with the Bodies and Blood of the Slain but fresh Forces arriving they found themselves constrained to submit and had to augment their Miseries great Tribute lay'd on them so that they groaned under the burthen of their Opression This Emperour began his Reign Anno Dom. 72 and Reigned Nine Years Titus Vespasian his Son succeeded him in the Empire and sent Offers of Peace to the Britains who accepted them He for his good Nature and Humanity was stiled Delicii Humani Generis The Delight of Mankind He took off part of the Taxes and permitted the Exercise of the Christian Religion which began to flourish in this Island making it his business every Evening to Examine his Actions of the past Day and if he had done no Good Deeds he accounted that Day lost yet his Reign was short viz. Two Years and Three Months Dying greatly Lamented throughout the Empire Domitian his Brother Succeeded him a Person of a cruel Nature who had sought his Death but was prevented This Man began his Reign Anno Dom. 83 he turned his rage and fury against the Christians causing multitudes of them to be Tortured to Death not only in this Land but throughout his Empire inventing New Torments which he first try'd in his Solitudes on Flys and other Insects so that when any one asked Who was with the Emperour It was the usual answer Non Musca not so much as a Fly He appointed Julius Agricola his Lieutenant whom the British Princes of the North opposed making a great Slaughter of his Souldiers but after many Skirmishes in a set Battel were overthrown on the borders of the Tweed Whereupon he Marched his Army through that Country now call'd Scotland with little opposition and was the first Roman that found this Country to be an Island 136 Years after the Landing of Julius Caesar This Emperour began his Reign Anno Dom. 83 and Reigned 15 Years having caused to be destroyed by several sorts of Deaths 10000 Christians At his Death a terible Tempest and Earthquake happened Flames ascended out of the Ground in Cornwal and the Sea broak in on the Essex-Shoar destroying many Villages Towns People and Cattel and Ebbing again left many Monstrous Fishes on the Plains Coceeius Nerva Succeeding this cruel Emperour recalled his Edicts against the Christians gave Peace to the Britains and had done many good things had he not been too hastily disappointed by Death He was called the Patron of the Poor being very Charitable His Reign began Anno 99. and continued only Ten Months Trajan Succeeded Nerva and at his first enterance began the Third Persecutian against the Christians he appointed Spartianus his Lieutenant in Britain with whom the British Princes Fought divers Battels with various success but were at last compell'd to submit being wasted with Slaughter and a grievous Famine that happened amongst them This Emperours Reign began Anno 100 and continued 21 Years and six Months before his Death a terrible Blazing-Star appear'd and the Sea in many places seemed all on Fire in the Night-time Strange and Amazing Voices were heard in the Air and the Water of the Humber seemed for two Days of the colour of BLOOD Adrian continued the Persecution of the Christians with great earnestness making the Streets of the Principal Towns stream with their Blood He appointed Trebellus his Lieutenant in Britain and though he had no open War with the Britains he wasted great numbers of them in digging Mines draining Marshes and making Bridges over Rivers to which servile Labours they were compell'd with rigor He began his Reign Anno Dom. 121 and continued it 22 Years Antonius Pius Succeeding Adrian stayed the Persecution of the Christians restoring them to their Goods and Lands that had been taken from them He constituted Lollius Vrbicus his Lieutenant in Britain against whom the Brigantes made head surprized him in his security and cut off a great number of his Souldiers But afterward in a bloody Battel they were overthrown compelled to submit and pay large Taxes to be restor'd to their possessions This Emperour was called the Patron of Virtue from the gifts and rewards he distributed among pious and learned Men. In his time the Christian Religion flourished and many places of Publick Worship were errected in Britain He began his Reign Anno 139 and Reigned 23 Years Marcus Aurelius Succeeding Antonius Abrogated his Edicts in favour of the Christians and Persecuted them with great fury Agricola was his Lieutenant in Britain and kept the Country in Peace all his time He began his Reign Anno 162 and continued it 19 Years Commodus though of a very wicked Life was however moved at the Sufferings of the Christians and restrained the Persecution In his time flourished King Lucius a Britain Son to King Coillus who Built Colchester and great Grandson to King Arviragus who Married the Emperour Drusius's Daughter He to the honour of this Nation was the first King in the World that embraced Christianity and by it set a good Example to others and to be the better informed in so Sacred a matter he sent Elvanus and Medvinus two of his Learned Counsellors to Elutherius Bishop of Rome to commune with him and receive Instructions from him for the good Government of his Kingdom The good Bishop at this greatly rejoyced and not only Instructed them in the Holy Faith but sent Faganus and Damianus to the King with the following Letter Good King you have received as I understand by your Messengers to my great Rejoycing in the Kingdom of Britain by Gods Mercy both the Law and the Faith of Christ Jesus our ever Blessed Lord you have both the Old and New Testament out of the same through Gods Grace by the Advice of your Realm take a Law and by the same through Gods sufferance Rule you your Kigndom of Britain for in that Kingdom you are Gods Vicar By this we see what different Spirits the Bishops of Rome were of in the time of Primitive Christianity to what they have since been they were then too Modest to Usurp Authority out of their own Jurisdiction and claim Supremacy over Kings yet Luxury Pride and Riches has since brought them not only to such a prodigious height of Arrogancy to set the World in a Flame with Wars and Mischiefs but even to dare to Corrupt the Holy Scriptures and by bringing in Traditions of their own jostle out the Doctrine of our Saviour and his Apostles filling the Nations with Blood and laying them Disolate where they have been opposed or their Revenge could take place The King upon this Advice called a Council and changed the Seats of the three Arch Flammins or Heathen Priests into Arch Bishopricks Viz. at London Glocester and York and the 24 Subordinate Flammins into so many Bishops Sees The Idol Gods of the Britains were laid in the Dust who were many viz. Taramis or Jupiter Tutates or Mercury Helus or Mars Hues or Bacchus Belenus or Apollo Belisama or the Moon Owvana or Minerva
Mountains and Caves where many Perished through Cold and Hunger and soon after a dreadful Blazing Comet appearing such a Pestilence ensued that the Living were not able to bury the Dead which obliged the Picts and Scots as if driven out by the hand of Heaven to relinquish their Conquests and retire to their own Country's which gave the Britains leave to come out of their Woods Caves c. and Till the Land which brought forth such Plenty that the Famine was soon forgot And now they thought of chusing from among themselves according to the manner of the Romans a chief Captain or Governour to Lead their Armies when calling a Council Vortigern was Elected King who being too weak to oppose the returning Picts and Scots in a fatal time he sent Embassadors to a prevailing People in Germany called Saxons imploring their Aid with a description of the pleasant Situation and Fruitfulness of the Island which so enflamed them with a desire of possessing it that they made no difficulty to consent to what was required by the King so that in the Year of Christ 449. Hengist and Horsas two Brethren of chief Command among them Landed at Ebs-fleet in the Isle of Thanet with about 15000 Men who joyning with the Britains marched against the Picts and Scots who had ravaged the Country as far as Stamford in Lincolnshire and in a great and memorable Battel overthrew them killing divers of their principal Leaders pursuing and forcing them within their own Borders For this good Service the Saxons had the Isle of Thanet appointed them to reside in with a considerable Pension but their two Generals having before cast in their minds no less than the possession of the Kingdom Hengist prevailed with Vortigern to put away his Virtuous Queen by whom he had Three Sons Viz. Vortimer Catigern and Pascentius to make way for Rowena his Daughter with whom the King was Enamoured upon her Drinking to him and seeing her naked Breasts at a publick Feast and no sooner had he Marryed her but the Saxons were put in possession of Kent which spacious County abundantly fruitful in all things did not satisfie his Ambition but taking advantage of the Discontent the Britains shewed for the Divorce of their Queen and advancing a Pagan in her stead he Quarrelled for enlargement of Pay which not being speedily complyed with he made a League with the Picts so that one Army advancing from the South and the other from the North layed the Country waste in a miserable manner especially upon the coming over of fresh Forces from Germany as Jutes Angles and Saxons whereupon the British Nobles assembled and represented the danger to the King who ruled by his new Wife took little notice of it which made them after he had Reigned Sixteen Years desert him and Swear Allegiance to Vortimer his Eldest Son who being a couragious young Prince assembled to his Standard the whole power of the Britains and in several Battels overthrew the Saxons and Picts forcing the former to retire to their Ships and leave the Kingdom but in the midst of the British hopes from these flourishing successes and Victories Cartigern his Brother being Slain in Kent and Buried at Alestrew now Alesford where a Monument erected for him is at this day called Keith Coty House Rowena Vortimers Step-Mother finding by this means a way opened to her own Issue caused him to be Poisoned at a Banquet of Fruits whereupon Pascentius fearing his Life fled into the Mountains where he lay obscure for a time so that the Britains were compelled to send their Embassadors to Ambrosius a British Prince Governing in Armorica or Britany in Gallia to take the Government upon him as being near Allyed to the Crown When he had heard their supplications and what distress the Country was in he called a Council in which it was Resolved he should pass over with an Army to assist the Britains which accordingly he brought in 56 Ships accompanyed by his Brother Vter-Pendragon and in conjunction with the Britains Fought with Hengist the Saxon General who was returned with great Forces desiring only upon his Landing to have his Daughter delivered to him but at a Treaty of the British Nobles on Salisbury-Plain with the like number of his for Adjusting Affairs upon giving the Watch-word Viz. Nem Cour Saxes that is Take or handle your Swords in the Saxon Language he caused them Treacherously to be Slain with those Weapons which his Men that Treated with them had privately concealed under their Cassocks except one Nobleman then Earl of Warwick who leaping aside when he saw what was intended and geting a Hedge-stake beat out several of their Brains making his Escape through the rest Ambrosius though his Successes answered not his expectation yet having pretty well allay'd the fury of the Saxons by the Slaughter he made of them in divers Battels which he Fought against them retired for the recruit of his Army into Walish-Land so Named by the Invaders now called Wales where being informed that Vortigern had been the chief cause of the Miseries his Country suffered by the calling in of the Pagan Saxons and too long indulging their Rapins and Encroachments as being Marryed to the Daughter of the common Enemy he Besieged him and his Queen in the Castle of Genura which he consumed with Wild-Fire cast upon it by the force of certain Engines in whose Flames they Perished Vortigern being thus Dead Ambrosius was by the consent of the British Nobles Crowned King Anno Dom. 481 and Fought many successful Battels against the Saxons wresting out of their hands many of the Western Counties as Worcestershire Herefordshire Shropshire and divers others so that his Name grew Terrible to the Enemy This however raised the Envy of Pascentius the only surviving Son of Vortigern against him who secretly withdrawing into Germany raised an Army to restore him to the possession of his Father but was over-thrown in a Battel Fought near Exceter in Devonshire and thereupon fled into Scotland Anno 496 but Five Years after returning privatly and hearing that Ambrosius lay Sick he hired one Copâ— to attend him in the nature of a Physitian by feigning himself to be a British Monk though indeed he was a Saxon and so to take the advantage of Poisoning him which he Effected Whereupon Pascentius raised an Army and layed claim again to the Crown But being Fought with by Vter-Pendragon the Kings Brother he and most of his chief Commanders were Slain so that the Line of Vortigern was extinguish'd in his Death Yet this ended not the Wars for swarmes of Pagans continually coming over from Germany they grew too Numerous and Strong for the Britains though all the time of Vter-Pendragon and King Arthur who Succeeded him they maintained fierce Wars with them tho' with various success sometimes one and sometimes the other prevailing But the Britains at length weakned and having no recruits were in a manner shut up or straightened in the Mountains
Ambition aiming to Annex Kent to his own large Dominions whereupon both Armies approaching near Ottford joyned in a Bloody Battel which lasted Twelve Hours when Alrick being beaten down and slain with a Battel-Ax his Men fled the Field and were so hotly pursued that many of them were put to the Sword and great spoil made through all the Country which was continued from the South to the North as far as the River Humber In his time The second General Council was held at Nice being the seventh General Council for all Christendom Ethelbert the Third and Fifteenth King of Kent Usurped the Kingdome after the Death of Alrick whereupon Kenwolfe the Mercian upon his denying to pay him Tribute and Homage came against him with a powerful Army and in a fatal Battel he was overthrown and taken Prisoner and carried into Mercia where he continued some Years But Kenwolfe having erected a stately Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire at the Dedication of it where were present Ten Dukes and Thirteen Bishops he sent for him and at the High Altar freely Released him without any Ransom so he returned again to his People He began his Reign Anno Dom. 795 and Reigned Three Years Cuthred the Sixteenth King of Kent was contrary to the mind of the People placed in the Throne by Kenwolfe King of Mercia but nothing Memorable is Recorded of him He began his Reign 798 and Reigned Three Years In his time a terrible Earth-quake happened in this Island which overthrew many stately Buildings Baldred the Seventeenth and last King of Kent began his Reign 806 but displeasing Kenwolfe King of Mercia he drove him out of the Kingdom when he had Reigned Eighteen Years for the Conqueror annexed it to his own Dominions when it had continued a distinct Kingdom 372 Years 2. Of the South Saxon Kingdom in the Succession of Four Kings Ella a Captain of the Low Germans was the first Founder of this Kingdom as in the foregoing Chapter is mentioned At his Landing at Shorâ—ham in Sussex he divided his Forces under his three Sons viz. Cymen Plettinger and Cissa but finding he was too weak for the Britains that Inhabited Sussex and Surry he was constrained to go over-Sea to fetch greater Strength Then in a set Battel he gave them a fatal Overthrow forcing them into a vast Wood on the South of Kent called Andersleger where many of them perished for want others stole away by Night and some submitted to the Victor whereupon he setled his Borders Bounded on the North with the Thames dividing it from Middlesex and part of Buckinghamshire on the South with the Ocean on the West with Hampshire and on the East with Kent being Counties exceeding fertil in Corn and Rich Pastures stored with excellent Fruits and great numbers of Cattle He began his Reign Anno Dom. 488 and continued it 32 Years Cissa Son to Ella Second King of the South Saxons began his Reign 520 and confederating with Cherdick King of the West Saxons allowing him a small Tribute for some part of his Country which that King layed claim to by Priority he Built Chichester in Sussex and Chisbury Fortifying the Sea-Coast opposing France after that he layed heavy Taxes on his Subjects which Money when raised he sent to Cherdick to maintain his War against the Britains So that being sheltered on all sides from their Invasions he had a long and peacable Reign some Historians alow him 76 Years but this must needs be a mistake considering he was at Mans Estate when he came into this Land and that his Father Reigned 32 Years so that the more moderate allow him to have Reigned only 36 Years Ethelwolfe the Third King of the South Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 596 at which time divers terrible and amazing Sights appeared in the Air of Armies in Rout with great noises of Thunder and flashes of Lightening many drops of the colour of Blood falling at the same time in divers parts of Surry which seemed to Prognosticate the great Bloodshed that afterwards happened when this Kingdom was Invaded by Ceadwald then a Banished Prince of the West Saxons who gathering to him Out-Laws and other Resolute Persons in a Mortal Battel slew Ethelwolfe and divers of his Nobles and pursuing his Victory entered the Kingdom of Kent where he put the Monks to the Sword levelling with the Ground all the Religious Houses that he found in his Progress and then made himself King of the South Saxons after which he greatly lamented the desolation he had made This Ethelwolfe a considerable time before his Death as Bede a very Venerable Clergyman Reports was Converted to the Christian Religion by Bishop Wilfrid though some affirm it to be done by Berinus Bishop of Dorchester He Reigned Twenty Five Years Barthun the Fourth King of the South Saxons and Duke Autban his assistant soon after Ethelwolfes Death prevailed with the People to Banish their Intruding King Ceadwell and within a short time Barthun geting the sole Power into his hands Ceadwell returned with a great Army and after a Fight of Eight Hours on the Plain now called Banstead-Downs Barthun was Slain and his Subjects submitted to the Conqueror who made himself by this Victory a second time King of the South Saxons annexing it by right of Conquest to the West Saxon Kinghom after the Succession of Four Kings who upheld it One Hundred and Thirty Three Years It Begining Anno Dom. 488 and Ending 621. So that by this Addition the West Saxons became very formidable not only to the Britains but their own Countrymen who bordered on them 3. The Kingdom of the East Saxons in the Succession of Fourteen Kings This Kingdom Commenced Anno Dom. 522 containing Middlesex and Essex Counties abounding in Cattle Corn Warrens store of Deer Fowl Fish and other advantagious Commodities Bounded on the North with Suffolk Cambridgshire and Hartfordshire on the South with the River Thames dividing it from Kent and Surry on the West with Buckinghamshire and on the East with the Sea Erchenwin was the First Saxon that framed it into a Kingdom after he had assisted the other Saxons with the Forces he brought over to drive the Britains out of their possessions in the Fertil parts of England and then giving himself much to Peace and framing such Laws from those in Germany as best suited to the wellfare of his People in this Country he continued his Reign Sixty Years Dying in Peace Anno Dom. 582. Sleadda the Second King of the East Saxons Succeeding Erchenwin Encouraged the Idol Temples and much Oppressed the Christians at the beginning of his Reign but upon seeing a threatening Vision of Angels with drawn Swords opposing his Progress he grew much milder at the Latter-end of his Reign which began Anno Dom. 582 and ended 591. Sebert the Third King of the East Saxons though at first a Persecutor of the Christians was at last so far overcâ—me by their harmless and inoffensive Lives that he applying
himself to Miletus the first Bishop of St. Paul's in London by his grave Advice was induced to embrace the Christian Religion This famous Church was Founded by him and Ethelbert King of Kent in the place where before stood a Temple Dedicated to Diana wherein many Bloody Sacrifices had been offered to the supposed Goddess and so becoming the first Christian King of the East Saxons he was a great Encourager of Religious Men and Women building at their request divers other Churches in London and elsewhere He began his Reign Anno Dom. 591 and Reigned 21 Years Sered the Fourth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 611 He revoked the Indulgences of his Predecessors to the Christians and in attempting to Prophane The Lords Table being withstood by Miletus the Bishop of St. Paules he Banished him his Dominions but afterward entering on a War with Kingills King of the West Saxons which continued for some time he was in the conclusion of it Slain when he had Reigned Six Years A little before his Death he had a Dream like to that of Smyrdis Son to Cyrus the Great and Brother to King Cambysis of Persia viz. That he sat on the West Saxon Throne and his Head reached the Skies which being falsly Interpreted by his flatterers who pushed him on in his Ambitiaus designs whilst like the other he lost his Life though by different means the first Murthered by his Brothers command on a Jealousie he designed to Usurp the Persian Monarchy and the latter Fighting to enlarge his Dominions Sigesbert the Fifth King af the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 620. He made several Laws against Murtherers and Thieves that then much abounded in the Country In his time a dreadful Fire happened in London consuming most of the Eastern part of it but it was soon Re-built and much inlarged by this Kings Encouragement and the Michaelmas following a number of Porpoises came up the River whereupon preat Storms followed and the Thames overflowing lay'd many Hundreds of Acres under Water in Kent and Surry He Reigned Twenty Three Years Sigebert the Sixth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 643. He Restored again the True Worship in that Kingdom being perswaded by Oswy King of the Northumbers to be Baptized by Bishop Finnan giving Large Gifts to the Churches and Monasteries earnestly labouring to settle Peace among his Neighbours but being of a very wild temper and soft by Nature his two Brothers took the advantage of his weakness Conspired against him and Murthered him when he had Reigned Fifteen Years Swithelm the Seventh King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 658 upon the enterance on it he became a Christian and was Baptized by Bishop Cedda Ethelwald King of the East Angles being his Godfather In his time London began to flourish very much in Trade the Merchants and Traders having large Priviledges granted them A little before his Death A Globe of Fire fell on St. Paul 's Church and Burnt the Roof of it His Reign continued only Three Years and odd Days Sighere the Eighth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 661. He had embraced the Christian Faith but Apostatized on a slight Occasion and of a Father of the Church became a Persecutor but being afflicted with a grievous Disease he was smitten with Remorse of Conscience and many Thousands of his Subjects being Destroyed by a raging Pestilence he Remembered frem whence he was Fallen and Returned to the Christian Communion into which he was gladly received by an Assembly of the Clergy who prevailed with him to destroy the Idols and demolish their Altars He Reigned Five Years Sebba the Ninth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 666 being given much to a Religious Life and much Repenting the Blood he had shed when he was General in the Wars whereupon when he had Reigned Thirty Years he layed down his Scepter and took on him a Religious Habit in the Monastery of St. Paul's at London bequeathing his Kingdom to Sigherd his Kinsman Sigherd the Tenth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 696. He sent Forces to assist the West Saxons against the Britains who made strong Incursions into their Territories and carried away great Booties in the mean time divers Pirates from Denmark and Norway Invaded his Sea-Coasts Burning and Plundering many Villages but a mighty Tempest arising they suffered Shipwrack and so many of them as Escaped to Shoar were destroyed by the Country Peasants He Built many Religious Houses and Reigned Seven Years Seofrid the Eleventh King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 703. He Built Forts on the advantagious Havens to the Sea-Coast to prevent the Landing of Foreign Enemies by surprize encouraging his People to Trade with the Neighbour Nations so that many of the North East Countries were discovered and great Riches brought home which caused others who had advantagious Havens to take the like Measures whereupon the Shiping encreased He Reigned Seven Years Offa the Twelfth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 711. He was a great Encourager of the Christians and in his time the Christian Religion spread into all parts of his Dominions He Invited over Religious Men out of other Countries and ordered Publick Schooles to be Erected and being desirous to see Rome which he had heard so much of by Fame when he had Reigned Eight Years he went thither and being much taken with the Devotion of the Religious there he became a Monk and Dyed in that station leaving large Legacies to the Church Selred the Second and Thirteenth King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 719. In his time a grievous Famine was in this Kingdom for the space of three Years so that People in many places were compelled to Eat Grass Roots Leaves and Barks of Trees and yet many Thousands were Famished Great flashes of Fire likewise Issued out of the Earth which Burnt up the Trees and Grass and Destroyed some People and much Cattel but soon after a great Plenty ensued He Reigned Thirty Eight Years Suthred the Fourteenth and Last King of the East Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 757. He had great Wars with Egbert King of the West Saxons so that in various Battels Fifty Thousand of his People being Slain he was so weakned that not being able to make head any longer he withdrew himself and left his Dominions to the prevailing Enemy when in much Trouble he had upheld them Eight Years So that Egbert annexing it as a Province to his own Kingdom Extinguished the Name of the East-Saxon-Kingdom about the Year of Christ 827. CHAP. VI. A Description of the Kingdoms of Northumberland and Mercia with the Succession of their Kings and the most Memorable Transactions Portents and Prodigies both in Peace and War that happened during their Reignes 4. The Kingdom of Northumberland as it Began and continued in
the Reignes of Twenty Five Kings THE Kingdom of Northumberland Extended very largly in the North of England containing Yorkshire Durham Lancashire Westmorland Cumberland and Northumberland Bounded on the North with the German Ocean on the West with the Irish Sea and part of Scotland on the South with Cheshire Derbyshire Notinghamshire and Lincolnshire abounding with Sea-Coale Mineralls Quarries of Stone Cattle Rivers stored with Salmon Trouts and other Fish Fat Pastures Fowl and abundance of Corn. Ida and Ella two Saxon Dukes first Modelled it into a Kingdom Anno Dom. 597 causing divers Towns to be Built that had been ruined in the Wars keeping strong Guards on their Borders to defend them against Encroachments yet after they had Reigned Fifteen Years finding themselves too weak to bandy against the Britains Picts and East Angles who greatly disturbed them in their Settlement to render them able to keep what they had Seized they sent for five German Captains who came with more Forces by which additional Strength the Kingdom was Established But about that time Ida Dying they Quarrelled with Ella for their Parts or Shares whereupon to prevent the effusion of Blood and rending it in pieces by Civil Dissention it was agreed they should Reign with him as Co-Parteners Anno Dom. 562. The Continuance of their Reigns were as followeth 2. Theadwold 1 Year 3. Elappea 5 Years 4. Adda 7 Years 5. Ferthuf 7 Years 6. Theodorick 7 Years But Ella Out-living some and Banishing others when he found he was powerful in the Love of his People and they hated for their Tyranny Reigned singly many Years after and in all Forty Two Viz. till 589. Elthelrick Accounted by the foregoing means the Seventh King of Northumberland Succeeding Ella Anno Dom. 589. His Accession to the Throne was ushered in by a fearful Blazing Star and the Sea breaking in near Hortle Pool in the Bishoprick of Durham swept away divers Villages Drowning many People and Cattle He had Wars with the Picts who bordered on the North of his Kingdom and in a set Battel near Wark in Northumberland gave them a great overthrow as also the Scots their Confederates entering their Kingdom and bringing away large Booties so that they were constrained to sue for Peace which was granted But intending to War on the Britains Death put a period to that Enterprize when he had Reigned four Years Anno 593. Ethelfrid the Eighth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 593 being a mortal Enemy to the poor Britains making Inroads into their Territories and destroying all before him when coming to the Monastery of Bangor in Carnarvanshire the Monks came out with Presents to meet him Singing a Hymn as a demonstration of his Welcom but this and their Innocence which they too much trusted in little availed to Skreen them from his Fury for being of a Bloody temper Eleven Hundred of them in that Monastry and others Adjacient were miserably Massacred at his Command a little while after the meeting of Augustin Bishop of Canterbury with the British Bishops at Austin's Oak in Worcestershire to settle matters of Religion according as it was practiced at Rome but those Bishops in many Points Dissenting from him the Assembly abruptly broke up and for this he is hardly censured and not without ground to be the Instigater of Ethelfrids Cruelty This Ethelfrid Fought with Cadwan King of the Britains near West-Chester and overthrew him with great slaughter and after a Peace concluded which lasted during their Lives he Warred on the Scots and defeated Edanaden their King at Degsaxton on the Marches of Scotland and Banished Edwin his Kinsman and Heir Apparent to the Crown who flying for protection to Redwald King of the East Angles they raised an Army and joyning Battel many of Ethelfrids Souldiers who bore good-will to Edwin seeing his Standard in the Field Revolted whereupon Ethelfrid labouring to restore the declining Battel threw himselfe like a desperate Man among the thickest of the Enemies and was slain when he had Reigned Thirty Two Years Edwin after the Death of Ethelfrid was placed by Redwald in the Throne of the Northumbrian Kingdom and is accounted the Ninth King He began his Reign Anno Dom. 626. It is reported by the Monks of those times who were mightily addicted to such Foolish and Superstitious Fables That in his Banishment the Apostle St. Paul Appeared to him in a Vision Preaching to him the Gospel and telling him if he would cause it to be freely Preached in the Northumbrian Kingdom he should be shortly placed in the Throne which he then promised to do whereupon the Vision laying one Hand on his Head and Commanding him to remember that Sign Vanished But after he gained his desires forgeting his promise the same Apostle appeared to Paulinus the Bishop of York and commanded him to lay his Hand on the Kings Head and demand if he remembred that Sign which he had no sooner done but Edwin fell at his Feet begging Pardon for his neglect and was thereupon with many of his Nobles Baptized at York after which he Built many Religious Houses and was himself a great promoter of Christianity sheltering and relieving such as fled the Persecution of Pagan Kings which Charitable succour of the distressed was the main ground on which Penda King of the Mercians founded his Quarrel so that a Bloody War ensuing Edwin and Offrid his Son were slain in Battel the Mercians at that time being assisted by Cadwallo King of the Britains when he had Reigned Seven Years In his time he much inlarged the Northumbrian Kingdom subduing the Coasts of Britain and the Islands of the Hebrides To prevent whose progress one Eumerius was sent by the West Saxon King to Murther him but was prevented by Lillia the Kings Chamberlain steping between on the push and receiving the Mortal Wound in his own Body He Built the Cathedral at York of Stone which before was only of Wood. Offride or Osrick the Tenth King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 633. By Edwin's Example encouraging and promoting the Christian Religion In his time a Little Stream of the Colour of Blood burst from a Rock near York and soon after entering on a War against Cadwallo King of the Britains he was Slain when he had Reigned about a Year Oswald the Eleventh King of Northumberland began his Reign Anno Dom. 634 he followed the steps of his Two Predecessors in promoting the Christian Religion sending for Adian a Scotch Bishop of great note to assist him in so good a Work who Preaching in Landesfeorn or Holy Island in Scotland and the King Interpreting it to the People many of them were Converted and Baptized He had great Wars with the Britains and in a set Battel slew Cadwallo the last but one of the race of the British Kings and the greatest part of his Army at Deniseburn so that he had Peace on that side but thinking to gain the like advantage over Penda the Mercian King
