rescue between whom and Alanzon was a hard contest Alanzon giving the King a slighty wound and the King at length striking him down to the ground whom the Soldiers in the heat of fight then slew contrary to the Kings command The French Reer-Guard seeing the disaster of their Van and Main Battel to save themselves ran away leaving the English no more work to do The number of prisoners taken by the English here was very great But King Henry perceiving fresh troops of the King of Sicils to appear fresh in the field and the same strong enough without any new rallied forces to encounter with his wearyed Souldiers to the end therefore that he might not have at once prisoners to guard and an enemy to fight contrary to his generous nature he commanded that every man should kill his prisoner which was immediately done certain principal men excepted Then by his Heralds he commanded those Troops either forthwith to come and fight with him else to depart the field either of which if they delayed he would revenge upon them without mercy Whereupon they quit the field When the fight was over and the field won King Henry fell down upon his knees and commanded his whole Army to do the same saying that verse in the Psalm Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name give the glory And demanding what was the name of the place when it was answered him Agincourt then to all posterities following saith he shall this battel be called the battel of Agincourt The spoil here taken in Armour Jewels and Apparel was very great Of the English were slain the Duke of York the Earl of Suffolk two Knights David Gam Esquire and twenty eight private Souldiers Of the French were slain four thousand Princes Nobles Knights and Esquires and ten thousand common Souldiers Prisoners of Account taken in the field were Charles Duke of Orleans John Duke of Bourbon the Earl of Richmond Louis de Bourbon Count de Vendosme the Earl of Eu Edward de Rouen with divers others Just before this battel of Agincourt when it was reported that the French forces were very numerous Captain Gam resolutely said That if there were so many there were enough to be killed enough to be taken prisoners and enough to run away The next day after this battel Great Henry marched towards Callis and in the next month following spread sails for England and on November 23 in Triumph-wise he entred London where he received the gratulations of his people The City presented him a thousand pound in Gold and two golden Basons After some time of refreshing the King called a Parliament to London which granted him a Subsidy and a Tenth for the carrying on of his Wars in France which he graciously accepted though it was too short for the defraying so vast a charge Therefore to make it up the King pawned his Crown to his Uncle Cardinal Beauford for a great Sum of Money and certain Jewels to the Lord Mayor of London for ten thousand Marks Then with an Army of 25527 Souldiers every fourth being an Horseman besides a thousand Carpenters and Labourers Upon July 28 1417 he took to the Seas and August the first arrived in Normandy to their great terror many of the Inhabitants for fear flying into Britain And as soon as on shore to encourage his followers he dubbed 48 Knights then laid siege against Conquest the strongest Castle in Normandy which he took August the sixteenth He took likewise the Castles of Aumbelliers and Lovers the first of which he gave to his brother Clarence the second to the Earl of Salisbury and third to the Earl Marshal Caen in Normandy the King took by force giving the pillage thereof amongst his Souldiers Now whilst King Henry was busied in France the Scots wrought what mischief they could against him at home entred England in an Hostile manner bringing with them one whom they pretended to be King Richard the second laid strait siege against Roxbrough and Berwick but upon the report of an Army of English coming against them they broke up their sieges and well was he that could first set foot in his own Country In January the strong Town and Castle of Fallors was delivered to the King after which he divided his Army into several parts under the Conducts of the Dukes of Clarence and Glocester and Earl of Warwick who took sundry garisons The King the while besieged Roan which after about a Twelve-months siege was delivered to him upon Terms i. e. That the Burgesses should pay unto him three hundred fifty six thousand Crowns of Gold Should swear faith and loyalty to him and his successors c. A. D. 1418. Immediately after the surrender of this sundry other places of Note yielded themselves wherein King Henry placed Garisons And now France trembling at the English successes and their own losses sought a peace from King Henry who yielded to a personal conference to be held at Melun vvhither Charles the French King his Queen Isabel the Princess Katharine Duke of Burgundy Count of St. Paul with a thousand Horse came first then King Henry his brothers of Clarence and Glocester attended likewise with a thousand Horse met them When much conference passed but nothing was concluded which did not well please the King of England wherefore ready to depart he thus spoke to Burgundy Cousin I may not well digest this refusal but be ye assured that either I will have your Kings daughter and all my demands or else I will banish both you and them out of France You may speak your pleasure answered the Duke but before you shall thrust us out of France you shall be weary of the enterprize The Treaty thus broke Burgundy reconciled himself with the Daulphin and Henry displeased herewith prosecuted the War more sharply set upon Ponthois the last of July and in few hours gained the Town wherein great spoils fell to the Souldiers shares The news of this made King Charles to remove his Court from Paris to Troys in Champagne whilst Henry went forward with his intended enterprizes he and his Generals winning many strong-holds And to make the more way for the English successes the Daulphin and his Mother the Queen fell at great variance when the Queen by the procurement of Burgundy the King being very infirm was made Regent of France whose female authority and the hatred to her own Son the Daulphin did not a little prejudice the Crown of France And to the greater advantage of the English the Daulphin killed the Duke of Burgundy whereupon the Queen and young Duke of Burgundy perswaded King Charles to disinherit the Daulphin his Son and to give the Lady Katharine in marriage unto the King of England which accordingly was done and a peace was concluded betwixt the two Kings of England and France The prime Articles of the peace were these That Charles and Isabel should retain the name of King and Queen and should hold all their
of York vvas created Regent of France but before he arrived there Paris vvas lost by the treachery of the Citizens Feb. 27. 1436. And Philip Duke of Burgundy novv in person gives proof of his disaffections to the English bringing his Forces before the Tovvn of Callis for the relief of vvhich place the Protector Humphrey Duke of Glocester passed vvith a great Army but Burgundy had vvithdravvn his Forces before the Duke arrived Hovvbeit the Duke took some revenge on him by vvasting part of his Dominions Which done he vvith honour returned to his Charge in England In France the Earl of Warwick vvas very active driving the Duke of Burgundy's Forces from Crotoy freeing Albeville from the danger of a Bastile for tvventy days spoiling the Country of Picardy about Amiens and Artois The Duke of Somreset Lords Talbot and VVilloughby were also busied in other places for the security of what the English had gained John Stratford A. B. Cant. But the common enemy the Turk increasing in strengths Ambassadors were sent from all parts to determine these bloody differences betwixt the Nations of France and England whereupon a Truce was taken by the two Kings for eighteen months A. D. 1444 was King Henry married with Margaret the daughter of Renate Duke of Anjou and Lorrain In which marriage say some begun the mournful Tragedies of our Country For after this day the fortune of the World began to decline the King so that he lost his friends in England and revenues in France for shortly all was ruled by the Queen and her Councel to the great disprofit of the King and his Realm and to the mauger and obloquie of the Queen her self who had many a wrong and false report made of her A. D. 1447 Good Duke Humphreys death was effected He was much hated by the Queen and her party as the only man who by his prudence as also by the Honour and Authority of his birth and place seemed to impeach that Soveraign Command which they pretended to settle in the King but meant indeed as the manner is under soft Princes to reign themselves in anothers name Many great Lords were drawn on at the time of a Parliament then holden at St. Edmondsbury to concur for his destruction not perceiving that thereby they pluckt up the flood-gate at which the Duke of York should enter This great Duke being come to attend in this Parliament was Arrested of High Treason by John Lord Beaumont High Constable of England the Dukes of Buckingham Sommerset and others and to guard him certain of the Kings household were appointed but it was not long before he was found dead whose body was shewed to the Lords and Commons as if he had died of a Palsey or Imposthume His servants Sir Roger Chamberlain Richard Middleton Thomas Herbert Arthur Tursey Esquires and Richard Nedham Gent. were condemned of High Treason and had this unexampled punishment They were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn there hang'd let down quick stript naked mark'd with a knife to be quartred and then a Charter of Pardon for their lives was shewed by the Marquess of Suffolk Thomas Wild the Dukes servant also being condemned and pardoned had for a preamble in his Letters Patents words importing That he had been one among many other Traytors against the King with Duke Humphrey who went about and practised to deliver Eleanor late wife to the Duke out of Prison for which purpose he had gathered a great power and number of men to come to the Parliament at Bury there to have contrived the Kings destruction Such was the end of this great Prince who by the people of England was thought to be doubly murdered by detraction and deadly practise He was not only a true Lover of learned men but himself was also learned and a Father of his Country And now the whole frame of government seemed to repose it self on the Queen and such Favourites as the King by her commendations liked The affairs of France were neglected And the Duke of York perceiving the King to be ruled and not to Rule began secretly to allure his friends of the Nobility and privily declared to them his Title to the Crown as likewise he did to certain Governours of Cities and Towns Which attempt was so politickly and closely carried that his provision was ready before his purpose was publick The very state of things invited this fatal conspiracy there being now a milder King than England was worthy of a Councel out of favour with the people manifold losses and dishonours abroad a turbulent and jealous condition of things at home Of all which the Duke of York made his best use cherishing the popular discontents and instead of seeking to redress any evils in the State he represented them to be worse than they were thereby to ripen that breach of Loyalty in the hearts of men which his ambition wrought upon In France matters went on very unhappily on the English side For the Duke of Sommerset during the Truce suffered a Town of Britain to be surprised denying restitution thereof cherished his Souldiers in their riot and disorders The French therefore making this their example surprized Town after Town till they had gained all Normandy and within few years extorted the Dutchy of Gascoign out of the English possession In the mean time the Duke of York raised his esteem in England by his appeasing of a tumult which had hapned in Ireland And at a Parliament holden at Westminster many Articles were exhibited by the Lower-House against the Duke of Suffolk wherein he was charged with evil demeanor Misprision and Treason and committed Prisoner to the Tower from whence he was discharged within a few weeks after About this time Adam Molins Bishop of Chichester and keeper of the Privy-Seal a wise and stout man stood in the Duke of Yorks way to the Crown therefore he procured him to be slain at Portsmouth by certain Ship-men And in a Parliament holden at Leicester the Duke of Suffolk a principal pillar of King Henries safety was set at again by the Yorkists They charge that for a crime on him namely the delivery of Anjou and Main which themselves had universally in a former Parliament assented unto and ratified This they prosecuted so effectually though unjustly against him that he was condemned to be banished for five years but in his way to banishment he was by some imployed on purpose taken at Dover-road where they struck off his head at the side of a Cock-boat nor was his death much lamented of the people because he was thought to have been a private actor in the death of the Noble Duke of Glocester Now the Yorkists having thus rid Suffolk out of the way think it no unfit time to begin to put their designs in practise so induce the Commons of Kent to make an Insurrection John Kemp. A. B. Cant. The Captain of the Rebels was a Villain named Jack Cade whom some by contraries called
John Amend-all Their demands were That the Duke of York now in Ireland might be called home and that he with some others whom Cade named might be principally used in Council That those guilty of good Duke Humphrey's death might receive due punishment That the Grievances of the people might be redressed These Kentish Rebels with whom others from Essex joined after they had committed some outrages in and about London as in beheading the Lord Say Treasurer of England Mr. Cromer High Sheriff plundering many of the Citizens c. upon the King's Proclamation and assurance of Pardon returned to their own homes But Cade afterward attempting to raise new troubles was slain by Mr. Edan a Kentish Gentleman The Duke of York finding the humours of the popular body fitted for his purpose came suddenly out of Ireland and confederated with divers Noble-men to take the Crown from Henry's head and to set it on his own Howbeit their pretence in taking arms was only for the reformation of the State professing that they meant all honour and obedience to the King Which King Henry and his Friends chiefly the Duke of Somerset could not believe Therefore an Army was prepared and also advanced against the Yorkists But before the Armies came to engage in fight by such that secretly favoured the Duke of York the King was perswaded to a reconciliation and that Somerset should be commanded prisoner to his own house Tho. Bourchier A. B. Cant. Which done and York having dissolved his Army he came to the King making great complaints against Somerset who hearing thereof presented himself to the King against his accuser answering York face to face and in plain terms accused him of highest Treason as having conspired to depose the King and to take the Soveraignty upon himself Whereupon York was for a time put under restraint till in St. Pauls Church in London before the chief of the Nobility he took a solemn oath to be a true faithful and obedient subject unto King Henry A. D. 1452 John Lord Talbot first Earl of Shrewsbury of that Family with an Army was sent to regain Gasgoin Burdeaux her self yeilded to this great Soldier Whence he went to relieve Chastilion but charging the Enemy upon much unequal terms was there slain in the field together with his Son the Viscount Lisle After which battel when the flames of intestine War began to flash out in England betwixt the two Families of York and Lancaster the Martial men of England were called home out of France to maintain the Factions here At which time a French Captain scoffingly asked an English man When they would return again into France To whom the English man feelingly and upon a true ground answered When your sins shall be greater and more grievous in the sight of God than ours are now A. D. 1453 the Queen was delivered of a Son who was named Edward A. D. 1454 the Duke of York in despight of his sacred Oath so publickly taken raised arms against the King marching with his forces towards London Against whose coming King Henry prepared an Army with which he advanced to St. Albans where a sharp battel was fought and the Royal party worsted On the Kings side were slain the Duke of Somerset Earls of Northumberland and Stafford Lord Clifford with sundry worthy Knights and Esquires The King himself was shot into the neck with an arrow taken prisoner and conveyed back to London where in July immediately following a Parliament was holden the precursor whereof was a Blazing-star which appeared in June extending its beams to the South The first popular Act of this Assembly was to restore the memory of Duke Humphrey to honour declaring him to have been a true subject to the King and Realm The next was to free the Yorkists from treason as to their taking up of arms In this Parliament the Duke of York created himself Protector of England the Earl of Salisbury his great Confident was made Lord Chancellor and the Earl of Warwick Salisbury's Son Captain of Callis They spared as yet to touch King Henry's life because the people did wonderfully esteem and reverence him for his holiness But that they the Yorkists might with the more facility uncrown and at last kill him they by degrees workt out his ancient Councellors and placed of their own creatures in their rooms And now the French encouraged by our inward divisions landed at Sandwich Fifteen thousand men where they did some spoil then departed Another part of them burned Foway and some other towns in Devonshire A. D. 1458 the Lords met at London to compose all quarrels bringing with them great troops of armed attendants which through the great vigilancy and providence of the then Mayor of London Godfrey Bullein Queen Ann Bulleins Ancestor dutifully kept the King's peace This Meeting of the Lords ended in a Composure though it continued but a very short time before both sides made preparations for War and at Blore-Heath they came to battel which was long and bloody but at length the worst of the day fell to the Kings side Howbeit not long after the King put the Yorkists to flight at Ludlow which town was spoiled to the bare Walls In a Parliament holden at Coventry the Duke of York Earls of March Salisbury Warwick Rutland and others were attainted of High treason and had their whole Estates confiscated But on July 9 1460 at Northampton was the fatal battel where Henry's Forces vvere utterly broken and vanquished through the treachery of the Lord Grey of Ruthen vvho quit his place and fled to the Yorkists The Duke of Buckingham Earl of Shrewsbury Viscount Beaumont Lord Egrimond Valiant Sir VVilliam Lucy vvith many others of the Kings Friends vvere slain and the King himself fell a prey into his enemies hands vvho carried him to London vvhere a Parliament begun Octob. 8. At which Parliament Richard 〈…〉 his claim to the Crown publ◠〈…〉 â—gree to them on this sort nam◠〈…〉 third son of King â—dward the third had Issue Philip his daughter who was married to Edmond Mortimer Earl of March who had Issue Roger Earl of March who had Issue Edmond Earl of March Roger Anne and Eleanor which said Edmond Roger and Eleanor died without Issue and Anne the Heir of that House was married to Richard Earl of Cambridge the son of Edmond Duke of York fifth son to King Edward the third which said Earl of Cambridge had Richard now Duke of York He also alledged that the descendents of John of Gaunt fourth son and younger brother to Lionel had hitherto holden the Crown of England unjustly for that himself the said Richard Plantagenet Duke of York was the lawful Heir being the son of Richard Earl of Cambridge and Anne aforesaid Whilss this weighty controversy to whom the Crown of right belonged was under debate a Crown which hung for an Ornament in the middle of the roof of the Room where the Knights and Burgesses met to consult and also
durst bear Arms in behalf of that Tyrant Richard to which he answered He was my Crowned King and if the Parliamentary authority of England set the Crown upon a stock I vvill fight for that stock And as I fought then for him I will fight for you when you are established by the said Authority King Richard's Crown which was taken amongst the spoils of the field the Lord Stanley Earl of Derby set upon Earl Henries head The slain body of the Usurper all tugg'd and torn stark naked was trussed behind Blanch St. Lieger a Pursevant at Arms like a Hog or Calf the head and arms hanging on one side of the Horse and his legs on the other after which manner it was brought to Leicester where it was buried in the Grey-Friers Church The stone-Chest wherein his Corps lay was at length made a drinking trough for horses at a common Inn. His body if you will credit tradition herein was born out of the City and contemptuously bestowed under Bowbridge His Issue was Edward dead before himself He founded a Colledg at Middleham beyond York and a Collegiate Chantry in London called our Lady of Barking He endowed Queens-Colledg in Cambridg with 500 Marks of yearly revenue He disforested the great field of Whichwood that King Edward his brother had inclosed for his Game and made some good Laws and when divers Shires of England offered him benevolence he refused saying I had rather have your hearts than your money This scoffing Rhime was divulged in contempt of the Usurper Richard and his three principal Creatures The Cat the Rat and Lovell the Dog Rule all England under the Hog The Cat and Rat meant of Catesby and Ratcliff the Dog of Lovell that creature belonging to the Lord Lovell's Arms and the Hog of K. Rich. whose cognisance it was But William Collingbourn Esquire who had been Sheriff of Wiltshire and Devonshire was upon Tower-hill executed with all extremity as Author thereof Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Time In his first year VVilliam Billesdon was Mayor Thomas Newland VViliam Martin Sheriffs In his second year Thomas Hill was Mayor Richard Chester and he dying Ralph Astry Thomas Britain Sheriffs HENRY VII A D. 1485 Aug. 22. HENRY Earl of Richmond was Son to Margaret Countess of Richmond and Derby daughter to John Duke of Sommerset son to John Earl of Sommerset son to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster fourth son of Edward the third October 30th A. D. 1485 was Henry Crowned at Westminster Then the better to secure his estate he shut up the Earl of Warwick the only son and Heir of George Duke of Clarence in the Tower of London Then instituted a guard for his person consisting of a number of choice Archers with allotment of Fees and Maintenance under a peculiar Captain by the name of Yeomen of the Guard for him and his Successors November the seventh was a Parliament assembled at VVestminster at the sitting whereof Richard the late Usurper was attainted and with him many of the Nobility and Gentry Free pardon was also given to all such saving the persons excepted by name as should presently submit themselves to the Kings mercy Reversed also were all former Acts hurtful either to the King or his Friends and the Crown was established upon the King and his Heirs for ever Next the King assumed into his Councel those two renowned Agents in advancing his fortunes John Morton and Richard Fox A. D. 1486 John Morton A.B. Cant. and January the eighteenth he married the Lady Elizabeth eldest daughter of King Edward the fourth to the utter abolisment of all Hostilities between the two Houses or York and Lancaster But there wanted not some male-contents who assayed to disturb these serene days for the Lord Lovell one of the late Usurpers Creatures with Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother assembled forces against the King which upon but the news of an Army coming against them dispersed themselves Sir Humphrey was taken out of Sanctuary and executed at Tyburn When this storm was over the White Rose or York faction raised another procuring one Lambert Symnel to personate one of King Edwards sons Which puppet Lambert was conveyed into Ireland where the Irish adhered to him and in Christ-Church in Dublin Crowned him King of England And into Ireland the Dutchess Dowager of Burgundy sister to Edward the fourth sent this Impostor two thousand Souldiers under the conduct of Collonel Swart These with Irish and some English joyned to them landed in Lancashire at the Pile of Fowdray thence they took their march through York-shire so towards Newark every-where as they came proclaiming their new King Not far from Newark and near to a little village called Stoke the King with his Army encountred them where the fight continued doubtful for about three hours but at last the victory fell to King Henry On Lamberts part were slain the Earl of Lincoln the Lord Lovel Sir Thomas Broughton Colonel Swart and Maurice Fitz-Thomas with four thousand Souldiers On the Kings side fell not any man of Honour but almost half his vant-guard was slain so that the Garland was dipt in blood Amongst the prisoners that were taken was the counterfeit King who had been a Scholler in Oxford and his Tutor Richard Simon a Priest Lambert confessed his parents to be mean persons and of a mean Calling Him the King condemned to his kitchin or scullery at length promoted him to be one of his Falconers in which estate he continued till his death Sim. Subtle or Richard Simon was condemned to a dungeon and perpetual shackles Stoken-field battle was fought A D. 1487 June 16 being Saturday A day of the week observed to have been lucky to this Prince Henry who sent his Royal standard to our Ladies Church of VValsingham in Norfolk there to remain as a Monument of this his Victory and gratitude for it And now the King dispatcheth his Agents into Scotland there to settle amity with James the third and to prevent the retreat and protection that his enemies had found therein Shortly after which some discontented persons in York-shire rose in Arms under pretence that they were oppressed in their Tax or Subsidy but some of these Rebels were routed by the Earl of Surrey who took their Leader John a Chamber prisoner and upon the hearing of the Kings approach the rest of them under the leading of Sir John Egremond dispersed themselves John a Chamber with some others of the chief of the Rebels were executed at York The Kings affairs being setled in a present peaceable estate at home he was next ingaged in a War with France For the carrying on of which his Subjects did largely contribute chiefly the City of London out of which he received for his furniture in that voyage almost ten thousand pounds from the Commoners and two hundred pounds besides from every Alderman And this wise King knowing how great a strength that rich City was to him humoured the
