would oftentimes sit speechlesse and her countenance cast down At last her fear prevayling she delivered to Secretary Davyson Letters under her hand and Seal to get the Commission made under the Great Seal of England
be sowed on while the wound was green he most villanously eat it up and swallowed it down before his face After this all on a â—udden he took upon him a shew of wonderfull holinesse did nothing but hear Sermons and getting Scriptures by heart â—â—d counterfeting Revelations from God and an extraordinary calling and â—rew to be so magnified by certain zealous Ministers and specially of one â—â—â—ard Coppinger a Gentleman of a good house and one Arthington a great admirer of the Geneva Discipline that they accounted him as sent â—rom Heaven and a greater Prophet then Moses or Iohn Baptist and finally that he was Christ himself come with his fanne in his hand to judge the world And this they proclaimed in Cheapside giving out that Hacket participated of Christs glorified body by his especiall Spirit and was now come to propagate the Gospel over Europe and to settle a true Discipline in the Church of England and that they themselves were two Prophets the one of Mercie and the other of Judgement with many other such incredible blasphemies whereupon Hacket was apprehended and arraigned and at last hanged drawn and quartered continuing all the time and at his death his blasphemous Assertions Coppinger a while after starved himself to death in prison Arthington repented and made his Recantation in a publike writing Besides these other also at this time opposed the established Government of the Church of England crying down the calling of Bishops with whom sided some Common-Lawyers also affirming that the Queen could not depute nor these men exercise any such Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and that the Oath Ex Officio was unchristian But the Queen conceiving that through the sides of the Prelates she her self was shot at suppressed them what she could and maintained the Government formerly established About this time the Lord Thomas Howard with six of the Queens ships having waited at the Azores six whole Moneths for the coming of the Spanish Fleet from America was at last set upon by Alphonso Bassano with three and fifty ships sent out for the Convoy of the American Fleet where Richard Granvile Vice-Admirall being in the Revenge and separated from his company was so hemmed in by the Spanish ships and so battered with great shot that most of his men being slain his Main-mast cut off himself sore wounded in the head he commanded to sink the ship that it might not come into the Spaniards hands but this being countermanded by most voices it was agreed to yeeld it to the Spaniards upon condition that the men should be set at liberty Granvile himself was carryed into the Spanish Admirall where within two dayes he dyed not without praise of his very enemies Thus the great ship called the Revenge was yeelded but had so many leaks in the Keâ—l that soon after it was cast away in a storm and the losse of this one ship the English soon made good upon the Spaniards by taking many of theirs About this time also Cavendish who in the yeer 1578. had sailed round about the world now with five ships bent his course toward the Magellan Straits but by reason of foul weather was not able to passe them being driven to the coast of Brasile was there cast away And now enmity increasing daily between Spain and England two Proclamations were set forth one prohibiting upon pain of high-Treason to carry Victuals or Munition into any of the King of Spains dominions Another forbidding all persons to entertain any in their houses till inquiry made what they were lest they might entertain Popish Priests who at this time came swarming into England by reason the King of Spain had lately founded a Seminary at Valledolid for the English At this time dyed Sir Christopher Hatton Lord Chancelour whom of a mean Gentlemans house the Queens favour had raised to this height of Dignity a goodly personage of body of Noble but no aspiring spirits the onely of all the Queens speciall Favourites that dyed a Batchelour and therefore left William Newport his sisters son his heir who erected for him in Pauls Church a sumptuous Monument After his death the keeping of the great Seal was for certain Moneths committed to the Lord Burleigh Treasurer Hunsdon Cobham and Buckhurst Afterward Puckering the Queens Sergeant at Law was elected not Chancelour but Keeper of the great Seal At this time also Brian O-Rork the Irish Potentate was arraigned at Westminster his Indictments were For raising Rebellion against the Queen for dragging her Picture at a horse tail for giving the Spaniards entertainment which things being told him by an Interpreter for he understood no English hee said Hee would not be tryed unlesse the Queen her self in person sate to judge him Yet being told that it was the Law hee onely said If it must be so let it be so and so condemned was executed at Tyburn as a Traitour whereof hee seemed to make as little reckoning as if it had but been in jest And