a great Almane prince called the Duke of Briga were made Knights of the Garter and after seven weekes aboad here left the land whom the King in person conducted to Callis in which time of his there being the Duke of Bedford with the Earle of March and other Lords had a great Sea-fight with divers Caricks of Genoway and other ships where after long and cruell fight the honour fell to the English to the Victory by sea great losse of the strangers both of their men and shippes in which three of their Caricks were taken In his first yeare in a parliament called at Westminster wherein order was taken for provision for his second hostile expedition in to France Richard sonne and heire to the Earle of Cambridge put to death at Southampton was created Duke of Yorke who after was married to Cecile daughter to the Earle of Westmerland The issue of Richard Duke of Yorke by whom he had issue Henry who dyed young Edward who was after King Edmund Earle of Rutland Anne Dutchesse of Exeter Elizabeth Dutchesse of Suffolke George Duke of Clarence Richard Crook-backe Duke of Gloster and after King and Margaret Dutchesse of Burgoin and when all things were accommodated for the Kings voyage he made Iohn Duke of Bedford his brother protector of the Land and about Whitsunday tooke shipping at Southampton and sailed towards Normandy where hee King Henry lands in Normandy laid siege to a place called Toke or Towke During which notice was given to the King that the Vicount Narbon General of the French Navy intended to invade England to prevent whom he sent the Earle of March the Earle of Huntington with others to scoure the Seas who meeting with their Fleete after a long and bloody conflict conquered and overcame them Another Sea-victory upon the ninth of August in which they tooke plenty of Treasure being the money which should have payed the French Kings Souldiers Then was Tooke with the Castle deliuered up to King Henry which he gave to his brother the Duke of Clarence with all the Signiory thereto belonging hee after tooke the strong City of His many conquests in Normandy Caan in Normandy with foureteene other strong holds and Castles and whilst he was thus busied the Earle of March the Earle of Warwicke with others wonne Laveers Falois Newlin Cherburg Argentine and Bayons c. where the king kept St. Georges Feast and made fifteene knights of the Bath Then king Henry divided his people into three parts whereof one hee reserved to himselfe the second he committed to the Duke of Clarence the third to the Earle of Warwicke which Duke and Earle so well imployed their forces that in short time they wonne many strong Townes and Castles whilst the King laid siege to Roan of which one Sir Guy de Bowcier was Captaine which was also delivered up Roan taken by K. Henry into his hands so that having subdued all Normandy he then entered France and conquered the Cities and Townes as he marcht and upon the twentieth of May came to Troies in Champaigne where he was honourably received for the Duke of Burgoine being slaine in the presence of the Dolphin Philip his sonne who succeeded King Charles with his daugh ter and heire in the possession of K. Henry in the Dukedome refused the Dolphins part and leaguing himselfe with King Henry delivered unto him the possession both of the French King and Dame Katherine his sole Daughter Then was such an unity laboured by the Lords on both sides to be had betwixt the two Nations that by the urgence of the said Philip Duke King Henry marrieth the Lady Katherine of Burgoin King Henry at Troyes in Champaigne was solemnly marryed to Katherine heire to the kingdome of France upon the third day of Iune being Trinity sunday Before the solemnization of which marriage certaine Articles were agreed upon by the two Kings the effect Articles concluded betwixt the two nations of England and â—…rance whereof followeth that Charles should remain King during the tearme of his life and king Henry should be made regent and governour of the kingdome in the right of his Queene and wife and that after the death of Charles the Crowne of France with all the rights thereto belonging to remaine unto king Henry and his King Henry made heire apparant to the Crowne of France Heires kings c. And because Charles was then visited with sicknesse King Henry as Regent should have the whole and entire government of the Realme and that the Lords of France as well spirituall as temporall should make oath to King Henry to bee obedient unto him in all things and after the Death of Charles to become his true liege-men and subjects c. Further the Dutchy of Normandy and all other Normandy and France made one Monarchy Lordships thereto belonging to bee as one Monarchy under the Crowne of France and that during the life of Charles Henry sbould not name or write himselfe King of France but Charles in all his Writings should name King Henry his dearest Son and immediate Heire to the crown and that by the advice of both counsailes of the Realmes of England and France such ordinances should be established that when the Crowne of France fell to King Henry or his Heires that it might with such unitie joyne to the Realme of England that our King might Vnity betwixt the two Kingdomes rule both the Realms as one Monarchy c. that King Charles nor Philip Duke of Burgoyn should make any peace with the Dolphin of Vien without the consent of King Henry nor he make any accord with him without the agreement of Charles and Philip c. thus you see His Caducaeus to a Sword did change And grim Orion though it might seem strange Sit in Astraeas Orbe and from her teare The three leav'd Flower shee in her hand did beare And turne it to a Lawrell to adorne The Lions brows whom late the Toad did scorn By the Caducaeus turning into a sword is meant that Mercury was now turn'd Mars and The prophesie explained Peace into warre The same is allegorically intended by Orion who is called Lucifer for the terriblenesse of his aspect sayd by the Astronomicall Poets to beare a sword hee removeth Astraea that is Iustice out of her Orbe For in the time of warre force and might sway all who rends from her bosome the peaceable three leav'd Flower which is the Flower Delyce with which he Crownes the Lion King Henry whom the Toad did scorne thus demonstrated Some write that the Armes of France were at First the three Toads which after they changed to the three Lillies as they are now quartered with the English Armes c. But to continue the History these former Articles being by the consent of both the Princes and their peeres ratified king Henry with his new Queene were honourably received into Paris where King Henry and
which time the greatest thing of remark is that in the two and thirtieth yeare of his Reigne Rome was first The first building of Rome builded in the yeare of the World foure thousand foure hundred threescore and ten after the first erecting of Troynovant or London foure hundred and seven Solary yeares After Sisilius Rivallo reigned his sonne Sisilius forty nine yeares and was buried at Caerbadon or Bath leaving no heire of his body lawfully begotten Him Iago his Nephew succeeded hee Reigned Iago five and twenty yeares died without issue and lyeth buried by his Uncle Rivallo at Caerbrank or Yorke Kinimachus his brother governed the Land after him for the space of fifty foure yeares and lyeth buried by the two fore-named Kings hee left behind him a sonne called Gorboduc in whose time as in the Reigne of the foure last Kings nothing hapned deserving the remembrance of a Chronicle but that hee governed Gorboduc the Realme threescore and three yeeres dyed and was buried at London and left behind him two sonnes called Ferrex and Porrex These two brothers were made joynt Sovereignes Ferrex and Porrex of this Kingdome in the yeere of the world foure thousand seven hundred and eleven and continued in great fraternallamity for a certain time which expired Porrex being ambitious after the sole and entire sovereignty gathered a strong power unknowne to his brother purposing to supplant him from all Regall dignity so that being unprovided of an army he was forced to flye into France where hee implored the aid and assistance of a potent The death of Ferrex Duke named Gunhardus or Swardus who furnished him with souldiers sufficient so that hee re-entred the Land with his Host of Gauls of which Porrex hearing met him with his Britans and gave him battaile in which Ferrex was unfortunately slaine after which victory retyring himselfe to his palace where Widen or as some Authors name her Iudon his mother remayned she setting aside all motherly pity entred his chamber and by the helpe of her women in the dead of night when hee was fast sleeping A crueâ—…t mother The death of Porrex most cruelly slue him and after not sated with his death shee cut his body into small pieces Thus died the two brothers when they had ruled the Land in war and peace five yeers and in them ended the Genealogicall Line of Brute with whom also I conclude this first Chapter CHAP. 2. A Continuation of the History of the British Kings unto the time that Iulius Caesar made conquest of the Island The building of divers Cities and Townes Two things especially remarkable in an indulgent mother and a most naturall brother sundry other passages worthy observation The City of Troynovant how called London AFter the deaths of these two Princes the Nobles of the Land fell into great dissention amongst them selves all hating the memory of Gorbodue and his issue in regard that one brother slue the other and the most unnatural mother was the death of the surviver and because none of Brutus Line was left alive the Land was divided in foure parts so that in Albania Britain goverred by foure Dukes was one Waler called Staterius Pinnor governed Loegria or middle Britain Rudanlus guided Wales and Clotenus Cornwall whom the Britains held to be the most rightfull Heire and all these called themselves Kings to which some adde a fift Yevan King of Northumberland Briefely Munmutius Donwallo Dunwallo re duceth it into a Monerchy sonne to Clotenus Duke of Cornwall by vanquishing the rest became sole Soveraigne of this Island in the yeare of the World foure thousand seven hundred forty eight Hee was in all his actions very noble and built within London a famous structure which he cald the Temple of Peace which some hold to bee the same now called Blackwell Hall He instituted many good and wholsome Lawes Hee gave great priviledges to the maintaining of Temples Cities Ploughes c. He began the foure high waies of Britaine which were perfected by his sonne Belinus Hee built the two Townes of Malmsbury and the Vies and was the first that made for himselfe a Diadem of Gold with which hee was crowned with great solemnity Insomuch that some Writers name him the first King of Donwâ—…llo the first crowned King of Brit. Britaine stiling all his predecessors only Dukes Rulers and Governours Hee when hee had well and honourably governed the Land for the terme of forty yeares dyed and was buried in the foresaid Temple of Peace within London leaving to succed him two sonnes Belinus and Brennus These two brothers divided the land betwixt them and continued in great fraternall unity for the space of five yeares after which terme Beliuns and Brennus Brennus ambitious to have more Land or all made mortall warre against his Brother who vanquished him in battaile so that hee was forced to forsake the land and arrived in Armorica now called Little Britaine some write into Norway Howsoever by the supply and assistance of forraigne Princes he made many inroads into the Land too long here to relate to the great disturbance of his brother At length he assembled a strong and puissant Army against whom Belinus came with a mighty hoast as his manifest and mortall enemy But as their armies were ready to joyne battaile their Mother whose name was * or Corniven na Corneway of An indulgent mother a more indulgent and penetrable nature than the cruell and savage Widen before named exposed her selfe in person betweene the two Hoasts and in a discreet manner and motherly demeanour using withall such passionate and moving Oratory to her two sonnes that at length shee setled a steadfast unity and peace betwixt them After which accord made they joyned both their hoasts and with them Conquered a great part of Gallia Italy and Germany which done Belinus returned into Britaine Where when he came hee repaired old and decaied Cities and also built a new one upon The City of Legions Carleon the River of Vske neare unto Severne called Careuske and after the City of Legions because in the time of Claudius Caesar divers Roman Legions were there billited and lodged now called Carleon Hee built also an harbour or small Haven for ships to ride in in Troynovant in the Summet or top whereof stood a vessell of Brasse in which after his death his burnt ashes were inclosed which still retaines the name of Belingsgate In which interim The building of Belliâ—…sgate Brennus desirous to win fame and honour abroad with an hoast of Senonensian Galls so called because they dwelt about the City of Sena built in Italy and Gallia these Cities following Cities builded by Brennus Mediolanum or Milleine Papia or Pavie Burganum Sena Comum Brixia Verona Vialcnza Cremona Mautua c. Hee overcame the Romans at the River Albia eleven miles from Rome and tooke the City all save the Capitoll to which they layd
began his Dominion over the Land in the yeare of the Incarnation two hundred Coil made 〈◊〉 Britains threescore and two who governed peaceably for a time for the Senate of Rome were glad of the death of the former King who had beene a great enemy and persecutour of theiâ—… Nation being then in great trouble amongst themselves could not conveniently send over fresh forces in the Land but at length their domestick discords being compounded and the State setled in peace Hearing that this Coil also denied them tribute they sent hither a Noble Constantius first comming into Britain prudent Prince cald Constantius with a puissant army against whom Coil assembled his Britains but greatly dreading the power of this Roman President he sent to him to commune and treat of peace with the acknowledgment of the Tribute due unto the Senate of which assurance being given and taken on both sides Coil died within a moneth after having governed the Britains for the tearme of twenty seven yeares Constantius at the intercession of the Nobles of the Land tooke to wife Helena the daughter Constantius married to Helena of the late King with the entire possession of the Realme and was inaugurated in the yeare two hundred fourscore and nine This Helena was held to be the fairest Lady in the whole land withall very well verst in literature and language by whom hee received a sonne called Constantine This Constantius being of great courage and valour ambitious to adde unto his Dominion subdued the Almains or Germans and slue of them in one battail threescore thousand and after many other victories the two Emperours Dioclesianus and Maximinianus resigned up their Imperiall Dignitie to Constantius Constantius made Emperor making one Galerius a partner with him in the Empire which these two Caesars divided betwixt them Galerius governed in the East that is Illiricum and all Graecia with the Ilands and Constantius Italy and the Westerne Kingdomes after he subdued Spain and a great part of Gallia or France of which two Kingdomes he made his son Constantine President and Governour in the time that Constantius was King of Britaine under the two foresaid Emperours S. Albon was martyred at Verâ—…m in the tenth persecution of the Church which began in the eighteenth yeer of Dioclesian and endured for the space of ten yeares which was so violent and cruell that in the space of one moneth were martyred seventeene thousand holy men and women for the faith of Christ This Noble Prince Constantius after he had governed Britaine and the West part of the Empire for This Constan tius lyeth buried at York the terme of thirty yeares leaving his Successor Constantine his sonne by the famous Queene Helena Who began his Reigne in the yeare of Grace three hundred and nineteen and at the decease Constantine made King of Britain of his Father was busied in the wars of Gallia but hearing the report of his death came over into Britain and was made King Hee was off a noble and affable condition who though hee â—…ere a Pagan and misbeliever yet hee used no â—…yrannie towards his subjects neither compeld them to the worship of Idols but to use their own laws with the liberty and freedome of conscience whilst he thus governed Britain with the Westerne part of the Empire one Maxentius sonne to Herculeus Maximianus who was parrner with Dioclesian in the Imperiall purple Maxâ—…s was by assent of the Senate chosen Caesar who first insinuated with all cunning affability into the hearts of the plebeian multitude but when he found himselfe strong in their opinions hee exercised all tyranny that could be possibly devised especially against the Christians He likewise expelled hâ—… Father Maximianns from Rome who sought to be again Emperour with other great oppressions used against the Senate and Prime Nobility of which Constantine having intelligence he assembled a strong hoast of Brâ—…tains and Galls to suppresse his great pride and insolence leaving in his absence a great Duke called Octavius or Octavian to governe Octavian made Dâ—…puty Governour of Britain the Land of Britain as his Vicegerent or Deputy Constantine having setled the State here being on his journy he saw as in a Vision being upon his bed a Crosse shining in the firmament held by an Angell who said unto him Constantine iâ—… hoc signo vinces that is of Constantine under this signe or banner thou shalt have victory After which awaking and considering well of his vision or dream hee called his chiefe Captains about him and acquainted them therewith presently giving order that the Crosse should be The Crosse first used in any Imperiaâ—… Ensigne portrayed in all his Ensignes Escutcheons and Banners being thus accommodated he marched against the Tyrant Maxentius and met him at a bridg called Pont Milvium where after long fight he chaced him and his whole army where Maxentius drowned a great part of them were drowned in the River with himselfe also when hee had ruled as Caesar about five yeares after which victory Constantine marched to Rome where hee was received of the Senate and people with great honour and triumph soone after he received the Christian Faith and was baptized by Sylvester the first of that name Bishop of Rome which done he opened the prisons destroyed the Temples of the false gods and dedicated others to the true everliving God pulling down their idols and opening those Christian Oratories as had beene shut commanding divine service to bee said in them He was the first also that gave any possessions to the Church of Rome and ordained that the Bishop of Rome should be a chiefe Bishop Constantinus great devot on and zeale and all others to be obedient unto him which was before any superstition crept into the Church hee also bore clay and stones upon his shoulders to the foundation of the great Church dedicated to Saint Peter Whilst Constantine thus laboured to plant the Christian Faith his mother Hellen being then Hellen the mother of Constantine in Britain sent unto him commendatory Letters gratulating his great victories in which shee seemed to rejoyce that hee had suppressed Idols and demolisâ—… their Temples but wondred that hee had chosen for his God a man who had been nayled to a Crosse c. to which hee returned her answer that hee would sufficiently prove the God whom hee honoured and worshipped was the Creatour of Mankind and Maker of the World and all the creatures therein and not man only but God and Man c. For proof of which after she had assembled a Synod of Iews to the number of sevenscore Sylvester with other Christian Clerks were appointed to dispute with them concerning the Faith and Gospel in which arguing the Iews were confounded and she converted and was a constant professour of the true Faith and Religion all her life time after I leave what the Legend relates concerning her seeking and
and potency fled to Lyons where hee was Maximian breaketh his oath which was to be true to the Empire slaine and Valentinian compelled to forsake Rome and flie to Constantinople Then Maximian made his sonne Victor fellow with him in the Empire During whose warres in Italy Conon Meriadock not willing that hee or his people should marry with any of the French Nation sent Messengers to Dionotus Duke of Cornwall and governour of the Kingdome under Maximian to send him his daughter Vrsula with a certaine number of Virgins to bee coupled to him and his Knights in marriage who according to his request sent his daughter with eleven thousand maids towards Britaine to that purpose who by the way were taken at Sea and piâ—…eously Urfula with eleven thousand Virgins murdered who so will know the manner thereof I referre them to the Legend of Saints Maximian thus tyrannizing in Italy to great Commanders called Guanus and Melga were sent into Britaine to chastise all such as favoured the party of Maximian who did here much outrage upon the Natives afflicting them with great strage and massacre Against whom the Emperour sent a great Captaine called Gracianus or Gracian with two Legions who so knightly behaved himselfe that hee chaced them in short space into Ireland holding the land in peace for Maximian In this interim Maximinian continuing wars against the Empire to be absolute Caesar Theodosius sirnamed the elder then Emperour of the east part of the world hearing the death of the first Gracian and the chacing of Valentinian he with a mighty hoast sped himselfe to meete with Maximian and gave him battaile at Aquilea a great City in Italy in which Maximians forces were utterly discomfited and himselfe tooke prisoner whose head Theodosius commanded to be cut off of whose death Gracian his deputy in Britain The death of the tyrant Maximian having knowledge he seized the Land to his owne use after that Maximian had governed the same by the terme of eight yeares Gracian who of some writers is called Gracian King of Britaine Municeps which word may bee diversly taken either for an hired or waged Knight or for a keeper of Presents and Gifts or bearing chiefe rule in a City or Province beganne his dominion over the Britaine 's in the yeare of grace three hundred fourescore and ten Hee exercised great exaction and tyranny on his subjects for which hee was very much hated and despised amongst them so that they sundry wayes laboured his supplantation and hourely insidiated his life but after many dangers escaped they with a common assent invaded his Palace and slew him when he had reigned or rather usurped for the space of The death of Gracian foure yeares Of whose death Guanus and Melga having Guanus and Melga knowledge they returned out of Ireland and with fire and sword made great havocke in the Land of which the Romans understanding because the Realme was then under their Tribute and tuition they sent one Constantine to have the rule of the Land and the Regions about Constantine but being found to bee an enemy to the Empire for divers outrages done by him during his Regency in France therefore by the commandement of Honorius then Caesar they sent against him a valiant Captaine named Constantius who slew him neare to a Towne called Constantius Arelat after which the Britaines were much distressed by the Picts the Scots and other strange Nations by reason whereof they were againe constrained to send to Rome for aide with a covenant that they would all continue subjects and servants to the Senate Upon which request and promise the Emperour Honorius The 〈◊〉 Honorius himselfe came hither in person and chaced hence all their forraigne enemies and leaving the Land in peace returned to his greater affaires in Italy Who was no sooner departed but the same enemies againe invaded them to whom Honorius sent a second deliverance exhorting them withall to be manly and couragious But in regard of the remotenesse of the place and the great troubles the Empire was then in to trust to their owne valour and fortune but to expect no more supplyes either from Caesar or Senate The Britaine 's for saken of the Romans the Roman supplyes being then took out of the Land to maintaine the Imperiall warres the Natives were worse distressed than before for the Picts and Scots came out of their Dens and Caves where they had concealed themselves and invaded them by multitudes insomuch that by the enemies spoyles and robberies they were brought to that extremity of poverty and misery that they were inforced to pilfer and steale one from another in which sundry murthers were also committed so that The great distâ—…esse of the Britaines the ground lay unsowed or manured upon which great Dearth and hunger immediatly insued Which to prevent and withall to rid them from these great extremities the best amongst them petitioned unto Aetius who was Master of the Chivalry of Honorius the Emperour Aetius denies them succour and at that time governed France to commiserate their estate which to him they most passionatly expressed but all was to no purpose for hee slightly put them off with a peremptory denyall to lend them any succour at all still their calamities augmented and the famine increased so that lastly the noblest and discreetest amongst them especially the Arch-bishop Guethelinus Arch-bishop of London of London whose name was Guethelinus whom our English Chronicles call Gosseline concluded to send an Embassy to the King of little Britaine whose name was Aldroenus which this Arch-bishop beeing learned and well spoken in person undertooke who delivered their calamities and distresses with such passionate efficacy that it wrought great commiseration and compassion in the King who after advice taken of his Lords granted them a supply of sufficient forces to recover their Franchises and liberties upon condition that if God who is Aldroenus commiserates the Britaines the Lord of Hoasis gave them victory they should Crown his brother Constantine King of Great Britaine acknowledging him their Liege and Soveraigne which conditions they gladly accepted and swore to performe with all truth and fidelity Now it appeareth from the time of Gratian the last Roman that was King of the Lâ—…nd the How loâ—…g Britain wâ—…s without a Kâ—…ng Nation of the Britaine 's during their multiplicity of miseries were without a Monarch or sole Soveraigne for the space of thirty nine yeares till the comming in of the forenamed Constantine brother to Aldroenus King of Litle Britain It is further to bee observed that here ended The end of the tribute and government of the Romans the Tribute and Dominion of the Romans neither had any of that Nation any rule over the Land after that time which Tribute lasted and was paid to Rome from the ninth yeare of King Cassibelan to the dayes of the Emperour Severus amounting to two hundred and
