together The Prince having refreshed his Men the May following set sail for England with his Prisoners and safely arrived at Plimouth and was with great joy and acclamations received every where At his coming to London where at that time a magnificent Citizen Henry Picard he who afterwards at one time so Nobly Feasted the four King 's of England France Scotland and Cyprus was Lord Major he received him with all imaginable Honour And the multitude of People that came to see the Victorious Prince with the King of France his Son Philip and the other Prisoners was so great that they could hardly get to Westminster between three a Clock in the Morning and twelve at Noon Great Edward saving that he forgat not the Majesty of a Conqueror and â—f a King of England omitted no kind of civility towards the Prisoners King John and his Son were lodged under a Guard at the Savoy which was then a goodly Palace belonging to Henry Duke of Lancaster and the other Prisoners in other places Some time after Prince Edward by dispensation married the Countess of Kent Daughter to Edmund Brother to King Edward the second and his Father invested him with the Dutchy of Aquitain So that he was now Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain Duke of Cornwal and Earl of Chester and Kent And not long after he with his Beloved Wife passed over into France and kept his Court at Bourdeaux The Prince of Wales was now grown famous over all the Christian World and the man to whom all wronged Princes seemed to Appeal and to fly for relief For which end there came at this time to his Court James King of Majorca and Richard King of Navarr just when his Lady brought him a Son for whom these two Kings undertook at his Baptism giving him the Name of Richard The Soldiers most of whose Captains were English either by Birth or Obedience wanting employment because the Wars of Britain were quieted for the Present ranged tumultuously up and down France But about this time Sir Bertram de Glequin having paid his Ransom found employment for them drawing the greatest part of that Military Pestilence into another Coast For by the assistance of Peter King of Arragon and the Power of Glequin with his floating Bands called The Companions or Adventurers Peter King of Castile and Leon a cruel Tyrant was driven out of his Kingdom his Bastard Brother Henry being chosen in his room and Crowned King of Spain at Burgos This Peter was Son to Alphonsus the eleventh King of Castile and had to Wife a French Lady called Blanch Daughter to Peter Duke of Bourbon who was Father also of Joan the French King's Wife His Tyrannical cruelties were so many and so foul that the Spanish Stories scarce allow Nero or Caligula to go beyond him For which by his Subjects he was deposed Peter thus driven out of his Kingdom by the aid of the French applied himself to Prince Edward craving his assistance for his restoration making many and large Promises to him upon the accomplishment thereof The Prince out of Charity to succour a distressed Prince and out of Policy to imploy his Souldiers having got leave of his Father marched with a gallant Army of thirty thousand men upon confidence of good pay for his men and other benefits when Peter should be re-established in his Throne He made his way through the famous straits of Rouncevallux in Navarre by permission of that King who yet suffered himself to be carried Prisoner into Castile that he might not seem to cross the French King's designs who favoured Henry the Usurper Our Prince had â—n his Company besides most of all the principal Captain of the English two King 's Peter of Castile whos 's the quarrel was and the King of Majorca As also John Duke of Lancaster who after Don Pedro's death having married his eldest daughter wrote himself King of Castile and Leon. On the other side King Henry for the defence of his new Kingdom had raised a very great Army consisting partly of French under Glequin their famous Captains and of Castilians and others both Christians and Saracens to the number of about an hundred thousand And upon the Borders of Castile it came to a bloody battel wherein the valaint Prince of Wales obtained a very great victory having slain many thousands of his enemies Henry himself fighting valiantly was wounded in the Groin but yet escaped There were taken Prisoners the Earl of Dene Bertram de Glequin who yet shortly after by paying a great Ransom was set at liberty The Marshal Dandrehen and many others Neither was this Victory less worth to Peter than a Kingdom For our most Noble Prince left him not till at Burgos he had set him upon his Throne again But this unworthy King's falshood and ingratitude were odious and monstrous For the Prince notwithstanding this great success was enforced to return to Burdeaux without money to pay his Army which caused great mischiefs to himself and the English Dominions beyond the Seas as if God had been displeased with his succouring such a Tyrant The Prince himself though he returned with Victory yet he brought back with him such a craziness and indisposition of Body that he was never throughly well after And no marvel considering the Country the Season and the action it self and it may be more wondred at that his Souldiers came home so well then that he returned so ill Being come home discontent of Mind was added to his indisposition of Body For not having Money to pay his Soldiers he was forced to wink at their preying upon the Country for which the Country to stop whose murmuring his Chancellor the Bishop of Rhodes devised a new Imposition of levying a Frank for every Chimney to continue for five years to pay the Prince's debts But this Imposition though granted in Parliament made their murmurs encrease For though some part of his Dominions as the Poictorians the Xantoigns and the Limosins seemed to consent to it yet the Counts of Armigniac and Cominges the Vicount of Carmain and divers others so much distasted it that they complained thereof to the King of France as unto their Supreme Lord Pretending that the Prince was to answer before King Charles as before his Superior Lord of whom they said he held by homage and fealty whereas King Edward and his Heirs by the Treaty at Bretagny were absolutely freed from all manner of Service for any of their Dominions in France King Charles openly entertained this Complaint and hoping to regain by surprize and policy what the English had won by dint of Sword and true Manhood he summoned the Prince of Wales to Paris to answer such Complaints as his subjects made against him Our valiant Prince returned answer That if he must needs appear he would bring threescore thousand men in Arms to appear with him And now began the Peace between England and France to be unsetled and wavering For while King
Edward called the Confessor succeeded next in 1042. who was an absolute Englishman and the youngest Son of Etheldred and Queen Emma being invited from Normandy by all the English Nobility who disdained the Danish Subjection and was entertained with great Joy He first remitted that heavy Danish Tax of Forty thousand pound a year called Dane gilt imposed by his Father and paid forty years by all but the Clergy who are exempted Because the Kings reposed more confidence in the Prayers of the Holy Church than in the Power of Armies It is reported Edward forgave that Tax upon this occasion A great Sum of that Treasure being brought into his Chamber and laid in a heap he being called to see it was at first sight much affrighted protesting he saw the Devil dancing with great Joy upon the same and therefore commanded it should be again restored to his Subjects and released them from it for ever after He married Editha Earl Godwin's Daughter but never had any Conjugal Society with her though she was a Lady accomplished with all excellent Endowments both of Mind and Body so that this old Veâ—â—â—â—â— written on her Sicut Spina Rosam Genuit Goduinus Editham From prickled Stalk as sweetest Rose So Editha fair from Godwin grows Edward himself confessed upon his Death-bed That openly she was his Wife but in secret Embracings as his own Sister But whether it were Infirmity or Chastity it seems he was willing to have her accused of Incontinency whereof if she were guilty he could not be innocent it being a great injury to put his Wives vertue to so Tyrannical a trial After this some differences arose between him and Earl Godwin and Forces were raised on both sides but by the Intercession of the Nobility an Agreement was made Yet Godwin escaped not Divine Vengeance for being charged by the King for the Munder of Alfred he wished if he were guilty he might never swallow down a bit of Bread again which happened accordingly for the first bit of Bread he put into his Mouth choaked him as he sate with the King at Table A dreadful Instance of God's Severity against Perjury This King is blamed for his Cruelty to his Mother in forcing her to pass over nine burning Plow shares bare-foot and blind-fold for a Trial of her Continency which yet she performed without the least damage He is said to be the first King that cured the Disease called the King's-Evil It is related that this King lying on his Bed one Afternoon with the Curtains drawn a pilfering Courtier coming into his Chamber and finding the King's Casket open which Hugoline his Chamberlain had forgot to shut he took out as 〈◊〉 Money as he could well carry and went away But finding success he came a second and a third time still carrying off more At which the King who had observed all called to him to be gone with all speed since he had enough if he could be contented For said he if Hugoline should come and catch thee thou wilt go nigh to lose all thou hast got and may'st get a Halter into the Bargain The Fellow was no sooner gone but Hugoline came in and finding the Casket open and a great deal of Money taken out he was much incensed But the King bid him not be moved For said he he that hath it hath more need of it than we When this King Edward was hastning out of Normandy with a great Army to recover England from the Danes being ready to give Battel his Captains assured him of Victory and that they would not leave one Dane alive God forbid said Edward that the Kingdom should be recovered for me who am but one Man by the death of so many thousands better it is that I should live a private and unbloody Life than to be a King by such a Slaughter and Butchery This King having no lisue of his own 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 who 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 Brother's 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 â—â—â—ven into Normandy and being seised and carrâ—â—d before Duke Wiliam 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 Atheling However after the death of King Edward Harold neither regarding his Oath to Duke William nor Edgar's Right whom he dispised 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 Answerthe 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 march'd 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 Danes 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 20 of their 300 Ships to carry them to Denmark with the 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 failed Being thorowly furnished he and his Men embarqued at St. Vallery where they staid a long time for a Wind at length setting Sail Sep. 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 Conqueror 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 a fire to assure his men that they must either conquer or die He then marched towards 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 combat 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 he tryed by more Swords than One. Accordingly Harold marcheth couragiously against Duke Widiam who put himself into a posture to receive him It happned 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 if doth foretel that I shall change my Condition and of a D. shall this day become a K. The Armies being Marshalled Harold placing the Kentish-men with their heavy Axes or Halberts in the Van the Battel began both Parties fighting bravely one for the Liberty of their Country and the other for a Kingdom The Normans perceiving they could not break the united strength of the English pretended to fly which the English believing pursued them in disorder whereupon the Normans taking the advantage rallied and charging them furiously in that disjoynted Posture made a very great slaughter among the English and among the rest King Harold his Brother and most of the English Nobility fell that day and of the Common Souldiers Sixty seven thousand nine hundred seventy four Others report an hundred thousand were slain Duke William had three Horses killed under him yet received not the least wound his Loss being only as is said Six thousand Men. Thus died King Harold after only nine Months Reign and was buried at Waltham Abby in Essex And it is very remarkable That whereas Harold with his Father Godwin had cruelly murdered Alfred the true Heir to the Crown and his Normans he was now by a Norman Wounded in the left Eye with an Arrow whereof he immediately died This great Battel was fought at Hastings in Sussex on Saturday October 14. 