now this yeer the Queen made the Colledge of Dublin in Ireland an University which was formerly the Monastery of All-Saints endowing it with power to confer Scholasticall Dignities At this time Sir Iohn Pâ—rot who had been Deputy of Ireland and done good service there was yet by the malice of Adversaries of whom Hatton was one called in question before the Baron Hunsdon the Lord Buckhurst Sir Robert Cecill lately made a Councellour Sir Iohn Fortescue Sir Iohn Wolley and some of the Judges His Accusations were first that he had spoken opprobrious words against the Queen saying Shee was illegitimate and cowardly secondly that hee had fostered notorious Traitours and Popish Priests thirdly that hee held correspondence with the Prince of Parma and the Queens enemies To the first of which he confessed that in his passion he had spoken of the Queen unadvisedly for which hee was infinitely grieved the rest hee denyed And all men knew he was never Popishly affected His Accusers were one Philip Williams sometime his Secretary Denys O-Roghan an Irish marryed Priest whose life hee had saved and one Walton a fellow of no worth or Reputation Yet the crimes being urged against him by Popham and other Lawyers till eleven a clock at night hee was at last condemned of high Treason but Sentence waâ— not pronounced till twenty dayes after and yet was not put to death but dyed a naturall death in the Tower hee vvas a man of a goodly personage stout and chollerick and one whom many thought the Queen had the more reason to respect for her father King Henry the Eighths sake The Earl of Essâ—x after a tedious Winters siege in Normandy challenged Monsieur Villerse Governour of Roan to a single combate who refusing to meet him hee then returned into England being called home by the Queen whose favour by his long absence might else have suffered prejudice And now the King of France hearing that the Prince of Parma was coming iâ—to France once again was fain to flye to
that point These men found in the Book of the Ceremonies of the Court of Rome which according to the Canons giveth Rule to the rest as the Lady and Mistresse that amongst Kings the first place is due to the King of France the second to the King of England and the 3. to the King of Castile That the English quietly held this priviledge in the Generall Counsells of Basill Constance and others besides the Kingdome of Castile which is the Spaniards first Title is but an upstart in regard of England which had Earles but no Kings till the yeere one 1017. In like manner that Pope Iulius the third gave sentence for Henry the seaventh of England against Ferdinand who was then King of Castile At the day appointed the Delegates met at Bulloign Sir Henry Nevyll Legier Embassadour Sir Iohn Herbert Robert Beale and Thomas Edmunds for the English and other fot the King of Spaine and the Archduke The English had Instructions first concerning Precedency in no case to give way to the King of SPAINE yet if they contended to put the matter to the devision of Lots rather then the Treaty should be dissolved and for the rest to propose and mention the renewing of the ancient Burgundian League freedome of commerce c. At the meeting when the had severally shewed their coÌ„missions the English challenge the Precedency the Spaniards do the like and in soe peremptory a manner that without it they would dissolve the Treaty hereupon the English made a proposition to let passe the question of Precedency and to transact the businesse by wrighting and Messengers between them Or that the Treaty might be intermitted onely for threescore dayes not quite brooken off but all was to no purpose And at three monthes end they parted The States the meane while were so farr from regarding a Peace that at this time they thought upon reducing the Sea Coast of Flanders into their commandâ— and thereupon they landed an Army there of Fourteen thousand Foote and three thousand horse under the conduct of Maurice of Nasaw and Fifteen hundered of the English under the command of Sir Francis Vere and his Brother Horatio At which true happened the famous Bataile of Newport against the Arch-duke wherein nine thousand of the Spaniards were slaine and the Victory by the valour of the English fell to the Dutch for so forward were the English in this Battaile that of their fifteen hundred eight hundred were slaine and sore wounded eight Captaines killed and of the rest every man hurt All this year and the year past sundry quarells and complaints arose betweene the English and the French touching reprisalls of goods taken from each other by Pirates of either Nation Also touching Customes and Impositions contrary to the Treaty of Bloys and deceit in English Clothes to the great infamy of our Nation In Denmarke likewise arose controversies touching Commerce and the Fishing of the English upon the coast of Island and Norway The Queen also either time for the increase of Navigation and Commerce Founded the Company of East-India Merchants allowing them large Priviledges but whether thiâ— hath proved beneficiall to the Common-wealth there having been by this meanes such