the Earl of Salisbury was taken Prisoner and Beheaded and his head with the Dukes fixed upon York Gates upon this the Queen and her Army came to London and released the King by the overthrow of Warwick at St. Albans restoring him to his Power and Majesty but rested not long e're the Earl of March Eldest Son to the Duke of York advanced with a Puissant Army and the Earl of Warwick having escaped the fight joyned with him which news made the King and Queen retire into the North to provide against the threatning storm whereupon Edward Earl of Mâ—rch without any controul advanced and entered London fearful of a Sack and there by threats and perswasions prevailed with the unstable multitude to give their Assents for his being Crowned King which Ceremony ended though against all Law and Right he drew forth his Army and advanced against the King who had gathered great forces which were in chief by the Duke of Somerset Earl of Northumberland and Lord Clifford both Armies consisting of 112000. the greatest Army of English that ever England saw who upon the charge being sounded began the Fight with great fury near Ferry-Bridge which continued ten hours and was lost on the Kings side by the overhastiness of the Northern Archers who spent all their Arrows at a distance as not being able to discern the Enemy by reason the Snow that then fell was driven full in their Eyes The Nobility that died on the Kings side were the Lords Scales Willowby Beaumont Wells Grey Dacres Fitz Hugh Buckingham and Clifford the two Bastards of Exceter of Knights and Esquires a great number and in all on both parts the slain were computed 35091. a slaughter the like not known in England since the Conquest Upon this fatal overthrow King Henry hs Son the Prince and several great Lords escaped into Scotland where they were kindly received and a Marriage proposed between the young Prince and the Lady Margaret the Scotch King's Daughter upon which Queen Margaret passed into France to negotiate her Husbands affairs with the French King for new supplies In the mean while Edward is Crowned at Westminster and a Parliament called wherein King Henry and Prince Edward his Son are disinherited of the Crown and all Regal Authority upon news of which Queen Margaret returns to Scotland having obtained a considerable supply of men from her Father Duke Reynold Duke of Anjoy King of Naples Jerusalem and Sicily having suffered much by storm from Scotland she passed into England together with her Husband and such Scotch forces as that King assisted her with and took several Castles in Northumberland several Loyal English daily resorting to the Royal Standard which proceeding greatly alarumed Edward so that constituting the Lord Montacute his Lieutenant General he furnished him with an Army with which he gave Battel to King Henry's forces near unto Hexham where the Yorkists prevailed and King Henry is obliged again to fly into Scotland from whence some time after coming into England in disguise he was taken Prisoner by Thomas Talbot in Cletherworth in Lancashire and from thence brought to London with his Legs bound under the Horses Belly so little respect had those Varlets into whose hands he fell to afflicted Majesty and upon his arrival committed Prisoner to the Tower Edward having King Henry in safe custody began to give himself over to sports and Daliances and above all to bethink himself of a Wife upon which several were proposed as the Lady Margaret Sister to King James of Scotland the Lady Elizabeth Sister and Heir Apparent to Henry King of Castile the Lady Bona Daughter to the Duke of Savoy and Sister to the French Queen of which the latter being thought the fittest Match the Earl of Warwick was sent over to negotiate the affair and proceeded so well that he procured a free consent of the French King Queen and the Lady her self when in the mean while Edward had cast his Eyes upon Elizabeth Grey Widdow to Sir John Grey slain in the Quarrel of King Henry at St. Albans and notwithstanding all the perswasions of the Dutchess of York his Mother Married her and made her Queen which Warwick taking as a grievous affront put upon him from that moment Alienated his Affections from Edward and consulted how to restore King Henry to his Crown and Dignity in order to which he first consults his two Brothers George Nevil Arch-bishop of York and John Nevil Marquess of Montacute the former of which soon consented but the latter proposed many delays whereupon the politick Earl the better to bring his designs about resolves to bring to his Lurd George Duke of Clarence Edwards Second Brother whom he knew to be discontented with his Brothers Rule and so effectually wrought with Soliciting that he soon found him pliable and ready to espouse his Interest whereupon the more to secure him he proposed to him his Eldest Daughter in Marriage with the one half of his Wives Inheritance which was afterwards consummated at Calais and in the mean while by the countenance of the Earl many Commotions were raised in England to countenance which and to dispossess Edward of his Usurped Crown to say no worse the Duke and Earl prepared for England having first espoused his second Daughter to Prince Edward Son to King Henry and then arriving a great conflux of People hasted to his Banner so well known and dreaded in England being the White Bear and Ragged Staff to oppose which torrent e're it grew greater Edward hastened and at Woolvy four Miles