have heard it often discoursed that he writ on the window with the point of his Diamond reflecting on the then present affliction of his Marriage these words John Donne done and undone But long were they not there but Mr. Donne got himself enlarged and soon after his two Friends and long it was not ere the edge of his Father-in-laws passion was taken off by the advice of some Friends who approved his Daughters choice and although at present he refused to contribute any means that might conduce to their livelihood yet did he bestow upon them his Paternal Blessing and secretly laboured his sons restauration into that place of which his own rashness had bereft him although it found no success The Lord Chancellour replying That though he was sorry for what he had done yet it stood not with his credit to discharge and re-admit Servants at the request of passionate Petitioners And now Mr. Donne by means of his Father-in-law being brought out of employment the greatest part of his portion by many and chargeable travels wasted the rest disburst in some few Books and dear bought experience was surrounded with many and sad thoughts And indeed no apprehension of discourtesie strikes so deep into a man as to receive it from those where we expect the greatest courtesies certainly he who hurts his Son-in-law cannot chuse but harm his own Daughter Neither is it enough for him to say he repenteth him of what he hath done unless withal he endeavor for him a new employment and allow him maintenace so long as he is out of it As did this good Knight Sir George More who repenting of his errour gave Master Donne a Bond to pay him eight hundred pound at a certain day as a portion with his Wife and to pay him for their maintenance twenty pound quarterly as the Interest of it until the said portion were paid Master Donne during the time of his Father-in-laws displeasure was curteously entertained by their noble Kinsman Sir Francis Wally of Pirford where he remained many years who as their charge encreased for she had yearly a childe so did he encrease his love and bounty Sir Francis dying he for a while kept house at Micham near Croyden in Surrey but being importuned by his friends he left Micham and had a convenient house assigned him by that honourable Gentleman Sir Robert Drury next his own in Drury-Lane who not onely gave him his dwelling rent free but was also a daily cherisher of his studies And now was he frequently visited by men of greatest learning and judgement in this kingdom his company desired by the Nobility and extreamly affected by the Gentry his friendship was sought for of most forreign Ambassadours and his acquaintance entreated by many other strangers whose learning or employment occasioned their stay in this kingdom Divers of the Nobility interceeded for his preferment at Court and great hopes was given him of some State employment his Majesty having formerly known and much valued him was much pleased to hear his learned disputes frequently used as they sat at meals About this time was that great dispute in England concerning the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance in which the King had ingaged himself who talking occasionly with Mr. Donne concerning some arguments urged by the Romanists received such satisfactory answers that he commanded him to state the points and bring his reasons to him in writing which within six weeks he performed with such contentment to the King that he perswaded him to enter into the Ministery to which Mr. Donne seemed to be modestly unwilling his modesty apprehending it too weighty for his abilities his friends also knowing how his education had apted him mediated with his Majesty to prefer him to some civil employment but the King having a descerning spirit replyed I know Mr. Donne is a learned man will prove an excellent Divine and a powerful Preacher Which caused this learned King again to sollicit him to enter into Sacred Orders which yet he deferred for the space of three years applying himself in the mean time to an incessant study of Textual Divinity and attained to an admirable perfection in the Greek and Hebrew Tongues Soon after his entring into this holy profession the King made him his Chaplain in ordinary he attending his Majesty in his progress to Cambridge the University knowing his worth with a universal consent made him Doctor in Divinity Immediately after his return home his Wife dyed leaving him the careful Father of seven Children living having buried five to her he promised never to bring them under the subjection of a step-mother and although his age being but forty two years might promise the contrary yet kept he his word faithfully burying with his most dear and deserving Wife all his sublunary joyes in this world and living a retired life applyed himself wholly to the exercise of Divinity And now his preaching and godly conversation was grown so eminent that fourteen Advowsions of several Benefices were offered unto him in the Countrey but he having a natural inclination to London his Birth-place refused them and accepted of a Lecture at Lincolns-Inne being glad to renew his intermitted friendship with them where he continued for the space of three years constantly and faithfully dispensing the word of God and they as freely requiting him with a liberal maintenance About which time the Palsgrave usurping the Crown of Bohemia much trouble arose in those kingdoms for the composing whereof the King sent the Earl of Carlile then Viscount Doncaster his Ambassador to those unsettled Princes and by a special command from his Majesty Doctor Donne was appointed to go along with him which accordingly he did to the great comfort of that vertuous Lady the Queen of Bohemia who very gladly received him as the Ambassadour of Christ and during his abode there being a constant hearer of his most excellent and powerful preaching Within fourteen moneths he returned home and about a year after his return the Deanry of Saint Pauls being vacant by the removal of Doctor Cary to the Bishoprick of Exeter the King bestowed the same upon him at his entrance into the Deanry he repaired the Chappel belonging to his house Suffering as the Psalmist hath it his eyes and temples to take no rest untill he had first beautified the house of God Soon after the Vicarage of Saint Dunstans in London fell to him by the death of Doctor White with another Ecclesiastical endowment about the same time Thus God blessed him that he was enabled to be Charitable to the Poor His Father-in-law Sir George More coming to pay him the conditioned sum of twenty pound he refused it saying as good Jacob said when he heard his Son Joseph lived It is enough you have been kinde to me and careful of my Children and I thank my God I am provided for therefore I will receive it no longer and not long after freely gave up his Bond of eight hundred pounds But
provided in kinde where he was freed from corroding cares and seated on such a rock as the waves of want could not probably shake where he might sit in a calm and looking down behold the busie multitude turmoiled and tossed in a tempestuous sea of dangers And as Sir William Davenant has happily exprest the like in another person Laugh at the graver business of the State Which speaks men rather wise then fortunate He died in Decemb. 1639 having compleated seventy three years His will was made by himself above two years before his death wherein he appointed that his Executours should lay over his Grave a plain stone of Marble with this Epitaph enscribed thereon Hic jacet hujus sententiae primus Author Disputandi pruritus Ecclesiarum scabies Nomen alias quaere Which may be englished thus Here 's lies the first Authour of this Sentence The Itch of Disputation will prove the Scab of the Church Enquire his name elsewhere To acquaint the world with two or three other Instances of the readiness of his Wit he having in Rome retained an acquaintance with a pleasant Priest who invited him one evening to hear their Vesper-Musick at Church the Priest seeing Sir Henry stand obscurely in a corner sends to him by a Boy of the Quire this question written in a small piece of paper Where was your Religion to be sound before Luther To which question Sir Henry Wotton presently under-writ My Religion was to be found then where yours is not to be found in the written word of God To another that asked him Whether a Papist may be saved He replyed You may be saved without knowing that Look to your self To another whose earnest zeal exceeded his knowledge and was still railing against the Papists he gave this advice Pray Sir forbear till you have studied the Points better for the wise Italian hath this Proverb He that understands amiss concludes worse And take heed of entertaining this opinion That the further you go from the Church of Rome the nearer you are to God He left behinde him many Monuments of his Learning whose worth are such that they speak themselves more incomparably to posterity then any Eulogies I can bestow upon them Give me leave to conclude with the words of one of the learnedst Modern Criticks That for the generality of the stile throughout his Works 't is most queintly delightful gentle soft and full of all manner of blandishments onely his pen flowed a little too much with the oyly adulation of Court-flattery Questionless if Sir Henry Wotton was reduced to any of these subserviences they were occasioned from his generous expences in the time of his Embassies for his Masters honour who used him as Queen Elizabeth did Sir Francis Walsingham who had but from hand to mouth The Life of THOMAS VVENTWORTH Earl of Stafford and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland TO particularize all the actions of the Earl of Strafford would of its self require an intire Volume it being a Garden of choice Varieties wherein points of Law are interwoven with Acts of State and the Affairs of Ireland as in the same Escutcheon quartered with those of England I shall onely take a superficial view of his life and not strain my self ambitiously to shew forth the utmost reach of his perfections he being a rare conjunction of Courage attended with loyalty to danger Wisdom accompanied with Eloquence to admiration who could both think and speak speak and do whose answers and replyes to the Articles exhibited against him by the House of Commons show his abilities to be such that whatsoever is spoken of him is infinitely below what was spoken by himself He was born in Yorkshire well descended and as well educated which fitted him to sustain the weighty Affairs he afterwards underwent A great stickler at the first against the Prerogative until allured by Court-preferment he turned Royalist for the King finding his worth and ability never left till he had gained him to himself obliging him to his side by many titles of honour and places of trust whose services he found equivalent to his favours continuing to his death a trusty servant a faithful friend a prudent Counsellour and a constant adherer to his side in all his exigencies The greatest services he did to the King were during the time he was Lieutenant of Ireland by his augmenting and advancing the Kings Revenues there restoring the Churches maintenance suppressing the Out-laws establishing obedience to Royal Authority impediting the Tyranny and usurpation of the great ones over the Commons causing the Irish to leave off many of their barbarous customs and conform themselves to the more civil manners of the English which drew much hatred upon himself for changes though for the better are most times ill resented by the vulgar witness those troubles in England in the time of King Edward the Sixth Nor could these innovations have found more dislike in any Nation under the Heavens then Ireland so wedded are those people to their ancient vain ridiculous customs But since I have inserted his most remarkable actions in the Life of King Charles I shall omit those passages and come to his solemn Trial so paramount in the Equipage of all Cirumstances that as former ages have been unable so future are unlikely to produce a parallell of them This great Minister of State was by the Parliament well known for the length of it accused with twenty eight Articles of High Treason February 16. 1640. The particulars are too long for me here to recite the substance of them being that he endeavoured to subvert the Fundamental Laws and Governments of the Realms of England and Ireland and enriching himself by indirect wayes in his office for incensing the King against the Scots for endeavouring to set things amisse betwixt his Majesty and the people and to have given counsel tending to the disquiet of the three Kingdoms The 13. of April following began his Trial in Westminster-Hall where there was a Throne erected for the King on each side whereof a Cabinet inclosed about with boards and before with a Tarras before that were the Seats for the Lords of the upper House and sacks of wool for the Judges before them ten stages of seats extending further then the midst of the Hall for the Gentlemen of the House of Commons at the end of all was a desk closed about and set apart for the Lord Lieutenant and his Councel The Earl of Arundel was Lord High Steward his Accusers were Pym Glin Mainard Whitlock St. Johns Palmers Sir Walter Earls Stroud Selden Hampden and others Many dayes were spent and much Rhetorick used on both sides for the Lieutenant was no childe but as cunning in the art of defence as any man in England equal if not surpassing his Predecessour the Earl of Kildare in the time of King Henry the Eighth But the House of Commons were implacable in their hatred towards him nothing being satisfactory to them but his downfal So
be taken pro Confesso and the Court ot proceed to Justice The President repeats in brief the passages of the last day and commands the King to answer to the Articles of the Charge unless he had rather hear the Capital Sentence against him The king persists to interrogate concerning the Cause and sayes That he less regards his life then his Honour his Conscience the Laws the Liberties of the people all which that they should not perish together there were weighty reasons why he should not prosecute his defence before the Judges and acknowledge a new form of Judicature for what power had ever Judges to erect a Judicature against the King or by what Law was it granted sure not by Gods Law which on the contrary commands obedience to Princes nor by Mans Laws the Laws of our Land sith the Laws of England enjoyn all Accusations to be read in the Kings Name nor do they indulge any power of judging the most abject Subject to the Lower or Commons House neither lastly their Power flow from any Authority which might be pretended extraordinary delegated from the people seeing ye have not askt so much as every tenth man in this matter The President interrupting his Speech rebukes the Kings and bids him be mindeful of his doom affirming once more that the Court was abundantly satisfied of their Authority nor was the Court to hear any reasons that should detract from their power But what sayes the King or where in all the world is that Court in which no place is left for reason Yes answered the President you shall finde Sir that this very Court is such a one But the King presses that they would at least permit him to exhibit his reasons in writing which if they could satisfactorily answer he would yield himself to their Jurisdiction Here the President not content to deny grew into anger demanding the Prisoner to be taken away The King replied no more to these things then Remember sayes he this is your King from whom you turn away your ear in vain certainly will my Subjects expect Justice from you who stop your ears to your King who is ready to plead his Cause The Saturday after the 27. of January before they assembled sixty eight of the Tryers answered to their names The President in a Scarlet Robe and as the King Came the Souldiers cryed out for Execution of Justice The King speaks first and desires to be heard a word or two but short and yet wherein he hopes not to give just occasion wherein to be interrupted and goes on A sudden Judgement sayes the King is not so soon recall'd But he is sharply reproved of contumacy The President profusely praises the patience of the Court and commands him now at length to submit otherwise he shall hear the sentence of of death resolved upon by the Court against him The King still refuses to plead his Cause before them but that he had some things conducible to the good of his people and the peace of the Kingdom which he desires liberty to deliver before the Members of both Houses But the President would not vouchsafe him so much as this favour least it should tend he said to the delay and retardation of Justice To which the King replies It were better to sustain a little delay of a day or two then to precipitate a Sentence which will bring perpetual Tragedies upon the Kingdom and miseries to Children unborn If sayes he I sought occasion of delay I would have made a more elabourate contestation of the Cause which might have served to protract the time and evade at least the while a most ugly sentence but I will shew my self a defender of the Laws and of the Right of my Country as to chuse rather to dye for them the Martyr of my People then by prostituting of them to an arbitrary power go about to acquire any manner of liberty for my self but I therefore request this short liberty of speaking before a cruel Sentence be given for that I well know 't is harder to be recall'd then prevented and therefore I