Arms and Slew him after his Seven Years Second Reign whereupon much Misery ensued to the Kingdom by Usurpers who Tyrannized over the People and Slew whom they pleased at their pleasure Till Alfwald a Prince of the Royal Blood took the Government upon him putting some of the Usurpers to Death and Banished others but he was Murthered by the Conspiracy of one Siga when he had Reigned Eleven Years During these Disturbances and Murthers of Kings many terrible Sights appeared in the Air hollow Groanings and as it were Laments were heard in the Earth in divers places and affrighting Apparitions of Ghosts and Spectrums Haunted the Pallaces and Houses of Noblemen and others Osred the Twenty Fifth King of the Northumbrians Entered upon the Government much distracted and disordered by Intestine Troubles so that wanting Power to keep a steady rein to bridle the unruly People they Justled him from the Throne and Expelled him the Kingdom when he had Reigned about a Year And though this Kingdom is held by some to last much longer Viz. to Anno Dom. 926 yet no Historian I can find making mention of any other Kings I rather chuse to End here than wade into uncertainties which would not only break the Thread of History but leave the Reader to wander in Dark and Doubtful Notions Therefore concluding that some Authors who have alotted so long a time were Mistaken for want of comparing the Continuance of this with the rest of the Petty Kingdoms of the Saxon Heptarchy from the times they Began till they were reduced under a Sole Monarch I shall proceed to the next which is the Kingdom of Mercia c. 5. The Kingdom of Mercia in the Succession of its Twenty Kings or Petty Monarchs c. The Kingdom of Mercia seized and setled by the most powerful of the Saxon Invaders is accounted the Largest of the Seven It Contained Hartfordshire Bedfordshire Buckinghamshire Warwickshire Staffordshire Worcestershire Gloucestershire Shropshire Cheshire Oxfordshire Notinghamshire Derbyshire Leicestershire Northamptonshire Lincolnshire Huntingtonshire and the County of Rutland so that it was Inclosed by the other six Kingdoms and consequently when the Britains were brought Low and the Saxons Elbowed each other to Enlarge their Territories most exposed to War as will appear in the ensuing Account of the Actions of its Kings in the Succession of Twenty of them for so many Reigned before it ceased to be a distinct Kingdom It was Bounded on the East with the Kingdoms of the East Angles East Saxons and German Ocean on the South with the East Saxon and West Saxon Kingdoms on the West with Wales and on the North with the Kingdom of Northumberland Abounding with Cities Towns Cattle Corn Lead Fruit Pastures Rivers Parks Chaces Woods and Pleasant Rising Hills and Flowery Meadows which soon made them grow Rich and Powerful Crida was the First Saxon who made himself King of so spacious a Country Beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 582. Against him the Britains Warred but with various success sometimes the one and sometimes the other prevailing so that much Blood was spilt But at last the Britains being mightily weakened in a Bloody Battel Carecticus their King immured himself within the walls of Chester But being Besieged by Grummond an Arch Pirate who commanded part of Cridas Forces and the Saxons not being able to force the Walls which were stoutly defended by the broken Army of the Britains retired thither with their King Grummond Invented a Stratagem to Fire the City and drive them out like Bees Smok'd from their Hive or Perish in the Flames which was effected by tying Wild-Fire to the Feet of Sparrows and Swallows who lighting on the Thatched Houses set them on Fire and lay'd the whole City in a heap of Ruins but the British King with a few Followers Escaped by Night to the Mountains of Wales and there soon after Dyed of Grief for the loss of his People and desolation of his Country This Crida Reigned Twelve Years Wibba the Second King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 594. This Man Warred with the Britains and took from them almost all the pleasant Countries they held on his Borders considerably Enlarging what he at first Possessed though not without great effusion of Blood on both sides so that the Dead Bodies lying unburied corrupted the Air and caused a Pestilence that destroyed many Thousands He Reigned Twenty Years Ceorle the Third King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 614 He finding his Kingdom Large sent over for more Collonies to People it and repair the loss of those that fell in the Wars and then having setled his Borders and placed Garrisons on the Frontiers his next business was to provide such Laws as might the better Establish him in his Kingdom especially for The preventing Treason and apprehending Outlawes or those desperate Persons that lurked in Woods Robbing and Murthering such as passed by them Commanding a certain quantity of Land to be Sowed every Year on great Penalties to the Counties where the Land enjoyned lay if neglected He had some Wars with the Britains but nothing considerable to those of his Predecessors He Reigned Ten Years Penda the Fourth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 624 and made great War upon his Neighbours He joyned with Cadwallo the Twelfth King of the Britains against Edwin King of Northumberland and in a Memorable Battel Slew him with Prince Offrid his Son and afterward Oswald who succeeded Edwin And Warring on the East Angles he made great waste of their Country Slaying successively three of their Kings Viz. Sigesbert Eyrick and Anna and being a Pagan he pursued with Cruel Hatred those who Professed the Christian Religion so that The Church mourned his Anger in Tears of Blood he turning the places of Religious Worship into heaps of Rubbish and Slaying as many as fell into his hands that were the Heads or Chief of the Religious Orders Then making War on the West Saxons he defeated Redwald their King in a bloody Battel and Slew him with many Thousands of his Subjects much Enlarging his own Kingdom so that aspiring to the sole Monarchy and having strongly Pushed and Elbowed his Neighbours in the East and West enterprizing the like in the North he was Slain by Oswy King of Northumberland in a pitched Battel with Ten Thousand of his Subjects when he had Reigned 32 Years Peada alias Wedda the Fifth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 665. He was the first Christian King of the Mercians causing the Idols every where to be destroyed throughout his Kingdom Banishing their Priests that refused to be Baptized building Churches and Monasteries but before he had fully brought to pass what he intended in this Matter the Pagan Priests incited his Wife some Authors say his Mother secretly to Murther him when he had Reigned Three Years Wolfer the Sixth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 659 He Warred on the West Saxons and won the Isle of Wight
A ROMANE A BRITAINE A SAXON A DANE A NORMAN THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND GIVING A True and Impartial Account of the most Considerable Transactions in CHURCH and STATE in PEACE and WAR during the Reigns of all the KINGS and QVEENS from the coming of Julius Caesar into Britain WITH An Account of all the Plots Conspiracies Insurrections and Rebellions LIKEWISE A Relation of the Wonderful Prodigies Monstrous Births Terrible Earth-Quakes Dreadful Sights in the Air Lamentable Famines Plagues Thunders Lightnings and Fires c. to the Year 1696. Being the Eighth Year of the Reign of his present Majesty King WILLIAM the III. TOGETHER With a particular Description of the Rarities In the several Counties of England and Wales With Exact MAPS of each County By JOHN SELLER Hydrographer to His Majesty LONDON Printed by Job and John How for John Gwillim against Crossby-Square in Bishopsgate-street 1696. MVNIFICENTIA REGIA 1715. GEORGIVS D.G. MAG Bâ— â—â— ET HIR â—â—â— FD. J. Puâ—â— sculp TO THE KING Great Sir MY Presumption in this Dedication would be Vnpardonable were it not that the Subject Matter of this Book is such as does particularly Entitle Your Majesty thereunto and makes it fit for a Prince to Patroniâ—e For it is not only the History of the Lives and Reigns of Your Majesty's Royal Predecessors but also a Description of Your Majesty's Kingdom of England and Principallity of Wales A Country that has been Rescu'd by Your Majesty out of the Jaws of those Devouring Monsters Popery and Slavery which were ready to swallow it up 'T was when the Nation lay Expos'd to the Will and Lust of her Insulting Ravishers that Your Majesty as the Guardian Angel of Great Britain came to her Timely Rescue Exposing Your Royal Person to the Danger of the Sea in the worst Season of the Year that You might Save It from impending Ruine And to whom could the History of England be better Dedicated than to a Prince who has done such Great Things for it Who has Rais'd it from that Oblivion to which the Supineness of the late Reigns had Reduc'd it to make the most considerable Figure of any Kingdom in Europe of which Your Majesty has also again made it the Arbiter Having Rais'd the Genius of the Nation by Your Own Heroick Example above what it was in our Third Edward or Fifth Henry's Days 'T is true indeed both those Princes obtain'd Great Victories over France but it was then Weak and Divided Void of all those Acquisitions that Lewis the 14th has Vnjustly Raâ—ish'd from his Neighbours Whereas Your Majesty has Humbled France in the very Zenith of her Glory when she was Laying the Foundation of an Vniversal Monarchy But it would be too great a Boldness in so Weak a Pen to attempt any thing in Your Majesty's Just Praise when even the most Celebrated Writers must fall far short of Performing it as they ought That Your Majesty may long Live and Reign the Terrour of Your Enemies the Joy of Your Subjests and the Delight of all Mankind shall be the daily Prayer of Your Majesties most Humble Subject and Servant John Seller A New Mapp of ENGLAND and WALES By Iohn Seller THE HISTORY OF ENGLAND CHAP. I. Of its Situation and Fruitfulness The Manners Customs and Religion of the Antient Britains How it was first Inhabited Why call'd Britain and the Name of ENGLAND given to the Part we Inhabit Julius Caesar Invited over c. THIS Island of Great Britain containing at present Three Nations or People of different Languages is the largest in Europe and inferiour to none in the other parts of the World for Fertility Power good Government and Glory of it's Great Actions It is Situated in a healthful Climate between 51 and 58 Degrees of North Latitude Bounded on the East with Germany and Denmark on the West with Ireland and the Atlantick Ocean on the North with the Ducalidonian Seas and on the South with France and Normandy ENGLAND the noblest and largest part of it and a distinct Kingdom of it self though at present all under One happy Monarch formerly sustained many Kings at once all of them commanding great Powers as will appear in the Series of History For in spaciousness it extends it self from North to South in the broadest place 386 Miles and from the Lands End in Cornwal to the Isle of Thanet in the East of Kent it stretches 340 Miles besides the spaciousness of the many Islands as Wight Man Anglesey and others of note which I shall have occasion to mention with every thing else that may give satisfaction to the Reader It is for Longitude placed between the Parallels of 14 and 16 Containing 25 Cities in which are Bishops Seas 'T is full of Parks Rivers and Forrests and abounding in plenty of Arable Ground Pleasant Pastures and Cattel throughout its 40 Counties and the like in the 13 Counties of Wales once a distinct Kingdom but now annexed to the English Diadem As to the time of the first Peopling this fruitful Land some will have it soon after the Floud by Sememothâ—us Sixth Son of Japhet others that it was Peopled by King Brutus in the 2887th Year of the Worlds Creation and that we are of Trojan Original So that this must be about 1231 Years after the Deluge when Elie was High-Priest But it is rather generally accepted though many other Stories without any good ground or much credit are mentioned That a Colony of some neighbouring Nation viz from Germany wafted over and finding it so pleasant a Soile gladly planted themselves in it But since this is doubtful and all we can gather concerning the Natives before the Landing of Julius Caesar is from Forreign Authors we must be content to pass these over As for the Name of this Island being call'd Britain it is held to come from the word Brith which signifies Painting or Staining their Skins and also going Naked which was the Custom of the Antient Britains They Raced their Skins drawing on them the Figures of Birds Beasts Flowers Suns Stars c. to distinguish their Dignity which like the slic'd Bark of a Tree growing wider as they grew up made them appear Terrible to their Enemies and indeed they were for the most part Fierce and Cruel especially those in the Northern parts who Traded not with the Civilized Gauls insomuch that they Sacrificed every Tenth Captive taken in the Wars among themselves to their Idols of which they had a great number called by the Names of Planets and in the form of divers living Creatures And to these senseless Stocks their Druid's or Magi whom they accounted their Wise Men and served in stead of Flamins and Priests compelled them to pay their Adoration Worshiping in Groves accounting Fortified Woods their Towns and Cities They wore about their Middles Iron Chains and to them both Men and Women had short Swords girded bearing in their Hands a Spear with a Brass Knob or Bell at the end of it to make a
the latter Ruling with the former Four Years beginning his Reign Anno 365. He at first recalled Nazianzen and Basil from Banishment and was Baptized by Eudoxius but after turned Arian and Persceuted the Orthodox Clergy and when they sent Petitions to him he caused Eighty of them to be carryed to Sea in a Ship and the Ship set on Fire But Gratian was more Merciful and did many good Acts Building the ruined Churches and calling home the Banish'd Clergy He Reigned Six Years but neither of them had any Wars with Britain Maximinus and Valentinas began to Reign Anno Dom. 373 and are held to reign about Six Years though History seems to take but little notice of the former The Britaâ— in their time were free from Wars Theodosius began his Reign and continued it about Four Years Flavius Stillico was his Deputy in Britain but I read of no Wars with this Nation his Hands being otherwise fill'd in opposing the Goths and other Barbarous Nations who broke like a Torrent into the Roman Provinces In his time was held The Second General Council and the First at Constantinople Great Damages by Sea and Land were sustained by an Earth-Quake which lasted Six Months ENGLAND As it was divided in the time of the English Saxons especially during their Heptarchy Theodosius the Younger and Valentinianus began their Reign 402. In their time The Third General Council was held at Ephesus the first held there And now the Red Horse with his Rider mentioned in the Revelation seemed to be sent forth to take Peace from the Earth The Roman Empire was Invaded in all parts so that they were forced to re-call their Souldiers from Britain and other remote Provinces to aid them nearer home leaving this Island after they had possessed it 597 Years And then the Saxons being call'd in as Friends to assist them against the Picts proved greater Enemies as will appear in the following Chapter CHAP. IV. How on the Departure of the Romans the Picts and Scots Invaded the Britains The Succours the Romans sent them and the Wall built from Sea to Sea to prevent Incursions By what means the Saxons were called In in the Reign of King Vortigern and how they got Footing so Strongly as to setle their Heptarchie or Seven Kingdoms Their Original Manners Laws Customs and Religion THE Romans as is said being embroyled in dangerous Wars in Italy and other Provinces in their vast Empire having left this Kingdom naked and defenceless by draining the Youths of Britain to serve them in Transmarine parts of whom afterwards they setled a Colony in France or antient Gallia which is now called Britany The Picts a People of Germany who had Established a Kingdom in the Marches of England and Scotland took this opportunity to encroach on the Britains in the South and West Counties but finding themselves too weak to make any considerable advances they Leagued with the Scots who possessed the Northern parts of the Island and divers small Islands scatter'd in the Ocean towards the Coast of Denmark and Norway These joyntly raising great Forces broke in violently making great Slaughter and Ravages in Cumberland Northumberland Durham Yorkshire and other Northern Counties laying all Religious Places waste with Sword and Fire so that the distressed People fled before them Yet the Britains took Courage and gave them Battel but after this and several other overthrows they found themselves so weakened that they were constrained to send Embassadors to Honorius the Roman Emperour Imploring his Protection to save their sinking Country out of the Hands of their Merciless Enemies This good Emperour compassionating their Sufferings sent a choice Legion by whose assistance and instructing them in the Millitary Art they with great Slaughter drove the far-advanc'd Picts and Scots beyond the Marches and to exclude them the British Provinces a mighty Wall with vast Labour and Expence was erected from the Frith of Edenborough to the City Alcluith on Dumbriton with Bullwarks and Watch-Towers in which Guards were placed to give notice of the Enemies approach and to defend the Stupendious Work But it little availed for no sooner was the Roman Legion recalled but the Picts and Scots assembled in great Numbers and with their long Hooks and Bills pulled the half-Starved Britains from their Battlements and with an Engine called a War-wolfe broke a passage through and then with all their power rushed in like a Torrent laying every thing waste before them whilst others from Scotland came in their Carroghs or small Barks and Landed on the Banks of the Humber in swarms The poor Britains finding themselves so hardly distressed between two insolent Enemies sent their Embassadors a second time to Valentinian the Third then Emperour of Rome with Rent Garments and Dust on their Heads in a mournful manner to implore him That he would not suffer a Province which had been so serviceable to the Roman State to fall under the Scorn and Insolence of Merciless Pagans setting forth at large the Miseries their Country laboured under with such moving Oratory that the Emperour compassionating their Sufferings sent two Legions of Foot and three Cohorts of Horse who coming unexpectedly on the Ravenous Spoilers overthrew them with a terrible Slaughter covering the Fields and Lanes with their Dead Bodies beating and pursuing them beyond the Wall taking Camelon the chief City of the Picts building a stronger Wall than the former of Stone and mighty Piles of Timber the Ruins of which are visible at this Day it being then Twelve Foot high and Eight broad traversing the Island from Sea to Sea and for the good-will the Romans bore the Britains they taught them the Art of Arms and manner of Intrenching furnishing them with Weapons and other Necessaries and having setled affaires they took their leave telling the Natives who Mourned their Departure That they must take Courage and Defend themselves for as much as the Romans could not any more undertake such chargeable and hazardous Voyages for their sake seeing they had powerful Enemies to contend with nearer home However the Romans departing and they being Oppressed again by their old Enemies sent thhs Deplorable Letter to Aetius President of Galia for Assistance Superscribed To Aetius the third time Consul the Groans of the BRITAINS Viz. The Barbarians drive us to the Sea and the Sea beats us back upon them between these Extreames we are exposed either to be slain with the Sword or drowned in the Waves and to avoid either we find no Remedy unless most Excellent Roman you will compassionate our extream Misery and send us speedy Aid to repel our cruel Enemies This however prevailed not for the Romans unable to defend themselves against the Huns and Vandals renounced their claim to this Island refusing to send any more Forces Whereupon after divers unsuccessful Battels some of the Britains through Famine were forced to yeild themselves Slaves to their Enemies but others preferring Liberty before Life betooke them to the Fastnesses in
or Fastnesses of Wales and Cornwal which gave the Saxons by degrees an opportunity to form the several Counties their Chiefs had possessed into Kingdoms 1. Hengist the first Invader made himself King of Kent in the time of Vortigern Anno Dom. 455 erecting there the Kentish Kingdom 2. Ella a Duke of the Germans who brought fresh Supplies and Landed at Shoram in Sussex his Dominions extending through the Counties of Sussex and Surry he began his Reign Anno Dom. 488. 3. Childrick a Captain of the Low-Country Germans erected the West-Saxon Kingdom containing Cornwal Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Hampshire and Barkshire Anno Dom. 501. 4. The East Saxons Kingdom was erected by Erchenwin Anno Dom. 527 containing Essex and Middlesex 5. The Kingdom of Northumberland containing Yorkshire the Bishoprick of Durham Lancashire Westmoreland Cumberland and Nortbumberland was erected by two Saxon Chiefs viz. Ida and Ella who as Co-partners began their Reign Anno Dom. 547. 6. The Kingdom of Mercia containing Huntingtonshire Rutlandshire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Shropshire Leicestershire Derbyshire Notinghamshire Oxfordshire Cheshire Glocestershire Warwickshire Staffordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and Hartfordshire being the largest of all was erected by Crida one of their great Captains Anno Dom. 582. 7. The Kingdom of the East-Angles containing Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire and the Isle of Ely was erected by Vffa who brought fresh Aids against the Britains when the Saxons were in many parts distressed Anno Dom. 575. Thus you see how this Island was coveted and strugled for by strange Nations as soon as they had tasted of its Sweetness and saw its Fertility Its Fruitfullness and abundant plenty of all things necessary for the subsistance of Mankind being a great Motive to encourage them in its Conquest and in that sense a great cause of its own Misery But ere I come to give a direct Account of the Kings that Governed these Kingdoms before they were United under a Sole Monarch and the British Princes that Opposed them in their Setling I think it necessary to say something as to what these Saxons were in their Original with a Brief Discourse of their Laws Manners Habits Customs Idolatrous Worship and other things that shall Occur suitable to History As for their Original Historians report them to have sprung from the Sacae a People in the Lesser Asia who being distressed with great Droughts and Famine sent Colonies abroad to seek more agreeable Habitations who coming into the North-East part of Europe and finding Plentiful Countries they sent for greater Forces to Enable them to settle therein and so after a long and doubtful War with the Strong Nations that bordered on Germany viz. Prusia Poland and Hungary they got possession planting their Families in the most Fruitful part of that large Region calling it Sacaesons Land or Saxony And in a short time by Warring on their Neighbours stretched their Dominions from the River Albis to the Rhine in Length and in Breadth from the German Ocean and River Oder to the Borders of Hessia and Turingia But the Country held at present by the Dukes of Saxony is crouded into a narrower compass having lost by its Neighbours incroachments much of its former Extension Their Leader in this Expedition was one Tuysco whom for his Valiant Exploits and giving them Laws to Govern by they stiled a God seting his Image on a Pillar in the Figure of an Aged Man in flowing Robes of Purple holding a Scepter in his Hand signifying he was the first Establisher and Governour of their European Dominions and ascribed to him a Day in the Week by the Name of Tuysco's Day and now by us called Tuesday The Idols of the Ancient Saxons Sun Moone Tuysco Woden The Idol of the Sun was made as here Appeareth lile half a naked man set upon a Piller his face like the Image of the Sun The Idol of the Moon made for a Woman but had a short coat like a man w th a cap with a larg eares the holding the Moon before her brest The Idol Tuysco the first and Chiefest man of name among the Germans The Idol Woden after the name of a most valient and Victorious Prince Captain his Idol was worshipped like God As for their Laws or Customs They Punished Robbers and Adulterers with Death Their Virgins were permitted to be Marry'd but Once and their Men restrained from Plurality of Wives unless the Chief of their Tribes for the sake of Children to keep up their Names and Families tho Barrenness was accounted among them an immediate Curse from their Gods If any great Difference arose among them it was usually decided by Champions in single Combate As for their Worship or Religion upon their first coming over and a long time after it was pay'd to Idols of which they had many and with their Abominations and Heathenish Sacrifices they poluted the Christian Churches and Temples grievously Afflicting and Persecuting the Mournful Christians making them to Wander in Desolate Places 1. They set up the Image or Idol of the Sun in the form of half a naked Man on a Pillar with Rays or Sun-beams about his Face holding in his two Hands before his Breast a Wheel of Circling Flame representing the Element of Fire and this Image was Worshiped on the day attributed to it viz. Sunday And Offerings made of Wheat and other products of the Earth in its Temple 2. They had another Idol to represent the Moon having the Face of a Woman a short Coat to the midle of the Thighs and a Hood with long Ears holding the Figure of the Moon in its Encrease with both her Hands before her Breast and to it they did Nightly Sacrifice in Groves and Mountains This Idol claimed peculiar Devotions on her day called Moonday 3. Tuysco who claimed Veneration on Tuesday which I have already described his Feast was kept every third Moon with Songs declaring his Actions with Dancing and much Jollitry 4. Woden this Idol was set up in Memory of one of their Victorious Princes who had Fought successfully against the Huns and Lumbards who entered Germany in the wain of the Roman Empire They placed him in King-like State on a Pillar a Crown on his Head and a Shield on his Left Arm holding up a Sword in his Right Hand To him they Offered Humane Sacrifice of the Tenth Captives taken in War and forbid any to Name him unless with Reverence and profound Respect ascribing to him a day viz. Wodensday now Wednesday and Lamps were always Burning before his Shrine The Idols of the Ancient Saxons Thor Friga Seater Flint This Idol was Majestically placed upon a Covered bed on his head a Crown of Gold This Idol Represents both sexes as Hermophrodite in her Right hand she held a drawn sword in her left a Bow This Idol was placed on a Pearch with a sharp prickled back bare headed and bare footed This Idol was set on a great Stone made like the Image of Death with a sheet
about him 6. Friga or Frea was Wodens Queen upon the account of Chastity and other Virtues after her Death they set up an Idol in her Likeness on a Pillar resembling Diana compleatly Armed to the Waste with a Bow and a Sword and to her were often Sacrificed those Females that had Violated their Virgin-Chastity Some Authors allow her to have been Expert in Arms by whose Prowess the Antient Saxons extended their German Territories and to her was Dedicated the Sixth Day called then Frea's-Day now Fryday 7. Seater This Idol was placed in the shape of an Old Man on a Pillar treading with his bare Feet on a Pearch with sharp pricks on its Back holding in his Right Hand a Basket of Fruits signifying Plenty and in his Left a Wheel signifying Time when we ought to be careful in laying up our Stores to prevent Scarcity He was held in his Life time to be a great Prophet and Astrologer telling things to come and Teaching the Saxons the Course of the Sun Moon and Stars and to him they Prayed for Knowledge Wisdom and hopeful Children Spring and Fall they Offered Fruits to him and strewed the way to his Temple with Flowers For his Worship they appointed the Seventh Day of the Week calling it Sater's Day now Saturday They had another Idol resembling the Image of Death with Flowing Crimson Robes holding a Lighted Torch in his Right Hand and a Lion Rampant on his Head by the Left Foot with his Left Hand He was placed on a Tomb or Grave-stone to put them in mind of Mortality and to shew Deaths Obduracy and Inexorableness they called him Flint Before his Shrine which was set in a large place Walled about without any Covering they Executed or Sacrificed Offenders for Extraordinary Crimes by Fire Racks and other Exquisit Tortures Having thus given you a Brief Description of the Original and Manners of the Antient Saxons before their coming into this Island I should now proceed to give you an Account of the Succession of their several Kings here during the time of their Heptarchy or Seven Kingdoms until King Edgar overcoming and subduing all the rest reduc'd it again to a Monarchy But that shall be the business of the next Chapter CHAP. V. The Succession of the Petty Monarchs of the Kentish South-Saxon and East-Saxon Kingdoms with what Remarkably Happen'd during their respective Reigns in Peace and War The Time when they Began and Ended them with the Limits of their Dominions 1. Of the Kingdom of Kent and the Succession of its seventeen Kings HEngist the first Saxon Invader as is formerly noted setled Himself and his People in the County of Kent a Fertil part of England large in Extent bounded on the North with the River Thames by which it is divided from Essex on the East with the Channel on the West with Surry and on the South with Sussex He began to Erect a Saxon Kingdom there Anno Dom. 455 and had during his Thirty Four years Reign continual War with the Britains his Brother Horsa Dying of the Wounds he received in Battel gave Name to a place called Horsa's Tomb now corruptly called Horsted where he was Buried and had a famous Monument erected over his Grave the Ruins of which some Hundred Years since were visible It is held by Authors of great repute those Stones of a prodigious bigness on Salisbury Plain which have created Admiration in the Beholders were erected as a Monument where he caused the British Nobles to be Treacherously Slain by which means he gained his design on this Kingdom making way to its Subjection for indeed they are commonly to this day called Stone Hing or Hengist Stones They appear to have been a Treble Row of Stones circularly placed one within another Twenty Eight Foot long for the most part and Seven Foot broad viz. those that are reared upright besides others of prodigious bigness that lie overthwart from one to another and are fastned with Tenents and Mortises but at this day the Form of this Wonderful Structure is very much defaced some of the greater Stones being either faln or reclining towards the Earth Eske by some called Osea succeeded Hengist in the Kingdom of Kent a Man much inferiour to him in Valour and Conduct therefore to make the People if possible to forget what they were that he might live the more at Ease he Tollerated such of the Câ—nti as would to live among his Saxons on condition they would take upon them the Name or Epithite of Eskins and though he Reigned Twenty Four Years nothing very Memorable is Recorded of him in History for the other Saxon Princes in setling their Kingdoms Screening him from the Incursions of the Britains and making the seat of War in the Northern and Western Counties he had for the most part a Peaceable Reign Octa the Third King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 513 he provided prudent and wholsom Laws for the Goverment of his People Built several Castles on the Sea-Coast and the Inland Frontiers commanded the Pagan Idolatries to be strictly Observed and Christianity to be Extirpated sheding much Innocent Blood on that occasion In his time strange sights were seen of Dragons Lions and other furious wild Beasts Fighting in the Air. In the West of Kent it Rained Wheat and soon after great Drops of Blood upon which ensued extream Dearth succeeded by much Bloodshed between his People and the South Saxon borders about setling their Territories at the latter end of his Reign which continued Twenty Years Imerick began his Reign Anno Dom. 533 He made an Edict That Strangrs should be Curteously Entertained and caused Houses of Publick Resort to be built on the Roads and the Highways to be Mended and made Passable at the Publick Charge building Watch-Towers on the Sea-Coasts and setting Lights in them for the guidance of Saylors He restrained the severity against the Christians and is numbered among the good Saxon Kings in his time was the Second General Council held at Constantinople for all Christendom Anno Dom. 553. He Reigned Twenty Nine Years during which space nothing Memorable of any Warlike Actions are Recorded of him Ethelbert The Fifth King of Kent began his Reign 562 He had not long Reigned before Cheuline King of the West Saxons raised an Army against him to Oppose whom he Mustered great Forces and at Wimbleton both Hosts joyned Battel where Ethelbert lost the day Two of his Dukes and Five Thousand of his People being Slain and this is Recorded to be the first Open War among the Saxon Kings However a Peace was soon after concluded and Gregory Arch-Deacon of Rome seeing some fair Youths of this Island standing in the Market of that City to be Sold he demanded from whence they were and being told from Britain out of a Province called Deira he sighing said when he understood Paganisme predominated Ah it is great pity but their Country should be Delivered Ira Dei from the Wrath of