The white Dragon shall invite the Almans daughter which implyeth a greater supply of the German nation and crowne themselves For from that time they bare the Scepter and had the absolute jurisdiction over the whole Land which they continued for a long season To passe over all the Saxon Kings to the time K. Etheldred the sonne of Alfride of Ethelredus in whose dayes An Eagle from the Rock which was Swanus King of Denmarke shall rise c. The better to explain our prophet and to carry the History along this Etheldred the sonne of the most Royall King Edward by his second Wife Alfrida by some cald Estrild when he came to bee crowned by Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury hee could not containe himselfe but with a propheticall spirit uttered those words because by the bloudy slaughter of thy brother thou hast aspired to the Kingdome The sinne of thy most wicked and mischievous mother shall never bee expiated nor any who were of her Diabolicall counsell but by the greatest effusion of the Saxon bloud that ever was shed since their first comming into Britaine and further the beginning of thy Reigne shall be cruell the middle thereof miserable and the end shamefull all which accordingly hapned His Father King Edgar of ever surviving memory Edward the eldest sonne of King Edgar made King had by his first wife called Egelsleda a noble sonne named Edward and by his second Alfrida this Etheldred Edgar being dead the Barons assembled and made Edward King in the yeere of grace eight hundred threescore and fifteene at which his stepmother greatly repined using all the means both of power proofe and friends to have inaugurated her sonne Etheldred being then a lad but of seven yeeres old which in the end most traiterously shee accomplished for the King hunting in the Forrest neere unto the Castle of Corffe in the West Country who having lost all his company bethought himselfe that his stepmother with her A wicked stepmother sonne liv'd in that Castle to whom hee would give a friendly visit who spying from her window afarre of cald to a Villaine that attended her and whispered in his eare what hee should doe by this the King was come to the gate and shee descended to meet him saluting him with a Iudas kisse and intreated him to alight and sojourne with her for that night which hee modestly refusing said hee would only drinke a horsback and so be gone which being brought as the cup was at his mouth her trayterous servant with a long Dagger strooke him quite through the body at which hee put spurs to his horse thinking to have recovered his servants but through his great losse of bloud hee fainted and falling from his horse one of his feet was fastned in the stirrop and so hurried to a place called Corisgate where his miserably mangled body was found and not being knowne at that The base murther upon King Edward present to be the King without ceremony buried whom as you have heard his brother by the Fathers side succeeded In whose reigne hapned divers prodigies pretending great disaster among which was the sterility of the earth the burning of London by an accidentall fire but the most ominous and terrible was the invasion of the Danes and their many massacres inhuman butcheries committed through all the shires and provinces of the Kingdome as more amply hereafter but by the way is to be noted that in the eighth yeere of his reigne hee was espoused to Ithelgina whom Ethelredus marriage and Issue some call Elgina daughter to Earle Edgebertus by whom in processe of time he received a sonne called Edmund after for his notable valour sirnamed Ironside and two others Edwin and Ethelstane with a daughter named Egina About the eleventh yeere of his reigne the The Invasion of the Danes Danes pierced the land in sundry places against whom the King being wholy addicted to effeminacie and cowardise durst make no hostile opposure but for the present appeased them with great summes of mony which being spent they fell to new robberies Then the King bribed them with more notwithstanding which they spoyled Northumberland and at last laid siege to London and to increase his sorrow and trouble Earle Elphricus who was Admirall of The son punisht for the the Navy fled like a Traitour to the Danes and took part with them against his naturall Liege for which the King commanded that his sonne Algarus should have his eyes torne out of his head during which time burning Fevers and the bloudy Flix destroyeth many of the Natives to which was added scarcity and penury amongst the commons in so much that they were forced to rob and steale from one another so that what by their owne pilfering and pillage Fathers treason of the Danes the land was brought to extreame misery by whose continuall invasions and the Kings pusillanimity the Tribute paid unto them was raised from ten thousand pounds to forty thousand named for the continuance thereof Dane-gelt they yet not satisfied to adde to the former the British Peeres were so hollow brested Dane-gelt amongst themselves that when they were at any time assembled and had determined any thing to the impeachment of the Danes they were warned thereof by some of the falshearted Counsell of whom were most suspected Elphricus Edricus intended by the Snake and Edricus the Snake formerly mentioned in the prophesie The Land besides other distresses continuing under this grievous Tribute the King by the The Kings second mariage advice of those familiars who were about him married Emma the daughter of Richard the third Duke of Normandy and first of that name who was for his boldnesse and valour sirnamed Richard the Hardy or without feare and she by the French Chronicles Emma the flowre of Normandy by which Match hee was greatly animated and incouraged so that presuming on the power of his Father in Law hee sent into all the Townes Cities and Villages of this Land secret and straight Commissions charging the Rulers and Magistrates upon the night succeeding the day of Saint Brice that all A generall Massacre of the Danes throughout all the Land the Danes should be murdered in their beds the execution whereof they committed to their Wives and Women which was also accordingly performed a strange wonder that so great a secret should passe generally through that sex without uttering or discovery This generall Massacre of the Danes as same reports began at a little Towne in Hertfordshire twenty foure miles from London called Wealwin from which act it tooke first name as if there the weal of their Country was first warm and the day of Saint Brice hapned that yeare upon the Monday which to this day is called Hoc or Hop-monday but wherefore I know not unlesse by Hoc this day as a remarkablenote Hoc or Hâ—…p Monday to posterity or by Hop as that day the Danes according to
a proverbe wee retaine from Antiquity as that day hopt without their heads Now concerning the pride of the Danes and their incredible tyranny exercised throughout The pride and insolency of the Danes over the Britains the whole Kingdome which was the occasion of this their universall slaughter our English Historians have thus recorded of them they caused the Farmers and Husbandmen to plow sow and eare the ground and to doe all the servile labour that belonged to agriculture and husbandâ—…y whilst they kept their wives and commanded their daughters and servants at their pleasure and when the Master of the house came home hee was forced to salute his superintendent Dane as his Lord and whilst the Usurper eate and fed of the best the poore oppressed owner could scarcely have his fill of the worst besides for feare and dread they called them in every house where they had rule Lord Dane which after when the English had attained to their former honour grew to a title of great opprobry and contempt for when Lord Dane turned into Lurdain any one would rebuke or revile an other hee would in scorne call him Lurdan a word in the Countrey in use euen to this day But now comes in the Eagle by which is intended Swanus K. of Denmark who surpriseth both that is subdueth the Saxons the other Almans or Germans whom they had admitted into the land and after infinite devastations depopulations and spoils with his broad wings soared over the whole Kingdome and made prey in every province thereof the particulars would aske much time and paper who in conclusion tooke from the White Dragon the Saxons after they had held the sovereignty by many successive Kings both Crown and Scepter but before this happened the unfortunate King whose onely fight was with money to impoverish his owne people and inrich the enemy for hee often bought his peace which prov'd to no purpose Edricus crea ted Duke of Mercia hee made Edricus whom Merlin calleth the Snake Duke of Mercia who was of low and base birth and parentage yet had attained to great wealth and rich possessions false of tongue subtle of brain and eloquent in speech and persidious in purpose and promise which will more at large appeare hereafter In this interim Swanus so farre prevailed The King with his Queene forc't to flye the Land that the King fearing the continuall persecution of the Danes first sent Emma his Queene with his two younger sonnes which were Alfred and Edward to Richard the second of that name and fourth Duke of Normandy who was her naturall brother and after was compeld to flie thither in person with a slender traine of followers of which when Swanus had notice he grew inflamed with greater pride and insolence and amongst other of his Tyrannies hee fired the City of Canterbury and slue nine hundred religious persons tithing them as killing nine and saving the tenth with 8000 women children and because the reverend Bishop would not or could not pay him downe three thousand pounds hee kept him prisoner seven moneths The Bishops name was Elphigus and caused him after at Greenwich foure miles from London to be stoned to death and wheresoever hee came hee reserved all the women to be vitiated and defloured aswell the religious as others robbing the Shrine of Saint Edmond not leaving any cruelty which could finde a name unperformed At length upon the day of the Purification of the blessed Virgin in the yeere one thousand and fourteen he died miserably howling and crying three dayes and nights together before his death whom succeeded The death of the Tyrant Swanus his sonne Canutus And two yeeres after at one thousand sixteen expired at London King Edelfred and was buried in the Church of Saint The death of Edelfredus Paul whom succeeded his sonne Edmund sirnamed Ironside and these two Princes were the two Lions spoken of in the former prophesie of whom you shall heare more in the ensuing Chapter CHAP. 9. Of divers bloudy battails fought betwixt Canutus and Edmund their great opposition ended in a single Duel They make peace and equally divide the Kingdome betwixt them the trayterous death of Edmund Canutus revengeth it upon the murderer with other occurences pertinent to the story c. EDmund sirnamed Ironside the sonne of Egelredus and Canutus the sonne of Swanus King of Denmarke began to rule the English Nation Anno 1016 and in the twenty ninth yeere of Robert King of France the Londoners with some of the English Nobles favouring Edmund but the greater part of the Nobility and Clergie adhering to Canutus betwixt which yong and valiant Princes were fought sundry cruell and bloudy battails too long here to reherse In which infinite both of the Natives and Strangers fell by the sword one of which was fought in Dorsetshire besides a Towne called Gillingham another in Worcestershire which continued from morning till night when they surceased In which battail Canutus was overcome by Edmund fight either for great wearinesse or for want of light when both Hoasts joyned the next morrow early and eagerly in which battaile the Traytour Edricus perceiving the fortune of the day to encline towards Edmund pitcht a The treason of Eldricus dead mans head upon a speare and calling to his Countrymen cryed out with this acclamation Fly you Englishmen and preserve your lives for behold this is the head of Edmund your King of which the Prince being warned hasted to that part of the field and plucking off his Helmet to shew that he was living so comfortably and couragiously demeaned himself among his souldiers that in the end hee had the better of the day In the preparation of another field when both the Hoasts were ready to joyne battaile upstarted This Commander was of K. Edmunds party one of the Commanders and appearing betweene the two Armies in the Front of either spake aloud as followeth You Princes both to you I declare my selfe you see how we daily perish for neither of you gaine an absolute victorie Edmund cannot bee overcome because of his great strength and courage and Canutus cannot be subdued being also much favoured by Fortune what then shall be the finall successe of this inveterate malice and contention when all your Knights souldiers are slain shall you not bee then inforced either to compound your enmity or to fight hand to hand betwixt your selves If this must bee the end why do you not one of these two For the first Is not this Kingdome now sufficient for two which before contented seven or if your spleen be so great that it cannot be reconciled by an equall division of the Land why doe not you two fight alone that strive to be Lords alone For if we all perish who shall be left either to serve you or to keepe forreigne invaders out of the Land Which words were so emphatically delivered and tooke such
and soone after died at Shaftbury and was buried at Winchester when he had reigned nineteen yeeres leaving two sonnes Harold sirnamed for his swiftnesse in running Harefoot and Hardy Canutus whom Harold sonne of Canutus King of England in his life time hee caused to bee crowned King of Denmarke Harold succeeded his Father in the Crowne of England in the beginning of whose Reigne there was great doubt made of the Legitimacie of his birth or whether hee were the Kings sonne or no but more especially by Earle Goodwin who was a man of a turbulent spirit who to the utmost of his power would have disinherited him and conferred the Kingdome to his brother But Leofricus whom the King much loved and trusted by the assistance of the Danes opposed mightily Goodwin and his sonne so that they were utterly disappointed of their purpose Harold was no sooner setled in the Kingdome but hee robbed his stepmother Emma that good and devout Lady of her Iewels and Emma wife to Canutus banished Treasure and then banished her the Land wherefore she sailed to Baldwin Earle of Flanders where she was nobly entertained and continued all the Reigne of this Harold in which hee did nothing worth register or deserving memory who after three yeeres and some few moneths died at London or as some say at Oxford and having no issue left his brother Hardy Canutus heire to the Crowne with the death of whose elder brother I conclude this Chapter CHAP. 10. Merlins Prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his Tithing of the Norman Gentlemen the death of Prince Alured sonne to Canutus and Emma the strange death of Earle Goodwin After the death of Edward the Confessor Harold Earle Goodwins sonne usurpeth YOu see how hitherto Merlin hath predicted nothing which the successe and event have not made good wee will yet examine him further and prove if hee have beene as faithfull in the future as the former who thus proceedeth And Helluo then with open jaws shall yawne Devouring even till midnight from the dawn And he an Hydra with seven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian bloud shall prey And tithe them by the pole now well away Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Iron men in woodden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with her Eglets drive c. It followeth in the History Hardy Canutus the Hardy Canutus the Dane crowned King of England sonne of Canutus and Emma began his Reigne over England in the yeere of Grace one thousand forty one who was oâ—… such cruelty as that he was no sooner setled in the State but he presently sent Alphricus Archbishop of Yorke and Earle Goodwin to Westminster to take up the A barbarous cruelty in a brother body of his deere brother and having parted the head from the shoulders to cast them into the River Thames which was by them accordingly performed the cause thereunto moving was for rifling and after exiling his mother Emma whom hee caused with great honour to be brought againe into the Land Hee revived also the almost forgotten Tribute His riot and eâ—…cesse called Dane gelt which hee spent in drinking Deep and Feeding high for these were his delights For besides his immoderate quaffing he had the Tables through his Court spred four times a day with all the riot and excesse that might be devised who himselfe minding only gormondizing and voracitie committed the whole rule of the Land to Emma and Goodwin who had married the Daughter of Canutus by his first wife Elgina by whom many things were much misordered to the great discontent of the Commons This Earle had many sonnes as witnesseth Polychronicon lib. 6. cap. 15. by his Earle Goodwins sons and daughter first wife who was sister to Canutus hee had but one who by the striking of an Horse was throwne into the Thames and there drowned whose mother after died by Lightning and was of such incontinent life that shee prostituted Virgins and young women to make base and mercenary use of their bodies she dead he married a second of whom hee begot sixe sonnes Swanus Harold Tostius Wilnotus Syrthe or Surthe and Leofricus with a daughter named Goditha who after was married to Edward the Confessor Hardy Canutus wholly devoted to all voluptuousnesse being at a Feast at Lambeth in the midst of his mirth and jollity drinking a carowse out of a bowle elbow-deep fell downe Hardy Canutus dieth drinking suddenly and rested speechlesse for the space of eight dayes at the end whereof he expired in the eight day of Iune when hee had raigned two compleat yeeres leaving no issue lawful of his body and was buried by his Father at Winchester in whom ended the Line and Progeny of Swanus so that after this King the bloud of the Danes was quite extinct and made uncapable of any Regall Dignity within this Land The end of the Danish persecution and how long it continued Their bloudy persecution ceasing which had continued counting from their first landing in the time of Brightricus King of the West Saxons by the space of two hundred fifty five yeeres or thereabout by this Hardy Canutus Merlin intended his Helluo as being a gluttonou Prince whose bibacity and voracity would continue from morning till midnight in the first yeere of whose Reigne The two sonnes of Egelredus and Emma namely Alphred and Edward who before were sent into Normandy came into England to see their Mother and were Princely attended by a great number of brave Norman Knights and Gentlemen of which Earle Goodwin that By the seven heads are meant he and his six sonnes who aâ—…sisted him in all his bloudy projects subtle seven-headed Hydra before spoken of having notice ' hee began to plot and devise how to match his only daughter Goditha to one of the two Princes but finding Alured the eldest to be of an high and haughty spirit and would disdaine so mean a marriage he thought by supplanting him to conferre her upon the younger who was of a more flexible disposition Earle Goodwins pâ—…te to compasse which hee pretended to the King and Councell that it might prove dangerous to the state to suffer so many strangers to enter the Land without license By which he got authority and power to manage that businesse according to his owne discretion as being most potent with the King and a great incourager of his profusenesse and riot therefore being strongly accompanied he met with the two Princes and their traine and set upon them as Enemies killing the greater part of them at the first encounter and having surpris'd the rest upon a place called Guil-downe hee slue nine and saved the tenths and then thinking the number of the survivors too Earle Goodwins great cruelty great he tithed againe
that tenth putting them to cruel deaths as winding their guts out of their bellies with other torturing deaths then he caused the elder brothers eys to be pluckt out and sent to a religious house in Ely where hee dyed shortly after but the younger he preserv'd as an husband for his daughter and sent him to his mother Emma all which fulfils the former prophesie which saith And he an Hidra with seaven heads shall grace Glad to behold the ruine of his race And then upon the Neustrian blood shall pray By Neustria is understood Normandy And tithe them by the pole c. Emma not trusting the tyranny of Goodwin by whom she had left one son the better to secure the other shee sent him into Normandy but Edward after sirnamed the Coâ—…fessor made King Hardy Canutus beeing dead he was sent for over to receive his iust and lawfull inheritance so that this Edward the sonne of Egelredus and his last wife Emma began his Raigne over England in the yeare of Grace 1043. and was soon after maried to Goditha whom Guido calleth Editha the sole daughter of Earle Goodwin who as all Authors affirme lived with her without any carnall society whether it were in hatred of her kinred as by the greatnesse of her father compel'd to that match or for that he altogether devoted himselfe to chastity it is left uncertaine In the beginning of his Raigne his mother The Kings mother accused of adultery with Alwin Bishop of Winchester Emma was accused to have too much familiarity with the B. of Winchester therefore the King by the counsell of Earl Goodwin seised vpon many of her iewels and confined her to a strict keeping in the Abby of Worwell the Bishop Alwin was also under the Custody of the Clergy but shee more sorrowing for his defame then her owne wrote unto divers Bishops to doe their Iustice affirming she was ready to undergoe any triall whatsoever to give the World satisfaction of her innocence who laboured to the King that their cause might have a just and legall hearing but Robert Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Archbishop of Canterbury against the mother Queen not pleased with the motion said unto them My Brethren Bishops how dare ye plead for her who is a beast and no woman as by defaming the King and her sonne and yielding her selfe a prostitute to the incontinent Alwin proceeding further but if it be so that the woman would purge the Priest who shall then purge the woman who is accused to have been consenting to the death of her sonne Alfred and hath prepared infectious Drugs for the poysoning of her sonne Edward but be she guilty or no if shee will agree to goe bare foot upon nine plough-shares burning and fiery hot for her selfe foure shares and for the Bishop five he may be then cleered and she also To which shee granted and the day of her This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chronicles of same for truth purgation assigned at which day the King in person with many of his Lords were present she was hoodwinkt and led to the place where the Irons lay glowing hot and having passed over the nine shares unhurt shee said Good God when shall I come to the place of my purgation When they opened her eyes and shee saw that she had past the torment without any sence of paine she kneeled downe and gave thanks to the protectour of chastity and innocence Then the King repented him of his credulitie restoring unto her what hee had before taken from her asking of her forgivenes and blessing But the Archbishop Robert who was once a Monke in Normandy and was sent for over by the King and first made Bishop of London and Emma acquit from the suspition of Incontinency after raised to be Metropolitan fled into his Countrey and was no more seene in England after After many insolencies committed against the King by Earle Goodwin and his sonnes too long to reherse they were forced to abandon Earle Goodwin and his sons flie the Land the Land and flie into Flanders to Earle Baldwin whose daughter Iudith Swanus his eldest sonne had married and then by a Parlament they were made Out-lawes and Rebels and their goods and Lands seized where they continued as exiles for the space of two yeeres during which time William the bastard Duke of Normandy came with a Noble Traine to visit the King his Cousin and were royally entertained returning with great gifts and presents into his Country after which Goodwin by intercession of his friends here in England was called home with his sonnes who were received into grace and restored to their former dignities and possessions giving for pledges of his fidelity his sonne Wilnotus and Hacun the sonne of Goodwin and his sons restored Swanus whom the King sent to William Duke of Normandy to be kept in safe custodie Not long after in the twelfth yeere of the Reigne of this Edward the Confessor upon an Easter Monday Goodwin sitting with other Lords at the Kings Table in the Castle of Winsor it hapned that the Kings Cupbearer stumbled but recovered himselfe of a fall at which the Earle laughed heartily and said there one brother helped the other meaning one leg had supported the other which the King observing said yea and so my brother Alphred might have lived to have helped and sustained me had it not bin for Earl Goodwin by which words the Earl apprehending that he upbraided him with his brothers death thinking to excuse himself of the Act said so may I safely swallow this morsell of bread that is in my hand as I am innocent of that deed in swallowing of which hee was choaked which the King seeing commanded him to be dragged from the board his bodie being Goodwins remarkable death conveighed to Winchester and there interred Macrinus saith that he was suddenly struck with a palsie of which hee died â—…hree days after howsoever hee underwent a most remarkable judgement His eldest sonne living who was Harold for Swanus died in his pilgrimage to Ierusalem had all his Fathers Dignities and Honours conferd upon him But in processe of time all those his Lands in Kent of which hee was Earle were eaten up and devoured by the Sea upon whâ—…se dangerous shelves and quick-sands many thousands have beene wrackt and drowned and they are called Goodwins Sands unto this day which verifieth that part of the prophesie of the Hydra where he saith Burst shall he after gordg'd with humane blood And leave his name in part of the salt flood Harold having done many noble services for the King and the countrey in all which hee came off with great honour and victorie about the 20. yeere of King Edward hee sayled towards Normandy to visite his brother Wilnotus and his Nephew Hucun who lay there as pledges for the peace betwixt the King and Harold sayleth into Normandie Earle Goodwin buteither by the mistake of the unskilfull Pilot