desire that I may withdraw and you consider They all withdraw the King into Cottons House and the Tryers into the Court of Wards and in half an hour return The President as he had begun so he proceeds into a premeditated Speech to hasten Sentence which the King offers reason to forbear whilest he might be heard before his Parliament and this he requires as they will answer it at the dreadful day of Judgement and to consider it once again But not prevailing the President goes on wherein he aggravates the Contumacy of the King and the hatefulness of the cimes he asserts Parliamentary Authority producing Examples both Domestick and Forreign c. his Treasons he stiles a breach of Trust to the Kingdom as his Superiour and is therefore called to an account minimus majorum in Judicium vocat his murthers are many all those that have been committed in all the War betwixt him and his people are laid to his charge all the innocent blood which cannot be cleansed but by the blood of him that shed the blood So then for Tyranny Treason Murther and many other crimes he wishes the King to have God before his eyes and that the Court calls God to witness that mearly their Conscience of Duty brings them to that place of this employment and calls for Gods assistance in his Execution The King offered to speak to these great Imputations in the Charge but he was told that his time was past the Sentence was coming on which the President commanded to be read under this form Whereas the Commons of England have appointed them an High Court of Justice for the Trial of Charles Stuart King of England before whom he hath been three times convented and at the first time a Charge of High Treason and other Crimes and Misdemeanours were read in the behalf of the Kingdom of England c. To which Charge he the said Charles Stuart was required to give his answer and so exprest several passages at his Tryal in refusing to answer for all which Treasons and Crimes the Court doth adjudge that the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and Publique Enemy shall be put to death by the severing his Head from his Body This Sentence sayes the President now read and publisht is the Act Sentence Judgement and Resolution of the whole Court to which the Members of the Court stood up and assented to what he said by holding up their hands The King offered to speak but he was instantly commanded to be taken away and the Court brake up After the Sentence the King was hurried away mockt and reviled by the Souldiers they puft their Tobacco in his face no smell being more offensive to his father and him such as saluted him they bastinadoed one that did but sigh God have mercy they cane'd they intrude almost into his Closet hardly permitting him
faithfull and honest enemy or hurtful to none insomuch that this verse was rightly applied unto her Sicut spind Rosam Genuit Godwinus Egitham From prickled stalk as sweetest Rose So Egith fair from Godwin grows This Lady though accomplished with these endowments of minde and body the King notwithstanding refrained her bed committing thereby the offence forbidden by the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.5 Or if at any time he admitted her his bed it was no otherwise then David with Abishag for so much he himself on his death-bed did declare saying That openly she was his Wife but in secret embracings as his own Sister But whether it were for his debellity of body or love to Virginity I determine not certain it is he was content to hear her accused of incontinency whereof if she were guilty he could not be innocent nor can this his chastity though applauded by many be accounted otherwise then an injury and too tyrannical a trial of his Wives Vertues The King having no issue of his own and desirous to establish the Crown in the English blood sent into Hungary for his Nephew Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside who by reason of his long absence out of England was commonly called by the name of the Out-law who coming over brought with him his Wife Agatha and Edgar Margret and Christian his Children in hope of the Kingdom but his hopes with himself soon dissolved into dust for he lived but a while after so that Edward thereby was disappointed of his intentions which was to have made him his Successour in the Crown whereupon without delay he pronounced Edgar the Out-laws Son and his great Nephew Heir to the Crown and gave him to sirname Adeling a name appropriated to Princes of the blood which were born in hope and possibility of the Kingdom Whilest Edward was thus busied about settling a Successour Eustace Earl of Bulloigne who had married his Sister Goda came over into England to visit him and returning homeward at Canterbury his Harbinger dealing roughly with a Burgess for Lodgings caused his own death whereupon he in revenge killed the said Burgess with eighteen other Citizens the Canterburians herewith incensed in a great rage armed themselves killed twenty of his retinue and forc'd the Earl himself to flight who returning back again to the King exhibited grievous complaints against the Townsmen whereupon Earl Godwin was commanded to see execution done upon the offenders but he not greatly affecting the Earl was not overhasty to execute his commission but advised the King to examine the matter further before he proceeded against his true Subjects at the instigation of Strangers this Counsel though it gained him the love of the Commons procured the hatred of most of the Nobility who so incensed the King with his refusal that a day of meeting was appointed at Gloucester wherein Earl Godwin should answer his contempt The day come and the estates assembled Earl Godwin was sent for but refused to appear alledging his present service against the Welsh then ready to enter into Rebellion but they by Ambassadours clearing themselves the suspicions encreased and great preparation for War was made on both sides To the aid of the King came Leofrick Earl of Chester Siward Earl of Northumberland and Rodulf Earl of Hereford with competent forces to Godwin repaired his people of Kent and Surrey his two sons Harold and Swain bringing with them the men of Essex Norfolk Suffolk Cambridge Huntington Somerset Oxford Hereford Gloucester and Barkshires so that his Army exceeding the Kings made him so much exceed in pride as to demand Eustace Earl of Bulloign with all his French and Normans to be delivered unto him which being as good reason was denyed each side prepared themselves to battel but through the advice of some then present the matter was ended without blood-shed and referred to a Parliament to be holden at London so that now both sides seemed to be indifferently well pacified but under these ashes of dissimulation lay hidden burning coals of fire and revenge burst out into a flame for Edward with a strong guard entred London and Earl Goodwin with his sons in warlike manner came into Southwark to his own house where his great army soon dissolyed into nothing his Souldiers for the most part returning home again which when Edward understood he presently pronounced sentence of banishment upon him and his five sons without further proceeding by way of Parliament And that his wife who was daughter to Earl Godwin should have her sad share in the afflictions of her Parents brethren who were banished the realm he committed her Prisoner to the Monastery of Wilton attended onely with one maid an unjust act unbefitting a King to punish the Child for the Fathers offences contrary to the prescript Rule of God Ezek. 18.20 The soul that sinneth it shall dye the Son shall not bear the iniquity of the Father neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son Yea it was the observation of a Heathen man It is meer injustice if the father be a Rebell that the son should therefore be accounted a Traytour Yet as the Poet hath it Yet notwithstanding we see oftentimes Children are punish'd for their fathers crimes But as things violent are not long permanent so this storm of dissention betwixt King Edward and Earl Goodwin was soon blown over for the Nobles interceding for him unto the King a reconciliation was made and Earl Goodwin restored to his former Dignities but though the King forgave him his Treasons the King of kings forgot not his Perjury for he falsely swearing himself to be clear of Prince Alfreds death and wishing if he were guilty he might never swallow down one morsel of bread God himself manifested the truth and according to his wish though not his desire it happened unto him A fearful example to all foresworn wretches of Gods heavy judgements on their perjury Another Act of this Kings was touching his Mother which proclaimed him if not undutiful yet very unnatural he was troubled with an infirmity his ears were alwayes opened to the complaints of strangers and their mouths alwayes full with complaints against the English Robert Archbishop of Canterbury a Norman by birth accused Queen Emma that under colour of private devotions she had over familiarly accompanied with Alwine Bishop of Winchester The King crediting the Archbishops words forced her to wipe off this imputation to pass the triall of fire Ordeal which was by passing bare-footed and blinde-folded over nine Plow-shares glowing red hot and laid at unequal distance which she did without any hurt to the great astonishment of all the beholders in memory whereof she gave nine Mannors to the Minster of Winchester according to the number of the Plow-shares she had passed in her trial And Edward repenting the wrong he had done her bestowed on the same place the Island of Portland in Dorsetshire being about seven miles in compass for so the chance in those
England where being instructed in the Christian Religion and baptized in the Church of St. Paul by the Bishop of London with great Solemnity in the presence of six Prelates she was married to the aforesaid Gilbert of whom he had Issue this Thomas whose Life we now relate who as his Legend recites was first brought up in a Religious House of Merton afterwards was instructed in the Liberal Sciences and then sent to study in the University of Paris from whence returning home he was by Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury made his Archdeacon a place in those dayes of high degree in the English Cleargy next unto Lord Abbots and Bishops Much about that time Henry Duke of Aquitain and Normandy succeeded King Stephen in the Crown of England who in the very first year of his Reign advanced Becket to be Lord Chancellour of England in which high honour he carried himself like another King His retinue was great his Followers men of good account his House keeping such as might compare with if not surpass the greatest Earls of the Kingdom his Clothes very costly full of bravery his Furniture mighty rich his very Bridles of beaten silver Yea Fortune did seem to have made him her Darling and all things so flowed according to his desire that one would have judged him to have laid clean aside the very thought of a Clergy-man King Henry having Wars in France he served him with a Band of 700. Souldiers of his own Family besides many others with which and some additional Forces after the Kings departure he obtained a great victory At another time he himself in person unhorssed a Frenchman called Enguerranus de Creya a most hardy Souldier renowned for deeds of Arms and Chevalry for these valiant acts in reward and in further hope of his faithful service upon the death of Theobald the King made him Archbishop of Canterbury though the Monks objected against him that neither a Courtier nor a Soundier as he was both were fit to succeed in so high and sacred a Function But Thomas having obtained this dignity forgot the King who had raised him to the same For as the Poet hath it A swelling spirit hates him by whom he climes As Ivy kills the tree whereon it twines So rising men when they are mounted high Spurn at the means that first they mounted by For not long after began that great controversie between Regnum Sacerdotium the Crown and the Mytre the occasion whereof was the King being credibly informed that some Clergy-men had committed above an hundred murthers under his Reign would have them tried and adjudged in his Temporal Courts as Lay-men were but this as being contrary to the priviledges of the Church the Archbishop withstood This affront of a subject the King could not endure finding himself hereby to be but a demy-King Wherefore having drawn to his side most of the Bishops in an Assembly at VVestminster he propoundeth these Articles peremptorily urging Becket to assent to them 1. That none should appeal to the See of Rome for any cause whatsoever without the Kings licence 2. That it should not be lawful for any Archbishop or Bishop to depart the Realm and repair to the Pope upon his summons without licence from the King 3. That it should not be lawfull for any Bishop to excommunite any person that holdeth in Capite of the King without licence of the King nor grant any interdict against his Lands nor the Lands of any his officers 4. That it should not be lawfull for any Bishop to punish perjured nor false witnesses 5. That Clarks crimonous should be tried before secular Judges 6. That the King and his secular Justices should be Judges in matters of Tythes and other like causes Ecclesiastical There points so nearly touched the Papal Sovereignty that Becket resolutely denied to signe them but by the importunity of many Lords and Prelates at last he yields subscribes the Ordinance and sets his hand unto it The King hereupon supposing all contradiction ended and that Thomas would not waver in his faith called an assembly of the States at Clarendon in VViltshire to collect and enact these Laws where John of Oxenford sitting President Becket relapsed saying He had grievously sinned in that he had done and that he would not sin therein any more The King herewith vehemently incensed threatens banishment and destruction to him and his whereupon Becket once again perswaded swears in verbo Sacerdotali in the word of a Priest sincerely that he would observe the Laws which the King entituled Avitae and all the Bishops Abbots Priors and whole Clergy with all the Earls Barons and Nobility did promise and swear the same faithfully and truly to observe and performe to the King and to his Heirs for ever But the King desiring him to affix his seal to an Instrument wherein those Laws being sixteen were contained he refused saying He did promise it onely to do the King some honour verbo tenus in word onely Nor could the example of his fellow Bishops nor the perswasions of Rotrod the Popes messenger move him at all to compose these differences It may be thought a fable yet is related by divers superstitious Authors that one time during this contention certain fellows cut off the Archbishops horses tail after which fact all their children were born with Tails like Horses and that this continued long in their Posterity For may own part though I confess God is able to do this and much more yet I reckon this amongst other ridiculous miracles mentioned of him by those writers as that of Ailwardus who for stealing a great whetstone which the Author that writes it best deserved being deprived of his eyes and virilities by sentence of Law upon prayer to Saint Thomas he had all restored again Yea even a Bird having been taught to speak flying out of her cage and ready to be seized on by a Sparrow Hawk said onely St. Thomas help me and her enemy fell presently dead and she escaped But slighting these follies to return to our History the King summoning a Parliament at Northhampton Becket was cited to appear before his Majesty which he refusing upon his contempt the Peers and Prelates judged his goods confiscated to the Kings mercy He making his appearance the Parliament demanded of him an account of 30000 pounds which he received when he was Lord Chancellour to which he answered that when he was chosen to be Archbishop he was by the Kings authority freed and acquitted of all Debts and Obligations of Court and Exchequer and so delivered over to the Church of England and that therefore at that time he would not answer as a Lay-man having before had a sufficient discharge This answer of the Archbishop was like Oyl cast on fire which instead of quenching increast the Kings anger and the Prelates perceiving the Kings displeasure to tend yet to some further severity premonished him to submit himself for that otherwise the Kings Court
