Ambition aiming to Annex Kent to his own large Dominions whereupon both Armies approaching near Ottford joyned in a Bloody Battel which lasted Twelve Hours when Alrick being beaten down and slain with a Battel-Ax his Men fled the Field and were so hotly pursued that many of them were put to the Sword and great spoil made through all the Country which was continued from the South to the North as far as the River Humber In his time The second General Council was held at Nice being the seventh General Council for all Christendom Ethelbert the Third and Fifteenth King of Kent Usurped the Kingdome after the Death of Alrick whereupon Kenwolfe the Mercian upon his denying to pay him Tribute and Homage came against him with a powerful Army and in a fatal Battel he was overthrown and taken Prisoner and carried into Mercia where he continued some Years But Kenwolfe having erected a stately Church at Winchcomb in Glocestershire at the Dedication of it where were present Ten Dukes and Thirteen Bishops he sent for him and at the High Altar freely Released him without any Ransom so he returned again to his People He began his Reign Anno Dom. 795 and Reigned Three Years Cuthred the Sixteenth King of Kent was contrary to the mind of the People placed in the Throne by Kenwolfe King of Mercia but nothing Memorable is Recorded of him He began his Reign 798 and Reigned Three Years In his time a terrible Earth-quake happened in this Island which overthrew many stately Buildings Baldred the Seventeenth and last King of Kent began his Reign 806 but displeasing Kenwolfe King of Mercia he drove him out of the Kingdom when he had Reigned Eighteen Years for the Conqueror annexed it to his own Dominions when it had continued a distinct Kingdom 372 Years 2. Of the South Saxon Kingdom in the Succession of Four Kings Ella a Captain of the Low Germans was the first Founder of this Kingdom as in the foregoing Chapter is mentioned At his Landing at Shorâ—ham in Sussex he divided his Forces under his three Sons viz. Cymen Plettinger and Cissa but finding he was too weak for the Britains that Inhabited Sussex and Surry he was constrained to go over-Sea to fetch greater Strength Then in a set Battel he gave them a fatal Overthrow forcing them into a vast Wood on the South of Kent called Andersleger where many of them perished for want others stole away by Night and some submitted to the Victor whereupon he setled his Borders Bounded on the North with the Thames dividing it from Middlesex and part of Buckinghamshire on the South with the Ocean on the West with Hampshire and on the East with Kent being Counties exceeding fertil in Corn and Rich Pastures stored with excellent Fruits and great numbers of Cattle He began his Reign Anno Dom. 488 and continued it 32 Years Cissa Son to Ella Second King of the South Saxons began his Reign 520 and confederating with Cherdick King of the West Saxons allowing him a small Tribute for some part of his Country which that King layed claim to by Priority he Built Chichester in Sussex and Chisbury Fortifying the Sea-Coast opposing France after that he layed heavy Taxes on his Subjects which Money when raised he sent to Cherdick to maintain his War against the Britains So that being sheltered on all sides from their Invasions he had a long and peacable Reign some Historians alow him 76 Years but this must needs be a mistake considering he was at Mans Estate when he came into this Land and that his Father Reigned 32 Years so that the more moderate allow him to have Reigned only 36 Years Ethelwolfe the Third King of the South Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 596 at which time divers terrible and amazing Sights appeared in the Air of Armies in Rout with great noises of Thunder and flashes of Lightening many drops of the colour of Blood falling at the same time in divers parts of Surry which seemed to Prognosticate the great Bloodshed that afterwards happened when this Kingdom was Invaded by Ceadwald then a Banished Prince of the West Saxons who gathering to him Out-Laws and other Resolute Persons in a Mortal Battel slew Ethelwolfe and divers of his Nobles and pursuing his Victory entered the Kingdom of Kent where he put the Monks to the Sword levelling with the Ground all the Religious Houses that he found in his Progress and then made himself King of the South Saxons after which he greatly lamented the desolation he had made This Ethelwolfe a considerable time before his Death as Bede a very Venerable Clergyman Reports was Converted to the Christian Religion by Bishop Wilfrid though some affirm it to be done by Berinus Bishop of Dorchester He Reigned Twenty Five Years Barthun the Fourth King of the South Saxons and Duke Autban his assistant soon after Ethelwolfes Death prevailed with the People to Banish their Intruding King Ceadwell and within a short time Barthun geting the sole Power into his hands Ceadwell returned with a great Army and after a Fight of Eight Hours on the Plain now called Banstead-Downs Barthun was Slain and his Subjects submitted to the Conqueror who made himself by this Victory a second time King of the South Saxons annexing it by right of Conquest to the West Saxon Kinghom after the Succession of Four Kings who upheld it One Hundred and Thirty Three Years It Begining Anno Dom. 488 and Ending 621. So that by this Addition the West Saxons became very formidable not only to the Britains but their own Countrymen who bordered on them 3. The Kingdom of the East Saxons in the Succession of Fourteen Kings This Kingdom Commenced Anno Dom. 522 containing Middlesex and Essex Counties abounding in Cattle Corn Warrens store of Deer Fowl Fish and other advantagious Commodities Bounded on the North with Suffolk Cambridgshire and Hartfordshire on the South with the River Thames dividing it from Kent and Surry on the West with Buckinghamshire and on the East with the Sea Erchenwin was the First Saxon that framed it into a Kingdom after he had assisted the other Saxons with the Forces he brought over to drive the Britains out of their possessions in the Fertil parts of England and then giving himself much to Peace and framing such Laws from those in Germany as best suited to the wellfare of his People in this Country he continued his Reign Sixty Years Dying in Peace Anno Dom. 582. Sleadda the Second King of the East Saxons Succeeding Erchenwin Encouraged the Idol Temples and much Oppressed the Christians at the beginning of his Reign but upon seeing a threatening Vision of Angels with drawn Swords opposing his Progress he grew much milder at the Latter-end of his Reign which began Anno Dom. 582 and ended 591. Sebert the Third King of the East Saxons though at first a Persecutor of the Christians was at last so far overcâ—me by their harmless and inoffensive Lives that he applying
of it and his Arrival so terrified the French That they no sooner heard of his Landing but they raised the Siege Yet pursuing this Advantage he gave a mighty Army of them Battel near Gysors slaying great numbers and putting the rest to Flight he not having half their number Whereupon said he Not we but Dieu Et Mondroit that is God and our Right hath obtained this Victory After which the Kings of England made it their Motto under their Arms and so he prosecuting this Victory took many Towns But in the midest of his Success Pope Innocent the Third Interceding a Peace was concluded between the two Crowns but it held not long for the French giving new provocations he passed the Seas again with a powerful Army when closely Besieging the Castle of Challons near to Lymois as he took a private view he was descried and known by a common Soldier who Shooting at him with a square impoisoned Arrow out of a Steel Bow grievously Wounded him in the Arm yet he took the Castle by Storm and caused all he found therein to be Slain except the Person who wounded him who being brought before him and demanded how he durst shoot a Poisoned Arrow at the King The Fellow who expected he was reserved for Death by Cruel Torments seemed not at all daunted but boldly reply'd That in the War he had lest his Father and his Brother and was exceeding glad Fortune had so well assisted him in Revenging their Deaths Upon this resolute Answer the King much contrary to the expectation not only of the Prisoner but all the rest freely Pardoned him and caused him to be led out of the Army to avoid the violence of the Soldiers towards a Person who had Slain their King for indeed he Dyed within three days after viz. the 6th of April Anno Dom. 1199. This King Richard began his Reign Anno Dom. 1189 and Reigned 9 Years and 9 Months Dying in the 42 Year of his Age and was Buried at Font-Everard in Normandy at his Fathers Feet as himself had directed He was for his surpassing Valour called Ceur de Leon or Lions-Heart fearing no danger where the attempt was Honourable In his Reign the Jews were Banished out of Norwich St. Edmunds-Bury Stamford Lyn and York in which last place about 500 of them besides Women and Children entered a Tower of the Castle and when they found themselves hard pressed by a Siege they cut the Throats of their Wives and Children and cast them on the Heads of the Besiegers then in a desperate mood Fired the Tower and Burnt themselves in it tho' Quarter was offered if they would have Surrendered NORTHUMBERLAND Remarks on the County of Northumberland THis Northern County the Extremity of England is Bounded on the North and part of the West with Scotland another part of the West with Cumberland on the South with part of Cumberland and the Bishoprick of Durham and on the East with the German Ocean In many Parts there is Plenty of good Corn it produces a profitable Breed of Cattle has in it many pleasant Gardens Orchards Parks Hare and Coney Warrens on the Western side it is somewhat incommoded with Hills but otherwise produces Plains Inclosures Meadows Woods tho' not many It contains 46 Parishes 5 Market Towns and is branched with 21 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 8 viz. Berwick upon Tweed 2 Morpeth 2 New-Castle on Tine 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire This County was the Antient Northumbrian Kingdom of the Saxons and suffered much by lying so near the borders of Scotland especially when the Scots utterly destroy'd the Pictish Kingdom that had for some time screened them from the Incroachment of that Northern Nation At a Place called Otterburn a great Battle was Fought between the English and Scots Alnwick is of note for the mighty Victories the English gained over the Scots and being the usual Seat of the Northumbrian Kings and lately of many of the Noble Earls of Northumberland At Emildon Duns Sirnamed Scotus was Born a Person of great Wit and Subtilty in School Philosophy Berwick is pleasantly situate on the Tweed looking a great way from its lofty Turrets into both Kingdoms and is fam us for the many Sieges it has held out against the Scots in divers Kings Reigns Newcastle is pleasantly seated on the River Tine that branches all the Southern part of this County and produces store of Salmon as dos also the River Bywel Newcastle is also famous for furnishing the City of London with Coals brought thence by Sea and therefore commonly called Sea-Coals which Trade is also a great Nursery for Seamen Vpon the Hills near North-Tine tho' Boggy and full of Water there are great heaps of Stones which some take as a Monument of a Roman British or Saxon Victory The Seats of the Nobility are Ogle Castle Bothat Castle Heple Tower belonging to the Noble Family of the Duke of Newcastle Prudhoe Castle to the Duke of Summerset Wark Castle Chillingham Castle Dunstaburg Castle and Horton Castle to the Lord Grey of Wark Widerington Castle to the Lord Widerington and some Houses there are of the Gentry very Beautiful and pleasantly Situate especially on the East side with a curious Prospect to the Sea by means of whose Washing its Shoars this County receives great Benefit The Reign of King JOHN RICHARD the First Dying in Normandy and Buried at Font-Everard his Brother John Earl of Lancaster by his own Right and of Glocester in Right of his Wife having long aspired to the Crown thought this was his time to push hard for it although Arthur Plantaginet Son to Geoffery his Elder Brother was Living and so with what store of Treasure he had heaped up making many of the Nobles and some Leading Commoners of his Party he openly laid claim to the Soveraignty of England as his Undoubted Right and Arthur not being able to stand in competition with him this way as being little Interested in the English by reason he had for the most part been brought up beyond the Seas and consequently a Stranger to the greatest part of the Nation his Right was carried away in the current of the Peoples Inclinations and John was Crowned at Westminster by Hubert Arch Bishop of Canterbury at what time the Bishop to flatter the People and curry-favour with the King declared in an Oration That the Crown of England was meerly Arbitrary and Elective yet the more sober part of the Nobility knowing this Princes Haughty Temper Swore him to several Articles upon his admission to the Crown for Observing and Maintaining their Rights and Priviledges Antient Laws and Customs c. Scarcely was King John Settled in his Throne but Philip the French King underhand assisted by others sent for Arthur to his Court protesting a great deal of Love and tender Affection to him Informed him of his Title to the Crown of England Dutchy of Normandy and Britany animating him to raise his Spirits and use his
Wallo the Popes Legate and divers Nobles and by reason of his Non-age was put under the Gaurdianship of Pembrook who was by the consent of the Peers made Protector of the Realm during his Minority who prudently mannaged Affairs administring the Laws and Justice uprightly to the People Yet long he had not been Crowned before Philip the French King thinking to take advantage of this change dealt underhand with some discontented Noblemen and supposing by this means he had made a strong Party in England Invaded the Kingdom yet the Protector was not idle in his Charge but Leavied a considerable Army and though the Welsh under Llewellin their Prince Rebelled to favour the proceedings of the French he made head against them and stopt their Ravages before a sufficient Force could come to his Camp from other parts and slew many of them in several Skirmishes tho' as yet they came to no considerable Battel And now Pope Innocent being Dead and Honorius seated in the Pontifical Chair taking part with King Henry not only confirmed the power of his Predecessors Apostolical Legate in England but by him Cursed Prince Lewis who came over with the French Forces to take possession of this Realm and all his Adherents Excommunicating and Depriving them of all the Priviledges of Christians which put a stop to their carreer So that Lewis made shew as if he only waited for a fit opportunity to depart yet in the mean time King Philip his Father with great care and cost prepared Reinforcements and Shiped them for England But Hugh d' Burg Master of the Cinque Ports Manned out a Fleet upon notice they were putting to Sea and after a sharp Engagement Sunk Burnt and Took the greatest part of the Enemys Ships which consisted of 150 Sail. This Exploit got him a good esteem among the People which he after lost by his Covetousness as will appear and much daunted the French that were already in England making Prince Lewis intreat the Popes Legate to Absolve him and for so much Money as would defray the charges of his Return he promised to deliver up all the Castles and Places he had in his possession which being done and agreed to he Sailed for France and left his Friends in England to shift for themselves many of which were forced into Banishment and some of the more forward taken and Executed but the greater Number Pardoned Upon this a Parliament was called and in it the Antient Saxon Laws of Edward the Confessor and divers other good Laws made by succeeding Kings were reduced into a smaller compass what seemed superfluous according to the Constitution of the then present Government being left out And this has continued a happiness to the Kingdom being that Magna Charta or Great Charter of England that set a Barrier between the Succeeding Kings and the People That the one should not encroach on the Subjects Rights but live as free born Subjects nor the other upon the Prerogative of the Crown but that the Scale should be in a due Ballance between Soveraign and Subject This was Ratified and Confirmed under the Great Seal to the high satisfaction of the Kingdom so that the Parliament Granting the King a considerable Tax the People paid it with all the alacrity immaginable with which Money he not only discharged his Debts but Levied a formidable Army who under the Leading of Richard the Kings Brother and divers Nobles won much back again that the French had taken during the Troubles in his Fathers Reign entirely reducing the Provinces of Poictiers and Gascoyne and returning with little loss of Men from this Glorious Enterprize were received with great Joy However the absence of the Army gave the French King leasure to practice his usual method of stiring up Differences and Dissentions in those places by which means he surprized some Towns but King Henry grown up and being a Prince of Courage and Valour resolved to go in Person whose Arrival so terrified the French that they Deserted divers Places without contending and those that yielded not on Summons were taken by Force The French King perceiving the Cowardize of his own Men and the Courage of the English after many losses began to study how he might come to a Peace and upon surrendering what he had possessed himself of it was concluded advantagiously enough to the Honour of King Henry and the English Nation But soon after this some discontented Nobles at home laboured to Alienate the minds of his Subjects from him upon a Jealousie that he reposed his greatest confidence in Strangers and made little account of their Fidelity but to prevent any Eruption that might give his Enemies abroad the advantage of Regaining what they had Lost and what cost him much Treasure in Recovering he Laboured to reconcile himself to them and sent away many Strangers from his Court with whom indeed it was much pestered and the English Nobles had some reason to complain of it by which means and some other Concessions a Reconcilement was made And now the Earl of Chester Dying without Issue Male leaving only Four Daughters the King Seized his Possessions and Annexed them to the Crown augmenting them with large additions of Yearly Revenues Regal Priviledges and Honours giving the Ladies in lieu of it divers Castles Lordships and Mannors which exceeded their own in true value and having Married Prince Edward his Son to Elianor Sister to the King of Spain he gave him the Province of Guyan and the Lordship of all Ireland and created him Earl of Chester and Prince of Wales which two latter Dignities he then annexed as inseparable Titles to the Eldest Sons of the Kings of England and so they at this day continue soon after this the King narrowly escaped being Murthered by an Oxford Scholar who about Midnight crept in at the Window of that Chamber where he usually Reposed but that Night he was absent at a Merri-making however the Student being found there with unusual Weapons about him upon Examination Confessed he came with the before-mentioned Design but would not acknowledg what â—duced him to it or any that we â—upposed to have â—t him on work whereupon his Aâ—ms and Legs beâ—g fastened to Four Horses he was by them Drawn 〈◊〉 pieces The French King as you have heard entering into Peace with England nothing more at length appeared 〈◊〉 it but that he did it to gaine time so that he might â—come Stronger for Philip being Dead Lewis the â—inth his Son broke out into open Hostilities without â—ving any warning his Father before his death having â—ade preparations to enable him to do it wasting in â—uyan all the places where he came This roused King Henry and made him Levy great Forces with a purpose â—o drive him out not only of that but all Normandy and â—uch other places as he had a right claim to and were â—etained from him by the French So that passing over â—nto France many fierce Encounters passed between â—hem