Citizens exceedingly Himself did not only become one amongst them causing himself to be entred a Brother of the Merchant-Taylors Company but also wore the habit at a publick Feast and sate as Master of the Company A. D. 1492 Octob. the sixth King Henry with his Host landed at Callis from whence with his whole forces he marched towards Boloigne which when he had besieged Articles of peace were concluded betwixt him and the King of France For King Henry before his going out of England had been dealt with on the French Kings behalf to accept of conditions but would not enter into any Treaty with him till he was in the field and that with such a puissance as vvas likely enough to force his ovvn conditions When Henry had to his advantage setled his transmarine affairs he returned for England vvhere he vvas not to remain long in quiet For the Dutchess of Burgundy had provided another counterfeit King a youth of a Princely personage called Peter VVarbeck the son of a converted Jew This her creature Peter or as some called him Perkin and Peterkin under the name and Title of Richard Plantaginet second son of King Edward the fourth had great honour given him by the King of France And divers persons of eminency in England were so deluded that they believed him to be the true Richard and thereupon sought to advance him to the Crown which cost some of them the price of their heads as the Lord Fitz-VValter Sir Simon Montford Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain that gained the Victory for King Henry at Bosworth-field These with more were put to death for favouring of Perkin The King also for the further prevention of dangers caused the coasts of England to be strongly guarded sent a new Lord Chancellor into Ireland Henry Denny a Monk of Langton-Abby and Sir Edward Poynings with some forces whose greatest care and diligence was to punish such as before time had given any assistance to the mock-Mock-king and to restrain such as were likely to do so in time to come The Earl of Kildare falling under suspition Poynings sent prisoner into England where the King did graciously hear and admit his defences and returned him with Honour and continuation of authority The Irish had formerly exhibited many Articles against this Earl the last of which was Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King shall this Earl rule all Ireland constituting him Lord-Deputy thereof But Perkin having gained private assistance from the French King and Maximilian to strengthen yet his enterprize he repairs into Scotland unto James the fourth having special recommendations from the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy who gave him most courteous entertainment The rare impudency of the youth and that connexion which his darings had with other Princes drew this King into an errour concerning him When he was first brought to the presence of the King of Scots with a right Princely gracefulness he declared to the said King That Edward the fourth leaving two sons Edward and Richard both very young their unnatural Uncle Richard to obtain the Crown purposed the murder of them both but the instruments of his cruelty having murdred his elder brother the young King were moved with pity to spare his life and that thus saved by the mercy of God he was privately conveyed beyond the Seas the world supposing that himself also had been murdred And that Henry Teuder Earl of Richmond after he had by subtle and foul means obtained the Crown he then wrought all means and ways to procure the final destruction of him the rightful Heir to the English Diadem That his said mortal enemy Henry hath not only falsely surmised him to be a feigned person giving him Nick-names so abusing the World but that also to deprive him of his right he had offered large Sums of Mony to corrupt the Princes with whom he had been retained and had imploy'd his servants to murder him That every man of reason might well understand that the said Henry needed not to have taken these courses against him had he been a feigned person That the truth of his manifest cause had moved the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy his most Dear Ant to yield him their assistence That now because the Kings of Scotland were wont to support them who were spoiled and bereft of the said Kingdom of England and for that he the said King James had given clear signs that he was of the like Noble quality and temper with his Ancestors he so distressed a Prince came to put himself into his hands desiring his aid to recover his Realms promising faithfully that when his Kingdoms were regained he would gratefully do him all the pleasure that should lie in his utmost power The King of Scots was so influenced with this Impostors words amiable person Princely deportment recommendations of Princes his aids from the Irish and assured hope of aid in England that he honourably received him as if he had been the very Richard Duke of York and gave his consent that this pretended Duke should marry the Lady Katharine Gourdon daughter to the Earl of Huntly which accordingly he did and also prepared to invade England in his quarrel although there wanted not them who with many arguments advised this King to repute him for no other than a Cheat. King Henry that he might be prepared for the Scots called a Parliament which granted a Tax to be gathered of six score thousand pounds the Levy of which mony kindled a dangerous fire in England For when the Kings Collectors came amongst the Cornish-men to receive their proportion of the Tax they tumultuously assembled under the leading of one Thomas Flammock a Lawyer and Michael Joseph a Black-Smith of Bodnam Which Captains led their rout towards Kent and at Wells James Tuchet Lord Audley joyned with them From Wells they proceeded to Black-Heath where the Kings forces defeated them without much labour fifteen hundred of the Rebels were taken and the takers had their prisoners goods granted them James Lord Audley was led from New-gate to Tower-hill in a Coat of his own Armories painted on a Paper reverst and torn where he was executed Flammock and the Smith were quartred Memorably strange was the comfort that the Smith cheered himself withall as he was drawing to his execution to wit That yet he hoped that by this means his Name and Memory should be everlasting The Kings care was now to order the War against Scotland whither he sent the Earl of Surrey with an Army to invade the Scotch borders as they had lately done the English The Earl pursued the revenge with great vehemency but in short time by the King of Spains mediation a Truce was concluded betwixt the two Nations One Article of which Truce was That Perkin should be no longer fostered in Scotland Whereupon he withdraws into â—reland whither the Cornish-men sent to him inviting him amongst them promising that at his arrival
above all the Peers of his Kingdom A while after performing this his promise by causing Edrick's head to be cut off and placed on the highest Gate of London But some say that King Edmond dyed a natural death at London when he had reigned seven Months whose body was buried at Glastenbury His Issue were Edward sirnamed the Out-law because he lived out of England during the reign of the Danes and Edmond DANES CANUTE A.D. 1017 CANVTE the Dane after the death of Edmond seized upon the other half part of the Kingdom the English Nobles owning him for their rightful King and swearing allegiance to him He was crowned at London by Living us Elstane Arch-bishop of Canterbury A. D. 1017. And to establish the Crown more sure to himself he banished Edwin the son of King Ethelred who for his melancholy and regardless behaviour was called The King of Churles He also sent away Edward and Edmond the sons of Edmond Ironside Next he espoused Emma the Widow of King Ethelred and sister to the Duke of Normandy on this condition That the issue of her body by him should inherit the English Crown Then calling a Parliament of his Peers to Oxford he there established these Laws following viz. That all decent ceremonies tending to the encrease of reverence and devotion in the service of God should be used as need required That the Lords Day should be kept holy That a Clergy killing a Lay-man or for any other notorious crime should be deprived both of his Order and Dignity That a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and ears cut off And a Widow marrying within the space of twelve months after her Husbands dectase should lose her Joynture With many others He went on pilgrimage to Rome where he complained against the excessive exactions and vast sums of money extorted by the Pope from the English Archbishops at such times as they received their Palls from thence Which the Pope engaged to redress for the future The greatness and glory of this King was such that some Court-Parasites sought to perswade him that he possessed a more than humane power but he to demonstrate the contrary being then at Southampton caused a Chair to be set on the shore when the Sea began to flow then sate himself in it and in the presence of his many attendants thus spake to the swelling-waves Thou Sea art part of my dominion don't therefore on pain of punishment presume so much as to wet the robes of thy Lord. But the unruly Sea swelling on further and further first wet his skirts then thighs so that the King suddenly started up and retiring said Let the inhabitants of the world know that the power of Kings is but weak and vain and that none is worthy the name of King save He that keepeth Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience to his own will After which time he would never wear his Crown but therewith crowned the picture of Christ on the Cross at Winchester which became a prize to the Church-men He dyed in A.D. 1035 and was buried at Winchester His Issue were Swein Harold Hardicanute and two Dâ—ughters In Essex he built the Church of Ashdon where he had the victory of King Edmond In Norfolk he founded the Abbey of St. Benets and in Suffolk the Monastry of St. Edmond Egelnoth A.B. Cant. which Saint he much dreaded To the Church of Winchester besides other rich Jewels he gave a Cross worth as much as the Revenue of England amounted to in one year And unto Coventry they say he gave the Arm of St. Augustine which at Papia cost him an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold HARALD A.D. 1035 HARALD for his exceeding swiftness sirnamed Harefoot the base son of King Canute in the absence of Hardicanute his Fathers son by Queen Emma was admitted King by the Nobility and crowned at Oxford by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury Which done for the better securing of the Crown to himself he sought means to gain Edward and Alfred the two surviving sons of King Ethelred into his hands In order whereunto he sent to them into Normandy a Letter feigned in their Mother Emma's name inviting them over into England for the recovery of their right But when Prince Alfred was accordingly arrived Earl Goodwin who pretended great kindness unto him betrayed him and his small party brought over with him into Haralds hands who at Guilford committed them to the slaughter only reserving every tenth man either for service or sale Alfred he sent prisoner into the Isle of Ely where his eyes being put out he in short time after dyed through grief and pain Queen Emma's Goods Harald confiscated banished her out of the Realm and oppressed the English people with great payments He dyed at Oxford Elnothus A B. Cant. A.D. 1040 and was buried at Westminster HArdicanute upon the death of Harold was by the States of the Land HARDICANUTE A.D. 1030 as well English as Danes invited over from Denmark to take upon him the government of the Kingdom which he accordingly did and was crowned at London by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury The dead body of his half brother King Harold he caused to be taken up and to be thrown into the River Thames which being found by a Fisherman he buried it in the Churchyard of St. Clements Danes so called because the great burial-place of the Danes Hardicanute for the maintaining of his Fleet imposed heavy tributes on the English insomuch that two of the Collectors thereof named Thurstane and Feader were slain by the Citizens of Worcester for which fact their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expulsed the See till that with money he had purchased his peace Earl Goodwin presented to this King a Ship whose Stern was of Gold with Eighty soldiers in her all uniformly and richly suited On their heads they all wore gilt Bargenets and on their bodies a triple gilt Habergion swords with gilt hilts girded to their wasts a battel-ax after the manner of the Danes on their left shoulders a target with gilt bosses born in their left hands a dart in the right hand and their arms bound about with two bracelets of gold of six ounces weight But as Hardicanute was revelling and carousing at Lambeth in a solemn Assembly and Banquet He suddenly fell down dead The day of whose death instead of laments was annually celebrated amongst the common people with open pastimes in the streets Which time being the eighth of June is called Hoctide or Hucxtide signifying a time of scorn and contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death He was buried at Winchester A. D. 1042. About four years before the Danes first coming into England which was near the year of our Lord 789 showers of blood fell from Heaven and bloody Crosses were therewith marked upon mens garments 'T is said also that after the Danes had seated themselves in England whilst the English were drinking
he conquered a mighty Argosey called a Dromond wherein were a-Board a Thousand five hundred Saracens disguised under French-Flags furnished besides all other provisions with Fire-works Barrels or Cages of venomous Serpents for the use of the Sarazens at Ptolemais since called Acon Of the Sarazens he killed and drowned 1300 and then sailed safely to Acon Before which lay these Christian Nations the Genoways and Florentines Flemings Almains Danes Dutch Pisans Friezlanders Lombards and the English under Hubert Bishop of Sarum Besides the Knights Templers collected out of all Nations and also the aids of the Asians The King of France also came to the Siege Where whilst the Christians lay Sultan Saladin cut off the heads of 1500 Christian Captives in revenge whereof King Richard in sight of Saladines Host cut off above 2500 of the heads of Turkish Slaves The Siege before Acon was so well plyed notwithstanding sundry dissensions betwixt King Richard and Philip King of France the two competitors of glory in this Siege that the City of Acon was surrendred upon Articles Which done the French King envying the English Kings noble exploits though contrary to the French mens will returned into France having first given Oath to the King of England that he would well and faithfully keep the Lands and Subjects of King Richard and neither do damage to them himself nor suffer others to do it till Richards return Howbeit whilst Richard was busied in the Holy War the King of France after his return home devised how to trouble and endamage his Dominions but was hindred by his own Nobles In England the Peers and people were much discontented at the incredible insolencies and intolerable tyrannies of the Chancellor which though K. Richard heard of yet kept he himself imployed in the War wherein he performed many Heroic acts Within sight of Jerusalem he encountred Saladine slew a great number of his Soldiers took 3000 Camels 4000 Horses and Mules took his Carriage richly laden from Babylon rescued Joppa repulsing Saladine from thence He also assayed to regain Jerusalem but being in that Enterprize abandoned by the Duke of Burgundy he was perswaded to accept Saladines offers for a three years Truce Which having concluded and setled his affairs in the East he set sail homeward where in his passage his ships were scattered by tempest and driven hither and thither but he happily gaining the shore hoped in disguise as a Merchant to have free journeying through Germany But he being by the way over-free in his expences became suspected for another kind of man than a Merchant and near to Vienna was discovered and imprisoned by the Arch-Duke of Austria under pretence that he was guilty of the death of the Marquess Conrade at Tyre Then the person of this famous King being thought too great a booty for the Duke was gained into the Emperors hands whose usage towards him was very cruel and the ransome required for him most unreasonable being an Hundred thousand Marks sterling to himself and Fifty thousand more to himself and the Duke besides other conditions All which being yeilded unto and ingagement given for the performance Hubert A.B. Cant. after fifteen Months imprisonment he was set at liberty to the great joy of many Princes in those parts and to the unspeakable joy of his own Subjects in general though not of his brother John who with the King of France 't is said were some instruments for the procuring of his unhandsome usage But Ceur de Lyon escaping the way-layings of the Emperor who sent to re-take him after his release safely Landed at Sandwich whither Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury that had been with him in the Holy-Land came with a joyful heart to meet him whom when the K. saw he dismounted bowed his knee then fell upon the earth In like sort the Bishop lay upon the ground over against him till at last both of them rising up ran into each others arms comforting themselves with mutual embraces and weeping for joy His Brother John who had been false to him upon his submission he freely forgave calmly saying unto him Would that thy fault may so be forgotten of me as that thy self may keep in memory what thou hast done And after this the King restored his forfeited possessions to his brother John who from that time became faithful to him and did him very noble services especially against the French with whom Richard then warred In which wars this John Earl of Morton and Markadey Captain of the Routs had made an incursion up to Beauvois where the Bishop being also a Peer of the Royal Blood valiantly fighting was taken in the skirmish armed at all points on whose behalf the Pope wrote somewhat earnestly to K. Richard to set his very dear Son for so he called the Bishop at liberty The K. in a kind of pleasant earnestness caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop to be presented the Pope with this question See whether this be thy Sons Coat or not Whereupon the Pope replied That he was neither his Son nor the Son of the Church and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings pleasure because he was rather to be judged a Servitor of Mars than a Soldier of Christ In this War with the French the King amongst other victories obtained one of fame Taking an hundred Knights and Servitors on Horseback and Footmen without number Thirty men of Arms also 200 great Horse whereof an 140 had Barbs and Caparisons armed with Iron The King in his own person did most nobly for with one Spear he threw to the earth Matthew de Mummerancy Alan de Rusci and Fulk de Giservall and took them So have we vanquished the King of France at Gysors howbeit we have not done it but God and our right by us said the King in his Letter to the Bishop of Durham But the fatal accident is at hand which put an end to this renowned Warrior for the Viscount of Limoges having found a great hoard of Silver and Gold sent a great part thereof to King Richard as chief Lord with which the King being not contented came with some forces to the Castle of Châ—luz belonging to the Viscount where he supposed the riches were The Garrison of which place offered to yield the same to him and all therein if only their lives and limbs might be saved but the King would accept of no conditions bidding them to defend themselves as they could for he would enter by the Sword and hang them all Whereupon an Arbalaster standing upon the Wall and seeing his time charged his Steel-bow with a Square-Arrow making first his Prayer to God that he would direct that shot and deliver the innocency of the besieged from oppression then discharging it as the King was taking a view of the Castle mortally wounded him in the left shoulder the anguish and peril whereof was extreamly increased by the unskilfulness of the Chyrurgeon The Castle by continual assaults was taken and by
this famous Champion K. Philip by degrees gain'd all in Normandy even Roan it self Main Turain and Poictou revolted from King John and Angiers was betrayed All these losses happening through the default of some of the English Peers and Prelates For when the King was in readiness to take shipping for Normandy Hubert the Archbishop forbad him proceeding in the voyage the Peers also again refused to attend him Wherefore the King put many of his Earls Barons and Knights yea and Clergy-men also to a grievous pecuniary redemption and Huberts Wealth and Possessions who dyed the same year the King seized on This Hubert was suspected of too familiar practising with the King of France Upon the death of this Archbishop Hubert the Monks of Canterbury made choice of Reginald their Sub-Prior in his stead and the King after them of John Gray Bishop of Norwich a man of great wisdom But the Pope neglecting both these recommended Stephen de Langton to the Monks of Canterbury and Bishops of that Province to be presently chosen for their Primate Which the Monks unwilling and deferring to do Stephen Langton A.B. Cant. alledging that no Canonical Election could be made at Rome where was no consent neither of King nor Covent The Pope with choler replied That he had plenitude of Power over the Church of Canterbury and moreover that no consent of Princes used to be expected in Elections where the Pope was He therefore commanded them under pain of his high curse to accept him for their Primate Which all accordingly did though not without murmurations save one Elias de Brantford And to work the King into a compliance hereto the Pope sent him four Gold Rings with four precious stones an Emerald Saphire Ruby and Topaz signifying in his Letter sent with them that the Rings roundness must remember him of Eternity the quadrate number must mind him of Constancy and the four Cardinal Virtues Prudence Justice Temperance and Fortitude The Golds price of Wisdom the Emeralds greeness of Faith the Saphires brightness of Hope the Rubies redness of Charity and the Topaz's clearness of sanctity of life But King John for all these fond toys and fine words when he observed the Popes arbitrariness the dishonour arising to himself in being frustrated of his choice the prejudice to his Crown in having a Bishop thrust upon him without Sovereign consent the hazard to the State in having a French Favourite over the English with also the Monks disloyalty in yeilding to the Pope's Election He first of all proscribed the Monks as Traytors and after that writ Letters to the Pope wherein he alledged the wrongs done to himself and made his exceptions against Langton vowing immutably to stand for his own elect and to dye in defence of the liberties of his Crown likewise minding the Pope of his great profits he received from England menacing withall that if he were crossed in this he would then stop all from crossing the Seas to Rome To which Letters of the King the Pope answered very comminatory and shortly after viz. in A. D. 1208. because the King would be King in his own Dominions this Servus Servorum interdicted the whole Kingdom under which it lay for the term of six years and fourteen weeks without Gods service or Sacraments or Christian burial The Lay-people were tumbled like Dogs into every Ditch Howbeit the King to be even with the Pope proscribed the disloyal Clergy their revenues he confiscated their Bishopricks Abbies and Priories he put into Laymens hands and every-where they suffered wrong without ordinary protection of justice But some of the eminent Clergy detested the Popes savage proceedings as Philip Bishop of Durham and his Successor The Bishops of Winchester and Norwich they animated the King to contemn the Papal Curse and the Cistercian Abbots neglecting the Interdict continued their Divine Service till the Pope suspended them for their contempt Moreover the Pope to revenge himself on the King Anathematized him by name which caused many to desert his service for which he punished them by Fine Yet at length the better to secure himself and State the King was very desirous to come to an atonement and assured under his Seal that Archbishop Langton with the Bishops and Monks and others should be restored both to his favour and their possessions that Holy Church should have all its Franchises as in Edward the Confessors time But because he would not make full satisfaction to the Clergy for all confiscations and other emoluments received of them the Popes Nuncio's refused a peace with him And the Pope was so mad that he absolved all Kings and people poor and rich having dependence on him from all fealty and subjection to him whereupon Male-contents set themselves to work mischief The Welsh fall off from the King wherefore at Nottingham he hangs up their hostages 28 in number His Nobles many of them held themselves discharged of their Allegiance so rebel inviting the French King to their assistance and promising to settle the English Crown on his head Stephen Langton and other Bishops implore the Popes help to support the Church of England being at the point of ruine His officious Holiness thereupon decrees That K. John must be deposed and that he would â—ppoint one more worthy in his stead To effectuate which the Pope sent his Letters to Philip King of France requiring him to undertake the affair of dethroning the King of England and for his reward he should have pardon of all his sins besides the enjoying of the English Crown to him and his heirs for ever Also transmitting his Letters general to all Potentates Soldiers Men of War of all Nations to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and to follow Philip in this design assuring all that their assistance herein whether in person or purse should be no less meritorious than if they visited our Saviours Sepulcher The King of France accepts the offer and makes great preparation for the invading of England and King John raises a Land-Army and prepares a Royal Navy to withstand him But ere the French make their attempts Pandulph the Popes Messenger arrives in England and so wrought upon the King what by representing the danger he was in and what by flattering promises that King John not insensible of his desperate estate sware in all things to submit to the judgment of the Church And shortly after at the Knight-Templers House in Dover he surrendred his Crown into the hands of Pandulph for the use of the Pope laying at his feet his Scepter Robe Sword and Ring and subscribed to a Charter whereby he resigned his Kingdom to the Pope Professing he did it neither through fear or force but of his own free will as having no other way to make satisfaction to God and the Church for his offence And that from that time forward he would hold his Crown of the Pope paying a pension annual of a Thousand Marks for the Kingdoms of