of King Richards too great honour could not down with his too great minde Hoveden reports he was bribed by Saladine which if true let him for ever forfeit the sirname of Augustus and the stile of the most Christian Prince King Richard goes on notwithstanding the French Kings departure and fortifies the Town of Joppa where going one day a hawking to recreate himself being weary laid himself down upon the ground to fleep when suddenly certain Turks came upon him to take him but he awakened with their noise riseth up gets a horseback and drawing out his sword assaults the Turks who feigning to fly drew the King into an ambush where many Turks lay who had certainly taken him if they had known his person but one of the Kings Servants called William de Patrellis crying out in the Saracen Tongue that he was the King they presently lay hold upon him and let the King escape At this time Guy of Lusignan was possest of the City of Tyre and with it of the right of the Kingdom of Jerusalem King Richard more greedy of honour then profit exchangeth his Island of Cyprus with this hungry Prince for his Kingdome of Jerusalem and upon this title the Kings of England were stiled Kings of Jerusalem a long time after And now did King Richard long to be possest of his merchandise whereupon it was determined then should presently march towards the holy City Richard led the vantguard of his English Duke Odo commanded in the main battel over his French James of Avergne brought on the Flemings and Brabanters in the rear Saladine Serpent-like biting the heal assaulted the rear not far from Bethlehem when the French and English wheeling about charged the Turks most furiously emulation formerly poyson was here a cordial each Christian nation striving not onely to conqer their enemies but to overcome their friends in the honour of the Conquest King Richard seeking to put his courage out of doubt brought his judgement into question being more prodigal of his person then beseemed a General A great Victory they obtained of the Turks with little loss to themselves save onely of James of Avergne who here died in the Bed of Honour And now they marched up within sight of Jerusalem where King Richard intercepted the Caravan of the Saladine laden with many rich Eastern wares containing much in a little and guarded with ten thousand men whom King Richard valiantly encountring with 5000. selected Souldiers put most of them to the Sword and took three thousand Camels and four thousand Horses and Mules besides all their rich treasure and yet of all this and all that he gained in Cicily and Cyprus he brought home nothing but one Gold Ring all the rest of his wealth melting away in this hot service And now King Richard being advertised of the King of France his invading Normandy contrary to his oath at his departure inforced him though much to his grief to conclude a peace with Saladine and that upon conditions not very honourable for the Christians which was to demolish all places they had walled since the taking of Ptolemais which was in effect to undo what with much charge they had done but such was the tyranny of King Richards occasions forcing him to return that he was glad to embrace those conditions he hated at his heart and so sending his Wife Berengaria and his Sister Joan with a great part of his Army into Cicily and from thence into England he passeth himself with some few of his company by the way of Thrace and on the Coasts of Istria suffered shipwrack wherefore he intended to pierce thorow Germany by land the next way home The better to pass undiscovered he disguises himself to be one Hugo a Merchant whose onely merchandise was himself but in his journey near to Vienna was unhappily discovered by the profuseness of his expences so that the very policy of an Hoastess finding his Purse so far above his Cloaths did detect him Leopoldus Duke of Austria hearing hereof as being Lord of the Soyl seized on this royal Hero meaning now to ge his pennyworths out of him for the affront done unto him in Palestine But this booty being too great for a Duke the Emperour got him into his Custody meaning to coyn much Gold and Silver out of his most unjust affliction by sharp imprisonment Yet all the weight of their cruelty did not bow him beneath a Princely carriage Fifteen moneths imprisonment did he endure at last he was ransomed for an hundred and forty thousand marks Collen weight and delivered to his Mother Queen Elianor by the Archbishops of Mentz and Collen which last named Archbishop for joy of his deliverance did celebrate divine service after this manner Deus missit angelum Now I know that God hath sent his Angel and hath delivered thee out of the hand of Herod and from the expectation of the people c. We must not here forget how Gods judgements overtook this Duke punishing his Dominions with Fire Water Barrenness Worms and Pestilence The Fire causually burning his Towns the River of Danubius drowning then thousand of his Subjects in an overflow the Earth waxing dry and sear the Worms destroying such Fruit and Grain as grew and the stroak of Pestilence killing the principal Nobles and Gentlemen of his Dominions The Duke himself in a tilting for solemnity of his Birth-day fell off his horse and broke his leg which turning to a Gangreen he cut off with his own hands and died thereof King Richard after his return into England at the Abby of Saint Edmunds offered up the rich Imperial Standard of Cursac Emperour of Cyprus which he took among the spoils of the Griffons Camp and then marched to reduce such Castles as the servants of his Brother John held against him who ambitiously and ungratefully during his Brothers absence sought to wrest the helme of Government into his own hands fortifying the Castles of Marleborough Lancaster St. Michaels Mount Nottingham and Tichil Henry de Pumeray Captain of St. Michaels Mount hearing for certain that King Richard was come died for very fear and the rest of the Castles were reduced with some small resistance And now to show that he was an absolute King again he caused himself to be again Crowned at Winchester the King of Scotland honouring the solemnity with his presence who bare a Sword before King Richard between which two Princes there followed great amity and tenderness of love all their dayes Not long after this the King being at dinner at Westminster received advertisement that the French had laid Siege to Vernoul a strong Town of his in Normandy with which he was so moved that he swore a great oath he would never turn his head till he had confronted the French For the performance of which oath he caused the wall-right before him to be presently beaten down that so he might pass forward without turning his face never resting till with an hundred great
gave himself over to all licentiousness whilst Warwick had made his faction not onely mighty but monstrous being compacted of several natures for into conspiracy of this great enterprize he had drawn off the Cleargy and the Laity and most of them of affections most opposite The Archbishop of York was the principal mover because he mov'd upon the soul and made treason an act of Religion the easie multitude who build their faith upon the man not the Doctrine thinking it meritorious to rebell in regard his function seem'd to give authority to the action With him a greed the Marquess Mountague and many eminent persons of King Edwards Court whom either desire of War having never lived but in the troubled Sea of discord or want of expected recompence rendered discontented All the partakers in the calamity of the house of Lancaster most passionately at first overture embraced this motion amongst whom was Henry Holland Duke of Exeter who after his ruine with the fall of Henry the Sixth was reduced to such extremity that ragged and bare-footed he begg'd for his meat in the Low-Countries But the wonder of the world then was at the powerful sorcery of those perswasions which bewitcht the Duke of Clarence the Kings Brother to this conspiracy to whom the Earl of Warwick to tye him the faster to his side gave him in marriage the Lady Isabel his daughter and coheire to the rich Earldom of Warwick for consummation whereof they sailed over to Calice of which Town the Earl of Warwick was Captain and in which the young Lady then remained with her Mother Soon was the Ceremony past and soon did the Earl invite his Son-in-law from the softness of the Nuptial Dalliance as who had contrived this marriage for business not for pleasure and design'd the first issue of their embraces to be a monster and the most unnatural one War between Brothers Warwick having thus politickly order'd things that he left little or nothing to fortune with his Son-in-law returns to England where against his return the Archbishop of York with some other of his friends had raised a potent Army to oppose whom on Edwards side assembles a mighty power under the conduct of the Earls of Pembroke and Devonshire but they falling out at Banbury upon a trivial occasion made way for the enemy to conquer them both This overthrow was seconded with a great loss at Grafton in Northamptonshire wherein the Earl Rivers and the Lord Widdevil Father and Brother to the Queen were taken and barbarously beheaded Edward nettled with these losses raises what power he could and marches against Warwick whose pretence being that of all Rebells The good of the Kingdom yet to avoid effusion of blood seemingly is very desirous of peace but when with several overtures he had lulled the King in security in the dead of the night he sets upon his Army kills the watch and surpriseth his person buried in a careless sleep Warwick having thus gotten the prey into his hand he so long desired sends him prisoner to Middleham Castle in Yorkshire there to be kept by his Brother the Archbishop of that Sea but King Edward being of another temper then his predecessour Henry not enduring Captivity soon found a way for his own liberty for having gotten licence to hunt in the adjoyning Park he so contrived with Sir William Stanley and Sir Thomas Burgh that with a selected number they came to his rescue and took him away from his weak guard the Lord Hastings joyning to them with some forces he had raised about Lancaster they march directly to London where they were entertained with great expressions of joy The Earl of Warwick who upon the taking of the King had disbanded his Army hearing of his escape was almost distracted with a thousand several imaginations but soon by letters to the Lords of his faction he reassembles his forces and marches against the King but thorow the solicitation of some persons inclinable to peace an enterveiw was agreed on in Westminster Hall and oaths for safety being past on both sides accordingly they met but such intemperance of Language past at their meeting as rather aggravated then allayed their anger so that now they resolved the Sword alone should decide the controversie The Earl of Warwick leaving his Army under the command of Sir Robert Wells whilst he himself went to raise more men King Edward neglecting not the opportunity whilest they were thus disjoyned gives them battel and overthrows them with the loss of ten thousand of their men Sir Robert Wells was taken prisoner and soon after beheaded This overthrow struck Warwick to the heart so that having not sufficient force to withstand the King he with the Duke of Clarence sail over into France with which King as also with Queen Margret who then remained in the French Court they entred into a combination for the deposing of King Edward and setting up again King Henry And that there might not be left any tract of former discontent or path to future jealousie a marriage was concluded and celebrated between Prince Edward the Queens Son and the Lady Anne younger daughter to the Earl and for want of issue of these two the Crown to come to Clarence and his posterity Matters thus concluded and the French King supplying them with money they return into England to whom flocked almost all the Lords the Commonalty also desirous of innovation adhered unto them so that King Edward seeing himself in a manner wholly abandoned was forced to quit the Land and sail into Holland And now notwithstanding his former hostility with him Warwick restores King Henry to all his former dignity and honour a Parliament is called wherein nothing is denyed which the prevailing party thought fit to be authorized King Edward condemned for a Tyranous Usurper and all his adherents attainted of high treason the Crown is entailed upon King Henry and his Heires Males for default of which to George Duke of Clarence and his Heires for ever The Earls of Oxford and Pembroke and many others restored to their estates and titles the Duke of Clarence put in possession of the Dutchy of York and lastly the Government of the King and Kingdom committed to the Duke of Clarence and Earl of Warwick so that King Henry possest no more then the name of King and seem'd not to be set at liberty but to have changed his keeper King Edward in the mean time having hired four great Holland Ships and fourteen Easterling men of War transports his Army over into England which consisted of two thousand Dutch men and such English as accompanied him in his flight or had escaped over after him at Ravenspur in Yorkshire he landed from thence he marched to York but finding in every place where he came the people generally devoted to the House of Lancaster he fashioned his behaviour to a new art and solemnly took his oath that his intentions was not for the recovering of the Crown but
not to take him off which those that contrived it were certain could not but take as they knew that he was of so tender a conscience as that they could not fail of their project he was cited to appear at Lambeth before the Bishop of Canterbury the Lord Chancellour and Secretary Cromwell to take the oath of Supremacy and Succession which he refusing he was committed to the custody of the Abbot of Westminster for four dayes and afterwards by the importunity of Queen Anne to the Tower Whereat his landing Mr. Lieutenant was ready to receive him the Porter of the Tower demanded of him his upper Garment Mr. Porter said he here it is and took off his Cap and gave it him saying I am sorry it is no better for thee no Sir said the Porter I must have your Gown which he gave him This his pleasantness certainly argued a confidence he had in the justness of his cause After many endeavours during his abode in the Tower to get his consent to the taking of the Oath all which proving fruitless after a years imprisonment he was called to his arraignment at the Kings Bench Bar where his Indictment being read he pleaded not guilty and to the admiration of the hearers so quitted himself that he put the Bench to a stand untill at the last one Mr. Rich the Kings Solliciter deposited against him that he should say The Parliament could make the King no more Supreme Head of Church then they could make a Law that God should not be God To which Sir Thomas answered If I were a man my Lords that did not regard an oath I need not at this time in this place as it is well known to you all stand as an accused person And if this oath Mr. Rich which you have taken be true then I pray that I may never see God in the Face which I would not say were it otherwise to gain the whole world Yet notwithstanding his oath and the exceptions he took against the witness the Lord Chancellour proceeded to sentence That he should be brought back to the Tower of London by the help of William Bringston Sheriff and from thence drawn on a Hurdle through the City of London to Tyburne there to be hanged till he be half dead after that cut down yet alive his Privy Parts cut off his Belly ripped his Bowels burnt and his four quarters set up over four Gates of the City and his head upon London Bridge This Sentence was by the Kings pardon changed afterwards into onely beheading because he had borne the highest Office in the Kingdom Of which mercy of the Kings word being brought to Sir Thomas he answered merrily God forbid the King should use any more such mercies to any of my posterity or friends During the time he remained in the Tower after Sentence passed on him one of the Court came to visit him whose whole discourse was nothing else but urging Sir Thomas to change his minde who at last being wearied with his importunity answered him That he had changed it Whreupon presently he went and told the King and being by him commanded to know wherein his minde was changed Sir Thomas rebuked him for his inconsiderate rashness that he should tell the King those words that he spoke in jeast onely to be rid of his impertinency meaning a while after this merry expression came from him that whereas he intended to be shaved for which he was said so much to resembled Erasmus that he might appear to the people as before he now resolved that his beard should undergo the same tribulation he did which made the Courtier blank and the King very angry The day appointed for his execution being come about nine of the Clock he was brought out of the Tower ascending the Scaffold it seemed so weak that it was ready to fall whereupon he said merrily to the Lieutenant I pray you Mr. Lieutenant see me safe up and for my coming down let me shift for my self Then desired he all the people to pray for him and to bear witness with him that he should then suffer death in and for the Faith of the Holy Catholique Church a faithfull servant both of God and the King Which done he kneeled down and after his prayers ended he turned to the Executioner and with a chearful countenance said Pluck up thy spirits man and be not afraid to do thine Office my neck is very short take heed therefore thou strike not awry for saving thine honesty then laying his head upon the Block he bad the Executioner stay untill he had removed aside his Beard saying That that had never committed any Treason So with much chearfulness he received the Fatall blow of the Ax which at once severed his head from his body This jeast at his death the Catholiques so much distasted that at so serious a time he should be so airy and light that he had almost been scratched out of their Canonization for a Saint He was executed the sixth day of July following the decollation of Bishop Fisher who was for the same Cause beheaded on Tower-Hill The Life of this Bishop is extant incomparable well done by Doctor Bailie Thus died Sir Thomas Moor a man admirable in all kinde of learning Latine Greek Prophane Divine his Vtopia is admired over the world his Richard the Third till of late years of so much credit with Historians that they have placed it in their Works without the alteration of a word He was of such excellency of Wit and Wisdom that he was able to make his fortune good in what place soever he lived who wanted no skill either for the mannaging of private or publick businesses being experienced both in Countrey and City Affairs in giving solid and sound counsel in doubtful cases none more prudent to tell the truth without fear none more free as from all flatteries he was open and pleasant full of grace in delivering his judgement And to conclude one whose integrity made him a miracle of nature whist he was living and whose Books have made him an everlasting Monument now he is dead He was behead in the year 1535. his Monument is in Chelsey Church where it is reported Bishop Fisher lies buried with him in the same Grave that as they suffered for one Opinion it was thought fit they should not be parted Epitaphium Thomae Mori quod paulo post abdicatum munus Cancellarii ipse sibi composuit Sepulchro suo affixit Thomas Morus Vrbe Londinensi familia non celebri sed honesta natus in literis utcunque versatus quum ut causas aliquot juvenis egisset in foro in urbe suo pro Shyrevo jus dixisset ab invictissimo Rege Henrico Octavo cui uni regum omnium gloria prius inaudita contigit fidei defensor qualem gladio se calamo verè praestitit merito vocaretur aà scitus in aulam est delectusque in concilium creatus eques
