Oxford he called upon his Father the Duke of York and having in his bosome the Indenture of Consederacy his Father as they sat at Dinner espyed it and asked what it was to whom his Son answering that it was nothing that concerned him by S. George saith his Father but I will see it and so snatched it from him and reading the Contents called for his Horse to ride to his Majesty now at Windsor whether his Son was before him asking pardon when the old Man knocked at Door The King not coming the Lords at Oxford suspected themselves discovered and so they stand upon their guards set up a mock King Richard one Magdalen very like him who they pretended so escaped out of Prison send to the King of France always ready to assist the Rebels of the King of England they raise an Army pursue King Henry now unprovided to London what became of them think ye why they are amazed and sometimes would do one thing sometimes another and at last nothing they march up and down they knew not whether until at Cirencester the very Townsmen were able to overthrow them so weak is guile and feare their counterfeit King is hanged the Lords are beheaded the whole Army by a rumour is dispersed in which Rebellion 916. Lords and Gentlemen perished and 16000. Families brought to a morsel of Bread the Abbot of Westminster upon the News fell suddainly between his Monastery and his House into a dead Palsey and shortly after miserably ended his life And another who had contrived to lay an Iron with three sharp pikes standing upright in the Kings Bed that when he laid Himself down he might thrust himself through with them came to this sad end a String was tyed about his neck and privy Members and so he was hanged up with a great Stone upon his Belly that broke his back bone Yet men cannot be quiet for Owen Glendover upon a private grudge between himselfe and the Lord Grey of Ruthen and a publick ambition to be Prince of Wales in the divided times of England raised all Wales and the borders of England and with the advantage of a Scots Invasion at the same time and the French Auxiliaries prospered a while but that 's well that ends well Owen is at last as all Traytors abandoned by his Followers the people are altered in their Resolutions Owen himself was famished in the Woods and Wales made desolate But at the same time Treason had all the faire and promising circumstances imaginable for the unhappy King had not only France and Scotland our old friends and Wales to deale with but the Percies of Northumberland and Worcester and Henry Hotspur who upon some private discontents enter in a leagure offensive and desentive with Glendover and an Indenture Tripartite wherein all Wales were asligned to Glendover all England South and East of Trent to the Earle of March and the rest to Northumberland a formidable design but comes to nothing Henry Hotspur is slain their Army is defeated 6000. of them left dead upon the place the chief of them are executed and 7016. Families undone in this undertaking Northumberland and others who had been pardoned ingratefully engaging again upon Yorks-wold Downes against his Soveraign where he was surprized by the Earle of Westmerland in this manner The Earle sends to know their Grievances which when they sent him he alloweth of and promiseth to joyne with them seemeth to pitty their Souldiers and his own and perswadeth them to disband as he would do himself which they no sooner do but he arresteth the chief of them who were executed at York and Durham where Northumbarland after he had wandred up and down Scotland Wales France about a year was slain likewise and 13000. Families of the Revolt were upon this sad occasion exterminated and rooted out of England Such dreadful consequence of Rebellion as awed the Lords and Commons to peace and allegiance all King Henry the Fifths Reign and the first sixteen years of Henry the Sixths § 14. When the Duke of York now aspiring to the Crown takes his opportunity to whisper and suggest to the people that the King was weak and easie the Queen was of a malignant spirit the Privy Councel was ill inclined wherewith the Common people were possessed when one Mortimer the Dukes Agent promiseth them a Reformation of all abuses freedome from Taxes who styling himself Captain Mend-all marcheth to Blackheath there exerciseth them sends their grievances to the Parliament complaining that the Kings Revenue is lavished away that he burdeneth the people that he takes their Commodities from them by his Purveyors and their Estates by his Courtiers that legal proceedings were stopped by Letters from above that extraordinary fees were exacted that freedome of Elections were denyed and Parliament men chosen by Court Letters that the faithful Counsellors the Dukes of York Exceter Buckingham Norfolk were discountenanced by the undue practices of some corrupt Courtiers and their Favourites The Parliament countenanceth them the Privy Counsel receiveth their Petition and if any plot ever prospered this was like to be one Yet see how the King though never so generally hated so considerable a thing is Royalty