born Feb. 11. 1466. design'd Wife to George Nevil Duke of Bedford promised afterwards to the Dauphin courted by her Uncle King Richard III. but at last married to King Henry VII 2. Cecilia to the Viscount VVells and after his decease to Kyme of Lincolnshire 3. Anne to Thomas Lord Howard afterwards Earl of Surrey and Duke of Norfolk 4. Bridget born Novemb. 10. 1480. profess'd in the Nunnery of Dartford 5. Mary promised in Marriage to the King of Denmark but died before its Consummation 6. Margaret born April 19. 1472. died in her Infancy 7. Catharine married to the Lord VVilliam Courtney Son to the Earl of Devonshire His Sons 1. Edward Prince of VVales born Nov. 4. 1470. 2. Richard Duke of York and Norfolk Earl of Nottingham and VVarren both murder'd by the procurement of the Duke of Gloucester their Uncle 1483. 3. George Duke of Bedford died an Infant His Natural Issue Arthur to whom he gave the Name of Plantagenet created Viscount Lisle by King Henry VIII 1523. and died 1542. As also one Daughter Elizabeth Plantagenet married to the Lord Lumley XVII Edward V. succeeded his Father in Title though not in the Crown for being not above Thirteen Years of Age at the death of his Father Sir Anthony VVoodvile Lord Rivers his Mother's Brother was appointed Governour to him and with Richard Gray Marquess of Dorset his Half-brother by the Mother sent to conduct him from Ludlow where he then was to London And on this the Duke of Gloucester his Uncle lays the Foundation of his design'd Usurpation and in order to it there having been some secret Grudge between Edward Duke of Buckingham his Creature and VVilliam Lord Hastings then Lord Chamberlain both Enemies of the Queen's he first reconciles them and then rells them how unreasonable it was that the young King their Master should be in the hands of his Mother's Kinred a new Nobility a thing neither Honourable to his Majesty nor them Whereupon it is agreed That they be remov'd as Enemies On this Gloucester and Buckingham meet the King with all Obedience at Stony Stratford and having secur'd the Lord Rivers and Dorset whom they shortly after beheaded at Powfret bring him to London May 4. 1483. the Queen upon hearing what had pass'd having with her younger Son and Daughters taken sanctuary at Westminster On which the Duke of Gloucester is made Protector of the Realm The next device was how to get the young Duke out of his Mother's hands which she as suspecting the design will by no means consent to However at last what with the Assurance of several of the Privy Council for his safety and Threats of forcing the Sanctuary for him he is deliver'd to the Protector who with all seeming joy brings him to the King his Brother into the Bishop of London's Palace at St. Paul's and thence honourably through the City for the King's security as was given out until his Coronation The Protector all along had made his residence near the Tower and having so tangled Buckingham that he could not safely get off he comes to the point with him on which it is agreed between them That the Protector should have the Duke's aid to make him King and that the Protector 's Son should marry the Duke's Daughter with a Grant to himself of the Earldom of Hereford which he claimed as his Inheritance but could never obtain it in King Edward's time Whereupon Buckingham undertakes for the City with whom he was not the least popular The King now having his Court in the Tower the Council meet there for ordering the Solemnity of his Coronation which was carried on with such forwardness and the Day appointed for it so near at hand that all Mistrust was visibly set aside 'till the Protector having pump'd the Lord Chamberlain by his Friend Catesby and finding no good to be done on him came into the Council June 13. and knitting his Brows arrested him as a Traitor for that he with his Brother's Wife the Queen had attempted his Life by Sorcery And therewith giving a knock a Guard came in who by the Protector 's Command forthwith carried him out and struck off his Head and severally secur'd the rest of the Council Whereupon sending for some of the Chief of the City he made them a fair Tale How himself and the Duke of Buckingham were to have been destroy'd in Council by a Conspiracy of the Lord Chamberlain's And returns them with an Herauld and a Proclamation in the King's Name to satisfie the People There was at that time one Sir Edmond Shaw Lord Mayor of London who upon promise of advancement had been made to their Party as also one Doctor John Shaw Brother to the Mayor and Doctor John Penker Provincial of the Augustine Friars both noted Preachers but of more Fame than either Vertue or Learning And these are the Men must make that Gospel to the People which Catesby had undertaken for Law to the Kingdom And having receiv'd their Instructions accordingly Shaw begins at St. Paul's Cross the Sunday after where upon that Text Spuria Vitulamina c The Bastard-Slips shall not take root he signify'd to the People That not only King Edward IV. and his Brother George Duke of Clarence were not the very Sons of Richard Duke of York but begotten in Adultery on the Dutchess their Mother But that the now King Edward and his Brother Richard Duke of York were both Bastards inasmuch as their Father King Edward IV. at the time that he married the Lady Elizabeth Gray their Mother was precontracted to the Lady Elizabeth Lucy who was his lawful Wife before God Then turning his Discourse to the Protector and his Title render'd him the express Image of the Noble Duke his Father and the very Right Heir of his Body begotten Yet all this took so little with the People that Penker was reserv'd 'till after the Coronation at which time he so lost his Voice that he was forc't to come down in the midst of his Sermon The Tuesday following the Mayor Aldermen and Commoners being assembled in the Guild-Hall the Duke of Buckingham came among them and having rak'd together whatever could be thought of against King Edward IV. and his Government he recapitulated Shaw's Sermon magnified the Protector and his Title to them and concluded from the whole Vae Regno c. Wo to that Realm that hath a Child to its King Neither had this also any effect upon them 'till a pack'd Company at the other end of the Hall throwing up their Bonnets and crying King Richard King Richard the Mayor took it by the end and said it was so goodly and joyful to hear so full a Cry and no one gainsaying it that he would represent it to the Protector the next Morning which accompanied with all the Aldermen and Chief Commoners of the City in their Formalities and conducted by the Duke of Buckingham he accordingly did And the Protector Good Man so utterly refus'd that
