Insolencies that they were hated and cursed by the Inhabitants who did them all the mischief possible and hid their Provisions from them so that they were forced first to sell their Arms then their Horses and last of all their Clothes to keep themselves from starving after which the French King finding how odious they were to the People and not being able to give them fresh Supplies of Money and Victuals he suddenly disbanded them and lost his Honour his great Hopes and Money all at once After this the Barons humbly beseech the King to confirm his former Oath and to expell those wicked Counsellors afore-mentioned and banish those flattering Judges who to please him had subscribed such Illegal Opinions but the King absolutely denied their Request Whereupon to prevent their own and the Kingdoms Ruine as they declared they raised a strong Army of their Friends and Abettors wherewith they marched toward London with full resolution to have those former Laws confirmed Upon which those vile Favourites fled all to the French King for Aid against the Lords The King having tried the Affections of his People and finding they would not fight against the Barons especially the Londoners seemed to agree with the Lords assuring them he would call a Parliament wherein those Favourites should answer to all charged against them and if convicted should suffer such Punishment as they should judge fit This unexpected Condescension so highly contented the Lords that they returned the King hearty Thanks and presently disbanded all their Forces but the Kings Mind was soon altered for he permitted Robert Vere Duke of Ireland to raise 5000 Men for the Guard of his own Person which the Lords observing they in an instant got their Confederates together and suddenly encompassed the Duke and his Army near the Thames so that he was forced to swim cross on Horseback from whence he presently fled into France where about five years after as he was hunting he was slain by a Wild Boar. Yet such was the Affection of the King toward him while he lived that he caused his dead Carcase to be embalmed and brought into England and to be apparelled in Princely Robes and Ornaments putting about his Neck a Chain of massy Gold coveâ—ing his Fingers with Rings and solemnizing his Funeral with all manner of Pomp and Magnificence But to return After the Duke had escaped as aforesaid the Barons executed several of his chief Companions for terrour to others but commanded the Multitude to return home with all speed and then marching to London were highly treated and enterta ned by the Citizens The King who kept his Court in the Tower of London was now willing to admit of a Conference with the Lords where it was concluded That a Parliament should be called who being met the Kings Counsellors and Judges were condemned for High Treason against the King and Kingdom John Earl of Salisbury and Sir Nicholas Brember were beheaded and Tresillian the Lord Chief Justice was hanged at Tyburn and the rest of the Judges had suffered the same Fate had not the importunate Request of the Queen changed it into Banishment And thus were all things in a great measure setled and composed The next year the Scots invaded the Land and did much mischief but by the Discretion of the States a Truce was concluded for seven years And soon after John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster raising a strong Army transported them into Spain where he demanded the Kingdom of Castile in the Right of his Wife Constance eldest Daughter of Peter the deposed and slain King and with the assistance of the King of Portugal he performed many great services forcing the King of Spain to sue for peace who married Constance the Dukes Eldest Daughter by his said wife and gave him eight Waggons loaden with massy Gold paying also ten thousand Marks yearly to him and his Dutchess during their Lives He likewise married his younger Daughter Ann to the King of Portugal and then returned to England with great riches and honour In his sixteenth year the usurped Jurisdiction of the Pope was abridged for it was enacted in Parliament That the Popes pretended Authority within this Kingdom shall thenceforth cease and that no appeal upon any Account should be made to the Court of Rome and the penalty of perpetual Imprisonment and Forfeiture of Lands and Goods In his seventeenth year his virtuous Queen Ann died and two years after K. Richard married Isabel Daughter to Charles the Sixth of France upon which a peace was concluded betwixt both Nations for Thirty years and K. Richard rashly delivered up the strong Town and Castle of Brest to the Duke of Brittain which much discontended the Nobility especially the Duke of Glocester the Kings Uncle who plainly told him That it was not convenient to deliver up that without blows which his Ancestors had gained with so much expence of blood whereas the King inraged resolved upon revenge and therefore hearkened to all manner of false informations against him and among others he was told That the Electors designed to have chosen him Emperor of Germany had not his Vncle and others represented him as altogether unfit and unable to Govern an Empire who could not rule his own Subjects at home This false suggestion still aggravated the Kings Anger against the Lords so that under pretence of friendship and with the breach of his Oath and honour he caused the Duke of Glocester and the Earls of Warwick and Arundel to be suddenly apprehended and then summoning a Parliament Sir John Bushie Speaker of the House of Commons a man of a proud and insolent Spirit in a long speech magnified the King profanely attributing to him the highest Titles of Divine Honour and condemning to Hell all that as he said had traiterously conspired against his Majesty and particularly impeaching the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who sate next the King and was silent because the King under pretence of favour had enjoined him not to answer and to absent himself for the future protesting that no damage should arise to him yet for want of answering these false Accusations he was with the Kings consent banished the Realm the Earl of Arundel was beheaded for High Treason and the Earl of Warwick escaped upon great submission and confessing many Crimes whereof he was altogether Innocent but the good Duke of Glocester without Tryal or sentence was sent to Callice and by the Kings order Thomas Mowbray Earl of Nottingham caused him to be there stiffled betwixt two Feather-beds for which good service he was made Duke of Norfolk The King likewise procured both Houses of Parliament to grant full and absolute power to six or eight such Persons as he should nominate to enact and determine what they should think Convenient in all causes whereby many mischievous things were decreed to the dammage of the Kingdom and to please his Guard who were most Cheshire men of mean birth and fortunes he stiled himself Prince
and much weakned the Kings Army so that soon after all Aquitain was lost Another Cause was the horrid Murder of the innocent Duke of Glocester for the King being of a mild patient and virtuous Temper and the Queen on the contrary of a proud politick revengeful Humour despised the soft Disposition of her Husband and could not endure that the King being now of full Age should be any longer under a Governour and to that end was resolved to dismiss the good Duke of Glocester from his Protectorship being much encouraged therein by the Duke of Buckingham the Duke of Suffolk the rich Cardinal of Winchester and the Archbishop of York and a Parliament being called the Duke of Glocester by their procurement was arrested and committed to Prison for High-Treason and the next morning was found dead in his bed and judged by all to be barbarously murdered And now the Duke of Tork secretly conspired with his accomplices to set up his Title to the Crown and the Duke of Suffolk ruling all used several oppressive methods against the People whereby no man nor money was raised for France and the Counsel not able to manage any thing to the honour of the King either at home or abroad so that in a short time all Normandy was lost for which the Duke of Suffolk was accused in Parliament and committed to the Tower but the Queen suddenly dissolving the Parliament restored him again to favour yet afterward upon the importunity of the Commons he was banished for five years but being taken by an English man of War as he was sailing to France they landed him at Dover and cut off his head on the sands whereby the innocent blood of the Duke of Glocester was in some measure revenged When the English had thus lost France a French Captain scoffingly asked an Englishman when they would return again to France who seriously replied when your sins shall be greater and m re grievous in the sight of God than ours then shall the English again Conquer France It has been observed that from the Reign of King Edward the first to this time which was about two hundred years there was an extraordinary concurrence of martial men prudent Counsels and excellent conduct so that this Nation was renowned throughout the Christian World but why they did all afterwards decay must be left to the learned to discuss The Duke of York being sent into Ireland to suppress a Rebellion there and hearing how matters went both in England and France began to declare his right to the Crown as being descended from Philip Daughter and Heir of George Duke of Clarence elder Brother to John of Gaunt great Grand-Father to Henry the sixth these things being whispered by the Duke of York's friends and Allies in England and likewise that the Kings understanding was weak the Queen proud and ambitious and the Council base and treacherous and that all France was lost because of the usurpation of King Henry it caused great dissatisfactions in the minds of the People upon which Jack Cade calling himself John Mortimer made an insurrection in Kent and with a rude multitude marched toward the King then at Greenwich sending a Message that he intended no harm to his Royal Person but would only displace some of his evill Councellors who were great oppressors of the People the Queen soon raised an Army to suppress them but they were defeated by Cade who marched to London and did much mischief but the Kings General Pardon being Proclaimed his followers left him and Jack Cade was slain fighting for his Life This cloud being past a greater suceeded for many of the Nobility and Commons hating the ill Government of the Queen and her adherents sent for the Duke of York from Ireland the chief of his friends being the Duke of Norfolk the Earls of Devonshire Salisbury Warwick and the L. Cobham who concluded to raise an Army to remove the Duke of Somerset from the King and Queen as a deceiver of the King a friend to his enemies and the chief occasion of the loss of France the King fearing the worst likewise raised an Army but to take away all pretence he committed the D. of Somerset to the Tower upon which the Duke of York dissolved his Army and came privately to Court where he found the Duke of Somerset with the King by whose procurement the Duke of York was committed some few days Prisoner but being again at Liberty he made fresh complaints of the disorders of the Government and the Duke of Somerset and strengthning himself with the power of the chief of the Nobility he caused Somerset to be arrested for High-Treason on the Queens great Chamber from whence he was sent to the Tower but was presently after released and made Captain of Callice Upon which the Duke of York again lâ—â—ieth an Army and was met by another on the Kings part at St. Albans where a bloudy battle was fought above eight thousand and among them the Duke of Somerset being slain and King Henry taken Prisoner and brought to the Duke of York who used him courteously and having called a Parliament at London the Duke of York was made Protector of the Kings Person the Earl of Salisbury Lord Chancellor and the Earl of Norwich his Son Captain of Callice who managed affairs to the general satisfaction of the Nobility and People but the Duke of Buckingham having lost his eldest Son and the new Duke of Somerset his Father resolved upon revenge and joyning with the Queen they called a great Councel at Greenwich by whose Authority the Duke of York and the Earl of Salisbury were removed from the Government the Queen designing by all means to cut them off of which the Duke of York being sensible resolved now to maintain his claim to the Crown in the open Field and to that purpose raised an Army but his intention being discovered too early to the King he fled with his youngest Son to Ireland his eldest Son the Earl of March got to Callice where he was joyfully received from whence returning by the incouragement of several of the Nobility and landing at Sandwich in Kent he soon gathered an Army of Twenty five thousand men with which he met the Kings forces at Northampton where after a furious fight the King was routed with the loss of ten thousand men and himself taken Prisoner The Duke of York having notice of this Victory returns suddenly to London from Ireland where a Parliament being called in the Kings name the Duke sitting down in the imperial Throne in the House of Lords in an eloquent speech declared his right to the Crown whereupon after mature deliberation it was enacted by both Houses That King Henry should retain the name and honour of a King during life that the Duke of York should be proclaimed Heir Apparent of the Crown and to be a present Lord Protector of the Realm and that if King Henry or any of his confederates should