have litttle new matter worth the writing saving now we are much troubled with the Scottish Cause the Commissioners of both Parties are now here and to write unto you that the end will be certainly as yet I cannot We finde both Parties very stiffe and hitherto the Kings Party very resolute for the maintenance of his Authority her Majesties scrupulosity touching his Title and Government we partly know the unworthinesse of their Queen to rule she granteth but the Instances of their Cause to depose her from her Dignity she can hardly be perswaded in so yet she remaineth much perplexed On the one side she is loth to set her up or to restore her to her estate again On the other side she is loth to defend that which she is not well perswaded to have justice with it between these her Councel chiefly seek for these two things that her self may be preserved in safety and the true Religion maintained Assuredly for as the state of the world standeth and upon through examination of this Cause it appears that both the wayes be dangerous touching the Queen of Scots for there is danger in delivering her to Government so is there danger in retaining her in prison her friends begin to speak proudly for her We were wont alwayes to have a friend on our side if need were but as far as I can see there is none of that side of the Sea to be found that be Princes absolute Well our case is the harder and we must say Si Deus nobiscum quis contra nos Touching this matter as soon as it shall grow to any likelihood either of the one side or of the other I will advertise you and withal send you the reasons of the Advice In the mean time whatsoever you may hear believe me there is no man in England can tell you which way it will go Yet in respect of the King there and his continual dealing for the said Queen her Majesty rather giveth in words more favourable that way then the other Mr. Norris is arrived here yesterday being Shrove-Sunday after Mr. Secretary was created Baronet Burleigh and I think ere it be long he shall have the Office of the Privy Seal but as yet remaineth Secretary still and within a day or two Sir Thomas Smith is like to be called to assist him The Parliament is to begin the second of April next The Queens Majesty thanks be to God is in good health and all your Friends as you lest them save Sir Nicholas Throgmorton our good Friend Your Wise was here lately to take her leave of her Majesty who used her very well and graciously I pray you let us hear as often as you can conveniently I would gladly understand of some good for the poor Cardinal Castillian I desire and also long to hear of the Queens Majesties Present how it is liked Thus with my hearty Commendations I bid you heartily farewell Your assured Friend R. Leicester The 26 of March 1570 To my very Friend Sir Francis Walsingham Ambassador for the Queens Majesty in France I have upon the Receipt of your Letter written by Sir E. Gilbert dealt with her Majesty touching your chargeable dwelling there I trust her Majesty will have due consideration thereof Your shall perceive by her Majesties Letters her further pleasure touching Monsieur whose cause hath been broken to her by my Lord of Buck. from the Queens Mother We perceive they deal very daintily and doubt much her Majesties Intention to Marriage at least that she had rather hear of it then perform it But assuredly I do verily believe her Majesties minde herein is otherwise then it hath been and more resolutely determined then ever yet at any time before yet do they mean to deal so secretly on that side as though they will not yet believe it and accordingly her Majesty mindeth not to deal but as privately as may be devised that if that should not take effect the less reproach to either party Her Majesty hath broken this matter with my Lord of Burleigh and me and I think will not use any more till some appearance fall out what is like to become of the matter The person of Monsieur is very well liked of his conversation is harder to know I see her Majesty misliketh not of his estate for she is o minde to marry with the Gretest and he is left almost above the greatest to be had the conditions will be all wherein I am right glad and we are bound to thank God to see her Majesty so well to stand to the maintenance of the cause of Religion for their will be no great difficulty in respect of his person and estate to cause a Marriage between them So yet I perceive with the impeachment any way of the true Religion here now established she will for no cause deal with him as you may perceive by her Majesties own Letters to you albeit she doth not mean in respect of his policy to drive him in open shew in the mean time to renounce his own profession but conditionally if they should match then wholly to maintain this as well privately as publiquely God send her Majesty alwayes during her life so to stand to the defence of so just a cause and withal his blessings upon her for us all that we may live and see her bring forth of her own body as may hereafter succeed her as well in that happinesse as in the enjoying of her Kingdom So not doubting but we shall shortyly hear from you I commit you to God Your assured Friend R. Leicester The 23. of March 1571. These two Letters sufficiently evidence that he dived to the bottom of the State Affairs of those times Hitherto I have touched him in his Courtship I conclude him in his Lance. He was sent Governour by the Queen to the united States of Holland where we read not of his wonders for they say that he had more of Mercury then of Mars and that his device might have been without prejudice to the great Caesar Veni vidi redii Having remained there two yeats and made a peace with the Provinces he died in his way to Kenelworth Castle his body lieth enterred in the Temple of the Blessed Virgin in Warwick shire with this Inscription Spe certa resurgendi in Christo Hic situs est Illustrissimus Robertus Dudleius Joannis Ducis Northumbriae Comitis Warwici Vicecomitis Insulae c. filius quintus Comes Lecestriae Baro Denbighiae Ordinis tam sancti Georgii quam sancti Michaelis Eques auratus Reginae Elizabethae apud quam singulari gratia florebat Hippocomus Regiae aulae subinde Seneschallus ab intimis Consiliis Forestarum Chacearum Parcorum c. citra Trentum Summus Justiciarius Exercitus Angliae à dicta Regina Elizabetha missus in Belgio ab anno 1585. ad annum 1587. Locum-tenens Capitaneus Generalis Provinciarum Confoederatarum ibidem Gubernator Generalis Praefectus Regnique Angliae Locum-tenens
the times began to be very quick and active and fitter for stronger motions then those of the Carpet And it will be a true note of her magnanimity that she loved a Souldier and had a propension in her nature to regard and alwayes to grace them which the Courtiers taking into observation took it as an invitation to win Honour together with her Majesties favour by exposing themselves to the Wars especially when the Queens and the Affairs of the Kingdom stood in some necessity of a Souldier For we have many instances of the Sallies of the Nobility and Gentry yea and out of the Court and her privy Favorites that had any touch or tincture of Mars in their Inclinations and to steal away without licence and the Queens privity which had like to have cost some of them dear So predominant were their thoughts and hopes of honour growing in them as we may truly observe in the dispositions of Sir Philip Sidney Essex Mountjoy and divers others whose absence and the manner of their eruptions was very distasteful to her Whereof I can adde a true and no impertinent story and that of the last Mountjoy who having twice or thrice stoln away into Brittain where under Sir John Norris he had then a Company without the Queens leave and privity she sent a messenger unto him with a strict charge to the General to see him sent home When he came into the Queens presence she fell into a kinde of reviling demanding how he durst go over without her leave Serve me so quoth she once more and I will lay you fast enough for running you will never leave it until you are knockt on the head as that inconsiderate fellow Sidney was you shall go when I send you in the mean time see that you lodge in the Court which was then at White-hall where you may follow your Book read and discourse of the Wars But to our purpose it fell out happily to these and as I may say to those times that the Queen during the calm of her Reign was not idle nor rockt asleep with security for she had been very provident in the reparation and augmentation of her Shipping and Ammunition and I know not whether by a fore-sight of Policy or an instinct it came about or whether it was an act of her Compassion but it is most certain that she sent Levies and no small troops to the assistance of the revolted States of Holland before she had received any affront from the King of Spain that might deserve or tend to a Breach in Hostility which the Papists this day maintain was the provocation and cause of the after Wars Which act of hers though some applaud as done in defence of those poor afflicted Protestants yet she did not onely therein countenance Rebellion by consequence since disable her successours but also drew on her self a chargeable and dangerous War with the Spaniard But omitting what might be said to this point these Netherland Wars were the Queens Seminaries and the Nurseries of many brave Souldiers and so were likewise the Civil Wars of France whither she sent five several Armies the Fence Schools that inured the youth and gallantry of the Kingdom and it was a Militia wherein they were daily in acquaintance with the discipline of the Spaniards who were then turned the Queens inveterate enemies In the management of which politicial Affairs our Burleigh was a great assistant The Sword-men of those times complain that he was too much addicted to peace indeed he would never ingage the State in a War except necessity or her Majesties Honour required it To conclude he was the Column or rather Atlas of the State who after he had served his Royal Mistress forty years dyed at London in the seventy seventh yaar of his age 1598. His body was butied with his Ancestours in Stanford-Church A monument for his perpetual honour being erected for him in Westminster Abbey which bears this following inscription Si quaeratur quis sit hic vir senex genua flectens canitie venerabilis toga Parliamentaria amictus est Honoratissimus clarissimus Dominus Guilielmus Cecilius Baro de Burghley summus Angliae Thesaurarius Serenissimae Reginae Elisabethae à consillijs sanctioribus Ordinis Georgiani Eques Auratus c. qui hoc monumentum uxori filiae posuit placidè ex his terris in coelestem patriam anno salutis 1598. 4. die Augusti demigravit Cujus Exequiae magno apparatu tanto viro dignissimae hîc sunt celebratae die 29. ejusdem mensis Corpusque quod in hac Ecclesia sex dies requievit Stanfordiam in Ecclesiam Sancti Martini translatum fuit ubi secundum Christi adventum expectat Cor unum via una Epigramma De Gulielmo Cecilio nuper Angliae Thesaur Anno 1596. Per parvi sunt Arma foris strataegemata parvi Sit nisi consilium Caeciliusque domi Caecilius velut alter Atlas divinitùs ortus Hic humeris Coelum sustinet ille statum The Life of Sir FRANCIS DRAKE Quem timuit soevis etiam Neptunus in undis Et rediit toto victor ab Oceano Faedifragos bellens pelago prostravit Iberos Drakius huic tumulus aequoris unda fuit THis famous Sea Captain Sir Francis Drake one of the first that put a Sea Girdle about the world was born nigh South Davestock in the County of Devonshire and received his name Francis from Sir Francis Russel afterwards Earl of Bedford being his Godfather he was brought up in Kent his Father was a Minister who for fear of six Articles in the time of King Henry the Eighth fled into Kent where he lived privately till the death of the King He got a place to read Prayers amongst the Marriners of the Queens Navy and bound his Son Francis Apprentice to a Shipmaster who traded with Commodities into France and Zealand with whom he underwent a hard service by which means he was trained up to pains and skill at Sea his Master dying bequeathed him his Bark with which he a while followed his Masters profession But the Narrow Seas being too narrow for his spacious spirit he sold his Bark venturing himself and most of his estate with Captain John Hawkins into the West-indies but his journey proved unfortunate for at St. John de Vlva his goods were taken by the Spaniards himself hardly escaping with life This loss so exasperated the spirit of Drake that he vowed the Spaniards should repay him with advantage and to make his word good after two or three several voyages into the West-Indies to gain intelligence at last he effectually set forward from Plimouth with two ships and seventy three men and boyes sailing with all speed and secresie to Nombre de Dios the Granary of the West-Indies where the Spanish Treasure lay intending to surprize it being an unwalled Town but in the assault being dangerously wounded he was forced to retire again to his Ships when he had well near conquered the Town
freer access unto the Princes Court then to any others of the same profession and so by consequence to the presence of the Queen her self who did not think much to enter into discourse with him apart and with much familiarity as often as there was offered any opportunity not onely in reference to his Profession and about matters of Law but also about the weighty affairs of State and the concernments of the kingdom and at all times he gave her such judicious answers that she received great satisfaction by them But though she abundantly cherisht him with the favour of her countenance yet never with the favour of a bountiful hand as never having advanc't him to any publick office either of honor or profit excepting onely one dry reversion of a Registers Office in the Star-Chamber computed at the yearly value of 1600. pound into the possession of which he came not till about twenty years after or thereabout of which office his Lordship said pleasantly in Queen Elizabeths time That it was like another mans Farm bordering upon his own house and so might help his prospect but not fill his Barn But in King James his Reign he at length enjoy'd that office and manag'd it by a deputy Now that he was not sooner preferr'd cannot be any way attributed to the least aversion or displeasure that the Queen had in her minde against him but to the fraud and envy of some one of the Noble men at that time powerful with the Queen who sought by all means possible to depress and hinder him lest if he should be advanced to any heighth of honour his own glory should be eclipsed by him However though in the time of his Mistris Queen Elizabeth his merited promotion was still forestalled or kept back yet after the change of Government and the coming in of his new master King James he with a quickned pace soon made a large progress being by this King eminently enobled with places of trust honour anst great revenues I have seen some letters written with his own hand to King James in which he acknowledgeth him to have been so good a master to him as to have nine times conferred upon him his iterated favours thrice titles of great honour six times offices of profit the Offices he means I suppose were these he being Councel extraordinary to his Majesty in which place he had formerly served the Queen the Kings Sollitour General the Kings Atturney General or principal Procurator made one of the Kings Privy Council while yet he held the place of Atturney General Lord Keeper of the great Seal of England lastly Lord Chancellour of England Which two last Offices although they are the same in Authority and Power yet in their Patent degree of honour and favour of the Prince they differ and since the time of his holding that Magistracy none of his successours hath been honoured with that title unto this day His honours were first his being Knighted by the King then he was created Baron Verulam lastly Viscount of St. Albons besides other rich gifts and extentions of a bountiful hand which his Majesty was pleased to bestow upon him as well out of the profits of the great Seal as out of the Office of Alienation When he had arrived to that part of his age in which fortune smiled