of Perth 1618. and both ratified by an Act of Parliament of that Kingdom But what by reason of the Palatinate War and his own Death it went no further in his time And King Charles was so taken up at home that he was forc'd to deferr the finishing it 'till he came into Scotland where he was Crown'd May 18. 1632. And in a Parliament which fate soon after he caus'd an Act of Ratification of all that had been done by his Father to be propos'd which not without strong opposition was carried by the far greater Number And after his return for England he order'd the Dean of his Chapel-Royal at Edinburgh That the English Liturgy with its usual Ceremonies should be used in his said Chapel On this the Presbyterian Scots insinuate to the People That this was a Design to subject the pure Kirk of Scotland to the Superstitions of the Church of England And the Lords and Gentry who fear'd nothing more than that they should be forc'd to surrender possess'd them That Scotland was to be reduc'd into a Province and Govern'd by a Lord Lieutenant as was Ireland And thâ—doz'd into a Belief that their All was at stake what was there on which their Drivers might not run a heedless Multitude And now the Dutch seeing the King's handâ— full not only encroach'd upon the Britâ—â—â— Seas by their frequent Fishings but began 〈◊〉 dispute the Right of the Dominion in 1634 which the King being resolv'd to maintain and having several Precedents for Ievying a Naval Aid upon the Subjects by the sole Anthority of the King by a Writ under the Great Seal when the Good and Safety of the Kingdom is in danger the King by Letter under his Signet Feb. 12. 1636. consults the Judges in it who all of them Twelve in number return'd their Opinions under their Hands That theKing might do it and in case of refusal compel the doing it by Law And that the King is sole Judge both of the Danger and when and how the same is to be prevented and avoided However Two of them Hutton and Crook afterwards retracted what they had so formally given under their Hands which was the cause of no little Trouble in the Kingdom the Sound of which was not long ere it reach'd Scotland albeit upon the solemn Arguments of all the Judges in the Exchequer-Chamber touching this matter Judgment was given for the King The King as has been said had order'd â—he English Liturgy to be us'd in his Chapel-Royal at Edinburgh which at the Request of â—he Scots Bishops having been amended to their â—wn Model was agreed to by the King and â—ent back into Scotland and by the Bishops â—nd Lords of the Council of that Kingdom â—rder'd to be read in the Great Church July 23. 1637. Upon the very opening of which there â—rose such a Tumult of Stools and Cudgels thrown at the Dean the Reader 's Head that â—he Provost and Bailiffs of the City had much â—do to suppress Nor fared it better in several other Churches where by the like Command it was also read and from one thing to another ran to that heighth that Protestations being grown too strong for Proclamations they enter into a Confederacy and bind it with a Covenant for Maintenance of the King's Person and Authority but how in Defence of the Gospel of Christ and Liberties of the Kingdom of which themselves were Judges and the mutual Defence of each other against all Persons whatsoever Whereupon the Marquiss Hamilton is fent thither to compose the Differences but with no effect For notwithstanding all the King's Condescentions they could neither be brought to acknowledge they had parted from their Obedience nor renounce their Covenant than the least Tittle of which they declar'd they would fooner renounce their Baptism And thereupon took upon them a Power of convoking a General Assembly in which they first depriv'd all the Bishops and soon after abolish'd the Order it self seiz'd the King's Castles and ran into Arms but finding the King upon the Borders with a powerful Army and themselves better prepar'd for a Treaty than a Battel a Pacification is made July 17. 1639. And upon promise of future Loyalty the King pardons them But alas the Core was not got out and the Ulcer rather skinn'd over than heal'd for the King had scarce come to London ere they broke all their Articles and apply to the King of France to favour their Proceedings and give them his Assistance On which the King calls another Parliament which open'd April 13. 