from Warwick where the Duke and the Earls Host lay pitched his Tents and bid the Earl Battel who undaunted Spirit brooked no such Bravado advance and both Armies stood Imbattled expecting the dreadful blast but it so happened that the Fight was delayed and both Armies retire as if a Peace would undoubtedly insue but crafty Warwick had other designs on foot for within a while after he surprized Edward in the midst of his Army and took him Prisoner committing him to the custody of the Archbishop of York from whom he soon after escaped which greatly perplexed the Earl yet he so ordered the matter as not to seem in the least to regard it Edward upon his escape fled to London and the Duke and Earl continuing in their station levied great forces but upon the Mediation of the Nobility it was so ordered that the Duke and Earl came to Edward upon his Letters of safe conduct but Edward taxing them with Disloyalty and they him with ingratitude nothing was done but both departed Edward to Canterbury and the other returned to Warwick and from thence sent their Agents into Lincolnshire where they dealt with the Commons to take up Arms under the Leading of Sir Robert Wells Son to the Lord Wells but he in revenge of his Fathers Death whom Edward had basely Beheaded contrary to his promise rashly ingaged Edwards power before Warwick could come to his Aid and by that means lost
Trussel one of the Judges who found out a Law Quirk to colour the detestable Treason as followeth I William Trussel In the name of all Men of the Land of England and of all the Parliament Procurator resign to thee Edward the Homage that was made to thee some time and from this time forward I defie thee and deprive thee of all Royal Dignity and I shall never be Tendant to thee as for King hereafter This Ceremony or rather compact of Treason being utter'd Sir Thomas Blunt Steward of the Houshold broke his Staff and Proclaimed the Kings Houshold discharged from any further Service and then leaving the King divested of Regal Authority and under strong confinement they posted to London to tell the news which was joyfully received especially by Roger Lord Mortimer of Wigmore though the Queen the better to colour the Treason seemed much disturbed at the relation of the Kings deposing Now the next business was to set the Crown upon young Edwards Head whom by reason of his Minority they thought to Rule as themselves thought fit who notwithstanding his being but fifteen years of Age utterly refused to admit of the Ceremony till he was assured it was with his Fathers free consent But at last submitting to the perswasions of the Queen and Mortimer he was Crowned and Proclamation put out in his name to satisfie the minds of people touching the free Concession of his Father Things being at this pass the Queen began to think of securing her self a Dowry which she did so large that it amounted to two parts of the Revenues of the Crown which she delivered to the disposal of Mortimer at whose command she solely was even as Fame reported both at Bed and Board but their security being interrupted by the pitty many seemed to have for the miseries of the Deposed King they well knowing if he were again restored to his Dignity it would prove their confusion therefore laying aside all remorse they entered into a conspiracy to make sure of him for ever by Murther Whereupon removing him from Kenelworth and out of the Custody of the Earl of Lancaster who they thought too much favored him he was delivered into the Custody of Sir Thomas De Gournay and Sir John Mattravers two bloody Sycophants who conveyed him to Corfe Castle from thence to Bristol and then to Berkly Castle where after many barbarous and vile usages they Murthered him the manner according to Holinshead thus The Kings Death being resolved on Mortimer procured Adam De Forleton to write this doubtful but most wicked Sophism and to be Sealed with the Queens Seal Edvardum occidere nolite timere Bonum est To shed King Edward's Blood Refuse to fear I count it good Where the Comma being put after Nolite bids them not to make him away but placed after Timere expresly commands it in performing which execrable Villany these Monsters were not slow and the better to colour the Regicide lest any outward appearance of violence should be observed they by force bind the good King and O barbarous inhumanity putting a Horn into his Fundament to keep the outward part from seering they thrust a hot Iron through it and therewith twisted his Bowels to pieces not once only but often repeated the cruel torture the which how painful may be guessed by the pittiful out-cries the King made whilst they were putting him to death which cries were heard by many but none durst venture to relieve him After this foul and barbarous Murther committed it was blazed abroad that he died of grief and thereupon they publickly exposed his Body to the Prelates and others for several days but in a short time the Murther which is seldom hid came to light and the Actors known though the Queen and Mortimer deeply dissembled the matter and to outward appearance seemed greatly afflicted Upon the discovery Gorney and Mattravers fled the former of which was taken at Massels in France where he produced the Queen and Mortimers Seals for what he had done whereupon secret Orders were sent for Beheading him on Ship-board in his way for England lest had he come to a Trial he should have made a full discovery of the