1066. The English after this vast loss had designed to make Edgar Atheling King but it was prevented by their private Animosities And thus ended the Saxon Monarchy in England which from Hengist in 475 to this Year had continued save only some short interruptions by the Danes Five hundred ninety one years During these stupendious Revolutions in the State and Government of England we do not read of much action between the Welsh and the Saxons Danes and Normans It is recorded they had still a Succession of Kings and Princes and among them Leoline ap Sytsill who lived about the year 900 in the Reign of Edward Sirnamed the Elder a Valiant Saxon King and yet free from Pride or Ambition saith the Historian as appears by the intercourse betwixt him and this Leoline who after several Skirmishes thought fit to Treat of Peace The King lay at a place called Austeline and the Prince at Bethesly not far distant Leoline thought it below him to cross the Severn to wait upon Edward whereupon the King went into a Boat to come over to him Leoline observing it and surprized at this great condiscention upon the King's approach to the opposite shoar threw off this rich Robe he had on prepared on purpose for that Royal Assembly and entred the Water Breast high where imbracing the Boat he submissively said Most Prudent and Worthy King your Humility hath overcome my Insolence and your Wisdom hath Triumphed over my Folly Come tread upon my Neck which I have foolishly lifted up against you and enter into my Country this Day with all freedom since your generosity hath made it all your own Having said this he took the King upon his Shoulders and carrying him ashoar caused him to sit down upon his Royal Robe and so putting his hands jointly into his acknowledged Homage and Allegiance to him Ethelstane his Successor had Wars with the Welsh whose Princes and
Edward rejoyced in the excellent Vertues and Actions of his Son and People Charles the French King warned by so many calamities as his Dominions had sustained by the English War and earnestly coveting to recover the Honour of his Nation betook himself to secret practices Never adventuring his own Person in the Field but executing all by his Deputies and Lieutenants especially by the valour and service of Bertram de Glequin Constable of France who from a low estate was raised to this height for his prudent and magnanimous Conduct in War And our truly Noble King without suspicion of craft reposing himself upon the Rules of Vertue and Magnanimity did not reap the stable effects of so great and important victories nor of the Peace so Ceremoniously made that in the World's opinion it could not be broken without the manifest violation upon one side of all Bonds both divine and humane The Prince of Wales by Letters advised his Father not to trust to any fair words or overtures of further Amity made by the French because as he said they entertained Practices underhand in every place against him But his counsel was not hearkned to because he was judged to write out of a restless humour delighting in War though the event shewed that his words were true For now King Charles having by quick payments and other means got home all the Hostages which had been delivered for performance of the Articles of Peace set all his wits on work to abuse the King of England's credulity He courted him with loving Letters and Presents and in the mean time surprized the County of Ponthieu our King 's undeniable inheritance before King Edward heard thereof Who hereupon calls a Parliament declares the breach craves aid and hath it granted And then again claims the Crown of France and sent over his Son John Duke of Lancaster and Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford with a great Army to Calice to invade France Among the States and Towns made over to the English at the Treaty of Bretigni which had revolted to the French was the City of Limosin Thither did the Prince march and sat down with his Army before it And not long after came unto him out of England his two Brethren the Duke of Lancaster and the Earl of Cambridge with a fresh supply of Valiant Captains and Souldiers The City held out to the utmost and was at last taken by storm where no mercy was shewed by the inraged Soldiers but Sword and Fire laid all desolate After this Service the Prince's health failing him more and more he left his Brethren in Aquitain to prosecute the Wars and himself taking Ship came over to his Father in England his eldest Son Edward being dead a little before at Bourdeaux and brought over with him his Wife and his other Son Richard The Prince having left France his Dominions were either taken or fell away faster than they were gotten Gueschlin entred Poictou took Montmorillon Chauvigny Lussack and Moncontour Soon after followed the Country of Aulnis of Xantoyn and the rest of Poictou Then St. Maxent Neel Aulnay Benaon Marant Surgers Fontency and at last they came to Thouras where the most part of the Lords of Poictou that held with the Prince were assembled At this time the King Prince Edward the Duke of Lancaster and all the Great Lords of England set forward for their relief But being driven back by a Tempest and succour not coming Thouras was yielded upon composition In fine all Poictou was lost and then Aquitain all but only Burdeaux and Bayon And not long after Prince Edward died and with him the Fortune of England He was a Prince so full of Virtues as were scarce to be matcht by others He died at Canterbury upon Trinity Sunday June 8. in the forty sixth year of his Age and the forty ninth of his Father's Reign and was buried in Christ's-Church there 1376. Among all the Gallant men of that Age this our Prince was so worthily the first He had a sumptuous Monument erected for him upon which this Epitaph was engraven in Brass in French thus Englished Here lyeth the Noble Prince Monsieur Edward the Eldest Son of the thrice Noble King Edward the third in former time Prince of Aquitain and of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Earl of Chester who died on the Feast of the Trinity which was the eighth of June in the year of Grace 1376. To the Soul of whom God grant mercy Amen After which were added these verses in French thus Translated according to the homely Poetry of those times Who so thou art that passest by Where these Corps entombed lye Understand what I shall say As at this time speak I may Such as thou art sometime was I Such as I am such shalt thou be I little thought on the hour of Death So long as I enjoyed Breath Great Riches here I did possess Whereof I made great Nobleness I had Gold Silver Wardrobes and Great Treasures Horses Houses Land But now a Caitiff Poor am I Deep in the Ground lo here Ilye My beauty great is all quite gone My Flesh is wasted to the Bone My House is narrow now and throng Nothing but Truth comes from my Tongue And if you should see me this Day I do not think but ye would say That I had never been a Man So much altered now I am For God's sake pray to th' Heavenly King That he my Soul to Heaven would bring All they that Pray and make Accord For me unto my God and Lord God place them in his Paradise Wherein no wretched Caitiff lies The Death of this Prince saith an ingenious Historian was a heavy loss to the State being a Prince of whom we never heard ill never received any other note but of goodness and the Noblest performance that Magnanimity and Wisdom could ever shew insomuch as what Praise could be given to Virtue is due to him I shall only add this short Remark That the Captivity of two Kings at the same time namely John King of France and David Bruce King of Scotland demonstrated at once the Glory and Power of King Edward and his magnanimous Son The French King continued Prisoner in England five years enough to have determined the fortune of that great Kingdom and dissolved their Cantoned Government into Parts had it not been a body consisting of so many strong Limbs and so abounding with Spirits that it never fainted notwithstanding all its loss of blood but scorned to yield though King Edward came very near the Heart having wounded them in their most mortal part the Head At length he recovered his liberty by paying three millions of Crowns of Gold whereof six hundred thousand were laid down presently four hundred thousand more the year after and the remainder the next two years following The Scots King could not gain his Freedom in twice the time being the less able to redeem himself for that he was upon the matter half a King the
a Tyrant but be sure that thou take great care to redress the Grievances of thy Subjects and severely punish those that wrong them Hereby shalt thou gain the Englishmen's Hearts and reign prosperously for so long as they freely enjoy their Liberties and Estates thou may'st be sure of their Loyalty and Obedience but if thou strive to slave or impoverish them they will certainly rebel against thee for such is their nature that they will rather chuse to dye Freemen than to live Slaves and Beggars Therefore if thou Govern thein with a mixture of love and fear thou wilt be King over the most Pleasant and Fruitful Countrey and the most Loving Faithful and Valiant People in the World whereby thou wilt be a terror to all thine Enemies My Son when it shall please God to take me out of the World which is the Common Lot of all men I must leave my Crown and Kingdom to thee and I would earnestly advise thee that of all things thou wilt avoid Pride neither be thou bewitcht with worldly honour so as to be exalted in thine own imagination but always remember that the higher thy Dignity is so much greater is the burden that lyes upon thee for the security of thy Kingdom and of every particular Subject therein as being like the Head and Heart in the Body from whence all the Members receive Life and Nourishment Whereby thy People finding they receive so many benefits from thee will be always ready to assist and defend thee for their own preservation as the Members do the Head and Heart But above all things be careful to serve God sincerely and ascribe to him the Glory of all thy Successes against thine Enemies as coming from his goodness and not any merit of thine These and many other good Instructions the King gave to his Son And soon after being at his Prayers at St. Edward's Shrine in Westminster-Abbey he was suddenly taken with an Apoplexy and thereupon removed to the Abbot of Westminster's House where recovering himself and finding he was in a strange place he asked where he was and being told in the Abbot's House in a Chamber called Jerusalem where an Astrologer had formerly told him he should dye He said Nay then I am sure I shall dye though he before thought it would have been in Palestine and was therefore preparing to make a Voyage thither And here he died indeed March 20. 