a masse of mony and great store of other commodities câ—rried out of the Kingdom and so many Marriners lost every year wise men make a question About this time also Pope Clement the eight perceiving the Queen to be in her declining age sent two Breeves into England the one to the Popish Câ—ergy the other to the Layity to suffer no person whatsoever to take the Kingdome upon him after the Queenes death but one that should promise by Oath to promote with all his might the Roman Catholick Religion how neer soever otherwise he were allyed to the Bloud Royall of the Kings of England This year by reason of intemporate weather happened a great scarcity of Corne in England and thereby many grievous complaints was occasioned The common people cast out reprochfull slaunders against the Lord Treasurer Buckhurst as the granter of Lycences for transportation of Corne but he appealing to the Queene shee forthwith defended his Innocency and made it knowne by open Proclamation imputed the fault upon the Broggers of Corne and Forestallers of Markets and gave order that the slanderers should be reprehended and punished The Earle of Essex who had now beene Prisoner six moneths in the House of the Lord Privie Sealeâ— he then began to repent in good earnest resolving to put away his perverse Councellors Cylly Merick and Henry Cuffe and then he shewed so much patience and great submission that the Queene then sent him to his owne house and to bee there confined alwayes protesting that shee would doe nothing that should bee for his ruineâ— but onely that which should bee for his amendment Neverthelesse when as the common people extolled his Innocency she could not for the removall of suspition of injustice free her self and her counsellors but bring him to a tryall not in the Star-Chamber lest the Censure should fall too heavy on him but in the house of the Lord Privie Seal where the cause should have a plain hearing before the Lords of the Councell four Earls two Barons and four Judges of the Realm The objections were That contrary to his Commission he had made the Earl of Southampton Generall of the Horse had drawn his Forces into Munster neglecting the Arch-Rebell Tir-Oen entertained a Parlee with him against the Dignity of the Queens Majesty and the person of a Vice-Roy which he represented and that the sayd Parlee was suspitious in regard it was private Some aggravations the Lawyers added from abrupt sentences in his Letter to the Lord Privie Seal written two years since as these No storme is more fierce than the indignation of an Impotent Prince What Cannot Princes erre May they not injure their Subjects and such like He falling upon his knee at the end of the Boord professed he would not contest with the Queen nor excuse the faults of his young years either in whole or in part Protesting that he alwayes meant well howsoever it fell out otherwise and that now he would bid the World farewell withall shedding many tears so as the standers by wept also Yet could he not contain himself but began to plead excuses till the Lord Privy Seal interrupted him advising him to proceed as he had begun to flie to the Queens Mercy who would not have him questioned for disloyalty but only for a contempt and that he did not well to pretend obedience in words which in deeds he had not performed At length in the name of the rest he pronounceth this Sentence against him That he should be deposed from the office of a Privy Councellor suspended from the functions of the Earl Marshall and Master of the Ordnance and be Imprisoned during the Queens pleasure She had given expresse charge not to suspend him from the office of Master of the Horse minding to
of the Queens Councell And this yeer were taken at Masse in their severall houses the Lord Morley's Lady and her children the Lady Guildford and the Lady Browne who being thereof indited and convicted suffered the penalty of the Law in that case provided Untill the twentieth yeer of Queen Elizabeths Raign the Papists in England were mercifully connived at while they solemnized their own Rites within their private houses though that also were against the Laws but when as that Thunder-bolt of excommunicating the Queen came abroad then was the Law enacted against those who brought into the Kindome any Agnâ—s Dei or hallowed Beads or reconciled any of the Queens subjects to the See of Rome yet for six whole yeers together after this Law was made it was not executed upon any Papist till Cuthbert Mayne a Priest and an obstinate maintainer of the Popes Authority against the Queen was executed at Launston in Cornwall and the Gentlemans goods that harboured him confiscate and himself adjudged to perpetuall Imprisonment In her three and twentieth yeer divers Priests and Jesuites came into England amongst whom Robert Pâ—â—sons and Edmund Campian English-men and Jesuites being now bound for England to promote the Catholike Cause at which time a Proclamation was set forth That whosoever had any children beyond the Sea should by a certain day call them home and that no person should receive or harbour any Seminary Priest or Jesuite At this