knowne magnanimity and courage farre surpassest other men but the Kings false oath hath levied men to this unjust warre in which wee must either strive bravely to winne the mastery or else be basely overcome and we now are run into that hazard that none of us is safe which shall not acquit himselfe by his resolution and Knightly boldnesse therefore shew your valour and be assured of victorie Then Earle Baldwin standing in the front of Earle Baldwins incouragement to to the Kings Army the Kings battaile began to incourage his souldiers in this manner To men that shall fight three things are by them to be observed The first the Iustice of the cause lest they indanger their soules which is cleere on our part who sight for our King Country the second is the number of men and the accommodation of Armes for few are not to oppose a multitude nor naked men against armed and we parallel if not exceed them both in amunition and number the third is boldnesse and courage not for defence only but offence which me thinks I espy in your faces and therefore of all these three our Army is sufficiently furnished Now what bee our enemies A weake and distressed woman assisted by two weak supporters Robert Earle of Glocester a man daring without deed and accustomed to word with words not weapons and Ranulph Earle of Chester haughty but withall fool-hardy constant in nothing and conscious only of Conspiracies who proposeth great enterprizes but never brings any to good effect and for many Legions conducted by such Leaders the more they be in company the sooner they be overcome At which word he was cut off by the violent The battell betwixt the King and the Empresse comming on of the enemy and now beganne a cruell battaile resolutely and bravely fought on both sides the violence whereof lasted long uncertain who should be victors but in the end the Kings Hoast was utterly routed but hee of a more heroicke spirit as scorning to flie mayntained the fight with some few of his Knights The King takâ—…n prisoner and was taken prisoner and being brought before the Empresse shee commanded him to bee conveyed under safe custody to the Castle of Bristoll where he remayned indurance from Candlemasse to holy Rood day next ensuing after which victory she was so exalted in thought and puft up with pride that shee thought now shee had the whole Kingdome in her owne possession and came triumphantly to Winchester after to Wilton to Oxford to Reading to Saint Albans and lastly to London in all which places she was royally received and during her abode there the Queene made assiduate labour for the delivery of the King her husband promising he The Queenes pâ—…tition to the Empresse should surrender the whole Land into her possession and either be take himselfe to some Religious Order or to become a banisht Pilgrime to the end of his life but all was in vaine shee could receive no comfort from the Empresse upon any conditions The Citizens of London likewise petitioned unto her that they might use the Laws of Edward the Confessor as they were confirmed by the Conquerour and that she would be pleased to disanull the strict innovations imposed on the land by her Father Henry to which she nor her Counsell would in the least wise condiscend but the tyde soone turned for Kent tooke part The Londoners and Kentishmen take part with the King with the King and the Londoners being discontented at the deniall of their suite and being assured that the Kentish men would in all their Enterprizes assist them they purposed to have surprized her person of which she having secret intelligence left a great part of her Iewels and houshold-stuffe and fled to Oxford in which slight many of her adherents were disheartned and a great part of her forces dispersed and scattered Then the Queene before so much despised The Queene puâ—…sueth the Empresse by the ayde of her friends the Kentish men Londoners and others gathered a strong host under the conduct of one William De-Pre to pursue the Empresse who understanding the Queens forces daily to increase and hers assiduatly to diminish shee left Oxford and secretly escaped to Glocester whither the Queenes host followed her in defence of which City Robert brother Earle Bobert of Glocester taken prisoner of the Empresse making an excursion from the towne was surprised and taken Briefly a Communication was held between the two opposite parties in which after much debating the businesse on both sides it was concluded that there should be one exchange made of the two prisoners so that the King vpon Holy rood day in harvest King Stephen released in exchange of Earle Robert was released and delivered up to the Queen and her Army and Robert of Glocester was surrendred to his sister Maud the Empresse The Land in this time was much distressed by these two Armies who were in continuall agitation sometimes the King having the better and sometimes the Empresse to relate which at large would aske too long circumstance but in the end the King had the better in the seventeenth Yeare of whose Raigne dyed Ranulph Earle of Chester and Ieffry Plantaginet husband to Maud the Empresse after whose death their The death of Iâ—…ffery Plantaginet sonne Henry sirnamed short mantle because hee used to goe in a short Cloak was created Duke of Anjou and Normandy whose sonne few yeares after maried Elenor daughter to the Earl of Poyctow who had before bin maried to Lewis The marriage of Henry Duke of Normandy the French King but for the too neernesse of blood divorced after hee had received two daughters from her Mary and Alice so that this Henry was the Earle of Anjou by his father Duke of Normandy by his mother and Earle of Poyctow by his wife This King Stephen had a sonne named Eustace Eustace the sonne of King Stephen who by ayde of the French King warred upon the forenamed Henry in which the Duke so Knightly demeaned himselfe that it proved to their great disadvantage some say that King Stephen would have crowned his sonne in his life time but the Clergie would not agree thereto having a command from the Bishop of Rome to the contrary and therefore his purpose tooke no effect Then the King said siege to the Castles of Newbery Wallingford Warbycke and Warwell which had beene kept by the friends of the Empresse to her use in hope of the comming over of her sonne Duke of Duke Henry landeth in England Normandy c. who the same yeere with a great Hoast entered England and first wanne the Castle of Malmsbury and after came to London and possessed himselfe both of the City and the Tower which more by his policie and promise then his potencie and power performed Then King Stephen with his Hoast drew neer to Duke Henry but by the mediation of Theobald Archbishop of Canterbury and
seek a man not mony every Christian Prince sendeth us money but none sendeth us a Prince and therefore we demand a Prince that needeth money and not money that needeth a Prince who finding no other comfort from the King departed his presence much discontented but the King thinking to sooth him up with faire words followed him to the Sea-side but the more the King laboured to humour him the more harsh and hardned he grew against the King and said unto him hitherto thou hast reigned gloriously The Patriarchs answer to the King but hereafter thou shalt be abandoned of him whom thou forsakest think what he hath given to thee and what thou in gratitude hast returned to him againe who at the first wast false to the French King and after slewest Thomas Becket and now lastly forsakest the protection of Christs faith at which words the King was much moved and sayd to the Patiarch though all the people of the Land were one body and spoke with one mouth they durst not say to me as thou hast done true saith the Patriarch for they love thine and not thee the safety of thy goods temporall but not the safety of thy soule then he offered his head to the King saying now doe me that right which thou did'st to thine Arch-Bishop for I had rather be slayne by thee then by the Sarazens The King kept his patience and replied should I depart out of the Land mine owne sons would seise upon my Crowne and Scepter in mine absence no wonder answered the Patriarch A proud and peremptory Patriarch for of the devil they come and to the devill they shall and so departed from the King in great anger after which all things went averse against him Giraldus Cambrisius writes of him that he cherisht strife amongst his owne children thinking thereby to live himselfe in the more rest and further saith that hee was peerelesse for three things wit war wantonnesse He Raigned twenty sixe yeares victoriously and gloriously foure yeares distractedly and doubtfully and his five last yeares infortunately and miserably in the end by meere vexation and anger he fell into a fever and dyed thereof in the Castle of Chinon in Normandy in the moneth of The death of King Henry the second Iuly when he had raigned thirty foure yeares eight moneths and odd dayes and was buried at Founte-blew fulfilling that of the former prediction Fortune at first shall on his glories smile But faile him in the end c. Richard the first of that name and second sonn Richard the first succedeth his father of Henry sirnamed Short Mantle succeeded his father and began his Raigne over England in the moneth of Iuly 1189 who upon the day of his Coronation commanded that all the prisoners about London which lay in for the Kings debt or otherwise murder and treason excepted should be set at large of whose future Reign it was thus predicted The Lions heart wee l gainst the sarazen rise And purchase from him many a glorious prise The Rose and Lilly shall at first vnite But parting of the prey prove opposite Iebus and Salem will be much opprest As by the lame and blind againe possest The Lion-hearted amongst Wolves shall range And by his art Iron into silver change But whilst abroad these great acts shall be done All things at home shall to disorder run Coopt up and cag'd then shall the Lion bee But after sufferance ransom'd and set free Then doubly crowned two mighty ones whose prides Transcend twixt whom aseas arme only glides Ambitious both shall many conflicts try Last by a poysonous shaft the Lion dye This King soone after his Coronation conferd upon his brother three great dignities and honours as the Earldome of Nottingham Cornwale Chester and Lancaster and maried him to the daughter of the Earle of Gloster who was his only childe by which he was heire to that Earldome also all which he after but cruelly requited then the king sought to be absolved for his rebellion against his father which he easily purchast upon promise to pursue the wars Richard undertaketh the holy voyage in Palestina which his father refused and to expedite that voyage he gave over the two Castles of Barwick and Rocheborough to the Scotch king for ten thousand pound towards the charges of his journey moreover he sould to the old Bishop of Durham that Province for a great sum of mony and as he had covenanted made him Earle thereof which done the king laught and said to the standers by observe what art and cunning is in me who can make a young Earle of an old Bishop by such meanes hee emptyed many of the Clergies bagges and fil'd his own coffers granting large fees and annuities out of the Crowne for which some as far as they durst blaming him he replyed unto them that it was good for a man to ayde himselfe with his owne adding that if the citty London were his at that time of his neede he would sel that also if he could meete with a merchant able to buy it In the second yeare of his Raigne hee made The Bishop of Ely made Vice Gerent in the Kings absence William Longshamp Bishop of Ely Chancellour of England leaving the whole Land to his guiding then sayled he into Normandy and thence into France to Philip the second and after covenants drawne betwixt them for the continuance of so great and hazardous a iourney in the spring of the yeare they set forward Richard by sea and Philip by land appointing their randevouz in Sicily where meeting as it was agreed a difference grew betwixt the 2. Kings Difference betwixt the English and French Kings in so much that King Phillip left Richard in Sicily and departed towards Acon or Acris in which time the King of Cyprus tooke two of king Richards ships and peremptorily denyed their delivery For which he invaded the kingdome of Cyprus making sharpe war therein chacing the King from Citty to Citty in so much that K. Richard conquered the Kingdome of Cyprus he was compeld to yield unto him upon condition that he should not bee layed in bonds of iron whereof the king accepted and kept his promise causing him to be fettered in chaines of silver verifying that of the prophesie The Lion-hearted amongst Wolves shall range And by his art iron into silver change When he had remained there for the space of 2. months taking his pleasure of the countrey victualled his navy he steered his course towards Acon and by the way he encountered a great ship of the Soldans furnisht with store of amunition and treasure which he surprised seized after which he safely arived at the foresaid citty and met with the king of France of whom he was ioyfully received for not long before 2000 of his army were cut off by the Sarazens then King Richard caused the Citty to be violently assaulted on every side so that they were
forced to yield it upon these covenants The City of Acon taken by the Christans following to depart the place leaving behind them horse armour victuals and all things belonging to war and further restore and set at liberty all such Christian prisoners as were then under their yoke and bondage with divers other conditions but these the chiefest and this was done in the moneth of August and in the year of our Lord one thousand one hundred fourescore and twelve But in dividing the spoyle of the citty which was great and rich there fell out also a division Causes of the second breach between the two Kings betwixt the 2 Kings w ch kindled a fire which was never quench'd the motives inducing there to were as Polychronicon reports because Richard denied to Philip half of the spoile booty taken in Cyprus alledging that their covenants stretched no further then to those purchased in the holy Land another was that king Richard being in Sicily maried the daughter of the king of Navar where before he had promised to espouse the sister of the King for which and other causes the French King with a small number of ships departed from Acan thence to Puis after The French King departs to his country to Rome and so into his owne country leaving the Duke of Burgundy Generall of the French in his stead which fulfils that part of the prophesie The Rose and Lilly shall at first vnite But parting of the prey prove opposite During King Richards stay there he sould the kingdome of Cyprus to the knight Templers for 30000 marks and as the French Chronicle reports forc'd it from them againe by strength Richard sels the Kingdome of Cyprus and gave it to Guy of Lesingham the last K. of Ierusalem further for an affront offered him he took the Duke of Austria's Banner and stampt it and trampled it under his foote for which the Duke sought all advantages to be revenged on him as shall be related hereafter he then because the Turks had not delivered to him the He vilisieth the Duke of Austria holy crosse according to their agreement at the taking of Acon slew all that were in the City with their pledges and hostages the whole number as some write amounting to 5000 persons then he provided for the present seige of Ierusalem which as he was given to understand He intends to besiâ—…ge Ierusâ—…lem was at that time much distressed for it followeth Iebus and Salem shall be much opprest As by the lame and blinde againe possest Of Iebus and Salem the holy City had the denomination of Ierusalem and by the lame and blinde is intended the idols of the infidels who have feete and walke not eyes and see not c. King Richard marching within five mile of the place purposed to inviron it round that no supply or succour might bee brought unto it daily expecting when the Duke of Burgundy with the French would follow him who perfidiously against his oath and promise made an oration to his souldiers as followeth It is knowne unto you all noble friends and countrymen that The Duke of Burgundies Oration to his Souldiers though our Soveraigne Lord the King be absent yet all the flower and chivalry of France are here present and whatsoever is done to the dignity of the Christians and disgrace of the infidels is most likely by us to be atchieved the English being cowards and meacockes and we couragious and manly yet whatsoever noble act shall be attempted by us the honour thereof shall bee attributed to them their King being resident here ours so far remote from hence my counsaile is therefore that we march back to Acon and leave them to the hazard that ayme at the honour which speech so prevailed with his people that Richard was prevented in his The death of the Duke of Bugundy former purpose and the Duke of Burgundy soone after dyed Yet this Lyon-hearted leader was no way dauted with the French delirements but raysing his siege hee pursu'd the Soldans who then begirt the towne and Castle of Iaphath and won it taking there many Christians prisoners and then man'd it with his owne men sending them whom he surprised to bee else where imprisoned whom K. Richard comming too late to the siege most fortunately met and rescued which done hee set upon the King Richards victory over the Souldiars towne and Castle and tooke them setting there a strong garrison of Christians After which victory he wonne Dacon and Garles two great Cities and repaired the Castle of Askelon with sundry others which the Pagans had much defaced and ruined after which he commanded all his prisoners to be slayne which others sold to their profit and advantage by which hee grew to be the greater terror to the Turks but victuals daily diminishing sicknes increasing in his army and the French fayling him having set things there in the best order that necessity King Richard leaveth h the Holy Land would permit him he took shiping at Acon called also Tholomida from thence he sailed into Cyprus then he sent his wife and her sister with the greatest part of his people into Sicilia and because he could not well brooke the Sea hee thought to make a short cut into Histria but by force of weather was driven a shore betwixt Venice and Aquilea where landing with that small traine which followed him He was espyed by some of the Duke of Austria's Knights whose standard he had trod under foote who after laid waite for him and tooke him the manner whereof I leave to the ensuing Chapter CHAP. 16. The rest of the Prophesie made good in the subsequence the troublesome raigne of King Iohn his losse of Normandy his Land interdicted by the Pope to whom he is compeld to resigne his Crowne and after hold it as from him his death IN the absence of the King whilst The tyranny of the Bishop of Ely made protector of the Land he was busie in his warres abroad the Bishop of Ely Chauncellour and Pro-rex at home opposed the Lords abused the Commons and oppressed the Clergy hee rid not abroad attended with lesse then a thousand horses to maintaine which pompe and Luciferian pride hee extorted from the poore from the Peeres but especially from the Prelates holding in his hands at once besides Ely the two Archbishopricks of Canterbury and Yorke imprisoning whom he pleased and releasing where he liked nor was the King more earnest in vexing the Pagans and Infidels in the Land of Palestine then he was eager and extreame against his Christian brethren whose patronage and protection were committed to his charge so that it verifies Whilst that abroad such great acts shal be done All things at home will to disorder run In which interim the King being on all sides King Richard ambusht in his returne ambusht by the Austrians for betwixt Venice and Aquilea in a Province
torne What many Lions in their pride have worne Hither the French flower would it self transpose Where must spring after many a glorious rose Hee that did all he might the Kirk despise Against his life shall a base Kirk-man rise The former part of this prediction is apparant Iohn cold here the Fox and after the Leo pard in the premisses where Iohn sought like a Fox subtlely and craftily to insinuate into the peoples hearts and rob him of his Kingdom thinking his brother all that time as dead when hee was utterly despairing of his liberty but finding him waking as being enfranchised and set at large he then was frighted by the least frown of his brows being glad to mediate his peace by his Mother the rest shall follow in order hee was King Iohns châ—…acter of a disposition course and retrograde self-will'd and proud in all or most of his undertakings very infortunate In the first yeere of his reigne he divorced himselfe from his first wife daughter to the Earle of Glocester pretending too neere propinquitie in bloud and soone after married Isabel daughter to the Earle Angolesme King Iohns second mariage and issue in France by whom hee had issue two sonnes Henry and Richard and three daughters Isabel Eleanor and Iane He was before his coronation girt with the sword of the Dukedome of Britany and suffered it to be taken from him by his yong Nephew Arthur son to Ieffery Plantaginet to his great derogation and dishonour he after left all Normandy which the French King wonne Iohn looseth Normandy from him even to one Towne and Village approving that of the Prophet After this Leopard stain'd with many a spot Rollo and Gilla Shall lose all Rollo by his Gilla got The Prophet for his stained and contaminated life and government would not vouchsafe him the name of a Lion but a Leopard alluding as well to his spotted fame as his skin by whose cowardly and unkingly proceedings Philip the French King seized all Normandy and tooke it into his absolute possession annexing it to his Crowne which no French Monarch ever had since the time of Charles the Simple who gave that Duchie to Rollo as a dowry with Guilla his daughter which had successively continued under the Sovereignty of the Dukes of Normandie and the Kings of England three hundred yeers and upwards In the first yeere of his Reigne Stephen Langton being chosen Archbishop of Canterbury by the Monks the election was opposed by the The ground of a great quarrel betwixt the King and the Archbishop King for which hee complained him to the Pope who sent unto him loving and kinde Letters to admit of the said Stephen to which his Lords advised him but the more he was importuned the more implacable hee grew returning the Popes messengers backe with peremptory deniall The next yeere came a strict commandement from Rome that unlesse the King would peaceably suffer the Archbishop to enjoy his See that the whole Land should be interdicted charging these four Bishops William of London King Iohns obstinacy Eustace of Elie Walter of Winchester and Giles of Hereford to denounce the King and his Land accursed unlesse his command were punctually obey'd but though these Prelates with the rest of his Peeres were urgent with him to eschew the rigorous Censure of the Church all was to no purpose for which upon the six and twentieth day of March they began in London and first shut up the doores of all Temples Churches and Chappels with all the other places where Divine Service was used and as in London so they did through the whole Land The whole land by the Popâ— accursed for which the King was so inraged that he seized all their temporalties into his hands putting them into such feare that they were forced to flie to the banisht Archbishop some write that this interdiction was of such power and validity that during the time therof which was six yeers three moneths and odde dayes no Service was said no Sacraments administred no Childe Christned none Married and not any suffered An uncharitable Bull. to come to Confesse In this interim the King from anger grew to The Kings Proclamation rage proclayming that all persons Spirituall or Temporall that held any Lands or other livelihood here shall by the next Michaelmasse returne into the Land or failing therein forfeit their whole estates besides that diligent search should be made what Letters should be brought from Rome which should bee delivered to the He extorteth from the Clergie King then hee extorted from all the Monasteries not sparing any Religious House that had dependance on the Clergie For which a new Commission was sent from Rome by vertue whereof the Curse of interdiction was againe denounced to which by the authority of the Pope was added that this his Bull acquitted and absolved all the Lords of England as well spirituall as Temporall from all duty and allegiance before sworne to the King and that they might lawfully rise in armes against him to depose and deprive him of all Regall honour and dignity but all these tooke no more impression The Lords and others acquit of their allegiance by the Pope in him then if they had beene clamoured in the eares of a deafe man or proclaymed to a Statue of Marble But by the way which I cannot let passe this King Iohn in the tenth yeere of his Reigne and of grace one thousand two hundred and ten The first Major and Sheâ—…iffs of London made by K. Iohn granted to the City of London by his Letters Patents that in stead of two Bayliffs by which their Magistracy was held they should yeerly choose themselves a Major and two Sheriffs which Major was Henry Fitz-allwin and Peter Duke and Thomas Neale Sheriffs The same yeere London bridge which before was of timber London bridge Saint Mary Overies was begun to be builded of stone and Saint Mary Overies Church to be erected in Southwark CHAP. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the Third succedeth his Father a prediction of his Reigne his brother Richard made King of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament The Barons Wars c. I Proceed where I left in the same yeere the Pope sent over his Legate More thunderings from the Pope Pandolphus with another a Latere to accompany him to solicit the same businesse who were sent back with a like frivolous answer yet hee sent againe the yeere following the same Pandolphus threatning wonders if hee did not receive Stephen Langton into his Archbishoprick and make restitution of all such moneys and other moveables of which he had robbed the Monasteries c. Then at last the King considering into what dangers hee had intricated himselfe hy his peremptory denials how he had lost Normandy abroad and then in what desperate case his Kingdom stood King Iohns submission at home
