Wretch might have conceived his present compared with his former condition an Heaven upon Earth but he did not so though he had to his good Entertainment made for him a Chain of bright Brass an Armour Breast Back and Head-piece with a Buckler of Brass his beloved Metal and which his Countrey-men esteemed far above Gold yet all this contented him not for never any seemed to be more weary of ill usage than he was of Courtesies none ever more desirous to return home to his Countrey than he For when he had learn'd a little of our Language he would daily lye upon the Ground and cry very often thus in broken English Cooree home go Souldania go home go And not long after when he had his desire and was returned home he had no sooner set footing on his own shore but presently he threw away his Clothes his Linnen with all other Covering and got his Sheep-skins upon his back Guts about his neck and his Cow-turd Cap upon his head Thus you see what manner of Life they affect the name of Cleanliness not being known amongst them And for their Religion Cooree being asked by the Minister of the Ship who was their God he lifting up his hands in his bad English said thus England God great God Souldania no God And so much for Souldania Of two famous Virago's the one a French-woman called Joan of Arc or La Pucelle de Dieu the other a Biscainer called Catarina d' Arcuso JOAN of Arc was Daughter to one James of Arc dwelling in Domremy near Vaucaleurs in France in her younger years she tended Sheep under her Father at which time France groaned under the Victorious Arms of the English John Duke of Bedford being then Regent thereof in the minority of our King Henry the sixth who was crowned King of France in Paris the principal City Charles the seventh having little left to him of that spacious Kingdom but only the Title He being at this Exigent this young Maid then about eighteen years of age presented her self unto him at Chinon bidding him not to faint but constantly affirmed that God had sent her to deliver the Realm of France from the English yoak and restore him to the fulness of his Fortunes At first it seems she was not much credited though judged to be set on by the Nobles but when the Wise of both sorts as well Clerks as Souldiers had sifted her with manifold Questions she continuing in her first Speech so stedfastly uttering nothing saith Serres but that which was modest chaste and holy that honour and faith were given to her Sayings An old Woman directed her She soon armed her self like a man and required to have that Sword which hung in St. Katharines Church of Fierebois in Tourain This demand increased their admiration of her for such a Sword was found among the old Donaries or Votive Tokens of that Church Thus warlikely arrayed she rides to Blois where Forces and fresh Victuals lay for the Relief of Orleans then closely besieged and ready to yield unto the English She joyning with the Admiral and Marshal of France they entred the City in despight of the Besiegers This greatly encouraged the fainting French Joan the Maid of God so Superstition had now intitled her having thus fortunately begun writes this Letter to the English General before the City King of England Do reason to the King of Heaven for his Blood-Royal yield up to the Virgin the Keys of all the good Cities which you have forced She is come from Heaven to reclaim the Blood-Royal and is ready to make a Peace if you be ready to do reason Yield therefore and pay what you have taken King of England I am the chief of this War wherefore I encounter your men in France I will chase them will they or no. If they will obey I will take them to mercy The Virgin comes from Heaven to drive you out of France If you will not obey she will cause so great a stir as the like hath not been this thousand years in France And believe certainly that the King of Heaven will send to her and her good men of Arms more force than you can have Go in Gods name into your Countrey be not obstinate for you shall not hold France of the King of Heaven the Son of St. Mary but Charles shall enjoy it the King and lawful Heir to whom God hath given it He shall enter Paris with a goodly Train You William de la Pole Earl of Suffolk John Lord Talbot Thomas Lord Scales Lieutenants to the Duke of Bedford and you Duke of Bedford terming your self Regent of the Realm of France spare innocent Blood and leave Orleans in liberty If you do not reason to them whom you have wronged the French will do the goodliest Exploit that ever was done in Christendom Understand these News of God and the Virgin This Letter was entertained by the English with laughter and Joan reputed no better than a Bedlam or Enchantress Yet however thus disesteemed by her Encouragements and Conduct the English had Orleans pluck'd out of their hopes and with much loss were driven to raise the Siege Joan her self was wounded at one Sally in which she led being shot through the Arm with an Arrow Judge what she esteemed of that