or Military power But the General 's Speech was not well liked of by Mr. Tho. Scot and some other of the Members And the City of London with whom they thought his Excellency too gracious gave them greater cause of discontent for the Common Council was now resolved to pay no more Taxes till such time that the House was filled up with equal Representatives Hereupon the Junto resolved to punish the City and to make the General instrument in it ordering him to seize upon eleven of the most active of the Common-Council and commit them to the Tower and also to pull down and break the Posts Chains Gates and Portcullices of the City which he put in execution accordingly on February the ninth though not with any pleasure to himself but of necessity that so the House might not take any occasion from his disputing their commands to vacate his Commission and put him out of capacity to accomplish the blessed end he designed Howbeit this action of the Generals did exceedingly amuse the loyal-hearted Citizens and other good Subjects and made them almost quite to give over the good hopes they had formerly had of him But his Excellency to put them out of all doubt concerning his intentions bravely resolved to put an end to the Junto's power And in order thereto the very next morning he sent a Letter to the House therein complaining that they gave too much countenance to Lambert Vane and several others that engaged with the late Committee of Safety that they had too much favoured a Petition lately delivered by one Praise God Barebone and other Fanaticks and then concludes with a prefixed day before which they should issue out Writs for a New Parliament that so they might terminate their sitting and come to a dissolution The Junto receiving the Generals Letter dissemble their resentment of it and order him the Thanks of the House for his faithful service in securing the City yet the very same day that they might limit his power they past an Act for the Government of the Army by five Commissioners he to be one of them the other their own Creatures The General hearing hereof with all convenient speed drew his Army together and marched to Westminster where he gave the Secluded Members re-admission into the Parlia-House February the 21 to the great grief of the Rump-Parliament for so the Junto was now called in scorn and contempt and to the exceeding joy both of City and Country And now the Parliament vote General Monk to be Captain General of all the Forces in the three Nations constitute a new Council of State set at liberty Sir George Booth and such of his party as were Prisoners also all such as had been imprisoned for petitioning for a Free Parliament caused the Rump Militia consisting most of Sectaries to be disbanded made such Acts as might the best conduce to the settlement of the Nation as for the taking away all places of trust and power out of the hands of the Sectarian party also voted a Full and Free Parliament to be chosen and to sit at Westminster April the 25th This Parliament was called Free yet as in all the Protectors Parliaments no Loyalist that had been in actual Arms for the King was capable of being elected for a Parliament-man March 17 the Long Parliament dissolved themselves leaving a Council of State to govern till the next Parliament should assemble But in the interim that the Parliament was busied for the recovering the peace and freedom of the Nation some malecontents were very active for sowing the seeds of division in the Army especially in that part which had been for the Committee of Safety yet by the care and prudence of General Monk who displaced most of the Fanatick Officers their designs were frustrated Lambert after the dissolution of the Parliament attempted to involve the Nation again in a Civil War but Col. Richard Ingoldsby dispersed his small force and took him prisoner A.D. 1660 Apr. 20 the Free Parliament assembled at Westminster on May 1. voted That according to the ancient and fundamental Laws of this Kingdom Charles the II. is the lawful and undoubtful King of these Nations Transcendent was the joy all over England which issued from this good news His Majesty from his Court then at Breda had sent his Letters to both Houses of Parliament to General Monk and to the City to Admiral Montague and the Officers of the Fleet with also a Declaration to all his loving Subjects the substance whereof was That he did grant a free and general pardon to all his Subjects that should within forty days lay hold upon his grace and favour excepting such persons as should be excepted by Parliament That he would shew all possible Indulgement to tender Consciences And such as differ in matter of Religion so they did not disturb the peace of the Kingdom that he would preserve them free from injury in their lives and estates and that all things relating to sales and purchases for there had been more lands bought and sold in the late usurping times than what the right owners loyal Subjects had consented to should be determined in Parliament That he would take care for the full satisfaction of the arrears of the Soldiery under the command of General Monk and that they should be received into his service upon as good pay and conditions as at that present they enjoyed The Parliament considering that his Majesty had for many years been deprived of his Revenues and therefore could not but be in want of money they therefore ordered that the sum of 5000 l. should be sent him for a present 10000 l. to the Duke of York and 5000 l. to the Duke of Gloucester The City of London likewise to testifie their gratitude to his Majesty sent him 10000 l. and to his two Brothers a 1000 l. apiece and 300 l. they presented to the Lord Mordant and Sir John Greenvil who brought them his Majesties Letters to buy each of them a Ring and the Parliament for the same reason gave 500 l. to Sir John Greenvil to purchase a Jewel May 8. by order of Parliament Charles the II. was at London with very great solemnity proclaimed The most Potent Mighty and undoubted King of England Scotland c. at which time the Acclamations of the people were wonderful great and their joys such that they could not find ways to express them May 22. his Excellency G. Monk set forth of London in order to meet his Majesty and May 23. his Majesty with his Brothers set sail for England from the Hague and on Friday landed at Dover where the loyal General received the King About 2 miles from Dover his Majesty forsook his Coach and took Horse his Brothers riding on his right hand and the General on his left after whom the Duke of Buckingham and many other Noblemen Gentlemen followed in gallant Equipage For the excellent service that G. M. had done for the King and
London Bridge In May the King passed some Bills in the House of Lords whereof one was for raising an Imposition on Wines and other Liquors and the Parliament was adjourned till the 11th of August following In June News was brought to London of the burning of the Bridge Town in Barbadoes where besides the loss of most of the Houses the Magazine to the great prejudice of the publick as well as of private Persons was blown up The Duke of York in September near to Dover took the usual Oath of Warden of the Cinque Ports The Parliament that was to have met in August was by Proclamation Prorogued till the Tenth of November ensuing and the Duke of Monmouth upon the resignation of the Lord Gerrard was made Captain of his Majesties Life-Guards of Horse Sir Thomas Allen made Peace this year with the Algerines and the Parliament which met at the appointed time and adjourned till March were in December by Proclamation prorogued till the Tenth of October following About the middle of January 1668 9 the Dutchess of York was brought to Bed of a Daughter christened by the Name of Henrietta by the Archbishop of Canterbury the Duke of Ormond assisting as God-father the Marchioness of Dorchester and Countess of Devonshire having the Honour of being God-mothers In March 1668 9 the Prince of Tuscany in pursuance of his Travels came to visit England where being honourably received and magnificently treated by His Majesty and several Persons of Quality of the Kingdom he departed for Holland in his way homeward Anno 1669. The beginning of this year the Earl of Carlisle was sent Embassadour Extraordinary to Sweden As he was at Copenhagen on his way he received a Letter from the King of England in answer to an obliging Letter of the King of Denmark to be delivered to that King This Letter was so acceptable to the Dane that upon the Embassadours instance he dispatched Orders to all his Ports and Mercantile Towns especially in Norway for restoring the English to their former Freedoms and Priviledges in Trading Being arrived in Sweden he presented the King with the George worn by the Knights of the Garter and was afterward as His Majesties Proxie solemnly installed in the Order at Windsor This year was the stately new Theatre of Oxford the noble Gift of Dr. Sheldon Archbishop of Canterbury according to the intent of the Donor put into the Possession of that University And upon his Graces declining the Chancellourship the Duke of Ormond was installed Chancellour of the University of Oxford Whilst the King was taking his Divertisement with the Duke of York in the New Forrest in Hampshire they both received an Express of the death of their Mother the Queen Dowager of England who died at Columbee the last of August and was buried in St. Denis in November following About this time arrived at Dublin the Lord Roberts as Lord Deputy of Ireland The Exchange of London ever since the Fire had been kept at Gresham Colledge in Bishopsgate-street till now to the great satisfaction of the City the Merchants returned to the Royal Exchange in Corn-hill a Fabrick as far exceeding the old one in Beauty and Structure as the City rebuilt does that which was destroyed At the day of October prefixed the Parliament met to whom the King amongst other things in his Speech proposed the uniting of England and Scotland into one Kingdom this Project in the Sequel had no better issue than another set on foot by King James for the same purpose The Parliament having sate above a month and done but very little were prorogued till the 24th of February following The Parliament of Scotland sate at Edenbourgh at the same time that the Parliament of England did at Westminster in the which the Earl of Lauderdale represented His Majesty as His Commissioner In this Session of Parliament amongst many other Acts that of asserting his Majesties Supremacy in all Causes and over all Persons Civil and Ecclesiastical passed A necessary Act for securing the Rights of Monarchy against popular and unwarrantable Innovations and a duty which had it not been forgotten or trampled upon in these later times might with Gods Blessing have preserved both Nations from scandalous and fatal consequences A splendid and magnificent Embassie was this year sent to Taffelette Emperour of Morocco in the Person of Mr. Henry Howard since Duke of Norfolk which by reason of the troubles of that Countrey and the inability of the Emperor to secure a safe conduct to a Person of that quality proved of small consequences and the Embassadour returned without seeing the Emperour or performing his Embassie The later end of this year died the Duke of Albemarle his Dutchess not many days surviving him The King as a mark of gratitude to the deceased Duke sent his Son the present Duke his Fathers Garter continued to him many of his Honours and Preferments and sent him word that he himself would take care of his Fathers Funeral The Parliament met again at the appointed time and the King among other things re-minded them of the project of Union between the two Kingdoms This year in the beginning of April Anno 1670 the King having passed some Bills the Parliament was adjourned to the 24th of October Amongst others was an Act for authorizing such Commissioners as His Majesty should be pleased to nominate for treating with the Scottish Commissioners about the projected Union who being nominated and having afterwards met with those sent from Scotland many Conferences were held but insuperable difficulties appearing in the matter it was wholly laid aside At this time the Lord John Berkley arrived in Dublin and was invested Lord Lieutenant of Ireland The Princess of Orleans made now her last visit to her two Brothers the King of England and Duke of York at Dover and upon her return which was shortly after took her journey out of this World for to the great grief and surprize of the Court of England she died suddenly Captain Beach being in the Straits with four English Frigots met a squadron of seven Algier Men of War full of Men gave them Battel and after a short dispute forced them all ashore where two of them were burnt by themselves and the rest by the English most of their Men were lost and 250 Christian Captives set at liberty In October The Parliament met again according to their Adjournment and then was the Peace between England and Spain beyond the Line concluded and ratified The Prince of Orange came this year into England and having visited both Universities after a short stay he returned During this Session of Parliament the Lords and Commons having humbly represented to His Majesty their fears and jealousies of the growth of Popery the King by Proclamation commanded all Jesuits and English Irish and Scottish Priests and all others that had taken Orders from the See of Rome except such as were to wait upon the Queen and Foreign Embassadors to
reduced to that penury that he was forced to live upon the Alms of the Church This King designed at least pretended to go for the Holy Land when the Parliament granted him large Aids upon this condition That at this time once for all he should submit himself to govern by Law to confirm the Charters of Liberties or Magna Charta Against the breakers whereof a most solemn curse was pronounced The King swearing to keep all Liberties upon pain of that execratory sentence As he was a man a Christian a Knight and a King anointed and crowned Yet notwithstanding the Oath and the Curse the King two or three years after caused the Tenth of all England and Ireland to be collected for his own use and the Popes the Pope having given the Kingdom of Sicily to his Son Edmond but the English subjects were first to win it for him Which the Nobles peremptorily denied the attempting there being occasion enough for money and men at home the Welsh having risen in rebellion Against whom Prince Edward was sent who though he wanted not for Courage St. Edmund of Abingâ—â—n A. B. Caâ—t yet in one field lost 2000 English men and was beaten out of the field In A.D. 1257 was Richard Earl of Cornwall the King's Brother elected King of Romans and was crowned at Aquisgrane having paid a large sum of money for the honour At this time the Earl was reputed to possess so much ready Coin as would every day for ten years afford him an hundred Marks upon the main stock besides his Rents and Revenues in Germany and the English Dominions And now the King relapsed into his profuseness and favouring of the Poictovins and other forreigners The Nobles hereupon came exquisitely armed to the Parliament holden at Oxford with a resolution to inforce the King and his Aliens to their proposals Which were That the King should unfeignedly keep the Charter of Liberties That such an one should be in place of Justitiar who would judg all impartially That the Forreigners should be expelled the Realm And that twenty-four persons should there be chosen to have the sole administration of King and State and yearly appointing of all great Officers Reserving to the King the Ceremonies of Honour Binding themselves by Oath to see these things performed and the King and Prince swearing to observe the ordination of these disloyal Barons who had by an Edict given out high menacings against all that should resist The Poictovins were so terrified by these violent proceedings that they fled into France The giddy people they joined with the Barons as the Assertors of their Liberties Boniface A. B. Cant the Londoners bound themselves under their publick Seal to assist them in the common Cause Richard King of Romans the Barons would not suffer to come into England but in a private manner with a very small train and being landed they exacted an Oath of him and upon pain of forfeiting all his Lands in England bound him to join with them in reforming the State which they factiously had assumed to do having appointed Four Knights Commissioners in every shire to enquire of all Oppressions and to certifie the same to them And the better to strengthen their Cause Simon Montford Earl of Leicester Head of the Factionists with others passed into France there to transact with the King thereof as to an indissoluble League About which time King Henry for want of Money or good Counsel or both was induced upon no very good terms for ever to renounce to the King of France all his right to Normandy Anjou Tourain Main and Poictou But the fire which had been long in blowing did now break out into a flame the King and his Barons taking arms against each other Simon de Montford executes his greatest revenge on the Queens friends who were aliens not sparing the King's who were free-born English-men Yet at length mutual weariness inclines Henry and his Barons to a peace and the King is willing that the Statutes of Oxford should be in force but the Queen was unwilling Which being known to the Londoners it put the baser sort into so leud a rage that she being to shoot the Bridg from the Tower towards Windsor where Prince Edward was ingarison'd they with dirt and stones and villanous words forced her back to the Tower Howbeit at London in a Parliament there held matters were pieced up though shortly after all was rent again both sides making fresh preparations for War King Henry drew towards Oxford where the rendezvous of his friends and forces was appointed from which University he dismissed all the Students being above fifteen thousand of those only whose names were entred into the Matriculation-book Whereupon many of them went to the Barons to Northamptor whither Henry came and breaking in at the Town-Walls encountred his Enemies amongst whom these Students of Oxford had a Banner by themselves advanced right against the King and did more annoy him in the fight than the rest of the Barons Forces Which the King who at length prevailed vowed sharply to revenge but was disswaded by his Councellors who told him that those Students were the sons and kindred of the great men of the Land whom if he punished even the Nobles that now stood for him would take arms against him The King encouraged by this success advanceth his Royal Standard toward Nottingham burning and wasting the Barons Lands wheresoever he came The Barons they sent Letters to him protesting their loyal observance to his person but all hostility to their enemies who were about him Rob. Kilwarby A B. Cant To which the King returned them a full defiance as to Traytors professing that he took the wrong of his friends as his own and their enemies as his At length the two Armies met and ingaged in fight wherein Prince Edward bravely behaved himself putting the Londoners to flight pursuing them for four miles but in the mean while his Father having his horse slain under him yielded himself prisoner the King of Romans and other great Peers were taken and the whole hope of the day lost on the Kings side On the next day peace was concluded for the present on condition That Prince Edward and Henry the King of Romans Son should also render themselves into the Barons hands And now by this advantage the factious Lords gained all the chief Castles of the Kingdom into their power Montford carrying his Soveraign as his prisoner about the Country yet with all outward respect and honour the rather to procure a more quiet surrender of Garrisons So fortunate may Treason and Rebellion for a time be though in the end it commonly speeds as it deserves To tame these Rebels the Pope sends his Cardinal Legate to Excommunicate them but they trusting to the temporal sword made light of the spiritual Howbeit to the Kings great advantage there hapned so irreconcileable a difference betwixt the two great Earls of Leicester and Glocester that the