brought into England about 12 Years after by William Caxton a Mercer Remarks on Warwickshire c. WArwickshire is an Inland County very pleasantly situate well Wooded and incumbered but with few Hills It is Bounded with Staffordshire Leicestershire Northamptonshire Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire It abounds with Cattle Corn Wooll Cheese Butter pleasant Pastures Fish and Fowl It contains 5 Hundreds in which are 158 Parishes 14 Market Towns 4 Castles 10 Rivers 10 Bridges 13 Parks and 2 Forrests It sends Members to Parliament 6 viz. Coventry City 2 Warwick 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire Warwick the Shire Town is of very Antient foundation held to be Builded by Gurguntus a British King 375 Years before the Birth of our Saviour the Castle yet retaining very many marks of great Antiquity and Memorable for the Residence of the Renowned Guy Earl of Warwick where is kept a Vessel called his Pot and usually filled with good Liquor to be Drunk by all comers on memorable Days It is commodiously situate on the River Avon Coventry joyntly with Litchfield make a Bishoprick on one of its Gates called Gifford-Gate is the Bone of a Monstrous Beast fastned said to be that of the huge Boar Guy slew who with his Snout turned up a deep place now called Swanes Mear At Wolney Anno 1469 King Edward the Fourth was taken Prisoner by the great Earl of Warwick and his Forces scattered At Backlow Hill Pierce Gaviston was taken and Beheaded The other Places of Note are Henly Southam Sutton Atherstone Kyneton Rougby Aulchester Bitford The River Tame abounds with Fish and finely branches the Northern part of the County as Avon does most of the rest over which leading to Warwick is a sightly and strong Bridge At Lemington a Salt Spring arises a great distance from the Sea At Newenham or Menhem Reges is a Petrifying Well Snale Stones Star Stones and Cockel Stones are found near Shugbury The Noblemens Seats are Milcot-House belonging to the Earl of Dorset Compton-Place to the Earl of Northampton Newnham Padox to the Earl of Denby Wormleighton to the Earl of Sunderland Comb to the Earl of Craven Ragley and Luddington to the Earl of Conway Hewel Grange to the Earl of Plymouth Ettington to the Lord Ferrers Warwick Castle Knowel and Beuchamps Court to the Lord Brook Fletchamstead and Stonely to the Lord Leigh Wotenwaven and Aln-Lodg to the Lord Carrington besides many pleasant Seats of the Gentry sightful to Travellers The Reign of King EDWARD the Fourth EDWARD Duke of York having prevailed over the Lancastrians and put to death many of his great Enemies Marched Triumphantly to London where he was by the Citizens joyfully received and Proclaimed King on the 4th of March Anno 1461 and the 19th of June following he was Crowned at Westminster but his carriage towards the Citizens afterward made them repent their forwardness to take part with him against King Henry who had always loved them and been their constant Friend Soon after his Coronation he called a Parliament and laboured therein to settle the Affaires of the Kingdom which were much disordered by the Civil War And all former Statutes made in the Reign of Henry which Attainted him and his Adherents of High Treason were Cancelled and made void The Earl of Oxford and Sir Awbrey Vere his Son were in this Parliament Attainted of sundry Treasons and lost their Heads and to strengthen his Interest he conferred Titles of Honour on a great many of his Friends Whereupon seeing little hopes left of King Henry's Recovering his Crown the Duke of Sommerset Sir Ralph Piercey and others submitted themselves to Edward's Mercy and were received into favour but upon notice the Queen was arrived from France in the North and by the Aid of the Scots had raised a considerable Army they secretly fled to her Edward had soon notice of these Proceedings and sent the Lord Montacute before him with a considerable Force himself followed with the rest of the Army and this Lord with such resolution and bravery set upon the Lords Hungerford and Ross that at the begining of the Fight they Cowardly fled away but Sir Ralph Piercey and other stout Commanders who preferred an honourable death before a shameful desertion of their Men fought it out bravely till they lost their Lives in the Field and left the Victory to their Adversary The Lord Montacute flushed with this success and thursting after fame without staying for the King set upon Queen Margaret's Army and after a bloody Fight put her to the Rout and Henry Duke of Summerset William Tallboies who stiled himself Earl of Kent the Lords Ross Mollines and Hungerford Sir Henry Nevel Sir Thomas Wentworth and Sir Richard Tunstal being Taken were in several places Beheaded and 27 others were shortly after Executed in divers manners But after this Overthrow Henry Escaped to Scotland with his half-Brother Jasper Earl of Pembrook Sir Ralph Grey and others and hereupon all the Castles in the North fell into King Edward's hands For this Service done by the Lord Montacute the King would have given him the Earldom of Northumberland but upon that Earls submitting though he had fought against him he restored him to his Lands and Honours giving Montacute in lieu of his Resignation the Title of a Marquess and to encourage his Soldiers and such as had deserved well he bestowed on them great Bounties out of the confiscated Estates of his Enemies causing many advantagious Laws to be Enacted the better to settle him on the Throne by gaining the affection of the People Soon after this King Henry returning disguised into England was discovered taken Prisoner and sent to Edward who committed him to close ward in the Tower King Edward now thinking himself firmly fixed in the Throne by the advice of the Estates after the proposals of several Matches concluded to send his great Friend Richard Nevill Earl of Warwick to require the Lady Bona Daughter to Lewis Duke of Savoy and Sister to Charete Queen to Lewis the Eleventh King of France in Marriage the Earl was sent over with a very splended Equipage and with many Rich presents to the Lady and was so prosperous in his Negotiation that all things he had in Commission were soon agreed to the Portion assigned and the Instruments for settling her Dowry ratified but this wrought much mischief to King Edward For going to Recreate himself at his Mannor of Grafton he there cast his Eyes on the Beautiful Elizabeth Widow to Sir John Grey slain in King Henry's cause at the Battel of St. Albans and by no perswasions being able to gain her for his Concubine though he had freely granted her her Husbands Estate which she Petitioned to him for so enflamed was he with the desire of Enjoying her and she plainly telling him As she thought her self of too mean a condition to be his Wife so she thought her self much above his demands of being his Concubine and tho' her Life might be at his dispose
Edward the Fourth and the last of the Male Line of the Plantagenets who had sway'd the Scepter from Henry the Second King Henry by this Bloodshed having more firmly Established his Throne or at least himself from those fears that he apprehended from mutable Fortune whilst this Young Prince Lived Married Arthur Prince of Wales his Eldest Son to the Lady Catharine Daughter to Ferdinand King of Spain with great Magnificence in St. Paul's But that Young Prince soon after Dying she was Married to Henry his Second Son who Succeeded But upon some pretended scruples Divorced as will appear at large in the History of his Reign And James the Fourth King of Scots suing for the Lady Margaret the Kings Eldest Daughter the Match was concluded tho' the French King and others had required her but could not obtain their Suits for in this Henry wisely considered That if his Sons Issue should fail it would be a means to unite Scotland to England when if he had Married her to a more Powerful Kingdom this must have been Subjected to that which he concluded would prove very dishonourable to the English Nation and the Lady being sent to Edenbourough was there Married with great Solemnity The King in the latter end of his Reign growing exceeding Covetous contrived how he might extort Money from his Subjects and for this as his chief Instrument he used Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley two Lawyers whom he appointed to put the Penal Laws in execution with great Rigor which they spared not to do to the utmost tho' in the next Reign it cost them their Lives nor was the complaints of the oppressed People minded tho' exceeding great and many from all parts of England which encouraged a whole swarm of Locusts as under Officers to pill and pole them in every Shire which caused the King much hatred After this Philip Duke of Austria in Right of his Wife coming to be King of Spain was in his Voyage thither driven by a Tempest into Weymouth Harbour in Dorsetshire where with his Queen he was Entertained by Sir Thomas Trenchard and after Invited to the King's Court at Windsor where for the Entertainment he gave him he procured the Duke of Suffolk fled into Austria to be put into his hands on condition he should have no violence offered him and indeed during this Kings Reign he was only kept a Prisoner but in the next lost his Head King Henry soon after falling Sick of a languishing Disease which was looked on as a Judgment for oppressing his Subjects remitted all offences against his Penal Laws enlarged all Prisoners except for Treason Murther restored Moneys to those that had been Ruined relieved the Poor and did many good Acts. And having Reigned 23 Years and 8 Months he Dyed and was Buried at Westminster in the famous Chappel of his own founding by Elizabeth his Queen who Dyed not long before in the 52d Year of his Age. In this Kings Reign Wheat was Sold for Six Pence a Bushel Nantwich Salt 6 d. and Bay Salt 3 d. per Bushel White Herings 6 s. per Barrel Red Herrings 3 s. per Cade Sprats 6 d. per Cade and Gascoign Wine at 6 l. per Tun. Anno 1495 a mighty Storm of Hail fell killing and wounding many Cattle and People several Stones being taken up at St. Neots in Huntingtonshire 18 Inches about And soon after a fearful Plague raged which made the King and Queen for a time remove their Court to Callice And during his Reign about Nine Persons Men and Women suffered the Flames for the profession of a good Faith Several did Penance by carrying Faggots on their Backs and some were Burnt in the Cheek c. Remarks on Wiltshire c. WIltshire is Renowned for the Frugal Industry of the Inhabitants It produces numerous Flocks of Sheep of whose Wooll Cloath is made and many Thousands of People set on Work as also large Cattle store of Corn and Pastures Venison Fish Fowl c. It is Bounded with Barkshire Hampshire Dorsetshire Somersetshire and Gloucestershire It contains 29 Hundreds in which are 304 Parishes 23 Market Towns 5 Rivers 1 City viz. Salisbury which is a Bishops See 3 Bridges 1 Castle 1 Chace and 2 Parks The River Avon branches its Southern parts and Wilby-Bourn extends to the West as also does a part of Avon and in other parts it is pleasantly Watered the Castle is that of Castlecomb It sends Members to Parliament 34 viz. Bedwin 2 Caln 2 Chipenham 2 Cricklade 2 Devizes 2 Downton 2 Heitsbury 2 Hindon 2 Ludgarsale 2 Malmsbury 2 Marleborough 2 New Sarum 2 Old Sarum 2 Westbury 2 Wilton 2 Wooton Basset 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire WILTSHIRE On Salisbury Plain is the memorable Wonder called Stone Henge supposed to be Erected as a Monument to Hingest the first Saxon Invader its Stones are of a prodigious bigness some 28 Foot long and 7 broad Morticed one within another tho' wasted by time some are falln Near Sawerth are Cockle-stones and those called the Grey Weathers near Marlborough On the Borders of this County between Great Bedwin and Lockington are certain deep Holes called the Giants Caves The Water breaking out of certain Stones near Knet is accounted a presage of Dearth At Luckington is a Well whose Virtue is to Cure Sore Eyes At Aubury is cast up a Ditch of a prodigious depth near Circular set round with large Stones supposed once a strong Encampment of the Romans as Yarnborough Castle on Salisbury Plain is supposed to have been one of their Fortresses The Seats of the Nobility are Marleborough-House and Allington-House belonging to the Duke of Somerset Wilton and Falstone alias Fallerdown to the Earl of Pembrook Clarlton to the Earl of Barkshire Stourton-Castle to the Lord Stourton Wardour-Castle to the Lord Arundel of Wardour Long Leats to the Viscount Weymouth Baron of Warmister the Bishops Seat in Salisbury The Reign of King HENRY the Eighth HENRY the Eighth being Eighteen Years old began his Reign the 22d of April Anno Dom. 1509. and was Crowned at Westminster by William Warham Arch-Bishop of Canterbury His first Policy was to wind himself into the Affections of his Subjects and soon found out a way to do it by issuing out Proclamations That such as had been Injured by Extortions and Oppressions of evil Persons in his Fathers Reign should be favourably heard and receive Satisfaction for the wrongs done them Whereupon great Numbers came with grievous Complaints those that had received the least Injury being the most clamorous and having recompenced many to please the rest Empson and Dudley the two corrupt Judges were Convicted of High Treason and Beheaded on Tower-Hill and divers imployed under them were Disgraced by Pillories Stocks and Whipping-Posts tho' these Catterpillars had exceedingly Enriched the Kings Treasury as well as their own Coffers For his Father left behind him the greatest Mass of Money that any King of England before him had done Things being a
Peace which was soon Concluded as had been with France before On the 29th of May 1630. the Queen was deliver'd of a Son who was Christened Charles and Succeeded in the Kingdom At whose Birth it is Remarkable a very bright Star appeared at Noon-day which being shewed the King as he came from his Devotion he greatly Rejoyced thereat as taking it for a fortunate Presage Soon after Dr. Leighton Writing and Publishing a Book Entituled Sion's Plea was Censured for it and Sentenced to have his Nose slit his Ears cropp'd and a Mark or Brand in his Fore-head which was inflicted on him Anno 1631 Mervin Lord Audley Earl of Castle-Haven was tryed by his Peers on the Petition of his Son and Heir for a Rape and Sodomy and being found Guilty lost his Head on Tower-hill The King hearing of some Murmurrings and Discontents in Scotland went thither in Person hoping to give his People of that Kingdom Satisfaction and being solemnly Crowned at Edenborough he called a Parliament But they fearing the bringing in of Episcopacy and the Form of Prayer and other Services in England seemed more and more to be Disgusted However the King having Confirmed and Ratified some Laws which the Scots construed to the worst Sense And which was indeed in order to the establishing Episcopacy there which King James the First had introduced Anno 1616. and which was apparent by the King 's giving Order to the Dean of his Royal Chappel in Edenborough to have Prayer read therein according to the English Liturgy c. In the Year 1632 the King incited thereto by Bishop Laud set out a Declaration for Tollerating of Sports on the Lord's-day which gave great Offence to all sober Men and for refusing to Publish it many of the best Ministers were Suspended and deprived of their Benefices Octob. 13. 1633. The Queen was delivered of her second Son named James afterwards Duke of York and after his Brother Charles his Death King of England c. And at that time the Arch-bishop of Canterbury dying Bishop Laud was made Arch-bishop in his place After this a Fleet was set out by the Supply of a Tax called Ship-money which removed the Hollanders who had Confederated with the French from before Dunkirk and the Flandrians with the assistance of the Spaniard soon Routed the French Army by Land The King Considering the good success of this Fleet sent out an other which Sailing Northward scoured the Seas of the Dutch Busses and spoiled their Fishing-trade so that they were constrained to purchase their leave to Fish on our Coast on Valuable Considerations Several Gentlemen being Dissatisfied with the raising of Ship-money and being done without consent of Parliament refused to pay it upon which the King referr'd it to his Judges of whom Ten were for the Legality of it and subcribed their Names to be Enrolled in the Courts of Westminster but Hutton and Crook refused and thereupon Mr. Hamden of Buckinghamshire refusing to pay it had Judgment given against him which occasioned murmurings among the people of which Dr. Bastwick Prin and Burton taking the Advantage writ Books reflecting on the Bishops and Government for which they were sentenced to pay 5000 l. Fine lose their Ears in the Pillory and Imprisoned during the King's pleasure And Dr. Williams Bishop of Lincoln was fined 10000 l. and Imprisoned in the Tower During pleasure and left to the Censure of the High Commission Court as to what concerned them wherein the Bishop had very hard Measure his Offence being chiefly that he approved not of Archbishop Laud's Exorbitant Actions And now new Troubles arising about the Book of Common-Prayer in Scotland the King marched thither with an Army and the Scots met him near Berwick But a Treaty being began by means of the Scots Nobility a Peace was soon Concluded but they kept it no longer than the King's return to London which occasioned him to make a second Expedition but by this time they had entred into a solemn League and Covenant for the Extirpation of Episcopacy and Establishing of Presbytery On the 13th of April 1640. After twelve Years interval a Parliament met at Westminster to whom the King promised That if they would Supply him to maintain the War against the Scots he would quit his claim of ship-money And the Parliament seemed to have a great Disposition to comply with the King's desires but it being demanded in the House of Commons what supply the King expected It was answered by Mr. Secretary Vane Twelve Subsidies whereas at that time the King only desir'd Six This large Demand put the House into such a Ferment made things look so ill that the King Dissolved the Parliament the next Day having only sat 22 Days The Scots not yet quieted enter into England with an Army and having defeated the King's Forces at Newborn seized upon New-castle and Durham upon which the King is willing to hear their Grievances and receives a Petition from them wherein they require a Parliament to be called in England without which they could have no Redress Declaring their Intention not to lay down Arms till the Reformed Religion was settled in both Nations upon sure Grounds and the Causers and Abetters of their present Troubles Laud and Strafford were brought to publick Justice in Parliament After which several Peers the City of London and divers other places Petition'd the King for the sitting of a Parliament whereupon the King Summon'd another Parliament to meet Nov. 3. 1640. when the People were every where in a Ferment and Prejudice inveighing if not against the King yet against his Ministers of State In this Parliament all Ceremonies in the Church were suppressed except those used in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Strafford Arch-bishop Laud and Bishop Wren were Impeached of High-Treason and committed to the Tower Divers of the Judges that had declared for Ship-money were Voted Delinquents and Judge Berkley Arrested by the Usher of the Black Rod for High-Treason as he sate in the King's-Bench-Court The King being vexed at the proceeding of the Commons complained to the Peers who promised to Labour for a Moderation and good Understanding between the King and his two Houses But matters yet running high he removed divers Ministers of State and Officers in Trust appointing a new Lieutenant of the Tower which greatly displeased the Commons insomuch that tâ—â—â— Articled against the new Lieutenant to be Peers wâ—â— refused to meddle in it it being the King's Prerogative to â—â—nt in whom he pleased But not long after a multitude of â—â—prentices and others came to the Peers House clamouriâ—â—â—o have the Lieutenant removed and Threatning on refusaâ— to turn all Topsy-turvey they also demanded that the Bishops might be excluded the House of Peers And then going into Westminster-Abbey in their unadvised Fury spoiled the Vestments Organs Sepulchres and what else was comely and decent And as they returned by White-Hall uttered very opprobrious Threatnings against the King and his