hurt when she used these admirable and terrible words This is a Favour let us go on they cannot escape the hand of God nay in all Adventures she was one and fore-most In memory of this admirable Deliverance they of that City erected a Monument where Charles the seventh King of France and Joan the Martial Maid were represented kneeling in Armour elevating their eyes and hands to Heaven in sign of thanks and acknowledgment of so great a benefit Still the Martial Maid goes on victoriously she and the Duke of Alanzon recover Jergeaux from the Earl of Suffolk forcing it by Assault slaying one of the Earl's Brothers and taking the Earl himself Prisoner and having their numbers augmented encounter the Lord Talbot that terrour of France at a Village called Patay whom they discomfit and slew of the English above a thousand The Lords Talbot the glory of the English Scales Hungerford and Sir Thomas Rampestone were taken Prisoners These Losses shook the whole Fabrick of the English greatness in France and caused the Revolt of many Towns to King Charles who encouraged by these Successes marcheth into Champaigne where by composition he taketh the Cities of Troys and Auxerre Chalons and Rheims yield themselves in which last according to the Maids direction he was solemnly crowned King But now our Martial Maids good Fortune having ascended the Meridian began to decline for though by her subtile practises King Charles was possess'd of the Town of St Dennis a neighbour to Paris then in possession of the English she with the Duke of Alanzon going with their Forces to attempt it the English gave them so rough an Encounter that Joan her self was
so Or Vinegar to whet thine Appetite Why Sun it well and it will sharply bite Or want'st thou Sugar steep the same a stound And sweeter Sugar is not to be found 'T is what you will or will be what you would Should Midas touch it sure it would be Gold And God all good to crown our Life with Bays The Earth with Plenty and his Name with Praise Had done enough if he had made no more But this one Plant so full of choicest store Save that the World where one thing breeds satiety Could not be fair without so great Variety Sir James Lancaster in his East-India Voyage in the Isle of Sombrero found on the Sea Sands a young Twig growing up to a Tree and offering to pluck up the same it shrunk down into the Ground and when it was by Strength pulled up a great Worm was the Root of it and as the Tree groweth in greatness the Worm diminisheth This Tree plucked up the Leaves and Pill stripped off by that time it 's dryed is turned into a hard Stone So that this Worm was twice transformed into different Natures after a wondrous manner In Aethiopia is a Lake of that poisonous Nature that whosoever drinketh of the Water of it either falleth immediately mad or is for a long time troubled with an extream Drowziness as saith Ovid Aethiopesque Lacus quos si quis faucibus hausit Aut furit aut patitur mirum gravitate soporem Who doth not know the Aethiopian Lake Whose Waters he that drinks his Thirst to slake Either groweth mad or doth his Soul oppress With an unheard-of heavy Drowziness The Persians have a very great Aversion for Swine and conceive they have especially Reason for it following the Example of the Jews and to that purpose tell a ridiculous and obscene Story which they take out of the Alcoran and relate That one day the Apostles intreated our Saviour to tell them after what manner Noah lived in the Ark during the Deluge but our Saviour without saying a Word to them having taken a handful of Dirt made the Figure of a Man with it cast it upon the ground and said to it rise up in the name of the Father immediately there started up an old Man all white whom our Saviour asked Who art thou He made answer I am Japhet the Son of Noah Our Saviour asked him whether he were so white when he died whereunto he answered that he was not but that he became so just that moment out of the fear he was in to appear before God as believing he had been raised up to come to the last Judgment Upon that Jesus Christ commanded him to acquaint the Apostles with all that had been done in the Ark Japhet obey'd and told them among other things that one day the Ark being so full of Dirt at that place where the house of Ease stood that Noah fearing it might take in Water there thought fit to consult God in that Extremity The Divine Answer was that he should send an Elephant to the said common House and that of the Dung of that Creature and Man 's mix'd together there was immediately engendered a Swine which so turned up that heap of Ordure with his Snowt that the Ark went very even This nasty Creature having filled it's Nostrils with Filth sneez'd very violently by means of which sneezing there came out a Rat which put Noah into greater Perplexity than before insomuch that to be delivered out of these Troubles he address'd himself once more to God and ask'd him what he should do in that unhappy Conjuncture The