place called Bellalaund or Brighland hee had like to have beene taken as he sat at dinner which could not have beene had he not had some traitours about him and now confer the premisses The King almost surprized at dinner with the Prophesie Two Owles shall from the Eagles ashes rise And in their pride the Forest beasts despise They fore't at first to take their wings and flie Shall back returning beare themselves so hie T' out-brave both birds and beasts and great spoyls winne By the Goats casing in a Lions skin The two Owls are the two Spencers who from the ashes of the Cornish Eagle Gaveston grew into the especiall favour of the King who were sayd to case the Goat in the skinne of the Lyon by animating the effeminate King to the warres against the Barons by whose deaths they got many rich spoyls and then forced to take their wings to fly where they were banisht the Realme at the parliament of white Bands c. The state of the kingdome thus standing and the two Spencers commanding all the Land had Warres with France about the Dutchy of Guian to attone which difference betwixt the two Kings the two Spencers being in all things The hate of the Spencers towards the Queene which was after the cause of their ruine opposite to the Queen whom they had brought to the bare allowance and pension of twenty shillings a day they further plotted how to rid her out of the Land and perswaded the King to send her into France to make peace betwixt the two Kingdomes having before seized on all her lands and those belonging to the Prince The Queen sent into France Briefely the Queene arrived in France and was royally received by her brother who hearing of her base usage and by whom he was much incensed against the K. and his wicked Counsellors and sent to him under his seale to come in person into France to doe him homage or he She is royally received by the King her brother should forfeit the Dutchy of Guian Of which K. Edward took little regard in hope his Queen would salve all things that were amisse betwixt the brother and husband After the Queenes three months abode in France the Prince desired of his Father that he might have leave to visite his mother and unckle which his Father granted and said to him at parting Goe my faire sonne in Gods blessing and mine and returne to mee againe as speedily as you may who passing the Sea and comming to the Kings Court hee joyfully received him and said Faire sonne you bee welcome and since your Father came not to doe homage for the Dutchy of Guian as his antecessors have done I give you the Lordship to hold of me in heritage and so the Prince was created and thence forward called the Duke P. Edward made Duke of Guien of Guien Which being knowne to King Edward hee was highly incensed especially because the Prince was instated into that honour without his consent and pleasure and finding that notwithstanding his often sending they made no haste to returne hee made Proclamation that if within such a day prefixed they made not their repaire into the Land they should be held as enemies to the Crowne and state but the Queene much fearing the malice of the Spencers whom she knew to bee her mortall enemies she removed not thence then the King made forfeiture of all their goods and Lands before seized and took the profits of them to his owne use and sent sharpe and threatning Letters to the French King if he suffered them The French King refuseth to aid his sister to sojourne longer in his Realme upon which he commanded them thence without any further comfort or succour At that time Sir Iohn Henaud brother to the Earle of Henaud a man of great courage and valour being in the French Court much commiserating the Queene and the Prince desired her to goe with him to his brother the Earle of which she was glad and taking his noble offer was there honourably received Then was a marriage concluded betwixt Prince Edward The Prince contracted to Philip daughter to the Earl of Henaud and Phillip the Earles Daughter upon certaine conditions one of which was that the Earle should send over into England the Queene and her sonne with 400 men at Armes under the conduct of his Brother In which interim the two Spencers sent three Barrells of Coyne with Letters to some of the French Peeres that if it were possible they should make away the Queene or her sonne or at least send them away disgraced out of the Realme which mony and Letters were taken by a ship of the Henauders and brought to the Queene during her abode The Spencers beat at their own weapons there which the Earles brother seeing said unto her bee of comfort Madam this is a good Omen the Spencers your enemies have sent you money to pay your souldiers Of which the King of England having intelligence he sent to all the Ports and Havens to interdict their landing notwithstanding which the Queene and Prince with these foure hundred Hollanders and a small company of English gentlemen who had fled to her in the time of her exile landed at a port called Orwel besides The Queene landeth in Suffolk Harwich in Suffolke the fifteenth of September Sir Iohn Henaud the Earles brother being their Captain and Leader without any opposition or resistance to whom after their landing the people resorted in great companies and sped towards London where the King and the Spencers were then resident who hearing of the multitudes that then drew unto her left Walter Stapleton Bishop of Exeter Custos of the Citie The King and Spencers flie to Wales and with a small company fled towards Wales she came then to London where the people were willing to receive her which the Bishop with many sharpe and bitter words opposing the Commons of the City tooke him violently and beheaded him with two of his Esquires at the Standard in West-cheap whose bodies were borne to the Thames side where the Bishop had begun a new edifice contrary to their liking and there unreverently buried The Queene with an easie march followed The Queene pursueth the King the king who came to Bristoll with the Earle of Arundell the two Spencers and his infamous Chancellour Baldock where after counsell taken it was agreed that Hugh Spencer the father should stay there and take charge of the towne and castle whilest the King and the rest tooke shipping thence for Wales to raise the Welshmen in his aid of which the Queene having notice sent thither the Earle of Kent Sir Iohn Henaud with others who with small difficultie The Town and Castle of Bristoll taken tooke the towne and castle with Hugh Spencer the father alive and delivered them to the Queene who remained there till the greatest part of her army pursued the King and his other Minions
into Wales who took the King the Earle of Arundell Hugh Spencer the son and the Chancellour and brought them all prisoners to Hereford in which interim the Citizens The tower of London taken by the Citizens of London won the tower of London and kept it to the Queenes use Upon the morrow after the feast of Simon and Iude the same day that the L. Major takes Hugh Spenâ—… the father put to death his oath was Hugh Spencer the father put to death and after buried at Winchester and upon Saint Hughs day following being the eighteenth Hugh the son drawn hanged and quâ—…rtered day of November was Sir Hugh the son drawne hanged and quartered at Hereford and his head sent to London and set upon the Bridge making good They after be themselves depriv'd of breath By her they scorn'd the flower of life and death The common fame went that after this Hugh was taken hee would take no manner of sustenance and that was the cause he was the sooner put to death of whom was made this Distich following Funis cum lignis à te miser ensis ignis Hugo securus equus abstulit omne decus Rope gallows sword and fire with a just knife Took from thee Hugh thy honour with thy life Foure dayes after was the Earle of Arondell put to death and Robert Baldock the Chancellour being committed to Newgate dyed miserably Baldock the Chancellour dyes in Newgate in prison then the Queene with the Prince her son with the rest of the Lords were with great joy the fourteenth day of December received at London and thence conveighed to Westminster where a Parliament was called the effect whereof expect in the following Chapter CHAP. 21. The deposing of Edward the second his repentance his death His sonne Edward made King A Prophesie of his Reigne His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwicke His famous victory at Sea over the French Hee layes claime to the Crowne of France instituteth the Order of the Garter His victory at Cressie His taking of Calice c. FRom this Parliament were Messengers sent to the King then prisoner in Kenelworth Castle three Bishops three Earles two Abbots two Barons two Iudges with Sir William Trussell Procurator of the Parliament to depose him of all Kingly dignity who the five and twentieth of Ianuary in the presence of the aforesaid Lords from the body of the whole House delivered unto him these words following I William Trussell in the name of all men of King Edward deposed from all Kingly power this Land of England procurator of this Parliament resigne to thee Edward the homage that was sometimes made to thee and from this time forth deprive thee of all Kingly power and I shall never be attendant on thee as King after this time And thus was Edward the second deposed and his sonne Edward made King when hee had raigned full eighteene yeeres sixe moneths and odde dayes who during his imprisonment first at Kenelworth and after at Barckley Castle grew greatly repentant of his former course of life finding at length what it Edward greatly repentant was to be misled by upstarts and people of mean condition many of whose penitentiall fancies are still extant And amongst the rest this following Most blessed Iesu Root of all vertue Grant I may thee sue In all humilitie Sen thou for our good List to shed thy blood And stretch thee on the Rood For our iniquitie I thee beseech Most wholsome leech That thou wilt seech For mee such grace That when my body vile My soule shall exile Thou bring in short while It in rest and peace Edward the third of that name sonne of Edward the second and Philip sole daughter of Philip Edward the third made King the Faire at fifteene yeeres of age began his Reigne his father yet living the six and twentieth of Ianuary in the end of the yeer of Grace one thousand three hundred and twenty six and was crowned at Westminster upon the day of the Purification of our Lady next ensuing at what time the earth yielded plenty the Ayre temper the Sea quietnesse and the Church peace hee confirmed the Liberties and Franchises of London and gave Southwarke to bee under the Lord Majors rule and government Of whose Reigne it was thus predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so intire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and Grandsire wonne before Neptune his Navall triumphs shall advance His Coat he quarters with th' Flower of France And after mauger the Canicular Tyke Tweed shal he passe and win again the Wyke A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Dye must this brave Whelp of a Calenture And then behind him shall he leave a Kid To undo all both sire and grandsire did The effect of all these will succeed in their order in the first yeere of this Kings Reigne the late King Edward was miserably slaine and put to a most cruell death by the meanes of Sir Roger The death of K. Edward Mortimer who notwithstanding in the Parliament after was made Earle of March the same yeere the foure and twentieth of Ianuary the young King married the Lady Philip daughter to the Earle of Henault in the City of Yorke A Parliament held at Northampton and soone after cald a Parliament at Northampton to which by the meanes of Sir Roger Mortimer and the old Queene an unprofitable and dishonorable peace was made with the Scots who caused the King to release them of all fealty and homage and delivered up to them all the old Writings sealed by their Kings and chiefe Lords of their Land with all Charters and Patents and many rich Iewels which had before beene wonne from them by the Kings of England amongst which the blacke Crosse of Scotland is especially named and the yeere following David the son of Robert le Bruce King of Scots married Iane sister to the King of England whom they after to the derision of the English called Iane make peace and amongst other The Scots taunt the English taunting Songs made of our Nation this was one Long beards heartlesse Painted bodies witlesse Gay coats gracelesse Maketh England thriftlesse But these merry and jigging tunes were turned to their most lamentable Aymee's within few moneths after During the Kings minority all the affaires of the Realme were managed by Sir Roger Mortimer The pride of Sir Roger Mortimer and the Mother Queene And the great persons appointed to that purpose were vilified and not set by which Sir Roger in imitation of K. Arthur was said to keep a round Table to which many noble Knights belonged to his infinite cost and expence But howsoever in the Articles objected by the Parliament against Mortimer third yeere of the King the said Sir Roger
slaine of men of note the Duke of Athenes the Duke of Burbon Sir Iohn Cleremont Marshall of France Sir Henry Camian Banneret who bore that day the Oriflambe a special relick that the French Kings used in all battailes to have borne before them the Bishop of Chabous with divers others to the number of fifty foure Bannerets Knights and others And of prisoners taken in that battaile were Iohn King of France Philip his fourth sonne Iohn King of France tooke prisoner Sir Iaques of Burbon Earle of Poitou and brother to the Duke of Burbon Sir Iohn of Artoys Earle of Ewe Sir Charles his brother Earle of Noble men took prisoners Longevile Sir Giffard Cousin German to the French King Sir Iohn his sonne and heire William Archbishop of Sence Sir Simon Melen brother to the Earle Canlarvive and Earle of Vandature The Earles of Dampmartin of Vendosme of Salisbruch of Moyson the Martiall Denham with others as Bannerets Knights and men of name according to their owne Writers fifteene hundred and above from which battaile escaped Charles eldest son of King Iohn and Duke of Normandy with the Duke of Anjoy and few others of name And King Edward after due thanks given to Almighty God for his Charles Duke of Normandy escapeth from the battaile triumphant victory retyred himselfe to Burdeaux with his Royall prisoners where the King and the rest were kept till Easter following In the one and thirtieth yeere of the King the sixteenth of April Prince Edward being eight and twenty yeeres of age tooke shipping with his prisoners at Burdeaux and the foure and twentieth of May was received with great joy by the Citizens of London and thence conveyed to the Kings palace at Westminster where the King sitting in his estate Royall in Westminster Hall after hee had indulgently entertained the Prince he was conveyed to his lodging and the French King royally conducted to the Savoy where he lay long after and in the Winter following were royall Iusts held in Smithfield at which were present the King of Three Kings present at the Iusts in Smithfield England the French King the Scotch King then prisoners with many noble persons of all the three Kingdoms the most part of the strangers being then prisoners Whilst K. Iohn remayned in England which was for the space of 4 yeers and odde days The king of England and the blacke Prince his son with their Armies over-run the greatest part of France during the time of Charles his Regency over the kingdome who was king Iohns eldest son against whom they had many memorable victories spoyling where they list and sparing what they pleased in so much that king Edward The Father and sonne victorious in â—…rance made his owne conditions ere any peace could be granted at length the king was delivered and royally conveyed into his country who so well approved of and liked his entertainment here that in the thirty seventh yeere of king Edward he returned into England and at Eltham besides Greenwich dined with the king and in the same afternoon was royally received by the Citizens and conveyed through London to the Savoy which was upon the twenty fourth of Ianuary but about the beginning of March following a grievous sicknesse tooke him of which he dyed the eight of Aprill following King Iohn dyeth at the Savoy whose body was after solemnly conveyedto St. Denis in France and there royally interred In the fortieth yeere of the king one Barthran de Cluicon a Norman with an Army of Frenchmen entred the land of Castile and warred upon Peter king of that Country and within foure moneths chaced him out of his kingdome and crowned Henry his bastard brother in his stead wherefore hee was constrained to flie to Burdeaux and to demand aide of Prince Edward who commiserating his case as being lawfull king howsoever of a tyrannous and bloudy disposition he granted his request so that hee assisted Peter with his English Archers against the bastard Henry with his French Spear-men whose two Armies mâ—…t neere unto a town called Doming where betwixt them was a lâ—…ng P. Edwards victoryia Spaine and cruell fight but in the end the victory fell to the Prince and Henry with his whole army were rowted In which battail were taken Barthran de Claicon and Arnold Dodenham Marshall of France with divers others as well French as Britons and Spaniards and slain to the number of five thousand of the enemies and of the princes Army sixteen hundred after which hee enstated Peter in his kingdome who after perfidiously denyed to pay the princes army For which he was after divinely punished as also for killing his owne wife the daughter to the Duke of Burbon for his Bastard brother Henry knowing how hee was justly abandoned by the English having gathered new forces gave him battaile in which being taken his brother commanded his head to be strooke off which was immediately done after which Iohn of The death of Don Peter Gaunt Duke of Lancaster the Kings sonne and Edward his brother Earle of Cambridge married the two daughters of this Peter late King of Castile Iohn espoused Constance the elder and Iohn a Gaunts title to Spain Edward Isabel the younger by which marriages the two brethren claimed to be inheritours to the Kingdome of Castile or Spaine In the one and fiftieth yeare of the King upon the eighth of Iune being Trinity Sonday dyed that renowned souldier Edward the black Prince in the palace of Westminster whose body The death of the blacke Prince was after carried to Canterbury and there solemnly interred who in his life time was much beloved both of the Commons and the whole kingdome especially for removing from the kings person all such as had misled him in his age by which the Common Weale was much oppressed amongst others was the Lord Latimer noted for principall and Alice Pierce the Kings Concubine with Sir Richard Skory Alice Pierce the Kings Conâ—…ine all which were according to the Commons just complaint by the Prince removed but hee was no sooner dead but the king contrary to his promise before made called them again admitting them to their former Offices and Honours and Alice his prostitute to his wonted grace and favour In the two and fiftieth yeer the two and twentieth day of Iune dyed at his Mannor of Sheen The death of K. Edward the third now called Richmond the royall and most victorious Prince king Edward the third of that name of whom it was truly predicted The spirits of many Lions shall conspire To make one by infusion so entire He by his mighty courage shall restore What his sire lost and grandsire wonne before As also that of the unparalleld blacke Prince his sonne who died before his Father A numerous issue shall his Lionesse bring Black shall the first be and though never King Yet shall he Kings captive but ere mature Die shall this brave Whelp of a