in the dangerous War his Predecessor had set on foot engaging in a Battel against Egbert King of the West Saxons who joyned with the East Angles against him he was Slain in the Second Year of his Reign after which most of the Towns on the East and Western Borders were Sacked and some reduced to Ashes Which Desolation was fore-run by a Comet with a Tail pointing downward like a flaming Sword Watlaf the Eighteenth King of Mercia began his Reign Anno Dom. 826 and with the Kingdom was constrained to espouse the Wars his Predecessors had left as it were Entailed on it so that raising the Strength of his much harassed and weakened Dominions he drove the West Saxons out of Worcestershire and other Western Encroachments yet not without considerable loss in the several Bickerings between them But in the Thirteenth Year of this King Egbert the West Saxon came upon him with a potent Army and in a set Battel overthrew him putting a Period to his Life and Reign Berthulf the Nineteenth King of Mercia came to the Kingdom in a troublesome time viz. Anno Dom. 839 for he not only found his People in War with his Countrymen but a more cruel Enemy had Invaded the Country viz. The Pagan Danes who being Enemies to all alike as desirous of grasping the sole Monarchy of this Island they made such Havock and Desolation in all places where they prevailed That the People of whole Counties in the Northern parts flying their fury left the Towns Naked and Defenceless for the Saxons in Civil War having much impaired their strength found that they at this time were too weak to oppose the Torrent of those Multitudes that were poured in upon them from Denmark and Gothland and also from Shetland the Orcades and other Northern Islands which the Danes possessed beyond Scotland from one of which they brought a Cruel People called Redshanks from the Redness of their long Leggs occasioned by the coldness of that Climate they going for the most part Naked except a Mantle thrown over their Shoulders and are supposed by some Authors for their mighty stature to be of the Race of the Titans or Giants held once to Inhabit part of Britain However they brought such a Terror on the Mercian Kingdom c. That Berthulf was forced to quit it in the Thirteenth Year of his Reign after which in compassion to the oppressed People who were Slain and Spoiled at the pleasure of the Danes Burdred took upon him the Government and being a Prince of great Courage he fought divers Battels with the Danes and at last gained a great Victory insomuch that the Fields and Lanes were strewed with the Dead Bodies But greater Forces arriving to recruite their broken Army he was forced after some strugling to quit his Kingdom when he had Reigned Twenty Two Years viz. Anno Dom. 872. And with him Ended the Succession of Saxon Kings as petty Monarchs of the Mercian Kingdom CHAP. VII The Kingdoms of the East Angles and West Saxons with their respective Succession of Kings and what Happened of Note during their Reigns in Peace and War Particularly the Danish Invasion and by what means England was reduced under a Sole Monarchy 6. The East Angle Kingdom Described with the Succession of its Fifteen Kings THE Kingdom of the East Angles contained Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely Bounded on the East with the German Ocean on the South with Essex and Hartfordshire on the West with Notinghamshire Huntingtonshire and part of Bedfordshire on the North partly by the German Ocean and partly by the River Trent and Northumbrian Kingdom Commodiously Situate for Navigation as being accommodated with divers good Havens famous for Butter Cattel Corn Wooll Cloath Stuffs c. The First Saxon Founder of this Kingdom was Offa a High German Nobleman who brought over considerable Forces upon notice his Countrymen were parcelling out the Southern parts of this Island and Landing at Yarmouth he prevailed with some difficulty to settle himself and his People in the Counties above-mentioned beginning his Reign Anno Dom. 575 and Reigned Seven Years being for the most part at peace In his time a great Eclipse of the Sun happened about Noon almost total so that it continued in a great degree Dark for the space of an Hour Titulus Succeeding Vffa Anno Dom. 583 laboured to settle his Borders and keep a good understanding with his Neighbours and perceiving the British Forces were rather Retired than Subdued he made many wholsom Laws to keep his People in order repaired the Ruined Towns built Forts on the Sea-Coast and Reigned about 32 Years keeping his Country for the greater part of that time in Quiet he was the Second King of the East Angle Kingdom Redwald the Third King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 616. Soon after his coming to the Throne he was Baptized into the Christian Faith but upon some distaste renounced his Baptismal Vows and became a great Persecutor of the Christians amongst others he intended the Death of Edwin afterward King of Northumherland who fled to his Court for Refuge because he interceeded for them But he being a Favorite of the Queens and the King imparting his design to her she pittying the young Prince so laboured to disswade him from it that he not only laid aside his wicked purpose but entered into a strict League with him and an Army was raised to place him in the Kingdom of Northumberland when in a great Battel they Slew Ethelfrid who had got possession of the Throne and had Banished Edwin This Redwald Reigned Eight Years Erpenwald the Fourth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 624. He by the perswasion of Edwin King of Northumberland became a Favourer of the Christians and was Baptized he built divers Churches and Monasteries but when he had Reigned about Twelve Years Richebert a Pagan Saxon out of a Zeal to their False Gods whose Idol Temples this King had caused to be converted into places of Christian Worship Assnssinated him and fled but being taken endeavoring to pass the Seas he was put to death by exquisit Torments Sigebert the Fifth King of the East Angles began his Reign Anno Dom. 636. He was Son to Redwald and having received a good opinion of the Christian Religion when he was very Young he upon his Fathers Apostatizing fled into that Country now call'd France antiently Gallia where he improved in the Study of Divine things so that being a great lover of Learned Men at his coming to the Crown he Founded a Colledge Endowing it with a plentiful Maintenance viz. Anno Dom. 637 and so passionately he was in love with a Religious manner of Living that laying aside his Crown when he had Reigoed Two Years he took on him the Habit of a Monk yet out of compassion to his suffering People Invaded and driven to great distress by Penda King of the Mercians he laid aside his Cowl and
in a Tinsel splendor of ignominy made her consenting to the latter crime however she enclined to the former yet this unprincely action created him such a hatred in the minds of his Subjects That all except his Flatterers extreamly murmured against him and Bishop Dunstan sharply reproving him for his Vices he Proscribed him as an Enemy or Traytor so that to save his Life he absconded in England a while and then fled into Flanders Of these disorders in Government and Disaffections of the People the Danes taking advantage joyned with the Welsh and Invaded the Northern Borders having many Irish and some Scots as Auxiliaries joyned with them so that most of those Counties being violently Oppressed and finding the King slow to relieve them THE BISHOPRICK of DURHAM By Iohn Seller having united their Forces and expelled the Enemy renounced their Allegiance to him and chose his Brother Edgar King a young Prince of an active Spirit who had assisted them in the War to which with little opposition the whole Nation consented and hereupon Edwye being Deposed Dyed of Grief and was Buryed at Winchester In his time there was a great contention between the Monks and Marryed Priests the former opposing the latter as not capable of Officiating in holy Orders according to the Cannons of the Church of Rome and they again alledging those Cannons were contradictory to the Holy Scriptures so the Controversy was put to the King to determine and in this indeed he gave a right Judgment declaring for the Married Priests which is the only commendable thing noted in his Reign He Reigned four Years and was the Eleventh Sole Monarch of England Remarks on the Bishoprick of Durham c. THE Bishoprick of Durham tho' small in circumference abounds in plenty of all things as Cattel Corn Pastures Fruit-Trees Woods Forests and Parks and is Watered with divers pleastant Streams stored with Fish It has to the North and West many pleasant Hills and is Bounded with Northumberland Westmorland Yorkshire and the German Ocean It has in it the City of Durham which is a Bishops See and is a Palatine having divers Priviledges above many Counties It Contains 118 Parishes 6 Market Towns and 11 Rivers It sends Members to Parliament 4 viz. Durham 2 and 2 Knights of the Shire It gained the Title and Priviledge by the great Fame and Renown of St. Cuthberd for the Interment of whom the Cathedral was first Bulded by Bishop Aldwin and much enlarged by Bishop Careleph His Tomb was with much Devotion Visited by Edward Ethelstane and divers other Saxon Kings and by William the Conqueror this Bishoprick was made a County Palatine There is a place called Gallile in the West End of the Church where is to be seen the Tomb of venerable Beda Binchester the Benovium of the Romans was famed for their chief station in the North and many of their Coins have been found in Earthen Vrns upon Digging up old foundations Chester in the Street the Condercum of the Romans is a Place of great Antiquity pleasantly situate and well Inhabited At Nevil's Cross near Durham the Scots were defeated and David their King made Prisoner by one Copeland and carry'd Prisoner to the Tower for which service Copeland received of the King five Hundred Pounds per Annum In this Bishoprick near Darlington are three wonderful deep Pits called Hell Kettles supposed to be sunk by an Earthquake In this Palatine also stands Bernard Castle famous for the many Sieges it has held out against the Scots Over the River Weer with which the City of Durham is almost encompassed are two well built Stone Bridges one from the South the other from the North Road leading into the Town This Palatine has a Jurisdiction within it self to Try Criminals and other Matters from which in many cases there lyes no Appeal The Seats tho' few are very Antient and yet Magnificent Structures viz. Durham Place and Aukland Castle the Bishop Seats being the principal The Reign of King Edgar Twelfth Sole Monarch of England EDgar the Second Son of Edmund began his Reign Anno Dom. 959 at which time the Danes wearyâ—d out with War began to think of settling a Peace â—ith the English upon consideration they might rest at â—uiet in some Northern Counties and have other Adâ—antages which considering the uncertainty of the â—en state of Affairs was not thought amiss to be â—lowed them they owning the King their Superiour â—nd to continue as it were his Subjects And so King â—dgar having received the Crown at Bath from the â—ands of Odo Arch Bishop of Canterbury applied himâ—elf to the Government of his Kingdom and recalled Dunstan from Banishment yet by this means some Divines of Oxford Vniversity were Branded in the Cheek and Banished for Affirming The Church of Rome â—o be the Whore of Babylon Monkery an Offensive Contagion Their Vows of Celibacy an encouragement to Sodomy and other Vncleaneness He made very strict Laws against Drunkenness which was very rife in his time causing Cups to be made with certain Pins or Marks and a penalty to such as should exceed the allowed Draught And England being then pestered with Wolves who destroyed much small Cattle and some People he made a Law That those who held Lands of the Crown should Yearly bring in a cerrain number of Wolves Heads under a Penalty of forfeiting their Tenures And Ludwal the Prince of Wales was alloted to bring in three Hundred Wolves Heads Yearly in consideration of the Lands he held in subjection to the Crown of England Whereupon upon such dilligent search was every where made that â—n a few years there was not one to be found in England except such as were kept tame nor ever since has there been otherways any of the breed in this Country tho' Neighbouring Ireland not long since abounded with them This Edgar Yearly rid the Circuit to take notice of the abuses and corruptions of his Judges and severely Punished their remisness in the Administration of the Laws But notwithstanding all these good Qualities he was very much blemish'd with Incontinency not sparing Wives or Daughters where his desires lead him to pursue the enjoyment of his unlawful Pleasures He begat a Daughter whom he named Edith on Wolfe-child a veiled Nun who was afterward for a considerable sum of Money Cannonized by the Pope and attempting to gaine the possession of Odwina a Western Dukes Daughter her Mother whom he solicited to give her into his Arms preferring the preservation of her Chastity to the Kings Anger and all his Golden Promises contrived a Stratagem to defeat him which she effected by laying her waiting Maid in her Daughters Bed with whose wanton toying in the Dark he was so pleased that tho' he discovered the Fraud the next Morning he not only commended the Dutchess but gave his Bedfellow the Reward he had promised the Yong Lady and kept her as his Concubine Soon after this hearing by Fame of the great Beauty of Duke
and thence to Norwich where it now remains The Seats of the Nobility are Dukes-Place belonging to the Duke of Norfolk Oxnead-Hall and Paston-Hall to the Earl of Yarmouth Reynam-Hall and Stif-key-Hall to the Lord Viscount Towusend Castle-Rising to the Duke of Norfolk Norwich-Palace and Ludham-Hall to the Bishop of the Diocess Besides divers sightly Houses of the Gentry The Reign of King HENRY the Second commonly called Henry Fitz-Empress AT the time when King Stephen Dyed Henry was in Normandy Besieging a strong Castle the French had a little before taken by Surprize and being advised by some Nobles about him to pass over for England and leave the Siege least another in his Absence might step into the Throne as before had happened he made a Reply full of Discretion and true Valour to this effect The Kingdom of England shall henceforth be at my Command in despight of those that dare to cross me most and so shall these Intruding Frenchmen ere I raise the Siege This resolution redoubled his honour among his Friends and brought fear on the Enemy for when they knew it they surrendered the Castle and submitted themselves to his Mercy and so having settled Affairs in that Dukedom with a Noble Train of Lords and Gentlemen he came for England where he was Crowned three times viz. By Theobald Arch Bishop of Canterbury at Westminster Then at Lincoln and lastly at Worcester He chose his Council of the Gravest Wisest and most Learned Peers and made Thomas of Becket Chancelour and appointed such Judges and Learned Men in the Laws by Industry and Labour to Refine them That the Common Laws were greatly Mended and Improved being rendred more tolerable and profitable to the People and after this he divided the Kingdom into six Circuits and for the better administration of Justice and Trying of Causes between Subject and Subject he appointed his Judges to go those Circuits twice a Year which Order yet continues He Banished the greatest part of Strangers who in those days by multitudes flocked hither and by their extraordinary Sparing and painful Industry procured much Wealth and Begger'd the Natives He Exiled many of the Nobles who contrary to their Duties had adhered to King Stephen and differing much from the Opinion of his Predecessor he affirmed that strong Castles and Forts maintained in the heart of the Kingdom did rather Animate Great Men upon any displeasure to Revolt than Fear them into Obedience whereupon he caused most of them to be Razed to the Ground and Seized such Mannors Lordships Possessions as his Predecessors had either Sold or Given from the Crown holding it to be the Duty of every Subject to refuse the Gift or Purchace of such things as do immediately concern the Honour and Maintenance of a King And the like he did in the Northern Parts where many Great Men Commanding as they list had wrought themselves and their Posterity into many Honours Castles Mannors which properly appertained to the Crown He likewise took into his hands the Provinces of Cumberland Northumberland and the Earldom of Huntingdon which David King of Scots and Henry his Son had received as a Gift from King Stephen to favour his Wars against the Empress However the King entered into Amity with Malcolm King of Scots upon the same Conditions as were Agreed on in Henry the Firsts time and in Token of his Subjection the Scot Offered his Bonnet and Saddle upon St. Peter's Altar at York And about this time Theobald Dying Becket was made Arch Bishop of Canterbury This King even in time of Peace had generally an Army on foot and rarely kept them Idle but would often Transport them to Normandy and there having Exercised them would bring them back again so that on all occasions they were found ready and expert Souldiers And now an advantage opened a way to the English for the Conquest of Ireland For the Eastern part along the Sea being possessed by Dormat-Mac-Mahur King of Leinster his Cruelties had highly incensed his Subjects against him especially upon taking away the Queen of Morice King of Meath so that the Injured King Confederating with Roderick O Conor King of Connought they beat him out of his Country so that he fled for England and craved Aid of King Henry to Restore him which upon taking an Oath of Fidelity and Subjection was harkened to when the better to encourage the design the King for a Sum of Money obtained leave of Pope Adrian an Englishman then advanced to St. Peter's Chair that he might Conquer Ireland promising moreover throughly to Establish the Christian Religion therein and bring it to an acknowledgment of the See of Rome but whilst he was preparing for this Expedition new Troubles arose in Normandy which required his Presence to pacifie but he granted his Letters Patents by which he gave leave with Encouragement to his Nobles and such others as were willing to go for Ireland Dormat impatient of Exile laid hold of this first Advantage and Solicited the Nobles but above all he promised Richard the Kings Son a Young Prince of a Warlike Spirit his Daughter a very Beautiful Young Lady and all his Countries after his Decease to be made over to them he likewise incited one Fitz Stephens who with a Band of Valiant Welshmen was the first that Landed and maintained his Ground with much Courage till the Prince and divers Nobles came over and with little trouble they seized the Town of Wexford which was given to Fitz Stephens for his part of the Charge of the War and soon after many of the petty Irish Kings being Overthrown Dormat was Restored and Dublin the chief City Submitting to him he put to Death by many Cruelties such of his Capital Enemies as he found there However the Prince went Conquering on and Subdued all before him of which King Henry had no sooner Notice but fearing this might flush Ambition and make him practice with his own Subjects for the Crown he speedily returned to England and sent Mandates Commanding all the English under great Penalties to return rallying the Nobility for suffering the Prince in his Absence to go over he was in this so far Obeyed that the Prince was left in Dublin with a small Train the Irish was not slow in taking the advantage of this Retreat and therefore Besieged him in that prime City with an Army of 30000 Men upon which he Sally'd with about 1500 and utterly Routed them taking great Spoils and so in obedience to the Kings commands returned for England where he surrendered into his Fathers hands all the Forts and Cities he had taken Anno 1172 the King Landed in Ireland with a Royal Army and found Dormar to be Dead however he brought such a Terror on the Country That Roderick and most of the other Princes submitted to him intreating him to take the Government on him as their Supream Lord which he Accepted with their Oaths of Fealty and at Christmas he made a Royal Feast in
with various success tho' in them the French were â—enerally worsted but Fortune no further favouring his endeavours but only to stop the French Torrent â—nd their further Encroachments he returned for England On his departure the French King Married Alphonsus his Brother to the Daughter of the Earl of Tholouse and gave him the Earldom of Poictiers and so cunningly contrived it that he would have procured the Earl of March to do him Homage for such Lands as he pretended he held in that Province but he refused it and could not by Entreaties or Threats be wrought on to comply which so enraged the French King that he entered with an Army into the Earldom of March and laid all waste before him but was Fought with by the English Army newly Transported near Burdeaux yet the English being much inferiour in Number after a Long Bloody and Doubtful Fight were constrained to quit the Field and King Henry who did wonders in the Battel that day hardly escaped being taken Prisoner whereupon the Earl of March found he was in a necessity to submit to the Terms offered him by the French King after which King Henry settling his affaires as well as he could returned to England and made a fiâ—m Alliance with the King of Scots to strengthen his Interest against France This continued happy to him for a time but his Court not being purged of Parasites and Whisperers who with their stories set him against the English Nobility a fatal Discord befel which at times lasted till his Death for the Nobles grudging he bestowed Favours on those that deserved them not and was scanty in his Liberalities towards them that had Merited of him at the expence of their Blood and Treasure from Murmuring they fell to open Reproaches charging him with the violation of those Liberties and Priviledges that he had so solemnly Confirmed and Granted This Angered the King and made him inwardly Fret but finding they spoke the sense of the greatest part of the Nation to bring things to a quieter temper and alay or satisfie the discontents of his Subjects he called a Parliament at Oxford tho' in it what he aimed at was for the most part if not altogether frustrated so that it was afterward through the Distractions that happened upon it called Insanum Parliamentum or The Mad Parliament For when multitudes of such as were Grieved came for Redress of their Grievances the Lords and Commons endeavouring to Redress what was amiss Established many things Profitable as they intended for the Common-Weal but highly derogatory to the Kings Prerogative and to the end those things that they had so contrived should be lasting and inviolably observed they made choice of Twelve Noblemen by the Title of Les douze Piers or The Twelve Peers giving them absolute Power and Authority to Maintain and Support those Laws of whom the Earls of Leicester and Gloucester were chief and for this they had their Pattent and took a solemn Oath which was Sealed and Ratified by the King although he did it unwillingly so that the Parliament being ended the Commissioners began by strict Execution to give Life unto those Laws and Ordinances thrusting out of their Places and Offices many of the Kings Menial Servants and Attendants placing others in their stead which very much troubled him for by these proceedings he perceived those that waited on his Person were rather to be Trusted by others than by himself and that he should be furthest from chusing those that were to be nearest to him this made him grow Melancholy and vex himself exceedingly yet thinking to mend what he supposed amiss he called another Parliament which contrary to his expectation Ratified and Confirmed more strongly all that the former had done tho' he at the opening of the Sessions had complained of the hard Usage he had received from the Twelve Peers and by the Arch Bishop of Canterbury and Nine other Bishops of the Kingdom a solemn Curse was denounced against all such as either by Direction Council Arms or otherwise withstood or hindered the Execution of those Laws or the Authority of the Twelve Peers This made the King more Melancholy than before when to divert himself he Sailed to France and had an Enterview with King Lewis who highly welcomed him Lodged him in his own Palace Feasted him and used him with all Gentleness Curtesie and Honour protesting in his Parliament of Estates That he was much dissatisfied in his Conscience for detaining from King Henry his Dutchy of Normandy and such other Territories in France as in Right he ought to Enjoy and on the other hand King Henry intending to conclude an inviolable Peace freely surrendered to him Normandy Anjou Poictiers and Mayn and in the same Parliament with great Solemnity and Honour he received them again to himself and his Heirs Whilst things thus proceeded in France a Quarrel happened between Prince Edward the Kings Son and the Duke of Glocester about the Laws being put too severely in Execution which made the King hasten home to prevent the Danger or Mischief that might happen thereby and with some difficulty he reconciled them and hoping to remove the curb the Peers had laid on him with much Expence he procured Bulls of Pope Alexander the Third by virtue of which himself and all others who had Sworn to maintain those new Laws and Ordinances and to support the proceedings of the Peers and their Authority were freely Absolved from their Oaths yet they took no notice of it but proceeded to displace such Judges Justices and Sheriffs as the King had appointed for not following their Orders and put such in their Places and Offices as they thought fit So that the King being no longer able to endure these Indignities caused the Popes Bulls to be Read and Proclaimed in the chief Towns and Cities of England and Wales straightly Commanding all Persons of what Estate Condition or Degree soever That from thence forth did by Word or Deed Support or Maintain the said Laws and Ordinances or the Authority of the Twelve Peers that they should be committed to Prison and not delivered thence without the Kings consent And hereupon he Swore the Londoners from twelve Years Old and upwards to be True and Faithful to him and to be Aiding to him and his Heirs against all Opposers In the mean while the Barons met and entered into a Resolution among themselves rather to lose their Lives than decline the upholding the Laws and fancying the King had some desperate design upon them their Jealousie so encreased that retiring to the Marches of Wales they raised a strong Army and furnished it with all things necessary for the War they intended yet pretended to abstain from any Hostility or Violence unless the King compelled them to it Then they sent their Letters in a most submissive and humble manner to the King protesting their Duty Service and true Allegiance to him entreating his Highness for the Honour of Almighty God for the