Welsh they made some stirs And one Fitz-Arnulph a Citizen of London attempted to set up Lewis again for the which himself and two others were hanged and many more had their hands or feet cut off The Barons they were high for a confirmation of their Liberties And Lewis of France upon the death of his Father seized Rochel and the whole Country of Poictou which belonged to the King of England into his hands under pretence that K. Henry an Homager for Aquitain was not present at his Coronation nor yet excused his absence by Ambassadors Whereupon Henry summons a Parliament for Aids to recover his losses which being granted he sent over his forces which discomfited the French But the King necessitated for more Monies for the carrying on of his design in Gascoign wrung from the Londoners Five thousand Marks above their Fifteenths alledging that they had to his prejudice given Lewis the like sum The Clergy also were compelled under pain of Papal censure to pay the Fifteenth not only for their temporal but also Ecclesiastical Goods And by advice of Hubert de Burgo Chief Justice the King revoked the Charters of Liberties which for about two years had been practised through the Realm pretending his Non-age when granted Which caused in all a great heart-burning against Hubert Howbeit the King was well furnish'd with money and men which he caused to be transported into Britain and on the same day in which he set sail from England himself in person did visit the poor and feeble dealing large Alms to them and not refusing to kiss the sick and leprous But before that the King had opportunity to effect any thing in those parts considerable the Irish rebelled constraining him to return to reduce then inâ—o order Which when he had done he advanced against the Welsh whom he also repressed though not without considerable loss About this time Hubert de Burgo Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others for the committing of many great crimes and he doubting that he should not have a fair Tryal retired himself into Essex whither he was prosecuted by Armed men and in a Chappel at Burntwood was apprehended out of which the rude Soldiers hailed him and sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him which when the Smith understood that they were for him fetching a deep sigh he said Do with me what you please and God have mercy on my soul but as sure as the Lord lives I will never make Iron-Shackles for him but will rather dye the worst death that is For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who so often hath preserved England from being destroyed by strangers and restored England to England Let God be judge between him and you for using him so unjustly and inhumanely requiting his most excellent deserts with the worst recompence that can be Notwithstanding all this Sir Godfrey de Crancomb who commanded the party bound the Earl and conveyed him to the Tower of London where he had not long been ere the Bishop of London procured his liberty though shortly after he was again imprisoned In his place the King elected for his Councellor and Confident Peter de Rupibus Bishop of Winchester who displaced the English Officers and in their Rooms placed Poictovins and Britons stuffing the Kings Castles with them intrusting as it were the treasures strength and Realm it self in their hands to the great discontent of the English Peers Who now confederated against the strangers and refused upon the Kings summons to appear in Parliament sending this impudent Message to their Soveraign That if out of hand he removed not the Bishop of Winchester and strangers out of his Court they all of them by the common consent of the Kingdom would drive him and his wicked Counsellors out of it and would consult about creating of a new King Whereupon the King animated by Winchester commanded the Earl-Marshal with all others whom he suspected to appear at Glocester where the King was with an Army Which they refusing to do the King burnt their Mannors and gave away their Inheritances to the Poictovins The Earl-Marshal he contracts strict amity with Leweylyn Prince of Wales and made great spoil on the possessions of the Kings reputed Seducers Shrewsbury he sackt and burnt Gilbert Lord Basset the Earls great Confederate set fire on Alkmundbury not far from Huntingdon But the Earl-Marshal having crossed the seas into Ireland there to recover his Lands taken from him by the fraud of the Bishop of Winchester was there wounded to death for whose loss the King to the wonder of all that saw it broke forth into tears affirming That he had left no Peer about him in the Kingdom And now the Bishop of Winchester hated of the people was commanded by the King not to meddle any farther in State-matters And against Peter Rivallis Lord Treasurer the King was so in raged that he sware he would pluck out his eyes were it not for reverence of holy Orders And by the workings of the Bishops an accord was effected betwixt the King and his Peers and the Poictovins were commanded to depart the Realm Howbeit the Land was not yet eased of its Oppressors and Oppressions for the Pope sent over into England three hundred Romans requiring to have the first Benefice that should become vacant to be bestowed on them requiring also great sums of money of the Clergy for maintenance of the Pope's Wars against the Emperor Which though the Clergy at first opposed yet were forced to yeild unto it at the last The Pope himself had a mind to have come hither in his own person but the King's Councel liked not thereof alledging that the Romans Rapines and Simonies had enough stained England's purity though the Pope himself came not personally to spoil and prey upon the Wealth of the Church About the year 1240 Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother with the Earls of Pembroke Chester Lincoln Salisbury and many other honourable persons departed for the Holy Land and in A. D. 1242 the King passed the Seas to recover Poictou but effected not any thing remarkable though he expended great store of Treasure Upon his return into England he was therefore compelled to be burthensome to his subjects for recruiting of his exhausted Treasure as well by the levy of Escuage as of Loan and otherwise The Jews in especial manner were made sensible of his wants Too much of their money thus rais'd 't is said he expended in Entertainments and Shows though afterward the King reflecting on his former profuseness in gifts and entertainments he shortned the allowances of his houshold and entertainments without any regard to Majesty And to spare his own charge the more he invited himself now to this mans house now to that but no-where contenting himself with his welcome unless himself and his Queen Son Edward yea and chief Favourites were presented with costly Gifts 'T is said that he was sometime
them But King Edward being returned into England he summoned a Parliament to York giving the Scots a day to appear at it which they not doing nor acknowledging that they ought so to do he entred Scotland with a mighty Army where when he was near the enemy as he was putting his foot into the stirrup his horse being affrighted with the sudden shout of the Scotch Army threw him down and striking with his heels broke two of the Kings ribs who nevertheless proceeded to battle Captain Wallis encouraged his men with this short speech I have brought you to the King hop gif ye kun In this battle fought at a place called Fawkirk and English slew of the Scots 70. thousand After which victory King Edward took sundry places in Scotland then returned into England where in Parliament holden at London and Stamford he confirmed Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta and yielded that there should be no Subsidy or Taxation levied upon the people without consent of the Prelates Peers and people And for the more ample satisfaction of some then discontented he left out this Clause in the end of his Grants Salvo jure Coronae nostrae Saving the right of our Crown upon the Popes request he set John late King of Scotland at liberty who departed into France And then the King made it his whole affair to finish the annexation of Scotland to the Crown of England to which end Rob. Winchelsey A. B. Cant. he passed with a dreadful Army into Scotland where the Scots not being able to withstand him by force of Arms they procured inhibitory Letters from the Pope but these the King set light by swearing per sanguinem Dei that he would not desist And when the Scots threatned that if he would not desist his hostility the Pope would take the matter upon him the King with a disdainful smile answered Have ye done homage to me as to the chief Lord of the Kingdom of Scotland and do ye now suppose that I can be terrified with threatning lies as if like one that had no power to compel I would let the right which I have to go out of my hand Let me hear no more of this for if I do I swear by the Lord I will consume all Scotland from Sea to Sea To which the Scots replyed that in defence of Justice and their Countrys rights they would shed their blood Howbeit that the King might not seem altogether to neglect the Court of Rome he sent the Earl of Lincoln thither in justification of his proceedings and at the instance of the Pope he granted Truce to the Scots from All-Saints to Whitsuntide But the Pope not long satisfied with this directly opposed the King in his martial proceeds against that Nation wherefore the King in a Parliament holden at Lincoln by the consent of the whole Representative body of the Realm returned a copious defence of his whole proceedings with protestations first That he did not exhibite any thing as in form of judgment or tryal of his Cause Gualter Renold A. B. Cant. but for satisfaction of his holy Fatherhoods conscience and not otherwise And because the Pope required that the King should stand to his decision for matter of Claim the Earls and Peers to whom the King wholly referred it with one mind directly signified That their King was not to answer in judgment for any rights of the Crown of England before any Tribunal under Heaven and that by sending Deputies and Atturneys to such an end he should not make the said truth doubtful because it manifestly tended to the disinherison of the said Crown which with the help of God they would resolutely and with all their power maintain against all men To the which they all being an 100. Peers subscribed their Names Dated at Lincoln 1301. The Names of those Worthy Patriots who withstood Papal Usurpation JOhn Earl Warren Thomas Earl of Lancaster Ralph de Monthermer Earl of Glocester and Hereford Humphrey de Bohun Earl of Hartford and Essex Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk Guy Earl of Warwick Richard Earl of Arundel Adomer de Valence Lord of Monterney Henry de Lancaster Lord of Monmouth John de Hastings Lord of Bergevenny Henry de Percy Lord of Topclife Edmond de Mortymer Lord of Wigmore Robert Fitz-Walter Lord of Wodham John de St. John Lord of Hannake Hugh de Vere Lord of Swanestampe William de Breuse Lord of Gower Robert de Monthault Lord of Hawarden Robert de Tateshall Lord of Wokeham Reinold de Grey Lord of Ruthin Henry de Grey Lord of Codnore Hugh Bardolph Lord of Wormgay Robert de Clifford Chatellaine of Appleby Peter de Malowe Lord of Mulgreen Philip Lord of Kime Robert Fitz-Roger Lord of Claverings John de Moham Lord of Dunestar Almerick de St. Amound Lord of Widehay William de Ferrers Lord of Groby Alane de Zouch Lord of Ashby Theobald de Verdon Lord of Webberley Thomas de Furnivall Lord of Schefield Thomas de Multon Lord of Egremont William Latimer Lord of Torby Thomas Lord Berkly Fowlk Fitz-Warren Lord of Mitingham John Lord Segrave Edmund de Eincourt Lord of Thurgerton Peter Corbet Lord Caus William de Cantelow Lord of Ravensthorpe John de Beauchamp Lord of Hacke Roger de Mortimer Lord of Pentethlin John Fitz-Reinold Lord of Blenleveny Ralph de Nevil Lord of Raby Brian Fitz-Allane Lord of Bedale William Marshal Lord of Hengham Walter Lord Huntercombe William Martin Lord of Cameis Henry de Thies Lord of Chilton Roger le Ware Lord of Isefield John de Rivers Lord of Angre John de Lancaster Lord of Grisedale Robert Fitz-Pain Lord of Lainnier Henry Tregoze Lord of Garinges Robert Hipard Lord of Lumford Walter Lord Faucombridge John Strange Lord of Cnokin Robert Strange Lord of Ellesmere Thomas de Chances Lord of Norton Walter de Beauchamp Lord of Alecester Richard Talbot Lord of Eccleswell John Butetourt Lord of Mendesham John Engain Lord of Colum Hugh de Poinz Lord of Comualet Adam Lord of Wells Simon Lord Montacute John Lord Sulle John de Melles Lord of Candebury Edmund Baron Stafford John Lovell Lord of Hackings Edmond de Hastings Lord of Elchunhonokes Ralph Fitz-William Lord of Grinthorpe Robert de Scales Lord of Neusells William Tuchet Lord of Lewenhales John Abadan Lord of Deverstone John de Haverings Lord of Grafton Robert la Ward Lord of White-Hall Nicholas de Segrave Lord of Stowe Walter de Tey Lord of Stonegrave John de Lisle Lord of Wodton Eustace Lord Hacche Gilbert Peche Lord of Corby William Painell Lord of Trachington Roger de Albo Monasberio Foulk le Strange Lord of Corsham Henry de Pinkeny Lord of Wedon John de Hodeleston Lord of Aners John de Huntingfield Lord of Bradenham Hugh Fitz-Henry Lord of Ravenswath John Daleton Lord of Sporle Nicholas de Carr. Lord of Mulesford Thomas Lord de la Roche Walter de Muncie Lord of Thornton John Lord of Kingstone Robert Hasting the Father Lord of Chelessey Ralph Lord
condemned for being engaged in the Rebellion the King fiercely answered A plague upon you for cursed whisperers malicious backbiters wicked Councellors intreat you so for the life of a most notorious Knave who would not speak one word for the life of my most near Kinsman that most noble Knight Earl Thomas By the soul of God this fellow shall dye the death he hath deserved In A. D. 1322. King Edward marched with a mighty Host into Scotland from whence for want of Victuals he was forced in a short time after to return without the honour of any atchievement the Scots also following him at the heels and so suddenly assailing him that he was forced to leave his Treasure and Furniture for pillage to them But by reason of the Interdict which the Pope had put the Scots under in favour of the English a truce was made betwixt the two Nations for thirteen years Which being confirmed Edward took his progress through the Counties of York and Lancaster and Marches of VVales from whence the late seditions had their nourishments there punishing many severely Amongst the rest he caused Andrew de Herkly to be degraded hang'd drawn and quarter'd for trayterously taking part with the Scots Whilst these things were acting young Roger Mortimer having corrupted his Keepers or potion'd them with a sleepy drink escaped out of the Tower getting over into France The Spencers Father and Son one created Earl of VVinchester the other of Glocester behaved themselves exceeding lordly even to the Queen her self whose maintenance they abridg'd to advance their own wealth Many Nobles that had been engaged in the Barons quarrel they put to such excessive rates for purchasing the Kings favour again that utterly impoverish'd them Adam Bishop of Hereford and Henry Bishop of Lincoln for the same cause they deprived of all their temporalties But the Queen and discontented Nobles resolve to clear themselves of the Spencers to which end the Queen procured aids out of Henalt and Germany and uniting them with the Barons forces marched against the King who found but few friends because of the mortal hatred that the people generally did bear to the Spencers The Queen lying with her Army at Oxford caused the whole University to be called together When in the presence of the Queen Prince Roger Mortimer and other Nobles the Bishop of Hereford preached to them from that Text 2 King 4.19 My head my head aketh Delivering to them the reasons of the Queens coming with her Army concluding that an aking and sick Head of a Kingdom was to be taken off and not to be tampered with by any other Physick The Londoners stood high for the Queen and Barons cutting off the Bishop of Excesters head whom the Queen had left Guardian of London The Tower they gained into their possession proclaimed John of Eltham Custos of the City and whole Land set at liberty all prisoners The Queen did the like throughout all the Realm by her order also all banished men were revoked whereby no small encrease was brought to the Barons Forces From Oxford the Queen marched to Bristol which she besieged and took and therein Hugh Spencer the elder whom she caused without any form of trial to be cut up alive and quarter'd having been first at the clamours of the common people drawn and hang'd in his proper Armories The unfortunate King being now forsaken of almost all his English subjects after much wandering intrusted himself with the VVelsh who still loved him lying hid in the Abby of Neath till at length after much search he was found out and with him young le Spencer Robert Baldock Chancellor and Simon de Reading were taken King Edward was conveyed to Kenelworth Castle the Lords to Hereford where the Queen lay with her Host Spencer and Simon de Reading were condemned to death by VVilliam Trussel and were both ignominiously hanged The distressed King being now shut up in prison and without hopes of any redemption after he had been much solicited at last yeilded to resign the Crown to his Son Edward which being granted by the King the Lords forthwith proceed to the short Ceremonies of his Resignation chiefly consisting in the surrender of his Crown and Ensigns of Majesty to the use of his Son Prince Edward Sir VVilliam Trussel thereupon in the behalf of the whole Realm renounced all homage and allegiance to the Lord Edward of Caernarvon late King in these words I William Trussel in the name of all men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator resign to thee Edward the Homage that was made to thee sometime and from this time forward I defie thee and deprive thee of all Power-Royal and I shall never be tendant on thee after this time A.D. 1327. His Issue were Edward John of Eltham Joan and Eleanor In the fourth year of this Kings Reign a Baker named John of Stratford for making bread lesser than the assize was with a fools-hood and loaves of bread about his neck drawn on a Hurdle through the streets of London So terrible a famine was in England that upon St. Lawrence Eve there was scarce bread to be got for sustentation of the Kings household so great a mortality likewise accompanying this dearth that the living were scarce sufficient to bury the dead In the time of scarcity the King set forth an Order That Wheat should be sold in the Market at eleven shillings the Quarter a fat Ox stalled or Corn-fed at 24. Shillings a fat Hog of two years old at three Shillings four pence a fat Hen for a peny and 24 Eggs for a peny but victualls thereby became so scarce in the Markets that this Order was revoked and the people left to sell as they could Mertons Colledge in Oxford brought forth in this Kings and his son Edwards reign those four Lights of Learning namely Jahn Duns called Scotus the Subtil who in a fit of the Apoplexy 't is said was buryed alive Bradwardina the profound Ocham the Invincible and Burlie the Perspicuous And as some say Baconthorp the Resolute was of the same Colledge Now was the Knights-Templars Order universally extinguished Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir John Blunt continued Mayor Nicholas Pigot Nigellus Drury Sheriffs In his second Year Nicholas Faringdon was Mayor William Basing James Butler Sheriffs In his third Year Thomas Romaine was Mayor Roger le Palmer James of St. Edmund Sheriffs In his fourth Year Richard Reffam was Mayor Simon Cooper Peter Blackney Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Gisors was Mayor Simon Metwod Richard Wilford Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Gisors was Mayor John Lambin Adam Lutkin Sheriffs In his seventh Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Robert Gurden Hugh Garton Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir John Gisors was Mayor Stephen Abingdon Hammond Chickwel Sheriffs In his ninth Year Stephen de Abingdon was Mayor Hammond Goodcheap William Bodeleigh Sheriffs In his tenth Year John