sundry of the Nobility then made their residence who hearing thereof assembled also a sufficient Army and sped towards Saint Albons of which the Duke of Yorke being advertised hee also made thither and was at one end of the Town whilst the King and his people were at the other and this was on the three and twentieth day of May the Thursday before Whitsonday Now whilst a Treaty of peace was communed upon the one part the Earle of Warwicke with the Marchmen The battail at S. Albons entred the Towne upon the other end and fought eagerly against the Kings people so that both the battails joyn'd and continued the fight for many houres but in the end the victory fell to the Duke of Yorke and of the Kings side were slaine the Duke of Somerset the Earle of The King taken Northumberland and the Lord Clifford with many honourable Knights and Gentlemen The morrow after the Duke with great honour and reverence conveighed the King backe to London and lodged him in the Bishops Palace then called a parliament at Westminster by authority whereof the Duke of Yorke was Yorke made Protector made protector of the Realme the Earle of Salisbury Chancelour and the Earle of Warwick Captaine of Callis and all such as were in authority about the king removed and the Queeene and her Counsaile who before swayed all vilified and set at nought But shee out of her great policy insinuated with divers Lords who were of her faction and disdaining the rule the Duke bore in the Realme by the name of protector as if the King were insufficient to governe A sodaine change the state which as shee thought was great dishonour to him and disparagement to her she made such friends of the Lords both spirituall and temporall that the Duke was shortly discharged of his protectorship and the Earle of Salisbury of his Chancellourship which was the cause of much combustion after So that it appeares A Tigresse then in title onely proud In the Lambes bosome seeks her selfe to shroud A seeming Saint at first meeke and devout But in small time her fiercenesse will break out Nor can her rav'nous fury be withstood Vntill through sated with best English blood Which will manifestly appeare in the sequell for she causing the king to remove from The Queens practise against the Lords London to Coventry the Duke of Yorke was sent for thither by a privy Seale with the Earles of Warwicke and Salisbury whose lives were ambusht in the way of which they having notice escaped the danger After a day of meeting was appoynted at London whither the Lords came with great traines at their heeles and the Earle of Warwicke with a strong band of men from Callis in red Iackets and white ragged sleeves upon them but by reason of the strength the Lords had nothing was attempted against them but a dissembled peace was made betwixt the two factions which being tyed with Against the Earle of Warwicke a small and slender thred it happened that in a private quarrell a servant of the Earle of Warwicks hurt one of the kings servants upon which the Earle comming from the Counsaile to take his barge the kings family rudely set upon him and the blacke guard assaulted him with their spits where divers of his followers were sore hurt and hee himselfe dangerously wounded with great difficulty escaped but hee got into London and from thence sailed to Callis He thus secured the Queen then aymed at the life of his Father the Earle of Salisbury who set upon him the Lord Audley with a Against the Earle of Salisbury strong Company to way-lay him in his comming towards the City who mending his traine kept on his journey and upon Blore-heath they met both and after a bloody conflict the Lord Audley with many of his followers were slaine and two of the Earles sonnes wounded who in their way home were surprized by some of the Queenes faction and sent prisoners to Chester Vpon which the Duke with the Lords assembled themselves for their owne security and the Earle of Warwick came with a band of men Andrew Trollop persidious to the Lords from Callis of which he made one Andrew Trollop Captaine against whom the King gathered a strong hoast and came to Ludlow where the Lords were incampt but the night before the battaile this Andrew with his Callis souldiers left the Lords and joyned with the Kings Army At which the Lords were much discouraged because hee was privy to all their purposes wherefore they left their Tents standing and fled The Duke of Yorke tooke The Lords flie and leave the King Master of the field shipping for Ireland the rest escaped into Gernsay by the meanes of one Iohn Dinham an Esquire who brought them a ship which Dinham was after made Treasurer of England so that the King was made Master of the field the Dutchesse of York with her Children taken prisoners in Ludlow and sent to her sister the Dutchesse of Buckingham where she remained long after and the Lords proclaimed Traytors and their goods and Lands forfeited and seised into the Kings hands but at length the tide turned For the Lords being favoured by the Commons who much murmured at the proceeding of the Q. her counsaile again entred the land upon the ninth of Iuly encountred the Kings hoast at Northampton where after long fight the victory fell to the Earle of Salisbury and the Lords of his party where the Kings Hoast was discomfitted and hee taken in the field after The battaile at Northampton many of his Nobility were slaine amongst whom were the Duke of Buckingham the Earle of Shrewsbury the Vicount Beaumont the Lord Tiremond c. After which victory they returned to London and brought with them the King keeping his estate then sent for the Duke of York out of Ireland In the mean time they called a parliament during which the Duke of Yorke came to Westminster and lodged in the Kings palace upon which grew a rumour that Henry should be deposed and the Duke of York made King one day the Duke came into the parliament Chamber and in the presence of all the Lords sate him downe in the kings seat and claimed the Crowne as his rightfull inheritance The pride of the Duke of Yorke at which there was great murmuring amongst the Lords but after divers Counsailes held it was concluded that Henry should continue king during his naturall life and after his death his sonne Prince Edward to bee set apart and the Duke of Yorke and his Heires to bee kings and he to bee admitted protector of the king and Regent of the Realme and upon saturday following being the ninth of November and thirty ninth of king Henry the Duke was The Duke proclaimed heire apparant to the Crowne proclaymed through the City Heire apparant to the Crowne and his Progeny after him And because Queen Margaret with her Son Prince
the fourth who dyed in the Tower This Countesse Of Cardinal Pool from his minority had one onely sonne called Reignold Pool who was of great familiarity with the Lady Mary in their minority and devoting himself wholly to the study of the Arts was initiated in Maudline Colledge in Oxford but being a very young man left the University and having a great desire to travaile crost the seas and went into Italy seven years he spent in the Academy of Padua where entring into great familiarity with Peter Bent chiefe Secretary to the pope then raigning hee brought him into such reputation with his holinesse that in the yeare one thousand five hundred thirty eight he was made His imploiment to the Emperor and French K. Cardinall and imployed in Embassie both to the Emperor and French King in which negotiations hee is said to have dealt perfidiously with his owne Liege Lord and Soveraigne King Henry the eighth For dangerous is an English man being once Italionated The incensed King not able to reach the Son who was the Actor yet used his power against the mother as an accessary who being questioned for sending her sonne dayly supplies of money from England into Italy was for that convicted The Countesse of Salisbury his Mother beheaded of Treason and being fourescore yeares ofage was beheaded This Cardinall Poole was of the Royall blood as lineally descended from George Duke of Clarence of singular learning and approved modesty insomuch that in the twice vacancy of the See of Rome he was in either selected and nominated as pope but refusing it as too great a charge for such was Cardinal Pool twice elected Pope his apology hee rather chused a solitaty and sequestred life and so retired himselfe into a Monastery neere Verona of which according to rumour hee was first Founder and Patron in which hee spent a great part of his age as a man extermin'd from his native Country so continuing the later part of Henry the eight and the entire Soveraignty of Edward the sixt But Queene Mary his first acquaintance being invested into the English Throne having the soveraigne power in her owne dispose she sent to call him home with purpose as it was then rumourd having the pâ—…pes authority Queen Mary is purposed to marry with Car dinal Poole to dispence with all his Ecclesiasticall dignities to have made him her husband Of which Charles the Emperour having notice partly by his power and partly by his policy wrought so by his Engineeres that Spanish policy hee was detained in Italy till a match was fully concluded betwixt his sonne Prince Philip and the Queene which being perfected and then past prevention the Cardinall was at liberty to dispose of himselfe and for his greater Honour was sent over by the pope with the title of Legatus alatere at which time as Doctor Thomas Cranmer was not onely suspended but Cardinal Pool made Archbishop of Canterbury dispossessed of the Archbishoprick of Canterbury in stead of whom Cardinal Poole was installed into that See where having beene three yeares Archbishop when newes was brought him of the death of his Cousen Queene hee the same houre expired the fifty eight of his age His death and lyeth buryed within Saint Thomas Chappell in Canterbury Church with this short Inscription onely Depositum Cardinalis Poli. The prophesie ayming at him where it saith From the Pontificke Sea a Poole shall runne That wide shall spread its waters and to a stood In time shal grow made red with Martyrs blood The next Chapter leads mee to the entrance of prince Philip sonne to the Emperour Charles into the Land and his marriage with Queene Mary c. CAP. 36. King Philips entertainment into the Land presented with the Garter Hee is made King of Naples and Hierusalem the great solemnity of the King and Queenes marriage at Winchester Their Titles their riding through London The Queene rumourd to bee with Child King Philips cautelous proceedings he favoureth the Lady Elizabeth He leaveth the Land Queene Maries discontent at his departure The losse of Callis The death of Queene Mary The Inauguration of the Lady Elizabeth A prophesie of her birth and reigne TO omit all the Insurrections in Her time of the discontented Commons as that of Sir Thomas Wiat in Kent to keepe King Philip out of the Land in which the Duke of Suffolke was Insurrections in the time of Queen Mary a partisan with another commotion in Devonshire by Gowen and Peter Carow Giles Champernham and others with a third about Woodhurst in Sussex w ch was soon appeased a fourth by Vdall Throgmorton Daniel Pecham Stanton c. A fift by Henry Stafford who tooke Scarborough Castle in the North. I come now to Prince Philip who after all those that interposed his landing were cut off in the yeare of grace one thousand five hundred fifty foure the twentieth of Iuly made his safe arrivall at South-hampton where he was honourably received by Prince Philip landeth at Southampton the greatest part of the Nobility and was presented with the Order of Saint George and the Garter set with rich stones fastned about his Legge who before he would enter any house Prince Philip presented with the George and Garter went first into Holy Rood Church which standeth just opposite to the Towne-Hall where he gave thanks to God for his safe and prosperous arriuall and having spent some halfe an houre in his devotion hee mounted upon a goodly Iâ—…nnet richly caparisoned which was that morning sent him by the Queene and so rode back towards his lodging which was neare unto the Water-gate The monday following he left Southampton and attended by the Lords and Gentlemen of England rode towards Winchester but by the reason of great store of Raine that fell the same day the journey seemed something unpleasant but there about seven of Clocke towards night hee was magnificently received and rode to the Church before he would see his lodging loud Musicke entertained him at his alighting and the bishop of that Sea with Stephen Gardiner foure other met him at the Church doore attended with Priests Singing men and Quiristers all in rich Coaps who had three faire Crosses or Crucifixe s born before them In the first entrance of the Church the Priest kneeled downe to pray which done he arose and went under an Imbroydered Canopy from the west doore up to the Quire who when he saw the Hoast put off his Hat to doe it reverence and then entred into a goodly Traverse hung with costly Arras and there kneeled againe till Winchester the Chancellor began Te Deum whom all the whole Quire seconded that done hee was brought thence by Torch-light and went on foot through the Cloisters to his lodging whither the Queenes Guard attended him to a faire House belonging to the Dean Hee was at that time apparrelled in a Coat or Mantle curiously imbroydered with gold his Prince
Merlin came to be known to King Vortiger of the combat betwixt the red and the white Dragon and his prophesie thereof c. p. 18 Chap. 4. Merlins former prophesie explained sundry prestigious acts done by him to delight the King His prophesie of the Kings death c. p. 25 Chap. 5. Uterpendragon succeedeth his brother Aurelius He is enamoured of Igerna wife to the Duke of Cornwall whom by the art of Merlin he enjoyes of whom he begot King Arthur pag. 32 Chap. 6. Merlins former prophesie made plain concerning king Arthur with sundry other occurrences pertinent to the English History pag. 41. Chap. 7. Of the conception and birth of these 7 pious and religious brothers And being sent to death how preserved educated and doctrinated Merlins prophesies and their explanation p. 49 Chap. 8. He prophesieth of the civill wars that shall be in Britain in the time of Cadwallo And of the great dearth and desolation in the Reigne of Cadwallader c. p. 58 Chap. 9. Of divers bloudy battails fought betwixt Canutus and Edmund Their great opposition ended in a single Duell They make peace and equally divide the kingdome betwixt them p. 68 Chap. 10. Merlins prophesie of Hardy Canutus and Earle Goodwin which accordingly hapned his many Tyrannies amongst other his tithing of the Norman Gentlemen c. p. 76. Chap. 11. The landing of Duke William with the Normans The battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slain being the last King of the Saxon bloud Wil. conquereth c. p. 87 Chap. 12. The prediction of the two Dragons made good by the subsequent History in Robert and William the two sons of the Conquerour who the Lion of Iustice was and what was meant by his Alchymy c. p. 96. Chap. 13. A briefe relation of the troublesome Reign of King Stephen and his opposition against Mawd the Empresse of Henry Short Mantle and his proceedings with a continuance of our English History c. p. 106 Chap. 14. Divers remarkable passages during the Reigne of Henry the second his numerous Issue and how they were affected towards him his vic◅ and vertues his good and bad fortune all which were by this our Prophet predicted p. 116 Chap. 15. The Inauguration of Richard the first sirnamed Cordelion a prediction of his Reigne His wars in the Holy Land his imprisonment by the Duke of Austria his brother Iohns usurpation his second Coronation with his unfortunate death c. p. 127 Chap. 16. The rest of the prophesie made good in the subsequence the troublesome Reign of K. Iohn his losse of Normandy his Land interdicted by the Pope to whom hee is compeld to resigne his Crown his death c. p. 137 Chap. 17. A continuance of some passages in King Iohns Reign Henry the third succeedeth his Father a prediction of his Reign his brother Richard made king of the Romans Henries long Reign the mad Parlament p. 147 Chap. 18. The death of Henry the third and Richard Earle of Cornwall king of the Romans Prince Edwards victories in the Holy Land His Coronation the prophesie of his reign c. p. 157 Chap. 19. The right that the Kings of England have anciently had to the Crown of Scotland for which they did them homage K. Edwards victorious wars in Scotland The prophesie fulfilled His death And coronation of his son c. p. 167 Chap. 20. The Kings unfortunate wars in Scotland The battail of Banno◅urn c. Barwick betrayed to the Scots The pride and insolencie of the Spencers Their misleading the K c. p. 178 Chap. 21. The deposing of Edward 2d his repentance his death his son Edward made K◅g A prophesie of his reign His great victory over the Scots with the taking of Barwick His famous victory at Sea over the French c. p. 189 Chap. 22. The famous battaile of Poytyers fought by Edward the Black Prince in which hee took Iohn the French King prisoner His conquest in Spaine The memorable act of William VVal worth Lord Major c. p. 201 Chap. 23. The Duke of Glocester by a Parlament reformeth the Common-wealth Iohn of Gaunt claims his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons c. p. 213 Chap. 24. The coronation of Henry the 4 with his great Feast held in VVestminster Hall A great conspiracy intended against him but prevented the lamentable murder of King Richard the second in Pomfret Castle by Sir Pierce of Exto◅ His valour at his death His Epitaph The great riches found in his treasury c. p. 224 Chap. 25. The Coronation of Henry the fift A prophesie of his reign His victorious battail over the French at Agencourt His second Voyage into France His victories by Sea and Land He is made heir by the marriage of his wife to the Crowne of France His third Voyage into France The birth of Pr. Henry The death of Henry the fift p. 236. Chap. 27. The Duke of Glocester made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasil a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Pa◅is A prophesie of his reign the death of the D. of Gloster The death of the Marquis of Suffolk The insurrection of the Commons under Iacke Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh arms his person seised against the Kings promise and for feareset at liberty p. 248. Chap. 28. The ambition of Queen Margaret The battail at Saint Albons Yorke made Protector The Queens practice against the Lords The battail at Northampton York proclaimed heire to the Crowne York slain in the battail at Wakefield Henry deposed and Edward Earle of March made king A prophesie of his Reigne The battaile at Exham King Henry taken and sent to the Tower The marriage of Edward Hee flies the Land Henry again made king p. 259. Chap. 29. Edward proclaimed usurper of the Crown and Glocester traytor his landing at Ravēsport the battail at Barnet the battail at Teuxbury king Henry murdered in the Tower and after him the Duke of Clarence The death of Edward the fourth Gloster takes upon him to bee Protector of the young king c. p. 272. Chap. 30. Dissention betwixt the King and the Duke of Buckingham Richard insidiateth the life of Richmond Buckingham takes armes against the King and is beheaded Banister perfidious to his Lord Queene Annes policy and tyranny His Lawes Richmond landeth at Milford Haven The battaile at Bosworth The death of Richard Richmond made King A prophesie of his Reigne c. p. 283 Chap. 31. The Earle of Northumberland slain by the Commons The Matchevilian plots of the Dutchesse of Burgundy to disturbe the peace of king Henry Perkin Warbeck her Creature hee is nobly marryed in Scotland and taken for the Duke of Yorke the death of the Lord Standley and others Divers insurrections about Perkin his
wrought with his Nobility severally and apart that hee had won them to re-instate his brother Archigallo in the Throne after he himselfe had governed for the terme of five yeares who being againe advanc't to the supreme power and Majesty hee changed his former Conditions ordering all things according to equity and Iustice during his naturall life and then dyed after he had lastly reigned ten yeares and lyeth buryed at Yorke Then was Elidurus againe The death of Archigallo made King against whom his two yonger brothers Vigenius and Peridurus had great indignation because for his vertue and piety he was so much beloved of the Britons therefore they conspired against him and tooke him prisoner in battaile when the second time hee had reigned two yeares committing him unto safe custodie These two Brothers were then joyntly made Kings and divided the Land betwixt them Vigenius dyed after he had governed his part of the Kingdome seven yeares after whose death Peridurus seized the whole under his Dominion who ruled with great Temperance and Prudence insomuch that hee was praised above his other brethren and Elidurus quite forgot who after he had reigned with his brother and alone for the terme of nine yeares expired after whom Elidurus was fetcht from prison Elidure the third time made King and the third time instated in the Throne who continued in his former sincerity and integrity and lastly being of a good age ended his life when hee had this last time governed foure yeares and was buried at Carleil leaving a Son called Gorbomannus who began his raigne in Gorbomanus the second the yeare of the World foure thousand nine hundred forty five after whom succeeded Margan and after Margan his brother Emerianus Margan Emerianus who was deposed for his cruelty and tyranny after whom successively raigned twenty Kings of whom small or no mention is made by any approved Author the last of which was called Blegabridus a cunning Musitian who Blegabridus for his excellency in that faculty was called of the Britains god of Glee-men or Minstrells After whom succeeded nine Kings of whom there is left neither name or memory saving that the last of them was named Hely who governed King Hely the Kingdome forty yeares wanting seven months which time of thirty three successive Kings that is from Elidure to the last yeare of Hely amounted to one hundred fourescore and sixe yeares This Hely left behind him three sons Lud Cassibeline and Nennius King Lud. Lud the eldest sonne of King Hely began his Reigne in the yeare of the world five thousand one hundred thirty one who in all his actions shewed himselfe honourable repaired old Temples and builded new and so of Cities and Townes but especially in Troynovant hee caused sundry structures to bee made both for the inlarging and beautifying of the City walling it round and ditching it about and in the west part of the Wall made a strong gate and commanded it to be called after his name Luds-gate Luds Towne now London and for he much affected the City as the place where he most frequented hee changed the name thereof from Troynovant to Caerlud or Luds Towne now London Hee was strong and mighty in subduing his enemies liberall given to hospitality and much loved and feared of the Britains who reigning in great peace and prosperity eleven yeares then dyed and was buryed in Port-Lud or Ludgate leaving two Sons Androgeus and Tenantius In regard of the pupillage and minority of Cassibelan made King of Britaine the two young Princes Cassibelan their Vncle and brother to King Lud was made King in the yeare of the world 5142. This man was of great wisedome and courage exercising Iustice mixt with mercy amongst his subjects insomuch that they favoured him greatly above his Nephewes yet he provided that they were royally educated according to their births and when they came to yeares of discretion he gave to Androgeus the City of London and the Earledom of Kent and to Tenantius the Dukedome of Cornwall c. CHAP. 3. The first conquest of this Land by Iulius Caesar Britaine made tributary to the Romans the birth of our Saviour under Cimbeline King of Britaine How Southampton came to bee so called and the Citie of Glocester and Coilchester Vespatians conquest of the Isle of Wight of Catnesse in Scotland of Lucius the first Christian King of the Britaines and of other Roman Governours CAius Iulius Caesar being imployed by the Senate of the famous City of Rome with Lucius Publius his Collegue in the warres of Gallia now called France being on the Sea side at Callis beholding the white Cliffes and Rocks of Britaine Iulius Caesar ambitious to Conqeur Britaine demanded of the Natives what manner of people inhabited this Island and being fully satisfied concerning the people and commodities thereof he was ambitious to adde it to the Roman Empire and to that purpose sent Messengers to Cassibelan then King to make him and his Land tributary to Rome At which he being highly moved sent him backe peremptory answer that every Soveraigne was bound to keep his Subjects from slavery and servitude and maintaine them in their Franchises and liberties and that hee would doe to his utmost ability and power With this answer Caesar who was of an invincible Courage much incensed instantly made ready his Navy and sayled towards Britaine with purpose to adde His first attempt and successe this Kingdome to his conquest of France but the Britaine 's had piâ—…cht stakes on the shore which much hindred their landing whilst Cassibelan gathering a strong Host gave the Romans battaile and beat them backe unto their ships but after he had new rigged and repaired his Navy and furnisht himselfe with a sufficient Army â—…e returned againe the second time and His second attempt was likewise beaten backe to his great dishonour For which victory twice obtained by the Britaines he assembled all his Lords and made a great triumph at London where were sundry martiall exercises performed in the performance of which one of Androgeus his Knights having slain one of the Kings Kinsmen whom hee much loved hee sent to have him stand to the tryall of the cause but Androgeus denyed to give up to the censure of the Law and departed Difference betwixt the 〈◊〉 and Androgeus in secret without taking leave from the Court which gave Cassibelan great cause of incensement against him Whose indignation Androg us justly fearing sent Letters unto Caesar that if hee would make a third attempt upon this Countrey hee with all his whole power would bee reâ—…dy to assist him against his Uncle pretending that he not onely usurped his right in the Crowne but had done to him divers other affronts and injuries Caesar glad of so good an opportunity after Hostages given for his fidelity which were his sonne Sceva with thirty others of the sonnes of his Nobility and Gentlemen a third time