upon him he began to think of marrying and at length took to Wife Alice the Daughter and one of the Heirs of Bennet Bernham Esquire and Alderman of London with whom he received a very considerable Dowry as well in Land as in ready money children he had none by her but for as much as children conduce very much to the perpetuating our names after death he was not altogether destitute of that advantage since it was his hap to be blest with an other kinde of Off-spring for the perpetuation of his memory to after times namely the Off spring of his brain in which he was alwayes wonderfully happy like Jove himself when he was delivered of Pallace Nor did this want of children in the least measure abate his affection to his Wife toward whom he behav'd himself as an indulgent Husband and shewed her all manner of conjugal love and respect bestowing upon her rich Furniture precious Jewels and likewise settled upon her a fair Joynture nor is it to be omitted in honourable remembrance of him that she wore a rich Wedding Gown which he had bestowed upon her about twenty years after his death for so long she surviv'd her most honoured Husband The last five years of his life retiring himself from Court-Affairs and all kinde of busie employments he bent himself wholly to study and contemplation which kinde of life seem'd indeed to be most pleasing to him as if he would have chosen by his good will to dwell rather in the shade then in the sun-shine Of which also we may find some not obscure intimations in the reading of his Works in which space of time he wrote the greatest part of his Books as well those that were written in English as in Latin which according to the order of time that they were written in I who was present all the while and observ'd shall endeavour to reckon up and they were these following The History of the Reign of Henry the Seventh King of England written in English The Abecedary of Nature a Metaphysical tractate which I know not by what evil fate perisht The History of the Windes The History of Life and Death The History of Dense and Rare never till now in Print The History of Heavy and Light which also is lost These Books were composed in the Latin tongue Next were certain English Fragments as namely these A Discourse concerning the carrying on of a War with Spain A Diologue concerning the Holy War The-Fable of new Atlantis A Preface to be plac't before the body of the Laws of England The beginning of the History of Henry the Eighth King of England Between some of these came that learned work of his call'd The Advancement of Learning in the Translating of which a thing undertaken of his own accord out of his native Tongue into the Latine our most honour'd Author took very great pains and from time to time inricht it with many and various additions After these came his Councels Civil and Moral formerly call'd Essays augmented both as to their number and weight in the English tongue Some of Davids Psalms Composed into English Verse Moreover divers of his Works already mention'd he converted out of English into Latin which were these The History of the Reign of Henry the Seventh King of England His Counsels Civil and Moral call'd Faithful sayings or the Inward sense of things The Diologue of the Holy War and the Fable of New Atlantis these he translated in favour of Forreigners by whom he heard they were desired Other Books that he writ originally in Latin were his book of the Wisdom of the Ancients review'd by himself The last
by him for a constant Memorial The Life of GEORGE VILLERS Duke of Buckingham TAll Cedars are shaken with the wind when the humble shrub rests secure Envy strikes not at the lowly person her aim is evermore at the tallest How vain then is that man who enjoying the quiet of a retired life ambitiously hunts after honour How few Favorites go to the grave in peace Histories make mention and this Age can testify this truth will be too sadly instanced in the late Lord Duke of Buckingham who from the mean estate of a private Gentleman being raised to the highest pitch of honour a subject could be capable of came at last to an untimely end His first rise began at the Earl of Somersets fall one upon whom King James had heaped many great favours for from the degree of a Knight he was first made Viscount Rochester next sworn a Privy Councellour then created Earl of Somerset and last of all made Lord Chamberlane But this serene Sky of favour was soon over-shadowed with Clouds by the Earls undeserving for having married the Lady Frances Howard Daughter to Thomas Earl of Suffolk and not long before divorced from the Earl of Essex the unfortunate Knight Sir Thomas Overbury for speaking against the match was by their procurement committed to the Tower and not long after poysoned as I have more at large treated of in his Life for which fact both the Lady and Earl were arraigned and condemned yet through the Kings great clemency had their lives spared but were for ever banisht his presence This great Favorite being thus disgusted King James who would not long be without an alter idem or Bosom-friend took into special regard as I have intimated Master George Villers a Gentleman of a good extraction but a younger Brother and finding him susceptible and of good form moulded him Platonically to his own Idea And that he might be a fit companion for a King raised him in honour next to himself yet not all at once but by degrees making him first a Knight and Gentleman of his Bed-chamber soon after a Viscount and Master of the Horse a while after erected Earl of Buckingham then Marquess of Buckingham and made Lord Admiral King James having thus hardened and pollished him about ten years in the School of observance for so a Court is and in the furnace of tryal about himself for he was a King that could peruse men as well as books he made him the Associate of his Heir Apparent together with the Lord Cottington an adjunct of singular experience and trust in forreign travel and in a business of love and of no equal hazard enough to kindle affection even between the distantest conditions so as by various and inward conversation abroad besides that before and after at home with the most constant and best natured Prince bana si sua nocint that ever any Nation enjoyed this Duke which last title was conferred on him in Spain now becomes seized of reiterated favour as it were by descent though the condition of that state commonly be no more then a tenancy at will or at most for the life of the first Lord and rarely transmitted it being a kinde of wonder to see favour hereditary yet in him it proved far otherwise as one writes The King loves you you him both love the same You love the King he you both Buck-in-game Of sport the King loves game of game the Buck Of all men you why you why see your luck And although it be ever the perpetual lot of those who are of choicest admission into Princes favours to feel as strong stroaks of envy and ill will from beneath as they do beams of grace and favour from above the Princes love procuring the peoples hate this Duke contrarily found their affection so great towards him that in open Parliament the generality honoured him with no lesser acclamation then the preserver of his Countrey But what odde turns are in the passions of men and how little time continue their affections may appear in this those very men in a Parliament holden the first year of King Charles accusing him as the onely cause of all bad events which happened in the Common-Wealth drew up a charge of thirteen Articles against him the Prologue whereof expressing the prodigious greatness of this Duke the influence of whose power this ensuing Letter of Sir Henry Wottons doth sufficiently express My most noble Lord When like that impotent man in the Gospel I had lain long by the Pools side while many were healed and none would throw me in it pleased your Lordship first of all to pitty my infirmities and to put me into some hope of subsisting hereafter therefore I most justly and humbly acknowledge all my ability and reputation from your favour you have given me incouragement you have valued my poor indeavours with the King you have redeemed me from ridiculousness who have served so long without any mark of favour by which arguments being already and ever bound to be yours till either life or honesty shall leave me I am the bolder to beseech your Lordship to perfect your own work and to draw his Majesty to the settling of some things that depend betwixt Sir Julius Caesar and me in that reasonable form which I humbly present to your Lordship by my Nephew likewise your obliged servant being my self by a late indisposition confined to my Chamber but in all estates such as I am Your Lordships Henry Wootton But to return where I left to the preface of his Titles as I finde them copied in the Parliaments Declaration against him For the speedy redress of the great evils and mischiefs and of the chief causes of those great evils and mischiefs which this Kingdom of England now grievously suffereth and of late years hath suffered and to the honour and fafety of our Sovereign Lord the King and of his Crown and Dignities and to the good and welfare of his People the Commons in this present Parliament by the authority of our said Sovereign Lord the King assembled do by this their Bill shew and declare against George Duke Marquess and Earl of Buckingham Earl of Coventry Viscount Villers Barron of Whaddon Great Admiral of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and of the Principality of Wales and of the Dominions and Islands of the same of the Town of Calais and of the Marches of the same and of Normandy Gascoigne and Guyen General Governour of the Seas and ships of the said Kingdoms Lieutenant General Admiral Captain General and Governour of his Majesties Royal Fleet and Army lately set forth Master of the Horses of our Sovereign Lord the King Lord Warden Chancellour and Admiral of the Cinque-Ports and of the members thereof Constable of Dover Castle Justice in Eyre of all Forrests and Chases on this side Trent Constable of the Castle of Windsor Lieutenant of Middlesex and Buckinghamshire Steward and Bayliff of Westminster Gentleman of his Majesties
humanity and charitable inclinations will afford me your devout prayers For my Saviours sweet mercy good people pray for me even for my eternal Saviours sake into whose bosom I render my woful and afflicted soul sweet Jesu my redeemer the redeemer even of me a woful and dejected sinner receive into thy arms my Spirit At the time appointed he marched to the Scaffold more like a General in the head of an Army to breath victory then like a condemned man to undergo the sentence of death The Lieutenant of the Tower desired him to take Coach for fear the people should rush in upon him and tear him in pieces No said he Master Lieutenant I dare look death in the face and I hope the people too have you a care that I do not escape and I care not how I dye whether by the hand of the Executioner or the madness and fury of the People if that may give them better content it is all one to me Having mounted the Scaffold and seeing his Brother Sir George Wentworth weeping Brother said he What do you see in me that deserves these tears doth my fear betray my guiltiness or my too much boldness any Atheism think now that you do accompany me to my marriage bed Nor did I ever throw off my cloathes with such freedom and content as in this my preparation to my Grave that stock pointing to the Block appointed for his Execution must be my Pillow here must I rest and rest from all my labours no thoughts of envy no dreams of treason jealousies of foes cares for the King the State or my self shall interrupt this nap therefore Brother with me pitty mine enemies who beside their intention have made me blessed rejoyce in my innocency rejoyce in my happiness Kneeling down upon the Scaffold he made this Protestation I hope Gentlemen you do think that neither fear of loss or love of reputation will cause me to belie God and my Conscience for now I am in the door going out and my next step must be from time to eternity either of peace or pain To clear my self to you all I do solemnly protest before God I am not guilty so far as I can understand of that great crime laid now to my charge nor have had the least inclination or intention to damnifie or prejudice the King the State the Laws or Religion of this Kingdom but with my best endeavours to serve all and support all concluding with these words as God might be merciful to his soul Addressing himself to my Lord Primate of Ireland he said It is my very great comfort that I have your Lordship by me this day in regard I have been known to you these many years and I do thank God and your Lordship for it that you are here I should be very glad to obtain so much silence as to be heard a few words but I doubt I shall not the noise is so great My Lords I am come hither by the good will and pleasure of Almighty God to pay that last debt I owe to sin which is death and by the blessing of that God to rise again through the merits of Jesus Christ to righteousness and life eternal Here he was much interrupted My Lords I am come hither to submit to that judgement which hath passed against me I do it with a very quiet and contented minde I thank God I do freely forgive all the world a forgiveness that is not spoken from the teeth outwards as they say but from the very heart I speak it in the presence of Almighty God before whom I stand that there is not a displeasing thought arising in me towards any man living I thank God I can say it and truly too my conscience bearing me witness that in all my employment since I had the honour to serve his Majesty I never had any thing in the purpose of my heart but what tended to the joynt and individual prosperity of the King and People although it hath been my ill fortune to be misconstrued I am not the first that hath suffered in this kinde it is the common portion of us all while we are in this life to erre righteous judgement we must wait for in another place for here we are very subject to be misjudged one of another There is one thing that I desire to free my self of and I am very confident speaking it now with so much chearfulness that I shall obtain your Christian Charity in the belief of it I was so far from being against Parliaments that I did alwayes think the Parliaments of England were the most happy Constitutions that any Kingdom or Nation lived under and the best means under God to make the King and People happy For my death I here acquit all the world and beseech the God of heaven heartily to forgive them that contrived it though in the intentions and purposes of my heart I am not guilty of what I die for And my Lord Primate it is a great comfort for me that his Majesty conceives me not meriting so severe and heavy a punishment as is the utmost execution of this sentence I do infinitely rejoyce in this mercy of his and I beseech God return it into his own bosome that he may finde mercy when he stands in need of it I wish this Kingdom all the prosperity and happiness in the world I did it living and now dying it is my wish I do most humbly recommend this to every one that hears me and desire they would lay their hands upon their hearts and consider seriously whether the beginning of the happinesse and Reformation of a Kingdom should be written in Letters of blood consider this when you are at your homes and let me be never so unhappy as that the least drop of my blood should rise up in judgement against any one of you but I fear you are in a wrong way My Lords I have but one word more and with that I shall end I profess that I dye a true and obedient son to the Church of England wherein I was born and in which I was bred peace and prosperity be ever to it It hath been objected if it were an objection worth the answering that I have been inclined to Popery but I say truly from my heart that from the time that I was one and twenty years of age to this present going now upon forty nine I never had in my heart to doubt of this Religion of the Church of England nor ever had any man the boldness to suggest any such thing to me to the best of my remembrance and so being reconciled by the merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour into whose bosom I hope I shall shortly be gathered to those eternal happinesses which shall never have end I desire heartily the forgivenesse of every man for any rash or unadvised words or any thing done amiss and so my Lords and Gentlemen farewel Farewel all the things of this world