1640. and instead of taking the King's Business in hand or the least notice of this Insolence of the Scots ran to that heighth against Ship-Money Knighthoods and the Actions of divers Ministers of State though done by the King's Warrant that they were dissolv'd May 5. following And now the Scots who had form'd an Intelligence with some of the English Nobility and Gentry and consequently assur'd of being favour'd by them when it came to a Point take Arms again and publish a Declaration Not to lay them down 'till Religion was setled in both Nations and the Causers and Abettors of their present Troubles the Prelates and their Adherents but more particularly the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Earl of Strafford were brought to publick Justice in Parliament which also they desire may be call'd And thereupon march into England where notwithstanding their giving out That they would take nothing without ready Money they charge those adjacent Parts with Eight hundred and fifty Pounds a Day Nor had the King been so negligent all this while but that by the help of his better-affected Subjects he met them with an Army sufficient to have reduc'd them had it come to a Battel or had he not been over-persuaded out of it into a Treaty at Rippon he had probably prevented those ill Consequences that follow'd the slipping that Opportunity However it ended in a patch'd Agreement for the present and gave the King the advantage of being assur'd of the Earl of Montross's Fidelity to him and readiness to serve him On which the King calls a Parliament which met at Westminster Novemb. 3. the same Year And hitherto was but the beginning of Sorrows The Parliament thus met the King declar'd his earnest Desires for the Welfare of the Kingdom desired them as he promis'd he would to lay by all Prejudice and he would freely put himself upon the Love of his Subjects Will'd them to consider of the best way for the Safety and Security of England First in chasing out those Rebels who had invaded it and next for satisfaction of Just Grievances And as freely leaving it to them where to begin clos'd with this That it should not be 〈◊〉 Fault if this were not a good and happy Parliament And truly great might have been the Hopes concerning this Parliament had they not begun a Note too high to make any Confort For first an Impeachment was sent up from the Commons against
the before-mention'd Lady Jane who with her Husband were arraign'd and attainted Nov. 3. next ensuing as also was Archbishop Cranmer The beginning of January following the Emperour Charles V. sent over Ambassadours fully impower'd to treat and conclude a Marriage between Queen Mary and Philip Prince of Spain his Son and Heir which afterwards took effect But this Match being not so well relish'd by the Commons nor much better by some of the Nobility it was confederated between them to raise a War rather than suffer such a Change of State as they doubted might follow by the Queen 's thus Matching her self with a Stranger The first that appear'd in it was Sir Tho. Wiat a powerful Man in Kent The occasion thus A near Friend of his one of the Conspirators was committed to the Fleet by the Council for other matters whereupon Sir Thomas suspecting that the Plot was discover'd ran into Arms before the time that had been appointed between them However having gotten a strong Party together he publish'd a Declaration at Maidstone in Kent against the said Marriage and thereby desired his Friends and all English Men to join with him and others to defend the Realm from the danger of being brought in Thraldom to Strangers Whereupon several considerable Persons with their Followers came in to him And the Duke of Suffolk made the like Proclamation in Leicester Nor wanted the Queen on the other hand such as gather'd as fast to suppress them for the Lord Abergavenny having oppos'd him in Kent and Coventry shut their Gates against the Duke of Suffolk there seem'd nothing to the contrary but the Duke of Norfolk by this time gone down against him must have swallow'd him as probably he had done but that 500 of the London White-Coats that went with him revolted and took part with Wiat. Upon which the Duke made what retreat he could and Wiat went on for London but being beaten off at London-Bridge he got over at Kingston and was so encounter'd from Park Corner to St. James's and thence to Charing-Cross and through the Strand that being not able to make further than Temple-Earr where he met a fresh Opposition he deliver'd himself and was sent to the Tower Feb. 7. following and in two days after the Duke of Suffolk The Lord Guilford Dudley and the Lady Jane his Wife behead the 12th and the 23d of the same Month the Duke himself and Sir Thomas Wiat headed and quartered but neither drawn nor hang'd April 11. 1555. his Head set upon the Gallows and his Quarters about the City After which the Marriage between the Queen and Prince Philip of Spain was openly solemniz'd July 25. the same Year and a Parliament open'd Novemb. 12. following in which Reginald Pool Cardinal Legate à Latere from Pope Julius III. not many days before landed in England was restor'd in Blood and the Act of Henry VIII by which he was attainted repealed and the Kingdom reconcil'd and absolv'd the 29th of the same Month but not before an Act had first pass'd for securing Abbey-Lands in the hands of the present Possessors and the Cardinal made Archbishop of Canterbury the March following In the Year 1557. the Queen to compliment her Husband proclaim'd a War against France and at the same time held Callice so unprovided that the Duke of Guise â—in revenge of the Loss of St. Quintin surpriz'd it and took it in a Week's time after it had been in the English possession 211 Years It was said that the Queen was with Child and a solemn Office appointed to be used in all Churches for her safe Delivery but it prov'd a Mola or false Conception of which shedied without Issue Novemb. 17. 