in the dangerous War his Predecessor had set on foot engaging in a Battel against Egbert King of the West Saxons who joyned with the East Angles against him he was Slain in the Second Year of his Reign after which most of the Towns on the East and Western Borders were Sacked and some reduced to Ashes Which Desolation was fore-run by a Comet with a Tail pointing downward like a flaming Sword Watlaf the Eighteenth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 826 and with the Kingdom was constrained to espouse the Wars his Predecessors had left as it were Entailed on it so that raising the Strength of his much harassed and weakened Dominions he drove the West Saxons out of Worcestershire and other Western Encroachments yet not without considerable loss in the several Bickerings between them But in the Thirteenth Year of this King Egbert the West Saxon came upon him with a potent Army and in a set Battel overthrew him putting a Period to his Life and Reign Berthulf the Nineteenth King of Mercia came to the Kingdom in a troublesome time viz. Anno Dom. 839 for he not only found his People in War with his Countrymen but a more cruel Enemy had Invaded the Country viz. The Pagan Danes who being Enemies to all alike as desirous of grasping the sole Monarchy of this Island they made such Havock and Desolation in all places where they prevailed That the People of whole Counties in the Northern parts flying their fury left the Towns Naked and Defenceless for the Saxons in Civil War having much impaired their strength found that they at this time were too weak to oppose the Torrent of those Multitudes that were poured in upon them from Denmark and Gothland and also from Shetland the Orcades and other Northern Islands which the Danes possessed beyond Scotland from one of which they brought a Cruel People called Redshanks from the Redness of their long Leggs occasioned by the coldness of that Climate they going for the most part Naked except a Mantle thrown over their Shoulders and are supposed by some Authors for their mighty stature to be of the Race of the Titans or Giants held once to Inhabit part of Britain However they brought such a Terror on the Mercian Kingdom c. That Berthulf was forced to quit it in the Thirteenth Year of his Reign after which in compassion to the oppressed People who were Slain and Spoiled at the pleasure of the Danes Burdred took upon him the Government and being a Prince of great Courage he fought divers Battels with the Danes and at last gained a great Victory insomuch that the Fields and Lanes were strewed with the Dead Bodies But greater Forces arriving to recruite their broken Army he was forced after some strugling to quit his Kingdom when he had Reigned Twenty Two Years viz. Anno Dom. 872. And with him Ended the Succession of Saxon Kings as petty Monarchs of the Mercian Kingdom CHAP. VII The Kingdoms of the East Angles and West Saxons with their respective Succession of Kings and what Happened of Note during their Reigns in Peace and War Particularly the Danish Invasion and by what means England was reduced under a Sole Monarchy 6. The East Angle Kingdom Described with the Succession of its Fifteen Kings THE Kingdom of the East Angles contained Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely Bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the South with Essex and Hartfordshire on the West with Notinghamshire Huntingtonshire and part of Bedfordshire on the North partly by the German Ocean and partly by the River Trent and Northumbrian Kingdom Commodiously Situate for Navigation as being accommodated with divers good Havens famous for Butter Cattel Corn Wooll Cloath Stuffs c. The First Saxon Founder of this Kingdom was Offa a High German Nobleman who brought over considerable Forces upon notice his Countrymen were parcelling out the Southern parts of this Island and Landing at Yarmouth he prevailed with some difficulty to settle himself and his People in the Counties above-mentioned beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 575 and Reigned Seven Years being for the most part at peace In his time a great Eclipse of the Sun happened about Noon almost total so that it continued in a great degree Dark for the space of an Hour Titulus Succeeding Vffa Anno Dom. 583 laboured to settle his Borders and keep a good understanding with his Neighbours and perceiving the British Forces were rather Retired than Subdued he made many wholsom Laws to keep his People in order repaired the Ruined Towns built Forts on the Sea-Coast and Reigned about 32 Years keeping his Country for the greater part of that time in Quiet he was the Second King of the East Angle Kingdom Redwald the Third King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 616. Soon after his coming to the Throne he was Baptized into the Christian Faith but upon some distaste renounced his Baptismal Vows and became a great Persecutor of the Christians amongst others he intended the Death of Edwin afterward King of Northumherland who fled to his Court for Refuge because he interceeded for them But he being a Favorite of the Queens and the King imparting his design to her she pittying the young Prince so laboured to disswade him from it that he not only laid aside his wicked purpose but entered into a strict League with him and an Army was raised to place him in the Kingdom of Northumberland when in a great Battel they Slew Ethelfrid who had got possession of the Throne and had Banished Edwin This Redwald Reigned Eight Years Erpenwald the Fourth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 624. He by the perswasion of Edwin King of Northumberland became a Favourer of the Christians and was Baptized he built divers Churches and Monasteries but when he had Reigned about Twelve Years Richebert a Pagan Saxon out of a Zeal to their False Gods whose Idol Temples this King had caused to be converted into places of Christian Worship Assnssinated him and fled but being taken endeavoring to pass the Seas he was put to death by exquisit Torments Sigebert the Fifth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 636. He was Son to Redwald and having received a good opinion of the Christian Religion when he was very Young he upon his Fathers Apostatizing fled into that Country now call'd France antiently Gallia where he improved in the Study of Divine things so that being a great lover of Learned Men at his coming to the Crown he Founded a Colledge Endowing it with a plentiful Maintenance viz. Anno Dom. 637 and so passionately he was in love with a Religious manner of Living that laying aside his Crown when he had Reigoed Two Years he took on him the Habit of a Monk yet out of compassion to his suffering People Invaded and driven to great distress by Penda King of the Mercians he laid aside his Cowl and
by a Shepherd was Buried together with his Body at a place in Suffolk bearing from thence the Name of St. Edmunds-Bury he being soon after Cannonized a Saint and Martyr And with him ceased the East Angle Government there being no mention made of any more Kings that Governed it as a distinct Kingdom About the number of Years he Reigned Authors disagree and therefore I pass them over as uncertain and proceed to the last of the Seven Kingdoms viz. That of the West Saxons 7. The West Saxon Kingdom described with the Succession of its Kings and what things worthy of History happened during their respective Reigns Also by what means they at last Obtained the Sole Monarchy of England c. The Kingdom of the West Saxons contained the spacious and fertil Counties of Cornwal Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Wiltshire Hampshire and Barkshire Bounded on the North with Monmouthshire Gloucestershire Oxfordshire and Bristol-Channel on the East with Sussex Surry and part of Buckinghamshire on the South with the British-Ocean and part of the Channel on the West with the Ocean These Counties abound in plenty of Corn Wooll Tinn Fruits Cattle and profitable Manufactures having many Excellent Harbours opening advantageously to the Sea so that growing by such means Rich and Powerful they failed not at length to bring under the other Kingdoms Uniting them in a Sole Monarchy under Egbert their Seventeenth King as in the Series of this History will appear Cherdick a Valiant Captain of the Low Country Germans first laboured to form these Counties into a Kingdom but before he could do it he had Six Years Wars with the Britains in which he Fought a great Battel with Aurelius Ambrosius their King and was put to the Rout but upon his Death which happened Two Years after by Poison as has been related Vter-Pendragon Brother to Aurelius being Crowned King of the Britains he borrowed Forces of Hengist who were sent under the Leading of Ebusa and Octa his two Sons but these Forces were as the former overthrown by Vter-Pendragon and Hengists Sons were taken Prisoness but whilst the Victor neglected the Tents of Mars for the softer Alcove of Venus viz. To sport with the fair Igren Wife to the Duke of Cornwal on whom he got the Renouned Prince Arthur who Succeeded him as King over the Britains the Noble Captives Escaped and again advancing their Standard in the Field were Slain with most of their followers These bad beginnings so startled Cherdrick that he found little hopes to keep the footing he had gained but more Forces coming unexpectedly to his Aid he resolved to try another Battel with the Britains which was Fought near Salisbury wherein Fortune turning her Wheel about he put the British Army to the Foil killing Natauleon one of their great Captains and made so great a slaughter of his Enemies that for a time he had no Interruption in settling his Affairs but after the Death of Vter-Pendragon who Died of Poison put into a Well whereof he used to Drink every Morning King Arthur gave great disturbances to him in the settlement of his new acquired Kingdom much Blood being shed between them in divers Battels yet beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 501 he continued it Thirty Three Years Kenrick the Second King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 534. He was Son to Cherdick and a Mortal Enemy to the Britains In his Fathers time he Commanded a part of the Army and Fought several Battels and now coming to the Crown he raised all his Forces and gave the Britains two great Overthrows viz. One at Shrewsbury and the other at Banbury in Oxfordshire He Reigned Twenty Six Years Chewlin the Third King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 560. He Warred upon Ethelbert King of Kent and defeated his Army at Wimbledon slaying two of his chief Commanders and this is held to be the first Battel fought between Saxons and Saxons in England a little before which it remarkably happened at Feversham in Kent That a Tame Wolfe having brought forth Seven Male Young-ones they lived Quietly together till grown up and then never left Fighting till all but one were Destroyed as it afterward befell the Saxon Heptarchy This King gave a great Overthrow to the Britains at Bedford and Surprized Four of their Towns viz. Liganbury Ailsbury Bensington and Evisham He Fought another Battel with them at Deorham and Slew three of their Dukes viz. Farmnagill Coinmagill and Candigan Taking the Cities of Glocester Bath and Cirencester But not long after Encountering them at Wodensbridge his Army was defeated and Cuth his Eldest Son Slain for here a party of Saxons assisted the Britains under the Command of Cearlick his Nephew who had fled to them upon hard usage and fear of being made away by his unnatural Uncle He Reigned Thirty Three Years Cearlick the Fourth King of the West Savons gained the Kingdom by the Overthrow of his Uncle Chewlin which he gave him at Waines-Ditch in Wiltshire Anno Dom. 593 after which he found much trouble ere he could be settled in the Government but the Britains standing his Friends he continued his Reign Six Years Chelwolf began his Reign Anno Dom. 598 but scarce was he settled in the Throne ere the Britains Invaded his Territories making great Spoil but finding they were too weak to withstand him alone in process of time they drew the Scots and Picts to their assistance so that many bloody Battels were fought with various success In which Wars he Dyed in the 14th Year of his Reign leaving his Kingdom in much distress and perplexity He was the 5th King of the West Saxons Kingills the Sixth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 612. He had great Wars with the Britains and in a pitched Battel at Beandune he put Cudwan their King to the Rout Slaying above a Thousand of his Subjects and having concluded a Peace with Penda King of the Mercians he grievously Oppressed them so that for a long time they were confined to the Mountains and Fastnesses in the Country now called Wales However after he was Converted to the Christian Faith by Berinus he abated much of his Severity making Dorchester a Bishops See and placing that Religious Man in it He was the First Christian King of the West Saxons and Reigned Thirty One Years Kenwald the Seventh King of the West Saxons made great Wars upon the Britains Overthrowing King Cadwallo at a place called Pennum with incredible slaughter but growing Proud on the success and Quarreling with Penda King of Mercia whose Sister he had Married and in Contempt of him turned her away he was by him driven out of his Kingdom But upon Submitting and being Baptized by Bishop Felix he was restored to his Kingdom and thereby obliged by Penda to receive his Wife into Favour He began his Reign Anno Dom. 643 and Reigned Thirty One Years Eskwin the Eighth King of the West Saxons began his Reign
Anno Dom. 674. He had Wars with Wolfere King of Mercia and a great Battel was Fought between them at Bidamheaford which continued so Obstinate from Morning till Evening that both the Kings perceiving the great Loss they had sustained in the Night time they raised their Camps and secretly Retreated as being mutually possessed with a fear of the direful consequences they apprehended would attend the next days Encounter He afterward Warred on the Britains but his short Reign affords us no Memorable Achievement in that Enterprize it continuing only Two Years Kentwin the Ninth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 677 continuing the War on the Britains sorely Oppressing them in all the Neighbouring Counties in the latter end of the Reign of Cadwallo their King which he continued after the Death of that British Prince so that Cadwallader his Son coming to the Crown found himself constrained to draw his People into a lesser compass having at last little more at liberty than the Mountains and some Valleys being perpetually Alarmed on the Frontiers so that Blood was daily spilt like Water This Kentwin Reigned Nine Years A Blazing Sar of a Whitish or Flame-Colour appeared in his time for three Months with a Taile of exceeding length far longer than before had been Recorded in any Age. Ceadwald the Tenth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 686. He made War on the South Saxons and in a set Battel slew Ethelwolf their King and continuing to prosecute his Ravages in that Country and Kent he spilt much Christian Blood Encountering Barthun Successor to Ethelwolf he likewise slew him in Battel after which repenting what he had done he went to Rome and was there Baptized by Pope Sergius and Named Peter His Reign continued Two Years and odd Days Ine or Ineas the Eleventh King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 688. In his time the poor Britains were sorely Oppressed with War Famine and Pestilence so that the Living were scarce able to Bury the Dead which great Calamity Cadwallader not able to bear left the Land and went to Armorica or Britany to his Cousin Allan and from thence in Pilgrimage to Rome and received a Religious Habit at the Hands of Pope Sergius in which Retirement he Dyed and with him all the hopes of the Britains he being accounted the Last of their Kings the rest being stiled by Authentick Historians only Princes of Wales This Ine made the South Saxons to Submit and annexed that Kingdom to his own He likewise Warred with various success on Chelred King of Mercia and made many wholsom Laws for the good of his People Translated by Mr. Lambert out of the Saxon Language He Founded the Abby of Glassenbury over the Tomb or Burying-place of Joseph of Arimathea who begged our Saviours Body from the Cross and afterwards as several Authors report came over into this Kingdom Preaching the Gospel to the Britains and Dying was Buried at Glassenbury This King afterward went a Pilgrimage to Rome and for the good reception he found there he made a Law That every Housholder who had Goods to the Value of Twenty Pence of One Sort should pay a Penny by way of Gratuity to the Pope every Lammas Day which afterward was Claimed by succeeding Popes by way of Tribute and called Peter Pence He Reigned Thirty Seven Years Ethellard the Twelfth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 726 being in a manner ushered in by two Blazing Stars both within a quarter of a Year one at North-West and the other at South-East after which a Famine and Pestilence grievously Afflicted all parts of this Island so that Shiping was sent abroad to fetch in Food in Exchange for Metals and other valuable Goods He streightened the Britains in their Mountanous Country and caused many to be slain who passed the appointed Boundaries He Reigned Fourteen Years Cuthred the Thirteenth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 740 when finding the Britains had gathered Courage by the coming over of Recruits from Armorica or Britany with which Country as an antient Collony of this they kept a strict Allyance after several Battels fought with them in Worcestershire Monmouthshire and other bordering Counties which they laboured to recover he at last in many Encounters proving too weak Leagued with Ethelbald King of Mercia and by that means the Britains were beaten out of most of the places they had gained and being Overthrown in Battel near Carnarvan they found themselves unable to make head against the Victors by reason half their Army most of their Nobles and chief Commanders were slain so that they sued for Peace which after much havock and desolation in their Mountainous Country by the pursuing Saxons was granted in consideration of an Annual Tribute of Three Thousand Marks to be payed to Cuthred but it was not long punctually observed before new Tumults and Disturbances happened for Adelm an Earl of the West Saxons Rebelling against his King and drawing a multitude of the Plebeans to his Party the Britains took that opportunity to cast off their Yoak This Cuthred Reigned Fourteen Years Sigesburt the Fourteenth King of the West Saxons assumed the Throne Anno Dom. 754 and being brought up tenderly in his Infancy and in his Grown Years addicting himself to the conversation of Parasites Flatterers and other Vicious Persons it so corrupted his Manners that by the Advice of such his wicked Counsellours who chiefly Swayed him he caused Earl Cumbria to be put to Death with great Torture For Daring as he himself Expressed it to tell him of his Failings and Defects in his Kingly Office But this Earl being a grave Patriot and a Man of Unblameable Life was so generally beloved by the People that his Death cost Sigesbert his Crown and Life for hereupon they rose up in Arms against him defeated those that stood by him and drove him into a Wood in Dorcetshire where he absconded till he supposed the heat of the Pursuit and Popular Fury was abated but being found by the Earls Swineheard Breakfasting on Acorns under a spreading Oake he with a Battoon beat out his Braines in revenge of his Masters Death no intreaties or promises of reward being able to deter him from this bloody Execution His Reign continued about a Year Kenwolf the Fifteenth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 755 and had no sooner settled the Government which by reason of Intestine Broyles and the untimely Death of a King was much disordered than he prepared to Invade the Britains but upon their sending to excuse the non Payment of the Tribute on the account of their extream Poverty caused by a Famine that had held two Years in their Country so that the Poorer sort left no Unclean thing un-eaten His preparations were for a time layed aside but some stragling Parties of Britains constrained by Necessity making Incursions into the Saxon Counties War was
Proclaimed and the Britains being Overthrown in divers Battels were forced to fly to the Rocks and the broken craggy Cliffs on the Sea-shoare and the Mountainnous parts for shelter from thence with aking Hearts beholding the blazing Fires that consumed their Habitations and the miserable Desolation made in their almost before ruined Country But as if such Cruelty as no doubt it did seemed displeasing in the sight of God The angry Heavens Warred against him and did what the feeble Britains were unable 〈◊〉 do viz he was driven out of the Country by vioâ—â—nt Rains which Deluging the Valleys and Plaines â—arryed away Men Horse and Baggage so that by â—his means he lost a good part of his Army When â—o put so great a misfortune out of his mind going to Merton to sollace with his Paramour a worse misforâ—une befel him for having Quarreled with Offa King of Mercia Clyto a Mercian Captain upon privat notice of his Journy attended but with a few Servants layed an Ambush and slew him which was the next day Revenged by Osricus one of Kenwolfs Captains who upon news of what had happened by a Shepherd who from a Hill had beheld the slaughter of the King and his Followers crossing the Country by the nearest ways intercepted Clyto in his return and after a sharp dispute slew him and Eighty Souldiers his attendants and caused the Kings Body to be Interred with much State at Winchester This King Reigned Twenty Nine Years Brithrick the Sixteenth King of the West Saxans began bis Reign Anno Dom. 784. He was given up very much to the Love of Women and though he was Marryed to a very Beautiful Queen yet he kept divers Concubins so that his Recreations of that kind taking up much of his time gave his Neighbours for the most part rest especially to the satisfaction of the Britains who were in a low condition and unable to undergo the Charge and Fatigue of a dangerous War as they had lately experienced to their smart and impoverishment yet in his time several strange Prodigies appeared viz. The similitudes of seven Moons in the Firmament which by degrees uniting into one it Shined exceeding Bright for a time above what that pale Planet had usually done and then became dim and cloudy A great Glob of Fire appeared over Winchester and coming near the earth parted or broke into divers lesser Globes or Balls which Fired some Houses and killed many People also a little Blazing-Star appeared three Nights successively and a Month before his Death strange Shrieks and affrighting Voices were heard in his Pallace The manner of his Death was thus The Queen impatient of the Wrongs he did her in keeping Strumpets in his Pallace and causing her sometimes to wait on them was at length prompted to revenge the Affronts put upon her by one of them he best loved and therefore having mixed Poison with some rich Wine she intended to send it to her in the Kings Name as a Present but being unluckily called away to see some sights that were prepared for the diversion of the Court she left it in her Closet and for haste the Door open when as the King coming thither before her return and taking it for a Cordial Drank largly of it and so by the strength of the Poison he Dyed in three Hours and the Queen fearing to suffer a cruel Death though this had un-witingly happened by her means hereupon flying into France through Grief and Want she dyed in a miserable condition This King Reigned Sixteen Years Egbert the Seventeenth and Last Petty King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 800 and whilst he continued in this Station before he came to be Crowned Sole Monarch of the Saxons Uniting the Heptarchy or Seven Kingdoms he had great Wars with the Britains who were assisted by the Cornish-men which from the beginning of his Wars with them to the time he brought them to acknowledge him their Superiour lasted about Fourteen Years in which time he took Westchester and made a strict Law That no Britain or Welshman should pass Offa 's Ditch without leave Then Warring on the Mercians he slew Bernulf their King subdued Kent and compelled the East Angles the South and East Saxons to submit to him and in a great measure having brought the Mercians and Northumbrians under grasping at the Sole Monarchy which he concluded Fortune had or soon would chain to his Sword he caused himself with great Pomp solemnly to be Crowned Soled Monarch of the Saxons that had been for the most part till now distinctly Governed by their respective Kings as appears in the foregoing account of the Succession of them This was performed at Winchester with many of the Ceremonies used at present in the Coronation of our Kings when he had Reigned over the West Saxons Nineteen Years But because I am obliged to Trace the remainder of his Reign viz. Seventeen Years as Sole Monarch in the next Chapter I here omit to mention any more of his Actions And now to clear some difficulties that may arise as far as History gives light into the Truth Note That although Egbert caused himself to be Crowned Sole Monarch and absolutely possessed himself of those Kingdoms whose Succession of Kings ceased before or when he Reigned as that of Kent the East Saxons and South Saxon Kingdoms c. yet others were of a longer continuance and can be supposed only as Tributary to him for we find Burdred the last of the Mercian Kings ended his Reign Anno Dom. 874. viz. Thirty Eight Years after Egberts Death And to the same purpose it is to be considered further viz. where Authors make mention of a longer continuance of the Petty Kingdoms than there is any Succession of Kings Recorded the Judicious Observers and Comparers of History have looked on it as a Mistake in them by taking the Lieutenants or Vice-Roys placed by the Sole Monarchs to Govern under them for petty Kings which Error the Antient Writers of the Affairs of this Kingdom having been too lyable to their Incoherence in respect of Time has not a little puzzled those that came after them which I have as well as the matter will conveniently bear without breaking the thred of History laboured to Reform CHAP. VIII The Succession of the Fifteen Saxon Kings that were Sole Monarchs of England with what Memorable Things happened in Peace and War during their Reigns as Wonderful Sights Prodigies and Remarkable Accidents c. Till the time the Danes wrested the Kingdom with much strugling from them Anno Dom. 1017 about 230 Years after they made their first Invasion Together with a Description of the Counties of England one by one after every Kings Reign which will be continued throughout the Work giving an Account of what is or has been Rare or Remarkable in each of them c. The Reign of King Egbert the First Sole Saxon Monarch of England WHEN the contending Petty Kings of the Saxons had for
many Years Elbowed each other and discontented with a Part strugled who should become Masters of the Whole and Amass the Light Crowns into one more Ponderous we find Fortune or rather Providence gave this advantage to Egbert the Seventeenth King of the West Saxons though to attain it he waded as I may term it through a Sea of Blood in his Wars with the Welsh for so I must henceforth stile the poor remainders of the Antient British Race as taking upon them that Epithite and calling their Principality Wales after the Name the Saxons had many Years before given it also with the Cornishmen who Rebelled against him and were assisted with Supplies from Armorica or Britany in France in his Wars against Bernulf King of Mercia and his subduing the Kingdom of Kent and compelling the East South and Angle Saxons to submit to him In these Enterprizes which took him up for the most part the Nineteen Years he Reigned as Petty Monarch over the West Saxons about one Hundred Thousand are held to be Slain on all sides so that the Crown purchased at so large an expence of Lives being set on his Head as has been said at Winchester he commanded the Name of Saxons to be changed into that of Englishmen corresponding with the Name given to the Country they Inhabited That by this change they by degrees might forget the Distinctions they before were under and so firmly Unite as one Kingdom and People not tending to different but one and the same Interest This Egbert gaining through many difficulties what he long before aspired to made divers good Laws for the better Establishment of his new acquired Soveraignty so that the Welsh though they put not themselves under his Protection yet desirous to be at Peace sent him many Presents out of their divided Dominions of North and South Wales which Provincees for no more must I call them Kingdoms were Governed by Petty Princes After this Egbert made a Progress through the greatest part of England appointing Judges and other Magistrates to see the Laws put in Execution against Offenders and to redress the Wrongs and Grievances of such as were Oppressed being received every where with great respect and then thinking to lead a quiet Life he found by sad experience the Inconstancy of Fortune BARKSHIRE Having promised to give a Brief Description of England and its Rarities c. To make good my Word I conceive no better Method to do it in than placing the Counties and what I find in them worthy of Remark after the respective Reign of each Sole Monarch taking them Alphabetically and first of Barkshire Described c. THis County is bounded on the North with part of Oxfordshire and part of Buckinghamshire on the East with part of Middlesex and part of Surry on the South with Hampshire and partly on the West with Wiltshire It is Rich in Clothworking Fat Pasture abundance of Cattle rare Artificers Rivers stored with Fish of divers sorts particularly the River Kennet abounds with Trouts It Containes 140 Parishes 20 Hundreds 12 Market Towns and 3 Rivers of note and to the Parliament Abingdon sends one Member New Windsor two Reading two and Wallingford two besides two Knights of the Shire The Towns Memorable for things of Note are these viz. At Reading was Interred the Body of King Henry the First in a Collegiate Church of an Abby Founded by himself as also his Queen and Daughter Maud the Empress This place is also Memorable for the Birth of William Laud Arch Bishop of Canterbury the Son of a Poor Clothier At Englesfield the Danes were defeated Wallingford is the Gallena of Ptolomy it was the Antient station of the Romans and chief City of the Atrebants Windsor was Builded by King Edward the Third who Instituted the most Noble Order of the Garter The Burying Place of Henry the Sixth Edward the Fourth Henry the Eighth and King Charles the First Eaton was Founded by King Henry the Sixth and Renouned as a Nursery for bringing up of Youth being one of the chiefest Free-Schools in England Sunning was an Episcopal See during the Residence of Eight Bishops which afterward was translated to Sherbourn and so to Salisbury where it now is fixed At Wantage King Alfred Sir Named the Scourge of the Danes was Born Waltham in the East of this County was an Antient station of the Romans as also was Sinodum in the North as appears by many Roman Coins and Medals of their Emperours Digged up there Newbury is Renowned for the Birth of Thomas Hide a famous Historian and Memorable for the Two great Battels between the King and Parliament in the late Civil War As for Castles that of Windsor in this County is accounted the most Exalted of all others having not only been the Burying Place but Pallace of divers Kings and much delighted in by King Charles the Second who made it his chosen place of Pleasure and Retirement being besides its delightful situation advanced on a high Hill arising with a gradual ascent which affords the pleasantest Prospect imaginable On the North side of this County the River Thames glides washing its verdant Banks in many Meanderings with its Silver Streams and out of it goes many Creeks which much advantages those parts of the County by cheap Water-Carriage from London and other places It is likewise Beautified with some Seats of the Nobility which give a good Prospect to Travelers viz. A Noble Seat of the Earl of Craven near Newbery the Earle of Clarendon's at Swallowfield Hurly belonging to John Late Lord Lovelace Barron of Hurley with a great many stately Houses belonging to the Gentry of the County so that it claimes an Equality with most of the English Counties The Reign of Ethelwolf the Second Sole Monarch of England c. EThelwolf the Eldest Son of Egbert upon his Fathers decease declined the Crown as being then Bishop of Winchester rather affecting a Religious Peaceable Life than to Incumber himself with the weighty Affairs of Government But the Nobles perceiving Troubles would arise if they altered the Succession used many cogent Arguments to perswade him to lay aside his Pall for a Crown but their Reasons prevailed not till they had dealt with his Clergy in a manner to constrain him to a compliance whereupon bestowing his Bishoprick on Swithin his Tutor he was solemnly Crowned at Winchester and settling the Civil Affairs as the times allowed finding part of his Dominions Oppressed by the Danes he raised great Forces and Encountered them in divers Battels and in a Bloody one at Ockly in Surry destroyed the greater part of their Army killing and taking Prisoners their chief Captains or Leaders which made the routed Danes that survived the Fatal day retired to the extremities of Kent where straightened for Food and roving to get it many of them were slain by the Country People This King Marryed Osburga a fair Lady Daughter to his Butler by whom he had Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelbred and Elfride