time also there arose up in Holland a certain Sect naming themselves The Family of Lâ—ve who perswaded their followers That those only who were adopted into that Family were elected and no other could be saved but were all reprobates and damned and that it was lawfull for them to deny upon oath whatsoever they pleased before any Magistrate or whomsoever that were not of their Family Many of their books were printed under these titles The Gospel of the Kingdom The Lords Sentences The Prophesie of the spirit of love The publication of Peace upon earth by the Author H. N. but who this Author was they would by no means reveal at last he was found to be Henry Nicholls of Leyden who blasphemously preached That he was partaker of the Divinity of God and God of his humane Nature all which books were by Proclamation commanded to be burnt In a Parliament holden the eight and twentieth yeer of her Raign some out of a desire of a Reformation began to pick quarrells at the Clergy desiring to passe Laws for the restraint of Bishops in their granting of Faculties conferring of holy Orders Ecclesâ—asticall Censure and the Oath Ex officio They complayned likewise of the non-residency of Ministers and the like But the Queen who alwayes hated Innovation which for the most part changeth for the worse would give no ear unto them conceiving besides That these proceedings in Parâ—iament in Ecclesiasticall Affairs derogated from her Prerogative In her six and twentieth yeer the Queen gave a speciall charge to Whitgift Arch-bishop of Canterbury to settle an Uniformity in the Ecclesiasticall Discipline according to the Laws which through the connivence of Bishops and perversenesse of the Puritans lay now almost gasping Whâ—reupon he provided three Articles to which every Minister should subscribe The first That the Queen had Supreme Authority over all persons born within her Dominions of what condition soever they were and that no other Prince or Prelate or Potentate hath or ought to have any Iurisdiction Civill or Ecclesiasticall within her Realms and Dominions The second That the Book of Common-Prayer and of the Ordination of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth nothing contrary to the Word of God but may lawfully be used and that they will use that and none other The third That the Articles agreed on in the Synod holden at London in the yeer 1562 and published by the Queens Authority they did allow of and believe them to be consonant to the Word of God It is incredible what reproaches the Arch-bishop incurred by setting forth these Articles both from factious Ministers and from some also of the Nobility yet by his patience and constancy he brought at last Peace to the Church making this his Motto Vincit qui patitur Neither did these at home onely disturb the Peace of the Church but others also from abroad as Robert Brown a young Student of Divinity in Cambridge from whom came the Sectaries called Brownists and Richard Harrison a petty School-Master These presuming to judge matters of Religion by their own private spirit by books set forth in Zealand and dispersed at this time over England condemned the Church of England for no Church and ensnared many in the nets of their new Schism Neither could they be restrayned though their books were prohibited by the Queens Authority and soundly confuted by sundry learned men and one or two of the Ring-leaders executed at S. Edmunds Berry In her one and thirtieth yeer these Puritans flames brake forth again Books are written by the names of Martin Mar-Prelate and A Demonstration of the Discipline by Penry aâ—d â—â—dall against the Government of Bishops and nothing would please them but the Discipline of Geneva Many Abettors they had Knightly and Wigstone Knights besides Cartwright the father of them Snape King Pradlow Payn and others who though called in question fined and imprisoned could never be reclaimed In her six and thirtieth yeer the Queen caused the severity of the Laws to be executed upon Henry Barrow and his Sectaries for disturbing the Church and the publike Peace by scattering of their monstrous Opinions condemning the Church of England as no Christian Church and derogating from thâ— Queens Authority in Causes Ecclesiasticall WORKS of Piety in her time THis Queen converted Westminster Abbey into a Collegiate Church and there ordained a Dean twelve Prebendaries a Master Usher and forty Schollars Vicars Singing-men and twelve Alms-men In her third yeer the Merchant-Taylors founded a notable Grammar-School in the Parish of S. Lawrence Pountney in London Also this yeer William Harper Maior of of London founded a Free-School in the Town of Bedford where he was born In her seventh yeer on the seventh of Iune Sir Thomas Gresham laid the first stone of the Royall Exchange in Cornhill which in November the yeer after at his own charges was finished being the yeer 1567. In her tenth yeer the Citizens of London builded a new Conduit at Walbrook corner neer to Dowgate the water whereof is conveyed out of the Thames Also this yeer Sir Thomas Roe Maior of London caused to be enclosed within a wall of Brick one Acre of ground neer unto Bâ—dlam without Bishops-Gatâ— to be a place of Buryall for the dead of such Parishes in London as lacked convenient ground within their Parishes He also builded a convenient room in Pauls Church-Yard on the South side of the Crosse to receive a certain number of Hearers at the Sermon time Sir William Peter having himself been born at Exceter in Devon-Shire he