1558. in the Thirty ninth Year of her Age and Sixth of her Reign And the same day died the said Cardinal Pool a younger Son of Sir Richard Pool Knight of the Garter by the Lady Elizabeth Countess of Salisbury Daughter of George Duke of Clarence Brother of King Edward IV. and left the Kingdom reconcil'd as hath been said Yet this hindred not but that XXIII The Lady Elizabeth Half Sister to Queen Mary by the Father a Protestant was proclaim'd Queen and Crown'd Jan. 25. following She rescinded whatever the Queen her Sister had done in matters of Religion and proceeded upon what her Brother King Edward VI. had begun Amongst the rest she suppress'd such Religious Houses as were a-new set up by Queen Mary as Sion Sheen Westminster c. This last Monastery was in the Year 1539. surrender'd to Henry VIII who erected thereof a Dean and Chapter and in 1542. rais'd it to a Bishoprick of which he made Thomas Thâ—â—â—bye the first Bishop who prov'd the last also for the Queen made it a College consisting of a Dean Twelve Prebends a Schoolmaster an Usher Forty Scholars Twelve Almsmen and named it the Collegiate Church of Westminster The Reformation of Edward VI. in England had by this time reach'd Scotland which the Queen Dowager by assistance of the French strongly oppos'd and many of the Scots Nobility on the other hand make suit to Queen Elizabeth under the Name of The Lords of the Congregation for her Aid against Popery and them which was readily granted and a considerable Army sent into Scotland 1560. where after various Fortune on either side and the death of the Queen Dowager of Scotland a Peace was concluded between Queen Elizazeth and Francis and Mary King and Queen of France and Scotland about July following immediately after which died the said Francis leaving his Crown to his younger Brother Charles and the said Mary Queen of Scotland Queen Dowager of France who though laid wait for to be intercepted took the opportunity of a Mist and got safely into Scotland 1562. from whence she sent Letters to Queen Elizabeth proffering all observance and readiness to enter into League with her so she might by Authority of Parliament be declar'd her Successor which was but her Right To which the Queen answer'd That though she would no way derogate from her Right yet she should be loth to endanger her own Security and as it were cover her Eyes with a Grave-Cloth while she was alive And here began the Jealousies of State between the two Queens the one doubting her Succession was intended to be frustrated and the other That her Possession might be invaded And yet they kept it so fair with each other that the Queen of Scots being in 1563. follicited by her Uncle the Cardinal of Lorrain to a Marriage with Charles Archduke of Austria with an Offer of the Arrears of her Dowry and a Restauration of the Scots to their former Liberties in France which by the death of her Uncle the Duke of Guise had been broken in case she would adhere to the French against whom the Queen of England had about that time assisted the Hugonots she gives her notice of it and requires her Advice in it Queen Elizabeth on the other hand persuades her to take a
Fifty eighth Year of his Age and of his Reign of England the Twenty second and of Scotland the Fifty sixth He had but one Wife viz. Queen Anne of whom before and by her 1. Henry Friderick Stuart Prince of Wales Duke of Cornwal and Rothsey and Earl of Chester born in Scotland Feb. 19. 1593. died Nov. 6. 1612. 2. Robert Stuart born and died very young in Scotland 3. Elizabeth Stuart Queen of Bohemia and Princess Palatine of the Rhine born Aug. 19. 1596. in Scotland died Feb. 13. 1661. 4. Margaret Stuart born in Scotland Decemb 24. 1598. died young 5. Charles Stuart Duke of York and Albany born Novemb. 19. 1600. succeeded his Father 6. Mary Stuart born in England March-1605 died two Years after And 7. Sophia Stuart born in England June 21. 1606. died two days after XXV To his Father his elder Brother being dead succeeded Charles the First of that Name about the Age of Twenty five Years and was proclaim'd King the same Day his Father died The Solemnity of whose Funerals being over the first thing he did was to hasten the coming over of the Queen to whom he was married by Proxy at Paris May 1. and consummated at Canterbury June 13. following Of this Prince it may be truly said He was a Man of Sorrows And yet if there be any thing in History to be named before him it is not that He was less able but their Times better Therefore for the truer understanding of both it is the least Justice we can do His MEMORY to consider under what ill Circumstances He came to the Crown There had follow'd his Father out of Scotland Two Sorts of People the One purely for the Loaves the Other to double the Interest of that Doctrine that had forc'd his Mother out of Her Kingdom who kept himself so long in Pupillage and to which England was not so altogether a Stranger but that they found the Lump leven'd to their hand Some like them calling also themselves the Lord's Ambassadours and pretending a Right from God to Govern every one his Parish and their Assembly the whole Nation Others and those different in Opinions among themselves that would have all Congregations free and independent upon one another Others That held Christ's Personal Reign was at this time to begin upon Earth and therefore would have no other King but King Jesus Besides several others from the first Litter yet every of them desending its Sect by Scripture according to the narrow scantling of their own Interpretations These again meeting with a Purse-proud City a poor Crown and a Gentry that no less affected a Popular Government in the State than themselves did in the Church Both cry up Liberty and inveigh against Tyranny that is whatever they were not themselves And so what wonder of those Consequents that embroil'd the King's Reign The ill Effects of which too many have seen and may perhaps be felt the next Century However the King having summon'd his Parliament to meet at Westminster June 18. aforesaid he told them That at their earnest Entreaty in March 1623. his Father had taken Arms for the recovery of the Palatinate which with the Crown was now devolv'd upon Himself That the Supplies already given held no proportion with the Charge of the Enterprize That the Eyes of all Europe were upon him and a Failure in this his first Attempt would be a Blemish to his futare Honour And