1413. It is observable that during his sickness he always required to have his Crown set upon his Bolster by him and one of his Fits being so strong upon him that all thought him absolutely dead the Prince coming in took away the Crown when suddenly the King recovering his senses and missing it was told the Prince had taken it who being called came back with the Crown and kneeling down said Sir to all our Judgments and to all our griefs you seemed directly dead and therefore I took the Crown as my Right but seeing to all our comforts you live I here deliver it more joyfully than I took it and pray God you may long live to wear it your self Well said the King sighing what Right I had to it God knows But says the Prince If you dye King my Sword shall maintain it to be my Right against all Opposers Well replied the King I leave all to God and then turning about said God bless thee and have mercy upon me And with these words he gave up the Ghost After his Father's Death the Prince was Proclaimed King by the name of Henry V. and proved a better Man of a King than a Subject for till then he was not in his right Orb and therefore no marvel he was exorbitant Those that have taken the height of him parallell'd him with Alexander for Magnanimity and Caesar for his being Invincible and Affectation of Glory but he had something of Caesar that Alexander the Great had not That he would not be Drunk nor Intemperate and something of Alexander that Caesar had not That he would not be flattered and both were short of him in this that Conquering others they could not Conquer themselves but even when they were Lords of the World became Slaves to their own Passions He advanced the former Title of the Right of the Kings of England to the Kingdom of France and sent Ambassadors to King Charles VI. to demand a peaceable surrender of that Crown to him offering to accept his fair Daughter Katherine with the Kingdom and to expect no other Pledge for his Possession till after Charles's Death But the French King being sick his Son the Dauphin who managed the Government instead of another answer scornfully sent the King a Present of Tennis Balls as an intimation that his Youth was better acquainted with the use of them than of Bullets The King whose Wit was as Keen as his Sword returned him this answer That in requital of his fine Present of Tennis Balls it should not be long e're he would toss such Iron Balls amongst them that the best Arm in France should not be able to hold a Racket against them Neither was he worse than his word though his Army seemed very disproportionate for so great a work being only as some Write nine thousand Horse and Foot with which small number he met with the French Army at a place called Agencourt where though the Enemy were above five to one he fought them with such resolution that he took more Prisoners than his own Forces consisted of and kill'd ten thousand of them the Dauphin himself dying soon after of grief with the loss only of six hundred English nay one Author says of not above twenty six in all which made the Victory almost miraculous And which the Religious young King was so sensible of that he caused the Clergy in his Army to sing that Psalm of David When Israel went out of Egypt c and the Souldiers in their Arms responded at every Verse Not unto us O Lord not unto us but unto thy Name be all the Glory And upon his return to England with his Prisoners he commanded that no Ballad or Song should be sung but those of Thank sgiving to God for his happy Victory and Safe return without any reflections upon the French or extolling the English Valour Soon after he returned back to France where many great Cities and Towns were Surrendred to him and the French being unable to make any resistance at length a Treaty of Peace is concluded and he married his beloved Lady Katherine Daughter to the French King Charles being Proclaimed Regent of France during that King's Life and Heir Apparent to that Crown after King Charles his Death He was tall of Stature lean of Body and his Bones small but strongly made somewhat long Neckt black Hair'd and of a very comely Countenance So swift in running that he with two of his Lords would run down a Wild Buck or Doe in a Park He delighted in Songs and Musical Instruments
eight and lived fifty nine years and was murthered in the Tower of London in 1472. VII Edward the only Son of King Henry VI. by Queen Margaret Daughter to the King of Sicily was the seventh Prince of Wales of the Royal Blood of England He Married Anne the Daughter of Richard Nevil called the Great Earl of Warwick After his Father's Army was defeated by King Edward IV. at Tauton Field in Yorkshire he with his Mother were sent into France to pray aid from that King This Battel was the bloodiest that ever England saw King Henry's Army consisting in threescore thousand and King Edward's in about forty thousand men of which there fell that day thirty seven thousand seven hundred seventy six Persons no Prisoners being taken but the Earl of Devonshire Afterward the Queen returns from France with some Forces but before her coming King Edward had defeated the Earl of Warwick who with some other Lords had raised a Party for her assistance at Barnet wherein near ten thousand were slain So that when it was too late she landed at Weymouth and from thence went to Bewly Abbey in Hampshire where the Duke of Somerset the Earl of Devonshire and divers other Lords came to her resolving once more to try their Fortune in the Field The Queen was very desirous that her Son Edward Prince of Wales should have returned to France there to have been secure till the success of the next Battel had been tried but the Lords especially the Duke of Somerset would not consent to it so that she was obliged to comply with them though she quickly repented it From Bewly she with the Prince and the Duke of Somerset goes to Bristol designing to mise what men they could in Glocestershire and to march into Wales and join Jasper Earl of Pembroke who was there assembling more Forces K. Edward having intelligence of their Proceedings resolves to prevent their conjunction and follows Queen Margaret so diligently with a great Army that near Tewksbury in Glocestershire he overtakes her Forces who resolutely turn to ingage him The Duke of Somerset led the Van and performed the part of a Valiant Commander but finding his Soldiers through weariness begin to faint and that the Lord Wenlock who commanded the main Battel moved not he rode up to him and upbraiding his treachery with his Pole-ax instantly knockt out his Brains but before he could bring this Party to relieve the Van they were wholly defeated the Earl of Devonshire with above three thousand of the Queens Men being slain the Queen her self John Beufort the Duke of Somerset's Brother the Prior of St. John's Sir Jervas Clifton and divers others were taken Prisoners All whom except the Queen were the next day Beheaded At which time Sir Rich. Crofts presented to King Edward King Henry's Son Edward Prince of Wales To whom King Edward at first seemed indifferent kind but demanding of him how he durst so presumptuously enter into his Realm with Arms The Prince replied though truly yet unseasonably To recover my Father's Kingdom and my Inheritance Thereupon King Edward with his hand thrust him from him or as some say struck him on the Face with his Gauntlet and then presently George Duke of Clarence Thomas Grey Marquess Dorset and the Lord Hastings standing by fell upon him in the place and murthered him Others write that Crook-back'd Richard ran him into the Heart with his Dagger His Body was Buried with other ordinary Corps that were slain in the Church of the Monastery of the Black Friars in Tewksberry VIII Edward eldest Son of King Edward IV. was the eighth Prince of Wales of the English Royal Blood Of whose short Reign and miserable Death there is an account in a Book called England's Monarchs IX Richard only Son of King Richard III. was the ninth Prince of Wales His Mother was Ann the second Daughter of Richard Nevil the Great Earl of Warwick and Widow of Prince Edward Son of King Henry VI. aforementioned who was Married to King Richard though she could not but be sensible that he had been the Author both of her Husband's and Father's Death but womens Affections are Diametrically opposite to common apprehensions and generally governed by Passion and Inconstancy This Prince was born of her at Midleham near Richmond in the County of York At four years old he was created Earl of Salisbury by his Uncle King Edward IV. At ten years old he was created Prince of Wales by his Father King Richard III. but died soon after X. Arthur eldest Son to King Henry VII was the tenth Prince of Wales of the Royal English Families He was born at Winchester in the second year of his Father's Reign When he was about fifteen years old his Father proposed a Marriage for him with the Princess Katherine Daughter to Ferdinando King of Spain which being concluded the Lady was sent by her Father with a gallant Fleet of Ships to England and arrived at Plymouth Soon after the Princess was openly espoused to Prince Arthur they were both clad in white he being fifteen and she eighteen years of age At night they were put together in one Bed where they lay as Man and Wife all that Night When morning appeared the Prince as his Servants about him reported called for Drink which was not usual with him Whereof one of his Bed-Chamber asking him the cause he merrily replied I have been this Night in the midst of Spain which is a hot Country and that makes me so dry Though some write that a grave Matron was laid in Bed between them to hinder actual Consummation The Ladie 's Dowry was two hundred thousand Duckets and her Jointure the third part of the Principality of Wales Cornwal and Chester At this Marriage was great Solemnity and Roval Justings Prince Arthur after his Marriage was sent into Wales to keep his Country in good Order having several prudent and able Counsellors to advise with but within five Months after he died at his Castle at Ludlow and with great solemnity was Buried in the Cathedral of Worcester He was a very ingenious and learned Prince for though he lived not to be sixteen years old yet he was said to have read over all or most of the Latin Fathers besides many others Some attribute the shortness of his Life to his Nativity being born in the eighth month after Conception XI Henry the second Son to King Henry VII was the eleventh Prince of Wales of the Royal English Line He was born at Greenwich in Kent After the Death of his eldest Brother Prince Arthur the Title of Prince of Wales was by his Father's Order not given to him but his own only of Duke of York till the Women could certainly discover whether the Lady Katherine were with Child or not But after six months when nothing appeared he had his Title bestowed upon him and King Henry being loth to part with her great Portion prevailed with his Son Henry though not without some
the Title of Baron to Henry Lord Herbert PEMBROKE-SHIRE is bounded by Carnarthen on the East and Cardigan shire on the North-East On all sides else it is surrounded by the Sea In length 26. in breadth 20. and in circumference 93 Miles It was antiently Peopled by the Dimetree as well as Cardigan and Carmarthen-shires part of this County was after inhabited by the Flemmings sent thither by King Henry I. who lost their Country by the breaking in of the Sea whereby a great part of Flanders was drowned and whose Posterity continue there to this day and speak so good English that their Division is called Little England beyond Wales The Commodities of this shire are Corn Cattel Sea-fish and Fowl and in the days of Giraldus Cambrensis they had Wines for sale the Havens being so commodious for Traffick particularly Tenby and Milford the last of which is so large a Port that sixteen Creeks five Bays and thirteen Roads distinguisht by particular names are all contained within it Pembroke is the Shire Town which appears more antient than it is it was formerly Walled and had three Gates with a large Castle and a Causey leading over to the decayed Priory of Monton The Town consists principally of one long street on a long narrow Point of a Rock and hath within the Walls thereof two Churches St. David's is a Barren old City having neither Trees to defend it nor is it pleasant with Fields or Meadows but lyes exposed to Winds and Storms It is now the seat of a Bishop but was once an Archbishoprick in the British Church At the first planting of the Gospel in the reign of King Lucius there were three Archbishops Seats appointed London York and Caerleon The last in the Reign of Arthur King of the Britains was translated from thence to St David's as being farther off from the Saxon's fury Twenty seven of them retained the Title of Archbishops the last whereof was Samson who removed the Archi-episcopal Dignity to Dâ—le in Bretaign a Province in France Yet his Suceessors though they lost the name retained the power of the Archbishop the Welsh Bishops being consecrated by him till the Reign of King Henry I. when Bernard the 47th Bishop of this See was forced to submit himself to the Church of Canterbury The Cathedral here hath been often ruined by the Danes Norwegians and other Pirates as standing near the Sea in an extream Corner of this County that which we now see was built by Bishop Peter and by him dedicated to St. David In the middle of whose Quire Edmund Earl of Richmond Father to King Henry VII lies buried whose Monument secured the Church from being defaced in the Reign of King Henry VIII The roof of this Church is higher than any in England Calphurnius a British Priest who Married Concha Sister to St Martin and had St. Patrick the Apostle of Ireland to their Son was born at St. David's Likewise Justinian a Noble Britain with his own Inheritance built a Monastery in the Island of of Ramsey in this County where many Monks dwelt happily under his Jurisdiction until three of them Murdered him out of envy and emulation for his Plous Life His Body was brought to 〈◊〉 or St. David's and there interred and his Tomb afterward much famed for many supposed Miracles Giraldus Cambrensis whose Sirname was Barry some write Fitz Girald the Welsh Historian was born at Tenby in this County being Son to William Barry an Englishman by his Wife Angareth daughter of Nesta Daughter of Rhese or Rice Prince of South-Wales He was Nephew to David the second Bishop of St David's by whom he was made Arch-Deacon of Brecknock He was wont to complain That the English did not love him because his Mother was a Welshwoman and the Welsh hated him because his