chief Conspirator as for the latter he wandered about miserably in forreign Countries and at last died miserably in Italy being eat up with Ulcers And Gods vengeance found out these Monsters of men nor was it slow in punishing most deservedly Roger Lord Mortimer the chief Contriver of the wicked Parricide who having attained to the height of his ambition for he together with the Queen being at his Castle of Nottingham one Evening upon a bruite that his Mother was with Child by Mortimer the King with a well affected Company having entered a Vault that went into the Castle passed on till he came into the Chamber where the Queen was in Bed and Mortimer undressing himself to go to her and so secure they were that they had left open the Chamber door whereupon the King caused him to be seized which was not so easily done but two or three were killed in the attempt for Mortimer had at that time a Retinue of fourscore Knights and Gentlemen attending him but in spite of resistance he was carried off And within a while after condemned in Parliament for being accessary to the Murther of the late King betraying the Nation and wasting the Coin as also for committing adultery with the Queen Whereupon he was soon after drawn to Tiburn then called the Elms and there hanged where by the commandment of the King he continued hanging for two days being pittied of none nor did he fall alone for with him were Executed Sir Simon De Bedford and John Deverel Esq both concerned in King Edwards Murther and thus Heavens vengeance aim'd sure and overwhelmed in the height of their pride and security these Monsters of men that durst by cruel tortures shed the Blood of their Anointed Soveraign CHAP. III. The Birth remarkable passages deposing and murthering of Richard the Second King of England France and Lord of Ireland the fiftieth Monarch of England with the manner of the Conspiracies against and Vengeance that overtook many of the Regicides RIchard the Second was Son to the black Prince and Grandson to King Edward the Third being Crowned in the Eleventh year of his Age at the first entry upon his Kingdom all things promised him a peaceable and prosperous Reign but it continued not long so for by reason of the ill conduct of affairs in his Minority John Duke of Lancaster ruling all who was in hatred with the Commons great numbers of the Rabble rose in many Counties under the Conduct of their factious Leaders upon pretence of Redressing grievances the common Cloak of Rebellion the principal Commanders being Wat Tyler and Jack Straw two Mechanicks who committed many outrages as burning plundering and murthering in most places where they came and were so far sided with by the City of London that they entered it
course is that of pious King Henry the Sixth CHAP. IV. The Barbarous Murther of Henry the Sixth King of England France and Lord of Ireland the three and fiftieth Monarch of England with the particular Marks of Gods vengeance upon the shedders of Innocent Royal Blood together with the Policies and Contrivances that were used to bring about the Barbarous Regicide HEnry the Sixth was Son to Henry the Fifth and Grand-child to Henry the Fourth his Mother was Katharine Daughter to King Charles the Sixth of France upon him the Crown devolved in his Infancy his Father dying when he was about Seven Months old and he Crowned at Eight yet his Warlike Father having time in his sickness made his last Will and Testament constituting his Brother the Duke of Glocester Protector of England during his Sons Minority and his other Brother the Earl of Bedford Regent and to the Duke of Exceter committed he the care of young Henry though to be nurtured and brought up by the Queen Matters being thus settled the King dies of a burning Feaver at Bois D' Vincenois in France and for a time all things were calm especially in England though they continued not long so for although no diligence was wanting in the Dukes Regents yet the Kings Minority gave way to many Exorbitancies as well amongst the Vulgar as the Nobility and France desirous of gaining her former liberty continually struggled with the Conquerour the active Dauphin still assailing the strengths of the English as he found advantage offer so that many places were lost by being taken or by revolt yet the couragious Duke of Bedford the Kings Uncle having received a supply of fresh forces out of England recovered many of them but he in the heat of those troubles dying at Roan the English but weakly maintained their footing in France and within a while after the Faction amongst the Nobles increasing the Duke of Glocester Protector of England and the Kings other Uncle through the procurement of Queen Margaret Wife to King Henry was Arrested in Parliament by John Lord Beaumont High Constable of England and committed to the custody of the Dukes of Buckingham Somerset and others when within a while after he was found dead as they pretended of an Apoplexy though those who enquired more diligently into the matter found by apparent Symptoms that he was made away yet the death of so great a Prince was hushed though it proved fatal to the King and Kingdom For in the death of these two Brothers the two strongest twisted Cords in the Cable of Government were snapped in sunder whereupon it proved too weak to Anchor the Ship riding in so fierce a torrent for now the ambitious Duke of York Cousin to the King having made strong his Faction began to shew himself