that sufficient and real security be given for performance of what shall be agreed upon I permit either by leaving strong Towns or other Military force into the Rebels possession until Articles be performed to give such assurance for performance of Conditions as you shall think necessary for to conclude a Peace provided alwayes that you take at least as great care by sufficient security that Conditions be performed to me And to make sure that he Peace once set all things shall return into their ancient chanels Thirdly for Ireland I confess they have very specious and proper Arguments to propose this point the gaining of no Article more conducing to their ends then this and I have as great reason in honour to take care how to answer this Accompt all the world knows the eminent inevitable necessity which caused me to make the Irish Cessation and there remain yet as strong reasons for the concluding of the Peace wherefore ye must consent to nothing to hinder me therein until a clear way be shown me how my Protestant Subjects may probably at least defend themselves and that I shall have no more need to defend my Conscience and Crown from the injuries of this Rebellion His Majesties Letter to the Duke of Richmond in pursuance of the said Instructions Richmond I thank you for the account you sent me by this Bearer and have nothing of new to direct you in but onely to remember you that my going to Westminster is not to be mentioned but upon probable hopes of procuring a Treaty with the Commons there or thereabouts and that you mention the security I ask with my coming to West And I hope I need not remember you to cajole well the Independents and Scots this Bearer will tell you how well our Western and Northern association go on to whom I refer you for other things I rest Directions for Secretary Nicolas to the same effect First for Religion and Church Goverment I will not go one step further than what is offered by you already 2. And so for the Militia more than what ye have already allowed me but even that you must observe that I must have a nomination of the full half as if the total number Scots and all be thirty I will name fifteen yet if they I mean the English Rebels will be so base as to admit of ten Scots to twenty English I am contented to name five Scots and ten English and so proportionably to any number that shall be agreed upon 3. And for gaining of particular persons besides security I give you power to promise them rewards for performed services not sparing to ingage for places so they be not of great trust but as much profit as you will with this last you are onely to acquaint Richmond Southampton Culpeper and Hide His Majesties Letter to his Commissioners at Uxbridge for procuring longer time to conclude the Treaty Right trusty c. Having received from you a particular account of your proceedings in the Treaty and observing thereby how impossible it is within the dayes limited to give such full answer to the three Propositions you are now upon as you might if upon consideration had of the rest of the Propositions you could clearly see what fruit such answers will produce in order to a blessed peace for the present and the future good and happiness of this Kingdom we have thought it fit to advise you that you propose and desire of the Commissioners with whom you treat that they will procure such further time to be allowed after the expiration of the twenty dayes as may be sufficient for you upon a full understanding one of another upon the whole to make such a conclusion that all our Subjects may reap the benefit good men pray for deliverance from these bloody distractions and be united in peace and charity and if you think fit you may communicate this our Letter to them So we bid you heartily farewel Given at our Court at Oxon. Feb. 13. 1644. Thus by these former passages all wise men may perceive how far the King declared the truth of his intentions which finding frustrate he speedily sent this Letter to the Queen His Majesties Letter to the Queen March 5th 1644. Dear Heart Now is come to pass what I foresaw the fruitless end as to a present peace of this Treaty but I am still confident that I shall finde very good effects of it for besides that my Commissioners have offered to say no more full measured reason and the Rebels have stucken rigidly to their Demands which I dare say had been too much though they had taken me Prisoner so that assuredly the breach will light fouly upon them We have likewise at this time discovered and shall likewise make it evidently appear to the world that the English Rebels whether basely or ignorantly will be no great difference have as much as in them lyes transmitted the command of Ireland from the Crown of England to the Scots which besides the reflection it will have upon these Rebels will clearly shew that reformation of the Church is not the chief much less the onely end of the Scotch Rebellion but it being presumption and not piety so to trust a good cause as not to use all lawful means to maintain it I have thought of one means more to furnish thee with for my assistance than hitherto thou hast had it is that I give thee power to promise in my name to whom thou thinkest most fit that I will take away all the Penal Laws against the Roman Catholicks in England as soon as God shall enable me to do it so as by their means or by their favours I may have so powerful assistance as may deserve so great a favour and inable me to do it But if thou ask what I call that assistance I answer that when thou knowest what may be done for it it will be easily seen if it deserve to be so esteemed I need not tell thee what secresie this business requires yet this I will say that this is the greatest part of confidence I can express to thee for it is no thank to trust thee in any thing else but in this which is the onely thing of difference in opinion betwixt us and yet I know thou wilt make make as good a bargain for me even in this I trusting thee though it concern Religion as if thou wert a Protestant the visible good of my Affairs so much depending on it I have so full entrusted this Bearer Pooly that I will not say more to thee now but that herewith I send thee a new Cypher assuring thee that none hath or shall have any Copy of it but my self to the end thou mayest use it when thou shalt find fit to write any thing which thou wilt judge worthy of thy pains to put in Cypher and to be deciphered by none but me and so likewise from him to thee who is eternally thine The Spring
and successful an enemy as followed them at the heels June 12 1648. they settled themselves a Garrison the Parliament Horse coming up and quartering within Canon shot of the Town Touching these proceedings I have further inlarged my self in the Life of Sir Charles Lucas But the greatest of all dangers which threatned the Parliament was from the North from the Kingdom of Scotland Duke Hamilton with an Army of five and twenty thousand entered England for the King with whom joyned Sir Marmaduke Langdale divers of the chief Ships of the Royal Fleet likewise much about the same time revolted from the Parliament and set their Vice-Admiral Rainsborow ashore affirming they were for the King and would serve Prince Charles sailing towards Holland where the Prince the was and with him his Brother the Duke of York who not long before fled privately out of London The Earl of Holland also with they young Duke of Buckingham having five hundred Horse appeared in Arms for the King by Kingston so that all things considered we may conclude that the Kings party since the beginning of the Wars was not in a likelier condition at least more formidible then at this present but God had otherwise decreed and all these fair hopes in a few dayes vanished into nothing as the following ill successes will declare The Earl of Holland soon after his rising was put to flight by Sir Michael Levesey and others The Lord Francis Villers Brother to the Duke of Bucking ham was slain and Sir Kenelm Digby's eldest Son who as he was fighting with four at once was cowardly thrust through his Back Holland flying with the remainder of his Horse was within few dayes after at the Town of Saint Needs by Collonel Scroop whom the General Fairfax had sent from Colchester for that purpose altogether subdued Holland himself taken and by the Parliament committed prisoner to Warwick Castle Langhorn and Powel were totally routed between the two Towns of Fagans and Peterstone and having lost all their Army escaped by flight to Colonel Poyer into Pembroke Castle which after a strait Siege was surrendred to Cromwell the three Collonels rendring themselves Prisoners at mercy Poyer onely suffered death who in hopes of a Reprieve dissembled a reluctancy when he was ready to dye Cromwel from thence marched against the Scots who were now come as far as Preston in Lancashire and with the addition of Lamberts strength gave Battel to Hamilton pursuing them as far as Warington about twenty miles and killing many in the Chase took Lieutenant General Bailey Prisoner with a great part of the Scottish Army granting them onely quarter for their lives In this Battle were slain three thousand Scots and taken Prisoners about nine thousand Duke Hamilton himself within few dayes after having fled with a good party of Horse to Vttoxeter was there taken prisoner by the Lord Gray and Collonel Wait. With Hamilton were taken about three thousand Horse Langdale also not long after was taken prisoner in a little Village by Widmerpole a Parliament Captain this was the success of Hamiltons invading England The Trophies of this Victory were placed in Westminster Hall Soon after was the strong Town of Colchester surrendred to General Fairfax which for three moneths together with much Resolution and Gallantry was defended by Sir Charles Lucas Norwich Capel c. until all hopes they had of relief were utterly blasted and all their provisions quite spent not so much as a Dog or a Cat left them to satisfie the necessity of Nature Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisel were shot to death the same day the Town was surrendred the Earl of Norwich Lord Capel and Master Hasting Brother to the Earl of Huntington were sent Prisoners to London The Lord Capel some few weeks after together with Duke Hamilton and the Earl of Holland were all three beheaded The Parliament during these Broils to give some seeming satisfaction to the Kingdom annulled their former votes of making no further addresses to the King and restored again to their seats eleven of their Members who had formerly been impeached by the Army a Treaty was voted to be with the King in the Isle of Wight the Earl of Middlesex with two of the House of Commons were sent to the King who made answer that he was very ready to treat of peace and named Newport in that Island to be the place Five of the House of Peers and ten of the House of Commons were appointed Commissioners and the Treaty went on with a great deal of seeming satisfaction on both sides But whiles they were intent upon the business a Petition was exhibited to the Parliament wherein they desired that the King might be tried by the Laws and brought to justice and all further Treaties with him to be laid aside which when the Parliament denied the Army not being satisfied they march some of them towards Newport others to the King who was now a Prisoner as large In the mean time the General sends his Letters to Collonel Hammond to render up his Command to Collonel Ewers who is to take the charge of the King but the Parliament vote him hereupon to stay there of which the General having notice 27. November The Army fast and pray and receive according to the still continued fashion Petitions from several Counties in order to what they intend to resolve and therefore Hammond submits and delivers up the King to Ewers and comes towards the Army The Parliament are angry and vote a Letter to the General that his orders and instructions for securing of the Kings person are contrary to their resolutions and instructions to Collonel Hammond and that it is the pleasure of the House that his Excellency recal his orders and that Colonel Hammond be free to take his charge to the Isle of Wight the Treaty being ended but instead of obedience hereto he salutes them with a sharp Letter for money to pay Arrears for the Army hereupon the Army marches to London and the King had his removes by Ewers till he came to the Block After that the House had past their Vote for no address to the King he being in a sad condition by his stricter condition in Hurst Castle hearing of these Votes prepares his soliloquies for his assured comfort in death as we finde his meditations in those golden Leaves of his Book As I have leasure sayes he so I have cause more then enough to meditate on and prepare for my death for I know that there are but a few steps betwixt the Prisons and the Graves of Princes Now the Ax was laid to the root of the Tree the House of Commons vote that by the Fundamental Laws of the Realm it is Treason for the time to come to Levy War against the Parliament and Kingdom the Ordinance for the Kings Trial was refused by the Lords January 2. After this a Proclamation was from the House of Commons for any one to accuse the King the Ordinance of
the Trial was January 6. engrossed and read and the manner referred to the Commissioners who were to try him in the Painted Chamber Munday the 8. of January a Proclamation resolved to be made in Westminster Hall the Commissioners to sit the next day to which intent Mr. Denby the younger a Serjeant at Arms to the Commissioners rid into the Hall the Drums of the Guard beating without the Palace and in like manner at the Old Exchange and in Cheapside Jan. 9. The Commons Vote the Title in Writs of Caroli dei gratia c. to be altered that great Seal be broken and ordered a new one with the Arms of England and the Harp for Ireland with this word The great Seal of England and on the reverse the Picture of the House of Commons with these words In the first year of Freedom by Gods Blessing 1648. Now there was a new Tribunal erected there being appointed 150 Judges or Tryers that so in number they might represent the people who are improved to covenant hear Judge and Execute Charles Stuart King of England of these there were of several sorts of persons six Earls of the upper House the Judges of the Kingdom Commanders of the Army Members of the Commons Lawyers men of several Trades and Professions The Presbyterian Ministers now too late disclaim against the prosecutions and the English Nobility offer themselves pledges on the the Kings behalf but all too late and now the penitent Scots with their predecessor repent themselves of their Silver and in a Declaration express their dislike The High Court of Justice was framed in the upper end of Westminster Hall betwixt the then Kings Bench and the Chancery Saturday Jan. 20. the King was brought from St. James through the Park in a Sedan to White Hall thence by Water with guards to Sir John Cottons House at the back end of Westminster Hall The Judges met in the Painted Chamber attending the President Bradshaw in his Scarlet Robe the Sword born before him by Collonel Humphry the Mace by Serjeant Denby the younger and twenty men for his guard with Partizans himself sits down in a Crimson Velvet Chair of State fixed in the midst of the Court with a Desk before him and thereon a Cushion of Crimson Velvet the seats of each side benches covered with Scarlet Cloath the Partizans divided themselves on each side O yes and silence made the great Gate of the Hall was opened for any one to enter Collonel Tomson brought forth the Prisoner the Serjeant with his Mace received him to the Bar where was placed a red Velvet Chair the King looks sternly on the Court where he spyes one person who had received signal favours from him at the sight of whom as I received it from one in the Court he laid his hand on his breast and pronounced to himself scarce audibly Caesars words Et tu Brute after which he sat down not shewing the least regard to the Court but presently rises and looks downwards on the guards and multitudes of the spectators The Act of parliament for the Tryal of Charles Stuart King of England was read over by the Clerk one Phelps who sat on the right side of the Table covered with a Turky Carpet placed at the feet of the President upon which lay the Sword and Mace The several names of the Rolls of Tryers were called over and eighty answered to their names in the charge the King is accused in the name of the People of England of Treason Tyranny and of all the Murthers and Rapines that had happened in the War they imposed all the weight of the accusation on this that he raised War against the Parliament A great many people looking on with groans and sights deploring the condition of their King The President stood up and said Sir you have heard your Charge containing such matters as appear by it and in the close it is prayed that you answer to your Charge which this Court expects The King whilest he heard this Charge with a majestick countenance and a smile in answer to the President asks the new judges by what Auhority they did bring to Tryal a King their most lawful Sovereign against the Publick Faith so lately given him when he commenced a Treaty with the Members of both Houses By what saith he emphatically lawful Authority for saith he I am not ignorant that there are on foot every where every mans unlawful powers as of Thieves and Robbers in the High Way he bids them onely declare by what authority they had arrogated this whatsoever power to themselves and he would willingly answer to the things objected which if they could not he advised them to avert the grievous crimes from their own heads and the kingdom whatsoever they did he resolved not to betray the charge committed to him by God and confirmed by ancient descent The President rejoynes that he was called to an account by authority of the people of England by whose election he was admitted King The king replyed the Kingdom descended to him in no wise elective but hereditary above a thousand years that he stood more apparently for the Liberties of the People of England by refusing as unlawful and arbitrary authority then the Judges or any other asserting it That the authority and power of the people was shewed in Parliamentary Assemblies but that here appeared none of the Lords who to the constituting of a Parliament ought to be there and which is more some King ought to be present but that neither the one nor the other nor both the Parliament Houses nor any other judicature on earth had any authority to call the King of England to an account much less some certain Judges chosen onely by his Accusers masked with the authority of the Lower House and the same proculated Howbeit he willed them again that they would at least produce this their Authority and he would not be wanting to his defence forasmuch is was the same offence with him to acknowledge a Tyrannical Power as to resist a lawful one The president often interrupting the Kings Speech told him that they were satisfied with theâ—r authority as it is upon on Gods authority and the kingdom in doing justice in this their present work The Munday after the Court met in the Painted Chamber where it was resolved that the king should not be suffered to argue the Courts Jurisdiction but that the President should tell him that the Commons in Parliament had constituted that Court whose power was not to be disputed that if he refuse to answer it shall be accounted a contumacy to the Court that if he answer with a Salvo his pretended Prerogative above the Court he shall be required to answer positively yea or no that he shall have a copy of his Charge till he own the Court and delare his intentions to answer on his second Tryal Sollicitor Cook moves that the Prisoner may make a positive answer or that the Charge may