so as within a short time his fame was spread thorough the land by the name of the sleeping Preacher At length the King commanded him to be brought to the Court where his Majesty sate up the most part of a night to attend the event when at last Haidock making a shew to bee a sleepe began to Pray then taking a Text made his Division applying it to his purpose for in his Preaching his use was to Inveight against the Pope against the Crosse in Baptism and against the last Canons of the Church of England and having ended his Sermon seemed to continue sleeping His Majesty having well observed the manner of his cariage after a few days called the said Haidock before him and in Conference with him as he had indeed an admirable sagacity in discovering of Fictions made him confesse that all he did was but imposture and thereupon to fall upon his knees and aske forgivenesse which the King granted upon condition that in all places he should openly acknowledge his offence because many were brought into beliefe that his nightly preaching was either by inspiration or by vision We may not here think it unworthy the relating seeing King Iames thought it not unworthy the seeing thereby to observe the nature of the Lyon and made a solemne matter of it for on Munday the 3 of Iune taking with him the Duke of Lenox and diverse Earles and Lords he went to the Lyons Tower and caused two Lyons a male and a female to bee put forth and then a live Cock to bee cast before themâ— which they as being their naturall ennemy presently killed and sucked his bloud Then a live Lambe to bee put downe to them which the generous Lyons as having respect to its Innocency never offered to touch though the Lamb was so bold to go close unto them Then the King caused those Lyons to be taken away and another Lyon to be put forth and two Mastifs to be put into him who presently flew upon the Lyon and turned him upon his back and though the Lyon were superior to them in strength yet it seemes they were his matches in courage and so much superior as that they were the first assailants with whom otherwise perhaps the Lyon would not have offered to meddle On Friday the 4 of Ianuary in the Kings second yeare Charles Duke of Albany the Kings second son being then but 4 yeares old was created Duke of Yorke â—hich because it was done with extraordinary solemnity is not unworthy to haâ—e the manner of it here related First were appointed Knights of the Bathe the Duke of Albany himselfe then the Lord Willowby the Lord Chandois the Lord Câ—mpton the Lord Norris William Cecill sonne and heire to the Viscount Cranbourne Allan Percy brother to the E. of Northumberland Thomas Somerset second son to the Earle of Worcester Francis Manners brother to the Earle of Rutlâ—â—d Thomas Howard second son to the Earle of Suffolk and Iohn Harington son and heire to the Lord Harington the Earles of Oxford and Essex were Esquires to the Duke of Albany all the Knights tooke their lodging that night in the first Gate-house going to Kings street where they supped and had Bathes provided for them The next morning being Saturday they went out into the Parke in their Hermits weeds the Minstrels playing and the Heraulds going before them into the Court and so into the Chappel where every Knight with his Squires went to the Altar and there offered the Deane of the Chappell in a rich Cope holding the Bason After this they went up into their lodgings and â—here new attired themselves in robes of Crimsin Taffaty with hats and white feathers and so went back to the great Chamber where by the King they were girded with the sword and had gilt spurs put upon them This done they were solemnly served at dinner and after went again to the Chappell and there offered their swords The next day being Sunday and Twelfe day in robes of purple Sattinâ— with Doctors hoods on their shoulders and hats with white feathers they issued out of the Revestry with the Duke of Albany being then to be made Duke of York into the Hall where the King sate under the cloath of Estate and then the Heraulds going before the Knights of the Bath followed and then the Earle of Suffolk Lord Chamberlain came alone then followed Henry Howard Earle of North-Hampton and Charles Blunt Earle of Devonshire carrying the robes of Estate for the Duke of York after whom Wriothsley Earle of South-Hampton carried the Coronet George Clifford Earle of Cumberland the Golden Rod the Earle of Worcester the Cappe of Estate and the Earle of Nottingham bore the Duke of Albany in his Armes supported by the Earles of Dorset and Northumberland who all comming in this order before the King the Duke of Albany was after the Patent read Created Duke of York with the Robes and Coronet put on him and the