Father was an Englishman Though by his excellent Writings he deserved of England well of Wales better and of Ireland best of all making an exact description of all three and acting in the last as Secrety to King John with great industry and expence Having Travelled to Jerusalem he writ a Book of the Wonders of the Holy Land He had no great success at Court and therefore attained to no considerable Dignity till at length he was offered a very mean Bishoprick in Ireland and his highest Preferment was to this of St. David's of which he gives the true reason That he was looked upon with a Jealous Eye because being a Welshman by the Mother the furer side he was thought to have a natural antipathy against the English since it was believed no good Subject could come out of Walee Being now Bishop of St. David's he went to Rome and there was very importunate for an exemption of that Diocess from the Authority of Canterbury whereby he highly offended Hubert the Archbishop thereof Whereupon being rather overborn with bribes than overcome in his Cause he returned without effecting it and dying was buried in his own Cathedral about 1215. When King Henry II. was at St. David's in this County and from thence in a clear day discovered the Coast of Ireland in an huffing bravado he said I with my Ships am able to make a Bridge thither if it be no farther Which Speach of his being related to Murchard King of Lemster in Ireland he asked whether he did not say He would do it with the help of God and being told no he chearfully answered Then I fear him the less since he trusted more to himself than to the help of God The same King Henry coming back from Ireland arrived at St. David's where being told that there is an old Prophecy of Merlin's That the Conqueror of Ireland returning that way should dye upon a stone called Lechlaver near the Church-yard He thereupon before a multitude of People passed over it unhurt and reproving the Welshmen said Now who will hereafter credit that Lyar Merlin The County of Pembroke hath been fortified with sixteen Castles besides two Block-houses or Forts Commanding the Mouth of Milford Haven and hath five Market Towns is divided into seven Hundreds wherein are forty five Parish 〈◊〉 It gives the Title of Earl to Thomas Lord Herbert who is also Earl of Montgomery RADNOR-SHIRE hath Monmouth on the North Hereford and Shropshire on the East Brecknock on the South and Cardiganshire on the West In length twenty four in breadth twenty two and in circuit ninety miles The Air is sharp and cold as generally it is through all Wales whereby the Snow lies long unmelted under those vast Mountains Hills and Rocks that overshadow the Valleys yet the East and South parts are somewhat fruitful indifferently stored with Woods and watered with Rivers and Mears The riches of the North and West consist chiefly in the Cattel which they produce The antient Inhabitants were the Silures who by their own courage and the assistance of their inaccessible Mountains preserved their freedom very long against all the attempts of the Romans These Rocks
reprove him for it and coming into his presence the King in Courtesie rose from his Royal Throne to take him by the Hand and seat him by him But Dunstan refusing the King's Hand with a stern Countenance and contracted Brow spake thus to him You that have not been afraid to corrupt a Virgin dedicated to Christ how can you presume to touch the Consecrated Hands of a Bishop You have defiled the Spouse of your Maker and do you now think by your flattering service to pacifie the Friend of the Bridegroom No Sir do not mistake your self for I will be no friend to him who hath Christ for his Enemy The King thunder-struck with these dreadful Words and touch'd with remorse of Conscience fell down at the Feet of Dunstan who raising him up began to aggravate his Crime and finding the King pliable to his Instruction he enjoyned him the following Penance for satisfaction That he should wear no Crown for the space of feven years That he should fast twice a week That he should distribute his Treasure left him by his Ancestors liberally to the poor That he should build a Monastery for Nuns at Shaftsbury that since he had robbed God of one Virgin by his Transgression so he should restore to him many again for the time to come Likewise That he should expel Clerks or Priests of evil life meaning those who were married out of the Churches and place Monks in their room All this Edgar performed and the seven years being past Dunstan saith the Historian calling the Nobility with the Bishops Abbots and Clergy together he before all the People set the Crown upon the King's Head at Bath in the thirteenth year of his Reign Dunstan who it seems rul'd all having hitherto hindred it The Nun here mentioned was Wilfrid a Duke's Daâ—ghter by whom he had a Daughter called Editha He had a Son likewise by Elfrida the Earl of Devonshire's Daughter which Dunstan being now grown goood natured Christned The words of the Historian are these The Child also which was gotten of the Harlot he Baptized in the Holy Fountain of Regeneration and giving him the name of Edward adopted him to be the King's Son There are abundance of ridiculous miracles related of this Dunstan One among many others was That a Vision appearing to him required him to take up the Body of Editha the Bastard and Canonize her for a Saint her Tomb being accordingly opened in the Church of Wilâ—on where she was buried her whole Body saith the Monkish Historian was consumed to Dust save only her Thumb her Belly c. whereof she her self shewed the meaning declaring That her Thumb remained entire because she so often used to cross her self therewith and the other Parts did signifie the extraordinary Abstinence and Chastity With such stuff were the People then abused and persuaded to worship for Saints the dead Carcases of those that were many times of very profligate Lives while on Earth In King Edgar's Reign there was a great Famine wherein Ethel wald Bishop of Winchester sold away all the Church-Plate and Vessels of Gold and Silver to relieve the Poor saying There was no reason that the senseless Temples of God should abound in Riches and the lively Temples of the Holy Ghost to be in want of them After the Death of Edgar there was great Diviston many of the Nobility being for Etheldred the true and only legitimate Heir of Edgar but the other Nobles and the Clergy especially Dunstan fearing the Married Clergy should again prevail he with several other Bishops meeting together and carrying the Cross before Edward brought him to the Lords and by many Persuasions prevailed with them to accept him for their King He was accounted a just meek Prince and very charitable to the Poor Yet enjoyed he the Crown but a short space for in the fourth Year of his Reign as he was Hunting near Corf-Castle where his Brother Etheldred and Queen Elfrida his Mother resided while 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 Stirrop 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 Dunston Christened 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 happened 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 King's 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 Battles 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 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 Parlaiment of Bishops Lords and Barons in London wherein many laws were ordained and among others this following We 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 God's Learning and Laws often and daily to the profit of themselves And we warn that all Christian men do learn to know at least-wise the right Belief and a right to understand the Lord's 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 Goodwin who had married Canutus's Daughter 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 only Queen to Edward and Alfred her Sons sends Motherly Greetings Whilst we severally bewail the death of our Sovereign my Lord and your Father and your selves Dear Sons are still more and more dispossessed 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 Countrey-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 only with Alfred Edward being gone into Hungaria to whom delivering their Message he was very joyful and made all possible hast to England accompanied with divers Norman Gentlemen and arriving at Southampton was received by the villanous Earl Goodwin with much pretended Kindness and Friendship who made as if he would bring him to London but being come to Gilford in Surrey Goodwin commanded his men to kill all Alfred's Company and then carrying him to the Isle of Ely ordered his Eyes to be put out Then opening his Body they took out his Bowels and fastning one end of his Guts to a Stake they drove him round it with Iron Darts and Needles till all his Bowels came clear away Thus died innocent Alured or Alfred the true Heir to the Crown by the Treachery of Godwin to the great disgust of the English Nobility who vowed Revenge This Harold called Harefoot for his great swiftness did not long enjoy his usurped Dominion for after four years he died After which Hardiknute the Son of Canutus and Queen Emma who was by his Father made King or Denmark is now by the States of the Land both Danes and English invited over hither to take upon him the Government He was a great Oppressor of the English by heavy Taxes which so enraged them that two of his Collectors were slain at Worcester for which their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expelled his Office till with Money he had purchased his peace Though this King was very vicious yet it is said he was more kind to Edward his Half-brother and made Earl Godwin purge himself for the death of Prince Alfred though it is thought his bountiful Gifts to the King prevailed much more for clearing him than his Innocence One present especially is very remarkable that is A Ship whose Stern was of Gold and fourscore Soldiers all richly habited within her on their Heads they all wore guilt Burgonets and on their Bodies a triple gilt Harbergeon about their Wasts Swords girt richly guilt a Danish Battle-ax on their left Shoulders a Target with gilt Bosses on their left Hand a Dart in their right and upon their Arms Bracelets of Gold of great Value After two years Reign Hardiknute died in the midst of his drunken Debaucheries and in him ended the Danish Race in England three Kings only of that Nation Reigning here This third Conquest was but of a short continuance yet were the Danes very insolent toward the English during that time for if an Englishman and a Dane met at a Bridge or at a Door the Englishman must stand still till the Dane past by and if he did not then bow down very low to the Dane he was certainly beaten and abused Yea it is related That while the English were drinking the Danes would stab them or cut their Throats to prevent which when the Englishman drank he desired his next Companion to be his Surety or Pledge from whence it is said the Custom of Pledging one another did first arise For these and abundant greater Insolencies after the Death of Hardiknute the Danes were utterly driven out of England and never again returned