America But when the kind Heavens was pleased to gratifie the Industry of Man with the Invention of Letters no Subject seemed to the Ancients so worthy of the Prerogative of being transmitted to Posterity as that of History And indeed the most Ancient that can be found of their Writings is of that kind Whether it was that they knew no immortality but that of Fame or found no better way to provide with security for their off-spring in whom they were to live to Posterity than by handing down to them the Methods and honest Courses by which some attained to Honour Wealth and Command whilst others by the contrary wayes lived and died in Obscurity Poverty and Contempt And the desire of perpetuating the Memory is such a glimmering glance of the Primitive but offuscated Light of Nature that some think it a convincing Argument to prove the immortality of the Soul it being a vain thing for any but especially a reasonable Being to desire that to which it hath no natural capacity And the rather that the greater and more elevated Souls of all Ages have aspired as much to the perpetuating of their Fame as they have to the purchasing of the same Witness in Ancient times the great Alexander who envied no man but Achilles for the happiness he had in having Homer for his Historiographer And since him Julius Caesar who notwithstanding he was tired out with the Fatigues of a continued and difficult War yet as he thought no man able to do what he had done so he judged none worthy to perpetuate his Memory and to Write as he Fought but himself But what Satisfaction soever dying men may have in the Prospect of a lasting Name it is certain the living reap great benefit from the Register of their Actions for would a Prince have Measures to govern a Subject how to obey a Statesman how to give Counsel a Judge and Magistrate how to execute Justice a Husband and Father how to command and cherish a Wife and Child how to Love Honour and Obey and all Conditions of Men how to perform mutual good Offices in every kind of Society History and especially the truest and most Ancient of All the Holy Scripture is that Repository from whence they may draw the truest Maximes for all Duties exemplified with the good or bad Successes of those who have â—â—â—â—ed or transgressed the same 〈…〉 thus much in short of History in general But as all Histories are not of the same Nature so neither are they of the same usefulness and Advantage Not to mention the Ancient Poets which are good in their way some are fictitious Romances which besides the Satisfaction they give the Authors Inventing Head are of very little if of any Use unless it be to teach young Gallants to strut it in the phrase of Hero's and Ladies to repartie like a Play Book And the Moralities which we are told are couched therein are too frequently applied in Serenades Love-Letters and Assignations Others are Real Histories or at least intended to be such and are either Ancient or Modern Universal or Particular of Kingdoms or of Private Families Foreign or Domestick and are all very profitable according to the several Qualities and Capacities of the Readers which is a point that needs no particular Discussion in this place In the writing of Histories some Authors affect an exactness of recounting Matters with the minutest Circumstances that attend them and of omitting nothing that can have any place in the Book which unless it be some conspicuous and famous Transactions looks liker the Depositions of a Witness in a Trial or the Breviate of a Lawyer at the Bar than the Annals or Chronicles of a Nation for it is enough for Posterity to know the memorable Actions of a great King or the Atchievements in a famous Battel with such circumstances as render them most considerable in themselves and significant to the Reader though they be not told what kind of Beard the King wore on his Wedding-day or to whom the Ground belonged where the Battel was fought Many likewise puzzle both themselves and their Readers with a too nice inquiry into the first Original of Nations and especially by what new flight of Colonies or transmigration of People Islands and Countreys discontinued from the Continent became first inhabited and in this Search so soon as they transgress the bounds of Authentick Records and Monuments of Antiquity the rest is no more History but the conjectures and probabilities of the Authors It is true that since we are taught by our Religion That all Mankind descended from Adam and consequently as they increased in number by new Generations so they successively inlarged their Habitations into remoter Regions until the Habitable World was possest it would be very curious for Men to know from what branch of the Stock they are descended and not with the Ancients who understood nothing of the Creation believe those People whose Original was unknown to be Indigenae that is started out of the Countrey they inhabited but that being impossible to be attained to since the Memory of Man cannot and Letters were not invented to preserve the Knowledge of the various Changes and Mutations of Elder Times we should satisfie our selves knowing that we are Men with what we find in received Record concerning the Beginnings Progress and Changes of Kingdoms and States without troubling our selves with our Ancient Relations who were not one drop of Blood in kin to William the Conqueror The Design therefore of this little Manual of History is not to amuse the Readers with the strange Romances of the First Peopling of this Island nor to give a List of the Kings who reigned here probably enough even before Aeneas or his Son Ascanius nor yet to burden their Memory with all the lesser Occurrences that are fully and at large related in many ample Volumes of this kind but only to serve as a Remembrancer to those who have already studied the History of England that in a short View they may refresh and rub up their Memories as to smaller Circumstances by the general Heads and more remarkable Passages which they shall here find faithfully digested in a succinct Method both as to time and place and for others whose humour or leisure will not permit them to turn over larger Volumes this small Pocket Book if carefully and often perused may acquaint them with as much as is necessary perhaps for them to know of the State of this Kingdom in relation to times past for satisfying their own curiosity and rendering them able to entertain others who want the same advantages of Knowledge This Compend then presents the Reader with what has been most remarkable in the several Changes of Government that have happened in this Kingdom since the first Invading of the Island by Julius Caesar tracing down the Succession and Lives of the several Emperours from that time till it was forsaken because it could not be kept by the
Hengist and the first Christian King thereof was Ethelbert sirnamed Pren. The South Saxons Kingdom containing the Counties of Sussex and Surrey 2 South Saxons commenced in A. D. 488 continuing 113 years Ella being the first King and Ethelwolph the first Christian King thereof 3. West Saxons The West Saxons Kingdom containing the Counties of Cornwall Devon Dorset Somerset Wilts Berks and Hantshire began in A. D. 519 continuing 300 years Cherdick being the first King and Hingils the first Christian King thereof 4. East Saxons East Saxons Kingdom containing the Counties of Essex Middlesex and part of Hartfordshire began in A. D. 527 continuing 281 years Erchenwin being the first King thereof and Sebert the first Christian King 5. North. The Kingdom of Northumberland containing the Counties of York Durham Lancaster Westmoreland Cumberland and Northumberland began in A. D 527 continuing 379 years Ella and Ida the first Kings thereof and Edwin the first Christian King 6. Mercia The Kingdom of Mercia containing the Counties of Huntingdon part of Hartfordshire Northampton Rutland Lincoln Leicester Derby and Nottingham began in A. D. 582 continuing 202 years Creda being the first King and Peada first Christian King thereof 7. East Angles The Kingdom of the East Angles containing the Counties of Norfolk Suffolk and Cambridge began in A. D. 575 continuing 353 years Vffa being the first King and Redwald the first Christian King thereof Its last King was Edmond whom the Danes for his constant profession of the Christian Faith most barbarously slew at a Village then called Heglisdune where when the Danes were departed his head and body were buried and the Town upon occasion thereof called St. Edmunds-bury After the death of this Edmond the Kingdom of the East Angles was possessed by the Danes till such time that Edward sirnamed the Elder expulsed them and joyned it a Province to the West Saxons But the Britains during the time of the Heptarchy stood still in defence of their own rightful inheritance with great disdain and valorous resistance as much as in them lay opposing the Saxon yoke The British Princes who contended with the Saxons to maintain their Countries rights were these chiefly First VOrtigern at that time King VORTIGERN by the election of the Britains when the Saxons were first invited into the Land This Vortigern reigned first Sixteen years and then deposed for his favours to the Saxons was retained indurance all the Reign of Vortimer his Son after whose death he was re-established but oppressed by the Saxons and pursued by Aurelius he fled into Wales where in a Castle which he built by Merlins directions in the Mountains he with his Daughter whom he had taken to Wife were burnt to Ashes VOrtimer for his Fathers abuse of Government VORTIMER was constituted King of the Britains He gave unto the Saxons Four famous overthrows almost to their utter expulsion After his last Victory over them British Princes he caused his Monument to be erected at the entrance into Thanet whither he had driven the Saxons even in that same place of the overthrow Which Monument was sometime called Lapis Tituli now the Stoner wherein he commanded his Body to be buried to the further terrour of the Saxons that in beholding this his Trophey their hearts might be daunted at the remembrance of their great overthrow But Rowena procured his death by Poyson He restored the Christian Religion then sorely decayed and rebuilt the Churches destroyed by the Pagan Saxons AMBROSIUS AVrelius Ambrosius descended of that Constantine who was elected here only in hope of his lucky name He was very successful against the Saxons but as some say was poysoned by the procurement of Pascentius the youngest Son of Vortigern Others report that he was slain in the Field by the Saxons and that the Britains erected that famous Monument called Stone-henge anciently Chorea Gigantum over the place where he was slain and buried though according to the saying of some Aurelius Ambrosius caused that Monument of Stone-henge to be erected in memorial of the Massacre of 300 of the Nobility of the Britains by the Saxons who were there buried He built Ambresbury in Wilts VTer Pendragon the Brother of Ambrosius was in all his Wars against the Saxons most victorious and fortunate UTER PENDRAGON A.D. 497. He was sirnamed Pendragon either because at his birth there appeared a fiery Comet something resembling a Dragons-head or because of his Serpentine-wisdom or from his Royal Banner wherein was pourtrayed a Dragon with a Golden head When he had reigned Eighteen years he dyed of poyson put into a Well whereof he usually drank ARthur the Son of Pendragon ARTHUR A.D. 516. begotten upon the Lady Igren Dutchess of Cornwall was Crowned King of Britains at Fifteen years of Age about A. C. 516. Twelve Battels he fought against the Saxons with great manhood and victory the last of which was fought at Bath or Bathen-Hill where the Britains gave the Saxons a very great overthrow But Mordred a Prince of the Picts whose Mother was Pendragons Sister affecting the Crown upon the pretence of Arthurs reputed Bastardy gave many attempts against him and lastly at Cambalu now Camelford in Cornwall encountering King Arthur gave him his deaths-wound and was himself slain by Arthur in the place From which place this renowned King was carried to Glastenbury where he dyed of his wounds in A. D. 542 whose body was there buried and after 600 years was digged up by the command of Henry the 2d His bones of great bigness and Skull wherein was perceived Ten wounds were found in the Trunk of a Tree over him was a huge broad Stone in which a leaden Cross was fastned and therein this Inscription Hic jacet c. Here lyes King Arthur buryed in the Isle of Avalonia By him lay his Queen Guenaver whose tresses of hair finely platted of a golden colour seemed perfect and intire till but being touched they mouldred to dust These relicks were reburied in the great Church CONSTANTINE A.D. 542. COnstantine the Son of Cador Duke of Cornwall and Cousin to King Arthur by Marriage and his adopted Heir was slain by Conanus when he had been King Three years and was buried at Stonehenge CONANUS A.D. 545. AVrelius Conanus King Arthur's Nephew detained his Uncle in perpetual Imprisonment and slew his two Cousins because they had more right to the Crown than himself VORTIPORUS A.D. 578. VOrtiporus in many Battels vanquished the Saxons and valiantly defended his Subjects but otherwise very wicked MALGO A.D. 581. MAlgo Canonus in Arms and Dominions was stronger and greater than any other British Potentate saith Gildas CARETICUS A.D. 586. Careticus sowed civil Wars amongst his Subjects the Britains which occasioned them to forsake him and leave him to the mercy of the Saxons who pursuing after him he fled into Cyrencester for safety but by the device of his pursuers certain
Eight Kings of Kent and Ten Arch-Bishops were afterwards interred But between the Britain Christians and Austin there was a great difference about the due time for celebrating the Feast of Easter Easter was kept in Britain after the manner of the Eastern Church on the Fourteenth day after the full Moon whatsoever day of the week it happened on and not on Sunday as we at this day observe it which made Austin in great displeasure against them and they to dislike him for his pride The British Bishops were consecrated by their own Arch-Bishops and they by their own Suffragans making no profession of subjection to any other Church And when Augustine the Monk required of the British Bishops to profess subjection to the See of Rome Dinothus Abbot of Bangor made it apparent by divers Arguments that they owed him none nor did they follow the Rites of Rome But King Ethelbert being by Augustine converted to the Christian Faith was the instrument of converting of Sebert King of the East Saxons whom he assisted in the building of St. Pauls where had stood the Temple of Diana as also the Church of St. Peters at Westminster then called Thorney where the Temple of Apollo stood and himself built the Cathedral Church at Rochester dedicating it to St. Andrew He brought the Laws of his Countrey into their own Mother-Tongue and was very forward in advancing the Christian Religion He dyed in or near A.D. 616 and was buried at Canterbury Augustine the first Arch-Bishop of Canterbury dyed during the reign of Ethelbert was buried in the Northern Porch of the New Church in Canterbury dedicated to St. Peter and Paul and Laurentius succeeded him in that Bishoprick REdwald 3d King of the East Angles REDWALD A.D. 616. was Baptized in Kent but returning into his own Countrey through the perswasions of his Queen he returned to his superstitions and in one and the same Temple erected an Altar for the service of Christ and another for his Idols EDwin the Great EDWIN A D. 624. and 2d King of Northumberland subdued all the coasts of Britany wheresoever any Provinces were inhabited either by Britains or Saxons which thing no King of the English before him had done And added the Mevian Isles or Hebrides unto his own Dominions He was converted to the Christian Faith by Paulinus and Baptized at York in St. Peters Church then built of Wood which he rebuilt of Stone making it the Cathedral Church and Paulinus Arch-Bishop of that See * Church of Lincoln founded by Bp. Paulinus He suppressed Idolatry established the Gospel in the Northern parts which daily spread into other Provinces and with such fruit of Peace that throughout his Dominions a weak Woman with hâ—r new-born babe might have passed without danger or â—amâ—ge over all the island from State â—ea◠〈◊〉 And for the conveniency of way-faring me◠〈…〉 closed clear Springs by the ways sides Melitus and Justu A. Bps. of Canterbury where he placed great Basons of Brass both to wash and bathe in But Penda the Mercian King and Cadwallo the Britain confederated against him and in fight slew him and his Son Osfryd His Body was buried at Streanshall now called Whitby OSWALD A.D. 633. OSwald the 5th King of Deira the 9th of Bernicia and 3d of Northumberland having received the Christian Faith in Scotland during his banishment there at his return took such care for the salvation of his Subjects that he sent into Scotland for Aidan a Christian Bishop to instruct his Northumbrians in the Gospel of Truth And because the Bishop could not speak their Language the King himself would interpret his Sermons to the people Which godly undertaking of the good King and Bishop was so successful that as is reported in Seven days space Fifteen thousand received Baptism At this time the whole Island flourished with Peace and plenty and acknowledged their subjection to Oswald But Penda King of Mercia envying his flourishing estate slew him in Battel at a place called Maserfield in Shropshire and then tore his body peace-meal Whereupon the said place of his death is called to this day Oswalds-tree His dismembred Limbs were first buried in the Monastery of Bradney in Lincolnshire afterwards removed to Glocester and buried in the North-side of the upper end of the Quire in the Cathedral Church King Oswald being at Dinner on Easter-day Melitus and Justus A.B. Cant. one brought him word that there was a great company of poor people in the Streets which asked Alms of him whereupon he commanded the Meat prepared for his own Table to be carried to them and brake a Silver Platter to pieces and sent it amongst them In the year of Christ 636 Honorius Arch-Bishop of Canterbury first divided England into Parishes Northumberland was sometime parted into two Kingdoms namely Deira and Bernicia Osway the 4th King of Northumberland OSWAY A.D. 643. slew Penda in fight with the discomfiture of all his Mercian power and in the same Battel slew Ethelbert King of the East Angles who sided with Penda after which victory he subdued the Mercians and made the Northern part also wholly subject unto him He founded the Cathedral Church in Lichfield for a Bishops See dyed in A. D. 670 and was buried in St. Peters Church in Streanshalch VVlfhere the 6th King of the Mercians VULFHERE A D. 668. slew his two Sons Vulfald and Rufin because they usually resorted to reverend Chad for the profit of their Souls and had received at his hands the Sacraments of Baptism Their martyred bodies Queen Erminhild their Mother caused to be buried in a Sepulchre of Stone and thereupon a fair Church to be erected which by reason of the many Stones brought thither for the foundation was ever after called Stones Honorius and Duesdedit A.B. Cant. and is now a fair Market-Town in Staffordshire But Vulfhere repenting his most inhumane murder and becoming a Christian converted his Heathen Temples unto Churches and Monasteries and finished Medisham now Peterborough his brother Pada's foundation inriching it largely with Lands and possessions He dyed A. D. 674 and was buried at Peterborough ETHELRED EThelred because of his Nephew Kenreds minority and disposition to a private life was accepted of the Mercians for their King His entrance was with War against the Kentish King Lothair whose Countrey he miserably destroyed sparing neither Religious nor secular place But at length disquieted in mind because of his cruelties to expiate his crimes he first built a godly Monastry at Beadney in Lincolnshire then resigning the Crown to Kenred became there a Monk himself living a regular life the term of Twelve years and dyed Abbot of the place in A. D. 716. In the 4th year of his Reign a fearful Blazing-Star discovered it self and for three Months together continued rising in the morning and giving forth a blazing pile very high and of a glittering flame KEnred the 8th King of Mercia Theodorus and