openly laying claim to the Crown whilst the King was yet alive drawing to his part a number of the discontented Nobility who envied the Duke of Somerset a man true and just to his Country and one whom the King highly favoured but that not being like to bring his designs to perfection taking example by King Henry the Fourth he resolves to make himself popular and within a while so dealt by his Agents with the Mobile that they rose in many Counties in great numbers threatning like a Deluge all before them with ruin and desolation and from the Counties adjacent under the Leading of Jack Cade that audacious Rebel they Mustered about London and Quartered in the Suburbs ruining and plundering many stately Houses nor did Churches scape their Sacrilegious hands The chief of these Rebels were drawn out of Kent and their Petition or rather Peremptory demand after they had made incredible spoil was 1. That Richard Duke of York then in Ireland as likewise several others of his Faction whom they named should be called home and be admitted chief Councillours and have power to manage the principal Affairs of the Kingdom 2. That the Duke of Glocester was falsly Proclaimed a Traitour and therefore they demanded that the Authors might be punished By this we may see who incouraged them to those unnatural Insurrections they had likewise a third Article but it only contained scandalous reflections on the Duke of Suffolk but these Traiterous demands being denied and their Articles rejected they raged worse than before Whereupon Sir Humfry Stafford drawing together such forces as he could get Incountered them at Seven-Oaks whither they were retired but was unfortunately slain and his party routed by Cade the principal Rebel who disarmed him and put on his Armour which ill became such a Villain After this they again advanced towards London and some of the factious Citizens though contrary to the Will of the Magistrates favoring them they enter the City and make great spoil on the Houses of such as they imagined to favour the Duke of Suffolk or indeed the King which caused the Lord Mayor to Assemble the Loyal Citizens and consult what was best to be done who agreed that when Cade was withdrawn as soon after happened they should shut the Gates against him and defend the City for the King which they effected and kept him out though not without the effusion of Blood on either side but he being put to the foil his Companions grew faint hearted so that upon the coming forth of the Kings Proclamation to assure them of pardon upon condition they would deposite their Arms they deserted him and then a thousand Marks being offered to any that could take Cade dead or alive he within a short time was killed at Hothfield by one Alexander Eden a Kentish Gentleman and his Head being brought up to London was set upon London Bridge as likewise twenty six more of his Accomplices who had been excluded the Charter of pardon being taken received the reward of their Treason The news of these intestine tumults flying into Ireland and coming to the Dukes Ear who meant nothing less than the deposing of innocent Henry lest his Faction should be weakned by his absence he posts over leaving the Affairs of the Kingdom with which he had been intrusted in a tottering condition and upon his arrival without the Kings leave or liking committed Prisoners to the Castle of Ludlow John Sutton Lord Dudly Reynold Abbot of St. Peters at Glastenbury all of them the Kings friends and afterwards having resolved upon deposing the King he takes up Arms under pretence of removing evil Councillors from about the Kings person almost the original pretence of every Rebellion though the undertakers aim at nothing less then the King himself and the chief person he objects against the only man that kept him from his wicked purposes was Edmund Duke of Somerset and many grievous Accusations the better to colour the business are made against him but the chief insisted on was the loss of Normandy during his Regency though it evidently appeared that the Duke of York himself by fomenting a division amongst the great ones had given the French
Patrons the Jesuits had perswaded him to that wickedness and promised him Salvation for his Reward whereupon his Father was Banished his House demollished and a Piramid set in his place and secondly by a Decree of Parliament the whole Society of Jesuits were expelled out of France but by their shews of Piety and Sincerity so Wrought with the Kings Favorites and they with him on their behalf that that Decree was repealed and they again restored to the Destruction of the Kings Life as most imagine The next that attempted his Life was one that was or at least pretended himself a Natural who finding opportunity run at him with a Knife whereupon the Guard would have Killed him but the King forbid it and he being asked the reason said He was King of all the World and that Henry kept France from him whereupon the King out of meer compassion ordered him to be released And now France Flourishing under this great and Glorious Prince whose good Conduct had Reduced it to so happy an Estate that the like for some Ages past had not been he thought to have rested but such was the Implacable Mallice of his Adversaries that they watched all opportunities to deprive him of Life to whom next Heaven they owed their happyness nor did they desist till they had brought about their wicked purposes the manner and opportunity