Answer was that God commanded him to strike the Lyon upon the Head with a Wand and that he being thereby put into a Fury fell a roaring so loud that out of his Nostrils there came out a Cat which immediately pursued the Rat. Now Noah knowing that he was to continue forty Years in the Ark separated the Males from the Females out of a fear that the several Species multiplying the Ark would not be able to contain them and that they might want Meat Of all Creatures only the Dog had the Freedom allow'd him to stay with the Bitch at the bottom of the Ark one day the Cat having observ'd that those Creatures had the liberty to do what all the rest were deny'd went and made her Complaints to Noah who reproaching them with what they had done the Dog would not acknowledge the Fact But word was so often brought to Noah of the Dogs Transgression that he desired God to make known the Truth of it by an infallible Proof and that afterwards the Dog desirous to line the Bitch became fastned to her wherewith the Cat having acquainted Noah they were taken in the Fact and found guilty of having lied before Thence it comes that ever since that time Dogs have been so fastned in the Act of Generation and have an inveterate Fewd against Cats Of a mirthful Custom formerly used at Dunmow in Essex FOrmerly there was a Priory at this Dunmow founded saith Speed by Juga a noble Lady Anno 1111. for black Nuns but it seems afterwards the Property thereof was altered into a Male Monastery the mortified men wherein were mirthful sometimes as it appeared for if any Person from any part of England came thither and humbly kneeling on two Stones at the Church-door before the Prior or Covent he might demand at his own Pleasure a Gammon or Flitch of Bacon upon the solemn taking of the ensuing Oath You shall swear by the Custom of our Confession That you never made any Nuptial Transgression Since you were married Man or Wife By houshold Brawls or contentious Strife Or otherwise in Bed or at Board Offended each other in deed or word Or since the Parish-Clark said Amen Wished your selves unmarried again Or in a Twelve-month and a Day Repented not in Thought any way But continued true and in desire As when you joyn'd hands in holy Quire If to these Conditions without all fear Of your own Accord you will freely swear A Gammon of Bacon you shall receive And bear it hence with Love and good Leave For this is our Custom at Dunmow well known Though the Sport be ours the Bacon's your own The Party or Pilgrim for Bacon was to take his Oath before the Prior the Covent and the whole Town humbly acknowledging in the Church-yard upon two hard Stones which some say are yet to be seen in the Priory Church-yard his Oath was administred with such long Process and such solemn singing over him as doubtless must make his Pilgrimage as I may term it painful After this he was taken upon mens Shoulders and carried first about the Priory Church-yard and after thorough the Town with all the Fryars and Brethren and all the Towns-folk young and old following him with Shouts and Acclamations and with his Bacon before him and in such manner he was sent home with his Bacon of which I find some had a Gammon and
imprisoned by Act of Parliament and so continued afterwards in the Tower of London untill King James his Death but by King Charles restored to Liberty with a small Pension which kept him like a Gentleman untill discontinued by the Rump Parliament by which means that failing he walked the Streets poor only inrich'd in his Skill of Chymical Physick and in other parts of Learning which he got whilst he lost his Liberty Now remaineth to tell ye the King's Grace and Preferment unto his Rescuers Sir Thomas Erskin was created Earl of Kelly and by degrees Knight of the Garter Captain of the King's Guard and Groom of the Stool Dr. Herres was well rewarded but lived not long after Henderson had a large Pension confirmed by Act of Parliament which he lived to enjoy a long time Ramsey had the honour of Knight-hood with additional bearing of his Coat of Arms A Hand holding forth a Dagger moumed proper piercing a bloody Heart the Point crowned Imperial with this Motto Haec dextra vindex Principis Patriae Upon which one thus versified An Arm and Hand well arm'd with heavenly might That gripes a just drawn Sword thrust through a heart Adorned with a Royal Diadem This and this Motto was his own by Right Given by his Sovereign for his just Desert And in his Coat of Arms inserted them His right hand did revenge and overcame His Prince and Countries Foes and purchase Fame Next he attained to be Lord Viscount Hadington and Earl of Holderness living in great Love and Splendour all the days of King James whom he quickly after followed to the Grave dying on Tuesday the 24th of January 1625. and was buried in the Abbey Church of Westminster the last of February next following Seven notable Observations were remarkable in his Life happening each of them upon a Tuesday which one thus