finding the true Crosse and the nayles with which our blessed Saviour was fastned thereto and returne to Hellena sindeth 〈◊〉 Cressâ—… her sonne the Emperour who greatly inlarged the famous City Bizantium and beautified it with stately and sumptuous buildings and for the pleasure which hee tooke in the situation thereof made it his Royall Seat and caused it to be called after his name Constantinople which is the City of Constantine He was also of such power and might in armes that hee purchased to himselfe the Title of Constantine the Great Constantine the Great Hee was moreover stiled the first Christian Emperour and did many things for the upholding of the Faith of which seven by a learned Authour are especially noted First that Christ our blessed Saviour should bee worshipped as God throughout his whole Dominions Secondly Seven Derees made by Constantine to the honour of his Saviour that what man or woman soever spake any blasphemy against him hee should be most severely punished Thirdly that person who did any violence or injury to a Christian man because he was of that belief should forfeit half his goods and possessions Fourthly that as the Emperor of Rome is Head of all temporall Princes so the Bishop of Rome should be chief of all Ecclesiasticall Prelats Fiftly that who so fled to a Church for refuge and made it his Sanctuary should be there free from molestation and danger Sixtly that no man should offer to erect any Church or Temple without the leave and licence of the Bishop of that Diocesse Seventhly that every Prince should give the tenth part of his Revenues toward the mayntenance of Churches and Temples which law for example sake hee confirmed by contributing unto them from his own possessions after all which care of his to establish the true Faith and Gospell hee fell into the detestable Heresie of the Arrians banished Bishop Sylvester beforenamed and persecuted many zealous and godly professors Constantine infated with the Aâ—…rian heresie after which as mine Author affirmeth hee was strook with an incurable Leprosie But now I return to Octavian whom hee left his substitute in Britain Who during the long absence of the Emperour ruled the Land to the great content of the Natives but when hee had throughly invested himselfe into the hearts of the people and thinking his Lord so far remote and could not easily be drawne from so great a charge as the government of both the East and Westerne Octavian usurpeth the Crowne of Britain Empires He thought to usurpe the Title of King and to that purpose distressed such Romans as Constantine had left heere in the Land and so took upon him the sole Soveraignity of which when the Emperour had notice hee sent hither in all haste a Prince called Traherne who was uncle to his mother Helena with three Legions of Romans every Legion consisting on six thousand six hundred and six Knights whom Octavian met in battaile neare unto Portchester or as some Authors write neere Winchester and Trahernesent into Britain compeld Traherne to forsake the field and flie towards Scotland whither Octavian pursued him and gave him a second battaile where hee and the Britains were discomfited and himselfe with some few took shipping and sailed to Norway but not long after he returned into England with a strong Armâ—… of Britains and Norwayes in which interim a British Earle who greatly loved Octavian slue Traherne so that with little difficulty hee subdued the rest of the Commons who were left without a Commander and repossessed the Land which was from the time that Constantine made him Governor or Protector of the Land ten years Octavian thus re-instated gathered great Octavian made absolute K. of Britain riches and treasure in so much that hee feared not the power of any forreigne Prince and ruled the Nation in great peace and quietnesse who being growne aged and full of yeares by the counsell of some of his British Noble men he sent one Mauritius son to Caradock Duke of Cornwall unto Rome For an hopefull young Gentleman called Maximian who was neere allyed to Helena the mother of Constantine that he would come into this Land and by marrying his only daughter enjoy the Kingdome of Britain after him though divers perswaded him to confer that honour upon Conan Meriadock his neere Cousin but the former motion prevailed Conon Meriadock And Maximian the sonne of Leonine brother to Hellen and Uncle to Constantine the Great was sent over with the beforenamed Mauritius and with a sufficient guard of Romans landed safely at the port of Southampton which Conan Meriadock hearing hee gathered a company of his friends and kinsmen and because the other came Maximians first entrance into Britain to dispossesse him of that whicâ—… hee held to be his right Her purposed to ambush him in the way and give him battaile which being told to the King he by his wisdome and power pâ—…evented it so that Maximian came peaceably to Court unto whom the King gave his daughter and the Land with her for her Dower and dyed soon after when he had nobly and peaceably governed the Kingdome for the space of fifty foure yeares CHAP. 5. Maximian made King of Britaine and after Emperour How Armorica came to be called Little Britaine and this Britaine the Great Of Ursula and the eleven thousand Virgins Gratian the last Roman that was King of the Land The great distresses of the Kingdome the cessation of their Tribute paid to Rome Constantine brother to Aldroenus made King of the Realm his death and issue MAximian the sonne of Leonine and Cousin German to Constantine the great was made King of Britaine Maximian K. of Britaine in the yeare of Grace three hundred fourescore and two who proved a valiant and victorious Prince but somewhat proud and withall a persecutor of the Christians And first there was great strife betwixt him and Conan with sundry Conflicts in which they sped diversly but at length they were reconciled and made friends so that he raigned for a time in great peace in which interim he gathered together much treasure and riches At last he was accited to move warre against the Galls and landed with a great Hoast in Armorica now Armorica first called Litle Britaine called Little Britaine which after hee had subdued by the sword hee gave it to Conon Meriadock to hold of him and of the Kings of great Britaine for ever commanding from that time Armorica to be called Little Britain and this Land Britaine the great For which victory and others his Knights proclaimed him Emperour which increased both his pride and tyranny so that he invaded the Lands of the Empire and conquered a great part both of France and Germany which was contrary to his Oath before sworne to the two Emperors Gratian and Valentinian to whom when tydings was brought of this his invasion Gratian prepared to resist him but fearing his power
fifty five yeeres And from the Reigne of Severus to the first yeere of Gratian one huadred fourscore and three and from the first of Gratian to the last yeare of their great misery before expressed forty three yeeres so that from the time that Iulius Caesar made this Isle of Britaine first tributary to the Roman Empire to the comming in of Constantine amounteth to foure hundred and one and thirty yeares after this small digression and yet worthy observation I returne to the passages and proceeding in this Land of An exact computation of the times Britaine and how it was governed The Archbishop with the Lords of this Realme having sealed to the Covenants before named they returned with a sufficient army under the conduct and command of Duke Constantius and safely arrived at Totnesse in Devonshire the place where Brute landed the first Prince and Planter of this Island whither assembled all the flower of the Nation who before were compeld to hide themselves in Dens and Caves and to seeke shelter amongst Rocks and Mountaines by whose power and martiall prowesse all the enemies of the Land were rowted and chaced not one daring to shew his head After which victory the Land being againe setled in peace and quietnesse they conveighed their Captain Constantine to the tower of Kaercegent now called Cicester and according to their former Covenants made with Aldroenus saluted him as their Chiefe Lord Sovereigne and there crowned him King in the Constantine King of the Britaines yeare of our blessed Saviours Incarnation foure hundred and three and thirty This Constantine governed the Realme with great manhood and policie so that he was not more beloved at home then dreaded abroad notwithstanding of any forreign atchievement done by Him the English Annals make no mention neither of any memorable thing performed by Him in His owne Kingdome save that He kept it in great tranquillity and rest and that He received by His Wife three sonnes the eldest named Constant or Constantius the second Constantines Royall Issue Aurelius Ambrofius the third Vterpendragon all which in processe succeeded Him in the Sovereignty But for Constance the eldest being somwhat heavy and dull witted thinking Him not able to take upon Him any Regall Soveraignty especially to govern so noble a Nation He caused Him to be shorne a Monke and put him into the Monastery of Saint Amphiable after cald Saint Swithins at Winchester and the other two How he disposed of his children being then but yong children Hee committed to Guardianship of the before-remembred Gosselin Archbishop of London In the Court of this Constantine was a certain Pict or Scot much favoured by the King and on whom hee had conferd many graces and Honours making him of His Closet Counsell and a partaker with Him in all his secrets which perfidious and ingratefull traitour watching his opportunity slue Him in his Chamber when he had ten years ruled the Land The death of K. Constantine There lived at that time in the Land a potent Duke called Vortigerus or Vortigernus who Vortiger or Vortigern was a man wondrously politick and exceedingly ambitious who taking the advantage of the time knowing the stupidity of the eldest sonne and the inability of the two yonger in regard of their minority to reigne He coloured his aspiring to the Crown by a notable project for hee pretending the right of the eldest brother had it as a matter of conscience to make Him King and therefore tooke him out of the former Monastery and invested him in the Throne in the year of Grace foure hundred forty three by which means he had the sole management of Constantius made K. of Britain the whole Kingdome and Constantine the name only whom after hee in short time supplanted and reigned in his stead in whose dayes Ambrosius Merlinus the subject of our discourse was born and uttered his predictions c. CHAP. 6. A necessary digression shewing the lives and reigns of 33 Kings of Britain scarce mentioned by any of our English remembrancers with an exact computation of the times c. TO make the former passages the more plain to the Reader it is fit to keep a true computation of the Times and looking back into our former historicall narration perfect those things which were left doubtfull especially in the Inter-regnum before spoken of In which the names of many Kings Princes and Governours of the Kingdome were conceald Divers Historiographers who write the passages of those times reck on from the last yeer of Eliodure to the first of Hely the father of K. Lud 186 yeers during Of three and thirty Kings before scarce remembred which times here raigned 33 Kings according to Galfridus and others whose names thus follow Gorbovinian whom Lanquet the Chronicler calleth Reygay son to Garbomanus reignned Gorbovinian for the term of ten yeers after him Morgan 14 yeers whom succeeded Emerianus or Emerian Morgan Emerianus who held the pincipaliâ—…y seven Iuall called also Ivall followed him and swayed the Scepter Ivall twenty after whom came Rimo and held the Dominion over the Britains 16 after whose expiration Rimo Geruntius was by the generall suffrage Geruntius of the peers and people admitted to the throne and governed in greatpeace and prosperity 20 compleat yeers who uo sooner expired but they made election of Catellus or Catel who ruled without any great molestation or disturbance Catellus ten and then left the Dominion to Coill who Coil ruled with great humanity and gentlenes for the space of 20 yeeres and dying in a mature age yielded up the crown and Scepter into the hands of Porrex who kept and maintained them Porrex though with some difficulty five yeers resigning the principality to Cherimus who tyrannizing Cherimus over the people was supplanted being compeld to yield up al his power and authority after he had governed but 12 months into the hands of Fulgen or Fulgentius who kept it peaceably Fulgentius and to the great liking and applause both of the Nobles and Commons three yeeres and some odde moneths who had no sooner yielded to the common fate due to all mortality but Eliud by some writers cald Eldred stept into his room Eliud or Eldred but enjoyed it but for a short season for he died within the compasse of one yeer after hee came to take upon him the Sovereignty Then Androgeus aspired unto the Regall dignitie Androgeus but bore him so proudly and haughtily in his Soveraignty that his subjects unanimous consented and made an insurrection against him surprizing him in his palace and forcing him to give up his Sword Scepter after he had tyrannized one whole yeer to his sonne Vrian who Vrian sate in the Throne but three yeers and then yielded up his due to Nature after whom Eliud was invested in the state who as the rest of his predecessors
the poore Britains betwixt the Courtier and Cottager the peere and the pesant by the Rivers flowing with bloud The many Battails fought betwixt the two Nations and that in those dayes Religion and the true Worship of God was supprest hapned under Hengist and Horsus and their posterity Octa the sâ—…nne of Hengist who succeded his Father in the Kingdome of Kent Tosa Pascentius and Colgrinus all Pagans and Princes of the Saxons for when the Britains from the time of Eleutherius whom the Romists write was the fourteenth Pope after the blessed Saint Peter had received the Christian Faith under King Lucius of glorious memory and had continued it for many yeeres unto that time The Saxons after their comming into the The Saxons suppressed the faith of Christ Land being then Miscreants laboured by all means to suppresse the same and in the stead thereof to plant their Pagan Idolatry which they accomplished even to the comming of St. Augustine sent hither by Pope Gregory in Aurâ—lius and Vter maintainers of the true religion whose time it began againe to flourish and get the upperhand in the Reigne of Aurelius Ambrose and his brother Vter-Pendragon which is by interpretation the Head of the Dragon who succeeded him By the Bore which should come out of Cornwall and tread upon the necke of the white Dragon is meant the invincible King Arthur who vanquished the By the Boar of Cornwall is ment King Arthur Saxons and subdued them in many Battails and was a great maintainer and exalter of the true Christian Religion of whose begetting and birth in this our History of Merlin wee shall have occasion to speak hereafter As Merlin was plentifully indued with the Some held Merlin to be a Magitian spirit of divination so by some authours it is affirmed of him that hee was skilfull in darke and hidden arts as Magick Necromancy and the like and relate of him that when King Vortiger lived solitary in his late erected Castle forsaken of the greatest part of his followers and frinds and quite sequestred from all Kingly honours hee grew into a deepe and dumpish melancholy delighting onely if any delight can be taken therein in solitude and want of company to expell which sad fits from him which might bee dangerous to impaire his health he would devise for his recreation and disport many pleasant fancies to beget mirth and somtimes laughter by solacing his eare with severall straines of Musique both courtly and rurall the sound heard but the persons not seen as with the Harpe Bag-pipes Cimball and Tabret and sometimes again Severall sports devised by Merlin to make the melancholy King merry with the Lute Orphorian Viall Sackbut Cornet and Organs then to recreate his eye hee would present him with stately Masques and Anti-Masques and againe for variety sake with Rustick dances presented by Swains and Shepherdesses and where these grew any thing stale or tedious to his eye or eare he would take him up into the top of one of his turrets whereon hee should see Eagles and Hawkes fly after sundry Games and what fowle the King liked they would strike it into his lap to adde unto his slender provision for dinner and supper which gave the King no small contentment Sometimes hee would have an Hare or Hart hunted and chased by a pack of Dogges in the Strange sports in the aire devised by Merlin ayre the Game flying the Hounds with open and audible mouthes pursuing with Huntsmen winding their Hornes and following the Chace with all the indents and turnings losses and recoveries the Champaigne Plaines the Woods and Coverts appearing as visible and naturall as if the sport had beene upon the firme and solid earth Upon a time being in the Kings Summer Parlour who was desirous to bee partaker of Other Magick sports to content the King some novelty which hee had never seene there instantly appeared upon the Table a paire of Butts and Whites in the middle to shoote at where suddenly came in sixe dapper and pert fellows like Archers in stature not above a foote high and all other members accordingly proportioned their bowes were of the side bones of an overgrowne pike their strings of a small slevy silke no bigger then the thred of a Cobweb their arrowes lesse then pick-tooths feathered with the wings of small Flyes and headed with the points of Spanish Needles who made a shew as if they were to shoote a match three to three and roundly they went about it in the middle of their Game there was a shot which rested doubtfull which as it appeared the Gamesters could not well decide then Merlin called to one of the servants who had something a big nose that stood by and bade him measure to the marke and give it to the best To which whilst he stooped and inclined his face the better to umpire the matter one of the Pigmey Archers who had an arrow to shoote delivered it from his bow and shot him quite through the nose at which he started and the King heartily laughed for there was no room to be seene and the Butts with the Archers together disappeared But when Merlin knew the Kings fate to Merlin leaveth the King draw nigh and not willing to partake in his disaster he fained occasions abroad and though with much difficulty had at length leave to depart leaving behind him a paper which hee put into the Kings Closet where upon occasion hee might easily finde and reade this ensuing prophesie Fly from these fatall severall sires ô King His prophesies of the Kings death c. Which from lesse Britain the two exiles bring Now are their ships arigging now forsake Th' Armoricke shoares and towards Albion make To avenge their murdered brothers bloud on thee In Totnesse road to morrow they will bee The Saxon Princes shall contend in vain For young Aurelius having Hengist slaine Shall peaceably possesse the British throne Striving the opposite Nations to attone He the true Faithshall seek to advance on high But in the quest thereof by poyson die The Dragons head his brother shall succeed Vter-Pendragon And after many a brave heroick deed By him perform'd the Fates shall strive to wast His soule ore Styx by a like poysonous draught But those who sent them to th' Elizian bower His sonue the Bore of Cornwall shall devoure This History needs no comment being so plaine in it selfe by the successe thereof only thus much let me intreat the Reader to beare in memory that that Arthur figured under the name of Aper Cornubiae that is the Boare of Cornwall was sonne to Vter-Pendragon here called the head of the Dragon Amongst many brave Heroicall Acts done by this Aurelius Ambrose after the death of Vortiger hee maintained the middle part of Aurelius Ambrose against the Saxons the Kingdome of Britain with all Cambria and Wales endevoring to repaire all the ruined places in the Land as Forts Castles and
hee had hazarded his person for the fruition of her love hee invited her to her Lords Funerall at which the King and she both mourned but after the celebration thereof ended he the second time courted her and in few The King espouseth the Duchesse dayes made her his Queene of a Duchesse by whom hee had Arthur and Anna by which match the fame of Merlin spread farre abroad the explanation of whose former prophesie I leave to the following Chapter CHAP. 6. Merlins former prophesie made plaine concerning King Arthur with sundry other occurrences pertinent to the English History ARthur the sonne of Vter-Pendragon and Igerna succeeded his Father A summary of King Arthurs noble conquests in the Principality therefore called the Bore of Cornwall because begot and borne in that Country and of a Cornish Duchesse Hee was a great planter and supporter of Religion and the Christian Faith for so all our British Chronologers report of him His Conquests were many and some of them miraculous By the Islands of the Ocean are meant Ireland Island Scotland and the Orcades Gotland Norway and Dacia all which are called Provinciall Islands which he brought under the obedience of his Scepter By the planting of the Flowre de Lyces in his owne Garden is likewise intended his conquest of France with sundry other appendant Provinces as Flanders Poland Burgundy Aquitaine Andegavia and Normandie all which with divers others paid him an Annuall Tribute and of which Countries for their long and faithfull services hee gave the Earldome of Andegavia to Gaius his Taster and the Dukedome of Normandy to Bedverus his Cupbearer in memory of whose Regall bounty it grew to a custome A custome derived from K. Arthur for the Kings of France to make their Tasters and Cupbearers Earles and Dukes of Andegavia and Normandy By his pluming and shaking off the Eagles feathers was his great victory over the Romans foretold who when their Prince Lucius with ten other Kings invaded this his Land of Britaine with a numberlesse Army of Souldiers the most of them hee slue acquitting the Tribute payed to Rome since the time of Iulius Caesar and those who survived hee made his Feodors and Vassals by which he got the sovereignty over many Provinces before subjugate to the Roman Empire sending the dead body Lucius the Roman Emperour slain by Arthur of their Emperour back to Rome there to bee interred next where it is said his name shall be as meat to all those mouthes that shall speake of his notable and noble atchievements by which no other thing is meant but that the very relation of his brave Gests shall be a refreshing and delight to all such as shall either reade them or heare them with much pleasure by others reported whose very begetting conception and birth carry with them the novelty of a Miracle And where it is further said that his end shall be doubtfull hee that shall make question of the truth of Merlins prophesie in that point let him to this day but travell into Armorica or Little Britain and in any of their Citties proclame in their streets that Arthur expired after the common Of Arthurs death and ordinary manner of men most sure he shal be to have bitter and railing language asperst upon him If he escape a tempestuous shower of stones and brick-bats The sixe Kings that succeeded him in order The sâ—… Kings that ordâ—…rly succeeded King Arthur were Constantinus the eldest sonne of Cador Duke of Cornwall and Arthurs Cousin German the second was Constantinus brother the third Conanus Aurelius their Nephew the fourth Vortiporius the fift Malgo the sixt Caretius for when Arthur in that great battaile which he fought against his Cousin the Arch-traytor Mordred whom he slue himselfe being mortally wounded and therefore had retired Mordred slain by Arthur himselfe into the vale of Avalan in hope to be cured of his hurts before his death and the manner of which is uncertaine hee sent for his Cousin Constantine before named a man of approved vertue and expert in all Martiall Discipline and made him King against whom the Saxons assisted by the two sonnes of Mordred assembled themselves who having defeated Constantinus noble victories them in sundry battails The elder sonne of Mordred who had for his refuge fortified Winchester he took in the Church of Saint Amphibalus whither hee had fled for Sanctuary and slue him before the Altar the younger he found hid in a Monastery in London whom he caused likewise to be slaine and this happened in the yeere after the Incarnation of our blessed Saviour 543. but in the third yeere after he was perfidiously betraid to death by the practice of his Nephew Conanus Aurelius and his body royally interred in the Mount Ambria neere unto Vter-Pendragon Then reigned his brother whom Conanus suffered not to rest one houre in peace till hee had incarcerated him and in the same yeere usurped the Diademe a young man of excellent parts Conanus and his conditions and noble carriage had hee not beene tainted with ambition the love of Civill Warres and Parricidiall Impiety having slaine one of his Uncles imprisoned the other and kild his two sonnes to attaine to the Regall Sovereignty which not long he enjoyed for the next yeere after he expired whom succeeded Vortiporius against whom the Saxons made a new Insurrection Vortiporus his victories and by whom they were utterly subverted by which hee became absolute Monarch of this Island but after foure yeeres yielded his body to the earth and left his Crowne to Malgo who was invested in the yeere of Grace after some Authours 581. This Prince was strong in body fortunate in Malgo's description and character Arms and of larger size and stature then any of his Antecessours who was a great suppressor of Usurpers and Tyrants for hee not only enjoy'd this Kingdome entire but conquered by his sword all the six provinciall Islands of whom it is reported that hee was the fairest of all the British Nation but those excellent gifts of Nature he shamefully abused as being much addicted to Sodomitry and as hee was a proditor of others Chastities hee was also prodigall of his owne after whose death in the yeere 586 Caretius a most wicked King Caretius was instituted in the Throne a Prince hatefull to good men an incendiary of Civill and Domesticke combustions an exiler of his Nobles a slayer of his Citizens a robber of the rich a suppresser of the poore and indeed subject to all the vices can be named By the German Worme and the Sea Wolfe What was ment by the German worm and the Seawoolfe waited on by woods brought from Africa through Saint Georges Chanell which shall support him our Prophet would have us to know that the Saxons are comprehended in the Worme and in the Wolfe Gormondus King of Africa who in the time of this Caretius came with a mighty