under the greatest disadvantages gathereth an Army of 15000. the Rebells defeat him come to London command the City to provide them Horse and Armes and other Necessaries behead the Lord Say and Sir James Cromer carry all before them when on a sudden some old Souldiers from the Tower surprize them the Rebells look about them and consider their danger are weary of their service and upon the Kings pardon submit and leave Jack Cade to shift for himself who fled away in a disguise and Proclamation being made that whosoever should bring him dead or alive should have a thousand Markes for his paines a while after was attached by one Eden and making resistance in a Garden at Hothfield in Sussex was there slain his Body was brought to London beheaded Quartered his Head set upon London Bridge his Quarters dispersed in divers places in Kent and his Followers to the number of 500. arraigned to the utter ruine of 4000. Families who perished in this gain-saying of Kore as did the Prentices and Commons of London of whom 2000. died in a commotion the year following the Duke of York flieth to Ireland Owen Teuther and divers Welsh Gentlemen are beheaded and the King who had usurped the Throne never prospered and the Duke of York slain at Wakefield and his Head put over the great Hall of York § 15. Edward the 4th is Crowned but with cares and troubles for the Kingdome was in a Combustion King Henry was at the Head of 40000. to try it with him for that Crown seconded both by the French and Scots but see the fate of Rebellion the Armies approach each other the Lord Fauconbridge gives the Archers direction upon a signal given by him to shoot every Man a flight Arrow
Earle of Northumberland President of the North Parts collecteth it by force but he is murthered an insurrection is made and in defence of their Liberties the people would give the King Battle what followed Liberty No the multitude is discomfited by the Earle of Surrey their Leader with many of his accomplices hanged drawn and quarted at Yorke and 3564. Families turned upon this occasion out of doors to the wide World This device failing one worth two of it is thought upon by the Countesse of Burgundy and that is that one Perkin VVorbecke should counterfeit Richard the younger Son of Edward the 4th who was now dead and could not be shewed to the people as the Earle of VVarwicke was and being Brother to the Queen could not be prejudiced in his right by her this Perkin is entertained by the King of France flocked to by the English Malecontents the people of England generally respect him Sir Rob. Clifford and Rob. Barley are sent to attend him the Lord Fitzwater Sir Simon Montford Sir Tho. Thwaits Doctor Richford Doctor Sutton Doctor VVorsky conspired with him he gets an Army marrieth the Earl of Huntleyes Daughter and engageth the King of Scots in his Quarrel he goeth to Ireland landeth in Cornwall with very considerable Forces Doth he prosper no his Confederates are discovered by King Henryes espialls in Flanders and executed particularly Sir VVilliam Stanley Sir Simon Montford c. an hundred and sixty of his Followers were hanged drawn and quartered in London and along the Sea-Coast Scotland is laid waste his friends leave him he submits to the Kings mercy and upon his attempt to escape out of the Tower three times was hanged drawn and quartered at Tyburn and Edward Earle of VVarwicke for his sake is beheaded In these troublesome times the people refuse to pay their Subsidies and in Cornwall they rise under one Flammocke a Lawyer and Joseph a Smith and draw a formidable Company towards London upon Black-heath do they now ease themselves and their fellow subjects no they are invironed by the Kings Forces three thousand of them perish upon the place my Lord Audley Flammocke and Joseph were hanged drawn and quartered their Estates bestowed among the Courtiers and some hundreds of Families bound to curse them to this day To which we may adde the dismal end of VVillford another pretender set up by an Augustin Frier who was hanged drawn and quartered and made an example to rash and inconsiderable Traytors for the following Generations as were Sir James Tyrrell Sir John Windam the Earle of Suffolke and others in the following year to the ruine of many Families who rued their Treasons many years after § 18. In the 8th year of King Henry the 8th there happened in London an Insurrection against strangers especially Artificers who exercised Handicraft and vented Wares to the great dammage of the Kings Subjects the Prentices and others assembled cryed up Privileges Privileges what was the end of it twelve of them were hanged and four hundred more drawn in their shirts with Ropes and Halters about their Necks to Westminster to submit to the Kings mercy as VVeakely did many of all Professions hearken to the enthusiasmes of the holy Maid of Kent who would needs perswade men that King Henry could not continue long who lived to hang her and to ruine five hundred of her Complices But Religion is altered and Treason that hereto served the Interest of Men is now hallowed and become