Cursing any that should afterward Build it yet this Sorrow wasting by time to strengthen his Alliance he Sailed to France and took the Lady Isabel Charles the Sixth's Daughter to Wife and brought her to England with her Nurse and a great Train of Ladies and not exceeding Seven or Eight Years she was called The Baby Queen the King having contracted not to Bed her till she should be Fourteen Years of Age and a 30 Years Peace was concluded whereupon the King gave up to the Duke of Britany the strong Town and Castle of Brest which much offended the English Nobles especially the Duke of Glocester his Unkle who plainly told him he had dishonoured himself and the English Nation by tamely parting with such an important Place which had not been gained but at the expence of much Blood and Treasure this so angered the King that he privately Swore to be Revenged on him and such other Noblemen as he said usually checked and controuled him in his Proceedings and accordingly getting a Parliament to his mind Sir John Bushe one of his Creatures being Speaker of the Lower House This upstart Speaker boldly Accused Thomas Arundel Arch Bishop of Canterbury who fitting in the House of Peers by the King was ordered not to Answer and it should be no damage to him his silence nevertheless was taken for Confession and he was Banished the Realm the Earls of Arundel and Warwick in this Parliament were Attainted of High Treason upon which the former lost his Head and the latter being confined to the Isle of Wight through Grief and want of Necessaries shortly Dyed But the Duke of Glocester stood too high in the Peoples Favour to be reached this way therefore he was privately seized at his own House hurried to Callice and there by the command of Thomas Moubray then Earl of Notingham and for this wicked exploit created Duke of Norfolk the Valiant Prudent Virtuous and Renowned Duke was Smothered to Death tho' in the manner of it Authors disagree some will have it by pressing and keeping him long between Feather-Beds others that he was thrown into and headed up in a Butt of Malmsey However here he was wickedly made away and never seen afterward to the great grief of all but the King and his Favourites who hugged themselves with joy to think they had removed out of their way the great Obstacle that hindered their Advances to Arbitrary Power After this Moubray proceeded to Accuse Henry Duke of Hartford Son to the Duke of Lancaster of Speaking Treasonable and Scandalous Words of the King whereupon Hartford Challenged his Accuser to the single Combate to try by the Sword the Truth and Justice of his Accusation but when they were both entered the Lists and prepared for the Encounter the King threw down his Warder staid the Combate Banished Hartford for six Years and Moubray forever who Travailing to Venice there Dyed miserably confessing his Guilt and trouble for the Death of the Noble Duke of Glocester but Hartford was honourably Entertained by Charles the French King who would have Married him to a Beautiful Lady Daughter to the Duke of Berry his Unkle but King Richard industriously prevented it as fearing such an Alliance might enable him to grasp at his Crown and when the Duke of Lancaster Dyed he seized on his vast Treasure tho' he had given his Cousin Henry leave on his departure to appoint his Attorney to Act for him and take care of his Inheritance But these Proceedings bred much Mischief For the King having lost most of his old and getting a new set of Counselors viz. The Earl of Wiltshire Sir John Bushe Sir James Bagot and Sir John Green they advised him to many things contrary to the Advice of his grave Council and much troubled the People and now the Irish Rebelling the King to Raise an Army Farmed the Kingdom and all his Revenues belonging thereunto for certain Years and Sailed for Ireland The Duke of Hartford who wanted no Intelligence how matters went in England looked on the Peoples Ferment and the Kings Absence to give him a very favourable advantage to shake off his Chains wherefore as privately as he might he came to England accompanied by the Banished Arch Bishop and many other trusty Friends declaring to the People he only came to take quiet Possession of his Dutchy of Lancaster which by the Death of his Father was his Undoubted Right so that Trousands flocked to him And finding how the People were bent to favour his cause he Raised a considerable Army and seized the before named Counsellours whom they Beheaded King Richard in Ireland hearing of these Stirs setled Affaires there as well as he could and hasted over with a small Army but before he could pass Wales most of them had Deserted him and then being ascertained that his Counsellours in whom he had reposed much trust to Levy Forces for him were taken off despairing of any safety to be gained by force he came to Henry Duke of Lancaster of his own accord and publickly owned his Insufficiency and Weakness to Govern well praising the Duke's rare and singular Virtues his absolute worthiness to be a King c. profering to make him an absolute Surrender of his Kingdom if he would accept of it The Politick Duke who well knew this proceeded not cordially from him but from the effects of fear and constraint however refused it for tho' he much affected the wearing of a Crown yet he thought it more advisable to receive it at this time from the Nobility Gentry and Commonalty and hereupon he caused the King with a very respective and honourable Attendance to be conveyed to the Tower and a Parliament being called in his Name Twenty Four Articles were Exhibited against him for Mismanagement and ill Conduct in Government and many henious Crimes which in his Restraint he seemed to confess and own and by an Instrument under his Hand and Seal he Resigned his Crown and Kingdom to Henry of Bullenbrook Duke of Lancaster which being publickly and generally Ratified and Approved by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons Assembled in Parliament Henry stood up and made this Challenge to the Crown viz. In the Name of God Amen I Henry of Lancaster Claim the Realm of England and the Crown with all the Appurtinances as coming by the Blood Royal from King Henry the Third and the Justice which God of his Grace hath sent me by the help of my Friends for the Recovery of the said Realm which was at the point of Perdition through default of Government and breach of Laws These words being said all the Estates acknowledged him for King and Richard was formally Deposed in the words and in manner Recited in Edward the Seconds Reign and thereupon was sent to Pomfret Castle but long he had not been there ere upon some practices of his Favourites to Reinstate him he was villanously Murthered by Sir Pierce of Exton and Eight others of whom he
been only Tools in so doing to the Papists and had carried on their Wâ—â—k for them and now that their Eyes began to be 〈◊〉 and tâ—â—â— they would be so no more they would fain have made Tâ—â—s of the Dissenters to pull down the Church of England by aggravating the ill Usage they had receiv'd from them so many Years And that now was their time to call them to an Account and be even with them for it and several of the Dissenters who were very Honest tho' mistaken Men were by these specious Pretences drawn in to joyn with them The King was so fond or his Declaration for Liberty of Conscience that he Publishes it a second time with an Injunction to have it read in all Parish-Churches and the Bishops of the respective Diocesses were to see it done But the Arch-bishop of Canterbury and several of the Bishops looking upon this as a thing contrary to Law not only refused to do it but humbly Petitioned the King to hear the Reasons why they could not comply with that Order But this was looked upon by Jefferies then Lord-Chancellor Father Peters then made one of the Privy-Council and others of the Popish Faction as a Crime next to High-Treason and therefore for their Contempt they were Committed to the Tower It was now more than a Year that had passed since the King's Declaration for Indulgence came forth and the Prince and Princeâ— of Orange having been privately sounded how they stood affected to the Test and Penal Laws they being the next Heirs to the Crown their Opinion seemed to be That the Papists should by Law have Liberty for the private Exercise of their Religion without Disturbance but that by no means the Tests should be taken off to let them in to have a share in the Government This it was that touch'd the Papists to the quick for they saw that the King was well stricken in Years and upon his Death which they knew not how soon might happen a Protestant Princess was the next Heir who would soon pull down all that Babel which they had been Building and therefore some other Provision must be made for another Popish Successor And nothing could do this so well as a young Prince of Wales during whose Minority if the Kiâ—â— should Die they might Govern themselves 〈…〉 Popery as in the days of Old This being resolv'd on the old Dâ—tchess of Modena makes hee Offering to the Lady of Loretto of whom she Implores That the Queen of England may have a Son for a Daughter would signify nothing to be Heir of the Crown of England By Vertue of these Prayers and the Queen's going down to the Bath and drinking the Waters there she was said to be Impregnated and nothing was now to be heard among the Popish Faction but drinking the Young Prince's Health even before he was Born for that it would be a Son there was no body question'd as taking it for Granted that was the Design And all things were carried on by the Faction in order to it's Birth The Princess Ann of Denmark being not very well was advis'd by her Physicians to go down to the Bath for the Recovery of her Health And the Arch bishop of Canterbury and several others of the Bishops being in the Tower and the Bishop of London suspended from his Office and other concurring Circumstances being ready it was now look'd upon to be a good time for the Queen to cry out which was accordingly so well manag'd that on Sunday the 11th of June 1688 a young Prince of Wales was said to be born Which was publish'd with so much Joy both throughout England Scotland and Ireland and by their Embassadors in all Foreign Courts that they abundantly over-acted it The great Point of a Popish Heir being thus secur'd the Popish Faction begun to go on with a high Hand turning out Dr. Hough whom the Fellows of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford had chosen for their President and all the Fellows too because they would not accept of a Papist whom the King would have impos'd upon 'em by a Mandamus in Sidney Colledge in Cambridge Father Francis was put in and in Vniversity-Colledge in Oxford Obadiah Walker the Principal declar'd himself a Papist The Head of Christ-Church put in by the King waâ— also of â—â—e same Profession Nor was any Preferment to 〈…〉 unless he were a Roman-Catholick In Scotland the â—ing had issued out a Proclamation for Tolleration in Religion recommending his Roman-Catholick Subjects particularly to the Protection of the Government there and tells them he expects his Will should be Obey'd absolutely and without Reserve But in Ireland the King would allow no Liberty of Conscience to the Protestants for they were turn'd out of all Offices and Places whatsoever And the Earl of Clarendon recalled from his Lieutenancy and Talbot who had already reformed the Army there and made it perfectly Popish was for that good Service made Earl of Tyrconnel and Deputy of Ireland Sir Charles Porter also the Lord Chancellor was turned out and one Alexander Fitton a Papist who had been fetch'd out of Goal in England and made a Knight is now made Lord-Chancellor in his place I have before told you of the Committing of the Seven Bishops to the Tower which were the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of Bath and Wells the Bishop of Bristol the Bishop of Peterborough the Bishop of Chichester the Bishop of St. Asaph â—nd the Bishop of Ely and of the Birth of the pretended Prince of Wales while they were there the Bishops having by their Habeas Corpus been set at Liberty were Tryed for a high Misdemeanour in Trinity-Term following and notwithstanding the new Modelling of the Judges and that one of then Judge All'bone was a known Papist yet Mr. Justice Powel to his lasting Honour did both Learnedly and Zealously defend their Cause so that the Jury acquitted them The publick Rejoycing that was made for the acquittal of the Bishops was not Confined to the Cities of London and Westminster but upon the News thereof being brought to Hounsloe-Heath where the Army lay the King being at that time treated by the Earl of Feversham in his Tent it was received with a general Shout throughout the whole Army the King not knowing the Reason of that Shout was very much Startled at it and sent the Earl of Feversham out to enquire the Cause who upon his Return told the King ' Tâ—â—â— nothing 〈◊〉 the Soldiers Joy for the acquittal of the Bishops To whom the King reply'd with some Discomposure And call you that Nothing This being indeed enough to let him see how vain a Design he had undertaken to set up Popery by a Protestant Army The King was now busie in modelling all the Corporations in England that send Burgesses to Parliament to get a Parliament fitted to his own Turn in order to take off the Penal Laws and Tests no other obstacle now lying in his way when on a sudden he
or Fastnesses of Wales and Cornwal which gave the Saxons by degrees an opportunity to form the several Counties their Chiefs had possessed into Kingdoms 1. Hengist the first Invader made himself King of Kent in the time of Vortigern Anno Dom. 455 erecting there the Kentish Kingdom 2. Ella a Duke of the Germans who brought fresh Supplies and Landed at Shoram in Sussex his Dominions extending through the Counties of Sussex and Surry he began his Reign Anno Dom. 488. 3. Childrick a Captain of the Low-Country Germans erected the West-Saxon Kingdom containing Cornwal Devonshire Dorcetshire Somersetshire Hampshire and Barkshire Anno Dom. 501. 4. The East Saxons Kingdom was erected by Erchenwin Anno Dom. 527 containing Essex and Middlesex 5. The Kingdom of Northumberland containing Yorkshire the Bishoprick of Durham Lancashire Westmoreland Cumberland and Nortbumberland was erected by two Saxon Chiefs viz. Ida and Ella who as Co-partners began their Reign Anno Dom. 547. 6. The Kingdom of Mercia containing Huntingtonshire Rutlandshire Lincolnshire Northamptonshire Shropshire Leicestershire Derbyshire Notinghamshire Oxfordshire Cheshire Glocestershire Warwickshire Staffordshire Buckinghamshire Bedfordshire and Hartfordshire being the largest of all was erected by Crida one of their great Captains Anno Dom. 582. 7. The Kingdom of the East-Angles containing Suffolk Norfolk Cambridgshire and the Isle of Ely was erected by Vffa who brought fresh Aids against the Britains when the Saxons were in many parts distressed Anno Dom. 575. Thus you see how this Island was coveted and strugled for by strange Nations as soon as they had tasted of its Sweetness and saw its Fertility Its Fruitfullness and abundant plenty of all things necessary for the subsistance of Mankind being a great Motive to encourage them in its Conquest and in that sense a great cause of its own Misery But ere I come to give a direct Account of the Kings that Governed these Kingdoms before they were United under a Sole Monarch and the British Princes that Opposed them in their Setling I think it necessary to say something as to what these Saxons were in their Original with a Brief Discourse of their Laws Manners Habits Customs Idolatrous Worship and other things that shall Occur suitable to History As for their Original Historians report them to have sprung from the Sacae a People in the Lesser Asia who being distressed with great Droughts and Famine sent Colonies abroad to seek more agreeable Habitations who coming into the North-East part of Europe and finding Plentiful Countries they sent for greater Forces to Enable them to settle therein and so after a long and doubtful War with the Strong Nations that bordered on Germany viz. Prusia Poland and Hungary they got possession planting their Families in the most Fruitful part of that large Region calling it Sacaesons Land or Saxony And in a short time by Warring on their Neighbours stretched their Dominions from the River Albis to the Rhine in Length and in Breadth from the German Ocean and River Oder to the Borders of Hessia and Turingia But the Country held at present by the Dukes of Saxony is crouded into a narrower compass having lost by its Neighbours incroachments much of its former Extension Their Leader in this Expedition was one Tuysco whom for his Valiant Exploits and giving them Laws to Govern by they stiled a God seting his Image on a Pillar in the Figure of an Aged Man in flowing Robes of Purple holding a Scepter in his Hand signifying he was the first Establisher and Governour of their European Dominions and ascribed to him a Day in the Week by the Name of Tuysco's Day and now by us called Tuesday The Idols of the Ancient Saxons Sun Moone Tuysco Woden The Idol of the Sun was made as here Appeareth lile half a naked man set upon a Piller his face like the Image of the Sun The Idol of the Moon made for a Woman but had a short coat like a man w th a cap with a larg eares the holding the Moon before her brest The Idol Tuysco the first and Chiefest man of name among the Germans The Idol Woden after the name of a most valient and Victorious Prince Captain his Idol was worshipped like God As for their Laws or Customs They Punished Robbers and Adulterers with Death Their Virgins were permitted to be Marry'd but Once and their Men restrained from Plurality of Wives unless the Chief of their Tribes for the sake of Children to keep up their Names and Families tho Barrenness was accounted among them an immediate Curse from their Gods If any great Difference arose among them it was usually decided by Champions in single Combate As for their Worship or Religion upon their first coming over and a long time after it was pay'd to Idols of which they had many and with their Abominations and Heathenish Sacrifices they poluted the Christian Churches and Temples grievously Afflicting and Persecuting the Mournful Christians making them to Wander in Desolate Places 1. They set up the Image or Idol of the Sun in the form of half a naked Man on a Pillar with Rays or Sun-beams about his Face holding in his two Hands before his Breast a Wheel of Circling Flame representing the Element of Fire and this Image was Worshiped on the day attributed to it viz. Sunday And Offerings made of Wheat and other products of the Earth in its Temple 2. They had another Idol to represent the Moon having the Face of a Woman a short Coat to the midle of the Thighs and a Hood with long Ears holding the Figure of the Moon in its Encrease with both her Hands before her Breast and to it they did Nightly Sacrifice in Groves and Mountains This Idol claimed peculiar Devotions on her day called Moonday 3. Tuysco who claimed Veneration on Tuesday which I have already described his Feast was kept every third Moon with Songs declaring his Actions with Dancing and much Jollitry 4. Woden this Idol was set up in Memory of one of their Victorious Princes who had Fought successfully against the Huns and Lumbards who entered Germany in the wain of the Roman Empire They placed him in King-like State on a Pillar a Crown on his Head and a Shield on his Left Arm holding up a Sword in his Right Hand To him they Offered Humane Sacrifice of the Tenth Captives taken in War and forbid any to Name him unless with Reverence and profound Respect ascribing to him a day viz. Wodensday now Wednesday and Lamps were always Burning before his Shrine The Idols of the Ancient Saxons Thor Friga Seater Flint This Idol was Majestically placed upon a Covered bed on his head a Crown of Gold This Idol Represents both sexes as Hermophrodite in her Right hand she held a drawn sword in her left a Bow This Idol was placed on a Pearch with a sharp prickled back bare headed and bare footed This Idol was set on a great Stone made like the Image of Death with a sheet