comprehended in a Sonnet Upon a Tuesday he his Birth began Upon a Tuesday he his Baptism had Upon a Tuesday he his Honour wan Upon the Gowries whose Intents were bad Upon a Tuesday he at first did wed The noble Sussex Daughter who deceast Upon a Tuesday then he married Sir William Cockain's Child by Heavens behest Upon a Tuesday he did taste Death's Cup And to his blest Redeemer gave his Spirit Upon a Tuesday he was closed up Within his Tomb which doth his Corps inherit Thus upon Tuesdays 't was his Lot to have Birth Baptism Honour two Wives Death and Grave Eight years after this treasonable Attempt of the Gowries George Sprot one of the Earl's Confederates Notary Publick at Aymouth in Scotland from some Words of his sparingly and unawares expressed and some Papers found in his House whereof being examined with little ado he confessed and was condemned and executed at Edenburgh August 12. 1608. He died very penitently and to those Ministers which visited him after his Condemnation he confessed his Guilt with great Humiliation Afterwards ganging up the Ladder with his Hands loose and unty'd he was again put in Mind of his Confessions and for the greater assurance thereof performed an Act marvellous promising by God's Assistance to give them an evident Token before the yielding up of his Spirit which was when he had hung a very good while he lift up both his hands a good height and clapped them together three several times to the Wonder of thousands of Spectators A notable Combat betwixt a Knight and an Esquire in the time of Richard the Second THIS Combat was fought before the King's Palace at Westminster on the Pavement there betwixt one Sir John Annesly Knight and one Thomas Katrington Esquire the seventh of June Anno 1380. the occasion thus The Knight accused the Esquire of Treason for that where the Fortress of S. Saviour within the Isle of Constantine in Normandy belonging sometime to Sir John Chandos had been committed to the said Katrington as Captain thereof to keep it against the Enemies he had for Money sold and delivered it over to the French-men whereas he was sufficiently provided of Men Munition and Victuals to have defended it against them And since the Inheritance of that Fortress and Lands belonging thereto had appertained to the said Annesly in right of his Wife as nearest Cousin by Affinity to Sir John Chandoz if by the false Conveyance of the said Katrington it had not been made away and alienated into the Enemies Hands he offered therefore to try the Quarrel by Combat against the said Katrington which being put to the Judgment of ancient Knights it was by them delivered That for such a Foreign Controversie that had risen within the Limits of the Realm but touched Possession of things on the further side the Sea it was lawful to have it tryed by Battel if the cause were first notified to the Constable and Marshal of the Realm and that the Combat was accepted by the Parties Hereupon was the Day and Place appointed and all things provided ready with Lists railed and made so substantially as if the same should have endured for ever The Concourse of People that came to London to see this tryed was thought to exceed that of the King's Coronation so desirous men were to behold a sight so strange and unaccustomed The King and his Nobles and all the People being come together in the morning of the day appointed to the place where the Lists were set up the Knight being armed and mounted on a fair Courser seemly trapped entereth first as Appellant staying till his Adversary the Defendant should come And shortly after was the Esquire called to defend his Cause in this form Thomas Katrington Defendant come and appear to save the Action for which Sir John Annesly Knight and Appellant hath publickly and by Writing appealed thee He being thus called thrice by a Herald at Arms at the third Call he cometh armed likewise and riding on a Courser trapped with Traps embroidered with his Arms. At his approaching to the Lists he alighted from his Horse lest according to the Law of Arms the Constable should have challenged the Horse if he had entred within the Lists but his shifting nothing availed him for the Horse after his Master was alighted ran up and down by the Rails thrusting his Head sometimes over and sometimes both Head and Breast so that the Earl of Buckingham because he was High Constable of England claimed the Horse afterwards swearing that he would have so much of him as had appeared over the Rails and so the Horse was adjudged unto him But now to the matter of the Combate for this Challenge of the Horse was made after as soon as the Esquire was come within the Lists the Indenture was brought forth by the Marshal and Constable which had been made and sealed before them with consent of both Parties in which were contained the Articles exhibited by the Knight against the Esquire and there the same was read before all the Assembly But the Esquire whose Conscience was thought not to be clear but