the cause of God K. Henry sets forth injunctions for translating the Lords Prayer the Creed the ten Commandments into the English Tongue and requiring all Parsons and Curates to teach them so translated to their Parishioners this Innovation was not to be endured twenty thousand assemble at Lincolne and forty thousand at York taking Armes as they said for the faith of Christ and deliverance of the Holy Church now oppressed sixty thousand in Lancashire 15000. at Hull indeed all the Kingdome here is a general Plot and this Plot for Conscience sake but doth God blesse it or doth the spreading nature of it prevaile nothing lesse for thirteen of the Ringleaders at Lincolne 300. of the chief at York and the Northern parts 60. of the principal at Hull were hanged drawn and quartered and the rest undone by the Lords Derby Shrewsbury Pembrooke and others to the number of 6000. Families besides the Lords Darcey and Husley both executed Sir Rob. Constable who was hanged in Chaines at Hull and Sir Jo. Bulmers Laly who was burned in Smith-field Henry Marquesse of Exeter H. Lord Mountacute Sir Nicolas Carew Sir VVill. Nevill who came all to miserable ends upon the same score § 19. But the Reformation of Religion proceedeth in King Edward the Sixths dayes and the people are more and more enraged for Conscience sike the Kings Commissioners were stabbed the multitude arme themselves and commit many outrages they increase to the number of 50000. a terrible number they declare for Religion against Inclosures Lawyers Courts c. besiege rich Cities as Exeter Norwich c. but to what end they are defeated before those Cities most of them slain upon the place 500. of them were executed at London and as many with their Ringleaders hanged up and down the Country But there was a Prophecy that the time should come when there should be no King when the Nobility and Gentry should be destroyed when the kingdome should be ruled by four Governours elected by the Commons c. and now sure was that time Up must Ombler a Gentleman and Dale a Parish Clerk with 5000. more to fulfill this Prophecy but was this Prophecy fulfilled no such matter they found to their sorrow a King Nobility Gentry and a Government that brought them to Justice executed sevenscore of them and brought 600. Families deeply engaged in the Rebellion to a morsel of Bread The King I mean Edward the Sixth is a dying and Religion is like to die with him for the glory of God the preservation of the Gospel the Ladies Mary and Elizabeth are put by their known right and the Lady Jane Grey set next his Majesty in the Royal Succession the King makes his Will the Privy Councel confirme it the Mayor and Aldermen swear Allegiance to the Lady Jane who is proclaimed Queen the Privy Councel refuse Queen Mary they sent an Army against her under the Duke of Northumberland but see the end of it the Privy Councel notwithstanding their protestations to the Duke of Northumberland relent and proclaime Queen Mary the Earle of Huntington entrusted by the said Duke with four thousand men deserts him the people all over the Kingdome discountenance him six Ships ordered to Intercept the Lady Mary he revolts to her yea the Duke of Northumberland himself is glad to proclaime her Queen Jane and the said Duke are arraigned and executed § 19. Queen Mary altereth Religion again the Earle of Suffolk Sir Tho. Wyat and others for
for that purpose provided and then to fall back three strides and stand the Northern men in the mean time plyed their Bowes till all their Sheaves were empty but their Arrowes fell short of the Enemy threescore yards doing them little and themselves a great deale of harm for their Arrowes being spent and coming to hand blowes their own Arrowes sticking in the ground galled their shins and pierced their feet ten houres the Battle continued wherein fell 36000. Rebels among whom were the Earle of Northumberland the Lords Beaumont Gray Dacres Welts c. the Earle of Devonshire only surviving to an execution whom the Earle of Oxford the Duke of Sommerset followed his Son and the Earle of Pembrooke living beyond Sea in great misery as little better then Vagabonds their Estates and Lands with the possessions of 6000. of their Followers who are now undone being divided among King Edwards Followers Yet a while after all this is forgot and the people are up in Yorkeshire for the breach of a Custome to give the people of St. Leonards in York some quantitie of grain and the Northamptonshire men for Liberty the Captain of the one party Robert Huldorne is beheaded and the other is boyled in an hot Cauldron the Lord Wells and Sir Tho. Dymock are executed 10000. Rebells are slain Sir Rob. VVells their Leader is hanged the Earle of VVarwick flyeth for it and at last the Usurper Edward was glad to be a Vagabond in France and afterwards he and his Rival Henry both by turnes suffered the vengeance due to treason and Rebellion the great Earle of VVarwick is slain with many more Rebells to the number of 16000. who are signal Monitors to late Posterity to study to be quiet and to follow their own business for