therefore desired them if not for His for their Own Reputation to deliver him fairly out of that War wherewith themselves had incumbred him by an expeditious Supply On which the Commons gave Two Subsidies and the Clergy Three and the Parliament by reason of the Plague was adjourn'd to Oxford to be held there Aug. 1. following where the King briefly acquaints them with his Wants in order to the design 's Expedition They on the other hand petition against Popish Recusants and receive from him a satisfactory Answer but instead of a Supply debate a Remonstrance of Grievances to be first redress'd before a Supply given So that not agreeing who should be first trusted the King or Themselves the Parliament was dissolv'd and another summon'd to meet at Westminster the next 6th of February The Candlemas Day before which the King was solemnly Crown'd But here also the King met no better success than he had in his first For the Commons began where they left at Oxford with Religion and Grievances And to add to it it fell unfortunately that the Earl of Bristal being under restraint the King had sent him no Writ of Summons to the Parliament whereupon he petitions the Peers That being a Peer of the Realm he had not receiv'd a Writ of Summons and therefore pray'd the Benefit of his Peerage and that if any Charge were against him he might be Tried in Parliament Upon which and the Request of the Peers his Writ was sent him with a Letter from the Lord Keeper That though his Majesty had awarded him the Writ yet 〈◊〉 was his Pleasure that his Personal Attendance should be forborn This Letter the Earl sent to the Lords with a second Petition beseeching to be heard both as to his wrongful Restraint and what he had to say Against the Duke of Buckingham This alarm'd the Duke whom the Commons already beheld with no good Eye and therefore to begin with him first the Duke prevails with the King to command the Attorney-General to Common him to the Lord's Barr as a Delinquent where he appear'd May 1. and was by Mr. Attorney charg'd with Eleven Articles of High-Treason But before they were read the Earl said My Lords I am a Free-man and a Peer of the Realm unattainted I have somewhat of high Consequence to his Majesty's Service and beseech your Lordships to give me leave to speak The Lords bade him go on Then said he I accuse that Man the Duke of Buckingham of High-Treason And immediately presented Twelve Articles against him After which the Articles against the Earl being read and himself committed to the Black-Rod the House order'd That the King's Charge against the Earl should be first proceeded on before that of the Earl against the Duke And now the Ice thus broken the Common by eight of their own Members sent up Thirteen Articles of high Offences and Misdemeanours against the Duke which he answer'd with so much modesty that it much abated the Heat that many had against him And in regard the matters charged had been transcted in King James's time he claim'd the Benefit of the Pardon of the Twenty first of King James and the present King's Coronation Pardon On which the Commons thus dâ—â—appointed having prepared a Declaration of the same nature with their Impeachment the Parliament was dissolv'd by Commission June 14. 1626. and no Supply given By which means the Relief then setting forth for Rochel staid so late in the Year that they were dispers'd with ill Weather and forc'd to return without doing
which in contempt of one of its Members was call'd Praise God Barebone's Parliament and they held it 'till December the same Year 4. From that time it was in the hands of Cromwel with the Title of Lord Protector 'till September 1658. 5. After him his Son Richard had it as Successor to his Father 'till he was turn'd out by the Army in April 1659. and then for a Fortnight together it lay no-where 6. The May following the Rump got it again and held it 'till they were turn'd out by Lambert the same Year And here also for some time together it lay no-where 'till 7. The Council of Officers erected A Committee of Safety with like Supremacy and they held it 'till General Monck having declar'd for restoring the Rump Lambert march'd against him but being deserted by his Army Fleetwood writes to the Speaker Lenthal to desire him and the rest of the Members to return to the Exercise of their Trust And the General on the other hand having put his into such hands as favour'd his Design march'd towards London 8. On this the Rump resumes the Government Decemb. 26. and by a Letter of Thanks to Monck acknowledge the Restitution to their Authority was to be acknowledged to his Fidelity Case and Courage And yet he had not been long in Town ere they began to grow jealous of him and therefore for fear he might joyn with the City who had now declar'd they would pay no more Taxes 'till the Parliament were fill'd up they sent him into the City to break down their Gate c. which he accordingly did return'd his Army to their Quarters about Westminster and receiv'd the Thanks of the House Yet this did not so satisfie the Jealousie of a Commonwealth but that they press'd the Oath of Abjaration of the Royal Family to him which he took time to consider of But the next Morning march'd his Army into the City and joyn'd with them for having the House fill'd up 9. On this the Members that had been secluded the House in 1648. were restor'd Feb. 21. 1659. and they having constituted General Monck Captain General of all the Forces in the Three Kingdoms annull'd the former Council of State and appointed another and abrogated the Engagement and Oath of Abjuration dissolv'd themselves March 17. But before their rising sent out Writs for New Elections to meet April 25. 