set Battle but Baily answers he would not receive order to fight from an Enemy Yet at last through the rashness of the Lord Balcarise a Collonel of Horse who precipitated himself and the Horse under his command into danger he was forced thereunto whereupon a bloody Fight ensued wherein Baily was overthrown with the loss of the greatest part of his Army This Battel was fought at Alford on the 2. of July 1645. Montross having obtained this Victory marches into Angus where he met his Couzen Patrick Graham with his Athol men ready to live and dye under his command and Mac-donel with a great power of Highlanders so that being reinforced with such an Army he resolves to make his way into the very heart of the Kingdom and passing over the Tay at Dunkeldon encamped in Methfyn Forrest the Covenanters at that time held a Parliament at Saint Johns Town but hearing of Montrosses approach they secured themselves by flight he to encrease their terrour drew nearer to the Town but finding it not safe for him to descend into the Champion Countrey having such want of Horse he retreated to little Dunkeldon But that want was soon supplied by a Party from the North under the Earl of Aboine and Collonel Nathaniel Gordon the Earl of Airley and Sir David his son so that being now thus recruited he thought it not good to lose any time but marched straight towards the Enemy And having in vain several times proffered them Battle at last it came to a pitcht Field in a place called Kilsythe where the Covenanters though they overmatcht him in number yet came so far behinde him in valour that he obtained over them an absolute Victory having the killing of them for fourteen miles so that of all their Foot it is thought there did not an hundred come off nor did their horse escape very well of whom some were killed some taken the rest disperst Their Ordnance their Arms their Spoils came clearly to the Conquerours who lost onely six of their men on the other side were slain six thousand a great disproportion in number and did not the effects which followed this Victory make it the more credible it might seem to some a falshood if not an impossibility For presently afterwards was a great alteration all the Kingdom over the chief of the Nobility who sided with the Covenanters some fled to Barwick some to Carlile some to New Castle others into Ireland the Marquess of Douglass the Earls of Limmuck Annandale and Hertfield the Lord Barrons of Seton Drummond Fleming Maderly Carnegy and Jonston with many others of great quality submitted themselves such as before onely privately wisht well unto the King now expressed it openly The Cities and Countreys that were furthest off began to dispatch their Commissioners to profess in their names their Allegiance to their King their duty and service to his Vicegerent and freely to offer him Men Arms Provision and other necessaries of War The City of Edenburgh to ingratiate themselves with the Conquerours they released their Prisoners of whom the chiefest were the Earl of Crawford and James Lord Ogleby son to the Earl of Airly whom with their Delegates they sent to Montross to entreat for peace proffering submission and promising obedience for the time to come yea the whole Kingdom every where sounded nothing but Montrosses praise But what thing on earth is permanent many of his Souldiers being loaden with spoil ran privily away from their Colours and returned home Presently after their very Commanders desired Furloghs for a little while pretending that the Enemy had no Army within the borders of the Kingdom and therefore their service for the present might very well be spared the Earl of Aboine whether the Lord Governour would or no carried away with him not onely his own men but all the rest of the Northern Forces yea Alexander Macdonel who had hitherto continued so faithful departed into the Highlanders with more then three thousand stout men and sixscore of the best Irish promising with a solemn oath their sudden return yet he never saw Montross after Montross seeing it would be no better with his small Army passing by Edenburgh into which he would not enter by reason the plague then raged in the City led them through Lothainshire and in Strathgale joyned with some Forces raised by the Marquess of Douglass afterwards he marches to Niddisdale and Annandale and the Countrey of Ayre that he might there raise what Horse he could and coming to Selkirk he quartered his Horse in a Village and his Foot in a Wood close by His Army consisting of onely five hundred Foot and those Irish and a very weak party of new rais'd Horse Lesley understanding of his weak condition having been newly sent for out of England to help the Covenanters in their exigency with six thousand Horse made such speed that before he was discryed by Montrosses Scouts he was not above half a mile off Montross at that present was very busie in dispatching Letters to the King but upon news of Lesley's coming he mounts the first horse he could light on and gallops into the Field appointed for the Rendezvouz where he findes a great deal of noise but no order The Cavalry being little acquainted with duty and lying already dispersed in their quarters where they dreamt more of baiting their horses then maintaining their lives and honours yet there were a few and those were for the most part Noblemen and Knights who made all speed thither and gallantly undertook to make good the right Wing but they being not above sixscore in all and being assailed by so potent an Enemy multitude overcoming valour having twice repulsed their Enemy with loss at last they betook themselves to flight the Foot fighting a good while stoutly and resolutely were forced to yield but found little mercy from the Conquerour putting them all to the Sword Montross seeing his men routed which he never saw before rallying about thirty Horse whom he had gathered up in that confusion he desperately chargeth thorow the Enemy who hotly pursuing him to make his flight the more honourable he chargeth his pursuers routs them and carries away one Bruce a Captain of Horse and two Cornets with their Standards Prisoners And now being safe from danger he makes what haste he could into Athole to recruit his Army Aboine bringing him fifteen hundred Foot and three hundred Horse with some addition of the Athol men he crosseth the Forth and came into Leven which he destroyed without any resistance but his Forces too weak to resist so powerful an Army as the Enemy had then in the Field he returneth back into the Countrey of Athole and goeth himself in person to Bogie Castle upon the mouth of Spey to speak with Huntley having by messengers often fruitlesly sollicited him to joyn with him as soon as they met Montross invited him in smooth and gentle language to associate with him him in the War for the
Parliament by a solemn Vote and Ordinance changed the Monarchical Government into a Commonwealth The Kingdom of Ireland discontented at this change uniting themselves wned the late Kings eldest Son and solemnly proclaimed him King no place considerable standing out for the Parliament saving onely Dublyn and London Derry the first whereof was immediately besieged by an Army of two and twenty thousand men commanded by the Marquess of Ormond and the other by a considerable party of the Natives of the Countrey To the reducing of this Kingdom was Oliver Cromwel nominated Governour of Ireland by the Commonwealth who with a well appointed Army set sail for Dublyn where although he found things in an indifferent good posture the Marquesse of Ormond having been beaten off by the valour of Michael Jones the Governour yet he met with work enough for his Army for Droghedah one of the best and considerablest places in all Ireland held out stiffly against them and having a strong party bid defiance to his Army yet notwithstanding after many assaults and much valour shown on both sides he at last took it putting therein to death three thousand Irish who though enemies yet for their valour and undaunted resolution might have been lookt on with a more merciful eye as they were men and more especially Christians Soon after followed the surrender of Trim Dundalke Nury Wexford Rove Bandonbridge and Kingsale yet notwithstanding the reducing of these Towns many of the Irish retreating to their Bogs and inaccessible places held out for a long time in despite of the English To proceed not onely the Irish shewed their dislike of this change of Government but also the Collonies in Virginia and the Carybde Islands to the reducing of whom the Parliament sent Sir George Askue with a Fleet of ships who brought them again into obedience In the mean time the Scots were very busie they had commenced a Treaty with Prince Charles at Breda which at last was concluded on he assenting to their Presbyterian Government and they to install and reestablish him in that Kingdom and in the other accordingly as they questioned not but Fortune would answer their blinde zealous Covenant expectations The Prince puts forth to sea and in despite of foul weather and the English King fishers that lay there to intercept him he landed safely at the Spey in the North of Scotland now though the Scots had a King yet as if they had none every one did that which was right in his own eyes and as if they intended him onely the Title being now in their power they forced him to follow the dictates of their haughty Cleargy in all their fanatick humours and imperious decrees First then they bereaved him of all his old Friends Councellours and Confederates whether of the Cleargy or Layety as those who adhered to Episcopal Government and so not pure enough for so reformed a people Thus they hamstringed him not as what was formerly in the sign-post onely of printed papers Next they make him take the Solemn League and Covenant that strange fire which the Scotch believe descended from Heaven and by which they at their pleasures kindle those Wars wherewith they infest England then these Horse Farriers of the Conscience gave him another drench he is taught to renounce the sins of his Fathers house and of his own the Idolatry of his Mother by a constant adhering to the cause of God according to the Covenant in the firm establishment of Church Government as it is laid down in the Directory for publick Worship Confession of Faith and Catechisme These with divers others of the like nature they wrought so on his necessity they obtruded or rather rammed into his conscience although with much reluctancy he signed to making many strange faces at these bitter pills he swallowed yet it bettered not his condition which was like that of a childe under Tutours and Governours for there was not an Officer in that Kirk or Commonwealth how vile and abject soever in place or person but enjoyed more freedom both in body and minde then he Guarded indeed he was but no otherwise then he was surrounded with the ignis fatuus of their zealous suspitions of him so that move he must not but in the Sphere of the Kirk their primum mobile whereby its apparent that the Government of that Nation might be almost questioned whether it ever were truly Monarchicall though they had Kings To proceeed the Parliament having notice of all their proceedings recalled General Cromwell out of Ireland making him Generalissimo of the Commonwealths Armies in the Lord Fairfax his stead who at the same time laid down his Commission he with a choice Army marches into Scotland and after many petty defeats gives them a great overthrow at Dunbar September 3. 1650. and prosecuting his victory takes Leith a very considerable and advantageous place as also Edenburgh the Metropolitan City of all Scotland Thus he set firm there his sword hewing his way for him to conquer that Countrey which the King lost by his pen. Now were the Scots truly miserable for besides a raging enemy in the very heart of their Kingdom they were miserably divided amongst themselves even to the killing and slaying of one another one party in the North was for the King without the Kirk another party in the West was for the Kirk without the King a third party was for King and Kirk yet notwithstanding these losses and divisions they assumed new courage levyed more men and Crowned their King with the greatest magnificence as the indigency and necessity of their Affairs would permit The English on the other side being resolved to terminate this War with Scotland passed over into Fife and having defeated four thousand Scots they soon became Masters of Inchigravy Brunt-Island and St. Johns Town mean while the Scots Army consisting of 16000. abandoned their own Territories and by the way of Carlisle entred England General Cromwel advertised hereof leaves Collonel Monk with 7000. men in Scotland to perfect the conquest of that kingdom and with the rest of the Army pursues the Scots who wheresoever they came proclaimed their King to be King of Great Brittain France and Ireland c. But few stirred unto their aid amongst others the unfortunate Earl of Darby who having assembled 1200 men in Lancashire was defeated by Collonel Lilburne and to save himself was constrained to flee to Worcester where the Scots after a long and tedious march had pitched their Camp whither General Cromwel soon pursued them and having the aid of the Train Bands of several Counties gave them Battel which proved fatal unto the Scots their whole Army being overthrown The King in a disguise escaped into France not without much difficulty and danger the Parliament having promised five hundred pounds to any one that could discover his person Such a list of prisoners as were then taken we shall seldome meet with in any Battle but Cromwels The Earl of Darby the Earl