Bertualdus A. B of Cant. reigned in peace the term of four years but affecting a private retired life he appointed Chelred his Cousin to rule in his stead and accompanied with Offa King of East-Saxons KENRED and Edwin Bishop of Winchester he went unto Rome where himself and Offa became Monks and there dyed CHeldred the 9th King of the Mercians CHELRED A.D. 709. was all along during his seven years reign engaged in Wars against Inas King of the West-Saxons Which Inas being in pilgrimage at Rome in A.D. 720 gave a tribute to Rome called Peter-pence being a peny for every house At first it was called the Kings Alms it was also called Romescot Inas built a Colledg at Wells and a stately Abby at Glastenbury where formerly the old Cell of Joseph of Arimathea had been He also built a Castle at Taunton King Chelred dyed in A. D. 716 and vvas buried in the Cathedral Church at Lichfield EThelbald the 10th King of the Mercians ETHELBALD spent the most part of his reign in peace and too much thereof in Luxury for the vvhich he vvas reproved by Boniface an English man Bishop of Mentz Whose Epistle Redargutory had this influence upon the King that in sign of repentance he priviledged the Church from all Tributes to himself and founded the Abby of Crowland About which time it was appointed by Arch-Bishop Cuthbert and his Clergy in a convocation held in his Province that the Sacred Scriptures should be read in their Monasteries the Lords Prayer and Creed taught in the English tongue A. D. 733. In January the Sun suffered so great an Eclipse that the Earth seemed to be overshadowed as with Sack-cloth And A. D. 756 and in December the Moon being in her full appeared both dark and bloody for a Star though there be none lower than the Moon seemed to follow her and to deprive her of light till it had got before her But great Ethelbald fighting against Cuthred the West Saxon was trayterously slain by the procurement of one of his own Captains near Tanworth and was buried at Repton in Derbyshire OFFA A.D. 758. OFFA the 11th King of the Mercians as is said was born both lame deaf and blind continuing so unto his mans estate He was of such stout and daring spirit that he thought nothing impossible for him to attain unto The first that felt his fury were the Kentish men whose King Alrike he slew in fight with his own hands From south to north he then marched and beyond Humber made havock of all that opposed him Whence returning in triumph he vanquished Kenwolph and his West-Saxons with whom Marmadius King of the Britains sided He caused a great ditch to be made between his and the Britains borders that is from Basingwark in Flintshire and North-Wales not far from the mouth of Dee running along the Mountains into the South ending near Bristol at the fall of Wye The tract whereof in many places is yet seen being called Clawdh Offa Tarninus and Nothelmus A.B. Cant. or Offa's Ditch The Danes that had invaded England he forced back to their ships with the loss of all their booty and many of their lives Then making his son Egfryd Partner with him in the Kingdom he went to Rome where he made his Kingdom subject to a tribute called Peter-pence and gave rich gifts to Pope Hadrian for canonizing Alban a Saint in honour of whom at his return he built a Magnifick Monastry over against Verolanium Also in testimony of his repentance for the blood he had shed in his Wars he gave the tenth part of his goods unto the Church-men and poor At Bath he built a Monastry and in Warwick-shire a Church where the adjoining town from it and him beareth the name Off-Church He dyed at Offley in A D. 794 and was buried without the town of Bedford in a Chappel standing upon the bank of Owse which long since was swallowed up by the same River In A D. 755 was Sigebert King of West-Saxons slain by a Swineherd and in A.D. 760 Kenwolph King of West-Saxons made Wells an Episcopal See EGfryd the son of Offa restored to the Church her ancient priviledges which his Father had deprived her of EGFKID A.D. 794. He dyed in the first year of his reign and was buried in the Abby-Church of St. Albans KEnwolph the 13th King of the Mercians KENWOLPH A.D. 795. was at home a president of peace religion and justice and abroad of temperance humility and courtesie In War stout and victorious in Peace studious of enriching his subjects He vanquished the Kentish men and carried away their King prisoner detaining him captive and giving his Kingdom to Cuthred He built a fair Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire where upon the dedication thereof he led Pren his captive King of Kent up to the high altar and there without either his entreaty or any ransom set him at full liberty He dyed A. D. 819 and was buried at Winchcomb where was buried also Kenelm his son murder'd by his sister Quendred SAXON MONARCHS EGBERT A.D. 819. EGbert the 18th King of West-Saxons first warred against the Cornish and Welsh a remnant of the old Britains which for fourteen years held side against this King which so enraged him that he made it present death for any Britain to pass over Offa's pitch into England Their great Caer-legion now Westchester he took from them and at London cast down the Image of their Prince Cadwalle He subdued Kent East-Saxons and East-Angles also the Mercians and indeed all upon the North and South of Humber yeilded him obedience He was crowned at Winchester absolute Monarch of the whole Island in A. D. 819 and caused the South of this Island to be called England Three several times the Danes landed in England in his reign whom he expelled He dyed in A. D. 836 and was buryed at Winchester Cuthbert and Brogmius A.B. Cant. But his bones were since taken up and with others bestowed in Chests set upon the Wall on each side the Quire of the Cathedral with these verses inscribed Hic Rex Egbertus pausat cum Rege Kenulpho nobis egregia munera uterque tulit His issue were Ethelwolph and Ethelstan and one Daughter named Egdith commonly called St. Edith who was Governess of a Monastry of Ladies at Pollesworth in Warwickshire EThelwolph was in his youth committed unto the care of Helmestan Bishop of Winchester ETHELWOLPH 836. and by him unto learned Swithun the Monk He took such a liking unto the quiet and solitary life enjoyed only by religious men all other estates being molested to withstand the intruding Danes that he took upon him the Monkish Vow and profession and was made Deacon and shortly after upon the death of Helmestan he was elected if not consecrated also Bishop of Winchester But the death of his Father immediately following by the intreaty of the Nobles and constraint of the Clergy he was made
above all the Peers of his Kingdom A while after performing this his promise by causing Edrick's head to be cut off and placed on the highest Gate of London But some say that King Edmond dyed a natural death at London when he had reigned seven Months whose body was buried at Glastenbury His Issue were Edward sirnamed the Out-law because he lived out of England during the reign of the Danes and Edmond DANES CANUTE A.D. 1017 CANVTE the Dane after the death of Edmond seized upon the other half part of the Kingdom the English Nobles owning him for their rightful King and swearing allegiance to him He was crowned at London by Living us Elstane Arch-bishop of Canterbury A. D. 1017. And to establish the Crown more sure to himself he banished Edwin the son of King Ethelred who for his melancholy and regardless behaviour was called The King of Churles He also sent away Edward and Edmond the sons of Edmond Ironside Next he espoused Emma the Widow of King Ethelred and sister to the Duke of Normandy on this condition That the issue of her body by him should inherit the English Crown Then calling a Parliament of his Peers to Oxford he there established these Laws following viz. That all decent ceremonies tending to the encrease of reverence and devotion in the service of God should be used as need required That the Lords Day should be kept holy That a Clergy killing a Lay-man or for any other notorious crime should be deprived both of his Order and Dignity That a married woman convict of adultery should have her nose and ears cut off And a Widow marrying within the space of twelve months after her Husbands dectase should lose her Joynture With many others He went on pilgrimage to Rome where he complained against the excessive exactions and vast sums of money extorted by the Pope from the English Archbishops at such times as they received their Palls from thence Which the Pope engaged to redress for the future The greatness and glory of this King was such that some Court-Parasites sought to perswade him that he possessed a more than humane power but he to demonstrate the contrary being then at Southampton caused a Chair to be set on the shore when the Sea began to flow then sate himself in it and in the presence of his many attendants thus spake to the swelling-waves Thou Sea art part of my dominion don't therefore on pain of punishment presume so much as to wet the robes of thy Lord. But the unruly Sea swelling on further and further first wet his skirts then thighs so that the King suddenly started up and retiring said Let the inhabitants of the world know that the power of Kings is but weak and vain and that none is worthy the name of King save He that keepeth Heaven Earth and Sea in obedience to his own will After which time he would never wear his Crown but therewith crowned the picture of Christ on the Cross at Winchester which became a prize to the Church-men He dyed in A.D. 1035 and was buried at Winchester His Issue were Swein Harold Hardicanute and two Dâ—ughters In Essex he built the Church of Ashdon where he had the victory of King Edmond In Norfolk he founded the Abbey of St. Benets and in Suffolk the Monastry of St. Edmond Egelnoth A.B. Cant. which Saint he much dreaded To the Church of Winchester besides other rich Jewels he gave a Cross worth as much as the Revenue of England amounted to in one year And unto Coventry they say he gave the Arm of St. Augustine which at Papia cost him an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold HARALD A.D. 1035 HARALD for his exceeding swiftness sirnamed Harefoot the base son of King Canute in the absence of Hardicanute his Fathers son by Queen Emma was admitted King by the Nobility and crowned at Oxford by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury Which done for the better securing of the Crown to himself he sought means to gain Edward and Alfred the two surviving sons of King Ethelred into his hands In order whereunto he sent to them into Normandy a Letter feigned in their Mother Emma's name inviting them over into England for the recovery of their right But when Prince Alfred was accordingly arrived Earl Goodwin who pretended great kindness unto him betrayed him and his small party brought over with him into Haralds hands who at Guilford committed them to the slaughter only reserving every tenth man either for service or sale Alfred he sent prisoner into the Isle of Ely where his eyes being put out he in short time after dyed through grief and pain Queen Emma's Goods Harald confiscated banished her out of the Realm and oppressed the English people with great payments He dyed at Oxford Elnothus A B. Cant. A.D. 1040 and was buried at Westminster HArdicanute upon the death of Harold was by the States of the Land HARDICANUTE A.D. 1030 as well English as Danes invited over from Denmark to take upon him the government of the Kingdom which he accordingly did and was crowned at London by Elnothus Archbishop of Canterbury The dead body of his half brother King Harold he caused to be taken up and to be thrown into the River Thames which being found by a Fisherman he buried it in the Churchyard of St. Clements Danes so called because the great burial-place of the Danes Hardicanute for the maintaining of his Fleet imposed heavy tributes on the English insomuch that two of the Collectors thereof named Thurstane and Feader were slain by the Citizens of Worcester for which fact their City was burnt and their Bishop Alfred expulsed the See till that with money he had purchased his peace Earl Goodwin presented to this King a Ship whose Stern was of Gold with Eighty soldiers in her all uniformly and richly suited On their heads they all wore gilt Bargenets and on their bodies a triple gilt Habergion swords with gilt hilts girded to their wasts a battel-ax after the manner of the Danes on their left shoulders a target with gilt bosses born in their left hands a dart in the right hand and their arms bound about with two bracelets of gold of six ounces weight But as Hardicanute was revelling and carousing at Lambeth in a solemn Assembly and Banquet He suddenly fell down dead The day of whose death instead of laments was annually celebrated amongst the common people with open pastimes in the streets Which time being the eighth of June is called Hoctide or Hucxtide signifying a time of scorn and contempt which fell upon the Danes by his death He was buried at Winchester A. D. 1042. About four years before the Danes first coming into England which was near the year of our Lord 789 showers of blood fell from Heaven and bloody Crosses were therewith marked upon mens garments 'T is said also that after the Danes had seated themselves in England whilst the English were drinking
they would stab them or cut their throats to prevent which when the English man drank he requested the next sitters by to be his surety or pledg Hence our custom of pledging one another 't is said SAXONS Edsine A.B. Cant. EDward the Confessor EDWARD CONF. A.D. 1041 the Son of King Ethelred and Queen Emma was born at Islip and after his Fathers death was for his safety sent unto the Duke of Normandy his Mothers Brother but upon the death of Hardicanute the English Nobility disdaining all Danish subjection invited Edward to return into England and to execute the Kingly Office He was crowned at Winchester by Edsine Archbishop of Canterbury A.D. 1042. He remitted that heavy Tribute of Forty thousand pound yearly gathered by the name of Dane-gilt which had been pay'd for forty years continuance out of the Lands of all the Clergy excepted Because say our ancient Laws the King reposed more confidence in the prayers of the holy Church than in the power of Armies Then from the divers Laws of the Mercians West-Saxons Danes and Northambrians he selected the best and made them one body certain and written in Latine His Reign was more spent in peace and works of piety than in wars and blood Only some slight troubles hapned from the Danes Irish and Welsh and also from Earl Goodwin and his sons who being very powerful and proud caused some molestations in the State But the sins of the people which were then great procured other Judgments instead of War For in the month of January there fell a great snow Robert A.B. Cant. which covered the ground to the midst of March whereby Cattel and Fowls in abundance perished And on the next year following a strange and terrible Earthquake hapned and withal such Lightnings as burnt up the Corn growing in the fields whereby an excessive Dearth ensued This King by the instigation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Goodwin Earl of Kent dealt too rigorously with his own Mother depriving her of all her Jewels and other substance and committing her to safe custody in the Abbey of Werwell And moreover put her to undergo that over-hard Law Ordalium which was to pass over nine Plowshare-irons red glowing hot bare foot and blindfold By which tryal she is said to have acquit her self insomuch that having passed them over before she knew it cryed and said O good Lord when shall I come to the place of my purgation The King her Son hereupon received her into his favour again And she in memory of her deliverance from this fiery tryal gave nine Mannors according to the number of the Plow-shares to the Minster of Winchester wherein she had that tryal and adorned the same with many rich ornaments And the King repenting the wrong he had done her bestowed on the same place the Isle of Portland The eauses objected against Queen Emma and for which she suffered the loss of her goods were her marriage with Canute the Capital enemy of England and her neglecting to succour Edward and his Brother in their exile The matter objected against her for which she underwent the Ordalium was incontinency of body with Alwin Bishop of Winchester Of this King it is storied that as he lay in his bed in an afternoon with the curtains drawn about him a certain pilfering Courtier came into his Chamber where finding the Kings Casket open which Hugoline his Chamberlain had forgot to shut he took out as much Coin as he could conveniently carry and went away Did the like a second time Came again the third time when the King spake to him and bad him speedily be packing whilst he was well adding that if Hugoline should come and take him there he should not only lose all he had gotten but also stretch an halter And when Hugoline came and missing the money vvas greatly troubled the King vvish'd him not to be grieved for saith he the man that had it hath more need of it than we have When this devout King lying on his death-bed perceived those about him to weep and lament he said unto them If ye loved me ye would not weep but rejoice because I go to my Father with whom I shall receive the joys promised to the faithful not through my Merits but by the free Mercy of my Saviour which sheweth mercy on whom he pleaseth He dyed A. D. 1066 and vvith great laments vvas buried at Westminster He is said to be the first King that cured that Disease commonly called the Kings Evil. This King of a little Monastry dedicated to St. Peter at Westminster made a most beautiful Church and large and founded St. Margrets Church standing by and this he did for the discharge of his vowed Pilgrimage to Jerusalem He founded also the Colledg of St. Mary Otery in Devon and removed the Bishops See from Cridington to Excester He married Godith the Daughter of Earl Godwin which Earl took bread and eat it in witness that he was not guilty of the death of Prince Alfred but as soon as he had received the bread he vvas choaked at the Table before the King at Windsor HAROLD A. D. 1066 HArold the Son of Earl Goodwin notwithstanding that Edgar Atheling the Grandson of Ironside vvas the next rightful Heir yet gained the English Crovvn to himself Which he set upon his own head vvithout all ceremony and solemn celebration none either greatly approving or disapproving his presumption save only for the omission of the manner and form of Coronation But novv Harold to gain and retain the love of all lightned the burthens of Custom and Tribute that his Predecessors had laid upon the people was liberal to the Church-men repaired their Monasteries nevv-built that at Waltham in Essex He created young Edgar Earl of Oxford and held him in special favour And to all men vvas affable and kind vvhence he much fastned the hearts of his subjects unto himself But this tranquil estate vvas quickly disturb'd by the Norman Duke vvho first sent his Ambassage claiming right to the Kingdom of England by the promise of King Edward and his ratifying the same vvith the consent of the State and by Harolds ovvn oath given to the Duke for keeping the Kingdom on his behalf and then upon Harold's slighting the Ambassie he made prepapation for gaining of England by force But ere Duke William vvith his Normans are arrived on the English shore Harfager King of Denmark invaded the Land vvith vvhom Tosto the cruel Earl of Northumberland Harold's Brother joined against vvhom Harold marched and at a Bridg called Stamford vvhere he vvas to pass over one Dane made good for a time the Bridg against his vvhole Host and vvith his Ax slew forty of his men himself at last being slain vvith a dart When the English had gain'd the Bridg and were reduced into their ranks Harold most boldly set upon the Danes in their Camp vanquished them and slew Harfager and Tosto with many other persons of