attired like an Amazonian Queen she accompanied her Brother in his Wars and mainly assisted him by her Prowess and Counsells being a Lady of great Politicks in Martial Affairs In a Battel against the Welsh she took their Standard slew their General and took his Lady Prisoner whom she used very courteously She divers times chased the Danes and in Person Stormed the Town of Derby Garrisoned strongly by the Enemy she also beat them out of Tamworth Litchfield Watersbury Elderbury and Leicester which she Repaired and Fortified also the Town and Castle of Rincorne She Builded Brimsbury and lay'd a Bridge over the Severn and in a set Battel Overthrew the Yorkshire Forces that were in Rebellion against the King and so having manifested her self to the World as the Wonder of her Sex for Heroick Vertues and set an Illustrious Pattern for their Imitation She Dyed when she may be said to have Reigned Eight Years as Co-Partner with the King her Brother in the one and Fortieth Year of her Age and was Buryed at Gloucester in a Church which she and her Husband had Founded where a stately Monument was erected to her Memory And Henry of Huntington in his Works makes the following Encomium upon her Victorious Elfled ever famous Maid Whom weaker Men and Nature's self obey'd Nature your softer Limbs for Ease design'd But Heav'n inspir'd you with a Manly Mind You only Madam latest Times shall sing A glorious Queen and a triumphant King Farewel brave Soul Let Caesar now look down And yield thy Triumphs greater than his own The King upon the Death of his Heroick Sister â—reatly lamented her loss and retired for a time from â—â—l Business but finding his Country yet Called for his â—id he shook off his Melancholly and took a Progress 〈◊〉 those parts of his Kingdom he had not as yet well â—uieted appointing Governours and making such â—aws as might restrain the Oppression of his People â—nd settling his Dominions to the borders of Scotland â—â—e Welsh also submitted In this Kings Reign John Patrick Erigena a Britain â—rote a Book about the Lords Supper shewing therein â—â—me Abuses the Roman Church had put upon that â—â—crament and how it ought to be worthily Received â—â—cording to our Blessed Saviours Institution and sent â—â—to Rome which so offended the Pope whose Leaden â—ord by this time had so got the Ascendant over the â—eel Ones of Princes that he wrote to the Clergy to â—evail with the King that the Author might be deliâ—â—red into their hands to be Censured as they should â—â—e fit which with some reluctancy being granted â—â—ough the Author proposed to prove it true by Scripture and gave many reasons for what he had done the Clergy in the Popes Name Condemned both him and his Book him as a Heretick and his Book as Erroneous and Heretical when being degraded and delivered over to the Secular Power he suffered Death in the Flames and is worthily accounted amongst the Martyrs This Edward was the Seventh Sole Monarch of England He Reigned Twenty Four Years and was Buryed at Winchester amongst his Royal Ancestors Remarks on Cumberland c. CUmberland extends to the extremity of England Northward as being Bounded that way by Scotland on the East with Northumberland and Westmoreland on the West by the Irish Sea and part of Scotland on the South with Lancashire It abounds in Hills but of no extraordinary height and produces great store of Cattle and a good sprinkling of Corn but not many Fruit Trees At Newlands are Copper-Mines at Refwick Black-Lead and Lapis Calaminaris It Contains one City viz. Carlisle which gives Title to a Bishop Fifty Eight Parishes Nine Market Towns and two remarkable Rivers It sends Members to Parliament six viz. Carlisle two Cockermouth two and two Knights of the Shire Carlisle the Metropolis of the County is very Antient held to be Built by Leil a British King long before the coming of Caesar and is by Ptolomy called Lugovallum it was a flourishing City under the Romans and upon their departure Demolished by the Picts and utterly ruined by the Danes but again Rebuilded by King William Rufus who Built there a strong Castle to prevent the Scots Incursions and by King Henry the first it was made a Bishops See it has been often taken by the Scots but wrested from them again It was Besieged in the late Civil War and made a CUMBERLAND strenuous Defence The other Places of Note are Cockermouth Werkinton Egremond Penroth Keswick and Bampton near which is to be seen part of the Ruins of the Picts Wall which reached from Sea to Sea at East and West At Salkeld in this County upon the River Eden is a Monumental Trophy of Victory consisting of 77 Stones called by the Inhabitants Long Megg and her Daughters one of which to wit that called Long Megg is 15 Foot high from the Ground and the rest 10 supposed to be placed in Remembrance of some Roman Victory The Nobilities Seats are Gray-stock Castle Grumb Castle belonging to the Duke of Norfolk Naywoth alias Noword Castle belonging to the Earl of Carlisle Kirkosward and de Acre Castles belonging to the Earl of Sussex Cockermouth Castle belonging to the Duke of Somerset Rose Castle the Bishops Seate The Reign of Ethelstan Eighth Sole Monarch of England EThelstan Eldest Son to Edward and Eighth Sole Monarch of England began his Reign Anno 925 and was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Adelme Arch Bishop of Canterbury and is held by some to be the first Anointed King of England but I suppose they mean the first Saxon King for it is held by Antient Writers to be used in the Coronation Ceremonies of divers British Kings a great while before Long he had not been Established in his Throne ere Elfried a Norman and one he trusted in weighty Affairs raised a Rebellion against him causing great commotions in the Kingdom but in the end he was taken and his Party dispersed upon which he utterly deny'd he was the occasion of it and laboured to lay it on others whereupon the King unwilling to search deep into the matter least he should create himself powerful Enemies among the Nobility was at that time contented that Elfred should go to Rome and purge himself of the fact upon Oath before the Pope But hereupon not freed from a Jealousie he conceived of Edwin his Brother whom Elfred had accused as a Person aspiring to the Throne he was made away privately with the Kings consent yet tho' too late being better informed he was so grieved that to attone as he conceived for guiltless Blood he caused the Assassines to be put to Death with exquisit Torments and Founded divers places dedicating them to Pious uses as St. Germans in Cornwal St. Petrocus at Bodmyn Plympton Priory Middleton and Michelney c. He Fortified Exeter and quelled the Cornishmen that Rebelled against him and upon Disorders committed by the Scots in the Northern Borders he Marched into that Kingdom gave them
of it and his Arrival so terrified the French That they no sooner heard of his Landing but they raised the Siege Yet pursuing this Advantage he gave a mighty Army of them Battel near Gysors slaying great numbers and putting the rest to Flight he not having half their number Whereupon said he Not we but Dieu Et Mondroit that is God and our Right hath obtained this Victory After which the Kings of England made it their Motto under their Arms and so he prosecuting this Victory took many Towns But in the midest of his Success Pope Innocent the Third Interceding a Peace was concluded between the two Crowns but it held not long for the French giving new provocations he passed the Seas again with a powerful Army when closely Besieging the Castle of Challons near to Lymois as he took a private view he was descried and known by a common Soldier who Shooting at him with a square impoisoned Arrow out of a Steel Bow grievously Wounded him in the Arm yet he took the Castle by Storm and caused all he found therein to be Slain except the Person who wounded him who being brought before him and demanded how he durst shoot a Poisoned Arrow at the King The Fellow who expected he was reserved for Death by Cruel Torments seemed not at all daunted but boldly reply'd That in the War he had lest his Father and his Brother and was exceeding glad Fortune had so well assisted him in Revenging their Deaths Upon this resolute Answer the King much contrary to the expectation not only of the Prisoner but all the rest freely Pardoned him and caused him to be led out of the Army to avoid the violence of the Soldiers towards a Person who had Slain their King for indeed he Dyed within three days after viz. the 6th of April Anno Dom. 1199. This King Richard began his Reign Anno Dom. 1189 and Reigned 9 Years and 9 Months Dying in the 42 Year of his Age and was Buried at Font-Everard in Normandy at his Fathers Feet as himself had directed He was for his surpassing Valour called Ceur de Leon or Lions-Heart fearing no danger where the attempt was Honourable In his Reign the Jews were Banished out of Norwich St. Edmunds-Bury Stamford Lyn and York in which last place about 500 of them besides Women and Children entered a Tower of the Castle and when they found themselves hard pressed by a Siege they cut the Throats of their Wives and Children and cast them on the Heads of the Besiegers then in a desperate mood Fired the Tower and Burnt themselves in it tho' Quarter was offered if they would have Surrendered NORTHUMBERLAND Remarks on the County of Northumberland THis Northern County the Extremity of England is Bounded on the North and part of the West with Scotland another part of the West with Cumberland on the South with part of Cumberland and the Bishoprick of Durham and on the East with the German Ocean In many Parts there is Plenty of good Corn it produces a profitable Breed of Cattle has in it many pleasant Gardens Orchards Parks Hare and Coney Warrens on the Western side it is somewhat incommoded with Hills but otherwise produces Plains Inclosures Meadows Woods tho' not many It contains 46 Parishes 5 Market Towns and is branched with 21 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 8 viz. Berwick upon Tweed 2 Morpeth 2 New-Castle on Tine 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire This County was the Antient Northumbrian Kingdom of the Saxons and suffered much by lying so near the borders of Scotland especially when the Scots utterly destroy'd the Pictish Kingdom that had for some time screened them from the Incroachment of that Northern Nation At a Place called Otterburn a great Battle was Fought between the English and Scots Alnwick is of note for the mighty Victories the English gained over the Scots and being the usual Seat of the Northumbrian Kings and lately of many of the Noble Earls of Northumberland At Emildon Duns Sirnamed Scotus was Born a Person of great Wit and Subtilty in School Philosophy Berwick is pleasantly situate on the Tweed looking a great way from its lofty Turrets into both Kingdoms and is fam us for the many Sieges it has held out against the Scots in divers Kings Reigns Newcastle is pleasantly seated on the River Tine that branches all the Southern part of this County and produces store of Salmon as dos also the River Bywel Newcastle is also famous for furnishing the City of London with Coals brought thence by Sea and therefore commonly called Sea-Coals which Trade is also a great Nursery for Seamen Vpon the Hills near North-Tine tho' Boggy and full of Water there are great heaps of Stones which some take as a Monument of a Roman British or Saxon Victory The Seats of the Nobility are Ogle Castle Bothat Castle Heple Tower belonging to the Noble Family of the Duke of Newcastle Prudhoe Castle to the Duke of Summerset Wark Castle Chillingham Castle Dunstaburg Castle and Horton Castle to the Lord Grey of Wark Widerington Castle to the Lord Widerington and some Houses there are of the Gentry very Beautiful and pleasantly Situate especially on the East side with a curious Prospect to the Sea by means of whose Washing its Shoars this County receives great Benefit The Reign of King JOHN RICHARD the First Dying in Normandy and Buried at Font-Everard his Brother John Earl of Lancaster by his own Right and of Glocester in Right of his Wife having long aspired to the Crown thought this was his time to push hard for it although Arthur Plantaginet Son to Geoffery his Elder Brother was Living and so with what store of Treasure he had heaped up making many of the Nobles and some Leading Commoners of his Party he openly laid claim to the Soveraignty of England as his Undoubted Right and Arthur not being able to stand in competition with him this way as being little Interested in the English by reason he had for the most part been brought up beyond the Seas and consequently a Stranger to the greatest part of the Nation his Right was carried away in the current of the Peoples Inclinations and John was Crowned at Westminster by Hubert Arch Bishop of Canterbury at what time the Bishop to flatter the People and curry-favour with the King declared in an Oration That the Crown of England was meerly Arbitrary and Elective yet the more sober part of the Nobility knowing this Princes Haughty Temper Swore him to several Articles upon his admission to the Crown for Observing and Maintaining their Rights and Priviledges Antient Laws and Customs c. Scarcely was King John Settled in his Throne but Philip the French King underhand assisted by others sent for Arthur to his Court protesting a great deal of Love and tender Affection to him Informed him of his Title to the Crown of England Dutchy of Normandy and Britany animating him to raise his Spirits and use his
Prelates Noblemen and Judges sufficient to determine any Controversies within his Kingdom that should arise either in Church or Common-Weal and added That he would rather expose himself to Ten Thousand Deaths than basely as he was required make himself and his Kingdom Servil to the Popes Insolency and Peremptory Commands But on the other side the Pope threatened what he would do if he was not Obey'd in the Election of Langton and the calling home such Monks as had Fled through fear of the Kings displeasure on this last Election and because this was not speedily done he sent his Apostolical Command to the Prelates of London Ely Worcester c. to Interdict the Kingdom if the King continued in his obstinacy as he termed it This Commission was put in Execution and the Church-Doors were shut up for several Years Some Authors say Six there being neither Prayers Sermons Christenings nor Service at the Funerals of the Dead said or performed publickly during that time so that the People distinguished not the Sabbath from other days but followed their Work and Sports on it living More like Infidels than Christians such power over the Minds of besotted Men had the Popes Usurpation in those dark and ignorant Times For this Affront the King Banished divers Bishops and others of the Clergy whom he found most forward in complying with the Popes Interest seizing on their Temporalities resolving to take the like course with all such as consented to receive Promotions Investitures or Ecclesiastical Degrees from the Pope or new Arch Bishop or that went to Rome upon any occasion without his License or did attempt to put in Execution any Command from the Pope within his Kingdom The Pope no sooner heard of this but resolving not to cool on it he sent into England two Legates viz. Pandulph and Durant to perswade the King to be Reconciled to Langton and the other Bishops and Clergy that were under his Displeasure in England or in Banishment to restore them to their Lands Places and Goods that a good understanding might be renewed between the Pope and him This did but little please the King yet however fearing to be Accursed and Embroyl himself in new Troubles for in those days the Popes Leaden Sword did more mischief in Kingdoms than many of Steel People being for the most part infatuated to believe what he did he did by the immediate Will and Command of God whose Vicegerent he assumed to himself to be He promised to perform all but allowing the Election of Cardinal Langton protesting that if another might be chosen he would yet prefer him to some other Bishoprick but the Imperious Legates instead of gratifying the Kings Request pronounced the Popes Curse not only against the King but all Persons who should do him Service or give him Attendance or supply him with things Necessary Absolving his Subjects from their Allegiance Duties and Oaths requiring all Christian Princes to make War upon him as upon the Arch and Grand Enemy of the Church of God The Pope also published and pronounced against him Sentence of Deprivation and gave his Crown and his Kingdom to Philip the French King if by any secret Plot or open Violence and Hostility he could Expel or Murther him These were the Fruits of this pretended Holy un-Holy Father The Popes Religion and Government and this Usurping Arrogance was a badg of his unsufferable Pride in that he presumed to do what no Earthly Creature can do nor what a Christian ought to attempt to do against a Prince who is Gods Anointed and against such a one as the Almighty has placed in his Kingdom to Govern and Rule his People Yet this Fulmination did not much startle King John and being determined to know the minds of his People how they stood affected to him after this matter he took a sollemn Oath of them for the defence of his Person and the performance of faithful Service to him and then raising an Army he went to Scotland because that King encouraged by the Pope was practicing against him sheltering such as had taken part with the Pope and fled out of England But King Alexander the Second perceiving that Fire and Sword began to devour apace in his Country he with much Humility sent to King John to desire him to spare his People and their Substance and what in reason he required he would accord to and a Peace was made shortly between them he consenting to Banish all the Kings Enemies out of his Country This much disappointed Philip of France who was preparing to Invade England and had to that end provided a gallant Army but by the Wisdom Valour and Circumspection of King John and the Providence of God 300 of his Ships Laden with Corn and other Provisions and Necessaries for the Invasion were Surprized by our Ships which great disapointment put an end at that time to the Design and frustrated his vain hope But after all this the King finding so many Efforts and Treacheries against him that disparing to weather every one of them and pittying the sufferings of his People under these distractions he suddainly without the Advice of his Nobles or of his Privy Council degenerating from his former daring and boldness of Spirit fell on his Knees before the Legate acknowledging his Disobedience craving of him the Popes Pardon resigning with his Crown the possession of his Kingdom to the See of Rome which Crown the proud Prelate took and to put him into some pain in considering whether he should ever have it restored again kept it Four Days and then returned it to the use of him and his Heirs reserving 1000 Marks Yearly by way of Tribute to the See of Rome which was the main thing the Pope had aimed at and for which he had all the while made such a prodigious noise and bustle But this low and Un-Prince-like Submission to a paltry Priest threw him into another mischief which was the contempt and dislike of his Nobles so that for the most part they Revolted from him and entered upon a cruel and unnatural War which went very near to have enslaved this flourishing Island once more to Strangers for the Barons finding they were too weak to oppose the King they leaned on Philip of Frrnce proposing if he would assist them with sufficient Forces and Money they would soon Depose King John and place the Crown upon the Head of Lewis Son to Philip This News fired the Young Ambitious French Prince who had also something of a Martial Spirit that he never left urging his Father till he had furnished him out with an Army But the Pope having now closed with King John on his complaining of this to him he sent his strict command under many Threats to the French King not to suffer his Son to pass the Seas or in the least to molest a Kingdom under the Protection of the Holy See tho' as you have heard a little before himself had given it to them
Lord Cornwallis Bishopsthorp to the Arch-Bishop of the Province The Reign of King EDWARD the Sixth EDWARD the Sixth the only Son of Henry the Eighth was Crowned at Westminster January 28 Anno Dom. 1547 and Edward Seymour Created Duke of Somerset Unkle to the King by the Mothers side constituted Protector of the King's Person and of the Realm during his Minority and was sent by the Estates into Scotland to require their Young Queen in Marriage with Edward as had been agreed between them and the King's Father but they refusing a Battel was fought in which the Scots were Routed and 14000 of them Slain among which were divers of the Nobility whereupon a great many Towns and Castles fell into the hands of the English This Battel was fought at Musselburg the 10th of September in which the whole Power of that Kingdom was so broken that in many Years they could not recover their former Strength However the Winter coming on the English Army retired into the Northern Borders The next thing taken in hand was to reform Religion and after some contests King Henry's disannuling the Pope's Supremacy was confirmed and whatsoever in his time had been Enacted against the Authority of the See of Rome Images and Statues were cast out of the Churches The Clergy allowed to Marry The Liturgy or Common Prayer turned into English The Sacrament administred in both kinds Auricular Confession abrogated The Scriptures permitted publickly to be Read in English Mass and Praying for the Dead silenced and such of the Popish Clergy as would not Conform to this outed as Gardner Bishop of Winchester Bonner of London Tanstall of Durham Day of Chichester and some others Gardener for contempt was Imprisoned and most of the Bishopricks seized into the King's hands and bestowed on such as would Conform tho' the Nobles much fleeced the Churches Patrimony to enrich themselves The Scots by this time having taken breath surprised Humes and Fas-Castle Garisoned by the English and slew most they found therein through the carelesness of the Centinels which made the Earl of Rutland demolish Haddington as a place not tenable and so retired with the Garrison into England And a contention arising between the Duke of Somerset Protector and Sir Thomas Seymour his Younger Brother who was Lord Admiral upon a Quarrel happening between their Wives the latter having Married Queen Catharine Par Widow to Henry the Eighth it went so far that the Admiral was Accused in Parliament of High Treason in Conspiring to get the King into his hands and by Marrying the Lady Elizabeth to whom indeed he formerly made Courtship in her Right when the King should be made away to Claim the Kingdom and so unheard being Attainted he was Executed on a Scaffold at Tower-Hill protesting to the last his Innocency touching the matter laid to his charge and his Brother was by most blamed for permitting him so easily to be cut off and found in the end that it was chiefly contrived by his secret Enemies to lay him the opener to Destruction which he Escaped not In these times of Reformation Bucer Phagus and Peter Martyr three Learned German Divines came over but the two former soon Dying Martyr Disputed at Oxford about the Sacraments and other material Points and caused a Book of the Disputation to be Printed which opened the Eyes of many to see God's Truth that by Popish Superstition Error and Ignorance had a long time been darkened However the Popish Clergy stirred up divers to Rebel in Devonshire Cornwal and other parts of the Kingdom and especially to the City of Exceter which City for its Loyalty and stout Resistance had not long after the Manner of Exilond bestowed upon it by the King and in memory of their deliverance from a Sack that time the Citizens keep the 6th of August on which the Rebels were Beaten off yearly Holyday and indeed they were so obstinate that till they had been four times worsted by the Lord Russel they gave not over tho' the King offered them pardon however many of the Ringleaders being Taken were Executed and among others the Mayor of Bodmin was Hanged also a Millers Man who took upon him his Masters Name and Cause till seeing he was about to Suffer he recanted and cryed out He was not the Miller but his Man and that his Master Ordered him to do what he had done To which Sir Anthony Kingston Marshal of the Field told him He could never do his Master better Service than to Hang for him and so not being credited he was turned off Long these Western Troubles had not been alayed but others broke out as dangerous in the north under pretence of throwing down Inclosures and Parks that had been taken from the Waste which the Common sort of people claimed as their Right This was chiefly Headed by Robert Ket who took the City of Norwich But the Lord Dudley put them to the Rout caused Ket to be Hanged in Chaines on the top of the Castle and 60 others in divers places 9 of them in the Oak of Reformation a Tree in which Ket used to sit to Judg and Determine of their intended purposes and proceeding as also to order Parties out to Plunder the Houses of such as he judged not well affected to their Cause In Yorkshire others Rose under the Leading of William Omble a Yeoman Thomas Dale a Parish-Clerk and one Stephens a Postmaster but the King sending down his Pardon the common sort left their Leaders to be Lead to York where they were Executed The French taking the Advantage of these Tumults Besieged Bullen and sent a Fleet to pillage the Islands of Jersey and Guernsey from the Islands they were beaten with the loss of 1000 Men and few on our side but on the Main Land having won the out-works of Bullen whilst they pretended to Parley with the English they forcibly entered the Town and after that soon reduced all the Forts and Castles near it except Guisness which held out till the Winter made them raise the Siege You have heard how the Lord Admiral was removed out of the way and now the Duke of Somerset his Brother is to go next For his greatest Enemy Budley Earl of Warwick delay'd not to make a strong Party against him upon secret notice of which he being with the King at Hampton Court sent dispatches to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of London immediately to send him 1000 Armed Men to defend the King's Person and himself against the Treachery and Violence that threatened them and that Night removed with the King to Windsor Castle upon this the Earl of Warwick Assembled the Privy Counsellours and other Nobles at London making grievous complaints against the Duke and amongst others That he had laid wait for his Head and so Inveagled them that they joyned with him to send their Letters to the Citizens to Levy Forces for their use in order to Rescue the King out of the hands of his Enemies and as
strong into the Bay after the Fight was over veer'd suddenly about to the West and brought out all our Ships safe to Seâ— This News was so grateful to Oliver that he sent Blake a Jewel of 500 l. with Gratuities to the rest of the Officers After this Cromwel called another Parliament which would fain have had him taken the Title of King upon him but he declining it he was by the Parliament solemnly invested in th Protectorial Dignity in Westminster-Hall But the Royalists yet gave him some farther Disturbance by their Endeavours to restore the King tho' they were unhappily betray'd and several of them Executed among whom were Sir Henry Slingsby and Dr. Hewet with several others of less Note In pursuance of the Peace formerly concluded with France the English and French Forces laid Siege to Dunkirk which the Spaniards endeavouring to relieve were totally routed and Dunkirk soon after taken and put into the possession of the English And now on the fatal third of September in the Year 1658. Oliver Cromwel Dyed in the Sixty-third Year of his Age and the Fifth of his Protector-ship He was Born in Huntington and was the Son of a second Brother of Sir Oliver Cromwel of Huntington-shire his Mother was the Daughter of Sir Richard Stewart of the Isle of Ely and his Wife was Elizabeth the Daughter of Sir James Bourchier By whom he had Issue three Sons of which one Died â—oung and four Daughters By his Reputation in Arms he was Courted or Feared by most of the Princes of Europe he was a Man of singular Courage and Resolution attended with very great Success and kept his Army under him in so exact and strict a Discipline that they seem'd rather a Body of well-govern'd Citizens than an Army of Soldiers Swearing Drunkenness and Profaneness the common Vices of other Camps were not to be found in his His desire of Glory excited him to make attempts in other Countries by which a great Renown accrued to our Nation in all parts of the World In short had he not been a Vsurper he might have been compar'd with the best of our Princes but his Usurpation and the indirect means he used to obtain his Power spoil'd all his Good Qualities After his Death his Son Richard was Proclaimed Protector but he enjoy'd his Power but a short time the Army calling again the Rump Parliament which strait-way put an end to his Protector-ship and now the Stone began to rowl it stayed not there for Sir George â—oth having raised some Forces for the King in Cheshire and being subdued by Lambert Lambert turned the Rump out again and set up a Committee of Safety in Order to the setting up himself to prevent which General Monk in Scotland declares for the Rump and comes with his Army into England to restore them and having effected that brought in again those Members that had been Secluded by the Army before the Tryal of the late King These Members being restored issued out Writs for the Calling of a New Parliament to meet the 25th of April following and so dissolved themselves The King who had Notice of all these Proceedings with drew himself out of the Spanish Territories and went to Breda from whence at the opening of Parliament he sent over a Declaration promising Liberty of Conscience Pardon to all Offenders and Satisfaction to all Interests Upon the reading whereof the Parliament unanimously Voted That a Message be sent to his Majesty to thank him for his Gacious Declaration and to desire him to return to his Kingdom which he did upon the 29th of May following being received with the Universal Joy and Acclamations of his People Soon after which several of those that had sate in the High Court of Justice for the Tryal of his Father were themselves Tryed and Executed Of which Number were Thomas Harrison Hugh Peters Daniel Axtell John Cook Thomas Scot Gregory Clemont John Jones John Carew and Adrian Scroop who Suffered some at Charing-Cross and some at Tyburn The Bishops were also now restored to their Diocesses and the Common-Prayer Ordered again to be Read in Churches But now an over-cast of Sorrow happened for the Virtuous Princess Mary Princess of Orange coming over to see her Brother now settled in his Throne fell Sick of the Small-Pox and Dyed And in January after the King's Return one Venner a Wine-Cooper with divers other Desperate Persons fell upon the City of London being opposed many on both sides were Slain and the rest being taken or dispersed Venner with eleven more were Tryed Condemned and Executed in divers places of the City And on the 30th of January the Carcasses of Cromwel Bradshaw and Ireton were taken out of their Graves conveyed to Tyburn and Hanged up for several Hours then their Bodies buried under the Gallows and their Heads set on Westminster-Hall And soon after the Duke of Gloucester the King 's youngest Brother a Prince of great Hopes and a firm Protestant Dyed and on the 23d of April 1661 being St. George's Day the King was Crowned at Westminster with much Solemnity and Splendor having the Day before made a magnificent Cavalcade from the Tower of London to White-Hall The Army hereupon was Disbanded and the Parliament in Ireland Dissolved every thing appearing in a tendency to a lasting Settlement by a good Understanding between Prince and People For the Parliament that had been Assembled being Dissolved and another called the Peers were restored to their Antient Priviledges and the Militia declared to be Vested in the King as his right The like was also declared by the Parliament of Scotland who resigned the solemn League and Covenant and passed an Act for the Attainder of the Marquess of Argyle upon divers Crimes laid to his Charge whereupon being brought to his Tryal and Condemned he lost his Head much Lamented by the greater part of that Kingdom About this time a Convocation in England was assembled to adjust and settle matters of Religion and soon after the solemn League and Covenant which the KING had taken in Scotland was burnt by the common Hang-man in London and Westminster and then all over the Nation and a pretended Act for the Tryal of King Charles the first used in the same manner in Westminster-Hall The French and Spanish Ambassadors being at Court upon Notice of the arrival of the Broh Ambassador extraordinary from Sweeden with their Coaches went to receive him at his publick Entry on Tower-hill and contending for precedency a sharp Encounter happened some were killed and divers Wounded The Spaniard obtaining the better by the help of some English who for good Rewards tho' the King expresly by his Proclamation forbid any of his Subjects to intermeddle dressed themselves in Spanish Habits which Encounter had not the King interceeded as Mediator had at that time in all Likelihood created a War between the two Nations as being highly Resented at either Court. James Duke of Ormond being made Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and