Wingrave was Mayor William Caston Ralph Balancer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Prior William Furneaux Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Pointel John Dalling Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Simon de Abingdon John Preston Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Renauld at the Conduit Will. Prodham Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Richard Constantine Richard de Hackney Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor John Grantham Richard de Ely Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Adam of Salisbury John of Oxford Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Benet of Fulham John Cawston Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor Gilbert Mordon John Cawston Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Richard Britain was Mayor Richard Rothing Roger Chauntelere Sheriffs EDWARD III. EDWARD the third was Crowned King upon Candlemas-day A. D. 1327. being the eighth day after that his Father had made a resignation of the Crown to him And now because sundry great persons with the whole order of Friars Preachers took pity on the old Kings captivity Mortimer therefore hastned to dispatch him out of the way in order to which he procured an Express from the young King then about 16. Years of age to remove him from Kenelworth Castle delivering him into the hands of those ignominious Knights Thomas de Gourney Seniour and John Mattrevers who conveying him from Kenelworth to Barkly-Castle there murdred him by running a burning spit up into his body as he was about to disburden nature September 22. 1327. His body was buryed at Glocester To animate the bloody Regicides to the commitment of the horrid fact 't is said this ambiguous phrase was invented by Adam de Torleton Bishop of Hereford and sent to them by Mortimer Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est Gourney or Corney and his villanous companions when they would needs shave the King on his way to Barkley lest he should be known and rescued inforced him to sit down on a molehil and the rascal Barber insulting told him That cold water out of the next ditch should serve for his trimming at that time To whom the sorrowful King answered Whether you will or no there shall be warm water and therewith shed tears plentifully But young King Edward at his Fathers death was upon the borders of Scotland where having invironed the Scots in the woods of Wividale and Stanhope by the Treason of Mortimer they escaped and he returned inglorious after an huge wast of Treasure and great peril of his own person For had not his loyal Chaplain stept in and received the mortal weapon in his own body the Kings life had been lost Shortly after this peace was concluded with the Scots upon dishonourable terms to the English by the procurement of the Mother-Queen and her Minion Mortimer Joan the Kings Sister was marryed to David Bruce the Scots in derision calling her Joan Make-peace King Edward at the Treaty of Peace sealed Charters to the Scotish Nation the contents whereof were contrived by his Mother Roger Mortimer and Sir James Douglas without the privity of the English Peers He also delivered to them that famous evidence called the Ragman-Roll and likewise quitted them of all his claim to the government of Scotland withal rendring back certain Jewels taken by the English from the Scots amongst which was one of special Note called the Black-Cross of Scotland In the same year being the year of our Lord 1327. dyed Charles the fair King of France by whose death the Crown of that Kingdom devolved to Edward King of England in right of his Mother Queen Isabel Tho. Bradwardin A. B. Cant. who was daughter to Philip the Fair and Sister to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all Kings of France successively and all three dying without Issue the whole right now seeming to be Isabel the only Child of the said Philip that had any Issue But the French pretending a fundamental Law or Entail called the Salique Law by which no woman was inheritable to France sought to debar King Edward his right receiving to the Crown Philip of Valois whose Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair advancing the Brothers son before the Daughters son not following the propinquity or descent of blood but meliority of the Sex Against the stream of the Queen and her Lord Mortimers absolute sway some great persons now stood amongst whom was the Kings Uncle Edmund Earl of Kent whose death the Queen and Mortimer shortly procured Nor was Mortimers fall now far off for the King beginning to perceive his own peril in the others potency upon good advice therefore surprized Mortimer with the Queen-Mother in Nottingham-Castle and by a Parliament held at Nottingham Queen Isabel's Dowry was taken from her and only a pension of a thousand Pound per Annum allowed her Mortimer was condemned in open Parliament at VVestminster for causing the young King to make a dishonourable peace with the Scots from whom he received bribes For procuring the death of Sr. Edward of Caernarvon the late King For over-familiarity with Isabel the Queen-Mother For polling and robbing the King and Commons of their Treasure He was ignominiously drawn to Tyburn then called the Elmes where he was executed on the common Gallows there hanging two days and nights 1330. With him there dyed for expiation of the late Kings death Sr. Simon de Bedford and John Deverell Esquire About this time befel great disturbances and divisions in Scotland occasioned by young Bruce and Baliol who both pretended right to that Crown which opportunity King Edward took hold on conceiving himself not obliged to stand to that contract made in his minority by the predominancy of his mother and Mortimer the Scots also detaining his Town and Castle of Berwick from him Wherefore he raises an Army and with Edward Baliol marcheth to Berwick which having besieged David Bruce sent a puissant host to the relief thereof and at Halydon-Hill the English and Scoth Armies joyned battle where the Scots were vanquished with a lamentable slaughter of them There dyed Archibald Dougles Earl of Angus and Governour of Scotland the Earls of Southerland Carrick and Foss the three Sons of the Lord Walter Steward and at least fourteen thousand others with the loss only of one Knight and ten other English-men Hereupon Berwick was surrendred to King Edward and Baliol was accepted to be King of Scotland and had faith and allegiance sworn unto him by the Scotch Nobles Simon Islip A.B. Cant. Which done Baliol repaired to King Edward then at Newcastle upon Tine where he submitted to Edward the third as his Father John Baliol had done to Edward the first After which the King of England assisted this Edward Baliol as his homager going himself in person divers times for suppressing the Brucean party which
may befall while my Son is alive but let him either vanquish or dye because the honour of this brave day shall be his if God suffer him to survive Which he did and beat the French out of the field Thereupon King Edward with his untouched Battel advanced towards his victorious Son and most affectionately embracing and kissing him said Fair son God send you perseverance to such prosperous beginnings you have nobly acquit your self and are well worthy to have the governance of a Kingdom intrusted unto you for your valour In the field was found the dead bodies of eleven great Princes and of Barons Knights and men of Arms above fifteen hundred There was slain the King of Bohemia King of Majorca Earl of Alanson Duke of Lorrain Duke of Bourbon Earl of Flanders Earl of Savoy the Dolphin of Viennois Earl of Sancerre and Harecourt Earls of Aumarl Nevers c. six Earls of Almain besides others of great account with the Grand Prior of France and Archbishop of Roan Of the Commons there fell about thirty thousand Of the English side not one man of note or honour was slain A. D. 1346. From the Forrest of Crescie King Edward marched to Callis and besieged it In the time of which siege the Governour thereof for the sparing of food thrust forth of the Town above fifteen hundred of the poor and impotent people whom this Christian King Edward turned not back but suffered them freely to pass through his Camp relieving them gratis with fresh victuals and giving two pence a piece sterling to each of them But whilst the King was busied abroad in France the Scots in favour of the French invaded England advancing as far as Durham where the English encountring them overcame them took David their King prisoner at Nevils Cross by Durham There lay dead in the field the Earls of Murray and Strathern the Constable Marshal Chamberlain and Chancellor of Scotland with many other Nobles Prisoners taken besides the King were the Earls of Douglas Fife Southerland Wigton and Mentieth In this battel on the English side were many spiritual persons who for the defence of their Country made use of carnal Weapons And as King Edwards friends were successful in England so were they also in forreign parts for in Britain Sir Thomas Dagworth overthrew the Lord Charles of Blois though he had much the odds of him as to number of men In Gascoign and those parts Henry Earl of Derby and Lancaster worsted the Duke of Normandy took sundry places of great importance amongst the rest that considerable Town of Brigerac where he permitted every soldier to seize any House and convert all therein to his own profit Whereupon it hapned that a certain Soldier called Reth having broke into a House where the Monyers had for safety stowed the Money of that Countrey in great long sacks he acquainted the Earl therewith supposing that the Earl intended not so great a treasure for a private share but the Earl told him That accordingly as he had at first proclaimed let the treasure be worth what it would yet was it all his own And now after almost a years siege Callis was delivered to King Edwards mercy In Little-Britain the Kings Warden thereof Sir VValter de Bendly vanquished the Marshal of France in fight slew 13 Lords 140 Knights 100 Esquires and took prisoners 9 Lords besides many Knights and Esquires At length after much spoil made upon the French a peace was concluded on betwixt the two Kings though it continued not long ere the French broke the agreement In revenge whereof Edward presently entred France with an Army Will. Witlesy A. B. Cant. and spoiled it where he came and after his return into England again when he heard that John the new King of France had given to Charles the Daulphin the Dutchy of Aquitain King Edward bestowed the same upon the Black-Prince commanding him to defend that right with the sword The Prince thereupon furnished with a gallant Army set sail towards France where he took many Towns and prisoners advanced into the bosome of France up to the very gates of Burges in Berry from whence wheeling about to return to his chief City Burdeaux John King of France encountered him with a great Army having the odds of six to one notwithstanding which the victorious Prince of Wales discomfited the French took prisoners King John and Philip his youngest son the Archbishop of Sens and many great Lords and about two thousand Knights Esquires and Gentlemen bearing Armories And slew in fight about fifty two Lords and seventeen hundred Knights Esquires and Gentlemen with Sir Reginald Camian who that day bore the Or flamb or French Ensign and of the common Soldiers about six thousand To James Lord Audley who in this fight received many wounds the Prince gave 500 Marks Land in fee-simple which said Land the Lord Audley bestowed on his four Esquires that had continued with him in all the brunt and fury of danger King Edward the Father whilst his Son was thus prosperously busied in France proceeded in hostile sort against the Scots and brought King Baliol at Roxbrough to make a surrender of his Crown to him Prince Edward after his late victory marched with joy and triumph to Burdeaux where having refreshed his wearied soldiers he took his leave of France though not of the King thereof for him he brought with him a Captive to London whither the Prince was welcomed with exquisite honour by Henry Picard then Lord Mayor Which said Picard afterwards at one time feasted at his own charge the King of England France Scotland and Cyprus King Edward ordered that eight days should be spent in giving God the glory for the victory and not long after with a Fleet of One thousand one hundred sail he passed over from â—andwich to a fresh invasion and being come before the walls of Paris he honoured Four hundred Esquires and Gentlemen with Knighthood Ample conditions were offered by the French unto the Kâ—ng of England to which he would not at present listen yet at length was perswaded to an accord on these conditions That Himself and Son Edward should for ever release unto King John and his Heirs the right and claim which they had unto the Crown of France Dutchy of Normandy c. That King John and his Son should for them and their Heirs release unto King Edward and his Heirs the whole Country of Aquitain Santoin c. so the County of Ponthicu c. the proper Inheritance of Queen Isabel K Edward's Mother That King John should pay for his ransom the sum of Thirty hundred thousand Schutes of Gold every two of which should be six shillings eight pence sterling with some other conditions All which were ratified with hands Seals and Oaths at Callis though by the falshood of the French King this amity continued not many years for King John by underhand-dealing sought to alienate the hearts of King Edwards forreign subjects
and was so successful that within a short space he took fifteen Ships of the Spaniards fraught with Rich Merchandize By a Tempest were cast away at Sea four Knights and above a thousand Englishmen in their passage to Little-Britain In the year 1392 the Londoners were so unkind to the King that they refused to supply him with the loan but of a thousand pound and because a certain Lombard offered to lend the same they abused and almost killed him for which the King took away their Charter The year of Christ 1394 was famous or notable for the deaths of many great Ladies and amongst the rest of Queen Anne the Kings first wife whom it is said he loved to a kind of madness In the same year that the King was deposed the Bay or Lawrel Trees withered all over England and afterwards reflourished and on the first of January near Bedford-Town the River where it was deepest did on the sudden stand still and so divided it self that the bottom remained dry for about three miles Now flourished Sir John Hawkwood whose Chivalry had made him renowned through the Christian World Sir Geoffry Chaucer Poet Lawreat now also lived Queen Anne wife to King Richard the second first taught English women to ride on side-saddles when as before that time they rid astride She also brought in high head attire piked with Horns and long trained Gowns for Women The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir Nicholas Brember was Mayor Nicholas Twiford Andrew Pikeman Sheriffs In his second Year John Philpot was Mayor John Boseham Thomas Cornwallis Sheriffs In his third Year John Hadly was Mayor John Helisdon VVilliam Barra Sheriffs In his fourth Year VVilliam VValworth was Mayor Walter Doget William Knighthode Sheriffs In his fifth Year John Northampton was Mayor John Rotu John Hinde Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Northampton continued Mayor Adam Bramme John Sely Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Nicholas Brember was Mayor Simon Winchcome John Moor Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir Nicholas Brember continued Mayor Nicholas Exton John French Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Nicholas Brember continued Mayor John Organ John Churchman Sheriffs In his tenth Year Nicholas Exton was Mayor William Stondon William More Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Nicholas Exton continued Mayor William Venor Hugh Falstalfâ— Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Nicholas Twiford was Mayor Thomas Austen Adam Carlehul Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year William Venor was Mayor John Walcot John Love Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Adam Bamme was Mayor John Francis Thomas Vibent Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year John Hinde was Mayor John Shadworth Henry Vamere Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year William Stondon was Mayor Gilbert Mafield Thomas Newington Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year John Hardley was Mayor Drew Barintin Richard Whitington Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir John Froyshe was Mayor William Bramston Thomas Knolls Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir VVilliam More was Mayor Roger Ellis VVilliam Sevenoke Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Adam Brown was Mayor Thomas VVilford VVilliam Parker Sheriffs In his twenty first Year Sir Richard VVhitington was Mayor John VVodcock VVilliam Ascham Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Sir Drew Barintin was Mayor John VVade John VVarner Sheriffs HENRY IV. A D. 1389 HENRY of Bullingbroke the son of John Duke of Lancaster the fourth son of King Edward the third was Crowned at VVestminster by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury His Cousin the late King Richard seem'd so little concern'd for the loss of his Crown that when it was told him of Bullingbrokes being accepted by Parliament for King in his stead he only used these words I look not after such things but my hope is that after all this my Cousin will be my good Lord and friend But now Henry seated in Richards Throne used all the best means to retain the hearts of the people that sided with him and to weaken the opposite party and withal sent Ambassadors to forreign Princes to justify his unjust proceedings But the King of France and people of Aquitain would not allow of his pretences and the Citizens of Burdeaux openly said That since the world began there was never a more cruel unreasonable nor wicked fact done That the good Prince was betrayed by faithless men and that all Law was violated In England were many that inclined and contrived to set King Richard again upon his rightful Throne though to seek a captive Kings deliverance doth commonly hasten his death The principal Conspirators were John Holland Earl of Huntingdon Thomas Holland Earl of Kent the Dukes of Surrey Excester and Aumarl John Monticute Earl of Salisbury Thomas Spencer Earl of Glocester and the Bishop of Carlile Their plot was to kill Henry Bullingbroke and his son Henry but before the time of intended execution was come the whole conjuration was discovered Many attempts the conspirators made to effect the re-establing of Richard and amongst the rest they procured one Maudlen King Richards Chaplain to personate his Lord but this with all the rest of their projects failed The Towns-men of Cyrencester assayled and took some of the discontented Lords and then cut off their heads because some of their followers set fire on Cyrencester thinking that whilst the Towns-men were busied in quenching the fire they might set their Lords at liberty The Commons in Essex took the Earl of Huntingdon and cut off his head in revenge of the Duke of Glocesters death which he had had a hand in The Lord Spencer the Commons beheaded at Bristol Some others of them were put to death at Oxford some at London where also John Maudlen the counterfeit Richard a goodly personage and one VVillian Ferby were hang'd and quartred The Bishop of Carlile was by the Kings Clemency saved after his condemnation King Richard did not long survive his friends but at Pontfract Castle was put out of the way by hunger cold and great torments though the Scots have untruly writ that he escaped out of prison and led a solitary and vertuous life in Scotland and there dyed and was buryed at the black-Fryars in Sterling After Richards murder at Pontfract King Henry caused his dead body to be brought up to London where in St. Pauls with his face uncovered he lay for a time exposed to the view of all men then was his body transported to Langley in Hartfordshire where it lay buried till Henry the fifth in the first year of his Reign caused the Royal remains of his body to be Translated to VVestminster That beautiful Picture of a King sitting Crowned in a chair of State at the upper end of the Quire in VVestminster-Abby is said to be of him And now King Henry to divert the thoughts of the people from his Predecessors Tragedy prepared a puissant Army and marched with it into Scotland where he only did some hurt by wasting the Countrey and then returned Shortly after which he advanced against Owen Glendour that had
dignities rents and possessions during their natural lives That after the death of Charles the present King of France the Crown and Realm of France should with all rights and appurtenances remain unto the King of England and his Heirs for ever That because of King Charles his infirmness and incapacity to dispose the affairs of the Realm of France therefore during his life the government thereof should be and abide to King Henry so that thenceforth he should govern the Realm and admit to his Councel and Assistance with the Councel of France such of the English Nobility as he should think fit c. The Number of Articles were thirty three which were sworn unto at Troyes May 30 1420 the same being proclaimed in London the 20 of June following These Articles were concluded betwixt the two Kings in the presence of divers of the chief Nobility both of England and France homage being sworn unto King Henry and he proclaimed Regent of France And on the third of June the marriage of Henry and Katharine was with all pompous solemnity celebrated at Troyes the Bishop of that See performing the ceremonies From Troyes the King of England and his Queen rode to Paris where great entertainment was gâ—ven and the more to weaken the Daulphins interest a Parliament of the three Estates was assembled in Paris where the disinherison of the Daulphin was confirmed In this Parliament was also the final accord betwixt the two Kings acknowledged by the French King as made by his free consent and liking and with advice of the Councel of France whereupon it was likewise there ratified by the General States of that Realm and sworn unto particularly upon the Holy Evangelists by the French Nobles and Rulers spiritual and secular who also set their Seals to the Instruments thereof Which Instruments were sent into England to be kept in the Kings Exchequer at Westminster Things now setled in France as well as that unsetled time would permit King Henry leaves the Duke of Clarence to be his Lieutenant there and hasts for England with his Queen whom he caused to be Crowned at Westminster in little time after their arrival in England Then called a Parliament in order to the raising of moneys for the continuing of the Conquest in France but some men minding more their private interest than the publique instead of being free thereto to contribute they petitioned the King to commiserate the poverty of the Commons which as they pleaded were beggered by the Wars wherefore without further pressing for any aid the King again pawned his Crown to his rich Uncle Cardinal Beauford for twenty thousand pounds and then returned into France with four thousand Horse and 24 thousand Foot And time it was for the Daulphins party was grown considerably strong by Aids sent from Scotland under the conduct of the Earl of Bucquhanan and Archibald Douglas who had given a defeat to a party of the English therein killing the valiant Duke of Clarence and taking prisoners the Earls of Huntingdon and Somerset and Thomas Beaufort After which the Daulphinois had laid siege to Alenzon and straitned the City of Paris by withholding provisions from it but when victorious Henry appeared the enemy betook them to their strong-holds many of which he gained in short time A. D. 1421 and Decemb. the sixth whilst King Henry lay before Meaux news was brought him that his Queen at the Castle of Windsor was delivered of a Son at which he exceedingly rejoyced yet said he liked not the place of her delivery having before commanded that she should not be delivered there and withal predicted that what Henry of Monmouth should gain Henry of Windsor should lose A. D. 1422 Queen Katharine passed beyond the Seas to the King into France and there in the Loure King Henry and his Queen Katharine at the Festival of Pentecost sate in their Royal Robes with their Imperial Crowns on their heads and kept there Court with great confluence of people But shortly after this renowned Prince fell sick of a burning Fever and Flux whereof he dyed August 31. 1422. His bowels were buried at St. Mauro de Fosses his body at Westminster next beneath the Tomb of Edward the Confessor Upon his Tomb Queen Katharine caused a Royal Picture to be laid covered all over with Silver-Plate gilt the head whereof was wholly of massy Silver All which at the Abbies suppression was sacrilegiously broken off and taken away His Issue was only Henry of Windsor T is said of him That he was a Prince godly in heart sober in speech sparing of words resolute in deeds provident in Councel prudent in judgment modest in countenance magnanimous in action constant in undertaking a great Alms-giver devout to Godward a renowned Souldier fortunate in field from whence he never returned without Victory He erected the Monasteries of Bethlem and Briget near unto Richmond gave Princely gifts to the Church of Westminster and Brother-hood of St. Giles without Cripple-gate-London He first instituted Garter principal King at Arms besides other augmentations to the Order of St George A. D. 1414 Sigismond the Emperour came into England desiring to make peace betwixt the two Nations of France and England but when that could not be effected he entred into a League with the English himself Sir Roger Acton Beverly Murley and some others were strangled and burned for an unlawful meeting in St. Giles-fields A. D. 1417. Sir John Oldcastle Lord Cobâ—am was adjudged as a Traytor to the King and Realm to be drawn through the streets to St. Giles-fields by London and there to be hang'd and burnt Three Popes were now at once mounted into St. Peters Chair namely Benedict Gregory and John therefore for preventions of mischief to the Church by this Schisme a Councel was held at Constance in Germany whither King Henry sent nine English Prelates one of which to wit Richard Clifford Bishop of London was the first nominated by the Councel to be Pope and he first nominated him that succeeded which was Otho Collonna by the name of Martin the fifth In the third year of this Kings reign and on Candlemas day seven Dolphins came up the River Thames four of which were taken An Act made in Parliament holden at Leicester That such who maintained Wickliffes doctrine were Hereticks and Traytors and to be hanged and burned By which Law Sir Roger Acton with divers others as also the Lord Cobham were put to death The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir VVilliam Cromar was Mayor John Sutton John Michael Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Falconer was Mayor John Michael Thomas Allen Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Nicholas Wotton was Mayor VVilliam Cambridge Alan Everard Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir Henry Barton was Mayor Richard Whittington John Coventry Sheriffs In his fifth Year Richard Marlow was Mayor Henry Read John Gedney Sheriffs In his sixth Year VVilliam Sevenoke was Mayor John Brian