note and gain'd an exceeding rich booty both of gold and silver then seized on their great Navy And now VVilliam the Norman being well furnished with a vast Fleet of Ships well man'd store of money drawn from his people the Pope's Benediction who had sent him a consecrated Banner an Agnus Dei and one of the hairs of St. Peter with a curse to all that should oppose him Thus prepared the Duke arrived at Pevensey in Sussex Sep. 28 where when he came to Land his foot chanced to slip and he fell into the mud and all mired his hands which accident was presently construed for a lucky prefage For now said a Captain O Duke thou hast taken possession and holdest of that Land in thine hand whereof shortly thou shalt become King But the Duke thus landed he set fire on his Fleet thereby to cut off all occasion or hope from his men of returning And from Pevensey he marched to Hastings divulging as he went the causes of his coming which was for the obtaining of his Kingdom it being as he said his by donation from Edward giving withal a severe charge to his soldiers not to wrong any of their persons who in a short time after were to become his subjects To Harold he sent his Messenger demanding the Kingdom and Harold's subjection But Harold returned him this answer by the same Messenger That unless he forthwith departed the land he would make him sensible of the strokes of his just displeasure And with a brave and undaunted mind the valiant Harold advanced his Forces into Sussex pitching his Camp within seven miles of his Enemy When the Armies were come near together and ready to engage the Norman Duke to save the effusion of Christian blood as he said sent a Monk as a Mediator for peace with offers to Harold of these conditions Either wholly to resign the Kingdom to him or in sight of the Armies to try the quarrel with him in single combat or to stand to the arbitrement of the Pope To whom Harold answered That it should the next day be tryed with more swords than one The next day was the Fourteenth of October which Harold ever accounted fortunate because his birth-day and with hopeful affurance desired greatly the approach of the same His Soldiers likewise too confident of victory Stigand A.B. Cant. spent the night in revellings The morning being come they both marshalled their battels The Kentish-men Harold placed with their heavy Axes or Halberts in the van for by ancient custom they had the Front belonging to them Then the battels joined both parts bravely fighting but the Norman perceiving that by true valour he could not vanquish the English betook himself to a stratagem commanding his men to retreat yet withal to keep in good order which the English seeing supposed that they had fled and thereupon pursued their enemy so rashly that they put themselves into disorder Which opportunity William took hold of so that facing about and charging them fiercely when disranked he made a great slaughter of the English Yet would not any of the remaining English flye the field but manfully fought it out till such time that Harold wounded into the brains with an arrow through the left eye fell down dead With Harold dyed his brethren Gyrth and Leoswinc with most of the English Nobility And of the Soldiers were slain Sixty seven thousand nine hundred seventy and four some say an Hundred thousand The Conqueror had three Horses slain under him yet lost not a drop of blood by the enemy He won this battel with the loss only of 6013 men It was fought in Sussex seven miles from Hastings upon Saturday the 14th of October A. D. 1066. The English after this loss had designed to have made Edgar Atheling King and to have took the field again against the Conqueror but the Earls of York-shire and Cheshire Edwin and Morcar the Queens Brothers plotting secretly to get the Crown to themselves hinder'd the design The Body of King Harold dispoiled of his Ornaments and by a base Soldier mangl'd and hack'd in the leg for which the Conqueror cashiered him for ever after much search was found among the dead bodies and by the English Nobles conveyed to Waltham in Essex where it was solemnly and royally interred A little before the fight a dreadful Comet appeared Tosto Earl of Northumberland in spight to his brother Harold slew all Harolds servants and cutting them piece-meal salted some of their limbs and cast the rest into Vessels of Meath and Wine sending his brother word that he had furnished him with powder'd meat against his return home This he did at Horolds house when he was absent NORMANS William the Conqueror WIlliam the Conqueror A. D. 1066. was the base Son of Robert Duke of Normandy His Mother Arlotte a Skinners Daughter when she was great with him dreamed that her bowels were extended and dilated all over Normandy and Britain And as soon as he was born being laid on the Chamber-floor with both his hands he took up Rushes and held them fast therein which things were taken for presages of his future greatness He began his Reign October 14 A. D. 1066 and was Crowned December 25 on the same year by Aldred Arch-Bishop of York the English Bishops and Barons swearing Allegiance to him and himself taking a solemn Oath to defend the rights of the Church to establish good Laws and to see justice uprightly administred After which he applied himself to secure his new-obtained Kingdom and the better to assure the South of the Land he took his way towards Dover that so he might command the Seas from Enemies arrivage and over-awe the Kentish a most strong and populous Province But Stigand Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Eglesire Abbot of St. Augustines hearing of his coming they assembled the commons of Kent to oppose him who about Swancomb kept themselves secret in the Woods waiting the coming of the Conqueror All joyntly agreeing because no way lay open save only a Front to carry in their hands great branches of Trees wherewith they might keep themselves both from discovery and if need were impede the passage of the Normans Which said device took so strange effect that it daunted King William even with the sight who being as he thought free from the enemy was now on the sudden beset on all sides with Woods some of which he saw to move and the rest for ought he knew were of the like nature At length to put him out of all doubt the Kentish men inclosing his Army about displayed their Banners cast down their Boughs and with Bows bent were prepared for Battel At which sight the Conqueror stood amazed To whom Stigand and Eglesine presented themselves and in behalf of the Kentish men thus spake Most noble Duke behold here the Commons of Kent are come forth to meet and receive you as their Sovereign requiring your Peace their own free condition of Estate and
causing a great dearth among Cattel extraordinary Rains Water floods incredible which so softned the hills to the foundations that some of them fell and over-whelmed the Villages near them Most of the principal Cities were indamaged by fire So great a fire hapned in London that it consumed Houses and Churches all the way from the West-gate to the East-gate And 't is said that tame and domestick Fowls became wild flying to the Woods WILLIAM RVFVS WIlliam sirnamed Rufus A. D. 1087. notwithstanding that Robert Curtoise his eldest Brother was living yet by the mediation and assistance of Lanfrank Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Wolstane he gained the voices of the Councel and was Crowned A. D. 1087. But Odo Bishop of Bayeux to take revenge for his sufferings under the Conqueror instigated Duke Robert to repair into England and recover his right which he promised should soon be effected Now Robert that Money the sinews of War might not be wanting for the carrying on of this design mortgaged the Province of Constantine to his Brother Henry and with him many of the English sided William on the other hand by fairly promising to abolish the over-hard Laws made by his Father and to take off the Taxes and Imposts drew the people generally to stand in his defence by whose aids he regained divers strong holds that the Nobles had seized for Duke Robert He also besieged Rochester wherein Odo was from which siege he sent forth his Proclamation throughout the Land commanding all men to repair thereto and that whosoever would not should be reputed a Niding A word so disgraceful and hateful to the English signifying a Coward or base-hearted fellow that made multitudes hast with all speed to that service Whereupon the Castle was yielded and Odo banished and his goods confiscated But whilst these things were acting Robert Duke of Normandy Landed at Southampton and very shortly returned again into his own Territories upon his Brother Williams promise to pay him Three thousand Marks yearly and to resign the Kingdom to him or his Heirs at his death About this time Lanfrank Arch-Bishop of Canterbury dyed and the King kept that See vacant above Four years So did he by many other Ecclesiastical promotions and set to sale the rights of the Church preferring those therein that would give the most and yet his exchequer became never the richer He was wont to say That Christs bread is sweet dainty and most delicate for Kings His Brother Roberts Territories in Normandy he invaded taking divers strong holds and Castles inforcing Robert to make a Peace with him After which these two Brothers unite their forces against their Brother Henry But he fearing after-claps had strongly fortified the Castle of Mount St. Michael in Normandy wherein they besieged him In which time of Siege King Williams life was in great hazard for some of the besieged sallying forth William more boldly than wisely rode against them and a Knight encountring him slew his Horse under him and had slain him too had he not made himself known by his voyce Whereupon the armed men with great reverence took him up and brought him another Horse when the King not staying for the stirrup sprang into the Saddle and with angry countenance demanded who it was that overthrew him and the Knight as boldly answered and shewed himself who he was By Lukes face quoth the King thou shalt be my Knight and be inrolled in my Check with a fee answerable to thy worth Prince Henry in the time of this siege being sorely distressed for Water sent to his Brother Robert knowing him to be of the better temper desiring him that he might have that permitted him which God had made common Duke Robert commanded him to be supplied whereat King William was wroth Anselme A.B. Cant. To whom Robert sayd And dost thou esteem more of water which is every where to be got than of a Brother having no more but him and me In short time after these Three brethren were reconciled and in short time after that the two elder again disagreed The Peace of England was also disturbed by Malcolme King of Scots but by the Ambushment of Mowbray Earl of Northumberland he was slain with his Son Edward Then Mowbray grown proud turns Rebel but was taken and committed to Windsor Duke Robert preparing for the Holy Wars mortgaged his Dukedom to his Brother William for the sum of Six thousand six hundred sixty six pounds of Silver for the making up of which sum King William made the Religious Houses to ransack their Coffers Normandy therefore was now the Kings concern to keep as his own wherefore a while after hearing as he sate at meat that Main a City in Normandy was straitly besieged and his Subjects sorely distressed he swore his wonted Oath By St. Lukes face that he would not turn his back till he was with them And thereupon commanded the wall of the House to be broke down that he might go forth the next way to Sea leaving order for his Nobles straight-way to follow him But the Winds being contrary and Seas raging his Pilate humbly desired him to stay a while till the winds and Seas were appeased To whom the King said Hast thou ever heard that a King hath been drowned Therefore hoise up the sails I charge thee and be gone Which accordigly being done the King making such hast relieved the City before it was expected Then setling his affairs in that Countrey he returned into England where as he was Hunting in New-Forest Sir Walter Tyrrel a French Knight shooting at a Stag the Arrow glanced against a Tree and struck the King into the breast with which he immediately dyed Aug. 1. A. D. 1100. His body layd in a Colliers Cart was drawn with one poor Jade through a very dirty way till the Cart broke where for a while the Corps was left in the dirt but afterwards was conveyed to Winchester and there buryed in the Cathedral Church The bones since have been taken up and laid into a Coffer with the bones of Canutus At Westminster he laid new foundations of a most stately Palace and finished that stately building called the great Hall which he found fault with because no bigger accounting it scarce worthy the name of a Bed-chamber in respect of that which he intended to build He new built the City Carlisle which 200 years before had been spoiled by the Danes built the Church of St. Saviours in Southwark and founded an Hospital in York to the Honour of St. Peter In this Kings reign the Bishops See was translated from Selsey to Chichester anciently called Cissancester In his Reign happened a most dreadful Earth-quake vehement Lightning leaving an intolerable stink behind it An exceeding tempest of Wind that in London drove down Sixty Houses blew off the Roof of Bow-Church with the Beams Six of which in their fall were driven Twenty three foot deep into the ground the Streets of the City lying then
this famous Champion K. Philip by degrees gain'd all in Normandy even Roan it self Main Turain and Poictou revolted from King John and Angiers was betrayed All these losses happening through the default of some of the English Peers and Prelates For when the King was in readiness to take shipping for Normandy Hubert the Archbishop forbad him proceeding in the voyage the Peers also again refused to attend him Wherefore the King put many of his Earls Barons and Knights yea and Clergy-men also to a grievous pecuniary redemption and Huberts Wealth and Possessions who dyed the same year the King seized on This Hubert was suspected of too familiar practising with the King of France Upon the death of this Archbishop Hubert the Monks of Canterbury made choice of Reginald their Sub-Prior in his stead and the King after them of John Gray Bishop of Norwich a man of great wisdom But the Pope neglecting both these recommended Stephen de Langton to the Monks of Canterbury and Bishops of that Province to be presently chosen for their Primate Which the Monks unwilling and deferring to do Stephen Langton A.B. Cant. alledging that no Canonical Election could be made at Rome where was no consent neither of King nor Covent The Pope with choler replied That he had plenitude of Power over the Church of Canterbury and moreover that no consent of Princes used to be expected in Elections where the Pope was He therefore commanded them under pain of his high curse to accept him for their Primate Which all accordingly did though not without murmurations save one Elias de Brantford And to work the King into a compliance hereto the Pope sent him four Gold Rings with four precious stones an Emerald Saphire Ruby and Topaz signifying in his Letter sent with them that the Rings roundness must remember him of Eternity the quadrate number must mind him of Constancy and the four Cardinal Virtues Prudence Justice Temperance and Fortitude The Golds price of Wisdom the Emeralds greeness of Faith the Saphires brightness of Hope the Rubies redness of Charity and the Topaz's clearness of sanctity of life But King John for all these fond toys and fine words when he observed the Popes arbitrariness the dishonour arising to himself in being frustrated of his choice the prejudice to his Crown in having a Bishop thrust upon him without Sovereign consent the hazard to the State in having a French Favourite over the English with also the Monks disloyalty in yeilding to the Pope's Election He first of all proscribed the Monks as Traytors and after that writ Letters to the Pope wherein he alledged the wrongs done to himself and made his exceptions against Langton vowing immutably to stand for his own elect and to dye in defence of the liberties of his Crown likewise minding the Pope of his great profits he received from England menacing withall that if he were crossed in this he would then stop all from crossing the Seas to Rome To which Letters of the King the Pope answered very comminatory and shortly after viz. in A. D. 1208. because the King would be King in his own Dominions this Servus Servorum interdicted the whole Kingdom under which it lay for the term of six years and fourteen weeks without Gods service or Sacraments or Christian burial The Lay-people were tumbled like Dogs into every Ditch Howbeit the King to be even with the Pope proscribed the disloyal Clergy their revenues he confiscated their Bishopricks Abbies and Priories he put into Laymens hands and every-where they suffered wrong without ordinary protection of justice But some of the eminent Clergy detested the Popes savage proceedings as Philip Bishop of Durham and his Successor The Bishops of Winchester and Norwich they animated the King to contemn the Papal Curse and the Cistercian Abbots neglecting the Interdict continued their Divine Service till the Pope suspended them for their contempt Moreover the Pope to revenge himself on the King Anathematized him by name which caused many to desert his service for which he punished them by Fine Yet at length the better to secure himself and State the King was very desirous to come to an atonement and assured under his Seal that Archbishop Langton with the Bishops and Monks and others should be restored both to his favour and their possessions that Holy Church should have all its Franchises as in Edward the Confessors time But because he would not make full satisfaction to the Clergy for all confiscations and other emoluments received of them the Popes Nuncio's refused a peace with him And the Pope was so mad that he absolved all Kings and people poor and rich having dependence on him from all fealty and subjection to him whereupon Male-contents set themselves to work mischief The Welsh fall off from the King wherefore at Nottingham he hangs up their hostages 28 in number His Nobles many of them held themselves discharged of their Allegiance so rebel inviting the French King to their assistance and promising to settle the English Crown on his head Stephen Langton and other Bishops implore the Popes help to support the Church of England being at the point of ruine His officious Holiness thereupon decrees That K. John must be deposed and that he would â—ppoint one more worthy in his stead To effectuate which the Pope sent his Letters to Philip King of France requiring him to undertake the affair of dethroning the King of England and for his reward he should have pardon of all his sins besides the enjoying of the English Crown to him and his heirs for ever Also transmitting his Letters general to all Potentates Soldiers Men of War of all Nations to sign themselves with the sign of the Cross and to follow Philip in this design assuring all that their assistance herein whether in person or purse should be no less meritorious than if they visited our Saviours Sepulcher The King of France accepts the offer and makes great preparation for the invading of England and King John raises a Land-Army and prepares a Royal Navy to withstand him But ere the French make their attempts Pandulph the Popes Messenger arrives in England and so wrought upon the King what by representing the danger he was in and what by flattering promises that King John not insensible of his desperate estate sware in all things to submit to the judgment of the Church And shortly after at the Knight-Templers House in Dover he surrendred his Crown into the hands of Pandulph for the use of the Pope laying at his feet his Scepter Robe Sword and Ring and subscribed to a Charter whereby he resigned his Kingdom to the Pope Professing he did it neither through fear or force but of his own free will as having no other way to make satisfaction to God and the Church for his offence And that from that time forward he would hold his Crown of the Pope paying a pension annual of a Thousand Marks for the Kingdoms of