Golden Rod delivered into his hand all which performed they went to dinner and the solemnity ended About this time on the fifteenth of Iune Thomas Dowglas a Scotch-man was committed to the Tower and had Irons put upon him being sent hither but three dayes before from the Count Palatine of the Rhyne His offence was that he had counterfetted the Kings Privy Seale to divers Princes of Germany One to the Archbishop of Cullen another to the Archbishop of Tryer another to the Duke of Cleve another to the Archbishop of Moguntia and a fifth to the Count Palatine of the Rhyneâ— whereof being examined and convicted he was drawn on a hurdle into Smithfield and there hanged and quartered And now was a second Parliament appointed to be held at Westminster on the nineteenth of March following when foure dayes before the day of sitting The King the Queen and Prince rode solemnly in great state thorough the City of London where in diverse places were erected Pageants Presents given Orations made and all demonstrations of love and observance and then the Parliament beginning the King made a long and loving Speech to the House wherein he signified the â—auses of his calling it but in the time when it should have proceeded there was suddenly discovered a Plot of Treason â—o damnable and foule that posteriâ—y will hardly thinke it true when they shall heare it the â—â—ot was to blow up with Gun-powder both Houses of Parliament at a time whâ—n the King Prince and all the Nobility should be sitting in the upper House and all the Knights and Burgesses in the Lower The principall contriver of this Plot was Robert Catesbie a Gentleman of great account in Northampton-shire descended from that Catesby who had been a speciall Counseller of King Richard the third to whose family the Divine Providence had now ordained to give a disastrous period This Catesby not able to performe the worke himselfe alone drawes in many to assist him as namely Thomas Percie Thomas Winter Iohn Grant Ambrose Rookwood Iohn
persons under the Conduct of Captaine Nelsâ—n After which was sent another supply of threescore and ten persons and in the yeare 1609. a third supply came of five hundred persons under a Patent granted to Sir Thomas West Lord de la Ware but conducted thither by Sir Thomas Gates Gates Sir George Sommers and others In the yeare 1611. was a fourth supply of three hundred men under the conduct of Sir Thomas Gates In the yeare 2612. two other supplies were sent of forty men in each and now was the Lotterie spoken of before granted by the King for further supplies of this Plantation After this Master Samuel Argall being appoynted Governour in in the yeare 16â—8 the Lord De la Ware came thither with a supply of two hundred people but in his stay there dyed After this in the yeare 1620. were sent thither eleven Ships with twelve hundred and sixteene persons and now they founded themselves into Corporations In the yeare 1621. Sir Francis Wiat was sent thither Governour with thirteene hundred men women and children and now they founded Schooles and Courts of Iustice and the Plantation was extended a hundred and forty miles up on the River of both sides But now when the English were secure and thought of nothing but peace the Savages came suddenly upon them and slew them three hundrâ—d and seven and forty men women and children For râ—pairing of which losse the City of London sent presently over a supply of a hundred men This massacre happened by reason they had built their Plantations remote from one another in above thirty severall places which made them now upon consultation to reduce them all to five or six places whereby they may better assist each other since which time they have alwayes lived in good security And thuâ— much for Virginia Next was the Plantation of the Island called Barmudas so called of a Spanish ship called Bermudas which was there cast away carrying Hogs to the West Indies that swam a shoare and there increased The first Englishman that entred this Isle was one Henry May in the yeare 1591 but in the yeare 1610 Sir George Sâ—mers was sent thither who dying there in memory of his Name the Isles have ever since been called Somers Isles In the yeare 1612. One Mr. Moore landed there with 60 persons and then builded the chiefe Town there called S. Georges together with 8 to 9 Forts The same yeare a supply of 30 more persons was sent thither and the yeare after 60 more under one Mr. Bartlet with a shew to survey the land but with a purpose indeed to get from thence a great lump of Amber-greece and no lesse than 80 poâ—â—d weight that had been found taken up in the Island some yeares before and was there still reteined A while after this came a Ship called the Blessing with a hundred passengers and two dayes after came the Star with a 180 more and within 14 dayes after that again came thither the Margaret and two Frigates with 130 passengers So as now they began to divide the Counâ—â—y into Tribes and the Tribes into shares In the yeare 1616 Captain Daâ—â—el Tuckard was sent from Virginia to be Governour there and now it began indeed to be a Plantation for now they