given thus The King having Married Mary D' Medicis Daughter to Frances and Neice to Fardinand Dukes of Florence upon the Divorce of Margaret Sister to the three late Kings of France She was Impatient till she was Installed and although the King had other purposes of more urgency which required his leaving of Paris yet was he prevailed with to stay though many things Prognosticated ill events as the Raining Blood in divers places Monsters-Born Earthquakes and Airy Fantoms happening and appearing and several Predictions that the King should not out-live that Year that he should Dye in Paris a suddain and violent Death and in his Coach the which he though he was not over credulous on such occasions began to hearken to it and was heard to say that he must be gone from that City or his Enemies would Kill him nay so sure were they of his Destruction that a Month before his being Assassinated Papers were found Printed in Spain and Italy that he was Dead and eight days before a Courrier passed through Leige saying He went to give the Princes of Germany notice of his Death The Villain Incited to be the Executioner with large promises of Earthly Treasure and Joys Everlasting hardens himself to perpetrate the Execrable wickedness having Lingered about Paris a long time for that purpose he being an Ill down lookt Rascal who had formerly quitted his Order and became a Solicitor of Ecclesiastical affairs the day after the Instalment the King Intending to leave Paris the next day the King going in his Coach from the Louvre to the Arsenal and to see all things provided for the Queens Entrance having in the Coach with him the Dukes of Espernon and Monthason the Marshals of Lavardine Rocquelavar La Force Mirebeau and Lian Cour chief Esquires when Entering Iron-Mongers Street through the narrow passage by St. Innocents Church a Cart Laden with Wine was overthrown as most imagine for the purpose which caused the Coach to stop and whilst his Guard of Partizans passed through the Church-yard this Villain who had all the while followed the Coach set one Foot against the Stall and the other upon the spoke of the Wheel and with a long Knife struck the King into the Breast beneath the Heart at which the King cryed I am Wounded yet the Hellhound redoubled his force with a second Blow which struck him to the Heart of which he Dyed without fetching so much as a Sigh and again a third stroke which the Duke D' Monthazon received on his Sleeve and although it was supposed the Murtherer might have escaped yet so heightened was he in his wickedness that he never Stirred from the place neither hid his Bloody Knife but rather Gloried in what he had done and being taken he was adjudged by the Chamber of the Assemblies to be drawn to the Grave with four Horses and to have the Flesh pulled off from his Arms Breasts and Thighs with Burning Pincers and then Torn to peices which Sentence was put in Execution without his Testifying the least Emotion of Grief or Fear for such strange Torments so that it was Evident that he had been made believe that Paricid was Merritorious and that if he Dyed he Dye a Martyr being Inchanted with a false assurance of great things though for his Horrid Treason and Barbarous Assassination he met with his just Reward All France at the Death of this King were amazed and in Tears unless his Enemies who secretly rejoyced thinking to gain their purposes but were deceived most of them being wasted and destroyed in the Wars that were in the Minority of his Children and thus fell this great King yet e're I conclude one thing is Remarkable when he was opened the Jesuits got his Heart which they so long had desired and carryed it to their Church De La Fleck under pretence of Burying it there his Body was Buryed in St. Dennis whither a little before the Body of his Prodecessor Henry the III. had been brought from the Church of St. Cornillie And leaving France I shall Return to England there to give the Reader a Sight of one of the blackest Trajedies that ever the World has known a Murther without President or Parrallel even the Murther of the Sacred Martyr Charles the First of ever Blessed Memory which take as followeth to the Eternal Infamy of the Regicids CHAP. VIII The Dismal Relation of the most Inhuman and Barbarous Murther of CHARLES the First King of Great Brittain France and Ireland and of Gods extraordinary Judgments and speedy Vengeance on the Monsterous Regicides and principal Agents and Abettors in his most deplorable Death KING CHARLES the First of ever Blessed Memory Son to the Renowned King James first sole Monarch of Great Brittains Empire and his Vertuous Consort Anne Sister to Christianus King of Denmark was Born at Dunfermel in Scotland on the 19 of November 1600 and when Englands bright Star the Glorious Queen Elizabeth Set he with his Royal Father the undoubted Heir of these Dominions came to London and continued with great Applause attracting in his Infancy the Eyes and Hearts of the Nation to gaze upon his comely person and much admire his Vertues promising such a Blessing to England that indeed it was not worthy of he being sole Heir to the Crown by the Death of Prince Henry who died at St. James's Anno 1625 succeeded to the Crown having before his Fathers Death contracted Marriage with the Vertuous and most Renowned Princess Henrietta Maria Daughter to Henry the IV. of France and Sister to Lewis the then Reigning King and at first such was the Universal