1660. In the mean time the Rumpers ply the General with their last effort and proffer him the Supreme Command of the Kingdoms as a single Person Which he answered to this purpose That for that matter it was submitted to the coming-Parliament nor should it be said of him That â—e bad run foul of that Rock on which Cromwel â—ad so lately split himself The Day being come the Lords as well as â—he Commons met in their respective Houses when having each of them received a Letter from his Majesty with a Declaration inclos'd the Lords resolv'd by Vote That they declare That according to the ancient and fundamental Constitution of this Kingdom the Government is and ought to be by King Lords and Commons To which the Commons agreed and each of them dispatch'd their several Answers â—o the said Letters superscribed To the King 's most Excellent Majesty And having caus'd Him to be solemnly proclaim'd May 8. they sent six Lords and twelve of the Commons to attend his Majesty and desire his return to the Exercise of his Kingly Office Which â—he accordingly did and landed at Dover the 25th and rode through London to Whitebal the 29th being his Birth Day and Thirtieth Year of his Age. Thus by the Conduct of one Man with a raw Army of not above Six Thousand was the Monarchy delivered from a Twelve Years Usurpation defended by at least Sixty Thousand Veterans strengthened with most of the Alliances of Europe and which adds to â—it without Blood a Stratagem perhaps not yet extant in History He was the Great Grandson of Sir Thomas Monck of Potheridge in the County of Devon by Frances one of the Daughters and Coheirs of Arthur Plantegenet Viscount Lisle of whom before in memory of which the King created him Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monck of Potheridge Beauchamp and Teyes And so being come to our own Times is may seem needless to add further saving that the King was Crown'd April 23. 1661. and died of an Apoplexy Feb. 6. 1684. His only Wife and Relict was Catharine Daughter of John IV. King of Portugal now living by whom he had no Issue XXVII To King Charles II. succeeded his Brother James Duke of York c. who upon his first coming to the Crown profess'd Himself a Catholick with this Displeasure nevertheless That he could not alter the Religion as it was by Law establish'd He together with his Queen were Crown'd April 23. 1685. Nor was that scarce over when Two Rebellions the one in Scotland the other in the West of England broke out upon him and were defeated In the Year 1688. he publish'd A Declaration for Liberty of Conscience so far as it disturb'd not the Peace of the Kingdom Which so heated the People who yet had all along CONTENDED for it that having sent his Queen and young SON into France he follow'd Them not long after His first Wife was Anne Daughter of Sir Edward Hide Earl of Clarendon c. Lord Chancellor of England who died before he came to the Crown by whom he had Four Sons 1. Charles Stuart Duke of Cambridge born Octob. 22. 1660. died May 5. 1661. 2. James Stuart Duke of Cambridge born July 12. 1663. died June 20. 1667. 3. Charles Stuart Duke of Kendal born July 4. 1666. died May 22. 1667. 4. Edgar Duke of Cambridge born Sept 14. 1667. died June 8. 1671. And as many Daughters 1. Marie born April 30. 1662. married to William Henry Prince of Orange who were both Crown'd King and Queen April 11. 1689. The Executive Power in Him 2. Anne born Feb. 6. 1664. married to Prince George of Denmark August 7. 1683. 3. Henrietta born January 13. 1668. died Nov. 15. 1669. 4. Catharine born Feb. 9. 1670. died Decemb 5. 1671. His Second Wife Mary d'Este Daughter of Alphonso d'Este III. Duke of Modena Crown'd as before and had Issue by her Two Daughters 1. Catharine born Novemb. 7. 1674. died Octob. 3. 1675. 2. Isabel born Aug. 28. 1676. liv'd not long AND 1. Charles Duke of Cambridge born Nov. 7. 1667. died Decemb. 12. following c. Of the Augmentations of the Family of ENGLAND § VIII ITS First was when William the Conquerour joyn'd Normandy to the Crown of England 1066. Henry II. Conquer'd Ireland and in like manner united it 1172. Edward I. Wales 1283. Edward II. in Right of his Wife Isabel Daughter of Philip the Fair King of France brought in Aquitain and Ponticu And in the same Right Edward III. took upon him the Title of King of France and was the first of the English Kings that
Husband out of England and recommends to her the Lord Robert Dudley whom not long after she made Earl of Leicester withal promising That if she would marry him she should by Authority of Parliament be declar'd her Successor in case she died without Issue But whether it were that she disdain'd the one or that she was loth to make a breach with England by accepting the other nothing came of either But having by the leave of Queen Elizabeth gotten Henry Lord Darnly Son of Matthew Stuart Earl of Lenox by Margaret Douglas Niece of Henry VIII by his eldest Sister out of England upon pretence of restoring him to the Possessions of his Father who had been in England as an Exile now twenty years made him Lord Armanack Earl of Ross and Duke of Rothsey a Dukedom by Birth appertaining to the eldest Sons of the Kings of Scotland married him in five Months after and with the Consent of most of the Peers of Scotland declar'd him King about June 1565. A Person of a Princely Presence and not above Nineteen Years of Age. The Prior of St. Andrew's the Queen 's base Brother but one that more affecting a Temporal Honour than a Spiritual Title had been made Earl of Murray had under-hand dealt with Queen Elizabeth to have prevented this Marriage in excuse of which the Queen was let know She had no reason to be displeased with it inasmuch as she had follow'd her Advice Not to marry a Stranger but an Englishman born Nor perhaps was Queen Elizabeth much troubled at it as knowing the mild Disposition of the Lord Darnly and how little of Strength it added to the Queen of Scots but on the contrary foreseeing it would beget Troubles in Scotland which was the Security of England However it were the Queen of Scots being brought to Bed of a Son June 19. 