another Parliament called there that long harassed Kingdom was brought to a good Settlement And now a Match being Negotiated in the Court of Portugal between the King and Donna Catharina Infanta of that Kingdom her Dowry was settled and in Lieu thereof the English had Tangier which became afterwards a great Charge to the Nation without any Profit So that the Earl of Peterborough having taken Possession of that place on the Continent of Africa for the King the Lady came over Royally attended and the King going to Portsmouth was there Married to her with much Pomp by the Bishop of London and afterwards came to White-Hall and was Joyfully received Sir Henry Vane and John Lambert being Tryed and found Guilty of Treason for things done before the Restoration being excepted out of the Act of Indemnity the former was Beheaded but the latter Reprieved and kept in Prison till he Died and Archibald Johnson Lord Warrestone being taken beyond the Sea and brought over was Sentenced as a Traytor by the Parliament of Scotland and Executed on a Gibbit at Edenborough 22 Foot high A Conspiracy being timely Discovered in Ireland divers were Imprisoned and some Executed which altogether dashed their further Intentions and kept the Kingdom in Quiet a considerable time And in the North of England another much about the same time being discovered one Gibbons and Baker were Tryed found Guilty and Executed whereupon the rest Dispersed The Commons in Parliament having Voted the King a Supply of 2500000 l great Naval Preparations were made which caused our Neighbours the Dutch to fear a Storm and therefore they thought it convenient to provide for their Safety and indeed a Misunderstanding happening between both Nations an Order of Council was made giving Letters of Reprisal against them and about 112 Sail were taken by our Frigats Men of War c. most of them being adjudged Lawful Prizes and hereupon the King set out his Declaration touching his Proceedings for Reparation from the Subjects of the States Whilst these things were doing a Dutchman under the Disguise of a Sweed coming from Guinea publickly reported De Ruytter the Dutch Commander had Destroyed all the English in the Factories on that Coast which for a time caused much Consternation among the Merchants trading thither but it proving False he was Sentenced and Whipt through London However the Parliament being Prorogued War was Proclaimed on the 2d of March 1664 and a General Fast succeeded for a Blessing on the King's Forces to be employed against them and De Ruyter attempting with his Fleet to Plunder the English Plantation of Barbadoes in the West-Indies was beaten off but whilst many Encounters happened at Sea a worse Calamity befell at Land for by reason of the great Heat in the Spring and but little cool breathing Winds to purge and purify the Air about the beginning of May 1665 a Plague began fearfully to Rage so that in London that Year 97306 Persons of all Degrees dyed and of these were accounted 68596 of the Plague However the War was carryed on with great Vigour and on the 3d of June the Duke of York being Admiral of the English Navy the two Fleets engaged and after a long and obstinate Fight which continued many Hours bloody and doubtful the Dutch gave way and such as got off stood to their own Coast The English having taken burnt sunk and shattered about thirty of their Ships and slain and taken Prisoners about 8000 tho' not without Loss considerable on our own part which was chiefly occasioned by most of the great Ships crouding about the Admiral to screen him from the Fury of the Enemy and prevent his being laid on Board by Fire-ships Those English of Note who lost their Lives in this Engagement were the Earls of Falmouth Portland Marlborough and the Lord Muskery Sir John Lawson dyed of his Wounds soon after and 2063 Dutch Prisoners were brought to Colchester whereof 13 were Commanders Hereupon a publick Thanksgiving was performed for this Victory the King likewise Conferred the Honour of Knighthood on such Sea-Commanders as had eminently Signalized their Courage and Conduct in the Action The Plague still continuing to Rage a Fast was Proclaimed solemnly to be held every first Wednesday in the Month till it should cease and Fires were continued in the Streets of London and Westminster for three Days and Nights to purify the Air whilst the King c made his progress through the greater part of England the two Houses of Parliament attending him at Christ-Church in Oxford and upon his laying before them them the necessity of a supply to maintaine the charges of the War the Commons Voted him 1250000 l. And Michaelmas Term by Proclamation was Adjournd from Westminster to that City But the Plague abating the Parliament and Courts of Judicature returned to Westminster as did the King and Queen The French King envying the growing greatness of the English more than any love he had for the Dutch as it afterward plainly appeared Joyned with them and was soon answered in the same Language at the Instigation of others The Fleets being abroad Prince Rupert and the Duke of Albermarle then Joynt-Admirals of the English the latter with a Squadron of fifty Ships the former being to the Westward with the rest engaged 80 of the Dutch on the Coast of Flanders and maintained the Fight two Days when on the third Prince Rupert coming in the Fight continued very Bloody till the Evening with much Loss on both sides and then the Dutch stood away to their own Coast In this Fight the Royal Prince was stranded on the Galloper and burnt by the Dutch Sir George Ascough who Commanded her being taken Prisoner and carryed into Holland About six or seven Weeks after there happened another Sea-Fight and the English chased the Dutch to their own Coasts and on the 7th of August Sir Robert Holms burnt divers Dutch Merchants Ships in the Fly and the Town of Baudaris upon the Island of Scheling and four French Men of War salling in with our Fleet mistaking it in Foggy-weather for the Dutch one of them of 54 Guns was taken On the Second of September 1666 being Sunday began the dreadful Fire of London at one Faringdons a Baker's House in Pudding-Lane the back-side of Fish-street-hill It continued Burning until Wednesday Night following and that time destroyed the greatest part of the City But the best Account of it being Engraven on the North-side of the Monument Erected in the perpetual Remembrance thereof take as followeth In the Year of Christ 1666 the second Day of September Eastward from hence at the Distance of Two hundred and two foot the heighth of this Column a terrible Fire broke out about Midnight which driven on by a high Wind not only wasted the adjacent Parts but also very remote Places with incredible noise and fury It consumed eighty nine Churches the City-Gates Guildhall many publick Structures Hospitals Schools Libraries a vast Number of stately
so hard that Booths were erected upon the Ice and all sorts of Commodities sold in them insomuch that it was called Blanket-Fair Also a Bull was baited upon the Ice and Coaches ply'd from the Temple stairs to Westminster in Hillary Term. The Reign of King JAMES the Second KING Charles the Second being Dead on the same day in the afternoon being February the 6th 1684 5. his Brother James Duke of York was Proclaimed King And upon his coming to the Council He declared that since it had pleased God to place him in that station to succed so good a King as well as so kind a Brother he thought it fit to declare his Endeavours to follow his Brothers Example more especially in that of his great Clemency and Tenderness to his People and make it his Endavour to preserve the Government both in Church and State as it is by Law Established And then comends the Church of England's Principles and Members telling them He knows likewise that the Laws of England are sufficient to make the King as Great a Monarch as he can wish And therefore as he will never depart from the just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so he will never invade any Mans Property This Speech of the Kings to his Council was forthwith Printed and Published and received every where with great Applause many hoping their fears were greater than there was occasion for But how he kept to this Declariation which had he done he might have been happy the sequel of his Reign will shew There was now no longer Occasion for the King to Dissemble what he was and therefore what his Brother King Charles had acted in Masquerade King James resolved to do bare-fac'd and accordingly the next Sunday after his accession to the Crown he went publickly to Mass which Convinc'd those that before would not believe him to be a Papist and I have heard it Reported That the Duke of Norfolk carrying the Sword before him resign'd it at the Door upon which the King told him His Father would have gone further with him To which the Duke smartly Reply'd But your Majesties Father would not have gone so far And so went to the Protestant Chappel In a few days after the King Published a Paper of his Brother's dying a Roman-Catholick and of his Receiving the extream Unction and other Ceremonies of the Roman-Church before his Death attested by one Huddleston a Popish Priest And also a Paper taken out of King Charles's his Strong-Box shevving that hovvever he appear'd othervvise outvvardly yet in his heart he vvas a Sincere true Roman-Catholick The Customs and Excise dying vvith King Charles being granted only for his Life the King puts out a Proclamation commanding the paying of them till they should be granted by Parliament Which vvas his first Specimen hovv vvell he intended to preserve Mens Properties vvhen his very first Publick Act of Government vvas a Notorious violation both of Mens Properties and of the Lavvs of the Kingdom Soon after this his Brother King Charles the Second vvas Buried but vvith so little Pomp and Solemnity becoming the Majesty of a King that he vvas as it vvere throvvn into his Grave in the dead time of the Night accompanied by fevv Persons as if his Corps had been in danger of being Arrested for Debt He was interred indeed in Henry the 7th's Chappel but without any Stone to cover him So that never any King that died possest of a Throne was so meanly Buried Yet was it well enough for King Charles whose latter part of his Reign was as Dark as his Burial was Obscure But this notes the Gratitude of the King to so kind a Brother as he had always been to him A little before King Charles died Dr. Oats was fined 100000 l. for Scandalum Magnatum against the Duke of York and to be kept a close Prisoner till the Fine was paid which mighty Scandal was for saying The Duke was reconciled to the Church of Rome Which now the King acknowledged But this must not serve Oats's turn a Fine and Imprisonment was no sufficient Compensation for the Lives of the Popish Martyrs that suffered in his Brother's Reign and therefore the King having him now within his Clutches an Indictment for Perjury is preferr'd against Oats and the Perjury assign'd is Double first That Ireland one of the Executed Jesuits was not in London from the third of August 1678 till the 14th of Sept. next following whereas Oats at the said Ireland's Tryal Swore That he was at a Consult about killing the King in the middle of August Secondly That Oats was at St. Omers all April and May 1678 Whereas at the Tryal of Harcourt and White-bread c. he Swore they were at a Consult the 24th of April concerning killing the King and establishing the Popish Religion Ireland at his Tryal which was in 1678 urged the first Point and Harcourt Whitebread c. at their Tryals in 1679 pleaded the second but Oats prov'd both so incontestably at their several Tryals that it was both to the Satisfaction of Judge and Jury and of the whole Nation But now the Case was alter'd the Design was to invalidate the Popish Plot and to punish Oats for justifying it And they were pretty sure to carry it having such a Jury as would be sure to find him Guilty upon any Evidence and against the most Substantial Evidence to the contrary that Mirror of Injustice Jefferies being Judge The Witnesses against him were the St. Omer's Youths now better instructed than they were before who all remembred their Lesson to a T. and swore Oats was at St. Omer's all April and May and the Popish Stafford-shire Witnesses at that Tryal counted as good Witnesses as any in the World Swore Ireland was in Stafford-shire or thereabouts in August and September As to this last I find a Passage in Cook 's Detection of the four last Reigns that justifies Oats's Evidence beyond all Peradventure which I will here Insert and leave to Posterity to judge of It is briefly this One Mr Benjamin Hinton a Goldsmith in Lombard-street was Ireland 's Cashier and Mr. Hinton going out of Town at that time in August 1678. met Ireland 〈◊〉 or about Barnet coming for London where Ireland told him he had extraordinary Occasions for Money and urg'd Hinton to go back with him but Hinton told him his Man could do Ireland's Business as well as he and his occasions would not permit him to go back I asked Mr. Hinton of the Truth of this to which he would not give me any Answer but be this true or false it 's entred into Hinton's Book of Accompts Paid to Mr. Ireland's own Hands whereas the other Entries are Paid by his Order And 't is said Mr. Hinton's Man would Depose he Paid these Moneys to Ireland himself Mr. Hinton afterwards failing a Commission of Bankrupt was Sued against him and his Book of Accompts was delivered and kept at the Widow Vernon's Coffee-house
places of England that had risen on this Revolution But Ireland was in a dangerous Condition for the Earl of Tyrconnel had stopped almost all the Ports and was raising numerous Forces of Irish for the Service of King James so that those who would have fled into England or Scotland were for the most part restrained and obliged to continue under the dreadful Apprehensions of another Massacre being every where in the Countrey Robbed and Spoiled of their Substance and a great many Imprisoned The State of which Kingdom the King earnestly recommended to his Parliament desiring them to hasten the raising such Supplies as was requisite in order to reduâ—d it to Obedience The Lord bishop of London with about one Hundred of the City Clergy waiting on the King to tender their humble Duty he gave them an assurance of his Affection to the Church of England and of all Encouragement to them concluding that they might depend upon his Word And an Act passed about Removing and Preventing all Questions and Disputes about the Assembling and sitting of the Parliament and the King issued out his Proclamation to leave the Irish without Excuse That if they would lay down their Arms and Live quietly they should have their Pardon for all things past and enjoy their Estates but if they continued still in Arms declaring them Rebels and Traytors and their Lands and Possessions Forfeited c. But this Proclamation being not Publish'd in Ireland had little effect tho' in the North the Protestants secured London-Derry Sligo and other places in expectation of being Aided from England And now the King to ease his Subjects consented that the Duty of Hearth-Money that had long been a Burden to the Nation might be taken off which was very pleasing to the People Thomas Pilkington Esq who in the late Reign was Fined 100000 l. upon an Action of Scandalum Magnatum brought against him by the then Duke of York was now chosen Lord-Mayor of London in which Honourable station he continued near three Years And now the Coronation being appointed on the 11th of April it was performed with great Splendor and Magnificence occasioning great Demonstrations of Joy in the People and soon after the Crown of Scotland was by the Commissioners of the Estates presented to the King and Queen which was accepted and the usual Coronation Oath of that Kingdom taken And now Admiral Herbert standing with a considerable Squadron to the Coast of Ireland fought with about 40 French Men of War in Bantrey-Bay in this Engagement Capt. George Aylmer of the Portland a Lieutenant and 64 Seamen were Killed and about 240 Wounded the Enemy losing a greater Number And then at the humble Request of the Parliament the King declared War with France In Scotland Duke Hamilton was made High-Commissioner where the Duke of Gourdon held the Castle of Edenborough for King James and the Viscount Dundee had a considerable Force in the Field to second him and many hot Skirmishes were Fought till at last in an Obstinate Fight Dundee was killed upon which the Duke of Gourdon not finding himself longer able to hold the Castle delivered it up to Sir John Lanier upon Articles â—nd tho' Collonel Cannon Buchanon and others kept up the Party in the Field for a while at length they were dispersed and Scotland entirely Quieted On the 24th of July the Princess of Denmark was brought to Bed of a Son and on the 28th he was Christened William by the Bishop of London the King and the Earl of Dorset standing God-Fathers and the Marchioness of Hallifax God-Mother and then the King declared the Young Prince Duke of Gloucester King James being Landed in Ireland with some French Forces and a considerable number of Officers Arms and Ammunition had with a numerous Army besieged London-Derry which was Defended by the Inhabitants and others till it was reduced to the last Extremity by Famine but then Providence so ordered it that Major-General Kirk sending in Shipping with Provision the Siege was raised The Besiegers in lying before it and by the Besieged's falling on the Rear in drawing off having lost 2000 men and Dr. Walker a principal Man in Defending that place coming over the King Ordered him 5000 l. as a mark of his Bounty with an Assurance of greater Advantages And on the 13th of August the Duke of Schomberg Landed with the English Army at Carickfergus in Ireland and soon Reduced divers Places compelling the advanced Parties of the Irish to retreat before him and held a Winter-Camp on the Plains of Dundalk which being Moorish and Foggy many Gallant Men dyed of the Flux and other Sicknesses But the Iniskilling-men who frequently went abroad in Parties did considerable Service by cutting off the Irish Rapparees Whilst these things passed the King for weighty Reasons dissolved his first Parliament and called another to sit at Westminster the 20th of March 1690 and the Commons chusing Sir John Trevor their Speaker the King told both Houses among other things That his Resolution was to go for Ireland his Presence being necessary there for Reducing that Kingdom Signifying it was his Pleasure to leave the Government in the Queen's Hands during his Absence and accordingly before his Departure an Act was passed to that Purpose And the King of Denmark at this time assisted the King with 6000 Danish Soldiers under the Leading of the Duke of Wirtemburg who did notable Service Charlemont having been straightly Blocked up Capitulated and other places were Reduced by Force And now the King having settled Affairs in England left White-Hall on the 4th June and on the 14th Landed at Carickfergus in Ireland and hastened to order the Army and Marching to the Newry had News that the Enemy having set Fire to their Straw had Decamped and quitted that strong Post This at first scarce gained Credit but Scouts being sent out and the Report confirmed the King changed his March and sent Orders to the Forces at Armagh and Fevergee to march by the great Roads towards Dundalk in which some of our Men fell into an Ambush of the Enemy but behaved themselves with that Courage and Bravery that most of them got off having slain the Commander and brought away his Horse and the King marched towards Drogheda where he found the Enemy Encamped along the River Boyn above the Town and as he was viewing them a Six-pounder grazed on his Shoulder which only rased the Skin but as soon as it was Dressed he took Horse and Commanded Count Solmes to find out a Ford above the Enemy and pass the River which he Successfully did and obliged those that Guarded it after a hot Dispute to retire And upon notice of this the whole Army passed at other Fords the Foot wading some to the Arm-pits sustaining all the Enemies Fire and not returning it till they came close up with them and falling furiously on soon gave them a general Rout but in this Encounter Duke Schomberg and Dr. Walker late of London-Derry
greate noise of Terrour in Combates the Women usually going to War with them and not only Fighting Couragiously by their Husbands sides Animating them by their Courage but often Commanding Battalions and Armys as the Romans too fatally found when they strugled with much Slaughter 123 Years for this Island The Britains appear by all Authors to have been very sparing in their Diet and not much given to Venery Though they had many Wives in Common amongst Brothers and Kindred yet the Children redounded to his credit who first Cropt the Mothers Virgin Rose And by this means as Plutarch a very judicious Author affirms they were of so Healthful and Lively a Constitution That many if not most in the warm Southern parts according to the Term of a Natural Life exceeded 130 Years Yet they much delighted in Ornaments as Bracelets Beads Iron Rings c. And preferred their Paint'd and Carv'd Skins before the most gaudy Cloathing Their Agriculture was but little though the Earth much invited them to it by its promising Fruitfulness They had not the use of Ploughs and only Sowed their Grain on the Mellowest Land after Rain then laying great weights on bundles of Bushes drag it over in the nature of Harrowing Yet they had found out the way of making their Drink with sodden Barly which though perhaps in a higher Improvement continues to this day to the great Advantage and Health of the Moderate People of the Nation As for the flesh of Fowl and Wild Creatures they declin'd it as they did likewise Fish and Milk Then Hares were found in such abundance That they Flock'd together like Sheep fearless of the Hunter or his Hounds Their Opinions in Theology were That the Souls of Men Dyed not but according to Pythagoras had a Transmigration from one Body to another And on their Solemn Days their Druid's and Bards Sung the Praises of Renowned Heroes such as had Dyed in War or been Famous for any Rare Invention and this they did to Incourage and stir up others to Imitation INSULAE ALBION et HIBERNIA cum minoribus adjacentibus Nor did they carry any Provisions with them when they set out only creeping along the Shoar or in Calm Weather Wafting over to the Gallick or Belgian Shoar And most of their Business was to carry Grain and Metals with the latter of which the Island did then and still abounds And some are apt to think for that cause the Greeks Coasting in these Seas and finding the Island abounding with Metals Named it Britania from Prutania Metal or the Metal-Island As for ENGLAND that now so called Exempt from Wales and Scotland it had its Denomination from the East Angloens who seated themselves in the East Angle Kingdom to the Eastern Sea in the time of the Saxon Heptarchie or Seven Kingdoms and that Name through all Revolutions and Changes it has retained for above 900 Years This Land has been taken for the Fortunate Island set forth with many Praises and Encomiums by the Greek Poets and Charles the Great rightly termed it The Grainary and Store-House of the Western World Thus having given you a Brief Account of the Antient Inhabitants of this Country I proceed to shew how it was divided amongst their several Tribes and so come closer to the more sollid Body of History ENGLAND and WALES was possessed by 17 Tribes of Native Britains under these distinctions viz. 1. The Canti possessed Kent 2. Regni Sussex and Surry 3. Durotriges Dorsetshire 4. Damnonij Cornwall and Devonshire 5. Belgae Somersetshire Wiltsâ—â—re and Southamptonshire 6. Artabatij Berkshire 7. Dobuni Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire 8. Catieuclani Warwickshire Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire 9. Trinobants Hartfordshire Middlesex and Essex 10. Iceni Suffolk Norfolk Cambridge and Huntingtonshires 11. Coritani Rutland Northamptonshire Lincolnshire Leicestershire Derbyshire and Notinghamshire 12. Cornabij Staffordshire Worcestershire Shropshire and Cheshire 13. Ordovices Flintshire Denbighshire Carnarvanshire Montgomeryshire and Merionethshire 14. Brigantes Parisi Lancashire Yorkshire Richmondshire Durham Westmoreland and Cumberland 15. Silulers Herefordshire Radnorshire Monmouthshire and Glamorganshire 16. Dimetae Caermarthenshire Pembrookshire and Cardiganshire 17. Ottodoni Northumberland Tweedale Tiffedale March and Louthain Whilst these Tribes were scattered up and down in the several Counties then full of Woods which they Inhabited Lud King of the Trinobants Dyed He was wonderfully beloved not only of his own Subjects but of all the Britains for the good offices he had done them in reconciling their Differences puting an End to many Bloody Wars that fell out amongst them and civilizing their Manners constituting sundry wholsom Laws thereby making them lay aside many of their Barbarous Customs He held a free correspondence with the Gauls and was much Honoured by them their Kings sending him divers Rich Presents as also Artificers to assist him in Building or Enlarging Troy Novant or New Troy which he afterward called by his own Name Care Lud or Lud Town now the famous City of London which then reached no further than Dowgate Eastward the Houses standing up and down Angular and not Regular in Streets Yet he Inclosed it with a good Wall defended by Bullwarks and on it many Watch-Towers calling its Western Gate Lud's Gate which Name it retaines to this day placing his own Effigies in Marble on the Inside of it At his Death he Recommended his two Sons Andragius and Temantius being very Young to the care of Cassibelan his Brother who held his Regal Seat at Verulam now called St. Albanes in Hartford-shire Upon the Death of King Lud the People came and offered the Principality to him and the Heirs of his Body by consent of the Three Estates of the Trinobants viz. those of Essex Middlesex and Hartford-shire But in consideration of his Trust and his Nephews Rights he contented himself with only a Part for when they came to Age he placed Andrageus in Troynovant or London joyning to it all Middlesex and the Dukedom of Kent which in that time he had Conquered bringing the Canti under his Subjection And to Temantius he gave the Dukedom of Cornwall his Right by Marriage Reserving to himself Hartfordshire and Essex only Thus for the space of Seven Years the Nation continued in a happy state after the Death of King Lud before whose Departure a Terrible Blasing-Star with a Bloody Taile appeared at South West for the space of Fifteen Nights being likewise seen in many other Lands Fore-running the Miserys that afterward befell this Kingdom For now Andrageus a Prince of a haughty Spirit considering his Vnkle detained from him part of his Inheritance raised a mighty power and Invaded Hartfordshire But three Miles beyond Barnet being Fought with by Cassibelan he was there overthrown with a fearful Slaughter soon after driven out of most of his Possessions which so possessed him with Anger and desire of Revenge That hearing Julius Caesar who was then but a Roman Consul had subdued all Gallia now called France and a great part of Germany and given Refuge
Occasion he did a Third Time Laying a Tax of 300 l. per Annum Tribute But having cast in his Mind the gaining the Supream Dominion over Rome he left Comius his Deputy and carrying away great numbers of the British Youth to serve him in his Wars he departed And by Pompey's Overthrow in Pharsalia and two other Bloody Battels made himself Emperour But soon after was Stabb'd by the Senators with 23 Wounds in the Senate-House Augustus Caesar Nephew to Julius Caesar Succeeding him in his Empire more Forces were sent into Britain who still Incroached upon the Natives and put them to divers servile Labours as Building Forts Digging Trenches and Hewing Timber So that finding themselves uneasie betook them again to their Arms Which made this Emperour three times prepare to come in Person but was as often hindred by other Business Till at last the Prince of Peace in the 24th Year of his Reign being Born for the Salvation of Mankind Anno. Mundi 3870. A Vniversal Peace spread it self into all Nations So the Gates of Janus Temple at Rome was shut which had not happen'd for 300 Yearâ— before And in this Emperours time Cunobeline a British Prince who held his Royal Seat at Malden in Essex and was Knighted had leave to Stamp his Image on his Coin after the Roman manner and was made Deputy of Britain by Augustus and Succeeded by Guiderius his Son in his Principality who denied the Romans Tribute but was thereupon Overthrown by Claudius Drusius in which Battel himself was Slain as some Historians have it by one Hamo a Britain who privately sided with the Romans got near him under pretence of receiving Orders from him so Treacherously thrust him through and Fled But being furiously pursued by Anviragus the Kings Brother he Slew him at the Sea side From whose Death the Place was called Hamo's Haven and is that where the Commodious Town of Southampton in the County of Southampton now stands Tiberius Caesar Succeeded Augustus in the Empire The Romans finding how advantageous this Island was to them by reason of the large quantities of Metal and Corn they every Year Received by the Barks they sent Loading Annually about 800 Encreased their Collonies as not being willing to have so valuable a Prize wrested out of their Hands Yet the British Princes Laboured earnestly to be rid of so uneasie an Incumbrance but their designs did not end with Success Wherefore they applied themselves to the Neighbouring Gaulls for succour but they were in as bad or worse condition themselves being every where bridled with Roman Forts and Garrisons So that Cogidunus a Prince of great esteem among the Britains Submiting The Emperour bestowed several Cities on him to Hold and Govern them paying a small Tribute and by that means he brought over the rest So that a setled Peace ensued and Arts began to Flourish the Romans Teaching them to the Natives And so each Nation grew more familliar and friendly In the 18th Year of this Emperours Reign the Sun Rising Fair and Bright in the Morning immediately drew in its Light so that a palpable Darkness was over the Earth which Frighted and Astonished the People and made them think that the Light of that Glorious Planet was quite Extinguished Yet in some Hours it recover'd its Luster The Cause not proceeding from any Eclipse of the Sun by the Interposing Moon but from the Wickedness of Man who were at that time Crucifying The Son of Righteousness Which made Dyonisius Areopagita a Learned Philosopher who wondered at the Cause of it truly say That either the God of Nature Suffered or the frame of the World was about to be Dissolved Caius Caligula Succeeding Tiberius his Debaucheries and Gluttony gave him leave to look but little after his Affaires in Britain Yet he Banished Pontius Pilate who Adjudged Christ to Death whereupon in Despaire he Slew himself Anno. Dom. 41. He more for humour and extravagancy than advantage plained Mountains caused Fish-Ponds to be filled with Rose-Water and Built Towers in the Sea But hearing that the Britains had Raised a Formidable War and overthrown his Legions he came with a powerful Army to the Belgian Shoar but being Frighted at the Noise of such a War he caused a Charge to be Sounded and his Souldiers immediately to March to the Sea-side where they were Commanded to fill their Helmets with Cockle-shells and so Returned braging them to be the spoiles of the Ocean He Reigned but Three Years and Ten Months in which time the Britains had Recovered a great part of what they had Lost Yet many of them Dyed of a lamentable Famine which happened in the Last Year of this Emperour by Reason most of their Corn was spoil'd with mighty Raines Haile and a strange Lightening accompanied with Prodigious Thunder that not only Burnt and Destroyed the Corn but many Houses and Killed Numbers of People and Cattle There also Gushed a great Stream of Blood out of a Rock near Flint in Wales for Three Days Foreshewing that the Poor Britains must again Bleed As in the following part of this History will appear CHAP. III. A Continuation of the Succession of Roman Emperours Commanding in Britain The British Princes that Opposed their Conquest Christian Religion first Planted here by the Apostles St. Paul and St. Peter their Martyrdoms and the Ten Heathen Persecutions with the Dreadful Signs and Wonders fore-running them By what means the Gospel was Established in a National Church The Romans leaving the Kingdom c. THE Britains in the Reign of Caius Caligula finding by the neglect of his Government they had a fair prospect of regaining their Antient Liberty which they prized above all Earthly things and of the like Value it continues to this day among the Natives of the Kingdom flew again to Arms denying the Taxes that were lay'd upon them and Exacted by the Roman Lieutenants with Rigour making a great Slaughter of the Roman Souldiers at York and divers other places which compelled them to send for Aid when as Claudius Drusius who Succeeded Caligula in the Roman Empire sent Aulius Plautus with a mighty power constituting him Lieutenant against whom Charactacus a British Prince of the Silures raised great Forces and many Bloody Battels were Fought Victory giving the Lawrells sometimes to one side and sometimes to the other But in the many conflicts the Roman Host was so much wasted and Intimidated that Plautus found himself constrained to Write to the Emperour speedily to come over with Succour and restore the face of War by his Authority and Conduct or in neglecting it expect one of the most fruitful Provinces to be rent from the Empire Upon this notice he delay'd not to waft over with 500 Armed Vessels Fought divers Battels and took Caractacus Prisoner and so setling affairs returned to Rome in Triumph and the Britains finding themselves much weakened the Plains being almost every where strewed with their Dead Bodies were constrained to live Peaceably during