Grandfather Griffith whom he intimated was murdered in the Tower of London and not kill'd by accident yet he sent a message to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York That if the King pleased to appoint Commissioners to receive his Oath and Homage he was very ready to give it or if he would name some indifferent place and give Prince Edward the Earl of Glocester and the Lord Chancellor as Hostages for his safe return he would wait upon him in Person The King dissembled his anger at these arrogant demands but a while after coming to the Castle of Chester on the Border of Wales he again sent for him and Leoline again denied to come At which the King resolved for preventing all future disturbances on that side to make an absolute Conquest of the Countrey And on the contrary the Welsh having always a custom at every change of Princes in England to try conclusions expecting one time or other to change their Yoke of Bondage into Liberty were in great hopes of doing it at this time having now a valiant Prince to command them But an accident happened which somewhat took off their edge for the Lady Eleanor Daughter of Simon Earl of Montfort whom Prince Leoline extreamly loved Sailing out of France into Wales was by the way taken by some English Ships and brought to King Edward and for the Love of her Prince Leoline was willing to submit to any conditions so that besides his Promise of submission to the Government he agreed to pay down Fifty thousand pounds Sterling and a thousand pound a year during life Upon these Terms he Married his beloved Lady and the Wedding was solemniz'd in England the King and Queen being present thereat Three years Leoline continued faithful and obedient in which time David one of his Brothers staying in England and being found by the King to be of a stirring Spirit was much honoured by him Knighted and Match to a Rich Widow Daughter of the Earl of Derby to which the King added the gift of the Castle of Denbigh with a thousand pound a year though it was at length discovered that he lived here only as a Spy For Prince Leoline's Lady dying soon after and he contrary to his engagements taking up Arms his Brother David notwithstanding these favours from the King went and joined with him and they together enter into England seizing the Castles of Flint and Ruthland with the Person of the Lord Chief Justice Clifford who was sent thither as a Judge and in a great Battel the Welsh overthrew the Earls of Northumberland and Surrey with the Slaughter of many English King Edward was at the Vizes in Wiltshire when news coming of this revolt and overthrow he raises an Army to revenge it In his way he goes to visit his Mother Queen Eleanor who lay at the Nunnery of Almesbury with whom while he was discoursing a Person was brought into the Chamber who pretended that being formerly blind he had received his Sight at the Tomb of King Henry III. When the King saw him he knew him and that he was a most notorious lying Villain and intreated his Mother not to give the least credit to him but the Queen who was glad to hear of this Miracle for the glory of her Husband finding her Son unwilling that his Father should be a Saint fell suddenly into such a rage that she commanded him out of her sight which the King obeys and going forth meets with a Clergyman to whom he tells the story of this Impostor adding merrily That he knew the Justice of his Father to be such that he would rather pluck out the Eyes being whole of such a wicked wretch than restore him to his sight In the mean time the Archbishop of Canterbury went of himself to Prince Leoline and his Brother David endeavouring to persuade them to submission but in vain for Leoline was so animated with an old British Prophecy of Merlin's That he should shortly be Crowned with the Diadem of Brute that he had no Ear for Peace and shortly after no head for the Earl of Pembroke first took Bere Castle which was his usual residence from him he then gave him Battel and his Party being defeated his Head was cut off by a Common Souldier and sent to King Edward who caused it to be Crowned with Ivy thereby in some part unluckily fulfilling his Welsh Prediction And this was the end of Leoline the last of the Welsh Princes betrayed as some write by the men of Buelth Soon after his Brother David flying into Wales and being destitute of help or relief he was at length taken with two of his Sons and seven Daughters as some Authors write all which were brought before the King David was committed to Chester Castle and afterward in a Parliament at Shrewsbury was convicted of Treason and sentenced to an ignominious death namely to be first drawn at a Horse Tail about the City of Shrewsbury then to be beheaded and quartered his Heart and Bowels burnt His Head to accompany his Brothers was put upon the Tower of London and his four Quarters were set up in four Cities Bristol Northampton York and Winchester A manifold Execution and the first shewed in this kind in this Kingdom in the Person of the Son of a Prince or any other Nobleman that we read of in our History Some have observed that upon King Edward's thus totally subjecting Wales he lost his Eldest Son Alphonsus a Prince of great hopes about twelve years of Age and had only left to succeed him his Son Edward lately born at Carnarvan and the first of the English Royal Families that was Intituled Prince of Wales but no Prince worthy either of Wales or England After this the rest of the Welshmen as well Nobles as others submitted themselves to King Edward and all the Countrey and Castles therein were surrendred to him who then annexed that Country to the Crown of England and built two strong Castles at Aberconway and Carnarvan to secure their obedience He also gave several Lands and Castels to Englishmen as the Lordship of Denhigh to Henry Lacy Earl of Lincoln Of Ruthen to Reginald Lord Grey and divided Wales into Counties and Hundreds establishing the Government thereof agreeable to the Laws of England This happened in the twelfth year of his Reign 1284. Remarks upon the Lives of the Princes of Wales of the Royal Families of England PART II. THough King Edward I. had subjected the Principality of Wales and afterward annexed it to the Crown of England yet he could never induce that People freely to own him as their King but upon condition that he would come and reside among them or at least appoint them a Prince of their own Nation to Govern them for the Welchmen having experienced the rigorous and severe Treatment of the English Governours and being sensible that the King would rule them by an English Deputy they could not with patience bear the thoughts of it so that
oftentimes when the King charged them with affronting his Lord Lieutenants they unanimously answered That they were very willing to be subject to any Prince he should nominate provided he were a Welshman born The King perceiving their inflexible temper resolved to gratifie them by a Politick Stratagem He thereupon sends secretly to the Queen who was then big with Child that she should come to him with all speed to Carnarvan and when she was nigh her time of Delivery He ordered all the Welsh Nobility and Gentry to appear before him at Ruthland Castle to consult about the Publick welfare of their Country When they were come he detained them till he had notice that the Queen was delivered of a Son at Carnarvan and then calling them together he told them That they having often Petitioned him to have a Prince to rule them he being now going out of their Countrey would nominate one to them provided they would promise to accept and obey him The Welshmen answered they would be willingly obedient to him provided he were their own Countryman Ay says the King I will assure you that he was born in Wales That he can speak never a word of English and that he never did any wrong to man Woman or Child The Welshmen were very joyful of their good fortune promising true subjection to him Whereupon he named his own new born Son Edward firnamed Carnarvan from the place of his Birth and from that time the Eldest Sons of the Kings of England have been Intituled Princes of Wales This Prince succeeded his Father by the name of King Edward II. He was a comely Person and of great strength but much given to Drink which made him often disclose his Secrets For his other conditions his greatest fault was his inordinate love to Garestone and the Spencers who being Persons of lewd Lives endeavoured to debauch him with Wine and Women and occasioned many mischiefs and grievances in the Kingdom of which the Nobility and People were so sensible that when they found him irreclaimable they resolved to depose him and set his young Son Edward on the Throne his Queen likewise joining with the Lords therein who going over to France she there Contracted a Marriage between her Son Edward and Philippa Daughter to the Earl of Heynault by whom being aided with Forces she landed at Orwell near Harwich in Suffolk The Lords immediately resorted to her and the Londoners inclining to take her part the King found his evil Counsellors the Spencers and others could do him little service Therefore Shiping themselves for the Isle of Lundy they were by Tempest cast upon the Coast of Wales and the King secured himself in a Monastery in Glamorganshire But soon after both he and his Favourites were taken from thence They were Hanged and Quartered and he himself was deposed by Parliament having been first persuaded to make a formal resignation of the Crown And at length he was committed a Prisoner to Berkley Castle near Bristol where he was miserably murdered by having a red hot Iron or Spit thrust up into his Body II. Edward of Windsor so called from the place of his Birth the Son of this unfortunate King was the second Prince of Wales of the English Royal Blood Upon the Deposing of his Father by the Parliament it was resolved that he should be advanced to the Throne which this young Prince refused unless his Father resigned the Government which he was obliged to do and so his Son was Proclaimed King by the name of Edward III. who afterward proved a Glorious and Renowned Prince His Minority being but four years old when he was Crowned though it may Palliate cannot so take off the scandal of not preventing his Death who gave him Life but that there remains a great blemish upon his memory For being a Master of so much reason as to pause upon it as he did upon the first motion of putting his Father to Death it may be thought he had power enough to have prevented the execution it being a violation of the Law of Nature and likewise of ill example since the People might use him in the same manner if he outlived their affections or his own discretion But his revenge upon Mortimer seems to declare him really innocent or that he abhor'd the World should think otherwise Whereby he so far reconciled himself to the opinion of the Vulgar that he seldom wanted Friends during his long Reign as he never wanted an occasion to make use of them He was a Prince of that admirable composure of Body and Mind that Fortune seemed to have fallen in love with him elevating him so far above the reach of Envy or Treachery that all the Neighbour Princes dazled with the splendor of his Glory gave place to him who from the very first Ascent to the Throne had a prospect of two Crowns more than he was born to The one placed within his reach which was Scotland The other that of France which was more remote To the attaining the first there was a fair opportunity offered by the irreconcileable contest of two Rival Kings David Bruce and Edward Baliol whose Right and Interest were so evenly poized that King Edward's power could easily turn the Scale To the recovery of France there was yet a fairer opportunity given him by the revolt of Philip of Artois a Prince of the Blood Royal and Brother in Law to Philip of Valois the present French King who upon discontent came over and discovered all the Secrets of the French Counsels to King Edward assuring him of the Affections of several of the French Nobility And now the two Kings set up their Titles to the Kingdom of France Edward was nearest by Blood but drew his Pedigree from a Female Philip was farther off but descended of all Males and because the Law Salique which excludes Women from Reigning in France was conceived as well to exclude all Descendants from Females therefore was Philip's Title accepted the French obstinately declaring That they would never tye the Succession of that Crown to a Distaff To which King Edward replied That he would then tye it to his Sword With the English took part the Emperor and the chief Princes of Germany With the French the King of Bohemia the two Dukes of Austria the Earl of Flanders the Duke of Savoy and divers Princes of Italy together with his inraged Neighbour David Bruce King of Scots a weak but restless Enemy against whom King Edward had set up Edward Baliol as Competitor and to whose assistance he sends an Army toward Scotland and at Hallydown Hill near Berwick the Scots are utterly defeated about Thirty Two Thousand Souldiers being slain with a great number of Nobility and Gentry After this King Edward gained a Glorious Victory over the French at the Battel of Cressy and another at Poictiers wherein John King of France was taken Prisoner And David King of Scots with an Army of Threescore Thousand men a second time