about him 6. Friga or Frea was Wodens Queen upon the account of Chastity and other Virtues after her Death they set up an Idol in her Likeness on a Pillar resembling Diana compleatly Armed to the Waste with a Bow and a Sword and to her were often Sacrificed those Females that had Violated their Virgin-Chastity Some Authors allow her to have been Expert in Arms by whose Prowess the Antient Saxons extended their German Territories and to her was Dedicated the Sixth Day called then Frea's-Day now Fryday 7. Seater This Idol was placed in the shape of an Old Man on a Pillar treading with his bare Feet on a Pearch with sharp pricks on its Back holding in his Right Hand a Basket of Fruits signifying Plenty and in his Left a Wheel signifying Time when we ought to be careful in laying up our Stores to prevent Scarcity He was held in his Life time to be a great Prophet and Astrologer telling things to come and Teaching the Saxons the Course of the Sun Moon and Stars and to him they Prayed for Knowledge Wisdom and hopeful Children Spring and Fall they Offered Fruits to him and strewed the way to his Temple with Flowers For his Worship they appointed the Seventh Day of the Week calling it Sater's Day now Saturday They had another Idol resembling the Image of Death with Flowing Crimson Robes holding a Lighted Torch in his Right Hand and a Lion Rampant on his Head by the Left Foot with his Left Hand He was placed on a Tomb or Grave-stone to put them in mind of Mortality and to shew Deaths Obduracy and Inexorableness they called him Flint Before his Shrine which was set in a large place Walled about without any Covering they Executed or Sacrificed Offenders for Extraordinary Crimes by Fire Racks and other Exquisit Tortures Having thus given you a Brief Description of the Original and Manners of the Antient Saxons before their coming into this Island I should now proceed to give you an Account of the Succession of their several Kings here during the time of their Heptarchy or Seven Kingdoms until King Edgar overcoming and subduing all the rest reduc'd it again to a Monarchy But that shall be the business of the next Chapter CHAP. V. The Succession of the Petty Monarchs of the Kentish South-Saxon and East-Saxon Kingdoms with what Remarkably Happen'd during their respective Reigns in Peace and War The Time when they Began and Ended them with the Limits of their Dominions 1. Of the Kingdom of Kent and the Succession of its seventeen Kings HEngist the first Saxon Invader as is formerly noted setled Himself and his People in the County of Kent a Fertil part of England large in Extent bounded on the North with the River Thames by which it is divided from Essex on the East with the Channel on the West with Surry and on the South with Sussex He began to Erect a Saxon Kingdom there Anno Dom. 455 and had during his Thirty Four years Reign continual War with the Britains his Brother Horsa Dying of the Wounds he received in Battel gave Name to a place called Horsa's Tomb now corruptly called Horsted where he was Buried and had a famous Monument erected over his Grave the Ruins of which some Hundred Years since were visible It is held by Authors of great repute those Stones of a prodigious bigness on Salisbury Plain which have created Admiration in the Beholders were erected as a Monument where he caused the British Nobles to be Treacherously Slain by which means he gained his design on this Kingdom making way to its Subjection for indeed they are commonly to this day called Stone Hing or Hengist Stones They appear to have been a Treble Row of Stones circularly placed one within another Twenty Eight Foot long for the most part and Seven Foot broad viz. those that are reared upright besides others of prodigious bigness that lie overthwart from one to another and are fastned with Tenents and Mortises but at this day the Form of this Wonderful Structure is very much defaced some of the greater Stones being either faln or reclining towards the Earth Eske by some called Osea succeeded Hengist in the Kingdom of Kent a Man much inferiour to him in Valour and Conduct therefore to make the People if possible to forget what they were that he might live the more at Ease he Tollerated such of the Câ—nti as would to live among his Saxons on condition they would take upon them the Name or Epithite of Eskins and though he Reigned Twenty Four Years nothing very Memorable is Recorded of him in History for the other Saxon Princes in setling their Kingdoms Screening him from the Incursions of the Britains and making the seat of War in the Northern and Western Counties he had for the most part a Peaceable Reign Octa the Third King of Kent began his Reign Anno Dom. 513 he provided prudent and wholsom Laws for the Goverment of his People Built several Castles on the Sea-Coast and the Inland Frontiers commanded the Pagan Idolatries to be strictly Observed and Christianity to be Extirpated sheding much Innocent Blood on that occasion In his time strange sights were seen of Dragons Lions and other furious wild Beasts Fighting in the Air. In the West of Kent it Rained Wheat and soon after great Drops of Blood upon which ensued extream Dearth succeeded by much Bloodshed between his People and the South Saxon borders about setling their Territories at the latter end of his Reign which continued Twenty Years Imerick began his Reign Anno Dom. 533 He made an Edict That Strangrs should be Curteously Entertained and caused Houses of Publick Resort to be built on the Roads and the Highways to be Mended and made Passable at the Publick Charge building Watch-Towers on the Sea-Coasts and setting Lights in them for the guidance of Saylors He restrained the severity against the Christians and is numbered among the good Saxon Kings in his time was the Second General Council held at Constantinople for all Christendom Anno Dom. 553. He Reigned Twenty Nine Years during which space nothing Memorable of any Warlike Actions are Recorded of him Ethelbert The Fifth King of Kent began his Reign 562 He had not long Reigned before Cheuline King of the West Saxons raised an Army against him to Oppose whom he Mustered great Forces and at Wimbleton both Hosts joyned Battel where Ethelbert lost the day Two of his Dukes and Five Thousand of his People being Slain and this is Recorded to be the first Open War among the Saxon Kings However a Peace was soon after concluded and Gregory Arch-Deacon of Rome seeing some fair Youths of this Island standing in the Market of that City to be Sold he demanded from whence they were and being told from Britain out of a Province called Deira he sighing said when he understood Paganisme predominated Ah it is great pity but their Country should be Delivered Ira Dei from the Wrath of
Anno Dom. 674. He had Wars with Wolfere King of Mercia and a great Battel was Fought between them at Bidamheaford which continued so Obstinate from Morning till Evening that both the Kings perceiving the great Loss they had sustained in the Night time they raised their Camps and secretly Retreated as being mutually possessed with a fear of the direful consequences they apprehended would attend the next days Encounter He afterward Warred on the Britains but his short Reign affords us no Memorable Achievement in that Enterprize it continuing only Two Years Kentwin the Ninth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 677 continuing the War on the Britains sorely Oppressing them in all the Neighbouring Counties in the latter end of the Reign of Cadwallo their King which he continued after the Death of that British Prince so that Cadwallader his Son coming to the Crown found himself constrained to draw his People into a lesser compass having at last little more at liberty than the Mountains and some Valleys being perpetually Alarmed on the Frontiers so that Blood was daily spilt like Water This Kentwin Reigned Nine Years A Blazing Sar of a Whitish or Flame-Colour appeared in his time for three Months with a Taile of exceeding length far longer than before had been Recorded in any Age. Ceadwald the Tenth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 686. He made War on the South Saxons and in a set Battel slew Ethelwolf their King and continuing to prosecute his Ravages in that Country and Kent he spilt much Christian Blood Encountering Barthun Successor to Ethelwolf he likewise slew him in Battel after which repenting what he had done he went to Rome and was there Baptized by Pope Sergius and Named Peter His Reign continued Two Years and odd Days Ine or Ineas the Eleventh King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 688. In his time the poor Britains were sorely Oppressed with War Famine and Pestilence so that the Living were scarce able to Bury the Dead which great Calamity Cadwallader not able to bear left the Land and went to Armorica or Britany to his Cousin Allan and from thence in Pilgrimage to Rome and received a Religious Habit at the Hands of Pope Sergius in which Retirement he Dyed and with him all the hopes of the Britains he being accounted the Last of their Kings the rest being stiled by Authentick Historians only Princes of Wales This Ine made the South Saxons to Submit and annexed that Kingdom to his own He likewise Warred with various success on Chelred King of Mercia and made many wholsom Laws for the good of his People Translated by Mr. Lambert out of the Saxon Language He Founded the Abby of Glassenbury over the Tomb or Burying-place of Joseph of Arimathea who begged our Saviours Body from the Cross and afterwards as several Authors report came over into this Kingdom Preaching the Gospel to the Britains and Dying was Buried at Glassenbury This King afterward went a Pilgrimage to Rome and for the good reception he found there he made a Law That every Housholder who had Goods to the Value of Twenty Pence of One Sort should pay a Penny by way of Gratuity to the Pope every Lammas Day which afterward was Claimed by succeeding Popes by way of Tribute and called Peter Pence He Reigned Thirty Seven Years Ethellard the Twelfth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 726 being in a manner ushered in by two Blazing Stars both within a quarter of a Year one at North-West and the other at South-East after which a Famine and Pestilence grievously Afflicted all parts of this Island so that Shiping was sent abroad to fetch in Food in Exchange for Metals and other valuable Goods He streightened the Britains in their Mountanous Country and caused many to be slain who passed the appointed Boundaries He Reigned Fourteen Years Cuthred the Thirteenth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 740 when finding the Britains had gathered Courage by the coming over of Recruits from Armorica or Britany with which Country as an antient Collony of this they kept a strict Allyance after several Battels fought with them in Worcestershire Monmouthshire and other bordering Counties which they laboured to recover he at last in many Encounters proving too weak Leagued with Ethelbald King of Mercia and by that means the Britains were beaten out of most of the places they had gained and being Overthrown in Battel near Carnarvan they found themselves unable to make head against the Victors by reason half their Army most of their Nobles and chief Commanders were slain so that they sued for Peace which after much havock and desolation in their Mountainous Country by the pursuing Saxons was granted in consideration of an Annual Tribute of Three Thousand Marks to be payed to Cuthred but it was not long punctually observed before new Tumults and Disturbances happened for Adelm an Earl of the West Saxons Rebelling against his King and drawing a multitude of the Plebeans to his Party the Britains took that opportunity to cast off their Yoak This Cuthred Reigned Fourteen Years Sigesburt the Fourteenth King of the West Saxons assumed the Throne Anno Dom. 754 and being brought up tenderly in his Infancy and in his Grown Years addicting himself to the conversation of Parasites Flatterers and other Vicious Persons it so corrupted his Manners that by the Advice of such his wicked Counsellours who chiefly Swayed him he caused Earl Cumbria to be put to Death with great Torture For Daring as he himself Expressed it to tell him of his Failings and Defects in his Kingly Office But this Earl being a grave Patriot and a Man of Unblameable Life was so generally beloved by the People that his Death cost Sigesbert his Crown and Life for hereupon they rose up in Arms against him defeated those that stood by him and drove him into a Wood in Dorcetshire where he absconded till he supposed the heat of the Pursuit and Popular Fury was abated but being found by the Earls Swineheard Breakfasting on Acorns under a spreading Oake he with a Battoon beat out his Braines in revenge of his Masters Death no intreaties or promises of reward being able to deter him from this bloody Execution His Reign continued about a Year Kenwolf the Fifteenth King of the West Saxons began his Reign Anno Dom. 755 and had no sooner settled the Government which by reason of Intestine Broyles and the untimely Death of a King was much disordered than he prepared to Invade the Britains but upon their sending to excuse the non Payment of the Tribute on the account of their extream Poverty caused by a Famine that had held two Years in their Country so that the Poorer sort left no Unclean thing un-eaten His preparations were for a time layed aside but some stragling Parties of Britains constrained by Necessity making Incursions into the Saxon Counties War was
many Years Elbowed each other and discontented with a Part strugled who should become Masters of the Whole and Amass the Light Crowns into one more Ponderous we find Fortune or rather Providence gave this advantage to Egbert the Seventeenth King of the West Saxons though to attain it he waded as I may term it through a Sea of Blood in his Wars with the Welsh for so I must henceforth stile the poor remainders of the Antient British Race as taking upon them that Epithite and calling their Principality Wales after the Name the Saxons had many Years before given it also with the Cornishmen who Rebelled against him and were assisted with Supplies from Armorica or Britany in France in his Wars against Bernulf King of Mercia and his subduing the Kingdom of Kent and compelling the East South and Angle Saxons to submit to him In these Enterprizes which took him up for the most part the Nineteen Years he Reigned as Petty Monarch over the West Saxons about one Hundred Thousand are held to be Slain on all sides so that the Crown purchased at so large an expence of Lives being set on his Head as has been said at Winchester he commanded the Name of Saxons to be changed into that of Englishmen corresponding with the Name given to the Country they Inhabited That by this change they by degrees might forget the Distinctions they before were under and so firmly Unite as one Kingdom and People not tending to different but one and the same Interest This Egbert gaining through many difficulties what he long before aspired to made divers good Laws for the better Establishment of his new acquired Soveraignty so that the Welsh though they put not themselves under his Protection yet desirous to be at Peace sent him many Presents out of their divided Dominions of North and South Wales which Provincees for no more must I call them Kingdoms were Governed by Petty Princes After this Egbert made a Progress through the greatest part of England appointing Judges and other Magistrates to see the Laws put in Execution against Offenders and to redress the Wrongs and Grievances of such as were Oppressed being received every where with great respect and then thinking to lead a quiet Life he found by sad experience the Inconstancy of Fortune BARKSHIRE Having promised to give a Brief Description of England and its Rarities c. To make good my Word I conceive no better Method to do it in than placing the Counties and what I find in them worthy of Remark after the respective Reign of each Sole Monarch taking them Alphabetically and first of Barkshire Described c. THis County is bounded on the North with part of Oxfordshire and part of Buckinghamshire on the East with part of Middlesex and part of Surry on the South with Hampshire and partly on the West with Wiltshire It is Rich in Clothworking Fat Pasture abundance of Cattle rare Artificers Rivers stored with Fish of divers sorts particularly the River Kennet abounds with Trouts It Containes 140 Parishes 20 Hundreds 12 Market Towns and 3 Rivers of note and to the Parliament Abingdon sends one Member New Windsor two Reading two and Wallingford two besides two Knights of the Shire The Towns Memorable for things of Note are these viz. At Reading was Interred the Body of King Henry the First in a Collegiate Church of an Abby Founded by himself as also his Queen and Daughter Maud the Empress This place is also Memorable for the Birth of William Laud Arch Bishop of Canterbury the Son of a Poor Clothier At Englesfield the Danes were defeated Wallingford is the Gallena of Ptolomy it was the Antient station of the Romans and chief City of the Atrebants Windsor was Builded by King Edward the Third who Instituted the most Noble Order of the Garter The Burying Place of Henry the Sixth Edward the Fourth Henry the Eighth and King Charles the First Eaton was Founded by King Henry the Sixth and Renouned as a Nursery for bringing up of Youth being one of the chiefest Free-Schools in England Sunning was an Episcopal See during the Residence of Eight Bishops which afterward was translated to Sherbourn and so to Salisbury where it now is fixed At Wantage King Alfred Sir Named the Scourge of the Danes was Born Waltham in the East of this County was an Antient station of the Romans as also was Sinodum in the North as appears by many Roman Coins and Medals of their Emperours Digged up there Newbury is Renowned for the Birth of Thomas Hide a famous Historian and Memorable for the Two great Battels between the King and Parliament in the late Civil War As for Castles that of Windsor in this County is accounted the most Exalted of all others having not only been the Burying Place but Pallace of divers Kings and much delighted in by King Charles the Second who made it his chosen place of Pleasure and Retirement being besides its delightful situation advanced on a high Hill arising with a gradual ascent which affords the pleasantest Prospect imaginable On the North side of this County the River Thames glides washing its verdant Banks in many Meanderings with its Silver Streams and out of it goes many Creeks which much advantages those parts of the County by cheap Water-Carriage from London and other places It is likewise Beautified with some Seats of the Nobility which give a good Prospect to Travelers viz. A Noble Seat of the Earl of Craven near Newbery the Earle of Clarendon's at Swallowfield Hurly belonging to John Late Lord Lovelace Barron of Hurley with a great many stately Houses belonging to the Gentry of the County so that it claimes an Equality with most of the English Counties The Reign of Ethelwolf the Second Sole Monarch of England c. EThelwolf the Eldest Son of Egbert upon his Fathers decease declined the Crown as being then Bishop of Winchester rather affecting a Religious Peaceable Life than to Incumber himself with the weighty Affairs of Government But the Nobles perceiving Troubles would arise if they altered the Succession used many cogent Arguments to perswade him to lay aside his Pall for a Crown but their Reasons prevailed not till they had dealt with his Clergy in a manner to constrain him to a compliance whereupon bestowing his Bishoprick on Swithin his Tutor he was solemnly Crowned at Winchester and settling the Civil Affairs as the times allowed finding part of his Dominions Oppressed by the Danes he raised great Forces and Encountered them in divers Battels and in a Bloody one at Ockly in Surry destroyed the greater part of their Army killing and taking Prisoners their chief Captains or Leaders which made the routed Danes that survived the Fatal day retired to the extremities of Kent where straightened for Food and roving to get it many of them were slain by the Country People This King Marryed Osburga a fair Lady Daughter to his Butler by whom he had Ethelbald Ethelbert Ethelbred and Elfride