to the French with all the Forts Artillery and baggage upon the payment of Four hundred thousand Crowns to the King of England The Duke of Brunswick now desired the Lady Mary the Kings Eldest Sister in Marriage but there being a treaty about marrying her to the Infanto of Portugal it was retarded In the mean while the Emperor of Germany demanded by his Ambassador that the Lady Mary might have free exercise of the Mass but neither promises nor threats could prevail with the King to allow it being as he said against his Conscience a treaty was likewise set on foot for a Marriage between the Lady Elizabeth the Kings youngest Sister and the King of Denmarks Eldest Son but when it was almost concluded the princess could by no means be prevailed upon to consent thereto And soon after several of the Nobility were sent in an Ambassy to the French King to Treat of a Marriage between King Edward and his Daughter which at length was agreed on the French being to give her two hundred thousand Crowns as a Portion but it was never consummated by reason of the Kings Death The Earl of Warwick was now created Duke of Northumberland and having an irreconcileable hatred against the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector resolved upon his ruin which Somerset was not insensible of and therefore used all imaginable caution to defeat him but being of a mild disposition though perswaded by his friends to prevent his own ruin by Northumberlands destruction he was unwilling to taste any violent course only he was perswaded by some treacherous acquaintance to go privately armed to the Council Table where being apprehended his bosom was opened and he thereupon committed to the Tower tryed and found guilty upon a new Law which made it Fellony to design the Death of a Privy Councellor and was soon after beheaded on Tower-hill together with Sir Michael Stanhope and Sir Thomas Arundel Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Miles Partridge being hanged there at the same time Mean while the Duke of Suffolks three Daughters which he had by Francis Daughter of Charles Brandon and Mary Queen of France were married at Durham House the Eldest Jane Grey to the Lord Guilford Dudley Fourth Son to the Duke of Northumberland the Second Katherine to the Earl of Pembroke the youngest being somewhat deformed to Martin Keys the Kings Gentleman Porter the Duke of Northumberland having so far advanced his designs as to procure an Alliance with the Royal family now hoped to arrive to the height of his ambition though the people generally hated him for his practices against those two gallant men the Duke of Somerset and the Lord Admiral the Kings Uncles For the King now grew very weak and in a languishing state of body which whether occasioned by grief for the Death of his Uncles or whether caused by poison which as some reported was infused into a Nosegay of Flowers presented to him on new years day as a great rarity or whether by a defluxion of Rheum upon his Lungs is yet uncertain however he fell into an Hectick Feaver which the Physicians declared would suddenly cause his Death whereupon the Duke of Northumberland used several stratagems to secure the Lady Mary and perswaded the King to exclude his two Sisters in regard if the Lady Mary succeeded Popery and Idolatry would be again introduced and she could not be put by unless her other Sister the Lady Elizabeth were likewise excluded since their Rights depended upon one another but if he pleased to appoint the Lady Jane his own next Kinswoman to succeed he might be sure the true Religion would be maintained to Gods great Glory so that the sick Prince out of Love to Religion was prevailed with to exclude his two Sisters and to ordain by his will the Lady Jane to be his Successor which will was subscribed by all the Council Bishops and Judges except Sir John Hales Bishop Cranmer likewise made some difficulty to sign it but at length did as others and a few days after this pious Prince departed this Life at Greenwich July 6. 1553. in the Seventeenth year of his Age when he had reigned six years and five months being buried at Westminster near his Grandfather Henry the Seventh MARY Queen of England c. AS soon as I ascended to the Throne The True Religion I banisht quite Rome Spain and I were all conjoin'd in one To persecute to burn and put to flight All that the Gospel of our Lord profest All who oppos'd blind Error and the Pope All such with grievous tortures were opprest With th' Ax with Fire with Faggot and the Rope Scarce any Nation underneâ—th the Sky Afflicted was as I caused this to be But when my thoughts and hopes were grown most high Then Death at five years end arrested me No Bail would serve I could commaâ—d no aid But in the Prison of my Grave was laid MAry eldest Daughter of King Henry the Eighth by Queen Katha ine of Spain was born at Greenwich 1518. at whose birth though great numbers of the Nobility were at Court yet there was not observed to be the usual joy upon such occasions which some thought proceeded from a secret impulse that she was rather born for a Scourge than a Blessing to the Nation as it after happened when she grew up she was committed to the Tuition of the Countess of Salisbury who above all things instructed her in the Romish Principles which may be thought the reason of her furious Zeal therein and especially since Stephen Gardiner a keen enemy to the Reformation was her Ghostly Father of whom she once demanded What he thought of those that were not of her Opinion He told her They would infallibly be damned since there was no Salvation in any Church but that wherein the Pope Christs Vicar was the Head and that it was dangerous to converse with them but a mortal sin to spare any of them if she had advantage against them it being pleasing to God to destroy them as obstinate Hereticks which pernicious Counsel as soon as she had power she fully put in practice After the death of King Edward the Lady Jane was proclaimed Queen which the Lady Mary who was at her Mannor at Hovesdon in Herefordshire having notice of she sent a Letter to the Lords of the Council to deplore her Brothers death and demand the Crown as her right but they writ her an answer wherein they insisted on the lawfulness of her Mothers divorce whereby she was made Illegitimate and by several Acts of Parliament yet in force uninheritable to the Crown Imperial of this Realm together with the Will of King Edward and the proclaiming of Queen Jane and therefore desired her to be quiet and obedient to the present Government This was Signed by above twenty of the Council divers of them being Executors of the Testament of the last King The Lady Mary perceiving their Resolution to stand by Queen Jane went to Framingham Castle in
he was discoursing and drinking on Horseback as the Cup was at his Mouth a Servant of the Queens by her Contrivance struck him into the Back with a Knife or Dagger at which setting Spurs to his Horse to get away and fainting with loss of Blood he fell from his Horse with one Foot in the Stirrup and was dragged up and down the Woods till at last his Body was left dead at the Gate of Corf Castle When this Fact was committed the Queen was so struck with remorse that to expiate her Guilt she built two Monasteries Almsbury and Wormwell For as Mr. Fox observes most of these Religious Houses were founded either upon the account of some Publick or Private Murther Edward the Martyr as he was called being thus slain Etheldred his younger Brother the Son of Edgar and Queen Elfrida succeeded He reigned thirty eight Years but was very unfortunate and full of Troubles all his time It is related That when Archbishop Dunstan Christned Etheldred as he held him over the Font the Child was not very cleanly whereupon the Bishop swore By the Mother of God this Boy will prove an unhappy and slothful Prince which hapned accordingly At his Coronation a Cloud appeared half like Blood and the other half like Fire In his third Year the Danes invaded the Kingdom in several Places and the King paid them Forty thousand Pound yearly for his Quiet which much disobliged his Subjects yea the English were so low that the Danes commanded their Houses Wives Daughters and all they had Whereupon Etheldred contrived that all the Danes were massacred in one Day But this did more enrage them so that first Swain and then Canutus came with two hundred Sail of Ships and landed in Cornwal burning and destroying all before him and killing Nine hundred Monks and Nuns at one time the Kings Counsels being all betrayed by the Traytor Edrick Whereupon he fled with his Queen Emma and her two Sons into Normandy to Richard Duke thereof who was her Brother But Swain being soon after killed by his own Men they made his Son Canutus King After which Etheldred returns again to England and perceiving the several Treasons against him and being unable to withstand their Fury he soon after died Edmund the eldest Son alive of Etheldred succeeded sirnamed Ironside from his great Strength and Courage He was Crowned at Kingston But the Danes were then so powerful in England that Canutus was accepted King at Southampton many of the Clergy and Laity swearing Allegiance to him but the City of London stood firm for Edmund who fought several Battels against the Danes and routed Canutus four times in the plain Field and would in likelihood have freed the Nation from the Danes had not the ever-false Edrick and other perfidious Persons of the Clergy and Laity prevented it At length to avoid further Bloodshed they made an Agreement to divide the Kingdom betwixt them but Edmund enjoyed the Benefit of this Accord a very short time being soon after murdered as he was easing Nature by Edrick and his Head presented to Canutus who though he loved the Treason yet commanded the Traytor to be beheaded THE GOVERNMENT of the DANES BY the Death of Edmund the Saxon Monarchy came to a Period for Canutus after his Death seised upon the other half of England none being able to withstand whereby the Danes made themselves sole Masters of this Island after it had been in possession of the Saxons about 566 Years The English Nobles owning Canutus for their Lawful King and swearing Fealty to him at his Coronation at London in the Year of Christ 1017. Though Canutus had never the better Opinion of them considering that most of them had sworn Allegiance to Edmund their Natural Sovereign and likewise that they were English Natives He therefore judged them treacherous Persons and used them accordingly for some he banished others he beheaded and many by the just Judgment of Heaven died sudden Deaths Canutus to establish his Government called a Parliament of Bishops Lords and Barons in London wherein many Laws were ordained and among others this following VVe admonish diligently all Christian Men that they do always love God with an inward heart and be diligently obedient to Divine Teachers and do subtilly search Gods Learning and Laws often and daily to the profit of themselves And we warn that all Christian Men do learn to know at leastwise the right Belief and aright to understand the Lords Prayer and the Creed for that with the one every Christian Man should pray unto God and with the other shew forth right Belief He also ordained in another Parliament at Oxford That both English and Danes should observe the Laws made by King Edgar as judging them to be above all others most just and reasonable He married Emma the Widow of King Etheldred and Sister to Richard Duke of Normandy with this Condition That the Issue of her Body by him should inherit the Kingdom of England He went to Rome to complain of the excessive Extortions of the Pope from the English Archbishops upon receiving their Palls And having reigned twenty Years over England he died Notwithstanding the former Agreement yet Harold the Son of Canutus by Elgina his first Wife in the absence of Hardiknute the Son of Queen Emma succeeded his Father and the better to secure himself he by the assistance of the treacherous Earl Godwin who had married Canutus's Dâ—ughter endeavours to get into his Power Edward and Alfred the two Sons of Queen Emma by King Etheldred whom he knew had more Right than himself and to that purpose they counterfeit a Letter in Emma's Name whom Harold had abused and robbed of her Jewels the Contents whereof were to this purpose EMma in Name onely Queen to Edward and Alfred her Sons sends Motherly Gree ings Whilst we severally bewail the Death of our Sovereign my Lord and your Father and your selves Dear Sons are still more and more disposs ssed from the Kingdoms of your Lawful Inheritance I much wonder what you intend to do since you know that Delays in Attempts give the Usurper more leisure to lay his Foundation and more safely to fix thereon his intended Building never ceasing to post from Town to City to make the Lords and Rulers thereof his Friends by Threats Prayers or Rewards But notwithstanding his Policy yet they privately signifie that they had rather have one of you their Native Country-men to reign over them than this Danish Usurper Therefore my Advice is That either of you do with all speed repair to me that we may advise together what is to be done in this so great an Enterprise Fail not therefore but send me word by this Messenger what you intend to do herein And so fare ye well Your Affectionate Mother Emma Messengers being sent to Normandy with this Letter they met onely with Alfred Edward being gone into Hungaria to whom delivering their Message he was very joyful and made