Adreste or Venus Victrix of the Romans Ceres Proserpina and other Infernal Deities to whom they made Nightly Sacrifice so that now Christian Churches and Temples were Built in most Cities Religion and Arts flourished and the Nation had a prospect of Peace and Happiness after many Miseries and Toils of War This Commodus began his Reign 182 and Reigned 13 Years the Britains living peaceably under him To him Succeeded Didus Julianus In this Emperours Reign little can be expected he began it Anno. 194 and Reigned only two Months Julius Severius his Lieutenant in Britain keeping things quiet in his time Yet a terrible Blazing-Star appeared fore-running Miseries at hand Septimus Severus Reigned next This Man raised The fifth Persecutian and Heraclianus his Lieutenant being worsted by the Calledonians a People Inhabiting the South of Scotland he found himself constrained to come hither with a great power and in cuting down Woods building Bridges and draining Fens Bogs and Moors to follow those retiring Britains and their Confederates he lost above 50000 of his Men yet at last he brought them under subjection But upon his departure they again betook them to Arms which caused him to make a second Expedition resolving utterly to destroy them from Sea to Sea but Death prevented him he Dying at York when he had Reigned 18 Years begining it Anno Dom. 195. After his Death Bassianus Caracalla was Proclaimed Co-Emperour with his Brother Geta but he quickly Slew him and took the Government upon himself He had no War with Britain but liv'd a Lewd Life lying with his Mother-in-Law being very Proud and Cruel to his Subjects during his Reign which began Anno Dom. 218 and lasted six Years Opilius Macrinus began his Reign Anno 218 he Continued it but one Year and two Months in whose time Britain was at Peace and Trade Flourished Heliogabilus or The Priest of the Sun being taken from his Priestly Office and Crowned Emperour became so Debauch'd and great a Glutton that he was abhor'd of all Men his wishes were That his Neck might be as long as a Crane's that he might the longer taste the sweetness of Food in its passage to his Stomach and That the whole People of Rome had but one Neck so that he might gain him a lasting Memory by striking it off He lay with his own Mother and divers of his near Kinswomen so that his not minding Publick Affairs gave the Britains Peace and Religion time to Encrease and flourish He began his Reign Anno 219 and Continued it about Four Years The next was Alexander Severus This Man proved a good friend to the Christians suffered the Britains to live in Peace and caused Arts and Sciences to be Taught them In his time Armies of Footmen and Horsemen were seen in the Air over London and divers other places Fighting together with great Blasts Thunders and Lightening followed by mighty Storms of Hail and Tempests that did much Dammage He had no Wars with the Britains The Almain Souldiers Mutinied against him when he had Reigned 14 Years and six Months and having first put his Eyes out Slew him Maximinus a Person of a Cruel Nature raised The Sixth Persecution against the Christians more violent for the time than any before He designed to War on the Britains but Death prevented him He began his Reign 237 and Reigned only Three Years Gordianus Reigned but Forty Days and had no War with Britain Yet in his time the Iceni and Coritani Warred on each other about setling the Boundaries of their Provinces and made great Slaughter of their People till the Roman Lieutenant decided the matter and set them at Peace Claudius Puppienus and Celinus Balbinus were Co-Emperours but little in Britain was done in their time they begining their Reign 239 and continued it only Two Years nor in the time of Antonius Gordianus who Reigned Four Years Also Julius Phillipus who succeeded him had no War with Britain He was a great favourer of the Christians and some Historians allow he was Baptized into the Christian Faith so that the Natives of this Kingdom finding Advantages from the Arts they Learn'd of the Romans and considering how long they had strugled in vain to the vast effusion of Blood quietly submited and became Companions with them as one Incorporated People Decius sent out his cruel Edicts for The Seventh Persecution against the Church of Christ wherein many fell here for their Religion but no open War happened At his coming to the Throne it Rained Blood in divers parts of this Kingdom and a Terrible Bloody Sword was seen in the Air for Three Nights a little after Sunset He began his Reign Anno Dom. 250 and continued it Two Years Trebonianus and Volusianus Succeeded him as joynt Emperours Anno Dom. 252 they had no War with Britain their Reign continuing but Two Years and odd Days Emelianus who Succeeded them Reigned only Two Months for indeed the Praetorian Souldiers having taken upon them to make and unmake Emperours set the Empire to Sale as often as they pleased displacing one and placing another for Gain some of which they Murthered and others they Banished as the humour serv'd them Valerianus an Enemy to the Christians being placed on the Throne notwithstanding their supplications and protesting to do any thing for him so they might enjoy their Religion he sent out his Bloody Edicts to Persecute them in all the Roman Provinces spilling their Blood like Water He caused St. Lawrence to be Broyled Alive on a Gridiron which the Martyr endured with Invincible Patience only saying Turn the other Side O Tyrant for this is broyled enough and so by his constancy in Suffering Converted even some of his Tormentors who afterward for publick owning the Faith were put to Death St. Cyprian likewise suffered Martyrdom under him But God stayed this issue of precious Blood by cuting off the Tyrant when he had Reigned about two Years in which time Britain had no Wars nor in the time of Galienus who Succeeded him tho' he Reigned Fifteen Years Flavius Claudius began his Reign Anno Dom. 269 he Invented divers new Torments to be put in practice against the Christians but God cut him off before he could put them in practice when he had Reigned two Years During his time the Britains were in Peace but a Terrible Earth-Quake happened that overthrew many Buildings Quintillius soon after he had taken the Empire finding a Conspiracy of the Great Ones against his Life retired to a Summer-House in his Garden and there opening his Veins prevented their Malice by voluntarily Bleeding to Death In his time peace was continued in Britain Aurelianus began his Reign Anno Dom. 271 he raised The Ninth Persecution against the Christians and in his five Years Reign by casting them to wild Beasts in the Amphitheatres Burning them at Stakes and divers other Torments destroyed the Lives of 300000 of them Tacitus who Succeeded him recalled his Bloody Edicts and sent Letters of Comfort to
God And coming soon after to be Pope he Remembring what he had said sent Augusting the Monk accompanied with Forty Men of several Religious Orders into Britain Anno Dom. 596 who making their Address to King Ethelbert were by him kindly received and had Canterbury then but a poor Village allowed them for their Residence with Liberty to Convert his Subjects to the Christian Faith so that by their painful industry in Preaching and exemplary Lives they made a considerable progress in the Glorious work of Salvation to poor Souls leading them out of the Darkness of Paganisme into the Marvelous Light of the Gospel so that again the Candle was Lighted which God for the Pride and Lukewarmness of the Christians had suffered in a great measure to be Extinguished in this Island and the King falling in Love with their Inoffensive Lives and conceiving a good Opinion of their Doctrine was Baptized with many Thousands of his Subjects in the Thirty Sixth Year of his Age and Fourteenth of his Reign Anno Dom. 596 for which God Blessed him with a long and prosperous Reign viz. Fifty Six Years Edelbard the Sixth King of Kent soon after his coming to the Crown was Converted by Lawrence Arch-Bishop of Canterbury whom Augustine on his Death-Bed had appointed his Successor in that See whereupon he Divorced himself from his Mother-in-Law whom he had Married after his Fathers Death and recalled Militus and Jusâ—us whom he had caused to fly beyond the Seas for fear of Persecution restoring them to their Bishopricks In his time Two mighty Whales were taken on the Coast of Kent and a Fight of Birds of various kinds were seen in the Air near Rochester about Noon whose numbers in that place in some measure Darkened the Sun for the space of an Hour He began his Reign Anno Dom. 618 and Reigned Twenty Four Years Ercombert the Seventh King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 642. This Man was a great Lover of the Christians everywhere in his Dominions suppressing the Idol Temples causing the Christian Worship strictly to be Observed throughout his Dominions Building divers Churches commanding the Fast of Lent to be kept He Reigned Twenty Four Years Egbert the Eighth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 666. He was of a cruel Nature Murthering his two Nephews Ethelred and Ethelbert to secure the Kingdom to his Posterity casting their Dead Bodies into the Medway a River runing by Rochester and Chattam whose Water thereupon for a time seemed of the colour of Blood and was so corrupted that a number of Fish dyed in it which was held as a Divine Judgment to upbraid the Murtherer after which he had a troublesome Reign his own People murmuring against him and being often ready to Rebel A little before his Death a terrible Blazing-Star appear'd for six Nights at South East soon after the seting of the Sun He Reigned Nine Years and odd Days Lothaire the Ninth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 675. In his time there was held the Third General Council at Constantinople where 600 Bishops were present Three of which went from England and had the Precedency given them before divers other Nations Agatho being then Bishop of Rome Afterward engaging in a War against Ethelred King of Mercia and Edrick King of the South Saxons he charging in the thickest of the Battel and endeavouring to break in upon the Mercian Standard where that King stood Invironed with his Nobles a Dart being thrown overthwart with a strong hand struck him on the Left Side and pierced through the Right so that he instantly fell Dead on the place when he had Reigned Eleven Years and his death so discouraged his Souldiers who had before near-gained the Victory that they quitted the Field and fled Ederick the Tenth King of Kent was a Man of great Courage but using some Cruelty towards his Nobility they grew displeased with him and laboured to stir up the common People to a dislike of his Government and at last raised a Rebellion against him and in a great Battel near Maidstone he was Slain and his Body very despitefully used The Night before this Battel there were Groans and Cries heard as proceeding out of the Air and most of the Lawrels throughout the Country Withered after which great Mischief happened for the Victors not agreeing about dividing the spoil fell into parties and in clandestine Broyles shed much Blood so that there was no King in Kent for six years This Ederick Reigned only two Years and ten Days begining it Anno Dom. 682. Withred the Eleventh King of Kent upon his Brothers Overthrow fled from the Popular Fury to Ine King of the West Saxons with whom he remained till the expiration of the six Years when agreeing with him for a considerable sum of Money he Restored him to the Kingdom which sum not exceeding 6000 l. being raised on the Subject caused great Murmurings but he quieted them by promising to Live Frugally Proclaiming a general Pardon and granting them many Priviledges which in former Reigns they enjoyed not so that he lived rather like a Private Man than a Soveraigne Prince Yet he had great Wars with Ethelred King of Mercia He Reigned 33 Years beginning it Anno Dom. 694. Edbert the Twelfth King of Kent Succeeded Withred He at the beginning of his Reign laboured for Peace and setled the Kingdom that had been harrassed and in a manner destroyed by the Mercians in the former Reign Rebuilding the Churches and Monastries they had Ruinated But in the Fourth Year of his Reign the Beacons of Heaven foreshewed more Misery to the already suffering Kingdom two Blazing-Stars appearing successively the one in the South West and the other at South East after which great Dissentions arose among the Saxon Kings and much Blood was spilt in divers places the Britains were likwise extreamly distressed by the Invading Norhumbers and West Saxons who penned them within the Streights and Mountains of Wales till Famine coming on numbers were Starved in the Rocks and Caves whither they had retired for shelter He began his Reign Anno Dom. 727 and Reigned 23 Years Ethelbert the Thirteenth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 750. At his coming to the Crown he laboured to promote Christianity gave large Gifts to the Cathedral Church of Canterbury and to St. Andrews in Rochester Built by Ethelbert the Second King of Kent He laboured also to keep Peace with his Neighbours yet such was the greedy desire of the Saxons to incroach on each other having beaten the poor Britains out of all the Counties that were worth Possessing that Wars ensued and much Blood was shed Yet he Dyed in Peace whan he had Reigned Eleven Years Alrick the Fourteenth King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 761 but after he had Reigned 34 Years Offa the great King of the Mercians Quarrelled with him for Entertaining Duke Edesin who Fled from his Fury yet this seemed only a pretence his
re-assumed his Crown when in Battel against him he was Slain in the Third Year after his coming to the Crown Egrick or Edrick for by both Namers Authos make mention of this King began his Reign Anno Dom. 638. He continued the War against the Mercians and gave them divers Foiles but coming to a pitched Battel endeavouring to break in upon Penda's Standard he was Slain upon which his Army was so disheartned that many of them throwing down their Weapons a general Rout and Flight ensued whereupon the Mercians following with great fury about Seven Thousand were Slain and not less than Three Thousand of the Mercians He began his Reign Anno Dom. 638 and Reigned Four Years Anna the Seventh King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 642 and although he Reigned Twelve Years yet few of his Actions are Recorded more than that he endeauoured to settle his Kingdom and laboured for Peace with his Neighbours which at last was accorded though on very hard conditions Ethelbert the Eighth King of the East Angles finding he was too weak to oppose the Northumbrians who had got strong footing in the Northern Frontier Towns he made a League with Penda King of Mercia at which Oswye King of Northumberland being much disgusted raised a great Army and War being denounced the East Angles and Mercians thinking it not convenient to stay his coming resolved to place the seat of War in his Country but in their March a fatal Omen seemed to forbid it viz. Two Flights of Birds one from the North and the other from the South met and Encountered over their Host with such Fury that many drops of Blood as it had been small sprinklings of Raine fell from the Wounds made on each other with their Bills and Talons till at last the Southern Flight turned Taile with a strange Noise or Cryes and were Pursued till out of sight Soon after this Penda Ethelbert and their Confederates joyned Battel with Oswye near Leeds in Yorkshire and in a great Overthrow of their Armys the two Kings were Slain with 18000 of their Men and among them 30 Dukes and chief Leaders This Ethelbert Reigned two Years Edelwald the Ninth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 656. He purchas'd his Peace with a great Sum when he found he was too feeble to oppose his Enemies and gave up Cantionary Towns to the Northumbers for the security of payment This caused a Murmuring among his Subjects which broke into Tumults so that much grieved at his misfortunes Abroad and at Home he Dyed when he had Reigned Eight Years Aldulfe the Tenth King of the East Angles was advanced to the Crown Anno Dom. 664 in a very troublesome time however with some difficulties he brought the Kingdom to a settlement and continued his Reign Ninteen Years In his time a terrible Earth-Quake happened giving three violent shocks which shattered and overturned divers massy Buildings but the greatest dammage fell upon the City of London many People being destroyed by the fall of Chimneys Houses c. And soon after so great a Frost happened That loaded Carts went over the principal Rivers as securely as if it had been on dry Land Elfwold the Eleventh King of the East Angles began to Reign Anno Dom. 683. The Danes in his time began to be troublesome and Invaded the Scots and Callidonians commiting terrible Outrages in Argyle-shire and other parts subduing all the Islands belonging to Scotland advancing after many Battels upon the Picts and as far as the Tweed whereupon those Nations craved Aid of this and other Saxon Kings to Expel them urging as a main reason the Mutual Danger they were in by the Invasion of so powerful an Enemy which though it proved fatally true was at that time little minded This King Reigned Seven Years Beorne the Twelfth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 690 And though he continued it Twenty Four Years yet there is nothing Memorable Recorded of him as to certainty of History but his Building some Monasteries and making divers good Laws for the well Governing of his Subjects Ethelred the Thirteenth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 714. In his Second Year on Midsummer-Day at Sunseting dark Clouds overspread the Skies and then withdrawing the Element seemed on Fire after that many fearful sights appeared in the Air of Armies and Monsterous Creatures upon which followed so great a Storm that many Ships were broken to pieces in the Havens mighty Oaks rent up and Houses overturned He Reigned sometimes in War and at others in Peace Thirty Five Years Ethelbert the Second of that Name and the Fourteenth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 749. He in the last Year of his Reign sent Ambassadors to Offa King of Mercia to treat of Peace and the restoring some Towns taken from him and his Predecessors which Offa seemed enclinable to hearken to sending them back with Presents and Rewards as also a dissembling Letter to Invite Ethelbert to his Court under pretence of giving him his Beauteous Daughter Alfrida in Marriage that the League between them might be the stronger but indeed aiming to add the East Angle Kingdom to his own Dominions and having gotten the too credulous Prince in his power he consulted with Quindride how he should dispose of him to accomplish his designes who being a Woman Inured to Blood and Mischief Counseled his Death which was performed in the heighth of Jollitry by disguised Ruffians so that instead of a Bridal Bed he had an untimely Grave when he had Reigned Forty Five Years Edmund the Fifteenth and last King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 794. He was a great encourager of Religious Persons allowing large Sums to Churches and Church-men but one of his Nobles whom he had constituted as Vice Roy Ravishing the Beautious Wife of Beorn a Nobleman who in his Progress had sumptuously Feasted him This Beorn preferring his private Revenge to the good of his Country called in the Danes who before were much discouraged and charge the Guilt on Innocent King Edmund because he had not put the Offender to Death as the Law then directed which indeed he durst not do the other being grown too powerful for him And now the King being Overthrown in divers Battels his Country scattered over with his Slain Subjects and most of the principal Towns laid in Ruines he was constrained to fly for shelter to Framingham Castle where the Danes Besieged him and through Famine and loss of Men constraining the Garrison to Surrender they stripped the King of his Royal Robes beat his Naked Body with Cudgels scourging him till the Bones of his Ribs appeared bare he bearing it patiently all the while calling on the Name of Jesus which so enraged the Pagans That Tying him to a Post they Shot him to Death with Arrows then cut off his Head and threw it into a Wood which being found
Offended each other in Deed or Word Or since the Parish Clark said Amen Wished your selves unmarried agen Or in a Twelve-Month and a Day Repented not in thought any way But continued true and in Desire As when you joyn'd hands in holy Quire If to these Conditions without all fear Of your own accord you will freely Swear A Gammon of Bacon you shall receive And carry it hence with love and free leave For this is our Custom at Dunmow well known Tho' the sport be ours the Bacon's your own And pursuant hereunto it appears upon Record That â—ichard Wright of Badsworth in Norfolk in the 23d â—f Hen. 6. and Stephen Samuel of Little Easton in Essex â—n the 7th of Edward the 4th and Thomas Lee of Coxhall in Essex in the 2d of Hen. 8. Took the aforesaid â—ath and demanded and received their Bacon Amongst the many Noble Seats in this County That â—oyal House called Audley-End not far from Saffron-Walden justly claims the first place Built by Thomas â—oward Earl of Suffolk Treasurer to King James the first â—hen there is New-Hall a very Noble Seat of the late Duke of Albemarles and Bently belonging to the Earl of Oxford Copt-Hall a seat of the Earl of Dorcets Leez â—riory a seat of the Earl of Manchester St. Osith a â—at of the Earl Rivers Havering a seat of the Earl of â—indseys Park-Hall a seat of the Earl of Angleseys â—oulsham-Hall Moulsham Friery and Bishops-Hall â—ats of the Lord Fitz Walter Gosfield-Hall and Spring-â—lace seats of the Lord Grey of Wark Easton-Lodg â—nd Achdon-Place seats of the Lord Maynard Tolsâ—ury a seat of the Lord Howard of Escrick Lawfield-Hall the Lord Carews Seat It contains likewise many â—urious Parks Chases Warrens and is stored with Fish â—owl and all other Necessaries The Reign of Edward Thirteenth Sole Monarch of England and by some Sirnamed the Martyr EDward Eldest Son to Edgar began his Reign upon the Death of his Father Ann Dom. 975 he was Crowned at Kingston on Thames by Dunstan who had been promoted to the Bishoprick of Canterbury by his Father At his Accession to the Throne a terrible Blazing Star appeared which rising East by South continued visible twenty Nights ushering in a grievous Famin so that the poorer sort were compelled to Eat Grass Leaves and Bark of Trees whereupon many Thousands dyed yet it continued but a Year and then another mischief succeeded which had like to have put the Nation in confusion viz. Several Years past tho' the Popes Cannons prohibited it the Clergy had priviledg to Marry without any hinderance to them in performing their Functions and keeping their Spiritualities But Arch Bishop Dunstan who aimed at the Popedom or at least aspired to a Cardinals-Cap finding it was displeasing to the Roman See because the charge of Wives and Children must of necessity debar the Clergy from sending to Rome such liberal Contributions as otherways they might have done and so hinder Grist from coming to the Popes Mill he to ingratiate himself with that See stired up the Monks and Vnmarried Priests against those that had taken Wives and they dealing underhand with divers unthinking People Tumults arose thereon and much mischief was done For Duke Alfarus encouraging the Married Priests and their party the King with all his Authority had much ado to prevent a General Insurrection At last it was agreed That an Assembly of both Parties should meet and dispute the matter according to Scripture and Cannons and a place for that purpose was prepared in a large upper Room where Dunstan as chief Orator for the Monks had cunningly placed his Chair on a Post or Beam strongly fixed and as some Authors believe had contrived a Device by taking out some Pins to let the Floor fall upon a signal given so the press being very great after a hot Debate had been held for a while and nothing Agreed on Dunstan stamping and saying They shall fall before us c. The Floor first trembled as with the motion of an Earthquake and then fell down leaving nothing but Dunstan's Chair that had been surely seated aloft which being looked upon as and cryed up for a Miracle in the behalfe of the Monks they thereupon carried the day And the Married Priests were left at liberty to Enjoy their Wives but outed of their Benefices This is that Dustan of whom a story goes That to prevent Idleness he was working at the Goldsmiths Trade in a Cell near Glassenbury and whilst he was framing a Chalice of Gold the Devil in the shape of a Beautiful Woman appeared to him endeavouring to Tempt him to Lewdness but he by Inspiration knowing it to be a Fiend Transformed on a suddain as it was peeping over his Shoulder he catched it by the Nose with red hot Tongs and made the Devil rore so loud that all the People in the Village were Affrighted at the horrid Noise and thereupon the seeming Lady Vanished GLOCESTER SHIRE King Edward being thus made away was in a manner privately Buryed at Waltham and afterward his Body removed into the Monastery at Shaftsbury He Reigned 4 Years and was the 13th Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Gloucestershire c. GLoucestershire is made Fruitful by the River Severn Branching almost unto all parts of it it contains much Woodland and Gradual Hills Feeding great store of Tame Cattle and Venison It abounds in Corn Wool Cheese and Butter On the North it is bounded with Worcestershire and Warwickshire on the East with Oxfordshire and Wiltshire on the South with Somersetshire and part of the Severn on the West with Herefordshire and Monmouthshire It Contains one City a Bishops See viz Gloucester 30 Hundreds divided into 280 Parishes 27 Market Towns and 12 Rivers It sends members to Parliament 8 viz Cirencester 2 Gloucester 2 Teuksbury 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Gloucester City is the antient Gelenum of the Romans In it Robert Brother to the Empress Maud was kept Prisoner being taken in the War against King Stephen its Cathedral is of Excellent Architecture and much noted for its Whispering Place wherin the least sound may be distinctly heard at a considerable distance It was won from the Britains by Chewlin King of the West Saxons Anno Dom. 570 and in this City a Monastery of Nuns was Founded by Osrick a Saxon wherin 3 Queens of the Mercians were successively Prioresses In Alny-Isle a place near Gloucester was fought the Combate between Edmund Ironside the Saxon King and Canute the Dane and the division of the Kingdom therupon made as in his Reign will further apear Cirencester or Circester was an antient Station of the Romans in it was born the Learned Thomas Rutham some time Bishop of Durham The next places of note are Dursly Cam Todington Yate Westbury Sudly Castle Tewksbury in whose field the Fatal Battel was fought which ruined at that time the House of Lancaster Anno 1471 in which Prince Edward was slain Queen Margaret taken Prisoner and the
Duke of Somerset Earl of Devonshire c. Were Beheaded At Aderly on the top of certain Hills are found Stones in the form of Oyters Cockles c. and near Puckle Church is a Vein of blue Stone At Lessington are Stones that represent Stars of the circumferance of a single Penny and the thickness of half a Crown they grow together in Columns about 3 or 4 Inches long and being singly put into Vinegar they naturaly move and tend towards union The Seats of the Nobility are Badminton and Wallastons Grange seats of the Duke of Beaufort Stowel a seat of the Earl of Strafford Berkely-Castle a seat of the Earl of Berkley's Campden-House in Campden a seat of the Earl of Gainsboroughs Overnorton a seat of the Lord Viscount Say and Seal's Corfe-Court and Cockbury seats of the Lord Coventry Glocester Pallace the Bishops seat It has in it also a great many Parks Forrests and all accommodations for Recreation c. The Reign of Ethelred Fourteenth Sole Monarch of England EThelred began his Reign Anno Dom. 979 he was the third Son of Edgar and came very Young to the Crown for I find that being informed of the manner of his Brother Edwards Death to make way for him to the Crown when he was but ten Years old he not only detested the crime and refused to be made King but wept and complained so abundantly for the deceased that the Queen in a great passion snatched a Wax Taper from the Alter nothing else being at hand and beat him so sorely with it that it gave him an Antipathy against Wax Tapers all his life time he never enduring any to be in his sight so that he may be reputed to be between Ten and Eleven Years Old when he came to the Throne so that the Danes promising themselves great advantages by reason of his Minority Landed in great numbers This King Ethelred by some called Eldred was Crowned at Kingston upon Thames by Arch Bishop Dunstan not as is said by his good will but he was compelled to perform that Office yet instead of a Benediction he Bann'd him as one that Swam to the Throne in the Stream of his Brothers Blood as he Phrased it speaking also as it were Prophetically of the great losses England would sustain in this Kings Reign and indeed Queen Alfreda being soon sensible of the Blood-guiltiness that cried against her and fearing the fury of the People built two Monasteries of Nuns at Amesbury where she lived a solitary Life till she Dyed The King being but slow in his preparations by which means he got himself the nickname of the Vnready Swane King or chief Leader of the Danes and Olaf King of Norway who assisted him got strong possession of divers of the most fertil Counties being secretly encouraged by Duke Edrick a Treacherous Courtier who discovered to them all the Kings Counsels and Fortified the Towns and Castles casting up works to secure what they gained as they made their Encroachments However at length the King gave them Battel and tho' he cannot be said to lose it the parting being somewhat doubtful on either side yet he lost so many of his People that he could not get together a sufficient Army to oppose them so that to save the rest of his Country from Spoil he was constrained to comply with the Enemies exorbitant demands compounding for his Quiet at 10000 l. Then they raised him to 16 20 30 and 40000 Pounds compelling the People to find them Provisions in their Houses where they were Quartered and to see in many places their Wives and Daughters Ravished before their Faces not daring on pain of their Lives to gainsay it The People calling them Lord Danes corruptly now Lurdane a by-word for a Lazy Fellow But Elfrick Earl of Mercia and Algarius his Son being found contributes and abettors to the Misery of their Country the King caused their Eyes to be put out and they confin'd to certain Limits during Life And now the King plainly perceiving what a miserable condition the Kingdom was in between private Traitors and professed Enemies he resolved to take a violent and speedy course as he thought to end the War at once and thereupon sent secret Messages throughout the Kingdom That upon the Ringing the Allarm-Bell on St. Brices Day the 13th of November Anno Dom. 1002 the People in all Cities and Towns should fall on the Danes as they lay scattered and had no time to get to their Arms or in any great Body and Massacre them and accordingly it was put in execution so that many places flowed with Danes Blood the injured and imaged People not sparing either Sex of that Nation so that Guni-Child King Swane's Sister was slain at Dorchester This Honour if I may rightly term it one the Women by I know not what Tradition totally ascribe to their Sex tho' no doubt both Sexes were Actors in the Danish Tragedy which had been more Bloody had not Duke Edrick given Swane notice tho' somewhat too late in the main of the Design by which means he saved himself and a great many of his followers and storming at his Loss Repaired it with all speed sending for Recruits from Norway and Denmark It was supposed in this Slaughter about 24000 fell but to Revenge it being Recruited the Danes grievously oppressed the Country Burning and Destroying in all places where they came so that although the King to the Impoverishing himself gave them 30000 Pounds for Peace they observed it but a few Days for having wrested a great Sum of Money from Alphegus who Succeeded Dunstan in the Arch Bishoprick of Canterbury and slain 900 Monks and Men in Religious Orders They Stoned the good Bishop to Death at Greenwich in Kent The King seeing these proceedings sent Emma his Queen with his two Sons to her Brother Richard Duke of Normandy and shortly after not able to endure the Destruction the Enemy made followed them But at length Swane was Murthered by his own Men for denying them their share of Plunder or restraining them from their Insolencies over the English However they chose Canute his Son King Of which change Ethelred thinking to make advantage at the solicitation of his Friends returned but perceiving several Treasons hatching against him That his Councells were betrayed by some he confided in and that he was too weak to withstand the Enemies fury he fell into a Melancholly and Dyed as is supposed of Grief and he was Bury'd in St. Paul's London He Reigned 37 Years unless we exclude the time he was absent in Normandy which by some is accounted between two and three Years He was the Fourteenth Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Hampshire or Hantshire HAmpshire is not only considerable for its Fertility in Corne Cattle Fowle Fish and its producing store of singular good Honey but for its commodious Sea-Ports opening to the South for the conveniency of Shipping outward or inward bound especially Southampton Antiently Hamo's Haven It is