Sirnamed the Conquerer AFter the Victory obtained at Battel-Field by the Normans over the English and King Harrold Slain as has been mentioned in the former Chapter Duke William designed for London yet taking a great compass wasting as he Marched the Counties of Sussex Kent Surry Hampshire and Barkshire by whose Spoiles he Inriched his Normans Then crossing the Thames at Wallingford and so in the like manner the Counties of Oxford Buckingham c. At Burhamsted he made a stop as being assured by this time the English Forces were dispersed and in no condition to oppose him and hither repaired Aldred Arch Bishop of York Wolstan Bishop of Winchester Walter Bishop of Hereford The Earls Edwin and Morcar with Edgar Etheling the True Heir to the Crown paying Homage and Allegiance to him and entreating him seeing it was not in their power to prevent it That he would take upon him the Administration of the Government and be Gracious in his Clemency to the People of England And so passing to London he was on Christmas-Day Anno Dom. 1066 Crowned at Westminster by Aldred Arch-Bishop of York Being thus settled in the Throne by the Fortune of a Battel he studied how to secure the Realm more firmly to him as knowing the English submitted not out of any hearty good will whereupon he Fortified the Cinque-Ports laying his claim to the Kingdom by Right of Conquest as having indeed no other reasonable one to Pretend to And to secure it he used the following Policy 1. He seized the chief Offices both of Honour and Profit and conferred them on his Normans and as a Recompence to such others as had Aided him in the War 2. He made the Natives give Hostages of the best and dearest esteem to secure their Fidelities especially such as were either Honourable or Potent 3. To lessen the Authority of the Clergy among the People he barred them of all Temporal Command or Jurisdiction 4. He caused the Natives to be Disarmed to prevent Insurrections 5. He debared them from frequent and common Meetings especially in the Night to prevent their confering and Conspiring against him for the Recovery of their common Liberty causing a Bell to be Rung in every City Town and Village at Eight in the Evening whereupon all Englishmen were enjoyned to put out their Fire and Candle and keep within their Houses under great Penalties and this was and is yet called Cover le Feu the raking up or out of the Fire 6. To lessen the Nobility he sent them to his Wars beyond the Seas not to return without orders and little or no Praise or Reward was given them though they Valiantly behaved themselves The like he did with the Meaner Sort whom he found any ways Active compelling them from their Wives and Children to Fight Abroad whilst they Languished at Home for Food and found little support 7. As a strong curb he erected Forts and Castles in sundry places putting Normans as Commanders into them who grievously Oppressed the People yet they durst not openly repine against it because they found there was no Redress to be had from the King but their Complaints were charged upon them as Mutinies and many Punished who privately Murmured at their hard Usage and finding the Clergy were the Richest he fell upon them first taking away the Plate and Ornaments that had been Consecrated to Holy Vses Alledging That Thieves Traitors and Rebels had Lodged them under their Protection to defraud him of his Forfeitures and secretly to support themselves to raise a Rebellion when they saw fit opportunity 8. He caused Laws to be made in the Norman Language whereupon though Ignorant of them many Transgressed who were for the smallest Offence Imprisoned and forced to redeem themselves to their undoing Disallowing the Patents and Grants of former Kings and publishing them to be meerly void so that by this he raised great sums for Renewing them and those that could not raise Money the Normans and other Strangers had their Honours Trusts and Estates held in Fee of the Crown bestowed on them 9. He caused all the Lands to be viewed Measured and Taxed at an unusual value by which means he got great Wealth but Impoverished the People as was chiefly intended by it 10. He Erected many Courts of Judicature for puting in execution his New Laws and ordered his Judges to follow his Court upon his Removes by which means he tired out the English Nation with Extraordinary Troubles and Excessive Charges in the prosecution of their Suits And to make an easie way for more French and Normans to come over if the English should happen to Rebel he layed the Churches Towns nnd Villages next to the Sea Coast in Hampshire waste for Sixty Miles in circumferance under pretence of making a New Forrest for his Pleasure in Hunting where as a Judgment for those Dilapidations and ruining so many Families William Rufus his Son and Successor was slain as in his Reign will more at large appear He Seized likwise all the Forrests and Chaces of England into his hands and made severe Laws against those that should kill or disturbe his Game Punishing them with the loss of Eyes Limbs and the like 11. He gave Territories and spacious Field to his Favorites who divided them into Farms for their particular use and the residue they Leased at Yearly Rents to their Servants thereby creating Mannors and entituling themselves the Lords of them He divided the Lands into Hydes every Hyde containing 20 Acres Eight of which was a Knights Fee the Tenures which he reserved were Knights Service in Capite and those that so held were enjoyned to do him Service in his Wars or to his Person when required for the performance of which he took Oaths of them in Publick Courts and by reason hereof he disposed of the Bodies of the Heirs in Marriage as he listed retained in his Custody and Wardship and converted to his own use their whole Inheritance till they accomplished the Age of 21 Years and by his Example others of great Possessions did the like which has in some cases given a bad Example to this day Thus have I shewed you as in a Map the Model or Description of a rigorous and sharp Government under a Conquering Power to which low Ebb of Misfortunes it ought to be every Good Mans Wish and Prayer this flourishing Kingdom may never sink again But to proceed The Conquerer thinking now he had shackled all secure undertook a Progress to view Dover to give orders for Repairing the Castle and Strengthen more than ever the Sea Coast to prevent Invasions from the Low Countries whither many of the English Nobility were fled and having but a small number with him for his Guard coming near Canterbury he was all on a suddain Surprized by as he thought a Walking Wood For the Kentishmen having notice of his coming at the perswasion of Stigand Arch Bishop of Canterbury a second Judas Maccabeus for his Countries wellfare and
the Christian Princes had Elected him and hasted home yet left most of his Troops behind him But by means of his Absence Henry his Youngest Brother so cunningly dealt with the English and Normans that he got much into their Favour and the more because he was Born in England after his Father was Crowned King and for as much as he was of a mild disposition many Princely Virtues making it apparent that his Government would be accompanied with many Honourable Atchievements Gratful Safe and Profitable to the Church and Commonweal so that all things working to his Advancement He was Crowned at Westminster by Maurice Bishop of London Anselm Arch Bishop of Canterbury being Absent on Sunday the 5th of August Anno Dom. 1100 but before his Coronation the Nobles constrained him to Swear he would Ease the People of the oppressing Taxes and other Grievances and Restore to the English the use of Lights and Fire in their Houses which they had been denied for the most part after the Ringing the Evening Bell for the space of 33 Years After his Coronation to make him more Easie in the Throne he caused the Great Seal to pass on several wholsom Laws Subscribing them with his Name and commanded divers of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal to do the like and caused Copies of them to be sent into every County to be kept in the County Courts The Heads of the Laws were in these Branchâ—s 1. That the Church should be free from Oppressions and Reservation of their Possessions upon vacancy 2. That the Heirs of the Nobility should Possess the Lands of their Fathers without Redemption from the King which Favour likewise should be Granted by the Nobles to their Tennants 3. That the Gentry might give in Marriage their Daughters and Kinswomen without the Kings License so it were not to the Kings Enemies 4. That the Widow should have the Jointure and not against her Consent be compelled to a second Marriage 5. That the Mother or the next of Kin should be Guardian of the Lands of their Children 6. That Coiners of False and Counterfeit Money should be Capitally Punished and a Measure to the Length of the Kings Arm should be a Standard of Commerce among the People And 7. That all Debts to the Crown before his coming to it should be forgiven and all Murthers before the day of his Coronation to be Pardoned With other such like Indulgences He also at this time Confirmed King Edward the Confessor's Laws Now tho' this went a great way with the People who found themselves easie in these Concessions he yet used other Policies as expecting a storm from the Norman Coast as soon as Duke Robert should Arrive whom he had notice by his Espialls was on his way for having Seized on the plentiful heaps of the last Kings Treasure he Liberally disposed of it among such of his Subjects as he knew would stand him in the greatest stead if things should come to Extremity Then he placed the more Popular Nobles in the chief Offices of State and satisfied the Leading Gentry with Titles of Honour and Places of a lower station absolutely acquitting the People forever from the Tax of Dane Gelt it having been much lessened in the former Reign and from all other Demands and unjust Payments Imposed on them by the two former Kings giving leave to the Nobles and Gentlemen for their Recreation to Inclose Parks for their Deer and free Warrens for their Conies Hares and such like Game And as Traytors to his Virtues State and Kingly Government he Exiled from his Presence and Court Sycophants Parasites Flatterers Niceness in Behaviour Lascivious Conversation Sumptuousness in Apparel Superfluity in Diet c. He made it Death for any to Robb on the Highways and with Indefatigable Endeavours he Corrected and Reformed the Monstrous Pride Intollerable Covetousness Secure Negligence and Sloath of the Clergy Yet the better to please them he Recalled Ansâ—â— from Banishment and Restored him to his Arch Bishoprick of Canterbury giving him full Power to Assemble Convocations and Synods at his pleasure and for the amendment of such Irregularities as were insufferable in the Church he left it wholly to the Pope as also to Invest Bishops by giving them the Ring Cross and Pastoral Staff All such Ecclesestical Promotions and Dignities as by the Lewd Advice and Councel of Reynulph Bishop of Durham his Predecessor had Seized in his hands and converted to his use he voluntarily restored and conferred on honest and grave learned Men and Committed the Bishop of Durham a Prisoner to the Tower of London from whence he Escaped and going for Normandy earnestly Incited Duke Robert by many moving Orations to Invade England who prone enough of himself so harkened to him and relying on the Aids he had promised him here on his Landing raised a great Army of which Henry having timely notice thought fit yet to strengthen himself more by Marriage and in order to it he took to Wife Maud Sister to Edgar King of Scots who was Daughter to Malcolm by Margaret Sister to Edgar Etheling and Daughter to King Edward the Son of Edmund Ironside the Victorious Saxon King These Nuptials were no sooner consummated and a firm League made with Scotland but Duke Robert Landed his Army at Portsmouth which put the English into apprehensions of being involved in a doubtful War but this threatening storm was soon blown over by the discreet mediation and counsel of Friends on both sides so that a friendly Peace ensued between the two Brothers upon such like Conditions as had been Agreed on in William Rufus's Days whereat the Norman Lords were much displeased and returned discontented with the Duke so that the King fearing he would not long rest contented with the Agreement resolved to be beforehand with him and therefore raising a gallant Army he Sailed to Normandy and was joyned by many of the discontented Nobles giving the Duke two great Overthrows After which he being in a manner forsaken shifted from place to place when in the mean while the King pressing his good Fortune won the strong Cities of Roan Caen Valois and others and putting them in trusty hands returned for England where he was received in Triumph The Duke perceiving his Fortune grew worse and worse those that he most Trusted growing Treacherous and betraying his Councils to the King as being Bribed so to do by which means he was almost stripped of his Dutchy of Normandy he Resolved to make an adventurous Experiment and in order to it came privately into England and humbly submitted himself to his Brother leaving it in his discretion to dispose of him and his Dutchy as he pleased but the King desirous to Annex Normandy to his own Dominions turned from him in a slighting manner and commanded him out of his presence which great Indignity roused the Dukes Courage so that in a great Rage he flung out of the Court and returned to Normandy resolving rather to dye by
to rage in their destruction and consumed with Fire all the places in his March making such a desolation as had not been known in that Country for many hundred Years and by so mighty a Terror having Quieted these People he returned with great Spoil and was joyfully received at London Where Assembling the Nobles he desired a Supply to enable him to Marry his Daughter Maud to the Emperour Henry who had demanded her in Marriage which they granted and it was Leavied in the nature of a Tax on Lands being called Aid pur file Marrier and the same custom for the Marriage of the Eldest Daughters of the Kings of this Realm was a long time continued and may yet be practised on the like Emergency At the same time he devised and ordered the manner and fashion of a High Court of Parliament appointing it to consist of the Three Estates of which himself was the Head so that the Laws being made by the consent of all were highly pleasing to the People This happy beginning of a Good Constitution of Government was First Established at Salisbury in April Anno Dom. 1114 some Authors have it 1116. However it has proved by the continuance and great Improvement of Parliaments happy for England to this day seeing to those August Assemblies we owe the well founding of the best constituted Government it the World Soon after this the King hoping in some measure to repair the loss of his Children Drowned as has been recited Married Adilicia Daughter to Godfrey first Duke of Lovain And Pope Calixtus the Second came to him in Normandy in hopes to perswade him not to meddle in matters belonging to Ecclesiastical Affairs but neither Flattery Threats or Perswasion could work the King to a compliance with his desires and at this meeting two Youths Sons to the Earl of Mellent and Servants to the King Disputing with two of the Popes Cardinals with Logical Sylogisms so Nonplus'd them that they were compelled to own their Ignorance About Three Years after Pope Honorius the Second sent Cardinal Cremensis to certifie the abuses of the Married Clergy and to that purpose he made a long Oration in a large Assembly of Priests and others in praise of Chastity and dispraise of Vnlawful Lust for so he termed that of the Married Priests with their Wives but being narrowly watched by some of them he was by a Publick Officer taken in Bed the same Night with a common Strumpet and so loaden with Shame compelled to return to his Master without Success Yet the King preferring Thurston one of his Chaplains to the Arch Bishoprick of York the Proud Priest refused to Swear Obedience to the See of Canterbury which his Predecessors had both Sworn and performed and Appealing to Rome the King permited the Pope to dispense with his Obedience to that See but he proceeding further to give him the Investure of Arch Bishop by delivering him the Pall Ring and Cross the King was so much displeased that he prohibited his return but in the end the Popes Threatnings Menacing nothing but Curses Excomunications and Suspensions he had leave to Enjoy the Dignity of the Archiepiscopal See least evil affected Persons taking advantage of the Difference might raise Commotions to disturb the Quiet of the Kingdom And soon after one Arnold in a Divinity Lecture at Oxford for Preaching against the Pride of the Prelates and Dissolute and Wicked Lives of the Priests was Assassinated and found Dead with near a Hundred Wounds in his Head Face and other Parts In the 27th Year of this Kings Reign Dyed the Emperour Henry the Fifth of Germany not leaving any Issue by Maud his Empress whereupon the King to strengthen his Interest against France Married her to Geoffrey Plantagenet Son and Heir Apparent to Foulk then Earl of Anjou by whom she had Issue Henry afterward King of England Geoffery and William This fair Ofspring enriched the King with the truest endowment of Content for that as he conceived he saw in them the long continuance of his Line in possessing the Crown of this Realm and to make it the more certain and sure to them he took three sollemn Oaths in the space of five Years of all the Nobility and chief Men of the Kingdom That with their best Advice and with the hazzard of their Goods Lands Lives and Fortunes they should Support and Maintain the Succession of his Daughter and her Heirs And so growing in Years he went over to Normandy to do the like there and settle his Affaires but Eating Lamprys at the Town of St. Dennis he Surfeited on them and after a short Sickness Dyed This King was accounted Wise Learned Mild and Just beyond most of his Predecessors more enclined to Peace than War extending his Bounty to such as merited it by Publick Service confining his Gifts within the limits of Thrift and Measure He was a gentle Friend but a stuborn Enemy He had several Children by his Concubins which he promoted to Honours and Places of Trust He Erected the two Bishopricks Ely and Carlisâ—le and Founded the Monastries of Shirbourn Circester the Priory at Dunstable and the Abby of Reading in Barkshire where he was Intered in a stately Tomb. He began his Reign Wednesday the First of August Anno Dom. 1100 and Reigned 35 Years 4 Months and 1 Day and was the 33d Sole Monarch of England In the 16th Year of his Reign great Thunders Lightenings and Hail happened in December doing much harm and the Moon for two Nights appeared of the Colour of Blood in October the same Year the Thames was so Dry that the People passed at the Tower and almost as far as the Bridge to the other side on Foot In the 33d Year of his Reign happened so great an Eclips of the Sun that at Noon-day the Stars plainly appeared and about two days after there was a terrible Earthquake and the same Year happened a dreadful Fire in London which consumed it from the West End of Cheapside to Aldgate and the nex Year Worcester and Rochester were Accidentally Burnt and a little before his Death a Blazing Star with a Bushy Tail of the colour of Blood appeared at South West Twelve Nights successively Remarks on Northamptonshire c. NOrthamptonshire is a pleasant Inland County held to be Situate in the Middle of the Kingdom being mostly Inclosure affording store of Corn Pease Fruits good Pasturs and larg Cattle Sheep and Foul in abundance divers Parks stored with Deer and much Fish It contains in it one City viz. Peterborough which is a Bishops See tho' Northampton is the Shire Town It is divided into 20 Hundreds and in them 326 Parishes 13 Market Towns and 5 Rivers It is Bounded with Cambridgshire Huntingtonshire Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire Warwickshire Leicestershire and Lincolnshire sends Members to Parliament 9 viz. 2 Knights of the Shire Peterborough 2 Northampton 2 Brackley 2 Higham Ferries 1. NORTHAMTON SHIRE Oundle or Houndhill is famous for a Well wherein at certain