1566. she sent Queen Elizabeth notice of it who congratulated her safe Deliverance and her Son and was his Godmother and by her and the respective Ambassadours of Charles King of France and Philibert Duke of Savoy gave him the Name of Charles James in whom afterwards in Right of his said Mother the Crowns of England and Scotland came to be united Murray thus disappointed where he least expected complies with the present and strikes in with the yet Inadvertency of the young King and makes a Division between the Queen and him which his Instruments so improv'd with her that whereas before in publick Acts she had used to place her Husband's Name first she now caused it to be placed last and in her Coin began to leave it out quite Nor was the Breach yet so wide but it might have been clos'd again had not Murray created a Jealouâ—ie in him concerning one David Rizie an Italian the Queen's Secretary and told him plainly it stood not with his Honour to suffer him to live which so netled the King that rushing one Evening into the Queen's Chamber when she was at Supper he caused the said Rizie to be dragg'd out of her presence and murder'd of which afterwards the King grew so sensible that he threatned a Revenge upon Murray who had counsell'd him to it which the other prevented in striking the first Blow by procuring the King to be strangled in his Bed his Body thrown into the Garden and the House immediately blown up the Queen whatever the Rumour of the People were least doubitng her Brother Murray And here comes his Master-piece The Earls of Bothwell and Morton had been his Confederates in the Murder and when the Days of Mourning were a little over Murray by himself and his Instruments insinuates to her the danger of the Kingdom by her being thus left alone and advises her to marry some one that might be able to assist her against all her Opposers and after some time recommends Bothwell to her a Person in favour with her and of great Eminence for his Valour To which being destitute of Friends she at last consents provided due respect might be had to her young Son and that Bothwell legally acquit himself of her Husband's Murder Whereupon Bothwell stands his Trial and is acquitted by his Judges On which the Queen makes him Duke of Orkney and by Consent of many of the Nobility marries him 1567. And now Murray is where he would be for having during Queen Mary's abode in France by his Patriarch Knox and his Chaplain Buchannan under PRETENCE of Reformation embroil'd the Kingdom by affirming That Royalty was not tied to any Stock or Kindred but Vertue only whether the Parties were legitimate or not thereby making way to the Kingdom for himself and not being able to have hindred the Queen's second Marriage made a Discord between her and him whom he afterwards murder'd this Murray the same Man that had acquitted Bothwell and not only advis'd but promoted his Marriage with the Queen now takes Arms against her as privy to Bothwell's Murder of her Husband On this Bothwell finding himself out-witted flies into Denmark and Murray seizes the Queen and vilely threw her into Prison in Loch-levyn under the Custody of his Mother the Concubine of James V. but now boasting herself to have been his Wife and her Son his lawful Issue During which time Knox and his Disciples thunder against her from the Pulpits Buchannan with his De Jure Regni apud Scotos and Murray with his armed Logick so terrifie her that she resign'd her Kingdom to her Son scarce Thirteen Months old and made Murray Regent of Scotland during his Minority alledging to Queen Elizabeth for her so doing That she had done it through the Counsel of her-Ambassadour Throckmorton who told her That a Grant extorted from one in Prison which is a just Fear is actually void and of none effect However on this the young King was Crown'd and Murray proclaim'd Regent but the Queen still kept in Prison from whence after Eleven Months imprisonment by the help of one of the Douglas's she makes an escape to Hamilton-Castle where in a meeting of a great part of the Nobility this extorted Resignation of the Queen's is declar'd actually void from the beginning Whereupon Multitudes flock in to her but being undisciplin'd they are defeated by Murray Herself nevertheless making an escape into England landed at Wickington in Cumberland May 17. 1568. having first sent her Servant Beaton to Queen Elizabeth to intimate her Intention with a Diamond Ring also which she had formerly receiv'd from her as a Pledge of mutual Amity Nor was she sooner landed than she wrote her a Letter thereby declaring her Condition and withal desiring she might be conducted to her Presence To which Queen Elizabeth by a Letter sent by Sir Francis Knolles return'd her a comfortable Answer and promised her Aid and Defence according to the Equity of her Cause but deny'd her access for that she was held guilty of many Crimes and therefore order'd her to be brought to Carlisle From thence she seconded her first Letter