Cadwallo Sainted now these seven Kings slaine by Cadwallo and his father in law Paeanda were Edwinus his sonne Offricus and Oswaldus the Saint spoken of which were three Kings of Northumberland Segebartus Egricus and Anna who raigned over the Orientall Britons and Cadamus the Scotch King concerning which Oswaldus his sanctity and other pious vertues the ancient Chronicles write largely as also the The story of Saâ—…t Oswaldus Lords of those â—…imes many panegyricks in his prayse which would be too tedious here to insert yet some 〈◊〉 of him howsoever credible or nâ—… I â—…hought fitting to remember it was said of him that when Aldanus Bishop of Scotland whose language neither he nor any of his Saxons understood did at any time pâ—…h before him and his people hee would put upon him a royall garment worn only on solemne Festivall days and whether by vertue of that or by divine rapture he would deliver all that Sermon word for word to his Countrymen in their proper and moderne language hee was also so Hâ—… temperance and charity to the poore temperate in his owne diet and withall so liberall to the poore that when he had guests at his Table hee would not only spare from his owne stomach but if hee saw any of them to gormondize or feed more then became them hee would bid them to eat more sparingly and toremember those hungry bellies at the gate which attended the reversion and fragments from his boord and bounty This reverent Bishop Aldanus being feasted by him on an Easter day the King commanded a great silver Charger fild with the best meats at his Table to bee carried to the beggars at his gate who when they had eaten the meat hee sold the dish and equally divided it amongst them which the Bishop seeing said aloud Live may that liberall hand ô may it always live and never taste of corruption which if we will believe the Roman Legend proved according to his propheticall acclamation for many yeeres after his death when his Tombe was searched and all the rest of his body according to the A prâ—…tended Miracle common course of Nature was putrified and turned to dust that hand and arme alone were preserved from corruption and rottennesse and remained as entire flesh bloud veines and arteries as when he was interred It followeth in the History six of these before named Kings being slaine in severall conflicts Cadwallo whose high spirit was irreconciliable towards the Saxons pursued this Oswald from province to province chasing him even to the wall which Severus the Roman Emperour built to part and divide the two Kingdomes of Britaine and Scotland and then sent his Generall and Father in law Paeana to give him battaile at a place called Hed-field or holy Camps in which by the prayers of this Oswaldus The Britons The battail of Headfield Hoast was quite discomsited of which defeat when King Cadwallo understood he gathered a fresh Army and gave him a second battaile at a place called Bourne in which Oswaldus and his Army were wholly routed and himselfe The death of Oswaldus died lamented in his owne pious bloud for whose charity and sanctitie hee was after canonized and remayneth to this day one of the Saints blessed in our Kalender whose death hapned in the yeere of our Saviour 644 which improved that part of Merlins prophesie Seven Kings shall bee slaine of which one shall bee Sainted By the brazen man mounted upon a steed of brasse who is said to do all these is antonomastiâ—…e meant King Cadwallo to honour whom after his death for his many brave victories and expelling Cadwallo the brazen man and why so called the Saxons out of the land the peeres and people caused his statue at his full size and proportion to be cast in brasse sitting also upon an Horse of brasse in whose buckler they intombed his embalmed body and after set it upon the prime gate of the Citie London it being a piece of admirable art and pulchritude and neere unto the same in further memory of him built a Church dedicated to Saint Martin therefore saith the Prophet The brazen Horse and Man shall watch the Gate whether the people wake or sleepe which continued for many yeeres after CHAP. 8. Hee prophesieth of the civill Warres that shall bee in Britaine in the time of Cadwallo and of the great dearth and desolation in the reigne of Cadwalloder of the Saxons exalting themselves and of the first comming in of the Danes into this land c. AS Merlin in all his prophesies aimeth at a continued History of the maine A continuation of the History passages in this I le of Britain so I also desire to observe a concordance of times left the neglect of either might breed a confusion in both as shall be made good in the sequell his prophesie followeth The crimson Dragon with his owne fierce pawes Shall teare his proper bowels gainst the Lawes Of wholsome Nature plague and famine then Shal fill the barren earth with shrowds of men After the Dragon whose smooth scales are white Hither the Almans daughter shall invite And crown themselves Against whom shall rise An Eagle from the Rock and both surprise Two Lions shall a dreadfull combate make Having their Lists incompast by a Lake At length be atton'd and after shall divide The glorious prey a speckledscale whose pryde Shall ayme at high things will his Lord betray Poysoning the Royall nest in which he lay Of the white Dragon so the Fates agree At length a Decemvirum there shall bee What time the Red shall to his joy behold The roofs of all his Temples deckt with gold c. By the Crimson Dragon is still meant England which after the death of Cadwallo being The conquering Britains fall at ods with themselves impatient of peace for want of forreigne Enemies shall be at Civill dissention in it selfe of which shall ensue much strage and mortality such Dearth also Famine and Desolation which shall happen by the plague that destroyeth the men and the Murrian that killeth the cattle that the Natives shall bee forced to leave the Kingdome as a Wildernesse unpeopled the remaynder of the living being scarce sufficient in number to bury the dead which strange depopulation sell in the third and last yeere of Cadwallader the sonne of Cadwallo which was in the yeere of Grace sixe hundred fourescore and sixe which maketh up the yeere of the World Cadwâ—…llader the last King of the Britains by the account of Polycronicon and other of our English Chronologers five thousand eight hundred fourescore and five so that it appeareth the native Britains had the title and soveraignty of this Kingdome from Brute first landing by the space of one thousand eight hundred and two and twenty yeeres Cadwalloder being the last King of the Britons after whom the Saxons or Angles had the full dominion thereof which maketh good that in the prophesie
or by the extremity of tempests hee was driven upon the province of Pountithe and there surprised and sent as prisoner to William Duke of Normandy who some say forced him to take an oath to marry his daughter and keep the Kingdome of England to his behoofe but that which carrieth more shew of trueth is that Harold to insinuate into the Dukes favour in whose power hee now was told him that his King in the presence of his Baronry had selected him his Heire and covenanted with him that if hee survived his sovereigne hee would keepe the Crowne to his use for which Meaning the Duke the Duke gave him his daughter in contract with promise of a large dowry but she was yet in her minority not ripe for marriage in confirmation of which Duke William gave him also his brothers sonne Hucon one of the Hostages and kept the other and after sent him over with rich gifts all which at his returne to England he acquainted the King with who expired the fourth day of Ianuary when hee had reigned twenty three yeeres seven months and The death of Edward the Confessor odde dayes and lyes buried in the Monasterie of Westminster which he before had much beautified and repaired After whom succeeded in the Throne Harold the second son of Earle Goodwin and last King Harold crowned King of England of the Saxons who began his Reigne over England in the yeere one thousand forty six the ambition to gain a Crowne making him forget his oath and promise made to Duke William In the beginning of his Reigne his Land was invaded by his brother Tostius who was beat out of the Kingdome by Edwin and Malcharus Earles of Mercia and Northumberland then Harold Hafagar King of Denmarke and Norway whom Guido the Historiographer calleth the sonne of Canutus hearing of the death of Edward with an Army of three hundred England invaded by the Danes ships entred the mouth of the River Tyne pretending to conquer England as his right and lawfull inheritance which Harold hearing sent the two aforesaid Earles of Mercia and Northumberland till he himselfe had gathered sufficient forces who gave the Danes a strong battaile but being overset with multitudes they were forced to give backe so that the enemy entred further into the Land which the King hearing Harold made haste with his powers And met them at a place called Stratford bridge In which Interim Tostius came out of Scotland and tooke part against his brother Betwixt these two Hoasts was fought a bloudy A bloudy battail in which Harold was victor and cruell battaile In which many brave Knights breathed their last and amongst them Tostius the two Harolds of England and of Denmarke met and fought hand to hand in which combat Harold of Denmarke fell under the hand of Harold of England who was likewise Master of the field in which Olanus brother to Harfagar and Paulus Duke of the Orcades were taken prisoners of whom Harold took sure pledges for their fidelity and homage CHAP. 11. The Landing of Duke William with the Normans the battaile betwixt him and Harold in which Harold is slaine being the last King of the Saxon bloud William remayneth Conquâ—…rour and is crowned King of England His death and the successe of the Prophesie HArold ambitiously puft up with this great victory divided not the spoyle Some think it was a great cause of his losse of the battail against William from the enemy taken equally but avaritiously kept the greatest part to his owne use and the remainder hee distributed not to those who had best fought but to those whom hee most favoured by reason whereof hee lost the Harolds answer to Duke William hearts of many of his Knights in this Interim died the Daughter of Duke William before contracted to Harold by which hee thought himselfe fully discharged of his former duty and promise But Duke William was of a contrary minde and by divers messengers mixing faire termes with menaces put him in remembrance of the breach of both to which Harold gave a slight answer that rash and unadvised covenants might bee as well violated as kept that it was not in his power to dispose of the Crowne and Kingdome without the assent of the Peeres and Barons of the Realme besides oaths and promises made either by feare or force were of no validity and therefore left him to take what course hee pleased according to his best direction for that was his peremptory answer At which Duke William being much incensed gathered a selected Army which hee caused to be shipt with all things necessary for so great Duke William â—…ndeth in England an Enterprize and launching from the port of Saint Valery In shorttime landed neer Hastings in Sussex at a place called Penusy making three Three pretenses for his Invasion pretences for his invasion The first and chiefe was to challenge his right to the Crowne as next Heire and moreover bequeathed unto him by his Nephew Edward the Confessor upon his death-bed The second was to vindicate the bloudy murder of his Cousin Alfred and brother of the late King committed by E. Goodwin upon Guildowne which was done as hee pretended by the especiall instigation of Harold The third was to revenge the banishment of Archbishop Robert before remembred in the accusation of Queene Emma with which also hee chargeth Harold as the sole animatour of his exile and hitherto Merlins Prophesies admit no contradiction when he faith Iron men in wooden Tents shall here arrive And hence the Saxons with the Eglets drive By the Iron-men meaning the Normans in The prophesie explained Iron Casks and Corslets by wooden Tents their Navigable Vessels who in Harold extinguisht the bloud of the white Dragon the Saxons and expelled the Eglets who were the Danes the brood of Swanus in that Princely bird so emblematized the story followeth Duke William landing one of his feet slipt and the other stuck fast in the sand which one of his Knights observing A good Omen cried aloud A good Omen now William England is thine owne and thou shalt change the title of Duke into King at which he smiled and piercing further into the Land hee made proclamation that no man should take any prey or make any spoyle or doe any violence to the Natives saying it were no reason that hee should offer outrage to that which should be his owne Harrold was at that time in the North who hearing the Normans were landed gathered his forces by the way as he came to supply his army which was much weakned by reason of the last battaile fought against the Danes and Norways and sending spies into the Dukes host to Harold sends spyes into the Dukes Hoast discover their strength word was brought him that his souldiers were all preists and lawyers as having their upper lips chins and cheeks shaven which was their custom then and the English used to weare
the fight continued the greatest part of the day at last the victory fell to the Barons so that were taken the King the King of the Romans and prince Edward The King taken prisoner with the King of the Romans and P. Edward with five and twenty Barons and Bannerets and the people slaine on both sides amounted to above twentythousand These royall prisoners being put in safe keeping a peace was after debated and at length concluded and they released but it proved to small purpose for many battailes were after fought betwixt them in which sometimes the King sometimes the Barons had the better the circumstances are too long to relate in which Prince Edward bore himselfe bravely in processe the five fiftieth yeer of this Kings Reign the King of the Romans made attonement betwixt the King his brother and Gilbert Clare Earle of Glocester who had continued the wars of the Barons upon condition that hee should take a Voyage into the Holy Land for the King for which hee should have towards his charge eight thousand Marks in hand and when hee was on shipboard foure thousand more and to bee ready the first day of May next following but this failing in him Prince Edward undertooke it in his stead and the yeere after abâ—…ut the end of March dyed Richard Emperour of The death of Richard K. of the Romans Almaine King of the Romans and Earle of Cornwall being the Kings brother after hee had governed the Empire betwixt fifteen and sixteene yeeres and was buried at Hales an Abbey of white Monks which hee had before time founded and the yeere following upon the sixteenth day of November died Henry the Third King of England after he had governed the Realme fifty The death of Henry the third six yeeres and twenty seven days leaving for his Heire Prince Edward who was then in the Holy Land and another sonne called Edmund Crowch-backe His body was buried in the Abbey of Westminster and over him inscribed Tertius Henricus jacet hic pietatis amicus His Epitaph Ecclesiam stravit istam quam post renovavit Reddat ei munus qui regnat trinus unus Thus Englished Third Henry here doth rest Of Piety possest Down first this Church he threw And after did renew O grant him thy immunity Thou Trinity in Vnitie The premisses confirme the prophesie of his Reigne towards the latter end of his time which was turbulent and troublesome to the exhausting of the Kings treasure the deaths of many of his Noble Barons and almost to the destruction and desolation of the whole Realm therefore it was truly said of him The King of beasts whose rage His youth conceal'd shall rouze him in his age Against the Boare the Talbot and the Beare The Mountaine Cat and Goat with whom cohere c. By the Lion the King is personated and by the rest of the beasts and birds named the severall Crests and Emblazons in the Barons Armes and Scutchions by which they were distinguisht Prince Edward his sonne was at the time of his death in the Land of Palaestine Of whom also it was thus predicted An Occident all Dragon bright as noone The Prophesie Shal breathing flames dark the Oriental Moon The Cambrian Wolves he through their Woods shall chace Nor cease till hee have quite extirpt their race Then from the North shall fiery Meteors threat Ambitious after bloud to quench their heat The Dragons bloud at which his Crest wil rise And his scales flame and where he treads as flyes Fright all shal him oppose the Northern Dyke Passe shall hee then and set his foot in Wyke After which showers of bloud will fall upon And barren the faire fields of Caledon Then having ended what he took in hand Die in the Marches of another Land Hee in the yeere one thousand two hundred Prince Edwards expeditioâ—… to the Holy Land threescore and eleven and in the yeere of his fathers Reigne fifty five upon the twentieth of August tooke shipping at Dover and sailed thence to Burdeaux but because the French Army bâ—…und upon the same adventure was removed thence he sped after and met with them at Tunis and from theâ—…ce he took shipping for the Holy Land and arrived with some French forces joyned with his owne At Acris or Acon what time the Christians possessed that City only and the City of Tyre holding some few Castles to preserve them from the rage of the Soldan There he was honorably received and with great joy after whose being there the Soldan or Saladine who had wonne all the Countrey there about came thither with an Hoast of an hundred threescore thousand Sarazens and besieged the City and made many bold and bloudy assaults But the Prince so Prince Edwards valour in defending Acris valiantly demeaned himselfe that hee defended the City the Castles belonging to it and all the Territories about that notwithstanding the multitude of the Soldans Army hee was compeld to forsake the siege to his great shame and dishonour Even the French Chronicles whose custome The French Chronicles testifie of P. Edwards valour is to write boastingly of themselves and sparingly of others bestow on him a character of invincible courage and that in all his stratagems and martiall exploits hee so honourably behaved himselfe that his very name was a terrour to the Turks for many yeers after who seeing his great boldnesse and that they were not able to stand him in battaile they plotted how to take away his life by Treason and to that purpose when he was resident in Acon they sent to P. Edward traitcrously wounded him a Sarazen in the name of a Secretary who in delivering unto him a counterfeit message wounded him in the arme with an empoysoned Knife which he wresting from the Infidels hand slue with the same weapon so that he died incontinently Then hee cald for a Surgeon and with incomparable sufferance commanded him to cut out all the putrified and corrupted flesh even to the scaling of the bone without the least shrinking or alteration of countenance of which base treachery hee was after revenged upon them to their great detriment and damage and thus The Occidentall Dragon bright as noon Did breathing flames dazle the orienial moon Hee is called Occidentall as being bred in this our Westerne Island and the Soldan is figured in the Orientall Moone being a Prince in the Easterne part of the World and bearing the semicircled Moone in his Banner Prince Edward during his aboad there had by the Princesse his wife a daughter called Ioane who tooke a His wife was Isabell of Spain Ioan of Acris name from the place and was called Ioane of Acris because there born and was after married to the Earle of Glocester After his being there some two yeeres and upward his father dying hee was called home to take possession of the Crowne of England Edward the first of that name and sonne of
Iohn of Gaunt claymes his title in Spain King Richard marrieth the French Kings Daughter Difference betwixt the King and Glocester His murder in Calice The murmur of the Commons against the present government The pride of the Dukes Court The Dukes of Hereford and Norfolke banished King Richard deposed and Henry Duke of Hereford and Lancaster made King WHen the King saw the great manhood and courage of the Lord Major The Lord Major and divers Aldermen Knighted by the King and his Brethren the Aldermen his assistants hee in his own person Knighted the said William Walworth with Nicholas Bremble Iohn Philpot Nicholas Twiford Robert Laundor and Robert Gayton Alderman and moreover in the memory of that Noble Act added to the Armes of the City the bloudy Dagger as it remayneth to this day In the eleventh yeere of this King Thomas of Woodstocke Duke of Glocester and Uncle to the King the Earle of Arundell with the Earles of Warwicke Darby and Nottingham taking into their consideration how much the land was misgoverned and his Majesty mislead by some Sycophants neere about him they met in counsell at a place A Parliament to rectifie the Commonweale called Radecockbridg and having assembled a strong power came to London and there caused the King to call a Parliament whereof hearing Alexander Nevell Archbishop of Yorke Lionel Vere Marquesse of Divelin Michael de la Poole Earle of Suffolke and Chancellour of England fearing the censure of that high Court â—…ed the Land and dyed in forreigne Countries Then the King by counsell of the fore-said Lords caused to be apprehended Sir Robert Tresilian chief Iustice of England Sir Nicholas Brembre late Major of the City Sir Iohn Salisbury of the Persons judged to death Kings Houshold Sir Iohn Beauchampe Steward of the House Sir Simon Burleigh Sir Thomas Bernes Sir Robert Belknap with one Iohn Vske Serjeant at Arms all which by the foresaid Parliament were convict of Treason and put to death some at Tyburne some at Towerhill and all such as fled with those that forsook the land by the authority of that high Court banished for ever In the thirteenth yeare Iohn a Gaunt Duke Iohn a Gaunt clayms his title in Spain of Lancaster with a strong army sailed into Spaine to claime the Kingdome in right of Lady Constance his wife the daughter of Don Peter with whom joyned the King of Portugall with his forces so that of necessity the King of Spain was forced to treat with the Duke of peace and amity the conditions were that the King of Spaine should marry the Dukes eldest daughter named Constance and moreover should give unto the said Duke to recompence the charges of his warre so many wedges of gold as should load eight Chariots and moreover during the lives of the said Duke and his wife hee should at his proper cost and charges deliver unto the Honourable conditions of peace Dukes Assignes yearely ten thousand Markes of gold within the towne of Bayon which conditions being ratified and assurance given for the performance thereof the Duke departed with the King of Portugall to whom shortly after hee married his second daughter the Lady Anne so that the elder and the younger were made the two Queenes of Spaine and Portugall King Richards first wife being dead after hee K. Richards second marriage maried Isabel the daughter of Charles the sixt K. of France who was but 8. years of age at whose espousalls in the French kings Court many rich interchangable gifts passed betwixt them as first the king of England gave the French king a Bason of gold and Ewer who returned him three standing Cups of gold with covers and a Enterchangeable gifts betwixt the two Kings ship of Gold garnished with pearle and stones at a second meeting Richard gave him a curious Oâ—…ch set with rich stones valued at five hundred Markes then the French King gave him two Flagons of gold and a Tablet of gold set with Diamonds and in it the picture of St. Michael a Tablet of gold with a Crucifixe another with the image of the Trinity and a fourth with the image of Saint George all of them set with stones of great splendor Richard then presented him with a Belt or Bauldricke set with great Diamonds Rubies and Emeraulds which for the riches thereof the King wore upon him so often as they met together many other presents past betwixt them and a full peace was concluded betweene them for thirty yeares Peace concluded betwixt England and France and amongst other things King Richard delivered up Brest which had beene long held by the English The yeare after in the Moneth of February the King held a magnificent Feast at Westminster Hall whither pressed divers Souldiers lately discharged from Brest whose mindes when the Duke of Gloster rhe Kings Vncle understood he went to his Majesty and said Sir doe you take notice of you Souldiers who asked him again what they were The Duke replyed these be your subjects souldiers cashiered from Brest who have done you good service and have now no meanes to live upon who have been ill paid and now are worse rewarded To whom the King answered it was my will they should have been well paid but if ought have failed therein let them petition to our Treasurer at length the Duke said but it savoureth of small discretion to deliver up a strong Fort with ease which was got with great difficulty by your Progenitors The Duke of Glosters bold replye to the King at which the King changed countenance and said Vncle how spake you these words which the Duke with great vehemency uttered againe whereat the King being more moved replyed Thinke you I bee a Merchant or foole to sell my Land by St. Iohn Baptist nay c. For these words thus uttered on both sides great ranâ—…or was kindled betwixt the King and Duke which was never extinguished till by the consent of the K. his uncle was basely murdered For the Duke purposing to remove some who were potent about the king called to him A second purpose for reformation the Earles of VVarwicke of Arundel and of Nottingham who was Marshall of England and of the Clergy the Arch-bishop of Canterbury with the two Abbots of St. Albans and VVestminster and these were solemnly sworne to supplant from their authority the Duke of Lancaster the Duke of Yorke with others prejudiciall to the good of the kingdome But Nottingham contrary to his oath revealed all to the king A persidious act in the Earle of Notingham who presently whilst the other thought themselves secure called another Councell in which it was decreed that the Earles of Arundell and Warwicke shâ—…uld bee censured and brought to the King who in person arrested his Vncle Sir Thomas of VVoodstock some say at Plashy in Essex others at Greenwitch in the night time and taking him in his bed first sent him to the Tower and