joyntly with Coventry the Cathedral was Builded by Oswin King of Northumberland upon a Conquest gained over the Mercians and here Wulferre and Celred two Saxon Kings were Buried It was for some time an Arch Bishoprick by the means of King Offa. At Blore Heath in this County a Battel was Fought between the two Houses of York and Lancaster and 2400 of the Yorkists slain STAFFORD SHIRE The Seats of the Nobility are Blore Hall belonging to the Noble Family of Newcastle Newborough to the Earl of Bridgwater Cherley Castle to the Lord Ferrers Throwley to the Lord Cromwell Beudesert and Seaney Park to the Lord Paget Rolleston to the Lord North and Grey Gerards Brumley Sandon and Wislow to the Lord Gerard of Brumley Hamstal Ridware to the Lord Leigh Dudley Castle and Hinley to the Lord Ward Litchfield Close and Eccleshal Castle to the Bishop of Litchfield and Coventry The Houses of the Gentry are likewise many and spacious The Reign of RICHARD the Second commonly called Richard of Bourdeaux RICHARD the Second Son and Heir to Edward the Black Prince was Crowned Anno 1377 not much exceeding 11 Years in Age so that Charles the French King taking advantage of his Minority set out a great Fleet Sack't and Burnt the Towns of Dartmouth Plimouth Portsmouth Hastings Rie and others on the Sea-Coast of England but after they had roamed up and down doing great Mischief for three Weeks they were beaten off with considerable Loss by Edmund Earl of Cambridge the Kings Unkle and others nor were the Scots Incited by the French King less troublesom Burning Roxborough and taking by surprize the Castle of Berwick but the People breaking down the Draw-Bridge shut them out of the Town and being straightly Besieged all the Scots in the Castle were put to the Sword except Alexander Ramsey who was reserved for a large Ransom yet the French though they had been beaten off not giving over their designs Landed again and did much mischief at Winchelsea Dover Gravesend and other places on or near the Sea-coast So that the King to Enable him to set out a Fleet and Transport an Army that might put a check to these Insolencies fummoned a Parliament at Westminster in which a Subsidy was Granted him of Four Pence a Head on all Persons above the Age of Fourteen Years which was looked on in those days as a very grievous Tax and the Gathering it was attended with bad consequences However the Money set out an indifferent good Fleet and an Army were sent into France under Lord Thomas one of the Kings Unkles who wasting all in his way joyned with the Duke of Britanie and much anoyed the French Recovering many Towns and Castles but whilst this was doing abroad a dangerous Mischief befell at home John Wall a Factious Priest by his going from place to place and Preaching to the inferiour sort of People That they were Free by the Law of Nature and that Laws were made by Crafty People to keep them Poor and Low so to Enslave them and that by their Pedigree derived from Adam the good things of the Earth should be equally divided amongst them and not some grow Fat and Rich whilst others Pine and Starve And moreover no Taxes were due on any pretence but People Free Born in their Liberality ought to be left Free This and such like Cant being sutable to their humor and wishes mainly wrought with them to become Levellers so that these pernicious Insinuations spread soon into most parts of England before the Magistrates were aware to suppress it and to bring about what was wished by some cunning Knaves to Inrich themselves in the Spoil of others they raised Tumults and possess'd the Country People with a belief That the City of London was at their devotion and only waited till they came to take possession of it whereupon they flowed thither like an outragious Torrent from Kent Essex Sussex Bedfordshire and other places stiling themselves The Kings Men and the Servants of the Weale Publick chosing as their chief Captain one Wat Tyler by profession a Taylor and as his subordinate Officers Jack Straw Jack Shepherd and some others and to this Rout the Incendary of a lewd Priest John Wall Chaplain and being Encamped in Kent and Essex they sent to the King to come and Treat with them but he was disswaded by his Nobles Whereupon those in Essex crossed the Thames and joyning the Kentish Rebels came to Southwark which they Plundered and finding London-Bridge Fortified against them intended to have Burnt the Suburbs on the South side and have Murthered such as they had notice were not pleased with their Proceedings But the Citizens to prevent so great a Mischief let down the Draw-Bridge and admitted them into the City Feasting and Carressing them rather out of fear than good-will however they Burnt the Duke of Lancaster's House at the Savoy and Murthered all his Servants they found in it They ransacked the Inns of Court and Law Offices Burning all the Law Books and Records that came to their hands Plundering the Churches and Religious Houses and Wat Tyler having seized Richard Lyon his Master with whom he had been Apprentice caused his Head to be Cut off and carry'd before him on a Lance because in his Service he had sometimes Beat him for his Rogueries They Plundered likewise the Houses of all Strangers They likewise forced into the Tower where the King Lay Plundered his Mothers Lodgings and broke her Head because she reproved them for their Insolency They Murthered Simon Tybald Arch Bishop of Canterbury because he had some time before Imprisoned Wall for his Seditious Doctrine and after several meetings the King finding he could do no good with them their Behaviour being so Audacious and their Demands so Insolent and Unreasonable he laboured to make the Citizens his Frinds and resolved to repel them by force Whereupon a Conference being appointed in Smithfield the King beforehand thinking to bring them to better Terms without Extremity if possible sent them several of his Ensigns and their Pardons as a token that he owned them for his good Subjects and freely forgave them for what had happened and then meeting them as appointed he perswaded them to desist from all Violence assuring them that upon tryal they should find him to be their Good Lord and Gracious King But Tyler with a frowning countenance insolent behaviour and rough speech refused to accept the Kings Grace and Favour proudly telling him That all those Troops and many more Thousands were at his dispose to Execute whatsoever he would command Then he commanded Sr. John Newton one of the Kings Attendants who bore the Sword to deliver his Dagger which by the Kings command he did Then he Insolently proceeded to demand the Sword but he stoutly Answered It was the Kings Sword and should not be given to a Knave which so incensed Tyler That he Swore he should lose his Head before himself would Eat or Drink commanding the
little settled Ferdinand the King's father-in-Father-in-Law craved Aid of him against the Moors who infested his Kingdom which he obtained and drove them by that means out of Spain but the War ceasing he sent home the English poor and ill rewarded for their Service which much offended the King and Wars arrising between Pope Julius the Second and Lewis the French King in Italy where the latter seized on the strong Towns of Bologna and La Gasse and became very Formidable King Henry became a friendly Mediator between them But the French King refusing to yeild to Proposals of Peace pursuing his Conquests he required him by his Ambassadors to restore him the Peaceable possession of Guyan and Normandy with his Antient Inheritance of Mayne and Anjou unjustly detained from his Ancestors and himself which being refused he Proclaimed War and for this and Writing a Book in defence of the Roman Pontificate against Martin Luther the Pope on whose account this Quarrel was espoused stiled him Defender of the Faith which Title has ever since been retained by the Kings and Queens of England The King was not slow in raising an Army and King Ferdinand of Spain having notice of his preparations sent to offer his Service if he would Land his Forces in Biscay a part of his Country and from thence March into Guyan which was agreed to and done under the Leading of Thomas Crey Marquess of Dorset But the crafty Spaniard intending nothing but his own advantage by this after the English had suffered many hardships in his Country he joyned them and fell unexpectedly on the Kingdom of Navarre which he seized in a short time the Natives being so amazed at the suddainness of the Invasion that they made little or no resistance But after this success he afforded them no subsistance or any part of the spoil which made the Soldiers Disband of their own accord and come straglingly into England Poor and almost Naked But Sir Edward Howard Youngest Son to the Earl of Surry being Lord Admiral of England many times Landed in the French Territories and greatly endamaged them and at Sea overthrew their Navy in which Fight Sir John Carew of Devonshire in the Regent grapling with a great Carrick of Brest both Ships in the contest fell on Fire and in them on both sides about 800 Men perished This distress on his Coast made the French King augment his Fleet and Fortify his Harbours However the Admiral entered that of Brest with Boats and armed Barges and assailed three great Galleys of Rhodes brought to the assistance of the French King by Prior John these they soon Boarded but the Boats and Barges then returning and leaving them well Manned to be brought off at high Tide by this oversight the French regained them and in the contest the Admiral was born overboard by a Pike and Drowned But in few days his Elder Brother was made Admiral and two Land Armies prepared one under the Leading of George Talbot Earl of Shrewsbury and the other by Charles Somerset Lord Herbert Chamberlain to the King These had not long been Landed but the King leaving the publick mannagement of Affaires to the Queen and directing the Earl of Surry to Guard the North against the Scots Incursion he Sailed to Callice and caused his Army to March to Terwyn which he Besieged and upon the overthrow of the French Army that came to its Relief had it put into his possession which he rased and consumed by Fire except the Cathedral and Bishops Palace During this Siege Maximilian the Emperour with 30 Nobles and Gentlemen repared to King Henry's Camp where to the Honour of England they Enrolled themselves in the King's Pay and were Nobly entertained The next Place that opposed him in his intended Conquest was Tournay which despairing of succour after many fierce Assaults yielded and on condition of their paying 10000 l. the Citizens were received into Henry's Protection and Wolsey his Almoner took an Oath of Allegiance of them to be True to him as his own Subjects However in his Absence the Scots Invaded England with 8000 Men under the Command of the Lord Humes and did great mischief but as they were returning with their Plunder Sir William Bulmer who lay in wait with 1000 Archers put them to the Rout in a sharp Fight slew 500 and took 400 Prisoners and recovered all the Booty so that those who had the luck to Escape returned Poor and Beggarly into Scotland But King James the Fourth to revenge this disgrace raised the Power of his Kingdom and come before the Castle of Norham some Historians say with 100000 Fighting Men which he Took by reason the Captain being prodigal of his Powder too soon spent it But the Earl of Surry Marching against the Scots with 26000 Fighting Men Anno 1513 the fatal Battel of Floden Field was Fought September 9 in which the Victory fell to the English the Scots King 2 Bishops 12 Earls 14 Lords and 12000 others of lesser note being slain For this good Service the Earl of Surry was Created Duke of Norfolk Charles Brandon Viscount Lysle Duke of Suffolk and Woolsey was made Bishop of Lincoln and after some Bickerings with the French on the Coast of Normandy King Lewis stricken much in Years sued for Peace and the better to confirm it Married the Lady Mary Second Sister to King Henry a Young and very Beautiful Lady at whose Wedding and Coronation many brave feats of Chivalry were performed by the English Nobility and Gentry who waited on her But Lewis the 12th Dying three Months after this Marriage she returned again for England and with the King 's private consent was Married to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk who had a long time been her Lover Woolsey who was a Butchers Son at Ipswich now began to rise a pace for Doctor Bambridge dying he was made Arch-Bishop and after by the Pope Cardinal of York which puffed him up with so much Pride that he undertook to Rule the King and Kingdom doing for a time without controul what he listed placing and displacing Officers and meddling in all Affairs where there was Advantage or Homage to be gained Especially when made Lord Chancelour and Counsellour of State demanding Accounts of the Treasurers Captains and other Officers that had been in the Wars by which he got much Money out of some that were Rich and those that could not furnish him he Punished and Imprisoned Erecting Courts of his own head and by subtilty got himself to be made the Popes Legat and to Build two Colledges by the Popes permission suppressed and seized on the Lands Effects of many Religious Houses which gave an inlet to King Henry's suppressing the rest some time after who concluded if it were not Sacriledge in the Pope but he could alow of it at pleasure it would be none in him However this Cardinal was sent on several Honourable Embassies wherein he behaved himself so Proudly Naming the King but in the Second
place as Ego et Rex meus I and my King That Forreigners admired how such Arrogancy could be suffered by any Prince in his Subject but his Fall was swifter than his Rise so that what he chiefly aimed at viz. to be Elected Pope in making Interest for which promotion at Rome and in other Courts it had cost England vast sums of Money he never attained to For King Henry growing into a dislike of the Marriage between him and the Lady Catharine of Spain because she had been his Brother Arthur's Wife tho' indeed as it after appeared rather by a Divorce to make way for a fresh Beauty the Cardinals delays and crossing the Kings haste in this purpose made him fall into disgrace which brought him to his End as will by and by be manifested The King by Riotous Living at home and Expences in Forreign Courts where Ambassadors especially Woolsey were attended with such State that they rather seemed the King himself than his Representatives had now pretty well emptied his Coffers which put him into some discontent But Woolsey both to Enrich the King and himself laid hold of his Melancholy and Wants as a favourable opportunity of his own Authotity granted out Commissions under the Great Seal for Levying a Tax all over England and Wales according to the true value of every Mans Estate viz. Of every Fifty Pound value and upwards Four Shillings in the Pound and for every Pound above Twenty and under Fifty two Shillings and all under Twenty Twelve Pence in the Pound and in London he appointed himself chief Commissioner And by another Commission the Clergy without exception were Taxed Four Shillings in the Pound for their Livings This seemed so grievous to all sorts of People so great a Tax never having been laid on them before and this done without Authority of Parliament that the Meaner sort grievously Cursed the Author and Contriver of their Miseries and those more discreet laboured for these Reasons to have the Commission Revoked 1. Because the Commissions were not established or grounded on the Laws of the Kingdom 2. Because the Execution of them would be a dangerous President against the Liberty and Freedom of the People of England in time to come 3. Because Mens Credits many times exceeded their Estates and to bring them upon Oath or other ways to discover that it would prove their Ruin And Lastly That not one in ten had the value demanded in Plate or Ready Money and if they parted with so much Trade must cease for want of Coin to Trade with But these and many more Reasons prevailed not till the King perceived the Peoples discontents every where so great that he feared a general Insurrection and then he sent his Letters to countermand the Commission dissembling that he knew any thing of those Commissions that had been given out to Levy the Tax and the Cardinal seeing his Project frustrated and fawningly to excuse himself to the People he certified in all Counties by his Letters viz. That because he saw those Taxes were too grievous for them to bear he had in compassion to them kneeled to the King and prevailed with him to Revoke the Commissions Yet few believed him for the greater part were satisfied that it was done against his mind and that he inwardly fretted at the disappointment it being the first rub that had checked his Arbitrary Will When to spend his Gaul on some body and ease his Anger he after he had given the King Hampton Court and all his fine Buildings there in exchange for his Palace of Richmond prevailed to have the ordering the King's Houshould which was no sooner granted but he turned out all worthy deserving Persons and Sold their Places and Offices to such as would be more obedient to him About this time the French King requested the Lady Mary King Henry's Daughter to be given in Marriage to the Dauphin his Son but whilst this Match was solicited and by some liked and by others disapproved a Scruple was cast in the way as most thought upon the secret intimation of Woolsey in despight to the Emperour because by Strength he had not made him Pope when by his Money and Policy he had failed to obtain it by the President of Paris who Questioned Whether the Lady was Legitimate as Born in Lawful Matrimony seeing she was Begotten on the Body of the Lady Catharine who had been his Brother Arthur 's Wife This made the Lawfulness of the King's Marriage be called in Questian and himself so averse to it that by the Counsel of Doctor Longland his Confessor who told him he had Lived Incestuously almost twenty Years he forsook the Queen's Bed to her great grief and discontent And however tho' upon this pretence the Match was broken off yet Woolsey was sent over who concluded a Peace with the French King The Legality of the King's Marriage after this coming hotly to be Disputed to determine which the Pope sent Campeius with a power Legantine which he also granted to Woolsey and so the two Legates reparing to the Queen to Inform her of their Power and Authority which she took very uneasy sharply telling Woolsey He was the first causer of this scruple to be Revenged on her Nephew because he had not made him Pope and on her because she had secretly in a loving and gentle manner often times Admonished him of his Coveteousness and Tyrany his Extortions and Oppressions his Pride and Lechery But with protestations he laboured to excuse it as if he had been altogether Ignorant of the matter and proceeded to erect a stately Court for himself and his Brother Cardinal in the Black Fryars in London where the King and Queen were Cited and Appeared The King protested That nothing but his trouble of Conscience could make him part with so Tender and Loving a Wife and if with the removal of that scruple he could Cohabit with her he should be exceeding Joyful But those that knew what little Scruples this King made in other weighty matters did not lean greatly on the truth of what he said however the Queen advised by her Councel appealed to the Court of Rome But her Appeal was not allowed and tho' the King desired a quick dispatch the business was delayed Yet they proceeded to sit Weekly and hear Learned Disputes on the matter At length the King being informed That after the Last day of July the Legates would sit no more till the Fourth of October in a great passion he sent the Dukes of Norfolk Suffolk and other Lords to demand a dispatch to the Judicial Sentence one way or the other Campeius Answered It could not be done so soon for by the Yearly Custom of the Court of Rome they were bound to Adjourn and if any Sentence in the interim was given it was utterly void in Law At this the Duke of Suffolk in a Rage struck his Fist on the Table saying That never Cardinal nor Legate did any good in England
the chief of them they named the Protector sending abroad Proclamations wherein they lay'd many grievous Crimes to his charge as his Male Administration of Government and the great Mischiefs that had thereby befallen the Kingdom his converting the Publick Treasure to his Private Vse his endeavouring to set the Peers at Variance c. The Duke upon this finding â—he Londoners denyed him Aid but on the contrary had assisted his Adversary Warwick with 400 Armed Men who had drawn most of the Peers to his side and that contrary to his expectation he was left in a manner alone he now too late saw his Brothers Fall was contrived to usher in his However putting the best construction on the matter he sent a Messenger to them desiring they would forbear all rough proceedings and deal with him according to Law and Right which they promising to do he yielded himself and the King's Person into their hands and was committed to the Tower together with Sir Thomas Stanhop Sir Thomas Smith and others his Favourites but having been a Prisoner 3 Months and nothing made out against him upon acknowledging himself worthy of the punishment he suffered and begging the King's Pardon he was set at Liberty but deposed from his Protectorship and by the more Peaceable Nobility the Earl of Warwick and he were made Friends and to bind it the firmer the Earls Eldest Son was Married to the Dukes Daughter and new Honours bestowed on persons that had well deserved viz John Lord Russet was created Earl of Bedford William Lord St. John Earl of Wiltshire Sir William Paget Lord Paget and soon after the King called a Parliament at Westminster wherein was Enacted a Statute for the punishment of Rebells and Riotous Assemblies upon which ensuing Statute the Duke was about two Years after Condemned The Parliament being ended the Earl of Bedford and Lord Paget were sent Ambassadors with other Assistants to France and the Emperour by whose means a Peace was concluded upon divers Articles advantageous to the English and the Queen of Scots was included in it and it was Proclaimed with great Joy in the City of London Now all the high Altars being taken down in the Churches Tables were placed in their stead for receiving the Communion and Sir Andrew Jude Builded the Free-School at Tunbridge and six Alms-houses in St. Hellins within Bishopsgate And the Book of Common Prayer which had in some part been Corrected and Amended was appointed by Parliament to be Read in all Churches and Chappels In Aprill Anno 1551. An unaccountable Sweating Sickness happened and held till October of which vast numbers of people dyed Most that were taken with it dying in 24 Hours or sooner it seizing mostly on lusty young Men and very little on Women Children or aged people and of it dyed Henry Duke of Suffolk and his brother Sons to Charles Brandon Duke of Suffolk both of the Royal Blood by the Mothers side viz Mary younger Sister to Henry the 8th So that the Dukdome fell to Henry Grey Marquess of Dorset who had marryed the Lady Frances Eldest Daughter to Brandon and Mary his Wife And now the Duke of Northumberland growing powerful and labouring to get the King at his disposal to bring his purposes about found he could not do it unless the Duke of Somerset were Removed And the feud growing hot between them the Duke of Somerset by the perswasion of some private Enemies Employed by his Adversary went Armed to the Council under his Surcoat where the Duke of Northumberland feignedly pretending to Clasp him about as in Friendship discovered his Coat of Male and found Weapons about him Whereupon Northumberland laying hold on the opportunity Charged him with an Intention to have Murthered some of the Kings Privy Counsellors and afterwards produced Witnesses to aver he had before come with Armed Men to attempt his Life but that his Courage failed him and one of his followers when he returned demanding if he had done it and he saying No replyed then you are undone Upon this with divers of his Favorites he was sent to the Tower and process being drawn up against him he was Tryed by his Peers in Westminster Hall on two Articles 1. For High Treason viz. That he had not only Imprudently but Treacherously administered the weighty affairs of Government 2. For Conspiring the Death of Northumberland who was a Privy Counsellor which by the new Law was Fellony Of the former he Acquitted himself wherupon the Ax being taken away such a shout arose in the Hall among the Common People that it was heard to Charing Cross but on the other Article he was found Guilty and Condemned but it was a considerable time before they could constrain the King to Sign the Warrant for his Execution which he did not without Tears Saying he was the unhappyest Creature Living For at his Birth he had been the Death of his Mother And had since tho against his Inclination signed the Death of one of her Brothers and now they urged him to do the like for the Noble Duke his Vncle and therfore concluded the Lord Judge between me and you that Constrain me to do this against my mind However having got the Warrant signed they hastened the Duke's Execution and diverted the Kings Melancholly the mean while with Balls Plays and Musick And so infatuated was this Great Man that according to the opinion of divers had he thought upon demanding his Clergy he might have saved his Life his Crime by the new Act being only Fellony However he made a very Pennitent and Christian-like end much bewailing he had forwarded his Brothers Destruction and now saw it brought his own upon himself by opening a way to his Enemies He lost his Head on Tower-Hill and was much Lamented by all sorts of people except his enveterate Enemies who Rejoyced at his removal to another World and in his fall many of his Favourits boâ—e their part by Northumberland's contrivance viz. Sir Ralph Vane and Sir Thomas Arundel Beheaded for Conspiring with Somerset to Kill Northumberland the latter of which declared his Blood should be a Bolster for the Duke of Northumberland as long as he Lived intimating thereby he should have a troubled Conscience and all of them professed their Innocency to the last as to the Crimes they were charged with Doctor Ridley Bishop of London Preaching before the Young King of the excellency of Charity and Alms-deeds he was so affected with his Sermon that thinking he directly pointed at him who was in the highest Station after the Sermon was ended he held a private Conferrence with him how he might effectually bestow his Charity who advised him to send for the Mayor and Aldermen of London who would give him satisfaction in that matter as being most acquainted with the needs of the Poor which he did and after consulting with them allotted them Christs Hospital formerly the Grey Fryars of St. Francis Order St. Thomas's Hospital and Bridewel dividing the Poor