Whose ready Sails with every Winde can flie And make a covenant with th' unconstant Skie Our Oaks secure as if they there took root We tread on Billows with a steady foot Mean while the Spaniards in America Near to the Line the Sun approaching saw And hop'd their European Coasts to finde Clear'd from our ships by the Autumnal Winde Their huge capacious Gallions stuft with Plate The labouring windes drives slowly towards their fate Before Saint Lucar they their Guns discharge To tell their Joy or to invite a Barge This heard some Ships of ours though out of view As swift as Eagles to the Quarry flew So heedless Lambs which for their mothers bleat Wake hungry Lions and become their meat Arriv'd they soon begin that Tragick play And with their smoaky Cannon banish day Night horrour slaughter with confusion meets And in their sable Arms embrace the Fleets Through yielding Planks the angry Bullets fly And of one Wound hundreds together dye Born under different Stars one Fate they have The Ship their Coffin and the Sea their Grave Bold were the men which on the Ocean first Spread their new Sails whilest shipwrack was the worst More danger now from men alone we finde Then from the Rocks the Billows or the Winde They that had sail'd from near th' Antartick Pole Their Treasure safe and all their Vessels whole In sight of their dear Countrey ruin'd be Without the guilt of either Rock or Sea What they would spare our fiercer Art destroyes Excelling storms in terror and in noise Once Jove from Hyda did both Hoasts survey And when he pleas'd to thunder part the Fray Here Heaven in vain that kinde Retreat should sound The louder Cannon had the thunder drown'd Some we made Prize while others burnt and rent With their rich Lading to the bottom went Down sinks at once so fortune with us sports The Pay of Armies and the Pride of Courts Vain man whose rage buries as low that store as Avarice had digg'd for it before What Earth in her dark bowels could not keep From greedy hands lies safer in the deep Where Thetis kindely doth from Mortals hide Those seeds of Luxury Debate and Pride And now into her lap the richest Prize Fell with the noblest of our Enemies The Marquis glad to see the fire destroy Wealth that prevailing Foes were to enjoy Out from his flaming Ship his Children sent To perish in a milder Element Then laid him by his burning Ladies side And since he could not save her with her dy'd Spices and Gums about them melting fry And Phenix-like in that rich nest they dye Death bitter is for what we leave behinde But taking with us all we love is kinde What could he more then hold for term of life His Indian Treasure and his more priz'd Wife Alive in flames of equal love they burn'd And now together are to ashes turn'd Ashes more worth then all their Funerals cost Then the huge Treasure which was with them lost These dying Lovers and their floating Sons Suspend the Fight and silence all our Guns Beauty and Youth about to perish findes Such noble pitty in brave English mindes That the rich Spoil neglecting and the Prize All labour now to save their Enemies How frail our passion's how soon changed are Our wrath and fury to a friendly care They that but now to gain the Spanish Plate Made the Sea blush with Blood forget their hate And their young Foes while sinking they retrive With greater danger then they fought they dive With these returns Victorious Mountague With Laurel in his hands and half Perue Let the brave General divide that Bough Our great Protector hath such Wreaths enough His conquering Head hath no more room for Bayes Then let it be as the whole Nation prayes Let the rich Oare forthwith be melted down And the State fixt by making him a Crown With Ermins clad and Purple let him hold A Royal Scepter made of Spanish Gold That these Poetical Addresses may not seem too full of flattery it will not be amiss to insert what I have found under one of his Pictures engraven beyond the Seas Cernimus hic omni caput admirabile mundo Regibus hic Frater Populis Pater Host is multum Nullius ille timet quam summi Numinis Arma. Quis dubitat sacro hoc si pergat Flamine Victor Quod Reges Populi Barbariesque stupent Barbariem vera Religione domat Non timet at Pacem cuillibet esse parat Quin subito Meretrix de Babylone cadet These were the then glosses of several persons he came nearest the mark that said He was a Prince in his time I shall wave these Hyperbole's even to the Antipathy of what Vir quintae Monarchiae sets down That as he was Protectour he had a more unlimited power then any King before him About this time Christina Queen of Sweden made a resignation of the Crown a president seldom heard of putting her self into the condition of a Lady Errant to which purpose she made these propositions to the Prince her successor 1. She will retain the best part of the Kingdom and the Custom to her self 2. She would not be subject but free of her self without controul 3. That she would travel whither she pleased To which the Prince returned this answer 1. That he would not be a King without a Kingdom 2. He would have no more Rival then she a Supericur 3. He would not hazard himself about her designs abroad How these different Proposals were composed I know not but in a short time she resigned up all leaving her self only the bare title of the Queen of Sweden travelling up and down according as her wilde fancy led her and for the total finishing of this Comick Scene she at length also resigned up her Religion and was received into the bosome of the Church of Rome This Christina being first undermined with money which she wanted having lived at a great heighth Carolus Gustavus having a Regal aim so supplied her occasions as to the engaging of her Heroick Person to look more directly upon those respects which though she was the Daughter of Great Gustavus of a Masculine spirit yet in respect of the constitution of the Nation which could not admit of a Feminine conduct she was as it were forc'd to surrender he was suddenly afterwards proclaimed King the Queen having first formally resign'd all to him The Swede being now in his full power the Protectour honouring of his Martial spirit comparing their somewhat resembling rises ballancing in his minde the Swedes monstrous successes none in Europe being so like his own either for the Discipline of the Sword or to the future interests of Princes as to their consternation and fear more especially as he had poized in his discretion the Danish Affairs he sends the Pick-lock of the Law a Gentleman of admirable parts and inimitable Civilities the Lord Whitlock who as his Ambassadour perfected an Offensive and Defensive League with
having past his Laurels he had a minde to reach at the Crown they were somewhat mistaken it had too many thorns in it which of themselves are sharp enough to fetch blood if we should not otherwise accept of the interpretation of the Fifth Monarchy Gentleman who means by them the displeased Souldiery to whom such lustres could never have been acceptable as some other of our late Pamphletters have libell'd him to be another Henry the Fifth that he would have stoln the more then protested against Diadem off from the Pillow if he had a minde to it it is more then they know the worst they could have said of him had been that he entertained somewhat more then self-denying thoughts or rather as the Poet hath it Magnis tamen excedit ausis Indeed outwardly he seemed to have little of vain glory in him or else he turned his dark Lanthorn to himself his closeness being alwayes such that this great Politician walkt invisible others stood in the light to him but he in the dark to all onely for his most grand Transaction there was no vizzard could disguise it that he should after so many selfish refusals a word lately put into the new canting Dictionary of the Enthusiasts that he should after the slighting as it were of so many tendred forfeited and sequestred Estates presented to him by the Parliament for his remarkable services after that in parts and piecemeals he had denied the pomps and vanities of this wicked world he made it his master-design to take in all at once as he knew well enough how to cog a die he had thrown for all won all and swept all at once rendering his Motto Pax quaeritur Bello into that English which pleased him best the Protectorship To reflect briefly on his Domestical Affairs he was not uxorious but respectful to his Wife to his Children he had a paternal affection careful of their educations and of their aspirings to advancement he endeavoured to cast a lustre on them which did not take with the people though as to his Son Richard there was a more then ordinary consent For his pleasures there is no extraordinary news of them some Frolicks I have heard of with those he was most familiar the truth is he had too little leasure for trivial repasts he did with them as great persons do with Banquets come and look upon them and so turn away As he begun from a private fortune as I have already intimated that fortune quickened in him all seeds of observation being alwayes more prosperous in himself then confirmed from the affections of others For the imputations against him of moneys in his Treasury certainly if he had been such a hoarder the urgency of his pressing Affairs would never suffer him to be so poor as to stand still and admire his riches Before I end I cannot chuse but remark his hard dealings with Parliaments which he formerly so vindicated against the late King for his breach of priviledge about the five Members whatsoever fine thred he did twist for himself in all his religious speeches those that are right Englishmen will never clear him from his violations though he mannaged those actings as that they were to him but short tempests or small over-castings as whatsoever injury the Nations endured he had one pretence or other to shift it off from his own shoulders extreamly mistaking himself as the people look less on the failings of those who have been their own choice then on those who have taken on them to be earvers for themselves he thought himself crafty enough for Parliaments and from his death-bed he determined himself cock sure as he was flesht with his former fortunes he could never have imagined his posterity should ever have been lean 'T is true we may be so political as on this earth to endeavour to grasp these humane Affairs to our own Interests but we must lay down our greatest wisedoms when we come to sleep in the silent grave as after death there is no providing against the cross blows of fortune To conclude as far as we can conjecture his Confederates continuing alike victorious and fortunate with him he might if he had lived to it extended his victories to some other parts of the world if he did no more it was either through the disturbances of the times or long of himself for what he minded he compassed Certain it is that he so husbanded his successes that he did not live to see himself unfortunate who having assumed or rather snatcht his honours shewed himself to be one of the strangest sort of wonders that our late times have produced One writ a strange Epitaph on him Here lies Oliver Cromwel who that he might be Protector himself first brought the English Monarchy on its knees FINIS Courteous Reader These Books following are printed for Nathanael Brooke and are to be sold at his Shop at the Angel in Cornhill Excellent Tracts in Divinity Controversie Sermons Devotions THe Catholick History collected and gathered out of Scripture Councils and Ancient Fathers in Answer to Dr. Vane's lost Sheep returned home by Edward Chesensale Esq Octavo 2. Bishop Morton on the Sacrament in Folio 3. The Grand Sacriledge of the Church of Rome in tataking away the sacred Cup from the Laity at the Lords Table by D. Featley D. D. Quarto 4. The Quakers Cause at second hearing being a full Answer to their Tenets 5. Re-assertion of Grace Vindiciae Evangelii or the Vindication of the Gospel a Reply to Mr. Anthony Burghess Vindiciae Legis and to Mr. Ruthford by Robert Town 6. Anabaptists anatomized and silenced or a Dispute with Mr. Tombs by Mr. J. Crag where all may receive clear satisfaction in that Controversie The best extant Octavo 7. A Glimpse of Divine Light being an explication of some passages exhibited to the Commissioners at White Hall for approbation of Publick Preachers against J. Harrison of Land Chappel Lancashire 8. The zealous Magistrate a Sermon by T. Threscos Quarto 9. New Jerusalem in a Sermon for the Society of Astrologers Quarto in the year 1651. 10. Divinity no enemy to Astrology A Sermon for the Society of Astrologers in the Year 1643. by Dr. Thomas Swadling 11. Britannia Rediviva A Sermon before the Judges August 1648. by J. Shaw Minister of Hull 12. The Princess Royal in a Sermon before the Judges March 24. by J. Shaw 13. Judgement set and Books opened Religion tryed whether it be of God or Man in several Sermons by J. Webster Quarto 14. Israels Redemption or the Prophetical History of our Saviours Kingdom on Earth by K. Matton 15. The Cause and Cure of Ignorance Errour and Prophaneness or a more hopeful way to Grace and Salvation by K Young Octavo 16. A Bridle for the Times tending to still the murmuring to settle the wavering to stay the wandring and to strengthen the fainting by J. Brinsley of Yarmouth 17. Comforts against the fear of death wherein are discovered several
commanding wise deportment that at his pleasure he governed and swayed the House as he had most times the leading voice Those who finde no such wonders in his speeches may finde it in the effect of them most of the people he was concerned in being as they term it enemies to book learning and whosoever should endeavour with an eloquent oration or otherwise go about to reconcile them make them friends should make them enemies such great adorers are they of the Scripture phrase though but little practisers such as our late times have brought forth Indeed he usurpt his holy oyl quotations very frequently which was so advantageous to his designs that Cicero and Demosthenes with all their Tropes and Figures could never have so perswaded and moved the people as he with one Text of Scripture aptly applyed the Dove and the Serpent of Scripture and some small parcel of policy to what he intended slily intermixed But his side standing in more need of action then eloquence he quitted the House and betook him to the Field to manifest his courage as well as his eloquence maintain by his deeds what his words had introduced Having raised a Troop of Horse at his own costs and charges he marched against the Muses to Cambride whereof he was Burgess seizing on a very considerable sum of money and plate which the Colledges had raised and were sending away unto Oxford which as it was very advantageous to his own side money being the very life and sinews of War so d d it much weaken the adverse party who had alwayes great want of it The Parliament having on their side the rich City of London that inexhaustible bank of treasure By this means he strengthened himself with sufficient aids to oppose the Lord Capel who was to have been seconded by Prince Rupert and should have seized on Cambridge thereby to have impeded the association of the adjoyning Counties for the Parliament He being advanced from a Captain to a Collonel having compleated a Regiment of Horse to the full number of a thousand men in the Spring of the year he marches to Lowerstoft in Suffolk where he suddenly surprized Sir Thomas Barker Sir John Pettas his Brother with above twenty other persons of note who were entring into an association for the King several persons of quality and divers Noblemen hourly flocking to that rendezvouz this other service was very seasonably rendered to the Parliament the Kings Party both in Suffolk and Norfolk being much discouraged by this success Having by new raised aids inforced his Army to a very considerable strength he marched into Lilcolnshire with a resolution to assist those Forces which lay about Newark a very strong and stout Garrison of the Kings where by their daily excursions they kept all the Countrey thereabouts in awe which he not onely blocked up but also defeated part of the Earl of Newcastles Army which came to relieve them I shall not need to particularize all his actions his other intervening Atchievements are more at large related in the Life of King Charles To look forwards onely to mention the Battel of Marston Moor where by his valour he turned the scales of Victory which at the first enclined to the Kings side as also at that fatal Fight at Naseby where the Kings Foot were all cut in pieces or taken Prisoners His memorable discomfiture of the Kings Forces at Preston in Lancashire over Duke Hamilton and Sir Marmaduke Langdale the last of them as valiantly faithful to the King as the other was disloyal their united Forces amounting to twenty five thousand his not above ten thousand at most although indeed he found little opposition save onely of those few Forces of Sir Marmaduke Langdales who fought it out courageously to the last man Should I thus continue to signalize his Trophies I might tire out the Reader with his strange Successes let it suffice then that his actions with such fame arrived at the House that in recompence they first bestowed on him the Generalship of the Horse and afterwards the Lieutenant Generalship of all the whole Army Certainly if his ambition had terminated here and his wonderful successes had not raised his thoughts higher if he could not for his Martial merits have been beloved he had power enough to have rendred himself-safe and for his valiant Atchievements fear'd honour'd and admir'd Raised to this degree of Command he was more careful of hazarding his person then before well knowing the loss of a General is the most irreparable of all losses for him to expose his person to trivial hazards in the breath of whose nostrils the victorious Atchievements of the Souldiers remains is too impertinently adventerous as if 't were more glorious to fight then command whereas that is more especially the vertue of a common Soldier this other of a Leader whose principal talent lies more in direction then execution more in the brain then hand thus that ever to be deplored Laureat of our times the Gentleman of the long Robe the Oracle of the Kings Councels the Lord Faukland was as unfortunately lost as unnecessarily engaged in the Field But to proceed he grew so subtilly careful as to maintain a fair correspondency there was no place taken no Battle won but he was the first that brought or sent word to the House by which he insinuated himself into the affections both of the Parliament and People expressing his own actions in such terms as whilest he seemingly attributed much to others he drew the whole commendation thereof to himself One thing that made his Brigade so invincible was his arming them so well as whilest they assured themselves they could not be overcome it assured them to overcome their enemies He himself as they called him Ironside needed not to be ashamed of a Nick-name that so often saved his life These were his acts whilest Lieutenant General by which he got so great a name in War as Essex Waller and those other great names before him excepting onely Sir Thomas Fairfax's Laurels which were interwoven with his the rest were swallowed up in his most inimitable successes even as great Rivers are swallowed up by the Ocean For the rest of his actions whilest he was General Itis conquering Ireland his subduing Scotland the many other Battles he fought till his finishing the War in England To treat also largely of these his Trophies would weary the pen of a serious though industrious Writer that sadly considers the incivility of those late Civil Wars howsoever they were strange successes and so many that as a Modern Poet agrees with what I have expressed It were a work so great Would make Olympus bearing Atlas sweat I shall therefore summarily relate the most notable Occurrences then happening leaving the less Affairs to be related by more voluminous Authors No sooner were the Civil Wars of England terminated by the discomfiture of all the Kings Armies the taking of his own person and putting him to death but the