the Crown which for like cause stood upon the highest Tower of Dover-Castle both fell suddenly down which were vulgarly construed to be of ill-portent to King Henry The conclusion of the Parliament concerning the Crown was That Henry should enjoy it during life and then it should remain to Richard Duke of York and his Heirs and King Henries Heirs to be for ever excluded Whereupon the Duke was proclaimed Heir Apparent But this while the Queen was gathering forces in the North resolving if possible to maintain the possession of a Crown and to secure it for her son The Duke of York therefore with an Army marcheth against her and neer unto Wakefield both Hosts join battel where the Queen at length gained the Victory The Duke himself with divers men of account were slain in the fight and the Earl of Salisbury was taken prisoner and beheaded And now Edward Earl of March the son of Richard Duke of York takes upon him to maintain the quarrel and at Mortimers Cross neer Ludlow he set upon the Queens Army At which time there appeared three Suns which suddenly joyned into one The Battels maintained themselves with great fury but in the end March obtained the Victory There were taken Sir Owen Teder or Tudor Father to Jasper Earl of Pembroke whom Earl Edward caused to be beheaded Taken also were Sir John Scudamor with his two sons and other persons of Rank A. D. 1461. Both Armies met and ingaged in fight at St. Albans where the Queens side won the day and recovered the King whom the Yorkists had brought along with them from London Howbeit the Londoners stood wholly for the Earl of March whose presence and carriage made him amiable amongst the people especially women and at his return to London from the fight proclaimed him King of England King Henries Issue was only Edward He was a Prince free from pride given much to Prayer well-read in the Scriptures Charitable so chast and modest that when certain young women presented themselves before him in a Mask with their hair loose and bare breasts laid out he immediately rose up and departed with these words Fie fie for shame forsooth ye are to blame He took all injuries whereof he received plenty so patiently that he not only did not seek to revenge them but gave God thanks that he did send them to punish his sins in this life that he might escape punishment in the life to come To a Russian that struck him on the face whilst he was prisoner he only said Forsooth you are to blame to strike me your anointed King Not long before his death being demanded why he had so long held the Crown of England unjustly he replied my Father was King of England quietly enjoying the Crown all his Reign and his Father my Grandsire was also King of England and I even a Child in the Cradle was proclamed and Crowned King without any interruption and so held it forty years well-neer all the States doing homage unto me as to my Ancestors Therefore I say with King David My lot is fallen in a fair ground I have a goodly Heritage my help is from the Lord which saveth the upright in heart He founded those Famous Colledges of Eatoâ— and Kings Colledge in Cambridge In or neer the year of our Lord 1442. was Eleanor Cobham the good Duke Humphries wife arraigned of Sorcery and Treason for setting on Buâ—lingbrooke and Southwell to take away the Kings life by Necromancy Something of the fact she either confessed or was proved against her for the which she was put to solemn and publick penance in London three several days then was committed to perpetual imprisonment The Art of Printing was first found out in Germany by a Knight called John Guttenberghen and brought into England by William Caxton a Mercer of London who first practised the same in the Abby at Westminster Anno Dom. 1471. The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings Reign In his first Year Sir William Waldren was Mayor William Eastfield Robert Tatarfel Sheriffs In his second Year VVilliam Cromar was Mayor Nicholas James Thomas Watford Sheriffs In his third Year John Michal was Mayor Simon Seamen John Bywater Sheriffs In his fourth Year John Coventry was Mayor William Mildred John Brokle Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir John Rainwel was Mayor John Arnal John Higham Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor Henry Frowick Robert Otely Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Henry Barton vvas Mayor Thomas Duffhouse John Abbot Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor William Russe Ralph Holland Sheriffs In his ninth Year Nicholas Wotton vvas Mayor Walter Chertsey Robert Large Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John de Wells was Mayor John Aderly Stephen Brown Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir John Parveis was Mayor John Olney John Paddesley Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year Sir John Brokle was Mayor Thomas Chalton John King Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Sir Roger Oteley was Mayor Thomas Barnewel Simon Eyre Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Thomas Catworth Robert Clopton Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Sir John Michael was Mayor Thomas Morsted William Gregory Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Sir William Eastfield was Mayor VVilliam Hales William Chapman Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Sir Stephen Brown was Mayor Hugh Dyker Nicholas Yowe Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Robert Large was Mayor Philip Malpas Robert Marshal Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Sir John Paddesley was Mayor John Sutton William Welinhale Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Robert Clopton was Mayor William Combis Richard Rich Sheriffs In his twenty first Year John Aderley was Mayor Thomas Beaumont Richard Nordon Sheriffs In his twenty second Year Thomas Catworth was Mayor Nicholas Wyford John Norman Sheriffs In his twenty third Year Sir Henry Frowick was Mayor Stephen Foster Hugh Wâ—tch Sheriffs In his twenty fourth Year Sir Simon Eyre was Mayor John Darby Godfrey Fielding Sheriffs In his Twenty fifth Year John Olney was Mayor Robert Horne Godfrey Bullen Sheriffs In his twenty sixth Year Sir John Gedney was Mayor William Abraham Thomas Scot Sheriffs In his twenty seventh Year Sir Stephen Brown vvas Mayor William Cotlow William Marrow Sheriffs In his twenty eight Year Sir Thomas Chalton was Mayor VVilliam Hulin Thomas Canning Sheriffs In his twenty ninth Year Nicholas Wilford was Mayor John Middleton VVilliam Deare Sheriffs In his thirtieth Year Sir VVilliam Gregory was Mayor Matthew Philip Christopher Wharton Sheriffs In his thirty first Year Sir Geoffry Fielding vvas Mayor Richard Lee Richard Alley Sheriffs In his thirty second Year Sir John Norman was Mayor John Walden Thomas Cook Sheriffs In his thirty third Year Sir Stephen Foster vvas Mayor John Field VVilliam Taylor Sheriffs In his thirty fourth Year Sir VVilliam Marrow vvas Mayor John Young Thomas Oldgrave Sheriffs In his thirty fifth Year Sir Thomas Canning was Mayor John Styward Ralph Verney Sheriffs In his thirty sixth Year Sir Godfrey Bullen
Princes to attempt the recovery of the holy-Land sending Cardinal Campeius on this errand into England Which Cardinal and his company being come to London as they passed through Cheap-side the sumpture Mules cast their Carriages and Coffers on the ground out of which the lids flying open fell old breeches boots and broken shoes torn stockings tattered rags old iron and horse shoes broken meat marrow bones roasted eggs and crusts of bread with such-like treasure About A. D. 1521 the Emperour Charles passing toward Spain landed at Dover where the King met him and conducted him in great state to London lodging him in his new Palace in the Black-Friars then feasted him at Windsor and in such bands of amity the Emperor and King Henry seemed to be link'd that in London this sentence was set up in the Guild-hall over the dore of the Councel-Chamber Carolus Henricus vivant Defensor uterque Henricus fidei Carolus Ecclesiae The reason of which Titles Defender of the Faith and Church was For that Charles the Emperour had directed forth a solemn Writ of Out-lawry against Dr. Martin Luther who had then given a great blow to the Triple Crown and King Henry had wrote a Book against the said Luther for the which the Pope gave the Title of Defender of the Church to the Emperour and Defender of the Faith to the King and for the same cause he sent King Henry a consecrated Rose A new variance hapning again betwixt the Kingdoms of France and England the King assembled a Parliament at the Black-Friers in London which granted him half of the yearly revenues of all Spiritual livings to be paid for five years continuance and the tenth part of all temporal substance to carry on the Wars against France and Scotland When the King being furnished with mony sent a great Army into France under the conduct of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who had married Mary the Kings Sister Queen Dowager of France This valiant Commander first besieged and won Bell-Castle then took the Castle of Bonguard Braie Roie Lihome Mondedier and Boghan which done he returned King Henry was so inraged against the Scots that he took from all those inhabiting England all their goods sending them into their Country on foot with white Crosses sowed upon their uppermost garments But Margaret Queen of Scots solliciting her brother Henry for a peace the difference betwixt the two Nations was for a while reconciled About A. D. 1525 arose great troubles in Ireland the wild Irish casting off all obedience and killing many of the Kings English Subjects Girald Fitz-Girald Earl of Kildare was sent prisoner into England for that the Earl of Ossery had accused him of many misdemeanors as That he connived at the Earl of Desmonds escape whom he should have attached by order from the King That he grew over-familiar with the Irish and that he put to death the Kings best subjects When the Earl was brought to London he was committed to the Tower by the Cardinals means who did not love him In the Tower he expected death daily but with such couragious resolution that being at slide-groat with the Lieutenant when the Mandate was brought for his Execution on the morrow morning and seeing the Lieutenant struck into a sudden sadness he said unto him By St Bride Lieutenant there is some mad game in that Scroll but fall how it will this throw is for a huddle And when the worst was told him he said I pray thee Lieutenant do no more but assuredly learn from the Kings own mouth whether his Highness be witting of this or not Whereupon the Lieutenant loving the Earl well went to the King and shewed him the Warrant which the King seeing controlled the sawciness of the Priest for so he then called the Cardinal and gave the Lieutenant his Signet for a nullity of the Warrant so the Earl was delivered from the death threatned and not long after from his imprisonment About or in A. D. 1528 King Henry began to call into Question the lawfulness of his marriage with his Queen Katharine who was daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain and had been married to Prince Arthur eldest son of Henry the seventh when he was about fifteen years of age but he dying ere he had been married twelve months King Henry his brother by the advice of his Councel took this Princess Katharine to Wife in few days after his Fathers death and enjoyed her nuptial society near twenty years in which time she had born him two sons both dying in their infancy and one daughter named Mary afterward Queen But now he said his Conscience was much dissatisfied doubting it might not be lawful for him to have his brothers Wife notwithstanding he had had a dispensation from the Pope for it therefore first he refused his Queens bed and having moved the doubt to his own Divines he next sent for the opinion of most of the Universities of Europe which concluded against it and signified so much under most of their common Seals He also sent Agents unto Rome with an humble request to the Pope that an indifferent Judge might be sent to determine this weighty affair Whereupon Cardinal Campeius was sent over into England with whom Cardinal Wolsey was joyned in Commission These Cardinals had a place ordained them in the Black-Friers in London for the keeping of their Court of Judicature To which Court the King and Queen were summoned to appear personally which accordingly they did having several seats prepared for them When the Court was sate the Cryer called King Henry to appear who forthwith answered Here Then was the Queen called who made no answer at all but presently rose up and going to the King fell on her knees at his feet and in the audience of the people said unto him Sir I desire you to take some pity upon me and do me Justice and right I am a poor woman a stranger born out of your Dominions having here no indifferent Councel and less assurance of friendship Alas Wherein have I offended or what cause of displeasure have I given you that you thus intend to put me away I take God to my Judge I have been to you a true and humble Wife ever conformable to your will and pleasure never gain-saying any thing wherein you took delight Without all grudge or discontented countenance I have loved all them that loved you howsoever their affections have been towards me I have born you Children and been your Wife now this twenty years Of my Virginity and Marriage-bed I make God and your own Conscience the Judge and if it otherwise be proved I am content to be put from you with shame The King your Father in his time for wisdom was known to be a second Solomon and Ferdinand of Spain my Father accounted the wisest amongst their Kings could they in this Match be so far over-seen or are there now wiser and more learned men than at that time were Surely it seems
is no other substance consisting in the bread and wine besides the substance of Christ God and man Secondly That the Communion in both kinds was not necessary to Salvation the flesh only in form of bread being sufficient to the Laity Thirdly That Priests might not marry by the Law of God Fourthly That the vows of chastity ought by Gods law to be observed Fifthly That private Masses were necessary for the people and agreeable to the Law of God Sixthly That auricular Confession was expedient to be retained in the Church of God For offending against the former Law of abjuring the Popes Supremacy c. was John Fisher Bishop of Rochester put to death and Sir Thomas More Lord Chancellor so merry conceited a person that he could not forbear his jests though bloody death stared him in the face For when on the Scaffold the Executioner desired his forgiveness he replied I forgive thee but I promise thee thou wilt get no honour by â—utting off my head my neck is so short And when he was to lay his neck on the block he stroâ—kt out his white beard and said to the Heads-man I pray let me lay it over the block lest you should cut it off For though you have a Warrant to cut off my head you have none to cut off my Beard Besides these two there were put to death for the same cause many Abbots Priors and Friars For oppugning the six Articles and asserting Gospel-truths did many Christians of the reformed Religion suffer death in the flames Amongst the rest Dr. Robert Barns was one and Mrs. Anne Askue a person of rare wit and elegant beauty who when she had been twice tormented upon the Rack to the disjoynting of her bones then gave her body to the flames for Christs sake And the life of Queen Katharine Parre was hard laid for by Stephen Gardner but through her wisdom and prudent carriage towards the King it was preserved About A. D. 1545 was a match concluded to be made betwixt Prince Edward King Henrie's son and the young Princess of Scotland the Scotch Nobility approving thereof and in a Parliament of the three estates the match was confirmed in England the like also in Scotland but Cardinal Beton Archbishop of St. Andrews fearing lest hereby Scotland should also change the Church-Orders and the French likewise not liking the union means was therefore wrought to break the said intended marriage of the two young Heirs whence wars insued and the English invaded Scotland spoiled Leith burnt Edenbrough and wasted the Country for seven miles about set fire upon Haddington and Dunbar then returned And because the French refused the performance of certain Covenants King Henry made war also upon that Nation and in short time won the strong Town of Bulloigne Then the French King with intent to balance the loss of Bolloign invaded the Isle of Wight and Sea-coasts of Sussex though it proved to the loss of many of his Captains and thousands of his Souldiers A. D. 1546 the Reingrave came with a great force to victual a Fort built near to Bulloigne which the Earl of Surrey sought to prevent him from but was discomfited with the loss of many brave mens lives Shortly after which by the mediation of the Empâ—ror and other Christian Potentates peace was concluded betwixt France and England A. D. 1547 and January the twenty eighth King Henry yielded to deaths impartial stroke whose body with great solemnity was buried at Windsor In his Will he ordained howsoever Titles had been made invalid in Parliaments That his three Children should succeed each other for want of other Issue One thousand Marks he commanded should be given to the poor and to twelve poor Knights at Windsor each of them twelve-pence a day for ever every year a long Gown of white cloth the Garter to be embroidred upon the breast and therein the Cross of St. George and a Mantle of red cloth to be worn thereupon His Wives were Katharine his brothers Relict Anne Bullen Jane Seymore Anne of Cleve Katharine Howard Neece to the Duke of Norfolk and Katharine Parre the daughter of Sir Thomas Parre of Kendal His Issue Henry which lived not full two months another son not named and Mary these by Katharine of Spain Elizabeth and a son still-born by Anne Bullen Edward by Jane Seymour His natural Issue Henry Fitz-Roy After the dissolution of the religious Houses he erected the Bishopricks of Westminster Chester Oxford Peterborough Bristol and Glocester and also erected the Cathedral Churches of Canterbury Winchester Worcester Chester Peterborough Ely Glocester Bristol Carlile Durham Rochester and Norwich In all which he founded a Dean with a certain number of Prebendaries The Colledge of Christ-Church in Oxford begun by Cardinal Wolsey he ordained to be the Cathedral of this Bishops See Many died of the sweating sickness in England especially about London In the twenty third year of his raign Richard Rice a Cook was boiled to death in Smith-field for poysoning divers persons In the thirty seventh of his raign the Stews on the Bank-side in Southwark were put down by the Kings appointment A. D. 1546 William Foxly continued sleeping fourteen days and fifteen nights and could not by any means be awakened during that time yet when he did awake he was in very good temper as though he had slept but one night and lived forty years after King Henry by Act of Parliament assumed the Stile and Title of King of Ireland former Kings of England bearing only the stile of Lords thereof 'T is said that now Turkey Carp Hops Pickarel and Beer came into England all in a Year Mayors and Sheriffs of Londen in this Kings Time In his first Year Thomas Bradbury was Mayor for the part of the year Sir VVilliam Capel for the rest George Monox John Doget Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Henry Kebble was Mayor John Milborne John Rest Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Roger Acheley was Mayor Nicholas Shelton Thomas Mersine Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir William Copinger was Mayor for part of the year Sir Richard Haddon for the rest Robert Holdernes or Alderns Robert Fenrother Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir William Brown was Mayor John Dawes John Bruges Roger Bosford Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir George Monox vvas Mayor James Yarford John Munday Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir William Butler vvas Mayor Henry Warley Richard Gray William Baily Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir John Rest was Mayor Thomas Seymour John or Richard Thurston Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir Thomas Exmewe was Mayor Thomas Baldrie Ralph or Richard Simons Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir Thomas Mersine was Mayor John Allen James Spencer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir James Yarford was Mayor John Wilkinson Nicholas Patrick Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir John Burg vvas Mayor John Skevington John Kyme alias Keble Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Milborn was Mayor John Breton or Britain Thomas Pargitor Sheriffs In his
Mayor Stephen Slaney Henry Billingsley Sheriffs In her seven and twentieth Year Sir Wolstone Dixie vvas Mayor Anthony Ratcliffe Henry Pranel Sheriffs In her eight and twentieth Year Sir George Barne was Mayor George House William Elkin Sheriffs In her nine and twentieth Year Sir George Bond was Mayor Thomas Skinner John Catcher Sheriffs In her thirtieth Year Sir Martin Calthorp served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Hugh Offley Richard Saltonstall Sheriffs In her one and thirtieth Year Sir John Hart was Mayor Richard Gurney Stephen Some Sheriffs In her two and thirtieth Year Sir John Allot served one part Sir Rowland Heyward the other Nicholas Mosley Robert Brook Sheriffs In her three and thirtieth Year Sir William Webbe was Mayor VVilliam Rider Benet or Benedict Barnham Sheriffs In her four and thirtieth Year Sir William Roe was Mayor John Garret or Gerrard Robert Taylor Sheriffs In her five and thirtieth Year Sir Cuthbert Buckle served one part Sir Richard Martin the other Paul Banning Peter Haughton Sheriffs In her six and thirtieth Year Sir John Spencer was Mayor Robert Lee Thomas Bennet Sheriffs In her seven and thirteth Year Sir Stephen Slaney was Mayor Thomas Lowe Leonard Halliday Sheriffs In her eight and thirtieth Year Sir Thomas Skinner served one part Sir Henry Billingsley the other John Wats Richard Godard Sheriffs In her nine and thirtieth Year Sir Richard Saltonstall was Mayor Henry Roe John More Sheriffs In her fortieth Year Sir Stephen Some was Mayor Edward Holmedon Robert Hampson Sheriffs In her one and fortieth Year Sir Nicholas Mosley was Mayor Humphrey Walde Roger Clerk Sheriffs In her two and fortieth Year Sir William Rider was Mayor Thomas Smith Thomas Cambel VVilliam Craven Sheriffs In her three and fortieth Year Sir John Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Henry Anderson William Glover Sheriffs In her four and fortieth Year Sir Robert Lee was Mayor James Pemberton John Swinerton Sheriffs JAMES A. D. 1602 KING James his Title to the Crown of England sprung from Henry the seventh whose Issue 〈◊〉 the Male failing in the late deceased Queen Elizabeth the off-spring of Margaret his eldest daughter was the next Heir which Lady Margaret being married unto James the fourth King of Scotland by him had Issue James the fifth whose only daughter and Child Queen Mary was the Mother of King James the sixth of that name that had swayed the Scepter in Scotland Which learned Prince when he heard of the death of Queen Elizabeth set forward out of Scotland and was with great joy received of all his English Subjects in his way to London and at his approach unto that honourable City the Lord Mayor and Aldermen with five hundred choice Citizens all in Chains of Gold and well-mounted met his Majesty and with all solemn observance attended him unto the Charter-house Then preparations were made for his Coronation but before the day appointed thereunto a Proclamation came forth that no Citizen should presume to approch the Court the City having buried in one week above one thousand of the plague And yet a greater plague than this was intended against England about the Kings coming in had not God in his mercy prevented it For Pope Clement the eighth having sent unto Henry Garnet Superior of the Jesuites in England two Bulls therein prohibiting any to be admitted to the Crown unless he would first tolerate the Romish Religion and by all his best endeavours advance that Catholique cause Hereupon the Popes creatures to do their unholy Father the best service they could combined with some whom private discontents had discomposed to surprise the Kings person and Prince Henry intending to retain them prisoners in the Tower or if they could not gain the Tower then to carry them to Dover-Castle and there to keep them till they had brought the King to their own terms and compleated their designs The persons accused for this Conspiracy were Henry Brook Lord Cobham Thomas Lord Grey of Wilton Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Griffin Markham Sir Edward Parham George Brook and Bartholomew Brooksby Esquires Anthony Copley Gentleman Watson and Clark Priests A. D. 1603 and July 21 King James and Queen Anne were Crowned at Westminster by John Whitguift Archbishop of Canterbury and when the Coronation was over the Conspirators were conveyed to Winchester where the Term was then kept because of the plague at London and there had their Tryal and were all condemned by their Jury save Sir Edward Parham Howbeit only three of them were executed namely Watson Clark and George Brook This business thus Transacted for the safety of King and Kingdom his Majesty to gratify the Puritan or Presbyterian party that had petitioned for a reformation in the English Church commanded an Assembly of selected Divines to appear in his Royal presence at Hampton-Court whither the summoned accordingly repaired Persons summoned to maintain the cause of the Church of England were the Archbishop of Canterbury Bishops of London Durham Winchester c. Persons for the reformation of the Church were Dr. Reynolds and Dr. Sparks of Oxford Mr. Knewstubs and Mr. Chaderton of Cambridge At this conference his Majesty notably vindicated the Church of England see the conference at Hampton-Court Printed 1604. After an indeavour of setling Church-peace the King commanded a new Translation of the holy Scriptures which was accordingly done A. D. 1604 and August the nineteenth was peace proclaimed betwixt the two Nations of Spain and England And the King to joyn the Nations of England and Scotland into an happy unity caused himself by Proclamation to be stiled King of Great Britain A Proclamation also came forth commanding all Jesuites and Seminary Priests out of the Land but these under-miners of Church and State mean not to leave England so but design to stay and triumph in its ruins purposing by one fatal-blow to destroy the King the Prince the Peers both temporal and Spiritual the Knights and Burgesses of Parliament And the Traytors intent when that damnable villany should be effected was to surprize the Queen and remainder of the Kings Issue Richard Bancroft A. B. Cant. to bring in forreign powers and to alter Religion Sir Edward Baynham an Attainted person was sent to the Pope to acquaint him with the designed Gun-powder-Treason and Thomas Winter brought with him out of Flanders Guy Fawks as a fit Executioner of their hellish project The Conspirators resolved among themselves that it was lawful for case of Conscience to destroy the innocent with the nocent and this by the Authority and judgment of Garnet himself Then they took Oath of secresy swearing by the blessed Trinity and the Sacrament they then were about to receive never to disclose directly or indirectly by word or circumstance this their Plot in hand nor any of them to desist from the Execution thereof until the rest of the Conspirators should give leave This done Mr. Thomas Piercy hired an house next adjoyning to the Parliament-House pretending it to be for his Lodgings and