Invading England his Army is routed and himself taken Prisoner King Edward III. was of Stature indifferent tall with sparkling Eyes and of a comely and manly countenance no man was more mild when there was submission nor none more fierce if opposed He had a command over his Passions as well as People being never so loving as to be fond nor so angry as to be irreconcileable But this must be understood of him when he was a man for in his old age he became a Child again and was Master of neither He was Fortunate and Valiant both which were heightened in the estimation of the World as reigning between two unfortunate Princes his Father to whom he was Successor and his Grandson Richard II. to whom he was Predecessor His disposition was so martial that his very Recreations were Warllke for he delighted in none more than in Justs and Turnaments and among the rest in the fourth year of his Reign a solemn Turnament was held in Cheapside between the great Cross and the great Conduit which lasted three days where his Queen Philippa with many Ladies fell from a Stage erected for them to behold the Justing and though they were not hurt at all yet the King threatned to punish the Carpenters for their negligence till the Queen intreated pardon for them upon her Knees as she was always ready to do all good Offices of mercy to all People To discover his Devotion one example may be sufficient for when neither Cardinals nor Counsellors could move him to make Peace with France a Tempest from Heaven did it To which may be added That he never won a great Battel but he presently gave the Glory of it to God by publick Thanksgiving He outlived the best Wife and the best Son that ever King had and to say the truth he out-lived the best of himself leaving all Action and bidding adieu to the World Ten Years before he went out of it declining so fast from the Fortieth year of his Government that it may rather be said his Son the Prince Reigned than he and happy 't was for him that when his own Understanding failed him he had so good a supporter And the grief for the loss of him besides the Fatigues of War was thought to hasten his Death together with the trouble for the loss of the benefit of his Conquests in France of all which he had at last little left but the Town of Callice Being oppressed thus in Body and Mind he was drawing his last breath when his Concubine Alice Pierce who was so confident sometime before as to sit in Courts of Justice and overawe the Judges packing away what she could catch even to the Rings of his Fingers left him and by her example others of his Attendants seize on what they could meet with and march away yea all his Counsellors and Courtiers forsook him when he had most occasion for them leaving his Bed-Chamber quite empty Which a poor Priest in his Palace observing approached to his Bed-side and finding him yet Breathing called upon him to remember his Saviour and to beg Mercy for his Offences which none about him before would do But now moved by the Voice of this Priest he shews all signs of Contrition and at his last Breath he pronounceth the Name of Jesus Thus died this Victorious King at his Manour of Sheen now Richmond June 21. 1377. in the 64 year of his Age having reigned above 50 years His Body was conveyed from Sheene by his four Sons having had seven in all and five Daughters and the Nobility and solemnly interred in Westminster Abbey where his Monument is to be seen and likewise his Sword which it is said he used in Battel being eight pound in weight and seven foot in length III. The Third Prince of Wales of the Blood Royal of England was Edward commonly called the Black Prince but why so named is uncertain for to think it was because of his dreadful actions as Speed saith has little probability neither do the Historians of that Age ever give him that name nor mention that he was so called He was eldest Son to King Edward III. by the fair Philippa Daughter to William Earl of Henault and Holland and born at Woodstock July 15. 1329. in the third year of his Father's Reign He was afterwards created Prince of Wales Duke of Aquitain and Cornwall and Earl of Chester He was likewise Earl of Kent in the right of his Wife Joan Daughter of the Earl of that Name and Brother by the Father's side to King Edward II. the most admired beauty of that Age. King Edward was very careful of his Education providing him the most able Tutors to educate him both in Arts and Arms. When he was but fifteen years old his Father passing over into France with a gallant Army took his Son along with him making him a Souldier before he was a Man being willing to try his Metal and loth to omit any thing that might give reputation to that Battel wherein two Kingdoms were laid at Stake In 1345. King Edward with a Fleet of about a Thousand Sail landed an Army of Two Thousand Five Hundred Horse and Thirty Thousand Foot most of them Archers in Normandy making devastation of all before him even to the very Walls of Paris In the mean time Philip the French King was not idle having raised as brave an Army as France had ever seen consisting in near an Hundred and Twenty Thousand Fighting Men K. Edward's Army being loaden with the rich Spoils of the ruined Countrey he was unwilling to retreat neither indeed was he able being got into the Heart of the Enemies Countrey between the two fine Rivers of Scin and Soan so that he began to inquire how he might find a passage out of these straits which the French having notice of looked upon as an intended flight and King Edward was willing they should nourish that opinton The River Soan between Abbeville and the Sea was fordable when the Tyde was out of which the French were aware and therefore guarded the passage with a Thousand Horse and Six Thousand Foot commanded by Gundamar de Foy a Valiant Norman Lord. King Edward coming to this place plunges into the River crying out He that loves me will follow me as resolving either to pass or dye This so animated his Souldiers that the Passage was won and Du Foy defeated by the undaunted courage of the English almost before he was fought with carrying back to King Philip. Two Thousand less than he brought beside the terror of the English Arms the Souldiers resolving to live and dye with such a gallant Soveraign King Edward was now near Crescy in the Province of Pontheiu between the Rivers Soam and Anthy a place unquestionably belonging to him in right of his Mother where he provided all necessaries for a Battel King Philip inraged at the late defeat and by his numerous Forces growing confident of success marches furiously to fall upon
exceeds And like the strokes of Jove's resistless Thunder Shoots forth and breaks the strongest Ranks Here in the thickest throng of Enemies Like Thracian Mars himself Black Edward plies asunder Death's fatal task Here Noble Warwick gives A furious onset There brave Suffolk strives T' out 〈◊〉 the formost Emulations fire Is kindled now and blazes high Desire Of Honour drowns all other Passions there Not in the Chiefs alone Each Soldier In that small Army feels bright Honours flame And labours to maintain his proper Fame Ne're was a Battel through all parts so fought Nor such high wonders by an handful wrought White Victory that soar'd above beheld How every English hand throughout the Field Was stain'd with Blood Amaz'd to see the Day And that so few should carry her away The Fields no more their verdure can retain Enforced now to take their Purple stain And be obscur'd with slaughter while the wounds Of France manure her own unhappy Grounds Where mixed with Plebeian Funerals Her greatest Princes die There Bourbon falls And Marshal Clermont welters in his gore There Noble Charney's beaten down that bore The Standard Royal that sad Day Here dies Athens Great Duke There Valiant Eustace lyes Who as a badg of highest Honour wore A Chaplet of bright Pearls that had before Won by King Edward in a skirmish near To Calice he was taken Prisoner As testimony of his Prowess show'd Been by that Royal Enemy bestow'd Great are the French Battalia's and in room Of those that fall so oft fresh Souldiers come So oft the bloody Fight 's renewed that now The English weary with subduing grow And 'gin to faint oppress'd with odds so great When lo to make the Victory compleat Six hundred Bowmen whom to that intent Before the Battel the brave Prince had sent Abroad well mounted now come thundring o're The Field and charge the French behind so sore As with confusion did distract them quite And now an Execution not a Fight Ensues All routed that great Army flies A Prey to their pursuing Enemies With his disheartned battel Orleans Forsakes the Field with him the Heir of France Young Charles of Normandy and thousands moe Not overthrown but frighted by the foe Nor are the English tho' enow to gain The day enow in number to maintain So great a chase And not so well suffice To follow as subdue their enemies Nor yet which more declar'd the Conquest sent From Heaven alone to strike astonishment in over-weening Mortals and to show Without that help how little Man can do Are all the English Conquerors in the Field Enow to take so many French as yield Nor to receive the Prisoners that come Tho' some in fields are Ransom'd and sent home Yet more from thence are Captive born away Then are the Hands that won so great Day c. And now though King John had the misfortune to fall into the Hands of an Enemy yet he had the happiness to be made Captive to a Noble Enemy For Prince Edward having conquered his Person by the Fortune of War endeavoured now to overcome his Mind by his Courteous demeanor addressing him with such an humble Grace yet generous deportment as a Person of so gallant a Soul as this noble Prince was capable of which so alleviated the King's affliction that he could not find much difference between his Captivity and Liberty which the same Poet thus expresses THE chase together with the day was done And all return'd In his Pavilion Brave Edward feasts his Royal Prisoner At which as Noble did the Prince appear As erst in battel and by sweetness won As great a Conquest as his Sword had done No fair respect or Honour that might cheer That King 's afflicted breast was wanting there No Reverence nor humble courtesie That might preserve his state and dignity But Edward shew'd at full And at the Feast In Person waited on his captive Guest But what content what Object fit could Fate Present to comfort such a changed State For him Whose State the Morning Sun had seen so high This night beholds in sad captivity His restless passions rowling to and fro No calm admit when thus his noble Fo Prince Edward spake Great King for such you are In my thoughts still whate're the Chance of War Hath lately wrought against you here forgive Your humble Kinsman's service if I strive To ease your sorrow and presume to do What is too much for me to counsel you Do not deject your Princely thoughts or think The Martial Fame that you have gain'd can sink In one succesless Field Or too much fear your Nation 's Honour should be tainted here Mens Strength and Honour we most truly try Where Fields are fought with most equality But God was pleas'd to make this days success The more miraculous that we the less Might challenge to our selves and humbly know That in so great and strange an overthrow Some secret Judgment of our God was wrought And that the Sword of Heaven not England fought c. And for your self Great King all History That shall hereafter to the World make known Th' event of Poictiers Battel shall renown Your Personal Prowess which appear'd so high As justly seem'd to challenge Victory Had not Gods secret Providence oppos'd But though his Will Great Sir hath thus dispos'd Your State remains your Person and your Fame Shall in my humble thoughts be still the same And till my Father see your Face to show How he respects your Worth and State to you As to himself were he in Person here In all observance Edward shall appear The Noble King a while amaz'd to see Victorious Youth so full of Courtesie At last replies Brave Cousin you have shown Your self a Man built up for true Renown And as in Action of the Wars to be This Ages Phoenix in Humanity Why do you wrong me thus as to enthral Me doubly Not insulting o're my Fall You rob me Cousin of that sole Renown Which I though vanquish'd might have made mine own To bear Adversity I might have shew'd Had you been proud a Passive Fortitude And let the world though I am fallen see What sp'rit I had in scorning misery But you have robb'd me of that Honour now And I am bound in Honour to allow That Noble Theft content since such are you To be your Captive and your Debtor too And since my Stars ordain'd a King of France Arm'd with such odds so great a Puissance Must in a fatal Field be lost to raise So great a Trophie to anothers Praise I am best pleas'd it should advance thy Story And John's dishonour be Prince Edward's Glory After the Battel Prince Edward led King John and the Captive Nobles Prisoners to Bourdeaux the Archiepiscopal See and chief City of his Dominions in France where he retained them till the Spring following But sent present News of this Victory to his Father who thereupon ordered a Thanksgiving to be celebrated all over England for eight days