his Queen feasted in Paris when they had rested a season Hee with the Duke of Burgoine laid siege to divers Townes which held with the Dolphin of Vien as the strong City of Meldane or Melian to Melden and others and tooke them and having done all his pleasure in France he and the Queen took leave of Charles the French king and sayled into England and at Westminster with great solemnity Q. Margaret Crowned at Westminster she was Crowned In the beginning of his tenth yeare was born at Windsor the sixt day of December Henry the sixt of that name at Easter after the Queene The birth of Henry the sixt tooke shipping at Southampton and sayled into France where she was royally received of her father and mother and King Henry being still busied in his warres of France and still gaining from them Cities and Townes in the ninth of August he fell grievously sick at Boys in Vincent and dyed the last day of the Month when hee had reigned nine yeares five months and ten dayes leaving issue behind him onely Henry aged The death of Henry the fift eight moneths and odde dayes then the Kings body was imbalmed and after brought to Westminster and there buried verifying Thus after many a famous victory At length invested shall the Lion be In a new Throne to which his claime is faire As being matcht unto the kingdomes heire Living this royall beast shall lose no time But bee at length from earth snatcht in his prime CHAP. 27. The Duke of Gloster made Protector The Duke of Bedford Regent of France of Ioan de pasill a Sorceresse Henry the sixt crowned in Paris A prophesie of his raigne the death of the Duke of Gloster The death of the Marquesse of Suffolke The insurrection of the Commons under Iack Cade His proceedings and death the Duke of Somerset gives up Normandy The Duke of Yorke taketh Armes his person seised against the Kings promise and for feare set at liberty HEnry the sixt of that name and the sole Henry the sixt made King sonne of Henry the fift and Queene Katherine beganne his Reigne over the Realme of England the first day of September in the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred twenty two who during his Minority was committed to the guardianship of his two Vncles the Dukes of Gloster and Bedford the The Duke of Gloster protector the Duke of Bedford regent Duke of Gloster beeing protector of England and the Duke of Bedford regent of France In the first yeare of this Kings reigne dyed Charles the seventh King of France by whose death the Crowne and the Realme with the rights of them fell to the young king Henry the possession of which was by the Lords of France in generall excepting some few who took part with the Dolphin delivered to the duke of Bedford as Regent during the nonage of the King who in the second yeare of his reigne wonne from the Dolphin more than foure and twenty strong holds and Castles to the great Honour The Regents victories in France of the English Nation and with whom all attempts succeeded prosperously and victoriously till the fift yeare that the Earle of Salisbury who was called the good Earle with the Earle of Suffolke the Lord Talbot and others laying The death of the good Earle of Salisbury strong siege to the City of Orleance the Earle was slaine by a shot from the Towne after whose death the English still lost rather than wonne so that by little and little they were compelled from all their possession in France for where they prevailed in any battaile in three they were discomfited In the eighth yeare of his reigne and upon the ninth of his age King Henry was Crowned King Henries Coronation in St. Peters Church at Westminster where were made sixe and thirty knights of the Bath His Coronation with all honour and joy being finished provision was made for his journey into France and upon Saint Georges day following being the twenty third of April hee tooke shipping and landed at Callis with a great train of the English Nobility during whose abode there many battails were fought in divers parts of the kingdom betwixt the English and French in which the French for the most part prevailed Ione de Pucil a sorceresse some said by the help of a woman called Ioan de Pucil whom they stiled The Maiden of God who was victorious in many conflicts and at length came to a Town called Compeine with intent to remove the siege layd unto it by the Duke of Burgoine and the English but by the valour of a Burgonian knight called sir Iohn Luxemburgh her company was distressed and she took alive and after carried to Roan and there kept a season because she seigned her selfe with child but the contrary being found she was adjudged to Shee is burnt for a witch death and her body burnt to ashes In his tenth yeere and upon the seventh of December King Henry the sixt was crowned Henry the sixt crowned at Paris King of France in Paris by the Cardinal of Winchester at whose Coronation were present the Regent The Duke of Burgoine with others of the French Nobility after the solemnity of which royall Feast ended The King left Paris and kept his Christmasse in Roan and thence returned into England where hee was joyfully received and of whom it was thus predicted How comes the Sun to rise where he should set Or how Lambs Lions Lions Lambs beget The prophesie of King Henries reigne Yet so 't must be The Lambe though doubly crown'd And thinking his large Empire hath no bound Yet shall a Daulphin at a low ebbe land And snatch one powerful scepter from his hand Thus it falls out twixt father and the sonne Windsore shall lose what ever Monmouth A Tigresse then in title onely proud wonne In the Lambs bosome seeks her self to shroud A seeming Saint at first meek and devout But in small time her fiercenesse will break out Nor can her ravenous fury be withstood Vntill through sated with best English blood But a young Lion he at length shall tame And send her empty back from wheâ—…ce she came Much trouble shall be made about â—…he crown And Kings soon raised and as soone put down c. After sundry conflicts betwixt the English and the French in which they diversly sped at length Charles the Dolphin who tooke upon him to be King of France by the proffer of many Towns Castles Cities Provinces and Lordships so Charles the Dolphin and Philip Duke of Burgoin reconciled wrought upon the Duke of Burgoine that notwithstanding he had before slain his Father adhered to his party and proclaimed himself utter enemy to the English which was in the thirteenth of Henry in which yeere dyed the noble and valorous Iohn Duke of Bedford and Regent of France and was buried with great solemnity at Roan in the Church of
and the indisposition of the weather warring against him for by reason of the Land slouds hee could not joyne his forces together hee therefore was compeld to dissolve his Army and suffer every man to shift for his best safety himselfe retyring to the house of his Secretary and servant Banister who in hope of a thousand pounds reward to him that could bring forth the Duke promist only but never paid betrayde him to the King who caused him to bee had to Salisbury and on a scaffold in the Market place to have his head The death of the Duke of Buckingham cut off and such was the tragicall end of that honourable person Of this Banister and how his falsnesse to his Banisters persidiousnesse punished Lord was punisht in him and his posterity much hath been spoken as that his wife died distracted his sonne was found strangled with a cord his daughter found drowned in a shallow puddle of water and hee suffered on the gallows for a robbery and that since that day even to this age none of that House and Family but have some orother of the name beene troubled with the falling sicknesse a good caveat for all corrupt and perfidious servants King Richard though hee had removed all or most of his potent enemies Buckingham the Queenes Kindred and others yet knowing hee was hated for his many murders especially for the two Princes in the Tower and that hee was moreover suspected for causing Queen Anne his wife to bee poysoned who dyed suddenly in hope to have married the Lady Elizabeth daughter to the Queen Dowager who after the death of her two brothers was immediate heire Q. Anne poysoned to the Crowne hee to stop the mouthes of the multitude and as farre as might be to insinuate himselfe into the hearts of the Commons made many good and profitable Lawes to the benefit â—…ing Richards policy of the Common-wealth which are yet called the wholsome Laws of the Kingdome but this he did not that hee so much loved their good but that he so well affected his owne safety and because he was loth to leave the World without some worthy character behind him hee strived to bee reputed the best of Kings though hee knew himselfe to be the worst of men Amongst other pieces of his justice it was laid to the charge of one William Collingborne a Gentleman that hee was authour of a libell the effect whereof was this The Cat the Rat and Lovell the Dog Collingborns Libell Rule all England under an Hog By the Cat meaning Catesby by the Rat Ratcliffe and by Lovell the Dog the Lord Lovell all which were Court Favourites and ruled the Land under the King who bore the white Bore for his Cognisance for which Rime and other matters pretended against him he was arraigned convicted and condemned and after suffered on a new paire of Gallows on the Tower-hill where he was no sooner cast off the ladder but cut down and his bowels ript out of his belly The tyrannous death of M. Collingborne and thrown into the fire and lived till the bloudy Hangman thrust his hand into the bulk of his body to grope for his heart and even then hee was heard to say aloud O Lord Iesus yet more trouble and so died to the great compassion of much people During which passages Henry Earle of Richmond the Lord Marquesse Dorset brother to Henry Earle of Richmond the Queene and Sir Iames Blont then Keeper of the Castle of Guines who brought with him Iohn the brave and valiant Earle of Oxford who had been kept prisoner in that Castle ever since the field fought at Barnet These with other of their noble friends with a small company of English French and Britains landed in Milford His landing in Milford Haven Haven in the month of August which Earle no sooner sat his feet on shore but he incontinently kneeling upon the earth with a sober and devout countenance began the Psalme Indica me Domine discerne causam meam c which when hee had finished and kissed the ground he rose up and commanded such as were about him boldly and in the name of God to set forward of whose landing the King hearing he set it light making no haste to oppose them as despising them in regard of their small number But when the arrivall and returne of this Prince was rumoured abroad through the land many drew unto him aswell Sanctuary men as others so that his Army greatly increased which the King hearing hee then gathered a strong Hoast and so sped him that upon the two and twentieth day of the same moneth August and The Kings Hoast the beginning of the third yeere of his Reigne He met with Prince Henry neere unto a Village called Bosworth besides Leicester where betwixt them was fought a sharpe and cruell battaile for The battaile at Bosworth the time which more bloudy had beene if the Kings party had beene fast and constant to him for some left him and fled to his enemy and others stood hovering as Neuters to see unto whom the victory would fal of which the Lord Stanley Father in law to the Earle of Richmond with a strong band of Cheshire and Lancashire-men was chief Some were of opinion that the King lost the battaile by his owne foole-hardinesse and The Kings rashnesse in the field head-strong spleene for when the fight was begunne and he mounted on a white Steed was in the center of his Army to give directions for the field upon any occasion upon the suddaine hee cal'd to know what part of the adverse ground Richmond then maintained who being poynted to the place suddenly without any directions left or any substitute to command in his place sprung out of his hoast and made thither and calling aloud for Richmond was knowne by his Guard who seeking to presse through them wounding some and killing others was himselfe with his horse broached upon their Halberds The newes of the Kings death being blowne abroad his army stood The death of King Richard at a stand onely defending themselves but not offending any insomuch that the glory of the day fell to the Earle of Richmond and his partisans upon the Kings party were slaine Iohn Duke of Norfolke before his late creation Lord Howard with Brakenbury Lievtenant of the Tower but no other of name or quality where was taken the Earle of Surrey sonne to the Duke of Norfolke who was sent to the Tower The Earle of Surrey taken and there remained prisoner a long time after Then was the body of King Richard despoyled of his Armes and stript naked and then disgracefully cast behind a man riding upon a leane Iade the body being almost wholly covered with mire and dirt and so unreverently carryed to the Friers at Leicester where after a season he had laine openly that all men might behold him with little reverence and lesse mourning he was cast
aside in an obscure grave The manner of King Richards buriall and there buried when he had reigned or rather usurped the Kingdome by the space of two yeares two months and two daies It is said of this Prince that he came into the world with his feet forward which being taunted with being a youth by a yong Noble man and one of his Peeres hee made answer 't is true and was it not time for mee to make haste into the world there being such a bustling and trouble in the Land which hee seemed to allude unto those times when his Father laid claime to the Crowne Hee was borne also with teeth in his Head which was somewhat prodigious too and crooke backt he was but whether so borne or that it came to him by any sinister accident I am altogether ignorant King Richards character onely of this I am sure that all these with the processe of his bloudy practises punctually comply with the prophesie which saith A bunch-back'd monster who with teeth is born The mockery of art and natures scorn Who from the wombe preposterously is hurld And with feet forward thrust into the world Shall from the lower earth on which he stood Wade every step he mounts knee deep in blood He shall to th' height of all his hopes aspire And cloth'd in state his ugly shape admire But when he thinks himself most safe to stand From forreigne parts a native Whelp shal land c. After the Battaile thus wonne prince Henry was received as King and there instantly so proclaimed Prince Henry victor who thence hasted to London so that upon the twenty eighth day of August he was by the Major and Citizens met in good array at Harnsie park and thence conveighed through the City and lodged in the Bishop of Londons palace for a time and then he removed to Westminster This Henry the seventh of that name sonne to the Earle of Richmond began his dominion Prince Henries Coronation over the Realme of England the two and twentieth of August in the yeare of grace one thousand foure hundred fourescore and five and the thirtieth day of October following at Westminster was crowned and in the second yeare of his reigne he espoused Elizabeth the eldest daughter to King Edward the fourth who the yeare after upon St. Katherines day was crowned The Coronation of the Queene at Westminster And this Henry is that native Lions whelpe before spoken of Who shall the long divided blood unite By joyning of the Red Rose with the white For by this marriage the long divided houses of Yorke who gave the white and Lancaster who gave the red Rose were happily combin'd and from that even to this present day never disparted or sundred of him it was also thus predicted The spirit that was meerely Saturnine The prophesie of his reigne Being supprest upon the landshall shine Planets of a more glad aspect and make Peace from their Orbs sixt in the Zodiacke Yet from the cold Septentrion Mars shall threat And war me their frigid pulses with his heat And Mercury shall though it may seem rare Consult with Cassiopeia in her Chaire To fashion strange impostures but warres god By sword nor Hermes with his charming rod Shall ought prevaile where power with Princes meete And when Religion shall Devotion greet Where all these foure at once predominant are Vaine are the attempts of stratagem or warre But he who of the former is possest Shall be abroad renown'd and at home blest Fame afarre off his glorious name shall tell And Plutus neare hand make his Coffers swell By the Saturnine Spirit is intended the bloody and malitious condition of Richard the third which was now supprest by death for as Saturne was said to devoure his owne Children so he hungred and thirsted after the bloud of his owne brother and Nephewes and therefore not altogether unproperly alluded the rest you shall find made apparent in the sequell This religious and wise King being thus The Dutchesse of Burgundy an enemy to the King peaceably instated in the Throne his old inveterate enemy the Dutchesse of Burgundy raised a new Impostor whom she called Richard Duke of Yorke the younger brother to Edward the fift but hearing the King intended to make away young Warwicke who was sonne to the Duke of Clarence and then prisoner in the Tower they changed his name from Yorke to Warwicke who was no other than the sonne of a Baker this youth shee put to the tutoring of A new Conspiracy a Priest who so well improved him that hee could now to the life personate a Prince and for no lesse he was received first into Ireland to whom the Earle of Lincoln came who also made a pretended right to the Crowne To whose aide the Dutchesse sent two thousand Almaines under the command of one Martin Swart an old Souldier and of approved Discipline these with the Lord Lovel and Kildare landed in Lancashire and made towards York with whom the King met at a place called Stoak in which fight the army of the Rebels Stoak field was routed Swart and Lincoln slaine and the Lord Lovell thinking to swim the Trent was drowned and Simnel the mocke King taken whom the King would not put to death but made him a Turn-broach in his Kitchen where hee continued long after CAP. 31. The Earle of Northumberland slaine by the Commons The Matchevilian plots of the Dutchesse of Burgundy to disturbe the peace of King Henry Perkin Warbeck her Creature He is nobly married in Scotland and taken for the Duke of Yorke the death of the Lord Standley and others Divers insurrections about Perkin his death with the young Earle of Warwicke The death of the King A prophesie of the reigne of Henry the eighth IN the fourth yeare of this Kings Reigne the Earle of Northumberland sent to gather some Taxes which were to bee levied in the North was slain by the commons The Earle of Northumberland slaine by the Commons who still favoured the party of the Yorkists And further to countenance the act they made an insurrection and chused for the Captaines one Chambers and another Egremond to suppresse whom was sent the Noble and valiant Earle of Surrey who having discomfited their Army and tooke Chambers with divers others of the chiefe Rebells who were led to Yorke The Rebells slaine and taken and there executed as Traytors But Egremond fled the field and escaped to the Dutchesse of Burgundy whose Court was a Sanctuary for all Male-contents and Fugitives threat Thus from the cold Septentrion Mars did And warme their frigid pulses with his heat This subtile Mercurialist knowing how wisely and politickly the King had borne him betwixt the Emperour and the King of France who had beene at mortall enmity about the marriage of the young Dutchesse of Britaine she being first contracted by a Proxie to the old Emperor but from him divorced before enjoy'd and
the Female which was not seen nor known since long before the Conquest when Bouduca or as some call her Boadicia soveraignized In the time of Nero Caesar and Spinster was an ancient British Title given to the Feminine sex before King Edgars Reign by which name even princesses being convented or summoned into any Court are called unto this day but to proceed with the History in the tenth day of the moneth after her Coronation A Parlament in which Romish Religion is restored began a Parlament in which besides the supplanting of the protestant Religion which began to be establisht in the dayes of King Edward were convicted and attainted of high Treason Iohn Duke of Northumberland Thomas Cranmer late Archbishop of Canterbury Sir Ambrose Dudley Knight Guilford Dudley Esquire and Husband to the Lady Gray Sir Andrew Dudley Knight with others as William Marquesse of Northampton Iohn Earle of Warwicke c. and the twelfth of August was beheaded on the The death of the Duke of Northumberland Tower Hill Iohn Dudley Duke of Northumberland Sir Iohn Gates and Sir Thomas Palmer Thus you see the end of Northumberland if any bee desirous to know also what became of Suffolke I can parallell him to none more genuinely than to the Duke of Buckingham Hee Underwood a second Banister had a Banister this an Vnderwood a servant raised by him to a faire revenue and to whose safeguard he had committed his person who in a spacious hollow Tree for some few moneths concealed him whether hee brought him meat and drinke with millions of oaths ingag'd for his truth and fidelity but being easily corrupted with some small quantity of gold and many large and liberall promises hee Iudas-like betrayde his Master and delivered him up to the Noble Earle of Huntington who with a strong guard brought him through London to the Tower He was after arraigned in the great Hall The death of the Duke of Suffolke at Westminster and soone after on the Tower Hill lost his head Yet probable it was that the Queene had pardoned that offence had he not seconded it with another by confedering with Sir Thomas Wiat of Kent to interpose her marriage with Philip of Spain sonne to the Emperour and to that purpose departed secretly into Warwicke and Leicestershire where hee knew himselfe best affected and made their open Proclamation to keep all strangers from the Land for which hee fell into the Queens irreconciliable displeasure which not only hasted his owne end but the deaths of Guilford and the Lady Iane for the Statists at that time especially those that were devoted to the Romish faction held it no policie to suffer any of the contrary Religion to live especially if they could intrap them in any quiddits of Law which might be stretcht to be made Capitall therefore upon the twelfth of February in the yeere one thousand five hundred fifty foure it being the first day of the week Guildford Dudley was brought to the Scaffold upon the Tower hill where when hee The death of Guilford Dudley had with all Christian devotion made his peace with Heaven hee with a setled and unmoved constancy submitted himselfe to the stroake of death which was given in the sight of his excellent Spouse who to that purpose was placed in a window within the Tower the object strikeing more cold to her heart then the sight of that fatall axe by which shee was presently to The death of the Lady Iane Gray suffer which she most patiently endured Never was sweet Ladies death more passionately bewayled being remarkable in Iudge Morgan who pronounced the sentence against her who presently after fell mad and in all his distracted ravings Cryed Take away the Lady The death of Iudge Morgan Iane take her from mee and in that extream distemperature with these words in his mouth ended his life some report that shee was young with childe at the time of her suffering but though her Romish opposites were many and the times bloudy Christian charity may perswade they would not use such inhumanity especially against a person of her Royall bloud and Linage she was an excellent Lady endued with more vertues and extraordinary endowments then is frequently found in that sex being a patterne to others for true Religion and Piety of which her godly Oration to the people and holy prayer at her death extant in Mr. The Lady Ianes character Her age at her death Fox his Martyrologie abundantly witnesse shee exceeded not sixteen yeeres of age of an excellent feature and amiable aspect of Learning incredible in wit incomparable of inforced Honours so unambitious that she never attyred her selfe in any Regall ornaments but constrainedly and with teares Divers of her Latin Verses have beene spread to posterity and of her Works in the English Tongue an Epistle to a learned man falne off from the Truth and turnd Apostate another Epistle to her sister with a Colloquy or reasoning with one Freckman a Romist about Faith and the Sacraments c. Soon after followed the deaths of Doctour Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury acquit of The deatâ—…s of Cranmer Latimer and Ridley Treason and condemed of Heresie Nicholas Ridley late Bishop of London and Hugh Latimer with infinite others insomuch that scarce any City or Market Towne thorow the whole Kingdome in which some pious professor or other had not felt the scorching of the fire and faggot I should fill whole pages to reckon up particulars only thus in briefe it is observed that Queene Maries Reigne was the shortest of any Prince since the Conquest that wore the Crown Richard the Thirds only excepted and that more Christian bloud was spilt in her few yeeres concerning Religion and matter of The great tyranny used in her time conscience then had been shed in any one Kings Reigne since the time of King Lucius the first establisher of Christianity in this his Realme of England which recollects the memory of the former prophesie where he speaks of the Spinster Who to the Papall Monarch shall restore All that the Phaenix had fetcht thence before Then shall come in the Faggot and the Stake And they of convert bodies bonefires make c. By the Phaenix meaning King Edward so tearmed by Hieronymus Cardanus because hee was unparalleld in his time and by the Convert bodies those who where converted to the reformed and protestant Religion for which cause thousands in sundry places of the Kingdome suffered Now why Queene Mary was so zealous to propagate the popish faith it followeth next to enquire she was brought up Why Queen Mary was so forward to preferre the Romish Religion under her Mothers wing a Spaniard who being of the Spanish blood persisted in the Spanish beliefe but when her mother after three yeares divorce from the King expired she was committed to the guardianship of Margaret Countesse of Salisbury and daughter to George Duke of Clarence brother to Edward