sent for Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside out of Hungary who for his long absence was called the Outlaw but he dying soon after he declared Edgar the Outlaw's Son to be Heir and sirnamed him Atheling or Adeling a Term appropriated to the Presumptive Heirs of the Crown He had also a Daughter named Matilda who was married to the King of Scots and was Mother to David King of Scotland and Maud Queen of England When King Edward was on his Death-bed he observed all present weeping and lamenting for him to whom he said If you loved me you would forbear weeping and rejoyce because I go to my Father with whom I shall receive the Joys promised to the Faithful not through my Merits but by the free Mercy of my Saviour who sheweth Mercy on whom he pleaseth After the Death of Earl Godwin Harold his Son grew into great Favour with King Edward and was by him made Lieutenant of his Army against the Welch who with his Brother Tosto or Toston utterly subdued that Rebellion After which Harold still increasing more in favour with the King there grew such Hatred between the two Brethren that Tosto coming to Hereford slew all his Brothers Servants and cutting them in pieces salted them and put them into Powdering-tubs It hapned afterward that Harold going beyond Sea was by Tempest driven into Normandy and being seised and carried before Duke William he made him promise That after the Death of King Edward he would secure the Kingdom for him according to King Edward's Will Which Oath having taken Harold came back and told King Edward what he had done who seemed well content therewith saith the Historian which if it were true he had surely forgot his former Declaration concerning Edgar Athâ—ling However after the Death of King Edward Harold neither regarding his Oath to Duke William nor Edgar's Right whom he despised for his tender Age caused himself to be Proclaimed King without any great Ceremony or Celebration none much approving or disapproving thereof And to ingratiate himself with the People he eased them of several severe Taxes laid upon them by his Predecessor and was affable and kind to all But this was a short Calm before a great Storm for soon after Duke William sent his Ambassadors to him to mind him of his Oath but he returned answer That it was extorted from him in his Imprisonment and therefore was no way obliging At this Answer the Duke was much inraged and prepared Forces for gaining the Kingdom by Force Neither was Harold idle but made Provision to withstand him At which time a dreadful Comet appeared in the Heavens which was then judged and after proved to be a fatal Omen During these Preparations Tosto Brother to Harold and Harfager King of Denmark with three hundred Ships invaded the Country landing in Yorkshire Harfager claiming the Crown as Son of Canutus but the Nobility of those Parts opposing them were routed which Harold hearing marched against them and at Stamford-Bridge he encountred them where his whole Army was withstood by one single Dane who slew forty of his Men and made good the Bridge till a Soldier in a Boat rowing under the Bridge thrust his Spear through a Crevice and so slew this valiant Champion After which the King fell upon the D nes and got an intire Victory over them killing King Harfager and Tosto his own Brother Olave the Son of Harfager and Paul Earl of Orkney were taken Prisoners with abundance more who begging their Lives the King ordered Twenty of their Three hundred Ships to carry them to Denmark with sad News of the loss of their King and his whole Army No sooner was this Storm over but a worse began for Duke William having prepared a great Army and Navy resolved for England having the free Consent of his Nobility for his Voyage many of them assisting him therein But first he sent to Pope Alexander to confirm his Title to the Crown who did it readily and withal sent him a Consecrated Banner an Agnus Dei and a Hair of St. Peter with a Curse to all Opposers to carry in the Ship wherein he himself sailed Being thorowly furnished he and his Men embarqued at St. Vallery where they staid a long time for a Wind at length setting Sail Sept. 28. 1066. he arrived with his Fleet at Pevensey in Sussex where as soon as he landed it hapned one of his Feet stuck so fast in the Sand that he fell to the Ground whereupon one of his Attendants catching him by the Arm and helping him up said Stand up my Lord and be of good Courage for now you have taken fast Footing in England and observing that he had taken up Sand and Earth in his Hand he added You have now taken Livery and Seisin of the Country it being the Custom that when Possession is taken of Land a piece of Earth is given to the Possessor A Wizard or Necromancer had told Duke William That he should safely arrive in England with his whole Army without any hindrance from Harold which after it came to pass King William sent for this Conjurer to confer further with him but it was told him That he was drowned in that Ship which alone of the whole Navy miscarried whereupon the Conquerour said He would never put confidence in that Science which was of more benefit to the Ignorant than the Skilful therein for it seems he could foresee my good Fortune but not his own Misfortune After his Landing the Duke set all his Ships on fire to assure his Men that they must either conquer or die He then marched toward Hastings declaring the Cause of his coming to be to inherit the Kingdom which was given him by King Edward and strictly charging his Soldiers not to wrong any of the People in the least since they were so soon to become his Natural Subjects He then sent Messengers to Harold either to deliver him up the Country and be subject to him or to fight it out in the sight of both Armies in single Combate or lastly to stand to the Pope's Determination But he returned answer That unless he did suddenly depart he would give him cause to repent this his rash Invasion and that the next day it should be tried by more Swords than One. Accordingly Harold marcheth couragiously against Duke William who put himself into a posture to receive him It hapned that the Morning before the Battel William's Armourer by mistake put on his Back-piece before and his Breast-plate behind which being observed by some of his Attendants was judged an ill Omen and therefore they advised him not to fight that Day To whom the Duke replied I value not such Fooleries but if I have any skill in Soothsaying as in truth I have none I am of the opinion it doth fore ell that I shall change my Condition and of a Duke shall this day become a King The Armies being Marshalled Harold placing the Kentish-men with their heavy Axes
with several other Christian Princes against the Infidels in the Holy Land being fortunate in all his Proceedings save onely in his Succession to the Crown for his Success was so great there that he was freely offered to be made King of Jerusalem which he as generously refused By reason of his Absence his youngest Brother Henry without the least trouble or difficulty ascended the English Throne with the universal Approbation of the Nobility and Commons whose Inclinations were the stronger toward him because he was born in England after his Father was Crowned King and from the great Opinion they had of his singular Vertues Learning and good Temper Yet before his Coronation the Nobles obliged him to swear That he would ease the People of the great Taxes and many other Pressures under which they suffered which he accordingly performed After he was Crowned for the better ensuring his Estate and Title against the Claim of his Brother Robert he freely distributed the great Treasures left by King William among those who upon all Occasions he judged would stand by his Interest He dignified the Wealthy with high Offices and Titles of Honour He abated the Rigour of the New Laws and promised restitution of their old Privileges He regulated Weights and Measures bringing them all to one Standard He freed the People from the heavy Tribute of Danegilt and from all other unjust Taxes and Payments imposed by the former Kings He gave liberty to the Nobility and Gentry to enclose Parks and Chases with Game for their Recreation He banished from his Court all Flatterers as Traytors to his State and Government and all Luxury Sumptuousness in Apparel and Superfluity in Diet he utterly discountenanced He ordained That Thieves and High-way Robbers should be punished with Death With all manner of diligence and Application he endeavoured to reform the monstrous Pride intolerable Covetousness and extreme Sloth and Negligence of the Clergy He recalled Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury from Banishment and restored him to his Bishoprick giving him full Power to call Convocations and Synods at his Pleasure for regulating the intolerable Abuses of the Church yet leaving to the Pope his Authority to invest Bishops by giving them the Ring the Pall and the Pastoral Staff All such Ecclesiastical Dignities and Revenues which his Brother by the lewd Advice of Reynulph Bishop of Durham had seised into his Hands he freely conferred upon Grave and Learned Persons and committed Reynulph Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence he afterward escaped and earnestly invited Duke Robert who was now returned with great Honour from the Holy Land to recover the Kingdom with his Sword who thereupon raised a great Army with a Design to transport them to England In the mean time Henry having by his Proceedings endeared himself to his People confirmed them now further by marrying Maud Sister of Edgar King of Scots and Daughter of Malcolm by Margaret his Wife Sister to Edgar Atheling and Daughter to King Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside the victorious and valiant King of the Saxons Soon after Duke Robert arrived with his Army at Portsmouth many English joyning with him and great Expectations and Fears arose of a bloody War but by the discreet Mediation of Friends to both Sides a loving Agreement was concluded upon almost the same Conditions as with William Rufus namely That Henry should enjoy the Crown during Life paying to Robert Three thousand Marks a year Whereupon Robert returned back to the great discontent of his own Nobility Afterward Robert returned again to England to congratulate his Brothers good Fortune where he was Royally entertained and at the Request of his Sister Queen Maud he forgave the Payment of the Three thousand Marks a year Yet after a while the Ambition of Dominion caused Henry upon some slight occasion to quarrel with his Brother which proceeded so far that he went over to Normandy with an Army where being assisted by many of the Duke's discontented Nobility and Gentry he so prevailed against Robert that he took the Cities of Roan Caâ—n and Valois from him who being forsaken of all fled from one Place to another to secure himself King Henry returning victoriously into England and Robert perceiving that his Lords and People had utterly forsaken him and refused their Assistance and