England and Ireland Pandulph now having got what he came for hastens into France there to disswade Philip from proceeding against King John as being become an obedient and reconciled Son to the Church But Philip who was of his holy Fathers mind not caring for K. John's repentance but his Crown in great choler professed That since the Pope himself had so far thrust him on his Legats suggestions no nor his threats of excommunication should not withdraw him from his intentions In which resolution calling his Peers into a consultation they all approved his design save Ferdinand Earl of Flanders who alledged that it was an unreasonable thing to think of invading another mans right inforcing this his judgment with so good arguments that thereby many of the Peers were induced to change their opinion Which so incensed K. Philip that he drew his Forces against Flanders commanding his mighty prepared Fleet to set forward thitherward Of the which K. John having speedy intelligence set forth his Navy and happily surprized the French Fleet at the Port of Damme whilst most of the Soldiers were on Land spoiling the Earls Country taking 300 Vessels laden with Provisions Arms and other costly fraught and burning and sinking above an 100. And now the King thinking to take the advantage of this Victory made ready a great Army for the recovery of his hereditary Provinces lost to the French but when all else was ready then the Barons denied him their attendance till he was assoyled of his Excommunication and that their pristine liberties granted them by Henry the first were restored Stephen Langton animating them herein and promising his faithful assistance to them Hereupon the King makes his appeal to Rome presenting the Pope with rich presents in answer to which the Pope sent his Legate the Bishop of Tusculum who wrought with the King to corroborate the conveyance of his Kingdoms to the Pope unto which the King yielded But the Archbishop of Canterbury opposed himself against it with whom the Peers of the Land joyned avowing it to be an execrable thing to the whole World And in a full Parliament it was Enacted That since the King could not without consent of Parliament bring his Realm and people to such thraldom therefore if the Pope should in the future attempt any such thing again with life and livelihood he should be withstood The Pope hearing of this not only conceived exceeding hatred against the Archbishop but sent also his authentick Letters for repealing the Interdict upon restitution of 1300 Marks more to the Prelates and that but by equal portions of five years payment And now the King passed into Poictou which he reduced thence into Britain where his Poictovins according to their old custome proved false to him to his great detriment The while his Barons they play Rex at home renewing their confederation and binding themselves with an Oath at the High Altar at St. Edmonds bury That they would pursue the King with Arms till he should consent to the Charter of Liberties granted by Henry 1st So that the King was inforced to return into England where when come they challenged this Charter as a part of his Oath made at his Absolution and shortly after they met together at Stamford with a very numerous Army Their General was Robert Fitz-Walter whom they stiled The Marshal of Gods Army and Holy Church London invited them to enter the City by night where when entred by their threatful Letters they not only drew most of the Nobles from the King but had also almost lockt him out of his Royal Seat insomuch that he was necessitated by gentle messages to procure of his factious Barons a place and day of meeting which was Running-Mead betwixt Windsor and Stains since called Councel-Mead whither they came with Armed multitudes out of all the Kingdom numberless Where the King perceiving their so great strength and his own small party he granted them the utmost of their desires not only for liberties specified in Magna Charta and Charta Forestae but also for a kind of rule in the government by 25 selected Peers to whose command all the other Barons were also bound by Oath to be obedient But the King could not long relish this therefore privately sends to his trustiest friends to fortify and victual their Castles and himself secretly retires into the Isle of Wight From whence he dispatched Messengers both to the Pope and his foreign friends to crave the censure of the one and succours of the other against such outragious Rebels In both which his Agents were so sedulous and friends compassionate that at Rome by definitive sentence the Barons Charters were made voyd the King and Barons accursed if either of them observed the composition made at Councel-Mead And from Flanders Goscoin Brabrant and other parts such competent aids came in as incouraged the King after Three Months secrecy to shew himself in the face of his Enemies His Host he divided into two parts with the one conducted by himself Northward he every-where subdued his Rebels as likewise did the Earl of Salisbury Southward Stephen Langton the Pope suspended for abetting the Barons and his Brother Simon Langton Archbishop elect of York had his election made voyd the Pope constituting in his place Walter Gray whose Pall cost him no less than 1000 pounds The Archiepiscopal Pall is a Pontifical Vestment made of Lambs wooll as it comes from the Sheeps back without any other artificial colour and spun by a peculiar order of Nuns cast into St. Peters Tomb and adorned with little black Crosses having two Labells hanging down before and behind which the Archbishops when going to the Altar put about their Necks above their other pontifical Ornaments The disloyal Barons were all excommunicated by name and all their Lands together with the City of London Interdicted But the lofty Barons held those censures in so high contempt that they decreed neither themselves nor Citizens of London should observe them nor the Prelates denounce them And to revive their dying Cause they resolve on a project for betraying the Crown of England unto Lewis the Dauphin of France sending their Letters of Allegiance confirmed with all the Barons Seals to implore K. Philips favour for sending his Son and his Son for the acceptance of the English Crown To prevent a correspondency herein the Pope sends his Apostolical Commands to Philip of France that he should stay his Son from entring upon St. Peters patrimony with a Curse also on all such as should assist the excommunicate Barons To which Philip replied That England was no patrimony of St. Peters no King saith he having power of himself to alienate his Kingdom K. John especially who being never lawful King had no power to dispose thereof and that it was an error and pernicious example in the Pope and an itching lust after a new kind of Domination His Peers swore That they would spend their blood rather than suffer that a King
had homage done him by many of the Scotish Lords at Dumfres he next took unjust revenge on Walter Langton Bishop of Chester by Imprisoning him and seizing all his temporal goods and credits because that in his Father K. Edward's life-time the Bishop had gravely reproved him for his misdemeanors and had complained on Pierce Gavestone whereon ensued young Edward's Imprisonment and Gaveston's banishment Then he sailed into France where at Bolein with wonderful magnificence he was married to young Isabel Daughter of Philip the Fair and at his return for England brought back with him his beloved Minion Pierce Gaveston who was a Gentleman stranger brought up with him Which Gaveston the King suffered now to Lord it over the chief Nobles to fill the Court with Buffoons and Parasites and the like pernicious instruments to wast the wealth of the Kingdom in revellings and riotous courses to transport riches into foreign parts bestowing upon him his own Jewels and Ancestors treasures and even the Crown it self of his victorious Father Not sticking to profess That if it lay in his power he should succeed him in the Kingdom being wholly ruled by him Therefore to repress Gaveston's exorbitances the Lords in Parliament procured though with no good-will of the Kings that Gaveston Earl of Cornwall should be perpetually banished they gratifying the King with a subsidy of the 20th part of the Subjects goods Howbeit shortly after the King contrary to his Oath made unto the Parliament called Earl Gaveston home out the Ireland himself meeting him at Flint-Castle and then bestowing on him to Wife Joan of Acres Countess of Glocester resolving for this leud mans sake to put Crown Life and all in hazard And now the insolent Earl strives to outgo himself in his former courses consuming the Kings treasures and means so that there was not sufficient left for the necessities of the Court and drawing the King into such debaucheries that the Queen conceived her self injured thereby as well as the Nobles Whereupon Gaveston is a third time forced out of the Realm into which he again returned the following Christmas when the King welcomed him as an Angel from Heaven and forthwith advanced him to be principal Secretary But the Lords as well Ecclesiastical as Temporal resolved by force of Arms utterly to extirpate him chusing for their Leader in this design Thomas Earl of Lancaster And at Datkington this infamous Earl Gaveston was surprized by Guy Earl of Warwick who conveyed him to Warwick-Castle and in a place called Blacklow afterward Gaveshead caused his head to be cut off as a subverter of the Laws and an open Traytor to the Kingdom Which act caused a lasting hatred in the King to his Nobles John Offord A.B. Cant. though for the present the Kings displeasure was allayed by the mediation of the Prelates and especially of Gilbert Earl of Glocester who stood neutral But whilst the English King minded only his pleasure undaunted Bruce now the received King of Scotland industriously prosecuted his design for setting his Country at liberty from the English driving them out of most places of his Realm and making great spoil in Northumberland Which awakning K. Edward he marched with a very great Army against him though many of the Nobles refused to attend him in this service because he delayed to ratifie their desired Liberties and provisions for better Government so often consented unto by himself At Bannocksbourn the English and Scotch Armies came in sight each of other when the enemy left nothing undone that might be for their advantage digging before their Battalions certain trenches wherein they stuâ—k sharp Stakes covering them with Hurdles which miserably afflicted the English Cavalry falling into them at unawares thereby procuring to the Scots the greatest victory that ever they had over the English In this fight K. Edward did gallantly behave himself nor would he fly till by the importunity of friends he was thereunto forced for his preservation Now was slain the Earl of Glocester the Lord Clifford with other Lords and about 700 Knights Esquires and mâ—n of Armories Humphry de Bohun was taken Prisoner and a great booty the Scots gained for the English in this expedition had adorned themselves as for a triumph with all sorts of riches gold silver and the like in a kind of wanton manner corresponding to the Prince they followed In those times the Scots made such-like scoffing Rhimes as this on the English Long Beards heartless painted Hoods witless Gay Coats graceless makes England thriftless This Conquest incouraged the Scots to make inroads into the English Northern Counties where they made great spoil some of the disloyal Englishmen joyning with them The King nevertheless could not forget his Gaveston whose body with great pomp he caused to be transferred from Oxford to Kings-Langley in Hartfordshire himself in person honouring the Exequies Then in Pierce Gavestons place the King advanced into his favour the two Spencers Father and Son whose intolerable insolencies and oppressions seemed to exceed those of Gavestons against whom the Barons did swell with such impatience that not content with the wast of their Lands by threats of civil War they procured their Banishment The Queen who hitherto had been a Mediatrix betwixt the King and his Lords having received the denyal of one nights lodging at the Castle of â—eeds in Kent which belonged to one of the Barons whom she perceived to take too much upon them now turned her Spleen against them incensing the King her Husband against them so highly that King Edward resolved to dye in the quarrel or to bring the factious Lords into a more becoming carriage towards him The judgment given against the Spencers he procured to be reversed Some of the Delinquent Lords render'd themselves to the King others of them were apprehended amongst whom were the two Roger Mortimers Father and Son who were committed to the Tower Howbeit the Earl of Lancaster in the North resolved with what forces he could procure to fight for his security against whom the King marched and at Burrowbridg encountred him where Humphrey de Bohun was slain with a spear from under the bridg and the Earl of Lancaster with other principal men Barons and Knights to the number of above ninety were taken by Andrew de Herckly Captain of Carlisle afterward created Earl of that place The Earl of Lancaster a few days after was beheaded at Pontfract the Barons and Knights were drawn hang'd and quarter'd The Lord Badlesmere who refused to let the Queen lodg at Leeds was executed at Canterbury Never did English earth at one time drink so much blood of her Nobles as at this time in so vile a manner shed One Earl and Fourteen Lords suffering death most of them by the halter But that this Tragedy of the Lords was exploited by others and not by the Kings free inclinations appears for that when some of the Courtiers and Favourites pleaded for the life of one of a mean Family
Citizens exceedingly Himself did not only become one amongst them causing himself to be entred a Brother of the Merchant-Taylors Company but also wore the habit at a publick Feast and sate as Master of the Company A. D. 1492 Octob. the sixth King Henry with his Host landed at Callis from whence with his whole forces he marched towards Boloigne which when he had besieged Articles of peace were concluded betwixt him and the King of France For King Henry before his going out of England had been dealt with on the French Kings behalf to accept of conditions but would not enter into any Treaty with him till he was in the field and that with such a puissance as vvas likely enough to force his ovvn conditions When Henry had to his advantage setled his transmarine affairs he returned for England vvhere he vvas not to remain long in quiet For the Dutchess of Burgundy had provided another counterfeit King a youth of a Princely personage called Peter VVarbeck the son of a converted Jew This her creature Peter or as some called him Perkin and Peterkin under the name and Title of Richard Plantaginet second son of King Edward the fourth had great honour given him by the King of France And divers persons of eminency in England were so deluded that they believed him to be the true Richard and thereupon sought to advance him to the Crown which cost some of them the price of their heads as the Lord Fitz-VValter Sir Simon Montford Sir William Stanley Lord Chamberlain that gained the Victory for King Henry at Bosworth-field These with more were put to death for favouring of Perkin The King also for the further prevention of dangers caused the coasts of England to be strongly guarded sent a new Lord Chancellor into Ireland Henry Denny a Monk of Langton-Abby and Sir Edward Poynings with some forces whose greatest care and diligence was to punish such as before time had given any assistance to the Mock-king and to restrain such as were likely to do so in time to come The Earl of Kildare falling under suspition Poynings sent prisoner into England where the King did graciously hear and admit his defences and returned him with Honour and continuation of authority The Irish had formerly exhibited many Articles against this Earl the last of which was Finally all Ireland cannot rule this Earl Then quoth the King shall this Earl rule all Ireland constituting him Lord-Deputy thereof But Perkin having gained private assistance from the French King and Maximilian to strengthen yet his enterprize he repairs into Scotland unto James the fourth having special recommendations from the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy who gave him most courteous entertainment The rare impudency of the youth and that connexion which his darings had with other Princes drew this King into an errour concerning him When he was first brought to the presence of the King of Scots with a right Princely gracefulness he declared to the said King That Edward the fourth leaving two