why should they meddle to their hurt Queen Margaret is taken Prisoner her Son Edward was murthered the Duke of Sommerset is beheaded Fauconbridge the Pyrat after his dangerous tumult about London in the head of 17000. and his Captaines Spicing and Quintine that assailed Algate and Bishopsgate were hanged drawn and quartered and their heads placed on Poles upon those Gates and by a Commission of Oyer and Terminer many both in Essex and Kent were arraigned and condemned for this Rebellion and more fined the Arch-Bishop of York was kept close Prisoner to his dying day as were the Earles of Oxford Pembroke and Richmond whose Ladies begged their bread while their Estates were disposed to King Edwards Courtiers the Duke of Exeter being reduced to that penury that he run by the Duke of Burgundies Coach begging his Bread for Gods sake and was found dead upon the shore of Dover Thus bloody and deceitful men lived not out half their dayes they love mischief and it happeneth unto them they hated peace and it is far from them § 16. Well! Richard Duke of Glocester after his Brothers death aspires to the Crown to that purpose procures himself made Protector dismisseth his Nephew Edw. 5th Guard removeth from him his faithfull friends and kinsmen gets his Brothers out of the Sanctuary contriveth it so that the young Princes should be declared and preached Bastards that the Lords of the Counsel should Petition him considering the necessities of the Kingdome by reason of the late misgovernment to take upon him the administration of the Soveraignty that the Cities pulse should be felt by a long Speech of the Duke of Buckingham and upon their sullenness and silence some of Richards servants in the croud should cry King Richard King Richard that himself should be married the Relict of Prince Edward Henry the 6th Son and with his Queen Crowned very solemnly murthereth the two Princes makes love to the Lady Elizabeth the Rightfull Heire of the Crown and flourisheth Men seeing this oppression and violent perverting of judgment and justice in this Province marvelled at the matter but he that was higher then the highest regardeth and there be higher then they for this prosperous Usurper never had a quiet mind but was troubled with fearfull dreames the King of France rejects his Embassadours the Duke of Buckingham who set him up plotteth with Bishop Morton of Ely House to depose him The Earle of Richmond afterward K. H. the 7th is set up by the French and Welch landeth at Milford Haven the Earles of Pembrooke and Shrewsbury joyne with him the Lord Stanley secretly favoureth him as Sir Jo. Savage Sir Simon Digby and others did more openly at Bosworth he meets King Richard where the Earle of Northumberland deserted him the Duke over-powers him 6000. of his followers dye upon the place and himselfe left dead and naked in the Field untill a Pursivant at Armes brought him behind him like a Calfe his Head and Armes hanging down one side of the Horse and his Legges on the other to the Gray-friersChurch within the Town of Leicester where he lay a miserable Spectacle of the sad issue of Treason and Rebellion untill for pitty the Friers buried him his Agents coming all to a like shamefull end as Sir James Tyrrel who was executed Miles Forrest rolled alive James Dighton lived and dyed unpittied the great Duke of Buckingham who raised him was beheaded by him and Bannister who betrayed him to Richard was afterwards hanged whose eldest Son hanged himself his youngest Son was drowned and his Daughter smitten with a Leprosy because sentence against evil doers is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the Sons of Men is fully set in them to do evil though sinners do evil an hundred times and their days be prolonged it shall not be well with the wicked neither shall they prolong their dayes which are as a shadow because they feared not before God § 17. Anno 1485. The Usurper thus suppressed Treason and Rebellion thus avenged King Henry by Conquest by marriage by choice setled upon his Throne with a strong Guard about him never known before in England some discontents appeared in the North where the Lord Lovell was in the Head of an Army before the King was aware but upon Proclamation of Pardon the Rebels disperse and Lovell with his Complices flie for their Lives which they afterwards loose shamefully upon Tower-Hill the place of Execution Not long after a Priest named Symond sets up one Lambert Symnel for Edward Earle of VVarwicke who was lately escaped out of Prison and pretends him King of England he is countenanced in Ireland encouraged by the Lady Margaret Countess of Burgoign and assisted by an Army under the Earle of Lincolne but what came of this Plot why the true Earle of VVarwicke was shewed abroad the Earle of Lincolne and many Lords are slaine at Stokes 500. Families are undone by this Treason and the King more firmly established A Subsidy is granted the King in the 4th year of his Reign towards his French Warres and it was agreed that every Man should pay the tenth penny of his goods the Northern Men refuse to pay it the