began to build them houses and now was sent from thence into England a Ship fraighted with 30000 weight of Tobacco valued there but at 2 s. 6 d. the pound though sold here oftentimes for Vâ—rinos at great rates In the yeare 1619â— Captain Nathaniel Butler was sent Governour with new supplies in whose time they build them a Church held Assizes for Criminall Causes twice a yeare and began to have Parliaments as in England and now in the Ship called the Magazin came diverse Gentlemen of good fashion with their wives and families so as now their number was no fewer then fifteen hundred people Dispersed twenty miles in length In the yeare 1622 came Governouâ— M. Iohn Bernard bringing with him a supply of a 140 persons but he and his wife dying presently upon their comming M. Iohn Harrison in the yeare 1623 was chosen Governour These Isles of Bermudas are in 32 degrees of Northern latitude So as they are distant from Virginia at least 500 leagues and from Egland above three thousand three hundred This Country is of a most healthfull Ayre abounding with all sorts of Fowles Birds and Fish and where great pieces of Amber-grâ—ce are oftentimes found which is valued there at no lesse than three pounds an ounce And thus much concerning the state of Bermudas till the yeare 1624. Next comes the Plantation of New England concerning which we must first know that King Iames in the yeare 1606 granted two Letters Patents for Plantations in Virginia one to the City of London another to the City of Bristow Exceter and Plimmouth with power to plant Colonies any where between the Degrees of 38 and 44 provided there should be at least a 100 miles distance between the two Colonies So as the first Colony was from the City of London and is that which is called Virginia The Second Colony was from Bristow and the other Towns and is that which is now called New England and is scituate between the Degrees of 41 and 45 the very meane betwixt the North Pole and the Line And now to speak a little of the Country there are on the Sea Coast 25 excellent good Harbours in some whereof there is Anchorage for 500 sayle of Ships of any burthen The Earth as fruitful and the Ayre as healthfull as any part of the World abounding with all sorts of Grain Fowles and Fish Many of such kinds as aâ—e to us unknown yet excellent meat Many Voyages had been made for the perfect discovery of the Countrey Many Attempts for setling a Plantation there Many Miscariages and Disasters in making the attempts but all at last came to this that in the yeare 1624 which is the limit of ouâ— Narration there was a Plantation setled though but a small one but a few yeares after by the sending forth of new supplyes encreased to so many thousands that if God continue to prosper it as he hath begun the New England in a few ages may prove as populous as the Old and the King of England likely to have as many and greater Crowns in the Indies than he had in His Realmes of Great Brittaine and Ireland But seeing of these and all other English Plantations in the Indies whereof there are many large discourses written by divers Authors It should be more than supperfluous to speake more of them in this place It is sufficient to have shewed that King Iames had the honour to have them setled in His time and under the Influence of His peaceable Government Of the Earles and Barons made by King JAMES IN former Kings Raignes the making of Earles and Barons was but rare and therefore they are fitly set down at the severall times of their making but in King
of this Kings Raigne the first Chanons entred into the Church of our Lady in Southwarke called Saint Mary Overey Founded by William Pountlarge knight and William Dancyes Normans Robert the first Earle of Glocester the Kings base Sonne builded the Castles of Bristow and Cardyffe with the Priory of Saint Iames in Bristow And his Sonne Earle William began the Abbey of Kensham Geoffrey Clinton Treasurer and Chamberlaine to the King Founded the Priory at Kenelworth of Regular Chanons Henry Earle of Warwicke and Margaret his Wife Founded the Colledge of Saint Marâ— in the Towne of Warwicke and Roger de Belemond his Sonne and Ellyne his wife translated the same Colledge into the Castle of Warwicke in the yeare 1123. Roger Bishop of Salisbury built the Devises in Wiltshire the Castles also of Mamesbury and Shirborne He repaired the Castle of Salisbury and environed it with a wall he also built the stately Church of Salisbury destined to a longer life then any of his other workes Ralph Bishop of Durham began to build the Castle of Norham upon the banke of the River of Tweed In the 32. yeare of this Kings Raigne the Priory of Norton in Cheshire was founded by one William the sonne of Nychel and the Abbey of Cumbermere in the same Shire The Colledge of Secular Chanons also in the Castle of Leycester and the Abbey without the North gate of the same Towne called Saint Mary de Prato Also in this Kings Raigne was Founded the Monastery of Plimpton in Devonshire with the Cathedrall Church of Exetâ—r the Priory of Merton the Hospitall of Kepar the Priory of Oseney neare Oxford by Robert de