sons Edward and Richard both very young their unnatural Uncle Richard to obtain the Crown purposed the murder of them both but the instruments of his cruelty having murdred his elder brother the young King were moved with pity to spare his life and that thus saved by the mercy of God he was privately conveyed beyond the Seas the world supposing that himself also had been murdred And that Henry Teuder Earl of Richmond after he had by subtle and foul means obtained the Crown he then wrought all means and ways to procure the final destruction of him the rightful Heir to the English Diadem That his said mortal enemy Henry hath not only falsely surmised him to be a feigned person giving him Nick-names so abusing the World but that also to deprive him of his right he had offered large Sums of Mony to corrupt the Princes with whom he had been retained and had imploy'd his servants to murder him That every man of reason might well understand that the said Henry needed not to have taken these courses against him had he been a feigned person That the truth of his manifest cause had moved the King of France and Dutchess of Burgundy his most Dear Ant to yield him their assistence That now because the Kings of Scotland were wont to support them who were spoiled and bereft of the said Kingdom of England and for that he the said King James had given clear signs that he was of the like Noble quality and temper with his Ancestors he so distressed a Prince came to put himself into his hands desiring his aid to recover his Realms promising faithfully that when his Kingdoms were regained he would gratefully do him all the pleasure that should lie in his utmost power The King of Scots was so influenced with this Impostors words amiable person Princely deportment recommendations of Princes his aids from the Irish and assured hope of aid in England that he honourably received him as if he had been the very Richard Duke of York and gave his consent that this pretended Duke should marry the Lady Katharine Gourdon daughter to the Earl of Huntly which accordingly he did and also prepared to invade England in his quarrel although there wanted not them who with many arguments advised this King to repute him for no other than a Cheat. King Henry that he might be prepared for the Scots called a Parliament which granted a Tax to be gathered of six score thousand pounds the Levy of which mony kindled a dangerous fire in England For when the Kings Collectors came amongst the Cornish-men to receive their proportion of the Tax they tumultuously assembled under the leading of one Thomas Flammock a Lawyer and Michael Joseph a Black-Smith of Bodnam Which Captains led their rout towards Kent and at Wells James Tuchet Lord Audley joyned with them From Wells they proceeded to Black-Heath where the Kings forces defeated them without much labour fifteen hundred of the Rebels were taken and the takers had their prisoners goods granted them James Lord Audley was led from New-gate to Tower-hill in a Coat of his own Armories painted on a Paper reverst and torn where he was executed Flammock and the Smith were quartred Memorably strange was the comfort that the Smith cheered himself withall as he was drawing to his execution to wit That yet he hoped that by this means his Name and Memory should be everlasting The Kings care was now to order the War against Scotland whither he sent the Earl of Surrey with an Army to invade the Scotch borders as they had lately done the English The Earl pursued the revenge with great vehemency but in short time by the King of Spains mediation a Truce was concluded betwixt the two Nations One Article of which Truce was That Perkin should be no longer fostered in Scotland Whereupon he withdraws into â—reland whither the Cornish-men sent to him inviting him amongst them promising that at his arrival
of his place and committed to the Tower for some days A. D. 1621 the Count Palatine of the Rhine was elected King of Bohemia by the States of that Kingdom but immediately after the Emperor with great forces assaulted him in Prague drove him with his Wife and Children from thence and deprived him of his Patrimony the Palatinate Prince Charles about this time by great Gundamores perswasion was sent into Spain in order to the gaining of the Infanta to Wife it being suggested that by that match with Spain a re-settlement of the Prince Palatine in his Patrimony might have been procured But when the Prince was arrived in Spain though he found Royal entertainment in the Court yet was he suffered to have little acquaintance with the Infanta insomuch that in all his eight months stay in Spain he never spake with her but twice and that before company with certain limitations also what he should speak to her Some thought that a difference betwixt the Duke of Buckingham then with the Prince and Count Olivares the King of Spains great Favourite was no small obstruction to the match Others thought that the King of Spain never intended any such thing but meant only by this Treaty to spin out time till he had compassed some designs in the Low-Countries and Palatinate But howsoever it was Gundamore made some good improvement of the Treaty to himself for he perswaded some English Ladies of the certainty of the match and they gave him good Sums of money to be put in such or such an Office when the Spanish Princess should come to the English Court King James at last wearied with delaies if not angred with the delusion sent for the Prince to return which accordingly he did and not long after this Treaty of marriage with Spain was utterly ended and the King made preparations both of men and money to recover the Palatinate and sent to Treat of a marriage with France A. D. 1525 and March 27th this Politick and Peaceable Monarch King James died of an Ague at Theobalds and was buried at Westminster with great solemnity and greater lamentations of his Subjects His Issue were Henry Charles Elizabeth And Mary and Sophia who both died young Two obstinate Arian-Hereticks Bartholomew Legat and Edward Wightman were burnt the first in Smithfield the other at Lichfield George Abbot Archbishop of Canterbury being on hunting as he shot at a Deer his Arrow by mischance glanced and killed a man but he was cleared yet out of a Religious tenderness he kept the day of the year on which the mischance hapned with a solemn fast all his life after The murder of one VVaters murdered by his Wife was discovered by a dream One of the said VVaters neighbours dreamed that VVaters was strangled and buried in such a certain dunghill which upon search was found true and the Wife was burned for the fact A. D. 1606 Virginia was planted with an English Colony It was first discovered A. D. 1584 by Sir VValter Rawleigh who is said to have first brought that charming weed Tobacco into England The Bermudas and New-England were also made English Plantations King James for a sum of money quit the Cautionary Towns Brill c. A. D. 1612 A blazing Star was seen streaming toward the West infinite slaughters and devastations following both in Germany and other places Mayors and Sheriffs of London in his Reign In his first Year Sir Thomas Bennet was Mayor Sir William Rumney Sir Thomas Middleton Sheriffs In his second Year Sir Thomas Low was Mayor Sir Thomas Hayes Sir Roger Jones Sheriffs In his third Year Sir Leonard Hollyday was Mayor Sir Clement Scudamor Sir John Jolles Sheriffs In his fourth Year Sir John VVats was Mayor William VValthall John Leman Sheriffs In his fifth Year Sir Henry Row was Mayor Geoffrey Elwes Nicholas Style Sheriffs In his sixth Year Sir Humphrey VVeld vvas Mayor George Bolles Richard Farrington Sheriffs In his seventh Year Sir Thomas Cambell vvas Mayor Sebastian Harvey William Cockaine Sheriffs In his eighth Year Sir William Craven vvas Mayor Richard Pyat Francis Jones Sheriffs In his ninth Year Sir James Pemberton was Mayor Edward Barkham John Smiths Sheriffs In his tenth Year Sir John Swinnerton vvas Mayor Edward Rotheram Alexander Prescot Sheriffs In his eleventh Year Sir Thomas Middleton vvas Mayor Thomas Bennet Henry Jaye Sheriffs In his twelfth Year Sir Thomas Hayes was Mayor Peter Proby Martin Lumley Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year Sir John Jolles was Mayor VVilliam Goare John Goare Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year Sir John Leman was Mayor Allen Cotten Cuthbert Hacket Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year Sir George Bolles vvas Mayor William Holyday Robert Johnson Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year Sir Sebastian Harvey was Mayor Richard Hearne Hugh Hamersley Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year Sir William Cockaine vvas Mayor Richard Deane James Cambell Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year Sir Francis Jones was Mayor Edward Allen Robert Ducie Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year Sir Edward Barkham was Mayor George Whitemore Nicholas Rainton Sheriffs In his twentieth Year Sir Peter Proby was Mayor John Hodges Sir Humphrey Hantford Sheriffs In his one and twentieth Year Sir Martin Lumley was Mayor Ralph Freeman Thomas Mounson Sheriffs In his two and twentieth Year Sir John Goare was Mayor Rowland Heilin Robert Parkhurst Sheriffs CHARLES I. CHARLES the First was born at Dunferling in Scotland on November the nineteenth A. D. 1600 A. D. 1625. but in so much weakness that his Baptisme was hastned In the second year of his age he was created Duke of Albany Marquess of Ormond Earl of Ross and Baron of Ardmonack In the fourth year of his age he was brought to the English Court and made Knight of the Bath and invested with the Title of Duke of York In his eleventh year he was made Knight of the Garter and in his twelfth year Duke of Cornwal In his sixteenth year he was created Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Flint the revenues thereof being assigned to maintain his Court. In his nineteenth year he performed a Justing at White-hall wherein he acquitted himself with a bravery equal to his dignity A. D. 1622 he was sent into Spain there to contract a marriage with the Infanta whither he was to pass incognito through France accompanyed only with the Marquess of Buckingham Mr. Endymion Porter and Mr. Francis Cottington But this attempt of King James in sending him to the Court of Spain raised the censures of the World upon him as being too forgetful of the inhospitality of Princes to each other when they have been found in an others Dominions And this none other daring to mind the King of his Jester Archee did it after this manner He came to exchange Caps with the King why so said King James because said Archee thou hast sent the Prince into Spain from whence he is never like to return But said the King what wilt thou say when thou seest him come back again Marry saith the
blow severed his Royal Head from his Body Whose blood was taken up by several persons for different ends by some as Trophies of their Villany by others as â—â—licks of a Martyr His Corps embalmed and wrapped in Lead was conveyed to Windsor by some of his Servants And February the 9th 1648. was there Interred in the Chappel-Royal by the Duke of Richmond Marquess of Hartford Earls of Southampton and Lindsey and the Bishop of London A Prince he was very temperate chaste humble affectionate to his People eloquent notwithstanding some small hesitation in his utterance exceeding in fortitude and patience most devout in and constant to his Religion His Issue were first Charles-James who died almost as soon as born Charles the Second whom God preserve James Duke of York Henry Duke of Gloucester born July 8th 1640 Mary born the 4th of November 1631 Elizabeth born the 28 of December 1635 Anne born March the 7th 1636 Katharine Henrietta Maria born June the 16th 1644 In his troubles he composed an excellent Book intituled Eikon Basilicon he had begun the repairing of St. Paul's at London he built that famous Ship called the Royal Soveraign whose burden was 1636 Tuns her length 127 foot her breadth within the Planks 46 foot her depth from the breadth 19 foot carrying 100 piece of Ordinances wanting four her Lanthorn so large that ten men might stand in it her building cost Eighty thousand pounds An. Dom. 1625 was a great Plague at London whereof died within the Bills of Mortality 41313. A. D. 1632 and February the 11th happened a great Fire on London-Bridg 1635 Thomas Parre died being aged 152 years and was buried in the Abby-Church at Westminster The Names of the Regicides who sate when Judgment was for murdring the King were Serjeant John Bradshaw President of the Court Oliver Cromwell Henry Ireton Thomas Lord Grey of Groby John Danvers Hardress Waller Thomas Maleverer John Bourchier William Counstable Michael Livesey Gregory Norton Knights John Lisle William Say William Hechingham John Blakestone Gilbert Millington Cornelius Holland John Carew Miles Corbet Francis Allen Peregrin Pelham Humphrey Edwards Gregory Clement Thomas Wogan Thomas Scot William Cawley Anthony Stapely Nicholas Love Augustine Garland John Dixwell Simon Mayne Daniel Blagrave Esquires Valentine Walton Thomas Harrison Edward Whaley Thomas Pride Isaac Ewer Henry Marten William Purefoy John Berkstead Edmund Ludlow John Hutchinson Robert Tichburn Owen Roe Robert Lilburn Adrian Scrope Richard Dean John Okey John Hewson William Goffe John Jones John Moor John Alured Henry Smith Edmund Harvey John Venne John Downes Thomas Horton Thomas Hammond George Fleetwood James Temple Thomas Wait Colonels Isaac Pennington and Thomas Andrews Aldermen of London Vincent Potter and Peter Temple Officers belonging to the High Court of Injustice were Dr. Dorislaus Ask William Steel who excused himself by sickness John Cook Solicitor Dendy Mace-bearer Broughton and Phelps Clerks Isaac King Crier Woolfred Pain Radley Powell Hull Messengers and Door-keepers forty of these men of blood The Warrant for the Kings Execution was directed to Colonel Francis Hacker Colonel Huncks and Lieutenant Colonel Phayre to see it done But who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords Anointed and be guiltless Sam. 26.9 My Son saith the wise man Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change for their calamity shall rise suddenly Mayors and Sheriffs of London in his Reign In his first year 1625. Sir Allen Cotton was Mayor Thomas Westraw Ellis Crisp died Jo. Pool and Christopher Cletherow after Sheriffs In his second year 1626. Sir Cuthbert Hacket was Mayor Edward Bromfeild Richard Fenn Sheriffs In his third Year 1627. Sir Hugh Hamersley was Mayor Maurice Abbot Henry Garraway Sheriffs In his fourth Year 1628. Sir Richard Dean was Mayor Rowland Backhouse William Acton Knight and Baronet Sheriffs In his fifth Year 1629. Sir James Cambell was Mayor Humphrey Smith Edmund Wright Sheriffs In his sixth Year 1630. Sir Robert Ducie Barr. vvas Mayor Arthur Abdy Robert Cambell Sheriffs In his seventh Year 1631. Sir George Whitmore vvas Mayor Samuel Cranmore Henry Prat Sheriffs In his eighth Year 1632. Sir Nicholas Raynton vvas Mayor Hugh Perry Henry Andrews Sheriffs In his ninth Year 1633. Sir Ralph Freeman and Sir Tho. Moulston Mayor Gilbert Harrison Richard Gurney Sheriffs In his tenth Year 1634. Sir Robert Parkhurst was Mayor John Heylord John Cordell Sheriffs In his eleventh Year 1635. Sir Christopher Cletherow vvas Mayor Thomas Soame John Gayer Sheriffs In his twelfth Year 1636. Sir Edward Bromfeild was Mayor VVilliam Abell John Garrat Sheriffs In his thirteenth Year 1637. Sir Richard Fenn was Mayor Thomas Atkin Edward Rudge Sheriffs In his fourteenth Year 1638. Sir Maurice Abot was Mayor Isaac Pennington John VVollaston Sheriffs In his fifteenth Year 1639. Sir Henry Garraway was Mayor Thomas Adams John VVarner Sheriffs In his sixteenth Year 1640 Sir Edmund VVright vvas Mayor John Towse Abraham Reynardson Sheriffs In his seventeenth Year 1641. Sir Richard Gurney was Mayor George Garret George Clarke Sheriffs In his eighteenth Year 1642. Isaac Pennington vvas Mayor John Langham Thomas Andrews Sheriffs In his nineteenth Year 1643. Sir John VVollaston was Mayor John Fowke James Bunce Sheriffs In his twentieth Year 1644. Thamas Atkin was Mayor VVilliam Gibbs Richard Chambers Sheriffs In his one and twentieth Year 1645. Thomas Adams was Mayor John Kendrick Thomas Foot Sheriffs In his two and twentieth Year Sir John Gayer was Mayor Thomas Cullam Simon Edmonds Sheriffs In his three and twentieth Year 1647. Sir John VVarner was Mayor Samuel Avery John Bide Sheriffs In his four and twentieth Year 1648. Sir Abraham Reynardson was Mayor Thomas Vyner Richard Brown Sheriffs Thomas Andrews Mayor in room of Reynardson sent to the Tower CHARLES the Second A. D. 1648 JAnuary the 30th Charles the Second was then in Holland when his Father King Charles the First was murdered and that tayl of a Parliament sitting at Westminster were resolved instead of admitting him the lawful Heir unto the Government of England to assume it unto themselves To which end they first set forth a Proclamation That no person whatsoever should presume to proclaim or any way to promote Charles Stuart Son of Charles Stuart late King of England or any other person to be King or chief Magistrate of these Kingdoms but he that should attempt any such thing should be adjudged a Traytor After this they voted the House of Lords to be useless and dangerous and Kingly Government to be unnecessary and burthensome and therefore they abolished both Howbeit the Marquess of Ormond caused his Majesty to be publickly proclaimed King in Ireland and the Scotch Parliament did the like in Scotland But the Members at Westminster having a Victorious Army on their side proceeded to establish their Projects caused all publick Writings to be issued out in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England by Authority of Parliament ordering a new great Seal to be