Henry's Strength and Riches increasing he came privately into England and presented himself to his Brother referring himself and all his Concerns to his own Determination But the King either knowing the Inconstancy of the Duke or being prepossessed by some Whisperers that he did not intend uprightly turned from his distressed Brother with a scornful and disdainful Countenance refusing to accept of this his humble Submission The Duke being struck to the Heart returns back to his own Country resolving to die like a Man in the Field but Henry soon routed his weak Forces and brought him Prisoner into England committing him to Cardiff Castle in Wales where endeavouring his Liberty his Eyes by Henry's Command were put out after which he lived miserably Twenty years and was buried at Glocester About this time Robert Belasme Earl of Shrewsbury raised a Rebellion but being soon vanquished he fled into Normandy where finding William of Mortaigne and Cornwal who was offended with the King for keeping from him the Earldom of Kent he soon perswaded him to raise another Insurrection and joyning their Forces they designed great matters but were presently routed by the King's Forces and kept Prisoners during their Lives The King being now freed from fear of Enemies resolved to take the same Advantages his Predecessors had done as to the Investiture of Bishops and taking vacant Bishopricks into his Hands whereat Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury was so displeased that he refused to Consecrate such new Bishops as had received their Investitures from the King But Girald Archbishop of York freely performed it upon the King's Command Hereupon Anselm went to complain at Rome and prevailed at last against the King by a Synod of the Clergy held at London Three years after Anselm died and King Henry seised the Revenues of his Bishoprick into his Hands which he kept five years and if at any time he were intreated by the Bishops to bestow it he still answered That he onely kept it for an able and sufficient Man Having enjoyed a few years of Peace he was again rowsed out of it by Lewis the French King who joyning with Fulk Earl of Anjou and Baldwyn Earl of Flanders they all made great Preparations for Invading the Dutchy of Normandy But Henry raising an Army of valiant Commanders and Soldiers landed there and soon engaged with them in Battel which continued nine hours with so great fury on each side that though King Henry won the Field and chased his flying Enemies a long way yet he would often say That he then fought not for Victory but Life Quickly after a Reconciliation was made between these four Princes and William King Henry's eldest Son
under the Jurisdiction of the Civil Magistrate but tried by those of their own Profession their greatest Offences were connived at or very slightly examined whereby many grievous Enormities hapned in the Kingdom Whereupon the King summoned a Parliament wherein that Law of King Stephen exempting the Clergy from the Authority of the Temporal Judge for any Crime whatsoever was repealed and the ancient Laws again revived and enforced This was very much opposed by Becket and some few Bishops more of his Faction but after several Conferences these Laws were confirmed and subscribed by all the Bishops but Becket who would by no means assent thereto without inserting this Clause Salvo Ordine suo Saving the Order of the Clergy which would have utterly invalidated all those Laws At which the King being enraged by the persuasion of the other Bishops who dreaded the Consequence Becket took a solemn Oath to allow of those Laws whereat the King turned his Fury into Kindness toward Becket and immediately caused an Indenture to be drawn betwixt himself and the two Archbishops testifying their Submission to this Oath which was subscribed by the King and the Archbishop of York but Becket again relapsing into his former Obstinacy not onely refused it but expressed much sorrow for his former Oath and desired to be absolved there from by the Pope which was done accordingly some private Penance onely being enjoyned him who required him not to yield but to persist constantly in his opinion Upon which the King being again incensed against Becket seises all his Estate and Promotions into his Hands and required an Account of 30000 Marks which he had received when Chancellor but Becket boldly affirmed That the King had given it him freely and therefore he would give no Account thereof Then Becket went again privately to Rome without License and the King being sensible that his Des gn was to incense the Pope against him sent his Ambassadors with Letters to Rome declaring how reasonaâ—le his Demands were and the extraordinary Perverseness of Becket desiring the Pope he might be deprived of his Dignities and promising to provide for him some other way But the Pope not onely denied his Request but in thundring Terms threatned to send two Legats into England who should curse the King and Kingdom unless Becket were presently restored to his Honours and Estate and in the mean time the Pope recommended Becket to be entertained as a Monk in the Abby of Poâ—tiniack in France The King observing how Matters went grew more exasperated and sent to the Abbot to turn Becket out of his House and threatned upon refusal not to leave one Monk of his Order in France He also published certain Injunctions against the Pope and all Cardinals or Legats who should presume to enter into his Kingdom without his License He then deprived all Becket's Friends and Favourers of their Dignities and Estates banishing them out of the Kingdom as Abettors and Encouragers of Becket in his Obstinacy against the King These Proceedings and especially his being turned out of the Abby for fear of the Kings Anger much troubled Becket yet then Lewis of France though young King Henry had married his Daughter cherisht and entertained him But the King being tired with these Turmoils goes privately into France and in the presence of the French King confers with Becket offering him That if he would now take the Oath and subscribe the Instrument he should return into England and be restored to his Favour and Dignities with all his Friends But he proudly answered That if the King would let him swear and subscribe with this Exception Salvo Honore Dei Saving the Honour of God he would then consent This angred the King more than ever as intimating That those Laws were dishonourable to Almighty God and therefore he would obey no farther than he pleased but Becket undauntedly persisted alledging That he feared none but God and since those Laws did derogate from ancient Customs and Privileges of the Church and robbed God of his Honour the King should never establish them by his Consent as long as he lived The King thus disappointed soon after two Legats came from Rome to curse him and the Realm Whereupon he again goes to Becket into Normandy but finds him the very same Man and therefore he being willing to be quiet consented that Becket should return into England which he did accordingly but the King being much discontented was heard repiningly to say That among all those whom he had advanced there was none would free him from such an insolent and dangerous Enemy He likewise received mean Welcome from the young King Henry because Becket had suspended three or four Bishops who assisted at Henry's Coronation for doing it without a License from him upon which young Henry now banished him his Court and confined him to his own House in Canterbury But a few days after Becket being in the Cathedral of Canterbury standing before the High Altar four Knights and Courtiers fell upon him and slew him there of which Fact King Henry was accused by the Pope but stoutly denied it yet because of his former Murmurings he was forced to submit to the Popes Censure which was To war three years in Person in the Holy Land which he redeemed by building three Monasteries and to go to Becket's Tomb bare-footed which he did and suffered himself to be scourged with Rods by every Monk there And thus the King made a bad end of these Troubles But others soon succeeded for about this time the young King Henry died and his Sons Richard and Jeffry again rebelled against him but the younger was soon after trod to death under the Horses Feet at a Turnament at Paris But Richard yet lived to the further Grief of his Father for joyning himself with Philip King of France he forced his Father out of the City of Mantz the Place where he was born and loved above all others which caused the old King to say That since his Son Richard had taken from him that day the thing which he most loved in the World he was resolved to requite him for after that day he would deprive him of that which ought best to please a Child and that was his Fathers Heart And afterward finding his Son John the very first in the Conspiracy against him in that Action he bitterly curst the Hour of his Birth wishing Gods Curse and his own upon his Sons which he would never recal by any Persuasions But coming to Chiron he fell mortally sick and causing himself to be carried to the Church before the High Altar after humble Confession of his Sins he gave up the Ghost 1189. having reigned Thirty four years and eight months RICHARD the FIRST King of England c. called Coeurdelion THrough the Almighty's Mercy and his Aid Jerusalem I conquer'd and set free The Turks and Saracens who waste it laid I 〈◊〉 from Judea soon to flee The Isle of Cyprus was subdu'd by me
THIRD King of England c. IN Peace and War I still Triumphant stood Fortune for me seemed to fix her Wheel I did revenge my Fathers Death and Blood And forced France my valiant Arm to feel I warr'd on Scotland with victorious Steel The slaughtring Sword and Fire did all devour A Kingdom so divided needs must reel Betwixt the Bruces and the Baliols Power Thus every day my Grandeur mounted higher With Black Prince Edward my victorious Son Vnto the top of Honour we aspire By glorious Victories and great Actions done But all my Triumphs Fortunes Force and Strength Old Age and Death to Nothing brought at length AT the Age of Fifteen years Edward the Third was Crowned King his deposed Father being then alive He was chiefly counselled in his younger years by Queen Isabel his Mother Edmond Earl of Kent and Sir Roger Mortimer which Knight to ingratiate himself with the Queen was a chief Instrument in the Murder of the late King In his second year the Scots proclaimed War against England whereupon King Edward with an Army of fifty four thousand Men and attended with Sir John Heynault the L. Beamont and five hundred Lords and Gentlemen marched into Scotland where he pursued his lurking Enemies who fled into Woods Mountains and Hills and thereby tired the English Army so that he returned without any memorable Action and then married Philip the Daughter of William Earl of Heynault and calling a Parliament at Northampton the two Spencers and Walter Stapleton were attainted of High Treason at which time by the advice of the Queen and Mortimer a dishonourable Peace was made with the Scots whereby that King was discharged from doing homage to Edward and the great Charter called Ragman whereby the late King of Scotland and all his Nobility under their Hands and Scals did acknowledge their Subjection to the Kings of England was delivered up and the Kings Sister Jane was married to David Son and Heir to K. R. Bruce Roger Mortimer was now made Earl of March which did much discontent the Nobility especially after they saw that by his power with the King and Familiarity with the Queen he had trecherously procured the Earl of Kent the Kings Uncle to be beheaded but by Divine Vengeance Mortimer himself was charged by the State with these Trayterous Articles 1 That he had wickedly procured the murther of the late King 2. That by false and malicious accusations he had caused the King to cut off the Head of his Vncle who was Noble Religious Valiant and a main Pillar of the Commonwealth 3. That he had too familiarly conversed with the Queen Mother to her just reproach and the Kings dishonour 4. That for a Bribe of twenty thousand pound he had procured the release of the Scots Homage Lastly That he had cheated the King of his Jewels and Treasure converting them to his own use For these horrid Treasons he was condemned and Executed in the same manner as young Spencer and Q. Isabel was committed to a strong Castle where she continued above thirty years after and then died In his fifth year Philip the French King sent to require King Edward to do Homage for the Dutchy of Guyen which he unwillingly performed his Lords being therewith offended alledging That in the Right of Queen Isabel his Mother the Crown of France belonged to him and that