Edenburgh the common People both Men and Women flung cudgels stones stools or any thing that came next hand at him and after that was done re-inforced their assaults upon the Bishops then present Nor was it the rabble only that were disaffected to the Church-Liturgy and Discipline but persons of all degrees and orders who mutually obliged themselves and the Scottish Nation in a Hellish Covenant to extirpate Episcopacy and to defend each other against all persons To reduce this People to a more peaceful practice the King sent Marquess Hamilton as his Commissioner but there were new seeds of discontents and war dayly sown so that to pacific the discontents of the Scots his Majesty at length gave order for revoking the Liturgy the High-Commission the Book of Canons and the five Articles of Perth made by King James also granted that a general assembly of the Kirk should be holden at Glascow Novem. 21. 1638. and a Parliament at Edenburgh 15 of May 1639. When the Assembly were met they fell to declare against Bishops to excomunicate them and their adherents and to abolish Episcopacy and the Covenanters were also so daring that they seized upon the Kings Revenue surprized his Forts and Castles and at last put themselves in Arms. Cardinal Richlieu of France heightning them 't is said in their factious proceeds by promising them assistance from the French King King Charles now well perceiving that his Clemency to the Scots was converted to his own prejudice raises therefore a gallant Army with which he marches within two miles of Berwick within sight of the Rebel Scots but they Petitioning for a pacification the King yielded thereunto A. D. 1639 and June 17 the King disbanded his Army expecting that the Scots would have done the like according to the Articles of accord but the Covenanters instead of keeping those Articles retained their Officers in pay changed the old form of holding Parliaments invaded the Prerogatives of the Crown and solicited the French King for an aid of men and money His Majesty hereupon calls a Parliament in England to sit April 13 1640. and another in Ireland The Irish Parliament granted money to raise and pay 8000 men in Arms and to furnish them with ammunition but the English Parliament were not so free in granting supplies against the Scots although the King promised them for ever to quit his claim of Ship-money and give satisfaction to their just demands if now they would supply him When his Majesty sent old Sir Henry Vane unto them to demand six subsidies he either purposely or accidentally the first is rather thought named twelve which put the Commons into such a heat that they were about to remonstrate against the War with Scotland Whereupon the King was forced to dissolve the Parliament May the 5. 1640. Howbeit he continued the Convocation of the Clergy which granted him four shillings in the pound for all their Ecclesiastical promotions Soon after this a tumult was stirr'd up at the Bishop of Canterbury's insomuch that a great number of Apprentices and vulgar persons assaulted his house at Lambeth some of whom being apprehended and imprisoned were by their Companions rescued out of Prison for which one of the Ringleaders was hang'd and quartered Now whilst these things were acting at home the turbulent Scots had entred England and defeated a part of the Kings Army before the whole could be imbodied and had gained Newcastle and Durham And no sooner was his Majesty come to his Army in the North but there followed him from some English Lords a Petition conformable to the Scotch Remonstrance which they called the intentions of the Army viz. not to lay down Arms till the reformed Religion meaning Scotch Presbytery was setled in both Nations and the causers and abetters of their present troubles were brought to publick Justice and that in Parliament The King therefore summons the Lords to appear at York September the 24 1640. who accordingly met where it was determined that a Parliament should be called to meet November the third following then a Treaty was agreed upon betwixt the English and Scotch for the ceasing of all Acts of Hostility and one of the Articles was That the contribution of 850 l. per diem should be raised out of the English Northern Counties to maintain the Scotch Army during the Treaty and till peace was secured The fatal long Parliament began November the third which day as 't is said was looked upon by the Archbishop of Canterbury as an unlucky day for meeting of Parliaments in reference to Church-affairs having proved so in the time of King Henry the eighth whereupon he advised the King to put off their setting to another day which his Majesty inclined not unto but at their meeting acquainted them that he was resolved to put himself wholly upon his English Subjects that he would satisfie all their just grievances then commended to their care the chasing out of the sawcy Scots making provisions for his own Army and relieving the oppressed Northern Counties But the Parliament instead of complying with their Soveraign in his just proposals they first set upon purging their house of such whom they thought wou'd not comply with their designs finding fault either with their elections or else making them criminals in some publick grievance then setled Committees for grievances and receiving Petitions voted down Monopolies impeached the Lord Wentworth Earl of Strafford of High-Treason and committed him to the black Rod committed Archbishop Laud likewise to the black Rod and ten weeks after voted him guilty of High-Treason and sent him to the Tower In the mean while Prynn Burton and Bastwick were freed from their confinement and conducted into London in great State and Triumph Alderman Pennington with some hundreds attending him presented the Commons with a Petition from the Citizens of London against the present Church-government Divers Petitions from other places came before them of the like nature And now the Parliament well perceiving their own strength and interest drew up a bill for Triennial-Parliaments wherein the power of calling that great Council of the Nation was upon refusal of the King and neglect of others devolved upon Constables This the King through their importunities granted unto them February the 16 the Parliament voted That no Bishop should have any vote in Parliament nor any Judicial power in the Star-Chamber-Court nor have any sway in Temporal affairs and that no Clergy-man should be in Commission of Peace And after about five months from their sitting the Earl of Strafford Lord Deputy of Ireland was brought to his Tryal in Westminster Hall before the Lords as his Judges The King Queen and Prince setting behind a curtain in an adjoyning Gallery and round about the Court stood the Commons his accusers and the Witnesses against him were English and Scotch Anti-Episcoparians and Irish Papists his charge consisted of 28 Articles to all which the Earl answered with such firm reasons that he could not be found
ancient Laws If these things be denyed they are here presently to abide the verdict of Battel being fully resolved rather to dye than to part with their Laws or to live servile in bondage The Conqueror in this streight more wisely than willingly granted their demands Some of the English this Norman King banished and most part of every mans estate he seized into his own hands bestowing the Lands of the Natives amongst his followers He deprived Monastries Bishopricks Lanfrank A B. Cant. Cities and Corporations of their ancient liberties and priviledges putting them to redeem them at his own rate And for default of lacking the weight of a Groat in the payment of 700 Marks by the Monks of Ely for the restoring to their Abby the ancient possessions they were constrained to pay a 1000 Marks more The Clergy he charged with maintenance for his Wars bereaved the Religious Houses of their Treasures Chalices and rich Shrines abrogated for the most part the ancient Laws of the Land ordaining new in their stead not so equal or easie to be kept also causing them to be writ in the Norman Tongue He ordained the four Law-Terms whereas before the causes of the Kingdom were determined in every Shire or by the late Law of King Edward in their Gemote or Conventicle held monthly in every Hundred He commanded every English Housholder to put out both Fire and Candle at eight of the Clock at Night At which hour in all Cities Towns and Villages he caused a Bell to be rung by the Normans then called Covre-feu that is Coverfire to prevent nightly meetings He laid great Subsidies upon the Land And that the same might amount to his greater benefit he caused an exact survey to be taken of the whole Kingdom and of every particular part and Commodity thereof causing all the people of England to be numbred their names taken and what every one might dispend by the year their substance Money and Bondmen recorded How many yokes of Oxen and Plow-lands were in the Realm and what services they owed him Which done he exacted Six Shillings to be paid him for every Hide of Land The Book thus made of every several survey by the English was called Doomes-day Book He permitted no English man to bear any office of trust and credit He dispeopled 36 Parish Towns laying the Churches and Towns flat with the earth making thereof a Forest for pleasure now called New-Forest To strengthen himself against revolts and rebellions he fortified such places as he thought most convenient for his purpose and built the Tower of London the Castles of York Lincoln Nottingham and Hasting He was the first that brought the Jews to inhabit England His Son Robert rebelled against him in Normandy and in sight dismounted him but then knowing his voice desired his pardon and remounted him Odo Bishop of Bayeux and Earl of Kent his Brother by the Mother for secretly siding with the King of France he committed to Prison not as Bishop but as he was Earl and seized his Estate Some of whose Gold ground into powder was found hidden in the bottom of Rivers The Conqueror going to War against the King of France in Normandy fell sick when keeping his Bed beyond his wont and the French King hearing that the Disease was in his Belly scoffingly said of him Our Cousin William is laid now in Child-bed Oh what a number of Candles must I offer at his going to Church surely I think an Hundred thousand will not suffice Which King William hearing of said Well I trust our Cousin of France shall be at no such cost but after this my Child-birth at my going to Church swearing by the resurrection and brightness of God I will find him a Thousand Candles and light them my self And accordingly not long after he entred France with a great Army spoiling all where he came and setting the City Mauntz on fire But he came so near the flames that with the heat of his Harness he gat a sickness which increased with a leap of his Horse that burst the inward rim of his belly cost him his life He dyed at Roan in Normandy A. D. 1087. And forsaken of all his Courtiers his body was left unburied till that one Harluims a poor Countrey Knight at his own charge conveyed it to Caen. Where when it should have been buried a certain man in Gods name forbad the interment in that place which said he was his and his Ancestors right taken from them violently by the said Duke Whereupon they were forced to compound with him ere they interr'd the Corps His Issue were Robert Richard William Henry and six Daughters His base Son named William Peverel was Earl of Nottingham By his last Will and Testament he commanded all his Treasure to be distributed to Churches Gods Ministers and the poor limiting to each their several portion To the Church and Monks of St. Stephens at Caen in Normandy he gave divers Mannors in England and great store of Land yea and his Crown and Regal Ornaments which his Son Henry redeemed To his Son Robert he had before given the Dukedom of Normandy England he left undisposed only wish'd his Son William might succeed him in it And to Henry he gave Five thousand pound presaging that all his Dominions should become Henries in the end He did oft-times exhort his Children to the study of Learning with this saying That an unlearned Prince is but a Crowned Ass He built a Religious House called Battel-Abby in the same place where King Harold was slain dedicating it to the holy Trinity and St. Martin That there the Monks might pray for the Souls of Harold and the rest that were slain in that place endowing it with many great priviledges and amongst the rest these Two That if any Murderer or other Felon for fear of death fled thither he should be freed from all punishment And that it should be lawful for the Abbot of that place to deliver any Thief or Robber from the Gallows if he should chance to pass where any such execution was in hand At Selby in Yorkshire he founded the Abby of St. Germans at Excester the Priory of St. Nicholas and at Caen in Normandy the Monastry of St. Stephens In his time it was decreed at Rome That the See of York should be stiled primas Angliae and the See of Canterbury Primas totius Angliae The setting Seals to Bonds and Writings was now first used in England there being before only Witnesses to them Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was deposed by the Conqueror and dyed in Prison The Abbot of St. Albans told this King that the reason why he gained England in one Battel which the Danes could not do in many was because the maintenance of Martial men with a part of the Lands Revenues was converted to maintain religious men and to religious uses In the time of this Kings Reign befell a most fearful Earth-quake strange burning Feavers very mortal Murrains
his two Brothers Richard and Geofry with many of the English Nobles Against whom the Father with a bleeding heart for his Sons ungraciousness prepared himself and was very successful in Little Britain where himself was in person also in England by his faithful Subjects For Humphrey de Bohun High Constable of the Realm with other Nobles vanquished Robert Earl of of Leicester and took him Prisoner which moved Lewis of France to seek a Truce of him for six Months whereunto King Henry yielded then Ship'd for England landing at the Port of Hampton From whence he took his journey towards Canterbury and being come within about three miles thereof he went barefooted the hard stones so cutting his tender feet that the ground was stained with his blood And after he came to Canterbury and was entred into the Chapter-house of the Monks Baldwin A.B. Cant. he most humbly prostrated himself on the ground begged pardon and by the instancy of his own Petition was by all the brethren corrected with Rods. The number of lashes which he received on his bare flesh amounted to Fourscore About this time William King of Scots that had lately entred England was taken Prisoner and young King Henry was with storms driven back into France and his Fleet scattered shortly after which Peace was concluded betwixt his Father and him But yet again he sought his Fathers ruine though before he could effect it he was prevented by the King of Terrors Death A. D. 1183. The following year Heraclius Patriarch of Jerusalem arrived in England soliciting the King to undertake the holy War in his own person which by the advice of his Lords he refused yet yielded to aid the Cause with Money and gave them leave to go that were disposed thereto His Son John whom he exceedingly loved and commonly in jest called Sans terre without Land he made Lord of Ireland assuring unto him also Lands and Rents in England and Normandy Richard and Geoffery his Sons rebelled again against him The younger of which in a Turnament at Paris was trod to death under the Horse feet but the elder lived to the further grief of his Father For joyning himself with Philip of France forced his Father out of the City of Mentz the City where he was born and loved above all others which made King Henry to utter these words against him That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the world he would requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that thing which in him should best please a Child namely his heart And afterwards finding his Son John first in the Catalogue of the Conspirators against him in that action he bitterly cursed the hour of his birth laying Gods curse and his upon his Sons which he would never recall by any perswasions But coming to Chinon he there fell desperately sick and feeling death approach caused himself to be born into the Church before the Altar where after humble confession and sorrow for his sins he yielded up his Soul A. D. 1189 and was buried at Font-Everard His Issue were William Henry Richard Jeffry Philip John Maud and Eleanor His base Issue William sirnamed Longsper and Jeffry Archbishop of York These two by fair Rosamund and Morgan by another Woman Rosamund his beloved Concubine was the Daughter of the Lord Clifford whom to keep safe from the envy of Queen Eleanor he placed in a Labyrinth which he built for her at Woodstock with such windings and turnings that none could come at her retiring Room save the King or whom he instructed Howbeit the jealous eye of Queen Eleanor found her out by a clew of silk which Rosamund let fall as she sate to take the Air. For she suddenly fleeing to escape being seen the end of the silk fastned to her foot and the clew still unwinding which the Queen followed till she had found the lovely Rosamund whom she so dealt with giving her Poyson that she ended her days whose body was buried at Godstow with this Epitaph upon her Tomb Hic jacet in Tumba Rosa mundi non Rosa munda Non redolet sed olet quae redolere solet King Henry divided England into Circuits appointing that two of his judges should twice in the year in each Circuit administer Justice In the year 1164 he called an assembly of the States at Clarendon in Wilts where amongst other matters it was decreed That all the Clergy should bona fide swear allegiance to the King and should appeal but unto the Archbishop or from him finally to the King without particular licence In the beginning of his reign one Nicholas Breakspear an English man was elected Pope by the name of Adrian the 4th who in the 5th year of his Popedom was choaked with a Fly He sent the Lords Prayer in this manner from Rome to be taught the English people Vre Fadyr in Heaven rich Thy name be halyed everlich Thou bring us thy michel bliss Al 's hit in Heaven y-doe Evar in yearth been it also That holy bread that lasteth ay Thou send it ous this ilke day Forgive ous all that we have don As we forgive uch other mon. Ne let ous fall into no founding Ac shield ous fro the foul thing Amen In the Isle of Wight it rained blood the shower continuing for the space of two hours together A great Earthquake in Ely Norfolk and Suffolk which made the Bells to ring in the Steeples At St. Osyths in Essex was seen a Dragon of marvelous bigness which by moving burned Houses Another great Earthquake which overthrew many buildings and amongst the rest rent in pieces Lincoln Cathedral At Oreford in Suffolk a certain hairy creature perfectly resembling man in all parts and proportions was taken out of the Sea by Fishers in a Net who after he had been kept a while secretly slipt away into the Sea again RICHARD I. A.D. 1189 RICHARD from his exceeding valour sirnamed Ceur de Lion was Crowned at Westminster by Baldwin Archbishop of Canterbury At which time a great number of the Jews were in a tumultuous sort slaughtered by the common people for which many of them suffered death The Coronation rights performed Richard with all speed prepares for his voyage into the Holy-Land appointing William Longchamp Bishop of Ely his chief Justiciar and Lord Chancellor joyning with him Hugh Bishop of Durham for the parts beyond Humber associating to those Bishops divers temporal Lords for the defence and preservation of Justice And with the King of Scots he concluded firm friendship Which done with a royal Navy he put out to Sea and by the way to the Holy-Land he seized on the Island Cyprus where he solemnly took to Wife his beloved Lady Berengaria The Island he committed to the keeping of his own Deputies permitting the Islanders to injoy all such Laws and Liberties as they held in the time of Immanuel the Emperor Furder in his way