and there being attended on a Scaffold before the Banquetting-House by Dr. Juxon Bishop of London he made a Profession of his Innocency and of his Faith forgiving his Enemies and praying to God not to lay his Blood to their Charge seeming troubled that he had consented to the Sentence against the Earl of Strafford and after this and much more to the like Purpose he kneeling down gave the Sign to the Executioner by stretching out his Arms and at one Blow had his Head separated from his Body which being put in a Coffin covered with Velvet was carried to Windsor and buried in a Vault in St. George's Chappel Thus without President fell King Charles when he had Reigned 23 Years 10 Months and 3 Days being the 24th Year of his Reign and 49th of his Age. Put to Death by the Hands of his own Subjects contrary to all Law and Justice universally Pitied but unable to be help'd by his People He was one of the Chastest Princes that ever sate upon the Throne being all along so true to his Queen that he never Defil'd his Marriage-bed And had he not given too much heed to Buckingham Laud and some other fâ—attering Parasites and Courtiers who were continually Buzzing into his Ears nothing but Absolute and unlimitted Power putting him upon Dissolving his Parliaments and then raising Money and Ruling without them as appear'd by his Twelve Years interval of Parliaments viz. from Anno 1628 to 1640. whereby he lost the Love of his People he had never been brought to that dismal Catastrophe but might have Liv'd and Dy'd a Happy Prince And this may be observ'd from this King's Reign as well as from several before That never any Prince fell out with his Parliament and went about to Establish an Arbitrary Power but he not only found himself Mistaken but also thereby made himself Miserable Before the breaking out of this unnatural War amazing Sights were seen in the Air of Firey Men and Horses running at each other with Launces encountring with great Blasts of Lightning and noise of Thunder In Gloucester-shire Spectres were seen in a large Field not far from that City drawn up in Battalia furiously Engaging and then Vanishing to the Amazement of the Beholders The Reign of King CHARLES The Second KING Charles the First being put to Death the Relicks of the Parliament began to take out of the way such Nobles and others as they supposed would obstruct their Proceedings and particularly Duke Hamilton the Earl of Holland and the Lord Capel were Beheaded for Treason pretended against them And now to make their Power the Stronger they combined with the Army-Officers And tho' Charles Son to the preceding King had an undoubted Right to the Kingdom they proceeded to bar him and all the Royal Line as they hoped from the Crown or any other from being King or chief Magistrate unless by Publick Act of Parliament so appointed and that it should be Treason in any to attempt to further King Charles the Second by them generally called Charles Stewart in his Designs to possess the Crown by Proclaiming him or any Assistance given to him taking great care not to admit the Secluded Members lest they should put a stop to the Current of their Proceedings taking down every where the King 's Arms and placing the Harp and Cross in their places called the States Arms and having taken down the late King's Effigies from the Royal-Exchange they caused to be inscribed in the place where it stood in Letters of Gold Exit Tyranus Regum ultimus Anno Libertatis Angliae Restitutiae Primo Anno 1648. Jan. 30. All Titles in Processes of Law were altered and instead of Carolus Dei Gratia c. was put in Custodes Libertatis Angliae c. The King's-Bench was called the Vpper-Bench and a new Stamp was made for Money having on the one side the Cross and on the other the Cross and Harp inscribed The Common-wealth of England on the one side and God with Vs on the other also a new Great Seal was prepared with the Cross and Harp on the one side with this Inscription The Great Seal of England and on the other side the Picture of the House of Commons with these Words In the first Year of Freedom by God's Blessing restor'd 1648. Things being thus Moddelled whilst King Charles was in France Solliciting for Aid to possess him of his Kingdoms Fairfax out of some dislike to the Patliaments proceedings laid down his Commission which was given to Oliver Cromwel who from this time laid the Projection of his future Greatness And indeed in his attempts on Ireland and Scotland he was so Successful as to reduce them to the English Obedience with incredible Slaughter of the Natives However King Charles was proclaimed by his Friends in England and Ireland and soon after in Scotland And now Money being wanting to maintain the Parliaments Armies c. the Crown-Lands Dean and Chapter and Bishops Lands were Sold with many stately Houses and most of the Castles in England Demolished and all Persons expelled from Places of Trust in Church and State that Subscribed not to be Conformable to the New-modelled Government The Scots all this while were Debating how to Restore the King who was in the Isle of Jersey and coming to a Result sent the Laird Libberton and Mr. Windram to him with Proposals the Heads being these 1. That he should Sign the Solemn League and Covenant 2. That he should Pass divers Acts concluded on in the two last Sessions of Parliament in Scotland 3. That he should recall the Commissions given to Montross 4. That he should put from him all Papists and appoint some place in Holland to treat with their Commissioners and give them a speedy Answer And Sir William Fleming being sent by the King to the Estates of Scotland Breda was appointed for the place of Treaty and Commissioners were sent to represent the Kirk and State who delivered what they had in Charge to the same Effect as has been mentioned But whilst the Treaty held the Marquess of Montross making new Attempts was Surprized in Scotland where with much Indignity he was brought to Execution and Hanged on a Gibbet of extraordinary height Dying with a Courage and Bravery suitable to that wherein he had Lived and Quarters were set up in divers places This being done in a full Treaty greatly Displeased the King because he had his Commission and had acted in his Cause but the necessity of his affairs made him pass it over and he Condescended to most of the Proposals The Parliament of England soon heard of their Treaty and to prevent its taking effect sent an Army under Cromwel into Scotland and manning out a Fleet Admiral Blake fell in with Prince Rupert's Squadron sinking and burning most of the Ships he Commanded for the King however matters being agreed on the King hastened to Scotland and Landed at Spey where several Lords came to him and the Town of
Writing had it been prov'd his was only an Answer to Sir Robert Filmer's Treatise of Absolute Monarchy which had been the Design not only of this but of the two preceding Reigns yet this Evidence such as it was was sufficient with such Juries as then were pack'd for their Purpose to find the Collonel Guilty notwithstanding the Learned Defence he made for himself So that he was Condemned and Beheaded dying with a Greatness of Mind worthy of himself The Duke of Monmouth who was also one of the Lord Howard's Council of Six had for some time absconded but now upon his Submission to his Father and his Unkle was admitted to Court but being urg'd to make a fuller Discovery and Confession of the Plot which he affirm'd he knew nothing of he fell again into his Unkle's Displeasure and consequently into his Father's and so was Banished from the Royal Presence Several others who were said to be concerned in this Plot fled beyond Seas and were Out-lawed for not appearing here in Court among whom was one Holloway a Bristol-Merchant who was taken at Nevis in the West-Indies and brought over hither He was wrought upon by some of the Duke's Creatures to make a Confession and he should have his Pardon and when he had own'd enough to Hang himself he was offered the Benefit of a Tryal which he refused and flung himself upon the King's Mercy and so was Executed And not long after Sir Thomas Armstrong Master of Horse to the Duke of Monmouth who upon the Proclamation put out for apprehending him had fled into Holland was taken out of Leyden by Surprize and brought to London and Committed to Newgate and it being Term-time was soon after carried to Westminster where that infamous Wretch Sir George Jefferies being at that time Lord Chief Justice order'd him to be Executed the Friday following he being already Out-lawed But Sir Thomas boldly Demanded the benefit of the Law which was on his side for by a Statute of the 6th of Edw. 6. it was Enacted That if any Person Out-law'd for Treason being beyond the Sea shall within one Year after such Out-lawry render himself to the chief Justice of England he should Reverse his Out-lawry and take a Tryal which Sir Thomas then desir'd it being his Case But the Cheif Justice over-rul'd it and would not admit of his Plea nor let him have Counsel to Argue it But gave a Rule of Court for his Execution the Friday following the Impudent Chief Justice charging Richardson in a Jeering manner to see that Sir Thomas had the full benefit of the Law then And accordingly he was drawn up on a Sledge to Tyburn and there Executed Denying his Knowledge of any Plot whatsoever against the King But Sir Thomas's Death was Voted Murther by the Parliament since this happy Revolution The pretence of this Plot gave them a specious Ground to Persecute the Dissenters the Goals throughout England being at this time filled with them and Multitudes Cited to and Excommunicated by the Spiritual Courts for Nonconformity Executing upon them all the Vengeance that was possible Some being punish'd as Rioters some for Treasonable Words and some upon Actions of Scandalum Magnatum and Fined Exorbitantly beyond all Law or Reason of which last Sir Thomas Pilkington and Dr. Oats were Severe instances each being Fined 100000 l. to the Duke But a little before this time the Vertuous Lady Anne youngest Daughter to the Duke was Married to Prince George the King of Denmark's Brother the Match being generally liked by the People he being a Protestant Prince And the Hamborough Company in Gratitude for Favours receiv'd from the King in Relation to their Charter erected his Statue of grey Marble in the midst of the Royal-Exchange in the Habit of a Roman Caesar This was the State of the Nation when upon Monday the second of February 1684 5 the King was taken with an Apoplectick Fit which if it carried him not out of the World then 't is certain it did the Friday following Dying in the 54th Year of his Age having Reigned 36 Years and some few Days He was a Prince that very much indulg'd himself in taking his Pleasure and was very unlike his Father in this That he was a great Lover of Women and kept variety of them as the Dutchess of Cleaveland Nell Gwynn and the Dutchess of Portsmouth the last of which was made use of by his Brother to make the King do whatever he had a mind to have done for so much was the King taken with her French Charms that he could deny her nothing And therefore advancing of Favourites was done by her Mediation and even Parliaments themselves Prorogu'd or Dissolv'd if she had a Mind to have it so He was not a Prince Bloody or Cruel in his own Nature yet by the Ascendant his Brother had over him many worthy Persons lost their Lives in his Reign He was a Prince of very good Natural Parts had they not been Vitiated by giving himself up so much to the satisfaction of his Lusts His making War with the Dutch and joyning with France against them weaken'd the Protestant Interest and has made the French so Formidable to Europe And having carry'd on his Brother's Designs in Masquerade as long as he thought Convenient he dyed of a sudden but whether Naturally or by some Foul Play I will not determine tho' the latter was much Suspected However the Nation had a real Kindness for him and the News of his Death fill'd all Eyes with Tears and all Hearts with Sadness except those of the Papists and some Tories that were worse than they But this proceeded chiefly from the Fears and dismal Apprehensions the People had of the ensuing Reign In the Eleventh Year of this Kings Reign a Prodigious Whale came up to Greenwich and run it self on shore there soon after which Oliver Cromwel then Protector died In his 17th Year 3 Blazing Stars appeared of different shapes and colours which were look'd on to be the Denuntiators of ensuing Judgements In his 18th Year was a great Plague in London of which died far more than ever did in any Plague before and in the next Year the greatest part of the City of London was Consumed by Fire In the 33d Year of his Reign on the 18th of May 1680 a great storm of Hail fell in London and the parts adjacent the Hail-stones being of an extraordinary bigness some of them nine inches about and generally as big as Pullets Eggs with the figures of Stars and other curious works upon them being also very hard Several Rooks in the Temple-garden being kill'd by them and many Sky-lights in London broken to pieces by their violent failing upon them Soon after which a Prodigious Blazing-Star appeared in the West for several Weeks together In the 37th Year of his Reign there was a great Frost that continued from the beginning of December to the end of February in which time the Thames was frozen
so hard that Booths were erected upon the Ice and all sorts of Commodities sold in them insomuch that it was called Blanket-Fair Also a Bull was baited upon the Ice and Coaches ply'd from the Temple stairs to Westminster in Hillary Term. The Reign of King JAMES the Second KING Charles the Second being Dead on the same day in the afternoon being February the 6th 1684 5. his Brother James Duke of York was Proclaimed King And upon his coming to the Council He declared that since it had pleased God to place him in that station to succed so good a King as well as so kind a Brother he thought it fit to declare his Endeavours to follow his Brothers Example more especially in that of his great Clemency and Tenderness to his People and make it his Endavour to preserve the Government both in Church and State as it is by Law Established And then comends the Church of England's Principles and Members telling them He knows likewise that the Laws of England are sufficient to make the King as Great a Monarch as he can wish And therefore as he will never depart from the just Rights and Prerogatives of the Crown so he will never invade any Mans Property This Speech of the Kings to his Council was forthwith Printed and Published and received every where with great Applause many hoping their fears were greater than there was occasion for But how he kept to this Declariation which had he done he might have been happy the sequel of his Reign will shew There was now no longer Occasion for the King to Dissemble what he was and therefore what his Brother King Charles had acted in Masquerade King James resolved to do bare-fac'd and accordingly the next Sunday after his accession to the Crown he went publickly to Mass which Convinc'd those that before would not believe him to be a Papist and I have heard it Reported That the Duke of Norfolk carrying the Sword before him resign'd it at the Door upon which the King told him His Father would have gone further with him To which the Duke smartly Reply'd But your Majesties Father would not have gone so far And so went to the Protestant Chappel In a few days after the King Published a Paper of his Brother's dying a Roman-Catholick and of his Receiving the extream Unction and other Ceremonies of the Roman-Church before his Death attested by one Huddleston a Popish Priest And also a Paper taken out of King Charles's his Strong-Box shevving that hovvever he appear'd othervvise outvvardly yet in his heart he vvas a Sincere true Roman-Catholick The Customs and Excise dying vvith King Charles being granted only for his Life the King puts out a Proclamation commanding the paying of them till they should be granted by Parliament Which vvas his first Specimen hovv vvell he intended to preserve Mens Properties vvhen his very first Publick Act of Government vvas a Notorious violation both of Mens Properties and of the Lavvs of the Kingdom Soon after this his Brother King Charles the Second vvas Buried but vvith so little Pomp and Solemnity becoming the Majesty of a King that he vvas as it vvere throvvn into his Grave in the dead time of the Night accompanied by fevv Persons as if his Corps had been in danger of being Arrested for Debt He was interred indeed in Henry the 7th's Chappel but without any Stone to cover him So that never any King that died possest of a Throne was so meanly Buried Yet was it well enough for King Charles whose latter part of his Reign was as Dark as his Burial was Obscure But this notes the Gratitude of the King to so kind a Brother as he had always been to him A little before King Charles died Dr. Oats was fined 100000 l. for Scandalum Magnatum against the Duke of York and to be kept a close Prisoner till the Fine was paid which mighty Scandal was for saying The Duke was reconciled to the Church of Rome Which now the King acknowledged But this must not serve Oats's turn a Fine and Imprisonment was no sufficient Compensation for the Lives of the Popish Martyrs that suffered in his Brother's Reign and therefore the King having him now within his Clutches an Indictment for Perjury is preferr'd against Oats and the Perjury assign'd is Double first That Ireland one of the Executed Jesuits was not in London from the third of August 1678 till the 14th of Sept. next following whereas Oats at the said Ireland's Tryal Swore That he was at a Consult about killing the King in the middle of August Secondly That Oats was at St. Omers all April and May 1678 Whereas at the Tryal of Harcourt and White-bread c. he Swore they were at a Consult the 24th of April concerning killing the King and establishing the Popish Religion Ireland at his Tryal which was in 1678 urged the first Point and Harcourt Whitebread c. at their Tryals in 1679 pleaded the second but Oats prov'd both so incontestably at their several Tryals that it was both to the Satisfaction of Judge and Jury and of the whole Nation But now the Case was alter'd the Design was to invalidate the Popish Plot and to punish Oats for justifying it And they were pretty sure to carry it having such a Jury as would be sure to find him Guilty upon any Evidence and against the most Substantial Evidence to the contrary that Mirror of Injustice Jefferies being Judge The Witnesses against him were the St. Omer's Youths now better instructed than they were before who all remembred their Lesson to a T. and swore Oats was at St. Omer's all April and May and the Popish Stafford-shire Witnesses at that Tryal counted as good Witnesses as any in the World Swore Ireland was in Stafford-shire or thereabouts in August and September As to this last I find a Passage in Cook 's Detection of the four last Reigns that justifies Oats's Evidence beyond all Peradventure which I will here Insert and leave to Posterity to judge of It is briefly this One Mr Benjamin Hinton a Goldsmith in Lombard-street was Ireland 's Cashier and Mr. Hinton going out of Town at that time in August 1678. met Ireland 〈◊〉 or about Barnet coming for London where Ireland told him he had extraordinary Occasions for Money and urg'd Hinton to go back with him but Hinton told him his Man could do Ireland's Business as well as he and his occasions would not permit him to go back I asked Mr. Hinton of the Truth of this to which he would not give me any Answer but be this true or false it 's entred into Hinton's Book of Accompts Paid to Mr. Ireland's own Hands whereas the other Entries are Paid by his Order And 't is said Mr. Hinton's Man would Depose he Paid these Moneys to Ireland himself Mr. Hinton afterwards failing a Commission of Bankrupt was Sued against him and his Book of Accompts was delivered and kept at the Widow Vernon's Coffee-house