he therefore ought not to have acknowledged any Fealty at all The King then sent to David King of Scotland to restore the Castle of Berwick and do him Homage for the Kingdom but David stoutly answered That his Father won that Castle by Conquest and he would hold it by the Sword and That his Father never acknowledged any Subjection and if any had been due yet King Edward had released him from it The King being of a great Spirit was resolved to revenge these Affronts by conquering both Scotland and France and to that end he presently sent an Army against the Scots and over-run the better part of that Country without resistance taking Berwick and Crowning Edward Baliol King of Scotland to whom he committed the Government of Berwick Castle and two years after he again marched into Scotland and setled this new King on his Throne receiving his Homage and restored several English Lords to their Estates which by the Peace with King Bruce they were deprived of David the deposed King fled into France and after two years by the assistance of the French King landed some Forces in Scotland but King Edward soon encountred and routed them and then returned victoriously into England In his tenth year Philip the French King gave the Earldom of Artois away by Sentence from Robert Artois to Maud Countess of Burgundy and Aunt to this Robert which so incensed him that he said By me Philip was made King and by me he shall be again deposed For these Words he was proclaimed a Traytor to the Crown throughout all France so that to save his Life he fled into England where for his former Service to Queen Isabel and her Son when in France he was honourably received and entertained by King Edward who knew him to be a wise and valiant Man and therefore made him Earl of Richmond and loved him so entirely that he never undertook any Matter of Consequence without his Advice This Noble Knight continually informed the King of his Right to the Crown of France by his Mother Queen Isabel and that with such convincing Reasons and Persuasions that Edward began now in earnest to contrive the attaining thereof negotiating privately with the Earl of Heynault his Wives Father and Brother-in-Law to the French King and with Sir John of Heynault Lord Beaumont his Brother and several other Princes and States of Germany who encouraged and assisted him therein creating him Vicar-General of the Empire by which he had Power to command the Nobility and Commons of those Countries to aid him in his Enterprise Whilst these things were secretly consulting in England Philip of France little suspected he was to fight for his Crown with the English and therefore at the Importunity of Pope Benedict the Eleventh he had prepared a greater Army for the Holy Land than ever any Christian Prince did before him which were provided with all Necessaries for three years and the Government of his Kingdom he committed to his eldest Son John Duke of Normandy Being just ready to depart he had News of the Pretensions and Preparations of the English and therefore thought it more necessary to defend his Kingdom at home than to go upon such a frivolous Errand abroad In the mean time King Edward having by many Politick Devices drained his Subjects Purses insomuch that for want of Money a fat Ox was sold for a Noble a fat Sheep for Six pence six Pigeons for a Penny and a Quarter of Wheat for Two shillings he with his Queen sailed to Antwerp where he concluded the Methods of the War with the Princes of Germany and
what sense the words were spoken The Bishop of Ely being a Prisoner to the Duke of Buckingham he by often discoursing with him became so intimate that the Duke opened his whole mind to him complaining of the bloody villanies and Tyranny of the King which the Bishop endeavoured by all means to aggravate repeating all the murders and other crimes he was guilty of and at length perswaded him to endeavour the deposing of Richard and advancing the Earl of Richmond to the Throne and thereby unite the two Houses of Lancaster and York by Richmond's marrying the Lady Elizabeth K. Edward the Fourth's eldest Daughter he being Son and Heir apparent to Margret Countess of Richmond Daughter and Heir of John Duke of Somerset son to John of Gaunt Fourth Son of Edward the Third and therefore a lawful Heir to the Crown and that hereby all occasion of Faction and Civil Wars would be removed and the World would be rid of a Master who was loathed and hated by all good men The Bishop having by these and many other Arguments confirmed Buckingham in his Resolution of attempting against Richard he then prevailed with him to let him go into the Isle of Ely from whence he fled to the Earl of Richmond in Flanders King Richard having notice hereof sent many rich gifts and presents to the Duke of Brittain to deliver up Richmond to him but could not prevail and tho the Plot of the Bishop was very secret yet Richard had intelligence thereof and resolved to take off Buckingham either by fair or foul means and therefore sent for him kindly to Court but the Duke knowing that Richard never spared the Blood of any who stood in his way sent submissive excuses as not being able to travel the King soon perceived his sickness was more in mind than body and therefore sent Letters full of threats peremptorily commanding him to come the Duke rather desiring an open enemy than a false friend boldly returned answer That he would not venture his life in the hands of such a Monster Murtherer and usurping Tyrant as he was and thereupon presently fled to Arms raising considerable forces in Wales Sir Edward Courtrey and his Brother the Bishop of Exeter did the like in Devonshire Sir Richard Guilford and others in Kent and the Marquess of Dorset in Yorkshire Richard preparing an Army marched with all speed to meet Buckingham before he joined with his confederates who resolving to confront him designed to bring his Army over the Severn to Glocester but the night before it rained extreamly continued so to do for ten days after which caused a very great flood and laid all the Country under water drowning Towns Villages and abundance of People this delay caused scarcity in the Dukes Army upon which the inconstant Welch ran away and left him alone so that he was forced to fly to one Humfry Banister near Shrewsbury for security he having been his Servant and raised by the Duke to a handsome estate the Lords hearing of the Dukes ill success got to Sea and arrived safely in Brittain Richard offered a thousand pound to any who should discover the Duke of Buckingham upon which that ungrateful Wretch delivered him up and without any Legal Tryal he was instantly beheaded In the mean time Richmond hearing nothing of these misfortunes having got together about five thousand men imbarqued them for England but was beaten back by a storm and much shattered yet being relieved by the French King he soon after got into Brittain where he met his noble friends by whom it was concluded to attempt landing in England once more Richmond swearing to marry Elizabeth K. Edward the Fourths eldest Daughter But K. Richard to prevent the match perswaded the old Queen with large promises and great sums of money to deliver her five Daughters into his custody and soon after he caused it to be reported that his own Queen was dead which she hearing of was much troubled and in a week after was found dead indeed which Richard so little regarded that he presently made love to the Lady Elizabeth who considering her own and Sisters danger durst not deny him absolutely but perswaded him to stay till he had defeated the Duke of Richmond and setled himself in Peace At this time his Court flatterers perswaded him that Richmond and his Party received such small incouragement and assistance from the French King that he was unable to make any attempt against him which Richard readily believed and therefore discharged the forces which were in Garrison on the Sea Coasts whereby it pleased God to infatuate the councel of this Bloody Politician to bring him to his deserved fate for soon after by the aid of the young French King the Earl of Richmond with a very inconsiderable force landed at Milford in Wales where he saw little appearance of assistance but the Welchmen being put in mind that Richmond being the Son of Owen Tudor was of their own Countrey and Blood and that he would have a special kindness for them that he would marry the Lady Elizabeth and thereby perfectly settle the Kingdom they soon flockt yea throng'd unto him with willing and resolved minds under several Gallant Commanders the Earl of Shrewsbury likewise sent in two thousand men and Sir Thomas Bouchier Sir Walter Hungerford and the Lord Stanley came with five thousand more all these were lieved by King Richards order but revolted to Richmond as judging it lawful to forsake a Tyrant and submit to a more legal Power Richard was much disturbed at this disappointment however he raised an Army of about twenty thousand and with his true friend John Duke of Norfolk marched toward Bosworth in Leicestershire where the Armies met and fought two hours K. Richard acting the part of a valiant Commander but at length was slain as it is said by the Earl of Richmonds own hand August 22. 1485. a thousand of his men being killed and among them the Duke of Norfolk and not above an hundred of Richmonds after the battle Thomas Howard Earl of Surrey Son and Heir to the Duke of Norfolk was taken Prisoner fighting for King Richard of whom the Earl of Richmond demanded How he durst bear Arms for that Tyrant Richard who answered He was my Crowned King and if the Parliamentary Authority of England set the Crown upon a stock I will fight for that stock and as I fought then for him so I will fight for you when you are established by the same Authority And so he did for his Son Henry 8. at Flodden Field Camdens Remains King Richard being killed his Crown which he that day wore being found among the spoils was brought to Henry Earl of Richmond by his Father in Law the Lord Stanley and the Souldiers shouting loudly and crying King Henry King Henry he crowned him therewith in the open Field King Richard had three wicked Councellers who incited him to cruelty Sir Richard Ratcliff Sir William Catesby and
therefore proclaimed War against France upon which occasion and for writing against Martin Luther the Pope stiled him Defender of the Faith Henry sending a Fleet and an Army thither took the Towns of Tyrwin and Tournay At the same time James the Fourth King of Scots though he had married Margaret King Henry's eldest Sister contrary to his Oath and Articles invaded England with an Army of 100000 Fighting Men but the Earl of Surrey with 26000 Men marching against them utterly routed the whole Scotch Army at Flodden field King James himself being slain valiantly fighting After this succeeded a Peace and the French King married King Henry's second Sister Mary And now Cardinal Wolsey of mean Parentage grew extreme Great by the Kings extraordinary Affection toward him and among other extravagant Actions he procured a License from the Pope to pluck down several small Abbies and Priories and to settle the Lands upon two Colleges which he had built one in Ipswich and another in Oxford which President occasioned King Henry some years after to pull down all the rest In his eighth year a Riot hapned in London against Merchant-Strangers and Artificers for which many were condemned of High Treason but were all pardoned by the King The Truce with France was soon broken by the French King whereupon King Henry sent an Army thither who won and burnt Morlaix and several other Towns returning home with great Booty In his twentieth year the Kings Marriage with Queen Katherine of Spain is questioned which was thought to be cunningly contrived by Cardinal Wolsey whereupon the King refrained her Bed and it was judged unlawful by six Foreign Universities so that notwithstanding the Popes Opposition who would have had it referred to him it was made null and void by the next Parliament upon which the Pope caused his Curse to be set up at Dunkirk against the King pronouncing the Marriage lawful But Henry little regarded those Paper Pellets for hereby the Pope lost his Supremacy in England and Bishop Fisher and Sir Thomas More were beheaded for defending it The King soon after married Ann Bullein Daughter to the Lord Rochford who was judged a Favourer of Protestants and therefore disliked by Cardinal Wolsey who for abundance of Misdemeanours was found guilty of a Praemunire and all his Estate and Honours were taken from him for grief whereof he soon after died In his twenty sixth year the King was by Parliament declared Supreme Head of the Church within all his own Dominions in all Ecclesiastical