England and Ireland Pandulph now having got what he came for hastens into France there to disswade Philip from proceeding against King John as being become an obedient and reconciled Son to the Church But Philip who was of his holy Fathers mind not caring for K. John's repentance but his Crown in great choler professed That since the Pope himself had so far thrust him on his Legats suggestions no nor his threats of excommunication should not withdraw him from his intentions In which resolution calling his Peers into a consultation they all approved his design save Ferdinand Earl of Flanders who alledged that it was an unreasonable thing to think of invading another mans right inforcing this his judgment with so good arguments that thereby many of the Peers were induced to change their opinion Which so incensed K. Philip that he drew his Forces against Flanders commanding his mighty prepared Fleet to set forward thitherward Of the which K. John having speedy intelligence set forth his Navy and happily surprized the French Fleet at the Port of Damme whilst most of the Soldiers were on Land spoiling the Earls Country taking 300 Vessels laden with Provisions Arms and other costly fraught and burning and sinking above an 100. And now the King thinking to take the advantage of this Victory made ready a great Army for the recovery of his hereditary Provinces lost to the French but when all else was ready then the Barons denied him their attendance till he was assoyled of his Excommunication and that their pristine liberties granted them by Henry the first were restored Stephen Langton animating them herein and promising his faithful assistance to them Hereupon the King makes his appeal to Rome presenting the Pope with rich presents in answer to which the Pope sent his Legate the Bishop of Tusculum who wrought with the King to corroborate the conveyance of his Kingdoms to the Pope unto which the King yielded But the Archbishop of Canterbury opposed himself against it with whom the Peers of the Land joyned avowing it to be an execrable thing to the whole World And in a full Parliament it was Enacted That since the King could not without consent of Parliament bring his Realm and people to such thraldom therefore if the Pope should in the future attempt any such thing again with life and livelihood he should be withstood The Pope hearing of this not only conceived exceeding hatred against the Archbishop but sent also his authentick Letters for repealing the Interdict upon restitution of 1300 Marks more to the Prelates and that but by equal portions of five years payment And now the King passed into Poictou which he reduced thence into Britain where his Poictovins according to their old custome proved false to him to his great detriment The while his Barons they play Rex at home renewing their confederation and binding themselves with an Oath at the High Altar at St. Edmonds bury That they would pursue the King with Arms till he should consent to the Charter of Liberties granted by Henry 1st So that the King was inforced to return into England where when come they challenged this Charter as a part of his Oath made at his Absolution and shortly after they met together at Stamford with a very numerous Army Their General was Robert Fitz-Walter whom they stiled The Marshal of Gods Army and Holy Church London invited them to enter the City by night where when entred by their threatful Letters they not only drew most of the Nobles from the King but had also almost lockt him out of his Royal Seat insomuch that he was necessitated by gentle messages to procure of his factious Barons a place and day of meeting which was Running-Mead betwixt Windsor and Stains since called Councel-Mead whither they came with Armed multitudes out of all the Kingdom numberless Where the King perceiving their so great strength and his own small party he granted them the utmost of their desires not only for liberties specified in Magna Charta and Charta Forestae but also for a kind of rule in the government by 25 selected Peers to whose command all the other Barons were also bound by Oath to be obedient But the King could not long relish this therefore privately sends to his trustiest friends to fortify and victual their Castles and himself secretly retires into the Isle of Wight From whence he dispatched Messengers both to the Pope and his foreign friends to crave the censure of the one and succours of the other against such outragious Rebels In both which his Agents were so sedulous and friends compassionate that at Rome by definitive sentence the Barons Charters were made voyd the King and Barons accursed if either of them observed the composition made at Councel-Mead And from Flanders Goscoin Brabrant and other parts such competent aids came in as incouraged the King after Three Months secrecy to shew himself in the face of his Enemies His Host he divided into two parts with the one conducted by himself Northward he every-where subdued his Rebels as likewise did the Earl of Salisbury Southward Stephen Langton the Pope suspended for abetting the Barons and his Brother Simon Langton Archbishop elect of York had his election made voyd the Pope constituting in his place Walter Gray whose Pall cost him no less than 1000 pounds The Archiepiscopal Pall is a Pontifical Vestment made of Lambs wooll as it comes from the Sheeps back without any other artificial colour and spun by a peculiar order of Nuns cast into St. Peters Tomb and adorned with little black Crosses having two Labells hanging down before and behind which the Archbishops when going to the Altar put about their Necks above their other pontifical Ornaments The disloyal Barons were all excommunicated by name and all their Lands together with the City of London Interdicted But the lofty Barons held those censures in so high contempt that they decreed neither themselves nor Citizens of London should observe them nor the Prelates denounce them And to revive their dying Cause they resolve on a project for betraying the Crown of England unto Lewis the Dauphin of France sending their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with all the Barons Seals to implore K. Philips favour for sending his Son and his Son for the acceptance of the English Crown To prevent a correspondency herein the Pope sends his Apostolical Commands to Philip of France that he should stay his Son from entring upon St. Peters patrimony with a Curse also on all such as should assist the excommunicate Barons To which Philip replied That England was no patrimony of St. Peters no King saith he having power of himself to alienate his Kingdom K. John especially who being never lawful King had no power to dispose thereof and that it was an error and pernicious example in the Pope and an itching lust after a new kind of Domination His Peers swore That they would spend their blood rather than suffer that a King
he kept under till such time that he was ingaged against the French for the obtaining of that Kingdom and the recovery of sundry Towns and places in Goscoigne injuriously with-held from him by the French King To remedy which wrongs the King of England had addressed his Ambassadors but in vain therefore that the World might take notice of his just proceedings he in a large Letter directed to the Colledge of Cardinals justifies his design upon France to be equal and honest First because himself of any Male living was the nearest in blood to the late King Charles his Uncle Secondly because the French had refused to put the Cause to civil tryal Thirdly for that the process of the twelve Peers in giving the Crown from him when he was under age was by all Laws void and frustrate Fourthly for that Philip of Valois had invaded Aquitain which belonged to the Crown of England and detained such places as he had wrongfully gained therein Fifthly for that the said Philip had aided the Scots in their rising against him Edward having done this he next makes a confederation with the High and Low-Dutch and other Foreigners then prepared a brave Army his English Subjects contributing liberally for the carrying on of the War And to make his Coffers the fuller he made bold with the Lombards and the moveable goods of such Priories in England as were Cells to Monasteries in France Thus provided of men and monies King Edward sailed with his Forces to Antwerp and by the importunity of the Flemings he first assumed the Title and Armories of the Realm of France quartering the Flower de Lis with the Lyons And entring France he burnt and spoyled the North-parts thereof up as far as Turwin then returning to Antwerp he there kept his Christmas with his Queen Philip from whence about Candlemas he set sail for England where in a Parliament holden at Westminster he obtained liberal aids for supportation of his designed Conquest In lieu of which he granted a general large pardon of trespasses and other to him and confirmed Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta with some others Then upon June 23. He shipped from Harwich to Sluce in Flanders near which place the French lay in wait with a Navy of 400 Ships with intent to intercept him but Edward having the advantage of Wind and Sun furiously set upon the French Ships putting the Monsieurs so hard to it that a great number of them chose to cast themselves into the Sea rather than to become Prisoners Thirty thousand of them are confessed to have been slain and drowned and more than half of their Ships were either sunk or taken The loss was so very great on the French side that least the news thereof might too much afflict the King of France his Jester disclosed it to him by often-times repeating this saying in his hearing Cowardly English-men Dastardly English-men Faint-hearted English-men Why said the King at length Because said the Jester They durst not leap out of their Ships into the Seas as our brave French men did From which saying the King took a hint of the overthrow After which Famous Sea-victory obtained by the English puissant King Edward with his Host consisting of near an hundred thousand men sate down before Tourney from whence he sent to the French King whom he saluted only by the name of Philip of Valoys challenging him to fight with him hand to hand in single Combat or if that pleased not then each to bring an hundred men into the Field and try the event with so small an hazard or otherwise within ten days to joyn full battel with all their forces near Tourney To which Philip made no direct answer alledging that the Letters were not sent to him the King of France but barely to Philip of Valoys Nevertheless he brought his Army within sight of the English Host but by the mediation of Queen Philips Mother and two Cardinals a Truce was concluded between the two Kings till the Midsumer next following The main reason inducing King Edward to yield hereunto was the want of supplies of money through the fault of his Officers in England whom he severely punished at his return And now to weaken great Edwards strengths the Pope put Flanders under Interdict Simon Langham A B. Cant. as having disloyally left their own Earl and chief Lord Philip King of France And Lewis the Emperor breaking league with the King of England took part with France which when King Edward understood he angrily said I will fight with them both And not long after he was upon the Sea with a very great Fleet none knowing whither he would steer his Course but in Normandy he landed where he took the Populous and Rich City of Caen and with his dreadful Host burning and spoiling round about marched up almost as far as the walls of Paris Where with his Army in an enemies Countrey between two Rivers Sein and Some the bridges being broke down by the French Edward designed at a low water to have passed over a Ford between Albeville and the Sea whom to intercept the French King had sent thither before him Godner du Foy with a thousand Horse and six thousand Foot Howbeit undaunted Edward entred himself into the Ford crying He that loves me let him follow me as one resolved to pass over or there to die the first of which he did for his Souldiers following him won the passage putting du Foy to flight And now King Edward being come near to Cressie in Poâ—thieu lying between the Rivers of Some and Anthy he there most vigilantly provided for his defence against King Philip who was advancing towards him with an Hundred thousand men and upward When the two Armies were within sight each of other the King of England after he had called upon God disposed his Host into three Battels Simon Langham A B Cant. To his Son Edward the Black-Prince he gave the ordering of the Van the second Battel the Earls of Northampton and Arundel commanded the third himself And as if he meant to barricado his Army from flying he caused his Carriages to be placed in the rear thereof and Trees to be plashed and felled to stop up the way behind his Host commanding withal that all should forsake their horses and leave them amongst the Carriages On the Enemies part the King of Bohemia and Earl of Alanson had charge of the Vantguard King Philip was in the main battel and the Earl of Savoy commanded the Rear The sign of battel being given by King Philip a bloody fight ensued wherein the Black Prince was very hard beset therefore his Father was sent for to his rescue who upon the hillock of a Windmill stood to behold the fight being in readiness to enter thereinto when just occasion should invite him But at that time he refused to go returning the Messengers with this answer Let them send no more to me for any adventure that
VVarwick fled into France thinking to take sanctuary at Callis but there the Lord Vawclear whom VVarwick had substituted his Deputy denied them admittance bidding them defiance with his great Guns for which good service King Edward mad Vawâ—leaâ— himself Governour of Callis But though these Lords were rejected here yet were they with great respect received at the â—rench Court K. Lewis furnishing them with aids which effected they set sail and landed at Dartmouth from whence Warwick marched towards London proclaiming Henry King and commanding all from sixteen to sixty upon a great penalty to take arms against the Usurper Edward Duke of York And incredible it was to see the confluence of them which came armed to him who a little before applauded and approved none but King Edward The Bastard Fawconbridg in the West and the Earl of Pembroke in Wales every-where proclaimed King Henry also And the Lord Montacute who having mustered 6000 men in the name of King Edward and brought them forward almost to Nottingham drew them back again alledging King Edward's ungratefulness to his friends Every one cryed now A King Henry a King Henry a Warwick a Warwick and indeed all so applauded the passage now on foot that King Edward was forced to flye beyond the seas His Queen Elizabeth stole out of the Tower and took sanctuary in Westminster where on the 4th of November she was delivered of a son which without all pomp was there also baptized by the name of Edward Other Sanctuaries were also full of Edwards Friends And now the Kentish men took the opportunity to rob spoil and do much harm about London and some in London it self and more would have done had not the Earl of Warwick come in to the rescue which encreased his name that was great enough before On October 6 the said Earl entred the Tower wherein King Henry had been detained prisoner almost the space of 9 years whom he released and restored to him the title of King and forthwith conveyed him through London to the Bishops palace where a pompous Court was kept till the 13 of the same month on which day Henry went Crowned to St. Pauls the Earl of Warwick bearing his Train and Earl of Oxford the Sword the people crying God save King Henry November 26 following a certain Parliament was begun at Westminster wherein K. Edward was declared a Traytor to his Country an Usurper of the Crown and had all his goods confiscate the like judgment passed against his adherents John Tiptoft Earl of Worcester was beheaded All the Statutes made by K. Edward were revoked The Crowns of England and France entailed to K. Henry and his Heirs Male and for want of such unto George Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick was made Governour of the Land in those turbulent times But K. Edward having received some aids from the Duke of Burgundy and the promises of more in England landed at Ravenspur in Yorkshire At his first arrival he seemed to lay aside his claim to the Crown pretending only to his rights as a private person howbeit when he had possest himself of York and got his friends about him he then marched in an hostile manner till he came near to the City of Warwick where his Brother Clarence brought in to his assistance 4000 men And Clarence reconciled to K. Edward sought to draw in Warwick to which end he sent messengers to him to the Town of Warwick where he then lay but Warwick bade the Messengers go tell the Duke from him That he had rather be an Earl and always like himself than a perjured Duke and that ere his Oath should be falsified as the Dukes apparently was he would lay down his life at his enemies foot which he doubted not should be bought very dear This stout resolution made Edward more wary therefore he hastens forward to obtain London whither when he was come the Citizens set open their Gates to him And now peaceable Henry becomes Prisoner again to K. Edward who hearing of Warwicks advance towards London draws forth his forces to meet him taking Henry along with him and upon Gladmore neer Barnet on Easterday in the morning the Kings and Earls hosts joyned Battel the best of the day for a while being Warwicks but at length through the fogginess and darkness of the Air the Stars embroidered on the Earl of Oxfords mens Coats who were in the left wing of the Battel were mistaken for the Sun which K. Edwards men wore in which error VVarwicks Battalion le ts fly at their own fellows that were in great forwardness of gaining the victory and they not knowing the cause of the errour judged themselves betrayed whereupon the Earl of Oxford with 800 men quit the Field Which great VVarwick perceiving he couragiously animated his men and furiously rushed into the midst of his enemies battel so far that he could not be rescued where valiantly fighting he was slain Marquis Montacute making forward to relieve him was also slain whereby ended that bloody days task On King Edward's part died the Lord Cromwel Lord Bourchier Lord Barnes and Sir John Lisle On the other part the Earl of Warwick and his brother John Nevil Marquis Montacute On both sides ten thousand most of which were buried upon the same plain where afterwards a Chappel was built In this same year 1471 and within few weeks after this was a battel fought at Tewksbury betwixt King Edward and the Martial Queen Margaret the defeat hapning to the Queen On whose side were slain John Lord Sommerset John Courtney Earl of Devonshire Sir John Delves Sir Edward Hampden Sir Robert Whittingham and Sir John Lewkner with three hundred others Amongst them that fled Prince Edward King Henries son was one him Sir Richard Crofts apprehended and presented him to the King whom the King a while beheld with austere countenance at last demanded of him How he durst with Banner display'd so presumptuously disturb his Realm To which the Prince answered That what he did was to recover his Fathers Kingdomes and his most rightful inheritance How darest thou then added the Prince which art his subject display thy Colours against him thy Liege-Lord Which answer so moved King Edward that he dashed the Prince on the mouth with his Gantlet and Richard Duke of Glocester with some of the Kings servants most shamefully murdred him at the Kings feet His body was buried in the Monastery of the black Friars at Tewksbury Edmond Duke of Sommerset the Pryor of St. Johns with many Knights and Esquires were taken forth of Sanctuary and executed at Tewksbury Queen Margaret in this fatal day of battel took into a religious house from whence she was taken and committed to sure and strait keeping in which condition she remained till such time that she was ransomed by her Father Duke Renate May 20 King Edward entred London and in few days after the Crookback'd Duke of Glocester stabbed harmless King Henry to the heart Whose
head Howbeit the Traytor Banister did not only lose his promised reward but also received just punishments from Heaven for his eldest son fell mad and so died in a Hogstie his second son became deformed and lame in his limbs his third son was drowned in a small puddle of water his eldest daughter was struck with a foul Leprosie and himself being of extream age was found guilty of murder but saved by his Clergy Divers of the Earl of Richmond's party were put to death and so jealous was the King now of his ill-gotten greatness that he stored the Sea-coasts with armies of men furnished the Ports with store of munition and made all things ready to prevent Earl Henry's arrival caused a Parliament to be assembled at Westminster wherein the said Earl and all such as had fled the Land in his behalf were attainted and were made enemies to their native Country their Goods confiscate their Lands and possessions condemned to the Kings use Moreover the Usurper sent his Agents laden with Gold and many gay promises to the Duke of Britain offering what not if he would either send Earl Henry into England or commit him there into Prison but the Duke himself lying extream sick his Treasurer Peter Landose corrupted with Gold had betrayed the Earl into Richard's hands had not the Earl had timely notice of it and prevented it by a speedy escape unto the French-Court where he received great favours Dr. Richard Fox then a Student in Paris was eminently serviceable to the Earl in that Nation And the Duke of Britain when he understood the treachery of Landose was highly displeased and continued a favourer of the Earl and his Cause But all these things with many more were against K. Richard which he very well foresaw though he knew not well how to remedy yet that he might make his Title and interest as good as he could he devised to marry with his Neece the Princess Elizabeth but his Queen Anne stood in his way to this for the present though not long for she fell into the remorseless hands of death but whether a natural or violent is not well known After which Richard courts the Lady Elizabeth his own Brothers daughter though in vain for she detested him Howbeit when Henry heard of Richards attempts herein and not knowing what time through flattery and perswasions from some persons might do upon the young Princess her good nature he hastned for England setting sail from Harfleet with about 200 men August 15 and arrived at Milford-Haven the seventh day following from vvhence he advanced tovvards Shrewsbury On his way to which place there met him Sir Rice ap Thomas a man of great command in VVales with a great body of men to side in his quarrel which Earl Henry afterwards requited by making this his first Alder Governour of VVales From Shrewsbury the Earl marched to Newport where Sir Gilbert Talbot met him with two thousand men from the Earl of Shrewsbury Thence he passed to Litchfield where he was honourably received But when the Usurper understood that the Earl daily increased in strengths and that he was advanced so far without any opposition from his Court at Nottingham he set forth his Host to meet the Earl which he did near unto Market-Bosworth in Leicestershire His Vant-guard he disposed of a marvellous length to strike the more terror into the hearts of his foes the leading whereof was committed to John Duke of Norfolk His own Battalion was furnished with the best approved men of War When he had ordered his army for fight he animated his followers to behave themselves valiantly alledging to them that it was against a company of Runnagates Thieves Outlaws Traytors beggarly Britains and faint-hearted French-men that they were to fight who would oppress and spoil them of their Lands Wives and Children that these their enemies were such Cowards that they would fly faster from them than the silly Hart before the Hound that the Earl of Richmond Captain of the rebellion was but a Welsh Milk-sop For their love to him their Prince their zeal to their native Country he wished them that day to shew their English valour assuring them that for his part he would either triumph in a glorious victory or die in the quarrel with immortal fame Now S. George for us and us for victory saith he Haste therefore forward and remember this that I am he that with high advancement will prefer the valiant and hardy and with severe torture will punish the dastard and cowardly run-away The Earl of Richmond's forefront was commanded by the Earl of Oxford the right wing by Sir Gilbert Talbot the left by Sir John Savage the main Battel by the Earl himself and his Uncle Jasper When the Earl had ordered his small Host consisting of about 5000 men he rode from rank to rank and wing to wing encouraging his followers to fight alledging the justness of their quarrel which God would bless assuring them that for so good a cause as to free the Land of a Monster a Tyrant a Murderer he would that day rather become a dead carrion upon the ground than a Carpet-prisoner kept alive for reproach Advance therefore forward saith he like true-hearted English-men display your Banner in defence of your Country get the day and be Conquerors lose the day and be villains God and St. George give us a happy success Then immediately a fierce Battel commenced and was manfully continued on either part At length the King having intelligence that Earl Henry was but slenderly accompanied with men of Arms he therefore with his Spear in the Rest ran violently towards the Earl in which rage at the first brunt he bare down and overthrew the Earls Standard slew Sir William Brandon the bearer thereof next encountred Sir John Cheiny whom he threw to the ground thereby making an open passage to the Earl himself In which very instant when the Earl was like to be distressed the Lord Stanley sent in aids of fresh Soldiers under the leading of Sir William Stanley which were raised as he pretended for Richard but intended them when he should see his time for Richmond's service These entred the fight with such courage that they put the Usurpers forces to flight when the Usurper closing his Helmet said to such that brought him a swift horse for his escape This day shall finish all Battels or else I will finish my life So thrusting into the throng of his enemies he manfully fighting died in the place A. D. 1485 Aug. 22. There died with him that day the Duke of Norfolk the Lord Ferrers of Chartley Sir Richard Ratcliff Sir Robert Brakenbury The number of both parts slain in the field were 4000 Sir William Catesby with two other persons of quality were taken and two days after were beheaded at Leicester Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey the Duke of Norfolks son and heir being then also taken prisoner the Earl of Richmond demanded of him how he