Oylye Knight and the Hospitall of Saint Crosse neare Winchester by Henry Blois Bishop there also Robert Earle of Ferrers Founded the Abbey of Merivall and indeed so many in his time were built that one would thinke the Inhabitants of England to be all Carpenters and Masons that were able to finish so many great buildings in so short a time as this Kings Raigne â— Casualties happening in his time IN this Kings dayes all the foure Elements were guilty of doing much mischiefe but chiefely the water For King Henry returning into England after his conquest of Normandy left his sonne William with his sister Mary Countesse of Perche Richard his sonne by a Concubine the Earle of Chester with his wife Lucie the Kings Neece by his sister Adela and other Lords and Ladies and passengers to the number of 180. to follow after him who taking Shipping and â—he best Ship the King had whether by carelesnesse or drunkennesse of the Saylours were all drowned The Prince indeed was got into the Ship-boate and out of danger but hearing the lamentable cries of his sister compassion wrought so in him that he turned about his boate to take her in which over-charged with the multitude over-turned and they all perished none escaped but onely one Saylour who had been a Butcher who by swimming all night upon the Mast came safe to Land An accident not more grievous then exemplary for amongst other conclusions from hence we may gather that no state is so uncertaine as prosperity no fall so sudden as into adversity and that the rule He that stands let him take heed he fall not cannot alwayes be observed because a man happens sometimes to fall before it is possible for him to take heed Another great mischiefe was in this Kings dayes wrought by the water for by the breaking in of the Sea a great part of Flanders was drowned whereupon a great number of Flemmings being Suiters to King Henry for some place to inhabit he assigned them a part in Walâ—â— neare the Sea called Pembrokeshire where they have inhabited to this day the King by this one action working two good effects both shewing compassion to distressed strangers and putting a bridle upon unquiet Natives But the water had another way to doe mischiefe as much by defect as this was by excesse for upon the tenth of October the River of Medway many miles together did so faile of water that in the midst of the Channell the smallest vessels could not passe and the same day also in the Thames betweene the Tower of London and the Bridge men waded over on foote for the space of two dayes also at another time the River of Trent at Notingham was dryed up a whole day Now for the Earth though naturally it be without motion yet it moves sometimes when it is to do mischiefe specially being assisted by the Aire as in this Kings dayes it moved with so great a violence that many buildings were shaken downe and Malmesbery saith that the house wherein he sate was lifted up with a double remove and at the third time setled againe in the proper place Also in divers places it yeelded forth a hideous noyse and cast forth flames at certaine rifts many dayes together which neither by water nor by any other meanes could be suppressed But yet the active Element of Fire was busiest of all for first Chichester with the principall Monastery was burnt downe to the ground From West-cheape in London to Aldgate a long tract of buildings was consumed with fire Worcester also and Rochester even in the Kings presence then Winchester Bathe Glocester Lincolne Peterborough and other places did also partake of this calamity that there could be nâ— charging the fire with any partiality and to speake of one forraine casualty because a strange one In Lombardy this yeare was an Earthquake that continued forty dayes and removed a Towne from the place where it stood a great way off Of his Wives and Children AT his first comming to the Crowne he married Matild or Maude sister to Edgar then King of Scotland and daughter to Malcolme by Margaret the sister of Edgar Etheling This Matild if she were not a veyled Nun she was at least brought up in a Nunnery and thereby growne so averse from marriage that when the motion was first made her to marry with King Henry she utterly refused it as resolved though perhaps not vowed to die a Virgin till at last importuned and even forced by the authority of her brother she rather yeelded then consented for she did it with so ill a will that it is said she prayed if ever she had issue by the marriage that it might not prosper and indeed it prospered but untowardly as will be seene in the sequell But though she made this imprecation before she knew what it was to be a Mother yet when she came to be a Mother she shewed her selfe no lesse loving and tender of her children then loyall and obsequious to her husband And to make amends for this seeming impiety towards her children there is a story related of her reall piety towards the poor for a brother of hers comming one morning to visit her in her chamber found her sitting amongst a company of Lazar people washing and dressing their ulcers and sores and then kissing them afterward when