Causes and all Popish Bulls and Indulgences were made void and several Religious Houses of Nuns and Monks whose Revenue exceeded not 200 l. a year were suppressed The next year Queen Ann the Kings dearly-beloved Wife was beheaded though she protested her Innocency at her death being accused for prostituting her Body to her own Brother the Lord Rochford who with some others were put to death for the same This Tragedy being over the King within twenty days married Jane the Daughter of Sir John Seymour by whom he had the Virtuous Prince Edward who succeeded him but within few days after the good Queen died James King of Scotland being slain as aforementioned his Queen Margaret eldest Sister to King Henry was afterward married to Archibald Dowglas Earl of Angus who had a Daughter by her called Margaret this young Lady the Lord Howard married without the Kings leave for which she being of the Blood Royal he was beheaded as a Traytor The Kings Proceedings against the Pope caused a Rebellion in Lincolnshire but they were soon dispersed and Captain Cobler their Leader with others executed This was no sooner supprest but an Insurrection begun in the North of above 40000 who called themselves The Holy Pilgrims but upon the Kings Pardon they all quietly departed â—ome A third Rebellion succeeded in Westmorland upon the same account but was likewise defeated and seventy of the principal Conspirators executed In his twenty eighth year several Persons were executed for denying the Kings Supremacy and the Lord Cromwel is made Vicegerent in all Spiritual Matters by whom all Images and Shrines in Churches were taken down and destroyed and the Houses and Lands of Abbots Priors Monks and Nuns for their many Misdemeanours were all taken away and their yearly Revenues amounting to above 200000 l. setled on the King who freely exchanged them for other Lands with divers of his Nobles and Gentry thereby preventing as much as possible the restoring them to their former Uses After the Lord Cromwel had performed this great Business he persuaded the King to marry Ann of Cleve whom he never liked so that though he was married to her four Months he never conversed with her as a Wife the Clergy soon after dissolving the Marriage and the King married Katherine Howard Daughter to the Lord Howard Brother to the Duke of Norfolk The King then began to frown upon Cromwel which his Enemies who were many observing procured his Downfal for he was attainted in Parliament and without being suffered to defend himself was condemned and executed for High Treason and about this time the Lord Hungerford and the Lord Leonard Gray were put to death King Henry was very unfortunate in his Wives for soon after his last Marriage he was informed that his Queen Katherine had before Marriage lived very lasciviously with one Francis Derham and Thomas Culpeper whereupon the Queen and the Lady Rochfort who was privy thereto were soon after attainted of Treason by Parliament and beheaded and the other two hanged at Tyburn About this time an Act of Parliament was made declaring it High Treason to deny the Oath of Supremacy or to acknowledge the Authority of the Pope Yet though the Discipline of the Church was altered the Doctrine remained almost the same for there were six bloody Articles likewise enacted and it was made Heresie and thereupon burning to deny any of them They were these 1. That after speaking the Words of Consecration by the Priest the real and natural Body and Blood of Christ as he was conceived and crucified was in the Sacrament and no other Substance 2. That the Communion in both Kinds is not necessary to Salvation 3. That Priests may not marry 4. That Vows of Chastity ought to be observed by the Law of God 5. That Private Masses ought to be continued 6. That Auricular Confession is necessary and expedient to be retained in the Church of God The refusal of these Articles caused the Death of very many Protestants as the denying the Kings Supremacy cut off several Papists so that at the same time Protestants were burnt on one side of Smithfield and Papists hanged on the other which made Foreigners admire not understanding what Religion King Henry was of In his thirty third year the King married Katherine Parr Sister to the Marquess of Northampton and Widow to the Lord Latimer who was likely to have lost her Head if her Virtue and the Kings sudden Death had not
reserved her for better Fortune for being studious in the English Bible which was forbid to be read she thereby began to hearken to those who declaimed against the Abuses of the Roman Church and thought her self so well instructed in her Religion that she would debate thereof with the King who impatiently heard her both by reason of the anguish of his sore Leg and because he hated to be contradicted especially in his old Age and by his Wife as he said This was so much aggravated by Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester a bitter Enemy to the Reformation as being against the Six Articles and the Proclamation against Prohibited Books that the King gave leave to him and Wriothsley the Chancellor to draw up Articles against her which they presented to the King and were subscribed by him so that they onely expected a Warrant to carry her to the Tower which the Queen accidentally hearing of fell into a great Passion extremely bewailing her Misfortune of which the King having notice came himself to her Chamber where compassionating her Condition he used such kind Words as did help to recover her so that the next Night coming into the Kings Chamber he began to talk of Religion but she wittily excusing her self by reason of the weakness of her Sex Judgment said She would refer her self in this as in all other Causes to his Majesties Wisdom Not so by St. Mary quoth the K. you are become a Doctor Kate to instruct Vs as We take it and not to be instructed or directed by Vs But the Queen replying That what she said was rather to pass away the time and make him forget his Pain than to hold an Argument and that she hoped by hearing his Majesties Learned Discourse to receive some Profit thereby The King answered And is it even so Sweet-heart Then are we perfect Friends again and therewith lovingly kissed her But her Enemies knowing nothing of this Reconcilement prepared to send her to the Tower the next day according to the Kings Warrant when she being merrily talking with him in the Garden the Lord Wriothsley with forty of his Guard came in whom the King sternly beholding and after calling to him at some distance from the Queen so expostulated the matter that at last he reviled him and commanded him out of his Presence yet at the Kings return she humbly begged his Pardon to whom the King answered Alas poor Soul thou little knowest how ill he has deserved this for I assure thee he has been a very Knave to thee And thus by her opportune Submission she escaped though Winchester absolutely designed her Ruine Not long before King Henry sailed to Callice in a Ship with Sails of Cloth of Gold and the Emperour of Germany served under him as a Soldier at 100 Crowns a day The King sate down before Bulâ—oigne and in six weeks time it was delivered to him This was succeeded by a War with Scotland by the instigation of the French King whereupon Henry sent an Army of 20000 Men to invade Scotland who burnt and plundred several Towns and Villages but James the Fifth of Scotland an active and warlike Prince having raised Forces marched toward the Borders with a resolution to fight the English though dissuaded by his Nobility who remembred the Miseries of the former War and the loss of their last King James having made Oliver Sinclair a Favourite of mean Birth General the Lords were so much disgusted that upon the appearance of onely 500 English Horse apprehending them to be the whole English Army the Scots threw down their Arms and fled Many Prisoners were taken as the Earls of Glencairn Cassils the Lords Maxwell Sommervill Oliphant Gray and Ol. Sinclair with above 200 Gentlemen and 800 Soldiers The News of this Loss with the murdering of an English Herald being brought to King James together with the Birth of a Daughter when he earnestly desired a Son so oppressed him with Grief and Despair that he fell into a Fever and died the thirty third year of his Age and the thirty second of his Reign leaving onely his Infant Daughter Mary to succeed him This turn of Affairs put Henry upon new thoughts of uniting England and Scotland by procuring a Marriage between his Son Prince Edward and the young Queen of Scotland whereupon the King having magnificently treated the Scotch Nobility represented to them this fair Occasion of ending all Quarrels between the two Nations who approving thereof the Match was confirmed both by the Parliament of England and Scotland But Cardinal Beaton Archbishop of St. Andrews fearing that the Consequence of it would be a Change in Matters of Religion opposed it as likewise the French which caused continual Wars and great Devastations And then the King fell again upon France who were â—routed by him in divers kirmishes but in his thirty eighth year a Peace was concluded between England and France And soon after the Duke of Norfolk and his Son the Earl of urrey were convicted of High Treason onely for Quartering the Arms which they said properly belonged to the King for which the Earl was beheaded to the great grief of the People but the Duke by reason of the Kings Sickness and Death soon after was preserved For he was grown excessive Corpulent and the Inflammation of his Leg cast him into a lingring Fever whereby he finding his Spirits decay made his Will wherein he ordered that his onely Son Edward should succeed him and he dying without Issue his Daughter Mary and after her if without Issue his Daughter Elizabeth should succeed appointed the Principal Men of the Kingdom for his Executors And finding his last Moment approaching he sent for Archbishop Cranmer then at Croyden who coming found him speechless The Archbishop desired him to give some Sign of his dying in the Faith of Christ upon which he squeezed his Hand and presently departed after he had reigned thirty seven years and nine months and lived fifty six Thus died King Henry whose Reign had been fatal to his Queens burdensom and cruel to his Subjects yet glorious in respect of his Victories over his Enemies and that the Ax was then first laid to the Root of Superstition and the Door first opened to Truth and Reformation EDWARD the SIXTH King of England c. I seem'd in wisdom aged in my youth A Princely Pattern I reformed the time With Christian Courage I maintained Gods Truth And Christian Faith ' gainst Antichristian crime My Father did begin it in my prime And Bial and Belial from this Kingdom drove And I did still endeavour all my time By all means to advance Gods Truth and Love To add Grace unto Grace I always strove I liv'd beloved both of God and Men My Soul unto its maker soar'd above My Mortal Part returned to Earth agen Thus death my just proceedings did prevent And Peers and People did my loss lament EDward was born at Hampton-Court Oct. 17. 1537. Being the only surviving