and used some English Psalms turn'd into verse in his private Chappel And indeed it may be said of him that he had scarce his equal both for Virtue and Valour For he seldom fought a Battel where he got not the Victory and never got Victory whereof he gave not the Glory to God with Publick Thanksgiving He was indeed a great Affector of Glory yet not of the Glory of the blast of Mens Mouths but of that which fills the Sails of Time He died of full years though not full of years If he had lived longer he might have gone over the same again but could not have gone further He fell sick in France and having given necessary instructions to the Nobility about him how to manage affairs he then returned thanks to the Almighty for his many favours and blessings and in the midst of saying a Psalm of David he gave up the Ghost who might have justly prayed God with David Lord take me not away in the midst of my days for he died about the age of thirty six which in David's account is but half the life of Man Being dead his body was imbalmed closed in Lead and laid in a Chariot Royal richly apparelled in Cloth of Gold and then conveyed from Boys de Vincennes where he died to Paris Roan Callice Dover and so through London to Westminster Abbey Upon whose Tomb Queen Katherine caused a Royal Picture to be laid covered all over with Silver Plate gilt but the Head all of Massy Silver which was afterward all stoln away He died Aug. 31. 1422. having reigned about nine and lived about thirty eight years VI. Henry of Windsor his Son and Successor was the sixth Prince of Wales of the English Royal Line but so unlike his Father that had not the virtues of his Mother been so well known as they were the Virtues of his Father would have rendred this Prince justly suspected not to have been his Son and that his Mother begat him all of her self by imagination His Father seemed to have some Prophetick Revelation of the future unhappiness of his Reign and it was thought the knowledg thereof was not the least cause of shortning his days For 't is credibly reported that at the news of the Birth of this Son born at Windsor he in a Prophetick rapture cried out Good Lord Henry of Monmouth shall small time Reign and get much and Henry of Windsor shall long time Reign and lose all But God's Will be done And yet no doubt Henry VI. was a Prince of excellent parts though not of kindly parts for a Prince being such as were neither fit for the Warlike Age he was born in nor agreeable to the Glory he was born to but such rather as better became a Priest than a Prince so that the Title which was sometimes given to his Father with relation to his Piety might better have been applied to the Son That he was Prince of Priests Herein only was the difference betwixt them that the Religion of the one made him bold as a Lion that of the other made him meek as a Lamb. Whereas if he had less of the Dove-like Innocence and more of the Serpentine subtilty 't is probable he had not only been happier whilst he lived but more respected after he was dead whereas now notwithstanding all his Indulgence to the Church and Churchmen there was none of them so grateful after he was Murthered by the Bloody Duke of Glocester to give him Christian Burial but being brought from the Tower to St. Paul's in an open Coffin bare-faced where he bled thence to Black-Friars where he also bled he was carried from thence by Boat to Chertsey Abbey without Priest or Clark Torch or Taper Mass or Mourner Indeed his Burial was so without regard to his Person or Dignity that if his Funerals were any whit better than that which the Holy Writ calls the Burial of an Ass vet they were such that his Competitor and Successor King Edward IV. who denied him the Rights of Majesty living thought him too much wronged being dead and to make him some kind of satisfaction he removed his Corps to Windsor Chapel and there erected a fine Monument over him In this King we may see the fulfilling of that Text Wo to that Nation whose King is a Child for he was not above eight months old when he succeeded his Father in the Kingdom though this Text may be meant as well of a Child in understanding as years The first defect may be supplied by good Governors or Protectors but the last is hardly to be repaired of which in this Prince we have a pregnant instance For so long as he continued a Child in years his Kingdoms were kept flourishing by the Providence of his careful Uncles but so soon as he left being a Child in years and yet continued a Child in Ability of Ruling having not the judgment to conceal his own weakness then presently Faction and Ambition broke in upon the Government so that all things went to wrack both in France and England and we were forced to surrender tamely all our Foreign Acquisitions which we had obtained with so much Reputation and Glory This King being Crowned King of France at Paris in 1431. He was tall of Stature spare and slender of Body of a comely Countenance and in all parts well proportioned For endowments of his mind he had Virtues enough to make a Saint but not a King He was sensible of that which the World calls Honour accounting the greatest honour to consist in humility He was not so stupid not to know Prosperity from Adversity but he was so devout as to think nothing adversity which was not an hindrance to Devotion He had one privilege peculiar to himself that no man could ever be revenged on him seeing he never offered any man injury He was so modest that when at Christmas a show of Women was presented to him with their naked Breasts he presently departed saying Fie Fie for shame forsooth you are to blame So pitiful that when he saw the Quarters of a Traytor over Cripplegate he caused them to be taken down saying I will not have any Christian so cruelly handled for my sake So free from swearing that he never used any other Oath but forsooth and verily So patient that to one who struck him when he was taken Prisoner he only said Forsooth you wrong your self more than me to strike the Lord 's anointed So Devout that on principal Holy-days he used to wear Sackcloth next his Skin In fine let his Confessor be heard who in ten years Confession never found that he had said or done any thing worthy of a Reprimand For all which Christian Virtues King Henry VII would have procured him to be Canonized for a Saint but that he was prevented by Death or perhaps because the charge would have been too great the Canonization of a King being much dearer than that of a private Person He reigned thirty
all or any of which Books I refer the Reader for farther satisfaction being unwilling to repeat or that any should pay twice for the same matter Remarkable Observations upon the most Memorable Persons and Places in Wales And an account of several considerable Transactions and Passages that have happened for many hundred years past Together with the Natural and Artificial Rarities and Wonders in the several Counties of that Principality PART III. GReat Britain comprehends the Kingdoms of England and Scotland and is an Island in the Ocean divided by Antiquity into three Parts the first and greatest called Loegria is contained within the French Seas the River Severne Dee and Humber to the German Ocean now called England The second containeth all the Land Northward from Humber to the Deucalidonian Seas now called Scotland The third lyes between the Irish Seas and the Rivers Severne and Dee and was called Cambria now Wales Some Authors add a fourth division called Cornubia now Cornwall the Inhabitants of all four differing in Language humor and Customs among themselves My design at present is to give an account of Wales having already treated of England in a Book called Admirable Curiosities Rarities and Wonders in every County thereof And I intend to proceed in the same method in this Principality Wales is situated on the West and Northwest part of England over against the Kingdom of Ireland and appears like a Promontory oâ— Foreland being surrounded by the Sea almost on every side except on the South-East part where it is divided from England by the River Severn and by a Ditch drawn from the Mouth of the River Dee to the mouth of the River Wye being an hundred Miles from East to West and an hundred and twenty Miles from North to South The forenamed Ditch is called Claudh Offa because made by Offa King Mercia of a great depth and breadth thereby to confine the Welsh into narrower limits who enacted That if any Welshman were found on the East side of this Ditch he should forfeit his right hand but that Law is long since repealed and the Loyal and Valiant Welsh have for several ages past enjoyed the same Liberties and Privileges with the other Subjects of the Crown of England It was divided into three parts that is North-Wales South-Wales and Powis-Land by Roderick the Great in 877. as you have heard which proved the confusion of Wales their Princes being commonly at War with the English or among themselves to inlarge and defend their several Dominions Of these three North-Wales was the chief being left to Amarawd the eldest Son of Roderick the Princes whereof by way of eminency were stiled Princes of Wales and sometimes Kings of Aberfrow their Chief Residence and paid to the King of London as well as the Princes of South-Wales and Powis-Land sixty three pounds yearly as a Tribute Yet South-Wales called by the Inhabitants Dehenbarth or the right side as being nearer the Sun was the largest most fruitful and rich but more subject to the Invasions and Depredations of the English and Flemings and therefore North-Wales being secured by its Hills and Mountains was prefer'd before it and retaineth more of the purity of the Welsh Tongue However this makes the soil lean and hungry but that is supplied by the large quantity thereof which occasioned this pleasant passage An English Gentleman in discourse with a worshipful Knight of Wales boasting that that he had in England so much ground worth 40 s. an Acre the Welsh Gentleman replied You have ten yards of Velvet and I have two hundred yards of Frize I will not exchange with you There are likewise in Wales very pleasant Meadows Watered by fine Rivers and as the sweetest Flesh is said to be near the Bones so the most delicious Valleys are interposed betwixt these Mountains The Natives are generally healthy strong swift and witty which is imputed to the clear and wholesome Air of the Mountains the cleanly and moderate Diet of the People and the hardship to which they are inured from their Childhood The Ancient Britains painted their naked Bodies with Pictures of living Creatures Flowers Sun Moon and Stars thereby as they imagined to appear terrible to their Enemies yet some more civil were clothed and as a great Ornament wore Chains of Iron about their Wasts and Neck and Rings on their middle Fingers They wore the Hair of their Head long which was naturally curled in many All other parts they shaved only wore long Whiskers on their upper Lip They had ten or twelve Wives a piece who lived in common among their Parents and Brethren yet the Children were only accounted his who first married the Mother while she was a Maid They were brought up in common among them They were moderate in their Diet as Milk Roots and Barks of Trees and a little thing no bigger than a Bean which for a great while took away both Hunger and Thirst Neither would they eat Hens Hares Geese nor Fish yet would often Dine upon Venison and Fruits Their usual Drink was made of Barly They are reported by Plutarch to have lived very long many to an hundred and twenty years They were Idolatrous Heathens as to their Religion using Man's Flesh in their Sacrifices and adoring a multitude of Idols Their Priests were called Druids who managed their Sacrifices and likewise acted as Temporal Judges in all Civil Matters and it was highly criminal not abide by their Judgment They were excused from the Wars and all contributions They had a Primate who commanded over them in chief Their Divinity was That the Soul is immortal and passeth from one Body to another which Doctrine they taught not out of Books but by word of Mouth Their Buildings were low mean Cottages like those of the Gauls or Boors of France yet they fortified several thick Woods with Rampires and Ditches which they called Towns Brass and Iron Rings were the Coin they used which were of a certain weight but afterward they grew more civil by Traffick and had both Gold and Silver Money Their chief Trade was in Chains Wreaths Ivory Boxes Bitts and Bridles with some Toys of Amber and Glass Neither was their Shipping more considerable their cheif Vessels being made of light wood covered over with Leather Their usual way of Fighting was in Military Chariots neither did they engage in great bodies but had still fresh men to succeed those who retired or were weary Their weapons were Shields and short Spears at the lower end whereof was fastned a round Bell of Brass with which they terrified their Enemies Many times they fought under the Conduct of Valiant Women who were extraordinary couragious They managed their Chariots so dexterously that running downa steep Hill with all speed they could stop them in the middle of their course The Principality of Wales produceth Mines and among others Royal Mines of Silver in Cardiganshire in the Mountains of Cosmelock Tallabant Gadarren Bromfloid Geginnon and Cummerrum The