'till the point were decided it came to a more bloody Trial in which besides their Admiral Van Trump slain they lost Vice-Admiral Evertson and Thirty two others sunk himself and four Captains and twelve hundred common Men taken up after the Fight and made what sail they could for the Texel Nor did Monck think it fit to pursue them as having bought the Victory with the loss of eight Captains and about five hundred common Men slain five other Captains and seven thousand private Men wounded and one Ship The Oak sunk While matters were thus at Sea the Army as well as the Nation were become so sick of our New Commonwealth on Shoar that they urge them to dissolve themselves which they not daring to refuse nor yet willing to yield determine it to Nov. 5. 1654. but trifled so much time about Qualifications for their Successors that Cromwel not meaning to stay so long and the Army declaring against them as a Party of Carnal Men and not to be trusted with the Choice of their Representatives turn'd them out of the House and set a Guard upon it April 23. 1653. This done Cromwel and his Officers constitute A Council of State made up of themselves and their Confederates of the late House and place the Supreme Authority in them 'till a Representative could be chosen which not long after was patch'd together of an hundred forty two known Persons as the Cant was Men fearing God and of approv'd Integrity but so ridiculous as to Man that it was thought Cromwel got them together to no other end than to bring Parliaments into contempt However they met July 4. and having declar'd themselves a Parliament the Council of State resign their Supremacy to them and they appoint a New Council of State consisting of Cromwel and his Officers with Power to transact all Publick Affairs treat with Ambassadours c. But in that five Months time that they sate they had so unhing'd every thing and done nothing but to the worse that even their Masters who brought them together were asham'd of them and most of themselves so sensible of it that their Speaker Rous with the Mace before him and a major part of them following him came to Whitehall and surrender'd to Cromwel the Instrument he had deliver'd to them at their first sitting and in four Days after the Officers of the Army having form'd a New Instrument of Government they entreat him to accept it under the Name of Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland which at first he seemingly refus'd 'till at last persuaded into what he had so long design'd he submits to the Exigence of Time and Affairs and was the same Afternoon viz. Decemb. 16. 1653. accordingly inaugurated in Westminster-Hall The Dutch by this time had made a truer Estimate of the English Force than they did when they began the War and having underhand tamper'd with Cromwel for a Peace and finding they might have easier Terms from him than the Rump would even hear of they sent over Ambassadours to him Nor was he so well setled as to refuse a fair Proffer and Money to boot whereupon a Peace was concluded between them and proclaim'd April 5. 1654. in which the King of Denmark was included And near the same time he made another with Queen Christina of Sweden Spain also France and Portugal seek his Friendship but Spain could not obtain it And so this first jobb being over he return'd Monck back into Scotland though with all his Art he could never get him back again and sent his second Son Henry Lord Deputy into Ireland and call'd a Parliament which met Septemb. 3. 1654. Nor had they searce taken their Seats ere they fell to disputing the Power by which they were call'd whereupon a Recognition of the Government as it was then setled in a single Person was sent them to subscribe with an Inhibition to any one of their entring the House 'till he had done it In which though most of them complied the whole was dissolv'd within the first five Months which was contrary to the said New Instrument In 1655. he made an attempt upon Hispaniola but miscarried in it and took Jamaica with little or no opposition And to cover at least secure against the Slurr at home he decimated all the Royalists i. e. took a Tenth part of their Estates and set up Eleven Major-Generals to Tax it and keep them in awe The Year following he call'd another Parliament which met Septemb. 3. and they perhaps guessing what he would be at present him an Humble Petition and Advice to take the Title of KING which he refus'd twice but being press'd to a more positive Answer he had the very Morning that he made the Third Denial resolv'd to accept it But whatever it was that made him change his Mind does not appear though if his Secretary Thurloe may be believ'd it was not that he fear'd the General Officers for there were New Commissions actually drawn for others who had accepted their Commands Where upon the Word King in the said Petition and Advice was expung'd and he in a more solemn manner invested with all the Regal Ornaments the Crown only excepted June 26. 1657. and proclaim'd by the Name of Oliver Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland After which the Parliament being adjourn'd to Jan. 20. he in the mean time in Imitation of the old Constitution created a New House of Lords by the Name of The Other House Of which the Commons taking no more notice than to ridicule it and then falling to dispute the Government he thought it high time to put an end to their sitting and dissolv'd them Not long after which having escap'd several Attempts of as well Commonwealths Men Fifth-Monarchy-Men as Royalists he at last to the wonder of Mankind died in his Bed on his twice-Auspicious Third of September 1658. having according to the Power given him by the said Humble Petition and Advice first declar'd his eldest Son Richard his Successor who contrary to the expectation of Fleetwood and Lambert whom Cromwel had severally cajol'd with the Promise of the Succession was the next Morning solemnly proclaim'd Lord Protector c. But he lasted not above three Quarters of a Year and in him ended the Protectorship And yet before we come to the Restauration it may not be amiss to remark the several Turns of Government that from the 30th of January 1648. befel the Nation 'till that happen'd For 1. The Monarchy was subverted and turn'd to a Republick under the Name of The Keepers of the Liberty of England by Authority of Parliament or for brevity sake The Rump and they lasted 'till April 1653. 2. Cromwel turn'd them out and plac'd the Supreme Power in A Council of State constituted by himself and they held it 'till July the same Year 3. From them he turn'd it into the hands of his Men of Integrity and made them a Parliament