Suffolk resolving to get what Forces she could and try her Right by Arms being there divers of the Nobility and Gentry resorted to her offering their aid to establish her in the Throne provided she would make no alteration in Religion which she faithfully promised with many solemn Asseverations yet soon made it appear That no Faith is to be kept with Hereticks The Lords hearing she raised Forces they did the like and sent them under the Duke of Northumberland against her but his Commission being limited that he could do nothing without daily orders from the Council he was forced to march slowly which was his utter ruine for the Lady Mary sent to several of the Nobility to come in to her assistance as the Earls of Sussex Oxford and Bath and other Lords and Gentlemen who came with their Tenants and other Commoners relying upon her Promise not to alter Religion but especially the Suffolk men and yet Mr. Fox observes that she burnt and put to death more of that County for Religion than of any other County in England so fatal was the belief of her promises to them The Fleet which was sent to surprise her joyning likewise with her and the People in general being for her the Council saw it in vain to withstand and therefore sent to the Duke of Northumberland to dismiss his Army whereupon the Lady Mary was proclaimed Queen and the Lady Jane who had only personated a Queen for ten days was sent to the Tower Soon after the Duke of Northumberland was condemned and beheaded with Sir John Gates and Sir Tho. Palmer And a Parliament being called all the Laws concerning the Illegitimacy of the Queen and those against the Pope and his Usurpations were repealed In her second year and the thirty seventh of her Age the Queen began to think of marrying and at last was Contracted to Philip King of Spain and Son to the Emperour Charles the Fifth which caused great dissatisfaction among her Subjects fearing that the Spaniards having once got footing in England would enslave the Nation and deprive them of their Ancient Laws and Customs This alienated them from the Queen so that several private Consults were held about deposing Queen Mary and re-establishing the Lady Jane who remained under Sentence of death in the Tower of London but these contrivances being discovered the Fomentors had recourse to Arms for their own security the first of them was Sir Thomas Wiat who made an Insurrection in Kent and by declaring himself for the defence of his Countrey and Religion raised 3000 of the Commons The Duke of Suffolk his Brother the Lord Gray and Sir Peter Carew of Devonshire and others designed the like in Cornwal Devonshire and Suffolk but resolving not to shew themselves till the Spaniards landed they were detected and forced to fly However Wiat increased daily in power and threatned the Herald who was sent with a Pardon to Pistol him if he endeavoured to withdraw the Souldiers from him and one Colonel Bret made an incouraging Oration to them to this purpose Valiant Countreymen we now ingage our selves in a cause to vindicate our Common Liberties against the Insolencies of the cruel Spaniard you whose degenerate Spirits can endure slavery continue in it in Gods name but as for me I had rather undergo the most painful death than betray my Rights to the Spaniards and I here enroll my self under Wiats Colours and am confident that some of you for the Vindication of the Ancient Glory of the English Nation will follow my example He had scarce ended this Speech but they threw up their Caps and cried out a Wiat a Wiat so that the Duke of Norfolk the Earl of Arundel and Sir Henry Iirningham who approached them at Rochester Bridge turned Tail and fled In the mean time the Queen mistrusting the Londoners whom she knew hated Popery came to Guildhall and in a Speech declared to them that though Wiats pretences were against the Match with Spain yet his real design was to plunder and therefore she left with them the Lord Howard and the Lord Treasurer to assist the Lord Mayor in defending the City against the Rebels At length Wiat arrived in Southwark and with his great Guns beat down divers Houses but being opposed by the Queens Forces and about twenty of â—hem slain he soon after submitted upon hope of Mercy and was committed to the Tower his folâ—owers dispersing themselves and twenty pair of Gallows were set up in divers places in the City whereon many were executed This Rebellion being supprest the Popish Faction reflected on the Lady Jane as the cause thereof and soon after she and her Husband the Lord Guilford Dudley were beheaded Wiat in hope of pardon accused the Lady Elizabeth and the Marquess of Exeter as Accomplices but at his Death he again cleared her Then the Duke of Suffolk and his Brother suffered as likewise Sir Nicholas Throgmorton and â—he Lady Elizabeth was in great danger of her life at this time and indeed all the Reign of her Sister yet still happily escaped The Queen having removed all obstacles Philip of Spain arrived in England and married her Upon which succeeded the Reconciliation of the whole Kingdom by Cardinal Pool which he did in these words Our Lord Jesus Christ whom the Father hath appointed head â—ver all the Church absolve you and we by the Apostolick Authority given us by the most Holy Lord Pope Julius the Third his Vicegerent on Earth do absolve and deliver you and every of you with the whole Realm and the Dominions â—hereof from all Heresy and Schism and from all and every â—udgment censures and pains for that cause incurred and also we do restore you again to the Vnity of our Mother the Holy Church as in our Lettters of Commission more plainly shall appear The Queen next endeavoured to prevail upon the Parliament to restore the Abby Lands but they were so divided among the Nobility and Gentry that it proved ineffectual And being now thirty eight years old it was reported she was with Child and â—ll things were provided for her lying in yea a Popish Priest ventured to describe the excellent Features of the Infant before it was born and Bells and Guns â—roclaimed the joy but at length it came all to noâ—hing which caused much laughter The Reign of Queen Mary seemed hitherto only sprinkled with Blood but now the blessed Martyrs come thick to Act their parts for the Protestant Clergy were not only deprived of their Livings but all sorts without respect of Sex Age or Quality began to feel the severity of her Laws the pourtraicture whereof cannot be better expressed than in the words of the Reverend Bishop Jewel in his vindication of the Protestant Religion against the Romanists wherein he thus deciphers their hard usage toward the Reformers You have saith he imprisoned your Brethren you have stript them naked you have scourged them with Rods you have burnt their Hands and Arms
all the Muses Nine In Latin Greek and Hebrew she most excellent was known To Forreign Kings Ambassadors the same was daily shown Th' Italian French and Spanish Tongue she well could speak and read The Turkish and Arabian Speech grew perfect at her need JAMES King of England c. EPITAPH WE justly when a meaner Subject dies Begin his Epitaph with here he lies But wherin King whose memory remains Triumphant over-death with Here he Reigns Now he is dead to whom the world imputes Deserved admirable Attributes For shall we think his Glory can decease That 's honour'd with a stile The King of Peace VVhose happy Vnion of Great Britany Calls him The blessed King of Unity And in whose Royal Title it ensu'th Defender of the Faith and King of Truth These girt thy Brows with an Immortal Crown Great James and turn thy Tomb into a Throne BY the death of Queen Elizabeth the Sovereignty of the Tudors expired yielding place to the Stuarts to succeed the first of whom was James the sixth King of Scotland who united both the Kingdoms was of the same Religion with his Predecessor happy because he obtained the Kingdom by lawful Succession no way imbroiled with Wars and Tumults but settled in exceeding great Peace yet as a storm succeeds a calm soon after his entrance a Conspiracy was discovered and the Lord Cobbam Sir Walter Rawleigh and others were accused and condemned for designing the destruction of the King to change Religion to raise Tumults and to introduce Forreigners some of whom were put to death and others Imprisoned He was Crowned at Westminster by Archbishop Whitgift at which time there raged so great a Plague in London that 305 78 died thereof in one year He caused the Bible to be newly translated out of the Original Languages Now though the King had made Peace with Spain yet the Popes Sons thought to have brought ruin upon the King and Kingdom all at once during the sitting of the Parliament to which purpose they had hired a Cellar under the Parliament House wherein they placed thirty six barrels of Gunpowder and upon them several Bars of Iron Faggots and other things for doing Execution but this Hellish Design was happily discovered by a Letter sent to the Lord Monteagle Son to the Lord Morley by some of the Conspirators wherein they advised him not to appear in the House the first day of sitting this Letter being shewed to divers of the Nobility they could not comprehend the meaning thereof but being seen by the King he presently conjectured that the design was to blow up the House with Gunpowder and search being made it was happily discovered and the Conspirators fled Piercy and Catesby being pursued were shot to death before they could be taken others were burnt to Death by drying Gunpowder by the Fire Sir Ever Digby John and Christopher Wright Guy Fawks Grant Winter â—ates and Keys were hanged and quartered as principal Plotters some of them designed an Insurrection in Northampton and Warwickshire but it was soon blown over In his tenth year the Countess of Essex accusâ—ng her Husband of Insufficiency was divorced from him married to the E. of Somerset who was thought to have made love to her before in an unlawful way and therefore Sir Thomas Overbury disswaded him from the Match as being a Vitious Woman which she having notice of they contrived his death and having persuaded him to refuse an honourable imployment offered him by the King he was sent to the Tower for his contempt where with the help of Sir Gervas Elway the Lieutenant Mrs. Turner one Franklin an Apothecary and Weston his death was effected by Poyson which being after discovered they were executed for the same and the Earl and Countess of Somerset condemned but reprieved Fredrick Count Elector Palatine came now to London to marry King James's Daughter which was solemnized with all manner of Joy but soon overclouded by the death of the Virtuous and Heroick Prince Henry Nov. 6. 1612. about which time the gallant Sir Walter Rawleigh after fourteen years imprisonment Petitioned the King that he might make a Voyage into America which the King granted giving him a Commission under the great Seal to set forth Ships and Men for his Service his reputation and merit caused many Gentlemen of Quality to venture their Estates and Persons with him many considerable Adventures hapned as the burning of St. Thomas and others of which Information being given to Count Gondamor the Spanish Ambassador he continually importuned the King for satisfaction Of which Rawleigh as soon as ever landed at Plymouth having notice endeavoured to escape from thence in a Bark to Rochel but being taken he was brought to London and committed to the Tower Gondamor looked on him as a Man of great Courage and Ability but as having much Animosity against his Master being one of those Scourges employed by Q. Elizabeth to vex him and was therefore resolved to use all manner of means to ruine him In consequence whereof in October Rawleigh was brought to the Kings Bench Bar before the L. Chief Justice where the Record of his Arraignment at Winchester was produced and he demanded why Judgment should not be put in execution against him Rawleigh replied That the Judgment was made void by the Kings Commission for his late Expedition The L. Chief Justice replied The Opinion of the Court was to the contrary and thereupon he was sentenced and requiring time to prepare for Death it was answered The time appointed was the next Morning And accordingly he was the next day beheaded in the Old Palace-yard Westminster About this time Queen Ann died and the Palsgrave who had married the Lady Elizabeth having at the Instance of several of the German Princes been chosen King of Bohemia the Emperour was wonderfully inraged thereat and proclaimed War against him driving him first out of Bohemia and afterward out of all Germany yet at last he was received and found bountiful Entertainment in Holland During this Kings Reign the English Plantations were setled in the West-Indies namely Virginia first discovered by Sir Water Rawleigh who gave it that Name in Honour of his Virgin-Mistress Q. Elizabeth Also Bermudas and New-England to which a multitude of Inhabitants quickly resorted and made themselves very commodious Habitations James was K. of England Scotland France and Ireland he was Son to Henry Stuart L. Darnly who was Grandson to the Lady Margaret eldest Daughter to King Henry the seventh of England by her second Husband His Mother was Mary Queen of Scotland Grandchild to the Lady Margaret by her first Husband James the Fourth K. of Scotland so that the Lady Margret was great Grandmother to King James both by the Father and Mothers side He Reigned twenty two years and three days and was the forty fourth Sole Monarch of England He died of the Spleen on Saturday March 27. 1625. in the fifty ninth year of his Age and was buried at Westminster