termed the British Alpes for steepness and cragginess not much unlike those that divide France from Italy all tow ring into the Air and some far higher than the rest called Snowdon Hills or Snowy Mountains being all the year round crusted over with Snow though liable to the Sun and Wind. This made them a secure refuge to the Britains against their Enemies no Army though never so potent nor any Traveller never so lightly clothed being able to find a passage among so many rough and hard Rocks so many Pools Vales and Sloughs as are to be encountred with in the middle of this County Yet it is sufficiently fruitful for the Mountains are so rank with Grass that it is become a Proverb among them Craig Eriry or Snowdon will yield sufficient Pasture for all the Cattel of Wales put together And it is certain that there are Ponds and Standing Waters upon the tops of them though generally covered with Snow and if a man sets his foot any where upon the top of them he shall perceive the Earth to move at a considerable distance from him Penmen-maur or the great stony head is an exceeding high and steep Rock or Hill in this County which hanging over the Sea when it is Flood affordeth a very narrow Way for Passengers huge Stones hanging over head as if ready to fall upon them and the Tempestuous Ocean lying under of a very great depth But after the passing this and Penmen-bidam the less stony head there is a great open Plain reaching as far as Aber-Conway in which River are found a sort of shell fish conceived as they say by the Heavenly Dew which are thought to bring forth Pearl formerly much valued The antient Inhabitants of this County were the Ordovices who had a City which the Emperor Antovinus calls Segontium the ruins whereof are still visible hard by a River called to this day Sevont and near a little Church Consecrated to the Memory of St. Publicius Some Authors name it Caer Custenith or the City of Constantine saying that in 1283. the body of Constantius was found here which K. Edw. I. caused to be sumptuously buried in the Church of the new City that he raised out of the ruins of the old and called Carnarvan which now gives a name to the whole Shire This Town hath a fine Prospect toward the Sea and was incompassed with the Walls of the Castle The Government was formerly administred by the Covernour of the Castle who was always Mayor by Patent assisted by one Alderman two Bayliffs two Sergeants at Mace and a Town-Clerk The Townsmen much glory that K. Edw. II. was born in a Tower of their Castle called Eagle Tower and Sirnamed Carnarvan being the first Prince of Wales of the English Race The Welsh report that the Corps of 20000 Saints are interred in a small Island called Berdsey lying within a Mile of the South Promontory of this County It is I confess more easie to find Graves there for so many Saints than Saints for so many Graves Bangor is a Bishops See of antient standing but by whom founded is not yet known the Cathedral is dedicated to the Memory of St. Daniel who was Bishop here about the year 516. It is now but a small Town yet was formerly so large that the Welsh called it Banchor Vaur or great Bangor which Hugh Earl of Chester fortified with a Castle long since so throughly demolished that the very ruins are now invisible upon the severest search This Diocess containeth in it the whole County of Carnarvan and Anglesey and part of Denbigh Merioneth and Montgomery-shires and in them 107 Parish Churches and three Arch-Deaconries The antient Cathedral was defaced and set on fire by Owen Glendour and his Associates who had a design to have destroyed all the Churches in Wales whose People submitted to the King of England but was afterward repaired by one Henry Dean Bishop thereof in the Reign of King Henry VII yet hath scarce recovered the resemblance of its pristine dignity There was formerly a Town called by the Roman's Canonium near the River Conway from whence it took its name which is now utterly extinct only there is a poor remembrance of it in the new name of a mean Village standing in the rubbish thereof called Caer-hean that is The antient City Out of the ruins thereof King Edward I. built a new Town at the River's Mouth called Aber-Conwey that is the Mouth of Conwey it was formerly fortified by Hugh E. of Chester with strong Walls and a Castle and seems rather a City than a Town were it but more populous Newin a small Market Town is famous for a great Triumph made there by the Nobility of England in 1284. in memory of the renowned K. Arthur after the subduing of Wales by K. Edward I. Over against Conwey where it runs into the Sea sometimes stood an antient City named Diganway which many years since was consumed and utterly destroyed by Lightning It is reported there is a Fish in the Pool Linperis called Torcoch with a red Belly no where else to be found And that on the High Mountains there are two Mears or Ponds in one of which are store of Fish that have only one Eye and in the other a floating Island which when trod on moveth a great way off whereby the Welsh are said to have often escaped their Enemies John William's was born at Aber-Conwey bred Fellow of St. John's College in Cambridge was prefer'd to be Dean of Worcester Bishop of Lincoln Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and at last Archbishop of York He died March 25. 1649. Richard Vaughan was born at Nuffrin bred at St. John's College in Oxford became successively Bishop of Bangor Chester and London a very corpulent man but spiritually minded an excellent Preacher and Pious Liver a pleasant man in Discourse especially at his Table using frequently this expression At Meals be glad fâ—â— sin be sad And indeed he was a very mortified man and zealous in Religion He died March 30. 1607. Henry Rowlands bred in Oxford was Consecrated Bishop of Bangor Nov. 12. 1598. he bought four new Bells for the Tower of St. Asaph whereof the biggest cost an 100 pound He also gave to Jesus College in Oxford a revenue for maintenance of two Fellows He died 1615. The County of Carnarvan hath five Market Towns Aber-conwey Bangor Carnarvan Newin and Pullhely and 68 Parish Churches It gives the Title of Earl to Charles Lord Dormer DENBIGH-SHIRE bath Carnarvan and Merioneth-shire on the West part of Flint-shire and the Sea on the North Cheshire and Shropshire on the East and Montgomery-shire on the South It is generally Mountainous Cold and Barren Yet not without some fruitful Valleys by the industry of the Husbandmen who may be said to fetch their Bread out of the Fire by cutting up Turfs which being burnt in great heaps the ashes spread on these hungry grounds cause them to bring forth a kind of Rye in
her name From whence at length the name of Severn came The antient Inhabitants were the Ordovices who also peopled the Counties of Merioneth Carnarvan Denhigh and Flint whose Hearts and Hills kept them free a long time both from the Roman and English Yoke opposing themselves against the first till the reign of Domitian and the other till their total Conquest by King Edward I. They are a generous and affable People comely and fair of body courteous to strangers and very Loyal to the English Crown Montgomery is the chief Town and is one of the new Shires taken out of the Marches of Wales and made a County of King Henry VIII so called from Roger de Montgomery a Noble Nâ—rman Earl of Shrewsbury who gaining much Land hereabout from the Welsh first built it to secure his Conquests as likewise a very fine Castle standing not far from the banks of the River Severn upon the rising of a Rock from whence it hath a very pleasant prospect into a curious Plain that lyeth beneath it There is a Proveb in this County Y Tair Chiwiorydd in English The three Sisters whereby was meant the three Rivers of Wye Severn and Rhiddial arising all three in this County The Tradition is That these three Sisters were to run a Race which should be first Married to the Ocean Severn and Wye having a great Journey to go chose their way through soft Meadows and kept on a Travellers pace whilst Rhiddial presuming on her short journey staid before she went out and then to recover her lost time runs furiously in a distracted manner with her mad stream over all opposition It is applicaple to Chidren of the same Parents but of different dispositions and courses of life so that their Cradles were not so near but their Coffins are as far asunder There is another Proverb Pywys Paradwys Cymri that is Powis is the Paradice of Wales This Proverb referreth to Teliesten the Author thereof that Powis contained all that pleasant Land lying betwixt Wye and Severn A third Proverb is Gwan di Brwlin Hafren Plafren fydd hifel cynt that is Fix thy Pale in Severn with intent to fence out his Water Severn will be as before that is run its course applied to those who undertake projects above their power to perform Hawis Gadarn a Lady of remark sole Daughter and Heir to Owen ap Griffith Prince of Powis-land was justly Sirnamed Gadarn that is The Hardy Her four Uncles Leoline Griffith Vaughan and David detained her inheritance from her Give said they A Girl a little Gold and Marry her God and Nature made Land for men to manage Hereupon Hawis complained to King Edward II. who commiseraring her condition consigned his Servant John Charlton born at Apple in Shrepshire a vigorous Knight to Marry her creating him in her right Baron of Powis Being assisted with the King's Forces he took three of her Uncles Prisoners and brought the fourth to composition And finally recovered all his Wives Estate procuring also the Lands of her Uncles in default of their Issue Male to be setled on her George Herbert born at Montgomery-Castle was bred Fellow of Trinity-College in Cambridge and Orator of the University where he made a Speech of the return of Prince Charles out of Spain Waving Wotldly Preferment he served at God's Altar Of so Pious a Life that as he was a Copy of Primitive Christianity so he might be a Pattern of Sanctity to Posterity He never mentioned the name of Jesus but with this addition My Master Next God the Word he loved the Word of God being heard often to protest That he would not part with one leaf thereof for the whole World By his good example he gained much to the Church He was Preacher at Bemmerton nigh Salisbury where he built a fair House for his Successor and Prebendary at Leighton in the Diocess of Lincoln where he built a fair Church with the assistance of some Friends free Offerings When a tfriend of his went about to comfort him with the remembrance hereof as a good work he returned It is a good work if sprinkled with the Blood of Christ Edward Herbert his Brother was Knighted by King James I. who sent him over Ambassador to France King Charles I. created him Baron of Castle-Island in Ireland and after Baron of Cherbury in this County He was a most excellent Artist and a rare Linguist Studied both in Books and Men. He wrote a Treatise of the Truth in French extant with great honour in the Vatican Library at Rome He Married the Daughter of Sir William Herbert of St. Julian's in Monmouthshire with whom he had a large Inheritance both in England and Ireland He died in 1648. and was buried in St. Giles's in the Fields London A fair Monument of his own Invention was begun and almost sinisht in the Church of Montgomery In the Year 1661. Dec. 20. about Sunsetting the Inhabitants of Weston in Montgomeryshire discovered a great number of Horsemen about 400 paces from them marching two a breast in Military order upon the Common and were half an hour before the Reer came up seeming to be about 500 in all the spectators were amazed thinking them to be an Army of Roundheads going to release the Prisoners at Montgomery there being at that time several Ministers and Gentlemen in Prison and therefere several of them went to the top of the next Hill where they had another full view of them and could distinguish their Horses to be of several Colours as white grey black c. and that they marched in three Companies and betwixt every Division they had two Horse colours flying but as they drew toward them they still marched from them so that they could not come nearer than 100 Yards they asked a man who was thatching a House all that day which they judged the Horsemen went by whether he saw all those Souldiers which marched by who said that he saw none neither was there any Tract of the Horses to be seen that night nor the next morning so that they concluded it to be a wonderful Apparition and deposed the Truth of these particulars before the Lord Herbert and several other Justices of the Peace of this County at the same time a Women coming from Bishops Castle over the same Common fell off her Horse being much terrified with the sight of a blazing Star which she and six men with her saw sometimes white and sometimes red with a Tail like an Arrow which seemed to hang just over their heads from Bishops Mount to this Common being three Miles and the People of the house where the VVoman fell when they came out saw the Star also This County is very plentiful of Cattle especially Horses which for their shape and swiftness are much valued It is divided into seven Hundreds wherein are six Market Towns and forty seven Parish Churches and gives the Title of Earl to Thomas Lord Herbert who is likewise Earl of Pombroke Cherbury