conclude But now to the King of Denmark belongs Norway formerly a distinct Kingdom and some other Countries which render his Territories much larger than when the Danes first possessed it As for their Religion when they first Invaded England and long after it was Paganism Their Idols were many out-numbering those of the Pagan Saxons to some they Offered Horses to others Humane Sacrifice Fruits Flowers Water Bread Wine Fish c. They were a People very Bloody and Cruel to those they prevailed over and extreamly Lustful and Treacherous Their Habit was close girted Coats their Arms Spears of a moderate length Battel-Axes and Faulchions their Diet many times the Flesh of their slain Enemies Rost or Sodden it was about 230 years from their first Invading England before Canute got the Sole Monarchy of whose Reign I am next to treat The Reign of Canute Sixteenth Sole Monarch of England and first of the Danes that Reigned here CAnute Son to Swane who as you have heard was Murthered by his Souldiers began his Reign as Sole Monarch Anno Dom. 1017. He was Crowned at London by Livingus Arch Bishop of Canterbury and at his first coming to the Crown kept the English under with a very strict Hand every where disarming them and making it a capital Crime for above a certain number of them to meet together unless called by his Authority so that Faires and Marts were in a manner laid aside He Deposed and Banished the Popular Nobles conferring their Titles of Honour and Estates on his Danes and yet not thinking he was sufficiently secured whilst Edward and Edmund the Sons of Edmund Ironside remained in the Kingdom and yet thought that if he should dip his Hands in their Innocent Blood he must of necessity incur the perpetual hatred of the English he concluded to take away their Lives privately so that he might excuse it and lay the blame on others whereupon he sent the Young Princes to his Brother King of Sweden with private Instructions to make them away but he detesting so base a crime Transferred them to the King of Hungary where Edmond Dyed but Edward getting favour at Court and being a Prince endowed with much manly Beauty and excellent Parts Agatha Sister to the Empress of Germany fell in Love with him to whom he was Married and by her had Edgar Sirnamed Etheling who Dyed without Issue Margaret who Married Malcolm King of Scots she had Issue Christian a Veiled Nun Edgar David and Alexander all three Kings of Scotland proceeded from this Line as also Maud wife to King Henry the first King of England who had Issue Maud the Empress Mother to King Henry the Second so that the design of making away these Princes abroad by a wonderful Providence turned in the end to the Advantage of both Kingdoms in restoring the Saxon Line after the Norman Conquest to England in the person of Henry the Second and producing many worthy Kings in Scotland Canute to strengthen his Interest Marryed Emma Sister to Richard Duke of Normandy and widow to King Ethelred and soon got possession of the Kingdom of Norway which has ever since been annexed to the Crown of Denmark then Warring on the Scots he made them Tributaries so that some reckon him to be the possessor of Four Kingdoms he made a strict League with the Normans and set out a huge Navy to Sea bringing thereby a Terror on all the Neighbouring Sea Coasts laying a Tax of 82000 Pounds on his English Subjects with which Money at the perswasion of Queen Emma he pay'd off and sent away the greater part of the Lazy Danes to their Native Country which won him much favour with the English Then he set himself to the contriving and establishing wholsom Laws for the better settlement of his Kingdom and for the more firmly founding them he called a Parliament at Oxford He is commended for his aversion to Dissemblers Traitors and Flatterers for one of the latter having told him He was Soveraign King not only of the Land but the Sea and not only his People but the Winds and Waves were subject to his Command to disprove and upbraid the Parasite being at Southampton he caused his Chair to be placed on the Sand and Commanded the Sea that it should not swell to wet his Royal Robes but the Waves Rowling towards the Shoar in their wonted Flowings Dashed him up to the Thighs whereupon rising hastily he said to his Attendants Now you see all the Might and Power of Kings is but Vanity for none is worthy to have the Name of King but he that hath all things subject to his Laws and from that time as several Authors affirm he not only Banished all Flatterers from the Court but refused to wear his Crown In the Third Year of his Reign with a great Navy he Sailed to Denmark that Country being then Invaded by the Vandalls who had over-run the larger part of Germany and overthrowing them in a bloody Battel Slaying their chief Leaders he chased the rest out of his Kingdom and causes Castles and Forts to be Builded on the Frontiers to secure it against their Incursions And so returning with Victory he was received at London in Triumph and having settled his Affairs in a flourishing condition the Kingdom thereby much recovered its Antient Renown and he having received the Christian Faith a considerable time before hearing of the Magnificence of Rome and desirous to see its stately Structures the manner of their Living c. went thither not Royally Attended but as a Pilgrim where nevertheless being known he was received with great respect and having given liberally to that See after he had visited all the places of note in that Superb City once Mistriss of the World he returned highly satisfied with the Undertaking causing the Ruined Churches to be Repaired and Founded divers Religious Houses giving great Priviledges to the Monastery of St. Edmunds-Bury in Suffolk which he had re-Edified and then taking a Progress to restore the Face of Justice in the several Counties punishing the corrupt Ministers and Oppressors worn out with the Toiles of War and Indefatigable Study in settling his new acquired Kingdom he fell Sick on the Road some Miles from Shaftsbury and being conveyed to that Town in a short time he paid the debt by Nature due from all that are cloathed with Mortality Dying Anno Dom. 1036 when he had Reigned 18 Years and tho' the First of the Danish yet is accounted the 16th Sole Monarch of England Remarks on Huntingtonshire c. HUntingtonshire is as the former an Inland County Bounded by Northamptonshire Bedfordshire and Cambridgshire It produces store of Wooll Cattle Corn and many fertil Pastures it is somwhat Woody tho' incumbered with few Hills of any considerable height it has many small Streams abounding with Roach Dace Chub Trouts Carp and Pike and abundance of Wild Fowle resorts to its Meers and Marshy Places it contains divers Parks of Deer and some Warrens also
Blood and the Miserie 's such a War was likely to bring on both Nations for being thereby weakened they might easily become a Prey to Forreign Enemies who watched for such an opportunity to work their ends both on Normandy and England especially the Danes and French To these and other Reasons for an amicable conclusion of the Difference the Norman Duke harkened with much mildness so that in a short time it was agreed that Robert after Williams Death should possess the Kingdom and to the end his Heirs might not disturb it he was debarred from Marriage as I find it in some Historians however certaine it is he left no Legitimate Issue behind him And in the mean time he was Yearly to pay the sum of 3000 Marks And the Articles being Signed the Brothers took a Friendly leave of each other so that through Providence this threatning Storm which filled England with many doubts and fears at its approach blew over without doing any harm After the Duke of Normandy had repassed the Seas with his Army the King fearing he might repent him of what he had Agree'd to strengthened the Sea Ports and Built some Castles advantagiously on the Havens to prevent Landing by surprize but knowing his prime Strength and Assurance was in the Love of his Subjects he began to caress the Nobles more than he had done and remitted to the Commons several grievous Taxes for upon his coming to the Crown he thought treading in his Fathers steps was the best Measures but now he found that Mildness rather than Rigor was the surest Policy to keep the Natives of this Island firm to his Interest whereupon he restored much that had been Extorted by his Rigorous Ministers and the better to curry favour with the People caused some of them to be punished for the offences he had enjoyned them to commit About this time Odo Bishop of Bayon the Kings Unkle who had been Banished by the Conquerer came over and was kindly received by his Nephew who Created him Earl of Kent and conferred on him many other Honours and Trusts which made the old Clergy-Man presume so much on the Kings Favour That he took upon him more Authority to Rule than came to his share by many degrees whereupon the Nobles made grievous complaints That a Stranger should presume to Domineer over them in their Native Country so that the King being sensible of his Arogancy changed his Smiles into Frowns which caused him to make a party among the English Normans and to fall into open Rebellion Declaring for Duke Robert and his Right who underhand had promised to Land some Forces but did not This Treachery of the Normans made the King almost totally throw himself on the English for Safeguard and Protection These Fractions and Disorders in the State begat new conceits in Malcolm King of Scots who resolving to take the advantage of them hastily raised an Army and Invaded the Northern Marches wasting all in his way with Fire and Sword whereupon the King Summoning all his Courage not to leave an Enemy at his Back first fell upon the Bishop and gave him and his Rebellious Associates a terrible Overthrow and in the Battel the Bishop being taken Prisoner he was compelled to Abjure the Land This happening the latter-end of the Second Year of the Kings Reign the Third no sooner began but he resolved to be Revenged on the Scots who had broke their League with him in order to lay hold on the Advantages Clandestine Commotions seemed to offer them and finding them Plundering and Spoiling his Subjects he scarce gave them time to Embattel ere like a Tempest he broke in amongst them destroying the greater part of their numerous Army in which fell Twenty of their Nobles and their King was constrained to Acknowledg Subjection to England renew his League upon Oath and in further confirmation of his Subjection he became a Pentioner to King William and to make it more apparent he was Tributary to England payed Twelve Mark Yearly for the Twelve Villages the King restored him after he had taken them from him in this War which he had held in the Reign of William the Conquerer and to Fortifie against the Scots Incursions he Rebuilded and Garisoned the City of Carlisle in Cumberland it having been demolished by the Danes about 200 Years before and Lanfrank Dying at a great Age the King kept the profits of the Arch Bishoprick in his hands Four Years and then made Anselm a Norman Abbot Arch Bishop which much displeased the English Clergy Not long after this Malcolm King of Scots coming to Gloucester where King William held his Court being denied Access and unhandsomly treated by some Carpet-Courtiers who had been raised from a low degree he without acquainting the King with it or demanding satisfaction for the Indignity put upon him flung away in a great rage and arriving in Scotland Assembled the Nobles and incited them to bring all the Forces they could raise to his Standard which they punctually obeyed and entering England with a huge Army he wasted all before him as far as Alnewick which he Besieged and Took it but the strong Castle held out against him which with his numbers he so straightly begirt that Famine got in and much dismai'd the Besieged whereupon an adventurous Knight with a Flag of Truce in his Hand and the Keys of the Castle on his Spear came out at the Gate Mounted on a swift Racer and making low obeysence as if he submitted them to the King of Scots being come pretty near setting Spurs to his Horse he run at the King with his Spear and piercing him into the Eye and Brain he fell Dead to the Ground and the Knight by the swiftness of his Horse escaped through the Scotish Camp at which the Scots were so dismai'd That they raised the Siege and departed with the Body of their King Mournfully into Scotland For this daring piece of Service which turned so much to the advantage of William The Knight had his Name by him changed from Mabrey to Piercey and was created Earl of Northumberland whose Race as Earls continued till of very late days as will appear in the succeeding Reigns But this Success prevented not a Conspiracy against the King for Robert Mowbrey and William of Ancho Plotted to take away his Life by Treachery and Crown Stephen D' Albemarle his Second Sisters Son but the Design being Discovered a little before it was to be put in practice by one of the Accomplices in the Conspiracy some were taken and Executed others Fled And now the Welsh Rebelling under the Leading of Rees their Prince the King with a gallant Army entered Wales but the Rebells shifting from one steep Mountain to another as well knowing the ways in those Fastnesses and climbing the craggy Clifts like Goats many of the English were wasted in pursuing them but at length Starving them out they were constrained to come to a Battel wherein Rees was Slain with
Cursing any that should afterward Build it yet this Sorrow wasting by time to strengthen his Alliance he Sailed to France and took the Lady Isabel Charles the Sixth's Daughter to Wife and brought her to England with her Nurse and a great Train of Ladies and not exceeding Seven or Eight Years she was called The Baby Queen the King having contracted not to Bed her till she should be Fourteen Years of Age and a 30 Years Peace was concluded whereupon the King gave up to the Duke of Britany the strong Town and Castle of Brest which much offended the English Nobles especially the Duke of Glocester his Unkle who plainly told him he had dishonoured himself and the English Nation by tamely parting with such an important Place which had not been gained but at the expence of much Blood and Treasure this so angered the King that he privately Swore to be Revenged on him and such other Noblemen as he said usually checked and controuled him in his Proceedings and accordingly getting a Parliament to his mind Sir John Bushe one of his Creatures being Speaker of the Lower House This upstart Speaker boldly Accused Thomas Arundel Arch Bishop of Canterbury who fitting in the House of Peers by the King was ordered not to Answer and it should be no damage to him his silence nevertheless was taken for Confession and he was Banished the Realm the Earls of Arundel and Warwick in this Parliament were Attainted of High Treason upon which the former lost his Head and the latter being confined to the Isle of Wight through Grief and want of Necessaries shortly Dyed But the Duke of Glocester stood too high in the Peoples Favour to be reached this way therefore he was privately seized at his own House hurried to Callice and there by the command of Thomas Moubray then Earl of Notingham and for this wicked exploit created Duke of Norfolk the Valiant Prudent Virtuous and Renowned Duke was Smothered to Death tho' in the manner of it Authors disagree some will have it by pressing and keeping him long between Feather-Beds others that he was thrown into and headed up in a Butt of Malmsey However here he was wickedly made away and never seen afterward to the great grief of all but the King and his Favourites who hugged themselves with joy to think they had removed out of their way the great Obstacle that hindered their Advances to Arbitrary Power After this Moubray proceeded to Accuse Henry Duke of Hartford Son to the Duke of Lancaster of Speaking Treasonable and Scandalous Words of the King whereupon Hartford Challenged his Accuser to the single Combate to try by the Sword the Truth and Justice of his Accusation but when they were both entered the Lists and prepared for the Encounter the King threw down his Warder staid the Combate Banished Hartford for six Years and Moubray forever who Travailing to Venice there Dyed miserably confessing his Guilt and trouble for the Death of the Noble Duke of Glocester but Hartford was honourably Entertained by Charles the French King who would have Married him to a Beautiful Lady Daughter to the Duke of Berry his Unkle but King Richard industriously prevented it as fearing such an Alliance might enable him to grasp at his Crown and when the Duke of Lancaster Dyed he seized on his vast Treasure tho' he had given his Cousin Henry leave on his departure to appoint his Attorney to Act for him and take care of his Inheritance But these Proceedings bred much Mischief For the King having lost most of his old and getting a new set of Counselors viz. The Earl of Wiltshire Sir John Bushe Sir James Bagot and Sir John Green they advised him to many things contrary to the Advice of his grave Council and much troubled the People and now the Irish Rebelling the King to Raise an Army Farmed the Kingdom and all his Revenues belonging thereunto for certain Years and Sailed for Ireland The Duke of Hartford who wanted no Intelligence how matters went in England looked on the Peoples Ferment and the Kings Absence to give him a very favourable advantage to shake off his Chains wherefore as privately as he might he came to England accompanied by the Banished Arch Bishop and many other trusty Friends declaring to the People he only came to take quiet Possession of his Dutchy of Lancaster which by the Death of his Father was his Undoubted Right so that Trousands flocked to him And finding how the People were bent to favour his cause he Raised a considerable Army and seized the before named Counsellours whom they Beheaded King Richard in Ireland hearing of these Stirs setled Affaires there as well as he could and hasted over with a small Army but before he could pass Wales most of them had Deserted him and then being ascertained that his Counsellours in whom he had reposed much trust to Levy Forces for him were taken off despairing of any safety to be gained by force he came to Henry Duke of Lancaster of his own accord and publickly owned his Insufficiency and Weakness to Govern well praising the Duke's rare and singular Virtues his absolute worthiness to be a King c. profering to make him an absolute Surrender of his Kingdom if he would accept of it The Politick Duke who well knew this proceeded not cordially from him but from the effects of fear and constraint however refused it for tho' he much affected the wearing of a Crown yet he thought it more advisable to receive it at this time from the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty and hereupon he caused the King with a very respective and honourable Attendance to be conveyed to the Tower and a Parliament being called in his Name Twenty Four Articles were Exhibited against him for Mismanagement and ill Conduct in Government and many henious Crimes which in his Restraint he seemed to confess and own and by an Instrument under his Hand and Seal he Resigned his Crown and Kingdom to Henry of Bullenbrook Duke of Lancaster which being publickly and generally Ratified and Approved by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled in Parliament Henry stood up and made this Challenge to the Crown viz. In the Name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster Claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Appurtinances as coming by the Blood Royal from King Henry the Third and the Justice which God of his Grace hath sent me by the help of my Friends for the Recovery of the said Realm which was at the point of Perdition through default of Government and breach of Laws These words being said all the Estates acknowledged him for King and Richard was formally Deposed in the words and in manner Recited in Edward the Seconds Reign and thereupon was sent to Pomfret Castle but long he had not been there ere upon some practices of his Favourites to Reinstate him he was villanously Murthered by Sir Pierce of Exton and Eight others of whom he
little settled Ferdinand the King's Father-in-Law craved Aid of him against the Moors who infested his Kingdom which he obtained and drove them by that means out of Spain but the War ceasing he sent home the English poor and ill rewarded for their Service which much offended the King and Wars arrising between Pope Julius the Second and Lewis the French King in Italy where the latter seized on the strong Towns of Bologna and La Gasse and became very Formidable King Henry became a friendly Mediator between them But the French King refusing to yeild to Proposals of Peace pursuing his Conquests he required him by his Ambassadors to restore him the Peaceable possession of Guyan and Normandy with his Antient Inheritance of Mayne and Anjou unjustly detained from his Ancestors and himself which being refused he Proclaimed War and for this and Writing a Book in defence of the Roman Pontificate against Martin Luther the Pope on whose account this Quarrel was espoused stiled him Defender of the Faith which Title has ever since been retained by the Kings and Queens of England The King was not slow in raising an Army and King Ferdinand of Spain having notice of his preparations sent to offer his Service if he would Land his Forces in Biscay a part of his Country and from thence March into Guyan which was agreed to and done under the Leading of Thomas Crey Marquess of Dorset But the crafty Spaniard intending nothing but his own advantage by this after the English had suffered many hardships in his Country he joyned them and fell unexpectedly on the Kingdom of Navarre which he seized in a short time the Natives being so amazed at the suddainness of the Invasion that they made little or no resistance But after this success he afforded them no subsistance or any part of the spoil which made the Soldiers Disband of their own accord and come straglingly into England Poor and almost Naked But Sir Edward Howard Youngest Son to the Earl of Surry being Lord Admiral of England many times Landed in the French Territories and greatly endamaged them and at Sea overthrew their Navy in which Fight Sir John Carew of Devonshire in the Regent grapling with a great Carrick of Brest both Ships in the contest fell on Fire and in them on both sides about 800 Men perished This distress on his Coast made the French King augment his Fleet and Fortify his Harbours However the Admiral entered that of Brest with Boats and armed Barges and assailed three great Galleys of Rhodes brought to the assistance of the French King by Prior John these they soon Boarded but the Boats and Barges then returning and leaving them well Manned to be brought off at high Tide by this oversight the French regained them and in the contest the Admiral was born overboard by a Pike and Drowned But in few days his Elder Brother was made Admiral and two Land Armies prepared one under the Leading of George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and the other by Charles Somerset Lord Herbert Chamberlain to the King These had not long been Landed but the King leaving the publick mannagement of Affaires to the Queen and directing the Earl of Surry to Guard the North against the Scots Incursion he Sailed to Callice and caused his Army to March to Terwyn which he Besieged and upon the overthrow of the French Army that came to its Relief had it put into his possession which he rased and consumed by Fire except the Cathedral and Bishops Palace During this Siege Maximilian the Emperour with 30 Nobles and Gentlemen repared to King Henry's Camp where to the Honour of England they Enrolled themselves in the King's Pay and were Nobly entertained The next Place that opposed him in his intended Conquest was Tournay which despairing of succour after many fierce Assaults yielded and on condition of their paying 10000 l. the Citizens were received into Henry's Protection and Wolsey his Almoner took an Oath of Allegiance of them to be True to him as his own Subjects However in his Absence the Scots Invaded England with 8000 Men under the Command of the Lord Humes and did great mischief but as they were returning with their Plunder Sir William Bulmer who lay in wait with 1000 Archers put them to the Rout in a sharp Fight slew 500 and took 400 Prisoners and recovered all the Booty so that those who had the luck to Escape returned Poor and Beggarly into Scotland But King James the Fourth to revenge this disgrace raised the Power of his Kingdom and come before the Castle of Norham some Historians say with 100000 Fighting Men which he Took by reason the Captain being prodigal of his Powder too soon spent it But the Earl of Surry Marching against the Scots with 26000 Fighting Men Anno 1513 the fatal Battel of Floden Field was Fought September 9 in which the Victory fell to the English the Scots King 2 Bishops 12 Earls 14 Lords and 12000 others of lesser note being slain For this good Service the Earl of Surry was Created Duke of Norfolk Charles Brandon Viscount Lysle Duke of Suffolk and Woolsey was made Bishop of Lincoln and after some Bickerings with the French on the Coast of Normandy King Lewis stricken much in Years sued for Peace and the better to confirm it Married the Lady Mary Second Sister to King Henry a Young and very Beautiful Lady at whose Wedding and Coronation many brave feats of Chivalry were performed by the English Nobility and Gentry who waited on her But Lewis the 12th Dying three Months after this Marriage she returned again for England and with the King 's private consent was Married to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who had a long time been her Lover Woolsey who was a Butchers Son at Ipswich now began to rise a pace for Doctor Bambridge dying he was made Arch-Bishop and after by the Pope Cardinal of York which puffed him up with so much Pride that he undertook to Rule the King and Kingdom doing for a time without controul what he listed placing and displacing Officers and meddling in all Affairs where there was Advantage or Homage to be gained Especially when made Lord Chancelour and Counsellour of State demanding Accounts of the Treasurers Captains and other Officers that had been in the Wars by which he got much Money out of some that were Rich and those that could not furnish him he Punished and Imprisoned Erecting Courts of his own head and by subtilty got himself to be made the Popes Legat and to Build two Colledges by the Popes permission suppressed and seized on the Lands Effects of many Religious Houses which gave an inlet to King Henry's suppressing the rest some time after who concluded if it were not Sacriledge in the Pope but he could alow of it at pleasure it would be none in him However this Cardinal was sent on several Honourable Embassies wherein he behaved himself so Proudly Naming the King but in the Second
place as Ego et Rex meus I and my King That Forreigners admired how such Arrogancy could be suffered by any Prince in his Subject but his Fall was swifter than his Rise so that what he chiefly aimed at viz. to be Elected Pope in making Interest for which promotion at Rome and in other Courts it had cost England vast sums of Money he never attained to For King Henry growing into a dislike of the Marriage between him and the Lady Catharine of Spain because she had been his Brother Arthur's Wife tho' indeed as it after appeared rather by a Divorce to make way for a fresh Beauty the Cardinals delays and crossing the Kings haste in this purpose made him fall into disgrace which brought him to his End as will by and by be manifested The King by Riotous Living at home and Expences in Forreign Courts where Ambassadors especially Woolsey were attended with such State that they rather seemed the King himself than his Representatives had now pretty well emptied his Coffers which put him into some discontent But Woolsey both to Enrich the King and himself laid hold of his Melancholy and Wants as a favourable opportunity of his own Authotity granted out Commissions under the Great Seal for Levying a Tax all over England and Wales according to the true value of every Mans Estate viz. Of every Fifty Pound value and upwards Four Shillings in the Pound and for every Pound above Twenty and under Fifty two Shillings and all under Twenty Twelve Pence in the Pound and in London he appointed himself chief Commissioner And by another Commission the Clergy without exception were Taxed Four Shillings in the Pound for their Livings This seemed so grievous to all sorts of People so great a Tax never having been laid on them before and this done without Authority of Parliament that the Meaner sort grievously Cursed the Author and Contriver of their Miseries and those more discreet laboured for these Reasons to have the Commission Revoked 1. Because the Commissions were not established or grounded on the Laws of the Kingdom 2. Because the Execution of them would be a dangerous President against the Liberty and Freedom of the People of England in time to come 3. Because Mens Credits many times exceeded their Estates and to bring them upon Oath or other ways to discover that it would prove their Ruin And Lastly That not one in ten had the value demanded in Plate or Ready Money and if they parted with so much Trade must cease for want of Coin to Trade with But these and many more Reasons prevailed not till the King perceived the Peoples discontents every where so great that he feared a general Insurrection and then he sent his Letters to countermand the Commission dissembling that he knew any thing of those Commissions that had been given out to Levy the Tax and the Cardinal seeing his Project frustrated and fawningly to excuse himself to the People he certified in all Counties by his Letters viz. That because he saw those Taxes were too grievous for them to bear he had in compassion to them kneeled to the King and prevailed with him to Revoke the Commissions Yet few believed him for the greater part were satisfied that it was done against his mind and that he inwardly fretted at the disappointment it being the first rub that had checked his Arbitrary Will When to spend his Gaul on some body and ease his Anger he after he had given the King Hampton Court and all his fine Buildings there in exchange for his Palace of Richmond prevailed to have the ordering the King's Houshould which was no sooner granted but he turned out all worthy deserving Persons and Sold their Places and Offices to such as would be more obedient to him About this time the French King requested the Lady Mary King Henry's Daughter to be given in Marriage to the Dauphin his Son but whilst this Match was solicited and by some liked and by others disapproved a Scruple was cast in the way as most thought upon the secret intimation of Woolsey in despight to the Emperour because by Strength he had not made him Pope when by his Money and Policy he had failed to obtain it by the President of Paris who Questioned Whether the Lady was Legitimate as Born in Lawful Matrimony seeing she was Begotten on the Body of the Lady Catharine who had been his Brother Arthur 's Wife This made the Lawfulness of the King's Marriage be called in Questian and himself so averse to it that by the Counsel of Doctor Longland his Confessor who told him he had Lived Incestuously almost twenty Years he forsook the Queen's Bed to her great grief and discontent And however tho' upon this pretence the Match was broken off yet Woolsey was sent over who concluded a Peace with the French King The Legality of the King's Marriage after this coming hotly to be Disputed to determine which the Pope sent Campeius with a power Legantine which he also granted to Woolsey and so the two Legates reparing to the Queen to Inform her of their Power and Authority which she took very uneasy sharply telling Woolsey He was the first causer of this scruple to be Revenged on her Nephew because he had not made him Pope and on her because she had secretly in a loving and gentle manner often times Admonished him of his Coveteousness and Tyrany his Extortions and Oppressions his Pride and Lechery But with protestations he laboured to excuse it as if he had been altogether Ignorant of the matter and proceeded to erect a stately Court for himself and his Brother Cardinal in the Black Fryars in London where the King and Queen were Cited and Appeared The King protested That nothing but his trouble of Conscience could make him part with so Tender and Loving a Wife and if with the removal of that scruple he could Cohabit with her he should be exceeding Joyful But those that knew what little Scruples this King made in other weighty matters did not lean greatly on the truth of what he said however the Queen advised by her Councel appealed to the Court of Rome But her Appeal was not allowed and tho' the King desired a quick dispatch the business was delayed Yet they proceeded to sit Weekly and hear Learned Disputes on the matter At length the King being informed That after the Last day of July the Legates would sit no more till the Fourth of October in a great passion he sent the Dukes of Norfolk Suffolk and other Lords to demand a dispatch to the Judicial Sentence one way or the other Campeius Answered It could not be done so soon for by the Yearly Custom of the Court of Rome they were bound to Adjourn and if any Sentence in the interim was given it was utterly void in Law At this the Duke of Suffolk in a Rage struck his Fist on the Table saying That never Cardinal nor Legate did any good in England