Pope sent two proud Legats into England Pandulphus and Durandus who persuaded the King to agree with Langton and restore the Prior and Monks of St. Austins to their Lands and Offices To which John for fear of the Popes Curse and to prevent any further Quarrels yielded onely desiring to be excused as to the Election of the Archbishop yet protesting That if another might be chosen he would prefer Langton to some other Bishoprick But the Legats in stead of gratifying the King in his Request proceeded immediately to excommunicate him pronouncing the Popes Curse against him and absolving all his Subjects from their Oaths of Allegiance toward him Yea he required all Christian Princes to make War upon him as the Arch and Grand Enemy of the Church of God Nay he published the Sentence of Deprivation against him and gave his Crown and Kingdom to Philip the French King of which he was to take Possession as soon as he could expel or murder John either by some secret Plot or by open Violence and Hostility Thus did this Unholy Father out of his Usurping Arrogance and Hellish Pride presume to dispose of Kings and Kingdoms at his pleasure and all on the cursed Pretence of the Honour of God and Holy Church But the King not fearing these Thunderbolts was resolved to stand his Ground and to that end took a solemn Oath of his Subjects for his Defence and their Fidelity And then raising a strong Army he entred Scotland against King Alexander for supporting divers Rebellious Clergymen and others who adhered to the Popes Authority against him but the King of Scots finding he should gain nothing but Ruine and Destruction by Opposition humbly submitted himself to King John and an entire Friendship and Amity was concluded betwixt them The French King resolving to take Possession of the Popes Gift provided great Forces to invade the Kingdom but by the diligence of King John 300 of his Ships loaden with Corn Victuals and other Warlike Provisions were seised and thereby Philip's vain Hopes at that time prevented However the Pope accursed the King again and again so that despairing of ever bâ—ing quiet without the Advice of his Council or Nobility he all on a sudden submitted himself upon his Knees to Pandulphus the Popes Legat confessing his Disobedience and begging Pardon and by a Publick Instrument in Writing under his Hand and Seal he resigned his Crown and Scepter to the Pope which Pandulphus kept four days for the Popes Use and then gave them both back to John and his Heirs upon Condition to hold his Kingdom from the Pope and pay 1000 Marks a year to him as a Tribute This base Submission so alienated the Affections of his Nobility and Men of War that they revolted from him and fled to his Enemy the French King who resolved to make his Son Lewis Monarch of this Realm and sent him hither with a numerous Army where he did much mischief though often encountred But the Pope being now for King John forbid Philip to proceed any further against him since he and his Kingdom were now reconciled to him and the Church and that the Crown was held from the See of Rome But the French King refused to obey affirming That no King could give away his Kingdom nor the Protection of his Subjects which were committed to him by God without the Consent of the Nobility Gentry and Commons and that therefore this Kingdom could not be holden of the Church of Rome nor protected by her This Answer so vexed the Pope that he presently sent Cardinal Guallo into England who cursed King Philip and Lewis his Son with all the English Nobility who took part with them Though the wiser sort little regarded what the Cardinal did yet the Common People and Soldiers who were ignorantly devout were so amazed that they fled to their Houses and Ships and others entred into the Houses and Grounds of the Excommunicate Lords and Gentry robbing and spoiling all before them supposing that their Robberies were pleasing and meritorious before God by which means the Lords were much distressed and even ready to starve for want of Sustenance none daring to relieve them so that they were at last necessitated to throw themselves at the Kings Feet and crave his Mercy who though by their means he had been reduced to the utmost Extremities yet being of a merciful Disposition he easily pardoned them and restored them to their Honours and Lands By which means the French finding themselves forsaken were forced to return back to France and all their vast Designs perished in a moment But the Pope intending to make his Proceedings against King John a President to other Princes assembled a General Council at Lateran wherein he gave a full Account of all Transactions with the Kings Grant of his Kingdom and the Tenure whereby it was held from the Church of Rome And in the same Council Otho the Emperour Peter King of Arragon Raymond Earl of Tholouse and divers other Sovereign Princes were Excommunicated and others Interdicted with their Kingdoms and Provinces for Heresie as was pretended though the real Design was to make Princes Slaves and Vassals to the Will and Pleasure of the Pope and to enrich himself with their Ruine For in this Council wherein they say were 1215 Catholick Doctors it was positively concluded That the Pope might depose Kings absolve their Subjects from their Allegiance and give away their Kingdoms Likewise That such as spoke evil of the Pope should be damned in Hell and that none should be Emperour till he had sworn Homage to the Pope and had received his Crown from him Also Auricular Confession and Transubstantiation were then decreed and established And thus all these Troubles which had continued ten years came now to an end But the Clergy would by no means be reconciled to King John for such was their inveterate Hatred toward him that under pretence of Kindness he was poysoned by a Monk at Swinstead Abby near Lincoln who to make all sure poysoned himself that he might not fail to do the same to the King And thus died King John when he had reigned Seventeen years in 1216. and lies buried at Winchester He was Politick and exceeding Valiant Bountiful and Liberal to Strangers not given to Revenge for when he was shewed how Honourably one of his Rebellious Barons was Intombed and advised to deface the Monument No by no means says he I wish all 〈◊〉 Enemies were as honourably buried When several Greeks came hither and offered to prove that there were several Errours in the Church of Rome at that time he rejected them saying I will not suffer our Faith which is established to be called in question with doubtful Disputations He left behind him four Sons Henry who succeeded him Richard created King of the Romans William of Valentia and Guido Disnay with three Daughters one married to the Emperour Frederick a second to William Marshal Earl of Worcester and the third
to the Earl of Leicester HENRY the THIRD King of England AMidst great Troubles and Confusions I In Youth ascended to the English Throne England was then opprest with Misery By Frenchmen who by me were overthrown For the brave English under my Command Did soon expell those their insulting Foes My Barons did my Sovereignty withstand And brought upon themselves and me great Woâ—â— For in each Battel none but I did lose I lost my Subjects Lives on every Side From Civil Wars no better Profit grows Friends Foes my People all that beat or died My Gain was Loss my Pleasure was my Pain These were the Triumphs of my troublous Reign AFter the Death of King John Henry his eldest Son of nine years old was Crowned King the Earl of Glocester who had married one of his Aâ—â—â—s and was Learned Wise and Valiant being made Protector of him and the Kingdom who administred Justice faithfully among the People The Youth of the King and the Treachery of many of the English Nobility encouraged Philip of France and Lewis his Son to land fresh Forces in the Realm to whom the Welch likewise joyned all the Forces they could raise But the new Protector raised an Army against them and in many Encounters defeated them And Pope Honorius finding the French slighted his Thunderbolts sent out new Curses more sharp and severe than any of his Predecessors whereupon Prince Lewis seemed at present to be affrighted and to prepare for his Departure though his Father Philip still sent new Forces over But Hugh de Burgh Governour of the Ciâ—â—uâ—-Ports preparing a gallant Fleet valiantly encountred them at Sea and took all their Ships This great Victory brought Lewis to treat of Peace and being absolved by Guallo the Popes Legat and receiving a considerable Sum of Money he surrendred all the Forts Towns and Castles he had taken and with all his Forces sailed back to France leaving his English Friends who had assisted him all these Wars to the rigour of the Law whereby they were cut off by miserable and cruel Deaths The Kingdom having now time to breathe a Parliament was called wherein the Laws of King Edward were revived and the Grand Charter called then Magna Charta containing several Laws for the Liberty Ease and Security of the Subject was confirmed and a Tax granted for sending an Army into France to recover Poictiers and Gascoigne under Richard the Kings Brother which had been injuriously seised by the French for some years Those Provinces were soon regained wholly back to the English which in a short time produced a Peace between both Nations But then worse Troubles succeed it at home for the King confiding onely in some leud Officers about him disregarded his Nobility and most Loyal Subjects invading their Liberties and Estates and vexing them with many grievous and unnecessary Taxes which were levied upon them by his Officers with all manner of severity At length a Parliament was called at Oxford wherein his Designs were altogether crossed and the Proceedings therein of such ill Consequence that it was stiled Insaâ—um Parliamentum or the Mad Parliament For when Multitudes came to complain of their Wrongs and Oppressions the Lords and Commons for redress thereof established many things which they judged necessary but highly intrenching upon the Kings Prerogative for they chose Twelve of the most Considerable Persons in the Kingdom whereof the Earl of Glocester and Simon Montfort Earl of Leicester were Chief who were called Les Douze Pieres or The Twelve Peers to whom full and absolute Power was granted by a Patent sealed by the King though unwillingly to support and maintain the Laws they had made The Parliament being ended the Commissioners began strictly to put those Statutes into Execution whereby they dismissed most of the Kings Menial Servants from their Attendance on him placing others of their Mind in their State This above all other things did most disturb the King and thereupon he grew extreme melancholy But hoping for better Success he summoned another Parliament wherein he with extreme Passion and Grief complain'd of his hard Usage by the Twelve Peers but the Lords and Commons were so far from remitting any thing that they further ratified all that had been done and the Archbishop with nine other Bishops publickly denounced a solemn Curse against all that by Advice or Assistance should oppose those Laws or the Authority of the Twelve Peers This still encreased the Kings Discontent who could take no delight in any thing he enjoyed and therefore went over to divert himself with Lewis King of France who treated him with all manner of Kindness and Magnificence About this time Hugh de Burgh Earl of Kent was accused by the Bishop of Winchester and others That he had scandalised and abused the King That he had enticed and trayterously defiled the King of Scots Daughter whom he married in hope to succeed her Brother in her Right That he stole out of the Jewel-house a Jewel of such excellent Vertue as to make those who had it Invincible which he had bestowed upon Llewellin Prince of Wales the King's Enemy These and many other Articles was he charged with who doubting the Power of his Enemies retired into Essex where he was seised by Soldiers who sent for a Smith to make Shackles for him to prevent his escape but the Smith understanding who they were for fetching a deep Sigh said Do with me what you pl ase 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 die for most cruel Death imaginable For is not this the most Loyal and Courageous Hubert who hath so often 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 of Recompences However the Commander bound him and carried him Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence by the means of the Bishop of London he was a while after released The King being continually tormented with the diminishing of his Regal Authority endeavoured to procure some Remedy from abroad and to that end with great expence of Money he secretly obtained twâ— Bulls from Pope Alexander the Third whereby the King and all those who had sworn to maintain the new Laws and Ordinances and to support the Authority of the Twelve Peers were freely absolved and discharged from keeping those Oaths But this being kept private the Twelve Peers ruled all and were so diligent in their Business that they left the King nothing to do so that he was King in Name onely not in Power Soon after Hugh Spencer being Lord Chief Justice and a great Favourite with the King was removed by the Twelve Peers being charged with Corruption and Arbitrary Proceedings They likewise dismissed such Sheriffs and Justices as the King had made chusing others in their Places which