his Kingdoms his Majesty was pleased to dignifie him with the honour of being Knight of the Garter Master of his Horse Duke of Albemarle Earl of Torrington Baron Monk of Potheridg c. Chief General of all his Land-forces in the three Kingdoms and one of his Privy Council May the 29th His Majesty made his Triumphal Cavalcade through the City of London whither he was welcomed with all the expressions of Joy possible And being come to White-hall he there in his Presence-Chamber offered the Sacrifice of Peace and Thanksgiving unto Almighty God for his wonderful reffauration Then applied himself to the ordering of his Court and appointed the chief Officers of State His Highness James Duke of York he invested with the Office of Lord High Admiral Sir Edward Hide whose Daughter the Duke of York married he constituted Lord Chancellour The Earl of Manchester Lord Chamberlain The Lord Worthsley Earl of Southampton Lord High Treasurer Sir Edward Nicholas and Sir William Morrice chief Secretaries of State c. And others who had been constantly Loyal to him or had performed any eminent good service for him he advanced to places of High trust and dignity in the Court and Commonwealth But because the persons were numerous that had in an extraordinary sort been serviceable in promoting the Kings interest and his Majesty had no other way to express at present his gracious acceptance thereof to many of them he therefore honoured their name and family by conferring on them according to their merit the Titles of Duke Earl Viscount Baron Knight Jun. 6. the Parliament set forth a Proclamation wherein it was declared That all such of the late Kings Judges as would not render themselves within so many days to their mercy should be excepted out of the general pardon then preparing whereupon 20 of the Regicides came out of their coverts and presenting themselves to the Speaker of the House of Commons were committed to custody In August following the long expected Act of Indempnity was passed by which all that had been any ways engaged against the King were pardoned save the Regicides and a very few others and amongst those there were three who were freed in respect of life liberty and estate because they had given evident signs of their hearty sorrow for that crying sin It was also Enacted that the 30. of January should to all Posterities be observed a day of Humiliation for that great wickedness of murdering Gods Vicegerent the King Also that May 29. should in all succeeding ages be observed a day of Thanksgiving for the Kings peaceable Restauration to the actual possession and exercise of his Legal authority over his Subjects An Act for Pole-money was likewise passed and an Act for enabling Soldiers of the Army to exercise Trades in any Corporation that thereby they might be in a capacity of living honestly and comfortably after their disbanding September the thirteenth That hopeful Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester departed this life and on the same day the Parliament was adjourned to the sixth of November following In October Major General Harrison Mr. John Carew and other of the Regicides were arraigned at the old Bayly in London where they were all found guilty and condemned to die the death due to Traytors Of the Regicides now condemned were hang'd and quartered at Charing-Cross Harrison Carew Cook Peters Scot Scroop Jones and Clement and at Tyburn Hacker was hanged and Axtel a busie promoter of the Kings death was hanged and quartered All save Hugh Peters dyed very resolutely The persons whose names follow had the favour to be reprieved after Condemnation because they delivered themselves to the Parliaments mercy upon their Proclamation Hardres Waller Wait Tichburn Marten Pennington Row Holland Downs Garland Temple Millington Hevingham Lilburn Fleetwood Smith Meyn and Hulet This last was accused to be one of those two which in a Frock and Vizard assisted in the horrid execution of the King but because the evidence against him seemed to the Judges not sufficiently clear he had his reprieve December the 24th Mary the Princess of Orange dyed at White-Hall and on the 29th of the same month was buryed at VVestminster and the Parliament on the same day dissolved At the dissolution whereof the King gave His Royal consent to these Acts amongst many others viz. An Act for granting to the Kings Majesty 400000 l. by Assessment of 70000 l. per mensem for six months for disbanding the Army and paying the Navy And an Act of Attainder which was made to attaint the Judges and other Actors in the murder of the late King Cromwell Ireton Bradshaw Pride and all the rest of the Regicides deceased are adjudged to be convicted and attainted of High Treason to all intents and purposes as if they and every of them respectively had been attainted in their life-time And all persons fled for that Treason that is to say John Lisle VVilliam Say John Berkstead Valentine VValton Edward VVhaley Edmund Ludlow Sir Michael Levesey John Okey John Hewson VVilliam Goff Thomas Challoner VVilliam Cawley Miles Corbet Nicholas Low John Dixwell Daniel Blagrave Andrew Broughton Edward Dendy and every of them stand and be adjudged convicted of High Treason c. After his Majesty had given his Royal assent to the Acts presented him he made a Speech to both Houses wherein he used these memorable expressions That this Parliament should be called to all posterity The Healing and the Blessed Parliament In the beginning of January Following whilst his Majesty was accompanying his Royal Mother and Sister Henrietta Maria part of their Journey to France an inconsiderable number of the fifth Monarchists raised a great disturbance in London killing some of the City-watch and two nights with great desperateness opposing the Trained-bands and other force till at length divers of them being wounded and others slain the rest that could made their escape And in a few days after was Captain Vennor and twelve more of them executed in Coleman-street over against their meeting-house and other parts of London January the thirtieth were the dead bodies of those infamous Traytors Cromwell Ireton Bradshaw all buried at VVestminster taken out of their Coffins and drawn upon Hurdles to Tyburn they were hang'd by the neck for some hours then had their heads chopt off which were perched upon VVestminster-hall and their bodies thrown into a hole under the Gallows This Year of Jubilee were the lands of the Kings Loyal Subjects restored to them that had been unjustly taken from them by the late Usurper the Bishops Deans and Chapters lands were likewise restored to the use of these Church-men A. D. 1661. The entrance of this Year was made famous by the magnificent Coronation of King Charles the Second who was Crowned at VVestminster on St. Georges day by the hands of Dr. Juxon Archbishop of Canterbury May the eighth according to His Majesties summons the Parliament met at VVestminster and elected Sir Edward Turnor for their Speaker May the
depart the Kingdom upon pain of having the Laws and Statutes of the Realm put in execution against them Anno 1671. In the beginning of this year died at St. James's her Royal Highness Anne Dutchess of York Daughter to the Earl of Clarendon and was shortly after privately buried at Westminster The Parliament still sate and amongst others having past an Act for an addition to the Kings Revenue by an Imposition on proceedings at Law by an humble Address they Petitioned His Majesty that he would be pleased by his Royal Example to encourage the wearing of the Manufactures of his own Kingdome and to discountenance the use of Foreign to which the King having graciously condescended they were Prorogued till the 16th of April next ensuing In June Sir Edward Sprague Admiral for the King in the Mediterranean Sea burnt and took under the very Guns of the Castle of Bugia nine of the best men of War of Algier This News so incensed that people that in a tumultuary manner they cut off the Head of their King the Aga having done the like to their General and forced their New created King to make a Peace much to the advantage of England The Parliament was again Prorogued from the 16th of April following to the 30th of October 1672. This Year his Majesty was pleased to Honour the City of London with his Presence at the Lord Mayors Feast being the first that since the Fire was kept in their Guild-hall after it was advantageously repaired The King having long concealed his Just displeasure against the Dutch and his resentments of their unworthy dealings towards him intends now an open War with the Vnited Provinces In order thereunto in January 1671 2 his Majesty declared that seing his Neighbours were making great preparations both by Sea and Land he looked upon himself as obliged to put himself into such a Posture as might best secure his Government and People And that seeing Money which was absolutely necessary for that end was wanting he was unavoidably forced which otherwise he would not have done to put a Stop to the Payment of all Moneys brought in or to be brought in to his Exchequer for the space of one whole Year In the mean time Sir George Downing his Majesties Embassadour in Holland Presses the States hard with the Business of the Flag but finding his Demands shifted of with Delays and his Negotiation like to prove successess he returned back in a short time to England where he was committed to the Tower for not having punctually obeyed his Instructions In March 1671 2 there was War declared by the King of Great Britain the Dutch by this allarmed and by the proceedings and preparations of the French King which they knew tended to a rupture with them fortified themselves with all diligence as well by Forces at home as Allies abroad and made the Prince of Orange their Captain General at Land and Admiral at Sea for the ensuing Years actions This Year the beautiful Escurial in Spain one of the most Magnificent buildings in Europe and reckoned one of the Wonders of the World was consumed by fire Besides the many Varieties that here were lost the Famous Library perished a loss hardly ever again to be repaired The French King being now joyned with the English in War against the Dutch Anno 1672. in the beginning of this year marches at the head of his Main Army towards the Frontiers of the Netherlands and sends his Fleet to joyn the English In May both Fleets were joyned at Sea under the Command of His Royal Highness the Duke of York making all together about 160 Sail. They had had often sight of the Dutch but no Engagement till the 28th of this Month and then in Southwold Bay a sharp Fight began about five of the Clock in the Morning and was obstinately maintained on both sides till Night the Dutch then bore away and the Duke stood after them keeping within sight of their Lights all Night In this Engagement died the Earl of Sandwich Captain Digby in the Henry Sir John Cox hard by the Duke in the Prince Sir Frescheville Hollis and Monsieur de la Rabiner the French Rear Admiral Several other Officers were slain and wounded about Seven hundred common Seamen lost and as many wounded the Royal James burnt and the Katherine taken but by her own men rescued again On the Dutch side were killed Admiral Van Ghent and Captain Brakhel Their great Ships were sadly shattered two sunk one taken and one burnt many others were missing whereof no account could be given and a great many of their common Seamen killed and wounded The French at the same time to increase their loss took several of their Towns and Forts by Land Next day after this Engagement in the Afternoon The Duke of York put twice out his bloody Flag upon sight of the Dutch but was as often prevented from Engaging them by thick Fogs and Mists which gave the Duch opportunity to retreat and so no more considerable Action at Sea was performed this year The States being thus pressed in all probality above the strength of so small a Republick having the French on the one side the Bishop of Munster on the other by Land and the English by Sea to deal with were not able to repress the Tumults and Insolencies of the exasperated People The Burghers of Dort in a tumultuary manner got the Prince of Orange created Statholder which was afterward confirmed by the States And at the Hague not long after a masterless Rabble hall'd out of Prison the Ruart van Putten and his Brother De Witt who had been condemned to lose their Dignities and be banished for some Designs against the Prince and barbarously murthered them dragging their Bodies through the Streets hanging them on the Gallows by the Heels and afterward inhumanely tearing and cutting them to picces The Parliament of England which was to have met in October was prorogued till the Fourth of February following This year was the Earl of Essex sent into Ireland to succeed to the Lord John Berkley as Lieutenant of that Kingdom The Lord Keeper of England Bridgeman now aged and infirm having resigned his place the Earl of Shaftsbury was made Chancellour of England and Thomas Lord Clifford Lord High Treasurer Toward the beginning of December the Duke of Richmond who had been this year sent Embassadour Extraordinary into Sweden died in his Calesche as he was upon his return to Elsenore from being aboard of the Yarmouth Frigat No other reason could be given for the suddenness of his death but the extream coldness of that piercing Air to which his Body was not accustomed The time of Prorogation being expired the Parliament met again and upon the removal of Sir Edward Turnor their Speaker to be Lord chief Baron of the Exchequer Sir Job Charleton was made Speaker but he shortly after falling Sick Edward Seymour Esq succeeded This Session of Parliament voted the King a
spurs to his horse rode away but fainting through the loss of much blood he fell from his horse and with one foot in the stirrup was drag'd up and down the woods and grounds till in the end his body was left dead at Corfe's Gate and was first buried at Warham afterwards removed to the Minster of Shaftsbury Alfrida his Mother-in-law sore repenting the fact to expiate her guilt and pacify his crying blood as she thought founded the Monastries of Almsbury and Worwell in the last whereof she dyed and was buried ETHELRED A.D. 978. EThelred for his slowness sirnamed The unready was crowned at Kingstone Upon his Coronation a Cloud was seen through England one half like blood the other half like fire Ethelgar Alfrick A.B. Cant And in the third year of his reign the Danes arrived in sundry places of the Land and did much spoil And about the same time a great part of London was consumed by fire He payed tribute 40000 l. yearly called Dane-gilt to the Danes His reign was much molested with Danish Invasions in divers parts of the Land And so low were the English at that time by the intruding Danes that they were forced to till and sow the ground while the Danes sate idle in their houses and eat that which they toiled for Also abusing their Daughters and Wives and having all at their command the English for very fear calling them Lord Danes Hence we call a lazy Lubber a Lurdane In this the English distressed estate the King at last sent forth a secret Commission into every City within his Dominions That upon the Thirteenth day of November they should massacre all the Danes which were amongst them This Command of the Kings the people put in execution with extreme rigor in A.D. 1002. But to revenge this great destruction of the Danes Swein King of Denmark prepared a very great Navy and arrived in the West of England and shortly after Canutus brought 200 sail of ships well furnished to his assistance And in A. D. 1016 King Ethelred dyed and was buried at St. Pauls His Issue were Ethelston Egbert Edmond Edred Edwy Edgar Edward Elfred and four Daughters In the year of our Lord 991 was Ipswich in Suffolk sacked by the Danes And in A. D. 1004 Thetford in Norfolk anciently called Sitomagus was sack'd by the Danes Siricus Elphegus Livingus A.B. Cant. for the recovery whereof Bishop Arfast removed his Episcopal See from Elmham thither Norwich was fired by the Danes its Castle was afterward re-edified by Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk EDMOND IRONSID A.D. 1016 EDmond sirnamed Ironside the eldest son that Ethelred had living at his death was crowned at Kingstone by Livingus Archbishop of Canterbury A. D. 1016. At which time the Danes were so powerful in England that Canute was accepted King at South-hampton by many of the Clergy and Laity who sware fealty to him But the City of London stood most firm for Edmond and bravely withstood Canute besieging it till such time that King Edmond came and relieved them At Penham near Gillingham King Edmond engaged with the Danes where he put many of them to the sword and the rest to flight And not long after his and the Danish Host met nigh to Shereston in Worcestershire where the battel was for the first day fought with equal success but on the next day when the English were in forwardness and probability of the victory the Traytor Edrick on purpose disanimated them by cutting off the head of a dead soldier putting it on his sword point then crying to the English Host Fly ye wretches fly and get you away for your King is slain behold here is his head seek therefore now to save your own lives By which means the fight ended on even hands And the next night following Canute stole away toward London whom Ironside followed first raising the siege that Canutus had laid against London and then marching after him to Brentwood where he gave the Danes a great overthrow Then near unto Oteford in Kent the two Armies met again and fought in furious manner till at last the day fell to the English who slew Four thousand five hundred men with the loss but of Six hundred and put the rest to flight whom the King had pursued to their utter confusion had not his brother-in-law Edrick play'd the Traytor again disswading him from the chase of them under the pretence of danger of ambushments and the English soldiers over-weariedness Whereupon Canute had the opportunity of passing over into Essex where his scattered Forces rallied and fresh supplies came in to them After whom Edmond advanced and at Ashdon by Saffron-Waldon the Armies joined battel when a bloody slaughter ensued with the hopes of victory on the English side which the ever-traytorous Edrick perceiving he withdrew his strength to the Danes the enemy thereby regaining the day Of King Edmond's Nobles were slain Duke Alfred Duke Goodwin Duke Athelward Duke Ethelwin Earl Vrchel with Cadnoth Bishop of Lincoln and Wolsey Abbot of Ramsey and other of the Clergy that were come thither to pray for good success to the English The Memorial of this Battel is still retained by certain small hills there remaining where the dead were buried From hence King Edmond marched to Glocester with a very small Army which he there encreased After him Canute followed and at Dearhurst near Severn both Hosts met and were ready to join battel When by the motion of a certain Captain Edmond and Canute undertook by single Combat to end the difference So entring into a small Island called Alney adjoining to Glocester there they valiantly fought till Canute having received a dangerous wound and finding Edmond to over-match him in strength he thus spake to the English King What necessity should move us most valiant Prince that for the obtaining of a Title vve should thus endanger our lives Better it were to lay Malice and Weapons aside and to condescend to a loving Agreement Let us novv therefore become svvorn Brothers and divide the Kingdom betvvixt us and in such league of amity that each of us may use the others as his ovvn So shall this Land be peaceably governed and We jointly assist each others necessity Which vvords ended they both cast dovvn their Svvords embrace as friends vvith the great joy and shouting of both Armies And according to Canute's proposal the Kingdom was divided betwixt them Edmond having that part that lay coasting upon France Canute the rest But the Traytor Duke Edrick with design to work himself further into Canute's favour procured Edmond to be thrust into the body as he was easing nature Then cutting off his head he presented Canute therewith saying All hail thou now sole Monarch of England for behold here the head of thy Co-partner which for thy sake I have adventured to cut off To whom Canute like a worthy King replyed That in regard of that service the bringers own head should be advanced