this success made the English too secure insomuch that through neglect of seasonable and fitting supplies the Town of Callis was forced to yield to the French upon but indifferent Terms on the English part Thus the Town of Callis won by the victorious King Edward the third and that by no less than eleven months siege was now in the compass of eight days besieged and regained and that in the depth of Winter it being surrendred on January 17th 1557. And in the same month and year were also the strong Forts of Guises and Hames taken by the French whereby all the English footing was lost in France This loss with the absence of King Philip who did not passionately love his consort the Queen is thought to have hastned the death of Queen Mary She was heard to say That the loss of Callis was written in her heart and might therein be read when her body should be opened She died of a burning Fever Novemb. 17th 1558 and was buried at Westminster The Church-possessions which this Queen had in her hands she freely resigned with this saying That she set more by the Salvation of her own Soul than she did by ten Kingdoms Though she was of no bad natural temper yet through a blind zeal she dealt so rigidly and cruelly against those called Sacramentarians the Protestants that in less than four years space she caused to be put to death of them 277. In Smithfield and other parts of the Land were consumed of them in the flames for Christs-sake 5 Bishops 21 Ministers 8 Gentlemen 48 Artificers 100 Husbandmen Servants and Labourers 26 Wives 20 Widows 9 Virgins 2 Boys and 2 Infants one of them whipt to death by bloody Bonner and the other springing out of its mothers womb as she burned at the stake was thrown again into the fire Sixty four more were persecuted for their profession of the true Christian Doctrin whereof 7 were whipped 16 perished in prisons and were buried in dunghills and many lay in captivity condemned till the coming in of Queen Elizabeth and many fled the Realm in those Scorching times amongst whom was Katharine Dutchess of Suffolk the last Wife of Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk Pray God of his great mercy defend England from the Religion and cruelties of Antichristian Rome On the self-same day that Queen Mary died died also Cardinal Pole Archbishop of Canterbury and was buried at Canterbury In the raign of this Queen extream dearths raged also Quartain Agues of which many old people died especially Clergy-men At a little Town about a mile and Eastward from Nottingham a Tempest of thunder did great harm beat down many Houses forced the Bells out of the Steeple carrying them to the outside of the Church-yard and some Webs of Lead four hundred foot into the field A Child by the violence of it was taken out of a mans arms and carried a hundred foot Five or six men besides the Child were slain by it Some Hail-stones fell that were fifteen Inches about Mayors and Sheriffs of London in her Raign In her first Year Sir Thomas White was Mayor Thomas Offley William Hewet Sheriffs In her second Year Sir John Lyon was Mayor David Woodroffe William Chester Sheriffs In her third Year Sir William Garret or Gerrard was Mayor Thomas Lee or Leigh John Machel Sheriffs In her fourth Year Sir Thomas Offley was Mayor William Harper John VVhite Sheriffs In her fifth Year Sir Thomas Curteis was Mayor Richard Mallory James Altham Sheriffs In her sixth Year Sir Thomas Lee or Leigh was Mayor John Halsey Richard Champion Sheriffs ELIZABETH A. D. 1558. QUeen Elizabeth the Restorer and Defender of tne publick profession of the Apostolical Religion in England begun her Reign A. D. 1558 Novemb. 17. Upon the death of her sister Queen Mary she removed to the Charter-house of London and from thence was royally attended through the City unto the Tower In which Triumphal state as she passed through the streets of London when the Book of God was presented to her at the little Conduit in Cheapside she received it with both her hands and kissing it laid it to her breast saying That the same had been her chiefest delight and should be the Rule by which she meant to frame her Government January 15 was the Crown-Imperial set on her head by Dr. Oglethorp Bishop of Carlile Shortly after which a Parliament sate wherein the Title of the Supremacy was restored to the Crown with the Tenths and First fruits of all Ecclesiastical Livings and the Book of Common-Prayer set forth in Edward the sixths time was ratified as also those Acts repealed which were Enacted in Queen Maries time in favour of the Romish and against the Reformed Religion During this Parliament a Petition was made unto her Majesty to move her unto Marriage in hope of royal Issue from her To which she replied That she best liked a Virgins life but that if it hapned that her affection should change her choice should be only of such an one as should be as careful as any of themselves for the publick good As for her Issue she said if she should have any it might grow out of kind and prove ungracious and therefore to leave behind her a more lasting and grateful remembrance she held it sufficient that a Marble-stone should declare to posterities that she a Queen had reigned lived and died a Virgin This Maiden-Queen the better to secure her self against the Bishop of Rome who sought to disable her Title by the calumny of Illegitimation entred into a league with some Princes of Germany This done she claimed the restitution of Callis as her right having been lawfully granted and assured by the French themselves unto the Crown of England But the English Queen was not more desirous to have Callis than the French was unwilling to part with it howbeit at length it was thus concluded That Callis should remain French the term of eight years and then to return to the English else the French to pay 500000 Crowns which they never performed though the agreement was sealed and sworn unto Next her Highness proceeds to purge the Clergy of England ordering the Oath of Supremacy and other Articles to be tendred them which many refusing were forthwith deprived of their Ecclesiastical Benefices and Promotions Then went forth Commissioners to suppress those Monasteries restored by Queen Mary Matthew Parker A. B. Cant. and to cast out all Images set up in Churches and after the reducing of Church-matters into order this happy Queen brought her Coyns into fine and pure Sterling debasing of Copper-coins causing likewise great store of Munition Armour and Powder to be brought into the Land and laid up in readiness against a time of need A. D. 1562 Her Majesty sent Ayds into France to support the Reformed Religion there These with great joy were received into the Towns of Newhaven Roan and Deep but within the space of twelve moneths they were forced back
defence of the Reformed Religion because of the bloody Inquisition that without respect had persecuted her subjects Because the King of Spain had sent forces into Ireland and lastly to prevent her enemy the Spaniard from being so nigh a neighbour to her A. D. 1587 and Febr. 7 was Mary Queen of Scotland King James's Mother beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle to the great discontent 't is said of Queen Elizabeth who committed Secretary Davison to the Tower thereupon and never admitted him more to his place because of his forwardness in promoting the death of that Roman-Catholick Queen But what is above us is nothing to us The matters for which she was condemned in the Star-chamber Court at Westminster were her pretending title to the Crown of England her being privy to certain Treasons of Anthony Babington and others tending to the hurt and death of the Royal person of Queen Elizabeth This she absolutely denied affirming that she never attempted any thing against the Queens person though for her own delivery out of prison she confessed she did make some attempts Babington with thirteen other Traytors were executed A. D. 1588 Henry third King of France who ever honoured Queen Elizabeth and not the least because of her Religion sent speedy and secret notice unto her of the Spaniards intentions to invade her Realm of England Against whose coming the Queen caused her Trained-bands to be in readiness Tilbury in Essex was the place for her Camp whereunto were appointed to march 15000 Horse and 22000 Foot And for her special Guard out of the several Counties of the West East and South parts of England were selected 2352 Horsemen and 34050 Footmen The Queen her self was Generalissimo and Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester Lieutenant-General A. D. 1588 and May 19 the Armado or invincible Navy of the Spaniards as they termed it loosed Anchor from Lisbon and on July 20 it passed by Plimouth towards Callis hoping about those coasts to have met with the Prince of Parma but in their way the English Fleet changed some bullets with them July 21 the two Fleets fought within Musket-shot when the English Admiral Lord Charles Howard fell most hotly on the Spaniards Vice-Admiral In this fight they well perceived how that their great unweildy Ships were unfit for service in those narrow Seas the English smaller Ships being too nimble for them as well in respect of saving themselves as in annoying the Spanish July 22 Sir Francis Drake Vice-Admiral took one of their great Gallions wherein was Don Pedro de Valdez with divers other Noblemen The Soldiers had the spoil of this Ship in which was 55000 Duckets of Gold July 23 the Spaniards came right against Portland when the sorest fight was performed and the English gained a great Venetian Ship with other lesser ones July 24 the fight was only betwixt the four great Galleasses and some of the English Ships July 25 the Spaniards came aaginst the Isle of Wight where was a terrible Encounter till at length the English so battered the Spanish tall Ships that they were forced to secure themselves in an Half-moon posture July 28 as the Spanish Fleet lay at Anchor within sight of Callis the English sent in amongst them eight Fire-ships filled with Gun-powder pitch brimstone and other combustible matter their Ordnance charged with bullets stones chains and the like These being drove with wind and tide unto the Spanish Fleet and then taking fire such a sudden roaring clap was given that the Spaniards affrighted in the dead of the night were struck into an horrible fear lest all their Ships should be fierd by these wherefore in great haste they cut their cables hoised their sails and drove at random into the Seas July 29. ranging themselves in order they approached overagainst Greveling where the English again getting the wind of them discharged upon them from morning till night to the confusion of divers of the Spanish Ships The Hollanders with thirty-five of their Ships watched the coasts about Dunkirk to prevent the Duke of Parma from having any intercourse there July 30 the Spanish Dons having gotten more Sea-room for their huge-bodied bulks spread their sails and made away as fast as wind and water would permit them fearing the small fleet and forces of the English whereas had they known but the want of Powder that was on the English side they would sure have stood longer to their tacklings The English Admiral followed now the Vincible Armado towards Norway and the Spaniards for the saving of their fresh-water cast all their Mules and Horses over board The Duke of Medina their Admiral when he at last arrived in Spain was deprived of all his Authority and other ways disgraced Many of the Spanish Ships in their flight perished through tempest upon the Irish Seas others were driven into the Chanel of England where part of them were taken by the English others by the Rochellers and some arrived at Newhaven Of 134 Ships which had set sail from Lisbon only 53 returned into Spain Of the four Galleasses of Naples but one and of the ninety-one Gallions and great Hulks from divers Provinces only thirty-three returned Of the four Gallies of Portugal but one In brief there was missing of their whole Fleet eighty one Vessels and of the 30000 Soldiers 13500 and odd Of Prisoners taken in England Ireland and Low-countries were 2000 and upwards So that it appears there was small virtue in the Popes Crusado wherein he published a safe Pass-port for his Spaniards to enter England The English Fleet was betwixt fourscore and a hundred sail Captains therein were the Lords Howard and Sheffield Sir Francis Drake Sir John Hawkins Sir Walter Rawleigh Sir Martin Frobisher c. For this Deliverance the 19 of November was appointed a day of Thanksgiving Blessed be the Lord who gave us not a prey into their teeth c. Psal 124. Octogesimus octavus mirabilis annus Clade Papistarum faustus ubique piis Dr. Fulk The Thunder-clap of this Armado being thus over and the Invincible become Vincible the Queen determined to assist Don Antonio the expulsed King of Portugal for the regaining of his Kingdom to which end a Fleet was sent out under the conduct of Sir Francis Drake and Sir John Norris for the land-service was General These landing in a Bay of Galicia near to the Groin took the Base-town by surprize which they found well-victualled and stored with Wine to the damage of the English who taking too immoderately of it so inflamed and infected their blood that it caused great sickness and mortality in the whole Army After some conflicts with the High-town they fired the Base-town or suburbs and put again to Sea and when some struglings with the Winds were over they recovered the Burlings In which passage Robert Earl of Essex with his Brother Mr. Walter Deureux accompanied with other gallant men came Voluntiers to the Fleet which landing in Portugal won the Town and Castle of Peniche
the better to strengthen himself at home and to raise his Family into esteem he gave his eldest Son a Command in the Army his younger Son he made Lord Deputy of Ireland his two younger Daughters that were not yet disposed of in marriage he matched the elder of them with Mr. Robert Rich the Earl of Warwicks Grandson and the youngest with a person of great Honour And that he might be as King-like as possible and withal check the Commons in Parliment he constituted an Upper House of Parliament instead of the House of Lords 62 in number most of them his own creatures amongst whom were Colonel Hewson one by trade next kin to a Cobler and Colonel Pride formerly a Brewers servant who before this had been made two of his knights errants And to honour his Mushrooms he elected to set in his Upper House some few Noble men as the Earl of Warwick c. February the 20th the Parliment that had been adjourned now reassembled but because they admitted those Members to sit with them who at first refused to subscribe to Olivers Instruments and because they questioned the Protectors power in erecting his Upper House which in contempt they called the other House Oliver hereupon sent for them to his Upper House Bar where he made a large speech to them and in conclusion told them That it did concern as well the peace and tranquility of the Nation as his own interest to terminate that Parliament and therefore he did at this time put an end to their sitting February the fourth A. D. 1658. This Year began with a discovery of a most horrible Plot as Oliver called it and indeed he had an excellent Art for the discovery of Plots having his mercenary trepans and instruments of falshood who counterfeiting themselves forward Royallists thereby insinuated themselves into the Counsel of the Kings friends and then betrayed them And the King himself was troubled with one of these false Creatures about his own person for Captain Manning one of his Secretaries Clerks was taken in the very act of receiving Letters from Thurloe Olivers Secretary for the which he was instantly Shot to death But the Loyal Confederates in the late discovered Plot were divers of them apprehended as Dr. Hewit Colonel Edward Ashton Mr. Mordant the Earl of Peterboroughs Brother and others who were indicted of High Treason for endeavouring to levy War against his Highness and the Government and to promote Charles Stuart to the Government of these Nations and for holding correspondency with the said Charles Stuart Mr. Mordant was acquitted but Dr. Hewit and Sir Henry Slingsby were beheaded on Tower-hill June the eighth though many endeavours were used by divers persons of quality and Ministers for the saving of their lives especially the Doctors Colonel Ashton and others were hang'd and quartered in London Near about this time there came up the Thames as far as Greenwich a Whale of a very great length and bigness June the 25th the Town of Dunkirk was surrendred by the Spaniards to the French who immediately resigned it to the English forces which had been the main instrument in gaining it this resignation was made according to former Articles agreed upon between the King of France and Lord Protector of England But whilst the English were rejoicing abroad Oliver had occasion of sorrow at home for his most dearly beloved Daughter Mrs. Elizabeth Claypole on August the eighth departed this Life whose body was interred in the Royal Chappel at Westminster T is said of this Gentlewoman that she was much troubled at the harsh usage of the Royal party and that upon her knees she beg'd of her Father to save Dr. Hewits life but his hard heart would not yield thereto though he loved this Daughter so passionately that he never injoyed himself after her death but growing pensive and melancholy in short time was seized with a Tertian ague which ended his life at VVhite-hall on September the third He was born in the Town of Huntingdon and descended from a worshipful family of the Cromwels alias VVilliams his Mother was the Daughter of Sir Richard Steward and his wife Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir James Bourchier He was of a very martial Spirit and of excellent conduct and attended with very good success in his attempts Nor was he a Souldier only but also a very good Orator and deep Politician and so great a Dissembler that he could shed Crocodillian tears at pleasure when those would at any time advantage him among the Religious an high pretender he was to Religion though as his actions manifested it was only thereby to obtain his ambitious ends so impiously resolute for the effecting his designments that he valued not the violation of the most solemn promises or sacred Oaths nor the shedding of any though the blood of the Lords anointed Yet was this Man courted or feared by most of the Princes in Europe and the Kings of France and Sweden were entred into so strict a League with him as had he lived might have troubled good part of the world In Olivers stead Richard Cromwell his eldest Son whom he had appointed his Successor was proclaimed Protector Shortly after which several Addresses protesting both love and obedience to Richards Highness were presented from the Armies of the three Nations from the London-Ministers from divers Counties Cities and chief Towns of England And the Foreign Ambassadors then in England pretended to lament with Mr. Richard for the death of his Father desired the continuance of that League and Amity which was granted and maintained by his late Highness Oliver Lord Protector November the 23 were the Funerals of Oliver Solemnized after his Herse had lain in the greatest State some weeks in Somerset-House at a vast charge and in greater Pomp than had formerly been used for the greatest English Kings his Corps had been privately interr'd many days before in the Chappel-Royal of Henry the Seventh at Westminster But the vast expences of those Funerals were never discharged but those Tradesmen who had hopes of gaining the most by it sat down the greatest losers at last As soon at the Funeral-rites of this old Fox Oliver were accomplished his Son Richard proceeded to the carrying on of matters of publick concernment The first of which was the sending a Naval-supply to the King of Sweden for the aiding him against the King of Denmark The next of any moment was the calling of a Parliament to convene January the 27th at Westminster where when they were met they chose for their Speaker Mr Challoner Chute and the Members severally took the Oath not to alter the form of Government Which done they went to purge out those Members who had born Arms for the King then after many debates it was at length resolved that the House of Commons would transact with the persons of the other House as a House of Parliament during the present Parliament but with this proviso That it was not intended
D. 1509 April 22. His Issue Arthur dead before himself Henry Edmond Margaret Elizabeth Mary His daughter Margaret was married to James the fourth King of Scotland and after his death unto Archibald Dougles Earl of Angues to whom she bare Margaret who married Matthew Steward Earl of Lenox and had by him Henry Lord Dernly who married Mary Queen of Scots by whom he had King James the sixth King Henry left at his death 1800000 l. in ready mony He founded the Hospital of the Savoy founded six religious houses for Franciscan-Friers built the Palace of Richmond where he died and that Chappel at Westminster called by his name where he was buried He exceedingly Honoured that devout King Henry the sixth whom he laboured to have had canonized for a Saint but Pope Julio held that Honour at too dear a Rate His Mother-in-Law Queen to Edward the fourth he deprived of her Estate and confined to the Monastery of Bermondsey in Southwark one cause pretended for it was for that she had yielded up her daughter into the hand of the Usurper Richard contrary to her faith given to them who were in the plot for bringing in of Henry A. D. 1498 A Cordwainers son was hanged at St. Thomas Waterings for assuming the name and Title of the Earl of Warwick thereby to raise disturbances The Mayors and Sheriffs of London in this Kings time In his first Year Sir Hugh Brice was Mayor John Tate John Swan Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Henry Collet vvas Mayor John Percival Hugh Clopton Sheriffs In his third Year William Horn was Mayor John Eenkel William Remington Sheriffs In his fourth Year Robert Tate was Mayor William Isaac Ralph Tinley Sheriffs In his fifth Year VVilliam White was Mayor William Capel John Brook Sheriffs In his sixth Year John Matthew was Mayor Henry Cote or Coot Robert Revel and he dying Hugh Pembarton Sheriffs In his seventh Year Hugh Clopton was Mayor Thomas Wood VVilliam Brown Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Martin was Mayor William Purchase William Walbeck Sheriffs In his ninth Year Ralph Austry vvas Mayor Robert Fabian John Winget Sheriffs In his tenth Year Richard Chawrie was Mayor Nicholas Alwin John Warner Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir Henry Collet was Mayor Thomas Kneesworth Henry Sommer Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year John Tate was Mayor John Shaa Richard Hedon Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year William Purchase was Mayor Bartholomew Rede Thomas Windew or Windouâ— Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Sir John Percivel was Mayor Thomas Bradbury Stephen Gennings Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Nicholas Aldmine was Mayor James Wilford Thomas or Richard Brond Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year William Rennington was Mayor John Hawes William Steed Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir John Shaa was Mayor Lawrence Aylmer Henry Hede Sheriffs HENRY VIII A. D. 1509. HENRY the Eighth was born at Greenwich June 22. 1491. His youth was so trained up in literature that he was accounted the most learned Prince of Christendom In A. D. 1509 and June 25 he was Crowned at Westminster together with his Queen Katharine the Relict of his brother Arthur by William Warham Archbishop of Canterbury His Counsellors he chose of the gravest Divines and wisest Nobility with whom he not only often sate to the great increase of his politick experience but would also yield his authority to their wisedomes Empson and Dudley he caused to be imprisoned then to be brought to their Tryal and at last to lose their heads To regain the ancient Rights of England he first sent his Herald Clarencieux into France roughly demanding the Dutchies of Normandy Guyen Main and Anjou and with them the Crown of France Then sent certain Nobles before him thither and afterward followed himself pitching down his Tents before Terwin Where he raised his Royal Standard of the Red-Dragon and begirt the City with a strait Siege To which place Maxmiliâ—n the Emperour repaired and to the great Honour of Henry entred into his pay wearing the Cross of Saint George with a Rose the Kings-Badge as his faithful Souldier The French attempting to relieve the Town with Victuals and men were so encountred by King Henry that many of their chiefest Captains were taken prisoners and six of their standards won and the rest of the Monsieurs for safeguard of life so posted away that this conflict was called the battel of Spurs shortly after which the Town yielded unto the King Then was the siege removed to Tournay which in short time was also surrendred to the King with ten thousand pounds sterling for the Citizens redemption Who to the number of 80000 then took their Oaths to become his true Subjects 1513. The safe keeping of this City the King committed to Sir Edward Poynings Knight of the Garter and Ordained Thomas Wolsey Bishop of Tournay Whilst King Henry was busy in France his Lieutenant Thomas Earl of Surrey marched against the Scots who were entred into Northumberland and at Flodden the Armies engaged in fight and the English won the day In this battel King James of Scotland was slain one Archbishop two Bishops two Abbots twelve Earls seventeen Lords Knights and Gentlemen a great number in all about eight thousand were slain and almost as many taken Prisoners in A. D. 1513. Sep. 9. A. D. 1514 by the procurement of Pope Leo a peace was concluded betwixt the Kings of France and England immediatly after which Mary the sister of King Henry was Honourably conducted into France where aâ—â— Albeville October the ninth she was married unto old King Lewis who died eighty two days after the Marriage A. D. 1517 by reason of the great concourse of strangers at London to the hindrance of trade and their insolency towards the English the youth and vulgar sort of Citizens upon May-day assaulted these strangers doing much harm to their houses substance and some of their persons for which riotous offence John Lincolne the instigator thereof was hanged and four hundred men and youths with eleven women were led in ropes along the City in their Shirts with halters about their necks to Westminster where the King pardoned their offence to the great rejoycing of the Londoners A. D. 1519 was the City of Tourney delivered back to the French on these conditions That they should pay to King Henry six hundred thousand Crowns in twelve years That the Daulphin should marry the Lady Mary King Henries young daughter which marriage if it hapned not to take effect at the years of consent then Tourney should be re-delivered to the English That Cardinal Wolsey should have a thousand Marks paid him yearly for the revenues of the said Bishoprick A. D. 1521 Edward Bohun or Stafford Duke of Buckingham was beheaded on Tower-hill for imagining to destroy the King and to enjoy the Crown himself Wolsey was the Dukes grand adversary because that the Duke had sometime spoken certain words to his disgrace About this time the Pope sent his Legats about to incite the Christian