them A Sow furrowed Piggs with Arms and Hands fingered as a Child instead of Legs And many other Creatures produced Monstrous Births A Plague likewise happened whereof Dyed in 8 Months 23660. The Thames was so hard Frozen that Waines and Carts passed it Markets and divers sorts of Exercises were kept and used on it Great Floods and Tempests happened spoiling much Corn and demolishing many Buildings In Yorkshire a Tempest over-threw a Church called Patrick Burton and laid many Villages in Ruins And many fearful Sights appeared in the Air. The Reign of King JAMES the First QUeen Elizabeth a little before she died having declared King James the Sixth of Scotland her Successor as indeed he was the next Allied to the Crown of England as being great Grand-Son to the Lady Margaret Eldest Daughter to Henry the Seventh he was upon that Queens death Proclaimed by Secretary Cecill and others and solemnly Invited to fill the vacant Throne when having disposed Affairs in Scotland for the preserving the Peace of that Kingdom he set forward with a very splendid Equipage And his first Act was to Establish and Continue Religion as it had been Setled by the deceased Queen causing the Old and New Testaments to be Translated from the Original and set many at liberty who were Imprisoned on sundry occasions by the Queen deceased But whilst these things were doing there wanted not some who envied his Accession to the Throne and secret contrivances were laid to Depose him and set up the Lady Arabella a Branch sprung from the same Stem by another Branch but it being timely discovered divers were Apprehended Tryed and Condemn'd yet only George Brook Brother to the Lord Cobham and two Popish Priests suffered Death Sir Walter Rawleigh and divers others being Pardoned and on the 25th of July 1603 the King and Ann his Queen were Crowned at Westminster in the Marble Chaire brought out of Scotland by Edward the First which fullfilled the Prophecy Inscribed on it and mentioned in that Kings Reign and Prince Henry the Kings Eldest Son was made Knight of the Garter and stiled Prince of Wales and Honours were conferred on divers Persons The next thing the King proceeded to do was to decide the Controversy between the Church of England and the Party that then stiled themselves Puritans and a Conference to that purpose was appointed at Hampton-Court where the King so Learnedly Argued that the former carried the day And the Jesuits proving over-hot in stirring up the People to change in opinions thereby to work their own ends were Banished the Kingdom and a Proclamation put out for Uniformity in the Church Soon after this the King Assembled a Parliament recommending to them the care of the Nation and a lasting settlement of Peace and Tranquility and thereupon restored the Antient Name of this Island causing himself to be Proclaimed King of Great Britain And whilst he and the Parliament happily accorded a private design was carried on to destroy them both for the Popish Party being denied the Tolleration they had petitioned for contrived one of the most Stupendious Mischiefs that ever entered into the Hearts of Men for their heat of Mallice would not be quenched with the Royal Blood but that of the Nobility and Gentry the representative body of the whole Kingdom united at Westminster was to have been shattered in pieces and dismembered by a blast of 36 Barrells of Gunpowder which they had placed in a Cellar under the Parliament House but it was Discovered by a Letter to the Lord Monteagle the Morning before it was to have been put in execution The principal Conspirators were Robert Catesby Thomas Piercy Robert Winter Thomas Winter John Garnet Ambrose Rookwood John Wright Francis Fresham Sir Everard Dighby and Guido Faux This Latter was to have set Fire to the Train and was taken with his Dark-Lanthorn at the Enterance of the Cellar on the 5th of November 1605. Which day by Parliament was appointed Annually a Day of Thanksgiving for that memorable Deliverance Upon this Discovery the Conspirators that escaped by flying were divers of them slain by Forces raised by the High-Sheriff of Warwickshire Faux upon Examination before the Council confessed the whole matter saying God would have had it prosper but the Devil Discovered it expressing himself sorry that it had not taken effect Garnet the Jesuite and others were Executed on this account and some Lords who were absent from Parliament and were suspected to have notice of the Design were committed to the Tower but after some confinement were released again and soon after this a rumour was spread without any certain Author That the King was Stabbed and Slain with an Impoisoned Knife as he was Hunting near Ockingham which for a time much troubled the People nor could their fears be allayed before a Proclamation came out to satisfie them of the contrary and the King of Denmark the Queens Brother coming to White-Hall was Magnificently Entertained and having stay'd about a Month departed highly satisfied The Kingdoms of England and Scotland that had long continued in bloody Wars were now United by both their consents in their Representatives on a foundation advantagious to either Nation and so it has ever since continued The Duke of Juliers about this time dying the Dukes of Newburg and Brandenburg strove for that Dutchey but whilst they weakly contended Spain more powerful resolved to take it from them both seizing on the City of Juliers the principal place of the Province which obliged King James at the States of the Netherlands supplication to send 4000 English under the Command of Sir Edward Cecill and Sir Hatton Cheek by whose Valour it was chiefly Reduced Soon after Henry the Fourth of France was Stabbed in his Coach by one Ravilliack passing the Ironmongers-street in Paris for which the Murtherer was pulled to pieces with Burning Pincers yet could not be compelled to tell who set him on that wicked Enterprize and King James startled with this untimely Death put out a Second Proclamation to Banish the Jesuits out of the Kingdom and all Popish Recusants Ten Miles from the Court. The Lord Sanquire a Scotish Baron having his Eye put out by one Turner a Fencing-master in White-Fryars in revenge hired two Persons to Murther him for which he was Hanged before Westminster-Hall-Gate in the Palace-Yard and Dyed very penitently tho' great intercession was made to save him And the Queen of Scots Beheaded in the foregoing Reign was by the Kings order removed from Peterborough to Westminster and there magnificently Interred and soon after the Elector Palatine of the Rhinâ— came into England and Married the Lady Elizabeth the Kings Daughter But the splendour of the Nuptials were Eclipsed by the Death of Prince Henry the Kings Eldest Son which happened a little before the Weding not without suspicion of Poison as some have it by the Scent of Perfumed Gloves others by eating a Bunch of Grapes but the Disease affecting mostly the Brain it carried him
Commons Ordered he should be brought to Exemplary Punishment and all his Books Burnt Nor do I hear that ever he made any Defence or Answer to those Articles that were brought against him It is affirmed That Dr. Laud who was a mighty stickler for Arminianism and Ceremonies and who first of all set up this Mountague understanding from the D. of Buckingham that the King intended to leave Mr. Mountague to a Tryal was heard to say I seem to see a Cloud arising and threatning the Church of England God in his Mercy dissipate it After this the Commons Question'd several Persons who were of the Council of War in the Affairs of the Palatinate concerning the management of that Business But the King understanding that the House of Commons were very busie in searching the Original of a Letter under the Signet written to the Mayor of York for Reprieving divers Jesuits Priests and Popish Recusants interrupted their Proceedings therein by a Message sent by Sir Richard Weston Chancellor of the Exchequer demanding a Supply for the English and Irish Forces this was so highly resented by the House that Mr. Clement Cook one of the Members openly Protested That it was better to Dye by a Forrign Enemy than to be Destroy'd at Home And Dr. Turner another Member of the House seconded him with these Quaeries 1. Whether the King had not lost the Regality of the Narrow Seas since the D. of Buckingham was Admiral 2. Whether his not going as Admiral in this last Fleet was not the Cause of the ill Success 3. Whether the King's Revenues has not been Impaired through his Immense Liberality 4. Whether he hath not Engrossed all Offices and preferred his Kindred to unfit Places 5. Whether he hath not made Sale of places of Judicature 6. Whether Popish Recusants have not Dependence upon his Mother and Father in Law These bold Expressions so provok'd the King that he immediately sent Sir Richard Weston to Demand Satisfaction whereupon Dr. Turner made a Speech in his own Vindication alledging That what he had said was for the Good of the Kingdom and not Reflecting upon any one in particular with much more to the same Purpose And the further Debate of the matter being referr'd till another time Dr. Turner in the mean time with-drew himself and sent a Letter to the Speaker to excuse his Absence Sir William Walter speaking his Opinion about Grievances said That the true cause of them was because as was said of Lewis the 11th all the King's Council rode upon one Horse Thereby alluding to the D. of Buckingham's sole Management of all Affairs But for all these Discourses the Commons taking the King's Necessities into Consideration Voted three Subsidies and three Fifteens and that the Bill should be brought in assoon as the Grievances represented were redressed They likewise Consider'd of the matter of the D. of Buckingham and the mis-employing of the Revenue But the King observing they did not make such haste as he Expected in answering his last Message Summons both Houses together and by the Lord-Keeper complains to them for not Punishing Dr. Turner and Mr. Cook and likewise for searching his Signet-Office and justified the D. of Buckingham to have acted nothing of publick Concernment without his special Warrant and therefore forbid them to Concern themseves any farther therein and Blamed them for being too sparing in the matter of Supply and for Ordering the Bill not to be brought in till their Grievances were heard and Answered which he would not Admit of To which the King himself added He must also put them in Mind That his Father moved by their Counsel and won by their Perswasion broke the Treaties and that be himself was their Instrument towards his Father and was Glad to be Instrumental in any thing which might please the whole Body of the Realm nor was there any in greater Favour then than the Duke whom they now Traduced but that now finding him so far intangled in a War that he could make no Honourable nor safe Retreat they made Necessity their Priviledge and set what Rate they pleased upon their Supplies a Practice not very Obliging towards Kings And whereas Mr. Cook told them It was better for them to Dye by a Foreign Enemy than to be Destroyed at Home indeed he thought it more Honourable for a King to be Invaded and almost Destroyed by a Forreign Enemy than to be Despised at Home The Commons in Answer to this presented the King with a very Dutiful Remonstrance acquainting him That they gratefully Acknowledged his Majesty's Expressions of Affection to his People and Parliaments that they had taken Mr. Cook 's and Dr. Turner's Words into Consideration and might have given a good Account thereof by this time if His Majesty's Message had not Interrupted them That they had the Presidents of former Parliaments for Searching Letters of his Majesty and his Secretary of State the Signet-Office and other Records upon the like Occasions That it was the unquestionable Priviledge of Parliaments to Complain of any Person of any Degree and their Proceedings in Relation to the Duke should not Prejudice either Crown or Kingdom That they were willing to Supply his Necessities Liberally and Faithfully if Additions might be made of other things which concerned his Service and were now in Consultation amongst them The King having received this Remonstrance returned this Answer to it That he would have them in the first place Consult about matters of the greatest Importance and they should have time enough for other things afterwards Not long after this the Earl of Bristol being Ordered by the King to be Examined by a Committee of Lords about his Negotiations in Spain and having been in Prison and prohibitted access to his Majesty ever since his Return Petition'd the House of Lords for his Liberty or to come to a Tryal who applying themselves to the King he granted a Writ for the Earl's coming to Parliament but with a Proviso That his Personal attendance should be forborn Whereupon the Earl sent another Petition to the Lords that he might be heard both as to his Restraint and of what he had to say against the Duke At this the King was much concern'd and let the Lords know That it was his Royal Pleasure that the Earl of Bristol might be sent for as a Delinquent to answer his Offences to the House and his Scandalizing the Duke of Buckingham and the King likewise by Reflection Upon this the Earl was brought to the Bar and being ready to be Impeached of High-Treason by the Attorney-General the Earl said My Lords I am a Freeman and Peer of the Realm Vnattainted I have something to say of high Consequence to His Majesty's Service and I beseech your Lordships give me leave to Speak The Lords thereupon bid him go on Then said he I accuse that Man the Duke of Buckingham of High-Treason And immediately he presented Twelve Articles against him This unexpected procedure of the
and there being attended on a Scaffold before the Banquetting-House by Dr. Juxon Bishop of London he made a Profession of his Innocency and of his Faith forgiving his Enemies and praying to God not to lay his Blood to their Charge seeming troubled that he had consented to the Sentence against the Earl of Strafford and after this and much more to the like Purpose he kneeling down gave the Sign to the Executioner by stretching out his Arms and at one Blow had his Head separated from his Body which being put in a Coffin covered with Velvet was carried to Windsor and buried in a Vault in St. George's Chappel Thus without President fell King Charles when he had Reigned 23 Years 10 Months and 3 Days being the 24th Year of his Reign and 49th of his Age. Put to Death by the Hands of his own Subjects contrary to all Law and Justice universally Pitied but unable to be help'd by his People He was one of the Chastest Princes that ever sate upon the Throne being all along so true to his Queen that he never Defil'd his Marriage-bed And had he not given too much heed to Buckingham Laud and some other fâ—attering Parasites and Courtiers who were continually Buzzing into his Ears nothing but Absolute and unlimitted Power putting him upon Dissolving his Parliaments and then raising Money and Ruling without them as appear'd by his Twelve Years interval of Parliaments viz. from Anno 1628 to 1640. whereby he lost the Love of his People he had never been brought to that dismal Catastrophe but might have Liv'd and Dy'd a Happy Prince And this may be observ'd from this King's Reign as well as from several before That never any Prince fell out with his Parliament and went about to Establish an Arbitrary Power but he not only found himself Mistaken but also thereby made himself Miserable Before the breaking out of this unnatural War amazing Sights were seen in the Air of Firey Men and Horses running at each other with Launces encountring with great Blasts of Lightning and noise of Thunder In Gloucester-shire Spectres were seen in a large Field not far from that City drawn up in Battalia furiously Engaging and then Vanishing to the Amazement of the Beholders The Reign of King CHARLES The Second KING Charles the First being put to Death the Relicks of the Parliament began to take out of the way such Nobles and others as they supposed would obstruct their Proceedings and particularly Duke Hamilton the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel were Beheaded for Treason pretended against them And now to make their Power the Stronger they combined with the Army-Officers And tho' Charles Son to the preceding King had an undoubted Right to the Kingdom they proceeded to bar him and all the Royal Line as they hoped from the Crown or any other from being King or chief Magistrate unless by Publick Act of Parliament so appointed and that it should be Treason in any to attempt to further King Charles the Second by them generally called Charles Stewart in his Designs to possess the Crown by Proclaiming him or any Assistance given to him taking great care not to admit the Secluded Members lest they should put a stop to the Current of their Proceedings taking down every where the King 's Arms and placing the Harp and Cross in their places called the States Arms and having taken down the late King's Effigies from the Royal-Exchange they caused to be inscribed in the place where it stood in Letters of Gold Exit Tyranus Regum ultimus Anno Libertatis Angliae Restitutiae Primo Anno 1648. Jan. 30. All Titles in Processes of Law were altered and instead of Carolus Dei Gratia c. was put in Custodes Libertatis Angliae c. The King's-Bench was called the Vpper-Bench and a new Stamp was made for Money having on the one side the Cross and on the other the Cross and Harp inscribed The Common-wealth of England on the one side and God with Vs on the other also a new Great Seal was prepared with the Cross and Harp on the one side with this Inscription The Great Seal of England and on the other side the Picture of the House of Commons with these Words In the first Year of Freedom by God's Blessing restor'd 1648. Things being thus Moddelled whilst King Charles was in France Solliciting for Aid to possess him of his Kingdoms Fairfax out of some dislike to the Patliaments proceedings laid down his Commission which was given to Oliver Cromwel who from this time laid the Projection of his future Greatness And indeed in his attempts on Ireland and Scotland he was so Successful as to reduce them to the English Obedience with incredible Slaughter of the Natives However King Charles was proclaimed by his Friends in England and Ireland and soon after in Scotland And now Money being wanting to maintain the Parliaments Armies c. the Crown-Lands Dean and Chapter and Bishops Lands were Sold with many stately Houses and most of the Castles in England Demolished and all Persons expelled from Places of Trust in Church and State that Subscribed not to be Conformable to the New-modelled Government The Scots all this while were Debating how to Restore the King who was in the Isle of Jersey and coming to a Result sent the Laird Libberton and Mr. Windram to him with Proposals the Heads being these 1. That he should Sign the Solemn League and Covenant 2. That he should Pass divers Acts concluded on in the two last Sessions of Parliament in Scotland 3. That he should recall the Commissions given to Montross 4. That he should put from him all Papists and appoint some place in Holland to treat with their Commissioners and give them a speedy Answer And Sir William Fleming being sent by the King to the Estates of Scotland Breda was appointed for the place of Treaty and Commissioners were sent to represent the Kirk and State who delivered what they had in Charge to the same Effect as has been mentioned But whilst the Treaty held the Marquess of Montross making new Attempts was Surprized in Scotland where with much Indignity he was brought to Execution and Hanged on a Gibbet of extraordinary height Dying with a Courage and Bravery suitable to that wherein he had Lived and Quarters were set up in divers places This being done in a full Treaty greatly Displeased the King because he had his Commission and had acted in his Cause but the necessity of his affairs made him pass it over and he Condescended to most of the Proposals The Parliament of England soon heard of their Treaty and to prevent its taking effect sent an Army under Cromwel into Scotland and manning out a Fleet Admiral Blake fell in with Prince Rupert's Squadron sinking and burning most of the Ships he Commanded for the King however matters being agreed on the King hastened to Scotland and Landed at Spey where several Lords came to him and the Town of
England of the most Religious and Sanctified Persons he could Nominate This was called the Little-Parliament and indeed they did Little exept it were making an Act against Tythes and an Act for Marriages by a Justice of Peace and then being weary of their Power they gave it up to Oliver who had given it to them And now another sort of Government comes next For the Officers of the Army had drawn up a new System and presented it to Oliver desiring him to take the Government upon him under the Title of Protector of the Common-wealth of England Scotland and Ireland He at first made a shew of refusing it tho' every one believ'd there was nothing that he desir'd more but being further pressed to it he accepted of it and was that afternoon install'd at Westminster Tho' the Dutch had been already severely beaten and were extreamly Solicitous for a Peace yet that they might get the better Terms they resolved to try the Fortune of War once more which yet prov'd more in-auspicious to them than the former for in the next Battel which was on the 29th of July 1653. Admiral Van Trump was Slain and 33 Sail of Ships sunk to the bottom of the Ocean out of which 1200 men were Sav'd by the English taken up out of Boats and swimming in the Sea This was so great a Mortification to the Dutch that the States were afraid of a general Revolt And therefore they forthwith apply'd themselves to Oliver for a Peace which in the Infancy of his new Government he was willing to Grant upon reasonable Terms tho' they were reduc'd to so low a Condition that he might have made what Terms he pleas'd The Success the English had against the Dutch made other Nations fear Cromwel The Spanish Ambassador coming early to Congratulate his Authority and the Portugals came in a Splendid Embassy to sue for Peace Nor were the French backward to own his Power So that he had now no apprehension of Trouble but only from the Royalists to suppress whom a Plot was soon after found out of several Persons for an intended Assassination of the Protector and several Persons Executed for it The King about this time went into Germany and Solicited several of the Princes there for assistance but with little Success Ireland being wholly reduc'd to Obedience the Marquess of Ormond and the Lord Inchiqueen having timely withdrawn themselves and Embarqued for France an Itinerant High Court of Justice was set up and several of the chief Rebels that began the Massacre in Forty-One were Try'd and Executed for the same among which that notorious Villain Sir Philem O Neal was Hang'd and Quarter'd and his Head plac'd upon Dublin-bridge Some attempts for a rising having been made by several of the Nobility of Scotland they were utterly Defeated by General Monk who was made Commander in chief of that Kingdom And now the Protector having according to the Articles of Government called a Parliament who beginning to Question the Power by which they were called they were soon dissolved again and several of the Royalists taken up about a new Conspiracy The Protector about this time having a mind to some of the Spaniards Indian-Gold sent a Fleet and Army to surprize Hispaniola in the West-Indies but sailing in that attempt by the ill Conduct of General Venablers they went from thence to the Island of Jamaica which they took and which has continued ever since in the Power of the English being now a very rich and flourishing Plantation And General Blake being with his Fleet in the Streights and coming before Tunis and sending to the Governour to demand Satisfaction for the Wrongs done by their People to the English and that the English Captives there might be deliver'd to him had return'd for answer That their Castles of Guletto and Porta Ferina were both well Mann'd and furnished with Ordnance and therefore they did not fear him Whereupon Blake with his great Ships and their Seconds came into the Bay of Porta Ferina within Musquet-shot of the Castle and fired with such fury upon them notwithstanding the frequent Discharges of sixty Great Guns upon his Ships that in two Hours the Castle was made Defenceless and all their Guns dismounted at the same time Burning Nine of their Ships which he found in the Road. This Noble Action strook such a Terror not only upon Tunis who were willing then to Submit to Blakes Proposals but also upon Algeirs and Triâ—olâ— that they quickly came to a Treaty and a Peace was made very much to the Advantage of the English About this time there having been an horrible Massacre made upon the Poor Protestants of Piedmont by the Command of the Duke of Savoy 〈◊〉 the instigation of the Popish Priests and Jesuits the Protector espous'd their Quarrel and not only sent to the Duke on their behalf causing his Edict against them to be recall'd but likewise caus'd a solemn Day of Humiliation to be kept and vast Sums of Money Collected throughout all England for their Relief and sent it or at least part of it by Sir Samuel Moreland to them which made Oliver be look'd upon abroad as the great Patron of the Reformed Religion Upon the War made with Spain by the attempt upon Hâ—spaniola and Jamaica before-mentioned a Peace ensued with France by which among other Articles the King and his Royal Brothers were excluded that Kingdom After which Rear-Admiral Stayner with a part of the English Fleet set upon eight Spanish Ships within four Leagues of the Bay of Cadiz the Admirals Ship in which was General Don Marco del Porto with 600000 pieces oâ— Eight ran ashore in the Bay the Vice-Admiral Commanded by Don Francisco de Esquevel and having in heâ— 1200000 pieces of Eight was taken as was also another Ship Commanded by Don Rodiques Calderon both theâ— were set on Fire one by the Spaniards themselves to prevent their being made Prisoners and the other by accident Two other very rich Ships were taken and kept and severâ— of the Spanish Nobles being taken were brought up tâ— London but Oliver being satisfied with the Treasure takâ— in the Ships dealt very Generously with the Spanish Nobleâ— and after a small time of detaining them here sent theâ—â— home without Ransom The next Year General Blaâ—â— lying with some Ships near Cadiz to watch for they turn of the Spanish Plate-Fleet had intelligence that they were put into the Bay of Santa-Cruz and sailing thither he discern'd the Spanish Fleet to the number of sixteen barricado'd in the Bay but this did not hinder Blake but that the next Morning he sailed into the Bay and whilst some of his Ships pour'd their Broad-sides into the Castles and Forts he and Stayner fought the Spanish Fleet and obtained an intire Victory but perceiving he could not bring away the Spoil set them all on Fire but one that was Sunk But that which is most wonderful in this Noble Action was That the Wind which blew
and Landed some Men at Cammaret-Bay under Lieutenant-General Talmash but they had drawn thither such great Bodies of Horse and Foot strongly Intrenched that the English with some Loss were constrained to retire in this Action the Lieutenant-General received a Wound in the Thigh with a Musket-shot and Dyed of it at Plymouth greatly Lamented as being an expert and Generous Commander But for this Disappointment not giving over they stood in before Diep and laid that Famous Town in Ashes and then throwing in about 250 Bombs into Havre-de-Grace fir'd a great part of it and afterward Bombed St. Maloes and Callis and sent in Machines to blow up the Works guarding the Entrance of Dunkirk Harbour which had some tho' not the wished Effect And so Sailing along the Coast of France brought such a Terror every where that they were forced Night and Day to be on their Guard The King in this Year 169â— labouring by the often moving his Camp to bring the French to battle but not able to do it caused Huy to be Besieged which with little resistance he took and Garisoned and the Prince of â—aden with the Saxon and German Troops passing the Rhine cut off divers in the Rear of the French Army it retiring before him so that he raised Contributions and returned unopposed and after this on all hands the French parties Scouting abroad were mostly deâ—eaâ—ed by the Confederates killed and taken Prisoners bringing in great Booties of Cattle c. And whilst the French advanced somewhat near the City of Leige the Garison Sallyed and took between 7 and 800 Horse entirely defeating two Squadrons of their forrage Guards These and the like matters ending this Campaign the King returned and was Welcomed home with the Universal joy of his People But all their joy was soon turned into Mourning For the Queen fell sick at Kensington on the 22 of December 1694 and in a little time her Distemper was known to be the small Pox a distemper Fatal to the Royal Family of which on the 28th she Dyed in the 33d Year of her Age and in the Flower of her Strength and Beauty to the great affliction of the King and three Kingdoâ—â— she lay a considerable time in State and then was Interred among her Royâ—â— Ancestors in Henry the 7th's Chappel at Westminster with a most Solemn Funeral Pomp a Stately Mausoleum was Erected in the Abbey whereon very remarkably a Robin-Redbreast for many weeks usually sat Singing Not only the English Court but most in Christendom went into the deepest Mourning and Condoleances were made not only by the Parliament but the Foreign Ministers c. The Clouds of sorrow being a little blown-over the King considering of his weighty affairs abroad appointed 7 Able Ministers of State Lords Justices in his absence to administer affairs of Government and having settled all things to the best advantage passed to the Army in Flanders which drawing into the Field very Numerous Marched towards the strong Town of Namure Situate on the Muse and Sambre and after a Vigorous Seige carried on by the King with all Imaginable Bravery and Gallantry tho' Marshal Bouflers had thrown himself into the Town and even in the fight of Vineroy at the head of an Army of an Hundred Thousand Men first the Town and afterwards the Castle was compelled to Surrender to the King This tedious Siege in a manner ended the Campaign so that little else of moment happened the French altogether declining a Battle and the King having settled Affairs upon his return made a Progress through most parts of England The Parliament being dissolved a New one was called and meeting among other things particularly upon the King 's Recommending that Important affair to them at the opening of the Sessions took into Consideration the State and badness of the Coyn and coming to a result an Act passed for calling in the Clipped Money and Re-coyning it in Mill'd Money according to the true Weight Standarâ— and Mints were set up in divers parts of the Kingdom for the better ordering a speedy supply of it in every part of the Nation Whilst these things were doing make things happy and easy to us our Enemies were contriving our utter destruction divers were sent from France to joyn with those already here and one of the most wicked Conspiracies contrived and a long time secretly carried on that any Age has known or History made mention of for whilst a Design was laid in the French Court to invade the Kingdom their Emmissaries here were framing a Design to destroy the King's Life by a villanous Assassination and Sir George Barclay brings over a Commission to encourage them in it The Conspirators many in Number had divers Meetings sometimes at one Capt. Porter's Lodgings and others at the Nagg's-Head in Govent-Garden and in Leaden-Haâ—â—-Street at the Sun in the Strand the blew-posts in Old-Spring-Garden in Pickadilly and other places and several Persons as a Committee from their Body were appointed as Knightly Porter King c. to view the Ground in the King's passage to Richmond a place he usually Frequented to acquaint the rest which was the most Convenient place to set upon him in his Coach and cut him off and accordingly they viewed the Avennues about Brentford Richmond c. and concluded on the Narrow-lane between Brentford and Turnham-Green was the most convenient to do it in where the Guards could pass but â—ew a Breast and with this upon their return they acquainted Sir George Barclay Sir William Parkyns Robert Charnock and others who approved it The Design thus laid they â—exâ— Consulted in what manner it should be done and came to a Result that one Party with 7 or 8 chosen Men should Assassinate the King in his Coach whilst two other Parties attacked the Guards their Number in all being upwards of Forty and the 15th of February 1695 being Saturday a day the King usually went a Hunting that way was the first appointed time and they prepared for it accordingly But Providence so Ordered it that he went not abroad that Day of which they had notice from 〈◊〉 two Orderly Men as they stiled them viz. Durance and Chambers who â—â—y at Kensington concealed for that Purpose Then they had other Meetings upon it and appointed to be in a Readiness the Saturday following and met accordingly and were setting out when again they had Notice the same hand of Providence had Disappointed them This startled them into new Fears that their wicked Design had taken Air especially upon notice the King 's going abroad was suddenly put off and the Guards were come back in haste their Horses Foaming and Keys one of the Conspirators heard them Mutter something which gave him and the rest a Jealousy to mistrust a Discovery was made as indeed Providence had Ordered it whereupon they Dispersed and gave over the Design For Capt. Pendergrass being acquainted with this bloody Design from Capt. Porter about the 13th of February at