Wingrave was Mayor William Caston Ralph Balancer Sheriffs In his eleventh Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Prior William Furneaux Sheriffs In his Twelfth Year John Wingrave continued Mayor John Pointel John Dalling Sheriffs In his Thirteenth year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Simon de Abingdon John Preston Sheriffs In his Fourteenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Renauld at the Conduit Will. Prodham Sheriffs In his Fifteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Richard Constantine Richard de Hackney Sheriffs In his Sixteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor John Grantham Richard de Ely Sheriffs In his Seventeenth Year Nicholas Farendon was Mayor Adam of Salisbury John of Oxford Sheriffs In his Eighteenth Year Hammond Chickwel was Mayor Benet of Fulham John Cawston Sheriffs In his Ninteenth Year Hammond Chickwel continued Mayor Gilbert Mordon John Cawston Sheriffs In his Twentieth Year Richard Britain was Mayor Richard Rothing Roger Chauntelere Sheriffs EDWARD III. EDWARD the third was Crowned King upon Candlemas-day A. D. 1327. being the eighth day after that his Father had made a resignation of the Crown to him And now because sundry great persons with the whole order of Friars Preachers took pity on the old Kings captivity Mortimer therefore hastned to dispatch him out of the way in order to which he procured an Express from the young King then about 16. Years of age to remove him from Kenelworth Castle delivering him into the hands of those ignominious Knights Thomas de Gourney Seniour and John Mattrevers who conveying him from Kenelworth to Barkly-Castle there murdred him by running a burning spit up into his body as he was about to disburden nature September 22. 1327. His body was buryed at Glocester To animate the bloody Regicides to the commitment of the horrid fact 't is said this ambiguous phrase was invented by Adam de Torleton Bishop of Hereford and sent to them by Mortimer Edwardum occidere nolite timere bonum est Gourney or Corney and his villanous companions when they would needs shave the King on his way to Barkley lest he should be known and rescued inforced him to sit down on a molehil and the rascal Barber insulting told him That cold water out of the next ditch should serve for his trimming at that time To whom the sorrowful King answered Whether you will or no there shall be warm water and therewith shed tears plentifully But young King Edward at his Fathers death was upon the borders of Scotland where having invironed the Scots in the woods of Wividale and Stanhope by the Treason of Mortimer they escaped and he returned inglorious after an huge wast of Treasure and great peril of his own person For had not his loyal Chaplain stept in and received the mortal weapon in his own body the Kings life had been lost Shortly after this peace was concluded with the Scots upon dishonourable terms to the English by the procurement of the Mother-Queen and her Minion Mortimer Joan the Kings Sister was marryed to David Bruce the Scots in derision calling her Joan Make-peace King Edward at the Treaty of Peace sealed Charters to the Scotish Nation the contents whereof were contrived by his Mother Roger Mortimer and Sir James Douglas without the privity of the English Peers He also delivered to them that famous evidence called the Ragman-Roll and likewise quitted them of all his claim to the government of Scotland withal rendring back certain Jewels taken by the English from the Scots amongst which was one of special Note called the Black-Cross of Scotland In the same year being the year of our Lord 1327. dyed Charles the fair King of France by whose death the Crown of that Kingdom devolved to Edward King of England in right of his Mother Queen Isabel Tho. Bradwardin A. B. Cant. who was daughter to Philip the Fair and Sister to Lewis Hutin Philip the Long and Charles the Fair all Kings of France successively and all three dying without Issue the whole right now seeming to be Isabel the only Child of the said Philip that had any Issue But the French pretending a fundamental Law or Entail called the Salique Law by which no woman was inheritable to France sought to debar King Edward his right receiving to the Crown Philip of Valois whose Father was younger Brother to Philip the Fair advancing the Brothers son before the Daughters son not following the propinquity or descent of blood but meliority of the Sex Against the stream of the Queen and her Lord Mortimers absolute sway some great persons now stood amongst whom was the Kings Uncle Edmund Earl of Kent whose death the Queen and Mortimer shortly procured Nor was Mortimers fall now far off for the King beginning to perceive his own peril in the others potency upon good advice therefore surprized Mortimer with the Queen-Mother in Nottingham-Castle and by a Parliament held at Nottingham Queen Isabel's Dowry was taken from her and only a pension of a thousand Pound per Annum allowed her Mortimer was condemned in open Parliament at VVestminster for causing the young King to make a dishonourable peace with the Scots from whom he received bribes For procuring the death of Sr. Edward of Caernarvon the late King For over-familiarity with Isabel the Queen-Mother For polling and robbing the King and Commons of their Treasure He was ignominiously drawn to Tyburn then called the Elmes where he was executed on the common Gallows there hanging two days and nights 1330. With him there dyed for expiation of the late Kings death Sr. Simon de Bedford and John Deverell Esquire About this time befel great disturbances and divisions in Scotland occasioned by young Bruce and Baliol who both pretended right to that Crown which opportunity King Edward took hold on conceiving himself not obliged to stand to that contract made in his minority by the predominancy of his mother and Mortimer the Scots also detaining his Town and Castle of Berwick from him Wherefore he raises an Army and with Edward Baliol marcheth to Berwick which having besieged David Bruce sent a puissant host to the relief thereof and at Halydon-Hill the English and Scoth Armies joyned battle where the Scots were vanquished with a lamentable slaughter of them There dyed Archibald Dougles Earl of Angus and Governour of Scotland the Earls of Southerland Carrick and Foss the three Sons of the Lord Walter Steward and at least fourteen thousand others with the loss only of one Knight and ten other English-men Hereupon Berwick was surrendred to King Edward and Baliol was accepted to be King of Scotland and had faith and allegiance sworn unto him by the Scotch Nobles Simon Islip A.B. Cant. Which done Baliol repaired to King Edward then at Newcastle upon Tine where he submitted to Edward the third as his Father John Baliol had done to Edward the first After which the King of England assisted this Edward Baliol as his homager going himself in person divers times for suppressing the Brucean party which
he kept under till such time that he was ingaged against the French for the obtaining of that Kingdom and the recovery of sundry Towns and places in Goscoigne injuriously with-held from him by the French King To remedy which wrongs the King of England had addressed his Ambassadors but in vain therefore that the World might take notice of his just proceedings he in a large Letter directed to the Colledge of Cardinals justifies his design upon France to be equal and honest First because himself of any Male living was the nearest in blood to the late King Charles his Uncle Secondly because the French had refused to put the Cause to civil tryal Thirdly for that the process of the twelve Peers in giving the Crown from him when he was under age was by all Laws void and frustrate Fourthly for that Philip of Valois had invaded Aquitain which belonged to the Crown of England and detained such places as he had wrongfully gained therein Fifthly for that the said Philip had aided the Scots in their rising against him Edward having done this he next makes a confederation with the High and Low-Dutch and other Foreigners then prepared a brave Army his English Subjects contributing liberally for the carrying on of the War And to make his Coffers the fuller he made bold with the Lombards and the moveable goods of such Priories in England as were Cells to Monasteries in France Thus provided of men and monies King Edward sailed with his Forces to Antwerp and by the importunity of the Flemings he first assumed the Title and Armories of the Realm of France quartering the Flower de Lis with the Lyons And entring France he burnt and spoyled the North-parts thereof up as far as Turwin then returning to Antwerp he there kept his Christmas with his Queen Philip from whence about Candlemas he set sail for England where in a Parliament holden at Westminster he obtained liberal aids for supportation of his designed Conquest In lieu of which he granted a general large pardon of trespasses and other to him and confirmed Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta with some others Then upon June 23. He shipped from Harwich to Sluce in Flanders near which place the French lay in wait with a Navy of 400 Ships with intent to intercept him but Edward having the advantage of Wind and Sun furiously set upon the French Ships putting the Monsieurs so hard to it that a great number of them chose to cast themselves into the Sea rather than to become Prisoners Thirty thousand of them are confessed to have been slain and drowned and more than half of their Ships were either sunk or taken The loss was so very great on the French side that least the news thereof might too much afflict the King of France his Jester disclosed it to him by often-times repeating this saying in his hearing Cowardly English-men Dastardly English-men Faint-hearted English-men Why said the King at length Because said the Jester They durst not leap out of their Ships into the Seas as our brave French men did From which saying the King took a hint of the overthrow After which Famous Sea-victory obtained by the English puissant King Edward with his Host consisting of near an hundred thousand men sate down before Tourney from whence he sent to the French King whom he saluted only by the name of Philip of Valoys challenging him to fight with him hand to hand in single Combat or if that pleased not then each to bring an hundred men into the Field and try the event with so small an hazard or otherwise within ten days to joyn full battel with all their forces near Tourney To which Philip made no direct answer alledging that the Letters were not sent to him the King of France but barely to Philip of Valoys Nevertheless he brought his Army within sight of the English Host but by the mediation of Queen Philips Mother and two Cardinals a Truce was concluded between the two Kings till the Midsumer next following The main reason inducing King Edward to yield hereunto was the want of supplies of money through the fault of his Officers in England whom he severely punished at his return And now to weaken great Edwards strengths the Pope put Flanders under Interdict Simon Langham A B. Cant. as having disloyally left their own Earl and chief Lord Philip King of France And Lewis the Emperor breaking league with the King of England took part with France which when King Edward understood he angrily said I will fight with them both And not long after he was upon the Sea with a very great Fleet none knowing whither he would steer his Course but in Normandy he landed where he took the Populous and Rich City of Caen and with his dreadful Host burning and spoiling round about marched up almost as far as the walls of Paris Where with his Army in an enemies Countrey between two Rivers Sein and Some the bridges being broke down by the French Edward designed at a low water to have passed over a Ford between Albeville and the Sea whom to intercept the French King had sent thither before him Godner du Foy with a thousand Horse and six thousand Foot Howbeit undaunted Edward entred himself into the Ford crying He that loves me let him follow me as one resolved to pass over or there to die the first of which he did for his Souldiers following him won the passage putting du Foy to flight And now King Edward being come near to Cressie in Poâ—thieu lying between the Rivers of Some and Anthy he there most vigilantly provided for his defence against King Philip who was advancing towards him with an Hundred thousand men and upward When the two Armies were within sight each of other the King of England after he had called upon God disposed his Host into three Battels Simon Langham A B Cant. To his Son Edward the Black-Prince he gave the ordering of the Van the second Battel the Earls of Northampton and Arundel commanded the third himself And as if he meant to barricado his Army from flying he caused his Carriages to be placed in the rear thereof and Trees to be plashed and felled to stop up the way behind his Host commanding withal that all should forsake their horses and leave them amongst the Carriages On the Enemies part the King of Bohemia and Earl of Alanson had charge of the Vantguard King Philip was in the main battel and the Earl of Savoy commanded the Rear The sign of battel being given by King Philip a bloody fight ensued wherein the Black Prince was very hard beset therefore his Father was sent for to his rescue who upon the hillock of a Windmill stood to behold the fight being in readiness to enter thereinto when just occasion should invite him But at that time he refused to go returning the Messengers with this answer Let them send no more to me for any adventure that
and hanged at Wapping A. D. 1609 was the New-Exchange built the King naming it Britains-Burse In the same year the King by Proclamation prohibited all foreign Nations from fishing on any of the coasts of England Scotland Ireland or the Isles adjacent without special License from his Commissioners In this year also the King according to an ancient custom had aid of his Subjects through England for making his eldest son Prince Henry Knight A. D. 1610 June 4th all Roman Priests Jesuits and Seminaries as being the Incendiaries of disturbances were commanded to depart the Realm Then the Oath of Allegiance was ministred to all sorts of people His Majesty caused to be built the goodliest Ship of War that had ever been built in England being of the burthen of 1400 Tun and carrying 64 pieces of Ordinance Prince Henry named it the Prince A. D. 1612 The Corps of Mary late Queen of Scotland the Kings Mother was translated from Peterborough to the Chappel-Royal at Westminster On November the sixth following Prince Henry died of a malignant Fever which reigned that year in most parts of the Land Some said that he died by poisoned grapes which he eat others by Gloves of a poisoned perfume given him for a present but be his death by what means it would certain it is that he was infinitely beloved of the people as one that had given great hopes of proving a wise and Martial Prince February 14th the marriage of the Prince Palatine of the Rhyne with the Princess Elizabeth was solemnized in the Chappel at White-Hall She was attired all in white having a rich Crown of Gold upon her head her hair hanging down at length curiously beset with Pearls and precious Stones her train supported by 12 young Ladies all in white In this same year the City of London having before had the Province of Vlster granted them by the King for a plantation sent thither about three hundred persons of all sorts of Handy-crafts-men chiefly to inhabit the Cities of London-derry and Coleraign And for the advancing of this or the like plantation in Ireland the King about this time began a new Order of Knights called Baronets which Order he stinted within the number only of two hundred and as the Issue should fail the Order to cease About this time also an exemplar punishment was imposed upon Sir Peckshall Brockas which was to stand at Pauls-Cross in a white sheet holding a wand in his hand he having been formerly convicted before the High-Commissioners for many notorious adulteries with divers Women About A. D. 1614 Mr. Hugh Middleton Citizen and Goldsmith of London with infinite cost and labour brought the New-river to the City of London from the two great springs of Chadwel and Amwel in Hartfordshire And about the same time was the Moor-Fields by London converted from deep stinking ditches and noisom Common-shores to pleasant sweet Walks A. D. 1615 Smithfield which was before a rude dirty place was paved all over and the middle part thereof railed in September 27th the Lady Arbella the Kings Cousin-German died She had sometime before without the Kings privity secretly married the Earl of Hartfords younger Son for which they were both committed to the Tower Sir Edward Cook the famous Lawyer upon some displeasure was discharged from being Lord Chief Justice In this year was a divorce made betwixt Robert Devereux Earl of Essex and his Countess for his Insufficiency and she left free to marry any other After which divorce Robert Carre Earl of Sommerset took her to Wife But Sir Thomas Overbury the Earls special friend having disswaded the match and perhaps laid some imputation on the Ladies fame according to desert did by this means so incense these Lovers against him that they first made means to have the said ingenious Gentleman committed to the Tower and then by their instruments to have him poisoned some say by a Tansey sent him to eat some by a Clister ministred to him For which fact Sir Gervas Elwes then Lieutenant of the Tower and Mrs. Turner with others were put to death The Earl and his Countess were also arraigned and condemned but had a lease of their lives granted them for ninety-nine years yet so as after never to see the Kings face more This made way for the advancement of Mr. George Villers for this great favourite the Lord Carre being upon this occasion laid aside the said Mr. Villers was accepted in his stead Whom the King first of all Knighted and made Gentleman of his Bedchamber soon after Viscount and Master of his Horse a while after Earl of Buckingham then Marquess of Buckingham and Lord High Admiral and lastly Duke of Buckingham A person 't is said he was of delicate composure of body and of excellent natural parts and one that was very mindful of his Relations and Kindred most of whom he procured to be advanced A. D. 1618 Sir Walter Rawleigh who had lived a condemned man many years in the Tower of London now to procure some liberty propounded to the King a project for the fetching of Gold from a Mine in Guyana and that without any wrong to the King of Spain This the King condescended unto and Sir Walter set forward in his Voyage but when after a real or only a shew of search no treasure could be found he fell upon St. Thome belonging to the King of Spain George Abbot A B. Cant which he plundred and burnt then returned though to his ruin For though Sir Walter sought to excuse his spoiling of St. Thome by alledging that the Spaniards had first assaulted him and moreover that he could not come at the Mine without first winning of that Town yet did the Spanish Lieger Gundamoâ—e so aggravate this his fact and prevailed so with the King who preferred the publick peace before the life of a man already condemned that he gave way to have the sentence of his former condemnation executed upon him And accordingly this man famous for Letters and Arms was beheaded in the Parliament-yard at Westminster In this Year 1618 and March the second Queen Anne died at Hampton-Court and was buried at Westminster The November preceding her death a famous Comet or Blazing-Star appeared A. D. 1620 July the seventeenth Bernard Calvert of Andover rode from St. Georges Church in Southwark to Dover from thence passed by Barge to Callis in France and from thenee returned back to St. Georges Church the same day This his journey he performed betwixt the hours of three in the morning and eight in the afternoon A.D. 1621 Sir Francis Michel a Justice of the Peace of Middlesex was sentenced by Parliament to Ride with his face to the Horse-tail through the City of London for practising sundry abuses in setting up new Ale-houses and exacting monies contrary to the Law This sentence was executed upon him Sir Francis Bacon Viscount St. Albans Lord Chancellor of England was for bribery but it was his servants that were bribed put out